When You're Broken On The Ground

Chapter 46

Trigger Warnings: explosions, swearing(?), implied reference to sex

Word Count: 1052

"Memory, get your shit together and get in the van, now," Janus yells into the comm, glancing out at the busy market place to see if he can spot her cream white scarf among the crowds flocking the booths and clogging the streets. Nothing.

He glances over at Dragon, who shakes their head in defeat. Janus can tell they've been biting their lip, dead skin peeling off in rough strips. It doesn't help that the desert heat is so dry, cracking everyone's skin more. And Dragon always forgets to drink enough water...

"T minus forty seconds," Wrath yells, hopefully running as fast as he can, far away from the bomb he just armed in the center of the target warehouse. "It's gonna be big gang, there's more power in there than we thought."

"I copy Wrath," Janus says, finally spotting Memory's scarf amid the bright colors, quickly weaving her way through the thick crowd, heading towards their van. "I have Memory in sight." He opens the door.

"Twenty seconds," Wrath pants out, most likely jumping across roofs or, more preferable, dashing through alleys and the streets.

Memory finally drops into the van, Janus snapping the door shut as soon as she's clear. "Go!" she orders Dragon, breath coming in heavy pants as she throws off her outer robe, revealing the bullet-proof vest she's wearing. They immediately take off, Memory strapping herself in a seat as they lurch violently through the sharp turns in the back way streets.

"We're moving," Janus states into the comm. "Wrath, you out of the blast zone?"

"Five!" Wrath pants out, crackling pouring through his feed. Four. "And yes!"

Three.

Two.

One-

BOOM

Janus allows a sigh of relief. "Never wrong on your count, Wrath," Memory says, shoulders untensing even as the van screeches, doing angles and lanes changes only Dragon and the craziest cab drivers could pull off.

"We'll see you at base," Janus adds before turning off his microphone.

"See you then," Wrath replies before turning his off too.

~~~

"Another job well done?" Remus asks him as they watch the news.

"Yep," Janus sighs happily, snuggling closer to his boyfriend. His warm, tank top and booty shorts wearing boyfriend, when he's wearing a sweater and sweat pants, that defies all logic. "I love the Middle East, they have the best market places."

"Hey! The one in Brazil, that tiny one way out in the forest was pretty cool."

Janus rolls his eyes. "You only like that because you got to eat a bat."

"Hell yeah I do! And the only reason it tops the one in China is because you wouldn't let me eat that one alive!"

"Dear, I love you and support any food decisions you decide on, but I draw the line when it's live food."

"You're no fun."

"I just prefer my boyfriends alive."

"So you saying you wanna eat me?" Remus asks with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"Hmm, maybe," Janus replies with a sly smirk. "Oh and that reminds me, I got you a gift."

"Where?!" Remus yells, switching moods in a snap.

Janus laughs at his boyfriend's immediate excitement. "Hang on love, I'll go get it."

Remus pouts. "But Deeeeeeeeee!"

"Trust me Octy, it's better if I get it." Janus kisses a still pouting Remus and walks back to their bedroom. Rummaging through his bags, he pulls out the small black satin bag.

Oh gods is he going to do this? Should he wait- No. He should have married Remus as soon as this was legalized, he won't let anything stop them now.

He heads back to the living room, nerves pulled tight. Remus perks up once he sees Janus, looking just like an energized puppy.

"C'mon J, let's see it!!"

Janus smiles and kneels in front of his boyfriend, who immediately freezes, opening up the bag to reveal a smaller box. "Remus."

"Oh shit." He almost laughs at Remus' tone, but he memorized this speech, short as it is, and by gods he's going to get through it.

"I've loved you for a long time."

"Holy shit."

"And since I'm nearly dying every time I go out on a mission,-" True, the newest knife scar was five inches off from deadly.

"You gotta be shitting me."

"-and apparently gay marriage isn't being taken back soon,-" And he's finally decided to stop being a coward.

"This can't be real."

"-so I think it's high time we get hitched."

"Bitch you didn't." Remus looks near tears, for a good reason this time, and Janus sniffs, ready to finish this.

"So, Remus King Sanders Duke, will you marry me and be my bitch forever?" Janus opens the box, revealing a black stone octopus ring with dark green lines running through it. Five countries, over a hundred markets, and he found the only one that was perfect for them. For him.

"You absolute fucker," Remus sobs out before kissing Janus. He slips the ring on Remus' finger, knowing he said yes.

~~~

"How long have you been planning this?" Remus mumbles into his hair, both of them back to cuddling on the couch as a movie plays.

"A while now, probably since Em an' Rem asked us to help them."

"That's almost an entire year."

"Yeah so?"

"What took you so long?"

"I nearly proposed to you at your brother's wedding, I think it's a good thing I took so long!"

"Eh, if you asked me at his wedding I won't have said no."

"Roman would claim he was the one who got us married for the rest of our lives."

"Nevermind I think that was a brilliant idea."

"Aww thank you darling," Janus coos.

"But why here? I mean, dude we could have been the Tower of fucking London! You could have proposed at the executioner's block!"

"Hmm, true. I forgot about that. How about this, we go back next week and I re-propose and we claim that was the real one?"

"Orrrrrrr I buy your ring and we do that but I get to propose to you! Right where thousands of people were killed!"

Janus can feel his heart melt at his words. "This is why I'm marrying you," he whispers, already plotting their color scheme for the wedding.