*Discontinued* The Lil Prince

7

Virgil was a bit tense. That was for sure. When in the moment, he didn't even think twice about his role and how he was to be with Roman. Seeing the man he'd had feelings for so... vulnerable... He understood why Roman snapped at him. Now he was an anxious mess. The reason Roman had snapped at him wasn't because he was against regression... It was because he regressed and he was scared. Virgil couldn't get out of his head. Roman was just so small... so sweet yet vulnerable and skittish. It was as if when little, Roman was far more shy and scared than he'd ever been as an adult. And Virgil, being who he is whilst also feeling for the princely man, wanted nothing more than to protect that.

"Hey." Virgil's eyes darted up the second he heard that voice. Roman stood there obviously tense and nervous as he glanced around the table. "It smells good in..." His eyes met with Virgil's and the anxious one could see the panic in those emerald eyes. "...here."

"Awe, well thanks, kiddo!" Patton giggled as he started to plate a bunch of the food for everyone. Logan nodded slightly as Patton plated his before moving on. "Come sit, Kiddo. There's no need to be standing there." Virgil frowned as Roman never seemed to take his eyes off the other. It was like a battle in those pool of lush greenery, and Virgil could see it clear as day. As the seconds ticked by Virgil sighed and just gave him a soft reassuring smile. Roman's eyes widened a bit before he nodded and slowly took his seat.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I was lost in thought." Logan frowned as he looked over to see Roman just staring off. "I hope I didn't miss anything too important." Roman laughed as he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. "I kinda ran out of there really fast."

"Ah, well... Actually you did miss a bit but..." Logan paled as he looked over to see the glare Virgil had suddenly shot him. "...it's not that important." Virgil's eyes narrowed in warning as he gave the teacher a curt nod. "I've been meaning to ask you Roman..."

"Lo..." Virgil hissed slightly making Logan tense a bit in concern.

"How far along are you on that sheet work?" It didn't stop him from asking though. Roman flinched lightly as he quickly shook his head.

"Logan, I really don't want to resume earlier's fight. It didn't do either of us any good and I don't... I don't want to..." Virgil frowned seeing Roman's eyes dart over to him before he shook his head and sighed. "I just don't want to fight."

"You misunderstand my motives." Logan smiled sadly noticing how withdrawn the prince seemed to be. "I'm not asking to push or pressure you. You don't have to give me anything Roman."

"Then why are you asking?" Logan's eyes narrowed as Roman just shot him a half narrowed glare. "I know I'm late. I'm trying. It's hard ok? Thomas piles on all this work onto himself. I have twenty different things I'm focused on all at once. I'm overwhelmed and half the time. He's too focused on even more plans that I have to sit there and help him work through his thoughts instead of doing what you need me to do. The other day when I should have been working on it, Thomas decided he was going to think of a new musical idea. And so... Obviously that was all I could think of either." Logan honestly didn't know how to respond to that. Roman just groaned as he rolled his eyes and focused on his food now that Patton had thankfully plated his before sitting at the table himself. "I'm sorry. I know you are all expecting this stuff done and you personally have everything mapped at a time but... We're working for a man who can never just sit still. He can never just focus on himself and... it's a trait that he has passed to us all."

"Roman..."

"Logan, I told you. I don't want to fight." The room slowly melted into silence as Roman glanced over at Virgil seeing him just staring at his food. It was hard for the prince and it made it hard to stay out of his headspace. His fear over what Virgil would do or think now knowing about all that made Roman want to cry and hide away with his scrump. All he wanted was to curl under his blanket and let all the pain and worries wash away as his little night lamp filled his room with stars and...

"Roman?" Roman snapped up as Virgil smiled over at him. "You ok there?"

"Wha'?" Virgil's eyes narrowed as Roman glanced around noticing everyone was staring at him. "Wha'... Uh..."

"You zoned out." Roman frowned Virgil spoke softly as if noticing the anxiety in the other. "You were just staring off mid-bite."

"I wa'? Um..." Roman cleared his throat as he sighed and ran his hand through his hair before smiling. "Sorry about that. Again... I just got lost in thought." Virgil frowned as Roman turned back to his food, actually eating it this time instead of zoning.

"Roman, I feel I must at least explain my intentions." Roman paused slightly before just nodding and continuing to eat. Logan frowned in concern as he looked over at Patton who just smiled and egged him on. "When I asked how far along you were... I was offering my assistance."

"What?" That time Roman did freeze up. His hand dropped to the table as he looked over to see Logan nodding. "I'm confused."

"Well... You've brought it to my attention that you're over-encumbered." Roman hesitated a bit before giving a short nod and Logan sighed. "I apologize for my... ineptitude with emotions that I did not see the stress you were under. I cannot do much as I am Logic and am not as in-tuned to creativity, the literal creativity..." Roman's eyes narrowed in confusion as Logan shrugged a bit. "But a helping hand none the less I am willing to provide."

"I'll... I'll be ok, Logan." Roman frowned as he stared down at his plate not wanting to see everyone worried gazes. "We all have our jobs to do. If we couldn't do them... we wouldn't have them. I'll get the sheet work for you tomorrow. I promise. For now I..." Roman gently nudged the plate away as he shook his head and got up. "I'm not feeling all that well. I think I'm going to go lay down. Today seemed to have... gotten to me a bit." 

"Ok, Kiddo. Do you want me to take care of the plate or..."

"I'm an adult Patton..."

"Do you want someone to take care of the plate, Roman?" Virgil restated making Roman's eyes dart over to his. "It wasn't a question of whether you had the capabilities to do it... but whether you were well enough to."

"I've got it." Roman grabbed the plate as he started for the door only to pause, his heart crashing at a single thought filled his head. He realized... there was no getting away from this. "Virgil?" The anxious one glanced up at him with a concerned look and the prince just smiled sadly. "Whenever you want to talk..." Virgil's eyes went wide as Roman nodded and walked out. "...I'll be waiting."