Chapter Text
It’s one am when they finally touchdown, the airport calm and silent in the eerie way that they usually were. Dee works to shake the last of his unease over their abrupt landing (it really did feel like it had gone too fast- are you sure this was normal?). With Patton’s arm linked with his own, the two of them roll their luggage behind them as they approach the escalator. Dee nudges his arm, eyes deliberately meeting the others and flickering his attention between them and his lips, and Patton releases the abused skin from between his teeth with a faint blush and bashful tilt of his head. Dee sends him what he hopes is a reassuring smile and it must do something right because Patton only takes a moment more to ask what’s on his mind.
“Do you think I’m a bit much sometimes?”
He blinks at the unexpected question, noting how the other kept furtively glancing between him and the escalator they’ve paused beside. “That feels out of nowhere,” he remarks, helping to guide him a step further away from the moving stairs, arm retreating from Patton's in order for his hand to settle gently against his waist as the rest of the passengers drift past them.
Settling more firmly against the hold, Patton freezes at the sight of a colorful wall of balloons standing erect near the bottom of the escalator. He nods towards it and watches Dee’s expression as he tries to understand what he isn’t saying.
"Wait, is your family-?"
Patton sighs, casting him a nervous but happy grin, fishing out his phone to snap a quick shot of the display. "You're about to see where I get it from."
“If anything my dear, I’ve simply been granted the opportunity to figure out how you’ve become so…”
He doesn’t finish the sentence, laughing quietly when Patton giggles into the deliberate silence and leans closer, “So excellent, and funny, and bubbly, and the best thing since sliced bread?”
“Exactly. Took the words right,” he muffles a yawn as they finally step to descend, “right out of my mouth,” expression amused when Patton sniffs with faux-haughtiness and turns away. If he was just a little bit pleased to see that the worry he was harboring seemed to be forgotten for now, well, who was going to catch on to judge him?
The balloons shiver and shake with the unmistakable sound of hushed laughter from just behind them, and it's only when they step a few feet away from the escalator that they are suddenly released, revealing the large group of brightly smiling people that had held it together.
'Oh. That's a lot of family.'
Patton briefly squeezes his arm before rushing forward to meet the group, all of them already moving to try and converge with where they had stopped, holding up his hands to slow them down. Dee hears a faint clicking off to the left, dismissing it when Patton turns around to beckon him forward instead, whispering in his ear when he’s close enough to pull even closer, “Just let me know if anything gets too overwhelming for you, I’ll pull you out no questions asked.”
And that, that was actually really reassuring. He stands up straighter, notably more relaxed and meets the next person to greet them with a smile, small but genuine as Patton relays the introductions.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
~
Getting into the shuttle is simply a matter of getting everybody situated after figuring out how to shove themselves into the cramped space available, not that Dee had to worry about that. Or that he had any time to worry at all before the decision was made for him as he was approached by a smiling older woman.
“You’re an honored guest young man, we wouldn’t dream of giving you anything less than the front seat after your long hard flight.”
“Mrs. O’ Heartly that is too kind of you all to offer, but I am merely a plus one and your son-”
“Has been in love with you since the day you two dears officially got together I’m sure, getting the chance to spend all the time with you he wants-”
(“Mom!” Said with no small amount of embarrassment, a light flush crawling it’s way across Patton’s features as Dee’s gracious smile melts into something softer behind his back.)
(“It’s true sweetie.” She gives a less than conspiratorial wink, obvious enough to laugh openly when Patton sputters into his hands, reaching out to rub his back comfortingly.)
“-and he can stand to be cooped up with the rest of us for the ride home.”
Waiting for everyone else to adjust themselves, Patton finally slips into place beside him, lacing their fingers together to give his hand a reassuring squeeze. “You holding up okay?”
Dee watches a pair of what appear to be twins his age bickering over the farthest backseat, matching smiles letting him know that it was nothing serious. Had he seen them while they were still in the airport? He’d been cycled through so many people so quickly, it was hard to recall. Ramen sounded about right. Strange name, but he wouldn’t judge. Overtly.
“I’m afraid I don’t recognize half the faces of your friends or family,” he murmurs, quirking a smile at the snort Patton gives, and okay, maybe the solemnity in his tone was a tad overdramatic. He could afford to loosen up. A tall man in a tie grants him a polite smile when he passes, breaking up the fight by dragging the half of the pair with a mustache into the back. Was he even related to Patton? God have mercy, maybe he wasn’t being dramatic enough. A click.
“I think you just need a good night of sleep and recuperation to face the rest of the guest list,” he teases lowly, tugging him into position to get into the front seat.
“Is it too late to get back on the plane and smuggle you away just for me?”
“Yep.”
“Darn.”
The ride wasn’t so bad. Even if everyone was as excited as they first appeared to be, the late hour was affecting all of them, and one by one, they were dropped off to houses or hotels along the way, until all that remained made it to the O’ Heartly residence. Getting ushered through the darkened house, Dee blinks at the suddenness of seeing Patton’s childhood bedroom, moving to set his suitcase next to the clean dresser. There was something off about it, a strange sense that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. He shakes his head, moving to change into his soft pants and tank top, unable to dismiss the sleepy haze that slowed the train of his thoughts. The dark made it a harder time to shuffle around without bumping into things, but he managed to strip and change into a loose tank top and pair of sweatpants at the very least.
Ready to practically fall asleep on his own feet, Patton comes in wearing his own pajamas, walking in to makeout his lost look in the shadows as he vaguely stares into the space above the bed. There’s something he can’t quite find the words to describe about the look in his eyes, but he doesn’t think it's bad as he makes his way closer.
Crawling under the covers that Patton lifts in invitation, Dee practically sinks into the soft mattress, melting under his touch when he runs soft fingers through his hair for a few quiet moments. He cracks an eye open when he feels the touch pause, blinking lethargically in question.
"I'll be back later, okay honey-Dee? I just have to do something first."
He mumbles an approximate affirmation, eye slipping shut again easily enough, and Patton slips out into the dark hallway, the door shutting behind him with a gentle thump. He slowly releases the door handle.
"Hey pop-star."
Stifling a gasp, Patton jumps, turning around startled but recovering quickly at the sight of his best friend smirking up at him. Pulling Virgil into a hug that he quickly reciprocates, he's glad to pull back and see that his smile has switched out for something more genuine, and he's sure that his own face must be mirroring the mirth in his eyes.
Glancing at the closed door, he lets the other pull him down the hallway, light beginning to filter throughout the house the closer they get to the family room, fairy lights strung around the room to offer a soft glow, revealing three of his other best friends chatting around the coffee table.