“Patton, this is a very bad idea.”“It’s alright, I can take the truth.&rdquo

“Patton, this is a very bad idea.”

“It’s alright, I can take the truth.”

As the gloves glide slowly over Janus’s skin, every finger and scale revealed, he suddenly feelssomething again. He feels seen and seen through and naked, and it is the best and the most frightening experience in a long time.

“See. Much better this way,” Patton says softly, his breath vibrating beneath Janus’s cheek. “Now, you can tell me what’s bothering you.”

The pathological lie is already on the tip of his tongue, ready to deny. But without his gloves Janus can’t spit it out. He just can’t.

And then there’s Patton.

He of all people.

Patton, who is as different from Janus in every way as one can be. Patton, who is loud and honest, and sunny and kind, who makes stupid dad-jokes and likes frogs. Patton, who has not the slightest idea what he is getting himself into when he takes off the yellow gloves. Patton, who is warm and firm and real under his fingertips. More than anything else, he is real. Not a lie.

Janus shakes his head, lips tingling and heart pounding. He is sure that Patton can feel the frantically vibrating heartbeat against his chest. Everything in Janus’s traitorous body yells at him that this moment might be the most important moment in his life. There’s no way to deny it. Not anymore.

“Patton, I…”