Roman is an aspiring actor but after a rough patch in his career he wonders if he's in the right place...lucky he's a hopeless romantic and when a cute stranger shows interest he decides it might be a good idea to keep trying. Though, it's a little nerve wracking when this guy literally starts grading Roman's seduction skills.
Surprise presentation by a cute subway on a bus gives gay artist renewal in his dreams.
Roman was an aspiring actor! He had everything he needed to be successful! Good looks. Great acting skills. The charisma. The school theater experience.
Now Roman was right where most actors start!
The home of all great celebrities.
...riding to his apartment…
...after working 10 hours from his waitressing job.
With his brother on the other line of a call, laughing at him.
"I didn't-yeah. I did. But it wasn't my fault!" Roman mumbled into his phone. "The bus was delayed because of a manuf issue."
There was more laughter from the other end of the call and Roman rolled his eyes before looking around the packed bus. A man reading as he held onto the railing and Roman was really glad he had managed to get a seat.
"Oh my god. You're doing great!" Remuz told him. "Hey, call me when you need a stunt double."
"Shut up." Roman grumbled, trying to keep his voice low enough that it wouldn't annoy the other passengers.
"Hey, not my fault you suck."
"I don't suck. I'm just down on my luck."
"Nah. You suck." Roman could almost hear his brother's smirk.
"I don't know why I talk to you." He mumbled sliding down the seat slightly.
"Oh, quit your whining! What is it that dad always said?" Remus asked. "Get what you need and the rest-"
"Will follow soon." Roman said, rolling his eyes. "But that's not how things work in the real world."
"Pfft-since when do you live in the real world?"
"Oh shut up. That's not what I meant." Remus told him.
"Oh, really? What did you mean then?"
"You're creative. Figure out a way to figure it out."
"That makes no sense." Roman frowned.
"Oh my God." The waiter rolled his eyes.
"Think about dumbass." Remus said, stifling a laugh. "Maybe a handsome prince will fall into your lap and make your dreams come true!"
"Yeah right." Roman mumbled. "Maybe I should come home..."
"Isn't it a little early to come home?"
"Remus, it's been two y-"
The bus stopped sending Roman's phone flying thanks to the lack of proper grip on it.
Speaking of lack of proper grip. Several other people stumbled or fell and lost their grip. A small child who wasn't listening. A stylish emo. That guy who had been reading. Even Roman's grip on what was happening fell when he realized how cute that last one was. And that he had fallen into Roman's lap.
"Uh, greetings!" Roman said to him. It was a good thing Roman looked good in red because he was positive his face was flushed.
"Oh...uh, salutations." The other stated, adjusting his glasses.
"Uh…" Roman paused for a second, trying to sort through the thoughts that this man had just scrambled by existing.
Book. Book! He'll want his book back! Be a gentleman! Grab it for him!
Roman reached down and grabbed the first flat object he could feel.
"Oh-" Romam took a look at the phone, which was luckily his. "My bad-"
He was given a confused look. "Are you okay?"
"Uh-yes!" Roman told him setting his phone done in the other's lap while he reached back down to grab the actual book. "You just no-look like a teacher grading a presentation."
It wasn't wrong. The man was nicely dressed with a tie and black button up shirt, matched with his piercing eyes, he looked like he was about to grade Roman's performance-
"Ah, well you fail." The man said. Ouch.
"Fair enough, this wasn't exactly my best introduction." Roman admitted.
The other got out of his lap seating himself in the now empty chair next to him.
"Allow me to start over." Roman told him, smiling and holding out the book for him to take. "Do you always fall for pretty men on a bus?"
The man rolled his eyes, barely chuckling. "A pun? You fail twice." He took his book back.
"Oh. Ow. You're crushing me." Roman said holding a hand to his heart.
"That's what you get for failing. Apologies." He shrugged.
"Might I get a reevaluation?" Roman asked. "It's not everyday such a charming opportunity falls into your lap."
The man paused, thinking. "Alright."
Roman hopeful smile turned into a look of confusion when the other pulled out a pencil and paper.
"Firstly, you didn't state your name, which is the equivalent to not writing your name on your paper."
"Then you failed to ask my name. Which is rude in the first meeting scenario."
"Then there was the first pun about falling for men on the bus. Followed by the second about the opportunity falling into your lap."
Roman grew nervous as this man wrote down his notes.
"And offering me your phone instead of my book."
"Though the thought does get you a few points, along with the unintentional humor." The man added, tapping his pencil to his lip while he thought.. "And then you called me an opportunity which I suppose is flattering. On top of catching me when I fell..."
"And then the…" he looked up, adjusting his glasses and smiled at Roman. "Visual design gives a few extra points."
Roman smiled more. "Are you calling me cute?"
He smiled more staring at Roman with a soft and sweetly look that was almost the opposite of the judging teacher gaze that had started this conversation.
"You fail again." He said suddenly looking back at his paper.
"You didn't give your name. That counts as a zero." He shrugged casually.
"I-pfft.." The brunette smiled again. "My name is Roman Kingsley. And you?"
"Logan Berry." He told him.
"So, Mr. Berry. What's my final score?"
"Well. There are a lot of factors that play into your score. I'll have to grade it over the weekend."
"So, how about we exchange contact information and discuss your score over a cup of coffee?" He asked.
Roman smiled. "That sounds great!"
"Delightful. Also, here's your phone." Logan held up Roman's cell.
"Oh!" Roman took back his phone and unlocked it. "Here, you can type in your number-" there was already a call in session.
"Did I accidentally call someone? I apologize-"
"No, I was talking to my brother before the whole bus stopped. Hold on-" Roman put the phone back to his ear. "Remus? Still there?"
"Dude!! What the fuck happened!?! Why did you just stop replying!? You could have at least hung up!" Remus yelled so loudly Roman had to take the phone away from his year.
"Yeah, yeah. I know. The boss hit a sudden stop and I dropped my phone then got to talking to someone-"
"Someone? Ow come on. Bros before ho-"
"Don't start with that!" Roman told him rolling his eyes. "He is not a-huh?"
Roman paused when something slipped into his hand. He looked down at the piece of paper.
"This is my stop." Logan told him, getting up.
"What?" Roman looked around with the sudden realization that the bus had started moving again while he was focused on Logan.
"I'll see you later." The man walked off with a small wave.
"Hey! Who was that? Was that a boy?" Remus asked.
"Uh, yeah. Someone I met on the bus." Roman said looking at the folded paper Logan had handed him.
It was his score, all of the notes that Logan had told him earlier. And at the very bottom of the page was another note, 'See me after class-' Followed by a phone number.
"Hey! You good?" Remus asked.
Roman's smile grew. "Yeah. Think I'll try a bit more in Hollywood before going home." He told him. "Wouldn't want to call it quits so early."
There was a moment of silence.
"Jesus roman. How cute was that boy?"
