For the kissing prompt thing Moxiety by the river because of need?
ships: romantic moxiety / wc: 960music insp: ‘twin size mattress’ lullabysend a kissing prompt / thank you, @always-in-a-fandom <3((09/14/20 edit: now on ao3!))
the four of them are in roman’s fantasy realm, for an evening of peace and quiet. stargazing and catching fireflies and making s’mores. it’s a well deserved break after the busyness of thanksgiving planning and black friday shopping. logan is pleased with the new laptop thomas purchased, insisting that it’ll help in video editing and production. roman hasn’t stopped gushing about the selfie ring light thomas finally caved on. patton adores all the new sweaters and is even happier that each was half off (”especially this one!” he giggles, holding up a crop top sweater, that thomas bought solely for loungewear and also because joan is insufferable). virgil’s been too busy getting over the hell that was friday night, doing his best to not slip into any lingering panic, to appreciate the (last in the store) fall out boy vinyl record thomas had managed to snatch.
“hey, honey, are you feeling okay?” patton asks virgil, sometime after they’ve filled themselves on marshmallows and chocolate and graham crackers.
“m’fine,” virgil mumbles, staring distractedly at the embers burning in the fire pit. his fingers are slowly running the zipper on his sleeve up and down, up and down. his gaze is sort of distant and foggy.
patton looks to logan and roman, who are a bit away. they’re relaxing on a quilt, staring up at the sky. logan points out a constellation and roman, with a wave of his hand, makes the stars shine ever brighter, so that it stands out better. roman watches logan with hearts in his eyes as he talks excitedly about space.
“wanna go for a walk?” patton holds his hand out for virgil to take, if he likes.
the movement snaps virgil out of his daze. he gives patton a shaky smile and takes his hand, lacing their fingers together. patton pulls him up off the log they’d been sitting on. keeping their hands clasped tight, patton leads the way. roman’s fantasy realm, obviously, listens best to him and his creative whimsy; it likes patton, too, though.
so as patton walks them away from the campsite and into an open field, he thinks about a forest with towering trees and thick trunks and flowers of all sorts of colors, flowers that glow and sparkle, and the path they walk on is wide and clear, and there are little mushrooms and bushes that provide light so they aren’t in total darkness. a stream comes to life beside them, bubbling happily, and it broadens as they go, until it’s a river teeming with catfish and rainbow fish and – “one fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.”
virgil snickers when patton accidentally recites the rhyme aloud.
“i love you,” patton says, seemingly out of nowhere.
virgil knows this but that doesn’t mean it still doesn’t fluster him every time. there’s always that little voice in the back of his head, the one that insists his place with the “light” sides isn’t going to last, that patton is just pitying him. somehow, patton seems to always know, and he never lets the voice get too loud.
“i love you, too,” virgil answers, squeezing patton’s hand.
he looks around in wonder at patton’s creations. i could never do something like this, virgil thinks. he’s not terribly upset about it but it certainly would make gift giving easier. they walk awhile longer; fireflies flit through the air around them, there are crickets chirping, and an owl hooting. the trail they walk is bathed in moonlight.
patton gasps and when virgil looks to see what’s got him so startled, his expression softens. a mother deer and her fawn are at the edge of the river. patton tugs virgil along, creeping closer, slowly and carefully. maybe it’s because this is all pretend, but the doe does not startle. she watches them as patton pulls virgil down, until they’re sitting cross-legged next to each other in the grass. patton nestles against virgil’s side and virgil wraps an arm around patton’s shoulders. the baby bleats at his mother a few minutes later and they disappear back into the woods.
patton turns to virgil and virgil is surprised to see tears shining in his eyes.
“pat, what—” virgil begins before patton leans forward and kisses him.
the night quiets around them until all virgil can hear is the whisper of wind through the leaves and the sound of his own heart thump thump thumping. virgil returns the affection with ease, cradling patton’s face in his hands, and pressing his lips against patton’s gently, sweetly, earnestly. when they break apart, patton keeps his eyes closed and bumps his forehead against virgil’s with a sigh.
“are you okay?” virgil asks, echoing patton’s earlier concern.
“m’fine,” patton mumbles and the way his mouth curves just slightly lets virgil know he really is. “i just… needed that.”
virgil isn’t sure if that means the kiss itself, or the sentiment behind it, or the reminder of where they stand. for all of patton’s positivity, virgil knows better than to assume patton feels one hundred percent confident in their relationship. they’re both nervous and scared but they both trust one another and understand that communication is key.
“i wouldn’t be opposed to you needing another…” virgil hums.
when patton opens his eyes, they shine instead with laughter. that mischievous smirk, the one virgil sees so rarely but delights in every time, replaces the soft smile. patton doesn’t say anything but he does close the already-very-small space between them. the creek continues to murmur, the branches continue to creak, and the animals continue to sing, while patton and virgil continue to drown each other in devotion. it’s warm and genuine and they both know there’s no where else they’d rather be.
