Work Text:
Logan has a routine.
On most mornings, he’ll wake up at precisely 7 to his boyfriend clattering about the apartment. He’ll take his clothes into the bathroom and shower with cold water for no longer than 5 minutes. Then, he’ll make sure the metallic taps are twisted closed as tight as possible. He’ll reach up and grab one of the dark blue towels hanging over the glass shower wall to dry his hair, then he’ll use the other on his body.
Once he’s finished, he’ll step out and get changed into his daily attire - often his favourite vibrant blue tie, a black polo of sorts and either jeans or slacks, depending on what the day necessitates.
He is a college professor after all - the students don’t care too much about what pants he wears, but if he has a meeting with his colleagues, he’ll put in the extra effort.
Looking professional is vital.
That is just one of the reasons why his soulmate is possibly the most annoying person on earth.
This morning, he wakes up alone. He opts for slacks and a shirt he ironed last night, then he heads into the bathroom.
He doesn’t spend as much time in the shower as usual. Today, some hopeful future professor will sit in on his class and take notes. He aims to get to the campus no later than 8 so he can talk to them beforehand, but as he pulls on his shirt, something catches his eye.
A brown stain on the edge of his right hand.
No ordinary stain, oh no. A coffee stain, Logan discerns after he raises his hand for a closer look. He’s sure that he’ll find ink accompanying it somewhere else - ah. He maneuvers his left arm around so he can read the shimmering black ink there.
Hun, how dare u use the last of the coffee.
Logan sighs. He shrugs off his shirt, glad he hadn’t put in the effort of buttoning it up yet, and instead pulls on his pants before heading back to his bedroom. If his boyfriend’s on a warpath because Logan did something as treacherous as not replacing the coffee, then there isn’t much he can do other than put on something with long sleeves.
In the end, it works in his favour. A business shirt is much more fitting if he intends on setting an example, he reasons.
The only issue is his left-handedness. To put it simply, the cuff of whatever shirt he chooses will have absorbed so much blue ink by the end of the day that it’ll be stained for eternity.
He’ll have to think of a way to get his revenge later. Right now, he has a bus to catch.
-
Logan’s boyfriend is a caffeine addict, never sleeps, and is extremely forgetful.
He loves Remy with all his heart because of all this, and also because of how petty he is when it comes to finishing the coffee. Remy’s passion rivals only the protectiveness of Logan when it comes to the last jar of Crofters.
The air conditioner in his regular classroom has decided to break on the hottest day of the year. Logan isn’t one to believe in higher beings, but if he did, they’d hear a bunch of words that he probably shouldn’t be uttering in a professional setting.
He can’t exactly complain though - his students actually have to think in this heat. He’s simply reciting his lesson plan, and explaining when needed. He’s familiar enough with the subject that he can teach on autopilot.
Logan sits back down at his scratched wooden desk as the video he loaded earlier begins to play. A bead of sweat threatens to drip down his forehead. That won’t do.
He unbuttons his cuffs and rolls up his sleeves, then goes back to preparing next lesson’s work. He might as well utilise his free time.
A few minutes later, he becomes acutely aware of hushed whispering and the students in the front row leaning forward in their seats. He doubts the video is that interesting.
His eyes flick up and everyone falls silent, apart from three students who are huddled around a single desk. It doesn’t look good for his class management skills, so despite the fact that other times he’d leave them be, he stands up and strides towards them.
“...So I looked up the average price of an engagement ring and it’s anywhere from $1000-$5000, but so is like, an iPhone X.
“Yeah, okay, but counterpoint: he’s a millennial and what millennial can afford an iPhone X. We’re millennials and we can barely afford to eat ramen every week, so it has to be important, like a ring. ”
“That’s so cute! I didn’t know he was dating anyone!”
“Do you think it’s another professor? What about Dr. Picani?”
“Not everyone’s gay, Roman.”
“I know that, but if he isn’t then I’m throwing away my katana.”
“Why do you have a katana? Those are dangerous, dude.”
“Ahem, Mr. Prince, Hart and Maro, may I ask how an engagement ring relates to the lesson in the slightest?”
Logan quirks an eyebrow at how their mouths snap shut immediately. It seems he still has some authority in this classroom.
The three before him stutter out excuses - well, the one in the purple hoodie does. Patton Hart just apologises and Roman Prince recovers quickly and seems mostly unfazed by his presence.
“We were only curious about the ink on your arm, teach! Your soulmate’s making a financial decision and we were discussing it because economics should be important to everyone!”
“This is an astronomy class.”
“...Yes, but, you see, uh, economics is… always relevant?”
“Just shut up, Roman!” Virgil Maro hisses. Judging by the wince on Roman’s face, he was just kicked in the shin.
Logan supposes that the boy had suffered enough and returns to his seat, more than curious to check out what caused his students to make such a fuss. First, he assigns some tedious task that has everyone in the room furiously researching. He scans the crowd and ensures that no one’s looking as he examines his left arm for the second time that day.
On his forearm, clear as day, is:
$1099
$2200
$3599
Next to the numbers are much smaller notes that his students failed to read from the back of the class. Logan doesn’t blame them. It’s not like the tiny scrawl is what makes it illegible, it’s just that it’s a scrawl. Still, years with Remy has taught him some skills, even if said skills consistent of making coffee and reading chicken scratch.
Plain, blue stone.
Cool band, plain stone.
Diamond centre, moonstone around. Nerd themed.
As he deciphers, he sees more ink being added to the mess on his arm. This time, Remy’s circling the $3599. The more Logan considers this, the more sure he is that Remy is, in fact, ring shopping. And that he once again forgot what he writes comes up on Logan’s skin too.
When they were teenagers who hadn’t met yet, Logan was constantly covered in Remy’s to-do lists, favourite coffee places, and occasionally whatever random thought popped into his head. At first, Logan was annoyed, but as he learnt more and more about his soulmate, he became fond of it. He also learnt to appreciate that he didn’t wake up with crude drawings of genitalia on him each day.
When they met, Logan realised that Remy just forgot about soulmates sometimes. It’s commonplace to write on yourself, so he assumed that that’s why he didn’t remember more often than not.
As they grew closer, it became obvious that on zero sleep, Remy only had two things on his mind: coffee and tea.
This must be one of those times where everything flies out of the metaphorical window that is his brain, because really, who acts secretive all week only to accidentally reveal you’re planning on proposing because you couldn’t write down your thoughts on rings in your phone?
(Logan’s half-tempted to write “You do not need a ring to propose to me” but he refrains. If he knows Remy, he knows that it’s best to let him do his own thing. Also, he really, really wants to see the moonstone ring. Instead, he rolls down his sleeves.)
The lesson picks up pace after that. He makes sure to engage his students and to get them asking questions. After another half hour, they all seem to forget about his soulmate as the lecture winds down. Logan finds himself forgetting about the ring too.
Logan’s sure that the new professor has decent notes on teaching and management styles, so he isn’t concerned about that anymore, and begins chatting with his students.
Roman Prince, ever the bold one, is the first to ask about his soulmate.
“Have you met the one yet?” he puts forth, catching Logan off guard.
“Yes, though I once again don’t see how my personal life is relevant-”
“Does he look like a celebrity with dark sunglasses and a super cool dress sense by any chance?”
Logan’s about to ask what he could possibly mean by that when the door to his lecture is all but kicked open.
“‘Sup, nerd and nerds in training,” Remy greets as he strolls in, a takeaway green tea in hand.
“Don’t call my students nerds,” Logan retorts, but he finds that they don’t care at all about that. (With the exception of Roman, of course. He looks extremely offended, but that’s on him and his ego so Logan pays no mind.)
Everyone’s too busy staring at this strange man. He should probably introduce Remy before someone calls security.
“Whatever, babe.” Remy plops himself in Logan’s chair and puts his feet up on the desk. “If they hang around you long enough, I’m sure they’ll become nerds anyway.”
“I believe you have been by my side far longer than they have. That would make you a nerd, would it not?”
“Nope, because I’m immune since I’m hella sick.”
“You should go home if you’re sick.”
“It’s a saying, hun. Anyway, aren’t you going to introduce me to these young dorks?”
“Dorks is possibly worse than nerds, Remy.” Remy shrugs, and Logan turns back ot the expecting hall. “Fine. Class, this is Remy, my soulmate and boyfriend-”
“ Fiancé , actually.”
“What?” Logan breathes out as the class erupts into cheers. He turns around to see Remy holding open a velvet box, still on his chair but with both feet on the ground. He can hear Roman in the back somewhere furiously whispering “I told you so!” to his friends.
“I love you, but there’s no way I’m kneeling on this nasty-ass floor. So, Logan, wanna convert me into a nerd?”
“Is that your way of asking if I want to spend the rest of my life with you?”
“That’s the subtext, darling, yeah.”
“Well, yes.”
Remy throws the box in a neat arc towards Logan. He’s lucky they’re so close, because his athletic ability leaves a lot to be desired. When he examines it further, he sees a silver double band ring. On one on the bands is a diamond sun, a golden star and silver crescent moons with moonstones in them. On the other is a larger, golden moon with four stones - two citrine stones and two garnets. Their birthstones.
“Remy, this is wonderful! You did not have to buy such an expensive ring, though. Anything would have been fine.”
“Hmm, okay, but you can’t take your eyes off of it so why don’t you just shut up and put it on?”
Logan does so without a moment’s hesitation.
“So, were you surprised?” Remy asks, examining his nails. Logan knows that he’s acting nonchalant when he actually really wants to know, so Logan humours him with a nod.
(The class do their best to hide their sniggers. Remy won’t know the reason for that until they’re back home and Logan’s changed into a short-sleeved shirt. Then, he’ll swear his heart out while Logan does his best to console him with some saying like “It’s the thought that counts.”)