Sanders Sides Parenting/Kids One-Shots

(200) I Know I'm Going To Marry You One Day - Roceit

Summary: On the outside, it looks as though Janus' life is all set out with no complaints. Roman, forever the curious one, wants to dig deeper and has suspicions there's something more.

TW - Religious trauma, mentions of homophobia and no-contact.

We've reached the maximum chapters of this book! If I feel like adding chapters, it'll probably be on AO3 - my username is the same on there! There's a lot more stories on my Wattpad profile though :). 

Words: 3082 (last one's a long one XD)

The first time Roman noticed Janus was during the end of year Kindergarten project. The emerging minds were allowed to spend the whole morning drawing pictures and writing letters to answer one question: 'what do you want to do when you grow up?'. Roman drew a drawing of him on the stage being a singer and an actor.

When it was Janus' turn to show his drawing he stood straight, cleared his throat, and spoke clearly like adults do. "When I'm grown up, I'm gonna be a pastor like my daddy and - and - and I'll attend church every day and help people be happy every day!"

Roman noticed the hesitation and falter in Janus' voice as he spoke about church though, and that stuck with him. He talked about his daddy a lot, and how his daddy said to do this, and not do that. There were a lot of things Janus was resistant to do because his daddy said it was bad. Roman could never live a life like that but Janus seemed overjoyed with all the restrictions... Until that falter in his speech.

*****

Janus never complained about his life though, even as a teenager. He seemed to be grateful for it in fact, constantly telling other teenagers that his family was putting him out of harm's way and they should resist temptations too. Janus became a star at track and field, because his father said running made a boy athletic and not boastful. He got straight A's and took all the best classes because his father said men should be educated so they could provide for their wives and children. He was applying to Ivy League universities because his father said all other universities just gave out illegitimate degrees to illegitimate students.

Roman got into the habit of waking up every Monday, Wednesday and Friday - because on those days Janus took a lap around the town just before school. Sure, it was a little creepy to be staring at a classmate he didn't speak to out of his bedroom window at 6am, but it was hard not to. It was easy to admit Janus was good-looking. His skin was tanned, his hair was dirty blond and straightened, cut short and organised. He was nice to look at especially when his cheeks were flushed.

"Aaaand you're creeping. It's Monday bro, he'll still be running past the day after tomorrow." Remus walked past his brother's door to watch him staring out the window like an excited puppy. Roman turned to his brother but quickly turned back. "I'd be surprised if he's out today though, we have an AP Politics exam first period."

"He's probably already done all the revision for it. He's super smart right?" Roman didn't hear a response from that other than a tired groan. Remus had a closer relationship to Janus than Roman did, as even though he was a troublemaker in average classes he seemed to somehow ace the AP classes. So he took a lot of the same AP classes Janus did. Unfortunately for Roman's fantasies, Remus didn't speak to Janus. Janus didn't seem to have a close relationship with everyone, everyone seemed to avoid him and his constant talks about what he was doing 'right' in life.

The bathroom door next to Roman's room opened and closed, and in that moment Janus ran across the sidewalk in front of Roman's house. He arrived at 6:09am, a little later than usual, maybe he was getting some extra revision in? 

Roman lost his breath when he saw Janus stop running right in front of his house. The man was panting, his chest rising and falling under his yellow t-shirt, a hand brushed through his hair as he looked up at the sky and took a sip of his water bottle. Roman had known he was gay since fifth grade, and looking at boys like Janus really validated that. And as quick as that moment started, it ended as Janus carried on running. Roman watched him go in amazement at his existence.