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emialawliet · 4 years ago

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The mysteries of Wonder Egg Priority and some interesting things I found in it

Oh hi Acca. Wait is that a crack on your right lens?

One of the great things about WEP is that it is an original anime wherein we do not have any source material to check on its story thus we do not have a clue on what’s gonna happen next besides the things that happen in each episode. These are one of those animes which are fun to observe.

Plot Summary: Ai scores a “Wonder Egg” from a gachapon machine at a deserted arcade. But now when Ai falls asleep a girl emerges from her Wonder Egg, the worlds of dreams and reality begin to collide. And it’s all connected.

From the first episode, we have been given a huge amount of symbolism. Aside from the main subject of bullying and Ai’s guilt by pretending not to see it that cost her bestfriend’s life, there are a lot of other things that I noticed that seem to have a deeper meaning behind them or could be a hint to something. I’ll list these things one by one from the first 2 episodes..

This post is going to be quite a long one, so I’ll keep it minimal enough to just tickle your thoughts. And believe me, things got clearer to me as I am making this post.

The anime starts in a sort of a dream world.. or is it?

1) The firefly

In some cultures firefly may not have a positive reputation. But in Japan, where they are called "hotaru," they are beloved – a metaphor for passionate love in poetry since Man'you-shu (the 8th century anthology). -Namiko Abe @ thoughtco.com

Ai can be seen looking at a dead firefly. She seems caring for it and she even gave it a proper burial. Could this symbolize someone dear to her? Now let’s proceed..

2) person in the car

Is this a clue? I’ll remember that hair for some reason..

3) Ai’s conversation with the firefly and the Special Gacha Machine

firefly: What are you doing in a place like this?

Ai: Walking.

F: This late at night?

After burying the firefly, it suddenly came out the soil and spoke to Ai with a male voice. Their conversation seems to me like a suspicious man talking to an innocent girl in a place where a young one like her isn’t supposed to be..

F: The first time’s free. Next time bring your wallet.

This is one of the things commonly used to convince someone to try something they are usually not willing to for the first time. Like a free trial..

..and was then led somewhere underground where the “Special Gacha Machine” is located.

That’s a lotta eggs. What could this underground facility be? And here’s the Gacha Machine:

So that’s the thing in the poster.

Weird huh? But the next morning, Ai wakes up with the egg beside her..

4) The dream

..Or is it not entirely a dream? I mean the egg appearing beside her is one thing although it could be that the egg is just in her mind. But the thing that complicates things is the injuries she gets in real life, to the point where she and even Neiru needs to get hospitalized.

Ai asked why this (the whole dream she’s in) is happening to her and this is what Kurumi said:

“Nothing costs more than a free gift huh?” Indeed, life is priceless. But in this story, it is only free the first time. The second night, Ai paid a huge price. Could those injuries mean this?

“This is a dream to you, but to me it is reality.” -Kurumi Saijo

Ai will not die in this dream, as long as her eyes and heart are okay.

Did she really sneak at night twice? Since getting the Wonder Egg to saving Kurumi? In this scene we also see the teacher in full for the first time and I dunno about you guys but I think that hair is familiar..

The firefly even asked her this. We’ve seen Ai sneaking out at night but the things that follow are strange enough to happen in real life. Is it possible that what we're seeing is a mixture of Ai’s imagination and reality?

Something caused these injuries. Or is it Ai herself? Let us find out..

After saving Kurumi, a mysterious male voice said “Too bad, you only get saved. But you have to cheer up if you want your bestfriend back.”

She then asked this:

..but got no clear response. Of course we know the answer, Koito is not going back to life. but why does the voice demand her to do that? Not even the firefly could answer her clearly. But she continued to believe that this will get her bestfriend back.

“If you can’t protect them, you won’t make it either.” -Firefly

“There’s no point going to save someone if she gets herself killed.” -Ura-Acca

Does they mean the guilt might kill her too? Does this imply suicide? Could this be a hint where Ai gets her injuries?

And Neiru asked her who she is fighting for.. Ai firmly said it was for Koito.

“You don’t like yourself now, so you go. You want to change the self you hate.” Well this could also be true for herself despite saying it’s for her sister whom she let die. How? We’ll soon know more about this I guess.. At the moment, we know that Neiru loves her current self.

Ai hates herself for betraying her bestfriend. The first friend she ever had.

Koito probably asked her to film the bullying as evidence, but Ai was too scared of being left out. She wasn’t able to get a good shot, but Koito only smiled at her and knew she did her best.

5) The egg

From the title itself, the egg is a very prominent object in this anime. We still do not have a clear answer as to what it really represents, but according to the speaking firefly and Kurumi, it contains what a person wants the most, and in Ai’s case, it is a friend. She denies this to both of them but they both know it is the truth.

The eggs appear in different colors, with letters, numbers and symbols printed on them. Once cracked, it reveals a person. This is where we can relate the egg’s symbolism of life and creation.

A mysterious male voice angrily told Ai to break the egg, and this is what he said afterwards:

Ai is “good” at it, huh. What could he probably mean I wonder..

It was later revealed that Kurumi is another sculpture, a “captured maiden” in a different world like Ai’s bestfriend Koito. This confirms that Kurumi is also dead, which leads me to think that the eggs are the souls of those who died from suicide or abuse.

They couldn’t pass on unless the guilt of their friends stop holding them back. And this I think is also what’s happening to our MC Ai and Koito’s soul.

6) Kurumi Saijo

She wears a different uniform than Ai’s. A victim of bullying by 3 girls.

Like Ai, she also said she did not have any friends, just superficial ones.

And this could be hinting at the reason why she was bullied by those girls. She does have the looks. But these looks might be the reason why she had no real friends. And a boyfriend of this fake friend probably liked her and broke up with her fake friend which started the bullying. I smell jealousy.

In this dream, she found her resolve while saving Kurumi.

I gotta say though, the animation is impressive from start to finish. That button popping off has me goin “whoa they even thought of adding that bit.” And the explosion that followed.. oof.

After being saved by Ai, she asked Ai to not forget her and disappeared into dust. Was Kurumi able to finally pass on?

) Minami Suzuhara

Seriously, in this anime, adorable girls have no friends.

Damn her “trauma” is a ridiculous boob monster.

She could have died due to over fatigue and stress from her coach’s verbal abuse.

Ai had another injury the following day.

) Ai’s enemies

The Seenoevils, a disorderly mob. In real life, they are the ones that pretend not to see the bullying, letting it happen and thus contribute to the damage being dealt to thee victim. And the form of the egg’s “traumas”, the Wonder Killer, which are the main cause who led the victims to their deaths. In the dream world, they do not attack Ai. But they can damage her, only for the effects to appear outside the dream.

Ai uses Kurumi’s pen as her first weapon, and Minami’s ribbon wand as the second.

Like Kurumi, after she was saved she also asked Ai to remember her before disappearing into dust.

) The teacher

Ai’s teacher seems really nice, going as far as to visit her and deliver the week’s print outs to their home. Ai must not be attending school for weeks..

We now know that Ai’s location is nearby their teacher’s home. Could he be the guy in the car then? We don’t have enough evidence of that as of yet.

In the second episode, Ai’s teacher visited again.

Now we see his face. He’s got a mole huh.

But why this question teach?

So that’s his name. And why the special treatment?

Here we see him walk behind Koito and she follows..

) Acca & Ura-Akka

The most intriguing thing I found in the first ep..

After discovering the truth about Kurumi, Ai was led to the end of the underground tunnel and found these two strange dolls playing Go, a japanese traditional board game. One looks like a professional, and the other just casual. They introduced themselves as Acca and Ura-Acca.

Judging by that definition, these two dolls could be the same person. Let’s watch out for that.. Who could this person be? And what is his connection to Ai?

“Haste makes waste.” These two are worried about Neiru. They strongly advise on taking the process slow or else she might die. Is this person a therapist?

) Neiru Aonuma

Did I read that right.. VICE PRESIDENT?? I get the feeling her sister died caused by neglect from their parents because they were more focused on this Neiru who “loves herself”. She also seems to me like a foreigner. She speaks english quite well and we see the mom with a nice cute afro.

She was too greedy to get multiple eggs at once. She could have fought through an intense battle. Probably why she was put in the intensive care unit.

She also does not know the fun of being in a friendship. But then she agrees on being friends with AI :) I am glad how Ai is starting to change too.

I am looking forward for these two’s friendship <3

And that’s about all the curious things I’ve gathered in the first 2 episodes.

I am definitely going to continue watching this series and witness the truth unfold. Until the next egg time!

#wonder egg priority

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babysizedfics · 4 years ago

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Little Accidents, Big Developments

Chapter 4: Bubbles and Babbles

[This is an age regression story]

Chapter Summary: Roman is ticklish, Logan is only here for like 4 lines of dialogue, Patton gives his baby a bath, and Virgil finally opens up about his problem.

Chapter word count: 7,700

Other chapters: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / bonus

Read on AO3 or below the cut!

Slight warning: Bathtime obviously entails some nudity. Nothing is described graphically and it is, of course, entirely non-sexual. Also, there is some swearing in the second half of the chapter!

oOo

A few minutes passed by in comfortable quiet as Patton held his little prince. He had shuffled them both up towards the head of the bed and was now propped on several silk pillows with Roman cuddled up to his side. Warm breaths puffed against Patton’s chest as he gently twiddled a lock of Roman’s hair between his fingers. It was a far cry from their usual activities together (Roman, being so boisterous when he was little, was never willing to stay still for long). Though Patton suspected that his crying fit earlier had tuckered the poor little guy out.

‘You feeling any better, kiddo?’ Patton whispered, scratching his fingernails lightly over Roman’s scalp.

‘Apart from feeling absolutely devasted about my ruined hairdo?’ Roman replied with all of his usual impish energy.

Patton smiled. His little prince was back to his sassy self. He saw that Roman’s feet rubbed up and down on the sheets and his fingers fidgeted with Patton’s shirt; he was clearly becoming antsy. So what kind of Dad would Patton be if he didn’t up the stakes of their cuddle? ‘Oh, it’s like that is it?’

‘I do feel better though,’ Roman shrugged, completely oblivious to his impending doom. ‘Thanks, Dad.’

‘I don’t know this Dad you speak of.’ Patton hoisted Roman up by the armpits and wrapped his arms around his chest in a vice. ‘I’m the Cuddle-Monster!’

‘Dad,’ Roman whined, but there was a gigglish ring to it. He squirmed a little since Patton’s fingers were still under his arms. ‘You’re not the Cuddle-Monster!’

Patton almost squealed. This was too good an opening.

‘Aw, you’ve blown my cover, Ro,’ he sighed, glad that Roman couldn’t see his evil smile. That would ruin the surprise. ‘I’m not the Cuddle-Monster…’ He suddenly curled his fingertips further into Roman’s armpits, earning him a shriek.

‘W-wait,’ Roman gasped between muffled giggles.

‘I’m the Tickle-Monster!’ Patton announced loudly and started wiggling his fingers.

‘Dahahad,’ Roman cackled, kicking his legs weakly against the mattress. Patton knew he wasn’t fighting hard enough for it to be genuine (Roman was scarily strong when he was really trying to be) so his fingers continued their ticklish attack.

‘Your Dad can’t save you now,’ Patton giggled, delighted to hear Roman snort in laughter. ‘The Tickle-Monster is your new father!’

‘Nohohoho!’ Roman cried dramatically through his laughter, writhing in Patton’s hold.

‘Yehehehes!’ Patton countered, copying Roman’s tone teasingly.

There was a loud rapping at the door and Patton reluctantly relinquished his hold on Roman. The boy hurriedly rolled off of him and clenched his hands under his armpits to protect them as he recovered from his giggle fit.

‘Saved by the bell-y.’ Patton poked Roman’s tummy.

‘Eep!’

He chuckled at Roman’s squeak and jumped up off of the bed, moving over to the bedroom door. Once he had pulled it open, his smile faltered.

Logan stood in the hallway smiling stiffly in greeting, though the look in his eyes was tired and almost pained. He had his arm wrapped around Virgil, who looked completely miserable.

The regressor’s cheeks were tear-stained and a pacifier bobbed in his mouth frantically. He looked up at Patton for a brief second before his eyes fell on something behind him. Virgil whimpered and quickly ducked behind Logan, hiding his face against his arm. Patton twisted to see Roman sitting cross-legged on his bed, looking at them and biting his lip nervously.

‘I’m going to take care of Virgil now, little prince,’ Patton whispered back to him and got a watery smile in return. As much as he felt he should stay with Roman, Virgil clearly needed him at that moment. ‘I love you lots,’ he reminded him.

‘Love you too, Dad,’ Roman said quietly, absently stroking his silk bedsheet.

Patton stepped out of the room and gently closed the door behind him.

‘Hey, baby,’ he whispered to the fluff of hair poking out from behind Logan, ‘do you want a hug from Papa?’

Virgil instantly rushed forward and clutched onto Patton as if his life depended on it. He started sniffling into Patton’s shirt within seconds.

‘Oh, sweetheart.’ Patton held his baby close and stroked his hair, swaying him gently from side to side.

‘He is understandably shaken up,’ Logan murmured, gently tossing something back and forth between his hands. Patton realised it was Roman’s teddy bear from earlier. ‘I managed to get his breathing under control and give him some water. Usually, I would recommend he lie down and nap after an attack, though there is the other issue…’ Logan’s eyes quickly darted down to Virgil’s pants, then back to Patton pointedly.

‘Got it,’ Patton whispered, then looked back down to Virgil, even if all he could see was a mess of purple hair. ‘Does my baby want a nice, warm bubble bath?’ he cooed, though there was no response. He looked up to Logan worriedly but was only met with a solemn nod. Logan seemed to be unsurprised by Virgil’s despondency.

Patton sighed and stroked his hand through Virgil’s hair once. ‘Let’s get you ready for bathtime, Stormcloud.’

The arms around his torso hugged tighter, but at least there was no protest. Still, Virgil’s lack of responses, positive or otherwise, was a little disconcerting. It was true that he was usually a quiet baby, but Patton had never seen him so defeated. Hopefully, some bubbles and splashes would cheer him up.

‘Should I, um?’ Logan pointed to Roman’s door.

Patton nodded. ‘Yeah, but maybe don’t talk about what happened,’ he added carefully. ‘I already had a word with him about it.’ Logan’s eyebrows raised in interest but Patton shook his head lightly. ‘I’ll tell you later. Just keep our little prince smiling.’

‘Duly noted.’

Patton turned his attention back to the trembling boy in his arms. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of Virgil’s head and murmured, ‘Time to go, sweetie.’

He then gently encouraged Virgil to let go of him, keeping his arm wrapped around his shoulders. Patton didn't dare to leave him without physical contact for a single second.

As Patton began leading them down the hallway he heard Logan open Roman’s door.

‘Are you mad at me?’ Roman immediately asked.

Patton stopped in his tracks, turning back to see what would happen. It was worrying to hear Roman so uncharacteristically nervous.

‘Yes. You have committed a heinous crime…’ Logan held Aladdin the teddy bear up in the open doorway, staring deadpan at Roman. ‘How dare you abandon your husband on your wedding night?’

Patton huffed in half-relief, half-amusement as he heard Roman break down into giggles. Logan walked into the room and pushed the door shut, throwing a quick wink to Patton before it had closed completely.

‘Papa?’ Virgil squeaked and tugged on his sleeve. Patton quickly looked down at him, feeling his heart drop when he saw the distress in Virgil’s glossy eyes. ‘Wep,’ he whimpered quietly through his pacifier.

‘I know you’re wet, baby, it’s okay.’ Patton slowly raised a hand to Virgil’s cheek and smoothed his thumb over a dried tear-track. Despite the misery in Virgil’s voice, Patton was at least glad he was responsive now. ‘We’re gonna get you cleaned up, don’t worry.’

He started moving them towards the bathroom again, feeling guilty for stopping. His baby couldn’t have been very comfortable in wet jeans.

As soon as they were in the bathroom, he sat Virgil down on the closed toilet seat, rubbing his shoulder soothingly when he winced in what must have been discomfort.

‘Good boy. Papa’s only walking away for a few seconds, then I’m gonna come right back, okay?’

Patton quickly walked over to the bath, not waiting for a response. He was well-rehearsed in this routine and, as expected, Virgil started whimpering the moment Patton had stepped away from him.

'Papa's still here, sweetheart.' Patton spun the valves on the bath with practised ease then turned to search through the cabinet. The whimpers had died down, though he could see Virgil's worried eyes watching him carefully as he rifled through the various toiletry bottles.

‘What a brave baby,’ Patton praised as he selected the lavender bubble bath and poured a healthy amount into the steadily filling tub. As soon as he had put the bottle on the side of the bath he hurried back to Virgil and leaned down to kiss his head.

Virgil’s separation anxiety was not usually so intense that he couldn’t bear Patton walking away for a mere moment, though Patton had realised over the past two weeks that having an accident always made Virgil incredibly sensitive to being left alone. The poor baby seemed terrified of having to deal with his accidents all by himself.

‘We're gonna have so much fun,’ Patton said cheerily, trying to lift the mood in the room to make the next task easier.

The most difficult part of bathtime was getting Virgil undressed since the anxious side had a difficult time letting go of his self-consciousness. Though through messing around on one occasion last week, Patton had discovered an effective way of distracting Virgil from his anxieties, at least for the most part.

‘Okey dokey. Are we ready for the Hokey Cokey?’

Virgil nodded shyly - a watered-down version of his usual enthusiasm. Patton mentally prepared himself for a fussy baby but joyfully launched into song.

‘Ohh, you put your left arm in,’ Patton sang, lifting Virgil’s left arm. ‘Your left arm out.’ He pulled at Virgil’s sleeve until it slid off his arm. ‘In, out, in, out, you shake it all about!’ Patton linked their fingers and shook Virgil’s arm exaggeratedly. The sparkle in Virgil’s eyes told Patton that there was an adorable little smile hiding behind his pacifier.

Patton grinned. ‘You do the hokey cokey, and you turn around.’ He dropped Virgil’s hand and spun in a circle, swaying his hips in what Roman commonly referred to as “cringe-inducing dad dancing”. ‘That what it’s all about!’ Patton finished the verse with a small kiss to Virgil’s now-bare shoulder. Light giggles filled the room alongside the sound of gushing water.

‘What a cute little giggle,’ Patton cooed, before launching into the next verse, this time with the right arm. ‘Ohh, you put your right arm in…’

By the end of the verse, Virgil’s shirt was off and crumpled on the floor. He barely seemed to notice though, being so captivated by Patton’s silly performance.

‘Whoa, a hokey cokey,’ Patton sang with a bright smile, slowly pulling Virgil up to stand. ‘Whoaa, a hokey cokey.’ He tickled very lightly at Virgil’s neck and the boy giggled and scrunched his chin up. ‘Whoaaa, a hokey cokey!’ He poked Virgil’s belly button, which was met with a little squeal followed by muffled laughter.

‘Knees bent,’ Patton kneeled down in front of Virgil, making sure to keep eye contact with him as he kept singing and smiling. ‘Arms stretched!’ Virgil giggled, stretching his arms out to his side. Meanwhile, Patton very gently unfastened his jeans. ‘A rah, rah, rah,’ Patton sang and wriggled the wet pants down Virgil’s hips in time with the song.

Virgil’s smile dropped and he curled his arms back into himself. One hand went up to grasp onto the handle of his pacifier, tugging at it nervously as Patton pulled Virgil’s pants down to his thighs.

‘Well done, baby!’ Patton smiled, knowing not to draw attention to Virgil’s nervousness. ‘Ready for the next part?’

There was a brief moment of hesitation, then Virgil nodded jerkily, his eyes wary.

Patton reached out to hold Virgil’s free hand. It was mostly to help him keep balance, though he knew it offered the boy some emotional comfort too as he immediately squeezed Patton’s fingers.

‘Ohh, you put your left leg up.’ With help from Patton to keep him from falling over, Virgil lifted one leg while Patton peeled the wet jeans down it, ‘your left leg out.’ He squeezed Virgil’s hand in reassurance and beamed up at him. ‘In, out, in, out, you shake it all about!’ He wriggled the jeans and managed to tug them off of Virgil’s foot with some effort, allowing the regressor to stand on both feet again. ‘You do the hokey cokey and you turn around.’ Patton let go of Virgil’s hand and spun precariously on one foot, still crouching. Virgil giggled quietly. ‘That’s what it’s all about!’

He repeated the verse and dance moves again with the right leg, leaving the jeans in a wet pile on the floor with Virgil’s shirt. Patton stood up with a proud smile. ‘Aren’t you such a sweet baby today?’

He wasn’t exaggerating; given how emotional Virgil had been before, Patton was impressed they were down to his underwear and Virgil hadn’t shed a single tear about being undressed. It seemed the fact that they had done this ritual a few times now had made the boy much more comfortable with the task.

That, of course, didn’t mean Virgil wasn’t nervous at all. He was pulling at the pacifier handle so harshly that the plastic was creaking in complaint. Colour was high in his cheeks and Patton decided to move on quickly, knowing his baby must have been embarrassed standing in only his wet underwear.

He hummed the final chorus of the song as he turned off the faucets, the tub now being full of perfectly warm water and large peaks of fluffy bubbles.

‘And that’s what it’s all about!’ he finished dramatically, complete with a pirouette and jazz hands.

Virgil didn’t giggle this time being apparently too nervous, though his dimples were peeking out from behind the pacifier. Patton took his hands gently and guided him over to the edge of the tub. The regressor stiffened, obviously knowing what they had to do next.

‘It’s all right, Vee,’ Patton whispered. ‘Papa’s just taking care of you, isn’t he?’ It was met with a tiny nod then Virgil squinted his eyes shut in anticipation. Patton slowly released his hands and curled his thumbs under the waistband of his underwear. ‘We’re going to be super-duper quick, ready?’

Another small nod and Patton swiftly pulled down Virgil’s underwear. ‘Good boy,’ he soothed when he heard Virgil whimper. ‘Okay, big steps now, sweetums.’ He took Virgil’s hands again and helped him to step out of the sodden underwear on the floor and into the bath. Being very careful of how clumsy Virgil could be in his headspace, Patton gently lowered him into the bubbles, the water sloshing against the sides of the tub lazily as it accommodated him.

‘All done!’ Patton cheered and kneeled down beside the tub.

Virgil finally opened his eyes, looking up at Patton shyly.

‘Now we get to play!’ Patton cried excitedly. He picked up a handful of bubbles and blew into them so that they scattered and became foam confetti. Virgil was evidently still anxious from the experience, staying quiet and only blinking curiously at the bubbles.

When that didn’t manage to cheer him up, Patton knew it was time for Plan B. He scooped up some more bubbles and put them on his own chin to make himself a beard. ‘Ho, ho, ho!’ he chuckled, jolly and deep.

Virgil’s eyes sparkled a little as he started to smile. He tentatively poked a mound of bubbles in front of him.

‘Do you know who I am, sweetheart?’ Patton prompted, glad that the anxious tension had dissipated.

‘Obim?’ Virgil asked. He was lightly batting at the bubbles now, successfully distracted from his nervousness.

‘Did you say Odin?’ Patton did his best to contain his giggle, not wanting Virgil to think he was laughing at him.

Virgil nodded hesitantly, suckling his paci faster.

‘Aw, you’re such a clever baby,’ Patton praised. There was no way he was going to tell Virgil he was wrong. ‘You’re right, I’m Odin. And who does that make you?’

Virgil gasped quietly and his eyes lit up. ‘Woki!’

‘You wanna be Loki?’ Patton wiped his bubble beard off on his t-shirt. There was never a bathtime when his clothes didn’t get soaked, anyway. ‘What about Thor?’

‘Wo-Wo,’ Virgil babbled, his tone indicating that he thought it was obvious.

‘Ohh, of course,’ Patton nodded, reaching over to grab a washcloth from the towel rail. ‘Ro-Ro can be Thor. Maybe we can do that next time we play pretend!’ He dipped the washcloth in the water then poured some extra soap onto it. ‘Okay, baby, I’m gonna start on your back.’

He shuffled over on the floor so that he was knelt behind Virgil and started washing his back. The tension gradually left Virgil’s body, his shoulders dropping more and more with each circle of the washcloth. Patton smiled softly.

By the time he had finished soaping up his back, Virgil was completely relaxed and he patted his hands against the water playfully. Every time the water sloshed or splashed he hummed and squealed in delight.

‘Is that a happy stim, Vee?’ Patton asked.

Virgil nodded fervently and started splashing the water again with more energy as if Patton’s acknowledgement had given him permission.

As Patton finished rinsing his back, Virgil slapped his hands against the bubbles a bit too hard and clumps of foam flew everywhere.

‘Whoopsy daisy,’ Patton sing-songed, not surprised as it had happened almost every bathtime previously.

Virgil shyly looked back at him with pieces of foam dotted around his face.

‘What a bubbly baby!’ Patton giggled. He picked up a small clump of bubbles from Virgil’s bangs then tapped them onto Virgil’s nose. ‘Boop.’

Virgil’s smile stretched past his paci and he giggled. The bubbles slowly trickled down to his lip. His smile suddenly dropped and he blinked slowly, scrunching up his nose.

Patton frowned a little in confusion, though still wore a bright grin. He looked so cute! ‘Are you okay, honey?’

Virgil’s reply was a little sneeze.

‘Aww!’ Patton cooed. It was a running joke in the house that Virgil sneezed like a kitten. His pacifier only made it all the more adorable. ‘Did the bubbles tickle your little nose?’

Virgil frowned and wiped his hand on his face to try to get the bubbles off - only to accidentally smear a big handful of them right over his pacifier and nose.

‘Ohoho, sweetheart,’ Patton chuckled, needing to lean on the bath as he doubled over with laughter. He found it hard to believe he had ever had so much fun before becoming a caregiver to the two most adorable boys in the world.

There was a desperate whine and Patton looked through tears of mirth to see Virgil looking at him pleadingly, the lower half of his face still caked in white foam.

‘Papa’s got it, don’t worry.’ Patton reached forward to wipe the bubbles away easily. ‘There we go. Now I can see your pretty face!’

He delighted at seeing Virgil’s cheeks flush. It was nearly impossible to get a non-regressed Virgil to accept a compliment, though he was much more susceptible to praise when he was little. Patton made a point to do it as much as he could while Virgil was regressed, wanting his little Stormcloud to understand just how amazing he was.

‘All done on this side,’ Patton said, swiping the washcloth over Virgil's back one last time. He shuffled over to reach Virgil’s front and got a better view of just how bright his little baby looked. His cheeks were rosy, his dimples were popping, and his eyes were wide in childlike wonder as he pawed at the bubbles again. Bathtime had apparently become an enjoyable little activity for him and Patton was ecstatic.

When he had first become Virgil’s caregiver, Patton had been so eager to get started that he had daydreamed about various adorable scenarios of looking after his baby. A notable fantasy had been one where he washed his baby lovingly while Virgil splashed around in too many bubbles. He couldn’t help it! Baby bathtimes were a mix of intimate caring, affection, and playfulness; the activity was a pinnacle of parenting. Though, at the time, he had never actually dared to imagine Virgil would be comfortable enough to share this experience together. But here Patton was, rubbing a washcloth over Virgil’s chest lovingly as his baby played with the bubbles. He really felt like the luckiest caregiver ever.

Patton was starting to get choked up, and he paused in the bathing to lean forward and press a firm kiss to Virgil’s cheek. The boy squeaked in surprise. When Patton pulled away he saw that Virgil’s smile was the biggest it had ever been. Patton’s heart swelled. ‘I love you, precious boy.’

‘Wuv Papa,’ Virgil babbled happily. Then he stretched out his arms toward Patton and proudly held up two handfuls of bubbles piled high.

‘Ooh, what are you gonna do with all those bubbles?’ Patton asked, taking the opportunity to wash under Virgil’s arms.

Virgil held the bubbles in front of his mouth and his cheeks puffed up as he tried to blow them - to no avail. Having a pacifier in his mouth obviously blocked the airflow and the bubbles did not budge. Patton saw the exact moment the disappointment filled Virgil’s eyes, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. He looked up at Patton and whined.

‘Uh oh, did it not work?’ Patton feigned his own confusion. It was both fascinating and adorable how Virgil truly had the mindset of a baby, not understanding something so simple. ‘Let’s try again, honey. Three, two, one, blow!’

He ducked behind Virgil’s line of sight and blew silently at the exact same time. The bubbles scattered into the air and Patton gasped dramatically. ‘You did it!’ he cheered, looking at Virgil with a big smile.

In any other circumstance, he would have felt guilty for tricking Virgil. But the giggles that rang around the room and the way Virgil practically vibrated with excitement meant Patton would happily do it a hundred times over.

‘Now it’s tummy time,’ Patton announced happily. This was a tricky task too, though not in a bad way at all. Just in a squirmy way.

‘Here I come…’ he warned as he trailed the washcloth down Virgil’s ribs. The boy squealed and jerked, making the bathwater slosh dangerously close to the edge of the tub. Patton chuckled, ‘I have a feeling I’m gonna get very wet in a second.’

With a deep breath, he moved his hand down and swirled the cloth around Virgil’s belly. The regressor immediately started giggling and wiggling uncontrollably. Water lapped onto the floor and soaked Patton’s shirt and khakis. He couldn’t help but break down into laughter himself.

‘Is my baby ticklish?’ he teased, wriggling his fingers and beaming at the high-pitched squeaks that it caused. Patton would have loved to coax more adorable laughter from Virgil, but the boy was far more ticklish than Roman and couldn’t handle as much of the Tickle-Monster as his brother could. Patton lifted the washcloth away with one final poke, ‘Okay, sweetie. Your ticklish tummy is safe for now.’

He surveyed the mess on the floor. There was a large, bubbly puddle surrounding his knees. Seeing his own reflection looking back at him with a smile, Patton made a note to invest in an absorbent bath mat soon. (And maybe even some bath toys for his baby!) He grabbed a towel from the rail and stood up to lay it down, kneeling back on it once it had soaked up most of the spillage.

Virgil had calmed down from the tickling and was now holding a clump of foam up to the light, mesmerized. The light refracted through the bubbles, sparkling with all of the colours of the rainbow.

‘Can you see lots of colours, Vee?’ Patton asked, and knew this would be the perfect distraction for the final task.

‘Waybow,’ Virgil whispered.

‘That’s right,’ Patton said, squeezing more soap onto the cloth and lowering it to Virgil’s thigh. ‘Can you tell me some of the colours, little one?’

‘Lellow,’ Virgil immediately said, smiling up at Patton.

‘How pretty!’ Patton started scrubbing Virgil’s thighs, using his free hand to rest on his baby’s head protectively. ‘Any more?’

‘Burble!’

‘And purple too?’ Patton embellished his tone with excitement as he trailed the cloth further up Virgil’s thighs. ‘Can you see any others?’

Virgil had obviously sensed where the washcloth was going and hunched into himself a little. ‘Web?’ he whispered shakily.

‘Mhm, red. And whose favourite colour is that?’ Patton asked.

‘Wo-Wo,’ Virgil mumbled, tensing up suddenly as the washcloth brushed his hip.

‘It’s going to be okay, sweetheart,’ Patton whispered and stroked his hair soothingly. It was the only acknowledgement he would give to what was happening. He had quickly learned that if he didn’t make a big deal out of something, Virgil was less likely to. ‘Now can you try really hard to find your mama’s favourite colour?’

Virgil’s attention was redirected as he squinted at the bubbles and Patton swiftly moved the washcloth up to clean around his crotch. It was over within seconds and he was pulling his hand away by the time Virgil had realised what had happened. The regressor whimpered and pulled his knees up to his chest.

‘All done,’ Patton soothed and leaned over the tub to kiss his head. ‘It’s okay, baby. You were such a good boy.’

A quiet whine told him Virgil wasn’t quite over the distress of having Patton wash him in such an intimate place, but at least he wasn’t crying like he had been the first few times they had done this. Well - Patton noted the wetness in Virgil’s eyes - at least not fully.

‘Could you find Mama’s colour?’

Virgil sniffled and shook his head.

‘That’s all right.’ Patton threw the washcloth onto the pile of wet clothes on the floor. ‘Do you want to play some more in the water?’

Virgil stared blankly up at him and said nothing.

Patton decided to make the question clearer for him and held up both hands in front of Virgil. ‘Do you want more bathtime,’ he waved his left hand, ‘or do you want naptime?’ he waved his right hand.

After a few seconds of his gaze flitting between each option, Virgil pointed at his right hand.

‘I think that’s a very good idea,’ Patton smiled and stood. Knowing how exhausted Virgil always was after a panic attack, it would not be long before he was too tired to sit upright. Patton picked up the wet clothes and towel and shoved them in the laundry basket then selected the biggest, fluffiest towel from the rail.

He turned back to the tub and smiled. Virgil had dropped his head to his knees and was blinking slowly. ‘It’s not naptime just yet, honey,’ Patton said quietly and reached out to Virgil’s hands to pull him up.

Virgil’s sudden exhaustion made him pliable, and there was little protest as Patton stood him up and wrapped the towel snuggly around his shoulders. It was large enough that it trailed down to his knees. No matter how often Patton saw his baby wrapped up in a fluffy towel with damp hair and sleepy eyes, the image was just as overwhelmingly precious every time.

‘Big step, baby.’ Patton carefully guided him to step over the bath edge and onto the floor. Virgil was wobbly on his feet so Patton kept his arm wrapped tightly around him as he unplugged the bath, then walked them out into the hallway.

By the time they had reached Virgil’s room, the boy’s head was leant heavily on Patton’s side as they shuffled through the door and over to the bed. ‘Okay, sweetheart, sit here while I get you some PJs.’

Within minutes Patton was lying on the bed with Virgil tucked up against him in his skeleton onesie. He wasn’t tired himself but he always stayed by Virgil’s side during naptime in case he woke up still regressed and panicked about being alone. That and he couldn’t get enough of his baby’s cute little squeaks and snuffles as he drifted off to sleep.

Virgil’s head was on his chest, and Patton’s fingers were combing through his hair slowly. He watched with adoration as Virgil’s body gradually melted into him minute-by-minute. The only sounds were both of their deep breathing and the gentle suckling of Virgil’s pacifier.

Then there was a babbled whine that was barely more than a whisper.

‘Did you try to say something, angel?’ Patton whispered, not wanting to interrupt the quiet.

‘No leab,’ came the tiny squeak. Fingers curled into Patton’s shirt.

A soft smile worked its way onto Patton’s lips and he massaged his fingers over Virgil’s scalp soothingly. ‘I’m not leaving, baby. Promise.’

Virgil was asleep within seconds.

oOo

Virgil slowly became aware of the world. His eyes were still closed, but he knew he was lying down on his warm mattress. He breathed in deep through his nose and moved his tongue experimentally over the pacifier in his mouth, frowning. It was kind of nice but mostly it just felt wrong. He blew out harshly through his mouth, causing the pacifier to shoot out.

‘Ouch!’

Virgil’s eye flew open.

He had failed to realise that the “mattress” he was lying on was, in fact, Patton’s chest. His pacifier had just shot at high-speed right into Patton’s hand.

‘Oh shit, sorry,’ Virgil quickly apologised.

It was met with a chuckle that shook Virgil’s body. ‘Well, I guess you’re not a baby anymore.’

Virgil blushed and pushed himself off of Patton, sending a little guilty smile to him. ‘Guess not.’

Patton’s responding smile was soft and adoring and Virgil had to look down to avoid melting into him again. He scooted up to lean against the head of his bed by Patton’s shoulder. ‘How long was I asleep?’

‘Less than an hour, I think,’ Patton said and hoisted himself up to lean against the headboard beside him. ‘Do you remember anything that happened?’

Virgil’s stomach twisted at the memory of Roman’s laughing face and he pulled his onesie sleeves down over his hands. How could he forget? He nodded once, not trusting himself to speak with a steady voice.

‘Do you think you could tell me exactly what you remember?’ Patton asked tentatively.

Virgil snapped his gaze onto him, chagrinned.

‘Kiddo, I’m not trying to embarrass you.’ Patton held his hands up in surrender. ‘It’s just that when you come out of your regression you don’t tend to remember all of it.’

Admittedly, Patton was right. Virgil sighed and dropped his head back against the headboard in exasperation. He hoped it hid how his cheeks were warming. ‘I, y’know, had a - an accident,’ Virgil forced the word through gritted teeth. ‘Then Ro was a jerk.’

‘Uh - okay,’ Patton sighed, clearly giving up on a reprimand. ‘Anything else?’

Virgil bit his lip and rolled his head on the headboard to glance at Patton for any hints. His shirt was visibly damp.

‘Oh, yeah,’ Virgil blinked. ‘Bathtime.’

‘Bathtime,’ Patton nodded and smiled down at him. Virgil’s chest was warm with the fond memory and he felt his lips pull into a small smile.

Bathtime had become one of his favourite things to do with Patton, even if it usually followed his least favourite part of his regression. It was always full of laughter and feeling loved and Patton singing to him and it was always just them. Plus, his papa never left him alone at bathtime.

When they had first introduced it to their dynamic that one night, Virgil had felt humiliated after coming out of his headspace (the fact that he had let Patton undress him was enough to make him splutter as an adult) but he had gotten used to it over the past couple of weeks. Now the feelings of comfort overcame any residual embarrassment.

‘Do you remember the panic attack?’ Patton asked quietly.

A cold, empty feeling washed over his whole body and Virgil curled his nails into his palms harshly. He had had a panic attack. Logan had helped him breathe, Patton had hugged him in the hallway, and Roman… had apologised. A lot. And cried.

With a gulp, Virgil realised maybe Roman hadn’t been as cruel as he first remembered.

‘Sorry,’ Virgil whispered. He felt awful for being such a burden on all of his family members.

‘Don’t be sorry, kiddo.’ Patton’s hand rested on his shoulder. ‘I know having panic attacks can’t be very fun for you.’

Virgil shook his head and then promptly dropped it to Patton’s shoulder without a word. He stubbornly refused to acknowledge his need for physical contact when he was an adult, but it was so addictive having the need pandered to so much when he was regressed that he couldn’t stop himself from seeking it out. Thankfully, Patton never said a word about it.

‘You’ve been having quite a few of them recently,’ Patton said carefully.

It was too obvious from Patton’s tone that he meant to keep talking about it and Virgil felt his shoulders tense up to the point of aching. He started scratching at his thigh through his onesie. They both knew why he was having more panic attacks recently; they always followed an accident.

Virgil stayed silent in the desperate hope that Patton would see that he was uncomfortable and drop it.

‘Oh, hey, could you maybe pass me one of your stuffies?’ Patton asked nonchalantly.

Virgil frowned and raised his head from Patton’s shoulder to send him a questioning look.

Patton’s face was far too innocent. ‘I just want something to do with my hands.’

Though sceptical, Virgil nodded and reached to the corner of the bed where he kept his soft toys. He grabbed the first one he felt and shoved it into Patton’s lap. A jolt of childish excitement coursed through him when he saw that it was Meeko, his raccoon plush. Not enough to trigger his regression, but enough to calm his nerves slightly.

‘Thank you,’ Patton said, though he didn’t move to pick it up.

Meanwhile, Virgil’s hand had not retreated from the toy in Patton’s lap and he ran his fingers absently over the fur, the scratching at his jeans long-forgotten.

‘So,’ Virgil started awkwardly. He didn’t think distraction would work this time around, but it was at least worth a shot. ‘Do you wanna go finish the movie or?’

Patton sighed and Virgil closed his eyes, knowing what was coming.

‘Honey, we need to talk about what’s been happening.’

Virgil huffed and turned his head away from Patton. He knew his avoidance of the matter over the past two weeks had to come to an end eventually, but he wasn’t ready for it yet. Though, would he ever really be ready to talk about his deepest insecurity?

‘I know you’re embarrassed,’ Patton said quietly, sympathetic, ‘but it’s affecting your anxiety. I don’t think we can afford to ignore it anymore.’

Virgil knew that. Of course he knew it, at least on some level. But it was so humiliating.

‘I don’t wanna have a big conversation about it,’ he grumbled, staring adamantly at the wall.

‘Okay, well then let’s not make it big.’ Patton’s tone was nothing but accommodating and understanding. ‘How about I just ask you some simple questions? You can even answer with just one word if you want to.’

Virgil’s dramatic sigh of defeat could have rivalled Roman’s. It was practically impossible to keep up his petulance in the face of such undying support.

Looking down at the plush in Patton’s lap, Virgil wrapped Meeko’s tail around his fingers. Well, it was as good a time as any. He nodded stiffly.

‘Great, thank you, Vee,’ Patton said sincerely. He took a deep breath. ‘Was it your first accident when I found you in the hallway two weeks ago?’

Virgil clenched his jaw. God, they were really having this discussion. ‘No,’ he mumbled.

A noise of surprise met his ears and Virgil quickly shoved the hood of his onesie up. It didn’t do much to hide his blush but it at least felt comforting.

‘I’ve been your papa for three months,’ Patton said, confused, ‘how did you hide this from me?’

The fact that Patton was keeping track of how long he’d been Virgil’s caregiver was heartening, and it made Virgil breathe a bit easier.

‘I guess I’ve had a lot of practice.’ He pulled Meeko from Patton’s lap and held the toy to his own chest. It was obvious Patton hadn’t wanted it for himself, anyway.

‘Has this always been a problem?’

‘Yeah,’ Virgil sighed. He tugged on Meeko’s ears, still facing away from Patton. ‘B-but only when I’m regressed,’ he hastily added.

‘All right.’ Patton’s voice was gentle and kind. It soothed the fast pace of Virgil’s heart. ‘Do you know why it happens?’

The reasons were seared into his mind. Virgil had figured it out years ago, but it never got easier to accept them. They were stupid reasons. Reasons he couldn’t get his regressed self to shake no matter how much logic he applied to them in his adult mindset.

Virgil shrugged.

‘Virgil,’ Patton warned. It was quiet and soft and not harsh whatsoever. Still, it never failed to break Virgil’s resolve. ‘No matter what you say, I won’t be judgemental or upset. I just want to understand, sweetie.’

It was the nickname that did it. Virgil groaned under his breath and pulled Meeko up to stroke the softness against his cheek in comfort. There was no use in delaying it. He just wanted this talk to be over with as soon as possible.

‘I’m not very aware in my body when I’m… like that. I can’t feel it building up until it’s too late. And I couldn’t make myself go even if I could feel it because little me is scared of the stupid bathroom.’ He finished in a grumble, hating every word he had just said. Why was he so pathetic?

Patton’s hand rested gently on his own and he realised he had been clawing at his onesie leg. He looked down and saw that he had abandoned Meeko on the bed, only for Patton to then pick the toy up and press it back into Virgil’s hand.

Virgil hesitantly peeked up at Patton through his bangs, forcing a tiny smile of thanks.

Patton smiled sadly and brought his hand up to Virgil’s cheek. ‘What is it that’s so scary about the bathroom?’

Wasn’t that a great question? As an adult, Virgil thought it was an utterly ridiculous fear. But apparently the regressed version of him hadn’t gotten the memo.

‘It’s stupid,’ Virgil mumbled.

‘Not if it upsets you,’ Patton added without hesitation. He was too supportive.

Virgil ran his fingers against Meeko’s fur. ‘I - I’m scared I’ll get trapped in there alone.’

‘That’s not silly at all.’ Patton laid his hand on Virgil’s back and massaged gently.

‘And I’m scared you’ll disappear when I’m in there,’ Virgil rushed to say under his breath.

‘But I would never -’

‘I know!’ Virgil snapped and clutched his toy tightly. ‘I know you don’t ever abandon me, I know it’s physically impossible for you to vanish, and I know it’s stupid. But,’ he shrugged exaggeratedly, ‘apparently, dumb baby Virgil is still terrified.’

The hand on Virgil’s back circled at a steady pace and his breath rushed out of him shakily. He slunk down on his mattress and laid his head on Patton’s arm, his whole body feeling like lead. It turned out having a panic attack and discussing your biggest secret on the same day was pretty exhausting.

‘You can’t be so harsh on yourself, Vee,’ Patton whispered, wrapping his arm around Virgil’s shoulders. ‘When you’re little you have separation anxiety. And Logan said you don’t really understand object permanence, either. So of course you’re gonna be scared when you can’t see your Papa or Mama.’

Virgil pouted and pulled Meeko up to his chin. That made a bit of sense, he supposed.

‘Can’t I come in with you?’ Patton asked. ‘Now that you’ve gotten used to bathtime, maybe it won’t be so bad.’

‘It’s not that.’ Virgil shook his head against Patton’s arm. ‘It’s shy bladder syndrome,’ he mumbled, praying to God that Patton knew what that was and he wouldn’t have to stumble through a definition.

Patton made a small, ambiguous hum then went quiet.

A couple of minutes went by and the only indication that Patton hadn’t fallen asleep was his hand rubbing up and down Virgil’s arm. Virgil thought Patton had finally had his fill of this conversation and breathed a quiet sigh of relief, letting himself relax into Patton’s side.

‘And what about the bedwetting?’ Patton suddenly asked.

Virgil’s cheeks instantly flooded with heat and he pulled himself off of Patton with Meeko still nuzzled under his chin. ‘What about it?’ he hissed in exasperation. He’d had enough humiliation for one day (and for his whole life, really).

Patton either didn’t notice Virgil’s annoyance or chose not to react to it. ‘I’m pretty sure it only happens if you’re regressed before bed, right?’

Virgil really wished Patton hadn’t phrased that as a question. He dropped his hands to his lap so that he could observe Meeko as if the stuffed raccoon was the most interesting thing in the world. Sometimes he hated the fact that he hated lying. Silence didn’t exactly work in his favour when avoiding difficult questions.

Patton’s hand rested tentatively on Virgil’s head. His hood was gently pulled down and Virgil angled his face away from Patton. He needed to maintain some form of dignity in this, even if it was only small.

‘This isn’t just a regression problem is it?’ Patton asked knowingly. It was quiet. Sorrowful. Pitying.

Virgil gritted his teeth, his eyes burning as he stared at the wall.

Patton sighed. ‘Kiddo, you’ve got to talk to me.’

Meeko was stretched tightly as Virgil tugged on his tail without remorse.

‘Do you wet the bed often?’ Patton asked more clearly.

Something hot and dense filled Virgil’s throat.

‘Baby, please -’

‘Yes,’ Virgil growled, pained. He shut his eyes tightly, hating how such a simple nickname from Patton’s mouth had immediately sent tears to his eyes.

‘Okay, that’s okay,’ Patton said delicately.

‘It’s not, though,’ Virgil whispered, then clicked his mouth shut at how broken it sounded. He pulled Meeko harder. Why didn’t Patton understand? It wasn’t okay. It was scary and embarrassing!

‘It is okay,’ Patton insisted. ‘How long has it been a problem?’

‘Years,’ Virgil mumbled miserably.

‘Virgil…’ There was the pity again. ‘Why didn’t you tell one of us?’

Virgil’s eyes flew wide and snapped onto Patton in disbelief. The older side seemed taken aback by the sudden heat directed at him.

‘Why do you think?!’ Virgil yelled hysterically, yanking Meeko’s tail harshly.

He heard a rip.

Virgil’s heart stopped as he looked down to see Meeko’s tail hanging limply in one of his hands, completely torn from the rest of the toy.

The tears that had been steadily welling in his eyes finally spilled over and dripped down to the white cotton stuffing in his lap.

‘Oh, honey,’ Patton cooed sadly and wrapped his arms around him.

Virgil sniffled and threw the ruined toy to the end of his bed. ‘It’s fine.’ His voice was shaky and high-pitched.

‘It’s okay if it’s not fine,’ Patton whispered.

‘W-whatever,’ Virgil choked, then broke down into tears a second later.

‘We can fix him,’ Patton reassured, stroking his hair. ‘Everything’s okay, my little Stormcloud.’

Virgil collapsed against him in defeat. He was too exhausted to be angry.

‘I’m sorry for pushing you.’ Patton kissed his head. ‘We don’t need to talk about it anymore.’

A strangled whimper escaped Virgil and he quickly hid his face against Patton’s chest and clung onto him. He had gotten used to crying a lot recently due to his littlespace, but at that moment he could tell he was not regressed. He decided it hurt so much more to cry when he was big. It felt like years’ worth of embarrassment and loneliness and frustration and fear were all suddenly crashing down on him.

After a few minutes of being held by Patton, Virgil’s tears had subsided. His head felt a lot clearer after getting it out of his system.

‘Are you tired of dealing with such a crybaby yet?’ Virgil mumbled into Patton’s shirt, which was now wet from his tears.

Patton’s fingers carded through his hair gently. ‘I’m never going to be tired of being here for you, Virgil.’

Virgil’s lips pulled into a small smile, but it didn’t quite feel genuine.

‘Can I tell Logan everything you’ve told me?’ Patton asked.

‘Ha,’ Virgil laughed humourlessly, some unpleasant emotion swirling in his chest. ‘Sure. While you’re at it, how about you go and tell Janus and Remus too?’ His voice shook. Whether it was from anger, fear, or his tears, he wasn’t sure. ‘I’m sure they’d love to hear all about it.’

‘You know I would never do that.’ Patton sounded hurt and guilt flooded Virgil. ‘I’m not doing any of this to upset you.’

‘I - I know,’ Virgil whispered and pulled his head up from Patton’s chest to look at him apologetically. ‘Sorry.’

Patton shook his head lightly and cupped Virgil’s cheek. ‘You’ve been dealing with this on your own for too long. Mama - Logan and I want to help you.’

‘You do?’ Virgil asked meekly.

‘Of course,’ Patton nodded. ‘We don’t like seeing you so upset whenever you have an accident. We want to do something about it.’

Virgil’s heart leapt in excitement and he pushed himself to sit upright. ‘You can stop it from happening?’ he asked.

The glimmer of hope in his chest was quickly snuffed out by the way Patton’s eyes darted to the side to avoid his pleading gaze. His mouth opened and closed silently for a few seconds.

‘Well,’ Patton finally croaked then cleared his throat. ‘Let’s just - lemme speak to Logan then we’ll see.’

Virgil’s body slumped a little. He knew that tone. That was the same tone Patton used when he told Roman “maybe” instead of “no” to spare his feelings.

‘So will you let me speak to him?’ Patton asked again, looking at him expectantly.

Virgil bit his lip. What else did he have to lose? ‘Yeah, okay,’ he whispered.

The relieved smile on Patton’s face almost made it worth it.

Patton opened his arms wide. ‘Can I have a hug now?’

He hadn’t even finished his sentence before Virgil crashed into him.

oOo

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#agere virgil #little virgil #little roman #ts agere #sanders sides agere #cg patton #cg logan #little/big series #little/big series fics #little accidents big developments #agedre roman

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