No Strings Attached - Sanders Sides

Part Seven - Deceit

Today had been odd to say the least. Well, Virgil has been odd. When I woke up and came down the stairs, he was in the kitchen, stretching and obviously fake yawning. I didn't say anything. I didn't want him to know I was weary of his actions.

He wasn't helping his case though. He was picking at his nails, avoiding eye contact, and his stutter was slipping through his silver tongue. I thought he had been here long enough to know: not to lie to a snake.

I came up behind him, sinking my hands onto his shoulders. I put each of my fingers down one by one, sending a shiver throughout his bones. I smiled, my fangs popping out a little. "Tell me, Virgil." I hissed, "You've been acting a little off today. I want to know why." I came around him, locking fearful eyes with him.

"N-N-Nothing happened. I-I don't kn-know what you mean!" He spoke, trying to wiggle out of my grasp. I stuck my nails into his skin, making him instantly stop.

"I know you're lying to me. I can hear your sour fabrications from miles away. You can't escape from me." I lowly laughed. I could see him swallow his guilt. I knew I was breaking him. All it takes is time. I have plenty of that.

"I-I..." He tried to speak. I put my yellow fuzzed finger in front of his lips. I could see the fear deep within him, screaming at him to run or come clean.

"Tell me, Virgil. What should happen to a little boy that lies to his father? The very same father that raised him? Feed him. Loved him. Taught him everything he knows. Treated him as an equal?!" My voice raised to a shoot. He was quivering. Slow, silver waterfalls coming down his face.

"T-The little b-b-boy sho-should t-tell the truth." He weakly responded. I grinned. I had him right where I wanted him. He was the prey, and I was closing in. Circling him, giving him no room to run.

"Then what you happen if you lie to me?" I whispered. He stopped. He stopped shaking. He stopped crying. For a second, he stopped breathing. "I am, after all, the person that raised him. I feed you. I taught you all I know! I TREAT YOU AS AN EQUAL!" I shouted at him.

"I-I-I shou-should tell y-you the tr-truth." He cried, trying not to let his sobs affect his voice.

"Good boy." I purred, pulling him into a hug. I let him cry into my shoulder for a second. His tears felt heavy as they dripped down my cape. He stood there for a few seconds more before I pushed him off me. His eyes were red, and the eye shadow under his eyes were streaking. "Feel better?"

"I'm sorry." He whispered, releasing one final sob.

"It's alright. Now, why don't you show me what you've done?" He agreed, leading me down the hall to the control panel room. He opened the door, his purple panel lighting up as he walked in. My panel responded to me too, but I ignored it.

"I-I accidentally wandered in here last night. My panel just...i-it just sucked me in, I couldn't help myself. T-There was another side. He was talking to me. He asked me my name, I didn't give it to him. H-He seemed nice." He told me. I was furious. We told him not to go back here? What the hell did he do! I was furious, but I had to keep that inside. I wanted him to keep his trust in me. I didn't need it slipping.

"Who was this Light Side?" I hissed, harshly spitting out the last two words. He turned to the panel and pulled it up on screen. I could tell by the bubbly nature of the words-and the fact that he told Virgil his name-that it was Morality.

I scoffed. I can't believe he let the cruelest of all Light Sides trick his mind like this. "Oh, Virgil. You've made a big mistake." I growled, watching him shrink into himself from the corner of my eye. "Morality is the trickiest of them all! He acts like your friend, before he rips your heart out. He builds up your trust, just to the brink of pure friendship, love, and happiness. But then, before you can blink, he's your enemy.

"He's probably plotting how to kill you right now with the other Light Sides. Planning to torture you, starve you, murder you!" I screeched. He was trembling, falling to his knees, his feet wouldn't hold him up any longer.

"I-I-I'm so-s-sorry!" He sniffled, cowering into the corner. I smiled when he wasn't looking. He was so weak and susceptible to my words. I walked over to him, lowering myself to his level.

"I know it hurts, but it's true. Remus and I are the only ones you can trust around here. Anyone can turn. But we are your brethren. We'd never lead you astray." He nodded, wiping his soaked face.

There was a sudden noise from the panel. I thought maybe we were needed, but it seemed to be the opposite. It was a notice from Logic. This is Logic. Please refrain from speaking to us again. We agreed to never speak to each other. The dark sides are only setbacks to Thomas and should remain quiet. If you try to contact us again, we will have no choice but to delete you ourselves.

I smirked. Little did smart ol' Logan know, he was merely proving my point. "See what I mean?" I asked, watching Virgil raise his head to read the notice. I watched his eyes dance along the words as his composure kept breaking. "They don't care about you. We all exist to serve Thomas. The Light Sides aren't in this to make friends. Do you understand that now?"

"Yeah. I-I'm sorry." He apologized again. I held out my arms, letting him jump into them. I ran my hand up and down his back, doing my best to be comforting. We walked back into the living room, seeing Remus mix up raw eggs for his breakfast. I sighed, glad everything is as it should be.