Trigger warnings will be posted above the story. Please take note of them as this is a rather graphic novel. Take care of yourselves and thank you for reading.

Thomas had never acted out like that before, not when Patton and Virgil were there to keep him from causing too big of a scene. But there had been an argument between friends, things were said that should never be said. Before the two sides could reign him in, Thomas lashed out and punched one of his best friends. It was something no one thought he'd ever do and yet here they were. Virgil knew, there was another side there that had managed to worm his way in and make his presence stronger that morality and anxiety in that split second moment, and it terrified him to no end. He knew who it was, and what this meant.
Virgil quickly forced up Thomas's anxiety and made him leave his friend's party in a hurry, but not before Patton made Thomas say a quick but sincere apology and excuse himself to leave. Once home Thomas summoned all of his sides to physically manifest themselves into his living room. Patton and Roman appeared on the couch, Roman busy comforting the distraught side. Logan appeared a few steps from them, likely having also been attempting to comfort Patton when they were summoned. Virgil had been in his room and after tugging his hood securely over his head to conceal what laid beneath, he rose up onto the staircase.
"What just happened? Why did I do that?" Thomas asked, his voice pinched with nerve.
"A good question. If I may ask, did you hear, feel, or see anything unusual when this 'incident' occurred?" Logan asked.
Thomas paused for a moment, pondering over the question.
"I don't know. The room kinda went silent besides a voice saying something like 'punch them', and then the next thing I knew they were on the floor holding their face," Thomas replied.
"Dark side," Roman growled.
"Indeed, I believe that in a moment of shared hesitation between both Patton and Virgil another side decided to manifest itself to influence your decision making," Logan suggested.
"Sorry," Virgil muttered, looking away from the others.
It was his fault he let a darkside out, even if it was just for a second. He was supposed to keep them under control. He was supposed to protect Thomas, that was his job.
"Don't apologize kiddo, it's my fault more than yours," Patton sniffed, giving Virgil a weak smile.
Virgil didn't argue, it was pointless. They didn't realize how strong the dark sides were or the lengths they'd go to influence Thomas.
"So I created a new side? Who are they?" Thomas asked.
"Well you didn't just create them, they've always been there, just like Deceit and Remus have always been there. If I am correct, the last side you created was Virgil, and that was several years ago. This one simply became strong enough in a moment to present himself, which most of the dark sides cannot do due to being rather suppressed by your subconscious. They are always there inside you but they aren't usually a big influence or temptation. Can you speak on this Virgil? You were once living among them," Logan said.
Virgil tensed and looked away. He knew Logan didn't mean anything by that comment but still it felt so isolating. Then again he probably deserved the isolation, after all his feelings were just another secret he kept from them.
"Yeah, you're right it was a dark side. They're probably all a bit anxious since they see Remus and Deceit being allowed out now," Virgil replied pulling his hood even further over his face.
Well, it wasn't a complete lie. They all did want to be allowed out, but it also wasn't the whole truth about what they really wanted.
Thomas pinched the bridge of his nose as he let out a frustrated groan.
"It's late and we had a really long day. I think I should head to bed and we can talk about how to fix this mess in the morning. Goodnight guys," Thomas said dismissively, obviously not wanting to talk any further about the dark parts of himself he recently realized he had.
The sides reluctantly bid him farewell and sank back into the mindscape. Virgil chose to rise up in the kitchen of their home rather than his room, for personal reasons. Instead he grabbed himself a drink of water while partially listening in to the other side talking.
"I'm sorry. That was Rage wasn't it. I was supposed to keep Thomas's emotions in check so that he didn't gain that sort of power," Patton apologized to the other two sides in the living room.
"Patton, Darling, we could never blame you for their actions," Roman said sweetly.
He leaned over onto his smallest boyfriend and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
"Indeed, keeping the dark sides under control is a taxing job on all of us. A short burst of influence from one of them is rather inevitable," Logan said, sitting down to cuddle with his two boyfriends.
That is right. Virgil lived with three people, and they were all in a relationship with each other, leaving Virgil on the outside longing to come in. But he could never let himself in, even if by some miracle they wanted him back. He didn't deserve them and if they ever discovered any of his secrets they would learn just how true that fact was. Virgil sighed and pushed away the thought, sipping down his water again. He was there to calm down, not work himself up again. A few gulps and breathing exercises later there was a familiar tingle when what he had been hiding under his hood vanish along side the worst of his nerves. He went over to the sink to rinse out his glass, allowing himself to zone back in on his fellow sides' conversation.
"It's late love, we should get rest as well," Logan said.
"All in for a cuddle session in my room?" Roman asked.
"Always!" Patton said, his mood shifting back to his usual chipper self.
"You should be getting some sleep too, Virgil," Logan called out to the eavesdropper.
"Sleep? What is this strange concept?" Virgil replied, leaning against the wall to peak out at them.
"Of course you have, it is…"
"Sarcasm Logan, it is sarcasm," Roman said patting him on the head.
"Ah, yes. But I do find your sleep schedule to be the cause of alarm, Virgil. I've heard you creeping around the house in the first hours of the morning," Logan said.
"Doesn't the fact you heard me say something about your sleep schedule, Logan?" Virgil smirked, shifting the focus of the other two sides back to the logical one.
"Hey, Virgil's right! I thought you promised to stop staying up so late at night, Logan," Patton said with his signature disappointed dad look.
Logan opened his mouth to argue by Patton wormed his way out of Roman's arms and pinned Logan down.
"I told you I'd physically fight you on this," Patton pouted, stradling Logan's lap.
Logan's kept a straight face but the deep color coating his cheeks and tips of his ears betrayed him. Roman looked down at the two and his lips curled into a playful grin.
"Can I get in on that fight?" Roman smirked leaning down to nuzzle into the crook of Logan's neck.
"Ew, not on the couch, I have to sit there too you know," Virgil said, his voice getting a little louder to remind them of his presence as he ducked back into the kitchen to avoid watching them further.
It hurt seeing them all being so intimate with each other when he could never hope to touch any of them. At least they were happy, that was all that mattered in the end.
"Ahem," Logan cleared his throat. "I do believe we should take a change of location."
"You two go on ahead, I'll be up in a second," Patton said getting up off the couch.
"Don't keep us waiting," Roman said pulling Patton down into a kiss.
Patton let out a happy little hum and smiled at them as they both sank out into Roman's room. Patton then turned and walked towards the kitchen, knocking on the wall as he entered.
"Hey Kiddo, you okay? I couldn't help but notice you were really tense about the whole 'Rage' thing," Patton said worriedly.
Virgil sat on the counter holding one of his knees to his chest as he looked away.
"Don't worry about it I'm fine," Virgil replied.
"You sit on things that aren't meant to be sat on when you want to relax. You said so yourself," Patton replied.
"I'm Anxiety, Patton. It's my job to be in a constant state of stress, panic, or over all tenseness," Virgil replied. "But thanks for your concern Pop-Star."
Patton's concerned look turned into a warm smile at the dad themed nickname. Virgil hopped down from the counter and walked out into the living room.
"Are you going to head to bed now?"
Virgil looked up the stairs towards the hall where his room was located, his body tensing again.
"I… Yeah… I probably should head there about now," Virgil replied, his voice sounding a bit distant.
"Kiddo? Are you sure everything is going to be okay?" Patton asked worriedly. "It was a stressful day, it's perfectly understandable if you don't want to be alone. You can come stay with us in Roman's room tonight."
Virgil relaxed and snorted a bit at the suggestion. Pushing his temptation away with his usual playful defence.
"As nice as that offer is, I do believe that you guys had a bit more than just sleeping planned for tonight. Even if you didn't I wouldn't want to intrude on you guys having a good night together as boyfriends. All of you should focus on having a good time," Virgil replied.
"Hey, you wouldn't be intruding on anything. We'd all be more than happy just to stay together with you in peaceful company, if you wanted it. We like having you with us, we've told you that," Patton replied.
Virgil's heart thudded painfully in his chest as he forced himself to chuckle. Virgil started to walk back upstairs but stopped a moment, every fiber of his being wanting to turn around and tell Patton everything that was going on in his head. He couldn't he'd just make things worse. Even still it didn't seem fair to just leave the fatherly side standing there, clueless about what would happen the second Virgil left his sight.
"Hey Patt…." Virgil started.
"What is it V?"
"I lied earlier when I said I was fine. I really do feel very overwhelmed right now. I… I think I'm going to spend awhile in my room, just relaxing and being alone. I might not come out for a few days, I just thought I should give you fair warning so you don't get worried or anything. You tend to give me those dad lectures every time I leave without warning so I thought I should tell you," Virgil said.
Once again a partial truth, never a whole. He couldn't give up his secrets. The light sides could never know.
"Thank you for telling me but I'm still worried about you. You shouldn't deal with those feelings alone. Do you at least want me to stay with you in your room?" Patton asked hopefully.
"Nah, I need to be alone. I'll be fine Pat. Back before you know it," Virgil replied. "Now go have fun with Roman and Logan, they're probably waiting for you."
On that note he walked away towards his room. He knew the moment he entered that door, he'd be entering his own personal hell once again to add more secrets and more lies to his life. More scars to hide from his beloved light sides.