#phlying-squirrel

  “The kid’s fine, he just caught a nasty cold, the most he’s doing is moving from the bed to the bathroom.” Patton opened his mouth to ask something but Remy already knew and started talking before Patton could ask “And i made sure to leave enough rations for him to eat from, a thermos with soup and tea and some sandwiches. He’ll be back to normal in no time.” Patton closed his mouth and smiled. “But that isn’t the reason as to why I came here.” Remy said and leaned his head forward to look over his sunglasses. “It’s ma baby bro’s b-day soon, and what do you three say about helping me throwing him a surprise party?”

  “OOOH! I’D LOVE TO!” Patton cheered

  “That will be satisfactory.” Logan said giving away one of his rare smiles

  “It will be EPIC!” Roman said in his dramatic flare. Remy grinned.

Virgil would surely love it!

Virgil woke up with a groan, checking the time on his phone, he groaned louder when he saw the time and the date.

It was 7 in the morning and his birthday.

  “To frigging early.” Virgil grumbled as he rolled over to his side closing his eyes, showing the world that he was gonna go back to sleep.30 minutes later left him no closer to sleep than before.

his phone suddenly pinged causing Virgil to groan and roll over again grabbing the phone to see three messages, he pulled his phone closer squinting at the to bright screen before he lowered the intensity to see three messages, one from Thomas, Joan and Talyn, and one from Thomas alone, and to Virgil’s surprise one from Lilly. He unlocked his phone to see what the messages said.

The one from Thomas, Joan and Talyn said nothing but Happy Birthday in all caps and surrounded by heart and party emojis. Virgil smiled slightly at the overuse only causing him to snort. the message from Thomas alone was almost an whole essay on how much he wished Virgil a happy day and how happy he was for having him as a friend. Virgil would deny any claim that he cried a bit. the one from Lilly was a short gif of her giving the phone screen a fist-bump with the letters “You got this.“ Virgil smiled, she was the one who had given the advice to try therapy and had found Dr. Pecani’s place, Virgil hadn’t thanked her enough for it. even if it took Remy to literary drag him there the first time due to Virgil almost succeeding in barricading himself in the bathroom due to the stress of meeting someone new and god forbid TALKING!

Virgil answered the texts before he sat up and decided that he would just get bored if he stayed in bed any longer if he couldn’t fall asleep again.

The house was silent and Virgil groaned for the third time since he woke up to see the world covered in white.

  “We live in Florida, how the fudge is there snow outside!” he grumbled before entering the kitchen fixing a sandwich for breakfast before starting the tv and aimlessly watched the early terrible shows on it, to lazy and uncaring to change the channel or start Netflix.

  “What in Starbucks names are you doing awake?!” a sleepy voice suddenly said from the stairs causing Virgil to look up at a disgruntled Remy, his hair was a mess and he was still half asleep.

  “My body decided that 7 am was the time to wake up.”

  “That was 3 hours ago.” Remy groaned before he entered the kitchen. the sounds of him fixing breakfast filtered into the living room.

  “Wait.” Remy suddenly said leaning out from the doorway, holding a cartoon of milk and the box of cereal in his hands, looking more awake than when he came down from the bedrooms. “Don’t you have a session with Emile today?”

  “Not until 14.” Virgil replied. Remy nodded before he returned into the kitchen. Virgil felt a small sense of confusion, why hadn’t Remy said anything about what day it was? he was usually quit good at keeping tabs on things like this. Sure Remy did have a tendency to go a bit overboard with the gifts, but he never forgot a birthday, but still, now when Virgil started to think about it, Remy, Logan, Roman and even Patton hadn’t even mentioned his birthday approaching.

Virgil didn’t notice Remy sit down on the cough next to him, holding his bowl of cereal in one hand and spoon in the other, he looked at the tv screen before snorting and reached for the remote and changed the channel to Cartoon-Networks. he sent a look to Virgil only to stiffen, he knew the face Virgil made when he was thinking to hard and to dark. Remy put his bowl on the table before the cough before he turned to face his little brother.

  “Virgil?” he called, and got no reaction. “Hey, Virge.” Remy placed his hand on Virgil’s knee, feeling him jolt at the sudden touch. Virgil blinked before looking at Remy. “What’s wrong?”

  “… Nothing…” Virgil said looking away.

  “Hey, please don’t lie to me.”

  “It’s nothing really.”

  “Virgil. if you don’t want to tell me what’s wrong, could you at least tell Emile, just to not bottle it up?” Remy pleaded. Virgil sent him a look before exhaling.

  “Fine.” he grunted.

Emile picked up on Virgil’s distress instantly when he entered the room.

  “Hey Virgil, do you how do?”

  “Fine… i guess” Virgil said and shrugged

  “OH! its your birthday today isn’t it?! Happy birthday Virgil!” Emile said throwing his arms out and grinning.

Virgil smiled but it was a bit strained. Emile noticed even if he didn’t point it out until a while into the meeting.

  “What is troubling you Virgil?” he asked “I noticed you seemed more ‘agitated’ when you first walked in.” Emile said in a calm tone as he sent Virgil the question, Virgil stiffened, opening his mouth to day that it was nothing, but he had promised Remy to talk to Emile about it… and Virgil was not someone to back out of a promise without a very good reason to.

  “It’s just-” he sighed fiddling with his hoodie “I-”

  “Hey, It’s okay to express yourself. Take the time you need to gather your thoughts.” Virgil sighed slumping in the sofa before he rubbed his hand against his neck.

  “It’s kinda stupid.”

  “Humour me.” Emile said with a serious tone “No feeling is stupid.”

  “It’s just… it’s my birthday today… but only you, Thomas, Talyn, Joan and Lilly has said anything…” Virgil’s voice cracked

  “Hey, it’s okay, grab some tissues. Let’s work some issues.” Emile said as he moved the tissue box over to Virgil who took it with shaking hands

  “I’m scared that the others have forgotten… they haven’t even said anything about it… nor asked me what i want, like they did last year…”

Emile grimaced behind his notepad “You can be a bit to good in keeping secrets, Remy.” Emile thought before he gave Virgil a smile.

  “I’m doubt they have forgotten about your Birthday, Virgil, they love you very much, and i can say that from a personal view point. we all love you.” Virgil snorted slightly as he rubbed one of the tissues under his eyes, smudging the eye shadow way more than before and making the tissue turn grey.

  “Thanks-” he croaked out.

Virgil had decided to walk home from the meeting with Emile that day, to clear his head, he most often than not did this, and now with the snow still covering the ground the cold helped him keep his mind from spiralling.

He halted once he could see the apartment he and Remy shared when both of them started at the same college, tho ten years apart. there were a few cars to many at the drive way, Remy’s old slightly rusted Lamborghini stood as normal on the driveway, but it was the two other cars that caused him to halt, Remy hadn’t mentioned anything about them having visitors.

  “Remy you are so dead.” Virgil growled as he walked over to the door, pushing his anxiety down as he opened the door the apartment was silent and… dark? Virgil blinked wasn’t Remy home?

  “Remy?!” Virgil called as he removed his jacket and boots “If you’re passed out on the cough again i swear i’m not to be blamed for whatever happens to your face!” he thought he heard a stifled snort from the living room. Virgil stilled, before he moved closer, then the moment he entered the lights were turned on

  “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” a choir of voices called. Virgil startled taking a step back as his eyes widened and he took in the scene, Patton stood in the middle with a beaming smile, holding a gigantic birthday cake full of burning candles, with the purple letters “Happy Birthday Virgil” with a heart written on it in Logan’s organised yet beautiful writing. Logan stood next to him with a smal smile of his own. Roman was grinning there he stood next to a table full of presents. Thomas, Joan and Talyn was there as well all smiling at him. Emile was there as well and he gave Virgil a small wave still smiling. Remy was no where to be seen. 

  “You knew?!” Virgil asked the therapist who gave away a sheepish smile

  “Yeah… but i was told not to say anything, and i wanted to tell you right there and then… but I didn’t wanna spoil the surprise.”

  “Wait.” Virgil said looking around, instantly on guard “Where’s Remy?” just as the name left his lips two strong hands grabbed him from behind hoisting him up in the air. causing Virgil to scream

  “No touching the Face!” Remy laughed as he pulled Virgil into a bear hug, still keeping his feet from touching the floor.

  “GUAH! LET ME DOWN!” Virgil barked struggling in the hold. laughter echoed in the room and the sound of a camera. Virgil was put back to the floor and Remy just ruffled his hair.

  “Happy birthday, Virge.”