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"C'mon Romulus, please? Just one story before bed?"
King Romulus laughed, sitting down on Virgil's bed.
The young side had manifested only a few months ago, and they weren't entirely sure on his purpose yet.
Logan suspected he may be some kind of fear or stress response.
But they took care of him none the less.
He'd taken a liking to Romulus' stories, and Romulus was usually happy to oblige.
"Virgil, it's getting late."
"Please? One more?"
"Okay, but only one. And then you should go to sleep. We both should," Romulus said, smiling at him.
"Okay Romulus."
Romulus thought for a moment before launching into the story.
"There once was a knight.."
Virgil listened raptly as he wove a story about a dashing knight and charming writer.
"And then what happened?" Virgil asked eagerly.
"Uh uh, time to go to sleep. I'll tell you the end tomorrow if you sleep," Romulus said, "I promise."
Virgil whined, but tugged his blankets up.
"Fine.. Goodnight Romulus."
"Goodnight kiddo."
Romulus left the room, and was greeted at the door by Janus and Patton.
He blinked, a little confused.
"Hey guys, Virgil is just going off to sleep," he said.
"We know, we were looking for you. We need to talk," Janus said.
"What, are we breaking up?" Romulus asked, laughing.
He stopped when he saw the serious looks on their faces, frowning.
"What's wrong?"
Janus and Patton lead him to the commons, away from Virgil's room.
Janus and Patton sat down, and Patton gestured for Romulus to sit.
He didn't.
"What's going on?"
"Romulus…" Janus started.
Both of them looked uncomfortable.
It was weird to see Patton so serious.
"You don't fit," Patton blurted out.
Romulus furrowed his eyebrows, confused.
"I'm sorry what?"
Janus looked at Patton, then back at Romulus.
"Patton believes you're hurting Thomas. After watching for a while, I've come to agree."
"Hurting Thomas? What are you talking about? I'm just doing my job."
Patton shook his head.
"Some of the things you create… They're wrong Romulus. Thomas shouldn't be thinking those things!"
"I can't.. I can't help it. It's just who I am."
"We've come up with a solution that should fix the problem," Janus said.
Romulus was starting to feel more and more uncomfortable with where this is going.
"What is the solution then..?" Romulus asked warily.
"We need to separate the good things you create from the bad, so we can suppress the bad without erasing the good," Janus explained.
"Thomas is a creative person. If we just suppressed his creativity entirely, it would change his personality."
"Okay… So what do you want from me?" Romulus asked.
Janus and Patton glanced at each other again.
"We're not sure you'll survive the process. Not as you are now," Janus said.
"What?! You're going to kill me? You can't do that!" Romulus said, stumbling back as he realised what they were going to do.
"It's for Thomas' sake," Patton said.
"Janus you can't let him do this! You said you loved me! What happened to family?"
"I'm sorry Romulus, we don't have a choice," Janus said.
Romulus stumbled back, trying to escape but he knew it was futile. They were Thomas' oldest sides. There wasn't anywhere in the mindscape he'd be able to hide for very long.
"Do it, Janus," Patton said.
Janus nodded and snapped his fingers.
Suddenly, all Romulus could feel was pain.
"No! Please! I'll be good! Don't make me go! Please! Logan help me!" He screamed, as he collapsed on the floor.
--
Logan was in the memory archives, when he heard screaming from the commons. He thought he heard his name.
He quickly made his way out and headed to the commons.
The screaming had stopped by the time he got there.
Lying on the floor were two sides he'd never seen before.
One was wearing black and the other white.
Janus and Patton were staring at them as they slowly sat up.
"It worked," Patton said, scurrying over to the one in white to help him up.
Janus did the same to the one in black.
Logan watched, confused.
When they stood up it dawned on Logan what had just happened.
He didn't even know that was possible.
"What have you done?" He asked quietly, horrified.
Romulus…
"It was for Thomas' good," Patton said firmly.
Janus nodded, and with a final nod to Patton, he and the side in black sunk out.
"Patton this.. this isn't right.." Logan said gently.
"It had to be done! The things Romulus created.." Patton shuddered, "This way, Janus can suppress the bad things, and Roman will be able to create good things for Thomas."
Logan shook his head, glancing at the new side.
"It's done Logan. There's no point in fighting over it now," Patton said, taking the new side's - Romans - hand and sinking out with him.
Logan stepped into the room and carefully picked up the gold crown Romulus had worn.
It was decorated with rubies and emeralds.
He had to figure out some way to fix this. He would. He had to.
--
Roman and Remus, as Logan learned the 'bad creativity' called himself, grew into their own sides, each claiming a different royal title.
Secretly, Logan was glad Roman went with Prince, because he was sure if he could handle it if he'd called himself a king.
He still had Romulus' crown, tucked away in the safety of his room.
He wasn't sure if Virgil still remembered Romulus.
The young side had been distraught when he'd realised Romulus was gone, and Logan had a suspicion Janus may have toyed with his memories to calm him down.
Logan never spoke about Romulus. Who was he to speak about him to?
Patton and Janus were the ones that split him, and Virgil had been a child.
He formed friendships with Roman and Remus, necessary for Thomas' mind to function, but he was never as close to either of them as had been to Romulus.
Romulus had been.. special.
Logan still occasionally worked on his secret project, trying to find a way to help the twins re-fuse into King Romulus, if they wanted to. He thought he might have a solution.
When Remus was revealed to Thomas, and there was no longer any need to hide his existence, Logan thought more about approaching the twins with the idea.
They had been mending the gaps between them slowly.
Logan knew the gaps were manufactured by Patton and Janus in order to keep the twins separate, and he was glad to help mediate.
There was no way to test any of his theories about how they would possibly re-fuse, so Logan took to working them from every possible angle.
When he finally found a solution that he couldn't find an issue with, he approached the twins.
Rather, he called them into his room.
He didn't want Janus or Patton catching wind of the conversation and trying to stop them.
Logan knew they could. Both were more powerful than he was, and together, they could easily restrain both him and the twins.
"Hey Specs, what are after?" Roman asked, popping up in Logan's corner of the mindscape.
"Nerdy Wolverine! What a surprise, you calling for little ole me!" Remus chimed in.
Logan took a deep breath.
"I think I've figured out how to return you to.. King Romulus," he said.
It had been a long time since he'd said that name out loud.
"What?" Roman asked, shocked.
Both twins stopped their posturing in order to pay full attention.
"I don't know how much either of you remember, but King Romulus was the single creative side when Thomas was a child. He was.. split.. to create the two of you," Logan explained.
"Split..?" Remus echoed.
"By Janus and Patton…"
"I remember," Roman said quietly, "Being him. Vaguely. Flashes.."
Remus looked at his brother and nodded.
"Me too.."
"I believe I've figured out how to return you to being a single side, instead of two halves, if that's something you.. want?" Logan said, unsure.
"What would happen to.. us?"
Logan hesitated.
"Well.. I can't be entirely sure. I've theorized that the new Romulus would essentially have 3 sets of memories. His from before the split, Roman's and Remus'. I can't be sure. However, due to so much time passing in Thomas' life, it would be illogical if he simply returned without having memory of being either of you," he explained.
"I don't know.." Roman said, glancing at Remus.
"I won't force you. I merely thought you should know the option is there. Romulus didn't have a choice when he was split. I want you both to have a choice in this," Logan said gently.
"I'll have to think about it," Roman said.
Logan nodded.
"Thank you, Logan," Roman said, before sinking out.
"Why are you giving us the choice?" Remus asked.
"What?"
"You loved Romulus. Why not just mush us back together so you get your booty pal back?"
Logan frowned, raising an eyebrow at the term.
"I did love him," he admitted.
Part of why Logan had shut off his feelings as much as he had had been a result of the split.
"But I also know that you have both developed into far more than just the King Romulus I knew. And it wouldn't be fair of me to take that away from you for my own wants."
Remus eyed him, before nodding.
"I'll think about it," he said, before sinking out.
--
Logan didn't hear anything more about it for a while.
He knew from Patton that Roman and Remus were spending more time together, which Patton didn't like, but Logan thought was a good thing.
The sides getting along benefited Thomas, he'd reminded him.
He didn't know how they decided, but one night as Logan was getting ready for bed, both twins popped up in his room.
"Hello.." Logan said, curious.
"We want to do it," Remus said.
Roman nodded beside him.
"You want to.. re-fuse in Romulus?" Logan asked, more alert now.
"Yes," Roman said.
"Are you sure? I don't know if it'll be reversible," Logan warned.
"We're sure," They said together.
"Okay.. Just let me get everything ready," Logan nodded, and began preparing things.
There wasn't a lot to prepare, just checking over the solution a final time and bringing out Romulus' crown.
After a few minutes, everything was ready.
The twins stood side by side in front of Logan, holding each other's hand tightly.
"I apologise if this hurts," Logan said.
"See you on the other side, Specs," Roman smiled.
Logan focused and snapped his fingers.
--
It felt like a joint slotting into place.
Like a puzzle slotting back together.
They could no longer feel where Remus stopped and Roman began, but it felt right.
They felt whole.
It wasn't a feeling he'd been aware he was missing.
He laughed with delight.
"Roman! Remus!" He cried, both parts of himself elated from the feeling of completeness.
He spun around, needing to do something with the excess energy welling up inside him.
He hugged himself, beaming.
"King Romulus.." Logan breathed behind him.
He whirled around.
"Logan!" He laughed, rushing up to the other side to hug him.
"Hi," Logan said softly, hugging him back.
Romulus pulled back to look at him.
He knew that logically he had seen Logan not even five minutes ago, but it felt like a lifetime, because really, it had been.
"It's good to see your face," Romulus said gently.
"You too," Logan said, unconsciously leaning into his touch.
He had missed Romulus more than he'd known.
Logan cleared his throat.
"What do you remember?" Logan asked, getting a notebook.
Romulus thought for a moment.
"I remember everything. I think. I can tell what was Roman and what was Remus'.. But I'm me again… Logan, thank you," he said earnestly.
"What they did wasn't right," he said simply.
He had never been very good at talking praise.
He adjusted his glasses nervously.
"Oh! Here," Logan held up Romulus' crown, "It didn't disappear when you were split. It's yours."
Romulus bent down slightly so Logan could place the crown on his head.
"Thank you," Romulus said again.
He had a feeling he'd never stop being grateful to Logan for this.
"Virgil! He's not a kid anymore huh?" Romulus said suddenly, remembering the young side he used to tell bedtime stories to.
"No," Logan said, "He's not. As far as I know, everyone is physically the same age now."
"It's late.. Will he be asleep?"
"Most likely not.. Why?"
"I owe him an ending," Romulus said, "Show me to his room?"
Logan smiled and nodded.
He was surprised when Romulus took his arm.
He shouldn't have been. Romulus had always enjoyed physical touch.
Logan led him to Virgil's door. They could have sunk out to his room, but selfishly, Logan wanted to enjoy the closeness for a few moments longer.
"I'll wait here. I'm not sure how Patton and Janus will react, and I'd rather they not find you alone," Logan explained, "Virgil's room is quite soundproof, don't worry."
"I wasn't worried. Thank you, Logan," Romulus said graciously.
Romulus opened the door and disappeared into Virgil's room.
"Virgil?" He said gently, looking around the dark room until he spotted a form sitting on the bed.
"I know I'm a bit late but.. I can tell you the ending now," Romulus said, moving closer.
Virgil looked up at the somewhat unfamiliar voice.
When the side came closer, Virgil's eyes widened.
"No.." He murmured, not believing his eyes, "Romulus?"
"Yeah kiddo, it's me. Though I guess you're not a kiddo now huh?"
Virgil didn't even think it through before he was launching himself at Romulus, hugging him tightly.
"Holy shit. I never thought I'd see you again."
Romulus hugged him back.
"I know, I'm here now.. Logan brought me back," Romulus explained softly.
"The others? Roman? Remus?" Virgil asked, confused as he pulled back.
"They're me. I'm them. It's a bit confusing I know, but I'm back.. and I hope to stay."
"You all owe me so much explaining," Virgil said.
"I know, but it's late. We can talk tomorrow. I know you're probably a little old for bedtime stories, but do you want to hear that ending?"
Virgil smiled softly and leaned back against the wall.
"Yeah.." He admitted.
Romulus sat beside him, smiling at the familiarity, even though so much had happened since the last time he'd been here.
"Okay, so.."