How Come I Never Asked You About Your Day? (DISCONTINUED)

Nine

Edit- I just realized that I never put the note here.
Anyways, hey! These are quite the times, aren't they? I wanted to thank you guys for bringing this story up to nearly 20 thousand reads! That's INSANE! You guys are absolutely the best and i can't thank you enough. If you really like my work, sanders sides and otherwise, I have an AO3 where i'm more active writing-wise. It'll be linked in my conversations tab if you wanna check it out! (it's mainly marvel at the moment, but who knows?) I also am working to release a song of mine by the end of may (which i am incredibly excited for), so that will probably be linked next chapter. I'll see you guys there!
Ps: I'm opening requests! I'll have a one-shot book open sometime soon so if you want, head on over! love you all, sincerely

Remus was confused.

He dragged a hand through his hair, feeling some of the strands pop at his scalp with the movement. He thought he was helping Patton, but now he seemed so... so sad. Heavy with a kind of burden that stuck to his skin and tried to pull you beneath the earth. Remus giggled and stored that thought away. He could give it to Thomas later.

Remus opened his door and stepped into the hallway, humming along as he did. This side of the mindscape was dark, a putrid stench hung in the air as mold crawled up the walls. It was wonderful, it was home. But, he couldn't sit and admire the house right now, he had to go over the border. Over to the Lighthouse.

The border is what kept the shadows from encroaching in on Thomas' psyche. Roman had built it when they had split, and the gaping hole Virgil left allowed the others through. He had been the only one to be able to break through, and the shards still littered the ground amongst the dried blood and ripped caution tape. The border was something akin to glass, and where Virgil had broken through sent cracks like a spider web streaming through, the original yellow color now having a purple stain at the hole in the center.

Remus stepped through slowly, carefully dodging the looming shards that teased and caught at his clothing. He frowned at the border once he was on the other side, his home completely hidden like a one-way window. He and Deceit could look in all they liked, but the others wouldn't have even known they existed if it wasn't for Virgil.

Speaking of the anxious side, he traversed the Lighthouse in search of his door. Despite being the Lighthouse, it was dark- eerily so and the air was cold and heavy. It was almost like home. It was almost like-

Remus was even more confused if that was possible. Because encroaching in further and further into his brain was guilt, hot and heavy.

He remembered Deceit's plan, the night that it had all transpired, and the many nights after clearly. He remember the wide, empty grin take over his face as he spoke to Remus, hands waving and eyes alight for the first time in his life. He was excited to do those things to Patton, to make the others suffer. And Remus had felt it in himself too. The ache, the twisting and pulling and the pain of it all. The pain he wanted to cause. It was gone now, but he had felt it. A new ache came and settled in his place, but now he didn't want to hurt. He wanted to fix.

His knuckles came into contact with Virgil's door for the first time in what felt like a millennia. The wood was refurbished, sleek purple paint felt smooth against Remus' skin. He felt the hate bubble back up, only for a moment. He missed so much, longed for this. Why didn't he deserve it too? Deceit? What was wrong with them?

We are willing to kill to get what we want, He thought somberly as he watched the doorknob turn slowly. That's why.

Virgil opened the door cautiously, and steely eyes met frightened ones for a moment before the door swung shut. Remus lunged forward and pressed himself to the door, he could hear Virgil's panicked breathing.

"Virgin! Hey, it's okay!" He called, the permanent laugh in his voice croaking for a second, letting something serious slide to the top. "I'm not gonna do anythin', I promise!"

"No, I-" Virgil nearly screamed, is tone desperate and so, so scared even through the door. "No, I'm not- I-I can't! ROMA-"

Remus muttered an apology before extending his powers to force Virgil to clamp his jaw shut. Normally, he could only influence or make someone think of awful things. But if he tried hard enough, he could make them do it.

"Please," He whispered, hearing Virgil sob inwardly on the other side of the door. "I know how to help him, I can get him out." He released his hold on Virgil and heard him scamper to the other side of the room. He was panting like he had just run a marathon.

"How... how can I even begin to trust you?!"
"You can't, and you really shouldn't," Remus laughed a little. "And that's why you need to. Because I'm here, I'm reaching out. You of all people know this would never happen."

A minute passed, then two. Then, the door opened slowly.

"We've gotta hurry," He whispered. God, was this whole thing so damn confusing.