Roman was already tipsy when he got the message that Logic was on his way to the party. He almost drops his phone when he reads it.

"Holy shit." Roman said, "He's actually coming."

Kai snorted and shook his head, munching on another chip. He usually wasn't one for parties, but he agreed to be the designated driver tonight in exchange for Roman to do all the chores for two weeks. He didn't say anything in response to Roman, but he was clearly invested in the situation; watching with curious eyes.

"That's great, hombre." Monica said, slinging two of her arms around Roman's shoulder to look at the text.

Roman was fully expecting the nerdy Side to not arrive, claiming that parties kill brain cells or something. But less than five minutes later he got another message that Logic was outside the frat house.

"He's here!" Roman said, throwing back the rest of his drink. He swallowed and rushed out of the room, towards the front door. He had to push through a crowd of dancing people, but he reached the door just in time to see it being slowly opened by a Side with dark glasses.

Hesitantly, Logic poked his head into the house before stepping full inside. Roman watched as he glanced around and pulled out his phone again. Before he could start typing, Roman approached him, giving a small wave.

"Hey," he said over the music. Logic glanced up at him and relaxed when he saw who it was.

"Greetings." Logic said, sliding his phone back into his pocket. His jeans were right, he wasn't wearing tight jeans when they first met. Is he staring at his jeans for too long? He should probably look away now. Logic added, "I'm here."

"I'm queer, and there's beer near." Roman said, grabbing Logic by the hand and pulling him away from the door. "Let's get you a drink."

Logic didn't object to a drink. Or if he did, Roman couldn't hear it over the noise of the party. He tried to not think about how warm Logic's hand is, nor how easy it was to grab it. He weaves them through the dance floor, swiftly stepping around people. He glanced back at Logic, and smiled when he caught his eye.

Roman doesn't know why, but his heart pounded in delight at the sight of the Side. He forced his elation to settle once they entered the kitchen. His friends were waiting where he left them. Pop grinned and stared pointedly at their joined hands. When Roman waved her off, she just laughed and tossed some of her dark hair over her shoulder.

Roman quickly poured them two cups of jungle juice and handed one to Logic. The Side sniffed it curiously before taking a small sip. Roman took a quick gulp of his own before he took Logic by the elbow and directed the Side to his friend's.

"You've already met Pop." Roman said, gesturing to the fusion.

Logic held out a hand and clarified, "I had met her Sides. Nice to officially meet you, Pop Culture."

"And you as well, Señor Logic." Pop said, shaking his head.

"This is my roommate, Kai Side." Roman gestured to his friend. He didn't provide Kai's Side name without permission, so Logic would be left in the dark about that. He didn't seem to mind, shaking Kai's hand as well. Hushed, Roman whispered in his ear, "Kai uses he/him pronouns."

Logic smiled smoothly, showing no trace of confusion or bigotry as he let go of Kai's hand and introduced himself. "My name is Logic Side. Roman is helping me reach Establishment."

"Is he now?" Pop grinned, taking a sip of one of her drinks. Fusions, being far larger than most people, need multiple drinks to get even slightly buzzed. Because of this, Pop could always be seen carrying at least three drinks at all times during parties.

"Yes, I am." Roman said, ignoring Pop's teasing smile. "If he can prove he's a good match for Slap Happy, then yeah. I'll introduce them."

Kai told Logic, "If you get drunk and want to escape from that one" He pointed to Roman, "Come get me, and I'll drive you home."

"Thank you, I appreciate the offer." Logic told the Side. Roman was going to say something about how Logic wouldn't need any rescuing, (he's a prince, princes do the rescuing!), but a new song came one in the livingroom.

Pop Culture gasped in excitement and unfused. In her place was Harry and Theo. Harry was left holding two of their three drinks. Theo set hers down my Kai and grabbed her Side's arm,"I love this song!"

Harry sighed and set her drinks down to be guarded by Kai and allowed herself to be dragged off, "Yay, more dancing."

Roman smiled at their antics and took another drink from his cup. His heart was vibrating in his chest, warming his body from the inside out. With a small flush, he asked Logic, "Do you want to dance?"

"With you? I'm trying to." Logic said.

Roman felt his face burn and he glanced away before looking back to see a small, knowing smirk on Logic's face. Forcing his blush away, Roman took Logic's hand again and led him to the dancefloor. Over his shoulder, he told the Side, "Haha, funny. Sides and dancing. Too bad nothing will come from this."

Logic raised an eyebrow as they found a spot together near the edge of the dance floor. It was darker in this room, the lights had been shut off in favor of some colored lasers and a disco ball. He couldn't see Harry and Theo, but he thinks he prefers it that way. The girls would probably just embarrass him or get the wrong idea.

When Roman started dancing to the music, Logic didn't join in. Instead, he watched Roman dance with a thoughtful expression.

Roman stepped closer and said loud enough to be heard, "You're supposed to dance."

"I don't dance." Logic respond.

Roman grinned, unable to help himself, "I know you can!"

Logic didn't seem to know the reference, as he responded with, "A fair technicality. Allow me to rephrase, dancing is not my field of expertise and-"

"Blah blah blah, no one cares if it's good." Roman said, grabbing Logic by the hand and pulling them flush together. He placed a hand on Logic's hip and guided him into a simple rocking motion, following the beat side to side. Roman leaned forward, and told Logic, "Just feel the music!"

Logic had stopped talking, his mouth hanging open slightly. Roman wasn't completely sure, but it almost looked like the Side was blushing.

Roman, spurred on by the alcohol running through him, let out a laugh and wrapped an arm around Logic's back. He didn't let them move away from each other until the song switched to the next, then the next, and the next after that. He kept them close together; swaying, sliding, grinding, and side-stepping their way through the playlist.

As one song was ending, Roman swung Logic into a low dip, one that he had done millions of times with Pop Culture during rehearsal. But when he looked down at Logic's wide eyes and his parted lips, Roman felt something in his chest break loose. His mouth was suddenly dryer than a desert, and he couldn't help but lick his lips. Logic's gaze darted down to watch the movement.

That Something that had broken free was now growing, spreading throughout his entire body. He could feel it, a pleasurable burn, that washed through him at an alarming rate. It sped through his veins and congregated in his hands and arm, where he was touching Logic.

Roman sucked in a sharp breath as he felt himself fading into something else. Someone else.

Without thinking, Roman dropped Logic.

He was panicking too much to immediately realize what he'd done. But once he noticed, Roman quickly apologized and helped Logic up.

Once the other Side was standing and confirmed he wasn't hurt badly, Roman stepped away from him.

Okay now Princey, Roman thought to himself, we can do this. It's just a Side. A random Side.

Awkwardly, Roman mumbled something about needing a drink and he tugged Logic back to the kitchen.

Kai glanced up when they entered. His gaze flicked from Roman's expression to Logic's, before a small frown settled on his face. He asked, "Everything alright?"

"Fine!" Roman said quickly, shooting him a too-wide grin. He forced his mouth to relax, knowing that he could do better as an actor. With a pained expression, he said, "I dropped Logic."

"You ok?" Kai checked. Logic nodded and then a grin broke out across Kai's face as he teased Roman, "Ha, loser. Imagine if Perfectionist saw that."

Roman groaned as he grabbed a small tower of tiny red plastic shot cups. From the liquor table, he swiped a half-full bottle of vodka. He shook his head while he said, "He wouldn't even yell; he'd just straight-up murder me."

Kai laughed at that and picked up his phone, "I'm telling Pop."

"Have fun with that. We've got some booze to peruse." Roman said, leading Logic back through the dance floor. He quickly ducked around a corner and found a mostly-empty hallway. Third door on the left was an open room with no one inside. There was a couch with a coffee table and a TV; although it clearly was smaller than the livingroom.

Roman sat down on the couch and set the drink and cups on the coffee table. Slowly, Logic sat next to him, a respectable distance away. He asked, "What are we doing now?"
It wasn't as loud in this room, the music was nothing more than a dull buzz from a few rooms over. So Logic was able to speak at a softer volume, and Roman could lean closer, to ensure he heard the Side correctly.

With a grin, Roman responded, "We're playing Twenty Questions."
"Okay." Logic glanced at the shot glasses he was filling up. "What are the rules?"
"We take turns asking questions." Roman said, "If you don't want to answer it, you take a shot. Keep going until one of us is wasted."

"I see." Logic adjusted his glasses and said, "You can go first, if you'd like."

Roman chewed on his tongue in thought, before he simply asked, "How old are you?"
"I'm twenty-one." Logic said.

"Me too." Roman said without thinking. The confirmation made Logic's lips twitch upwards. Roman frowned at himself, tearing his gaze away from his lips. He shouldn't be staring at Sides like that. It's not princely.

"When was your Establishment ceremony?" Logic asked.

Without hesitation, Roman shrugged, "I don't remember."
Logic squinted at him, pressing further, "How old were you?"
"One question per round." Roman said, unable to stop himself from smiling at Logic's exasperation. Glancing away, Roman asked, "What's your sexuality?"
"Excuse me?" Logic didn't seem offended, however he was watching Roman closely.

Roman held up a hand and gestured to the shots on the coffee table, "You don't have to answer. But I know your Sides preferences. It may match."
He didn't break eye contact as he said, "I'm a homosexual."

Roman ducked his head to hide his smile. Why did learning that make his chest burst to life? At Logic's raised eyebrow, Roman said, "One of your sides is a gay man. The other is an ace woman."

"This doesn't count as my question: What are their names?" Logic asked.

"Yes, it does. Remy and Missy." Roman said, and before Logic could interrupt, he continued quickly, "How long have you been looking for your Sides?"
"About four months." Logic answered, clearly annoyed with Roman's antics. He asked, "What were your Sides names?"
"I forgot during Establishment." Roman said.

"You can't keep answering with 'I forgot' or 'I don't remember'." Logic frowned, "Those aren't answers. If you're going to respond that way, you need to take a drink."
"But I did forget!" Roman argued, "I don't know anything about my past Sides."
"That's not possible." Logic said, picking up a shot and handing it to him, "Either give me a proper answer, or drink."

Roman took the shot from him, but didn't speak. Logic held his ground, staring him down with a challenging glare.

Slowly, Logic repeated, "What were your Sides names?"

With a huff, Roman grit his teeth and threw back the shot. The alcohol burned down his throat, making his eyes prick with tears. He groaned as he swallowed and set the glass down. He whipped his head around to glare at Logic and hiss, "What's your Established name?"
"Logan." He said simply, setting his hands down in his lap. "When was the last time you fused?"
Roman rolled his eyes and said, "At my Establishment ceremony."
"Which was?"

Grumbling, Roman picked up Logic's shot and threw it back. He felt the alcohol rush through him like an unpleasant wave. He pointed a finger at Logic and asked, "How did you find me, Logan?"

Logic batted his hand away and said, "It was only coincidence we went to the same college. I was inspecting all of the artistic departments for possible Sides, before I found you in the theater department."

"Did you find any others?" Roman asked, his voice a little slurred. He didn't mean to ask that, but it had slipped past his lips.

"No." Logic was watching him. He felt like he was under a microscope. Roman realized he had been played. While he was already buzzed when Logic arrived, the Side was almost entirely sober. He had barely sipped any of the drinks Roman had given him. They were playing a verbal game of chess, and Roman was blindfolded, and also didn't know the names of the pieces.

A small smile spread across Logic's lips as he said, "I got distracted by an Established dancer."

"Who?" Roman asked. He felt his thoughts swim away from him, floating away in the alcohol he had consumed.

The smile grew wider, "You."

"Oh."

"How do you feel?" Logic asked, resting his head on his fist, using the back of the couch to prop up his arm. Roman traced his figure with his gaze; something of the sight made him want to take a photograph, or to grab a sketchbook and capture the moment. Logic wasn't even doing anything; simply lounging there, relaxed and observant. Roman wanted to reach forward and touch him, just to make sure he was still real.

"Drunk." Roman muttered quietly. He held his own hand in his lap, just to ensure he wouldn't reach for the Side. He frowned and asked, "Who's turn is it?"

Logic poured another shot and said, "I'll go. How did you meet my Sides?"
"I found Remy on a dating app." Roman said, he took the shot in his hand. He stared at it and asked, "Who do you want to be, when you're Established?"
Logic paused, thinking over the answer. He settled on, "Someone kind. Are you satisfied with who you are? As an … Established person."
Roman made a face and threw back the shot. He didn't mind it as much that time. He gets better at drinking the drunker he gets. He asked Logic, "How do you feel about fusion?"

"I've never done it." Logic said, "I would need to experience it first to gain a real opinion of it. However, it is the end goal in finding my Sides."

"Would you wanna do it all the time?" Roman asked, "Like a permafusion?"

Logic paused before answering. He finally said, "I don't know."
"Oh! Oh! Drink!" Roman said, sloppily pouring a shot for Logic, "You can't answer that!"

Logic laughed, a delightful, private noise, that made Roman freeze in his movements. He looked up to see Logic's smile, a genuine one, that was joyful and not laced with suspicion. He handed Logic the shot glass, and waited a beat too long to pull his hand back.

Roman watched as he took the shot, his face contorted as the alcohol hit his tongue. Roman let out a soft laugh at the sight. Logic set down the glass and smoothed his shirt. He was clearly gathering his thoughts, but Roman didn't have any thoughts to gather.

Instead, he rested his head on the back of the couch and grinned at Logic from under his lashes. He said with the warmth and courage only alcohol could provide, "You're one'a the handsomest princes I've ever seen."
Logic went still; his movements halted instantly and his eyes flew wide. A light, pink flush began to spread through his cheeks and Roman actually did reach out and touch it this time. Logic's skin was hot under his fingertips, as Roman gently rubbed his thumb in little circles on his cheek.

Behind Logic's shoulder, there was movement in the doorway. Roman didn't look away from the Side, even as he heard Kai's voice, "Ro? You in here?"
"Roman." Logic swallowed thickly, then asked in a near-silent voice, "What were you diagnosed as?"

Drunkenly, stupidly, Roman answered without thinking, "Crea-"

"WHOA!" Kai was suddenly grabbing Logic by the arm and pulling him away from the couch. Roman shrugged and reached for his shot, as he didn't answer the question. He threw back the drink, distracted by the new rush of alcohol in his mind. He laughed as he set the glass down, and looked up to see Kai and Logic arguing.

That's not nice. He pushed himself to his feet and took both of the men by their hands. "Shh," he told them, swaying on his feet, "Shh, it's ok. No fighting."

"I'm taking him home." Kai said, his tone angry. He was looking at Logic, "How drunk are you? Do you need a ride?"

"I had one shot, and I walked." Logic said, holding up his free hand, "I'll be fine."
"Great." Kai said, pulling Roman through the room. Roman whined when Logic's hand was pulled from his grip. He glanced behind them and saw Logic watching them leave. He had his arms crossed over his chest, and a contemplative look on his face.

Roman bent down to ask Kai, "Is the party over?"
"Yes." Kai was able to lead him outside, to the front yard. He looked up at Roman and shook his head, "You're going to be so pissed when you're sober."

"Why?" Roman asked, looking up at the stars in the night sky. Kai was pushing him into a car, but he didn't to go in the car, he wanted to look at the stars. Finally, Kai was able to get his buckle on him and close the door. Roman still pressed his face against the cool glass. It was harder to see the stars now.

Kai was quiet for a long time, then he shook his head again and said, "Honestly, Ro. If this guy is Remy and Missy's, you're lucky. He's too smart and you're too reckless."

Roman rolled his head to look at Kai. He had no idea what he just said. Something about Remy and Missy. Roman sighed and rubbed his pockets, looking for his phone. "I like Remy."
"I know, Roman." Kai said, not looking away from the road.

Roman found Remy's number in his phone. He started to type out a drunk love poem to the Side, but before he could finish, he got a text.

It was from Logic! Roman smiled and immediately forgot about the text to Remy. He spent a minute reading the text Logic sent. His mind was moving slower, which made it twice as hard to send love texts.

Logic: Drink water when you get home. Lunch sometime?

Roman squinted in concentration as he punched in the text, letter by letter. He ended up writing 'Lunch date acquired!' with some heart emojis.

"Hey, Roman, you owe me twenty bucks." Kai said, holding out his hand.

Roman reached for his wallet, sleepily finding some green paper. "Okay." He held it out, then asked, "Why?"
"It's for all the bitching your gonna do in the morning when you realize you drunkenly told your little Side friend all your dirty little secrets. I'll have to listen to it, so I should get paid." Kai explained, snatching the money from him. He glanced at the bill, then told him, "This is a five."
Roman had stopped listening. He was staring down at his phone, the screen lit up with a new text from Logic.

It said:

I wouldn't mind being a permafusion if it was with you, Creativity.


Tell me what you think!