astrophile // analogical au

one

tw: none

     Logan didn't mean to overhear his mom on the phone. He didn't want to have to think about it either, but alas, when it is well past midnight and you're laying in bed, the things you don't want to think about are the only things you can.

     He remembered the stabbing feeling in his gut when he heard her words.

     "Honey, that's wonderful." She was smiling, "how do you think Logan will take the news?" His mom had asked.

     Logan didn't need to ask to know that she was talking to his dad. He was the only one she ever called. She was an only child, both of her parents had been too, but they passed long before Logan was even born.

     He remember his mom asking, "where is it?" He knew that meant they would most likely end up moving away.

     There was a clawing pit in his stomach and he felt the sudden urge to talk to someone.

     Logan thought for a moment. Sibling: nonexistent. Patton: asleep. Roman: asleep. Virgil: most likely awake at an hour like this.

Logan picked his phone up from the nightstand, unlocking it and texting Virgil.

Can you accommodate time for a chat? -Lo

     An answer was almost immediate, as if the boy had been sitting and waiting for a text from Logan.

yeah i can

     Logan smiled. If it was anyone else, he would have corrected their capitalization, but Logan found Virgil complete disregard for basic grammar rules over text adorable.

     Logan called the boy, who answered immediately.

     "Lo?"

     "Yeah, it's me." The boy smiled, he loved hearing Virgil's voice.

     "What are you thinking about that kept you up this late?" Virgil asked. Logan shivered, it was as if the boy could see right through him.

     "A couple things. Can we meet at the park?"

     There was shuffling on the other end of the line, "yeah. I'll be there in twenty."

     "I'll see you there." Logan smiled before hanging up.

/ - \

     About twenty minutes later, Logan was sitting under a tree. It was still raining and the grass was wet, but that was the smallest of the boy's problems.

Logan felt like he was in a badly written romance novel. He felt as though he was just the puppet of a puppet-master that controlled everything he said and everything he did and everything that happened in the world. A badly written romance novel with badly written characters and a badly written plot. That's what he thought about until he spotted Virgil.

The boy was riding fast on his skateboard, no helmet. Logan knew it was a safety hazard, but he didn't comment on it, just smiled and waved at the boy.

     Virgil smiled back, discarding the skateboard in the grass somewhere by the tree and letting himself fall into the grass next to Logan.

     "What's up?" The boy sounded out of breath.

     "I, um." Logan stammered, looking away from the boy.

     "Hey, look at me." Virgil grabbed Logan by the chin like he had the day he fixed him up after watching him get beaten.

     "You won't hate me?" Logan knew it was a childish question to ask, but he couldn't help but to ask it.

     "I could never hate you." Virgil smiled.

     Logan broke, letting out a choked sob. Virgil was quick to hug him, taking and folding his glasses and wiping away his tears.

     "Just look at me and go for it." Virgil looked to the boy.

     "I overheard my mom on the phone with my dad earlier and," Logan paused, "I think we're moving."

     Virgil was stunned, at first he felt like he couldn't breathe, then he felt like someone had stabbed him in the chest and twisted the knife.

     "Virgil?" Logan was concerned, it had been a few minutes since the boy had last spoken, or given any sign of consciousness at all.

     Then there were tears. Fat, hot tears that ran down Virgil's face.

     Logan opened his arms, pulling the boy towards him.

     They sat like that for a long time, holding each other well into the morning.