Sanders Sides Christmas

Chapter 1

Roman:

     I stare at Patton, surely this must be a joke.
     "I just think it would be nice to have all of us together this year," he clasps his hands together, "Now, who wants to come with me to tell them?"

     I can't believe what he's suggesting. We can't  invite the Dark Sides to have Christmas with us! That's a crazy idea!

     "I don't know, Pat," Virgil says, "Isn't there a reason that you guys are...you know...separate?"

     "Of course there is," Logan interjects, "We're separated based on Thomas's value system."

     "Thanks, Lo, But—"

     "What do you mean 'you guys'? Don't you mean us? We? You're one of us Virgil, not one of them!" I exclaim.

     "Yeah...I know, but—"

     "But, nothing. You're one of us so you're on our side now. They stay on their side where they belong!"

     Patton glances at me worriedly, "Ro..."

     "Don't you Ro me! I don't want them over here!"

     "But wouldn't it be nice to spend some time with your brother?"

     I scoff, "Nice?!? Spending time with Remus isn't nice!"

     "See, Pat...I told you. We're—they're not supposed to come over here..." Virgil mumbles softly.

     I hear something in his voice...disappointment? But why?

     Patton frowns, "Yeah...I guess you're right. I just thought it would be nice."

     I sigh, it's Virgil's disappointment that does me in. That on top of the sad look Patton's giving me. I can't handle upsetting both of them, "Fine, invite them over."

     Patton smiles, "Thank you so much, Roman! It'll be fun, just wait! He rushes off.

     Virgil is staring at me, "What?" I ask.

     He looks away, "Nothing."

Patton runs back into the living room, "Okay, I'm ready to go! Who wants to come with me?"

     Virgil stares at him, he opens his mouth to say something, but then glances at me and closes it.

     "You don't wanna go, Virge?" Patton asks him gently.

     "I, um, I," he keeps glancing over at me, "I'll go if you want me to?"

     Patton smiles, "Great! Let's go!"

     He takes Virgil's hand and they head off.

Logan glares at me.

I sigh, "What is it now, Specs?"

"It,"he begins, "is the fact that you just made Virgil contrite for missing the sides that took care of him for most of his existence! You made it seem like he had to choose between them or us," he concludes.

"He doesn't have to choose between us," I mumble.

"Of course he doesn't, however you made him feel that way, and have for quite some time."

"He's technically already made the choice anyway," I reason, "he lives with us now. Not them."

Logan frowns, "That is not the point, Roman."

I roll my eyes, "How do you even know what he thinks, Logan? Has he told you?"

"No," he grits out, "but if you paid attention to someone other than yourself. Maybe you'd also notice what is glaringly obvious to everyone else."

     He turns around and leaves, I don't move. I do pay attention to other people. At least...I think I do.

     Do I really make Virgil feel that way? I just wanted to make him feel like part of the group. A light side. I didn't even think he missed the others...

     Maybe I have been blind to his feelings. God, he didn't want to tell Patton he wanted to go with him because of me.

     I didn't even know what I thought mattered to him. I always thought he just did whatever he felt like it, despite what the rest of us thought.

     Guilt starts to gnaw at me. God, how could I be so blind to the one I lo—like's feelings?
     I need to make it up to him, but I don't know how.

Patton:
     The walk to the 'Dark Side' of the mindscape is short, but I have enough time to talk to Virgil while we're alone.

     "Hey, kiddo?"

     He looks up at me, "Yeah?"
     I exhale, "You don't have to pretend you don't miss them."

     He looks away, "I don't miss them."

     I frown, "Virgil, don't lie to me. We're already going to see Deceit, you don't need to lie," I chuckle.

     "I'm not lying," he grits out, "I'm not one of them anymore! You heard Roman!"

     I put my hand on his shoulder, he jumps in surprise and finally looks at me. "Virgil, Roman shouldn't have said that," I whisper softly, "He may not like it, but they were your family first. And it's completely alright for you to still care for them."

     He looks away.

     "And," I add, "I know they still care about you."

     He scoffs, "yeah, sure. Why would they still care about me?! I left them! I left them and I avoided them and I-I-I-"

     "You hurt them," I whisper softly.

     "Yeah," he whispers back in a watery voice, "I did."

     "But they're your family, Virge! They love you! They'll forgive you, they have to!"

     "But what if they don't?!" He practically yells as he turns to look at me, I can see tears in his eyes.

     "They will, I promise."

     He looks away, "How can you promise that?"

     "Look," I begin, "I didn't want to tell you because I thought you might get upset, but...I've been talking to Deceit."

     He snaps his head up to look at me, "What?!"

     "The whole Christmas thing came up, and he brought up that it wasn't the same without you there and I, um, well I told him that maybe this year we could all do Christmas together..."

     "Why would you do that?"

     "Look, Deceit doesn't seem like such a bad guy. I know he's like the 'anti-me' or whatever Roman calls him, but he's only trying to help Thomas as best he can! And he's your family! How could I tell him he couldn't see his family on Christmas!"

     "So...this," he gestures all-encompassing, "Is all so that they can spend Christmas with me?"

     "Well...not entirely," I reply.

     "What do you mean by that?"

     "I also thought it would be good for all of us to make an effort to get along better."

     "Oh..."

     "Is that okay?"

     He looks at me, a smile slowly comes over his face, "Yeah, Pat. It's great."

     I smile, I'm glad my kiddo is happy.