Work Text:
Don't Catch a Cold! - A Short Logicality Story
Logan stood in the late evening breeze, street lights turning on along the street due to night rapidly approaching. He was wearing a coat and scarf wrapped snug around the crook of his neck, so logically there was no part of him that thought he was prone to catching any illnesses. Furthermore, he'd frequently checked the weather forecast for today. Nothing could possibly go wrong, as far as he could see.
"Excuse me-" Logan called out with a wave of his arm, gesturing for a taxi to swerve around and park in front of him. And yet, the taxi drove off. Understandable. Nobody was obligated to give him a lift, he supposed. Even though last time he checked it was a part of the job description for a taxi driver to pick up paying customers but.. it was in the past now. What good would come out of him complaining? Logan shoved his stiff hands into the warmths of his pocket, trudging down the unkept pavement towards a nearby bus stop. Another method of transport was in order if the previous attempt had failed. *BUZZZ* He fumbled to get his phone out of his pocket noticing it was a text from his fiance, Patton. Despite feeling like his face could freeze off any second, he couldn't help the beaming smile spreading across his lips. All because of a simple photograph. Patton often sent selfies of him and their dog, Alfie, getting up to god knows what and as much as Logan would scold Patton for causing chaos in the household, he'd be a liar if he said it wasn't endearing. Right now it seemed Alfie was soaked in bubbles and fighting Patton to get out of the tub. At least this photo showed some semblance of productivity between the pair. He reacted to the image with a small, dark blue heart before dropping his phone back into his pocket. Or.. he thought he did.
"Oh- shit fuck- shuck." Logan scrambled to pick up the fragile phone that had broken into a thousand pieces against the harsh concrete. Why design a phone that can't withstand being dropped once? Logan tried to remove as much of the scattered glass as he could while warning passing pedestrians of the hazard until he was satisfied. As satisfied as one could be with a broken phone and a sniffly nose. Sniffly nose? Perhaps he wasn't as protected from the elements than he originally thought. "Some phone this is." He mumbled under his misty breath, discarding the useless hunk of trash in the.. well. In the trash. Before he could blurt out another scrooge-level complaint, he was drawn out of his thoughts via the sound of a bus whizzing past him. This wasn't the motorway last time he checked. Nevermind that, he had to run to that bus stop like no tomorrow.
Logan held onto the frame of his glasses and his briefcase as he dashed down the pavement towards the parked bus. The doors are already shutting just up ahead. This wasn't fair at all. First the taxi, now the bus? Hitchhiking could suffice so long as nobody kidnaps him. Logan could remember his father's words about hitchhiking. "Don't worry, nobody would kidnap you, they'd only bring you back." He would often refer to Logan as if he were a little terror. It never made any sense to him. Logan strived all his life to stay out of the way but.. Somehow, someway, he was an obstacle.
"Sir?" Logan snapped his head around, noticing he was a few steps past the bus that was being held open by an older lady. "Did you need to get on?" She spoke calmly, in turn helping Logan gather himself in the process.
"Yes. Thank you, ma'am." Logan bowed his head in an effort to apologise for his aloofness. Taking a step up onto the bus floor only to trip over the gap due to his tunnel vision. He would've fallen if it wasn't for the woman's quick reflexes as she grabbed Logan's arm, pulling him up onto his feet. He rubbed the back of his neck in what could only be described as pure embarrassment but even that was short lived once she dragged him down the middle of the bus to a quieter area. Finally sitting the two of them down. Logan took a breath, trying to collect his thoughts.
"Millie Riperton." She held a hand out which Logan promptly shook. A strong grip for an old lady he could give her that. "You'd best be a bit more careful young man! No good tripping over ourselves is there?" Millie spoke in a tone that wasn't quite as cold as scolding but stern enough to drive her words through into Logan's brain. He chuckled nervously, nodding to assure he understood her words. He hadn't been called a young man in a long time, especially being in his mid thirties now so that was a treat.
"Correct, Ms Riperton. I shall try to stay out of trouble.. Thank you again." Logan said while placing his briefcase in front of his legs in the little space the bus offered him. Millie offered a smile that could light up the dingy place. "My name is Logan Sanders. It's a pleasure to meet you." He added on at the end, realising he should introduce himself too in case he was coming off as impolite for not doing so.
"You seemed like you were in a hurry. Are you alright?" She posed a genuine question. Millie must've noticed Logan dissociating moments ago, so he waved off the question. "I am alright. Merely having an unlucky day of sorts. You know, none of the taxi drivers around here like doing their jobs do they?" Logan stated as though it were fact. Earning quite the laughter from Millie who found his blunt tone hilarious. She collected herself and nodded.
"I haven't had much luck either. How come you didn't know? Are you new around here?" Millie put her purse away to focus her attention on the intriguing man beside her. Something was different about him. Something she couldn't quite place her finger on.
"Indeed. Me and my fiance moved down here recently after saving enough money to move out of our town. He's finding the move to be a positive one." Logan explained, pausing in his explanation when he saw the look Millie was giving him. A sly smirk on her face as if she'd figured something out. "What? What is the matter?"
Gay. That checks out. Although who was she to talk, Millie was as gay as a tree full of monkeys on nitrous oxide.
"Nothing, lovey! It's good that he's taken a liking to the neighbourhood. I'd argue to stay away from the darker parts of town though. Some real troublemakers knocking around." She tutted and shook her head in disappointment. Whereas Logan only gave her a look of confusion.
"Knocking around? On what?" Logan questioned. Bless him, common phrases were never his forte. Millie patted Logan's shoulder to offer him some comfort in these trying times of confusion. "No- sweetie it's a phrase. It means there's troublemakers walking around in those areas." Millie sighed. She couldn't help but find Logan very funny. And it looked like he wasn't even trying to be. Logan responded with a drawn out "Ohh.." before whipping out a few blank vocab cards and a pen from the inside pocket of his coat. Jotting down precisely what it was she had said to him along with the meaning of the phrase. The two kept this back and forth conversation going until Logan unfortunately had to get off at his stop. He exchanged numbers with the kind lady before hopping down off of the step. Luckily, not almost breaking his ankles in the process this time.
Home at last. Logan opened the door to find that the house was eerily silent. That never meant good things-
"SURPRISE ATTACK!!"
It wasn't long until Logan was tackled to the floor by a small dog alongside Patton who wore a proud smile on his face. Giggling as if he had gotten away with his master plan. Logan struggled to get up, eventually, figuratively, throwing in the towel when Alfie licked his face off. He sat up on the palms of his hands behind him to be met with the face of a man who loved him oh so dearly.
"Patton, how long have you been waiting around that corner for me?" He couldn't help but ask out of curiosity. And the fact Patton had to count on his fingers was adorable.
"Maybe an hour or two!" Patton pulled Logan up to his feet, smoothing out his tie and adjusting it before helping him get his coat off. Logan felt freezing to the touch! No no, that wouldn't do at all. "Lo, what did i say about wearing layers? You'll catch a cold out there if you aren't careful.." He frowned, warming his hands up within his own. Logan cracked a smile through his colder exterior, watching Patton in his fit of panic before taking a deep breath. Inhaling through the nose, holding, exhaling through the mouth. Patton followed suit.
"I am okay. Alive and well. See, I wore the scarf you provided me for Christmas." Logan took off the scarf that was wrapped around his neck, showing the snow flake design on its fabric. It was a snazzy scarf and he felt proud to own such a gift from Patton. Along with the thousands of other gifts Patton has accumulated for Logan over the years. He will admit that it was a pain to move from their last place to this one. However, he loved every last item and he would've been just as pained as Patton if he couldn't take them all. Every hoodie, every teddy bear, every flower. Pat perked up at seeing Logan take off his scarf, pressing a loving kiss into the crook of his neck now that it was available to him. Causing Logan to let out a small startled noise.
"That's the main thing. Now come on let's get you into something warm or you'll really come down with a cold." Patton urged, letting go of one of Logan's hands to keep hold of the other as he dragged him upstairs. Logan compliantly follows after up into the bedroom.
"That.. this.." Patton mumbled while blindly chucking items of clothing across the room into Logan's face as he stood there, attempting to catch most of it and failing. Logan was never good at catching things. Patton knew this, that's what made it all the more fun. He turned around to see Logan covered in more clothes than necessary, stifling the chuckle that threatened to escape the confines of his throat. "Mopjshdbsm-" Logan spoke from under all the fabric. Pulling the various t-shirts and pants out of his face to speak properly. "What i meant to say was, i believe i have all of the clothing needed." Logan said with a playful huff. Patton raised his hands in surrender, not before chucking another shirt at Logan on the way out. Mischevious little devil, Logan thought to himself.
--- In the Kitchen ---
Patton leaned against the kitchen counter now conveniently in his cat onesie. Stirring the hot cocoa in his mug with a spoon as he waited for Logan to come down. He'd taken a little longer than anticipated, causing Patton to worry ever so slightly.
"Logan??" He called out, leaning out of the kitchen doorway to assure Logan could hear him. "Hun!! I made us some hot cocoa"
"You did?" A voice said from behind him, reaching out of the shadows to spin Patton around and face him. It was Logan of course. Who else could it be? He stood there with a sly smirk on his face while in his unicorn onesie, holding his own mug of hot cocoa that he must have taken from the counter himself. "You see, what i did there is, i actually knew you made hot cocoa because i have it in my hands meaning i took it already from the-"
Logan was interrupted by a sweet, loving kiss pressed against his lips. He closed his eyes only for a second until Patton pulled away, blushing furiously at the action he so boldly chose to make. It was a little difficult not to kiss Logan when he was being such a dork. And of course Logan felt an ego boost immediately from it. Showing through his expression.
"Hopefully you don't get my cold from that." Logan stated mindlessly before covering his mouth with his hand. A knowing glare radiating off of Patton. "I knew you had a cold! You should've told me I could've made you some soup or something.." Patton's fury drifted off into sadness as it usually did. Logan smiled, moving a lock of his hair out of his eyes.
"I don't need any food or medicine. You're enough for me, angel."