Adult? More Like A Dolt

For @lunatatic, took me long enough

Part one can be found here

***

Kasey tapped his finger against his hip nervously.

“I’m waiting,” Janus said.

“I…” Kasey couldn’t find the words.

“Thomas thought he was a good person before you split. I had to hide away every part of him he thought was bad just to make him see himself as a good person again.”

“I know, I remember. You hated Remus, and Roman.”

“They reminded me of you, how you weren’t here anymore, how you just left us.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“What was it like then!” Janus hasn’t meant to yell.

A few tears fell from Kasey’s eyes. “This isn’t easy, okay.”

Janus hates seeing Kasey cry, but it didn’t make his anger away. “Well, these past few years haven’t been easy either.”

Kasey wipe’s the tears of his cheeks. He took a deep breath, avoiding eye contact with Janus.

“I was losing my control. Thomas didn’t suddenly see himself as a bass person when I split, that thought had been there. He was seeing me as all bad. He was trying to shut me out, I could feel it. Splitting seemed like my only option. I was desperate Jay.”

“I could’ve helped you.”

“How?”

“I…” Janus was at a loss for words. “I would’ve figured something out Kasey, you didn’t have to leave.”

“What does it matter? I’m back now, doesn’t that mean anything?”

Janus looked at Kasey. “It means everything, but that doesn’t change the years of heartbreak you put me through.”

“I-“ Kasey stood up. “You weren’t the only one hurting Janus, I was hurting too.”

“At least I didn’t split.”

Kasey wipes a tear from his eye. “You’re the first one I came to after merging, this isn’t how I pictured our reunion going.”

“Well sorry I’m not acting appropriately enough for you.”

“That’s no-you know what, take all the time you need to process this, I’ll leave you alone.”

“Good.”

Kasey walked out the door, slamming it on the way out.

***

I meant for this to be sweet, but I got halfway through and my brain was like: but what if angst and I was like: keep talking and here we are

Thank you @alexisjacklin for the prompt list, here’s my take on five for the Sanders Sides fandom

***

Janus was in his room, alone, taking some time for himself, when he heard a knock on his door. It was probably Patton, that side had no sense of personal space. Janus ignored him. This was his time, and the sign on the door clearly said do not disturb. Patton should just mind his own business and let Janus be.

The knocking continued, becoming more and more annoying. Reluctantly, Janus opened his door to tell Patton to knock it off. As he flung the door open, his jaw dropped. He found himself unable to speak.

“Hey Janus.”

“What are you doing here?” Janus asked. “I thought you were dead.”

“It’s a long story, Jay. May I?” He gestured to go in Janus’ room.

Janus blocked the door with his body. “You better not be Remus playing a trick on me. This isn’t funny.”

“I’m not, I mean he’s not, I mean…I don’t know what I mean. There’s no trick. It’s me, Kasey, but I still remember being Remus, and Roman, so I guess, yeah, it’s Remus too, but this isn’t a joke, I’m real. Well, as real as a figment of Thomas’ imagination can be.”

Janus felt a tear run down his cheek. “Why?”

“Roman and Remus, they-”

“No, not why are you back.” Janus swallowed. “Why did you leave?”

“Oh.” Kasey tried to avoid Janus’ gaze. “I’m afraid that story is even longer.”

“I don’t have anywhere to be.”

The creative side took a deep breath. “Alright. May I come in?”

“No.” That was enough to break both of their hearts in two. “Not yet. Not until you explain yourself. Explain why you left Thomas, why you left me.”

***

Janus: Can I use them as ear warmers?

Patton: What do you mean?

Janus: Nevermind

One week later

Patton:

Remus: You put Patton in as Daddy, how kinky

Virgil, answering the phone: Hey Janus

Virgil found Remus, leaning against the ledge of the ship, staring at the water below. Remus would spend hours looking at the water, Virgil didn’t know how. Remus lost interest in most things quickly, jumping from one task to another, regardless of completion, but when it came to the ocean, Remus was surprising still.

Virgil walked over to Remus, leaning against the ledge as well. He looked out to the water. The ocean was rather tame at the moment, and the clean sky told Virgil it would be that way for a while.

“It’s beautiful,” Remus said, not taking his eyes off the water. He spoke with a tone often used for love.

When I started reading this, I really was hoping you’d choose intrulogical and when you did, I was ecstatic.

***

Logan stood in front of Remus, a whiteboard he had conjured stood behind him filled with information. Remus fiddled with his toy octopus as Logan went on about oceanography, his current obsession. It was Remus’ as well, so he would often listen to Logan go on and on while the others did their own thing.

Logan pointed to a term on the whiteboard: abyssal zone.

“Fun fact about the abyssal zone, it is the largest environment for life on Earth, making up 60% of global surface, and 83% of the oceans and seas area.”

“Could you say that again?” Remus said as he tugged at his octopus’ legs.

Logan rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “Were you not listening?”

Remus glanced over at Logan. He found amusement in Logan’s frustration. “No, I was, I just like hearing your voice.”

He glanced at Logan again. It was clear he was trying to keep from going red. Remus smiled.

“Well?”

“Um, well, as I was saying, the abyssal zone makes up 83% percent of the Earth’s surface area. Wait no, I meant, I-”

“Logan,” Remus said.

“Yes?”

“You’re cute when you stutter.”

Logan adjusted his tie in an attempt in regain composer. “I rarely stutter.”

“You should do it more.”

“Teachers don’t stutter.”

Remus disappeared from his seat, leaving only his octopus behind.

“Remus?”

Logan spun as his tie was grabbed from behind. He found himself forehead to forehead with Remus. His breath, though reeking of pickled garbage, was warm against Logan’s skin.

“Do you think you can tell me about the abyssal zone again?”

Logan’s felt his heart race. He felt the words stuck on his tongue. Remus was smirking like he had won something, Logan hated it, but the words were stuck in his throat. There was only one solution.

Logan leaned in and kissed Remus. He moved a hand behind Remus’ neck and pulled him in close. Remus let go of Logan’s tie and wrapped his arms up Logan.

After a moment, Logan pulled away.

“As I was saying, the abyssal zone-”

“Oh shut up,” Remus said, pulling Logan back into the kiss.

***

Prompt 9

“Hey, dork, what are you up to?” Remus said, flopping onto Logan’s bed.

Logan didn’t even glance at him, his focus remained on his laptop. “I’m editing my essay for my Astronomy class.”

“Bo-oring!” Remus said, turning to his side to face Logan as he worked at his desk.

“I want to get an A, so I have to make sure this is perfect.”

“God, you’re boring. You’re lucky you’re friends with me or you probably would’ve died of boredom by now.”

Logan still wasn’t entirely sure how they became friends. Sure, they had a few classes together, and live in the same dormitory, but Logan could say that about a few fellow students. Somehow, they just kept running into each other until it stopped being accidental.

“There’s a party tonight, let’s go,” Remus said.

“No thanks,” Logan said.

Remus sat up, kicking his feet off the side of the bed. “C’mon, it’ll do you some good to get out of this stuffy room, plus I hear there’s going to be a lot of hotties.”

“I’m good,” Logan said.

“You just need to let loose and hook up with someone, I’ll be your wing man,” Remus said. “What’s your deal anyways, girls, guys, enbies?”

Logan clicked the save button on his work and shut his laptop. “None of the above actually.”

“Oh, you’re like ace?”

“Aroacevague, yeah.”

“Aroacevague,” Remus said, looking confused. “Is it bad that I’ve never heard that label before?”

“No, of course not.” Logan adjusted in his chair, bringing his legs up into a crisscross position. “It means I’m not attracted to anyone and that it’s partially from being neurodivergent.”

“You’re neurodivergent too?”

“Autistic and dyslexic. What about you?”

“I’m autistic too. We don’t know a lot about each other, do we?”

Logan thought it over. “I suppose we don’t.”

“How about, instead of that party, you and I go to dinner, get to know each other a little better.”

“I’d like that.”

***

“Why do you even bother?” Logan asked, his hold against his tears threatening to break.

“Because I love you, you stupid idiot,” Remus said sitting down next Logan.

Logan looked at him, a betraying tear sliding down his face. “You...love me.”

“Wasn’t it obvious?” Remus asked, putting an arm around Logan.

“Emotions aren’t obvious,” Logan said.

“They are when you let yourself feel them.”

Logan leaned into Remus. Another tear fell, then another. Soon he was in a full blown sob.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Remus cradled his head. “Don’t be sorry.”

“I hate feeling this way, I hate feeling anything.”

“Sometimes you’ve gotta suck it up and ride the rollercoaster,” Remus said. “The only way to get past it is to get through it.”

They stayed like that for a long time. Logan’s crying would simmer down, only to start back up again. Remus didn’t leave. He stayed, holding Logan, even after the last tear dropped.

“You’re better at this whole emotions thing,” Logan said. He felt like he might fall asleep in Remus’ arms any moment.

“When you’ve been locked up as long as I was, there isn’t much to do in the way of distraction.” Remus caressed Logan’s hair. “And negative emotions aren’t the only emotions there are, there’s good ones too, like that feeling you get when lighting something on fire.”

Logan sat up. “Do not light anything on fire.”

Remus smiled softly as he looked into Logan’s eyes. “You need rest.”

He helped Logan up and Logan sat down on his bed.

“Will you, lay with me?”

“Lay with you?” The idea of lighting something on fire had sounded pretty good. Remus was going to go do that as soon as Logan laid down, but... “of course.”

Remus laid down on the bed next to Logan, wrapping him in his arms. It didn’t take much for Logan to fall sleep. Finding a rare sense of peace in the moment, Remus fell asleep too.

***

“Wanna have sex?”

Remus was rather taken aback, which was a hard thing for someone to do. But, leaning against the door frame, eyes blood shot, face completely stoic, voice surprisingly monotone, Logan managed to do just that.

“Hello to you too,” Remus said. “Come in.”

Remus shut the door as Logan walked in, taking a seat on Remus’ bed. Remus walked over, but chose to sit on his desk chair instead.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I don’t want to talk about it, do you want to have sex or no?”

“Don’t stay up too late boys, there’s school in the morning,” Roman’s mom said to the group.

“We’ll make sure to go to sleep at an appropriate time Ms. Prince,” Logan said.

“Nerd,” Roman faked coughed.

“Roman, be nice to your friend,” his mom said. “Now you boys have fun, just not too much fun, I don’t want to replace that vase again.”

She left the teens alone in the bedroom.

“So, what now?” Patton asked. “A board game maybe.”

“Lame,” Roman said.

“How about truth or dare?” Remus said.

“Don’t go,” Patton said.

“I need to get ready for work,” Logan said.

“Mmm,” protested a sleepy Patton. He reached out and grabbed Logan’s wrist. “Five more minutes.”

“Patton.”

“Please.”

Logan wanted to say yes. He wanted to crawl back under the covers and not come out.

He leaned down and kissed Patton on his forehead. “How about tonight we watch a movie and cuddle on the couch.”

Patton smiled, letting go of Logan’s wrist and readjusting himself on the bed. “What movie?”

“You pick,” Logan said, changing out of his pajamas.

“Alright,” Patton yawned. “Can we have cookies?”

Logan grabbed a tie off the tie rack. “Can they be oatmeal raisin?”

“Of course, they’re your favorite.”

Logan adjusted seas tie. Sea had already readjusted it ten times in as many minutes. How would Remus react? Would he still love sear?

Of course he would, Logan assured seaself. Right?

“Hey, Babe,” Remus said as he took a seat on the park bench next to Logan, nearly scaring sear out of seas socks. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You’re fine,” Logan said.

Remus studied Logan’s face. “Are you sure?”

Logan let out a breath. “There is something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh.”

Remus’ face dropped as he moved his focus to the ground.

“Oh, no. This isn’t a break up. At least, I hope it isn’t.”

Logan turned seas attention to the ground as well. Remus looked over at sear, now even more concerned.

“Lo, what’s wrong?”

“I’m genderfluid.” Sea ripped it off like a band aid, glancing at Remus from the side of seas eye.

“What are your pronouns?” Was the first thing he asked.

Logan smiled with relief as sea faced Remus fully. “Right now, I’d like you to use sea/sear/seas pronouns. I also like they, and I’ve been wanting to try out fae/fear/fears.”

“I’m guessing you don’t want me referring to you as my boyfriend anymore, is there a better term?” Remus asked.

“Datemate,” Logan said.

Remus smiled. “Datemate, I like that, it’s all rhyme-y.”

“It’s the human brain, we’re drawn to patterns,” Logan said.

Remus placed his hand under Logan’s chin, pulling seas into a kiss.

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you too.”

Sea leaned back into the kiss, unable to stop smiling.

“We should get going Lo,” Remus said. His face quickly went from content to nervous. “I’m an idiot, I didn’t ask about your name.”

“You’re not an idiot,” Logan said, placing a quick peck on his lips. “Logan still feels right to me.”

“Got it.”

Logan pulled Remus into another kiss.

“Not that I don’t want to kiss you Lo, because I love kissing you, but we really should get going to the aquarium. I don’t want to miss the octopuses doing it.”

“They cancelled the mating show, remember. They were afraid the one would eat the other,” Logan said as sea and Remus stood up.

“But that would’ve made it even better,” Remus said, taking Logan’s hand as they strolled down the sidewalk. “Hey! You what I just realized?”

“What?”

“Your pronouns are sea and we’re about to go see sea animals.”

Logan laughed. “Yeah.”

Logan stared at Remus’ face as he smiled proudly at the connection he had made. Logan love that face. Sea felt so lucky to have a boyfriend like Remus.

***

The mating show is a real thing, The Seattle Aquarium does it for Valentine’s Day every year (unless there’s a chance one will eat the other)

Also, thanks to @dragon-hair for answering my pronoun question, I ended up going with sea instead, but thank you anyways!

“It’s a drama, It’s not supposed to be accurate, it’s supposed to be entertaining,” Janus said.

“I find accuracy to be entertaining.”

“We don’t have to watch this if you don’t want to.”

Logan slouched into the couch. “Well we have to know who the murderer is.”

Janus wrapped an arm around Logan, smiling.

“It’s definitely not the lover,” Logan said. “It’s a clear red herring.”

“If it’s clear, then it fails at being a red herring, doesn’t it,” Janus said. “But you’re right, he definitely didn’t do it. My money’s on the daughter.”

“Really? I’ve been suspecting the business partner.”

“Hmm.” Janus thought it over.

“Wait, I think that was important,” Logan said.

Janus hit the rewind button.

“Yes, I was there the night he died, but I wasn’t the only one. I saw Mr. Hammerstein there that night too.”

“You might be right,” Janus said, running his fingers through Logan’s hair.

“I’m always right.”

“Do you have proof of such an accusation?”

“Isn’t that your job?”

“The melodrama,” Logan said with an eye roll.

“You love it,” Janus said.

Logan leaned into Janus. “I like being right.”

“Don’t we all.”

Janus continued to play with Logan’s hair. Logan tried to resist the urge to smile.

“A judge would never say that,” Logan mumbled.

“Will you shut up and enjoy the movie?”

“I am enjoying myself.”

Janus smiled. “Are you now?”

“I am-wait, what did they say?”

Janus rewound the movie.

“I told you, I’m not lying on the stand.”

“You owe me after…..after what you did.”

Logan looked at Janus. “Do you think…”

“Clear red herring.”

“I agree.”

***

“It’ll work for us! It’s perfect!”

Pairings: Prinxiety (platonic), Dukceit (romantic), mentioned: Analogince (platonic), Roceit (romantic)

“We’re friends, right?” Roman said, barging into Virgil’s room.

“We are not,” Virgil said from the dresser he was sitting on, flipping through music on his phone.

“And friends, they help each other out, right?” Roman had started pacing the floor.

Virgil groaned. “What happened?”

“I need help, no questions asked.”

“Not happening.” Virgil put on his headphones.

Patton knocked gently on the door. “Janus?”

There was no reply, so Patton walked in.

“Go away,” Janus said, not looking at Patton.

“No.”

Janus turned another. “No? This is my room, if I tell you to get out, you get out.”

“You’re upset, you shouldn’t be alone.”

“I’m not upset.”

Patton sat down near Janus on the bed. Janus moved farther down, as far as from Patton as he could get.

“You can talk to me kiddo.”

“Just. Go. Away.”

“Fine, but this isn’t over, I’m here if you need anything from me.”

Janus scoffed.

“What?” Patton asked.

“I thought lies were my domain.”

Patton stood up. “I’m not lying.”

“Yeah?” Janus said, standing as well. “Then why didn’t you do anything when Roman-”

Janus bit his tongue. He looked away from Patton.

“Janus, kiddo, I would’ve done anything for you, but you didn’t ask me to.”

“I didn’t ask you to barge in here, but you seemed fine with that.”

Patton place a hand on Janus’ shoulder, but Janus shrugged it off. Patton got the hint and kept his hands to himself.

“Checking on a friend when they’re upset and fighting their battles for them are two different things.”

“Just go, I want to be alone.”

“Okay, if that’s what you want.”

“It is.”

Patton walked out of Janus’ room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

***

“So, you come here often?”

Virgil stared at the barista dumbly. “Three times a week. You’re usually the one serving me.”

“I know, I meant…” The barista stumbled over his words. “One small black coffee, decaf, no sugar, no cream, or will you be changing it up today?”

“The usual is fine,” Virgil said, pulling exact change from his pocket before the barista had a chance to tell him.

“Your coffee will be ready shortly,” the barista said.

Virgil stood off the the side and waited.