Virgil didn't know what to do. He'd gone over every possible scenario in his head of how this would go, and they all ended horribly. He really wanted to back out, but he promised Patton he would try to be more involved and present. And Virgil knew this was the easiest way to do that., but the sound of all of them laughing in the kitchen made Virgil more anxious to interrupt than anything else he'd ever experienced in his entire life.
Ok, while that was probably not true, it felt true in the moment. Virgil was just about to accept defeat, resigning himself to eating later after everyone else had gone to bed again, when Logan turned the corner and bumped into Virgil, nearly knocking him over.
"Apologies, Virgil!" Logic said, surprised, "I wasn't expecting to see you down here."
Virgil cringed and began to turn tail, "Sorry I was just-"
But Logan grabbed his arm, "Wait!"
Virgil jerked away at the sudden contact, but halted his escape attempt.
Logan had a sheepish look about him, embarrassed by his reaction, but he wanted to encourage Virgil to stay. "Would you like some spaghetti? Patton made a lot so there's plenty extra?"
Virgil relaxed slightly, an invitation from two out of three of them helped tremendously, he wouldn't hold his breath for Roman, but maybe Princey would tolerate him for a few minutes. "Yeah, sure."
Logan suppressed a sigh of relief, he had pulled it off.
"Virgil!" Patton rushed to give Virgil a hug.
"Easy, Pat." Virgil fights to keep his lungs full of air.
"Sorry, sorry. Just so happy to see you, kiddo. You come for my spaghetti? Best in the Mindscape!" Patton rushes back into the kitchen, "I'll make you a plate! Go sit!"
"Anxiety?" Roman is suddenly staring at Virgil way too much for comfort. "Hm- a-Virgil." He corrects. "You're joining dinner tonight?" He tilts his head with the question.
Virgil feels like shrinking into nothingness, "Uh, yeah, I guess. Unless it's like, not, uh, good? For me to do that I mean-I don't-like-it's okay if that's not-I don't have to..."
Virgil is about to make a second much more urgent escape attempt, when Roman stops him.
"It's alright."
Virgil stares at him for a moment, attempting and failing to read Creativity's thoughts. Was he really sincere?
"Oh, uh, yeah? Alright, cool." Virgil anxiously moves toward the table, he doesn't know which seat to pick, and he absolutely can't handle the idea of sitting in someone else's seat.
Patton quickly comes to his rescue though, setting an almost overflowing plate of spaghetti down on the table. "Here, Virge. Sit by me."
The parental side gives Virgil the warmest smile he's ever seen. Virgil's face heats up at the kindness from the other side. "Thanks, Pat." He takes a seat. Patton sitting down directly next to him with his own plate.
Virgil jumps slightly as Roman sits down on the other side of him.
Roman gives him an awkward slight smile, his eyes land on Virgil's plate, which Patton had piled impossibly high with spaghetti.
"Good god, Pat. That's a mountain!"
Patton smiles sheepishly, "Sorry, Virge. I just wanted to make sure you had plenty to eat."
Virgil chuckles, "Thanks, Patton. I'll be all set for the week."
Logan laughs, "Careful, Virgil, if you manage to eat it all Patton will try to give you seconds."
Patton swats Logan's arm playfully, "Is it a crime to make sure my family is fed?"
Virgil laughs, his heart warming at the implication that he was family. He was easing more and more into the idea, and even beginning to hope that this wouldn't be their last shared meal.
Tw: cursing, sexual innuendos and references (Remus)
âNobody else does it right,â Remus says softly, âIt doesnât hurt when you do it, you have a gift.â
Patton stops bandaging Remusâs hand, his face is tinted red, âThank you, Remus. Iâm happy to help.â
Remus nods as Patton finishes up, he waves to Patton before ducking out of the bathroom to go wreak havoc somewhere else. Heâll probably be coming to Patton for more bandages before dinner time.
Patton heads back into the living room, Janus is sitting on the couch reading a novel. He looks up when he sees Patton.
âHello, Patton. Youâre looking very nice today.â He says nonchalantly.
Patton feels heat flood his cheeks once more, heâd worn a nicer shirt than usual and had a new pair of khakis,âTh-thank you, Janus.â
The deceitful side only hums in response before returning his attention back to his book.
Several more instances like that would occur throughout the day. Remus and Janus discuss it after everyone else has gone to bed.
âPatton is so easily flustered! You show him the slightest hint of kindness and he blushes! He makes it too easy!â Remus cackles. âI bet I could cook an egg on his face with a few words!â
âYes, he is rather susceptible to compliments, especially when delivered by me.â Janus smiles.
âWhat do you mean by that?â Remus asks in a challenging tone.
âWell, itâs obvious Iâm the more suave of us. And youâre, well...not as adept at making others feel good.â
âOh I think Iâm rather good at making people feel good,â Remus says suggestively.
âEugh. Thatâs exactly what Iâm talking about, you cretin. Thatâs why I make him blush so much and you only see it in passing.â
âIs that a challenge?â Remus asks, a dangerous fire already lighting up behind his eyes.
âCare to make a bet?â The snake smirks mischievously.
âOh hoho, I very much do.â Remus grins devilishly.
âI bet I can make Patton blush more in a week than you can,â Janus says dryly.
âWhats the stakes?â Remus asks.
âHm...Iâll make your favorite cake. Now what will you do when I win?â
âWhat do you want?â
âTake a bath, please,â Janus says without hesitation.
âWhy do you always bet that?!â Remus whines.
âBecause you never do it,â Janus says with an eye roll.
âFair enough,â Remus sighs.
And so the bet began.
It started small enough, Remus telling Patton his hair looked good that day, Janus telling him his smile was especially radiant that day, and Patton blushing at all of it.
Then things escalated, Remus telling Patton his eyes were stunning, Janus telling him his dimples were cute. By Wednesday things had gotten way out of hand. Patton couldnât go more than an hour without Remus telling him that he looked especially fuckable that day or Janus saying that his nose scrunched in the cutest way when he laughed.
Quickly though, both had decided to kick it up a notch, Janus began kissing Pattonâs hand in greeting, Remus stroked his hair while they watched tv. The physical touch left Patton absolutely exhilarated.
Patton didnât know what heâd done to bring this all on but he was loving it, no one had ever complimented him like that before! And Patton hadnât realized how much he craved someone saying positive things about him. And the hugs! The hand holding! It was all so awesome. But no matter how often it occurred, Patton couldnât help but blush as red as a tomato each time.
By the next Sunday his face was almost always tinted a shade of red, it was hard to catch him without a smile on his face. Everything has started to feel a lot better.
Then the next day, something changed. Heâd run into Remus who smelled clean, which was odd. But Remus only said hello and goodbye to him. No compliments. Patton wasnât worried, he knew he couldnât expect Remus to call him pretty every time he saw him.
But then when he sat down on the couch next to Janus, there were no kind words. Only a brief glance of acknowledgement. Patton frowned, but quickly blew it off. He couldnât always be the center of attention, and he shouldnât always expect to be.
But as the day goes on, and he doesnât get any compliments from Janus or Remus, Patton starts to worry that maybe he did something wrong. Did he upset them? Were they angry with him? What had he done?
He didnât say anything to them that day, they spoke to him at dinner like they always have. They didnât seem to be upset with him. But there were no kind hands on his back telling him his smile was beautiful or that his laugh was music. No one was brushing their hands through his hair while they watched tv.
The next day was the same, neither of them spoke to him like they were angry, but they didnât compliment his hair that heâd spent a lot more time on today. He received no hugs when he went to bed. And Patton felt horrible. He couldnât figure out what heâd done. He let it go on like this for two more days, but on Thursday night it all became too much.
Remus found him crying in the kitchen while he made brownies. He quickly walks over and takes the pan from his hands and places it on the counter.
âHey, hey, whatâs wrong, Daddy? Whatâs got your sweater in a bunch?â He takes Pattonâs hands and sets him down at the kitchen table.
âN-no-thing, Iâm so-o-o-rry,â he chokes out.
Remus shakes his head, âDonât do that, Patty. Come on, tell me what happened? Do you need me to kill someone?â
Patton shakes his head.
âThen what is it?â Remus asks him, his voice is far too gentle to belong to Remus.
Patton finally breaks, âWh-hat d-did I d-do wrong?â
Remus frowns, âWhat do you mean?â
âWhy donât yo-you and J-Janus talk so nicely to me anymore?â
Remus cocks his head to the side, âWhat do you mean? We donââHe pauses as it dawns on him, âOh. Oh, Patton, Iâm so sorry. You didnât do anything wrong.â
Patton looks at him, tears still streaming down his cheeks, âBut w-why else w-wouldââ
âOh, god, Pat. Iâm gonna go get Double D and weâre gonna have a nice talk, okay? Please donât cry anymore. Iâm so sorry.â He gently brushes his fingers across Pattonâs cheek. Patton grabs his hand before he can pull away.
âP-please. Donât leave.â He looks at Remus with pleading eyes and Remus canât bear the thought of him being left down here alone again.
âOkay, how about you come with me? Is that okay?â He tugs Patton into his arms and quickly scoops him up, Patton wraps his arms around him like a koala. He buries his face in Remusâs shoulder. Remus can feel tears seeping into his shirt and he feels guilt seep into his body with ever one of them.
He knocks on the yellow door, âJ, get out here. We have a situation.â
Patton grabs his hand before he can knock any louder, âWhat if heâs asleep. I donât wanna upset him.â
Remus shakes his head, âHeâs not asleep, and we upset you.â
Patton shakes his head insistently, âI donât want him to be mad at me.â
âHe wonât be, cookie. Just relax.â Remus runs his hand up and down Pattonâs back a few times before he knocks again.
âWhat have you done now, Remââ he stops as soon as he sees Patton in Remusâs arms.
âWhat happened? Is Patton alright?â He quickly tries to examine Patton, but the fatherly trait keeps hiding his face in Remusâs shirt.
âWe did a bad thing, Jan. A really bad thing. You gotta come downstairs.â Remus says quietly.
Janus only nods and letâs Remus lead him downstairs and to the couch. Remus gently strokes Pattonâs hair and whispers softly to him. âYou wanna tell him, Pat? Or do I need to?â
Patton only shakes his head and ducks back into Remusâs shoulder.
âAlright, then Iâm gonna tell him.â He turns to Janus, âOur bet, Jan. We didnât realize what would happen to Patton after it ended. He thinks he did something wrong because we stopped being sweet to him.â
Janusâs eyes widen with realization. âI...I should have realized this would happen. Iâm so sorry for involving you in our petty bet. We shouldnât have done that to you, Patton.â He places his hand on Pattonâs back.
Patton finally shows him his face, tear tracks evident all the way down his cheeks. âSo you were only being nice because of a bet? You didnât mean any of it?â His voice shakes.
Janus is quick to rectify it, âNo! No, of course not. I didnât mean any of it.â He lies. âRemus and I care for you deeply, and would like to continue to show you if youâre comfortable with that.â
Patton nods, âYou donât have to if you donât want to, itâs okay. Iâll be fine.â
Janus shakes his head, âI want to, Pat. Iâm so sorry we stopped. We shouldnât have ever stopped showing you we cared and we definitely shouldnât have started sooner.â
Patton giggles and Remusâs chest loosens, hes gonna be okay. They didnât break the little guy, heâs laughing.
âHow about you come stay in my room tonight?â Janus says as he brushes Pattonâs hair away from his eyes.
Patton nods and starts to get up, he freezes and then runs back to the kitchen.
âPatty? You okay?â Remus asks as he follows him.
âOh,â Janus chuckles from behind Remus, âYou want some help?â
Patton smiles and nods, âThat would be great!â
So the trio spend the next hour making brownies and cleaning up the kitchen. Itâs almost one in the morning when Remus carries a sleeping Patton to bed.
I got this prompt from this post made by @kawaiikat54 and I really hope they like it.
Hi, I hope you're well! I was wondering if you could re-post your deintruality fic 'caught up in a bet' please? It's one of my fav fics of all time and I love to re-read it but I haven't been able find it on your page at all; the link to it on the intruloceit version doesn't seem to work either. I understand if you don't want to (it's your work after all!) but I would love it if you were willing :D
Well you can hide a lot about yourself But honey, what are you gonna do? And you can sleep in a coffin But the past ain't through with you...
Remus bites through his tongue as he watches them. Virgil talks animatedly with Roman, as if Roman was his best friend. Roman would never have been so friendly towards the Anxiety Remus knew. He lets the blood from his mouth hit the floor without so much as a glance.
'Cause we are a bunch of liars. Tell me baby who do you wanna be? And we are all about to sell it 'Cause it's tragic with a capital T
Then thereâs Deceit, or rather, Janus. The name tastes bitter in Remusâs mouth. He hates it. Hates the fact that he was the last to know it. Hate that it was the first step in Deceit leaving him. Like Virgil had. Like Roman had. Like Deceit promised he wouldnât! Like Deceit swore he wouldnât! That fuckin liar! Remus had to fight back a scream, he needed to be quiet. Needed to keep it down, couldnât alert anyone to his presence.
Let it be, let it be, let it be!
Remus hated to see them, all of them together, without him. He grips his mace tightly, wishing he could swing it. But no, this needed a more delicate approach. Remus held the bag of lies in his other hand, waiting for the perfect moment, the small creatures were, appropriately, snakes. But wicked and violent, and uncontrollable. Unless of course, you were Janus. Unless you were a liar. Remus canât wait to let them out, when they hear the lies Deceit has told them, that Deceit has made them tell, theyâll send him away, maybe even Virgil too. Enough of these concerned him for it to be possible.
'Cause we all wanna party when the funeral ends, And we all get together when we bury our friends. It's been 8 bitter years since I've been seeing your face!
Once they were kicked out, he could have them back! Or maybe he didnât want them back...maybe he just wanted them to suffer. To be outcasts like him. To be alone. He hadnât decided yet.
Remus saw his chance and threw the bag behind the couch from his perch on the stairs, the lies broke free. Slithering and Whispering their secrets to anyone who would listen, and everyone would.
Remus watched as Roman scooped Patton up and jumped onto a chair, Logan merely hopped onto a counter, eyeing the snakes critically. Virgil and Janus both exchanged worried looks, Roman started yelling. Perfect, Remus thought. But then...Janus was explaining, and Virgil was too. And then slowly, everyone calmed down, Janus gathered the snakes up and whooshed them away. No one was yelling, Roman came down from the chair, Logan was laughing. It was all...fine? But why? How?
How?! How had Janus talked his way out of this?! Remus knew what those lies were! They were awful! And they just...didnât care?
Remus realized that his plan had failed and he stormed back up to his room. He summoned glass item after glass item just to slam it into the wall, the broken glass cutting up his hands as he does it.
And you're walking away...
And I will die in this place.
Remus hates being alone. He hated how sad it made him feel. He hated how nothing made it better. Not even the broken glass. He missed having Janus, and before that Virgil. He missed it being just them against the world. He missed when they didnât call him bad, evil, disgusting.
Sometimes you scrape and sink so low, I'm shocked at you're capable of
And if this a coronation, I ain't feeling the love
'Cause we're all a bunch of animals, That never payed attention in school
Like they werenât once the bad guys. Like they werenât once just as hated as he was. Like they werenât worse than him.
So tell me all about your problems, I was killing before killing was cool.
Now they were hailed as heroes while Remus was trapped here, shoved to the back of the mind. Silenced. By those who used to be just like him.
You're so cool, you're so cool!
Remus thought about what heâd say if they tried to make him good. If they tried to make him palatable. He thinks about telling them to stuff it. Itâs a nice thought, but Remus doubts theyâll ever even ask. But if they did, Remus swears to himself heâll refuse. Unlike when Janus told him that, Remus knows itâs the truth.
You'll never take me alive, you'll never take me alive! Do what it takes to survive cause I'm still here! You'll never get me alive, you'll never take me alive! Do what it takes to survive cause I'm still here! You'll never take alive, you'll never get me alive! Do what it takes to survive cause I'm still here!
You'll never get me! GET ME! You'll never take me! take me!
You'll never get me alive!
Remus hates them, he doesnât really, but he hates that he doesnât. Hates that no matter how much glass he breaks, he doesnât hate them. He doesnât hate them, like they hate him. He misses them, and he hates that most of all. Or maybe, he hates himself most of all for not being enough for them to stay.
He doesnât care how long they wait, if they come to see them Remus will turn them away, he doesnât want them near him anymore. He doesnât want to see how happy they are without him. Unless they plan to stay he doesnât want them to think of him at all. He doesnât want to be. He doesnât want any of it. He canât even come up with another plan to get them back, and yes, he finally admits to himself, thatâs what he was trying to do. He lays face down on his bed and lets himself cry. He cries for so long, he canât imagine a time when he wonât be crying. Canât remember a time when he wasnât crying. Canât make himself do anything else. So he keeps crying.
'Cause we all wanna party when the funeral ends. And we all get together when we bury our friends. It's been 10 fucking years since I've been seeing your face round here!
Remus and Remy both turned to look at Virgil. His instruction, spoken through a yawn, had been very unspecific. "Uh..." said Remy.
"Both of you," elaborated Virgil. "It's way too late for loud arguments."
"How's this?" asked Remus, in a very loud whisper.
Virgil rolled his eyes. "Perfect." Janus snorted. Virgil put his head down on Janus's lap, and Janus started playing with his hair. Recognizing this as permission to get comfortable, Virgil closed his eyes, relaxed his body, and stole Janus's free hand. Even with his eyes shut, he could tell Janus was smirking.
Logan and Roman had been together for awhile, and they loved their relationship. But...when Virgil started joining the group more and more, the pair couldnât help but let their attention wander.
Itâs not that they loved each other any less, they just...both liked Virgil too. Roman felt bad about it, that is until Logan brought it up.
âIâm sorry!â Roman cries, âI didnât mean to-â
Logan holds up a hand, âIâm not angry, Roman. Quite the opposite, actually, Iâve also found myselfâ-he coughs slightly, a red tint dusting across his cheeks- âCaptivated by Virgil.â
Roman grins, âReally?â
âYes, I have to say I find him quite endearing. Do you think itâs at all possible for him to engage in a romantic relationship with us?â He cocks his head to the side, a thoughtful scowl on his face.
Roman nods excitedly, âOh, I think itâs possible.â
***
Virgil was sitting on the couch, when Roman decided to strike first.
âHey, Hot Topic.â Roman plops down next to Virgil on the couch, closer than heâd ever sat before.
Virgil looks up from his phone for a second rolling his eyes slightly, âAw, you think Iâm hot.âÂ
âMm-hmm,â Roman nods. Virgil nearly chokes. âWhat are you up to?â The prince continues smoothly.
âI...um-nothing?â The anxious side answers.Â
âWell, that doesnât sound very fun,â Roman purses his lips in a half pout, âWhat do you say we watch a movie?
Virgil shrugs, beginning to regain his composure, âYeah, that sounds good.â
Roman nods, he looks at Virgil for way too long and the anxious side can feel his face heating up again, âWhy donât you choose a movie?â
Virgil shrugs, âYou can pick, we should invite Logan, though.â Heâs hoping he doesnât come across as desperate as he actually is. He knows bringing the princeâs boyfriend into the mix would take most attention away from him.
âThatâs a lovely idea, Iâm sure heâd love to join us.â Roman disappears for a brief period of time, returning with a smiling Logan.
âHello, Virgil. How are you?â He smiles at Virgil warmly.Â
âGood. Do you want to pick the movie?â
Logan hums, âRoman and I would rather have you pick.â
Virgil looks at them both strangely, but he picks out a movie, nonetheless.
Twenty minutes into the movie, Virgil notices both Roman and Logan glancing over at him periodically.
He tugs at his sleeves anxiously, had he done something wrong? They were acting weird.Â
He wanted to leave the room now, it felt too tense and it was making it hard to focus on the movie.
He makes a small show out of glancing at the clock, âOh, I should probably get to bed...â He glances at them, hoping he sounds convincing. His heart drops when he sees Loganâs brow furrow.
âYou donât usually go to bed this early, is everything alright?
Virgil tries to mask the massive breath he sucks in, âYeah, yeah, Iâm fine. I didnât sleep great last night. Iâm gonna try to make up for it tonight.â
Loganâs frown deepens and Romanâs face falls too, nevertheless they let him go.
âGoodnight, Vee,â Roman calls up the stairs, âSee you tomorrow.â
The couple turn to each other as soon as they hear the door to Virgilâs room shut.
Time for plan B.
*****
Logan packs a simple lunch pack, he smiles as he makes Virgilâs favorite finger foods. This plan was much more practical, he told himself.
Roman has left to ask Virgil to âhang outâ for the day, Logan hopes heâd be able to convince him, he seemed uneasy the other night during their movie. Roman and Logan spent the last day coming up with this plan, as simple as it was, they thought it would work, Virgil preferred things to be simple after all. He and Logan were alike in that regard.
Logan smiles softly at the thought, however, he was quickly pulled back to reality by the sound of Virgil and Roman approaching.
âIm sure you and Logan would have more fun without me,â Virgil was saying.
âNonsense, Logan and I both wish for you to join us.â
âUnless you really donât want to,â Logan interrupts the pair as he steps into the living room.
âI...â Virgilâs eyes fall on the basket of food, âWhat did you two have planned?â
âWe were just gonna go have a quiet lunch in the imagination,â Logan explains.
âAnd you two,â Virgil looks between the couple, confused, âWant me to come with you?â
Logan nods, âWe would greatly appreciate your company.â
Virgil takes a deep breath, âOkay, I guess, as long as youâre both sure.â He glances at both of them, searching for any hint of malice or dislike, he felt bad about ruining their alone time, why would they want him to join them?
Roman smiles at him softly, âItâll be fun, Virgil. The fresh air will be good for you.â
Virgil shrugs, âI donât need fresh air, Princey.â
Logan grabs their lunch and Romanâs hand, âAre you both ready to go?â
Roman nods enthusiastically, âBeen ready for hours! You take forever to make food!â
Logan rolls his eyes, âI like things to be done well, Roman, sometimes that takes a little extra time.â
Roman huffs, âYou need anything before we leave, Virge?â
Virgil shrugs, âI donât know, do I need to bring anything?â
âI wouldnât think so, Iâve packed and prepared for just about everything that weâd need,â Logan assures.
âOkay,â Virgil mumbles, ââGuess Im ready.â
âWonderful!â Before Logan can stop him Roman reaches out and grabs Virgilâs hand.
Virgil flinches, but doesnât pull away fully, he tries not to let Roman see the look of shock and confusion on his face.
Roman loosens his grip on Virgilâs hand slightly, worried he may have upset him, but then Virgil gives a soft squeeze and then, just like that, theyâre holding hands, and Roman is leading the way to the imagination with the biggest smile he thinks heâs ever had.
Logan and Roman had already scouted the area they were going to eat at, a nice open field, perfect for easing a certain sideâs parano-vigilance. The field contained a total of six trees, so it wasnât like there could be anything lurking in the shadows.
Logan laid out a soft blanket, one with a texture that they knew Virgil liked, under the biggest tree.
Virgil sat himself on the edge of the blanket furthest from Logan and Roman. It was a big enough blanket for the distance to be noticeable, it made Logan worry that Virgil didnât want to be there with them.
He had expected Virgil to be a little suspicious, even a little distant, at least at first, Logan knew this would be strange to him, he doubted the socially distant trait had ever been courted before.
âVirgil?â He asks in a calm tone, âWould you like some juice?â Heâd been careful to avoid caffeine, knowing it could potentially highten Virgilâs anxiety.
Virgil shrugs, âI guess.â
Logan takes out the bottle of grape juice and the glasses heâd packed carefully earlier that day. When he offers Virgil a glass, he realizes that either he will have to move, or Virgil will have to move, go bridge the distance across the blanket.
Virgil makes the decision rather quickly, darting over and taking the glass from Logan, âThank you.â He starts to shuffle back to his corner when Roman stops him.
âWhy donât you sit in the middle, Vee? That way you can reach the food?â
Virgil looks to the ground, âDidnât want to invade your space.â
Logan frowns when he notices the hesitancy in the otherâs voice, as if he isnât sure heâs wanted. Which Logan couldnât help but groan internally at, theyâd invited him and he still feels like an intruder, anxiety truly was devoid of any logic.
âVirgil,â he holds out his hand towards the other in invitation, âYou know we want you here, donât you?â
Virgil wonât look at him, Logan sighs, âYouâre more than welcome, here. We invited you, why would we invite you if we wanted you to just sit by yourself quietly? Hm?â
Virgil shrugs, âDunno,â he mumbles.
âIs there anything we can do to make you more comfortable, stormcloud?â Roman interjects in a gentle tone, heâs aware of the tension in the way Virgilâs sitting now.
âItâs alright,â Roman whispers, âYou wanna go back? Iâm sorry we pressured you to come.â
Virgil shakes his head firmly, âI wanna stay, I justâŚdonât want to be in the way. It kinda feels like Iâm intruding on a date, why was I the only person you invited? You know Patton loves outdoor lunches.â
âWe know, Virgil, we justâŚâ Logan looks at Roman, Roman gives a small head shake and Logan sighs, âWe just wanted to spend time with you. We didnât mean to make you feel awkward, weâre sorry.â
âItâs not your fault, I donât know why Iâm being so weird about it, but,â and he slowly slides his hand into Loganâs open one on the blanket, âI think Iâll be okay, now.â
âAre you sure? It really isnât a problem if you want to go home?â Roman assures.
Virgil nods his head, âYeah, Iâm sure.â
Logan smiles and squeezes his hand softly, they all know Virgil likes physical reassurance sometimes, and theyâre glad heâs started accepting, and even asking for it on occasion. Patton has to remind himself constantly that Virgil has to be the one to initiate it, however.
Roman pulls out plates and food from the pack, Virgil tries to give Logan back his hand, but heâs quickly stopped, âPlease donât let go until youâre ready, okay?â Logan smiles at him, âMy right hand is fully capable of doing this alone, I promise.â
Roman hands him a plate and asks Virgil what heâd like.
They eat comfortably, Virgil relaxes enough to let go of Loganâs hand, but moves closer to him and Roman anyway. Virgil talks about Halloween coming up and Logan tells him that heâs already put horror movies into the schedule for that month.
When they finish their food they continue to sit there and talk quietly. A soft breeze blowing through the field making the place even more peaceful. They were all enjoying a moment of quiet whenâŚ
Hic!
Roman sits up and stares at a blushing Virgil in shock.
The emo side ducks his head, âShut up, Pri-hic!-ncey,â he says in an attempt at a growl.
Roman smirks, âIs there a problem, Virgil? You seem to be having a bit of trouble.â
Logan giggles, âYou donât need to be embarrassed about the hiccups, Virgil. Everyone gets them.â
âI donâtâhicâhave the hiccups!â He grumbles.
Roman laughs and Logan laughs, Virgil glares at them both for a moment, but he canât hold it for very long before heâs laughing too.
âStop laughing at me!â He shouts between giggles.
âI donât think,â Roman wheezes, âIâve ever seen you hiccup before.â
âShutâhicâup!â Virgil shoves him off the blanket with a laugh.
Roman sits back on the blanket, âGosh, youâre adorable.â
Virgil and Logan both freeze, Virgil glancing nervously at Logan, Logan and Roman both looking at him, horrified at the thought that theyâd just blown it.
âIâuhââVirgil is still staring at Logan, a look of fear in his voice. Virgil looks at him, the face of logic not giving him any ideas as to what heâs supposed to do. He shakes his head, âIâm sorry.â
âItâs alright, Virgil,â Logan says softly.
Roman sucks in a harsh breath, understanding the apology as a gentle rejection.
They sit in awkward silence for an eternity.
âPerhaps itâsâŚtime we head back?â Logan suggests in a quiet tone.
Virgilâs heart drops as he decidedly believes Logan hates him now. âYeah-Yeah, sure.â
They walk back in silence. Virgil stuffs his hands in his pockets to hide their shaking. Roman and Logan keep glancing at him, both taking his silence as a sign of discomfort.
They allow him to go to his room, wincing at the sound of his door shutting softly, not even a slam.
âI ruined it,â Roman whispers sadly.
Logan shakes his head, âWe still have a chance, Love.â
Roman shakes his head, âHe wouldnât even look at me.â
âHe couldnât stop looking to me,â Logan whispers back, âI didnât know what to say, I chose a cowards way out. I fled.â
âIt wasnât your fault,â Roman places a hand on his shoulder, âIâm sorry I messed this up.â
âYou didnât mess anything up,â Logan wraps his arms around Romanâs neck and kisses a tear sliding down his cheek. âWe should give him some space, we can check back in tomorrow.â
Roman nods and allows Logan to lead him to bed, not really believing any of the logical sideâs attempts to reassure him.
*****
Virgil stays in his room through breakfast. Roman liked him. He should be happy! He likes Roman! ButâŚhe likes Logan too, and heâd never wanted to get between them like this.
Logan told him it was alright, Virgil took that to mean that he didnât really blame him, but that didnât mean he wasnât upset. He can only imagine the fight he and Roman probably had last night.
Virgilâs heart skips a beat when he thinks about the two of them breaking up.
He didnât know what he did to ever catch Creativityâs attention but he wished he hadnât done it. He felt truly awful for doing this to them.
âKiddo,â thereâs a knock at his bedroom door, âYou need to eat lunch, itâs almost 1:30.â Patton sounds worried, Virgil hasnât locked himself in his room like this since he ducked out.
âIâm not hungry, Pat. Iâll eat later.â
Patton frowns, âVirge?â He asks hesitantly. âIs everything okay? You know you can talk to me if you need to?â
âIâm fine, Pops.â
Patton isnât convinced, âHeyâŚyou donât have to talk about it, but if you donât want to be by yourself you can come to my room? Might help to be somewhere else for awhile?â
Virgil sighs, âyou sure?â
âOf course.â
Virgil opens the door and Patton gives him a sad smile, âcome on, Iâll get you something to eat and some tea.â
Virgil nods, âThank you.â
Patton sits down on his bed next to Virgil, passing him a sandwich and some chips.
âI messed up,â Virgil whispers as he takes a chip.
Patton looks at him in surprise, âWhat did you mess up, Virge?â
âLogan and Roman, I messed up their relationship. Theyâre fighting and itâs all my fault.â
Patton scoots closer, âI didnât know they were fighting. How is it your fault, honey?â
âI justâŚI donât know why, they invited me out to lunch with them, and itâŚit was weird! But then it wasnât, and it was nice, butâŚRoman called me adorable and IâŚI like him, but heâs Loganâs boyfriend and I never wanted to hurt Logan because I like him too and I just⌠Logan probably hates me now, and Roman and Logan might break up and itâll be all my fault and thereâs no way I can ever make it up to him!â Virgilâs breathless when he finishes. He doesnât know when he started crying.
Patton shakes his head, he remembers when Logan and Roman told him they liked Virgil. When Logan had asked him what Virgilâs favorite foods were. How Patton made them both promise they would be patient and gentle with Virgilâs already shot nerves.
He canât help but be a little upset with them for letting Virgil wallow in this all day. He pushes that feeling aside, and decides to help his three hopeless friends out.
âVirge, I can assure you, Roman and Lo are gonna be just fine. But I think you should go talk to them about this. I think there mightâve been a bit of a mix up.â
Virgil cocks his head, âWhat do you mean?â
Patton shakes his head again, âTheyâre not fighting, kiddo. I promise, just go talk to them.â
âBut Iââ
âTrust me.â
And with that Patton is nudging him towards the door and Virgilâs in the hall.
He glances worriedly back at the father figure.
âTheyâre in Loganâs room last I saw.â Patton shuts the door.
Virgil feels a slight sting of betrayal at having been abandoned to face the pair alone, but he approaches the door anyway.
He stands there for two and a half minutes before knocking.
âWhat is it?â Logan calls through the door.
âItâsâumâitâs me, I think maybe I need toââ
The door swings open, âVirgil?â
The logical side looks as if he hasnât slept well, Roman is standing behind him in a similar state. Virgil can just barely see the whiteboard on the back wall covered in incomprehensible diagrams and cluster graphs.
âHeyâŚâ he gives a weird little half wave for some reason he doesnât understand.
âAre youâŚalright?â Roman asks hesitantly.
âMe?â Virgil asks in confusion, âAre you two okay?â
Logan nods, âWeâre dreadfully sorry, we didnât mean to put you on the spot like that, weââ
âYou couldnât help yourself, I shouldnât have chosen such an intimate activity for us,â Logan defends his boyfriend.
âNo, this is my fault. Iâm the one that put the pressure on him.â
âLove, I shouldâve planned for this. I know you canât help yourself when it comes to your feelings.â
âYou canât plan for everything. I shouldâveââ
âHold on a second!â Virgil interrupts, âDid I miss something? What are you two arguing over?â
âIt doesnât matter, Virgil,â Logan composes himself, âWe both apologize for making you uncomfortable. It was not our intention, regardless, we understand if you do not wish to go on anymore dates with usâ
Virgil stares at him in complete in total confusion. âDates?â
Romanâs eyes widen, âSurely youâre aware of what weâve been doing. We took you to a romantic lunch! Weâve been flirting with you constantly! What did you think was happening?â
Virgil looks at Logan, the logical side gives a small smile and a nod. âI thought,â Virgil starts, âI donât know, I guess I just thought we were hanging out, and then I guess I thought Roman was hitting on me. I didnât realize Logan was.â
âSo thatâs why you acted so upset,â Roman mumbles.
âAh, I see. My advances are lessâŚdirect,â Logan explains sheepishly.
Virgil nods, âYeah I got that now, but I thoughtâŚthat Iâd ruined your relationship! That Iâd broken you up or something! Oh my god I hardly slept at all last night!â
Logan winces sympathetically, âWe didnât either, but weâre very sorry for distressing you.â
âItâs fine,â Virgil shrugs it off. âBut you guysâŚboth of youâŚwant to date me?â
âOf course, if youâd allow us,â Logan smiles, âWe both find you quite endearing. Would you be willing to let us continue to romance you?â
âLogan, you make it sound so formal,â roman laughs, but he has an excited gleam in his eye, âYou wanna date us, Virgil? You can say no, itâs okay, but if the answer is yes weâd both be delighted to have you as our boyfriend.â
Virgil canât help it, heâs skeptical, this feels too much like something heâd dream up, he looks both of them in the face, hunting for any sign of a joke or a lie. There isnât any, just encouraging smiles.
âYeah, IâdâŚIâd like that a whole lot.â
Heâs quickly wrapped in two pairs of arms, happy laughter filling his ears.
Virgil woke to Roman saying his name, over and over. The prince's hands held his face softly.
"-gil, Virgil, come on, wake up," Roman begged gently, his voice laced with concern.
He let out a sigh of relief when he saw Virgil's eyes open, "Hey, Stormcloud, can you hear me?"
Virgil nods slightly, confused as to what had Princey looking so worried, and why they were on the living room floor. When he starts to push himself up though, he's quickly stopped by Logan. He hadn't even seen the serious side, who was now leaning over him.
"Virgil," Logan starts calmly, "Do you know what happened?"
The anxious trait shakes his head.
Logan frowns, "Could I get a verbal answer."
Virgil tries to speak, before having to stop to clear his throat, "No, I don't know."
Logan nods, relieved to hear that Virgil can speak, "It appears you've fainted on us."
Virgil frowns, "Fainted?" He asks dumbly.
"Yeah, kiddo, you gave us quite the scare," Patton chuckles weakly from the couch.
Virgil didn't know if he'd been there the whole time, or if he'd just shown up, but he looked pale.
"Pat? Are you okay?"
Patton laughs drily, "Yeah, kiddo. I'm fine," he assures him, "you're the one on the ground here."
Virgil frowns, âSorry, I donât know what happened.â He tries to get up again, heâs starting to feel rather embarrassed.
âStop,â Logan instructs, a firm hand placed on his shoulder. âTake it slow.â He removes his hand.
Virgil immediately starts to get up, pushing off the floor on shaky arms. Roman hovers around him, face contorted in worry.
The prince stays close, when Virgil attempts to head upstairs heâs stopped abruptly, âWhere on earth do you think youâre going?!â The prince cries.
â...to my room?â Virgil cocks an eyebrow, with all the confusion, heâd think Roman was the one whoâd just woken up.
Logan scoffs, âYou canât honestly think weâd let you do that.â
Virgil shrugs, âIâm awake now, come on. Itâs fine, sorry I freaked you guys out, butââ
âFreaked us out? Virgil you scared us all half to death!â Roman exclaims, âPatton started crying!â
Virgil takes a closer look at Patton, now he notices his puffy eyes and shaky breathing.
âOh, Pat.â Virgil turns away from the stairs, much to everyoneâs relief, and sits himself down next to the fatherly trait. âIâm okay, see? Everythingâs fine.â
Patton nods, âIâm glad youâre okay, kiddo. Just got a little too worried.â He laughs weakly, âI just donât know what I wouldâve done if it was something serious.â
âWell, it wasnât, Popstar. Iâm okay, see?â Virgil holds his arms out in a display of his apparent health.
Patton nods, âWill you still stay down here with us for awhile? Please?â
Virgil nods, he couldnât possibly leave Patton to worry about him down here.
âVirgil,â Logan cuts in, âDo you know what couldâve caused you to faint? What have you eaten today?â
Virgil shrugs, âI ate some toast this morning, I havenât gotten to lunch yet.â
âVirgil itâs 3 pm,â Roman says softly.
Virgil shrugs, âI didnât notice, sorry.â
âOkay,â Logan sighs, âthatâs probably it, then, when was the last time you drank anything? Preferably water.â
Virgil winces, âI had coffee this morning...â
âAnd you havenât drank any water today, and you probably havenât drank a lot of water, or any other liquids for that matter, at all in the last week.â
Virgil winces again, âSorry. I donât think about it. Not an immediate threat, it gets pushed aside.â
Logan nods, âItâs alright. Weâll work on it.â
Roman leaves to go make Virgil a sandwich and Logan brings him a glass of water.
Virgil stays downstairs, his head on Pattonâs shoulder, until dinner. They eat pizza, Virgilâs favorite, and then head back to the couch.
Logan makes Virgil set alarms on his phone to remind him to eat. Virgil doesnât mind though, he promised heâd make an effort to take better care of himself, and the other improvements Logan had helped him make had made him feel better. He wasnât nearly as stressed now.
Patton reluctantly lets Virgil go to bed on his own, but makes sure to check on him first thing in the morning. The anxious side pretends to be annoyed, but he and Patton both know it makes him happy to feel cared about.
An important announcement: the Matrimonial Misunderstandings Taglist is full and has been for awhile. Iâm really sorry, but it wonât let me add on anymore names as much as I would like to.
The logical sideâs face falls, âMe? No, No,â he waves his hands in a âno wayâ gesture, âI am no good when it comes to things like this, it will absolutely have to be one of you.â
âIâm not breaking his heart,â Virgil blurts out.
âMe neither!â Roman cries.
Deceit glares at them, âOh, sure. Iâm absolutely fine with telling him.â
âGreat!â Roman exclaims.
âI was lying!â Deceit drags his hand across his face.
âWell, someone has to tell him,â Logan says.
They all start arguing instantly.
âHey!â Patton calls from the top of the stairs.
Everyone freezes, âWhy are you yelling?â Patton walks downstairs.
They shoot urgent glances to everyone around the room, they eventually all rest on Deceit. He glares at the trio, before turning to Patton.
Morality raises an eyebrow questioningly, Deceit gulps and decides to give it his best shot.
âWe were just arguing over who would-â the other three sides all inhale sharply, Deceit glares at them again. Then he looks back to Patton, all soft eyes and gentle smile, and he realizes that he absolutely canât do this â-over who would go ask you to sleep down here with us tonight?â
The collective breath theyâd all been holding comes out in one soft rush.
Patton claps his hands together, âAwww! Thatâs so sweet! We can make a blanket nest!â He smiles at all of them and they do their best to hide the nervousness they feel, he grabs Deceitâs hand, âCome help me get some blankets!âÂ
Deceit allows himself to be dragged upstairs, he looks back to see Logan shaking his head at him.
Just another short thing, I'm obsessed with the prompts from @sleepyvirgilprompts
CW: panic attack, sleep deprivation
Thomasâs panic attack was over fairly quickly. Logan shut it down almost as soon as it started, but that didnât stop the waves of guilt from crashing over Virgil over and over again.
He didnât mean for this to happen! He was just trying to keep up with the workload! Itâs what everyone seemed to want, all the yelling and tension these last few weeks had been draining, but he shouldâve been able to handle it. It was his job to handle it.
Logan and Patton sent Thomas off to bed before returning to the mindscape.
Roman and Virgil sat on the couch quietly.
Virgil couldnât bring himself to look into the eyes of the others, which were no doubt filled with disappointment or worse, anger.
âSee, this is what happens when we overexert Virgil,â said Logan, frustrated.
âIâm notââ
âYouâve been drinking significantly more coffee lately, the light in your room is already on when I get up in the morning, the amount of eyeshadow you wear has steadily increased to hide growing bags under your eyes, you havenât made a single snarky remark during this conversation, youâve pinched yourself nine times over the span of this interaction, and your hands are shaking. So yes, youâre overexerted,â interrupted Logan.
Virgil slumped. ââŚOkay, maybe Iâm a little tired.â
âI will accept that admission.â
âIâm sorry,â Virgil mumbles, âI didnât mean to, Iâm so sorry. I shouldâve tried harder, I didnât want this to happen...â
âOh, kiddo,â Patton sits down next to him on the couch, âWe know you didnât mean to, of course you didnât mean to. This is on us anyway, weâve been pushing you too hard. I guess we never really considered how this was affecting you. Iâm sorry, Virgil.â
Virgil shakes his head, âI shouldâve been able to handle this. Itâs my job. Iâm supposed to be able to deal with this.â
âVirgil,â Logan sits down at his other side, âYouâre not meant to go this long without sleep. Your job is not to run yourself into the ground. You did your best, but I think I speak for all of us, when I say that weâd take mediocre over this. You need rest, this isnât healthy.â
Virgil nods, âI didnât mean for it to hurt Thomas...â
âI wasnât referring to Thomas. Whilst your current state has affected him, it seems to be having a much more severe impact on you. And thatâs where my concern lies at present. Thomas will be fine, heâs been resting. And you need to rest as well.
"I will, I just need to-"
"Now." Logan interrupts him firmly.
Virgil nods, "Yeah, okay. I'll try." He starts to head toward his room.
"Hey, kiddo?" Patton calls.
"Yeah?"
Patton glances between Logan and Roman, getting a slight nod from each of them before continuing, "We think your room might not be best right now. Do you think maybe you'd feel better sleeping down here?"
Virgil maintains eye contact with Patton for about two more seconds before looking away and shaking his head, "No, that's okay. I don't want to be in the way."
"Virgil," Roman cuts in before Patton can start, "We know you have trouble sleeping in your room. You won't be in the way, just stay down here? Please?"
He must notice the hesitation on Virgil's face, because he quickly adds, "We want you to stay down here, Virge."
Virgil lets out a breath and nods, "Okay, if you're sure."
Patton sets the couch up for him, tucking him in despite Virgil saying he didn't need it. The lights were dimmed and everyone wished Virgil a goodnight.
The anxiety ridden side smiled to himself as he drifted into the best night's sleep he'd had in weeks.
It had been a long day, Roman had just wanted to unwind with a movie downstairs, Logan and Patton had both opted to spend the night on their own. And Roman decided he would go downstairs and watch a few Disney movies.
He wasnât really expecting anyone to be downstairs, Virgil typically spent most of his time in his room even when he wasnât exhausted. Which is why the prince was so taken aback when he saw the other side staring quietly at the dark television screen, eyes half closed.
âVirgil?â Roman called.
When he didnât get an answer, he tried again, âVirge?â
âHm?â He doesnât even look up.
Roman sits down next to the other, âYouâre sitting very still and staring off into space, are you in the middle of an existential crisis or are you falling asleep?â
âBoth, be quiet.â
Roman stares at him in quiet concern, ââŚBoth??â
âI said be quiet,â Virgil answers in a grumpy whisper.
Roman shakes his head, âIf youâre tired why donât you head up to bed?â
âAnxious room. Existential crisis.â Virgil answers, still not looking away from the blank tv.
Roman nods, âHow about you sleep here then?â
Virgil shakes his head, âExistential crisis.â
Roman nods, âYou wanna watch a movie, then? Might help you relax?â
Virgil shrugs, he doesnât say anything else.Â
Roman moves to turn on a movie, when the beginning credits start he sits back down next to Virgil.
He reaches out and touches the others arm gently, his eyes widen in shock when Virgil leans into the touch, his eyes close completely for a brief second.
Roman smiles and reaches his hand around the others back, âVirgil?â
âMm?â heâs leaning into Romanâs side.
âStop me if you donât like it.â
Virgil makes a soft noise of confusion before heâs pulled gently into Romanâs lap. When he leans his head on Romanâs chest, the Prince takes that as permission to continue, he gently lays down, Virgil still on his chest.
The exhausted trait breathes out a soft sigh as Roman starts running a hand up and down his back.
âThank you,â Roman hears him whisper softly before he feels Virgil go limp in his lap.
The only other noise from Virgil is a soft snore for the rest of the night.
Yeah honestly I did it in a 40 min long class. I just thought it would be cute. Also I donât proofread which is why so many of my fics are worded weird
It had been a long day, Roman had just wanted to unwind with a movie downstairs, Logan and Patton had both opted to spend the night on their own. And Roman decided he would go downstairs and watch a few Disney movies.
He wasnât really expecting anyone to be downstairs, Virgil typically spent most of his time in his room even when he wasnât exhausted. Which is why the prince was so taken aback when he saw the other side staring quietly at the dark television screen, eyes half closed.
âVirgil?â Roman called.
When he didnât get an answer, he tried again, âVirge?â
âHm?â He doesnât even look up.
Roman sits down next to the other, âYouâre sitting very still and staring off into space, are you in the middle of an existential crisis or are you falling asleep?â
âBoth, be quiet.â
Roman stares at him in quiet concern, ââŚBoth??â
âI said be quiet,â Virgil answers in a grumpy whisper.
Roman shakes his head, âIf youâre tired why donât you head up to bed?â
âAnxious room. Existential crisis.â Virgil answers, still not looking away from the blank tv.
Roman nods, âHow about you sleep here then?â
Virgil shakes his head, âExistential crisis.â
Roman nods, âYou wanna watch a movie, then? Might help you relax?â
Virgil shrugs, he doesnât say anything else.Â
Roman moves to turn on a movie, when the beginning credits start he sits back down next to Virgil.
He reaches out and touches the others arm gently, his eyes widen in shock when Virgil leans into the touch, his eyes close completely for a brief second.
Roman smiles and reaches his hand around the others back, âVirgil?â
âMm?â heâs leaning into Romanâs side.
âStop me if you donât like it.â
Virgil makes a soft noise of confusion before heâs pulled gently into Romanâs lap. When he leans his head on Romanâs chest, the Prince takes that as permission to continue, he gently lays down, Virgil still on his chest.
The exhausted trait breathes out a soft sigh as Roman starts running a hand up and down his back.
âThank you,â Roman hears him whisper softly before he feels Virgil go limp in his lap.
The only other noise from Virgil is a soft snore for the rest of the night.