Bad Guy | Sanders Sides

Chapter Fifteen

"MY NAME IS VIRGIL! Okay. It's like a band-aid, you just gotta rip it off."

"Virgil?" Logan repeated

Then he heard it, a faint snicker from Roman and his face and hopes and heart fell. He didn't let it show, god no, but it struck him like a knife.

"Oh," Patton said. "But that doesn't end with '-an' or '-on'. Shouldn't it be something like Virgin?"

Roman exploded into laughter and Anxiety had to fight back the tears. They'd made fun of him, he should've known. He never should've opened up to any of them.

"Why's that so funny?" Thomas snapped and Roman ceased his laughing.

"Um...because," Prince scrambled for something to say. "Um...it's not."

"I think it's an awesome name!" Thomas beamed at his darker trait and Anxiety gave him a feeble smile in return.

"It's not what I anticipated," Logan admitted. "But I do like it."

"It's different," Patton agreed. "But I like that it's different!"

"It was..unexpected," Roman said. "But it took a lot to trust us with that information...Virgil."

"You can call me Virge," Anxiety said, trying to lighten the mood again.

"Well this has been a day." Thomas kept talking, but Anxiety felt his stress and tears take effect and he lost focus again. "-Virge?"

"Whatever," he said, wishing he could just retreat back to his room. "I'm at least glad I can offer some help, even if sometimes I can be...hard to deal with."

"In Thomas's case," Logan said. "You are indeed manageable."

"Yeah," Roman grinned. "And you are nothing compared to the others." He instantly clamped a hand over his mouth as Anxiety glared at him. They'd all agreed to leave everyone else out of it.

"Others?" Thomas repeated. "What do you mean others? What others?" They four of them looked around guiltily. "Well this is foreboding."

"Ah it's nothing," Roman said hurriedly. "So long!" He sank out.

"Farewell." Logan sank out.

Patton sank out singing Sound of Music, leaving just Anxiety and his host.

"What was that all about?" Thomas asked.

Anxiety sighed. "Look, I know I'm the one that's causing you to be suspicious, but honestly, table that question for another day."

"Gotcha." Thomas nodded. "And Virgil?"

"It's really weird hearing you say that," he muttered.

"Honestly, thank you for all of the good stuff that you DO provide. You can be a good guy."

Good guy.

Good guy.

Good guy.

I'm not the bad guy.

Anxiety sank out with a salute and a smile.

And something inside of him lightened.

.

Derek wasn't there when he appeared back in his room and Anxiety was instantly worried. Because Depression was Anxiety's, it couldn't leave his room. Then he spotted paper on his bed and the answer was there in his head.

The letter was printed neatly on crisp, white, lined paper.

Dear Virgil,

By now, I am gone and I am sure you know why. Congratulations. you beat me. You rose above the sadness that summoned me and my work here is done. You truly are a good different.

In your closet, there is a gift from me, to emphasis your change for the better.

You did say you'd have to change to purple.

I will not return.

Be happy Virgil.

You make them better.

Derek.

Tears cascaded down his face like a waterfall as the paper crinkled in his hands. He'd lost so much just to gain what should've been his to begin with. Why did the world hate him so?

Be happy Virgil.

He dried his tears, Derek's request resonating in his head. He would be, he wouldn't dare let this turn of events break him. He was stronger than that, he had others now. Derek wasn't coming back and he could accept that. His thoughts were permanently stained with self-doubt and a thing sheet of grey had coated his memories but he could learn from that.

And as for the present....

Anxiety almost laughed at the purple shirt and hoodie.

"Thank you."

**********

It's finished!

I honestly am almost in tears, I love you guys, I love Thomas, I am proud of this story. The ending could have been better but I was just so happy with how well everything turned out.

I couldn't have made it this far without all of you people, and this story is almost to 5k views! You're all incredible and deserve the best in life.

Until the next story,

Bekka