Virgil knew this was a bad idea from the moment he left home.

He pulled the cape closer to his body, the slight chill of early winter taking him once again by surprise. He supposed it would've been wiser to have dressed for a colder temperature, but alas, there he was, looking down at his boots as he kicked the small amount of snow in front of him as he walked. The snow was just so bright against the black of his boots that Virgil couldn't take his eyes off it.

Or he didn't want to.

Because if he looked up he would be hit with the inevitable question of 'What are you doing? Do you really think he was serious? That he would even consider your company when he has several better people to be with? He's only acting this way because you're above him, he's afraid that you would exile or execute him if he wasn't kind to you.'

He knew nothing of it was true, but it still hurt to think about. He knew it wasn't true, Roman had told him so several times. If not through words (which were more than enough), than through his actions, through the way his eyes would wrinkle at the edges when he smiled at him or the way he would lean in and fix something crooked with Virgil's outfit or the way he would always ask if Virgil wanted to share his lunch with him, even if there was never enough for two people (though when he brought pancakes, Virgil couldn't say no).

He sighed, kicking the snow far harder than he had first wanted. Well, that was that. If Roman had indeed been joking he would just have to run back home, hide under the covers and throw the pressed forget-me-not he kept between his books in the fire.

Simple as that.

But, he knew it wouldn't be that simple, he knew he would look at the flower and hold it between his hands and promise himself that he would only hold it for another minute while he tries to hold back tears. Now, that would be a more likely scenario incase anything happens.

"But nothing will happen.." Virgil whispered to himself, quiet enough so that anyone near him wouldn't hear him, but loud enough for himself, because he needed to hear that, even if it was in his own shaky voice and not too convincing tone.

It was just nice to hear it out loud for once.

He got shaken out of his thoughts as he approached a flurry of noises coming from what seemed to be a rather accurate depiction of how Roman had described the town hall to him.

Okay, this was it, he was actually going to do this. He was going to go in there and find Roman and everything would be alright.

He hoped. 

He took a deep breath and walked towards the building, the music and laughter getting louder and louder with each step he took. He peeked his head inside the building, his eyes taking a few seconds to get used to the amount of colours and the rapid movement of the crowd. 

He gripped the frame of the door, taking a deep breath because there was so, so, much there. He gulped, eyes scanning the room for Roman, because he had to be there, he couldn't have dropped Virgil in a completely new environment without being there, right?

Virgil looked around the room, eyes moving rapidly among the crowd, anxiety growing every second he kept looking. Not by the buffet, not by the bar, not there, not there. God, where was he?

Virgil took a deep breath, pushing down any sign that he was anything but indifferent and pulled his hood over his fringe.

He decided to take one last look and leave if he couldn't find Roman, so he could get to (not) burning the forget-me-not before he could change his mind. 

Virgil nearly let out a sigh of relief when he finally found Roman, unsurprisingly on the dance floor.

Of course, why would he be anywhere else?

Virgil immediately relaxed, his grip on the door frame loosening, a small smile creeping it's way up to his lips.

Virgil liked to think of himself as a person who paid attention to detail. He always noticed when Roman wore the black hairpin he had given to him so long ago (and if it made him smile just a little wider, that was for only himself to know) or when his dad was wearing the blue ribbon necklace or when Logan tapped his fingers on the table far too aggressively . 

But now, even if he tried to, he couldn't pin point something specific about Roman. His eyes kept moving from place to place, from the way his hair was slowly slipping out of the hairstyle Roman had probably spent hours on, to the wide smile on his face and the way he laughed, like there was no tomorrow, to the dark red vest he was currently wearing and Virgil wanted nothing more in that moment than to be in his arms and dance in their own little world.

He looked so vibrant, so full of life, so beautiful and Virgil was too far gone to care that he was staring. 

Well, perhaps he did care, because the world did seem to come to a halt when Roman looked his way, his eyes widening and an almost shocked look on his face as he himself stopped, stumbling after a few seconds. And if Virgil had any bad thoughts about Roman not wanting him there, they vanished completely, because Roman excused himself out of the dance (rather awkwardly)and a he looked up at Virgil, the happiest expression bloomed on his face, his eyes almost twinkling as he stepped closer to him and Virgil felt his heart hammering in his chest.

"Hi" Roman whispered and all the noise from the crowd of people was completely drowned because Virgil couldn't concentrate on something else when Roman was right in front of him, smiling brighter than all the stars in the winter sky. 

"Hey" Virgil didn't manage to say anything else, because his voice was stuck in his throat and he was smiling so widely that his cheeks were already aching.

"Come on, let's go outside" Roman placed his hand on his upper arm, leading him out of the building and Virgil would've followed Roman to the end of the world at that moment, because he felt like he had swallowed the sun.

They weren't even a few steps outside, when Roman swept him up into a hug and Virgil laughed, as he was put down. Roman almost immediately threaded his fingers through his hair and Virgil couldn't help the joyful little sound that escaped his mouth, because Roman was there, he was there and he was resting his forehead against his and his hands were tangled in his hair.

Virgil's hands fluttered for a moment, but he hesitantly cupped Roman's cheeks, his thumb brushing over his cheekbone, which turned out to be a fantastic choice, because Roman let out a beautiful little sigh that was almost a hum and Virgil's heart trembled.

"You came!" Roman whispered, brushing his nose against Virgil's so softly and Virgil felt his knees weaken.

"Yeah" he said, far too overwhelmed for a better answer, because Roman was so close and he was there and holding him so tenderly that Virgil wanted to do something devastatingly stupid like kiss him.

"I didn't think you'd make it" he said, voice hushed and tender, as his fingers moved slowly through Virgil's hair, up to his face, to gently cup his face and Virgil would've been lying if he didn't let his mind wander for a few seconds, wondering if his touch would feel different if Roman actually...

No, no need to dwell on that.

"I tried my best to get here..." Virgil's words faded as Roman pulled away slightly, looking down at him with such adoration, thumb brushing slightly along his cheekbone and Virgil's hands were still cupping his face and, god, if Virgil hadn't already been besotted with him, he sure would've been now.

"...as quick as I could"

Before Virgil could apologize for any lateness-or earliness, on that topic- Roman sent him another one of those smiles that made Virgil's heart completely melt.

"I'm so happy you managed to get here." He said and Virgil would never confess, first the cold feeling at Roman 's hands leaving his body, then the relief and warmness when they settled on his waist, skimming up and down his sides.

And if his heart skipped a beat and his face warmed up at feeling Roman's hands there that was his business and only his.

"I missed you" Virgil blurted out, his mind only after catching up to his words. He had no time to regret them though, because Roman's eyes widened slightly, before grinning and sweeping Virgil into a hug, arms wrapping around his waist and lifting him off the ground. Virgil couldn't help the small laugh that escaped his lips as Roman put him down.

"I suppose you've missed me too?"

Roman rolled his eyes jokingly and squeezed slightly at Virgil's waist - an action that did not make him inhale sharply and his words get stuck in his throat.

"Yes, I have" Roman paused for a few seconds, eyes scanning him so thoroughly that Virgil would've been mortified if it was someone else. "A great deal"

Virgil hummed, moving his hands slowly from Roman's face to move to his rest on his shoulders, stocking the slightly surprised expression on Roman's face and the light blush that now adorned his cheeks in the depths of his mind to marvel at later.

Roman hesitantly pressed his forehead back against Virgil's, letting out a shaky breath and closing his eyes and Virgil followed, relaxing into the touch.

At that moment, Virgil decided that, sometimes, pretending wasn't that bad.

a/n  : OH MY GOD I FINALLY FINISHED THIS CHAPTER!!!!