Chapter Text
Janus hates many things about himself like he has to lie while talking so you have to reverse what he is saying to understand. Or that he is cold blood and has to warm himself regularly. Or even the way he has to taste the lies others tell. He even hates the way his name sounds. He hates that Remus and Obsession worry about his self esteem, when it’s just perfect, thank you very much. But one thing he loves about himself is his scales, he loves the way they shine when he polish them, he loves the way Remus and Obsession are there for him when he sheds. He loves the way it makes him…him.
So it’s very difficult to make him hate his scales.
Key word, difficult, not impossible.
—
It was a normal day in the subconscious. Janus wakes up to his alarm and gets ready for the day. He goes downstairs and starts making the coffee and breakfast for himself. Soon Obsession comes down as well, has a cup of coffee and starts getting ready. The last one to come downstairs is Remus, who was actually wearing pajamas, and starts eating a stick of deodorant for breakfast.
They all go their separate ways, Remus in the Imagination, Obsession in her room, and Janus in the conscious. Janus doesn’t like going to the conscious and talk to the core sides, but he has no choice. He has to do his job and part of his job is to help Thomas.
And that is where he is now, fighting with Roman. Ever since Roman made fun of Janus’ name they have been on rocky ground. Always fighting with each other over the smallest things. But this time it was no small thing, they were fighting about Remus. Janus hated to fight about, or with, his best friend, but Roman was making fun of him and Janus couldn’t stand by and let him do that.
“Why are you defending him!?” Roman cried out.
“He is my best friend, and he is YOUR brother!” Janus yelled, slamming his hands on the table. And pointed a finger at Roman. “If anyone YOU should be defending him when someone says something mean!”
“I don’t care that he is my brother! So why would I care if someone said something mean! I wouldn’t even care if he died!” Roman yelled back. Everyone stopped at that. Janus lowered his finger that was still pointed at Roman as he stared back in shock. Patton gasped, tears threatening to fall, which were already threatening to fall when they started fighting. Logan looked up from his book on the couch to look at Roman and Virgil's eyes went big, even though he didn't like Remus but he never wanted him dead.
“You take that back.” Janus whispered.
But Roman didn’t say anything, instead he leaned forward over the table, his hands on the table and got right into Janus’ face, “What are you going to do about, Snake Face?” Roman said in a low voice.
“‘Do’ call me that,” Janus said, with clenched teeth. His face was half snake, it wasn't even his whole face so that “nickname” Roman just gave him was wrong but it didn’t stop him from feeling horrible about it.
“You do want me to call you that? Huh, Snake Face?” Roman asked, smirking.
“You know what I mean.”
“But I don’t. Care to explain, Snake Face?”
“I said STOP!” Janus yelled. This time Roman did stop. “You clearly don’t care about anyone but yourself, so why do I try?” And with that he left.
When Janus got to the subconscious he yanked his hat off and threw it towards the couch where Remus was sitting (sitting was understatement, it was more like sitting upside down with his head on the ground and the rest of his body on the couch) playing with a knife.
“Rough day?” Remus asked. Janus just stormed up the stairs to his room and slammed the door. “And he tells me not to slam doors.” Remus said, rolling his eyes.
But Janus didn’t go into his room like he planned, but instead he went to the door of the imagination and entered. When he entered he went straight to Remus’ castle and went to the room Remus made just for him, hoping that no one would find him here.