It's Just Business (COMPLETED)

Chapter 40

"This is going to be terrible, this is going to be terrible, this is going to be terrible, this-"

"Are you okay, Virge?"

Virgil glared at Roman, more anxiety in his eyes than anger. "Yeah, of course I am." He said, still managing to be sarcastic.

"Right, yeah, stupid question. Let me rephrase that. What's wrong?"

"It's the first night," Virgil said slowly, "and I can't remember my fucking accent. Or any of my lines."

"Hey, hey, calm down." Roman wanted to put his arms around the smaller boy, to protect him, but he knew Virgil hated physical contact of most kinds. "Look, we all get nervous before a first night. But that's what gives the first night a bit of zing."

"Zing?"

"Okay, um, look, I don't know how to explain zing, all I know is that it's a word. But everyone forgets lines and choreography and stuff like that before a performance but it all comes back when you actually get out on stage."

Virgil bit his lip. "You're sure?"

Roman nodded, trying to smile reassuringly despite being as worried inside. "Positive."

"Okay." Virgil nodded, taking a breath and letting it out slowly, trying to calm down. "Okay. Thanks, Princey."

"No problem. It's normal to be nervous. Especially when you're acting opposite the lead."

"Oh, are you nervous too, Princey?" Virgil asked, fake worry creeping into his voice. "Because you don't need to be. I'm not that scary of a lead."

"Oh, you have no idea." Roman thought. "You're name isn't even in the title." He protested out loud.

"The title is Van Leer Rose, Roman. That's sung by Loretta Lynn, who's an American singer."

"That proves nothing!"

"Everyone, we've got two minutes." Ace said, grinning nervously. "Get to starting positions and break a leg."

Roman and Virgil looked at each other. A certain understanding passed between them. Not that it was that hard to understand. It was time.

"What is your problem, Green?"

Roman laughed. "I think I'd have a lot of problems, El-"

Virgil glared at him. "My name is Elliot."

"El, my problem is you stole my school out-" Virgil laughed, cutting him off.

"Your school?" He laughed. "Oh give it a rest, Green." Virgil leaned forwards on the desk he was sitting on. "You may have been king of the castle but there's new royalty."

Roman glared at Virgil before leaning forwards and kissing him. He knew it was a stage kiss, it really didn't mean anything, but it still felt wonderful. He knew he was just playing a character but it still brought back a whole wave of memories from when he was younger and his and Virgil's first kiss in the park.

Virgil pushed him back by his chest. He stared at Roman.

"Green, what the Hell?" His accent slipped a little, probably from surprise, but Roman doubted that anyone in the audience noticed.

"I... I just-"

"I would've expected better from the self-proclaimed king of the school." Virgil grabbed Roman's face and kissed him again. There seemed to be a collective sigh from the audience, as if they'd all been holding their breath.

The curtains closed and the show was finished.

"I can't believe I did that! I can't believe we did that!" Virgil said excitedly, brushing his hand through his hair. "That was amazing. I actually got through the whole play with the accent!" He looked at Roman. "You were pretty good for a love interest, Princey."

"Wow, thanks."

"Hey, that's high praise." Virgil said, brandishing an eyeshadow brush at Roman. "Just wait til the reviews come in, then we'll see."

Roman laughed a little. "Um, hey Virge?"

"Mhm?"

"Can we talk?"

"Can it be quick? Cause I'm 99% sure that Remy and Issac came to see this show and, if they did, Remy's 110% waiting at the stage door and I don't want to be late."

"Uh, right, yeah, it can be quick."

"Mkay." Virgil closed his black eyeshadow and turned to face Roman, looking more like himself now. This was going to be a lot harder than Roman had anticipated.

"Did you... feel anything from that kiss? On stage, I mean."

"The first one or the second one?"

"Uh, first one?"

"I felt surprised, if that's what you mean. Cause we'd never done it before. That what you meant?"

"No, like... anything anything?"

"You mean... emotions, sorta thing? Like, love and stuff?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Did you?"

Roman bit his lip and didn't answer.

"Oh." Virgil looked down before looking back up at Roman. "Well, I didn't. It's just business, Roman. It doesn't... mean anything."

"Yeah, yeah, sorry. It was a stupid question."

"Yeah, well, I gotta go and... yeah." Virgil didn't look Roman in the eye as he left the rehearsal room and went down the stairs.

"You're so stupid, Roman." Roman muttered. "Of course he didn't feel anything from it. It's just business."

You have no idea how excited I was to write this. Yeah, that's right, you don't get an apology A/N. Because I crave death a lot more than I did in YNATFILWM.
Bye,
Blaize