Disclaimer: I do not own Static Shock. I am not making profit from this story so no one sue me, please. Any characters whom are not from Static Shock are rightfully owned by me.
Summary: Virgil and Richie haven't been friends for nearly 20 years. They have gone their separate ways and lived their successful live through work. However, how have their personal lives suffered since their failed friendship?
"Sit up, Virgil," said Robert as he walked into the living room. He had spent the better part of two hours talking to Sharon and Adam before going into the living room to be with his son.
Robert stood at the edge of the couch and watched Virgil hawkeyed. When five minutes had passed and Virgil had still not moved, Robert patiently cleared his throat to note he was still waiting. Another two minutes passed, and Robert was about to clear his throat again, when Virgil cut him off by pushing himself, with a rather irritated groan, to sit at the very edge of the couch. He crossed his arms looked down diagonally to avoid eye contact.
"Do you want to tell me what's going on, Virgil?" said Robert, ignoring the irritation Virgil was displaying, as he steadily lowered himself onto the cushion next to Virgil. "Sharon said you have been moping on the couch for two days."
Virgil drew in a deep breath and let it out with a groan. He dropped his face in his hands and tangled his fingers through his dreads. He steadily shook his head and said, "Not really."
Robert gently pressed on the issue. He knew Virgil had his limits, but he could also tell that Virgil really needed to open up; really wanted to open up. "Sharon said you saw Richie two nights ago, Virgil. Want to tell me what happened?"
"No," said Virgil simply. He crossed his arms tightly around his chest and doubled over, laying his head on his lap and turning his face away from Robert.
Robert smiled sympathetically as he watched Virgil attempt to shut him out. He reached out a hand lay it on Virgil's back, which caused Virgil to flinch. When he relaxed some, Robert began making soothing circles around the neck and shoulders.
After about fifteen minutes, Virgil finally turned his head so he was able to see his father. He craned his vision so he could see his father and said, "Not while Sharon and Adam are in here," in a quiet tone.
Robert looked up Sharon and Adam, made a sideways motion, and immediately Sharon ushered Adam and herself upstairs. When Robert heard a door click shut in the distance, he turned his attention back to Virgil, and said assuredly, "They're gone, Virgil." He withdrew his hand to his lap so Virgil could sit up.
Cautiously looking around the room, to make sure that he and his father really were the only people around, Virgil let out a long, disconsolate sigh. He shifted awkwardly in his seat for a few minutes, and occasionally glanced at his father who maintained the same patient expression while Virgil desperately searched for the words to describe what he wanted to say.
There were no words, though; at least none that Virgil could conjure. Virgil had never been all that great at expressing his feelings, but, since it was that quality that got him into this mess, he figured he may as well open up. He honestly had nothing else to loose, but also had no idea where to start.
Taking in a deep breath, Virgil squeezed his eyes shut, covered his closed eyes with his hand, and opened and closed his mouth for a few moments, as if he were practicing what he wanted to say.
Finally, Virgil blurted out, "I'm gay," and everything that came after it was like a dam with a hole in it.
Being African-American and gay was a lot different than being Caucasian and gay, and Virgil knew that. He had always known that. There was a lot to being a double minority, especially when African-American culture taught him he had to be masculine; that he had to be a man, and being gay did not equal that.
Virgil had become aware of his sexuality when he was fifteen, but because of social pressures, he hid it, and he hid it well. Then when he was twenty-two, Richie came out to him; the man Virgil clandestinely loved came out to him, and Virgil let himself be carried away by emotions, while completely ignoring logic. The next day, the realization that Virgil had slept with Richie hit him, he got scared, and he ran; ran into the arms of a woman he barely knew, a woman he never really loved, and lived a facade of a straight man, until he got divorced, at which point he started smoking to ignore the reality, and blamed it on stressors such as the divorce and bills.
Hot tears stung Virgil's cheeks as the confessions rolled and he doubled over on himself again. "I never meant to hurt Richie, pops," he cried, "I was scared; I didn't know what else to do..." Though he did know he should have been honest with Richie because, perhaps, he would still have his friend if he had been honest. "I really messed up, pops."
Suddenly, Robert pulled Virgil into a hug and said, "I'm proud of you, Virgil."
Virgil drew in a sharp breath through his nose and said, "Why? There's nothing to be proud of, pops..."
"I'm proud you came out to me, Virgil," said Robert as he pushed Virgil far enough away to look at his face. "What you did to Richie… well, that was bad, Virgil, but that's in the past; we can't change that now." Robert paused momentarily and pushed Virgil away far enough to see his face when he felt Virgil tense. He watched his son display a series of emotions, mostly entailing anger and guilt. When Virgil dropped his head, Robert pulled him back into a hug and said, "What matters right now is you came to terms with being gay, and you told me, and I'm proud of that."
Virgil sighed. His chin fell to his chest and he said, "I should have done it sooner, though; I should have… I shouldn't have tried so hard to be something I'm not. Maybe…"
"There's no sense fretting over the past, Virgil," urged Robert.
Virgil sighed again. Sure it was a relief to finally be out with his father; to finally be accepting of himself, but that was never going to change the fact that he pushed away the only person he ever loved and truly cared about, all because he didn't want to come to terms with his sexuality. Virgil groaned and rubbed his hands over his face, blinking a few times. He looked around the room, noticing how dark it had gotten outside. The clock on the wall said it was nearing 10:30.
"I'm going to take a shower," said Virgil as he got up off the couch. He made his way to the staircase before turning back to Robert and saying, "Thanks, pops."
When Virgil was upstairs and the sound of a locking door echoed throughout the room, Sharon and Adam came back into the living room and sat on either side of Robert. No one said anything for several minutes, but it was Sharon who finally broke the silence.
"So… what happened? What did he say?"
Robert smiled and patted Sharon's knee, looking her in the eye. "It's not my place to say. He'll tell you when he's ready."
Reluctantly, Sharon nodded. "Alright, Daddy," she said with a smile. Then after a few minutes, she finally thought to ask, "Where did he go?" because she had barely seen Virgil get off the couch for two days, so it shocked her Virgil had moved.
"He went to take a shower."
"He… he doesn't have any clean clothes, though," said Sharon with narrowed eyes. "What is he going to wear? His clothes smell like body odor and nicotine…
"Where are you going?" Sharon asked Adam as her attention suddenly diverted to her husband leaving the room.
"To get Virgil some clean clothes," said Adam with a shrug as he continued out of the room and upstairs.
Robert and Sharon sighed simultaneously and leaned back on the couch. Neither of them said anything, but they were both sure they were thinking the same thing. Robert talking to Virgil had been a good thing for him; he finally had someone to be open and honest with, and he seemed to be in a better mood. However, Sharon and Robert worried about how long that happiness would last. With Christmas Even less than two hours away, the hours until Angelica arrived became slimmer. Just like every Christmas Eve for five years, the two were without a doubt going to argue, and considering the events of recent days, the possibility that seeing Angelica would be hard on Virgil's psyche was huge.
The next twenty-four hours were certainly going to be interesting.
A/N: I'm aware that I basically started this chapter out of nowhere, but I wasn't sure of any other way to get the chapter going. Besides, the last chapter ended with Francis taking Chloé and Chelsea to his house, and this chapter started with Robert being at Sharon's house, the next night. There wasn't going to be anything interesting in between. So I got this...
Lots of angst, right? There will be more. I'm thinking three or four more chapters to this story...
Anyway. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. I would ask you for reviews, but no one ever does, so there's no point. So... I'm just going to stick with hoping you liked the chapter. Chapter 14 will come soon.