Chapter 19: Sleep Tight
Remus popped into the Dark Common Area with a choking Logan following behind him as he pulled him behind him like a dog on a leash. A quick look around and seeing how dusty and neglected the common area was; something Janus never would allow, had the Duke running up the stairs the poor Logical side barely keeping up "Double Dee!" He called, skidding to a stop when he noticed that the place where the yellow door to the Snake Sides room was no longer a door but a painted yellow rectangle. Letting go of Logan's tie, Remus ran his hands over the yellow wall, trying to will the door to return to three-d so he could see his Janus. Janus who had worked really hard to bring he and Roman back. He missed the Snake Side so much. Only Janus was able to ground him. To help him found a better outlet for all the thoughts that ran through his head.
"Please, come out Dee!" He pleaded, frantically. "I have so many adventures planned for us. We have to finish our picnic in the swamp! You have to come out and see my creation! You have to keep my in line so I don't overwhelm Thomas!" He begged between rambling as he clawed at the wall, the yellow paint getting scratched off the interior. "You must! Your our balance! You manage the Darkside! Me! Come out!"
Logan who was loosing his tie slightly, watched as The Duke was practically clawing the wall at the yellow rectangle spot like some rabid wailing cat. "He's not going to be able to come." Logan said, looking over his shoulder as Patton and Roman who was still carrying a sleeping Virgil ran up the stairs. The Logical side held a hand out signaling the other sides to stay where they were. "He's depleted and exhausted himself. I wouldn't be surprised if ever saw him again."
Remus paused in his attempt to claw through the wall, giving a murderous look at the Logical side. "I brought you for ideas. Not to tell me he's gone!" Remus snarled, Morningstar being summoned in his hand as he hefted it. "I'll just make him a new door." He growled, the Morningstar slamming into the wall leaving deep cracks in the structure.
Logan let the chaotic side do this a few more times before deciding to speak. After all, he himself had never seen what would happen if they used up everything that they were. Which was a part of Thomas. "Ah ha!" He said, as an idea hit him. "Thomas!"
"Thomas?!" Remus was in front of Logan, looking closely in the eyes. "What about Thomas?!"
"We are a part of Thomas." Logan said, matter of not fazed by the Dukes face suddenly close to his.
"GRRRRRrrrrrr!" Remus growled, when Logan did not continue.
Logan sighed and crossed his arms at the display of teeth being bared at him. "We only formed because Thomas wanted us to." He stated. "We are him. And he is us. We are six of a whole. Thomas being the one in control."
Remus felt his eyes twitched as he listen to the Logical. This was why he hanged out with Janus. Janus talked where the Duke could understand him. The other Sides just made Remus want to pull out their vocal cords and replace them with funny sounding toy voice boxes so they would at least give him a laugh.
"So Thomas might be able to enter?" Patton asked, trying his hardest to keep up with Logan's thinking.
"That's what I said." Logan nodded.
"Look!" Roman said, staring at the yellow rectangle paint on the wall, that was starting to fade.
"Uh oh…." Patton gasped.
"No!" Remus screeched, placing his hand on the yellow and willing it to brighten. Trying to get it the door to come back. However, he only succeeded in dulling it faster. He yanked his hands away.
"Your bad creativity, remember." Logan reminded, as he helped Roman set Virgil down, who was slowly waking back up. Roman putting up some resistance not wanting to let go of Virgil, but let it happened when Patton hugged up to the Anxious side. "It is almost impossible for you to brighten something." The Logical side and Moral Side both gave the Prince of Creativity an expecting kind of look.
"Fine. I'll hold the door." He huffed as he place his hands on the yellow painted wall and tried to coax the color back. Sweat immediately coating his brow as he concentrated.
"Hang in there Dee!" He yelled at the wall. "I'll bring Thomas to you!" He promised, sinking out.
The Light Sides looking at each other before Patton spoke. "Shouldn't one of us go with him?"
"Yeah I don't know how Thomas is going to react to my brother just popping in." Roman said, he and Patton looking to Logan.
"Nonsense. I do believe that for once, Remus is taking this very seriously."
(Thomas's Room)
Thomas was sat up quickly in his bed patting himself down, making sure he was still all there. He had been chased by something in his dream that in the end had caught him, following the cycle that his nightmares had seemed to have taken over the past few weeks. Just as he was settling himself down, he practically jumped out of the bed, seeing an angry looking Remus barging from his closet. "Remus? Your back? Where's Roman? What happen to King?"
"Fuck 'em! Literally. Which would just be you fucking you so-"
"Ugh! Why?!" Thomas grunted, and giving the Duke a look.
Remus stop mid beginning of one of his rambles and shook his head slightly. "I need you to come with me!" He said, quickly before his mind could to another detour. "So make with daydreaming and lets go to mindscape."
"Why? What wrong? This isn't a trick is it?" Thomas asked, not really trusting the Duke, due to him being a little silly and unpredictable at times.
"If I wanted to torture you I would wait for you to sleep or in a very important situation that needed your attention where I would rip your concentration away with the many, many disturbing thoughts that lurk in your head."
Thomas thought about it for a minute. "Fair point." He conceded and took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he and Remus were in the dream-palace that Roman had created for Thomas, the one that liked to echo.
"Ew! Star thingies?! What is this?!" Remus gagged.
"You said daydream." Thomas defended.
Remus looked around disgusted. Where was the gore? Where was the place the porn? Of course Roman would make something so boring? And that stupid echo was giving him a headache. "Living-room. The Darkside if you wouldn't mind. I'm in a hurry." He gritted out covering his eyes.
"I don't think I know how to get to the Darkside of my mind." Thomas admitted as the room snapped into his living-room.
"I'll help. Close your eyes!" Remus rushed, flicking his hand at him when he was obeyed.
Thomas immediately opened his eyes with a shout, when the images of him pushing one of his friends off a cliff flashed behind his eyes. "Why?!" He asked horrified. Looking around him and finding he and Remus no longer in the living-room, but in a room that had all the aesthetic of a dungeon. "Whoa!"
"No time! Out in the hall!" Remus demanded. Shoving Thomas out the door and had him Barreling into Patton who was had Virgil up on his feet. "Move it Heartstrings, before I pull your heartstrings!" He ordered, not giving Thomas enough time to find his footing.
"Remus, no need to be rough!" Logan huffed.
"Yeah, Thomas will help, right Thomas?" Patton said, nodding.
"If he can." Virgil mumbled, all the thoughts of what could go wrong in his head already.
"Yeah, with what?" Thomas asked, sending a worried look at Princey who look like he was pushing against a faded yellow spot on the wall. "What's going on?" He asked. "Where King?" He was happy to have Roman and Remus back, but everyone looked like they had went though a stroll through hell. And Virgil had a blood dripping down the side of his head. Had he missed something while he was asleep?
"King has split, with the help of Deceit." Logan explained.
Much to slow for Remus. "Bastard King was evil. Deedee defeated him. We are back. Now help Dee!" He snarled. "If you ever want the nightmares to stop. I can make them worse if I have to." He threatened, eyes flashing green.
"Okay, okay. Of course I'll help. But um where's his room?" Thomas followed everyone's gaze that were all zeroing in on where Roman's hands were placed. The yellow paint on the door still there, and fading a lot slower with Roman, trying to coax the colors to stays. "Um, how do I enter?" He asked.
"Thomas this your mind. If you want in a room, you will get in that room. I would think all you have to do try." Logan explained.
Remus was practically vibrating with impatient energy, just wanting to rip Logan's head form his body and use it as a soccer ball. While he shoved Thomas into the yellow painted spot on the wall until Janus's door reappeared. "Just open the door already!" He half screeched, half begged.
"I don't usually agree with my brother, but we may hurry. I don't think I can keep it from fading out much longer" Roman said, watching as the yellow paint under his hand start to lose its brightness, like the rest of the wall.
Thomas went and took Roman's place in front of the yellow spot on the wall, and with a deep breath reached like he was going to grab for a door handle. Nothing happened. He heard Remus make noise of distress behind him. So he closed his eyes and tried to visualize what Deceits door would look like, what shape the handle would be. And like magic he felt his hand wrap around a door handle. Opening his eyes he smiled as he was greeted by the sight of a yellow door, no longer just a painted yellow spot on the wall.
Remus brightened at the appearance of the door but that quickly went away when Thomas failed ot get it to open. Roman had to hold him back to stop him from running over to shove Thomas out of the way to try for himself.
"I don't understand. I got the door back." Thomas muttered.
Logan hummed in thought. "Perhaps there is a lot more in the making of our presence than what we first thought. We are a part of you, so maybe for us to be projected as we are you must also-"
"I'm going to disembowel you if you don't cut chase!" Remus snarled, voice going scary.
"I'm with Remus!" Virgil said, slightly raising his hand as if voting. All this was getting his anxiety up and he didn't think he could take anymore excitement for the day, much less prolonged excitement.
"Trying lying." Logan offered, giving Patton a look when the Moral made a sound of disapproval, but otherwise said nothing.
"Okay. The grass is blue." Thomas tried. Seeing Remus and Roman give a similar look that clearly said he could do better. "I hate dogs." He continued, hand constantly trying to turn the door's handle and open the door. "Pizza is disgusting." Still no give. "I don't want this to work." The door gave.
As soon as he saw the door open under Thomas's hand. Remus pushed past and looked hurriedly around the room and was glad to see the room reconstructing itself. Around the bed that held his Snake. "Jan!" He smiled, wanting to jump in the bed and hear his snakey Fiend hiss in irritation at him. But he refrained, the way the covers were bunched up in the bed he couldn't tell if Janus was still a literal snake, or human.
Thomas stepped in the room but no further from the door, not wanting to offend the Lying side, in case he didn't want anyone in. The Light Sides respectfully did not step foot in the room but watched from out in the hall. "Is he okay?" Thomas asked, watching as Remus dug through the mountain of blankets. The room was starting to warm up faster when the heating lamps started turning on.
Remus didn't answer, as soon as he uncovered Janus, he found his Snakey Fiend, human and asleep, hugging Remus's plushie to his chest. Crushing it so close that if it had bones they would have been crushed into dust. Remus wanted to trade places with it. "Double Dee, I want to be crushed too." He said, in a gleeful whispered. Slowly, inching the toy from Janus's arms and wiggling his way on to the bed and in those arms, that accepted him quickly. Janus snuggling closer to him and sighing in contentment. Remus ran a hand over the side of the snake half of Janus's face, feeling the cold scales starting to warm up.
"You guys good? Is he good?" Thomas asked, wanting a confirmation before he left them.
Logan peeked his head in the room, observing how content and calm Remus was acting. "I believe things are well enough. I would encourage a few white lies until Deceit wakes up. But I think we are past the point where he fades to being an invisible force of you mind."
Patton poked his head in next, eyes glowing baby blue. "Everything feels a lot better than before. But can I just-?" He went to move into the room and but got pushed back gently by Logan.
"I believe Deceit is in good hands at the moment." The Logical side said, nodding at the bed where the Duke was curled around a bundled up Deceit that seemed to burrow as close as he possibly could. "Let us leave them to rest."
Thomas followed his Logical sides suggestions and the Light sides sunk out of the Darkside of the mind.
Roman pulled Virgil close as they too began to leave, but not before peeking in to look in on his brother. Remus seeing this stuck his tongue out as he watched Roman and Virgil leave. "Finally alone, my Janus."He said, burying his face in Janus's hair. The Snake in a very deep sleep and Remus was content to just stay there the whole time.
A loud roaring, snarling and banging sound could be heard down the hall in his room. Signs that the monsters of the Imagination were close to breaking through his door. A pout formed on his face and he contemplated. Thomas would be okay with a few extra nights of nightmare and terrors. "If you don't go do your job. I'm kicking you out." Janus mumbled, still asleep.
Remus made sure, from poking to even forced opened one of his eyes, The Snake didn't even flinch. "Sleeping means no working, Janjan." He scolded the sleeping side. "But if you insist. I'll go kill a few before Thomas's bedtime. Right now, no more working. More crushing cuddles." He demanded from the sleeping side and hugged him close. "I love you." Remus mumbled, mind going over everything he could remember as King and how hard his Snake suffered and worked to set things back in order.
Yeah, he wasn't leaving Janus. His Lord of the Lies, deserved some special comfort for everything that he had endured. Remus let his eyes closed and quickly let himself fall to sleep hugging his Janus close.
Not long after Patton found himself sneaking in Deceits room, holding the snake plushie he had seen on the couch and carefully placed it on the bed near the sleeping sides. 'Awwing!' at how much more happier both looked, especially Janus. His eyes turned baby blue again and so not to disturb the sleeping Sides, he gave Janus a carefully light hug, although a bit awkward, but quickly withdrew. Janus was feeling a lot better and that was all he needed to know. Remus was all Janus needed at the moment.
"If your not gone, Patton, before I open my eyes, you volunteer to be my practice buddy for when I next fight Roman." Remus muttered, moving Janus away from the Moral Side.
"I'm leaving!" Patton said. He sunk into Thomas's living-room and found Logan and Thomas waiting for him. "I was just checking." He smiled.
Logan sighed and just rolled his eyes. "Well, I guess we should all take it easy for now. With Deceit apparently in incapacitated, Thomas I would suggest extra caution until further notice. And maybe a lie a few times a day to help strengthen him or at least show that you do indeed need his functions."
"What about Virgil? He was bleeding." Thomas asked.
"Now you go about your day, kiddo. Roman has Virgil." Patton reassured, waving for Thomas to leave.
Thomas trusting his sides left to go about his day.
Logan glanced at where Patton was fidgeting in his spot. "Patton, would baking something make you feel better?" He asked.
Patton nodded, and grabbed the Logical side to the kitchen.
(Roman's Room)
Virgil had let Roman patch him up, but he had not said anything to the Creative Side since declaring Roman's punishment. Now was the time for sleep. He was tired like Janus, although being self preservation and taking on the King, the Snake Side obviously beat Virgil when it came to needing a recharge. Virgil was tired due to the stress that had been put on Thomas, and therefore himself. All those nights he could feel when Thomas was scared because of his dreams. And in turn caused Virgil unable to sleep. Virgil felt the fear a hundred times more that Thomas, he was the one trying to soften the blow so Thomas could continue being a normal human. But now all that was over and he was going to sleep, just not with the Roman hug pillow he had made. Not, when he had his Roman back.
"I'm sorry. I really I am. Please don't me mad?" Roman begged, as Virgil wordlessly handed him his red sash back as soon as they entered Roman's room that had turned back to normal now that the King was gone. The door no longer white with gold trim, but now back to its usual red with a gold door handle. "Virgil, please talk to me." Roman pleaded. Virgil just huffed and climbed into Roman's large and fluffy bed pulling Roman along. Positioning them, so that he was laying on top of Roman and hugging his arms around his chest. He had not talked directly to the Prince of Creativity ever since he had declare he wasn't speaking to him. Roman very familiar with this position wrapped his arms around the Anxious side and held him tight. "I had no control. But I was fighting to get back to you. I would never leave you like that. Or hurt you in such a manner." Roman continued, as he willed the lights in the room to dim, knowing Virgil didn't like bright lighting. Leaving only the little fairy-lights on that outlined the ceiling.
Virgil huffed again, taking one arm and grabbed for Roman's dragon plushie that was off to the side surrounded by many comfortable looking pillows and took his phone out, and started texting, before quickly putting the device away and got himself comfortable.
Roman heard his phone ding in his pocket and tried his best to take it out with disturbing Virgil who had now settled in his arms. And read the text he had just received. 'Shut up and hold me. You owe several long night, Princey.'
"Virgil….I said talk, not text." Roman pouted, as Virgil merely huffed and gripped at the fabric of Roman's shirt. Roman sighed a little disappointed that Virgil was upset with him, but obviously not too much if the Storm Cloud was holding him like he would disappear again. Roman couldn't really blame him. He guessed he could withstand Virgil silent punishment if it meant he was still allow ed to hold him. Roman was sure he would receive his cue from his Dark and Stormy Knight when he was forgiven.
"Okay my Storm Cloud. I suppose I deserve some punishment for not being able to protect you and leaving you alone. It will never happen again." Roman vowed and let himself get comfortable as Virgil feel asleep.
(One week later)
Janus yawned and stretched feeling very, very comfortable. Blinking his eyes open he was greeted to a grinning Remus, who was staring at him with uncontained excitement. He vaguely remembered hearing Remus and wanting Remus before he went to sleep, but with everything that had happened Deceit wanted to be sure. He leaned his head upward and into Remus's neck and let his fangs sink in. "Now tell me who are you?" He asked, still working himself up to becoming fully awake. Remus was never bothered by Deceit's venom because Remus never lied to him, and was also honest with himself. They both knew who and what they were. So he if the Remus in front of him lied, then the yellow vein would appear and start to spread until truth was spoken.
"It me, you slicky snake. The one the only Remus." Remus cackled. "I didn't expect to get a love bite quickly, Double Dee." The Duke gushed, chomping lightly on Janus's exposed scaly ear.
Deceit through a barely contained smile at the Duke when he saw no yellow veins appear. He had his Remus back! He wrapped his arms around the Dukes neck and pulled him close. "Did you clean the Imagination? Those monsters were multiplying while you were gone." Janus asked, yawning again. Maybe he should go back to sleep. But he had to make sure Remus stayed on task.
"Oh yes. It was so much. So much blood. And the screeches of pain and fire. I can't wait to tell you everything!" Remus said, nodding excitedly.
"Later Darling. I'm still tired." Janus yawned, taking Remus's word for it. However he blink his eyes open when he felt something settle on his head weirdly, to find the brim of his hat slightly tilted in his face.
"You left these in the dungeon." Remus said, simply, taking the Snake's hand and slipping on his yellow gloves for him, before grabbing Deceit unusually careful and leaned down so that their noses touch. "Never do that to yourself again, Dee. I almost came back to no one. Your all I got. All that matters to me. I will go mad if you ever leave me. And Thomas may suffer for it. We both don't want that." Remus said, turning serious; a rare moment that Janus had only seen a handful of times.
"Then I guess you better never leave me then." Janus counted, pecking the Duke on the lips before getting himself back comfortable. "I'm going to go back to sleep now. Try to be here when I wake back up." He huffed, although his smile never left his face as he felt Remus settle in beside him.
Everything was back in balance for Thomas. He had his Remus back. That was all he could ask for right now.
TBC