You&#39;ll always be running

Yesterday had gone off without a hitch, which meant Jack was finally comfortable enough as a guest to help himself to a turkey-and-cranberry sauce sandwich and plop on the couch next to Derek. "It's amazing," he said, "how much better everything tastes the next day."

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Derek just snorted in amusement at that. "Keep that up and Laura will send you home with a pile of leftovers."

HARDSHIP.

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"That was what I was aiming at," Jack said, nonplussed. "I don't cook much and neither does Kaidan. Feeding me is a good deed."

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"And it's not like I planned to finish it all on my own," Laura chimed in helpfully, ignoring Derek's eye-roll at that.

She totally wouldn't eat all of it, after all. That's what counted.

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"Thank you," Jack smiled over, grateful Laura had helped him prove his point. "I promise I won't take more than my share."

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Derek rolled his eyes at them both, shifting over on the couch to allow Laura a spot to sit.

But he'd be damned if he was giving up the remote. "Laura has a soft spot for strays."

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Jack shrugged, throwing away the sting in the remark. "That's why I've had most of the family I've ever had," he said. "Just don't change my name or give me a flea collar, and I won't bite."

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"I was thinking Spike was a good fit," Laura replied, flicking Derek's overly large ear.

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Derek just tilted his head away, shooting her a glare. Because he was a terrible little brother.

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"Were you going to suggest Algernon, Derek?" Jack asked, mock-innocent and biting back a laugh.

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"How about Fido?" Derek shot back. He was getting the sinking feeling he was being ganged up on here.

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Jack rolled his eyes. "Fine, but that leaves Lassie for you."

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That got a surprised little laugh out of Laura before she ruffled Derek's hair, completely ruining his artful work with the gel. "I like your friend."

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His haaaaair! Why would you do this to hiiiiiim?

Derek grumbled, trying to fix the damage as he stood up from the couch to go sulk in the kitchen. Or maybe eat another sandwich. While sulking. "Great. I'm never bringing him back again."

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DON'T BE PROPHETIC LIKE THAT, DEREK.

"I know where she lives now," Jack pointed out, then glanced back to Laura. "I promise that wasn't meant to be creepy."

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"I don't know," Laura said, pitching her voice louder even though it wasn't necessary. "You're pretty cute. I might be okay with that."

And then grinned at the very noisy slamming of the fridge door at that in the other room.

Tormenting Derek was a talent born of practice. Lots and lots of practice.

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"You don't mind younger men?" And now Jack was going to flirt outrageously, just because he could.

Poor, poor Derek. Jack didn't have as much practice picking on him as Laura did, but he seemed determined to make up for it.

Edited Date: 2012-11-24 12:56 pm (UTC)

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"I'd make an exception for you," Laura assured him. "We could even be werewolf married."

She smiled at the slamming of something down on a counter. Probably the leftover turkey.

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"But I'd want to do it right," Jack said, a bit louder than was strictly necessary. "Traditional wolf ceremony under the full moon. And do you think Puppy Joe could be our ringbearer?"

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"Awww, that's be so sweet!" They were just the worst ever, weren't they? "Maybe we can ask Derek's fiance to help with that."

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"I hate you both," Derek hissed from the kitchen. But he said it with looooove. And rage. Mostly rage.

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"Does that mean you won't be best man?"

Jack was almost certain he'd pay for this, but he figured it was worth it.

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Totally worth it. "Oh, we're keeping you around, Jack."

Someone else had to push Derek's buttons and keep him from turning into the brooding loner stereotype.

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