(Human AU)

    Roman waked down the street, eyeing the Starbucks on the corner.  Does he really want to go there for the 32nd time this week? He let his eyes wander around the street, trying to find someplace new.  "Spoons and Stables looks promising,"  Roman thought, crossing the street towards it. 

     He opened the door to the restaurant, taking in the smell of what could only remind of France. He sat down at a table and took in the aesthetic of the place, a warm brick building that made him feel like he was back in Paris with his family, his little sister was only 11 at that time. Now she's 16 and learning to drive-

    His thoughts were cut off by the voice of a waiter. 

   "Excuse me, sir, can I get you anything?" the waiter asked, writing something down on his paper. 

    Roman took in the sight in front of him. The man had a diamond piercing in his right ear and tattoos scattered all around his neck and possibly his back. Roman had high hopes that this man was attracted to men, for he had what appeared to be the LGBTQA+ flag tattoo below his left ear. 

    Roman didn't notice how long he was staring till he accidentally made eye contact with the man. He must have noticed all the staring, for he was staring right back at him with tinted cheeks. 

   Roman coughed awkwardly, "Can I please just have water for now? I'd like to look at the menu." 

      "Of course! That'll be one ice water-Oh shoot! I'm sorry, do you want ice in your water?" The man asked, scratching things off in his notebook before dropping the entire thing in general, quicking kneeling down to pick it up with red cheeks. 

    Roman smiled warming at the man, "Yes please." 

    The man relaxed, obviously grateful for how patient Roman was being. "Ok, coming right up," the man said, walking off to grab the water. 

Roman's eyes scanned the menu, but all he could think about was his waiter. He was extremely attractive and how easily flustered he was made him adorable. Roman's mind was already brainstorming a million ways to ask him out when a glass of water was sat by his hand. 

   "There you go," the man chirped, sitting the glass of water down and grabbing his pencil up from off the ground where he clumsily dropped it, "Anything else for you today?" 

     "I'll have today's specialty," Roman said, closing his menu and trying to look like he didn't just completely wing his order. 

   "Excellent choice," the waiter smiled, grabbing the menu and going to tell the chef what Roman wants. 

"Ok, when he gets back, ask him for his name and see if you can get his number. Then, strike up some small talk till you find some common interests," Roman told himself, grabbing some of the condiments to mess around with while he waited. 

    After what felt like three weeks, the man came back with his meal. He sat it down in front of Roman and smiled, "There you are. Also, this is on me by the way." 

    Roman stared at him with wide eyes, trying to think of something to respond with. After what felt like hours of a dry mouth and foggy brain, he finally thought of something semi-smooth to respond with.  "Well, if you're going to pay, you should at least have a bite. Join me, also a name wouldn't hurt." 

    "I don't know, the last time I told someone my name their ears exploded," the man teased, sitting down across from him. 

    "Try me," Roman teased back, leaning against the table between them. 

    "If names are so important to you, why don't you go first?" the man teased, hesitantly grabbing the fork and taking a bite. 

     "My friends call me Princey, but my real name is Roman," Roman said, smiling. 

    "Well gee, I wonder why," the man said with an eye roll and smile, glancing down at Roman's outfit. Roman had forgotten he walked into the restaurant his very formal looking coat and red sash. 

    Roman looked down and blushed, "I forgot to change before coming in, this is for a movie I'm doing," he murmured. 

    "That explains a lot, I thought that maybe you were a lost crackhead that found a royal coat at a thrift store," the man teased, feeling butterflies in his stomach as Roman grinned sheepishly at him. 

"Oh he is just a big softy, isn't he?"  Virgil thought, placing his chin in his hands as he stared fondly at the man in front of him. 

    "Hey-can I have- can I get your number?" Roman stuttered, cursing himself for losing his normally calm aroma. 

    "Depends, credit or social security? Because I usually only offer those on the third date, unless you're really cute, then maybe halfway through the second," Virgil teased, trying to quiet down his screaming mind. His anxiety was starting to really bite back and he could feel himself start to overthink this whole conversation. He grabbed the pen that had fallen off the table multiple times now and scribbled down his phone number on the crinkled napkin he found cast aside. 

    Virgil scribbled down his number and placed in front of Roman. "I have to get back to work, sorry," Virgil murmured, heading back to the counter. 

    "Woah, Woah, Woah, wait a minute," Roman exclaimed, running up to him and grabbing Virgil's wrist. 

     Virgil's eyes went wide as he started at Roman. 

    Roman sighed, "I, I never got your name." 

     Virgil let out a puff of air, obviously relieved.  "It's-It's Virgil," he said with a smile. 

   Roman thanked him before going back to his table to finish up what was left of his food. He let his eyes float to the napkin that has Virgil's number on it, pulling in closer so he could type the numbers into his phone. 

    Roman was not ashamed to admit that he spent a great deal of time waiting for Virgil to come back out to take someone else's order, he just wanted to see him one last time before he left. After about fifteen minutes he left, trying to switch back into "Princy" mode. 

   Roman spent most of the car ride wondering when an appropriate time would be to text Virgil. If he did it too soon, he might chase Virgil away by coming on too strong. If he didn't do it within a certain time limit, Virgil might think he's not interested. 

    "Do you hear yourself? You're the great Roman Sanders, why would you be nervous about some guy?" Roman asked himself, trying to act like Virgil was just "some guy" and not a man he has completely fallen head over heels with. 

    After a great deal of thinking and debating with himself, Roman decided to just wait until he finished up with his days work to text him.  From what little he's learned about Virgil in their short half an hour chat, he seems like the type that would still be up at 11 pm, he hoped. 

      "It's not that late,"  Roman scoffed at himself, "I bet 94% of the population is still up at that time of night." 

    "You don't know how early he has to be up in the morning," Roman retaliated his previous thought. 

    "Whatever!" he groaned out loud, "He'll still see the text in the morning!" 

    Trying to ignore the fact that he just actually talked to himself out loud, Roman shoved his phone in his pocket and waited for the work day to be over. 

    Hours later, Roman sat on the edge of his bed, phone in hand as he slowly turns it on and off repeatedly, lost in thought. 

    Does Virgil even want to talk to him? For all Roman knows he gave him a fake number and was just waiting for him to leave. 

   "Well," he whispered to himself, "Only one way to find out." 

       Hey!! It's me, Roman. I'm the guy you gave your number to at Spoons and Stables. Just saying hi. If by any chance you want to hang out anytime soon let me know. 

Roman bit his lip nervously, he felt like an anxious teenage girl. He wasn't used to being so careful about flirting, but Virgil just made him want to actually try. 

    Roman stared at his phone for a while, willing it to make some kind of noise to inform Roman that Virgil responded. When it didn't, he sighed and flipped onto his bed, willing the nervous feeling in his stomach to go away. Roman laid on his side, not even bothering to wrap himself in blankets. He just grabbed a pillow and held it to his chest, needing something to hold onto. 

   After laying like that for who knows how long, he heard the soft ting of his phone going off. Roman reached over lazily to pick it up, not bothering to see whether or not he zoned out or fell asleep by checking the time. 

     Hovers lake. Friday night at 7. See you then-V

  Roman looked at the time, "He sent this message at 2 am?! What the hell?" 

Roman smiled, as much as he wanted to call Virgil crazy, he knew he himself was the same way. It wasn't uncommon for Roman to stay up into the wee hours of the morning rehearsing some of the lines he skipped over, trying to convince himself he didn't need to practice. 

    Roman debated on whether or not he should reply, convincing himself it makes him look less clingy if he just left the message as read. He dismissed the time, grabbing a bag and already getting ready for the date, even though it was a day and 17 hours away. 

(Ok so there will be a part two eventually but now for a while. I know you don't want to read all this but it's all important 

   -Sorry for like never posting. I won't give you reasons because I don't feel like I should have to give you excuses. I could not find time to publish so I didn't and I apologize. In my defense, this one is four pages long and the last one I wrote was three

   -There is another one shot up on here that was once an authors note so go look at that "Steal my heart anytime but even look at my makeup and I will cut you" 

 -HAPPY!!! PRIDE!!! MONTH!!! 

   -THANK YOU FOR 100 FOLLOWS!! I NEVER THOUGHT I'D EVER GET TO SAY THAT!! (Update: 107!) 

   -Should I make a Musical one-shot book? For BMC, NEWSIES, HEATHERS, HAM, and DEH? 

   -I have a lot going on right now and got some pretty bad news so I may not be able to post for a long time. But I promise that I will SPAM you when I finally do get to write)