Sanders Sides Pride One Shots

Day 16 - Parade (Royality)

'Yes, hello homophobic grandparents. My very gay boyfriend wants to take me to the gay pride parade because I'm pansexual and I love him.'

Doesn't sound great.

So there he was, watching a mixture of yodelling videos and winter olympics fails. He had been watching Pride highlight videos from other cities and crying but that got boring. Now he was just stuck with stinging eyes.

He heard a thud outside his window but brushed it off as a bird. Another thud came a short time later. Then a proper knock. Patton huffed and got up, tugging out his earbuds. If this was a prank...

He tugged open his curtains, too sleepy to confront the person. He peered out to the garden. Luckily, the light from his room reached out far enough that he could see Roman. A bright smile spread across his face as he carefully pushed his window open.

"What are you doing here?" Patton hissed, still smiling.

Roman walked forward and rested against the window frame. "Why, I'm here to save my Prince Charming!"

"Ro... you know I can't go."

"Patton. You're sixteen, you don't have to live by their authority."

"That doesn't mean I can sneak out! They'll be terrified!"

"Patton, do you want to go to Pride?"

"Yes, of course I do."

"Do you particularly want to see your grandparents?"

"I mean... they're nice and all but..."

"I'll take that as a no. As much as I want to whisk you away into the night, it is up to you."

Patton bit his lip and walked further into his bedroom. Roman hesitantly followed and sat on his bed.

Sneaking out? Patton would never. Or... maybe he would. For something he loved and wanted to partake in? But his parents! They'd be furious. Plus, they'd know exactly where he was and would be able to retrieve him. So there was no point.

But then again, they might just leave him alone. They might accept that he doesn't particularly care about two old people from Tenerife who he only sees every few years. Then he'd go to Pride, return home the day after and everything would be fine.

Making his decision, he grabbed his discarded backpack off the floor, still packed from earlier in the day. He took his phone off charge and shoved the charger in his bag, along with his laptop. Patton walked over to Roman and held out his hand. Roman took it and let Patton pull him up.

"Let's go!" Patton pecked Roman's lips and led him back towards the window.

~~~

After edging through the front door and creeping up the stairs, Patton collapsed on Roman's bed. Deep down, he knew he had made the right decision but there was a small voice in the back of his mind telling him the consequences of his actions. He tried to push it down but Roman must have noticed.

"Hey, are you okay?" He sat next to Patton and took his hand in both of his.

"I- I don't know if I'm doing the right thing."

Roman smiled fondly and shuffled closer. "If it'll make you happy, you're definitely doing the right thing."

"But... my parents..."

"They'll know where you are. Plus, you are your own person. You don't live by their authority. If you'd rather come to Pride than see your grandparents, then you're doing the right thing."