Listen to Me | Prinxiety

|16|

((Short chapter))
***
Important TW: For the next/rest of the chapters (4 left) there are going to be strong themes of anxiety/anxiety attacks, just a warning now that I'll restate in the chapters as they come!
***

Roman and Virgil silently sat by each other on the edge of his bed, Roman thinking before finally answering.

"It's been on and off...my hearing, that is..."

Virgil nodded slowly.

"It has side effects too and-"

"Let's start with how your hearing is back- and if you say through some weird shark cartilage shit, I'm going to get up and-"

"No, no, no- Virgil, that stuff is terrible to exist- no, it...it's expensive surgery, but I've been saving my allowance,"

"Which is like one k per week-"

"Yes." Roman grunted bitterly at the interruptions, "However, I've been saving for awhile...it's a certain surgery that's been proven to work for some but..." Roman trailed off.

"What's the death rate?" Virgil murmured.

Roman didn't answer.

"Roman, what's the death rate?" Virgil looked at him.

"It was a seventy-five percent chance of death..." Roman murmured.

Virgil's breathing became uneven at that moment.

"It involves drills and- the ears are close to the brain and- I was actually getting meds for it at the store, not food- this was going to be a surprise and-" Roman was rambling, "And I was going to say something sweet to you and-"

"Y-you took on a procedure that could have cost you your life- a-and you didn't even tell me?" Virgil choked out.

Roman turned his head to see the shorter boy's nails digging into his knees, instantly feeling guilty.

"I knew you'd say no, so I guess I just-"

"Of course I'd say no!" Virgil's hand flew into the air before coming crashing down to his head where he gripped hair in his fists, "You could have died!"

"But I didn't!" Roman objected, giving a forceful smile, "I'm here!"

"And what if you weren't?" Virgil turned to Roman with an accusing gazed, "I- Roman, you can't just- when somebody loves you, you have to think about how you're going to affect them when you make decisions- I don't what I'd-"

"You...love me?" Roman murmured.

Virgil let out a huff of breath that he'd taken in in preparation for speaking, "You...know this?"

"Please say it." Roman's voice sounded quiet and unsure.

Virgil was highly confused but couldn't resist complying to the round confused eyes of his other half, "I- oh my god, you've never heard me say that before have you?"

Roman pursed his lips and shook his head.

Virgil's heart melted before he sighed, "I still think you're an idiot for taking up surgery that could have cost you your life most likely, but-" Virgil put a hand on Roman's leg, meeting his eyes with a small smile, "I want to be mad at you but I can't help but feel over joyed at the fact that you can hear me again a-and we can talk and-"

"Virgil-"

"I love you, Roman." Virgil whispered breathlessly.

Roman's eyes rounded as a wide smile crept onto his face and he leaned forward to press a kiss to Virgil's lips, "I love you too."

Virgil smiled against the kiss before he pulled away and then frowned, "Your parents..."

"How easy is it to fake a birth certificate?" Roman inquired.

"Pretty hard on short notice..."

"Then we'll...run away?" Roman grinned.

Virgil rolled his eyes, "You're sweet, but no, I'm not making you do that for me."

"It's not entirely for you...you think I like it here?" Roman suddenly looked somber, "I have to suppress everything about me that makes me me- and that includes you, I have to hide kisses or handholding or things like that..."

"We'll...just say we can't find it?" Virgil suggested.

Roman shrugged in uncertainty, "Well, it's the best plan that we've got."

"You're my boyfriend." Virgil blurted.

Roman's face turned red as he laughed, "What?"

"I haven't really been able to state that in the point of view so—" Virgil smiled bashfully.

Roman snrked, "You're such a dork." He grabbed Virgil's hand and they stood up together, "Ready?"

Virgil nodded silently as they went to their door, their hands instantly breaking apart upon reaching it.

Roman opened the door and nearly wanted to slam it at what he saw.

Both boys froze in horror at the sight of Roman's parents, a foot away from the other side of the door, expressions looking completely opposite from their usually perky selves.