Summary: This chapter is for wendyvmourik, who asked for Patton comforting Janus with cuddles.
Patton stepped out into the hallway and immediately forgot what he had been going to do when he heard the sound of muffled sobbing. His forehead creased in concern. Walking back and forth between doors, he determined that the sound seemed to be coming from Janus's room. He knocked on the aforementioned Side's door. "Janus?"
"Go away," said Janus, and if Patton hadn't already known he was crying, his voice would have made it clear.
"What's wrong?" Patton asked.
"I'm fine."
"Oh, Janus, we both know that's a lie." Janus didn't respond, and after a moment, Patton asked, "Can I come in?"
"...Okay."
Patton opened the door and carefully approached Janus, who was sitting in a corner with his face hidden by his knees. He sat down and gently put a hand on Janus's shoulder, and when there was no objection, he wrapped his arms around the crying Side. "Is this okay?" he asked.
Janus moved his head in what might have been a nod, then, presumably realizing it probably hadn't been very clear, said, "Yes."
"Good," said Patton. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"
"No."
"That's all right, you don't have to. Do you want me to talk to you, or just sit here?"
"You can talk."
"But do you want me to?"
"...Yes."
"Okay. So, the other day, I was looking online and I found instructions for these adorable origami snakes. Maybe we could make some sometime. It would be nice to spend more time with you. I'm not actually very good at origami, but it's fun. Oh, or we could make friendship bracelets! I'm good at those. I have lots of colors to use for them, too." Patton continued rambling about whatever came to mind. As he talked and Janus listened, without either of them noticing it happening, they slowly shifted positions until Janus was nearly in Patton's lap and his face was buried in Patton's shirt instead of his own knees. They sat like that for who knew how long, and Janus's tears began to dry (though neither Patton's shirt nor the flow of his words did).
"...and I used to have these seven little turtles, one in each color of the rainbow, they were so cute. I don't know where they went, they're probably in some box or bin or something. I bet I could find them—"
"Patton?" Janus interrupted. "...Thank you."
Patton looked down at Janus. "Of course, kiddo."
Startled, Janus hurriedly put up a mask to cover the emotions that the nickname and its implications conjured, saying, "I— I'm an adult, Patton, it's— it's silly to call me that."
"Oh, sorry, I know not everyone likes it. Would you rather I didn't?"
Janus grappled for a hold on the walls of the hole he'd dug himself into. He wasn't going to tell Patton to stop, that was the last thing he wanted, but he couldn't say he liked it, was honored, felt like maybe there was a chance this would work out. Finally, he settled on, "No, you can call me strange nicknames if you want to."
Patton smiled and held him closer. "All right, kiddo."