When You're Broken On The Ground

Chapter 67

Trigger Warnings: knives, worrying about death

Word Count: 1051

Remus and Virgil run to them when they open the door and step in, everyone else closely following behind them. Janus hugs his fiancé tightly, seeing Roman do the same out of the corner of his eye. "I thought you weren't coming back," Remus whispers thickly, hands clutching at his suit jacket. "I thought- I thought-" His breath is ragged, uneven.

"Shhh it's okay love, it's okay," Janus replies, hugging him back just as tightly. "I promised I'll always come back to you Remus, I promise love. I swear we'll never be parted Octo, I love you so much darling, it's okay, I'm here, I'm here love." He can feel Remus nodding into his shoulder.

Remus leans back after a bit, sniffing, and tries to wipe his eyes but ends up just spreading the tears more. Janus smiles reassuringly and gently wipes Remus' eyes with his own sleeve. "I'm sorr-"

"No no love, you have nothing to apologize for. I know how hard this can be, and I love you for dealing with it," Janus cuts off Remus, knowing what he's about to say and not wanting to hear it. He has no reason to apologize, not for loving him and being worried about his and Roman's well being. "I'm so sorry to put you in this position dear, I swear I had no idea Honor would do such a thing."

"Wait," Virgil hisses, Roman still hugging him tightly as Virgil glares at Janus, "Honor did this?! Honor, you fucking boss-!"

"OKAY EVERYONE," Patton interrupts, cutting in before Virgil does something, most likely punch Janus and then hunt down Honor. To be fair, Janus would do the same if he were in his position, having to just sit around a phone, waiting, hoping for the text to come back before the time runs out. "Let's go into the living room kiddos," Patton politely orders. "Then Dee and Roman can tell us what happened so we don't make any assumptions."

"Yes, everyone go back to the living room," Logan orders, a single eyebrow raised as if waiting for one of them to challenge his authority. No one does, as they all have learned over the years that while Patton's their family's dad, he's the fun dad. Logan, Logan's their family's mom, the strict, potentially terror-inducing mom. So Janus, arm slipped around Remus' waist, follows the rest to the living room and takes a seat in an armchair, Remus holding him in his lap.

"So, Janus, Roman," Thomas says, tugging on his hands until Patton grabs one and Emile the other, rubbing circles into them. He shoots them grateful looks before continuing. "What happened guys? Weren't you going to Dice's shop?"

Deep inhale. "We were. I had asked Roman to come with me, both to help handle Dice and so I could ask him to, well," he turns to Roman, "would you be Remus' best man at our wedding?" Roman gaps at him, mouth hanging open, eyes wide. "Oh come now Roman," he chides, laughing quietly, "don't you have something to say?"

"I- I can't believe you asked me like this," Roman laughs, running a hand through his hair. "Not to mention, shouldn't Remus be the one asking me? But-" he continues, cutting off Remus' grin and opening mouth, "I'd love to be."

"Wonderful," Janus says, mentally checking that of his list of things to do. "Well, we went into the shop and no one was manning the front desk, and Roman commented that it was out of the normal. So I immediately assumed something was wrong, and texted in case something was wrong. I slipped Roman a knife-"

"-which I didn't need but I appreciate it," Roman adds, pulling out a knife from his boot. Janus blinks, surprised but not shocked that Roman had a knife on him for going out to a shop. He may be a theatre kid, way too dramatic and too trusting, but he at least does have some protection in case something happens.

"Oh, very nice Roman," he comments, giving a small smile to the preening man. "While you didn't use it, I'm glad you at least have some semblance of self preservation and protection. Knowing how reckless you tend to be, it's refreshing at least." Roman rolls his eyes and nods, Virgil dipping his head in silent laughter and grinning. "Anyway, we got into the dressing rooms and checked them; nothing. But when I looked into the backrooms, there was Honor, sipping her prestigious tea in what must have been Dice's office, with guards all around her."

"I thought we were gonna die, the way you reacted to them," Roman admits, color draining from his face for a second. Janus purses his lips, wanting to pry and make sure Roman's alright, but he has enough self control for now. "But then Honor says you're authorized and she poured out tea and started interrogating me!"

"Ah yes," Janus sighs, sinking into Remus' warm body, arms encircling his waist as a mustache lightly scratches at the skin underneath his ears. "That. It appears Honor has started to suspect that I taught you everything I was taught. Set the whole thing up to see just how I'd react with a civilian around. And discover if my family has been trained and knows all the government secrets I know."

"Which we technically do know," Logan confirms, adjusting his glasses. "As you are a terrible liar when met with Patton's puppy face and/or Remus in general." Call him weak, but Logan's right.

"Well, you don't know everything," Janus argues, "but yes. Thankfully, Roman seemed to have deflected her suspicions enough that she doesn't know if he does or doesn't know something, which means she won't say a word. She's a real bastard sometimes but she at least won't say anything without actual proof."

"Good to know we're not about to get arrested by the government," Thomas jokes. Janus snorts, as if Thomas would ever be arrested.

"Oh babes, you'd be safe no matter what," Remy comments. "Me? I'm currently on the run from eleven librarians and the Chinese government." Huh, didn't know about the last two libraries.

"HOW THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?!" Emile yells, staring at his husband in shock.