A Million Worlds Apart

The Pomegranate

As soon as Janus left the throne room, he started to run.

Months spent carefully covering for Logan and Patton. Months spent sneaking around. Months spent making sure that both of them were happy and safe.

All of them wasted.

He heard Remus calling for him, but he refused to let himself acknowledge it. The only thing that mattered right now was getting to the Underworld... and telling his closest friends that he'd failed them.

"Hey!" Remus grabbed his hand and pulled him back. "Hey. Slow down."

Janus jerked his hand away. "Why, so you can tell me how much of a failure I am? Thanks, but I think I already got the memo."

"Hey, this is my fault, too!" Remus protested. "I'm the one who was in charge of sidetracking Demeter, and I fucked it up! You don't get to blame---"

"I had every intention of defying Zeus!" Janus burst. "I had every intention of finding some other way to heal the mortal world, without forcing Patton to go back to living under lock and key!"

"You could still do that! Nothing's stopping---"

"Yes, something is stopping me, and it's the threat of being separated from you! If I don't do this, Zeus will forbid me from even talking to you, and I can't---I can't---"

"What, we can't see each other in secret?" Remus said. "Why are you so worked up about this?"

"I can't take the risk!" Janus shouted.

"Why not? You always take risks!"

"Because I love you!"

Remus stared at him, his cheeks coloring gold.

"I love you, Remus," Janus whispered, hugging him tightly. "There's not a second that I don't want to spend with you. You're my everything."

"You're my everything, too," Remus murmured, hugging him back. "Gods, I'm so in love with you. I don't think even Aphrodite or Eros could say how much."

Janus felt tears come to his eyes. "I'm so selfish, aren't I? I'm willing to separate my best friend from the god he loves, just so I can be with the god I love."

Remus kissed him on the forehead. "We can work this out somehow. I'm the god of magic, remember? I can find some way to make everything grow again."

"By the time you do, so many innocents will have died because of Demeter's oath." Janus stepped away, wiping his eyes. "I have to do this. There's no other way."

"I'll wait here for you," Remus told him, squeezing his hand. "I think Demeter is probably going to summon the whole of the pantheon here."

"All right." Janus gave him a quick kiss. "I'll be back. And when I do get back, feel free to behead me for my idiocy."

"Not on your life, gorgeous."

.............

"Starlight, are you busy?"

Patton looked up from the book he was reading. "Not anymore. What's up?"

"Well... there's something that I've been working on," Logan said, scratching the back of his neck. "Since a little after you arrived. It's sort of a present for you."

"You got me a present?" Patton gasped, tossing his book on the table.

"In a sense, yes."

"I have to see it right now!"

Logan laughed. "Well, come on, then."

Patton followed him out of the room and down the hall, practically vibrating with excitement. He might have had no idea what it was, but anything Logan gave him was definitely going to be amazing.