I Thought I Loved You Yesterday [Roceit High School AU]

Chapter 11 - Playing The Part

A week passed.

Janus and Roman had fallen into a rhythm. He would put his books into his bag, Roman would come walk him to the theater, and the pair would go up into the tech booth and prep the mics before coming down and taping them for everyone. They would part ways - Roman to go get his costume and Janus to go set some props - for the rest of the show, save for a small wave or wink in the dim lighting of backstage. At the end of rehearsal, Janus would wait by the edge of the stage with Talyn, Virgil, and Terrence, and take off the actors' mics. Then the two would go to their separate cars and drive home.

Well, normally.

This Friday was the final day before the shows starting the next week, and Roman had a plan.

Well, more of a date, really. An inconspicuous, small date that could really only be classified as a date if you squinted. 

It was a date nonetheless.

He ran over his lines in his head - not the ones from the script, but rather the ones he had written down carefully beforehand the previous night - and took a deep breath as Janus pulled his bag onto his shoulder and the two walked out of the auditorium.

"So, Janus," he started, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Doing anything tomorrow?"

The shorter boy hummed. "Mmm, nope. I don't think so." He glanced up. "Why?"

"Oh, y'know, I was wondering if you wanted to run lines." He ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe just hang out a bit."

He blinked. "...Hang out?" he asked quietly, slowing down his steps a bit as they got closer to the doors leading outside, letting the other kids walk past them. A confused look darted across his face. "Why?"

"I dunno, you just seem like a cool dude. We never really get to talk outside of school since you're always off sitting with...uh, Emily?"

"Emile."

"Right, yes, sorry. Emile." He shook his head a bit. "So I was wondering if we could just...hang out."

"And run lines?"

"That can be one of the things we do, yeah. If you want to. No pressure." 

Roman watched as Janus frowned, thinking. "I mean...if you want to," he decided, shrugging.

"Yes! Yeah, I, uh, I do want to," Roman muttered.

"Sounds good," Janus finished awkwardly, starting to walk out the door. He took one step backwards, then another, then another.

"So I'll text you?"

"Yeah. Sure." Janus nodded, turned, and left.

Roman was frozen in place for a few seconds. He'd said yes. Technically.

Not that it was a date.

But it was something.

He walked slowly to his car, unlocked the door, got inside, shut the door, and let out a series of incomprehensible shouts and squeals as Remus looked on from the passenger seat, too transfixed by his phone to care.