The Academy of S.I.D.E.

No. 31: Prince Nyx

"Stupid," Virgil muttered, banging his head on the wall again. "Stupid. Stupid."

"Y'know, if I were you---and I am---I would be happy about the fact that I have a boyfriend now," Nox said.

"Stupid," he groaned in response.

"Okay, so the confession wasn't ideal. Who the fuck cares? You and Roman are together now."

"STUPID."

Nox threw his hands into the air. "Was I human in a past life? Did I do something to deserve becoming a chaperone to a permanently nervous dude who can't even accept the little joys of life? Was I a murderer or some shit?"

"Maybe you were a doctor who specialized in treating mental patients," Virgil suggested.

"Did you just admit to being completely out of your mind?"

"I think I might be, based on what just---"

"The hell are you doing?"

Virgil looked up and saw Remus giving him an odd look.

"I'm reevaluating my life choices," he answered. "Where's Janus?"

"We're not connected at the hip, y'know," Remus said dryly. "He's talking with Sophia about the subjectiveness of morality and how we essentially live in a dystopia, so I thought I'd give them some space." He cocked his head. "Seriously, though, what's up with you?"

Virgil thought he might as well rip off the Band-Aid. "Roman and me told each other that we liked each other, and I think we're dating now."

"WHAT?!"

"Could you tone down the vol---"

Remus gave him a bone-crushing hug, beaming. "That's awesome! I'm so proud of you guys! You're perfect for him!" He gasped. "Oh my god, we're practically brothers now!"

"Easy, big guy," Virgil said, squirming out of his grasp. "It's not that simple."

"Whaddaya mean, it's not that simple?" Remus demanded, putting his hands on his hips. "You two are together!"

"Yeah, because of an insanely awkward and weird confession that I really do not want to relive." Virgil exhaled. "I asked him---very bluntly---if he liked me after he described his ideal guy and it was essentially me, and then he said yes, but he'd been planning this romantic thing, and then I told him I liked him, and---argh." He buried his head in his hands. "If this is how our confession goes, what's our actual relationship gonna be like, huh?"

Remus sighed and leaned against the wall. "If it makes you feel any better, Verge, me and Jan-Jan didn't exactly have the smoothest confession, either."

Virgil gave him a weird look. "But you guys are... you."

"Yeah, and it took us a year and a half to get to where we are right now." He scratched the back of his neck. "Jan-Jan told you that I was pretty awkward when we first started, right? Well, that's because romance... kinda outta my left field. I rarely ever get crushes."

"I've heard you comment on the hotness of a lot of guys," Virgil reminded him. "You said that you wanted to bang Heath Ledger."

Remus waved a hand. "I get turned on by lots of guys. Actual, real-life, I-wanna-kiss-you-and-snuggle-you-and-I've-started-planning-our-wedding crushes? Once in a blue moon, and only with guys I know well---and even then, it's easy to drop if I figure out that they're not interested, like with Logan. And I'd never really fallen in love before Jan-Jan." He blew a stray lock of curly hair out of his face. "He and Roman say it's called being greyromantic. I don't really think a lot about it, but it feels right, so I use it."