Baited~ Book 2

22

"I don't know about this Virgie." Janus stood there staring at the mirror and frowned. They had just come from a barber and Virgil was already surprised to see Jan keep the blonde. In fact, the snake cut off all of the faded dyed brown and had it styled with a very short and clean cut and a lose curled floof that Virgil had never seen from the man before. Now the two were at a clothes store and to be totally honest Virgil only had him try that on to see just how different Januswas from Deceit. Deceit was very prim and proper. He was clean and prim. His hair was always a medium length and straight... so much so that Virgil didn't even know that Janus's hair was naturally curly... or that it was such a light blonde either. "I just look so... proper." Virgil had to hold back the laugh seeing Jan's frown through the mirror. The man eyed himself so thoroughly with such disdain it was clear he was very uncomfortable.

"You literally wore this every single day." You could see the way Jan suppressed a gag and Virgil smiled. "You know... You don't have to." Jan frowned as he glanced through the reflection at Virgil. "You can wear whatever you want."

"No, I can't." Virgil frowned seeing Janus's eyes darken. "Father always said I had to look presentable. I had to be prim and proper. I had to look the part of the prince. To appear as anything else would only be an admittance to... faulty heritage."

"Janus, you can wear whatever you want." Jan's eyes narrowed as Virgil pulled him away from the mirror. "You aren't Deceit. You are Janus Rhodes."

"Virge, Janus isn't exactly..." Virgil squeezed Jan's shoulders as he shot him this look.

"My hoodie... Do you think this is... proper prince attire?" Janus laughed as he shook his head. "Would you ever ask me to wear anything else?"

"Of course not, Virgil. That hoodie's your comfort item. You've had it for years." 

"Decades actually." Janus's eyes flashed as Virgil laughed. "These patches were actually from an old hoodie I used to wear as a kid. Mother absolutely hated it and just like Ceit's King, my father didn't approve of it in the slightest. I had thought they burned it. Turns out they didn't. So when I found it again... I just wanted to feel like I was proving something to myself. So I made this." Janus's eyes shined as Virgil smiled brightly. "I wear this because it's me... Jan, you need to let Deceit go."

"But..."

"When you go back to that castle you are going not going as the enemy. You aren't going as Deceit." Virgil turned him back over to show him his reflection as he took the hat off letting Jan's bright blonde hair tumble down over his snake eye. He brushed the hair back a bit with a soft smile as Janus tensed. "Show them, Janus. Show them the real you."

"How?"

"By being the real you." Janus's eyes darted over to this one rack of clothes he had spotted walking in and Virgil smiled. "Go on Jan. You pick this time." Janus nodded as he walked off leaving Virgil there, smile slowly falling as his eyes moved to the formalwear. He sighed as he walked over and let his fingers brush against the fabric with a tight frown.

"Oh no you don't." Virgil jumped as he spun around to see Janus giving him this look. "You are not wearing that to your wedding."

"Jan, this is about you... not my wedding..." Virgil frowned as his chest burned a little. "...that I don't even know if I'm going to have."

"Virgil, you and Roman are going to get through this. You're going to marry your rider... and you are not wearing that when you do." Janus pulled him away with a laugh as he held tight to the close he picked for himself. "Here..." Virgil froze wide-eyed as he stared at this one outfit. Jan beamed seeing his reaction. It was formal which was good considering the event but... it was something Virgil could wear. The suit itself was black with a dark purple button-up. The tie was purple to and Janus laughed as he poked it and watched the fabric fade in some areas, distorting it enough to appear different altogether. "Add some white threading and you have a Frankenstein patchwork tie. In fact..." Janus took the jacket off and draped it over Virgil's shoulders with this look in his eyes. "... add some to the overall outfit and in no time it would scream Virgil."

"Janus..."

"No, Virgil." Janus grabbed the suit and shoved it into his friend's hands. "If you're going to go so far to help me... then whats a tux for my friend's future wedding." Janus sighed as he hugged his own clothes tightly. "It's the least I could do." Virgil nodded as he smiled fondly at the suit in his arms. "Now... Wait here so I can try these on." Virgil laughed as Janus yelled out with excitement. "PROJECT RUNWAY!"

"Roman?" Remus snapped repeatedly in Roman's face frowning at the lack of response. "Roman? Come on, brother. You need to..."

"D-D-Do you think h-he left m-me?" Remus froze as Roman just stared off at nothing. "L-Like lit-t-terally left m-me." 

"Ro..."

"T-The w-wedding i-is t-two months a-away and I don't even know i-f w-were even having o-one." Roman couldn't hold back the tears that fell. "I-I s-scared. W-What if he n-never c-comes back? T-The l-last thing I-I told him w-was a fucking l-lie!"

"Roman, everything is going to be ok. Trust us." Roman shook his head yelling out as he just stood there lost the voices screaming in his head.

"He's gone. V-Virgil's gone. He's not coming back. He chose that f-f-f-f... FUCK!" Roman froze up as he held his head with a firm grip. "I-I-I'm l-lossing it, R-Remus."

"We know... We know." Remus pulled Roman in close letting their brother cry on their shoulder. "It's going to be ok. He'll come back. We just know it. Beside..." Remus could feel the demon coming out as their overprotective nature began to raise its head. "I would ever let you break, Ro. I love you."

"I love you too, Ray."