#actor roman

He has a crush. 

Not just any crush, but a crush on the most handsome boy at Mindscape College: Logan Sanders.

Roman doesn’t know how it happened. He usually doesn’t go for the nerdy types, preferring the more drama inclined people that are more like him. But, as they saying goes, the heart wants what it wants and right now, Roman’s heart wants Logan.

The only issue is getting Logan to notice him. Logan works as a tech in the school’s theatre, which is how Roman noticed him in the first place. Since Roman is an actor and most often the lead roll in the productions, he sees a lot of Logan.

Like right now. He stares at Logan from across the stage. The nerdy boy is talking with one of his friends, a very emo looking dude with a rather cool jacket.

The conversation ends and Logan walks off. The emo boy stares after him before shrugging and turning his attention to the background he’s supposed to be painting. Roman waits a second before hurrying over to him.

“Hi, my name is Roman King and I need your help.” Okay, not his smoothest line, but he’s in a hurry here!

The emo looks up at him. “I know who you are. But let me guess, you have no clue who I am?”

“Uh, no. Sorry.”

“Right. We only have three classes together and have both been part of this theatre for three years.” Emo boy is obviously not in a good mood and it seems Roman’s making it worse. He pushes on, however.

“Look, I really need your help. Your friend, Logan? I have a huge crush on him, but I don’t know the best way to ask him out.”

The emo raises an eyebrow. “And what does that have to do with me? Asking someone out is easy, just find what they like and use that.”

“But I don’t know what he likes!” Realizing he’s getting a little loud, he lowers his voice. “Please, you’re his friend. Can’t you help me?”

Emo searches Roman’s face. Whatever he finds seems to satisfy him as he says, “Wait until after rehearsal. I have something that can help you.”

Roman nods eagerly. “Thanks!” He hurries away to continue rehearsing.

When rehearsal is over, he waits until almost everyone is gone before going back to emo. He’s digging around in his bag, looking for something when Roman walks up.

“Alright, so what do you have?”

“This.” Emo pulls out a jar of some sort of jelly, Crofters it looks like.

“A jar of jelly is supposed to help me ask him out? And why do you have that in your bag anyway?”

“This is Logan’s favorite food. He loves it. I keep a jar of it at all times just in case I need to bribe him.”

Roman snorts. “Okay, then. So I just give him this?”

“Yep. Obviously you should use your words because I don’t think he’ll understand you’re trying to ask him out if you just hand him this jar.”

Roman rolls his eyes. “Yes, thank you for that. When should I do it?”

“Now would be a good time.” Emo gestures over to where Logan is talking to some of the other techs.

“Oh. Right. Okay. Thanks for your help.”

“Any time, Princey. Good luck.”

Roman nods, takes a deep breath, and starts over to Logan. Luckily, the group has dispersed, leaving Logan fiddling with the lights by himself. Roman keeps walking until he’s right in front of him, the jar of Crofters clutched in his hand.

Logan looks up. “Hello, Roman. Is there something I can help you with?”

“Uh, yes. I wanted to...uh...” He flushes, mentally cursing himself. He is usually much better with words.

Logan raises his eyebrows, looking at Roman expectantly. Roman takes a deep breath.

“Okay, look. I’m usually not this tongue tied, but I’ve been crushing on you for a very long time so I just wanted to ask, would you like to go out with me?” He says that all in a rush, holding out the jar of Crofters as an afterthought.

Logan blinks, surprised. “I...That was not what I was expecting.”

Roman’s face falls. Logan doesn’t sound at all interested in the idea of dating him.

“However, “ Logan continues, “I would not be against to attempting a date or two.”

Roman lights up, a grin spreading. “Really? That would be amazing.”

Logan smiles, finally taking the Crofters from Roman. “Text me the time and place.” He starts to walk away.

“Wait, I don’t have your number!”

“Get it from Virgil, since you two are such great friends already.” Logan gestures and Roman turns to look, seeing emo standing there grinning. He looks back to Logan, who winks and then disappears out the door.

They'd made the choice for their jobs. And they loved their jobs, almost as much as they loved each other

Patton had gotten the 'better' end of the deal - still at home, surrounded by their established friend group. But they'd met Lo & Virge as a couple, had introduced Remy & Emile as a couple. Pat hadn't realized how lonely it could be surrounded by such dear friends.

Roman was the one on the road, with an ever-changing cast. Of course he had friends - he attracted people like fire draws moths. But he was, admittedly, a lot, all the time, and had a tendency to consume those who surrounded him just the same way.

They found time to visit, but even once a month was expensive, and never felt worth how short the visit was, and it could never be enough

Patton trudged through the city one day, admiring the sun and trying not to spend too much time thinking of the last time he'd walked through this park.

Roman, in London this week, did the same, trying his hardest to picture their hometown activities here in Berkeley Square. They could get ice cream, and Patton would get something bright-colored and sweet and it would melt down his hand because he'd get distracted while eating it.

Patton was suddenly called to the present by shouting voices. An anti-demonstration against last week's pride parade. He felt his heart sink, listening to their shouts.

He took out his phone, looking down to avoid eye contact with the yelling mob. But as the screen lit up, the picture was of him and his boyfriend at last year's Pride. Roman had been in full form: a rainbow cape, the trans flag powdered into his hair, killer eyeliner... and the shirt that said 'The First Pride Was A Riot'.

Patton stopped in his tracks. He looked up at the protestors, then down at his phone again.

He turned on his heel and walked directly home. He had some things to arrange.

⁂

Roman was definitely not at all worried or antsy that Patton hadn't yet responded to his 'good morning' text, and definitely had too much else to do to keep checking his phone over and over.

They had a new cast member, so a full dress rehearsal in addition to their punishing performance schedule. He was focused, for the group. But he may have quickly sent Pat a picture of the marquee, just to be sure that he'd seen their thread today.

The cast finished their run and started to drift away, laughing and handing out water bottles. They had a whole three hours before that night's call. One of the swings asked Roman if he wanted to join them for a snack, but Roman couldn't shake the itch of no response from Patton.

Finally, his phone buzzed, and he practically dove to check his phone. 

🐶💙: Hey honeybunches! Are you in the middle of rehearsal?

❤️🌟: Just got out, Pattycake! Can you call?

🐶💙: How about FaceTime?

Roman grinned and pushed his hair back self-consciously as the camera turned on. They usually saved FaceTime for their off days - they'd learned fast how much time could disappear into just staring into one another's eyes.

Patton's smiling face appeared on the screen. He'd redone his hair, a clean cut and newly-shaved fade. He was also wearing... a bow tie? a white bow tie? Roman couldn't make out the background either. It was too dark, but Pat's face was visible.

"Hey, sweetie," Patton chirped. "How was rehearsal?"

"It was really good, love, the new guy is great. Where- you look so good!"

"Awww, you charmer, this old thing?"

"Where are you Pat?"

"The real question is, where are you, Ro? I think you missed your cue."

Roman's heart started to jump in his chest as he stopped short by the stage door. No, he couldn't be... 

But his romantic heart urged him to walk back towards the wings all the same.

One of the techies, a wonderful human named Kai, was waiting by the greenroom door. He caught sight of Roman and grinned. "No going onstage without full costume, Roman, you know the rules."

Roman's heart had dissolved into butterflies, but he nodded in agreement.

"Which costume?"

"The ball, of course."

It was his fastest quickchange in the show, and he and Kai had gotten it down to a science of exactly 30 seconds

So less than a minute later, he was opening the door to the stage wing, fairly certain he'd already died and ascended to heaven based on his heart's current lack of function.

His suspicion was confirmed when he came face-to-face with an angel.

Patton was standing there, in the flesh, wearing a beautiful tuxedo that matched Roman's stage suit perfectly. He was smiling so big, his face looked like it was about to split in half.

"Hello, sunshine," Patton said, reaching out a hand. Roman meant to just take it, but couldn't wait a moment more. He grabbed his hand and pulled his boyfriend into his arms for a desperate hug.

"My sun and stars," Roman murmured into Patton's neck. "I miss you so much."

"I miss you too, Roro. Always, every day, and I don't want to miss you anymore."

Roman pulled his head back up, looking into Patton's eyes. They were shining in the stage lights, but had something on the edge of tears. 

"Ro, do you remember our first date?"

"How could I forget? You'd seen me in Beauty & the Beast and brought a single red rose with you."

"I also tripped over my own feet when I tried to do the fancy bow."

"But I was the one who fell."

"We both were, silly."

Patton finally revealed the hand that had been hidden behind his back, and then behind Roman's. It was another rose, perfect and red. 

"Ro, my dearest love. I hate being apart from you, because I don't get to feel that spark and joy of when we're together. I know it lasts until we reunite, and I know it will last for as long as we want it to. But I want to remind myself that it's always here, no matter where we may be."

Roman's heart caught in his throat as he saw that Patton's eyes were starting to glisten, and he was suddenly reaching into his pocket. 

"Pat?"

"Yes honey?"

"Are you-?"

"Shh, let him finish" Kai whispered from the wings

"Roman, I want the whole world to know what you mean to me. Will you wear this?" Patton slipped down to one knee, pulling out the ring box from his pocket. It was a beautiful rose-gold band with a ruby set in the middle. 

Roman was dumbstruck, and his mouth started talking without him. "How will this tell the whole world?"

Patton smiled up at him. "Because it's telling you."

Roman blessed his waterproof stage makeup as tears started to leak from his eyes.

"Yes, Patton, yes. Of course, yes. A hundred thousand times yes."

And then Patton was on his feet, and their arms were around each other, and they were kissing, sweet and slow and with happy tears turning their lips salty. And they were laughing through both tears and kisses, laughter of relief and isolation and joy and love.

They finally broke apart, and Patton grinned up at Roman. "Let's get married, honey."

roman and his fucking props.

it really isn't that hard to keep track of a goddamn sword.  virgil is getting sick and tired of searching for it every night.  chasing down actors' props isn't his job. he's supposed to be on the headset, keeping the show running, but apparently roman's fucking sword is more important. 

virgil has a routine when looking for props.  he begins in the green room as soon as he's told, often after places have been called if it's roman's prop.  he crawls around under the tables, humming along to the overture and listening to the stage manager calling for the lights.  

if the sword isn't in the green room, he moves to the ensemble dressing rooms.  it's quieter, but the opening number can still be heard from onstage. they're downstairs near the green room, but often messier than upstairs.  they take the longest to search because virgil searches in every closet and basket, often finding nothing.  

on his way back upstairs, virgil skims the prop table.  roman has been known to forget to check it and come running to virgil minutes before he's on.  but the sword is not there, so he begins the ascent up the tower.

the upstairs dressing rooms are smaller, but each one has a flight of stairs in between it.  virgil is usually winded by the time he reaches the top. as he climbs to the first room, previous shows play in his head.  phantom of the opera is quiet as he walks through the room. it fades to wizard of oz as he stalks up the stairs to the second room.  roman played the tin man and could never seem to find his oil can. in the third room, virgil hears beauty and the beast. he remembers roman's first and only villain and how well he sang gaston's song.  the fourth room is the addams family. by now, the songs are nearly audible. virgil can hear "when you're an addams" echoing off the walls.

he spots the sword propped against a chair.  he sighs, picks it up, and makes the trek up to the last dressing room, where he knows roman will be.  virgil pauses at the door, listening as roman hums the song playing on the speaker.

"coming in, princey!" he shouts, and throws open the door.  roman is standing in the middle of the room, shirtless.

"my sword!  where did you find it?"  he runs at virgil, softly taking the sword from his hands.

"the room under yours.  i think patton thought it was cool and grabbed it or something."  virgil rolls his eyes but grins.

"thank you so much, i-"

"can it," virgil interrupts,  "and put a damn shirt on, you're on in like five minutes."  roman's eyes widen and virgil can't help but smile. "you're welcome," he says, turning towards the door.  before he can take a step, roman grabs his shoulder and pecks him on the cheek.

"thanks for finding my stuff."  he smiles softly.