TRIGGER WARNING : talks about suicide & self harm, talks about abuse, swearing

Virgil POV
"Why didn't you just grab all your stuff before meeting up with Patton?" Damien whined, leaning against the locker next to mine.

"Roman didn't let me," I answered, rummaging through my locker trying to find homework materials. 

"So what's all this about Roman?"  Damien asked with a smirk. 

"We're just friends,"  I told him, unable to stop the blush that came to my cheeks.

"Sure,"  Damien laughed.  "I totally believe you."

"Oh shut up,"  I grumbled, trying to hide my blushing face.

"Does Virgie have a crush?"  Damien teased, poking my shoulder.

"Stop," I told him. "I don't want anyone to hear you saying that."

"Whatever," He grumbled. "I ship it."

I shoved him playfully and shut my locker. I glared at him but couldn't help laughing with him.

"What about you and Patton?"  I teased him, trying to change the subject.  "A very angry Logan was ranting to me and Roman about some new kid liking Patton." 

Damien burst into laughter. 

"I thought Logan was the super smart nerd."

He is."  I answered, only increasing Damien's laughing fit. 

"Well than he obviously doesn't know anything about emotions."

"Understatement of the year."

"I only like Patton as a friend," Damien explained. "But after everything that happened between us, I tend to become possessive of my friends. Abandonment issues, my therapist calls it."

"That sucks," I told him sympathetically.

"Do you still go to therapy?" He asked. I sighed.

"No," I answered. "My Dad won't pay for the appointments."

"Sorry," He mumbled.

"It's okay," I told him. Out of nowhere, I ran right into someone. Both of us fell down onto the floor.

"Hey!" Damien yelled at the guy. "Watch where you're going!"

"Oh, oh my goodness, I...I'm so so sorry, I didn't mean, oh my," The guy rambled. "I'm sorry," He kept repeating.

Damien helped me to my feet, but not taking his eyes off the other guy. Except he didn't look angry now. Oh? I recognize that look.

I briefly looked at the other guy, watching as he scrambled to pick up his stuff and mine. He was wearing a ripped up black sweater, black skinny jeans, and scuffed up converse.  I recognized who he was, instantly tensing up. 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to, it's my fault,"  He mumbled.  I ignored his apologies however.

I quickly grabbed my stuff from him, trying to ignore the obvious hurt in his eyes.  I than grabbed Damien's hand and quickly pulled him down the hall with me. 

"Who was that?"  Damien asked once we were outside the school. 

"Quinn Corotion."  I answered.  "Another loner like me.  Just...stay away from him." 

"Why?"  He asked, obvious confusion on his face.  "He seems like a pretty nice guy." 

"Yeah, well his dad isn't." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"His dad's a fucking serial killer,"  I explained.  "He murdered like six people.  Ranging in ages and in gender.  He would cut them up and leave the body's around town with notes, about four years ago now.  He was always a creepy guy to begin with, with his weird stutter and scars from being struck by lightning.  Than he just kinda snapped."

"Damn,"  Damien breathed. 

"Yeah, so everyone just kinda ignores Quinn,"  I told him.  "His dad's in jail for life but he's kinda a local legend so to say around town.  You just don't associate yourself with the Corotion's." 

"Quinn shouldn't be blamed for his dad's mistakes,"  Damien mumbled. 

"Well, the world doesn't work that way,"  I answered.  "C'mon, lets stop talking about it.  Let's go to the park." 

"Sure,"  He agreed with a shrug.  I led the way to the park. 

"How far away is this park?" Damien asked, obviously annoyed with how long it was taking to there.

"If you wanna talk, we gotta talk where someone won't hear." I told him.

"What's so bad with people knowing we're so mentally fucked up we had to be in a mental hospital." Damien joked.

"A lot," I answered. "Jackson will get you."

"Guess I'm gonna have to fight this Jackson guy," He said with a playful sigh. "No one hurts the little emo puffball."

"Oh shut up," I laughed, shoving him playfully. "And don't call me that."

"Would Anxiety be better?" Damien asked with a smirk.

"I don't know Deceit," I teased. Damien let out a sigh.

"Those were the good days," He mumbled. "It was funny that everyone feared me enough to start calling me Deceit."

"You weren't mean, you were just scary as fuck." I corrected him. "Especially after you got the scar."

"What did people say about that?" He asked.

"So many rumors," I grumbled. "Where would I begin?"

"I don't know Anxiety." He teased.

"Why did you get the cool nickname?" I grumbled.

"Because people only called you that because you were under my protection and people knew better than to fuck with me. But people also knew you were an anxious, jittery, stuttery mess."

"Wow thanks," I said sarcastically. "Totally loving myself right now."

"Sorry," Damien laughed.

We walked in silence for a while. The park finally coming into view ahead of us.

"Oh!" Damien said suddenly. "Did you hear that Warden Hargreaves got arrested for malpractice?"

"No I did not." I said in shock. "Thank fucking god no one else has to deal with him how."

"He was one shitty doctor." Damien laughed.

"He was." I agreed. "What about Ash now?"

"I'm not sure, but all the staff got relocated to new hospitals," He answered with a shrug. "The hospital has been completely closed down and abandoned."

"It would be fun to go there just to see it again," I mumbled. "It could be are secret hang out place or something."

"Way to be cliche Virge." Damien said with a laugh.

"Oh shut it, you dipshit." I laughed along with him.

"I missed this,"  Damien mumbled, leaning on the fence overlooking the small creek that ran by the park. 

"Missed what?"  I asked, standing next to him. 

"Us,"  He answered.  "And not in a romantic sense.  Just hanging out with you." 

"Yeah, I missed it too,"  I admitted.  I leaned my back against the railing and looked at Damien.  I missed being able to be so confident with someone. 

"When did this happen?"  I asked with a small laugh, running my fingers against the neon yellow highlights in his hair. 

"Got them once I got out of New Dawn,"  He answered.  "Thought it looked cool." 

"They do,"  I answered. "Wished my purple ones weren't so faded now.  We could be twining." 

"Emo,"  Damien laughed. 

"And what does that make you?"  I asked with a small laugh.  "The troubled bad boy?"

"Nah,"  He said.  "I'm Conner Murphy and you're Evan Hansen." 

"I'm not Evan!"  I yelled in mock offense.  "I'm not all soft and pastel like him." 

"You got the anxiety covered though,"  He laughed.

"You don't do drugs, right?"  I asked, very serious now.

"No,"  Answered Damien.  "I swear on my pet snake Cinder."

"You have a pet snake now?"  I asked with a laugh. 

"Yep,"  He answered with a smile.  Pulling his phone from his pocket.  He showed me a picture of a small corn snake.

"Adorable,"  I said with a smile.  Damien smiled too but frowned upon seeing his reflection on the phone screen. 

"I need to fix my concealer,"  He mumbled, running his fingers tenderly over the scars on his face.

"Nah,"  I said, grabbing his cheek and turning his face to me.  I rubbed the rest of the concealer away with my hoodie sleeve.  I looked over the scars.  They looked the same as they did the last time I saw them. 

"I think they make you look badass,"  I snickered.  "You should stop covering them up." 

Damien let out a sigh. 

"I know, but I can't help but be ashamed of them."  He mumbled, mostly to himself.

"Well I think they're beautiful,"  I mumbled before thinking.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."