all the world's a stage // prinxiety ✔

♡ 11 - hang out ♡

Virgil and Roman sat on Virgil's couch in his apartment. They ate candy and drank soda together.

"What's Declan like?" Roman asked to be nice, even though he didn't want an answer.

"Oh, he's great."

Shit, Roman thought.

"He's really sweet and stuff."

"Great!" Roman said. "Anyway, are you ready for opening night next week? It's going to be amazing!"

Virgil smiled. "I think I'm ready. It's my first time on Broadway so I'm super nervous, but it'll be fun. I've always wanted to pull out Nancy Reagan from behind the blocks."

"It's my first time too, but you're really young, so it'll be fine if you make a couple mistakes. Plus, during previews, mistakes matter less."

"I'm young to you? You're in your last year of college and I'm in my third!"

"Your third?"

"Yeah. I'm only 19 but I skipped a couple grades and I started college early."

"Just when I thought you couldn't get any cooler."

Virgil blushed at the compliment. "Well, uh, thanks."

They stayed silent for a while, but they didn't mind too much because they started watching the Falsettos 90's bootleg.

"Barbara Walsh or Stephanie J. Block?" Roman asked.

Virgil gasped and replied with, "How can I choose? Have you seen Barbara's 'I'm Breaking Down'? Stephanie's is great too, but I prefer Barbara's version. But just as actresses, I can't choose my favorite."

"Agreed."

During The Chess Game, Virgil, as if he wasn't already crying, grabbed a box of tissues and shoved three tissues in his face.

"Aw, Virgil," Roman laughed, even though he was crying too.

"I'm not crying, you're crying!"

It turned out that Virgil would become emotionally drained very quickly and as soon as Falsettoland (Reprise) ended, he cried himself to sleep in a few seconds.

Roman was still awake so he scrolled through Instagram for an hour or two. Maybe three.

Maybe more.

The teenager woke up slowly. "Hey, Roman?"

"Hm?"

"I'm hungry."

"Do you have ice cream?"

"Mhm."

"Do you want some?"

"Mhm." He nodded and gripped a pillow tightly.

Roman opened Virgil's freezer, and there sat way too many containers of a bunch of different ice cream flavors.

He grabbed three containers and two spoons and set them down next to Virgil.

"Thanks."

Roman gave two of them to Virgil and had one for himself.

"You get me," Virgil laughed.

"Just want you to be relaxed. Opening night is pretty soon and what you don't need is more stress. I care about you... a lot."

"Me too... Oh man, Declan would be mad at me for saying that."

"Saying that you care about me?"

"Yeah."

Roman raised his eyebrows. "That's terrible. How could he be upset over that?"

"He's just protective is all."

"Protective and possessive are two different things."

"He's not possessive! He told me he's under a lot of pressure, and I get that because I'm a total mess too. He just cares about me. Plus, something happened and it's reasonable that he's been really down."

"Virgil, if you're scared of him getting mad because you care about your friend, there's something wrong. End it now before he gets worse."

"He won't. And I'm not dumb, but I appreciate it. I know what to do. He never stopped me from being friends with his roommate, Patton."

"Does he know you're friends with his roommate?"

"Of cou-" He paused and realization slapped him in the face. "...no."

"Does he know about your other friends?"

"I don't really have other friends here. I still text my friends from Maine since I moved, but... I don't think he knows."

Roman nodded. "Think about it."

"You can't be suggesting that I'm in an abusive relationship," Virgil said defensively, "because I'm definitely not. I can handle it. Now that I'm 19, I can take care of myself. I'm not a kid. What De's doing makes sense. He's super stressed because of that recent event and lonely and I want to be there for him."

"What's that recent thing that you keep talking about?"

"Well, I don't know if he wants me to say... but it's been really hard for him. He says he's trying to get better, so I want to help him and give him a chance."

In that short conversation, Virgil had almost finished his two bowls of ice cream.

"Well..." Roman said. He shoved off his jealousy, but it still lingered. "Whatever he's going through, I hope he's feeling better soon."

"Me too."