Title: Tessellation (10/33)
Author: Emono
Rating: FRAO
Fandom: NCIS/Dark Angel crossover, mixing CSI's
Pairing: Jethro Gibbs/Logan Cale
Series: The Not-So-Dark-Angel Universe
Disclaimer: I do not own either, why? Because I'm poor, that's why.
Summary: Uh oh…what now? The boys need to talk…and Jethro needs something.
Beta: gil_follower
Warnings: AU, love, slash

Prompt: "In dreary times"

AN: You know, this is the first time I've ever had a main character who's actually owned a home…weird.

Gibbs wasn't shocked enough to ignore Logan's pained grunt, or not notice the violent tremble of his limb before it gave out. He dove forward, catching the younger man easily around the waist. Their cheeks brushed, Logan's hands came up on instinct and clung to the man's biceps. He swallowed thickly against the pain, letting his good leg and the older man take all his weight.

"You shouldn't be trying to stand" Jethro murmured in his ear.

"I'm sorry" Logan replied brokenly, soaking in the man's warmth "But the thought that I'd reject you…it's…Gods, Jethro, it's absurd."

The silver haired man inhaled the scent of the man's hair, the soft strands tickling his cheek, "You ran…because you're in love with me?"

"I ran because I was scared" Logan pushed the man away, fighting back more tears as he awkwardly moved to the coffee table. He collapsed on it in relief, ignoring the proper side of him that nagged at him about the use of his furniture. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to clam himself down before he broke again. Gibbs hesitantly came over and sat beside him.

"I ran…I ran because I feel like I've been pushed and pulled my whole life. It's just a constant…pressure" Logan had to explain, tensing up when the older man sat beside him but didn't protest "Keeping this secret, finding transgenics before the government can, hunting them down all over the country…but it's what I do. I thought that someday, when it was safe to fall in love, I would have a choice. It's nothing like that…I just am. I'm scared because…it's so sudden."

Jethro took it in stride, "There's a lot of reasons not to love me."

Logan snorted humorlessly, "I don't doubt it."

"I've been married four times, divorced three" Jethro began, sounding bitter "I've fucked Jen, a lot of people hate me just for that. I'm sarcastic and a bastard, I'm old enough to be your-"

"You're not old" Logan cut him off, voice hushed "Do you know how many times I've tried to talk myself out of loving you? How many times I've gone over it, tried to justify that I only cared because I was staying with you…or that it was only because you saved me from…from a violent assault. I tried to chalk it up to hero worship, but I was always wrong. So stop trying to convince me I'm not in love…I've already tried."

"Oh" Jethro eyed the man's calf "How's your leg? Did you pull your stitches?"

"No, my body can take more than that" the brunette scoffed, pushing up his glasses "About a year ago, I took a bullet for a young woman. It…it lodged in my spine, and it cut off the receptors to my legs. In short, I was stuck in a wheelchair for some time. I even had a live-in physical therapist for some time…"

Jethro didn't let the man get too deep in his memories, "That sounds pretty permanent…you were walking pretty fine a week ago."

"Well, after six episodes of TV time, I came across a man called the Street Sweeper" Logan rattled off, not once feeling weird when Gibbs looked around and noted the fan fiction writer hovering above them with a laptop "He gave me an exoskeleton, that's how I got my legs back."

Gibbs was about to comment, but the look on the man's face was so heartbroken that he stopped.

"You don't have to humor me, Jethro" Logan prided himself when he kept his voice steady, even as his heart was breaking "I know you're only here out of obligation…and the fact that I told you I loved you probably doesn't help. I always fall for the wrong person, the one I have no business being with. It's my cross to bear, not yours. Maybe you should leave, Jethro…I'll understand…I'll…I'll move on."

"Well…" Gibbs rubbed at the back of his neck, eyes on the floor "I guess it wouldn't help if I said I was in love with you too?"

Logan froze all over, eyes clenched shut, "Don't be cruel, Agent Gibbs."

The man glared hard, "I don't joke."

The younger man swallowed, looking at the other with a tentative gleam in his eyes, "Are you…are you sure?"

"I've only been in love once, with my wife Shannon" Jethro replied softly, his mind on his unfinished boat "It felt like this…complete comfort. Nothing about this feels wrong, I don't have doubts."

"No doubts" Logan murmured, reaching out and touching the man's forearm.

"No doubts" Jethro repeated, moving his arm and lacing their fingers instead.

Logan's voice shook when he tried to joke, "You're not just doing this because I look like Tony and you're really in love with him?"

"You look nothing like Tony" Jethro muttered, removing the man's glasses with his free hand. Logan closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them a calloused hand cupped his cheek and demanding lips covered his. He let out a muffled noise, then relaxed and let his eyes flutter closed. Jethro kissed him with a raw ardor, a slick tongue touched his lower lip and he opened for him compliantly.

Wood smoke filled his mouth, and the hand on his cheek carded through his hair instead. He gripped the hand in his reassuringly, telling the man silently that he was there…that he wasn't being rejected. It was a greedy gesture as well, he wanted to know it was Jethro kissing him…suckling at his lower lip, ravishing him with a firm tongue…filling him with the addictive smoky taste.

"I love you, Jethro" Logan sighed as they pulled away "I don't why…but I do."

"You shouldn't" Jethro grinned, clearly pleased "We shouldn't…but we do…and it's not wrong, don't ever think that. There's nothing wrong with being in love…"

Logan scoffed lightly, "So says 'Second B Is For Bastard' Gibbs."

Gibbs was quiet for a moment, stroking the man's jaw with his thumb, "…I don't want to be a bastard to you, Logan…I'll keep it in check for you."

Logan placed a chaste kiss on those pink lips, "Don't ever hold back for me."

"I need time to adjust" Jethro pulled back, but he still kept a hand on the younger man's face and hand "Can I stay here while you recover? I want to make sure you're ok…and I need some time off."

Logan smiled at him brilliantly, "My home is your home, Jet."

Jethro smiled at the nickname, it was going to be alright after all.

TBC

AN:I know that was kind of short, but the next scene got a little too long