Summary: There is a coursework where two opposite-minded students need to spend a night with each other to understand each other's life. Time travel apparently exists though.
My flatmate is fangirling about 'Playing House with Malfoy' and it gave me ideas XD
Every so often I write a chapter of this one-shot book and the idea of it would fit in so well into a longer book that I have to force myself to not write more - this is one of those chapters. (I have got an Analogical book on the way though)
Words: 1751
Here Virgil was, sat opposite maybe the most annoying person on the planet and there was nothing he could do about it. Roman was a varsity soccer player and a spoilt brat through and through without a struggle in his life. And this idiot had invaded his bedroom for a school project.
"What does he/they mean?" The jock spat as he fiddled with the pins Virgil had on his chest of drawers. Sharing a room for a night was sure to lead to lots of questions but he didn't expect gender identity to be the first question straight off the bat. Of course Mr Watson would create a happy group project where two students had to spend a day in each other's shoes - and since Virgil had no friends he was placed with the most annoying boy in his grade.
"They're pronouns - did you sleep through English class or something?" Virgil snapped back, his arms crossed as he leant against his closed bedroom door. It was just one night of this hell - he'd tell himself - and then Roman will be out his life forever. Virgil better get an A for going through this shit.
Roman raised an eyebrow and chuckled, his hands in his varsity hoodie pockets. "I literally saw you fall asleep in English last week - but whatever. I shouldn't question you I guess." With a shrug Roman turned to continue exploring the small room while Virgil finally stood and collapsed on his bed, throwing off a couple of pillows in the process. "What are you doing?"
"That's your bed. I'm sleeping so I don't have to deal with you - or life as a whole."
"Shouldn't we have dinner first? It's only 6pm." Roman sat on one of the pillows and stared up at the teen who was covering his face with another pillow that appeared out of nowhere.
"If you want to cook something then do so. I'm sleeping." Virgil snapped back, his voice slightly muffled due to the pillow but it still could be heard. He hadn't even changed clothes but now he was determined to sleep this whole 'sleepover' away until Roman returned to his soccer team friends and Virgil could carry on being alone.
"What about your mom and dad? Don't they cook for you?" Roman dared to ask, but he received a glare from the other high schooler.
"They actually work for a living so they don't have time for five star meals like you're used to." Yes Virgil had an attitude problem, no he wasn't going to sort it out. He had every right to be annoyed at Mr Perfect who never had to struggle to get his way. He was just a rich boy that would marry some rich girl straight out of high school and spread whatever lies his parents taught him that he hadn't bothered to challenge. There was no way, no matter what Mr Watson said, that he'd be besties with such an idiot. "Now, goodnight."
Roman lay down slowly but kept his eyes on Virgil quizzically (he'll go downstairs and raid the fridge for food later), allowing the silence to continue for hours until he could finally fall to sleep himself. Hopefully they can just talk through whatever misunderstanding they have in the morning.
*****
Virgil was unusually warm when he began to wake up, his muscles moved slowly into a stretch like a cat would do when they first wake up until he was stopped... Something was blocking him from stretching his arms forward.
Thinking at first it was just a wall Virgil opened one eye - only to see red. With one reach out he could tell it wasn't blood though, rather a rough t-shirt with a few sweat puddles and tears showing pale skin. Virgil's eyes flicked up and he screamed. Roman had climbed into his bed. "What the fuck? What the hell do you think you're doing fucking..." In his frantic swearing Roman still hadn't woken up - not until he was pushed off the bed with great force and hit his head on an accent table.
"Ow... Fuck..." Roman mumbled, his voice slightly deeper than it was in the evening when the pair last spoke to each other. It took a few minutes of him rubbing his head before he looked up and realised how panicked Virgil looked. "What did you hit me with JD? A brick?"
"You were in my bed! You were cuddling me!" Virgil was still frantic, his hands flailing and his eyes wide as Roman slowly managed to stand even though his head still hurt. "That is overstepping a boundary! I may be known as 'The Gay' but that doesn't mean you can just do that! I mean..."
Roman seemed more concerned with circling the room - and it was only then Virgil realised he wasn't even in his room. He was in a double bed - lilac instead of his usual black covers - and red and white pillows covering all over. The room was a plain white but it did seem Virgil's personality had infiltrated one corner with a demi-boy pride flag and a black closet. Roman didn't seem to recognise this room either as he was exploring every crevice. "Where are we Roman?"
Virgil's chest was getting tighter as he retracted into a ball, his fight and flight kicking in as he didn't know where he was and he felt extremely vulnerable. It was getting difficult to control his breathing but he tried to hide it as best as he could. No way was he going to embarrass himself now in front of someone he detested.
"You look older." Roman said simply. That was a great compliment, but that was just a fleeting thought in his mind. With his eyebrows still furrowed Roman fetched a phone with a red glitter case and turned on the camera, allowing Virgil to see himself. He was pale as always and his hair was a mess (it did have purple at the tips - a style he always wanted but couldn't afford) but he had a little more stubble than he did before and a couple of smile marks. Roman seemed to have the same issue with his facial features and he seemed a little more built and tan. "And we're in bed together. We're older, and we're in bed together... We're..."
"Dad!" That scream was a new voice, but a happy one. Knocking arrived frantically on the door followed by giggles. For a moment both people stared at the door in slight shock and then at each other - this was a lot of process. Too much for process for Virgil as his panic was becoming more obvious.
"Just a second kid!" Roman shouted back at the door, immediately sitting the opposite side of the bed to Virgil and watching him as if analysing what to do. "Do you need water?"
"I'm going to throw up..." He was just nauseous, after years of having panic attacks Virgil knew that, but it was the only thing he could think of. But Roman looked determined and stood again - shouting something about getting him a bowl or something else Virgil couldn't quite decode. The man in the red t-shirt opened the door and ran past the small kid with the widest smile Virgil had ever been. There was a cute and happy kid in his house that seemed completely oblivious to everything.
"Dad!" The child screamed again as he climbed onto the side of the bed. "Cuddle please! I'm hungry too - can we go to the park today? Can Harry come for a playdate? Can I have spaghetti for dinner?" And now the child was advancing on the panicking emo with so many questions and Virgil was losing the energy to handle any of them.
But the child stopped at Virgil's quickly rising and falling chest and cuddled in, wrapping Virgil's arms around him and smiling softly. This allowed Virgil to have a close look at his... son. If before this moment Virgil was told he'd be seeing a mix between him and Roman sometime soon he probably would have thrown up but now was a little different. The boy had skin as pale as snow just like Virgil and the same large brown eyes but his entire body was covered in little freckles and on his head was a messy mass of auburn hair. He seemed to have Roman's personality too. Before Virgil knew it his breathing had transformed to normal just as Roman returned with a giant bowl he found somewhere.
Roman stood at the archway of the open door with a half smile, his eyes glued to the child who now seemed calmer in one of his father's embraces. He shook his head as if in disbelief and sighed. "We have a son..." He whispered, still unsure as he leant over and wrapped his arm around the boy's back. "Can I?"
Slowly Virgil let go of the weird cross-breed of a human and let him be scooped up by Roman. The boy still seemed to be smiling but also in need of cuddles as Roman held him close. "What's his name?" Virgil mouthed when the boy was faced away. Roman began to shrug but then furrowed his eyebrows, looking at the boy and smiling.
"Nathan?"
The boy, Nathan as he should be referred to, perked his head up and smiled. Roman chuckled and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Can you take this bowl back to the kitchen for me?" Nathan nodded and squirmed out of Roman's embrace, grabbing the bowl and running away. This time the varsity teen held a wide smile. "I have a son - called Nathan?!" He almost screamed in disbelief, letting a screech go in his excitement.
"What's so special about Nathan?" Virgil asked as Roman fell back in the bed again, giggling like a schoolboy. He'd never seen Roman look this happy - even out the corner of his eye.
"He's definitely named after a character from my favourite musical - Guys and Dolls. I promised myself I'd have a son called Nathan at one point to pay abode to the masterpiece that is that musical." Roman stared up at the ceiling with such a happy look, a look that made Virgil smile wide in response like it was an addiction.
"OK - You're more of a nerd than I thought."
"Shut up Charlie Frown."