Starting and ending with the same ship is always nice. We came full circle.
I DID SO MUCH RESEARCH FOR THIS ONESHOT SO PLEASE BE HAPPY WITH IT
STORYTIME!
Virgil was a huge believer in the zodiac and in his tarot cards of the day. Sure, there were apps, but he'd rather do his tarot himself. His horoscope was electronic, but the other fortune and zodiac stuff he'd do all by hand. Virgil is a tech major at this huge university where many of the smartest, most scientific kids go. So it's easy to assume that be both became a laughing stock and outcast for his interest in this near paranormal fortune-seeking nonsense that most people claimed it to be.
Logan was aware of the stereotypes, rumors, and teasing that went Virgil's way, however he couldn't help but be curious. He was an accepting man, even though some political and religious views are defiantly wrong but the fact is people are just fucked up, so he would be open to try/observe anything once. He had done his research and saw little to no value in this practice, however Logan wanted to confirm this hypothesis and what better way to do so than go right to the source? Literally, Logan is conducting a full science experiment with research papers and documentation and all. He wants to see if this kid, Virgil, is right or wrong in investing in this astrology mumbo jumbo.
Logan had found Virgil in campus easier than he thought he would with simple probability numbers ran through his calculator. He had forgotten to account for behavioral habit. Virgil was sitting outside of a coffee shop that isn't starbucks, playing with some sort of deck of cards. Logan cleared his throat, ran through his introduction once more in his head, and approached him with his ever-intimidating stoic expression and ridged movements. Virgil looked up at him, venerability and sadness looming within his eyes. There is also a whiff of sage in the nearby air.
"Salutations, Virgil. My name is Logan. I have heard you are interested in horoscopes and other alike fortunes and I would much appreciate a chat with you about them. Have no worries, I just want to understand how they work and would like to perhaps see an example? I hold no hostility towards you."
Virgil calmed down when he realized this guy wasn't going to mock him or bully him or throw anything at him. He had a class or two with his guy, didn't know much more about him other than that he's a teacher's pet and that he liked to do unnecessary experiments outside of class. Oh, and that his name is Logan. A real scientific guy. Maybe his fortunes and zodiacs crossed his mind for a old experiment? Who knows. As long as Virgil isn't gonna end up hurt or crying late at night in his dorm while his neighbors yell at him to shut up again.
"Okay...? Well, uh, what should we do first? I have my Tarot cards or I can give you today's horoscope... I also can, uh, tell you your birthstone if you don't know and describe stuff about your zodiac sign. Do you know what yours is?"
Logan shook his head. Virgil sighed. He got out a piece of paper that basically was a cheat sheet. He slide it over to Logan and gave him a dark blue pen. Logan saw his birth date lie next to the little scorpion icon. Scorpio. Logan put a tiny start next to the icon, circled November as his birth month, and slid the paper back over. He did say something about birthstones, and Logan knows those correspond with months and not zodiacs. Virgil saw this and nodded. He folded the paper and put it away. He then took out a yellow quartz stone. Logan knew better than most. This was a Citrine, not a Topaz.
"So since you're a November Scorpio, your stone is Citrine. I have plenty so you can go shead and have this. It has been said that Citrine could calm anger and manifest prosperity. Citrine is a good omen for wealth and success. Considering that you go to this college, that all probably something you'd like. Here."
Virgil pushed the Citrine stone towards him. It was beauitfully cut into a pocket sized crystal. Logan could fit it inside of his shirt pocket. Logan rose an eyebrow, making sure that Logan was okay with giving away such a stone. He nodded with a weak, almost sickly smile as Logan slid the stone into his shirt pocket. He didn't feel much of a difference, but in his deep subconscious his brain made the adjustment to put more stress on his financial situation when he would return home. The Citrine was a reminder.
"Thank you very Much, Virgil. I will keep that in mind. Now, you said something about some sort of card game?"
Virgil sighed when Logan said the word 'game'. Logan made a mental note not to refer to any of these practices as a game seeing at how freatly it annoyed him. Virgil then proceeded to spread the entire deck of cards ominously over the table, a cloud covering the sun to give a shadowed cast over the entire area around them. Peculiar. There hardly was a single cloud in the sky earlier and was only a 10% chance for rain.
"Tarot Cards. They're not exactly prediction cards, since those are Oracle Cards, and they have deeper meanings that can see the past, present, and future. Just choose if you want to look into romance, career, fortune, or all three. It's different each way. Since you have no idea how most of this works, we're gonna go one card for all three. One in the left is for love, the middle one for finance, and the right one for luck. Ready? Because we're diving right in."
Logan listened carefully to the instructions, but blocked out the rest. Virgil shuffled through the deck twice, Logan not knowing the numberical pattern he had chosen. But since you are the reader you are allowed to know. Virgil decided to make it simple and use Logan's birth month: November. November is the eleventh month so the number was eleven. Since it was a double digest number he added the digets and got the number two. One plus one is two. Then he set down three cards faced down. One on the left, one on the right, and one in the center. Virgil flipped over the romance card first.
"The Four of Pentacles Reversed. You're lacking something solid. You do not have a healthy relationship or a relationship at all and it makes you feel less whole."
Logan whipped up his eyes from the card and stared at Virgil. The card was upside down to Logan's perspective (a reversal) and Virgil didn't skip a Beat. Logan's face flushed in shame. No, he had never had a truly healthy relationship. Growing up in middle school he did have a "girlfriend" to hide the fact he was gay, but the girl found out and she slapped him. Logan never tried romance after that, feeling as though he'd mess it up. The card was generally right in a sense. Virgil waited for his eyes to go from a wild storm to a calm, dreary, dust. Virgil then flipped over the middle card.
"The page of cups, a card that ties deeply with your Scorpio sign. The page of cups is a gentle soul with a sensitive nature. You live in wonder and you always keep searching in an almost naive sort of way. In your career, you will keep learning and searching. You will grow more open to new ways and new possibilities and be more considerate of those around you."
Logan nodded, unsure of that one. However he has been working on being a more socially adequate to others. He does not worry about learning. He is always learning. But naive? Logan never saw himself as naive and could never identify with the word. In an ironic sort of way, isn't that naive in itself? Seeing himself as never becoming naive? Perhaps believing he could learn everything and be smarter than everyone in his life could be naive in a sort... this one would spark thought in him. Virgil didn't wait too long to reveal the last card.
"The nine of cups is a card highly supported by Planet Jupiter and by your Water sign: Scorpio. This card shows you that you are on the right path. You are exactly where you need to be fortune-wise. Your luck is good and good things will come your way. Of course, you'll have to work for it, but believe me when I saw that things are going to start looking brighter soon."
Logan, for the first time in the longest while, smiled. That was such a pleasant thing to hear. Logan recapped over all these cards have told him: He as missing love, which was true. That he would be more open and that his was naive in his career (learning), which might be true. And that things will start going his way soon, which he hoped was true. Then there was the Citrine, which was supposed to help him in regards to wealth. That last cards aligns with the Citrine. Perhaps... perhaps there is a truth behind this after all.
"Thank you very much, Virgil. That was... quite an enjoyable experience. I've done my research and heard about how different astrological signs interact and get along. And I was born November Third, a Scorpio, I was wondering what your astrological sign was and if we'd get along? You seem to be a pleasant person and I'd love to learn more about these horoscopes."
Virgil froze. This wasn't happening... right? A person actually wanted to spend time with him and thought he was cool? He hasn't had any friends since high school, and his best friend went to became an elementary school teacher. Speaking of Patton Virgil hopes he's doing well... He hasn't seen him since his brother in law's wedding. Virgil turned his head, feeling his cheeks turn bright red and a dopey grin cover his face. Both boys were smiling and Virgil was the one with the blush as of now. Oh! Right! He had a question regarding zodiacs!
"Well, I'm a Sagittarius and since I am a fire sign and you are a water sign, typically they tend to clash. But in a relationship both Scorpio and Sagittarius are Journey-oriented. Both are in life to have an adventure and conquer the injustices against them. Scorpio is more laid back than Sagittarius and these particular signs tend to balance out. In a relationship, platonic or romantic, it takes balance and understanding of one another for it to work."
That's really pleasant to listen to. That was really nice. And that did strike a revelation within Logan. He was quite stuck up in his ways, wasn't he? But he also was out to show the world how brains are better than brawn. This horoscope zodiac things struck a fancy within Logan. Balance and understanding, hmm? Logan wants to understand. He was motivated to understand. Logan cleared his throat, making up his mind.
"Understanding... Hmm? Then that settles it. Virgil, would you like to grab some lunch together? It's nearing noon and I'm not so certain about your schedule, but I'm famished. I would love to get to know you more rather than the cards."
Virgil was internally screaming. A date!? Logan basically asked him on a date! Was this fated!? His horoscope today did say something about a life altering moment and in his love horoscope it did say there was something big coming. Normally, Virgil ignores the love horoscopes because it never tends to be his thing. He didn't think anyone would be interested. But today... today it was! The horoscope was correct! Virgil grinned from ear to ear, taking his cards and wrapping the rubber band hairtie (he calls hairties rubber bands) that keeps them together around them. No way! This was so awesome!
"Uh, err, Yeah! I'd love to get lunch with you Logan! I, uh, you go ahead and choose the place. I should probably stop talking now sorryLoganI'vejustneverbeenaskedouttolunchbefore-"
Logan done another thing he hasn't done in a while. He laughed. What a wonderful, pleasant, adorable person. So the true Virgil was a little bit anxious, hmm? No big deal. Personally Logan enjoys the company of more introverted and socially anxious people. More often than not they relate to him and have deeper conversations because If they're open to you, it means there's a deep connection. Logan stood up and pushed in his chair, looking around. People were staring, but Logan simply didn't care. Why should he? They're all losers.
"I would much prefer it if you choose the resteraunt. My treat. I want to learn more about you as a person, including your flavor palette, err I meant, likes and dislikes."
And this moment, no matter how awkward or how many people around would treat both men poorly for, was the blossom of a relationship. A blossom of understanding and balance that would lead into an eternal bond called matrimony. It would lead into a family and eternal love even beyond this world. And guess what? Logan's wedding ring that he refused to ever take off was made of Citrine.
Edited 2350 Words
I went all out with this one. I did the research and I did my very best. I am not an expert in zodiac, tarot, or the meanings behind birthstones but I did try. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Thank you to everyone who has corrected me I like representing people correctly and I'm sorry if I'd offended you in any way.
Everyone has a past, present, and future. No matter whether the past was horrible or the present, you can always look forward to the future. There will always be a new card to turn over. There will always be something to look forward to. There is always a future, no matter how bad the energy in the present may be or how toxic you're past you grew up in was. You will always have a future.
Internet hugs and blow kisses!
And thank you for reading all the oneshots in this book. The last chapter, the next chapter, will be a final Salutations.
~Eva