Sanders Sides Parenting/Kids One-Shots

(128) Valentine Chocolates - Moceit

Summary: Chocolates are the way to a man's heart. And Patton knows that very well as a chocolatier.

Valentine's Day chapter because it's my first Valentine's Day being single since 2017 :)

Also polyamory is valid if it's consensual y'all!

Words: 1359

It was the first day of the first week of the first year of Patton's college journey - and he was definitely excited. Coming from a small town it wasn't often he talked to people his age, but now he was going to be living with dozens of eighteen to twenty-one year olds and even sharing a room with one! The guy better be nice - but of course he would be because Patton firmly believed everyone had a good side.

As Patton was sticking family photos to his side of the wall he heard the dorm door open and a man sigh. "Thought I'd have some alone time..." Patton pretty much jumped out of the seat he was standing on to introduce himself, much to the man's displeasure.

"Hi! I'm Patton Hershey! You're my dorm mate? You seem so fun already!" The man didn't even bat an eyebrow at the person talking to him as he threw his suitcase on the bed and started to unpack. A lot of his clothes seemed to be black, cream and brown and he owned a lot of formal outfits and hats. There was a few minutes of silence when Patton expected family to come bursting through the doors to allow his new friend to show a hint of emotion - but no-one came. "Are your family not here to wish you goodbye?"

"They've done it already five times before, why would they want to do it again?" The quiet man growled under his breath, finally making eye contact as he said something seemingly so rehearsed. And Patton didn't know how to respond to that. "Name's Janus Barr." Janus eventually spoke, sighing to himself as his suitcase was finally empty and he retrieved a book from a make-shift bookshelf.

There was only one way Patton knew how to fill the silence. "Do you want a kiss?"

Janus stared at his room-mate as if he'd committed a crime, blinking twice before asking for more clarification. "That's a bit forward don't you think?" He mumbled, spotting the demi-boy and bisexual pride flag hung up on the other side of the wall.

But Patton just tilted his head and placed his hand in his jacket pocket, before his mind seemed to catch up to what he said and he smiled again. "Oh! I meant a Hershey kiss silly! And even though my surname is Hershey I'm not related to the company, so I'm not some undercover promoter or anything like that. I just really like the chocolates!"

Janus looked at the small chocolates before turning his nose up at it and going back to his book. "I'm not a big fan of chocolate."

The gasp that escaped Patton made Janus flinch and shut his book. "Really?" He screamed, climbing on Janus' bed even though the man obviously wanted to be left alone. "Well I'll be sure to change that." He reached over to Janus' bedside table and placed a single Hershey kiss on the counter. "Help yourself when you feel like it."

*****

For the next few days, whenever Janus returned from lectures, he was greeted by a Hershey kiss on his desk. Most of the time Patton wasn't in the dorm - he was very sociable so most likely had his own friends on his own course. Janus didn't want to upset him still, so whenever he spotted a Hershey kiss in his side of the dorm he politely placed in the trash and emptied the trash bag before Patton returned in time for dinner in the evenings.

Life continued though and throughout the weeks magic happened. Janus fell in love with a guy in his philosophy lectures. He was a few years older and lived in a fraternity house, all the girls wanted him but they were unsuccessful, only Janus had now succeeded in getting a date.

So when Janus returned to his dorm after a casual coffee date with his crush Patton was there waiting and curious. "Where have you been Jany?" Patton smiled, immediately spotting the pink on Janus' cheek and gasping. "Aww who made you blush like that?"

This was one of the first times Janus wanted to spill everything to his roommate. "My date. I just went on a date with Brett Malus - the hottest guy in Chi Eta Mu. And he's so hot - like - we just went to go get coffee after lectures and he was all flirty and suggestive. He even complimented me! I never get compliments!"

"I compliment you a lot." Patton chirped quietly, looking back to his phone as he ate some chocolate he managed to steal from the cafeteria. Janus sat on his desk and got some textbooks out to do his homework.

"It's... different with him though. Y'know?" Janus was still feeling giddy about his date - but all that giddiness stopped when he spotted the Hershey kiss on his desk. Since Patton was here he couldn't do his normal method, and he was certain his roommate ate all the chocolates he gave. There was only one solution to the problem.

Patton's eyes seemed to glow when he saw Janus eating the chocolate in front of his eyes, and he burst into a smile again, trying not to say anything as he didn't want to risk taking a back-step and cause an argument. Janus didn't say anything and did his work, sucking on the sweet chocolate and reminiscing on his day.

*****

Christmas break came and went and soon Patton was unpacking his clothes again and getting ready for a new term of learning and fun. He hadn't seen Janus yet but knew he was on campus, he decided not to go all the way home for the break and instead stayed with his new boyfriend in the town over. And he seemed happy. Patton was happy for him.

The door slammed and Janus revealed himself, taking shaky breaths and covering his eyes. "Oh Jany, what's wrong?" Patton immediately chirped, rushing to his friend's side as he collapsed on the bed. Janus just sniffled.

"Brett is a dickhead..."

Patton was definitely surprised to hear that, he believed Janus and Brett were going strong and he was almost contemplating stopping the Hershey kiss facade this term because of it. "What has he done?" Patton mumbled, stroking a hand through Janus' hair comfortably as he lay head facing pillow. It must have been a difficult Christmas for him.

"He cheated on me with someone in his frat..." Janus spoke through the pillow, the crying still not stopping. "Well, more like cheated on them with me. He didn't think of even telling me I was a third until his boyfriend came round to celebrate Christmas Eve!" Janus raised his head again when he said the last part, furiously wiping his eyes as they were red. "He even used the excuse of polyamory to get away with it. Like he didn't even know the whole point of polyamory is that it's consensual."

While Janus was crying the only thing Patton could think of doing was hugging him, keeping him as close as possible. The crying eventually stopped and the two roommates were just hugging in silence. There was only one question that could possibly help both men feel better. "Do you want a kiss?"

Janus looked at Patton with wide eyes and blinked twice, smiling and wiping his eyes again. "I really do."

Patton leant away slightly and reached into his pocket, knowing he stored Hershey kisses there for all his friends, especially in moments like this. There wasn't much noise apart from shuffling. Janus still watched Patton curiously, tilting his head and biting his bottom lip as he thought things through. He did really want a kiss - just probably a different one to the type Patton was expecting. So instead of waiting for a chocolate drop he kissed Patton on his free cheek and let his blushing cheeks do the rest of the talking.

And that - after a few awkward confessions while eating chocolates followed by a few years of dating - was how Janus and Patton became the Hershey-Barr family.