An orange rose is passion
Blossoming in Lust's foul hands

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Point of View: Virgil, First Person
Timeline: Present Day

I grunted in response to the cashier, who had been asking me if I found everything alright.

Even though this little store is hardly big enough to warrant such a stupid question.

And the fact that the only thing I had in my hand was two bowls of 99 cent Mac and Cheese and an chocolate bar that I grabbed while waiting in line.

Either way, she took my grunt as a yes and easily handed me my bag once I'd paid a whopping $5.96.

"Have a nice day!" she said with a forced smile.

I simply turned the volume in my headphones up, drowning out her overly... extra... voice.

I stepped outside wincing a bit at the cold, weather making my shove my hands further into my hoodie pockets, yanking the hood over my head. I was supposed to be heading home, back to my apartment, but... my feet had other plans - taking a minor detour back to the coffee shop.

Why was I even going there? For Roman? There's no way he'd even be there at this hour anyway - they close early on Sundays. The place wouldn't even be open. I should get home before it gets dark out.

And yet somehow I found myself still going anyway.

By the time I reached the shop, I was right - it was closed.

Well, almost anyway.

"Sir, do... do you want me to call someone to pick you up?" It was the same tiny brunette who took my order this morning. Although now she was wearing a black leather jacket, looking ready to head home for the night, key to the shop to lock up. But she wasn't asking me, she was asking the question to -

Roman.

"Nononono," Roman slurred, crashing into the glass door on his way out. "I - I'm ffffiiinnnnnneeeee," he argued, taking a wobbly step forward. "I'm SUUUUPER fINNEE. I'm finnner than heckity heck," he slurred deliriously.

Oh my goodness. This man needs like fifteen hours of sleep. Minimum, I thought to myself.

The girl looked about as convinced as I was, eyes flickering indecisively between the shop and the clearly sleep-deprived man in front of her. "Sir, I really don't think - "

"I got him," I said instinctively, taking a step forward.

...

Wait.

Did I really just say that?!

The girl bit her bottom lip nervously, glancing between us as Roman seemed to take a moment to recognize me.

"Hey! It's... P- PRREETTYY PURRRPLE BOY," he giggled, poking me in the arm before bursting into another fit of giggles.

Make that sixteen hours.

"Are you sure? I can just call -"

I shook my head, tossing Roman's arm over my shoulder, as it seemed he couldn't walk himself. At the contact, he took the opportunity to bury his face in my shoulder. "Soft," Roman muttered dizzily.

I reached across Roman, yanking his bag off his shoulder and setting it on my more... Stable one. "Come 'ere - no, no sleeping. I need you to tell me where you live," I said, slowly pulling Roman along, dragging him really.

"Nooo," Roman whined. "I wanna sleeeeeeppp, pppplleasssse prrrrretty purrrple boy don't make me stay awaaaake. And I wanna stay with yyyoooooouuuuu," Roman begged, eyes already closing.

...

ANND he was asleep.

Geez - he falls asleep fast.

I let out a harsh exhale, frustrated. There was no way I was going to get an answer out of him was I?

"Roman. Where's your phone?" I asked.

Roman peeked sleepily with one eye and pointed to his bag.

I reached inside and lo and behold - the gold cased wonder.

I pressed the home button and the lock screen flew up.

"Roman what's your phone password?"

"Hmm?"

"The password to your phone."

"Whyyy you need t'at?" Roman slurred, not bothering to even open his eyes.

"So I can call someone to pick you up and take you home," I rolled my eyes.

"Oh. Okayyy," he said.

I waited.

"Roman," I reminded him after a long pause. "What's your phone password?"

"Huh? Whyyy you need tthhaat?" he muttered sleepily.

"Oh good grief nevermind," I said pressing the emergency call button. Surely he's got someone in his emergency contacts.

...

Or not, I realized, seeing absolutely no one in his contacts that I could call to pick him up or even tell me where he lives.

I can't just leave him...

I guess... I'll have to take him back to my apartment...?

----------

"Roman. Roman," I said poking the sleeping boy awake.

Roman let out another tiny whine, refusing to open his eyes. "Wha?" he slurred, voice low.

"You gotta walk for a bit."

"Nooo-"

"I am not walking into my apartment building with a guy who looks seven different kinds of intoxicated."

Roman pouted but I guess was too stubborn to argue, forcing himself to stand shakily.

I lead the way, occasionally checking behind me to make sure he was still following.

This... This was insane! Was I really taking him back to my apartment?

I pressed the elevator button, silently willing it to come down faster.

Rumors have already been flying around about me - all about the heartbroken gay man in the building that turned stone cold when his boyfriend -

Needless to say, I didn't need any more rumors: stupid people claiming that I had finally snapped and gotten an escort or some other crazy thing. Geez. People like to gossip.

The elevator finally opened and thankfully it was empty. "Come on, Roman," I said, waving him forward.

Roman stood there, looking dazed for a second before winking at me. "If you wanted to get me alone you could've just asked," he tried - a sad attempt of flirting.

"Shut up you moron," I said yanking him inside before the doors closed.

I crossed my arms over my chest, as far as I could possibly get from Roman who had barely made it inside before the door closed. He had plopped himself on the floor and was leaning against the wall and the elevator slowly took us to the third floor - the floor my apartment was on.

"Come on," I said, nudging him with my foot. "Here's our stop."

"M'kay pretty purple boy," Roman muttered, dizzily getting to his feet. "Carrry meee," he begged, poking my shoulder.

"No. Just... No."

"M'kay how 'bout thisss?" Roman slurred. "I make it all the way door and you KISS ME."

I raised my eyebrows at him, scanning him. He was barely standing. There was no way he was going to make it to the door anyway.

If he even remembered it by the time we got there.

"Fine."

With that, Roman had a spur of energy following me to the door - face dark with concentration as he merely focused on getting to the door. But I couldn't help smirking at the way his head started nodding off along the way.

And then we reached my door.

"Yay," Roman muttered sleepily collapsing against me, hands gripping the cloth of my hoodie. "We did it. Hooray," Roman muttered.

I stared at him, grunting at the effort to unlock my door and keep Roman upright.

"Walk," I grunted shoving him off. "Couch is like ten steps in front of you and on the left."

Roman nodded sleepily, only crashing into right wall once. He didn't even bother to swing all the way around, merely tossing himself over the arm rest from falling asleep... just like that.

I sighed, tossing his bag on the other end of the couch.

What have I done?

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Point of View: Roman, First Person

I flopped unceremoniously over the leg of the couch, exhausted. I... was... so... tired. I move forward, sliding so that I actually was on the couch.

"Roman."

I let out a tiny whimper, but forced myself to twist and flip over onto my back, wincing sleepily up at the purple haired stranger.

I gasped in surprise at his closeness, face only a foot or so away from my own.

"I promised you that kiss, didn't I?" The dark stranger said, voice low and smirking as he leaned forward, sliding his hand under my chin and guided his lips to mine.

It - It was the most magical thing in the world - so much passion I found myself pulling him down on top on me, mind not able to comprehend a single thing but the - the need for close, closer, closer.

I gripped the dark strangers shirt tightly, tangling my hand in his pretty purple colored hair. The stranger climbed over me, deepening the kiss. I couldn't help the small sound that came from me - a sound I didn't even know I could make - when the stranger rolled his hips into mine and the world went orange, lost in pleasure. Lost in his hands, lost in the pleasure, lost in lust. I felt the stranger smirk at that, breaking the kiss, and all I could think was closer, closer, closer ---

My eyes flew open with a tiny, gasp.

...

Of course it was a dream.

I groaned, sitting up and letting my eyes adjust to the bright sunlight, coming from my left - leaving me wincing and blinking quickly, trying to get my barrings.

Wait... Where was I?

I slowly shoved the fuzzy, dark purple blanket off my legs, cautiously rising to my feet, looking around for anything familiar, panic starting to step in.

"Morin', Sunshine," a voice said and I spun around to see the pretty purple haired stranger, leaning against the wall, a container of strawberries in his hand. He seemed unsurprised to see me, popping a strawberry in his mouth. "You want one?" he offered as I stood there in silence.

"Wha-What am I doing here?" I asked, frowning and crossing my arms over my chest, trying to hide my nervousness. Had we...

The pretty purple boy rolled his eyes. "The coffee shop closed and you were in no shape to make it home alone. I actually tried to take you home, but you were... uncooperative. So I brought you to my place - came right in and was out in an instant," I felt my cheek heat up in embarrassment. Man, I didn't remember anything from yesterday. How much of a fool did I make of myself? I didn't even want to know...

"I got couple eggs if you're hungry," purple boy said. "Bathroom's down the hall, first door on the right. But -you uh, might wanna call someone and let them know where you are."

I froze at that.

"Oh my stars Patton! I was supposed to call him!" I yelled, frantically patting my pockets down, searching for my phone.

"Here," the pretty boy said, holding my phone out to me. "I charged it while you were sleeping, but it kept shutting down - you kept getting a lot of notifications. Should be fine now though."

I took my phone from him, being careful to make sure our hands didn't touch. When they didn't I pressed the power button and groaned, waiting impatiently for my phone to come back to life.

"So," I said in the semi-tense silence between us. "So you... saved me?" I said, grinning.

The purple boy frowned at that, brushing his bangs over his eyes self-consciously, not responding.

"Might I at least know the name of my hero - you dark, purple prince?" I tried. "'Pretty purple boy' is a bit of a mouthful," I persuaded.

Purple boy rolled his eyes at me, shoving his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. almost looking amused that I had even asked. "Nice try," he said, taking a few steps back and walking into his small kitchen.

I obviously followed.

"Ah - are you granting me full creative control with whatever nickname I decide on?" I pushed, grinning.

"No," he said, spinning around to face me, jabbing his index finger at me. "No, because this was a one-time thing. You are going to call your friend to come pick you up, and then we are never going to see each other again. And everything will go back to before," the man said, eyes flickering away from mine at that last part.

I smirked at that, going silent. "Alrighty, Hot Topic."

"Roman -"

"You know my name!" I protested, insanely curious now. "It's only fair I know yours," I argued.

"Yeah - not happening," the man said, turning away from me.

"I insist, Mister.... I'm afraid I'm going to need your name."

The man didn't even bother to give me a response.

I sighed, giving up momentarily and glancing at my phone, swiping away many, many Instagram and Snapchat notifications. I'd check them later.

I couldn't help the gasp the tiny gasp that escape me at what was left.

(24) Missed Call from: Dad!! :D

Oh my stars...

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I will forever love sleepy, loopy Roman. XD

- Max :)