Assessment of Abilities

Chapter 7 | Misunderstood Comfort

Logan was sat in his room all day. He had no classes or lectures today thus he was free to do as he wished. Which in Logan's case meant getting ahead on assessments and module work.

It was just past noon when he heard the front door open and close, he glanced at the clock and frowned in confusion "They shouldn't be home yet". He decided to invest in his curiosity and got up to find out why they are home early; though very soon he'd wish he hadn't.

Logan walked out of his room and the first person he saw was Roman "Roman, I was not expecting you home for another 45-..."

Logan paused mid-sentence as he saw Virgil and Patton turn the corner into the living room. Virgil had one arm and wing around Patton, while the latter clung to Virgil's jacket, sniffling with red puffy eyes.

The logical flatmate recoiled, instantly regretting his choice of leaving his room. Emotions, especially negative ones, were not Logan's forte...

"Why has Patton been crying?" Logan felt obliged to ask. Roman looked at Virgil "I'll take Patton to his room" Virgil announced before slowly guiding the distraught student to his room. Roman's eyes followed them before sighing and turning back to Logan "Patton had a bad day in class... There was a recipe he couldn't handle, and as a result, he was laughed at by other pupils and even the teacher made him feel small..."

Logan listened and nodded his head, though... that's all he could do... he had no idea how to handle this type of situation... "I see..."

Roman raised a brow, looking Logan up and down "You see?" Logan nodded his head once again "Metaphorically I mean, well... of course, I can see, I am not visually impaired... well... actually, I am slightly... I mean... I digress... My initial meaning was that I understand the situation..." Logan spoke, rather fast and almost flustered.

Roman couldn't help but laugh slightly at that "Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to hear your thoughts instead" he smirked before collapsing on the sofa with a heavy exhale of air "I'm exhausted..."

Logan stood there, unsure if it would be socially unacceptable to return to his room during such times, and his uncertainty showed.

Roman glanced at Logan, he'd never seen him so agitated before, almost flustered "Are you okay there, man?" he asked, sitting up. The other straightened up a bit before clearing his throat "Yes... I... I'm simply unsure of what to do in this situation..." he admitted, which was hard for him to do.

Roman frowned a little and patted the spot on the sofa next to him, inviting Logan to sit down. Logan took the offer, sitting down with his back straight and hands on his knees "You look like you should have a stick up your spine" Roman commented.

Logan glanced at Roman with clear confusion "Excuse me?"

Roman chuckled "It's an expression, I mean, what is it that has you so tense or uptight?" he asked, finally seeing Logan loosen up a bit, but still sitting upright.

"It is difficult for me to explain... you see... social interactions are not... well... basically... I am not mentally equipped to handle any kind of negative or overall emotional interaction" Logan attempted to explain. Luckily Roman had lived with this guy for a month now and finally understood Logan's academic speech pattern "So... When you came out of your room to ask me a question, Patton's distress made you distressed, because you don't know how to handle emotional people?" Roman summarised, to which Logan nodded.

"...And now you aren't sure what to do with yourself, or what is socially appropriate after seeing a friend upset?" Roman continued, to which Logan once again nodded.

Roman could only find this adorable but had to keep those kinds of thoughts to himself "Well, as a friend, I think you should knock on Patton's door and ask him what is wrong" Roman advised, however, Logan clearly misunderstood.

"I do not understand, what purpose would that action serve? I already know what caused him to be upset... and to pretend that I did not know would be a lie of omission... I do not feel comfortable with that, Roman" he explained.

Logan's words and way of thinking STILL shocked Roman, nevertheless he continued "What I mean is, if you go in and comfort him then it will make him feel better, I can't explain to you, logically, how that works, but it just does. Plus your doing that may strengthen your friendship with him" Roman winked.

Logan raised a brow at the wink. He wasn't naïve, he knew what Roman was trying to pull, but he didn't indulge "Is that the only course of action? I can no longer retreat to my room?" Logan asked, just to be sure. To which Roman shook his head "If you did that then Patton would think that you don't care about him... and friends don't abandon one another in times of need, and hey~! You never know, maybe 'Logic' is what Patton needs right now" Roman shrugged, but this was only to get Logan to agree to his sneaky plan.

Logan pursed his lips slightly in thought before standing "Alright, I shall... what was the word... console? Patton" he nodded in determination before walking to toward said-persons room. After knocking, Virgil opened the door "Logan?"

"May I speak to Patton?" Logan asked. Behind him was Roman waving to get Virgil's attention, motioning for Virgil to leave the room and let Logan in. Virgil saw this and glanced back at Patton "I mean... I guess... Is that alright with you, Pat?" Virgil asked. Patton was currently curled up on his bed hugging a large piggy plushie, he nodded his head with a sniffle "Y-Yeah~" he tried to sound cheery but they could all see through it.

With that, Virgil left the room and let Logan inside, closing the door behind him. Virgil walked to the sofa and sat beside Roman "So..." he raised a brow at Roman's smirk "What was that about?" Virgil asked; his hands in his pockets, pulling his legs up so his feet were on the sofa too.

Roman just chuckled "I have a plan~ an amazing plan~" he spoke, rubbing his hands together like an evil genius. Virgil just sat there for a moment with a forlorn expression before getting out his phone and scrolling through Tumblr, deciding to ignore his over-dramatic flatmate.

Meanwhile, inside Patton's room, Logan stood by the closed door. Patton's room was medium sized; one double bed centred the room, the headboard under the window, to the left was a wardrobe full of clothing, and to the right was a small desk with notes on cooking recipes and ideas for baked goods.

Logan was pulled out of his observation by a sniffle from the bed. He instantly regretted taking up Roman's so-called advise, he was just stood there, with nothing constructive to say, not without upsetting Patton more; and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

Patton sniffled once more before moving to sit up, still cuddling his plushie "Logan?" said person hummed in response, stood very still like a deer in the headlights. Patton patted the bed, repeating the same action as Roman previously had, an action that got Logan into this situation, thus he was hesitant to accept this time.

"Logan, please sit" Patton asked, it almost sounded like begging. Logan now felt obliged to sit down next to his sad flatmate. Once sat down, as stiffly as ever, Patton leaned against him silently, and they stayed silent for a good 10 minutes.

"Patton I-..."

"Shh... It's okay... you don't have to talk..." Patton hummed and closed his eye, he cuddled up to Logan a little more, replacing his plushie with Logan's arm "It makes my day that you even attempted to cheer me up and visit me when I'm down~" he smiled softly.

These words did something to Logan; he was shocked at how Patton found this awkward silence comforting, nevertheless, the fact that his presence made Patton's day caused Logan to relax a little bit.

"If you would like, you may use me as an outlet" Logan offered, meaning that he'd happily accept listening to Patton's negative thoughts and dampened emotions, however, Patton took Logan's words in the completely wrong way and blushed furiously.

"Y-You mean it?" Patton asked, sheepishly looking up at Logan. The latter nodded his head and attempted a small grin "Of course, I am your friend, am I not?" he asked rhetorically.

Patton bit his lower lip, he'd had emotional support, he'd had verbal support, but now he needed physical support, and that was how misunderstanding Logan's offer brought him to leaning up and pressing his lip against Logan's.