I Hate Me More!

Virgil was having a bad day. Well, all days were bad days, but this one was even worse. He'd been kicked out of his parents' house a month ago for being himself. Like, come on. It was almost 2020. Get with the times already. Being trans and gay was nothing new at this point.

He'd moved in with his childhood friend and present boyfriend, Roman Green, after that. Roman Green he was going to kill! He loved Roman, don't get him wrong. He really loved Roman. But sometimes he could be too much. Especially on his really bad days.

Roman was currently singing at the top of his lungs in the small apartment's living room. Being too extra about it, as well. Princey-style. He'd just come back from his last lecture of the day, Virgil had been home for a few hours at that point. And was just recovering from a panic attack.

Virgil stomped down to the living room from their shared bedroom down the hall. "Could you shut up for just one minute, Princey?!" Virgil asked, irritated. Roman stopped belting out songs as soon as he heard Virgil's voice.

"Greetings to you too, my lovely Stormcloud. And nay to your question. Otherwise, how would I be able to serenade the most beautiful man in the world?" Roman smirked, turning around to look at Virgil.

"Stop already! You're so infuriating sometimes! ARGH!" Virgil went to grab at his hair but stopped himself last second.

Roman dropped his smirk into a frown. Something was off. This wasn't their usual daily after-class banter. "Are you alright, Virgil? What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" he asked. He shouldn't have.

Virgil metaphorically exploded at being called pretty. He usually didn't mind it, but after today's events, it was the worst thing Roman could've chosen to say to him. "PRETTY?!" he all but screeched. "Is that all I am to you? Just a pretty face?! Someone to pity and show off? To show what a saint you are?! Ooh, look! It's poor little Virgil who can't figure himself out! He was kicked out of his own house because he was so fucked up! Let's help him to show the world what a good person I am!"

Something was definitely off, but Roman's mind only fixated on Virgil's words. His statements. Roman saw red. How dare he insinuate that! "What's wrong with you, Virgil?! How can you even think that?!"

"I'm right, aren't I? I'm just a pity-project!" Virgil shouted.

"No! No, you're not! God, what do you want from me?!" Roman yelled back.

"Nothing!! Absolutely nothing! I want nothing to do with you!" Virgil all but roared. It stirred Roman further into his red set of mind.

Before he could think about what to say next, he heard himself say the biggest falsehood in his life, one that was spurred on by the heat of the moment.

"Oh, my g- I hate you!" And Roman went silent. Had he just said that? Why did he say that? He loved Virgil! More than anything and anyone!

Virgil went silent as well. Tears in his eyes. And the wheels in Roman's brain started turning again. "Yeah, well I hate me more." His voice went quiet, and Roman almost didn't hear him. "I hate me more."

And the gears clicked. Why Virgil had acted out. His family. "I- I didn't mean it, Virge. Please, babe," Roman said with the softest voice Virgil had heard from the other man. And Roman slowly went closer to Virgil. Closer and closer. Until he was only a breath away and embraced him. "We've talked about this. You have to tell me when you're having a bad day." Virgil was hiding his face in Roman's chest, sobbing his heart out. "You have to tell me right away when your parents try and get to you. I love you. I won't let them get to you. I swear it," he quietly continued as he rubbed soothing circles Virgil's back.