Trustfall || Sanders Sides Equestrian AU

Chapter 32 - If You Can Face It

Virgil would have liked to think that the following week was completely normal between him and Roman. No, he was pretty sure it was. Roman almost woke Emma up when he called that night. And since he had nowhere else to talk to him, Virgil resorted to hiding under the covers and whispering into the phone, which made his friend mock him the entire time and try everything in his power to get him to lose it. Virgil couldn't remember the last time they stayed up on call until three in the morning; everything had been so hectic for so long, that every possible routine in his life had been broken. And before he could find the courage to call him himself and restart their tradition, Roman got ahead of him.

There was something comforting about the both of them being an exhausted mess when Virgil arrived the next morning to find Roman waiting for him at the school gates. And so his favourite part of their routine was back and ready to pick up the pieces that the past few weeks had shattered his life into.

There was only one thing that was different, and that made Virgil's skin crawl. Because when he arrived at the gate and their eyes locked together in a smile, an entire series of fireworks launched in his stomach and messed up his brain.

Right. That one little part.

"Back to civilian life, I see?" Roman chirped.

Virgil battled back a smile. "Oh, shut up... I needed a couple days off, that damn show drained me of the last bit of energy I had left."

His teammate nudged him and almost caused him to tumble over. He quickly remedied the situation by grabbing his shoulder and stabilizing him again, and the touch sent a shot of electricity rushing through Virgil's arm and painting his face scarlet.

"Jee, sorry!" Roman said. "Didn't know you were that tired."

"Don't do that again today."

"But it's simply so tempting to just... topple you over. I have so much power right now."

Virgil chose to be the bigger person and not "feed into that energy today", as Roman himself would call it. Instead he dragged his feet through the gates, and his friend joined his side, tucking his hands into his pockets. He was almost... glowing. His posture was upright and steady, and he had a content resting face that made him seem as if he was simply appreciating his environment as he walked.

"You look happy today."

Virgil was too out-of-it to even notice his own words when he spoke, until it was too late.

"Uh... yeah. The show gave me a lot of food for thought. And everything you said."

"Everything I said?"

The light in the corridors was way too flashy for Virgil's tired, fuzzy eyes when they walked in. He thought he couldn't possibly feel more exhausted until now.

"You were right." Roman squeezed his fingers awkwardly around the strap of his bag. "Trigger really has moved on a long time ago. And I think I'm ready to do the same."

Virgil gathered bits and pieces of courage to look up and meet his eyes. "That's... that's awesome, Ro. I'm proud of you."

Roman blinked a little too fast, and a smile that perhaps had the tiniest bit of shyness climbed up his lips. He broke eye contact. "Oh- thanks. I guess I'm also proud of me. It's just... I know I'm ready to try to move on. I just don't know if I'm ready for the annual show. The one with- you know."

"First step of moving on, Roman," Virgil said. "You don't avoid the words. The one with what?"

"The one with... the thing that... you know."

Virgil captured his eye contact again. His eyes were still golden. Ever since he noticed it, he couldn't unsee it. He pushed the thought as far back as he could, and instead sent his silent message through the contact.