The Melting Pot Complex

Chapter Thirty-Six ~ Roman

{Possible trigger warnings: swearing, fighting (sort of), and deception (they're playing a boardgame)

If I miss something, I apologize and please let me know}

"Roman you're sh*t at this game."

Roman growled in frustration and grabbed a pillow from the side of the couch, bouncing it off the back of Virgil's head.

His roommate snickered at him.

The four YouTubers were celebrating Virgil's clearance to remove his shoulder immobilizer with a game night. They had started with MarioKart, then gone to a variation of Stick Fight, and now they were playing Super Smash Bros.

Patton also had a stack of board games ready for when someone inevitably rage quit.

"Hiyah! Take that!" Patton cheered as his character descended on Logan's in a flurry of button mashing. 

"That shouldn't be working as well as it is." Logan complained. 

Virgil jumped down on them and began to attack as well, causing Patton to squeal loudly as his character was knocked off of the platform.

"No fair!"

"Of course Virgil's the best at this game." Roman complained.

"Get good."

He rolled his eyes and glared at Virgil, who was more focused on beating Logan's character into submission.

"I'm ready to move onto board games." He finally announced when Virgil inevitably won. "Then our stormy friend won't have such a natural advantage."

"It's not a natural advantage Roman, its skill and practice." Virgil rolled his eyes and set his controller on the coffee table, getting up. "But that's fine, you guys pick out a board game and I'll grab more drinks."

He went into the kitchen with their empty glasses while Patton began to sort through the games.

"What do you guys want to play?" He asked Logan and Roman.

"Sheriff of Nottingham." They said at the same time.

Roman looked at Logan and grinned, ignoring the blush he could feel creeping up. "You owe me a coke."

"You have to say jinx." Logan adjusted his glasses. Roman rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at him.

While Patton cleared off the coffee table and began to set up the game, Roman went over to the TV and shut it off, collecting the controllers and setting them down in front of it so they could be put away later.

He glanced back at the other two and smiled softly. Patton was trying to figure out who was using what bag, and as he looked Logan plucked the dark blue one out of his hands. Patton laughed and smacked his arm with the rest of them.

"Yo Roman, c'mere."

Roman jumped and went into the kitchen to see what Virgil needed.

"I didn't think about this. Will you grab those two?" Virgil nodded to the other two glasses sitting on the counter.

As Roman went over to pick up the two drinks, his roommate leaned in. "Ask him out."

He jumped back a little and stared at Virgil. "What?"

"You heard me." Virgil met his gaze, dead serious. Neither of them said anything for a few moments, then Virgil turned and walked out of the kitchen.

Roman followed him, clutching the two drinks. Virgil handed one he was holding to Patton and he nearly cursed out loud.

How did he know?

"Here, Logan."

Logan's fingertips brushed against his as he took the glass and Roman felt like he was on fire. Since when were his feelings so... reactive?

"Take your pick, Roman!" Patton held up a few bags to him, fanned out like a deck of cards. Roman smiled and took the red one, then sat down and reached for the stack of character cards.

"Are we playing basic or advanced?" Logan asked. He was flipping through the rule book, brow furrowed.

"Lets just play simple, it'll be faster."

Virgil picked up the item cards and began to sort through them, picking out a dozen or so cards used only for the advanced version. Patton passed out the gold pieces, then clapped his hands together.

"First sheriff is whoever has the most cash on them."

Roman smirked. "That would be me."

"Oh yeah? Prove it." Virgil rolled his eyes.

Roman pulled his wallet out and waved a fifty at his roommate. Virgil smirked and snatched it from him.

Hey!"

"Virgil, give it back." Patton admonished, giggling.

Virgil handed back the money, then set the sheriff tile in front of him.

"Alright, cards have been shuffled. Discard piles are created, and our original hands have been dealt. Roman can't do anything market related this round... lets get started."

Roman sat back as his roommates inspected their hands. Virgil discarded a few cards, picking up the same amount. Patton grinned at the others when they looked at him and put his cards in his lap, face down. Logan swapped a single card out.

"Pick your poison and bag 'em up." 

Once they'd all put cards in their bags, Roman held his hands out. Three bags were set in his palms and he grinned, pulling them close.

"Lets start with you, Hailstorm." He plucked the purple bag from the pile. "What's in the bag?"

"Three bread." Virgil leaned back against the armchair.

"Three bread?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?"

Roman narrowed his eyes and Virgil smirked.

"What would you give me to not check it?"

"Eh... five gold."

"That's not much." Roman played with the snap clasp on the bag.

Virgil just shrugged.

Roman popped the bag open and pulled the cards out.

"Motherf*cker!"

"Yeeeaaah, gimme my money b*tch." Virgil grinned. 

Roman groaned and and handed him nine gold, and the cards and bag. Virgil added the coins to his pile and put the cards on his game board.

"I'm going to take a moment to remind you that Patton asked with our lease stipulations that swearing be kept to a minimum." Logan commented. Patton nodded quickly, though he was smiling at the interaction.

"Sorry, Patty-cake." Roman smiled a little. "What are you claiming?"

"Two chickens." Patton giggled.

"Well as an apology, I won't be checking your bag." 

Roman handed the bag back and Virgil scoffed loudly.

Patton took the cards out and displayed two chickens. 

"Logan, what's in yours?"

Logan crossed his arms. "Four cheeses."

Roman paused, thinking about it. Logan had only discarded one item at the beginning of the round. 

"Five gold not to look." Logan added after a moment, holding up a coin.

Roman hesitated, then handed the bag back. Logan gave him the coin and opened it.

"Cheese, cheese, cheese... and a mead."

Logan smirked and Roman groaned. "Nooo! I've been betrayed!"

"Sucks to suck, Princey. I'm sheriff now." Virgil grabbed the sheriff tile.

{I just want to say thanks Smosh Games because 90% of the board games I own/want are from their Board AF videos}