Vices and Maces

Chapter 6: Even Fictional Cops are Bastards

CW: discrimination, fictional slurs

"Croft," a man called, startling Logan from where he was at his desk. "We need more men patrolling downtown, get out there."

"Sir?" he asked. "I have too many cases to patrol." He gestured to the stack of folders on his desk.

"It wasn't a request, halfie."

Logan flinched at the term. Halfling was fine, it was used as a description and was seen as the same as "mixed," but somehow halfie became a derogatory term, almost a slur. He has asked before to not be called that, and was ignored every time.

"Yes sir," he grumbled, grabbing some papers. He can do them when he gets home, or during a break. Because despite putting extra work on him, he'll be expected to solve the current cases he has.

He put the folders in a briefcase he had, and set it in the front passenger seat next to him. As much as he wanted to work on the cases, it was probably best for him to leave the office. He can never focus on his work thanks to his coworkers. They make him far too anxious, even when he's not being bothered by them.

It's why he's been working on these cases at home so much. He thinks better at his own desk at home, in his own space, where he knew he was safe. He could protect himself, he knew a little bit of magic. It wasn't as strong as others, but he still had magic being half elf.

His father taught him a lot of spells, most of which he was able to master. Unlike most other species, elves don't need runes or crystals to use magic. Fae and genies both have elemental magic, and are able to master their element with little work. Elves have to memorize the words and hand movements, and that's only if they have enough magic to cast the spell.

Logan could only do low level magic, humans didn't have any magic so he didn't get any from his mother. There was a chance he could have been born without magic at all! He was lucky to get what he has, even if it disappointed his father.

He didn't need to use magic in his day to day life anyway. Sure Patton uses his air magic to get to places faster, or to bring things to himself, but it was too much work for Logan. He didn't need fire magic, he had a stove and lighter. He didn't need plant magic either, he has a green thumb. And there was no need for ice magic, he had an ice dispenser. So even though he knew all of these spells and incantations, he's never used them. He doesn't need to.

Logan kept his speed steady as he went through town, looking around for any trouble. Downtown was... downtown. He wasn't going to be able to find a safe place to stop and work on any cases here. There were far too many dangerous people around here. It was a hotspot for gang fights, they were constantly breaking out. And as much as Logan wants to stop the gangs... he knew getting involved with one would be a death sentence, if not a hospital stay.

There was a theory of who might be behind the sudden increase of dangerous weapons, and Logan was starting to believe it. An inventor who had discovered how to safely merge magic and technology, while all attempts before had ended in destruction. Giving magic too much energy results in an explosion of some kind, but this inventor somehow did it. And then disappeared two years earlier after a car crash.

It was a shame, when Logan had first heard of the inventor's discovery, he had high hopes. But he was starting to see just how corrupt people were in this town. Well, at least the police and gangs, so it didn't surprise Logan that one engineer was corrupted. Part of him hoped he was wrong.

~~~

Logan put his jacket on the coat rack, setting his keys down in the bowl next to the door. He grabbed his phone from the jacket pocket as he made his way to the living room, too tired to work on any cases. He was able to arrest only one kid who was spray painting the side of a shop. He had gotten home later than usual, and really wanted a nap, but first...

"Patton?" he called out. He didn't park in the garage, so he wasn't sure if Patton was home or not.

But the house was completely dark and silent, the weight on Logan's shoulders becoming heavier. He set his briefcase down next to the couch before sitting. He checked his phone and saw a text message from Patton he had gotten earlier.

"I'm working overtime tonight, I'll be home later, don't forget to get something to eat! I love you," it read.

Logan sighed as he opened his phone and typed out a message. "I love you too." He hesitated a moment before hitting send. The message felt empty... Logan didn't used to say the word so much, and it meant a lot to him. But lately all it felt like was empty words.

He did love Patton, absolutely he did. But they have been growing apart because of their jobs. They don't get a lot of time to relax together. And when they do, half of the time they're too exhausted to even focus on a movie.

The halfling set his phone down, staring at the coffee table. There was a tray in the center that had never been moved, it was decorative at this point. There were remotes and spare change, but in the corner was a fake white rose. It was one of many flake flowers, but it was the one they decided to decorate their wedding cake with when they came up with a design together months ago. It was going to surround the two layers of the cake, the bottom layer being bigger than the top.

They've been so focused on their jobs that they haven't been able to plan their wedding in months. Further proof that they didn't have enough time to spend together.

"Oh Patton," Logan sighed as he leaned back against the couch, looking up at the ceiling. "What are we going to do?"