True Deceit

Chapter 42: Janus

The vengeance of evil was stupefied. "How in all of hell did you-" He never finished his sentence, for at that moment Roman fired the banisher, making him dissipate with a flash of yellow and an excruciatingly high scream.

Logan's limbs were unbound, and his eyes returned to brown and white. Ragged breathing sounds filled the atmosphere, loud in the depthful silence which consumed the air. All seven young men shared glances with each other. They all stood in wait.

Logan eventually decided. "We need to host some kind of meeting and settle our differences, it's time for peace and alliance amongst all of us. And Thomas? This is your mind, I believe it is time for you to lead."

Thomas smiled genuinely, not to conceal or to appease, a smile as real as the air he breathed. "Ok, this is my meeting to run." He scanned his eyes around the room before pointing a finger at Roman. "I want you to be the time keeper, and Logan, I trust you to fulfill the role of recorder. Everyone else, jot down some dot points on what you wish to discuss. We'll meet back in an hour."

                                                                                             *

Janus sat isolated within his cell, scribbled in cursive atop his page. There was so much to question at the up coming meeting, a thousand gut wrenching curiosity's. That's when he heard a voice call to him.

"Janus?" The snake jolted tensely, turning his head to Roman who stood steadily behind the transparent screen. Delicately held in his fingers was a precious bowl hat, beautiful and fragile as ever. "I'm sorry I took this from you, It was a bad decision. I swear I didn't want to hurt you. Also, before you ask, yeah, I heard what the shadow said about me."

Janus face turn red, and his heart pounded in his chest. Hastily he choked out. "So what are you going to do, laugh at me?"

Roman was dumbstruck. "What? No, off course not! Janus, why... hey, hey, calm down," he lowered his voice at sight of the frightened eyes glancing back at him. "Slimy, relax, I'm not going to hurt you. Here," he slowly entered the cell, holding out the hat for Janus to take. "Take it."

Janus hesitantly reached out his fingers, snatching the hat before holding it to his chest. The fabric felt smooth, and the warmth slowed his racing heart.

"Thank you, for giving it back."

"I was always going to, I just hoped you would eat first," Roman confessed, glancing over to the plate which was still contained half of his meal. "I care about you, it's just that my ego is oversized. So when you started to act out last time... I responded unfairly." 

"I'm sorry," Janus admitted nervously. "I should have eaten."

Roman cocked his head at the choice of word, his stomach knotting. "I'm sorry too. I need to ask you, why are you afraid I'm going to hurt you physically?"

Deceit gasped, letting out a terrible hiss. "Fuck off! How stupid would that be, to be scared of you!"

"Hey!" Roman grasped Janus's wrists, pulling his fists downward. "Don't hiss at me-"

"Get away from me!"

"Janus," Roman released his hold, moving backward with open palms. A realisation struck him. When Deceit feels threatened, he becomes aggressive. Roman slowly lowered himself from the bench, kneeling on one knee. "I'm not trying to fight you, I just want to help."

Janus was gripping his hat so tightly his knuckles turned white. "Don't come near me!"

"Okay," Roman was having trouble swallowing his pride, but with a heavy sigh he managed to remain calm. "I'm not going to move, you can trust me." Roman noticed that the leash appeared taut around his waist, enough so that he could see his abdomen pressing against the leather strap on close inspection.

"Don't move," Janus responded, his voice quieting. "I'm... sorry."

"That's okay, relax. Can you answer my question?" Roman spoke carefully.

At that moment, Thomas strutted through the cell room door, beaming before the transparent screen. However, his face instantly fell when he saw Roman kneeling solemnly and Deceit recoiled in a frightened manor. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Janus hissed loudly, "get up, lousier-twin!"

"Hey, don't be like that," Thomas spoke in an unusually stern voice. "The meeting is about to start. Roman, it's your call, can Janus be trusted enough to be released?"

Janus's eyes soared with temptation, glimmering with the prospect of being unleashed.

Roman sighed. "Probably. But I want to have quick word with him first, in private." Thomas nodded, slowly stepping outside the room.

Janus's heart was pounding. "Please, let me go," he hadn't meant to sound desperate, but the sweet relief of freedom warmed his chest. 

Janus legitimately appeared shocked. "Oh, ok, sure, just let please let me go."

"I will. But don't you go sinking or making a run for it. Also, if you hurt anyone, hell if you even hiss at anyone, I'll tie you up again. Understood?"

Janus whispered anxiously. "Roman, I can't help hissing when I get scared, it's a snake instinct."

Roman could feel the sincerity in his voice. "Okay, okay."