:･ﾟ✧

Liam still couldn’t really believe Logan was standing in front of him. Here in Somerton of all places. When he had packed his stuff and left New York over night back then, there hadn’t been much that had kept him there. Except for him maybe. But Logan had been in a relationship, he had seemed happy and so it had probably been for the better. At least that’s what he tried to tell himself right now. When Liam finally reached the other, he watched him stuff the papers he had only just dropped back into his pocket before giving him a little, somehow insecure smile. He knew all too well what it was like to just pack your things and leave and some part of him still feared that his friend had been mad at him. Or maybe still was. “Yeah, I… know that feeling….”, he replied, trying to remember the sign language he hadn’t used in ages. “Ended up over here after leaving New York and somehow I stayed”, he explained before realising that Logan must have had his reasons to just leave over night as well, “What.. what happened? I mean it’s great to see you but, you know.. what made you leave…?”

Was Liam just as nervous as he was? That was the impression Logan was getting but it was a reaction he didn’t quite understand. Liam had always been the more confident one and Logan wasn’t quite sure why he was nervous. But he didn’t question it - maybe Liam was just surprised to see Logan here, that had to be it. He hesitated at the question though - how could he tell his friend that he ran away from New York City because of his ex? He discharged himself from hospital and ran somewhere he didn’t know anyone. Not even his family knew where he was. “I, uh, had to get away,” Logan signed with his trembling hands, wishing more then anything they would just stop shaking. “Matthew and I we... we broke up. Or I left him. I ran away from him. Had to get out of the city because I was suffocating and I couldn’t take any of it anymore and-” Logan stopped before he could sign anymore, looking at the ground to hide his embarrassment. “Sorry. I left Matthew. And I wanted to just get away from there.” After a moment he looked up again, meeting Liam’s eye properly for the first time. “I’ve missed you, though. I was so upset when you left but I get it. I know things weren’t the best. But I’m glad you’re here.”

James had always been an early riser and now since sleep didn’t come to him very much these days, he was up even earlier. So often his dreams were plagued with nightmares, memories that his conscious mind didn’t remember quite as well. But when he closed his eyes and drifted off, it was always that night that haunted his dreams. Causing James to more often than not wake up in a panic only a few hours after he had managed to doze off. And once he was awake, there was no going back to sleep. 

Which is why he currently found himself walking about the beach so early in the morning, a cup of to go coffee in his hand. There was something so soothing about the mornings, the fresh of something new, the promise of possibility of what the day could hold. However, what he wasn’t expecting was a dog to head his way, a dog that looked oddly familiar. James knew he knew this dog and it only took him a few seconds to place who it belonged to before he saw Logan. A smile lifting at the corner of his lips. 

He couldn’t remember how or when he had became friends with Logan but he was a familiar face that James had gotten to known since his return home. And in a way, though there circumstances were very different, the other seemed to sort of get what James was going through. How the brain could so often be a mess. “Hey-” James greeted Logan with a grin, listening to the phone speak. “I adore her, I have no objections if she takes me out on the beach.” He laughed softly, grinning widely now, glad to have ran into his friend. “Is it alright if I pet her?” Vaguely remembering that Ella was a dog that helped Logan out. “How are you doing? I wasn’t expecting to see anyone out this early in the morning.” 

( thread: logan )

Logan offered a small smile to James. He didn’t know much about him and had only been in Somerton for a few months, after all, but he seemed nice. He knew there was something about an injury and as a result, his memory wasn’t the greatest. Logan could relate to that, in a way. He had his own battles with his brain and it could be exhausting. James had seemed nice enough anyway so it was with cautious optimism that Logan let himself relax around him, even if it wasn’t fully.

“She won’t take you out, she’ll just tackle you to the ground and demand attention from you,” Logan typed in response, rolling his eyes fondly at Ella. At the question he nodded - James had actually asked if he could pet her and it was something that Logan appreciated. Not many people did, most assumed they could just pet and cuddle her. Ella was there to help him, not just be a pet. Logan glanced up again at the question and shrugged his shoulders a little. He took half a step back as Ella, with the knowledge that this was okay, jumped up a little at James, so she was stood on her back legs, tail wagging frantically behind her as she lapped up the attention. 

“I’m doing okay,” Logan typed slowly, thinking about his answer. James would understand, he was sure. They hadn’t spoken much about it, but Logan was sure they both suffered with memories from their trauma, even if James didn’t really know about Logan’s. “I struggle to sleep a lot. Usually I’m getting four or five hours a night. Lots of nightmares, flashbacks to things I’d rather forget, you know? So I usually take Ella out, clear my mind. What about you? What brings you out here so early? Did you just miss me that much?”

Despite his earlier hurry, George settles back as he waits for Logan to type. “I don’t need a big cake, or anything really fancy. Okay, a little fancy. Two pounds, vanilla with strawberries? Or whatever fruit is in season, the staff isn’t very picky.” After failing to do the math in his head twice, he laughs self consciously before counting each person on his fingers. “Twelve people, so that’s… thirty six cookies? Fourty to be safe? What do you think?” 

“A little fancy?” Logan typed in response before he could stop himself, somewhat amused. He was sure they could manage that - their order list was fairly empty and truthfully, Logan would have been happy for something productive to do. Keeping busy kept his mind distracted, after all. “I’m sure we could do that for you. Forty cookies, just to be on the safe side, and a cake that’s nothing too fancy, only a little.” Logan grinned a little at his response before nodding his head. “What time will you need them?”

James knew that he would sometimes speak at fifty miles an hour and wouldn’t give anyone else a second to speak but with Logan it didn’t really matter because neither of them minded him speaking for both of them. It just WORKED for both of them and was how their relationship functioned. James would talk incessantly the way he always did but they were both happy about it. He only paused for breath when he needed to eat some ice cream which was probably the only chance Logan got to give some input in his endless conversation. “To not speak for a while or have a really cool piercing? I can’t tell what’s worse.” He scrunched up his nose at him and the grinned. “You and Talia would be the only people I could speak to for ages. You’ll never be able to get rid of me then.” 

He looked down at himself for a moment as though trying to imagine himself with nipple piercings and then shrugged. It wasn’t something he was too opinionated about but he would happily do it and probably spontaneously, too. “Dunno if that bothers me, I think I would be more bothered about not being able to speak. Who would be there to ramble incessantly in your ears for hours if I couldn’t do that?” He laughed and then looked at the ice cream which was probably one of his many problems. “Like… vegetables? Gross.”

Like I’d want to get rid of you. Logan didn’t voice his thoughts - James was his best friend, he didn’t know where he’d be without him, that much was true. In the short time they had known each other, Logan had become attached. His mind wandered briefly to what James would look like with either piercing - he looked good in pretty much anything, so he was certain it’d just make him more attractive. Logan laughed quietly at his word and his aversion to vegetables, leaning against the wall and shaking his head fondly. 

“Not just vegetables, although that would be a start,” he typed on his phone, rolling his eyes fondly. “A balanced diet. Not just ice cream and candy all the time, you know? It’ll rot your teeth.”

As soon as the man started to explain himself, Teagan immediately knew she was being rude and scrunched her nose up. She clicked her tongue and sighed,, resting a hand on her hip as she looked up at him. “Well shit, now I’m an asshole.” She frowned at her words, eyes turning down to look at the dog again as he referenced her. “Sorry. I would say I’m not usually like this but I think I am actually so, you’ll probably hear apologies from me often.” Teagan was never all that good at basic social skills, not having much time to practice them in her formative years, and everyone around her tended to let her get away with treating people however she liked. “Your dog is cute though, so even if I’m rude to you sometimes, just know that Ella will always be on my good side.”

Logan initially panicked as she called herself an asshole. He hadn’t meant to make anyone feel like that and guilt filled him at once. He shook his head frantically, trying to calm himself enough to remember - this wasn’t Matthew. This stranger wasn’t going to make his life hell if he messed up. He had to remember that. Logan paused at the mention of Ella and he couldn’t help but smile down at her. She was staring up at them both, her tail wagging behind her and Logan knew his dog was his perfect match. He reached down to scratch lightly behind her ears, typing away on his phone again. “Everyone is on Ella’s good side, unless she sees them upsetting me,” the app read, accompanied by Logan shrugging his shoulders. “But she really is a giant goofball and loves pretty much everyone she meets. So you definitely have a friend for life already.”

Liam had just finished playing a couple of songs at the dock and had earned enough money to refill his fridge, at least a little, and to be able to afford a coffee and something to eat right now. God, he was starving! And it was still way too cold to stand on the same spot for what had felt like hours. So right now he wanted nothing more than to get inside and warm up again. Carrying his guitar on his back, the male was completely lost in his own thoughts, until he heard the somehow familiar bark of a dog not too far away. Glancing up so see where it was coming from, Liam stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted Logan only a few metres away from him. The last thing he had expected was seeing him here in Somerton and yet, here he was. And judging by the look on the others face, he was just as surprised to see Liam around here. Finally walking over to greet him, he wasn’t really sure what to say though. The last time he had seen him was back in New York after all, before Liam had packed his stuff and simply left over night. “Logan, hi…”, he managed to get out, his eyes still widened in surprise, “What.. what are you doing here…?”

Logan’s hands shook as Liam approached. His mind was racing - how could he avoid the awkward conversation? Liam knew his ex, knew Matthew. He would ask about him, surely, and what would Logan say? He couldn’t lie, not to his friend. He swayed on his feet a little and even as Liam approached, his head swam. Ella’s reaction was entirely different, of course. She knew him, she’d spent plenty of time with him and she was all too excited to see him, pulling at her leash. Logan gasped as she tugged, the pamphlets he’d collected from the community centre flying from his hands and onto the floor. He scrambled to pick them up again, desperately trying to avoid letting Liam see just what they were, and stuffed them into his pocket, out of sight. 

“I moved here a few months ago,” Logan signed, despite his trembling hands. “I... wanted to get away from the city. Packed my things and left.” The subject of his ex weighed heavily in his mind and he winced a little at the thought. “What are you doing here? How long have you been in town? It... It feels like it’s been forever since I saw you.”

Some time out of her apartment and into the fresh air was more than welcome for the blonde. Following the snow storm and the damage that had been done to her building, her apartment didn’t have the same feel to it any more. Walls had been rebuilt, new floors, fresh paint, and it all felt a little bit too new for her. She was still trying to work out how best to make it her own again, but the belongings that had survived the burst pipes weren’t quite doing the trick.

The break in the fresh air meant that she had time to clear her head, get a little exercise, spend some time with a friend while she contemplated her next moves. Opening up about her past experiences wasn’t something she did often, given that memory lane wasn’t a road she tended to frequent, but this time it wasn’t as bad as she thought.

“Everyone else did, but I didn’t.” She started with a small shrug, shifting her body slightly as if her back was causing her discomfort once again. “I had an accident. Wound up laying on the floor, not able to move my legs. So instead of being carted off by campus security, I was whisked off in an ambulance to the nearest hospital for eight hours of surgery. Talk about over dramatic huh?” She said with a small laugh, underplaying the seriousness of the event and the repercussions it had had on her since then. 

Whatever Logan had been expecting, it wasn’t that. His heart ached at her response and the thought of her laying there, unable to move while she waited for help brought back some unpleasant memories of his own. He swallowed harshly and shifted a little on the bench, as though turning to get a better view of his friend. He wasn’t stupid, he could tell this had affected her much more than she was letting on. But he also knew not to push. If anyone knew how to avoid talking about a traumatic past, it was him. 

“I’m sorry that happened,” was the first thing he typed on his phone, offering her a small, sad smile. “I won’t ask if you’re okay now because I know how these things can have a lasting impact. But I’m here if you need anything, okay?” Logan looked away for a moment, laughing quietly as Ella approached, tail wagging, and dropped the ball in his lap so he could throw it again. “I know what it’s like, to have your life changed quickly. Although mine was more my own doing.” Logan paused for a moment, glancing up at her. He wanted Layla to realise that she could open up to him and what better way than to show his past? Well, some of it at least. There was no way he was going to open up about Matthew. With a heavy sigh, Logan rolled up the sleeves of his jacket to reveal the long, deep scars marring his wrists. 

“I was seventeen and decided the world would be better off without me. So I tried to... yeah. Everything changed after that. People treat me differently when they see them. As though I’m not already different enough, right? And it’s the physical shit too. I struggle sometimes with stupid things, like doing up buttons on a jacket. Changed my life.” Logan pulled the sleeves down again, sighing softly. “I just... want you to know that I’m glad you told me. About your past, I mean. And its okay if it still affects you. If anyone understands, it’s me. And you can talk to me any time.”

Lowell and mom both had the third shift of the day, so they had coordinated either a very late dinner (or early breakfast, depending on how you looked at it) at Timothy’s. He’d then swung by his parents’ house top pick up Gus, since they (or Maggie) usually volunteered to his dog the attention he needed when Lowell had overnight shifts scheduled. So even though the sun was threatening to rise and so many others would slowly be starting their day, Lowell’s only plans were to pull down his black out curtains and get some much needed rest. Which meant making sure Gus got out and was able to burn off his considerable energy so he would allow Lowell to get a good amount of sleep, too.  

“Oh, hey. Logan, right?” Lowell was pretty sure that was the man’s name. He and Gus had run into him and Ella – why could he always remember dog names so much easier – a couple weeks back, though definitely not this early in the morning before. “Lowell,” he pointed to himself, and then looked around the beach and toward the dune he was pretty sure Gus was digging a hole. “And my knucklehead Gus is just on the other side of the dune. 

“Can Ella play?” Lowell thought he remembered something about her being a service dog, which is why he really hadn’t moved to greet or pet her, even though he was itching to give the pup all the love, but if she was working, he didn’t want to interrupt that in anyway. “If so I’ll call him over, and if not, I can put him back on his lead so we don’t disturb you and stuff.”

Logan was surprised at the man he’d apologised to, looking up at him somewhat nervously. Why was it always tall men that made him so anxious? Well, he knew the reason why but that wasn’t something he wanted to dwell on. Matthew was in the past and that was where he would stay, as far as Logan was concerned. He nodded slowly when his name was said and bit his lip a little, working out why he recognised him. And then it hit - of course, this was Lowell, the guy he’d met a few weeks before, walking his dog. Logan cursed himself silently for being an idiot and forgetting, offering him a small, though still nervous, smile. 

“Yeah, she can play,” Logan typed on his phone quickly, glancing down at Ella and scratching behind her ear lovingly before looking over at the other dog - Gus - and smiling. “You can pet her too. She’s not strictly working right now, so it’s fine. But I appreciate you asking and not assuming. Thank you.”

Finding Logan had been one of Talia’s favourite things, there was something about him that was calming, it felt like home. Logan understood what it felt like to struggle to communicate, to feel like the world wasn’t built for you. It wasn’t in the same way of course, but it was a mutual understanding. Their personalities however were very different, Logan tended to stay towards the background, whereas Talia took to the stage, attracting attention wherever she went, because she wanted it, she never hid away. 

Logan had said he was buying lunch, and to be fair Talia hadn’t put up much of a fight. “Pretty normal,” she signed back, choosing not to speak along with her signs. Most of the time Talia voiced as she signed, but sometimes it was nice to just switch that off completely. “A guy came in to buy ‘I’m sorry’ cupcakes for his girlfriend,” she explained, “though I really hope she took the cupcakes and then shut the door in his face.”

“Oh, he bought ‘I’m sorry’ cupcakes? Makes you wonder what he was sorry for,” Logan signed thoughtfully before giving her a small grin. “What do you think it was? I mean, it has to be something bad if you think she should take them and run. Cheating? Or missing an anniversary? My ex did that a lot.” Logan added thoughtfully before blushing, realising he’d said too much. So he decided to change the subject, hoping Talia wouldn’t notice his sudden nerves. 

“What’s the weirdest request you’ve ever had?” He asked quickly, shifting in his seat. “Mine wasn’t at the bakery, it was an art request. A guy I went to college with wanted some really weird and creepy art done for him. I had to politely decline, did not feel comfortable drawing something so... violent.”

where: nell’s house, aurora vista when: march 2021, afternoon

Logan hated being nervous. He couldn’t help it - he was on his way to the house of someone who was still like a stranger to him. They had bonded over their pets, sure, but Logan didn’t really know much about Nell and she certainly didn’t know him. No one in Somerton did. No, that was something he kept to himself - he didn’t want anyone finding out about his past. This was a fresh start, somewhere he could just be normal.

It was easier said than done. 

Nell had invited him over to her house one afternoon - maybe she’d sensed Logan was lonely, despite his insistence that he enjoyed his own company. Or maybe she knew something wasn’t quite right. He wasn’t really sure. But regardless, he was making his way down the quiet streets, Ella faithfully at his side and approaching the unfamiliar house. He didn’t get to this part of town much, other than for work. He spent most of his time at the beach or in his apartment. And yet here he was. 

The inside of the house was cosy and Logan immediately decided he liked it. He was a man of comfort - he always loved wearing his various soft sweaters and his overalls, enjoyed his soft blankets and warm reading nook in his apartment. Seeing such a cosy space had Logan relaxing a little, reaching down to scratch behind Ella’s ears as he was lead through the house. He was nervous, that much was probably still obvious from the way he was fidgeting. When Logan was sat on the couch, Ella sat at his feet and he couldn’t help but wring his hands together nervously, offering his friend a small smile but making no move to speak first. He hated that he was so awkward but he trusted Nell to understand - they’d had plenty of conversations about his disability, after all. 

Somerton beach had always been a source of comfort to Felicity. As a kid she’d spent many summers on the beach, into her teen years it came with sneaking out of the house to have a little bit of fun with some friends down on the shore. A lot had changed for her since those days, knowing that she was a far different person than she had been in those days.

Her morning routine of being up at the early hours wasn’t something she was often able to shake, even on her days off. She’d crept out of her house, leaving Harvey in bed, to spend some time in the place that now brought her calm. Her feet were buried in the sand beneath her, waves lapping at her ankles, arms folded across her chest as she was deep in thought before she pulled from them by the sounds of the large dog.

“No no, you’re all good.” She said, her hand coming up to wave off the worry. “I had a big dog growing up, so I know that they tend to be the most gentle of them all.” She bent down to give Ella a little fuss, before standing back up. “It’s a little early for a walk isn’t it?”

Logan was relieved Ella hadn’t scared Felicity off. He knew she was a large dog and there were people who were genuinely afraid of them. While he didn’t understand it, he certainly didn’t want Ella to scare anyone. But Felicity clearly wasn’t one of those people and his heart warmed as she bent down to give Ella the attention she clearly wanted. 

“What kind of dog did you have?” Logan asked before he could stop himself, his cheeks turning slightly red even as he typed. He wondered about the comment for a moment, looking over at the horizon for a moment. How could he explain to someone he only really knew in passing that he was up so early because his nightmares kept waking up? Logan shook his head a little, as though to rid himself from those thoughts before typing again. “I just couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d get some fresh air. I usually wake early anyway so it’s no big deal. What about you? What brings you out so early in the day?”

where: outside somerton community centre, evergreen dock when: march 2021 notes: tw for mentions of past domestic abuse

This could not be happening. 

That was the only thought in Logan’s mind, really, as he saw the familiar face walking down the street. He’d just been inside the community centre, looking for pamphlets or something that he could use to get over what had happened in New York City. He wasn’t coping well, anyone could see that, but it was the nightmares that were draining him. He was getting three, maybe four hours of sleep at a time and he was in a state of constant exhaustion. If he didn’t sort it soon, someone would notice - that was why he’d gone to the community centre, expecting there to be some kind of information on where he could go. He’d been right about that, there were plenty of pamphlets with information and coping mechanisms he could try. 

What he hadn’t been expecting was to see an old friend walking down the street, heading right towards him. Logan gripped at Ella’s leash tightly, praying that Liam wouldn’t notice him. But to his dismay, Ella noticed him too and she began barking happily at the old friend, something which Logan knew would get his attention. And it was all he could do but offer a small smile at Liam as he grew ever closer, trying to think of some way he could avoid the topic of his ex when it inevitably came up. 

It wasn’t usually like Teagan to be up and out so early in the morning but after kicking someone out of her bed in the morning she too awake to do much more sleeping so instead she was out walking on the beach letting the cool morning air whip her hair around. She had her eyes on the water when the dog ran up to her and startled her. “Jesus.” She gasped before kneeling down and offering her hand for the dog to sniff before petting her on her head. The dog back off at the whistle and Teagan straightened up a little and looked at the man who was making his phone talk for him for some reason. She watched him with a raised brow and nodded slowly. “What’s with the robotic phone voice? Kind of weird.”

Something about the stranger’s expression had Logan feeling uncomfortable. He swallowed harshly and winced a little at the question she asked, particularly at the word ‘weird’. He should have been used to it by now, he knew that, but it didn’t hurt any less. The word stung and he was instantly brought back to ‘not being normal enough’ for his parents. But he shook himself mentally. He wasn’t normal and that was okay. “Oh, it’s how I communicate with most people. Or sign language. I’m autistic and speaking isn’t easy for me. Selective mutism, they called it. So I mainly use this and Ella, my service dog,” he glanced down from his phone at Ella, who was sat at his feet and looking up at them happily. “She’s trained to know ASL and different whistles. Sorry if it’s weird. And I’m sorry about her. She likes meeting new people.”

where: fletcher park when: february 2021, afternoon

Logan still wasn’t sure how he and Layla became friends. It just happened one day - he had quite literally bumped into her on his very first day in the town and after using his phone to apologise profusely - both for knocking her over and for Ella’s excited barks - they had just clicked. She didn’t judge him for his lack of speech or for his awkwardness. To his surprise, not once did Layla make any sort of comment to make him feel uncomfortable and he had appreciated it. His past relationship? He’d always felt like a burden, never normal. He didn’t have a lot of friends in New York, Matthew kept him isolated from most people, so he’d never really had anyone to help him feel like a regular person. But Layla, in the short amount of time they had spoken on their first day, had done just that 

The second time he met her was an accident too, just in the supermarket getting some groceries and were buying similar ingredients. That time, they’d simply spoken about their favourite meals to cook and Logan joking he’d have to teach her his one day. 

Since then, their friendship had only grown and Logan found he liked spending time with the blonde, even if it was just to listen to her talk. He found it difficult to do, it wasn’t something that came easily to him. He was sure he could count the number of times he’d purposefully spoken in the last few years on one hand. But he liked listening to people and Layla was no different. That was why they were currently sat on a bench in the park while Ella chased the ball Logan was throwing, bringing it back proudly and waiting for him to repeat it. 

“Tell me more,” Logan typed on his phone, looking up at her and offering a small smile. “So you were there having just ran from the party because someone called the police about a bunch of college kids drinking in the parking lot. “And it was raining? You must have been freezing! What happened next? Did you escape the campus security?”

OPEN STARTER.

Who: @somertonstarter​ Where: Outside Freeze with Friends

“You know, like… when I was a teenager I kinda thought that by the time I was in my twenties, I wouldn’t GET pimples anymore. Yet here I am.” James pulled a face as he looked at his chin with his phone camera and poked at the zit on his face that had kindly appeared overnight. Maybe eating this ice cream that he’d just picked up probably wasn’t a good contribution to his skin which was probably crying out for vegetables and water yet here he was. Who even ate ice cream outside in the middle of February shortly after a huge snow storm anyway? “Also, I was thinking of getting a tongue piercing, too. Got my nose done already, so I figured it would look cool.” He turned and then stuck his tongue out, grinning as he did. “Or maybe my nipple instead?”

Logan couldn’t help but give a soft snort of laughter at James’s dramatic words and reaction to what could only be described as the smallest of pimples on his chin. It was barely noticeable and the only reason he’d been able to see it at all was because James himself had poked at it in a huff. But before he could comment on it, his friend had already moved onto another subject as he so often did and Logan blinked in surprise. He’d picked up a small ice cream as well though not for himself, but for Ella and he stooped down to let her eat a small amount from the bowl. 

“If you get your tongue pierced, you won’t be able to speak properly for a little while,” Logan typed on his phone, giving James a small grin. “I don’t know how you’d handle that. You’d really need to focus on your ASL lessons then because how else will you communicate?” Logan was joking, of course, and he was just flattered James wanted to learn. It would certainly make communicating easier. “Nipple piercings can be pretty cool, I guess. I did hear it makes him less sensitive, don’t know if that’s a deal breaker for you. I’d vote tongue - the maybe we’d have some peace and quiet around here.” Logan smiled again and picked up the bowl as Ella finished, looking back at his friend. “For the record, I don’t know if you ever really stop getting pimples. You probably need more variety in your diet.”

If there was one person who just understood Logan, it was Talia. And not because she could literally understand ASL, but because she knew what it was like to be treated differently due to something out of her control. Their situations were different, of course, but Logan found a sense of comfort in the girl he hadn’t found anywhere in a long time. That was one of the reasons he continued to seek out time with her. That and he actually liked spending time with her, even if she was the complete opposite of him in terms of confidence. 

That was what brought them here. Logan had insisted on buying her lunch and they were sat comfortably. Ella was at their feet - she’d warmed to Talia almost immediately - and Logan was nothing but completely calm. “So how was work?” He signed to her after taking a long drink from his coffee, sitting back in his chair. “Any gossip or just another boring day?”

WHO open to all ♥ @somertonstarter​ WHEN feb 2021 WHERE bridgeport (outside of james’s apartment) NOTES definetly wearing too many jackets because she is from california and does not know how to handle the cold

In a surprising turn of events, her roommate was not a serial killer or extremely creepy. When he had seen the picture in the ad, she thought it was definitively a scam. Her worst nightmares hadn’t come to fruition, though. They had talked, settled on the terms they talked about, and her things were now strewn around her room.

Well… most of her stuff. The taxi driver had dumped her seventeen bags on the sidewalk earlier, and there were only sixteen upstairs. “Hi, uh, weird question, you didn’t happen to see anyone running away from this direction with a bag. Possibly cackling? Most likely already wearing my beautiful shade Chanel boots?”

It had almost become a routine, to make the short walk to James’s apartment after he’d finished work, Ella by his side, headphones on and music playing. She liked hanging out with James as much as Logan did - he was excitable and Ella simply adored playing with him. Logan however was far more content to just sit back and relax, watch them both tire themselves out. 

What he hadn’t been expecting was to be stopped by an unfamiliar face. He carefully took his headphones off and listened to the question, asking if she’d seen anyone running away. It confused him and he shook his head, glancing down at Ella and signing for her to heel. Logan fished his phone from his pocket, typing quickly at the stranger, unsure if she’d understand sign language. He let the little robotic voice speak through his app as he often did and gave a somewhat awkward smile. 

“Sorry, I’m mute so don’t talk. I didn’t see anyone, no. I wasn’t really paying much attention. Do you need any help? I’m heading into this building to see a friend anyway, maybe we can look inside together? I’m sure it’ll be here somewhere.”