Roman was in his office working on a case when his answering machine went off. There was some buzzing and then a voice that Roman recognized as one of his coworkers. The voice of his coworker said they needed backup at a local bar. The address was just some random street but from the reviews, the bar is a nice and usually peaceful place so it was really a shock to every one to hear what was going on.

Roman got in his police car and drove down the road. He didn’t turn on his sirens for the main reason being that he didn’t want to have to go fill out the paperwork.

He drove down the road and looked out the front window waiting to see the luminescent lights that would surely be the sign. He kept driving until he came across a neon sign that faded and blinked to get attention. He knew it was the bar and quickly parked his car.

He opened the car door and went to grab his gun- he forgot his gun. He had everything else but his bloody gun. Well, at least he had his taser and his bulletproof vest. He went in and hated what he saw.

Virgil was in his house when his “girlfriend” barged in. He didn’t have a girlfriend but they were both in college and she convinced everyone that they were dating. Which didn’t work out in Virgil’s favor cause he was gay and the whole campus thought he was straight and taken.

“Are you cheating on me?!” She screamed on the verge of tears. Virgil’s roommate knew he was gay and single so when he heard this he looked up from his phone most likely ready to see a show.

“We aren’t even dating,” Virgil replied calmly. Her coming in here was a normal thing for all three people who had to witness it.

“How could you say that?! First, you hook up with my best friend and now you’re breaking up with me! After everything we’ve been through!” Now the girl that Virgil still didn’t really even know the name of was full-on sobbing.

Virgil never liked this girl but it made him uncomfortable to see her crying in his dorm. His dormmate was holding back laughter and Virgil just glared daggers at him.

“Umm... There there, it’s ok. Now, where did you hear this” Virgil said in a forgiving and soothing tone.

The girl sniffled and looked up at Virgil with sad watery eyes. “She told me that you kissed her yesterday in the hallway when she was coming back from her tutoring lesson.”

Virgil looked at his roommate and he burst out laughing. The girl also looked up at the roommate now with confusion fogging the sadness she showed seconds ago.

When the laughter died down, Virgil’s roommate began to speak. “I’m sorry, it’s just- Virgil didn’t leave the room yesterday.” The roommate was still holding back some laughter.

The girl’s face turned pale. Virgil guessed she realized that her ‘friend’ was a liar and just trying to start something. She apologized and left kissing Virgil on the cheek.

“Ew ew ew ew ew ew ew!” Virgil said, wiping lipstick off his cheek while his roommate was laughing.

“Ha! You shouldn’t have helped her. You should have just let her leave and let the new spread.” His roommate said in a matter-of-fact way.

“I can’t do that! Then I would be known as a cheater and a player and neither titles fit me! I would rather wait and break up with her in a civil manner.” Virgil replied. It was true, he wanted to wait till after college to break it off. Which, he is in his last year so it wasn’t too far fetched.

“After this week I need a few drinks, do you want to come with me?” Virgil’s roommate offered. Normally he would say no, but after that scene, he needed a drink too.

“Yeah sure, why not” Virgil didn’t see any harm in a few drinks. After all, what’s the worst that can go wrong.

Virgil never could have predicted this. Where did it all go wrong? He and his roommate went to a local bar. It was great. Virgil found a table in the back where he could just monitor everything. His roommate got tipsy but besides that neither got drunk. Virgil wasn’t drunk or tipsy in the slightest but he was sipping a Shirley Temple in the corner. He finished the drink and ate the cherries.

He was going to walk back up to the bar to get another one but then he heard yelling. He looked up and saw a clearly intoxicated man yelling at the bartender in jibberish. If you listen carefully it was clear he was yelling or another drink, and the bartender wasn’t giving it to him. Virgil watched, thankful that his roommate went home before he did.

He saw some people recording but he didn’t do the same. He just watched, praying that the bartender would be ok. He looked around and realized that the guys recording were doing a horrible job, considering he was probably the only sober person in the bar. He then sighed and started recording, not that would matter, but he might need it later.

Virgil was recorded for 2 minutes and 38 seconds when this guy got tired of being told no. He took one of his at least 6 empty beer bottles and he threw it at the bartender. Luckily this guy dodged. Virgil stopped recording and went to get up and help the bartender but the bartender seemed to have it under control. He ran and grabbed a phone. It seemed like he was talking to a police officer. Virgil vaguely heard the address and of his suspicions were confirmed.

The bigger man, who threw the first bottle, took the almost finished phone call as the perfect opportunity to smash another bottle but this time over the bartender’s head. The bartender fainted and Virgil imminently ran over. It felt like he wasn’t in control. It was just his heightened fight or flight reflex acting. He took the phone from the limp bartender

“Hello? Hello? Sir are you still there?” A woman’s voice asked from the other line. Virgil always had social anxiety but right now it felt like all that went away as worry flooded any other feeling.

“Hello Ma’am?” Virgil said a small bit of that worry or the bloody bartender replaced with hope and nervousness.

“Hello, sir what just happened?” She asked most likely referring to the long pause and the voice change.

“The bartender has been hit with a bottle over the head and is bleeding,” Virgil said, trying to remain calm but in reality, he started to hyperventilate towards the end of his sentence.

“Sir please try to remain calm and get the bartender to a safer place.” She said, picking up on Virgil’s nervousness towards the end.

“Okay, I will.” He said, slowing his breathing down.

She hung up the phone and Virgil didn’t even bother putting the phone back on the machine. It was dangling by the thick curly dark grey cord. Virgil took the bartender and hoisted him on his back. He brought him to his corner table and set him down.

The man was drifting in and out of consciousness. Virgil pulled all of the larger pieces of glass out of his skin. Most people were too drunk to notice or remember anything that just happened. They’ll probably remember glass and sirens or something else vague. Virgil didn’t think he could do much else but wait and so he did. He glanced back over to the bar and saw the most likely alcohol addict behind the bar, stealing and drinking more alcohol.

The police showed up soon and had the guy in handcuffs almost instantly. Virgil walked over to a policeman that looked fairly nice.

“Hello..?” Virgil said as if it was a question.

The man turned and Virgil thought his heart was going to stop. Standing in front of him, Has a man with chocolate-hazel eyes that matched his tan skin and light brown hair perfectly.

“Yes?” The man asked, revealing a strong and masculine voice.

“Umm- here” Virgil spoke quickly, shoving his arms with the bloody bartender forward to the policeman.

“Oh! Yes, sorry.” The handsome man looked surprised over 2 things. One being that Virgil is strong enough to carry the bartender and the other being that he is being handed an unconscious body.

The man took the bartender off of Virgil.

“So what’s your name? We may need it, you could be called for a court summoning.” The man said looking at Virgil with a big goofy grin.

“Virgil, you?” Virgil responded, wanting to know this man's name.

“My name is Roman. It’s a pleasure and I would shake your hand if it wasn’t for the body that lies in mine” He said clearly trying to lighten the mood. Even if this was a dark situation to be in.

It worked cause Virgil started giggling which caused Roman to smile.

Virgil went back to the dorms after talking with Roman some more. The next day, he broke it off with the girl very loudly in their largest class together, making sure everyone heard him.

Roman was right, they needed him in court as a witness, which was bad news for Virgil considering public speaking was never really his thing. Good news for Virgil, out of all of he got a date with his future husband, Roman.