Mahogany and Teakwood

Chapter 35: Petunia

and i've felt this emptiness before

but all the times that i've been broken

i still run right back for more

Logan's and Patton's room was further from the Penitentiary, but far nicer; no weird stains on the wall, no carpets that looked like they'd survived a zombie apocalypse. Patton met Virgil at the door with one of his "Patton-ted" full-body hugs, all hesitation from earlier gone.

Neither mentioned his disappearance more than they already had, despite Patton's earlier warning. Virgil supposed they were afraid he'd bolt if they tried to force him to talk.

To be fair, he probably would.

Patton had brought, of all things, an UNO deck, which he insisted on pulling out when Virgil mentioned he'd never played. Logan turned out to be a ruthless player, taking cool pleasure in making his opponents draw cards, but weirdly it was Patton who won nearly every round. Virgil insisted he had to be cheating, while Logan pointed out all the reasons why it was impossible to cheat in a game of chance. Virgil ended up staying for pizza and a few episodes of some cartoon series Patton had recently gotten into. It revolved around a guileless kid and a bunch of aliens with jewels in their stomachs? He didn't really get it, but it was cute.

Being here was like falling into a memory. If he didn't let his mind latch onto the little touches or the single bed, it was like all the good days they'd had in DeLand. Logan and Patton had never been an overly affectionate couple in public, and they were both clearly making an effort to make Virgil feel comfortable in their space: Patton, with laughter and touches, and Logan, with words and a warmth to his gray eyes that only a friend would notice.

The three of them had a good dynamic, Virgil realized with a pang, before everything got so complicated. Maybe he'd been foolish to throw it away.

Finally, it got late, and Virgil felt he ought to get back to his room. He was surprised Roman hadn't texted him, but then again, they weren't exactly speaking.

Logan walked him out, alone.

"You left this." He pulled something from his pocket as they waited for Virgil's Uber. Virgil's heart skipped when he recognized his bear pendant, shimmery and freezing from all the power Logan had poured into it. The half-faery pushed it into his hands.

"If my protection will help even a little against Deceit..." His gray eyes caught Virgil's. "I would feel better, knowing that you have it."

Virgil slipped the charm over his head, the little bear settling its cold, familiar weight against his heart.

"'A single grain of rice may tip the scale'," he murmured, quoting one of Roman's favorite Disney movies.

"Be careful tomorrow," Logan added.

The Uber pulled up.

"Shouldn't that be my line?" Virgil quipped, only half joking. "You're the one Kate put on the front line."

Logan's jaw tightened.

"Mmm. She did." He adjusted his glasses, his gray eyes guarded. "Go. You will need your rest. Please give Roman my regards."

Again, weird, since he'd likely see Roman in the morning. But now Virgil was thinking about the look Roman had shot him in the park earlier, and dreading having to see him again after spending the whole afternoon with Logan.

As the Uber pulled away, he looked through the back window to see the half-faery still standing in the parking lot, a bespectacled silhouette in the growing darkness.