Virgil sat in the commons with the other of Thomas's traits, though he didn't pay them much attention. His thoughts were turned inward and he wore headphones to try and tune out Roman's constant singing and Logan trying to come up with a reason for saying infinitesimal when he had meant the opposite. While he had chosen to open up to them, Anxiety couldn't help but still get annoyed by their ridiculous banter.
Casting a glance over his phone he saw Patton walking away from the other two with his head down, his normally cheery nature diminished. Off to the other side of the living room, the other two traits sat in a stasis of conversation that fell somewhere between chatting and arguing. This was not an uncommon occurrence; the creative and logical sides had a way of shrugging off the other two when they were trying to brainstorm. Sometimes Patton would try to help, but they would just grin and call him cute before completely dismissing his ideas. This had angered Virgil in the past, he didn't care if they ignored him, or even insulted him, but despite Morality being the oldest of the four of them, he was also the most sensitive. Couldn't Logic and Princey at least pretend to listen to him instead of making him feel like an ignorant child?
More than once Anxiety had gone after Patton to try and see what had happened, but he would always put on a brave face as a parental figure would, and act as if nothing were wrong. Still as he watched on, Thomas's moral side didn't look as downtrodden as he had in times past, so he didn't think it necessary to go after him. Anxiety simply curled back up on the couch and continued to scroll through Tumblr.
Pulling out a chair, Virgil sat at the kitchen table to go over the newest video idea with the others. He had a particular hatred for the meetings, because he had almost no reason for being there. Most of the time he and the others would deviate from any script that had been written, and Thomas would be the one to direct the actual conversation that would take place. He was about to pull his phone back out when he noticed the absence of the optimistic side.
"Where is Patton?" Virgil's voice seemed to shock the other two out of there bickering, it was uncommon for him to speak at a meeting, and even more so for Patton not to show up.
Logan seemed to be the first to voice any sense of confusion, "Quite right, it's unlike him to be late." He and Roman looked at one another and continued going over their notes as if nothing had happened, it almost made him miss the days when they were at each other's throats almost as much as he and Princey were.
Without a word he stood and made his way up the stairs to the corridor that housed their rooms, that was the most likely place for Patton to be. He didn't look at the other two, but he did hear their voices falter at him dismissing himself but only for a moment. Their conversation became more distant as he reached the light blue door, covered in pictures and stickers that marked the entrance to Morality's corner of Thomas's mind.
Tapping the door lightly he stood in silence for a few seconds before Patton appeared at the door. He seemed to be okay, but then again if anyone could see through a façade it was Virgil. "Hey there kiddo, can I help you?"
"Er, yeah, we were just starting the weekly meeting, and I was coming up to see why you hadn't come downstairs yet." Anxiety wasn't particularly good with words, especially when it came to making the others feel better or included.
Patton quickly whipped around and looked at something with in the room, "Jeez son, you should have come and gotten me sooner. I was so caught up in the videos I was watching I completely lost track of the time!" He rushed off for the stairs before Virgil could speak, as Logan had said it wasn't normal for him to be late. Morality was normally very excited for the meetings and was there on time if not early. Something was clearly up and Anxiety was going to get to the bottom of it, even if he had to endure sitting through the meeting with the others. Throwing his hood over his head he too made his way back down the steps that lead to the commons.
"So we were thinking for the next Sanders Sides video, we could do something a little different, a day in the life of each of us!" Roman seemed at enthusiastic as ever when he spoke.
Logan was next to pick up where the prince had left off, "Yes it would seem that the people who go on YouTube for entertainment seem to respond well to the videos that show their idols so to speak going through their daily routines."
Patton glanced at the floor before joining in, but when he did his voice was softer than normal, but still enough to draw the attention of the other two. "Have you run this past Thomas yet kiddos? He might not want to do a day in the life video and it would be a lot of extra work to film all of us in the real-"
Princey cut him off, "I'm sure Thomas will love the idea, he will be the only one that is able to do a day in the life of each of us!"
Patton opened his mouth to finish his statement, but Logic spoke first, "It is true that it will be a unique take on the trend, and the fans would respond well to it, I think that it is a satisfactory plan."
This time the moral side didn't lift his eyes to meet the others, "It would be quite a bit of work to have each of us doing what we do on a normal day…there are four of us…five if Thomas joins in." He paused for a moment as if he were expecting someone to talk over him, "That's five days of production and filming alone…that doesn't count for the script writing and editi-"
"We appreciate your input Patton, but if we approach Thomas with the idea, he's sure to love it!" Roman waved his hands around as if he didn't know where to put them.
"Shouldn't we at least ask him fi-" Morality's voice had gotten even softer, to the point that it was almost inaudible.
Logan didn't even look at him, "Thank you, but leave this to us we have it handled."
"All right," Patton simply stood and walked back up the stairs, leaving Anxiety to watch angrily. Why couldn't the others be a bit kinder to him?
"If you two have it handled, I'm leaving too, there's no point in me being here if you aren't going to take anything from the rest of us." The other two looked at him in confusion, but he walked away before they could question him.
He had hoped to catch Patton before he got to his room but once he was on the second floor it looked as if the hallway were empty once more. Walking up to the same blue door, Virgil tried knocking again, he knew it was a long shot but he tried all the same. Sure enough his knocking was answered by an empty silence. He knew what it was like, wanting to be left alone, so he returned to his own room.
The next day he spent in his own space, trying to think of a way to bring this newest problem up to the others, yet he couldn't think of an appropriate time. Would they even listen to him, it was obvious that he was the least liked of the four, and yet he was the only one who wasn't blind to the situation. He knew he had to do something, he just didn't know what yet.
Come that evening Virgil felt the familiar tugging sensation of being summoned by Thomas. As he appeared in his usual spot, Roman synced in with his normal gusto, Logan with his normal tangent, but Patton stayed silent, which was out of character.
"So Thomas, why did you call us here this time?" Roman seemed oblivious to the emotion beside him.
He looked around at the others, "Well, it's getting close to time for me to post another Sanders Sides video so-"
"We were just thinking of some ideas for that last night." Princey didn't even notice the look that Thomas gave him.
Patton glanced up, "You know Roman it isn't polite to talk over our litt-"
"The plan we had made was to try and do a day in the life of each of us. Running the calculations, it would seem that the fans would have a more than satisfactory response to the idea." Logan seemed to have as much respect for the others as Roman did.
Thomas shook his head, "That sounds like a good idea but it would be a lot of wo-"
"Sure it would be a bit more work than normal, but it would be fun for each of us to show what we do in the mind palace each day!" Again the prince didn't seem to know where to place his hands, and all the while Anxiety was becoming more furious with the two.
"That would be up to five days filming in the real world…on top of the meet-ups and conventions we're plan-"
Logic looked over the brim of his glasses, "Yes we have factored in the difference in scheduling and the amount of energy it would take, but if we started in the morning we would have little to no problem getting it done in time to be uploaded."
"Perhaps we should listen to Thomas…these are his videos…he should have the final s-" When Morality spoke his voice didn't carry its usual charisma.
Roman didn't even look at the older emotion, "Honestly Patton, you're beginning to sound like Virgil with the way you've been worrying!"
Clinching his fists, Anxiety had to fight down the urge to lunge at the creative side, even their host looked like he was becoming frustrated at being talked over, but even he didn't cast a glance in Morality's direction.
This time his voice was barely audible, "Kiddos…we need to work togeth-"
"Exactly Patton, if we are to get this project done in time, we would need to work together." Logan didn't seem concerned with anything that Thomas or Patton had to say, and he would guess the same went for the negative emotion, but he was yet to speak.
At this latest interruption, Virgil glanced over at the normally bubbly emotion. It was obvious he has failing to hold back tears, as he kept wiping his eyes with the sleeves of the cardigan over his shoulders. He didn't look at anyone, he simply synced out without another word. Anxiety knew the look on Patton's face as he did so; it was one he himself wore quite a bit, holding yourself together until you were away from on-looking eyes.
Thomas looked shocked when he glanced over and registered Morality's absence while the other two continued chattering on like starlings, as if nothing had happened. Finally Virgil couldn't stop the anger as it crashed over him like a tsunami, "Could you stop talking for one minute and try listening to someone else?!" His voice wasn't his normal reserved tone, he was shouting, almost triggering his own acousticophobia. They whipped around to look at him, not daring to talk over the youngest trait. "If you would open your eyes and see what's going on around you and maybe listen to what others have to say you would realize that Thomas doesn't want to go through with the day in the life idea! You might also notice how much you've managed to upset Patton!"
At the sound of the trait's name, all three of the others turned to look at the place where Morality had been only moments before. "Wait where has he go-"
"It's your turn to be cut off!" Virgil glared at Roman before shifting his gaze around to Logan, "You've been ignoring Patton for ages, or if you even give him the time of day you brush off his input and treat him like an inferior child! He does more for us than the rest of us combined, and yet you treat him like he's nothing!"
"But-"
Anxiety turned back to Roman, "No! Look at what you have done, you've completely ignored Patton when he tried to warn you, and you've spoken over Thomas when he tried to tell you in a polite way the he didn't want to go through with the idea you two came up with. Now you get to be told 'no' in a less than civil manner!" He paused for a moment expecting an objection but there was none forthcoming, "This is pathetic! You can talk over Thomas and Patton because you know they won't say anything in return to your actions, but now that it's me you won't even try and justify yourselves because you know you're wrong and talking to me has consequences." He knew he had touched a nerve at the offended look Princey gave and taken aback one by Logan, but he wasn't finished yet, he had something else to say. "I don't care what you say to me, I don't care if you ignore me or cut me off, I know you don't like me and for good reason, but what exactly do you have against Patton?!" Again he waited but neither answered, "Nothing! That's what I thought! He may be eccentric but right does that give you to treat him that way?!" He let his gaze sweep over Logic and Princey, "When one of us is upset who listens to us? Patton. When we eat dinner at night, who fixes that for us? Oh right, Patton. Which one of us has never uttered a bad word about any of the others…including me? Patton! He's the kindest and most sensitive of all of us but he would never say anything to you if he was upset because that's what a dad does! So I hope you're proud of yourselves! You don't have to have my perception of a situation to know that this isn't the first time this has happened, and you defiantly didn't need it tonight to see the effect your words and actions were having on him!"
"How would you know that we don't need your skills of perception?" Logan had the expression of a teacher who had just been talked back to by a student.
Before he had a chance to reply, each of them turned around in shock at Thomas's voice that was clearly tinted with anger, "Because it was obvious. Virgil is right; I tried to tell you more than once that the work that would have to go into the idea you had was more than any of us could handle right now…and so did Patton. If you had let me finish any of my statements I would have told you what you were doing, but you chose to talk over me to-"
"This is hardly a fair alliance!" Roman's words were met with a harsh glare from Anxiety and an even more frustrated response from their host.
"You're doing it now!" He looked at each of them in turn, but his eyes seemed to soften when he looked at Anxiety. "All of you back to the mind palace now! Logan, Roman you have some things you need to think about, and I expect and apology to Patton within a decent time frame!" He paused, taking a deep breath, "Virgil I want you to stay behind for a moment before you go back, but when you do I want you to go find Patton and try to help him."
Thomas's creative and logical sides synced out without another word, both of them flushed in the face with embarrassment. Anxiety stayed where he was, his mind reeling. Had he really just gone off on the others? It was something he had thought about doing on a regular basis, but never really thought it worth the effort; then again all of those times had been in his own defense, something the darker character didn't care much about. He was also trying to calm his thoughts, the sound of his own voice risen with such volume and anger had set him on edge, even scaring him.
"Virgil, hey Virg…you still with me?" Thomas's voice had calmed down, and he shook his head at the sound of it.
"Wha- yes sorry," Anxiety glanced at his host who was looking at him with concern. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You seemed to black out there for a moment, you didn't respond to me or even acknowledge I was here." He was taken aback by the words; he hadn't even heard him speak.
Shaking his head again to clear it, he spoke, "I was sorting through some of my own thoughts, could you repeat what you said?"
Thomas displayed a sad smile, "I said, you did the right thing in standing up for Patton…even I was unaware of how upset he really was. I think he could really benefit from having you talk to him. I think he could use your insight right about now."
Virgil was startled by the thought of him actually being helpful to one of the others as he synced back into the mind palace. When he arrived in the commons Roman and Logan seemed to be lost in their own thoughts, actually silent for once. They both looked up at Anxiety as if he were going to start yelling at them again. Instead he just turned on his heel and made his way up the stairs, leaving the two of them in silence.
For the third time in as many days Virgil walked up to the overly-decorated blue door, he took a deep breath and knocked. What would he say, he wasn't exactly good at comforting others, but he knew he had to try. The sound of his hand rapping on the door seemed to echo through the corridor before leaving him in a deafening silence, no answer. He felt bad, he should have pressed to talk to Morality earlier that day or even the night before and yet he had chosen to ignore the situation, the same way the others had ignored him. Patton had always been kind to him, but when it came time for him to repay the favor, Virgil had failed to oblige, he wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.
Knocking once more, the sound was closely followed by his voice, which was no longer filled with fury and hatred but instead had taken on a new tone of sympathy. "Patton, please open the door, it's Virgil." His voice was followed by nothingness so he tried again, he wasn't going to give up that easily, "Come on, you've helped me when I was upset…let me help you for once." He could hear rustling on the other side of the door, but no implication that the threshold was going to be opened for him. He sighed, "Look, Patton I know the feeling of not wanting to talk to others when you're upset…that's why I didn't persist to talk to you last night…but I should have, I let this go too far, and I'm sorry…please open the door and let me help you."
Once again Anxiety feared that Thomas's moral side would ignore him, but just as he was about to lose hope and begin talking to the empty space before him, he heard the sound of the lock being undone and the creaking of the hinges. Patton poked his head out, his eyes were red and puffy from crying and he once again wore the expression that he was trying to hold back tears, "W-what do you need kiddo?"
He smiled at the generally happy emotion, all he would need was some dark clothes and make-up and he would look just like himself. "I need to talk to you, I saw what happened earlier, and I feel bad for it. I saw what was happening and I didn't do anything about it…after everything you have done for me, I couldn't manage to help you the one time you needed it." He let his shoulders fall, "Let me give you a piece of…friendly advice…it's the least I can do. As a wise man once told me, don't seclude yourself, talk to someone about your problems, that's the best way to fix them."
Morality looked up at him and actually managed a smile, "You…you just gave me the advice I gave you a few days ago."
"Like I said, as a wise man once told me." As he spoke Patton opened his door further, allowing Virgil access into the room that contrasted so brightly from his own. "Now I know what happened, but I think it may benefit you if you tell me what's going on from your perspective."
Morality hesitated for a moment before launching into everything Anxiety had observed over the past few days, only pausing to wipe tears from his eyes with a tissue. As Patton had done for him many times, Virgil sat at the end of his bed without saying a word, letting the older of the emotions explain what was troubling him.
"I-I shouldn't be saying all of this to you son…you don't need any more troubles." Morality looked almost guilty at the prospect of having just told him everything that was wrong.
Anxiety actually giggled, "You sound like…well me. Listen, you've been able to help me through some of my darkest days, when the others chose to treat me with hatred, what kind of friend would I be if I didn't at least try to help you."
The moral trait's head shot up to look at him, he looked close to tears again, but this time they seemed to be happy ones, "Y-you consider me your…friend?"
"Of course I do. Anyone who would even try to understand my deep and mysterious mind, even when I don't deserve it…I consider a friend." He stopped for a moment, "That's why I should have helped you before now, but you always seemed so happy and able to put on a brave face…I didn't realize that I needed to until now."
Morality actually smiled, but only for a moment, "You shouldn't have to look after me, I'm the eldest, and you have so much on your shoulders already in looking after Thomas…"
He trailed of giving the anxious side a chance to speak, "As do you, we all do, that's our jobs…and as for you being the oldest, that doesn't mean anything. Just because you're older than me doesn't mean you don't need help, or just need to be listened to from time to time." As Anxiety finished, he could hear the sounds of Roman and Logan standing outside the door listening, but he wasn't going to bring it up just yet.
"Well kiddo, I'm glad you think that…but I don't think the others see it that way." Once again Patton lacked his normal cheery disposition.
Using the others eavesdropping to his advantage he spoke once more, "That may have been the case, but I wouldn't be so sure anymore."
Morality tilted his head, "Why do you say that son?"
Virgil gestured his own head towards the door, placing a single finger I've his lips indicating silence before his voice filled the air once again, a little louder than before, "I think they've come to their senses." He paused looking towards the threshold, "And you know it's impolite to eavesdrop." Glancing towards the oldest emotion, he could see the confusion glittering in his eyes before there was an awkward knocking at the door, as if the one seeking entry was embarrassed.
The air of confusion stayed like a blanket over the lighter trait, "C-come in…" Just as Anxiety had expected, Logan and Roman peered through the door as it opened, both looking a bit flustered.
Patton looked incredulously from the newcomers to the youngest of the four, "H-how did you know they were there kiddo?"
Virgil let a small smile grace his lips, "My job it to perceive, to listen and see things that others may not pick up on. To sense if anyone or anything is near, and decide if it poses a threat or not, just like it's Logan's to reason through any of the same or different situations, or Roman's is to come up with ideas for Thomas to fulfill." He paused for a moment, "Or for you to help keep his spirits up." The other two nodded as if they didn't know how to pick up the conversation, Virgil simply rolled his eyes and did it for them. "Granted, as I know well, none of us can do it alone. Roman may come up with the ideas, but Logan is the one that sees and acts on the way to complete it. I use my perception to help focus or give a sense of anxiety to keep Thomas working when he needs to…still none of us would be able to do any of those things if it weren't for you." Virgil didn't give Patton time to protest, "You are the one that keeps spirits up but you do far more than that. You manage to give insight on situations and ideas which helps Roman." As he said the trait's name, he saw him lower his head in shame. "You make food and bring it straight to Logan when he's so busy or focused that he forgets to eat." The logical side hung his head as well. "Then there's me, you are kind and gentle, always willing to just sit by me before, during or after a panic attack, knowing when I don't want to speak but still want the company of a friend." He was aware of the look of shock the logical and creative sides gave him at the word 'friend,' because they knew it wasn't one he threw around lightly, he had never said it to either of them. "More than that, you are a parental figure to all of us, including Thomas. You listen to our problems, make us dinner, never say a bad word about anyone, and all the time you stay happy with the world." Once again the others hung their heads as they heard the same words Anxiety had yelled at them earlier. "You are the kindest of all of us, you were nice to me before you even knew I wasn't the antagonist, you give everyone the benefit of the doubt, and you always have everyone's best interests at heart…even if some people don't always see that."
As he finished, a pointed look to the traits standing by the door was their cue to continue what he had started, and follow Thomas's instructions.
Patton was already in tears at the dark emotions words, but Logan was the first to step forward, "I do not like to admit this, but I was wrong…we should have paid attention to your insight, instead we brushed you off like a child, when you were probably right from the start. You are the wisest of all of us…I'm sorry I didn't see that sooner, and I apologize for my ignorance."
Roman looked up and for once shouldered his pride and strode into the room as well, "I too am sorry; as much as it pains me to say it…Virgil is right. We should have listened to you, it was wrong of us not to take your input into consideration…a lot of heart ache would have been saved if we had…you really are the most imaginative of us all."
Anxiety put his hand on Morality's shoulder, "And I knew something was wrong and yet I kept to myself...something you never would have done…and never have. I'm sorry as well; you are the most perceptive of all of us."
Patton looked around at all three of them, tears brimming his eyes, and threatening to fall to his shirt. His voice was choked with emotion, "W-what? All just credited me to your traits…w-why?"
"Because it's true," All four of them whipped around at the sound of a fifth voice. Thomas had somehow found his way into the mind palace, something they hadn't thought possible without their help. "They are right when they say you are the oldest of the traits, you were the first to appear, but you hold more than just my morality. To be moral you have to understand the world," He gestured to Logic before turning to Princey, "You have to have a unique outlook and open mind," Thomas turned to him, "But you also have to know when it is okay to speak up for others and when it is too dangerous to do so." He cast his fond gaze around to each of the traits, "You offer so much, and yet I think all of us…" Their host's eyes stopped on Anxiety, "Well most of us had forgotten that."
"We do owe a lot to you Patton," Roman seemed to be a bit sheepish.
Logan looked even more so as he continued, "I am inclined to agree, you put forth far more than the rest of us." Thomas smiled and Virgil nodded in agreement.
The moral side was smiling and wiping away tears as he spoke, "I…I don't do it to be praised…I just do what I think needs to be done."
"Which I think we took for granted until now," As Anxiety spoke, Patton wrapped his arms around him. He was caught of guard for a brief moment but quickly returned the embrace.
When he untangled himself, Morality stood, hugging each of the others in turn. He stepped back his cheery nature lacing his features and every move once more, "Thanks kiddos, I didn't realize how much I needed to hear that." Each of them smiled in their own way before heading back to the real world or their rooms, Virgil was the last to leave and began making his way for the door before he was called back, "Son."
In the instant it took for him to turn around Anxiety decided he was going to say something he hadn't said before, but probably should have, "Yes, Dad?"
Morality's eyes lit up at his words, "First 'friend'...and now 'dad'…you really are opening up." The darker trait could feel his cheeks turning red under his pale foundation. "Thank you Virgil…I won't forget this, you know you can always come to me if you need me, but now you've taught me I can come to you when I need you too. I really appreciate that."
"It's no problem; everyone needs a shoulder to cry on from time to time, no matter how old you are." With that Anxiety did his two fingered salute, and walked back to his room, feeling a sense of peace in the mind palace that had never been there before.