Summary: Roman is surprised at 6 years old with a little brother named Virgil and a promise to always protect the baby at all costs. He keeps that promise.
My sister apparently asked when I was 'going back to where I came from' a few months after I was born and that seems like something Roman would constantly ask about Virgil.
TW - Mention of a dead father, no detail though.
Words: 1466
"And then Mommy's belly is going to explode!" Roman was telling his babysitter how babies were born (or at least what his best friend Remus said). His babysitter, a college student named Janus, seemed to care less on the inside but kept a smile. The child had grown up with three babysitters: the college student Janus and two high schoolers named Patton and Logan - the three of them were his neighbours. This babysitting gig was exciting though as Roman knew neither of his parents were at work. His Mommy was complaining of pain and called Janus in an emergency as they needed to go to the hospital and couldn't take their son.
"And then you'll meet your sibling?" Janus ushered Roman to think more about this momentous time in his life. He'd entertained the little boy for hours with games and activities but now he knew he needed to chat to him. Janus' life definitely changed when he got his first little brother Logan, and then again when Patton arrived. Maybe that's why he dealt with kids so well.
But Roman only nodded and went back to the colouring book he abandoned around half an hour ago. "How do you feel about getting a new sibling to play with?" Janus tried being a bit more direct, but Roman just shrugged.
"Can they play Dragons with me?" Roman chirped, a small smile on his face thinking he'd get another new friend. Janus couldn't help but chuckle and sit next to the boy.
"Not yet. They need to learn to walk and talk and all that stuff, they won't do much when they're first here." Janus' mind was filling with memories he had of when his brothers were babies - he was excited for this little kid going through the journey he started seventeen years ago. "But I'm sure you can still play with them - they'd love to spend time with you."
And it was that moment Janus got a call from Roman's parents. Their second child was born - a boy that weighed five and a half pounds and born at 1:26pm. They wanted Roman to meet his new little brother before the four went home together - and most importantly Janus would be paid at the hospital. His college drinking addiction (though not chronic) would not fund itself.
Janus waited outside the ward to let Roman have this special moment. The room Roman was put into was white and green, ladybugs were painted on the walls which interested the boy more at first. "Hey Rome, come here buddy." Roman's father whispered, way quieter than Roman had ever heard before. The man was sat next to his wife and was smiling wide. Roman's mother lay on the bed also with a wide smile and holding a ball of purple wool.
The man lifted his oldest son onto his lap so the elementary schooler could get a closer look at the purple blanket. Or rather what was wrapped up inside the blanket. A small wrinkly face with a small tuft of brown hair on his head and ten small fingers peeking out under its chin. "What's that?" Roman asked, his head tilted as he watched the thing mumble and hum.
"It's your little brother Roman. Meet Virgil." The baby mumbled a little louder and finally opened his baby blue eyes. He gave the older child the same confused look the older child was giving him.
"How long is he here?" Was Roman's next question, and almost immediately Virgil began to cry and was taken care of by his mother. Roman's father turned to his son with a laugh and soft smile - he hadn't stopped smiling yet on this great day.
"He's going to be here for the rest of your life little guy." He chuckled, squishing his son's cheek and remembering when Roman was the small size of a newborn. "But because of that Roman - Virgil will always need you to protect him as you'll always be bigger than him. Can you be his knight in shining armour?"
Roman immediately smiled and nodded. He loved pretending to be a prince or a witch or a dragon or a knight. But now he'd be a real one for this small chubby infant - and he was proud about that. He'll be the best big brother out there. After Virgil calmed down Roman reached out to him, placing his finger on Virgil's small palms which he began to grasp.
Yeah, being a big brother seemed like a good deal.
*****
Roman watched his little brother walk away from the high school and into his car - he looked unhappy and that made the older brother keep an eye out for who to punch. "What's wrong Marilyn Morose?" He chirped when his brother got in the car, immediately buckling himself up and staring ahead of him as if he was about to cry.
"Can I drop out bro?" He murmured, sniffling a little. Roman was definitely not going to drive home when his brother was like this. Virgil was a junior in high school so was overwhelmed with stress - dropping out was a thought Roman had several times at that age. Neither of them coped with stress well.
The college aged brother silenced for a moment, acting like he was considering it, before turning back to his brother again. "Why?"
"I've had enough of high school. Everyone hates me."
"Who do I need to punch then?" Roman interrupted and pretended to open the car door to storm into the high school. Instead of stopping him out of embarrassment like he usually did Virgil just shrugged and stared ahead of him.
"Literally every student and teacher. Not only do I have a dead dad but I'm gay, I'm like a bad dark humour joke and they love that."
"Teachers?" Roman copied, an eyebrow raised. He went to the same high school as his brother and was openly gay but things might have changed since he left. A lawsuit could be considered if the staff were bullying a student - and the Rinx family happened to know a very good lawyer. "Janus can help you deal with that, that's not what a teacher should do."
"I don't mean that." Virgil whispered, hugging his knee although that must be uncomfortable. "The teachers just don't do enough. Everyone is against me."
"Tell me about it." Roman smiled at his brother and let him rant about the bullying that was going on. It took a lot of effort for Roman to not echolocate these dicks and make sure they don't attend school again. It really did seem like something needed to be done - although dropping out of education completely was quite extreme. Maybe online school could work for a bit, or just an alternative school that had good LGBTQ+ support.
Virgil's monologue was interrupted by another high schooler knocking at the car window. The kid looked the same age as Virgil and wore a pink cardigan. He wore large white glasses and had crazy looking ash blond hair. Virgil seemed to recognise this person and rolled the window down with a fake smile.
"Hi Cloudy! Oh, is this your brother?" The boy pointed at Roman. Virgil nodded. "Coolio! Sorry to disturb, I'm just getting some publicity." Some fliers seemed to appear out of nowhere and were given to the two members of the car. It was a poster showing a charity Roman and Virgil remembered well... A play therapy charity. "Saint Steven's is really looking for some new volunteers, even just for one afternoon if you don't want to commit to a full volunteering place. It's really fun!"
"We'll... consider it Emile. Thanks." And just like that the cheery high schooler ran off in the direction of a grey-wearing coffee drinker Roman knew as Virgil's best friend Remy. Remy had also dropped out of public school at the end of middle school and was learning online - that was when the bullying seemed to step up. "That's Remy's cousin Emile. He's just enrolled in my classes."
"He seems nice." Roman said, finally beginning to drive now Virgil had cheered up a little. There was one thing that he noticed the most about this new person though. "And did I see a pansexual pin on his jumper?"
Virgil stared ahead of him like his whole life flashed before his eyes. "Wait, what?" He snapped, his eyes wide and a soft pink dusting his cheeks. "I... uh... well..."
"You have a crush on him don't you?"
"No, shut up!" Virgil's shaky voice snapped back before he giggled to himself and looked at the poster again. There was a short silence before he gave a response his older brother fully suspected. "Yes I do."