Chapter Text
Virgil felt bad after the wedding
He knew it would be bad, since Thomas came in and not even five minutes later got bored enough to play on his phone, but Virgil's mental energy was fully drained the moment Thomas got home.
Virgil did not want to get involved with the inevitable dilemma, so he simply went home to take a nap. He found his bed to be very comforting, especially when his social battery was at zero.
Unfortunately, his horrible life had other plans for him.
He felt a sickening presence come up towards Thomas. Deceit, he thought. What was that villain doing to them? Virgil then decided that dealing with Deceit was more important than recharging his energy. He got out of bed and attempted to open the door.
Locked.
Virgil looked at the door and saw a pair of yellow chains holding the door down. Just like old times, he thought, remembering the way Deceit magically sealed doors sometimes when Virgil was still a Dark Side. Virgil knew (from experience) that he couldn't do anything about it, and he couldn't even just appear to Thomas and the others. So he was stuck thinking about what Deceit could possibly be doing.
Virgil feared that Deceit could be turning them against him, or trying to present himself as good, or maybe even saying the opposite of what he actually wanted do that they'd go with the opposite of that—what he wanted.
Eventually, the door unlocked, and Virgil braced himself for whatever was waiting for him in the kitchen.
The first thing he saw was Patton. Sweet Patton, who would never hurt a fly. Virgil would never admit it ever in his lifetime, but he thought of the moral side as his dad, and thought that no one in the universe could ever match Patton's kindness. Unfortunately here it seems that kindness had been employed too much, as Virgil could see Patton serving Deceit black tea.
"Why thank you, Patton," Deceit said to him.
"You're very welcome," Patton replied, grinning as Deceit took a sip and seemingly enjoyed the drink.
Virgil was angry at Deceit. What had he done? The snake had slithered his way into Patton's heart, and was now getting tea from him? "Patton, can you please explain to me why Deceit is doing here?"
Patton smiled at Virgil, as if he was just yet to explain what was explained. "Oh, Virgil, you don't know yet. Janus here is going to help Thomas take care of himself."
Virgil was caught off guard. Janus? Was that what Deceit was calling himself in the Light Side? If Virgil had any doubt that Deceit wasn't scheming, it was all gone, because of one simple thing. Deceit's name was not Janus. He knew that because of his time in the Dark Side, but if he's lying about his name, he was going to lie about much more than that.
"But isn't he known as A—" Virgil started, before he found his mouth being shut the moment he tried to say that. Uh oh, Virgil thought. He had forgotten about Deceit's power to force others to not say something. If Deceit was trying to hide his true name from them, that was going to be real bad, as Virgil would be forced to not say anything about how awful and selfish Deceit was-no, is, and Thomas was going to be dragged in the depths of Deceit's manipulation, and then the Light Sides would likely be turned against him and he would be an outcast again. And he didn't want that, liked, loved being with them, the Light Sides.
If Deceit wanted to turn them against him, he wouldn't get any more batches of cookies from Patton, no more debates with Logan about whatever was troubling their existence, no more ridiculous banter from Roman while watching Disney movies. All of that.. gone.
Virgil didn't want to be seen mid-panic attack though, so he went back to his room and swore on all he had that he and all of his lies would one day crumble down. He, the serpent-faced villain who he was now playing chess with. He, who was trying to call himself 'Janus.' Him, whose name Virgil had tried to say, but was cut off.
Apate.