#glassferns

Janus pressed himself into the counter, listened to the dull beat of the music, and hoped Virgil would stop asking questions so he could cut his losses and go back to his dorm.

What had he hoped would happen? That having Virgil by his side would somehow convince Remy to be polite? That a different atmosphere, other than the coffee shop they both frequented and the library they always got kicked out of for arguing, would somehow give everything a fresh start?

Janus sighed. Arch-nemesis. Definitely.

“Janus?” Virgil asked.

“Hmm?” Janus looked around. “This party is a bust, I might go early--”

“You’re...” Virgil looked like he was connecting several dots. “You’re sure? I mean, thank fuck, I hate parties. But also--are you okay?”

“Fine,” Janus said.

Virgil looked at him even closer, and not for the first time, Janus hated how well Virgil could read him.

“You should talk to them,” Virgil finally said. “Remy.”

“What?” Janus blinked at him. “Why on earth would I go out of my way to talk to him?”

“I know, I know, your endless rivalry or whatever.” Virgil smirked. “But they’re a dick, Jan. You’re perfect for each other.”

Janus hoped he wasn’t blushing. “I do have standards, you know.”

“Whatever you say.” Virgil’s smirk softened, just a bit. “C’mon, Jan. Give it a shot. I’ll hunker down in here and try not to panic about the people.”

“Good luck with that,” Janus said, and reluctantly slipped out of the kitchen.

Remy was perched in a corner by the window, sipping a coffee and boredly watching the people dancing in the center of the room. Janus watched them for a second and considered simply telling Virgil that Remy had left, or that Janus had come down with the flu and was incapable of remaining at this ridiculous party. Then Remy looked over their sunglasses, saw Janus, and raised an eyebrow in their classic greeting.

Janus groaned, rolled his eyes, and made his way over to Remy.

“Fancy seeing you here, babe,” Remy said as soon as Janus had carved out an empty space next to the window. “We just talked, back already?”

“Virgil wanted me to convey a message,” Janus said. “He thinks you’re a dick.”

Remy paused and laughed. “He’s damn right.”

“I know, I told him so.” Janus tried not to think about how Remy’s laugh really was nice, when they didn’t fake it. “And then he shoved me over here so we could fight to the death.”

“Ugh, but that’d ruin the party,” Remy said. Their eyes skimmed the clumps of people. “Not that it needs any more ruining.”

“What did you expect, disco lights?”

“Eh.” Remy shrugged. “Look, the parties I go to are usually--a bit wilder than this one. Or it’s, like, a sleepover with Emile. No in-between.”

“And yet you’re here,” Janus said mildly. “How come?”

“Aww, I wanted to see you, babe!” Remy grinned at him. “And you look great in nice clothes, I have to say.”

Janus definitely failed to not blush this time. Remy always did this--Janus counted himself a passable flirt, but the moment Remy’s tone dipped into that teasing lilt, Janus was done for. And he knew it didn’t mean anything to Remy--Remy flirted left, right, and center--so he was left boiling with frustration at falling for Remy’s tricks.

Most of the time, that frustration turned into petty arguments in line for coffee, or snippy comments during class. Remy excelled at those, too. It was absolutely unfair how much Remy could twist anything to his advantage--Janus was jealous, Janus was impressed, and Janus was just a bit head-over-heels.

Not that it mattered. Arch-nemesis. Remy only enjoyed messing with him. That was all.

“I should go,” Janus blurted out, pushing off the wall. “Virgil will be wondering where I am.”

“Let him wait,” Remy said. “We’ve barely gotten to know each other!”

“The less I know about you, the better.” Janus glanced at the kitchen. No sign of Virgil. He might be in the car already, hanging out there for the rest of the evening. Janus envied him. “I didn’t come over to this party for an argument.”

“Not even a little one?” Remy pouted and batted their eyelashes. “Please, babe?”

“No,” Janus said.

“Why did you come to this party, then?” Remy took a sip of coffee. “If not to enjoy my fabulousness.”

Janus pressed his lips together. “None of your business.”

“Oh?” Remy’s eyes lit up. “A mystery? What have you been up to, hon? Murder?”

“I haven’t murdered anyone,” Janus said. “Probably.”

“Some kind of scandal, then?” Remy’s eyes grew even wider. “Wait--wait, is the angry emo your plus one? Are you gonna--”

Remy made some kind of obscene gesture with their hands. Janus winced.

“No, Virgil’s just a friend,” Janus said. “Relax.”

“Never said I was worried, babe.” Remy smirked. “You and I have a special bond. I’m not threatened.”

Janus huffed and, once again, tried not to blush. Remy had to know. Janus was so obvious.

“I should go,” Janus said, once again.

“What, to hang out with your not-boyfriend?” Remy rolled their eyes. “Fine, babe, just say you hate my company and go.”

“Of course I hate your company,” Janus teased. “We’re enemies.”

“Hmm.” Remy looked as though they were trying to smirk back and failing. “Yeah. Well. Go on, I bet he’s waiting for you.”

Janus’ eyebrows pulled together.

“This is a waste of time anyway,” Remy added, pushing off the wall and dumping their coffee in a bush. “I should go.”

And they gave Janus a small salute, not pulling their sunglasses down, and walked away.

Janus felt vaguely--no, not vaguely, completely and fully--as if he’d done something wrong.

“Remy!” he called over the music. “Wait!”

Remy paused and glanced back.

“Um--” Janus swallowed. “You--you don’t have to leave yet, right? The night is still young and all that. I could use an alibi for the murder.”

Remy watched Janus for a second. Then their lips tilted in that smile, the one that made Janus lose every argument, flush at every compliment.

“Scapegoating your friend as the murderer?” Remy shook their head. “So cruel, babe.”

“Oh, you’re not my friend.” Janus smirked and stepped forward. “You’re more than that, correct?”

He stepped forward again, took Remy’s hand, and pulled him closer.

“You’re my nemesis, darling.”

And Janus got the sweet satisfaction of watching Remy blush and stammer--and the even sweeter satisfaction of Remy pulling him closer.

Maybe this party wasn’t so bad.