Constellation

3. To fall in love

Logan has at least 2 feelings

Introducing the new variation of 'angst with a happy ending': dumbass with a happy ending

Be warned: Patton chose the name of this chapter.

How could a door be so scary?

Well, Janus was named after the god of doorways and transitions, and he could be terrifying. His half-brother, on the other hand, was an adorable heart-shaped little ball of sunshine.

And yet.

"Remember, Virgil..."

Virgil tugged on his friend's sleeve a little, which was his signal for wanting to speak. He wasn't comfortable interrupting people yet, but his communication skills were slowly improving.

"You love me independently of Patton and Roman, and no matter what," he recited proudly.

And what could Logan do, other than peck his forehead?

"I don't understand why, though," he added, his eyes brimming with trust and admiration, "but I'm happy about it." Logan was about to protest when the door opened.

"Good morning!" Patton exclaimed, his irises spinning like small cogs, as they did when he used his Empath gifts. "If it's not my two favorite anxious pumpkins!"

"But it is us."

"Hello Pat-Pat!!!"

Virgil immediately stepped forward, robbing Logan of his improvised hiding place (hunched behind him) and allowing himself to be enveloped in a hug. The time it had taken for the young man to admit how much he loved hugs was tragic, but they were all working tirelessly to fix it.

"Hello, sweetheart!!"

"Logan and I have something to te-," Virgil said over Patton's shoulder.

"Virgil was saying bad things about himself!" Logan hastily interrupted him.

The man turned to give him a betrayed look as above him, Patton exclaimed: "Are you telling me that the most curious, playful, caring, attentive, resourceful little crowling..."

"Stop," Virgil whined, but when Patton stroked his hair, he tilted his head to lean in his hand like a cat.

"Hard-working, nice, adorable, clever..."

"I'm not even smart!"

"You mean you weren't educated, that's different," Patton corrected gently.

"And you're probably only considering one type of intelligence," Logan added. "Emotional intelligence is equally as important, and as of late you proved to have a lot more of it than me."

"That's not very difficult," Patton staged-whispered in Virgil's ear.

As Logan pretended to be outraged, Patton led them into his room.

Although he hadn't been raised in the Center like the twins, Patton had done an admirable job in making him space unmistakably him. Where Janus' bedroom was clean and tidy, but impersonal (not that he used it a lot these days) Patton's was an explosion of colors and patterns, with countless of his sewing and knitting projects in between the plants, books, stuffed animals and Roman-made drawings vying for place. He'd even embroidered sunflowers and little frogs on the curtains.

"So," Patton said, arranging the pile of cushions that almost hid his bed so that they could all lean against them, "tell me about it. If this is stressing you out... Oh, yeah, it is stressing you out. Maybe better not beat around the bush, then."