The Melting Pot Complex

Chapter Sixty-Six ~ Patton

{Possible trigger warnings: swearing and I think that's it

If I miss something, I apologize and please let me know}

Patton bounced up and down excitedly in his seat, fiddling with his pride hoodie as Logan set up the recording equipment for the podcast.

"If you say 'Aced it' one more time I'm going to f*cking punch you." Virgil informed Roman as the two walked into the room, carrying a couple snacks. Roman grinned and held up a granola bar.

"Pat, catch."

"I'm not good at sports!" Patton yelped as the granola bar sailed towards his head. He brought his hands up frantically and by some miracle, caught the thing in between his middle and ring finger.

"Aced it." Roman grinned at Virgil.

"Get over here Prince Harming!"

Roman screeched and scrambled around the table, hiding behind Logan. Virgil raced after him and tried to grab him. 

"Enough." Logan interjected, grabbing Virgil's hoodie as Roman scampered over to the far wall of the room. "No roughhousing around the equipment."

"I won't be around the equipment once I get ahold of that little sh*t." Virgil rolled his eyes, trying to yank his hoodie free. "I'm gonna dangle him off the balcony."

Roman gasped dramatically. "That is homophobia!"

"F*ck you."

"Homophobia!"

Logan rolled his eyes and Patton giggled. 

"I think we're almost ready to get going boys, why don't you all take your seats?"

Virgil wandered over and Roman avoided him as he took his spot. Logan sat down next to the recording equipment and held up a five finger countdown.

"Baby-back b*tch." Virgil smirked at Roman right as Logan's countdown hit one.

The podcast opened with Roman cackling like a maniac, leaning away from the microphone and clutching his stomach. Virgil grinned and crossed his arms.

"Thank you, Ame." Logan said dryly. "I'm going to buy a spray bottle to use on you."

"Terrifying." Virgil smirked at him.

Logan rolled his eyes before addressing the listeners that would be listening now. "And with that explosive entrance, though I'm sure you didn't hear Ame's commentary, we welcome you to the first Pride-Cast."

"Yay!" Patton cheered, throwing his hands in the air. 

"Today we will be discussing our places in the LGBTQ+ community and how we've grown into the people we are through the experiences we had." Logan read off the short agenda sheet he'd written up.

"And how people who think that everyone in this room except me doesn't belong in the community and they're f*cking wrong." Virgil put in loudly.

Logan tapped the censor button and glanced over at Virgil. "Yes, thank you. Ame is very... committed to this argument. And having it repeatedly."

"D*mn right." Virgil crossed his arms. "Gatekeepers can catch these hands."

"I'm getting the feeling I'm not taking my hand off of this censor button tonight."

Virgil opened his mouth again but Patton gave him a look. "Ame, we talked about language when we signed the apartment contract."

The gamer sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Fiiiiine. Am I allowed to swear when I tell off all the a- I mean the people who try to make everyone feel invalid for stupid reasons?"

Patton paused, then nodded. "I can allow that."

"F*ckin' sweet." 

"Ame!"

Virgil grinned and winked at Patton.

~~~ An Hour and A Half Later ~~~

"Logan's probably the coolest dude I've ever met, so I don't see any reason not to throw hands with someone who's rude to him about his sexuality." Virgil finished, laying his hands out on the table. "I didn't actually punch her."

Patton shook his head, giggling a little bit. "For someone who's so quiet around strangers, seeing you shouting down a full-on Karen was kinda funny."

"His face turned almost as red as his shirt." Roman grinned.

"I was upset!" Virgil defended. "She was a b*tch anyway."

The others chuckled and Patton looked around at his friends. They were all such different people, and despite his and Virgil's unlikely friendship he couldn't see them ever having come together without this little apartment.

An odd little apartment for an odd little group. It made Patton smile.

"Pat?"

"Hmm?" He blinked and looked up at the others. Logan's eyebrows went up a little bit. "Sorry, I got lost in my head."

Virgil grinned at him. "Man, you're such a space cadet sometimes."

"I know." Patton laughed. "Don't remind me. 'Mr. Albrecht are you listening right now?' was all I heard in high school."

Roman leaned forward. "Out of curiosity, what were you thinking about?" 

"Us mostly. Our weird little chaos. Melting pot and all that."

He saw a sparkle in Roman's eyes. "What?"

"That's... Ooh. Hey Logan, what have you been calling the podcast?"

"Darling, now is really not the time to be rebranding, I think." Logan shook his head. "The idea is interesting though."

"That's such a perfect idea!" Patton perked up. "Oh my goodness, Roman!"

"No no no sweetie, that was your idea." Roman pointed at him.

Virgil cleared his throat. "Someone wanna explain to the sleep deprived gamer who hasn't made the connection yet?"

"I believe the idea is that this podcast would be called the Melting Pot Podcast, or something similar." Logan nodded to Patton and Roman. "I don't think I mind it."

"We could just call it the Melting Pot Complex!" Roman exclaimed excitedly.

"I guess that's pretty cool." Virgil grunted and sat back in his seat. 

"Oh come on Debby Downer, admit that Patton's a genius."

Patton laughed. "I'm not a genius, Ro."

"Hey Logan do you have a 'wrong answer' button on the soundboard?" Virgil leaned over and started pressing soundboard buttons.

Patton began to giggle as his roommates fought over the soundboard. Roman was cheering on Logan as he pushed Virgil's hands away, and Virgil was laughing now too.

"I really love you guys." He told them once it had all died down and Logan was checking to make sure the buttons hadn't screwed anything up.

"We love you too Patty-cake." Roman grinned at him. 

"I do enjoy your company. None of you are... your existence is good."

"I'm dating a robot."

Logan shot Roman a look, then all three of them turned to Virgil.

"What?"

"Don't you love us?" Patton teased, grinning. He could see Virgil's ears turn red a little.

"Can't it be understood?" Virgil complained.

"Noooope! Tell us you love us. Say you love your fellow weirdos in the Melting Pot Complex."

{HAPPY BIRTHDAY PATTONCAKE idk what's fully happening in this chapter but enjoy the mess}