For Logan

[more_flexible]

from here

Jack had left Logan to sulk or fume or whatever it was that he did when he was in a mood like this. There were times Jack didn't mind trying to cheer him up or pull him out of it...hell, he wasn't averse to fighting, even. But today...today it just made him tired. He'd left Logan with Linus and come home. With all the time in the world to himself, he'd played fetch with Sugar for a while and then sat down to work on some stuff for the bath house. Sugar curled up at his feet, thoroughly tired out.

He was nearly done when he realized Logan hadn't come home yet. Jack wondered for a moment if the man was going to come home at all...but put that aside. Of course Logan would come home. Eventually.

Comments

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Linus was first through the door, rushing up to Jack and barking with excitement and nerves.

Logan didn't come in until a while later, bruised and bloody, dragging his feet. Linus yipped and rushed from Jack back over to Logan, whimpering and nuzzling Logan's hand.

Silent, Logan slunk off into the bedroom and lay down on the bed.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack almost couldn't believe what he was seeing. Almost. He gave Linus a pat and got up to get some cool water and a rag, then went in the bedroom to join Logan.

"Cheating on me?" he asked, wringing water out of the cloth so he could tend to Logan's face. "I thought I was the only one you liked to fight with anymore."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Sitting up slightly, Logan leaned back against the head board. "What can I say? I just have a winning personality that people can't resist," he replied flatly, meeting Jack's eyes with his own and then glancing away. "Whatever, it's not even a big deal. Just meet some idiot who was being nosy. Just bullshit, you know?"

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Uh huh. Some idiot knows how to throw a punch," Jack noted, dabbing at Logan's lip. If he'd thought for a single moment that it had been unprovoked, he would have been pissed. But having talked to Logan the little bit he had, he wasn't surprised that someone had stepped in where Jack didn't. Wouldn't. He wasn't sure he could fight like this with Logan now.

"Are you okay? In general...no broken bones or anything?"

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Not that good," Logan muttered. "I'm fine, Nothing's broken, just... bruised."

Bruised, sore and a little swollen, but alright. He'd had worse- In fact he'd had worse with Jack. This was a bad fight, but the bruises and cuts would heal soon enough.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, you'll live," he agreed, dipping the cloth again and squeezing it out. he folded it carefully and laid it across the bridge of Logan's nose.

"Do you feel any better?" Jack asked. "Than before, when you were all...you know how you get. Did it help, getting in a fight?"

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, it helped," Logan admitted, closing his eyes and sighing. "I dunno why I get like that. I just... I dunno, It just happens sometimes. I;m sorry if I pissed you off."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"You didn't piss me off. Sometimes I just don't know what to do with you when you're like that. But you didn't piss me off."

With that assurance, he moved so he could lift Logan's shirt and see what sort of abuse his body had taken. Everything was fresh, but it was already blooming with bruises.

"You pissed somebody off, though. What kind of shape is he in?"

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Slightly less damaged, but not much," Logan replied honestly. "Can we just eat? I don't want to talk about the fight on an empty stomach, I feel like crap."

Groaning he got to his feet, holding his head for a long moment and then leaning lightly against Jack. "You have no idea how long it took to walk home."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"I can imagine. I've made it back from the beach more than once," he reminded Logan, holding the man gingerly and leading him out to the table.

Before any food, Jack sat down some water and a few crackers. "Eat those. God knows how much blood you swallowed...those will help," he said as he went to the fridge to get out other things that would be easy to chew- and filling."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

With a quiet 'thanks', Logan quickly knocked back the water, but only picked at the crackers, eating a few and giving a couple to Linus who had moved to sit by his feet.

Feeling guilty for shouting earlier, he lavished the dog with attention, leaning over in his seat and scratching him in all his favorite spots. "You're a good boy," he said softly. "Such a good dog."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Sugar was up and at Logan's side, wagging her tail and begging for attention and treats as well. When Linus wouldn't move, she darted to the other side, hoping it would be a better position.

"He didn't bite the guy, did he?" Jack asked, looking at the dog. A fight was just a fight, but someone might have something to say if Linus laid into some poor bastard unlucky enough to come across Logan on a bad day.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"No, he just growled a lot. I think he wanted to, you know what he's like. He gets really protective still, but I think he knows not to get in the way when I'm fighting."

Though Logan had no doubt that if it had gotten really bad, he wouldn't have been able to stop Linus from attacking the other man. Leaving that unsaid, he split the last cracker so sugar could have some too.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Good," he nodded, pulling out a pot to make some chicken noodle soup. It was easy and it would be good- especially if Logan was queasy.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, looking over his shoulder at Logan.

"About anything, I mean. The fight or the day or...whatever."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"It was just one of those days," Logan shrugged. "The guy was giving me shit about shooting the rifle, so I gave him a hard time about giving me a hard time. I should have just brushed him off, I just couldn't. Sometimes I need to push back hard."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"Oh, trust me...I know," he chuckled. "I remember. I used to bait you, but sometimes it wasn't even work. I could always tell when you were just looking for a fight. I almost feel like I should tell you I'm sorry I wasn't in the mood today."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Would have been better to fight with you," Logan replied honestly, watching Linus as he nudged Sugar with his nose and tried to knock her over, apparently looking to play. Sugar yipped and soon they were bouncing back and forth, playfully pouncing.

"At least when I fight with you it usually ends in bed."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"You're here," Jack pointed out. "And the bed's just in there. And there's the added benefit that you're the only one who's hurt. It's always kinda tragic when we're both bruised and bleeding."

He brought the soup to the table and set it in front of Logan, then laid down a spoon. As soon as Logan was taken care of, he grabbed a few crackers to give to the dogs.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Maybe after some soup," Logan replied, offering a small smile.

It smelled really good, and Logan dug in, sipping and downing the soup fairly fast. It was warm and comforting, and Logan savored the last of it before offering a smile.

"That was really good," he said, pushing the empty bowl away and turning to Jack.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

"What can I say? I'm a master of canned goods," he grinned, taking the dishes and cleaning up. While he heated some water to wash them up, he reached into the fridge to pull out a chilled, damp cloth.

"Here, put that on your face. You're going to have a hell of a bruise," Jack told him. He paused a moment. "Which you had better tell Joe did not come from me."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Don't worry, I won't let Joe beat you up," Logan snorted. "Besides, I think he kinda likes you these days, I don't think he'd blame you for my bruises anymore."

He pressed the cold cloth to his jaw, the chill numbing the ache. "Come on, enough playing nurse, let's go lay down. I want to go to bed."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack cleaned up quickly and started for the bedroom to join Logan. They were immediately joined by the dogs, one concerned and one obviously attention starved. He had a feeling that neither of them was going to tolerate being kept out.

"Just because I ought to ask...I don't need to track this guy down and defend your honor, right?" he asked, clearly not entirely serious. Of course he would do it, but only if Logan demanded it- which he didn't think he was going to.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"I can take care of my own honor," Logan assured Jack, flopping onto the bed and groaning when Linus jumped up to lay with him. "Come on, boy, go lay down in your bed," he begged, wanting nothing more than to just curl up with Jack.

Linus didn't budge though, and Logan didn't want to yell at him again.

Groaning, he rolled onto his side.

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

He grabbed Linus's collar and pulled, making a short, sharp sound and following it with "Bed." Linus reluctantly obeyed. Sugar stood at the foot of the bed, tail wagging frantically. She barked once and then sat down.

"Stupid dogs," Jack grumbled, laying down next to Logan. He gently ran his fingers through his husband's hair and leaned in to press a soft kiss to his forehead.

"You should get some rest," he suggested. "You look like...probably just like you feel."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"I'm not tired, I just want to be near you," Logan said honestly, pressing closer and draping an arm around Jack. "I'm such a fucking moron sometimes. I dunno why I have to be like this."