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Janus got into plenty of physical fights. It was a normal occurrence that would last. But after continuous fights over the months and years, one large bruise formed across the whole left side of his face. It reminded him of his sour reputation as a punk. This reputation attracted a new crowd to him which became his friends even if they were nothing like him.Taking a break from his hard life at school, he didn’t want to spend his summer break all bloody and bruised. He just needed a distraction.
His friends were happy to provide and were very distracting. The six of them were crowded in a normal booth. There was Logan, Roman, Patton, Virgil, Remus, and lastly Janus. Outside, the clouds were rolling in. They chatted about something as Janus fiddled with the straw wrapper from his drink, bored out of his mind. He didn't want to watch them as they were all too fluffy for his taste. Except Remus who was equally as bored and making bubbles with his drink. He was next to Logan who was as annoyed as Janus but didn’t say anything as he engaged in the conversation. The others huddled together as Janus and Remus were at the side not even listening. Remus started adding his own input that was very off topic. As he messed with the straw more and isolated himself, he craved a smoke. The conversation they were having shifted to camps somehow.
"Think about it! We have the whole stage to ourselves. I will be the lead actor, Logan as the drama turd,” Then Logan cut in, “It's pronounced Dramaturg,” Roman continued, “Exactly. Then Patton in the audience and Virgil the techie.” Roman finished.
"Ok then Olaf." Virgil snickered from across the booth as he sighed from boredom.
“Mhh! If you think my ideas aren't good then. Janus, what are you doing this summer?” With a pout, the conversation was now to Janus.
“Hm?” Not really paying attention to anything they were saying, Roman was annoyed.
“I said, ‘what are you doing this summer’.” He repeated as he took a sip from his water. All eyes on the table were on him.
“I don’t know, hockey.” He really wasn’t sure about hockey but whatever excuse he could come up with at the moment would help.
“Really? I didn’t think you were a hockey player?” Patton was surprised as he looked at him.
“Yea, I’m not.” Janus didn’t want to carry the lie.
“Oh.” Patton piped as he didn’t know what to say next.
“Hmm.” Roman thought for a moment. A light bulb appeared.
“You could join the theater camp with us!” What? Janus isn’t a theater geek, he understands it but it’s just. He can lie but not for a script.
Before he could say anything, Logan spoke, “Or you could join me and Virgil in space camp.” Space camp. He never had been interested in space.
“What—!? No! Janus would make the perfect techie!… or script writer.” Janus was kinda baffled that Roman was trying to convince him to join him and Patton.
“He’s just saying that Janus can also go to space camp and not just theater.” Virgil was sticking up for him too?
“Mhm. But he would be better in the theater than looking at some stars.” Roman remarked. Patton was starting to get unsettled by seeing the others going back and forth.
“He doesn’t just look at some stars, he gets to learn about space and rockets and real things. ” The last part was more bitter than sweet. Remus at this point had stopped what he was doing before and was just smiling at the madness. Janus looked and avoided eye contact as the others were still arguing over where Janus should go.
“Hey! Um.. Shouldn’t Janus decide?” Janus was put on the spot again and stopped focusing on Remus’ stare.
“I’ll think about it.” Janus responded. The others seemed content with his answer. Janus wasn’t going to think about it, he just planned to stay at home and relax for once. It kinda ended there as no one wanted to question the man. The urge to smoke rested with Janus. He figured he could smoke before they eat.
“I’m going out for a smoke.” He quickly managed as he left the table and headed for the front diner's door. He attempted to smoke in front of the restaurant but the wind was too much for the lighter. It howled in his ears as he belittled himself for wearing a non-hood raincoat. Janus walked over to the side of the place as he heard his shoes rubbing against the concrete. Light rain was starting to settle in but Janus was lucky that the side had some coverage. He reached the corner and slid to the wall. He lit the cigarette after some concentration and puffed. He blinked, a big figure was standing in front of him with two others following behind. It was a person. Who didn’t look happy.
The guy was all muscle and Janus recognized him from school. They got into a fight over personal space. How ironic. They actually fought more than once but he wasn’t a fresh face. The other two he didn’t remember but he didn’t care about them. Janus flicked his cigarette as he glared at the guy trying to put on an intimidating look.
“What do you think you're doing here, snake?” The guy threatened. Janus knew how to answer.
“Smoking. But I just lost my cigar so..” Janus didn’t want to fight this dude. He was bigger than last time and if the other two were to join in, he would be in trouble.
“Just smoking huh?” His voice was really raspy.
“Mhm. Just minding my business.” Why don’t you mind yours too, is what Janus wanted to say if he was less on the defensive.
“Mind my ass. We know that people like you don’t just hang out like you haven’t done what you did.”
“What a tongue twister.” Janus bit. Janus got slapped by one of the goons. Janus elbowed the guy away, while the other started grabbing at him like he was trying to choke him. Janus’s cheek was burning from the slap but he dodged and attempted to run to the corner. The other goon grabbed his neck with his arms and was holding him in place in front of the guy. Janus struggled under his grasp as the goon made a smart move to not put his hands near Janus’ mouth. The guy punched his gut and Janus tried to spit but the goons hold was strong enough to make him choke on his own saliva or blood. The guy continued punching as each of the men overpowered and overwhelmed him. His limbs were aching from blows. The other goon was kicking him in the hold as the guy punched and the other held onto Janus so he could feel everything. Janus was about to cry with this much pain. His ribs felt cracked as his knees fell to the ground from the hard kicks to his legs. The force on his back disappeared but a headache was rolling in. On the ground, his face was now dirty. They abandoned him. He curled into a ball as this wasn’t anything he had ever experienced or expected. The fights at school were small, short, pointless. But this one had emotion, pain, and felt like the longest fight he has ever been in. Or gang up. He passed out as the cold was settling in the air. The light rain turned harder as the storm would only get worse.
Remus noticed that Dee was gone for a while. The others were too focused on their food to notice the one member missing. But a smoke shouldn’t take that long. Remus has never smoked but he knew a lot about it for a non-smoker. He could ignore his fries for now, he’ll like them cold anyway. He checked outside before strolling out the front door. He didn’t care to put up his hood after feeling the fabric on his palms. He went outside and the rain was already pounding his hair and shoulders. He didn’t see his friend once he looked around. It reminded him of a movie. He chuckled at the thought but it was interrupted but a cackle of thunder. He should probably look for Dee now.
The wind was blowing a little too harsh for Remus but the bruised boy-friend wasn’t in the parking lot. He peeked and was now pretending to be in a movie. Like a detective or something. He traveled alongside a wall and reached the corner. His smile from his antics went away when he saw an unconscious, half soaking Janus laying on the floor.
Remus was panicking. He saw Janus and wanted to help him. He didn’t think about what was going on in the diner or outside of this but he just needed to help him. He grabbed Janus by the arm and shoulder and lifted him to the wall. Half of his body was wet but the other was safe from the covering of the roof. Laying up against the wall, Janus looked peaceful in his sleep but he was very pale. He was lucky he had a jacket. Or Dee would probably have hypothermia. Remus would normally comment something unnatural at this insistence but he needed to help Dee. Which he didn’t know how to do. He didn’t know what happened or how or when or why or anything. But a medkit or something like that could help him.
Remus wasn’t going to leave Janus to suffer so he removed his coat and covered him. He ran to the front doors of the diner. Soaking wet, he went to the table and took the napkin stand. He grabbed Roman’s water cup also. Logan was very very confused as well as Virgil. But Virgil was more afraid of why and what he was going to do.
“Uh, we need those.” Roman just said out of nowhere.
“Well! I need them more!” Remus spat out, he could tell the employees were looking at him. The place was empty aside from the employees and the gang of friends.
Remus ran out like he ran in and shielded the napkins and cup as much as he could. He placed the stand on a dry piece of the ground. He cursed himself for being an idiot and just getting napkins which probably wouldn’t do anything. But he had to try.
Patton looked at the others who were just as confused as to what Remus was doing. He just took the napkins and Roman’s drink? Patton was getting slightly suspicious as to what happened. He was Remus and very unpredictable. Patton decided on his mind.
“I’m going to check on him.” Patton commented when getting up from his seat. The others had a silent agreement as Patton walked out the door with his hood on. He put his hands in his pockets as he shivered due to the rain hitting his jacket loudly.
“Remus!” He called out. He didn’t see him which felt like it gave the worrying more meaning. He looked around from his spot but didn’t dare to move.
“Over here!” A voice sounding like Remus called. Patton went near where he thinks the voice was from as the cold was settling in. He peered around the corner to see the weirdest sight. Remus over an unconscious Janus with a blood covered napkin in his hands. Patton shuttered over the sight of blood and knew what he needed to do.
“We need to call an ambulance.”
Everyone was waiting in the Janus room in the hospital. Remus was the closest to the bed as well as Patton. When Patton called for an ambulance he ran to the others to tell them and the employees. The ambulance arrived and Janus was still asleep. Remus was trying to wet the napkins to clean the blood and the dirt on Janus’ face.
Logan would have preferred to drive him there themselves, he almost suggested but didn’t want to interrupt the silence of the room and the heaviest of the situation. Virgil was just waiting. He didn’t know what he was waiting for. For Janus to wake up or the doctors. Patton was glad he did what he did and wanted to help Janus as much as he could. Roman was lost for words and didn’t know what to think so he just studied the atmosphere. It smelt of lavender and was well decorated but super white. Remus just wanted to kill the person who did this.
Janus slowly opened his eyes to see the many lights or white walls greet him. This wasn’t outside for sure but wasn’t the first time. His hand touched something and then it felt squeezing. He squeezed back to whatever he was holding as his eyes were starting to adjust to the room. It was Remus’ hand which was surprisingly not normal.
“Hey..” Remus was able to muster. He looked awful, his eyes were red and his hair was a wet mop.
“Hey..” Janus just repeated as he was clueless. It made him a bit frustrated but he couldn’t help but feel bad for Remus.
“So you got gang banged..?” His voice was quiet and out of character.
“No. Just some guy from school.” Remus went through relief as Janus was only beat up and it wasn’t worse than he imagined.
“Good, cause I thought I was about to commit arson.” Remus laughed a little at the last part as Janus laughed small. Remus leaned into the hospital bed. As the two were engaging in conversation the others watched them. The others were relieved to see that Janus could still move his hands and talk even if it wasn’t much. Seemed like Janus wasn’t going to camp anytime soon with his condition. But Remus wanted to do more than be there for Janus. He wanted to give that douche what he deserved.