After Logan had read Thomas his bedtime story, which had been a thoroughly charming experience, he slowly headed back outside. For a moment, he just stood in the doorway, watching Patton work. It was warm, cozy, domestic...something his life had been sorely lacking in recent years. He was just walking out to join him when "Haunted" by Evanescence blared from his phone. Patton's head whipped around, and he laughed at Logan's pained expression. Logan sighed, and grabbed it. Virgil had clearly been playing with his phone settings again.
"Yes, Virge?"
"Oh thank God you answered! What the fuck am I doing?! What the actual FUCK am I doing?! I'm going on a goddamn date with Roman Sanders, that's what I'm doing! Because I'm a moron. He hypnotized me with his stupid smile and his dumb green eyes, ugh! How do I back out of this, Logan?! There's still time! I could fake my death, or flee the country..." Virgil's panicked voice immediately put him on alert, and he veered away from Patton so the other man wouldn't hear.
"Virgil, deep breaths. In for four, hold for seven, out for eight. Running away will solve nothing, and if my memory recalls, this date was something you wanted enough to agree to previously. Do you truly not enjoy Roman's company?"
"IT'S NOT THAT! Okay, I don't actually KNOW if I enjoy his company or not. Sometimes I do. I don't know! We don't have that much in common. What if this whole thing fails? What if he spends time with me and realizes this is NEVER going to work? What if-"
"What if the universe implodes and we all die a horrific death?"
"That would be awesome right about now."
"Virgil, you can make yourself insane with 'what if' scenarios. He has been pursuing you for three YEARS. I'm quite certain he has found something very worthwhile in you or he would have given up long ago. You're truly not giving him, or yourself, enough credit. Breathe. It is going to be fine. Get ready for your date. If memory serves, he should be arriving shortly." Logan glanced at his watch as he said this. Virgil made a high-pitched noise of distress.
"A true friend would give me an iron-clad excuse so I wouldn't have to go through with this!"
"How utterly unfortunate that you were cursed with as subpar a friend as I. You have five minutes until your date arrives."
"I fucking hate you."
"Duly noted. Have fun!" Virgil huffed as his friend hung up, glaring at his phone. What kind of lousy ass friendship was this, anyway? Won't help him hide a body, won't help him get out of an ill-advised date! Why was he friends with Logan again...?
As he was silently praying for a meteor to come strike him dead, his cat hopped up on the table in front of him, wailing for attention. He grinned and gave him a pet, listening to the throaty purr. Khoshekh was a stay that he'd found in the dumpster behind his shop one night. Some asshole had thrown him out, probably because he was all black and a fluffy little monster, but Virgil loved him. The cat hated every living thing on earth but him.
"You would have saved me, wouldn't you?" Virgil smiled as he scratched behind Khoshekh's ears. The cat made a ridiculous noise before rolling over and purring at him. He looked adorable, but Virgil knew better.
"Nuh-uh, that's a trap. Rubbing that belly only ends in teeth, claws and pain." He turned away and grabbed his leather jacket, giving himself a critical once-over in the mirror by the door. His standard black skinny jeans, a button down purple and black plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and once he left, his jacket instead of his hoodie. It was a dressier version of what he usually wore. He still had no idea what the hell they were doing, but he figured if he was going to fuck up a friendship on a Hindenburg of a date, he'd do it in style.
The buzzer went off, and he felt his heart leap into his throat. Okay, breathe. Like Logan said, it's just a date. It'll be fine. He shrugged his jacket on, grabbed his keys and went downstairs to meet Roman. When he walked out the front door, he almost tripped over his own two feet. Sweet freaking Jesus, nobody should be allowed to be that hot. There should be laws and regulations and shit.
Roman was leaning against the wall, one leg crossed over the other. He was wearing a pair of dark wash jeans, a red button-down shirt, and a smug smile. He casually pushed himself off of the wall, walking over to Virgil and giving him a thorough once over.
"Well, don't you clean up nicely? Ready to go?"
"Go where? You still haven't told me what the fuck we're even doing."
"What would be the fun in that? Come on."
"That's a flashy little car you've got there, Princey." Virgil commented as he slid into the passenger seat. Roman winced as he slid in behind the wheel.
"This is not merely a car, and to call it such is wrong on every level."
"If it's not a car, what is it?" Roman grinned as the engine purred to life, the whole car rumbling.
"It's a machine."
"I stand corrected. You're not going to kill us with this machine, are you? Because if that's part of the plan, I need to update my will first." Virgil smirked as Roman rolled his eyes.
"Ha ha. I'm not THAT bad a driver!" He whipped out of the parking space and took off down the road, just fast enough to make Virgil pump a brake pedal that didn't exist. Oh my god, he was actually going to die. Seeming to sense his discomfort, Roman slowed down and started chatting with him, easily distracting him with banter until they pulled into the parking lot of the local art gallery. Virgil was extremely confused. He loved art, but...what were they doing here? This did not strike him as a Princey kind of thing. His confusion must have shown on his face, because Roman leaned in, one hand gently cupping his face.
"We're going to a paint night. I know you love art, and I thought it would be fun to create something with you. You don't mind, do you?" Roman's eyes were warm and fond, and Virgil found himself struggling to remember how to speak.
"No. I...I don't mind..." Since when did his voice get breathy? What the shit?! Come on, Virgil, pull it together!
"I figured you'd have us do something lame like movies or dinner, so this is better than I thought you'd do." He couldn't help the cheeky grin that covered his face. Roman sighed, shaking his head, but leaned in and planted a quick kiss on his forehead.
"I have no idea why I find your sass endearing, but I do."
"Thank fuck, because that and existentialism is all I have to offer....well, that and my lack of gag reflex." Roman's jaw dropped in shock, and Virgil smothered a laugh behind one of his hands. Okay, maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. He started to walk inside, but paused when he realized Roman was still standing in the same place, staring at the place he'd been standing. He arched a brow, feeling particularly smug.
"Roman? Pretty sure we can't paint in the parking lot." Roman visibly shook himself before turning to him with his usual beaming smile.
"Who put the Sassterisk in your dictionary tonight, Depression Session? Come on, let us begin our adventure!" He grabbed Virgil's hand, pulling him inside. The painting was actually surprisingly fun, and Virgil really enjoyed himself. It was a painting of a tree over two canvasses. One side of the tree was in full summer bloom and the other was in winter. Roman had surprised him by picking the winter side, insisting Virgil take the more colorful side. Since they were encouraged to experiment, Virgil opted to go for fall instead of summer. The colors were more vibrant and he preferred autumn anyway.
As he painted, he got a little lost in what he was doing, and he was probably the lousiest date ever because he hardly talked, but when he sat back, analyzing his work, he saw Roman equally lost in his own painting. His eyes were focused, and he was doing...a shockingly good job. Virgil almost thought Roman's canvas looked better than his!
"Wow, Princey! I didn't know you could paint." Roman hummed softly, adding another branch to his tree to make it more symmetrical with Virgil's.
"Who do you think paints the sets for the shows? I can also build sets, rig lighting, and sew costumes if need be. Theater takes an army, and if you're going to lead you really should know how to help everyone, not just those on the stage."
"...Huh..." Well, shit. Looks like he'd underestimated Roman...again.
"What made you come back here, anyway? Didn't I hear you were big on Broadway at one point?" Roman paused mid-stroke, a serious look crossing his face.
"Broadway was amazing, and I loved it...but I missed home. There was an incident with one of Valerie's friends, and she was struggling. Our parents had just taken off on their tour of the country in their RV, and I couldn't stand the idea of my little sister being alone and frightened. Also, I always wanted to be my own boss, and make all of the creative decisions, so when the opportunity came up, I grabbed it."
"But...that was your dream. You said that at Logan's the one time. How could you just...give it up?" Virgil had completely stopped painting, staring at the other man. This was a side of Roman he had never expected, this selflessness.
"I guess I found a new dream." Roman's smile was slightly wistful, but still happy. "I'm good with the choices I've made, Virge. And if I hadn't come here, I never would have met you and we wouldn't be here right now, so I, for one, and quite pleased with how everything turned out." Now the beaming smile was back, and Virgil ducked his head, his cheeks on fire.
All in all, Virgil had a remarkably good time. The painting was fun, Roman was every bit attentive and charming as he'd imagined he would be, and the food and wine that was served afterwards wasn't bad. They carefully loaded their canvases into Roman's car, and headed back to Virgil's apartment. Considering how much he didn't want a relationship, this whole date had been...not the flaming disaster he'd thought it would be.
Virgil quietly considered his options, as he saw them. Door number one, he politely ushers Roman out of his life and tries to forget this ever happened. Unlikely, at this point. Door number two, he gives in and tries at this whole "dating" thing. Much more difficult, higher possibility of failure. Door number three, he tries to seduce the shit out of Roman, hoping he can get the idiot into bed before he realizes what a huge mistake has been made and inevitably leaves. That sounded much more Virgil's speed. Nobody in their right mind could truly care about him anyway. Nobody in the past ever had.
When they got back to Virgil's apartment Roman walked him to his door, carrying his painting for him. Ever the gentleman. Virgil waited until they were just outside his door to strike.
"I'm hoping you enjoyed your-mmpf!" Roman was cut off mid-sentence by a very thorough kiss from Virgil. His pulse skyrocketed, and it took every single ounce of his will power not to answer Virgil's heated demand in kind. No, no...this was what Virgil did. It was how he pushed away, stepped back, and Roman wasn't about to let that happen. Not now, when he'd finally gotten this much closer to him. When they broke apart, Roman offered a cheery grin.
"Well, I take it that you had a good time, then?" Virgil huffed slightly, obviously put out.
"I suppose I was..."
"Oh dear, and you're not now?"
"Not nearly as much fun as I'd hoped for."
"Well, we can't have that." Roman's smile turned wicked, and he reached out, slowly drawing Virgil in. Dammit, the man had moves! One second Roman was giving him that smile, the next his lips were covering Virgil's and it was like being gulped down slowly. It was hot and gentle, and then he did...something...and the little change in angle felt like being horizontal and what little bit of Virgil's brain that wasn't already fried definitely drained out his ears. He made a sound, something kind of high and desperate, wrapping himself around Roman in an effort for closer, more, now.
When they finally parted, Roman had that same pleasant smile on his face. "You" another achingly slow kiss "should definitely" oh god, his brain was gone "open the door."
"Nnnghh...." Virgil made a noise, he was pretty sure that was an affirmative sound. He turned and WHACK!
"That was the door, Virgil."
"Mmm..."
"Let me get that for you, love." Roman was mentally cackling at the dreamy, dazed look on Virgil's face as he gently took his keys and unlocked the door the emo had just literally walked into. Virgil took a few steps into the apartment and turned back.
"Well, this has definitely been the best date I've been on in a long time!" Roman beamed, watching Virgil draw closer to him again like a moth to a flame.
"Definitely." Uh-oh, Virgil's speech center was coming back online. Roman really needed to leave, because that wrecked tone of voice, those swollen lips, and that inviting look was really doing things to him. And he needed to maintain control here, or he'd never get what he ultimately wanted. But he couldn't resist leaning in once more, tasting those lips again, hearing that delicious sound Virgil made. When he pulled back again, the blatant invitation on Virgil's face would have been obvious to a blind man.
So, he did the only thing he could do. Roman smiled, whispered goodnight, then stepped back and closed the door between them. He walked away with a spring in his step, whistling as he went. Truly, an excellent first date.