You're Not Allowed To Fall in Love With Me (COMPLETED)

Chapter 30

Janus didn't look up when he felt someone slump down on the couch next to him. He already knew who it was.

"On time for once?" He asked, turning a page. He got a sigh in response. "What's wrong, Rem?"

"... The bet." Remus said quietly, his voice small and childish. Janus sighed, marking his book and closing it.

"Remus, enough with talk of this-" Janus stopped when he saw what Remus looked like. He was unusually, unhealthily, pale and looked as if he'd been crying. "What's wrong?"

"I messed up, Jan. I messed up big time. I didn't expect it to go this far." Remus sniffled, scrubbing his fists into his eyes like a little child. "But now two hearts are broken and it's all my fault. All my damn fault." Remus was pressing his fists into his eyes, looking to Janus as if he was trying to hurt himself. Carefully, Janus took his boyfriend's fists away from his eyes.

"Hey, hey," he said softly, "none of this is your fault. It's Roman's fault for agreeing to this whole thing and his fault again for being too much of a baby to own up to it."

Remus was silent for probably the first time in his life. Janus could still see the guilt written in his eyes and hugged Remus tightly. Remus snuffled slightly, burying his face in Janus' chest. Janus kissed the top of Remus' head.

"Everything's going to be fine. I promise." He unlatched himself from Remus to put his hands under Remus' face, looking into his dark green eyes. "And you can trust me on this."

Roman sighed, his head in his hands. He'd never thought that the park could be this loud. The only place he'd ever been had been the little fountain part, cut off from the rest of the park. But he couldn't go there now without feeling physically sick. He'd been there with Virgil and now it seemed contaminated. Like he couldn't go there ever again.

"Are you okay?" A voice asked, making Roman look up. For a second he thought it was Virgil but then saw that this boy's eyes were green and blue, not grey.

"Um, yeah. I'm fine."

The boy titled his head slightly and then pointed at the bench. "Can I sit here?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure." Roman forced a small smile which was hesitantly returned. There was a small silence between the two boys.

"Hey, um, I think I've seen you in a school production." The boy said, breaking the awkward silence. "Something like... Little Shop of something?"

"Horrors." Roman clarified. "Little Shop of Horrors. And yeah. I was Orion. The dentist."

The boy nodded, his face breaking out into a smile. "You were brilliant. And brutal." He added as an afterthought. Roman laughed slightly. The boy stuck out his hand. "I'm Eric. I'm on the school swim team."

Roman shook his hand. "Roman. He/him pronouns."

"Oh, we're doing the pronoun thing?" Eric asked hurriedly, nodding slightly again. "Well, same. He/him pronouns."

"I haven't seen you at any of the swim galas. And my mum insists we have to go." Roman said. Eric laughed slightly.

"Yeah, well, I only, kinda just got on the team. And it feels awesome! And my little sister can finally brag about her 'superstar big brother'." He laughed slightly.

"How old is your sister?"

"Nine."

Roman nodded slightly. "Like Virgil's younger brother." He thought involuntarily. Another wave of sickness washed over him and he guessed it must've shown on his face.

"Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah." Roman said, a little too quickly.

"If you say so." Eric muttered, checking his watch.

"Waiting for someone?"

Eric nodded. "My girlfriend."

"What's she look like? I can help you look out for her." Roman smiled slightly.

"Well... she looks beautiful."

"You may have to be more specific. I mean, you are talking to a gay guy so..." Eric laughed.

"Okay, um... red hair. Big, bushy red curls. Usually in a ponytail. Very tall. And black eyes." Eric looked around. "You know, I wouldn't be surprised if she was in a tree right now. She loves climbing."

"Is that her?" Roman asked, pointing to a girl with hay-wire ginger hair descending a tree, a few twigs sticking out of her hair.

"Yep. Thanks." Eric said, smiling before getting up and running over to his girlfriend. Roman watched them exchange a few words before they walked off into the trees, hands interlocked.

He felt a wave of sadness wash over him and stood up. He was done with the park.