Lineart: @pistachiolan (check their Instagram if you wish to read it there!)
Backgrounds: Myself ( @jellyfishdoodler )
Story: Collaboration
Characters: @thatsthat24
Please do not copy or steal
Thank you so much everybody for joining us and following along with this project! Lan and I have loved all the positive feedback and adored seeing your loud reactions and predictions on what was going to happen next. It was over-all a really fun collab to be a part of! Thank you all for stickin’ around being an amazing community to be a part of. <3
DTIYS by @pistachiolan
I honestly didn’t believe I would make it in time. But like, boom, motivation everywhere outa blue. And I had fun! Experimented a bit.
#TeamSConstruct
Here’s the epilogue!! This is just the start of the story, of course, but I won’t be following through the whole thing. there’s a lot of scheming and discoveries and hijinks yet to come, and I may dip in for little bits because this AU still delights me. @pistachiolan is such a talented creator ^_^
Fandom: Sanders Sides
Rating: T
CW: discussions of kidnapping and hypnosis
Enjoy!
Logan ran. He ran like his life depended on it, stumbling across roots as he flung himself forward. Through the trees he could see a clearing, see houses, and he could have cried with relief.
Instead, he drew on what little breath he had and screamed.
“Monsters!!” He yelled, stumbling out of the forest and into the hands of the one lonely guard set up to watch this perimeter of the village. “please, help, I - “
Behind him, he heard the cracking of twigs and a mad, cackling laugh that echoed between the trees. The guard in front of him turned white as a sheet, stepping backwards while raising his lance towards the creature behind Logan.
He knew what it would look like, to them - a terrifying monster of tentacles and wild, manic grins, hidden in the shade just enough that his full form could not be seen.
“S- stay back, monster!” the guard yelped, barely standing upright as Logan hid behind him.
“You can’t stay out of the forest forever, little imps!” the voice crooned. “I’ll catch you one day, and then I’ll make you eat your own toesie-wosies!”
Logan made the appropriately terrified noises and scrambled towards the village.
“Help!! Guards!!” He yelled, and as soon as the sound of metal boots on stone began heading their way he turned, staring the monster right in the face.
Remus looked at him and winked.
“Stay back, foul monster!” he yelled, and Remus immediately melted back into the shadows long before the rest of the guards could reach them.
It didn’t matter, though. The guard that had been there relayed the whole story in terrified detail, Logan supporting him with wide-eyed fear, recalling how Remus had looked that first night.. He finally got a good look at Guard Captain Roman, hiding his shock at the similarity between the brothers. He was listening intently to the guard before putting an authoritative hand on Logan’s shoulder.
“We will protect you from now on, Seminarian Logan. Those foul beasts won’t get to you again.” He gave a reassuring squeeze, almost painful against the bruises left by Remus, and turned to organize the new guard schedule.
Two guards were sent to escort Logan back into the village proper. He tried not to be too obvious as he looked around, but - the village was different. Less glowing. The chapel was as small and humble as he remembered it from his first look at the village - not the incredible cathedral he remembered from yesterday. The double vision flickered over his eyes, but his stumble was easily explained away as exhaustion.
Logan was hurried to Patton’s house, where he was met with hugs and gentle recriminations.
“Thank the stars, you’re back. I was so worried! I told you to stay out of the forest!” Patton scolded, the words softened by the blanket and warm cup tea he was immediately offered.
Logan hung his head in apparent shame.
“I’m sorry, Patton. I was too exalted by… everything. Those horrid monsters took me as soon as I left the library. They tried to question me, but those horrifying faces - I am ashamed to say, but I passed out. When I woke, I managed to escape, but - it should not have happened.”
Patton tutted and put an arm around him.
“It should not, but I am simply glad you’re back, hale and whole. You must stay close from now on, you hear me? I doubt the University would be happy if I lost such a star pupil of theirs!”
Logan smiled.
“of course, Patton,” he smiled. He smiled at the thought of finally seeing the truth of this village. He smiled at the hidden paths Ethan had pointed out to him, so he could leave the house in the night to visit them. He smiled at the promise of more fireside chats, more planning, more discussions.
He smiled as a new chapter was turned, and the beginning of the end had passed.