Authors note

While writing this I had Forbidden Fruit (Duke's theme) on repeat so it is never going to leave my brain again, but it got me in the right mindset so its fine.

I own nothing please enjoy :)

Deceit woke up to the sound of screaming. Screaming wasn't uncommon in the dark mindscape since remus joined a few months ago. Well joined may be a bit too kind of a word. More was forced down here. The story goes Patton had become fed up 5 month ago of Romulous' new… darker ideas and decided the way to fix them was to separate him. This separation was painful and so cruel, Deceit may not have been there but he could hear the pained cries from the twins as they dropped to the floor, and later heard from logan ( yes he talks to Logan, the logical trait isn't actually that bad when not around Patton.) that the boys curled up on the floor and cried in pain for hours until they both passed out. After that they both acted as creativity, working together to help Thomas, but the ideas were still too dark for Patton and so he took Remus to the Light side entrance to the mindscape and kicked him out. Without an explanation or an apology, just left him there. Deceit only realised the boy was there when he was summoned as Patton lied to Roman about his brothers location.

But back to tonight. As common as it had become for screams to fill the air mainly from Remus' victims, Remus was actually respectful of Deceit's rules, thus keeping the noise down at night, so Deceit being woken up by them was unusual. However, as he left his room to check, the noise was gone, the dark space had gone back to its calm peacefulness. Still he didn't think he could rest if he turned back now, so he made his way to the other sides rooms.

The closest room to his own was Virgils, so he went there first. He could see the light was on but that meant nothing with the anxious side, as he was often found up on his phone late into the night, so he quietly opened the door. Inside, Virgil sat on his bed headphones on scrolling through his phone, but he looked up as he noticed the door was open.

"Is something wrong Deceit?"

"I heard a scream and simply went to investigate but you seem fine here so I shall leave you be." Deceit turned to begin leaving but a yell made him stop.

"WAIT. You're going to check on Remus now right? Let me come with you, I want to make sure he's ok." Despite only knowing the younger for just over a month, having been too nervous to talk to him for a while, Virgil had actually become friends, almost like brothers with the other side and both cared for each other dearly.

Deceit smiled "ok come on then, but stay by the door." and then he left heading to Remus' room further down the hall.

If he was honest with himself, Deceit would say he was worried about what he may find behind the green door but he did care for his boys so he had to check, and so he quietly opened the door.

Entering Remus' room was always interesting. To begin with he had decorated it red and green, both twins colours, but when he realised his twin didn't want to know him, having ignored him or attacked him every time they crossed paths in the imagination ( Deceit tried to convince Patton to stop lying to the boy but had no luck), he redecorated, but the impulsive side could never decide on one style so it was constantly changing, Remus figuring out quickly how to decorate with him mind. Tonight however the room was…. Blank. All white walls, no blood or organs decorations, the only furniture was the single bed in the corner of the room, containing a boy curled up small sat up staring at him. It took a second of stunned silence for Deceit to realise the boy was mumbling something, eyes looking straight through him.

"Ro will be here soon….Ro will get me…...Must be good then Ro will love me….."

On and on he went talking about his brother, seemingly in a trance. Deceit honestly wasn't sure what to do. The boy looked so broken. Taking a few steps forwards Deceit was going to say something until his foot scrapped on the ground, creating a loud squeak.

"Ro is that you?" Remus sounded so hopeful staring right at Deceit but not seeing him, it broke his heart.

"Yeah bro. We need to sleep and we can play in the morning ok?" Deceit usually hated his powers but tonight they were useful, and so he changed his voice in hopes of reaching the boy. The bright smile that split Remus' face proved it was the right move.

"Ro I knew you'd come back! Why can't we play now?"

"Cuz I'm tired. We'll play tomorrow I promise."

Deceit had stepped closer now, guiding the other to lay down, and that allowed him to truly see the others face, none of his newly acquired makeup covering it. Like this he looked so small, so tired, he had bag under his eyes almost as dark as Virgil's makeup, and his skin looked so pale. Sides may not be able to die, but they did need to eat and sleep to take care of themselves, if they didn't they lost power and it seemed to their host that they simply ducked out until they were healthy enough again to retake their role. This is an issue, he'd make sure to talk to him about it tomorrow, but now he had to get the boy to sleep.

"There you go bro now rest."

"Ok ok bro but you have to come back in the morning."

"Of course bro." The lie sat heavy on Deceit's tongue but it was worth it when he watched Remus with a happy smile close his eyes and not long after start snoring softly.

Stepping out and closing the door quietly he came face to face with the other Dark side.

"What was wrong with him?" Virgil asked, concerned evident in his voice.

"He was simply sleep talking, nothing to worry about, but do not mention this to him tomorrow understand?"

Virgil looked sceptical for a minute but eventually noded.

"Good now you need to sleep come on."

"Urgh fine."

After that Deceit led Virgil back to his own room and tucked him into bed, enduring Virgil's whined "mummmm" with a chuckle, before kissing his forehead and heading back to his own room, to a restless sleep.

The next morning, Deceit was the first up as usual, he got dressed and made his way down to start breakfast. What wasn't like normal was the duke coming in soon after and silently hugging Deceit. Quickly Deceit hugged him back confused and concerned. They stood like that for a few moments until he realised he had a wet patch growing on his shoulder and gently cupped Remus' face in his hand, rubbing circles on his cheek.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Deceit spoke in his kindest most caring voice.

"L-last night… After the nightmare…..that was you wasn't it?" His voice was small and he had to fight to get the words out and every word broke Deceits heart.

"I'm not sure I understand baby." He wasn't just lying for the sake of it today, rather he needed to know everything to help the boy.

"Last night i-i had a nightmare about my brother…. Then when I was awake I heard him…. But he doesn't like me anymore…. And he said this place was evil so that made me think….he never came here did he? That was you, wasn't it?"

"It was." With those two simple words Remus broke, he clung to Deceit as sobs wracked his body as he was unable to do more than cry for several minutes.

"H-he doesnt c-care. He'll n-never come ba-back. I'll never have my brother again."

"So?" A soft voice came from next to them as another pair of arms encircled Remus "You don't need him. You have a new family noe. We may not be him but we love you. We are always here for you and we care for you. That I can promise."

"V-Virgil?"

"That's right little bro. Now come on, I'm sure Deceit can make us some great deodorant on toast, then we can so slay monsters in the imagination."

The biggest grin the other dark sides had ever seen split Remus' face as his tears dried and he span around to squeeze Virgil.

"Thank you so much bro I love you more than anything!"

"Even more than me?" Deceit pretended to sound offended.

"Yep, because you won't let me see if your anatomy is like a snake as well." Remus' laughter filled the air.

In that moment everything seemed ok. Deceit knew this would happen again, Remus would take time to get over his brother and will be affected by the split for the rest of his life, but with their small, messy family they would all be ok.

Authors note

So i just wanted some sadness for my boys and this kinda happened, but we love the dark family so its fine.

Let me know what you think of this, I may write more Sanders Sides stories if this goes down well so let know if thats something you'd like.

Thank you for reading hope you all had a good day.