The Gig [Finished]

[yamikuronue]

Vic blushes faintly. "Oh. That works?"

I don't want to do this forever... it sounds like it's going to stop being so easy inside of a few years. But I don't want to be a woman either. What do I want?

[accalia]

"You'd be surprised how much people overlook, you talk the talk, and walk the walk and they won't notice you're a duck instead of the goose they were expecting. Some are a bit more observant than others but they can usually be deflected easily enough if you're prepared for them."

Tony's trying to be comforting, but he's getting a bunch of vibes that he's not succeeding..... what to do.... what to do...?

[yamikuronue]

Vic nods. An old, ugly train of thought rears up in his head, one he's been steadfastly ignoring for years: Shouldn't it bother me, being mistaken for a man all the time? Shouldn't I want to be a woman? If I can't work for the Family now, shouldn't I be happy I can wear skirts and try to attract a man?

Vic pushes the thought away. What was he saying -- oh, walking and voice. "Yeah, I practiced with my brothers a lot before I started. I was always boyish, because I didn't have a mother, so it wasn't too hard to get the walk right."

[accalia]

Mother, huh.... she was the only one that.... well she didn't accept Tony, but she also never tried to get him to be Antimony either.... Would she be proud of what he's done with his life, or did she always thing it was just a phase? .... well Tony will never know now...

Tony is almost lost in his thoughts there for a moment then recovers.

"Yeah, you are. In fact, other than your body proportions, which can be compensated for, your biggest tell were your emotions, you have a bit looser hold on them then men are expected to. That's what actually made me suspicious in the first place, bout three, maybe four, weeks ago. I only saw the other tells once i was looking for them."

So, it's the emotions that gave Vic away, and not that long ago either. well then... that's interesting, and Vic's known Tony long enough to know he can be insanely observant under that nonchalant and somewhat goofy exterior.

[yamikuronue]

Vic nods. "I haven't been as.. myself the past few months." he confesses. It's been hard, so damn hard... sometimes I just want to burst into tears, for no good reason. "I haven't been this awkward since I started my monthlies," he adds, and had to learn how to compensate for the mood swings those bring.

[accalia]

"yeah. those are awkward and a half to deal with. and dealing with the mood swings takes a lot of concentration and practice."

Tony stands, his breakfast is finished, and begins working at cleaning up the mess he created cooking breakfast in the first place.

"As for being yourself, It's not unsurprising. Few people know who they are and what they want from the very beginning, it takes time to figure that out for most."

[yamikuronue]

Something clicks in Vic's mind, and he blushes bright red. "Oh, I, uh, borrowed your sanitation belt a while back. I hope you don't mind. I can give it back."

[accalia]

"I'd wondered where it got off to." Tony mutters bemusedly "Keep it, it was a spare in any case."

[yamikuronue]

Vic nods. "Thanks. I've got three now." Meaning he previously had one to wash and one to wear, the bare minimum.

[accalia]

"No problem." Tony says thinking 'huh.... well now i need to pick up another one of those.... i've only got two myself now...'

[yamikuronue]

Vic sighs, looking down. "...I guess I should get some skirts. It'd be a good way to hide from the Family."

[accalia]

"If that's what you want. Feel free to take anything from my closets. Heaven knows i wouldn't be caught dead in any of that stuff so it might as well get used by someone who wants it." then a pause "Though, i doubt you need to hide from the family so much, just the boss. as long as you stay away from his usual haunts you're probably fine. If he was going to have us offed he'd just have done it when we were in front of him."

[yamikuronue]

"He trusted me," says Vic, in a small voice. "And I lied to him, constantly, for years. That has to hurt. It wouldn't surprise me if someone went for me, to prove their initiative."

[accalia]

"But you didn't tell him, he was mad because of what his daughter did... or rather what you pointed out to him she was doing." Tony turns his back on the dishes to look Vic straight in the face. "Look, I don't care if you are Vic, or Victoria, Man, Woman, Cross Dresser or not. That's all your choice. But you shouldn't try to be someone you're not. The Family is strong, but they're not all powerful, and they're not stupid. They know who I am, and they know what sort of trouble i can cause for them if I turn. And if your life is actually in danger you have options. You can turn yourself into the police and turn evidence. That would get you off with a rap on the wrist and into witness relocation. You could leave the state, or just move far enough out of town, the family doesn't have much power outside this city. So you don't have to pretend to be someone you aren't."

Tony.... More hero talk? Seriously? this is becoming a bad habit of yours...

[yamikuronue]

Vic looks at his hands, thinking his options over. "If I turn evidence... my family's still involved. I would get out at their expense. I'd never see them again. And... even if they're not arrested, they need my income. If I leave, I can't send them money without being tracked."

Vic looks up at Tony, then, his eyes bleak but his mouth set, determined. "I don't care what I have to do. Show me a good path and I'll take it."