Title: Strange Fire
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Logan Echolls/Ryan Wolfe
Fandom: Veronica Mars /CSI: Miami
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Logan Echolls or Ryan Wolfe, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

Logan paced back and forth in the living room of his condo, waiting for a knock on the door. He'd called Ryan just as the other man was leaving work, and they had decided to meet here at Logan's home. He was still unsure if that had been a good idea.

Was Ryan only coming over here because he wanted to talk with someone who he felt might have seen more of that murder on the beach than they were telling -- or did he want to come over because he was interested in Logan on a more personal level?

He didn't know, but he wanted to find out. Because he definitely wanted to see more of Ryan, even if that might end up being a mistake. He shouldn't want to see Ryan. He shouldn't feel an interest in this man on a personal level.

This wasn't the time for him to get involved with anybody. He'd just moved to Miami; he had plenty of time to get his personal life in gear. He didn't need to lose his heart to anyone so soon -- especially not to someone who had a dangerous job.

Hadn't he lost enough people in his life? he asked himself, shaking his head. Getting involved with a cop was asking for trouble. It was better to just keep whatever relationship he might have with Ryan on a casual friendship basis, nothing more.

But his heart sped up when he thought of Ryan; he'd been entranced by the other man's open smile, his direct gaze, the way he moved .... everything about him, really. It seemed incredible that he should have such a strong attraction to someone when they'd just met.

It was just an attraction, Logan told himself firmly. Nothing more. He wasn't going to get seriously involved with Ryan. The other man probably wasn't even interested in him in that way. He was just being friendly, and following up with someone he'd met at a crime scene.

He'd seen a flicker of interest in those dark eyes when they had been talking. He was sure of it. But he wasn't going to let himself fall head over heels. Not now. Ryan could end up being just like some of the people in his past who he'd wanted to get away from.

He didn't think so. That look of sincerity in Ryan's eyes, the caring tone of his voice .... they'd seemed real. But Logan knew all too well how easily something like that could be faked. He'd lived all of his life around people who had been good at masking their real feelings.

And he was fairly proficient at it himself, he thought wryly, heaving a sigh. It remained to be seen if Ryan was someone who'd be able to coax those feelings out into the open. For now, he was going to hold back and keep everything on a friendly level, nothing more.

The ringing of the doorbell brought him out of his thoughts with a start; he almost gasped at the sound, his eyes widening in surprise. He hadn't expected Ryan to be here this soon; he had thought that the other man would go home to change first.

But apparently he was here, and it was time for them to sit down and talk, get to know each other better. Logan could almost feel his mask of nonchalance slipping into place as he headed for the door, opening it to reveal Ryan standing in the hallway.

"Hey," Ryan said with a smile, holding out a hand. "I went home to change first, and then walked over here. It didn't take as long as I thought it would. I didn't mean to turn up too early -- probably should have called first. Sorry about that."

A strange fire had started in the pit of Logan's stomach at the sight of the other man; his heart was racing in his chest, thumping so loudly that he was sure Ryan could hear it. He could only stand there and stare, his brain refusing to connect with his tongue to let him speak.

Ryan looked even more amazing now than he had when they'd first met this morning. Logan couldn't tear his eyes away; he wanted to stand here and drink in the sight of this handsome man, without having to say or do anything to break the spell he was under.

But he couldn't stand here all day and not invite Ryan inside. He held out a hand, saying the first thing that came into his head. "You walked over here? You live close by?" He couldn't help wondering just why Ryan hadn't thought to mention that little fact when they'd met.

"Yeah, I live in the apartments just a couple of blocks away from here," Ryan told him, sounding cheerful. "I probably should have mentioned that this morning, but I didn't think you'd be so sweet on the idea of having a cop living so close to you."

"Why not?" Logan told him with a laugh as he stood back to let Ryan enter his apartment. "It's not like I've done anything wrong, y'know. And the idea of a cop living so close makes me feel safe. I know there's protection nearby if I need it."

Especially this particular cop, he wanted to add, but kept his mouth shut. What was it about Ryan that made his heart pound in his chest and butterflies start to flutter in his stomach? Could he be more attracted to this man than he'd thought at first?

And what was he going to do about that attraction? What if Ryan was just here to be friendly, and didn't feel the same? No, that couldn't be true, Logan told himself. If Ryan wasn't interested, then he wouldn't have gone out of his way to suggest they meet tonight.

"Did you want to go out to dinner somewhere, or just order Chinese takeout and sit here and talk?" he asked, feeling lost for words. "That is, if you like Chinese," he amended, realizing that he knew absolutely nothing about Ryan other than the tantalizing little bit he'd been told.

He'd been wondering all day just what it was in Ryan's past that haunted him -- but he could guess. He was a cop; he'd probably lost someone close to him, or been nearly fatally wounded himself. He wanted to ask about it, but he'd have to hold his questions back for now.

"Chinese and talking sounds good to me," Ryan told him with a smile. "I've been wanting to see you all day. Going out would just mean that I'd have to put up with other people looking you over. I'd rather have you all to myself tonight."

Logan couldn't help feeling flattered and a little alarmed at the same time. Ryan was coming on strong; did he realize just what he was saying? Or was he so attracted that he couldn't keep his words back? Logan wasn't sure what he should say to that.

Honesty was the best policy, he told himself, taking a deep breath. "Slow down a little, okay?" he said, laughing a little, trying to sound nonchalant. "I'm not going anywhere. It's not like you have to satisfy your curiosity about me all at once."

Ryan looked contrite; he reached out a hand to touch Logan's shoulder, his voice concerned. "Logan, I'm not trying to scare you off," he said softly, his dark gaze locking with Logan's. "I just .... I like you. I don't want you feel nervous around me. I'm not trying to seduce you."

How had Ryan known he was thinking that? Logan's eyes widened in surprise at the other man's correct perception; he laughed again, running a hand through his hair, wishing that he could relax and feel more at ease. After all, he did like Ryan, too.

"Sorry," he murmured, shaking his head. "I guess I'm just a little keyed up, that's all. After some of my past experiences, I'm not all that good at dealing with new relationships. Maybe it's not a good idea for me to even think about anything other than friendship."

"I'd like for us to be more than friends," Ryan said softly, a tinge of disappointment in his voice. "But I"m willing to take things slowly, if that's what you need. Maybe we'll find out that we're better off just being friends." His gaze held Logan's, strong and steady.

"But you don't think that, do you?" Logan asked, his voice barely a whisper. He couldn't help feeling that he and Ryan were destined to be much more than just friends -- but he wasn't going to let himself give in to that feeling. Not yet, anyway. Not until they knew each other better.

He'd had too many experiences in the past when he'd just jumped in head first without looking, and he'd bitterly regretted his actions later. This time, he was going to be careful. He was going to keep himself safe, and not let his heart get in the way.

At least this was a step in the right direction, he told himself. He wasn't pretending to be someone he wasn't. He might not have said outwardly that he was gay, but he was sure that Ryan could tell. He didn't need words to convey that message.

"No, I don't," Ryan said softly, his gaze still locked with Logan's. "I think there's a lot that we have to find out about each other, and I think we both have some obstacles to get over. But I also think we can help each other through that. If we let it happen."

Again, that strange fire seemed to blaze through Logan, making him take a step towards Ryan. He didn't know just what he meant to do; he had to check his forward movement, hold himself back before those impulses got the better of him.

"Let's take things slow and see where they go, okay?" he managed to say, giving Ryan a somewhat tremulous smile. He didn't want to admit how much he liked this man. Not yet. It was too soon. And he wasn't sure if this was just attraction, or something deeper.

But whatever it was, Logan knew that it was going to lead somewhere. He just hoped that whatever might happen between them wasn't going to end up leaving his heart bruised and bloodied -- and that he would know sooner rather than later if being with Ryan was the right thing for him.

***