Logan jumped up and set his plate on the coffee table, clearly trying to restrain himself in his eagerness to sate his curiosity. He was aware that this was something meaningful to Remus, and Janus and Virgil's shocked reactions informed him that fire whiskey was a part of it. He walked over to stand by Remus, who stood waiting for him in front of everybody. Remus took his hand and pressed it on his side then his skin split under Logan's fingers. Logan flinched a little, an instinctive reaction to seeing something that he assumed should hurt, but Remus gave no signs of discomfort.

"May I, um, feel around?" Logan asked, wondering where in the hell his boldness came from.

"If you're careful," Remus said.

Logan reached his hand in and felt wet, slimy muscle, like the skin inside a mouth. He shivered at the feeling and drew his hand back to see it glistening.

"Fascinating," he breathed.

"If you taste it, it's salty," Remus said. "Like, really salty."

Logan laughed. "I'll believe you, because I'm not tasting this. But a sample to study would be nice."

"Any other questions, Specs?" Remus asked.

"I have a few about your tentacles themselves. Like can you use them as easily as your hands? And how strong are they?"

"Wanna find out, do you?" Remus asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes that Logan, staring at his hand, didn't notice.

"I am most curious, but if you don't want to I'll underSTAND!"

Logan screamed the last half of the word as he was suddenly lifted completely off the floor by his ankles and dangled upside down. He gasped and scrambled to pick his glasses up from the floor, jamming them on and gazing up at Remus in shock.

"Hot #&$%, Remus!" Roman yelped, standing up and staring in glee at his twin. "You're strong!"

Janus and Virgil both laughed as Remus gave a grin. "How else do you think I can keep those two from killing each other?" he asked.

"Absolutely wonderful!" Logan exclaimed, his face turning red as his essence pooled in his head. He was beaming up at Remus. "This is the most amazing thing ever!"

Remus looked a bit shy. "Aw, it ain't all that, Pocket Protector."

Remus held out two of his tentacles for Logan, who reached out to touch them, but Remus wrapped them around his wrists and lifted him up as he released Logan's legs. Logan dangled a few inches above the floor then Remus gently lowered him down. As he moved to draw his tentacles back, Logan grasped one and stared at it, peering intently at the wet appendage. He traced a suction cup, and Remus shivered.

"Sorry. Sensitive," he muttered when Logan glanced at him in concern.

"My apologies. Should I stop?"

"Depends on what you're planning on doing."

"I would like to see how your suction cups grip," Logan said. Surprise flitted across his face then he looked down. "I suppose the fire whiskey is speaking."

"Impossible," Remus said, using a perfect copy of Logan's voice. "Fire whiskey is a liquid and cannot speak."

Logan snorted, still running his fingers over the slick tentacle. Remus carefully wrapped his tentacle around Logan's hand then flexed it. Logan shivered at the sensation of suction from the round rings of muscle, and he understood at once how strong the grip was. He smiled.

"Absolutely fascinating," Logan murmured. "Thank you."

Remus nodded and flexed the tentacle again, releasing the suction cups from Logan's skin. "Don't mention it."

Remus's tentacles slipped back into his sides then he flounced over to the couch and plopped down beside Virgil again, grabbing his plate. He put the rest of the drumstick in his mouth and crunched on it as Logan went to wash his hands in the kitchen before coming back out.

"Did that sate your curiosity?" Janus asked.

"Not really," Logan admitted. "I still have many questions, but I've pried too much already. I know you three like your privacy. I'm going to stop before I make a social faux pas too big to back out from."

Janus peered at him, the ghost of a smile on his face. "You really do try, Logan. And I have noticed."

Logan paused, his fork halfway to his mouth, and he gazed in surprise at Janus. Then, to everybody's shock, a rosy hue bloomed on his cheeks, and he dropped his fork and reached up to touch them. Janus flashed a fanged grin as Logan ducked his head.

"Looks like drinking really does loosen you up. I don't think I've ever seen you blush before, Logan."

Logan glanced up, touching his cheeks delicately. "I have often felt my face warm in anger, but never like…" He looked bewildered and he sounded excited and unsure at the same time. "I don't even want to look at you! I don't understand."

Patton giggled. "You're embarrassed."

"And pleased that I've noticed your efforts," Janus said quietly.

"I-I suppose I am," Logan said in wonder. "I thought nobody noticed."

"I know. That's why I used that fact to anger you." Janus scooped some potatoes into his mouth and looked away. "I suppose I should apologize for needling you like that. I knew it would break your control. That's why I said it."

"Hey, I thought that was the best way for him to handle it, too, Jan," Virgil said. "But I knew it was wrong. We all knew. That's why we never told them what we did to fix things."

Logan studied them as Roman and Patton set down their forks. Janus huffed and Remus glanced away.

"I know you're right, Virgil," Janus sighed. "But it's so cathartic to sink my fangs into whatever is making me angry." He shifted and glanced up to see the three Light Sides staring. "Anyway. Forgive me for using your sensitivities against you. It was totally right to bait you like that."

Logan considered things carefully before responding. "I am not angry that you helped me. I needed to release the emotions that you drew out of me. As I've said before, repression is not healthy. I am actually grateful for what you did, though it wasn't the healthiest way to express my anger and pain. You did help me, though I believe we should come up with better ways to express such intense emotions."

"It's still better than sucking down oxytocin," Remus said then snapped his mouth shut and turned red. "Heh. Sorry. Thoughts come out when they're not supposed to. You know. My thing."

Logan gave him an encouraging smile and Roman got up and went over to sit beside him. Janus moved to sit between Logan and Patton, and Roman slung his arm over his brother's shoulder.

"It's okay, Rem. One day at a time. We don't hate you."

Remus looked miserable. "You haven't seen me drugged."

"It can't be that bad," Roman said.

"Wrong," Janus said flatly.

"You have no idea, Roman. Don't talk like that and don't joke about it," Virgil said.

Roman flinched. "I-I didn't mean… I just…" He looked down and sighed. "All I do is mess things up." He straightened and looked around, his eyes pleading. "I wasn't making light of it. It just won't change my mind. I'm determined to stick around this time."

Remus smiled and snuggled close. "When you're around, I don't want oxytocin, bro."

Roman grinned. "Because I'm awesome?"

"Because you're you," Remus said matter-of-factly. "I only started after you left. I wanted to feel like I did whenever you hugged me. And… it kinda worked." Remus made a face. "But withdrawal is a &!(?#."

He went quiet and closed his eyes, leaning against his brother. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's my fault," Roman said, stroking his back tenderly.

"How about some dessert?" Patton asked after a couple minutes of contemplative silence.

"Yes!" Janus said excitedly, then he blushed and pulled his hat over his face. "I mean, sure, whatever."

"It appears that drinking loosens you up, as well," Logan said.

Janus responded by standing up and picking up his plate. "I'll get the desserts. We slaved for hours for you. Not sure it was worth it," he said, sounding cold.

Logan suddenly looked unsure, and Virgil nudged him. "He's just embarrassed, L. It's okay. We'll have another shot before dessert."

"I believe I'll take another as well," Logan said.

"I thought you didn't want to get $&!#faced," Remus said.

"I am not putting, erm, that on my face!" Logan squawked, looking horrified.

With no warning, Virgil threw back his head and burst out laughing, clutching at his stomach and pressing into the sofa. Janus joined in a second later, leaning on the table with his head on his arms as he howled with glee. Remus looked absolutely tickled as he began to laugh, too. The three Light Sides were stunned by the laughter. It was open, free, and completely unexpected. They had never gotten them to laugh like that. The only time they had heard it, they had been hidden behind a false wall of glass. This was better because this time they were supposed to be there.

"Is that a slang word?" Logan asked when they had calmed down.

"It means intoxicated," Virgil sighed flopping back. He scrubbed his face to get the tear tracks, and his eyeshadow streaked across his hands. "$&!#. Rem?"

Remus waved his hand and a small rag appeared with a bottle of makeup remover. Virgil picked them up then began to scrub the eyeshadow off his cheeks. Janus returned to the sofa with two desserts and set them on the table. He passed out small plates and sat down between Patton and Logan again.

"Intoxicated," Logan muttered, pulling out an index card. "Is that just alcohol or can it refer to drugs as well?"

"Both," Remus said.

Logan carefully marked down the new word and then slipped the card into his pocket. Then he looked up. "Duly noted. And I don't believe that one more shot would make me completely, erm, $&!#faced, as you put it. Especially since we've been eating."

"I'll take another, too," Patton said. "As long as that doesn't make me bad."

"I'll take a second shot," Roman agreed.

Virgil leaned forward and grabbed the bottle as Janus served dessert, placing a lava cake and a fried cherry pie on each plate. Once the drinks were poured, Virgil passed around the glasses and held his out.

"To friends," he said.

"To friends," they echoed, and clinked them together.

The Dark Sides drank without hesitation, breathing out a cloud of smoke as they set the glasses aside and reached for their desserts. The Light Sides hesitated then drank. The burn wasn't as bad as the first time, and they expected it, which helped immensely. They still burst out into a coughing fit, but it was shorter and easier to get through.

Logan wiped his eyes then grabbed his water glass. "It was a little better," he said after a healthy swallow.

Patton sighed with delight and melted into the sofa. "I like this feeling." He paused then looked unsure. "Does that make me bad?"

"Of course not," Logan said. "Being relaxed is very pleasant. It's when you depend on it to be relaxed that it's a problem."

Patton smiled and nodded then leaned forward and grabbed his plate. "I made the lava cakes, but Jan made the pie. Enjoy."

"I am," Janus muttered through a mouthful of gooey chocolate.

Logan peered at Janus. "I have a question for you. And you can say no."

Janus chewed slowly, his eyes peering intently at Logan, as if he was sensing a possible threat. "Yes?"

"I… I know that your snake traits bother you, but I am most curious about them. I was hoping, and again feel free to say no, I was hoping that you would allow me to study your venom."

Janus blinked at him. "Study my venom?" he asked evenly.

Logan nodded. "I would need a sample of course, but if you are uncomfortable at all with the idea, I will respect that."

Janus peered at him even more intensely as he picked up his glass of water and took a drink. He swished the water around his mouth then swallowed. As the silence wore on and Logan grew increasingly worried that he'd offended him, Janus held his hand out to Remus, who waved it and some kind of weird device appeared, and he passed it over.

"If that is all you want, certainly," Janus said. He ran his tongue over his teeth then parted his lips to reveal his fangs. Biting into the soft padding at the top of the strange device, his jaw seemed to flex and his pupils constricted as if he were under threat. A steady drip of a clear, pale yellow substance began to plink down into a glass vial. It took Logan a moment to recognize that it was something to collect venom, and he breathed out and smiled.

"Thank you. I hope that it's not too uncomfortable."

Janus shrugged a shoulder and waved one hand then drew back and made a face. "Not uncomfortable. But biting into this texture is a bit unpleasant." With a deft movement, he popped the vial out and corked it. "Here you are, Logan. If you need more, simply ask."

Logan looked as if Christmas had come early as he gingerly accepted the vial. "Thank you! Thank you very much! I am so eager to study the properties. I can't wait. So many experiments…" He looked up to see everybody staring at him, and he quickly added, "Not that I'd experiment on you, of course. That would be wrong."

"I think I speak for all three of us," Virgil said slowly. "When I say that if you want to do experiments with us, we would be happy to help. But we don't exactly want to be experimented on."

Logan's eyes flashed and he grinned as color rose up his cheeks. "Yes! Of course! We could come up with the experiments together, and you can end them any time you feel uncomfortable. I was reluctant to ask. I feared you would misconstrue my interest as something unwelcome and negative."

"Perhaps before," Janus admitted. "But I believe we now have a different perspective on you."

"We certainly have a different perspective on all of you," Logan said.

"Yeah. And I'm glad we do," Roman said, squeezing his brother, who stuck his tongue out at him.

Logan smiled and carefully peered at the vial. "I have so many ideas, so many questions."

"And we have plenty of time for you to ask them," Virgil said. "But why don't you start with the most pressing?"

Logan sat back and thought. A soft tinge of pink rose up his cheeks for the second time and he licked his lips. "Are you certain?"

Virgil paused, and his eye patches expanded a bit. Then he nodded. "Okay."

"Well…" Logan took a deep breath. "I don't wish to make you uncomfortable…"

"It's okay, Logan," Virgil said. "Ask your question. If I don't want to answer, I don't have to, right?"

Logan nodded. "Well, when Remus hid us in the Dark Side common room, you and Janus fought. And you talked afterwards. There was much you said, but there was one thing you didn't."

Virgil didn't move, staring at Logan as his eye patches expanded even further. But he didn't tell him to stop.

"So I was wondering." Logan paused and adjusted his glasses. "I was wondering what you and Janus fought about that made you so distrustful of him."

Remus suddenly looked frightened as Janus looked down, broadcasting shame. Virgil pressed his lips together, looking a bit leery. Patton jumped in at once.

"And remember, you don't have to answer. Even though I am curious, too."

Roman squeezed Remus and tucked his head against his shoulder as his twin shivered in distress. "I am, too. But if you don't want to talk about it, we can change the subject. I can think of ten topics right now. Just say the word, Virge."

But Virgil didn't say anything. He simply studied them for several long minutes. Then he finally spoke, his voice soft.

"When I came to live with you, I didn't trust you. But I was hurting from what Jan said, and I felt unwelcome downstairs. So I came up to a new room and a new life, that's how different it was. So I lived with you and you started listening to me and talking to me like I was never a Dark Side. Still, I didn't trust you. And you all still hurt me sometimes. I knew Patton didn't mean to, and I knew Logan was unaware of how close his questions came to something… painful, inside me. And then Jan and Remus got involved, and things became even more complicated."

Virgil paused and grabbed his glass of water, swallowing several mouthfuls before he spoke again.

"After Thomas summoned us last time, after helping him to deal with Jan and Remus, you invited them to visit. And things were hard. It hasn't been easy for any of us to adjust. We're all very different. We have different ways of thinking, acting, communicating, everything. But despite all of that, you've still chosen to work things out with us. You've chosen to keep going, no matter what you've seen, what you've learned. And that has made a difference to me."

"A difference in what?" Patton asked.

"In how I perceive you, how I feel about you. You've seen our animal traits, and you didn't run. You've seen our instincts to fight and hurt, and you kept coming back. You've seen Janus shed, and you didn't hurt him when he was at his most vulnerable. You've seen Remus's addiction, and you've chosen to help instead of despising him and scolding him. Before you invited them up, I never, ever would have thought you capable of that. And I know that's harsh. But Roman isn't the only one who didn't give people chances. I've never given you three the chance to get to know me, the real me. And I'm sorry if I've hurt you because of it."

There was another pause. "Janus accused me of leaving, of being a traitor because I was just going to abandon them after all we've been through. I tried to explain things, but he was scared, and I knew he was scared, and he didn't listen. He called me useless, and he said I didn't matter in the grand scheme of things, and that I was a failure and I always would be. He let me know that you all would abandon me and I would be alone and I %#*&ing deserved it, and I felt the truth from that statement because Jan really believed it at that moment, and he can bust you upside the head with the force of the truth if he wants to."

"Virgil, I'm sorry," Janus whispered, tears squeezing from his eyes.

Virgil looked away, shivering. "Sometimes I feel like I'm going to suffocate in my anxiety at night, remembering that. Because you were so sure."

"I was wrong, Virgil," Janus said, reaching out his hands imploringly. "Thank Christ in heaven, I was wrong. Please forgive me."

Virgil didn't hesitate to pat the space beside him, and Janus switched places with Logan and embraced Virgil. Virgil hugged him back, hiding his face in Janus's neck as he continued.

"I never trusted you. But I want to. I'm just… afraid."

"That's understandable," Logan said gently.

"Maybe. But I can't think of how to get closer. It's different with you guys than it is with Jan and Remus."

"Of course it's different," Roman said. "And there's nothing wrong with that."

"Not at all, Virgil," Patton said. "And we know you're trying, kiddo. You don't have to push."

"You don't get it. There's still a block." Virgil pulled back, looking frustrated. "Ugh! Name one thing I can do for you to trust you better! Please!" he begged. "I want to trust you! I've just been hiding for so long! Help me!"

Logan peered at him. "I can think of something."

"What?" Virgil demanded.

"I would like to observe your canines."

Virgil's breathing hitched in surprise then he sighed. "Okay. I-I can do that?" He sounded unsure.

"Take your time," Logan said patiently.

Virgil sat very still, looking frightened. Remus shifted and slipped a tentacle out of his right side and wrapped it around Virgil's hand, squeezing gently. Janus flashed his fangs in a grin, reaching out to hold Virgil's other hand. Virgil took some comfort in the movements then ran his tongue over his teeth and nodded.

"Okay, Logan. Come here then."

Logan managed to contain his enthusiasm and walked over to kneel down in front of Virgil. Virgil hesitated then sighed and closed his eyes as he bared his teeth. Logan leaned forward, placing his fingers on Virgil's cheeks as he studied the way his teeth fit into his mouth with his canines.

"Open."

Virgil did so, and Logan reached out to touch his canines. He removed his hand.

"Close."

Virgil obeyed again.

"Interesting. Care to take a look, Patton?"

"Sure!" Patton took Logan's spot and giggled as Virgil peeked one eye open. "Hey there. It's okay. Let me see, kiddo."

Virgil squeezed his eyes shut as his cheeks flushed. He bared his teeth again, and Patton gazed at them. "Wow. Do they hurt?"

"No," Virgil said, unable to stop a smile from twitching his lips.

"They're really neat," Patton said.

"Yeah, yeah, my turn!" Roman declared, and Patton got up so Roman could see. Virgil bared his teeth for a third time. Roman had him open his mouth, and he reached over and touched the bottoms of the curved teeth.

"Not so sharp," he said dismissively. Before he had finished the sentence, Virgil snapped his teeth together with great force, missing Roman's finger by millimeters. Roman let out a wild, high-pitched scream and jumped backward, falling onto the coffee table and knocking over their empty glasses.

Janus burst out laughing again, leaning back and covering his face with one gloved hand. Remus kicked his feet and held his middle, guffawing as tears ran down his cheeks. Virgil only grinned, his canines flashing in the light.

"Hey!" Roman squawked.

"Watch it, Princey," Virgil teased, though there was still a shy, cautious expression in his eyes.

Roman noticed, and he rolled his eyes as he smiled fondly. "Okay, okay. Sorry, Virgil."

"I'm the one with sharp fangs," Janus said casually. "But Virgil has a much stronger bite."

"Noted," Logan said as he and Patton helped Roman to stand. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to measure your bite force, Virgil."

"Maybe later," Virgil said. He released Janus's hand and Remus's tentacle. "I want to play a game or something. I've had my fill of talking for tonight."

"I'm totally up for more," Janus said, smiling apologetically.

"Mm, we could play charades?" Remus suggested.

"That would be fun!" Patton said.

"I'm willing to play charades," Logan said.

"I'm on Logan's team!" Roman proclaimed.

"I'm with Virgil and Janus," Remus said.

"Guess I'm on your team," Patton said, throwing an arm over Logan's shoulders.

"Excellent."

"Roman, you start," Remus ordered.

The six Sides began their game, and things were far different than they had been before. Instead of tension and anger, there was a peace and friendliness in the air. It wasn't perfect, but everybody felt that enormous steps had been taken in the past month to finding a balance in their living arrangements. Thomas was happy, in a relationship that was going well, and had finally begun to tackle his chores head-on. Things were good for all the Sides, both Dark and Light working together to form a cohesive unit in the person of Thomas Sanders. For now, at least, things were going well. So they played charades for an hour before going to their rooms and falling into pleasant dreams. They didn't know what the next day would bring. But they knew they would all finally face it together. And that was enough for them to keep moving forward, one day at a time.

And this is the last chapter of Embracing the Dark Sides! I hope you enjoyed reading this story. I have a vague idea for a sequel, but I don't know when I will have the chance to flesh it out. Thanks for reading, and leave a review to share which character is your favorite and why. God bless!