If anyone is wondering why I can update this so fast I bc most of the chapters are pre written (btw I use Deceit's new name so spoiler warning for that)

It was late afternoon the day after Deceit had left that horrible apartment. He kept on scratching his arms out of nervousness and wander back and forth through the living room.

Logan kept telling him that walking would be bad for his sprained ankle but the snake assured him that the other time he'd gotten his ankle sprained he'd been able to continue on fully well. The nerd winced at the fact that his ankle even had been sprained before. Seeing the purple and black bruises around his friend's neck and wrists made him feel something between disgust and absolute rage towards Patton.

Still Logan did anything to try and make his friend feel better. He suggested hugs (even though he wasn't much for physical affection) or watching one of those bootleg musicals (even though he wasn't much for theater). He even offered some of his precious crofters. Deceit declined it all.

"What if he gets so sad he hurts himself" Janus questioned for probably the tenth time that day "His emtions can get pretty extreme and I still love him maybe I should just go back to him"

"You are in no shape to go anywhere no less back to your abuser" Logan replied. He had his head leaned against his hand as he looked at the other man from the his position on the couch.

"HE'S N....he's not an abuser" He grumbled out while crossing his arms. A part of him knew it was a lie but he didn't want to say it out loud.

Before he could continue someone knocked on the door. Deceit's eyes got wide and his breathing got faster.

"It's him" He hit his hands against his head "Greeeat I love this so much, perfect start in the morning, I couldn't ask for anything better to happen in the whole world. This is really top tier"

"I doubt that it's him but if it is you should hide because if he makes you this scared I do not want him seeing you. After what he's done he doesn't even deserve to lay his eyes on you"

Logan waited until Janus had hidden behind the wall before he opened the door but only slightly so the person on the other side couldn't come in.

"Hiya kiddo!" Patton greeted while clearly trying to come in. His eyes searched through the part of the room he could see.

"Salutations" He did his best not to sound angry. He hid his right hand behind his back because he couldn't help but close it into a fist.

"I've been driving around to people all day and looked but oh gosh have you by any chance seen my sweet honey bunny Deceit???"

"Why? Is he missing?" He pretended to ask while his eyes were cold as ice. He hoped his cold gaze rivaled the coldness of the other man's heart.

Patton stared down into the pavement with a sad look "You see we were cuddling when he suddenly went wild and fought me off before yelling at me that he was leaving. I've been so scared he's slept outside or meet up with dangerous people" He forced a few fake tears forward.

"The way he treated you doesn't sound very healthy. Maybe it's best if you leave him alone" Logan bit off while patting his shoulder to make him stop crying.

"B-but I love him! and I'm ready to accept him making one tinsy winsy mistake"

Deceit had to cover his mouth with his hand to not make a sound. He was so close to running out and hugging him because it sounded like he would actually be forgiven! He remembered how it had been before they moved in together.

Everything had been so nice. Sure sometimes he got yelled at but he was never slapped or hit or woken up in the middle of the night to his body being used. Maybe it could be like that again.

"Can I come in?" Patton asked with a cheery tone after he'd wiped the fake tears away.

"Actually I was just about to have a phone call with my teacher so I sadly don't have time to let you in" He swiftly lied in return "Besides my apartment is not up to it's usual standard of cleanliness"

"Oh come on I can come in for just a second can I not" Patton said while pushing the door to open.

"Nope, I only got a minute or so" Logan wondered how many times he was legally allowed to punch him before it counted as assault. He nearly let out a scoff that it would even count as assault since in his eyes Patton was something less than human.

"A minute is all I need"

Deceit was struck with the realization that if Patton saw him here he would think he was together with Logan. Oh god he would get so mad. He couldn't breathe. The fear was blinding.

"Patton if you don't get out of my sight in the nearest 30 seconds I will close the door on your fingers!" Logan finally snapped.

"Ok ok ok" He quickly took a step back with a annoyed expression "I suppose the search continues. Please tell me if you see him. Have a great day kiddo!" Patton smiled at him before walking away.

Logan waved at him before quickly dropping his nice facade and rolling his eyes. He slammed the door shut which he realized he shouldn't have done when Janus yelped. The snake sat down on the ground while hugging his arms. His eyes were fixated on a spot on the ground.

"he's gone" The nerd said while sitting down beside him.

"Go check the window. He might not be" He snarled out in return.

Logan didn't think Patton would stay around but went and checked either way mostly help with his friend calming down.

"His car is driving away" Lo had never wished for a car crash to happen until now but goddamn he wished that car would fly off a bridge.

"I won't be able to leave this place for a week no a month at least. Great I ran from being stuck in one apartment to being trapped in another" Deceit groaned while banging the back of his head into the wall.

"What are you talking about? he's gone"

"Tell that to my paranoia idiot...sorry. Listen he could come back. he could be watching from somewhere we can't see. He's just waiting for me to go outside while alone so he can take me back"

"There is no reason for him to stalk you outside my apartment for some reason"

"Oh yeah you are totally right what am I even talking about it's not like I have more experience than you in how Patton works, nooo not at all" Deceit couldn't help but let out the salty lie "You're my best friend and every time we meet up he thought I was cheating and he would get so mad. Of course he'll think i'm here. I'll never be able to leave him"

Logan was both stunned from being called his best friend and from the implication that them meeting had lead to him being hurt.

He carefully placed his hand on Deceit's shoulder "You already have left him and I am so proud of you for doing so without any help"

"It was just my body reacting it was nothing"

"You're safe now and that's everything" Logan said softly.

Deceit looked up at him with a small smile. He swiped a lone tear away.

"I don't know what to do. I don't have a job and all my things are still at his place and I have no way of getting to them. I can't even talk to most of my friends because what if they tell Patton I've talked to them. he controlled everything in my life. I don't even know where I'm supposed to live" Janus ranted out.

"Oh" Logan moved back in surprised "I thought it was a silent agreement that you can live here for as long as you want or need to. I would love to have you here. If you want to I can go over to his place and get your things"

Deciet pulled him into a tight hug "I don't deserve to have someone like you in my life" He murmured.

"You definitely do" He assured while hugging back "You deserve so many people like this"

"I think you're enough" Janus mumbled out "I don't think anyone can be better than you right now"

--

The next few days were quite calm actually. Logan would do his normal routine, go to work and make dinner like usual. Deceit didn't talk much, nor did he eat much and he had no intention of leaving the apartment so him being there didn't change much expect for Lo asking if he wanted to watch something or play a board game or what he wanted for dinner every now and then.

It was late at night on a Saturday when Logan found Deceit downing probably the 8th cup of coffee that day.

"Too much caffeine can actually kill you" The nerd said while making himself a cup of tea because he never drank caffeine late at night.

"Good, if you don't play at least one phantom of the opera song at my funeral I'm not coming"

"That is literally impossible but sure" He couldn't help but notice the purple bags from exhaustion under his friend's eyes "When was the last time you slept?"

"Uuuuh I passed out for 15 minutes yesterday before a nightmare stirred me awake. Other than that i haven't slept since the night I left so 4 days give or take"

"Your body must be in chaos! Sleep deprivation can negatively affect your memory, make your blood pressure higher and overall lower your brain functions"

"Well darling I've been managing fine so far" Janus did jazz hands while saying it to prove it.

"Is there a reason why you refuse to rest?" Logan asked while tilting his head.

Deceit quickly looked away while crossing his arms "It's nothing" He lied.

"You can tell me" He insisted even though Dee tried to leave the conversation by leaving the room. "Your body cannot function on this little sleep. If you tell me the problem I can help you"

"Please stop insisting" He hissed out.

"I'm simply trying to help"

"I don't want or need your help with this" Deceit's voice was much louder than usual as he nearly growled it out.

"Then why are you so persistent on not sleeping" His volume rose as well.

"Because the last time I slept I woke up to being molested!" He yelled out. He clamped his hand over his mouth when he realized what he'd said.

Logan looked at him with a shocked look "I am so sorr-"

"It was a lie!" He blurted out "That never happened. The lie just slipped out! It never happened and it never happened enough times to make me scared of sleeping!"

"It's okay, you have no obligation to talk about it" He reassured while holding out his hands to show he wasn't a threat. He took a step forward but it was a step too much.

Deceit flinched away before covering his head with his hands "I'm sorry so sorry I didn't meant to talk about I swear I'm sorry" He quickly heaved out.

"Deep breaths J, in for 4, hold for 7, out for 8" Logan took a step back as he said it.

"It's fine, I'm fine" He muttered out while shaking his head as if to shake out his instincts "I totally don't appreciate your help at all nor do I apologize for constantly overreacting"

"I'm quite sure overreacting isn't the right term for what you're doing but sure" He sat down on the couch and patted the place next to him.

When Deceit sat down next to him he made sure to move to give him space. Janus sighed while hiding his face in his hands. He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair to try and ground himself. To try and force away the memories of harsh hands and late nights and his head buried in the pillow and the silencing shame that followed.

"I'm sorry, ugh I'm not supposed to say that am I? Not in this situation...I'm too tired to care" he mumbled "Lo I know you would never hurt me but I never thought Patton would hurt me either so I can't give you an ounce of trust"

"Understandable" He replied. He decided to not try and push the issue further "Care to watch or well 'binge' is the correct slang I suppose murder she wrote until you feel better?"

Deceit laughed weakly before agreeing to it. At first when the episode started they both kept their distance and they were mostly quiet. At the second episode Logan started to theorise about who the murderer could be in the most logical way possible. He always did this when watching murder shows but it was nice to have someone to rant to instead of talking to the air. It was even more nice that it made his friend smile.

By the third episode Deceit was adding his own theories about who it could be. He moved a blanket around himself and was leaning against Logan's shoulder as he debated about who it could be.

"Could you promise me something?" Janus yawned out while making himself comfortable against the taller man's shoulder "If I fall asleep move away from me before I wake up. If I wake up and your arms are around me I know I'll have a stupid panic attack"

"I promise" Logan said softly before pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

He didn't talk as much for the rest of the episode. he didn't want to keep Deceit awake. Before he knew it he heard quiet snores. It was actually adorable how the snake pawed against his chest and mumbled out incrophinsemble words in his sleep.

Once the episode ended (The murderer was the one Logan had theorized it was) he did as promised and gently moved away from Deceit. Instead of his shoulder he placed a pillow under his head. He moved the blanket tightly around him and combed back a piece of hair which had fallen in front of his face.

Logan had a small smile on his lips as he took out a sleeping bag and laid it down next to the couch. He whispered a quiet "Goodnight" Before making himself comfortable. It wasn't long until the apartment was completely quiet.