To they who introduced me to Much Ado About Nothing:
You have created a monster

Roman glanced up as the door opened. He half rose from his seat until he saw who was being pushed through the door. Then, he slumped back down in his chair.

Virgil stumbled into the room, blind-folded and led by his cousin.

"Pat- Pat, where are we going?" He asked, turning his head from side to side. Roman thought he looked like even more of an idiot and felt a smile grace his face for the thought.

"Okay, stop." Pat said, grinning like an angel but with the intent of the Devil. They glanced at Roman and pressed a finger to their lips. "You can take the blind-fold off now."

As Virgil fumbled with the knot, Pat picked up their skirts and ran from the room. Virgil pulled the blind-fold - Roman realised it was his tie - off as the lock clicked in the door. Virgil saw Roman and his smile dropped.

"You?"

Roman smiled slightly, sitting back in his chair. "Me. Care for a seat?"

Virgil didn't reply, instead turning on his heel and nearly running into the door. He rattled the doorknob and pounded the door with the side of his fist. He shouted his cousin's name and threatened and pleaded and Roman watched it all.

This hadn't been what he'd wanted. If he'd had his way, he would've left Pat's house and never seen Virgil again. He would have been perfectly happy never seeing the unfairly beautiful lord again. Even if he had captured his heart for a second time.

"Right." Virgil leaned his head against the door. "I'm going for the window."

"No!" Roman jumped out of his seat before he registered what he was doing. "I mean-" He sat back in his chair as he searched frantically for a good insult. "Wouldn't want your brains dashed on the cobbles. They're the only good grace you have."

"Which is more than you've ever had." Virgil said snippily. He sighed and took a seat opposite Roman. "What do you want?"

Roman shrugged. "Same as you. To get out of here."

"Then why don't you blow through the door? You're built like an ox, you should be able to knock it through."

"Logan said I had to wait here for a 'surprise'." Roman rolled his eyes. "If I had known the surprise was you, I would've done exactly as you suggest."

Or worn a more flattering waistcoat.

Virgil watched him sceptically as he looped his tie round his neck and knotted it. Roman had to force himself not to stare at the pale, quick fingers and instead glared Virgil in the eye. Another bad idea, as Virgil's eyes were a stupidly wonderful shade of grey.

"Why do you care so much whether I go for the window or not?" Virgil asked, smoothing his collar down. "It's not a far jump and you'd be rid of me if I did end up falling wrong. Your - what did you call me?" He grinned smugly. "You would finally be free of your 'Lord Disdain'."

Roman shrugged. He wasn't exactly ready to admit he cared for Virgil rather a lot. He probably wouldn't ever be ready.

Virgil let out a surprised laugh and a small 'Oh', drawing Roman out of his thoughts. While Roman had been inside his own head, Virgil had got up and gone to the window. Thankfully, the blasted thing was locked and Virgil was just looking out of it instead.

"What's 'oh'?" Roman asked, pushing himself out of his chair and going to stand next to Virgil.

"Nothing, it's just..." Virgil trailed off into a small laugh. He gestured to a bench covered with low-hanging honeysuckle. From the ground, it would be completely hidden.

That's where Roman had hidden when he'd heard Logan talk with his brother about... about...

"You want to know something funny?" Virgil asked. Roman shrugged.

"I doubt you have a funny bone in your body but go ahead." Roman said, just to find something to say. He'd become different levels of speechless over time around Virgil.

"A few weeks ago, I overheard a rather interesting conversation of Pat and Remus'. I never expected my cousin to fraternise with your brother but I digress..." Virgil pointed to the bench. "That is where I hid. Do you know what they were talking about?"

As Virgil put his hand down on the window-sill, it fell onto Roman's hand. Warning signs were going off inside Roman's head and his heart was beating so fast it felt like a war horse. Still, he swallowed and mentally smacking himself and tried to keep calm.

"How would I know if I wasn't there?" He asked scathingly.

"They were talking about you." Virgil reached up to tug on his shirt sleeve and his hand left Roman's. Roman swallowed.

"I mean, you can hardly expect them to talk about anything else." He said. Better to play into the confident, egotistical adversary that Virgil preferred to think of him as than try be anything else.

Virgil hummed sceptically. "One would've expected them to find a more intelligent study, however."

"Why are you bringing this up?" Roman asked, trying to sound bored. He didn't need Virgil knowing he actually gave a damn about their conversations, let alone enjoyed them.

"Because, despite not being an intelligent study, it was sure an interesting one." Roman could see Virgil trying to hide a smirk. Considering Roman could see that, he wasn't doing very well. "They were talking about how you actually care for me rather deeply. But, of course, they mustn't tell me because I'd tease you into oblivion."

Roman felt the bizarre desire to laugh. His brain seemed to have frozen while trying to process what he'd just heard.

Remus. It had to be Remus. Sometimes Roman wondered how he was related to that imbecile.

"Princey?" Virgil asked, snapping Roman out of his thoughts with a smirk and a light tap on the shoulder. "Care to answer my question?"

Question?!

"Um- er- I..- What-?" Roman had never stammered over his words to this extent before. Maybe being speechless was better.

Virgil laughed under his breath. The sound was almost fond.

"I asked you if it was true." He said. "They said you love me to consumption, you were almost sick with me." Roman opened his mouth to protest. "But then that would mean some great irony, wouldn't it?" Virgil tilted his head, waiting for Roman's answer. Roman didn't say anything. "One bachelor who's afraid of love falling madly for one who isn't."

"I am not afraid of love!" Roman managed to choke out. "And if we're going to talk about overheard conversations, I heard a rather interesting one about you." Roman turned back to the view out of the window. If he looked at Virgil any longer, he'd probably do something he'd regret. Like blush.

"Logan and Remus claimed you harboured a secret for me as well." He said. "That you loved me to distraction, almost to death."

Virgil scoffed. "That is the most ridiculous-"

"They had the evidence from Pat as well. Pat found writings in your hand. Half-done letters, rather terrible sonnets from what I've heard-"

"You have no taste in literature." Virgil snapped cuttingly. Roman felt a laugh curl his lips into a smile.

"All outlining your love for me." He finished slowly. "So I'll answer your question if you answer mine. Were they lying?"

Virgil glanced him up and down. He tilted his head to the side. Calculating. Was it worth it?

"Virgil?" Roman prompted.

"They weren't wrong about the subject but rather the magnitude." Virgil admitted, almost bitter about it. He turned away, also looking out of the window. "I do not love you to death, merely enough to pity you."

"Pity me?" Roman repeated incredulously. "Whatever for?"

"For your love for me." Virgil said. "It is a poor subject for such eternal profoundness."

"A poor subject?" Roman asked. He laughed. "There is none finer. And as for the so-called 'eternal' profound nature of whatever Remus claimed, I doubt it was as serious as suggested."

"None finer, eh?" Virgil teased. Roman's eyes widened as he realised what he said. He turned away from Virgil and went to sit back in his chair.

"Hold on, Princey." Virgil grabbed his hand. "None finer?" He repeated again. "Expand upon that?" Roman opened his mouth to reply but Virgil pressed a teasing kiss to his knuckles, very effectively shutting him up.

"Princey?" Virgil asked. Roman glared at him and pulled his hand out of Virgil's. Virgil laughed. "You're blushing." He commented. "None finer?"

"I mean in principle!" Roman spluttered. "Rich, smart, handsome, cultured, who wouldn't want all of that in a lover?"

Virgil blinked like he'd been caught off-guard. "Handsome?" He repeated.

"Only in principle..." Roman mumbled. Virgil scoffed.

"You're an idiot." He rubbed his eyes. "You're such an idiot, I can't believe... Whatever." He sighed and pushed himself onto the window-sill, his back against the window. "You said Remus probably over-exaggerated. What about Pat? You know them, my cousin gets excited but they don't exaggerate."

"You're really sure about that?" Roman asked moodily. He leant against the wall, arms crossed, refusing to look at Virgil.

"I bet you want to know what they said about you, huh?" Virgil asked. Why did he have to know Roman so well?!

Roman rolled his eyes and sighed, the picture of boredom. "Go ahead, then." He said. "If you must."

"They said you would rather be the perfect lover for me. We would be the talk of the town, if only we could stop arguing for long enough." Virgil tapped his fingers absently on the window sill. "And the thing is, I rather agree with them."

"Pardon?!" Roman jumped and stared at Virgil. He was grinning.

"Only in principle, of course."

Roman's look of surprise turned to a glare. "Alright." He said, turning back to the room. "If only in principle, why?" He uncrossed his arms and pressed one hand onto the window sill, silently hoping Virgil would take it. He probably wasn't brave enough to make a move like that himself.

"Well, in principle, someone with such a wit as you would be rather an exciting partner." Virgil said. His fingers brushed Roman's and Roman felt his heart miss a beat. If it missed any more beats, he'd probably pass out.

"One would never get... bored." Virgil was taking his time, choosing his words carefully and his tone of voice was doing maddening things to Roman. "You are quite the talker and I've heard your singing voice. Not the worst, in fact it's rather bearable. And I'm sure you can do much more interesting things with your tongue than just talk."

Roman choked on air at that.

"And you must have at least half a good mind rattling around in that head of yours," Virgil continued as if he hadn't made Roman flush bright pink, "otherwise you'd never be able to keep up with me. In principle, I think you would make quite a good partner."

Roman blinked. Virgil had stopped rather abruptly and he was still trying to wrap his mind around what he'd said.

"In principle, we'd be quite good together." Roman said eventually. Virgil nodded slightly.

"Only in principle, though." Virgil said. Roman nodded hurriedly in agreement.

"Precisely." He said. And then hesitated. "Though, I do wonder. How much - in principle, of course - would you love me?"

"In principle?" Virgil repeated. "To distraction. What about you?"

"Only in principle," Roman tried to find the words, "to death and beyond."

Virgil nodded slightly, pink blooming in his cheeks. Roman looked away quickly, also blushing.

Virgil's hand crept over Roman's hesitantly. Roman interlaced their fingers.

The end. That's nice. That's really nice, I like that.
Bye,
Blaize