Chapter Five: The Connection
With Richie sick with a cold, Virgil spends lunch outside with Jay. The older man doesn't know why he willingly hung out with the geek and his friends, but by now, he didn't care. There is an awkward silence between the two as they sit across from one another on a table in the sun. "So…What's new with you?" This is the first time Jay and Virgil have been alone together.
I'm gay…Sighing, Jay thinks of an answer. "I learned somethin' new lookin' through that damn comic…" Virgil is silent. He wanted to forget about that comic. The stupid colored paper that made images course through his sixteen year old mind. The images that made him question his sexuality. The book from hell. "I learned how much you look like Static."
"!…uh…okay…" Virgil's eyes light up. He didn't like where this was going.
"And act like Static." He really didn't like where this was going alright.
This…isn't good
"…You're Static."
"…am not…" The hero knows that was pathetic. He never was good at defending himself.
"Yes you are…and Richie as Gear…which explains why you were so upset about HotStreak…because you…" He didn't really want to finish that sentence.
Leave it to the new kid to figure it out.
"Don't tell anyone…"
Especially Frieda and Daisy…
"'Kay…" The man has had a couple days to absorb the fact of who Static really was. He was surprised at first. But then it all made sense. The scrawny kid was at the docks, Francis was just annoyed he hadn't figured it out before. Now it didn't really bother him. He reads the expression on the younger man's face. Sorrow returns to his cute face, probably because of HotStreak. "I won't tell anybody…"
"…thanks…"
Needing to know why Virgil would feel bad about his former person, Jay sighs. "Why feel bad about HotStreak?"
"Because it's my fault…even if he did do a lot of bad crap…be…didn't deserve that…"
"…Maybe he's better off…" There is a nasty knot in the pit of Jay's stomach.
"Yeah…maybe…I'll never know…"
"Sorry…" The older teen looks down. If only I could tell you…but then you'd hate me…
"It's not your fault…"
The street kid was pissed at himself. He didn't want to see Virgil like this. He wanted to take the pain away. He wanted to see the dark kid smile. And it pisses him off. He cared for the little bastard. He really did.
Feeling the need to change the subject, Jay thinks of the two girls Virgil hung out with. "What the hell is wrong with those girls anyway?" Frieda was normal when I wanted her…
"Well," Virgil was happy to change the subject. "Daisy turned Frieda into a fangirl…how Daisy became one I'll never know."
"…why gay sex?"
"I dunno." Virgil shrugs his shoulders. He had been asking himself that since those two first brought him that manga of god knows what. "But the scary thing is that there's millions of people just like those two." That comment won an awkward chuckle from the other man. "..still…gay sex is one thing…but seriously…tentacle rape."
"I guess what ever you're into you're into…I'm into sports cars and Harleys…"
"Still sounds better than tentacle rape…"
"I guess but then again it's not me being violated." The man laughs mockingly.
"Thanks for your support Jay…" Virgil huffs. "Moving on…" The laughter dies down. "Since you know my big secret, you wanna see my lame hideout?"
"Sure. Why the hell not."