Hi yes just a warning this story will be getting a little bit... sad and dramatic from now on so just be prepared lol. Also just wanna say, there will not be anymore cheating exactly(like Virgil kissing the other two while still with Roman) but there will be mentions of cheating, so if that is something that bothers you then it may be best not to read this book. Sorry.

Virgil watched silently as the three of them entered the room, Roman grinning brightly while behind him Patton and Logan looked nervous. When Roman sat down beside of Virgil again he told the others to sit down as well, both of them doing so and looking over at Virgil awkwardly.

"Hey, Virge." Patton smiled over at him, trying to appear genuine. Virgil could tell it was forced, but he didn't say anything. He simply nodded in response, not sure his voice would work very well if he attempted to use it.

"I'm so happy to see you all again!" Roman grinned, wrapping one arm around Virgil beside of him and reaching on his other side to wrap his other around both of his friends. "I've missed you all so much!"

"I missed you as well," Logan responded, surprising the other three. "And then you got back, and I once again wish I didn't have to deal with your dramatics."

Roman gasped dramatically at that, earning a sigh from Logan. "How dare you? I have been gone forever and now that I have finally returned from my long journey you tell me you wish I hadn't returned?"

"You were gone for a week. On vacation." Logan stated, a small smile on his lips as he continued to tease his friend. "That is certainly not forever, but even if it was it would not have been long enough."

Roman and Logan continued to go back and forth, Roman standing so he could move his arms as he spoke without hitting someone beside of him. Virgil watched the two of them, knowing he should feel happy knowing that his friends were still getting along as though nothing happened. He should be relieved that at least one of them didn't want to make things awkward and weird, and yet he couldn't help but still feel nervous.

So they could pretend while they were around Roman-they had to pretend while around Roman. What would happen if the three of them were left alone again? Would it be awkward again then? Or worse, Virgil though, what if he didn't feel uncomfortable? What if he found himself no longer caring while he was with them-what if he forgot Roman entirely while he was with them?

Virgil didn't notice, but when Roman had stood to talk with Logan Patton had taken the opportunity to slide closer to him, sitting beside of him. He was watching him quietly for a few moments, chewing his lip and seeming to consider something. When he finally reached out to Virgil, touching his shoulder to gain him attention, Virgil jumped. He looked over at Patton wide-eyed, sighing a moment later when he realized what had happened.

"What is it?" Virgil asked, not intending to be harsh but seeming that way anyways. Patton didn't appear to be too fazed by it though, instead sighing himself.

"I... how are you, Virgil?" He asked, frowning at him. "We haven't heard from you at all, and you've been ignoring our texts and calls the last two days. We're... worried, about you."

"How am I?" Virgil raised an eyebrow, frowning. "Take a guess! How did I seem to be doing when I left your house early the other day?"

"I... I'm sorry, Virgil." Patton chewed his bottom lip again, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment as he thought. "I just... we know that things have been confusing. We just want you to know that you can talk with us! Anytime you'd like, we're always here. We already know what you're going through, and I know you so I know you haven't spoken to anyone else about it. Me and Logan, we just want you to talk to us. Please... don't shut us out, Virgil."

"I'm sorry," Virgil mumbled, looking away from Patton. "I just don't think I can. Maybe... maybe it's best if I don't hang out with you and Logan alone anymore. That doesn't mean I'm going to avoid you guys or anything, but... I'm just..." Virgil sighed, shaking his head. "I don't know.."

Patton was going to say something, but he was cut off by Roman suggesting that the four of them do something together. Virgil agreed quickly, leaving Patton no other choice than to drop the conversation. The three of them continued to act as normal as possible around Roman, although they still felt uncomfortable.

****

A movie played quietly on the TV in Roman's living room, though Patton barely even registered the fact that it was on. Roman, Virgil, and Logan had all fallen asleep already, leaving him the only one to actually watch the movie.

He glanced over at the clock hanging on the wall. 3 AM. He was up late. His eyes wandered from the clock back over to his friends, who were all sleeping on the same couch as him. He looked to Logan first-he was the closest to Patton, just barely pressing against his side as he slept. His head rested on the cushion behind him, in a position sure to leave his neck aching later that day. Roman was beside of him, curled onto the couch with him Virgil held tightly against him, both of them leaning to the opposite side of the couch. Virgil had insisted on being on that side-Patton couldn't help but feel a little sad knowing that him and Logan were the reason why. He didn't want to be close to them.

Patton sighed, gently moving away from Logan and standing. He stretched with a quiet yawn, feeling much less cramped now that he wasn't on the couch, despite not having anyone pressed against him like the other three of his friends did. He moved over to the TV, shutting it off so that the sound wouldn't disturb his friends as they slept or him when he eventually had to try and sleep again.

He walked towards the bathroom, intending to be back on the couch trying to sleep in only a couple minutes. Instead, Patton found himself standing in front of the bathroom sink, hands clutching the counter as he stared at his own reflection. As more time passed alone with his thoughts tears gathered in his eyes, one by one beginning to trail down his cheeks. He heard s knock on the bathroom door, startling and wiping at his eyes. "W-who is it?"

"It's Logan." He heard through the door, his boyfriends voice comforting. He didn't know what he would do if it had been someone else. "I woke up when you got up, and you've been in here for a while. Are you alright, Patton?"

"I... no," Patton mumbled, sighing and closing his eyes as more tears slipped down his face. "Not really..."

"Will you open the door, please?" Logan asked, and slowly he heard the lock being turned. When he tried the door it opened, and stepping inside he found Patton standing right inside, hands covering his face. Logan immediately stepped forward to wrap his arms around him in a hug, holding him close. He didn't say anything for a while, waiting for Patton to open up on his own.

"It's not fair," he mumbled eventually, voice so soft Logan just barely realized he had said anything at all.

"What's not fair, Patton?" Logan questioned, looking down at him. He was shocked when Patton looked back at him. He had been expecting to find sadness on Patton's features. He knew he had been crying, and he knew he was upset. He had not been expecting the anger he so clearly was feeling, and Logan almost took a step back from him. Seeing Patton angry was a very uncommon occurrence.

"All of this!" Patton hissed. He was frustrated, but he didn't want to shout in fear of being heard by his friends or Roman's parents. "It's all so unfair! I mean... it's not our fault, right?"

Patton pulled away from Logan's hug, pacing the small bathroom. "It isn't! We-we were just trying to be good friends... he's the one who decided to kiss us. So why do we deserve this? Why?"

"Patton.." Logan frowned, reaching to grab his arm and stop his pacing. Patton had told him what Virgil had said during one of their movies, after Virgil and Roman had fallen asleep. "Do you truly blame him for what he is doing? This is hard on all of us."

"That doesn't mean he has to push us away, Logan!" Patton frowned, drawing in a shaky breath as more tears fell from his eyes.

"No, he doesn't." Logan agreed, watching Patton sigh in defeat and lean against him. "But," Logan spoke again. "I am positive that he is not doing this to hurt us, Patton. Yes, it is unfair. Yes, this situation is complicated and confusing, and I wish we could remain good friends with him as well. This... is hurting all of us..."

Patton looked up at Logan, suddenly realizing how much he was surely going through too. Logan has been there for Patton so much that Patton seemed to forget that all of this must be incredibly hard on him too. Patton hugged Logan tightly at this realization, guilt beginning to eat at him.

"However," Logan started to speak again. "Our relationship with Virgil isn't entirely up to us. If he does not wish to be with us, romantically or platonically, we have to respect his decision... As painful as it is. He has his own reasons, and isn't that what we should care more about? Virgil's well-being And happiness? Even if it is not with us?"

"I... Yeah." Patton sighed, holding Logan closer and hiding his face in his chest. "You're right, I-I'm being inconsiderate... I am sorry, Logan."

"You have nothing to apologize to me for." Logan frowned, but Patton shook his head.

"Yeah, I do. I forgot to check in on you during all of this. You've been here for me so much, and... well, you haven't even gotten the chance to talk about how you feel since you got your new mark. I should be better at being here for you. I'm sorry." Patton apologized, and Logan seemed shocked.

"I... oh. You are right, Patton. In all honesty, I haven't even had the time to think about my own feelings." He muttered, making Patton feel even worse.

"I promise Logan, I'll do a better job at being there for you like you have been with me." Patton promised. "If you need to talk about any-anything..."

Patton cut himself off with a yawn, squeezing his eyes shut. Logan laughed quietly, taking Patton's hand in one of his, his other moving to wipe away the remaining tears from his eyes. "Thank you, Patton. We should probably consider talking more about this tomorrow. When you are not as tired as you are now."

"Probably," Patton admitted, allowing Logan to begin leading him from the bathroom back towards Roman's living room. The two of them sat on the couch opposite of Roman and Virgil again, but this time the pair sat closer to each other. They each had their arms wrapped around each other, in a much more comfortable position than they had been in previously.

Patton was still upset with everything going on, of course. He knew that it was going to be hard, and he was still sad and frustrated. But he also knew that he wasn't going through it alone. He had Logan, and Logan had him.

As tough as things might get, the two of them could make it through anything together.