Warnings: Manipulation, implied emotional abuse
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"Logan!" Patton knocked on the Logical Side's door. "I brought you some cookies!"
There was no answer.
Patton tried knocking again. "Lo! Cookies! Can I come in?"
Still nothing.
He frowned slightly before looking both ways down the hall. Neither Virgil or Roman seemed to be around.
Shifting the plate of cookies to balance on one hand, he opened the door and stepped inside. "Been working hard Lo-" He stared at Logan's desk in surprise, he wasn't there. A brief search of the room revealed that he wasn't in there at all.
Patton sighed before walking over to the desk. He'd just leave the cookies here for Logan to have when he got back from, wherever he was. He didn't spend as much time with Logan as they used to, and while he understood his need for silence and a time to unwind, he missed his company.
Not wanting to linger around in his room for longer than necessary, Patton turned to go when he noticed something laying on Logan's desk.
A yellow rose.
"Well, that won't do." Patton placed his hands on his hips. "Flowers should be kept in vases." He looked around the room in search of one, but there didn't seem to be any, and he wasn't about to go poking around Logan's room without his permission.
A solution came to Patton and he quickly ran down to the kitchen, returning with a glass of water.
"Here you go little guy!" Patton smiled and set the glass on the desk before carefully setting the rose inside. "You must've been thirsty! Maybe that's where Logan went, to find you a nice vase." Patton gently patted the rose's petals. "Hope this will make you happy until he gets one!"
The rose seemed to brighten a bit, much to Patton's delight.
"I wonder where Logan found you. You're such a pretty flower!" He imagined having a bouquet of yellow roses in the living room, they'd be so pretty!
Giggling to himself he turned to leave when he once again, noticed something odd on Logan's desk.
A folded up piece of paper.
Patton's mind immediately went back to the note he and Virgil had found outside of Logan's room. Was this another one? He tugged on the sleeves of his cat hoodie nervously. It would be wrong for him to read something that belonged to Logan, but what if it was something bad?
What if it involved him?
Patton glanced over his shoulder and, with shaking hands, reached for the note. He quickly read the few words that were written there. His eyes widened and he accidentally crinkled the paper. As fast as he could without causing more damage, he folded the note up again before returning it to its previous spot on Logan's desk before backing away.
What did it mean? Who sent him that?
Patton quickly ran out of the room and shut the door behind him. What was he supposed to do? Tell the others? No, he couldn't do that. Virgil would start worrying again and Roman would bombard Logan with questions. He shook his head and made his way downstairs. He'd just have to keep this to himself.
Coming down to the living room he saw Virgil reclining on the couch, phone in hand and headphones on. Roman was sitting at the table, writing something on a piece of paper.
"Hiya kiddos!" Patton chirped.
"Hey Padre." Roman didn't look up from whatever he was working on while Virgil waved.
"Who's hungry? I'm making a pasta bake for dinner!" Patton announced happily.
"Sounds lovely, Patton." Roman still didn't look up. Patton chuckled softly before heading into the kitchen. He got out a pot and began boiling water.
As he moved around the kitchen prepping his ingredients he kept glancing over Roman and Virgil. While he was glad that the two weren't secluding themselves in their rooms anymore, he wished they'd go back to interacting with each other. He missed their playful banter, and Roman's passionate singing that Virgil pretended to be annoyed by.
Patton sighed and absently grated some mozzarella cheese into a bowl. Things would go back to normal eventually, wouldn't they?
The sound of someone humming lifted Patton's spirits almost immediately. Was Roman about to sing again? He turned around only to see that the prince hadn't looked up from his work, and he certainly wasn't humming.
Movement on the stairs alerted him to the source of the cheerful humming. Logan was walking (more like hopping) down the stairs, his eyes bright and smile on his face. So far, neither Roman or Virgil had noticed him. Patton watched him stride into the kitchen, swinging his arms gaily while humming his song.
"Hey Lo!" Patton smiled. "You look like you're in a good mood."
"I am." Logan went to the fridge and grabbed a jar of Crofters.
"Now Logan, don't eat too much, I'm making dinner!"
"Oh, I'm merely bringing this to my room to save for later." Logan closed the fridge and smiled at him. "The chances of me missing out on your cooking are impastable."
Roman's hand slipped causing him to accidentally draw a line across his writing.
Virgil (who'd just so happened to turn off his music) dropped his phone onto his face.
Patton just stared at Logan in a mixture of pride and shock.
Logan just smiled at him before heading back upstairs.
"You-You both heard that, right?" Roman stood up from his chair. "You both heard what I think I heard, I'm not crazy, right?"
"He... He just... He..." Virgil kept stuttering, unable to form one cohesive sentence.
"HE MADE A PUN!" Patton jumped up and down and squealed in delight. "He made a pun! And it didn't involve Crofters! I mean, he was holding a jar of it, BUT IT WAS A PASTA PUN!"
"But it's Logan!" Roman shouted. "Logan never makes puns intentionally!"
"Perhaps he didn't wanna pasta up this opportunity." Patton giggled.
"I mean... Yeah he's made puns before..." Virgil stood and walked over to them.
"Never intentionally!" Roman repeated. "Unless Crofters is involved, yet as our dear Patton pointed out, it wasn't a fruit or jam related pun."
"Well he seemed to be happy!" Patton looked between them both. "Maybe he was feeling so cheerful he just couldn't resist!"
"What could've made him so happy that he'd willingly make a pun?" Virgil asked.
"I don't know Virgil," Roman glanced at both him and Patton, "unless it involves certain feelings towards a certain someone?"
"Not this again..." Virgil groaned.
"What? I thought you two were dying to know who Logan had a crush on!"
"Yeah, that was before I found out it was either me or Patton." Virgil stuffed his hands into his pockets. "And honestly, I don't see how it could be me."
"Why do you think that Kiddo?" Patton asked.
"Sure, we get along just fine and I will admit that he understands me better than most. But as far as romantic feelings go? Yeah, there's honestly nothing I could have done recently to make Logan feel so happy that he'd go off making puns and skipping around the house like Roman."
"Hey!" Roman huffed. "There is nothing wrong with my manly skipping."
"Whatever. My point is, I personally feel nothing towards Logan. We're friends and that's about it."
"Well, that doesn't mean Logan can't feel differently towards you..." Patton said quietly.
"You think Logan would be this happy if he knew I didn't return his feelings?" Virgil tilted his head to the side. "And are you alright? You're acting really nervous all of a sudden."
"Me? Nervous? What do you mean?" Patton quickly flashed a bright smile.
"Oh my goodness," Roman covered his mouth. "This is happening."
"What is?" Virgil looked between them both before realization sunk in. "Oh..."
"Wait, what do you guys mean?" Patton's face wrinkled in confusion.
"Roman, you said Logan told you who it was, so it's not you."
"Nope," Roman shook his head, "and while I do value Specs as a part of our little unit here, there is no romantic interest from me whatsoever. And as Twenty One Emos over here stated: I doubt Logan would be as cheerful if he was aware that I didn't return his feelings."
"And since that rules both of us out..." Virgil stared pointedly at Patton.
Patton took a step back. "Um, you're not saying what I think you're saying, are you?"
"It's real!" Roman started bouncing up and down. "The ship is real!"
"Honestly, I'm disappointed with myself for not figuring it out sooner." Virgil shook his head.
"But... I... We..." Patton kept backing towards the stairs.
"It's okay Padre!" Roman followed him and gently grabbed his arm. "You guys don't have to hide anymore! I'm not entirely sure why you both kept it a secret in the first place, but considering how open Logan seems to be about his feelings for you, well all we need is for the two of you to make it official!"
Patton blinked. "Official?"
"Of course! The two of you must proclaim your love in front of the entire world!" Roman made a dramatic sweeping gesture with his arm.
"Or you know, just Roman and I. Eventually Thomas." Virgil rolled his eyes at Roman's theatrics.
Patton didn't say anything. He only looked down at the floor, shuffling his feet.
"Patton?" Roman frowned slightly. "What's wrong?"
"Dad? You okay?" Virgil walked over and went to lay a hand on his shoulder, only to flinch when Patton pulled away before he could.
"I-I need a minute kiddos..." Patton walked upstairs, head down and looking as though he carried a heavy weight on his shoulders.
Virgil glanced worriedly at Roman who shared a look of matching concern.
Patton, meanwhile, trudged down the hall. He passed by Logan's room and stopped when he heard Logan's voice, singing softly.
"I'm helpless, I look into your eyes and the sky's the limit. I'm helpless, I'm down for the count and I'm drowning and I'm, helpless..."
Patton blinked, slightly unnerved by the almost melancholy way Logan sang the normally upbeat song. He could sense longing and sorrow in his voice, emotions he'd usually keep hidden were as clear as day within the song. He backed away from the door and continued to his room before he was caught eavesdropping.
Once he was safe within his room with the door closed, he sat down on his bed and grabbed his pillow, hugging it against his chest. Yes, it was a cliché thing to do in this situation, but it was the only thing he could think of to make himself feel better.
Hug away all the sad feelings.
He closed his eyes and allowed a tear to escape from his eye, falling onto his pillow which he hugged closer.
Helpless...
Patton sniffled as the song filled his head, but it was slightly different from the one Logan sang.
And I know... I am... Helpless... And my heart... Is just.... Helpless...
Patton buried his face into his pillow to muffle his sobs.
I know his feelings and I know his mind... You will never find anyone as smart or as kind...
His hands clutched the pillow tighter, his body shaking violently.
Oh, Patton, what's wrong?
Patton shot up.
Crying again? Oh dear... Patton, how many times have I told you? Crying only makes you weak.
Patton immediately wiped his eyes, forcing his tears to stop falling.
What's made you so sad? I thought we talked about this, you are not supposed to be sad. Do I need to come over for another visit?
No! No I'm fine!
Tsk, you shouldn't lie to me. Lying is wrong.
I'm-I'm sorry! It won't happen again! I promise!
That's what you said last time. I don't think you're learning.
I am! I am learning! Please I'm sorry! I won't cry anymore! I won't lie! I pro-
Patton, Patton, Patton... You disappoint me.
Patton trembled and clung to his pillow, shutting his eyes tightly.
I'll see you soon, my dear Morality, we have some important matters to discuss in person.
"No..." It came out as a whimper, a silent plea for help that would go unanswered. Patton looked around his room. The once bright, colorful place was now cold and dark. It was no longer his place of refuge, it was a cage.
And he was trapped.