The Lies He Spoke

THIRTY FIVE

[TW: Mentions of self harm]

LOGAN

The doorbell was ringing incessantly. There was only one person who rang doorbells like that.

"Stop it, Blake, I'm coming!" Logan hollered. Where on earth was Olivia and why wasn't she answering the door?

He got to the front door just as Olivia was unlocking it and pulling it open for their brother, who immediately bent down to her level and swept her into a hug like the Prince Charming he thought he was. Which he actually might be, Logan conceded grudgingly.

"Blake, you're here!" She was so happy. Logan couldn't remember now the last time he had heard that tone of voice from her. Especially these last days, he had hardly heard any voice at all, not since she had found him in the bathroom-

Logan tried not to think about it. He leaned against the dining table and tried to let some of his siblings' happiness reach him.

Keyword being tried.

"I am!" Blake kissed both of Olivia's cheeks in an exaggerated manner and gently pinched her nose. "Hello to you too."

"Hey, stop!" But she laughed as she pushed his hands away. "Why are you here?"

Blake widened his eyes comically and flung a hand to his chest. "If my gorgeous face is offending you in any way, please don't hesitate to question my undying affection for you."

"What on earth are you saying?"

"I just came to visit."

"Where's Andy?"

"We're not joined at the hip."

She frowned. "I asked you to bring him if you come."

Blake's smile didn't falter. "He's...busy."

"It's a Friday night."

"I don't know! And where's Logan?" Blake tried to edge around her, presumably to look for him, but Olivia blocked his foot with hers.

"Did you get in a fight with Andy?"

Blake sighed and put his hands on her shoulders. "We're not in a fight, Liv," he said gently, but his voice was tired.

Olivia must've heard it too because she said, "Alright, I'll drop it." She pushed Blake's glasses, which had slipped down during his protests, back up his nose in a gentle apology. "Do you want to eat? Logan just made stir fried rice."

"Dude," said Blake, finally spotting where Logan was leaning against the table. "Look at you. A whole chef already."

As he always did with every sibling every time he saw them, Blake opened his arms and tried to give Logan a hug.

At the exact same time that Olivia grabbed Blake's arm and yanked him back and cried, "No!" Logan backpedaled away from him, took three steps back blindly, caught his heel against the edge of the carpet, and fell backwards onto the floor with a loud thud.

They all stood frozen in complete silence.

Logan's heart thudded loudly.

Anxiety flitted over Blake's face. Logan swallowed thickly and said, "I just - not right now."

Blake pulled back the hand he was starting to reach out to help Logan up. He straightened. "Okay," he said gently. "That's fine. We're not - we don't have to do anything."

Logan glanced between his two siblings. Olivia looked like a deer caught in headlights, her eyes wide, her body slightly cowering behind Blake. Blake's expression was nonchalant but his hand was stiff.