Prinxiety Coffee Shop AU

Numbers And Stickers

Roman's POV

After talking with Logan, he convinced me that I should ask Virgil to hang out with us today. By "convinced" I mean 'he wouldn't stop talking about the mental health benefits of making new friends'.

I walk up to the counter, rather nervous.

"You okay, Roman?" Virgil asks, the same concern in his eyes as our previous encounter.

"What? Oh, yes. I'm fine. Hot chacolate, please." I say as I pay and wander off.

My name was called and I got my drink, not even bothering to look at the name.

My thoughts are too cluttered about what could go wrong if Virgil didn't want to hang out to even really bother showing any emotion other than intense thought.

I snapped out of my trance when a dark figure approached me slowly.

"Princey, what's up? You haven't even mentioned the name." Virgil pointed at the cup.

"I know it says 'Ramen'. It does every day. No need to check." I respond blandly.

"No need to be rude." Virgil stood up from the couch.

"Sorry, Virgil. I'm having an off day. I was going to ask you if you wanted to hang out with Logan and me," I sighed out.

"Oh... Well, uh... Um... I, uh..." he tried to think of what to say.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," I reassure him.

"No, I mean... I'd... I'd like that," he smiled at me.

I perked up at his response. "Really?"

"Yeah!" he seemed more energetic now.

"Okay, great! Give me your phone so I can put my number in." I hold my hand out after my request.

He looked a bit cautious, but obliged.

I type my number in and hand it back, still smiling. Handing the phone back, I look at the name on my cup. 'Ramen 👑'. When did he get crown stickers?

"Well, I should get back to work..." Virgil trailed off as he walked away.

'Ding!' my phone.

Unknown number: heya, Ramen. My shift ends in an hour if you wanna hang out until then

Me: Okay, Emo Nightmare

Emo Nightmare: i swear, if you make that my contact name, I will hurt you.

Me: ...Okay

Hot Topic: good.

Me: You know, there are such things as capitalized first letters.

Hot Topic: aesthetic

Me: Whatever you say, JD-elightful.

Hot Topic: ...

Me: JD? From 'Heathers'?

Hot Topic: ...

Me: I waste my best material on you.

Hot Topic: sorry to be of waste.

Me: That's not what I meant...

Hot Topic: well, I should actually work now.

Me: Okay, bye.

Hot Topic: ✌

~~~
Virgil's POV

Roman walks into the store, looking very into his thoughts. Two days in a row... Something might be up...

"You okay, Roman?" I ask, hoping I might actually get an answer this time.

"What? Oh, yes. I'm fine. Hot chacolate, please," he states as he hands me money.

Really? That's it? Simple hot chocolate? Something is definitely off...

I make his drink, but before I call his name, I see those stickers Patton randomly bought.

"Stickers are always fun! No need for a special occasion!" was his reasoning.

I slap a crown sticker on, right next to 'Ramen' and call his name.

He makes his way to the counter, picks up his drink, and walks back.

What's wrong with him? Usually he at least exhales sharply in place of a laugh at the sight of his name and says 'thank you'.

I watch him for a bit while I do my work. A few people were in line after him, but once I finished their drinks, I'll be fine to take a few minute break.

I finish up the last order, spelling 'Brian' as 'Bryan' just because. I call his name and once he takes his cup, I'm already making my way to the distraught prince.

"Princey, what's up? You haven't even mentioned the name." I cautiously start, pointing at the cup.

"I know it says 'Ramen'. It does every day. No need to check." he responds with a bit of a harsher tone than I think he realized.

"No need to be rude." I stand up.

"Sorry, Virgil. I'm having an off day. I was going to ask you if you wanted to hang out with Logan and me," he half whispers.

"Oh... Well, uh... Um... I, uh..." I stumbled for words.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," he responded to my incoherent sentence fragments.

"No, I mean... I'd... I'd like that," I finally managed.

He sat up a bit straighter. "Really?"

"Yeah!" I say, trying to sound pumped.

"Okay, great! Give me your phone so I can put my number in, " he asks, holding out his hand.

I'm a bit cautious, because I don't like anyone else holding my phone or generally being without it, but I'm starting to trust Roman, so I hand him my phone.

He types away and returns my device. I notice a small smile play at his lips when he sees the crown on his cup.

"Well, I should get back to work..." I trail at the end, walking to the counter.

To make sure I have his number saved, I text the number and save it to my contacts.

Me: heya, Ramen. My shift ends in an hour if you wanna hang out until then

Ramen: Okay, Emo Nightmare

Me: i swear, if you make that my contact name, I will hurt you.

Ramen: ...Okay

Me: good.

Ramen: You know, there are such things as capitalized first letters.

Me: aesthetic

Ramem: Whatever you say, JD-elightful.

Me: ...

Ramen: JD? From 'Heathers'?

Me: ...

Ramem: I waste my best material on you.

Ouch.

Me: sorry to be of waste.

Ramen: That's not what I meant...

Me: well, I should actually work now.

Ramen: Okay, bye.

Me: ✌