8:50pm

People who use the word "ain't"....go home

Trigger warning: cheating in a relationship

AU
—

Virgil didn't really notice at first. Well, how could he? The first few months of his and Roman's relationship they didn't even live together! They would hang out during the day, and never did he find Roman to act suspicious, or text anyone on his phone Virgil didn't know, nor did he ever see Roman hanging out with someone new or "hidden away" from him.

But...it quickly changed. Months into the relationship, Roman wanted to "test the waters" - aka live with Virgil for an entire week to see if the relationship would work out if they lived in the same house. And it did! They were both happy and content in each other's presence, never had arguments that ended in tears, only small petty fights that they quickly overcame.

Virgil was finally...happy in a relationship, he's been in many that ended poorly, and it took him awhile before he could even trust Roman to be his friend, let alone boyfriend, so Roman had his complete trust, and Virgil knew he wouldn't break it

That was until Roman frequently left during the evening. It started off only once or twice every two weeks, and every time he came back with a small bag of food, so at first Virgil assumed he was just doing some late evening shopping, but...it got worse. Sometimes Roman would leave after Virgil had fallen asleep! And would come back in the morning tired and disheveled.

He didn't want it to be true, Virgil loved him so much and he couldn't bare the thought that Roman might be...cheating on him. Of course, he would see why, Virgil was very slow in relationships, and wasn't someone for public displays of affection, and not really a social type, the complete opposite to Roman. It was obvious Roman would find someone better, but Virgil wished he would find that person and not cheat.

"I just..don't know what to do, Pat" Virgil sighed out, trembling slightly on the bench he and his closest friend sat on. They decided to meet in the park so Virgil could explain the entire situation to him, Patton trying to compress the anger he felt bubbling inside of him. He had met Roman once or twice, and never would he have expected someone like him to cheat.

Wrapping an arm around his shoulders, Patton pulled him into a comforting side hug. "Maybe you should talk it out with him, Kiddo, staying quiet will only make the situation worse" he replied softly, watching his face as he spoke, Virgil visibly wincing when he heard the word "talk".

"If you can't do it alone, I can be there with you!" Patton offered, smiling softly at Virgil who rested his head on his shoulder, hugging him back loosely.

"Thanks, Pat..."

The two decided they would confront Roman at the end of the week. For now, Virgil wanted to just...enjoy the last few days he would have with Roman. It was stupid, but Virgil was smitten with the flamboyant man he called his boyfriend, and apart from the possible "cheating" he couldn't ask for someone better. But..not all nice things last, right?

It was Thursday evening, Virgil was cuddled up to Roman on their bed, head resting on his chest that moved up and down steadily along with his gentle breathing.

He didn't want this to stop. He didn't want this to end. He wanted these nights to go on forever...he didn't want this to be the last...but after confronting Roman about his thoughts and suspicions, he's sure Roman would leave him.

"I love you" Virgil found himself mumbling, moving his hand from his jacket pocket to rest across Roman's waist, pulling himself closer to the warm body of his boyfriend.

"I love you too, Dearest" Roman replied without hesitance, his voice soft and believable. No wonder he was the best actor in town...that is, if he was lying, maybe he isn't, maybe he's doing something else! Maybe...maybe...or, maybe he is just cheating.

A little time passed by, Roman reaching over to pause the movie, making Virgil furrow his eyebrows and sit up, body still mostly draped across Roman's. He turned on the lamp, and brushed his hair to the side, looking hesitant and suddenly nervous. Oh god...was he about to admit it?

"Virgil, there's something I have to tell you..." Roman drifted, shifting his body position so he was leaning against the headboard at a better angle, Virgil slowly moving away from him to the other side of the bed, covering his hands with his long sleeves.

This is it...

"What?"

"I..." he drifted, chuckling with no humour, unable to stare Virgil in the eye as he spoke. "I feel like I'm...betraying your trust by not telling you something that..happened" he explained slowly, pausing a few times to find the right words. He wanted this to go well, and didn't know how Virgil would react. Does he just...blurt it out? Would Virgil be mad? Upset? Sympathetic?

"Tell me, Roman" Virgil urged, ready to hear his confession and leave the house and spend the night at Patton's. If he predicted what Roman was about to say correctly.

"I know you noticed how often I leave the house during the evening..." Roman began once more, turning his body so he faced Virgil entirely, sitting on his legs like Virgil was. "And...I feel like now I should tell you why" Roman smiled weakly, leaving the bed to slip on a pair of shoes and a warm jacket. Standing by the doorway, he watched Virgil stare at him with narrowed eyes and a closed off expression.

"I want you to meet someone"

"I knew it" Virgil muttered, sliding from the bed to stand opposite Roman who faltered, bringing his eyebrows close in confusion. "Wh...what?"

"I don't want to meet whoever you're cheating on me with" Virgil spat, grabbing his phone from the bedside table before marching past Roman, barging him out the way so he could leave the room. Roman stood in the doorway shocked, unable to move as he tried to understand what the fuck just happened.

"N..no, Virgil!" Roman yelled, sprinting down the staircase to catch him just in time, closing the door before he could leave.

"It's not like that!"

"Then what is it, Roman?" Virgil yelled back, tears brimming his dark eyes that glared at the man he loved.

"I...I have to show you-"

"I don't want to meet your fucking-"

"Please, Virgil!" Roman raises his voice over Virgil's already loud one, staring at him pleadingly. Huffing, Virgil clenched his jaw in anger, crossing his arms as he contemplated whether or not to follow him. It would be a stupid idea, maybe Roman would even suggest the idea of having a three-way relationship! Nothing wrong with it, but Virgil didn't want that, he wanted Roman to himself. Call him selfish, but that was how relationships worked!

Clicking his tongue, he sighed, staring at the door. "Fine" he eventually muttered, "but don't expect me to stay"

Roman nodded, reaching out to hold his hand but Virgil recoiled, making Roman deflate a little but he understood. The two got into the car and Roman drove down the dark streets lit up by the street lamps on either side. Virgil texted Patton the situation as he understood it, telling him to pay attention to his location just in case.

Not really paying attention to where they were going, Virgil jolted at the sudden stop, realising they were here.

Looking out the window, he squinted but couldn't really see anything in detail. He saw a large gate in the close distance, but that was about it, as the street light was too far away, and the one closer wasn't working.

"Come on" Roman urged quietly, getting out the car. Hesitantly, Virgil followed, bringing his jacket closer at the sudden cold wind that hit against him gently.

Keeping his eyes focused on the dry ground, Virgil followed behind Roman who opened a gate slowly, holding it open for Virgil to walk in behind him. "Where the fuck are we?" Virgil demanded, staring around the field they stood on.

Roman reaches out to grip his hand, and this time Virgil didn't pull back.

"Close your eyes"

"Roman, I swear-"

"Virgil, you've known me for a year, would I do anything to hurt you?" Virgil could barely see Roman's eyes, but he couldn't lie, he trusted Roman with his life, still. He was pissed off completely, but until Virgil knows for sure, his trust in his boyfriend hasn't gone down by much. Squeezing his hand a bit, Virgil closed his eyes, letting Roman rest a hand on his waist as he guided him across the field, keeping to the path that was almost overtaken by vegetation.

"Here, open your eyes" Roman whispered, Virgil doing so slowly. This time, Roman brought out his phone, turning on the flashlight to reveal...the gravestone sitting before them.

His breathing stopped entirely as he read the name on the grave.

"Logan Sanders
1989 - 2003
A loving brother and son"

Virgil felt his breathing stop entirely, a hand subconsciously covering his mouth as he stared at the grave shakily. Sanders..Sanders was Roman's last name. Whoever this was died when he was fourteen...and was related to Roman...and was born in the same year.

Turning to his boyfriend, his eyes widened in realisation.

"Was this your brother...?"

Roman nodded, sniffling a little as he hurriedly cleaned his eyes. "Y-Yeah" he croaked with a sad chuckle, clearing his throat that felt blocked. "I uh...I should've told you sooner-"

"God, Roman I'm so sorry!" Virgil quickly rushed out, yanking Roman into a tight hug, whispering apologies over and over. He messed up big time, all he wanted to do was show him his brothers gave and he accused him of cheating?! He was officially the worst boyfriend to ever exist!

Roman hugged him back almost instantly, dismissing his apologies, replying to each of them with 'it wasn't your fault ' because it wasn't. It was a big thing for Roman, yes, Virgil was the first person out of his family he ever told about his brothers death, but he could've been less suspicious about it. Thinking back, Roman could see why Virgil thought he was cheating.

"Wh-what about those early mornings you came back-"

"I sometimes accidentally fall asleep on his grave" Roman admitted quietly, glancing at it for a few seconds, Virgil finally noticing the tears from the glint of light that shone down on them from the full moon high above.

"I regret not telling you sooner, Dearest, but it...it's hard" he whispered the end, resting against Virgil who held him up, the more brightly dressed man of the two finally breaking down into quiet crying, the two gently falling to the ground like a gliding feather, holding onto each other like a lifeline, everything else around them pausing as Roman cried and Virgil comforted - to his best ability.

Whipping out his phone, Virgil quickly texted Patton.

- he wasn't cheating

Dad ❤️ - really?! I knew he would never do that...I'm happy for you, Kiddo!

Pocketing his phone, Roman slowly leaned back, cleaning his now wet face while hiccuping every few seconds. Eyes not able to look at the stone beside them, or the man in front of him that rested a hand on his thigh, his own dark eyes full of concern was he watched Roman regain his composure, smiling shakily.

"I wish I told you sooner..."

"That doesn't matter, Roman"

"He was all I had..." Roman carried on, rubbing a sleeve across his nose, choking out his words forcefully. "Th-thank you f-for leaving m-...no-no, I mean not leaving me...I-I can't speak" hiding his face in his hands, he let out a sob that wracked his body, leaning into Virgil who wrapped him up in a hug once more, feeling his body shake like a leaf.

"Don't speak yet, I...you don't have to explain yourself. I can see this is nearly impossible for you, I'm proud of you, you didn't have to tell me and you did" Virgil spoke close to his ear, rubbing a hand down his back rhythmically in a soothing manner, Roman only slumping against him further, sniffling and heaving.

"I'm sorry you lost someone close to you at a young age...I just hope I can be there for you like he was..." Virgil went silent after that, pulling Roman to the tree beside the grave to let the two lean against as the older of the two calmed down, head hidden in the side of his neck, the tears that seemed to be endless finally coming to a halt, but his limbs still shook a bit along with his breathing.

"Do you...do you want to go ba-...back home?" Roman suggested weakly, Virgil shifting his position just a bit to become more comfortable. "We could stay awhile...if you want" he replied back in the same soft voice, Roman slowly sitting up, gulping heavily.

Raising to his feet, Virgil watched Roman kneel before the grave, kissing the top of the stone before whispering something inaudible to his ears, but Virgil didn't really mind, instead stayed out of earshot to let Roman say whatever he needed to say.

"Virgil?"

"Yeah?"

Roman smiled, small but...it was there, and meant a lot "you mean so much to me" he began, eyes traveling back to the gravestone that stared at it in happiness, rather than sadness. "You're my hero" he added with a small chuckle, helping Virgil up from the dry ground, bringing him into a hug. "Thank you"

"Don't-...don't mention it, Puppy. D'you wanna go back?"

Glancing at the gravestone one last time, Roman smiled, leaning down to peck Virgil's lips.

"Cuddle and carry on with the movie?" Roman offered as they slowly walked back to the car, making sure to be respectful to the other graves and to not stand on them accidentally.

"That sounds perfect"

—

HO HO TRICKED YOU ALL YOU THOUGHT MY PRECIOUS BABY ROMAN WAS CHEATING BUT N O O

anyone who makes Roman out to be the bad guy in their stories...I will hunt you down, I will find you, and I will fucking torture you...

Anyway, thanks for reading! :3

10:20pm