(TW: MENTION OF EATING DISORDER)
The four were walking back to their car after having spent 6 hours at a fair. Patton and Virgil walked side by side with Logan and Roman some ways in front of them, debating something or other.
Virgil suddenly spoke, "I like how you didn't notice that I didn't eat anything." He snickered, but there was no happiness behind it. Patton looked at him, eyes wide. "What?! I thought you ate that grilled cheese we got you?"
"I threw it away, remember?" Virgil replied.
"You need to eat Virgil!" Patton yelled, drawing the attention of the two out front.
Logan and Roman slowed down and matched paces walking beside the arguing pair. "What's happening? What debacle am I not apart of?" Roman asked, feigning being offended.
"Virgil hasn't eaten anything today!" Patton whined.
"That's not true! He had a large coffee, a cider slush, and a grilled cheese!" Roman argued.
"He threw the grilled cheese away!"
Logan decided to step in, "Virgil, you can't sustain yourself on liquids. Your body needs food. If you keep depriving your body of food you could end up in the hospital."
"I know." Was all Virgil said.
They slowly started to realize that one of them hadn't said anything in a while. Logan took one look at Patton and knew exactly what was happening, he was giving Virgil the silent treatment. Roman seemed to recognize it as well as he looked at Virgil with pity. Logan slowed his pace as well as Roman, letting the two work it out.
Virgil let his anxiety rise as he realized that the others were now behind them. He looked at Patton, what he saw sent a chill down his spine. He was void of all emotion. If he was feeling something he didn't feel like showing it. It scared Virgil to see Patton so... Emotionless. It didn't look right.
"Patton?" Virgil waited, no response. "C'mon... I'm fine. I've been doing this for five years I know what I'm doing." He looked at Patton and watched as he started to scowl. "Patton... Please? Say something. You know I hate this." He started to whine.
Patton felt bad about doing this to his anxious boyfriend but he knew it was necessary to get through to him. He continued to listen to Virgil plead for him to say something, anything. Then Virgil started to degrade himself, which he knew Patton hated. He listened as he called himself horrible things.
"I know I'm a horrible person Pat. I know that I don't deserve anything I'm given. I'm selfish and an asshole." Virgil insulted.
If anyone other than Virgil were to look at Patton right now, they'd see his eyes and see how much sadness he was holding back. He knew that Virgil hated when he did this, but he felt that this was necessary. Virgil paused, "It's okay if you hate me. I hate me too." Then he slowed down so that he was walking a ways behind him. When Virgil wasn't able to see his face anymore, Patton's facade broke, the tear-gates opened and a waterfall cascaded down his face.
It hurt him so much knowing that Virgil was doing this to himself, and for so long... It hurt knowing that they couldn't do anything. This was an issue that they could only do so much to help their friend. But Patton knew that they couldn't help unless Virgil wanted to get better... did Virgil want to get better?
A small voice spoke from behind Patton, "If I try to get better, will you speak to me?" it was Virgil.
Patton gave a broken laugh and started to walk beside Virgil, "Yeah, that'd be great kiddo." Patton smiled and wiped at his tears. Another five minutes went by before they reached Patton's 'Mom Van' as Virgil called it. Patton hopped in the driver's seat, Logan in the passenger's, Virgil and Roman out back.
Patton listened to the click of seatbelts as he put his own on and started the car. "Can we stop at McDonald's on the way back?" Virgil asked.
Patton smiled fondly, "Of course kiddo."
