Six Times Janus Dropped and Six People Who Took Care of Him

Logan

Mental health is no joke. When everything is getting too stressful and too much, it's important to take a step back. If you don't, things will most likely just keep getting worse and worse. Even just a small break could do miracles for that stress. And people had every right to take one.

Unfortunately, Thomas never got that memo.

Janus coughed so hard he half expected blood to appear on his hand like it was some kind of Victorian drama. He was tired, ached all over, his head felt like it was full of steel wool, and he couldn't go two words without coughing up a lung or whatever was in his stomach. Ever since everything started going wrong on Tumblr, Thomas's mental health had been going downhill fast, meaning Janus, who was an imaginary embodiment of Thomas's mental health, was getting sicker and sicker. But instead of taking a break from the internet like a normal person, Thomas kept going on to Tumblr every day, kept seeing the controversy, and just stayed on! Like some kind of idiot!

The others were trying desperately to get Thomas to take a break, but Thomas was dead-set on doing whatever the heck he was doing, so Janus's health kept deteriorating. He was miserable and just wanted to stay in bed until this disaster was over.

They took turns taking care of Janus while the others tried to talk down Thomas. Logan and Patton were the best, Virgil was the worst, Remus babied him like he thought Janus was regressed, and Roman had no idea how to help a sick person. Thankfully, Roman and Virgil signed up for Janus-sitting the least, the others the most.

"Take these," Logan ordered, putting two pills and a cup of water in Janus's hands. "I've concluded that your symptoms are similar to measles, so I have readjusted your treatment."

Janus groaned and downed the pills. Measles- he was going to murder Thomas when he got better.

"You should also get as much sleep as you can," Logan continued, refilling the glass and placing it on the bedside table. "I will be in my room. Summon me if you require anything."

Janus nodded and Logan turned off the lights and sank out. He was asleep the second his eyes closed.

-

"Wake up, sweetling." Janus huffed. Why had he been woken up? He was so grumpy about it that it took a few seconds for the term sweetling to register as odd. Patton and Remus never called him sweetling. Only King did.

He cracked open his tired eyes, and all exhaustion disappeared as he saw a very familiar face hovering above him. King!

"Papa!" He gasped, sitting up and hugging King as tightly as possible, not bothering to wonder how this was possible. King was back. King was back, and that was all that-

All of the blood drained from his face as he realized he was sitting in something cold and wet. Mortification flooded him. It had been years since he had last wet the bed. Why did it have to happen now, right when King was back?

King smiled in loving understanding and rubbed his back gently "It's okay, sweetling. It's only an accident..."

-

Janus woke up for real that time. Still half asleep, he looked around wildly for King, only for a heavy stone to sink in his gut when he realized that King wasn't really there. It had only been a dream.

He readjusted in bed, and horror filled him as he realized the bed-wetting part hadn't only been a dream.

"No-" he whispered, throwing back his blankets. His pants and sheets were soaked. "No!" He forced himself out of bed. A heavy wave of vertigo hit him and he fell, landing on the wood hard. Tears leapt to his eyes and he screamed, "NO!"