Arabian Nights

Chapter 9

"You told me we were going to find my friend," Janus said as he followed behind Remus. Remus threw a glance over his shoulder.

"Course we are, Dee, darlin'," he said with a grin that Janus didn't return.

"Don't call me that."

"Well, if ya wanna tell me your real name, I won't have to call ya Dee," Remus said, shrugging. He quickened his pace and turned down an alley.

"I mean 'darling'," Janus said, catching up with Remus. "Don't call me 'darling', darling."

"Ooh, or what?" Remus asked with a smirk. "Whatcha gonna do to me?"

Janus glared at him and didn't answer. Remus' smirk grew to a grin and he strode out into the main square with bravado.

Almost immediately, he back-tracked, grabbed Janus' wrist and pinned him against a wall. Janus seriously considered smacking him.

"What are you-"

"Shhh!" Remus put his hand over Janus' mouth. "Guards." He glanced over his shoulder out at the square. Janus rolled his eyes and pushed Remus' hand away from his mouth.

"If this is going to work-" Janus hissed, "and I assume you're the one they want - this set-up is not going to work."

"Huh?" Remus glanced back at him just in time for Janus to grab his arms and flip them around. Now he had Remus against the wall and he couldn't help but smile.

"See?" He pinned Remus' arms against the wall by his head. "Now you're the one who's hidden."

Remus stared at Janus, wide-eyed and open-mouthed. He looked like he couldn't even begin to fathom what had just happened. Janus had to try not to laugh.

Sometimes this was too easy.

"What's wrong?" He asked, leaning a little closer. "Not used to having the table's turned?" He glanced down at Remus' lips for effect before flipping his hair over his shoulder and glancing into the main square.

The Palace Guards moved away from the centre of the square as Janus watched. They were probably going on patrol. Which meant not only was Janus in danger but Virgil could be found.

He let go of Remus' wrists and stepped back. He surveyed the buildings in front of him. He hadn't climbed a roof in a while but, hey, maybe old habits did die hard.

"Give me a boost," He ordered. Remus blinked and shook his head slightly.

"What?"

"Give me a boost," Janus repeated. "The guards are going on patrol. We'll have to go roof-top."

Remus stared at him. "How do you know all this?" He asked. Janus shrugged.

"I've been around." He pulled his hair behind his head and tied it in a very loose ponytail at the base of his head. "Come on, give me a boost."

"Already want me on my knees, alright, alright," Remus muttered, pulling his sleeves up away from his wrists. He thumped to one knee by the building and held his hands out flat like an offering. Janus wanted to roll his eyes.

"I heard that," Janus said. Remus laughed and gestured with his cupped hands.

"Virge, you'd better be worth this," he thought to himself before stepping up and pulling himself onto the flat roof. He stood up, dusted his tunic down and pulled his hair out of its ponytail.

Being up here brought back memories so strong Janus was nearly knocked back by the force of them all. Seeing Agrabah like this, from just above the chaos of the streets, made him feel small again. God, when had he last seen this view? Flat roofs stretching out for miles, lit by the occasional lantern on street corners, under a bed of stars so close Janus felt he could reach out and touch them. He felt 10 again. He was 10 again, watching and wanting to scoop the stars up in his hands and take them home.

"Hey!" Remus' voice broke him rudely out of his memories. "If ya think you can get rid of me that easy, sweet-"

"Oh, give me a second!" Janus looked around the roof. Nothing to pull Remus up with. Rolling his eyes, he lay down on his stomach and held a hand out over the edge of the roof.

Remus' face lit up with a smile as he grabbed Janus' hand. He used it as a lever to help himself onto the roof and nearly pulled Janus off the roof in the process. He jumped to his feet and placed his hands on his hips, sighing a big breath contentedly.

"Beauty, in't she?" He asked. Janus stood up and dusted down the front of his tunic again. "Agrabah, I mean."

Janus shrugged in what he hoped was a bored way. "It's alright," he muttered.

"No, bet ya get better views from the palace, huh, your Highness?" Remus asked. Janus spluttered in surprise.

"What?!"

Remus shrugged. "Well, you ain't exactly hidin' it, are ya?"

Janus couldn't even begin to formulate an answer. What?!

"C'mon." Remus turned away and gestured over his shoulder. "We'll head to my place."

"We need to find my friend-"

"And my place is the tallest place we got in Agrabah," Remus said. He was getting further away and Janus ran to catch up with him. "If they're here, we'll see 'em from my home."

"But-" Janus stopped, having no idea where he was going with that. For the first time, a boy had rendered him speechless.

That really was new.

"Your Highness?" He repeated in his head. "Your Highness?!"

I love them and the way they love so much
Bye,
Blaize