Roman

44

⚜ Lucien ⚜

Laurent followed behind me as we walked down the staircase to the kitchen.

Rounding the corner Roman came into view, the doors out to the patio open with the curtains moving with the breeze. Her brown wavy hair was down and pulled back by her headphones over her ears, she wore a grey oversized sweatshirt with a white shirt peaking out from the bottom and beige shorts.

She stood in front of the espresso machine not moving an inch as the espresso poured.

"Come on man, ask her" Laurent said as he pushed me toward where she was standing. I stumbled a bit before straightening out and stepping forward a bit. I gently tapped her shoulder and she looked back slightly before slipping her headphones off and onto her shoulders. Turning to face me, her eyes met mine as a small smile spread across her features.

She seemed in a hazy mood as she turned to me, her eyes tired and dimmed as I hoped she was only tired.

"Hey Rome, Laurent and I were thinking of heading down to the market to look at a few things and were wondering if you wanted to check it out with us?"

"Sure" she said without missing a beat as she smiled wider at the invitation.

"Great, want to go now or wait a little longer?" Laurent says from behind me as we look toward him.

"Now's good" she says before we nod and start walking over to slip some shoes on and grab some stuff.

Roman quickly grabs the espresso and downs it as I grimace at the action.

"I'm sorry that's just gross" I say as we walk into the elevator and I shudder at the thought of espresso without anything added to it.

"Ill get you to like it one day, don't worry" She chuckles at my response as we press the ground level button and start moving.

I hold my pointer finger toward my mouth and gag as Laurent mutters something and swats the back of my head, Roman chuckling the whole time.

We leave the elevator and start heading toward the market by the water just a little while away from the penthouse, the summer weather making a nice walk.

Random topics come up until we reach the stands and small shops.

"So which one first?" Laurent says looking toward us.

We both shrug at the same time and just start walking down the path beside each stand. Roman walks slightly in front of Laurent and I as we stop and go. Eventually as we reach one of the main reasons for coming here, I can't help the small smile that reaches my face.

"Come on let's go in here" I say as they follow me into the small shop. Records and discs line the walls and rows as soon as you step in, a light tune already playing from the front of the shop.

I turn slightly beside me to try and read Roman's expression. Her eyes dart around taking everything in as she grins, looking up at me she looks happy and content.

"Oh my gosh, did you guys plan this?" She breathes out looking around again.

I hum in response.

"Look around, pick anything out, we were thinking of getting a record player to put in the living room as well" I say.

"That would be nice, thank you" she says as she wraps her hand around my forearm and gives a little squeeze in thanks. I internally coo at the small comforting act.

I smile and tip my head towards the aisles of records, silently telling her to go look around.

Her hand leaves my arm as she walks between the rows of records and flips through them, seeming relaxed although I notice her hand twitching as she sifts through the piles.

Laurent suddenly yanks me to the side and toward a stand filled with record players, loosing my thoughts as he starts murmuring about which one we should get.

Twenty minutes later we walk out of the small shop, my arms filled with Roman's records and such, much to her dismay and protest, and Laurent carrying a box with the record player.

"Thank you guys, really, I appreciate this a lot" she murmurs out as we continue walking back toward the penthouse, her words quiet but meaningful.

"Of course, and thanks for coming with us to check out everything" Laurent says from beside me.

She smiles in response looking at us before her view drifts to the side, looking out at the water as she lets out a gentle sigh. Seeming more dazed and drifty today, I wonder if she's tired, or maybe just lost in thought.

Reaching the penthouse finally, we step into the elevator and wait to reach our floor. We step out as the bell dings and find Remy, Cyrille and Samuel talking and walking around the kitchen.

"Hey guys" Cyrille says but his eyebrows furrow as he looks toward the box Laurent holds.

"Hey.. oh we went out to grab a record player and some stuff, thought it would be nice to have in the living room" I say smiling, happy that now Roman can play her music outside of her headphones.

"Want some help setting it up?" Samuel asks motioning toward the record player.

"Yeah sure, come on" Laurent says and starts walking toward the living room, Samuel following behind him.

I turn to go help them as well as I see Roman walk over toward Rem and Cy and sit beside them.

***

Three hours later and we finally hooked everything up correctly... I think.

I don't think it's supposed to be this complicated, but mixing Laurent's stupid ass and Samuels incoordination did not make a good mix.

Augustus came over a little while ago with Alexandre and everyone's just been coming and going while we hooked up the record player. Roman ended up on the couch reading with Alexandre on her chest and her head on Augustus's shoulder while he glares at his sleeping little brother with his fingers running through Roman's hair while Remy and Cy I think we're making some food for everyone.

"Ok I think we got it" I sigh out putting an extra cord down.

Let's hope that it's extra.

Remy and Cy walk out from the kitchen and fall onto the couch with a couple plates with sandwiches. Samuel stands and sits beside Remy as Laurent sits down as well.

"Roman.. which one?" I say quietly trying not to wake Alexandre as I stand beside her and hold out a couple different records.

She lightly taps a Billy Joel record as I smile and head to put it on.

Placing it down, I move the tone arm and place the needle onto the spinning record. A soft tune leaves the speakers, as I look toward Samuel and Laurent and smile at the fact we didn't fuck it up.

I plop done onto the couch beside Laurent who's inhaling his sandwich and rest my head back against the cushion, happy with how today went and that we got to do this with Roman.