Maybe One Day

Logan Clayton || Thirty - Two Marine “Sometimes the most ordinary things could be made extraordinary, simply by doing them with the right people.”

[logan-clayton]

 @nora-clayton

It had been a long day for Logan. Job hunting had taken most of the day and it had been wildly unsuccessful. Something he had vented about with his therapist. Opening the door to his sister’s home, Logan dropped his bag by the door and followed the noise to the kitchen where he found Nora. “Hey,” he greeted his younger sister, moving the fridge to grab a bottle of water. “It’s awfully quiet - where’s the kiddos?” He asked casually, leaning against the countertop. Though the Clayton siblings had always been close, especially when Logan had to step up after their father passed away from cancer, since coming home, there was notable separation. Mostly, it was on him. Logan was having trouble adjusting back to normalcy and relating. The only person who he seemed to be able to connect to was Sophie. “No luck on jobs today - but a buddy of mine might have something for me.” Logan hated being a burden on his sister. 

[logan-clayton]

sophiemchale​:

Sophie couldn’t help but smile at his words, words that she had always wanted to hear from him. He had told her similar things like that before however this time it wasn’t on paper, this time he was saying it directly to her and the butterflies in her stomach were rising once more, her heart melting at every word. “I think you are doing just fine without the paper.” She said softly, reaching out to take his hand. Their experience was unique as the letters let them get to know each other for who they were and not what they looked like. She felt like he knew her better then most people did who knew her in real life. 

Leaning in, Sophie pressed her lips against his, her arms wrapping behind his head and stood on her tiptoes to get up taller. She pulled away a moment later, cheeks red. “I’ve uh…been wanting to do that for a long time now.” She said and grinned, smile wide. 

________________________

There was a wave of relief that rolled over him as Sophie assured him and he smiled down at the petite woman with ease. There weren’t many things he would say he was grateful for during the war, but Sophie and their letters were absolutely one of them. Logan knew he loved her long before he ever laid eyes on her and now that he had? Wow. There was no going back for him.  Before he could find words, Sophie was suddenly leaning forward and her lips were on his.

Shock rang through him but joy was quick to follow. Instinctively, Logan had his arms wrapped around her frame, one hand cradling the back of her neck and one laid softly on her cheek. He couldn’t remember the last time he had kissed a woman, but he knew for a fact it had never felt quite like this. When she pulled away, Logan grinned back at her, eyes soft as he brushed a lock of hair from her face. “You and me both.” Logan whispered sweetly, leaning in to press another chaste kiss to her lips. “Do you want to go grab a bite to eat?” He asked her, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her close. “My sister will be home soon with her kids.” As much as he wanted Nora to meet Sophie, there was a time and place. Right now, he wanted to spend time with her alone - building on the foundation they had already created.

[logan-clayton]

astridengstrom​:

Astrid was looking through what little she had managed to save when she heard someone next to her and she turned her head up towards him and offered a smile. “Thank you so much!” She said, Swedish accent still as thick as when she got there, unsure if it would ever go away, not that she wanted it to. It reminded her of home when she was so far from it. “I think I’m only missing one, a little girl at the park on the swings.” She said as she looked through all the ones she currently had sitting in front of her. She smiled softly. “Thank you. I’m glad you like them, my client should like them as well then.”

--------

The Swedish accent was unexpected, given that everyone he’s met in this town seemed to have been born there but, the accent fit her well, he mused. Nodding, Logan began to look around for the missing drawing and found it stuck under the leg of the table. “Sneaky.” He muttered to himself and snatched it carefully, placing the undamaged piece on the table. Logan took a moment to survey the various pages as the woman sorted through them. “What kind of commission is this?” He asked curiously, though he could infer it was a probably a children’s book of sorts from the drawings. “Children’s book?” He asked, lifting his gaze back to the woman.

[astridengstrom]

Astrid has Stella sitting in her stroller as she sat at the cafe, sandwich sitting on a plate in front of her. She had wanted to get out of the house to work on some illustrations that she had signed on to do for a new children’s book. She had gotten through a couple first drafts for the first few pages when a gust of wind came through the area and suddenly her papers were everywhere. “Oh no!” He said as she carefully pushed herself up after putting a weight down on the ones that she still had at her table. She tried to gather the ones that were flying away but she couldn’t move very fast or bend down much with her growing bump. She sighed thinking she would have to redo those drawing and she moved back to her table, sighing in defeat.

@logan-clayton​

[logan-clayton]

The weather in his sister’s town was crazy, in Logan’s opinion. In Afghanistan, there was really guessing to be made and he had gotten used to the fiery days and frosty nights. Logan rushed into the little cafe, immediately feeling bad when the gust of wind he let in set someone’s papers roaring through the small establishment. He managed to catch the scattered papers and it was easy enough to spot the owner. “I’m sorry about that, miss.” Logan approached the obviously pregnant woman, handing the drawing back to her. “I think I got almost all of them. I can help you find the rest of them if you tell me what’s missing.” It was then that he actually took a second to analyze the papers and was intrigued by the talent of them. “These are amazing.”

[logan-clayton]

sophiemchale​:

Sophie couldn’t help but smile at his words, words that she had always wanted to hear from him. He had told her similar things like that before however this time it wasn’t on paper, this time he was saying it directly to her and the butterflies in her stomach were rising once more, her heart melting at every word. “I think you are doing just fine without the paper.” She said softly, reaching out to take his hand. Their experience was unique as the letters let them get to know each other for who they were and not what they looked like. She felt like he knew her better then most people did who knew her in real life. 

Leaning in, Sophie pressed her lips against his, her arms wrapping behind his head and stood on her tiptoes to get up taller. She pulled away a moment later, cheeks red. “I’ve uh…been wanting to do that for a long time now.” She said and grinned, smile wide. 

It was Logan’s turn to have a blush coat his cheeks as she spoke but he was relieved to know that he was able to communicate at least somewhat effectively what he felt for her. Paper would always be easier but Logan would stutter through a thousand confessions if it meant knowing Sophie in real life. This woman in front of him knew Logan better than even his closest friends, a fact allowed by the openness of their letters. 

The marine squeezed Sophie’s small hand in his, drawn by how perfectly small it was compared to his. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting but Sophie stepping up and kissing him was definitely not it. He stiffened for a second, not because he didn’t want the kiss but simply because she startled him. After a moment, he kisses her back, wrapping his arms around her slender waist. When they pulled away, Logan grinned down at her, one hand moving to gently brush away a strand of stray hair from her face. He cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb along her skin. “Trust me, I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time too. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get a chance.” He leaned back in then, placing another sensuous kiss to her lips. As they parted, he couldn’t help the happy chuckle that escaped him. “Come, we can hang out for a bit. I think we have some catching up to do since our last letter.”

[logan-clayton]

sophiemchale​:

Sophie still couldn’t believe that she was still seeing Logan right in front of her eyes and he was more handsome then she could have ever imagined, not that she fell for his looks, it was just a bonus. She walked into his place with a smile on her face. “No..uh I’m okay. Sorry for just dropping in but you were so close and I just couldn’t help myself.” She said as she looked up towards him. She still couldn’t believe that after all this time and all those letters that he was right there. She would be lying if she said she didn’t develop feelings for the man behind the letters because she definitely had. 

Now that she was inside of the house, Sophie could feel the butterflies rising in her chest, the thoughts of their communications at the forefront of her memories. She pushed a few pieces of hair behind her ear and shoved her hands in her pockets after putting the most recent letter in her purse. “I have all your letters. I’ve saved them in a box. I uh..sometimes go back and read them. They always put a smile on my face, no matter what I’m going through.”

In a time of great trouble and darkness in Logan’s life, Sophie had come around and brightened it. She didn’t need to be there in person but every week, her letters were the one thing that gave him hope. They were a light. A piece of hope. A glimpse of something bigger than what he was in the middle of. It was a no brainer and it took very little for him to fall for her. Their letters gave him such a window into who she was, a intimate view. A deeper view than dating sometimes gave you. And likewise, he had been vulnerable with her, more than he had ever been with anyone else. 

“Like I said, classic Sophie.” Logan chuckled, running a hand over his hair as he gave her a lopsided grin. “It’s okay, I really don’t mind.” The marine leaned against the walk near him, the grin softening to a smile at her words and he looked down at the floor. “I’ve kept them too, most of them.” He scratched the back of his neck. “Some of them didn’t make it.” He didn’t celebrate on that, knowing she’d get it. “But I read through them too. You don’t know how much they meant to me. I know it was probably just part of one those programs but they meant....you mean...” His tongue tied, unable to get out what he wanted to. It was easy to tell her how he felt on paper, but in person? It made him clammy. “I’m better with words on paper.” Logan laughed, taking a couple of steps towards her, holding his hand out for her. “What I’m trying to say is that you put a smile on my face no matter what I’m going through. And I’m happy you came; I wasn’t sure how to even ask you to meet now that I’m here.”

[logan-clayton]

sophiemchale​:

Sophie couldn’t help but feel the nerves still bubbling in her chest. She looked up and smiled softly as she heard his voice, one she had tried to imagine for the whole time they had been writing. It was more beautiful then she had imagined. “Uh..yeah kinda. I’m Sophie.” She said as she held up the last letter that he had sent as if she would need some sort of proof that she was who she said she was. She was worried that this was too much, that he wouldn’t like her showing up like this and would turn her away or get angry. She bit her bottom lip and continued to look towards him. 

“I know this is a lot..uh..coming here and everything but um…I dunno, I just felt like I had to meet you, to take that chance.” Sophie said and offered him a soft smile. “I’d understand of you want me to go away or something. I mean, we could go out for some coffee or something? If that would be more…appropriate?”

Sophie. The name knocked the wind right out of Logan in one big exhale and the hand that had been resting against the door fell to his side in sheer shock. His dark eyes landed on the letter as if he needed proof to believe it was her but it wasn’t needed. He could feel it was her. In retrospect, Logan should have guessed this was something she would do. They had spent a while writing each other and he knew her well enough now to know that the minute she noticed his letter came from somewhere so close, she would come. It was classic to the Sophie he cared so much about. 

“No, no.” He said immediately, opening the door a bit wider as if to reassure her that she was more than welcomed. He was beyond excited now, stunned, but excited. . “No, I’m glad you did. I’ve been wanting to meet you for such a long time.” He breathed, a soft smile sidling along his lip as he let himself take her in for the first time. Logan supposed he had imagined what she looked like through their letter but whatever he had imagined did no justice to her in real life. She breath-taking. “Come in,” He finally said, letting her into the house and shutting the door behind her. “Would...uh... do you want something to drink?”

[sophiemchale]

Sophie stared at the letter that was weighing her hands down. She smiled as she looked down at it, knowing that this one was sent from somewhere not overseas, that this one would be the one to tell her that Logan was home and not in constant danger. She had signed up to write letters to soldiers over in the war and she thought nothing of it. You write a letter, maybe get one back, maybe not. She never thought it would bring someone special to her life, someone she thought understood her on a level that she hadn’t had in her life before. She hadn’t known exactly when he would be back, only that his tour was almost over. This letter in her hands was her sign that he was home and safe. 

Once she read the letter should couldn’t help but look at the address. She wanted more than anything to see the person she had been writing to in person and be able to look at them with her own two eyes, not just see a letter. Sophie grabbed her purse and keys, getting into the car and she drove to the address, putting the car in park as she looked at his place. There wasn’t far between them and she could feel the butterflies in her chest as she got out of the car and walked up to the front door, knocking before letting her hands fall by her sides, staring at the door as she waited for it to open and once it did, she looked up. “Uh…hi.”

[logan-clayton]

Settling back into civilian life had been difficult for Logan and while he might have not carried physical damage from his deployment, his mental wounds more than made up for it. The shift from all he knew to having to get settled with living with his sister and her sons for the time being was jarring. It was one of the reason it had taken him a bit longer than normal to send Sophie his final letter. It was the letter letting her know that he had finally made it back home, safe and sound. Her biggest wish for him in all the time they had spent writing back and forth. Her letters were the only thing that gave him hope on some of the darkest days.

The sound of knocking at the front door had Logan pushing himself off the couch and towards the front door. Upon opening it, his eyes fell on a young women, not much younger than himself and his heart gave a tug, almost as if he knew her already. She was beautiful. “Hi.” Logan finally managed to get out, opening the door bit more. “I’m sorry... do I... do I know you?” The question was finally asked but deep inside, he already knew exactly who this was. There was a warmth around her that he had always felt in the letters Sophie would send him. But it couldn’t be. Could it?