Deep blue

8

The outdoor patio of Cortina's was misleading, Logan could pretend that he was in the past, on a family dinner with Hesh and their dad..and mom during their time on leave. They'd eat out on the rare night Hesh and Logan could pout enough at their parents and convince them. Elias usually cooked, most of the time it was barbecues in the backyard, family and friends all around while Hesh and Logan swam in the pool and wrestled till their skin pruned, not getting out until their dad walked to the edge of the pool with his hands on his hips, a smile on his face and light in his eyes that Logan hadn't seen since his mother passed. The light wasn't missing now, only dulled, Logan could see it when he spoke to Hesh or him, telling them how proud he was, he always let them know, said those words more than 'I love you', but it was like they were weaved in. Walkers displayed their affection by watching each other's backs, compliments, and a well earned pat on the back.

Looking back on those days, Logan wondered where Merrick and Keegan fit into his parents lives, they had to know each other in those days. Secretly, Logan was relieved that Keegan never got the chance to witness him in his gangly, lanky and somehow even more clumsy youth. Even photos from that time were lost in the fires left by ODIN.

"I'll take uh, Italian Sub, foot long." Logan told the waiter, patting his stomach in the process.

"Woah, sure you can finish all that, Logan?" Hesh chided across from him, that stupid smirk on his face.

Logan rolled his eyes, "I'm not 10 anymore, thank you very much. I think I can devour it all, no problem." He muttered under his breath, kicking Hesh's shin under the table, hopefully conveying, 'I swear, Hesh, if you embarrass me in front of the waiter and Keegan I'll shave your precious sideburns off in your sleep.' Wouldn't be the first time he's threatened that very same thing, and he's most definitely resorted to doing it before. Let's just say that Hesh wasn't always so conservative.

Seated at the carefully restored to their pre-ODIN glory painted white table and chairs, Logan and Keegan's elbows bumped together, Logan glanced over to Keegan beside him, a sharp intake of breath stuck in his throat as he caught sight of the sun hitting on Keegan's face, his pale skin, sharp cheekbones over hallow shadows, dark brows pulled down over deep set icy eyes, brooding yet illuminated in the light. This man was his, they belonged to each other, Logan bit back the audible contented sigh from leaving his mouth at the prospect, his dad was sitting right next to him and there was no doubt he'd hear the swoon if he didn't crush it before it escaped. Instead, Logan shifted his right knee, nudging it into Keegan's while Hesh and Merrick argued if the lasagna pan was a bit excessive for two people, Merrick made a fair point that he could easily clean four plates after chasing down and saving Hesh's ass during their mission yesterday. That shut Hesh up. Logan gave major props to Merrick for that, getting Hesh to be quiet was no easy feat, he's tried with no success many times.

"I don't know about you guys, but four plates is nothing, I could take down at least half a pan single-handedly. It takes a lot out of a man sitting behind a computer directing you two through a Fed base, exhausting." Kick commented with a shrug, leaning back in his chair, stretching his arms and putting them behind his head.

"Everyone feels so sorry for you, Kick." Merrick said dryly, cocking his head in Kick's direction with a lifted brow.

"Hey, you two would have been dead on arrival if I didn't hack the security cams!" Kick shot back.

"Um, should we really be discussing mission sensitive data at lunch..in public?" Logan questioned with a raised brow, glancing at the men across from him, the next second later Keegan's hand covered his under the table.

"No, we shouldn't." Elias agreed, shooting a look at the three men at the table, specifically at Kick, then turned to face Logan. "How are you holding up, son?" He asked Logan.

Logan's head snapped to his dad and caught him staring at his stitched wrist. "Huh, me? I feel fine, dad." Logan answered. Fine meaning, 'Dad, I feel pretty much like the happiest guy in the world right now, getting crushed by a lighthouse is the last thing on my mind when I have Keegan looking at me like that.' But he held his tongue, although sharing the reason for the smiling on his face was tempting. "You can't tell me this is close to being as bad as that week in Elfin Forest up in San Diego a couple years back." He said, shaking his head and huffing out a rush of air.

A cringe mirrored on both Elias' and Logan's faces at the memory.

"Can't say that it is." Elias gave a small chuckle, all warm and fatherly, only now would the event be amusing in the least. Particularly to Logan, who'd taken the beating.

Of course all of Keegan's attention was focused on Logan and his superior, Logan's father, his hand never leaving Logan's. Even a hard introvert like him could be filled with curiosity. "Elfin Forest? Was it on the Obsidian Trail? I heard that one is pretty treacherous, even before ODIN." Keegan asked, leaning in closer to both of them.

The oldest Ghost seemed to be a bit taken aback at hearing Keegan join in a normal conversation, but a smile perked up on the sides of his mouth. "Sure was, Logan took a spill on a combat exercise..."

"A spill? Dad, I fell out of a tree." Logan rubbed the back of his neck, squinting through the bright sun to stare at his dad, then back to Keegan, giving him a sheepish smile, Keegan shot him what might have been a smile if it wasn't so controlled.

Keegan couldn't help the short laugh of shock that came out. "A tree? How the hell did you manage that?"

"Branch snapped." Elias and Logan said in unison, both of them shared a laugh, an easy, fond smile fell on Keegan's mouth watching the father and son, his other hand moved across his lap, holding Logan's single hand firmly between both of his, the two of them couldn't care less how sweaty their palms were getting in the summer heat.

"How...how high up were you?" Keegan asked, a little worried about Logan, no matter how long ago he was hurt. He couldn't help it - it was instinctive, a knee-jerk reaction, it had been since they met, his consciousness always drifted to the younger Sergeant, keeping a close eye on him.

"Not too high, about, uh..13 feet?" Logan answered, turning to his father with a questioning look.

"Give or take, that's about close enough." Elias confirmed with a nod. "Anyways, Logan fell into a boulder, dislocated his shoulder, Hesh and me wouldn't have even known if he didn't tell us. Set the thing back himself, patched up his busted knee, and was on his feet right after. Found us down the trail acting like nothing was wrong..fought through the pain and focused on the mission. Couldn't believe it, but that's Logan..he's tough as nails, nothing could break him. I was so proud of him..I am proud of him." Elias finished.

A strong hand clamped on Logan's shoulder, the younger man knew that if his dad looked down, he'd be able to make out the hand holding that was going on, but somehow, even if he did, Logan wouldn't mind. Not one bit. Elias never looked down though, a smile fixed on his mouth, the dulled light in his eyes there again.

"Daaad..." Logan drawled out, shifting uncomfortably in the plastic chair, a flush rose on his cheeks from his dad's words. He really loathed how easily he blushed.

"Logan's an amazing soldier, the best I've seen. I wouldn't want anyone else but him on my side. He's a...good man." Keegan said thickly, he wasn't doing his usual best at disguising his emotions, Logan could read through the words and find the hidden meanings there, how much he loved him. But in the next moment, Keegan's piercing yet soft gaze was dropped and became significantly more reserved.

"He is."

"Ugh, now both of you?" Logan groaned. He would have brought both of his hands up to cover his face, but there was no way he was removing his hand from Keegan's double hold, one would have to do. Peeking through his fingers he saw his dad and Keegan sharing a laugh - wait...Keegan never laughed with anyone else, and now he was doing it openly, with his dad of all people. Logan wasn't sure if he was hungry anymore, he felt full of something else. Affection? Love? A relief that maybe his dad wouldn't object to his and Keegan's relationship after all? Not that there was anything he could do to break them apart, two grown men, forged together, held in a unbreakable dual grasp. Full, yeah...he felt full. It was happiness, and shit...Hesh might be right, he wasn't sure he'd be able to finish that sandwich now.