Logan looked up at Patton. He still hadn't said anything for a while and normally, that wouldn't worry him because Patton not talking was normal, most of the time. When he wasn't talking about everything and nothing, he was sketching. Either way, he was always grinning.

Now he wasn't. His face looked so different when he wasn't smiling. All sober and drawn. He didn't look like, well, like Patton. It was like a light had gone out in his eyes.

Logan opened his mouth to try and talk to Patton, to try reach out to him. But something made his words shrivel up in his throat and he closed his mouth again.

For the first time when Logan looked down at his markings, he realised they were glowing. Brighter than they'd ever glowed in his life. And Poseidon, they were bright.

Bright like when sunlight shone through the waves and cast white-blue wave reflections on the sea floor. Bright like the last trace of light leaving the sky at twilight. Bright like oyster shells gleaming on the sea sand and rocks. Bright and blue and shining.

He looked up at Patton and then back down at his markings. A small smile crept onto his face. And then he realised-

He could feel something. Logan could feel an emotion.

"Janus! Hey, Kiddo!" Patton called as he ran up to Janus. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Janus looked up at Patton and forced a fake smile. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong."

"That's a lie." Patton said bluntly. "Kiddo, what's wrong?"

Janus took in a deep breath and let out a sigh. "Nothing, Patton. Really. Just... stressed, that's all."

There was so much worry and pity in Patton's gaze that Janus wanted to tell him everything. He wanted to tell Patton everything, every last rotten thought that had passed through his head ever since Remus had been captured. He wanted to break down, to be held and be told that everything was going to be fine. He wanted the father figure he'd never had.

But at the same time, a thought that wasn't his crawled up inside his head. It told him that he wanted to lash out, to hurt Patton as he'd nearly hurt Daniel. And for a second he believed it. For a second, he felt the anger bubble inside him. But then it died down and he pushed the thought away.

No. He wasn't at breaking point yet.

"Really, Patton. Really, I'm fine." Janus said, trying to force a smaller fake smile.

Patton sighed and looked down. "Okay, Kiddo. If you're sure." He offered Janus a small smile before walking off, a little sad.

"Hey Virgil?" Patton asked, sitting down next to his other friend.

"Yeah Pat?"

"Do you ever feel like people aren't telling you things?" Patton played with his hands as he asked this.

"All the time." Virgil said, laughing through his nose a little. It occurred to him that Patton was asking him this question for advice. "Why, what's up?"

Patton shrugged. "I don't know. I just feel like people are hiding things from me."

"Who?" Virgil asked, turning towards Patton.

"Just people. Janus and Logan... just people."

"You mean people and mermaids." Virgil corrected.

"Huh?"

"Well, Logan isn't a person. He's a merman." Patton shook his head.

"Nu-uh. He's a person."

"No he's not, Pat." Virgil said slowly.

"Yeah he is." Patton insisted. "You remember a few years back? When I was telling you about my friend?"

"Yeah, they got dragged under the sea by a mermaid. You never saw them again." Virgil said, recalling the conversation.

"Yeah. That's Logan." Patton said, a hopeful, excited smile crossing his face. His face fell when he saw Virgil's do the same.

"No." Was all Virgil said.

"But he is."

"Who says? Tuh- Logan?" Patton nodded. "Pat, he's messing with you. Can't you see that?"

"Logan would never. He's my Kiddo. He'd never-"

"He's a mermaid, Pat." Virgil said slowly and deliberately, like talking to a child. "That's what mermaids do. They manipulate people."

Sorry this chapter was more contemplation than conversation, I just need to get on with the plot before I kill off one of the characters.
Bye,
Blaize