Brothers {Sanders Sides}

16

T.W.: kidnapping, homo/transphobia, deadname

Virgil and Thomas were sitting on the couch with Virgil's head resting on Thomas's shoulder. They were watching the last few minutes of The Black Cauldron.

"Thomas?" Virgil asked quietly, "are you annoyed that me, the twins, and L don't call you dad?"

Thomas chuckled, "of course not."

"But Patt and Dee call you dad. And I thought maybe you'd be upset that not all of us do and-" Thomas cut off Virgil's ramblings.

"Virge, it's your decision to call me Dad or Thomas." He said, "Patt and Dee just started calling me that yesterday. If eventually you want to call me dad, then you can. But I'm not gonna force you, okay?"

Virgil nodded, starting to tear up. He threw his arms around Thomas. Thomas smiled softly, hugging the boy back.

"Hey, how about I go get some ice cream?" Thomas asked, "The twins ate the last of it and I need to get more anyway."

Virgil laughed, "okay."

"Do you want to come?" Thomas smiled.

Virgil shook his head, "I'll stay home. I don't wanna go out today."

"Alright." Thomas chuckled, "I'll be back soon."

Virgil nodded as Thomas ruffled his hair. Thomas soon left for the ice cream, leaving Virgil alone in the house. Virgil smiled to himself, starting Nightmare Before Christmas to watch while he waited for Thomas to get back.

It was really quiet being the only one in the house. Usually Virgil loved the quiet, especially living with five other boys, but for some reason he had an unsettling feeling he couldn't shake.

"Stupid anxiety." Virgil mumbled, hugging his knees.

A little while later, there was a knock on the door. Virgil rolled his eyes. Thomas had probably gotten a whole bunch of groceries again and couldn't open the door.

But right after Virgil opened the door, someone grabbed him.

Virgil tried to scream, but a cloth was shoved into his mouth. In a second, he was thrown into the back of a van. The van shot forward. Virgil fell back, hitting his head on the side of the van. Everything went black.

Virgil woke up with a pain in his head and ribs. He passed out for who knows how long in his binder.

The boy slowly sat up, leaning against the wall of the dingy cell he was locked in. It was really only one room with iron bars splitting it in half. On the other side of the room, Virgil could see the faint outline of stairs with the light from a small window.

The window was on Virgil's side of the small prison. Virgil sighed. Even if he wasn't injured, there was no way he would be able to squeeze through there.

The sound of a heavy door opening made Virgil flinch further into the corner. Footsteps echoed down the stairs until a man stood in front of the iron bars.

"Hello Angela." Virgil flinched as the man said his deadname, "it's been a while since I saw you. Do you remember me?"

Virgil was shaking as he looked up at the man. His eyes went wide.

"Y-you're the ma-mayor." Virgil stumbled over his words.

"Yes, I'm Mayor Ian Ill. Ness." The man said, "But you can just call me Ian."

Virgil gulped, but didn't move.

"Such a shame what happened to your parents." Ian sighed, "How did the fire start again? Electrical failure?"

"You fucking lier!" Virgil yelled, "you murdered them!"

Ian tutted, "such language Angela. What has that big brother of yours been teaching you? Has he told you that you could be a boy? That you could... love... the same gender? That you can turn away from God and not meet the same fate of your parents!?"

Virgil whimpered as Ian slammed on the bars. The older man sighed, starting to pace the length of the room.

"Now I don't mean to scare you Angela," Ian sighed, "I just worry for you. You and your younger brothers are so innocent and pure. I knew I had to save you from the evil clutches of those demons!"

"Do-don't hurt my brothers." Virgil sobbed.

"I'm not going to hurt them." Ian said sadly, "I'm going to save them."

Ian smiled eerily, unlocking the door and walking over to the terrified boy, "I'm going to save you."