Sickly Sides

1

Patton:

I scoop a spoonful of eggs onto a plate and pass it to Logan. I pause when I see his appearance. He's paler than Virgil even with his foundation, and the bags under Logan's eyes could give Virgil's eyeshadow a run for its money.

"You okay, kiddo?"

He nods as he takes his plate. He attempts to stifle a cough, I frown as he pours his coffee.

"Logan?" I try again gently, "You sure you're alright? You're not lookin too good."

"My health is...less than ideal today," he answers as he pulls a tissue from his pocket.

"Oh, Lo, why didn't you say you were sick! I would've brought breakfast up to you!" I place a hand on his shoulder, but he pulls away, "Go back up to bed, you need to rest."

He shakes his head, "That is not necessary." He sits down at the table.

"Logan, you need to take care of yourself," I remind him.

"I assure you I am taking the necessary precautions, but I have many obligations to attend to today."

"Morning," Virgil says as he stumbles into the room, Roman close behind him.

"Morning, kiddos," I wave to them, before turning back to Logan, "Please, Lo? You can put off work for one day."

He shakes his head again, "I can't work tomorrow, Remus is coming over. So I cannot afford to skip today."

"If you're still sick tomorrow then Remus shouldn't come over, you'll get him sick."

"You're probably right, I'll call him. But I still need to get some work done." Logan says with a sigh.

"Do you want me to call Remus for you?" I offer.

"That won't be necessary, I'm perfectly capable of calling him myself," he coughs.

"Why don't," I take his empty plate, "you go lay down, and let me make the call, okay?

He sighs, "Alright, I advise you against calling Remus," he takes his coffee with him as he heads upstairs.

"Logan's sick? That's rare," Virgil comments.

"Yeah, I'm hoping it's just a cold," I say, "I'm gonna go up and check his temperature in a minute, after I call Remus."

I pull my phone out of my pocket, as it rings I tap my foot.

"Hello!" Remus shouts as he picks up, I pull the phone away from my ear, "Patton! Is something wrong?!?"

I pull the phone back to my face, "Hey, Remus. I just wanted to let you know that Logan's sick, so you can't come over tomorrow."

A pause, then, "Logan's sick? Is he gonna be okay? I'll bring him soup."

"That's okay, I've got it handled, he's gonna be fine. I just wanted you to know in advance that your plans were canceled."

"I'm coming over," Remus says as if he hadn't heard me. "Dee!" I hear him yell, "I'm going over to see Logan! Do you wanna come?!"

"What?" I hear Deceit say distantly.

"No, no. Don't come over." I say exasperatedly.

"We'll be there in a few," he hangs up.

I sigh, "I guess, Dee and Remus are coming over."

Virgil laughs, "I could've told you Remus wouldn't have listened. The very mention of anything happening to Logan sets him off."

"It's true, remember the other day when I bumped into him and Remus almost cut my head off," Roman says.

"Yeah," I laugh, "you're right. I should've realized."

"It's okay, Pat. What's the worst that could happen while they're here?" Virgil says.

"I guess nothing really, except that Remus gets sick. And I get to see Dee so that's good."

"Trust me, Remus's immune system is really strong," Virgil assures me.

I laugh, "Probably," I remember what I was doing then, "oh, I'm gonna go take Logan's temperature!"

I head upstairs, stopping in the bathroom to grab the thermometer.

I'm confused to find Logan's door locked. I knock softly, "Logan?"

"I'm rather busy, Patton. Is there something you need?"

"You're supposed to be in bed! I came to take your temperature, and to tell you that Remus is coming over today.

"What?" He flings the door open, he clears his throat, "I mean, I may have misheard you, could you repeat that?"

"Well, I called Remus and he insisted on coming over when I told him you were sick."

He shakes his head, "Why didn't you tell him not to?"

"I did, he didn't listen! I think he's bringing you soup..."

Logan pinches the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses, "Remus can't make soup..."

"Oh, oh no."

He nods, "This is why I didn't want you to call him, if we'd called him later this would not have been an issue."

"Sorry, Lo, I didn't know."

"It's fine," he says.

"I still need to take your temperature, and you need to get back in bed."

"I can take my own temperature," he says failing to stifle a cough.

"Okay, then, Mr. Grumpy," I wave the thermometer at him, "but you still need to get into bed."

He sighs, "I'm working."

"Well it looks like you're working from bed today, kiddo," I tell him seriously.

He glares at me for a moment, "Fine." He heads over to his desk, grabbing his laptop and plugging it in next to his bed. He lays down on top of the covers.

I roll my eyes at his behavior, heading over and attempting to take his temperature.

He swipes the thermometer from my hands, "I'll take care of that, thank you." He places it under his tongue.

"Alright, Lo." The thermometer beeps and I reach for it. But he yanks it out of his mouth and checks it before I can. He passes it back to me with a huff.

I check the number, 100.5, "Uh-oh, looks like you're gonna be in bed for awhile."

He rolls his eyes.

"I could really do without the attitude, Lo."

He huffs again, "I could really do without the infantilizing attitude toward me."

I sigh, "Get some rest." I head toward the door, nearly bumping in to Remus.

"Logie!" he yells.

I decide that I should probably give them some space, I close the door on my way out.