Thomas Sanders Drabbles

Appreciated.

"Okay, kiddos! Good night! I love you!"

Patton shut his bedroom door, sighing softly and leaning against it. He rubbed his cheeks slightly- they hurt from forcing so many smiles today. He just wanted his family to have their Happy Pappy Patton.

But the truth was, he wasn't always happy.

The others knew this, from the whole Moving On ordeal, but what they didn't know what that Patton still hid some things from them. Often times he wouldn't say if he felt under the weather, or didn't want to do something, or simply woke up in a less happy mood. He didn't wanna burden the other with his issues- half the time, they didn't even seem valid to him. Why worry them over nothing?

Patton shrugged his cardigan off, taking his glasses off as well and folding them both neatly on his nightstand. He lay down in his bed, sighing again and covering his eyes with his arm. He started to cough a bit, but he shook his head and tried to dismiss it. He had woken up feeling sick today, but the others needed him. He couldn't let them down by being selfish.

He couldn't seem to get to sleep easily, his coughing fits coming and going just as he got close to it. It wasn't until 1 am that he was actually able to keep his eyes shut, hoping that the night's rest could heal him.

But when he awoke the next morning, he felt far, far worse. His throat burned, and his eyes were sore from rubbing them constantly the previous night. His body felt exhausted, and his stomach wouldn't stop turning.

Patton whined slightly, curling up and clutching his stomach as he closed his eyes, trying to muster up the strength to get up, because his family would want him- no, his family needed him, and being sick was no excuse for Patton- at least in his mind.

He sat up slowly, trying to keep himself steady, but starting coughing the second he got himself upright. He picked up his glasses and put them on, forgetting entirely about his cardigan and leaving the rest of his clothes disheveled as he walked out of his room to greet the others as he did every morning.

The first one awake was Logan- typical, he always woke up at 8 am sharp and was out of his room by 8:08 every morning, sometimes sooner. Logan walked past Patton in the hallway, immediately stopping to look at him with a gaze full of pure concern.

"Patton? Are you alright? You appear to be unwell," he stated calmly, scanning the moral side up and down. Patton, who was leaning on the wall just to keep himself in a standing position, just nodded, rubbing his already painful eyes again.

"Y-Yeah, I'm okay... I'll be down to make breakfast soon, mkay?" He managed, his voice rough and shot. Logan raised an eyebrow.

"You appear very unwell- perhaps Roman can handle breakfast? You-"

"No! N-" Patton's objection was cut off by a coughing fit, which only made his throat burn worse. "M'fine, d-don't bother Ro..." he pleaded. Logan simply shook his head, heading downstairs.

"If you insist, Patton...." Patton sighed and leaned against the wall again, jumping as he heard another door swing open. This time it was Virgil, who still looked half asleep.

"Pat...? Is that you coughing up a storm...?" He asked softly, trying to shake the sleepiness off his shoulder. Patton shook his head again.

"I'm alright, c-could you get Roman for me...? I'm- I'm gonna start on breakfast a bit early," he asked, clinging to the wall as he headed for the stairs. Virgil nodded, but stared after him.

"Are you feeling okay, Pops-star...?" He asked, now seemingly more awake. His voice portrayed interest and concern, but he made no move towards Patton. Patton nodded, then repeated his last statement as he stumbled down the stairs, nearly falling several times.

He was surprised to find Logan in the kitchen, a mug in one hand and a spoon in the other to stir it with. He looked up as Patton entered, quickly stirring it a bit more and walking over to Patton and handing him the steaming mug.

"Patton, your throat sounded strained, so I concocted a tea for you composed of herbal green tea and sugar-free honey- the honey should assist in soothing your throat, and reducing any pain that may be present." He stated, voice and body portraying no emotion, but his eyes saying everything in the world about how much he cared for Patton.

Patton stared at the mug in his hands, the smell oddly calming and the warmth against his hands almost lulling him to sleep standing up. Logan noticed this, and quickly guided him to the couch, sitting him down and taking his glasses off. He glanced up as Virgil came downstairs with Princey hot on his heels, both looking very concerned as they stopped and looked at Patton.

"Th-thank you, Logan, b-but I need to-"

"You don't need to do anything right now but sleep," Virgil butt in, walking over and grabbing a few pillows to give to him. Roman followed suit, summoning the nicest blanket possible for him. Patton shook his head and tried in vein to stand, stopped by Logan's gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Virgil is correct. You need optimal rest in order to heal properly," he stated, gently nudging the cup of tea closer to Patton's mouth, who reluctantly sipped at it, giving a soft 'Ahhh,' in relief at the soothing feeling of it going down his throat. He relaxed a little, but still protested.

"But I-I can't be sick, I need- I won't-" he coughed again, and Logan tipped the tea towards his lips and made him take another sip. "I c-can't let you down...." he mumbled, looking down, ashamed that he was now the one being cared for. The other three sides exchanged an immediately guilty glance, then resumed their focus on Patton.

"What in Great Merlin's name do you mean?" Roman asked, laying the blanket over Patton's lap as Virgil fluffed the pillows at the edge of the couch. "You could never let us down," he said softly, fingers moving to gently massage Patton's shoulders. Patton groaned softly and relaxed more, closing his eyes and letting Logan take the tea from his hands before he dropped it.

"You are very greatly appreciated among all of us, Patton. You do far more than any of us could manage," Logan said softly.

"Look... I-I know I'm not the nicest, but-but I really do appreciate everything you do, Pat.... I lo- care about you," Virgil cleared his throat, turning a bit red and looking at his feet. "A lot,"

"We all do," Roman continued, helping to lay Patton down. Logan set his mug on a coaster nearby, adjusting pillows and blanket edges and grabbing one of Patton's favorite stuffed animals for him. Patton took it, cuddling it close, yawning yet still shaking his head.

"But... you need..." he mumbled, already half asleep.

"Shhhh.... it's alright, Patton. All we need right now is for you to be okay," Roman whispered, playing with his hair gently. "Let us take care of you for once, okay?" Patton nodded slowly, eyes slipping shut and muscles finally relaxing. Roman sighed softly, keeping his hand in Patton's hair for a few moments more before standing up. "Alright," he said quietly. "Who's gonna help me make Patton the best damned breakfast on the planet for when he wakes up?"

Logan and Virgil didn't say a word, but stood up quickly and went to the kitchen, more than willing to do anything to show Patton that he meant the world to them.