This GORGEOUS picture above was drawn by CommunismIsKey and guys please go check them out they are so so talented :3

____________________

Point of View: Virgil, First Person
Timeline: Present Day (how long have y'all be waitin' for this lol)

It's been a week.

It's been the longest week of my life, and I'd be willing to bet on it. 

I hadn't slept at all in the past 48 hours, and I'd only gotten maybe collectively three hours of broken sleep the 72 hours before that. And that was when Patton made me go to sleep - at the end of Roman's bed, giving me a pillow and blanket. And then I had to wake up every fifteen minutes and hover outside Roman's room to prevent corruption (this whole corruption thing was just flat out annoying now). Everyone - everyone being Logan - thought it best that Roman stayed in his own room, might it help him heal – if healing was even possible.

The heart is a funny thing; it is not easily healed after being broken.

Not that I could sleep anyway with all these worried thoughts bouncing around my head, but I appreciated Patton's attempts.

I was hardly upright at this point (I didn't need to fill in the eye shadow under my eyes, just for an idea). But I had to try one more thing before I resigned myself to waiting for the best or the inevitable.

This was my Hail Mary.

This was my closing trick, my final card, my last shot. After this, I had nothing left.

I hesitantly shifted my guitar, personalized so that the body and neck were black with purple frets. An acoustic, with the ability to be plugged up to an amp if I ever desired (I hadn't yet, I did not want to test to walls of the Mind Palace to see how thick they were). The black strap pressed tightly on my shoulder, as if to give me its own comforting hug.

The guitar was a beautiful instrument, one that I've always liked, even before I knew how to play it. Over the years, I had perfected the art of playing it, at least half-decently, but this was the first time I would ever play FOR anyone else.

The pressure and anxiety of it was enough to make my hands tremble with nerves.

And my audience can't even hear me.

I closed my eyes tightly and slowed my breathing, fighting to calm myself.

It was one of the reasons I started playing it to begin with. It helped prevent some anxiety attacks.  Music was always helped.  That's why I always carry my headphones... among other reasons.  And playing the guitar requires control - something I lack during the attacks. 

Now, it was almost natural for me to go to my guitar when I was feeling a bit overwhelmed, finding sanity in strings and a beautiful hunk of dark wood.

"You better not just be lying there, eyes shut on me," I spat out suddenly, shaking my head to let my bangs fall in front of my face.  "I swear if this is just some big ploy to hear me play I will literally kill you myself,"I paused for a moment, giving him a moment to respond if he was indeed going to.

Roman didn't move.

Big surprise.

I gently slid my hands up the neck of my guitar and braced myself for baring my soul out. A song I had written for Roman since our fight-

I let out a long, hard exhale of frustration, my bangs lifting a little from the the force of it. I just needed to stop stalling already. The beginning is the hardest part, I reminded myself silently. Once you start you'll be on your way.

I strummed the first couple of chords several times before I could find my voice. But I was right – once I started, nothing could stop me. "I've never been one," I started singing, softly, but it was enough. "To step out of my comfort zone."

"Whenever I try, I'm afraid to just let... go," I continued strumming lightly, glancing up occasionally at Roman to see if he had woken up.

Roman didn't move.

My eyes lowered, gripping my guitar a little harder than what was really necessary, trying hard not to get my hopes up in case this didn't work.  

Disappointment is a nasty thing. 

"Don't know why I run, don't know why I hide, never let them know what I feel inside." I closed my eyes, immersed in the music.  Already I could feel the music seeping into my bones, transporting me to a place where Roman could hear me and come back to me.

I pictured my music and words giving a path to follow on his way back to us.  Back to me.

"Don't know why I'm scared - just to take a chance - while I'm just standing here."

Roman didn't move.

"I've never been one to break free," I continued, keeping my eyes shut. I couldn't open them now – seeing Roman's closed ones would hurt too much. "'Cause I've always cared what everyone thinks of me."

"Don't know why I run, don't know why I hide. Never let them know, what I feel inside.

I strummed a little harder, passionately. "Don't know why I'm scared - just to take a chance - while I'm just standing here..." I opened my eyes, completely by accident, to find –

Roman's beautiful eyes staring back at me.

I gasped, unable to do anything but kept strumming the chords – voice suddenly silent, as the tears of joy traveled down my cheeks. Was this another dream or reality?

Oh please let this be real.

Roman grinned weakly back at me. "Aren't you going to finish the song?" he said, his voice raw and weak from lack of use. "I'm curious," he stated lamely, eyes burning into me so intensely it was amazing that I could still breathe.

I wanted nothing more than to go over and hug him with the promise of never letting go, but I decided to finish it, finish it for him.

"Like a bird, I'm free to fly," I sang, strumming faster, doing my best to sing through my tears. "Spread my wings and find my light."

"Like a bird," I continued shakily as my tears started to block my vision and I messed up a couple of chords. But Roman didn't say anything about it, didn't even seem to mind that I had messed up. "I'm up so high out of the cage, it's my time to shine. Like a bird, I'm free to fly," I sang, hitting the high note – better than I had expected considering that I was all but sobbing at this point.

"So tell me, tell me," My voice finally broke and I battled my way through the last line. Roman was crying too and that certainly wasn't helping my case.

"Why... don't.... I?"

I ditched the guitar right there on the floor and jumped on Roman's bed, wrapping my arms around him and sobbing into his warm shoulder. Roman's arms came around me too, pressing his own wet cheek against my own.

"I love you," I whispered, holding Roman closer. "And I'm so sorry that it took so long for me to say it. You didn't deserve that."

Roman didn't say anything at first, which frightened me enough to pull back a little - only to have Roman press his face into my hoodie, body shuddering with sobs.  Stunned, I could only only hold him closer, holding his moment as long as I could before it disappeared for good. 

 When the intensity of the feelings had dropped, Roman pulled back – just enough to leave his face even with mine.

"You have no idea," Roman started with a choked laugh, "You have no idea how much I love you. You can't even begin to imagine."

I smiled, leaning forward, but not connecting our lips.  Roman breath momentarily hitched in response and I smirked.  "More... than your sashes?" I teased, lightly.

"More than my sashes," Roman answered, pulling me closer to him, eyes glittering in response.  But he didn't make the connection.  No, not this time.

"More than your mirrors?" I asked, bringing my face even closer, but still not making the connection.

"Way more than my mirrors," Roman grinned, eyes still watery from crying.  But they were still so bright, I had missed that more than I had realized.

I thought for a moment.

"More than... wishes?"

Roman laughed a little at that, pressing his forehead against mine. "Love - you ARE my wishes – every single one."

I didn't hold back after that.

__________
And a fluffy chapter! 

See, y'all should have more faith in me ;)

But I certainly appreciated your concerns :)

But don't worry, you'll get your typical dose of angst very shortly *smirks*

What'd y'all think of it, even though it was a song lyrics chapter?  I came across it and I just couldn't help it. I mean - it had the words 'Why I Run' in the song!  How could I not?

Speaking of the song, the song is called "Why Don't I" Sung By Sofia Carson, from the movie 'If The Shoe Fits' (it's another "Cinderella" movie that came out last year) and before you ask, I have not seen the movie – crazy, I know XD. I based this off the piano version – not the duet, even though that is the version with guitar. I just really like guitar (I don't have a guitar).

Voters:

SoftxRacoon
Bandit3219
AuriLW
xJustAGeekx
Lightseed
SassyCC
deziRee314
Angel--Louise
death-of-a-phangirl
myfantasyisntyours
Amelia_Divine
VirgilAnxiteySanders

Also: I hit 6k!  When I say that I just just hit 5k, I literally mean I hit 5k. Like - on Sunday.  THATS CRAZY.  LiKE. wHaT.

You lovelies are awesome :)

I'm listening to Dodie. She's great. Guess I'm just in a music mood :)

And a smiley mood apparently :)

Now lemme go catch up on the ample amount of sleep that I am lacking ;P

New Chapter goes up on Saturday lovelies!

- Max :)