Virgil glanced up as the bell on the door rang. A fusion with four eyes waltzed in, with his lips drawn in a confident grin. He scanned the room like he hadn't a care in the world before he finally realized Virgil was there.
"Are you dudes closed?" He asked, gesturing to the door.
I wish. Virgil thought. They were so close to their walk-in cut off. But alas. He put on his most convincing smile and said, "Not yet. Whacha' need?"
The fusion stepped closer and Virgil took a moment to assess his outfit. He wore a poofy rainbow dress, with fishnets underneath. Above that, a crop top that said, 'Big tit energy' and a leather jacket. He also had a strange scratch on his face, under his second pair of eyes.
"I need a total work of art, you know?" The fusion said, peering at all the pieces on the wall. "I just had this, like, vision, that I needed to get a rockin' tat tonight."
"Okay…" Virgil said slowly. Spunk had poked her head out of the back room, eyeing the strange fusion. "What do you like?"
"You're not looking too bad." The fusion said, winking two of his eyes. Virgil rolled his eyes, ignoring the heat in his ears. Eventually, the fusion settled on, "Something 'me', you know? I want it to say 'King'. Oh! And can there be a little crown?!"
"Okay, so just the letters and the crown? Which font do you like?"
"I like your nails, bro!" The fusion said, focusing on Vigril's hands instead of the examples he was displaying.
Virgil gave him a funny look, before hesitantly smiling. "Thanks. Uh- I like your dress."
"Thanks, man! What can I say, you come out how you come out. And boy, did I come out!" The fusion did a little dance, spinning in a circle. It made the colors of his rainbow blend together. Virgil watched as Spunk slowly turned the 'open' sign to 'closed' behind them. Virgil mentally thanked her once again.
He had another dinner date with Patton tonight and he didn't think he could handle more walk-ins before it. Things weren't really tense with Pat, but he knew he was upset about the fight. In retrospect, Virge's glad he fought. He was almost winning and he probably looked cool. Even if it hurt like hell. And was scary as hell. And made Virgil question things he didn't want to. It was the right thing to do. Patton was in front of someone who scared him, and Virgil wouldn't let that stand.
Still. Patton was upset, so he had to be extra careful. He didn't need to fuck up the only good relationship he's ever had. And that meant getting off work on time so he could eat with Patton.
"But I would probably have to sign contracts and I haven't figured my name out yet." The fusion was winding down, the majority of his monologue about how he'd 'be a hand supermodel, bro' completely lost on Virgil.
Spunk stepped up then, sliding a clipboard with consent papers across to him. "Well, better pick a name quickly. We need yours and both your Sides'. Here, and here."
Virgil glanced down at the notes he made while talking to, uh, that guy. He peered at his profile for a moment, his scratch-less side eerily similar to Remy's features. Virgil felt his heartrate pick up as he said, "Uh, I'll be right back."
"See ya, bro." The fusion smirked at him, perfectly relaxed in his leather and lace. He dragged his eyes down to see where Spunk pointed.
"Initial here. And I'll need your Sides' IDs."
"Oh, dude, is it ok if I just have one?"
Spunk paused, then nodded, "Yeah, since Sides are the same age."
Virgil ducked into his office where he could draw the tattoo. He sketched out the design a couple times, getting a feel for the font. Then he made his final version that he planned to show the customer. The curly font spoke of pretentious elegance, with a simple crown floating above the 'K'.
"Bro! I got it!" The fusion shouted excitedly from the front. Virgil watched as Elliot sped forward to investigate. After a few moments, they returned with a small smile.
"He learned his name." They explained as they passed.
Virgil snorted in amusement, turning back to his drawing. He followed everything the fusion gave him to work with. He gathered his courage and pushed aside his thoughts of Remy. This guy looked weirdly familiar; he'd rather get him tattooed and out of his hair asap.
He took the drawing upfront to show the fusion. Spunk was laughing at whatever he had said, paperwork done. He was flexing his biceps, showing off to Spunk. He looked ridiculous in his dress, but he didn't seem to be scared at all. Virgil had no idea how he did it.
"So, what do you think?" He showed the drawing to him. "Uh…"
He looked to Spunk, who quickly read his name off the paperwork. "Jason."
"Jason?" Virgil said with a smile. Jason's eyes lit up upon hearing his name. Virgil hated that he found it cute. He watched quietly as Jason surveyed the drawing. He was making 'mm-hmm' and 'uh-huh' noises while he looked at the paper.
"This is totally awesome, bro." Jason finally said, looking up at him with a dopey grin. "How's it gonna stick to me?"
"Uh, that part comes in a second. You can wait back on the table if you want." Virgil said, watching as he lumbered down to the tattoo area. "Just, don't touch anything."
Spunk raised both her eyebrows and nodded in Jason's direction. "So, have fun with that guy. He mentioned he wants it on his chest."
Virgil tried to not be interested in that. He said, "Great."
He ducked back into his workspace to transfer the design onto the purple ink that he'd trace. He worked quickly, hoping to out-work his thoughts. What would he do if this guy was Remy? Or another, new pair of Sides? Or Deceit? He started planning for a thousand different scenarios.
"That guy looked like you." Elliot said, leaning against his desk casually.
Virgil almost groaned.
Standing closer to Jason didn't help ease his racing thoughts: his cocksure grin was too assertive; his eyes too enchanting. Part of Virgil wanted to punch him out of spite. How could people just walk around, clearly confident in themselves?! It wasn't fair! They should share some of that with the rest of us!
Things got worse when he took his dress off. He had to shed some layers in the bathroom, coming back wearing just tights and ripped jeans. He set his dress, crop top, and jacket in the corner of the booth.
Virgil tried to zero in on the skin of his pec, where he wanted the tattoo to be. If he tried to look at too much at once, he'd freeze up. He had to focus on the task at hand. He was silent during most of the prep work, keeping his eyes off Jason for as long as possible.
Jason rambled, as he had nothing better to do. "My bros were hanging, just being dudes, and then the next thing I knew, I was alive."
Virgil glanced at him. He had to be Remy's Sides, if Remy wasn't already in the fusion. He shook his head and placed the tracing ink onto Jason's chest. He peeled the paper away, leaving just the lines of the tattoo on his skin.
"That a good spot?" He asked.
"You ever seen a hotter dude?" Jason said as he inspected himself in the mirror, turning this way and that to see the ink from all angles. He glanced at Virgil through the reflection. His grin turned sly and playful. "Maybe once."
Virgil silently begged the gods for a break. He didn't give the customer a response. Finally, Jason nodded and turned back to him.
"Looks stellar, bro!" He frowned slightly, then asked, "Will it hurt?"
Virgil loaded up his ink gun and shrugged. "No."
"Liar."
Virgil met Jason's gaze. A new energy fostered behind his eyes, a teasing challenge. A dare, almost. But it was gone in an instant, Jason shaking his head and grinning. His lopsided smile never left as he hopped onto the table and waited for it to start.
"No worries, bro, I'm the best with pain." He said, his easy demeanor returning.
Virgil tried to not smile at that. What Jason lacks from being irritating, he makes up for in being entertaining. He slowed his breathing and paid attention to the task at hand.
Jason flinched when the needle first touched him, but he relaxed a moment later. He was leaning back on his arms, looking down at Virgil as he worked. For a few precious moments, it was quiet except for the buzzing of his pen.
"You have pretty eyes, dude." He said, and Virgil had to pause to take a breath. He ignored the heat swirling in his chest.
"Thanks." He muttered, unable to make eye contact. After an awkward beat where Jason just grinned at him, Virgil continued his drawing. He focused on the shape of the K, of the curves and dark lines.
"You know, you look super familiar, man." Jason said, his eyes on him. He was squinting, as if deep in thought.
Virgil wiped away some of the excess ink and blood, glancing up at him. He felt self conscious of his body. How was he sitting? Was he leaning onto Jason too much? Were Elliot and Spunk watching? He snorted, both from his spiraling thoughts and Jason's comment.
"Yeah, I get that a lot." He said, starting on the crown that sits above the 'K'. "I guess I have a common face."
"Nah, bro. One of a kind, for sure." Jason said, his grin stretching even wider somehow. Virgil was going to combust, his chest felt so tight. He fully plans on ignoring Jason this time, until he says, "But you do kinda look like my bro Remy."
That got Virgil to look up, to pull his needle back and pause. "Rem- Remy Sleep?"
"Yeah, that's my dude!" Jason said, excitedly leaning closer. "He's real cool. I think."
He frowned for a second, looking up at the ceiling. Virgil watched his four eyes screw up.
"Or, wait, do I like Remy?" He asked himself.
Virgil turned to see if Spunk or Elliot were witnessing the same disaster he was. But alas, they were both ducked away in the office. Virgil was facing this one entirely alone. He cleared his throat, then shifted awkwardly on his seat.
"Are you, uh, Sides with Remy?" He turned his gun back on and leaned closer. He placed a hand on Jason's shoulder, his eyes trained on his work. He had to be chill about this. Jason would have definitely felt how sweaty and gross his hands are, if it weren't for his gloves. And why does he wish he could touch his skin? Focus, Virge!
"Sides with Remy? Ye- uh- no- hm…" He rubbed his chin with his free hand, keeping out of Virgil's way. Virgil still glared at him until he stopped moving. "No. Final answer."
Virgil almost wanted to laugh. He detailed the gems in the crown as he asked, "New to the fusion thing, huh?"
"It's my birthday dude!" Jason kicked his legs excitedly and Virgil had to halt his drawing once more. This guy was going to be the death of him, one way or another. "My bros were just on a date today. Their first one, I think? And everything was going so well, I showed up to make it better!"
Virgil grew impatient waiting for the man to stop fidgeting on his own. He stood up and placed his full weight on the hand on Jason's shoulder, keeping him still. He leaned down and drew from his new position above. Jason swallowed thickly from the pain.
"Life of the party." Virgil said under his breath. Jason was cooperating, so he asked more questions. "And then you immediately came here?"
Jason nodded, and Virge had to lean back to see his serious expression. "Yeah, dude. I just woke up and knew I had to find you."
Virgil blinked. Did he hear that right?
"Find me, to tattoo you?" He said slowly. The hairs on his arms stood on their ends.
"Only the best for me." Jason said with a shrug, "I just know my bros really liked it here."
"Your- what are their names?" Virgil asked, trying to remember if he had tattooed anyone who looked like Jason before.
"My main dude is named Roman." Jason said, "He's the ace, you know? The 100% emoji. And then my other bro is-"
Then, the unlocked front door burst open as someone ran in. Spunk and Elliot came into the front clearing. Virgil lowered his tattoo gun and leaned away from Jason; his hand still resting on his warm shoulder.
The new Side locked eyes with Jason. Heaving and furious, he said, "JANUS!"
"Hey dude!" Jason waved, kicking his feet again.
"We're closed, actually-" Spunk tried to step in.
The Side ran a hand down his shirt and bowed slightly to her. "I apologize, these Sides are mine." He glared at Jason, "And we did not discuss consenting to having tattoos on our Established form."
Virgil glanced from Jason to the Side. His already sprinting heart just gave up the race at that point. The Side and him locked gazes and something inside Virgil's brain clicked.
He didn't need to speak, he didn't need to touch him. He just knew. This guy was his Side. It was the only thing Virgil had ever been this sure about in his life.
The new Side seemed to have the same reaction, as he just stared at Virgil, mouth agape. In the corner of his eye, Virgil could see Spunk and Elliot whispering. They were clearly trying to figure out what to say. Virgil wished he was a part of that conversation; he could use some tips.
The best he had was, "Uh-"
"My name is Logic Side." He said, sticking his hand out. Virgil peeled off one of his gloves and shook it. He pulled his hand away too fast, but Logic didn't seem to mind. "These two are Roman and Janus, although I don't know their new name."
"I'm Jason," he said, poking Logic's cheek. "You love me!"
"Debatable." Logic grumbled, eyeing the giant 'K' on Jason's chest. He sighed and told Virgil, "I apologize for the trouble. We'll still pay in full."
Virgil's head was spinning. "Um-"
"No no no, you can't be mad!" Jason whined, tugging on Logic's shirt like a child. "Jason did good! I found him!"
Logic licked his lips, glancing at Virgil. He froze under his calculating gaze. He had never seen someone with information leaking from their eyes like that. He was being assessed, studied. And what was worse, Virgil was doing the same.
Was this Side a threat? Logic sounded safe enough. Would he hurt himself or Patton? He didn't seem too tough. But his intimidation came from the neatness of his sentences. He could talk circles around Virgil, he knew it.
Finally, Logic smiled. Virgil wasn't sure if 'smile' is the right word. Logic seemed awkwardly optimistic, hesitant but hopeful with a dash of embarrassed. Virgil knew the feeling. Then, he grew giddy at the realization that he knew Logic's emotions without fusing. And then, he grew anxious about the idea of actually fusing with Logic.
"If you're really our Side, then we're only missing one more." Logic said.
"He's mine." Virgil said, then corrected himself, "I mean, I have him. He's- I'm already with- we're together."
His face felt hot and he heard Jason snort at him. This couldn't be happening.
"Oh, excellent." Logic said, sounding pleased. "In that case, we should discuss how we'd like to move forward. Now, Roman and I are students. Are either of you in classes?"
"No." Virgil glanced at his friends, who were watching just a few feet away.
"That's alright," Logic said, although his brows pinched together slightly. He carried on, "We can review our education at a later date. So-"
"Um-" Virgil interrupted, feeling his chest tighten at the simple action. "Sorry, but look. I'm not going to talk with you guys until I'm with Patton."
Jason spoke up then, his back straightening, "Hey! I know a Patton!"
Logic glared at Jason, but spoke calmly. "If you require Patton's presence, that's all the better. We should confer as a collective."
"Right…" Virgil said slowly, looking to Spunk and Elliot again. Elliot shrugged, awkwardly hanging behind their girlfriend. Spunk had her arms crossed, a frown on her face.
She spoke up, "You guys can stay here, if you want, but we still have to clean and lock everything."
Virgil shook his head, glancing back at Logic, then to Jason. "Actually, I think we should just… go to my place."
Jason grinned, and Logic seemed interested. He nodded in satisfaction as Virgil added, "Patton will be there."
Virigl stood in the cold, waiting as Logic and the other two Sides crossed the parking lot. They had followed behind him in their own car, which gave Virge enough time to properly panic in peace. He should've called Patton, gave him a heads up, but his hands were shaking too badly to use his phone.
Logic was talking as they approached, but all Virgil heard was, "..best behavior; no lies and no tricks, alright?"
"Yeah, yeah-" One of the Sides said, and when Virgil looked at him, his throat closed up. He knew that bruise. He put it there.
Virgil couldn't stop himself from taking a small step backwards. "Deceit."
The Side looked up at him, surprise smoothly washing away to a grin. "Hey, Number Five."
Virgil didn't feel good about this. Even if they were his Sides, they were strangers who found his place of work and then followed him home. It felt wrong, weird, and he wanted this night to end. A million emotions ran through his head at once, but all Virgil could do was cross his arms and glance to Logic.
"This way."
He led them up the stairs of his apartment building, jogging up the last couple of steps so he could open the door. He poked his head into his apartment and looked inside. Patton wasn't in sight, but the room smelled of pizza. He glanced back at the Sides, who were still making their way upstairs. Although they were whispering, their expressions were all unkind. He didn't need to interrupt their fight.
"Pat?" Virgil said, stepping into his apartment. He left the door cracked open, too focused on finding his friend. He shoved his shaking hands into his pockets in hopes that would stop them. It didn't. "Patton?"
Patton came out of the kitchen, a smile on his face. His smile fell when he saw Virgil's state. "Hey… kiddo?"
Virgil took his hands and squeezed them, ducking his head into the crook of Patton's neck. He mumbled against his skin, "Empathy, Empathy, please-"
"Whoa, wait, Virge, what happened?!" Patton asked, wrapping his arms around him.
Virgil shook his head, unable to speak. He was going to explode from all the thoughts in his head, each one scarier than the last. He bit the inside of his cheek and squeezed his eyes shut, hoping it would trigger fusion.
Instead, Patton froze up against him. He felt a shudder run through him, and then he whispered, "Deceit."
"Hello, Patton." A slimey voice said from behind them.
Virgil let go and turned around, seeing the three Sides standing in his doorway. Logic closed the door behind them gently. The one named Roman was looking around the apartment, his hands in his pockets. He was wearing a hoodie that Jason didn't have earlier. Deceit smiled at them and waved a gay little wave that was all fingers.
"You brought them here?" Patton said under his breath.
"Sorry." Virgil muttered. "They showed up at work. Fused."
Patton let out a short sigh, and Virgil watched as a new expression formed on his face. He had never seen Patton look like that before. Irritated, unamused. Then, the fakest smile he had ever seen split Patton's lips.
"Deceit," He said slowly. "I didn't know you'd be visiting. I don't have enough pizza."
Deceit gestured to Virgil, "Thank him for that. I was just going to get his number and leave."
Roman veered towards them then, holding out his hand. He shook Patton's first, then Virgil's. He was smiling, and didn't seem bothered at all by the tension in the air. "Hi, I'm Roman, nice to meet you. What kind of pizza is it?"
"Roman!" Logic hissed like an exhausted mother. He pulled him back and said, "I apologize for these two. They are my Sides, and if we can prove that you're our remaining-"
Patton spoke flatly, his eyes never leaving Deceit. "We're Sides."
"Oh," Logic followed his gaze. Deceit blew a kiss at them. "Yes, of course. In that case, I'm Logic."
He shook hands with Patton, who relaxed slightly. "Patton Morality. And this is-"
"Mr. Side." Virgil said, shifting on his feet. He shrugged, hoping to go for nonchalance. "You can call me Virgil."
"Very well, Virgil." Logic said, apparently unbothered by his response.
Roman's face lit up from across the room. "That's my name too!"
"'Mr. Side'," Deceit said, smirking at Virgil, "I've used that one before."
Virgil glanced around the room as the others began talking between themselves. He had never had so many people react positively to his impulse at the same time. His veins buzzed with uncapped energy; he felt like he was flying.
Before he lost his composure, he spoke over the others, "A-and my trait is Anxiety!"
They were looking at him now. He wanted to snatch his words out of the air and shove them back down his throat. He tried not to squirm under their gazes.
"Oh." Logic said simply. Oh. What does 'oh' mean?
"Oh!" Deceit's grin widened into something mocking and self-deprecating, "Your trait was recategorized! So I'm still the only Negative! Fun, great. Love that."
Virgil shifted uncomfortably.
"So, what?" Roman said, frowning. "You get nervous sometimes?"
Deceit sighed and muttered, "Roman, you ignorant slut."
"Trust me," Patton said, shaking his head. "It's a little more intense than that."
Logic adjusted his glasses, reciting, "The Anxiety trait is an Illness-Emotional trait, with side effects of shortness of breath, raised heart rate, and higher senses of fear."
"Awesome." Virgil sighed, not liking being the center of attention anymore.
Patton gasped in excitement, "Did you mean Side effects!?"
"Side effects." Logic responded.
"Side effects!" Patton repeated, giddy.
"Side effects?" Roman questioned.
"SHUt the fuck up!" Deceit interrupted.
Anxiety sighed, thankful for a moment of silence. The others all grinned at each other or scowled at Deceit. He broke the silence, "Now what? We're all together now, so… What do we do?"
All eyes turned to Logic, who was the only one pondering his question. After a beat, he said, "I suppose we move in together. Get to know each other."
"Wait, wait-" Patton said with a nervous laugh, "I don't think I want to move in with Deceit."
"Yeah, me neither." Deceit said, rolling his eyes. He sounded annoyed, but not surprised. "That Deceit guy sucks."
Virgil snorted in amusement, and Deceit shot him a small grin.
Logic placed a hand on Patton's shoulder in a vow and said, "I promise, you have my and Roman's protection. Janus is not dangerous to be around; he will not harm you."
Patton worried his lip, glancing between Logic and Roman. Virgil felt his heart ache for him. He knew what it was like to be scared. He took Patton's hand and squeezed it, giving Patton his best 'we-can-do-it' smile.
"I promise to protect you, too, Patton." Deceit said, pressing a hand against his chest. He was still smirking, always confident, always cruel. Virgil grit his teeth, glaring at him.
He leaned close to Patton's ear and whispered, "What's the call? I think I can take them."
Patton shook his head, clearly trying to fight back a smile. He whispered back, "Don't hurt anyone. The other two seem okay enough." He pouted, then added, "What do you think?"
"I'm with you, man." He told Patton, his voice soft. "I'll follow your lead."
Patton chewed his lip again, staring into Virgil's eyes. The whole room fell quiet, and Virge could feel the other's eyes on them. He didn't move. He couldn't breathe. Seconds ticked by as Patton thought it through. He could see the gears turning behind his eyes.
Finally, he said, "Okay. If everyone else is alright with it… I think we should move in together."
Virgil let out the breath he was holding. He shook his and Patton's clasped hands and tried to not freak out. He wasn't fully sure himself if he wanted to move in with these guys. But he knew Establishment took them being around each other. Most Sides moved in together within a couple months.
Even still, Virgil's gaze kept darting back to the other Sides. A thousand drums were banging in his chest, the vibrations overtaking his body. He watched silently as they interacted.
"I can get us a new apartment in two weeks." Logic said, a pleased expression on his face. "It will just take me a few days to get all the necessary paperwork."
"Paperwork?" Deceit and Roman both scowled.
Patton shifted his feet in worry, "What about our leases?"
"That's what the paperwork is for." Logic said slowly, glancing between them. "In accordance with the Affordable Side Act of 1986, any Side can break lease without consequences so long as they have found all five Sides and intend to move in together. Any impedance of this act will be punishable in court."
Roman smiled at him, impressed and bewildered, "How do you just know that?"
"Well, I have been studying-"
"Wait, I want my room on the other side of Deceit's!"
"You want to share a wall with me? How brave of you, Patton. Wink."
"No! I meant on the other side of the apartment!"
"I will find a home with the necassary accommodations. We should exchange numbers to further discuss preferences."
"Do you kings have snapchat?"
"Oh! I love the puppy filter!"
Virgil silently passed his phone around the circle, and received a different one in return. He punched in his number once, twice, three times, before getting his phone back. And just like that, he had three more roommates. Four, technically, since Patton would be living with him permanently.
He had two weeks to get used to the idea. He was moving in with his Sides. All of them. There was a buzzing in the air that he was sure they all felt. The intense realization that they were all in the same room.
The others spoke back and forth for a while more. Virgil stood with his hands in his pockets. Even if he didn't speak up, he still smirked at their jokes or rolled his eyes fondly at Patton. He tried to make eye contact and sometimes succeeded. It was terrifying but also, bizaarly fun.
Eventually, Logic said, "Well, we've already taken too much of your time. Thank you for this rather unorthodox meeting."
He glared at Deceit slightly. Virgil shrugged and said, "It's okay."
"We'll keep in touch." Patton said, smiling at Roman and Logic. "We have so much to talk about before we move in!"
"Indeed." Logic said, before he directed his Sides out with a hand on their wrists. "Goodbye, once more."
"Bye Virgil! Bye Patton!" Roman said, waving. Although Deceit stayed silent, his gaze flickered between them thoughtfully.
Virgil opened the front door for them and watched them leave. As soon as they were in the hall, Logic dropped his Side's hands.
"We're going to talk more about this, both of you." He said. "I have questions."
Deceit groaned, following after. Roman took the end, rubbing his chest.
He added, "Yeah, like how come I got stuck with the tattoo?"
"Please," Deceit scoffed, "I'm too pretty for a tattoo."
Virgil closed the door before he heard Roman's response. He leaned with his back against the door for a moment, his eyes closed.
"Are you ok?" Patton asked.
"No." He responded, opening his eyes slowly. Exhaustion swept over him like an angry wave. "Are you?"
"No." Patton shrugged, rubbing his arm nervously. "I wasn't expecting to see him again. It was…"
"Scary?"
"Yeah."
Virgil sighed, rubbing his face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought them here. I just- couldn't face them alone."
"It's okay." Patton worried his lip, his gaze distant. "It's not your fault."
Virgil pushed himself off the wall and walked up to Patton. He took his hand and pressed his palm against his cheek. He sighed and kissed his palm. Patton shifted closer, his other hand caressing his hip. Virgil's body felt warm.
"Can we fuse?" Virgil's voice cracked, because of course it did. Why wouldn't his body be chill for once?
"Yeah," Patton pressed their foreheads together. The hand on his hip pulled him closer; warm and present. Grounding.
Virgil felt his heart rate lower; his jaw unclenching. He held his breath and counted. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.
They were fused before he got to ten.
Shadow the Hedgehog the Cat came out once the noise died down. He found Kyler sitting on the kitchen table, his legs swinging gently. He was eating cold pizza and staring at the wall. Being the good cat he was, Shadow hopped up onto the table, and tried to snag some of the pizza.
"Stop that." Kyler chided, scooping up the kitty. Shadow purred against his chest, and Kyler pet him with his third arm. He sighed slowly out his nose, then took another bite of his pizza.
Empathy would sit on that table for a long while, eating pizza until his belly was stuffed. He didn't speak, and Shadow didn't move out of his arms. They stayed in that moment, that night, just trying to comprehend what just happened.
And when he got tired of thinking about that, he let himself imagine a future with these other Sides. He better get used to the idea. It was coming fast, and he didn't know if he could stop this ride.
He didn't think he wanted to.
End of Part 1. Tell me what you think!
