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Patton and Logan have been best friends since birth.
Let’s start with that.
With parents who are close friends, the two boys are constantly in each other’s presence, since before they can even remember. Playdates and sleepovers and family trips found the two of them forming an unbreakable bond. They shared everything from movie nights to adventures to everywhere they could imagine, and even clothing (until Patton shot up like a string bean sophomore year; after that, Logan was the only one borrowing clothes, as Patton could quite literally rip shirts in half if he tried to fit the smaller boy’s clothes over his broad shoulders).
Their friendship made it through childish fights, puberty, and more fights that were slightly less childish. Through coming out to each other (an event that involved more crying than either boy would like to admit) and to their parents (together, the way they’d done everything). Through their parents wondering if they liked each other, to them being convinced they were dating, to casual teasing from their family and friends about how much time they spend together. Through different friend groups and new interests and the horror that is middle school.
Finally, finally , they’re here.
College.
“I just really wish that I could find someone, you know? College is where you’re supposed to find someone,” Patton sighs, staring up at the ceiling from his bed.
“It doesn’t have to be, Patton,” Logan says from his desk on the other side of the room. “You rarely follow social norms, it’s not necessary to start now.”
“I know, I know, I just feel like I have so much love to give! I want to be able to give it!” Logan hums in response before they both fall silent, enjoying the quiet company of the other as they have for years.
“I suppose,” Logan breaks the silence, clearing his throat, “I suppose, if you really, ah, want a significant other, I could … set you up?” The words scrape his throat, but he squeezes them out anyway.
“Logan, really?” His friend gasps, and Logan nods. “That would be so nice!”
“Anything for you, Patton,” he lifts his head to give him a shy grin, and the smile on Patton’s face is enough. It has to be enough.
It is enough.
***
“Roman,” Logan calls after his desk partner from his public speaking class (one of his least favorite classes, but a general education course, nonetheless).
“Hey there, Specs-ification!” Roman exclaims grandly, causing Logan to wince. So loud.
“I have a … I suppose you could call it a favor, to ask.” Best to be straight forward.
“And what might that be, Your Nerdiness?”
“I have a friend. I told him I would set him up for a date this Friday night, and my understanding of your personality up to this point leads me to the conclusion that you would be a perfect match for him.” Dramatic, caring, and fluffy. Just like Patton (albeit much more annoying, by Logan’s standards).
“Oh!” Roman looks surprised, before a grin takes over his face. “It would be my honor! Just-” before he can finish, another boy calls Roman’s name, frantically gesturing for him to hurry up.
“I still have your number from the last project. I will text you Patton’s number,” Logan nods, pushing his glasses up as Roman throws a thank you over his shoulder before jogging off. Logan returns to his shared room with Patton, his heart a little heavy.
Okay, who’s he kidding, it’s more than just a little, and Logan knows why.
He’s in love with his best friend.
It shouldn’t be so painful to admit, but it is. He attempted to deny it for a long time, but the fact of the matter is that he’s in love with Patton, and Patton doesn’t love him. He’s known both of these facts for years, but they still sting like he just learned them today.
“Logan, good news!” His best friend cheers as he enters the room, dragging Logan from his mental spiral. “I got you a date for Friday night!”
“What?!” Logan stands quickly, shaking his head. “Patton, we didn’t agree to that, I said that I would set you up!”
“Oh I know silly, but I kept thinking about how this means that I’ll miss movie night, and Virgil is smart and analytical just like you! Plus he’s pretty funny - a little sarcastic, maybe, but I think you two will hit it off just fin- Logan?” Patton cuts himself off, looking worriedly at his friend. “If you don’t want to go, I’ll call it off, no hard feelings. I just thought it might be nice to return the favor …” Logan swallows, and then gives his best smile.
“Patton, of course I’ll go. That’s very thoughtful, I was just caught off guard, is all. Thank you.” Patton’s face fills with sunshine again immediately.
“Oh, yes! We’re going on dates!!” He shouts as he drags Logan across the room in a sloppy, celebratory dance.
***
Patton’s nerves start to get the best of him as he gets ready for his date. Logan had already left to go meet Virgil, and Roman would be stopping by in ten minutes to pick up Patton. They were just going to a restaurant on the edge of campus, but Roman insisted in his texts that a true gentleman never let their date walk alone. It made Patton giddy at the time, but now he feels more like throwing up, though he’s not sure why. Logan would never set him up with someone cruel or evil, even unintentionally. So then why does he feel so icky?
The feeling had started when Logan had offered to set him up, but it had only gotten worse when he’d given Logan’s number to the boy in his math class. Virgil is great, and Patton thinks he and Logan are quite alike, but the last couple days have had him feeling nauseous any time he thought about the dates.
A knock on the door pulls Patton from his thoughts, and he shakes off the feeling, determined to enjoy this date.
***
“So, tell me about yourself, Patton-”
“-says you’re a nerd, but like, a hot one,” Virgil grins.
“Oh,” Patton smiles as he adjusts his glasses. “Well, I really love-”
“-astronomy, particularly star patterns and movements, it’s a good past time, and Patton and I-”
“-like to go up on the roof of the law building sometimes, and-”
“-the first time we did it, his eyes got so huge,” Logan laughs. “Patton’s eyes are just the deepest shade of-”
“-brown you’ve ever seen, I could get lost in them forever, and his ties are-”
“-this one shade of blue, sort of periwinkle; all his sweaters are that color. And good lord, don’t even get me started on his puns-”
“-which Logan claims to hate but I know he secretly-”
“-secretly love them.”
A pause.
From two locations across campus, two glasses-wearing boys stand from their chairs as realizations hit them.
“Oh Roman, I’m so sorry, I- I need to go, will you excuse me?”
“I’m sorry, Virgil, but I think I’ve kept a secret far too long. If you’ll excuse me.”
***
Logan is sprinting towards the other side of the campus, heading towards the restaurant Roman and Patton are supposed to be having dinner at. He thought accepting the date with Virgil would give him a chance to finally move on from Patton.
What a joke.
The way he spoke tonight, word vomiting to his actual date about his best friend who he’s in love with? This confession has been a long time coming.
He’s passing over the quad, hoping Roman won’t be too upset at him for interrupting his date, when he realizes the person he just ran past is wearing a familiar pair of black frames.
“Patton?” He calls, skidding to a stop as he turns around.
“Logan!” The figure responds, meeting him at the center of the quad. Logan doesn’t give his brain time to ponder why Patton is out here, only thanks the stars for small blessings.
“Patton, I’m sorry, but I just can’t hold this in any longer. I’ve been in love with you since freshman year, and that love has only grown, and I know-”
“Logan-”
“-that you could probably never return my feelings, but I’ve kept them quiet for so long and they affect my everyday life, I-”
“Logan, I-”
“-can’t sleep, can’t eat, can’t breathe without thinking about you! And I’m sorry if this makes our friendship awkward, but I owe it to you and to myself to be honest about-” Logan attempts to just plow through the confession, needing to get it all out before Patton can turn him down. Before he can finish his sappy and impromptu speech, Patton is tugging him down by his tie, connecting their lips. Logan short circuits for a moment before his brain assures him that yes, this is real life so you should start kissing back you dumbass-
“Sorry,” Patton whispers breathlessly when they break apart, “but you wouldn’t let me get a word in edgewise.”
“So you … you feel ... “ Logan can’t bring himself to say the words, too afraid that speaking them aloud will cause them to be false.
“I love you too, Lo. I don’t know how I missed it, actually. Guess my own subconscious was hiding it from me.” They share a soft laugh, only interrupted by two seperate people calling their names.
“Ah, so you also left your date without much of an explanation?”
“Afraid so,” Patton hums, head moving between the two approaching figures. A grin slides onto his face, causing Logan to adopt an expression of confusion and amusement.
“Sorry we left you two high and dry, but we kinda …”
“Realized you were in love with your best friend because you spent the entire date rambling about them?” Roman says, though he’s smiling playfully. “No hard feelings.”
“Well, in any case, Roman, meet Virgil. Virgil is wicked smart, he likes writing, singing, and Disney. Virgil, meet Roman. He is wonderfully outgoing, and he likes reading, acting, and Disney. Have fun!” Patton shouts before gripping Logan’s hand and making their getaway.