#prinxiety fluff

[logan-the-artist]

they’re just good old-fashioned lover boys

[goldnskyart]

Almost forgot to post this here oops- but here’s the final drawing for this au (at least for now) god I love them so much

This is the first time I’ve done a full background in years so I’m very proud lol hope y’all like it too

I’m also writing a fic for this au here is a link to that post and here it is on ao3 if you wanna read it!

Some other versions below just cause I think they’re nice :3

Here you can even properly see the background I worked so hard on- and a closeup on the kiss ofc😌

[moonbeam-dragon]

Prinxiety Fluff Drabble

Virgil wasn't huge on touch. He just never enjoyed it. He had gone a long time without any sort of hugging or even brushing someone's hand. It didn't upset him. He liked his space. He liked his privacy. He liked feeling cold and set apart.

He wasn't with Janus and Remus anymore. He wasn't exactly with Roman, Logan, and Patton at the time, either. He didn't have anyone emotionally close to him, so he didn't let anyone physically close to him. He didn't feel a need to touch humans.

That was until he accidentally took Roman's hand. Virgil blamed Patton for the situation that followed. Virgil hadn't minded it. He'd been flustered and irritated. But the touch itself didn't hurt. In fact, it felt great. Roman's hand had been warm and soft, only slightly calloused. He wanted that kind of gentle, calming contact again. But that meant asking for it. That meant having to be close to one of them. So that was a no. He didn't need anymore touch.

+++

Virgil tucked his face into Roman's shoulder, absorbing the prince's warmth.

It had been such a long day of trying to create something. Videos demanded ideas, which triggered stress and anxiety. By the time they'd come up with something good and started on it, Roman and Virgil were exhausted. Virgil was still shaking from the small anxiety attack they'd managed to give Thomas. They never meant to upset him so much. It was part of the process. Granted, that had been happening less and less lately. He supposed that was good.

The stress had thoroughly exhausted both Sides and they'd retreated to their own rooms. Logan and Patton were used to it. They hardly ever ate dinner as a group anymore. They didn't really need to eat anyways. It had just been a nice thing that they could do to be together. Now Virgil only really ate when he stole snacks to eat while watching endless conspiracy videos. They heard Logan and Patton in the kitchen, eating dinner themselves. They didn't care to join. Neither had the energy to have any sort of social interaction. Virgil only gathered the energy to put on his skeleton onesie, go to Roman's room, and collapse next to the prince.

Somehow, Roman had enough strength to move their bodies closer. Virgil didn't object in any way. Roman knew what he was and wasn't comfortable with. Besides, it wasn't often that Virgil was comfortable with being so close. It was a special moment to cherish if the emo let himself be cuddled this way.

So Roman lay there, holding Virgil to his chest, cozy.

[anxiousgaypanicking]

Oreo

Synopsis:  As a joke, Roman's forced to ask Virgil out after losing an oreo. Flustered, and somewhat embarrassed and humiliated by the connotation that dating him would be such a bad thing, he says yes out of impulse, and must now deal with what being Roman's "boyfriend" entails. Taglist: @renys @falsemood

Part Seven: Aftermath Masterlist

A loud bang wakes both Virgil and Roman up at the same time following the aftermath of their late night, leaving Virgil heaving as he bolts upright, attempting to catch his breath after being startled conscious, while Roman immediately juts his bottom lip out and dramatically flings his blankets away, before turning and stomping towards his door. 

“You could stand to be a little quieter, you know!” Roman prissily shouts, pulling his door halfway open. In response, heavy footsteps come running down the hall, followed by Remus suddenly jumping on Roman, tackling him to the ground.

Virgil crawls to the edge of the bed and watches the two tussle, with Roman rolling them over and easily keeping Remus pressed to the ground, but that angle just allows Remus to spot Virgil, which immediately has Remus grinning and squirming to get away. Roman lets him go, despite Virgil’s immediate anxiety at the sight. 

“Woah!” Remus exclaims, making a mad dash for Virgil - who scrambles as far back on the bed as he can go. 

Remus reaches the edge of the bed and slams his hands down against it, rapidly looking between Virgil and Roman. He snorts. " Geez, Roman. When I dared you to ask this loser out I didn’t expect a whole relationship to blossom out of it.” 

“Stop, Remus,” Roman sternly says, a lot more serious than he was mere seconds ago. 

Remus turns to look at Roman over his shoulder, a sick grin on his face, before looking back at Virgil. “You’re all snuggled up in his bed, huh? You think he likes you?” 

“Remus-” Roman is grabbing Remus’s upper arm and pulling him back, before pushing him back towards the door. “Out.” 

“Is he going to be here later?” Remus asks, as he’s shoved rather firmly out past Roman’s bedroom door. He lingers in the hallway to add in a sing-song voice “I’ve got some mandatory tutoring after school and - if you’ve ever watched a good porno - you’d know things might get a little freaky!”  

Roman slams his door shut. 

Virgil’s hand is pressed against his chest, eyes wide and focused on the comforter he’s kneeling on. Roman stands at his bedroom door for a few moments, breathing deep, before turning back to Virgil. 

“I’m so sorry,” Roman says, as he moves towards Virgil, but as his fingers slide against Virgil’s shoulder, Virgil hits him away. 

He doesn’t say anything; he just gets up and slides out of bed, before shoving his hand down the side of his jeans, pulling the seams away from his legs. Sleeping in them was the worst mistake he could have possibly made, though it’s not like he had any other option. 

There’s silence between them, and it hangs heavily in the air. For about a minute, they just stand there, both of them avoiding looking at each other, until finally Roman’s alarm rings and breaks the silence. 

Roman quickly turns it off, and softly says “we have to get ready.” 

Virgil sneers immediately. “I don’t have anything to get ready with.” 

Roman comes around Virgil’s side and gives him a small smile, though Virgil doesn’t return it. “You can borrow my comb,” he offers, as he gently takes Virgil’s hand. “And I keep spare toothbrushes under my sink.” Roman guides Virgil through a side-door, and into a conjoined bathroom. 

He directs Virgil to a lower cabinet. “There,” he says, as he grabs a rag and wets it with warm water. 

Upon opening it, Virgil does indeed find a collection of unused, multi-coloured toothbrushes with toothbrush covers clamped on every one of them sitting inside a small white vase. There was also a collection of cleaning products, bath salts, and other luxuries. Virgil grabs a purple toothbrush.

“Why do you have so many toothbrushes?” Virgil asks, as he runs the bristles beneath the running faucet. Looking around for toothpaste, Roman hands him a tube. He puts some on his brush, runs it under some more water, and then starts brushing his teeth. 

“A lot of my buddies don’t remember to bring theirs over when they sleep over,” Roman explains, as he grabs his own toothbrush. His vibrates. “And I absolutely can’t stand bad breath. Especially because they’re really into invading personal space.” 

Virgil spits into the sink, before mumbling “gross.” 

They finish brushing their teeth, and then Virgil haphazardly runs Roman’s comb through his bangs before handing it to Roman who picks it clean of loose strands before more carefully working it through his own hair. Virgil stares at him for a moment, before leaving the bathroom, and searching for his phone. 

He digs around the bed sheets, thinking it probably slipped out of his pocket or something, only to see it plugged in on the floor, next to Roman’s phone which is a lot nicer, and also plugged in with a separate cord. 

Frowning, Virgil snatches his phone off the charger. 

He sits on the edge of Roman’s bed, turning his cell on and clicking around mindlessly on a view apps, before his phone lights up with a text from Janus. 

‘If you don’t come downstairs and answer your door, I'm going to break through your window.’ 

Virgil stares at the text for a second, before snorting and pinching the bridge of his nose. It takes him a few minutes to respond, but eventually sucks it up and says ‘i’m not at my house. you and Logan can just head to school.’ 

Janus responds almost instantaneously. ‘Where are you?’ followed by ‘Did you run off to join your estranged father on vacation?’

‘funny.’ Virgil’s fingers are rough against the keyboard. ‘no.’ 

‘Then where are you?’ 

Virgil hesitates. He looks over his shoulder and back towards the bathroom, where he catches Roman applying cream to his face, rubbing it firm into his tan skin. After a few seconds though, he looks towards Virgil, and smiles when their eyes meet. Virgil quickly looks away, and quickly replies ‘Roman’s.’ 

Janus is quiet for a few moments, with three dots popping up, disappearing, and then popping up again. Virgil can only imagine what he’s going to say. 

‘You DO like him’ Janus texts, with ‘I fucking knew it!’ following it up. 

‘i’m only here because he invited me over.’ 

‘So? You still accepted the invite.’ 

Roman comes into the room to grab a change of clothes. He and Virgil again look at each other, before Roman gives a meek smile. 

“You can wear some of my clothes, if you want,” Roman offers. “I don’t know how well they’d fit, but that way you wouldn’t have to go in what you slept in.” 

Virgil scoffs. Roman’s clothes wouldn’t fit him at all. “I’ll pass.” 

Roman heads back into the bathroom, presumably to change. Virgil looks back down at his phone. 

‘You still accepted the invite’ Janus argues. 

More defensive now, Virgil replies ‘i didn’t want to go home and be alone.’ 

‘You could’ve come over here.’ Janus punctuates his message with a broken heart emoji, sent solely to make Virgil cringe. ‘To my house, I mean. Me and Logan would have loved to have you over.’ 

‘and interfere with the plants you guys had already made? no thanks.’

‘“Plans,”’ Janus repeats, and Virgil can only imagine him rolling his eyes at his phone screen, not dissimilar to how Virgil was rolling his eyes at Janus’s words. 

‘We’ll discuss this at school’ Janus then insists, making Virgil groan. ‘Don’t be late again.’ 

Roman emerges from his bathroom properly dressed, and tosses his clothes from the night before in a nearby hamper. He grabs his phone from his charger, and then gathers his bag.

“You ready?” he asks Virgil, who clicks his phone off, as though embarrassed at the idea of Roman looking over his shoulder to find Janus mocking them for hanging out. 

“I guess.”

Roman leads Virgil outside and to his car, making small talk as they get in, though Virgil doesn’t seem too keen on reciprocating his formalities. 

“Can’t believe the week’s almost over,” Roman says, in an attempt to make conversation. “It’s already Friday.” 

“Yup.” Virgil leans against the window as Roman starts the car. 

“Would you… would you want to do anything with me this weekend?”

“I already spent last night with you,” Virgil bitterly responds. “Isn’t that enough?” He turns to look at Roman, who’s staring out the windshield. His lips are pressed into a thin line. He glances over at Virgil, and quickly looks away. 

Virgil shifts uncomfortably in his seat, and sort of half-heartedly adds “I… I also don’t know if I’ll have stuff going on or not. Like… my dad could come home, or Janus could come over… just… yeah.” 

“Well, if you don’t have anything going on….” 

Virgil sighs. “I’ll think about it.” 

Roman smiles, and reaches over to grab Virgil’s hand, causing Virgil to look down at their entwined fingers. Roman had been holding his hand a lot lately. Not like Virgil minded. 

Virgil then cringes. He didn’t mind? 

He flexes his fingers, feeling them start to sweat, but Roman doesn’t mind, and just gives his hand a reassuring squeeze. They stay affectionate up until Roman pulls into the school parking lot, which is when Virgil finally wrangles his hand out of Roman’s grasp. 

Roman glances at him, and then chuckles. “What? Embarrassed?” 

“Yes.” 

 Roman laughs as he exits his car, with Virgil throwing his door open before Roman can circle around the side to chivalrously open it. 

Virgil hurries away from Roman as Roman tries to walk beside him, but eventually their paths diverge and they both head towards their own lockers. Unfortunately, Virgil finds Janus waiting for him at his. 

Smugly, Janus begins with “so.” 

“So,” Virgil mockingly repeats, as he opens his locker up. Janus sneaks around it so that he can gauge Virgil’s facial expressions as Virgil grabs some folders from his locker. 

“What did you and Roman do last night?” 

Janus’s innocent tone contrasts with the mischievously nosey expression on his face. 

Rolling his eyes, Virgil truthfully responds with “I took a nap and then we went on a walk. That’s it. 

Janus groans. “That’s it? That’s so… underwhelming.” 

Pushing his locker shut, Virgil turns to Janus, his annoyed expression shifting into one that’s calmer. Sure, Janus is teasing him, but Virgil can appreciate the lack of judgement from him, especially considering the few stares he gets even without Roman at his side. 

“What did you and Logan do?” Virgil asks, in an attempt to change the topic. “Anything exciting?” 

“No, unfortunately not.” Janus walks slowly with Virgil, who eases up his typically fast-paced gait to accommodate. Janus’s lips are thinly pressed together, as if suppressing groans of pain with each shuffle forward. “He helped me with some homework, and then I made him dinner. We sat on my roof for a bit. Nothing special.” 

Virgil hums. 

Janus, however, directs the topic back to Roman, though now it seems like it’s solely to feed his own curiosity. “What was his house like?” 

“Big.” 

“Was Remus there?”

“Only this morning.”

“What were his parents like?” 

Virgil adjusts the straps of his bag. “They were sweet. Talkative. Gay.”

Janus smiles, nodding, as though pleased by this revelation. “All good things, it seems.” 

As they near their classroom, Janus suddenly slows to a stop. He glances around, attempting to avoid any eavesdropping ears, before lowering his voice and asking “did you guys sleep in the same bed?”

Virgil immediately shakes his head. “No. Hell no. He slept on the floor.  

“And let you sleep on the bed!” Janus gasps, before dramatically sighing “what a gentleman!” Upon seeing Virgil frown, Janus snickers and continues his line of questioning. “What about your guys' walk? Did you kiss under the moonlight?”

"No."

"Did you hug under the moonlight?"

"Nope."

"Did you at least hold hands under the moonlight?" 

Virgil bites his lip, and Janus gasps again.

“Premarital hand-holding!” Janus accuses him, before shaking his head in playful disapproval. “Virgil, I honestly expected better from you!” 

“He grabbed my hand!” 

Virgil intentionally excludes the part where Roman lifted and held him. 

Janus elbows Virgil’s side. “I think that means he likes you, too.” 

“I don’t like him at all!” Virgil argues, pushing Janus away from him. “And he doesn’t like me. He’s just entertaining this stupid… idiotic… childish game! The moment things are broken off, it’ll all stop.” 

“Sure it will,” Janus sings, before stepping into the classroom, and settling down at his desk. Virgil looks towards his own seat, and frowns when he sees Roman sitting in a chair in front of it, already turned around and facing where Virgil will inevitably be sitting. 

Virgil trudges to his seat, where Roman’s smiling at him. 

“Do you want to go see a movie tonight?” he asks, before Virgil’s even sat down fully. 

“What?” Virgil asks, as he settles into his desk. “What made you think of taking me to see a movie?” 

“Remus mentioned a really good horror movie that was coming out soon, and I was hoping you’d go see it with me.” 

“I hate horror movies.” 

Roman sighs in relief. “Oh, thank god. I hate them too.” Roman laughs softly. “I would have sat through one with you, obviously, but admittedly blood freaks me out. And knowing Remus, horror and gore are basically a two-for-one deal.” 

Virgil raises an eyebrow. “Why?” 

“Hm?” 

Virgil plays with his hands under his desk. “Why would you sit through a horror movie? If you knew it’d freak you out, then why even risk going to see it?” 

“Because if you liked it, then it’s just an hour or two of discomfort.” 

“That’s… that’s weird.” Virgil’s eyebrow is raised, staring at Roman in a mixture of surprise and confusion. “You shouldn’t do that. You shouldn’t force yourself to be uncomfortable for my benefit. Or for- for anyone’s benefit.” 

Roman chews his inner cheek, looking suddenly troubled. He avoids Virgil’s eyes. 

Suddenly, Virgil feels an urge for things to be more light-hearted again. He doesn’t much like Roman without a smile on his face; it feels… bad. 

“If you can find another movie, though, I’ll consider going with you,” Virgil says, shrugging. He looks to the side and sees Janus, who’s leaning forward on his desk with his head resting atop his knuckles, smirking at Virgil’s words. Virgil’s face immediately goes bright red in embarrassment, but Roman’s countenance lights up in excitement. 

It has Virgil hiding his face. He doesn’t understand why Roman is so excited over this. 

He’s probably just happy to be getting out of his house, Virgil tells himself. Most people would be. He isn’t excited to see a movie with me. He’s excited to see a movie in general. 

“Can Logan and I come, too?” Janus suddenly asks, causing Virgil to raise his head in surprise. He himself is relieved at the question, but nervously looks towards Roman. Much to his surprise, Roman seems excited at the prospect. 

“Of course!” Roman replies, leaning closer to Virgil. “You can help us decide on a movie. Is that okay, Virge?” 

“Don’t call me that,” Virgil mumbles, looking between Janus’s winking face and Roman’s excited one, before nodding, “but yeah, that’s fine. That sounds fine. If Logan’s fine with it then sure, I’m fine with it.”

“Logan will be fine with it,” Janus quickly assures him. “As long as we don’t watch something stupid.” 

He pulls his phone out, presumably to text Logan, while Virgil turns to Roman, who seems overly gleeful at this opportunity. He reaches across the desk to grab Virgil’s hands, and squeezes them. Virgil flushes, but doesn’t pull his hands away, letting Roman simply caress his knuckles and gaze at him until the first period bell finally rings. 

[anxietybeans]

I want a fanfic about the sides all being reincarnation as humans and following them there life until they all find each other like it starts with them saying their goodbyes as Thomas is in a hospital bed then poof reborn all apart but the twins and when as they go through school everyone slowly meets or like patton meets virgil in middle school but virgil has to move but they still text and then they meet again their senior year of high school and everyone meets including Thomas and yes there would be ships

[rube-too-many-fandoms]

Virgil: hey ro

Roman: hello virgil, what’s up

Virgil: i found this *holds up an exact replica of Virgil’s hoodie* in your room

Roman: i-i, um- i can explain-

Virgil: why do you have this

Roman: …i kind of figured you wouldn’t want other people wearing your hoodie, and you kind of see it as a security blanket thing, so to make sure you wouldn’t be without yours I made a replica for myself when i’m stressed…😅

Virgil: …roman, you could’ve just asked to borrow my hoodie

Roman: sorry-

Virgil: don’t apologize for be adorable and thoughtful. i love you for a reason, dork

Roman: i love you too <3

[thunderholtz]

The Moment They Fell

Warnings: I promise this is fluff, but it also has Villiany, mention of crime, killing, murder

Pairing: Prinxiety

Word count: 1,079 words

Summary: Phantom au Virgil fell in love with Roman at some point… so when was it? This writing shows plenty of times that they possibly fell in love with him.

A/N: this is my and @shapa-likes-art’s shared au, the Phantom au! Roman is a villain and Virgil is a journalist who falls for him. Virgil also uses they/them pronouns in this au! - I quite literally thought of this and couldn’t stop myself from writing this and wrote and edited it all in like… an hour or so. I was just so inspired haha. Anyways, enjoy!!

~

When did Virgil fall for Roman? Well… there’s not one particular moment that anyone can pinpoint. It was like a bunch of different moments that made up their love for him in the end. So what was the first time they were in love with him?

Maybe it started in college. Their eyes fixed on their laptop screen as a new villain appeared in Cardenia, only 40 minutes away from their college dorm. The Phantom. He was strong. So unbelievably strong. And he had tech that would put any genius technician to shame. He was smart and snarky and intimidating. He made a shiver run down Virgil’s spine at the way he spoke and the crazed but calculated movements he was making.

Or maybe it started when they got fired from their first journalism job and they went full time on their blog and researched nothing but the Phantom day and night. Maybe it was analyzing his every move and slowly realizing that this man was the smartest and most calculated person they had ever had the pleasure of laying their eyes on.

But back then he was just a fantasy. More of a celebrity crush. They loved him in the same way they loved the idea of the world ending. He intrigued them, more than anything. He danced across their mind and they wondered what it would be like to meet him, but it was a fantasy. He was a mystery. He was dangerous, but Virgil knew he would be gorgeous and impressive, much like they thought of the end of the world.

So maybe it was when they were interviewed by billionaire CEO Roman Prince for their job at Kingdom Ent. Maybe it was the way he asked them about their theories and listened to them rant about theories that were already proven false, but they hadn’t written about yet. Maybe it was the fact that, no matter how hard they tried, he was the one person who had ever been able to avoid their analytical eye. He was the one and only person to ever confuse Virgil. He was the one person that Virgil couldn’t read the moment they laid eyes on him. It took more than that to read Roman Prince. And that made Virgil more intrigued in him than they had ever been in anyone else.

But he was just a charmer back then. Sure, they flirted with him, but they definitely wouldn’t say they were in love with him. They were simply scoping him out. They were trying to read him. Sure, he was attractive as any man that Virgil had ever met, but he was just that at first.

Maybe the moment Virgil fell was when they realized how fucking smart Roman was. Maybe it was when Roman showed off his genius casually and Virgil realized that they were more similar than they had thought before. When they realized that Roman wasn’t just some golden child rich boy who got anything he wanted and was stuck up.

Maybe it was when Virgil first heard Roman Prince use the voice of the Phantom in casual conversation. Maybe it was moments later when Virgil realized the tone in his voice from the way it sent shivers down their spine and the way that their heart skipped a beat. Maybe it was when they had gone home and connected all of the evidence and knew that Roman was the Phantom. Maybe it was when he showed up at their apartment to threaten them and they knew he could kill them in that moment, but they didn’t care.

But, no… it wasn’t that either….

So when was it?

Was it when they first made out?

Or perhaps their first date.

Or their second, third, or fourth.

Maybe it was when Roman and Virgil moved in together and they got to spend every waking moment with each other from work to home…

Maybe it was when the simple touch of Roman made Virgil’s stomach flutter with butterflies and made their heart race.

Maybe it was when they noticed just how gentle and caring Roman was and they realized just how happy that made them feel.

Maybe… maybe…

It was all of that. All of the moments that they had seen or known of Roman and the Phantom… they all added up to the love that Virgil developed for Roman. It was all of the firsts, seconds, and so on. It was the soft touches. It was the teasing. It was the jokes. It was the kisses. It was the caring. It was…

It was Roman. All of Roman. All of the time.

They loved everything about him. No matter what time of day or what season or what emotions they were going through. They loved everything about him.

So when did they fall so madly in love with him?

They couldn’t tell exactly, but they now knew when they first realized that they were in love with him.

It was simple. It was simply when they were sitting in their office before they even started dating. They sat there as the work day started to near a close, and as they worked, they started to feel their heart race and a smile creep it’s way onto their face simply from the thought of Roman coming into their office and convincing them to stop working and go home and get some sleep. When they heard footsteps down the hall and then got upset when they realized it wasn’t Roman’s footsteps coming to greet them. When they realized they wanted him around them all of the time. When they were willing to not be working so much to be able to see Roman at whatever time they could…

But, of course, they didn’t let themself know they were in love with him until much later. They just pushed the thought of loving him away and waited for him to show up in their office. They didn’t let themself realize and actually love him until much later. Until they were dating and they let themself realize that he wasn’t going to leave. That he loved them back. That they were safe and comfortable with him.

We may not know when exactly Virgil fell in love with Roman, but we do know that they did fall eventually. We know that Roman and Virgil are madly in love and they will never let each other go. No matter the cost of their relationship. Because they love each other to a fault.

[bubblescangame1]

A well deserved but sweaty celebration

[elliehase-blog]

We're simply meant to be

I just had to write something about them. ❤️💜 This time it's longer than usual, and not proofread (sorry) but if you enjoy this little piece, you can read the rest on AO3.

~*~

In the afternoon, Roman is still quite relaxed. He polishes the blade of his sword, humming verses of Sally’s song. Hey, why not? He is only 51% sure that this is a kind of date tonight. It’s not as if Virgil was in any way clear with his all-but-nothing sentence.

»You're right, Roman. We can live like Jack and Sally if we want to.«

There. The word 'date' has not been used in any form.

Virgil had laughed at this point, to Roman’s utter bewilderment. A delightful little laugh that took up all of his attention and everything else outside had ceased to exist. And of course Roman had not known how to help himself other than to take the whole thing to the next level.

»And sit together, now and forever,« he had said, and had taken Virgil’s hands carefully in his. In this moment, Roman had only felt his heart pounding against his ribs in a whirling drum solo.

After that, Virgil had turned away in embarrassment and mumbled something that sounded like, »See you later.«

So maybe it is a date after all.

Perhaps.

(It’s certainly not.)

For seconds Roman bites his fingernails helplessly. He had seen so many cheesy romance movies in his life that he liked to consider himself an expert in the field. There was nothing to surprise him, as he knew all the signs and all the rules. And if you can no longer rely on cheesy romantic movies, then what?

But somehow all these rules never apply to Virgil.

How did they get here in the first place? Aren't they supposed to argue and fight like in the good old days? Sometimes, Roman likes to picture the deep, passionate rivalry he and Virgil have for each other. He imagines them having endless discussions about Disney characters, staring at each other in a fiery way. And when no one is around, Roman sighs deeply and longingly at this point and buries his heated face in velvety soft red silk pillows.

In the evening, Roman takes a look at his imaginary wardrobe and starts hyperventilating. He’s never had a no-date before. With nobody.

He has no idea what to wear and if he has any piece of clothing that says, 'When you look at me, I can’t breathe, and whenever you’re around me, I talk a lot more nonsense than usual, but if this is a date, I’d be totally fine with it.'

Lately, Virgil had just been too nice and peaceful around him. He means, nice… within the scope of his limited possibilities. Roman can’t say that this is terribly unpleasant, it’s just very… irritating. He has to do something. Or rather, he has to delegate this problem very quickly so that someone else does it for him.

Roman was great at delegating. This talent was practically innate. That's why he calls Logan.

»We have a… situation,« Roman explains dramatically. »I don't know what to wear!«

Logan throws a 'What do you want from me?' look at him. He raises his eyebrows wordlessly and completely unimpressed and makes absolutely no attempt to move even a millimetre from the spot.

»C’mon, Teach, I need your advice here!«

Usually, Logan would not have been his first choice in terms of clothing and taste, but he also has that unclouded and focused sight that Roman needed right now.

»Pleeeaaase!«

Logan sighs and Roman strongly assumes that this is supposed to mean agreement. Probably, Roman had convinced him with his astute argumentation and natural authority. That, or Logan, for once just doesn’t think a discussion is worth the trouble.

»What's the occasion?« he asks without further ado, pushing his glasses up in an unconscious gesture.

»Something… important,« Roman says vaguely.

[ijustwannadraw0716]

Tehe <3

[logan-the-artist]

they ease each other’s minds.,…,,

[goldnskyart]

Skateboards and jam 3/?

This is probably my favourite thing I’ve ever written, especially the last few paragraphs, so I hope y’all enjoy it as much as I do😭

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Instinctively Roman put his arms out to catch himself, and this time it worked. His hands and knees hit the ground hard. Virgil was too caught up in his own thoughts to realize what was going on before he was on the ground, flat on his back with Roman’s hands on either side of him. His face started to flush again, accidentally locking eyes with the other, who was awkwardly leaning over him on shaky hands and knees. Those eyes truly were something special with how they kept making his heart race. Roman froze for a moment, his body screaming in pain. And on top of that this was undoubtedly the most embarrassing thing he’d ever done. ”I’m sorry.” He almost whispered, before quickly trying to get on his feet using his right hand, putting more weight on it he softly winced before smoothly switching to using the left one instead. Trying his very best to keep face and pretend nothing hurt.

Virgil's eyes widened noticing his pained expression, damn he really hurt himself this time. Worried he quickly followed him up, brushing the dirt off the back of his black jeans. But Roman got there before him, “Are you alright??” He asked, looking at him with big worried eyes. “Yeah, I’m alright, don’t worry about it.” He replied, still trying to get the stubborn dust off his pants. “Turns out this really isn’t my thing, huh?” Roman chuckled, his face burning red. He couldn’t believe he just did that, just falling was bad on its own but this, mortifying, by now he had for sure blown any shot he might have had. Maybe he should just leave now before embarrassing himself further he thought and slowly started to back away. Suddenly he felt a soft hand around his wrist. “Hey wait, come with me.” Virgil said gently but still firmly, it wasn’t a question. He had turned around to pick his board up and when he turned back Roman already started to back away from him, visibly in pain. He didn’t like to admit he was worried about him but it just wasn’t something he could allow, he couldn’t just let him leave like that when he knew he could help. He gave him a gentle smile “I think you need to sit down for a bit”, his hand still firmly locked around the other's wrist. Romans eyes slowly widened, but he followed him without protest. “Sure,” he murmured, too flustered to look directly at him. It wasn’t like he wanted to leave anyway, and as long as Virgil didn’t want him to, he'd be more than happy to stay. And they were basically holding hands, what could be better than that?

Virgil had a specific spot in mind. Most of the benches in the park were placed in the center, always used by the other skaters' bags and jackets and in the middle of the big crowd, not where they wanted to be right now. But a little hidden on the opposite side of the park there was a small concrete wall. Most used it for spray painting but it was also the perfect height for sitting, he had done so often while waiting for his friends. Virgil stopped, gently letting go of the other. “Here, have a seat.” He gestured vaguely towards the wall. Roman plopped down with a big sigh. “I guess you were right,” he chuckled, not able to keep his eyes off the skater’s nervous expression. He truly has no business being that cute.

For a moment Virgil just zoned out, staring blankly at nothing, mindlessly spinning a wheel on his skateboard. He shook his head a little, trying to snap out of it before putting the board down next to Roman’s feet. The guy really wasn’t in great shape at this point, apart from his hands the knees and forearms were covered in bleeding scrapes. He knew from experience it probably looked way worse than it was, but that didn’t mean it was good. And it certainly didn’t mean it wasn’t painful. Virgil sighed as he sat down on the ground right in front of him, getting not one but two packs of bandaids out of one pocket and a bandage from the other one. It felt a bit embarrassing to admit he was always carrying those around, but he had needed them enough times that it started to feel justified. Roman tilted his head in confusion as he realized that he was sitting down on the ground instead of next to him on the wall, eyes widened seeing Virgil get a bunch of bandaids out. “You really don’t have to-“ he began but was swiftly interrupted by the other looking up at him. “No, I do.” He said and gave him a gentle smile before continuing, “I have the time and the stuff and you clearly need it so why wouldn’t I?” He pointed out while opening the first pack of bandaids. “Unless you need to go soon of course-“ he quickly added, the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. Roman aggressively shook his head at that, “No no no, I don’t, I can stay all night if I wanna.” He let out a little laugh, “I just didn’t expect you to want to do that- there’s gotta be more fun things you could do.” Virgil shrugged, “nah not really- besides this is kinda calming..” He felt his face heating up but he didn’t quite understand why, it was true, nothing to be embarrassed about.

“Well if you say so” Roman chuckled. He didn’t like admitting that he needed help but he probably did, and the fact that Virgil wanted to take care of him made his heart flutter a little. Gently Virgil started to place some bandaids, trying to be light on the hand to avoid any unnecessary pain. “How come you just have all this with you?” Roman asked, genuinely curious, he had never met anyone who carried anything more than a couple stray bandaids for emergencies. Virgil tensed up a bit at the question “I just like being prepared, you never know when you’ll need them” he replied, trying hard to avoid looking at the other. And he seemed to accept that answer, they sat there in silence for a while, Virgil slowly working his way up from knees to arms. Using up every last band aid. He couldn’t help but chuckle a little at the sight of him, not unlike a toddler who just fell off a bike for the first time. Hurting himself that much was almost skillful.

“So, which hand?” Virgil asked, bluntly but not harsh, finally looking up towards him again. Roman chuckled nervously, “I don’t know what you’re talking-“ he was interrupted by a stern stare, accompanied by a hand reaching out towards him, telling him to just quit his bullshit. He sighed, “alright,” giving him his right hand, for some reason he was more embarrassed about this than the scrapes covering most of his legs. And the thought of him gently holding his hand made him blush furiously. “You can move it right?” Virgil carefully took his hand “Mhm.” Roman nodded, it did hurt but it absolutely wasn’t that bad. “Good.” He smiled a little and gently started to put the bandage on, for some reason holding his hand like this made him feel weird. For a moment he stayed quiet before he let out a sigh “I feel like I should probably tell you this..“ Stopping for a moment, eyes fixed on the ground beside him. “You do know I can’t actually skate very well, right? Better than you, but like I’m still very much a beginner.” He laughed a little to himself, glancing up at the other. Roman stared up at him with wide eyes, the thought hadn’t ever crossed his mind. But thinking about it, he hadn’t actually ever seen Virgil on his board, he was always carrying it around or sitting on it, but never actually using it.

Virgil swallowed hard, he couldn’t read that expression at all, maybe he should’ve just stayed silent. Not that he cared about what this guy thought of him, he just didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of him. “Well that explains the band aids then.” Roman laughed softly and gave him a gentle smile, the skater couldn’t help but also laugh a little at that. “It’s true, I do usually need them myself.. but never quite that many.” He chuckled, a weight lifted from his chest. Roman laughed with him and briefly Virgil stopped and turned to look at him, immediately regretting it. His laugh was the most breathtakingly beautiful thing, and the sun perfectly hit his golden brown hair and soft cheekbones to make him look absolutely radiant. And his eyes, oh god his eyes, a soft honey color gently sparkling in the sun, he’d never seen anything like it. Quickly he looked away again, face flushed Finally he had realized what was going on. Putting the rest of the bandage on wasn’t easy, suddenly he was hyper aware of everything he did, and holding the other’s hand in his made him almost nauseous from the rush of feelings. He absolutely did care what this boy thought of him.

Thankfully for him, Roman had gotten started talking and was barely stopping for him to respond. So he could comfortably just sit and admire him for a while as the golden light danced across his face, his soft hand gently resting in Virgil’s, trying to come to terms with his new feelings. He knew he was a little out of touch with his emotions, but missing this massive crush was strange even for him. He really thought the nerd was just getting on his nerves. Maybe it was for the best though, if he had felt like this he never would’ve approached him, ever. Now he at least got a chance.

[moonbeam-dragon]

Prinxiety Stuf 2

Summary: French kiss under the bleachers. They both get pretty turned on.

[anxiousgaypanicking]

Oreo

Synopsis:  As a joke, Roman's forced to ask Virgil out after losing an oreo. Flustered, and somewhat embarrassed and humiliated by the connotation that dating him would be such a bad thing, he says yes out of impulse, and must now deal with what being Roman's "boyfriend" entails. Taglist: @renys @falsemood 

Part Four: Wonderful Masterlist

Virgil lets out a groan as he hears a motorcycle engine rev outside. Internally, he debates ghosting Roman, or texting him telling him he changed his mind, but inevitably decides against it. 

He grabs his house key, before making his way to the front door. Locking it behind him, he double checks to make sure it’s locked, and then triple checks to be fully confident. 

Hesitantly trudging towards the motorcycle, Virgil sees that Roman has taken his helmet off. His hair was disheveled - no doubt disturbed by the helmet pressing against it - but he was smiling wide. The motorcycle itself was bright white, with gold accents.

Roman was standing beside it, having parked and turned it off once Virgil had come outside. 

“Someone’s excited,” Roman teases, as Virgil’s eyes look over the bike.

Virgil huffs at the statement, scowling as he glances towards Roman’s face. "Don't say that; it sounds sexual." 

Roman laughs, before turning to lift up the seat. Beneath it was a storage compartment. 

He pulls out another helmet, slimmer than his own, and instead of being the same white and gold as Roman’s, this one was just a solid black. He hands it to Virgil with a comforting smile.

"You ready to go?" Roman asks, as he swings himself over the motorcycle seat, pushing up the kickstop with his foot. 

Virgil watches him as he does so. "Yup." 

"You know how to ride a motorcycle, right?" 

"Yes, Roman.” Virgil rolls his eyes. He feels his chest tighten. 

Roman smiles at Virgil’s bitterness, looking at Virgil expectantly, before placing his helmet on his head. Virgil runs his thumbs over his own, before he slides it on too, and climbs onto the motorcycle after. Nervously, he slides his arms around Roman’s torso, heart racing. Once again, the motorcycle revs, before Roman’s wrist rolls forward and it starts up, pulling forward and away from Virgil’s house. 

The wind against his body makes him shiver, his hoodie flapping around him. Without thinking, he pulls himself closer to Roman, chest leaning against his back for warmth. 

Despite the chill, Virgil’s smiling wide beneath the helmet, eyes observing the blur of buildings they pass by. 

But, the ride is over in a matter of minutes, as they pull into the parking lot of a small, local diner. Virgil slips off the motorcycle first, Roman following suit. They take their helmets off and hang them on the bike handles, before Roman’s fingers brush against Virgil’s, subtly slipping them between Virgil’s own.

Virgil is too exhilarated to notice. 

Roman keeps a hold of Virgil's hand as they walk in, leading them to a booth. Slowly, he pulls his hand away, and sits on the bench opposite of Virgil so they could sit across from each other. 

A waitress comes over, and hands them menus with a soft greeting. Roman smiles at her. Virgil looks down. 

His eyes scan over the menu as he attempts to appear busy, while Roman makes small talk. He compliments her nails, and asks where she got them done. His eyes briefly flicker up to look at them, and he notices how genuinely Roman smiles at her. 

She smiles back at him, glancing at her nails herself as if she’s admiring them in a new light, before she shakes her head slightly as if to dismiss the topic, asking instead if they’d like anything to drink. 

“Just water,” Virgil responds, awkwardly, as he flips the menu open. Pancakes, burgers, chicken tenders; the choices were endless. 

“Just water?” Roman asks, one eyebrow raised as he smiles, plotting. “Are you sure you don’t want anything more exciting? They have hot chocolate, tea… milkshakes! Wouldn’t you rather have a milkshake?” Though he was partially teasing, there was a soft air to his voice. He was genuinely asking, though also somewhat encouraging Virgil to agree. 

The waitress looks towards him.

“I mean… I guess. A milkshake then.” 

The waitress’s pen taps against her notepad, prepared to write. “What flavor? We have the classic vanilla, chocolate, strawberry…” 

“What about a cookies and creme variant?” Roman prompts. 

Virgil flushes at the notion, and the reminder of why they were on this date in the first place. He dreads the waitress’s response. 

“Oreo? We do. Is that fine with you?” She directs the question towards Virgil, who wants to groan into his hands. 

“Sure,” comes his response, through gritted teeth. She smiles, scribbles it down, and then turns towards Roman. 

Roman nods to her, before tilting his head towards Virgil. Voice low and playful, he asks "do you wanna be cliche with me? One shake, two straws?"

Virgil snorts, finally meeting Roman’s eyes. "That's one of the stupidest things I've ever heard come out of your mouth, which is surprising, considering I've heard you introduce yourself." 

Gasping dramatically, Roman places a hand over his heart."Are you calling me stupid? How dare you!” The waitress laughs at Roman’s theatrics, and even Virgil can’t help the grin that rises to his face.

"You figure it out," he quips, matching Roman’s playfulness. 

Despite not getting a solid answer, Roman turns to the waitress and asks for one large shake with two straws, turning to Virgil afterwards. 

“That way, if you decide to want to share, we can always toss one out,” Roman muses, and Virgil’s cheeks go pink at the idea, huffing as he shoves his menu towards Roman. 

“Shut up,” is his only response, but Roman laughs lightly regardless.

Virgil laughs along with him. Something about Roman’s own happiness seems to be infectious. 

He doesn’t notice that Roman’s smiling at the sound, not used to hearing Virgil actually express his enjoyment. Sure, they don’t hang around each other often, but whenever Roman’s able to observe him, the most he ever sees is a slight upturn to his lips. Never… this. 

Smiling really suited Virgil. 

"Quit staring at me, jock," Virgil suddenly says, after a moment. It startles Roman out of his daydreaming state. Virgil’s eyes are narrowed, but he’s still smiling, cheek resting on his hand as he stares into Roman’s forest-green eyes

Roman smirks in response, puffing his chest out as he exclaims "I couldn't help myself. With a face as pretty as yours, it's almost impossible to look away." 

Though, instead of the typical huffy or flustered response Roman’s used to seeing by now, Virgil laughs again. “That was super cheesy. Does that ever work on anyone?”

"I don't know; did it work on you?"

Virgil snorts, crossing his arms over his chest. "Hell no." 

Roman sighs, sounding mockingly disappointed. Eyes closed remorsefully, Roman laments “well, it was worth a shot nonetheless.” 

Eventually, the waitress comes back with the Oreo milkshake and two straws. She sets them down on the table, and winks at them as she leaves. Virgil rolls his eyes in response while Roman chuckles, reaching forward to hand Virgil a straw of his own. 

Both of them tear the paper covering, with Roman sliding his to the edge of his straw and blowing it at Virgil, before the two of them stick their straws into the milkshake.  

Roman’s the first to take a sip, and he smiles immediately after doing so. "Oreo was a great choice. This tastes amazing." 

"It's just an Oreo shake, you dork," Virgil responds, as he takes a sip. “There’s nothing overly special about it.” 

"Maybe it's just being here with you that makes it taste better." 

Virgil smiles briefly, before his smile drops and he sighs right after. "You… you really need to stop that.”

“Stop what?”

Virgil fidgets with his hands under the table. “All the flirting. You know I don’t like you. And I know you don’t like me.”

Roman’s smile falls as well. "I never said that."

"You didn't have to," Virgil shrugs, casually taking another sip of the shake. His shoulders were tense though. "Your posse says enough." 

Frowning now, Roman leans back. "They don't speak for me. I never said I didn't like you. The things that Remus says shouldn’t be internalized. He’s mean to everyone.” 

Virgil just shakes his head and looks away, almost disappointed. He uses his finger to stir the straw in the thick milkshake.

Roman looks on, confused, as he tries to think of anything he could have done that might have upset Virgil, along with anything he could say to aid the situation.

Unable to come up with something, Roman changes the topic. 

"I didn't see your parents when I picked you up. Were they just inside?" Roman asks, hoping the out-of-the-blue question will lead to a lighter conversation. He wanted to subdue the otherwise thick tension between them. 

Virgil shakes his head. “He’s on vacation.” 

"When will he be back?" 

Shrugging at the question, Virgil turns his attention fully back to Roman. He sees nothing wrong with that answer, but Roman gasps, less dramatically and more serious this time. 

“You don’t know?” 

Face flushing with humiliation, Virgil shrugs again. "He never told me. He just said he’d be back; he didn't say when. It’s not like he’ll be gone forever." 

"So…so you've just been alone?" Roman prods. 

Virgil awkwardly clears his throat. "Not really. He left two days ago. I spent the first night alone, and then I spent the night at Janus’s yesterday, so I haven't been completely alone.” 

Roman nods, not completely convinced, but understanding nonetheless. "Are you spending the night with him again?"

"No," Virgil responds, huffing slightly. “He and Logan are hanging out tonight, and I don’t really feel like intruding.” Virgil’s fingers tap against the table, before he snorts. “Besides, the last time I spent the night over there, I woke up with a boyfriend.”

Grinning proudly, Roman goes “and that’s such a bad thing?”

"Considering you’re the boyfriend I woke up with, yes. That’s a horrible thing.”

It’s Roman’s turn to roll his eyes, as he pulls the Oreo shake closer to him, taking a sip himself, and dramatically sticking his tongue out at Virgil afterwards.

"Do you like being alone?" Roman then asks, after a moment.

Virgil hesitates, before sighing. “Not really, but there’s not much I can really do about it.” 

Roman frowns, but doesn’t ask any follow up questions, instead taking an obnoxiously loud sip of the shake. 

Then the waitress comes back. 

“Have you guys decided on what to eat?” she asks, and both Roman and Virgil exchange a wide-eyed glance. 

Roman laughs awkwardly. “No, sorry! We haven’t even gotten a chance to look at the menu,” he admits, while Virgil hurriedly flips his menu open and scans the items on it. 

“Chicken tenders,” Virgil suddenly blurts, before his face goes red with humiliation as the waitress turns towards him, confused. 

He clears his throat, and clarifies “I’d like the chicken tenders, please.” He sits stiff, rubbing his hands together beneath the table. “Just a normal basket, with fries maybe.” He then looks towards Roman, who gets the hint and quickly opens his own menu. 

“Would you like any dipping sauce?” the waitress prompts, writing down his order.

“Ranch?” It’s more of a question than an answer, but the waitress seems satisfied as she makes a note of that as well. 

She then turns to Roman, who sets his menu down as he proclaims “I’d like a burger. Please. With no tomato.” 

“Fries on the side?”

“Yes please.” Roman gathers the menus together and hands them to the waitress, who accepts them with a thankful nod. 

As she tucks them under her arm, she asks if he’d like any sauce for his fries, to which he politely declines. She then turns and walks away. 

Virgil sighs in relief as soon as she's gone. 

Roman laughs. “That was panic-inducing,” he jokes, musing at Virgil’s uttered reply of “no kidding,” before Roman pushes the shake back towards him. Virgil accepts it with open arms, and takes a sip, absentmindedly picking a straw. 

They finish the shake together in the time it takes for their food to arrive, chatting every now and then, as the sky outside begins to grow dark. 

When the waitress comes back, she has two plastic baskets of food with her, a checkered and flimsy piece of paper inside of it, on which their food sits on. Both of the platters are stained with grease, but both Roman and Virgil offer thanks to the waitress as they look towards their food. 

Roman’s the first to pick his food up, taking a large bite of the burger, leaving Virgil to laugh as juice runs down his chin. 

Quickly, Roman grabs a napkin and wipes at his mouth, but he chews quickly, laughing once he’s choked it all down. “Wow,” he mutters, smiling. “This is really good.” 

Rolling his eyes at the dramatics, Virgil picks up a chicken tender, and dips it in the ranch. He’s a lot more courteous with his bite, but there’s something so appealing about the warm taste of greasy food. Despite the slick residue it leaves behind on Virgil’s fingers. 

“Pass the ranch?” Roman then asks, meekly, leaving Virgil to huff and roll his eyes as he sets the small container of ranch between them. 

Roman immediately reaches forward to slather two fries with it, before popping them into his mouth.

They eat their food in mostly silence, with the occasional comment or short exchange every now and then, but really both of them are content with just eating for now. Surprisingly, there’s nothing weird about enjoying a meal in the other’s company. 

When they’re finished, Roman waves the waitress over and requests the bill. He pays with his card, before pulling out a hefty stack of cash from his wallet and setting it on the table. Virgil meagerly pulls out a few bills and lays them aside Roman’s pile. 

Once he gets his card back (and sees the way the waitress’s face lights up with pure joy), Roman grabs Virgil’s hand, and pulls him outside.

By this time, the dark blue of the sky has gradually faded into a warm gold as the sun sets. The ombre of colours draws Roman’s eyes. Virgil watches the wide-eyed way he stares at the sky, how his pupils trace the merging of the colours, before his head lands facing the sun, a warm smile on his face that contrasts the chilliness of the evening. 

“How much do I owe you?” Virgil asks, drawing Roman out of his enraptured state. 

Roman looks at him, puzzled, a confused smile on his face. “What do you mean? You don’t owe me anything.”

“My half of dinner,” Virgil clarifies, as he’s handed his helmet. He holds it firm as he stares back at Roman, who merely shrugs off Virgil’s statement. 

“Eh, don’t worry about it,” Roman replies, as he raises his helmet above his head. “Consider that my thanks for such a nice evening.” 

He then promptly pulls his helmet onto his head, effectively ending the conversation, and any of Virgil’s further protests. 

Climbing back onto the motorcycle, Roman then slowly pulls out of the diner, and drives a bit slower towards Virgil’s neighbourhood. Even after pulling up to his house, Roman’s slow to park the bike. 

Sooner than Virgil would have liked, they’re stopped on the curb. 

Virgil slides off, pulling the helmet off of his head and handing it back to Roman, who pushes the kickstop down before getting off himself. He sets his own helmet on one of the bike handles, before tucking Virgil’s back under the seat.

"I guess this is where we part ways, huh?" Roman says, laughing slightly, as he looks between Virgil and his house. 

Virgil scoffs at his dramatic lamenting. "I'll literally see you tomorrow," he responds, unamused, but with a small smile on his face. “Now shoo. I need alone time to recoup.” 

Roman sighs, smiling. “I guess I’ll meet you by your locker, then.”

Virgil snickers, backing up towards his door. “Don’t count on it,” he teasingly calls out, before unlocking his door and heading inside. He kicks the door shut behind him, locking it after, and then leans back against it, letting himself slowly sink to the ground as he sighs.

Roman had essentially been flirting with him the entire time, had paid for their entire (albeit cheap) meal, and had given him a (very fun) ride both to the diner and back to his house. 

This sucked.

Roman was being a genuinely good person. He’s been polite and respectful. Thinking about it, Virgil realizes he has little reason to hate him.

That “date” was horrible, and Virgil enjoyed every second of it. Wonderful.

[lefaystrent]

As The Prophecy Foretold

Fandom: Sanders Sides

Pairing: Prinxiety

Summary: Climbing towers was easy in comparison to shattering prophetic expectations.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There once was a tower in the middle of an enchanted forest. It stood several stories high and had several stories more to tell. This story, however, was the story of how Prince Roman ventured into the thick of it on a journey of true love.

Astride a snow-white horse, he road gallantly into the courtyard. No door marred the stonework. The only entry point sat high up on the top floor of the tower, an arched window. Roman came to a halt below it.

This would not bar him from his destiny.

Roman cleared his throat and belted his voice out from the diaphragm. "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your golden hair!"

"Who the fuck is Rapunzel?" someone asked from above. A dark-headed figure peered out the window, annoyed. "And why are you yelling?"

Taken aback and nearly falling off his horse, Roman fired back, "Rapunzel! The princess who lives in this tower! Surely you must know her."

"Uh, no, this is my tower. No Rapunzels here."

"Surely you jest!"

"I've never jested in my life, and would you stop yelling! I can hear you just fine."

Puzzled, Roman slid off his horse. Like a good boy, Maximillian lingered by his side. Roman called beseechingly. "I don't know who you are sir, or how you've come to be here, but this is most certainly Rapunzel's tower."

"Like I already said, no golden girls here. This is my tower, so I would know. Someone gave you some shitty directions."

"I- no, that cannot be," Roman stammered. "The prophecy was very specific."

"Prophecies are overrated," the man grunted. He leaned over the edge, one hand under his chin and the other dangling off the side. Even from here, Roman could see prominent bags under his eyes. "Have you tried checking other towers? Or did you just harass the first one you came across?"

"This is the only tower in these woods!" Roman stamped his foot. "It was foretold that I would find Rapunzel's tower here, rescue her from her evil hag of a mother, and then ride away into the sunset together where we would live happily ever after and continue the royal line."

"Do you do everything you're told to? You're just a cog in the system for The Man, aren't you? I hate The Man."

"I am the man!"

"I hate you."

Roman ran his hands through his perfect hair and perfectly messed up his winsome swoop trying to rattle his brain to make sense of it all. "You just met me! You don't even know me!"

"So how would it make it any better for you to decide to marry some chick you haven't even met yet? And decide that you'll be her knight in shining armor without asking? That's very presumptuous of you."

"But the prophecy!"

The stranger groaned and threw up his hands. "Look, if a prophecy told you to jump off a bridge, would you?"

Roman paused. "Is everyone else jumping?"

Deadpanned, the other responded, "No, you're alone. Forever alone."

"Aha! Lies, for I will always have my dear companion, Maximillion."

Maximillion neighed.

"You've got a horse, look at you. Not that I'm not loving this conversation, but are we done yet? I'd like to get back to my peace and quiet."

"But-"

"If you say 'prophecy' one more time, I will come down there, so help me. Just think outside the box for once in your life, yeah? Did anyone even bother to ask before pushing what you're 'supposed' to do on you? Do you want to become involved with some stranger's implied family drama? Do you even want to get married? Do you want to marry a woman, for that matter?"

"Wait, that part's optional?" Roman asked, astounded.

The guy was also astounded, but for other reasons. "This should not be some profound revelation for you. You can love and marry who you want, dude, regardless of gender. Now I just feel sorry for you."

"Like... I could marry a man instead?"

"Of everything that I've said, I think it says something about you that the new potential reality for gayness is what strikes a chord in you."

"I've never thought about it. I thought... Well, I'm the prince! I'm supposed to carry on the family line!"

"You could adopt. Just throwing that out there. Or just don't have kids. That's my solution to everything."

"What's wrong with kids?"

"They grow up and become adults, and adults are the worst thing you could be."

Roman waved his hand up at him. "You are an adult, are you not?"

"Yeah, it's the worst."

Roman harrumphed. He placed his hands on his hips and surveyed the courtyard. "Well, this was an eye-opening experience. What are you doing anyway, living in a doorless tower in the middle of the woods, Not-Rapunzel?"

"My name's Virgil," the man pointed out. Then he caught himself, "Uh, not that it matters. What my name is. You don't need to know that. Or why I live where I do."

"Why do you live in a tower in the woods, Virgil?"

"Because I want to be left alone!" Virgil hissed back. "Obviously, it's not working out as picture-perfect as you'd think."

"I um, like your rose bushes," Roman complimented. "So I think it's still a fairly picturesque locale."

"Those are gardenias, but thanks."

"Gardenias," Roman nodded and rubbed his foot in the dirt. "You have very nice taste in gardenias..."

"...thanks."

Roman coughed into his fist, awkward as a prince ever could be. "So uh, Virgil. In your opinionated wisdom, what should I do now? How do I go back home to my family without a betrothed?"

Virgil sighed and took pity. "If you're that afraid of what they'll think, you don't have to go back."

"I have a duty to uphold. I have sworn it to kin and country."

"Did you swear to be miserable too?"

The prince faltered.

In that sunlit afternoon, standing surrounded by flowers at the foot of an aging tower, he felt small.

Did anyone ever ask him what he wanted? Truly?

What did he want?

"I... I don't want to be miserable."

Virgil nodded, patient as he had been through this whole encounter. "That's a start."

Bolstered, Roman continued, "And I don't want to marry a woman."

"I had a sneaking suspicion on that one."

"I would very much like to marry a man!"

"Ah, we're back to the yelling, okay."

"And I don't want to lead a country! I want to go on adventures with Maximillion and save dames and damsels in distress! I want to fight villains and see magic! I want to swim in the ocean and fly on a dragon!"

"Let it out, just let it all out."

"And- and-" Roman wavered. He slowed and he stared up at Virgil uncertainly. The shadowed eyes, the small indulging smirk, the fire in his soul. "And I would very much like to join you for tea in your tower."

Virgil startled. He reared back, eyes wide, and he was too far to confirm, but Roman would like to think his cheeks pinkened.

"And why the hell would I want to invite you in?" Virgil shot back.

Roman gave a dazzling smile that he felt from his heart. "You don't have to. I know you don't know me and I know I showed up here uninvited. It's just what I would want to happen."

Prophecy or not, he felt like he was exactly where he was meant to be. Golden girls wouldn't have compared anyway, to the sight above him.

Virgil disappeared from the window. Roman's heart sank in disappointment.

He would cherish the memory, at least.

Moments later, a very flustered Virgil returned to the window. "Okay, I'll allow it. With the condition that you have to find your own way in here. I'm not helping you!"

Overcome with delight, Roman jumped and whooped for joy.

Climbing towers was easy in comparison to shattering prophetic expectations.

[sanderssidesficprompts]

Any two (or more) Sides making up after a fight