I am waiting for your sweatshirt and my dress shirt for tomorrow. I am used to being up this late. You need to go to bed. Virgil wrote down and tried to push Roman back over to the bed.

Roman was taller and stronger than Virgil, he was just letting Virgil take care of him and drag him around so he wouldn't have to move as much. So he stopped Virgil's attempts and picked him up. Roman carried him to the couch and put him down. He knew he was going to regret it when Virgil started squirming. "Listen Emo Nightmare, you aren't going to bed then neither am I. Proper hospitality." Roman said while putting Virgil on the couch.

This is my dorm and I am telling you please go to bed. You need to go back to your dorm early tomorrow. Virgil wrote. Roman read and sat down.

"And I trust you will wake up early enough to get me going." Roman said, Virgil made a sound of frustration. Roman then realized he didn't have as many bruises as he should, and he never did when he left Virgil's place. He was going to ask Virgil why that was when he beat him to a different question.

Virgil remembered that he was a witch, he could get Roman to sleep without him knowing. So Virgil asked him if he wanted something to drink. Roman asked for hot chocolate. Virgil had a small kitchen-like area and so he made the hot chocolate with milk so the warm milk would just enhance the effect. Before Virgil put it in the microwave, he knew that Roman couldn't see his eyes. So he did a simple but effective sleeping spell. His eyes barely flashed purple and he closed the microwave and started it up.

"Can we talk about something?" Roman asked while they waited for the microwave. Virgil nodded and leaned against the wall, turning to face Roman. Virgil's alarm went off and he turned it off.

"Laundry?" Roman asked and Virgil nodded. Virgil waited until the hot chocolate was done and then left the room. When he came back Roman had drank half of the drink he made. He felt a little guiltily about tricking Roman but it was so he would just sleep. By the time the next alarm went off Roman was tired and the fatigue was getting to him. Virgil fully expected Roman to be asleep when he got back.

Roman wasn't but insisted on waiting for Virgil. Virgil came back and then Roman fell asleep. It was 12:45 and Roman was asleep, Virgil let him get comfortable on the couch and pulled the bottom out carefully so Roman had more room. He was glad the futon was easy to fold out. He sighed and went to lay in bed. He folded the sweatshirt and the other clothes he had. He set an alarm for earlier than normal and hoped that Roman had told his roommate where he was.

Virgil went to sleep with anxious thoughts and hoped that he set the alarm earlier than when Logan woke up. When the alarm went off he shut it off quickly and Roman jumped awake. "Oh, I forgot I was here." Virgil rolled his eyes and grabbed his clothes to change. Roman stopped him before he went to the bathroom.

"I wanted to say thank you. You did more for me in a few months of knowing me while I wasn't the best to you." Virgil nodded and shrugged. Virgil wasn't sure Roman would do the same but he gave the benefit of the doubt.

Roman took the opportunity alone to change into his clothes from last night and waited for Virgil to come back. He slipped the hoodie back on. He was more than a little bummed that he had to wash it. But he was still processing what Remus had told him, and then Virgil helped him when Roman was pretty sure he would've hated him after seeing the marks on his knuckles. He glanced down at them. He got good hits and he was looking for an outlet. He knew that they had sports teams but he wasn't sure what he could play.

Maybe soccer? But that was already underway. Basketball? Nah, he wasn't a fan of it. Football was already happening too and he couldn't skate. He didn't realize he was talking to himself until Virgil came over and handed him a note.

You could do track or wrestling. Virgil smiled at him. Or theater, the department is starting after the Halloween celebration in a week.

"I don't think theater is for me." Virgil gave him a look that said he would beg to differ. Virgil was wearing the uniform and had his tie loosely around his neck. He looked really good and Roman couldn't deny it.

Why are you being so nice when we aren't around my friends? Virgil asked randomly.

"Oh, um. I don't know?" Roman tried to pass it off. "Why are you asking?" Roman asked.

I just want to make sure I am not getting myself in with someone who is bad for me. Virgil wrote.

"Like a fuckboy?" Roman said and looked dejected. Virgil made eye contact with Roman who just sighed. "Listen, I don't know how much Janus has told you or how much you know about me but I want to get to know you as a person before we make descions about each other. Can we do that?" Roman asked.

Are you apologizing? Roman nodded. Fine, we can be friends. Roman smiled and nodded. So Roman wasn't a fuckboy? Or was he? Virgil was inclined to believe Roman rather than his own assumptions. Maybe he jumped to a conclusion, he did that a lot.

"I suppose you want to get going?" Virgil nodded. He grabbed his bag and walked with Roman back to his dorm. When they got there he waved and went to leave.

"Wait! Did you mean something by theater?" Roman asked. Vrigil nodded. "What?"

Virgil held his hand out and looked a little frustrated. Considering it would just be easier to answer verbally, Roman handed him his key. He opened the door and pointed to the posters. "You have a point." Virgil rolled his eyes. And left Roman alone after returning the key.

Roman looked at the poster and then got his stuff ready for the day. Micheal had come out and then told him to hurry up; they didn't have time for him to be distracted. So Roman rushed through his routine and got ready.

When he slipped off his sweatshirt, he realized that he still smelled like Virgil. A mix of vanilla and soap that his dorm always had. He was suddenly hyper aware of everything that had happened. He had flirted with Virgil without realizing it, was he distracting himself?

But he couldn't deny the fact Virgil did make him feel better. He wouldn't just anyone wash that sweatshirt, but he was glad it was Virgil who did so. And it was something he didn't think he would say.

He glanced at the posters he had, maybe he would ask Virgil when the theater was doing tryouts and maybe ask him to go with him for moral support.

"So, where the hell did you go last night?" Micheal asked.

"I went for a walk and called my brother. The conversation ended up taking longer than I expected and I crashed at a friend's dorm who was close by." Roman said nonchalantly.

"Who?" Micheal asked curiously.

"My partner from English." Roman said to just throw it off. They walked into the dining hall and towards their normal table.

"But there are two of them, which one was it?" Micheal asked.

"I am not going to answer that, come on we have to get something to eat." Roman said and walked over to the line. He caught a glance of Virgil who seemed to chuckle to himself.

Throughout the rest of the day Roman was catching Virgil out of the side of his vision. He wasn't sure what to do. Granted both parties didn't know what to do. Roman had no idea if Virgil wanted people to know they were some sort of friends and Virgil wasn't sure where he stood with Roman. Arguably this could be solved if they talked, or had one conversation, but both were nervous. Not to mention he had to come up another time to apologize because last night he fell asleep. He really didn't know why he was suddenly so tired and it was if by magic he was.

He brushed it off, Virgil being some kind of witch or wizard was not something Roman was going to entertain. It was just everything that had happened that day. He really didn't want to think of his senior year without Remus. He was probably more scared for the next year than Remus was when they dropped him off at Westward, and that was saying something. Halloween was next week and the school was really excited for it. But Roman wasn't. It was Remus' favorite holiday to take part in, Roman just didn't want to do anything but sulk.

Roman did not exactly trust himself with his emotions at the moment. Why would he? He hadn't had a real relationship before, just flings. That was even before his fearless reputation took off.

Now he was sure that he didn't want to hide but how to do that he didn't know. He was still upset with Remus. Not to mention everything that Janus said was setting in, yet when Virgil took him in yesterday it wasn't like he knew anything Janus had said. If he did, he wasn't showing it. When they got to English they worked in groups again and Virgil was semi content.

Today was Tuesday and he didn't have a class with Virgil at the end of the day. He went back to his dorm and changed out of his uniform shirt and tie. He glanced at the sweatshirt. Now it had a different reason it comforted him which scared him. This was a person he had known for almost two months and he was already thinking of being comforted by his presence.

Roman went to the library to do homework like always, he was going to sit with Micheal and a few other friends but saw Virgil listening to music and doing work. Micheal would understand, he was already pushing Roman to do something more than work and classes. So what if Virgil helped with that.

"Can I sit here?" He asked and Virgil looked up at him. The music was too loud so he was confused. Roman reached over and took off the headphones. "Can I join you?" Virgil nodded slowly and felt his cheeks heat up.

Thankfully he put makeup on today. Roman settled down and started working on math and Virgil kept doing his thing. He left his headphones off in case Roman wanted to talk. "I see you put makeup on today. Shame, the freckles are cute." Roman said and Virgil looked over at him.

We are not having this conversation. I wear it for a reason. Leave my looks out of your flattery. Virgil wrote. Roman looked at it and smiled.

"So it's working then?" Roman joked. Virgil felt they were going backwards. Or were they moving forward?

I never said that. Please let's just work. Virgil went back to his work.

"You see, I wish I could do that but working and talking makes the work better." Roman argued. Virgil rolled his eyes. "You talk in your own way. Your facial expressions really tell a story, and you have mastered that art. But I am content working in silence if that's what you want."

After another ten minutes, Virgil had grown tired of silence. Roman had shut up and was focusing on math but Virgil's head was buzzing. Everything that was going on was heightened. He passed another note to Roman. Please start talking again.

Roman chuckled and nodded. He told Virgil about his day when he wasn't in the same classes. He mentioned Micheal asking where he was and Virgil wrote that he knew because he heard. Roman also started talking about the Halloween celebrations and how he really didn't know what he was going to with them.

Virgil took a leap of faith. You could come with me and my friends if yours don't want to go. Roman chuckled.

"Sure because I am sure the person who has been watching our every move since he walked in and started working would love to spend an entire night with me." Roman was well aware of all of Virgil's friends' feelings towards him. Virgil looked over at Patton and waved at him. Patton looked around quickly and then walked off.

If you don't want to go, just say no. Don't spare my feelings. Virgil wrote.

"It's not that. I want to go, I just don't have a costume." Roman lied.

Virgil didn't push it further but it did stick in Roman's mind for the rest of the day. The pair had finished as much homework as they needed to and went their separate ways. It was like they were friends.

Virgil was getting ready for the ritual that night. He had dark clothes and his robe over it. This was the last one before they moved indoors so Vrigil had made the most of it when planning it. Patton and Janus arrived shortly after he was ready, Patton wore a black robe and a white cord around his waist. Janus and Virgil wore the same style robe but didn't have a cord. They quietly made their way to the ritual site.

"Are you guys getting dates to the Festivals?" Patton asked. Virgil had told him earlier about him and Roman. Patton was testing the waters with Janus.

"No, not my scene you know this." Janus responded.

"Well there is a first for everything. Right Virgil?"

Right, but watch it. Virgil signed. Patton could barely see him but got the idea.

"I am just saying that it might be nice if we extended our group a little."

"We have a bubble, and I have worked to maintain that. Do we really want to mess that up?" Janus asked.

"We can just think about it. And leave the negative stuff at the entrance Janus. It's almost time for rebirth, we have to keep change in mind here." Patton said as they got to the site. Virgil chucked and then grounded himself.

It was good to be back in his element.

Roman watched from his dorm window as three figures moved through the night. He was slightly confused so he asked Micheal.

"Oh, that's just the full moon ritual. They have one each month." Micheal said.

"What?" Roman asked.

"The school is open to all religions and teaches different ones. Within reason of course, but there quite the selection. Who you just saw was probably a few members of the Wicca part of the school. That's the reason we have so many celebrations, the Wiccan new year happens on Halloween. They're all really nice but the practice is hard to get into. It isn't closed but it's protective enough that they are like family. The Sanders Cousins are actually big parts of it, Patton is a talented gardener, Logan doesn't do religion as far as I know, and Virgil is secretive enough but people have heard he does divination and healing stuff." Micheal was laying on his bed texting someone.

"Really?" Roman said. That would explain sudden disappearances of bruises.

"Yeah, Janus does protection. But I personally think he takes it too far."

"What would give you that impression?" Roman said.

"His reaction towards you is not unusual but the fact it's been this long is kinda weird. He stops after Virgil or Patton ask him to, but from what I know he isn't listening to either of them. What did you do?" Micheal asked.

Roman shrugged. "I called his bullshit. Virgil can make his own choices and I have made it clear by working with him class that if he asked me to fuck off I would. But he hasn't yet and that emo is actually starting to grow on me."

"Does Roman have a crush?" Micheal asked. Roman chucked.

"I don't know yet, I am not good at romance stuff, I am a hopeless romantic but never got the chance to live it out."

"Take a chance then." Micheal said.

"He did invite me to hang with him at the Halloween celebration earlier, but I told him I wasn't sure. I don't have a costume nor means to get one so, oh well." Roman said and flopped on his bed. He had changed into pajamas and was just having a nice night in. Micheal and his friends would have game nights and other times they would hang out, and Micheal would not let his roommate be left out so Roman was forced to go. He didn't mind it but it was a nice change of pace. Not to mention elective midterms were coming up soon after the Halloween events. So Roman was a little stressed.

"Did you not read the rules fully? Like each page? There is mention that we can go into town, we just have to find a teacher who will sign something for us." Micheal said calmly.

"Are you implying I take Virgil up on his offer?" Roman asked. Michael smiled.

"I am implying you show Janus you don't care about his boundaries. Like you said Virgil can make his own choices, if Janus can't accept that then oh well. But he has made you a bit happier even though you are clearly fighting it. I will worry about getting us to town on the weekend and you worry about making sure Virgil has a date."

"Date?" Roman asked.

"Date. Think of the Halloween festival as homecoming. It's a huge deal, not to mention we get the Friday before the weekend off to attend a huge festival that they set up here. If Virgil asked you to go, you gotta say yes." Micheal said. Roman shook his head.

"Let's start with friends first. I am more focused on that much." Roman reasoned. He didn't want to get too attached. Micheal chuckled. There went his plans for next weekend.

"We both know you want more than that. You may not have. registered it yet but you like him. I am not letting you forget that."

"I am surprised you are cool with the fact I like a dude."

"I am surprised that you are. Considering half the friend group I drag you to hang out with is part of the LGBTQ community. Now let's talk about getting you your lover boy, shall we?"

Roman knew it was going to be a long night.

Logan was enjoying the evening alone. Well as much as he could. He had this problem every time Patton and Virgil had a ritual but this year it happened earlier. He was missing the bubbly boy's company. Despite his best efforts, Logan couldn't focus. All he could think about was if Patton was okay. Was he too freaked out about the dark? Was Vrigil good?

He then felt a wave of calm. He didn't know where it came from until he suspected it was Patton. He had an uncanny ability to sense emotional distress. Logan figured he picked up on his own. It was times like this where Logan truly wondered if there was a thing to what Virgil and Patton practiced. He was happy to keep them company late at night when they wanted to study.

Logan had helped Patton learn different plants and their location in the wild. He also occasionally helped him with what he practiced. He helped take care of the houseplants Patton insisted on keeping in the dorm. He helped Virgil learn numerology and color theory. He was also the first person that Virgil did a reading on that wasn't himself, that was recently a little after Virgil started talking to him. Logan was proud of where his friends were despite their constant insience on something that seemed nonsensical and illogical to Logan.

There was a divide among friends they wished not to go in-depth with. The talk of religion was one that they had avoided since Logan got angry with Patton one time and made him cry. Patton was always emotional but that was when Logan realized he had romantic feelings towards Patton. He mumbled to himself as he set somethings up. He was going to ask Patton to be his date to the Festivities.