TW- Abusive Relationship, Mentions of Past Abuse

Logan stayed by Virgil's side as the pair walked to the checkout line and waited their turn. As they waited, Virgil finally realized the reality of the situation. A man he didn't know was holding him. Virgil's mind raced with ideas of Logan potentially being a threat and felt his anxiety heighten at the though. He hadn't realized that he had began shaking until he felt a hand lightly rub his back and heard the man's voice whisper lowly in his ear, "Shh, you're okay. I promise I'll explain everything once we get out of this store. You're going to have to trust me." For a reason unbeknownst to him, Virgil did trust him. It was something about the soothing way he spoke and the composure he possessed. Virgil looked up slowly at Logan and nodded, a small attempt to show him that he did trust him enough to relax slightly. As Virgil paid for what he had came for, Logan remained close to his side. Once they were finished, the two walked out to the street, still attached by Logan's arm on Virgil's waist. "Would you like to go get some coffee, Virgil? I want to talk to you about a couple of things." "Um, yeah, sure. I'd like to talk to you about a few things as well." Logan nodded and led them both in the direction of his favorite coffee shop where he had spent many long nights working on his laptop while consuming too much caffeine. They finally reached the coffee shop after a nearly silent walk. Virgil had found a sense of comfort in Logan's light embrace which he had maintained for the entire walk. Upon approaching the door, Logan dropped his arm from Virgil, causing Virgil's heart to drop slightly. He wasn't really sure why he felt this way, but he didn't have much time to contemplate it. Logan had let go so that he could step forward and open the door for Virgil. Virgil blushed lightly and muttered a quiet, "thank you," before walked through the now open door.

After purchasing their coffees, the pair sat down across from each other at a somewhat secluded table. "So, um, could you kind of explain why you're pretending to be my boyfriend exactly?" Logan nodded. "I was looking around the store when I walked past the aisle that you and that man were on. I almost just walked by but I noticed him step toward you. That wouldn't have been cause for alarm, but the urgency in which you stepped backwards and the flash of fear on your face made me realize that I had to stay. So I watched your encounter and realized that I had to help you. I thought of that plan and carried it out as soon as I had created it. I was pretending to be your boyfriend in order to subdue the man you were speaking with. I apologize if I crossed any boundaries by having my arm around you, the man looked incredibly angry and I wanted to make sure that you got out of the shop safely." Virgil smiled lightly. "You don't need to apologize at all, Logan. I really appreciate all you've done for me. I honestly don't know how that situation could have possibly ended well if it weren't for you helping me. So thank you." Logan smiled back at Virgil. "It was no problem at all. But I do have a couple of questions for you. You don't have to answer if you do not want to." Virgil nodded before Logan continued. "Who was that and why was he antagonizing you?" Virgil froze. He knew this question was coming but now that it was asked he wasn't sure what he should do. He didn't like to share much about himself with anybody, but he felt like he owed it to Logan. "Don't worry about it Virgil, you don't have to-" "No, I want to tell you. It's just hard to talk about." "I completely understand. Take your time." Virgil nodded and took a deep breath. "That was my ex boyfriend, Michael. We broke up about a month ago, but as you saw, he's not quite over it yet. He was trying to get me to take him back but I just.. can't. Not after everything that's happened between us. But he didn't like that answer, so he got aggressive with me." Logan nodded slowly, taking in what Virgil said. "I have another question, but you really don't have to answer if you don't feel comfortable." "Go ahead." Logan hesitated. "Has Michael ever... been physically aggressive toward you before?" Virgil's eyes filled with tears. This was a good enough answer for Logan, so he stood up and walked around the table to Virgil. He kneeled beside Virgil's chair and grabbed his hand lightly. "Hey, it's okay Virgil. He's not here anymore, he can't hurt you. You're okay." Virgil shook his head. "He always finds me. I can't get away from him." Logan reached up and wiped away Virgil's tears lightly. "Then I'll protect you. If you'll let me." Virgil was overwhelmed with emotions. No one had ever cared about him before. Even if this was just an empty promise, Virgil couldn't help but feel incredibly thankful. He leaned down and hugged Logan tightly, crying onto his shoulder. Logan wasn't usually one for physical affection, but he really did feel protective of this boy despite having only just met him. Logan held Virgil tightly, silently telling him that he had him and wouldn't let anything bad happen to him.