evening star - a sanders sides fanfiction

i

(cw -> whump, unsympathetic!patton, implied abuse, implied codependent relationship, blood) 

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Despite all of the sides being the exact same age, Janus had always subconsciously seen Roman as young.

It was in his personality, when he viewed the world with a child-like obliviousness, unwilling to let go of his play-pretend fantasies of good and bad, heroes and villains. Dark and light. He carried himself with an immature bravado, as if he didn't know of all that was in the world that could burden him. It was likely that he truly didn't.

It was in his voice, and his speech. Roman's voice was high-pitched, and he regularly spoke in a fake accent to try and sound different from the others. Roman loved to be different. He adored attention, and being the one in the center, or the spotlight.

It was in his appearance, especially his eyes. They shined with innocence and unshakeable determination that one couldn't help but admire when they witnessed it. Janus always found himself stuck looking into those eyes whenever he was engaged in an argument with Roman, and when he did, he felt like he was going back in time, looking at a child Creativity, announcing that he was the best, and that nobody and nothing could bring him down as his eyes glittered with hope and self-assurance.

Which made it all the more haunting when Janus searched for any sign of that in Roman's eyes now, and was met with a cloudy, resigned dullness.

"Darling," Janus said, the typical smooth drawl of his voice making way for something softer. "What's happened to you?"

He carefully brought a hand to Roman's cheek, noticing that the creative side's skin was glistening with sweat. Roman flinched away the second Janus' finger made contact with his cheek, and Janus pulled his hand back immediately.

Roman broke eye contact, staring down at the floor as if his life depended on it as he quickly held out a cube-shaped cardboard box.

"Patton wanted me to give this to you," he mumbled, his voice devoid of volume, and his accent. It didn't even sound like Roman, and Janus wondered if Virgil was playing a trick on him, dressed up in Roman's clothes to fool him.

But that wasn't possible.

Roman's skin was tanned by the sunny Imagination while Virgil was white as snow. Roman was also only an inch or two taller than Janus, while Virgil was over a head taller.

Still, even that would make more sense than what was happening now.

Roman seemed like a totally different person.

"Please," Roman whispered, cutting the silence, "Take it. He really wants you to have it."

Janus blinked and took the box with an increased urgency, worried by Roman's tone. He stared down at the box and then back at Roman.

"What's inside?" he asked.

Roman shook his head. It was highly probable that he didn't know. Janus, overtaken by curiosity, opened the package nimbly and neatly. Inside was a small card, and a tin filled to the very top with cookies. Janus picked up the note, a little confused by the kind gesture. Patton regularly baked a lot of treats and shared them with the other sides, but this courtesy was not often extended to Janus or Remus.

Janus started to read the note.

"I hope you like the cookies! Puppy and I made these together, and we even added a special secret ingredient! Make sure to share with Remus, and don't eat too many at once! Love, Happy Pappy Patton."