The last prompt in my prompt swap with Pengi11 and this one gets a little real. There's a story behind this prompt I will tell after it is written.

TW:// Aphobia, Psycological Abuse, Strip Club, Suicidal Thoughts, SAD PATTON

There is a happy ending I promise.

STORYTIME!

What was he doing here of all places?! Deceit watched unde rhis cover  practically freezing from his position at the pole when he caught s familiar man in his gaze. Patton? Why were you at his strip club so late at night? Why were you even in a place such as this in the first place? You're the most innocent and sweet man in the world. You certainly don't look too happy. Deceit pused his lips, unsqueezing his thighs and beinging his hands back into the ground. He stopped in the middle of his performance.

He pushed off the ground with his hands to give him balance to bring his legs back around so he could do a backwards tumble and get on his feet. Worry overtook whatever seductive expression he was supposed to be wearing to please his crowd. Another stripper he was quainted with watched him hurry out of that situation, pushing through the crowd to get to Patton. Luckily, they knew the drill and took over for Deceit. It wasn't often that he finds himself straying from his task. It was normally Chloe trying to get to Max. 

Patton flinched when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He seemed extremely scared, trembling like a tiny puppy surrounded by big mean dogs. That's is literally the scenario he was in. Patton didn't look like the vibrant Child Development Professor thst everyone knew and loved from the Highschool they both worked at. No, this man was scared with messy hair and his glasses askew.  He looked on the verge of tears and be clutched a bunch of twenty dollar bills in his hand. At least two hundred dollars. That's a lot of money.

"Dee?"

"Patton, what the heavens are you doing out here! It's eleven at night! You need to hurry on out of here and back to bed. This certainly isn't a place where you need to be. It's far too... perverted and explicit for your eyes."

Deceit covered his hands over Patton's eyes, making sure to get under his glasses without smudging the lenses because he is a classy bitch who respects others. Patton struggled to stay in place as Deceit tried ushering him out of the stop club, but Patton finally stopped him. He planted his feet firm in the ground and managed to wiggle out of Deceit's grasp. He turned around to face him, clearly displeased and not knowing an ounce of what he was doing. He just held out the money.

"I give you the money and you're supposed to... do adult things to me, right? That's how these things work?"

"Well, yes, but I have no idea why you of all people-"

"Please, Dee. Just do it."

Patton demanded. He never rose his voice before. He never would yell at any rowdy students, he would never yell at someone who took advantage of his kindness, and he never yelled at another teacher before. So Patton doing so little as raising his voice and cutting Deceit off from saying anything was absolutely terrifying. Deceit looked at the money. He would never dream of accepting anything like that from Patton, nor could he ever think of doing something like that to Patton. Deceit let out a feel exhale, pushing the money back to Patton's hands and warmly wrapping his own hands around Patton's wrists.

"Follow me. There's a place where we can go to talk through whatever is forcing you to act this way. You can't lie to me, Patton. I know you. This isn't you. And I know a lot about lying. Let me get you out of this crowd."

"...okay."

Patton was frowning. Deceit despised seeing that frown on that perpetually happy face. So deceit brought him to the back of the club where the "private time" happened. It was all paid and the manager of this place made mega bucks by adding this into his business. People adore having a thiry minute one night stand with that hot person they see working the pole. Just request it, pay maybe a hundred bucks, and boom. But Deceit wasn't using this room for this. He just needed to talk to Patton.

Deceit flipped the sign outside the door to "do not disturb" and lead Patton into the room. He locked the door to insinuate that things were happening when in reality they werent. It was all for show. Deceit was so lucky these rooms were soundproof. He turned around and saw Patton sitting on the queen sized bed trying to undo the buttons of his blue polo. Deceit panicked and ran up to him, grabbing his wrists to stop him from doing the action. Patton was so confused. 

"Patton, you don't have to do anything you don't want to now. Let's just talk about this, Alright? Because this is such a normal thing to do and you're totally the kind of person who does this sort of thing."

"Dee, I have to. I..."

Patton literally started breaking down. He took off his glasses and his arms went limp, right to his sides. When Deceit released his wrists they nearly slammed against the bed because of how suddenly he lost all of strength. His bottom lip quivered even though he bit hard on it and tears threatened to escape his eyes. Deceit felt so much pity, so much empathy, and so much pain coming from him. Deceit knew exactly what was going on inside of Patton's brain: He was lying to himself.

"If I don't have sex nobody will love me anyways. Nobody loves a Virgin. I'm... I'm broken. And I need to make myself un-broken or nobody's ever gonna love me."

Patton gathered his strength and tried his best to grab Deceit's collar of his stripper's uniform and climb on him, trying to get things started. Deceit knew Patton didn't want this. He didn't want this either. So Deceit pressed his hand against Patton's lips and sat him back down, taking a seat next to him on the bed. Deceit was never the best at saying the truth. Telling pretty lies was always easier in his childhood. But this time the truth is what is pretty and the ugly lies are clouding Patton's mind. It was an odd switch, but he needed to be there for Patton in his moment of weakness.

"That's a lie. You and I both know damn well that you aren't broken. You are one of the most amazing people I know. You are brave every day for smiling even when things go wrong or when the entire day is horrible. You make every day so much more bearable for everyone around you and we all love you. The children love you. The staff loves you. Everybody loves you, Patton. So whatever you are thinking in that aspect is complete bullshit. I am sorry not sorry for my language. It's bullshit."

"But-"

"No buts, Patton. And what you said about nobody going to be able to love you because you don't want sex? That's so bullshit! There are many people out there who are on the asexual spectrum or just not interested in sex at all but many people love them regardless. People who don't want to have sex are in romantic relationships, platonic relationships, or whatever and are very happy and healthy in those relationships without sex. You are not broken for not wanting something like that. The very last thing you are is broken."

Deceit went off, not accepting anything of what Patton said. Nope. No sir. Not one bit. Patton just stared at him, balling up little patches of the bed covers in his fists and he tried to prevent himself from crying. Deceit wrapped a comforting arm around his shoulder, Patton instinctively leaning in to his touch for physical affirmation that he is okay and will be okay. 

"Mama and Papa said nobody would ever want a broken boy who doesn't want to have sex, because all girls need that to be fulfilled in a relationship... They also said everything about the asexual spectrum thing is just people being stingy as- sorry, uh buttholes to their partners. I... I feel so horrible and I know I'm letting them down. Most of the time it's like I'm a failure as their son and they'd be so better of without me. Everybody would just be better off without me. It'd be so easy to just take a few too many ibuprofen or an extra NyQuil or something because I'm such a failure... I'm sorry for making you listen to all of that."

That's the single most heartbreaking thing Deceit has heard yet from Patton. Oh no. Deceit squeezed him tighter and went off again. He will not let Patton believe all these lies about himself.

"Well then your parents communicate a falsehood."

Patton giggled at that line. It was one that the stoic physics teacher always says. Good. Patton deserves to smile.

"You will never be a failure. Asexuality and every identity on the asexual spectrum is perfectly valid. Some people just don't experience sexual attraction like others do, if at all. That is perfectly okay and needs to be respected in society as a whole. And never even try to think of doing something so horrible like ending yourself. You are such an amazing a beautiful human being. You have so much potential and have so much good to do in this life. You are not broken. I cannot stress that enough. And you are always going to be loved. We will always love you. No matter what."

That's exactly what Patton needed to hear. He wiped his eyes and reached for his glasses. Deceit took them and bushed some of Patton's bangs aside so he could put them back on his face correctly. It was almost midnight and the two men haven't gotten a wink of sleep. They have to be at the school at five fifteen since they're both Highschool teachers. Deceit was used to not getting any sleep on weekdays, however Patton wasn't. Patton was very emotionally and physically tired. The strip club doesn't close until two in the morning, but maybe just maybe he could leave early if his boss is feeling nice today... or gives him a BJ but deceit really isn't in the mood for that.

"We need to get you home and get you to sleep, Patton. You seem far too tired to walk or drive, however you got here. I'll be more than happy to take you home."

"But what about-"

"What did we say about buts? None of those here. Nada. Zilch. Zero. The important thing is getting you some sleep. Follow me."

Deceit stood up and offered a hand to Patton. He smiled weakly and tried standing up, but his body was too weak. Deceit chuckled and picked up the lightweight boy in his arms, carrying him bridal style to his car. Deceit lives in an apartment building not too far from here, so he just walks. Patton had to drive here because he lives right by the Highschool. So what Deceit did was, with Patton's consent, drove him to his apartment to rest for a few hours and they would go to school in the morning.

1900 Words

Bonus Ending

Deceit, dressed in appropriate clothing for school and not his stripper uniform, decided to walk down the electives hallway during his lunch period to check on Patton. He shouldn't have any classes during the middle school period, as most non-fine arts electives do. So deceit lightly knocked on the door, received no answer, and walked into the class room of Child Development. There was a lot to take in.

First of all, Patton was sound asleep on his desk. He was snoring away with his computer opened to a PowerPoint presentation on "why parents need to accept their kids for whoever and whatever they are". So he did take Deceit's lesson to heart. It warmed Deceit's chest to know that. But he then noticed how he didn't have a single blanket or sweater on, just his blue polo. He really needed to take better care of himself...

Deceit took off his jacket and draped it over his shoulders, not even bothering to take off his own nametag. He pushed some hair out of his face and took off his glasses for him, smiling and leaving him to take a little nap. However, as he turned to go, he heard Patton quietly mumbling to himself in his sleep. Curiosity killed the snake, so Deceit couldn't help but listen to what he had to say:

"You're wrong. I'm not broken. Someone will always love me. Dee Dee loves me and that's all that matters."

Deceit was surpidsed to hear that coming from Patton, a big blush rushing up to his cheeks. Before he could get caught, he hurried out of the room and silently closed the door so Patton could Rest In Peace. Not like dead, just get some quality rest. Deceit walked back to his own classroom with his head bowed and trying to make his blush die down. He just had to form a crush, didn't he? The stripper and the asexual. Who would have guessed?

2215 Words

I cried writing this...

Yo I have so much advice so imma go off before I explain everything.

All of you lovely asexual spectrum people are absolutely freaking valid. You are not broken and you do not need to have sex with a person for them to love you. Sexual and romantic attraction are sperate for a reason. But if you're aromantic and don't deal with that either, people will platonically love you regardless. Y'all are not broken. You never were broken. You are human and you are you, and that is all that matters.

And this one was minorly mentioned, but I really need to say this because I get suicidal sometimes and this makes it worse: NEVER TRY TO TELL SOMEONE WHO IS HAVING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS THAT "killing yourself will just make others sad"  BECAUSE THAT JUST MAKES THE PERSON FEEL GUILTY AND EVEN MORE DEPRESSED AND MAKES THEM WANT TO OFF THEMSELVES MORE BECAUSE THEY SEE THEMSELF AS NOTHING BUT A BOTHER TO OTHERS! Please never say that to someone who is suicidal. Never make it about everyone else, because this person is struggling with themself and wants to end themself and they need to see that there is good in themself and they have potential and can do something good and that they will be happy again. They don't need to worry about everyone around them. They don't need that guilt. They don't need to feel like a burden. They don't DESERVE to feel like a burden. Please do not do this.

That's my advice. As I promised, the backstory to this prompt: so my ELA teacher asked us to write fictional stories about themes that are important to us so I wrote a bunch of really gay stories about people coming to terms with who they are and people accepting them and accepting themself. This was the story I turned in (but much shorter because these had to be hand written) on people of the asexual spectrum.

Yeah, that's it for now. And PLEASE follow that second block of advice.

Internet hugs and blow kisses!

~Eva