"How long do you think someone can last without water? Actually, scratch that. How long do you think a side could last?" Patton slowly looked up from where his has had been hanging for the last three days, arms aching from where they were pulled back behind him in chains, body falling apart as the hours passed.
Patton went to say something before giving up spending precious energy, letting his head flop back down as Remus continued to talk.
"I have no idea why I even asked that, I already knew the answer! Woops!" Remus looked down to Patton, "oh, cheer up, Patty! You aren't even listening to me!" Remus crouched down, grabbing Patton by the hair, Patton yelping as his head was yanked up.
"Please..." Patton begged, voice barely above a whisper, "let me go." Patton could barely rasp the words out before letting his eyes flutter shut.
"Ah ah ah! No falling asleep on me, Pat!" Remus gave him a light slap, Patton's eyes snapping open for a second, "and haven't I already told you? You're my sweet, precious leverage. How else will the lights listen to me?" Remus giggled, walking over to a small table Patton thought he could reach if his chains were just a little longer.
Remus crouched down to reveal a full bottle of chilled water and a plain looking sandwich, two peices of buttered bread lazily stuck together.
Patton immediately perked up, lifting his head up more as he felt hunger gnaw at his stomach more than it had in the past couple hours.
"I knew that'd get your attention." Remus grinned, dangling the food infront of Patton's face like he was some deranged animal. He certainly felt like one.
"What do I have to do for it?" Patton asked quietly, eyes almost shutting from exhaustion.
Remus' grin widened, "just answer a few questions for me, that's all." Patton couldn't ignore the dread that remained in his stomach as Remus spoke.
"Go ahead." Patton said, voice void of emotion as he struggled to keep himself awake, the thought of food being his only motivator.
"What's your guys' big plan?" Remus questioned, as if they were exchanging fun-filled secrets to eachother.
"What?" Patton croaked out, lifting his head up to meet the disturbing eyes that belonged to Remus, "we don't have some 'big plan'."
Remus narrowed his eyes, still a playful grin on his face, "I don't believe you! Surely you've got some big boss plan to make Tommy the best person he can be. That's all you ever want, isn't it?" Remus didn't miss the way Patton faltered at his comment.
"I just want what's best for him." Patton admitted in a shaky voice, uncaring of showing how weak he was infront of Remus as he let a few stray tears slip down his face.
"Oh, come on! This wasn't meant to be so emotional!" Remus exclaimed, leaning back for a second, "Okay, next question. Do you think we should really be split into lights and darks? Cause if it were up to me, I'd make you all live in our shithole of a home!"
Patton sighed, "I don't know. Yes? Maybe? It's just sort of how it's always been, I just don't question it." Patton said, wincing as he felt a particular painful pang of hunger, "is that it?" Patton let his eyes slip closed as he tried to ignore the pain attacking his insides.
"Hm," he thought, putting a comical finger on his chin, "one more! What do you think the best way for Thomathy to accept me would be?" Remus asked, leaning in far to close to Patton.
"Getting him to not hate you would be a good start." Patton mumbled, expecting some sort of reaction, only to receive nothing of the sort, "not being as scary. Make sure he's comfortable around you before you do anything weird, I guess." Patton shrugged, letting his body weight sag against his chains, knees aching as they tried to keep him upright.
"Ha! Thought of that already, Pat! It's just not in my nature, you know? I'm exciting, someone to spice up Thomas' boring life!" Remus laughed.
"Well I hate to say it, but I'm fresh out of ideas. Maybe your brother's the one to go to." Patton let his eyes fall to the floor again, groaning from pain that was adamant to stick around.
"Good idea! Probably about time I paid him a visit." Remus grabbed the bread off the ground, holding it up to Patton's mouth, "eat up. A full, nutritious meal."
Patton quickly took a bite, too exhausted to be humiliated by the man who put him here feeding him like a hungry pet, eating the rest of the makeshift sandwich sooner than he would've liked.
After downing half the water, Remus took the bottle back, pulling a key out of his pocket, "I feel nice, but if I come back and see you've done something bad, you don't wanna see how quickly mood can change, 'kay?" Remus grabbed Patton's left wrist, unlocking the cuffs, watching as Patton's arm flopped to the ground, Patton gently holding his arm in his lap.
"Thank you." Patton quickly said, wary of Remus' sudden kindness, cautious of the possibility of all this backfiring on him.
"It's the least I can do. Besides, you'll be here for awhile while I make some... arrangements." Remus giggled, walking to the door, waving back at Patton, "expect to see a certain someone later on!" Patton felt his heart skip a beat, going to call out Remus' name, seconds too late as the metal door slammed infront of him.
Patton's gut twisted at the thought of another person being down here. Surely they'd know Patton's gone by now, right? Its not like they'd fall for something like one of Remus' tricks.
Then again, they'd never been the most cautious. Especially not Roman.
Patton felt his breath start to quicken, tears pooling in his eyes, the familair feeling of panic clutching his chest as his breathing quickened.
They were going to take him. Roman wasn't safe, he has to get out, he has to warn the others-
Patton couldn't even finish his worrying thoughts before exhaustion overtook him, body going limp as his eyes closed, slumping to the ground like the strings holding him up were suddenly let go.
Upstairs, Janus felt a sudden wave of fatigue, "hold on, kiddos, I'll be right back!" Janus said as he adjusted Patton's cardigan, sinking down to his true room, dropping the disguise he had to so dreadfully adapt during Patton's sudden dissapearance.
Not that the lights had to know, of course.
The true Patton was in a peaceful slumber for the time being, oblivious to what he'd wake to, whenever that was.
The lights will know what it feels like to live in the shadows when Remus and him were done with them. They'd show them how privileged they are, how grateful they should be for what they have.
Because sooner than they know it, they'll miss the chance to say goodbye to the lives they'll never see again.
——————
