So I wrote this because I rather like Jo's character and since I know Kogan can't ever actually be cannon, I didn't hate the Jo/Kendall pairing. They had their moments, they really did. Also, we had so much Kogan interaction in the beginning and then Kendall started dating Jo and it tapered off and then they broke up and the very next episode, we were back to some nice old Kogan interaction. I feel like that can't be a coincidence. Kogan is head cannon for at least some of the writers, I'm convinced.
Anyways, enjoy. I've never tried writing Jo's character so I apologize in advance if this is nothing like her.
Logan is rather surprised to find the blonde standing in front of him looking nervous. It's her last night at the Palm Woods and the genius had expected her to be spending every last minute she could with Kendall. And while he liked Jo well enough, he hadn't felt the need for anything more than the group goodbye that was sure to take place tomorrow morning before the pretty girl was whisked off to the airport. But here she is, looking nervous, which Logan also doesn't understand. He and Jo are not particularly close, but they've always been friendly so he can't imagine why she would feel nervous about talking to him.
"Hey Logan."
He nods in her direction, closing the book he had been reading and placing it on the ground next to the pool chair he is currently relaxing in. "Hey Jo."
She takes a seat on the empty pool chair next to him. "Kendall's upstairs making a picnic for us." She says after a few moments of silence. "So I thought I'd come down here and talk to you."
He raises an eyebrow at her. "Okay…shoot."
"I'm moving to New Zealand." She says this as if he doesn't already know it. Or maybe she just expects him to understand what she's really trying to say.
Unfortunately for her, the only person he can really do that with is Kendall. If the blonde boy was the one in front of him, saying Jo's moving to New Zealand, Logan would know exactly what he actually meant: I'm hurt. I'm sad. Logie, what am I supposed to do? And the brunette would know exactly what to say back: Come here. Let me help you with this broken heart. As it is though, he can't do much else but reply with: "I know. We're all going to miss you. Especially Kendall."
She sighs, as if this wasn't quite the answer she had expected. "Logan…"
"Jo…" He mimics, honestly not sure what she wants from him.
"Just take care of him okay."
"Of who?" Logan's pretty sure he knows exactly what she's trying to say, but he also doesn't think she can seriously be suggesting what it sounds like she's suggesting. He thinks he might be a little offended, but he wants to be absolutely clear before he says anything.
"Kendall, Logan. Take care of Kendall." Well now. At least they're on the same page. "Please. For me."
Logan takes a minute to collect his thoughts and school his face so that his confusion at the entire conversation doesn't shine through. "Of course I will, Jo." He is actually offended by her request. Not because he doesn't want to take care of Kendall, because of course he does, Kendall is his best friend. But because the fact that she has to ask him to do so means she doesn't think he will. "He's my friend."
He must have let some of his offense slip through though because Jo sighs. "I mean it, Logan. I know Kendall is going to be upset when I leave, but I also know he'll be okay as long as he has you."
Something about the ways she says you makes Logan's face flush and he has to let his gaze drop, like he's been caught in something he wasn't supposed to, which is ridiculous because he hasn't. "So, please," He forces himself to meet her gaze as she keeps talking. "promise me you'll take care of him."
Logan nods, the words "I will" tumbling from his lips before he can stop himself. At his promise Jo's face changes. It's not happiness he sees or sadness either. Relief, maybe, is what he sees and it makes him feel bad because he's pretty sure she's asking him for something he can't do. He's not Jo and even if he's got feelings for Kendall that he hasn't quite figured out, he's sure he won't be what the blonde boy needs, not the way Jo is suggesting he must. "I'll be there for Kendall, to help him get through this," he says finally, because Jo has got to understand, "but I'm not you."
"No," Jo whispers softly, "you're not."
"So, you know, there's only so much I can do. Kendall loves you and, as his friend, there's only so much of the void that I can fill."
Jo smiles sadly at the brunette in front of her. "Even if Kendall does love me," she tells him, "I know you can handle this."
"If?" Both of Logan's eyebrows shoot up at the word and he feels something akin to anger flare up at her words. If there's one thing Logan knows, it's that Kendall loves Jo. He's spent too many nights lying awake and trying to identify the weird feeling in his gut caused by this knowledge to doubt its validity. "Kendall does love you. You're the first person he's ever loved."
And, for the first time, he is glad, disgustingly happy even, that Jo is leaving. Because anyone who doubts Kendall's love does not deserve to have him. Not in Logan's book at least.
Jo sighs again. "You know I didn't mean that in a bad way." Some of the venom in his thoughts must have seeped into his voice and he almost feels guilty. "It's just…we've never said that too each other. Honestly, I'm not even sure if I love him. I just knew I liked him enough to stay and find out.
Logan can feel his anger evaporating at her words and he does feel a little guilty now. Jo really is a nice girl and it's nearly impossible to hate her. He does sometimes hate that though. She's just so likeable that Logan honestly hadn't even been able to mind, usually, that she was dating his best friend. Of course, that had just made sorting out his feelings for his blonde friend even more complicated. There had been times when the two blondes were fighting that he'd felt something like relief flood his system, but on the whole he'd been happy for his friend. He might not have even questioned the odd feeling of relief or the tightness in his chest whenever Kendall was around him if it weren't for a particularly vivid dream involving Kendall, his mouth, and a lot of moaning.
"Logan?"
Logan snaps out of his thought-induced daze and finds Jo fixing him with most serious look he has ever seen on her face. "What?" He's forced to ask, feeling incredibly stupid because he'd been so lost in thought he hadn't even realized she'd continued speaking.
She shakes her head at him, but clearly feels the need to finish this conversation outweighs the need to chastise him for not paying attention. "I said, even if I might be the first girl Kendall's ever loved, I'm not the first person."
The blonde locks gazes with him, her brown eyes, almost the exact same shade as Logan's, asking him to understand exactly what she's saying. He wonders if it's because she doesn't want to say it out loud or if it was because she can't. Either way, Logan can't do that for her. He won't admit that he might know exactly what she means. Because even though her words make his heart race, it's something he can't admit yet. Not to himself and certainly not to Jo Taylor. So instead he just meets her gaze, hoping that maybe his eyes will say what his words aren't ready to yet.
She must see something that puts her at ease because she smiles. It's small and sad, but it's a definite smile. "Thank you."
Logan nods again, still unsure of how to respond. This is not a conversation he'd ever imagined having with Jo. On the rare occasion that he'd even imagined the blonde girl confronting him about his feelings for her soon to be ex-boyfriend, he'd always imagined it, well…not going this way. And maybe if the circumstances had been different than it would have gone differently too. But, as it is, Logan can kind of see where she's coming from (he can't quite believe it, but he can understand her motives). He likes to think that, if he had been in Jo's shoes, he'd be doing the same thing. Wanting someone to look after his best friend, who is strong in so many ways, but so weak when it comes to people leaving him. Something that Logan knows stems from his father's death.
Jo leans over and hugs him. "I know we aren't really close," she tells him as they hug, "but I am going to miss you."
The genius smiles, because he knows she's being sincere and, honestly, he's going to miss her too a little bit. "You too. But I have to admit, I'm glad you're going. If you had stayed I know you would have regretted it, eventually, and I would have hated to see what that would have done to you and Kendall. You guys deserve a better ending than that."
Jo returns his smile, seeming grateful for his words and understanding that there is no bitterness behind them. Just genuine concern for his friend. And for her. "Thank you." She says again, only this time sounding happier as the words slip past her lips. "This is all for the best," she continues, "even if it does really hurt right now."
"Do you ever wish you'd never been offered the part? Even just a little."
The actress doesn't even hesitate when she shakes her head. "I really like Kendall and I know he really likes me. But acting…that's something I love and this chance really is going to be amazing. And Kendall was right when he told him I needed to take it. It's going to be hard, leaving him and Camille," Logan is momentarily surprised by the mention of the feisty brunette actress, but he quickly reminds himself that she and Jo are close, best friends even, so of course it will be hard for her to leave the girl behind. "But I know won't regret it. Camille and I can still maintain our friendship even if I'm in New Zealand. And Kendall…" she gives him that same look that's not quite sadness, but not quite relief either, "well I don't think it really would have lasted even if I'd stayed."
Logan knows, given the way the conversation has gone since the blonde had joined him, the Jo's last statement shouldn't surprise him. But it does because, well, he'd always been able to picture the two eventually getting married and having adorable blonde children that they would never lose track of because they'd be able to see their eyebrows from miles away. He won't deny the surge of happiness that sweeps through him at her words, but he won't admit to it either. Instead he just looks at her, eyes wide and honestly curious.
"Why not?" He's not even entirely sure he's ready to hear the answer, but the question tumbles from his lips before he can stop himself and it's too late to take it back now.
Someone shouting Jo's name causes them to both look towards the lobby where Kendall is waiting, a picnic basket in one hand and a blanket thrown over his shoulder. Jo waves at him and stands, turning to fix Logan with one last look as she answers his question before going to meet the other blonde.
"Because, eventually I would have gotten tired of wondering if, every time Kendall looked into my eyes, he was really looking for you." And Logan hears in her voice what he couldn't quite recognize on her face.
Acceptance.
-/-
Almost sixteen months later, an envelope addressed to Logan is delivered to 2J. He doesn't recognize the return address, but he opens it anyways, wondering who would write him a letter when e-mail and text messaging are so much quicker. His fans all write to Rocque Records, so if the mystery letter sender knows his personal address, they must also be close enough for them to at least have his e-mail.
Unless he's got a very dedicated stalker.
Inside the envelope however, he finds six tickets to the premier of Chauncy Jackson and the Magic Gallows. The only other thing in the envelope is a picture of Logan and Kendall, sitting next to each other at the Palms Woods pool, holding hands, laughing, and looking like they couldn't be happier, which, if Logan is honest with himself, they couldn't be. Logan recognizes it as one of the pictures that surfaced on the internet nearly a year ago when he and Kendall had decided to risk telling the press about their relationship. He flips the picture over and smiles at the words on the back, any doubts about who the mysterious sender is completely eliminated.
A pair of arms slip around his waist and someone's breath flits across his cheek, making him shiver. "What's that, Logie?"
Logan smiles, holding the tickets up for the blonde to see. "A present from friend."
He turns to watch as Kendall takes the tickets from him, reading what they're for. His boyfriend's eyes light up in happiness and Logan knows it's for their friend's success and nothing more. He knows because he has the same happiness in his own eyes. He tucks the picture back into the envelope while Kendall is distracted with the tickets. He doesn't know about the conversation with his ex the day before she left and Logan will keep it a secret between him and the other blonde, knowing that even now, it might make Kendall feel guilty.
Instead he just lets warmth and happiness wash over him as he remembers what was written in delicate handwriting on the back of the photo. Thank you for taking care of him. (:
Kendall leans and kisses him suddenly, tugging him closer until there's no space left between them. Logan takes a second to mentally respond to Jo's message, even though he knows the actress can't actually hear, before losing himself in the kiss and the blonde completely.
No Jo, thank you for seeing what we couldn't. And for being able to give him up.
Well here it is. I just want to point how hilarious I found it that Jo was going off to essentially play Annabeth (who is blonde) in the BTRverse version of Percy Jackson, while the girl who played Annabeth in real life (although she did an amazing job) is a brunette.
Don't know if Scott did that on purpose or not, but kudos to him if he did.
Well leave a review and let me know what you think!