Warnings : Literal embodiment of Repression, blood/blood mentions(fairly brief), kidnapping, morally gray sides excluding Logan and Deceit, ask if I should add anything else!

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Logan's head throbbed as he slowly regained consciousness. He bit his lip as the pain only grew, and he lifted his head up slightly, squinting. He was surrounded by a muted and dull brown on all sides, with walls decorated in nothing but filing cabinet after cabinet. Logan furrowed his brow, he didn't recognize where he was, and couldn't recall what had even happened.

Maybe Remus had hit him over the head with his morning star, trying to surprise attack Logan again? But Logan could always dodge those. And even when he was hit, he'd never gone unconscious. Remus wouldn't really have any use of trying him up and leaving him in this dull of a room, either.

"Ah, you're awake!"

Logan snapped his head to the side at the voice, wincing as his vision grew dizzy for a moment. His captor tutted, shaking his head. "I'd be careful, Logic darling, don't want to be in so much pain so soon! Besides, I kinda need you to be able to see everything I intend to do."

The side was dressed in all orange in varying tones. He was much shorter than Logan, even when Logan was tied to the chair Logan was still about a head taller than this side. But that's not what struck Logan, no. It was the fact that the side had what appeared to be scars all over his face, but the scars were like portals into a bright, painful orange galaxy. What seemed to be stars swirled in these patches of skin, and the side raised a brow when he realized Logan wasn't listening to him.

"Logic, you should really stop being so curious." The side hissed, resting his hand on Logan's shoulder. The gloves he was wearing a moment earlier disappeared, and he squeezed Logan's shoulder tightly. Logan's eyes widened, but when he tried to speak, nothing came out but a slight squeak and his throat suddenly felt numb. The side laughed at Logan's worried expression, and Logan had never seen a smile on anyone look so sinister.

"Wonderful what I can do, yes? Oh, but losing your voice is only the start, Logic. I can do so much more." The side released Logan's shoulder, trailing his hand up to grip Logan's jaw. His smile disappeared. "But I need to remember to not hurt you too badly, make sure you're still useful to Thomas. And make sure you're still pretty enough for Deceit to want to save you." He tilted his head. "I doubt he'd be happy if he knew I scratched you up."

Logan's expression morphed to one of confusion, and the side stared into Logan's eyes for a long moment, as though reading Logan like Logan was an open child's book. "You don't know, do you?" When Logan's expression didn't change, the side cackled. "Oh! This is going to be more fun than I thought!" He began to trail his fingers down Logan again, stopping at where his heart was.

He grinned. "You know, Logic, you're very lucky I was the one to take you. Imagine what you can tell the others once you go back up there, and they start fretting over you. You were repressed. Imagine that, logic being repressed?" The side, Repression Logan now assumed, hummed as he began to unbutton Logan's shirt to have better access to his chest. Logan could only stare at the side and feel his heart rate increase as he began to feel the panic creeping up on him.

Repression pushed the shirt back, and Logan shivered as his cold fingers gently moved across his bare skin. He returned his hand to where it had been above Logan's heart, and he traced the area, scratching the pale skin there. "Though maybe no one will fret over you. They haven't noticed you gone just yet, and it's already been about a day. Do you want to know what they've done without you, Logic?"

The side stared up at Logan with feigned innocence, and when Logan shook his head slightly, the side grinned. "You don't want to know, do you? You're afraid that they were happier without you, that Thomas was happier without you there. You don't want to know because you don't want all of your irrational thoughts to wind up actually being true." Logan was starting to hyperventilate as Repression continued to speak, digging his nails into Logan's skin further, starting to draw blood.

"I'm going to reveal everything to you, Logic. Each little thought that you've had that is true. What the others really think about you. I'll show you how Thomas really feels when you come up to ruin all their fun. And you know what? I bet I can do it before anyone even realizes you're gone." He laughed slightly. "Well, everyone but Deceit. I need Deceit to know you're gone. If he didn't, then this would all be pointless."

Repression finally drew his fingers away from Logan's chest. His nails were coated in a thin layer of blood, and Logan felt as if his heart had suddenly become heavy, like a rock was lodged in his chest instead. 

He examined his fingers. "I'm going to need more of your blood..." he trailed off for only a moment before a small knife appeared in his hand. "Surely you don't mind, do you Logic?" Repression didn't wait for Logan to even attempt to protest before he started cutting at Logan's exposed shoulder.

---

"Shit, shit, shit, shit-" Deceit hissed to himself as he read the note again, trying to remember who's handwriting was staring back up at him. He hadn't anticipated for this to happen, hell, he didn't get why any of the hidden sides wanted to be introduced to Thomas! He wasn't only just doing his job, keeping them away, but he was protecting them! Deceit knew that Thomas would never listen to them because they were dark sides.

The note, written in dark red ink that was unmistakably dried blood, was a demand. A demand Deceit knew he couldn't fulfill if he wanted to keep Thomas safe. But he couldn't keep Thomas safe if the embodiment of logic was taken hostage and was being repressed-

"Fucking hell Res!" Deceit hissed, everything coming together now. Oh, this wasn't good. Not one bit.

Deceit looked at the television, black because Thomas was asleep now. But it all made sense. Today Thomas had been recording a video, and Logan hadn't popped in once. It seemed the others didn't notice the shift or maybe thought Logan was just busy with other things. But some of the things Thomas had said earlier, and then agreeing to everything Patton, Virgil, and Roman said instantly without much thought? That was unusual, even for their host.

He muttered a few more choice curses before crumpling the note up and throwing it in the trash bin, attempting to summon none other than Repression.

Res popped up after a minute of Deceit waiting, bouncing on his heels and looking up at the deceptive side. Res grinned at Deceit. "Hello, Dee! Did you by any chance need something?" It took all of Deceit's willpower to not grab Res by his infuriatingly bright scarf and punch him. Instead, Deceit glared down at Res.

"Where's Logan?"

Res hummed, his grin morphing into a smirk. "Nowhere, really. Why? Afraid that I've hurt your sweet and precious Logic?"

Deceit's glare only grew harsher. "Considering your note was written in blood-"

"That wasn't my question and you know it." Res held back his laugh as he saw Deceit only growing angrier. But he brought this upon himself. All Deceit had to do was reveal him to Thomas, if he had done it before this would have all been avoided. "I doubt you'd actually tell me, but I know you are afraid. It's so easy to read. I even told him how you would be the only one to worry he was gone. Well, that and a few other details." The much shorter orange side leaned against the couch, watching Deceit carefully.

"Where is he, Res." It wasn't a question. A demand. Res frowned.

"You know this isn't how it works, Dee! You can't start demanding things without answering my demands."

"Res, this isn't funny!"

Res tilted his head. "I never said it was a joke. The situation is quite serious, actually, and we both know it."

"You would put Thomas in danger, just so you could have five minutes of glory before everyone up there started to ignore you just like they do Remus and I?"

"They wouldn't get the chance to keep me quiet, and you know that. But I also don't think you're just concerned for Thomas."

"Of course I am! Logan is an essential part of Thomas and you know damn well know that you know exactly what thoughtless decisions were made today, and which ones will be made tomorrow if Logan isn't there to fix everything."

"No, you're concerned because you like him, Deceit. Do you really think I took Logic because of Thomas?" Res shook his head. "No, it's because out of all the sides that Thomas knows of, you like Logic, and would most likely do anything to ensure he's safe. But now..." Res laughed, grinning from ear to ear. "But now he isn't! And guess what? It's all because of you, Dee, because you wouldn't listen to me when I told you to let me meet Thomas."

Deceit clenched his fists, taking in a deep breath as Res just laughed again. He hated how Res was right. Deceit, although he truly did fear for what this would do to Thomas, that was a fear second place to just losing Logan at all.

He really, really wanted to punch Res. To shun him to the Subconscious again. But then Deceit would never find Logan, at least for a few years. That couldn't happen.

"Fine. But on one condition." Res stopped laughing abruptly as Deceit spoke, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes.

"No demands, Dee."

"It isn't a demand, really. Just a compromise."

Res held Deceit's gaze before slowly caving in. "What is it?"

"If you take me to Logan first, we can all go up and introduce you, and only you to Thomas." Deceit held out one of his hands. "Do we have a deal?"

Res considered it for a moment, looking Deceit up and down as if trying to see Deceit was lying. He thought he was picking up on a lie, but Deceit was a walking lie, so Res assumed that it was nothing, and he shook Deceit's hand.

Before he could say anything else, Res forced Deceit to sink down with him. They appeared in Res's library, a maze full of memories that Thomas no longer remembered because they were just really really old, unimportant, or excruciatingly traumatic.

"He's right this way." Res didn't let go of Deceit's hand as he pulled him down one of the hallways with shocking strength coming from someone so small.

It didn't take long to get to where Logan was, and Deceit cringed at the sight of dried blood over Logan's shoulders. He broke out of Res's hold to rush over to Logan, checking for a pulse when he saw that Logan's eyes were closed. His anger returned to the surface when more marks covering Logan reached his eyes, and he glared at Res for even daring to harm a hair on his head. Res rolled his eyes.

"What? How else was I gonna get all those repressed emotions up? Logic is like a damn rock, and I needed to... dig deep, to get the prettiest wonders to the surface."

"Just help me untie him!" Deceit hissed, and Res obeyed without much complaint. He watched Logan slump into Deceit's arms, and Res was surprised Logan had passed out in the first place. He thought he'd shot Logan up with enough adrenaline to keep him awake for another two hours. Maybe the logical side just had an extremely low tolerance to actual pain.

Deceit sunk out without another word, and Res tried to follow.

His eyes widened when he didn't move. "Fuck," he whispered when the filing cabinets of memories slowly started to grow black again. He really should have seen this coming, and not pushed aside Deceit's minor lie.

---

When Logan woke up again, he wasn't in any pain. He knew just by the feeling around him he wasn't in Repression's room any longer. For one, he was lying down. But another reason was he was under a blanket and his head was resting on an incredibly soft pillow. He slowly opened his eyes and was greeted with a ceiling painted to look like the canopies of a jungle.

"You're awake already?"

Logan tilted his head just as the bed shifted, and Deceit smiled down at him sadly. Logan blinked at him for a few moments, unsure of how to react.

"I honestly expected you to be out a bit longer, Res's domains typically have that effect on sides." Deceit frowned, before moving Logan's shirt out of the way slightly and Logan actually flinched away. Deceit drew back slowly. "It's okay, just wanted to make sure they weren't leaving any scars."

Logan just turned to stare up at the ceiling again. "How long have I been out?"

"Repressed, or unconscious?"

"Both."

"About three days." Logan groaned quietly at that number. It was small, but he knew how devastating that could be for Thomas. Deceit was quick to reassure him though. "He didn't do anything drastically stupid, Remus managed to freak Virgil out about the different possibilities that Virgil was able to prevent Thomas from doing anything stupid. Though Thomas might have like.... five cavities he couldn't stop Thomas from eating only sweets for the entire three days."

Silence once again took over Deceit's room, and Deceit couldn't do more than just watch Logan process the information. He bit his lip gently. "Logan?"

"Hm?"

"What did Res tell you, exactly?"

Logan caught Deceit's gaze again, and he moved a bit to sit up as he thought, trying to remember.

"Mainly confirming my suspicions that the others don't care about me." Logan didn't notice his eyes tearing up, and oddly he didn't care if Deceit knew his insecurities anymore. Maybe Repression had cut deeper into him than he had thought. "That I just ruined there fun. He showed me some of the unedited content from... I guess the other day. Everyone just seemed so happy, and he wouldn't stop saying that I was holding Thomas back." Logan took a deep breath, finally feeling the tears. He didn't make a move to wipe them away, not yet anyway.

"He went through each of you, too. Starting with the others, and he ended with you. He spent the most time on you." Logan laughed, though it didn't have a hint of happiness. It was just sad and broken, almost hysterical. "He- he kept lying, telling me that you liked me, he tried to get my hopes up, and he told me so many times, oh god... each time he cut deeper, he said it was because you liked me and he needed me to get to you and out of everything, I can't believe he kept lying about it! Out of all my repressed hopes, he chose the one that I knew would never be true to use!" Logan's laugh turned into actual sobs, and he pulled his knees to his chest, burying his face there as he continued to shake.

Deceit hesitantly moved closer, settling beside Logan. "Logan, Res wasn't lying." Deceit's voice was soft, but he knew Logan heard when Logan glanced back to him.

"What?"

"He wasn't lying. Res took you, because of me."

Logan attempted to stop crying, but the tears just kept flowing as he sniffled. He lifted his head from his knees though. "I don't understand."

Deceit sighed, running his hand through his hair- Logan only just noticed Deceit wasn't wearing gloves, in fact, he wasn't wearing any of his usual garments. Instead, he was in a yellow sweater and some black sweatpants, hat and gloves nowhere in sight. "This isn't- this is the worst possible way for you to find out. I'm so sorry that you found out like this, Logan, that it happened in the first place.

"Res took you specifically because he knew I liked you. And he thought this would be the best way to get me to let him meet Thomas. You getting hurt by him is all my fault."

"You're lying," Logan stated, shaking his head. "You must be."

Deceit shook his own head. "I would never lie in this situation, Logan."

Logan took a shaky breath, looking away from Deceit again and to the wall opposite him. It was a massive enclosure, and he could see one of Deceit's snakes from where he sat.

He was trying to process how he felt. His crush just confirmed that he reciprocated, but also just said that it was all his fault that Logan had been taken in the first place. Logan couldn't see how Deceit could have prevented the situation though. Or had known it was ever going to happen. Which meant that it wasn't Deceit's fault. He was still trying to wrap his mind around everything that had happened, plus the new information that Deceit did indeed like him.

Logan groaned, burying his face in his knees again. "Why are emotions so annoying?" He asked.

"I guess that's why you had them repressed," Deceit said gently. Logan heard the sadness enter his voice as Deceit continued. "Um, I understand if you want to go back to your room, Logan. I'm sure everyone else would be overjoyed to see you, after all-"

"No."

"W-What?" Deceit stared at Logan in confusion as Logan sniffled again, lifting his head once more from his knees and wiping away the last of his tears. His eyes were puffy from rubbing them so much.

"I don't want to go. Not yet, anyway." He looked back to Deceit. "I want to be in here, with you."

"But- wait, why?"

"Did you miss the part where I said I thought Res had tried to get my hopes up that you liked me, and I thought he was lying until you just said that he wasn't?" Deceit still seemed confused, but he seemed to be understanding at least a little bit. "Dee, I like you too, and I'd like to spend some time with you, y'know."

Deceit blinked a few times before the human side of his face flushed a light pink. "Oh."

"Also the others are too intense, and I don't think I could handle them right now..."

Deceit laughed lightly. "Alright. Um, want to watch a documentary then? And then we can talk more about... us, when you're feeling a lot better?"

Logan smiled softly, a genuine smile, and he nodded.