Sanders Sides One Shots

Leap Year

Platonic Logicality.

...

"Happy birthday, Patton!" Roman yelled when he walked into the room.

Patton looked surprised as the others threw confetti in the air. "Oh my gosh, thank you guys!"

He gave all of them a big hug, one that Roman gladly reciprocated, and Virgil and Logan merely tolerated. Patton understood that, though.

It became aware to Patton that the others had decorated and even baked him a cake. Roman seemed to be the one in charge of setting up for the party, considering he was the one leading them through the two games planned; a piñata and pin the tail on the dog.

They had fun and listened to music while eating red velvet cake. It was a delicious cake, which is the only reason that Patton knew Logan had made it. The others couldn't cook.

His smile made everyone believe that he was happy and enjoyed the party, but his smile had been known to be deceiving before. There was only one thing wrong with the birthday party.

It was March 1st. His birthday wasn't on March 1st.

The banner hanging up on the wall was a reminder of that. Happy 7th Birthday!!!

Patton knew it was just a joke, and that Roman had only dug up the sign from wherever it had been stored after last year, but it still upset him.

He was born on Leap Year.

Oftentimes, the other Sides would throw him a birthday on March 1st, seeing as there was no February 29th most years. This made Patton feel fake, because it wasn't his birthday because it wasn't his actual birthdate. It made him feel like he didn't deserve a birthday.

As the eldest Side, Patton would try and act the most mature. Once he remembers that he's only technically had a few birthdays, he feels like he doesn't deserve the right as being the oldest.

Which is why he's taken to acting childish, since it seemed like the universe was trying to tell him he was only a child.

The simple fact of his actual date of birth has gotten him down many times, such as right now.

After they had broken the piñata and pinned several tails on the dog, the Sides all dispersed. Roman had suggested they watch a movie together, but when Virgil tried not to act disinterested, Patton took the opportunity to say "it's alright. You guys have done enough for me today."

Roman had laughed it off, starting up a movie anyway, but not expecting anyone to sit with him. He wouldn't have known that Patton's words about "today" were of guilt, feeling like a burden and undeserving.

The rest of the evening, Patton stayed in his room. He didn't leave to cook dinner since Roman had convinced them all to accept the cake as dinner, and the others had agreed.

"Just because it's Patton's birthday," Logan had mentioned. "Otherwise, it is a really unhealthy thing to do."

That made Patton feel worse, knowing that the others, especially Logan, were changing their routine because of him. Treating today as if Patton deserved anything.

A knock sounded at his bedroom door. Patton looked up in surprise, not because he didn't think anyone would notice his absence for the rest of the day, but because it was Logan walking in with another piece of cake.

"Here." Logan reached out the plate to him, watching Patton watch him with big eyes the whole time. "I figured you'd want another piece of cake, considering it is your cake."

His heart sank hearing that. He didn't deserve his own cake. "No thanks."

"I'll share it with you if you want." Logan sat down next to where Patton was stretched out on the bed. He looked at Patton, waiting for him to agree.

"That's alright." Patton smiled and made no move to go anywhere near the cake. "You can have it."

Logan frowned. "Patton, you love cake, almost as much as you love cookies."

Shrugging, Patton just leaned down into his pillows and looked away from Logan. He couldn't tell a lie, albeit only a half-lie, right to Logan's face. "I just don't feel good."

He watched Patton avoid his eye contact and sink into his pillows as if trying to escape from his problems. Logan was more observant than Patton thought, noticing how he didn't give full effort in the games and how he would look forlorn when he thought no one was looking.

"Patton?"

He rolled his head over to look at Logan setting the piece of cake down on his bedside table. "Hmm?"

"Why do you not like your birthday?"

The question struck him. Patton's eyes flitted away from Logan, not wanting to watch him as he succumbed to his deepest and darkest thoughts. He didn't know how to explain that he didn't deserve something as fundamental as a birthday without worrying Logan.

"I... It's just..." Patton stumbled to make a full sentence, not wanting Logan's worry or pity. "I don't-"

"Don't like that your birthday is on a Leap Year?" Logan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"How did you know?"

Logan shrugged. "I figured as much. Especially how you always seem to linger when you look at the birthday banner, saying you're only seven."

Patton fiddled with his cardigan sleeves, undoing the knot and then redoing it. "I just... wish I could have a normal birthdate. One where I feel like... I'm not cheating, and having it on a different day."

"Patton." Logan slid to sit more on the bed, sitting crisscross applesauce next to him. "There are loads of awful birthdates out there. Imagine having a birthday on Christmas; you could hate that the holiday takes focus instead of your date of birth, but you could like getting twice as many celebrations on one day."

When Patton didn't answer, actually considering it, Logan continued. "Or New Years; you could hate that everyone is celebrating something else, or you could love feeling like all the fireworks are for you."

He continued to go on about all different kinds of different birthdates that could be seen as awful, such as sharing a birthdate with a twin. Patton reached a hand out and put it on Logan's knee. "I get it."

"So..." Logan started as Patton pulled his hand away. "What is so bad about having a birthday on Leap Year that doesn't warrant any good things from it?"

Patton gathered his thoughts, lowering his eyes sadly. "It's just that... I feel like I don't deserve a birthday every year, since it's only every four years. And that, although I was born first, I don't deserve it because you all have passed me in age."

Sitting in silence to absorb the information, Logan nods. "Just because a year might not have your actual birthdate in it, you are still basically the same age as all of us. You have been alive for 28 years, so that makes you 28 years old."

"I..." Patton hmm'd. "I hadn't really thought of it that way before."

Logan nodded and gave Patton a half-smile, hopeful that Patton felt better. Patton removed his hands from his cardigan and leaned forward, giving Logan a hug. He couldn't help but notice through his tears that Logan accepted and even returned his hug whole-heartedly. "Thanks, Logan."

...

I don't have a Leap Year birthday, so I don't know what it's like. I only had a teacher once in middle school that was born on Leap Year, and I know that the students literally made fun of him, calling him a seven year old, and all that.

And yeah, I know Leap Year was in 1988 and 1992, whereas Thomas was born in 1989 but just... shhh. Pretend.