Remy's POV:

(A/N: I know, I know, this chapter switches aesthetics really quickly, but I wanted to do some angst to prepare ya'll for the big shit coming up. Buuuut the next chapter is gonna be some fluff, so don't worry. For now.)

I was crouched, huddled really, beneath a lump of warm blankets laid on top of me by my brother, Patton. It was around midnight, both of us were tired as fuck, and were trying to sleep but anxiety and thoughts continued swirling around our(mine, at least) heads. 

Patton, dressed in a turquoise frog onesie, was sitting next to me on my bed, giving me soft, sad smiles and gentle pats as I just stared into space. I had been-- was-- so shaken up by the events of this week I needed time to wrap my head around them all.

First: After the date-- meetup with Emile, a few days ago, I had gone back home and relapsed everything to Patton, who merely smiled in his usual joyful way and told me there was more coming. 

Second: More? There was going to be more? Says who? Not me, that's for sure, not for a long time. 

Third: I had gotten a call from Clarke City Police Department. When I had been in the hospital, they had come to visit me and asked me what happened. I had relaid all the information I could bear to tell to them, including everything that happened during our relationship. The call they had sent me was basically just telling me that there was going to be a court case, and I was a valuable witness and prosecutor. 

Fourth: Fourth? There are only three. Shit, even my mind is going pieces. Scattering. 

Disappearing. Fragmenting, like shattered glass, leaving me behind to grasp at the one or two thoughts it leaves behind. 

Who am I kidding, I can't even think anymore. What the fuck. 

I was jolted back to reality when Patton began to speak, which led me to think he hadn't even noticed my mini-breakdown until I registered what he was saying. 

"Is everything all right, Remy? Are you okay?" he asked, gently pressing a hand to my back as I panted for air. "Do you need anything?"

I swallowed damply and shook my head, unsure of my ability to talk. 

Patton sighed. "Well, are you sure? You look terrible. I'm sure it's really hard, you know, with everything going on. I can get you a can of Nutella from downstairs, or the pack of Oreos we were saving for a rainy day, which in my mind at least, this totally counts, because of--" His voice grew continually higher.

I pressed a finger to his lips, quieting him. "Shh, Patton, you're rambling," I told him, my own voice husky and thin. "It's okay. We can share the Oreos together if you want," I offered, my head fully emerging from my pile of blankets. 

He laughed, a high, wispy sound that made me think he was approaching the territory of bad mental health where I resided. 

"It's alright," I calmed, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. "You're okay."

Patton blinked away tears, but I could still see some water shining in the corners of his eyes, reflecting the dim light of the ceiling lamp. "This is messed up," he cried, finally giving in. "I'm the one who-- who's supposed to be comforting-- you," he sobbed, hiccuping and tripping over the last few words. 

I bit my lip, feeling on the verge of tears myself. Seeing anyone cry-- well, anyone but especially someone I cared about, like Patton-- made me feel like crying. It wasn't a good feeling, but I also wanted to be the older sibling, because Patton didn't need all this right now. 

He had just gotten out of college a few months ago and had finally found a job. He had barely begun to flourish in his after-school days, and then this had to happen. All because I wanted a stupid fucking coffee. 

"Here, have some of the blankets," I insisted. Haphazardly pulling it off of me, I draped a red-and-blue checkered blanket over Patton, who wrapped it quickly around himself and ducked under it like a little turtle. 

He shrugged. "It's almost nighttime," he told me, pointing to the frosted window, outside of which the sky was black and a few stars were twinkling. "I'll go to my room so we can sleep."

Shaking my head, I flopped backward and nuzzled into my pillow, grabbing Patton's arm and pulling him behind me. When he tried to protest, I put a hand over his mouth. "Sleep," I told him. "We'll sleep together tonight."

---

The next morning I woke up to the smell of fresh porridge and bright sunlight that had broken through my barriers of curtains and was dotting the floor in dappled spots of light. I yawned and stretched, the blanket falling off of me and landing on the floor. 

I murmured incoherently and slipped off the bed, blinking at the bright light. I quickly grabbed my sunglasses and slipped them on. "Patton?" I called groggily. "Are you awake?" I glanced at the bed, but the only other thing there was piles of blankets. 

Patton's voice came from downstairs. "Down here," he said, startling my still-half-asleep self so I fell backward on the bedframe, hitting my shoulder on the carved knob. 

"Ow..." I muttered. 

A laugh followed the greeting, and I heard footsteps as Patton came up the stairs and opened the door. "You alright, kiddo?" he asked, grinning down at me. 

I groaned and stood up, half-jumping onto the bed. Patton was dressed in a sunny yellow oversized sweater with several rainbow pins on it, as well as a baseball hat and a pair of dark grey fingerless gloves. "You're dressed up," I noticed, smiling a bit. "Anything fancy going on?"

He rolled his eyes. "Roman called me. We're going to meet up with everyone cause he apparently has something to tell us."

"Oho, so Logan's coming?" I teased, standing up and shoving him into the doorway. "Really?"

Patton crossed his arms. "Yes, and?"

Giggling, I looked over the top of my sunglasses, flopping back onto the bed, and raised an eyebrow. Patton growled and padded off, presumably downstairs again to eat breakfast, if he hadn't already. 

"Hey, save some breakfast for me," I called. "I'm hungry."

He turned around, looking at me skeptically. "Only if you get dressed hurriedly enough," he told me, then stalked off downstairs. 

I smirked and slipped off the bed, rifling through my wardrobe to pick out what I was going to wear that day. 

One grey-and-orange striped hoodie, three bracelets, and a pair of old-fashioned mauve sneakers later, I was downstairs finishing my bowl of porridge. 

"Thanks," I said, leaning back in my chair to look at Patton. "I don't know how to cook shit."

He laughed and took my plate. "Come on, we should go, right?"

I smiled. "By the way, who all is coming? Logan, Roman, and Virge, right?" Patton nodded. "Jan? Emile? Um." I tried to grasp for the name of Roman's twin. "...Remus, right?"

"Yeah, we barely ever see him since he's usually out of town," Patton mused. "Anyway, yeah, they're all coming too. We're going to Orchid Beach in Palm City."

I blew out a breath. "Wow, really? That's kind of far away, you sure we can take the bus?"

Patton looked at me dryly. "Logan's driving us. He's the only one-- other than Jan and Roman, I think-- that can drive. So he's picking me and you up, then driving to the beach, where we'll meet up with everyone else."

"Good to know, good to know," I murmured, standing up and grabbing for the coffee pot. 

Putting a hand on my shoulder, Patton shook his head with a small smirk. "We don't have time for that," he informed me. "It's already 10:23. Logan's coming at 10:30. You can beg him to drop by Starbucks in the car, alright?"

I groaned, sliding the bag of coffee back into its place. "Fine, fine. Damn, where'd the day go?"

"Whatever," Patton laughed, "Let's just start getting ready."

"I am ready!" I protested, leaning against the doorway and crossing my arms. "Really!"

"...really. Because I seem to recall someone talking about something called 'sunscreen', maybe an 'umbrella', although that seems outrageous, and perhaps even-- and let's stretch a little here-- 'towels'?"

"Sarcastic fucker."

"You're one to talk."