#patceit

He’s confused for a second, then he looks over the kid’s shoulder, and sees the familiarly smug faces in the background, smirking and whispering like they’ve just seen something very funny.

He looks back at the kid – he’s new, just joined last week. Named Patrick or something. He didn’t seem like he’d be involved with the mean kids, with his big, nervous brown eyes and fidgety behaviour. His soft, round face holds a nervous grin as he looks earnestly back at Janus, who’s now glaring exclusively back at the ones watching them

“Why?” he finds himself saying, instead of no.

The boy – Peter? – flushes a little, looking at his feet.

“Um – well -I it’s er, it’s the game.” He gives the explanation like he’s asking a question, prodding the playground floor with his scuffed trainers. “We’re playing, they said – er, I need to find someone to say yes and marry me – but it’s just pretend though – and um, so…”

Ah, so they were both being made fun of.

“They don’t want to play with me.”

The boy’s face falls instantly. “Why not?” he asks, tilting his head to one side. Janus glances at the group, still smirking superiorly at him and – Paul?

“Because.” He snaps, not entirely unkindly, “Go find someone else to ask, or they won’t want to play with you either.”

The boy looks crestfallen for a second, but a look of determination overtakes his face, small mouth forming into a thin, angry line.

“Then I don’t want to play with them.” He declares with a toss of his curly head, sitting himself down next to Janus on the playground floor.

The flock immediately stops smirking, muttering furiously to one another.

“That’s not a good idea…”

“Don’t care.” The boy thrusts a small, chubby hand out at him. “I’m Patton.”

 ---

 The second time, it’s a joke, but also a promise.

They’re sitting on opposite ends of Patton’s cramped twin bed, doing everything but the homework they wanted to meet up to solve, and Janus is pretending he’s not all too aware of their feet just barely touching each other.

“Hey, do you remember that time I asked if you would marry me?” Patton giggles, a sudden mischievous look taking over his face, dimples popping in and out as he looks back at Janus.

“Oh, you mean the first thing you ever said to me?” Janus replies airily, swelling with pride as Patton laughs even harder, scrunching his nose up in delight.

“You know, you never gave me an answer.”

Janus’s heart skips a beat. No it doesn’t, shut up .

His laugh is carefully nonchalant as he replies, “What do you mean?”

“Well, you never said! Would you marry me or not?” Patton laughs, “You’ve kinda left me hanging for years, if you think about it.”

He’s joking. This is a bit, Janus knows that. it doesn’t stop his traitorous heart from beating just that much faster as he smirks back.

“Sure, why not?”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Certainly, in like fifty years when we’re both old and lonely and we’re the only ones who can stand each other.”

He doesn’t believe it, obviously. He knows that he and Patton will always be together, but he doesn’t believe for a second that Patton won’t find someone, with his unbearable kind heart and his wide, honest eyes, and whoever it was would be damn lucky.

Patton laughs in delight at his response. “Ha! Sounds like a plan! Ooh – hold on!”

And then he’s jumping off the bed, going to rummage in his desk drawers.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Celebrating our engagement properly! Be patient!”

And then he’s kneeling next to the bed, smiling cheekily up at Janus, a length of pale blue ribbon in his hand.

“What is that?”

“Shut up, I don’t have a ring.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Hand!”

So, Patton ties the ribbon in a neat bow on Janus’ ring finger and kisses it quick before leaning back to gaze at him in satisfaction.

“There. Now you’re stuck with me no matter what.”

Janus doesn’t tell him that was going to happen regardless.

  ---

 Neither of them likes to talk about the third time.

Janus shoves his way past the teeming crowd of drunk dancers, craning his neck to spot a crop of dark curls or a pastel jumper. Goddamnit .

He wasn’t supposed to leave Patton’s side, he had suggested coming out here tonight as a way of cheering Patton up, and it had been working, until he had walked in, complete with brand new attractive arm candy, and…

Fuck.

He finally finds him out in the empty garden, clutching a beer can that looks to be mostly empty, staring blankly at the sky. He’s not actively crying, but as Janus walks over, he can make out the tear tracks on his face even in the dark.

So he’s definitely seen them.

“Patton?”

“Hey, Janus.” His voice is subdued, and there’s a slight slur to the words.

“I’m so sorry, Pat,” He starts, “If I’d known he’d be here...”

“It’s ‘kay Jan, ‘m fine,” Patton reassures in a way that is not reassuring at all. His smile doesn’t reach his eyes and it’s painfully brittle, like it might shatter into a thousand pieces any minute. Recently, Janus has seen that smile a few too many times for his liking.

“Patton, no.” he replies firmly, but gently, “You’re drunk and heartbroken, and I’m at least partially responsible for that. I’m going to take you home.”

But drunk Patton is somehow even more stubborn than sober Patton can be at times, and he shakes his head resolutely.

“Janus, no.” he pouts, “ ‘m not that drunk, an’ ‘m not…not sad, an’ I don’t wanna go home.” He nods clumsily, having made his point, and then proceeds to stare blankly at the sky again.

Janus sighs.

“Well, then I’m drunk. And sad. And I need someone to take me home.”

Ever more attentive to other’s needs than his own, that gets Patton’s attention, the beautiful idiot that he is. Slowly, he nods and clambers to his feet, gripping Janus’ hand.

Neither of them drives, and Patton’s place is closer, so Janus walks them there, Patton clinging firmly to his side every step of the way. Janus can’t tell if it’s for balance or comfort.

When he gets them both inside the flat, Patton’s first words are, “Don’t leave.”

He gazes up at Janus with red-rimmed eyes, “I don’t like bein’ here alone.”

Janus’s heart aches at that, and he nods. He’d always found it hard to say know to Patton, especially when he’s like this, and especially when he asks for so little as it is.

Similarly, he can’t bring himself to refuse Patton’s beseeching gaze when he tucks him in and moves to sleep on the couch. So, a few moments later finds them in bed together, Janus staring at the ceiling and wondering how Patton can’t hear his heartbeat. They’ve shared a bed before, of course. But not in a long time. Certainly not since Patton started seeing him .

“I saw them, you know.”

He does know. “Really?”

“Mm. D’you think he loves him?”

Janus sighs, “I don’t know, Patton.”

“D’you think he loved me?” Patton’s voice is so soft, so resigned, so plaintive that Janus damn near breaks.

“You know I can’t answer that, Patton.”

“Sometimes I think he didn’t.” Patton admits matter-of-factly, “I tried so, so, hard, but he just didn’t. Ever. I wonder if anyone ever really will.”

There’s a scrap of faded blue ribbon tied on the end of Janus’ keyring that answers that question, but Janus doesn’t bring it up. He doesn’t have to.

“You know I know you’re not really drunk. Or sad.” Patton turns to look at him, his eyes gentle and frank.

“Yeah?”

“You’re jus’ lookin’ out for me. Like you always do. D’you remember that time I said we should get married when we’re all old an’ stuff?”

He doesn’t trust himself to speak. “Hmm.”

Patton smiles wanly. “I wish we could jus’ do that now. We’d jus’ have each other an’ it wouldn’ matter if no one loves me ‘cause I’ve got you.”

Their faces are inches apart and Janus has never wanted anything more than he wants to kiss Patton right now, to kiss his tears away and tell him he’d never be alone, because Janus wouldn’t let him – but he can’t. For a variety of reasons.

“Go to sleep, Patton.”

  ---

 The fourth time, it comes out of nowhere.

It’s two – three? Some godforsaken hour of the morning and Janus has work tomorrow.

And for some reason, his delightful boyfriend has decided that it is a perfect time to be awake and shuffling around to sit up in bed, and turn his bedside lamp on.

“Janus?” he whispers his name like he thinks it might break in his mouth, and God, Janus loves him, but he needs him to shut up and go to sleep right the hell now. He doesn’t move or open his eyes, lying with his face half buried in his pillow despite feeling Patton’s gaze on his back.

“Janus, sweetie?” he whispers again, “Are you awake?”

“… No. ”

“I’m sleeping. Can’t hear you. Zzzzz…”

Patton huffs out  a soft laugh. “I think we should get married.”

Janus stiffens. What? They’d barely been dating two months, they hadn’t even talked about marriage – at least, since they’d been dating. He had no idea it was on Patton’s mind, how long had he…

And more importantly, why was he bringing it up now?

Apparently taking his stunned silence to be outright rejection, Patton tries to backtrack quickly.

“I know, I know, it’s not been very long and I totally understand if you don’t want to because it’s too soon.” Janus feels a gentle hand rest itself on the blanket right above his shoulder, “I wasn’t really thinking of it either, but I couldn’t sleep just now and I couldn’t stop thinking, you know, about us, and you remember when we were kids, and all that stuff we always joked about, and how even though we’ve not been dating that long we’ve been together basically forever.”

He trails off, giggling self-consciously.

“And then you did something really cute in your sleep, you like, cuddled up to me and it hit me now I don’t think I ever want this to end.”

Janus finally sits up and faces the love of his life, who is looking back at him with a gaze that can only be described as besotted.

“I really love you, Janus. I want to be married to you.”

With a small, knowing smile, Janus leans forward and cups Patton’s face in his hands.

“Patton. Angel. Darling. Light of my life. I love you too.”

“I…”

“…And that is why I categorically refuse to let you propose to me while you’re wearing your Winnie the Pooh pyjamas. Please let me sleep now, and I promise I will say yes no matter how you ask me next.” And with that, Janus places a kiss on the end of his boyfriend’s nose, turns around, and falls asleep.

  ---

 The fifth time is more or less perfect.

Well, he says more or less. Patton is perfect, in a neatly pressed pastel button-down, his curls bouncing in the gentle spring breeze despite all his valiant efforts to tame it.

Janus has made an effort to look his best as well, having had a feeling something special was coming. He hadn’t mentioned it of course, but with the way Patton had been jumping up and down in his seat as he drove them here, the way he had insisted on planning every aspect of this date himself – well.

Suffice to say his future husband had never been the best at keeping secrets.

The location Patton’s picked had certainly been perfect, atop a lush green hill with the kind of majestic cherry blossom tree you only see in romantic movies, pink blossoms practically dripping off its branches as they swayed in the wind, and beautiful rolling hills all around.

What isn’t perfect is when the two of them finally get comfortable on the hilltop, and Janus leaning against the wide tree trunk while Patton gets to unpacking the picnic he’s put together so meticulously, and it starts raining, almost instantaneously.

“I checked the forecast like three times, it was supposed to be clear skies!” Patton whines back in the car once they’ve finished packing up their things and run to safety, watching the light drips of rain get slowly heavier.

“I’m sorry dearest, I suppose the universe just doesn’t want this date to be.” Janus chuckles wryly, as he hands Patton’s dried glasses back to him.

“Eff the universe,” Patton grumbles, glaring adorably at the raindrop speckled windshield.

So, they play old love songs on the car music player and drink champagne and tuck into entirely too cute bite-sized picnic foods and talk and laugh and playfully flirt and point out constellations formed by the raindrops on the glass, and eventually, Patton stops pouting.

The conversation has slowly wound down and they’re quietly enjoying each other's company when he turns to Janus, taking a deep breath.

“God knows I’ve never been able to keep anything from you.”

“Why, whatever could you be talking about, my dearest?”

“…So, this probably isn’t a surprise to you in the least.”

Patton reaches into the picnic basket and pulls out a small box. It’s a pale yellow, tied in in blue ribbon.

“You’re my best friend, Janus,” his hands are steady, but his voice is already wavering, “You’ve always been here, my whole life, whether I need someone to help, or to talk to, or even just to cry at. I’ve loved you in so many different ways.”

Janus feels tears pricking at his eyes and blinks them away quickly; he refuses to miss a second of this, he wants the image of Patton’s earnest, loving face to be clear as day in his mind when he looks back on this whenever.

“..And I don’t ever want us to stop loving each other, so, hopefully for the last time ever, will you marry me?”

He laughs breathlessly and takes the box, delicately undoing the ribbon. It’s a cupcake.

A tiny, perfect cupcake with frilly blue icing, a golden ring in the shape of the tiniest coiled snake in the world, embedded in the icing.

“Do you like it?” Patton asks hopefully.

Janus surges forward to kiss his fiancé for the very first time.

Once Virgil had finally grasped the concept he gasped and ran into the bathroom and blinked rapidly, watching the color of his left eye change.

A couple years later, Virgil noticed his dad would get embarrassed whenever someone brought up Virgil's left eye. He then noticed that other people talked about his eye as if it was abnormal.

Virgil didn't understand. People who had soulmates were usually seen as lucky and were celebrated. He couldn't understand what was wrong with him.

On the first day of school, his teacher gasped in surprise when she first saw Virgil blink. The other kids noticed her reaction, and as kids do as they see, followed in her footsteps and treated Virgil like he was a strange irregularity.

Very quickly Virgil himself grew embarrassed of his left eye. He felt guilty that he felt ashamed over his soulmates, but he couldn't help it. Every time someone noticed his eye color they all gave him the same weird stare. He couldn't stand being forced into the center of attention like that.

Starting in middle school, Virgil started to grow out his bangs to help hide his eyes more.

In high school, Virgil stopped interacting with people as much as to not risk more judgement.

He was an outcast, and all because the universe decided to give him four soulmates.

That's why Virgil so often found himself in the bathroom, watching his eye change color. It was reassuring to watch, knowing that there were actually four people out there that the world promised to him would love and accept him.

Their eyes were so beautiful. Virgil already loved them.

But as much as he yearned to meet his soulmates, he was scared. Virgil had persuaded himself that these four people were the most wonderful people in the world, and that he was nothing.

He couldn't help but think his four soulmates didn't deserve him. Streams of thoughts constantly played on loop through his head. What if they already met and were perfectly happy without him? What if when they meet him they decide they were better off without him? What if they didn't love him like he already loved them?

Virgil sighed before pulling his hair back over his forehead and going back into his bedroom. He fell onto his bed and stared at the ceiling.

What do his soulmates think of having four soulmates? What did they think whenever they saw his gray eye next to theirs?

Did they have to deal with as much judgement over multiple soulmates as he did?

Virgil was snapped out of his thoughts by his dad yelling at him. Virgil groaned before yelling back a response and dragging himself out of his bed.

*

College. The word made Virgil sick to his stomach. He pulled into the dorm parking lot and took out his car keys, but he didn't get out of the car.

He was here on an art scholarship, and he couldn't be more grateful, but the idea of college also scared the shit out of him. He took a shaky breath before opening the car door and dragging out his first bag.

As he walked into the dorm lobby, he kept an eye out for people with two eye colors. While he told himself not to get his hopes up, he couldn't help but watch for his possible soulmates.

He got his room key after an uncomfortable encounter with the dorm mom (why did she have to mention Virgil's eyes?) and starting lugging his suitcase up to the second floor.

His grip on his suitcase tightened as he thought about his new dorm mate. He prayed to god that his dorm mate wasn't a prick and that he wouldn't care that Virgil had four soulmates.

He unlocked the door and slowly opened it only to find his roommate hadn't arrived yet. He sighed in relief and dropped his suitcase on the nearest bed before turning around to go back and grab the last of his bags.

*

It was late afternoon and Virgil was in the middle of unpacking when he heard the lock on the doorknob turning. He turned around as the door opened to reveal his roommate. Virgil's eyes widened.

"Hi!" the boy exclaimed happily with a large grin on his face. Virgil almost died on the spot from the cuteness in front of him.

He was slightly shorter than Virgil, with curlier hair and freckles peppering his face, neck and shoulders. Virgil then looked at his eyes and his breath hitched.

His right eye was a light green and his left eye was a deep blue.

"It's so wonderful to meet you. I'm Patton!" he said happily as he came into the room and closed the door behind him. He hadn't noticed yet.

"I- I'm Virgil," he managed to stutter. This was the last thing he expected.

"Great to met ya, Virgil! I-" Patton turned to face more towards Virgil then stopped in his tracks and gasped. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Patton's face broke into a grin.

Virgil had to make sure.

Without a word Virgil went into the bathroom and stared at his left eye. Light brown. Blink. Blue. Blink. Dark brown.

It skipped green.

Virgil thought he was going to hyperventilate.

"Are you okay?" Virgil heard Patton ask in a soft voice. Without removing his gaze from the mirror, Virgil nodded slowly.

"I-" Virgil started before snapping his mouth shut. He had no idea what to say.

"Can... Can I hug you?" Patton asked. Virgil quickly turned his attention back towards Patton. He nodded.

Patton threw his arms around Virgil's shoulders and Virgil moved his arms around Patton's waist.

"I'm so happy to finally meet you," Patton whispered in Virgil's ear. Virgil shuddered.

"Me too."

*

Virgil helped Patton bring up the rest of his bags, and afterwards Patton was insistent on taking Virgil out for coffee. Virgil agreed, but his heart was racing in his chest as he walked toward the student union with Patton.

Once inside the union they talked about whatever random things they could think of. Virgil discovered that Patton was also an art major here on scholarship and lived in a town farther away than he did. His favorite color was yellow and he thought snickerdoodle cookies are the best things ever created.

"So, was your hometown small like mine?" Virgil asked. Patton nodded.

"Sorry if this is too personal, but... did you have a hard time growing up with four soulmates?"

This question had been burning in Virgil's mind for years, and now that one of his soulmates was in front of him he just had to ask.

"Did you?" was Patton's response. Virgil nodded. Patton smiled sadly.

"So did I," he admitted. "It was a very cookie-cutter conservative town. People must've thought there was something wrong with me. I could never make any close friends."

Patton just shrugged.

"But it's okay because now I have you," he said as he reached out and grabbed Virgil's hand.

Virgil felt the blush rise in his cheeks.

*

Patton and Virgil quickly discovered that both of them were touch-starved and craved attention, so they gave each other just that. Growing up so secluded and alone, such gentleness was almost foreign to them and they relished in the soft touches and tender glances they shared. They had a few more days until classes started and they spent almost the whole time together, either together in the dorm or exploring campus.

The two shared their first kiss the day they had met. They were sitting on the beanbag chair Patton had brought, Patton's legs over Virgil's lap as they talked and basked in each other's company. Their eyes met and for a moment the world was still. Virgil leaned forward slightly before hesitating, and Patton closed the gap.

The kiss was chaste and brief, as that was all the two could handle right now, but it was more than enough and smiles adorned the blushing faces of the two boys as Patton pulled himself closer to Virgil.

It had been three days since they both arrived on campus and classes were starting the next morning. Virgil found it too difficult to sleep, and after an hour of tossing and turning, Patton invited him to his own bed. As Virgil climbed out of his bed to Patton's, he thought that he would still be too nervous to sleep, but now for a different reason than classes. But once Patton's arms wrapped around Virgil and pulled him close to his chest, Virgil found he was able to sleep easily.

It had been only a couple of weeks since the two met, and they were sitting alone outside on a bench shrouded by bushes. It was growing darker, and the two knew they needed to head back to their dorm but neither could find the motivation to leave. Patton was humming something as Virgil had his head rested on Patton's shoulder.

"I'm so lucky," Patton whispered, interrupting his little song. Virgil looked up at him.

"Trust me, I'm the lucky one here," Virgil responded. Patton shook his head.

"You're so wonderful, Virgil. I-" Patton paused. "I... I think I'm falling in love with you."

The words were shaky, and Virgil could feel Patton tense up. He sat up so he could look at Patton, and frowned slightly as he saw Patton's terrified expression.

This was almost too fast for Virgil, but whenever he looked at Patton he felt this wave of emotion run over him, and he truly understood the power of soulbonds and just how lucky he was to be one of the few to have them.

"I'm falling in love with you, too."

*

"Virgil, honey, you gotta stop pressing snooze," Patton whispered. Patton just grunted and pulled himself closer to Patton. It was a few months into the school year and Virgil still wasn't used to waking up so early.

"I wanna stay with you," he mumbled into Patton's shirt. He heard Patton sigh, but he knew he was smiling.

"Do you promise to get up as soon as I get out of the shower?" Patton asked as he gently moved Virgil off his chest. Virgil nodded.

Before Patton could get out of bed, Virgil grabbed his arm and pulled him down so he could kiss him. Patton smiled and put his hands on Virgil's cheeks as he kissed back. Once apart, Patton smiled at Virgil with a look of such adoration that Virgil almost melted under the gaze. Patton blink, causing his eye to change from brown to blue. Virgil smiled and pulled Patton back to him, but Patton cut the kiss short.

"You're too good for me," Virgil sighed as he laid back down. He buried himself in more blankets to make up for the loss of warmth after Patton left.

Upon hearing that on Monday and Wednesdays Virgil had to get up earlier than him, Patton made it a habit to wake up early with Virgil even though he didn't have to. Virgil was incredibly grateful for that.

"I am not," Patton said as he grabbed a towel and closed the bathroom door.

*

Virgil held Patton's hand as they made their way to the cafeteria. They had grown used to the weird looks people gave them, since they were holding hands while their eyes were still two different colors. Most just assumed they were dating despite having soulmates, the thought of multiple soulmates never crossing their minds.

The air had that morning coolness to it and their shoes got slightly wet from the morning dew. The sun wasn't completely up so the light wasn't as bright as it made it's way through the tree branches. The early morning birds were still singing when Virgil opened the Union door for Patton. Even though Virgil hated waking up so early, he enjoyed the calm atmosphere of early mornings.

"How's your art project coming along?" Virgil asked as they sat down at their normal table by the window.

"Great!" Patton exclaimed as he opened his orange juice. How Patton could drink orange juice while eating waffles with syrup would always confuse Virgil.

"That's good to hear," Virgil said. "I'm struggling. Can't exactly figure out what I want to do next."

"Well, I can help you this afternoon," Patton offered as he drowned his waffles in syrup. Virgil couldn't help but snicker.

"What?"

"Nothing. And I'd appreciate that."

*

Virgil made it through college easier than he thought, and it was all because of Patton. Patton had been his rock, always supportive and always there to help Virgil.

Neither of them had any idea how hard summer would be.

They lived too far away from each other to see each other often. The two had grown used to having the other around, and they didn't look forward to going back to distant parents and lonely hometown.

"I'll call you, like, everyday. Unless you don't want me to and that would annoy you-"

"I'd love that," Virgil quickly reassured him. He tried to keep himself together as Patton was already on the verge of tears.

"Okay, well, we'll get together again as soon as possible, right?" Patton asked. His voice cracked at the end and it broke Virgil's heart.

"Yeah, of course."

Patton threw himself into Virgil's arms. Patton only let go so he could kiss Virgil, and Virgil kissed back, desperate. When they broke apart, Virgil saw that Patton had started crying, and that was the end for Virgil. A few tears escaped his eyes before he quickly wiped them away.

"I'll see you soon, babe. I promise," Virgil said before pulling Patton in for another quick kiss.

"See you soon," Patton said before they both walked away towards their cars.

*

That summer went by agonizingly slow. They were only able to see each other a couple of times. And Virgil couldn't believe he was saying this, but he couldn't wait for school to start back up.

They both requested to share a dorm again and were relieved when the college gave them the same room. They agreed to both get there as early in the morning as they could so they could see each other as soon as possible.

Virgil, as expected, got there sooner than Patton as he lived closer. He couldn't stop his hands from shaking as he unpacked and waited.

He heard the door unlock and he froze. The door quickly swung open and there was Patton.

He ran into the room and threw the door closed before jumping into Virgil's arms. His legs wrapped around Virgil's waist and Virgil held him as tightly as he could.

"Oh my god, I missed you," Virgil whispered. He heard Patton take a shaky breath and felt tears fall onto his neck.

"I missed you, too. I missed you I missed you I missed you," Patton whispered.

The phone calls and skype calls could never equate to seeing Patton in person, to being able to hold him and feel him.

Virgil put Patton down and smiled down at him before finally leaning to kiss him. It started off slow and gentle, before being replaced with a sense of urgency and eagerness. Patton's hands tangled themselves in Virgil's hair as he pulled him closer. Virgil's hands found themselves on Patton's back as he pushed their bodies together. Soft gasps escaped both of them as their bodies pressed together and the kiss became needier. Though they briefly discussed taking things further, they both agreed they would prefer to wait until the met the three others. So the two separated and placed their foreheads together. They breathed heavily for a moment before Patton smiled and started giggling. Virgil couldn't help but smirk back.

"I love you," Virgil said.

"I love you, too," Patton responded before pulling Virgil back into another kiss.

*

Their sophomore year went smoothly, and before they knew it, summer was back. This goodbye was easier, knowing what they were going into.

It was about a month into the summer and Virgil was just laying in bed, scrolling through Tumblr on his laptop. It was only a couple of days until Virgil could go drive up to see Patton and stay with him for a couple of weeks, and he was really excited.

Virgil heard his text notification go off and reached over for his phone.

Patton <3: Get on skype!!!

Virgil sat up straight and fixed his hair a bit before opening the app. As soon as the window loaded he got a video call request from Patton.

"Hey, babe," Virgil said, voice a bit raspy from lack of use throughout the day.

"Hey, honey!! I got really big news!"

"What's up!"

"Look at my eye!" Patton leaned in a bit closer and blinked. His left eye changed from the dark brown to the light brown. Patton blinked again and it went straight back to dark brown, skipping blue. Virgil gasped.

"You met them??"

"Yeah! Oh, Virgil, he's incredible. I can't wait for you to meet him on Saturday.

Virgil's heart rate increased.

"He asked me to go with him to a museum tomorrow and of course I wanted to say yes but then I told him that I had already met you and that I wanted to wait for you to come to town as you were coming in two days and oh, Virgil, you should've seen the look on his face at the idea getting to meet you so soon-"

"Slow down, babe," Virgil said. Patton took a deep breath.

"Anyways, you're going to love him. I-"

"Patton!" Virgil heard Patton's mother yell offscreen. Patton winced slightly before continuing.

"Sorry, I gotta go. I'll call you later tonight though, promise!"

"Yeah, okay."

"I love you, Virgil," Patton said softly.

"I love you, too, Pat."

Patton smiled and ended the call.

Virgil fell back against his pillow again.

Patton had met another one.

His mind immediately fell into a hole of self-doubt. What if Patton loved this new guy more than him? What if the new guy doesn't like him? What if Patton and his other soulmate like each other more than him? What if he doesn't have a place in this relationship anymore??

He took a deep breath and told himself to calm down. Patton loved him. From what he knew of soulbonds from his time with Patton, he knew he should be able to click with his other soulmate immediately.

"It's one of my favourites too!" Patton had said that, grinning up at him as he handed him a slice. He can just barely see the sparkly gel icing, the words 'Happy Birthday Janus!' in looping script having been dispersed between the other sides as they are their own slices. Janus decidedly ignored the heat that rose even in the reptilian half of his face.

He can tell that some of them didn't exactly trust him yet. Janus can feel Virgil's stare on him like a physical presence as he chatted up with Patton, and Roman's sword is sits sheathed on the prince's hip even long after his daily romp in the imagination. Though Patton, the one Janus expected to have the most trouble with, has an easy smile on his face and a light giggle as Janus makes a sarcastic quip.

It's a relief, but Janus can't help but feel like it's all a strange dream. He's been having a lot of dreams about that smile. He doesn't want to think about what that means.

Slowly but surely, the sides disperse out to their rooms. Remus drags his brother back into the imagination for a round of sparring. Virgil follows Logan into his study, idly chatting about playing another round of chess. That left Janus and Patton still sat on the couch, talking and laughing between bites of cake.

"I must say, Patton," Janus says, "This is.. more than I expected to recieve today."

Patton's giggles taper off; he can always tell when someone was lying, and Janus is strangely honest with that statement. He looks down and fiddles with the sleeves of his cat hoodie, for once worn normally to ward off the slight winter chill.

"Of course, kiddo. I know I've been more pooper and less party with your birthdays since we got older." Patton smiles a little sadly, putting a hand on Janus's. Even through the barrier of sleeves and gloves, Janus still barely suppresses a shiver at the warmth. "And I'm really sorry. Everyone deserves a good shindig for their big day. Especially you."

Janus pauses halfway into a bite of cake and looks at Patton, searching his expression. All he gets back is honesty and sincerity. He swallows.

"I.. that means a lot, Patton. Truly." He doesn't know what else to say, and it takes him a good few moment to find his voice. "I don't doubt that we will be at odds again in the future. Although, I hope it will be without the animosity."

Patton holds his hands up, fingers curled like claws. "Well, I'm a cat and you're a snake. Those are animals, eh?"

Janus blinks for a moment, then groans long and loud as it hits and Patton cackles with self-satisfied glee. "That was good! I got you, huh?"

"Oh yes, you got me," Janus chuckles, "Devestated. The effects of your wordplay are truly catastrophic."

Patton's eyes light up. "...Cat-astrophic, you say?"

Janus gasps and holds a hand to his chest in shock. "Oh dear. It's contagious."

They both break out into easy laughter. By the end, their faces are flushed and even as the silence relapses, it is comfortable.

"I really do mean it, Patton," Janus whispers, "Thank you."

Patton smiles back, his face flushed brighter red. "You have icing on your face."

Janus blinks and sets his plate down trying to wipe it away. Patton shakes his head and reaches his hand out.

"Let me get it."

Patton's hand is warm against the scales on his face, and the gentle touch of his lips against the corner of Janus's mouth even more so. Janus swallows a strangled noise as Patton flicks the tip of his tongue out, just for a light swipe, before pulling away.

"Lemon's one of my favourites," Patton says with a smile, and Janus's face mirrors the dark flush on Patton's. "Happy birthday."

There's a slight breeze as Patton leaves for his room, leaving behind a lingering warmth and the taste of lemon. Janus sits quietly for a long moment, one hand rising up to touch the corner of his lip. It twitches up in a smile.