I'll Find You... I Promise

Chapter 10

Janus and Virgil had been staying in the group home for nearly a year in a half now. Before that, the two had stayed in several different foster homes over the course of multiple years. Only one family had ever tried to adopt the two of them while they were in their care, but after Virgil had one anxiety attack too many they decided the two weren't worth the trouble and the adoption fell through. 

Ryan said the reason they had been moved to a group home was that there were no more foster families willing to take in two children at once, at least not within the radius the agency allowed Ryan to travel in. Janus had once asked why they weren't able to go to a foster family outside that radius and Ryan had explained that that would mean having to be assigned a new social worker and that he hadn't thought Janus or Virgil would want that. He was right, despite not showing it, Janus actually considered himself kinda close to Ryan.

He didn't consider the guy family or whatever, that'd be weird, but he was the person Janus would call first when in a tricky situation. Like when he was at a party hosted by a girl in his debate class and some guy had held a lit lighter up to Janus's arm until he was crying and someone finally pulled them off him. Janus had left the house on the verge of a panic attack, walked for a couple hours, found himself at a McDonald's, and called Ryan. 

He was there in record time. He hadn't cared that it was nearly two in the morning, or that Janus smelled like alcohol, both Janus and the other guy had been drinking, and at least one of them had spilled their drink on him. He hadn't cared that Janus been crying, or that he was out past his curfew. He hadn't cared about any of it. Instead of lecturing him, he bought Janus a burger, and he took him back home to his own apartment so Janus could take a shower and borrow some clean clothes so his foster parents wouldn't be even more mad at him then they were already going to be. 

Janus knew Ryan considered himself close to them too. If inviting Janus and Virgil to spend Thanksgiving with him and his family every year, or getting them actual gifts rather than cheap knick-knacks on their birthday and Christmas wasn't a big enough hint then inviting them to his wedding definitely was. After all, none of the other kids got that kind of treatment from their social worker, and Ryan never invited any of his other cases to do those things. Just Janus and Virgil, so yeah, Janus was pretty positive that Ryan thought they were close.

The adoption agency had two prominent locations, this was one of them. Janus and Virgil found themselves here often enough for one reason or another. Whether that was just to visit Ryan, for the group teen therapies Janus was required to attend, or to meet a potential family. Though, that last one didn't happen real often. Logan and Patton had been the first in a while. Sometimes the adoption agency hosted activities or parties here. The building was visited by other foster kids often enough that a rec room-like space had also been made, though Janus and Virgil tended to avoid it due to its chaotic nature. So it really wasn't all that uncommon for either of them to be here, yet despite how common their visits were, neither of them had ever been so nervous to be here before.

Janus's leg bounced rapidly as he tried to feign a laid-back look by slouching slightly in his seat and staring at the clock. Virgil gripped tightly to his hand and had Bitey in his lap as attempted to read one of the books Logan had packed him. Nobody mentioned to the boy how his trembling hands were causing the pages to shake and the book to crinkle. Patton was humming quietly as he studied a brochure titled, 'So You're Adopting A Teenager,' while Logan read another brochure titled 'Top Ten Ways To Help Foster Kids With Trauma.' Janus had only rolled his eyes at them, he'd read every single brochure this place had to offer and he was at least ninety- eight percent sure they were all full of shit. 

"Janus!" An exasperated voice called as they came into the building from the parking lot.

Janus froze up slightly, "Uh-oh..." he muttered as Ryan all but flew across the room. The man was in front of them in an instant, throwing his arms around Janus's shoulders and pulling him into a hug. "Ryan," Janus began as he gave him a gentle pat on the back, "I thought you had this weekend off."