Pleasant Surprises (Sanders Sides Fanfic)
Secret Santa fic for the amazing @nightashes ! Hope you enjoy
Prompts used:
- Familial (brotherly) anxceit, analogical
- Fantasy, (emotional) h/c
- Hugs, firelight, new beginnings
- “I think I understand now”
- “I’m here for you” (slightly different phrasing but same idea)
Read on AO3
Summary: Virgil risks a journey home to the dark forest to reconnect with brother Janus— and invite him to a potential wedding.
~*~
“I need to tell him,” Virgil said, curled up by the fire.
“Hm?” Logan looked up from his book. “Tell who, what, exactly? I’m afraid I’m not quite following.”
Virgil grimaced. “My brother. About....” He gestured vaguely. “Us? Me not being dead?”
“Ah.” Logan closed his book. “Would you like me to come with you?”
“No.” Virgil quickly shook his head. “No. I need to go alone. Besides, it’s not safe for you there.”
Logan folded his hands on his lap. “You left for a reason. Are you quite certain you want to go back?”
“I was scared, Lo. But now... I know what to expect. I’m ready.”
“Very well. Contact me if you need assistance.” Logan stood and walked over to his desk, taking out a small handheld mirror. “Say my name into this mirror, and we will be able to communicate through it.”
Virgil looked at the mirror warily. “And if I break it?”
Logan sighed. “It will still work on a shard of the mirror, but please be careful.”
“Always am.” Virgil smiled wanly as he took the mirror, cautiously placing it in his satchel.
Logan kissed his forehead and squeezed his hand gently. “Come home soon, please.”
Virgil took his hand and stood. “That’s the goal. I’ll miss you.” He stretched and took a deep breath. “Well, see you later, I guess.”
“Farewell and good luck.”
Virgil forced a smile and waved, then quickly packed his things before heading out the door— not giving himself the chance to back out.
~*~
Virgil tugged his cloak close against the chill. This was a bad idea. He knew it was a bad idea. Five years. Five years apart.
Maybe Janus wouldn’t even want to see him. Hell, maybe he wasn’t even here.
No. Too late to turn back.
Eerie whispers echoed in the mists and shadows lurked behind skeletal trees, but Virgil ignored them. That was normal here. As was the eternal night. Perfectly normal.
Here lived the monsters of the realm. The forsaken. The lost and abandoned. The only advantage was that they never hurt one of their own.
Virgil stopped in front of the door built into the cliffside and knocked. Snakes, spiders, and tentacles were carved around the doorframe, but there were no windows— only narrow slats to let air and light inside. Easier to defend without having to worry about glass.
It felt like eternity before the door opened. “Well, this is unexpected,” Janus drawled, his scales gleaming in the dim light.
“Hey, Jan... umm... can I come in?” Virgil rubbed his arm, not quite meeting his brother’s gaze.
“Depends on what brought you here.”
“I just wanna talk.” Virgil bit his lip. “And... apologize?”
“Go on, then. Say what you came to say.” Janus leaned against the doorframe.
Virgil took a deep breath. “I think I understand now,” he said slowly.
Janus arched an eyebrow. “Oh do you now? What do you understand?”
“Why you did what you did. Why we lived how we did. Why we were always hiding, never leaving the forest. How the world really works— well, not as much that, but more than I knew—“
“Did someone hurt you?” Janus cut him off, taking a step closer, concern in his eyes.
Virgil winced. “No. Well, yes, but that’s not important right now. What’s important is you don’t need to do that anymore. We can help you.”
Janus’s brow knitted. “We?” he echoed.
“I... uh... met some nice people. Like, really nice. I think you’d like them, if you give them a chance.” Virgil picked at a loose thread at the edge of his cloak.
Janus gave him a look, then sighed and stepped aside. “Come in. Would you like some tea?”
Virgil sighed in relief and walked through the doorway. It was just as he had left it— fur blankets piled around cushions and chairs, rickety table, a large fireplace with snakes around the mantle. “Sure. Something herbal?”
“Chamomile?” Janus suggested, filling a pot with water and placing it over the hearth.
“Whatever, sure.” Virgil warmed himself by the fire, then grabbed a blanket and took a seat on a nearby cushion.
Janus laughed softly. “Still prefer the floor to a chair, hm?”
Virgil shrugged. “It’s convenient. And warmer,” he said.
“Mm. Indeed it is,” Janus said. “Honey in your tea, yes?”
“Yeah. Thanks.”
A moment later, Janus set a cup of tea on the floor next to Virgil and sat down a few feet away. “Careful. It’s hot,” he said. Which was obvious due to the steam.
Virgil wrapped his hands around the teacup anyway, breathing in the aroma. “So... umm... what’s up with you?” He winced. “I mean, like, what have you been up to? How have you been?”
Janus chuckled softly. “More of the same. Hunting. Strengthening the wards.” He gestured vaguely.
“Right, yeah,” Virgil muttered.
“I am far more interested about you, spiderling. Care to talk about your grand adventures?” Janus arched an eyebrow.
Virgil snorted. “I wouldn’t call them that. But uh... I guess.” He took a sip of his tea once it had cooled down enough. “Well... I headed roughly northeast from here. Traveled with the spider-people for a bit. But as we approached the border, some elves attacked. When they heard me speak, they stopped and demanded I bow before the prince.“ He smiled sideways. “Did you know we even had a prince out here?”
Janus hummed thoughtfully. “A prince in this forest? No, preposterous.”
“Anyway, Princey insisted on ‘rescuing’ me and ‘breaking the curse’.” Virgil gestured to his face, where dark spiderwebs still patterned his skin. “So he whisked me away to ‘civilization’.”
“Oh the horror,” Janus said, his lips quirking into a half-smile.
Virgil blushed slightly. “It was... overwhelming. So many people in one place. All so loud! And the buildings— they make walls out of wood, can you imagine? And the top out of grass! They wouldn’t last a second out here.”
Janus hummed in agreement, but remained silent, sipping at his tea.
“And... well... I don’t think the people liked me very much,” Virgil admitted, looking into the fire. “When they saw my face, they shied away. Some threw fruit and stuff, but the prince quickly put a stop to that.”
Janus narrowed his eyes. “They hurt you?” He asked in a low voice.
Virgil bit his lip. “It’s fine. It didn’t really hurt, just made a mess. And like I said, some people were nice.”
“Hmph. People do not think kindly of our people. Hence why it is safer to remain within the forest.”
“I know, I know.” Virgil ran a hand through his hair and exhaled sharply. “Anyway.... a little while later I met the prince’s advisor, a half-elf mage. He’s so handsome and smart and gentle and kind and—“ He stopped, blushing slightly. “His name is Logan and he offered to let me stay with him. He helped me learn how to control my powers.”
Janus arched an eyebrow. “You like this advisor, don’t you?”
Virgil nodded slowly. “I... yeah. We understand each other,” he said quietly.
Janus was silent for a moment, then reached over and put his hand on Virgil’s arm. “If he makes you happy, then stay with him.”
“Do you want to meet him?”
Janus blinked. “Come again?“
Virgil took out the mirror. “This is an enchanted mirror. We can communicate through it. If you want to.”
Janus touched the scaled side of his face. “Are you sure he wants to see me?”
Virgil smiled sadly. “You’re my brother. Of course he wants to meet you. And he didn’t hate my markings, so you should be fine.”
“Mm.” Janus sighed, then flicked his wrist, making his cowl float over and wrap around his face, hiding as much of his scales as he could. “Very well.”
Virgil took a deep breath and held the mirror so they were both in view. “Logan? Can we talk please?”
A moment later, the surface of the mirror fogged up, then cleared to show Logan’s face. “Virgil? Is everything alright? Can you see and hear me?”
Virgil nodded, holding Janus hand. “Yeah, we’re good. This is my brother.”
Janus cleared his throat. “Yes, Virgil is my brother,” he said. A moment later, he added, “You may call me Dee.”
“Oh. Hello, then. It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Logan,” he said, blinking a few times.
Virgil shot Janus a look. “Logan is a friend. We can trust Logan,” he said, keeping his voice low.
“You may trust him. That does not mean I do,” Janus countered, then flashed a smile at the enchanted mirror. “Virgil has told me so much about you.”
“I hope he has said that which he so urgently wanted to tell you,” Logan replied.
Virgil groaned. “Don’t say it like that,” he grumbled.
Janus arched an eyebrow. “Oh? Have you said ‘that which you so urgently wanted to tell me’?”
Virgil rubbed his face. “Lo and I... we... uh.... we were thinking about... maybe... getting married?” Gods, words were hard.
“Virgil is correct. We have discussed the possibility,” Logan said.
Janus’s reptilian eye twitched. “You leave for five years, and return with a potential spouse,” he said slowly.
Virgil bit his lip and nodded. “Potential. We haven’t decided for sure, cuz weddings are expensive pageantry and shit, but...” He took a deep breath. “If we do get married, I want you to be there. I want you to lead me down the aisle.”
Janus leaned back in his chair, glancing between them both. “This is quite a lot to take in,” he said, steepling his hands like the dramatic shit he was.
“Oh for fucks sake! I’m asking for your blessing!” Virgil blurted, then groaned and flipped up the hood of his cloak.
“If it will make you happy, then by all means...” Janus said. “However, I will need to know more about this potential spouse of yours.”
“I am an open book. Ask your questions,” Logan said.
Virgil blinked. “You... you’re not mad?”
“Mm. I wouldn’t call it mad, no.” Janus sipped at his tea. “Now, Logan, tell me about yourself.”
“I am the royal advisor to Prince Roman and Prince Remus. I am skilled in the mystical arts,” Logan said.
Janus rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes, I know that. Tell me more about yourself. Your likes, dislikes, hobbies, whatever. Why should I let you marry my little brother, hm?”
Logan blinked. “Well... I enjoy learning whatever I can. I have known Virgil for just over four years now. I would never hurt him, and truly wish him the best.”
Virgil tugged his cloak closer. “I’m right here,” he muttered. “And you don’t need to interrogate him.”
Janus inclined his head. “I believe I have enough information for the time being, although of course I would love to meet you in person. Virgil, you wanted me to leave the forest, did you not?”
Virgil blushed slightly. “Uh, yeah. I can take you to them. If you’re serious about coming with me. And as long as the forest will survive without you.”
Janus waved an arm dismissively. “Of course, of course.”
“I look forward to seeing you both. Farewell and safe travels,” Logan said. The surface of the mirror shimmered and his image faded.
Virgil exhaled slowly. That wasn’t as bad as it could have been.
“Virgil?” Janus asked softly. “This will make you happy, yes?”
Virgil rubbed his face and nodded quickly. “Yeah, thanks. Really. I’m uh... bad with words, but yeah.”
“Would you like a hug? Or is this a no-touch-time?” Janus asked, spreading his arms.
Virgil half-fell into the embrace, holding on tightly. “I missed you,” he whispered. “I’m sorry.”
“Mm. I know. I missed you, too, spiderling,” Janus murmured, rubbing gentle circles into his back. “I am glad you are safe.”
Virgil took a few deep breaths, letting himself relax. Safe. He was safe. He was home.
“And I will always be here for you. No matter how long we are apart. No matter what happens,” Janus said softly. “You didn’t really think I’d be mad at you for leaving, did you? I was simply worried.”
Virgil grimaced. “Worse case scenario shit. I’m good at that, remember?”
“Mm. But this is not a worse case scenario. Things are going well for the time being. Enjoy it.”
“While it lasts,” Virgil said with a half-smile.
Janus chuckled. “Indeed. Cherish every moment.”
