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"Tag! You're it!"
"No fair!" Logan complains, coming back up from tying his loose shoelace. "I was tying my shoe."
"You're right," Remus says, affecting a look of contrition. "I'm sorry." He darts forward and slaps Logan's shoulder. "Now tag you're it!"
"Hey!" Logan protests. Remus grins impishly.
"Not tying your shoelace anymore, are you?" He says, and runs away. Logan chases after him, Roman's and Remus's birthday party in full swing around them. Roman giggles, running away from them both, as Patton deliberately slows his steps.
"Tag!" Logan says cheerfully, tapping his brother's arm.
"Oh no!" Patton says, with melodramatic flair. "You caught me!"
"Yup," Logan says, dancing backward.
"Time for cake!" Remus's mother announces. "You can keep playing afterward," she adds.
"Remember you're the one I tagged," Logan tells Patton, as they approach the picnic tables set out for the party. Most of Roman's and Remus's class was invited, with some of the neighbors, including Logan, Patton, and a really shy kid named Virgil who spent the entire party thus far pressed against the house, holding a stuffed bat. Logan's chest hitches and he frowns, opening his mouth wide to take in enormous gulps of air. It doesn't ease the tight feeling in his chest. If anything, it feels worse.
"Pat," he manages to whisper, his voice strained. "Pat, it's happening again." Patton takes in his distressed expression and immediately drops down to Logan's level, eyes searching Logan's face.
"It's okay," Patton reassures him. "Mom thought this might happen. She sent your inhaler."
"Hey, what's wrong with Logan?" Remus asks, doubling back and loping over. His eyes are huge as he takes in the panicked tableau.
"It's okay, Remus," Patton says, pulling out Logan's inhaler. "Logan just has asthma, that's all."
"What's that?" Remus asks, as Remus's mom approaches, worry soft on her face.
"Patton? Logan? Is something wrong?" She asks.
"Logan's just having an asthma attack," Patton answers. Logan stares at his inhaler in dismay, his breathing a raspy wheeze.
"Spacer," he wheezes out. "Need the spacer."
"Oh," Patton says, frowning. "Mom didn't give me the spacer. She just gave me the inhaler."
"Do you think you can use the inhaler this one time without the spacer?" Remus's mom asks, leaning down. She has the same eyes as Remus, soft and brilliant green. Logan shakes his head, frustrated tears stinging his eyes. He can't breathe and it's starting to scare him.
"Patton, run home and get the spacer," she directs quietly. "I'll stay here and keep him calm."
"Patton!" Logan cries, as Patton nods, rises from his crouch, and dashes out of the backyard. It feels like everyone's staring at him, which isn't helping at all. He keeps wanting to cry, but that's making his breathing worse.
"Hey, Logan," Remus says, ignoring his mother's protest. "Didja know that frogs can change their sex?"
Logan shakes his head, unable to verbally answer. Remus doesn't seem to mind.
"They can," he says. "If there's a bunch of girl frogs, then some of them will turn into boys so they can have more baby frogs." Logan gives him a thumbs up and he smiles.
"There's a cephalopod called a vampire squid," Remus continues, as Patton comes panting across the lawn, spacer clutched in one sweaty hand.
"Found it," he gasps. "Sorry about that, Logan."
Spacer attached to inhaler, Logan finally gives himself two puffs of albuterol. His chest begins to loosen and he can finally take a breath.
"Sorry," he mumbles.
"No need to apologize, Logan," Remus's mother says, giving him a smile. "It happens. Are you feeling better?" He nods shyly. "Good," she says. "Then it really is time for cake now."
Logan and Patton trail after Remus toward the main picnic table, where Roman's waiting patiently. The cake is several tiers and looks very chocolatey.
"Hey, Remus," Logan says. Remus turns back, one eyebrow lifted in query. "Thanks," Logan says.
"No prob, Bob!" Remus says. "Come on, I'll make sure you get a big piece."
Giggling, Logan follows.