TW: Abuse

Virgils POV

We walked through the dark streets on the way back to the motel. Roman and Logan were talking between themselves but I had dropped back and was following behind.

When we arrived, they both went right inside our room but I kept walking. Logan poked his head out of the door when he noticed I wasn't following suit.

"Aren't you coming inside, Virgil?" He asked. Unlike me and Roman, he didn't have a trace of glitter on him.

I shook my head.

"I'll be in in a bit." I responded.

I continued in my path once Logan closed the the door again.

With a heavy sigh I sat down at the side of the pool, took off my shoes and socks, and swung my feet into the water.

I took in my reflection in the water: purple hair messier than usual, glitter spilling through it as I carded my fingers through the strands, tired eyes, and the shirt Roman gave me to wear was creased. I didn't want to look at myself for any longer.

Then out of my pocket I pulled out one of the 'missing' posters with my face on in. I uncrumpled it and held it in my hands. I stared down at the name that haunted me wherever I went.

'Sebastian Morgenstern'

(italics = memory)

I hurried down the street that was darkened by the heavy rainclouds overhead. The rain poured down in sheets, running down my face and soaking through my hoodie. I clutched my backpack close to me as I splashed through a puddle, trying to get to my house as fast as possible.

A house, not a home. It'll never be a home.

I rushed up the few concrete steps to the door, taking refuge from the downpour in the overhang above the doorframe. I shook out my hair like a wet dog, steadily grabbed the doorknob, and pulled it open to step in.

The second I closed it again something shattered on the wall, dangerously close to my face. I instantly snapped my head up to see Sebastian hunched over at the kitchen counter surrounded by empty alcohol bottles, glaring at me.

"You're late." He growled.

I glanced at the clock, and I wasn't late at all. School ended at 3:41pm and it was 3:50 on the dot. I didn't say this though. I already wasn't having the best day.

So I just said.

"I'm sorry." And avoided eye contact as I tried to edge my way out of the room.

Sebastian pointed at me, suddenly angry.

"Don't fucking move!" He demanded. I froze.

Today was different than usual. Something must have happened, otherwise why would he already be in such a bad mood?

He pushed himself up, nearly falling over as he did so. I hoped with every step he took closer to me that he would just topple over so I wouldn't have to deal with this right now.

Of course, my August Luck™ just didn't feel like giving me a break.

He stumbled to a stop close in front of me.

"I got laid off today, ya know." He said lowly. I kept staring at the ground trying not to visibly shake.

"That means I have a lot of anger to let out."

Then he shot out a fist, connecting with my face and sending the back of my head to meet the wall roughly. My wet backpack slid off my shoulder and thumped on the floor.

My foster father then kneed me hard in the gut causing me to double over. With me off balance, he kicked me over. He continued stomping on my body until he noticed my hand that was laying limply open near my shoulder.

He brought his foot down on my fingers with a sickening crack and I knew he had broken a few bones. I cried out in shock and pain. Sebastian gave a sadistic smile as he turned and went into the kitchen for a moment, then returned with a knife in his hands.

My eyes went wide and my breathing quickened. As he got closer I scrambled back until my back hit the wall and I couldn't move further, ignoring the heavy throbbing pain in my hand and the blood dampening my clothes.

"Please don't!" I begged, knowing it was in vain. "Please stop!"

He didn't.

(End of flashback)

Tears flooded down my face, making it nearly hard to breathe, and dripped on the paper. The ink began to smudge.

I wanted to scream, I wanted to punch something, but I couldn't. So I settled for ripping the flyer into a million tiny pieces so I would never have to read it ever again. By the time I had finished enacting my vengeance, it looked straight out of Infinity War.

I pressed the heels of my palms into my eyes in an attempt to block the flow of tears. I took lots of deep breaths but it couldn't wipe the memory from my mind. I'll probably never forget the feeling of living in that house with that monster.

"It's okay, it's okay," I muttered to myself. "He's not here and you'll never see him again."

I repeated this to myself until my heart rate slowed and I wiped the tear tracks from my cheeks.

Why do these flashbacks always show up at the worst possible times? First the thing with Aphrodite, now this?

I sighed heavily. I figured that I had to face Roman eventually, but at least all the humiliation is on my side rather than his since I knew what I was doing and was in complete control of my actions when I let him almost kiss me.

I wanted him to.

I shook my head and splashed some of the water from the pool on my face to make it look like I totally didn't just have a mini-breakdown. I'll just act like the stuff on the dance floor didn't happen, it was way too confusing to think about anyway.

I hauled myself to my feet, pulled my shoes back on and went back to our room.

I tried to slip in quietly incase Roman or Logan were sleeping, but they were still up and it seemed like Logan was formally teasing Roman about the glitter spread throughout his brown hair.

"You look sparkly, Princey." I greeted as I flopped down on my bed.

He scoffed.

"I look like a disco ball gone wrong!" Roman groaned. He was attempting to brush the sparkles out of his hair with a hairbrush but it wasn't really working.

I folded my arms behind my head and shrugged.

"It's quite the fashion statement."

Roman picked up a pillow and tried to throw it at me as I laughed, but Logan caught it midair.

Logan, who was sitting on a wheelie chair, dropped the pillow on the floor and leaned towards me seriously with his elbows resting on his knees.

"Now, what did Aphrodite talk to you about?"

Romans POV

Oh gods oh gods oh gods oh gods.

What did mom say to him? I'm betting nothing good.

Like always, I'd bet my wardrobe that she embarrassed either him or me. Honestly it was probably Virgil because everything seems to make that boy blush.

My mom already embarrassed me by not only commenting on the moment on the dance floor, but by altering her form to look exactly like Virgil-whatever-his-middle-name-is-August. It's pretty clear to see where I got my dramatically petty tendencies from.

My attention instantly snapped from the mirror to Virgil once Logan asked him that.

For a split second, I swore that I saw a flash of panic in his violet eyes before he covered it up. He didn't make eye contact with either of us. Not a good sign.

"The only important thing she said was a location." Virgil answered as he pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to the son of Athena. I could see my mother's handwriting. "She said that the minor goddess there will know something about Patton."

Logan scanned the words on the paper then looked up at us, seemingly emotionless.

"It appears to be the location of a large forest in North Carolina." He noticed.

Virgil looked like he was holding back a "well, duh"

"Great!" I exclaimed, tossing my hairbrush on my bed. "So now we have to go from Ohio to North Carolina, no big! It's only like... like... Lo, help me out here?"

"Six hours and thirty-one minutes, give or take." He supplied.

"Six hours and thirty-one minutes!" I finished, dramatically falling on to the bed. "All to meet with some minor goddess that might not even know anything about Patton!"

"Chill out, Ro." Virgil said, propping himself up on his elbows. "You're starting to sound like me."

I felt warm inside when I heard his new nickname for me, I liked it. I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I'll take that as a compliment." I replied.

Logan, who had been lost in his own thoughts and ignoring our teasing, spoke up.

"What's the name of this minor goddess?" Logan inquired.

"Um..." Virgil thought for a second. "I think Aphrodite said it was something like Aletheia?"

"Aletheia? Well Aletheia is the goddess of truth or disclosure so perhaps she will have something to share with us."

"Ew. Truth." Virgil mumbled. I looked at him funny.

"The problem of transportation remains." Logan contemplated. "Considering Virgil's parentage, flying would result in us being struck out of the sky by Zeus,"

"Fun times." The son of Hades stated.

"Shush." I responded.

"Of course, going by boat would yield nearly the same result but luckily it's not necessary." Logan continued as if we hadn't spoken. "So that leaves by train and by bus."

"What if that bus gets attacked by gryphons too?" Virgil pointed out.

"Then we'd just be lost in the streets, somewhere in the U.S. and we'd never make it to NC." I considered.

Virgil sighed.

"I don't suppose we have enough drachmas for an Uber?" He asked.

Logan and I stared at him. What is it with this glorious boy and throwing out random words like they're supposed to make sense?

Virgil seemed to realize we had no idea what this 'Uber' is and his face gained the look we've seen very often. The 'Seriously, What Is Wrong With You Guys?' look.

"What is an 'Uber'?" Logan asked.

"You know what? Nevermind."

"Well in any case, I suggest a train."

"Ugh." Virge groaned. "I hate trains."

"But you live in New York City!" I pointed out.

"Yes and I hate it!" He replied.

I just shook my head.

After a while, we decided to go to sleep and I fell into a world of dreams.

******

I appeared inside a dark dome, a cavern probably underground. Flickering purple and green torches hung on the walls.

There were stray pieces of metal, tools, and weapons spread around haphazardly on the smooth marble floor. Not mortal weapons though, they were demigod weapons. Swords and shields and bows. A training area perhaps?

I couldn't seem to move my own feet, but my dream-body began to drift towards the centre of the room. I was confused as to what was happening, then a low, raspy, voice spoke from the shadows.

"What is their progress?" The unfamiliar voice asked, but it wasn't addressing me.

"The quest will probably leave to meet the second goddess tomorrow. But considering that the Hades brat is with them, they'll almost definitely be intercepted by monsters on the way." A different voice replied.

This voice sent a shockwave of familiarity through my brain as if I had heard that voice every day since I was born, but as a grasped for a name, it slipped away.

"Good." The first voice said. I spun around, trying to find the source of these sounds but I only could see shadows. "Do you believe any of them will be able to identify either of us?"

"No." The other voice answered. It now sounded as if someone was right next to me but when I turned to look, no one was there. "Logan is too frantic trying to find Patton, and Virgil is an unstable idiot barely better than a mortal. Roman is the only possible concern since he is less dimwitted than the Hades spawn."

Who the hell are these people? Who do they think think they are to be talking about me and my friends like that?

"Everything is going perfectly according to plan." The first voice said in a sinister tone. I heard footsteps as the speakers most likely retreated.

"Roman?" I heard a more familiar voice call out. I could finally speak again.

"Patton? Patton, is that you?" I yelled. I looked around and saw that the voice was coming from where one of the walls had disappeared to reveal pure darkness.

"Roman!"

"I'm coming Patton!" I called as I hurtled through the inky blackness. "Don't worry, I'll save you!"

"Roman, wake up!"

My eyes shot open. That wasn't Patton's voice. I looked over to the side to see Virgil shaking me awake. He was already dressed in his typical hoodie and his hair was still a bit messy from sleeping. He looked worried for me, almost like he could tell that I just had a concerning dream.

"Oh good, you're awake." Logan greeted as I propped myself up on my elbows and rubbed my eyes. "I suggest that you get ready quickly. We want to leave as soon as possible."

I stifled a yawn and nodded, then gathered up an appealing outfit and went into the bathroom to get dressed. I didn't miss how Virgil wouldn't make eye contact with me.

When I closed the door, I sighed and let my head fall on my chest. I so regretted what happened at Pandemonium.

Not the almost kissing Virgil part...or the dancing with Virgil part... or anything to do with me and Virgil really. I didn't regret any of that. But I regret that I was overcome by my own mother! How could I be so weak?

I splashed some water one my face to clear my head and got dressed in a dazzling red sweater and fashionable jeans, then left the bathroom to face the day.

Two hours later we were all sitting in a train pulling out of the station.

"So I had a really weird dream last night." I said, breaking the quiet.

"Well when demigods dream they're usually hints of what's to come..." Logan began, but Virgil took it from there in a very Virgil-like way.

"So what kind of dream was it? The basic 'naked on the first day of school' kind or the 'freaky demigod future vision' kind?" He asked as he blew a stray piece of hair out of his face.

"Definitely a 'freaky demigod future vision' kind." I answered. "I guess I'm Garnet from Steven Universe."

I was barely paying attention to what I was saying, but I definitely noticed the way Virgil's bored face completely lit up.

"You watch Steven Universe?" He asked eagerly. I nodded and he dramatically gestured to the heavens. "FINALLY! My prayers have been answered!"

I laughed at the son of Hades. Can this boy get any more perfect?

"So tell us about this dream." Logan said, ignoring us.

"Okay, well-" I cleared my throat and began reciting my confusing and distressing dream.

"So these random judgemental voices were talking about us and our quest?" Virgil said when I was done. I nodded and he leaned back against the window casually. "Wow. I can imagine the names they called us."

I thought about how the bodiless speaker called Virgil 'dimwitted' and an 'unstable idiot', and my blood felt like it was boiling.

"It wasn't that juvenile," I answered as I avoided eye contact, not wanting to tell Virge about that. "But it wasn't pleasant either."

"There were heavy implications that these two beings are the ones that have Patton!" Logan nearly exclaimed, showing the most open emotion I've seen him show since Pat vanished. "And you said you recognized one of them?"

"Well, kind of." I answered, still straining to make the connection. "But it's like the more I think about it, the more it slips away."

"Hopefully that will be helped with time. But until that occurs, our course of action to visit Aletheia has been completely compromised."

"Compromised?" Virgil asked, straightening up. "What do you mean compromised? If anything it's been confirmed that it's the right move."

"We'll be playing right into the kidnappers hands!" Logan shot back. "The last line of Roman's dream was 'Everything is going perfectly according to plan.' and that confirms that visiting Aletheia is what they have planned for us."

"Well what do you propose we do then?" Virgil replied with his arms crossed. "Wander around the country until Roman gets another cryptic dream?"

"Hey, maybe next time it'll be you." I said, trying to lighten the mood. It didn't work. Virgils eyes hardened.

"You should hope it isn't."

"I suppose you're right, Virgil." Logan sighed, rubbing his eyes under his glasses. "But it still seems suspicious."

"Of course it's suspicious," I interjected. "But we don't have a choice."

Having come to a decision, we settled into a casual silence. The three of us all minded our own business for a couple hours. Logan pulling out yet another book and me falling asleep for a bit.

Once I woke up and stretched out, I looked sideways at Virgil, who looked like he was in deep thought and like he hadn't moved at all in the time I was asleep. I, of course, felt like I had to say something.

"Hey V?" I nudged his arm with my elbow and he looked over to me with a "Huh?"

"Let's play 20 questions!" I proposed with a smile.

He looked weirdly stunned? But only for a moment until he seemed to snap out of it and agree.

The next few minutes were really fun and interesting. I learned that Virgil's middle name is Alexander and that Peridot is his favourite crystal gem, and I told him that my favourite Disney movie is between Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty (he scoffed at that) and that I once had neon pink hair for a month when Remus replaced my shampoo with hair dye, along with some other things. Until I randomly threw out the question:

"Would you date a girl taller than you?"

Without skipping a beat, he answered

"No."

I was taken aback by this, at the firmness in his tone as if he couldn't fathom it. Please don't tell me Virgil is secretly some Chad™...

"That's a little bit shallow don't you think?" I said, staring at him.

Virgil looked at me like I had an IQ of 1.

"Roman," He started in his signature this-is-so-obvious-and-you're-an-idiot tone of voice. "I'm gay."

I didn't know I had been hoping he would say those words, until he said them.

My gaydar must need some fine-tuning because only then that I'd look back on every interaction I've seen him have that I realized how obvious it was.

"Huh." Is all I responded.

But wait, if he's gay then why had he seemed so upset about us almost kissing? I had thought before that it was because he was straight and felt awkward about it, but now...

I was lost in thought, so me and the violet-eyed demigod sank into silence.

That is, until the roof exploded.

AN- All comments are read and appreciated <3

Hey........its been a while, huh?

Im sorry for the wait! I started high school and I've just had a lot on my plate (including probably failing my drama callbacks but the casting list goes up on Wednesday so). In return for you guys being so patient, I made this chapter about 1000 words longer!

I know that nothing big really happened this chapter, (it was mostly for expositional and set-up/foreshadowing purposes) but I hope you guys, gals, and non-binary pals enjoyed it :)

Don't be silent readers! I truly love reading your comments, it's basically the highlight of updating.

Also, 1) thank you all for 6k views and 400 votes!

2) I've began cosplaying this story on my TikTok account @virgils_thundercloud! You can also find it under #LimitsFic

3) If you guys have TikTok, feel free to post videos of your reactions/theories/thoughts about the story. I fricking love watching the videos you guys post. Just tag me and tag the with #LimitsFic

Fun Fact: Virgil's favourite song is either Miss Jackson by Panic! At The Disco or Holding On To You by Twenty One Pilots

I hope you enjoyed :)