This is not my idea!!
I heard three versions of the same song on TikTok and decided to write them into a story.
The first part is an original song by spencetok on TikTok.
The second part is an adaptation of the song, changed wording, from a different perspective by sadstarryeyes on TikTok.
The third and last part is an adaptation of the song, changed wording, from a different perspective by emblem.cosplays on TikTok.
Part 1, Janus' POV
The phone rang, I noticed Virgil jump up from his lounging position on the couch in the parlour to answer it. I thought that was odd, the boy didn't often let anything disrupt his alone time. He picked up the phone and held it to his ear. I wasn't close enough to hear either side of the conversation but after just a few moments I saw a smile creep onto my son's face as he spoke, soon he appeared to be giggling.
"Something the matter?" A voice asked from behind me. I perked up and looked over, merely the housekeeper.
"Why do you ask?" I wanted to know.
She pointed to the newspaper in my hands, "you've been reading the same article for ten minutes.. I assume one would have turned the page by then"
"Oh.." I looked down at the small print on the page. "I must have gotten distracted" I admitted.
She smiled a bit, "it's nice to see him happy"
I looked back over at my son again, he was smiling and twirling the cord to the phone as he spoke, "yes" I agreed.
—
Weeks past, Virgil didn't fall out of his new routine. He woke up at noon, placed a call that lasted a few hours, then he'd leave for the night, only coming back a few minutes before curfew. I asked him what the occasion was, he shrugged saying it was nothing important. I didn't pry. My son would allude his personal life when he was ready and I respected that.
One day, the routine was different. Virgil awoke at a more reasonable hour and bathed. The housekeeper even told me he had asked her for a comb, so I knew something was up. I remained in my easy chair reading the news when my son stood in front of me.
"Father..?" He spoke.
I looked up at the well dressed boy and folded the paper, setting it aside to show I was listening.
The boy grew anxious, "I have.. uh.. a friend coming over later, I'd like for you to meet them"
"Ah, the mystery friend" I said, picking up my leg and crossing it over my other one.
Virgil nodded, I noticed him glance down at his hands, they were shivering slightly.
"Come here, boy" I pleaded, holding my arms out after moving my leg back to its original position. The child stepped forward and sat in my lap. I held him close, my only child, my only living relative.
—
By the time the knock came at the door, Virgil was upstairs with the housekeeper, they were practicing.. practicing what? No one would mention.
I opened the door, a young man holding a very small flower bouquet looked me up and down, I did the same to him.
"Is Virgil here?" Were the first words from his mouth.
I crossed my arms, "depends, who's asking?"
He shifted the bouquet to one hand and held out the other, "Roman"
I just looked at his hand, not shaking it. Go ahead, call me rude. I replied with my own name and he repeated it.
"You are Virgil's father?" The boy called Roman asked me.
"I am" was my reply.
He nodded, "I'd like to marry him" Roman blurted out, to my surprise.
I was not permitted a response as my son came from behind me, placing a hand over mine own. He hadn't heard the confrontation between us.
"Father, this is Roman" he then turned to his apparent lover, "Roman, this is my father, Janus"
"We've met" Roman announced, he stepped forward into my home. I hadn't granted him that permission but stepped aside to let him enter anyway.
My son and his lover walked over to the parlour room, they sat next to each other on the couch. I followed them and sat in my easy chair, setting my cane next to me on the floor.
The air became uncomfortable for Virgil, he shifted and cleared his throat quietly a few times. "Is something the matter?" I asked my son.
He looked up at me and shook his head.
"Why don't you bring us some wine" I suggested, "you know the kind I like." The boy nodded understandingly and left his partner with me as he escaped to the basement's wine room. Roman watched him go, I only stared at the strange male in my house.
"So you wanna marry, Virgil?" I started, prompting Roman to glance at me and nod his head. "Yeah, well, good luck with that. You've got about as much of a chance licking the brim of my hat"
"Why's that?" Roman interrupted.
"'Cause he's a purebred.. his forehead's worth about as much as your car"
"I don't have a car" He said, cutting me off again.
"Heh!" I found that amusing. "So let's just say, your little bouquet" I pointed to the small batch of dying flowers he held in his hands, "won't get you very far."
Roman looked uncomfortable and perhaps somewhat annoyed. I did not care.
Virgil came back up the steps and rounded the corner to enter the parlour room again. He handed me the wine bottle along with a glass. "Pour me some" I instructed
My son agreed and poured a decent amount into my glass. I took a sip and nodded approvingly, he indeed knew the kind I liked. Virgil set the bottle down next to me and sat back down next to his partner. I could tell he sensed the tension between Roman and me, more so coming from Roman.
Virgil put a hand on top of his boyfriend's in an attempt to comfort him. "How is everyone?" My son asked, he didn't receive a reply from either of us, prompting him to mumble a, "tough room.."
