Work Text:
“Pattoncake!” “Pattoncake!” “Pattoncake!”
Patton reared his head up as he walking down the hallway of VidCon, engrossed in the book in his hand. The book was a particularly good one, so Patton didn’t blame himself for not noticing.
As otherwise, how could he have not noticed the huge line of people lined up behind a bunch of leads, like amusement parks or airports used to enforce lines without making it impossible to quickly leave, calling out his YouTube handle.
‘Pattycake’ had become almost a second name at this point, so it was a mystery even to Patton how he didn’t notice the vast line of people calling his name.
When he did, he just froze, a strangled yelp coming from his lips unbidden. His brain was completely short-circuiting as he saw the sign for his own YouTube channel at the crux of the line. He numbly shut his book, still careful to leave his bookmark in, mute from the sight before him.
They were all here for him!
Before he even could try to make his way to start to meet his fans like he now desperately, Patton lips parted and he let out the most excited but ear piercing squeal he had ever made.
Amazingly at the sound, all his fans grew completely silent, slack jawed and all their eyes wide, some bringing their hands to their chests.
Patton’s cheeks blushed red, his face even up to the tips of his ears burning hot, his stomach beginning to knot tight as he opened his mouth to apologize for scaring them-
“Aw!” A chorus of coos came from the line that was now in front of him, his fans face not visages of horror or scared faces, but instead there was awed and gentle expressions gaping back at him.
Where he was so quick to apologize and fumble over himself moment before, he was simply struck dumb once more, not able to comprehend that they weren’t scared or startled or thought his squeal was childish and immature.
“-toncake. Pattoncake!”
Patton jumped, blinking as there was suddenly someone beside him and he flickered back to old times, drawing back, shoulders hunched and head ducked waiting for the sting of pain.
1 second. 2 seconds. 3 seconds.
But it didn’t come, Patton was brought back by the sound of soft concerned murmurs to his left. Patton brought his head up slowly to see his book hanging from a stranger’s fingertips. He must have dropped it when he...
When he flinched. In front of at least a hundred people. When they were all focused on him.
Fudge! Fudge! Fudge! You gotta play this off Patton.
Patton made eye contact with the stranger, not even really taking in anything about their face, just focused on recovering once again from an awkward situation. His face automatically snapped into his signature happy grin he had in his videos, and no one but those who him would ever suspect it was fake. He reached out to take the book from the stranger, not hesitating for a moment.
“Oh, thanks stranger! Or shall I say ‘Friend I haven’t properly met yet.’”
He ignored the excited noises of the crowd as he spoke his practiced line he had said plenty of times throughout his many videos. Gripping his book once again, he hugged it loosely, but still tighter than he really needed to as now his book was back in his arms again and he was safe.
For the life of Patton he couldn’t make out the stranger’s face as the stranger began to reply, his eyes not lingering on their face for more than a second, flickering back to the crowd, sending various comforting smiles, distracting himself and hopefully his fans from what just happened as if it was that simple. He did, however, notice the prominent mustache on the strangers upper lip, as it was hard to miss even though Patton could barely look at the stranger.
“Well I have to go, you’re nice and all, but you’re not who I’ve come to meet so I’ll just be going...”
Patton nearly jolted, his smile never wavering, but despite his inner protesting, his stomach started to tie itself into knots. Patton’s smile remained as he nodded to the stranger, watching him leave and
Why am I feeling like this? They don’t have to be here for me, they are their own person! So why am I so sa...?
Patton shook himself (and those thoughts away), his smile still plastered on his face, walking past his fans. Some of his fans were concerned, faces standing out from the happy faces still smiling at him like mirrors out of the corner of his eye.
He simply ignored the stares, walking calmly up to his booth that he had set up. Patton had only planned his booth for 100 total people max for the whole time. There were cookies in a box, chocolate chip, snickerdoodle and also a separate smaller one that had both gluten free and peanut free cookies. He didn’t want his ‘kiddos’ to miss out.
Patton had planned on giving each of his fans two cookies in honor of one of his popular lines from his video about things he did when he was stressed, where he said he ate only one cookie if he was calm, but two always ‘fell into his mouth’ when he was stressed, but now he may have to only allow one, or even just half of a cookie.
So with a pep Patton didn’t actually feel, Patton announced to his waiting fans from behind his booth.
“Pattoncake’s one stop cookie shop is now open for business, where everything goes right!”