The Sanders Sides III

6 - Conflicted Feelings

The Sanders residence pulsated with the chaotic energy of a typical game night. Patton, perched precariously on the edge of the couch, vibrated with nervous excitement, his controller clutched in his white-knuckled grip. Logan, ever the strategist, meticulously planned his next move on the sprawling board game that occupied the coffee table. Virgil, shrouded in his usual aura of brooding mystery, sat silently across from Logan, his expression unreadable.

Roman, perched on the armrest of the couch next to Patton, surveyed the scene with a theatrical flourish. "Ah, friends, rivals, and the ever-present threat of controller rage! Tonight, we gather once more to do battle in the glorious realm of..." he paused dramatically, checking the game box, "Super Mega Space Wars!"

The guys groaned in unison, a sound that was both affectionate and exasperated. Roman, with an unrepentant grin, launched into a convoluted explanation of the game's rules, his voice rising and falling with dramatic emphasis.

As Roman droned on, his gaze drifted across the room, and for a fleeting moment, it landed on Virgil. The dim lighting cast long shadows on Virgil's face, highlighting the sharp angles of his jawline and the faint furrow in his brow as he concentrated on the game.

Roman felt a jolt, a prickle of something he couldn't quite define. It wasn't the first time he'd found himself inexplicably drawn to Virgil's quiet intensity. There was a depth to Virgil, a hidden well of emotions that Roman, with his flamboyant personality, could never hope to fully understand. Yet, it was that very mystery that intrigued him.

He quickly tore his gaze away, a blush creeping up his neck. He shouldn't be staring. Virgil was... complicated. And Roman, well, Roman was dating Delilah, the effervescent ball of sunshine who filled his life with laughter and shared dreams.

Just then, Patton let out a triumphant yell, having successfully obliterated Logan's carefully constructed defenses in the game. The room erupted in cheers and groans, effectively shattering the moment and pulling Roman back into the present.

He forced a laugh, joining in the playful banter as the game continued. But the memory of his stolen glance lingered, a tiny ember sparking in a corner of his mind. Roman brushed it aside, attributing it to the competitive energy of the game night.

Yet, as the night wore on, and laughter echoed through the Sanders household, Roman couldn't help but steal another glance at Virgil. This time, their eyes met for a brief moment, a flicker of something... unexpected... passing between them. Roman looked away quickly, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs.

The encounter left him shaken. Game nights were supposed to be about friendly competition, not confusing stares and unspoken emotions. Roman shoved the incident to the back of his mind, focusing on the game at hand. But a tiny seed of doubt had been planted, a seed that would continue to grow in the fertile soil of his ever-curious mind.

A month and a half had stretched into a blur of game nights, movie marathons, and late-night talks. The comfortable routine had shifted subtly, a new layer of unspoken tension weaving itself into their interactions.

Patton's Pining:

Patton, ever the optimist, remained blissfully unaware of the emotional earthquake rumbling beneath their seemingly platonic friendships. He found himself drawn to Logan's sharp wit and quiet intelligence. He loved their late-night philosophical discussions, the way Logan could dissect a problem from every angle, his voice a soothing balm to Patton's ever-anxious mind. Yet, he buried his feelings deep, convinced they were one-sided, a secret melody only he could hear.

Roman's Revelation:

Roman, on the other hand, had undergone a journey of self-discovery. The fleeting attraction to Virgil had morphed into something deeper, a complicated tangle of emotions he couldn't quite define. He found himself drawn to Virgil's stoicism, the hidden well of emotions simmering beneath the surface. He longed to understand him, to crack the code of that brooding exterior. But Roman was still with Delilah, their relationship a comfortable routine he hesitated to disrupt.