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He was sick of it. Sick of the constant beatings for nothing. The constant comparison to his older brothers. The sickly-sweet smiles they pull and hidden threats when they’re out in public or in front of his siblings. How the rest of the time they never laid eyes on him. The bullies at school. The distance between him and his brothers. He just wanted to be loved. Is that so much to ask?
At least he had one person. Remy. They had known each other since Virgil was 13 and Remy 14. He was Virgil’s support, his lifeline. Remy was there through thick and thin on was the only person the 16-year-old trusted.
At this point Virgil was excited and cheerful, the exact opposite of what he was last night, today was the day he could say goodbye to his family. Well, there was the high chance that he would run in with his parents at the shops and his brothers at school but know he wouldn’t have a reason to be afraid of them. Remy and his parents Emile and Deceit (At least that’s what everyone knows him as) Picani said they can take him in. Give him a family. A real family.
He’d already packed his things when his boyfriend had climbed into his room and helped him through an anxiety attack. That was when Remy decided that Virgil needed to leave. The bruises covered his chest and arms (His parents would never let him show his arms leading him to wear hoodies even in Summer. Fortunately, his hoodie is a comfort item for him.) and he had lost what little of a will to live he had.
Remy was crying along with him as Virgil held the knife to his wrists, trying to pry the blade away. If the house wasn’t so big, and they weren’t so isolated, the others would’ve heard the screams and pleas of both.
Virgil passed out, partly from emotional exhaustion and partly from physical exhaustion. That was when Remy knew that enough was enough and packed all of Virgil’s clothes, art supplies, and toiletries into a suitcase. He tucked Virgil into bed and left a note next to him explaining the plan. That morning, he would have a new housemate.
Virgil woke up, read it and immediately felt better. Of course, happiness is only temporary and would, at most, only last a few hours but either way the overthinker didn’t overthink this and carried out with the plan.
The rest of his family would be downstairs. Patton would have made breakfast with his ‘mother’ while his ‘father’ praised Roman or Logan as they sang or explained something knew he had learnt.
They used to be close, his brothers and him, but by the time Virgil hit school everything changed. His brothers were all older. Patton was the oldest while Logan and Roman were less than a year younger, being twins. Virgil was a year younger than the twins and didn’t grow up quite as well.
His parents always cared more about the others and Virgil remained the not-so-happy accident. They didn’t want him, but his brothers did. Patton was ecstatic when he looked after his baby siblings, even as a toddler himself, and continued to look after all of them until school.
Virgil didn’t go with them and so was home with his parents which were the equivalent of being home alone. The others made their own friends and, as much as they tried, failed to pay attention to the youngest.
By the time Virgil was 10, the beatings had started. Patton didn’t understand him and eventually gave up trying to find out, Logan was baffled by him and annoyed at his constant overly-emotional complaints and cognitive distortions. Roman was the worst though. He saw the younger as a villain for constantly seeing the negative. He didn’t know why Virgil had to see the negative in everything. He didn’t know why he was always miserable and it scared him so he took his confusion and anger out on him. Although the worst he had ever done physically was push him over.
Now the twins complained about his music and just his personality in general. Patton tried to see the good in it, and did, but still didn’t understand what was wrong with the baby of the ‘family.’
Virgil walked down the stairs, suitcase in one hand and guitar over his shoulders, to where the other occupants of the house would be. As predicted, they were all conversing and eating. All eyes turned to him because he rarely ever came down this early.
“Virgil? What are you doing down here? And what are those bags?” Virgil’s mother asked with a fake smile plastered on her face
“Leaving this shit hole.” He shrugged, summoning all of his courage.
“What does that mean?” His father stood up, a warning clearly in his tone.
“It means..I. Am. Leaving….for good.” He spelled out.
He risked a glance at his brothers. Patton looked heartbroken, Logan was confused and Roman was clearly shocked, maybe even a little guilty. Virgil wouldn’t miss them to much but at the same time, he didn’t blame them. They weren’t aware of what their parents had done to him. They didn’t know of his mental struggles. They were forced into a world where their parents were perfect and fair, life was good. Sadly, not everyone gets that luxury.
Suddenly everyone seemed to burst. Questions and commands were being thrown about and the ringing in Verge’s ears started up. He was panicking. Fuck loud noises suck.
Without thinking about it, he let his fight or flight reflexes kick in and ran. His suitcase flew behind him but it didn’t slow him down.
He ran and ran until the shouts and protest were nothing but distant whispers and then faded into cars racing and birds squawking.
He stopped and rested for a little bit, hiding away in an alleyway, not because his ‘family’ would look for him, but because random people looking at him kind of freaked him out. When he was ready, he strolled along until he came to the medium-sized house belonging to the Picani’s.
After a few moments of hesitation, he knocked. Within seconds the door opened to a brown-haired man with a pink tie on.
“Oh, hey Virgil!” Emile smiled.
“Hey, Mr. Picani…I um.” He stuttered, not knowing if Remy had informed him or not. Was he even allowed to stay? What if he said no? What if it was a joke? No. Remy wouldn’t do that to him. But he could.
“It’s ok. I know about you staying here, Remy told me. I’m sorry about your parent's Verge, I don’t know everything about your past, but you can come to me for help. I am pretty experienced in this.” He laughed, enticing a small chuckle from the teen, “I need to bounce if I wanna make it to the first session, but breakfast is out on the table. I’ll see you tonight buddy and we’ll get you all set up.” The older beamed before he rushed off to the car in the driveway.
Virgil walked inside and his breath was taken away, no matter how many times he comes here he always is surprised at the beauty of the artwork the Picani’s have.
He walked into the living room where Deceit, Remy and Remy’s brother Thomas were watching cartoons and eating waffles.
Virgil smiled at the site and did a little cough to get their attention.
Remy instantly turned around with a smile on his face, “About time Gurl. We thought we’d be waiting for hours.” He exaggerated with an eye roll but held his arms open for a hug.
Virgil dropped his bags and ran around the couch, immediately being enveloped by strong arms. Thomas also joined in on the hug and Deceit stood up to rest a hand on Virgil’s shoulder.
“You are not alright now.” He comforted.
Deceit spoke in lies, a habit from his younger years, but everyone who knew him got used to it, eventually.
He was sat down on the sofa surrounded in warmth and given a large helping of waffles. Despite it being a Friday, they didn’t go to school. Instead, they stayed, wrapped in blankets and watching the TV. When Emile got home, he joined them, bringing a whole load of jokes and references.
Virgil’s life got better, as did his mental and physical health. He still had anxiety and spiraled into self-hate on occasion but now he had people he could go to all the time. He didn’t need to spend it alone anymore.
He ran into his parents but had his family to back him up. He also ran into his brothers at school. At first, he ignored them but as they grew their connections grew with them. Patton was the first of the three that Virgil accepted into his family. Then Logan soon after and finally Roman a little after that.
He has what he wants now. He has a real family.