Park Bench (Prinxiety AU)

Chapter 21 - Virgil

December 9

That morning I woke up in a bubble of warmth, my entire body pressed against Roman's. He was still asleep, mumbling something about dragons under his breath, and one of my arms was trapped under him. I had no idea what to do. If I moved, he'd wake up, and he'd definitely say something to embarrass me over this.

Thankfully, and slightly to my horror, I felt Roman stir under me before I had the chance to do anything whatsoever.

I clamped my eyes shut and schooled my face into something peaceful.

We laid there for a while silently, but just when I started to wonder if he had actually woken up or not, he carefully shuffled away from me and out of the bed. I held my breath all the way until I heard my bedroom door closed.

----------

Breakfast went smoothly.

Well, sort of.

Patton's 'World Famous Pancakes,' as he'd lovingly put it, managed to keep my mind steady for a while. They were actually pretty good, if you scooped off the mountain of chocolate sauce and ate around all of the burnt parts. My resolve cracked, however, when Roman and I made eye contact across the table. He gave me this private little smile and then looked away, all shy and maybe even blushing, and suddenly I was falling head first into the recent memory of his arms around me.

Why did he stay in the bed so long?

Why did he act so weird when he got back to my room?

Why was he looking at me again?

"Well kiddos," Patton said and stood up. "I'd better clean up a bit!"

"Let us clean, you cooked!" Roman tried, but Pat was already out of the room and at the sink before he could even finish getting the sentence out. Without saying anything, I grabbed mine and Roman's dishes and brought them to the kitchen. He didn't follow me, but I could hear him leave the table as well.

I tried to ignore it.

Patton gave me a knowing look as I dropped the plates on the counter, which I tried to ignore as well.

When I walked back to the living room, Roman was on the floor with the heap of Christmas lights on his lap. He was so deep in focus that he didn't even notice me. "Oh, you didn't-" I said, and he looked up at me. "You um, don't actually have to do that. I was kidding."

He shook his head, smiling. "Call it a thank you," he said with a shrug and returned his attention to untangling the lights.

"For what?" I asked.

"Letting me stay last night, duh."

I rolled my eyes. "As if Patton would have ever let you go out in that weather."

He met my eyes again. The look he gave me was painfully soft, warm in contrast to the cold light pooling in through the windows. "You know that's not what I'm talking about," he said quietly. My heart tightened in my chest.

What could I even say to that?

You're welcome? No, that doesn't feel right.

You can sleep in my room whenever you want to? No, that's just creepy.

I think I want to wake up next to you every morning for the rest of my life? I mean, maybe a little true, but again, creepy.

The moment seemed to pass by on its own, and I left before he could say anything else too mushy. I rushed to my room, where I could freak out and maybe scream into a pillow without the scrutiny of beautiful brown eyes to judge me.