Chapter Text
Patton wrung out the sanitized rag he was about to use to wipe the counters, letting the excess sanitizer solution run over his knuckles and into the stainless steel sink before him. He sighed contentedly, setting to work wiping away at the counters. He loved his job; it was perfect, allowed him the right hours that worked around his class schedule and he could just afford his share of the rent with his wages, every now and then able to stash away some of his extra cash for grad school.
He checked his watch - five minutes until his designated break time - as the cafe door chimed behind him. He whirled around with a smile on his face. His smile softened into something far more genuine as he recognized the newcomer, watching quietly as he adjusted his shirt cuffs.
"Heya Logan! What can I do ya for on this fine afternoon?" Patton wiggled his eyebrows a bit, smiling even wider as he spoke.
"Ah, hello Patton," Logan addressed, his face looking a bit worse for wear. He had a sheet of red across his entire face and down his neck, blotchy as though he was or had been very nervous, and the concentration lines on his forehead and around his eyes seemed excessively pronounced. Patton tried not to noticeably stare as he observed his friend, careful to keep his smile. "Might I have a large coffee, no cream or sugar, w-"
"With a single ice cube?" Patton completed, already filling a cup with fresh coffee. "You're one of my best friends, and you come in all the time, Logan. I know your order by now!" He sleeved the cup easily, stepping over smoothly to the ice box to scoop out a single ice cube. it plopped peacefully into the thick black liquid surface. "How's your day been, kiddo? You're looking a little run-down there," Patton commented as he brought the slightly steaming cup back to where Logan stood at the register.
Logan took the cup and savored the warmth it brought to his fairly numb fingers. He seemed to have forgotten Patton’s remark until he looked up at Patton’s expectant and gentle face.
“Not to worry Patton. I am fine. Though I do appreciate your concern.” Logan took a sip from the piping hot coffee, the ice cube in it quelling the heat that would have otherwise burned his tongue. “$1.95, I presume?” Logan retrieved his wallet from his pocket, pausing to look at it in his hands for a little. Patton noticed for sure, but decided not to pester him about it. He tried for another route.
“Yeah… say, could I get you to eat something? We’ve got fresh sandwiches in the case next to you there - a good sandwich always cheers me up!” Patton’s bright smile had returned, and Logan met his eyes with something like nervousness ghosting behind them.
Logan turned his attention to the case beside him, seeing not just sandwiches but an assortment of snacks and bottled drinks. He glanced at Patton, who was watching him expectantly. He reached reluctantly for a small container of blueberries, drawn by text on the container that read only 20 calories! His reluctance was quelled and he plopped them on the counter.
“I don’t think I’m hungry enough for a sandwich,” Logan said, pulling his debit card out of his wallet, “But I suppose a snack wouldn’t hurt.”
“Alrighty! That’s $3.95 for ya,” Patton click-clacked away on the register, and Logan handed him his card. “I appreciate your business, as always!” Patton flashed one last smile before returning Logan’s card and heading back to work.
Logan went to deposit his wallet into its proper pocket in his backpack before realizing that he, in fact, did not have his backpack. Shit. He’d left it at the yarn shop.
While Logan had his moment of panic, Patton’s co-worker Remy emerged from the door to the back room, tying her apron strings in the front.
“Hey Pat, the boss says it’s time for your ten. Get outta here,” she said as she washed her hands.
“Thanks Rem! See ya in a bit,” Patton grabbed an ice water and cookie that he’d had waiting to the side and slipped through the door Remy had just come out from. Remy’s long mousy brown hair was up in a ponytail, little strands assisted in staying out of her face by a pair of sunglasses that she had on as if it was a headband.
Logan had regained himself and was heading out the door of the coffee shop, only to collide with an entering customer.
“My deepest apologies, so sorry,” Logan says, not looking at the person’s face but body language conveying genuine remorse.
“Don’t worry about it,” A gruff voice replied, but Logan was already pacing down the block quickly.
“Sorry again!” The man heard Logan shout just before the door of the coffee shop closed behind him. Remy turned her attention to the customer.
He had gray frayed canvas pants on with several pockets on each leg, a fairly tattered white tank top on (that was yet stainless - it was clear that this stranger took care with his rowdy appearance) and a leather jacket with spikes on the shoulders and countless pins and patches all over the lapels and even some on the arms. He had long-ish-on-the-top curly hair that was a vibrant neon green, and Remy could make out tattoos on what she could see of his chest, stomach and starting to creep up his neck, as well as hands. He had piercings galore, and an unlit cigarette hung from his lips to complete everything.
“Hey good lookin, watcha got cookin’?” Remy leaned on the counter at the register, smirk-smiling at the man as he approached. “Can I getcha anything?”
“...yeah,” The man’s eyes darted back and forth over the menus displayed over Remy’s head. “I’ll get that crazy-looking caramel frappuccino. A large, please.” The man reached into one of his several pockets and pulled out a $10 bill, slamming it on the counter beneath a veiny hand. “Keep the change.”
“You got it,” Remy unabashedly looked him up and down one more time, still leaning on one hip and now holding a large frappuccino cup in her hand, readying a sharpie. “Can I get your name?”
“Remus.”
Remy scribbled the name on the cup and wrote her own name and number where the order should be (it didn’t matter when she was the one about to make it) and added a heart for good measure. Remus had wandered to a counter and leaned against it, putting his unlit cig behind his ear and trading it for a piece of bubblegum. He’d just popped his 2nd large bubble when Remy called his name at the counter, holding a frappuccino that matched the display picture nearly perfectly.
“Let me grab you a straw,” Remy added as Remus came over. He took the cup and read what Remy had written. She returned with a straw and winked as she handed it to him.
“Call me sometime,” She added daringly. Remus smirked down at her.
“I appreciate the offer,” He said, unsheathing the straw and sticking it in his cup, “But you’re not exactly my type.” He used his pinky to pull down one corner of his tank top, revealing a pride flag tattoo. Remy blushed.
“Sorry about that…” She fidgeted around for a moment under Remus’ amused gaze. “Well even so, you seem like you know how to have a good time. Let me know if you need a rabble-rouser to mess around with some time.” She smiled with a glint in her eye.
“You got it, sweetheart. I’ll keep you in mind, Remy.” Remus returned her crazed smile and turned to leave. Remy watched him go, sighing.
“Why’s it always the gay guys I wind up hitting on?” She thought out loud.
“Beats straight men hitting on you ,” Patton’s voice called, and Remy turned in time to see him mock shuddering at the thought as he washed his hands. A soft smile complemented his rosy cheeks, as always.
“Hah, you got a point!” Remy grabbed a rag and started wiping down some counters. “But seriously, you just missed the hottest guy…”
Roman was hanging on the edge of his seat on the couch when Virgil and Janus came through the front door. He wiggled a bit as they turned to him.
“Soooo?” He drew out with a sing-song tone, “How did it go, Jannie?” He bounced a bit in his seat and his smile only widened.
Janus cast a weak smile at him, and wrapped Virgil in his arms. Virgil melted a bit, and seemed to have spent all his energy for the day. Roman’s brow furrowed. He stood, joining his loves in the entryway. He wrapped his strong arms around both of them, resting his head on Janus’ shoulder.
“Is everything alright?” he spoke softly. Janus leaned his head on Roman’s, and Virgil slowly let out a big breath.
They stayed this way for a good bit, feeling the stresses of their day start to dissipate. Roman felt the worry in his gut, but knew that Janus would tell him everything soon enough. He let himself relax into the embrace, letting go of the tightness he’d been harboring since dinner the previous night.
“Let’s settle for a bit. Tea, my loves?” Janus broke the spell, ushering Roman and Virgil to the couch. They accepted, and Janus left briefly to the kitchen to make 3 cups of herbal tea, all with specific varying amounts of honey.
Virgil curled himself into Roman, settling into his lap and resting his head on Roman’s collar. Roman kissed his forehead and started carding his fingers through Virgil’s hair. He could feel the ghost of worry from before still in his gut, but it was hard to feel distressed when his love was settled into him like this. He let out a slow sigh.
Janus returned with three mugs carefully balanced in his hands, and set them on coasters already in place on the coffee table - Virgil’s doing. Even in this state he was thoughtful. Janus kissed his temple and sat beside Roman, Virgil’s back to him. He started rubbing slow swirls into it, sometimes tracing Virgil’s spine, running his fingers over the vertebrae that jutted out a bit. He looked at Roman, who was already looking at him with a slightly guarded look of concern. Janus kissed his cheek, and Roman kissed his lips softly.
“We studied,” Janus began, “and it was lovely.” He paused, reminiscing on the quality time he’d spent with Logan. “I enjoy his company quite immensely.” He gave a soft smile to Roman, and Virgil tilted his head back to look at Janus. Roman kissed Virgil’s throat chastely. Virgil adjusted himself so that he lay across his boyfriends’ laps. His head rested comfortably on Janus’ thigh, and Janus started to play with his hair absentmindedly. Roman ran his fingers along Virgil’s knee, and started gently picking at a frayed string on his jeans.
Janus continued. “He told me he needed to leave after 45 minutes to retrieve his wallet from a nearby shop. I’d noticed Logan was carrying a gift bag of yarn, and it seemed too perfect that Virgil was off around that time. When we finished our study session, we walked together to… Virgil, as it happened.” He paused for a moment. He wasn’t sure how Virgil’s initial interaction with Logan had gone, and didn’t want to speak for him. “...We arrived, and Virgil hadn’t noticed me at first. It seemed they’d already felt some sparks from earlier in the day.” Roman and Janus exchanged an excited smile, and Virgil blushed, hiding his face in the crook of his elbow. “I think my presence along with Logan’s was just… a bit unexpected, to say the least…” Janus rubbed his thumb gently across Virgil’s cheek, and he leaned into the touch. “He had a bit of a fright.” Janus always called Virgil’s attacks a ‘fright’, and it made Virgil giggle softly. “Once he’d relaxed, Logan… he’d just been standing there, and I wanted to explain… everything,” Janus’ hands found each other, and he rubbed circles into his right palm with his left thumb. “At least, I tried. I hope he wasn’t as mortified as he looked. It almost seemed…” Janus paused, and Virgil spoke up.
“His eyes looked like… he was somewhere else,” he breathed. “I don’t know. I don’t know if he even registered anything you said.” Virgil and Janus shared a meaningful look.
“What did you say to him?” Roman piped up, looking from Virgil to Janus. Janus looked back at him, and sighed.
“I didn’t have the chance to say much. I told him about us, that you’re continually enamored, and that we- I- didn’t want to hide this from him,” Janus took Virgil’s hand, and Roman’s. “If he wanted to spend time with any of us.” He finished softly, staring at some distant piece of lint on the floor. Roman’s brow furrowed.
“And- what did he have to say?” Roman queried, torso turning slightly to face Janus.
Janus opened his mouth to speak, but when no sound came out, Virgil interjected.
“He left.”
Roman looked between them, brow still furrowed.
“He was polite, but he left. Kind of in a hurry.” Virgil shrugged. “He said he was looking forward to studying with you again, though,” Virgil nudged Janus, breaking his trance of staring at the floor.
“Oh, yes. I have his contact information.” Janus produced his phone from his coat, and showed Roman the message he’d sent on the bus.
Roman was at a loss. What was Logan thinking? Feeling? Why hadn’t he said anything when Janus had explained the situation? He read the message a few times over before returning the phone to Janus. Then he let his head fall back onto the couch cushion.
“That’s… rather odd.” He brought his arms up and supported the back of his head with his hands.
“He really didn’t seem like he was doing well,” Virgil added, “Even before Jannie explained things. Maybe he’s exhausted or something.” He sat up carefully to retrieve his tea. He took a long sip, watching Roman’s face as he scanned the ceiling, as though he’d find an answer there.
“I’m sorry, my love,” Janus leaned over to press a kiss to Roman’s cheek. “I wish that things had gone more smoothly.”
Roman perked up, summoning a smile. “That’s alright,” he said brightly, “people are unpredictable. We have nooooo idea what will happen next.” He beamed, and reached carefully over Virgil’s lap for his own tea.
“You’re not upset?” Virgil urged, a pointed look on his face.
“Naaahh,” Roman’s smile was as bright as ever. Janus and Virgil exchanged a quick look of surprise. “Besides,” Roman set his tea down, having finished it in a few gulps between his words, “I found a copy of tech’s schedule at rehearsal today. I should see him tomorrow!” he grinned at Virgil, and then Janus. They looked at each other again, but resigned themselves to bask in Roman’s good mood.
“That’s lucky,” Virgil sat up and wriggled himself into a seat between his loves, still nursing his tea.
“Indeed.” Janus had collected his own teacup and sipped it slowly, eyebrows raising briefly.
Virgil leaned his hip against Janus’ and laid his head on Roman’s shoulder. Roman squeezed his arm.
“Tomorrow is a new day.” he beamed until he was fast asleep that night.