#janico

Janus did not have feelings for the cute- for the new friend his brother kept bringing around.

Absolutely not, no matter how many times Thomas insisted to get over himself and please just say something it’s “actually painful” to watch them interact.

Shut up he didn’t have a crush on Nico that was stupid. Janus didn’t get crushes.

God he was so lost for the cute song writer who was he even kidding?

Nico was so incredibly bad at coming up with ideas when he was dealing with writer’s block. A song about metaphorical trash? Really? But his laugh was adorable and his grin was bright and he enjoyed Disney and playing basketball definitely didn’t make looking at his arms a chore-

“You’re gushing to yourself again,” Thomas said, not looking up from his desk where he was working on homework for a college course he was struggling not to fail.

“And you’re going to absolutely pass that class,” Janus mumbled, feeling his face flush the slight tingling of his lips that came with his subconscious whispering to himself that proved Thomas right.

Thomas leaned back in his chair to look at Janus, who was sitting cross-legged on his brothers bed, afghan needles in hand and a half knitted blanket spilling across his lap.

“You’re being mean to cope with your massive crush on my friend again.”

“You’re being a nuisance to feel smart again,” was Janus’ retaliation.

His brother only raised an eyebrow, tapping his pencil against the wood of his desk.

“Shut up.”

“Thomas?”

“You didn’t.”

Thomas fought back a laugh, snorting harshly at Janus’ icy glare.

He doubted the other took him seriously, with the heat rising to his cheeks and making his face visibly red.

“In my room Nico!”

Janus needed to get out now but if he wanted to move he’d have to carefully fold his afghan so the needles wouldn’t slip from the stitches.

Judging by the footsteps on the stairs, Janus had no time to do any of that, and so he was trapped on Thomas’ bed.

“I hate you,” he hissed in his brothers direction, clamping his mouth shut when Nico knocked on the door and pushed it open.

“Oh— hey Janus!”

He nodded. Janus couldn’t fuck up nodding.

Nico grinned at him, then turned his eyes to Thomas and suddenly he could breathe again.

“You said you were having a hard time with your homework? You remember we’re in totally different majors right?”

Thomas’ own smile was sheepish.

“Yeah, I remember. I was just hoping you’d give me a distraction because I’m stressed out of my mind right now.”

Nico hummed, setting his bag down next to the bed and sat down on the edge, careful not to disturb Janus’ work.

“Okay, but I want a cookie as payment. I know you had Pat and Virge over last night.”

Thomas’ eyebrows furrowed for a split second, his eyes flicked to Janus, and then his grin was back in place.

It wouldn’t have been noticeable if Janus own eyes weren’t locked on him to keep himself from being hyper aware of how close Nico was to him.

“Yeah, sure! I’ll be right back.”

“Patton and Virgil weren’t here last night,” Janus said as soon as Thomas left the room.

Nico shifted, placing his back against the wall and then pulling his laptop from his bag, starting to get it set up.

“Nope! But cookies is a codeword between Thomas and I— I’m not as new of a friend as you might think— that we want to talk to a really cute boy and need some privacy.

Janus was going to burst into flames at this rate. What is with Nico and flustering him so easily?

Not that he was flustered, absolutely not.

…Maybe a little bit.

“You good there Jay?”

God fuck he’s so gay.

“Yep—” he cleared his throat when his voice cracked and tried again, “yep I’m ga- great. I’m great.”

Nico looked from his computer screen to give Janus a lopsided smile that made his heart lurch.

“You’re ga-great?”

“Shut up you just called me really cute I can’t be expected to function right now.”

His laugh rung out through the room and Janus… really couldn’t deny the little smile that overtook him at that moment.

“I guess not, huh? Alright, that’s fair. So uh… do you wanna get coffee with me sometime? You can ramble about how society is a sham or something.”

Janus is so fucking gay.

“Yes— I mean. Sure. That sounds… nice.”