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Chapter 4 - Date

[a/n the band sings two songs! one of them is just bullshit i made up and it's called no/w/here because i said so. but the other one is 3 o'clock things by ajr. 10/10 bop would recommend

actually go check out all of ok orchestra because its all bops. all of them. trust me.]

Janus and Roman sat on a bench in the park, quietly sipping their coffee. "Thanks for, uh, asking me. To do this, I mean," he said.

"No problem," Janus said smoothly, winking. "You're cute, I've had my eye on you for a while."

Roman felt a blush crawl up his cheeks and he stared at his shoes. "You don't have a soulmate?" he asked.

A rush of air passed through Janus' lips in a small 'pffft' sound before he laughed. "Me? Hell no," he chuckled. "I'm too busy being edgy."

Roman smiled. "You remind me of my roommate," he said, laughing.

"Your roommate?" Janus smirked. "Do I have some competition for your heart?"

Roman glanced back at him, watching as he smiled easily, leaning against the back of the bench, eyes sparkling. "No, no, no," he shook his head, an idea forming in his mind. "I can take you to meet him. Sort of. I'm sure you two will hit it off," he said, grinning.

"You taking me home?" Janus said, grinning. "Aren't you going sorta quick there, Ro?"

He shook his head. "Not going home," he said, checking his phone. 10:47. They could probably still get there in a reasonable time, listen to the last few songs. He'd drag the details out of Virgil, and the place was only a short walk. He grabbed Janus' hand pulling him up. "Come on," he said, grinning as the two walked along, their fingers buzzing at every place they touched.

Roman pushed open the door, hearing the faint noises of someone singing. He turned back. "Tell me if you want to go, alright?"

"If I've got you, I can handle anything," he returned, smiling in an attempt to cover up his nervousness.

Roman squeezed his hand, leading him into the room.

"...'Cause we were nowhere," someone chanted from the stage, "and we're now here!"

"Now here!" the crowd echoed.

Roman wove through the crowd, checking back every few seconds to make sure Janus was alright. They got to the middle of the room, a little bit to the left.

"Nowhere..."

"No! Where!"

"..and we're now here!" 

"Now! Here!"

The last chords of the song echoed out, and Janus whispered into his ear in the middle of the people around them, sending a shiver up his spine. "Which one's your roomie?" he asked.

Roman nodded. "Guy on the drums." He watched and Janus's expression turned from interested to confused to a small frown. He looked over at Virgil, who was indeed sitting at a drumset, those signature fingerless gloves covering the backs of his hands. He said it was because Remus said it helped promote his 'player' aesthetic. Or something. 

Roman figured it was actually because he didn't want anyone - not even Roman - to know if he had a soulmate or not. He'd never seen him with them off.

He pulled the microphone down to his mouth, clicking his sticks together. "Thank you guys for coming out," he said, earning a cheer from the crowd. "Our hour's almost up, but Remus convinced me to put one last one in, so..." He trailed off, shrugging and glancing at the others. His eyes traveled across the crowd. "Cover of 3 O'clock Things, AJR, because I don't-" He stopped suddenly, his gaze landing on Roman, who smiled and nodded for him to keep going. Virgil cleared his throat quietly. "I don't know how to say no," he finished smoothly.