The Golden Rule || Sanders Sides AU

Selfish

Wuh Oh! Here I come again with some more ANGST!! LA TEE DAAAA!!! I'm really happy today because yesterday I finished the first draft of my novel?!? We'll see how this pans out but I'm excited to edit and then try and publish. idk, I'm new to this but we'll see!

Warnings: mentions of kidnapping, blood, violence. Not caring about oneself, intrusive thoughts, all that jazz.

Enjoy!

Patton didn't remember much of what happened after he got back. The initial shock and reuniting, yeah, but after that, it was all a blur. He was sure he fell asleep at one point, but that wasn't clear either. He'd never been a heavy sleeper anyway. He did know that police came and then D was gone, and that at some point the blood-stained jacket was taken from around his shoulders. Where to, he wasn't sure.

While he was asleep - the part he didn't remember at all - someone cleaned the wound on his head and bandaged it. Also, which was a little embarrassing, someone had changed him out of his wet clothes into the cozy cat onesie he'd received a few Christmases prior from his sister. He didn't feel like dwelling on that as he regained consciousness, though. He was more worried about the others.

What had D done in his place? How had they even found out he was an imposter? Questions rushed through Patton's mind as he thought about opening his eyes. Were they injured at all? What had happened?

"Patt, you waking up?" he hadn't realized someone was right next to him. He opened his eyes, finding himself on the couch with Virgil sitting beside him, headphones on.

"Virgil!" he tried to sit up, but Virgil shook his head, pressing him back into the couch cushions.

"Patt, you need to rest." He said softly.

"Virge..." Patton didn't try to fight, but he was still worried. "Virgil are you okay?" Virgil stared at him blankly.

"What?" his voice came out hoarse and Patton bit his lip. "Patt... did you really just ask if I was okay... again?"

"Is he awake!?" Roman's voice was loud, just like always.

"Virge, come on!" Patton begged. "I just.. I need to make sure....!"

"What?" Virgil asked. "Make what sure?"

"That you're okay!" Patton said irritably, staring at the ceiling. "I... he was going to hurt you guys or something, and-"

"Patt, he hurt you more than he could have possibly hurt any of us in that time," Virgil stated. "Logan found out what he was doing long before he tried anything, we were just worried about you."

"About me," Patton repeated, turning the idea over in his mind. He knew, of course, that they'd been mad at D for posing as him. That much was clear from what he'd seen when he got home. But actually worried... he couldn't quite understand.

"Well, yeah about you," Virgil said, shifting uncomfortably. "You've helped us all so much, and-"

"Patton!" Roman appeared from behind the couch. "I'm so glad you're awake!"

"Me too, I guess..." Patton said, sitting up despite Virgil's best efforts. He was getting a headache again.

"Here, these were in your room!" Roman pushed a pair of glasses into Patton's hand, the extra pair he kept for emergencies. Patton slipped them on and got a better look at his friends. Roman seemed frazzled, and he had a large bruise along one cheekbone. Patton's eyes widened.

"Roman, what happened?!" he demanded, trying to get to his feet.

"Stop!" Virgil said, holding him onto the couch. "Patt, please! We're all fine!"