The young man narrowed his eyes in disgust as he gazed down at the figure on the hospital bed, pale and hooked up to various machines.
'Really, all this because of a few simple words that should be MEANINGLESS!' The man floated down next to the bed.
After shaking the still figure's shoulder a few times, the man smirked evilly. Drawing a hand back he struck the figure on the bed as hard as he could, then darted into the shadows.
The effect was immediate as brown eyes shot open. "What the—." Virgil sat up, rubbing his stinging cheek.
"I could ask you the same thing!" The young man said as he stepped from the shadows, a slight snarl in his voice. He smirked at the confusion swimming in Virgil's eyes upon seeing him.
"What—who…"
"I'm YOU, you idiot!" The young man said, smirking, "A more confident, arguably better version of you."
"Why are you here?" Virgil asked.
"Again, I could ask you the same thing." His violet-eyed doppelganger replied.
"Because…" Virgil looked around, at the room, at himself, then blushed, ashamed.
"Because…?" the Virgil across from him prompted, violet eyes filled with a mixture of anger and disappointment.
"I'm weak," the bed-ridden Virgil admitted. "I let others words affect me wh—when…"
"When…?" the violet-eyed Virgil prompted again.
"When they should mean nothing."
"Exactly. Is it your job to please others?"
"N-no." Virgil muttered quietly.
"I'm sorry—What?" His doppelganger leaned forward, sensing a breakthrough.
"It's not—," Virgil began meekly.
"Louder." His doppelganger encouraged. "You've got this, dude." He smiled.
"It's—It's not my job to please others!" Virgil said confidently.
"Will you let others dictate your life?"
"No." He turned to his doppelganger, "I'm ok."
"I'm glad."
"I'm sorry." He said, truly feeling ashamed for the stupid thing he'd done.
"I'd lie and say, 'it's ok,' or yell at you, but…," the violet-eyed young man snapped, conjuring a sleek black music player with small wireless purple earbuds.
"Here, whenever you feel…. too 'in your own head', listen to this, don't think about anything else…. just listen, ok?"
"Yea." Virgil took the player and earbuds in cold, pale hands. "Thank you…. for everything."
"No problem." With that, the violet-eyed doppelganger poofed out in a cloud of sliver-tinged purple smoke.
