Emile stirred his coffee around thoughtfully. Remy smiled at him, amused, after having watched Emile put in his tenth sugar packet.

"Babes, you're gonna get type 2 diabetes from that cup of coffee."

Emile looked up, forcing the daze out of his head as he screwed up his face, "But, it's so bitter by itself!"

Emile was cute. "Babes, you ordered black coffee, of course it's bitter."

Emile pouted, "I don't wanna throw it out, that's a waste..."

"You can put it over ice, that helps with the flavor, makes it more bearable."

Emile stared at Remy, "How does that work?"

Remy shrugged, "Probably has something to do with the heat."

Emile just shrugged and got up to go ask for a cup of ice. He honestly has no idea why he ordered black coffee, he knows he doesn't like bitterness. He knows black coffee is super bitter. He goes up to the counter, the teen there staring at the door. The boy's curly, dirty blonde hair bounced on his head as he turned to his customer and his smile could rival the sun shine's as it lit up his slightly freckled face.

"Hello, how's your food?"

Emile smiled, leaving out how he doesn't like the coffee, "It's good! Can I get a cup of ice, please?"

The boy at the counter looked over at the table that his customer came from, and smiled, seeing the cup. The playfully sympathetic smile turned to him, "Black coffee?"

Emile's grin turned sheepish, "I, uh...wanted to try it..."

"Ice only works for coffee that is only lightly bitter."

"I- I put like ten sugars in..."

The worker giggled, "My first time with black coffee, I put thirty. I'll go get you your ice."

"I'm Emile Cartons, by the way."

The boy paused as he turned and looked back over, the smile on his face absolutely charming, "I'm Patton Heart!"

------

Remy waited as Emile made friends with the worker. He knows him, his name is Patton Heart. His two moms own this café. He likes Patton, and he thinks he and Emile will get along really well. If you didn't know any better, you'd think they were twins.

Speaking of twins...

The famous and infamous twins just walked in with a group of friends. Remy felt his own bitter coffee churn in his stomach. Why did Remus ditch them for Roman and his dogs? He glanced at Deceit. Remy doesn't mind him. He looked over at Logan Logos. He looks very clean and intelligent, arrogant, yet somehow, still respectful. He finally let himself shoot a glance at Prince. And crap, why is he hot? Of course he's hot, he's Roman Prince. Doesn't make him any less of a homophobic bitch. Logan might be one, too.

Remus looked over and saw Remy, smiling when he processed that his best friends are there.

"Isn't that your friend, Remy?"

Remus looked at his twin in surprise, "You know who my friends are?"

"Duh, he used to come play with you all the time when we were little."

"You remember?"

Roman glanced at Remus, "Of course?" Remus shook blinked and Roman turned away. Remus felt kinda...guilty...? He always thought that Roman knew nothing about him.

Janus tilted his head, "Isn't he the one you use to have a- " Logan put his hand over Janus' mouth. Janus is good at keeping secrets. What he isn't good at, is resisting the chance to mess with his friends. He smirked behind Logan's hand.

Logan shot his hand away, wiping it on his pants as he yelled out, "Gah! That's disgusting!"

"Don't put your hand over my mouth."

"Don't go exposing secrets!"

"I wasn't gonna actually say it. I'm not that devious."

Roman and Logan both stared at him, "Yes, you are."

Remus was confused. Where was the dignified and refined boys he's always seen? These weren't business beneficiaries, they were....goofy, launching, affectionate...these were friends.

Logan sighed, "And either way, was it particularly necessary to- lick my hand?"

Roman and Janus burst out laughing. Remy was baffled from his table. Emile walked over with Patton.

"Remus! What are you doing with them?"

Remus turned to Emile and grinned, "I wanted to talk to Roman, but got dragged along."

Patton tilted his head, "You know Roman?"

Roman suddenly felt panic rise in his chest. He knows he planned on getting seen with him and getting exposed...but what if people don't like Remus? Remus is very vulgar and...well...trashy. What if people don't protect and stand behind Remus? Then he'll have let Remus and himself get spotted, and then...and then...

Roman looked at his friends, and he can tell they were having similar thoughts. If this goes wrong, then it could go very wrong. And that's not worth the small victory if it goes right.

Janus was the first. Unsurprisingly, he lied, "We are distant acquaintances. We were just dropping him off."

The three were about to try and leave, when Virgil walked in and blocked their path.

"And...why is the golden trio running away?"

Janus bit back at a smirk, "We solemnly swear that we are up to no good."

Logan spoke, icily, "This is no time for Harry Potter references."

Jamus admitted he was right, and turned his expression blank. He noticed Roman putting on his annoyingly arrogant facade. Logan, as per usual, was expressionless.

Everyone in the café, which was conveniently only them, were taken aback by their sudden change. Patton looked heartbroken.

Remuw scoffed, "What? Too ashamed to tell them that I'm your brother?"

Patton and Virgil's eyes widened at that news, though, they did look alike.

Roman felt his heart die, but only his two friends knew that when he said, laughter in his voice, "Wouldn't you be?"

Remus scoffed, "Yes, I'm very ashamed to be related to you. Look, if you were only gonna turn into assholes, why did you invite me?"

Janus spoke. He's always the first one to come up with a cover up, "What, you show up at our school and expect us to let you be seen there?"

Remy had had enough and walked over, "Wow, I guess being kind is too hard for you. Unlike everything else your daddies buy for you."

Remus chuckled, "Their sugar daddies?"

Remy checked Roman up and down, "I wouldn't be surprised."

Roman felt his head go light. Did...did Remy just say he looks like a...a slut...? Roman's chest tightened at that as his stomach tried to push its way to his eyes. But he kept his face confident.

Janus wanted nothing more than to let his python loose on Remy. Roman is nowhere near a slur. Roman's rejected everyone to ever confess to him, and even helped them with the heartbreak. Roman's given the crushes he did have, successful advice on how to ask someone else out. Roman is a romantic, and refuses to sleep with anyone until they're out of highschool and they've grown a true connection. Also- Roman is demi!!!! (

Logan was having similar thoughts, wondering how painful some of the acids he has scarily easy access to, would feel on human skin.

Patton spoke up, "Woah woah woah, woah. L-Let's not go around saying stuff like that, aye?"

Remy grumped, "But they're assholes and they totally deserve it!"

Patton scolded like an patronizing father, "So that gives you the right to be one back?"

Emile piped up, "I agree with Patton. Besides, they're obviously just using apathy and arrogance as a cover up to hide their inner turmoil."

Janus raised an eyebrow at him, "Excuse me?"

Logan felt attacked, but just said, "We're not facing some kind of...inner turmoil."

Roman scoffed, "Are you trying to psychoanalyze our personalities, just because you don't like them?"

Emile, tilted his head, "Mhm. Though, I have to say. You're really good at making it seem like this is the real you. How much practice have you had?"

Virgil spoke for the first time, "Hate to break it to you, but some people are just stuck up, spoiled, daddy's boys. Not everyone has complex issues hidden underneath their disgusting exterior."

The three boys internally flinched at the insults, but they were used to them.

Patton frowned, "Everyone has complex issues. It makes sense for these three, as well. They all have such high expectations on them. One wrong move could ruin them."

Logan felt panic at that analysis. The other two felt it hit too close to home, as well.

"Could please refrain from trying to decode our lives and motives?"

Janus added on, "We're not that complex."

Roman sounded bored, "You're all just annoying."

Remy's had about enough of these jerks. Although- their personalities did seem to switch very suddenly. Emile stared at the boys, and they seemed...scared...? Virgil doesn't like Roman or Janus, but...Logan seems nice, so why would he hangout with the other two...? Patton's heart is broken...but not as much as the three boys in front of him. Remus stared at his brother. He's rude, arrogant, inconsiderate, lazy....right...? It's just a coincidence that Roman's actions have often gotten Remus out of trouble...

Remus spoke up, "Roman, why do you hate me?"

"What?"

"Why do you hate me?"

Roman stared at him. Nobody's ever asked him why he says or does something. He got used to that, and started relying on it. He seems to have taken too long to find an answer.

Remus felt his heart quicken as Roman failed to answer him, "You don't know why you hate me, do you?"

Remy and Emile glanced between them. Remy felt confused.

"What? Of course I do! It's- cause you're loud- ...and vulgar, and..." why else does his parents not want to be associated with Remus...? Oh yeah! "And you have no sense of dignity."

Emile responded, "Took you an awful long time to come up with those three reasons."

Remus smirked, "Despite them being reasons that we've heard mums and pops give plenty of times."

Patton whimpered and gave Remus a hug.

Janus and Logan were prepared to take Roman and run.

Virgil sighed, "Guys, why are you trying to find excuses for these guys? Whatever their reasons were, they still had no right to treat people like they do. Especially Regina George, the homophobe, there."

Remus piped up, "Actually! That's not his fault, our parents threatened to break his phone if he didn't distance himself from Deceit, and-...ohhhhhh....." Remus got hit with a wave of realization. Roman had no choice about being a homophobe...was that the only thing...? Roman was glaring at Remus.

Remy felt confused. Roman Prince...isn't a homophobe...? Well, homophobic parents can be very...overbearing. But, it was over a phone. He was willing to hurt Deceit over a phone! And there's reason to believe he was forced to treat others like trash. So no, Remy does not like the hot guy in front of him, still.

Janus and Logan looked at Roman weirdly. Roman shrugged. Virgil doesn't like these guys. But, he promised Patton that he'd make an effort with them.

"Your parents, Rachel and Charles Prince...threatened to break your phone?"

Virgil could've sworn he heard Janus say something along the lines of, "You're such a bad liar..."

Roman snapped back, "It's not a lie, they did threaten to break it."

Logan shrugged, "Lie of omission, it counts."

Emile stared at them, "...and which parts is he leaving out...?"

Janus sighed, "Look, coming here was a bad idea. Really bad idea. It's honestly best if we all leave each other alone."

Logan piped in, "Affirmative, that is the most beneficial course of action for both parties."

Remus scoffed, "Robot..."

Roman snapped, "Shut up! You have no clue what you're even saying! Say that to him again and I'll make sure that your life at home is worse than hell."

Janus was equally as infuriated as he put his hand on Logan's shoulder, who was doing his best to maintain his composure.

Janus glared, dangerously, "I have a bunch of little snakes that wouldn't mind eating you up piece by piece."

Patton finally decided to intervene, "Okay, how about we quit with the threats and insults, yeah?"

Roman scoffed, and shoved past Virgil and out the door, his friends not far behind.

This was a disaster.