A Merman's Soul (COMPLETED)

Chapter 5

Logan was sucking at his fingers to stem their bleeding when Patton clattered into the brig.

"Patton! Are you alright?" Logan asked, accidentally ripping the skin on his fingers and making them bleed again.

"I'm fine. Logie, what the Hell happened to your hands?" Patton asked, pressing his face up against the glass. Logan hid his hands behind his back stupidly.

"I'm fine, Patton." He lied. Patton looked at him with a 'I'm not believing that shit' face but didn't press the matter.

"Logie, what happened to your tank?" Patton asked, running his hand along the scratched and broken metal. "Did you do this?"

Logan sighed. " Yes. Patton, I can't stay stuck here forever. I don't want to die and I don't want to be kept alive just for my scales. This is no way to live!"

Patton looked from the scratched along the tank to Logan and then back to the scratches.

"I don't want you to be cooped up here either but I don't want you to be hurt."

"Patton, I'm not hurt." Logan lied, trying not to wince at his wounds.

"Logie, I can always tell when you're lying." Patton muttered but he didn't press the matter.

"Virgil?" Patton asked cautiously, approaching the Cabin Boy. Virgil turned around and immediately hugged Patton tightly.

"I'm so, so, so, so sorry, Patton. I didn't mean to hit you. I just lost it."

"It-It's fine, kiddo." Patton said, smiling slightly as Virgil pulled away from the hug.

"So what's up?"

Patton bit his lip and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Have you ever.... been in love?"

Virgil sighed and leaned against the railings, facing Patton. "I mean... sure. Everyone has been once, I guess."

"What's it feel like?"

Virgil laughed slightly and shook his head. "I don't know." He sighed and thought a little. "I guess... like butterflies. You get butterflies in your stomach and... you keep listening to them. No matter what they say, you're always listening. Why do you want to know?" Patton's face said it all. "Who is it?" Virgil asked excitedly.

"No-No one!"

"You never stutter, you definitely have a pash on someone. Who is it?"

Patton shook his head, not saying anything. Suddenly, Virgil's face darkened.

"It's not that thing in the brig, is it?"

Patton shook his head more frantically.

"Patton, you can't let him in your head." Virgil said, grabbing Patton by his shoulders. "He is dangerous."

"You don't know that!"

"Patton, he is a monster." Virgil said, slowly and firmly. "He doesn't care about you."

"So?" Patton tore himself out of Virgil's grip. "You don't know that. Virgil, I've finally found one of the people that I've lost. I can't help whether I care about him or not!"

"Well you're going to have to." Virgil said savagely. "Patton, Logan is not a human if he ever was one. He is a merman and he doesn't care about anyone."

"That's not true!" Patton yelled, tears pricking the corners of his eyes. "Logan is special. He does care about me! He does, Virgil! I know he does!"

"How?"

"I-I..." Patton cut himself short. "I don't know." He whispered.

"Exactly." Virgil sighed. "Patton, I know that you want to believe that everything is going to end in sunshine and rainbows and everything like that but the fact is that some people aren't good and some deserve to die. Maybe Logan is one of them."

Patton opened his mouth to protest but then closed his mouth and walked away, scrubbing at his eyes. Virgil sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Congrats, Virge." Virgil thought bitterly. "You made him cry. Again."

***

Logan sighed and stopped scratching at the metal holding his tank together. Even if he did break this tank, he would have nowhere to go. He'd die. Besides, his claws were ground down to stumps and his fingers were bleeding. Logan heard yelling from on deck and heard his name and the words 'dangerous' and 'deserve to die'. Logan sighed. He didn't think he deserved to die but, right now, death looked pretty inviting. Then, he thought of Patton and how sad he would be if Logan was found dead. Wait, why did Logan care? He had no soul, no emotions and he definitely was not in love with Patton. His markings definitely didn't glow and shine when Patton was around him. Logan sighed. Maybe he should try and accept the truth. Patton was... important to him.

"Logie? Logan?!"

"Hm? Oh, what is it, Patton?"

Patton looked at Logan, worried. "Are you alright? You've been staring into space for the last five minutes. What's wrong?"

Logan sighed and looked Patton straight in the eye. "I want to get out." Logan sighed and put his hand against the glass, his palm facing Patton. "I need to get out."

Patton tore his eyes away from Logan's and bit his lip. "I want to help you, Logie. But I-I can't."

Logan took his hand off of the glass, surprised and sad. "Why?"

"How do I know?"

"How do you know what?"

Patton looked back at Logan and he was horrified to see that Patton's hazel eyes were filled with tears.

"How do I know that you aren't just using me. How do I know that..." Patton trailed off. Logan took a deep breath and cursed himself for the stupid thing he was about to do.

"Patton, I care for you. Deeply."

"I can't trust you on that."

"Yes you can." Logan sighed and looked down at his arms. "My markings only glow when you're around me. They glow when someone who you care about and who cares about you is near." Logan looked back at Patton. "I do care about you, Patton."

Patton smiled as one single tear slid down his cheek. He took a deep breath and wiped the tear away.

"I will help you, Logan. I'll miss you, though."

Logan smiled sadly and pressed his hand against the glass. "Thank you, Patton."

Patton smiled slightly and pressed his hand against the outside of the glass on top of Logan's.