We Can be Heroes {Sanders Sides Superhero AU}

Chapter 35

TW: Talks about cancer, mentions homophobia

Day Forty-Nine | Thursday | April 27th

Melanie sat on the couch next to Patton. Neither of them had said anything since Logan had left the room. Roman had taken Virgil to play rehearsal again. This meant that the two siblings were alone in the room. Their breaths seemed to echo in the nearly soundless living room. "He's getting worse, isn't he?" Patton asked after a while

Melanie nodded, "They're still not telling us what it is... but he's gotten so pale and... I saw him throw up the other day, which I know isn't that big of a deal but... when he had it- he threw up a lot"

Patton's sigh came out shaky. Despite Logan telling him that he didn't have to go see his brother, he knew he should. But the fear, of learning the truth, of what was going on with Harrison terrified him. This wasn't like his brother, being quiet and secretive like this. And Harry loved their parents, refusing to let them speak to him was almost unbelievable.

On top of that, there was also the fact that seeing Harrison meant seeing his parents. Would they make him tell them what was wrong? Probably, his parents had always loved Harrison and Melanie in an almost unhealthy way. If making Patton tell them Harrison's secret could save Harry's life than they would make Patton tell the secret, by any means necessary. Even if that meant further damaging the relationship they had with their second child, and putting a possible dent in Patton's relationship with his older brother

Patton knew that at one point his parents had loved him, but as he got older and as Patton started to break free of the mold they had wanted him to fit into, that began to change. When had it happened? What had been the first strike, the first warning? Was it when Patton went out for the arts instead of athletics like his brother, or academics like his sister? Was it when he had begun to become 'to kind' and less assertive. Maybe it was when Patton came home late at night from getting beat up at school. Or maybe, it had been something else.

He knew one thing for sure, by the time Patton had told them the biggest secret he had kept from them, there was no relationship left that was worth saving. And their reaction to telling them he was gay, he couldn't do it. And he left.

They were quiet again. The two siblings, neither of them known for their silence, sat with each other in nothing but that. When they spoke up, it was to late.

That pool of overwhelming silence as they both came to realize the truth.

Whether Patton liked it or not, he needed to go see Harrison. Except this time would be different, "If they say anything," Melanie began, "then you won't be fighting them alone. Not this time... I'm not going to lose you again Pat, so even if they get mad at me, I'm gonna stand by you. No matter what."

Patton smiled at his little sister, "I'm supposed to be the one taking care of you silly" Patton said as he wiped at the tears on his face and pulled Melanie into a hug

Melanie shook her head, "No. We're supposed to be taking care of each other"

"When did you get so smart and brave?" Patton asked.

Melanie shrugged, "I think it happened somewhere between learning useless math to learning useless science." Melanie said, "All in all, school is useless"

"Just one more month and then you're free Mel. Stay with it for one more month." Patton told her as they pulled away again, "Any idea where you're transferring?"

Melanie nodded, "Yeah,"

"Well, where?" Patton asked,

"Oh it's no big deal," Melanie said with a shrug, "it's only Harvard," she said as she suddenly grinned widely at her brother and let her act slip