Just a Stupid Dare (Ch.10)
Masterpost Ao3 Link tw/cw: mm not any that I can think of? lmk if i need to add any. Note: Hi. Remember when I abandoned this fic for literal months? I panicked bc I didn't know how it was going to end and that stressed me out but it's all good now bc I finally have a completed plotted out story. This also means that when I say 'regular updates', I'm not lying, because I write much better with an outline and so :D (i have BIG things planned ;) )
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Virgil was busy during lunch on Monday, and Roman didn’t know whether Logan would want to see him, so he brought his lunch to the garden behind the school to eat. It was surprisingly nice weather outside, peaceful, if not a bit isolating. It gave him plenty of time to hear the footsteps approaching before he turned around.
Patton stood by the entrance, hands waving by his sides like an idle video game character. He was, as usual, decked out in stylish pastels and way-too-large square glasses perched on his nose. His blondish brown curls spilled out around his face.
“Hi Ro,” he said softly, and Roman patted the bench next to him, a silent invitation to come in. Patton accepted the olive branch enthusiastically, situating himself on the bench and crossing his legs underneath him.
“Logan wanted to say sorry,” he said. Roman nearly spit out his bite of food. He swallowed hastily.
“What?” he asked, because Logan didn’t often apologize.
“He knows he overreacted and he’s super sorry, but to be fair, you know his history with Virgil and he probably felt betrayed that you would willingly spend time around him, even if he has,” Patton hesitated, “...changed for the better.”
Roman perked up. “You believe me?”
Patton hesitated again, fingers absently tracing the pen doodles on his arms. “...I still don’t trust him, but I trust you and if you say he’s trying, then I’ll believe you. I don’t think Logan can, not now, maybe not ever, but I do trust your judgement on this one.”
Patton offered a small smile and patted Roman’s shoulder. “Want to come sit with us instead of being alone out here? Or I could stay with you if you want.”
“You can stay,” Roman said, giving a slight smile in return.
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Virgil caught up with Roman in between classes. He raced up, out of breath, and held up a hand. Roman paused and smiled.
"Hey!" he chirped. Virgil smirked and gave a small nod of his head.
"Hi," Virgil breathed. "Sorry about yesterday, I had no idea they were coming over. I've given them a fake explanation and they seem to buy it for now."
"That's good," Roman agreed. "Remus was being a dick about it so I popped one of his tires."
Virgil let out a shocked laugh. So that's why Remus was in such an irritable mood today.
"Ohoho, looks like someone's got a bit of a rebellious streak. Didn't expect it from the nerdy theater kid, not gonna lie."
Roman rolled his eyes good naturedly. "Glad I could surprise you, the emo nightmare himself, with my heroic feats. I suppose sometimes miracles do come true."
Virgil paused for a moment, thinking. "Since you're clearly not afraid of being a bit criminal," he began.
"I don't know if I like where this is going-"
"How do you feel about going vandalizing later tonight?"
Roman's protest came to a halt, and his eyes opened wider. "...I'm listening."
"Me. You. 10:00 at the skatepark. It'll be a date," Virgil joked.
"You're on," Roman grinned. "See you tonight. Now, if you don't mind, I have a class to attend."
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Virgil had been waiting at the park for about 15 minutes, clad in his black hoodie, before Roman arrived.
“You’re late,” Virgil noted absently, taking in the two skateboards tucked under Roman’s arm. He too was dressed with a hoodie, fraying and dark red, a golden crown stitched onto the front. It suited him.
“Time is a social construct,” Roman said, throwing down one of the skateboard and hopping on, gliding the last few feet over to Virgil before stopping himself with his foot.
Virgil watched him, wide eyed. “...I didn’t know you know how to skateboard.”
Roman snorted. “You don’t?” He paused at the look on Virgil’s face. “Oh, uh- I can teach you if you want?” he offered. “I mean, I did bring two.”
“That would be pretty chill, I think,” Virgil said. He hefted up his bag of spray paints and supplies for Roman to see. “I’ve brought my paints.” He pulled out a pair of disposable gloves and tossed them to Roman. He snapped on his own pair and shook out his arms.
“Come, take whichever ones you want. Feel free to paint wherever, but try not to go over the top of any big and detailed designs.”
“I wasn’t planning on it,” Roman said, shuffling around in the bag. He eventually picked out a gold and a red and puttered off to a blank area. Virgil lifted the whole bag over his shoulder and found a spot near to Roman’s.
He got to work making a storm cloud design, quickly mapping it out and pulling out a few purples and grays. Roman finished his pretty soon and came to sit behind Virgil, watching him work in silence.
When he finally finished and stepped away, Roman spoke.
“That’s so cool, wow.”
Virgil turned around and smirked at Roman’s slightly awed expression, and nudged him up. “Come on, show me what you did.”
Roman laughed, a bright sound in the shadows of the night.
“It’s not nearly as good as yours,” Roman said, leading Virgil to his small design. It was a crown, similar to the one on his hoodie.
“Fancy yourself a prince, hmm?” Virgil teased. “Honestly though, this is really good for your first time ever. I can come back later and touch it up, make it a little more dynamic if you want?”
Roman beamed. Once again, Virgil marveled at how he could emit such a brightness in the gloom of the lonely park.
“Well, come on Princey, I do believe I am owed a lesson in skateboarding.”
Roman might’ve flushed at the nickname, but it was hard to tell in the bleary lighting.
“Still can’t believe that you regularly come to this park to graffiti and yet never learned how to skateboard,” Roman laughed. Virgil half-grimaced, half-grinned, because really, what do you say to that?
“I’m just special that way.”
“Keep telling yourself that, maybe one day it’ll be true.”
“Oh, just you wait, Princey,” Virgil said. “Just you wait,” he repeated, a little sadder than before. “There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me.”