#loceit fanfic

[reseaseo]

Nothing Out of the Ordinary

Pairing: Romantic Loceit (Janus x Logan)

Summary: The thing about Logan is that he is always prepared. He doesn’t “like” to be, he doesn’t “prefer” to be—he just is.

Which is why, at around 1:20 on a Thursday afternoon in August, Logan doesn’t find it at all strange to remain so calm when three masked men enter the doors to rob the bank.

Notes: A late gift to Rin (@rollthewhatever). They asked for a Loceit fic with “Catch Me If You Can” vibes. I failed miserably. So I wrote this instead.

READ: https://archiveofourown.org/works/54898975

[fantasticfangirl21]

*materializes into existence*

Hey :D

You said you wanted to write for funzies, so I had a lil idea to share.

Intruloceit in the ever-classic "one is overworking, so the other two coax them into self-care and sleep" trope.

Just a thought.

Have fun :D

Okay, bet, here we go my dude I was actually just about to ask for prompts because Im in a writing mood out of nowhere-

For context, when I write I typically write with the head cannon that Janus has an extra six arms that are invisible to the eye. And with the head cannon that Remus has six tentacles that protrude from his back that he uses to climb around and stick to walls and fun stuff like that. (I also write that Virgil has eight spider legs that also protrude from his back but he's a side character in this one so don't worry about that lol)

WITH ALL OF THIS SAID I BRING TO YOU A FANFIC I WROTE TWO HOURS AT WORK JUST NOW, LOVINGLY ENTITLED:

Always~

It was another night...

Another long night.

But in Logan's defense it has to be. What with the mess of a calendar Thomas has going for the upcoming months SOMEONE has to organize and plan ahead. Roman was pushing him constantly to make new video content, Virgil was stressed about all the events rehearsals and music editing we had to do, Patton was stressed as always for the upcoming holidays.

And don't even get him started on the dark sides... Remus was constantly vying for attention due to Thomas' head being in the mess it was in. With Patton and Virgil on the fritz they made easy targets for his pranks, dreams and ploys on a near daily basis. And Janus- well surprisingly Janus had generally done nothing recently but try to keep Remus as in line as they can... but that didn't mean he wasnt planning something Logan would have to fix later.

Logan grabs the coffee off the side of his desk, pushing his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose before rubbing his temples a bit as he sips his coffee... Its a mess. Its always a mess, always a mess Logan has to manage or clean. Everyone always comes to him and interrupts his work with the issues. Patton complaining about fitting time in for Thomas to try cooking before Thanksgiving and Xmas. Virgil complaining about how many events are on the calendar and asking some can be crossed off or avoided. Roman huffing about us not being able to make new content for two weeks.

Constantly. Getting. On. His. Nerves.

Logan doesn't notice the coffee cup shaking in his grip until some spills over the rim and onto his hand, he winces sharply and puts the mug down with a lengthy sigh before snapping paper towels into existence to clean the desk up. He leans to drop the wadded paper towel into the trashcan and startles slightly at how off his body feels at the sudden movement. He drops it into the trasnchan and shifts back to sitting over the desk, waiting on his equilibrium to balance back out again... how may long nights of planning has it been...?

Only one or two right...? But when's the last time he- made an effort to sleep? Hes joined the sides for lunch and dinner each day, and yes their commentary about the bags under his eyes is annoying, but its not particularly out of the ordinary. Logan tends to focus work more in the night hours. It's the only time the mind palace is actually quiet. Save for Remus' midnight snack runs, Janus' late night baths and Virgils occasional insomniac tendency to need warm milk or tea before bed.

Logan glances at the clock on his monitor.

The ungodly hour of 1 am glares back at him. He rubs his eyes and checks again just to be sure... before waving it off.

It doesn't matter, he was nearly done anyway. He picks his coffee back up and sips it, realizing it wasn't quite as hot as he preferred, his thoughts had taken up too much time it seems. He sighs again annoyed before standing- ignoring the mild difficulty in doing so... and walking to his door, with the intent to make a new pot of coffee.

He heads to the kitchen, again a bit startled by how weak he feels in doing so. But he will rest soon enough, he just has to finish up the hourly scheduling of each day for the next three months. Simple.

He stares blankly at the coffee maker, before taking his mug to the sink to rinse and clean out before the pot is done. With the water running its impossible to hear Janus slink slyly into the kitchen behind him.

"Late night~?"

Logan jumps- nearly dropping the ceramic mug into the sink at the sudden voice in his ear, glasses falling askew as he curses under his breath that he's now having difficulty catching.

"Last I checked coffee wasn't the best thing to help one sleep, but I am a liar so what do I know~"

Logan breathes out, setting the clean cup to the side and turning the water off before rounding to make eye contact with the snake.

"Yes well unlike some of you, I have important work to do, so if you don't mind."

Logan moves to step past Janus but is stopped by one of his annoying invisible arms barred in front of him.

"More important than you?"

Janus' voice drops its teasing lilt with the question, which startles Logan mildly.

"Pardon?"

He asks, a bit confused by the question.

"I asked if the work you were doing was more important than you."

Logans confusion must be even more apparent by the clarification because Janus takes it as a cue to continue.

"You're not taking care of yourself. That much is apparent, your appetite has been getting smaller each meal. The bags under your eyes are much larger day by day. You've been getting quieter at gatherings, which is typically an indicator that you're more irritable and don't want to snip at anyone, or that you don't want to be caught or teased for yawning. Also this coffee machine has logged fourteen hours of use in the last week, and no one else here drinks coffee but Patton, who has one cup each morning, with more sugar then coffee. So try to tell me that you're taking care of yourself, I dare you."

Janus waits, watching Logans reaction carefully, surprise gently easing into his eyes whilst his face stays generally blank. Janus can tell he's caught the wise side off guard, two invisible hands reach past Logan to pick up and dry his coffee mug, before placing it on the kitchen island behind their back. Logan seems at a loss for words, so Janus shifts the arm barring his escape away from the nerd.

"Why don't you head back to your room~ and go change for me. Ill bring you some tea in a few minutes or so."

This time Logan seems to wake from his confusion a bit.

"I can't- I have work to finish."

Logan hates how weak the excuse sounds on his tongue. He knows the sides notice when he is working harder then usual... but typically they all leave him be. The light sides do anyway...

"You're finished working for today. Back to your room." Janus' tone is soft, perhaps softer then he's ever heard it... It feels safe. Comforting for some reason. Just the cadence of his voice makes his eyelids a bit heavier... he nods numbly a little... and slowly starts his walk back to his room, caught in a bit of a daze as he moves down the hall... entering his room- He stops... in the threshold staring puzzled at the state of his room.

It looks nice... his room had been a bit too messy for his liking recently... The bed is made up, his starlight is on, its a projector that mimics the stars patters on his walls. Not only that but his desk is both tidy and his computer is off. His eyebrows pinch in confusion... he could have sworn when he went to the kitchen he left it o-

"POOPY!!"

Logan jumps once more with a rather embarrassing 'eep' noise this time as Remus jumps down from the ceiling and lands in front of him.

"Aweeeeee that was adorablleeeeee do it again!!"

Logan blushes with embarrassment and pushes past the obnoxious side to further himself into the room.

"No I will not be doing it again. You know that no one is allowed in my room with permission Remus. Get out immediately, I need to change."

Remus swings over with a sharp grin and wiggles his eyebrows as he descends the ceiling again dropping in front of Logan as he ruffles the smart sides hair.

"Well now I wanna stay even more~"

He teases with a fiendish grin, tentacles wriggling from his back excitedly at the prospect of seeing Logan change. Logan weirdly finds himself stuck on the fact that Remus ruffled his hair- and he didn't hate it... Logan rolls his eyes irritably, snapping from his stupor and shifts to his closet past the Duke, who stays annoyingly close to him the whole time.

"Do you actually need something? Or are you just here to annoy me now."

Logan grumps, grabbing his clothes from the closet and moving to his bathroom to avoid the dukes prying eyes. Remus attempts to follow into the bathroom, but Logan shuts the door in his face before he can, getting dressed in peace.

"Im here to make sure you're listening to Jannyyyy, because you like to overwork and overwhelm yourself until you can't function anymore."

Logan sighs deeply, lovely he has a babysitter.

"Mm, and who told you that."

Logan asks, knowing who but not wanting to let the duke go silent. Its always scarier when you can't here where Remus' voice is coming from. That's when he gets the element of surprise on you for a jump scare.

"Double Dick Deceit did of course~" Logan cringes as he buttons up his silk pajamas... gross. Though anomalistically accurate, snakes do in face hack two dicks... as gross as it is to know Janus is the same it is interesting that his anatomy is accurate to a- wait focus. Logan freezes slightly, listening for Remus- shit.

"SHIT ON A DICK!"

Remus emerges from the toilet and Logan finds the same annoying noise escapes him as Remus startles him once more. He exhales sharply in frustration as the duke giggles giddily at the sound from Logan. The intelligent side tosses his clothes irritably at Remus' face as he opens the door to leave the bathroom.

"Go back into the sewage where you belong Duke, I don't need a babysitter. I can follow instructions just like anyone else."

He grumbles, making his way back to his laptop, that is before Remus drops down between him and his desk, dripping in... what Logan hopes is clean toilet water.

"No can do~ I was told to stay with you until Snakey gets back!"

Logan can't help but notice how childish Remus is acting. In comparison to his onscreen behavior, or his behavior with the other sides he's being rather... Puppyish.

"Mmm-hmm... Is there a reason you're acting- different?"

Logan asks, apprehensively. Honestly not sure if he wants the answer... perhaps Remus was attempting to lull him into a false sense of security? Or trick him in some way shape or form...? Logan wasn't exactly sure what to expect as Remus' response to the question but what Logan doesn't expect, is Remus' cheeks to pinken and him to look away. Before Logan can inquire further there are two soft knocks on the open doorway, swaying his attention. He turns around to see Janus walking in, tea floating beside him and a container of sugar floating beside it.

"Am I interrupting something~?"

Janus asks playfully, Logan huffs slightly at the notation, missing the way Remus blushes further before ducking back into the bathroom to dry off.

"No. Your babysitter was simply doing his job."

Janus seems amused by the characterization of Remus as he makes his way to bed, patting beside him for Logan to take a seat as well.

"Yesss well, I couldn't exactly trust you not to go back to your work the moment I left now could I."

Logan scoffs a bit amused himself now.

"Trust is a rich word coming from you, Deceit."

Janus hums with a smirk gently shifting an invisible hand to Logans back after he sits down. Janus' smirk softens a bit fonder as Logan falters mildly at the touch, a clear immediate disconnect between his thoughts at the gentle brush of fingers up and down his back. Logans posture starts to slump just barely, before he tries to righten it again, his eyes dipping down a bit as his head tilts forward. A gloved hand catches his chin, brushing under it fondly with a gentle hum as he lifts the logical sides sleepy gaze to his.

"It is isn't it~"

Deceit purrs in response, watching silently as the light side practically crumples at the light positive attention. Though something about the ease of it begins to bother him. Well, rather, has always bothered him. Logans reaction to soft touch, and affirmation is always a drastic one. It's nearly as if he rarely gets affection.

Janus knows that Patton is a touchy person, that much is clear with the cuddles he gives Virgil and the constant hugs and kisses he gives roman. Shamelessly in front of everyone else at that... but strangely enough, since Remus and Janus have been here or perhaps earlier then that, no such soft touch is offered to Logan. Janus had first assumed that it was in private, seeing as Logan was a rather private person and likely didn't want others to see when he was receiving attention. But after some time, something compelled Janus to inquire to Virgil about it.

Virgils response was simple, "Logan doesn't like touch. He makes it clear no one is to be in his personal space or in his room so- why would he be okay with touch...?" And while Virgils response wasn't a mean one or said in a rough way Janus felt wounded by it. Because if this was the case, then Logan has likely been touch starved since entering his existence in the mind palace at all.

A purred hum in front of him snaps Janus from his thoughts... finding that Logan is nearly entirely slumped over in his grasp now. A puddle in his hands... his eyes blissfully shut and his worry lines for once uncreased. Janus chuckles softly before gently shifting Logans head back up, his eyes blink open wearily the soft open ness of them catching the deceitful side off guard. Janus blushes mildly before swallowing it back down and using his multiple arms to adjust Logan into a sitting position against the headboard of the bed. Remus peeks out of the bathroom behind where Logan is sitting now, and beckons Janus quickly. Janus carefully picks up the tea, now cooled a bit more before handing it to Logan.

"Here, sip it carefully, Ill be back in just a moment."

Janus' heart twists at the immediate drop in Logans eyes as he pulls his hand away from bushing over him. The sleepy side obediently sipping at his tea with downcast eyes. Janus heads quickly to join Remus in the restroom, he immediately is met with pleading puppy eyes though and instantly knows he can't fight them.

"Pleaseeee- can we please stay ??? Please he's too tired to remember- and we can be out by morning before he wakes up- I won't do anything sexual I promise!! I just wanna cuddle the nerddd- he looked like a lost little rat when I ruffled his hairrrr-"

Janus hisses quietly with a finger to his mouth, ordering Remus to quiet down some... before sighing softly... mmm. If they stay, there's a chance Logans lack of memory will make him more untrusting of them... If he wakes and they were not only in his room but cuddling him in his bed... he is going to think he was seduced in his sleep and never trust us again. Not that he does currently. But.. Janus' head kept going back to that look. The one in his eyes when he pulled away. A lump forms in Janus' throat and looking into Remus pleading eyes again he knew he couldn't rationalize a way out of this one. Angry at them or not... Logan needed it. He needed the positive attention... more than he knew. Remus could read Janus' expression before the snake could even utter the words of defeat. The octopus lighting up excitedly and buzzing with energy as he was about to bound back into the room. Janus' hand shot out to close line the side before laying down rules.

"No. Sexual advances. No jokes about it in the morning. No secreting slime in your sleep. And absolutely NO loud noises. Anything like that may scare him away and ensure he never trusts us again. Meaning we won't be allowed in his room, nor anywhere near him. Ever. Again."

Remus huffs a little and pouts some...

"Well all that sounds a little over the top dramatic- but as long as we get to cuddle the nerd- I don't care- ill be a good little bitch boy~"

Janus can't stop the small excited smile from spreading on his face, letting his arm down for Remus to reenter the room, surpassingly already following the quiet rule. Janus closes the door to the bathroom and eases into the room behind Remus, Remus goes to the bedroom door and closes it carefully, while Janus makes his way back to Logans side on the bed. The logical side is staring dazedly at the stars on the wall in front of him, sipping at the last bit of the tea in the cup by the time they reenter the room.

Remus moves to the opposite side of the bed and scoots under the covers, Janus shoots him a glare and he stops there, not getting too close to Logan just yet. They don't want to scare him. Surprisingly he doesn't seem to notice, Logan looks completely dazed as he finally manages to fix his eyes on Janus, Janus notices the way those dark grey eyes light ever so slightly at seeing the half snake side again. Janus blushes slightly and takes the cup from Logan as he finishes the tea... Janus shifts Logan carefully with his arms down into the bed, laying down now rather then sitting, and carefully removes the sides glasses for him.

"I hope you don't mind, but Remus and I are going to stay to ensure you rest well. Were not here to babysit, just here to ensure you don't wake up at four am and convince yourself that two hours of sleep is enough."

Janus teases with a playful smile, Logan chuckles a bit, clearly more then a little delirious now that his body is giving out on him. Janus brushes a hand through the sides hair, watching as his pretty eyes nearly immediately fall half open and crossed. Janus finds himself chuckling lightly, before shifting Logan more center on the bed, and nodding at Remus. The green side immediately wraps Logan up in his thick arms, pressing him into the warmth of his body while Janus arranges himself on Logans other side, slipping an arm under Logans neck and draping his other arms over Logans body to gently brush over it. Invisible fingers gently tracing at his neck, chest, hair, down his arms and over his face.

The sleep starved side sinks into the sheets, clearly comforted by the warmth of the two other bodies present. His own hands fumble slightly, looking to find one of Janus' succeeding eventually whilst his other hand comes to rest gently on Remus' arm around him. Only then does he seem comfortable enough to fall asleep. Remus preens at the fact that Logan touched him on purpose and Janus smiles at the joy in the sides gaze. Then, breaking the tranquil silence is a voice, muddled with sleep and fatigue... but also an overwhelming amount of desperation, rarely heard in the sides voice.

"Are you going to stay...?"

Both Remus and Janus are taken aback by that... glancing at each other before down at Logan. His eyes still closed... expression still peaceful... one could think he didn't say a word. Remus leans down first... kissing Logans hair.

"Yeah pocket protector... we're not going anywhere." Then Logan does something the other two have never seen directed towards them... rarely even towards the other sides.

He smiles...

Soft...

Genuine...

Calm...

And completely relieved.

"Goodnight..."

He murmurs afterward... actually seeming to slip off to sleep this time. Janus watches him carefully, before sighing softly... smiling before kissing the sides forehead...

"Sleep well... we will be right here. Always..."

They knew he wouldn't remember this when he awoke. But they didn't mind. If they had to keep reminding Logan they loved him they would.

Always~

[krowfics]

In The Rain (Drabble)

Fandom: Sanders Sides

Ship: loceit for @loceitweek

Plot: Janus has a plan to get his date with Logan to continue

Words: 322

Notes: prompt from here i think? i looked at several and have since closed out of the page :/ - the prompts was: Person A is alone in the rain because they forgot to bring an umbrella, Person B offers to share theirs. Only followed loosely lol

AO3

~~~

“Oh dear, I didn't bring an umbrella.” Janus sighed.

The man who shared the shelter of the coffee shop’s awning with Janus furrowed his brows, "Did you not check the weather?" from anyone else, Janus would assume that was a dig, but from Logan he knew it was genuine confusion.

He offered a wry smile, "It slipped my mind, it was so sunny when I left."

This only seemed to further the man's confusion, "It's been cloudy all day."

"There's nothing to be done, I'll simply have to walk through it."

"There's certainly not nothing to be done, as you say." Logan said and Janus worked to bite back a smile, "Would you like me to call a ride?”

“Oh, no need to bother,” Janus said, waving his hand flippantly, “It’s a short walk.”

He saw Logan's frown deepen out of the corner of his eye. “I'll walk with you then,” he said and Janus let the delighted grin spread across his face.

“Well if you'd be so willing, I certainly wouldn't be opposed.”

Their walk was quiet but it was of peaceful silence, Janus took the opportunity to simply enjoy the other’s company even after their coffee date had ended. Logan was quite the gentleman, always making sure to keep the umbrella between them more so over Janus’ head so that he did not get a drop on him.

They slowed to a stop in front of Janus’ apartment complex, and Janus, ever the gentleman himself, made an offer. “Would you like to come in? At least until the rain lightens?”

Logan was quiet for a moment, contemplative. “You didn’t bring an umbrella on purpose.” He said, suddenly.

Janus only smiled, “Is that a no?”

Logan shook his head, now giving a small smile himself, “Hardly.” 

Janus turned to head to the building, not doubting for a moment that the umbrella would stay over his head as Logan followed him in.

~~~

tag @flowercrownsandtrauma hiya :3

i had to rub the two halves of my last remaining brain cell together to proofread this there are no thoughts left in my head uwu

[tsspromptmonth]

I left it to chance and submit this order in the hopes of finding a secret menu item.

I'd like to order a small aromatic tea (omegaverse) roommates story? Barista's choice for syrups relationships, but I think I'm developing an allergy to cherry/cranberry, so please avoid that combination.

I mean… why not, right?

Comments are from No Fighting Morality by @etherealseashores archiveofourown.org/works/59909494 Imagi-cation Getaway by @fandombead archiveofourown.org/works/54657994 Safe and Sound by @starsingingauthor archiveofourown.org/chapters/37086912

Order Up!

Not All That I Am by @typically-untypical

[dragonjanusisthebestjanus]

The Two Princes, Part 1

Pairing: Janus x Logan x Remus (Intruloceit)

Twin princes Roman and Remus meet The Dragonlord

Trigger warnings: Fire, depictions of violence, Remus being Remus.

Read it on ao3 here!

Taglist: @prince-rowan-of-the-forest @sleepy-nova-tea

“Bet your horse can’t trot as fast as mine!”

Roman chuckled as his brother took off. 

“When will he learn, Desponia? You’re much faster than your brother,” Roman snapped at the horse's regions. “And so am I!” 

He took off after his brother with a hyah! Desponia trotted as fast as she could, easily following Remus and Airon’s tracks. He soon caught up with his brother, who smirked at him.

“Bet your horse can’t jump as high as mine!” 

“What? The only thing to jump around here is- Remus!”  

Remus smiled and took off for the ravine.

“By the gods. He’s going to kill himself one day.” Roman muttered. 

He cantered after his brother, trying to conserve Desponia’s energy. They were on a three day hunting trip after all. By the time he made it to the ravine, Remus was already on the other side. 

“Come on Ro-bro! I’ve got something to show you!”

Roman chuckled. “Ready, Desponia?”

The horse whinnied in response. Roman backtracked a few steps, and with a bounding leap he and Desponia cleared the ravine. 

“Ha! Remus, you should really know by now, anything you can do, I can do better!” 

“Even hunting a dragon?” 

“Of course! Of course! One would have to leave The Dragonlands, though. And that hasn’t happened in over a thousand years!” 

Remus smirked and dismounted his horse, Airon. Roman followed suit, and followed Remus a few steps into the forest. 

“Explain that, then.” 

Roman couldn’t believe what Remus was pointing to. It was indeed a large footprint, with three toes and three claws protruding from it. Could it be? Could a dragon be in Roman and Remus’s kingdom? 

“It can’t be.”

Remus smiled and shrugged. “Only one way to find out.” 

Roman nodded in agreement. The two princes returned to their horses, gathered their weapons, and slowly followed the tracks. The pair moved in sync, as they had so many times before. The Princes were experienced hunters, having trained since they were young. 

Their Aunt Patty demanded it be so. 

Roman and Remus’s parents were killed when they were very young. A group of assassins snuck into the castle on the eve of their fifth birthday. Their parents had thrown them a grand ball. Remus was sneaking around the castle, trying to avoid a punishment from their governess. Roman had been dancing with his mother in the ballroom. 

His mother must’ve heard the pistol cock. He remembered her messing up the dance, putting herself in front of the assassin. The coward shot her in the back, causing her to fall on to Roman. 

“Messalina!” Their father attempted to run to her aid, when another shot rang out, killing him as well. 

Roman had clung to his mother as the ballroom erupted into chaos. He kept his eyes closed as people ran into him as they tried to escape. 

“Mother? Mother, please wake up,” he begged. He knew she would know what to do. “Mother?” 

Remus was wandering the halls, laughing as ‘Nanny Red’ chased him. 

“Remus Capet! Your parents are waiting for you! You come put on your formal wear this instant!” 

“No! I won’t and you can’t make me!”

Remus wishes he had. Then maybe he could’ve said goodbye. 

He rapidly turned a corner and ran into a mage wearing a dark robe.

“Hey! Watch where you’re going Mister!” 

The Mage chuckled. “Prince Remus, I presume?” 

“What’s it to ya?” 

The Mage started an incantation, and threw a blue glow in Remus's direction. Remus jumped out of the way, laughing.

“Ha ha ha! Can’t catch me! Can’t catch me!” The Prince avoided every spell the mage threw at him, before finally running off and hiding in a cupboard. 

That’s where ‘Nanny Red’ found him hours later, after the entire staff had searched the castle high and low for him. And with the assassins in the wind, they had all feared the worst. 

“What? What could I possibly have done this time?” Remus asked.

‘Nanny Red’ dragged him into his room, where he was met with a crying Roman.

“Ro-bro?” 

“Re-Re!” 

Roman had enveloped him in the tightest hug. They were locked in their room until the next night, when their Aunt Patty came to be their guardian and regent until they came of age. 

A day that was quickly approaching. 

“The tracks end a few feet away,” Remus whispered. 

Roman nodded in response. He started to walk towards the end of the trail until he heard a CRACK! 

The Princes stopped. 

CRACK! 

Roman pointed to their right, and Remus nodded. They slowly headed towards the noise, readying their weapons, when a loud roar echoed throughout the forest.

“WHO DARES ATTACK A DRAGON'S MATE!?!?” 

Roman had enough foresight to grab his shield before the fire began. He and Remus hid behind it until the fire stopped.

“Well, guess we found the dragon!” Remus cackled. 

“Janus! You should not have come this far from the cave!” 

A mage with broken glasses, disheveled hair, and torn clothes appeared from the bushes. 

A large, golden dragon landed next to him and nuzzled into his arms.

“I’m sorry my love, but I heard them following you and worried you might’ve been in danger.” 

The mage chuckled. “Who, these two? Please! I could take them in my sleep.” 

Roman made a noise of offense. “Excuse me? I am the crown Prince, Roman Capetian of Reston. I have training in all forms of combat. There is no way a scrawny mage like you could ever defeat me.”  

The mage scoffs. “Scrawny? Please. A few months in this wilderness may have affected my body, but my mind is still brilliantly inact, your highness.” The mage whispered an incantation, which sent Remus flying into the air. He landed back next to Roman, laughing and clapping his hands.

“Again! Again!” 

The mage rolled his eyes. “Come, Janus, you should not be this far from the cave.” 

“Not so fast,” Roman pointed his sword at the mage. “Who are you, and why have you brought a dragon into my kingdom?” 

The dragon growled and stepped between the mage and the sword. 

“Janus,”

“Drop the sword, highness.” The dragon spat. 

“Not until you leave.” 

The dragon growled, and Roman drew back his sword.

“Janus!”

The dragon and the prince lunged for each other. The mage quickly cast a spell, causing the two to freeze.

“Whoah, how’d you do that ?” Remus asks.

“M-magic! Now, could you please, please get your brother away from Janus? I can’t hold this spell forever!” 

Remus nodded and pulled the sword from his brother's hands. He took hold of Roman’s chest, and nodded to the mage. He released the spell, causing Roman to thrash in Remus’s arms, and the dragon flew into the trees. 

“Remus! Unhand me this instant!” 

“Sorry Ro-bro, no can do! I wanna find out more about these two hot tamales.” Remus winked at the mage as the dragon flew back to them.

“Logan, what was that for?” He growled. 

The Mage, Logan, scoffed and crossed his arms. “I’d prefer it if we didn’t cause an all out war between Reston and the Dragonlands. Especially in the state we’re in.” 

The dragon huffed and sat down next to Logan. “I suppose.” 

Roman continued to struggle in Remus’s arms. “See? They’re giving up! Let me go!” 

Remus rolled his eyes. “Roman, stop it. They’re clearly not here to cause us harm. Will you please stop?” 

“Never! A true warrior never gives up!” 

Remus gave a slow whistle, and soon their horses came galloping through the woods. The dragon snarled at them, but they remained unphased.

“Logan, would you be so kind as to get into the left saddlebag? There should be some rope in there we can-“

“Remus! How dare you! This is high treason! I’ll have you arrested!” 

Remus rolled his eyes again. “Oh please. You and I both know I commit way more treasonous things than this daily, and you have yet to have me arrested.” 

Logan graciously got the rope and tied an intricate knot around Roman’s wrists. Remus had the horses kneel and sat Roman atop of Desponia. 

“Allow me to introduce us more properly. I am Remus Capet, Prince of Reston. This asshole is Crowned Prince Roman the Idiot. And you two,” Remus took Logan’s hand and kissed it. “Are two of the most beautiful creatures I’ve ever seen.” He offered his hand to Janus, but the dragon either didn’t know what it meant, or had no intention of giving him his hand. Or… claw? Remus wasn’t sure what the proper terminology was. 

The mage and the dragon shared a look. A long look. Finally the mage turned back to Remus. 

“Greetings, your highness. I am Logan Crofter, student at the Le Fey School of Magic. And this is Janus, The Dragonlord.” 

Remus’s eyes widened. “The Dragonlord? As in, ruler of all dragons?” 

The Dragon nods.

“No offense, but what the hell are you doing here? I mean, we’re very happy to have you, but, what the hell are you doing here?”

The dragon looked away from them. Logan sighed. 

“We were attacked. Other dragons got… jealous of Janus and I’s relationship. We were driven out and Janus… Janus was wounded.” 

The dragon growled. 

“Well I’m sorry Janus! But it’s true! You’re injured and there isn’t a damn thing we can do about it because we lost The Fire Ruby!”

Janus growled even louder, then took flight. Logan sat on the ground and put his head in his hands. 

“You ok Lolo?” Remus sat down next to the mage. 

“Please, please don’t call me that.”

Remus nodded. “You alright, Logan?” 

“Janus has been… difficult since his injury. Dragons are proud creatures. He doesn’t want to admit he needs help. I admit it… can be rather difficult. It took me almost failing a class to understand that…”

Remus chuckled. “Well, what if you’re the one who asks for help?” 

“Wh-what?” 

“Well, if Janus is as attached to you as I think he is, if you were to say, come back to the palace with me, wouldn’t he follow you?”

“Perhaps, but,”

“Well then,” Remus stood and offered Logan his hand. “I would like to officially invite you and the dragonlord to the palace. So we can help you, of course.” 

“I…I accept.” 

“Wonderful.” Remus winked as Logan accepted his hand. He helped the mage to his feet and led him over to the kneeling horses. 

“No! Remus! I refuse to have them in my castle! Remus, are you even listening to me? Remus. Remus!” 

…

Janus had begrudgingly come back to the palace with them. He refused Remus’s generous offer to allow Logan to ride with him, and instead insisted on flying the whole way there. 

“Janus, this is ridiculous! You’re wasting an unnecessary amount of energy! Energy you could be preserving to help yourself heal.” 

“You know that that’s impossible.” The Dragonlord growled. 

“Since you refuse to let me try, I refuse to believe it.” 

They made it back to the palace two days later. 

“Your highnesses! Is everything alright? You weren’t expected back for- holy heracles! Is that a dragon?” 

Several guards raised their weapons towards Janus, causing him to become startled. He hurried to stretch out his body, allowing himself to look bigger than he was. 

“Ah! Janus!”

In his haste, Janus threw Logan off of his back. Remus leapt off of his horse, somersaulted, and managed to catch Logan in his arms. 

“Oh, um, thank you, Remus.” Logan said. “You ah, you can put me down now.” 

“Ugh, if I have to.” 

“Let me GO!” 

The guards managed to get some nets around Janus’s muzzle, and one began stabbing at his injured leg. 

“No! Don’t hurt him! Please!” Logan tried grabbing at one of the guards, who easily shook him off. 

“Enough! Guards, stop this!” Remus demanded. 

The guards immediately stopped. Logan pushed past them and started pulling the nets off of Janus. 

“Your highness,”

“As long as they’re here, no harm is to come to the mage OR the dragon! They are my official guests. Understood?”

“Yes, your highness.” 

“Good. Do me a favor, deposit his royal asshole-iness to his chambers will you?” Remus handed the horse's reins to a guard, then ushered Logan and Janus past them all. 

“Remus! They cannot stay here! Remus, Remus!!” 

…

Remus opened the doors to an old barn. 

“Nobody uses this place anymore. Not since…”

Not since his parents died. 

“Anyways, you can stay here. Unless you’d prefer a small cramped room in the castle?”

Logan and Janus looked around. 

“No. This will be just fine. Thank you, Remus.” 

…

Remus didn’t hate to admit: Logan cleaned up very nicely. The Mage had been in and out of the castle over the past few days, haggling various things off of servants. Soap, hot water, food, and books just to name a few.

“You know, I can assign a servant to you. Might save you the trouble of having to haggle with everyone.”

The Mage looked up from a book he had been reading. “Oh, um, that would be nice, I suppose. Thank you, Remus.”

Remus’s heart fluttered every time Logan said his name.

Well, his heart and his dick. 

It didn’t bother Remus that The Dragonlord already had a claim on Logan. If anything, that made him even more alluring. I mean, the literal ruler of dragons being your lover and protectorate? Where could Remus sign up for that?

“You know, I think that’s the third time this week I’ve seen you read that book.” Remus says. 

Logan tucked his hair behind his ears and blushed. 

“Yes, well, it’s, it’s the only one I’ve managed to get. I suppose I should return it-”

“Nonsense! If you like it, it’s yours! In fact, follow me! There’s something I should show you!” 

Remus grabbed Logan’s hand and raced through the castle. 

“Remus! How many times have I told you- no running in the castle!” 

“Sorry Aunt Patty!” Remus hollered back. 

“You-you have an Aunt Patty too?” Logan asked. 

“Of course! I think everyone has an Aunt Patty, don’t they?”

Logan didn’t know how to respond. Remus continued running, cutting corners quickly and throwing open doors. Finally, he reached a large set of double doors, where he stopped. 

“Oof. Well, ok, Logan. We’re here.” Remus turned the knob on one of the doors, and let Logan inside. 

“Oh. My. Gods.”

After Remus caught his breath, he followed Logan into the castle library. 

“I-I can’t believe it. I’ve never seen so many books in all of my life!” Logan looked around the room with wonder. 

“Do you like it?” Remus asked.

“It’s…it’s wonderful!” Logan replied. 

“Then it’s yours.” 

“Wh-what?” 

“It’s yours. Nobody ever comes in here. There’s honestly probably more cobwebs than books,”

Logan interrupted him with a kiss. 

“I-I’m sorry. That was inappropriate. I just…no one has ever done something this nice for me. Well, except for Janus, I suppose. But, I mean, he hasn’t done anything like this!”

Remus grinned from ear to ear. “Logan,”

“I…I should go.”

“Logan,”

But the mage turned away, and left his book behind. 

…

That night, Remus woke up with claws against his throat. He opened his eyes, to see bright green ones glaring back at him. 

“How dare you.” 

Remus made a small choking sound, despite Janus’s light grip. He supposed he could scream for the guards, or even grab his morningstar he stashed under the bed. But honestly? Remus wanted to see where this was going. 

“How dare you corrupt my darling Logan? With your… flirtatious jokes and -and your books?” Janus hissed. 

“I’m sorry. I-I didn’t mean to cause you-”

“Well you did! I mean, inviting him here? Giving him that library? Are you trying to steal him away from me?” 

“What? No!”

Remus sat up, causing Janus to let go of his throat. He took in the dragon’s halfling form. He maintained his golden wings and tail, as well as some golden scales across his face. His nails were actually claws, and his bright green eyes were reminiscent of his dragon form. 

He was gorgeous. 

“Then… Are you using him to get to me? Lord some sort of power over me? I’ll have you know it won’t work. I’ll burn this entire castle to the ground before you can harm a single hair on his head!” 

“No! Where the hell are you getting all of these ideas?”

Janus slid back a bit, giving Remus more space to sit up.

“I… I don’t understand. What is your game then, Prince?”

Remus laughed. “Game? There’s no game! I just think Logan’s hot as hell! I wanna blow his back out! And you,” Remus leaned forward and closed the space between them. “You could blow out mine.” 

The dragon blushed. The dragon blushed! It was so cute! Remus couldn’t help but run his fingers over the now pink-tinted scales on Janus’s face. The dragon once again met his eyes, then quickly darted out of Remus’s bed and out the window. Remus huffed and laid back down. 

“Damn it.” 

…

Remus knocked on the barn doors the next morning. 

“Hey can we, can we talk?”

Janus was still in his halfling form. He and Logan were sitting on a large pile of hay, bodies entangled as Logan read a book. 

A new book. From the library. 

“Yes of course, Remus. Come in.” Janus said. 

“I just uh, I just want to apologize for yesterday. I’m sorry if I overstepped. With the library and the uh…” 

He didn’t know what to call what transpired between him and Janus. 

“Anyways, I uh, I wanted to know if there’s some way I can make it up to you? Not in a weird way, I mean. I uh, I should just leave you two alone. I’m sorry. I’ll go,”

Janus shot out of the hay, toppling over Logan. He grabbed Remus’s hand and whispered “don’t”. 

“A little warning next time?” Logan stood up and brushed the hay off of him. 

“I’m sorry darling. I just didn’t want him to walk away.” Janus took Remus’s face in his hands. “While your methods were… questionable, your intentions were… romantic?”

Logan scoffed. “The same could be said of you, Janus.” 

“Yes yes, I suppose. The point is, Logan and I have discussed it. You’re a very powerful ally to have, Remus.” Janus pulled Remus in for a kiss. “And we want you to be with us.” 

Remus didn’t know what to say. 

“Remus? Are you alright?”

Remus pulled Logan into a kiss. 

“I’m wonderful.” 

…

Remus spent the next several days with his new lovers. For once, Roman was happy with them, as they somehow managed to keep Remus away from his usual hijinks. 

“Come on come on come on come on! You have to see the vault! There’s some jewelry down there I cannot wait to-”

“Please, Remus, spare me the details.” Roman sighed. “Besides, this is NOT a pleasure visit, in any sense of the word. It’s our annual budget discussion with Aunt Patty. To section out how we’re going to spend all this gold to better the kingdom? You do realize this, right Remus?” 

Remus didn’t seem to be listening. He was now entranced by Janus’s fully human green eyes. His wings had been too wide to fit down the stars. He held Remus’s hand as they descended down the stairs, pretending his right leg didn’t ache with every step. 

Eventually, they reached the bottom of the long, winding staircase. Roman entered the code to the vault, and they all stepped inside. 

“Oh, oh my.” Janus literally licked his lips at the sight of all the gold. 

“Don’t worry, we don’t keep much of it. We re-distribute it as equally as we can back to every town in the kingdom, so they can spend it on what they need.” Remus said. “We find that the more improvements we make for our people, the more we get in return!”

Janus seemed to be unable to contain himself. “Remus,”

“ I don’t know what you’re thinking, but go for it Jannie!

Janus shifted into a smaller version of his dragon form, then literally dove into the large pile of gold. 

“Ah yes. I suppose this is quite like your horde back home.” Logan says.

The dragon nods and dives back into the gold. 

“Oh! Lolo! There’s a beautiful sapphire necklace around here somewhere. It’s going to look so good on you while you-”

“La la la la! No details Remus!” Roman called. 

“Remus, what, what’s this?”

Logan held up a red gem. Janus stopped and stared at it.

“That? I think it’s a ruby from Frogtown. Hey! Frogtown borders the dragonlands doesn’t it? You can totally have it if you want it, Lolo.” 

Logan nodded and turned to Janus. “Is it-”

Janus nods. “It’s lost its power, but it’s a-”

“Fire Ruby.” The two say in unison. 

“Huh? What’s that?” Remus asks.

“I thought, I thought you had the last one?” 

Janus shook his head. “Apparently not. Give it here.”

Logan tossed Janus the ruby. Janus dove back into the pile of gold, and re-emerged a moment later. He had attached the fire ruby to a golden chain, and was handing it to Remus. 

“This is a Fire Ruby. It is the only thing powerful enough to heal a dragon. I reactivated it with my fire breath, and melted this chain to it.” 

Logan helped Remus fasten the necklace around his neck. 

“I want you to have it, Remus. To keep it safe. Can… Can you do this for me?”

Remus wiped away a few tears and held the necklace in his hands. 

“Yeah, yeah I can do that, Jannie.”

[pas-de-duex]

I Grow Maddened

A sneak peek at a fic I’m working on on my ao3, inspired by this lovely challenge by @sometimes-love-is-enough. I rolled a 3 on my d20 for the prompt: Each sentence is ten words or less.

Read it on ao3 here!

July 12

Dr. Sanders gave me this book to write in.

I think it’s stupid.

July 14

Roman was supposed to come see me today.

He didn’t.

July 15

Janus came and saw me. I like seeing him.

We played uno. It was fun.

I wish he could come more often.

July 19

Roman was supposed to come see me today.

He didn’t.

July 20

The nurses gave me a blue pill today. I told them my pills were supposed to be green. They said Dr. Sanders said to take the blue pill. I don’t want the blue pill. I don’t like the blue pill.

The blue pill lets them in.

July 21

I hate the blue pill. I hate the blue pill. I hate the blue pill. I hate the blue pill-

July 25

They had to put me in the dark place. I haven’t been there in a long time.

Roman was supposed to come see me today.

He didn’t.

July 26

They admitted someone new today. I don’t know his name. I saw him come in. He was wearing a lot of purple. His hair is even purple. I hope they let me out today. I want to ask him why his hair is purple. Was he born that way? Or is it his art?

I miss doing art. I haven’t been allowed to paint in three months. Ever since I drew the monsters and freaked out Patton.

He hasn’t been around me since.

I don’t understand why people don’t like me.

I just want to be myself.

July 27

Janus came and saw me. I like seeing him.

He got very upset with the nurses. He didn’t like that they gave me the blue pill. He said I was supposed to have the green pill. Never the blue pill. Only the green pill.

He said maybe I can leave here soon. I can go and stay with him and Logan. They have a room for me and everything. I asked if I would be allowed to paint. He said of course. Was I not allowed to paint here? I shook my head.

That made him even angrier.

I don’t like it when Janus is angry. Even if he’s not angry at me. I cried a lot. He said he was very sorry.

He’s going to talk to Logan.

July 29

They tried to give me the blue pill again. I refused to take it. Dr. Sanders had to come and talk me into it.

‘It will make you feel better, Remus.’

I told him about the monsters. How they came back last time. The blue pill didn’t help. Only the green pill helped.

‘How about this, Remus? Take the blue pill. Then, I’ll sign off on you returning to art class.’

I… I could go back to art class?

It wasn’t a tough choice. I nodded. I took the cup with the blue pill. I drank the water. I lifted my tongue so he knew I took it.

‘Good job, Remus. You can return to art class tomorrow.’

‘But Roman’s coming tomorrow.’

Dr. Sanders left without saying anything else.

[edupunkn00b]

Morning Tea

Photo by Nashad Abdu via Unsplash. Edited by edupunkn00b.

Rated: G - WC: 941 - CW: none Written for a prompt from TypicallyUntypical, "A very domestic story with less than 30 words of dialogue."

Janus needs a bit of time in the morning to get his words going. Logan knows just what to do.

The early dawn’s light was thin but soft. And entirely too bright against Janus’ eyelids. Groaning, he squeezed them tight against the glare and buried his face deeper under the covers. A soft chuckle near his ear puffed away the bangs from his face, which only exacerbated the problem of the morning light.

“Morning,” came the rough rumble of Logan’s morning voice, warm breath tickling his neck. The bed shifted next to him and the room darkened.

“Morning, love.” More yawn than words, Janus stretched as the pain in his brow eased, eyelids smoothing. He reached blindly for the warmth next to him, his low chuckle triumphant when his fingers grazed Logan’s satiny sleep pants and he tugged him closer.

Logan laughed and gently pried his hands free and threaded their fingers together. “Early start today, darling.” He pulled Janus up to a seat and kissed his pout. “Tea?”

“Hmm,” he hummed and pulled the covers up over his head. There was no way Logan could actually see his nod, but that didn’t seem to matter. It never did.

Janus listened to the soft pad of Logan’s feet against the carpet grow quieter. He waited until the door squeaked open before cracking open his eyes, peering out under the edge of the comforter.

Of course Logan caught him peeking, his grin brighter than the sun now blessedly hidden behind their blackout curtains. Janus could wake up to that smile any day. Groaning again, he stood and reached for Logan’s outstretched hand. “Tea,” Janus grumbled, holding tighter to his hand, the reassuring clink of their wedding rings helping him stand a little taller.

Hand in hand, they walked downstairs, and Logan gave him an encouraging smile when he reached the bottom landing. Janus squeezed his hand a little tighter, not quite able to muster much more than a low grunt.

Still smiling, Logan led him to the soft wraparound bench in the breakfast nook and settled him down with a glancing kiss against his temple. As well as a cup of tea he’d apparently managed to conjure from thin air.

Janus curled over the cup, chilled hands wrapped around the heavy—and gloriously warm—ceramic. Eyes slipping closed, he took a long swig. The tea was perfect. Hot enough to warm his belly and just barely cool enough not to scald. He sipped again and watched, eyes bleary, as Logan cracked three eggs into the pan. They sizzled against the hot pan, almost in time to the They Might Be Giants song Logan hummed as he cooked.

“Glasses?” he asked without looking away from the stovetop.

“Hmph,” Janus shook his head against his forearms. “Not reading,” he countered when Logan responded with one eyebrow raised above his own frames. Janus stared him down until the sizzling pan stole back his attention and Logan returned to his cooking.

The scent of melted cheese and bright, sweet basil filled the air as Logan flipped the omelet. No spatula, of course. Logan just tossed it into the air, catching it just right. Not even an onion fell.

Hiding his smile behind his arms, Janus watched Logan plate the omelet and garnish it with strawberries carved into shiny rosettes. The sun was much higher now, and light poured in from the big bay window. It made Logan’s hair glow, one unkempt lock bouncing with each little nod as he worked. 

The sunlight wasn’t quite bright enough to hide the still-glowing porch light, so Janus stood and flicked the switch next to the backdoor. He was already standing, so he wandered back to the hall and made a note on their shared To Dos board. The timers needed resetting for the end of daylight savings time and he’d be damned if he connected their house system to the network just for that. 

Water rushing from the faucet told him Logan was still busy with their breakfast, so he quickly sketched a heart-eyed smiley face he could later deny adding. Logan’s quiet hum called to him, this time a low version of an old, old Elton John song, and Janus entered the kitchen just in time to see him slipping a deep blue note between the pages of his favorite cookbook.

“Coordinates to Utah?” Janus mumbled in his best Eleventh Doctor as he resumed his seat and picked up his tea.

Logan chuckled and brought over the rest of the tea tray and a plate of fruit and eggs. “Where else?” He set down the tray then stretched to reach the spiral-bound notebook and a pen from the kitchen island. Janus’ pout hurried his movements and he slid close on the bench until they were seated thigh-to-thigh.

Steam spilled out of the omelet when Janus poked at it. While he waited for it to cool, he laid his head on Logan’s shoulder, the flex of his muscles as he wrote more comfortable than Janus would ever let on. He watched Logan finish writing out their plans for the day then fed him a bite of egg before taking some for himself. 

List finished, Logan set down the pen and poured his own tea, then topped off Janus’ cup. Birdsong from the backyard accompanied them as they finished breakfast. As the teapot emptied, Janus’ tank filled, and when they’d finished their last sips, he rolled his neck and smiled at Logan. “Thank you, love,” he said, voice finally at its full strength.

Logan pressed a soft kiss against his lips then stood, reaching for his hand. “You’ll carry me tonight, darling.”

“Always,” Janus murmured, lacing their fingers together with one hand and taking the tray with the other. “Always.”

[rosepetalgold]

the art of saying goodbye

Summary: Remus expects a lot of things from the Queen Anne Victorian house he’s just purchased—a restoration project to occupy his time, some peace and quiet from nosy neighbors, a chance to brag about being a homeowner before his goody two-shoes brother.

What he doesn’t expect is for the property to come with a very real, very curious ghost. But what is he supposed to do, just ignore the spirit? That'd be nothing short of rude, especially considering that the specter's fascination with modern science and penchant for hijacking Remus' technology proves unfairly endearing.

But even as their unlikely friendship grows, so too do the questions swirling in Remus’ mind: Why is Logan still haunting the place he used to live? Who is the mysterious Janus he refuses to talk about? And what will it take for the ghost to finally find peace with the life and the love that were stolen from him so long ago?

Relationships: Platonic Intrulogical, past romantic Loceit, background romantic Prinxiety

Warnings for this chapter: None!

Word Count: 7000

Notes: My fic for this year's @sandersidesbigbang, aka another angsty tale that inexplicably grew out of a single fluffy scene, aka a prime excuse to procrastinate by poring through countless photos of beautiful Queen Anne houses my beloved. I hope you enjoy this ghostie story as much I enjoyed writing it! A big shoutout to my wonderful beta reader @dragonsaphirareads for all their feedback on this fic, and don't miss the amazing art by the incredible @casart and @onthevirgeofdestruction—you can check out their pieces here and here! (Seriously, even if you don't read the fic, go feast your eyes on their work because it is straight-up stunning. Go look, you'll see.)

Read on Ao3 Masterpost

-

start (you’re here!) - next

-

“This place is definitely haunted.”

Remus snorts, giving his brother a friendly sock in the arm.

“Oh come on, Ro, you scared of a few ghosties now? Afraid a floating white sheet is gonna jump out and yell boo?”

Roman doesn’t answer, just eyes the Queen Anne Victorian home in front of them with the amount of trepidation he usually reserved for any time Remus started a sentence with ‘I have an idea.’ The house does give off distinctly spooky vibes, Remus has to admit, what with its boards in desperate need of a new coat of paint and its broken window in the attic, not to mention the porch that looks liable to send someone plummeting to the ground if they take a single wrong step, but what was wrong with any of that? It all just added to the building’s character, and the risk of falling through the veranda was a delightful way to keep visitors on their toes, in his superior opinion.

And besides, he couldn’t turn his nose up at the property’s many flaws when they made it dirt-cheap. He wasn’t exactly a millionaire.

He grabs Roman’s arm, tugging him forward.

“C’mon, there’s some wicked spindlework on the back you gotta check out.”

His brother makes a sound of protest, dragging his feet as Remus hauls him onward.

“Aren’t we going to go inside?”

“Nah, I don’t have the keys yet. Everything’s still pending or whatever.”

Roman shifts his incredulous gaze from the house to Remus.

“You made me come all this way just to look at the outside of a house you haven’t even officially bought yet?”

Why yes, he had. He was such a good brother.

“Don’t act like it’s such a burden to drive twenty minutes out of the way to get here, especially when it means you’re twenty minutes closer to a booty call with Virgil.”

Roman splutters, face flushing a splendidly scandalized shade of crimson, and Remus cackles. That was more like it.

“Now c’mon c’mon c’mon, the sooner you ooh and aah over all my cool house shit, the sooner you can get some of that good di—”

“Don’t even finish that sentence,” Roman interrupts, slapping his hands over his ears, but he doesn’t protest as Remus pulls him around to the back of the house and points out the expansive if overgrown backyard, the plethora of decorative elements adorning the home, the leaded glass windows that have survived well over a century.

“I don’t get it, though,” Roman says as he eyes the tower gracing the corner of the house, something Remus would swear is a hint of jealousy in his gaze. Made sense. He knows for a fact his brother would sell his soul to be Rapunzel. “If this is such a nice place, why has it sat empty for so long?”

“Dunno. The realtor just said it stayed in the family of the guy who built it for a while before changing hands a bunch. Apparently every time it’s been on the market it’s taken ages to find a buyer, but she didn’t really say why no one wanted to live here for too long.” Probably just her trying not to scare him away from what was clearly a substantial restoration project so she wouldn’t lose her commission. Either that or there was some kind of toxic fungus in the walls that had taken over all the previous residents’ brains and turned them into zombies and Remus was about to become its next victim.

What a delightful gamble to find out which one it was.

“Can we please go now before some serial killer comes charging out of this place and we both end up on the news?” Roman asks, already edging back towards the front of the house.

“Sure, if you really want to give up your one shot of having your fifteen minutes of fame in the media,” Remus replies, dancing away with a grin as Roman aims a kick at his shins. “Fine, fine, we’ll go. I wouldn’t want to keep you from a hot date and some—”

Something catches his attention, a flash of movement out of the very corner of his eye, and he pauses mid-stride, doing a double-take at the second-story balcony overlooking the backyard.

Nothing. Not even a curtain blowing in the non-existent breeze.

“What?” Roman questions from where he’s also stopped a few yards ahead of him.

Remus looks a moment longer, searching for anything out of place, but all is still.

“Nothing. Probably just a bat or something. Wouldn’t that be cool as shit, to have bats as roommates? Hey, maybe they have rabies if they’re out in the daytime. Did you know…”

He launches into a spiel of the most gruesome and fascinating facts he knows about the disease, joyfully watching his brother’s face grow increasingly horrified with each one as they make their way back across the yard, and by the time they reach the driveway, the flicker of movement is barely a blip on his mental radar.

Just a trick of his eyes, surely.

It wasn’t like houses could actually be haunted, after all.

---

Home sweet home.

Or home rundown-and-slightly-musty-smelling home, as the case may be, but who was Remus to nitpick?

He fits his shiny new key into the lock and steps inside, letting the door click shut solidly behind him as he pauses just over the threshold, taking a moment to survey the foyer. His foyer now, in his very own home. The sale had been endless offers and counteroffers and a mountain of paperwork so large he’s positive he could have buried himself beneath it and never been seen again, but the place is finally his.

Him, a homeowner. Who’d have thunk it. He’ll be rubbing this in Roman’s apartment-renting face every chance he can get, thank you very much. It’s the least he can do, really.

He unceremoniously deposits the cardboard box in his arms on the floor and wanders further inside, trailing his hand along the smooth wood of the stair banister as he passes. He’s supposed to be meeting some of his friends back at his old place shortly—or now, actually, but that was wholly irrelevant—to start moving all of his worldly possessions into his fancy new abode, but he hadn’t been able to resist the temptation of taking the first load of boxes alone just to have the place to himself for a bit; he could use a few minutes to enjoy the space in peace before it’s filled with Roman and Virgil squabbling about the worst Disney movie heroes or whatever argument they were bound to get into.

Despite its well-worn exterior, the house is in surprisingly good condition inside, he muses as he roams through the empty rooms. There’s clearly extensive work that needs to be done if he wants to restore the place to its Victorian glory, an ambitious undertaking he knows will be neither cheap nor easy, but the bones of the structure are all solid, especially considering how many years it’s stood empty.

He finishes his meandering loop around the first floor and heads up the stairs, the tread of his steps entirely too loud for the pervasive quiet as he continues his exploratory wandering through the second story rooms. He pauses as he reaches what is clearly the master bedroom, surveying the original fireplace, the century-old hardwood, the attached balcony that was just begging to be used to pour water onto his unsuspecting brother’s head. Shit, his new house was cool as fuck.

It’d make the most sense to start hauling his load of boxes here, considering that’s where most of his crap is going to end up eventually, but the longer he hovers in the doorway, the more something feels … off. Just the slightest tingle prickling down his spine, and not the good kind. He steps inside and the temperature drops noticeably, a chill raising the hair on his arms.

“The fuck?” he mutters, raking his gaze over the windows in search of damaged panes letting in a breeze, but everything is intact.

He advances another step on impulse and the pinpricks dancing along his vertebrae only grow stronger, now accompanied by the distinct feeling he’s being watched. He scans the room again, slower this time, but there’s no furniture, no closet, not so much as a nook or cranny for anyone or anything to hide. Even the ceiling is empty when he turns his gaze upwards on the off chance he really does have some bats hanging around that he’s somehow missed on his numerous pre-sale walk-throughs.

Nary a beady eye to be found and still the sensation of being in someone’s sights doesn’t lessen. Not that it’s a threatening feeling, exactly, just distinctly unsettling, like there’s someone behind him no matter how many times he glances over his shoulder and finds nothing but empty air.

But that was crazy. He’d read the final sale documents until his eyes had been about to start bleeding and he’s absolutely positive that the house hadn’t come with any roommates. He’s probably just imagining the feeling, the result of watching one too many horror movies in the last week or his brain making things up in an attempt to liven up the empty space.

His phone buzzes in his pocket, yanking him out of his thoughts, and he rolls his eyes without even looking at the screen, already able to see the text from Roman in his mind’s eye: where you at?? i’m not packing up all your crap for you followed by an absurdly long string of emojis that basically constituted their own Roman-specific hieroglyphic language.

Time to face the moving-day music before Roman got annoyed enough with waiting that he rescinded his promise of free manual labor, then. Any investigations of potential invisible voyeurs would have to wait, no matter how titillating such a prospect sounded when he put it like that.

“You win for now, house,” he says into the quiet as he turns to leave, an edge of coldness still dancing along the goosebumps on his skin. “Keep your secrets. I’ll figure ‘em out eventually.”

---

The afternoon passes in a blur of hauling entirely too many heavy boxes and unwieldy pieces of furniture to the new house, and by the time night settles onto the horizon, Remus is utterly exhausted. He flops back on the couch, too tired to even think about putting his bedframe together, and he’s out in minutes.

He wakes disoriented, mind scrabbling blankly for a moment before the darkness coalesces into the still-unfamiliar contours of his sitting room. He just lies there for a moment, trying to figure out what’s roused him, but all is still. Just his brain deciding to deprive him of some tantalizingly horrifying nightmares, unfortunately—

Tap tap tap.

Remus bolts upright at the unmistakable sound of footsteps on the hardwood upstairs, adrenaline surging in a dizzying rush. There hadn’t been any signs of a squatter all day, and surely he’d remembered to lock the doors so no one could steal all the crap he’d just spent a whole day of his life lugging around. He waits for a moment, holding his breath as silence falls, and just when he’s about to pass the whole thing off as his imagination playing tricks on him, the steps start up again, slow and rhythmic like someone is pacing on the upper level.

Fuck his luck. If someone is secretly living in the attic of his fancy new home, he’s not going to be pleased.

He rolls off the couch and snatches his phone off of one of the plethora of boxes waiting to be unpacked, debating whether to risk turning on the flashlight before deciding for it; he might give away any element of surprise with the beam, but he’s certain to give it away if he starts banging face-first into walls or cracking his skull open falling down the stairs. His eye catches on a glass paperweight on the coffee table, a characteristically pretentious housewarming present from Roman, who apparently thought Remus had so many papers flying about that he needed to corral them with a glorified rock, and he seizes it on a whim.

Makeshift weapon was a much more useful purpose for the thing than its intended function anyways.

He edges around the scattered boxes towards the stairs, careful to keep his steps light and his hand shielding the light from his phone as the footfalls continue overhead, and makes it all the way up the steps without so much as a creak to give him away.

Flawless. He knew all those times sneaking up behind Roman to scare the shit out of him as kids would pay off someday.

He pauses on the landing to triangulate the noise, then creeps down the hall towards the footsteps as the sound grows even more distinct. The master bedroom again? What the actual fuck was going on with that room? Had he really managed to miss someone in there when he’d investigated earlier in the day? No, he couldn’t have, but then how had someone managed to get past where he’d been sleeping on the couch? Unless he really did have somebody living in the walls—

A floorboard squeaks underneath his foot, deafeningly loud in the quiet of the night, and the footsteps abruptly stop. Remus swears under his breath. Traitorous piece of wood. Now or never, then.

He lunges forward into the doorway of the master bedroom, raising the paperweight and howling a war cry as he swings his light across the room to reveal—

Nothing. The space is as entirely and utterly empty as it had been that morning.

Well, shit. There went any element of surprise he had left.

He darts back into the hall, racing to search through the rest of the rooms on the upper level one by one, but they’re all just as vacant as the first. He even hauls himself into the attic, bracing himself to be clubbed over the head by whoever is lurking, but with the exception of innumerable shadows billowing away from his flashlight, the space proves equally empty as the rest.

Unease stirs in his gut, creeping in alongside the lingering adrenaline as he makes his way back down the precariously rickety ladder into the main house. Surely there’s no way someone could have gotten past him, not when he would have heard them in the hall or going down the stairs.

And yet, as far as he can tell, besides a few mice tucked away in the attic, there isn’t another living soul in the house.

He stops in the doorway of the master bedroom again, staring inside. He’s positive this is where the footsteps had been emanating from, lack of proof be damned. Something weird was going on with this house.

Good thing Remus had just made the biggest financial commitment of his life to buy it.

Nothing for it now but to hope some elusive, wall-dwelling ax murderer doesn’t give him the chop in his sleep, he supposes, although he has to admit that’d be a badass way to go.

He reluctantly makes his way back downstairs and shoves a pile of boxes at the foot of the stairs to trip any nefarious intruders coming down, then retreats back to the couch, all the while keeping his ears primed for so much as a whisper of sound above him.

But even though it takes him a long time to drift back to sleep, the house around him remains as silent as a grave.

---

The whole thing must have been an impressively lucid dream, Remus decides the next morning. A second investigation in the light of day doesn’t reveal anything out of place: no shoe prints on the floor, no critters, certainly no people. It was probably nothing then, he tries to convince himself, just his overactive imagination needing an outlet after being a bit too jittery from all the excitement of moving.

But he finds himself pausing in the master bedroom again, something drawing him back to the space. First the chill and the strange feeling of being watched, then the mysterious footsteps? Two separate coincidences, or something more?

God, he sounded about as paranoid as Virgil. Next thing he knew he was going to be inventing his very own conspiracy theory to explain a few bumps in the night.

It really was nothing, he tells himself, shaking off any lingering unease as he tromps back down the stairs. If he starts jumping at every little noise in his old-as-shit house, he’ll be long dead before he gets the property restored. If he starts seeing glowing red eyes in the dark, he’ll start to worry. Until then, he has a mountain of boxes to unpack.

Unfortunately, said mountain does not pull a Beauty and the Beast and begin unpacking itself, leaving Remus to spend a dreadfully dull afternoon doing it instead, only the allure of building a fort out of all the empty boxes keeping him from living out of cardboard for the rest of his life.

By the time he’s finally finished unboxing most of the downstairs and getting the tv and wifi set up, most of the day has passed him by, afternoon sunlight splaying golden fingers across the hardwood.

Break time, then. He’s earned it, if he does say so himself.

He collapses onto the couch, flipping on the tv and surfing through the channels until he finds a rerun of some low-budget horror film from the eighties. Perfect. Nothing like a bit of mindless tv to rot his brain just that much more. Settling back more comfortably into the cushions, he pops open the bag of chips he’s snagged from the kitchen and pulls out his phone, beginning to scroll through his notifications.

Modern multitasking at its finest, truly.

But he’s barely a minute into atrophying his mind via social media before the tv starts flickering, volume dropping precipitously before ratcheting back up, the picture jumping to the weather channel, then a British cooking show, then the news with Spanish subtitles flashing in and out at the bottom of the screen.

Remus freezes with a chip halfway to his mouth, staring at the remote where it’s very definitely out of his reach on the coffee table, all by its lonesome. He’s no expert, but he’s pretty sure technology was not, in fact, supposed to suddenly start functioning by itself without any human input. Was his new house secretly sitting over some freaky radioactive waste? That would certainly explain why no one had wanted to buy it. Or was this some EMP disaster? Had someone decided to take out the whole country’s power grid, starting with Remus’ shitty tv?

He sits up, reaching for the rogue remote, only to pause as a chill moves over him, then past him like it’s heading for the tv, and the screen crackles, static beginning to fuzz both the video and the audio as the picture continues to leap wildly between programs.

Fuck the remote, then. Whatever freak accident has descended upon his living room, it’s time to go straight to the source.

Abandoning his snack, he stands, striding to the outlet and yanking the plug out of the wall. Silence falls immediately, the screen fading to black, but there still lingers a noticeable chill in the air, cold energy palpable against his skin and all too reminiscent of the feeling he remembers from being in the master bedroom.

“What the hell,” he mutters under his breath, casting his gaze around the room. Empty, just as upstairs had been the last three times he’d checked. He takes a step backwards, then another, and the strange chill decreases. On a whim, he pulls out his phone, scrolling through several apps without even paying attention to them, and sure enough, the hair on his arms raises as the temperature falls again, that sparking feeling of energy growing more intense as his phone begins to flicker on its own.

“What the actual hell,” he whispers again. Roman can’t have been right—this place can’t actually be haunted. There’s absolutely no way there’s a real, live—or dead, technically, he supposes—ghost in his living room right now playing fuck-up-the-electronics.

But if there is…

“Hello?” he calls, and the flickering abruptly stops, chill retreating once more. Shit. One word in and apparently Remus has already fucked things up. “Hello?” he tries again. Did this maybe-possible-potential ghostie even speak English? “I’m Remus,” he says, feeling more than a little crazy for introducing himself to his empty living room. If Roman ever knew of this, he’d die laughing and then Remus really would have a ghost haunting his ass.

He wracks his brain for something to say. If he were a ghost and a stranger started moving all of their shit into his home, what would he want to hear from them?

“Um, cool house you have here. I’m not gonna like, fuck it up or anything.”

Silence.

“I’m planning on restoring it bit by bit as I have money so if you could tell me the original paint color or wallpaper patterns, that’d be dope.”

Still nothing. Apparently the ghost is not amused. Time for a different tactic, then.

“What’s your name?”

Not even a cricket chirping. Jesus fucking christ, Remus is really blowing this.

“That’s the tv—the television,” he explains, gesturing towards the device that had seemingly either fascinated or enraged his new housemate, he can’t quite tell which. “It works by… well, I don’t really know how it works. Something with waves and frequencies or some shit? But you can watch recordings, people acting or baking or doing dumb reality dating shows or whatever, so if there’s something that you wanna see…”

He trails off, surreptitiously scanning the room for any ethereal presences, but the house is quiet, the ghostly feeling fading bit by bit. Great. An actual paranormal experience and he’s gone and shoved his foot so far in his mouth he can practically feel his toes wiggling in his small intestine.

“Alright, that’s cool, no worries. Just lemme know if you change your mind.”

He waits a moment more, hoping for a disembodied voice to speak or an object to start moving on its own or his body to suddenly become possessed, but there’s nothing. Snagging his leather jacket off the back of the couch, he beelines for the door, forcing himself not to run as excitement begins to grow with every step, bubbling up around his bones. He has a ghost. A ghost, an actual fucking ghost, and he hadn’t even had to pay extra for it. No way he’s not going to take advantage of the universe handing him the sickest housewarming present in the world, never mind the fact that he might end up a walking meat suit for the spirit.

He pauses as he reaches the edge of the yard, then thinks better of it and pivots, heading for his car instead. Who knew how far ghost range was, and he doesn’t want his new roomie overhearing. He’s practically vibrating with energy as he makes his way down the long, winding drive, and he only makes it a few miles down the road before he’s pulling over onto the shoulder, hopefully well out of spirit range.

His first call rings through to voicemail, but Remus doesn’t bother leaving a message, just hangs up and tries again, only to be met with the same result. The third time, though, proves to be the charm.

“What,” the voice on the other end spits, cheerful as ever. “Fuck you, Remus, I’m in the middle of—”

“You’re still into all that weird stuff, right? Like the cryptids and the creepies and the ghouls and ghosties and all that?” Remus interrupts. He can deal with Virgil’s wrath another time—he has information he needs and he needs it pronto.

A pause, so long he’s sure Virgil has hung up on him and he’s going to have to keep calling until the emo answers his question.

“Yeah?” the distrustful reply finally comes, anger blunted by obvious wariness. “Why—”

“I need to pick your brain,” Remus cuts in again. “I’ll be there in twenty.”

---

Plan Contact The Resident Possibly Unfriendly Ghost Who Might Possess Him, or CTRPUGWMPH to be short and snappy about it, is officially a go.

Unfortunately, it isn’t off to a promising start.

Virgil’s knowledge had turned out to be more spirit lore than specifics about how to get a ghost to actually appear, although he’d been infinitely more helpful than Roman, who’d just stared at him and asked if he’d had the house checked for carbon monoxide poisoning. Remus had soundly ignored him and had left Virgil’s apartment with his head swimming with theories about why ghosts haunt particular places and an extensive lecture from Virgil about how to find any potential objects or reasons tying a ghost to the house that might provide a potential talking point to engage said ghost in conversation.

But despite digging into every crack and crevice on the internet, emailing the local historical society, even calling his realtor to ask again about the history of the property, Remus comes up with precious little. The house had originally been built in the 1880s by a local merchant, everyone seems to agree, and had been inherited by his nephew soon after, but beyond that there’s frustratingly scant information available, and he can’t find so much as a whisper about anyone dying in the home. His ghostie could be anyone, then: A Victorian builder who’d taken a tumble, a flapper girl who’d partied a tad too hard, a hapless victim of some modern serial killer who’d taken advantage of the place sitting abandoned for years to do a bit of light murdering. 

With precisely zero context clues as to his new housemate’s identity, then, Remus embraces his remarkable talent of keeping up an entirely one-sided conversation as he works around the house the next few days, rambling about anything and everything related to the property he can think of, hoping something will pique the ghost’s interest. But besides a few more cold spots and flickering screens, the house remains stubbornly quiet. Maybe his ghost just needed a bit of help in communicating, though; drifting around an empty building with no one to talk to for the past god-knew-how-many years can’t have done good things to their incorporeal vocal cords.

Which brings him to Plan B: The infamous Ouija board, favorite tool of grifters and bullshit paranormalists everywhere.

And yet despite the makeshift, very high-budget seance he conducts with the two dollar board and the zero dollar candles he’s lovingly stolen from his brother, there’s once again no reply from beyond the veil besides a chill in the room that somehow radiates disapproval. Apparently his ghost isn’t a fan of pseudoscientific games any more than he is. At least they had standards, whoever they were.

But Remus is a stubborn bastard if he does say so himself, so on to Plan C it is. The used EMF meter he snags off of ebay has definitely seen better days, given the prominent crack across its screen, but the thing had been cheap and still seemed to work, so Remus wasn’t complaining.  Fancy equipment was for fancy people, after all, and of all the things he’s ever been called, he’s positive fancy isn’t one of them. He sets up the device behind the tv, which still seems to intrigue his ghost every time it’s turned on, puts on the first show he can find, and forces himself to walk away. His little trap is set. Now all he has to do is bide his time pretending to busy himself unpacking a box of books in the next room—

He barely has the chance to register the tv screen flickering out of the corner of his eye before an ear-splitting shriek is rending the air, startling him so violently that he promptly drops a hefty tome on his foot.

“Shit,” he breathes, surging back into the living room, but the noise has already stopped just as suddenly as it began, replaced by a frigid chill permeating the room. Maybe he should have thought twice about scaring the resident phantom without first hiding any of his valuables. Hopefully he won’t wake up tomorrow to find his tv shattered. “It won’t hurt you,” he calls, though the EMF meter indicates a distinct lack of any supernatural presences. “It just makes noise to let me know when you’re nearby, yeah? Totally harmless.”

No response, but for once he doesn’t mind, not when there’s excitement dancing white-hot across his nerves. There really is a ghost or spirit or demon or something here, and he hasn’t just been imagining things.

Fuck, this house is single-handedly the coolest thing that’s ever happened to him, even if he does now have to worry about his haunting buddy getting a bit of revenge on him in the middle of the night.

But Remus survives safe and sound into the next day without so much as a supernatural scratch on his skin. Bloody payback didn’t seem like his ghost’s style anyways, not when their favorite activity seemed to be pressing as many buttons as possible on the tv remote at once. Curiosity is still nipping impatiently at his heels though, urging him to explore this latest avenue of potential communication more, so he sets up the EMF meter again, this time in the master bedroom where the spirit seems most inclined to spend time if the continued pacing in the middle of the night is anything to go by.

A brilliant plan, only minorly ruined by the fact that the device is nowhere to be found when he goes searching for it the next morning.

“Are you disappearing things, ghostie?” he asks the empty bedroom. “Gonna zap me into another dimension next?”

 He’s joking, but as his hunt through the house reveals neither hide nor hair of the EMF meter, he can’t help but wonder. Had the ghost really just yeeted the thing into the ether? Or maybe it was right where he’d left it in the middle of the bedroom, but had been turned invisible like the spirit themself? What kind of ghostly superpowers did he even have, if any—

He comes to an abrupt halt as he emerges out the back door onto the porch, a laugh spilling past his lips as he surveys the myriad bits of metal and broken plastic strewn around him. Looks like he’s found his EMF meter. Apparently his ghost wasn’t nearly as endeared to this technology as he was anything with a screen. He glances up to the master bedroom window over his head, shading his eyes from the sun.

“Fair enough,” he calls, still fighting down amusement despite himself, and there’s the faintest shimmer in the air above the balcony, reminiscent of a heat mirage despite the cool morning air. “No more screeching little boxes.”

Left with zero information about his ghost’s identity, a useless Ouija board better repurposed as a doorstop, and the remains of his one piece of official ghost-hunting equipment, Remus concludes his only option is to embark on Plan D. Said plan isn’t so much an strategic approach as it is a wild hail mary to find any way to communicate with his ghost that didn’t involved hurling objects from balconies, as much fun as such an activity was, but then again, Plan D did sound delightfully dirty, so he’ll take the trade-off.

The internet, of course, is the place to turn to for highly questionable ghost advice, and it only takes a single google search to find message boards teeming with it. Half of it is clearly bullshit, he quickly discovers as he trawls through post after useless post, and the other half is baseless theories without any semblance of evidence to back them up, but just as he’s about to call it quits and move on to whatever the hell Plan E is, an old thread catches his eye.

‘Old Ghost Caught By Photography?’ the title reads, and Remus skims through the post, intrigued despite himself at the detailed claims the author had been able to capture the image of a Victorian spirit by using an antique camera and photography methods from the end of the nineteenth century. He pores over the attached images, searching for the slightest hint of photoshop or manipulation, but everything seems legit. And it made sense in some weird, probably illogical way, he supposes, that ghosts might only be spotted by using technology from their day and age—historical continuity in the metaphysical realm or some shit.

It’s the best lead he has after hours of searching, and really, he’s just spent a very hefty chunk of change buying a whole-ass house; what was the harm in dropping a few more dollars on some vintage photography equipment?

Which is precisely how he finds himself crammed into his makeshift darkroom in the tiny closet under the stairs several weeks later, holding his breath as he carefully begins to look through the latest batch of negatives he’s just finished processing. It had taken an obscene amount of research, a healthy dose of trial-and-error, and more than a few failures to figure out the intricacies of the dry plate photography process, but he’d gotten there in the end, even if the most he has to show for it is a few suspicious blurs in a couple of images.

Maybe this whole idea of capturing ghosts in photos was just as bullshit as the others, he muses as he examines yet another empty picture of the dining room, or maybe his ghost wasn’t from the same era as the camera he’d bought. Maybe his ghost simply didn’t want to have his photo taken, or maybe—

His train of thought abruptly derails as he picks up the next plate.

Holy shit. Holy shit.

The image is still a negative, the reversed colors lending a certain eeriness to the picture under the red darkroom lights, but there, right smack in the middle of the photo—a figure. An actual human figure, clear as day, looking right at the camera. Remus whoops, nearly knocking over a vial of chemicals with his elbow as he dances backwards in pure giddiness. Oh fuck yes , there is a ghost haunting the place. His ghost, now that he owns the house. His ghost who is…

He pauses, forcing himself to focus on the figure in the photo even as he feels like he’s about to vibrate right off of his bones with excitement. Spectacles, clean-shaven, dark hair neatly styled. Neat trousers, white shirt, trim waistcoat, and a decidedly fancy ascot, the whole ensemble distinctly old-fashioned. Victorian, then? Or Edwardian? Or some historical reenactor who’d met an untimely demise in costume? And it does seem to be an untimely demise; the man looks to be in his mid- to late-twenties, unless he’d found some ability to look whatever age he wanted in the afterlife.

Regardless, he can’t make himself focus on fashion for long. He has a ghost to talk to. Fighting his way out of the cramped closet, he bounds up the stairs, forcing himself to slow to a respectable jog as he darts into the master bedroom. He stops in the middle of the still-bare room, trying and utterly failing to keep his hopes in check.

“Hello? Ghostie?”

No response.

“Mr. Glasses and White Shirt?” 

His skin prickles, the hair on the back of his neck raising. Aha. There he was. 

“Hey, what’s up?” He turns in a slow circle, searching for any sign of his specter, any flicker of light off a spectacle lens or a flash of a shirtsleeve, but the room is as empty as ever.

“I have a photo if you’d like to see it.” Could ghosts not see themselves in mirrors or was that only vampire lore? And if he couldn’t see his own reflection, did the ghost even remember what he looked like?

He raises the picture, proferring the negative to the vacant room, and holds his breath. Nothing, for several long moments, and then the chill edges closer. Remus bites his lip, barely able to keep himself from bouncing on the balls of his feet at the prospect of a ghost being within arm’s reach.

“I wasn’t trying to be creepy or anything, I just wanted to see if you were real or if I needed to go check myself into a padded room, you know? I’m Remus, if I haven’t said that. What’s your name?”

Several more excruciatingly long moments that Remus is sure has to be the longest span of silence in history, then—

“Hello.”

The voice is thin and slightly hoarse, quiet enough that Remus has to strain to make it out, but it’s as unmistakably real as the form that flickers into existence right in front of his eyes, identical to the man in the photo. He’s distinctly transparent, the edges of him not quite defined, fuzzing out around the edges like the ambient glow of neon signs, but he’s here and he’s real and this is so fucking cool that Remus could keel over right here and now from excitement and join the ghost in wandering around the house for all eternity.

“Holy shit,” he breathes, because if there was ever a time for swearing, by god this is fucking it, and the spirit withdraws slightly, already guarded expression closing in further. “No no no, it’s good,” he rushes to assure him, resisting the urge to reach out and try to touch him. “Good holy shit. Complimentary holy shit.”

The ghost doesn’t seem entirely appeased, but he tilts his head slightly, something like curiosity sparking in his eyes as he evaluates Remus.

“Why are you not frightened of me?” he finally asks, and Remus has to fight back the absurd laugh bubbling up in his chest. He’s being questioned by a century-old ghost in the middle of his haunted home. Life really was delightfully freaky.

“No offense, man, but you’re not exactly terrifying. I mean, I’ve been here what? A solid month? And you haven’t even tried to pluck my eyeballs out or anything.”

Another unreadable pause. Is he just giving the spirit ideas? Were his eyes about to be forcibly unmarried from his skull à la eagles tearing out Prometheus’ liver?

“Do you want me to be afraid of you?” he asks after a further absolutely unbearable five seconds of silence.

“No,” the ghost admits after a moment of clear hesitation, “but previous residents certainly have not appreciated my presence here.”

Remus scoffs. “That’s their problem. Some of us are smarter than that.”

The other man’s head tilt deepens, something akin to puzzlement furrowing his brow, as if he can’t fathom why having a ghost is actually the most badass shit on the face of the planet.

“Can I ask you some questions?” Remus asks, exhilaration still racing along the underside of his skin so intensely that he can barely stand it. “You can ask me whatever you want, too.”

The ghost nods, although he still seems cautious as one hand fiddles absently with his ascot. “I suppose that would be alright.”

Twenty questions with an undead spirit. Remus’ life really was getting better by the minute.

“Did you used to live here?”

“I did, many years ago.”

“Did you own the place?”

“At one point in time, yes. It was truly a beautiful house in its day, and a wonderful place to reside.”

Oh fuck yes. If having an old-timey ghost who can give him historically accurate advice about restoring the house isn’t the coolest fucking thing that’s ever happened to him, he isn’t sure what is. He has half a mind to start grilling him on paint colors and wallpaper prints and the original hardwood, but—

“Did you die here?”

The words are blurting out of his mouth without even bothering to detour through his brain on the way out, burning curiosity eclipsing any thought that perhaps asking about death isn’t exactly acceptable ghost etiquette. He barely has time to register the change in the spirit’s expression, the visceral upset written across his features clear as day, before he’s gone in between one breath and the next, vanishing back into whatever thin air he’d come from and leaving nothing but a biting chill in his wake.

Shit shit shit. He’s finally gotten the ghost to trust him enough to show up and talk and then he’s gone and ruined it within the span of two minutes all because he had all the self-control of a sieve trying to retain water.

“Wait,” he calls, casting about in vain. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry.” Well, apparently his subconscious had, but that hadn’t been his intention. “Please come back. You can ask me as many invasive questions as you like.” Nothing. “You can haunt me for revenge, if you want.” Utter silence. “Are you gonna hurl me off the balcony like my EMF meter?”

There he goes again, giving the specter ideas, although really, being yeeted out of a window by a ghost would be a damn cool end if he does say so himself. He lingers in the room for several long minutes, forcing himself to keep quiet lest he miss the spirit’s hushed voice, but there’s nothing but the faint sound of a bird twittering outside.

“Alright,” he finally relents, disappointment pooling in his stomach as he glances down at the photography plate still in his hand, the negative serving as indisputable evidence that the encounter hadn’t just been a fever dream. He’ll find a way to make things right with the ghost somehow, one way or another. He has to. “Just come spook me if you change your mind.”

-

Taglist (let me know if you’d like to be added or removed!): @darth-does-stuff

[pencilpat]

Sanders Sides: College AU - Part 5

Character sheets | Prologue | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

“Janus. We are going to get coffee, and you are going to tell me about how Roman’s brother is, and you are going to tell me why you have never told me a single true fact about yourself, and then if you would like, I can never see you again aside from this single class."

Logan finally has a talk with Janus. Virgil is noticing some changes to Patton's behavior that are a bit familiar. Janus realizes a heart can't stay closed forever with such insistent knockers on its door.

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Janus is practically dragging herself on her crutches as she tries to make it around the school. Over-the-counter pain killers aren’t cutting it today, and she grumbles under her breath as the crowds begin dispersing quicker, the bell toll nearing. Already wobbling and stumbling, it takes one bit of slippery floor for her foot to come out from under her. Janus falls with a yelp, her backpack only serving to crush her further down. She groans and curses, laying limply on the floor from pain, trying to breathe.

She can’t seem to will her arms to be strong enough to lift herself up, even when trying to pull herself up with her crutches. She lets out a loud sigh in the empty hallway, resting her forehead on the cool floor despite how gross it is. The bell sounds anyway, uncaring of her plight. Footsteps fill the hall after a few long moments, and she grits her teeth, prepared for embarrassment. The footsteps round the corner, and stop. Great.

“Janus?”

Oh. Even better. Someone that knows her. Wonderful. She turns her head and sees Logan, hanging back slightly in the hall.

“The floor is not a very sanitary place to rest,” she says, straight-faced.

“10 minutes later than usual?” Janus drones in a mimic of Lo’s voice. Logan’s face falls into a frown, but not an angry or upset one, it’s something worse; pity. Janus turns her face away again, burning with embarrassment. Logan comes over to her, crouching beside her.

“I was preoccupied this morning,” Lo says in a mumble. “Do you need help getting up?”

Janus so badly wants to turn down the help out of spite, but desperate times and all. “If you could. Thanks.”

Logan hums, and then hefts her up into a sitting position by her shoulders. She grabs her crutches, and sets them up in a standing position. “Are you able to pull yourself up using them?” Janus nods dully, gripping the handles of the crutches and, slowly, with Logan’s help, pulling herself up and back into the support of her mobility aids. She’s panting slightly from weakness.

Logan looks at her, that same sympathetic frown tilting her lips downward. “Will you be okay?” she offers, touching Janus’s shoulder in an oddly warm gesture given how Janus usually knows her. Janus nods, lips pressed together thinly, her brow slightly sweaty. “We will be in less trouble if we are both late. The professor likes me. I will explain your fall. You just sit down.”

And she does, crutching silently through the lecture room and into her usual seat under the watchful gaze of the entire class while Logan pauses up front, murmuring to the paused professor. The professor nods at her, glancing at Janus, and with an even quieter muttering he sends Logan to her seat as well. Logan sits with a sigh, massaging her temples. Janus has her head rested on the table, trying to take the chance to rest. Logan reaches over and takes Janus’s notebook. “I will copy notes for you. Please, just rest.”

Janus can’t meet Logan’s eyes, staring at the dark wood of the desk instead; the genuine pity in her eyes is more physically painful than her physical pain. Nodding, she silently concedes to it. She hides her face in her arms, as though they can hide every ugly, broken part of her if she buries deep enough into her yellow sweater. She breathes out slowly, trying to relax, even if just for a bit before the day full of classes.

She ends up half asleep, and Logan’s tapping of her arm wakes her up to the students clearing out of the room. Logan is standing, half ready to go, looking down at her with that same oddly soft look. “I take it the couchmate has been a… nuisance?”

Janus laughs half-heartedly. “No, it’s actually… actually the opposite. I’ve been more of a nuisance I suppose.” Logan notices how far off and exhausted her voice sounds, frown deepening.

“Janus, do you have any breaks throughout the day?”

Janus blinks a bit dopily, still tired and very much in pain. “Why?”

“If our schedules align at any point, I would like to get coffee with you.”

“Are you hitting on me?” Janus asks flatly.

“What? No. I just want to have coffee together.”

“Why?” she practically hisses, her instincts to shove the closeness away rising up in her throat like bile.

“Because you need someone to talk to-“

“I don’t want to talk to you, Logan. Isn’t getting to chat with me for three minutes before class enough for you? Do you really need to be blessed by my presence that much?” Any hint of playfulness is out of her voice, Janus trying not to clench her teeth around the words.

“Your couchmate is my partner’s brother,” Logan interjects soundly, her face determined. “And his brother would like an update on him.”

Janus just sits there, heat boiling under her skin. Of course. The only hint of a friend she thought might be there was somehow tied to those idiots. Of course, because she’s the most cosmically unlucky bitch out there. She doesn’t respond, picking up her bag and setting herself in her crutches. She doesn’t respond, making her way towards the door as fast as she can.

Suddenly, Logan is in front of her, grabbing at her elbows in the crutches and holding her still. Janus blanches, freezing up and looking up into Logan’s face. They have angers on their faces to match each other, in a battle of who will wither first.

“Coffee. When?”

“I don’t want-“

“Janus. We are going to get coffee, and you are going to tell me about how Roman’s brother is, and you are going to tell me why you have never told me a single true fact about yourself, and then if you would like, I can never see you again aside from this single class. I- I enjoy your presence. You are intelligent, and witty, and very bright, even when you’re literally on the ground. Janus, you are very strong, but I still think you’re holding too much.” Logan’s face softens, and Janus breaks the eye contact, staring hard at the floor. “Stop doing this – whatever this is – alone. Take allies where you can, for fuck’s sake.”

Janus hides her shock at the genuine, panicked tone in Logan’s voice, an actual show of emotion. She gnaws on her lip hard, trying to avoid talking for as long as possible. “Fine,” she breathes out shakily. “Fine. I have a free period at 2:30.”

“I have some time around then,” Logan says, seeming to purposefully soften her voice as though she’s afraid she’s scared Janus. Her hands recede from her crutches, and Logan steps to the side, her outfit and hair slightly more frazzled than usual. “Please go to your next class, and I’ll see you then. Our grade comparisons are still very promising.” Logan begins to walk away, then stops. “I think there is more in common between us than you think.

Janus sighs out a held breath, and exits as swiftly as a girl on crutches can manage.

--

Virgil is buzzing with nervous excitement as Patton drives them down the brief stretch of highway, twirling his hoodie’s drawstrings. He keeps glancing around with a giant smile, eyes constantly shifting.

“We are going to be in so much trouble,” he snickers. Patton shushes him, also giggling.

“It’ll be fine, Virge, I texted the other two that we weren’t meeting up with them for coffee to let them have more time together, and they completely bought it. It’s technically true!”

Virgil laughs. “Where did this spontaneity come from, bluebell?”

“I don’t know, violet!” Patton taps their fingers on the steering wheel, grinning. They pull the car off on an exit, and nearly immediately into the parking lot of a Denny’s. They both exit the car and clasp each other’s hands once they’re at the front, grinning at each other.

“Logan is going to be so mad if she finds out,” Virgil says, a hint of genuine nervousness in his voice. “I don’t know how I feel, lying to her…”

Patton turns to face him, pouting. “Aw, but Virgil, we haven’t had time for a date in so long!” They swing their hands back and forth together softly. “It’s only a few hours of skipped classes, and I got Tammy to copy my teaching classes notes and Rico to handle your engineering notes until we get back – it should be okay.”

Virgil sighs, nodding and sending them a smile. “Okay. Let’s go.”

The host calls a greeting to them as they enter, telling them to sit anywhere. They shuffle into a booth on the same side as each other, Virgil laying his head down on Patton’s shoulder. “This is really risky.”

“How come?”

“I- I don’t know, I just feel like we’ll end up in trouble somehow. You know I hate lying. How I feel about it.”

Patton frowns, turning to him and lifting his chin gently to look at them. “It’s okay, I promise. It’s only a little one just so Lo doesn’t have another panic attack like when Roman skipped that one day last year. I don’t wanna make her any more stressed,” Patton pouts slightly. Virgil looks vaguely uncomfortable for a moment, blinking quickly.

“I trust you,” he mutters, before laying back on their shoulder. Patton rests their head on his, giggling quietly at the feeling of their hair – currently in its natural puffy state and simply held at their shoulders in a ponytail holder and pins - squishing against him.

A waiter comes over to them, and Patton touches Virgil’s hand. “Buy anything you want, okay? I asked Rom to borrow his card.” They turn to the waitress. “What’s the biggest thing of pancakes you can do, ma’am?”

The waitress chuckles. “Only two per the order, but you can get multiple orders.”

“Okay! Three orders of the banana pancake breakfast, please and thank you.”

“And you?”

Virgil startles, rapidly flipping through the menu again while stuttering. “Uh- Cheese fries, and- and the quesadilla. Please.” The waitress nods and smiles at him, walking off after writing it down. Virgil sinks down in his seat, then hides against Patton’s shoulder. “I haaaaate ordering things.”

“Aw, honey…” Patton grabs his cheeks and peppers kisses over his forehead until he’s bright red and batting at them while laughing. Patton grins at him. “I’m really happy we get to go here again. Even if we had to… force in the time for it. I missed just having fun with you.”

Virgil is mostly hiding behind his bangs, but Patton still sees his smile. “Missed it with you too, Pat.”

They end up not even chatting much, just hanging off each other in their seat, occasionally sharing light kisses. When the food comes, Patton thanks the waitress profusely for all six of the pancakes. She lays out multiple syrups, then sets out Virgil’s meal as well.

They both begin digging in immediately, Patton eating fast per usual. “Dang, slow down, you need to let yourself enjoy it,” Virgil comments through bites of his own meal. Patton pauses, dabbing their mouth with a napkin and laughing nervously.

“Sorry!”

“No, it’s okay.” Virgil leans to their ear. “You know I know why you do it – I just want you to focus on fun stuff instead of all that right now. Enjoy it, okay?” Patton gives him a syrupy kiss on the cheek, to which he proclaims, “Gross!” They both dissolve into laughter, and then turn back to their meals.

As Virgil eats, he tries to ignore the nauseous worm of guilt in his stomach that’s not making way for the meal at all. He really, really hates lying, even a harmless one like this. The hand on his chin plus the sugary reassurances were… triggering, he realizes faintly. He leans his chin on one of his palms as he chews, beginning to poke at his food. He hasn’t thought about Janus in a long time, and he prefers it that way. Finding out Remus was staying with her resulted in probably one of the worst anxiety attacks he’s had in a while, even if he never had much faith in Remus in the first place. Though the fear of what lies she could be feeding him right this moment begins making him even more nauseous. She’s a manipulative snake of a person that Virgil had hoped would never be anywhere close to him again, never close enough to lie to him again-

“Virge, you’re panting,” Patton’s voice speaks, drawing him back to the present.

“Huh? Oh, s-sorry. I got a little lost.”

Patton holds his shaking hand softly. “Do your breathing exercises, honey.”

Virgil nods, and complies, breathing in and out in pattern until the world feels slightly clearer. He settles himself, turning his face to lay on their shoulder. “Let’s- let’s not lie like this again. Even if it is really nice to spend time with you. Can you promise?”

Patton nods rapidly. “Of course- I’m really sorry, bug. I didn’t know it would get you that bad.” They lift his face in both hands and rub their foreheads together. “I promise. No more lies if we can help it.”

Virgil calms down a lot at the much more Patton-like show of attention, sighing. He goes back to eating his meal, and from there on it’s only idle chatter as Virgil’s anxiety has worn him out a bit. They pay with Roman’s card and head to the car, heading back into town quickly at Virgil’s request. Virgil curls up at the window, his hood pulled up over his hair as he rests there, hoping that promises can still mean something, even if he has everlasting fears about them.

--

Janus drags herself to the on-campus coffee shop, annoyingly having to fumble with the door in a way that won’t make her fall over. She immediately spots Logan in a corner, who also spots her and begins making her way over.

“Want me to order you anything?”

“I can order on my own-“

“Janus, please. Allow me to assist you, just for today. You are sweating and you look sick with the pain you are in.” Logan looks at her, eyebrows tilted into a genuine, caring look. “Please.”

Janus sighs. Logan really doesn’t leave much choice to others with the way of authority she speaks. “Okay, fine. I just want chai, I’ll go sit across from where you were.”

She nearly collapses in the chair she chooses, leaning her crutches against the side of said chair and setting her forehead in her hand, exhausted. Logan approaches maybe ten minutes later with the tea and a black coffee for herself. Janus doesn’t thank her as she takes it, but it doesn’t feel like Logan was expecting one in the first place.

“So,” she begins. “To begin with, how is Roman’s twin? I feel that is the easiest subject to delve into.”

“He’s fine,” Janus says with a sigh. “He sleeps, he eats, he cooks, he makes stupid jokes. All healthy behavior of a Remus in the wild.”

“As far as I know he is just a human being,” Logan says, seeming to be trying to show genuine reassurance. Janus just kind of silently stares at her, not even sure what to say to that. Logan continues anyways. “If possible, try to ask him to text his brother back. Roman has been extremely worried these past few days.

“Shocking. Roman is a prissy asshole, I don’t care what he has to say or what he has to say to Remus. They need distance for once in their lives.”

“Could you at least provide updates through me?”

Janus waves her hand dismissively, but nods in agreement.

“Then, on to the next question. Janus, why do I not know anything about you? I can… tend to misunderstand relationships, but I did think of us as at least somewhat friends. Is that not true?”

“No, Logan- No, we technically are friends. A little bit. I wouldn’t talk to you and sit beside you every weekday if I didn’t like you, I typically am not that tolerant of annoying people though it may shock you.”

“I enjoy speaking to you as well, as I said you’re very bright and intelligent. You did not explain why you don’t talk about yourself.”

“I don’t enjoy having others that know things about me.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s bothersome.”

“How?”

Janus sighs, a bit frazzled. “Because when people know information about you, they use it against you and or talk about it behind your back. Such as to a group of old buddies that would be very keen on all the hot goss about Janus and her sick little impoverished life.”

Logans sits back slightly, sipping her coffee. She remains silent. Janus does too, until the silence is making her uncomfortable.

“I’m chronically ill. And poor as dirt. And maybe, just maybe, barely able to afford college in the first place. I’ve been supporting myself and doing everything myself since I was 16, I’m used to it.”

“But it’s killing you.”

“Not if I have a say in it.”

“You no longer ‘have a say,’ your body is breaking down further from the amount of stress you are putting yourself under.”

“Figure that out yourself, doctor?”

Logan stares at her hard. “The majority of chronic illnesses are exacerbated by stress. I don’t need a medical license to know that.” Janus stays silent, examining her gloved fingertips. “For whatever it might be worth, I know the others would not use points like those against you in any way,” Logan attempts to reassure.

Janus scoffs. “I don’t know if you know them that well then, Logan.”

“Did Remus?”

Janus hesitates bitterly. “Well, no. But he was always different. He was… always an outcast too, I guess. So, he isn’t a preppy rich kid or a ‘mommy’s favorite traitor.’ Remus gets it in ways the others never did or will.”

“Still, Roman would like to hear about his brother in one way or another. My intention isn’t to mend a long dead friendship or force any of you to see each other. Given how Virgil reacted at just the mention of your name, I don’t think it is salvageable.”

“Oh, how he reacted. Of course, because he’s the one with the right to feel betrayed and hurt by that shit.” Janus tries not to seethe through her teeth so obviously, but it’s difficult. Knowing that Virgil still somehow thinks he’s in the right is threatening to make her bite off someone’s head. He really will just think he’s better than everyone on earth until the day he dies, huh.

Logan sets her already empty mug on the table between them, looking at her with open curiosity. “None of you are ever very specific over what happened in high school. I do not understand the need to act like nothing will have changed about you as people in three or four years.”

“Losing any ounce of faith in a friend tends to include the faith in them to better as a person.”

“Fascinating,” Logan muses. Janus shoots her a weird look, and she stumbles to correct herself. “A-apologies, the intricacies of human relationships are interesting to me. I didn’t mean to-“

“It’s fine, Logan.”

“You may call me ‘Lo’ if you would like,” she says after a pause.

“What, why? What did I do to earn cutesy nickname privileges, I just insulted your friends and was mean to you on purpose.”

Logan shrugs, a slight smile on her lips. “I don’t know. Call me crazy, but I don’t sway particularly to either side, nor do I trust the two groups to asses each other’s character accurately. I still like you, and I see no reason to discontinue the friendship we have.”

Janus hides her face in her tea, taking a long sip to try putting her thoughts together. Logan doesn’t really strike her as even capable of lying, so there’s no reason to think she would be manipulative – it seems like she really just wants updates on Remus and to keep talking to her in the mornings. It’s weird for her, if she’s honest with herself. Logan’s form of genuineness, just like her way of speech, leaves no room to be questioned or argued with. She puts the cup down, licking her lips nervously.

“Alright, Logan. You get your way, hope you’re pleased. I’ll let you know how Remus is every now and then.”

“And will we remain companions?”

“If you talk as little as possible about those two then we can manage.” Janus sighs, glancing at the time on her phone. “My break is almost over,” she lies, technically still having 20 minutes, but too emotionally exhausted to talk about things like this anymore. “See you in class, I suppose.”

Logan stands as well, watching as Janus scrambles her way into her crutches. “I will see you in class. Hopefully we can get coffee every now and then. Or do other things you are interested in, if you prefer. I could see you aren’t a coffee person.”

Janus nods tersely, ready to just get through the rest of the day, somehow. “I really have to go, but we can chat about it tomorrow morning, ‘kay?”

“Alright. Take more pain killers before the school day ends. Bye.”

“…Bye, Lo.”

Janus makes it through the day, and through the drive home, thanks to some miracle. Remus seems to immediately notice how exhausted she looks, but he hesitates to get up and help her, just rocking and staring at her from the sofa bed as she leans her crutches on the wall and sets away her books. She meets his gaze, leaning on the island to support herself. “Hello,” she offers.

“Hi, Jan! You look like absolute shit; do you need anything?”

Janus gestures vaguely. “I don’t know, Remus. I don’t know what I need.”

“How does eggs and some pastries I got at the place next to my work sound, to start with?” He has a wide, slightly wild smile, and she faintly wishes she could match his energy.

“Just to start? What, do you have plans?”

“Ehh maybe something or other! I did bring a PS4 with me, y’know, and even if you’re too hurting to play with me, you can watch while you eat! I’ll cook for you, go sit! Sit!” Remus scuttles around her and into the kitchen, clanging through her pans and starting up a quick batch of eggs. She sits on the bed, and sees a half-eaten box of doughnuts and other goodies open beside where Remus had been sitting. She rolls her eyes somewhat affectionately, picking up a lemon iced cake. Ridiculous that Remus seemingly cared about her enough to remember her favorite types of pastries after three years.

She listens to him making random noises at himself in the kitchen as though beatboxing badly, and tries to stamp out that wretched warm feeling in her chest. How dare I do this to myself again, she chides herself. How dare my heart get close to more idiots who will only break it.

An hour or so later, with a full stomach and a bit of laughter at how shit at games Remus is, she hates herself a bit less for it. She laughs at him getting headshot by some other player, instinctively hiding her face against his shoulder to mask that she's having fun. Remus’s hands fully pause on the controls, laughing turning a bit breathy as he feels himself flushing. She stays leaned against him even after their laughter has died off, and they fall into silence, rested against each other.

“You’re such an idiot, Carmona. Alas, I think you’re one I’ll be stuck with for life.”

“Y’know, I think I’d be okay with being your idiot my whole life,” Remus chuckles to himself. Janus’s face stays hidden, her hair covering any hint of expression. They both sit still for a long moment before Janus rises.

“Let’s bet on it. If you can win even one round of this game, just one, then I might not kick your ass to the curb tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, you are so on!”

[lily-janus]

Take A Break

Summary: Logan first thinks of Janus as a smart but lazy person, but he's about to be proven wrong.

Pairing: pre-romantic loceit

Warnings: none that I can think of but do let me know if I missed any.

Word count: 1,225

For @loceitweek day 3 Law School/Astronamy

(I have no idea how law school work so it might sound more like regular school but bare with me😅)

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

"...and then I will argue that the evidence is not really reliable because- are you listening?" Logan stopped his explanation, noticing that his… partner was, once again, not paying attention.

"Hm?" Janus hummed, focusing his gaze on Logan's own, "were you saying something?" He smirked, knowing full well how that will annoy Logan.

"You know as well as I that I've been," he used air quotes, " 'saying something', for the past hour. We need to do this assignment perfectly, Janus." Logan said, exasperated by his classmate.

Okay, don't tell Janus that, but Logan really does think Janus was an incredibly intelligent person, there were multiple occasions throughout the semester where Janus had impressed Logan with his arguments.

That being said, Janus had a tendency to be… extremely frustrating. Acting cocky and smug most of the time, egging people on with no more reason than simple amusement… and, of course, his cryptic way of behaving. And, for some unknown reason, Janus seems to enjoy annoying Logan the most out of all their classmates.

Always cornering him after lectures, arguing with him during lessons no matter what side he chooses, or are assigned to.

So, when they were chosen to work this assignment together… Logan was, at the very least, not pleased. Not that he'd ever defy the will of their teacher, so he was stuck with his smug classmates who didn't seem to care enough to even listen to Logan's ideas.

Janus shrugged, "maybe I know that, and maybe I don't, I could have a very short attention span for all you know about me, which isn't much besides my brilliant intelligence that I repeatedly show in class." Janus smirked smugly again.

Logan let out a frustrated sigh, "can we just be serious long enough to finish this?" He asked, on the verge of begging. He never ever failed at anything and he's not about to let Janus change that.

Janus groaned, "Jesus, Teach, ever heard of relaxing? We still got months until the due date." He pointed out.

"While true, you neglect the fact that this assignment is only one out of many others we have from other classes, plus my reputation to hand in assignments early-" but he was interrupted by another, rather exaggerative, groan from Janus.

"You talk a lot." Janus complained.

Logan could feel his eye twitching in annoyance, "well, it would seem like I'm the only one out of the two of us who's doing anything, why are you even in law school if you're not willing to put effort into anything?" Logan asked with a groan of his own, not really looking for an answer, mostly wanting to annoy Janus back.

But of course, that didn't work, as Janus' smirk only grew, seeming more satisfied the more frustrated Logan became. "I wouldn't say that, I put lots of effort into my studies, I'm just balancing it more so I won't get overwhelmed and burned out. Surely you can appreciate a healthy work balance, right Teach?"

Logan's fist hit the table, "stop calling me that!"

Janus was unphased, "how about… professor? Nerd? Glasses? Ooh, maybe Specs?"

"How about simply Logan?" Logan suggested, as calmly as he could.

Janus faked thinking it over before shaking his head, "nah, I like Specs best."

With a growl of frustration, Logan dropped his pen and pushed his chair away from the desk, "I think we're done for today.."

Janus clapped his hands together in glee before standing up, "marvelous! Same time next week?" He winked at Logan.

Logan blushed slightly at the gesture for some reason, "ah.. sure."

Janus smirked again, "it's a date, Specs!" He called as he walked out of Logan's dorms.

That statement caused Logan's blush to deepen, which was… odd.

…

"Oh he is totally flirting with you, Lo!" Roman, his roommate, said after Logan finished telling him about Janus.

Logan huffed, "I doubt annoying me is considered flirting." Roman was being ridiculous again, there's no way!

Roman shook his head with a sigh, "sometimes I forget how little you understand about the delicate art of romance." He said, "it's because he likes you!"

Logan almost laughed at Roman's statement, "that's absurd, we're both completely different and he always gets out of his way just to get a rise out of me and… always corners me after class and…" he trailed off in thought.

"And trying to get your attention and more time to be with you?" Roman finished for him with a knowing smile.

The more Logan thought about it now, the more Roman's explanation made sense… is he feeling the same way?

"Oh my stars! You're blushing! You like him too! Oh, the robot finally found his heart!" Roman swooned, placing both his hands on his heart in a dramatic gesture.

Logan shook his head, "n-no, no. Janus doesn't like me and I don't like him."

Roman was still smiling knowingly at him, "ah ha, sure, whatever you say, Calculator Watch." He winked at him.

…

"You're late." Logan said when Janus finally showed up to their second meeting to work on their assignment.

As usual, Janus was unphased, he simply walked in, took his seat on Roman's red beanbag, put his legs up on a chair and leaned back on his hands. Choosing the most dramatic position to show his carefree attitude towards this assignment that they were supposed to work on together.

"Sorry, Specs, it took longer than I thought it would, but I'm here now aren't I?" Janus looked up at Logan to where he sat in front of his work desk.

"It?" Logan asked, "what were doing that took so long?" He asked, barely two seconds passed and he was already starting to get annoyed. What could possibly be more important than law school? Does Janus hold no regards to-

"Our assignment, of course." Janus said casually, halting Logan's thoughts in their place for a minute.

"Excuse me?" Logan asked, surely he didn't hear that correctly.

Janus smirked and handed Logan the notebook he's been holding, "o-u-r a-ssign-ment." He said slowly, emphasizing every syllable.

Eyeing Janus suspiciously, Logan took the notebook and looked it over… he really did do it…

Janus suddenly hopped to his feet, offering Logan his hand, "now that the boring stuff is out of the way, it's time for you to relax with me." He smirked at him.

Logan frowned, "what do you mean?"

Janus sighed, "I really need to spell it out to you, huh?" He chuckled to himself, "fine. Logan, will you go on a date with me?"

Logan flushed a deep red, "b-but there's still work to-"

"Logan." Janus cut him off, suddenly serious, "you really need to learn to take breaks from time to time, you're not helping anyone by running yourself to the ground."

"I'm… not running anywhere, let alone to the ground…" Logan stammered, trailing off.

Janus snickered again, "it means you're overworking yourself, c'mon, I'll take you to my favorite Cafe' on campus." Janus gently grabbed one of his hands and tagged on it.

Still flushing, Logan gave in, putting Janus' notebook on his desk before standing up and following Janus.

Perhaps Janus had a point, he doesn't remember taking a single break other than sleep since the start of semester. And, well, Janus wasn't the worst person to take his first break with…

[loganscroftersstash]

the eye of the storm.

platonic loceit/dlampr

—

hello gang

it has been… a while since i’ve written sanders sides content. i was into it for years before i dropped it and now i’ve picked it back up again. i forgot how much i loved this series. i’ve been rewatching it and remembered just how much i was so excited for the reveal of the super mysterious and spooky orange side, and i got a little pang of inspiration from the working through intrusive thoughts aside video. here is some really shitty angst/comfort; it’s been a while so my characterizations may be off, apologies in advance. and also my apologies for the spacing— i wrote this on docs and i didn’t realize the spacing would be so wide. sorry!!

scroll to v end for authors notes!

—

The date with Nico had gone so good! Thomas was reeling him in hook, line, and sinker; and Remus was able to be contained for the whole time! Sure, he had some moments, but nothing that none of them couldn’t handle. Now, as the sun set and shades of fuchsia and orange painted the sky above the exhibit, everyone decided it was time to go home.

The moment Thomas began to walk back all of the sides sank out, reappearing in his mind in an all too familiar routine. Remus was the only one absent for their outing, everyone else should have been here.

While Roman and Patton were happily reminiscing about the date, exchanging compliments and giggles, Virgil glanced around. He refused to glance in a certain serpent’s direction, but the room still felt empty.

Something was off.

Was it the coffee table? Couch? Maybe the blanket…?

Click.

“Where’s Logan?”

That seemed to break Roman and Patton from their conversation, and they both turned to look at Virgil.

“…Hey, yeah! Where’s our Logan?” Patton asked.

“Oh, who cares! He’s probably sulking because Thomas went out and had fun with the cutest frickin’ guy ever!” Roman proclaims, overly dramatic as always.

Patton puts his hands on his hips. “Now, Roman. Be nice to Logan! He was just trying to get Thomas to be productive— ya can’t argue the state of his home is a little…”

“Revolting?” Virgil finishes the sentence for him.

“I was gonna say icky, but that works too!” Patton grins at Virgil. “But anyway, don’t get mad at him for trying to help!”

“Pfft— help. Nerd.” Roman chuckles, earning a slight glare from Patton. “He could try to help by not getting in the way of our already non-existent love life!”

“You know, Patton’s right, Roman.” Janus murmurs from his corner. “Your twin gave him quite the bit of trouble today…”

Roman straightens his posture, almost defensive, as he glares at the slimy fiend. “What do you mean? What did that mangy mongrel do to him?”

Janus shrugs. “Oh. Nothing. I’m sure you wouldn’t care about that, Logan is just a speed bump on the road to love, and all that…” He says dismissively.

“Tell. Me.” Roman insists, moving closer towards Janus. “What did he do?”

Janus examines his glove, almost unbothered before he looks up at Roman. “Well…”

Roman glares. A silent message to get it the hell over with.

“When Thomas was up in the wee hours of the night, Logan and him decided on a new schedule. You know how those work out for Thomas.”

“Yeah. They don’t.” Roman murmured.

“Mhm. Usually it’s just because Thomas is more… spontaneous. Carefree, if you will. He likes to jump from task to task. Doing a list can be overwhelming, but Logan was just so dedicated to helping him stick to it. And poor Thomas even wanted to do it!…”

“…Jan. You lied, kiddo.”

“Whatever.” Janus shrugs. “Anyways. Remus decided to make Logan’s life a living hell by trying to kill or maim Thomas or Logan himself, but usually he ended up hurting himself.”

“Is that where the sparkly green eyepatch came from?!” Roman gasped.

“…Yes.” Janus murmured. “Anyways. Logan tried to reason with him and—”

“Is no one gonna ask why he knows all this?!” Virgil interjects.

Janus huffs. “Are ANY of you going to let me talk?!” He sighs. “And before you ask, I listen. To everything. Are there ANYMORE questions before I answer the first one?!”

Patton raises his hand for a moment before it shoots back down.

“Perfect. Great. Back to what I was saying… Logan confronted Remus after a few failed attempts and tried to reason with him, because this was one of the few times he’s actually gotten Thomas on a schedule and he tried to stick to it. So, you can tell why he’d be a little irritated about his incessant attempts at getting him off task.”

Roman raises a brow. “And…?”

“Logan screamed at him.”

“Oh.” Roman chuckles. “Yeah, he does that—”

“His eyes shone orange.”

A silence fell over the room. There was a silent, unspoken yet unified agreement that they all knew what that meant. And they knew it was bad.

Virgil was the first to break the silence. “…fuck.”

“…Did… Thomas? See? Do we have to have another confrontation so soon?!” Patton gasped.

“No. No he didn’t. Remus mocked him for the outburst almost instantly and as far as I’m aware, the interaction was over after that.”

“…What made Logan lose his cool that badly over something like that?” Roman hummed.

Janus rolled his eyes. “Oh, I don’t know. How about the fact that you all ignore him?”

“How dare you! I don’t ignore Mark Zucker-nerd; I just don’t listen to him!”

“…Roman. Buddy. That’s ignoring.”

Roman paused, looking down. “…so it is! But either way— we don’t ignore him, Janus. It isn’t my fault he never has anything helpful to add!”

“Oh, please. Logan is literally the embodiment of Logic. He’s resolved how many of these past issues? Logan does the most and gets the least reward, Roman. You have the most influence over our host, followed by Patton and Virgil. Maybe lately me and Remus have had a little fun taking the wheel every now and again— but when was the last time you let Logan make a big decision? You decided to skip the callback, you decided to go on the date. All Logan gets influence on is his little passion project, which he’s probably abandoned at this point because I seriously doubt there’s much passion left in him.”

Janus’ rant has left the other sides staring; Roman in disbelief, mostly at the audacity, Patton in shame, and Virgil in guilt. Deep down, they knew Janus was right.

“…Okay. Maybe I’ve been… a little… controlling.” Roman murmured.

“A lot.” Janus hummed.

Patton leans over to him, “Hey, Jan— kiddo. Small wins.”

“Right, Patton,” He whispers back, sighing. “Anyway. I suggest we try to make this up to Logan one way or another. After we make sure he’s alright.”

“I’m not checking on him. I love the guy, but if I step ten feet near conflict I’ll throw up and die.” Virgil mumbles, throwing his hood up.

“Logan doesn’t usually take comfort from me all that well. I think he finds it kinda patronizing…” Patton frowns. “But I’d be happy to try!”

“No, you're right… and he’d only think I was mocking him.” Roman murmured.

One by one, all their eyes drift to Janus.

“…You want me to go in there. Don’t you.”

“Well, yeah! You’re the most neutral with him! Logan doesn't know you super well and while I’m sure he didn’t appreciate your impersonating of him, I think you see eye to eye with him on a lotta stuff! That helps!” Patton grinned. “You might be the best candidate for this kinda thing.”

Virgil sighs. “….I can’t believe I’m agreeing with this… but yeah. Janus is the best candidate for this particular job…”

“…Of course. Fine. I’ll go check on him.” Janus huffs. He leaves his little corner in the shadows, brushing past the other three and making his way down the hallway. It doesn’t take him long to reach Logan’s door. Usually there’s light peeking from underneath the door, but that’s absent this time. Hmm…

Janus knocks three times.

Usually a “one moment” or a “come in” would follow. But there is silence.

Janus waits a moment, before knocking again, this time accompanying it with a “Logan? You alright?”

He’s met with silence again.

Janus sighs, placing his hand on the doorknob and twisting slowly. He pushes the door open, peeking in just a bit to get an idea of what he’s getting himself into.

The moment the door opens just a crack it’s blown open with immeasurable force, pulling Janus inside and slamming the door behind him. The room is barely a room anymore— more so a culmination of wind. Janus can make out a few objects— calendars with black and red marker scribbled over the dates, some books and some pages torn from them, blank sheets of paper, and a few pens and little knickknacks. Glancing around quickly, Janus realizes there’s a soft, barely there orange glow coming from the center of the room.

Fuck.

“Logan!” Janus calls, trying to push his way through but inevitably getting pushed back against the door. “Logan, let me in! I will help!”

There’s some sort of loud noise, but Janus can barely make it out throughout the pounding sound of wind against his ears.

Fine. Be difficult. It takes a lot of strength, and a lot of mental willpower, but he’s able to carve out a path directly into the eye of the storm. Janus heaves a bit as he walks, immediately taking note of Logan.

He’s… never seen the other so distressed. And honestly, it stings.

Logan is sat on the floor on his knees, hunched over and sobbing. Janus has never seen him cry, never heard it either. But this is just too much…

“…Logan?” He calls quietly, softly. Trying his best not to startle the other.

Said side looks up with a horrified gaze. His eyes gleam with amber tones and the best descriptor Janus has at the moment is overwhelmed.

“Calm down, calm down.” Janus shushes, kneeling to Logan’s level. Instinctively, Logan tries to back away, and Janus lets him. He gives Logan his space. “Deep breaths. Breathe…”

And he tries. All he can manage is panicked and shaky short breaths that can’t be delivering much air to his brain. Janus could see this plain as day. “Logan. Think you’re stable enough to talk?”

Logan glances up and after a moment's hesitation, he nods quickly.

“Five things you can see. Can you do that for me?”

Logan glances around quickly. “Books.” He murmurs, almost rapid as he speaks. “…Calendar. Marker. Pen…” He looks around again. “Cube.”

“Alright. Good. Four things you can feel?”

“…Clothes. Glasses.” His tone is almost robotic, despite it being watery. “Wind… and… and… and the floor.”

Janus can see and feel the wind slowing, even if just a little bit.

“Good. How about three things you can hear?”

“You. Me. Wind.”

“Almost done. Two things you can smell?”

“Um…” Logan panics again. Another question he can���t answer. Of course. “Cologne? Maybe… and… and…”

“Focus, Logan. You’re okay. It’s okay.”

“…Ink.”

“Good. Last one. One thing you can taste.”

“Salt…”

The wind slows to a stop. All the objects fall from where they were propelled. They could deal with that later.

“See? You’re okay. It’s okay.”

Logan looks up, eyes still watery and overflowing with tears. He’s shaking. The word that comes to Janus’ mind is helpless. He knows it’d make Logan worse so he decides to keep that thought inside.

“Now. Would you like to talk about this?”

“I don’t know how!” His tone is surprisingly aggressive, but it doesn’t seem like Logan. It’s out of character for him. He’s crumbling. “I don’t know how to… to talk about this! I’ve never— I’ve never felt so… so…”

“Breathe, Logan.” Janus offers. “It’s alright. Just—”

“LET ME TALK.” Logan shouts; the ferocity of the moment is only comparable to earlier when Remus had pushed too far.

And Janus falls silent. He doesn’t take it personally. He knows it isn’t— Logan is just so overcome with it all he’s lost control. He knows just how bad they can be.

And Logan realizes just what he’s done a moment after, and he falls back into helpless sobs, curling around himself. He feels so fucking awful. Not only is he useless, but he’s an asshole too. Another flaw to add to the ever growing list.

“Logan, I know you’re overwhelmed…” Janus reaches a hand out to touch, but he hesitates, and quickly lets it fall back to his side. “Tell me what’s going on. What’s got you so upset?”

Logan hesitates speaking, before he sobs out his words, “I’m so awful, Janus…”

“If this is about today, you’re not. Remus is especially heinous and you know that—”

“It isn’t just today!” He shouts. “It’s getting harder and harder to do my job and get through to him— I-I’m not good enough, Janus. I can’t do anything anymore! I used to be able to… to do everything, and it was fine. My calendars were in perfect order, I kept the others in check while maintaining a balance— I wasn’t a fucking emotional wreck!” Logan sobs, looking up at Janus desperately. “I’m useless. I can’t— I’m not—”

“Logan. You’re magnetizing.” Janus murmurs.

“Magnifying.” He corrects.

“See? You’re still capable of doing your job. And you still do your job just fine.” Janus puts a gentle hand on his shoulder, smoothing over the wrinkled shirt. “Everyone’s been in chaos these last few months… and that’s partly me and Remus’ fault. We haven’t been easy adjustments.” He sighed. “But,” And he holds up his finger with a dramatic pause, “You of all people have been the most versatile. You put forth your best effort Logan— more so than the other sides have. You know that.”

“But my best isn’t good enough.”

“It is. It is. You don’t believe it is, but it is.” Janus assures. “It isn’t your fault you’re getting overshadowed.”

“Perhaps if my methods were different, if my tactics were better—”

“Shhh.” Janus presses his finger to Logan’s lips, effectively silencing him momentarily.

“Logan. You’re doing nothing wrong.”

“Then why am I getting ignored?”

Janus didn’t have an answer immediately. And he could tell that upset Logan even further, despite the fact he was trying to conceal his tears.

“I don’t know, Logan. I’m sorry.” He sighed. “But I’ll never ignore you. You know that, right?”

He sniffles, nodding.

“…Do you want a hug?”

Logan hesitates for a long moment, as if weighing the pros and cons. Potential comfort and warmth, but also a huge dent in his reputation.

This was a pretty big dent too. Fuck it.

“…Please.”

Janus wraps his arms around Logan, hugging him tightly. “You’re alright. It’s alright..” He murmurs. “You’re okay.”

While Logan quietly cried into Janus’ shoulder, the scaly of the two silently wills the objects back into their places. He doesn’t need Logan even more stressed.

“Do you feel better?”

Logan nods, swallowing thickly. His throat feels scratchy…

“…I don’t think I’ve ever felt those… those feelings so… intensely.” He cringes at the word; it feels sticky and wrong on his tongue.

“I know… but it’s all over now. You’re calmer. Your room isn’t a tornado.”

Logan blinks, glancing up. “Oh. I was…” He looks around quickly. “Everything is in its place…?”

“I put it back. I know mess overwhelms you.”

Logan can’t help the microscopic smile.

“Thank you, Janus… I… apologize for all this.”

“Don’t mention it. It was out of your control. Now,” He pulls away slightly. “Do you need me to stay? I’m more than happy to.”

Logan thinks for a moment, and then shakes his head. “No. I believe some time alone would benefit me. I need to ‘recharge,’ if you will.”

Janus stands and makes his way to the door. “Alright. If you need anything else, you know where my room is.”

“I do. Again, thank you.”

“No worries, Logan. That’s what friends are for.”

—

(i wrote these authors notes as i wrote the story; i didn’t wanna stick them in as i wrote so i put them all at the end.)

authors note: i forgot how vividly i imagined their headspace; even down to the order of the doors. in case you’re wondering, the hallway of their rooms (which you enter from the right side) goes from left to right as such: virgil, logan, roman, and patton. the dark sides have their own separate wing (because of course they do)

authors note 2: i feel like sides have a lot more willpower and control in the headspace than we originally think— and the dark sides seem to be more powerful than the core 4 so they have an easier time doing stuff like that. obviously since deceit can transform into any of the sides— which i feel like the other sides can do but choose not to?? if they can become thomas’ friends they should be able to transform into each other,,— and remus can summon objects outside of the mind palace and headspace— we’ve seen other sides with fidgets or swords or little caps but never anything like super big i don’t think? it’s been a while hah

authors note 3: i’m trying to make up some shit about the orange side while also keeping it vague so it’s not too specific. mostly cause i want this to be logan centric but also i want this to have the best chance at holding up after he is revealed

authors note 4: logan may be the logic side but he is also the autism side

authors note 5: this just became a loceit fic but i’m not even mad. logan x anyone supremacy

authors note 6: this just became a self projection fic but i’m not even mad. logan x self projection supremacy

authors note 7: i didn’t know how to end this so have some weird janus and logan

okay hi!! finally done writing. got this done in like… two hours shockingly. i speed ran this fr

no beta read we die like men.

reblog if you enjoyed!!

[stormlessstormcloud]

The Crown or The Stars

Last | Next | AO3

Summary: When Prince Logan gets betrothed, he decides that perhaps this whole "becoming king" thing isn't going to work out. Fleeing into the forest, Logan discovers a world he's never seen or heard of before. The only question on his mind: Is it all real, or just a dream? Main Ship: Loceit

Chapter One: A Formal Affair

Once upon a time, in a kingdom by the sea, a prince lived with his grandmother, the queen. The prince loved things like reading, and wandering the woods surrounding the north side of the palace, and would gladly spend every day - from morning until night - either in the woods or hidden in the shelves of the palace’s vast library, if not for one simple problem. A prince has responsibilities.

That small statement had been drilled into him for as long as he could remember, and Logan was getting tired of it. One can only hear something - a thing meant to be a reason they can’t spend their time doing what they want to do - so many times before the words turn sour in their ears. And that milestone had been reached long before Logan got the news that he was meant to get married before his grandmother stepped down from the throne. She’d said something about how it was tradition in their kingdom that every person meant to take the throne had to be wed in order to strengthen the kingdom’s alliances with the surrounding kingdoms.

It made logical sense, for a marriage to be made as a form of political alliance, but that didn’t mean Logan was looking forward to it.

He sat through meeting after meeting deciding details for the ball that was being held this weekend so he could meet his potential brides, and as time pushed on and he got closer and closer to the day of the ball, Logan wanted nothing more than to escape. His days, rather than being spent actually paying attention to the preparations and dance lessons and information about each lady he was meant to meet, were filled with fantasies. He thought of slipping out of his bedroom window and climbing over the palace walls in the dead of night, while he was dancing with his instructor, his hand on her waist as he twirled her effortlessly around the ballroom. Of taking a trip into town and slipping away into a crowd, never to be seen again, while he picked which crystal glasses would be available for dinner.

It wasn’t the responsibilities that irked him, per se. Logan understood that running a kingdom, especially one as involved and large as theirs, was a difficult task, and he was more than prepared for meetings and public appearances and other tedious things. But when it came to marrying somebody… marrying a woman who he didn’t love… Logan wasn’t sure he could do it. He knew that he would have to. But he was dreading the day that he had to walk down the aisle and pledge himself, body and soul, to someone he didn’t love -- could never love.

The night of the ball came, and the ballroom was packed. Gentle music played by the band on the stage filled the hall, echoing over the marble, over the voices of people as they chattered.

Logan sat on his throne, taking a break from socializing with foreign diplomats and princesses and duchesses. He had never really been one for parties, and while he’d been dreading this one and the implications of it, he had to admit, even if only to himself, it was nice. He was having a nice time, all things considered.

That was, however, until he was approached by his grandmother and a man he recognized as the Duke of one of the three adjacent kingdoms.

“Your Highness,” the Duke said, bowing before Logan. He was an older man, a bit brutish but not altogether unpleasant. “Duke Samuel of Lailon. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Yours, as well,” Logan replied as Samuel stood. “I trust you’ve found everything to your liking this evening?”

Samuel nodded. “I have, thank you. I hope I can look forward to your attendance at our Festival of the Sun next month.”

“I was just having a wonderful conversation with Duke Samuel,” Logan’s grandmother began, and Logan felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, for a reason he didn’t fully understand. “Seeing as you’ve had such a hard time coming to a decision who you’ll wed, and Lailon is having a difficult time with their ongoing trade negotiations with--” Her words trailed off in Logan’s head, just more official chatter that all sort of blurred together. Despite the fact that he wasn’t listening anymore, the meaning behind her words wasn’t lost on him.

She had decided for him.

Now, not only did Logan have to get married before he was ready, but he wasn’t even able to choose who he married.

“--alright with you, your Highness” Samuel was saying when Logan started paying attention again. “I’d like to introduce you to my daughter, Lady Emilia of Lailon.” He gestured to a girl who looked about the same age as Logan, standing beside him.

Emilia curtsied, holding her skirts out of the way as she dipped down. She was beautiful, objectively speaking, with long mousy brown curls and a round face that showed a sort of innocence that Logan hadn’t seen in many people, her eyes bright and excited. She looked up at Logan with a smile. “It’s lovely to meet you, Your Highness.”

Smile, Logan.

He hated that he had to remind himself of the courtesy. He bowed his head in greeting, a small smile at his lips. “The pleasure is mine, Lady Emilia.” He took her hand and lifted it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her skin. “Perhaps you’d like to take a walk with me, so we can talk?”

Emilia’s cheeks flushed under her makeup, and she nodded. “I would like that very much.” She looked over to her father, who nodded in permission.

Logan offered an arm to Emilia, and she slipped her hand into his hold, resting her hand on the crook of his arm, and she let him lead her away from the ball. His guardian followed them at a distance, keeping an eye on them as chaperone but giving them a bit of privacy. Logan led Emilia outside, the cool night air chilling any exposed skin. While Logan was dressed in a nice suit, his skin covered from his neck down, Emilia’s shoulders, arms, and the curve of her bosom were bare, and she shivered in the night, goosebumps rising easily on her skin.

“Oh, I’m.. my apologies,” Logan said, correcting himself to be more formal. He unbuttoned his suit jacket and slipped it off, his shirt and vest underneath more than enough to keep him covered. He draped the jacket over Emilia’s shoulders, the fabric still warm from his body and smelling of the luxurious perfumes from his bath.

Emilia’s cheeks warmed and she smiled softly. “Thank you, Your Highness,” she mused, holding the jacket closed with one hand as the other found its way back into the crook of Logan’s arm. “It’s a lovely night tonight.”

Logan hummed softly and nodded, walking slowly and leisurely away from the palace, towards the garden. “So, Lady Emilia,” he mused as the two entered the garden. It was nice, with paths laid down in cobbled stone, between bushes of flowers and carefully pruned hedges. “Tell me about yourself.”

Logan and Emilia spent the better part of the evening talking, going over their hobbies and their future goals, talking about everything from favorite foods, to how holidays would be celebrated, to what the goals were for Heryn to help Lailon in their trade negotiations. By the time they said their goodbyes as Samuel came to fetch Emilia, Logan knew that he would marry her, even if he hadn’t been forced into it by Samuel and his grandmother. While he wasn’t attracted to Emilia, they did have quite a bit in common. She was easy to talk to, and she had had plenty of training in her upbringing that would make her a suitable queen alongside him.

He didn’t necessarily have to fall in love with her.

After Emilia left, Logan sat in the garden, his suit jacket resting on his lap as he stared into the fish pond, his eyes following the path of the fish as they swam. His guardian, who had watched him and Emilia from a distance the entire night, approached and stood at his side.

“Sire,” the older man said, his voice soft in the night. “You should come inside before the night catches you cold.”

Logan sighed softly, and didn’t respond for a bit -- maybe a little too long, but he couldn’t be sure. Eventually, he looked up from the fish pond, his eyes flickering to the man before returning to his favorite fish, a black-spotted koi he’d named Cow, and tracing its path once more. “How long is the Heryn courtship ritual?” he asked.

“Assuming you mean specifically in royals, after courtship begins, there is typically one month before betrothal, and then two more before marriage. You will wed Lady Emilia just in time before your coronation.”

He thought that Logan was worried he wouldn’t have time. The irony of that was almost enough to make Logan laugh. He didn’t have time. He only had three months before his life and future was set in stone even more than it had been since his birth.

“And the Lailon courtship ritual?” Maybe he could find some loophole. Maybe Lailon tradition stated that courtship was meant to last six months… a year, even. Logan could only hope to be so lucky.

“Courtship in Lailon lasts a fortnight among the royal family, and betrothal only one month. Seeing as Heryn’s traditions call for a longer courtship and betrothal, that is likely the tradition that will be kept in yours and Lady Emilia’s case.”

So much for that idea…

Logan sighed again, softly, and got up from his seat. “I’d like to retire to bed for the night, Willian. I’ll dress myself tonight, if that’s alright with you.”

Willian nodded, a small bow of his head. “Very well. I’ll walk you to your chambers, and leave you for the night.”

Logan slipped his suit jacket back on and buttoned it up, not wanting to be caught with a piece of his clothing draped over his arm instead of on his person, even if it was just a jacket. After he deemed himself presentable, Logan reentered the palace, and headed up the stairs to his chambers. He walked in silence, avoiding any of the servants and lingering guests who had been put up in the guest hall for the evening, and in no time at all, he found himself bidding goodnight to Willian and slipping into his chambers.

Logan’s room was one of the few places in the palace that he truly felt he could be himself. It was quiet here, and comfortable, with a fire crackling in the fireplace by the time he retired here each night. The smell of his perfumed bath this morning still lingered in the air, as he’d expressly instructed the servants not to open the windows, not wanting any of the papers on his desk to blow away in the wind.

He gathered his nightclothes and as he started undressing, his mind started wandering.

Logan was getting married. In three months, he would be pledging his heart and soul to a woman for the sake of his kingdom and hers. It was a noble reason for marriage, and he wished deep in his heart that he could accept that for his life. He wished that he didn’t feel the deep-seated hatred and dread for the very idea of marrying Emilia.

Perhaps it would be better if he took the path of his father, and simply abandoned the throne.

Once the idea sparked to life in his mind, there was no squashing it. No amount of avoidance or distraction would take the thought from his head, and as his fingers ghosted over the buttons of his vest, he found himself almost in a sort of trance.

He would abandon the throne…

It would be so simple.

Logan wouldn’t have to get married, wouldn’t have to take on the responsibilities of an entire kingdom before he was ready. Logically, he should have considered what would become of Heryn and of his grandmother if he left, but the thought never occurred to him.

After he was certain that nobody would enter his chambers, telling a passing maid that he wasn’t feeling well and required privacy for the night, Logan cracked open a window. And though he had nothing with him but the clothes left on his body, Prince Logan of Heryn slipped into the night.

[specs-and-capelets]

loceit week successfully making me read tss fanfics again and enjoying it 👍

[ryoko1232]

Tryna post more but got nothing 2day, then remembered i started a fanfic so have this i guess?

Everyone is against Janus(¿?)

Logan was sobbing in is pillow, a pint of ice cream at his night stand, it didn't help that he had moved on so quickly, Logan thought it must've been him. He just sat there for a moment thinking about times spent with Janus, he seemed happy enough. Actually come to think of it that trip wasn't as exciting for Logan, then it was for Janus, what about-, wait no, umm…

Logan was lost, he realized he really didn't enjoy any of the trips they had gone to… Logan started thinking hard about Janus, all the time they had spent together, them he started to realize that Janus was a bit controlling at times, not letting him do certain things, but he wasn't entirely bad… was he?

He started thinking about trips that they went to for Logan, but the kinda can't, that shouldn't be right Janus always made sure Logan was heard by others, so there had to be something…

The only things he can really think of are cancelled trips, and some where they went to this scientific zoo of sorts. Logan wasn't really a fan of animals much, he honestly can't remember why he even suggested those in the first place.

Then it dawned on him, he said those because of Janus, but why? He could have just said he wanted to go, Logan would have agreed, something felt off.

He decided to do some digging cause he was just a bit curious.”I have never really been in a relationship before” Janus said at the start of their relationship, and he was fucking lying, not only did he lie, HE HAD 4 EX'S. AND APPARENTLY HE HAD ALREADY STARTED A NEW RELATIONSHIP, WHILE LOGAN WAS FUCKING CRYING HIS HEART OUT.

The more he kept digging, the more he was kinda greatful he had broken up with him. He cheated with his first ex with his twin brother who he then started a relationship with. He had seriously injured his fourth ex. And he tried to take all of his third ex’s money.

He is thankful nothing happened to him but he was still really angry, then he realized something, Janus had fucked up every single one of his ex’s life in some way, so, they would probably accepted if Logan ask for help for some revenge.

He reached out to them one by one, sending the same question, “do/did you have a relationship of some kind with Janus Dolion?” the response was as expected the first one denied, the second denied but ask why, the third said he used to and asked what happened, and the fourth just responded with the letter ‘y’ with a question mark.

He didn't respond yet, he needed a plan, he was looking at everysingle post that involved janus in some way then he saw something weird, a police report that had Janus' Picture, but not his face.

[tsspromptmonth]

I'd like to request a boba with Starfruit and Loganberry syrup, with either burned sugar or crushed raspberrie (its fine if its with bith too ;))

.https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/153934255

.https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/153662923

.https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/149255098

.https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/136707811

.https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/153722446

.https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/153768349

.https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/153924931

.https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/153906004

.https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/153903202

Order up!

Try Again. And Again. And Again. By @kieraelieson

[dragonjanusisthebestjanus]

The Dragon Lord

Pairing: Janus x Logan (Loceit)

Logan becomes the first ever mage to study in the dragon lands.

Trigger warnings: Fire, depictions of violence, attempted drowning.

Read it on ao3 here!

Taglist: @prince-rowan-of-the-forest @sleepy-nova-tea

Logan quickly tucked the mail into his messenger bag. He raced back up the stairs to his dormitory, attempting to avoid any students in his way.

“Excuse me, Pardon me, coming through!”

He finally reached his room and threw open the door.

“Patton,”

His roommate looked up from where he was studying his potions textbook.

“It’s here!” Logan gleefully plopped down next to Patton and dumped his bag all over his bed. Quills, ink, scrolls, binders, papers, and multiple letters fall from the bag. Logan quickly snatched the one sealed with a green stamp, and quickly opened it with a letter opener that had also come from his bag.

“What’s it say what’s it say?”

“They… I… I…” Logan put the letter in his lap, eyes wide and jaw agape.

Patton slipped the letter out of Logan’s hands. He read it and then wrapped his friend in a hug.

“Oh my gosh Logan! They said you can go! You get to be the first wizard to study in the dragon lands in a thousand years!”

“I get to, I’m; I’m,”

Logan’s smile widens. He returns his friend's hug; then stands and spins them around their room.

“I GET TO GO STUDY IN THE DRAGON LANDS!”

…

Logan hugged his roommate again as Headmistress LeFay opened the portal to the Swamplands.

“You’re gonna do great, Lo. I know it.”

“You are too! You get to study potions with Matilda the Swamp Hag!”

“I know! And it’s a dream come true for me! But it’s nothing like what you get to do, Logan. You have to tell me all about it next semester!”

“I will Pat, I promise.”

The roommates let go and Patton waved goodbye as he stepped through the portal.

“Alright, Crofter. You’re the last one. Are you ready?” Logan nodded at Headmistress Le Fay. She opened a new portal, and Logan took a deep breath as he stepped through.

“Good luck.” Headmistress Le Fay said.

“Thank you, Headmistress.”

The portal closed behind him. A few moments later a large, golden dragon descended in front of him. Logan stood in awe as the dragon transformed in front of his very eyes. A bright, golden glow appeared, then a man about a foot shorter than Logan appeared.

“Logan Crofter, I presume?”

“Um, yes, yes sir.”

The dragon chuckled. “No need to worry, Dragon’s don’t bite.”

Logan continued to stare in awe.

“I’m… I’m sorry. I tried to engage in what you humans call ‘humor’. Was that, was that not humorous?”

Logan shook his head. “I’m sorry. Yes, I suppose it was, humerus. I apologize, this is, this place is, amazing!”

The dragon around and took stock of his land.

“Yes, yes I suppose it is.” He turned back around. “So, you are Logan Crofter, correct?”

“Oh! Yes. Yes. I apologize again. I am Logan Crofter. Do you have a name? There isn’t much information on dragons in our realm,”

The man held out his hand, stopping him. “Yes, something I am trying to rectify. Beginning with allowing you to study here.” The man took a deep bow. “I am Janus, the New Dragon Lord. It is my pleasure to welcome you here, Mr. Crofter.”

…

Logan had the best time of his life.

He had learned Janus had recently won the title of Dragon Lord in The Gauntlet of Fire, after the previous Dragon Lord died of old age.

“So, you’re Dragon Lord for life? The old Dragon Lord’s child won’t try and usurp the title from you?”

“Of course not. I won the title fair and square. Is this not how it works in the human world?”

Logan shook his head.

As it turned out, The Previous Dragon Lord had been the one who kept the dragons isolated from the rest of civilization. Janus was now determined to reunite them with the rest of the world.

“It can only make us stronger. Why wouldn’t we want to be the best we can be?”

Logan had learned dragons were extremely vain. It made sense, from all the legends about them collecting gold.

Or other pretty objects.

Logan didn’t miss the ever-revolving rotation of pretty boys who left Janus’s chambers every evening.

“Janus, do dragons usually partake in…”

Janus had laughed from his throne. “As many sexual escapades as I? No. But being Dragon Lord certainly has its perks. And honestly Logan? I don’t even have as many as you think. Most come to me for this.”

Janus pulled down his shirt collar and showed Logan a bright red gemstone.

“Whoa…”

“Whoa indeed, my little mage. This is the last remaining Fire Ruby. It is the only thing that can heal any ailment any dragon may suffer. It is my duty as Dragon Lord to protect it.”

Logan sat on the armrest of Janus’s throne. “May I?”

The Dragon Lord nodded. Logan unbuttoned his shirt, fully exposing the Fire Ruby.

“It’s gorgeous.” He said.

“So are you.”

The mage allowed The Dragon Lord to connect their lips. Janus pulled him into his lap, and ran his hands under Logan’s shirt.

“Wait- wait.” Logan pulled away.

“Is everything alright, Logan?”

Logan stood up and took several steps away. “No, no, I just-“ he shook his head and sighed. “I don’t want to be another notch in your bedpost, Janus.”

Janus rose from his throne and took the human’s hand.

“Have you learned anything about how dragons court, Logan?”

“N-No.”

“You know dragons are jealous, possessive creatures Logan. If a dragon wishes to court another dragon,” he pulled the human back towards him. “They attempt to make the other dragon jealous by…bedding others.” He pressed kisses to Logan’s neck. “I understand now humans don’t see it that way, but,”

Logan’s eyes widened. “You’ve… you’ve been courting me?”

Janus nodded. Logan turned and pressed their lips together again.

…

Logan’s going away party was supposed to be magnificent.

Janus had mandated every dragon in the land show up. He spared no expense to make sure it had the best food, decor, and entertainment in all the lands.

“You promise you’re coming back?” Janus was in his halfling form, with his wings covering them both, his tail wrapped around Logan’s waist, and claws tangled in his hair.

Logan chuckled and pressed a kiss to his lover's ear. “Yes Jan, I’m coming back I promise. But I have to return to school and present my findings. Then I have to see my family for a little while.”

“Hmmm. I don’t see why I can’t write to the Headmistress. Insist you need to stay here. Then your family could come stay here! You can all be under my protection.”

“A tempting offer. However I doubt my Aunt Patty could make the trip. And before you offer to fly her here! I doubt she could manage the rocky terrain either.”

Janus grumbled and nuzzled back into his lover’s neck.

“I promise Janus. I will come back to you.”

The day was supposed to be perfect.

Logan happily watched the party from beside Janus.

“Why does that weak human get to sit by the Dragon Lord?”

Janus had gripped Logan’s hand.

“Yeah, like this whole party is already for him. Let someone else have a turn!”

Logan placed his other hand atop of Janus’s.

“You know, I could probably eat him in two bites! If we were allowed to be dragons, that is.”

“You know, the human probably knew we could! The human probably convinced the Dragon Lord to make the ‘halflings or humans only’ rule for the night.”

Janus had started to growl.

“You know they won’t try to do anything. Not with you around.”

One thing Logan knew: as self absorbed as most dragons were, nobody challenged The Dragon Lord.

The thought seemed to calm Janus. He slithered his tail around Logan’s waist again, although it was much more possessive than it had been that morning.

The two dragons that had been gossiping soon moved on, allowing Janus and Logan to resume enjoying the party.

After it was over, Janus and Logan indulged themselves by taking a long walk along the river outside Janus’s castle.

“You promise you’re coming back?”

Logan rolled his eyes. “Yes, love. I promise I am-“

A fireball appeared in the air. Janus quickly shifted into his dragon form and tackled Logan to the side.

“What the-“

Another fireball headed towards them. Logan quickly cast a spell, reducing it to nothing.

“Hold on,”

Logan hugged Janus’s neck as he took to the air.

“WHO DARE FIRES UPON THE DRAGON LORD?”

Another fireball came, specifically aiming for Logan. Janus spun in the air, allowing the flames to breeze past them.

Logan closed his eyes as he felt fire literally form in Janus’s throat. He let out a blaze all around the cavern, reducing several rocks into ash.

“SHOW YOURSELVES!” Janus roared.

Another fireball was launched. It would have hit Janus’s wing, had the dragon from earlier not came and swallowed it.

“You?”

“I’m, I’m sorry my lord! I was… I was aiming for the human.”

Janus snarled at the dragon.

“How dare you,”

The other dragon from earlier flew out and knocked Logan off of Janus. Logan watched the two dragons struggle for a moment before he cast a floating spell.

“Janus, look out!”

The second dragon came flying back around. He bared his teeth and bit Janus’s right hind leg. He kept it between his teeth as he dove towards the river, only releasing The Dragon Lord when his wings were in the water.

“Janus!”

Janus was struggling to keep himself above the water. Logan flew down near him, but ended up having to dive into the river when the dragon came back.

“Gostir, what the hell are you doing?”

The dragon didn’t reply to his friend.

“Logan! Logan!” The Dragon lord started thrashing violently, creating large waves in the river.

“Janus, Janus calm down-“

Logan was swept under by one of the waves. He tried to cast another spell, but his head hit the side of some rocks, knocking him out.

…

When Logan awoke, he was laying in a plush field beside a forest.

“Logan, Logan thank the gods! I thought I’d lost you!”

Logan coughed and tried to sit up, but Janus pushed him back down.

“You’re, you’re bleeding.” Logan pointed to Janus’s leg, which had bright red patches all down it.

“I don’t care.” Janus pulled his lover into a hug. “I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you.”

Logan returned the hug, but noticed something.

“Janus, the Fire Ruby?”

Janus shook his head. “It’s… it’s gone. I-I lost it going after you.”

“What? Janus! You-you should not have done that! The Fire Ruby is much more important!”

“Not to me.”

The two managed to somewhat pull themselves together. They tried to travel into the woods, back towards the Dragonlands. However, it soon became apparent that Janus’s leg was going to be a problem.

“Love, you’re, you’re limping. Here, let me make you a walking stick,”

“NO!”

Logan was taken aback. Janus had never yelled at him before.

“I’m, I'm sorry my love. But I am the mighty Dragon Lord. I have a reputation to protect.” Janus looked around, and eventually spotted a small cave. “Why don’t we stop there and rest for a while?”

Logan nodded. He took Janus’s hand and led him into the cave.

He worried about when they would be able to come out.