The Bloody Crown ||Sanders Sides

13. The Picnic

I have so many plans-

Enjoy the last bit of fluff.

TW: swearing, poisoning, fainting, Remus, testing poison type by eating it,

________________________

"Patton!" Janus exclaimed, trying to keep up with Patton, who was pulling him through the woods. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere," Patton said with a small giggle.

"I get that, but where?" Janus asked.

"A place you'll like," Patton stated.

They walked through the woods a little bit longer before they came to a small clearing. There was a blanket spread out, and a basket sitting there as well.

"I thought we could have a picnic," Patton said. "It seemed like you needed to relax, so I thought this might help. I've got a bunch of sweets from the bakery."

"Thank you," Janus said quietly. "No one has ever thought of doing something like this for me."

"Of course," Patton said. "Now come on, let's eat."

Patton wasn't kidding when he said he brought sweets. There were pastries and scones and bread and bagels. A whole menagerie of bakery treats. Janus was fairly certain half of their products were in the basket, not that he was complaining.

"You make the best food," he said, grabbing a croissant. "I can never get sick of it."

"Yeah, well I wouldn't be so good without someone to help me." Patton smiled brightly at Janus, making butterflies erupt in his stomach. Virgil may have been wrong when he called Patton Janus' boyfriend, but that doesn't mean he was wrong about the fact that Janus wanted him to be.

Janus melted into the silence of the clearing, enjoying the taste of the sweets. He was happy to just sit there with Patton all day. Patton had saved him from running his entire life, and for that he'd always be grateful.

"What do you think of everything?" Patton asked. "Is this helping?"

"It's definitely helping," Janus replied. "I feel more relaxed than I've felt in days."

Patton took a bite of a cupcake, only to suddenly get dizzy. He could see Janus asking him something, but he couldn't respond. Then he dropped.

Janus quickly grabbed the fallen cupcake and Patton, scooping him up in his arms and taking off. He knew the signs of poisoning, and that was a very clear case of it. His only hope was that it was a lower does or a less lethal poison.

Luckily he knew where Logan's house was, because he knew that was Patton's only chance to live. He ran there as fast as he could, clutching Patton and the cupcake like a life depended on it, which technically was true.

Janus quickly kicked Logan's door multiple times, hoping to everything he'd be able to hear. Logan opened the door with an annoyed expression, only to freeze up as he saw Patton.

"Quickly, get him into the lab," Logan said, closing the door behind them and rushing them to the secret door. "We don't have time to lose."

Remus looked up in shock as they rushed into the room, quickly moving supplies out of the way to clear a place to set Patton.

"Which poison?" Remus asked. Janus wordlessly handed him the cupcake, and Remus took a bite of it. Then he went over and threw it up. "We don't have much time. I'll get the antidote."

Janus watched in a numb sort of shock as Remus grabbed the antidote and supplies. He couldn't hear anything they were saying; his mind was too loud.

Logan shoved Janus out of the room, closing the secret door behind him. Janus slid down the wall and sat on the floor, trying to stop from being too worried.

It felt like forever, but the door finally opened up again. Janus looked up at Logan with tear filled eyes, hoping to every god he'd ever heard of that Patton was still alive.

"We were just in time," Logan stated. "Patton is still alive. He should be waking up soon if we're lucky. The worst part of the process is over."

"Thank you so much," Janus rushed out. "I wouldn't have forgiven myself if he'd died." Janus walked in and went to where Patton was laying, taking one of his hands in his own.

Patton let out a soft groan, starting to come to. Janus couldn't stop the worry gnawing at him, telling him that Patton wasn't going to wake up. However, Patton's eyes fluttered open and met his own, and he sighed in relief.

"Thank god you're alive," Janus whispered.

"W-what happened?" Patton asked, his speech slurred from unconsciousness.

"You ate a cupcake that had been poisoned. I rushed you to Logan's, and thankfully they got you the antidote," Janus said. "This is all my fault-"

"No it's not, Janus," Patton said quietly. "It's not your fault any of this happened."

"If Paranoia wouldn't have found me at the bakery he wouldn't have done this," Janus said. "He knows that I love you and wants to hurt me-" Janus cut himself off, paling.

"You... you love me?" Patton asked softly.

"Yes," Janus whispered.

"Well, would you like to be my boyfriend then?" Patton asked, a happy smile on his face.

"Wait- what?"

"I like you, too," Patton stated.

"Are you sure you want to be stuck with me?" Janus asked.

"I'm certain," Patton said.

"Then yes, Patton. I'd love to be your boyfriend."

895 words.