Sanders Sides One-Shots

Romantic Gestures

Human! AU

Warnings: Character with financial issues, public humiliation, food mention, and LET THE TEETH ROTTING FLUFF CONSUME YOU!

Ship(s)" Romantic Logince

Patton swung his legs slightly, his chubby little hands gripping his father's hair tightly. Roman smiled happily as he walked along, carrying his six-year-old son on his shoulders through the grocery store. They'd already bought everything they'd needed; lettuce, milk, cereal, eggs, bread, and some lunch meat for sandwiches, and Roman had promised his little boy a special treat.

"Daddy, can we get the chocolate marshmallow? That's my favorite!" Patton said, clapping happily once they reached the ice cream section. Roman laughed and swung his son off of his shoulders, making him squeal, and pushed his glasses up his little nose.

"You can get whatever you want, sweetheart. I'll be waiting by the shopping cart, okay?" Roman said, kissing Patton on the forehead. Pat giggled and ran over to the freezing shelves, pressing his hands against the glass and looking at the cartons of ice cream. Roman chuckled and leaned against the handle of the shopping cart, his eyes softening with affection.

"Papa, can we get some?" Roman blinked and, in the least obvious way possible, glanced over at the source of the new voice. A little boy around Patton's age with little bags under his eyes, messy hair, and a big black hoodie that hung almost down to his knees, He was adorable. When Roman saw who accompanied him, he could have sworn his heart stopped. A young man with chestnut brown hair and gorgeous hazel eyes bent down next to the pouting boy, his nose crinkling cutely, He had black glasses similar to Patton's, and wore a black shirt, khaki pants, and a necktie. he was thin, but still well built, and that black shirt definitely helped display that. He spoke in hushed tones to the little boy, rubbing his arms and whispering, as if he was trying not to startle him. Roman didn't realize he was staring until Patton tugged on his pant leg and held up the carton of ice cream.

"Daddy, here!" Roman patted his son's head and kept looking at the other pair, listening closely.

"Trust me Virgil, I'd buy some, but I don't get more money until Friday. We're just buying ll that we need for now. When Friday comes I'll buy a tub, all for us, okay?" the man said slowly. Roman's brow furrowed as the little boy's lip began to quiver and he nodded. The man smiled and kissed his son's forehead, picking him up and placing him in the cart before walking off. Roman watched after him with a sad smile. Patton glanced from his father, to the man, and back again, and hurried over to the freezer, Roman saw him pull out another tub of chocolate marshmallow ice cream and almost stopped him, but when he realized what his son was doing, his heart melted. He put the two tubs of ice cream in his cart and picked Patton back up on his shoulders, and went to go pay for their groceries.

"I'm sorry sir, but that's how much it costs. The money you have will only buy the eggs and bread. Either get some more cash or buy this stuff you can afford and go. There are people waiting," The employee at the cash register snapped. Roman looked up to see the handsome man stammering, looking through the wadded up bills in his hands with tears in his hands. Tears of frustration, embarrassment, or sadness, Roman couldn't tell. He watched with sad eyes as the man paid for the food and left a shampoo bottle, some bars of soap, a simple black shirt that had probably been for his son, cheese, milk, and two boxes of cheerios. The man grabbed his son's hand and took the two items he could afford, head held high and ignoring the judgemental gazes of the other customers, even as tears threaten to spill down his cheeks. It was such a shame, all that man needed was a few groceries to help support him and his son...

Sir, hurry up and pay, there's a line!" Roman snapped back to reality at the harsh tone of the employee. Quickly paying for his items, including the ice cram he planned to give to the man and his son, Roman found himself looking at the abandoned items behind the counter.They really weren't that expensive. That poor man must've been truly struggling if he couldn't afford these. And then he'd made up his mind.

"I'll take those too please, but bag them separately." The woman behind the register raised an eyebrow at him, but Roman could see the small smile she tried and failed to hide. Thanking her when he was done paying, Roman grabbed the two bags in one hand, hoisted Patton onto his shoulders with the other and rushed through the doors. He searched wildly for the man and was relieved when he saw him carrying his son towards the main road, not yet out of the parking lot.

"Hey! Mister! Wait up!" Roman shouted, running as fast as he could with a giggling child on his shoulders that pulled at his hair and grocery bags that weighed a ton. The man stopped, looking anything but pleased as Roman approached him. Roman's heart was beating rapidly, and it wasn't just from the running. He held out the bag of groceries for the bespectacled man to take, giving him a strained smile. The man's eyes narrowed.

"I don't want your charity," he said coldly. Roman's heart plummeted and he dropped his arm, bowing his head in shame. He'd been so stupid. Of course this man would be offended by something like this! He'd eavesdropped on his conversations twice!

"Papa, that's not what you're supposed to say!" the man's son, Virgil was his name if Roman remembered correctly, said firmly as he grabbed his father's leg. the man sighed and looked down at his son, definitely annoyed by this point.

"Oh? Then what am I supposed to say?" Virgil smiled and shook his head, as if his father was missing the obvious.

"You're supposed to say thank you!" Virgil said shyly. The man's eyes widened for a moment in pure panic and he turned back to Roman, glancing at the groceries in his hands. Roman resisted the urge to smile. It looked like the innocence of a child would be what saved the day this time. The man took the groceries with a trembling hand and smiled at Roman, making his heart flutter.

"T-Thank....Thank you..." he murmured, peering into the bag with a soft expression. Virgil cheered and hugged his father's leg before looking back at Roman.

"What's your name? And who's he? I'm Virgil, and this is my papa, Logan," Virgil mumbled. Logan's handsome face turned beat red as if he were embarrassed and he tried to quiet his son, wanting to just take the groceries and leave, but Roman wasn't having that.

"My name's Roman Sharpe, and this is my son Patton," Roman said in reply. Patton grinned down at the other boy and waved. Logan started to smile but quickly hid it by faking a yawn.

"Boy, I'm tired. Virgil and I best be heading home. Uh...thanks again for the groceries," Logan said lowly. Roman nodded and quickly pulled out a pen and wrinkled up post-it note from his pocket, scribbling his number on it and handing it to Logan.

"It was my pleasure. If you ever need anything, or just want to- I don't know, do something, just give me a call," Roman said, hoping he didn't stammer. Logan gave him a weird look but still took the number, tucking it in his pocket. Logan and Virgil waved one last time before embarking on the treacherous journey through the parking lot to find their car. Roman smiled giddily and practically skipped to his van, making Patton giggle and cheer.

Logan was all he could think about the rest of the ride home.