Virgil shifted anxiously on his feet as he watched Patton chatter away with Spunk. He had a shift today, so they came to the shop. But due to Kyler's highly fragile nature, they had to be unfused most of the time. Spunk and Elliot adored Patton, laughing at all his corny jokes. It made Virge feel a little better, knowing that his friends got along with his Side. But it still felt a little odd having someone new in their space.
After Virgil went through two appointments and Elliot did a walk-in piercing, Patton wandered up to him. He took Virgil's hand and said, "I have to go soon. I promised Expression I'd help them get ready for a liveshow."
Virgil glanced over at Spunk, "Is she going to be joining them later?"
"Yeah, they want it all ready for when Spunk gets there." Patton said, grinning. "Vogue had planned to do arts and crafts."
Virgil snorted and shook his head. He gave Patton's hand a squeeze. "Sounds fun."
He quickly cleaned up his station, then led Patton to the door. At Elliot's eyebrow wiggle, Virgil rolled his eyes and muttered, "Be right back."
They stood out on the sidewalk, just beside the door to the shop. Patton laced their fingers together, and Virgil smiled up at him. Patton swayed on his feet, grinning, "I'll text you later, when we're all done."
"Alright. I'll be here until six." Virgil said, nodding to the shop behind him. He felt heat rush to his cheeks as he looked into Patton's eyes. "Maybe we could have dinner tomorrow or something?"
"I'd love that." Patton said, his smile only growing wider.
Virgil opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, they heard someone say in surprise, "Patton!?"
Patton looked up first, his smile dropping off his face when he saw who it was. His fingers felt limp in Virgil's hand. He followed Patton's gaze, frowning when he saw a guy in a black hoodie scowling at them.
The guy had curly blonde hair that was stuffed under a black beanie. His eyes were two different shades of brown, and most notably, he had three long scars running down his cheek. Virgil could feel the terror coming off of Patton in waves. He leaned closer to his friend and whispered, "Is that the guy?"
Patton wordlessly nodded. Virgil gave his hand a final squeeze, then stepped forward, placing himself in between Patton and the stranger.
He crossed his arms, "I take it you're Deceit."
"So you've heard of me." He said smoothly, stepping up to stand in front of Virgil. They were about the same height, give or take an inch. Annoyingly, Virgil wanted to reach out and touch the guy, knowing they were Sides. He kept his arms firmly against his chest. Deceit added with a small bow, "I've been looking for you, Number Five."
Virgil clicked his tongue, shaking his head, "Did that sound less creepy in your head? I hope so."
"Cute and funny." Deceit smiled, stepping into Virgil's personal space. When he spoke next, Virge could feel his breath on his skin. He shivered at the sensation of it, and hoped the other wouldn't notice. "What all has Patty told you about me?"
"Plenty." Virgil said firmly, "If you don't turn around and leave right now, I'm going to make you."
Deceit glanced at the tattoo shop, and the name tag stuck to Virgil's shirt. His smile felt slimy, like he was talking to the grinch. He pointed to the shop, "Do you work here?"
Virgil didn't answer, but it was clear from how he swallowed and glanced away it was true. Deceit spoke louder, addressing Patton who was standing just behind them.
"Patty, dear, I'm so proud of you. You found our last missing piece." He said, reaching forward and touching Virgil's hair. He swatted his hand away, which only earned a chuckle. "How sad were you to discover he's a Negative trait?"
"He's not Negative!" Patton said from behind him. "He's not like you!"
"I disagree." Deceit grinned, his fingers sliding along Virgil's jawline. He ground his teeth to keep himself from leaning into the touch. God, he was pathetic. His biology, his entire body, wanted to embrace this stranger. How desperate could he get? Deceit carried on, smiling to himself, "Can't you tell just by looking at him? He reeks of outcast."
Patton shouted, his voice sounding frustrated and scared. "Go away, Deceit!"
"I'm just trying to help us all." Deceit said, placing his hand on his chest. He gestured behind him and explained, "I have the other two back at my home. I can take them to you, and we can all be Established."
Virgil shifted slightly, suddenly feeling less sure. He did want to be Established. But every part of his trait was screaming at him STRANGER DANGER. And every part of his body was wanting to pull the stranger closer. Virgil couldn't help but feel confused by the conflicting sensations. He glanced at Patton over his shoulder. He seemed hesitant, his wide eyes on Deceit's face.
"You're lying." Patton said. "You always lie."
"I wish that were the case." Deceit said, waving his hand like an exhausted Nanny who wanted a drink. "I'm trying this new thing, it's called honesty and trust, have you heard it?"
Virgil snorted, "Right, because we would trust the sketchy guy with a scar."
Deceit's expression darkened. He turned his gaze to Virgil, slow and deliberate. He stepped even closer to Virgil, who refused to back down. Deceit said in a low voice, "Has our lovely little Patton told you how I got this scar?"
Virgil knew the story. Hell, he experienced flashbacks from the story. But looking into Deceit's eyes, he suddenly felt like he didn't have the full picture. There was fury in there, but also a deep pain.
Deceit pointed at Patton, his voice rising in volume, "He did it to me. He is the one who ripped me away from him; tore us apart. He saw something he didn't like and he removed it with force. He-" Deceit broke eye contact with Virgil to glare at Patton, "will never trust a Negative trait. So why are you even trying?"
Virgil felt his throat swell. He blinked rapidly, his gaze stuck on Deceit's scar. It so clearly resembled scratch marks, and he was reminded of the burning that Kyler felt on the kitchen floor.
Deceit looked back to Virgil, his voice much softer now. He spoke like they were the only two in the world, and the intimacy of it rocked Virgil's core. He whispered, "I don't want him to hurt someone else. How long will it take until he does this to you, too?"
"Get out of my fucking face." Virgil said through grit teeth. "Or I will move you myself."
"I'd like to see you try." Deceit glanced at Patton, his Grinch-like smile returning, "Tell me, what kind of Negative trait are you? Wrath? Selfish? Paran-"
Virgil had pulled back his fist without another thought. His knuckles landed right on Deceit's scar, the perfect target. Deceit grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. Virgil groaned at the burn of it. He stepped down on Deceit's foot, getting him to let go.
Distantly, he could hear Patton screaming. "Stop it! Stop it now! Let go of him!"
He wasn't sure who he was talking to, so Virgil kept swinging. He didn't think he could stop if he wanted to. Deceit was a threat, and Virgil had to get rid of him. Deceit seemed to feel the same way, punching just as much as Virgil.
Deceit launched himself at him and the two hit the cement hard. Virgil grunted as he received most of the impact. He felt Deceit straddle him, holding one of his arms down. Virgil reached up and grabbed his hair, pulling it.
"He's mine." Virgil heard himself growl.
"He's brainwashed you." Deceit responded, twisting Virgil's wrist until he let go.
Virgil kicked his knee into Deceit's ass, causing him to lose his balance and land overtop him. If they were on a bed instead of the middle of a public sidewalk, this position might have been sexy. But Virgil was too busy kicking ass to think about how strong Deceit's grip was or how pretty his eyes are.
Deceit grabbed his other hand and successfully pinned him down. They were both breathing heavily now, Deceit glaring down at him. Virgil felt delirious, a manic grin spreading across his face.
"Holy shit." He said between breaths, "You think I'll trust a Deceit Side over a Morality?"
"If you want to become Established, you will." Deceit said, his voice so low only Virgil could hear. "Patton will be the one holding us all back. Not me."
"Fuck off." Virgil said, struggling to kick him again. Deceit was expecting it this time, so his movements did nothing. "He probably just doesn't like you because you suck."
Deceit pulled his fist back to punch, and Virgil braced himself for the impact. Instead, Deceit made an 'oof' noise as something wacked him upside the head.
Virgil opened his eyes to see Spunk standing in the doorway, broom in hand. She hit Deceit again with the broom like they were a pair of stray cats. She was shouting, "Get out of here! Piss off!"
Deceit rolled off of him and broke out into a sprint, running down the sidewalk. Virgil tilted his head back to watch him go, making it seem like he was running on the ceiling. Now that the fight was over, all of his senses came rushing back to him.
He groaned, stiffly touching his lip. Deceit had gotten a good punch in at some point, and now his mouth ached. Patton was by his side in a second, tears streaming down his face. Elliot appeared by his other side and the two helped him sit up.
"Are you oka-" Elliot asked.
"Don't ever do that again!" Patton shouted over them. He was gripping Virgil's jacket, his fists shaking. "He could have hurt you!"
Virgil's throat, which already felt sore and dry, choked up then. His pounding heart rate only skyrocketed as his mind caught up with the stupid thing he just did. Patton's right, he could have gotten the shit beat out of him.
His mind flashed with horrible scenarios where he doesn't get saved by Spunk. Virgil's vision starts dotting as his breathing fails to keep up with his fear. He grips Patton's wrist tightly.
He gasps, "Empathy. Now."
Patton hesitates for only a second before he nods and presses their foreheads together. Vaguely, Virge feels Elliot let go of him and back up. Virgil tried to calm himself down, but nothing he did helped. Patton let out a slow sigh, and that seemed to be enough for them to slip away.
Empathy sat on the ground, his back against the wall to the tattoo shop, his head in his hands. Elliot sat beside him, and Spunk on the other side. Whenever someone walked up to them, Spunk told them they were closed. Most people left without further comment, upon seeing Kyler's distressed state.
Although he didn't speak, Kyler cried into his arms. His body wracked with his sobs, but also from sharp pangs within his mind. A painful headache greeted him when he was done fusing and it refused to go away.
He's going to come back.
He's going to get to us.
He's going to hurt us.
He's going to make everyone hate us.
I did the wrong thing.
I fricked up.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Kyler's mind just kept replaying all the scariest parts of the fight, now with two perspectives. It looked worse than it was. He hated every second of it. Phantom pains of the punches echoed against his skin; not just the ones Virgil received, but the ones that hurt Janus' as well. His cheek ached where Virgil landed a particularly good punch.
Eventually, Elliot and Spunk got him to stand up on wobbly legs. They led him into the back office and gave him a bottle of water. While he drank and calmed down, the two whispered back and forth.
Kyler spoke up then, rubbing the tears away from his face. "I'm sorry."
Spunk waved him off, giving him her best smile. "Don't worry about it, hon, you did what you needed to to protect your Side."
Elliot moved to kneel beside Kyler's chair. They asked, "How do you feel?"
"In pain." Kyler said with a scoff. He groaned and rubbed his jaw, folding a little further into himself. "Stupid."
"It wasn't your fault he showed up." Elliot said, glancing at Spunk for assistance. "Ex's don't exactly RSVP."
"Nice one." Kyler muttered, one of his extra hands slipping out from under his sweater to fist-bump Elliot.
Spunk punched the air and said, "Want me to kick his ass? I think I remember what he looked like."
"He looked like me." Kyler said, huffing a small laugh. His friends smiled at him, and he felt himself calm entirely. He shook his head and took a drink from his water.
"So, what now?" Elliot asked. "Are you still going to go to Expression's?"
Kyler sat still for a moment, thinking over the question. His head still hurt, even as everything else had faded some. He tried his best to focus on his friends' words, but there was a shouting match happening behind his eyes.
We don't hit people!
What if he had attacked first? Then what?
You scared me!
He scared me!
Frick!
Finally, Kyler nodded, his gaze distant. He said slowly, "I don't think I should be myself right now."
Elliot and Spunk shared concerned glances. Spunk stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder.
She smiled, "Okay, that's alright. You can unfuse now. It's safe here."
Somehow, his brain couldn't connect the word 'unfuse' and 'safe' together. Deceit's words created a new fear deep within his psyche. He struggled to ignore it, to tell himself that they were different than Daniel.
"I'm scared to unfuse." He whispered, new tears slowly rolling down his cheeks. He looked up into Elliot's eyes, his voice wavering, "I don't want to be burned."
"Hey." Spunk said, gaining his focus. She spoke confidently, "Fission burns don't happen every time you unfuse. They don't even happen every time you force fission. They only happen as a defense mechanism for when you wholeheartedly reject a part of yourself."
Kyler swallowed heavily, looking down at his hands. Even though he had a headache, and he was mad at himself, he didn't feel rejected. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. The sensation of air in his lungs calmed him enough. He gathered his courage.
"Okay." He said, closing his eyes. "Sorry about this."
"You're okay, Kyler." Elliot said in response. "We'll be here when you're done."
Empathy felt one last teardrop slip past his eyes. He stilled himself, quieted the arguing in his mind, and let go.
Tell me what you think!