Working It Off - OTA (Warning: emo feral is emo... and sweaty)
Having left the cell block, Logan barely realized where he was going until he found himself at the gym. Yes.... That was good. He had to do something - anything to get his mind off this. Taking off his shirt, he tossed it aside - and kicked off his shoes, too, for good measure. The less getting in his way, the better. Piling on the weights until
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The last time they spoke they admitted a mutual like. It wasn't all consuming romance like in the movies but it was sweet and so much more than she expected from Logan. Still, she didn't want to seem like a crazy stalker or puppy following him around so she gave him a little space while they all settled in to their new home. But now it had been a few days and as sappy as it was, she needed more than a passing head nod from her former team leader and she didn't see him at dinner.
Oh look. She found a use for those horrible clothes. She didn't have to explain away any inappropriate workout outfits because they often did PT in their cammies.
"Hi." She waved as she entered the gym.
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Angel showing up distracted Logan in a way no man's presence would have done. Men just made him want to continue more, exercise harder, turn in on himself completely. With Angel, he was almost tempted to tell her what was going on - almost, but not quite. He needed to figure everything out for himself first, and that was going to take him some time.
All the same, it was good to have some sympathetic company, and he stopped exercising, mumbling something monosyllabic that was supposed to be a greeting. Looking around the gym, he considered what equipment to use next.
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A little glimmer of hope kept her from completely retreating into her own head. Maybe he was just upset about something. Maybe it had nothing at all to do with her. She didn't wish that on him, of course but is she had to choose between the two, she was kind of hoping he was wrapped up in his own thing.
"How have you been?" She asked meekly as she made her way over to one of the weight benches and just sat. She wasn't really one for working out.
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And one that he would immediately pretend had never happened.
Grabbing a towel lying nearby, he hung it around his neck so he wouldn't cool down too much, and oh-so-casually changed the subject. "What're you doin' here?" It wasn't meant to be rude; he just didn't expect her to work out. In the pool, maybe, but not here.
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The return question caught her a little off-guard. "The same reason everyone does, I guess. Gonna build up a wicked burn." She couldn't have been more awkward if she tried. Not to mention he was pretty good at telling when people were lying even when they were good at it. "You weren't at dinner. I just wanted to see if you were okay. That and I smuggled you a roll." She reached into one of her pockets and pulled out the napkin wrapped roll.
"I just thought you might get hungry."
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Had Logan been in a better mood, he might have actually chuckled at Angel's attempt to be.... whatever she was trying to be. As it was, his eyebrows moved up, slowly. And stayed there for a while.
Somehow, he hadn't expected her to notice he'd missed dinner. And he certainly hadn't expected her to come and bring him food - even if it was just a roll. Honestly, he had a hard time trying to figure out how to deal with such a sign of affection. Did this mean she expected something back? Because whatever she might expect, he wasn't sure he could give it; not because he didn't want to, but because the being thoughtful and what not - that just wasn't him.
If her side of it was unclear to him, at least he knew the only logical thing for him to do. Getting up, he walked over to where Angel was sitting, accepting the roll and raising it briefly before taking a bite. "... Thank you."
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"Don't mention it." replied with a smile as she pulled one knee up to her chest. She so wanted to ask him what was bothering him but if he didn't want to offer it up, she didn't want to pry. So she changed the subject.
"I heard you saved Ric. He was lucky you were there."
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"Rogue did as much as me," he said, eating slowly. Looking back, it only made sense, what he'd done - not just because it was what he would've done anyway, but also because Daken, as it turned out, was his responsibility, much like Victor. Everything Daken was, Logan was to blame for. It was a hell of a thing to have to live with.
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"You know I talked to him. Daken. I don't know what I was expecting but what I found was kind of sad. Though I'm pretty sure he'd shoot me for saying that. He seems really lonely to me. And not just because he thinks he snowballed me with that wounded orphan routine. I've seen better acting on The OC. But even when he was trying to pull one over on me, there was still something there. Most of us have had hard lives but I don't think many carry it like he does. I think his need to shut it all out has made him something of a sociopath. I don't think you'd do that to yourself if you weren't incredibly deep feeling in the first place. I guess that's why I want to help him. Think I'm crazy?"
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"You're not crazy. But just 'cause he's had a hard life doesn't mean he's not gonna kill you." Logan hadn't spent much time with Daken, but he felt he had a pretty good idea of what the kid was like. After all, it was just the worst of Logan himself, concentrated. "Understandin' an' sympathy don't mean shit."
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"I don't believe that. Not for a minute. People are never as simple as black and white, good and evil. Some of the most evil men in history started out with good intentions while there are Biblical saints that started out as monsters. I'm not saying that I can save him but I can give him the opportunities to save himself."
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"It ain't upto you to rescue him." And really, the idea of her trying made a shiver run down his spine. It was just too dangerous - and it was Logan's job. Not that he could very well explain that to her. "You wanna play nice, go ahead. But keep a safe distance."
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"It ain't up to you to protect me." She teased lightly as she pulled her other knee up to her chest. "People make a habit of underestimating me but I'm more dangerous than I look. Maybe the most dangerous person on this base so I'd appreciate a little more confidence. Thank you."
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"Never said I underestimated you." And he didn't, really, though the thought of her being all that dangerous still wasn't sinking in. He knew she could protect herself. But he also knew she wasn't immortal. Shit happened, and Logan refused to be responsible for her death, no matter how indirectly. "But just 'cause you're so dangerous doesn't mean you gotta take chances like this."
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"You didn't have to say it like that. Dangerous practically had air quotes." She pouted a bit as she grew more annoyed and stood up. "I can take care of myself."
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Was that so hard to understand? Sure, part of it was the fact that Daken was Logan's son, and that wasn't exactly common knowledge, but even aside from that... he wanted to take care of her. It wasn't even romantic, not really. Just affection, the best way he knew to give it.
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