"... Tune in this afternoon for our special interview with men's fashion model Leona-"

"Fuck..." Logan cursed as he felt his jean pocket vibrate with notifications. He made sure the microphones were shut off and the ads were rolling before he gave a thumb up to his co-workers and fished out his phone.

It was just another artillery bombing of desperate messages from his latest one-night-stand. This one he was not particularly turned on about since the guy had a bad track record of being clingy immediately after rolling around in bed with Logan. He knew it was a terrible idea to have made contact with the guy, in fact it was terrible to even have his number saved, but as harsh as it seemed, the guy was always down and ready for a little fun between the sheets.

The only reason his phone was with him in the first place is merely because his sixth sense told him that he was expecting some sort of text or call.

Alright, perhaps he was the one expecting a call or text from a specific someone. However, he thought it was all false expectation. One, Troye had rarely contacted Logan unless it was to see if the other was up for a coffee or lunch, most of those were initiated by Logan anyway. Two, Logan thought Troye wasn't the one in the wrong in this situation, he could only blame himself for being irritable at Troye's nonchalance towards his own issues and the fact that Romero was now in the equation as well.

The brief encounter with Romero really made him reconsider his options with Troye. Maybe he did want a relationship with Troye after all, and that is why he has been trying so hard to make an effort to make sure Troye was at least tolerating life. It could also explain why he had been so spiteful of the mere thought of Romero.

"Luxembourg." A gruff voice called. Another person blessed with a rounded, bass-like voice that soothed the ears of raging drivers on the roads of New York.

Logan looked away from his screen, taking in a deep breath before turning to his boss. "Good afternoon sir." Logan pulled out his signature smile, it was another predatory advantage he had over most men. Logan's boss thought that the smile and his good looks overall was wasted as someone who handled menial tasks around their studio, and part time at that. The boy had infinite amounts of potential.

His boss peeked behind Logan to see that they had 2 minutes of ad time before the show started up again, and seeing as there were a handful of staff that wouldn't miss Logan's presence in the control room, the man decided to whisk Logan out of his duty. "Vanessa, be a sweetheart and hold down the fort." The young lady saluted silently before returning to her conversation with a colleague. "Come, please follow me." He addressed Logan.

Part of him was convinced he had fucked up somehow in the short span of his last lecture and the current encounter with his boss. However, what rule he had managed to break, Logan had no clue.

The pair reached the long, plasterboard-white corridor, which was kept in more or less pristine condition. Neither of them said anything, although Logan received pitiful stares as he made his way through the office cubicles.

It was another one of those moments where Logan didn't start reflecting on his life until he was presented with the least desirable conditions. Perhaps he should have called in to his parents more often and offered some sort of gratitude for raising him for 17 years.

He also made note of how lucky he was to be involved in this company. It wasn't every day that a radio network actively scouted for interns, nor did Logan think large corporations were very enthusiastic about employing college students who, in most cases, could not be less useless to the development of the company. Logan supposed that it was for 'developing a well-rounded workforce for the future of society', but everyone with half a brain could deduce that this was all for show.

Though, that was not saying that Logan was not appreciative. In fact, he was quite pleased, proud even, of being able to maintain his position here for a little over a year. Usually internships did not last that long, so either the company forgot all about his presence or saw value in what he was capable of.

In all seriousness, Logan had a lot of offer to the network. He was an easy-going person, with a plentiful supply of charm. Granted, Logan's boss observed that Logan could be slightly inconsistent at times, perhaps a few translation errors when passing messages on that earnt him several lectures. However, it wasn't detrimental to the operation of the company

Logan finally surmised that he could have been fired on the spot during his first lecture, but by whatever grace of God, he wasn't.

His thoughts were cut off as his boss invited him to sit at the desk. Logan always thought the use of metal his boss' office was quite strange. Instead of a wooden desk, the designers had opted for loud and noisy metal frames. Not to mention, he cringed whenever his boss made the terrible noise of pen scratching on textured metal.

"Do you know who this is?" The boss said, pushing forward a picture of none other than himself, but younger. He was seated in front of the microphone, he had blonde hair back then, suit and tie armed and ready.

Logan thought it would be stupid to produce an answer to such an obvious question, but he decided to play along. "Susan Boyle, probably."

The boss laughed hysterically, wiping a thumb under his eyes. "This is why I like you. A good sense of humour. No, this is in fact, not Susan Boyle. However, I can see the resemblance of course." The boss stroked his overhanging belly a little. Logan made an effort to crack a smile, just to ensure that the joke was made in good comedy.

The boss presented another photo, this time of a young man, similar age. He had blonde hair, blue eyes, a headset on, and wearing a 3-quarter sleeve flannel. It was none other than Logan himself. Of course, Logan was slightly weirded out by the fact that his boss had a photo of him working.

"Do you see my vision, Logan?" He remained silent, not sure how to respond to that. In what ways could he implicate his boss' intentions, but both not look like an overzealous fool while also retaining his usually witty self.

"I want you, to be behind a microphone." His boss punctuated his point with a tap on Logan's photo, right at the corner. "You have the voice, the passion, the brains and charm."

The praise was unexpected. Logan's life was a tale of averages. Therefore, being appreciated was certainly new. The only thing he wasn't average in were hook ups. However, that was a skill best left off of Logan's CV.

"I can see it, Logan." The 'but' was coming, Logan felt it. And come it shall, "You need to get yourself together. Be more cautious with what you say - how you say it. Famous people get offended if you take a stab at their reputation. Don't be the guy to slip up."

It wasn't fully registering in Logan's head that his boss, who had picked him up randomly off the streets, was actually offering him a position to be something bigger at the network. To be influential.

His boss knew that silence would be leading the conversation since the start. Logan was young, and things like this only happened to those who are fortunate. So, he didn't blame Logan for being perplexed.

Shortly after, the two had evacuated the office. Logan returning to his work, and the boss continuing his journey as a boss. He thought that his speech to Logan would spark something in the young man, to have his life more grounded. Perhaps work harder to secure his place in the network.

Or just as likely, fall into contemplation. Indecisive.

~

Never in a million years would Troye expect himself to be granted access to a place that famous people frequented. He could almost feel in the air; royalty and status.

However, it wasn't as if Troye was extremely excited to be in such a place either. There was a lot of traffic, both cars and people, so he was left awkwardly standing as he waited for his friend to show up.

Troye had texted Logan about meeting after their mild argument. Of course, Logan replied within seconds, saying that he is off work and they should meet at the studio. So now, Troye was left in the midst of a churning mass of people bustling in and out of the small lobby.

A job at the radio network, Troye thought to himself. He couldn't see a better place for Logan to work at, apart from being an actor perhaps. Troye was always sceptical about the conditions in which Logan worked with. Wasn't it tiring to tend to so many people every day? That was hypocritical though, given that nursing was going to be just as horrible, if not more hectic.

It suddenly dawned on Troye, just how different they were. He wasn't much of a fighter, at least not as much as Logan. He rose to the occasion when his parents had suggested that he became a doctor. However, that was not to be as Troye did not pass the interviews to get into the course.

Although, Troye just accepted the way his life was transpiring. Even if he had acted upon his hobbies, it wouldn't yield to anything. Much of his life would still be spent struggling financially and paranoid about collapsing from exhaustion.

Suddenly, his headphones were plucked from their comforting position in Troye's ear. It was a surprise, but also not really, Logan wasn't one to respect personal space. He found it endearing to have someone willing to approach him in such a friendly way. At least most of the time he did.

"Hey, bud." Logan greeted. Troye turned to take a look at his friend. Unsurprisingly, not much had changed about his friend. Still the same tall, blond... creature. Perhaps his smile had dampened a little, but Troye didn't smile much anyway so perpetually grinning just wasn't something he had to think about.

"Hello." Troye responded. He was sure that Logan didn't feel half as awkward as he did about this meeting since Logan didn't come off as the type of person to hold grudges. Neither of them knew the other very well, so knowledge will have to be built.

"Finally missing me, eh?" Logan joked, his arm already situated comfortably between Troye's neck and shoulder. Both of them found immediate comfort in the action. For Troye, the fact that Logan didn't seem to be upset; and for Logan, how Troye relaxed under his proverbial wing span.

"Um... sure." There was some truth in that. Troye didn't think he missed his friend until now, walking side by side felt like he was returning to his routine, and lord knows that Troye's routine had been flipped, mirrored, crumpled, chewed and spat back out again by multiple events.

Logan, for once, learnt to shut his mouth when it was not necessary to speak. He was mostly just contemplating the offer his boss had given him though. It was taking up a lot of his brain, perhaps he would share it with Troye. After they are situated in the God-awful café, of course.

The reached their destination shortly after. No detours, no side-tracking. Troye felt a little responsible for always making Logan accompany him to the same place. Even though Nola was kind, he couldn't deny the cracks in the paint and stains on the ground. It gave the place character though, Troye convinced himself.

"So... Romero Adkins." Logan prompted, hoping that Troye would pick up the topic from there. Romero could be thought of as a non-issue, but he obviously raised a lot of red flags for Logan. What would someone with so much success want from humble little Troye?

Troye gave his friend a timid nod. There wasn't much to comment from Troye's perspective, since feelings were more or less stagnant between him and Romero. Although, he couldn't say the same for the older man, the hand holding really freaked him out.

It clicked with Troye that he had to open his mouth and articulate his words in order for someone else to understand him, especially with Logan, whom he had gathered had no sense of perception.

"... He's fine." Troye said briefly after a pause. In his head, he had gathered several suffixes to the sentence, but none of which would expand upon his point of Romero just being... fine. He looks fine, smells fine, speaks fine. Just all around fine.

Logan opened his mouth, then promptly closed it. He then scrunched his eyebrows in a perplexed manner. How was he going to pry that iron bolted mouth open? All he ever wanted was to help, yet he felt helpless in the face of such stoicism.

Troye looked up at Logan and bit his lip. He really did hate that expression, to see someone so confident be hesitant was damaging to his faith in humanity. If Logan couldn't figure it out in the moment, Troye would never have himself figured out.

"I... I'm sorry for making you come here with me." Troye said, to break the silence a little. The initial hesitation had Troye's heart pounding, he chickened out in spilling his worries in life. He knew he should trust Logan, there was no reason not to. Yet, he was afraid of placing his faith in something or someone that he did not have control over.

"It's gotten better recently." Logan shrugged, playing it off casually. That could not be further from the truth though. The estate is in a perpetually degrading state and both of them knew it. However, just the fact that Logan had instinctually lied about the condition of the café made Troye hesitate even more.

Was it really worth it in showing his vulnerabilities to someone who would say things just to please him? Troye knew that, although, kindness was desirable, he valued honesty more. If he were to share pieces of information about his personal life, he should expect nothing less than genuine criticism.

"I... umm... I picked up a job here. So..." Once again, the eerie soundtrack to Troye's life continues. Punctuated pumps that grow quicker and louder in his ears. He had never been so anxious during a simple conversation.

That piqued Logan's interest, Troye had previously denied the claims of being fired. So, unless that was what happened recently, there was no reason for Troye to pick up yet another dirt-cheap job. "Are you tight on cash?" Thankfully, Logan's two cents was actually some sort of intelligible this time, and Troye heaved a sigh of relief when he realised that he didn't have to verbalise his concerns.

"Yes." Troye replied. Then, a silence hung over them. It was rushed, but at least it was in the open now. The truth scared him, immensely so.

Logan held on to the word. He was of an average background, middle class sort of average. While his family was not particularly wealthy, he had a regular upbringing, the same shelter over his head for 17 years, and the same pair of parents that loomed over him. Of course, there were the occasional disruption caused by the birth of his siblings, but it was a typical household. Stable. And that bored Logan.

In the moment, Logan felt the need to act upon the information he had received. To console his struggling friend. Yet, he felt it was not appropriate to engage an embrace. He studied Troye's features hard, both eyes darting between Troye's own. He was always fascinated that no one could ever look at both of another person's eyes at once. He wished he could though, Troye's were an elusive unicorn.

The mild interrogation continued, and Logan stayed in his chair, itching to have Troye cry over his shoulder. The boy held too many things in, Logan believed. "Was that why you were upset the other day?"

Troye's heart lived in his stomach at the moment, he had not spoken to his parents since the call. He knew his parents would not contact him, not until Troye had managed to call back first. "Yes." Troye drifted off into another sentence, "... I only got my dad flowers. For his birthday."

The urge to smile almost conquered Logan, he found it was sweet that Troye would purchase flowers for his father. However, given the implications, Troye was not able to visit and perhaps that was what made him upset. "At least he was happy to get something from you, right? I'm sure your parents celebrated well with your siblings." Logan noted, hopefully.

Troye placed a palm on the back of his neck. In his mind, Logan would not have answered any differently, he was always assuming, implicating everyone. It was out of good intentions though. "No, he thought it was stupid, and I'm an only child." Troye smiled faintly.

Profanities filled Logan's head, he was agonisingly aware of his optimism had led him down a pit of thorns. Troye finally put him out of his pain, "He isn't the sort of person to show gratitude in words anyway, and it's not like I've mentioned my family often." Because there really wasn't much to mention...

The silence malingered. Hanging in the wind like an orange leaf on a tree branch, ready to recycle itself for the tree's benefit. "I'm sorry..." Troye whispered into the still-aired dome that masked over the two of them. "For pushing you and being rude."

Logan looked up from cursing himself. He wore a sad smile, eyebrows slanted, sympathetic. It made Troye's cheeks flush a certain shade of undetectable pink. He thought it looked out of place on Logan, the smile, but for the first time in months, he saw something different in Logan.

It was different from the indifference that usually settled inside of him. Their friendship felt fleeting, perhaps a little nebulous to the both of them. There was no clear reason for the unlikely pair to stay close to each other.

"That's alright, I forgot all about it anyway." Logan replied. At the sight of Troye's expression cracking at the seams, Logan's eyebrows threatened to bunch up. He wanted to be charitable for his friend, to be useful for once in his life.

"I... My boss spoke to me today. About work opportunities." Troye nodded, hoping it was good news to be delivered. "The weirdo showed me a photo of himself and told me that I could one day sit in his chair. If I worked hard for it."

"That's amazing!" Troye exclaimed, something of a smile turned his lips. Eyes twinkling. At that moment, Logan found out that Troye was easily amused and that was for the benefit of the both of them. "Maybe one day we can hear you talking on the radio..."

The thought warmed Logan's heart. It wasn't because of hope.

The bell at the café door chimed once, twice. Wind rushed in and out. The air was warm, then silent.

An orange leaf succumbed to the wind. It fell next to the tree where it came from. Ready to give back. Ready for winter, then spring. 

(Published 8/25/2019)

A/N: Reading back on this chapter while editing, I thought about the changes that this chapter brings to the story. 

To me, as the writer who has forgotten most of what he's written, I felt a constant sense of anxiety reading Troye's interactions with others. He's always walking on eggshells and seemingly praying for the ice to stay frozen under his cleats. Maybe that was just my own anxiety manifesting itself, or maybe that was what I had in mind. 

Autumn is a very special season. It doesn't grow life as spring does or create memories as summer would. However, it is the hitman that winter hired. Killing the hard work of spring and taming the summer laughter. In the end, it leaves its leaves in orange and yellow pools. Building something that has yet to come. 

And when November and December and January comes, the holidays have something to feed on. Only because Autumn came and swept leaves off trees, and maybe people off their feet. :)

Hope you enjoyed, excuse me for the poetic edge towards the end, I suppose. But there is definitely a reason why this story is set in Autumn and not spring, summer, or winter.