The Sanders Sides

13 - Bumps In The Road

A comfortable silence settled between them as the afternoon sun dipped lower in the sky, casting the room in a warm, orange glow. Patton traced the intricate details of a griffin doodle with his finger, a smile playing on his lips. He stole a glance at Roman, who was completely engrossed in a new sketch, a strand of hair falling across his forehead despite the golden squiggly headbands holding his hair out of his face. His foot flicking up and down in a pulse like following a beat

Before Patton could stop himself, he reached out and gently tucked the hair behind Roman's ear. The simple gesture surprised even him, but it felt natural, like an extension of the easy camaraderie that had blossomed between them.

Roman looked up, a startled expression giving way to a slow, genuine smile. "Thanks," he mumbled, his hazel eyes shimmering with unshed emotion.

Patton couldn't shake the feeling that Roman was holding something back. Hesitantly, he blurted out, "You know, you're not just some prince, Roman. You're... you're my creative side, the one who sees the world in fantastical colors."

Roman's smile faltered slightly, a flicker of sadness flitting across his face. "But that doesn't matter much when all anyone sees is a title, does it?" he said, his voice barely a whisper.

Patton felt a surge of protectiveness rise within him. "No," he declared, his voice firm. "They don't see you for who you really are, that's their loss. But we do, Roman. We see the artist, the dreamer, the guy who makes us laugh until our sides ache."

Roman met his gaze, a spark of hope igniting in his eyes. "Really?" he asked, his voice laced with a newfound vulnerability.

Patton squeezed his shoulder, his voice filled with conviction. "Absolutely. And hey," he added, a playful smile tugging at his lips, "even if those girls were a bit... much, plenty of people still adore you. Just not in a creepy, objectifying way."

Roman's lips quirked up at the corners. "Oh, I don't worry about that," he said, a hint of his usual mischievousness returning to his voice. "Logan still thinks I'm the coolest guy in school, and Remus always appreciates a good doodle."

Patton chuckled, a wave of relief washing over him. He was glad he'd come. Roman might not be a knight in shining armor, but he was a friend, a confidante, and someone who saw the world just as vividly as Patton did. Maybe that was more valuable than any fairytale title.

"Besides," Roman continued, his eyes twinkling with amusement, "who needs a gaggle of fangirls when you have a best friend who tucks stray hairs behind your ear?"

Patton's face flushed a rosy red, but he met Roman's gaze with a playful grin. "Alright, alright," he conceded, feigning exasperation. "Just try not to get too full of yourself, Your Highness."

Roman threw a pillow at him, but his laughter echoed through the room, a beautiful, genuine sound that chased away the shadows of the afternoon. As Patton leaned back against the headboard, a newfound sense of understanding and acceptance settling within him, he knew that friendship, like a well-crafted story, didn't always need a prince or a princess. Sometimes, all it needed was the unwavering support and the shared laughter of true friends.

Patton's smile faltered for a moment, replaced by a playful glint in his eyes. He pushed himself up from the bed, his arms outstretched in mock surrender. "Alright, alright," he conceded, his voice laced with amusement. "But if you think getting a hug out of me earns you bragging rights, you're sorely mistaken, Your Highness."

He punctuated his statement by brandishing his glasses at Roman, a playful glint replacing the seriousness in his gaze. The gesture, however, was undermined by the warmth that still lingered in his eyes.