Roman had been to co venting before, but never with someone famous. Or, internet famous. Fake famous? Pre-famous? Whatever, it didn't matter. Behind the curtains, where the average convention goer can't venture, was less extravagant than Roman expected. Vogue was given a guide to ensure they make it to their panel on time. The guide was a tall Established man that wouldn't look at Vogue as he talked to them. Roman didn't like him.
But he loved the con. The snacks provided for the YouTubers were tasty and Roman could peek past the temporary wall of curtains to see the crowd of color and laughter. Vogue said he could leave and walk around, but Roman didn't want to be alone with his thoughts for too long today. He was losing another friend every day, it felt like. He tried to figure out what he did to make Logic and Janus so mad at him. He thought they would be understanding of his Remy issue. But somehow he managed to get broken up with. Again.
"Miss Vogue? Are you ready?" The guide said.
"Uh- yeah." Vogue said, gesturing for Kai and Roman to follow. They walked to a spot in the curtains that looked no different from where they started. The guide gestured for them to walk through. Roman glanced around a small room with a camera and lights facing them. He smiled at the camera, then remembered it was Vogue's photoshoot.
Roman wondered if Vogue found the process of taking pictures over and over boring. If they did, they hid it well. Roman and Kai stood next to the photographer and gave Vogue a thumbs up whenever they looked over. It made them snort. Roman didn't know how long they would be here, but the line behind the curtains looked long.
"Vogue! Vogue! We have the same hair! Maybe we're Sides!" A fan shouted as they ran in. The fan immediately hugged them. Roman saw Kai flinch in the corner of his eye, but Vogue didn't seem to mind. She hugged the fan back tightly before stepping away.
"Oh. But… my hair is dyed?" Vogue responded, tilting her head slightly.
The fan said back, "Mine too!"
"Okaaay." Vogue said, glancing away from the fan. Roman and Kai hid their laughs behind their fists. The photographer took the shot. Vogue was sweet enough to chat with the fan more until the event guide poked his head in and told Vogue to hurry up.
"Alright, alright, step away from the they-dy." Roman said as he herded the fan through the 'out' curtains as the next one entered.
"Thanks." Vogue whispered. "And don't call me a they-dy."
"Sorry, are you a gentlethem?" Roman asked.
"Shut up." Vogue and Kai said at the same time. They shared a look, a small smile, before turning away. Roman was so glad they could flirt while snapping at him.
"Hi, nice to meet you!" Vogue said to the person that was next in line as they walked in.
The fan, a Fusion, didn't respond. They pulled on their jacket a little and offered a small smile. Roman couldn't really see their face, with the low hat they wore.
Vogue took the silence in stride, "Isn't this a great convention? I hope you've been having a good time!" The Fusion shuffled closer to Vogue and turned to the camera. Vogue let out a small giggle and said, "This is gonna be a good one."
The light flashed and the Fusion gave another small smile to Vogue. Then they left without another word. Vogue shot Roman a look, who merely shrugged. The next fan was dressed like a sexy Garfield. The president, not the cat.
When Vogue's meet and greet time was over, they collapsed on the floor back in the content creator lounge (which was really just a spare room with tables and a vending machine). Vogue took their hair out of the complex braid they had it in, multi-colored waves falling over her shoulders. They patted their shoulders and squeezed their arms. Then rubbed their thighs.
"What're you doing?" Kai asked.
"Trying to keep myself together." Vogue said.
Roman frowned, "Doing okay?"
"Yeah, just socially drained." Vogue said, distracted. They pulled their hand out of their pocket, frowning. "When's I get this?"
They unfolded a piece of paper and peered at it. Kai and Roman sat down next to them.
Kai asked, looking over their shoulder, "What is it?"
"A picture of two Sides." Vogue said, "And a message to meet them." Their excitement grew, "At the Starbucks at midnight!"
"Wait, Vogue!" Kai said, "That sounds like you're gonna get kidnapped-"
"No no no! Look!" Vogue showed the picture to them. "They actually look like us!"
"Guys, I don't know…" Kai didn't even look at the paper.
Roman took the picture from Vogue and looked it over. The two Sides were identical, except one had dark hair and the other a light blonde. The darker haired Side grinned at the camera, while the blonde appeared to be trying to hide their face. He tilted his head and flipped the picture over to read the little message on the back.
"It could be romantic." Roman said slowly, looking at the Sides' faces once more, "And they do look like you."
"I know! They're so cute!" Vogue snatched the picture again.
Kai shook his head, "No, guys. This is a bad idea!"
"What's the worst that can happen?" Vogue said.
Kai's eyes widened, "You're an internet celebrity!"
Vogue waved him off, rolling their eyes, "No I'm not."
"Vogue!" Kai grabbed their arm and said seriously, "Do not meet strangers alone in an empty parking lot!"
"I won't!" Vogue said, wrapping their arms around both Kai and Roman. "I'll have my bodyguards with me!"
Roman puffed out his chest. "I'll protect you, Vogue!"
Vogue grinned and did a little bow, "Why thank you, Sir Roman."
Roman grinned, earning a glare from Kai. He promised, "Don't worry, if they are kidnappers, I'll distract them with my irresistible body."
"Irresistible to who?" Kai snorted. Vogue giggled, which made Kai smile wider. Roman didn't take the joke personally, but it was an effort.
Roman stood alone in the middle of a Starbucks parking lot. The coffee shop had been closed for hours. Roman could see his reflection in the dark glass of the windows. Streetlights provide the parking lot with enough light that he was confident his murder would be visible.
A single car, Roman's car, was parked in the spot with the easiest exit route. He couldn't see past his tinted windows, but he knew Kai sat in the driver's seat. He was probably tapping on the wheel and bouncing his leg. He kind of reminded Roman of Anxiety.
Anxiety who didn't exist right now, and was replaced with a teddy bear's soul in a Sasquatch's body. Roman was alright with Kyler, he definitely wasn't the worst Fusion in their pod. But Roman was starting to get a weird tugging in his chest when he thought about Virgil. He just missed him. That's all. He can miss one of his Sides. That's a normal thing to do.
"Are you a friend of Vogue's?" A voice from behind Roman made him jump. His thoughts about cute emo boys vanished as he whipped around to find the source. He could see movement in the darkness by the dumpsters, only a few feet away from him.
Sidenote, shouldn't there be more lights around dumpsters? That's where, like, raccoons and rats and Negatives hang around. Like, hello? Safety? Anyway. Spooky figure in the shadows.
Roman took a few steps forward, trying to get a look at the guy. He didn't like how big they looked. Roman was more than willing to stand up for his friends and keep them safe. Buuut he also had never really been in a fight before. Well, except as Remus. But that was different.
The figure walked out of the shadows and under the street light. Roman tilted his head up and up again to get a view of all of them. A Fusion. Roman felt his throat go dry. They wore a long coat that was clearly tailored for someone their size. Their hat sat low on their head, hiding most of their face. Roman could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand on its end, but he wouldn't back up. He knew Kai and Vogue were watching from the car.
"Hey." Roman said, trying to sound tough. What would a Negative say? "Who the hell are you?"
Nailed it. Janus would be so proud. Or he would, if he didn't hate Roman for being stuck on a stupid ex that didn't even want him and- focus, Roman!
The Fusion stood straighter, and Roman had to step back a little to see their face without feeling like his head was about to pop off. Roman had to be a foot and a half shorter than the other, and he didn't like that much.
"Who are you?" The Fusion asked. Their gaze darted to the car. "And who is with you?"
Roman pouted and crossed his arms. "I asked first."
"Did they get my message?" The Fusion asked, still glancing over to the car.
Roman rolled his eyes, "I mean you put it in their pocket, so-"
"Are they in there?" They asked. They took a step forward, but Roman stopped them with a hand on their chest.
He said in a low tone, "You're not meeting anyone until I get some names."
The Fusion slowly looked down at him. They stared at each other for a long moment. Roman grit his teeth, feeling his heart rate pick up the longer they stood there. He was starting to lose his nerve.
"Well?" He barked.
"Sorry." The Fusion said. "I can't do that."
Roman tensed, "What-?"
He winced as a bright flash of light sparked to life in front of him. He turned away, rubbing his eyes. It took him a second to look back up, dots spotting his vision.
The Sides were shorter than him, and looked like the two in the picture he saw. One with dyed dark brown hair, the other with assumedly natural blonde hair. The blonde stood slightly behind the brunette.
"Are they there?" The brunette asked, looking around Roman at the car. "Can we see them? Did they like the con? Are you-"
"Med. Stop." The blonde said, putting a hand on the other's shoulder. Then, they looked over to Roman with wide eyes. They said, "I'm Rain. This is my twin, River."
"What did they have for breakfast?" River asked, standing on their tip-toes. Their face lit up and they waved, "I think I see them!"
Roman slowly nodded, feeling the tension leave his muscles. "Okay. I'm Roman."
"Are you Vogue's friend?" River asked, "How'd you meet?"
Roman didn't like their energy right now. It was midnight and River was acting like- like Slap Happy after a movie marathon. Roman grit his teeth and forced the memory away.
"What are your Side names?" Roman asked.
"What's yours?" River asked, grinning.
Great. Another thing that he didn't want to think about right now. Logic being mad at him and dragging him to a doctor. Getting poked and prodded for hours. The never ending questions.
Roman closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Before he could think of a response, Rain spoke again, "I represent Restraint, while River is named Meddler."
River didn't seem at all embarrassed by being named the equivalent of "nosey". How very brave of them.
"And our big guy is Discretion." Meddler said, gesturing how tall the Fusion is. "Which is why he couldn't introduce himself."
Roman tilted his head back and forth, thinking. The two Sides looked harmless enough. And they definitely had Vogue and Kai's face. But Roman didn't like River being Meddler. It felt like he should keep that kind of Side away from a C-list celebrity, but he wasn't sure. They were alone, afterall. And it didn't seem like they were recording anything. What did Vogue have to hide anyway?
Finally, Roman said, "Okay. Wait here."
He turned and walked back to the car. He could hear Rain and River's excited whispering and clapping as he walked off.
Vogue rolled down the window as Roman approached. Their eyes were wide, occasionally darting to the two in the parking lot. They whispered, "Well?"
Roman took a deep breath and tried to be supportive. He smiled, not feeling it in his chest, as he said, "They pass the vibe check. You can talk to them." He added as an afterthought, "Be careful what you say to the chatty one, though."
Vogue squealed and pushed Roman out of the way with the door. They ran across the parking lot and pulled Meddler into a hug. Reserved took a step back, holding their arms in front of them, but it was no help against Vogue's excitement. Kai was making nervous sounds as he unbuckled and opened his own door.
"Vogue, wait!" Kai shouted, finally running after them when Vogue picked up Middler like they weighed nothing. Meddler's cackle of joy could be heard from where they had parked.
Roman sat in the passenger seat, watching Vogue and Kai meet possibly their final Sides. He thought about them being happy together. He wondered if he could ever get that back.
The second day of Vogue's meet and greets, everyone got ready in their hotel room. Roman laid across Vogue's bed, exhausted. He wasn't able to sleep much last night, busy thinking of all the ways he had messed up lately. What was wrong with him? He felt like he had swallowed ten pound weights painted with lead. He couldn't get his mind out of this stupid, sad fog it was in. He couldn't do anything.
A phone rang. Not Roman's, though. No one wanted to talk to him.
"Can you check that and make sure it's not Ellie?" Vogue asked.
Kai grinned at them and said, a teasing tone in his voice, "Or your two new favorite fans?"
"Shut up," Vogue said, smiling widely at him. All four of them had exchanged numbers. Roman had to sit and watch them talk and giggle for like twenty-five minutes before Kai finally dragged Vogue back to the car.
Roman had never heard Kai talk like that before; the obvious flirty lift in his voice. His eyes were even crinkling with his smile! Roman glanced away, feeling like he was intruding.
"Ellie?" Roman muttered as he picked up the cell.
"Elliot," Kai said, appearing by his side. "Vogue thinks it's funny calling them that."
Vogue smiled, "It makes them blush."
Roman wanted to feel happy for his friends. Instead he just felt bitter that he wasn't the one with a Fusion partner that gives him silly nicknames. God, Ro, how awful can you get?
"It's Pop Culture." Roman said, clicking a group chat…that he wasn't in. He frowned at the picture Pop sent.
"No, wait-" Kai tried to grab for the phone but Roman held it above his head, out of their reach. He kept his gaze on the screen, wishing the picture would change.
He scrolled up and saw the few messages between Pop, Vogue, and their pods. They were talking about-
"An Establishment Ceremony?" Roman said. He read the name that kept popping up. And then, as if to add another knife to his chest, a new photo loaded in the chat.
Pop, in a beautiful dress, stood between none other than Remy and Missy. Roman shoved the phone into Kai's chest with more force than necessary. He felt bad, briefly, at the small 'oof' he made.
"REMY'S Establishment Ceremony!?" Roman knew he was shouting but he couldn't help it. "She's at fucking Remy's Establishment Ceremony?"
Kai flinched, so Roman turned his furious gaze to Vogue.
"Hey, hey, calm down before they call security on us." Vogue said, holding up their hands in a placating manner.
"Why didn't she tell me when we were hanging out?" Roman asked.
Kai answered, "We didn't want you to freak out. Like you're doing right now."
Roman groaned and kicked the wall. His shoes were not the wall-kicking-type and he only ended up hurting his toes. He pressed his back against the wall instead and sat down.
"Fuck! Why didn't he send me an invite?" Roman asked, hiding his face in his hands.
"Would you have gone?" Kai asked, sitting down in front of him.
Roman didn't want to think about that. He shook his head and said, "I can't believe he's getting Established." Then, quieter, "I can't believe I missed it."
Vogue sat down on the floor beside him, their expression morose. They said quietly, "Pop thought about staying behind, for you."
"No, it's fine. They're friends or whatever." Roman said, "It wasn't her heart he broke."
Kai let out a small sigh. He said slowly, "Maybe this is for the best. Maybe this is what you needed to stop thinking about him."
"Yeah." Roman's voice cracked. "Maybe."
I'll never see him again.
Vogue wrapped an arm around him and he allowed himself to be held. Roman closed his eyes and did his best to keep all his pain on the inside, where it belonged.
He's gone. I didn't even get to say goodbye. The first tear slipped out. He's gone.
Tell me what you think!