Work Text:
***
"You need me, all you company men. You hate me, but you need me." -- Tom Ludlow
***
"You were the plan. No one else could touch him. Once your eyes were opened, there was no other outcome. Decisions were made, Tom, by powerful men with powerful secrets. They were afraid of Jack. They asked me to help. One day, you will pass the Chief in the hall and he will give you a nod. And you will know why. Because you were right, Tom. We do need you." -- Captain James Biggs
***
"He followed me home, mom, can I keep him?"
His wife just rolled her eyes and sighed, but really, what else could she do at this point? He already had Ludlow, mumbling drunkenly, lolling against his shoulder, a knot the size of Texas forming above his left eye, half way down the hall to the guest room. It was fait accompli at this point.
As James draped Ludlow over the couch, he heard the door the the bedroom shut.
Looked like he was sleeping on the living room couch tonight.
***
"Captain Biggs," Ludlow mumbled, stumbling into the kitchen, scrubbing blearily at his eyes, so visibly hungover that James couldn't restrain the laugh.
"Detective Ludlow," he replied, pouring a cup of coffee and pushing it towards the empty chair.
"Thank you," Ludlow whispered raspily, reaching for it with a shaky hand. "How did I get here?" he asked after he'd taken a big gulp.
"Ah, now thereby hangs a tale," James said, snapping the morning LA Times open.
***
For one reason or another, Ludlow spent most of the next month in his guest room.
They came home one night and discovered that James's wife had gone.
"Sorry man, " Ludlow muttered as James helped him onto the couch. "Not only did I fuck up my own marriage -- looks like I tanked yours, too."
James groaned and dropped down next to him. "It was shaky long before I met you."
"Don't know why you do this for me, Biggs. Nobody else would."
Because I owe you for what I put you through. "Because I meant it when I said I'd keep you where I could reel you back."
Ludlow seemed to accept that and flopped over on his side, toeing his shoes off. "Okay, Biggs, whatever. I won't stop you."
"In your condition, you couldn't."
Ludlow let the barb slide. A true indicator of his condition.
"So, when are you deciding, Biggs? When do I get off of administrative leave? When do I get to go to IA and bust other cops for you?"
"You're drunk, so I'm going to let that one slide, Ludlow. But who says you're not going back to Vice? You did good work there."
Ludlow chortled bitterly before he closed his eyes and drifted into sleep. James sighed and draped an afgan over him.
***
"I have my own toothbrush here?" Ludlow said just before he chugged some orange juice.
James lifted an eyebrow. "Deodorant, toothpaste, and mouthwash, too," he quipped brightly.
There was a long pause before Ludlow spoke again: "Y'know, the last time I had two toothbrushes, we ended up moving in together and then ... married."
"We can go halfsies on the mortgage if you like."
Ludlow scowled at him. "Are you for real, Biggs?"
James pushed a sheet of paper over at him. "Starting Monday, you're off administrative leave and out of Vice and into Auto."
"Just so long as I'm not riding a desk, it's golden." Ludlow took a bite of toast, chewed, and swallowed. "Wait. You're not running me on somebody over there, are you?"
"That's for me to know and you to find out."
"You're a real asshat, you know that, right?" But there was no real heat in it.
"Sticks and stones, Ludlow. Sticks and stones."
***
"What is this, Detective Ludlow?" James said, blinking at the small sheet of paper in his hand.
"It's eight hundred dollars. Half your mortgage." Ludlow's eyes glinted wickedly.
***
They spent the night of what would've been his wedding anniversary with a bottle of vodka.
He woke naked the next morning with a pounding headache and Ludlow's body pinning him to the bed.
"Your breath smells like something crawled in your mouth and died," Ludlow groaned when James shook him awake.
"I love you too, Tom." He snarked and staggered off to the bathroom.
***
"What?" Ludlow asked innocently when James came in from the bathroom, clad in his pajamas, ready to climb into bed, only to find it already occupied.
Two could play at this game. "Something wrong with the bed in your room?" He asked mildly, slipping between the sheets.
Ludlow stretched and yawned. "This one's more comfortable. Better company, too."
James rolled over on his side, facing Ludlow. "You know, when I said I wanted to keep you where I could reel you back, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind."
Ludlow pounced, pinning him. "You also once told me that persistence was the key."
As Ludlow kissed him, James decided that this, too, was fait accompli.