March 31st, 2019
Requested by Crispylintsoy

Don't be mistaken, Roman absolutely adores going to Disney World. It's just that he enjoys going on rides such as Peter Pan or It's A Small World rather than Space Mountain. Though he'd never admit it to anyone who asked, his parents would tell you that he'd cried after going on Splash Mountain at the age of seven. His mother could tell you about how she had to conveniently come up with an excuse for him not to have to go on Mount Everest on a field trip to Animal Kingdom in sixth grade. Roman had explained that he didn't feel good in order to get out of going on the Harry Potter roller coaster during his eighth grade field trip to Islands of Adventure. 

He didn't want to tell his boyfriend about this because Virgil Black absolutely loved roller coasters. He didn't want to see the look on his face when he tried to explain that he, a 29-year-old man, was scared of roller coasters. It was embarrassing, and he didn't want to let him down. 

That being said, it didn't come up in their relationship until almost a year into it when they went to Disney (again). Virgil was dragging him off toward Splash Mountain, and while Roman felt his heart racing with terror, the feeling of his hand clutching his made him stay silent. He wanted to have fun with his boyfriend, and if that meant getting a little scared on a roller coaster, he could survive. 

Unfortunately, he got more than 'a little scared'. 

Roman should've known better than to let Splash Mountain be the first roller coaster he's ridden since he was seven. There was a reason he cried afterwards and those reasons were resurfacing to the front of his mind as they waited in line. 

He fidgeted, thinking of the dark caverns and the haunting music that played as you head toward the briar patch drop. He could already hear the rushing of the water in the track.

"Roman? Are you okay? You're looking a little pale," his boyfriend said with concern. The princely man nodded, though he wasn't so sure and Virgil wasn't convinced. "If you don't feel well we can get out of line, it's okay. We don't have to ride this today."

"No, no, it's fine," he reassured, flashing a convincing and charming smile as he held his hand. 

He tried his best not to squeeze it too tightly as they neared the loading station of the ride. Just seeing the boats come back covered in water reminded him of the exact thing he was afraid of; that last big drop. The wind whistling passed his ears, the dropping feeling in his stomach, the water stinging his eyes... he remembered all these things vividly from that fateful day. 

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Virgil asked as they stepped up to board the ride next. "We can still leave now, but once we get on, we have to ride."

Roman just played it off, scoffing. "My love, what do you take me for? A coward?" he joked, ignoring the sinking feeling in his stomach. "I'm a prince! I'm brave enough to face a dragon witch with simply a sword! I can ride a water roller coaster."

His boyfriend still looked skeptical. "The difference, Princey, is the fact that the dragon witch is in your head," he said, poking his forehead affectionately. 

He blushed and smiled, feeling slightly calmed by their teasing. The calm didn't last once they got into the boat. The seats were still damp from its previous journey along the ride's track, and that wasn't helping Roman remain calm as he thought about what was to come. 

The ride began, and the beginning was, admittedly, not as scary as he remembered. The caverns weren't as dark and the characters weren't as scared as his seven year old self had thought they were. However, one part of the ride did live up to the horrors his younger mind had concocted when thinking about this experience. The cave was dark and cold, and he could feel the change in the track to start carrying them upwards, toward a pair of vultures that were saying things to encourage his fear. 

Roman clung to his boyfriend, wrapping his arms around him tightly and burying his face into his neck as they continued to climb up. "Ro? What's wrong?" he asked over the noise. He simply shook his head in response and held onto him tighter. 

He heard the familiar pleas of Br'er Rabbit as he begged Br'er Fox not to throw him to the briar patch 50 feet below. A whimper escaped his mouth as he gripped Virgil for dear life as the boat went over the ridge and began to plummet toward the exaggerated brambles of the briar patch as water shot up and fell over them. Roman felt that familiar dropping in his stomach the whistling of the wind past his ears. He felt like a terrified little kid again, but this time it was different.

Virgil hugged him back, and as the ride slowed and they leveled out, he murmured reassurances. "You're okay, Roman," he said, running his fingers through his soaked hair. "You're okay, it's over, we're almost at the end of the ride."

He nodded into his shoulder, muttering unintelligible 'thank you's under his breath. Once they got off the ride, still gripping each other's hands tightly, the princely man tugged him toward the bathroom and scampered into a stall. His boyfriend waited outside the stall, leaning against the door and saying his comforts.

Once Roman was certain the nausea he'd gotten from the ride had passed, he exited the stall and hugged Virgil tightly. "Come on, let's go sit down," he told him gently. They left the bathroom and made their way over to a nearby picnic table. "Why didn't you tell me you were scared of roller coasters?"

"I didn't want you to think I was a wuss," he admitted miserably with a heavy sigh. "You've got the most cowardly prince in the world for a boyfriend."

"Hey! You are not a coward! It's perfectly okay to not like roller coasters!" the darkly dressed man exclaimed, gripping his hand tightly. "You are so brave, especially considering you went on that ride for me even though you were scared, you went anyway! That takes a lot of bravery, and I'm glad my boyfriend would be willing to do something like that for me."

Roman felt his cheeks warm at his words and an affectionate smile tug at the corner of his lips. "I'd do anything for you," he said truthfully.

"I know you would," Virgil replied, smiling as he leaned forward to kiss him gently. It was a gentle and sweet kiss that made him forget about all the fear he'd gotten from Splash Mountain. Once his boyfriend disconnected their mouths, he looked up to meet his eyes. "That's why I love you."

He grinned, feeling his heart flutter in his chest. "I love you too Virgil," he said, brushing their noses together. "But can we go cuddle on It's A Small World now?"

At this, he burst into a fight of laughter, nodding and pulling him by the hand toward Fantasyland. Sitting together in the boat for It's A Small World, Virgil spoke softly to him with a smile. "You know, roller coasters are fun," he said, leaning into his shoulder as they held each other close. "But I prefer this."

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