PREVIOUSLY:

"How are you feeling, son? Are you feeling any better?"  Patton asked gently once Virgil had awoken from another one of his daily naps.

Virgil didn't respond, getting to his feet.  Patton followed, stunned, as Virgil went into the kitchen and grabbed a cookie from the cookie jar - a chocolate chip cookie.

"Are... are you feeling any better, Virgil?" 

Silence.

"I feel...empty."

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P.O.V.: Roman, Third Person

Timeline: PRESENT DAY

Roman didn't want to leave his room.

But he didn't want to stay in his room either. Not when there were so many painful memories here.

Roman sighed, shoving his bangs back, staring in the mirror at his disheveled appearance.

He really looked quite awful - he wasn't blind to the dark circles under his eyes. He frowned, reaching far back into a drawer for something he hadn't used in a while...

Pulling out the concealer, Roman applied some under his eyes, hiding the evidence of his lack of sleep the best he could.

What did it matter to the others that he had suddenly become an insomniac?

Roman gripped the counter, bracing himself. He was strong. He could do this. All he had to do was go outside, drop an idea in Thomas's head, and come back once it was executed.

He never needed Vi- Anxiety to do that before. Why was it suddenly so much harder?

"Roman?"

Roman froze, not prepared for Patton to be here so soon. The poor dad character had been bouncing between Vir- Anxiety and himself all week, doing his best to hold the remains of what V- ANXIETY left behind together.

Roman turned towards the doorway, fake smile already on his face.

Patton wasn't meeting his eyes, eyes locked on his own gray socks.

"Patton?" Roman asked slowly, "Are you okay?"

Patton lifted his eyes up to mine, and Roman immediately stopped breathing as the tears Patton had been trying to hide rolled down his cheeks. Patton's hands were trembling at his sides, his hands rolled into fists.

"Oh, Roman. How do you bear it?" Patton whispered, horrified.  "Is this how you feel... all the time?"

Patton. The core of feelings. There was no way Roman could hide what he was feeling from Patton, like Roman could with everyone else. There was no reason - nor way - to pretend that he was okay.

And he'd only be lying to himself if he tried.

But for now, Patton was a temporary solution. One so that he could have a clear head.

"How long do I have?" Roman asked, eyes not meeting the fatherly figure's.

"I'll hold them as long as I can - but I suggest you be... fast," Patton said.

Roman had Creation - the ability to create anything within his realm of knowledge

Patton had Empathy - the ability to sense and in emergency situations "hold onto" another sides feelings.

This was an emergency situation.

"Are you ready?" Patton asked.

Roman nodded and closed his eyes, waiting. While his eyes were shut, a tear slipped out, but he didn't bother to wipe it away.

He waited, waiting for Patton to fulfill his promise, feelings of heartache crashing down on him harder than before with the knowledge that they would soon be taken away.

Had he started yet? Yes, he must have, Roman thought. Already Roman felt lighter - as if the world was finally letting up, freeing his heart.

"Oh Roman," Patton said, dropping to his knees and wrapping his arms around himself, sobbing. Roman felt momentarily guilty, but soon that was gone too - leaving his head was clear than it had been all week.

Patton's breathing become harsh and the tears rolling down his cheeks become more frequent. Patton was gasping now, looking partly amazed, partly horrified, and partly sorry because of the weight of it all. Patton had clearly underestimated just how much it all was.

Roman wrapped his arms around the father figure grateful. Patton shuddered under touch and kept curling in on himself, his open mouth widening in a silent scream under the immense pressure he was under.

How did Roman know?

Because that's all he'd been doing this week.

"Go," Patton somehow managed to squeak out. "Thomas. Needs. You. To - OW - creative," Patton gasped, those few words taking much more energy to say than they should have.

Roman nodded understanding. He was losing time. "I'll be as fast as I can," Roman murmured, grateful as he sunk out.

Roman popped into frame where Thomas was standing sadly in the living room.

"Uh - Greetings, Thomas," Roman said, trying to be quick. Who knew how long he had before Patton's Empathy Link wore off - or worse, transferred to Thomas? "I'm a little busy right now so - "

"Roman, you can't lie to me. You're not busy, and that's exactly why I needed to talk to you."

"Uh-"

"Roman, I - I just feel... so drained creatively. Like not just writer's block but more of... creative block," Thomas ranted. He stopped looking at me, concerned. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

Roman held his breath, not responding. He could feel Patton trying insanely hard to hold onto his emotions while he was with Thomas, but still a couple unexpected rounds of heartache slipped through and Roman gasped involuntarily.

"Roman?"

"Look," Roman argued, forcing a smile. "I'm sorry I haven't been around much lately, but I'm fine. Can I go?"

"You can't lie to me, Roman. You guys always help me with my problems. Why should you struggle with yours alone too?"  Thomas pressed, thinking he was doing what was best. Oh, he had not idea how wrong he was.

Roman didn't respond. What could he say to that?

"That's it," Thomas said decisively. "We're having a meeting."

"No, Thomas wait-"

Thomas waved a hand a Logan's frame and Logan popped up into view. Roman stared - horrified - as Thomas did the same to Patton's frame.

Patton popped up, not having the strength to resist.

And the secret was out.

Patton looked awful, arms around himself sobbing. As the side who never wanted anyone to know when he feeling sad, he sure didn't look like it now.

Thomas didn't move - Logan and himself absolutely stunned.

"Patton, what...?" Thomas couldn't even finish his thought, eyes tearing up at the sight of Patton crying.

"Patton, let go," Roman instructed coldly.

Patton didn't have the strength to argue, and all of Roman's emotions flooded back over him so sharply Roman stumbled backwards slightly, momentarily blacking out at the rush.

When he came to, not much had changed - Patton was still pulling himself together, Logan was staring unemotionally, and Thomas's eyes were bouncing between the two of us.

Shaking his head, he waved a hand at Virg- Anxiety's frame.

And Roman's emo nightmare popped into the picture.

Roman opened his mouth, searching for words to explain all of this, but his eyes accidently drifted to his left and there was Virgil - Anxiety - hiding behind his bangs. Roman let out a tiny gasp of surprise to find Virgil - ANXIETY - staring back at him.

Was... was it bad that Virgil looked...

Okay?

Like standing here together wasn't hurting him at all? Like their relationship truly didn't mean anything to him?

It hurt.

It hurt.

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