Finding The Write Words

Chapter 24

Virgil was exhausted - both physically and socially - by the time came for Patton to get off work, so he went with Roman to pick him up.

He sat in the back seat of the car, head leaned against the window, as he tried to ignore the migraine that was slowly building in his head. The vibrating of the window did nothing to help it, but there was nowhere else to lay his head, and that was something he very much needed to do.

Today had been fun. His date with Roman had left every part of him warm and yearning for more. And when Logan got home, the three of them simply hung out for hours, talking about everything. The idle touches of Logan's hand on his or Roman occasionally reaching over to brush his bangs behind his ear - which he never argued with, but was always quick to correct - had been pure bliss. And he was sure it would have been even more so with Patton there, but it was all a bit much. There was no doubt in his mind that he was definitely going to have to ease into everything.

He watched Roman with love in his eyes as he sang along softly to the showtune pouring from the speakers. If he didn't know any better, Virgil would think there was a trace of anxiety on his face, as if he was trying to memorize the song and was afraid he was going to slip up.

It must be a song from the musical he was starring in.

That made sense.

He found himself drifting off to sleep, his legs curling up underneath himself, the world fading from existence.

He woke up when the back door opened and he looked groggily up at Patton, who smiled shyly.

"Can I sit back here, or would you prefer I sit up front?"

Virgil hummed a response, still barely awake, and patted the seat beside him. Patton's smile grew to a grin and he climbed into the back seat of the car. He leaned forward to press a kiss of hello to Roman's cheek before sitting back down and buckling up.

Virgil laid his head against the window once more, closing his eyes, though he didn't fall back asleep.

"How was work, pattycake?" he mumbled sleepily, smiling softly at the noise of surprise Patton made at the nickname.

If he had known it would be so easy to fluster the three of them, only taking a crappy nickname, he would have started using them a long time ago. Though he couldn't just them too much. He had practically turned red as a fire engine at Roman's nickname for him earlier.

"Good. I'm more interested to know how your date went, though."

He opened his eyes and glanced towards the rearview mirror, meeting Roman's eyes there for a moment, before chuckling. "Good." His eyes drifted shut once more, and he hugged his hoodie around himself. "Did either Roman or Logan text you to fill you in on the situation?"

God, he hoped they had. He didn't want to have to explain it for a third time.

"Yeah, I texted him, Virgil," Roman piped up, and Virgil breathed a small sigh of relief.

"I do have one question about it, though," Patton said after a moment, his voice hesitant.

Virgil opened a single eye and looked towards him through his bangs to make sure everything was okay.

"Where, specifically, do your boundaries lie? Like... am I allowed to hold your hand?"

With a small smile, Virgil reached across the space between them and took Patton's hand in his, twining their fingers together. "Always."

"Am I allowed to kiss you?"

Virgil's blush spread across Patton's face like wildfire, spreading up to cover even his ears and ducking down below the collar of his shirt. His gaze flickered down to Patton's lips for an instant before he nodded, a very slight movement that he wasn't sure Patton saw.

Until he leaned in.

The hand that wasn't holding Virgil's rested low on his thigh and he paused, his lips an inch from Virgil's, giving him time to pull away.

He didn't.

He closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to Patton's. Kissing him was different from kissing Roman, in that he was gentle and hesitant. Roman had been sure of himself, leading Virgil with assurity towards cloud nine.

Patton, however, was much less sure. He squeaked in surprise - even though he had been the one to initiate the kiss - and he paused several times before lifting his hand to Virgil's cheek, cupping his jaw with gentle fingers. When they broke apart, Virgil wasn't sure anymore whether the blush belonged to him or Patton.

Probably both.

After a moment of flustered, love-filled silence, Roman cleared his throat with a soft smile on his lips. "Pat, my sweet, I'm gonna drop you off at the house before I take Virgil home, okay?"

A silent exchange passed between the two of them that Virgil had no hopes of deciphering, and Patton nodded.

Roman pulled up outside of the apartment building the three of them lived in, and Patton hesitated only a second before pressing another quick kiss to Virgil's lips and getting out of the house. Once he was safely inside the building, Roman turned around, looking to Virgil.

"Want to come sit up front, stormcloud? Just wanted to catch another moment alone with you since our date ended a little short with Logan coming home."

He nodded, getting out of the car and coming around to the front seat. After he was in and buckled, Roman started back on the road.

A few minutes passed before Virgil reached over, holding out his hand for Roman's. He smirked softly with a chuckle, glancing towards Virgil for a second, and took his hand.

In that second, where his eyes were away from the road, everything went wrong.

Everything crashed together.

Everything went black.

Everything stopped.