Summary: Roman manages to get away from his two excited pre-teens and has a date with Twitch streamer Patton. Would they decide their relationship was a one-weekend-fling or can they consider it to be something more?
Words: 2008 (very long one XD)
"Oh shut up, let your Dad have a gay moment." Roman huffed playfully as he brushed his auburn hair, admiring the new jacket he bought in a rush for this moment. He just expected to take his kids to the convention in the city and then drive home on Sunday night - but he now had to stay an extra night to go out and have a date with this cutie he met at the centre.
Not that he was reluctant to. He may or may not have spent the entirety of the night previous watching all his streams. There he got a sneak-peek of his life - he didn't see much though as he seemed quite private apart from his slime. He did get to see him talk about his son Virgil though, and even see him. A nervous, smaller than average, emerging teenager that reminded Roman of his own son Logan if his son's main personality trait wasn't being a giant nerd. The two boys would get on well.
"Just be sensible." Logan whispered - acting like a father himself like usual as he ate Crofters and read a book on the hotel bed. He and his younger sibling Janus were allowed to take their father's hotel room for the evening as it had better Wifi so they were taking full advantage of that and the takeaway the parent bought for them.
Roman rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at his son through the mirror, brushing a hand through his hair and sighing to himself again. Every time he closed his eyes he could see Patton's happy smile just before he asked the father on a date and whenever his smile moved he could feel Patton's lips on his cheek.
He was soon pushed out of the hotel room by his kids and walked to the front of the Italian restaurant he'd been instructed to go to. The night sky was clear and the stars were absolutely beautiful and bright. Maybe when he's in his eighties he'd be on his rocking chair and watching the sky - and he'd remember this moment. It had been a long time since he was thinking about romance and dates like this.
"Hey, love-boat." A voice appeared beside Roman making him look down. Patton was there - dressed a lot more simple than when he was at the convention as he just had a patchwork blue and white button up and blue jeans. "You ready to go in?"
Roman nodded quickly and ran to the front door of the restaurant to open it. "Thank you!" Patton cheered, his whole face seemed to glow when he smiled and Roman wanted to just hold him and kiss him until the sun rises.
The pair sat down opposite each other, a lit candle between them, and menus in posh font on the table with some appetisers the size of a pinky nail. Soft Italian choir music was playing in the background but Roman could not look away from the person in front of him. Patton just looked so happy and excited he was sat here with him - maybe that means there are reciprocated feelings and Roman had found his soulmate.
Or maybe he was just used to doing this. Maybe he did this kind of thing regularly - talking to a man for a few minutes and promising romance only to leave them after one night.
"What are you thinking about?" Patton chirped, tilting his head. He looked so cute.
But Roman shouldn't spiel on about his insecurities on a first date - even if said date meant nothing. "Uh... Are you having starters?"
"I prefer desserts. If you want one I'll get one though!" How can Patton be so charismatic and cute and expect Roman to function like a normal human? After all, Roman had not even dared to step into the dating world after breaking up with his ex as he had two young kids he needed to help grow up.
Conversation seemed to flow quite easily between the two men, laughs and jokes disturbing their eating although they didn't seem to care about their food. Soon, instead of speaking nonsense, they got onto the questions about their families. "So you have a son... Virgil right? Or is he called Virgin?"
"Virgil." Patton chirped. He looked even more happy (if that was even possible) when his son was brought into the conversation - that was much like Roman was like if anyone asked him about his kids. "He's in seventh grade - oh, almost eighth now actually - he's my dark strange son I adopted when he was born and he's such a cutie!"
"You're a cutie." Roman spurted out without much control as his cheek gently landed on his fist. Patton chuckled and blushed, sticking his tongue out which made the other man realise what he said. He needed to be cool on a first date rather than a weird gay mess. "Uh... Logan's going into eighth grade too. How's he finding middle school, what district is he in?"
He assumed Patton lived in the same state as Roman: Florida. After all, the convention was in Florida and most of the other people he met there either lived in the city or drove there the day before like Roman did (driving for three hours with two pre-teens was very chaotic). But instead of answering a school or district Roman knew about the streamer said a state the adventurous father had never been.
"We're from Maryland." Huh, Patton must have travelled a lot to get to this convention then. That just gave more evidence that the dinner meant nothing but someone to talk to while eating. But seeing Patton's smile minimise distracted Roman from his thoughts. "Do you not want to date long distance? That's perfectly alright, just..."
"No, no!" Roman's face was as red as his t-shirt - he leant forward as if wanting to grab the streamer and hold him close. He would hate himself forever if this cutie walked away from a relationship from a bad misunderstanding. "I'm perfectly willing to work long distance... Does this mean we're boyfriends?"
This time it was Patton's turn to be red. His mouth was full of pasta with tomato around his lips - and Roman ever so wanted to kiss those lips. "Yeah! I'm sure my son will love you and your kids! I sure do..."
Roman gave into all temptation and leant over the table to give the man opposite him a kiss. Patton was very receptive and held his cheeks; begging for the kiss to be deeper but Roman wanted to leave some surprises for later in the relationship. "I don't think I've ever been kissed like that..." The cheery father whispered, scared to move his lips and forget what the sensation felt like, but alas to speak he did have to move his lips. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Roman sat down again with a wide smile on his face. He clutched Patton's hand and never wanted to let go. And he didn't - at least until he had to return to the hotel.
*****
"Viiiiirgiiiiiiilllllll!" Patton shouted as he opened the front door. Virgil was laid upside down on the couch but looked away from his phone when he heard his father.
The pre-teen smirked, rolling his eyes and raising an eyebrow. "You look happy." He mumbled, sitting up properly and brushing a hand through his messy hair. Patton definitely was happy - he had spent an entire weekend with a hottie. He didn't think someone could be that attractive and still single. But on top of that he was already a father! He was a perfect match for Patton's hectic busy life. "What happened at the con?"
"I met someone..." Patton sang in his sing-song tone again, spinning as if he was on a cloud, if he was a cartoon his eyes would be heart shaped.
Virgil, on the other hand, looked even more confused and shook his head as if in disbelief. "As in a new friend?" He said, trying not to show any fear in his eyes. This was a new situation in his family. It had been him and Patton for years and he didn't want it to change - he didn't like any change in his life.
"As in a boyfriend! We're doing long distance as he's from Florida... I'm so excited though Vergie!" The father ran to his son for a hug. Virgil was used to being picked up by hugs and swung around for a few seconds. When he was a kid he used to love it and scream playfully and giggle, now he instinctively rag-dolled and froze but Patton didn't care either way. Would a boyfriend stop Patton from doing these hugs?
Patton immediately felt his son's anxieties and faced him with a soft smile. "He's amazing Virgil, trust me. He's called Roman, he's 36, he has red hair and beautiful shining brown eyes..." Patton stared into the distance with an in love smile that almost made Virgil puke over its sweetness. "Oh! And he has two kids."
Virgil had to double-take. "Two? Are they older than me or do I have to deal with two snot picking elementary schoolers or toddlers?"
"Well, Logan's in the same grade as you and Janus is going into sixth grade. So they won't be that different from you." Patton's soft voice always reassured the young teen, especially when he held him like the proud father he was. "I can get you in touch with Logan if you want. He's really nice kiddo, please let me have this."
Reluctantly as he was still anxious (he always was), Virgil nodded and smiled. He was glad to see his father in love after all. "Do I have permission to go to Florida and punch him if he breaks your heart?"
"Of course you do kiddo." Patton would never condone physical violence however, especially against someone he loved.
*****
"Are the kids ready for the move?" Patton spoke through the FaceTime screen, his son also behind him on the sofa texting his step-brother Logan. He was facing his boyfriend that was packing his suitcase on the other side of the screen. The boyfriend and his two kids were preparing to board a plane to Maryland and stay there for forever.
"Logan's just concerned about the change in high school curriculum like the nerd he is. Janus just wants to get middle school over with." Roman seemed more concentrated on folding all his red t-shirts but Patton knew he was excited. Ever since he got the news he could move to Maryland he couldn't stop talking about it and telling Patton how amazing their life would be now they could cuddle all the time and maybe now they could get married and even possibly (very much possibly - as their lives were chaotic enough) adopt a kid or pet together. They were both unbelievably excited for this moment to happen.
"Well at least your kiddos know I'll always be with them as a stay-at-home-parent. Good thing about being a streamer." Patton giggled, glancing behind him at where Virgil was rolling his eyes and sighing as he remembered there was hardly an escape from his overly-affectionate father.
When Roman could finally hold his boyfriend, after a year, he was overjoyed. Virgil could meet his new step-siblings even though he had been talking with Logan since his father returned to Maryland with the news of the new relationship. When he was first told of the relationship he was confused - after all, he had known his father for his entire life and although Patton was friends with everyone he hadn't thought of romance. But within a year he had fallen head over heels for someone the other side of the country and was chatting about being a father of not just one kid but three.
Roman may have hidden a diamond ring in his pocket - but he hadn't told anyone about that just yet.