Sorry this chapter took longer than usual, I didn't want to end this story ):

Remy and Remus were the first ones to show up to the creek. They'd slept over at the duke's apartment the night before and since both of them are hopeless queers when in traffic they took the bus.

"And then imagine the ambulance people who would have to scrap my bloody body parts of the pavement Ohohohoh I like that mental image" Remus giggled the last part out. He'd been going on about what would happen if he got into a car crash ever since they stepped off the bus.

The enby was listening with a small smile. While they walked down the gravel path way they reacher out their hand and took Rem's. He intertwined their fingers while his grin grew.

they were in a queer platonic relationship kind of? They'd never talked about it but they weren't just friends either, but since the duke was aromantic and neither of them was in love with the other they obviously wasn't a couple either. But Remy still saw other guys sometimes....It was complicated. Which was alright since they had the entirety of the rests of their lives to figure it all out.

There was a lake in the middle of the woods. The trees opened up for it and the sun shone down on the water which made it glimmer. The small edges of beach parts which went along the lake were almost completely made up of stone. Near the trees were a small place where people could start fires. There were also long tables made out of woods to sit and eat by.

"Is this the part where I murder you before anyone else gets here?" Remus leaned up to whisper into their ear.

"It's the part where I put on some hecking bangers on cause like no murder can happen if the mood isn't right" Remy whispered back while squeezing his hand.

"Ah yes just like the juicy stuff. Murder and the icky stuff has a lot in common y'know. It needs the right mood, if you do it right it involves both handcuffs and blood and both things are disliked by a certain group of people"

"It sounds like you've legit like thought about that" 

Remus quickly nodded "I've written a list in my sketchbook. I'm up to 15 similarities!"

They rolled their eyes even though their sunglasses hid it "God you're such a chaotic little fuck ugh I luv you"

The conversation was interrupted when a small black car came shakily towards them. Now there is only one person who would be idiotic enough to drive a car on a very tiny gravel path through woods even though he still doesn't have a drivers license and that persons name is Roman D Coen!

"DUKEYYYYYYY" Roman half yelled half sang out the moment he got out of the car.

"ROMANO IDIOT" Remus yelled back.

They ran up to one another and the duke leaped into a hug so strongly that they both fell down onto the ground. They laughed and continued to embrace each other. They hadn't seen in each other in an almost a month. The last time they were apart for that long Rem had run away to overdose so let them be clingy.

Virgil followed shortly behind and was almost immediately picked up and spun around by Remy "Sup you emo fucker!" They greeted with a shit eating grin when they finally let him down on the ground again.

"Come on now you coffee addicted caricature of a gay person we all now I'm not the emo fucker here" He replied with a smirk "No one is since princey is ace"

Remy tried to hold back a chuckle but failed "Ok ok you got me you outdated Brendon Urie cosplayer"

"I wish I was cosplaying Brendon Urie at any and all times" He sighed while looking out into the air as if he was imagining himself chiming in at a wedding. "Circus Brendon or Vampire Brendon that is, none other I have high taste"

"Girl you have shit taste"

"The only person with shit taste here is me!" Remus cut in because he and Ro had finally let go of each other.

Roman nodded "true, I'd forgotten how badly you smell"

"I'd forgotten how much of a pretentious prick you are and how much I hate you" Remus replied with a grin. Of course he din't mean any of it, brothers y'know. 

He'd also forgotten just how much Roman had gotten the life back into his eyes. After so many years of seeing his eyes being dull and empty it was weird seeing them glimmer and seeing his smiles be genuine.

"KIDDOS!!!!!!" The sudden sound of Patton's yell echoed through the trees.

He came running towards them. He was holding onto Logan's hand so he was being dragged along while his expression was very tired as if being dragged along wasn't anything new to him.

There came a mix of 'dad!' and 'daddy!' from the rest of the group as they ran towards him. Pat was quickly trapped in a big comfy group hug. Logan was pulled into the middle of it against his will. He continued to loudly complain about it the entire time even though he enjoyed the affection.

"We br-rought pizza!" The dad like man exclaimed once the embracing had stopped. He looked over at Roman and added a quiet "Fork"

"It's okay" Ro replied before puffing up his chest to look proud while continuing "I can actually eat pizza" strange to think that isn't a big achievement for most people. 

"Tha-at's great k-kiddo!" He shone into a big grin. 

Yes Patton was actually the unofficial dad of Ro, Remus and Remy (lesbian moms) now a days.....That technically makes Logan the unofficial mom/second dad..weird.

"Fuck pizza! There's a fucking lake! And I'mma swim! And if a fish comes and chops my dick off well then that's just nature's will!" Remus cut in. "I don't need it either way"

"I'm not so sure there is any fish in Florida with strong enough jaws to bite that thing off" Logan replied while looking like he was actually seriously thinking about it.

"Last one in the water gets a taste of my beautifully manicured sword!" Roman yelled while running towards the water. 

He actually did own a real sword. He'd bought one online out of sheer excitement and when it came in the mail Virgil had freaked out over some mysterious knight vaguely threatening them by sending swords.

Ro dove down into the water and immediately jumped up again while screaming when he got jumpscared by a fish staring at him. When he turned around he got startled again because Logan was standing right behind him.

Lo was the type to walk into water and then just stand there as if something would happen if he stayed there. Eventually he was going to sink down until all of him was gone under the water but not yet.

Patton stood on the beach for a bit while hesitating. Eventually when he'd taken off his shirt and was left in his newly bought swimming shorts Remy came over and shoved him in while laughing. Pat was filled with euphoria immediately since this was the first time he'd swam without a shirt on. It felt amazing.

Remus let out a whooo as he started to take of his shirt. Remy looked him up and down and muttered "Please at least keep- okay you're already naked"

"Whaaatt, you've already seen me in the nude" He replied while sticking his tongue out. When he said that he sleeps in the buff that includes sleepovers, unless they cuddle while sleeping. Then he has clothes because he respects personal boundaries.

He did a belly flop down into the water and when his head plopped up to the air again his hair had stuck down onto his face so he was nearly blind. On land he had a mullet that El Debarge would be proud of but in water it looked like a mess. 

Remy swam by him while rolling their eyes. They had on a swimsuit that ended in a pair of men's  swimming shorts. Honestly why don't all swimsuits end in shorts??? Who honestly wants to swim around in panties???

Roman was about to start a splash war and or try to drown his brother when he noticed that his lovely fiancee was still sitting on a rock by the edge of the water with his hoodie on. He quickly swam over while singing on a song form the little mermaid.

"Mi amor! It's me your one and only mermaid prince at your service! You good?" He asked while leaning over onto the stones to get closer to him.

Virgil looked down at him "Yeah I just needed some time" It was still pretty new to him to walk around without sleeves covering his arms when anyone expect for Ro saw him.

Virgil took off his hoodie which left him in a pair of swim shorts. He looked down at his wrists were white scars still lingered but they had aged and become harder to see with time. They didn't even bother him anymore because he knew he would never feel that bad again. 

He let Roman carry him down into the water bridal style because he knows his overly romantic brain would melt over it. Honestly it made Virgil melt a bit too. Not just being carried but having a great fiancee and friends and job and just ugh.....he was so happy that he'd finally fallen in love with being alive.

"I!!! THE! GREAT! AN-"

"Stop shouting. You're already headache inducing enough when you're talking normally" Logan interrupted.

"Sure" He fake coughed to get his voice to sound as good as ever "I!! The! Great! And! Insert other adjective for great! Roman! suggest! That! WeeeeEEeeeEe! Have a might battle with water!!!"

He'd barely even ended his sentence when Remus cracked his knuckles and went into full destruction mood. He splashed around as if he was a kraken with 8 limbs. Fear the happy flappy hands!!!

Roman tried to fight back but alas Remus was still at least 3 times stronger than him so it was easy to just push him down under the water. He called it the magnificent-finger-chopping-good-Rem-trick.

"I'm going to send the dragon witch on you!" The prince threatened when he'd gotten up again. 

"TRY me BITch!" He yelled back while swimming away. 

The thing missing was dramatic background music as Roman hurried after him. He smirked as he swiftly moved his arms around Rem's shoulders and swung his legs around his waist so he was sitting like a koala on his back. He used one of his hands to splash water onto his face while letting out a triumphant laugh.

In return the duke let out an even louder evil laughter as he moved his arms out and let his back fall down under the water so Ro was once again totally splashed under it. 

"Alright alright you win" The prince groaned while coughing up water. He pouted and crossed his arms "....This round...I shall have my sweet revenge!!"

"I'd like to see you try, you dicktwat" He replied with a wide grin.

The brothers looked at each other for a moment before the fighting began once more "Kiddos don't a-actually hurt eac-ch other please" Patton reminded "And d-don't kill each oth-her either please"

The rest of group wasn't in on the fighting at all. They were just chilling in the water like a bunch of sentient fish. Remy was going on about all of the gossip they hadn't had the time to tell them. Virgil chimed in about how gossip is in the end inconsequential since they all die in the end either way but when Remy stopped talking he told them to please continue because he was invested damnit!

It is a known fact that Logan is a gossipy bitch sometimes so he listened intently. That gave Remus the perfect opportunity to sneak up behind him and shove him under the water while laughing manically. He only kept him under for a few seconds but during that time the nerd was able to see something move near the sand bottom even though his eye sight was less than stellar because of his lack of glasses.

After gasping for breath he heaved out "Can you press me down again? Keep me under the water until I kick my legs around"

The duke shone up into a big grin and his eyes glimmered "Really???" When he got nodding in return he flapped his hands around in excitement.

Logan took a deep breath before he was shoved down under the water again. There was pressure on his back keeping him down. In the distance he could hear Roman yelling to his brother not to commit a murder. It was a good thing the nerd could barely hear him since he referred to nearly committing a murder as doing a Logan.

He kicked his legs around when he'd found what he was looking for. He stood up and dramatically held out a frog. Oooohs and omg-it's-so-cute came from the rest of the group.

"I present to you an American bullfrog" He said in the most monotone voice as if he was a 40 year old biology teacher but that was just how he talked.

The frog looked around with it's big froggy eyes before jumping over onto Patton's head. He shone up into a big smile "I've b-been chosen!" He gasped "I'm the frog k-king now!"

"Imagine dissecting i-" Remy put their hand over Remus mouth before he could finish his sentence.

While Roman was trying to kiss it to see if it would turn into a prince and Virgil was trying to put it back into the water so it didn't dehydrate Patton heard footsteps far away in the woods. He excused himself with a smile before quickly going up to the beach again.

He shook his hair around like a dog before puffing it up to it's normal fluffiness. Envy had taught him a thing or two about sneaking around (and how to knock people out and how to steal a car and how to throw a knife...it was for self defense okay) so it was no problem for Patton to stealthily go into the woods and walk in a circle around where the sounds were coming from.

When he saw a short figure standing leaned against a tree he had to hold back a giggle. He patted his shoulder while shining up into a friendly smile.

Janus jumped around while holding back a scream. His hands had turned into fists on instinct but when he saw who it was he slumped down into a relaxed standing.

"You know you're not supposed to sneak up on me like that" He muttered.

He'd said it so casually as if nothing had changed. As if they were 15 again and sharing a picnic while watching the stars. Instead they were 22 and there were oceans between them left by time.

"Sooo Janus" He tested out how the name felt to say "We-ere you planning to-o stand here and w-watch us?" Patton asked.

"No...what no of course not. I was simply getting myself ready to have to be around such imbeciles like you" He dramatically rolled his eyes. "Besides I...I'm not here to see anyone else expect for you" He starred down into his gloves as he quietly asked "Is ehm Remus here?"

Patton nodded while crossing his arms.

He sighed "Then it's good that I stayed here. I don't want him to see me. When I tried to apologize on the day we graduated he told me that he never want me to speak to him again and after all the shit I put him through the least I can do is respect his wishes" He looked up at the other man "I'm still sorry by the way, for ever treating you badly I mean"

"Oh it's alrig-ght" He assured while waving his hand around "I've moved on p-past it"

Janus cross his arms and looked down at the dirt he was kicking around with his foot as he mumbled back "Yeah well I still did it"

"So what yo-ou doing now a d-days?" Patton asked to change the topic.

Janus nearly looked embarrassed as he began "I work at an orphanage. I like making the kids smile. I like being the kind of person I wish I had growing up. Some of them think my scars look cool" He cracked up into a smile just thinking about it.

"That sounds ni-ice. I work at a daycare, study-ying to become a kindergarten teacher so we both w-work with kids! What a coincidence"

"I'm happy for you" Patton bumped his shoulder against the other man's smiling warmly at him "Soooo you and Logan still a thing or?"

"Yeah. I m-mean we kind of grew apart and bro-oke up and then we didn't t-talk for a year" Patton fiddled with his hands when he mentioned that "But then w-ee kind of found ea-ach other again. I really needed that y-year to just be alon-ne y'know. Have you found anyone?"

"Nope" He'd decided to not date anyone until he was absolutely sure he could treat that person right. Which meant he had to reprogram his own brain so it stopped linking love (Romantic, platonic, paternal, whatever) with pain so a lot of therapy. He wouldn't let his childhood abuse influence him to hurt another person ever again.

"You go-onna jump in-n the water?"

"Oh you know me. I just looove not being completely hidden, my favorite thing is when people look weirdly at my scars mhh yes" The sarcasm could not be stopped. 

Patton let out a short laugh "You never h-had any problem st-tripping down to your socks arou-und me"

"I should go" Janus blurted out while trying to move his hat down to hide his blushing.

"I didn't m-mean to-o make you u-uncomfy" 

"No I...Well I definitely didn't come here just to see if you were happy and I've done that so I should go" He replied while already half turning away.

"Awww you sh-hould know I can't say goodb-bye without a-a hug!" Patton exclaimed before yanking the other man into a hug.

At first Janus stood still as a statue before he slowly moved his arms so he was hugging back. He hid his smile by pressing his face against Patton's shoulder. He quickly broke apart from the embrace.

Janus didn't say anything more. He waved for just a moment before turning around and walking away with a smirk.

"Have a gre-eat day! Bye!!" Patton waved until he'd disappeared out of sight.

When the dad like man got back to the group a lot of shouting could be hear. Loudest of the yelling was Remus who was chanting 

"Frog fucker! Frog fucker! Frog fucker! Fro-" Over and over again.

"I only kissed the frog! Just like Katy Perry only kissed a girl!" Roman objected while looking extremely offended.

"Why would you even kiss it to make it turn into a prince if you already have Virgin over there" Remy added.

"Excuse me maybe I just want a prince friend okay, It's lonely being the best bitch here" Roman replied while moving his hand to his forehead. 

"Can I have another nickname, please?" Virgil 'Virgin' Coen said.

"Sure you can virgilicious" Remy couldn't even hide their smug expression even if they were wearing sunglasses (how are they wearing sunglasses while swimming??).

"That's worse!" Virgil 'Virgilicious' Coen was dying on the inside.

The moment Patton got close to them Logan placed his hand on his shoulders and pressed a kiss to his cheek. He leaned down to whisper into his ear "I saw who you were talking to. My sight might not be up to it's best par but I can make out a smudge of asshole when I see it. Was he bothering you? Because I am willing to run after him and punch him if he did"

"Oh no it's-s alright my sweet h-honeybun!" He assured while leaning against his chest "I invited him but he's g-gone now"

"It goes beyond my comprehension how you can keep coming up with new...what was the word?....petnames" 

"It's fun! Ang-gel, dear, darling, sweethea-art, cinnamonheart, my dear h-heart of mine, sugarbun, lov- Are you blushin-ng?" Patton stopped to ask.

"No" Lo immediately answered while looking away.

He moved his head down so he could kiss him "You're a-adorable"

"Am not!" Logan immediately objected.

Remy came over and leaned their head on his shoulder "Babe I tots I think you're cute too" They said before their eyes got wide "Everyone who thinks specs is adorable raise a hand"

Literally everyone raised their hand expect for Logan. When he saw this he quietly muttered "I have an image to uphold" Before sinking down under the water out of embarrassment. 

"So time for pizza anyone? If I stay here any longer I can and will start getting anxious about a fish monster coming to drown us or something" Virgil muttered while already on his way to the beach.  

Patton followed after while dragging in his boyfriend in the hair so he didn't accidentally drown himself.

"Fuck yeah! Fish monster" Remus exclaimed "OOOooooOOhh monster daddy kraken come and take me!" Remy held back laughter while taking his hand. They quickly ran up to the rest of the group. 

They stayed there for the entire rest of the day. When the sun began to set the twins teamed up to start a fire so that they could make marshmallows. Once it had gotten so dark the stars could be seen Logan and Virgil info dumped loads of information about the stars and planets.

It was the perfect kind of day. The kind of day that their younger selves wouldn't believe they would live through. The best part was that there were many more days like this to come.

Thanks for reading <3