#MЯ au | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

vanilla-bean-buttercream · 7 years ago

Text

MIRROR | ЯOЯЯIM: Chapter 1

Parings: N/A Characters: Patton, Roman Chapter warnings:N/A (surprising for me right?) Word Count: 2730

Summary:

MORALITY (noun) - a particular system of values and principles of conduct, especially one held by a specified person

Sounds pretty black and white, right? Patton thought so too until his world turned not upside down but backward. Stuck in a world that isn't his, he has to find out how to get home. Meanwhile, in his own world, a Morality who is willing to step up in his place threatens their inner peace.

What is the right way to go about fixing this?

Ao3 Link

Author’s note:

Well, this fic has been two months in the making! I was inspired while on vacation, dropped the idea on Tumblr, and it took off! It wasn't until last Sunday that I got really serious about it though.

I would personally like to thank @ierindoodles for helping me through this. I unabashedly sent him screenshots while I was working on it throughout the week, and he was very patient and encouraging. I couldn't have done it without him. <3

Just know this story is going to have Sympathetic Deceit in it eventually. It’s an important plot point, so if that’s not your thing, steer clear! I’d hate for you to start and find out you can’t finish.

Now, without further ado, please sit back, try to relax, and enjoy! :D

“Look at how blue the sky is today,” Patton mused. He held a hand over his eyes and shielded them from the sun. Clouds floated over the pastel sky and cooled the hot summer day. The grass tickled his bare legs, and Patton brushed his hands across the soft grass below him. A warm breeze filled with the scent of fresh lilac blew his hair.

Every time he came to the Imagination, Roman outdid himself. Patton half thought it was to impress him, and the other half was Roman showing off. No matter the reason, Patton loved going through the Imagination with Roman. Each scene they went through was like stepping into a fairytale.

Of course, most of those involved Roman saving the day in some way, shape, or form, and Patton was used to sometimes being the bargaining chip in the conflict, but Roman always made sure nothing happened to him here.

“It’s the perfect day,” Roman agreed as he finished setting up the picnic. He sat at one edge of the blanket and patted the other for Patton to join him. Patton ran his hands through the grass one last time before sitting at Roman’s side. Their sides pressed together.

“I wish the others would’ve come with,” Patton mumbled.

“Yes, but you know how busy Nerdulator is with Thomas’s schedule, and Scare Tactics is too busy thinking they’re going to fail to bother. You and I need a break from their insufferable negativity.”

Patton sighed through his nose. That’s why Logan and Virgil needed to go on the picnic with them. Everyone deserves a break. However, the two other sides declared they were far too busy to join them, and Roman got too impatient, and hurtful words were said, and Patton hoped they were okay.

He wished they’d listen when he told them to calm down.

Roman took a bite of his sandwich before praising Patton on his hard work. It distracted Patton’s mind and warmed his heart. The breeze blew another gentle smell his way, this one filled with all sorts of flowers. An idea popped into Patton’s head.

“Roman, do you mind if I pick some flowers?”

“Of course not, padre. Pick to your heart’s desire.”

Patton held in a squeal as he jumped to his feet. The field of flowers must’ve popped up seconds ago because he couldn’t recall it being there before. After all, Roman’s kingdom shifted and changed several times throughout the day depending on his mood.

Patton practically pranced over to the flowers. He nestled into the rainbow of colors and started picking a few.

Maybe Logan and Virgil would feel better if he made them some flower crowns. That way, the smell could comfort them when they needed it.

Roman sat back and watched as Patton buzzed from place to place, admired each and every flower, and made sure he moved careful enough so none of the unpicked flowers would be injured. Watching Patton handle the Imagination with such care warmed his soul. Patton’s love knew no bounds. Roman admired the innocent adoration Patton carried with him as if the moral side experienced everything for the first time. It’s the reason Roman brought Patton to the Imagination the most.

Patton glanced over his shoulder at Roman. He waved before turning back to his work and hummed a soft song as he thought. Maybe Roman would like a crown too. Ever since Thomas focused on his work, he ignored Roman. The other side felt underappreciated, which was the whole point of them spending time together, and Patton would never pass up a chance to make Roman feel better.

Hours passed, and Patton wove together three special flower crowns. He hoped the lavender and black rose flowers would soothe Virgil’s nerves. The bluebell and violet crown for Logan looked ordinary, and Patton didn’t know if he’d wear it, but Logan never turned down Patton’s gifts. Patton set it in the grass next to the red rose and buttercup flower crown for Roman.

Finally, they were all finished.

Patton leaned back in the flowers. He watched the clouds float over him and tried to pick out what they all looked like. It relaxed him more than he realized. Maybe the others weren’t the only ones who needed a break. He spent so much time keeping everyone else happy, he forgot his own needs.

Of course, if his family was happy, he was happy.

Roman watched Patton lay back in the flowers, and a wave of fondness swept over him. He knew he upset Patton when he yelled at the other two, and he regretted his harshness the moment the words left his lips. However, his temper often ran away with his voice of reason, and even he couldn’t take back things that were said. He’d have to try and apologize when he returned home for Patton’s sake.

The once warm breeze cooled. Strange, he didn’t remember changing it. Perhaps when his temper settled the breeze took on a cooler temperature and he failed to notice.

“Yes?”

Roman quirked a brow. Patton sat up in the grass and stared at him with a curious expression. Was he speaking to him?

Roman called back, “I hadn’t said a word, padre.”

Patton blinked and looked around. Roman chuckled, shook his head, and stared at the sky. The clouds circled above him, and he spied a few familiar looking shapes. When Roman turned his attention back to the flowers, Patton vanished from his sight. Roman’s neck hair bristled. He sprung to his feet.

“Patton?” he called out. Perhaps Patton laid back down in the flowers. He waited. Surely Patton would pop up if he heard his name, right? Roman counted to ten. Still, no sign of him. His heart pounded in his chest.

“Patton!” Roman cupped his hands around his mouth and tried again. He hastened down the path and searched the field. How had Patton disappeared in such a short amount of time? What villain could have swept him off his feet right under Roman’s nose?

“Patton!”

The moral side ducked under a tree branch as someone called his name in distress. The woods surrounding the garden held little light. These trees sprung up soon after he heard the voice. With Roman’s mind always changing, perhaps the Imagination started them on some sort of journey.

Patton looked around. Every tree looked unfamiliar. His mind told him to go back.

“Patton!”

However, his heart told him whatever was in these woods needed him, and he couldn’t turn his back on someone who needed his help. That wouldn’t be the right thing to do. Perhaps he should’ve got Roman for help.

“Patton!”

No, whatever that was needed him, and if he needed help, he could always get Roman’s attention later.

The forest opened up to a row of thorn bushes. Patton hesitated. The blood red flowers dripped with a warning and presented their thorny branches as if threatening him not to go further.

Patton slipped his hoodie off of his shoulders and pulled it on. The soft, warm hug of the material boosted his confidence. Careful not to scratch the hoodie too much, Patton pushed his way through the brambles. He flinched every time the material ripped. Hopefully, Logan would forgive him.

The forest increased in thickness as if literalizing the intensity of the situation, but Patton pressed on. He ducked under a large tree branch and heard his hoodie rip. His back muscles clenched. The thorn scratched him between the shoulder blades, but thankfully there was no blood. Patton took off the hoodie and examined it. A large tear ran down the center. He’d have to apologize to Logan when he returned home.

“Patton!”

The voice sounded closer. Patton tied the hoodie back around his shoulders, held his breath, and stumbled forward. The thorns opened up to a patch of lime grass. Several crows clawed and flew up into the sky. Patton watched them take off and looked around. The thorns circled him on both sides. Everything screamed something was off. It reminded him of a dark castle in a fairytale.

Despite his already odd surroundings, the most peculiar thing in the area was the glass door. Patton squinted as he tiptoed forward. No, not glass, but a mirror. Patton’s heart pounded six times for every footstep. He froze a short distance away.

No walls surrounded the reflective door. The doorknob and trim swirled in elegant gold, and six jewels shining like a rainbow glistened at the top. A seventh hole revealed the ghost of another gem, and Patton wondered which color it was. The closer he stepped, the brighter the blue gem appeared to glow. The door lay propped up against a tree, and when Patton looked behind it, it lead to nothing. He returned to the front and stared at the mirror.

The most disturbing part of the door was his reflection. Patton moved from side to side, but the reflection lagged a second behind him. He put a hand up to the glass. The reflection followed. Patton furrowed a brow, and he tilted his head to the side. What kind of mirror was this?

The reflection blinked, and Patton backed up with a light cry. The reflection stayed put. It followed Patton’s movements and rose a brow.

“What is going on?” Patton whispered aloud. He slowly inched closer to the reflection. It put its hands on the glass and watched Patton with concerned eyes. Patton blinked and put his own hands against the glass to match. The reflection’s smile didn’t reach its eyes. Patton continued, “Were you the one calling me?”

The reflection hesitated before it nodded its head.

“Oh my goodness, are you okay?”

The reflection tilted its head to the side.

“Are you trapped in there?”

The reflection shook its head and opened its mouth, but no words came out. Patton tried to read its lips, but it spoke so fast, Patton couldn’t make out anything.

“Well, you look okay, and that’s what counts,” he said with a chipper smile. “What’s your name?”

The reflection thought for a moment. Patton noticed the ripples around its fingertips like the mirror was moving under its skin. It opened its mouth to speak, and the ripples reached the edges of the mirror.

“Morality.”

Two hands reached through the mirror and grabbed Patton’s wrist. Patton cried out. He struggled to break free, but it held firm. A devilish smile slid over the reflection’s face.

Patton’s whole body plunged into ice. All his breath left his body. He squeezed his eyes closed, and he opened his mouth to scream. The ground shifted from underneath him, and his body fell backward.

“Patton!” Roman’s voice shouted from the forest. The clang of his sword cut through the brush and severed the silence. The brambles fell, and Roman stormed into the clearing with his sword drawn.

“Patton!” Roman raced forward and wrapped him into a hug. “Why did you run off? You scared me half to death.”

The moral side hesitated before responding, “I was curious.”

Roman spied the door beside them, which reflected the forest but not them, and took a hesitant two steps back. He cupped both of his hands around the other side’s cheeks and let out a long sigh of relief. He’d never seen that mirror before, but it spelled trouble. Thankfully he made it in time.

“I thought I lost you. Don’t go running off like that again, okay?”

“If I feel it's right.”

Roman furrowed his brow and chuckled. He ruffled the moral side’s hair then lead the both of them away from the bramble.

“Okay, then make sure you wait for me next time. I don’t want to lose you.”

The moral side hummed. He tightened the sweater sleeves around his neck and put his hands in his pants pocket. Roman shouldn’t have to worry about losing his Morality again.

= | =

Patton groaned as he ran a hand through the grass below his fingertips. His head ached, and he ran a hand through his hair. Confused eyes blinked and looked around. The world swirled in disorienting colors. Patton patted the ground until he tapped his glasses. He slid them on and surveyed his surroundings.

The trees uneased his soul. It was as if they uprooted themselves and moved two inches to the left- no, spun around until they were backward. The grass, once a vibrant green, turned an uncared for lime color and pricked his fingertips. Patton glanced up at the sky. It paled in comparison to his blue shirt.

Patton blinked and looked behind him. In the reflection, he watched Roman walking away with… someone. Patton gasped. He jumped to his feet and pushed his hand against the mirror.

“Roman!” he cried out. He pounded his fist on the glass.

The copycat side that walked with Roman turned. He smiled and put a hand to his lips, then waved goodbye. Patton’s heart stopped. He called out again and again for Roman, begging for him to hear his voice, but they disappeared in the forest.

Patton fell to his knees. This couldn’t be happening! This was all a bad dream. He fell asleep picking flowers, and if he opened his eyes, he’d be awake in the field, return home with Roman, and give Virgil and Logan their flower crowns. Roman wouldn’t be trapped in the mirror with that copycat. They’d be going home.

Patton’s hands rose to his neck to play with his hoodie sleeves. His eyes widened. He patted his bare neck and looked down. His cat hoodie was gone! Patton searched around the clearing. He was wearing it, wasn’t he? Where could it have gone?

Come to think of it, that reflection didn’t have his hoodie when he approached it. How had he not noticed before? It must’ve stolen his hoodie and convinced Roman he was the right Patton. That’s how Roman got-

“Morality,” a voice called out behind him. Patton pressed his back against the mirror and swallowed. It sounded like Roman, and he shouldn’t be scared, but his gut told him something was amiss. It called again, “Morality!”

A figure emerged from the brush, and just like Patton suspected, the side looked like Roman. He had his sword drawn, but upon seeing Patton, he shoved it back in its hilt.

“You found it,” the side whispered.

Patton froze in place. He bit his lip and nodded his head. The Roman copycat grabbed Patton’s hand and pulled him in close. Patton should’ve melted into his embrace, but the grip was too tight around his waist, almost as if forcing Patton against him. Patton pushed the other side’s chest away.

The side looked down and blinked at him. “What’s wrong?”

“I-” Patton cried out as the side picked him up in his arms.

“Someone tried to hurt you, didn’t they?”

Patton’s voice caught in his throat. He should’ve felt safe in Roman’s arms, but this Roman’s grip held an unnerving sense of danger.

“Roman-”

“What?”

“I don’t-”

“What did you call me?”

Patton stiffened. He swallowed hard as the side’s eyes stared into his. That was his name… wasn’t it? Come to think of it, when the Roman copycat looked for Patton, he called Patton Morality. That must be what the Patton inside the mirror called himself. Patton observed the sash across the side’s chest, and it ran from his left shoulder to his right hip. Roman’s sash rested on the opposite side. Patton glanced over the side’s shoulder and at the mirror.

Could it be possible that he was the one pulled through and not Roman?

“Morality, are you feeling ill?”

Patton returned his attention to this backward Roman’s face. He spoke, “I… I think I need to lie down for a moment.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” It should’ve held comfort, but it sent shivers down Patton’s spine. “No one will touch you under my watch.”

The grip around Patton’s chest tightened. He blinked up at the side who carried him away from the mirror, away from home, and swallowed thickly.

“Creativity?”

The side looked down at him with attentive eyes. Patton’s throat dried out.

“Yes, my one and only?”

The name sent warning signals through Patton's mind. Where was he? How did he get here? And most importantly, what was on the other side of the mirror with his family?

Chapter 2 ->

#ts fanfiction #sanders sides #sanders sides fic #patton sanders #roman sanders #MЯ au #mmmmMMMMMM HERE WE GO

297 notes · View notes

vanilla-bean-buttercream · 7 years ago

Text

MIRROR | ЯOЯЯIM: Chapter 4

Parings: N/A Characters: Patton, Roman, Virgil, Logan | Morality, Creativity, Logic, Anxiety, Deceit Chapter warnings: Sympathetic Deceit, dissociation, physical abuse, depictions of violence, bullying, injuries, homophobic slurs, death threats, multiple mentions of killing others, mentions of vomiting Word Count: 3173

Summary:

Virgil opens up about why the mirror scares him. Things aren’t always what they reflect on the outside.

<=Chapter 1 | <- Chapter 3

Ao3 Link

Author’s Note:

From here on out, Sympathetic Deceit is a key player, so if that’s not your thing, this is your last chance to turn around.

Also warning, there be angst ahead. Please read the tags and proceed at your own jurisdiction. Thank you <3

“I’m sure there’s a very good explanation for deterring me from assisting Thomas and dragging me through some imaginary meadow,” Logan mumbled.

“Sorry, I couldn’t take the chance of you being alone with him,” Virgil responded.

Logan rose a brow. “And who might that exactly be?”

Virgil, who kept his eyes trained on the back of Roman’s head, failed to answer Logan’s question. He had to make sure first. He could be blowing this out of proportion, and he could be wrong for once. However, with the eerily familiar feeling he got back in the mindscape, he was sure he would sadly be proven right.

Roman stopped in the flower filled grass and knelt down. He picked up a circular ring of red and gold flowers, and a heavy sigh shook his shoulders.

“He made these right before he disappeared.”

Virgil and Logan came to his side. Roman picked up the other two crowns and held them out. Both took their respective crowns, the flower colors easily detailing which was whose, and examined them.

Roman put his crown on the top of his head and walked toward the forest. Logan and Virgil shared a look before following Roman through the trees. They ducked under low branches, cut through hanging vines, and soon came upon a bushel of sharp thorns.

Virgil’s mind raced. It was just how he remembered.

“It’s not too far up ahead,” Roman informed, following the severed bramble path he created hours ago.

The thorns still threatened to reach out to stop Virgil and warned him not to return. He rubbed their ghost whispers from his skin. His heart pounded in time with his footsteps. Every once and a while, Logan would glance over at Virgil and raise a brow, but Virgil pretended he didn’t notice. If Logan was curious enough, he’d ask, but Virgil knew he was monitoring Virgil’s movements. He was documenting him. Probably treating him like a puzzle he needed to solve no matter the cost-

“Here,” Roman said and stopped at the clearing. Virgil’s heart stopped as well. The cold haunted mirror awaited their arrival.

Logan took a few steps toward it. Virgil’s hand shot out and grabbed him on the wrist. He heard Logan hiss in pain, but his hands refused to slack its grip.

“Virgil, you’re hurting me.”

Creativity's hands squeezed onto Virgil’s shoulders. Virgil screamed. He couldn’t let them catch him. He couldn’t go back. He wouldn’t-

“Virgil, it’s okay,” Roman’s voice pulled him back into reality. Virgil sucked in a shuddering breath and released Logan’s wrist. He watched Logan cradle it close to his chest and massage it.

“S-sorry,” Virgil grumbled, his voice slightly distorted. Roman released his shoulders.

“So what is that?” Logan asked, his attention going between the mirror, Roman, and Virgil.

“I’m not really sure,” Roman replied and turned his attention to Virgil.

Great, now both of them were staring at him. Virgil swallowed the bile rising through his throat and stepped toward the mirror.

“It’s a portal.”

Logan and Roman exchanged a look, and they turned their attention to Virgil with intrigued and concerned expressions respectively.

Virgil rubbed his arms. His eyes honed in on the missing gem’s home in the mirror’s frame, and he reached into his pocket. He revealed a vibrant violet stone. The corners glistened in the sunlight like a key as he twisted it in his fingers.

Virgil continued, “It’s where I came from.”

“Hold on a flim flammin’ heckle hacklin’ minute,” Roman spoke and rose both index fingers. He clenched his eyes shut and inhaled deeply through his nose. “You’re telling me you came from the Imagination?”

“Gives a new meaning to anxiety is merely a cognitive distortion in your head,” Logan hummed.

Virgil looked down at his feet and sighed. He chewed on his lip and nodded his head. Roman rubbed his temples, and his eyes widened.

“That explains why you didn’t follow the rules of the mindscape,” Roman gasped. Virgil turned and rose a brow. Roman continued, “You could create dark shadows and distort your voice when you’re anxious. You couldn’t sink out or rise up like we could, and you couldn’t create things like we could. At least, not until Thomas accepted you as a side. You still have some otherworldly powers, like each of us does, but they are limited so you aren’t a loose cannon- unless you’re in your room of course.”

“Not to mention his personality didn’t line up with Thomas’s at all when we first met him nineteen years ago,” Logan replied and put a hand to his chin. “It was so long ago, I didn’t see any of the similarities as anything but coincidental occurrences.”

“And why none of us knew your true name.”

“Or why-”

“Okay, you can stop now,” Virgil sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked up at the mirror and rubbed his arms.

Logan glanced over at Roman, and he moved to Virgil’s side. The anxious side refused to look at him, and Logan drew in a deep breath.

“What happened?”

Virgil swallowed his dry throat. He shivered. Roman’s comforting hand on his back grounded him back to reality, and he sighed.

This was going to be a long, painful story.

= | =

Anxiety knew that look. Morality cornered him against the wall, his eyes on fire and breathing heavy. Anxiety curled in on himself. He brought his hands up to push on Morality’s chest, but the side didn’t back off.

“You caved,” Morality hissed, and Anxiety swallowed.

“I couldn’t-”

Morality picked up Anxiety by the shirt and slammed him against the wall. Anxiety winced as a bump formed on the back of his head.

“You went behind my back and apologized. You know how weak that makes us look?”

“I don’t care.”

“That’s a surprise! You care too much about everything. You worry about things and make Thomas look stupid. You know how hard it is to punch everyone who calls us a fag when you’re yelling for us to stop? You know how hard it is to speak up for ourselves when you’re whispering about these stupid consequences? They’re laughing at us. They keep pushing around poor queer, defenseless Thomas, and I’m tired of it.”

“Morality-”

“Shut up! I hate how you ruin everything I work so hard on! You think you know how to handle Thomas, but you don’t. You don’t even know how to handle yourself!”

“It was the right thing to do!”

Anxiety covered his mouth. Morality’s eyes widened like he’d been slapped. Anxiety’s constant pleas of “I’m sorry” died on his lips as Morality’s face twisted in anger.

“I should’ve gotten rid of you when I had the chance.”

He forced Anxiety against the wall as he let go. Anxiety slid down the smooth surface soaked in his own sweat. Morality stormed out of the living room and up the stairs.

Anxiety curled in on himself. He couldn’t help but cry into his knees. He hated it here.

Where did his sweet, caring Morality go? Why did he have to play the same game Thomas's bullies did? There had to be a better way. There was always a better way. Morality said so himself, but here he was feeding into the anger of others.

Logic and Creativity were too afraid of Morality to stand up to him. Anxiety had to do something. Morality’s sense of right and wrong was going to get them killed, and he knew it.

Two wrongs never made a right, no matter what Morality said.

Anxiety stood on shaking knees. There was one place he could go where he was safe. There was still one side he could trust. Morality hadn’t broken either of them yet. There was hope.

As Anxiety rounded the top of the stairs, he heard voices on the inside of Morality’s room.

“But Morality, killing another side permanently-”

“You’re smart. You know he’s going to bring us down. We can’t let that happen.”

“So how do we do it?

“Use your imagination. I know you’ve thought up some pretty messed up things. I’ve seen what you come up with to punish bullies.”

“And what if he puts up a fight?”

“Your best bet is to probably catch him off guard in his room.”

“Where he’s most powerful?”

“Where he won’t be able to regenerate if you kill him. Listen, I’m not asking you. I’m telling you both. Just do it and don’t ask any more questions.”

Anxiety took a step back. They were going to- he stopped himself from vomiting all over the stairs. He couldn’t stay here. He had to escape.

Anxiety opened Creativity’s door as Morality’s door opened. He closed it and leaned against the back. Two sets of footsteps walked down the hall and into Anxiety’s room, and he swallowed the lump in his throat. How was he supposed to escape them? What was he going to do?

A shimmering door on the other side of the room caught his attention. Anxiety walked over to the door and brushed his fingers against it. Creativity left the door for the Imagination open. Maybe he could hide there. After all, the Imagination was vast and always changing, and for some reason, he could control some things there. He never understood it, and he never questioned it, but he could.

“Going somewhere?” a voice asked behind him.

Anxiety nearly jumped out of his skin. He turned around and breathed a sigh of relief.

“You know I hate when you sneak up on me.”

A laugh preceded, “Do I?” Anxiety rubbed his arms and looked back at the door. “What’s wrong?”

“You haven’t heard?” Anxiety snuffed. “They’re going to kill me.”

“Why?”

“I made Morality mad, and now he told Logic and Creativity to get rid of me. They’ll probably come after you too once they find out I’m gone. It’s only a matter of time before Morality catches on to what you’re doing.”

“Like he could overpower me.”

Anxiety shook his head, “Please don’t do anything stupid. I can’t lose you, Deceit. You’re the only one who cares about me in this place.”

Deceit looked over his shoulder and walked toward Anxiety. “So, what do you plan to do?”

“Hide in the Imagination, I guess.”

“And if Creativity finds you there?”

Anxiety shrugged. “I haven’t really gotten that far yet. No matter what I do, I’m doomed.”

Deceit hummed and nodded his head. Anxiety put his hand on the door handle, and he twisted it open. The sour smells of Creativity’s rotten imagination burned his nose. He let out a long sigh and stepped inside.

He was both pleased and terrified to see Deceit follow him through.

“If they find you with me, they’ll kill you too.”

“You don’t know that,” Deceit responded. He adjusted the hat on his head. Anxiety sent him a sharp look before walking through the Imagination. Without Creativity here, everything started dying. Anxiety shuddered as a tree fell to their right.

“It’s pleasant, isn’t it?” Deceit commented.

Anxiety ignored his question and continued forward. The two sides stepped into the forest. Strange, twisted sounds bounced throughout the trees. The smell of rotting flesh gagged their breath. Every tree looked like it would reach out and grab them, and every bush had more thorns than roses.

It was the least pleasant place Anxiety could think of, but at least here they’d have cover.

“Home sweet home,” Anxiety mumbled as he sat down in the grass. He heaved a huge sigh and played in the dirt with a stick. Deceit looked around them before taking a seat beside Anxiety. Their sides pressed together as the silence swallowed them whole.

“I’m sure Morality will calm down eventually.”

Anxiety snuffed. “Yeah, when I’m dead. That guy holds grudges for forever.”

Deceit hummed. He leaned back on his palms and looked up at the sky. “Home sweet home indeed.”

“I just,” Anxiety swallowed hard. “I just wish there was a place I could go that I’m listened to, you know? That’s all I want.”

“What, am I invisible?” Deceit asked and put a hand to his chest.

Anxiety snuffed. “Yeah, I have you, but I… I don’t want to feel like I’m unwanted all the time. I want to go to a place where I’m loved because of who I am, not what others want me to be.”

“Sounds horrible,” Deceit rolled his eyes. Anxiety shoved him in the side, and Deceit laughed.

“I’m serious here,” Anxiety growled. He nudged Deceit in the chest once more, and Deceit started to laugh harder. Anxiety couldn’t help the slight curl of his smile.

Deceit stopped laughing and sighed through his lips. “I can hide you too, you know.”

“And live a half life like them?” Anxiety snuffed. “No thanks.”

“No, really,” Deceit answered. “I mean, it’s not so bad. They get to be themselves, and Morality never has to know they exist.”

“But how long until he finds out?”

“Never,” Deceit mentioned. “He couldn’t make me tell the truth even if he wanted to.”

Anxiety considered it for a moment. It… might be nice, not being a main side. There was so much pressure on him to protect Thomas, and with how brash Morality and Creativity were, and how Logic egged them on, he worked overtime every day.

Anxiety sighed. He didn’t want to be scared all the time. He wanted to be in a place where he could be cautious but still knew he’d be safe. He wanted to be listened to, not turned away because it wasn’t Morality’s right thing to do. He wanted a place to call his home.

Maybe Deceit was right. Maybe he should hide.

Deceit gasped and grabbed onto his shoulder. Anxiety was about to ask what had him spooked when his eyes caught something glistening by a tree.

It was a mirror. No, not just any mirror. Neither Anxiety nor Deceit reflected in it, and yet it reflected the world around them.

“What is that thing?” Anxiety asked.

Deceit shrugged his shoulders. He stood up and put a hand to the mirror’s glass. The warmth from the other side drew his hand back, and Deceit stared at his palm for a moment. Anxiety stood at his side, watching for anything suspicious.

“I may or may not have an idea of what it is,” Deceit mumbled. He turned his head to Anxiety. “You do have control of the Imagination somewhat you said, right?”

Anxiety nodded his head, and then realization hit him. “You think… I created this?”

“No, it was definitely Creativity.”

Anxiety sighed and put his hand on the glass. The warmth from the other side crept through his bones and embraced him like a warm hug. The glass of the mirror rippled like water as his fingers slipped through the glass, and Anxiety recoiled. Deceit pulled Anxiety back by the shoulders and stared at the mirror.

“Careful, you don’t know what that does,” Deceit mumbled.

Anxiety flexed his fingers. The warm feeling vanished, and the pit in his stomach returned. He wanted to press his entire body into the mirror’s glass. If one touch did that-

A low whistle crescendoed behind them. Deceit threw Anxiety to the right. Anxiety landed in the grass with a light cry, and Deceit held onto his shoulder. An arrow stuck out from Deceit’s shoulder right where Anxiety would’ve been.

Anxiety looked up as Creativity came at them with a sword. He jumped up. Logic perched in a nearby tree with a bow an arrow, and he drew his hand back for another shot. Anxiety took a step back.

“Run,” Deceit ordered.

“Run where?” Anxiety yelled. He materialized a dark shield in time to meet Creativity’s silver blade. The force pushed him backward.

Deceit wrapped his arms around Creativity’s waist and twisted him back. Creativity brought his elbow back and caught Deceit in the ribcage. Deceit nearly dropped the creative side.

“The mirror!” Deceit cried. “It’s your only chance!”

Another arrow sailed toward them. Deceit turned and caught it in Creativity’s dominant arm. Creativity cried out and finally wiggled free.

Anxiety turned. He ran up to the mirror and put his hand on the warm glass. With a push, he shoved himself through. Anxiety’s whole body plunged into fire. All his breath left his body. He squeezed his eyes closed, and he opened his mouth to scream. The ground shifted from underneath him, and his body fell forward.

Soft grass caught him on the other side. The sound of birds tweeting and a sweet smell of roses greeted him. Anxiety pushed himself up on his hands and knees, and he furrowed his brow. His head held a slight ache to it, but he blamed it on his earlier encounter with Morality.

Anxiety looked over his shoulder. Creativity stood on the other side of the mirror, his hands pressed up against the glass. He reared back and tried to cut through it with his sword, but the glass fixed itself upon contact. Logic hastened to Creativity's side and said something, but Anxiety couldn’t hear him.

Anxiety’s eyes fell upon Deceit. His heart sank into his stomach. Deceit’s chest had a large gash through it, and the side struggled to breathe. Anxiety wanted to race through the glass and rescue the only friend he ever had in this world. However, with Logic and Creativity right on the other side, that'd be impossible.

Anxiety glanced up at the top of the mirror. Two gems, one red and one dark blue, glowed at the top. As Anxiety took a step closer to the glass, the violet one lit up as well. He reached up and pulled the glowing rock from its spot.

A wave rippled from where the stone sat. It crossed the mirror like water, and Anxiety put his hand to it. The cold glass greeted him, but his fingers didn’t sink through. Creativity and Logic watched him from the other side like hungry tigers through a zoo’s looking glass. Anxiety put the stone back. It glowed once again, and his fingers created the same ripple as before.

It must’ve been his way through the portal. But, if those other stones were there, why couldn’t Creativity and Logic crossover?

Anxiety took a step back. He watched Creativity and Logic give up. The two sides grabbed Deceit under the shoulders and started to drag him away.

Anxiety backed up and shivered. He was safe here, but at what cost? At worst, this was nothing more than a cage for him to hide in. No one could get in, but if he left, they’d surely kill him. He had no choice but to stay here if he wanted to live. But Deceit would surely pay for his actions. Deceit didn't deserve that. He didn't deserve a cowardly friend like Anxiety, who would rather save himself than someone he loved. He rubbed the warmth back into his arms and sighed.

No matter what he did, he was better off dead than alive.

Chapter 5 ->

#ts fanfiction #sanders sides #virgil sanders #janus sanders #sympathetic deceit #roman sanders #logan sanders #MЯ au #we have to go back kate #saddle up buttercup this one's a ride

191 notes · View notes

vanilla-bean-buttercream · 7 years ago

Text

MIRROR | ЯOЯЯIM: Chapter 3

Parings: N/A Characters: Patton, Roman, Virgil | Morality, Creativity, Logic Chapter warnings: Panic attacks, lying, I think that’s it Word Count: 1968 (apologies it’s so short. Next chapter will be longer c:)

Summary:

Roman and Virgil try to figure out what happened to Patton. It doesn’t go well. Meanwhile, Patton finds out there may be more to Anxiety’s absence than he thought.

<=Chapter 1 | <- Chapter 2

Ao3 Link

“Hey, Virgil!” Roman chirped as he swept into Virgil’s room. “My chemically induced nightmare of a-”

“What?” Virgil grumbled and slid his headphones off his ears.

“I-” Roman paused and cleared his throat. His voice barely spoke above a whisper.

“Wait, what?” Virgil squinted. “I don’t think I heard you right.”

“I need a favor,” Roman repeated.

Virgil blinked back at him and laughed through his nose. He swallowed the nerves rising through his throat. “I’m afraid to ask why.”

“See, it’s-” Roman wrung his hands together. How was he supposed to explain he lost Patton in the Imagination, and now Patton was acting stranger than normal without Virgil flipping out? Roman rubbed the back of his neck. “I may have- see I noticed something- it’s not bad per se, but-”

“Just spit it out, Roman.”

“Could you check on Patton for me?” Roman rushed his words together.

Virgil blinked and creased his brow. “What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Roman defended with his hands raised in surrender. He pursed his lips. Yeah, he didn’t do anything alright. “Look, I noticed he was acting a bit strange after we came out of the Imagination, and he won’t tell me what’s wrong. So I was wondering if you would maybe talk to him? You are best friends, after all, right?”

Virgil sighed through his nose and looked Roman up and down. He slid his headphones off of his neck and set them on the nightstand.

“If you hurt him, you’re dead,” Virgil grumbled.

Roman pulled his lips into a tight line, mocked a smile, and watched Virgil leave his room. The creative side blew a heavy breath through his lips. Hopefully, he was over exaggerating everything. Hopefully, there was nothing actually wrong with Patton. Hopefully, Virgil wouldn’t kill him if there was.

Virgil knocked on Patton’s door and put his hands in his pockets. He waited a moment before calling through, “Patton, you in here?”

The other side of the door concealed no noise. Virgil counted to three before knocking again, and again, silence greeted him.

Maybe Patton was asleep. Virgil pressed his ear to the door and listened. No snoring came from the other side, which would be unusual if Patton fell asleep. Was he ignoring him? No, that was even more unusual.

“Look, Roman thought you were acting weird, so he sent me-”

The door swung open, and Virgil jumped out of his skin. Morality’s eyes stared straight at him- no straight through him- and Virgil held his breath.

“Yes, I’m here,” Morality spoke. He pulled on a smile.

Virgil opened his mouth to speak, but all that escaped was a small squeak. His throat ran dry, and his stomach threatened to spill. He snapped his jaw shut and swallowed the bile rising through his throat.

Morality’s brows twisted together as his smile tilted to the side. “You okay there? You look like you’re going to be sick.”

“I-” Virgil cleared his throat. “Hey, Pat.”

Morality rose a brow. He watched Virgil shuffle in the doorway. A moment later, Morality’s eyes widened, and he stared at Virgil as if he saw a ghost. It sent hot chills down Virgil’s spine.

“Hello there,” Morality responded. He swallowed, and the smile slipped from his lips. “Is there something I can do for you?”

“No,” Virgil replied. “Nothing at all. Sorry to bother you.”

Morality hummed. His eyes burned into Virgil’s as he closed the door to his room.

Virgil remembered how to breathe. He put a hand on Patton’s doorway to stabilize his shaking body.

That looked like Patton. That sounded like Patton. But every little move, every quick jerk, every fake smile threw Virgil right off. Was Deceit up to something? No, when Deceit mimicked Patton, he was trying too hard to be Patton, and it merely confused Virgil. This upset his stomach and screamed something was wrong, but Virgil couldn’t pin what exactly. It was cold and unnatural.

It was almost as if Patton didn’t care about him anymore.

Virgil’s legs wobbled as he retreated to his room. He opened his door and caught Roman’s eyes. Roman rose to his feet.

“You were right,” Virgil breathed out. “Something is definitely wrong with Patton.”

“What happened?” Roman asked as he approached Virgil.

“Nothing,” Virgil responded. He stole a glance over his shoulder at Patton’s closed door. “That’s the problem.”

Roman creased his brow. Virgil stepped all the way into his room and closed the door.

Virgil asked, “What happened in the Imagination?”

“Nothing unusual.”

“Princey-”

“Well, Patton and I went on a picnic while you and Logan were being… well you, and that was it. No grand adventure, no stolen princess, no invading dragon, nothing. Just a calm and quiet afternoon together.” Roman clasped his fingers together. “But…”

Virgil rose a brow. “But?”

Roman’s teeth grit, and he twisted his fingers together. “There may have been an incident where I lost Patton for a brief period of time-”

“You what?”

“-which isn’t unusual. I lose Patton all the time!” The glare from Virgil burned a hole in Roman’s gut. “I trust the imagination to not hurt him. It truly is my place, and when it comes down to it, I am in total control, and there are rules it has to follow. Not hurting Patton is one of them.”

Virgil pinched the bridge of his nose. “Okay, okay, let’s back up. You lost Patton.” The words stung his throat. “Where did you find him? Was there any strange things that could’ve-”

“There was a mirror.” Roman took in a breath and looked at the floor. His fingers stopped twisting together, and his voice softened. “I’ve never seen it before in the Imagination. It held no reflection- well at least, it didn’t reflect Patton or me- and it was surrounded in thorns like it was locked within the spell of an evil witch. It was gold, well except for these gems at the top, and- Virgil?”

If Virgil’s face wasn’t pale already, it was now. Roman creased his eyebrows and continued, “Virgil, is something wrong?”

Virgil’s breath came out in a harsh pant, and he squeezed his shoulders. His room warped around him, and dark shadows swallowed his feet and spread across the room. Roman backed up and moved his feet to the bed.

“Virgil, what’s wrong?” he asked again.

Virgil’s head snapped up to him, and he fell to his knees. Roman leaped up in an instant and grabbed Virgil by the shoulders. Virgil’s ice cold skin beneath his hoodie froze Roman’s fingers.

“It can’t be,” Virgil’s demonic deep voice whispered.

“It can’t be what?” Roman asked. Virgil’s head snapped up in his direction, and Roman swallowed the nerves in his throat.

Virgil’s mouth opened, and he closed it soon after. Roman recalled all the times Patton held Virgil until he fell out of his attack, or how Logan would talk Virgil through it until he saw it was nothing more than a cognitive distortion. Neither option sounded pleasing to Roman. He instead took Virgil’s face in his hands, forcing the unnaturally dark violet eyes Virgil possessed to look up at him.

“Breathe in with me,” he ordered. Roman took an exaggerated breath in. Virgil hesitated before following suit. Roman held his breath until Virgil finished. He released it and watched Virgil’s bangs blow with the breath from his lips. Virgil mirrored him. They took at least five more breaths in and out until the shadows receded. Virgil’s body trembled under Roman’s hands. “See, that wasn’t so bad?”

Virgil nodded his head. He swallowed thickly and lowered his gaze.

Roman sighed and spoke, “Now, what upset you that bad?”

For a moment, Roman thought Virgil would throw himself back into another attack, but the anxious side merely looked up at him with tired eyes.

“I have to see it.”

“The mirror?”

Virgil nodded his head. “But Logan has to come too. I don’t want to leave him alone.”

“He won’t be alone,” Roman replied with a chuckle. “He’d be with Patton.”

Virgil pursed his lips. He swallowed his dry throat and shook his head from side to side.

“I don’t think that’s Patton.”

= | =

Who is Anxiety?

Patton tried to wrap his mind around those three simple words, said with such a strong emotion from the both of them it made him sick to his stomach. He nearly fell forward on the stairs.

“I…” Patton somehow made it to the bottom of the stairs. At some point, Creativity pulled him into his arms, as if shielding him from his bad thoughts. Logic was at his side, a worried look cast in Creativity’s direction.

At least that felt somewhat normal.

“Perhaps you need some rest,” Creativity spoke. He spun Patton around and pushed him up the stairs toward his room. Patton’s feet almost failed to follow.

“Delusion is a key sign of sleep deprivation,” Logic followed. The three of them stopped at Patton’s- Morality’s- door. Logic twisted the handle open. Creativity lead Patton inside and blew a kiss before closing the door behind him.

The bare gray walls cornered Patton. Morality’s plain white sheeted bed stood neatly made in the corner, and not a single trophy on the shelf held any dust. A basket woven trash can sat beside the bed, and Patton crept over to it. The inside looked like a black hole. Patton’s chest pulled forward like it tried to suck him in, and he jerked backward. He tumbled onto the floor and stared up at his ceiling.

It was even colder here than it was in the living room.

Where were the stuffed animals? Where were the pictures of Thomas’s friends, of his family, of Patton’s family? Why was this place such a barren wasteland? Did this world’s Thomas not hold onto any memories?

Patton stumbled over and picked up one of the trophies. ‘First place: fourth grade science fair’ stared back at him. Beside him presented trophies of every year all the way up until ninth grade. Patton furrowed his brow. Thomas never won any science fairs when he was younger.

Patton moved over to the closet. He pulled back the doors and eyed the clothes stacked on a hanger with not a sleeve out of place. All pastel blue polos stared back at him with pants following after. Patton sucked in a breath. Where was the cat onesie? Where were the cardigans and the Christmas sweater and-

Where was Patton’s personality?

Patton decided he had enough of Morality room and opened his door. He took three steps outside and rubbed his cold arms. Even if it wasn’t his Roman and Logan, any kind of company would be better than the horrors inside Moraitly’s room. The harsh whispers of those below stopped him in his tracks.

“-truly does remember?”

“Impossible. He’s gone.”

“I should’ve never mentioned that mirror. I didn’t think he’d go looking for it.”

“It’s in the past. Logically, we cannot take it back.”

“I know but-” a sigh, “if he finds out-”

“He won’t find out.”

“Logic, he’s Morality. He can get the truth from us any time he wants to.”

“And he has trusted us this far on the topic of Anxiety, yes? As long as we play our cards right, he won’t find out.”

Patton closed his door and leaned up against it.

They knew who Anxiety was. Worse yet, something happened to this world's Anxiety that Morality didn’t know about. Did they hurt Anxiety? Was Morality’s memory being blocked by the two of them?

Patton hugged his arms and rubbed his goosebumps away. He wanted to go home. He wanted to hug Virgil and Logan and Roman and forget this horrible backward place ever existed.

He wanted to forget this world like Morality forgot Anxiety.

Chapter 4 ->

#ts fanfiction #sanders sides #patton sanders #roman sanders #virgil sanders #MЯ au #honestly this was just a set-up chapter #the real fun comes tomorrow

190 notes · View notes

vanilla-bean-buttercream · 7 years ago

Text

MIRROR | ЯOЯЯIM: Chapter 7

Parings: N/A Characters: Patton | Deceit, Creativity, Logic Chapter warnings: Sympathetic Deceit, mentions of torture, blood, injuries, okay this chapter is where the “character death” comes in so you’ve been warned Word Count: 2892

Summary:

With nowhere for Patton to go, the only thing he and Deceit can do on the other side of the mirror is wait.

<=Chapter 1 | <- Chapter 6

Ao3 Link

Back and forth. Back and forth.

Patton pulled his knees to his chest and sighed. How long had it been? He rested his chin on his knees and released a shallow breath. He trusted his family. They would return with Morality uninjured- at least hopefully uninjured- and get him back.

Back and forth. Back and forth.

With the way Virgil held him, how Roman rushed up to the mirror like his fists would break it, and how Logan refused to keep himself at a distance like he had in the past, he was sure they’d come back for him. They would.

His eyes darted up to Deceit, who started to walk a hole into the dead grass. Back and forth. Patton stood up from his spot at the mirror. Would Deceit want to be comforted? His Deceit pretended he didn’t want anything to do with the other sides, but Patton knew better. Everyone wanted love, whether they knew it or not.

Deceit stopped his pacing and stared off into the trees. Patton would love to hear what was on the other side’s mind at the moment. He took three cautious steps forward. Two colored eyes settled on him, and Patton cursed his own for landing straight on the scars on Deceit’s face. He imagined how painful that must’ve been. Deceit’s bravery cost him dearly. He also couldn’t help but wonder if there differences between this world’s sides and their own. Did Morality have freckles? Did Creativity bear the old scars over his chest? Did Logic have a birthmark at the back of his hairline?

“What?” Deceit asked and shook Patton from his thoughts.

“I-” Patton started and put on a friendly smile. “I just wanted to know if you’re okay, but I want to pace myself because we’re not exactly…”

“Close?” Deceit asked. Patton folded his hands together.

“I know this Morality isn’t exactly nice-” the snort from Deceit agreed- “so I don’t want to, you know, make you uncomfortable.”

“Patton,” Deceit spoke then rubbed his arms. He looked away as if fighting with himself to reveal the truth.

“Take your time,” Patton spoke.

Deceit’s breath came out in a light laugh, and he stared back into the tree line. “I’m worried.”

“That’s a start,” Patton egged him on. “About what?”

“About Anxi- Virgil,” Deceit corrected himself. The name twisted on his tongue, but if this was the name his friend went by now, he’d honor him and use it. “I always trusted him to be safe in that world. Well, maybe not always, but I had to learn how to accept he might be happier there than he was here. And now, knowing that he could be hurt by Morality, I’m…”

“I’m scared too,” Patton offered. Deceit turned his head back to Patton, and the moral side continued, “I know I won’t ever really meet Morality, but if he’s as horrible as you said he is… I don’t want my family hurt either. We’re just going to have to trust Virgil knows what he’s doing.”

Deceit sighed and nodded his head. He understood Patton’s sentiment. The other side feared for Virgil as well.

“Hey, Deceit,” Patton continued. He waited for Deceit to acknowledge him and changed the subject, “Creativity called you Confidence. Why?”

Deceit blew through his lips. He chuckled before replying, “Because as far as Morality knows, Deceit is dead.”

Patton furrowed his brow. Deceit watched Patton try to fiddle with a missing object around his neck, but they missed and played with Patton’s collar instead. He saw the questions forming in Patton’s mind, but the side was too polite to ask. Deceit smiled.

“I keep myself and a few others hidden from Morality, for our own protection. I mean, my job is literally to deceive people, and Morality makes up a lot of who Thomas is. If he got rid of me, that’d put the other sides he chose to ignore in danger. So, to keep us all safe, I changed my name and lied to make Thomas believe Morality was right, but now… I see I fed more into his cruelty than I would’ve liked.”

Patton listened to his words and smiled. Deceit tilted his head to the side as Patton spoke, “So you’re a hero.”

“Hardly,” Deceit rolled his eyes, “unless you call lying all day being heroic that is.”

“You’re keeping people safe. I mean, you kept Anxiety safe all these years. That’s pretty heroic in my book.”

Deceit chuckled. “I guess whatever helps you sleep at night.”

“I think you’re a hero,” Patton whispered. Deceit blinked, and he shook his head. If he wasn’t the deceitful side already, he would’ve thought Patton was. There was no way someone could be that kind hearted. No one was that good of a person. At least, not in Deceit’s experience.

Patton rose his arms into the air, and Deceit rose a brow. Why were Patton’s hands held out toward him? Was that pose supposed to reassure him or something?

Patton’s gentle voice asked, “Do you need a hug? I might snake your day.”

“A hug?” Deceit repeated. Wait, was that a pun? He snorted through his nose. No one ever asked to give him a hug. Of course, he hugged Anxi- Virgil back in the day, but its sole purpose was to comfort his fri- oh. Patton thought he needed comfort. Deceit shook his head and responded, “No, I’m okay, Patton.”

The hurt look on Patton’s face confused him. Deceit shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he thought. Was this Patton’s way of asking for comfort himself? If he wanted a hug, he should’ve just said so. Deceit paused.

“Would you like one?” he asked.

Patton’s face lit up, and Deceit’s heart reeled. He never saw such a smile of pure bliss that didn’t include him being hurt. However, with how pleasant Patton's warm hug was before, he knew this would be just as nice. Slowly, he crept over to Patton. His arms lifted like lead balloons. Patton closed the distance on them and constricted his chest. Deceit staggered backward. It was a trap! Patton was crushing him! He was-

The warmth that spread from Patton’s own body soaked into his chest. Patton’s hands gripped onto the back of his cape, one cradling the small of Deceit’s back while the other supported his shoulder blades. Deceit could feel Patton’s heart pounding in his chest. Not fast, but with such a vigorous thirst for bringing joy that Deceit couldn’t help but sigh.

It was the most comforting and safe emotion he ever experienced in his life.

Deceit brought his hands up and slithered them across Patton’s chest. The other side melted deeper into his embrace. Cautious not to squeeze too tight, Deceit returned Patton’s hug. The audible sigh of content from Patton’s chest breathed life into Deceit’s heart. He couldn't help but smile. No wonder Virgil held onto Patton with such intensity. Patton was like a warm cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter’s day. With him in his arms, Deceit felt like he could take on the world.

He never wanted to let go.

Deceit lost track of how long they stood joined together at the chest. He acted on memory and stroked the back of Patton’s hair. Anxi- Virgil used to love it. Judging by the shiver of delight Patton emitted, he enjoyed it too.

“Is this okay?” Deceit asked.

“This is perfect,” Patton whispered. “Thank you.”

“Aww, if this isn’t the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen. I might be sick.”

Deceit squeezed Patton a little too tight. He pushed Patton’s face into the crook of his neck and turned his head. Teeth grit, and Deceit scowled at the approaching two sides.

“What do you want?” he hissed.

Creativity clicked his tongue. “Did you honestly think I wouldn’t notice you slipping into the Imagination?”

Logic adjusted his glasses. “You know, I recall Deceit saying he would not reveal the mirror to Morality, and yet here we are.”

The name stiffened Patton. Deceit failed to stop the moral side’s head from popping up with a sharp intake of breath.

Deceit took a hesitant step toward the mirror, pulling Patton with him to safety. The cold, reflective prison denied them from going any further.

“Please,” Patton spoke, but the sharp fury from both Creativity and Logic’s stare- one he never wanted to see on his own Roman and Logan- cut his words off.

“Morality, I can explain everything,” Logic spoke. There was a fear in his eyes, one he hid well but not well enough, that stiffened Patton’s body.

“You mean how you two drove… Anxiety through the mirror?” Patton asked. His words shook the other two sides.

Creativity’s laugh came out nervous. “I don't know how he did it, but he escaped through that mirror. Don’t worry! He’s completely trapped on the other side. No one can get in or out.”

Patton set his jaw. He knew it was a lie, and judging by the swift twitches in Creativity’s confidence stance, he knew he fooled no one.

“Why don’t we go back home where we can discuss this in a civilized manner?” Logic asked. His eyes shifted to Deceit, and Patton’s chest swelled with a protective fury.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Patton growled. His harsh words shook the calm confidence the other two sides held. They looked wary. Patton shouldn’t have gotten that much joy out of striking fear into them.

“Morality-”

“Stop,” Patton snapped. Logan flinched, but his fear melted into confusion. The logical side stared at Patton with a studying glance that made Patton’s skin crawl.

“Please understand,” Creativity begged, his voice holding a quiver to it, “that we did this for your own good.”

“Just like you scarred Deceit’s face for his own good,” Patton shot back. Creativity glanced between the two sides trapped against the mirror, and his jaw clicked closed.

“Since when have you cared about the wellbeing of Deceit?” Logic asked.

“Why shouldn’t I? You hurt him! Family doesn’t hurt each other like that. Deceit has been nothing but nice to me, and I don’t appreciate you hurting him.”

“Patton,” Deceit hissed under his breath, but Patton continued his onslaught of words.

“I don’t understand how you two could be so cruel! You hurt Deceit. You nearly hurt Virgil. If I was here, I would’ve knocked sense into the both of you. I don’t understand how you could behave like this. It’s wrong!”

“You’re not Morality, are you?”

Those five words from Logic stopped Patton dead in his tracks. Deceit’s hold on him increased much like Patton’s heart rate. Creativity’s expression went from wary to shocked to intrigued.

Logic continued, “I should’ve seen the signs sooner. You made Thomas apologize. You didn’t use your influence on us to make us tell the truth. You’re not nearly as intimidating as you usually are. And now, here you are protecting Deceit.”

“So if you’re not Morality, who are you?” Creativity questioned.

Patton held his breath. A quick glance up at Deceit told him to lie, but Patton knew they’d been caught. Logic and Creativity patience wavered as he stared at them. Would telling the truth keep Deceit safe? Would they leave them alone? Logan always said that if he was hurt to seek knowledge, but did it apply here?

“I-” Patton started, but a squeeze from Deceit turned his words into a squeak.

“Maybe it’s part of the imagination messing with you,” Deceit lied. “Maybe this is all just a part of your subconscious trying to scare you. After all, you have to be feeling rather scared about Morality finding out. How can you be sure this is all real?”

Creativity brandished his sword. “Then you wouldn’t mind me killing you here. If you disappear, I'll know you're real.”

“No, don’t!” Patton yelped. He pushed himself away from Deceit. His body shook as he stood in front of him and used his own body as a shield. “You’re right, I’m not Morality.” Deceit hissed his name in his ear. “My name is Patton. I’m from the other side of the mirror.”

Deceit groaned behind him. Logic and Creativity shared a look, and they turned their attention back to Patton.

“How did you cross over?” Creativity asked.

“I… switched places with Morality. I don’t know how he did it, but he pulled me through the mirror and took my place on the other side.”

“Of course,” Logic mumbled. “We couldn’t get through the mirror all those years ago because we had counterparts on the other side.” His expression darkened. “Which means Morality won’t be able to return unless Patton reclaims his place on the other side.”

Creativity’s twisted grin slithered onto his face. “Oh, we can’t have that now, can we?”

Patton started to grasp onto the severity of the situation, and his body started to shake. Deceit’s hand clenched onto his shoulder and grounded him.

“You’re not going to touch him,” Deceit hissed.

“Oh yeah?” Creativity asked and quirked a brow. “Like you’re going to protect him. You barely stood a chance against us the first time we fought.”

“Surely you're tired of Morality pushing us around,” Logic added. “Wouldn't you rather have Patton here? With Morality gone, we could have more control over the mindscape.”

“You mean you two would have more control,” Deceit hissed.

“Now, don't be selfish,” Creativity taunted. “You know we're Thomas's favorite sides. He'd probably ignore you anyway.”

Patton pressed his back into Deceit’s chest. He looked back in the mirror. Hopefully, they could stall until the others got there. Hopefully, this wouldn’t end in a mess. However, Deceit couldn’t go through the mirror. If Patton left, who knew what would happen to him. He couldn’t leave Deceit here knowing that the deceitful side was going to be hurt because of him. He squeezed his eyes shut.

What was the right thing to do?

“Tell you what… Patton, you said your name was?” Logic questioned. Patton set his jaw and nodded. “We shall strike you a deal. I can see you’re torn up about letting your friend get hurt, so why don’t we offer a trade?”

“Don’t you dare,” Deceit hissed.

“You come with us, and I promise you no harm will come to your friend.”

“I-”

“Patton, don’t you dare,” Deceit whispered as he spun Patton around to face him. Fear crept behind those heterochromatic eyes, and Patton wanted to hug all the insecurities out of him. “If you do this, the others won’t be able to take you back. They’ll be trapped with Morality forever. You can’t do that to them because of me.”

“I can buy us time,” Patton replied. “If Virgil crosses over, he’ll find me, and we’ll escape together. You have to trust me.”

“And what if he can’t? What if they can’t hold Morality off long enough to get you back? Or worse, what if Virgil gets hurt trying to bring you back. I’m not worth it.”

Patton brought his hands up to cradle Deceit’s chin. He offered a sad yet kind smile.

“It’s going to be okay.”

“You don’t know that.”

Patton sighed and chewed his lips.

“We’re losing our patience,” Creativity sang behind them, drawing out the “s” and sounding like a cobra ready to strike.

Patton turned on his heel. “You promise not to hurt him?”

“Cross my heart,” Creativity responded and made an “x” over his chest. Patton clenched his hands into fists then released them. The first step took the longest, but he eventually fell into an easy rhythm. The farther he walked from the mirror, the colder his body became.

Logic wrapped an arm around Patton’s shoulders and started to lead him away. “You made a wise choice.”

Patton swallowed the bitterness in his throat.

The three sides journeyed toward the exit of the Imagination. Patton stared down at his feet. His family would find him. His family wouldn't leave him here. He promised them. He promised them not to worry. He promised them he’d return soon. They loved him, and they’d fight to get him back.

He heard footsteps in the grass behind him. Three heads turned in unison. Deceit charged forward. Creativity shifted. A choked gasp, a scream later, and a splatter of crimson followed soon after.

“NO!” Patton cried out. Logic wrapped his arms around Patton’s chest and pulled him backward. Patton struggled, but Logic’s hold held fast.

“Whoops, my arm slipped,” Creativity said with a chuckle. “You really shouldn’t sneak up on someone who has a sword, Deceit.”

“You promised!” Patton screamed. “You promised you wouldn’t hurt him! You promised!”

“Now, now, Morality,” Logic whispered in his ear. “Deceit tried to break your promise. You out of any of us should know how wrong that is.”

Creativity put his foot on Deceit’s chest and pulled the sword from the deceitful side’s stomach, earning a sick sucking sound. He curled his nose as dark blood dripped from the tip of his sword.

“I just polished this,” Creativity whined.

Patton called out Deceit’s name again and again. Creativity pulled him from Logic’s arms and pinned him to his chest. Patton struggled with all he had. He couldn’t let Deceit die there like that. He had to help! He-

A swift pain hit his neck, and Patton’s world shifted into darkness.

Chapter 8 ->

#sanders sides #patton sanders #janus sanders #sympathetic deceit #mЯ au #woops my arm slipped

167 notes · View notes

vanilla-bean-buttercream · 7 years ago

Text

MIRROR | ЯOЯЯIM: Chapter 2

Parings: N/A Characters: Patton, Roman | Morality, Creativity, Logic Chapter warnings: Forced kisses, ends in a pretty bad cliffhanger Word Count: 2302

Summary:

Both Moralities start making decisions in the other's world, and quite frankly, they disturb the other sides.

<-Chapter 1

Ao3 Link

Roman closed the door to the Imagination. He locked it and waved it away with a twist of his wrist. The door wobbled before it disappeared into space.

“Oh, we forgot your flower crowns,” Roman recalled. He moved his wrist to call the door back, but Morality grabbed his wrist. Roman quirked a brow and glanced to his left.

“Leave them,” Morality mumbled. He sighed. “I don’t feel like going back for them.”

“Okay, padre,” Roman replied. He furrowed his brow as Morality lead him by the wrist out of his room. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes,” Morality answered. He continued to pull Roman down the stairs and toward the kitchen. Roman’s mind signaled something was off, but this was Patton, and Patton wouldn’t do anything to hurt any of them. At least, he hoped he wouldn’t.

“If you’re sure,” he mumbled. The two sides entered the kitchen, and Morality started searching through all the cupboards and drawers. “What are you looking for?”

“I’m just looking,” Morality replied. He uncovered a rather sharp knife and examined it, and Roman’s blood ran cold.

“Careful there-”

“I don’t need your constant protection.”

The cold snap froze Roman solid. He shook away his shock and folded his arms over his chest. More like he tried to squeeze his nerves out of his system.

“What’s wrong?” Roman asked. “I don’t understand why-”

“You don’t need to understand,” Morality replied and put the knife back in its spot. He turned to Roman and eyed him over his glasses. “You just need to listen.”

Roman's shock melted into anger. He gripped his arms a little tighter and scowled. Morality rolled his eyes and marched over to him. He leaned forward and placed a kiss to Roman’s lips with such force they would surely bruise. Roman jerked backward. He stilled and stared at a rather unimpressed side.

“You okay?” Morality asked.

“I-” Roman brought his fingertips up to brush his lips. It wasn’t that he didn’t mind Patton kissing him, but it was so forceful and unprepared. “You didn’t… ask.”

“You want me to?” Morality asked. He thought for a moment. “I thought you deserved a kiss for bringing me here.”

“That's fine, but I’m just not used to you doing it without permission,” Roman replied. He watched Morality eye him carefully before walking past him.

“If I feel it’s right, I do it. That shouldn't concern you one bit. I'm always right.” With a huff and a turn of his heel, he marched up the stairs and into his room.

Roman leaned against the wall and replayed today's events. Something must’ve happened in those woods. Roman wondered if the Imagination got to Patton somehow. Why did he take his eyes off him?

Of course, maybe… maybe everything was okay and he was overthinking it. After all, nothing could make it out of the Imagination if it didn’t belong in this world. Well, no, that wasn’t true, but he would know if it escaped the Imagination. It wouldn’t follow the rules of the mindscape.

Roman ran a hand through his hair. Virgil would definitely feel if something was wrong. Perhaps it was time to pay the anxious side a visit.

After all, Virgil was Patton’s best friend.

= | =

Creativity shut the door to the Imagination with a snap of his wrist. It cracked apart and shattered into pieces. Patton flinched and buried his face in Roman’s shirt to shield it. He waited until the sound of raining wood dissipated and chanced a look.

Creativity’s eyes stared straight into his, and Patton resisted the urge to shudder as a grin crossed Creativity’s face.

“Did that scare you?” Creativity asked.

Patton stared at where the door once stood and locked his lips. How was Creativity going to summon a broken door? Was he truly stuck here now? What would happen if he never got home? Patton paused to clear his thoughts.

“A little,” Patton mumbled.

“Fear not,” Creativity spoke, his voice holding a candle to Roman’s bravado, “I told you I would make sure nothing hurts you. I always do.”

Patton’s head moved like a ball on the water. He glanced up and nearly drowned in Creativity’s gaze. Creativity’s eyes circled Patton’s face like a shark that smelled blood. He revealed a toothy grin, and Patton’s whole body shivered.

Before Patton could say another word, Creativity strolled out of his room and toward the living room. The stairs lead to the wrong side of the house, and Patton surveyed the living room. The backward spread added to his anxiety. Everything looked out of place despite being exactly where it should be.

“Logic, we’re home,” Creativity called out. Patton’s muscles tensed.

If Creativity felt this different from Roman, what would the other sides be like? Patton caught sight of the logical side on the couch. His body trembled.

His Logan held a loving gaze that looked cold to the untrained eye, but Patton could feel its warmth. His Logan would quirk his lip up into a soft smile, barely noticeable but there, and conveyed his contentment. His Logan would offer a soft greeting, welcoming Patton back home after a hard day and completing the transition from Imagination to Home.

Logic stared straight through them. Logic’s eyebrow raised over pursed lips. Logic hummed before returning to the crossword puzzle on his lap.

Patton’s heart shouldn’t have shattered, but it did.

Creativity sat on the couch. He continued to cradle Patton close to his chest as if holding him hostage. Patton pressed his hand against Creativity’s chest, but he lacked the strength to push out of the creative side’s hold.

“Ro-Creativity,” Patton mumbled, “I can sit in my own chair. You don’t have to hold onto me.”

Creativity looked down at him, and Patton swore his grip grew tighter. However, Creativity’s grip released him seconds later.

Patton gazed into Creativity’s eyes, and he recoiled. Creativity held the same surprised look that Roman did when Patton told him off, but this one held another emotion behind it. Patton sensed fear. Why would Creativity be afraid of him?

“Don’t let your possessiveness get the best of you,” Logic mumbled from his corner of the couch. He scribbled something on the page before humming.

Creativity sent Logic a quirked half smile. “Only if you don’t let your arrogance get the best of you.”

Logic’s head glanced up, but he didn’t look in Creativity’s or Patton’s direction. His half lidded eyes sent an unimpressed glare to the television, and he returned to his work.

Patton should’ve felt comfortable with the bickering between the two, but it felt robotic and foreign like they were going through the motions of a bad tv sitcom.

“Oh!” Creativity spoke and snapped his fingers. “Morality, I nearly forgot. Thomas needed your help earlier… something about a certain someone being upset with Thomas’s absence from their party.”

Patton’s body shivered. “He did what?”

Creativity’s smile faltered. “The party. Joan’s party. It was this Saturday, but we missed it because of our movie marathon, remember?”

Patton’s heart pounded. No, he distinctly remembered going to Joan’s party. He remembered easing Virgil out of at least two anxiety attacks. He remembered Roman putting on a show with Talyn. He remembered Logan reminding Thomas not to drink because he was a designated driver.

“Oh,” Patton mumbled. Creativity rose a brow. Patton blinked and asked, “Now?”

“He said he’d like to see you as soon as possible. You told me to remind you when we got out of the Imagination.”

“Oh,” Patton repeated. He shouldn’t have felt this apprehensive to go see Thomas, but if the other sides were this different, what would Thomas be like? “I should probably go take care of that.”

“Of course,” Logic responded. He closed his book, and for the first time, Patton met his gaze. He had no idea he stepped into a freezer. Patton shivered, and Logic rose a brow.

“I’ll get going then,” Patton responded, and he sank out through the couch.

When he reappeared in Thomas’s room, all the beloved memories, the theater posters, the cards his friends sent for his birthday, the favorite books that lined his tiny bookshelf, the pictures his family and friends took… they were replaced with trophies, books on chemistry, and held little to no pictures. The walls were a dull red color. The wooden floorboards sent chills through Patton’s spine.

“Morality,” Thomas called out from his spot in front of his computer. “I barely heard you there.” He turned around in his swivel chair.

The way Thomas glared at Patton chilled him. His Thomas’s gaze held so much love, but this possessed none at all. His Thomas would smile and say he was happy to see him. With that sneer, Patton was lucky if this Thomas thought higher of him than the gum under his shoe.

Patton swallowed and nodded his head. “You needed me, kiddo?”

Thomas’s eyebrows furrowed for a moment. He looked Patton up and down, and he sighed, “Yeah, I do. Joan won’t get off my back about the party from Saturday. They said that I should’ve been there.”

Yes, you should have, Patton thought.

Thomas continued, “And now they said maybe if I didn’t care about them anymore it was time we stopped being friends.” He rolled his eyes.

Patton’s blood chilled. Joan, not wanting to be Thomas’s friend? And worse, Thomas not caring if Joan wasn’t his friend? The thought flipped Patton’s stomach upside down.

Patton asked, “What did you say to them?”

“I haven’t texted them back yet,” Thomas answered. “You told me to always wait for you before I make any final important decisions.”

“Oh,” was all Patton could muster saying. This was a moral dilemma, and Patton was Morality after all. He sucked in a deep breath. “Well, kiddo, I think it’s time to admit you made a mistake, and it was selfish of you to skip out on Joan’s party.”

Thomas’s brow creased. “It… what?”

“Why didn’t you go?”

“You told me I didn’t have to. We had a movie marathon to finish, and you know how Creativity said he hates visiting friends when he’s in the zone. Besides, I don’t see what the big deal is about just telling Joan off. Logic said I don’t need friends anyway.”

Patton’s heart stopped. He must’ve blanked because Thomas rose from his chair and stood a few steps away from him.

“I- we did?” Patton questioned.

“Yeah, of course,” Thomas replied. He suddenly looked nervous, as if he just realized he did the wrong thing. Good, Patton thought for a moment.

“Joan is your best friend, right?” Patton said.

“Well, yeah, I guess so.”

“So you should want to spend time with them when they need you, right?”

“But you said-”

“Please, forget what I said for a minute, okay?” Patton watched Thomas flinch at his gentle words. He tried to ignore the recoil. “You need to apologize to Joan and tell them you’ll do better next time.” Thomas rubbed the back of his neck and studied the floor. Patton’s eyebrows furrowed, and he shuffled to catch Thomas’s conflicted gaze. “Kiddo?”

“I’ve never apologized before. You always said it made us look weaker,” Thomas responded.

The words slapped Patton in the face. Never apologized? Who was this? What kind of twisted morality-

“I’ll help you,” Patton replied with a gentle smile. He picked up Thomas’s phone and opened Joan’s messages. Resisting the urge to read what Thomas had written before, he handed the cell phone over to Thomas.

Thomas eyed Patton carefully before he took the phone in his hand. He readied his thumbs over the keyboard, and Patton noticed the slight tremble in his wrists. Patton put a comforting hand on Thomas’s arm.

“It was wrong to stay home,” Patton informed, “and I shouldn’t have missed your party. If there’s anything I can do to make it up to you, let me know. I do care about you, Joan. I’m sorry.”

Thomas tapped in the words. He sent Patton an apprehensive glance from the corner of his eye, and Patton gave a nod. Thomas hit send.

“There, that wasn’t so hard,” Patton spoke.

Thomas breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “You really think that was the right thing to do?”

“I know it was,” Patton replied.

Thomas’s lips quirked up in the corner. “Thanks, Morality.”

“Always glad to help,” Patton patted Thomas twice on the shoulder before he sank through the floor.

When he rose up in the mind palace, both Logic and Creativity stared at him like he sprouted a second head. Patton’s skin crawled.

“You apologized,” Logic spoke.

“Yes,” Patton drew out. “It was the right thing to do.”

The answer closed both their mouths.

“Of course,” Creativity spoke. “You’re always right.”

“If you think that was the right course of action, we will support it,” Logic added.

Patton should’ve felt a swell of pride in his chest. Patton shouldn’t be weirded out by the other two sides complying with his ideas. Patton shouldn’t have forced a smile on his lips.

But they were afraid of him, and it frightened him.

Patton started up the stairs. If there was anyone who knew fear better than him, it was Virgil. He had to find… Anxiety… and talk to him. Patton rounded the top of the stairs and froze. He put his hand on the wall. The smooth surface slid under his fingertips, and Patton swallowed the nerves rising through his throat.

“Creativity, Logic,” Patton called out. He tried to keep the tremor out of his voice. “Where is Anxiety?”

The bottom of the stairs held a chilling silence. Patton descended a few steps. He peeked under the ceiling. The other two sides stared at him with such intensity it made his head spin.

“Who is Anxiety?”

Chapter 3 ->

#ts fanfiction #sanders sides #roman sanders #patton sanders #MЯ au #well that happened

179 notes · View notes