Tally Marks (Thomas Sanders PolySanders/LAMP fanfiction)

34

"Hey," Virgil spoke softly as he approached Logan and Patton, who were both waiting for him outside of school. Although he had agreed to come and hang out with them earlier that didn't change the fact that he was a little nervous.

Since he and Roman had... separated, Virgil wasn't sure what that meant for him, Patton, and Logan. He didn't know if this might effect their relationship with each other. He knew they wouldn't ever force him to do anything he didn't want, but he was still scared. What if they started to expect something from him? What if things did change?

Then there was something else to worry about. What if they didn't? Virgil wasn't sure what he wanted yet, but he was certain about one thing. He was not prepared to have that conversation with them. Still, Logan and Patton were his best friends and he couldn't bare just not seeing them. Being alone was a far worse alternative to either of those things, so he agreed to going.

"Hey!" Patton responded, pulling him from his anxious thoughts and smiling at him. He seemed to be able to tell instantly that something was up, silently asking what was wrong. Virgil just shook his head, not wanting to talk about it. Patton's smile fell the slightest bit, obviously worried but not planning on making a big deal out of it. "Well, we should get going. The sooner we get there the sooner we can build our fort and watch our movies!"

It wasn't long before the three of them were at Patton's, Logan and Virgil waiting in the living room while Patton went to gather pillows and blankets. Virgil wasn't sure what to talk about with Logan, and didn't plan to say anything before Logan turned to him.

"Virgil," Logan began, voice quiet and unsure. It was unusual for Logan, and worried Virgil. "I just wanted to let you know... I know I am not as good at handling emotional situations as Patton is. I know I am not as good at understanding what an emotional person needs, but... I still want you to know that I am here for you. If you need anything at all, please. Tell me."

Logan looked down, sighing as his cheeks turned red, embarrassed at how little he knew about being there for people. Virgil smiled, nervously reaching out to grab Logan's hand-something he knew was soothing to him as it was what he always tried to do to help others. Logan looked down at his hand, then up to his face, and slowly returned the smile nervously.

"Thanks, Logan. I appreciate it." He said sincerely. Patton returned only moments after, and Logan reluctantly went to let go of Virgil's hand. Virgil only held Logan's hand tighter, and although surprised Logan squeezed his hand back.

"I've got plenty of pillows and blankets, now come help me set this up!" Patton dropped a heap of blankets onto the couch, and soon enough the three of them set to work building their fort.

When they had finished building the blanket part of their fort and piled comfy pillows on the floor for them to lie on Patton set up their first movie on his laptop. He and Logan piled into the fort first, Patton making sure to stay in the middle so everyone could see the laptop clearly. Patton automatically leaned against Logan, wrapping an arm around him and laying his head against his shoulder while Logan wrapped an arm around his waist.

Virgil watched them, nervously tugging on his hoodie sleeves as he considered something. After a moment he finally sighed, sitting beside of Patton slowly. He waited for a moment, watching as Patton began to start the movie, and finally shifted the slightest bit to lean against Patton. Patton glanced over at him as the movie started, Virgil trying to ignore the surprised look on his face and continue staring at the screen.

Eventually Patton just smiled and wrapped his free arm around Virgil as well, pulling him closer and causing him to lean on Patton more. No words were exchanged, and none needed to be. All three of them had smiles on their lips as the familiar tune of "This Is Halloween" began to play, and for now, they had nothing to worry about.

****

Late that night, long after the three had decided to stay at Patton's for the night, Logan found himself the last person asleep. None of them had moved from their fort of blankets and pillows, still huddled close together. Patton and Virgil had drifted off soon after their final movie of the night-a cheerful Halloween themed Disney movie, chosen by Patton to forget some of the more creepy movies they had seen.

Logan had tried to get some rest himself, but found he couldn't help it as his mind wandered. He had a lot of fun, spending time with the two people he cared about more than anyone else, but he couldn't deny that something was missing. Logan certainly wasn't stupid, and it was obvious that Roman's absence was the cause of his distress.

Roman had always been there before when the four of them decided to build a blanket fort and watch movies, and he was always the one to insist that they watch more Disney. Without him there-even if he didn't have to hear his complaints-it just felt wrong. Logan frowned to himself, thinking of how much better things could be if he had been there.

He remembered when Roman had gotten back home from his trip, when they had all come over to see him and stayed the night. He had teased Roman about not missing him while he had been gone, but it was obvious that that was a lie. Just as it would be a lie if he said he wasn't missing him now.

More than anything he wanted Roman to still be there with them. To continue their playful arguing, and even more than that he found that he actually missed his friends obviously fake flirting. Like the time he had been jealous of Virgil choosing to lay with Patton, and had held Logan in retaliation. Logan had been too tired to care, and they had actually fallen asleep that way. He wished that he could be there now, laying with them as they each huddled close together.

Logan sighed, shaking his head to rid his mind of these thoughts. It was too late to be up thinking about things that simply weren't possible now. He needed to get some rest himself, and he could think more about it tomorrow. Maybe he could talk to Patton about it, but for now he simply curled in closer to his boyfriend's side, reminding himself how lucky he was to be there with Patton and Virgil at all, and eventually drifted off to sleep.