HAPPY ACE WEEK EVERYONE (even though it started the 25th). So I hope you like this, aaand I did my best with the ending.

Warning: aphobic parents

Patton's parents were always the strict kind. You know, the ones that say a bunch of absolute bullshit about natural selection? The the people who aren't part of those strict religious groups that actually have nothing against the lgbt+ community but still hate them, they're just all about how boys should just love girls and how there are only two genders and how your gender is defined by what's on your body. Yeah, those are the people poor Patton has to live with, but he miraculously didn't get their toxic thinking, instead he is a very happy Asexual. Patton's friends all knew he was asexual, and Patton couldn't ask for better people to befriend because there is no one better than them. Patton has five friends and one amazing boyfriend.

First up: Virgil. The anxious little emo was an amazing friend, he's always considerate - well, that's really just because of his heightened anxiety - and he can see right through Patton. When he isn't fooled by Patton's mask he makes Patton genuinely feel better, and Patton treats Virgil like a son. In Virgil's opinion, Patton's a way better father than his dad, and really wonders how Patton turned out to be one of the happiest people he knows with parents like his. Virgil first met Patton in fifth grade, they became real friends and bonded over the summer, then stuck together ever since. Virgil had a pansexual mom and trans dad, Patton loves the both of them immensely and they treat Patton as if he's their other son. Virgil's mom owns a cd store while his dad is a CEO of some company that Patton forgot the name of, so Virgil's house is pretty big and their group usually gathers there when hanging out after school or for sleepovers.

Next: Logan. He is one of the smartest guys Patton's ever known, and they even have the same glasses! Logan didn't know this, but everyone in the school thought he and Patton would end up together, but Patton didn't like Logan like that. Sure, Logan was cute, Patton will admit that, but he was already crushing on someone when Logan came in. But yes, Logan is also one of Patton's closest friends. Patton met Logan in seventh grade when Patton needed help in math, so Logan had tutored him and found himself enjoying Patton's company, and that's how Logan joined their group. Logan has a mom and he lives with her in a quaint one-story house, just him and his mom. Patton learned immediately that Logan's father was a sore subject for the both of them and never asked at all.

Now introducing: Janus. Patton thought he had a cool name, he was kind to him, although not liking the constant lying that Janus spewed every time he opened his mouth, Patton bared with it and continuously tried to befriend him. Janus continuously tried to push Patton away with his lies, wanting nothing to do with anyone, but stubborn Patton wouldn't leave him friendless. Janus came around in a few months, reluctantly admitting that being lonely wasn't ideal. This was in sixth grade, and oh boy, Patton's jumping around, oops.

Thomas, Patton's sweet little kiddo. He transferred here after an incident at his old school, Patton immediately latched onto the boy and reeled him into their growing group. Thomas was sometimes shy, but he was mostly about half as extroverted as Patton, and Thomas absolutely loves theater. Patton is head of the stage crew, so he's always there for Thomas when he gets a little nervous before a show or auditions, and Patton loves watching Thomas perform.

Remus. He's an....interesting character. Sure, Patton gets very uncomfortable with the things he says, but Patton has learned to accept Remus and just deal with the stuff that comes out of his mouth. Remus, being Patton's genuine friend, has learned to hold back most of the really disturbing things, only letting small ones out because Logan said it was bad to constantly repress himself. Remus knew how much of what he was saying had bothered Patton, that's why he holds his tongue when a really bad and disturbing thought crosses his mind and tries to leave his tongue. Remus joined their group when both Janus and Logan begged him to since his brother was already in the group. Remus was also dating Logan and Janus by then, so that was another reason they wanted Remus to join the group; to be around him more often.

Remus's brother, Roman. Patton's been crushing on him since sixth grade, and it never really went away. Roman's one of the most popular theater kids, him and Thomas always get some big lead male role in the musicals they do. Patton thought he had no chance with Roman, he thought he'd start to date Thomas, but that thought went away when Virgil and Thomas told the group the next week that they were dating. Roman joins the group when he finds that these friends are actually better than his others, also because of Thomas and Patton. It was when they were doing a project that Roman confesses to Patton that he likes him, says that Patton was one of the main reasons he entered the group. Patton says that he's also liked Roman for a while, blah, blah, blah, and now we're at the present because I just did seven paragraphs for exposition.

Patton's been feeling sick all morning, even the teachers have noticed he's unusually quiet and not as enthusiastic. They ask if he's okay and he just brushes it off as not getting enough sleep the night before, but his friends know something's up with Patton. He's been acting weirdly jumpy ever since Monday, it was Wednesday now. Patton stares down at his lunch, not very hungry, he feels his stomach churn as if he's going to be sick.

"Okay, this is the third day in a row you're not eating lunch. What's wrong, Patton?" Virgil interrogates, Thomas puts a hand on his shoulder.

"Stormcloud, we were gonna gently ask, not interrogate Patton like it's good-cop bad-cop." Virgil hides his oncoming blush at the nickname by burying his face in Thomas's sweatshirt, but he pulls his lower face away to speak.

"I know, Snowflake." He mumbled, Patton lightly smiled at them. Thomas and Virgil were so cute together!! Then Roman put a hand on Patton's shoulder with a warm smile on his face, but it fell when Patton flinched away.

"What's the matter Cookie?" Roman asked softly, gently taking Patton's face and turning it towards him. Patton still avoided his eyes, "Pat, look at me." - He still didn't - "Patton." Roman says, his voice hard and full of worry. That's when Patton meets his eyes and breaks down, clinging onto Roman like he was the lifeboat in Patton's ocean.

"Shhh, shhh, it's alright, I'm here Patton. It's alright." Roman rubs circles on Patton's back, trying to calm him down. Patton, face buried and crying into Roman's jacket, shakes his head harshly.

"No it isn't. It's not. It really isn't. My parents are gonna make - make me cheat on y - you and I don't want to beca - because you're the best boyfriend I've ever had an - and I don't wanna break up and I don't wanna be wi - with a girl." The words come tumbling out of Patton's mouth, tears falling from his eyes and his nose is running, making him sound whiny as he speaks through his sniffles and sobs.

"Woah, slow down Cookie, you're speaking too fast. What do you mean your parents are going to make you cheat on me?" Roman was definitely confused, his heart thumping in anticipation at what Patton was going to say next, but the boy didn't want to talk anymore.

"Ro, Patton doesn't have to talk just yet, we'll all go to my house after school. We all have free period then, right?" Everyone nodded at Virgil's words, including Patton with foggy glasses, "good, it's settled then.

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Patton was curled up on the couch as everyone sat in tensed silence, Patton being the one to break it after getting the courage to speak.

"My parents have made a deal with another family, they - they're setting me up with that family's daughter tomorrow night. They said in order to get to know one another, upon our first meeting too, we have to...uummm, we - we have to be - uhhhh....in - intimate." Patton stuttered through the explanation, fidgeting with his hands and avoiding everyone's eyes, including Roman's. Patton's explanation was met with a furious chorus; Logan saying they can't do that since Patton isn't a legal adult yet and it's child neglect - or something along those lines - and offering to speak to them himself, Remus and Janus listing many ways in which they can make that problem go away to make Patton feel better, some of those Patton wouldn't actually mind seeing through, Virgil was just furiously venting about it along with Thomas, and Roman hasn't said anything.

"I'm really, really, super duper sorry Roman." Patton mumbles, not knowing what to say, he can feel his stomach sinking despite Roman not giving a reaction yet. Roman grabs Patton's hand and gives it a forceful squeeze, looking Patton in the eyes with a fierce love.

"You have nothing to apologize for! I promise that won't happen, we'll help you out of this!" Patton gave Roman a smile, and then looked at everyone else's angry protective faces.

"Thanks guys, but I'll be fine. Once I come out to them, then they'll call the whole thing off and I'll be fine." Patton really wanted to believe that, he really wanted to give his parent's the benefit of the doubt because he loves them....Does he love them? Of course! They're his parents, no matter how much they degrade his and his friends identities, he loves them and they love him. But then why is he terrified to come out as asexual to them? Patton shook those thoughts away, he loves them and they love him, that's that. Even if Patton couldn't tell he was lying to himself, everyone else could, especially Janus.

"And if they don't?" Janus asked, knowing that will probably be the case, he wanted a plan to keep Patton, the one who wouldn't give up on him, safe. Patton let out a sigh, wanting to believe that would never be the case.

"I'll pack some clothes in a bag and if I send you a text then you guys can come and get me." Patton said to make everyone, including himself, feel better. Patton is really lucky to have friends like them.

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Thursday afternoon Patton stood in front of his parents, about to come out to them. His heart pounded against his rib cage, he constantly had to wipe the sweat from his palms on his pants, and his stomach was ready to reject the little lunch Patton ate. His parents were looking at him expectantly.

"I am asexual, which means I don't like sex." Patton rushed out, feeling so much better now that that was out there. His parents gave him looks of quizzical anger.

"How can you not want and like sex? You're a boy, of course you do!" His mom cried in outrage, Patton doesn't really know what a stab to the heart feels like, but he's pretty sure this is it.

"Come on, Pat, there's no such thing. Everyone loves sex, that's how you keep a relationship. Now, don't be so lazy and choose to be this way to get out of this, you'll love it once you start." There it was, his father also verbally stabbed him in the heart, Patton was too shocked by what they were saying to even be upset. Patton really wished they'd just say "get out", he wished they'd just kick him out of the house and forget about him because that would hurt less than what they're doing right now. They sent him up to his room to wait after mocking and belittling him a bit more, "you just haven't found the right girl" "haha, what are you, a plant" "there seem to be so many special snowflakes nowadays". Patton was in tears once he got up to his room, he collapsed onto his bed and sobbed. He was wrong. He wanted to believe they'd love him for who he is, but they really don't.

'You were right. I need to get out of here.'

Patton sent the text to Roman and waited, his stomach still in knots and hoping the family wasn't early. Patton was curled up on his bed, he can't seem to stop crying, and then his bedroom window slid open. Patton lifted his tear stained face up to watch Virgil slide in and fall on the floor with a soft thump, he quietly walked over and sat down next to Patton, holding him close and comforting him as he continued to shake and cry. Logan and Thomas, who climbed in after Virgil, gathered Patton's two bags and threw them down to Janus, Remus, and Roman. They were finished in a few minutes and Thomas climbed out the window, then Logan.

"Come on, Pat." Virgil gently ushered the now calmed down Patton to get up, Patton untangled himself from Virgil and they made their way to Patton's window. Virgil helped Patton out and he jumped down with a tiny squeak, Roman was there to catch him. Virgil closed the window after he climbed out himself, then dropped into Thomas' awaiting arms. Everyone started walking, but Roman held Patton tight, not wanting to let him go.

"That was so dangerous, my window was on the second story. You could've hurt yourselves jumping down from there." Patton weakly lectured Virgil, Thomas, and Logan, they just nodded in response and walked the rest of the way to Virgil's house in silence.

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They all sat up in the Sleepover Room in tense silence for a few minutes, not really knowing what to say. Virgil's parents understood Patton's situation and said they'd help in any way they can, and that Patton could stay for as long as he wanted. The group decided to stay overnight at Virgil's house, giving them more time to talk about this. The Sleepover Room was what it sounded like, the seven of them stay the night, there are three beds, one bigger than the other two, and there's a nice tv and gaming system as well as some card and board games. Patton let out a long sigh, deciding to break the heavy silence.

"Thank you guys, for helping me and everything." Patton avoided eye contact and found the carpet to the very interesting, but Roman's hand stop his made Patton look up.

"We'll always help you, Cookie, no matter what." Everyone agreed with Roman, Patton gave them all a weak smile.

"I - ...I know you will. But I just - uhhh, I just thought that they'd - umm, that they'd," Patton was having a hard time not breaking down again, but the others were patient and waited for him, "I thought that they'd love me unconditionally, no matter what - I mean, that's a p - uh, a parents job and everything. I thought - I hoped they'd understand, but I guess not. Instead they told me all...all these things, and it - hhh, it just hurt so much, and I couldn't say anything and I didn't know what to do, I just...stood there." Patton finished, hugging himself and staring down at the carpet again, sullen silence surrounded them and weighed them down like a thick blanket. Patton was wrapped in a hug, but it wasn't Roman, it was Janus, who was technically the self care mom of the group.

"You're safe here, Pat, I promise. They can't hurt you here." Janus rubbed Patton's back soothingly as Patton cried again, after a few minutes he tired himself out and fell asleep. Janus handed him over to Roman and went over to the larger bed with Logan and Remus to sleep, then Roman picked up Patton and went into another bed, and Virgil and Thomas took the last one.

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Friday coming home from school Virgil insisted Patton stay with him, and Patton had no objections to that. He had to shut his phone off because his parents have been calling him nonstop, and he's truly terrified to turn it back on. And then Virgil's house phone rang, they called over and over till Patton was fed up and answered. But the scary part of this was that Virgil and Patton were alone in Virgil's house, his parents were still working.

"What?" Patton's tone was firm and harsh, something Virgil never thought he was capable of.

"Patton?" It was his mother, "what were you thinking, running off like that?! You missed out on a perfect opportunity to get with a really nice girl! You know, you've taken this asexual lie too far this time, you need to grow up!" And she was angry at him, blaming him for being scared and running from this.

"And you completely ruined my chance at the promotion! I'm very disappointed in you for running away, you should've just manned up and done this one simple task for our family." There was Patton's father, and he was disappointed in Patton. The kind-hearted boy has had enough of the degrading, and enough of their condescending tones, he's sick and tired of them.

"Simple task?! Losing my innocence is not a simple task, it's a big deal, and it's something I actually don't want to experience! And don't - don't you dare hit me with that 'you should like sex' crap, because I'm not having any of it!" Virgil looked at Patton in shock, he can't believe that Patton is actually so angry he swore. It wasn't a major swear, but it counts in Patton's case.

"I don't know where this new tone came from, but I don't like it. The family is willing to give this another shot tonight, your father is depending on this night to go well so he can get the promotion. I'm asking you to do this for your family." Wow, how pathetic, she's playing the family card after years of unknowingly hurting him with her words. Patton set his jaw and narrowed his eyes, Virgil was actually a bit scared, he's never seen Patton angry like this.

"And if I don't?" Patton asked, his tone was now low and sharp instead of loud and angry.

"Then we will cut ties to you until you learn you're in the wrong and being very selfish." His mother said, she didn't even sound hesitant or apologetic about this. Those words surprisingly didn't hurt Patton, though, instead those words were the best, most competent thing to come out of her mouth.

"Go ahead." Patton replies without batting an eye, and hangs up the phone. Oh how he wished he could see her face when he did that; she'd go all bug-eyed with her mouth hanging open, then she'd shut it and clench her teeth together, getting all huffy.

"So, what'd they say?" Patton was so angry he forgot that Virgil was there, in Virgil's own house! Now that Patton thinks over what happened, getting over the shock, tears appeared in his eyes and started free falling. Virgil shot up from the couch and held Patton in a firm hug as Patton cried into his shoulder, they stayed that way till Patton had no tears left.

"Thanks, Virge." Patton's throat felt sore, and his head hurt. Virgil went into the kitchen for a second and came back with a glass of water, handing it to Patton.

"Drink this, and don't talk till you finish it." Patton nods and slowly drinks it, taking a few sips, then stopping for breath, then taking a few more sips. Virgil sat patiently and took Patton's glass once he finished, letting Patton speak.

"They...they said I would either do - ummm, that, or I'm permanently out of the picture. And I told them I was out." Patton looked down at his hands, so many thoughts running through his mind yet it was blank at the same time.

"That's good, right? You're not being abused anymore." That confused Patton. He was being abused? Since when?

"I was? But they didn't hit me at all." Poor little Patton, he doesn't even know it has to be physical in order for it to be abuse.

"Pat, they don't need to hit you to be abusive. They were constantly saying things that hurt you, and they were also gonna force you - still underage - to have intercourse!" Virgil sighs as a look of guilt flashed across Patton's face, "it's not your fault. You know that, right?" Patton nods at that.

"I know. And I'm happy to be away from them, but why does it hurt?" Virgil pulls Patton into another hug, hand going in soothing circles on his back.

"Because you loved them. No matter what they said to you, you still love them because that's the kind of person you are. But don't ever stop being that person because of them!" Virgil's voice was firm, and he gave Patton a short squeeze before relaxing and just keeping his arms around Patton. They stayed like that for a few hours and then Virgil's parents got home, and got worried when they saw the state Patton was in. It was explained to them that Patton was just disowned, and Virgil's parents decided to have a movie night with pizza to try and cheer Patton up a bit.

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Patton really didn't know what the process of disowning and adopting would be like, but fast was something he didn't expect. All he had to do was sign some papers saying he agreed to Virgil's parents adopting him and that was that. Soon he managed to sneak everything from his room to one of the guest bedrooms, with Virgil's help of course.

Patton was happier with them, he was glad he got away. Virgil's parents loved him, happy to have another son, and even though he was now Virgil's brother, Patton still acted like a dad to Virgil.

3708 words

Time done: 12:25 P.M., Oct. 29. 2020

I hope you enjoyed this, I honestly don't know if I'll be able to get something out for Halloween because I'm just trying to get out all the drafts I have. But I got an idea and I honestly have no self control so that's a big maybe.

Anyway, happy Ace week guys! And happy Halloween if I don't get anything out! Stay spooky!!

Love you all~
Xxx