Meaning Of A Purr (Sanders Sides - LAMP Fic)

Chapter 40: A Break

Sorry this is being posted a little late, I fell asleep while writing yesterday and had to finish it this morning. Anyways not many trigger warnings, some issues with self-image and inability to eat, but that is it. As always take care of yourselves and thank you for reading.

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After Logan and Patton returned Roman proposed the trip to them as well and as soon as they agreed Roman vanished, likely to set things up, leaving them only a message to pack anything they didn't feel like summoning when they were there. It was going to be a quiet weekend trip between the four of them. They'd leave tonight, which was Friday, stay through the weekend and return at some point on Monday so they could be back in time to film on Tuesday.

Virgil hadn't wanted to be left alone long so Patton and Logan had taken it upon themselves to help him pack so he could hang out with them while they packed. They finished packing as quickly as they were able, not really worrying about making sure they have everything since they could just summon anything they forgot later, figuring giving Virgil more comfort was far more important. They returned to the living room where they sat with Virgil in the middle, sitting at an angle so his legs were draped over Logan's lap and his head on Patton's shoulder. Patton was humming softly to no particular recognizable tune while he ran his fingers through Virgil's Logan had taken his hand and was rubbing his knuckles in a steady, soothing pattern. Their touches were gentle, when paired with his preexisting exhaustion from crying earlier he was being lulled off to sleep. He likely would have fallen asleep but one thought still remained persistent.

"Lo? Patt?" Virgil started, looking up at the ceiling.

They both let a hum of acknowledgement as they shifted to look at him.

"What is it, Kitten?"Patton asked, his hand moving from Virgil's head to around his shoulder.

Virgil hesitated for a second, uncertain about what exactly he was trying to ask them.

"What do you guys think about all of this? Everything with Deceit and stuff?" Virgil asked.

"Well, just as you said in your final statement it is not likely that none of us will ever be able fully trust his story. Like in the story of the boy who cried wolf, he's lied and manipulated others too often to be believed when he is telling the truth," Logan replied.

"I agree," Patton replied, a bit more hesitantly.

Virgil turned his head the best he could in his position so he could look at Patton.

"You seem like you wanted to say something else," Virgil said.

Patton let out a sigh as he stank a bit deeper into the couch.

"I agree he can't really be trusted, he's mastered lying pretty well at this point. But, at the same time... There is just something about him right that reminds me of how he used to be back when we were kids, before all of the fighting and him leaving. I don't know, it's probably just me being stupidly reminiscent," Patton chuckled weakly.

Virgil grabbed the hand that rested lightly and his shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze as he shook his head.

"I didn't know back then but I can say I've never seen him quite the way he is now, even when he was pretending to be kind or caring to emotionally manipulate me. Plus, as I said before, he can't get rid of those scales on his face unless he takes an entirely new form, but he definitely is missing a lot of scales. Logan said that this might be because they are supposed to make the dark sides into something Thomas would fear and thus stay away from. But what if this means Deceit is still being repressed but isn't really that big of a threat to Thomas anymore?" Virgil theorized.