The Necklace

4: Patton

"Patton?"

Upon hearing his name, Patton looked up from his food. He hadn't been eating it, just pushing it around on his plate. For the first time in his life, he found that he couldn't bring himself to put food into his system. He was just so worried about Virgil. After seeing him have a panic attack earlier, he had been worrying about him. He didn't want Virgil going through that again. What if he wasn't there to help Virgil calm down?

Patton hummed slightly, indicating to his mother that he was listening. He instantly recognized the worry in her eyes. Patton knew that she had noticed he hadn't taken a bite. Nothing got past his mother. She was able to pick up on the smallest things. That was where Patton got it from after all.

"What's wrong, honey?You haven't touched your food other than pushing it around your plate. That's not like you." Patton's mother, Victoria, said. She was the only one at the table who noticed.

"I'm worried about my friend I guess." Patton said. He didn't want to say too much about what had happened. Virgil clearly didn't want any mention of it, so Patton wouldn't bring it up. Even if Virgil wasn't there. If he did, Patton would feel as if he was betraying Virgil.

"You mean the kid in the black and purple you were walking with earlier?" Victoria asked and Patton nodded. "Well, you know you can have him over any time you'd like." As long as he didn't smoke weed or anything like that while in the house. Patton had gotten that talk before.

Upon hearing his mother's words, Patton's face instantly brightened. His mother hadn't even met Virgil and she was willing to have him over. She was so trusting, and so unjudgemental. She always let others prove themselves before she decided if they were good people or not. But most of the time, she saw the good in people. Patton was pretty much just the male version of his mother.

"Thank you so much." Patton said getting up and hugging his mother. Then he went to make the phone call.

A few minutes later, Patton was sitting on the front steps to his house, waiting for Virgil to arrive. His concern for the other had grown after making the phone call. Patton could hear Virgil's mother yelling at him in the background. Patton felt guilty, he felt as if that was his fault. She had yelled at him for coming home so late, which was kind of Patton's fault since he had invited the other. But even if Virgil had been yelled at, he told Patton that he would be there shortly.

Patton absentmindedly drew the shape of his necklace on his leg as he waited. He did that quite a bit, never noticing what exactly he was doing. No one ever pointed it out to him either. Maybe because they didn't notice, they didn't care, or they could figure it out for themselves.

"Patton?" A voice made it to Patton's ears, but it wasn't the voice he had been waiting for. But nonetheless, he was happy to hear it. He looked up, and smiled at Roman. He hadn't noticed as the other made his way across the lawn towards him. Usually he did, but maybe he had just been lost in thought.

"Hey there Roman," Patton said, "what are you doing out here?"

"Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing." Roman said before moving to sit beside his dad like friend. Upon the other doing so, Patton couldn't help but lean again the other lazily. Roman and Patton had always had that kind of friendship. They could use each other as foot rests and the other wouldn't mind in the least. Maybe because they had been friends for so long?

"I'm just waiting for Virgil to arrive." Patton informed the other. "I invited him over."

"Oh." Roman said, he sounded a bit wounded. Like for some reason that fact hurt him. Patton instantly felt guilty for not inviting Roman and Logan as well. Maybe he could, but later. Once Virgil was comfortable. Patton really didn't want to overwhelm their dark friend. He seemed to have enough problems to worry about.

"Maybe you two can come over later. We don't want push all these people on to him all at once. We have to give him some time to get comfortable and all of that." Patton said. It was obvious that he really did care about Virgil. He wasn't just inviting him over because he felt guilty for what had happened. With the amount of thought Patton put into it all, it was clear that the guilt of it all was the farthest thing from him mind. All he wanted was to show the other that he cared, and maybe lift Virgil's mood.

"Alright, but Logan and I are coming over at eight no matter what. You have until then." Roman said and Patton didn't even doubt the other's words. Roman had invited himself into Patton's house many times before, dragging Logan along. The first time Logan had ever been in Patton's house was because he had been pulled along with Roman. It had been an awkward time for Logan, Patton could remember the look on Logan's face. It was priceless, especially because of how unneeded it was. Patton's parents, his mom especially, accepted just about anyone who walked into their home.

"Make sure to call Logan then. Sooner rather than later too. We don't want him getting too deep into his homework that he blocks out the world." Patton said, to anyone else it might have sounded like some kind of joke, but Patton and Roman knew the truth. Logan could get so into doing his homework that his mind blocked out any sound around him. If you wanted his attention while he was in that state, you had to go and poke him or something. Some kind of physical touch to get him out of that state. Unless you decided to wait until he finished all his homework.

"I will go and do that now. But remember, eight o'clock your prince will arrive." Roman did the weird hand gesture he always did before standing up and going off across the lawn and into his house. His house was right next door, not too far away. That was one of the main reason Patton and Roman had become friends, because of how close they lived to each other.

Every time Roman referred to himself as Patton's prince or knight in shining armour, it always flew over Patton's head. He never understood what sense Roman meant it in. Patton just figured that Roman was keeping it going from their childhood. After all he had made Patton a promise, Patton knew Roman would never break his promises.

Looking down the street once again, Patton looked to see if Virgil was coming yet. He could see someone walking down the street, who looked like Virgil, but Patton wasn't too sure. The other was still far away, so Patton decided to let them get closer. But upon realizing that it was indeed Virgil, Patton jumped to his feet. He hurried down the street, hugging Virgil fiercely.

Virgil gasped as Patton's body made contact with him, his breath momentarily leaving him. Virgil took a few steps back, trying not to fall over. Which luckily they didn't but they had been close to it. Patton squeezed the other slightly before pulling away. He then looked down at the other with a giant smile.

"I didn't know you'd be that excited." Virgil mumbled loud enough for Patton to hear.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Patton asked, a bit shocked at the others words. To Patton the fact that Virgil was actually here was great. He had actually taken him up on the offer instead of pass it up. Patton was overjoyed that Virgil was actually willing to give him the time of day when he could have been doing whatever he wanted to do. "Oh just warning you, my mom is going to want to meet you."

Virgil said nothing but nodded. It was understandable that Patton's mother would want to get to know him. He was a stranger coming into their house after all. He just hoped it went well.

👓👑👔🌩

A few hours had passed, Patton and Virgil were now in Patton's room. They were sitting on his bed, talking about whatever came to mind. They were getting along famously when they heard someone yell from down the stairs, "The prince has arrived!" They both knew there was only one person that could be: Roman.

They could hear Patton's mother greet Roman, just as warmly as she had greeted Virgil. Patton looked at the time, he couldn't believe that it was eight already. The time had flown by for him. He had enjoyed talking to Virgil so much that the hours flew by like a bird being chased: quickly.

"Princey's here? I'm guessing that means Brainiac is here as well." Virgil's voice made its way to Patton's ears. He couldn't help but notice how defeated Virgil sounded, but at the same time, content? It shocked Patton and he couldn't help the smile that was growing on his face. Virgil was really starting to accept them as friends.

"It is time to play the truth and the dare!" Roman said as he pushed open the door to Patton's room. Just like Virgil had guessed, and Roman had said, Logan was there as well. And there seemed to be no objections to playing a little game of truth or dare. If only they knew where the game would lead them.