Vices and Maces

Chapter 52: Seems Like Everyone is Trying to be a Detective

Muffled talk came from the room as Sidney and Kayden quietly sneaked closer. Sidney stayed low to the ground as she listened in the talk and Kayden leaned over her, holding the door frame for support.

"It's been healing fine, you don't need to worry about it," they heard Remus say.

"I'm going to anyway. I just want to make sure they're healing okay, because if they aren't then you'll need to go back to the hospital," the shifter said.

"No, no hospitals if they can be avoided. Ugh, I'll take care of them, even if I don't want to."

"Thank you, Remus."

"What are you two doing?" a voice behind the eavesdroppers asked, making both of them jump.

They turned around to see Roman there, arms crossed and a slightly annoyed look on his face.

"Ah, Uncle, hey!" Kayden greeted. "What are you doing here?"

"I was going to my room to change, I want to head in to work today."

Sidney laughed nervously. "Better late than never I guess."

"I can't believe you two are eavesdropping on them."

"I can," Remus said, opening the door and looking down at the two. "I just can't believe the thought of it didn't cross my mind."

"You know what, we were going to change and head into work too, come on Rose!" Sidney grabbed Kayden's arm and pulled him towards their room. Although Kayden offered her his room as her wing continued to heal, which was healing nicely, they seemed to stay in the room together.

"Teenagers," Remus sighed.

"You adopted one and ended up with three," Roman laughed. "Do you think you'll be fine on your own for the rest of the day?"

"I'm not a child! And I won't be alone, I have Janny."

"They have a broken leg, I'm talking about getting food and water. You have a broken finger, I don't want you cooking anything that requires both hands or... I don't know, I was just double checking."

"I'll be fine, stop worrying so much! Go get dressed so that you can do boring paperwork and whatever else you do." Remus turned his brother around and pushed him towards his room. He closed the door and turned back to Janus, who had an amused smile on his face.

"Your family is... interesting."

"Annoying, but hey, that's just karma because I'm even more annoying than all of them combined." The halfling shrugged as he walked back to the bed. "Usually I'm the one pulling stunts, I need to pick up the slack!"

Janus took Remus's right hand. "Not while your finger is like this."

"Oh please, do you know how many times I've broken my fingers?"

The shifter hummed, not looking up at Remus and still staring at his hand. He brought it closer to his lips and softly kissed the knuckle of the broken finger. Remus squeaked and his face became a dark shade of green. "Too bad this will take a while to heal."

"Ew, gross," Remus laughed, trying to play off how flustered he was. "Affection."

"Oh you love it darling."

The orc fae bit his tongue to hide his reaction. "It's not fair how cute you are."

"Cute? I thought I was hot and sexy!"

"Well you're also cute!"

"Oh no honey." Janus leaned over. "The cute one here is you." He booped the orc's nose.

"Agh! Stop that!" Remus turned even greener. "You play dirty!"

"I thought you were the dirty one here! That's your fault for letting me take your crown."

"That's a different kind of dirty and you know it!" Remus shouted, making Janus laugh.

~~~

Patton sighed anxiously as he fiddled with his engagement ring. "I should be at work... I feel bad not being there today."

"You scheduled today off last week so we can finish these plans," Logan reminded him.

"But that was before Roman's brother got in a car crash! I'm sure he needs help."

"There are other people there that can help him, right?" Patton nodded with a small huff. "Then don't worry about it. You'll be going in tomorrow."

"Who's Roman?" Mr. Jamfield asked.

"My boss, I'm a secretary for him. He works in insurance." That was the lie they came up with. "I've met his brother a few times during work parties, and other times when he walks in to ask for his brother. He's a bit immature but not unbearable."

"Well enough about that, let's double check all of this information before we print out the invites. August 21st, from 4 pm to 10pm, correct?"

"That sounds about right."

"And let's check the address again to double check." Logan looked through his phone and smiled. "Yup, I think these invites are ready to print!"

"Aw look at that! All that planning, and we're almost done! Now all we need to do is order the decorations and figure out who your best man, or maid of honor, will be," Mabel said.

"I still don't know who to choose, I've made so many friends at work," Patton mused. "And I don't have any relatives, or childhood friends. This is such a hard choice..."

Logan frowned in thought. It would be improper to not have a best man, or as his mother put it, maid of honor. Definitely no one from work, but Logan hasn't talked to his high school friends in years. Most of them moved away... He'll be sending invites for his wedding, but is he still close enough to have one of them as his best man or maid of honor?

He doesn't have any siblings, and was never close to his cousins. But they seem to be his best bet. Well he still had a couple of months to choose.

"So Logan, you're still a police officer?" his father asked.

"Detective," he corrected. It was a bit strange that he was asking, seeing as they've been living together for the past few weeks and Logan has worked on some cases at home.

"Are you treated well there?"

"I've had no problems." He looked away from his father.

Mr. Jamfield frowned. "I'm glad. Some police... well... it's important to have some good people on the force."

"It's so dangerous being a police officer here, there are too many gangs," Mabel sighed. "This place isn't safe. I wish you guys would move somewhere else."

"Well, it's my job to protect this city, and to make it safer," Logan tried to reassure her. "I don't want to rest until these gangs are brought down."

Mr. Jamfield sighed, "Just don't make yourself a target. Don't be stupid, be careful."

"I know, father, you don't need to worry about me. I'll be able to protect myself."