Chapter Text
Janus was wrapped up in a warm blanket on the sunny spot right beside the armrest of the couch. He was drifting in and out of consciosness, never floating too far from the quiet sounds of the Mindscape, but never fully waking up either. He has been occupying the sport for a time, as his blanket was noticeably warmed by the sun too.
This picture a quiet peacefullness was what Patton walked in on when he came down from his room for an afternoon snack and maybe a cup of hot cocoa if he decided to treat himself.
Patton stopped for a second and looked at his boyfriend.
He was gorgeous.
Well, Janus was always gorgeous, so that was nothing new. They all had the same face, but they all wore it so differently, and those differences were the things Patton was always hunting for, cataloguing, and pulling out on his moments of sadness or loneliness, before one of his boyfriends would find him and comfort him.
The dimple on Roman’s right cheek. It may came to be, because Roman smiles a lot, and all his smiles are so wide and genuine.
The freckle on Logan’s collarbone, which could have been the result of him adjusting his tie so frequently.
The fullness of Virgil’s lower lip, only a hairwidth bigger than everyone else’s. It could have been caused by him often worrying his lower lip when he was anxious.
The little nick, almost invisible on Remus’ earlobe. He had it almost severed in a particularly interesting experiment of his. It didn’t heal and disappeared without a mark, as all their other injuries usually did.
And Janus. Janus’ face will always have a special spot in Patton’s heart, as he was the only one who looked so different from the rest of them. Patton adored the line of his snake mouth, which he only usually opened if Remus felt down, and Janus wanted to lift his spirits by swallowing a food item whole. Remus’ favourite so far has been a cleaned pineapple.
Patton loved Janus’ eyes, differently colored, one is a warm brown, that made you feel safe and treasured, the other is green, and feels like it pierces right through your soul, seeing all that you want to conceal.
He loved his fangs, which Janus was usually trying to keep hidden. They made him look dangerous, and they scrached at Patton’s lips sometimes when they kissed. He loved the contrast of the danger of the fangs and Janus’ soft, gentle kisses.
He loved Janus’ scales, smooth and warm, almost better to touch than his skin. They were so vivid in the sunlight right now, they almost seemed to sparkle.
But what Patton loved the most was that, for some reason even Logan couldn’t decipher, Janus could purr.
It was rare, only coming out when their snake was perfectly content, feeling safe and warm and happy. And if at least one of them was touching him.
Patton only heard Janus’ purr four times this far, and they were together for almost two years now. He knew Roman heard it once, when it was just him and Janus, but that was it to the best of their knowledge.
Those times were some of Patton’s most treasured memories. The memories that kept him warm at night, when he couldn’t sleep but didn’t want to intrude on the others. The memories that kept him tethered to reality when he felt like he would float away in the sea of his sadness. The memories that kept him sane in his fog of self-doubt.
His treasures.
And Patton took every opportunity to try and expand his treasury. He loved seeing his boyfirends happy and content, and he regularly took steps to ensure they kept feeling that way.
And Logan’s little smiles, that radiated shy happiness, Roman’s blushes, when he felt assured he’s loved, Virgil’s loud, genuine laughter, when he felt completely at ease to just be himself and Remus’ quiet gratitude, when he was not just included, but listened to; those were his reward.
And Janus’ purr.
Patton did feel selfish for this, and for keeping it a secret from his boyfriends, but he was usually trying not to think about it.
Now though, Patton just wanted to sit down and look at his adorable snake boyfiend.
Janus was always especially cute when he was warmed up very well, because it tended to make him drowsy, which lead him to lower his confident persona. He was even cuddlier and more openly demanding of attention and love from them.
He also complained a lot if he didn’t get what he wanted, right when he wanted it.
But Patton didn’t mind, he thought Janus was cute even when he was complaining about completely unreasonable things, like why can’t Patton get him hot cocoa while Janus was cuddled into his chest. No, he won’t move, he needs his cuddles. But also needs some hot cocoa.
So Patton sneaked to the couch and sat down on the plush carpet, right before his burrito-boyfirend, with careful consideration to not - for a second – come between Janus and his precious sunning time.
He chuckled to himself silently, if there was something Janus loved more than them, it was him lounging in the sun. If it was summertime, he stripped down to his underwear and laid down in a sunny spot, no matter where it was. Virgil once found him half-asleep on a hastily reinforced shelf, or Logan on the top of the fridge.
In wintertime the sun wasn’t strong enough to warm him up that thoroughly, so this time of year Janus usually twitsted a blanket around himself or found an organic space heater to cuddle with.
Patton admired his will to push through the foggy feeling that came with the colder days for Janus, but he admired Janus’ sparkly scales and cute, twichy nose more right now. Patton could spend days just sitting like this and looking at his boyfriend making faces in his sleep. Or just looking at his boyfriend’s face he wasn’t picky, really.
But then Patton’s cute, warm boyfriend opened one of his eyes and looked at him accusingly.
”Stop just staring and cuddle me.” Janus ordered with a narrowed eye and a cute pout, only slurring the sentence a little.
Patton felt his heart a mug, overflowing with the hot cocoa of love so fast that he almost teared up.
Patton smiled so brilliantly, like he was worried that Janus was still cold even with the blanket and the sun on him, and he decided that only his smile could warm his boyfriend enough in this chilly winter afternoon.
Patton started to get up, but his speed was persumably not up to Janus’ expectations, because he freed his hands from the blanket burrito and started to make grabby hands at Patton with a little hiss of impatience.
Patton chuckled softly and started climbing behind Janus, keeping an arm on his front to hold him in place. He didn’t want to push his drowsy snake down from the couch when he was finally used as a space heater, did he now?
He squirmed into place with no help but a lot of amusement from Janus, and got a freed blanket corner for his troubles. This allowed him to pull Janus’ back to his chest without the impregnable barrier of a fluffy, fluffy blanket.
When they finally settled down, comfortably cuddled up under the blanket, Janus yawned.
Patton knew being this drowsy made Janus forget his usual inhibitions, but he was still not prepared for the pop. His eyes went wide, and he looked around to see his boyfriend’s face.
His boyfirend’s yawning face with an unhinged jaw.
Patton tried to hold back his laugh, he really did. Ultimately though, he didn’t stand a chance. ”Ppffffffhahaha” He needed to wipe a tear from his eye that was threatening to slip out from the laughter.
”What? ” Janus asked sulkily.
”Sorry, love, I just didn’t know you could do this. That was adorable.” Patton said still chuckling.
”I’m not adorable,” said Janus adorably, sinking deeper into the blanket and consequently into Patton’s arms.
”Yes love, you are a ferocious little danger noodle,” said Patton with another chuckle and he pressed a kiss to Janus’ temple. ”Now go back to you nap, sweetheart, I’ll keep you warm while you sleep.”
”Mmhm.” Janus hummed quietly, already drifting off again.
Patton didn’t want to fall asleep. Not that he didn’t appreciate a good afternoon nap, especially when he had one of his boys to cuddle up to, but he wanted to savour this moment.
The others were all occupied with work and relaxation either in their rooms or in the Imagination. The Mindscape was quiet, and Janus’ little sleeping sounds were all audible in the tranquil atmosphere.
But Patton was tired and warm, and had an extremely cute snake boi safe and happy in his arms, he didn’t stand a chance against the drowsiness taking over him.
With the last shreds of his slipping consciousness he wanted to etch this moment into his memory to look back on, but then he heard something.
And as Patton happily slipped into sleep he knew this moment won’t just be a photo in his many, many albums about his loves, because this moment somehow became special for Janus. Patton knew he will hold this moment among his most treasured memories, always.
And in his sleep Janus continued happily purring away.