“I’ve been practicing warding and a few more charms lately, and it’s going pretty well,” Virgil replied, knowing that it’s not going pretty well in the slightest.

“I see, that’s nice.”

As John replied, Virgil had already gotten his hands on the amulets, arranging them in front of him. He better get started quickly, he thought.

When Virgil was about to chant, John remained nearby him, watching.

“Uh, could you get out from this carpet?” Virgil asked, hoping that it wouldn’t offend John.

“Sure.”

Even after asking John to give him space, Virgil couldn’t get the words out—and he didn’t want to blame it on John again. If he could recite the words in front of Carson before, why not John?

After watching Virgil’s struggles, John finally said something. “You know, Virgil. You can try this again next time, you d—”

Virgil snapped his head back. “Next time?”

A silence followed Virgil’s reaction, much to John’s surprise.

Realizing what he had just done, Virgil turned back to the amulets. “I, I’m sorry about that—I mean, it’s okay. I’ll keep trying…”

“…Alright.”

Out of a strange relief, Virgil could finally recite the words and continue the charming process now. And just when he was about to imbue the charm’s essence into the amulet—his concentration waver, snapping him out of his trance.

After this mistake, John reached his hand to Virgil—only for him to notice Virgil setting the amulets in front of him.

“I’m fine, John. I can always try again…”

“Oh, alright.”

After some failed attempts, Virgil had already gotten irritated—at how he couldn’t ‌concentrate properly. As he was about to practice again, John rushed inside the carpet and grabbed his arm.

“Let’s just go home.”

“I’ll try—”

“Please.”

Another silence fell between them, as they remained there. When John began to drag Virgil away, Virgil yanked John’s hand away from him.

“It’s okay, just leave me here.”

“But—”

“Just leave. I’ll survive and go back home, I promise.”

As John heard the word survive his eyebrow twitched. “You’re going home, now.”

“Leave me alone!—”

At the second before Virgil lashed out, John’s tone brought him back to the time he practice charms with his family—which he didn’t know that memory would tick him off again, after all these years. Once he realized what he had just done—and how his anger could’ve gotten any worse, he expected John to snap back at him, or get annoyed and storm off.

But ‌John grabbed his arm again, dragging him towards the stairs.

“D-didn’t you hear me?” Virgil snapped, as he yanked John’s hand off him again. He didn’t want John to see him in this state, at all. “Leave.”

“Then stop whatever you’re doing. I’m not letting you hurt yourself.”

“I told you I’ll be fine.”

As Virgil got back inside the carpet again and walked towards the amulet, John grabbed him by a hug from behind.

“Please, don’t do this.”

“What are you worried about?”

“You…”

John fell silent with a sigh, and so did Virgil.