Chapter Text
“Mommy, can I be whatever I want when I grow up?”
“Of course, sweetie.”
“Then can I be a boy?
“What? Nerezza, that’s crazy, you’re a girl.”
“But I wanna be a boy when I grow up, mommy.”
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Virgil awoke with a start, panting heavily as the sound of a car screeching was replaced with the ringing of his phone. His dark purple bangs clung to his forehead from sweat, and his entire body was shaking from his shallow breathing. Slowly, he sat up, allowing the thin bed sheets to fall from his body as he took a few, stabilising breaths. Then, reluctantly, he grabbed his phone and answered the call.
“Hello?”
“Hey there buddy!” Virgil heard the ever over-enthusiastic voice of his father on the other end, and Virgil had to suppress a groan as he dropped back down, letting his head crash into his almost completely flat pillow.
“Hey dad,” Virgil huffed, peering at the clock on his nightstand, which read 7:05 am.
“You all set for your big interview today?”
“Dad it’s just a job interview,” Virgil sighed, although, in reality, he was extremely nervous for the interview. Nervous that he would be immediately rejected, just like last time, and the time before that, simply because of one small difference he had to other people that made so many people-
“Virgil?” His dad’s voice pulled Virgil out of the anxiety-laden spiral that his mind had begun to get sucked into. “You okay there, bud?” Virgil hadn’t even noticed his breathing getting heavier until now. He cleared his throat.
“Yeah, dad, I’m fine. I’ll… call you after the interview.”
“Alright son, you know I’m rooting for you! I love you.”
“Love you too, dad…” Virgil hung up, letting his phone fall onto the bed. Today was going to be difficult.
With a heart weighed down by anxiety, Virgil stood up and made his way to the small closet in the corner of his bedroom, hastily grabbing a purple v-neck t-shirt and ripped skinny jeans along with a binder from the small set of drawers hidden under the piles of clothing, before quickly changing out of his oversized Winnie the Pooh sleep-shirt and into his clothes for the day.
Breakfast was light, as always. Just a couple of slices of toast, dry, and a large cup of coffee to hopefully keep him awake throughout the interview. And then, Virgil pulled on his purple converse, grabbed his signature black hoodie with purple checkered patches stitched on here and there, and left, making sure to lock the door to his apartment and pocket the key.
The interview was for a position in the library at the end of the street, and from the description, it would mainly be reordering the books after closing hours, the perfect time for Virgil as he would be alone, away from the throngs of people. However, he had to brave the early morning crowds and get through the interview successfully first.