Subconscious (Anxceit)

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Chapter Eight: Side Note

Logan poured through his notebook, frowning. "I can't see anything about Dee that might help..."
Virgil groaned and leaned against the wall. He could see the page from where he was standing. It had a picture of Dorian in the corner that almost looked like a mugshot.
He was scowling, his hat, cape and gloves were missing, and there was something matted in his hair. He was flipping off the camera.
Virgil was stunned. He remembered that photo. It was taken fifteen years ago, when they were still best friends.

"Please just cooperate. It's a photo and then you can go."
Virgil looked around the room at the others. Dorian was leaning lazily against the wall, his arms crossed. Braydan was picking at a lint on his shirt, with Clay hanging on to the back of it. Logan was trying to get them to do a shoot for whatever reason, and none of them wanted their picture taken.
"Please."
Dorian tried to push his hair back, his hand getting caught in the substance Clay had dropped on his head in a terrible prank. Logan grabbed Dorian by the shirt, and Dorian's eyes flashed, striking quickly to bite Logan.
Logan just rolled his eyes and pushed his head back, standing him in the middle of a white plastic square, in front of a plain white backdrop.
Logan held the camera up to his eye, and just as he pressed the shutter button, Dorian held up his middle finger, walking out of shot once the photo was taken.
Virgil held back a laugh, looking over. Dorian caught his eye and grinned, throwing him a quick wink.

Virgil jumped out of his daydream when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"We'll find him, kiddo... it'll be okay." Patton wrapped his arms around his neck, hugging him.
Virgil sighed and hugged back. "What if we don't...? We just..."
There was an odd look in Pattons eyes that Virgil couldn't quite place.
"You just reconciled I get it..."
Did he? What did that knowing look mean?
Virgil just sighed and shook his head. "I'm gonna go to bed..."
Patton's look faded and he nodded almost sadly.
"Sleep well kiddo... we'll tell you if we find something to help him with."
Virgil nodded and smiled weakly, ruffling Patton's hair softly. Patton smiled with a small giggle.
"Night Pat. Thanks for your help."

Virgil didn't fall asleep.
He was scrolling through all the messages he'd sent Dorian's phone in the last half hour, all of them read but none of them responded to.

Dorian.

Dorian are you there?

Please tell me you're safe...

We're all worried about you.
Read, 3:00am

Virgil eventually sighed and put his headphones on, closing his eyes as he listened to his music. Dorian always answered his messages... was he just ignoring him? Had he done something?
Was he not allowed to talk?
He'd just gotten him back as a friend and now they'd taken him back.
He didn't even know they could do that, that they could get over...
... Wait.

"No. Absolutely not."
Patton crossed his arms and stared Virgil down.
"Pat please I'll be careful and I'll be able to-"
"No. I'm not letting you go back there. What if they take you?"
Virgil had forgotten about his door. The one that gave him access to the dark side.
He'd go in, by himself, and collect Dorian.
Simple, and it would save the others from getting hurt.
Roman seemed to be actually pondering the idea, which seemed to make Patton even more upset.
"... Patton... If you look at it this way..."
"No! He's not going! I'm not sending him down so both he and Deceit get kidnapped! I won't allow it."
Logan seemed to be pondering everything said, facial expressions changing as he debated it over with himself in his head.
"... He has a phone. Maybe we could set something up, a code in case he's in trouble..."
At this point Patton just looked distressed. "Is no one listening to me? Surely there's a better way to rescue Deceit. I won't allow it."
"I don't think there is."
Virgil seemed to shock everyone out of their arguments, as if they had forgotten he was there. He was used to that, but now they were listening, so he was gonna take this time as best he could to convince Patton.
"... You guys... Can't be in there for long. It's too dangerous for you... But I'm still... by all definitions of the word a dark side... I can save him... maybe convince them I'm on their side..." he took in a deep breath.
He wasn't sure how these words were gonna be received, but hey, what the hell. He'd already come this far.
"Maybe I could even get rid of them."

They'd managed to convince Patton, even came up with a code and a signal should Virgil need help.
Patton seemed tense. He wasn't happy with this turn of events, that much was clear, but even he had to admit that the rewards outweighed the risks.
He was fussing over Virgil right now, pushing food and a water bottle into a backpack that Virgil was sure he wouldn't need but indulged Patton in anyway.
After all, he was doing this anyway knowing Patton was uncomfortable with it, so he may as well let him do anything that would help him ease his mind.
Eventually, when the bag was full and Logan had convinced Patton that maybe Virgil didn't need that many cereal bars as he wasn't going to be gone for a month, Patton tearfully told him to be careful and to come home safe, or he'd come in for him himself.
Virgil had only smiled at that and ruffled Pattons hair, then watched them retreat before summoning the door.
He stared at it for a moment, biting at his lip.
He knew this was a bad idea, but he had no other options...
He opened the door and stepped in.

"Welcome home Virgil."

Everything went dark.

I am... so so sorry that it took this long and I had an unplanned hiatus. I literally only have two more chapters left of this book and I slacked off so hard omg-

I've made promises like this before, so I can't promise that I'll be back immediately, but I'm gonna get this one up so I can get the next chapter up as soon as possible!

Thank you so much for your patience, and I hope to see you soon!

Bye!

-K