#lampfic

There’s only one way to play this off....don’t tell a single soul he got his soulmarks and let them think his soulmate, soulmates are younger than him. 

The truth is he’s not worthy of his soulmates and they won’t want him like this. 

He can only hope they’re all deep asleep and didn’t feel the alert tingle that he, their fourth soulmate turned 21 because he knows when they put their minds together and connect the dots, which they will....he will lose the three best people in his life. 

------

Patton slowly gets out of bed, still tired from the previous night; first, eager with excitement then complete dread about what his future holds in store for him. 

Sighing, he runs a hand through his hair as he slips on his puppy paw slippers before heading downstairs. He knows his parents will be waiting for him, expectantly as he’s made this a big deal his whole life. 

“Good morning, sweetheart and happy birthday,” greets his mom from the stove where she’s making his favorite pancakes. 

“Morning champ! Stay up late last night, did you?” his dad asks. 

“Mornin’ mom and dad. Yeah, I did….” he trails off, not wanting to explain who his soulmates are and why he’ll never be with them.

Patton doesn’t miss the concerned look his parents share but chooses to ignore it as he settles in his usual chair at the dining room table where a glass of apple juice awaits him. 

Taking a sip of the juice, he focuses on the task at hand and calms down. 

Placing a plate of pancakes down in front of him, his mom takes a moment to kiss his forehead, drawing a smile out of him.

“Thanks mom! These look great.”

She smiles.

“Anything for my favorite son on his birthday,” she replies. 

“I’m your only son.”

She chuckles. 

“That doesn’t mean I can’t have a favorite.”

His dad snorts. 

Patton’s heart feels lighter; no matter what happens, he still has his parents. 

-----

The sight of his front door causes a weight to fall from his shoulders because Patton’s day was exhausting while doing his best to dodge his soulmates without looking like he was.

As Patton enters the house, he opens his mouth to greet his mom but he pauses before taking in the smirk on her face. She simply points upstairs and he takes it as his room is where he needs to do. 

Opening the door to his bedroom, Patton freezes when his eyes land on his three best friends and soulmates - Roman, Virgil and Logan; they all look completely comfortable cuddling on his bed though there’s an obvious gap. 

They know he knows and spent the day avoiding them instead of talking to them about their new reality. 

“Uh, hey guys….what are you doing here?”

Logan quirks an eyebrow at him.

“I believe it would be obvious as to why we are here,” he states firmly.

Patton flinches causing Virgil to smack Logan on the arm. 

“Oh Pat...you didn’t really think that we wouldn’t want you, did you?” asks Roman.

Looking around the room, he rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. 

Roman climbs off of the bed then approaches Patton before gently taking his hand in his own. 

“I’ll have you know that I’ve been falling for you since we met, so knowing you’re one of my soulmates is the best news to wake up to,” comments Roman. 

Blushing, Patton tries to hide his face with his free hand but Virgil joins the pair and copies Roman’s posture. 

“Princey’s right. Anyone who’s ever met you would hope would be their soulmate,” Virgil takes a deep breath, “I didn’t want to dare to dream that you could be one of mine.

Patton looks between Virgil and Roman in awe. 

Cough

The trio turn to look at Logan where he sits on the edge of the bed. 

“I must confess, Patton...I never thought someone like you would be my soulmate, let alone that I’d have several. However, it pleases me greatly to know that I was incorrect in my earlier thought,” says Logan.

Patton kisses one of Roman’s then one of Virgil’s hands before pulling his free and turning towards Logan. Without giving Logan any warning, he throws himself at his genius soulmate causing their other two soulmates to laugh out loud at Logan’s expression. 

Snuggling closer to Logan, Patton smiles when he feels Logan wrap his arms around Patton’s waist before Roman and Virgil join them, on either side of them. 

“How did you know that I was your fourth soulmate?” he asks out loud.

Virgil runs his hand up and down Patton’s back as he answers.

“You doddled on your hand during class and light blue appeared on my skin. I immediately recognized it.”

“Fudge...I should have remembered to not to do that,” replies Patton.

Kissing Patton’s cheek, Logan shifts slightly so they’re both comfortable.

“Indeed, I knew right away that it was familiar but I could not put my finger on why until I discussed the matter with Roman and Virgil,” he states.

Roman runs a hand through Patton’s hair.

“Honestly, my darling….I thought I had been dreaming.”

Before Patton can say anything, the door opens and his mom appears in the doorway and taking in the sight of her son with his soulmates before grinning brightly.

“Aww, this is so wonderful! I think this calls for a celebration!” exclaims Patton’s mom.

Patton and Virgil blush in response causing the other three to laugh loudly.

“Nope, switched shifts with a co-worker.”

Patton opens his mouth to say something when Roman launches himself at him, knocking him backwards onto his bed, beneath Roman; something he’s fantasized about though not under these circumstances.

“God, I missed you,” whispers Roman against Patton’s neck.

Unsure of what to do, Patton wraps his arm around Roman then slowly rubs his back causing his friend to snuggle closer.

Roman relaxes against him then drifts off to sleep where he is.

Seeing he’s stuck for the foreseeable future; Patton takes comfort from Roman’s presence and follows him off to dreamland.

Later that evening, two other familiar voices rouse Patton.

“Well, this is just too precious to process,” comments one voice.

“I literally can’t think of anything bitter or cynical to remark,” says another.

Blinking a few times before adjusting his glasses, Patton looks over to his doorway and spots his other two best friends, Logan and Virgil standing there and looking at him and Roman.

Oh bugger.

He knows what this looks like but what’s going is so far from the truth and he’d never want to come between them, as much as it hurts because he knows his three best friends are happily together.

All of his squirming wakes up Roman who let’s go of him without thinking and Patton sends himself flying backwards and off of the bed. As he lays there, all he can think of is he hopes he didn’t ruin Roman’s relationship.

A purple and black arm appears in his line of vision.

Patton looks up and Virgil’s there with a concerned look on his face as he waits for Patton to take his hand, which he does immediately.

What he doesn’t expect is Virgil using his hold on Patton’s hand, pull him towards him then hugs him tightly, leaning his forehead against Patton’s before closing his eyes.

“Next time, I’m going with you,” he whispers.

Patton doesn’t know how long they stand like this.

Cough.

Virgil turns his head and hisses at Logan and Roman, who take several steps backwards with their hands raised in the air unthreateningly.

Patton blinks.

This is new.

“As much as I like having ya’ll in my room, maybe we should go out to the living room,” suggests Patton.

Seeing as Virgil’s not gonna let him go any time soon, Patton lifts him up, causing Virgil’s legs to wrap around his waist on instinct and his grip around his neck to tighten.

Patton thinks he hears Roman whisper,

“That’s hot,”

Under his breath but surely that can’t be right.

Pushing the thought out of his mind, Patton concentrates on carrying Virgil out into the living room while Roman and Logan follow him.

“Alright, you’re gonna have to get down so I don’t drop you,” states Patton.

Virgil pouts but unwraps his legs from Patton’s waist before using him to help stabilize himself.

Removing himself from Virgil’s grip, Patton sends him a smile in response to Virgil’s pout at his actions (and boy, doesn’t Patton want to kiss that pout right off his lips).

He looks at Logan before opening his arms for a hug.

Long ago, Patton realizes that this isn’t something Logan’s always in the mood for.

He’s pleased however, instead of hesitating…Logan immediately steps into his space and hugs him tightly.

“It pleases me greatly to have you back,” Logan says softly.

“I had a good weekend but I’m glad to be back,” he replies.

Logan squeezes him softly in response, content to enjoy the moment.

“Alright, lovebirds. Time to break it up,” yells Roman.

In an instant, Patton’s reminded of his situation and how he has no place in their relationship. Panicked, he lets go of Logan then jumps backwards to put space between him and the others. Apparently, it’s still too easy for him to fall into old habits which, not good for getting over his crushes.

“Patton? Are you alright?” asks Logan.

“Uh, yeah; been a long travel day and all that,” he answers.

Virgil frowns as he watches Patton.

“This is the second time tonight you’ve reacted like this. You sure you’re all good?” he questions.

“Ac-ac-act like what?” responds Patton.

“A kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar,” explains Virgil.

Patton shakes his head.

“It’s nothing, don’t worry. I probably should get some sleep,” he says as he tries to head back to his room.

A hand grabs his own causing Patton to pause and look at Roman. He can’t decipher the look in Roman’s eyes.

“Maybe Remus was right after all…” he trails off.

Patton tilts his head to the side in confusion because Roman never admits it when his brother is right about something. The confusion grows when both Logan and Virgil have a lightbulb moment themselves.

“You’re in love with us but think we couldn’t feel the same way about you,” states Roman.

Patton bites his lip.

“You know about us, don’t you Patton?” comments Logan.

His silence illuminates something for both Roman and Virgil.

It’s time to come clean to his best friends.

“How could I not fall in love with all of you? There’s no one better on the Earth than the three of you,” he sighs, “that’s why it’s not hard to realize you’re all out of my league and I have no place here,” Patton admits.

“Oh Pat…”comments Virgil softly.

Logan moves to his side once more.

“Falsehood.”

Before Logan says another word, Roman jumps in.

“The last few days without you here…the apartment felt cold and more like a house than a home. Without you, Patton,” Roman pauses and runs a hand through his hair, “without you…we’re incomplete. You’re our heart and we’re in love with you.”

Logan and Virgil nod in immediate agreement.

It’s overwhelming and he feels like he’s gonna faint but that doesn’t stop him from smiling the brightest and lovingly smile at them causing all three of the men to blush bright red.

Logan’s the closest to him, so Patton grabs his hand and pulls Logan towards him, stealing the move Virgil used early but instead of hugging him, Patton gently cups his cheeks before kissing him for a few moments then letting go.

Next comes Virgil but despite Patton’s plan of kissing softly and gently like Logan, he presses himself up against Patton as he kisses him back; desperately but fiercely at the same time. When they part, it takes Patton a couple moments to find himself.

Last but certainly not least is Roman, determined to not be outdone by Virgil.

As Patton kisses him, he wraps himself around Patton to the point, one wrong move sends them down onto the couch. Then when Patton pulls away to breath, Roman moves his lips to Patton’s neck, surprising him enough to get a startled squeak out of him.

Then Roman feels himself being pulled back.

“Alright, Princey; remember, you gotta share and I think Patton needs some space to breath,” comments Virgil.

Romans hops up, allowing Patton to sit up and take a couple deep breaths with Logan sitting besides him and rubbing his back.

Looking from Logan to Roman to Virgil and back again, Patton couldn’t believe his dreams were coming true.

“This isn’t a dream, right?” he asks.

Virgil laughs lightly, pushing Roman down next to Patton on the couch then sits in his lap.

“This is very much real, Pat. You have nothing to worry about,” replies Virgil as he takes Patton’s hand.

Patton drapes his free arm over Logan’s shoulder, who moves closer to Patton before kissing him on the forehead.

“Indeed, we’re very much in love with you and none of us would have it any other way,” comments Logan.

Roman smiles at him contentedly.

“Alright, alright. We’re here to watch a movie, not make-out,” comments Virgil.

Behind him, Logan shakes his head at all three of them.

Roman smirks.

“Jealous Virge?” he says cockily.

“Always; of whoever is making out with Patton that isn’t me,” he responds confidently.

Roman’s jaw drops open.

“Enough you two, let’s get settled for movie night,” interrupts Logan.

He knows those two could go all night if they’re not nipped in the bud.

Patton takes one of the bowls of popcorn from Logan then places it on the side table followed by the other one which he places on the coffee table, earning a smile from the logical side. Then he grabs Logan’s hand and tugs him so he’s sitting on the couch next to him.

The other two follow suit with Roman next to Patton, draping his arm around his shoulder while Virgil plops down on Patton’s lap. There are a couple minutes of shifting around until they’re comfortable.