Work Text:
Roman was bustling around the house. He had a huge audition, and he was confident in all of his audition pieces. All except for the dialogue scene, that is. He needed someone to rehearse with him, but absolutely nobody was around. Sure, he could just read the lines into a mirror, but he wanted to actually react to another person. After running all throughout the house, he flung himself on the living room couch, ready to give up, when Virgil walked in the front door. "Virgil, thank the gods!" He practically threw himself at the other man. Virgil shoved the princely figure off of him and pulled out an earbud. "Ro, what the hell?!"
"Sorry, it's just that I really need help re-"
"Rehearsing?" Virgil interrupted, raising a brow. "Yeah, count me out. Theatre isn't really my scene." He started toward the living room and sat on the soft, brown couch. Roman went and sat next to him. Virgil looked up at him, annoyed. "Go find someone else to help you with your stupid scene."
Roman scoffed "Do you really think I'd ask you if I had any other choice? No one else is here!" He sighed, voice lowering. "Please. Just this once. It's very important to me." Virgil thought about it for a moment, looked and around to make sure they were alone, then sighed in defeat. "Fine. Just this once. You tell anyone and I'll-"
"I won't tell, I promise!" Roman smiled with excitement. He rushed up the stairs to grab the script, and Virgil gave a little smile. His straight face was back as the princely figure came back down the stairs, skipping every other step. "Got it! Thank you Virgi-"
"Yeah, don't mention it." Virgil waved his hand dismissively. "Now, what do you want me to do?"
"Well", Roman started, "you will be reading as Simon, a peasant who is in love with the prince, Victor, who I'll be portraying." Before Virgil could protest, Roman held up a hand to silence him. "Look, I know you aren't thrilled about this, but please just do it. With emotion. Not just your sarcastic emo-teen angst." The darker-clad male narrowed his eyes at the other. "You owe me. Big time."
Roman nodded, "I understand. Alright, I'll begin." He stood from the couch and cleared his throat, holding the script to read the lines.
"Okay...so I just walked into 'my' bedchamber, and you are hiding there, waiting for me. You're incredibly sad, so that shouldn't be a problem for you. Here we go." He took a deep breath, and started.
"S-Simon! What are you doing in here?!" He whisper-shouted towards Virgil, who rolled his eyes, and started to read as well. "It isn't fair! They shouldn't make you do something you don't want! Just because you're a prince doesn't mean-"
"Hey..." Roman interrupted him and gently grabbed the other male's arms, helping him up. "I'll be fine. It's something every prince must do. It's just marriage, friend. It worked out well for my parents, and their parents before them. I'm not all too worried. It's just the fact it's so soon...."
"Well I am worried! You can't just marry someone you don't know. It's not right, Victor!" Virgil shouted each line as if he were the actual character, and Roman smiled in surprise.
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘺? 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.
"Why are you so caught up about this?! This matter isn't any of your concern!"
"Yes it is!"
Roman struggled to hold back a look of awe. He didn't know Virgil was so talented at acting!
"Don't you see? I love you, dumbass! You're just too arrogant and oblivious to notice it! That's why they forbade me from seeing you, because they found out!" He looked up, tears were in his eyes.
𝘏𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘫𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭!
𝘖𝘩 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴, 𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥.
Roman acted shocked, as his character would have. "I..I had no idea..."
Virgil wiped a tear, and took a breath. He looked at his feet, not even reading the script. "Of course you didn't...it's not like I could've told you before, but I had to tell you now. Before...before you chose a princess to marry. Look, I don't have ships, money, a castle or a kingdom...but I can give you all I have. I know it isn't much, but Victor, my heart already belongs to you. I just wish you could feel the same. But I know you wouldn't. Goodbye, Vic. I wish you nothing but happiness..." he trails off, finishing the scene.
Roman was astounded. "Virgil..." he spoke softly, looking his friend in the eye. "That was beautiful! You're a natural at this." Virgil blushed slightly from embarrassment and looked away. "Yeah?"
"Yes!" Roman put a hand on his shoulder, stepping a little closer. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were speaking from your own feelings! Not just reading the lines on a sheet of paper!" Virgil shrugged the princely figure's hand off, and started to walk away. When he almost reached the top of the staircase, he stops. "Huh....guess you don't know me very well, then." He said in a whisper. Roman stood there, a confused expression on his face. "What?" The embodiment of Anxiety turned towards him, and did a little salute. "See ya, Ro." And he walked the rest of the way up and into his room.
Inside his room, Virgil sat with his back against the door. He related too much to that script and he hated it. He already knew it, of course. He had actually read Roman's script when the others were out having fun. He secretly enjoyed it, and read it over and over when he had a chance. That didn't stop him from crying, though.
Virgil silently sobbed into his knees. Why couldn't Roman see?
𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘝𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦...𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶...
His thinking was interrupted by a gentle knock on his door.
"Virgil, it's Roman. Can I come in?" Virgil quickly stood up, wiping the tears from his face. He sat on his bed and called out, "Sure. Whatever." The door slowly opened and Roman stepped into the room. He could tell from Virgil's red face and wet eyes that he'd been crying. "Virgil, what's wrong? Is it something I said?" Virgil shook his head. "It's nothing, don't worry about it." Roman sat beside him on the bed. "I will worry about it. You're my friend-"
"That's the whole point, Roman! You're too wrapped up in yourself to even realize that I love you, dammit!" Virgil yelled in frustration, tears staining his cheeks once more. Roman's eyes widened, speechless. Virgil's voice hitched, but he continued to talk. "All I am is a friend to you, and I was too scared to tell you how I feel. Well, like Simon, I just needed to get it off my chest. Though I would have liked for you to never find out, or later at least." He sighed, looking down. "I'm sor-"
Roman crashed his lips onto Virgil's, silencing him. Virgil was shocked, but slowly began to kiss back. His tears stained Roman's cheeks as well, but neither of them minded. Both lost in the moment, they deepen the kiss, passionate yet soft and slow. Sadly, it was over all too soon.
They broke apart for breath, and Virgil just sat, watery eyes wide. Roman smiled, "Now who's speechless?"
"What...what was...that-"
"Because I love you too, dumbass."
They smiled at each other, and leaned in to kiss once more.