A little something I wrote to follow my last post! I hope you have found some happiness, maybe let yourself grieve for a minute. Remember that the work starts now, and that change starts with us, the people. Use your voice.
Character credits to the lovely @lumosinlove as always!!
At first, Leo had thought that Finn’s fountain pen hadn’t been worth stealing, but that was before he started writing his grocery lists with it. It was the perfect weight in his hands and wrote so smoothly it was like spreading butter. He would take it out of the cup on Finn’s desk in what used to be his very own bedroom, now converted into a home office, and run his fingers along Finn’s engraved name lovingly before setting off to the kitchen. Finn would always wait so patiently for him to finish, even if he was bouncing on his toes while doing so. He always claimed that he wrote better with the fountain pen, a gift from Logan when he’d started his Master’s program this fall, and wouldn’t start his work without it. Leo would borrow it, write his lists, and then give it back to Finn with a kiss and a tap to his hip, nudging him to go back to work.
Today, though, Leo just stole it, and didn’t feel even a little bit bad.
“You realize he is going to freak out when he can’t find it, ouais, soleil?” Logan asked through Leo’s iPad, which was resting on the counter as Leo cooked dinner. More often than not, they’d FaceTime in the evenings and eat dinner together anyways, but Logan claimed he also liked to watch Leo’s back through the screen as he cooked.
Leo ducked his head into the frame and grinned. “Oh, I know. It’s not even hard to find, I just put it in the kitchen towel drawer by the oven.” He settled more in front of Logan’s face. “But he’s been all stressed out lately, and his paper is fine; I’ve already read it and helped him edit it three times. He just needs to take an evening off.”
As if on cue, Finn’s voice reverberated through the hallway. “Peanut, have you seen my fountain pen? I can’t find it anywhere!”
Leo just shook his head. “Sweetheart, I’m sure it’ll turn up! Come say hi to Lo.”
There was a thump and then Finn came sliding in on his socks into the kitchen, bumping softly into Leo as he stopped in front of the counter. “Hi, sweet thing, hi. How are you, Lo, baby?”
Logan grinned at him. “Ouais, bonjour, rouge.” He tilted his head. “You missing something?”
That perked Finn up, and he turned to Leo, wrapping his arms around his waist and looking up with wide eyes. “Yeah, yeah, baby, my fountain pen. Have you seen it, Le?”
Leo just feigned confusion. “What fountain pen?”
Finn’s ears started to turn a bit red, a mildly frustrated exhale coming out of his nose. Finn never got angry, especially not at them, but he did sometimes get fidgety when he was anxious about something. “Bullshit, which one. You know I can’t focus without it, and my paper is due tomorrow, and I don’t know where it is-”
“Isn’t your paper on the computer?”
Finn rolled his eyes as he looked at the iPad, but his expression was teasing. “Not helpful, Tremblay.”
Leo nudged him as he turned back to their bolognese sauce on the stove. “I’m sure you just lost it under the desk, or by the radiator, sweetheart. It’ll turn up.”
Finn whined in the back of his throat. “But I need it to focus.”
Leo snorted, but turned and took Finn’s face in his hands. “Finn, honey, you’ve had that paper done and ready for three days. You’ve been stressed out and can’t relax, even though it’s perfectly well written.” He kissed Finn’s forehead. “Just go and submit it, it’ll be fine.”
“But-”
“Go,” Leo said emphatically. “And maybe if you come back and make nice, stress-free conversation with your boyfriends for a couple hours you’ll get it back.”
“Ouais,” Logan piped up in agreement. “Rouge, go on.”
Finn stared at Logan’s face, then turned and narrowed his eyes at Leo. “You know where my pen is, don’t you?”
Leo just raised his eyebrows and winked at him. “Turn your paper in and find out.”
Finn took a deep breath and huffed in that way that he did when he really didn’t want to do something. “Fine. But I better be getting some really nice conversation when I get back.”
Logan laughed through the screen. “Ouais, maybe you’ll get something else really nice, too.”
“Oh?” Finn was smiling now, freckles scrunching on his forehead as he raised his eyebrows. “You gonna give you something, ten?”
Logan’s teeth flashed cockily. “I’ll take off my shirt for you, but only if you’re good.”
Finn tapped his hand to the camera. “You got yourself a deal, Trelembalaylay.” He turned to Leo and gave a pinch to each of his hips, making him squirm. “You know, Leonardus, you’re a lot more mischievous than you seem. The world doesn’t know you’re like this. I could tell them.”
Leo ducked his head down. “Oh? You want the world to know all about my delinquency?”
Finn stared for a second, then rolled his head back. “Fine. No. Just us, just Lo and I get to reserve that privilege.”
Logan laughed, then leaned his head closer to the screen. “Allez, rouge, go turn in your paper. Then Leo and I will be mischievous together for you.”
Finn bounced on his toes, nodding eagerly. “Yup, yup, that sounds like a great plan to me.” He kissed Leo’s cheek, then kissed towards the iPad. “Love you, babes, be right back,” he said, then scurried off back towards the home office as they both called a ‘love you!’ after him.
Leo gave the sauce one more stir, then turned to lean his forearms on the counter in front of Logan. “If I’d known it would have been that easy to get him to submit his work, I would’ve done that with the last two essays, as well.”
Logan chuckled at him. “Ouais, he’s very easily motivated by…” His smiled turned teasing. “Mischief.”
Leo laughed back at him, then tilted his head and admired the way Logan’s green eyes flitted all over his face. “Love you, Lo.”
Logan’s smiled turned soft. “Je t’aime, aussi, mon coeur.”
“Okay!” Finn’s voice called, followed by the sound of his thumping feet. He once again entered sliding on his socks, wrapping Leo up in his arms with a smacking kiss to his cheek. He wiggled his eyes at the two of them. “Time to get mischievous.”
Leo and Logan just looked at him and laughed.