Vices and Maces

Chapter 30: Well The Date Could Have Been Worse?

CW: burns

Janus wore their bowler hat, their hair in braids and tied together in the back. They put on a fancy jacket and a golden necklace with a golden ring on it. They didn't know why they felt the need to dress so fancy, or even why they felt a buzz under their skin. They are not nervous, and if they are, it's because this date might be a trap.

Standing in front of the mirror, they were trying to figure out what they were feeling today, gender wise at least because they're one hundred percent calm. Maybe... bigender? Yeah, good enough of a guess as any.

They shifted to what felt most comfortable, having a strong jaw outline and small chest, but not flat. They made sure they were tall, giving themself a strong build. That felt right... Well, he shouldn't waste anymore time.

She grabbed a black purse and keys, leaving the apartment and making sure to lock it behind them. Should she fly? Or should he take their car? It would be best not to mess up their appearance, so car it is.

They left the apartment the normal way, walking down the stairs, and headed to their car. They decided to meet up at Daisy's bakery, which did make Janus even more nervous since Daisy seems close to Bleeding Rose, but at the same time Remus seemed adamant at not fighting there. They wouldn't put her in trouble, would they?

No, they weren't like that. Remus wasn't like that. Maybe? To be fair, Janus doesn't know much about them. This was a bad idea, wasn't it?

He couldn't stop thinking about this the whole drive there. Her finger tapped against the steering wheel, anxiety bubbling up in their chest. She'll be fine, even if it was a trap, he'll be able to escape.

They finally reached the street the bakery was on and started looking for a parking spot. There didn't seem to be an open one on the side of the road, so he drove further down towards a parking lot. She quickly parked and grabbed their bag, climbing out of the car just as his phone rang.

He quickly pulled it out, reading the contact. She answered the phone, putting it to their ear as they started walking.

"This is Snakehead," they said.

"I heard you have the day off," Black spoke through the other side of the phone. "You don't typically take days off."

"I... have a date." Best to be honest and not tell the whole story. "It's nothing serious, I don't know them too well. They just interested me is all."

"That's surprising. Do I know them?"

Janus passed a group of three kids, well, teenagers. "No, they're not in any gangs, Black."

One of the kids, the one with black feathery wings looked over when he heard the name.

"You better be careful then. If they find out they could report you to the police. Or more importantly, they could be in another gang and be hiding it from you."

"It's hard to hide anything from me. But if they are part of a gang, I'll be sure to do away with them."

"Good to hear. Enjoy your date, Snakehead."

"Thank you." Janus quickly ended the call before anything else was brought up. They put his phone away, making sure it was on silent first. Can't have that as a distraction, she'll only answer if it's Virgil.

Janus made their way towards the bakery again, already seeing the sign that hung out from the side of the building. Under it was the orc fae, leaning against the building and scrolling through his phone.

The shifter smiled and adjusted their bag strap that was hanging from her shoulder. Remus looked up from his phone as he heard the footsteps, putting it away and smiling. He raised his hand to wave when-