Note: This was inspired by a headcanon made on tumblr by the user 'hetaliadere'.

Pairing(s): Platonic or romantic LAMP/CALM

Warnings: Deceit, panic attack, mention of manipulative/toxic friendships, betrayal, fighting/arguing, violence, crying, and lying (?)
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Something feels wrong.

Thomas can't explain what it is, but the air is much colder than usual despite it being summer, his chest aches with anxiety, but... something is missing. Where is the usual fight for breath? Or the heart palpitations that would always pound against his chest? Maybe he should just be grateful for the lack of those symptoms, but part of the reason he's feeling anxious at all is because they're missing and this is just becoming a huge mess.

What if he just summons Virgil? Would that make him feel any better? Perhaps not; he wouldn't want to be a burden. But Virgil is the physical embodiment of his anxiety, so his entire job is to appear at times like this.

Sighing heavily, he collapses back onto the couch and places his head in his hands. He feels like he wants to cry, but something is holding him back, keeping the tears locked inside. Hidden. He wants to laugh at a Disney reference that runs through his mind, but before he can, it's gone. Without leaving a trace of joy behind. If only he could ask Logan about what was wrong, surely, he'd be able to find a solution to his problems. Maybe. If only he would just summon him and ask for help. But then he'd be a burden even to himself. He can't have that.

Yes, they've willingly helped him in the past, but they would definitely get sick and tired of all his stupid and insignificant problems eventually, right?

The best thing to do would be to try and push this all to the back of his mind, swallow whatever baseless apprehension he's feeling, and get back to what he was doing before this sudden wave of empty fear washed over him.

What was he doing, exactly?
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Hell isn't red. It doesn't burn crimson, ruby, sangria, mahogany, or scarlet. It glows a sickening shade of yellow. One that would haunt the four of them long into the future.

Shadows lurk in every corner, mocking them, hissing at them to stay. They stare through the Sides with piercing neon eyes. "Stay," they whisper darkly, "you belong here. You're definitely safe. Nothing can harm you, not even yourselves."

It happens when Patton begins to struggle for breath. He slaps a hand over his mouth and grips the left sleeve of his cat hoodie, pressing it to his cheek and desperately trying to absorb any joy from the memories the article of clothing bring. Virgil manages to meet his frightened gaze for a split second before darkness slithers forward and obstructs his view. He can't see! Oh God, what if the damage is permanent? How will he help Thomas? What if Thomas is blind too? What if, what if, what if?!

"Deceit," Logan's voice has been hardened with frustration and set with disgust, "reveal yourself and speak with us. You can't hide forever."

Instead of the desired outcome where the Dark Side comes out of hiding and agrees to talk, Logan feels a grip around his neck. Suddenly, he can't think clearly. His thoughts are messy and nonsensical; they just don't make any sense, no matter how he tries to organise them!

Roman watches his friends slowly but surely crumble. What can he do? Is there anything he can do? He looks down at the sash slung over his shoulder and bites his lip. A prince would be able to save them. The shadows are coming closer. A prince would know how to defeat such a snake. They're praising him, but it doesn't feel right. A prince would have the strength to fight off this monster. Cold hands are clinging to his chest; airy voices beg him for forgiveness, plead for him to save them; his mind reels with one question-- should he?

Silence descends over the room, but they can still hear meaningless cries and empty compliments spoken to them in hushed tones of yellow, yellow, yellow...
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One hundred and four, one hundred and five, one hundred and six, one hundred and seven... Why does the plaster on his ceiling have such a bumpy texture? Why is he counting every pale bump he can see? He finds that he doesn't have much of a reason.

His living room is quiet, but why is that so strange? He's by himself. Alone. If he heard a voice, wouldn't that be much more chilling? He supposes it would depend on whose voice it was. If it was Joan, he may actually feel safer and more comfortable, but if it were a voice he didn't recognise, then he would certainly be inclined to flee and run somewhere safe. What if it was Talyn? Or perhaps Valerie? Terrence? Where is this train of thought chugging to?

Oh well. He likes thinking about his friends; they're wonderful.

The idea of calling one of them to talk about how he's feeling appears in his mind for a second before it is slapped away by the image of a familiar gloved hand. Just as he's about to think about where he knows that hand from--

'You don't really want to talk to them. They'll never understand, it's pointless. And they'll just get sick of you burdening them all the time. They will. You know they will. And guess what? They'll feel exactly the same way you feel about yourself. A burden. Exhausting. And you do believe that about yourself. Because it's true. Isn't it, Thomas?'

It sounded so certain. Confident, even. He glances down at where his mobile is lying on the coffee table in front of his couch.

Maybe he shouldn't call them.
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Virgil's vision is suddenly beginning to clear and he sighs in relief before taking in his surroundings. The others are clearly in trouble because of the snake they call Deceit. He turns to look around for him, but only finds darkness and a dim yellow glow. "Deceit, get out here! Talk to us and stop hiding like a coward." Well, insulting him probably isn't going to get him anywhere, but Virgil is too panicked to care.

"Ah, Virgil. Trying to ruin the fun already, I see." Finally, the Side shows himself and Virgil has to resist the urge to vomit at the sinister smirk on is face. "Typical."

Adjusting the bright gloves on his hands, Deceit tuts and allows his beady-eyed gaze to flicker between the four of them, a flame of intrigue growing stronger with every person he looks at. The silence between them drags on until Deceit clicks his tongue in false annoyance and tries, but fails, to conceal the mischievous grin that is stretching across his face. "My, my, Virgil. You ask me to come and have a conversation with you and yet, you remain silent. That's rather rude of you, don't you think? And we can't be having that. Why don't you," he lifts an arm up and thrusts his hand forward to grab at the air before retracting it so sharply it succeeds in startling the anxious facet, "say something?"

"I wish you had all left me alone when I ducked out."

Wide eyed, Virgil clamps a hand over his mouth and frantically meets the eyes of the others, who suddenly have their complete concentration on him. Luckily, Logan seems to understand what is happening and although his expression darkens with sadness, Virgil can see the understanding in his eyes. Patton and Roman stare at him in shock, not fully processing the situation they're in and only comprehending what they can hear.

Patton's bottom lip wobbles. "You do?"

Despite the shadowy claws grasping at his tunic, Roman turns to look at his opposite with so much hurt it makes Virgil's stomach churn. "Aren't you happy with us? We'll never be enough for you, will we?"

The creative Side's eyes shoot open in surprise at his words, signalling to Virgil that they were the work of Deceit, whose neon eyes are twinkling with amusement. After feeling the effects of Deceit's room himself, Roman seems to understand that the words Virgil had spoken before were not his own. Puppets. They are simply puppets for Deceit to use for his own entertainment.

Eyes burning, Logan winces and grips the side of his head, squeezing them shut as he tries to add his own input to the absurd conversation they're now having. "We need to find a way out, some sort of exit. Or maybe there are no exits. Maybe we're stuck here."

"It's hopeless, isn't it?! I'm going to be trapped in here forever and the worst part is that I'm in here with all of you!" Patton gasps in horror and looks over at Deceit before sending the other three an apologetic glance. That's all any of them can do for now.

Logan suggests that they stop talking and communicate via eye contact and facial expressions, but as expected, Deceit isn't too happy with their choice of communication. "No, no, no! That just won't do. You all have such beautiful voices, why not use them? Now let's see," he clicks his tongue and strokes his chin for a moment before smiling, "I have an idea. Since you all love Patton so much and since he believes that lying is bad, perhaps we should have a little honesty hour, hm? Wouldn't that be fun? Roman," as he turns to the colourfully dressed persona, his eyes shine with something that immediately has them all on edge, "you're the Gryffindor around here, right? The brave and chivalrous one? If that is the case, then it would only make sense for you to go first! So tell me, what do you think of our dearest raccoon-looking friend over here?" He then reaches out and grasps the air once again, pulling back his arm and smiling widely as Roman's mouth opens for him to speak.

"Virgil is still the monster he's always been and nothing will ever change that."

Hurt flashes through the anxious trait's eyes as Roman grits his teeth together and bows his head shamefully. Deep down, Virgil knows this isn't real. All of this is just one giant lie created by Deceit. It isn't true. It isn't true. But he still has to convince himself by repeating it to himself like a mantra. Like a prayer.

Deceit arches an eyebrow at Roman's words and folds his arms across his chest, offering the distraught Side a smile filled with false surprise and amusement. "Wow, Roman. I think things are getting a little too personal here, don't you? Are you saying you still hate Virgil? Even after those wonderfully meaningful videos that basically explain to the audience that our beloved Anxiety is a good thing?"

They can all see how hard Roman is trying to keep his mouth shut. He doesn't want to lie. He doesn't want to hurt Virgil more than he already has--

"Yes."

Beside him, Patton is trying desperately not to pay attention to the venom being spat from Roman's lips and is silently trying to discuss a method of escaping Deceit's room with Logan. Unfortunately, Deceit notices their attempts and gives the moral facet a sickeningly sweet smile. "Ah, ah, ah. Patton, what do you and Logan think you're doing? Don't you like honesty?"

Before he can say another word to the trembling trait, Logan's voice sounds from his side of the living room, shooting through Deceit like a bullet, but not quite managing a fatal hit. "Leave him alone."

Snorting derisively at Logan's attempt to protect Patton, Deceit places a hand on his hip and shakes his head. "Nerd to the rescue, huh? Such a beautiful way of reversing stereotypes. Bravo, Logan." He applauds the logical persona for a moment before spinning around and looking Patton directly in the eyes. "Why don't you thank him by telling him how you really feel about him?"

Patton shakes his head vigorously and takes a few fearful steps back and away from the deceitful facet, who is slowly inching his way closer.

"Stop." Virgil's voice is distorted and raspy, only causing Deceit's grin to widen and his eyes to glitter with thinly veiled hatred and spiteful delight.

"Feeling a little nervous, are we, Virgil?" He asks, taking a couple of measured steps towards him before stopping in place and giving him a once over, possibly checking to see if he had found a solution of some kind. "Well, I suppose that's not surprising. You are the embodiment of Thomas's anxiety, after all. Hopefully, the sheer act of honesty from your best friend is enough to soothe all of those nasty nerves."

Before anyone can stop him, Deceit thrusts his arm forward and grabs the air, tugging it back and making Patton speak. "Logan just needs to stick to what he knows: being an arrogant, apathetic robot. If he can't even understand how difficult it is to let go of a loved one, then he clearly doesn't know what love actually feels like."

With an impressed whistle, Deceit snickers and watches the guilt dampen Patton's eyes. "That's what you really think? Well, this is certainly getting interesting." He swivels around to face Logan and smirks at the tiny glimmer of fear in his eyes, despite the rest of his expression being the very definition of indifference. "Got any thoughts on that, Logan? Maybe not. It's not like you always have something to say."

Logan's eyes lock together with Deceit's and he presses his lips into a straight line, ignoring the sharp stabbing in his temples. Even when Deceit makes the same gesture in an attempt to force the logical persona to speak, he remains silent. However, as soon as he successfully resists it, he grunts in pain and places his head in his hands. It's as if his brain is having heart palpitations. He wants it to stop! But he can't let Deceit win. He can't allow himself to be controlled like some sort of life size marionette.

Beguilement filling his eyes, Deceit takes a few calculated leisurely steps in his direction before stopping abruptly. His left eye is reflecting back every hidden insecurity he's had, every mistake he's made, and it's weakening him to the point that his knees are beginning to buckle under him. Virgil looks over to him desperately and as soon as their eyes meet, his blood runs cold.

Instead of the comforting russet gaze he's used to from the intelligent facet, he sees a sickly yellow staring back at him. Logan is being corrupted. All they can do is watch their companion collapse to the ground in a heap of trembling determination. A heap of yellow, yellow, yellow--

"Deceit, stop it. Leave him alone, you reptilian jerk!" Virgil growls, taking a shaky, but somehow still intimidating, step forward. He watches as Deceit's head rotates until their eyes have met in a violent clash of light and darkness.

Before the anxious trait has a chance to think of something else to say, Deceit has his arm raised, one hand gradually clenching and dear God, he can't breathe! His lungs are burning; his eyes are watering so badly that he isn't sure whether the droplets sliding down his cheeks are tears of fear or not; his hands are scrabbling at the collar of his shirt, at his throat, frantically attempting to get air into his lungs that are burning, they're burning, burning!

Despite being at least seven feet away from him, Deceit's low and articulate voice is hissing in his ear. "You know, I don't think you give yourself enough credit, Anxiety. Creativity could definitely be in your department. I can already feel your words piercing my heart. Ouch."

He pauses for a moment and makes a short huff of amusement before loosening his grip to allow Virgil to breathe. "In this little honesty hour we're having, perhaps we should let your new friends know more about you? For example," he lowers his hand for a moment before meeting Virgil's gaze once again, "why did you and our dear Princey never really get along? Was it really because your jobs are so different? Or was the reason something more... interesting?"

Virgil's heartbeat thunders in his ears and he glances over at Roman, who is staring at him with concern furrowing his eyebrows. He can't bear to look the creative Side in the eye as the words are ripped out of him, burning his lips and taking his breath away. "He never hesitated in giving me a chance. I never thought about what it would be like to hear him say that he wanted to give me a chance. A chance to..." he desperately tries to resist the words that spill from his lips, but ultimately, it's useless, "A chance to prove that I'm more than a villain. More than a burden. Because I am. I am more than just a burden. I am, I am, I am..."

"Virgil," Roman mumured, his voice soft with emotion and rough with remorse, "I'm so... You deserved every bit of loneliness you felt. You're scum. Nothing but a thorn in our sides."

"You're both whiny brats and I regret ever accepting you as a part of our group, Virgil." Patton's eyes are filling with guilty tears, but he tries to convey his true feelings to them with his eyes. He means none of it. "Honestly, I wish you had stayed in your room to rot. Roman was right. We don't need you. Not that we need him either. A useless, prideful, ignorant prince with an imagination as dull as the colour grey? Thomas would be better off if I protected him by myself."

The creative aspect flinches at every insult thrown at him, but stands strong, knowing it is all a lie. "As if an oversensitive idiot like you is helping him at all."

"I'd rather be oversensitive than insensitive. You never ever saw eye-to-eye with any of us, absolutely always stubbornly sticking with your own opinion instead of even considering ours. But one good thing about you is that you definitely never hid the fact that you hate yourself by projecting those feelings onto Virgil! Because why would you? You're a hero. Our hero." Patton's legs shake and he yelps as his eyes begin to burn, squeezing them shut for a moment before opening them again and hearing the terrified gasps of both Roman and Virgil. Yellow, yellow, yellow...!

Still standing in the middle of the room, Deceit grins and cackles at the venom pouring from their mouths, bathing in it, and absorbing the hurt felt by each Side at every dagger spoken. He turns to Virgil and tears more lies from his throat, leaving a raw flame to burn and scorch his lips. "You're such a good hero, that I managed to make the decision of ducking out all by myself. You made the villain defeat himself. Isn't that impressive?"

For a single second, Patton manages to take back some self control. "What does that mean?"

"Since the three of you were always there for me no matter what, I didn't need Deceit to help me make my decisions. I didn't need him to--" Virgil slaps his hands over his mouth and tries to stop the words from flooding out. They can't know the truth. And with this lie, they'd know everything.

Deceit won't permit him to quiet himself and softly, but firmly, grabs his arms and pulls them down to his sides. "You didn't need me to... what, Virgil?"

"I didn't need Deceit to convince me that staying was pointless. That Thomas would be better off if I left. He didn't explain the pros and cons of leaving. He didn't give me examples of what Thomas's life could be like if I didn't exist. He didn't use logic to persuade me into leaving. You were all there to save me from that. I made the decision to leave all by myself."

They want to react, but have no idea how to. Luckily, there's a distraction before Deceit can speak or attack again. 

A light in the room flickers and Deceit whirls round to check on what the cause of it is. They had completely forgotten about Logan and his silent attempts to figure a way out of Deceit's room. Since they had been tricked into thinking that they were entering Roman's room, he thinks about expectations most of them had about the princely trait's room and uses them to work out a way to escape. Both room's would definitely be connected to the idea of 'make-believe', though Roman's room would likely focus more on the positive aspects rather than the deceptive and dark side of it, so Logan has deducted that their best chance of getting out of Deceit's room would to be somehow use truth and realism to break through whatever barrier that's keeping them there. He fills his mind with facts, instabilities of life, the slight subjectivity of truth, and suddenly a light bulb flickers.

How can he explain his plan without letting Deceit know what it is?

With every ounce of strength and willpower he can, he speaks. "Around... Around seventy percent of the Earth's surface is covered by oceans."

After a split second of confusion, Virgil seems to catch on to the gist of his plan and thinks up every fact about space and astronomy that Logan has taught him in the past, every baking tip and recipe Patton has shown him, and every line or quote Roman has read to him for theater productions that Thomas as been involved in. They are all factual. All have been real experiences. They're real.

Soon enough, Patton and Roman both catch on to what Logan's plan is and think of facts they've learned, skills they've attained, and traits they've picked up from each other. Things that are real. Real, real, real!

And before Deceit can stop it, they're gone.
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'Around seventy percent of the Earth's surface is covered by oceans.' The obscure fact crosses Thomas's mind so suddenly, he forgets about the headache that is still piercing through his skull. Why now? Was there any point to remembering that fact randomly in the middle of the afternoon?

But for some reason, he stands and moves to his grab his laptop from his bedroom. He feels like working, or perhaps scrolling through Tumblr for a while. That's fun and somewhat productive, right? He's so exhausted that he may just take a nap. Logan would be mad at him for messing up his sleeping schedule, but he'd get Patton or Virgil to vouch for him and how more sleep would surely improve his health. Even if it was at four o'clock in the afternoon.

And before he knows it, the headache is gone.
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Back in the Common Room of the Mind Palace, the Sides all know that they have a lot to talk about. A lot of problems caused by the hidden truth in Deceit's words that they need to work through. But for now, they agree to just collapse on the couch and rest their eyes. The sheer closeness they create between each other screams all of the apologies, the 'I love you's, and the reassurances that they want to say. All they want to do is sleep. They stay silent for the first time in what feels like hours, words can wait.

And before they know it, they've slipped away into slumber that is dreamless, but full of colour.

A slumber that is navy, scarlet, violet, and baby blue...
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Hi! So this took a while to write because for some reason, I started disliking it the more I wrote, probably because Deceit's character is so difficult to write and I wasn't actually completely sure on what lies to use for the angst. It's much less angsty than I planned or wanted, so sorry about that, I don't think I did the actual headcanon justice, but I hope you liked it anyway! Thank you for reading!

Love y'all! Stay cute!