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Chapter Text

It was supposed to be a simple ‘playdate’, as Patton called it. Patton thought bringing the two tinies together would be fun and help them let off steam. Virgil should have known better than to put these particular pets together. Logan and Roman had been bickering almost non-stop since they got here, and while Patton may find it almost cute Virgil was nervous that it would turn into something more serious.

“Patton, your borrower’s being cringey again.” Virgil groaned, rubbing a hand down his face.

“You’re my best friend, you’re supposed to deal with the second-hand embarrassment.” Patton giggled, looking excited.

“Patton, my sword.” Roman gave a snap of his fingers, and Patton handed the borrower his makeshift weapon that was actually a plastic sword found stuck through fruit in fancy drinks. It had been sharpened to a point, and he pointed the tip of it in Logan’s direction. “En guarde.”

“Surely you’re joking.” Logan deadpanned, looking unfazed. “I thought for once you were going to be capable of holding an intelligent conversation.”

“What, are you a coward?” Roman took a step forward, gently nudging the front of Logan’s shirt with the blade. “Too scared to face me?”

Logan glared at Roman, taking a step back and drawing the weapon that sat at his hip. It was a sewing needle, the blade much slimmer and sharper than Roman’s own. 

“Wanna take bets?” Virgil muttered as Logan and Roman began to circle each other. “I’m trying to figure out who loses an arm first.”

“Uh…” Patton’s smile fell, beginning to look a bit nervous. “Hey kiddos, play nice, alright?”

“I’ll play as nice as he does.” Roman replied, his concentration fierce like a lion on the prowl.

“Likewise.” Logan murmured.

Roman finally took a lunge at Logan, the nerd dodging easily and clanging his metal blade against Roman’s.

“Poor form.” Logan observed, with a flick of his wrist pushing Roman’s weapon back. 

“You should talk.” Roman hit Logan’s needle away as Logan made a jab at him. “Have you practiced at all ?”

“I’ve had more pressing matters on my mind as of late.” Logan replied, sending a brief glance in the human’s direction. “Or perhaps you’ve lost sight of the objective.”

“I’ve forgotten nothing.” Roman parried his blade again, the two exchanging a few more jabs. Logan lunged at him and Roman easily sidestepped, shaking his head. “You’re weak, Logan.”

“At least I haven’t submitted myself to becoming a lapdog.” Logan’s comment clearly struck a nerve, as Roman’s next blow had enough force behind it to send Logan stumbling back a few steps.

“Roman!” Patton gasped, but Roman’s anger only seemed to grow.

“As if being a tool is much better, mr. pocket calculator.” Roman huffed.

“I adapted. ” Logan insisted, coming back to take another swing at Roman.

“So did I!” Roman’s weapon clanged against his as he blocked. 

Virgil and Patton glanced at each other, confused and worried. This was certainly new information to them. What were their borrowers talking about?

“You don’t even keep yourself armed.” Logan noted. “You had your weapon handed over; have you really become so dependent?”

“I crafted my weapon.” Roman huffed, twirling backwards to doge a blow. “Yours has no altercations. What, did your human buy it for you?”

“None of your business.” Logan felt the needle become a bit heavier in his hand, knowing Roman’s guess was correct.

“Seems I’m not the only one taking pity gifts.” Roman had begun to pant slightly from the exertion. 

“I only take what I need.” Logan insisted, his breaths becoming shallow as well as he pressed on. “Or have you really forgotten the rules already?”

“As if the rules even still apply!” Roman swung his sword with such strength he nearly knocked Logan’s weapon out of his hand, bringing the hilt of it up and hitting Logan in the side.

Logan winced, the fire of determination in his eyes reignited by the pain. “ The rules don’t apply? You’re a disgrace to borrower kind.” Swiftly the needle whisked through the air, nicking Roman in the arm enough to draw blood. 

Roman let out a hiss as his arm burned, spurring him on. “At least I didn’t get us caught!” He used Logan’s moment of hesitation to knock Logan’s weapon off to the side, shoving the borrower to the ground and holding his sword to Logan’s chest. 

“HEY!” Virgil pounded his hand on the table, immediately gaining both borrowers attention as they looked up at him in fear. “Knock it off.”

The tinies looked almost embarrassed, nervous even, as though they had forgotten they had an audience. Roman offered his hand, helping Logan stand before the two walked off to opposite ends of the table.

“Roman, are you alright?” Patton immediately leaned in, looking down at Roman with worry. 

“I’m fine, Pat.” Roman’s tone was subdued, gently clutching his injured arm while his weapon hung limply at his side.

“...what the hell was that about?” Virgil asked, watching Logan walk over and morosely retrieve his sewing needle. 

“Nothing.” Logan lied, cleaning off the blade and attaching it to his hip. 

“That wasn’t nothing.” Virgil frowned. He nudged Logan’s side, but the borrower only flinched away from Virgil’s touch. Logan’s reaction only increased Virgil’s worry. “What’s gotten into you?”

“I do not wish to discuss it, Virgil.” Logan insisted, turning away from him.

“Roman, you’re hurt.” Patton lifted Roman’s arm gently, only for Roman to tug it out of his grasp.

“I said I’m fine. ” Roman cradled his arm to his chest. “It’s just a scratch; why won’t you listen to me?”

“I- I’m sorry.” Patton looked unsure of himself, pulling his hands back to his chest. “Can I at least get you a band-aid?”

Roman looked to Logan, almost as if searching to see if the other borrower was going to judge him for accepting aid, but Logan gave him no response. 

“...fine.” Roman relented.

Patton and Virgil shared a look, both wondering what had happened to their borrowers.

Chapter Text

“Okay, just- if you hear anything, anything, call me. Text me, reach out for me, for godsake.” Virgil rubbed a hand down his face, hanging up the phone. Virgil sighed. It had been over 24 hours since he had seen his pet, and now it seemed Patton hadn’t seen the borrower either. Where could he possibly be? What if he was trapped somewhere, injured, all alone and awaiting a cruel fate-

Virgil froze, his ears picking up the faint sound of pattering against the hard tiled floors in the other room. While most humans would dismiss such a quiet noise, it was exactly what Virgil was hoping to hear. 

Virgil crept over towards the doorway, peering in to see Logan trying to sneak across the room towards the front door, the only true exit in the apartment.

“There you are!” At Virgil’s exclamation, Logan abandoned any sense of hiding, bolting towards the door. “Oh, no you don’t.” Virgil ran after him, his socked feet sliding on the tiles. 

Logan pulled his pack off his back with practiced ease, throwing it like one would a bowling ball and sending it careening through the gap present between the door and the floor. Then the borrower ran towards the gap himself, trying to slide underneath like a baseball player desperate to reach home base.

Just in time Virgil managed to grab the back of Logan’s shirt, yanking the tiny back so fast that he let out a yelp. Virgil changed his grasp, grabbing the borrower fiercely by the middle as he lifted Logan to his face, panting from the adrenaline of the last few moments.

“Where the hell were you?” Virgil demanded, eyes ablaze with rage. “Do you have any idea how worried I was?”

As Logan struggled fruitlessly against his fingers, Virgil tightened his grip, anger making him forget to be gentle.

“Why are you running away?” Virgil insisted. “What, I’m not good enough for you? What’s in that bag? Where were you going? What is wrong with you?”

Virgil looked to Logan for some sort of a response, but he found none. In fact, all he found was that the borrower’s face was contorted in...pain. 

““Oh. Oh . You’re hurt.” Virgil paled, his anger dissipating as he realized how his quick movements could easily have snapped any of Logan’s fragile bones. Indeed, if Virgil looked closely he could see tiny tears running down Logan’s cheeks. Cursing himself, Virgil opened his palm as though burned, observing every inch of Logan with a concerned eye. 

“ Here, let me help you-” But the moment Virgil brought a hand closer, Logan flinched away from his touch.

“I…” Logan’s voice was raspy, the words looking like they pained him as he sat trembling in Virgil’s palm. “I do not require your help. ” The borrower spat. “You have done quite enough.”

“I know, I know, I, crap, I wasn’t thinking.” Virgil winced. “I just… whatever, we can talk about this later. Right now we need to fix all of this. Oh god, I don’t even know where to start...where does it hurt?”