Ch 1 of "a set of lies agreed upon," Roman/Jeryd, Roman/Shiv, rated E. The start of a Gothic story I call the Twinverse AU.
"My dad's 80th birthday is next week." Other than his mother, Roman never talks about his family, and Jeryd's taken the hint not to ask too many questions. All Jeryd knows is that Roman has siblings and a father in America: no details, no names , and he's been respectful enough not to try to find anything out on his own. "Ken thinks I should go. I haven't been back since his 75th."
Jeryd nods, sits back to give Roman the space to think it out if he wants to, but Roman looks at Jeryd, prompting, as though he'll have advice. "Let's go." It's the best Jeryd can offer. "I haven't been across the pond in a year. I wouldn't mind going back."
Roman reacts with genuine surprise. "You want to come with me?" Jeryd tilts his head at him, an ironic nonverbal Are you serious?, and Roman digs in. "My family is fucked, Jeryd, you don't want to spend a day and a half with them."
An AU where Shiv is a guy and Roman's twin, focusing on all of the history between them and their family that's been buried for decades.