~ Wings ~ Sanders Sides ~

~ Chapter Seven ~ Patton ~

I yawn and open my eyes to the sight of Virgil laying beside me, eyes closed and a soft smile on his lips. I let out a soft smile of my own and get up.

As I get ready, I catch sight of my wrists, which are scarred. I sigh. They wouldn't care if they saw! the voice says. You're just useless!

"No," I whisper, holding resolve in my voice. "They love me, I know they do."

It's just an act, Morality~!

"No. They are my kiddos. They would never lie to me!"

Oh, come, now. Lying isn't your job.

I pinch the heel of my hand, wincing. It makes the voice go away, though, which is what I need.

I'm about to step outside my room, but pause. With a sigh, I take my cat hoodie off from around my shoulders and put it on properly. I tug the hood up and resume my previous plan.

"Morning, Pat!" Roman calls when I get downstairs. He's sitting on the couch, wings tucked in but still visible.

"Heya, kiddo!" I reply with false enthusiasm, then glance around. "Where are Logan and Hailey?"

"No idea. Where's Virgil? He didn't come back downstairs after checking on you last night."

"Oh, yea, he fell asleep," I tell him with a nervous chuckle. "Anyways, I'm gonna get started on breakfast." With that, I skip into the kitchen and get out my ingredients.

As I'm whisking together the batter, I hear Logan saying, "... supposed to be beneficial?"

Hailey's voice quickly follows. "Because he's always showing us how much he loves us, so we should return the favor!"

"I said beneficial, not obligatory," Logan states as I see him coming down the stairs, Hailey right behind him.

"So?" Hailey replies as they round the corner. "Sometimes people do things just because they want to do them. Kinda like you with all those research papers you do on random things."

"Falsehood." Lo adjusts his glasses. "Those papers are for the purpose of garnering information so that I do not give incorrect information."

"Don't worry, Lo," I chime in. "Those instances are infinitesimal."

"Patton, that was one time!" I laugh at Logan's outburst, setting down the mixing bowl.

"I'm sorry, Logie, but I just love your reaction!"

"Pat's got a point," Hailey says from the table. "Bringing up your mistakes is the quickest way to get a rise out of you."

"You cannot 'get a rise' out of me. I do not have emotions."

"Actually, remember when we were puppets and you threw one of your vocab cards at me and it hit my eye?" Roman says from the couch, turning to face us. "You were seriously—" followed by a bad word.

"Roman! Language!" I scold.

"English," Logan replies. I sigh.

"Roman," I request, my voice slightly edged, "would you please say that without using any bad words?"

"Ok, fine," Roman grumbles, rolling his eyes. "Point is, I've seen you absolutely furious, Logan. So don't try that emotionless robot act on me."

"It's not an act!" Logan replies, seemingly offended. "I do not have emotions."

"Logan, stop," Virgil says from the stairs. "You're inviting snakes." Logan mutters something under his breath about how we already live with one, then shrugs and sits down in front of me at the bar, opening his book. I return to cooking.

At one point, Logan glances up and says, "Patton, you have flour on your face." He points to his cheek.

I wipe my cheek with my hoodie sleeve. "Did I get it?"

Logan shakes his head. "Allow me," he says, licking his thumb and brushing it against my left cheekbone, which sends a thrill down my spine and kicks up butterflies in my stomach.

When Logan pulls back, my cheeks feel like they're on fire and Hailey is smirking at me. "There you go," Logan says before returning his attention to his book.

"Thanks, Logie," I whisper, my voice high-pitched. Logan just nods.

Once I finish making the waffles, I whistle shrilly to pull Roman and Virgil's attention from their argument over who knows what to me, then say, "Breakfast is ready." My voice, to my surprise, lacks its normal enthusiasm.

No one seems to notice, however. Logan keeps reading, Roman and Virgil continue bickering, and Hailey continuously glances back and forth between me and Logan.

"What are you two even arguing about?" Hailey asks.

"Which Disney movie is better," Virgil replies. "It's mostly me pointing out the undertones in any movie he brings up."

"I believe you two already made an entire video about that, did you not?" Logan asks, finally looking up from his book.

"Exactly!" Roman exclaims, pointing his fork at Virgil. "So why are we still doing this?!"

"That is a wonderful question, Roman. Why are we arguing about this? Oh, wait, it's because you're an airhead!"

"Virgil!" I exclaim. "Apologize."

"Sorry," Virgil mutters, rolling his eyes. I sigh and push my plate away.

"Pat, you only had a quarter of your waffle," Roman points out. "Are you not gonna finish it?"

I shake my head. "Sorry, kiddo, but I'm full. One of you can have it." Hailey's hands immediately fly forward and she puts the remaining waffle on her plate, then drowns it in syrup. I chuckle half heartedly and stand up, then head upstairs before anyone can see me cry.