Transcending Abnormality

Toast Crumbs

Virgil's first lecture was at ten. His alarm emitted its repetitive, blurred beeping at eight-thirty.

Fuck, he didn't want to get out of bed.

But he did.

He groaned, pushing some of his fringe out of his face. "Off." He grumbled, causing the alarm to halt its assault on his ears. He slugged his legs over the edge of his bed, standing and swivelling his body to put his duvet back where it should've been.

He was wearing a pair of colourblocked purple and black joggers and a plain dark grey t-shirt to sleep in. His feet were bare, and they created a soft sound while he trekked across his bedroom. He completely ignored the closed curtains. The whole of the city does not need to observe his morning routine.

For a moment, it was calm.

No sounds echoed off the light purple walls of his bedroom. Well, if we're being truthful, the walls weren't really purple. They were covered in posters and drawings that made it hard to see the true colour he'd chosen when he was given the bedroom.

The calmness he was absorbing was interrupted by a wail.

"No! I said no! Don't want to!"

Virgil audibly groaned at the whiny voice of his step-brother, probably being wrangled by one of his caretakers.

"Patton, honey, brushing your teeth is important."

Virgil takes his phone from his bedside table, connecting it to the speakers in his room and hitting play on his main music mix. He pressed the up button on the volume a couple of times.

Better.

He stalked over to his walk-in closet, striding past his bin, and stopping a moment to stare at the pills he'd dumped there last night. Good.

He scanned his fingerprint on the door and hummed in satisfaction as it opened. He chose a long-sleeved, loose grey and black striped t-shirt, which he layered under a ripped purple hoodie with fabricated scuffs. A few chains hung from the hoodie.

He finally added some black cargo trousers, with many pockets, rings, chains and designs. The large right pocket honed some white graphics, made to look hand-drawn.

He applied a wing of eyeliner on each eye, dusting his waterline with black eye-shadow while he was at it.

Virgil slung his backpack over his shoulder. It contained his laptop, notebooks, phone charger, and his emergency thousand dollars. He didn't forget to turn his music off before zipping his heeled combat boots up and exiting his bedroom.

The living room was a sight. Patton was wearing a blue t-shirt and grey shorts, throwing a bit of a tantrum on the floor as one of his carers tried to calm him down.

"Hey! Shh, shh, it's okay."

Virgil rolled his eyes, walking into the open-plan kitchen to grab a slice of toast for his way out. His boots clicked on the floor, and it was only then that the man taking care of Patton noticed the heir.

"Oh! Young master Glythe! I- I'll fix you up some breakfast in just a moment, okay?"

Virgil tilted his head towards the man, his mouth open in a position as if he were about to talk for a good five seconds.

"No, don't worry about it, Remy. I'm more than capable of using a toaster."

Virgil wondered if he was even heard over his brother's protests.

He made the decision that he didn't care, just taking a slice of bread and placing it in the toaster. After half a second, it popped back out, and he grabbed it, walking towards the stairs to leave the floor of the house.