Call It Home - Prinxiety [COMPLETED]

Chapter Nineteen: Late Night Video Calls

At night when Virgil can't sleep, he likes to light candles around his room and do something to occupy his mind. Usually, he sketches; not because he's particularly creative or talented but simply because it helped soothe his anxieties. Sometimes when his brain refused to shut up, he would divide a piece of paper into sections and fill each section with a different pattern. 

Fortunately, he wasn't driven to drawing patterns this night, but he was sketching. It was late, just after midnight. His father was asleep for certain but he wasn't. Virgil was awake. He had a headache that made him wince as it throbbed suddenly. A sigh of defeat escaped his lips as he realized it was unlikely he was getting any sleep. 

On the bright side, it was raining. The gentle fall of the raindrops against his bedroom window made him a little calmer. Rain was always calming, but now, it held a very special place in his heart. It made him think of the clock tower of Hogwarts. It made him think of the wonderful moment he shared with Roman. The memories it caused to surface were always pleasant.

Virgil smiled a little to himself as he thought about the day in the clock tower. He'd opened up to Roman that day. He'd known him for several months. He'd told Patton, Logan, Val, and even Emile about his mother's death in detail. Everyone in the group knew of his late mother, but he'd only opened up to select people. In the clock tower, he'd just felt he could trust Roman. 

He couldn't describe the feeling he'd experienced. The warmth in his chest, the fluttering of his heart, the inability to stop smiling afterwards... Virgil wasn't the kind to fall for people easily. It had been several years since he'd experienced those feelings, the beginnings of love.

A smile spread across his lips as he continued to sketch. Their date had been about a week ago, and since then, they'd been texting each other a lot. He couldn't say he was in love with Roman. They hadn't been together or known each other long enough, but he could say for certain that he was falling for him more and more with each day.

A buzzing broke him from his thoughts, making him flinch. His phone had received a text message from the Gryffindor. He blinked in surprise; he was rarely up passed 10 p.m. because he liked to get up early to go for a run before it got hot.

My Prince <3: Hey, you up?

You: uh yeah but why are you awake? you never stay up late

My Prince <3: Well... I just can't sleep tonight. For some reason, I'm just restless...

Virgil frowned at his phone in concern and quickly sent a question of if he was alright and if he wanted to talk about it, but Roman seemed to be dodging the question. When Virgil called him out on it, he finally came clean.

My Prince <3: Okay, okay! I just miss you... That's all... It's hard to go from seeing you pretty much every day at school and then not see you for a week or longer. I want to go on another date with you, but when I do stay up late, my mind betrays me. There's not enough distractions at night, so I start getting worried about thinks that are ridiculous, like you not wanting to talk to me anymore. 

My Prince <3: You know what that's like... right?

The boy looked sadly at the message. His heart was twisting in his chest in a way that was almost painful. He set his jaw firmly and felt a surge of determination. He got up from his bed and walked across the room where his laptop sat. He opened it and opened Discord; he'd managed to convince the Gryffindor to download it.

He clicked the video call button and sat waiting as it rang. After a couple moments, a confused and disheveled Roman appeared on his screen. "Uh, hey?"

"Of course I know what that's like Ro," Virgil rushed out, feeling his own anxiety levels increasing. "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner? Did I screw up somewhere to make you think you couldn't talk to me about this?"

Roman shook his head, his eyes wide. "Oh god no, Virge! I didn't mean to freak you out, I'm sorry," he said, looking guilty. "I should've considered that this would hurt you..."

"To hell with me, I'm worried about you!" the other boy said.

The Gryffindor appeared stunned but slowly a smile spread across his face. A low chuckle came from his end of the call that grew into a fit of giggles. "God, I'm sorry for laughing, it's just- we're idiots!"

Virgil blinked. "Sorry what?"

"We're both so worried about the other that we're ignoring our own needs," Roman explained, shaking his head. "Which is just going to make the other more worried."

"Oh..." he said softly in realization. 

The both looked at each other through the video call before grins broke out. Virgil chuckled softly as the Gryffindor laughed. After a few moments, they just sat in a comfortable silence together. Roman smiled fondly leaned forward on his elbows.

"You know I really like you too, right Roman?" Virgil asked quietly. "Regardless of all those paranoid thoughts or worries... I really like you and... for the first time in a really long time... you give me hope." He sighed and prepared himself to open up a little more. "I haven't tried to be in a relationship since my mother died because... I was in a serious relationship with a boy, but he..."

"Virge, you don't have to tell me this-"

"I want to," he reassured him, nodding. "The boy's name was Janus. He... His parents were the Death Eaters who killed my mother."

A silence fell over the room and the air suddenly felt much heavier as Virgil breathed deeply to keep from crying. "He didn't have a part in it... in fact, he refused to help them, which is why they killed him too..." he barely whispered.

"God... why would you tell me this when I can't hug you?" Roman murmured, looking devastated. "I'm so sorry..."

Virgil shook his head. "It was years ago... I'm... I'm better now, because of you. You... You gave me hope when I didn't have any. I didn't think I could ever feel these things again after what happened to him, but I do. I really, really like you Roman."

They shared a moment of eye contact before he sniffed and regained his composure.

"Which is why, if your brain ever tries to convince you otherwise, I will always be willing to text you, call you, video chat with you, whatever, to make sure it knows how wrong it is," he finished.

"I feel just as strongly about you, Virgil. I truly hope you know that," Roman replied. "I'm pretty much an open book, so I can't prove it by sharing my secrets or opening up like you did, which was so incredibly brave. I know you don't agree with the sorting system, but I think the amount of courage you just showed would've been enough to put you in Gryffindor."

Virgil laughed a little as he reached up to wipe his eyes. "If you say so, but I'm still not reckless enough for that."

"Either way... I... I won't use the word, because I'm not sure I'm ready to, and I think it's too early to use that word if I'm honest," he said seriously. "But just know that I'm in, I'm ready to see how this goes. I think it'll get there. I think this will last."

They both smiled and then Roman yawned. "I forgot.... I don't stay up this late," he managed.

Virgil got an idea. "You're on your phone right?" he asked. The Gryffindor nodded. "Well take it over to bedside table and lie down."

Once he'd done so, Virgil began to hum softly and soothingly. Roman's face turned to one of pure fondness as he relaxed against his pillows and closed his eyes. Virgil continued to hum and sing a little until he saw the princely boy's breathing deepen and his face go slack with sleep. He smiled a little to himself. "Goodnight my Prince."