#thomas knew the repercussions and he still took the risk

[liar-or-lawyer]

[ridiculousn3sswrites]

Friday: The Vote - Student Council Pt. 7

*Lafayette x Reader

*Summary: After the longest week of her life, the vote on the semester budget finally arrives.

*Warnings: Mentions of blackmail, accusations. Let me know if I missed anything.

*A/N: And that concludes the Student Council series! I really liked writing this one, even if it took me forever to finish it.

Part One || Part Two || Part Three || Part Four || Part Five || Part Six || Part Seven

Outfit || My Ko-fi if you wanna support my writing

**********

A week has never taken so long to pass before. If you had to guess how long it took to get to the vote, you would’ve guessed a year before you guessed it had only been a week. As you stepped out of your house that morning, Lafayette waiting for you outside, you couldn’t help but feel a little sinking feeling. You just needed to get through the vote, and then this entire mess would be over. Well, until the spring budget vote. “Are you ready, cherie?” Laf asked, going to open your door for you.

“Yeah, I’m ready for this week to be over already. I know I dug my own grave here, but why was it so tiring?” You asked with a slight whine as you got in the car.

“Because you spent most of the week lying to an entire class of wannabe politicians,” Laf supplied. You groaned instead of actually answering him, knowing he was right. Leave it to your boyfriend to not sugarcoat anything at the time you actually wanted him to. “Just finish the vote and then we can put this behind us. We can go for coffee and then watch some movies after school if you want, cherie.”

“That sounds nice. The group isn’t doing anything tonight?”

“If Alexander’s budget passes then Eliza wants the group to get pizza and hang out tonight. If it doesn’t, then we don’t,” Laf said. “That’s only if you want to, though. I know this week’s been difficult, even if I told you how to make it not difficult.”

You rolled your eyes at the little I told you so dig he not-so-subtly slid in there. “So I guess our plans depend on how I’m going to vote then.”

“Relax, cherie. Everything is going to work out. Do you want to get breakfast?”

“I mean, we’ll probably be late if we stop, but you’re the driver,” you gave in. Lafayette shot you a small smile as he pulled out of your driveway, thoughts already filled with the promise of the fast food breakfast quickly finished in the car while the two of you sat in the parking lot. You were surprised when you actually got to school with time to spare after you’d gotten your food. A quick little breakfast had you feeling better than when you’d left your house.

You and Laf walked into the school, and the nerves were beginning to return. You didn’t really know why there were nerves; after all, you’d made your decision, you knew how you were going to vote. No matter which way you voted, you wouldn’t really face repercussions. The only benefit to refusing to participate in the factions was the fact that - since your vote was never guaranteed - neither faction wanted to truly get on your bad side. Even though you resolved the rumors with Jefferson yesterday, you still felt like he’d pull something over on you during class. If he somehow managed to prove Burr’s claims, he’d ruin your credibility in an instant.

Just get through the vote, and then nothing will matter anymore. What was it that actual politicians did since ASB members seemed to think themselves as such? Oh, right; deny, deny, deny. You didn’t think Burr would try to push this entire thing further, especially since Jefferson told him to drop it. Unless that’s just what Jefferson said in front of you before you left so you would think you were safe, and then asked Burr to look into his claims. You had to stop yourself, you were beginning to sound like a conspiracy theorist here. You were just in your mind almost all morning, first period passing in a blur, and second period passing by in almost the same way. 

You must have been zoned out, because when Eliza tried to get your attention, you were slower than usual to respond. At the second call of your name, you finally turned and gave a little hm of acknowledgement. “Are you okay? You’ve been out of it,” Eliza asked, looking at you with a furrowed brow.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just nervous about the vote,” you admitted. You could let Eliza in on your secret, but would she tell Alexander? This entire thing was just getting you further into your mind, were you really questioning Eliza’s loyalty? “Do you remember how I had to speak with Burr, Madison, and Jefferson yesterday?”

“Yeah. You said something about Burr thinking you were more devious or something, right?” Eliza clarified, that look of concern still there. “I thought you solved that.”

“Yeah, well, Burr was accusing me of withholding my vote to gain special favors from both sides,” you told her. “I had my vote, but I didn’t want to say anything because I needed them to work with me instead of fighting each other. You know how they get when they’re trying to outdo each other.”

“I know, especially since I’m dating one. Even if you’d said you didn’t want to say what your vote was, they would have still tried to sway you. Don’t tell him I told you this, but Alex said there wasn’t any time to try to change your mind so he was going to leave it be. I mean, he also said since you took so long you were definitely voting for the budget, but that’s something else,” Eliza explained.

“Do you think they’ll hold it against me if they find out? Like, I didn’t do what Burr thinks I did, but if they find out I was withholding my decision, I don’t know what would happen,” you told her. Having someone other than Laf to talk this through was already doing wonders for you. It also helped that Eliza had a much gentler approach to your admission, whereas Lafayette essentially took the told you so route. Eliza paused for a second, looking around the room before she answered.

“I don’t think they will, but I would still tread carefully. Aaron has nothing solid against you, and I’m guessing you only told me and Laf, so your secret should be safe. Is there anything else I should know?”

“No, that’s everything. I just really wanted them to work with me, I wasn’t asking for any special favors or considerations.”

“I know you weren’t, you conducted everything as you normally do,” Eliza told you, placing her hand on top of yours. It was really getting into the politics part of ASB, and you were starting to get worried. The way Eliza dealt with these things was always gentler than the others, but that didn’t mean she was any less capable. “Since you didn’t receive any special benefits during this week, even with the sign offs that happened, Burr can’t pin his accusations on you. If he brings it up again, deflect and point out that you didn’t ask anything out of the ordinary while going through with this pep rally.”

“Right. You’re really good at damage control,” you complimented. Eliza smiled.

“I’ve learned from experience. Alexander’s lack of finesse and inability to apologize due to pride really gave me opportunities,” she joked. Well, you could tell it was supposed to be a joke but it wasn’t all there. “But don’t worry so much. Just one more period, then we can do the vote and put this behind us. It’s just a rumor, don’t let it get to you. Once it gets to you, that’s when people get suspicious.”

“Right, right.” You nodded, taking in Eliza’s words. “I know you’re good for this, but promise to keep this between us?”

“Of course. I’m not going to risk the chair of the committee getting removed,” Eliza told you. “Okay, so we need to get back to this assignment. I’d really rather not have homework over the weekend. Especially if we’re hanging out tonight.”

“Nice try. You’ll find out during the vote.”

**********

Third period passed without much fanfare, the talk with Eliza really helping to soothe your nerves. When you walked out of class, Laf was there waiting for you. “Are you ready?” he asked, reaching for your hand.

“I’m about as ready as I’m going to be,” you said. “I was talking to Eliza and she really helped calm me down. How long do you think the vote’s going to take?”

“The vote itself won’t take long, it never does. It’s just everything else that’s going to make class seem like forever,” Laf humored you. “You’ll still have to stay in class after we’re done voting.”

“Damn, you just ruined my plans to walk out of class after I casted my vote,” you joked. Once the two of you reached the classroom, you took a deep breath. Just one hour, then you’d be done with this damn vote. You’d be free until you had to do this again in January with the spring semester budget vote. When you thought to the next budget vote, you definitely knew what you wouldn’t be doing.

“(Y/n), can I speak to you?” Jefferson asked the second you walked into the room. You shot a nervous look at Laf before schooling your features into a calm facade.

“Of course,” you said, walking up to Jefferson. “May I ask what this is about?”

“James printed the waivers for you, so here are those,” Jefferson told you, handing you a few papers. “Now, I just wanted to ask if there’s any truth to the accusations Burr brought to me yesterday. We spoke more yesterday and he pointed out that your budget for the pep rally was raised when you were still undecided.”

“Thomas, I’m well aware of the allegations against me. I didn’t ask for anything out of the ordinary during this planning from you or Alexander, including those funds. If I were actually pushing for these favors as Burr is suggesting, I would not have conducted business as usual. You know how I go about planning pep rallies, this one was no different,” you explained, sure to hit the points Eliza had gone over with you earlier. “I’ll be glad to answer any questions, but I know I did not ask for special favors during this. I simply did not have my decision made, I was not scheming to manipulate you.”

“I just had to look into it, you know how it is,” Jefferson apologized without saying as much. “I looked over the pep rally documents, it sounds like it will be fun. I look forward to seeing this through.”

“Thank you, I wanted to do something big for my first rally,” you said with a nod. “I’m going back to my committee now.”

“Of course.” With that, you were dismissed to join Eliza and Peggy. The three of you shared idle chatter, joking about things to come over the weekend once the vote was over. There was the slight prodding about how you were going to vote, but you just teased that they’d find out soon enough. It didn’t take long for Washington to come in and call the class to attention. The agenda for the day was simple enough: pep rally updates from your committee, outreach updates from other committees, explanations from the groups for and against the budget (so just Alexander and Thomas arguing), and then the vote.

You got through the pep rally updates fairly quickly, explaining what got approved and the expected schedule for completing the preparations for the rally. Outreach efforts were coming in with low interest, but the hope was for the pep rally to change that. Finally, it got to the debate that almost no one really wanted to see, but Alexander and Thomas definitely wanted to have. With a reminder from Washington to remain civil and school-appropriate, the two were off. You didn’t really listen to the debate, it was all things you’d heard before in the passing jabs between the two of them.

Washington stopped them after about ten minutes, probably just annoyed with listening to the two of them again. Once he was finally able to get them to settle down - which definitely took a few more minutes - he turned to the rest of the class. “Okay, everyone, I hope those arguments answered any questions you may have had or helped you decide if you weren’t already sure of your vote. We’ll take a minute before proceeding with the vote.”

Bold of Washington to assume everyone hadn’t already been forced to make up their minds. There was little chatter, and you could definitely tell John was taking the time to try to calm Alexander down. As the break was getting closer to ending, you could feel the nerves starting up again. All you would have to do was raise your hand, but with everything that happened this week, that seemed like such a giant thing. “Alright, everyone, settle down. All in favor of the budget, raise your hand.”

Hands started going up around the class, and you could tell Alexander was watching you. You raised your hand. Once you’d read through the proposal, it had been a fairly easy decision. Alexander’s explanations for why funds were going to be allocated the way they were, despite taking ages to read, were thorough and made sense. The numbers added up, just as you’d expect them to. It just made sense, and forcing Alexander to make another proposal would just set the entire class back by at least another week. You could see Alexander immediately brighten up when he saw your hand go up, and you knew he had the vote. The budget was going to pass.

Madison noted down the votes, with the count confirmed by Washington. The ‘no’s were next, and everyone expected voted against the bill. Madison once again took note of the votes, and Washington confirmed. Alexander’s budget passed with two votes to spare, and you could see the slight annoyance from Jefferson. Class released a few minutes after the vote, and immediately you were surrounded by your friends. “Really? All that just to vote for the budget?” John asked.

“Alexander’s budgets are always well done, did you really think I’d disapprove?” you asked back.

“If you found something wrong, yes,” Eliza jumped in without any hesitation.

“I’m offended you’d think something would be wrong with my budget,” Alexander pouted. “I worked hard on it.”

“I know you did,” Eliza said with mock sympathy as she placed her hand of Alex’s arm. “Okay, so we’re hanging out at mine tonight then?”

“Did you ask mom?” Peggy asked.

“Yeah, I told her we might do something. Is everyone in?”

Lafayette turned to you expectantly; it was your call if the two of you went. He knew the week had been a long one, and he wanted to give you the chance to relax if you needed to. You smiled at Eliza. “Of course. I need to get my mind on something other than this damn budget.”

**********

Tag List: @snazzydoesthings, @bagpipes606, @a-hopeless-fan

Permanent Tag List: @treatallwithkindness

[anxiouslyfred]

Love After Exile - Figuring Out

Summary: Virgil loved Remus and Deceit long before they fell out. Now he’s dating Logan after beginning to recognise similar feelings. As Deceit and Remus start trying to figure out for themselves what Virgil isn’t saying Virgil has to get used to his room being moved by Roman.

Formatting: There’s a shifting POV, anytime you see Bold starts of a paragraph then there’s been a perspective shift.

Pairings: Analogical from the start, eventual Analoceitmus though that’ll take a few parts

Warnings for this part: I kind of imply Thomas having had some internalised homophobia at some point, possessiveness, 

/\/\/\/\/\ Part One /\/\/\/\

“Staring isn't day dreaming. That's my thing!” Remus barged into Deceit's room yelling. The thing that didn't fit the most finally hit his mind enough to come up with a million ideas for why someone might stare. The ideas didn't help him know which would cause His Virgil to change how he acted to the extent they'd noticed but that's why he liked Deceit.

It didn't mean he expected to find the usually over composed side surrounded by books, some memories and some psychology, looking like he was two steps from tearing pages out and stringing them together. He still sounded calm as he looked up however. “You're right about that, but what emotions make people stare, Remus? Virgil hid his emotions tightly so the likelihood is that's at least connected to what he was hiding.”

As much as Deceit and Rejected Creativity worked together they viewed the world in completely different ways and for one of the few times they'd experienced that would help them solve a problem rather than cause one. Even if they didn't focus on their emotions outside of aiding Thomas a lot of the time, they would for now, for the one they never understood leaving when he'd clearly wanted to stay.

That's what they were still doing when Remus froze again. He'd been the facilitator of Virgil moving his room when they kicked him out. There had been no need for Roman to be involved since he wasn't moving straight in with the Light sides and whether the other knew or not Creativity was needed to shape and change the mind space. Now the mental tie he had to Virgil's room had snapped back at him as Roman took control of it. “Whatever he's hiding or whatever has My Anxiety in Logic's arms, his room is now probably in the Light Sides house rather than floating unconnected.”

Virgil himself didn't know how to react to what was going on. He'd stayed with Logan longer than planned after the others had left, trying to reason his way out of how he felt, despite them both knowing the psychology studies that showed it couldn't completely work without time and distance.

Then Roman was calling him and showing that his room had been brought to them. The room that the last time anyone other than a dark side had visited caused them to panic and the room he retreated to when Thomas needed him to work. He hadn't wanted to bring it there in case it negatively affected Logan when they were spending time together somehow, but it was also his way of staying connected to the two he loved, being halfway between them and the Light sides.

Of course he thanked Roman. It was clearly meant as a gift, and a complete acceptance that the trio still kept finding new ways to insist was wholehearted. Walking in though, as soon as the door was shut he was crying, weeping into the pillow. Love, he was learning always came with pain and he could only try to listen to Logan's reassurances that it couldn't be only pain for it to become so entrenched in peoples lives.

The possessiveness was what sparked the thoughts in Deceit's mind. He'd known for years how Remus viewed them as His People and that made them separate from others, always just him and Virgil regardless of the other sides Deceit hid from Thomas and even when they were annoyed with each other that stayed. He just saw it as a part of Remus, but there had always been times, especially near them kicking Virgil out when the other would smile brighter and visibly force himself to pay more attention whenever it was mentioned.

Only Logic had ever denied that each of the sides had the entire range of emotions just motivated by different things, and those reactions when Deceit thought them over could only come from Virgil wanting to be Theirs. “Is romance included in the reactions that cause staring? That could cause someone to shy away from questions?”

He watched as Remus' expression changed from his uncontrolled, explosive focus as creativity to something torn, once completely rejected by Thomas now so embraced it had literally moved between the two Creativities. Part of him hated bringing up the idea, remembered the impacts of society on Thomas when he was younger and the repercussions it still had on them today, but also knew that while lust had largely been left with the rejected Creativity there was more than just that in Remus still.

Nothing was said when a week later Remus appeared in the Light Sides house again. He focused on Logic more than anyone which seemed to be expected. That almost made him want to focus on someone else, but being argued down instead of screamed at was a delightful change and it had nothing to do with the side leaning against him at all.

Thomas was going to the seaside with friends soon so of course he was thinking of all the things in the ocean and Remus had far too many ideas over just what could be at the bottom of it something that finally seemed to get under Logan's skin enough he struggled arguing against the existence of, or likelihood of running into, sea monsters like the Kraken.

Here he was expected to either focus entirely on one thing or jump between lewd or gross subjects as if no conventions kept a flow of conversations and that was why Deceit wouldn't follow until later. They knew the fears mentioned in the early Sanders Sides videos, as sides of Thomas, they couldn't help but know, but they also wanted one more reaction before believing what they thought Virgil might have been avoiding saying. “There's cities down there and beings evolved to build then kidnap ships to monitor the civilisation out of the water.” Remus was suggesting, only slightly taking inspiration from some conspiracy videos that Thomas had spent the previous night watching.

“Fake news!” Virgil snorted. Which of them had influenced Thomas's choice to watch them more: Logan wanting to debunk the crazy ones, Remus wanting more inspiration or Virgil's interest in any conspiracy out there. “Besides if you're going to bring up the Bermuda triangle I think the alien spaceships are more interesting. They've been monitoring us from the water for millennia and only take to the skies if they want live experiments doing.”

“You are My People, Vee-vee. Ooh what type of aliens could they be?” Remus watched the reaction even as he began describing any type of alien he could imagine forming. Logan had frowned and tightened an arm around Virgil but the Anxious side had sat up, moving slightly more towards Remus now, the smirk he'd had while listening becoming a small smile. Virgil still wanted to be His People, even when in the lap of someone else.

Something had changed in his partner at the claim. Logan could see he had brightened easily after spending so long around the other, but Logan was also struggling himself with the subject playing into his fears. He'd learnt to accept however that emotions don't have reason behind them and the playful arguing between Anxiety and Rejected Impulses (somehow he'd find a way to separate Remus with his title) was comforting to him, and offering him an easier way to approach it with science beyond just asking vague questions that might never be answered.

Perhaps the man joining them held a stronger place in Virgil's love than he did but he already intrigued Logan with the questions and suggestions he brought up. Taking a small risk he suggested viewing the videos again in his room where memories discussing things in a factual style manner could be maintained more easily.

The invite had them all in various seats around his enlarged laptop since Remus insisted on having space to react. An afternoon together learning and theorising about topics that usually unsettled him ended up being a rather pleasant way for Logan to spend time with them.

/\/\/\/\ Part Three /\/\/\/\  Part Four /\/\/\/\/\ Part Five /\/\/\/\/\  Part 6 /\/\/\ Part Seven /\/\/\ Part Eight /\/\/\ Part Nine /\/\/\/\

[logansanderslove]

Logan 3.0  12/?

CO-AUTHOR: @demented-dukey

Summary: Remus is an incorrigible flirt, and Logan can only bear the innuendo for so long until something has to give. Passions erupt, but there are more lasting repercussions than either could have predicted, including a significant transformation to Logan himself! How will these new changes affect the delicate balance of Thomas’s mental state? When a new dark side threatens the lives of several of the other sides, will Logan and Remus’s love be strong enough to save everyone, including Thomas?

Ships: INTRULOGICAL

Sanders Sides: Logan, Remus, Thomas, Roman, Virgil, Patton, Deceit

Fic type: Drama, Romantic, Action, Flirty

Trigger Warnings: no character deaths, but a lot of very close calls. Consensual knife play and blood play, and lots of bloody fighting and monster attacks. If you’re sensitive to unsympathetic characters, some parts flirt pretty close to that, but there’s also a lot of extenuating circumstances to explain the situation, and there’s a happy ending once you get through the angst and misunderstandings. Self-harm and references to such, and suicidal tendencies.

MASTERLIST 

Chapter 12: Logan’s Return

Roman glanced at the clock on the wall - it was late, and most of the sides were asleep. On the TV screen, Moana was silently singing her heart out, closed captioning rolling across the bottom of the screen, but Roman wasn’t really watching it anymore. Virgil had taken Thomas back out of the mindspace and was keeping an eye on him while he slept. Patton was sitting on the floor next to the couch where Deceit was stretched out - they’d decided not to move him too much until after he’d had a chance to heal a little more. Pat had been keeping vigil with Roman until about an hour ago when he’d started nodding off, and Roman turned down the volume of the movie so it wouldn’t disturb him (Roman had started the movie marathon hours ago, turning the volume up to drown out the yelling coming from Logan’s room).

Now, the mindscape was quiet, and the muffled yelling had long since faded. Roman hesitantly considered it a good thing, hoping that the plan had worked. Standing up and stretching, Roman padded over to Logan’s door and quietly cracked it open, slipping inside. He braced himself for the worst - finding his brother cold and dead and bloodless in the chair next to Logan’s bed - and was deeply relieved to see the two figures entangled on the bed, deep in slumber. There was more blood than Roman would have liked to see in congealed puddles and dried splotches all over the tarp and under the chair, but the reward seemed to be worth the price paid. Roman crouched down and waved his hand, using his powers to make the blood and the tarp vanish. He picked up the now-sterile knife and set it gently back on the side-table, and looked around to see if there was anything else he could fix. Remus’s shirt was in a discarded pile of bloody tatters, and Roman removed the stains and repaired the tears, folding the shirt neatly and draping it over the back of the chair.

Nodding his approval, he looked around one last time and saw that Logan’s eyes had cracked open, deep blue irises watching him. “Hey,” Roman whispered, waving shyly. “Sorry to wake you.”

Logan smiled faintly, slowly glanced back at his boyfriend, then he very gently scooted forward and sat up on the edge of the bed, leaning his forearms on his knees. 

"Don't worry about it, Ro. You didn't wake me up. I've been nodding in and out of it for a while." He turned his head. "Re, on the other hand, was out seconds after his head touched the pillow." he sighed. "To think what he did just to get me back is incredible."

Logan then turned back to face Roman, who had sat down on the chair. "I'm sorry."

Roman raised his eyebrow. "For what?"

"For everything that I did. I remember now. In the Subconscious, I basically hunted you and Dee, now Deceit is barely functioning because of me, I could have killed my boyfriend, I probably would have killed you and Deceit if I had found you, and all of this was just a huge mess." Said the neutral side.

Roman was quiet for a moment, then he sighed and shook his head. "No, Logan...no, no, don't blame yourself. That wasn't you. We all knew the day that Fury built himself up enough would be a day of pain. We all knew that. And I am just so sorry that you were the one who had to be weighed down by it."

Logan sighed, nodding, then he took Roman's hand and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you. For all that you've done...for all of us. You care about me, you care about your brother, about Dee, Patton, Virge, Thomas...I swear, there are times when I admire how well you handle taking care of us."

Shaking his head, Roman waved off the praise, “You give me too much credit. I’d probably still be searching for you in the subconscious if Dee hadn’t shown up when he did, and I’m pretty sure he saved my life telling me to manifest the dragons and then hiding us from Fury. He’d be dead if not for Patton’s healing powers - there’s nothing I can do to help them, or to help Virge take care of Thomas.” He sighed, staring at his empty palms, “My skill set… it’s useful, but it’s also severely limited. I’m great at helping Thomas write videos, but when it comes to this… I can’t do much, but I can try to take care of your guys while you do the important stuff.”

"Speaking of," Roman looked up, "Can I get you anything? Food? Water?"

Logan smiled. "You've forgotten your other incredible gift. Kindness." He nodded. "A glass of water would be fantastic, thank you, Roman." 

The Prince nodded and stood up, walking into the Common Area to grab Logan some water. The intellectual turned slightly, looking down at his boyfriend sleeping so peacefully, no doubt dreaming of some beautifully gorey situation where he was the blood-covered victor. Logan brushed his hair gently, sighing.

Staring at his shirtless torso, Logan smiled as he traced his finger over the constellations that marked Remus as his own that weren't under bloody bandages. Putting a hand to his own chest, he almost felt empty without the scar that Remus had branded him. His lips twitched up in a subtle smile. He'd just have to have Remus give him a new one.

The door opened again and Roman walked in with a glass of water, handing it to Logan then sitting back down. It was quiet as Logan took a few sips of the drink, then Roman sighed.

"Logan, are you okay?"

Logan set the glass down on his nightstand, turning his head with a confused expression. "How do you mean?"

"I mean, how are you feeling with Fury and everything? How are you managing it? And...what does it feel like?" asked the Prince.

“I don’t know,” Logan answered honestly. “Most of it is still fuzzy, but a few bits and pieces are starting to come back.” He closed his eyes, trying to focus, trying to remember, but his head just started to pound. Logan rubbed his temples, “I’m… scared. I’m horrified at what Fury has done, at the lengths he pushed Remus to go to get me back, and I’m terrified that it’ll happen again.” He smiled crookedly at Roman. “I believe it’s mostly the lack of knowledge about Fury’s powers and triggers that are the driving force behind my current anxiety. Similar to Dr. Beck’s theory that it’s a patient’s distorted view of reality - for example, the inability to understand the objective causes and effects operating in the concrete situations facing them - that lies at the root of their psychological suffering.”

Roman blinked, offering an easy grin, “You’ve lost me, specs, but it sure is good to hear you sound like yourself again.”

Logan rolled his eyes, but smiled back fondly, “Dr. Aaron T. Beck - he’s the psychiatrist regarded as the father of cognitive therapy, and his pioneering theories are widely used in the treatment of clinical depression and various anxiety disorders.”

“Okay…” Roman nodded slowly, “I’m kinda following… What’s that got to do with Fury?”

“One of the most common types of psychotherapy is cognitive-behavioral therapy. The purpose of the treatment is to help an angry person recognize the self-defeating negative thoughts that lie behind anger flare-ups.” Logan explained, waving his hands animatedly as he talked.

Roman tapped his fingers thoughtfully, “So, you think that if you can predict what will cause Fury to 'flare-up', you can keep him under control?”

Logan shrugged, “It’s a working theory, and will need further testing before a functional plan can be implemented.” 

“Fury said…” Roman trailed off, and Logan waited patiently for him to continue, “He said he was bonded with you, that it was impossible to separate him from you.”

“He may have been telling the truth,” nodded Logan, “The transition I went through when I became a neutral side could have permanently merged us together, and it may be only a matter of time until we fully integrate.”

“I was thinking about that,” Roman said, “Integrating with Fury might be the only way to fully control him and to stop him from putting Thomas and the rest of us at risk again. But I wanted to know how you felt. Do you want to fully integrate with him?” Logan paused, considering, and Roman continued hurriedly, “If you don’t, I’ll find a way to separate you, Logan. I swear it. I don’t care how impossible it is. Deceit managed to get rid of Fury once, and we can do it again. We’ll keep doing it as long as we have to, for the rest of Thomas’s life. You don’t have to do this.”

Logan gave a pained grin. "Again, your kindness never ceases to amaze me. However, what you brought up... I'm not entirely sure what I want. I do want to be able to be my own person again, but then I lose all of this," he gestured to himself and his new appearance. "And I don't want to lose this. It feels good. But I'm also nervous about what could happen if Fury and I fully integrate."

He then rubbed his chin. "You said that Dee was able to do away with him in the past?" Asked the scholar and Roman nodded. "Perhaps I shall see him when he wakes up and ask him to suggest a way. He knows Fury better than anyone, therefore he'd be the one with the most knowledge."

Roman leaned back in the chair, nodding. "Makes sense. I'm just happy to see you functioning again." He then sat up straight. "We should probably go see how Thomas is doing!" He said with a slightly panicked tone. "When Fury took over, he caused Thomas to basically crumble into the worst panic attack I have ever seen. Even Virgil was absolutely terrified. He's watching over him now."

Logan immediately rose to his feet and strode to his dresser, opening a drawer and retrieving a black polo shirt. After slipping it on he spun around with a nod. 

"Let's go."

Pausing by the bed, Logan leaned down to kiss Remus, carefully eluding the hands that clumsily reached out to pull him back into the warmth of the sheets. "Gonna check on Thomas, love."

"Mmmkay." came the sleepy, slurred response, "Wah m'cm w'th?"

"No, go back to sleep," Logan said, stroking his love's hair. "I'll be back soon enough. Dream of me?"

Remus hummed happily, snuggling back down into the pillows. Tucking the blankets around him, Logan gave him one more kiss on the forehead before pulling himself away.

He followed Roman as they sank out of his room and into Thomas's bedroom. Virgil looked up, the eyeshadow deep and dark under his eyes, but he smiled in relief to see Logan, "Welcome back."

Logan offered a small smile. "Apologies for being gone in the first place." His eyes moved to Thomas and his smile disappeared. "How is he?" His voice was more of a whisper now.

Virgil sighed, his hand on Thomas' shoulder. "Better. It'll take some time, Logan. What he went through, what Fury did to both him and Dee, it's going to take time to mend." He looked up to see the guilt in Logan's eyes. Virgil sighed, then took Logan's hand and sat him down next to him. "Logan, you need to get it out of your head right now that you are to blame. This was not your fault. Had any of us been inflicted by Fury, no one would be in control either. That's what Fury does. He basically rips the power away from the host and takes the wheel, steering them any which way he wants. Typically violently."

Roman sat down on the floor, crossing his legs. "So, how did Deceit get rid of him years ago?" He asked, Logan's gaze moving to Virgil to await the response. Virgil sighed.

"Well, believe me, it wasn't easy. He and I had talked about it for days, weeks even. We knew we had to do something, but we soon discovered that only Deceit was strong enough to face him down." Virgil lifted up his sweatshirt and his shirt to show a large, jagged scar that ran across his chest. Both Logan and Roman's eyes dilated in shock as Virgil closed his eyes, letting his sweatshirt fall.

"The thing about the wounds from Fury? They don't heal like normal wounds would. Deceit and Remus' wounds will leave permanent scars, not ones we can just vanish." He pursed his lips. "When he found out that Deceit and I were planning to entrap him, he basically took me 'hostage', you might say. Told Deceit that he'd kill me if he didn't back off. Of course, I told Deceit to ignore him, that we needed to do this, and so Fury just ran his sword right across my chest. Next thing I knew I woke up in Deceit's room in excruciating pain with bloody bandages covering my chest. I don't know what Deceit did, but when he got back, he told me that Fury was gone. I still have no clue how he stopped him."

Virgil looked up at Logan. "You need to understand that now that Fury is latched on to you, your life is never going to be the same. I hate to be that person, but if you don't keep a handle on things, people will die." Said Virgil matter-of-factly. 

Logan didn't realize he had stopped breathing until his head began to pound, and he choked a bit, then he nodded to Virgil's point. "I have every intention of doing my very best and everything I can to keep Fury in check." 

Roman nudged Logan's leg with his boot. "And we're all here to help, Lo. Anything we can do, we'll do. We all want what's best for Thomas. Not only that, but what's best for each other, as well." He then smirked. "Besides. I'm pretty positive that from now on my brother isn't going to let you out of his sight after losing you." 

Virgil shrugged. "I doubt you'll mind, though." He winked, and Logan chuckled with a nod. He glanced to the side at the still sleeping man. 

"We should let him be. He needs sleep to heal and rejuvenate."

Roman yawned. "I think we should all head to bed." He said as Logan stood and offered his hand to Virgil. 

"Agreed.”

Virgil and Roman sank out, headed to their rooms for some much-needed rest. Logan hesitated, taking one last long look at Thomas’s sleeping form, before sinking out. He rose up in the common room, wanting to check on Patton and see Deceit’s wounds with his own eyes before he headed back to bed.

Patton was still slumped next to the couch, snuffling softly in his sleep. Logan’s gaze was caught by the figure stretched out on the couch, the torn and blood-soaked clothing peeking out under bandages, and his own battered face resting on a cushion. He crouched down next to Patton, gently shaking his shoulder. “Hey.”

Snapping awake, Patton blinked several times behind his glasses before he recognized who had woken him. “Logan!”, Patton cried, and suddenly Logan had an armful of the puffball knocking him back on his butt. “I’m so happy to see you!”

“It’s nice to see you too, Pat.” He chuckled softly, returning Patton’s hug, “How are you doing?”

“Better now that you’re back!” Patton smiled, but the expression fell when he looked at Deceit. “And better than Dee’s doing, by a long shot.”

Logan took another look at the bandages, but it was hard to see the extent of the damages without removing them. “He looks like he’s pretty stable at the moment?”

“He is!” Patton assured him, “He’s a lot better than he was! But… he hasn’t woken up yet or shifted back, and I worry.”

“It’s still a good sign. Give it time.” Logan rubbed Patton’s back, trying to comfort him. “The others neglected to mention that Deceit was wearing my form when he was wounded.”

Patton nodded. "Yeah. He wanted to distract Fury, so he took on your old form to prove that Fury wasn't fully you, that Logic wouldn't do what he had done, and I think he also did it just to get on Fury's nerves." He said, and Logan sighed, then tussled Patton's hair.

"Why don't you head to bed, Pat? I'll watch over Dee for a while. I owe him that." Logan said, and Patton nodded as Logan helped him to his feet.

"Okay, Lo. Thanks." He said through a yawn, shuffling off to his room. Logan moved to the couch, sitting on the edge and feeling his shoulders sag as he stared at the man before him.

It was odd to be looking down at himself when he was really looking at one of his friends, and it was even stranger that it was him from years ago.

Logan brushed Deceit's hair back, shaking his own head as the immense guilt flooded over him. He knew it wasn't really his fault. Fury had basically pulled him out of the driver's seat and jumped behind the wheel. 

But Logan still had a part of him that blamed himself.

"I'm sorry, Deceit. I swear, no matter what it takes, I'll make sure that we get you back. I'll take care of you."

[shitmodelmanagement-blog]

If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck....

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/13/style/mario-testino-bruce-weber-harassment.html

Male Models Say Mario Testino and Bruce Weber Sexually Exploited Them

For a fashion model, success is the ability to incite desire. The job requirements often include nudity and feigning seduction; provocation is a lever for sales. In the industry, boundaries between the acceptable and the unacceptable treatment of models have been etched in shades of gray.

This has allowed prominent photographers to cross the line with impunity for decades, sexually exploiting models and assistants. The experience, once seen as the price models had to pay for their careers, is now being called something else: abuse of power and sexual harassment.

Fifteen current and former male models who worked with Bruce Weber, whose racy advertisements for companies like Calvin Klein and Abercrombie & Fitch helped turn him into one of the foremost commercial and fine art photographers, have described to The New York Times a pattern of what they said was unnecessary nudity and coercive sexual behavior, often during photo shoots.

The men recalled, with remarkable consistency, private sessions with Mr. Weber in which he asked them to undress and led them through breathing and “energy” exercises. Models were asked to breathe and to touch both themselves and Mr. Weber, moving their hands wherever they felt their “energy.” Often, Mr. Weber guided their hands with his own.

“I remember him putting his fingers in my mouth, and him grabbing my privates,” said the model Robyn Sinclair. “We never had sex or anything, but a lot of things happened. A lot of touching. A lot of molestation.”

In accounts going back to the mid-1990s, 13 male assistants and models who have worked with the photographer Mario Testino, a favorite of the English royal family and Vogue, told The Times that he subjected them to sexual advances that in some cases included groping and masturbation.

Representatives for both photographers said they were dismayed and surprised by the allegations.

“I’m completely shocked and saddened by the outrageous claims being made against me, which I absolutely deny,” Mr. Weber said in a statement from his lawyer.

Lavely & Singer, a law firm that represents Mr. Testino, challenged the characters and credibility of people who complained of harassment, and also wrote that it had spoken to several former employees who were “shocked by the allegations” and that those employees “could not confirm any of the claims.”

Those who said they were on the receiving end of unwanted attention felt the choice was clear: acquiesce and be rewarded with lucrative ad campaign work, or reject the approach and risk hobbling, or destroying, a career. Many said they still would not speak publicly.

In fashion, young men are particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Male models are “the least respected and most disposable,” said the former model Trish Goff.

“It was general practice to give a model a heads-up about a specific photographer who we knew had a certain reputation,” said Gene Kogan of his time working as an agent at Next Management between 1996 and 2002.

But, he said, “If you said you were not going to work with someone like Bruce Weber or Mario Testino, you might as well just pack it in and go work in another industry.”

As in Hollywood, allegations of harassment and assault have been aired periodically over the decades with little lasting effect. From agents to stylists to fashion brands, the system has traditionally seemed more invested in preserving its image of perfection and glamour than in recognizing its bad actors.

Regular revelations of abuse of female models — as far back as a “60 Minutes” investigation of modeling agencies in Paris in 1988 — faded away. Agents accused of raping young models in their charge continued to work. The photographer Terry Richardson, after being accused in one documentary of sexual assault of female models, continued to work for major fashion brands until reporting on the producer Harvey Weinsteinchanged the landscape.

The Mentor

When Madonna had her first daughter, the person who photographed her baby pictures for Vanity Fair was Mr. Testino, 63. He was also the man who immortalized the engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton. In 2014 he received an OBE. He recently photographed the February cover of Vogue, featuring Serena Williams and her daughter. Known for his ebullience and charm, he is adored by celebrities, and has worked with such brands as Michael Kors, Burberry and Dolce & Gabbana.

Two models have also complained about his behavior in the course of photographing Gucci campaigns in the ’90s.

“If you wanted to work with Mario, you needed to do a nude shoot at the Chateau Marmont,” said Jason Fedele, who appeared in those campaigns. “All the agents knew that this was the thing to excel or advance your career.”

The nude work bothered him less than what he believed were sexual come-ons. It was as if Mr. Testino were gauging which “moves” might work, Mr. Fedele said — “whether it was a comment or a reach for the towel, and he definitely reached.”

“He was a sexual predator,” said Ryan Locke, who succeeded Mr. Fedele with Gucci.

Mr. Locke said that when he told other models that he was going to meet Mr. Testino, “everyone started making these jokes — they said he was notorious, and ‘tighten your belt.’”

The casting took place at Mr. Testino’s hotel. Instead of greeting Mr. Locke in the lobby, Mr. Testino was in his room, where he opened the door in a loose robe, Mr. Locke said. Then they got into a stalemate about whether the model needed to go fully nude for test pictures.

After Gucci hired Mr. Locke for an ad campaign, Mr. Testino was aggressive and flirtatious throughout, Mr. Locke said. On the last day of the shoot, as they were taking photographs on a bed, Mr. Testino said, “I don’t think he’s feeling it. Everybody out,” Mr. Locke recalled.

“He shuts the door and locks it. Then he crawls on the bed, climbs on top of me and says, ‘I’m the girl, you’re the boy.’ I went at him, like, you better get away. I threw the towel on him, put my clothes on and walked out,” Mr. Locke said.

Tom Ford, then the designer for Gucci, said he had not been present and could not know what happened. He said he was sympathetic to anyone who had been harassed, but also cautioned that if a photographer needs a shot of a model’s face on a bed, there are very few angles to get it from.

Former assistants said that Mr. Testino had a pattern of hiring young, usually heterosexual men and subjecting them to increasingly aggressive advances.

Hugo Tillman was not long out of Occidental College when he started freelancing as a photo assistant for Mr. Testino in 1996. Mr. Testino took him and his mother to lunch and told them he wanted to mentor him. “I really liked him — I really looked up to him,” Mr. Tillman said.

He moved to Paris and began working full time as Mr. Testino’s fourth assistant, and was soon promoted to third. “It seemed like what Robert Altman would show, a fantasy of fashion.” But, he said, “I was often made to feel uncomfortable on shoots, asked to massage Mario in front of other assistants, models and fashion editors.”

One night after a dinner, Mr. Tillman said the photographer grabbed him on the street and tried to kiss him. A few weeks later, while on a business trip, Mr. Tillman met Mr. Testino in his hotel room. Mr. Testino demanded that the assistant roll him a joint, then threw him down on a bed, climbed on top of him and pinned down his arms, Mr. Tillman said. Mr. Testino’s brother came into the room and made the photographer get off Mr. Tillman.

Lawyers for Mr. Testino said Mr. Testino’s brother “is adamant that no such incident ever took place.” Mr. Tillman’s former girlfriend confirmed in an interview that he relayed this story to her at the time. He also submitted testimony regarding the experience to the New York City Commission on Human Rights last December.

“I was scared,” he said of the hotel room experience. “I didn’t know what was going to happen.” Mr. Tillman quit the next weekend, and is now a fine art photographer, who has been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London and the Shanghai Biennale.

Taber, a model who worked with Mr. Testino for much of the late ’90s and early 2000s (he used only his first name professionally), described Mr. Testino as a friend until he stuck his hand down the back of Taber’s pants, and showed up at his hotel room asking for sex. “He was a mentor who took it a step too far,” he said.

“Sexual harassment was a constant reality,” said Roman Barrett, an assistant to Mr. Testino in the late ’90s who said the photographer rubbed up against his leg with an erection and masturbated in front of him.

“He misbehaved in hotel rooms, the backs of cars and on first-class flights,” he said. “Then things would go back to normal, and that made you feel gaslighted.”

Another assistant to Mr. Testino, a decade later, said he had his pants pulled down and buttocks fondled while on the job. Yet another said that Mr. Testino masturbated on him during a business trip. Both were granted anonymity because they feared career repercussions.

Even those who worked for Mr. Testino without experiencing the most direct harassment were affected. “I saw him with his hands down people’s pants at least 10 times,” said Thomas Hargreave, a shoot producer who worked frequently with Mr. Testino between 2008 and 2016. “Mario behaved often as if it was all a big joke. But it wasn’t funny. And the guys being placed in these situations wouldn’t know how to react. They would look at me, like, ‘What’s going on? How do I deal with this?’ It was terrible.”

Lavely & Singer, the law firm that represents Mr. Testino, said in a letter in response to these accounts that the individuals who spoke with The Times “cannot be considered reliable sources.” They wrote that Mr. Tillman had spoken well of Mr. Testino before, and called his mental health into question, so it “would be extremely reckless” to rely on him as a source. Regarding Mr. Fedele, who complained about private nude shoots, Mr. Testino’s lawyers said that the model had been photographed nude by others and had posted a nude picture of himself, taken by Herb Ritts, to Instagram in 2015. They also wrote that Mr. Hargreave and Mr. Barrett were disgruntled former employees.

“I was pushed around, overworked, underpaid and sexually harassed daily,” Mr. Barrett said. “That’s why I was disgruntled.”

“I’m telling the truth because this needs to stop now,” Mr. Hargreave said.

Selling Sex

As Calvin Klein, who created a hypersexual image for his brand with the help of Mr. Weber, recently told The Times, “I picked the images the same way I always did: what got my heart racing.” (Mr. Weber has not worked with the brand that bears Mr. Klein’s name since 2008.) Whatever it takes to get that shot has been acceptable.

“We sell sex,” Mr. Ford said.

Jessie English, a female photographer who spent three years as an assistant primarily to male photographers before going out on her own, described the attitude she saw on fashion shoots this way: “If I need to touch you between your legs or grab your breasts so you get the right look on your face, that’s just the way it is.”

Fashion and media brands say it is up to agencies to protect models, while the agencies say it is up to the brands not to hire photographers with bad reputations. For their part, the photographers say they do what they do to get the best picture — which is what the clients want.

And no union exists for models, whose youth and eagerness for a measure of stardom make them disinclined to complain.

“Models are not educated about what is or is not acceptable behavior, and often don’t even have the vocabulary to express their experiences,” said Edward Siddons, a model turned journalist.

“Male models are paid much less and they do not become icons, because the culture is about objectifying women to sell things, and people are deeply uncomfortable with that happening to men,” Mr. Ford said.

“I knew that if people didn’t want to have sex with you and people didn’t find you beautiful, you weren’t much inspiration,” Taber said. “The models that got jobs are the ones stylists and photographers are into. I also wanted people to like me, especially the most powerful people in the business. I would almost get offended if they didn’t want to have sex with me. That’s how I got groomed. That’s how it worked in my mind.”

Advances often take place in casting sessions and private photo shoots, Mr. Fedele said, reflecting partly on his experience with Mr. Testino. “Those are the pivot points for photographers to test the waters on whether or not it’s going to be a challenge for them to get to you,” he said. “Because if you do get the job, the majority of the time you’re not naked and you’re not in a swimsuit. So what’s really happening is that these guys are gauging whether you’re open or shy or close-minded or, quite frankly, whether you’re gay or hetero and willing either to flirt with them or to submit to an advance.”

Breathing Exercises

Since the 1970s, Mr. Weber, 71, has been one of the most important commercial and fine art photographers. His name has become “synonymous with erotically charged depictions of good-looking young men,” The Times wrote in 1999.

In 2005, he photographed the model Robyn Sinclair for Ralph Lauren. They worked together on numerous other jobs. According to Mr. Sinclair, “breathing exercises” — both in person and over the phone — were a repeated feature of their relationship.

“It’s like I was willing and unwilling at the same time,” he said. “I wanted to work.”

Models say that Mr. Weber was given to private audiences with young men, on long walks during lunch breaks and private visits in his room.

“They even have a term for it: ‘He’s going to get Brucified,’” said Rudi Dollmayer, a Swedish model who shot with Mr. Weber three times.

“It’s presented as an option, but it isn’t really,” Erin Williams, a female model on two of Mr. Weber’s campaigns for Abercrombie & Fitch, said of working nude. In testimony to the New York City Commission on Human Rights, she wrote: “The models that didn’t go nude were always cut on day two, and those who did would stay for additional shoot days. The boys who would socialize with Bruce after the shoots, alone in his hotel room, would get booked for longer with the carrot of a major campaign being dangled in front of them.”

In 2011, during a shoot for Vogue Hommes International in Miami, Mr. Weber summoned the model Josh Ardolf, then 20, to a private room. Mr. Weber photographed him in the nude and then, when Mr. Ardolf seemed uncomfortable, led him through an exercise.

“I was guiding his hand,” Mr. Ardolf said. “We did the chest, the shoulders, the head. Then I finally put his hand on my abs. Did the breathing. Right after that, he forced his hand right on my genitals. I was first in shock. I didn’t know what to think. I backed up. I felt very, very uncomfortable and very sick.”

“I felt helpless,” Mr. Ardolf said. “Like my agency said, he has a lot of power. He’s done a lot of large campaigns. That was in the back of my mind. ‘I can’t screw this up. I already made it this far.’”

Mr. Weber mentioned future campaigns when he followed up with Mr. Ardolf in a series of phone calls in subsequent months. He repeated the exercises over the phone and asked Mr. Ardolf to touch his genitals and stimulate himself, Mr. Ardolf said.

“The first thing I was told about Bruce was that he puts people in really precarious situations,” said Terron Wood, a model who shot several ad campaigns with Mr. Weber between 2007 and 2010.

His first job was for Ruehl, a now defunct Abercrombie brand, when he was summoned alone to Mr. Weber’s hotel room.

Mr. Weber put his hand on Mr. Wood’s forehead and told him to close his eyes and breathe in deeply. Then Mr. Weber moved back and began taking pictures, telling Mr. Wood to grab his shirt, which he was to pull up or down. From there, Mr. Weber instructed him to do the same thing with his shorts.

“After going as high as Steve Urkel, the only option was down,” Mr. Wood said.

Eventually, Mr. Wood’s genitals were displayed, with Mr. Weber continuing to photograph him.

“It unfolded slowly,” Mr. Wood said. “He’s directing you, and the peak moment is when you’re fully exposed and being told to hold it. ‘Hold that pose.’ And you’re wondering what the pictures are even for. Because you’re not on set. You’re thinking, ‘This isn’t what I’m getting paid for.’”

He also felt guilty, he said, knowing that he’d agreed to show Mr. Weber his penis only because “he was the photographer for Ralph Lauren.” Mr. Weber did end up booking him for a Ralph Lauren campaign.

Bobby Roaché, a model who went for a casting with Mr. Weber in 2007 and left after he said the photographer tried to “stick his hands down my pants,” described the reaction from one of his agents: “That’s all he did? You should have gone further.”

The model Monty Hooper said Mr. Weber told him he had “to learn to be more vulnerable” at a test shoot at the photographer’s TriBeCa studio in 2014. At the shoot, Mr. Hooper stopped undressing before revealing his genitals, so Mr. Weber led him through a breathing exercise. “If I’m more vulnerable,” Mr. Hooper said he was told, “I’ll go a lot farther in my career modeling.”

“He was hugging me really closely,” Mr. Hooper said. Disturbed, he thanked Mr. Weber and left. After that, he said, the amount of work he was sent for dried up immediately.

Mr. Hooper was roommates with a number of models in an apartment maintained by Soul Artist Management, many of whom worked with Mr. Weber. “This is big for you. You have to nail this,” the agency’s founder, Jason Kanner, told one of them, Jason Boyce, before a test shoot, according to a lawsuit Mr. Boyce filed in December in New York State Supreme Court against Mr. Weber, Mr. Kanner and Little Bear Inc., the production company run by the photographer’s companion and agent, Nan Bush.

In his complaint, Mr. Boyce said that Mr. Weber groped him and kissed him. In a response filed in late December, lawyers for Mr. Weber described the entire complaint as “false.” (Mr. Kanner indicated he would respond as well this month.) Mr. Boyce’s lawyer is Lisa Bloom, who represented Harvey Weinstein at the time he was first accused of sexual misconduct but who more often represents harassment claimants.

At the lawsuit’s announcement — which Mr. Weber’s lawyers described as a “defamatory press conference” in their filing — Ms. Bloom produced another roommate, Mark Ricketson, who said that Mr. Weber also led him through an inappropriate exercise in 2005, when he was 18.

“I have used common breathing exercises and professionally photographed thousands of nude models over my career, but never touched anyone inappropriately. Given my life’s work, these twisted and untrue allegations are truly disheartening. I’ve been taking pictures for over 40 years and have the utmost respect for everyone I’ve ever photographed. I would never, ever, try to hurt anyone or prevent someone from succeeding — it’s just not in my character,” Mr. Weber said in his statement to The Times.

Jeff Aquilon, a longtime muse whom Mr. Weber discovered in 1978, said in December that he had never had a bad experience with the photographer.

“What I’ve heard over the last couple of days is so uncharacteristic of what I would expect out of him that it kind of blew my mind,” Mr. Aquilon said. “I did speak to him a day or two ago. I said: ‘Bruce, I can’t believe what is out there. Sorry to hear what you’re going to have to go through here.’ He just said, ‘Will you pray for us?’ I said I definitely would.”