Come Back Home

Chapter 21

Sorry for the wait, but at least it wasn't as long as last time. Hope you enjoy the chapter, sorry it's a little short :P

Dark

Deceit walked up the stairs, holding a small box.

Inside there was a new stick of deodorant, a photo of him, Remus and Virgil, and a copy of Remus' favourite movie, Silence of the Lambs.

Deceit knocked on Remus' door and waited.

After a a few moments Deceit knocked again.

No answer.

Deceit balanced the box in one hand and slowly opened the door. "Re? I'm sorry I upset you, I got you a little-" Deceit's voice trailed off when he saw the room was empty. Where was he?

Deceit carefully placed the box on Remus' bed and headed downstairs. Remus could come and talk when he came back and was ready.

Light

Virgil stared at the ceiling, feeling empty.

Logan and Patton had left him alone after he had stopped crying.

Patton had taken away all his emotions.

His anger.

His pain.

His fear.

There was never anything else here.

There was no happiness here.

No belonging.

No acceptance.

There was pity and sadness and anger and longing and wanting and pain.

Virgil could feel it.

They pitied him as he walked through the room.

They were sad, watching him come downstairs.

They were angry at his family, for reasons Virgil barely understood.

They were longing for... What? Virgil to like them?

And the pain.

The pain was clear, almost tangible.

Virgil felt the pain of being kidnapped and imprisoned.

Patton was feeling the pain of his son being taken away.

Roman was feeling the pain of his best friend disappearing before his eyes.

Logan was feeling the pain of having one of his closest friends ripped away from him.

All of them just wanted everything to stop.

To go back to normal, to not be trapped, to have a son back, to have a best friend return.

Virgil rolled onto his stomach and picked up his laptop, trying to lose himself in the internet.

Dark

Remus sat with Roman next to the waterfall they'd conjured, Roman remembering Remus' favourite daydream from when they were little.

"So what do we do?" Roman asked. Remus shook his head.

"I don't know how to reverse the wipe- I think the only thing you can do is make more memories with him."

Roman stared at the waterfall for a long moment, contemplating what Remus had told him. "Has anything happened between you and Deceit?"

Remus looked at his brother in surprise. "He.. He tried to apologise.. And I yelled at him. And then I came here and sent the flare."

"He tried to apologise?"

"He was acting like it wasn't his fault. Then when he saw I was upset he tried to apologise, but he didn't mean it. I could tell."

"How could you tell? He's literally Deceit."

"Living with him for years, you pick up on things."

Roman nodded.

"I just- ugh, it's all my fault! Mine and his, I should've stopped him, I should've done something!" Remus burst out.

Roman hugged him. "It's okay, we're gonna get him back. Okay?"

Remus hugged him back and nodded.

"We're gonna get him back."

Light

Virgil lay there on his bed, thinking things over, before deciding.

If he really was going to be stuck here for ages, he might as well spend time with them. The more they thought he trusted them, the quicker he might be able to get home.

Virgil sighed. He might as well start now.

He walked down the stairs, calling, "Patton?"

"Yes Virgil?" Patton replied from the kitchen.

"I was wondering if you.. Maybe wanted to do something with me?"

Patton beamed. His son wanted to spend time with him! "Sure! What do you have in mind?"

Virgil shrugged. "I don't know, just something."

Patton nodded. "We can bake cookies!"

Virgil internally groaned. Of course Patton wanted to make cookies. "Sure."

Patton bustled around the kitchen, pulling out bowls and eggs and butter and spoons and aprons, before handing an apron to Virgil and tying on his own.

The two of them began, not speaking unless needed, working in companionable silence.

And... Virgil found himself enjoying it.

Thought he didn't want to admit it.. He was enjoying spending time with Patton.

He pushed the thought away. He couldn't get too close with Patton; he hadn't forgotten what the others had told him about the "Light" Sides.

Even so...

Virgil tried to just enjoy the time he was spending in Patton's company.