(a/n: y'all,,,, this + q&a, and then it's over holy—

stay tuned though! im really excited for this q&a because we get to reunite with declan lol

ALSO! SONG IS IMPORTANT!)

One week passed way too fast.

Virgil woke up that morning finished with his teenage years.

Twenty.

That was weird. He felt like he'd been a teenager forever, even though he played a much older man every night.

He stepped out of bed, and while brushing his teeth, he checked his phone, seeing texts from all his friends wishing him a happy birthday. He replied to all of them and spit out the toothpaste.

Then he flopped back into bed.

Roman, unlike the others, sent him a voice message instead of a text.

"Good morning, gorgeous, and happy 20th! It probably feels strange but you'll get used to it like the rest of us old people. On the bright side, one year until you can drink and five years until you hit your midlife crisis, am i right? Anyway, today is your day. Fucking live it up. Also, check your mailbox. Love you so much!"

Still in his pajamas, Virgil opened the door of his apartment and quickly emptied his mailbox, bringing the letters inside. Some were ads or coupons, or bills that he didn't want to look at, but then he saw Roman's. He didn't have to flip it over to see where it was from to know it was Roman, because the envelope was glittery and strawberry scented with little crowns drawn on the side.

He tossed the other envelopes on his coffee table and opened the one from Roman.

He expected a long cheesy love letter, because that was exactly what Roman was planning on doing, but instead there was simply a sentence.

Go to the room where you started your Falsettos journey.

He changed quickly and got into his car, driving to the rehearsal building, specifically to the room he auditioned in.

"Hello?"

It was empty.

Sudden piano chords began to play and it made him jump. There was the accompanist playing the intro to "What More Can I Say?" while the cast filed out from the connected room to the left.

And Roman entered, wearing the most extra red velvet, gold lined, suit Virgil had ever seen in his life and his jaw dropped. His cheeks heated up at the sight and he immediately felt underdressed.

"Are you really flash mobbing me right now?" he asked.

"Only a little," Hellen whispered.

Roman began singing.

Virgil got lost in his every word.

When he sparkles, the earth begins to sway. What more can I say?

"No homo though, right?" Virgil joked.

Roman didn't want to stop singing, but he slipped in a very quick "no homo, bro" after a few lines, and Valerie handed the new real adult a bouquet of roses of red, pink, and white.

If I say I love him, you may think my words come cheap. Let's just say I'm glad he's mine; awake, sleep.

Despite how slow and sweet the song was, Roman managed to fit a few pirouettes and hold a deep maroon rose between his teeth, shining a seductive smile for a second.

I'll try to stay calm, untie my tongue and try to stay both kind and young.

A present box was shoved into Virgil's hands, making him jump.

I was taught: never beg or shout. Still, it's hot just like how you read about.

Virgil put his arms around Roman's waist and pulled him close, listening to him sing out of sync to his heartbeat.

And also caring, and never too uncouth.

That's the simple truth.

He sunk in his boyfriend's hold.

Can't you tell I have been revised?

It's so swell, damnit, even I'm surprised.

We laugh, we fumble...

We take it day by day.

What more can I say?

The song was sung to him eight times a week, but when Roman did it, it felt like the first time.

Everyone in the room applauded and cheered when the pianist finished off the last few chords dramatically.

Virgil grabbed Roman by the sides of his blazer and kissed him deeply, running his fingers through his hair. "I love you so much."

"I love you too." Roman grinned. "Happy birthday!"

A cake sat on an extravagantly decorated cart being rolled in by Patton and Logan.

"Baked you a little something for your big day!" Patton rolled the cart to its place and fumbled with his hands.

The cake was two layers, covered in light to dark purple ombré frosting. Carefully frosted flowers and small stars decorated it. On top, over and under the candles, wrote, "Happy 20th birthday, Virgil!"

And right in the middle were two candles forming the number 20.

Logan lit them because he didn't trust Patton with the lighter. "Happy birthday, Virgil." He nodded to the actor.

Then came the dreaded happy birthday song.

But the room was full of musical theatre actors except for Patton and Logan. The actors bursted into a full harmonized piece. Logan barely even made any sound. He was a director and not a performer for a reason.

Aside from Roman, Patton sang the loudest and didn't care.

Then it was over and Virgil put the present he was still holding onto the floor.

I wish for this year to be one of my greatest.

Virgil blew out the candles.

Everyone sat on the floor and ate cake together except for Logan, who decided to stick to letting Patton occasionally feed him a couple bites. He didn't care for sweets too much, and didn't want that to change his diet.

Finally, Virgil finally got to open the large present.

"It's from all of us," Scott explained.

Inside sat a rolled up poster of the entire cast in costume on the Broadway stage, a few cute cat toys for Dorito, two cat pillows (one from Roman, the other from Patton), a couple vinyls from different cast members, and a signed copy "to Virgil" of Too Much is Not Enough by Andrew Rannells.

"Who got me this?!" Virgil gasped as he grasped the book.

Logan held up his hand with a faint smile.

Virgil nearly died prematurely.

"I'm never going to be able to plan a birthday party as great as this!" He covered his face with his hands. "Fuck, you set the standards so high!"

"Of course." Roman kissed his cheek.

Twenty.

Twenty years.

And so many more to go, but not enough.

It was terrifying.

When he stared at the ground, letting it really hit hard, Roman held his hand.

Virgil looked up at him and his friends who'd become his family. Theatre really did make a family.

Everything will be alright.

Eight times a week, he would hear it.

He was a Broadway star at twenty.

Everyone huddled together for a group hug, as they did at the end of each show, but Virgil, playing Whizzer Brown and all, could never be a part of it, but he was there now and that was what mattered.

New York City was his home.

He turned into an adult there.

He became a star there.

So, in the warmth of his boyfriend and best friends, he thought again:

Everything will be alright.

♡

FIN