Okay, so I recently got into a game called Arcana, and this chapter is based on an event in the very beginning. Keyword on based, if you know the game, you can probably tell that I love Julian lol

~Virgil's PoV~

Logan was packing his bags, going off on another adventure. Deceit, his snake familiar, draping across my shoulders, trying to catch a few more sun rays before the sun went down.

I was watching Logan from beside the window, and the sun was going down. You see, Logan had this arbitrary rule of always leaving for adventures at twilight. Maybe it was a magic wizard thing? Who knows.

Oh, right. Logan was the owner of a book store, I worked for him. I used to be a petty street thief until Logan took me in, he housed me, fed me, was like the father I never had. So when I was finally old enough I paid back the favor by working in the book shop. 

This was no ordinary book shop though. Sure, we had all the latest hits, and the old-timey classics, but behind the heavy velvet curtains, where we told most customers was our 'employee break room' was the restricted section. The restricted section was full of alchemy books, magic books, spell books, all sorts of mumbo jumbo that gave the book store it's... reputation. 

Witches, Warlocks, Wizards, and all sorts of other magic users came to our store to buy these books. 

Logan himself was a wizard, and he has taught me everything he knows, making me his Wizard Apprentice.

But right now Logan was packing his bags in a hurry, mumbling about how he "needs to leave immediately" and fumbling with his belongings, which I had never before seen him do. 

He briskly walked to me and Deceit resigned himself to his fate and slithered up Logan's arm and on to his shoulders. Logan gave my shoulder a tight squeeze and said goodbye, before leaving the shop.

Now, just because Logan left, doesn't mean the shop closed. A few more customers came in and out. And just as I was about to close, when a strange lady wearing a shawl walked in

She looked around the store for a bit, before walking towards me, "Do you know where Logan is?" she asked. I had to stop myself from telling her it was 'Mr. Cogn' to her, but if she called him Logan she must know him well.

"He's gone," I said nonchalantly. She scowled.

"Of course, the one day I need him, he's gone!" 

I noticed that her purse was filled with potions and all sorts of other alchemy stuff. I looked at it long enough for her to notice me looking at it before she could hide the stuff or throw a potion at me to make me forget, I spoke.

"Restricted section?" I asked knowingly, brow arching up. Her posture slacked as she sighed with relief.

"Yes, yes please,"

I nodded and led her over the curtains, pulling them aside and letting her step through.

"Are you his apprentice?" she asked absentmindedly, looking over the alchemy books.

I hummed. She smiled, "You have a great teacher," she picked up a book and read the "CONTENTS" page, "Where really is he?" she asked again.

"On an adventure, he was in a rush this time," 

She hummed thoughtfully before handing me the book, "I'll have this, thank you,"

I nodded and rung her up and the register, she gave me a few gold coins, common magic user currency, and left with the book. The second she closed the door I locked it and shut all the curtains. 

I started putting out all the flames, and just as I had one left a voice spoke from the doorway that led upstairs.

"Where is Logan?" a sharp and deep voice asked.

I whipped around to see a tall figure in the shadows wearing a red and gold masquerade mask. My heart froze as I realized that that was the mask and figure on every single WANTED poster in town. My adrenaline kicked in and I ran towards the door. 

The figure lunged out and grabbed me, pulling me towards their chest, from which I could tell it was a man. He covered my mouth with a gloved hand to prevent me from screaming.

"Up up up, you're not getting away that easily," he whispered menacingly. I thrashed in his arms, trying to get free, Not today SATAN! 

He shoved me against the wall and boxed me in, preventing me from moving. "I will ask you again, where is Logan?" he hissed. I stubbornly glared at him, not making a sound. He growled and leaned in closer. Before he could speak I thrust my head forward, hitting his head and making him stumble back, I ran for the door again, and again he grabbed my arm. 

He glared at me for a while, before loosening his grip on my arm. Though he was still holding it. 

"Where is Logan?"

"Why do you want to know?" I bit back.

"So he's not here?" 

I stayed silent. He groaned.

"You could've just told me!" his previous threatening demeanor had vanished, into something completely different. 

Then he walked into the restricted section.

"Hey! HEY! That's the employee lounge!" I yelled, running after him.

He scoffed, "No it's not," and he walked in.

When I walked in he was sitting on top of one of the bookshelves reading a book and leafing through the pages. "How is anybody supposed to learn the spells? There are no pictures!" he groaned. I rolled my eyes.

"By using half a brain cell and reading," 

He glared at me. 

"Alright, listen here wise guy, you don't know me and have no idea what I'm capable of, so back off," he hissed. 

I started to walk out to get an officer, but his voice cut through. "And calling the cops won't do anything, darling, I have my ways of escape," I could hear the smirk in his voice. 

After that, we talked for a bit, though he never once showed his face. I assumed there was some ugly scarring he was self-conscious about, but I never questioned it.

~Time Skip~

It was a week later, Logan was still out on his adventure and the man stopped by after hours. I learned his name was Roman. 

It was late at night and I was walking down the street. Roman had joined me a quarter mile ago and he insisted on walking me home. I've learned by now that there's no point in arguing with him so I let him.

Before we even reached my neighborhood, I heard an officer shout.

"There! The Doctor is there! He's with some civilian!" and I immediately knew that all the local cops were going to close in on us.

Roman grabbed my hand and started sprinting away, I heard multiple sets of footprints behind us, and my panic made me run faster, we rounded a corned and Roman threw open a random door, pushing me in before slamming the door shut and running off. 

I wanted to run after him, but the door was locked. I started hyperventilating when an older, softer man's voice called from inside the home.

"Roman?"

I gulped, "N-No I-"

Then I saw the man, he was small and sorta pudgy, but definitely older than me and Roman. He looked up at me and studied me for a bit. 

"Are you a friend of Roman's?" he asked, hearing the shouting going on outside.

"I-I guess..?" 

The man nodded, "I'm Patton, Roman's gotten himself into trouble and you were with him I presume?" 

I nodded, my throat had dried up. 

He smiled at me and pulled me into the heart of the home, where there was a fire going with a pot sitting over it and a couch with a dog on it. To the right was a small kitchen and up ahead were curtains, obviously leading to a bedroom.

"He'll be okay, he always is. Sit down and make yourself comfortable, soup is almost ready," he walked over to the pot and stirred the contents around a bit. I hesitated before sitting on the couch. The golden retriever looked up and at me and wagged his tail lazily, resting his head in my lap. 

I pet the dog, feeling my worries melt away. I relaxed, Patton smiled at me. "Yea, Picani's a good boy, huh?" I nodded. (idk how to spell it)

It was almost midnight when Roman burst in, breathing ragged and his face cut and bleeding from several places. I got up quickly and walked over to him, grabbing his face and examining it, somehow failing to notice his cheeks turn red.

"You idiot!" I hissed under my breath, already performing a healing spell. The spell wasn't an instant one, those kinds of healing spells took many years to perfect. But this one would disinfect the wounds and speed up the healing process, so it was still useful.

When I finally let go of Romans face Patton sat him down and gave him some soup.

"Scared your friend half to death, Roman," Patton scolded gently. I nodded. Roman grinned sheepishly.

"I know, I know, but I didn't want you to also end up on a Wanted poster for associating with me,"

Before I knew it, I was hugging him. "You're still an idiot and I hate you," I grumbled. Roman chuckled and awkwardly wrapped an arm around me. 

"So do lots of people,"

Once Roman finished eating Patton hauled him up to his feet and dragged him to the room behind the curtains, Roman tried to fight against Patton, but the small man held firm.

I looked over at the sleeping Picani and then at the fire, the pot was still hanging over it so I carefully took it out. Patton came back and tapped my shoulder.

"It's unsafe for you to go home at this hour, especially without Roman, so how about you stay the night? We have an extra bed in the basement, or you could sleep with Roman," (get your head out of the gutter guys)

I thought for a moment, "I'll sleep with Roman," I said awkwardly (Out. Of. The. Gutter.) Patton nodded, not seeming surprised at all and handed me some clothes.

"Then I'm going down, those are some of Roman's pijama's, I hope they fit, and then he opened a trap door and climbed down the stairs. I stared at the closed trapped door for a bit before putting on the pajamas.

They were dark red yoga pants, which I had to tighten snuggly to my hips so they wouldn't fall off, and a giant red and gold hoodie, which was very comfortable.

I took a deep breath and walked into the room, Roman was already sleeping, sprawled across the bed. I maneuvered around his limbs and laid down at the edge of the bed, my back flushed against his. 

he turned around and wrapped his arms around my waist, and although my heart picked up speed, I was able to fall asleep.

I'm falling.

I'm falling hard and fast.

~Author's Note~

I  LOVE JULIAN OKAY???

And I'm not that far into it, so plz don't spoil!!!

Part 2? Or nah?

Ily!

~ Smug