[PRINXIETY] Shine and Be Mine

|5|

"What in the hell is hell?" Virgil smirked.

"You don't know how many times and how many variations I've heard of that sentence." Roman sighed before clearing his throat, "Hell," Roman flicked on the light-switch, one row of lights out of many were slowly turning on one by one, adding to the mysterious awe of this room.

Roman waltz in happily, beckoning Virgil in and closing the door behind the both of them, "Hell. It's what we call the storage space underneath the theatre. It's where all the props and costumes and sets are stored after a production has gone underway."

"Well..." Virgil walked a few more steps forward before turning to Roman, "It's quiet, it's cold, and it's where I'll eventually end up so, I like it."

"...I don't really know if I should respond positively or negatively to that but- alright." Roman nodded curtly before advancing towards a black, rectangular object and jumping forward.

Virgil winced as the other landed on the object before noticing that Roman was sinking into it.

Roman seemed to notice the look of confusion on Virgil's face and scooted over to sit on only half of the object, "It's filled with stuffing but has a taro exterior- jump on it if you wish."

Virgil did indeed wish but he his stubbornness got the best of him and he simply sat down across from Roman, holding his script in front of him.

"Let's read over it first without blocking, that way we can get used to the words before we act it out, plus we'll be given stage-directions later so it's best to simply memorize our lines the best we can." Roman nodded.

"That's all good and fine but, what about the music?" Virgil blinked.

"The chorus-director will assist us with that, obviously." Roman rolled his eyes.

"Good, I don't want to sing right now." Virgil huffed out.

Roman rolled his eyes once again, dramatically, "Let's just pick a scene and get to it- I'll be nice here and let you choose where we start."

Virgil let out a small snicker, "As if I'd know." He began flipping through his script, his heart falling as each page did as well. He bit his lip, how was he supposed to memorize all these lines in time? Two months was fine and dandy but...would it be enough? Would it-

"Virgil?"

Virgil shook his head and looked up at Roman who looked at him with what looked like a sliver of concern.

"You look like somebody just killed your dog."

Virgil let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding before shaking his head, "I'm just a bit...overwhelmed, that's all."

"Oh...well, it's best to get over that as quickly as possible, if you ask me." Roman shrugged.

Virgil bit his lip to keep himself from snapping out about how you can't get over anxiety.

"Well, since you're taking all year to pick a scene I suggest you flip to a random page or I'll purposefully pick a long one." Roman sighed with a trace of amusement.

"Oh god, don't threaten me with a song now." Virgil shook his hand sarcastically before flipping to a page and pointing at it, "This one."

Roman shrugged, "Fine by me, but it has music in it."

Virgil's shoulders sagged before he flipped the script to another random page, "Then here."

Roman leaned over before shaking her head, "That one has music too."

Virgil growled and then turned the script pages one more time, "Here?"

"Music."

"Here?"

"Still music."

"What about this page?"

"Is it a good time to mention that almost every scene has a musical number in it?"

////\\\\

Virgil threw his hands up in the air in defeat, "I give up! Let's just do this and move on."

Roman frowned, he still didn't appreciate such a negative attitude towards theatre around him. However, he knew that The Show Must go on, so he bit his tongue with a nod instead.

Virgil got up and cleared his throat.

Roman looked up at him expectantly, blinking a few times.

"...Well?" Virgil mumbled.

"Well what exactly?"

"It's you're line, idiot."

Roman felt a stab of shame hit him and grabbed his script, flipping towards the right page, "Well, why'd you clear your throat then?"

"...To shake the silence?"

"Whatever." Roman huffed before looked down at his line and realizing it indeed was a musical line, what wasn't though? He then stood in front of Virgil, he knew this part, he remembered, he thought he did at least, hopefully he did, "Pitiful creature of Darkness...what kind of life have you known...?" Roman found himself a bit off key but didn't mind it all that much, not necessarily caring what his single audience member thought, "God give me courage to show you...you are not alone..." Roman grimaced as he read the stage directions for his next action, looking up at Virgil. He was a bit surprised when he saw what a horrified expression Virgil wore, "Oh, ...it's not that bad- it doesn't have to be a real kiss, well, not now at least- for now we can do a stage kiss, I'll put my thumbs on your mouth to cover your li-"

Virgil was shaking his head quickly, backing up with a distant look behind his glazing eyes.

"...Virgil?"

Virgil clutched his Sides and continued to shake his head.

"Virgil, it's just a kiss, is something wrong?" Roman raised a hand and barely grazed the other boy's shoulder.

Virgil let out a small gasp before digging his nails in his sides, "Leave me alone!" He shrieked before retreating, heading for the exit of the storage-unit and slamming the large, metal door behind him.

The large room along with such force made a long, hollow echo that sounds through the room where the dumb-founded Roman had been left.

Roman blinked a few times before lowering his script,
"It's over now...the music...of the night...?"