Danielle's Writing Corner

Basically can't get into my old account (rosettahart). Danielle, She/Her, 25 I'm a fanfic writer who focuses primarily on Sander Sides fanfiction so if you're a fander looking for fanfics to read then I hope you might enjoy mine. Side note, I'm still posting on archive of our own if you prefer to read fanfics there ;)

[yomica12345]

Rosettahart's Masterpost

This is my master post which should contain all my current multi-chapter fics and a few of my one shots. My Ao3 however should have all the works I have ever done. I only write Sanders Sides fanfics so if that's what you're looking for then I hope there's something for you you here in my personal master post. (Also I would be open to requests for certain dynamics for one shots for the sanders sides characters if that's something anyone would like)

Ao3 Link

Fanfics A Plenty Link - Fic Rec Doc

Discord Link

Glass-says:

Virgil’s best friend, Patton, isn’t exactly alive—he’s a ghost. But he’s no ordinary spirit. While Virgil is the only one who can hear and feel him, Patton’s ghostly form only becomes visible when someone wears his old glasses. So far, Virgil has kept Patton’s existence a secret, but secrets don’t stay hidden forever. And as the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat…

(Prinxiety and Logicality centered)

Masterpost Link

Ao3 Link

Pane-fully Obvious:

Virgil's best friend Patton is a ghost that only Virgil can see and hear through the use of his friend's glasses until suspicion leads others to stumble upon the friendly spirits presence.

(Prinxiety and Logicality centered)(Rewrite of original Glass-says)

Masterpost Link

Ao3 Link

Contact Not Found:

After the events of Glass-says/Pane-fully Obvious the group is left dealing with grief amongst other things. Patton and Janus must learn to adjust after what happened at the lake and do so tentatively with each other's help.

(Prinxiety, Logicality, Loceit and Moceit centered)(Second part of Glass-says/Pane-fully Obvious)

Masterpost Link

Ao3 Link

Power Struggle:

Roman Prince didn’t plan on walking home in the rain after his first hero fight, dressed only in his boxers, mask, and boots. And he certainly hadn’t expected his invisibility to give out on him while he was either. But that’s what happens when you’re stuck sharing your powers with your troublesome twin.

(Prinxiety centered)

Chapter 1, Chapter 2

Ao3 Link

Spying on our Thoughts:

In a world where soulmates can hear each other’s thoughts when close enough, three spies—Patton, Roman, and Logan—are assigned to infiltrate a dangerous mafia trio: Janus "The Serpent" Deangelo, Virgil "The Viper" Storm, and Remus "The Rattler" Prince. Their mission is clear: gather intel, uncover the mafia's secrets, and take them down from within.

But things quickly spiral out of control when the spies discover that the mafia members are, in fact, their soulmates. Now, they must juggle their undercover roles with the delicate challenge of keeping their soulmate connections a secret—not just from the mafia, but from the agency they work for. Every shared thought is a risk, every moment of closeness an opportunity for their identities to be exposed.

As thoughts cross wires and secrets are whispered across minds, Patton, Roman, and Logan must navigate a whirlwind of misunderstandings, awkward moments, and unexpected emotional connections. With their mission on the line and the danger of exposure ever-present, the three spies are caught between their duty and their hearts in Spying on Our Thoughts—a story of secrets, lies, and soulmates who can’t seem to stay apart.

(Prinxiety, Intrulogical and Moceit centered)

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3

Ao3 Link

Dimensional:

Virgil didn’t choose to become Thomas’s anxiety, and he certainly didn’t choose to be teleported between dimensions. Every jump thrusts him into a world where the counterparts of the sides he knows are often unfamiliar, unpredictable, and sometimes hostile. These encounters have left Virgil guarded, unwilling to share his struggles with anyone.

But the constant isolation and burden of being the only Virgil across dimensions are taking their toll. As tensions rise and unexpected alliances form, Virgil faces a choice: keep suffering in silence or find a way to connect, heal, and bridge the gaps between the fractured pieces of himself and the others.

(Analogical centered)

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13

Ao3 Link

Anatomically Human:

A cryptid hunter faces a life-altering choice: reveal their groundbreaking discovery to the world or protect the cryptid from being exposed.

Logan has finally proven the existence of mer-people, but unveiling them might come at a cost he's not prepared to pay.

(Analogical centered)

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6

Ao3 Link

Storms, Lies and Coronets:

Prince Logan, betrothed to Prince Patton for political reasons, finds his heart belonging to Prince Virgil, a prince who fears the weight of the crown he’s meant to inherit in the kingdom of Mistwyn. As Logan helps Virgil escape to his own kingdom, their growing feelings for one another become increasingly complicated. Meanwhile, Logan’s older brothers, Prince Roman and Prince Remus, are locked in a fierce competition for the crown. The kingdom’s rule goes to whichever brother finds a partner to marry first, making the stakes higher than ever. Amidst this, Prince Janus, who has a long-standing rivalry with Roman, sneaks into Roman’s kingdom to steal something of value to use as leverage against him. However, his plan backfires when Roman catches him and forces him to spy on himself for Roman’s benefit. In a surprising twist, Roman seems less interested in the crown and more in winning Janus’s heart, leaving Janus to battle his own feelings as his rivalry with Roman shifts into something unexpected. As love, ambition, and loyalty intertwine, the princes' fates become more tangled than they could ever have imagined.

(Analogical and Roceit centered)

Chapter 1 Link, Chapter 2 Link

Ao3 Link

The Prince and the Pirate:

Logan, a gifted pirate with a painful past, is tired of being overlooked. When an unexpected opportunity arises, he seizes it. In exchange for helping Prince Virgil rescue his fiancé, Logan demands one thing: Virgil’s hand in marriage. As the two men navigate treacherous waters, Logan must confront his own struggles with trust, power, and the consequences of his gift, while Virgil grapples with the price of his rescue and an unlikely attraction to the pirate. What starts as a deal soon becomes something neither man expected.

(Analogical centered)

Chapter 1

Ao3 Link

Repetitive Misfortune:

Janus Deangelo had his school routine down to an art: be fashionably late, annoy everyone in sight, and discreetly admire his crushes during lunch—just another predictable day in the life of a self-proclaimed troublemaker. But when he wakes up to find the same day repeating over and over, his carefully planned chaos starts to unravel. Stuck in a loop, Janus must decide if breaking free means breaking his routine… or himself.

(DLAMP centered)

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4

Ao3 Link

Just One Touch, Or Four:

Logan is reluctantly tasked with bringing his soulmates together without them realizing he knows about their bond. As the only one aware of the connection, he feels burdened by the responsibility of guiding them to each other while keeping his own involvement hidden. Though he wishes he could avoid the situation, Logan is determined to help his soulmates find each other—without revealing his bond to them.

(DLAMP centered)

Chapter 1, Chapter 2

Ao3 Link

A Necklace for Her, But Not for Me:

Virgil, a closeted trans boy, has been begging the universe to wait to introduce him to his soulmates. Unfortunately, fate has different plans.

(LAMP centered)

Chapter 1, Chapter 2

Ao3 Link

When the Light Finds Me:

Virgil is panicking. Roman is hiding. Logan is calculating. Patton is hoping.

Their necklaces are glowing, but none of them are ready to be found. When Virgil and Logan decide to fake being soulmates to avoid Roman and Patton, it seems like the perfect plan—until double dates and hidden fears push them closer to disaster. Between glowing secrets, pastel feathers, and the fragile hope of connection, these four will have to face the chaos of their own hearts.

(Analogical and Royality centered)(Reimagining of A Necklace for Her, But Not for Me)

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4

Ao3 Link

A Snake's Familiar:

Janus, a cunning and ambitious witch, has spent months preparing to find the perfect familiar—a creature bound to him by magic. But when a sharp-eyed black cat catches his attention, Janus makes a fateful mistake, accidentally turning his ex-boyfriend, Virgil, into his new familiar instead. As they navigate the intricate bond forced upon them, Janus and Virgil must confront old feelings, new tensions, and the dangers of using magic outlawed in their country. Torn between duty, desire, and survival, they must come to terms with their past while facing the consequences of a spell gone awry.

(Anxceit centered)

Prologue, Chapter 1

Ao3 Link

Witches, Familiars, and Crushes, Oh My!

Roman, a witch with a crush on Janus, and Virgil, his familiar with a secret crush on Logan, find themselves tangled in a web of magic and awkward confessions. As their feelings come to light, Remus, another witch with a fondness for chaos, adds even more mischief to the mix. It’s a night of magic, secrets, and a whole lot of crushes—what could possibly go wrong?

(Roceit and Analogical centered)

One shot

Ao3 Link

Secure:

He was hungry, he was tired and he was sorry. Sorry before he even broke into the house. Could you blame him though? All he wanted was some sense of security, just for a while, but that's kind of hard when you're living on the streets and struggling to feed yourself every single day.

They were fed, they were wide awake and they were upset. One upset he had broken into the house. Two upset he was going to steal from them. And three upset with his current state. Should they blame him though? Doesn't everyone want and deserve at least a sense of security?

(Analogical centered)

One Shot

Ao3 Link

Excerpts:

Steady Beats in Chaos (Analogical Doctor Who) Ao3

The Eye of the Beholder (Roceit Vampire AU) Ao3

The Clumsy Collision (Prinxiety Magic Accident AU) Ao3

Taking Time (Moceit Self Health Concern) Ao3

The Frog's Prince (Moxiety Frog Prince Situation AU) Ao3

Dreamer's License (Logince Dream AU) Ao3

This is Our Get Along Suitcase (Moxiety + Logince Shenanigans) Ao3

[loserlovercafe]

Boo- Roman jumpscare.

I don’t know why I decided to just sit down and do a bunch of Roman portraits- but here we are. At least I got some practice in and got to play with my new printer’s scanner. (Which is why some of the photos are brighter and more blurry at the edge)

——-⭐️

[lastivkaa]

Hey guys. Do you like. I dunno. Sanders Sides animatics? Patton angst?

If you do you may like this one. Just saying

[kenishven]

I’m really wondering what would’ve happened if Logan never opened that news paper and I damn well know Virgil wasn’t gonna say anything ugh I need a fanfic of this.

[alex-logan-w]

I'm writing this while grinding levels in Minecraft so sorry if it's not the best-

He didn't see it. Virgil thought, going back to his room. He didn't see it.

The puzzle he so carefully crafted for Logan, and the logical side didn't even see it. He spent hours on it, days. And now Logan thinks that Virgil thinks he'll read anything.

Sure Virgil could have said something, but that might have ruined the surprise! Logan has to figure it out himself. He will eventually, right?

"Virgil."

The anxious side froze. It felt like he had been dipped in ice water. No no no, not him, not right now.

"Hey L..." Virgil turned around slowly, giving the other side a small smile.

Logan looked unamused. His lips were pressed in a thin line. His arms were crossed, slightly crumpling the newspaper in his hand.

"While I appreciate the sentiment of this... Gift..." Logan began, "I really have no space for it in my room so... Here."

Logan handed the newspaper to Virgil. The anxious sides hands shook as he took it, almost on autopilot. He felt like he couldn't get enough air.

"Thank you for... Whatever efforts you put into this, but I hope this can be a learning experience for next year." Logan nodded before walking back to his room, leaving Virgil stunned and shaking.

This was worse than he imagined. Virgil held the newspaper to his chest. All that work. And he didn't see it.

He didn't want it.

What could he do? Leave it Logan's room? Around the Mind Palace so he'll stumble upon it? Should he just tell him? No, he can't do that now. Not after Logan just rejected it, that would make him feel stupid.

"he- whoa, what happened to you?"

Virgil looked up to see Roman walking back to his room. The fanciful side looked concerned, eyebrows furrowing and a slight frown on his face. His hand was on his doorknob, just about to turn it.

His eyes flicked to the newspaper, "Isn't that Logan's gift?"

Virgil nodded, "he- he gave it back."

"Well that's just rude." Roman huffed, placing a hand on his hip, "it's a gift for Christ sake! Even if it was just thrown together-"

"I spent hours on this!" Virgil shouted.

Ram tilted his head, "on a newspaper..?

"No-" Virgil sighed, rolling his eyes, "It's a puzzle. Find one clue, it leads to another and another, until you get to the reward. Which in this case, was another puzzle."

"Oh..." Romans eyes went wide, "Oh! Oh that's a fantastic gift! You should tell him and-!"

"No!" Virgil said, "if I tell him now it'll make him feel like an idiot for not noticing!"

"Then I'll do it." Roman reached for it, "Give it here."

"No!" Virgil turned away.

"Look, if you're too nervous about making the nerd feel bad, then I'll do it!" Roman told him, "I have no qualms about making him feel bad!"

"That not- That's not the point!" Virgil said.

"Oh, give it here!"

"Not a chance Pissy!"

"Excuse you! Give it!"

"No!"

"Give! It!"

"NO!"

RIP

The newspaper tore.

Not completely in two, but a large rip was hovering between Roman and Virgil's hands. Virgil felt his world tilt. Roman let go, muttering apologies that Virgil didn't hear. The anxious side ran to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Virgil looked at the shreds of paper, his breathing heavy. He could fix it. He could fix this. He just needed some tape, maybe some glue- maybe a new newspaper...

"Shit..." Virgil mumbled, trying to hold the paper together in his shaking hands, "Shit!"

There was a knock at the door.

"Virgil?" Logan. "may I come in?"

"NO!" Virgil said, his voice warping.

There was a sigh, "I'm coming in."

Logan pushed open the door. He saw Virgil kneeling on the floor with the remnants of the newspaper in front of him. His expression softened.

"Oh Virgil..." Logan knelt down next to him, wiping away tears Virgil didn't know were running down his face, "All this over a newspaper?"

"it wasn't-" Virgil swallowed down the warping in his voice, "It wasn't just a newspaper..."

Logan's brow furrowed. He looked down at the scraps, picking one up to inspect it closer. His eyes started getting brighter as he read what was there. Then he picked up another piece, trying to fit them together.

"It was a puzzle..." Logan whispered.

"Yeah..." Virgil admitted, "But it's ruined now..."

"Not at all." Logan smiled, taking a few more pieces.

Virgil's head shot up, "What do you mean? Princey ripped it up."

"He did." Logan shrugged, "But he just added another element to figure out."

"So- wait- you're not mad?" Virgil asked.

"No. I'm actually quite excited!" Logan said, "now, is this the correct piece here?"

Virgil smiled softly, looking to where Logan was pointing, "not quite."

"Fascinating!" Logan gasped, searching through the shreds.

Virgil huffed out a small laugh. It actually ended up much better than he expected.

[yomica12345]

Dang, got me emotional. Beautifully done! Thanks for writing this, loved it!!! <3

[radioactive-yuri]

rewatching svs redux, and i'm still going insane overanalyzing janus telling the others his name. more specifically right afterwards, when roman makes fun of him and he immediately bites back with an incredibly low blow. it's honestly very indicative of what he's like as a character; constantly on guard, ready to show his teeth at every indication of a threat. it also kind of goes into my idea of him and virgil as foils; both cautious, both protective of themselves and what they perceive as their weak spots, but the way they defend themselves is so different. virgil does it by never opening up at all, janus does it by opening up like a trap.

when virgil opens up, he's already off his guard, he won't do it unless he trusts the situation completely. i don't think janus has ever trusted any situation completely. so instead of opening up when he feels it's safe to do so, he opens up when he knows it's unsafe to do so, he's just constantly prepared for the eventual worst outcome. he had that honestly pretty cruel comeback locked and loaded, ready from the start, because he knew roman would take advantage if he showed any vulnerability. that's what i mean when i say that he opens himself up like a trap; his weakness can't be exploited if he's always on guard. ready to fight back, even when there are no weapons in sight.

virgil's emotional walls can be brought down. when he feels affection, safety, comfort, he lets his guard down. janus could feel all of those things, and still be prepared to bite back at a moment's notice. and i think that also fits into their respective roles: anxiety gone too far means expecting cruelty at every turn. self-preservation gone too far means preparing for cruelty at every turn.

and, just like what happened in that scene, janus being constantly on guard means that no matter how vulnerable he gets, no matter how much he opens up, he can always take all of it back if it goes wrong. the trap closes like this: "you can't hurt me; i've prepared for every situation in which you might."

this is a carnivorous animal bearing its fangs at its perceived assailant, a fox raised in the woods doesn't understand the difference between a teasing poke and a fist ready to reel back. it'll bite you anyways. just don't poke the fucking fox. its scared, and its teeth are sharp.

[orbch]

another stupid sasi mv but its short and. and… well not sweet.

anyways im gonna talk about it more so pop this bad boy open ⬇️⬇️⬇️

okay yeah this is creativitwins and patton centric. NO SHOCKER. i kinda wanted to show how i think that roman and remus were split purely on the basis that there needed to be a “good” creativity, meant to be put on a pedestal, and a “bad” creativity, meant to be hidden and locked away forever. like thats the entire reason they exist.

and i do also believe patton was responsible for the split, but absolutely NOT out of malicious intent. not even close. listen, when outside influences are telling you that “bad thoughts” are going to land you into eternal damnation, and ALSO you’re like 7 years old, it’s completely understandable to react such a way. not excused, but understandable. i think patton, in a state of complete emotional and mental distress, TRULY believed that splitting creativity would keep c!thomas safe.

and naturally everyone came out of it a littleeee fucked up. i hc that logan and king creativity had been very close before the split, and as you might expect, seeing someone you are the closest with split in half and permanently altered would make you kinda apathetic (especially on the topic of others emotions and your own bonds). and janus, having just watched someone die because of just being themself and living their truth unabashedly, kicked his ass into full “self defense via deceit” mode. and virgil (who at this point represents every kind of fear, rational and irrational) just watched someone get split into subjective “good” and “bad” halves and thought, in no better words, “holy shit I’m next”

shoutout to @heartwitchhouse for inspiring a part of this pmv!!! it was the cross blade thing btw LOLLOL

okay now for the stills because capcut turned my art into mashed potatoes (that was pissing me off btw. sigh. sorry about the sandpaper quality) (its also only letting me add 8. so im doing my faves 030)

[belovedroach]

can you guys tell who my favourite sides are

btw, thanks for all the notes on my last post !!! cannot be happier that people like it sm, thanks for the kind words !

+ a moceit offer if you'd like

i cannot believe these guys are my solution to slowly get out of art block,,,

[sagelynn20]

Here's a bunch of doodles I've done for my Hybrid/Isekai sanders sides au thing. Still figuring out what to call it.

[orbch]

My sasi animatics are usually just recaps of episodes but I had an idea that I aggroed on LOL so (ill explain the idea more vvv because im insane)

I don’t think that Logan would ever duck out as a result of the lack of acknowledgement he receives. I don’t think he would ever take HIMSELF out of the picture… but I don’t know… him taking the others out is an interesting idea. tehehehee..

I really liked the idea of Logan cutting all contact between Thomas and the others via restricting everyone to their rooms (even if I don’t really rhink something like this would canonically happen, still an interesting thought). And Virgil wants to help him, or stop him, or do anything about this, but seeing someone you are possibly the closest with being corrupted by someone you’ve distanced yourself from for so long kind of muddles what the right way to go about that would be.

So Thomas can feel himself falling into the steadfast work prioritization. And Remus, well Remus is no stranger to being hidden away from Thomas, so he wont let himself mourn the prematurely fleeting liberation. Roman, not used to being trapped in the confines of his own room, is quickly holed into an unbreakable maladaptive daydreaming state. Janus knows well and good what’s happening, it was inevitable, he just never expected such a direct approach from Logan. And Patton,, we know how Patton gets when stuck in his room too long :///

But with that all out of the way Logan and Thomas can finally start a new day and get working. yaayyy..!

[yomica12345]

Pane-fully Obvious: Chapter 28

Prologue Link, Chapter 27 Link

Ao3 Link

Warnings: Child Abuse & Neglect, Confinement & Isolation, Food Insecurity, Parental Neglect, Mental Health Themes, Suicidal Ideation & Implication

Chapter 28: Locking In

Janus’s wrist was trapped in an unforgiving grip, a grip that yanked him behind an even more merciless hand. 

Janus hopelessly scrambled against the pull, his small form doing nothing against the towering man. He cried as they neared the end of the dark hallway. The door at the end holding the torturous promise of isolation.

“I’ll be good!” Janus screamed. “I’ll-”

“Shut up! You ungrateful little- You want to play sick? Why don’t you play sick in your room?” The man threw Janus into the room onto the floor. “You’ll have plenty of fun staying locked in here all day. Maybe, just maybe I’ll think about letting you out tomorrow if you’re quiet enough.”

Janus sobbed as he curled around himself, the cold floor contrasting the heat of his trembling body. He cradled his stomach as the door slammed shut, shaking the room. The click of the lock left the finality of the punishment. He was trapped. No food, no water, no company.

He should never have said anything.

He’d never say anything again.

Janus’s eyes flickered open, now on his bed. He glanced to the door. A different door. A different room. His body shivered as cool air that slithered through the window that was barely cracked open. His stomach churned, his skin clammy.

Sick.

He was sick.

Janus closed his eyes, bringing an arm to rest over his head. Of course he was sick. He sighed, shifting into a more comfortable position, willing himself to fall back asleep, even just for a little bit.

But then came crying.

The baby.

Janus pulled what little warmth the blankets had to offer from his body and forced himself out of bed. He grabbed a sweater, slipping it on as he stepped into the hall. Around him, other rooms stirred—soft groans and rustling sheets as the baby’s cries disrupted their sleep. He exhaled, dragging a hand down his face.

He was tired.

Exhausted by the routine.

Check on the baby. Make breakfast. Pack lunches. Take the scraps for himself. Then school—Charlotte, Logan, Virgil. Then home—cleaning, helping with homework, making dinner. Staying up late to finish his own assignments. And finally, only then, he could rest.

But never for long.

Because soon, the baby would wake again, resetting the cycle. Over and over. 

“You know if the baby suffocated in its sleep you’d never have to deal with it again.” Remus mused, floating alongside him.

Janus sent him a look before opening the door to the baby’s room. Carefully he scooped her up into his arms, rocking her gently. His eyes drifted to the small green teething ring around her wrist. “You better not be teaching Emmy anything inappropriate,” he murmured.

Remus giggled. “Now why would I do that?”

Janus quirked an eyebrow. “An innocent mind to mold.”

“Or to corrupt.” Remus wiggled his fingers over Emmy, grinning as she giggled. “You know I’m its favorite.”

“Sure you are.” Janus took hold of the crib with one hand to steady himself. “We’re supposed to be putting her back to sleep, not waking her further.”

“Where would be the fun in that?”

“Janus?” 

Janus glanced back at the doorway to a disheveled woman with light, long hair. Her robe looked clumsy pulled over her pajamas.

“Gina.” He returned boredly, setting Emmy back down in her crib, pulling the blanket over her.

Gina sighed, leaning against the door. “You don’t have to do this.”

“Don’t I?” Janus folded his arms as he watched the baby. “Half the time you would let her cry herself back to sleep if I wasn’t here.”

“I don’t do it on purpose. Sometimes I don’t hear her.”

Janus rolled his eyes. “I’m sure that’s it.”

“It is.” Gina made her way over to the crib with a frown. “You just don’t understand how-”

“How hard it is to raise seven kids?” Janus finished for her, narrowing his eyes at Gina. “Then why do it? You’re fostering half of us, just drop us already, it’s clear you don’t have time for us so stop pretending you do.”

Gina shook her head. “Go back to bed, Janus.”

Janus scoffed. “Back to bed? Should I expect you to start getting breakfast ready for the kids this morning? Or were you hoping I would handle it like I always do?”

“As a teenager I don’t think it’s wrong of me to expect a little help from you with your siblings.”

“A little help?” Janus gripped the crib, keeping his voice low. “I barely have time for myself, Gina. And these kids aren’t my siblings. I never agreed to raise them. I never wanted to be here. Is the only reason you took me in to do all the work for you? You don’t expect the same from your son Andy do you? Because it sure seems like you don’t care if he’s left to laze about.”

“It’s not like that, Janus.”

“Then what is it like?” Janus shot back, daring her to answer.

“... Where is this all coming from?” Gina stepped closer, pausing when she noticed a little tremor run through Janus’s body. She reached up to rest the back of her hand against Janus’s forehead.

Janus flinched away, eyes widening.

Gina dropped her hand, eyebrows furrowed. “You’re burning up. Why don’t you go to your room? I’ll-”

“I’m going to school.” Janus pushed past, snatching up his backpack and helmet.

 “Janus-” 

Janus slammed the door shut behind him, getting onto his moped.

Remus giggled as he watched. “You’re really going to drive to school like that? Are you on some suicide mission?”

Janus pulled on his helmet, having trouble getting it clipped on with his shaky hands. “What if I was?”

Remus’s grin disappeared. “That-That isn’t funny, Janus.” He grabbed his arm. “Don’t you ever do that to me. Promise me you won’t.” His grip tightened on Janus’s arm. “Promise me.”

Janus looked down to the strap of his backpack, gripping it. “Remus… Why would I ever do something like that to you?”

Remus took hold of Janus’s chin, turning his head forcibly to face his own, eyes dangerous. “Promise.”

Janus’s fingers twitched against the handlebar, but his stare didn’t waver. “I promise.”

As Remus released him, Janus glanced down at his own hand, unfolding his crossed fingers. His voice steady when he spoke again.

“Let’s go to school.”

[yomica12345]

Pane-fully Obvious: Chapter 27

Prologue Link, Chapter 26 Link

Ao3 Link

Warnings: Nightmares/PTSD, Death/Loss of a Loved One, Emotional Distress, Mild Bullying/Embarrassment

Chapter 27: The Phantom of the Aisle

"So he believes you're Princey?" Charlotte checked, crossing her legs as she looked up from her book. 

"No, he's only following me because I stole his lunch box." Janus returned, rolling his eyes. 

Charlotte narrowed her eyes. "And you're making sure he's staying away from Roman?" 

"If he is busy following me why would he have time to spend with Roman?" 

"Good then there's nothing for you to worry about." Charlotte closed her book. "Now I have other things to oversee. Make sure Roman doesn’t tell Virgil about Princey." 

"Of course." Janus waited for Charlotte to be gone before moving to the door himself, stepping out of the empty classroom. 

"Ooo. Are we going to-" Remus started to say with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Janus adjusted the necklace he was wearing, the spectral teething ring shrunk down around the chain acting as a sort of charm. "Don't say it Remus."

Remus giggled. "Say what? I was only going to say-"

Janus rolled his eyes. "I know what you were going to say, don’t say it aloud." 

Remus floated ahead on his side, one arm holding his head up, free hand drawing circles on the non-existent surface under him. "Aw, you're no fun when you're cranky wanky for some hanky panky."

"I should have never granted you access to the internet."

"You want me to enter the what?"

“I don’t want you entering anything.” Janus sighed, turning down the mostly empty hallways.

Remus took Janus’s arm with a grin as they made their way through the library. “Are we going to see my brother?”

“It’s likely we will. Despite Virgil’s promise to stay away he certainly hasn’t been.”

Remus giggled. “Good. I made sure he can hear me so this will be fun.”

Janus stepped through the theater, opening the door to the sound booth. His eyes flickered briefly to Logan, meeting his gaze for a moment. His face fell as Logan just turned his attention back to his notes. Janus gripped his necklace as he looked away. Why did Janus still hope things could go back to how they had been? This was their new normal. Logan barely acknowledged him now, but it was the least Janus deserved. He’d never get back what he lost and never lose the guilt that tangled his heart in uncomfortable knots.

Janus turned to Virgil on the floor, offering a smile as he reached a hand out to him. "Are you prepared for Biology, Xi?" 

"Now?" Virgil checked the time on his phone and then glanced between his friends before his eyes stopped on Janus again. "We still have ten minutes until class starts." He packed up his equipment regardless, taking Janus's hand with a little smile of his own.

Janus gently pulled Virgil to his feet, placing a kiss on his cheek. "I thought it may be less stressful for you if we were to make our way while the hallways are at their most bare."

Logan cleared his throat, slipping his things into his bag. "I would not mind arriving early to prepare for my next class as well." He stood, bag already over his shoulder, his grip tight over the strap as he glanced to Roman expectantly.

Roman watched Janus and Virgil a moment before registering what Logan had said, scrambling to stuff his things into his backpack. "Uh, yeah, yes, me too."

Janus gave a little nod, not waiting for Roman to be up before leading the way out of the soundbooth, starting down the stairs towards the stage, eyes going to Virgil’s hand as it slid back into his.

Roman's eyes followed the group as they left the booth, reaching for his phone to pocket it. He looked down when he didn't make contact, moving closer and blinking when the phone seemed to move away, but only just a little bit. Shaking his head he grabbed it, hurrying out to follow everyone else. 

A light tap on Roman's shoulder caused him to pause, checking his side for Patton before remembering the cheerful spirit was ahead of him with Logan. He frowned, brushing it off before he was shoved towards the audience seating. Yelping, he quickly caught himself on the aisle seat looking around frantically for who had done it, but he couldn’t see anyone, only hearing a soft… Was that snickering? 

"Roman, are you okay?" Patton swiftly rushed up to check on him.

Roman pushed himself back up to his feet, eyebrows furrowed. "Yeah, I must've just tripped..."

Virgil hesitated. "You sure you're good?"

Roman nodded, standing taller, putting on a grin. "Of course, can't knock this Prince down."

As if on cue with the end of Roman's statement his pants were tugged down to his ankles, revealing his red boxers underneath, small gold crowns littered across them.

It was silent for a moment before Virgil burst out into laughter. "Are those crowns?"

Janus held a hand up to hide his lips as he chuckled softly, trying to keep an air of sophistication.

Roman's cheeks burned as he tried to pull them back on, struggling against some invisible force keeping them down. "They were a gift!" He defended.

Virgil raised an eyebrow. "And you wear them?"

"Of course, I do, I do not want to be rude!" Roman grimaced, pausing to think for a second before looking over to the seating. He dove towards it to block the others' view of him, kicking away whatever it was holding his pants down and finally tugging them back on, doing up his belt.

"How would anyone even know you're actually using them or not?"

"I would." Roman returned, keeping a hand on his belt as he accepted Patton's help up.

"This has to be one of your crowning moments." Patton teased.

Roman shot Patton a look as Virgil's laughter picked up again.

"Sorry, Kiddo, couldn't help myself." Patton shrugged, before looking his friend over with an edge of concern. "You okay?"

Roman nodded, looking around warily. "Let's just get to class."

"You want us to lead the way, your highness?" Virgil smirked.

Roman looked away, his blush returning. "Do whatever you want."

Virgil, Janus and Logan continued on, Patton staying close to Roman this time, peeking over at Roman as they walked down the stairs.

"Remember me, RoRo?" A voice giggled mischievously.

Roman froze where he was, recognizing the nickname that had only ever been used by his brother. 

Patton stopped beside him, unsure as he glanced at his friend. "Did you hear something too?"

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

Roman gripped his pillow tightly, whimpering as he tossed from one side to the other. Sweat and tears traced his cheeks, barely tying him to reality. The giggling in his head taunted him, haunted him as his dream continued. They were playing, messing around despite the warnings to stop, be careful, the ‘you’re going to get hurt’s, but they just kept going. Kept running dangerously close to the edge of the mountain path. Horrifyingly close to the steep slope down the side of the rocky mountain.

Then the other boy tripped backwards. Their foot slipped and the look of glee on the other boy’s face twisted into terror. He cried out, grasping the air for anything to catch him. Roman’s little hand darted forward, but only the tips of their fingers touched. There was a scream from behind as Roman was yanked away, another hand reaching past him.

But it was too late.

The other boy was gone.

"Roman!"

Roman shot into a sitting position. His eyes searched desperately for the boy from his dream. His brother. Remus. His chest heaved with uneven breaths. “Remus!” He cried out, sobbing when his twin didn’t answer him. “Remus!”

“Roman. Roman, it’s okay.” Patton slid on a pair of glasses onto Roman, coming into view for him. “Hey, it’s-”

Roman tugged Patton into a hug, clutching at the back of his shirt as he trembled against him. “I could have saved him, I could have-”

“Shh.” Patton soothed, running a hand through Roman’s wet hair. “It’s going to be okay.”

“But-”

A soft knock interrupted them, Wilder’s voice coming through the door.

“Roman? Are you alright? Can I come in?”

Roman hesitantly pulled away from Patton, swiping at his eyes. He grimaced. He’d woken Virgil’s dad up. Maybe even more than just him. He was supposed to be a guest in this house and now he was disturbing them with his nightmares. He couldn’t say no, could he?

He exhaled shakily before speaking up. “Yeah… Come in.”

Wilder gently pushed the door open, flicking on the light switch. He remained by the door, expression soft. “I just wanted to make sure you were alright.”

Roman didn’t meet his eyes, holding his arms instead. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake anyone.”

“You don’t need to apologize.” Wilder assured. “We’re more worried about you than upset. Are you okay? Is there anything I can offer you that would help?”

Roman’s lip quivered slightly at the question. His parents had never been so gentle with him when he used to wake them. And now here was a man who barely knew him, offering to help. Asking him if there was a way he could. He swallowed, lifting his eyes behind the cover of his bangs. “I’ll… I’ll be fine, thanks Mr. Storm.”

Patton reached over to squeeze Roman’s hand, sending him a reassuring smile.

Wilder gave a nod. “Alright. If you ever need someone to talk to, my door is always open.” He stepped aside as Virgil stepped into the room, a wet rag in one hand and a glass of milk in the other. Giovanna nudged him forward before pulling Wilder out of the room with her, closing the door behind them.

Virgil opened his mouth, hesitating. “My mom thought you might need…” He set the glass of milk on the nightstand, holding out the rag. “Here.”

Roman accepted it, the rag was cool against his skin as he wiped off his face with it, his shoulders sagging. “Thank you,” he whispered.

Virgil took a seat on the edge of the bed, looking to his hands in his lap. “Nightmare?” He guessed.

Roman put the rag down, taking a sip of the warm milk. “Sort of… A bad memory,” he murmured, taking a deep calming breath. “I didn’t mean to wake anyone.”

“It’s okay… I actually used to wake my parents up with my nightmares all the time.” Virgil admitted. “They don’t mind, and this is sort of like karma for me.”

Roman set the empty glass down after a moment, watching it. “Did they always comfort you like this after your nightmares?”

“Yeah.” Virgil reached up to rub the back of his neck. “Kind of embarrassing, I know.”

“They must really care about you.” Roman mentioned, unable to hide the tinge of longing from his voice. He had never had this before, not like this.

Patton and Virgil both turned to Roman, Patton scooting closer to Roman.

“You know who cares about you?” Patton smiled softly at Roman, rubbing his arm. “Us.”

Virgil cleared his throat. “Well Patton does, me I-” he cut himself off as he met Roman’s eyes, ducking his head and nudging Roman’s knee with his. “I guess I do… a little.” He sighed after a moment. “More than a little.”

Roman’s lips twitched at the corners at the admissions. “I care about you both too.”

Patton’s smile warmed. “Is there anything else we can do to help you tonight, kiddo?”

Roman glanced back to the pillows behind him with uncertainty. “Well…” he hesitated. “Did your parents do anything else to help you get back to sleep?”

Virgil tapped on his thigh. “They- My mom…” He shook his head. “This stays in this room.” He crawled up onto the bed, adjusting the blankets.

Roman blinked, his eyes following after him. “What are you-”

“Just lie down.” Virgil interjected, his face pink.

Roman did as he was told, shifting to be in the middle of the bed to make room for Patton on his other side.

Patton turned off the main light, turning the lamp by the bed on before joining the other two on the bed. “We’ll keep the nightmares away.” He promised, wrapping his arms around Roman and resting his head against his chest. “You’re safe with us.”

Roman relaxed into the hold. “Thanks Pat-” His breath caught as an arm slid under his side from the other side, Virgil’s arms slipping around him too, his body cradling Roman’s. His eyes teared up as they glanced from Patton in front of him to Virgil’s arms, his voice cracking.

“Virgil?”

“I’ll protect you,” Virgil whispered, his words barely making it to Roman’s ears. 

Roman brought an unsteady hand from Patton’s back to Virgil’s arms. He closed his eyes as Patton and Virgil shifted closer to steady him.

Here.

Here was where he felt safe, in the arms of two people he cared about.

Here he was safe to sleep.

Here he was safe to dream.

Chapter 28

[yomica12345]

Pane-fully Obvious: Chapter 26

Prologue Link, Chapter 25 Link

Ao3 Link

Warnings: Emotional Conflict, Family Struggles and Trauma, Insecurity and Self-Doubt, Verbal Confrontation, Inadvertent Sexual Tension, Comments about Sex/Accidents

Chapter 26: A Study Over

"A study-over?" Logan repeated, his face scrunching up.

"Because it's like a sleepover but you're all studying." Patton nodded, chuckling.

Logan held back a sigh, putting his bag down slowly beside the coffee table and removing his textbooks, setting them up as he would his desk at home. "I suppose now that you believe you have stumbled across a clever name that encompasses the activity you will not be accepting constructive criticism."

“Nope.” Patton grinned.

Logan watched Virgil across the room on his phone, a smile on his face as he nodded along to the person on the other line, disappearing into the office. It was Janus, it had to be. He lowered his gaze, smoothing down his shirt with pinched eyebrows. He couldn’t even listen to them without Janus’s words repeating through his head. He hoped they weren’t true, that Janus was lying. In fact he couldn’t help but explore possible reasons Janus was lying. His mind kept circling back, searching for any logical explanation. Any reason Janus would push him away. 

“Logan?” Patton tilted his head.

Logan sat up straighter, adjusting his glasses. “Yes, Patton?”

Patton slipped onto the couch beside him, tapping his thigh. “Are you okay? Since whatever happened last week with Janus you’ve been more… reserved.”

“It’s nothing of importance, Patton.” Logan picked up a textbook from the coffee table, flipping through it. Was there something Virgil had that Logan didn’t? Was it the same reason Virgil and he had drifted apart when they were dating? He lifted his head as Patton rested a hand on his leg.

"Logan..." Patton spoke more softly now. "Does this have to do with you not believing Janus is Princey?"

Logan’s eyes flicked to Roman as he stepped into the living room. His jaw tightened as he stood. "I don't believe Janus is Princey. I know who the real Princey is."

Roman stiffened, eyes darting to the office Virgil was in. He chuckled uncomfortably, lowering his voice as he brought over a tray of hot chocolate, setting it on the table. “You do, huh? Who do you think it is?”

Logan folded his arms. “I know you’re Princey, Roman. Your last name is literally Prince. I am also certain if I checked your room I would find the very suit and mask that he was wearing along with the matching shoe to Virgil’s.”

Patton blinked, looking between Logan and a tense Roman. “You think Roman is Princey?”

Roman scoffed as he picked up a mug. “I am not Princey.”

“Roman, Janus is actively lying to Virgil. The longer you withhold from telling Virgil the truth about Princey the more it is going to hurt when he finds out.” Logan pointed out, gripping his textbook tightly. “The longer Janus gets away with this.”

Roman’s eyes trailed up to the door. “I… I can’t take this from Virgil, Logan. He’s happy thinking Janus is Princey. If he knew I was actually him he’d… He would be disappointed.”

“Kiddo…” Patton rested a hand over Roman’s shoulder, his face falling. “What makes you think that?”

“Have either of you seen me these last couple weeks?” Roman laughed, not making eye contact. “I’m pathetic. Virgil’s family literally had to take me in because my own family didn’t want me. I can’t tell Virgil, I just can’t.”

“Can’t tell me what?”

Roman jumped at the voice, spilling some hot chocolate over his hand and nearly dropping the mug.

Virgil was already at his side, worry etched across his face. “Are you okay?”

“I…” Roman’s eyes went from Virgil’s hand on his to the worry in his eyes. He pulled back a bit as his eyes drifted down just slightly from his eyes, swallowing. “I’m, uh… fine.”

Virgil grabbed a napkin from the table, wiping the hot chocolate from Roman’s hand. “You just burned your hand, you’re not fine.”

“The hot chocolate wasn’t that hot.” Roman took his hand back from Virgil, ducking his head. “I’m really fine, Virgil… Thanks.”

“Fine.” Virgil sighed, setting the napkin aside. “But… there’s something you can’t tell me?”

“Not- Not yet, but I will.” Roman glanced between Logan and Patton, hesitating before nodding. “I will.” He grabbed a textbook after a second. "But now we should really be focusing on studying." He looked down at the math textbook in his hands, making a face and trading it for the language arts one instead.

"I agree." Logan took a seat giving Roman a little nod as he pulled out a stack of paper. "I have prepared worksheets so I will be able to understand where you both are and what parts of each subject you are struggling with."

"You brought worksheets?" Roman plopped the textbook back onto the coffee table, splaying out on the couch. "But we just got out of school a half hour ago." He whined.

"Actually, forty-three minutes and twenty-eight seconds ago." Logan fixed the position of the discarded textbook before handing Virgil a neatly stapled worksheet and holding one out for Roman. "School does not end when we leave the school building. It ends when we have properly completed our work and understand the material we are covering. In a sense it also goes beyond that in that we-"

Roman snatched the worksheet from him. "Let's just get this over with."

~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~{}~

"My brain hurts." Roman complained, slumping back against the couch now that they were finally finished studying for the night.

Virgil set his pencil down, massaging the side of his head. "Well I think I feel a migraine coming on."

"I can barely feel my hand."

Virgil raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching upwards. "You can feel your hand?"

Roman sat up narrowing his eyes slightly at Virgil. "Are you… Are you trying to one up me?" 

"Don't think it's trying when I clearly am." Virgil smirked.

Roman sputtered indignantly. "You can't one up me! That's- That's impossible!"

"Doesn't seem like it is to me." Virgil chuckled softly.

"Oh my gosh they're so cute!" Patton squealed. 

"It is quite enjoyable watching Roman when he is offended." Logan admitted with a slight nod of his head. After a moment he turned his attention back to the table to finish packing his textbooks away, reaching up to hold his arm for a few moments. Getting up he took out a pair of pajamas from his bag, disappearing into the bathroom. "I will be out shortly."

Patton nodded, watching the door with a frown before turning back to Virgil and Roman. "So… Who's ready for a mov-" He froze as someone passed right through him.

"Is this your new boyfriend, Virge?" 

Virgil stopped laughing, his cheeks warming as he scooted ever so slightly away from his friend. "Roman is not my boyfriend."

"So you have a boyfriend then." The girl smirked, setting her bags down.

"I never- I-" Virgil stuttered.

"Virgil, il mio bambino." A woman with hair matching the darkness of Virgil's roots, dropped her own bags, tugging Virgil to his feet so she could kiss him on the head, giving him a big hug. 

Virgil grimaced, a little out of breath from the force of his mother's arms around him. "Hey, mom."

His mother pulled away to look him over, smoothing out his hair. "Hai mangiato bene? È successo qualcosa mentre eravamo via? Come sta la tua ansia?”

"I'm fine. Nothing's changed since you texted me two hours ago." Virgil mumbled, his eyes flickering to Roman, cheeks warming.

Virgil's mother followed his gaze. "This is Roman?" She moved over to him, taking Roman's face into her hands for a moment to look him over. "Oh, mio ​​caro ragazzo. You are welcome to stay here as long as you like. I mean it. You are part of our family now."

"I…" Roman stared over her shoulder blankly as he processed the information, his eyes tearing up. This woman barely knew him and already she was readily accepting him into her family like it was the natural thing to do.

"Anything you need Wilder and I will provide." Virgil's mother let go, narrowing her eyes. "You want us to take those parents to court, we will do it in a beat of the heart. You have siblings? We’ll take them in. Anything you need."

"That's- That's fine I'd rather no one have to go through the trouble."

"For you, it'd be worth the trouble." She gave him a kiss on the head. "Welcome to our family. You can call me Giovanna or whatever you are most comfortable with." She gave Roman another quick hug. "Now what would you like for supper? Anything you want I will make it."

"What I want?" Roman looked to Virgil. "I don't…"

"Gnocchi, I'm sure Roman will love your gnocchi." Virgil spoke up, patting Roman on the arm.

"Gnocchi, oh, you will love it." Giovanna nodded eagerly. "Bianca and I will get started on it right away." She pulled out her phone, scooting Bianca out of the living room as she scolded her. "Faresti meglio a non spaventare quel povero ragazzo, Bia."

Roman watched them go before turning back to Virgil. "So that's your family then, huh? I never would have expected them to be so…"

"Doting?" Virgil offered, falling back onto the couch.

"Affectionate." Roman sat down beside him. "It's just you're so…"

"Cold, yeah, I get it." Virgil mumbled, fiddling with the end of his sleeve.

"No, I wasn't going to say that. You're an emo edge lord, that's all." Roman nudged Virgil with a gentle smile. "I wouldn't love you any other way."

"Love… me?" Virgil looked up, tilting his head, brows furrowed.

Roman's face turned a dark shade of pink, holding up his hands. "I- I did not mean it like that I only meant as- as a friend that cares about you and-" He stuttered.

Virgil quirked an eyebrow, lips turning up at the corners as he moved closer to Roman. "As just a friend?"

"Of course." Roman chuckled awkwardly, leaning away as Virgil got even closer.

"Then why the blush, Prince?" Virgil smirked.

"I'm not blushing, I am merely… I’m just hot." Roman started to fan himself for emphasis. 

Virgil rested his arm over the back of the couch, bringing a leg up as he moved in even closer. “I don’t know, I think your face is looking pretty pink.”

Roman felt the warmth travel up his ears. “I-I-” His eyes widened as he lost his balance, gripping Virgil by the shirt to try catch himself, only tugging Virgil down back onto the couch with him.

Virgil held himself over Roman, looking down at him with a light scoff. “Didn’t you once call me the forward one?”

“I-” Roman’s face turned impossibly redder. “You’re the one who-”

“You kids using protection?” Someone spoke up in an amused tone.

Virgil’s face went from its pale color to a rosy red as he scrambled off of Roman. “What the heck, Dad!”

Wilder smirked, meeting Virgil’s gaze from behind his glasses. “I just wanted to be sure my son and his friend were being responsible.”

“It was an accident. We just- we…”

Wilder reached up to rustle Virgil’s hair. “A lot can come from an accident. You know you were your mother and I’s happy little accident.”

“Oh my gosh, TMI!” Virgil slapped his hand away, fixing his hair. “I didn’t need to know that.”

Wilder laughed. “I was joking, kid. I just want you to be careful. Now you two go wash up. Dinner should be ready in a minute.”

Virgil sighed, stepping into the bathroom with Roman just behind.

Roman smiled as he glanced back into the living room from where he was standing waiting beside Virgil. “Your dad… he seems very accepting.” He commented quietly.

 Virgil lifted his gaze in the mirror. “He is. My family is. You’re safe here, Roman, I promise.”

Roman’s eyes softened as he met Virgil’s. Safe. He was safe here and he could trust that. He could trust Virgil. He did trust Virgil. “Virgil…”

Virgil cleared his throat after a second, reaching back and grabbing Roman’s hands tugging them into the sink with his. “Just wash your-” 

The motion pulled Roman closer, his chest now pressing against Virgil’s back. Their arms shifted awkwardly, trapping Virgil between him and the sink as their hands tangled under the warm stream of water from the tap.

“I…” Virgil’s voice faltered, and he took a cautious step closer, leaving almost no space between them. His breath was shallow as he opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, the sound of Patton’s voice interrupted.

“Kiddos?”

Both of them froze, and Patton peered into the bathroom, blinking in surprise. “Oh…”

Roman stepped back quickly, his face flushing. “Patton.”

“Dinner is ready.” Patton informed.

“Ri-Right, yeah.” Virgil exited the bathroom, not even drying his hands. “Coming.”

Roman watched Virgil go, releasing a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding.

Patton lowered his voice, grinning brightly at Roman. “Were you two going to…?”

Roman leaned back against the wall, raising a wet hand and running it through his hair. “No, of course not.”

“Sure you weren’t.” Patton giggled, sending him a wink. “See you at the table, Roman.”

Roman grabbed a towel, his face still warm as he stared up at his reflection in the mirror.

But had they been?

[yomica12345]

Pane-fully Obvious: Chapter 25

Prologue Link, Chapter 24 Link

Ao3 Link

Warnings: Emotional Manipulation, Betrayal, Implied Self-Harm, Mental Health Struggles, Verbal Abuse, Relationship Trauma, Isolation and Loneliness, Tears and Grief

Chapter 25: The Cost of Lies

“You believe he’s Princey?” Logan folded his arms from his place in the passenger seat. “Why? Is there a reason you’re convinced he is? A reason other than his word?”

Virgil turned the wheel, his eyes flickering to the rearview mirror where Janus trailed behind on his moped. “I have more than just his word. Why are you so suspicious of him? You’ve never even officially met Princey before.”

“I would not be so sure I haven’t.” Logan met Roman’s gaze in the mirror.

“If… If Janus is lying, then who do you think the real Princey is?”

Logan’s eyes narrowed at Roman. “I know the real Princey should be coming forth himself. It isn’t fair for him to hide behind someone else while letting a lie fester.”

“Janus has to be Princey. I mean…” Virgil argued, pulling into the garage. “It feels like it’s him and Charlotte… She wouldn’t be lying about this. She has no reason to.”

“I’m certain she must,” Logan murmured, grabbing his bag and stepping out of the car. He walked straight to Janus. “We need to talk.”

Janus hung his helmet over the handlebars of his moped, lifting the seat to retrieve his backpack. “Do we?”

“Yes, we do.” Logan grabbed his wrist, pulling him past Virgil and Roman and into the house. He ushered him into the office, closing the door behind them as he released Janus. He turned to face him, his eyes narrowing. “Why are you doing this?”

Janus hesitated, his eyes never meeting Logan’s. He set his bag down on the chair, his posture stiff. “Doing what, Logan? You’ll have to be more specific.”

“Why are you pretending to be Princey? We both know you can’t be him. The evidence doesn’t line up. You messaged me while Virgil was with him, and when I found you, you weren’t dressed like him. Your hair wasn’t red.”

Janus tapped his fingers against the desk. “So you’re not convinced I’m Princey, then.”

“Janus, just answer my question. Why are you doing this?” Logan repeated, arms crossed. “What do you have to gain from what you’ve lost?”

Janus remained silent, leaning against the desk. He didn’t want to do this. He didn’t want to have this conversation. He wished Logan had no part in this, that he wouldn’t have to hurt the one person he cared about most. But if he didn’t, Logan would keep pushing him for answers. He’d be dragged down to his level, and he couldn’t let that happen to Logan. He had no choice. “Are you saying I lost anything of value?”

Logan’s cool expression wavered. “You tell me.” He stepped closer. “And I’d like you to do so while actually meeting my gaze.”

Janus clenched his fists, turning to face Logan. He lifted his eyes, doing this for Logan, to protect him from Charlotte. “I didn’t lose anything I cared about.”

Logan’s eyes darkened. “Falsehood.”

Janus swallowed, holding Logan’s gaze.

“You cared.” Logan tilted Janus’s head up with his hands. “Don’t tell me you didn’t care about me, Janus.”

“I didn’t,” Janus pulled Logan’s hands down from his face. “Our relationship was nothing more than an experiment, Logan, you know that.”

Logan’s eyebrows knit together, eyes flickering between Janus’s. His jaw clenched as he took a step back. “I see… So all of it was a lie? Your words? Our kisses? Last night?”

Janus leaned back against the desk, gripping it tightly. He could see the doubts starting to creep into Logan but they didn’t have deep enough roots. He needed to keep going. “It was fun, wasn’t it? Being able to fix someone else’s problems for them? Having someone who listened to you? Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy it.”

Logan raised a fist to his mouth, scoffing, but it came out as little more than a puff of air. He stared at the floor. “It was an act. Of course. You were rather convincing, I suppose congratulations are in order.”

Janus gave a theatrical bow, squeezing his eyes shut as they burned. His throat felt dry, his chest tight with an unseen force holding his heart. He opened his mouth.

“You truly had me believing that someone cared.”

Janus swiftly lifted his head, eyes wide. Too far. He had gone too far. “Logan—”

“No.” Logan turned, head down, grabbing the door handle.

Janus reached out, taking hold of his shoulder, his voice cracking. “Logan.”

Logan weakly pushed Janus away before quietly slipping out of the office without another word.

The door clicked shut, and Logan’s retreating footsteps echoed with finality on the other side.

Janus stumbled back into the desk, staring at the door, eyes watering. What had he just done? How could he take it back? How could he undo this? Take back the doubts he had fed Logan, go back in time and just admit he was a coward? That he was trying to push him away out of fear, out of selfishness, a desperate attempt to escape Charlotte? He grasped the desk, his nails digging in as if he could will everything to be undone. He’d go back to Charlotte. He’d face her threats, face expulsion, face anything, if it meant sparing Logan from himself and his cruel lies.

He couldn’t breathe.

“I can’t undo this,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.

He sucked in a shaky breath as tears dropped down his chin, staining his sweater.

He’d never be able to undo this.

“Janus?” Virgil knocked from the other side of the door, an edge of concern in his voice.

Janus pushed himself off the desk, counting in his head, taking a shaky step toward the door before his legs gave out beneath him. He collapsed to the floor.

One. Breathe.

He exhaled through a sob.

Two. Get up.

He pushed himself onto unsteady legs.

Three. Shut up.

He closed his mouth, swallowing down the sob.

Four. Wipe your tears.

He swiped at his face, leaving his eyes red and raw.

Five. Repeat. Just like he’d been taught.

He did it all again.

Six. Bury it.

He stepped toward the door.

Seven. Mask it.

He schooled his expression.

Eight. Smile it away.

His lips twitched up, a painfully practiced ease to the gesture. Logan was just another casualty.

But he wasn’t.

Chapter 26

[co-smitten]

Sanders Sides Co-Writing Fun

Hello this is @yomica12345. There might already be some fanders already doing this but I haven't found them if they are. I just thought it would be fun to create a side blog as a space to unite sanders sides fanfiction writers who would like to find others to write with.

I'm hoping it will help inspire those who are in all sorts of positions. Those who may be suffering with writers block and would just like someone to bounce ideas off of or are looking for a proof reader. Those who think it would be fun to co-write with someone but don't know where to look for that person to write with. Those who have ideas but aren't sure where to start and could use some guidance. And maybe those looking for writing prompts specific to the sides or those who would like to offer prompts from ideas they might have themselves.

Basically I want this blog to be a safe place for fanders who love writing fanfiction and fanders who love reading fanfiction. I'm not sure how to organize things just yet but if it seems enough writers are interested in this idea then I'll get a discord running and I'll start setting things up. If you're interested in participating in anything I've mentioned whether it be writing, reading or collaborating please like and reblog this post. The more people I see wanting to get involved the more I'll take this seriously. If you have any questions you can ask them in the comments or through my ask box. Thanks in advance for any support you might offer this post <3

How would you like to participate?

As a Writer

As a Reader

As a Collaborator

Voting ended onMar 1, 2025

Discord Link

[biscuitfacegrey]

I was drawing sanders sides again and thought “grey that’s cringe” but then I remembered that tumblr doesn’t think anything is cringe so here you go I’m exploding them with my mind

[yomica12345]

Pane-fully Obvious: Chapter 24

Prologue Link, Chapter 23 Link

Ao3 Link

Warnings: Bullying & Manipulation, Emotional Distress, Guilt & Betrayal, Mild Physical Contact, Romantic & Emotional Conflict

Chapter 24: A Deal with the Devil

Virgil stared down at his phone, his eyebrows slightly pinched together. No new messages. No response. Not even a reassurance that Princey was okay after last night. The silence made him feel nauseous.

He had no idea where Princey was—or if he’d ever reach out again.

He’d screwed up.

He never should have pressured him. Now, Princey was gone.

"Has he texted you back yet, kiddo?" Patton asked softly, standing beside him as students filtered out of the school for the day.

Virgil shook his head, closing his locker. “No.”

“If he recognized you, he must be someone who goes to this school,” Logan reasoned, adjusting his glasses. “That should narrow things down from the entire school division to just this building.”

Virgil tugged the strap of his backpack over his shoulder. “I haven’t seen anyone with red hair all day, Logan. He’s not here.”

"Perhaps it was only a temporary dye. There are other ways to narrow this down," Logan continued, his eyes flickering toward Roman. “For instance, I recall that he had brown eyes. He also seemed taller than you—approximately five-nine or five-ten.”

Roman scoffed, looking away. “It was dark. How can you be so sure they were brown? And… and he could’ve been wearing heels.”

“He left his shoe behind. He wasn’t wearing heels,” Virgil muttered.

Logan’s eyes narrowed at Roman. “I believe I noticed some of his natural hair color coming through. It seemed to be—”

“Alright, I think that’s enough deducing,” Roman interrupted, voice strained. “I mean, if he wants to be found, he’ll come straight to you, right?”

Virgil sighed, starting down the hall. “Let’s just stop talking about it already. I know I’m not going to find him. I know he’s not going to come for me. And I know he’s never going to want to.”

“Kiddo…” Patton wrapped an arm around Virgil’s, his lips downturning with concern. “I’m sure he does. Maybe there’s just something holding him back.”

“Yeah, it’s that he decided he didn’t like the real me.”

“No, it’s not.”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Roman. He shrank back a little. “I mean…” He ducked his head. “Who wouldn’t like the real you?”

Virgil didn’t meet his eyes. “Apparently, Princey.”

Roman tipped Virgil’s head up gently. He couldn’t let him suffer like this, could he? Let him believe he was any less loved than he was? He just wanted to see Virgil happy.

Maybe it was worth the risk.

Maybe, if Virgil wanted this…

He opened his mouth. “Virgil—”

But before he could say anything more, Virgil pushed his hand away, stepping back as his eyes darted to the side. “Charlotte.”

Charlotte smiled, waving briefly at Roman with a giggle before taking Virgil’s arm. “Can I talk to you about something?”

Virgil glanced at his friends for a moment before giving a soft nod. “Yeah… I guess.”

His eyes stayed on Charlotte’s hand—how tightly it gripped his arm, almost cutting off his circulation. He swallowed hard as they stopped in an empty hallway. “I… I’m trying, but things came up, and—”

"Relax, Virgil." Charlotte chuckled, patting his cheek. "I’m not here to hurt you, I promise."

Virgil tensed up despite her words.

“I think I’ve been a little too hard on you.” She sighed dramatically, her gaze flickering over her shoulder. “You’ve obviously been trying to avoid Roman after my warnings, but maybe… you’d have an easier time if I offered you something in return.”

"An offer?" Virgil’s eyebrows knit together.

“A friend of mine saw you with a masked stranger last night…” Charlotte leaned in close, lowering her voice. “You wouldn’t happen to be looking for him, would you?”

Virgil’s breath hitched. "You know who he is?" His eyes lit up briefly—before his face fell again.

Charlotte tipped his chin up with a single finger. "I could introduce you. Right now.”

"But I have to stop hanging out with Roman."

His posture sank at the realization. One or the other. His best friend… or Roman.

Why was he hesitating?

Why was there a part of him that didn’t want to give up spending time with the dumb theater geek?

Why was there a part of him that didn’t want to give up Roman?

He could have everything he had ever wanted with Princey—but it would mean having nothing with Roman.

Charlotte sighed, shaking her head. "You want the guy, don’t you? It’s a friend over a boyfriend, Virgil. You could have this dreamy guy you danced with, laughed with, had fun with. Don’t you like him? Don’t you want to find out who he is under that mask? Go on dates with him, hold him close, make out with him?” Her eyes narrowed. “Or would you rather my friends and I continue to make your life worse? Because believe me, there’s still so much worse in store for you if you choose Roman. Some light nudges and teasing were nothing, Virgil. I have the power to make it so much worse.”

Virgil bit down on his thumb.

Could he handle the bullying for Roman? Could he make it through the rest of high school with Charlotte constantly over his shoulder?

His eyebrows pinched together.

Roman didn’t need him if he had Patton and Logan, did he? He’d survive.

It would be fine.

It had to be.

Everyone would be happier this way.

He gave a slight nod. “Okay.”

Charlotte grinned, taking his arm again. “I have someone to introduce you to, then.”

Virgil held his breath as they stopped in front of a classroom door, his heart rate rising as Charlotte pulled it open, stepping in first.

“Virgil, meet Janus.”

Virgil’s eyes landed on the dark-haired boy, something inside him sinking—though he wasn’t sure why.

Janus met his gaze, something unreadable in his eyes.

“Xi…” Janus stayed where he was by one of the desks.

“Princey?” Virgil took an uncertain step forward.

Janus looked away. “You wish I turned out to be someone else.”

“No.” Virgil blurted. “I…”

He released his breath, chuckling softly as his eyes teared up. “I just wasn’t expecting you.”

Janus lifted his eyes, hesitating before moving closer. He reached up, resting a hand on Virgil’s cheek. “Is that a good or a bad thing?”

Virgil placed his own hand over Janus’s. “It’s good.”

He smiled softly.

This had to be Princey. That same uncertain vulnerability rested in those amber eyes.

He tucked a strand of Janus’s hair behind his ear before pressing an experimental kiss to his lips.

Janus closed his eyes, forcing himself to pull Virgil closer—despite wanting nothing more than to pull away. His breath caught in his throat, something burning behind his eyes.

Virgil stepped back after a few seconds, taking Janus’s hand. “Princey.”

“Xi.” Janus smiled softly as Virgil led him out of the classroom.

He could feel Charlotte’s eyes on them as they left.

Could feel the guilt stabbing into him.

The guilt for lying to Virgil.

But worse than that…

The guilt of cheating on Logan.

It twisted inside him, a knife lodged deep.

How was he going to do this?

His eyes lifted as Virgil slowed, and suddenly, it felt so much worse.

Logan’s eyes drifted to their interlocked hands. Then to Virgil’s hopeful smile.

And then, finally, to Janus.

Betrayal burned behind his hazel gaze.

Janus could feel the unspoken question in his stare.

He looked away, turning instead to Virgil.

For once, he actually wanted to be facing Charlotte.

Because maybe…

Maybe her torment would have been easier than this.

But it was too late now.

He couldn’t go back.

Not anymore.

Chapter 25

[cr33pycookie]

*crumples him up*

idk if you guys are able to tell but

apple: janus

caterpillar: remus

crown: roman

rocket ship: logan

music note: virgil

house: patton (because home is where the heart is)

tracked time 5 hours 52 minutes

[yomica12345]

The poor bean!!!!