Summary: Roman's family has always told their son that he can do anything, and he's always taken that to heart. Logan's always been a bit more reluctant.
TW - Cheating due to sexuality, not from either of the boys though.
Words: 2215
"Are you sure that's safe?" Seven year old Logan chirped as he was on the swings with his best friend Roman. Roman was using the swing as a slingshot, trying to build up momentum for an impressive gymnastic landing.
Roman had a mischievous smile as he stared at the grass he was hoping to land on. His friend was almost stationary on the swings and glancing back at Roman's moms to check that they were alert. One mother was watching the pair happily while the other was checking Roman's toddler brother's diaper. "I don't know, but we'll find out!"
Logan tilted his head and prayed that the entire swing-set wasn't going to fall on top of them. "Mamma said I can do anything! Mom's a little more cautious though." Roman finally screamed as he let go of the swing bars and flew in the air. He leapt forward a couple of centimetres before landing clumsily on the grass with only a couple of scrapes as an injury. "I'm OK!" Roman's Mom immediately rushed to Roman's side just for a double-check on her son's scratches, also making sure Logan was entertained and asking if he wanted ice cream.
The fact that Roman had two moms was never a weird thing for the seven year olds. They knew other people found them weird, and they heard lots of meanies in the street, but Roman's two moms were strong enough to go past it. Logan knew he was comforted by Roman's two moms. They were nice and that's all parents could be. And although Roman was too adventurous for his own good his moms were always there to care.
****
Middle school, as expected, was absolute chaos for the best friends Roman and Logan. With the more advanced middle school curriculum came more advanced hormones and crushes. And crushes were taking a full swing of Roman's attention. In sixth grade a new boy came into school, by the name of Janus, and Roman fell for him at first sight. The idea Roman might be gay wasn't a big shock to the pre-teen himself as he always viewed life with his two moms as normal. He didn't even really have to come out. Logan was recruited as main wingman to get Janus though since they attended afterschool math club together on Fridays... And Roman and Logan always seemed to have sleepovers Friday nights after the theatre nerd found that out. By Easter break of sixth grade Janus was Roman's boyfriend – and Logan was happy to third wheel their lovey-dovey stage.
Then in eighth grade another new student joined Logan, Janus and Roman's grade. A new girl called Valerie Torres-Rosario. She had shoulder-length brown hair and olive skin and brown eyes, and from then it seemed evident that hormones had caught up to Logan. He couldn't stop thinking about her! She was honour student for Spanish class since she was Latin American but Logan still wanted to beat her, and then flirt with her and eventually just straight up marry her. He had to take baby steps towards that though and eventually Logan got the courage to ask Valerie to be his girlfriend during the summer after eighth grade.
So the two best friends went to high school as a group of four – and were greeted with freshman homecoming as their first formal event they could attend with their partners. They decided Roman and Logan would get dressed for the homecoming together at Logan's house and meet Valerie and Janus at the high school after they got ready at Valerie's. And both boys knew they'd fall in love even more at the sight of their partners all dressed up.
"Do you think the blue tie is too much blue Ro?" Logan inquired as he faced his tie drawer, Roman behind him sneaking some golden eyeshadow onto his eyelids. After a few minutes of silence Logan heard footsteps come behind him, and then he saw Roman give him a raised eyebrow through the mirror.
"I honestly don't think Val will care what tie you wear Specs." Logan was horribly unprepared for this homecoming – while Roman had been planning his formal outfits pretty much since he was born (and he was matching Janus with a gold colour scheme), Logan had not even thought about what colour tie he should wear until today. "Valley absolutely adores you Egghead – I'm sure if you arrive in a clown costume she'd still twirl around with you on the dancefloor super proudly." Roman was fixing Logan's outfit nonchalantly as he spoke, after years of friendship they were used to smoothing out each other's raincoat hoods and picking bits out of each other's hair.
This seemed a bit weirder than other instances though. Logan was stood with his back to Roman as he was fixing his tie, and Roman was smoothing the creaks in Logan's shirt by dragging his hands down his waist. It seemed surprisingly intimate this predicament.
"What are you thinking about Microsoft Turd? You're blushing!" Roman mumbled the question clearly, his voice in a low growl that made a lump develop in Logan's throat. Roman's hands were off him now but Logan still felt stuck in that moment, as he was paused and hesitating what the thoughts he was having meant and what he was going to do with that information.
But he knew he needed to give Roman a distraction. "Do you think I could even go onto the dance floor tonight? I mean, I'm not that great of a dancer and I would hate for anyone to laugh at us just trying to have fun."
"Remember what my Mamma said?" Roman's smirk was mischievous and his eyes were twinkling as he brushed a hand through his hair at his reflection. All Logan could wonder was whether this was a moment Janus would want to kiss Roman's lips. "I - and therefore you - can do anything. We've just got to try it."
Well, Logan knew he wasn't going to try the one thing he was thinking about at that moment. He respected Janus and Roman's relationship, and he did absolutely love Valerie. The night was as romantic as both teens planned and Logan even got his first kiss at the end of it. And that kiss assured Logan that even though there were these confusing thoughts emerging about Roman - he was going to stay with Valerie and he'd be overjoyed with her.
****
That's not what life had planned for the two best friends though. As knowledge of sexuality developed labels changed with it, and while Roman was ready for the 'next step' with Janus by tenth grade Janus had realised he was asexual. Even though it hurt the pair decided they were better off just friends.
Valerie and Logan's relationship on the other hand was a little more complicated than expected. Valerie's parents relocated to California from Florida so they could be closer to extended family, so from tenth grade the couple started a long distance relationship. The summer before senior year came a bombshell though - Valerie called Logan in the middle of the night to admit that she had kissed a new female friend during a party and that she liked it. And she wanted to explore her sexuality more. It took a few weeks for the dust to settle but eventually Logan started a video call again, telling her to explore the relationship and he'd always be the other side of the phone for a shoulder to cry on, and even admitting his crush on Roman which had grown since the freshman homecoming. Valerie was super excited that Logan was exploring his sexuality too and they both secretly encouraged each other to try more and more things.
Apart from Logan had ducked out of doing anything more than pining in regards to exploring his sexuality. That was until he was running in the rain towards his best friend's house. He felt like he needed to come clean with his sexuality before college, so he needed to tell Roman in this moment before he chickened out.
Luckily it wasn't Roman to open the door, rather one of his mothers. Unfortunately, it was Roman's Mom that opened the door and she could read Logan like a book. "Logan? Oh, what's up sweetie? Come here..." Logan was brought into a hug with no argument and accepted it. He honestly just needed a hug for what he was about to do.
"Is he OK Mom?" Roman's voice caused Logan to tense up again, but he relaxed when the kind mother stroked his shoulder. Fortunately Roman didn't seem to realise the tenseness and nudged his mother out the way so he could take over the caring duties. "That text seemed pretty panicked Calculator Watch, can you tell me what's wrong?"
Roman and Logan walked together up the stairs and into Roman's bedroom, a small room he used to share with his younger brother back in the day. Any essence of Remus' dark, punk aesthetic was replaced with the glittery, joyful happiness of anything that Roman touched now. Roman took a seat on a red beanbag beside his ukulele, where papers were already covering the floor by his feet from previous songs he had written. Logan loved hearing Roman's new masterpieces... he couldn't imagine a life without hearing Roman's sweet tones almost daily. Maybe that's why all these lovey emotions were getting too much for Logan to handle now – he couldn't imagine going to college and having romantic interactions with anyone else.
"You know Val and I broke up because she's exploring her sexuality right?" Logan sat against the leg of the bed so he was opposite Roman, taking a deep breath as Roman nodded. "Well, I've actually been considering exploring my sexuality myself since I've had strong feelings for a certain same sex person for a couple of years now... And I was wondering if you could give me advice."
Roman's eyes were wide like saucers at the truth being spilt in front of him, and he brought a hand to his mouth in shock. "You're gay?" He uttered out in a squeaky voice.
"I think I'm bisexual. I know I felt strong feelings for Valerie, I can't explain it but I know I did. But then there's certain moments I had with this... man... that made me feel the same way." Logan was blushing as he was unloading his feelings, and Roman had his hand on his chest like a proud Dad. Logan couldn't help but softly chuckle at how cute Roman was looking.
"So who's the lucky guy to win my best friend's heart?"
The lump developed in Logan's throat again. It was now or never, he knew that, but every fibre was telling him to stop and slow down. He had to take a deep breath and nod to himself, playing a memory clip in his mind of child Roman chanting 'I can do anything!'. Logan could do anything too - Logan could do this.
"It's... you. I didn't act on it because I respected your relationship and I loved Valerie so much but as soon as Valley ended things with me... The obsession became so much larger! And now I'm at the point where I can't contain it anymore and I know this is sudden and I know you were excited to meet your college soulmate and I know this could completely ruin our friendship-guh!"
Logan was attacked straight away by Roman's hug and that came as a massive shock. His heart, or maybe Roman's heart he wasn't exactly sure as they were so close, was beating wildly and his cheeks were flushed pink. Was this a friendship hug or a romantic hug?
Roman knew he had also been dreaming of this moment for years, after all Logan was the reason Roman knew he was into male-figured people as the aesthetic attraction was strong even before middle school. He just grew more and more attractive from then honestly, but Roman thought his best friend was straight so didn't even try to go further. He also had the very attractive Janus beside him so Roman considered himself spoilt with eye candy. But Logan was bisexual? It was a dream come true!
The kiss Roman gave Logan was a lot rougher than the kisses Logan shared with Valerie. Roman sucked harshly on Logan's lips, cupping his cheeks and nudging the indent of Logan's mouth to see if he was allowed to explore more. All Logan could feel was warmth and adrenaline, and joy, this kiss was incomparable to Valerie's but it was just as amazing.
Logan eventually pulled away from Roman's lips to breathe, and both men were just staring happily at each other. "I suppose you feel the same way?" Logan jokingly asked, already knowing the answer when Roman attacked Logan's lips again for round two, tugging at the strands of his hair and resting a hand on Logan's thigh. Logan could definitely get used to this special treatment from his best friend...
"Will you please be my boyfriend?" Roman practically begged as the pair separated again, but again they reunited once Logan nodded. The couple were even more inseparable after that. They were each other's soulmate and they were sure of it.