Ever since watching Steven Universe, Thomas had loved the idea of fusions. It was a complex storytelling tool and symbol of types of relationships people develop throughout their lives. It was typically well done in the show, but if he was honest, it was just really cool to him.

It was really no surprise when the Sides began fusing with each other within the Mind Palace. It was common really.

The Light Sides fused on a semi-weekly basis for one reason or another, whether it was to solve an important issue or just for the sake of having a little fun. They enjoyed it and it made them feel more connected as a family.

The Dark Sides were different. They saw fusion as an opportunity for their partner or partners to learn of their most guarded secrets and weaknesses. They never fused for this reason. They refused to give up their secrets for the experience of fusion.

This was why Virgil didn't fuse, even after he'd learn to let his guard down a little once he'd started living with the Light Sides. They'd all asked him before, but he'd been firm with his answer, which was always a no. They didn't pressure him about it when he told them it wasn't something the Dark Sides ever did. They didn't make him feel obligated to fuse with any of them, which he was grateful for. He wasn't sure he'd like fusion.

One afternoon, Roman rushed into his room. He looked stressed, his typically perfect hair sticking up in weird locations and his suit looking wrinkled. The anxious Side looked him up and down in confusion and borderline concern.

"Can we fuse?" he said.

Virgil blinked; of all the things the prince could've said, that was not what he had been expecting. He stared at him for a moment to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. "What?"

"Can we fuse?" Roman repeated, looking desperate to hear his answer.

"Uh, no?" he managed. He bunched up his shoulders and looked away nervously. The way the creative Side was behaving was freaking him out. "You know I don't fuse Princey, why are you asking me?"

He groaned in frustration, reaching up to tug at his hair. "Sorry, sorry, I know you don't fuse, but I just- no, no, I'm out of line, sorry- I'm bothering you-"

Roman hurried toward the door, but Virgil wasn't an idiot. He stood up and grabbed his wrist gently to stop him. The prince looked at him in surprise and from up close, the anxious Side could see the pure look of confusion and stress in his eyes. He looked completely lost. Virgil looked at him seriously. "What's going on?"

"I don't want to bother you," he replied as he swallowed. The Dark Side rolled his eyes and pull him toward his bed, sitting them down. He then crossed his arms and looked at him expectantly. Roman looked awkward, but sighed and went with it. "Fine, fine... you win. I'll talk."

He took a deep breath and all his self control seemed to slip away. "I'm so stressed out! I'm going through a creative crisis! All the ideas! They're just gone! I don't know what to do! It's like art block and writer's block, but for every form of creative thinking and action! I can't think, I can't- I can't do anything!" Roman ranted. He reached up to claw his fingers through his hair again. "I just want to come up with something impressive, something awesome! But it's all not working in my head!"

"Fusing usually helps," he continued. "If I'm fused with someone, I'm not alone with the stress and I can handle it better and think more clearly. But Logan and Patton are filming with Thomas, so you're the only one I can go to... but I know you don't fuse, which is fine. I'm just stressed..."

Virgil gazed at the prince sitting next to him, his eyes softening. Swallowing his nerves, he reached out and touched his shoulder gently. "Hey... we can give it a shot."

"Wait, really?" Roman gasped.

His expression was awed and disbelieving as he looked at the him. The anxious Side didn't have to say that this was a big step for him, they both knew it. It seemed that Roman looked even more nervous now that he'd said yes.

Virgil cleared his throat. "I mean, Thomas said himself that I'm what gave you reason to create when he was in middle school," he said, forcing a chuckle as he tried to lighten the mood.

"Virgil, you are the freaking greatest! Thank you!" the prince exclaimed.

Roman was suddenly hugging him. The Dark Side froze in shock. Patton had hugged him before, but that was different; the moral Side represented Thomas' heart in a sense, so of course he hugged everyone. Logan didn't do hugs, and Roman, well, he needed a really good reason to hug someone other that Patton.

He had his arms wrapped tightly around him, making Virgil feel... warm and safe. He slowly hugged the prince back as a small smile found its way onto his lips.

"Thank you, thank you so, so much, Virgil," the creative Side was murmuring. "You have no idea how much this means to me, that you're willing to try this for me. Just... thank you... thank you so much Hot Topic."

Virgil smiled a little wider and hugged a little tighter. "You're welcome."

With a blink, suddenly he was hugging himself, or was he? He looked down, noticing that something was distinctly different. He wasn't him. They were fused.

They stood up quickly, gasping. They rushed over to Virgil's mirror. "Well, our face is the same," they said to themselves. They then chuckled and rolled their eyes. "Well, of course it's the same. Roman and Virgil have the same face, technically, but the makeup is a new touch."

"What should our name be?" they wondered as they looked themselves over in the mirror some more. "I'm not sure yet, but this... this should be quite fun!"