Plenty of Treasures

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requested by K3A3P3

prompt(s): "so, this is it, then?"

pairing(s): romantic prinxiety

warnings: strong language/swearing, breakups, arguments, brief familial abuse mention, therapy mention, and angst with a happy ending

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This can't be happening.

Virgil stares across the room, where his boyfriend is sitting with his hands in his lap and his heart on his sleeve. He swallows the lump in his throat and exhales, feeling his breathing tremble as he does so. "You want to break up?"

It takes a second for Roman to respond, what, with the increasing burn behind his lids and the tightness of his throat. "Yes."

"Can... Can you at least tell me why?"

Tears are threatening to fall from his eyes, though Virgil tries to hold them in for as long as he can. Roman usually has good reasons for making big decisions like this, the least Virgil can do is hear him out without making a scene. Not yet, anyway. He's not the type to flaunt his feelings for others to see, not even to his boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, who is looking at him with so much hurt glimmering in his dark eyes it makes Virgil feel sick.

Roman, unlike him, lets the tears fall, bottom lip trembling. "I feel like... I've always felt..."

He breathes and Virgil clings to the 'always', wondering how long that really means. Soon enough, Roman manages to speak. "We've talked about this before and every time, you said you'd be better, and you never have been. You don't care and⏤"

Suddenly, Virgil has an idea on what this is about and a his heart begins to sink into his legs, numbing them completely. Before Roman can finish his thought, he sobs. Virgil swallows again. "I do care! I really do, I'm just... I'm not good at showing it."

"Well, I deserve someone who is!" Roman yells, though Virgil is sure he doesn't mean to. "I understand that not everyone is affectionate, nor is everyone as open about how they're feeling as I am. And if that was the problem, we'd be fine. But you act like you're ashamed of even being with me!"

Virgil frowns. "What? How do I⏤"

Roman glares at him, tears still streaming down his cheeks. "We've been together for two years and you still⏤ You act as though you don't want people to know it! Whenever I even mention to someone that we're in a relationship, you find some way to slink off. It's humiliating!"

Clenching his shaking hands into fists, Virgil bites back more tears. "Well, I'm sorry I'm so humiliating!"

"What?!" Roman yells, and this time it is very much intentional, standing up and pinning his hands to his sides. "You know that's not what I'm saying! I try to show you off, you tell me you don't like that and that's fine. Of course, it is. But don't you dare say I think you're embarrassing to be with because you know that isn't true."

Virgil stands too, ignoring the wetness in his eyes. "So, this is it, then? After two years, you're just dumping me?"

Roman's cheeks grow damper and his eyes lose their light. "I've tried. I tried so hard to tell you how I was feeling, to ask you to just care. Or to at least act like you do! You've made so many promises to be better. You always apologised for making me feel unloved in this relationship and I believed you, but at some point, I just stopped believing."

He covers his mouth to try and physicallu hold in a sob. "I don't want this. I still love you. I love you so, so much. But I deserve more. Someone who actually wants to make this relationship a relationship and not just something you tend to on the side."