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gothighunicorntolerance · 2 years

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In League With Dragons- chapter eleven

mission impossible

read on AO3!

Back in his tiny room, Nico threw the bags the uniformed man had handed over to him. He rummaged inside his own first, touching every single thing that he knew should be in there.

The beginnings of another knit scarf- check. A package of dried fruit and nuts- check. Loose sheets of paper and a stick of graphite- check. An extra jacket and change of clothes- check. Even the handful of interesting rocks that he had found in the river and put in his side pocket was accounted for.

Then he turned to Thomas’s bag.

He opened it carefully, not wanting to disturb the contents too much, at least not yet.

His first impression was that there couldn’t have been that many things stored in his bag. There simply wasn’t enough room!

His second impression was that someone had certainly rummaged through Thomas’s bag. There was no way Thomas kept his bag that organized, with all the yarn tightly balled up and packed in one corner, all the dried fruit and nuts packed in a separate bag from the tough meat jerky they had bought the last time they were in a human city, their two blankets neatly folded and stacked at the bottom.

No way Thomas kept his bag that tidy. Someone had taken everything out and put it back in.

Now the question was- was anything missing?

He dumped the bag out onto his bedsheets and began to sort through it all. And again, there was simply no way a bag that size he,d everything that poured out of it. Buried beneath the two blankets sat even more things.

Out came a length of thick rope wound into a coil, a dented copper pan, a small metal bucket stained with odd splotches of color, a large flask of water, a faded rainbow scarf, and even a slightly chipped ceramic pitcher.

“What the fu- I don’t have time for this.” Nico muttered to himself. But just out of curiosity…

He stuck his hand into the bag. It should have only gone halfway up his forewarn, but he was nearly up to his shoulder before it stopped. He supposed he finally hit the bottom, though it was much deeper than it should have been.

Nico furrowed his eyebrows and turned the bag upside down, causing one last object to fall out.

A shimmering pearl on a length of string tumbled out onto the pile of objects that should not have fit in the bag.

He thrust out his hand and caught it before it could roll onto the floor, and the string dangled between his fingers as the pearl slowly rotated. On closer inspection, a thin silver wire wrapped around one end of the pearl, the wire ending in complicated, twisting curls.

“What-“ Nico whispered to himself. Had Thomas made it? How had he learned where to make jewelry like the piece he held in his hand now?

“He made it for you.”

Nico jolted up and whiped his head around to find who had said that, but after his heart stopped beating so loudly, he realized that it was only Janus, slithering in through the window in the form of a long yellow corn snake.

“Janus, you scared my half to death! You couldn’t have said something earlier?”

Janus only gave what Nico thought could pass as a smirk. “No. It wouldn’t have been dramatic enough for me.”

“Well, you could start being less dramatic and more helpful, please,” Nico sighed.

“Fine, fine But he really did make that for you. Almossst every night after you had gone to sssleep, he worked on it. He said he wanted it to be perfect.”

Nico opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. What could he say to that?

How could he possibly reply to what Janus had just said?

So he just shook his head and replaced the necklace back in the pocket of Thomas’s bag, then put every single thing back in order into the bag that should not have been able to fit it all.

“Get sssome sssleep. You need to be up early!”

“Nico just nodded and placed the two bags at the foot of the bad as he crawled under the covers, exhaustion already claiming him.

That night, he slept fitfully once again, tossing and turning and ignoring Janus’s quips until he at last closed his eyes.

He was up and out on the streets long before the crack of dawn, both bags tossed over his shoulders, and Janus once again tucked beneath Nico’s jacket, giving him whispered directions. But this time, instead of leading him to the front door of the group- neither Nico nor Janus still knew for sure who they were, as they could be either the city's militia, a private group, or something in between- that had taken Thomas and Logan, Janus led him one street behind where they had been yesterday,

“Sssee this whole row of housesss?” Janus pointed out.

“Yeah. What about them?”

“They’re all empty of people. But do you know what’sss really inside?”

“No, but I feel like you’re about to tell me.”

“Hunting equipment.”

Nico didn’t know what to say to that, and he wasn’t sure if Janus was going to elaborate at all. But after a pause (for dramatic effect, Nico assumed.), Janus kept talking.

“And in the basement level below them? There’sss Logan. I already found his keysss. I ssswiped them yesterday and hid them behind a brick that only I can sssqueeze through. And the bessst part? Thisss basement connectsss to Thomasss. I sssaw him. It’sss all one giant tunnel, and one eneterance isss how you came though, the other isss beneath thessse housesss.”

He said that last bit about hiding the key with quite a lot of pride in his voice.

“So we just… walk in?”

“Indeed we do. Well, ssstill sssneaky-like, but yesss. We walk in, we fly out.”

Nico nodded. “Let’s do it, then. How do we get in?”

“The front door, of courssse. There are no guardsss here, except for the onesss in the tunnels.”

“Why not? Why is there nobody guarding the outside?”

“Look at it, Nico. What doesss it look like?”

“Just… a row of normal houses.” He frowned. What else was he supposed to see? All the windows were covered in curtains, and there was no light inside, only the flickers of the gas street lamps illuminating the street.

“Exactly. Normal housesss don’t need guardsss.”

“So… disguising their evil underground torture maze under empty homes was their whole plan?”

“Yesss indeed. Now stop jabbering and get going!”

Nico sighed and walked cautiously up to the door Janus instructed him towards.

“Don’t knock. Just go in.”

Sure enough, the door opened on silent hinges to reveal a completely blank interior. With bare stone and brick exterior walls and heavy curtains covering the windows, there was nothing inside the facade houses of note, save for a dimly lit staircase leading down, down, down, further than Nico could see.

“What are you waiting for?” Janus hissed. “Go three stepsss down and- yesss! There it is!”

Janus slithered off Nico’s arm into a miniscule crack in the wall and came back a moment later, two keys wrapped in the coils of his tail.

“You actually did it! How?” Nico asked, turning the keys over in his hand. The hard part was already done! Now they just had to find Thomas and Logan, then get out.

Easy-peasy. A sudden burst of courage surged through him as he took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders back.

“Let’s go. Lead on, you slimy snake.”

“I resssent that. I am not ssslimy. Go down the ssstairsss and tournament left.”

As soon as his foot rescued the last step, his vision was plunged into total darkness.

He could only just make out the shape of his hand held in front of his face. As he moved down the corridor, he kept his arms outstretched as not to run right into a wall.

“I forgot about thisss,” Janus mumbled.

“What? That it got dark?”

“No, I knew it was dark. I just forgot how bad your eyesight wasss.”

“Thanks for that vote of confidence.”

“Happy to help. Turn left.”

As he rounded the corner, the corridor in front of him plunged into complete darkness. Nico paused in an effort to get his bearings, but the only direction he knew was when he turned around to catch the pinpricks of light from the hall he had just come from.

“Why did you stop? There’sss nothing magical about this darknesss. You’re just bad at ssseeing,” Janus muttered. “I’ll tell you if you’re about to run into sssomething. Just keep going.

Nico shuddered to think of all the creeping, crawling things that passed him by in the total blackness, unseen creatures skittering past him.

But he didn’t have time to hesitate.

Thomas didn’t have the time for him to hesitate!

He pressed forward, turning as Janus instructed. Without the light of a lantern, the tunnels became so much more confusing. Though that was likely by design.

At last, Nico reached a tunnel faintly lit by a single candle every few cells. But after such a heavy darkness, the tiny flames candles were almost blinding.

Almost every cell stood empty, but Nico knew exactly which one to sprint to.

“Thomas!” He whispered, unable to keep the flood of emotion out of his trembling voice.

Was he alright? Was he hurt? A blur of worried thoughts echoed through Nico’s mind,

Thomas slowly lifted his head and broke into a grin.

“Hey,” he whispered back. “You’re early. Haven’t seen a single guard today.”

“Good,” Nico nodded and put the key into the rusted lock on the door.

He winced as the barred door squeaked open, but no one came rushing to see what had caused the racket.

“Can you stand?”

“I’m okay.” Thomas grunted as he pushed himself up using the wall and stumbled forward into Nico.

Nico caught him, steadying him with an arm around his waist that quickly turned into a bone-crushing hug.

“I missed you,” Nico sighed.

“I missed you, too.” Thomas pressed his forehead against Nico's.

“Oh, you two lovebirdsss just take your time.”

Janus peered out from where he had hidden himself under Nico’s jacket, causing the two of them to stammer and look at the floor.

“Okay, okay. Let’s find Logan and get out of here. Can you walk?” Nico asked.

“A bit, yes. I’ll be okay. Just slow.”

“You can lean on me, if you need.”

Janus slipped out from Nico’s jacket and began to slither across the stone, leading the way.

Nico and Thomas followed, stumbling along through the dark until Janus brought them to an archway that led to a long, well lit passage.

“There are two guardsss here. Wait around the corner, I’ll take care of them,” Janus whispered and slunk off into the passage.

A moment later, two shrieks echoed through the corridor and Janus came back, a smug look written all over his reptilian face and a tint of red on his fangs.

“You didn’t… kill them, did you?” Nico asked cautiously.

“No.” Janus replied. “At leassst, not yet.”

“What did you-?”

“Don’t worry about it. Coast is clear! Now let’sss go already!”

They approached an archway that branched off into a gigantic, circular room, and Nico clutched the keys tightly in his hand, an imprint of the iron pressing into his palms.

Inside the room crouched Logan, bolted to the floor with an enormous shackle on each leg and a muzzle similar to the kind one would put over a violent dog over his snout.

Janus raced over to him as fast as he could wriggle, and Logan opened his eyes.

Nico helped Thomas into the room, and he glanced over at Thomas’s face.

“Don’t worry,” Nico reassured him. “We’ll get him out of here.”

Nico gripped the key and could in,y hope it would open all four shackles as he approached.

“Hey! You! Stop where you are! Hands up!” A voice commanded from behind him.

#Sanders sides #thomas sandes #Nico flores #pintroverts #ts nico #ts big bang #logan sanders #janus sanders

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a-small-batch-of-dragons · 2 years

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Tiny Prince, Crumpled Dreams

Prompts: Hi! I just wanted you to know that your Roman angst fics are amazing, they're really painful and they're lots of fun to read. I dunno if youre taking requests but if you are, could you do a fic where Roman traps himself in a unending nightmare as punishment for hurting Thomas and making the sides hate him, even though they dont. When the sides find Roman in bed upset and not waking up they have to manually wake him up themselves somehow. And then DLAMP hurt/comfort cuddles happen afterwards - transformationloveb

In case prompts are still open, would you maybe consider writing a roceit angst fic where after the events of POF, Roman doesn't use Janus' name and instead calls him Deceit because he thinks he doesn't deserve to use his name (which Janus had given as a sign of trust), but Janus, who was feeling guilty about the whole situation thinks it's a way of mocking and slighting him? Misunderstandings abound until Janus finally confronts Roman and then they start realizing what happened and it turns into sort of a hurt/comfort, with both of them comforting each other. Anyway, I love your fics and I think you're an incredible writer! - residentfangirl2104

Idk if you're taking prompts but I have one if you are! ehhehehe... Maybe there are some of Romans scenes that Thomas cut from the 5 year anniversary video. Because Roman freaked out on camera and later asked him to cut them out OR Thomas cut some that Roman liked out because he didnt like them but oh no, Roman's feelings are now crushed... cue the other sides finding the cut scenes. Angst. HAVE AN AMAZING DAY AND DRINK SOME WATER *Throws a water bottle in your general direction* - anon

Hi! If you're still taking prompts for Sanders Sides, I'd love to see your take on "feeling small" being uncomfortably literal, like shrinking-to-Borrower-size literal. I adore your writing, like, you're up there with SoDoRoses of Love and Other Fairy Tales fame for my favorite Sanders Sides writer. Thank you for sharing your work with us.~ - amaranthinepaladin

your stories are always so good! could i possibly suggest one where roman keeps his dreams in a drawer to look at when he's sad (I got this idea from peter pan but he does already have several things like it in your stories and you do love that roman angst) - impossiblysporadiccreation

First off… your work is absolutely incredible! I can’t tell you how many hours of sleep I’ve tossed aside to read it, every time you post a new fic it absolutely makes my day! Secondly, I have but one simple request, I need Roman to suffer, I simply cannot get enough angst and you do it so well, I mean I love him but at the same time… you know how it is - anon

Read on Ao3

Warnings: roman traps himself in a self-depricating nightmare, nothing explicit

Pairings: dlampr, can be platonic or romantic i don’t care

Word Count: 5205

Thomas has lots of dreams.

Roman's job is to take care of those dreams, look after them, do everything he can to nurture them and make sure they grow up to come true one day. But the world isn't kind to dreams, not when they struggle to exist outside of a piece of paper tucked into the drawer of a desk.

...nightmares, though. Nightmares are easy.

So when everything goes wrong and dreams seem impossibly out of reach, Roman reaches for a nightmare he won't wake up from.

“Roman! Roman!”

“Why isn’t he waking up?”

“I don’t know, what—is he still breathing?”

“I’ve got a pulse!”

“Roman!”

———

Thomas has lots of dreams.

When Roman was—well, when all of them were younger, including Thomas, those dreams would swell and swell and swell into big golden bubbles, floating to the top of Roman’s room. Sometimes he wouldn’t even go to sleep at night, just lying on his bed and staring up at them. The light would bounce around the room and fill it with warm colors, flashes of images of lights on a stage, of walking red carpets, or working on movies that would send them to stardom, or any number of things. How could you go to sleep when something like that was right in front of you?

Then Thomas would be up the next day a little groggy and unfocused and Roman would remember that yes, he had to sleep in order to dream.

Now that they’re older, the dreams no longer bubble up with such frequency. Instead, Roman keeps them in the drawer in his desk.

Some of them add themselves to big folders, making the papers crinkle as they shifted together. Some of them were brand new, sitting neatly off to the side in another stack, waiting patiently to be sorted through after everyone was awake. And some of them were on just scraps of paper, jotted down with an impatient hand and tossed inside.

Roman would sit and go through them at the end of each day, sorting away the ones that could be added to files, which ones needed to be made new, and which ones could be tossed away. Not in the trash, no, but into the unsorted piles, just in case.

The drawer didn’t have its own compartments, but he didn’t mind. Dreams weren’t supposed to be tightly constrained, they were just supposed to be…guided every once in a while. To make sure they didn’t clash with each other. Especially since Logan and Thomas liked to sit and think together for a long time, sometimes they’d come ask Roman for a file and it wouldn’t do to have the files mixed up.

…and it wouldn’t do for Roman to accidentally give them his file either.

———

“What happened? Why is he like this?”

“Stay with us, Roman, don’t go anywhere.”

“Wake up, Roman! Why isn’t he waking up?”

———

Roman knows he dreams for Thomas. He doesn’t dream for himself. He can’t. That’s not how his role works. He doesn’t create for himself, he creates for Thomas.

He learned that long ago, when they’d told him he needs to create good dreams for Thomas, the right dreams for Thomas, ones that would be useful to him and help him be a good person. So he learned that he’s only allowed to be happy when Thomas is happy with his dreams and so he needs to learn how to make them right.

But sometimes Roman has dreams that aren’t for Thomas.

When he let that slip, Patton’s eyes had widened and Logan had been quick to explain that it was alright, that was his job, to think of ideas, but they didn’t all have to be good. That wasn’t how having ideas worked.

(It should be, Roman had thought, that’s what I’m supposed to do.)

So all of the ideas that weren’t for Thomas went in their own folder. Where Roman could look at them and keep them separate and maybe, just maybe, if he found something that could work as a dream for Thomas, he could workshop it into something for Thomas to dream.

The keyword there was ‘maybe.’

Thomas had his own dreams. Thomas had his own things that he wanted to dream. And Roman was Roman, so he helped make Thomas’s dreams his. And he kept his own dreams separate, because that is what he was supposed to do.

And when he wasn’t dreaming, when he couldn’t dream, or when his hands started to fade again because he couldn’t believe in himself, he would go find his folder and hunker down under his blankets and he would read about his dreams.

Sometimes, if he were lucky, he could read a few of the words and close his eyes and have the dream again. Or at least he could lose himself in it enough to forget everything, just for a little while, to disappear into the aether of what it was to be Roman who could dream until he could come back and be himself.

To lose oneself in the unreality in order to touch the real again.

When he couldn’t deliver the right ideas for videos, he would lose himself in dreams.

When he couldn’t suggest the right words for the songs they would sing, he would scan the words until he was so swollen with them that he had to close his eyes to let them free.

When he couldn’t do his job to make Thomas happy, he curled shaking hands around the dreams and imagined he could.

———

“Alright, Roman, thanks for filming with us today.”

“Oh, but of course! After all, you can’t make a five-year anniversary without me! I am one of the Core Sides, after all!”

“…yeah, buddy, you sure are.”

“Sorry, is that too much?”

“No, no, I mean, it’s in character with what the viewers will be expecting, so…”

“Okay. Got it.”

“Is it gonna be too much for you? This is supposed to be a more serious episode, so I’m sure you could tone it down if you wanted to.”

“No, no, that’s the role we’ve—I’ve built up to, so we can’t have me breaking character here.”

“Alright. Ready?”

“Act One!”

———

Thomas is upset again. And it’s his fault.

He…they’d worked so hard for the callback! That audition had been stellar, they’d done so well, and the director had even mentioned that they’d been excited for him to do a screen test the next time!

So of course, he’d been a little overwhelmed to look at the schedule to make sure they didn’t have anything else going on, but come on! It was an Alfred Hitchcoppolucas movie!

…so yeah, maybe he’d been a bit quick to dismiss the fact that they’d made up their minds to go support Lee and Mary Lee and implied that it would be a waste of time compared to the chance to be in a movie, but…

…and maybe he’d been a bit too quick to speak for Thomas because he wanted to go so badly…

…and maybe he wanted to listen to Deceit because he was agreeing with him…

…even though that’s what happened last time…

…and everyone was saying Deceit was bad…

…but that’s what happened last time with Virgil! Thomas didn’t like Virgil, had even gone so far as to say he hoped and dreamed to get rid of his Anxiety, and what was Roman supposed to do? Roman was supposed to help Thomas achieve his hopes and dreams! And here Thomas had been, explicitly telling him what his hopes and dreams were!

But now Virgil was here to stay and Roman didn’t actually dislike Virgil, and—and if they acted that way with Virgil, they should act like that with Deceit, right?

…right?

“Ooh, I'm afraid that's wrong. It's actually spelled W-R-O-A-M-M-I-N.”

Roman shudders, running his hands over his shoulders to make sure he’s still real. He is Roman. That’s his name, he spelled it correctly, he is here, he is what he is supposed to be. He blinks a few times at his desk drawer and shakes away the last vestiges of Deceit’s voice.

Shaking fingers reach for the lock and twist, opening the drawer and reaching in for his file. He pulls it out, pushing the drawer shut and walking over to his bed. His shoes land at the edge of the bed as he crawls in, tucking the file under his chin.

He looks down at the piece of paper in his hands. The words Psycho Godfather Wars II are just visible amidst the tear stains. He opens the folder and slides it inside, closing his eyes and pulling the blanket up over his head.

He’d been wrong. He sent Thomas to the wedding because that was the right thing to do. He didn’t fight for the callback that everyone had said was so unlikely that they would win because it was the right thing to do. He didn’t bother trying to listen to Deceit and instead listened to Patton because it was the right thing to do.

…it was the right thing to do.

So why, Roman thinks as his breaths turn slowly to sobs, does it feel like this?

———

“We’re losing him!”

“Roman? Roman, you’ve got to fight, okay? We need you to stay with us.”

———

“Roman? You here, buddy?”

“What? Yes, yes, sorry, I got distracted. Where were we?”

“Uh, let’s see…ah, yeah. Okay, so how are you feeling about what arc your character’s gone on so far?”

“Ah, yes, my character arc! Truly, the most defining aspect of a story, how you know things have changed, adventures have been had! And, honestly, what an adventure we’ve had over these five years, haven’t we Thomas? We’ve gone on dates, talked about old boyfriends, heck, even found a new one!”

“Well, Nico and I—“

“Oh, I know, I know, it’s too soon, but you can’t blame me for hoping!”

“That is your job.”

“Exactly!”

“…you didn’t answer the question, Roman.”

“Didn’t I?”

“No, you just…kinda talked about what character arcs are.”

“Ah. Well, uh…”

“You gotta speak up, buddy, I don’t think the mic got that.”

“…we haven’t gotten to mine yet, have we?”

“Huh?”

“Well, we’ve had…Virgil’s arc, then we’ve started—mostly through Patton’s, and we’ve introduced some new characters, but I…”

“…you’re saying you don’t have an answer for this question?”

“Sorry. You can cut that out, I think that opening bit can serve as a pretty good cut for someone else.”

“Sure.”

“Moving on?”

———

He knew the wedding would be bad and so he hid. He hid under his blankets with the file tucked close to his chest and his eyes squeezed shut, trying to lose himself in a dream, in something else, just to get away from the way the callback dream burns his hands. But the loneliness wormed its way under the covers and up through his fingers, finding some soft part of his brain to burrow into and make itself at home.

“Hey. You okay, buddy? You look real sad in this photo I just took. Don’t worry, I’ll crop you out.”

Roman winced, anxiously ripping open the file and scanning it for something, anything, even the stupidest thing to lose them in, to get them out of here, to let them stop hurting here and now, just—just to make it go away. Make it not real.

But he was real.

This was real.

This wasn’t a dream.

And it dragged Roman through by his ankles, forcing his limbs up by puppet strings and grabbing his mouth so hard there was blood in his smile.

When Thomas arrived home, he sprung up right away, trying to say something, anything to make it better, but then he remembered.

This was his fault, so he’s better off staying quiet. So he stays quiet.

That’s…that’s right.

———

“How do you feel about, uh, talking a bit more about the wedding?”

“Don’t say that word in front of me!”

“…you already used that, bud.”

“Oh, did I? My apologies, um, give it to me again.”

“Are you sure? We don’t…have to talk about this if you don’t want to.”

“No, no, you know the fans will be upset or at least confused if we don’t mention it at all.”

“Yeah, but I can talk about it with the others.”

“Tt, and get what? Patton isn’t going to change his mind, Logan doesn’t want to talk about it anyway, and Virgil and Remus weren’t even there.”

“What about Janus?”

“…what about him?”

———

Roman collapses to the ground, panting and groaning as another bruise opens up on his ribs.

“Oh, Roman, thank god you don’t have a mustache.”

He throws his head back, gritting his teeth against the pain.

“Otherwise, between you and Remus…”

A wordless yell escapes his throat as an ice-cold fist plants itself into his stomach.

“…I wouldn’t know who the evil twin is.”

As tears slip from the corners of his eyes, he regrets ever telling Remus he understood what it was like to have your body decide it didn’t want to be real anymore.

Roman grunts, heaving himself onto the other side as another smattering of bruises emerge. The pain doesn’t waver, only intensifies, as the words echo back and double over on themselves. He squeezes his eyes shut, ignoring the burn as the tears slip saltwater into open wounds, and tries, tries, tries to get away from the pain.

It’s no use.

Other wounds, older wounds on the inside add their input as he writhes there. Whispers of wrong, wrong, wrong, and broken promises, and empty words, and loveless lies. A bone-crushing disappointment that makes him want to clutch his hands to his chest, a sick sense of rejection that makes his throat loosen just enough to scream, and the terrible silence of…of…

“I thought I was your hero.”

He thought he was doing the right thing.

“I thought I was your hero.”

He thought this was what Thomas wanted.

“I thought…hero.”

He thought…

“I thought…”

He…

———

“Well, for starters, do you want to tell me why you can’t say his name?”

“…I can say his name, Thomas.”

“Okay, fine, why you won’t say his name?”

…

“Take your time, it’s okay.”

“…what right do I have to say it?”

“What?”

“He revealed his name to us, Thomas. To you. That was—that was the most vulnerable we’ve ever seen him, do you know how much trust that took? To do something like that? To make himself that powerless for even a moment?”

“…it sounds like you do.”

“Yeah, because I’ve played it over and over so many times I can practically do it by heart now.”

“Wait, what?”

“…cut that out.”

———

The first time Roman trapped himself in a nightmare, it was an accident.

Thomas had seen a trailer for a horror movie and Roman hadn’t been able to stop looking at it. Couldn’t stop seeing the darkness getting closer and closer, couldn’t keep the feeling of dread from taking root in his chest and pressing against his ribs.

Remus had been the one to find him, shaking him awake and scolding him that he’s the one that’s supposed to be giving Thomas nightmares, not Roman! Roman had blinked awake, eyes teary, mouth panting, and Remus had taken one look at his face and promptly wrapped him up in a hug, muttering something about keeping squishy little brothers safe.

The second time Roman had trapped himself in a nightmare, it was an experiment.

He didn’t know he could do it, it just…happened. Thomas had a bad dream, probably due to how loudly Virgil and Remus had been fighting with Patton over something and Logan had huddled outside his door to make sure he was alright. Roman had said he was, sending him away, only for a crumpled scrap of paper to appear in the desk. He’d looked at it, mouth dropping open in horror as he realized what it was.

But he hadn’t been able to stop reading.

The words had swallowed him whole, drowning him in a sea of letters that opened the door to the unreality and sent him spiraling down, down, down where he would never be found again. He only managed to claw himself out of it in time for Thomas to wake up when he’d spotted a gap.

He hadn’t closed the desk drawer.

He burst from it into his room, crumpling the page up and locking the desk drawer tight, scrambling away to catch his breath. His chest had been on fire, his limbs aching and numb, his face wet with tears.

It was over, but he…he figured out what it was.

The third time he trapped himself in a nightmare, it was on purpose.

———

“He’s fading again, we need to wake him up now!”

“I don’t know how! Has this ever happened before?”

“Roro, you—you gotta let us help you, please, you—you have to—“

“Remus, are you sure this worked last time?”

“It did! I don’t know why it’s not now!”

“Roman, please, wake up, wake up!”

———

“Okay, okay, I will, but…can you at least answer me? Even if it’s not going in?”

“You’re not going to move on until I do, are you?”

“I mean, I will if you really don’t want to answer…but I think you do.”

“When did you get so perceptive?”

“Five years, Roman, that’s a lot of time.”

“…yeah, I guess.”

“So…what did you mean?”

“Thomas…I know I’ve…been the bad guy.”

“What? No, no, you haven’t, Roman, you’ve—“

“Let me finish, please?”

“Sorry.”

“No, it’s alright, I just…hhh, I have…I have been the reason a lot of things have happened recently, if not directly, then…at least I’ve had some big role.”

“Roman, it’s not like we have a big cast here, everyone has.”

“Thomas, I’m the one who sent you to the wedding. I’m the one who decided it was a good idea to try and lie to Joan. I’m the one who pushed you until Remus showed up.”

“Roman—“

“I’m the one who mocked Dec—the one who ruined and hurt someone when they were the most vulnerable.”

“…Roman, that day was hard on everybody. You’re not the only one who hurt someone.”

“No? I’m the only one who actively did something that I knew was going to hurt. I’m the one who pressed ‘ignorant,’ I slashed Logan, and I…well, we all know how I left that video.”

“…I…”

“It’s okay, Thomas, you can say it. I’ve accepted it too.”

“No, that’s not it, I—wait, you what?”

“…Thomas, I can’t say his name. I—I haven’t earned it. He offered that as a sign of trust, and I—well, I did a great job of proving why I don’t deserve it.”

“But you—he—he hurt you too, Roman, I know he did—“

“And? He didn’t use that hurt to deliberately make me feel like the worst person in the world!”

“…isn’t that what happened right after you…said what you said?”

“Yeah, right after I proved why I shouldn’t be trusted with something like that?”

“…yeah.”

“Yeah.”

…

“…look, I’m not—I don’t dislike him. I don’t. I…he’d be a better main cast member than I would.”

“Whoa, whoa, wait, Roman—“

“Come on, Thomas, you’ve seen the fans. They love his character, if not as a person, then as a character. They went crazy for his arc, they eat up every single interpretation they can, they—god, have you seen how much content is about him?”

“…yeah, but they love you too, Roman.”

…

“…sorry.”

“It’s not your fault I can’t believe you.”

“Isn’t it?”

“No, Thomas, that’s…that’s mine.”

“…so what do we do?”

“There isn’t much we can do. I…I have to work on earning his trust, we still have a show to do and we have arcs planned, it’ll be worse if we throw them off the rails now. We just have to—I just have to get my shit together.”

“Don’t let Patton hear you say that.”

“Then I guess you’d better cut all of this out and put it where no one can find it.”

———

Remus’s nightmares send you deep into unreality. They bent the shadows to their will and drowned you in the worst version of what if, what if, what if? You got caught in swirls and swirls of the worst your imagination could come up with, taunting you with how deeply they could pull you in and make it impossible to find your way out.

That’s why Logan was so good at pulling you out. It wasn’t real, you could ground yourself in that. It wasn’t real, it couldn’t hurt you, it was just in your head.

Roman’s nightmares hurt because you know they’re unreality.

You are not important. Only in the unreality are you important.

You are not kind. Only in the unreality are your efforts actually appreciated, are they worthwhile.

You are not wanted. Only in the unreality are you wanted.

Only in the unreality can you walk among them like they’re your friends, your family, and not be so small that they could crush you beneath their weight.

Only in the unreality would they care enough to find you when they haven’t seen you in days, enough to break down your door out of worry.

Only in the unreality would they desperately run to Thomas to ask what’s wrong, only then would Thomas show them the footage he promised to delete.

But this is not unreality.

This is real.

———

“Roman,” someone is calling, “Roman, please.”

“He’s—he’s moving! Look, I saw his hand move!”

“Roman, Princey, can you hear us?”

“It moved again, Roman—“

“Roro, wake the fuck up!”

Roman’s eyes creak open slowly, moving around to drag his blankets over his head. The blanket won’t move. He tugs it harder.

“Yes, Roman, it’s alright, we’re here, we won’t leave, you’ve got me.”

“Logan, bring him closer to the desk, we don’t want him to fall.”

“At this rate, he won’t, not with the grip he’s got.”

“Awful strong for a little guy, isn’t he?”

“Roro?” Remus sounds close. “Roro, can you hear me?”

Roman blinks. And blinks. And blinks.

“R-Remus?”

Remus’s giant face splits into a grin. “Oh, thank Kraken tentacles, you’re okay.”

“He’s about two inches tall,” comes Virgil’s voice from over—oh, he’s in Logan’s hand—wait, he’s what?

“Roman,” Logan’s voice says sharply, “Roman, hold still, I don’t want to drop you.”

Roman freezes, then slowly looks down at his hands. He’s…he’s clutching a watch band. A watchband where the face of the watch is almost as big as he is. He’s being cradled in…

“Easy,” Logan soothes, bringing his other hand up to hold Roman more securely, “I won’t drop you. Just let me set you down, alright?”

“Make sure he’s got something from one of us to hold onto,” Remus says as Logan eases him onto the desk, “otherwise he’ll think we’re leaving.”

That is precisely the bolt of fear that shoots across Roman’s mind as Logan's hands start to move away, but then Remus is jumping onto the desk and sliding his own palm down to him.

“Jesus Remus, don’t crush him!”

“I know, I know.” He softens his voice and leans down. “Hey, Ro-Bro, you feeling small?”

Roman just nods dumbly.

“That’s okay, you’re okay, do you wanna come here and hold onto me?”

Roman struggles to stand up but he—

“Whoa!” Virgil dives forward and holds his hands near the edge of the desk as Roman wobbles dangerously. “Calm down, Princey, you’ve—well, you’ve been asleep for who knows how long and you’re tiny, take it easy.”

“I—I—“

“Shh-shh-shh,” Logan murmurs, bending down so Roman can see him, “it’s alright, Roman, you’re okay. You’re just small.”

Roman looks around, trying to figure out what happened, why he’s like this, when his eyes land on the open desk drawer and the crumpled-up piece of paper.

Remus follows his gaze and his eyes widen.

“Oh, Roro…”

“What?” Virgil stands up quickly. “What is it?”

Remus swallows with difficulty, picking Roman up as gently as he can and cupping him against his chest. “It’s okay, now, Ro, we’ve got you, you’re okay.”

“Remus, what’s happening?”

“Roman trapped himself in a nightmare,” Remus explains in a quiet voice, “and he’s…he’s having trouble coming out of it.”

“…he imagined he was small?”

“No, Emo, he—he’s—“ Remus lets out a frustrated noise. “He’s done this because he feels bad about everything that’s been happening and he’s made himself feel small.”

“…so the stuff that we watched, that was…real?” Logan’s face pales. “Oh, dear…”

“Is he awake?”

“Is he alright?”

“Whoa,” Remus growls as Patton and D—someone else slams through the door, “easy, you two, don’t freak him out.”

Patton doesn’t pay much heed to the warning and bustles over, letting out a wounded noise at seeing Roman curled up and clutching Remus’s sash, his hands flying to his mouth.

“Oh, Roman, kiddo, I’m so sorry.”

“P-Patton?”

“Yeah, sweetheart, it’s me, I’m right here.” He reaches out a trembling hand and carefully pats Roman’s back. “It’s okay.”

Roman shudders at the warmth of it, letting Remus relax his grip enough to set him in his lap. He looks up at the sea of concerned faces and tries to find the words to explain what’s happening. Or ask them to explain what’s happening.

…or maybe this isn’t real either. Maybe he’s still—

“Hey, nuh-uh,” Remus says, gently tugging on his shirt, “you’re awake now, Roro, you’re here with us.”

“Promise?”

“I promise. See?” Remus gives him the gentlest prod to his stomach. “Real. Right here.”

“Then why am I still sm—small?”

“You’re overwhelmed, little one,” Logan says softly, “and you’ve—well, from what it sounds like, you’ve been trapped in a nightmare for at least a week. It might take a while for everything to…wear off, so to speak.”

“Come on, Roro,” Remus says, scooping him up again, “let’s get you to your bed, that might help.”

Roman clutches Remus’s sash and the others give them a wide berth as Remus sets him down on his bed. As soon as he does, something bubbles in his chest and he gasps.

“There,” Remus murmurs, “let’s get you out of there, huh?”

“What—why—“

“Unreality,” Remus says as the others crowd around, trying to ask questions, “it’s the stuff we use to make dreams. If you spend too long in it, you can—well, it can get stuck to you. Then you gotta find a tether or something to pull you back out.”

“And in this case…” Virgil touches the covers. “It’s Roman’s bed?”

“This is where you come when you’re done, isn’t it, Roro?”

Roman nods, too busy trying to worm his way under the covers.

“Oh, shit, I gotcha—there,” Remus’s voice grows muffled as he drapes the blanket over him, “now you just stay under there for a second, Roro, you’ll be okay.”

Roman closes his eyes and tries. Tries to be here, tries to be real, tries—but the unreality clings to him and he can’t. It’s too—it’s too perfect. This sounds like something that he would break just because he could and he can’t believe this. It’s too close to what he wants.

Then there’s a soft murmur and a hush falls over the room. Roman stills, trying to figure out what’s going on, before a gentle weight touches the blanket over him.

“Sweetie,” someone murmurs, and Roman’s eyes shoot open, “sweetie, I’m not sure if you can hear me, or if…you can tell, but I don’t have my gloves on right now.”

Something in Roman’s chest burns.

“I saw the footage, sweetie,” the voice continues, “I…I’m so sorry.”

No. No, this…this can’t be real.

“I didn’t mean for this to happen, I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.” A sniffle. “And I definitely didn’t mean to hurt you like this.”

Roman’s body starts to tingle.

“It’s not your fault, Roman, I promise. You don’t have to blame yourself like this, or punish yourself like this.” They swallow heavily. “Or…or for what I did to you.”

He wouldn’t imagine this. He wouldn’t dare.

“You can use my name if you want to, Roman. I promise.”

“J—“ He chokes.

“Yes, sweetie, it’s okay.”

“J-Janus?”

“Yes, sweetie, it’s me, I’m right here, why don’t you shake off the last of the nightmare so we can take care of you?”

“You’re—you’re really here?”

A soft chuckle. “Come on up here and see for yourself.”

———

The desk drawer slides shut with all its papers, except a crumpled piece of paper that lies in the trash can.

General Taglist: @frxgprince @potereregina @reddstardust @gattonero17 @iamhereforthegayshit @thefingergunsgirl @awkwardandanxiousfander @creative-lampd-liberties @djpurple3 @winterswrandomness @sanders-sides-uncorrect-quotes @iminyourfandom @bullet-tothefeels @full-of-roman-angst-trash @ask-elsalvador @ramdomthingsfrommymind @demoniccheese83 @pattonsandershugs @el-does-photography @princeanxious @firefinch-ember @fandomssaremysoul @im-an-anxious-wreck @crazy-multifandomfangirl @punk-academian-witch @enby-ralsei @unicornssunflowersandstuff @wildhorsewolf @thetruthaboutthesun @stubbornness-and-spite @princedarkandstormv @your-local-fookin-deadmeme @angels-and-dreams @averykedavra @a-ghostlight-for-roman @treasurechestininterweb @cricketanne @queerly-fluid-fan @compactdiscdraws @cecil-but-gayer @i-am-overly-complicated @annytheseal @alias290 @tranquil-space-ninja @arxticandy @mychemically-imbalanced-romance @whyiask @crows-ace @emilythezeldafan @frida0043 @ieatspinalcords @snowyfires @cyanide-violence @oonagh2 @xxpanic-at-the-everywherexx @rabbitsartcorner @percy-07734 @triflingassailantofmyemotions @virgil-sanders-the-gay-emo @cerulean-watermelon @puffed-up-bees @meltheromanstan @joyrose-fandomer @insanitori @mavenmush @justablah65

If you want to be added/taken off the taglist, let me know!

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kaitlynnsahara · 2 years

Text

Roman: Logan, am I pretty or dumb? Logan: Both Roman: Huh? Logan: You’re pretty dumb Roman: >:O *Offended princey noises*

I feel like someone have done this before, could be Deja vu

#Logan #logan sanders #logan sanders sides #roman #roman sanders #roman sanders sides #sanders sides #sanders sides incorrect quotes #incorrect quotes #text #tssides #tss #thomas sandes sides #tss logan #tss roman

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we-all-horny-here · 4 years

Text

Another one of those, with Intrulogical this time, because if it wasn't obvious already, I absolutely love the himbo/braincell ship dynamic.

Also, Logan's hoodie logo has UWU instead of NASA.

[Dukeceit.]

[Re//om shippers/supporters DNI.]

Taglist under the cut.

@rigels-nigels @fandoms-are-for-always @jl-artsandcreations @what-is-love-babey-dont-hurt-me @heyhelloitsk @ashblood1314 @thereisnoneedtocallmesir @peridot-the-kitten @katie-the-noble-fangirl @effortiswhatmatters @magsneto @ollyollyoxinfree @allergictobshh @astronomical-bagel @dizzy-duke @zadi-jyne @life-reboot-now @thatjeanjacket

#sanders sides #sanders sides fanart #ts art #logan sanders #remus sandes #intrulogical #sanders sides logan #sanders sides remus #sanders sides intrulogical #artster #ts logan #ts remus #ts intrulogical #logan sanders loving hours

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romanapologist · 4 years

Photo

[gif desc. in alt text.]

see roman defending logan while literally unconscious

#fun fact i had mlp's art of the dress on repeat the entire time making this #ask to tag #logince #lucy.gif #sanders sides #sanders sides gifs #ts remus #ts roman #ts logan #roman sandes #remus sanders #logan sanders

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hissingvirgil · 4 years

Text

I call this fic: 4 times Logan took Virgil too literally and 1 time he was taken too literally instead

& the one time the roles were reversed

#sanders sides spoilers #sanders asides #sandeds sides #virgil sanders #logan sanders #analogical #logan x virgil #virgil x logan #anxiety sanders #logic sanders #thomas sanders #ts spoilers

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askdarksidelogan · 4 years

Text

#dark side logan #dark sides #logan sanders #snapped #snapped au #ts logan #darkside!logan #sanders sides #sanders sides au #cyrus sandes #uwu #the bubs #look at him #a c k #i love all of yall #you make me so excited to post every new comic part 💜

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waokevale · 4 years

Text

Happy Birthday Dee!

[In case you can't read my ugly writing]

Deceit: Please tell me it is (not) from actual snake scales.

Virgil lying : It is.

Deceit clearly knowing that Vee's lying: Thank (fuck) you, Virge

Virgil: You're literally wearing them rn.

#thomas sanders #deceit sanders #sanders sides fanart #sanders sides #roman sandes #virgil sanders #ts virgil #ts deceit #logan sanders #patton sanders #ts patton #ts morality #ts anxiety #ts logic #ts remus #remus sandes #ts intrusive thoughts #ts creativity

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djpurple3 · 4 years

Note

Yo you want prompts? What about Roman and Logan finally getting along?

Sdgjkdfjhxdf that’s actually a hysterical way of wording it and it has absolutely stumped me dklsfdgldfg ok lemme give this a go

---

Roman had just closed his mouth after explaining his newest idea, and his hands were shaking as he tucked them behind his back. He had worked hard on this one. He was fond of this one. He really hoped it wasn’t- “Jeez, Princey,” Virgil snarked, “this is somehow even more wild than the last thing you came out with.” -shot down immediately. Roman smiled anyway. “I was trying to keep in mind what was conceivable for Thomas,” he explained himself, less eagerly, now just scrambling to explain himself, “whilst also trying to push our limits as a creator.” “Maybe…” Patton offered tentatively, “this is pushing just a little too much?” “W-well,” Roman started, before trailing off. Oh, they were right. It was too much, again, wasn’t it?

“I don’t see how it’s unachievable,” Logan said when the others finished, and Roman’s head snapped up in shock at the fact that… Logan was backing him up? “His friends expertise combined with Thomas’ own skills, I believe they would be more than capable. Thomas knows competent musicians and lyricists, and Thomas himself is a decent musician too.” “Thank you, Logan!” Thomas said brightly, surprised with the praise but delighted by it nonetheless. “Yes,” Roman echoed softly. “Thank you, Logan.” Logan looked at him, and the lightest hint of smile teased about the nerd’s lips. “I have a couple… ah, shall we say, possible revisions? I might suggest, but other than that, this is achievable, entertaining, and pleasant. I’m impressed, Roman.” Roman’s mouth opened and closed a few times, he went red of all things, and he finally coughed out another thank you before sinking out swiftly.

Logan was fighting to be heard over the others’ back-and-forth, and trying his hardest not to get frustrated. Because if he got frustrated, he got angry, and if he got angry, he hurt people. So Logan forced himself to take a few breaths, and tried to jump back into the conversation. Patton didn’t notice, and cut him off before the breath even left Logan’s lungs. His shoulder sagged, and Logan resigned himself to closing his mouth and only speaking when spoken to again. “Wait up, there, daddio,” Roman cut in, shooting Patton a pacifyingly bright smile. “I hear you, you make a good point, and Virgil, I understand, I really do. But I think Logan has something to add?” Logan blinked owlishly, surprised that Roman was pointing this out, and Virgil went to comment, but Roman held up a hand to halt him. “Ah, ah!” he smiled, but the skin around his eyes was tight. “Logan time. I don’t think he’s got a word out in the past twenty minutes.” Virgil and Patton jolted at that, glancing at each other in surprise and horror before apologising to Logan quickly, and Logan accepted their apologies gracefully, before launching into his explanation, and his offer.

When everything had been cleared up, and Patton and Virgil had sunk out, leaving just Thomas, Logan and Roman, Roman bid them adieu and went to leave too. “Wait,” Logan called, and Roman paused as requested, one shapely eyebrow raised in question. “Um,” Logan fumbled with his tie, before looking up. “Thank you, Roman. For… for letting me speak.” Roman’s eyes softened. “We’re not great at listening to each other, sometimes,” he laughed a little, leaving his statement just at that in front of Thomas, but Logan understood what he meant. “And… I’m realising now we need to look out for each other, huh? So, my pleasure, specs. See you in a moment, yeah?” “Yeah,” Logan agreed softly. “Thanks, Roman,” Thomas tacked on. “It’s gotten a lot more… peaceful,” he rapped his knuckles gently on the side of his own head, “since you pointed out there was too much arguing and not enough listening.” Roman shrugged, but his hidden little smile was pleased to be needed and pleased to be thanked. “My honour,” he bowed. “Take care, Thomas.”

Logan watched him sink out with the slightest of smiles, comforted by knowing he had an ally where he thought he had a rival, someone to look out for, who would actually look out for him too. And oh, he enjoyed having that, too.

---

oh this was soft and i enjoyed this thank u for the prompt

#sanders sides #roman sanders #logan sanders #logince #virgil sanders #patton sanders #character!thomas #thomas sanders #character thomas #sanders sides fic #sandes sides ficlet #djpurple3's writing yo

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thefairytower · 2 years

Note

The light chimes, dancing around blinking pretty reds and pinks. It looks excited.

"I'm so glad you like it." It chimes, smile audible. "You all look so pretty, I'd love to draw the other's too. Do any of you folks draw?"

This gets a smile from everyone. Clearly they would like that.

"Me and my brother love all arts. Though I lean more to the performing arts. Remus draws and sculpts the most out of us two. And I know Logan and Virgil like to sketch though Virgil never let's me see what he draws so I dont know if he's good. Logan makes realistic portraits for his notes," Roman rambled. Excited by the subject.

"Yes. I taught Virgil to sketch and had him study the basics of music so xe could soothe their mind when he just came to the castle eight years ago," Logan recalled.

"The only drawing I do is in icing I'm afraid," Patton smiled with a shrug.

"I dont waste time with such frivolous things," Janus drawled.

"Liar. You and teach both have poetry on your shelves," Remus pointed out making Janus blush a little.

"And you do enjoy debating," Logan pointed out.

Janus quirked a brow.

"Art is subjective. And if you ask me, there is an art to debating," Logan elaborated. No one had a counter argument to that. It was true.

#sandes sides #ts sides #remus sanders #roman sanders #patton sanders #virgil sanders #logan sanders #janus sanders #ask the fairies #ask blog #fairytower #back ground

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does-this-look-logicality-to-you · 4 years

Conversation

patton: time sensitive question how flirt logan

virgil: throw rocks at he

roman: Hot Dogs

remus: kill him

patton: thanks guys

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mycatshuman · 4 years

Text

Fright Night But Make It Gay

Chapter 1 : Virgil is Sus

Next | More

Pairings: Prinxeity, Hinted Intrological and Moceit

Warnings: "kidnapping", arguing, let me know if I missed any.

Here it is! This years Halloween fic! Based on the movie Fright Night because, you know, vampires.

🎃🕸👻💀🕷🎃🕸👻💀🕷🎃🕸👻💀🕷🎃🕸👻

It really was a dangerous situation they had found themselves in. Although, maybe they should have been more cautious at the very start. Maybe, if they had taken Roman seriously from the very beginning when he had said their new neighbor was a vampire, they could have put an end to all of this without much issue. But things just didn't work out that way. And now they were stuck in a perilous situation that used to only seem possible in fairy tales.

The group knew they had to be smart about this. Remus offered to just kill the vampire, however Logan pointed out that they knew nothing about real life vampires. They didn't know if something would happen to their friend and roommate, Roman, if they killed the vampire. Leave it to Roman to get involved with a vicious vampire.

Patton tried to be optimistic. "Maybe he's a good vampire?" He had said when the situation ripped apart their realities. Janus actually popped that bubble. "But we can't be sure he is, are we really going to risk Roman's life for the chance that our blood-sucking neighbor is vegetarian?"

In hindsight, Patton and Remus should have left Janus and Logan to make the plan considering they tended to be the level headed ones in most situations. Janus and Logan had quickly pulled together a plan after they had calmed the other two down enough to think. It would go like this: when Roman got home from play rehearsal, they would tell him they were going on a short trip. Then, they would drive to the home of Peter Vincent, the vampire expert and ask for his help. It couldn't be too hard, could it?

--------

Roman did not expect to be bombarded when he got home late that night after play rehearsal. His roommates shoved him right back outside and into the car with the explanation that they were all going on a trip. Roman was too tired to argue that they all had school tomorrow so he just went along with it. But when he woke up the next morning to find himself in the van on the side of the road with all his roommates napping around him, he found himself doing a double take.

He carefully climbed out of the vehicle and dialed his boyfriends' number. "Hey, Virgil?" He asked as the other picked up. "Do you think you could pick me up?" He squinted as he glanced around for any road signs but all he saw was wide open fields. "I'm somewhere outside of town, not sure where, all I see is wide open fields."

"Turn your location on your phone and put in my address, dumbass," Virgil responded even as he nervously bit his nails. Where were Roman's roommates taking him and why?

Roman flushed red. "Oh right." He turned his location on and returned to the call. "What would I do without you?"

"I don't know," Virgil replied. "What was that?"

Roman frowned and turned around to look for the source of the noise that his boyfriend asked about. "Oh! It's Remus! Hey! What are you-" the line went dead.

Virgil gasped and quickly pulled his phone away to stare numbly at his phone screen. What just happened?

-----

"What was that for?!" Roman yelled as his brother yanked his phone from him and hung up before shoving it into his pocket. "I was talking to Virgil!"

Remus shook his head. "Come on, Roman. We have to go."

"No! I have classes. We all have classes."

Remus growled. "No."

"No?" Roman asked in disbelief. "Why not?"

"Because I said so."

Roman rolled his eyes and huffed angrily. "You're not my dad! You guys can do whatever you want but I'm going home!"

Remus's eyes widened, fearful. "No! You can't!" He exclaimed.

Roman froze at the twinge of desperation in the other's voice and looked back at his brother. "Why?"

"We, as your friends, can not let you go back to that vampire. We are taking you to Peter Vincent so we can help you and get rid of the vampire," Logan explained as he stepped out of the van, having been raised by Remus's loud shout.

Roman blanched. "What? You can't hurt Virgil!"

"He's a vampire! A monster! He'll kill you!"

"No, he won't! He loves me!"

Janus and Patton tumbled out of the van, having been awoken by the angry voices. "What are you shouting about?" Janus asked grumpily.

"Roman called the vampire and tried to lead it to us!" Remus yelled as he pointed an accusatory finger at his brother.

"Virgil is not an 'it'!" Roman shouted. "Yes, he's a vampire but he has never hurt me! He doesn't kill anyone! He's not a monster!"

The others stepped back a little at Roman's outburst. He didn't often raise his voice in anger. His face had turned a little red as he got frustrated with his friends. "You didn't even listen to me the first time I said he was a vampire! You just ignored me and acted like I was a child! And now you want to rip me away from my boyfriend and my classes just because you're making assumptions about him and you can't bother to give him a chance!"

"We're just trying to protect you, you idiot! Who do you care about more, your family or some monster you just met who will kill you at any moment?!?" Remus screamed. Why couldn't his brother understand they were doing this for his own good?

Roman froze. He could feel his heart breaking inside his chest. He's trying to force me to choose? "I…" Roman felt his body weaken and his knees gave out beneath him.

"Roman!" Remus exclaimed and rushed to his brother's aid.

"Roman! Are you okay?" Patton exclaimed as he stepped closer to his friend.

Roman sat unblinking as he stared through them. "Roman?" Logan asked, concerned. His friend did not respond.

----------------

Roman had always had a rather active imagination. Paired with his twin brother, Remus, the two had caused quite a lot of headaches for their parents. Between Remus and his interest in the dark and cryptic aspects of the world and Roman with his fanciful, romantic overlook, they had come up with many stories in which dark monsters needed to be defeated in order to save a kingdom and find the most magical thing of all, True Love. And then with the release of entertainment like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Vampire Diaries," "Twilight," and more, it only fueled their creative minds. Remus found himself pretending to be a daring and crazy vampire hunter scientist who experimented on the vampires he captured and killed. Roman found himself fantasizing about his own vampire lover, forever the romantic. Of course, they were all seniors in college now. They had outgrown their "childish" fantasies.

The two brothers lived in a two story house in a neighborhood close to their college with three roommates; Patton, Logan, and Janus. They all got along fairly well. All were very different guys in terms of personality, likes and interests, but they were good friends. Having known each other since preschool, the five of them would say they knew each other pretty well. That's why, when Roman came running down the hall one night, loudly screaming something about a vampire next door, the other four nodded their heads and gently coaxed him back to bed as they wrote it off as some sort of dream he had. A miracle on their parts, it was hard to get Roman to calm down so quickly when he was hyper. But when the next morning brought more talk of a vampire next door, they began to get a little wary.

-----------

"I'm telling you guys, I saw this guy carrying boxes of blood bags into the house. What more proof do you need?" Roman exclaimed.

Remus yawned briefly. "Roman, vampires don't exist. It was probably just the beginning of a wet dream or something."

"I'm eating!" Janus grumbled, annoyed. He glared at the twins from his spot at the table.

Remus snorted tiredly. "Relax, I wasn't planning on going into details, it's too early."

Roman wrinkled his nose. "It wasn't like that, Remus. I really did see it!"

Logan sighed as he poured his third cup of coffee. "Okay, say this was true, and there really is a vampire living next door, what then?"

Roman sighed dreamily. "He bites me and I become a vampire and we get married and live happily ever after."

Patton smiled nervously. "Uh, isn't that a little too optimistic, kiddo? Even if there was a vampire next door-"

"Which there's not," Logan cut in.

"doesn't mean things are going to go well."

"Yeah," Remus agreed. "What if he's trying to kill us all or something?"

"He wouldn't do that," Roman replied stiffly as he crossed his arms.

"And why is that?" Logan asked. Roman mumbled in response.

"What was that?" Janus asked, a raised eyebrow telling Roman that he knew exactly what he had said.

"Because he loves me okay!"

Remus, Janus, and Logan burst out laughing as Patton tried to hold back an amused smile. "But you haven't even talked to our neighbor. You don't even know his name."

Roman opened his mouth to argue only to slam it shut again.

"See, you're being irrational, Roman," Logan said.

"Well, he will love me, he just doesn't know it yet."

Remus rolled his eyes. "You are ridiculous! Seriously, I thought you got over your vampire phase back in high school. How did you let yourself get so desperate for a boyfriend that you began hallucinating?"

Roman flushed red. "He really is a vampire," he replied hotly. "And I'm going to prove it!"

Remus snorted. "Good luck with that!" He shouted as Roman stomped up the stairs, his lack of classes scheduled for the day leaving him the only of the five roommates not required to wake up at the ungodly hour of 6am.

Patton teetered uneasily. "He sounds upset," he commented. "Maybe we shouldn't have been so harsh."

"Trust me," Logan began. "He'll be fine. He just needs some time to himself and then he'll be back to gallivanting around the house excitedly telling us everything that happened to him that day.

Patton bit his lip. "Well, if you're sure…"

----------

Roman sulked in his room until the last of his roommates left. He stared out his bedroom window for a few moments inspecting the house next door with great interest. And I'm gonna prove it! Soon, he was jumping up and scrambling to find the perfect outfit. Cute and casual, but not too casual. He didn't know this guys type yet so he couldn't factor that in yet but cute and casual would have to work. But just to be sure, Roman pulled on a silky red dress shirt with two of the top buttons undone just a bit. Maybe the red would attract the vampire because it shared the same color as his favorite snack, blood. After getting dressed, Roman carefully applied some light red to his lips and a nice eyeliner with a wing sharp enough to draw blood. His eyelids had a nice gradient of red fading into black. Vampires liked black too. At least he hoped.

Soon, Roman was ready. He carefully walked down the stairs so as to not mess up his outfit before the hot vamp next door could see. He left the house and walked next door with some sugar cookies they had gotten from the store last week. It would be a(n excuse to go over and see the hot vampire) housewarming gift. He was practically buzzing with excitement by the time he reached the neighbor's front door. Taking a moment to compose himself, he briefly wondered if maybe the guy he thought was his neighbor really wasn't and was one of the movers he had seen moving things in a few days ago. He shook his head, no harm in trying. He raised his hand and knocked.

When the door opened, Roman was slightly disappointed to find no one standing there until he heard a quiet voice speaking from behind the door. "Yes?"

"Um, Hello. I'm Roman Belmonte and I just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood with some homemade cookies."

"Mm," a voice said uncertaintly from the shadows. Roman peeked in a little more, fighting against the lack of light in an attempt to see the person he was speaking with. What he was able to make out took his breath away. High cheekbones and pale skin stood out against the shadowy backdrop as dark hair hung over eyes that seemed to glitter in the darkness. Time to turn up the charm.

"Oh who am I kidding," Roman exclaimed. "These aren't homemade cookies, they're store-bought." Roman chuckled. "I was just trying to impress you, I caught a glimpse of you when you moved in and well, what can I say, you're gorgeous." He flashed a bright, flirtatious smile.

The person behind the door snorted. "

I don't know, I mean you're hot as hell but then I found out that you didn't even make me homemade cookies and I don't know if I'm willing to date a guy who won't even put in the effort to make homemade cookies. What, are your kisses gonna be store bought too?" the other snarked as they opened the door further motioning for Roman to step inside.

Roman's jaw nearly dropped. Okay, not going as planned and he most certainly did not plan for the guy to look that fucking hot this early in the morning. Beautiful purple hair and stunning eyes, rich like honey stared back at him with a mischievous glint. Roman licked his lips. "A date? I don't remember mentioning anything about a date...but if you're offering."

The other snorted. "Princey, Princey, Princey, so naive." Roman's knees felt weak. "You're gonna have to do more than flirt with me to get a date with me."

"Is that a challenge?" Roman asked.

The other grinned. "Sure, pretty boy."

Roman grinned. "Be prepared to go on a date with me." The other rolled his eyes. Roman handed over the cookies. "I know they're just store-bought but they're still good." Then he turned to leave.

"Wait." Roman turned back to the other. "You don't even want to know my name? That's going into the cons."

Roman flushed at the teasing voice. "I-well-uh, what's your name?"

"Virgil." A smirk. "Good luck on that challenge, Princey."

Roman smirked right back and left to go and fall face first on his bed and squeal.

----------------

Remus shared a glance with Logan, Janus, and Patton. They were on the road again. After wasting an hour over trying to get Roman to respond to them, they just gave up. They put him in the back and took off towards the home of Peter Vincent. Roman seldom blinked. As they drove, he continued staring off into space. Unbeknownst to his friends, he was reliving the memory of the day he had first met Virgil. It brought happy feelings, and the thought of losing that happiness killed him. But he also couldn't leave his family, he still cared for them.

The only way Roman could properly explain how he was feeling was to say that he was being split in half by two equally strong sides. On one hand, he could choose Virgil and hurt his family and himself. On the other, he could choose his family and hurt himself and Virgil. Where was the third option? He could prove Virgil wasn't bad. But how would that work? How could he do that when he was stuck in a van driving away from his boyfriend. He didn't know.

There was only one thing Roman was certain of: he had to prove Virgil wasn't a monster.

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