They'd finished shooting their video with Thomas, and after saying goodbye, they'd all returned to the Mind Palace.

Logan, Patton, Roman, and Virgil all arrived together. They, of course, were the ones who had stayed until the end of the video, and the four of them had also shot the end card. But they knew that someone else had taken their leave before them.

"Deceit?" Patton called. "Where are you, kiddo?"

Deceit slowly emerged from the shadows that lead off to his room. He was no longer wearing his elaborate costume that he wore for shooting videos, but was now just in black pants and a yellow button up shirt, with the top button undone. His hair was brushed and over his eyes, very similar to how Virgil usually wore his.

"Hey, Dee." Virgil said, upon seeing him. He and the others slowly started to move towards Deceit.

"Hello..." Deceit said, not knowing why they were being so weird.

"Are you alright?" Roman asked.

"What... What do you mean?" Deceit asked, carefully.

"Deceit, we are aware that a lot of the lines in those scripts can be hurtful." Logan explained. "We just wanted to remind you that those were not words that we'd say under any other circumstance."

Patton ran to Deceit, breaking from the group, and threw his arms around him in a bone-crushing hug. "We didn't mean any of it! We still love you lots and lots!"

Deceit looked surprised. "Oh... Oh I know, Pat. It's okay. I was there when we did the first read through of the script. I know that, regardless of them being modelled after ourselves, that they are simply characters that we're playing."

"Yeah, we know." Virgil stepped up next, putting a hand on Deceit's shoulder. "But I remember when I had to play the villain, and it did take a bit of a tole on me after a while."

"We just wanted to remind you that you are our friend, and you're exquisite!" Roman burst out. "We didn't mean any of those awful things that we said. It was all just for show, and nothing has to change here, behind the scenes."

"Okay." Deceit rolled his eyes like this was unnecessary, but the small genuine, perhaps relieved smile that played at his lips were a bit of a giveaway for anyone paying close enough attention.