Link to my AO3 Everything Iāve written for Sanders Sides is found on there and itāll remain the best place to find my random one shots likely
Iām choosing against having a one-shot masterlist but here are my collections of stories whether from prompt lists or because I tried a chaptered fic or few.
Dukexiety Weeks
Spooktober 2019 Ā Ā
Deceitber 2019
Funbruary 2020Ā
Springtime Deceitber 2020
November 2021 Treat Calendar
30 days of Dukexiety Soulmates
Many May Fics 2022
Aro Sides Week
October 2022 Fics
Chaos Cafe Ā Ā - Dukexiety running a cafe
Love After ExileĀ - link goes to part one which has links to all the rest
Favourite Colours of Your Eyes - Prinxiety soulmate eye/hair colour swap
Mixed Up SoulmatesĀ - LAMP various soulmate connections
Flowers for Scars Soulmates - Anxsleep, Royality, Loceit
Connections - DRLAMP various soulmate connections
2025 Advent Fic - Hearts for Christmas
For AUās done with Lance ( @lostcephalopods / @loveceit ) there are tags #vamipceit #mafiau #dragonau you can search
Okay so Remus and shapeshifting made me think and. Roman and Remus. Did they split in vampiceit or have they always been separate? Because I have two different shapeshifting thoughts depending on which we go with
I think they've always been separate but can I know both sets of shapeshifting thoughts?
Split: both of them have shapeshifted the most out of any of the sides in attempts at claiming individuality but they can never fully get away from the fact that they used to be one, haunted by the similarities, which is why their interactions often result in violence ā simultaneously too different and too alike, two sides of the same coin
Always separate: Roman's shapeshifting is kept small, hardly noticeable, multiple steps spread out over a lifetime of insecurities in the search for perfection, in contrast to Remus' shapeshifting, which wouldn't know the definition of subtle if hit over the head of it, yet Remus somehow both always ends up having enough similarities with Roman to mark them as a pair, and is always able to call out what Roman has changed, while Roman is too confused by Remus' shapeshifting to be able to point out anything at all, and Roman hates Remus for it, for being both a twisted and a true reflection of him, when they've never been one
Okay so Remus and shapeshifting made me think and. Roman and Remus. Did they split in vampiceit or have they always been separate? Because I have two different shapeshifting thoughts depending on which we go with
I think they've always been separate but can I know both sets of shapeshifting thoughts?
Any vampiceit pronoun thoughts? We do have a tendency to use they/them for Janus and Remy, do we want to change that up? I had the thought of giving Janus scae/scale/scales/scaleself like Trick uses in my Belief!Dee au since snake disguise, but that might be trying too hard haha
What if Remy uses no pronouns, only Remy or Sleep?
Might take a while for me to remember scae/scale for Janus in this au but I'm happy to do that/
Remus I want to keep he/him, but Virgil I can see being he/it or something like that maybe?
Whether he's cis or not cis, I think once Remus resolved his pronouns/gender he worked to forget whatever his body originally was. He's the one who's done most shapeshifting in the stories so far and I wouldn't doubt he's done it before.
Any vampiceit pronoun thoughts? We do have a tendency to use they/them for Janus and Remy, do we want to change that up? I had the thought of giving Janus scae/scale/scales/scaleself like Trick uses in my Belief!Dee au since snake disguise, but that might be trying too hard haha
What if Remy uses no pronouns, only Remy or Sleep?
Might take a while for me to remember scae/scale for Janus in this au but I'm happy to do that/
Remus I want to keep he/him, but Virgil I can see being he/it or something like that maybe?
since I'm learning everyday that literally any word could be a surname, would you ever use the roles of the sides as surnames for a human au or would you be annoyed to see it done?
It depends on how you do it because like Patton Moral or Patton Morals wouldn't be too off but Patton Morality is like. not good. and that's probably the easiest role to turn into a surname
Logan Logic sounds like something from a children's show lol
Roman and Remus Creativity doesn't sound absurd to me, but like I say, I've seen a lot of words you wouldn't expect to be surnames actually are. See enough names in a day and you start to accept it.
New HC: In the becoming a cartoon episode that's Logan's name
are there any au's or type of au's that you'd want to see more of? Both in sanders sides and in any other fandom you have replies for
time loops (roceit Selfishness v. Selflessness time loop would be hotā)
haunted by the ghost of someone you never really knew but has made your own version of and you can no longer trust your own memories because you've rewritten them to fit this version (this is very specific but it's basically what happens in Dear Evan Hansenā)
mutual manipulation as both parts of the relationship tries to turn the other into their perfect partner (shoutout to toxic stobotnik)
physical intimacy is impossible and/or would kill one of us (could work for any c!thomas ship, for inspiration see: gracerocky from Project Hail Mary, or the actual plot of Pushing Daisies, also possibly canon compliant jongerry from The Magnus Archives because I can't remember if Gerry could touch anything)
human/not human (once again could work for any c!thomas ship, for inspiration see: hankcon, perryshmirtz)
platonic or queerplatonic marriage without any sexual tension or sexual intimacy (this isn't exactly an au but it sure feels like it only exists in alternative universes sometimes)
arranged marriage where they don't ever feel romantic love for each other (be more interesting with your relationship dynamics)
this last one is the opposite of what you asked but please stop making characters high schoolers if they're not already, I'm in my 30s, I want more adults finding themselves and/or love
how did I miss the pronouns are all the same? I was rereading the fics I wrote for it recently and didn't even register when normally I'm actively changing Janus's at minimum if it's my own writing. I agree, they need updating.
consider though, Janus refusing to bite necks gives Remy, Virgil and Remus the chance to negotiate other places to see which are refused and which are allowed.
I think Janus needs a better reason than refusing to be a stereotype in that case, like the blood not tasting good or not wanting to risk any big injuries (even if they're not real humans and can't die) because necks are riskier to bite than arms
also like... what's considered the neck? like what about underneath the jaw, or closer to the shoulder or collarbones? for biting specifically, those can't be good places to drink blood from
since Remus does then change to bite people as well, specifically for neck biting, would he have done something that put Janus off biting necks either before or soon after learning about vampirism and then Janus just comes up with the stereotype thing to avoid explaining whatever it was?
I do like the idea of bloodflow control being an influence on where Janus wants to bite though
how did I miss the pronouns are all the same? I was rereading the fics I wrote for it recently and didn't even register when normally I'm actively changing Janus's at minimum if it's my own writing. I agree, they need updating.
consider though, Janus refusing to bite necks gives Remy, Virgil and Remus the chance to negotiate other places to see which are refused and which are allowed.
What's your favourite au? Could be yours, someone else's, or just the general concept. Could be multiple answers even. I just wanna know about what you like <3
I'm re-reading 'We'll Carry on' by Shnuffleluv on AO3 currently and as an au it is amazing for me one of the few long fics that's got my attention enough to read and actually finish. Love the adoption thing.
I like my cafe au, 'Remus's Chaos Cafe' that was a lot of fun to come up with
Also your Fakimals au, because Janus and Virgil hiding as various animals is a fun idea
I haven't read any Sanders Sides fics outside of tumblr in years, but I think about Shatter by picnicsandstars & rosegoldroman occasionally, should really reread it sometime
What's your favourite au? Could be yours, someone else's, or just the general concept. Could be multiple answers even. I just wanna know about what you like <3
I'm re-reading 'We'll Carry on' by Shnuffleluv on AO3 currently and as an au it is amazing for me one of the few long fics that's got my attention enough to read and actually finish. Love the adoption thing.
I like my cafe au, 'Remus's Chaos Cafe' that was a lot of fun to come up with
Also your Fakimals au, because Janus and Virgil hiding as various animals is a fun idea
Summary: The fairies of an area are finding their names are getting changed by a human who agrees to give his name to each of them. Most are unwilling in this exchange. Guess which side is which as you meet them
Author's Note: I'm in a fanfic writing month and have no clue why this fic dared to insert itself into being written when none of the prompts I've written for myself were for it.
~
āMay I have your name?ā Hedera asked, wanting a new human pet and thinking this one fetching.
The man thought for a moment before replying, āIāll need a few days to decide on a new one, but Iāll give it to you then.ā
āThatās not what I was-ā They struggled to correct the human in bewilderment over his response.
āSee you in a few days.ā He waved as he left and Hedera hoped the didnāt meet him again. Hedera Helix was a good name.
~
āHi! I found you again.ā Hedera startled at the manās approach, trying to make it to the tree line before he reached them. āSo I give you the name Janus Sunfield. Not sure why you wanted it, but itās yours now.ā
They groaned, feeling the name latching hold and glared at the man whose name must have similarly changed. āI was trying to have power over you. I already have a name.ā Since they hadnāt given Hedera Helix away it should still be part of their name at least, but Hedera was probably not their first name any more.
āDumb way to ask for it then. Enjoy your new names.ā He commented, already leaving again.
~
āHey Hederaā¦waitā They smirked at the confused pause Fistulina offered before he asked, āWhy doesnāt that feel like your name?ā
They hissed and cursed without intent, āDumb human.ā
āOh you met them!ā He seemed delighted and familiar with the man despite how little description was given. āThat oneās brilliant right?ā
āNo! They changed my name!ā Janus snapped at him.
Fistulina nodded eagerly, āRomanās too. Quercus, youāll remember him as. I want to meet him.ā
~
Given he was a neighbour to Roman and often encountered Fistulina in passing, he knew there was a human that had learnt to change a fairies name in the giving of their own. It had intrigued him to learn about, but he was certain that such a situation wouldnāt effect him.
There was already a human he had been debating asking the name of. The man had started coming into the forest a few months ago, and seemed to be taking samples of many plants rather than gathering a specific sort with a purpose in mind as humans usually did.
āAre you studying them?ā He asked, approaching the man. It was his current conclusion about what the behaviour meant.
The man turned with a smile on his face. āYes I am, among other things.ā
āWhat other things might you be doing?ā The fairy pried.
āSome of these have no names so far as I can tell. Iām debating the theory of names as I try to identify or create names for them all.ā He explained.
He looked at the man for a moment. He didnāt seem like the type to trick anyone and was answering his questions honestly, so there couldnāt be much risk that he was the human who had named Roman. āYou intrigue me.ā The fairy stated brusquely. āWill you give me your name?ā
āOh, sure. I donāt like it that much regardless. I give you the name Logan Astrith, and wish you joy with your new name.ā The man waved as he carried on, pausing at some berries further down the path.
Logan had frozen as the new name was pushed onto him. Something so genuinely given in response to a request so frustratingly misunderstood. He wanted to scream.
Perhaps Roman wasnāt as much as a fool as heād originally believed.
~
Amaryllidaceae didnāt seek humans out, and they never wanted to keep one as a pet as others would. They had taken humans names before however, in order to heal or protect them.
Thatās what brought them to now, as they watched a man emerging from the woods with no armour or weapons in sight for the tenth time. They knew that while theyād be safe in the woods for humans, the risks were immense. They didnāt want to see this man come to harm because he didnāt realise the dangers.
āHey there Kiddo.ā They approached, hoping they wouldnāt scare him. They werenāt the best at glamours to appear more human.
He smiled but sighed after looking over them, āWell, it wasnāt a good fit, even if I liked it.ā
āWhat wasnāt a good fit?ā They asked, watching as he pulled some scraps of paper out to consider before tapping one and returning them all to his pocket.
Looking back at Amaryllidaceae, the man shook his head. āIt doesnāt matter. How are you today?ā
āIām good, but a little concerned for you.ā They replied, hoping to be understood.
From the confused expression appearing on his face, it was clear they werenāt. āFor me? Why? Have I annoyed one of the fair folk Iāve met?ā
āHave you met many of us?ā They asked. There was no claim on this man at all which usually happened if a human had met them.
The man shrugged, āA few, but if thatās not the reason, why are you concerned?ā
āYouāve no weapon or armour but keep going in the woods,ā They explained, gesturing to the path heād emerged along. āThereās a lot of dangers in there beyond just animals.ā
āI know.ā He agreed.
āSo youāll be better prepared to keep yourself safe or avoid going in altogether?ā They pushed.
He shook his head, āItās not needed.ā
Amaryllidaceae had hoped the man would listen, but they werenāt going to leave him to walk into danger. āIf youāre sure, will you give me your name?ā
āKnew it.ā He mumbled to himself, because clearing his throat, āI give you the name Patton Meadowsweet, and bid you have a good day.ā
The man left while Patton tried to understand how their name had just been changed when all theyād wanted to do was keep a human safe.
~
āWhy are you here, Human?ā It was an intrusion on his nighttime that made him approach the man. He didnāt want to risk his name if he could avoid it.
Fistulina had gone around all the local fairies trying to learn about a man whoād been changing the names of each fairy he met. Given only six of them called the area home, and four had already been renamed, Fistulina was set on claiming a new name for himself, but Ilex was not intending to let that happen to himself.
āResearching the wood. Different creatures come out at night and theyāre worth learning about just as much as the daytime animals.ā The human happily replied.
Ilex looked around the area, scowling at how the humanās torch scattered light on his trees. āYouāre observing nothing, and disturbing all of us here. Go home.ā
āIām extinguishing the torch once Iāve got somewhere stable to sit.ā The man protested.
āAnd remembering what you see to write down later?ā He scoffed, āHumans donāt have the memory to do that accurately.ā
He turned to him, a curious look in his eyes, āIām fairly good at writing in the dark after a few weeks practising. Youāre not like the other fairies Iāve met though.ā
Feeling like he was being criticised, Ilex hissed, āWhatās that supposed to mean?ā
āThey all wanted to change their names. Youāve not even mentioned them.ā The man shrugged, but carried on walking a little further away. He was still in view when he pulled a foldable stool from his back, and sat on it, extinguishing his torch a moment later.
Ilex followed soon behind him, frowning. āYou know none of them actually wanted that, right?ā
āNow youāre disturbing the animals of the night.ā The man commented. āBut yeah. Donāt known what the first guy wanted, but the second wanted power over me, the third was curious about my studies and the fourth seemed to want to keep me out of here.ā
āSo why rename them? Why not just refuse?ā He pushed, frustrated over not understanding this human.
The man looked him over as carefully as a human could in the dark, before asking, āDo you know how difficult it is for a human to legally change their name without a fairy being involved?ā
A mouse had come out, sniffing to find food and a badger family were a short distance off doing the same thing when Ilex finally replied, āWhy would that be difficult?ā
āWhen humans make a town or society the rules we create for ourselves get weird. Nobody can explain the name thing to me, only that wanting to change it, and take time on deciding a new one is practically taboo to them. Especially since it was thinking over how we name the plants and animals out here that got me questioning the names we answer to and deciding I didnāt like the one I had.ā The man explained.
āSo you tricked fairies into letting you change it?ā He challenged.
āNO! Well, I guess yes. I didnāt want to be owned when the first fairy asked me for my name, and Iād been wondering about what Iād change it to, so I just tried adjusting the phrasing a bit. All I changed was one word so I didnāt think it would work. Like I expected either for nothing to happen, or for that fairy to own be regardless of how I said it, but something still happened. Nobody at home knew what to call me any more until I introduced myself again.ā He explained a little frantically, āBesides, itās not like a fairy would be asking my name for any innocent reasons.ā
Ilex couldnāt relate to the description of how this man felt about names and was frankly tired simply hearing about how complicated humanity had made names for themselves. āAre you trying to make me do the same? Or like, wanting me to?ā
āDonāt like the name Iāve currently picked, but itās your choice what you ask.ā The man shrugged, glancing at something flying past them. Ilex knew it was a bat, but doubted a human could identify it.
He glared at him, debating what to do. āIf I do, add in that you arenāt giving me whatever your name is as a first name. I like my name already so it can fit somewhere else.ā
āWould that work?ā The man asked dubiously.
He shrugged, completely uncertain in the idea himself, but wanting some attempt to be made at preserving his own name. āWho knows, but itās that or carry on coming in here in the hopes you run into the other fairy you havenāt met yet sometime. He definitely will ask for your name though, so maybe do that if youāve only got one name to try out left.ā
āFine. I promise if you ask for my name, I will try to make it a secondary name or something. Do fairies even have middle names and surnames? I mean I know Iāve given the ones Iāve met them, however the name giving thing works, but normally, do you?ā
Ilex rubbed his hands over his face, already regretting this decision. āWe have as many or as few names as weāre bestowed by others. May I have your name?ā
āAs a secondary name to the one you prefer, I give you the name Virgil Starmist.ā The man replied, pausing and watching him for a moment though everyone else said he left almost immediately upon giving them a name.
The shiver of the new name attaching itself to him was genuine, but Ilex still felt like himself, and like his name began identically to before. He nodded, and gestured along the path to the man, hoping heād leave now, instead of actually trying to observe the forest at nighttime.
He did just that, giving a small wave after heād picked his stool back up.
Ilex was definitely not planning on approaching him again, even if he visited the woods at night some time in the future.
~
āYour name feels the same,ā Fistulina whined, throwing himself to the floor beside Ilex. āI thought you said youād met the name-changer!ā
He kicked at him absently. āI did meet him. I just bothered to talk to him instead of trying to get control of him.ā
āBut how do I meet him then? I want him to change my name.ā Fistulina pouted. āI thought youād make him keep coming back here so I could find him.ā
āHe has been. I met him last week and heās been in every night since then trying to observe the nighttime animals.ā He pointed out, and had also stuck to his resolve of not speaking to the man again.
Fistulina grinned up at him, before jumping into the middle branches of a tree hanging over them. āReally? I can have my name changed too?ā
Ilex nodded indulgently, āSure, if youāre weird enough to want that.ā
~
It was only when Fistulina was waiting for the man to enter the woods that he realised Ilex hadnāt denied having his name changed. All that was definitely the same was his first name and Fistulina suddenly wanted to go back to his friend to test out how his name had been changed.
A man coming down the path got his attention instead, and he immediately rushed over. āHi, are you the name-changer? I had to find a way to refer to you as nobody else got your name.ā
āEvery fairy Iāve met got a name that was once mine. I donāt know what you mean saying they didnāt. Are you the last one in the area for me to meet?ā The man replied, looking over Fistulina curiously, and holding the torch closer to him.
He grinned widely while shoving his hand into it. āYes! Can I have your name too?ā
āJust to check, you donāt have any stipulations over how I give it to you?ā
He narrowed his eyes, wondering if that was asked because of Ilex, but shook his head. āNope. I just want your name. Give it to me.ā
The man rolled his eyes, āFine, I give you the name Remus Feralheart. People were a bit off-put by that surname, so I hope youāll enjoy it.ā
āYes!ā Remus cheered, bouncing up and down the trees beside the man as he walked away.
He looked up at him in confusion, āI thought the rest of the fairies I met hated that I renamed them.ā
āThatās because Iām the best fairy around!ā He crowed, before deciding to turn into the bird heād imitated and go attack one of the things in the fields.
~
Thomas returned to town that evening feeling like he might finally have a name that fit him. He knew he could have filed to change his name through paperwork. It was the normal way for humans to do things, but it took months sometimes for the approval to come through.
Heād also considered simply asking for his friend to change up what they called him, but while heād been so uncertain about what he wanted to be called, that felt like it would only confuse everyone. Some of his friends had still offered to do that after his second name change, but heād only accepted their help in deciding what other names he might want to try out.
There were still five other options in his pockets, but Thomas felt solid.
If it ever stopped feeling so, then he guessed he might have to move towns to find some other fairies, unless Remus would asked for his name again if he left it long enough. That was a consideration for another day though, and Thomas wasnāt going to dwell on it.
~
āSo that man changed all of our names.ā Remus declared to the group, snickering when everyone else turned to look at Ilex.
āHe didnāt. Weād have noticed if Ilex had a new name,ā Logan pointed out, but got two heads shaking.
Ilex huffed, āUnlike you guys wanting to control him for whatever reason, I didnāt want to have my name forcibly changed, or have a human to look after.ā
āBut how did he change your name then?ā Remus sang, leaning into him.
Roman rolled his eyes, āThereās nothing to suggest that the human changed his name at all. Logan is right in that weād have noticed it.ā
Off to the edge of the clearing the group had gathered in, Janus scoffed, āIlex isnāt denying that itās changed and Remusā They sneered the new name, ādoesnāt lie. Asking how his name changed is pointless though since he wonāt easily share even with us.ā
āI asked him not to give it as a first name.ā Ilex agreed.
āCome on Kiddo, you know you can trust us with your name change, just like you did before. You donāt even have to tell us it in full, only what the human gave you.ā Patton cajoled.
Ilex glared, trying to stare down the five fairies now very invested in learning the name he was given. Nobody showed signs of backing down, and Remus leant so close their noses were almost touching. āFine. I was given the name Virgil. Iām not telling you all of it though.ā
āOkay Ilex, but know you can if you want to.ā Patton smiled at him gently, but he turned away, crossing his arms.
Logan made a thoughtful noise, āI wonder if this human is weird for the names he was given or chose after meeting Roman that first time. Thereās seems to be a lot of variety in our names now.ā
āLetās not try seeking him out to ask why.ā Ilex huffed.
Summary: Patton starts getting the Sides cooking in the hopes that Thomas will try cooking himself. They all have different issues with their attempts.
Author's Note: If you want the chaptered version of this, head over to my AO3, same name as this blog. Otherwise, I've been writing this over the last week and mostly just having fun with it.
~
Patton
Pattonās idea was that if he started cooking and got the rest of the Sides included too, then maybe Thomas would start trying to cook as well.
Heād made some spaghetti before without any disaster too, so surely he wouldnāt do too badly.
If cooking with heart, with love, made the food taste better then Patton was going to be generous in following his feelings. A little extra butter wouldnāt hurt, nor should extra flavours he knew were liked by his family.
Patton quickly learnt the issue with adding extra butter as the batter he needed to make had completely the wrong texture. He did try to rectify it with extra flour and water but was very worried now.
āOh, cooking makes sense.ā Virgilās comment startled him where he thought he was alone in the kitchen.
He span to face the anxious side, getting tugged away from the stove as he did, probably because of the pan heād just been distracted from. āHi Virge. Why does cooking make sense kiddo?ā
Pattonās arm was released as cautious eyes focused on the pan instead of him, āYou felt worried when Thomas isnāt. I wanted to know whatās up. You need any help?ā
āIāve got this kiddo,ā Patton tried to give a reassuring smile, but wasnāt sure it was believed. āIāll be calling everyone to dinner soon enough.ā
āIf youāre sure.ā Virgil didnāt seem sure, nor did he go far as he sat on the sofa to be able to keep an eye on the kitchen while he waited.
~
Patton was delighted when even Remus and Janus came down for the meal heād made. Heād made it as tasty as he could because all those herbs and spices smelt so lovely and even smelt interesting after heād mixed them in.
His hopes for the meal to be a success didnāt dwindle at Loganās calculating gaze or Remusās grimace being replaced with a grin. He remained sure heād done a decent job as Janus and Romanās expressions became unreadable after their first bites.
Virgil was watching Patton when he turned to see his reaction before taking his own first bite. āWere you tasting it as you cooked?ā He asked.
āKiddon, donāt you say there are lots of ingredients we shouldnāt eat uncooked? Iāve not tasted it for your safety rules.ā He soothed. Heād been trying to remember the things all the other Sides were concerned about recently and that one wasnāt a hardship to do.
With a nod and a scrunched nose, Virgil then tried a mouthful of the dish, expression twisting further as he did. āYou should have tasted it between each of the herbs and spices I saw you add. This isnāt good Pat. You went overboard with the seasonings.ā
āPerhaps one of us should try cooking next time.ā Logan suggested.
Patton wilted at the criticism but nodded, āIf you think thatās for the best.ā
Roman
Baking was for extravagance in Romanās mind, and he was nothing if he wasnāt extravagant. To prove it, he pulled out the mixing bowls and recipe books the day after Pattonās failed dinner, intent on filling the mindscape with cakes, cookies and a pie for dinner.
The recipes were easy enough to follow, but left little room for the creativity Roman had to add to everything he did. To find a way to include more of it, he gathered more books, checking which flavours had been combined before, as well as how shapes were achieved. He wouldnāt fall into Pattonās mistake of using all the spices he could.
A small delay was needed when the flour bag decided to poof dust all over him as he opened it, and cause the realisation that a princeās garments werenāt best suited to baking. Roman did have a chefās costume however, that he soon changed into.
It was a good thing he changed too, as after that any ingredient that was a powder became set on dusting him and the kitchen while every liquid or mixture thin enough to splash was joining in on the mess. There was soon cake mix on Romanās shoulder from pouring it into the cake tin too quickly, and the fruit filling for the pie splattered on his hip.
If he wasnāt certain there were no other Sides downstairs as he worked, Roman would have suspected Remus or Janus of causing the ingredients to act as they were.
From the cooking times on the recipes, Roman was sure he could bake the cookies while finishing the cake batter and pie crust. Heād put those in next with the crust on the lower shelf for blind baking as he finished the filling off.
Blackened cookies were the first failure he faced and the indication that the recipe timings werenāt precise. Still he wanted to follow his plan son only double checked how to tell a cake was cooked before focusing on the pie filling again.
Roman brightened again when he pulled the pie crust out and it was cooked just as much as he needed.
The cake wasnāt as lucky. Itās top was pale and gooey still and the knife he stuck in came out with as much batter on it as it could hold. Only hope that it hadnāt been out long enough to lose its fluffiness got Roman putting the cake back in the oven for longer.
Filling the pie base will the fruit and making an intricate top crust distracted Roman. He got engrossed in the creation he was weaving from strips of pastry so much that he forgot about the cake until a new hint of burning joined the scents in the kitchen.
Jumping to the over he flicked the heat off, bending to look inside before opening it, in case his distraction had led to burning the cake enough it smoked. Seeing none, he opened it to pull the cake out, frowning at the burnt edges. To be certain it was fully done, Roman reached for a clean knife to stab the cake, groaning when a smidge of batter stuck to the blade still. Burnt and undercooked was not the extravagance heād been certain heād make.
āHmm, I had intended to offer to cook today, but youāve taken the task already.ā Logan commented while Roman was debating how to get the cake fully cooked without burning its edges more.
He pulled up a charming smile, trying to exude the confidence heād begun with, even if he wasnāt feeling it any longer before turning around, āIndeed, a fruit pie, delightful cookies and cake sounds like the perfect dinner, does it not?ā
A silently judgemental glance darted to the cookies as Logan surveyed the room, but he focused instead on the knives Roman had tested the cake with, āUsually a dinner includes a savoury main course, but as long as thereās actual fruit in the pie, itās not the worst. This is from testing the centre of the cake, correct?ā
The knife held up was the most recently used one, so Roman simply nodded. If he spoke he might decide to wail about failures and there was still a pie to finish baking.
āThen stop looking like itās defeated you in one of those battles you seek in the imagination. This is a reasonable amount for a moist cooked cake to leave when tested.ā Logan informed him calmly, examining the cake now. āBut Iād be grateful if the cake is iced in moderation.ā
āI would argue for beauty and splendour, but compared to the pie, I can agree to your request.ā He smiled. Roman had almost forgotten that his baking would end with decorating his creations and surely some sugar would make even his cookies taste delicious as well as look beautiful.
Virgil
After the sugar rush Roman served, Virgil wanted comfort for dinner. He couldnāt assume another Side would decide to make it if they chose to cook at all, so he opted to take the kitchen over for himself instead.
Jacket potatoes were simple enough to do, but Virgil worried they might not be treated as a full meal. If he added a more complicated filling then they would, and Logan was always mentioning the importance of eating vegetables, so he decided to add parsnips and carrots in a cheese sauce for the topping.
āAh, Virgil,ā Janus greeted as he was setting ingredients and equipment out, āYou arenāt the side I thought would be cooking today.ā
āAnd you arenāt someone Iām asking for help from.ā He countered, trying to find the potato peeler for the vegetables.
Janus made a gesture he didnāt fully spot as he stood, before replying, āVery well. Iāll leave you to your task and look for Logan elsewhere.ā
āYou do that.ā Virgil was not going to worry that Logan had wanted to cook today. He wasnāt. Logan could always cook tomorrow.
Chewing on his nail, Virgil decided that since jacket potatoes had long slow cooking times, he was fine to have the oven on a lower heat and turn it on sooner. That would also mean the potatoes were out of the way as he worked on the vegetables and sauce.
Quickly, he stabbed them with a fork and got them in the oven before debating what lever of cleaning up as he went he wanted to do. When heād only used a fork it seemed like a bit too much, so Virgil left it in the sink for now.
The peeler was treated similarly after probably too long was taken to carefully peel the carrots away from his body. Then Virgil remembered there was only one peeler and the parsnips needed peeling too, so cleaned both items.
Heād already set out two knives for chopping the carrots and parsnips after they were peeled so moved straight onto that after throwing away the peel.
He did make sure to immediately clean and put away those knives before actually starting to make the sauce. Everything being done as safely as possible was Virgilās goal and he was happy to be achieving it.
From the recipe heād found, the vegetables would cook inside the sauce so he didnāt worry until adding the pieces to it.
As slowly as Virgil added the vegetables, and as careful as heād been to only have any heat source turned on if he was cooking on it, he was still Thomasās anxiety, ready to startle and jump at unexpected dangers. The sauce spitting and splashing over the carrots was one such danger.
His flinch knocked the pan between hobs and brought his hand into contact with the base of the pan and the lit hob. A sharp hiss escaped him, not turning into a yell because his teeth grit together as he snatched his hand back.
The list of immediate dangers cane to Virgilās mind in this order; hot sauce unsteadily balanced, heat source about to be unattended and his own injury needing tending to.
Moving the pot with one hand wasnāt the best thing to do, but it got it to a secure position safely enough. Turning the hob off was a seconds work too, and relaxed Virgil enough to turn the cold tap on and get the burns on his hand chilled.
āOh, are you cooking yourself for dinner?ā Remus asked, popping up as if in response to the scene and leering over him, āBecause yummy!ā
āNo!ā He snapped over his shoulder, āItās just harder for me to get injuries to vanish.ā
Virgil tried not to tense even more when Remus stared at him for too long. He might recognise the problem solving expression compared to trying to be the problem, but he didnāt like waiting for Remus to offer a bizarre solution regardless.
āThen focus on spanking me instead of being injured.ā Remus eventually offered.
āWhat?ā His jaw was so tight he was shocked the word came out at all as he twisted to scowl at Remus while keeping his hand under the cold water.
He shrugged, āYou arenāt hurt when fighting so spank me, fight me, do whatever you want to my nubile body.ā
The punch to Remusās jaw wasnāt what Virgil had intended to do, but it did have his burn dissolving away while Remus cackled from the floor.
āDonāt flirt like that! Iām not a sadist!ā He glared down.
āBut you are able to start cooking again, arenāt you?ā was the unrepentant response.
Virgil huffed at him, waving a hand with a small intent to push Remus from the room. āSure, now get out. This cooking has enough risks without you here.ā
āFine. I wonāt challenge the sauce to a spitting contest.ā Remus continued to laugh as he sunk out of the room.
Turning back to the sauce, Virgil pause to grab a tea towel to cover his hand with. If it was going to spit, he wasnāt going to repeat that startle again.
Logan
After two days of being beaten to the kitchen, Logan was resolute in cooking today. Heād researched healthy meals, as well as what chemical reactions heād be observing in the cooking process. All that was required now was access to the kitchen to make the meal and his notebook to record his observations in.
The recipe he had decided to use had notes all over the printed page and a cooking thermometer in a pouch stapled to it. If the page called for a temperature to be used he would be ensuring it was reached before cooking that section and, if his research included ways to take the internal temperatures of a dish, he would be ensuring they reached heats enough to kill off harmful bacteria.
After hearing about Virgilās accident the day before, Logan had also made sure to be properly protected with a lab-coat, gloves and safety goggles.
āI was wondering if youād act as much as Roman did. The scientist angle is a rather interesting approach.ā Janus commented while Logan was trying to make an emulsion work.
He frowned at them for a brief moment, āYou heard that Virgil sustained an injury yesterday. This is reasonable protective wear, not a costume,ā He corrected.
The sarcastic laugh he got in response was hardly earned.
āThen I suppose you need no help, but in case your recipes are vague on seasoning, Iād suggest adding more than a pinch.ā Janus said once heād calmed down, leaving shortly after.
From there, Loganās cooking continued peacefully as he completed each step and made notes observing the changes in combinations and reactions the recipes included.
āAre we getting to eat your experiments at some point, or should I start summoning dinner for the rest of us?ā Roman imperiously intruded on the peace cooking had brought.
Despite having checked his watch a lot since he began cooking, for how long things were cooked for mostly, Logan was shocked to see it was almost an hour later than dinner had been served for most of the week.
āSorry Roman, I must have worked more slowly than intended by trying to observe the cooking as I would an experiment. The last dish should be finished in 3.7 minutes.ā He stated, turning to gather plates so he could start serving up the finished dishes in that time.
āSplendid.ā
Taking a moment to taste a small amount of his serving, Logan hoped he wasnāt about to get opposite criticisms to Pattonās meal. He should have added more seasoning, just like Janus suggested.
Janus
Janus's cooking isn't a lie. It's taking a tactical solution to a week of imperfect dinners.
They use a meal kit that hello fresh had once sent to Thomas for a sponsorship so the prep work was already done for them.
Of course deciding to do that did mean they'd be later reaching the kitchen than any of the others had been, but it wouldn't be late enough for Roman to start summoning a meal. Perhaps Remus would decide to cook instead but they knew him. He'd want to be a star somehow and given his food was unlikely to achieve it, being the last to cook was likely Remus's plan.
Frying the meat was easily done, as was boiling the rice for one of the side dishes.
They didnāt understand why everyone had struggled so much with their meals. Keeping a hold of everything cooking so it was flipped and stirred as often as needed was as simple as getting everyone sworn in during the trail theyād done before the wedding.
āCheater!ā Roman declared, glancing into the kitchen and seeing the kit. He paused before they could reply, looking around again. āAlthough perhaps that is the right way to begin learning to cook when Thomasās knowledge of it is limited.ā
āHopefully that is what will reach Thomas from this week of cookingā They agreed.
The hardest thing Janus found to cooking ended up being rolling the tortillas smoothly so they didnāt decide to tear around the filling. Thankfully there were a few more tortillas than there was filling for them, so they simply double wrapped the ones which tore.
āAs per an old Hello Fresh recipe, dinner is served.ā They called, assuming everyone would be quick to appear for dinner.
Virgil shot up. Judgementally glaring at them, āSeriously? You just used the meal prep company? Only way you could have been lazier is by summoning pizzas and then denying it.ā
āRemus would have screamed about it if I did that.ā Janus commented, moving to set the plates out.
āThey gave me deodorant and a chainsaw so I didnāt scream about the hello fresh box.ā Remus agreed, curling over his plate at the table.
Patton looked torn when he approached the table, looking from the tortillas to Janus. āWas it a useful way to learn the cooking skills it needed, Janus?ā
āIt was adequate.ā They stated.
āThen at least you tried.ā He decided, assuming that his acceptance would remove the judgement still directed at him by Logan and Virgil.
It didnāt, but Janus was happy enough to have taken part in the week of cooking.
Remus
Virgil woke early, dread running through him. It wasnāt especially for Thomas but for the entire mind-space. Heād seen all the known sides cook this week except for Remus and that could only be a bad thing.
He hurried down to the kitchen to make sure all the washing up was done and confiscate any cleaning supplies that werenāt locked away already. That should be enough to ensure food was edible at a minimum.
~
Janus would never dream of limiting Remusās freedom to create, because trying to do so often led to direct retaliation and retribution, like weapons to the head, or being forced into a new form for some amount of time.
What they often did instead, was offer subtle guidance to Remusās impulses. For example: that morning they were going to give all the cook books new covers and names like āHow to Convince People of Cannibalism without Eating Anyoneā or āEating the Unkillable: Mushrooms and Moreā.
Theyād be shocked if he did actually follow any recipe properly, but encouraging it even partially was justified.
~
If Remus wished to cook, that was no concern of Romanās, except heād be expected to eat the meal as he had at least tried the meals everyone else had made. It wasnāt a pleasant thought to consider everything Remus might try to force into being an ingredient in whatever he made.
He had to wait until after everyone had got breakfast, but Roman was quick to start checking the kitchen for things which could become harmful to eat. Given heād cooked in it so recently he was sure that at least one other Side had thought to try and Remus proof the kitchen already.
He scoffed at the recipe books when he noticed theyād changed. The most that would do was have Remus cackling as he worked.
The missing cleaning products had him pausing, before deciding that heās perfectly fine with whomever had taken them keeping them until it actually was necessary to clean everything up.
Those two actions left Roman with one other thing he wanted to try doing: Making every dish, plate and saucepan unbreakable and every knife only sharp when coming into contact with food that definitely wasnāt a living side.
Of course Remus could undo it, if he really was determined to use a smashed plate or whatever, but Roman would know if he did and manage to warn everyone to be careful when chewing their food.
~
Remus wasnāt meant to have the same skills Thomas had. He was creativity, the impulsive, darker creativity people can scold or complain about. He could claim any skill he wanted but very rarely did.
Noticing all the changes to the kitchen did make claiming a cooking skill or two very tempting, if only to make the best dish of the week and leave everyone wondering how they were going to be poisoned. Shame that the poisoning was apparently the most expected thing for him to do, since it did actually sound like fun.
Heād make something to punish them regardless. There were plenty of things to use as ingredients left in the kitchen still, so he could simply throw a few things in together and see how everything turned out.
Frying meat sounded entertaining for a while, so some meat went into a frying pan over the highest heat he could get the oven to reach. Then Remus threw some sauces in over the meat as well as a few spices, so he could draw penises on the meat or make the pan look like it was filled with bloody shit if he shoved the meat to one side of it.
Getting bored of that he returned to grabbing things from the cupboards to throw together, pretending not to notice the spider creeping out to turn the heat off. If Virgil wanted to avoid a fire too, then he could allow the arachnids hanging out in the kitchen.
The things thrown into the pan Remus had grabbed began to feel like a dough, so he squashed it to the counter and rolled it around the meat heād been cooking first. He wanted to go and splash around in the mud now, so shoving whatever heād made into the over would have to do for finishing it off.
~
Everyone looked from Remus, completely covered in mud except for the gloves Virgil had shoved onto his hands when he got back to the kitchen, and then to the dish heād placed on the table which seemed to be some kind of meat pastry.
āIt looks lovely, Remus.ā Patton said eventually, forcing optimism into his voice as he reached over to slice it for everyone.
āIt actually does?ā Roman agreed, poking at the slice he was served before deciding to take a bite. āAnd tastes pretty good too?ā
āReally? Thatās weird!ā Remus exclaimed, looking at his own serving, āI just threw whatever caught my eye together.ā
Virgil and Janus took their own bites, letting out surprised noises. āYep, somehow good. Iām not suggesting Thomas does what you did though.ā Virgil glared at the dish, even as he dug into it.
āNo fun.ā
Thomas
All week long, Thomas had been wondering about trying to cook properly again. He wasnāt completely hopeless at cooking, but managing to shove something pre-made in the oven or quickly fry a mix heād brought wasnāt as good as he probably should be after living independently for so long.
Today he finally felt like he had the time to spare for an evening cooking and the energy to do it as well.
As he was flipping through the few recipe books he had from previous attempts to learn more about how to cook, Logan popped up. āAh, Thomas. Can I suggest you begin with one or two of the simpler recipes and while taking your time is advised, ensure you donāt take so long any separate dishes you might make cool as you work on a different one?ā
āSure. Any other advice for cooking?ā He accepted the advice easily, knowing that if heās been thinking about something for a few days it would be something all his sides knew about.
āPlenty, but Iām sure you either already know it or the others will want to pop up and share for themselves.ā Logan sunk out promptly after he finished speaking, leaving Thomas wondering why the rest of his sides would have cooking advice for him.
The next time any side popped up was when Thomas was checking his shopping list for the spices the recipe called for. It was Patton, who looked very warily at the shelves, as if they were going to cause trouble even though Thomas struggled to imagine any circumstance where a spice could cause chaos on its own.
āHeeey Thomas, maybe donāt get too many of those. The flavours donāt always combine very well.ā He offered, failing to grin as much as he usually did.
āIām just planning on following the recipe, Pat. Why would that steer me wrong on what to combine?ā He easily answered, patiently and curiously wondering what was going on.
Another glance at the shelves of spices, and then to the three herbs that Thomas had already picked up and Pattonās smile became more genuine. āThatās great Kiddo. Really glad youāre trying to cook again.ā
āYeah, it felt like time.ā He agreed, but couldnāt help looking at his side again. āAny other reason you popped up beyond this?ā
āNope, not at all. Iāll leave you to your shopping before Virgil starts scolding me over making you talk to yourself.ā Patton sunk out hastily, leaving Thomas more confused than before over how his sides were reacting to his decision to cook.
Once heād got everything back home and the ingredients set out, Thomas was hesitant to start. Of course the recipe stated that he should preheat the oven first, but that felt like asking for trouble and he wasnāt certain why.
He decided to go straight to the centre of his anxieties and simply call Virgil up.
āSup Bossman, You looking for my cooking tips now?ā Virgil greeted, hunched in the doorway.
āMore like wondering why Iām so worried over preheating the oven like the recipe says.ā Thomas replied, glancing at the cookbook again.
Virgil glared at the stove, āBecause burns are not a fun injury to have and its safer if you light it after youāre ready to put things into it. You donāt want to get burned.ā
Thomas looked at him dubiously, āMakes sense, but has something been going on in my head since I started thinking about doing this?ā
āYeah, Patton wanted us to try cooking and see if it would encourage you to.ā Virgil groaned after saying the words, āAre we gonna be worrying over if itās you or us thoughts originate from now?ā
āWe can try not to.ā He offered, hoping he wouldnāt, but after hearing Pattonās approach he couldnāt help but question it.
With another frustrated noise, Virgil was gone and Thomas was skipping to the second step to actually start working through the recipe.
āEverything turned out great when I just threw everything in together.ā Remusās goading voice rang out, though it took a moment for Thomas to spot the fingertips hanging onto the divide between kitchen and living room.
He shook his head at them. āIām still following my recipe Remus.ā
āBut I made the best meal of the week without any recipe at all.ā The protest was followed by Remus pulling himself up as if he was fighting a much bigger drop than there was from divide height to the floor.
āDoesnāt matter. If I want to actually learn to cook I need to follow recipes for a while longer at least.ā Thomas stated, easily moving to the next step in the recipe as he did so.
āBoring. Maybe you should come into your food to test how that makes it taste better.ā
Thomas rolled his eyes, before holding his arm in Remusās direction, āAnd thatās time for you to go away now.ā
He wasnāt alone for long as Janus was soon to arrive with their ideas on cooking, āYouāre putting an awful lot of effort in for people who would be more impressed if you just claimed a ready meal was homemade.ā
āIām only cooking this for me, Janus. I donāt think I would lie to myself over how much effort I put into a meal.ā He replied, realising as he checked the recipe again that heād almost finished it.
āWhich makes this amount of effort even more astounding if you arenāt trying to impress anyone,ā they remarked.
āIām allowed to want to know how to cook just for me.ā Thomas muttered, resolute in not doubting his decision. Even if he might want to cook for his friends at some point in the future, cooking for himself was a sensible goal to have set and worth working on.
He turned to place the nearly finished dish into the oven for the baking time specified, remembering to turn it on now it was actually being used. Janus had left by the time he turned around again to set the timer on his phone.
Given everyone else had popped in to have their say, Thomas was beginning to wonder when Roman would after getting the finished dish from the oven.
āDid you remember parsley leaves for garnish? What about a sauce or gravy to drizzle over it artistically?ā Roman appeared, looking from the dish Thomas had made and just started to cut a serving of and the plate he was going to move it onto.
Thomas looked from him to the dish, before shaking his head with a smile, āNo to all. I made this just for me and I donāt need any fancy plating for my meal. I just want to eat it at this point.ā
āBut you need the flare! To show your pride in this creation!ā The protest was given playfully, as if Roman was mostly doing it to entertain now. āAlthough I suppose you did manage to make something that doesnāt need icing to hide the burnt areas.ā
āYou tried baking then, did you? I was wondering about my day thinking about my favourite cookies.ā He smiled, but shooed his side away. He didnāt need to ask how their cooking attempts had gone when he thought his own was as successful as someone still learning to cook could hope for.
Summary: Thomas wakes to his bed gone and his bedroom transformed to include a mushroom covered tree. His exploration of his own home doesn't get less strange from there.
Author's note: If you've seen my tissue cross stitches of the sides rooms, those are what I'm describing and moving Thomas through in this. I've been plodding away at making this a story for a few weeks now, despite how short it feels.
~
Weird things were happening when Thomas woke. In fact, weird things were the reason he woke up, as his bed had abruptly vanished from under him.
If he couldnāt still see the walls of the room, heād have thought something had teleported him away from his home, especially because of the mushroom covered tree he was now laying under.
āDid someone steal my bed?ā He muttered, rolling to stand up and ending up in a puddle of knocked over paint water. Thomas had no memory of doing any painting recently, but as he stood, he noticed open paint bottles scattered around and a half-finished canvas that could be an octopus or squid further away.
He was glad a moment later for rolling into the spilt water, because the fire that he could have rolled into was not an enticing idea. Better to have the discomfort of being a little damp, than to have burn wounds.
Thomas almost believed it was the mushrooms he could feel watching him until he turned and saw a mudfish resting on a rock where the spilt paint water turned into a stream.
Concerned the paint could have poisoned the water, he started reaching for the fish to move it before realising that if his bedroom was this transformed he might not have anywhere better for the fish. Especially given he was sure tap water wouldnāt be good for it.
In the hopes of dry clothes and some indication that his home hadnāt somehow been completely transformed while he slept, Thomas went into his wardrobe. Looking around it, he was only half successful, because there was a costume rail that held dry clothes even if they seemed mostly to be Romanās style of clothes. The prince outfit even hung among them.
The wardrobe had however been changed just as much as his room had been, even including a tree being added, leaves hanging down into the room. Glancing out the door again, he wondered if it was the same tree that had mushrooms growing over it, but the placement of each suggested otherwise.
At least the deer watching Thomas pick out a shirt didnāt seem angry. He chose a floral one as the most normal of the options available to him.
~
Finding an office confused Thomas. Heād debated arranging one somewhere in his home for a while now, encouraged by Logan, but hadnāt yet decided where.
Now there was an office, completed with a microscope and whiteboard, added to one of his spare rooms.
Wondering why an office also needed a magpie didnāt help with his confusion, so he turned to head downstairs in the hopes of some answers about what was going on.
~
A spider, holly tree and bat were the first things Thomas registered as new while descending the stairs. He was really getting concerned over the structural integrity of his home with so many trees appearing in it. Two or three was definitely too many when the average was zero.
As if the spider and bat werenāt enough animals for the room, he could see two eyes gleaming out from under the table that was half covered by Virgilās hoodie.
Thomas started to form a theory over why the rooms looked the way they did at the sight of the hoodie because its location made little sense except when connected to everything now surrounding it.
~
He could have believed the kitchen being changed was a continuation of how the living room had been, but where the living room had spiders and holly, the kitchen had daffodils and a toy-box. There was even a butterfly fluttering around it, never leaving that area.
Thomas paused there for a while, almost expecting the stove to talk as heād made it do in an early Sanders Sides video. In that time he noted pictures on the walls where heād usually hang utensils and decided that was enough time to look at the changes in the kitchen.
~
Now Thomas had walked through his entire home, through areas as completely changed as his bedroom, and ones that looked a lot like normal, but still hadnāt found out anything to explain what was going on.
When he glanced outside he hoped he might finally learn. His sides were all out there, laying on grass and flowers that had replaced his driveway, someone stood over them with their back to the window. He wondered if that man was the cause for the oddities of the day.
Before Thomas could decide to head outside to the man heād spotted, the closet opposite the kitchen swung open, hissing coming from within. Wondering if the noise meant the changes had even reached inside the closet he diverted from the door.
Finding a snake beside Janusās cloak and hat was the final clue he needed to say, fairly certainly, that the rooms heād seen changed were made into some form of his sides rooms. He had no clue how any of the changes could have been made however, and still felt awake. Surely if he was dreaming something else weird would have happened, like the rooms changing around him.
~
āWho are-ā Thomas began to ask as he left his house, only to freeze when the man standing over his sides turned, revealing Thomasās own face. Looking over the outfit the man was wearing, he frowned, āSleep? Whatās going on?ā
āJust a dream, gurl, but Iāve got conditions for you waking from it,ā Sleep replied.
Caution seemed vital so Thomas was slow to approach, looking over the area.
A bed lay where his car was usually parked and the bag he usually used when making Sleep short videos was discarded on top of the flowers heād seen through the window. He wasnāt sure if the flowers were simply daisies or something else with a similar appearance.
A bedside table was visible after a few steps forwards, holding the sunglasses he hadnāt realised Sleep wasnāt wearing. It also held a travel cup which made sense, Thomas thought.
After all the animals heād seen inside, the red panda curled up on the bed barely classed as unusual.
When he was close enough to check on his sides, Thomas paused, looking back to Sleep. āWhat conditions do you have?ā
āI should be one of these guys. A side, getting a say in your decisions,ā Sleep stated, gesturing over them, āOne of the light sides too as Iām far more important than lies, insanity and worries.ā
āI already have a side telling me to sleep. Heās called Virgil and suggests it to hide from the world.ā Thomas commented, āWould you actually do more than that?ā
Sleep reared back in exaggerated offence. āBitch, Iāll have you know I say far more than that. Look at your dreams!ā
āSo you want me to redecorate and build a zoo.ā Thomas quipped, looking back at his house. āYou arenāt making a good case for this.ā
āTheyāre sleeping. Why do you sound like theyāre still present?ā The confusion was clear as Sleep poked Virgil with his foot.
Thomas rolled his eyes. āTheyāre part of me, fractions of a whole so I look at situations from different viewpoints. To separate them takes more than a nap, especially, Iād guess, when Iām asleep too.ā
Since he didnāt want to sleep forever but doubted his Sleep character, whatever heād class as currently, actually could manage that. He wondered what having him as a Side would be like before discarding the idea.
If his Sides were parts that made his personality, theyād be traits given to a character in a game, something you could choose at the beginning of play. Sleep was more like a need, a function and requirement to survival, like hunger. He wasnāt letting any argument be made for hunger being a side.
āI donāt think you should be a Side.ā He said, having ignored everything Sleep had been saying while he thought, āYouāre a fundamental function of staying alive, but not an influence on most of my decisions.ā
āI help with decisions! Like whether you should take a midnight walk to relax, and whether you really need to have that afternoon meeting,ā Sleep protested, āAnd you never even ask my name for all the help I give.ā
Meeting Sleepās gaze, Thomas moved over to Remus. āYou just listed situations where wanting to sleep might change how I feel, but not the responsibilities or ideas over the events I have. You called Remus insanity earlier, and I could argue that he doesnāt help as much as other Sides, but he pays attention to all of them. He knows when to challenge the rest and how to get arguments heard, as weird as his methods are. Do you do that? Would you like to tell me your name?ā
āRemy and why would I want to do that? More than half your life is dull as hell and needs major improvements to make into dreams.ā
āNice to know your name, Remy, but that sentence says you donāt want to be a Side. You want attention. How about we make another video tomorrow?ā Thomas was fairly sure heād have time to do that, even if he wasnāt sure what heād focus it on.
Remy narrowed his eyes, āOnly me, or me and you in it?ā
āSure. Besides, your videos are the only ones where thatās often the case and you get to always be the star.ā He pointed out.
āYour Sides donāt get that? Damn gurl, youāre right. I donāt want to be one.ā Sleep grinned, finally happy with the decision Thomas had made. āNow into bed with you and Iāll let you get back to your normal me.ā
Thomas looked at the bed when it was gestured to, but hesitated to approach, āWill the red panda be okay with me doing that?ā
āSure.ā
~
Waking up again, Thomas was glad to see his bedroom back to normal. For a moment he lay there wondering about the dream heād had before sitting up and pushing his hair back. He couldnāt ignore the agreement made with Sleep, Remy, just in case it was real and he did have a way to talk to his need for sleep.
āRoman, Remus?ā He called, knowing heād need some interesting ideas for the video, even if it was going to be short.
āYour prince is here!ā Roman appeared with a flourish, before frowning at Remus, āBut why is this vile pest also present?ā
Remus leered at him in turn. āCause I was summoned, your deafness. Didnāt you hear his call? Guess you canāt cut it on your own.ā
āBecause his chaotic ideas tend to work for short videos and weāre making a Sleep video today, unless one of you claims control of the dreams I have.ā Thomas firmly said before the pair could be distracted by arguing.
Both Sides shared a glance before Remus shrugged, āThatās Remyās thing, not ours. Ooooh! Youāve met him? When? What did he do? Did you fuck?ā
āNo, he tried demanding to be a Side but agreed to me making a video instead. Also, I think, put some version of each of your rooms in the house.ā Thomas explained.
āMine was a display of splendour and glory, I assume,ā Roman gestured largely.
Thomas debated lying since it was clear what had happened in his dream hadnāt reached his Sides yet, but sighed. āIt was grand for a dressing room, I guess.ā
āTo get you stage ready and looking like a star.ā Roman was clearly disappointed and trying to find a positive spin on it.
āBOORRRINGG! Can we make the video of Thomas and Sleep fucking now?ā Remus yelled, before more about the dream could be discussed.
After glaring and making some objecting startled noises for a moment, Roman calms, raising a scolding hand to the other Side, āNow see here, whereās the tease? The tension? The energy? Flirting is okay but that is too far for our videos to go and still keep people caring.ā
With those words, Thomas smiled, certain that the argument was on task and would lead his Creativityās to a good video to make. Leaving them to it for a while, he got up to start getting dressed and ready for the day.
Feed Your Head šš Itās the anniversary of Remusā first appearance and his Era Look is inspired by the very free & revolutionary 60s. He actually got two tops, the greedy bitch.
We liked one shirt that featured more green, but also really loved the lace top that paralleled Romanās Era Look. So, we went with both! Once again, a ton of fun bringing this to life! Happy Birthday, Duke, you very disturbing weirdo! šš
Photography: [IG] wildefirecontent
Styling: [IG] dpstyledme
A Patchwork of Memories @anxiouslyfred - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
