Timekeeper

5. I mean it.

I stood there in front of the bright red door and stared at its golden crown. I sighed quietly opening the door to find Roman lying in bed, arm drabbed over his eyes. I could hear him choke back his sobs and every one broke my heart. Jesus, what the hell did I do to you? 

"Get up!" I yelled and Roman screamed out in fear, jumping up from his bed and nearly falling onto the desk. I cringed as the broken glass figurine swayed and I saw Roman expression drop immediately. I almost just made it worse. Ok Logan, time to get your ass in gear. "Roman."

"Logan... uh... what's up? Is everything Gucci? ARE YOU HERE TO TELL ME YOUR GOING TO THE PARTY?!" His eyes lit up and my cringed.

"No." Of course, it hurt more to see that light leave as well. God, emotions suck. "Do you have any super glue?" 

He looked up at me in confusion, before rummaging through his desk and pulling out a tube of it. If he had this why was he using that crappy glue? You know the one you use for projects and stuff.

"Did you break something?" I saw his eyes darken as he glanced over at the desk for only a second. I just sighed, taking the tube from him, and shook my head.

"No, but you did." His eyes went wide and I could see the fear in his eyes. I opened my mouth to say something but he flinched causing me to stop short. Was he that scared that I was going to yell at him? Well considering what Chris told me happened in the future, he wasn't wrong too. Now, who's the moron. Not you, Roman... Not you.

"Look, Lo, I'm sorry. I know I said I threw it out but I panicked. I didn't mean to lie, and I didn't mean to break it but..."

"Roman relax, I'm not here to scold you. I'm not your parent. I'm here to help." I walked over to the desk and sat on the bed beside the chair, grabbing the crappy glue and hiding it in the door. I don't even want to look at that right now. "Sit."

"Logan, I've tried fixing it. Nothing's working." I just shook my head and placed the super glue on the desk. "Maybe you should just do it. All I ever do is mess things up."

"Stop talking like that Roman." He looked over at me with sad eyes and returned it with a serious one. "You do not mess everything up. You, just like everyone else, have off moments. There nothing to beat yourself over."

"Your right though. I've had that thing for so long and I can't get one thing to stick."

"That's because you weren't using the right glue." His face paled and I sighed. This isn't going to be easy, is it? "Roman, come here."

"Logan, I don't..." I grabbed his arm and pulled him in close, something I have seen Patton do plenty of times. "Logan?"

"I fucked up, didn't I." Roman looked up at me and I just stared at the broken figurine. "I was so focused on productivity, statistics, and functionality that... I failed to see you."

"What are you talking about? See me? DID YOU GO BLIND?!" I chuckled a little as he pulled away scared that I actually couldn't see him.

"No, I'm not blind, not entirely anyway." I said as I pointed at my glasses. He started to look confused and I sighed. "I meant your emotions. I failed to see you were cracking. And for that, I am truly sorry."

"Lo? I'm confused. What's gotten into you all of a sudden?" The truth... Truth, shown to me by Chris. The truth of how I've been treating you. That's what got into me. "Logan?"

"You know I love you, right? You're my brother, and if your struggling, I don't care how stupid, clique, dramatic, or mushy it is, you can come to me for help." Roman just looked at the floor wordlessly. "I mean it."

"Do you though?" I looked back at him with a solemn expression. "Do you really mean it or are you just going to forget the moment things get to busy again."

"Roman, I promise. Nothing, AND I MEAN NOTHING, is ever going to make me too busy to help you." I sighed and pulled out the desk chair for him to sit in it. He complied and I smiled at him reassuringly. "Now... Let's get this fixed up before Christmas, shall we?"

"Bonjour, Scrooge." I looked up from my bed and frowned. I was tired. I had spent the last several hours helping Roman fix up the figurine. It still wasn't done but it was better and I could already see the improvement in Roman's mood. Chris came over and laid on the bed with me pointing up at the consolation on the ceiling. It was a gift from Roman for helping him. The smile on Chris's face hit hard. It was kind and his eyes burned with childlike wonder. I started to wonder how old he actually was.

"Hey, Chris..." He looked over at me and my chest started to get light. I quickly looked away and he started to get confused. "... Uh... Well... H-How old a-are you um... exactly?"

"27... are you ok Logan? You aren't sick or anything, are you?" I shook my head and he smiled brightly, his blonde hair falling into his eyes. He started trying to blow it out of his face but it wasn't working, so I brushed it back, tucking it behind his ear. I saw his cheeks get a dusty pink and when I pulled away, he quickly looked away.

"If your 27, why did you first show up as a child then?"

"Because silly, sometimes the best lessons are the ones taught through the eyes of a child." He jumped off the bed and made his way to the door. "Anway, I only came by to say congrats."

"What for?" I asked as I sat up. He just smiled as he opened the door to leave.

"For completing your first miracle." I gave him this confused look and he just sighed. "Not all miracles are created through magic or divine means. Sometimes the most meaning full ones are also the smallest. The ones that are done with bare hands and hard work. That's why they're called everyday miracles."

"But we didn't finish it." I said thinking back to the glass figurine I worked on with Roman all afternoon.

"No, but you gave Roman hope."