On Thursday, Roman was the first one in the kitchen. He could hear a shower running and assumed it was Logic. Everyone else appeared to be asleep. Roman liked Thursdays because he only had one class. And he liked this Thursday even more because his professor had emailed the class to let everyone know their lecture was canceled today. So Roman had the day to relax and recharge.
He stirred sugar into his coffee, humming to himself. He woke up with a Disney song in his head and it wouldn't leave. "Look for the bear necessities, the simple bear necessities…"
He lifted his mug to take a sip of his coffee. The steam curled around his nose and he sighed in content at the sugary taste.
"Forget about your worries and your-" He turned around and almost ran straight into a wall. "SHIT!"
He jerked back, spilling a drop of hot coffee onto his hand. He set the mug down as carefully as he could, then shoved his hand in his mouth.
He groaned, then said around his fingers, "Oh, that hurt."
"Sorry! Sorry!" The wall said.
Roman looked up and saw himself as a giant. The fusion had glasses and lilac hair. Small freckles dotted his pale skin, and he wore the softest looking sweater Roman had ever seen.
Weirdly, the fusion was shaking his hand in the air, like it stung. He shoved his hand under his armpit and grimaced.
"Are you okay?" The fusion asked.
"Yeah, it doesn't hurt that bad." Roman said, inspecting his hand. It was a little pink, but he didn't think it'd scar. He moved over to the sink and ran cold water over it. "Just a little coffee burn…"
"Sorry." The fusion said again. Roman looked at him. He was observing his hand, turning it over and over.
Roman asked, "Did I spill some on you?"
He looked up at him, surprised. Then he said, "Uh, no, I just, uh-"
He made a gesture between them that Roman didn't understand. He said slowly, "Right. Uh… who are you?"
He was definitely a fusion, but not one Roman knew. He had a normal face, and two hands. If it weren't for how tall he was, Roman would think he was Established. His eyes trailed lower. Where were his extra parts?
"Ah! It must be so weird to see a stranger in your kitchen!" He said, sounding flustered. He covered his mouth with his hand for a second before he held it out and said, "Sorry. I'm Empathy. It's nice to meet you."
"You apologize a lot." Roman said, smiling a little. He shook Empathy's hand. His own looked so small in his grip. He added, "It's your kitchen too, now."
"I guess you're right." Empathy said thoughtfully. Then he added, "Sorry."
Roman picked up his mug again, chuckling. "You're Pat and Virgil, right? Do you like coffee?"
"Yeah." He said, then frowned at the mug in his hand. "Uh. I don't know?"
"Try some." Roman held it out for him. "I make it the best. Logic doesn't use enough sugar and Janus likes tea."
He stuck his tongue out, which made Empathy giggle. Slowly, he took the mug from Roman and tried a little sip. Roman waited for a response.
Empathy pouted, tilting his head. "You know. I think I'll pass. But thank you."
Roman laughed again, taking the mug back. He had a big gulp, then said, "More for me."
There was a lull in the conversation as Empathy got a glass of water.
Roman said, as nonchalantly as he could, "I didn't think Pat and Virge went to bed together last night."
"Oh!" Empathy giggled, looking away. "No! No. Um, Virgil woke up early and, um, they spent their morning together."
"Cute." Roman said, smiling at his blush. "Good for them."
Empathy giggled again and took a sip of his water. He nodded and said, "Virge doesn't work today. So I can go to the daycare."
"You like working with kids?" Roman asked.
His eyes lit up as he started explaining. "Yes! They're so full of energy and emotions! And most of them haven't met a fusion before, so it's a great learning experience for them!" His smile fell slightly and he fiddled with the edge of his sweater. "But I get worried they'll get hurt. Some of them play far too rough."
Roman shrugged. "That's why you're there."
"Yeah…" Empathy didn't get to say more before Logic walked in. His hair was still damp from his shower, slicked back and smooth. Roman wanted to mess it up. He smirked into his coffee.
"Greetings, greetings." Logic said, almost to himself, as he approached the coffee maker. He grabbed a mug and added, "Roman. Fusion."
He looked up in surprise, turning rapidly to Empathy. "A fusion! Hello!" He took Empathy's hand and shook it vigorously. "Good morning!"
"Good morning!" Empathy responded, equally as excited. "I'm Empathy!"
"Yes, Virgil and Patton mentioned you. Welcome, please, sit down." Logic pulled out a chair and ushered them to the table. Roman laughed at his clear excitement. Logic didn't even look up. His thrill, his focus. It was … kinda cute.
He was talking a mile a minute. "May I ask, is there a reason Virgil and Patton seemed hesitant to have Empathy partake in the previous study sessions? I understand Virgil was tired during the last one, but-"
Empathy shrugged and said, "I don't know for sure. But probably because I like to stick around. And don't you do it at night? So I might interfere with their plans for the next day."
"I see." Logic said, surprised by the answer.
"I wouldn't want to be a bother." Empathy added, glancing at Roman. He pushed his glasses up his nose and said, "They agreed on me being here today, since Virgil doesn't work."
"Because then you'd have to split up." Logic said, nodding.
"That, and I'm not really good with needles." Empathy said. He rubbed his hand, glancing at Roman again. "That kind of thing hurts."
"Excuse me, it hurts?" Logic shuffled closer in his seat. "Could you explain that further?"
Empathy shrugged again. "It hurts to get tattoos, so it hurts to give them."
"Pinch me." Logic said, holding his arm out.
Empathy shook his head, "I don't think-"
"It'll be alright, I won't be harmed." Logic said, gesturing between them.
Empathy reluctantly pinched Logic's arm. He yelped and rubbed his own arm, pouting. Logic also rubbed away the pain, staring at Empathy in wonder.
"Amazing! Perhaps due to Patton's moral nature, you receive psychological injury whenever you inflict pain." Logic said, eyes never leaving Empathy's expression. "You're truly Empathetic to the point of having some sort of phantom pain."
Empathy let out an awkward laugh, scratching the back of his head. "I just don't like hurting people. It makes me nervous."
"Everything makes you nervous." A voice said from the doorway. They turned to see Janus watching them. He frowned when he saw Empathy's face. "Oh, sorry. You sounded like Virgil."
"Janus, this is Empathy." Logic said.
Empathy stood and held out his hand. "You can call me Kyler if you want."
"Nice name." Janus said, hesitantly shaking it. "I'm Janus."
"I know." Empathy cleared his throat and pulled his hand away. "Um… I hope we can get along."
"Uh, yeah." Janus said. He didn't seem to know what to say next, because he ducked his head and sped past Empathy.
Roman watched them for a moment. Janus awkwardly made tea by himself, his shoulders tight. Empathy cheerfully answered Logic's question. Even as the bright sun shone through the kitchen, the spotlight grew dim over Roman.
No one was paying attention to him. And that simply wouldn't do. Roman stood and announced, "Well, I should be off."
The others looked up at him, and Roman's chest swelled in success. What can he say? He was made to be observed.
"I have a breakfast date with Remy." Roman said, clasping his hands together.
"Oh! Tell him we said 'hi'." Empathy said, before he immediately scrunched up his nose and added, "Actually, wait, don't."
Roman laughed and walked to the doorway. "Alright, a hello from Virgil, will do."
Empathy stood up and he said a little louder, "No, really don't!"
"Can't hear you, bye!" Roman said, ducking out of the room.
He heard Empathy say, in a rather deep voice, "Roman!"
He could tell Logic said something, but couldn't catch the words. Oh well, it didn't matter. Roman had a date to catch at a coffee shop on campus. He grabbed his keys and wallet before heading out the door.
Roman got there first, which wasn't out of the ordinary. Remy was notoriously late for everything, unless Missy was in charge of it. His tiredness caused tardiness. Roman sat by the window, because he's a main character, and took out his phone.
He sent Kai a message to confirm he could swing by later. He wanted to invite him to Game Night with the others. He was excited for his right hand man to meet his Sides. Kai didn't make friends easily; so Roman was helping him make four more. Also, he really wanted his friends to be friends with his boyfriends, and Kai doesn't super like Remy. Although no one really super likes Remy… Ugh. He sounded like Logic.
Roman dropped his phone and turned his attention outside. It was a quiet morning, like the air itself hadn't woken up yet. Two, maybe three students soberly slink along the sidewalk. A bus carrying many more drudges by. There may be birds, but Roman can't hear them inside. The window feels cold.
"Hey babe!"
"THANK GODS!" Roman jumped up and pulled Sleep into a hug. He released him enough to look into his sunglasses and say, "I was so bored."
"Sorry babe!" Remy lowered the shades enough for Roman to see the massive bags under his eyes. "I didn't realize it was morning!"
"Honey, did you get any sleep at all?" Roman asked, directing them to stand in line.
Remy stared at him. "When?"
"Recently?" Roman tried.
"Can't say I have." Remy yawned, threw an arm around Roman's shoulder and said, "That's why we're getting coffee, Dream Boy."
"I- knew that…" Roman stumbled over his words as his face heated up. He loved that nickname, and Remy knew it. "Do you know what you want?"
They were next in line. Roman wasn't sure what to get. He liked sweet coffee. The kind that didn't taste like coffee and tasted more like a marshmallow. He wanted something iced. Maybe caramel?
The customer in front of them walked away and the cashier looked up. She saw Remy and said something into her headset that sounded suspiciously like, "Sleep Side! Sleep Side!"
The baristas looked over to them. One groaned. Roman watched as Remy stepped up, leaned heavily against the counter, and grinned.
"Good morning." The cashier said, sounding very tired.
"So I've been told!" Remy responded, somehow full of energy. "Could I, pleaseee, haaaave," Roman glanced between him and the cashier. If he knew his order, why was he drawing it out? And then, like Lin Manuel-Miranda in any of his roles, Remy spat at mach speed, "Fourteen shots over ice with twelve pumps of white chocolate and a splash, just a smidgen, of half n' half, and could I have foam on top with some chocolate drizzle and your rainbow sprinkles?"
Somehow, the cashier understood all of that, and looked up only after just a beat. "Anything else?"
Remy looked over to Roman, "What do you want? My treat, babe."
"Um… And an iced caramel latte? Extra caramel?" Roman said. The cashier looked grateful. He wondered what sort of drinks Missy gets.
"Okay, that'll be twenty-eight nighty-four." The cashier said. Roman tried not to choke. They bought two drinks!
Remy didn't even flinch, already holding thirty dollars. He gave it to her and said, "Keep the change, bestie."
The cashier said something else into the headset, but Roman couldn't hear. He watched as the baristas made drinks. One of them was making as many drinks as they could. The other was watching the machine brew fourteen espresso shots. And now he was thinking like Logic again.
"Is it safe to-?" Roman turned to Remy. He didn't get much further, because Remy chose then to kiss him.
"My prince, tell me everything! How's married life? Have you already forgotten me?" Remy asked, clasping their hands together. Roman chuckled, a perfect rumble from deep in his chest. (He practiced.)
"Forget you? I could never." Roman told him, seeing his own reflection in Remy's sunglasses. He smiled and said, "You're the sexist thing to happen to me."
"Babe!" Remy laughed and pushed him away. He found Roman's shoulder again immediately, leaning against him while they waited. He said, "No, but really, how's the family?"
"Well," Roman wrapped an arm around Remy's waist. "It's great. Really great. I know it's just the beginning, but I'm imagining all the days we'll spend together. It's like, like planning a painting. But you don't know all the colors yet."
He blushed a little at the feeling of Remy staring at him.
"I like it." He said, shrugging.
"I'm glad." Remy said, sincerely. Then, in a mischievous voice, "How's Virgil?"
Roman looked to the baristas again, "Fine, I think. He mostly hangs out with Patton. That's our Morality. I'd love for you to meet them, are you free Friday?"
"Oh, no go, babe. I'm already going with Missy to Tampa to visit her family. We're gonna go to the beach, beach." Remy said, smirking.
"Have fun." Roman tried to not sound disappointed. "You'll have to come another time."
"Babe, absolutely. Ab-babe-lutely." Remy said, reaching out and taking a drink from a barista. He sipped it, moaned, then handed it to Roman. "This is yours."
"Thanks." Roman made eye contact with a barista. Unsure what else to do, Roman winked, then tried some of his latte. It was good; cold and caramelly with just the right amount of bitter. They waited for a few more minutes before Remy's drink was ready.
He didn't seem surprised by that, either. He took his drink with a, "Thanks, babe!" and led the way back to their table. He stumbled over an empty chair, and just barely managed to not spill his drink. The baristas glared. Roman could only laugh.
"KAI!" Roman pounded on the door. He waited a second, then pounded harder, yelling louder, "KAI!"
The door jerked open and Kai glared up at him. His hair is bright, neon green. Roman gasped, then ruffled it. Kai swatted him away.
"What." It wasn't a question.
Roman grinned, "Game night. You're invited."
"No." Kai said, moving to close the door. Roman stopped it, shoving his foot in the way. Kai gave up immediately and let him in. He closed the door politely after he stepped inside. "C'mon man! You would love Virge, he's always doom and gloom too."
"Roman, I can't play sportsball with you or go to the club. You know this." Kai sat down on the couch with a huff.
Roman shook his head, "No physical activity, I promise. Patton just wants to play board games or something."
"If there is so much as charades…" Kai pointed at him threateningly.
Roman grinned and zipped his lips. He held up two fingers, then pointed to the first. He then smiled, and gestured to himself. Then he indicated his second finger, and crossed his heart.
Kai stared at him, mouth agape. He recovered and threw a pillow at Roman's head. Roman cackled and ducked.
"Okay, okay, I promise! No charades!" Roman laughed as Kai threw another pillow at him. He fell to his knees, wheezing, as another pillow hit his belly. "Mercy, mercy…"
He flopped to the ground like a giant oaf that had been slain by the hero. He took a minute to catch his breath. Kai didn't throw any more pillows at him. He wasn't sure if he was being kind or if he ran out of ammo.
"What time is it?" Kai asked.
"Uh, five. Cuz y'know." He held up his hand to show all five fingers. "Got 'em."
"I'll remember that." Kai said, then added dramatically, "when I don't show up!"
Roman scoffed and sat up. "You're worse than Missy."
"How is she?" Kai asked. "Remy never talks about her to me. He mostly rambles about… hair."
"That's all he knows about you. It's time you know." Roman said as seriously as he could muster.
"What?" Kai scoffed, half smiling.
"He thinks your Side name is Colorful." Roman added, pressing his palm against his chin.
"What?!" Kai wasn't smiling now.
"He calls you Colorful Kai." Roman bit his knuckle, his voice a ghost.
Kai blinked, then stared up at the ceiling for a bit. Roman laughed awkwardly and said, "You should hear what he calls the baristas."
"I'm sorry, I can't go to Game Night." Kai said, staring Roman in the eye. "I'm deadly allergic to someone there."
"Remy won't be at Game Night." Roman said, visibly amused.
Kai picked at a loose thread on his couch. He looked to Roman expectantly. "You mentioned snacks?"
Roman threw his fist up in excitement. "Yes! You won't regret this, man!"
"Right, but I get to leave whenever I want." Kai said, "At 8 o'clock- I'm out. And absolutely no sleepovers. There's only so much of this" he gestured to Roman, "that I can handle. I like living alone."
"Ah, you've missed me. You're just playing hard to get." Roman said, cocksure grin in place. "Right?"
Good news! Kai did have another pillow, and his aim was getting better.
Tell me what you think!