Virgil couldn't have moved if he tried.

He had walked to his local bookstore to try to relax and clear his head. His mom had gone on one of her famous tirades again, and he needed to get away for a little bit. Everything had been fine when he first got to the bookstore. That is, until he looked up and locked eyes on a tall man with neat blond hair and square glasses. Virgil's heart dropped as he processed what, or rather who he was seeing before him.

There stood his father. More specifically, his father that left him and his mother when he was only six years old. To make matters worse, he was holding a small child while talking happily with what Virgil could only guess was his partner.

Virgil tried to stop staring. He really did, but he hadn't seen this man for the last 11 years of his life. He had figured that his dad had moved on, but it was way too real to see it right in front of him. Finally, Virgil regained control of his body and began to turn to walk away as quickly as possible. He was stopped, however, by a pair of piercing blue eyes locking with his own. Virgil's breath caught in his throat. The man stared at him with a look of confusion that quickly morphed into shock. "Virgil?" the man said, although his voice sounded muffled to the teenage boy. Before he could stop himself, Virgil turned on his heel and bolted out of the bookstore.

He didn't stop there. He ran the entire way home, his anxiety fueling his body until he was inside his bedroom. Only then did Virgil stop, his adrenaline immediately leaving his body. All that was left was a deep pain in his chest. His dad had a new family. His dad had a new son. Virgil didn't know what to think. As his thoughts swirled dangerously, Virgil felt a silent tear fall down his cheek. This single tear soon became two, and then three, until Virgil was sobbing harshly. He wrapped his arms tightly around himself, knowing full well that if he didn't comfort himself, no one would.

After a few minutes, his sadness morphed into something else. He began to feel a burning anger. Anger for his father, anger for his new partner, and more than anything, anger for the kid that replaced Virgil. He grabbed a book off of his desk and hurled it against the wall, followed by every object within the boy's reach. His once sad tears became angry sobs, and he threw everything in sight in an attempt to calm the immense pain in his chest.

When everything he could reach had been thrown and his room was a horrible mess, Virgil paused. All emotion was gone, leaving behind a sense of numbness. He lowered himself to the floor, laying on his back in the middle of the chaos. His breathing began to even out, and his tears had mostly dried. As he laid in silence, only one thought filled his head.

How could he do this to me?

———

Logan couldn't believe what he had just seen. Although he had not seen him for nearly 11 years, there was no doubt in his mind that the boy in front of him had been his son. His face, although much older, looked exactly as it had the last day he saw him. As he watched his son run out of the bookstore, the only feeling he possessed was a deep sense of guilt. He turned to his husband with wide eyes, trying to compose himself.

Roman looked back at him in concern. "Did you say Virgil?" he asked carefully. Logan had told him all about his son and the life he had previously lead, and he was well aware of how impactful this moment must've been on his partner. "Yes. That was him. My goodness, he's practically an adult," Logan muttered, a sadness filling his tone. "Are you alright, love?" Roman asked softly. "Yes, I am just shaken up. I haven't seen him for quite some time." Roman hesitated as an idea popped in his head, eventually deciding that it was worth mentioning. "Maybe you should try contacting him again." Logan shook his head sadly. "I don't think I should. Did you see how he just reacted to seeing me? I don't believe he'd want anything to do with me." Roman watched his husband for a moment longer, unsure of how to help him. The pair were soon broken from their thoughts by a small voice. "Daddy okay?" the small child in Logan's arms asked. Logan smiled softly at him. "Yeah, Patton, Daddy's okay. Just a little bit sad." Patton looked at his dad with wide eyes before snuggling against his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. Patton had always been incredibly empathic, and Logan was very appreciative of this gesture. He pressed a soft kiss against his child's head before looking back up at his husband. "I'd like to go home now, if that's alright," Logan said softly. "Yeah, of course," Roman responded before leading his family out of the store.

The drive home was silent. Neither man knew what to say, and the air was tense. Logan's mind was absolutely racing. Unbeknownst to him, so was Roman's. It wasn't until Patton had been bathed and put to bed that Roman finally voiced his thoughts.

"I know you think he doesn't want anything to do with you, and maybe you're right. But he's your kid just as much as Patton is. I really think you should try to contact him again."

Logan processed his words, tears filling his eyes. He knew his husband was right, but he didn't know if he could reach out again. He didn't know if he could handle another rejection.