Intrusive Parenting

22

Deceit's gotten better. In fact, he was well enough to get out of bed that morning.  Remus didn't want him getting up so soon but Patton talked him into letting Deceit out as long as Patton watched him. Deceit was happy. He had been in bed for so long, but Patton had him in the kitchen now. He was watching Morality make some treats. He didn't care if he had to sit and not strain himself too much. He was happy just being up with the others and not feverish anymore. He was worried though.

As much as he could tell Remus was trying to hide it, Deceit wasn't stupid. He wasn't blind either. He may only be six but he knows when something wrong. He's had to be observant to keep up with his hyper friend of his. So he knew something was going on. Remus couldn't hide how dull his eyes were. He couldn't laugh away the shake in his voice either. He couldn't mask the pain that was clear as day. Something was wrong and Deceit wanted to know what it was. The problem was Remus wasn't telling him and he can't speak to the others. He only ever talks to Remus.

That very man was currently pacing the hallway wondering what he should be doing. His whole body shook and his spine ached, itched for a release that Remus would not provide himself. He was struggling. But it wasn't as bad as it could have been and Remus knew that. He knew that because despite his suffering it didn't hurt Thomas. It was only him that was effected. 

It was draining, keeping all those thoughts in and to himself. Usually, when things got difficult he would try to pinpoint the least destructive to do or say so that his head wasn't so flooded. He wouldn't let himself this time. There were moments he'd blank to find himself doing something or having moved but he always caught himself before something happened. 

The others kept trying to talk to him... kept trying to get through to him but Remus didn't understand what the problem was. They should be happy... Remus was lessening the bad influences the mind palace was forced into housing. 

"Oh, hello." Everything was going to be ok. Deceit was getting better. All they had to do was figure out how to reverse whatever it was that did this to him. Remus wasn't stupid. He was fully aware it had to have been the orb. After all, it was the only thing that had happened to Deceit prior to him turning into a child. And on top of that, Roman had freaked out about it that same day thinking it had touched Remus when it hadn't. It hadn't because Deceit stood in the way. Now he was a child and going through all this crap. He couldn't help but feel somewhat at fault. If He hadn't been so emotional maybe he would have noticed it in time to do something. Instead, Deceit acted as his shield. "Are you alright, mister?" 

"Sir?" Remus groaned at his own thoughts as he continued to pace. He just didn't know what to do. He couldn't really think properly with all the madness going on in his head at that moment. "Hey, maybe I can help you?"

"Go away." Remus whispered out, unsure if what he was hearing was real or his mind once again messing with him. 

"Can't do that, Bubbles. I may be small but I'm one smart Anais... who is also small to now that I think about it." Remus narrowed his eyes as he slowly turned around to find a small boy just standing there. "And if I'm Anais solving a problem you have then that must make you Gumball." The small boy had light brown hair slightly unkempt but still styled enough to look pretty sharp. His beaming blue eyes watched every move Remus made under his dark glasses as he shifted his weight about, stuffy one of his hands into is pink dress pants. "So eaten at you, sport?"

"Sport? Wait, who..." Remus glanced around thinking maybe this was some sort of a trick but the kid just stood there dusting his bright pink tie off. "Who are you?"

"Would you believe me if I said I didn't know?" Remus shook his head and the kid laughed. "Didn't think so. The name's Picani."

"EMILE PICANI?!" The kid jumped back a bit in shock as Remus jumped. "Wait you actually did become a side? I actually made a... No that's not possible. But... How?"

"I'm a bit confused... Do you know me?" Remus only nodded as he practically scanned the kid. It did make sense. His whole getup matched Thomas's outline to a tee. Remus couldn't hold back the small smile that started to form. Emile Picani... he was here... an actual side. Which meant...

"Oh my god, your parents!" Remus quickly grabbed the small boys hands running off to where he knew Patton would be. It didn't take him long to get there. He nudged the boy on mouthing 'father' to him as the boy glanced back in confusion. "Go on." Remus watched as the boy walked in disappearing past the doorway in the kitchen. He waited until...

"OH MY GOD!" Patton's screams erupted through the place making Remus chuckle up bit. He could here Patton already practically mothering the child already. He was glad. He actually thought he failed. He wasn't creativity after all. Roman was. He was worried his decision to meddle would have messed everything up but it turns out... Logan did get his son after all.

"I'm telling you, Virgil, It had to be Rose." Remus froze up to hear his brothers voice beginning to get closer. He ducked behind a bookshelf hiding himself just enough as the conversation continued on. "What else could it have been? First Rose attacks me with this yellowish-green orb thing and now this. She said it would chase creativity until it hit its mark."

"Yeah but Deceit isn't..." Remus could feel his blood go cold as his heart practically stopped beating. The orb was from Rose. The orb was a curse from... from Rose.

"Think about it. You remember how Remus reacted when I tried to ask him about it. He said it didn't touch him that it did something so much worse. What's worse than it hurting him?" Remus could hardly hear anything anymore. It was like there was this suffocating grip around his throat. The cracks he's been struggling to keep together began to break without any warning. He was drowning. Drowning in anger. Drowning in pain. Drowning in guilt. It was Rose who cursed Deceit. NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF ROMAN HAD JUST KILLED HER!

"To him... the worse thing would be it hurting Deceit." Everything snapped and the world went black.