Summary: Roman and Virgil are fathers of two children: Valentina and River. Both are teenagers and both are insanely competitive, and their fathers aren't the type to stop their games.
River uses they/them pronouns because non-binary children are valid (they're about 11/12) - and just a reminder Roman and Virgil used the same donor egg but Valentina is related to Virgil and River is related to Roman.
Also some QPP representation with Logan (I'm still learning about them though so please teach me XD).
I've been working on this for a while so the chapter's very long XD.
Words: 2432
"Daaad! Tell Tina that's my necklace!" River came bounding down the stairs with the family Labrador, Walt, to where Virgil was cooking dinner. Virgil looked up from the oven at his youngest child with a soft smile - screaming was normal in his household.
"Where is she?" Virgil mumbled. River pointed upstairs and he went upstairs to Valentina's room. Valentina was the average 16 year old, very girly with a mix of creams and pinks, pictures of family holidays to Paris and London and selfies with her friends dotted around the room. Roman and Virgil even spoilt both their children with double beds - the bed was being occupied by one of their cats, Sally, at that moment. The owner of the room was sat at her vanity straightening her pitch black hair and wearing high rise black jeans, a red crop top and a simple beaded necklace. She smiled at her father seeing him through the mirror. "You look pretty Mini-Me, where you off to?" Virgil said nonchalantly as he leant against the doorframe.
Valentina chuckled and ruffled her hair slightly. "Just to a party round Maddie's - I'll be back at 8, can you pick me up?" Virgil left his space at the doorframe and walked up to his daughter with a smile, tucking her hair behind her ear and taking a moment just to smile at his little girl. It felt like yesterday he was tucking her into bed for a nap at 3pm and reading her stories about princesses and evil dragon-witches.
"Definitely kiddo. Just promise to stay safe, no drugs but I trust you to have a drink if you do so responsibly." Virgil spoke gently and brushed his hands through his daughter's long hair. Both father and daughter had coily hair which they often straightened - but Virgil felt bad about that. Did Valentina watch Virgil straighten his hair growing up and therefore felt insecure about her hair texture like Virgil used to? "Why don't you go au-natural Vallie? Lots of people think coily hair is really pretty."
"I know Dad. Love you though." Valentina quickly stood, giving her father a hug and beginning to walk downstairs. Virgil caught her before she disappeared though as he remembered what he was summoned to her room for.
"River said you have their necklace." Virgil held out his hand with a smile, making Valentina sigh and take the necklace off. She rolled her eyes and laughed, going back to her vanity where all her own jewellery was stored.
"They're just wearing their overalls Dad, couldn't I have borrowed it? It's super pretty!" Valentina whined jokingly, spotting her little sibling also at the door now sticking their tongue out. Virgil switched his gaze between both before telling them to wait. He had a plan.
Virgil entered his bedroom quietly. Roman was stood in front of a map of America with several pins and notes, he worked as an events manager for a national theatre company, whispering to himself before turning to his husband and smiling. "Hey babe, dinner ready?" Virgil shook his head but didn't respond verbally. Instead he looked through the drawers and spotted two necklaces hidden inside. He remembered when he first got the necklaces - it was a gift on his 18th birthday from his 'new boyfriend'. They wore each necklace separately when they went to separate colleges but when they were reunited again Virgil wore both at the same time. The charm on the necklace was a red sword hitting a black cloud as the two jewels were attracted by magnets.
Roman walked over and kissed his husband softly, holding the charm between his fingers. "Everything OK baby? I heard River screaming."
"They're alright, little bit of sibling competition. I'll just give them something to compete over." Virgil waved the necklaces while Roman held his hips, stroking the bottom of his shirt distracted by his lover's eyes. "Do you mind that?"
"Just promise I can watch?" Roman smirked mischievously, daring to touch Virgil's soft skin. The couple might be reaching fifty now but Roman's smirk never stopped looking youthful, especially when around his husband. Whenever the pair were close to each other age seemed like just a construct - they were as joyful and loved each other just as much as they did in high school.
So soon the couple made their way to their kids, who were undergoing a friendly bicker. River was prancing around Valentina's room showing her how they can rock the necklace much better, and Valentina was faking annoyance with crossed arms. "You two are just like your Dads." Roman laughed, picking River up from behind and hugging them. River giggled and shouted to be freed from their dragon-witch captive. Roman kissed their cheek and let them go, both kids realised their other father in the room as he slowly came out of the shadows with a simple looking piece of jewellery.
"What's that Dad?" Valentina walked over to her quieter father as he revealed the necklaces. She smiled wide and admired the jewels - and she had every right to as they looked expensive. And they were, the customised necklaces were around $80 which was a lot for a high schooler. Roman always insisted Virgil's love was more than that though, Virgil's love was worth millions of dollars. "It's beautiful! Can we have it once you both die?"
"You can have it tomorrow if you want... But you'll have to win it." Virgil smirked at both his children who both looked equally excited. Valentina's phone vibrated and she looked at her texts. "Go off to your friend Mini, be safe."
Valentina gave both her fathers a hug (and her sibling a persuaded fist-bump), before trotting down the stairs and into her friend's car. Roman watched her get in the car and travel down the street, feeling proud yet protective of his daughter. Soon she'll be going off to college and be a real adult, yet Roman just wanted her to sleep on his lap and be tucked into her small Snow White themed bed.
*****
"So what are the competition categories Dad?" River shovelled their rice with dumplings. The family had decided to have an early dinner and spoil themselves with homemade dumplings as Virgil had the day off work. Roman and Virgil raised their eyebrows in thought, Virgil finished his mouthful and smiled.
"First, I'm calling Uncle Remus..." Virgil stood and left the table for a minute, calling his brother in law and asking him to visit for the evening. "My kids need a brawn competition - so bring your exercise equipment."
Remus worked as a personal trainer at a local gym and also gave fitness and health advice to local schools and homes. Because of this job Remus had lots of exercise equipment in his possession that he could easily transport from one house to another. River looked excited hearing that, they had inherited their biological father's energy and was one of the top students in gym class and part of the swim team. Valentina, however, was passing gym and a cheerleader but preferred to not exercise. She even skipped cheer practice a few times to help her Dad with his designs. Soon Remus appeared again, sucking a lollipop with a whistle around his neck.
"Come on Royal Racoons - stand up." Remus instructed just as the kids finished their dumplings, both stood happily and laughed a little. They did really love their Uncle. "I'll do a basic fitness test for you guys - Go to the living room." Remus stole Valentina's chair to stop her from ducking out, and Remus blew his whistle before starting the orders. Valentina beat River with jumping jacks per minute by 2, River beat Valentina by 10 seconds on the balancing exercise, and for good measure Remus measured the quality of family hugs - but that was a tie.
"So is there no winner Re?" Roman asked, packing a few spare dumplings in a bag for his brother while Remus re-assessed his hugging verdict. Remus playfully hesitated, squeezing River's cheek and ruffling Valentina's hair.
"I'm afraid not Ro. Now I should let you all have your family time." Remus sighed, getting up from the chair and chucking his finished lollipop in the trash before summoning four more seemingly out of nowhere: a strawberry one, a grape one, a raspberry one, and a cotton candy one. He gave each member of the family their favourite flavours and getting one last hug before saying goodbye and disappearing into the darkness.
Virgil was smirking and typing on his phone, glaring at his kids in a playful challenge. Both were still bickering about who gets the necklace if they both win. "Ready for round two."
*****
Valentina walked down the stairs in her dressing gown at midday, yawning and preparing to get some hot chocolate before going back to her room and watching more YouTube until someone needed her. What she did not expect was to hear the swipe of turning pages in a book, making her flinch and realise someone was sat on the sofa with some tea in front of him - Logan, her fathers' friend and her old math tutor. "Oh... Hey Logan..." Valentina said sheepishly, watching Logan look up from his book and smile back. "Did you just let yourself in or..."
"I invited him in Raindrop don't worry." Virgil's voice was heard behind his daughter, coming from the kitchen with a second cup of tea and a wide smile. River was following with their favourite smoothie shake. "He's going to help with the final challenge."
"You really didn't give enough detail about my mission Virgil. 'Brains' doesn't purely describe intelligence, there's logical intelligence, spatial, emotional..." Virgil scoffed and sat next to his friend, sipping his tea and rolling his eyes. Logan was one of Virgil's oldest friends - they were childhood neighbours - yet he was the most boring, even his voice was boring and monotone. But eventually Logan got the hint and cleared his throat, getting stacks of paper out from his messenger bag.
"I don't wanna do an exam!" River groaned and sipped their smoothie, lying on their father's shoulder. Virgil laughed and ruffled his child's hair, but Logan continued speaking.
"It's not an exam." Logan smiled, sorting through the pieces of paper. It was very rare for Logan to visit as he had moved away a few years ago to work as a university lecturer he needed to be close to campus. The only times he visited was for favours like this or when his husband Patton managed to persuade him to take a break from work to visit their friends' 'little babies'. Still, Logan always had a soft spot for Valentina and River. "How good are you both at origami?"
River immediately grabbed a piece of paper with a wide smile. "What do you want me to make Logan?"
"Try a dragonfly." Logan smiled and finished his tea as the kids began folding. The two men then walked together to the kitchen, chatting amongst each other and joking. After a few minutes Virgil spoke a little louder so his kids could hear, and both could see the adults from where they were sitting. "Work's pretty... good at the moment..." Logan mumbled, his face dropping as the corners of his mouth were drawn down. Virgil was looking away, cleaning some dishes and not realising the slight change in tone.
"What about Patton? He's just opened a daycare right - still not had enough child fever with 7 kids?" Valentina was the first to tilt her head watching Logan's eyebrows knit together as he sat on the dining room table and ruffling his hair. River then looked up too, raising an eyebrow and glancing at their sister. Both had the same thought.
"Why's he sad?" River whispered, watching the two adults talk and Logan hiding that he was getting more and more upset. Valentina shrugged. "Should we say something?"
After a few more minutes of watching Valentina decided to speak up, abandoning the origami to sit with the upset adult. "Is something up Logan?" Valentina said. River also went beside their father and kept their eyes on the university lecturer. But surprisingly instead of Virgil showing any concern he smiled mischievously, and Logan smiled back.
"Nothing..." Logan put on a sad voice, but his smile was giving away that it was fake. "I just think you both passed the brains test."
"But we didn't even try to make a dragonfly?"
Logan shook his head, retrieving the pieces of paper and placing them back in the bag. "You showed emotional intelligence, which in my opinion is the best intelligence to have. Some people need to be trained to be emotionally intelligent of course, but since you two have the ability it just shows how good fathers you have that it only took a few minutes for you to both comfort a family friend." Logan finished his lecture with another soft smile, and Roman appeared behind him grasping his hand to his chest.
"Look at the nerd being a softie!" Roman ruffled his friend's hair, making Logan sigh. "It seems like an eternity ago you refused to show any sort of anger at other people insulting us when Verge and I began dating."
"Blame Patton, best platonic partner out there." Logan smiled more mentioning his husband. He considered himself so lucky to have someone that supported his asexuality. "Anyway, why was I asked to do that?"
For the rest of the evening the family spent time with Logan, and soon Patton appeared to join in the hang out and bring along a few of the pair's foster kids who were similar ages to River and Valentina. When they left Roman and Virgil turned to their children, and Virgil revealed the necklace out of his back pocket. "Now, this piece of jewellery is very special to me and your Dad, promise to keep it safe and keep it to yourself..."
"Can I have the cool sword?" River ran up to their Dad, further admiring the necklace. Roman took his red sword necklace and placed in around his child's neck gently, smiling at them feeling so proud. Virgil walked over to Valentina and gave her the other necklace and a hug, also feeling proud when seeing how much his kids have grown.
"Don't grow up too fast Val, I love you too much." He said, placing the necklace around his daughter's neck. Valentina rolled her eyes and nodded before giving both her fathers another hug, joined by River.