Up in Canada, Patton was a wreck.

He'd turned off all notifications to avoid distractions. He felt horrible doing that, but college had changed him quite a bit, and he needed to get everything done so he could meet up with his friends.

He finished piece after piece, some digital, some traditional. He put on some soft music so he could focus.

I'm turning into Logan, he thought to himself with a smile.

Logan.

He was working on lineart for another commission with his tablet in his small apartment and thought about Logan again.

He was tired, and there were six empty cups of coffee on his desk.

I wonder if Logan texted me.

No, Patton! You need the money and you need to work!

But he couldn't help but check.

Fine.

He typed in his password and tapped on the group chat and his private chat with Logan.

There was nothing new in the group chat, but the private chat was blowing up.

Logie 🌈💞: Hi. You're probably very busy right now and I apologize.

Logie 🌈💞: I hope you aren't working yourself into the ground.

Patton glanced at the stack of now empty coffee cups with regret.

Logie 🌈💞: Make sure you're getting enough sleep every day.

Patton looked at the coffee cups again, with deeper regret this time.

Logie 🌈💞: Please know that I care about you very, very much. I apologize if you're working and my texts are distracting you.

Logie 🌈💞: I can help you split your time wisely. I don't want your mental and physical health to become ruined, and I will always be here for you.

Logie 🌈💞: I love you so much. 💕

All of the messages made his heart soar, and even though he was busy, he replied.

Patton: I love you too logie 💞💞💞💞💞 I'm sorry I haven't been talking much lately

The reply came in less than five seconds.

Logie 🌈💞: That's quite alright. You're busy and you care about your work, and that is very good.

Patton: I have a question...

Logie 🌈💞: Yes?

Patton: would you say five hours of sleep and six cups of coffee every day is healthy?

Logie 🌈💞: No, of course not. That is the complete opposite of healthy.

Logie 🌈💞: Why? Are you implying something?

Patton: well uh

Logie 🌈💞: Patton, please sleep.

Patton: but I have to work

Logie 🌈💞: You may work tomorrow. Go to sleep, babe. And lay off the caffeine.

Patton: fine..

Patton: I love you Loganberry 💞💞

Logie 🌈💞: I love you too, but please get some rest. You need it. 💕

♡

For the next few days, things were better.

Ish.

Well, Patton had stopped having caffeine as much and his addiction was dropping a bit.

But, well...

Buying coffee was the only reason he went outside.

Five days after the conversation with Logan, he stepped outside of the apartment building, and nearly hissed at the sun.

It felt almost blinding and he then noticed how pale he'd gotten.

It was insane how much he went outside in high school and college. Now, the sunlight felt like his worst enemy. This was exactly what Virgil described to him in high school, but he never understood it until now.

So he texted his friend from one of his classes in college. Well, good acquaintance.

Patton: heyyyy can you buy food for me? Sorry for asking for this again fjakjs

Jess 🎠: sure thing

Jess 🎠: you know... You should go outside more

Patton: it burns

Jess 🎠: you're going to go outside this week

Patton: but I have stuff to do

Jess 🎠: and you're so pale and your eye bags are so prominent that you look like a vampire

Jess 🎠: you kinda look like your friend who you showed me a pic of

Patton: virgil?

Jess 🎠: yeah, you're like, just as pale as he is now, and that's pretty goddamn pale

And that's when Patton knew, he had fucked up.