the night of june 2nd // sanders sides ✔

33 : a morning in the hospital

When Remy visited Patton the next morning, he had a bandage wrapped around his thigh.

"Good morning, Remy," Patton said, still sitting in the hospital bed. "I can't really walk yet, so..."

"That's okay." Remy bit his nails. "Just don't die on me or some shit." He tried to laugh.

Patton fanned his hot face with his hands. "Gosh, it hurts so bad. I can still feel it even though they took out the bullet. I really thought I was going to die if you hadn't come to the rescue. That's kind of a trend now? Maybe the universe is doing that on purpose."

Even though Patton reminded Remy of his brother, he didn't feel the same way towards Patton as he did towards his brother.

At all.

"Is there something on my face?" Patton asked quietly.

"No, nothing." He reached for Patton's hand and held it loosely. "Do you know who did it?"

"Do I know who shot me?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm asking."

The injured one squeezed his hand and thought for a moment. "I remember- I remember it was Remus, but I don't think he meant to shoot me. I tried to grab the gun from him, and then he shot me while we were both pulling it."

"What were you doing out that late anyway?"

"I was going to CVS to get Virgil some ice cream. He wasn't feeling great. And I saw someone standing in the graveyard with a gun and it looked like he was pointing it at himself so I just ran as fast as I could to stop him, and when I was close enough I realized it was Remus. When I tried to grab the gun, I pointed it at myself because I'd rather he accidentally shoot me than shoot himself. And when I got shot, he just froze for a second and started running."

Remy could tell how shaken up Patton was by the whole ordeal.

"I don't wanna die," he continued, his voice small now.

"You aren't going to die."

"For forever, I wanted to die. Now I don't. It's weird how I didn't realize how much I don't want to die until I get shot in the leg and start to bleed out so much I pass out."

"I love that about you," Remy whispered.

Patton didn't hear him. "Hm? What did you say?"

"I like that about you. You went out late to get ice cream for your friend who wasn't feeling well and then got yourself shot for someone who you didn't know who it was at the time, and when you were bleeding out, the first thing you wanted was for Virgil to be okay. You're... You're really great." He took his sunglasses off. His stomach did flips.

"You too."

If Remy didn't know Patton's feelings towards Logan, he would have kissed him right there.

Before the silence lasted too long, a text from Declan saved him.

"Really sorry. Seymour wants to meet with me for 'something important', he said. I'll have to leave for a while. Feel better, babes." He ruffled Patton's hair.

"Bye, Remy." Patton grinned. "Thanks for visiting."

"Anytime."

And when Remy did go meet with Declan, he was astonished at what he wanted to meet for.

"Only Patton's fingerprints were found on that gun. How are you supposed to know that he didn't just shoot himself in the leg to seem innocent?"

"Nobody would shoot themselves in their own leg! That's bullshit. Plus, Remus could have been wearing gloves!"

Declan groaned. "You're just in denial. Everyone knows that you're catching feelings for Patton. Just forget about those feelings and face the facts. It wasn't the same gun used to kill Roman, because that's locked in the meeting room, but most gun owners don't just have one."

Remy gritted his teeth, but what Declan said was true.

"So maybe it's a possibility. So what? Remus shooting Patton is also a possibility. Before I went to the hospital, Virgil confirmed the reason Patton went out. And how is it more likely that Patton killed Roman than Remus killing him? Plus, when Virgil accused Logan, we just forgot about him too!"

Declan huffed. "This is the most annoying homicide case I've ever had to go through. Snap out of it, Foster! Forget about all your feelings towards any of these people and try to act like a detective. Everything you're saying could be true, but we need unbiased answers. And if Patton's proven to be the killer, what are you going to do then?"

"Nothing." He shook his head. "Nothing, because it's not him. No crazy person shoots himself in the leg for that effect. How about we confront Remus? Huh?"

"Of course. Joan's asking him questions already. I'm not stupid, Remy. Look, I know Patton reminds you of Emile-"

"Don't talk to me about Emile!" Remy growled.

"Fos-"

"Foster! You're stupid! Foster! Stop caring! Oh, Foster! Forget about Emile already, he's been dead for nearly a decade!" he exclaimed in a mocking tone.

"Calm down!"

"I need air." He walked out. "I'll be back later."