Sanders Sides Human AU with Creativitwins where Roman and Remus are two little kids who like to present magic tricks on stage and half of their show is based on the fact that no one in the audience knows there’s two of them. They are so similar that everyone just assumes it’s one boy, especially since their acting is pretty good for their young age.
I’d also add Janus as their dad who helps them with extravagant costumes or stage make-up and is very proud of his little boys deceiving every audience member with their little secret.
Nothing spectacular happens in the story. It’s just cute.
“Love is a curious thing. It exists in many ways: familial, platonic, self-love, committed love, flirtatious love...So many different forms and shapes, it’s hard to tell them apart sometimes. One thing is the same, however. The heart that holds and distributes it.”
Or, Janus has always made other people fall in love, the Beast among gods, feared and revered. Never did he think he could fall in love himself, with a mere mortal prince nonetheless.
TW: No TW applies except maybe mention of gore, that's Remus being Remus, but should there be anything else, please tell me and I will add it!
Word count: 2435
Note: This is a retelling of the myth of Eros and Psyche, one of my favourites. The way I write Aphrodite is that they are ever changing, for beauty changes with the second. Therefore I will use different pronouns and titles all throughout the story.
Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4| Part 5 |Part 6| Part 7 | Part 8
Love is a curious thing. It exists in many ways: familial, platonic, self-love, committed love, flirtatious love...So many different forms and shapes, it’s hard to tell them apart sometimes. One thing is the same, however. The heart that holds and distributes it.
He had seen it all.
Passionate love however, or romantic love, true, brash and bold eros, that is the most dangerous one of them all. It ravishes, consumes, encircles the limbs and mind, turning statues to dust and ore to solid iron. It’s wild and carefree and incredible, yet also ruinous and unforgiving.
He should know, as the son of Love and War, how chaos is veiled by beauty and grace.
For he was Eros, god of Love.
Right now, however, he was Janus, walking as a god amongst the people of the kingdom before him.
For millennia, he had struck the hearts of mortals and gods alike, creating both bliss and ruin, sometimes at his own wishes, sometimes to please the other gods.
He needn’t bother meddling with the humans, or targets some of his fellow deities would joke. He could simply fly over, feathers rustling undetected, job well done. But that wouldn’t be very entertaining, would it?
No, he liked being Janus, more so than Eros, because then he could really see what his shots could do, the good and the bad.
Did he regret some of it? Sometimes. Wars were often fought, supposedly in the name of love, but when your parents are Aphrodite and Ares, should he be surprised?
Today however, he had another reason to walk the streets of Meraki. A job given to him by Aphrodite themselves.
“The king and queen have asked my priestess for aid, trying to find a suitable suitor for their youngest. I’ve consulted with Apollo and I would like you to take him away, to find him a lover elsewhere as he can not find it in the kingdom.”
“Why must I take care of him, then? Surely this prince can walk or take a horse to whatever neighbouring kingdom lies close by?”
“Because, my son”, they walked over to him, “the god of prophecies has informed me a ‘winged serpent shall take him to his love’. Does that ring a bell?” they stroked his golden scaled cheek.
He sighed, smiling softly. “I suppose I shall go down and take care of it.”
Their appearance shimmered in the golden morning light as Apollo strode by, as if to say “you’re welcome”.
“You’re taking on a new form already?”
“I am?” They looked at their reflection in the base of a fountain, revealing a strong jawline, stunning dark bronze eyes, mahogany locks softly brushing against their olive coloured skin.
“Humans never cease to amaze me. What do you think this one should be called? They are quite handsome.”
“Mother, you are always handsome.”
“Well, that much is true, but I believe this one has something more sophisticated to it, in contrast to the blonde muscular one a few decades ago. Remember that? I quite like this new preference humans have in physical beauty.”
They admired their new visage a bit more.
“I think Roman would fit, don’t you think? Being the deity of Romantic love and such”
“If you say so”, he readied his quiver and bow. “It suits you. Anything else before I go?”
The deity took him gently by his shoulders. “For you to be safe and happy. Alright then, off you go. And remember.”
He spread his wings, his white plumage appearing golden against the gleam of his scales. “I know, I know. Don’t fall in love.”
And there he was, on his way to take away the young prince to a distant land. All in the name of love. He did find that phrase overrated, sometimes.
As he talked to the people, he learned the prince was incredibly beautiful, compared to his mother often, yet never taking anyone’s hand in marriage.
Suitors would come to admire his beauty, but were already betrothed before they had even left the kingdom again.
He had also learned the prince usually spent his time on the hill top, picking lavender to help his older brother through stressful times. Even when he was already married, he would come to visit his younger brother almost every day, and he would always receive a new bundle of purple flowers.
From the fond way the people talked about the royal brothers, it was clear they were happy to have them. And from what he had seen days prior to his visit, he knew their words were true.
As word was sent out of the prince’s voyage, the brothers wept endlessly, the older brother promising he would do everything in his power to keep him home.
Intrigued, he had flown to the balcony of the eldest days prior, invisible and quietly disguised under the night sky, observing how he and his spouse were discussing the news.
“It’s unfair, Logan!” he paced around the balcony, pulling on the golden cords around his waist.
“I know, dear. But if that is what Aphrodite wants…”
“She wants him to be taken away! By some creature! He’s not some prize to be awarded to the best idiot of the Olympics!”
“Virgil, please”, he walked over to him, taking him by his hands and bringing them to his lips, his white marble skin even brighter against the warm, dark of his husband’s. “What use is stating what we already know? You can’t stop the gods themselves.”
“Can’t I?” his voice hoarse. “I would give my life for him. He’s my baby brother, Logan. He doesn’t deserve this.”
“What good would that bring? Not only would that destroy him, but me as well”, he pulled him into a tender embrace, leaving enough time for Virgil to pull away.
He closed his arms around him, tugging at the soft fabric. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“I know, my prígkipas. It’s alright. I know how much you love him.”
Virgil sobbed quietly. “There must be something we can do?”
“Only the gods can tell.”
He let go of Logan, looking him firmly in the eye. “Then that is what they shall do.”
“What are you planning?”
Virgil raced back into his room, frantically packing. “If the gods are the only ones that can tell me what to do, then let them talk.”
He grabbed some clothes from a trunk in the corner. “We’re going to the Oracle of Delphi.”
So, Janus looked as they prepared for the journey to Delphi. But by the time they would return, Janus would be long gone, and so would the prince.
Eventually he found himself hidden in the shadows, observing the prince on the hillside. He knew of his beauty, but he could never imagine himself being in awe of the man before him.
Even though he had clearly cried, there was something about the way he softly picked the stems, how he wrinkled his nose as the pollen made him sneeze, something about how his freckles adorned his bronze skin and his curly brown hair draped around his shoulder, tied with a bright blue ribbon and oh, how they complimented his baby blue eyes.
Realization hit him, like a tidal waving engulfing the rocks off the cliff side, seeping through his body. It was something he knew all too well, but never like this.
He was always a visitor, a spectator to a phenomenon so known, yet so far away. To finally be in the middle of it instead of on the sideline, was inconceivable.
This is what it felt like. To be pierced by Cupid. To lay eyes upon someone, to have your heart say that this one was the one. He could feel his pulse racing, the golden ichor heating up and flowing vigorously. He knew this man was not just perfect in beauty, but in heart and soul as well.
Oh to have chosen this prince of all men. This was how it felt to fall in love. To have fallen for someone you were not meant to fall for.
Thinking about what he was supposed to do, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He couldn’t imagine taking this sweet young man away to a foreign land, alone and heartbroken. He didn’t want to be the monster that destroyed his life, didn’t want to be the cause of his despair, the reason those soft eyes would be red and filled with sadness instead of stars.
But he couldn't disobey his orders either.
Stricken with desperation, he called upon a friend.
As the leaves around him shook, ruffling the arrows in his quiver, he looked at the hazy form before him, green vibrant eyes staring back at him.
“You called, oh mighty Beast?”
“Remus, I told you not to call me that.”
“And I told you not to invite me over unless I can send some trees into the air.”
“You can do that whenever you like!”
“Uh, tell that to Demeter and Artemis and Zeus and-”
“Okay yes, fine, I get it. Anyway, I need a favor.”
“A favor, you say? What favor could the mighty god of Love possibly want from a mere wind god like myself? Oh, are times truly that desperate?”
“You’re an absolute bdelyrós, you know.”
“I mean, if you want me to be one I can just-”
“No, don’t bother. The incident in Thebes was bad enough.”
“Come on, that was hilarious.”
As much as he wanted to scowl, he found himself smirking instead. “Alright, it was a little funny. But that’s not important”, he waved a hand in front of him.
“I need you to help me with this... prophecy I might be trying to...circumnavigate, so to speak.”
Remus narrowed his eyes, twirling around him. “What prophecy? You know trying to fight the Fates is very dangerous. It could be incredibly gruesome if you try to defy them.”
“I am aware of that”, he sighed.
“Great! Let’s do it then. What do you need?”
Janus gestured towards the prince.
“Oooh, who do we have here?” Remus turned to hover over at the prince, the man unaware of his presence save for a calm riple of his tunic.
“A fine looking human, this one. A prince, from the looks of it. What’s wrong with him? Is he secretly a monster? Is he cursed?”
“You could say that”, he sighed. “I need you to take him away.”
“Take him where? And why should I bother? You have wings, you glorified chicken.”
“I-, I can’t.”
“Why not?” What’s so special about him?” he untied the ribbon in the prince’s hair ever so slightly, and Janus’ eyes couldn’t help but linger on his arms as he pulled it taut again.
“Remus could you not?” he made way to pull him back, invisible to the mortal eye. “I just can’t.”
“No way”, he gasped, taking in how he looked at the man.
The wind god grinned sharply. “You have finally done it.”
“Done what?” Janus hissed.
“You know what I mean. You sport the same face your targets make.”
Janus glared at him. “I have no idea what you mean.”
“Oh my Zeus, you are absolutely besotted!”
“I am not besotted!”
Remus put his hands behind his head, legs crossed as he drifted along the field. “How long have we been friends, Eros?”
Janus winced. Remus rarely called him by his proper name. “A long time”, he folded his arms nonchalantly.
“As your friend, I know you, better than anyone. So”, he poked him in the chest, “I know when you’re in love. Because this, this I’ve only seen on people whose hearts have been pierced by your arrows but never on you.”
Janus grunted. “Will you help me or not?”
“Hhhmmm, I might actually” he smiled evilly.
A ripple settled over the field, blowing away the basket the prince had put his collected flowers in as he manifested before him.
“Remus, no wait-”
“Greetings, young prince”, he interrupted him, “ I am Zephyrus, the West Wind, but you may call me Remus.”
For a mortal, he surprisingly did not scream in fear upon seeing a god appear out of nowhere. Then again, freeze was also a suitable reaction to fear.
“T-the god, Zephyrus?”
“Well how many West Winds named Zephyrus do you know?”
The prince opened and closed his mouth a few times before answering a steady “one”.
“I thought so too”, Remus smirked. “Now then”, he scooped him up with a gust of wind, “I shall be your flight attendant on Air Olympia, to bring you to your new lover.”
“I-, you-, what?” he squealed, floating mid air, “But my family, I didn’t even say goodbye to my parents!”
“Well, I’m sure they will miss you, but orders are orders, sweet cheeks.”
“W-where will you be taking me? The priestess said a winged serpent would take me away? A-are you…”
“Me? Oh, honey no, but I could be! Like many gods I can shapeshift. I can appear in any form I like! A dog, a horse, a hydra with rows and rows of sharp teeth and tongues that will gorge your eyes ou-”
“Please”, the prince pleaded, naively putting his hands before his eyes, or perhaps, in Remus' case, a wise move. “I believe you. I just expected my, uhm, companion to look a bit more…”
“What, no! I mean, I don’t know! I mean, I admit the thought of a winged serpent taking me away was...frightening, to say the least, but if it were to harm me, the Goddess wouldn’t have sent it. Besides”, he fidgeted with the hem of his tunic, “not all snakes are monsters.”
Good lords and ladies of the pantheon, he’s adorable.
“Not that I don’t know there are some that are dangerous, I mean I know some definitely are like the serpent Python slain by Apollo, but of course there are others that are most surely good-”
“Kid, I’m messing with you. Relax.”
The royal tried to relax his shoulders, as far as he could do that suspended in the air. “So, the prophecy was wrong then? If you’re not...You know.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say it was wrong. I’m pretty sure it’s quite correct, actually”, he grinned. ”God has his eyes on you.”
“Don’t you mean gods? Plural?”
Remus looked over his shoulder. “No, just the one.”
“Now, ready for your trip, sir…?”
“Patton”, he smiled, and Janus could have drowned in it.
Could you talk/do more of the royality single dads au? What’s Roman and Dee’s relationship like? What is one of Dee’s fav moments w his dad? What’s something they disagree over?
This one?? Wow that was a while ago! Um these are some ideas I remember:
Roman and Dee are very close!
Roman has been raising Dee by himself since he was still a baby! He has worked every part time job going at one point or another to support them.
Dee’s mum lives across the country. She pays child support (now that she can) and sends birthday/Christmas presents but otherwise isn't really involved in his life outside the occasional visit or phone call.
Dee insists he is FINE with that though because he had his Dad, and his Dad is the BEST and they don’t NEED anyone else and if you say anything about it he will FIGHT YOU.
Dee has a port wine stain on his face and a couple more down his left side.
He has really bad eczema (particularity bad over the port wine stains around his eyes, elbows hands as well as normal creases) which gets particularity extreme in very hot or very cold weather.
Roman made him a pair of gloves to help prevent him scratching at his rashes and now he basically wears them all the time because aesthetic.
One of Dee’s favourite things is Self Care Days!
(this basically started out as Roman trying to make ‘I must now essentially dunk my eczema ridden small child in a vat of medicinal gel/ moisturiser’ a slightly less traumatic experience but over time it’s just become something they do).
they wear towel turbans and robes and talk in fancy rich people voices whilst applying vast amounts of moisturiser and then lie around with cucumbers on their eyes listing to soothing music (/the lord of the rings soundtrack).
(once Dee bought some of those cheapo face mask packets for them to try with his allowance but they ended up triggering a huge flair up of eczema so now they sometimes follow youtube tutorials to try and make their own out of like...hummus and stuff and its generally a huge mess)
He also loves Story Time!
Roman now works at (/basically runs at this point) a second hand book shop and does a Story Time session for younger kids every week where he reads out loud to them. And of course is amazing at it and does all the voices.
Dee insists he’s way to old for Roman to read him stories (unless its like. a special occasion) but he always just ‘happens’ to be there doing his homework when Story Time is going on.
Roman is still Roman, and falls half in love with every cute guy, gal or non binary pal that smiles at him, but he tends to get a bit panicked and back away from any sort of serious relationship (he maaaaay have some unresolved issues with how his relationship with Dee’s mum ended) and then get super mopey and want to watch a load of Rom Coms and cry.
Dee does not understand this AT all and doesn't get why Roman even wants anymore people in their lives?? He’s already got Dee, Dot and Larry (bookshop owners and unofficial grandparents/ the best people in the world) and sometimes Remy? That’s already so many people?
This is part of Roman’s reasons for swearing off dating, at least until Dee is older.
Dee also disagree’s with Romans idea that he (Dee) should be...making friends? With kids his own age? ew?
Dee has been bullied before for his wine stain / eczma outbreaks/ gloves/ generally being poor and now has a bit an ‘best defence is a good offence’ attitude to his peers.
also he insists that all other children are a) not as smart as him and b) sticky. So why talk to them when he gets on better with cool adults like Dot?
He def has more of the smarmy sneering persona at school to keep the other kids away. He lets his goofier side out when he’s at home with Roman or other adults he trusts.
This got a lot longer than I intended XD
(also I genuinely can’t remember what my explanation for the marks was originally so that’s why they’re not port wine coloured in the pic)
(also also Remus did not exist when that drawing was made so Remy was going to be Roman’s well meaning but slightly useless brother)
( I guess now he can have two??
Double the uncles who are not allowed to babysit?)
More for the short angsty short text i posted 9 months ago.
- - -
Characters (all of them are sympathetic): Deceit, Roman, Remus, Logan, Patton, Virgil, Thomas, Dr. Emile Picani, Sloan, Corbin, Elliott, Sleep (Remy) other tsshorts characters will show up as well.
Warnings: Mature, description of past violence and abuse. Oppressive language. Curses and foul language. Violence. Slavery. Slavery mentioned. Past emotional/physical abuse due to said slavery mentioned. Mentions of starvation. Mentions of past body modifications. People being generally shitty. PTSD. Anxiety. Sickness. Kidnapping.
If i missed any don’t hesitate to tell me.
Roman wasn’t entirely sure how he ended up in this scenario.
He had no idea why the shady merchant had decided that he was the one to sell his black market goods too. Sure Roman was dressed in less regal clothes than normally, mainly to keep a low profile, but in Roman’s opinion he didn’t exactly look like he was the right person to approach either, yet, it seemed that was a very different opinion for the merchant.
Deciding to humour the man Roman let himself be led along the narrow alleyways and cobbled streets of the city, that slowly turned to trampled mud and dirt, before they stopped at the entrance of a big tent in the less... lawful parts of the city.
“Right this way sire~” the merchant chuckled as he pulled the canvas that hung before the entrance of the tent away, allowing Roman entry.
Roman sent the merchant a look before he entered the big awning of the tent. It was cluttered with weird knick-knacks strewn all over the shelves. Roman didn’t get time to absorb the vicinity as the merchant grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him along.
“This way, this way, my fine sir. The things I’m positive you will love are in the back~” the merchant gave away another giggle and Roman sighed inwardly and once again questioned how he ended up in this situation, as the merchant lead the way to the bigger part of the tent. He pushed the maroon coloured canvas away, compared to the awning at the entrance, which had been lit up by magical torches and lanterns, was the only existing light source in the big tent one lantern, hanging from one of the many wooden beams that made up the tent’s structure. Cages took up the inside of the tent, most of them covered by dirty and dusty sheets. Roman frowned, but as the merchant started to show him around, it was clear the cages held several different sorts of animals and other creatures, most of them in a cage of their own or several of the same kind together. All from exotic birds, dogs, cats, and even more as well as magical beasts were part of the merchants varied but big collection. The animals were fairly quiet, only piping up with noise when the merchant and Roman moved past their cage
A cough made Roman straighten up there he stood before a cage with an animal that looked like a mix of a bear and tiger.
It didn’t sound like a noise any of the animals he’d seen so far would be able to make, but he couldn’t pinpoint where the cough had come from.
The merchant quickly tried to regain his attention by speaking up.
“You, you my fine sir look like a man of great renown, I’m sure something in my collection will spike your interest!” the merchant said and grinned showing all his yellowed and dirty teeth, as he led Roman along to another cage.
Another cough reached his ears, making Roman look around again.
“What is that?” he asked.
“Nothing for you to worry about, sir, probably just one of the dogs who ate too fast.” the merchant said in a rush.
Roman glanced at him, frown growing.
Roman knew it was not one of the dogs, since there had been no food in their cage when the merchant had shown him the gnarly beasts.
“It does not sound like any of your dogs, sir.” Roman stated, voice growing hard as another series of coughs was heard again, now and again sounding stifled as if the one coughing didn’t want to bring attention to themselves.
Roman turned on his heel and walked towards the sound to the best of his ability.
The merchant scrambling after him to catch up, rambling every excuse he seemingly could think off right off the bat in order to regain Roman’s already lost attention.
Roman stopped at the end of one line of cages.
Most of them were empty and halfheartedly covered with a sheet off their own, rusted and covered in old and newer dirt.
Roman felt a flare of anger ignite in his chest when he saw who it was that was the source of the coughing. Sitting, dressed in scraps, that didn’t even deserve to be called clothes, was a young shipian.
Yellow scales scattered along their pale skin over their thin and bruised body. From what Roman could see the scales gather closer together on the shipians left side.
The half snake was coughing and it was clear from how thin and pale they were that they were not healthy, especially with the fading bruises against the pale, almost paper thin skin that was pulled taunt against their prominent bones, and the shivers that shook their already trembling body.
Roman watched the shipian with a critical eye for visible wounds, catching sight of the old burn scars that was around the half snakes left eye, leaving the skin a pale reddish pink against the yellow scales, as well as the scar that went from the end of the mouth along their cheek bone to their ear.
“What is this?” Roman asked in a slight growl, not looking away from the half snake, not missing how the young shipian stiffened and sent a panicked look up at Roman with feverish bi coloured eyes, before looking down again, trying to become smaller and hide in the rags they wore.
“Oh this… oh this is nothing, I wouldn’t want to trouble you with this one, sir, it is damaged goods and has been returned far too many times.” the merchant said grinning up at Roman “I don’t know why I still keep it around, useless creature as it is-” the merchant said and kicked at the cage, making the shipian flinch, before he continued in annoyance to complain, but Roman stopped listening to him. He had to force himself to not summon his magical sword. Causing a scene would not be of any help in this scenario.
He willed the red glow to dim out from his clenched palms, and tuned the merchant back in.
“-all this useless reptile has done is giving me troubles, what am I to do when my clients keeps returning it, killing it is too much of a pain, and releasing it? Hah! No chance.” Roman sent the merchant a dirty look, seeing how the man was red in the face from frustration.
“And if I was interested, what would the cost be?” Roman asked, trying his best to not let his emotions show, glad from the lessons he had had with Logan back at the castle.
“Wha- Whu?! You actually-” the merchant spluttered before his gleaming salesman smile fell onto his lips “Well for you, my fine sir, only 1500 gold.”
For a, so called broken shipian, you sure know how to throw the price up, you piece of garbage. Roman thought with a internal scowl, keeping his outwardly expression neutral as he hummed, giving the half snake a look over, a bit hard when they were trying to become as small as possible.
Some time ago I wrote a [POST] about Janus being Logan’s and Roman’s child. Here are some pictures to illustrate that :>
I don’t really have any New Year’s Resolutions, but I’d really like to finish all the sketches and half-made drawings I started in 2020... That’s one of them. It’s been waiting for my attention since October...
(Also... My laptop screen stop making people’s skin look like they use ash and flour for face make-up challenge. Why does it always seem okay on my tablet and then looks dull and unnatual on desktop :<)
---
Previous drawings: [Anxceit], [Roman], [Analogical], [Remus with a flowerpot], [Analoceit Podcast AU], [sad Roman] , [Logan with red hair]
