Sanders Sides Ficlets

Maybe You're Right

For the past few days, Deceit has been coming into Patton's room and talking while he thinks Patton is asleep. One night, however, his topic starts to concern the moral side.
Warning- suicide thoughts.

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Patton kept his breathing steady as his door opened and soft footsteps made their way into his room. Deceit snapped twice, making sure Patton was really asleep, then started to talk in a voice almost too low for the moral side to hear.

This was a recent phenomenon. Deceit would come in every night to tell Patton all of his worries (maybe he'd noticed Virgil doing it?) while Patton pretended to sleep. He figured Deceit /wanted/ him to remain asleep during this, because Patton had once pretended to stir when Deceit snapped his fingers, and Deceit had vanished back to his room and denied he'd been awake.

Thankfully, Deceit had come back the next night.

Patton was quite honestly starting to look forward to the visits. It was a chance to see Deceit out of his normal villain facade, to see him as Virgil once was, a scared little thing who was just lashing out.

Kinda like a snake.

"Today was... rough, I'm not going to lie..." Deceit snorted. "Oh, that's rich coming from me. The lord of the lies, the Scooby-Doo villain, telling the truth? Laughable. Ha." Patton could practically hear the sad smile. "Perhaps Virgil and Roman are right... perhaps Thomas doesn't need me. Maybe I'm even harmful to him. Of course, I never mean for this but try convincing THEM that... Will they even miss me?"

Wait, what?

"Probably not. Maybe Logan and Remus, but not them. The only one who listens to me is you, and you can't even hear me. Hmph... Ah, no bother. I'll stop bothering you guys soon. You'll never have to see my snake eye again."

Patton fought to keep his breathing even as he listened to Deceit lamenting. Was Deceit considering what Patton thought he was considering?

Had Deceit already decided?

Should Patton risk getting up, telling Deceit that he'd heard it all? What if Deceit was lying and simply trying to tell if Patton was truly asleep? But Deceit sounded so much like a lost little kid...

"I would miss you," Patton announced, sitting up. Deceit froze like a deer in headlights, a guilty blush spreading over the human side of his face.

"Patton... how much did you hear?"

Patton stood up, ready to launch at Deceit should the snake side even THINK about sinking out. "All of it, kiddo."

Deceit cringed. "Well, now that I've made his awkward-"

"Don't you dare sink out!" Patton ordered in his best dad voice. Deceit cringed again, looking a bit like he expected to be struck when Patton strode forward.

What he wasn't prepared for was two strong arms wrapping around him.

"Oh, kiddo... Why didn't you say something sooner?"

"Oh, because you guys totally made it seem like you cared!" Deceit shouted. "How many times have I risen up to find a sword at my throat or snide remarks thrown my way? A lot of times!"

"Dee, I would've made them stop if I knew how much it affected you." Patton grabbed Deceits hands, leading him to sit on the bed. "I always assumed it never bothered you because of how you act."

Deceit frowned, looking at his knees. He sensed no lie, but... "Why did you let them do it in the first place?"

"Because... because you used to scare me. Popping out of the shadows all bowler hat and sass. But lately... you helped me see that it's just a mask." Patton smiled gently.

"But I need to be scary, otherwise I'll never be taken seriously!"

"Kiddo, that's not true. That's just a good way to make sure we never listen to you. If you act like the monster in the closet, we treat you like one."

Deceit breath hitched, and he nodded. "But what will I do? To make you guys listen?"

"Well, join us for breakfast in the morning. I'll explain to the others what's been going on. Just give us a chance." Patton implored.

Deceit finally met Pattons eyes, shoulders falling as he found nothing but sincerity in them. Words failing him, he nodded, and Patton grinned.