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When Logan heard the knock on his door, he looked up from his book and called for Janus to come in. He marked his place in his book as Janus walked in, carrying a bottle of red wine in one hand and two glasses in the other.
“You’re late,” Logan said curtly, setting his book back in its place in the bookshelf by the armchair he sat in.
Janus rolled his eyes, his lips quirking upward into a smirk. “Fashionably late, mind you,” he pointed out, handing Logan a wine glass and gently kissing his lips.
“I suppose,” Logan reluctantly conceded. “So, what are we drinking tonight?”
Janus held the bottle up with pride. “Only a 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grand Cru.”
Logan’s eyes widened with delight. “That wine is worth 558,000 dollars.”
“If only Thomas could sell what we can conjure,” Janus joked.
He conjured a corkscrew and twisted it into the cork, popping the bottle open and pouring Logan a glass before pouring himself one and having a seat in the second armchair next to Logan’s, who had conjured it for the purpose of their weekly Friday wine nights.
Janus held out his glass. “To us, for being possibly the only reasons Thomas has gotten through this week.”
Logan grinned. “To wine, for being the only reason I’ve gotten through this week.”
Janus chuckled. “I’ll drink to that.”
They clinked glasses and each took a sip. Logan was impressed with this wine, the notes of violets, cherries, mushrooms, forest floor, and spice mixed with the silky and ethereal texture making for a delightful experience.
“Wow,” Janus remarked. “I can’t believe I haven’t conjured this sooner.”
Logan nodded. “Yes, this is exceptional.”
“So, now that wine night has officially begun… would you like to go first? How have things been in the core four circus?”
Logan responded with a short sigh and by downing the rest of the wine in his glass.
“That bad?”
“Well, Roman and Virgil are getting along, but that’s about it. Top me off.” He held out his glass and Janus poured. “Virgil is still shutting Patton out, Roman is still bitter about Patton being closer with… well, you.” Logan shook his head and took another sip of wine. “I just wish Roman could see you the way I do.”
Janus’s eyebrows raised slightly. Logan was a little embarrassed that he had phrased it in such an emotional way.
“Not like that,” he murmured. “I just mean, I understand that you have the right intentions in what you do. I’m reminded of how Virgil was once perceived, and I wish Roman was a little more self aware. And Virgil… he seems to hate you just as much if not more. I don't understand the hypocrisy.”
Janus hummed. “Well, Virgil and I have… history. Let’s just leave it at that.” He sipped his wine, looking into the middle distance.
“Regardless, you deserve to be accepted… and more.”
Janus hesitated before awkwardly chuckling. “Are you drunk already? I don’t recall you being such a lightweight,” he teased before taking another sip.
Logan rolled his eyes fondly. “I’m not, but if I was, in my defense, I did chug that first glass,” he argued, sipping his wine and giving Janus a knowing look.
“Fair enough, I suppose. I’m sorry that you’ve been caught up in so much drama. You deserve to get drunk. Just let go.”
Logan scoffed. “I’d rather not just let go. I’m going to drink until I can just slightly feel it, so that I can escort you to your room when you inevitably drink too much, you know how this goes.”
Janus nodded. “I do tend to get carried away, don’t I?”
“Well, it’s your turn to complain. In what unique ways has Remus been a figurative thorn in your side?”
Janus sighed and took another sip, refilling his glass now that it was empty. “Well, you know he hasn’t been nearly as rambunctious since introducing himself to Thomas. I mean, he’s still… you know, Remus, but the worst thing he did this week was shit in my shower.”
Logan grimaced at the mental image. “Lovely.”
“Yeah, that was not a good morning. But manageable.”
Logan sipped his wine, then realized he had now finished two glasses. He looked down at the glass and considered having another. He didn’t want wine night to end, and the best way to keep it going was to keep drinking.
“You really think I deserve to let go?”
Janus paused. “I think you deserve to kill everyone in your life, including me.”
“That seems rather excessive. I think I’ll stick with the wine.” He held out his glass, and Janus filled it up.
“You know… Remus has mentioned that the Imagination has a dispensary now. If you ever wanted to… try that sort of thing.”
Logan raised an eyebrow as he sipped his wine. “Hm. Well, of all recreational drugs, marijuana is certainly the safest. I’ll give it some thought, do a little research.”
“Only you can make drugs into a nerdy thing,” Janus teased, sipping his wine.
Logan scoffed, taking another sip. “You know I like to be prepared before making any decision.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s cute.”
“It most certainly is not.”
Janus chuckled and took another sip. “Just accept it, Logan; you’re the cutest Side in the Mindscape.”
“I’m about to cut you off.”
Janus snorted. “Please, I’m practically sober.”
“I’m not cute, that’s far too… unserious.”
“Unserious? That’s the best you got? Who’s drunk now?”
Logan rolled his eyes. “I’m being succinct.”
Janus drank the rest of the wine in his glass. “You’re being adorable.”
“Oh, please go back to cute.”
Janus chuckled, taking Logan’s hand and placing a kiss on his knuckles. “If you insist.”
“You always were an emotional drunk.”
“I’m only as emotional as you make me feel.”
Logan smiled despite his best efforts. “Janus, I love you, but you’re such a sap.”
Logan’s heart caught in his throat when he realized he was the first one to say I love you.
He refused to meet Janus’s eyes, unable to handle the inevitable smugness in his gaze. Janus got to his feet, and Logan noticed the wobbling that he tried desperately to hide. He straddled Logan’s lap and brushed a hand across his cheek before catching his lips in a soft kiss. Logan kissed him back, his eyes slipping closed.
Janus pulled away for a moment. “I love you, too.” He quickly recaptured Logan’s lips before he could say anything.
Logan felt a fluttering in his chest, something he’d never felt before. It would turn out to be a combination of the alcohol and his feelings.
Janus leaned back and chuckled, running his fingers through Logan’s hair. “You have the softest lips ever.”
Logan smiled. “Thank you, I always make sure to stay hydrated.”
Janus rolled his eyes. “You’re such a square, but you’re… acute square.”
Logan narrowed his gaze. “Was that an attempt at a pun? Because squares cannot be acute, due to having four right angles—”
“Look, I’m not a nerd, okay?” Janus interrupted amusedly. “I tried, I failed, let’s move on.”
Logan chuckled, followed by a quiet hiccup. He put a hand over his mouth, averting his eyes.
“You ready to let go?”
Logan glanced up at Janus’s soft expression and nodded. He drank the rest of the wine in his glass.
“Let’s drink this whole bottle.”
Janus smiled. “You wild thing.”
He got up and grabbed the bottle, pouring himself and Logan more wine. They drank and chatted until the bottle was empty, both of them winding up giggling messes.
“You- you know?” Janus began, his words slurring together. “I really like this wine.”
Logan nodded. “Yeah, it’s very nice. I could marry it, if that was possible.”
Janus placed a hand on his chest, feigning offence. “You marry a wine, but not me? What about me?”
“I was being facetious. Besides, neither of us care about marriage.”
“I was joking, babe,” Janus assured, chuckling slightly. “You know… I wish wine night could be every night.”
“Me too. But it’s risky enough meeting up like this once a week. The others would definitely notice if we did this daily. Besides, what would we have to look forward to every week?”
Janus shrugged. “The end of the day? Every day?”
“I guess. What I… what I wish for is that we could… come out.”
Janus blinked. “Everyone knows we’re gay.”
Logan snorted. “No, I mean… for each other. Gay for each other.”
“Oh. Yeah. That would be nice. We wouldn’t have to sneak around… even though that’s kinda hot. We’re like the Dan and Phil of Sanders Sides.”
They both laughed at that notion. Whether it was accurate or not, neither of them cared.
“Hey, we should- we should get some sleep,” Logan said.
Janus whined. “Nooo, this is nice. I don’t wanna wait another week for this.”
“I know. Maybe someday we can have daily wine night. For now, though, this is our best option.”
Janus hesitated for a moment. “Can I at least spend the night?”
Logan gave it as much thought as he could with the alcohol in his system. “It’s a risk… but it’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
The two of them conjured on some pajamas and got into bed, cuddled under the covers and blissfully together, even if it was just for tonight.