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delimeful · 2 years

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to taste your beating heart (7)

warnings: vampire au, dissociation, silly goofy vampire worldbuilding moments, remus pov so intrusive thoughts/gore mention/etc., references to past abuse/trauma

It took a while for Virgil to drag himself back up into complete consciousness.

Rather than stay and sit with him, Janus had immediately resorted to scheming, AKA, his primary coping mechanism for when he had to deal with upsetting emotions.

He’d exchanged a glance with Remus, silently assigning him babysitting duty, and then swept off to the den to discuss how he planned to destroy whatever coven had done this from the inside out. Logan had started contributing to the scheming before they’d even fully left the room, and Patton had followed them to either belatedly try and apply the brakes to that trainwreck or convince them to stop pulling the brakes on his own attempted trainwreck.

Honestly, the guy should know better by now. Not only was Janus an unstoppable force of self-care when he wanted to be, if they’d let Patton get away with that self-sacrificial bullshit, Virgil would have had their asses on a platter once he got back.

Wait, no, Virgil was already here. They’d found him, he just wasn’t himself. Had a funky new nickname and everything. Remus shook his head a bit, trying to get the thoughts to fall into place properly instead of bouncing around like wasps in a jar.

This was the problem with having vampire instincts that were more convoluted and twisty than a maze made out of rusty corkscrews. Sure, he got that this was Virgil’s face and body and goofy emo bangs, but his brain latched onto details like the glowing eyes and fresh-out-of-the-coffin smell and told him baby vamp instead.

The appropriate behavior for dealing with a distressed baby vamp did not include Janus swanning off to pretend like he’d never heard of an emotional crisis in his life, but luckily Remus was there to pick up the slack.

Planting his butt on the linoleum a few feet away from the corner ‘Anx’ had wedged himself into, Remus cleared his throat with a few obnoxious, phlegm-filled noises before starting up one of the few vampire-specific sounds that were audible even to humans.

The separation call was a low trill, one that burbled out in short staccato bursts, like a songbird’s chirrups but squeakier. Allegedly, it was similar to the noises bats made to communicate, which was about 60% of the reason that Remus was still of the firm opinion that vampires totally could turn into bats, everyone but him was just too limp-dick to really try.

Predictably, Anx’s head jolted up, the call catching his attention the way words hadn’t. His eyes were still a little distant, but they were at least seeking out Remus… and then settling on him with no recognition whatsoever.

Talk about a stake to the chest. He hadn’t realized how bad it would feel to have Virgil staring at him like a stranger. Remus thought he would honestly prefer it if Virgil had reverted to that one phase in his teens where he’d tried to stab Remus whenever he’d appeared on Janus’s behalf for check-ins.

He pushed past the knotted little ball of grief in his throat and made the chirp-call again, glad that this was one aspect of vampirism that he excelled at. Janus mostly stuck to the more subsonic vocalizations, but even those could come out a little wonky if he was all twisted up about something and ignoring his instincts.

Since Remus’s instincts were turned up to eleven pretty much always, he didn’t have that problem. Even with his calls coming out perfect, though, Anx was slow to respond. The baby vamp would inch forward a bit and then pause, all tense muscles and perked ears, before inching forward again.

It was… unnatural. Remus wasn’t a part of the coven that had turned Virgil– he planned to burn that coven to the ground with the vamps inside, actually– so a rejection wouldn’t have been unreasonable, but this wasn’t a rejection. It was just a very strange, stilted approach.

More than anything, it seemed as though Anx was waiting for someone to notice his response to the call and punish it, which was so antithetical to the idea of a call meant to reunite younger members of covens with the older protectors that Remus had to spend a few moments blinking away the haze of murderous intent that clouded his vision upon realizing it.

This wasn’t the time for murder, he reminded himself. This was the time for reassuring babies.

He added a crooning undertone to the next call, and was careful not to twitch as Anx finally crossed the last of the distance to slot neatly under Remus’s uplifted arm. He did that painful little tense pause again, but when all Remus did was start up a contented rumble, he went floppy against his side.

The last vamps he’d been with had hurt him for this, but he was still trusting Remus not to do the same. The thought made something in his chest feel bizarrely squishy.

“What are you doing?” Roman whispered furiously, as though he was worried that talking too loud would somehow make V’s dissociative fugue state worse.

“Come on, Ro-bro,” he replied from where he was squashing Virgil against his side and nearly vibrating with the force of his purr-rumble, “I know you don’t get bitches, but even you have to know how cuddling works.”

Roman made a face at him, but drifted closer regardless, watching Anx with a complicated mixture of confusion and curiosity.

Remus spared a second to be glad that his brother had never registered to his instincts as anything but a colony member, even back when they’d sort-of kind-of been trying to kill each other. That weird organ-squashing feeling seemed to correlate with how much trust his kinda-baby-brother-turned-baby-vamp was placing in him at the moment, and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to endure not disemboweling anyone he viewed as even a minor threat the moment they got in range.

“I thought he was freaking out,” Roman said, giving the floor a distasteful look before sighing and sitting next to them. That was what he got for wearing white pants like a chump.

“Yep,” Remus confirmed. “I’m un-freaking him. Duh.”

“Impossible. You’re like the freakiest person I know,” Roman replied, earning himself a fastpass ticket to being put in a one-armed headlock.

The resulting swearing and wrestling jostled Anx slightly, and this time when his gaze flickered over to them, he was actually seeing them.

After a beat of processing where he now sat, Anx went entirely rigid, fingers curling in preparation to strike like the flashing of a cornered alley cat’s claws.

“Emo!” Remus greeted, keeping his left side loose and unthreatening even as Roman made dramatic choking noises from his right. “Welcome back to the land of the unliving!”

Anx stared at him apprehensively, pupils blown wide to catch every movement, and when Remus only sat there and continued his casual soothing rumble, he glanced at Roman’s thrashing with badly-hidden concern.

“Are you… killing the hunters?” he asked, looking like he was itching to start a fight about it but he knew in his little vamp heart that Remus could kick his ass into next week.

Not that he would. Who would fight a baby?

But man, Anx must have checked out early if he hadn’t even heard enough earlier to cotton on to the weird detente that Janus had with these guys. “Nah, just applying a little mild strangulation! It’s affectionate in nature.”

Anx didn’t look like he believed him, so Remus loosened his grip enough for Roman to wiggle free, making sure he ruined his perfectly coiffed hair in the process, of course.

“You loathsome, loutish, lawless little leech!” Roman cried, grabbing the hilt of his sword with a flourish that was all show.

But he was still grabbing a weapon next to a twitchy anxious newly-turned vamp, proving that he had not a single brain cell to rattle around in that thick skull of his. Honestly, it was like Remus was the only one with a little decorum around here!

Rather than shy away, however, Anx made a low growl in his chest, a baby version of the ‘my colony member, back off or lose a limb’ noise. He blinked afterwards, seeming almost as surprised as Roman about it, but there was no lying when it came to primal vamp noises.

Remus couldn’t have stopped the delighted, lip-splitting grin if he’d wanted to.

“Aw, you like me,” he singsonged, and was utterly unsurprised when Anx responded by growling and shoving him hard enough to make him topple over. He didn’t resist the momentum, cackling all the way down to a slumped position on the floor.

Yeah, that was definitely Virgil. Even if he did look alarmed and confused at his own daring.

“Hold it, is this a normal vampire thing? I thought the creature noises were just you being you,” Roman asked in an accusatory tone, seemingly ignoring Anx apart from the way his hands were now carefully positioned away from any visible weaponry.

For about a fraction of a millisecond, Remus contemplated the possible repercussions of throwing Janus under all six wheels of the double decker bus that was Virgil’s band of emotionally constipated hunters.

About as quickly, he remembered he didn’t give a shit. Also, it would probably be really funny.

“You just think that because your main point of vamp contact is Janus. You’d have better luck prying emotional vulnerability from a rabid raccoon than that guy. Also, I guess most other vamps you three meet instantly attempt to maul you to death. Or run away, y’know, if they’re boring.” He stretched, making his back pop grotesquely.

“A rabid raccoon, huh.” Roman was looking at Anx contemplatively now. “Do you think vampirism counts as a form of rabies?”

Anx bared his teeth halfheartedly, but he seemed mostly preoccupied now with glancing between Remus, still sprawled out on the kitchen tile, and the door to the den.

“Why are you so…,” he trailed off, sounding confused and sort of miserable.

“Annoying? Vexing? Gross?” Roman listed helpfully, kicking in Remus’s general direction when he started preening at the “praise”.

“Safe?” Anx tried, and then shook his head like a dog trying to shake free a tick. “You’re not, you’re with him, but you feel…,” he grimaced, switching tracks. “If you’re not here for the hunters, you’re here for me. What do you want with me?”

Remus stared at the kitchen ceiling and contemplated deeply for a moment. “Mostly, I want to try pitching you into the air like a baseball.”

This was a thought he had about babies frequently, which was why he didn’t ever stick around when they were present. Luckily, baby vampires were far more resilient than mortal ones.

Anx stared blankly. Roman sighed with the exhaustion of one who had been subjected to this particular idea before. “You cannot ‘fastball special’ a baby. He’s not even a baby, he’s a grown man!”

Remus made an extremely dubious face, and Anx bristled in offense. The infant energies were off the chart with that one.

“What’s got you so freaked out about Janus, anyhow?” Roman continued, and Anx’s eyes flickered back over to the doorway with no little wariness.

He didn’t answer, so Remus decided to cut apart the middle man and spill the details himself. “It’s because Janabanana is a coven head, isn’t it?”

Anx stiffened in a way that meant his guess was right on the money. Remus propped himself up on his elbows, squinting at him intently until their eyes locked.

He ticked options off on his fingers, one by one. “Can’t be how strong he is, ‘cuz I’m stronger. Can’t be bad blood, ‘cuz you don’t remember him. So, it’s gotta be the only other thing you’d be able to pick up within minutes of meeting him: coven head.” Remus shrugged casually. “I mean, they’re easy enough to identify by scent. You’ve met one, you recognize them all.

“So, what’s got you all nervous, Count Dorkula? Bad experiences with the one you met?”

“None of your business,” he snapped, his spine stiff. “I’m not telling you anything.”

Despite the snarl in his voice, he looked only a moment away from retreating back to that dissociative shutdown.

Roman shot him a warning glance over Anx’s head, which Remus would have given him shit about if Anx’s response hadn’t just proved that it was actually extremely reasonable to be concerned about whatever the hell was going on in the gray matter of the vamp in front of them.

Still, pressing now wasn’t going to do anything for any of them. Remus shrugged and flopped himself back down against the floor, letting his head hit the tile with a dull crack to make Roman cringe. “Yeah, alright. Enough about that, then. Back to our original conversation; how do you feel about heights?”

“What?” Anx asked, bewildered. The utter confusion he was feeling at not being interrogated or otherwise tortured for information was not making Remus feel any less homicidal about his former coven, but it at least seemed to knock some clarity back into the baby vamp.

“Heights,” Remus repeated. “The sort of thing you would experience if you were, say, thrown at a supernatural speed into the air? In a manner similar to the act of throwing some sort of spherical object used for sportsgames? Hypothetically but also for real.”

“No,” Roman interjected immediately, like the buzzkill he was. “You are not throwing V– Anx around the house at mach speed. Janus will murder us both for endangering his already-traumatized family member, and then Logan will find a way to bring us back to life just to kill us again for destroying the furniture.”

“I’ve always wanted to get the full Frankenstein experience,” Remus mused brightly, and then rolled out of the way of his brother’s attempt to elbow him right in the solar plexus. He was midway through shoving Roman into a retaliatory chokehold when a throat cleared pointedly.

“I see you two have been very productive while I’ve been gone,” Janus drawled from where he’d snuck silently into the room so he could insert himself into the discussion with a snarky comment at the perfect moment. Classic Janus.

Of course, this has the side effect of making Anx jump like a cat faced with a cucumber, and the guy now looked one wrong move from crabwalking himself backwards into the security of the corner once more. Janus very carefully kept his mask of sardonic amusement at others’ expenses in place.

Honestly. Awkwardness must have run in the family or something.

Remus reached around and squished Anx into a sidehug briefly, long enough to roll his eyes at Janus over his head, before releasing him and springing to his feet. “See you around, hellspawn! Remember, if you commit a felony, I’ve got you covered like mold on an abandoned slice of cheese. Especially if it’s one of those really messy ones we talked about!”

This was confusing enough to drag some of Anx’s attention from his overwhelming wariness, and as a bonus, it distracted everyone else in the room from watching Janus experience emotional devastation in real time.

“I don’t think there’s any feloneed for that,” Patton said with a nervous laugh. He was making alarmed eye contact with Roman, who would now take the fall for seemingly allowing Remus to impart extensive knowledge of felonies upon their amnesiac teammate.

His job done, he gave Anx a hair tousle and the three stooges a customized version of a jaunty farewell salute (now with 200% more middle-fingers!) before following Janus back out of the sickeningly domestic little house and slamming the door shut behind them.

(He had already broken 4 sets of door hinges for this place, and was gunning for a fifth, but alas, the door remained upright. Not today, it seemed. Probably because Logan had started enchanting the damn things like the sore loser he was.)

On the porch, Janus turned away to compose himself, a bit of vulnerability that only Remus was allowed to be privy to. Remus didn’t say anything aloud, but he knew that Janus picked up on his subvocal hum, an ‘I’m here’ that wasn't spoken in words and didn’t require a response.

After a few moments of patiently waiting, he watched as Janus turned back towards the rest of the world. He’d pried each fragment of the sharp, jagged-glass hurt he felt about Virgil from his heart, and aimed them outwards.

At those who had dared to steal his only remaining family away. At those who had made sure Virgil remembered fear, even when he didn’t recall anything else. At those who had dared to spit in the face of the city’s most powerful coven leader.

It was time they got a little reminder of just why Janus had earned that title.

And just as promised, Remus would be right at his side.

#sanders sides fic #vampire au #ts remus #ts virgil #ts roman #ts janus #ts patton #ts logan #ttybh #to taste your beating heart #My writing #writing #sanders sides

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edupunkn00b · 8 months

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Ours, Ch. 7: Our Reconciliation

Prev - Our Reconciliation - Masterpost - [ AO3 ]

When the truth about the thrall comes to light, the Hunters'—and the vampires'—will be forever changed. Final chapter for @royalityweek, Reconciliation. WC: 4354 - Rated: T - CW: aftermath of thrall (mind control) and a lot of fluff

A light rain misted down as they walked home, giving the streets a blurry, silvery glow. Roman hitched his bag onto both shoulders and took Patton’s hand in both of his own. “We’ll get you all cleaned up and comfortable,” he murmured, bringing up his love's knuckles for a flurry of kisses. Patton smiled back at him, soft and warm, but missing his usual energy. Especially after a successful hunt.

His battle must have been more difficult than he let on. Patton moved slowly as they made their way through the valleys of darkness between street lights but he remained vigilant, one hand holding tight to Roman’s, the other hovering near his stake.

Squeezing his hand, Roman nodded to himself. Only five more blocks and they’d be home. He would take care of him, get him warm and fed. By then, Luka would be home, too, and they could fuss over Patton together, cuddling in the den until he recharged.

The pair walked in silence for a few deserted blocks, then waited at a busier intersection until it was safe to cross.

Roman leaned close, nuzzling his cheek. Patton stiffened when he touched near the scratches on his jaw. “Are you sure you’re okay, Pat?” he murmured. The scent of Patton’s blood filling his nose was more enough to trigger a protective response, but it was laced with a sharp, sour undertone, something almost familiar. He couldn’t quite place it, but it smelled wrong.

“Better with you here,” Patton murmured, melting against him. His hands trembled, but then he straightened, smiling back at him. “Much better with you here, cookie.”

Blushing, Roman snuck another kiss against his cheek as the signal changed. His phone rang before they’d gotten to the other side. “It’s Luka,” he said as he picked up.

“Drac took the bait!” The other Hunter cheered as soon as the call connected.

Patton’s eyes widened, Luka’s words clearly audible to his preternaturally strong hearing. Roman grinned at him. “Are you sure?”

“We got him! He was spotted entering the bloodsucker’s den an hour ago. And his spawn followed just a few minutes ago.”

Stopping at the corner, Roman gripped Patton’s hand and nodded. “It worked! They all took the bait!”

Luka grunted quietly and the screech of metal on metal spilled out of the phone. “I’m there now, on the roof. How fast can you get here?”

Steam rose up from the Hunters’ fighting forms as they huddled together on the roof of Emile’s. Patton crouched between Luka and Ro, the battle-ready heat pouring off their bodies lending him strength.

When they’d gotten to the roof, Patton had adjusted his clothing and shifted before either could spot the puncture wounds on his neck. Always observant, Ro could tell something was wrong. Patton saw it in his eyes. Even now, those bright green eyes lingered on him, watching him almost as much as he watched the door to the bloodsucker’s little ‘bar.’

Luka watched him, too, sniffing the air. Undoubtedly, he smelled Drac's bite on him, but this close to the swarm of vamps in the bar below, Him included, Luka seemed to dismiss it. Patton wasn’t sure what he would do if the wounds hadn’t healed enough by the time they got home to disguise the stink of the Drac’s bite.

Without really intending to, he’d let his head rest against Ro’s shoulder. A low rumble vibrated through his love, easing the lingering ache in his neck. And the icy chains cinched around his chest.

The bloodsuckers weren’t supposed to be able to enthrall them. The wolf in every Hunter meant they were protected. But there was no other explanation for tonight, no other explanation for how Drac had gotten close enough to touch him, to kiss him, to feed off him….

Not without a stake in his chest.

Without warning, Emile’s door banged open and, amidst the chatter and the music pouring out of the club, three voices wafted up from the sidewalk below.

“Thank you,” one of them murmured. Drac’s spawn. His words were followed by quiet kissing sounds and Patton’s lips curled in disgust. "I'm so sorry, he's… He hasn't changed. Not one bit."

“You're not responsible for him, Love.” It was Ro’s voice, but wrong. Sharper, and equal parts too low and too loud. “We know there’s a reason you left him.”

Ro trembled next to him, a nearly silent whine escaping his lips. Patton rumbled and rubbed their heads together. He knew the pain of hearing a bloodsucker use a loved one's voice. He would've given anything to keep that from sweet Ro.

They peered over the edge and there he was, Virgil and his spawn. The beginnings of his new army. Patton brushed Ro’s arm. “Remember the plan. We wait for Drac—”

With a flash of fur and fang, his love roared and the Hunters’ plan exploded.

Ro leapt over the ledge to the alley below. He landed on the younger bloodsuckers’ backs, clawing and snarling. Virgil tugged uselessly at him, his defensive strength no match for the fury of Ro’s full werewolf form.

“Get off them!” he cried over Ro’s growls. Ro snapped at him, letting go and giving Dracula’s spawn his full attention. But it was an unfair fight and his brother’s corpse slunk behind him.

Grabbing his arm, the vamp twisted back and up. The loud, wet snap and crunch shuddered through Patton and he jumped to the ground.

Luka followed, growling his own rage. Keeping themselves between the bloodsuckers and Ro, they surged forward. When Virgil turned, urging his spawn away, Patton took his chance.

All Luka needed was one clear bite for each.

Too quickly, Drac appeared and grabbed him. Hands that earlier had been so gentle suddenly tore at his fur and tossed him aside like trash. Patton crashed into a dumpster, warping and splitting the welded edge. Its foul contents leaked out as Patton fought to breathe.

His head spun, every word Drac spoke shuddering through his body. No, no, no! Not now!

Like a break in the clouds, a worried trill from his sweet Ro pulled his mind back into focus. Patton pushed up to his feet, shaking off the fire in his back and his head. He rumbled reassuringly to Ro then rejoined the battle.

Patton pushed forward, drawing the vamps' attention when Luka got his teeth into Virgil. He froze when Drac grabbed him.

“You!”

No, no, no no…

Dracula twisted his fingers in his fur and dragged him closer. Golden eyes, earlier so warm and soft, now glinted with a hot rage. “You will not harm them!” he commanded. "Go now!"

Patton struggled, shaking in his grip. He tried to look away, tried to listen to the sounds of Luka’s fighting, to Ro’s quiet pained whine that he fought so bravely to suppress. But all he could hear was Dracula’s voice, soft and shouting at once, those molten gold eyes staring into him.

He returned to his human form. Bones shrinking down and face flattening, he trembled, fighting the compulsion to leave. Patton urged his feet forward, back into the fight, desperate, useless hope. If he grabbed Dracula now, then Luka could get a bite in. They could pick off the spawn later.

But Patton couldn’t still his own retreat. Even as Ro’s outraged whine hit his ears, he marched away.

Luka soon followed, tugging Ro from the scene, and the three Hunters fled together.

One foot in front of the other, Roman followed his pack home. His eyes focused on the rain pattering the sidewalk, ears and nose sharp for any more of those bloodsuckers. Not that he could do anything about it if they encountered a threat.

His shattered arm throbbed, but he deserved it. If he had kept his control, if he’d let the others jump down first after Drac appeared, just as they’d planned, then he wouldn’t have gotten hurt. He wouldn’t’ve distracted Patton.

He wouldn’t’ve ruined their plan.

Patton moved close as Roman shifted back to his human form and wrapped an arm around his waist. Roman's bones were already healing, but healing wrong, and he couldn’t hold back the whine at the back of his throat as the jagged edges fought their new configuration.

Some Hunter he was. Shamed, he clamped his mouth shut, but he knew both could hear his weakness.

After about a block, Patton stroked his back, rumbling quietly. “We’ll fix you up at home, cookie. I promise.”

“But—” he breathed hard through his nose when another pained sound followed his words. Luka moved closer, sharp eyes scanning the street. Laughter, possibly human, possibly bloodsuckers, spilled from around the corner and the eldest Hunter urged them back.

They looped around the back way to their home, hopping fences until they’d reached their tiny yard. Luka punched in the code to the backdoor and let them inside.

“Sit over here, Ro,” Patton murmured. Despite his failure, Patton’s treatment was soft and kind. He pressed him into a soft chair and even brought a pillow for him to rest his arm.

Once he was seated, Patton helped him peel back his shirt, revealing a constellation of rapidly healing bruises. His arm was painted in purples, greens, and yellows. But the bone was crooked, the radial jutting out at an unnatural angle even as his wounds healed, the damaged bone knitting itself back together in the wrong shape.

It would need to be reset. Patton took his other hand, wincing, then looked to Luka. “Would you—” A sour fear poured off of him, easing only slightly when Luka sat across from them.

Squeezing Patton’s shoulder, Luka nodded and began examining the fractures. Patton slunk away, face drawn down in a scowl. “I’ll bring the supplies,” he muttered.

“Thank you, Pat.” Roman nodded and lowered his head. Patton had barely been able to look at him, retreating from his failure like he needed to collect himself before he snapped.

When he returned, Luka continued to work on his arm and the elder Hunters argued about the thrall. Roman half-listened, distracted by the pain of Luka’s ministrations. What they were saying didn’t make much sense and he suspected he'd missed something in his inexperience.

Roman was shocked out of his stupor by Patton suddenly pounding the table. He clutched his moonstone instinctively, teeth and claws already poking through as he struggled to control his startled reaction.

Patton calmed immediately and after a moment, Roman began to understand their sudden retreat.

It had not been willing.

He looked up at the nearly healed scratches along his jaw. Scratches. Vamps didn’t scratch. Roman's stomach churned, ice crackling just under his skin. That monster had forced Patton to scratch himself.

“He compelled you not to tell us he enthralled you, didn’t he?” He met Patton’s eyes, or at least tried to. Patton wouldn't look up.

Roman turned to Luka. “Did he do the same to you?”

“I… I don’t think so.”

The pack sat together in the same room, but sour fear and mistrust sat with and between them. For several minutes, they all avoided each other’s gaze.

It was Patton who reached out first. “We have a real problem if we can’t trust each other. If we can’t even trust ourselves.”

Roman nodded and reached for him. Luka was still working on his arm but his uninjured hand was free. Smiling tentatively, Patton moved to his side and, like he had the night they’d met, gently laced their fingers together.

He curled close to his side and brought his hand up for a kiss. When Luka finished his arm, Patton remained by his side, pressing Roman’s hand to his mouth as he held Luka’s gaze. Slowly, he lowered their shared grip to his lap then hooked shaking fingers under his collar. He tugged, revealing two raw puncture wounds on his neck.

Tears welling in his eyes, he looked at both of them. “We’re losing this war. We need a new plan.”

“Oh, Pat… No…” Roman pulled him close and feathered kisses over his neck and his jaw. “He hurt you,” he whispered.

“I let him.”

“No, little pup,” Luka murmured and Roman’s eyes flew wide. He’d never thought he'd hear Luka call him that. But Patton drew close and rubbed his cheek against the eldests Hunter’s palm. “You were enthralled,” Luka said, shaking his head. “We need to tell the Guild.”

“What we need is peace,” Patton insisted. “The Guild is just going to try to build a bigger weapon. What’s next? Vampire hybrids to fight the vampires? That’s what we’ll need because if we're vulnerable, then the only thing that can’t be enthralled is another vampire.”

“Actually…” Luka began.

Patton glared. “You’ve got to be kidding me! No,” he shook his head. “No, I’m done with sharing everything we know just to have the Guild leave us in the dark.”

“Maybe the venom will drive them to talk,” Roman said quietly. Patton and Luka dropped their staring contest and turned to him. “If they can enthrall us, we won’t be able to work together enough to administer it, but maybe… maybe they won’t know that. They’ll think we’re like them, just… animals. And ready to bite them.”

Luka sat back in his chair and dragged his hands through his hair, a low growl pushing past his lips. “This was meant to be our time. The venom…” He sighed and leaned forward again, eyes lingering on the wounds on Patton’s neck and Roman’s shattered arm. “You’re right. This can’t go on.”

“They can’t come here. We can’t invite them in,” Patton said, pressing Roman’s hand againy his chest. “And we’re not setting foot in their nests. We need somewhere neutral. Somewhere safe.”

“Hmm,” Luka grunted then fell silent, eyes faraway. After a moment, he shrugged and met their gaze. “There’s always The Library.”

Patton had been right. The venom spooked the vamps and they agreed to meet at dawn under the shared protection of the Bibliothecari. While they waited for the sun to rise, the pack gathered in the small den.

“I knew I had a reason to be afraid of librarians,” Roman had tried to joke, but his voice shook, worry for his love fraying all other thoughts. He and Luka curled on either side of Patton. With soft touches and kisses, they cleaned his wounds and worked to soothe the deeper hurts of his thrall.

Despite the danger, despite his hatred, and despite the way Drac had left him shaken and violated, Patton still felt his draw. Even as his mind screamed in revulsion, a small, loud part of him longed for the vamp's icy touch and the sharp pain of his bite. Patton trembled in his packmates’ arms, and they held him tight, solid reminders of who his family was, who his pack was.

“It’ll get easier, little pup,” Luka rumbled. “I promise. The talks will be difficult, but the thecari know and they’ll set up extra protection for you.”

Patton nodded against Luka’s chest and Roman curled close behind him, arms wrapped tightly around his body. The physical signs of Drac’s assault were nearly gone. And they would carry him through the rest of his healing.

“I’m scared for you, cookie,” he whispered, drawing Roman’s hands closer to his heart. “They'll probably going to bring their spawn. You’ll see him again.”

“I know,” Roman sighed. “It was… difficult to see Re’s corpse last night.” He buried his face in Patton’s hair, breathing in the confusing mixed smells of burnt plastic and brown sugar. Even in safety of their den, Patton’s turmoil was obvious in his scent. “But I’m not letting you two go alone. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Roman shuddered, not quite able to suppress his low whine. Hurt again.

“I’ll be alright, Love,” Patton rolled onto his back and pulled each of them close. “We’re finding another path. This is the right thing to do.”

Luka smiled, a low, pleased rumble stuttering through each of them. “My sweet, brave pups. With you two, I think this just might work."

The thecari recommended the parties stagger their arrivals to ensure they wouldn’t encounter each other in the streets, outside of the protective spells in The Library. But even with those measures, Luka and Patton insisted they entered first.

“No!” Ro protested, reaching for Patton. “I can help!”

Patton looped one arm around his waist, his other hand coming up to stroke his cheek. “Let us grant you a little protection, cookie. Please?” Drawing close, he nuzzled against his neck and the lingering scent of Patton’s wound filled his senses.

“But—”

“Roman, there’s still a chance they’re planning something,” Luka rumbled, one hand on each of their shoulders. “We need to be sure.”

With a quiet whine, he nodded. “I’ll be listening,” he promised, pushing his cheek into Patton’s palm and drawing Luka closer. “Be careful and don’t be afraid to call for me.” He looked back at them with tears in his bright green eyes. “Please?”

“We will, Love,” Patton whispered, brushing one more kiss against his cheek. Then he turned to Ni. “We’re ready.”

It was easier than Patton feared to see Drac again. His breath still caught painfully in his throat and, when he forgot himself, his gaze lingered on those gleaming teeth. But the tremor in hands was manageable, and his fear was… well, not gone, but muffled to a quavering whisper, quiet enough that he could think.

Ni bowed his head and gifted him with a small smile. “Shkran lak,” Patton murmured, one hand over his heart. “Thank you.”

When it became clear that the vamps didn’t dare hide any tricks up their sleeves—Patton did note how Drac was avoiding each of their eyes, they called in Ro. That’s when the other shoe dropped.

“Ro?” the walking corpse blurted out. “What are you doing here?”

Patton leapt out of his seat and put himself between his love and the vamps. “How dare you say his name, bloodsucker!”

True to their promise to provide a neutral meeting space, the thecari dropped a protective shield between them. They could still see and hear each other, but Patton had little doubt the sparkly veil between them would be impenetrable to anyone who intended harm.

The vamp looked genuinely hurt, with guilty eyes snagging on Ro’s sling. No. No, these soulless bloodsuckers are just good at mimicking actual emotion.

Patton struggled to control the growl pushing its way up his throat. V’s spawn stammered and sighed, doing his damnedest to trick his sweet Ro into believing he was miraculously still his brother. It was convincing, all soft words and nervous little glances. Patton even recognized a bit of Ro in him, but it was long known the vamps were master mimics.

And they all knew how manipulative bloodsuckers were.

He tried not to be taken in, but it was impossible to ignore the behavior of the other three vamps. They looked… concerned. Their bodies shouted, leaning closer to the vamp who wore Ro’s dead brother like a suit. The vamp’s admission of delusions shook them, but not with fear. Worry and compassion, impossible emotions, washed over their faces and spilled out in their pheromones. It was as though they actually cared for him.

Ro’s reaction, though, shattered Patton's heart. Quiet tears poured down his face. “My brother never told anyone else why he did all that.”

“Yeah, I know,” the vamp whispered, head hung in shame. “That's ‘cause it’s really me, Ro.”

Then Ro, sweet, sweet Ro, pulled the vampire into a hug. “It really is you. I thought you were dead, Re. It's why I…”

Patton was on his feet, waiting for the moment the vampire launched its attack. Shaking his head, Ni drew close and touched his arm, the warmth in his touch dancing over his skin. Patton felt calmer. Not… controlled, but the wet, heavy fear smothering his mind cleared enough to think.

The veil would not have allowed them to touch if the vampire had evil intentions.

“That’s what I’ve been telling you, dumbass." The vampire was crying now, too. "I’m just different now… like you.” He smirked, terrifyingly close to Ro’s playful crooked smile. “Just… I won’t need a flea bath every night.”

“Yeah ‘cause you’re the flea.” Roman laughed and cried, clinging to the vamp. Both Patton and Luka rumbled, easing his hurt however they could while he was in the center of the field.

Sloppily drying his eyes with his hand, the vampire pressed the other against his chest, another of Ro’s sweet gestures. “Excuse you, I am not a flea. I am a sparkly sexy vampire, thank you very much.”

“Oh, shut up,” Roman muttered and hugged his brother again.

The twins’ reconciliation was the breakthrough they needed. Whenever he and Luka grew frustrated with the vampires, they looked to the twins, one on each side of the table. They were their hope. And while the talks, this first talk, at least, ended with only a temporary truce agreement, it felt like progress.

First to arrive, the vampires were also the first to go, but before Drac left the room, he touched Ni’s hand. “lahzatan wahidat min fadlik,” he said quietly, but clearly, as though he wanted to be sure the Hunters would hear and understand him.

“‘One moment, please,’” Luka translated in a low whisper for Ro.

“Ana bihajat 'iilaa 'iislah.” (I need to make amends.)

Drac glanced in Patton's direction and he shivered under even the partial attention, toes twitching in his boots.

“Laqad adhiatuhu. Hal satabqaa limusaeadatih ealaa alshueur bial'amani?” (I hurt him. Will you stay to help him feel safe?)

Ni’s smile stretched across his face and he pressed both hands together. A cylindrical translucent grey column formed around Drac. He reached out with one gloved hand and watched the energy fizzle against his palm. The shield didn’t harm him, but it wouldn’t let him through, either.

He inclined his head to the thecari. “Shkran lak.” (Thank you.)

Ni gazed at Drac, but past him, like he saw through him to some truth just beyond. “Alaetidhar lays siwaa juz' min 'iislah al'umuri.” (Apology is only part of making amends.) His voice was soft but just as commanding as Drac’s ever was.

“Naeam,” (yes), Drac nodded, expression tight. “Shkran lak,” (thank you), he repeated, then turned to face Patton and Luka. Ro shifted next to them, his good arm hooked around both of theirs.

Eyes low and focused on their chins, Drac cleared his throat. Still, when he spoke, his voice wobbled. “I wish to apologize,” he began.

“You? Apologize?” Luka snapped.

“Yes.”

Drac waited, gaze still strangely trained on their faces but avoiding their eyes. Was he waiting for… permission to speak?

“We’re listening,” Patton finally said, glancing over to Luka. He growled quietly, but Patton shrugged and stroked his arm. What will it hurt to listen to him like this?

“Ire”—Luka’s eyes widened at the respectful use of his Hunter name—”We have known each other a long time and… during that time, I have mocked and taunted you with the thrall. Initially I was merely working to protect myself and my—” He closed his eyes and fell silent for a long moment, throat bobbing. Eventually he seemed to recover. Slightly. The shimmering shield made it look like tears had gathered in his eyes. Patton was… pretty sure it was just the shield.

“I apologize.”

“I don’t forgive you,” Luka growled.

Drac bowed his head. “I do not expect you to.”

Patton shivered when he turned his attention to him. “Pathos…”

His good arm curled protectively around him, Ro pulled him close. Patton pressed himself against his chest, his quiet rumble battling the fire in his veins.

“I am deeply sorry for…” Drac’s face crumpled and he shook his head, like dismissing an errant thought or sound. “Deeply sorry for everything I did to you. I… I didn’t understand—”

He shook his head again. “That's irrelevant. I was wrong and I am sorry. The thrall will pass for both of you. I will stay away from you and it will fade and soon. And I…" His hands quivered at his sides and he hung his head again. "I will not hurt you again."

Rumbling wordlessly, Luka and Ro wrapping themselves around him, shield and comfort in one. After several long moments of silence, Drac bowed to the trio and moved toward the door.

“Thank you,” Patton said to his back.

Turning, he faced their direction, again, avoiding their eyes. His mouth opened, familiar, frightening lips moving silently, but closed again without speaking.

Finally, he nodded once then followed Ni out of the room. The door slowly hissed shut and Patton watched the greyish column around Drac fade as the distance between them grew.

At Luka's summons, the city's remaining Hunter packs gathered near the lake in Central Park. They were not happy about the truce. The Hunters were even more unhappy about the secrets the Guild had been keeping.

"What do you mean, enthralled?" A tall Elm pack Hunter narrowed her eyes at Pat.

"What part of enthralled is so difficult to understand?" Luka snapped. "It's quite simple. We are not impervious to Drac and his spawn. The Guild has known for years but was waiting for the venom to be finished before making it known."

"And the vamps have already found a cure for the new venom," Pat said, quieter than Luka but with just as much steel behind his words.

Roman had remained silent while the elder Hunters discussed the terms of the truce. Defensive actions were allowed, but would trigger an immediate meeting at The Library. Long neutral witnesses in the escalating war between the most infamous of the city's supernatural creatures, the thecari were only too happy to set up the necessary tracking to satisfy both sides.

But when it became clear some of the packs were putting prejudice before peace, Roman spoke up. "There is a lot we don't understand about the vamps. A lot we've had wrong. And not just what the Guild had kept from us."

The Ivy pack growled between themselves, snips and low howls in their family dialect. Finally, their elder perked up his ears and scowled. "And what if we don't obey the truce?"

Before anyone could breathe, Luka had knocked him to the ground. Throat held in his jaws, he growled a soft warning.

"Our survival is at stake," Patton murmured. "We will do anything to protect our pack. And yours."

Luka released the Ivy Hunter's throat but kept him pinned to the ground, massive clawed hands digging into his shoulders. "Whatever is necessary."

Even after the meeting officially ended, a few Hunters lingered, murmuring quietly with each of them. A smaller Hunter from the Elm pack approached Roman.

"Is it true?" Eyes wide, they breathed in his scent as though they could sniff out dishonesty. Maybe they could. "Do the bloodsuckers steal the memories of their suits?"

"No!" he growled. "How did you—" Pat moved to his side, rumbling gently, and Roman let his love's presence soothe away his irritation.

"No," Roman said, nearly calm. "My brother is still my brother, just as we remain who we were before our transition to Hunters."

They frowned, then turned without comment when their elder called.

"That could've gone worse," Pat murmured next to him, rubbing their heads together.

Luka laughed, trotting over to join them when the last of the other Hunter's left. "That might have been difficult, but yes." He nuzzled each of their jaws, then tilted his head at Pat. "How are you? Would heading home like this help?"

"I… Maybe." Pat paused and inhaled deeply, letting the air out in a warm rumble. "I'm… improved. Drac spoke the truth."

"Words you never thought you'd say?" Roman bonked their heads together, the playfulness in his voice beautiful.

"Perhaps. Okay, definitely," he admitted.

Luka circled them, spiraling outward with mischief in his eyes. "Are you feeling well enough for…" In a flash, Luka took off over the bridge, howling after them, "For a race?"

Pressing one more kiss along Roman's jaw before taking off at a trot, Pat laughed. "C'mon, cookie. Let's take the old man down."

Roman let out a low, joyous howl, soon echoed by a chorus of responses from both Hunters and grey wolves in the park. "Right behind you, Love," he called and ran to catch up.

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fedoraphe · 2 years

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♤ Day 1 of @moceit-appreciation-week; Flowers/Surprise ♤

Oh, to fall in love with a(nother) vampire and be featured in a dramatic movie poster...

#deception of the heart (the txt); a lil pet au where jan is a vamp that stalks the night and pat is also a vamp but prefers to live--#normally. hiding his true self #honestly bottom line they're still gay and in love and id imagine in the au pat would be hiding his fangs and ears...#and eventually in the story jan convinces him its ok not to and ykyk all other scenarios #and ik it isnt the au prompt yet but--#i wanted to take a lil dark(ish) spin on the flowers prompt!! :D since its always assumed to be /lh in a way #(which is also okay!)#ahhh i cant believe this is my first full illustration on the drawing tablet <33 #moceitappreciationweek #moceitweek2022 #tw blood #vampires #janus sanders #patton sanders #omg sorry for going on a long tirade aaaaa #brooke's art #sanders sides #moceit #ts moceit #oh also the title only means pat's hiding not anth bad. its just bc its both of their function's :D

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thoughtfulbearpanda · 1 year

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i've noticed something

Black women really hold a lot of power in TV. For example:

Kat Graham: she announced that season 8 of TVD will be her last season -> TVD ends up getting cancelled prior to S8 beginning production

Candice Patton: was on the fence about returning for S9 of The Flash (she ends up doing so) -> it is announced that S9 will be the last season of The Flash

these are the only 2 examples i think of on the top of my head, if you have more please let me know so i can add it to the list. but yeah, whether we realize it or not black women have a lot of power in tv/media

#kat graham #candice patton #vampire diaries #the flash #tvd #iris west #bonnie bennett #black women

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5am-the-foxing-hour · 6 months

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Fey Remus and Fey Roman: *in a competition to see who can chop up their pile of wood into firewood the fastest* Patton *gathering the thrown about firewood into baskets so Janus can carry them to the woodshed*: Oh! Virgil, where are you going? Vampire Virgil *dressed up in a black cape and more vampire aesthetic look, compared to his more relaxed everyday wear*: Coven meeting. Shouldn't take longer than a week... Ugh I hate when the whole family get together. Too many people. Werewolf Janus: Good luck. Vampire Virgil: Thanks. I'm glad it only happens once every century. Patton: I keep forgetting you're really old, Virgil. Vampire Virgil: I'm younger than those two idiots *gestures towards Remus and Roman who are now hurling insults at each other*. Werewolf Janus: ... how old are they exactly? Witch Logan *basket of mushrooms at his hip*: The two of them are about as old as this forest, so a millennia give or take, but who knows really. They never give me a good answer. I'm starting to suspect they don't know it themselves.

#Sanders Sides #Janus #Remus #Logan #Roman #Patton #Virgil #Werewolf Janus #Fey Remus #Fey Roman #Witch Logan #Vampire Virgil #human Patton #incorrect quotes #shitpost #Wolfsbane au

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darcylovette · 1 year

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Creatures of the Night

By Darcy Lovette (ao3)

Fandom: Sanders Sides

Ship/s: Logan/Virgil

Genre: Supernatural Romance AU

Tags: Werewolves, Vampires, Omegaverse, Magic, Drama and Romance, Hurt and Comfort, Witches, Mild Dom/Sub, Slowburn, Explicit (full tags on story)

A world where Humans, Werewolves, Vampires, and Witches live together in “harmony”.

It’s not uncommon for a Rogue wolf to try and make a life outside of a Pack, but for Omegas it’s a different story.

To keep their uneasy pact with the distrustful humans, all Omegas must be placed within a Pack, the exact place decided by their Leader. If one is found, they must be handed over at once, with no fair trial or say in the matter.

After ten years living free, Virgil is caught and forced to integrate with a Pack so large it became its own independent city. But unexpected complications see him placed in the custody of Logan du Bris - son of the infamous Lord of Vampires.

Chapters: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28

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monkeythefander · 1 month

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A Witch and a Baby

Chapter 5: A Vampire in the Library

Summary: It’s been two months since Logan became a parent, and with the help of his new friends raising Janus has become a bit easier. The witch has also had plenty of fun hanging out with his friends. All of these events seem to have caused Logan to forget something though. That something is an overdue library book. That book might just lead to another friend.

Content Warnings: Brief mention of singing lullabies (which are calming due partly to magic), nothing else that I’m aware of, but please let me know if I missed anything.

Relationships: All platonic

Click below the cut to read the fic and find links to the previous and next part

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It’s been two months now since Janus first arrived at Logan’s cottage. The witch feels a bit more confident in his parenting skills. This confidence is probably due to all the help he receives from his new friends. Patton helps babysit Janus during days when Logan needs a break, and Roman and Remus sing lullabies for Janus whenever Logan struggles with getting the baby to fall asleep.

Logan has also had a lot of fun spending time with his new friends. He can talk to Patton about mystery novels and gardening. With Roman, Logan can talk about Greek Mythology and poetry. Then with Remus, Logan can discuss magic and whatever other random things that the merman had questions about.

Logan even introduced Patton to the twins, and while Patton seemed a bit nervous around Remus at first, the two soon grew comfortable around each other and discussed different kinds of plants. With Roman, Patton got comfortable talking to him very quickly. The two discussed fashion and romance novels. Logan was happy to see his new friends bond and after the introduction, the friend group started to meet up at a cafe regularly. Janus seemed to enjoy seeing them all get along too, as the baby had started to smile a lot whenever the friend group hung out.

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One night in the cottage, when he was talking with Roman in the study after putting Janus to sleep, Logan glanced down at a piece of paper he had on his desk and remembered something he’d forgotten to do. The witch quickly grabbed the paper and began looking through the books on his bookshelf.

“What are you looking for, specs?” Roman asked, surprised by how quickly Logan stopped participating in their conversation to search through the bookshelf.

“I just remembered a library book I was supposed to return a week ago. I usually never forget to return my books. I hope I don’t have to pay too much for being late returning it.” Logan says as he keeps looking through the books, eventually finding the one he borrowed and pulled it off the shelf.

Logan then turns around to face Roman and asks, “Could you possibly stay here with Janus so I can go return the book now? It’s only eight o’clock, so I have an hour before the library closes for the night.”

“Sure, Logan. I can keep an eye on your little prince for you. I hope the returning process goes well.” The merman replies with a smile and motions for Logan to go. The witch nods his head in thanks and leaves the study with the book in his hand. Logan quickly grabs a bag and his wallet before heading out the door.

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Once he arrives at the library, Logan quickly enters the building and heads towards the front desk. Standing behind the counter is a tall man, dressed in ripped black jeans, a purple t-shirt, and a black hoodie with patches on it. The man is looking at something on his phone but glances up once he hears Logan’s footsteps approaching.

“Hello, what can I help you with this evening?” The man says in a customer service voice.

“Salutations. I just came here to return a book. I’m a few days late returning this though.” Logan replies and hands over the book to the library worker. The man takes the book and scans it before logging into the library’s system on the computer that’s on the counter.

“Okay, so you’re Logan Sharp then?” The man asks as he looks at the computer screen.

“Yes, that’s me.”

“Okay, your book is late by a week so you have to pay five dollars.” The man says as he glances up from the computer to look at Logan.

Logan nods and pulls out his wallet from his bag. He takes out a five dollar bill from the wallet and hands it over to the man. The man takes it and goes to put it in the cash register.

“I can’t help but be curious, how come I haven’t seen you working here until today? I’ve been a frequent visitor of this library.” Logan asks as the man closes the cash register and hands Logan a receipt.

“Oh, well my shift is from the afternoon to closing time, so if you don’t come to the library later in the day then you probably wouldn’t ever see me.” The man replies as he goes back on the computer, probably to mark down the book as returned and paid for.

“That makes sense then. I typically come here early in the day. Are you always the only worker left in the front here?” Logan gestures around him at the empty front section of the library besides the two of them.

“Yeah, it’s usually just me by the desk at this time. There are a few other workers around though to reorganize the shelves though. I don’t mind the quiet though.” The man says with a small smile on his face. The smile reveals that the man has small fangs.

“That’s good. I like how quiet it can be here in the library too. The late shift must also be nice when you’re a vampire.” Logan remarks. Vampires are known to be mostly nocturnal. They have more energy at night, so the morning and early afternoon is when they usually sleep. The man seems surprised by Logan’s last statement.

“How did you know I’m a vampire?” The man questions.

“I saw your fangs when you smiled before. So…is the late shift good for vampires?” The witch asks.

“Yeah, it is. I can get some sleep in the morning before coming into work. My shift’s ending time is also nice since I get time to myself back at home while I’m still energized.” The man says with a slight smile again.

Suddenly, another library worker comes toward the front desk and starts speaking to the man.

“Well I’m leaving for the night. See you tomorrow, Virgil.” The library worker says before walking away.

“See you tomorrow, Lucy.” The man, Virgil, replies back as he watches Lucy leave. Then Virgil seems to glance at the time on the computer and sees the library closes in 10 minutes.

“Well, looks like I have to start closing up the library. It was nice meeting you, Logan.” Virgil holds out a hand for Logan to shake.

Logan nods and shakes Virgil’s hand.

“Same goes for you. Maybe we can continue our conversation another time, during or outside of your work hours.” The witch suggests, wanting to continue getting to know Virgil. The man seems interesting.

“Maybe. I’d be okay with that.” The vampire replies.

“Okay then, I’ll see you around then. Goodnight, Virgil.” Logan says before turning around and leaving the library.

Logan smiles to himself, thinking about how he has an interesting story to tell Roman when he gets home now.

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Endnotes: Thanks for reading chapter 5 of “A Witch and a Baby.” Please consider leaving a like, comment, and/or reblog if you enjoyed it. There will be one more chapter after this to wrap everything up, and then this fic will be completed. However, I’d be open to writing a oneshot or two that continue this au’s story (probably focusing on Janus growing up more) once this fic is done if anyone would be interested. So let me know if you’d be interested in that.

-Monkey 💜

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Links for this fanfic

Link to the next part: To be added

Link to previous part: https://www.tumblr.com/monkeythefander/741723113949200384/a-witch-and-a-baby-chapter-4-a-chaotic-first

Link to this chapter on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/52055863/chapters/138282943

#sanders sides #sanders sides fanfiction #sanders sides fantasy au #sanders sides au #a witch and a baby sanders sides fanfic #logan sanders #witch logan sanders #patton sanders #nature fairy patton sanders #janus sanders #baby janus sanders #roman sanders #remus sanders #merman remus sanders #merman roman sanders #virgil sanders #vampire virgil sanders #original character #the oc is only there briefly

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