Sunsets in Paradise (Sanders Side's Simulation AU)

Shut yourself off.

School came quickly the next day. Patton didn't want to go, but his Parents egged him on and so he had no choice. He pulled his cat hoodie on, deciding not to wear anything else, because it was the last thing he had that smelt like Logan.

He pulled himself out of his room to look in the mirror, but found nothing but words carved into his brain and memories from last night's argument waiting for him.

He didn't know what to do.

He started to cry again, but it was more like dry sobbing because he'd run out of tears and his head was pounding. He needed water, but what was the point of water when the headache was the only thing distracting him from the heartache?

He didn't bother to fix his hair, it looked fine anyway. He pulled on shoes, forgetting how to tie his laces for a moment as he stared down at his hands. It all felt empty and pointless.

His hands brushed away tears Patton didn't know had been forming, his mind pounding and heart slowing. If only it'd slow to a stop. If only it would stop beating for people that just made him cry. If only it would rub off that name it had tattooed onto itself.

Days like these, Patton packed a single cookie for lunch. It was all he could manage to eat, all he wanted to eat when his heart was crying out for something.

Then he was out the door, with what he supposed was half decent English homework and barely done math homework. He couldn't understand why the air was so hard to breathe.

The world was perfectly fine as Patton walked, perfectly normal and slow and bright. But Patton didn't feel bright. Patton didn't want the world to be coloured when the only colours he was in was grey and white.

It was as if he meant nothing.

His feet tapped along the pavement as he zoned back into find himself almost turning the corner to go get Logan so they could walk together.

He stopped, looking down the street.

It was too bright.

Someone was on their porch, someone was tending their garden, someone was in a rocking chair. These were all things Patton usually liked to see, but his eyes were trained on a singular doorstep, watching a man open his door and step out.

The man, Logan, paused. He was waiting for him, and Patton's heart jumped to think of it- but then he walked down to the bottom and Patton realised he'd never been waiting for him at all.

His stomach tied itself in knots as he pushed back tears.

He didn't want to go to school.

He didn't want to go to school!

HE didn't WANT to go to SCHOOL!

ESPECIALLY not if LOGAN was there.

Logan turned, and stumbled back upon seeing him at the end of the street, tears in his eyes. Patton didn't even notice that he was crying and his head was pounding.

Psssh, so much for forever.

Patton turned on his heel, mind blurry and stomach in knots. You know what? He wasn't going to school. He wasn't. Good luck finding him when he ends up at that one place he could count on.