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AU

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Patton has been a new student in his new school for the past few days, he befriended two boys called Virgil and Logan who helped him find his classes whenever he was lost. In past schools he didn't have many friends because a lot of people said he was too cheery and didn't like how he acted like a Dad sometimes.

He was bullied in the past but this school helps him forget.

They were all standing around Pattons locker, Patton grabbing the books he needed for that day.

"He's coming in today" Virgil spoke up, glancing at Logan with a look. Logan sighed, shuffling his books from one arm to the other.

"As long as we stay away we should be fine"

Patton closed his locker and turned to his friends, confusion clear on his face as he packed books into his bag covered in cartoon dogs.

"What do you mean? Who's coming today?" Worry clear in his voice, the other two didn't know about his past bullies - because Patton didn't want to worry them - so obviously this set him on edge.

"Roman" was all Virgil said before the hallway went silent.

They turned their heads to see students parting, as if royalty wanted to get past. Patton automatically tugged his sleeves over his hand, biting the ends while swaying back and forth ever so slightly, he always did this when nervous or scared.

Through the students came a tall boy, Patton scanned him over, suddenly remembering how gay he was.

He had perfect messy brown hair styled to the side, bright brown eyes glinted with malevolence, a wide charming smirk and black clothes.

The definition of 'bad boy'.

Patton didn't realise he was the only one staring, once his brown eyes snapped to his direction he involuntarily flinched and casted his eyes down, chewing his sleeve faster.

It was silent apart from the noise of shoes tapping against the marble floor, said shoes appeared in Pattons vision. The smaller boy slowly lifted his head, cowering in fear.

"Don't attack the new boy already, Roman!" A voice called, chuckles escaping from a few others.

Roman heard what they said but paid no attention to it, he read Patton like an open book, probably knowing him more than Patton knew himself.

Raising his arm Roman watched Patton flinch, obviously it wasn't on purpose. His arm fell back to his side, his other hand pressing the shaking boy against the lockers, not hard enough to hurt him but enough to show authority.

"Did no one ever tell you staring is rude?" He muttered, his voice deep and smooth. Pattons breathing went sporadic, he clutched his sleeves tightly, closing his eyes. Roman could tell he was preparing himself to get hit, he also knew everyone was staring.

Letting the boy go Roman took a few steps back, narrowed eyes scanning him closely. "What school did you go to before?" He asked, flicking some hair back from his eyes. Patton didn't respond, just kept his mouth sealed shut.

He glanced at Logan, who quietly muttered the schools name, Roman knew that nerd would tell him anything.

"Huh" Roman clicked his tongue, not saying anything else Roman turned on his heel and carried on down the hallway, disappearing from sight.

Patton was still frozen in his position until Virgil placed a hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of his paralysed state.

"You okay? Shit, you look like you've seen a ghost" Virgil uttered, staring into his terrified eyes.

Patton leaned against the locker, breathing in deeply and letting go of his sleeves. "I'm fine" he replied breathlessly, "I'm...I'm going to be late" with that he quickly dashed to his next lesson, Logan and Virgil looking at each other in worry.

The next day Patton was back to normal, relaxed after Logan informed him Roman barely comes into school.

They joked and laughed, but Patton went silent when all noise around him stopped. Hair raising on the back of his neck he looked to see Roman...

"You...you said-" he whispered.

"I know" Logan responded, "this is new..."

Roman walked straight up to Patton, thinking he was going to be hit the boy flinched back, eyes closed tightly.

It took awhile before he finally looked once more, seeing Romans arm outstretched toward him with a folded paper grasped between his fingers.

Patton slowly raised his shaking arm and took the paper, heart speeding up when he noticed the dashing smile on his handsome face.

He didn't say anything, much like yesterday he walked down the hallway and vanished round a corner, leaving the hall to burst back into chatter.

"What did he give you?" Logan inquired, looking at the note as Patton unfolded it. "His number...?" Virgils eyebrows drew together, "he never gives that out..." he added, confusion crossing his features.

"It is probably a prank, do not call it" Logan advised, Patton nodded but kept it anyway.

Later that day Patton stared at his phone laid on the bedside table, the room pitch black, the house silent.

He fumbled with the note, wondering if it was real or not.

His curiosity always got the better of him.

P - Hi

He chewed his pyjama sleeve, sitting up in his warm bed and tugging the quilt closer to his body, waiting in anticipation for an insult or something along the lines.

What if it was the number of his past bullies? Roman did ask for the school he went to before...oh god.

His worry diminished, though, when he saw the the text that came through.

R - Hey, what's up?

Patton - surprised at his use of grammar, responded quickly.

P - The ceiling?

He didn't mean it in a sarcastic way, he truly didn't know "kid talk".

R - funny, people usually say the sky. Or, y'know, what they are doing

P - oh...I'm texting you

R - really? I didn't notice

Patton frowned, he was making a fool of himself towards his potential future bully. God, he could imagine screenshots of this conversation plastered over the school...

That has happened to him before, the students never let it go.

P - I'm sorry

R - Why?

P - I'm annoying you, aren't I?

Patton ran a hand through his hair, waiting for a reply, Roman taking longer this time. He's probably texting someone else, who would want to text pa- bing

R - No

Patton didn't know how to respond to such a blunt message so he just stared at the screen, hoping a message would appear.

R - you fell asleep, didn't you?

P - no, still here, do you want me to go to sleep?

R - last time I checked I'm not your Mom, though u haven't checked in awhile

R - I*

Patton let out a small giggle, making sure to stay quiet he typed out his reply.

P - hehe, no, I don't have a Mum

R - oh god I'm so sorry

P - what? No no! I have two Dads

R - no way

P - is that bad?

R - I have two Mums!

P - Aww! We're like the opposite!

R - very, you're small and cute, while I'm tall and sexy

Patton blushed deeply, covering his mouth. Roman thought he was cute?

R - still there?

P - yeah, will you be in school tomorrow?

R - Wouldn't that be a miracle

P - so, no?

R - who said I couldn't make miracles happen?

P - oh, cool! See you tomorrow, then?

R - sure, but why?

P - huh?

R - why do you want to see me so badly?

P - the two times we met I was scared, but now I shouldn't be, unless you want to beat me up and call me names

R - why would I ever do that?

P - it's happened before

Pattons eyes widened and he dropped his hand, oh god, he vowed to never tell anyone he was bullied! He doesn't even know Roman that well, yet he just gave away that information like they knew each other for years!

Scared, Patton locked his phone, put it on the bedside table and rolled over onto his side, forcing himself to ignore the few pings and falling asleep.

That morning he glanced at his phone screen to see four messages.

He opened them

R - I knew you were bullied, I could tell from how you acted

R - look, I won't hurt you, I'm not like that, I only hurt people who deserve it

R - you there?

R - goodnight, Pat

Nicknames already? Patton cooed quietly, almost hitting himself after. No...no feelings. He's not gay...but he called me cute..no!

Patton stood by his locker, absentmindedly listening to Virgils and Logans civil argument while watching out for Roman. 

His phone pinged and he quickly looked at the message.

R - sorry, can't make it to school

P - that's okay, is anything wrong?

His worry amplified when he didn't reply. Throughout the day he checked his phone, making sure Roman hadn't replied, every time worry and disappointment filled his heart.

During last lesson he turned to Logan.

"Does Roman have any friends?"

Logan glanced up from his work he nearly completed even if it was only given to him two minutes ago.

"No, why?"

Patton frowned, "not anyone?"

Shaking his head Logan went back to his work, slumping in his seat Patton did his work with a frown never leaving his lips, why was he so worried? And why did he feel so bad for him?

Pattons walk home was usually quiet and peaceful, but today that changed. Turning a corner he froze when he saw Roman being pressed against a wall by a taller, much stronger man, two men behind.

"I told you today-"

"And I told you next week!" Roman retorted, earning a punch in the gut, Patton flinched, hiding behind the corner, peeking to see what was happening.

"What d'you think, boys?"

"If you kill me you're losing one thousand dollars" Roman huffed. The man grinned evilly, "not really, who said we couldn't get it from your parents?"

Romans eyes hardened, "next week, and don't you dare hurt them" he spat venomously. The man rolled his eyes, punching his cheek, Roman bit back a noise of pain, slumping against the wall after the man left go of him.

He clutched his cheek, glaring at the man.

"Next week, Roman, or you're dead"

The three men walked away, Patton rushing to him once he knew it was safe. "Roman!"

Roman whipped around to face him, letting go of his cheek. "How long-?"

"Long enough, let me see" Patton looked over his cheek, watching it turn a dark purple. "You should be fine...come to mine, I have an ice pack-"

"Why do you care?" Roman hissed in pain, gritting his teeth together. "Because...I want to help, and be your friend" 

Roman stared at him closely, finally letting him drag him to his house.

"What did they want from you?" Patton asked softly, pressing the ice pack against his cheek, Roman flinched, holding it himself.

"It doesn't concern you-"

"I don't care, they said they would kill you-"

"Stay out of it-"

"No" Patton said firmly, Roman growled, rubbing his eyes. "They want money, okay?"

"How much?"

"Jesus..." Roman muttered, "one thousand". Pattons eyes widened. "How much-"

"How much do I have? Two hundred, I'm dead already" Roman sighed, Patton frowned, thinking of ways to help.

Suddenly, an idea came to mind.

"I need eight hundred dollars and you think we'll get that much..from walking dogs?" Roman asked, clutching the two leads in his hands. Patton grinned, petting his own two dogs he was walking.

"Trust me" he replied. Roman groaned quietly, knowing there was no other way to get money anyway. The last week of his life might as well be spent walking dogs with a cute boy.

They walked around the block a few times, Patton jumping up the stairs to the house they got the dogs from.

"How much will we get?" Roman huffed, "one dollar?" He asked himself, shaking his head.

Patton spoke to the kind lady who owned the four dogs, letting her husband take them inside. "For your efforts" she dug around her purse, pulling out fifty dollars. "Twenty five for you both, thank you!" She smiled.

"Aw, thank you to! Have a nice day!" Patton smiled and waved, taking the money.

"Fifty dollars for walking four dogs?" Roman asked, taking the money. "That woman is too kind...or stupid"

"Everyone on this street has a dog" Patton explained, "and everyone gives twenty five dollars...it's the rich part of town"

"I guessed" Roman murmured.

"How many houses will we have to go to?"

"For eight hundred?" Roman thought for a few seconds, "fifteen houses...if we're counting the money we already have"

"How many houses are on this street?" Patton grinned, talking in a sing song voice.

"Uhhh..."

"Fifty! We have more than enough!" Patton jumped around happily, "you're not gonna die!"

Roman smiled, pocketing the money. "I guess not"

That day they walked dogs for five houses, the next another five, and the next...another five.

In no time they had enough money, by the end of it they both realised they wouldn't be spending as much time with each other anymore, which made them sad but they ignored the feeling.

"I won't be in tomorrow, gotta give the money over, but thank you" Roman smiled, not expecting a hug from the smaller boy.

"You're welcome! Don't let them hurt you, and text me, okay?"

Roman nodded, "Of course"

The next day Roman didn't text at all, Patton filling with dread, what if they did hurt him?

Walking home his eyes scanned everywhere for Roman but he was nowhere. Sighing he rounded a corner when two arms wrapped around his waist.

He screamed and struggled, "Hey hey! It's me, Roman" Patton turned his head towards him, relief flooding through his body.

"Roman!" He grinned, twirling around in his arms and hugging the boy tightly. "What happened?"

"I gave the money over and they left, I'm never buying from them again"

"What did you buy?"

"That doesn't matter" Roman smiled, Patton leaned back, both of their faces inches apart.

"Don't frown, your smile looks much better"

Patton blushed, letting a smile broaden across his face.

"Maybe we could walk dogs again? Together?"

Patton laughed, "I would love to!"