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"Are you sure you've got everything?" Patton asks. Logan wriggles in place, nodding impatiently.
"Yes, Pat," he says, hefting his backpack. "I've got Mr. Unicorn, my pajamas, my clothes for tomorrow, my toothbrush, my inhaler and the spacer, and my favorite book."
"What about your comb?" Patton asks. Logan jumps up and down, listening to the clink.
"Yup," he says. "Got that, too."
"All right," Patton says, smiling as he ruffles Logan's hair. It's gentle, just the way he likes it. Their dad ruffles his hair, too, but he tends to be too rough, messing up all the hair strands so they fall every which way. Logan doesn't like that. His father always promises that he won't do it again, but he always forgets.
"Onward we go, then!" Patton says. He leans his head into the living room. "Mom! I'm taking Logan to his sleepover!"
"Come right back," drifts their mother's voice. Logan grins, a rush of excitement making him flap his hands. He looks around cautiously, but when no parents show up to dim his joy, he flaps his hands even harder, creating a veritable breeze around them both. Patton just smiles as he unlatches the door.
"Let's go," he says. "Hold my hand, okay?"
"I'm not a baby," Logan says. He finds himself gripping Patton's hand, anyway, as they cross the dimly lit yard. It's just after dinner, and all the street lights have come on, bathing the street in a soft yellow glow.
"Logan!" Remus cries excitedly, peering around his mother's legs as they answer the doorbell. "You're here!"
"Yeah," Logan says, suddenly shy in front of Remus's mother. The memory of his asthma attack burns brightly for a second, bringing a flush to his cheeks.
"Come on," Remus says eagerly. "I wanna show you my room. Did I tell you? I finally have my own room!"
"Give Logan a minute to breathe," his mother says, laughing. Logan waves a hand in dismissal at Patton as Remus snags the other and tows him up the stairs.
"I'll come by in the morning to pick him up," is the last thing he hears Patton say.
"Roman's room is across the hall," Remus confides in him. "He's busy." Disdain drips from Remus's tone.
"Busy with what?" Logan asks.
"His stupid new Lego set," Remus answers in disgust. "Our nana got him one because he had good grades."
"That doesn't sound very fair," Logan says. "I mean, you tried really hard!"
"I know," Remus says. "But that doesn't matter. Not to her. Anyway!" He brightens. "My room!"
Remus's room is clean, but has the messy aura of 'I just picked everything up ten minutes before you got here.' The carpet is thick and lush, a rich green that reminds Logan of a forest. He has a canopy bed stowed in one corner, and his toy chest looks like a real pirate's treasure chest, massively oversized lock dangling off its hinge and all.
"Wanna see something cool?" Remus asks. Logan nods. Remus flips off the light switch. "Look up," he instructs. Logan does and his mouth falls open. The ceiling is covered in glow in the dark stars! Even better, they seem to form constellations and as Logan squints at them, he begins to piece together what some of them are.
"Mom and Dad had to do it," he says. "No one trusts me on a ladder."
"You might fall," Logan says. "My parents won't even let Patton get on anything more than an itty bitty stepladder."
"Oh," Remus says. "Maybe it's for the best then. But yeah. Stars! Me and Mom picked out the constellations from one of the books you gave me for my birthday!"
"You did?" Logan asks, astonished. His cheeks feel very warm. Remus nods happily.
"Yeah!" He says. "Thank you for them, by the way. I didn't know space was so cool!"
"I love the stars," Logan says dreamily. "My parents got Patton a telescope, and he takes me stargazing sometimes." Remus cocks his head to one side.
"Why'd they give Patton the telescope?" He asks. Something uncomfortable squirms in the pit of Logan's stomach for a second.
"They um, they forgot who it was who liked the stars," Logan mumbles. "It's okay. The telescope is kinda big, anyway, so Patton has to help me out."
"You should tell them they got it wrong," Remus says frankly.
"Maybe..." Logan trails off. Remus gives his hand an encouraging squeeze and drops the topic, much to Logan's relief.
"Wanna meet my stuffed octopus?" Remus asks. "Their name is Cthulhu."
"That is an awesome name," Logan says. "I uh, I just have a unicorn. Named Mr. Unicorn."
"Oh, so he's like a business unicorn!" Remus exclaims. "That's so cool! Can I see him?"
"Sure, you can," Logan says, setting his backpack at his feet and rummaging through it. The sour feeling is gone, evaporated like it's never been. He pulls out the stuffed white unicorn, complete with silver horn and little blue-striped bow tie.
"He looks awesome," Remus breathes. "Is he really soft?" Logan gestures at him.
"See for yourself," he says. Remus reaches out a daring hand and runs it along the soft fur of the unicorn's back. His eyes fill with awe.
"I love him," he says sincerely. Logan beams.
"I got him a couple years ago," Logan says. "For Christmas."
"That must have been an awesome present," Remus says, bouncing on his toes. "Me, too, I mean, Cthulhu was a Christmas present. Our neighbor gave them to me. Hey, did you know there's a new kid in my class?"
"Uh, no?" Logan says, trying to follow the abrupt shift in subject.
"He has a really cool name," Remus informs him. "Janus. How cool is that? My mom said that Janus is the name of a god. He's really quiet, though. He has um, vitiligo? I think that's what my mom called it. Some of the other kids make fun of him, but not me! I just wanna be his friend. Do you think you wanna be friends with him, too?"
"Well, um, I'd have to meet him first," Logan points out. Remus's face goes red.
"Oh, right," he says. "But don't worry! Me and you are still best friends. Forever, okay? If um, if you want." Logan reaches out a pinky finger, waiting for Remus to hook his own pinky finger around it.
"Best friends for always," he says. Remus grins hugely.
"This sleepover is gonna be the best," he says. Logan can't disagree.