Vinanye should have been doing council things, but he wasn't, not right then. Instead, he was playing nurse to a few of the sick students in the infirmary. Nothing big because he wasn't allowed to do that, no medical degree, but he would fetch them water or food, sit with them and talk, read to them. His aura was good for this sort of thing; it calmed people down, made them able to rest, alleviated the anxiety.
Vinnie's eye's lit up when he recognized Logan come in. Asking around the campus would have led Logan to the infirmary easily. Vin was, by all rights, a terrible sneak after all.
He waved Logan over to where he was seated on one of the only mildly comfy chairs. "Hello, Logan. We met, do you remember? Are you okay? You look a little sick." Vin fretted over him.
♠♠♠
Logan needed a break. He was rattled, pale and jumpy, and he didn't want Dorian to see him like this. Fucking Gideon has cornered him after classes with a few of his snotty little friends. He couldn't believe he'd gotten frightened over a bunch of eleven year olds just because they'd all learned slurs from their fathers. He hated it. He'd much rather have killed them all, not ran away like a coward with his tail between his legs, but he had a weak point in his siblings. However much he'd grown more confident and assertive with the majority, he still had those three little brats to revert back to his old self with. It was humiliating. He felt sick to his stomach. He headed for the infirmary. He'd likely just down a calming potion and sit in a corner for a while before moving on.
Except, that wasn't the case. Vinanye was there. He couldn't hide his mortification, cheeks painted red, embarrassment and shame threatening to sink into and paralyze him. Being seen like this by another candidate-- it didn't feel right. What if it was decided he was weak, and that someone on their team should replace him as vice president, after having him banned from their group entirely? No, no, couldn't have that, he couldn't let Dorian down so quickly and easily, no…
He couldn't hang onto hostility and nerves towards Vin for very long. There was something about them, and it may have been magical in nature, because Logan had a very similar magic to him. That fluffy feeling. He could recognize it. It wasn't the same, but it was something close enough to know. If that hadn't given something away, their appearance would've. There was a mix of physical traits there he probably shouldn't repeat or explain out loud.
"Hello," Logan said, weakly. His eyes flickered from side to side, nervous eyes he inherited from his father, that Vinanye showed signs of in his vision of them, along with soft, milky brown hair. He rubbed his arm, feeling terribly awkward. He sat down. "I'm just here for a potion. A little campaign stress, that's all. What are you doing here?"
Except, that wasn't the case. Vinanye was there. He couldn't hide his mortification, cheeks painted red, embarrassment and shame threatening to sink into and paralyze him. Being seen like this by another candidate-- it didn't feel right. What if it was decided he was weak, and that someone on their team should replace him as vice president, after having him banned from their group entirely? No, no, couldn't have that, he couldn't let Dorian down so quickly and easily, no…
He couldn't hang onto hostility and nerves towards Vin for very long. There was something about them, and it may have been magical in nature, because Logan had a very similar magic to him. That fluffy feeling. He could recognize it. It wasn't the same, but it was something close enough to know. If that hadn't given something away, their appearance would've. There was a mix of physical traits there he probably shouldn't repeat or explain out loud.
"Hello," Logan said, weakly. His eyes flickered from side to side, nervous eyes he inherited from his father, that Vinanye showed signs of in his vision of them, along with soft, milky brown hair. He rubbed his arm, feeling terribly awkward. He sat down. "I'm just here for a potion. A little campaign stress, that's all. What are you doing here?"
When Vinanye saw how nervous Logan looked, he stood and went to him, barely touching his shoulder, concern flitting across his eyes. He sat down when Logan did, keeping his body turned toward the unicorn boy. The Fae smiled softly, motioning to a few people beyond them. "I was helping the patients." He thought, staring at a silent television in the corner. "If you sit with me for a little you'll feel calmer."
Vinanye leaned back in his seat, giving Logan some space. "You should not be stressing yourself enough to come to the infirmary, Logan, that is dangerous." A tsk, like a caring parent or older sibling before he sighed and stood to ask the doctor for a calming potion.
Rhydian came over to the unicorn boy, checking him out before offering him a small, finger-sized purple potion to drink in one go. "Take this and give it a half and hour, kid." He smiled before being called away to talk to another student.
♠♠♠
Logan was never sure how to take anyone, especially strangers, showing concern towards him at first. It always gave him pause, made him want to tilt his head and ask if they had a screw loose. Half because it was him they were talking about, half and tying into the first point because nobody ever knew him. It pissed him off when they tried to poke and prod with their good intentions and imagined empathy without permission, then lauded themselves as saints for it.
With Vinanye, the interaction had the lingering awkwardness, but not quite the discomfort he'd usually have. Meeting the other's eyes, however, did feel a little too intimate, and he quickly averted his gaze as though stung soon after doing it. Logan didn't want anyone looking too closely. Blissfully ignorant, if offensive, attempts to pushily act like they knew him after barely trying were an improvement from that hypothetical situation.
He wanted to leave. But he wanted to stay. And he needed to stay, right then, otherwise Vinanye would never forget about this. There had to be a sense of closure with these matters, he knew that. If he came to a false conclusion and spoke about an uplifting moral lesson when noticeably upset, people would be far more likely to then leave him alone, satisfied with that much. He folded his hands in his lap and didn't glance up at Vin. The appearance still felt off, and he got a little embarrassed with himself if he eyed it for too long, so he avoided it.
"Okay. I'll stay." He squeezed his own hands. "For a while." He nodded to Mr. Moore and took his shot of potion. "Until this settles in. A half an hour." A smile was offered as he addressed the scolding. "I understand. I won't do it again." As the potion buzzed in his currently less than stable system, Logan thought about back alley deals, more little bottles of potions that were sticky on your tongue and numbed your brain, the costs of such items.
"I'm sorry we couldn't meet again under more pleasant circumstances. So, you've been helping out here? It's smart, with your aura and appearance shifts." He didn't have any fear in making it clear that he knew about that. He wanted to see what the response would be.
With Vinanye, the interaction had the lingering awkwardness, but not quite the discomfort he'd usually have. Meeting the other's eyes, however, did feel a little too intimate, and he quickly averted his gaze as though stung soon after doing it. Logan didn't want anyone looking too closely. Blissfully ignorant, if offensive, attempts to pushily act like they knew him after barely trying were an improvement from that hypothetical situation.
He wanted to leave. But he wanted to stay. And he needed to stay, right then, otherwise Vinanye would never forget about this. There had to be a sense of closure with these matters, he knew that. If he came to a false conclusion and spoke about an uplifting moral lesson when noticeably upset, people would be far more likely to then leave him alone, satisfied with that much. He folded his hands in his lap and didn't glance up at Vin. The appearance still felt off, and he got a little embarrassed with himself if he eyed it for too long, so he avoided it.
"Okay. I'll stay." He squeezed his own hands. "For a while." He nodded to Mr. Moore and took his shot of potion. "Until this settles in. A half an hour." A smile was offered as he addressed the scolding. "I understand. I won't do it again." As the potion buzzed in his currently less than stable system, Logan thought about back alley deals, more little bottles of potions that were sticky on your tongue and numbed your brain, the costs of such items.
"I'm sorry we couldn't meet again under more pleasant circumstances. So, you've been helping out here? It's smart, with your aura and appearance shifts." He didn't have any fear in making it clear that he knew about that. He wanted to see what the response would be.
Vinanye frowned at Logan. He and Dorian seemed to push themselves too hard. That wouldn't have been healthy, but in the end, it wasn't Vinnie's place to scold them. They had to live their lives as they wanted.
He took a seat beside Logan again, gently swinging his legs as he watched the ongoings of the infirmary. So many sick people, but Vinanye didn't feel that unease that most had when coming to places associated with sickness and death. He saw an opportunity to help, and he was more than comfortable with it.
When mentioning Vinanye's powers, the Fae wasn't at all put-off. Vin had never been quiet about what his abilities were. Sure, truthfulness and dishonesty were separate things and the Fae tended to have a lawyer's version of the truth, but Vin had always been as honest as he was truthful.
"Yes," the Gem beamed at Logan, unable to stop moving in his seat. It wasn't a matter of nerves, but good vibes, instead, that had him moving. "Sometimes I wish to ask what people see when they look at me, but it feels rude, so I do not."
Vinnie was quiet a second, watching Logan thoughtfully. "Are you one of those people that throw themselves into work like this? Or is this a rare thing...?"
♠♠♠
Vinanye was very different from Logan in that moment. They were stark opposites, even if he wasn't showing all of his lingering miserable state on the surface. He chuckled a little. He was glad they weren't going to ask. "It's likely a little too intimate, isn't it?" Logan murmured, using the wording that'd already come to mind before, as it continued to be relevant.
And there was the question. He expected it. God forbid they simply have a normal conversation. No, no, now that he was here, he had to be mother henned and continually reminded of how shitty he felt. Logan shook his head at Vinanye. "I take care of myself. You can't be productive when you're stressed to the point of sickness, it isn't smart. I'm careful to balance relief and work, things just got away from me this time. I feel… very silly." He smiled sheepishly.
That statement wasn't untrue. These days, he had an active source of relaxation and indulgence at his fingertips. Elections had made that difficult. There was no time to slip away to fuck or kill anyone when he was near to losing his voice with how much talking and advertising he'd been doing for himself and Dorian. Christ, it was wearing on him. He stared at Vinanye for a moment, considering, but the idea was uncomfortably thrown out a second later. He couldn't manage malicious feelings when looking at and near them like this, and really, the appearance would make it uncanny valley.
And there was the question. He expected it. God forbid they simply have a normal conversation. No, no, now that he was here, he had to be mother henned and continually reminded of how shitty he felt. Logan shook his head at Vinanye. "I take care of myself. You can't be productive when you're stressed to the point of sickness, it isn't smart. I'm careful to balance relief and work, things just got away from me this time. I feel… very silly." He smiled sheepishly.
That statement wasn't untrue. These days, he had an active source of relaxation and indulgence at his fingertips. Elections had made that difficult. There was no time to slip away to fuck or kill anyone when he was near to losing his voice with how much talking and advertising he'd been doing for himself and Dorian. Christ, it was wearing on him. He stared at Vinanye for a moment, considering, but the idea was uncomfortably thrown out a second later. He couldn't manage malicious feelings when looking at and near them like this, and really, the appearance would make it uncanny valley.
"Yes, exactly. Too personal. But, people have a tendency to treat me like whoever I look like to them. It can make things a little confusing."
Vinanye could relax more when Logan reassured him that he wouldn't be tiring himself out. This particular Fae had an all too easy time genuinely caring for the people around him. He shifted, tapping his shoes on the ground momentarily.
"Do you mind if I hug you?" Sometimes, Vinnie felt he had to ask that. He could tell when people were uncomfortable with him, and Logan felt uncomfortable or uneasy. It was something. Vinnie wasn't exactly sure what it was, all he really knew was that he wanted to alleviate the negativity.
♠♠♠
Treating them like whoever they looked like. Oh dear. With what Logan was getting, that would be extremely inappropriate. "Sounds like it might be difficult for you," he added, to seem like he was commenting on this from an outside perspective. "And possibly comical."
Logan was genuinely caught off guard by the request. They wanted to hug him. Get in his personal space and hold him tight. His cheeks colored a little, and he stuttered for a moment before sighing. "U-um. Okay. Why not? I'm okay, though, really. I told you." His eyes flickered around Vinanye's face, odd feelings in his chest and stomach at these looks. He felt weird about hugging, with that whole thing going on.
He ducked his head. He liked being held by Dorian, he liked being close to his dad. He guessed he could use this for some comfort, right then, even if it was artificial.
Logan was genuinely caught off guard by the request. They wanted to hug him. Get in his personal space and hold him tight. His cheeks colored a little, and he stuttered for a moment before sighing. "U-um. Okay. Why not? I'm okay, though, really. I told you." His eyes flickered around Vinanye's face, odd feelings in his chest and stomach at these looks. He felt weird about hugging, with that whole thing going on.
He ducked his head. He liked being held by Dorian, he liked being close to his dad. He guessed he could use this for some comfort, right then, even if it was artificial.
"Mostly comical," Vinanye said with a slight giggle. "Not much makes me uncomfortable."
When Logan told him that he could hug the other boy, Vinnie's whole face brightened. He didn't need to be told twice. He leaned over and wrapped his arms around Logan best he could, resting his cheek on Logan's shoulder and waited the thirty seconds for the endorphins to take effect. Hugs were amazing things.
"I know you said you are fine, and I believe you, but hugging it nice anyway, yes? Truthfully, I too, am stressed and hugs always help me to feel better."
♠♠♠
Logan's breath caught in his throat. Slowly, he returned the embrace, pressing into Vinanye and letting his eyes flutter shut. It was warm. He tried not to tear up, quickly moving to bury his face in the crook of Vin's neck, fingers tight in the fabric of their shirt. "It's… nice, yes. My family isn't really the touchy-feely type, pretty reserved. They're not bad, of course, but I do crave this sometimes." One statement within what he said was a blatant lie on his account, but it wouldn't be a lie in the Delacroix's books. Why would they want to touch him? He was filthy. There was nothing wrong with avoidance of touching filthy, unpleasant things.
He didn't really let go of Vin. Once he started thinking about that, all he was imagining was spending time with his dad and having a parent actually like him. It didn't matter if the caring was shown through pizza and murder, because that was more than he'd gotten before, and really-- Logan wasn't overcomplicated in his desires for affection here. He had a father. He loved his father. He'd give him all those cards from the supermarket on father's day and Christmas and every holiday. He'd visit his grandma and grandpa. He'd learn how to make Billy an ugly sweater (but it'd be cozy). Maybe he'd get him a 'Number One Serial Killer Dad' mug. It was childish and dumb and Logan liked it all.
"You're stressed, Vin?" Logan asked softly, once he'd relaxed more and settled into this thoughtfulness. "What are you stressing over? Tell me. We have a while until I have to leave again."
He didn't really let go of Vin. Once he started thinking about that, all he was imagining was spending time with his dad and having a parent actually like him. It didn't matter if the caring was shown through pizza and murder, because that was more than he'd gotten before, and really-- Logan wasn't overcomplicated in his desires for affection here. He had a father. He loved his father. He'd give him all those cards from the supermarket on father's day and Christmas and every holiday. He'd visit his grandma and grandpa. He'd learn how to make Billy an ugly sweater (but it'd be cozy). Maybe he'd get him a 'Number One Serial Killer Dad' mug. It was childish and dumb and Logan liked it all.
"You're stressed, Vin?" Logan asked softly, once he'd relaxed more and settled into this thoughtfulness. "What are you stressing over? Tell me. We have a while until I have to leave again."
Share: