Pâton & Patton (Logicality)

Chapter 2

About twenty minutes after The Janus Incident™, the bell on the door rang to signal an entrance to the store. Patton whirled around, furious that he had come back.

"FOR THE LAST TIME, WE ARE CLO-"

Roman and Virgil stood in the doorway, shocked at Patton's outburst. Patton blushed and smiled at them.

"I thought we were allowed here, I'm pretty sure we're related," teased Roman.

"Sorry, I thought you guys were someone else." Patton apologized.

Virgil looked a little on edge, so Roman held his hand protectively. Virgil muttered something about not needing his hand held, but Roman smiled and ignored him. Virgil smiled a bit and kissed Roman's cheek.

"So who came here?" Virgil piped up. "You sounded pretty frustrated."

"Oh, it was nothing." Patton smiled and tried to throw off Virgil's suspicion (unsuccessfully). Virgil narrowed his eyes, and opened his mouth to press the issue, but Roman shook his head at him to stop him. Roman had experience with Patton's emotions and didn't want Virgil to cause a problem, for all of their sakes.

Patton grabbed a loaf of bread for Roman and Virgil, who lived in an apartment together, next door to Patton and Remy's.

They walked up the backstairs into the two apartments. Patton forced Roman to take the bread and went into his apartment. Remy was lying on the couch watching TV, probably Steven Universe.

"Hey, Patton. Have you heard-"

"Janus' back in town. I know, he came to the shop."

Remy frowned in sympathy. He sat up and turned the TV off, and the cheerful music stopped. Patton sat down next to him.

"Emile told me. We went out to lunch, and he had to leave earlier than usual. I asked why, and he said he had a new person in the office. I asked who, because of course I did, and he said Janus Ethos. I was shook, because Emile knew how terrible he was to you, and he still wanted to be his therapist. But you know Emile, so kind. He just said he wanted to help him and then he had to go."

Patton remembered long sessions with Remy's boyfriend, crying over the breakup. That was how he met Emile. Emile was so sweet and had a childish heart. They dated for a while, but had a mutual breakup. Emile didn't want to date Patton so soon after Patton's breakup with Janus. Patton, although he loved Emile, it was brotherly love. Then, Emile got a new client: Remy. Remy had insomnia due to night terrors. Emile didn't know how to help Remy, until they fell in love. Now Remy has much less terrifying visions and is constantly with his boyfriend.

Patton stood up, and went down the short hallway to his room.

"You can talk to Emile again if you need to, honey!" Remy shouted from the other room. But Patton didn't want to go back to therapy. But he did need to talk to Emile about Janus.

He dialed Emile's phone number.

"Hey, Pat! I just finished with a client, so what's up?" Patton could hear Emile's smile that came with helping people through the phone.

"I heard that Janus came back in town. Remy said he was with you?"

The phone was silent for a minute as Emile deliberated how to say something to Patton. Patton laughed nervously.

"Uh, sweetie, you know I can't give out information on clients. But what I can tell you is that he'll be here again next week at 2:00. Maybe you could see him before. You still have his number, right?"

"...yes."

"If you need to, although I heavily advise against this, I know he didn't change it, so you could try calling him. Or a text, if that feels safer to you. Remember, I still have openings if you need anything. You know Virgil Anx? He comes here now."

"I think I'm good, Emile. But thank you so much."

Patton hung up and went into the small kitchen in the apartment. He grabbed the bread he brought from his bakery and some pasta. He poured the sauce into a pot to heat it up. Remy looked over when he heard Patton open a bottle of wine.

"Uh...Patton? Sad Day Pasta and wine? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Silly Remy, I'm putting it in the sauce."

Remy walked over, took the wine, and poured himself a glass. He handed it back to Patton and Patton put a quarter of the bottle into the sauce, which was more than needed, but what the heck? He had had a not-so-good day.

Patton put his AirPods in (that Roman got him as a joke) and played his "cookin' with pat" playlist that Virgil made for him. The first song that came on was Human by dodie. He hummed along under his breath as he cooked. He put it out on a table set for four, and texted Roman.

                                                                                                                                                                                      Me

                                                                                                                          Hey! Come on over, I made dinner.

Roman 👑

K, b there w/ Virge in a sec

                                                                                                                                                                                    Me

                                                                                                                                                                        Cya then!

Patton grabbed a glass of water and then sat down with Remy next to him. The door opened with a loud creak.

"Hellooo!! Welcome to the noblest Roman of them all!"

"And Virgil too."

Roman walked into the kitchen, and Patton noticed he was carrying Virgil. Virgil saw Patton looking at him and waved.

"I bet Roman he couldn't carry me here. Now I owe him a-"

Roman cut him off with a kiss on the mouth.

"He owed me a kiss. I got my kiss. Thanks for inviting us! Your pasta is the frigging best."

Remy smirked and said, "He put a whole bottle of wine in the sauce."

"A wild night is now preordained," sang Roman, quoting Rent.

"Actually, it was a quarter of a bottle, so I think it will be pretty normal," defended Patton, with a smile.

They started eating, and it got pretty quiet. Remy looked up and broke the silence.

"Hey, did you know that Ja-"

Patton looked him right in the eyes and shook his head. Remy stuffed a forkful of pasta into his mouth and smiled. Roman looked at Remy suspiciously.

"Are you guys seriously not gonna tell us what's going on? Come on. I'm your brother, Patton. Pleeeeease?"

Patton shook his head and took a sip of water. Roman looked concerned, and stood up.

"Do you even have any booze, Patton?"