Chapter Two: Beneath the Surface
The mansion was deceptively quiet as twilight descended, blanketing the grounds in a muted glow. It was a rare stillness, the kind that crept in when the day's energy had been spent but night hadn't yet begun its work. Faith found herself walking the wooded path behind the school, the crunch of leaves beneath her boots the only sound. She came here when the world felt too heavy or when her own thoughts threatened to overwhelm. Tonight, it was a little of both.
The weight of the students' expectations, the looming spectre of her own past, and the electric tension that lingered whenever Logan was near—it all swirled in her mind, impossible to ignore. The air was cool, tinged with the earthy scent of fallen leaves and the promise of rain. She hugged her jacket tighter around her, lost in thought.
"Figured I'd find you out here," Logan's voice broke through the quiet like a warm ember.
Faith didn't jump, didn't flinch—she'd known he was there before he spoke. She glanced over her shoulder to see him leaning against a tree, hands in his jacket pockets, his sharp gaze softened by the fading light.
"You following me now?" she teased, though her voice lacked its usual bite.
Logan shrugged, pushing off the tree to close the distance between them. "Nah. Just noticed you slipped out after dinner. You okay?"
The question was simple, but the concern behind it was unmistakable. Faith sighed, turning back toward the path ahead. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just… thinking."
He stepped beside her, falling into an easy pace that matched hers. For a while, they walked in silence, the kind that was neither awkward nor strained. Logan had a way of letting moments breathe, never rushing or prodding, and Faith found herself grateful for it.
Finally, she spoke. "Do you ever wonder if we're actually helping them? The kids, I mean. Or if we're just… training them for a fight they shouldn't have to face?"
Logan's jaw tightened, and he looked ahead, his eyes darkening. "All the time."
The honesty in his voice made her chest ache. She stopped walking, turning to face him fully. "Then how do you keep going? How do you keep showing up when you know it might never get easier for them—or for us?"
Logan met her gaze, his expression unreadable for a moment. Then, he stepped closer, his voice low but steady. "Because if we don't, who will? We can't take the fight away from them, Faith. But we can make sure they're ready for it. Make sure they've got a chance to survive it. That's all we can do."
Faith swallowed hard, the lump in her throat refusing to budge. She hated how much his words resonated, how deeply they struck a chord she wasn't ready to face. "You make it sound so simple," she whispered.
"It's not," Logan said, his tone softening. "Never is. But that doesn't mean it ain't worth it."
They stood there, the woods quiet around them, the moment stretching until it felt like the world had narrowed to just the two of them. Faith looked up at him, her chest tight with something she couldn't quite name.
"You ever get tired of being the voice of reason?" she asked, a weak attempt at levity.
Logan's lips twitched into a small smile. "Don't worry. It's not a full-time gig."
Faith laughed softly, the sound carrying between them like a fragile truce. She shook her head, her gaze dropping to the ground. "Thanks, Logan. For… whatever this is."
He reached out then, his fingers brushing hers before curling lightly around her hand. It was a small gesture, but it felt monumental, a bridge between them that neither had dared cross before.
"You don't gotta thank me, darlin'," he said, his voice barely above a rumble. "I'm just glad you let me in."
Faith's heart stuttered, her breath hitching at the way he looked at her—like she was something precious, something worth holding on to. For a moment, she let herself believe it, let herself lean into the warmth he offered.
But before she could say anything, a sharp crack of thunder split the air, followed by the first drops of rain.
"Perfect timing," Faith muttered, pulling her jacket tighter as the rain began to fall in earnest.
Logan chuckled, his grip on her hand tightening as he started back toward the mansion. "Come on. You'll catch a cold out here."
She rolled her eyes but didn't pull away, matching his pace as they jogged toward the shelter of the school. By the time they reached the porch, both were soaked, water dripping from their hair and clothes.
Faith laughed as she wrung out her jacket, shaking her head. "So much for a quiet night."
Logan smirked, brushing water from his face. "Quiet's overrated anyway."
Faith paused, her laughter fading as she looked at him, water streaming down his face and pooling in his collar. There was something disarming about seeing him like this—unguarded, almost boyish in his grin.
Before she could stop herself, she stepped closer, her hand reaching up to brush a strand of wet hair from his forehead. Logan stilled, his smile fading as his eyes searched hers.
"Faith…" he began, his voice rough with something she couldn't name.
She didn't let him finish. Closing the gap between them, she pressed her lips to his, the kiss soft and tentative at first, as though testing the waters. Logan froze for a heartbeat, then melted into her, his hands coming up to cup her face with a gentleness that belied his rough exterior.
When they finally broke apart, both were breathless, the storm raging around them a mere backdrop to the electricity crackling between them.
"You're trouble, you know that?" Logan murmured, his forehead resting against hers.
Faith smiled, her hands still tangled in his jacket. "Guess you're stuck with me, then."
Logan's low chuckle was the only answer she needed.