Lie To Me//Multiship

The One Where They Get Smart

TW: Flashback of rape, transphobia

     "Hey bitches!" Ryan shouted, smiling and holding margaritas. He handed one to Brendon, smiling and looking at Patrick. He scoffed, passing the boy that was not in a bathing suit, but in capris and a polo. He looked happy, but his facial expression said something else. Pete followed close behind Ryan, giving Patrick a look of 'I want to hug you but I can't' as the boy passed out drinks. Tyler noticed Patrick fidgeting and looking very uncomfortable, but decided not to ask in case it was something personal. "So," Ross said, sitting down in a lawn chair, "did you hear about that nasty ass girl, Mercedes? She's a fucking boy now." He glanced at Patrick, smirking and Patrick rose.
     "I-I'm gonna go to the bathroom..." Patrick said quietly. He quickly walked away, looking down at his feet.
     "Fucking nasty ass faggot," Ryan scoffed once he had left, taking a sip of his drink.
  "Uh, where is your kitchen? I need a snack. My sister said to eat up if I'm gonna drink," Tyler asked, standing up.
     "Right inside and to the left, honey. You'll see it," Ryan smiled, sipping his drink and going back to talking to Brendon, Pete and some other guys.
     Tyler walked swiftly inside, trying to look for the bathroom and in his hurry, he crashed into something, almost falling back but arms wrapped around him so he didn't fall back. He looked up to see a tall, muscular boy, looking about his age, looking down at him. The boy chuckled, "You lost? Or just a little tipsy."
      "Lost... actually. My friend came in here and I was trying to find where he went," Tyler said, sounding frantic and worried. The boy was luckily very kind, and pointed him in the direction of the bathroom where Patrick had gone, not before calling him cute and giving his number, of course. That's how all guys were in LA, except usually a lot more douchey.
      Tyler ran out of his arms, rushing up the stairs and to the bathroom door. He knocked, anxious to know that Patrick was alright.
      "I-It's occupied..." Patrick's small, weak voice said.
      "It's me! Tyler!" Patrick unlocked the door, opening it and grabbing Tyler's hand. He pulled him into the bathroom and quickly shut the door behind them. "What's wrong Patrick? Who's Mercedes? Why does Ryan hate you? What was with the Pete guy?"
      Patrick sighed, pulling off his pink coloured polo. "Woah, woah, woah," Tyler said frantically, "I'm a virgin." Patrick shook his head, setting his shirt aside to reveal a white binder on his chest.
     "My birth name is Mercedes. Ryan is transphobic as fuck. I used to be dating Pete but Ryan convinced him that I was a slut," Patrick said, voice cracking, "but I never say anything because I'm such a good person."
     "How did Ryan find out, though?" Tyler asked, concerned.
     "I came into lunch one day all excited and had sat in Pete's lap and was like 'Hey guys guess what, I'm finally getting top surgery' so Ry had invited me over for a 'celebration' but that was not a celebration," Patrick looked at me, tears welling up in his light blue eyes, "he paid his friends to touch me and make Pete watch. He brainwashed him, Tyler. He brainwashed Pete to be a mindless asshole. He made him hate me... Pete has never hated me like he does now because of Ryan." Patrick sobbed, hugging Tyler tightly while the worried boy rubbed his back, shushing him to try and calm his anxious nerves.
"We need a plan Mer- Patrick. Sorry," Tyler said, looking at him.
"P-Plan.?" the small boy asked, looking scared but interested.
"I say we play off today as normal as we can. We pretend we don't hate Ryan at all and just hang out, but also listen to what he says in search of blackmail. Then tonight, meet me at my house. 9pm." Tyler smirked, thousands of ideas rushing through his creative and slightly twisted mind.
"O-Okay... I-I trust you." and with those words, that is where the planning began. Tyler listening to Ryan talk all day about meaningless things. Boys, money, food, music. Nothing that mattered any to Patrick and Tyler. They just glanced at each other occasionally, anytime Ryan said something that could be of use to their devious and vengeful minds. It was as if the night could not arrive soon enough, but it did.
"Hey Pat!" Tyler greeted him as he opened the front door. Patrick walked in and immediately hopped up on the marble island in the middle of the kitchen, which sat a black wooden bowl of apples and oranges, along with a few pears, them being Madison's favourites.
The two boys were talking when Madison walked down the stairs, dirty blonde hair tied up in a messy bun, a hoodie which probably belonged to her boyfriend, and an old pair of grey exercise shorts. "Hey what're you guys doing? It's 11:30! Isn't there school tomorrow?"
"No, you're drunk Mads. It's (Say Amen) Saturday night. Get some food and head back to sleep," And she did, shrugging, grabbing a muffin and a cup of tea, in which Tyler thought was questionable for this hour but did not fret it, and walking back upstairs. Not long later, there was a knock at the door.
"If it's the bill collectors, tell them to fuck off!" Madison shouted from upstairs. Madison was between jobs at the moment and had been doing everything she could to get money to pay for her and Tyler to live in LA together since Tyler did not want to go back to Columbus with his parents.
"No Mads! It's just a friend of mine! It's alright! Go to sleep!"
"If you're gonna keep having boys over like this, there better be no sex, drugs or alcohol! I will be pissed!"
"No sex, drugs or alcohol, Madi. It's perfectly fine."
"Goodnight, Tyler! Goodnight Patty!"
"Goodnight Madi"
"Goodnight, Miss Joseph!"
And there was the knock again. Tyler walked over to the door while Patrick stared at him questionably. He opened the door and smiled, "Welcome to my humble abode."
"Him?!"