Arabian Nights

Chapter 13

Janus scoffed. "What, do you want my 'dramatic backstory' or something?"

Remus shrugged, grinning. "If ya willin' to share, course," he said.

Janus threw his hair out of his face with a sigh and leaned back on his elbows, stretching out his legs. He didn't miss the way Remus stared. It made him smile. Hey, he still had it.

"Don't really know what there is to tell," Janus said with a shrug. "I got caught for stealing, what more is there to it?"

"Stealin'?" Remus repeated. Janus nodded. "From the Palace?"

Janus nodded again. Remus blew out a slow breath, impressed. "Damn. Don't they kill people for that, though?"

"Oh, yeah, they do." Janus sat up as he spoke. He pulled a ribbon out of a small pocket in his belt and set about tying his hair up. "I was just a little kid, though, must've been about 10. But I was caught, clapped in irons and brought before the Sultan himself." Janus paused, pulling his hand through his ponytail slowly. "I think he would've killed me," he said slowly. "The Queen had just died so..."

Remus hummed and nodded. Everyone knew the story. The Sultan and his Queen, drawn together by some magic and kept together by a love so strong it could raise a thousand suns. You didn't find something like that every year.

"Even if he wasn't going to kill me," Janus said, pulling himself out of his thoughts, "I thought I was going to get a pretty steep sentence. But then, this little kid comes running in." He couldn't help but smile. "Little tiny thing, couldn't've been more than 9. He jumps up into the Sultan's lap and starts crowing at him about something or other. Then, he looks around and notices me."

Janus could remember it so clearly.

"Father?" The boy asked, pushing his hair out of his face. "Who is this?"

"I'm busy right now, Virgil," The Sultan said. Janus looked up through tear-filled eyes. His voice was so soft, so different from the voice he'd used for Janus. "We'll play later, yes?"

Virgil stared at Janus for a few seconds. "What did he do?" He asked, looking back at his father.

The Sultan surveyed Virgil for a few seconds before sighing. "He stole from a Palace Guard," he said, taking Virgil off his knee as he spoke. "We caught him running away from the scene."

"No he didn't,"

"Virgil, we know he did. We found the coins on him, he's a thief."

"No he's not!" Virgil said stubbornly. He pointed at Janus accusingly. "He's my best friend!"

Janus smiled and blinked. He looked up at Remus. "He said I was his best friend, that we'd been playing hide and seek," he explained. "He said he'd dared me to steal something off the guard. It was his fault." Janus laughed. "Well, the Sultan couldn't well punish his own kid, could he?"

"And you've been at the Palace ever since?" Remus asked. He was leaning forward on his elbows, really actually involved in Janus' story. It may have made Janus' heart warm towards this boy slightly. Just slightly.

Remus grinned and chuckled. "So you're not the prince?" He asked. "Just his friend?"

Janus' smile dropped. "We're not friends," he said shortly.

"Sounds like you are, darlin'-"

"We're not," Janus snapped, standing up. He turned away from Remus. "And stop calling me that."

"Hey, I didn't mean no offense!" Remus protested. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. It just sounds like the life, y'know? Get saved by the prince an' all." His voice was getting closer. Janus wasn't sure he would mind if Remus stepped into his personal space.

"Yeah, well..." Janus turned back around to face Remus, sure he'd gotten himself under control. "It's very different when you're servant and prince."

"Is he the friend you're out here looking for?"

"No," Janus lied smoothly. He looked Remus in the eye. "The prince doesn't want to leave the Palace. Why would he? He's got everything he wants in there."

Remus sighed and looked away. "Yeah, I bet." He turned to stare out at the palace, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. "Y'know, my brother loves that place? He'd die to get in there. Genuinely."

"And that's a problem?" Janus guessed.

"Yeah, it's a problem!" Remus turned to look back at Janus. He shook his head and laughed. "I don't even know why I'm tellin' you this, like you'd even care." He looked back at the palace. "You're already there, what d'you care about those who wanted to get there?"

Janus wanted to reach out. And that was strange. And that was wrong. He wanted to reach out and... damn, he didn't even know. Talk to Remus? Explain something to him. Just do something to stop Remus looking so... despondent, so worried.

He took a step forward and his foot caught on the edge of something. He stumbled away, bringing down a tablecloth covered in a huge pile of junk. It made an all-mighty crash as it fell and Janus' hands flew to his ears.

"Shit, you alright, darlin'?" Remus was at his side all of a sudden, hand on his shoulder, steadying Janus.

And, for once, maybe Janus didn't mind the nickname.

I love and cherish them a completely normal amount
Bye,
Blaize