Chemistry - A Sander's Sides Fanfiction

- 19 -

I'm back! Thanks for all the nice messages.

I'm SO sorry I didn't post yesterday -- I don't know what happened but it totally slipped my mind. I know it's not that big of a deal, but I did promise that I was going to post Sunday and I didn't. So here's Chapter 19 today. Enjoy.

Patton had gone to the Harvest Festival every year consistently since starting high school. Most of the time, it had been with various friends, never really staying with the same group. Senior year, it was a given that he was going to invite the chemistry group.

Everything was going wonderfully until he and Logan got separated from the rest in the arts building. At first, Patton thought Roman and Virgil had just fell behind, but after a couple minutes of looking, it became apparent that they were gone.

He and Logan managed to find the two outside. They were leaning up against the secluded wall of the building, sitting in the grass next to one another. Virgil looked positively exhausted. His eyes were closed and he was leaning his head on Roman's shoulder. Roman was looking out on the fairgrounds, eyes unfocused and cloudy, as though in deep thought. Patton noticed with a jolt of excitement that the two boys' hands were interlaced. He let a smile slip on his face, out of both relief at finally finding them and enthusiasm for how they were found.

Patton had noticed something between the two long before fall break. Ever since a couple of weeks into the year, something had changed. No longer was their banter aggressive and biting, but rather friendly and playful. They talked every day, often walked home together, and -- thanks to Patton's stubbornness -- sat together with the group at lunch. Sure, whatever was between them wasn't obvious, but Patton had known Roman for long enough to know that he didn't consistently spend time with someone unless he was attached to that person. And he had initially observed Virgil's personality with enough attention to detail to realize that the boy didn't just stick with anyone. He was an outcast and it was rare that someone like Virgil hung around someone like Roman. The two were nearly opposites, yet they seemed to get along so well. Their conversations bounced with a quickness and wittiness that was nearly intangible for anyone else. Because of these observations, seeing the two comfortable around one another -- seeing them holding hands of all things -- was extremely exciting for a protective, loving friend like Patton. He adored seeing people growing closer and getting along, especially people who had seemed so destined from the start to be enemies.

Patton cleared his throat once Logan had joined him outside. Roman's head snapped to the side, the fogginess completely gone from his eyes. He looked like he had been caught doing something he shouldn't have been.

"There you are!" Patton said, deciding not to draw attention to the boys' closeness. "What happened?" he asked instead.

Roman cleared his throat, looking flustered as his eyes swept from side to side. Roman was usually composed and easily masked his feelings of awkwardness or anxiety. However, catching him off guard very easily counteracted that. "Well, Virgil had a panic attack of sorts when we were walking around so I brought him out here." He gave Patton a tight, humoring smile.

Patton nodded back. "Do you think he'll need to calm down for a while?" he asked softly, thinking that Virgil was asleep.

But he was wrong, for it was Virgil who answered. "I don't want to hold you guys back from doing anything," he mumbled with his eyes still closed. He had not moved an inch from his spot on Roman's shoulder, despite having an embarrassed blush on his cheeks.

They're so silly to be embarrassed, Patton thought, shaking his head lightly, for he was not oblivious to how they were feeling. I'm not judging! I only think it's sweet. But thinking it would not calm either of them and saying something would likely only make the two more embarrassed, so he decided to keep his mouth shut on the subject.