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Anders never thought it would happen to be honest.
His hopeless and daft baby brother found the Frigg.
The Ga was the catch.
What if Mitchell forgot him? Could he make Mitchell fall in love with him again?
He was pretty certain the first time was a fluke, a cosmic mistake. The fact that John, 120-something year old vampire, Mitchell chose him was beyond him.
He wasn't even a good partner.
When he was balls deep in Gaia, pinning her to the bed, each other fighting for control with desperate lips, and Mitchell, poor sweet Mitchell, finding them.
He had asked Gaia if she wanted bloody tea.
I understand what it's like to have urges you can't control...I hate it, I wanted nothing more than to rip her throat out, but I know it's not her fault or yours.
So fucking sensible. It made Anders wanted to scream.
Yet there he lay with Mitchell, the night before the Ga; rumblings of his own self-depreciation building.
"You know I'll remember you right? I'm not a mortal."
Anders looks up from his tense gaze of the tangling dark curls of Mitchell's chest.
"But what if you don't, Mitch?"
"Then you'll help me remember."
"What if you don't even remember how you came to New Zealand? What if you're scared and looking for your friends wondering if the fucking Old Ones kidnapped you?"
"I know good people when I see them. I'll know you're good, and I can trust you. I’ll stay with Dawn; she should remember me. When I notice she’s confused at where she’s at, I’ll call you."
“Maybe we can make a video like Dawn and Ty are?”
“Can’t. I don’t show up on video remember?”
“Oh shit, right…well let’s hope I don’t have a vampire with amnesia on my hands, yeah? I wooed you once, I don’t think you’ll fall for it again.”
Mitchell rolls his eyes with a smile but kisses him
Anders just leans up and kisses him back with a signature smirk. The night is anticlimactic for what could be their last night together. It's sweet nonetheless, full of gentle kisses and soft words.
Anders softly prays to his patron God before he falls asleep.
I’d give anything to not lose him. Don’t fucking ruin this for me.
He soon leaves Mitchell at Dawn and Ty’s place, knowing that them being together is good. Even if shit hits the fan, they have each other.
Finally, after nearly three years of searching, Odin receives his Frigg and ascend to Asgard.
The pain is unbearable at first, like Anders is being ripped in half. Then it's emptiness. A sudden barren feeling that makes him feel fifty pounds lighter. The feeling isn’t sudden, it’s creeping and unsettling.
He feels vulnerable.
The shield and power of Bragi gone, leaving him to just be...Anders.
Ty is genuinely the only one coming to him, smiling and clasping his older brother's shoulder.
"You good, Anders? Isn't it a relief?"
Anders looks at him and pauses before he just nods.
"We should check on Mitchell and Dawn..." his voice is soft and worried.
It’s not his.
No, it is his.
It’s not Bragi’s.
Anders doesn't have to wait long before Mitchell rings his cell.
"Anders? Love? It's happened isn't it? Dawn had no clue where she was so I had her watch her video. It's done, yeah?"
"Y-yeah, Mitch. It happened. No more Gods. No Bragi."
Mitchell lets out a relieved sigh.
"I'll be waiting, be safe."
"Yeah, ta."
Anders feels almost in a daze as he gets in Ty's van and they drive back to Ty's place. He feels anxious and nervous, never having realized how constant Bragi's presence was.
Even his own mum knew what God he was to be before he was 21. Bragi had always been with him, whether he realized it or not. Now he was gone and he felt like a shell.
When they arrived at Ty's, Mitchell was pacing nervously with Dawn frozen with confusion on the couch replaying the video.
Ty rushed to her, the small blonde woman slinking instinctively behind Mitchell; the only familiar face in the room.
"Dawn, that's Ty. You know him, you love him, trust me. Let him explain some things okay?" He gently guided her to Ty, promising to stay in the room.
Anders stood by the door, hands in his suit pockets. Mitchell beamed at him and rushed over kissing him in relief.
"I told you I would remember," he grinned kissing him again. Anders kisses back with a sudden shyness, something held him back.
The vampire pulled him back worriedly. "Is everything alright, Ands?"
Anders nods. "Yeah, just ace."
Mitchell's dark brows furrow and he gently rubs his arms.
"Are you sure, I figured you would be over the moon...I thought you'd be happier?"
Anders nods quickly looking up at him.
"I am, I mean, I'm happy. It's just..."
"Just what?"
"I don't know how to say it..."
"Babe, you know I'm not going to judge or tease like your brothers? It's okay to be upset, I know you and Bragi were close."
Anders looks up at him almost helplessly.
"No, Mitch. That's not it...I don't know how to say or describe..." his voice rises a little in panic.
"Say what, Ands?"
"Anything!" He blurts. "Nothing is making sense, not like it used to."
Mitchell looks at him confused then turns his head. "I'm not following, love."
Anders lets out a deflated sigh.
"Exactly."
Mitchell gently takes him into a hug.
"Do you want to head home? Maybe you just need a good night's rest."
Anders nods and leans on his shoulder. They say good bye to Ty and Dawn, who seems to be remembering bits and pieces of her life with Ty.
Mitchell drives them home and lets the car fall to silence after prodding Anders a bit.
Silence.
Something he rarely experienced from the Kiwi. He was always chattering or babbling about something, even if Mitchell was clueless on the subject. He often joked that the only way to shut Anders up was to shove his cock down his throat. But this, this was complete and utter silence.
Mitchell kept making quick glances to if he was awake; the blond just staring out the window in pensive thought.
When they arrived at the apartment, Anders followed him up without a word. Mitchell smiled when Anders slipped his hand into the vampire's, but no words were spoken.
Mitchell hoped his partner would open up as they got behind the safety of the apartment.
Anders silently slipped to the washroom and then to bed with nary a thing on, Mitchell following like a pup.
"Are you sure nothing happened? Axl and Mike weren't dicks were they?"
Anders shakes his head and pulls a blanket up and over himself.
Mitchell sits on the bed.
"Are you mad at me?"
Anders looks over and shakes his head with fervor.
"No? Why would I?"
"You're ignoring me!"
"I'm not."
"You've never been quiet! Not like this! It's like Bragi left and took your voice with- oh..."
Mitchell freezes in understanding and sees the upset look on Anders face.
"Yeah, he did. Or I think so," his voice shakes, trying to keep some façade of stoicness.
He breaks as soon as Mitchell scoops him into his arms letting him bury his face in his shoulder.
Mitchell doesn't say a word, not addressing the growing tear stains on his shirt. He gently rubs Anders’ back and whispers soft reassuring words. Despite his own words, fear filled him as well.
Without Bragi, who was Anders really? Would he be the same man? Would he love Mitchell the same?
So much of Anders was his way with words, his suavity, his humor.
Who would he be without that?
Anders wipes his eyes sitting up after a moment.
"Sorry, thanks," he whispers.
"It's okay, babe. You know I'm here for you, always."
Anders nods and gives him a quick peck.
"I'll kill you if you call me Ariel," he mutters.
"Ariel?" Mitchell scrunches his face in confusion.
"The Little Mermaid?"
Mitchell can’t help but beam at the small joke.
Oh yeah, his Anders was there. Maybe a little different, but he was there.
"Oh no, it's on, your highness. Should I get the singing lobster now or later?" He teases ruffling his hair.
Anders falls back with a dramatic groan, throwing the blanket over his head. Mitchell lays next to him and ducks under the covers with him.
"You know we'll figure it out, right?"
Anders hesitates but nods a little.
"It's weird. I don't want you to not like me," Anders confesses.
"Hey, I love you no matter what. Bragi or no Bragi. You're still my Anders...even if you made shady deals with sea witches. You didn't even get a tail or anything out of the deal." He smirks.
"I didn't!" Anders groans, playfully pushing him away. "You're the worst. An egg."
Mitchell laughs softly before kissing him.
"I love you, Ands."
"Love you too, John."
Mitchell pulls him into his arms as they both fall off to sleep, both nervous but reassured about living in a post-Gods and post-Bragi world.