Sanders Sides One Shots

Loved More When Broken

I made this video above (only 7 seconds long) that describes this fic a bit, and my inspiration for it, and the reason behind the title.

You don't have to watch it if you don't want I guess.

...

Patton hated the Moving On videos.

Don't get him wrong, he does appreciate that he was able to be real with Thomas and the other Sides for once. The video ended with them understanding that he wasn't just... "happy pappy Patton", like he claimed.

He wasn't just happy emotions, but all emotions. Deep emotions.

For the longest time, he wished the others knew that. He wished the fans would know that. He's glad that they know now, but he hates that it had to come to this.

It had to come to him nearly having a breakdown, bringing Virgil down with him as well. His arrogance made Roman stressed and Logan annoyed. He was keeping Thomas from... well, moving on. Patton felt like he was holding everyone back.

Why can't things ever be solved in a reasonable manner?

Like Riley from the movie Inside Out, where Sadness was only accepted when something as significant as a child running away from home happens, why do bad things create good things? Why can't good things be created from good things?

Patton knew that before the Moving On videos, he was... a bit more than unaccepted. The obvious overshadow of his feelings was Virgil, the clearly-uncomfortable member in their party, who felt like he didn't belong.

As far as Patton could tell, after Virgil became more accepted by the group, Patton's own segregating feelings came to the forefront of his mind. He always focused on others more than himself.

It felt uncomfortable having everyone's eyes on him, everyone talking about him and how he felt bad. How he was feeling as if... it mattered to them.

Maybe that's how Virgil had felt.

Wow was it exhausting.

If Patton did have to admit, he was glad that his true feelings were revealed. He felt more love and attention from the fans, and they all seemed to love him more because of his faults. It's actually a reassuring thought that he's loved with or without them.

Before Moving On, he just felt like... like a comic relief character. Like someone that only made jokes to ease up from the angst or tension. He didn't like that, but he's never told anyone how he felt before, so why should he now?

Patton didn't like that his role had just become silly puns. He enjoyed them, sure, but he wasn't all "silliness". That wasn't all there was to him.

It seems it takes him being broken for people to really see what's on the inside.

"Hello, Patton."

Patton looks up from his spot at the dining room table, having his second cookie as his thoughts swirl around his head like a dark cloud. "Oh, hey Logan."

"I just wanted to make sure you were alright." Logan straightens his glasses, standing tall and proud as he always did, but his expression was more caring than usual.

Smiling, Patton nods. Okay, so maybe Patton didn't hate the Moving On videos.

...

Logan to the rescue!

Okay, I feel like I wrote this really late, but I write so little Patton-angst, and I just had this idea, so. I am working on a long (about 45 seconds) edit for Patton, though.

I honestly dislike comic relief characters (as defined in this fic). Like, Cosmo in Fairly Odd Parents. Sheen in Jimmy Neutron. Dory (sorta) from Finding Nemo/Dory. Etc. I've just never liked them because they seem too childish and immature, and lack depth to their character.

Patton, I think, is the first character that I have characterized to be a comic relieved character, that has ACTUALLY gotten depth. Patton actually has deep emotion (well, no duh), and he isn't just silly "happy pappy Patton". This self-awareness that I gave Patton in this fic was also inspired by this thing I found: