Page 52 of Puck Me Thrice
I lay in bed at 2 AM, my laptop balanced on my chest, reading my seventeenth article about polyamorous relationship dynamics.
"Successful polyamorous relationships require clear communication, established boundaries, and honest assessment of jealousy triggers..."
"What are you doing?" Blake's voice came from the doorway, startling me so badly I nearly dropped my laptop.
"Research," I said, which was technically true.
Blake walked in and peered at my screen. His eyes widened. "Is that a spreadsheet about our relationship?"
"It's a framework for optimizing our dynamic."
"Logan, it has color-coding."
"Of course it has color-coding. How else would you track different categories of communication needs?"
Blake stared at me for a long moment. "You're creating Excel documents about dating."
"I'm creating a structured approach to a non-traditional romantic arrangement," I corrected. "There's a difference."
"Is there?"
"Yes. One involves data-driven decision making and the other is—" I stopped myself. "Okay, they're the same thing. But it helps my anxiety to have a plan."
"Have you slept at all since we got back?"
I looked at my laptop screen, then back at Blake. "Define 'sleep.'"
"I'm getting Nolan."
"Don't get Nolan!"
Blake was already gone. Two minutes later, both he and Nolan appeared in my doorway, looking various shades of concerned and exasperated.
"Show us the spreadsheet," Nolan said with the resigned tone of someone who knew resistance was futile.
I pulled up my laptop and walked them through my research.
"You made a bibliography," Nolan said flatly.
"Academic rigor is important."
"For dating."
"For any important life decision!"
Blake was reading through my notes with an expression I couldn't quite identify. "These are... actually pretty thoughtful."
"Thank you."
"Also completely insane," Blake added. "But thoughtful."
"I'll take it."
Nolan sighed and sat on the edge of my bed. "Logan, you can't spreadsheet your way out of anxiety about this."
"Watch me."
"I'm serious. We're all figuring this out together. There's no data set that can predict how four people navigate a relationship like this."
