It's Just Business (COMPLETED)

Chapter 45

WARNING: Kinda homophobia.... kinda? You-You'll see

"Oh dear Lord, why are you here?" Mina asked, looking up.

"Well, I was just... Virge said that Aaron-"

"You're not meant to be here until 4pm, Film Star." Mina said, rolling her eyes.

"So... I'm not allowed to sign in?"

Mina blew her fringe out of her eyes and grabbed the register from under the desk. "Yes, you're allowed to sign in but you're not meant to be here this early." She raised her eyebrow at Roman. "You aren't processing any of this, are you?"

"Uh, no."

"Jesus Christ, did you get any sleep last night?"

Roman opened his mouth, thinking back to the memory-nightmare-dream thing. "Kind of."

"That's not an answer to 'did you get any sleep'."

"I got a little bit of sleep."

Mina sighed. "I was expected one of you to be sleep-deprived but you? Really? Mr I've Got My Life Together?"

"I'm in theatre, Mina. I'm pretty sure that's the first implication that my life is not together at all."

Mina nodded. "Fair point. Just sign in and get gone. I've got some very exciting paperwork I need to finish if I want to keep this shitty job."

Roman thought about pointing out that Mina was technically the one who had started the conversation but then decided it was better to have two working eyes instead and shut his mouth. He signed in quickly and left.

Virgil looked up from his phone as the door to the rehearsal room opened.

"Hey Princey." He said, a lot calmer than he felt, and looked back at his phone.

"Where's Aaron?"

Virgil shrugged as Roman sat down. "Said he was gonna go get some coffee or some shit. Sorry he didn't get you anything, we didn't know you were coming."

"Was I not meant to be here?"

"No, you were. But with your record of... skipping out on things, shall we say, I wasn't expecting a miracle."

"Jesus, you sound like Number Five."

Virgil looked up at Roman but didn't say anything.

"Back online again?" Roman asked eventually, breaking the awkward quiet in the room.

"Mhm."

"Aren't you worried about bad reviews?"

"No, I'm actively seeking them out."

"Seriously?"

"Yep."

Roman stared. "Why?"

"Because I feel like shit today and I love to torture myself." Virgil said with a casual shrug, as if this was a normal thing to do.

"Sunshine, that's not healthy."

"I'm aware."

"Then why are you doing it?"

Virgil shrugged and looked up, not looking at Roman but more through him, not meeting his eyes. "You don't really want or need an answer to that."

"Okay, Master Jedi." Roman said, waving his hand around. Virgil laughed.

"You think that the Jedi Council would have enough patience for me? Please, I'd be a Sith, let's face it. If I even was Force sensitive. Aha!"

"What?"

"I've found one. I mean, it's more of a shitty Tweet but still." Virgil cleared his throat. " 'Van Leer Rose is just another example of the gays taking over the media. It's not even a good show, it's just gay and that's an excuse, apparently'. Oh grow up, Ken." Virgil finished, rolling his eyes.

"That wasn't so bad."

"Yeah, it was just a shitty Tweet, like I said." Was it just Roman's imagination or was Virgil more closed off today? Virgil sighed. "D'you ever regret it?"

"Regret what?"

Virgil shrugged. "What happened. With us."

"D'you?"

"Sometimes."

Roman blinked and looked down at his hands. "You probably already kinda know my answer, huh?"

"Is that a fancy was of saying yeah, you do regret it?"

"N-No. I don't regret it, well most of it, but... I'm just an idiot and... yeah."

"Yeah, you are an idiot." Virgil said. Roman rolled his eyes, eager to move on from the taboo subject Virgil had brought up kind of out of the blue.

"Wow, thanks."

Virgil laughed. "It's a compliment, believe me Princey."

I don't know what this chapter is. It's kinda rushed, just a little bridge chapter. I'm gonna try for one or two or five more pining chapters and then I'll probably wrap this story up.
Bye,
Blaize