Connection

Ashlyn's perspective:

After texting Tyler that if I ever find out who's hurting Logan, he'll be the first to know, I stared at the message for what felt like forever. I read it again and again.

You:
If I ever find out, or know who's hurting him, you'll be the first I tell. Promise.

The words felt heavy in my chest. I had no intention of letting Tyler in on what I already knew, not unless Logan wanted me to. But I couldn't bring myself to say nothing, yet the I wanted to help Logan screamed inside me. Tyler deserved at least a shred of reassurance, even if I couldn't give him the full truth.

I sighed and set my phone down, turning to look at Logan. He was curled up in bed, his blanket pulled halfway up his body. Even with the covers, I could still picture the bruises on his stomach and ribs, dark marks that hadn't faded yet. My chest tightened at the memory of seeing them for the first time.

I hated lying to Tyler. But what choice did I have? I couldn't betray Logan's trust. Not after everything he'd been through.

"Do you think Tyler's upset with me?" Logan's voice broke the silence, soft and unsure. His eyes peeked out from under the blanket, his expression nervous. "You know .. for choosing you."

I let out a quiet laugh, shaking my head as I sat down at the edge of his bed. "Upset? Probably. Tyler doesn't exactly hide his emotions well. But you shouldn't feel bad about it, Logan. You did what felt right for you."

Logan shifted under the blanket, pulling it tighter around himself. "I didn't mean to hurt him," he mumbled, his voice barely audible. "I just .. I trust you more. You've been here, You've helped me."

"I know," I said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder over the blanket. "And I get it. But Tyler's not mad at you for trusting me. He just doesn't understand what's going on, and that makes him frustrated. He cares about you, Logan. He just wants to help."

Logan nodded slowly, but his eyes were distant. "I don't want him to worry about me," he admitted. "I don't want anyone to, But .. He hesitated, his voice faltering.

"But you're still scared," I finished for him.

He didn't reply, but the way he looked away told me I was right.

I sighed again, squeezing his shoulder gently. "You don't have to tell him—or anyone—until you're ready. You know that, right?"

Logan nodded again, but he didn't say anything. The room fell quiet, the tension thick.

I stayed sitting there for a while, watching as Logan eventually closed his eyes, his breathing evening out as he drifted into a restless sleep. My heart ached for him, knowing that sleep probably wouldn't bring him peace.

I glanced at my phone one more time, Tyler's name still sitting in the messages. I couldn't bring myself to delete it, even if it felt like a lie.

I wanted to help Logan, but part of me wondered if keeping Tyler in the dark was only making things worse—for everyone.

I thought about it as I sat there, watching Logan shift uncomfortably in his sleep. Tyler cared about him—a lot. More than he probably even realized. It wasn't just concern or frustration about not knowing what was going on. It was something deeper, something more personal.
It was obvious to me, and I was probably not the only one who'd noticed.

The way Tyler looked at Logan, the way he blushed whenever Logan came around, how quickly he got defensive when it came to him—it wasn't just a typical friendship.

Tyler had feelings for Logan.

Or maybe he didn't realize it yet, but those feelings were forming, growing stronger with every interaction, every shared moment. It wasn't something he could hide, even if he tried.

I sighed, glancing back at Logan as he curled tighter under the blanket, his face barely visible. Logan didn't see it, or maybe he did, but he wasn't ready to acknowledge it. Logan was .. complicated. Trusting someone, letting them get close—that wasn't easy for him. And Tyler? He was diving in headfirst, even though he didn't fully understand what he was getting into.

It wasn't a bad thing. Tyler's feelings came from a good place, from genuine care and concern. But Logan wasn't in a place where he could handle that—not yet. And if Tyler pushed too hard or expected too much too soon, it could backfire.

I wasn't sure what to do about it. I wanted to protect Logan, to make sure he wasn't overwhelmed. But I also didn't want to shut Tyler out completely. He cared about Logan, and that wasn't a bad thing.

I just hoped that when the time came, Logan would be ready to handle whatever was growing between them. Because Tyler? He was already all in, whether he realized it or not.
I snapped out of my thoughts when my phone buzzed in my hand, Tyler's name flashing across the screen

Angry Twin:
Do you really believe he just "fell"?

I sighed, my thumb hovering over the keyboard as I thought of how to respond. I knew Tyler wouldn't drop it, not entirely. He cared too much about Logan to let it go.

Before I could send, I hesitated — The three little dots indicating he was typing popped up almost immediately, The dots appeared, then disappeared, like he was typing and deleting. After a long pause, another message came throufg.