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Running his fingers across the stage floor, Janus didn’t know why he was orating everything to this stranger, but it was nice to get everything off of his chest. Maybe it was just how Roman’s smile wasn’t sneering or anything mean like he always encountered. Roman’s half smile when Janus glanced back at him, the gesture meant to encourage Janus to keep continuing to talk, was the most genuine thing he’d seen in who knows how long.
“And they always call me the f-word, not fuck, but you know the one.” Janus glanced over to Roman yet again, who nodded this time in response. Janus's hand continued to trace the floor, it was a comforting movement that distracted him from what he was telling Roman a bit. Janus didn’t want to cry in front of the top theatre student of the class (ignoring the fact that he had obviously been crying when Roman got there.)
“They never do the same thing twice in a row, I guess that’s just to keep me on my toes, not expecting where or how they are going to poun-”
Janus cut himself off as he distantly heard the bell ring. He tried to get up, but surprisingly, Roman held onto Janus’s hand that he hadn’t even registered he was holding and tethered him to the ground.
Janus’s eyebrows furrowed, “Roman, what are you doing? We need to get to class.”
Gently pulling Janus’s hand towards himself, Roman shook his head. He wasn’t too firm to yank Janus back; Roman made clear with his soft wide eyes and mouth folded into a line that Janus could refuse his grip.
“No, we don’t....” Roman’s eyes darted up and left, his lips parting before his eyes lit up suddenly and a sly grin spread on his face. “Aren’t you the one who talks about how ‘we live in a society’ and society’s just a lie we keep up? Why are you so insistent about following a bell like it controls your life.”
Janus had to attempt to pick his jaw from the floor, and was mostly unsuccessful. “You… remember that speech I made? I thought you didn’t-”
“I didn’t remember? I didn’t... until now. I’m quite surprised I forgot in all actuality, it was a really cool speech, actually, Janus. You think of things that never in a million years I could dream of cooking up. And I’m the school’s top creative guy!”
Janus’s face began to warm at the compliment; he hoped the change wasn’t visibly obvious in the dim lights of the stage.
“Thank you Roman, that’s very nice of you to say.”
“It’s the truth, my slithery serpentine friend.”
Janus arched an eyebrow in a silent question, then decided to vocalize the question.
“Serpentine friend? What am I, a reptile? Or-” Janus snorted and Roman frowned slightly.
“No. Sorry about that, I- you just seem like someone who would love snakes. The, uh, snake patterned suspenders?”
Janus looked down at his own snake themed suspenders with new eyes, absently grabbing it and letting it snap back onto his shoulder. He gazed back up sheepishly
“Oh uh, yeah. I forgot I had those on. Yes, I do appreciate myself a snake or two.”
An awkward silence fell over the two of them, both of them waited for the other one to speak first. Before the silence stretched on into uncomfortable silence territory, Roman pushed himself to his feet abruptly, extending his hand out to Janus.
“I think we should go, it’s dusty just sitting back here and I don’t know about you, but i can barely see anything.”
Janus smirked even as he took Roman’s hand. Roman pulled him upright as Janus snarked back.
“I thought you were going to ignore the lie of society with me. I guess you’re too much of a goody two shoes to break the rules for too long, huh?
Roman gasped dramatically, hand slapping over his heart in melodramatic fashion, as if wounded by the remark.
“You wound me,” Roman quickly dropped the act, face dropping into a slight frown. “But really, I’m not saying we go to class it’s already-”
The sound of a bell echoed through the lobby door with perfect timing.
“-too late to get there on time. Instead, let’s go to someone I know can help.”
Janus was intrigued, but played coy for a few moments before grasping Roman’s hand intimately and let him lead him towards the lobby doors.
What had he just gotten himself into?