sunshine and snow;

logan crowe. 27. located in sallybrook.

[loganncrowe]

willporters‌:

The smile was a welcome change—different from the hidden (and, sometimes, not-so-hidden) whispers and rumours that swirled around them and their return. For a moment, Will could almost pretend that everything was normal, that they were a normal person going about their normal routine and that this was almost a normal town. It was a tempting thought, but ultimately it only ever remained as a promise of temptation, never to be fulfilled and only ever to be fantasised about. Will was far too familiar with the strange workings that wounds its roots in this town, the darkness that haunted every corner when you thought you weren’t looking. If they had grown up as they should, perhaps they could have settled into it far more comfortably (not fully, never fully, for full comfort with the strangeness of Sallybrook was but a pipe dream, but Will fantasised they would have at least been used to it) but the vast expanse between twelve and twenty-six was a large one, with nothing to fill in the gaps, and Will floundered in uncertainty.

So they were grateful, really, for this lifeline that Logan so easily offered them. “Why not both?” they asked, the smile on their face turning genuine, almost an amused glint in their eyes. They let their gaze slip towards the display of baked goods. “Can’t believe you’re now the one creating recipes for them,” they said. “Seems just like yesterday that we were snacking over these.” The remark came before they could filter it, and Will only realised the ramifications of such a statement only a full moment later. Now that it was said, almost acknowledged by they themself, Will now feared that Logan would see this as an avenue to ask questions that they didn’t know the answer to. 

“I—good, I guess,” they said, although their intonation made it sound more like a question. “I’ve mostly just been taking out my old Playstation and wasting my time on it. That, or reading my old comics.” Their nose scrunched up as they remembered something else. “Oh, and taking Dog out for walks.” There was really nothing else to do for someone who didn’t even finish middle school. There was a vague outline for their future—a GED, some classes in the nearby community college, maybe a job clerking at this or that store or whatever—but it’s mostly been written out for them by their parents. Will had no ambitions and had no idea what they wanted to do, and so they didn’t really think about it, content to follow their parents’ lead. 

Still, they’ve said… quite a lot, which Will supposed was a victory of some sort. Usually, they would have just left it at good, I guess and nothing more. Perhaps their old connection with Logan helped matters and drew the old Will out—the one that was friendly and nice and talkative enough. (Were they even the same Will? they sometimes asked themself.) They looked up at their former childhood friend and wondered if they could ever measure up to their former self. “But,” they said, “enough about that. How’d you swing this job anyway?”

Logan couldn’t deny he had wondered where Will had been all these years, what brought them back now. Of course, he couldn’t help but speculate with the rest of the town, spin tales about the Haunt when he had one too many drinks at the pub. But his words were never malicious, no matter how much the townspeople wanted to gossip. He tried to avoid the worst of the words, tried to keep his speculation merely as that: harmless fun. But now, looking at how cautious his old friend was, he wondered if it was really all that harmless, wondered if the huge gap in his memory could ever be described as harmless.

“Two, huh?” Logan said with a bit of a laugh, his hands already pulling out boxes for the two pies. He made quick work of pulling them from the cases behind the counter, wrapping them nicely. It was easier, to focus on the simple tasks he knew so well rather than think about what could be going through his friend’s head, what he thought of the fact that Logan was still stuck here after all these years. Somehow, the words coming next comforted him in a way. No matter how much he thought about leaving, he did love his job and the little bakery he spent most of his time in. “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he said with a chuckle, setting the pies near the register.

Logan didn’t know what he expected their response to be, but his small smile returned when discussing things they used to do together. “Dog, huh? Does your dog have a name?” he said with a bit of a chuckle, a memory coming back of Will begging for a dog before he disappeared into the night. He honestly didn’t know what he would be doing if he was in their situation, if he had to piece together a life after twelve years of nothingness. But it wasn’t fair to treat him as a spectacle, to thank whatever god looking over Sallybrook that he wasn’t in Will’s place.

“Oh, culinary school helped,” Logan said again, a vague gesture to the display case once more. “Got away for a few years, went to school about an hour away. When I graduated, this place was looking for help. Probably could’ve snagged it with or without the degree, but hey. Iris lets me play around with the menu every once in a while,” he said, fully aware that he was rambling. He felt like there was so much to share, so much to catch up on, even if Will didn’t have that. There was just so rarely new faces in Sallybrook, and Will was the closest to one he could think of. “How are your parents doing, then? I’m assuming you’re living with them for, uh, the time being?” he asked, the question tumbling out of his mouth before he could really think about it all that much.

[loganncrowe]

sophiebrb‌:

Sure, the silence of the church was welcomed. It was a nice change of pace to surf the waves of stillness instead of letting the splashes of anxiety take over. But with the monsters lurking around this time of year, maybe sitting alone in a quiet church wasn’t exactly the most effective choice. She was thankful the lurking figure was just Logan and not the haunt finally catching up to her. She knew better growing up in Sallybrook to not be the first lone girl that gets killed in every horror movie. She got this far on luck alone, it was bound to run out, right ??

“No, No. It’s okay.” She waved off, adding the hand gesture to really drive home he wasn’t at fault. “I shouldn’t be sitting in churches at night. I don’t even pray. I don’t know what i’m doing here.” Her eyes drifted around at herself and the way he mind escaped her sometimes like that. “Good…nervous, obviously…but for the most part, good.” As good as she’ll ever be, she assumed. “You ?? Heard you were put in charge.”

Logan just gave her a shrug. There was no need for judgement; they had to make a choice, and he knew a lot of the townspeople felt safer in the church even if they weren’t religious. “I don’t pray much either, but it’s kinda peaceful in here,” he said, his eyes travelling around the church. The church did have an eerie sense of stillness, as he was used to the hustle and bustle of weekly masses. The moonlight, however, streamed through the stained glass and gave him something to focus on that wasn’t the discussion of the Haunt that no one seemed to be able to escape. 

“Oh, you know,” he said with a laugh. “My room may be falling into shambles, but no one’s killed each other yet.” Even now, he was trying to make his situation lesser. It was two weeks, and then whoever hated each other in their room could be on their merry way. “Wish you were in my room, though. You’d probably be a bit easier to handle,” he said, nudging her side. “I’m just...I’m ready for this whole lockdown to be over.” He didn’t want to say it was unnecessary, but they had survived this long without a lockdown. Would this even be able to prevent it?

[loganncrowe]

dominikblair‌:

“Room leader,” Dom repeated, monotone. “Congratulations.” It was one of those occurrences where sincerity lacked, but his voice and expression left just enough room for someone to question where he stood on the matter. As if someone more than ten years is junior being in charge wasn’t bad enough, the kid had to bring up Iris. This time, it was very clear in the sharpness of his gaze exactly how he felt about this topic. “No,” he replied bluntly, and walked into the room. “No phone for room service, I take it…” Dom muttered, disgruntled. Clearing his throat, he turned to the other. “Logan,” he said, dropping his bag and settling his gaze on Logan’s, “I am going to tell you now so you’re not alarmed when it happens, but I am going to leave this place.”

“Thanks, I guess,” Logan stammered out, unsure of what exactly Dominik meant by the compliment. He wasn’t entirely thrilled to be here, and it seemed that Dom wasn’t either. Honestly, none of the residents seemed to be particularly happy with the situation, but he was at least trying to keep his head up. “Oh. The motel’s supposed to be extra safe too,” he said quickly, though the man was already walking away. Eyes flickering down the empty hallway, he quickly followed after the man. “Nah, but I brought some stuff from the bakery to hold us down for a couple of days,” Logan said, nodding to the boxes on the table. He was trying to be cheerful, to keep a positive outlook until the next words left the man’s lips. “You...can’t. It’s not safe,” he protested, but Logan had a feeling that little of what he could say would make an impact on the man. “It’s only two weeks. It won’t be that bad,” he said, offering a small smile.

[loganncrowe]

isnotgold‌:

The itch climbed beneath his skin in taloned strides, pricking and poking him out of his vantage point crammed in the furthest possible corner of the room. Rowan had held off as long as he could, but he could ignore it no longer. He swept like a thundercloud across the room, avoiding the eyes of the unwilling roommates he’d been saddled with.

Logan was the worst of them all. His smile was oppressive, his good-natured approach infuriating. Sometimes Rowan felt as if Logan were mocking him, dangling his kindness before Rowan like a carrot he’d run after endlessly, knowing all too well that it could never be his. At least the guy was a pushover.

This notion was shattered, however, when Logan asked him to step outside. As they stood out in the hallway, Rowan bristled, already defensive before Logan even had a chance to speak. At the mention of medicine, however, he softened slightly—he’d kill for some cough syrup. He imagined himself floating down a lazy river of codeine, and the vision alone was nearly enough to scratch his itch. Nearly.

“What are you, the piss police?” he said at last. “I drink a lot of coffee, alright? That’s it. I get that you’re supposed to be our chaperone or whatever, but it’s never too late to start minding your own fucking business.” His words came a little too quick, his posture fidgety. Sweat beaded at his brow. He really needed to get to that damn bathroom.

Logan had a feeling that whatever he said, Rowan wouldn’t take to it kindly. Something about the man, about how he sat glaring at the rest of the room, gave him a pretty good idea of how he felt about their situation. He was never one to judge, but the newcomer wasn’t making it easy.

Even with all of these observations, he still wasn’t prepared for the other man’s response. The words came out biting, much quicker than he had expected. Though he wasn’t sure what he should have expected from the man; this had been the first time they had properly talked since the beginning of the lockdown. Letting out a small sigh, his eyes travelled down the hallway towards the bathroom. He didn’t need to look at the man to feel the burning hatred radiating from him.

“I don’t want to be here, Rowan. None of us do. But we have a sign-out for a reason, and all of this is going to start looking suspicious,” he said, his words sounding tired. They were what, a few days in, and he was already bored with his job as glorified babysitter? Of course, there was no precedent for what this lockdown would look like, he didn’t expect to have to confront nearly every resident he came in contact with. “Are you sure you’re feeling alright?” he asked, his words softening as finally looking at the man’s fidgety frame.

[loganncrowe]

willporters‌:

WITH: @loganncrowe

WHERE: Bakery at Grand Madam’s

WHEN: Late November 2018

You should go out, Will, said their mother, almost the same way she said it years ago. Back then, it was to push them into going out and making some friends; now, it was to push them to go out and make a life. So far, Will had greeted their return to the land of the living with less than enthusiastic behaviour: they’d mostly sat around in their childhood home, playing video games and watching over Dog. When they weren’t staying in and had to go out to keep up some semblance of a social life in the eyes of their parents, they usually stayed at the diner by their lonesome or sat on the beach and stared at the ocean. It wasn’t an active lifestyle, by any means, but Will couldn’t find the energy to do more. It was as if they had been resurrected only half-way: their body was here, yes, but their spirit had failed to follow through—or if it did, it only did so in pieces. The bashful yet playful child that they once were turned into (and what a strange turn of phrase it was: turned into instead of grew into) something that was considerably… less.

It was only when they heard talk from their mother about Grand Madam’s—more specifically, its baker—that Will had told their mother that they’d be heading out to get some pies at the very same bakery and would she like anything for them to bring home? Their mother didn’t really want anything, although perhaps she was maybe surprised by the fact that Will took the initiative to go out for the first time, and had given them more money than they needed to buy some pies.

The shop was almost exactly as they remembered it: the smell of pies and other baked goods wafting into the air, the twinkle of the chimes as the door opened, the menu showcasing the same old pies (although now it was alongside some new creations Will has never heard of). They used to go crazy over the pies here when they were younger, they remembered, sharing it with their friends. It was this memory and this association that brought Will out of the woodwork: it seemed that Logan was finally the one making the cakes, which brought a rare smile to Will’s face.

They walked up to the counter, pretending to survey the pies before ultimately abandoning the ruse and greeting Logan with a small, hesitant smile. “Hey,” they said, “long time no see.” As if they haven’t been gone for fourteen years and have instead only skipped town for fourteen days, at most. “Would you recommend going for some of the new ones or are the old ones still just as good?”

There was a certain sense of monotony to the daily job of a baker, but Logan hadn’t grown tired of it just yet. Even if he saw mostly the same customers every day, he baked the same things, and he had grown used to the owner dropping by on the same day every week, it was comfortable. Grand Madam’s was familiar, and he was beginning to realize he liked familiar. Every time the idea of perhaps looking for other jobs in other towns crossed his mind, or even starting his own business, they were quickly shaken away. He was staying in Sallybrook for a while, as he was sure many other residents were. He wasn’t alone, even if they didn’t enjoy their jobs as much as he enjoyed his.

Of course, when a new face crossed the threshold, Logan was always a little excited. It wasn’t the same old women from down the street, who sat two pews in front of him at mass. It wasn’t one of the bartenders stopping in for an afternoon pastry before their night was spent at the Crooked Eye. No, it was a face that was somewhat familiar, yet felt so different. Will. Their face, of course, had changed. It had been fourteen years since anyone had seen them, and yet there was a little gleam in their eye that Logan seemed to remember so well. A gleam that had meant a friend among the halls of St. Peter’s, and that he hoped would still be a friend today.

“Hey, Will,” Logan said, a cheery smile appearing on his lips. He welcomed everyone like this, with a gentle greeting and smile, but he could already tell today would be different. “Apple’s as good as always, it’s the same recipe you’d remember. I’m kinda fond of the peanut butter cup pie now, but I did help create the recipe, so…do with that what you will,” he said, glancing down at the display case. He didn’t want to stare at Will, make them feel like any more of an anomaly in the town as he was sure his friend already did. There was just no denying that it was nice to see them around town once more.

“So, how’ve you been?” he asked after a few beats of silence, a simple question he was sure wouldn’t have as simple of an answer. Logan had heard the rumors, the whispers in the store aisles and the old ladies who seemed to think he loved gossip as they bought their daily pastries. He wasn’t about to base his impression of the ‘new Will’ on these whispers, though. He didn’t know if Will would want to talk, if they even really expected to see him behind the counter, but he wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to catch up with them.

[loganncrowe]

all i want for christmas || logan & isaiah

[loganncrowe]

theisaiahmiller‌:

Isaiah nodded. He was beginning to regret his choice of being at the motel, with Alice and Logan at church, but the thought of it, of all the hypocrisy he had experienced from its oh so called faithful members still infuriated him. He had nothing personal against some, though, it was worth to clarify. “Texting will be good… I don’t want you to go all sick of me just yet…” he added, trying to joke about anything, make the mood slightly more cheerful than it was natural, considering they were talking about the so feared Haunt of every year. 

“Oh, don’t go making those kind of statements, Logan, or I might take it. Only one thing I’m good at is lasagna. I don’t think I could survive on that. I’d much rather life off fresh bread and cookies, so… I might… I might take you up on that. Just know it’s a danger…” he winked at him and went back to pouring milk and sugar when he realized he forgot and didn’t know how Logan took his tea. “You’re bringing me company. That’s enough doing for me,” he said with a smile, carefully walking beside him. “After you… You’re the guest of honor, get to choose where in the living room to sit,” he said almost mockingly, since he had a really small living room: just a love seat and a single chair on the other side.

“Nah, I’m just surprised you’re not tired of me yet,” Logan said with a bit of a laugh. There was no point in lingering on the thoughts of what could happen this year, what horrors were bound to take the town over when they went into lockdown. Of course, he felt as if he would have a better time with Alice or Isaiah in his room, but he knew they would survive with a few weeks apart. Besides, he knew that if the cookies were helping, even in the smallest way, it would be worth it to distract Isaiah for a few precious hours. The grin came back to his lips as Isaiah rambled on, and he shook his head. “You should come over for dinner sometime. It sounds like you’re going to waste away without me,” he teased, his hands curling around the mug. “Wow, what a decision,” he said with a smile, before sitting himself down on one side of the loveseat. “Come on,you going to join me?” he said, patting the couch cushion beside him. He wanted to spend hours like this, content by Isaiah’s side. 

[jynsandors-deactivated20210215]

[loganncrowe]

@isnotgold

The days dragged on and on during the lockdown, which didn’t surprise Logan. Even with all of his optimism, he knew that there was little hope the Haunt would pass without great event. Growing up in Sallybrook gave even the happiest of residents a gloomy mood this time of year, and it rang true in the halls of the church. He had been given little time to get ready to be being a room leader, though he wasn’t exactly sure what could have prepared him for bickering roommates and a general sense of displeasure at being confined in the halls of the church.

One resident that caught his eye was Rowan. A relatively new face in town, Logan hadn’t interacted with him much past a few hellos in the bakery and the same kind greeting he gave to each member of his room when they arrived. However, Logan couldn’t help but notice the man’s frequent trips out of the room. The sign out clipboard was covered in his name, and it was beginning to appear worrisome. Logan couldn’t help but hear Alice’s worried voice ringing in his ear, reminding him to be wary of unusual activity. As the man approached once more, Logan offered a gentle smile and handed him the clipboard. “Hey, Rowan, can we...talk outside for a moment?” he asked, already feeling too much like a schoolteacher about to scold a student. As soon as they made it out of the room and the door had slammed shut, he took a deep breath and spoke in barely a whisper. “Are you feeling alright? You know we have medicine if you need anything,” he said, hoping the man wouldn’t take offense. 

[fathercarmody-blog]

a body made of wood

[loganncrowe]

fathercarmody‌:

STATUS: OPEN LOCATION: THE CHURCH DATE: DEC. 24 (21:42)

On any Christmas Eve, Reilly would have found himself preparing for midnight mass. He’d be revising his sermon, striking through spelling errors or awkward phrases with a bright red ballpoint, sipping a hot chocolate behind his desk. He’d be preparing the service for Christmas day, making final adjustments to the Sunday School’s Christmas play program, marking off the list for the drop-in Christmas Dinner he held annually for at-risk youth who needed a place to stay. This was not any other Christmas Eve, though.

Certainly, this was an inventive way to get people to show up to Church. Reilly would’ve preferred their attendance out of Godly love (and their own free will), and despite the presence of people in the church, the pews were sparsely filled. He had retreated from the larger, more bustling part of the building, heading to the chapel instead.

Once inside, he started lighting candles, basking in the dimly-lit solitude. It wasn’t as though he opposed company — Reilly quite liked people. It was just — though it had only been three days since the lockdown started officially, he was already getting worn out. There wasn’t a single moment where he felt he could take the collar off, figuratively and literally. It wasn’t like his priestly manner was an act, it came from a genuine place. Still, it was so hard maintaining that level of piety at all times.

Just as he finished lighting the candles and lowered himself into one of the seats, eyes steady on the flickering flames, he heard the door creak open. With the softest sigh of disappointment, he straightened himself, and spoke without turning, hands folded neatly into his lap.

“You’re welcome to join me, if you’d like. Given the circumstances, I don’t think it’s entirely appropriate to run a full service, but I could lead a prayer in here. Though, if you’re looking to convene with Him privately, I wouldn’t be opposed at all to sitting with you in silent prayer.” He shrugged slightly, offering a crooked smile, though the intruder couldn’t see him. “Or we could just chit-chat. Up to you.”

As much as Logan loved Christmas, he felt the happiness had been sapped from the holiday this year. He hadn’t been assigned to the same room as his parents, much less Alice or any of his friends he wanted to share the holiday with. His immaculately wrapped gifts had been left at home, and his Christmas cookies were the only scrap of the holiday that could be seen in the room he was supposed to be leading. The job he had been tasked with was exhausting, and he was looking for a reprieve from being a guard. There were no children in his room, so what were they even doing there?

Even if he had lost his sense of spirituality over the years, he found a certain comfort in the halls of the church. Whether he knew it was usually where he could find Alice or if it was just the fact he had attended mass every Sunday for as long as he could remember, he found that wandering throughout the church helped clear his mind. It had only been a few days of lockdown, but he was ready to put it behind him. However, the best he could do was spend 30 stolen minutes in the chapel that he found was mostly empty at all hours. 

Pushing open the door, he was surprised to find someone else sitting in the front of the room, having lit a few candles. It gave the room a somewhat peaceful glow, and he was hesitant to enter and disturb their silence until the man spoke. Of course, it was Father Reilly. “I’m sorry, Father,” he said as he approached, though he figured it couldn’t hurt to chat with the man for a while. Maybe he had a better handle on the events taking place, or could speak from a rational place. Or maybe they were asking too much of a priest who didn’t grow up here, who had only been here for a few years.

“I...I suppose just chatting would work,” he said, slipping into a seat near the other man. “How’ve you been holding up, Father?”

[loganncrowe]

Isaiah: so far.... yeah, i guess.

Isaiah: vending machines are starting to go empty, though.

Isaiah: this feels like one of those zombie films.

Isaiah: what a holiday 🎄

Logan: oh yikes :( did you end up with a good roommate at least?

Logan: i'm slightly worried my room is going to destroy itself before the haunt does but hey

Logan: merry christmas to all i guess

Logan: i just wish i could spend it with you or alice or someone i actually like

[loganncrowe]

txt: alice.logan

alice: you have to make sure no one leaves

alice: or, in your case, kills each other

alice: i wish dom had been in my room, honestly.

logan: no one's tried to leave yet!!

logan: maybe one attempted strangulation but eh

logan: oh but you don't want your boyfriend there :(

[loganncrowe]

txt: alice.logan

alice: is your room holding up okay?

alice: mine has been pretty quiet so far

alice: i wish i was spending christmas with you

logan: yeah we're ok

logan: if dom and rowan don't kill each other before it's over I'll call it a success

logan: couldn't i just come down there for an hour? would it really hurt anyone?

[loganncrowe]

Isaiah: Day 3 of lockdown...

Isaiah: I wish I had more cookies...

Isaiah: How is the house of God doing?

Logan: I could send some more by drone????

Logan: I'd rather be anywhere than here if I'm being honest

Logan: The motel still holding up?

[loganncrowe]

sophiebrb‌:

Sophia sat on one of the pews, staring up at the stained glass behind the podium, her mind trapped in a trance since the lockdown began. The Uris household weren’t too close to the church. It just never felt right. In Sallybrook, with all the annual devastation- it was easy to look for a miracle from god - or Father Reilly for that matter. But Soph and her family for once agreed on something. Praying couldn’t stop the haunt from coming. Nothing could.

Sophie tucked her feet under her, the small creme colored rabbit resting in her lap. She ran her fingers through the soft fur, getting lost in the monotony of the task. So lost, the presence behind her wasn’t even on her radar. So when they spoke up, she nearly jumped out of her skin. “Oh fuck me!” She shrieked in utter fear, her hand going up to her heart. “You scared me.” Probably not the best place to cuss.

There really was no rhyme or reason to how Logan ended up in the pews of the church. It had been years since he had come to pray, to do anything but go through the motions of mass every Sunday. He just wanted some quiet, some peace outside of the room he had signed up to watch over. A part of him regretted accepting the position, but he knew Alice needed the help. If he was going to be there anyway, might as well help out.

Logan knew that praying wouldn’t stop the Haunt, but maybe it would make him feel better after all these years. It was foolish, but he wasn’t expecting to see another person at the front of the church. As he drew closer with quiet footsteps, he realized it was Sophie and his face softened to a smile. A gentle hand coming to rest on her shoulder, he said, “Hey, Sophie.” She would be a welcome respite from the bickering in his room, if she didn’t die from shock. “I...I didn’t mean to...” he stammered out, but he slid beside her in the pew. “Uh, how are you doing?” he asked, though it was obvious she was as on edge as the rest of the inhabitants of the church.

[loganncrowe]

dominikblair‌:

Dom had argued with Iris all night and right up until the moment they both parted ways towards their separate lock-down destinations. It left him in one of the foulest moods, which was visible in the edge brought to his hardened features. Having ignored the information given to him the night before, Dom received his room allocation upon arriving at the church, then decided against any and all conversation as he stormed past everyone. He was familiar with the classrooms, and knew which one he’d be living in for the next two weeks, so he was surprised to see Logan standing outside his. “Logan,” he greeted with a small nod as he approached the room. “You’re in here?”

@loganncrowe

Logan stood near the doorway of his room, clipboard in hand. He wasn’t exactly ready for the lockdown to begin, but he knew the Haunt would stop for no one. No one was happy to be here, and he realized as the few people in his room filed past, the next two weeks may be harder than he expected. When Dominik approached him, he could tell the man wasn’t in the best mood either. “Yeah. Alice asked me to be a room leader,” he said, a smile plastered on his lips as if that would make any of this better. "Is Iris in a different room?” he asked. The pair were rarely seen in public together anymore, but he figured he could ask. 

[loganncrowe]

all i want for christmas || logan & isaiah

[loganncrowe]

theisaiahmiller‌:

“The motel, yeah…” Isaiah said with a simple nod, shifting uncomfortable on his feet. Considering the position his family used to have in town, the safest bet could’ve been the church. Hell, he would’ve probably been in charge of one of the rooms even, but he hadn’t set foot in a church in all this while. It wasn’t much about anything that people had done to him, but as an act of rebellion of what the church meant to people like him. It was a complicated situation, but he took his chances to write himself down in the motel list. “Sounds like fun, isn’t it? Being locked up for two weeks with a random person without any sort of contact with anyone else? Well… I guess we got cellphones, right?” He chuckled awkwardly, wiping more flour from his hands on his pants. “You’re… at the church?” He wondered, trying not to get his hopes up about rooming with Logan. 

Isaiah passed him the tray, being careful not to touch his hands this time around. Not because he didn’t want to but because he was sure he wouldn’t be able to hide the fluster in his cheeks if they came that close again. It was embarrassing to a certain degree, the kind of pull he still had over him, like he had years ago. He wondered then if he knew, what he would think of him if he found out what had happened after he had left town. He bit his lip, feeling the acids in his stomach crawl up his throat, but only looked away and started up the kettle for the tea. 

By the time he had two cups ready, the cookies were in the oven. They looked too perfect to be homemade, but of course this wasn’t the standard homemade. And suddenly, they had nothing else to do other than wait for the cookies to be ready. “Anything else? i mean, can you come and cook for me every single day?” He joked then laughed for a few seconds, letting it die down. “I– no… I think it’s fine. I shouldn’t eat that many cookies anyway, if I want to stay in shape for the next year,” Isaiah said with a little smile, looking at the cups he was still holding. “The kitchen is a mess– Do you want to drink tea in the living room? I’ll take care of this later.”

“Yeah, this entire lockdown situation is just...tons of fun,” Logan said with a bit of a sigh. He wasn’t looking forward to it, and it seemed as if Isaiah was dreading it as well. He still wasn’t entirely sure why the entire town had to lock themselves away, but he wasn’t going to question it. “Uh...yeah. Alice needed another room leader, so she convinced me,” he said with a bit of a shrug. The decision wasn’t one made lightly, and he wasn’t entirely sure he was going to be a good room leader, but the decision had been made. “Hey, at least we can still text,” Logan said with a bit of a shrug, the smile coming back to his lips. No use in dwelling on it now. 

“Hey, if you want me to,” he teased, a laugh slipping from his lips as well. Isaiah had a way of keeping him feeling light, even with the impending Haunt on its way. “Yeah, we can do that. But I can help clean up later. I...I kinda took over your kitchen, it’s only fair,” he said, taking one of the mugs from Isaiah and nodding towards the living room again. “Let’s go,” he said with another gentle smile, letting their arms brush against one another as he moved towards the couches. “You coming?”

[loganncrowe]

all i want for christmas || logan & isaiah

[loganncrowe]

theisaiahmiller‌:

      “Oh, I know you can bake drunk. How else would you spend all day every day in the bakery if not with a little help?” He teased with a little laugh. “I just… don’t trust myself, and what kind of host would I be if I get drunk?” Isaiah explained with a little shrug as he mixed the ingredients for a few more seconds, even if he didn’t really need to anymore.       “Right… The lockdown…” He mumbled, clearly not happy about it. Not like he had claustrophobia or anything like that, but there was a certain anxiety that came with being in a single room for two weeks, with no contact or else outside. He hated the idea, wanted to run away, but it was too late to do so now. The microwave beeped, announcing the butter being ready. Isaiah tried not to stare but it was hard not to follow Logan moving around the kitchen with such grace and elegance, as if he owned the place even more so than himself. He stepped aside to let Logan pour the butter, still staring but making it seem as interest in the cookies and not the man himself.       “I did– I did alri-” he couldn’t finish his sentence before he felt Logan’s hand on his cheek. This was the romcom moment he never thought he would have, and yet here he was, standing in the middle of his kitchen with his heart about to jump out of his ribcage. He sighed out when he felt it go, not in relief exactly, but out of frustration. Despite it all, his body craved closeness, though the uncertainty of him not being able to take it, of embarrassing himself in the moment, made him relieved nothing had happened.       “I’ll- a tray. Yes, okay. A tray…” Isaiah said with a little smile, taking a couple steps backwards before turning around, spinning a couple times until he spotted the tray and brought it to him. “A tray.”

     “Do you want me to fix you some tea while you do the– Trust me, you don’t want my hands in those cookies, or they’ll end up… looking more like halloween cookies.”

“Oh, yeah, I hate my job that much,” Logan said, nudging the man in the side with his elbow. He was thankful things had fallen so quickly back into the gentle teasing that he was so accustomed to with him. “Fair, very fair. Wouldn’t want to burn down the house while your roommate is away,” he teased. He didn’t expect to feel so comfortable, after all these years, but Isaiah had a calming presence.

“You staying in the motel, I guess?” he asked. He remembered a lot about the man, including his rocky relationship with the church. There was still a part of him that was considering running away before the Haunt could touch the town again, but he knew that it was foolish. He would be tempting fate, and there wasn’t really anything Sallybrook could do other than take these precautions. They might not even help, but hey. At least they were trying something new.

A part of Logan wondered if he should have fallen so fast. He was still wary that Isaiah would ever feel the same again; after all, he had been the one who escaped for a few years. He wasn’t the one who lost someone last year, who had every reason to be more scared of the Haunt than ever before. Logan was just trying to take some of the pain, wishing he could carry all of it. 

Instead of saying any of that, he took the tray from the man’s hand with a smile. “Oh, you’re going to help with the kisses, though,” he teased, a hand resting on the man’s arm for a brief moment. “But yeah, tea sounds great.”

It didn’t take him long to scoop the dough into small balls, to make sure they were situated right on the tray, and to slide them into the oven. He was getting more excited about the prospect of Isaiah trying one of his favorite cookies, and he hoped Isaiah didn’t hate him for completely destroying his kitchen. “Did you want to make anything else?” he offered, hoping that he wasn’t going to overstay his welcome.