Chapter Text
Logan lay on the cool grass, watching the midnight clouds roll along. Shuffling along as if the hand of God came by to lazily dust them away to show off the twinkling night sky. Leaving the map of the universe laid bare.
Logan Berry was not a religious man by any means despite a Catholic upbringing. He was however a man of science. The science of fact and non-fiction captivated him beyond anything else, this was one of the reasons he taught astrology.
He could admit however, God did make for interesting metaphor.
A cold chill swept through the yard, rustling the ghost's hair. Although Logan didn't mind frigid nights like these, his mind couldn't help but wander back to how softly Patton had talked to him. He circled back to that warmth.
No one had done that before, he was realizing. After any major fight or incident at home no one would look for him after he ran. Usually to the middle of a field or somewhere in the thickets of trees for hours on end. To wait out his father's anger. He was used to cold nights and he was used to taking care of himself.
"Did you ever mourn yourself?"
His mind stilled upon the memory. Patton was so upset, tears rolling down his face and lips wobbling.
Guilt worried his clammy hands as he watched the moon.
"Was I supposed to?" His raspy throat whispered. This wasn't the first time he'd talked to himself in the last few decades and it certainly wouldn't be the last.
The moon's brilliance silently stared back. Her light reminded him just how transparent he really was as he held his hand up to her, outstretched.
All Logan was now was a memory. every wrinkle, scar, burn, even his veins held together in frozen memoriam, a wet sheen occasionally dripping off him.
A soft hum from above caught his attention and he felt his stomach swirl to see Patton walk over to sit next to him.
"Howdy Lo! Mind if I join you?" His smile was as tender as ever, how could Logan refuse?
"I don't mind at all." He invited; happy to see Patton settle next to him. That warmth returned to his face at this moment.
After a moment, he heard Patton chuckle, giggle almost.
"What?" He turned to the other whose smile seemed to tug at his lips for good.
Patton turned to Logan.
That warmth burst from its cage in his icy heart and ran through his mind, shouting, screaming the perfections of the ghost next to him. That soft smile, that beaming enthusiasm, and that unwavering soul. He realized the sun had decided to sit next to him and Logan had never understood Icarus more.
Stop it.
the warmth writhed back down into its cavern. He doesn't like you like that, you're just friends, not even that. He's just another person that let you cry on his shoulder.
The idea of him liking you is preposterous.
Don't embarrass yourself. The weight shunted back down on his chest.
Illogical.
Keep yourself together Logan.
He'd gotten so tangled in his thoughts and feelings, he realized he was missing Patton's explanation.
"-In my defense no one really told me I shouldn't, I mean they had a poster up at the community library but I'm sure it wouldn't've happened if a someone smart like yourself had warned me earlier" Patton laughed, the laughing lines on his face crinkling his eyes.
"I..I'm sorry, told you what?" His brow quirked curious.
Patton waved off the apology, a hint of surprise sparkled in his eye.
"Well I was just saying how you looked so peaceful here looking at the stars so I thought I'd join ya and" Patton consistently motioned his hand for emphasis, now looking embarrassed.
"I almost completely forgot I can't see them." He said. "I mean, the starlight yes, but it's all a bit blurry like everything else. And I was explaining before how it's a bit embarrassing" he chuckled. "That my eyesight is so poor because I looked at the sun for too long as a kid. Mostly because other kids dared me to and because it felt somewhat nice." He finished.
Logan shook his head in disbelief and rolled his eyes with a smile. He slid the glasses off his nose, handing them to Patton.
"I can't just-" he started.
"I insist, besides, I've sat here watching the stars long enough to know exactly which one is which. It really is the least I can do, in regards to the other night." Logan finished as Patton set the silver rims atop his nose. His face lit up in surprise and amazement.
"They work! Holy ravioli they actually work!" Patton grinned from ear to ear. That flutter returning to Logan's stomach.
By the end of the night they completely lost track of time with each other. Either Patton pointing at the sky and Logan immediately talking about the star's surrounding constellation, its name, estimated age, sometimes how close or far it was from earth. Logan couldn't remember the last time someone actively listened to him talk, let alone about stars. Sometimes they switched the topic, Logan taking note of how passionate Patton was of travel and his family, despite the sadness he felt thinking about them.
A moment of silence passed. The dawn painting new colors over the stars, bidding them goodnight.
"What do you miss?" Logan asked, the words quiet on his tongue.
He watched Patton think as his eyes wandered the translucent moon again, as if to sink in every last detail. He sat up, his fingers gliding over the early morning dew grass.
"My daughter." Patton's age spoke.
"Her name was Adelaide. She was just little when everything.. happened" The man wiped away the escaped ear and turned back to Logan, who had taken the time to sit upstraight.
"I'm sorry to hear about your daughter." Logan spoke, feeling Patton's wet eyes on him. "I have no doubt that with a father such as you, she is as kind as her smile is bright."
Patton looked at him with a look Logan could only decipher as befuddlement, his breath taken from him. His gaze only burned holes in Logan's core, a bead of sweat rolled down his temple as he attempted to clear his throat.
"My apologies, that was far too forward of me to say I didn't mean-" Logan's words tumbled over and under his tongue like monkeys out a barrel. Only to be cut off by Patton placing Logan's glasses back on his crooked nose, the details of the world brought back to him, Patton didn't look upset at all. In fact he looked to be smiling, a new shine to his eyes that Logan wasn't sure if he'd seen before.
"Thank you" Patton spoke so quietly Logan almost didn't understand had the two not been so close.
After a moment, Patton scooted back and cleared his throat.
"What about you? What do you miss?"
Thoughts whirred and danced. His parents? Even if he died before they did he couldn't say he missed them in particular. His students? somewhat but he knew the university took care of them after his death. One person came to mind however.
"My friend, I think." Logan could remember her so clearly. His colleague and friend, Amelia Riperton. The most brilliant archivist and mind Logan had ever met during his years of living. "We would meet at Elsie's diner downtown to grade papers and complain about whatever was on our minds." He chuckled with a sigh. "I'd order some salad and she'd get something new every time. she always told me to live like it was my last day."
"I think if I knew then what I know now, I'd have gotten a plate of eggs and toast and a whole jar of crofters to go along with it."
"She was like an older sister to me." His hand found his pocket as it usually did in moments like these, fiddling idly with the worn green ballpoint pen. Not realizing his other hand lying so close to Patton's.
But Patton didn't mind. He didn't mind at all.