I Thought I Loved You Yesterday [Roceit High School AU]

Chapter 10 - Do What You Think Is Best

Janus pulled the book from his locker into his backpack, zipping it up and trying to remember where the theater was.

He zipped it shut and closed the locker with a clang, scanning the halls. He saw Roman wave to him from farther back, the taller boy weaving through the crowd and stopping by him. "You ready?" Roman asked, tilting his head down the hall.

"Absolutely not," Janus muttered. He wasn't sure if it was sarcastic or not. 

"Roman laughed. "Let's go, I'd be happy to introduce you."

"Nope, no, no introductions." Janus stopped, forcing Roman to halt and turn. "I don't care about the others, Roman. I'm here for extracurricular. Not friends."

"Oh. Mmhmm. Right." Janus started walking again, feeling like he'd done something wrong. It wasn't like it was a lie - he was here for extracurricular, and he didn't want to have to do that new-kid-thing of introducing yourself. He probably phrased it badly. "You should probably talk to Virgil, he's sort of the leader of the techs."

"Like you're the leader of the theater kids?"

"Exactly." Janus made a small sound of acknowledgement as they walked into the theater. "You can put your bag there." Roman pointed to the seat next to his and Janus set his bag down, following Roman as he walked over to the adult, who was sitting on the stage. Sanders, Janus remembered.

"Roman. Janus. Glad to see you're early." Janus shoved down the slight burst of happiness that Roman's name being so close to his strangely brought. "Go on up and grab the mics."

"Have you seen Virgil?"

"I think he said he had some teacher he needed to talk to since he's going to be absent tomorrow."

"Oh, right." Roman started walking toward the back, back up to the mic booth, Janus following close behind. The taller boy waved at the few kids that started trickling in the doors, who waved back.

The pair went up the stairs. Roman handed Janus a small box and pointed to a few power outlets on the edge of the desk as he rifled through the cabinets. "Can you grab the batteries?" he asked. "Just put them in the box."

Janus nodded and started working the small, energized cylinders out of their places, quietly filling the box as Roman dragged the belts and mics out of the cabinet. He swore a bit as he set them down. "I forgot how heavy they were. Damn," he muttered, glancing over at Janus. "Do you want to put the batteries in right now or down there?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Which is quicker?"

"If we put them in now, it's a bit easier, but it's slower. If we take them down, it's quicker, but less straightforward." 

"Let's stay up here, then." Janus brought the batteries over to Roman.

"Great choice. I'm not straight, anyway," Roman laughed, taking one of the mics out. 

"How do we put them in?" he asked.

The taller boy opened one of the mics, showing Janus the compartment again. The one on the inside is positive, and outside is negative. So the one with the little nub, and then the flat one." Janus nodded as Roman handed him another mic. "Then shut it and flip this little switch," he continued. "This light should turn green." He showed Janus the small green light as he set the black box back where he had grabbed it from and grabbed a third one. 

The two started turning on the mics, establishing a rhythm of Janus opening them and putting the batteries on, and Roman turning them on and putting them back in their designated spot. Eventually the taller boy broke the silence. "So."