XXX

Once Janus had gone back to his room, the others found themselves congregating in the mindscape's living room, with most of them settling on the couch (though Remus preferred the ceiling). They were quiet for a while, just like the stretches of silence during breakfast, before Roman made the choice to say what they were all thinking.

"What are we supposed to do about him?" he asked with a sigh.

"Well, he doesn't seem to know how to do much on his own right now, Kiddo," Patton responded. "So I think we're probably gonna have to direct him for a while."

Roman huffed as he crossed his arms.

"It was easier before," he said. "At least, then, he could tell what Thomas needed and he just did that. And he didn't really feel anything, so we didn't have to worry about him not doing anything for himself. What, are we supposed to just babysit him forever, now?"

"Ro, don't be mean," Patton scolded lightly. "It hasn't even been two full days yet. He'll need time to get used to doing things on his own. Remember, he can get hurt by what you say now."

"But that's the problem!" Roman exclaimed. "I know that we can hurt him now, and I don't want to hurt him, but I don't know if I'll be able to hold myself back! I know he didn't mean anything he said before and that he was just playing a villain, but the things he said still hurt. Before, I didn't have to forgive him because he wasn't real, but now I do and I don't know if I can!"

Patton put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It hasn't even been two days," Patton repeated, his tone more firm now. "You need some time to get used to this, too- we all do. But you know that the Janus who ate breakfast with us isn't the Janus that tried to hurt you because that Janus wasn't real. It'll take time, but you'll get used to having someone new around."

"But what if I snap at him?" Roman argued, his tone distraught. "Oh, god, what if I make him cry or something? How am I supposed to comfort him when I don't even like him?"

At this, Patton smiled at him sadly.

"The fact that you're worried about that is already a good sign, Kiddo."

And Roman deflated.

"... I guess…"

"Hm, I don't know, this situation doesn't seem all that bad to me," Remus chimed in from above. "I mean, just think of how much fun it'll be to screw with him."

"Remus, you leave Janus alone," Patton admonished.

"Oh, relax, Daddy, I won't do anything that'll hurt him…much," he waved Patton off. "Besides, what if he ends up liking my idea of fun? It's too early to know what he's into yet, so maybe he'll lean more toward the bloody side of things."

"We do not need two of you running around," Roman hissed.

"Then what're you here for, bro?"

"You-"

"Can you guys maybe not start a duel right now?" Virgil said gruffly. "I think we kinda have an actual problem to deal with at the moment."

"Virgil, Janus isn't a problem-" Patton tried before being cut off.

"He is, though!" Virgil insisted. "I get that you three are better at putting the past aside, but Princey and I haven't been able to do that, even though Thomas accepted him, and we were already aware of what he was. If we haven't gotten over this bullshit by now, are we ever going to? What happens if we say something to him, and he gets upset and doesn't do his job, and it messes Thomas up and-"

"Breathe, Virgil," Logan suggested. "Like Patton said, it'll take time to get used to this. And besides that, now that Janus is more… aware, you may find it easier to forgive him. But even if you get mad at him, it likely won't have too much of an adverse effect on Thomas. I highly doubt you'll say something bad enough to cause him any significant long-term damage."

He paused for a moment, considering his words before continuing.

"Neither of you are cruel enough for that."

Despite being brief, the pause that followed held a significant weight.

"I really hope you're right, Lo," Virgil sighed, hiding his face in his arms.

"I am right," Logan insisted. "Everyone says cruel things from time to time, but that doesn't mean they're cruel people. I have faith that you two will be able to move past this."

"Wow, Nerdy Wolverine's getting all emotional."

Logan blinked up at Remus.

"I'm… going to try to be a bit more... open… with my emotions, now," Logan admitted. "At least for the time being. I think it might help Janus to see that he can become more independent with time."

"Awe, I'm proud of you, Lo!" Patton cheered.

"Of course, I'll probably have to tell him that I was in a similar position back when I first appeared," Logan mused. "He didn't appear until a few years after I became independent, but even if he had appeared earlier, I doubt he would have noticed what I was like. I certainly wouldn't have noticed him at the time."

"See, how is Janny gonna keep being a robot when he has all of you sappy buttholes to learn from?" Remus spoke up. "You can all teach him how to be a Real Boy (™), and I can teach him how to skin an octopus."

"Please don't."

And even though Remus started cackling, they felt like they had made some bit of progress, at least. They would try their best, and they might screw up, but they were more assured of what they were doing. It would be fine.

Janus would be fine.

XXX

By the time Logan appeared in his bedroom, Janus had already made a sizable stack of lies. He, however, didn't look up from his work as Logan approached, either having not noticed him or just continuing on with the command he gave him earlier.

"Janus, stop working for now."

His hands stilled, and this was when he looked up at Logan.

Logan gave him a small smile.

"Hello," he said. "Lunch is almost ready, but before we eat, I would like to have a quick discussion with you. So, let's go sit on your bed and talk."

When Logan went to do so, Janus got up to follow him, sitting down and watching Logan, waiting for what he would say next.

"To start with, I understand that current events have likely been rather difficult for you," spoke Logan. "I know that it isn't easy to suddenly be your own person when you were previously just a piece of someone else's personality."

Janus continued to stare at him.

"I used to be like you, back when I first formed. I didn't know how to be anything other than Logic- I just fulfilled my function. It's not entirely the same thing because I was at least fully integrated from the start, but I do believe it's rather similar," he sighed, reaching out to hold one of Janus's hands. "I didn't eat without someone telling me, nor did I sleep or stop working until I had no other choice. I don't think I even understood that I had to, at first. I don't know why the others formed differently from us, but I eventually learned how to do things. And so can you. And believe me, you'll be glad that you did."

He tightened his hold on Janus's hand.

"I know that you probably don't understand that now, but you will one day," Logan concluded. "Now, let's go eat lunch."

As Logan stood again, he went to slip his hand off of Janus's, but then Janus reached back out and grabbed ahold of his sleeve, keeping a tight grip on it as he stood as well. Seeing this, Logan smiled at him again and guided the other side's hand so it could hold onto his own. Janus squeezed it lightly, and Logan sank them out and to the kitchen.

And even as he directed Janus to sit down at the table again, he knew that he was right about Janus. Janus would learn how to be independent in time. It was such a small thing, but he sought out comfort on his own. He'd seen it with Thomas that first day, and he'd seen it today. And this time, Janus hadn't just accepted the comfort offered to him, but had reached out for it.

It was a good sign.

XXX