Mosaic Windows

Chapter 24: Remus is Pining, and Being Pinned

CW: talk of divorce

"Great, you're going to lead the dragon witch right to us!"

Remus turned to him with a glare, their noses only inches apart. "And?"

"I don't want my life to rely on that guy!" Janus folded his arms.

"Guess attacking him backfired on you, huh?"

The hunter looked away from him. "Whatever, I'm not waiting around for a monster to save me. I'm getting out on my own."

He unzipped his right boot and grabbed a small blade from the inside. Remus watched with curiosity as he sunk the blade into the Earth. With his other hand, he dug his fingers into the dirt, the ground crumbling apart easily.

Remus leaned back against the dirt wall and watched as Janus tried to pull himself up. The knife slid out of the dirt like it was butter, and he gave up on it, jumping to reach the top of the hole, planting his feet against the wall. His fingers barely grazed the top before he fell back down with a growl of frustration.

"Aren't you going to help me?" he asked, turning back to Remus.

"Nope!" he replied, popping the p. "You're on your own. I don't mind waiting for Saint to come back with my brother and Virgil."

"Still as annoying as ever, I see." Janus rolled his eyes and turned around to lean his back against the other side of the small hole.

Remus moved forward slightly as he taunted, "Still as dumb and useless as ever, I see."

Janus moved forward himself, just an inch from Remus's face. "Still as reckless and irresponsible?"

"Oh don't say it like that, you make it sound like you actually care." He shimmied his shoulders, and oh did Janus find that infuriating. He always does it when he's trying to get under the hunter's nerves.

Janus grabbed his shoulders and pushed him against the wall with a growl. The smirk Remus had on his face was wiped clean as he stared at him in shock. "I do not care about you! You're an asshole!"

Remus couldn't help but notice how close Janus was now, their nose just barely touching, the anger in his brown eyes. He pushed the hunter away from him as he felt heat travel up his face, flooding into his cheeks.

"Gods, what did you eat for lunch, garlic breath," he said, playing it off as he plugged his nose, waving the air.

Janus once again rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, leaning back against the hole. "Whatever. We'll wait for the dragon witch, if he'll even come. Maybe once you're out I'll have the space to climb out myself."

"Please, I'm sure he'll pull you out if you ask nicely enough. And promise not to kill him."

"And why would he do that? I attacked him. Hell, I punched him in the face!"

"Yeah but he's nice. A bit too nice for my taste, I joked with Roman that I want to try to ask him out, but I like my men to be a bit mean." He couldn't help but glance at Janus as the hunter chuckled. He's cute, but he may be a bit too mean...

"You're insane."

"That might just be the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Well don't go falling in love."

"With you? Never." There was a moment of silence that stretched between them, forming a lump in Remus's throat. Never. "A-anyway, what's your deal? Why are you trying to kill this dragon witch?"

"Because he's dangerous!"

"Is he? He's more of a wuss, I tried to fight him and he did not want to do that."