AN//: It's just siblings and friendship and love, from all of them and- and I'm still soft. Shut up! I'll hurt you guys later shush! XD

Do check the AN at the end, I want to see who gets it right! ;)

----

It was foggy.

The type that sent shivers up and down your spine.

And Remanuel- ehem, Remy- found himself lost in the thick it.

"SO!" A voice booms through the fog, the Aspect jumped, teeth clenched shut and body tensing. "YOU'RE THE ONE MY BROTHER MADE!

A giant Green octopus tentacle suddenly shoots out and attacks him out of nowhere.

It's a close call but Remy dodges...by a hair.

The fog clears up with what sounds like a snap and someone that looks just like his Prince appears. The only difference was the clothes, the hair and that mustache.

"Ooh Goody!" He says, "You're not that easy to kill, this will be fun!"

He points his hand forward and another of his tentacles attacks the Aspect.

Once again Remy dodges out of the way. Adrenaline pumping and utter confusion flowing through him.

"Hello Remanuel, my name's Remus, I'm The Duke!" He says, cackling and then...he gives a little bow.

When he stood up, six more tentacles appeared;fanned out behind him as if he were an eight armed octopus himself.

"I'm also Creativity, and as a Creator to a creation", he raised his hands up- the tentacles lifted, thousands of suckers on full view- he brought them down with force. "I need to see if you're worth the effort!"

The tentacles came down with a speed Remy couldn't possibly hope to dodge, so he throws up a Dream Sand barrier in a beat of pure instinctive self defense.

THWAK!

Remus smirks, teeth wide and sharp.

"So Rise of the Guardians huh? Then I'll be Pitch Black!" The Green tentacles turned black, the color change of course doing nothing to minimize the speed of the attacks.

Remy, now really worried for his short existence, manages to dodge. Gritting his teeth, the Aspect decided that it was high time he fought back, his sand replicated the first move Remus has attacked him with; a Gold Dream Sand Tentacle-glittering suckers and all.

The Duke gasps, his expression turned manically gleeful. "You learned how to do my move! Do it again! Do it again!" He keeps attacking, tentacles 'whapping' down left and right.

Remy, for his part manges to roll out of the way, forming the other seven tentacles in a rush and swings back, hard enough to rip off a tentacle.

Both of them were shocked but the newly created Aspect didn't linger long, instead he swung again.

The tentacles ripped each other apart.

Sand tearing off squishy slick muscle...

Strong corded sinew breaking Sand into dust...

A stalemate.

The Duke smirked, not one to be put out by the loss of his tentacles. He could always summon new ones, but he had a better idea... He summoned a Mace to his hand.

Without much choice, Remy clenched his fists- his Sand formed into a fist- and he swung.

Causing Remus to laugh and dodge for once.

The Aspect swung again and Remus dropped and rolled to a safe distance back.

And then in a speed Remy never saw coming, the Duke moved and suddenly he was being picked up and shaken side to side.

His sand fell apart, useless under the onslaught...

It took the Young Aspect a few seconds to realize he was being hugged.

"Well I'm impressed lil' cuz! Ya got spunk, I like that! With a few good lessons from me and then you'll really know how to get down n' dirty!"

He sets the rightly shaken up Remy- surprisingly gently - back onto his feet. A huge happy smile on his mustached face.

The Aspect could only blink dumbly, the smile was no doubt genuine, but still no less confusing. "...um, cuz?..."

"Uh-huh! We're family now!" Beamed the Duke, as he grabs Remy's hands, bouncing them up and down, "I think we're gonna work well together-"

"Absolutely not!" Calls Roman as he stalks towards them from...wherever. He quickly puts a hand on his brother's chest and roughly pushes Remus away from Remy. "You stay away from him!"

The Prince then turns to the still stunned Aspect. "Are you ok? Did he hurt you?"

Remy shakes his head, but before he could answer Remus jumps in...literally.

The Duke somehow ends up between them with his arms around their shoulders.

"Of course I didn't hurt him, he's got good instincts! If he didn't he'd be dead! He's gotta train with us then we can be the most dangerous things in the Mindscape-"

"No, Remus-"

"Think about it! We'll need a cool group name! One that will make sure no one messes with us but is also catchy!"

Roman once again pushed his brother off of him. "I'm serious Remus, we're not-"

The Duke pouted, throwing his hands up pleadingly. "But we gotta!-"

"What about Triple Threat?"

The twins turned to the Aspect.

"What?"

Remy bit his lip, under the gaze of the elder sides he felt a bit sheepish. "I mean, all our names start with R's. I dunno" he shrugs, "Triple R's...Triple Threat?"

Roman deadpanned.

And Remus glomped on to Remy.

He tipped-toed and put his chin on the younger's shoulder, cheek pressed to cheek, then gave his brother the best 'can we keep him' face he could manage.

The Prince face palmed.

...

"Aahhhh!"

Three sets of screams wrung out.

"Boys!"

Geoffrey came running out onto the training field, first aid kit in hand. The sight before him clenched his heart.

Roman, Remus and Remanuel were on the ground clutching their chests and writhing in pain.

The twins didn't appear to have any physical wounds but Remanuel...his white shirt was drenched red, his hands clutching his chest were sticky with blood.

The Vassal moved quickly, prying The Aspect's hands from his chest- there was no wounds on his hands- with a sharp inhale, the Figment lifted the shirt-

The boy twisted out of his grip, turning, he fell on his knees and heaved. Blood, Bile and...Sand?

The sand was red, tacky and clumpy. It hisses then spread out- circling around the now choking Aspect- and adamantly refused to let Geoffrey any closer.

It had no problem with Roman and Remus, who had somehow found their feet and stumbled towards the Aspect, pulling him close as he cried.

"Wh-ahy" the Aspect's voice cracked, gritting his teeth as he forced himself to speak, "...why are you two... in pain, I'm the one who...who got hit.

"Yeah...about that", started Roman, " y'know how Remus and I are connected?"

Remus started talking too.

"Yeah since the mirror didn't split our core completely down the middle? Well-"

"When I-" "When Roman-"

"made you, that connection was formed-"

"...how?..."

"I gave you" "He gave you-"

"a piece of our core"

"...oh..."

.

.

.

The wound did close up, eventually. Sand had managed to knit Remy's skin seamlessly back together, not a scar to show for the trauma.

The three still stayed curled together on the ground though.

"Are you boys alright?"

"Yes", they chimed simultaneously.

"I truly doubt that, but let this be a lesson to you three, no real weapons during training rounds, understood?"

"Yes, Geoffrey"

.....

Geoffrey lowered the Gold sash on him.

"I dub thee, Lord Remanuel, Aspect of Sleep, The Guardian of the Subconscious!"

Not two hours later, the new Guardian was outside the Dream Tower, avoiding the party and sitting on the Gate.

"Hey! Why aren't you inside?"

Remy turned around to see Remus coming towards him.

"I thought you would want to see Geoffrey get drunk off his behind with...with- uh what's the name again? The one with the axe?"

The Aspect raised a brow, "you mean Hermes the executioner?"

"Yep, that's the one! I convinced them both to go all out, right now their chugging down as if it were water in a desert! The hangover our dear Vassal is going to experience will be absolutely hellish! And I'm going to be banging pots and pans early morning, it's gonna be so funny tomorrow!"

" ...yeah...sounds fun..." Sleep sighed, shrugging, before turning and looking at the expanse of dark nothingness beyond the Gate.

The Duke pouted, quite put out by his younger cousin's odd behavior. Slowly he sat next to the Aspect, lightly bumping shoulders.

"What crawled up your butthole and died?"

Remy, despite himself snorted. Give it to Remus to turn any opportunity into a chance to talk about buttholes.

"It's just...do you think I'm ready for this? Like I'm a Guardian now and not like any Guardian, I'm The Guardian, y'know?..." The Aspect draws up his knees, resting his chin on them and placing his arms around himself. He looks at the other by his side with wide vulnerable eyes. "Do you think Roman was right to pick me for it, I mean, why not you?"

And Remus...

He laughs, loud and boisterous. Even wipes imaginary tears from the corners of his eyes.

"Me? Sweetie, I'm a mess-"

"And I'm not?"

"Ok, I'm THE MESS!-"

"Pfft, yeah, ok, got me there"

"See?! Besides, you're a lot stronger than you think, and We'll always have you're back y'know-"

"Well you two don't really have a choice, we're connected. Hell the only reason you came out here is because you sensed my distress..." the Aspect clutches at the center of his chest with a frustrated snarl, "it's the worst kind of snitch, really"

"Yeah, so what? We feel your pain and distress, you also feel ours", Remus shrugs, "it just makes us stronger, knowing we're not alone- or you know it would make for a really wild excitement to see if how much pain we'd feel from the core connection. Like if I cut off my hand would you and Roman only feel it or would your hands also stop working?-"

"We already know how much pain we can feel through the connection,'' grouses Roman. The Prince walks to the other side of the Aspect, wedging the Younger in between him and his brother. " Remy...", he says as he hands the Guardian a lightly steaming mug of what looks like tea, " I mean what I said. I chose you to be the Guardian of the Subconscious for a reason, alright? "

The Aspect doesn't say anything, instead he takes a curious sip from the warm mug, pleased to find that it is tea, and his favorite kind too.

Roman smiles, gently. "Made it for you myself, did I get the amount of sugar right?"

"...yeah, yeah you did..."

"Aww, you freaking sap!" Gushes Remus from the left side. He pokes Remy on his shoulder, gesturing at his brother, "he felt you were sad and he thought, '' I'mma make you some tea" how cute!"

Roman's ears grew as red as his sash and he reaches around to punch Remus.

This of course leads them to start pushing each other, and Remy in the middle wasn't going to not fight back. He just waited until his tea was done first though.

The three ended up pushing and pulling at each other,(Remus almost fell off the Gate), laughing loudly and just generally rough housing, ruining their hair and rumpling their clothes.

.

.

.

They splayed out on the top of the Gate, giggling still as they were catching their breaths and looking up at the stars.

"So what do you think about testing our core connection with that experiment? Wonder how much pain we would feel?"

" 'learnt that when we were Younger and Remy got hit by your mace, you cried like a bitch-"

"Hey! So did you!"

"Ok, we both-"

"Pretty sure I was bawling my eyes out"

"Ok so what'd we learn-"

"We're a bunch of bitches?"

"I mean..."

"Oh my goodness, I will stab both of you with my sword, honestly!"

The three of them burst out laughing.

...

Remy has never felt so small.

"He's coming with me!"

Roman and Remus were going at it.

"No, he's coming with me!"

Nothing out of the ordinary, except...usually their spats never got this bad. They were shouting at each other, honestly seconds away from breaking into a fist fight; and the fact that they were yelling the same things simultaneously, wasn't helping.

"You?! Why would he go with you?!"

Sleep really didn't want to interfere, it felt, wrong, his whole core ached with the feeling. His eyes stung too...that he definitely wasn't up for. He was The Guardian of the freakin' Subconscious, he saw scarier shit on the nightly! There was no way he was going to start crying just because those two couldn't get their shit together, no ma'am, no ma'am!

"Alright, you bickering bitches, tell me what's going on, or i'mma just haul. I've got things to do you know"

Namely hide out in the Dream Tower because the feeling in his core was practically choking him, but he wasn't going to cry, not here, not in front of them. He was going to do it shower...like a real Guardian.

The twins then directed their yelling at him, firing off rapid "explanations" of why the other was right-

"You need to pick a side!"

Remy blanched.

"Y-you want me to choose...between you two?"

"Yes!"

The feeling in his core only got worse, like it was being squeezed.

"...I-..."

"You could come live with me Remy, the castle is going to get bigger. I've got an entire section of the Mindscape that connects directly to Thomas!-"

"Or you could come live with me!" Piped Remus, he gestured with arms wide. "I made a whole new Castle on my side. There's even a new Personality there, your age, though he's a little bit older, tetchy too but I'm sure you would get along with him and the rest!"

"Yeah, you and the rest of your filthy liars-"

"Hey! I am nothing but honest!"

"Oh yeah, can you say the same about the embodiment of Deceit?"

"Well-"

Sleep blinked. "The snake guy?"

"Mhm! You met him once, remember?"

"Uh, yeah, before I became Guardian... he was really out of it, you asked my to knock him out, but honestly he looked ready to drop anyways"

"Yeah, we were attacked by something in the subconscious, kept us up for days. I was fine, him? Eh...not so much"

"That has nothing to do with this-"

"Sure it does! Remy could meet new people on my side-"

"He can meet new people on my side too!"

"It's only you three over there, I've got more variety!"

"Yeah, of the repressed kind!"

"That was a low blow-"

"Can't go lower than rock bottom bro-"

"I'll show you rock bottom, I'll make you eat it!" Remus summoned his Mace.

"Bring it!"

Roman summoned his Katana.

They lunged...only to be stopped by a wall of Dream Sand.

"Hey!"

"If you two want to kill each other, do it on your own time, but not when I'm around!"

"...fine..." "....ok..."

Remy lowered the wall but the Sand stayed circling around the twins, just in case.

"So", started Roman, brushing off the Sand on his tunic, "Who are you going with-?"

"Me?!"

"Or Me?!"

Sleep crossed his arms, he couldn't believe they were making him choose.

"Neither"

"What?!" Croaked the Twins.

"You heard me. I said neither"

Roman sputtered in indignation.

"But-but you need to pick a side!"

"That's the thing though, I'm not a Side"

"But that doesn't matter! You can still-"

"Nah, you said I could choose, that's my choice"

Remus huffed incredulously, crossing his arms. "So where are you gonna stay? Hmm? The freaking Dream Tower?"

"Yes actually, it's dead center of both of you and I can keep an eye on the Gate, and make dreams for Thomas, y'know, my job"

"Really? So just not gonna choose?!"

"Cop Outs are no fun, cuz!"

"Tough, you two want different sides? Fine, I call Neutral third party"

Roman's threw his hands up in the air.

"Oh come on! Ugh, fine, at least this means he doesn't win either ...But you will come visit atleast?"

"Depends, am I allowed to visit you both? Can I go from one side to the next without any trouble or arguments?"

"I'm up for it, only if I can still visit the Dream Tower-"

"Same"

Remy bit his lip pensively. "Alright, if I can visit either of you anytime, then you guys can do the same... but if both of you happen to visit me at the same time, then there can't be any fighting, for any reason. Where I am is Neutral Terf, deal?"

Sleep holds out both his hands to shake...

The twins take it.

"...Deal..."

.

.

.

When Roman and Remus left shortly after, each stomping off to their own respective sides, Remy was left on that hill.

Sleep had sat down, with his knees up. He felt cold and numb, and at the center, his core felt like something broke. The feeling was heavy and it hurt but not in a physical way. It had hurt all throughout his interaction with the Twins.

It's a good thing he inherited acting skills and an imagination. He had rolled with Remus' spontaneous suggestion of living in the Dream Tower of all things! The place was all cogs and Dream machinery and like one office. He'd have to work extra hard to move out of the Roman's main palace and make the Tower actually livable. Not that he couldn't, it would just take some time...it was the better option anyway.

They made him choose...imagine if he actually did? One would lord it over the other and that one would hate him...he couldn't deal with that! From the day he was formed...ok that's a lie, it was like a week after, but the point is, he had always been around both of them. Honestly he was worried that he'd have a breakdown halfway through...now that it was over though...

A few tears slipped down his cheek. So much for that shower.

.

.

.

Remy didn't know how long he stayed on that hill, but it was not like he had a home to go anyway. His stuff was still at Roman's and like hell if he was going to go near any of those two right now.

He needed to fix the Tower up first-

"Hey! You ok up there?!"

Sleep blinked, looking down to see someone in full black, leather Jacket and Jeans, come slowly up the hill.

Slowly.

Slowly

Slowly

Slow-

"Ok, wow, you took forever to get up here, like it's not a very high hill? What are you stuck in slow motion?"

The other guy shrugged, flashing a smile.

"Nah, not stuck. It's just more fun this way"

Remy snorted, "aight, I guess I can see that. Name's Remy, Aspect of Sleep", he held his hand out for a shake.

"Ay, you're the Guardian right? Cool, I'm Nate, Aspect of Procrastination", he gave the younger a firm shake before letting go. "My squad and I run patrols 'round the village and cities, nice to know there's someone up top preventing most of those things from coming in"

Sleep shrugs, "yeah well, someone's gotta do something right?"

"True. Not to be rude or anything, but when I heard about you I expected you to be older...I mean, you're a little young to be up on that Gate alone, huh?"

Remy bites his tongue, that stung a little, but he was nothing if not quick on a comeback. He cocks his hip and feigns nonchalance with a shrug.

"Yeah, I'm young alright, but I'm pretty sure, I got the power to back me up"

"Oh really, now?" Smirks Nate with a raised brow.

"Tell ya what kid-"

"Oh wow, straight to calling me kid-"

"Well I am way older than you-"

"Fair enough, continue"

"Alright, if you can kick my ass Mr. Guardian, you can have anything of mine you want"

"Careful, that dope Jacket of yours looks like it can fit me"

"Sure, but that's if you win"

"And if I lose?"

"My squad and I want frontline at the Gate, of you can't beat me then you'll definitely need help defending it-"

"That's it?"

"Pretty much, no need to be all agro about anything. We're on the same side, Aspect to Aspect, and I like ya kid, you got a spark in ya. Plus good fashion sense if my jacket's anything to go by"

Remy snorted, "Alright then, your'e on. Just don't cry when I take that Jacket from you!"

"Ohh, don't get too cocky now!"

"Not cocky yet, just speaking truth"

"Sure, see you at the frontline!"

.

.

.

"Ok! Ok! I give! I give!"

One Aspect was on the ground, pinned with arms behind his back and the other Aspect half kneeling on top of him.

"Well, guess that means I get that Jacket, hmm?" Remy smirked as he let the elder Aspect go.

Nate rolled his eyes good naturedly, before getting up and brushing himself off. "Gotta admit, you're pretty badass kid, never seen someone fight both so gracefully and so wild at the same time"

"Blame my cousins for that"

"Well, I believe a deal is a deal", Nate hands the Jacket and surprisingly his shades to the Younger Aspect.

"Wait, hey man, it's cool. I was just kidding!"

"Eh, I got plenty, it's no biggy. 'Sides it's nice knowing you like my style. There aren't many of us Aspects around when compared to everyone else. Gotta stick together right?"

"I mean, I guess so, but you really don't have to give me your Jacket or- or your shades, that wasn't even part of the deal!"

"No, maybe not, but they suit you, plus your living the Nightlife like I am. When you can see in the dark, lights are pretty brutal on the eyes, right?"

"A little bit? I mean the sun's a hoe on the best if days but I can deal with it...kinda- b-but still!-"

"Tell you what, when you can make your own, then you can give them back to me"

And then he was gone.

Leaving Remy gaping.

"Wha- that bitch can teleport and he freakin chooses to walk in slow motion!"

...

"Hey, lil' cuz, nice Jacket! New wardrobe upgrade?"

"Bitch you know it! Made it myself!"

"Out of Sand?"

"Yep!"

"How did you get the sand to look so solid?"

Remy shrugged.

"Turns out if I try really freaking hard, I can conjure solid things but they're still made out of my Sand"

Remus claps enthusiastically, like a child before making grabby hands at Sleep's shades.

"Oohh! Let me see! Let me see!"

Remy simply passed it to him.

The smile on The Duke's face promptly fell.

"...Remy...", he started, tone unusual serious, "how much energy did it take to form this?"

Sleep took a slight step back, Remus' aura on good days was sporadic at best, but here, when he was being serious, was downright chilling.

"I don't understand? What- what did I do?"

The air around them both got colder and it took everything for Remy not to bolt away from his cousin.

"Remy, this thing is buzzing with the energy from the subconscious-"

"Well, yeah. How else would I have made it?"

"How much energy did it take?" The Duke took a step closer.

Remy stepped back.

"Um, for the Shades? Not- not a lot? May have passed out making the Jacket though, maybe?" He shrugs sheepishly.

"Do the Jacket and Shades refix themselves when damaged?"

"Y-yeah?"

Remus looked mad, not the crazy mad he often wore. He looked angry mad.

"Do these things drain you to wear them?!"

"What?! No! I'm not an idiot! If the style isn't practical, I ain't using it, regardless of how good it looks"

And just like that, Remus' demeanor changed, cold aura gone and that insane beaming smile of his was back on his face.

"Goody! That means I don't have to strangle some sense into you!"

"Eheh, thanks?"

"Mhm! Wanna see a really hilarious prank I'm playing on Roman? See this?!" He holds up a red thing.

"Uh, is that deodorant?"

"It only looks like it! Have a taste!"

"What?! No way, I'm not eating deodorant!"

Remus shrugs. "Suite yourself!" And he bites into it.

Sleep squints at him, "alright, you're crazy but not stupid, what actually is that?"

"Marshmallow fondant!"

"You're kidding! Fine give me a peice, I swear if this is actually deodorant I'll make sure you have that dream again"

The Duke shudders for a second at the thought of said dream. He still does break off a piece of the "deodorant" and offers it to Remy.

"Holy shit, that's sweet! Fuck!" Sleep grimaces at sticky mushy texture. "How are you even eating this? This much fondant isn't even worth the cake!"

Remus just shrugs and takes another bite. "Would you rather the alternative?"

"Considering the alternative is actually deodorant? I'll say, you do you boo, enjoy that fondant"

The Aspect then pauses, chuckling, as if he had just thought of something. "Roman's gonna trip like hell though, he definitely won't see that coming!"

The Duke smiles, fondant muush all over his teeth.

.

.

.

"Hey Remy, nice Jacket! New Shades too?, Where are you heading off to?"

"Funny, but thanks, made them myself!"

Roman raises a brow. "Oh did you now? Mind if I take a look?"

Sleep offers up the shades without hesitation.

Roman frowns the moment his hand grips the handle. His aura suddenly drops the temperature.

"Remy-"

"If you're worried about the Jacket and Shades draining me? They don't but they do resfix themselves. I'm a practical fashionista hun"

And just like that, Roman's aura went right back to normal. The Prince handed back the shades with a smile and complimented the Aspect on his work.

Remy just shook his head, both of the twins were still as protective as they've always been.

"Hey, did you know what I saw Remus eating Yesterday? Freaking deodorant!"

Sleep couldn't help it, he burst out laughing.

----

"Well hello...it's time to wake up-"

"Wake up!"

"Wake up!"

"Thomas, you need to wake up!"

"Wake up!"

"Wake up!"

Remy wakes up with a jolt.

"...ngh...wha-?..Thomas?" He rubs his eyes, one hand coming down to scrub at his face in the hope of waking up properly, "...wha's going on?..." It didn't work.

Groaning the Aspect squeezes his eyes shut.

"Oh good you're awake, sorry my dear, but we need to monitor that concussion of yours"

Remy opens back his eyes, huffing in frustration. "Great, you're on Concussion watch, Thanks Tommy"

It's then that Patience pops in to see Sleep grumbling to himself.

"Hey boss, just came to check up on ya... whatcha mumbling about?"

"Mhm?" He sits up, " oh, yeah, Thomas' got a concussion"

"Shit, how bad?"

" 's a mild one 'parently, but like if they're gonna keep waking him up then that means I need to be up, or like, he might drop into a coma or somthin', dunno"

"Will he be ok?"

"Thomas? Yeah, he's fine, Joan and Talyn are there with him. I mean, like he's gonna be tired as hell but yeah, totally fine tomorrow, 'long as I stay awake atleast" Sleep shrugs, rubbing his eyes again- with a groan he gave up and flopped face first into his pillow.

" ...'sucks...mrrgh...'wanted to sleep sum'more..."

"That's a fluke",smirks Patience, false sense of pity running through every word, "Sleep actually wanting to sleep? What has the world come to?"

Remy throws the pillow at her, "oh, shut-uup!"

----

Remus was curled up on his side...on the floor...with a certain two headed Serpent draped across him.

Said serpent is rudely woken by being tossed off when the Duke sits up suddenly with a gasp. If the Royal was a little teary eyed neither said anything about it.

Sighing, the snake switches forms, groaning and stretching as his back cracks.

"Oh hey, I see you're feeling like using legs again, hmm?" Smiles Remus faux mockingly.

"Funny", hissed the other, "why were we on the floor?"

"Well you passed out around my neck out there...and I passed out when we got in here-"

"Of course" he deadpanned, before noticing the Duke was preparing to leave. "Wait, where are you going?"

"Hm? Me? Just gotta check"

"Check on what?"

"Not a what!" Remus shrugs with a giggle ashe snapped his fingers.

He disappeared and then reappeared a second later. He was wobbling terribly on his feet, so much so that he nearly Faceplants, but luckily he catches himself... arms wrapped around the Deceitful side's waist.

"Remus..."

" 'S fine, just a little too much energy, a little too soon"

"Mhm, now do you mind kindly letting go of me?"

"Yeah, sure", and he just let's go and promptly falls to the floor.

The other blinks.

"Are you just going to stay there or are you going to bed? Where did you go anyway?"

"A bed... sounds nice...drag me"

"Absolutely not!" He rolls his eyes, "you're heavy!"

"Please!" Remus pouts, full on puppy dog eyes.

Once again the embodiment of Deceit rolls his eyes, but he sighs and obliges. Grabbing his hand, he drags The Duke to his bedroom across the floor, like a child would a long blanket.

"Whee!"

-----

After the mini pillow fight, Patience laughs and reaches out to ruffle Remy's hair, knowing that it mildly annoyed him, only to grimace at it. The blood, sand and grime sticking to it was gross. Patience discreetly wiped her hand on the back of her pants, before moving to the curtains on opening them.

"Alright then sunshine, if you need to be up, let's get you up"

Sleep groans at the light entering the room.

"Hey, what's this?...'Pickled Poo Logs?' The hell?"

Remy shot up, "what?! lemme see it!"

With a shrug Patience tossed him a red thing from off his nightstand.

It was what looked like Red deodorant.

The Aspect burst out laughing, "can't believe that bastard actually came to visit me"

"Wanna tell me what that's about or...?"

Remy shakes his head, still fondly holding the 'deoderant', "nah,'s a inside joke Tency, you know how family can be"

The figment shrugs, "fair enough, now come on, you're in desperate need of a shower"

The Aspect agrees without hesitation, feeling beyond gross and grimy, despite his drowsiness.

He stands up, only to almost instantly hit the floor- well he would have, had Patience not caught him.

"You good?"

"...no?...my-my whole body suddenly feels like mush"

Patience unperturbed, reaches into her back pocket, pulls out her phone and shoots a quick text.

"Here, take my hand, try again"

Sleep takes the offered hand and attempts to stand. Only to have his legs tremble like a newborn deer's.

Patience's phone beeps then, so she lowers the Aspect back down as she answers the message with another of her own.

During this, the Guardian of the subconscious was stubbornly trying to stand up by himself.

He manages to do so...after about ten minutes. Though, the moment he fully stood up, his knees buckled and he dropped flat.

The Figment's phone beeps again.

"Who are you texting?" Mumbles a put out Remy from the floor.

"Serenity, she says she's done setting up"

"Setting up what?"

Patience doesn't answer him, instead she pockets the phone and claps her hands together.

"Alright then, a shower's out of the question if you can't even stand up long enough. Soo...bath time it is!"

With that Patience scoops him up.

"What?!" Squeaks Remy, wrapping his shaking arms around her neck for support, as he's suddenly hoisted up.

She carried him to his ensuite bathroom, where Serenity was waiting with a tub of thick, though still light green bubble filled water. It smelled like mint and...something else.

"When did you get up here?" The Aspect asks her.

Serenity just winks at him.

Patience gently sets him on his feet, letting him lean on the wall edge in front of the tub.

"I'll be back, I'm gonna change your sheets, your bed is a bigger mess than you are right now"

And she was out the door in a blink.

With a sigh, Remy begins to strip out of his clothes, Serenity helping. He's thankful that it goes quickly, fearing that his legs might give out again. But of course he wouldn't miss an opportunity to tease.

"You might wanna turn around now Ser..." He says as they reach his boxers, he waggles his brows jokingly at her, "unless, you wanna have a look at the goods?~"

Serenity laughs, "yeah sure, 'goods'. P-lease, the only 'good' thing on you is your pasty ass and I like it better when it's covered by your jeans"

"OOOHHH!" hollars Patience from outside, "Rest in Peace boss!"

Remy cackles, "yeah, jeez Ser, way to come for my wounded soul...well, it would be if I didn't have such a great ass-"

"That you do hun", agrees Tency, the dark skinned Figment bringing some soft clothes into the bathroom, "it's the only thing not bigger than your head!"

Serenity practically chokes on her spit.

Sleep squawks indignantly, "hey, hey! ok, like, tag- teaming is not fair!"

He gets in the tub... eventually, bubbles all the way up to his chin, and water so green, his hands couldn't be seen from under it. But this was not before the girls had knocked back a few more jokes at his expense.

Don't ask him, he still doesn't really know how, well why exactly it came to this, but he sure as hell wasn't complaining.

Serenity had helped him wash his back while he was dealing with the sweat and little bits of battle muck on his chest and lower half.

He was well on his way to being clean and there wasn't a scratch or scar to be found under all the dirt...that brought something to mind.

"Hey, how come this water isn't like filthy? Almost all the grime is off if me, how is it still clean?"

"It's one of Fairy Godmother's baththings", shrugs Serenity, "Tency has the shampoo in her hand-"

"Wait, FG does bath and body works now? When did she upgrade from textiles?"

Tency shakes her head as she spurts enough shampoo in her hand, before diving into Remy's hair. "She didn't, these are antiseptic...and magic. Not sure how exactly but it stays clean so long as the one person bathing in it is still in the water"

"Ah, so i'mma be smelling like a hospital when I get out of here aren't I?"

"Yep!" "Probably"

Remy just rolls his eyes at the two.

"Hun any other day I would freaking love this, your both spoiling me, but I like, need to stay awake, remember? Tency, you know my hair is my weakness you're being meaan!"

Patience rolls her eyes, still continuing her ministrations in his hair, she was determined to get all that gunk out, just slowly and gently.

"You're fine, it takes a lot more than this to put you to sleep"

Sleep whines in mock distress, before sinking lower into the bath, blowing bubbles.

To his credit, Remy does almost doze off, somewhere between the girls combing through the tangles in his conditioner packed hair. A nice trick to avoid yanking of any knots.

It's when his relaxed body slips down slightly and some water sloshes over his previously dried mid shoulder, that he wakes from the calm trance he fell into.

"Can one of you p-lease get me a cup of coffee? I need to stay awake and you both know how much of a bitch I become without it. I think I'm going through withdrawals!"

"Oh my God, you dramatic bitch, I'll get you some!" Patience gets up, deeming Remy's hair sufficiently cleared.

"You know you love me" he smiles.

"We're stuck with you that's what!"

"Yeah but who else would you be stuck with?" He smirks, "well other than each other of course. Y'know, if you two wanted some alone time all you had to do was ask. I could've-!"

Sleep didn't get to finish, Serenity pushed him under the water.

When she let him resurface, he came up sputtering and then he started cackling.

"...guilty conscience Ser!.." he coughs out a bit of the water.

"Honestly, you are the biggest mess I've ever had the honor of knowing-", sighs Serenity as she pats him on the back. And then starts the process of rinsing his hair, not that there was much conditioner left in it after that dunk.

Patience comes back just as it was time to get out of the water. Remy pouts at her empty handedness but says nothing.

Serenity had grabbed a towel opening it up from end to end, holding it at low height.

Tency comes up beside her, offering Remy a hand up and pulls him to still rather wobbly feet. She lets him brace fully on her forearm.

The towel Serenity has open, perfectly preserves the poor Aspect's modesty, and without much preamble she simply wraps it around him and ties off on his opposite hip.

Once he was decently covered Patience picks him up and gently deposits him on the toilet seat, before moving, there Serenity comes and plops another towel on his head and begins to dry his hair.

Patience, who apparently went to drain the tub, puts the clothes she had brought for Remy in his lap.

Ser pats his head, placing the hair towel in the laundry basket. "Alright, get yourself dressed bambi" she giggles, as she walks out of the bathroom.

Patience chuckles at Sleep's offended face.

"Try to put on at least your boxers, I'll help you with the rest if you can't manage, k?"

With that she walks out of the bathroom as well, offering him a modicum of privacy despite the door being open. Sighing, the Aspect began the arduous process of putting on his underwear.

His limbs felt extremely weak, his whole body felt like it was buzzing but in that dehydrated- your-about-to-die kind of way. He honestly wondered if he was actually going to be able to put on the rest of his clothes. He knew that both girls were in his room, most definitely close by to offer him assistance should he need it.

Thing is, with acting skills, he also inherited pride...

"Hey Tency?"

The Figment was at the door in a second, though her back was facing him. "Yeah? You don't sound hurt, and I didn't hear you fall. Are you decent?"

"No, but I am dressed"

Patience turned around just so the Aspect could see her roll her eyes. True to his word Remy was fully dressed, in a plain white t- shirt and grey sweatpants.

She squinted pensively at him. "Can you walk?"

The Aspect shook his head.

"Right", she sighed mock exasperatedly as she picked him up bridal style and takes him to his room. "That's what you get for making a fucking Sand Tsunami when you barley had any sand in the first place!...Honestly I can't believe you...but I gotta admit, it was badass as hell though!"

"It was!" chimes Serenity when Patience sets him down on the bed. "Scary as fuck when you fell, after, though"

The TV on the wall is playing a show, though that remained ignored for now.

"Ah, so that's what all this was about. Aww, you two were worried!"

Patience pokes him in the shoulder. "Bitch you dropped like a rock! Of course we were worried!"

"That much Sand?" Serenity throws up her hands, "We thought you were fucking dead!"

"Nah, it'll take more than that to get rid of me-"

"Yeah, a little more, FG said that if you pushed it, just a bit more, that would have been it for you"

"Come on Tency, you know the Fairy exaggerates-"

"Remy..."

"Ok, yeah, I know. But hey, go out with style right?"

"Mhm," Ser crosses her arms, "I hope you know you won't be going out anytime soon"

"Fair. But it's not like I'll be doing much today-"

"Please tell me that you're not going to stay awake for a whole solid week, again"

"Ok first of all, that was one time! And second, yeah no. Tommy just needs to be kept on watch a bit for tonight. They'll wake him up every hour, but like, it's easier for him to wake up if I'm awake"

"How long will he need to be on watch for?"

"I mean, I'm pretty sure he was in the hospital yesterday night? So that's probs night one and this would be night two, he should be fine by like tomorrow it's a mild concussion. Those usually take about three days to clear up really"

Serenity nods, running a hand through his hair. "You would be an expert on those things, with the amount of head trauma you've had-"

"Ok, hey! Look, you can only dodge a Mace so many times before it actually hits you!"

Patience raises a brow, "and how many times did you get him back with the Sand?"

Remy smirks, "twice as much, but only so I wouldn't tell Roman that he snuck up on me the first three times "

"Oh my God! You three were so damn stupid, I swear! Actually your'e still pretty stupid.One of these days- ugh! I will lock you in this Tower for your own safety!"

"I've been stuck in here for like a month, don't think it turned out too well Tency", snickered Sleep, the dark skinned facet was pouting.

Rolling her eyes, Patience gets off the bed and passes him a mug of coffee from the nightstand.

"Oh wait, you actually got it?!"

"Well duh? But I wasn't going to bring it into the freakin bathroom!"

"Right", he takes a sip, "did I ever tell you two that I love you? Both of you?"

"Yeah, only when you want something!"

"Ouch, no but for real-"

"We know"

"And we love you too!" "Yeah, you absolute bitch of a bastard"

Remy laughs as he lays between them, happily tuning in to the episode of Golden Girls playing on TV.

----

"Alright buddy, nice and easy. Doc says you can nap in the car but we're gonna have to wake you up when we're halfway to your house, ok Thomas?"

"Yeah- ...yep, got it Joan... got it...'can sleep now?"

"Uh, yeah, you can sleep now- here, you can lay on me- I'll wake you up in an hour though, ok?"

"..k thnx Tal'n..."

Joan turned to look at the backseat, their best friend asleep in their date-mate's lap.

"You good back there? You got him right?

The shorter Viewer gave them a small smile, "yeah, I got him. We'll get him home safe and sound and he'll be as good as new in no time"

"Damn right!" Nods Joan as they start up the car.

----

Anxiety wakes up on Roman's chest.

The Prince has his arms wrapped snugly around him. Any other day he'd mind, but not right now.

Patton and Logan are chattering softly behind them or about them or something, not like he cares. Not at all right now in fact, he was warm and floaty.

He would move if he wasn't so comfortable...but

Roman wakes up with a jolt.

The other two stop talking and glance at him with curious and worried eyes.

The Prince takes a breath.

"We need to talk"

------

AN//: So how was that? Didn't expect them all? No? Neither did I lol

Nate just popped in, I have no excuse. Remy did give him back his Jacket and shades when he learned to make his own, as promised.

Ok so the bath scene may have been a little bit weird for some of you, but trust me, it's very important! Our Sleepy boi really pushed some energy limits, he's not a side, consequences are things! Also no Remy's not into the Girls and the girls are not into him, buuut the girls maybe into each other? ;) We stan w/w in this train. We stand the gay solidarity.

Ok tho, like if you ever had a drunk friend or a depressed friend this bathe scene makes perfect sense and is validly reasonable. If you have one that is a drunk and depressed friend like me, then you have a mess and this be a necessity ...I'm kidding lmao but I did have to help a friend shower at one point. Pros and cons of not liking alcohol and always being the sober one in the group XD

Anyway,

Next chapter is the Introduction!

The main Sides meet some Figments and one Particular Aspect ;)

They'll meet and discuss what exactly went on behind the Gate. Will the go behind it? Who knows?!

Please also remember that the only Oc's I actually have from here on out are Desna, the executioner and the Kids in Logan's class. Everybody else is a friend of Thomas's.

Take a guess who Patience and Serenity are!

Geoffrey might be a harder guess.

Special thanks to Blu as always, for being the best friend a girl could possibly have.

Maya for gushing with me about this chapter

David, for asking the real questions ;)

And techn0girl for commenting on each chapter till you caught up, you made my freaking week XD.

Speaking of...

COMMENT OF THE WEEK:

by DRAgonpal left the following comment on Innerworks:

I loved that chapter. Espacially When remus and deciet came into the picture and Remus being like

"No one kills my brother except for me". And Deciet as a snake just being overall adorable.

Then this little coversation with a high Remy and a tired Roman talking about how Remus didn't say hi, like omg adorable?

And the name "The triple R's" is so fitting and precious, I can't even."

Glad you enjoyed!

See y'all in the comments section ;)