Work Text:
Stiles is sitting on his side of the bed in his pajamas when Jackson comes out of the bathroom in his pajama pants.
"Can you put something on?"
"What?" Jackson raises his eyebrows, confused at first until he gets it. "Stiles, I'm tired and I want to go to bed. I don't feel like talking right now. I'm going to bed, okay? To sleep..."
"I just..." Stiles starts.
"Okay..." Jackson sighs sitting on his side of the bed, looking at Stiles. "What's going on? What's so important that it can't wait until tomorrow when my brain actually works again?"
Stiles snorts. "I'm sure your brain works just fine..."
"After the fucking long day I had in court today, I don't think so... I really need to get some sleep."
"Fine. Forget it. Just go to sleep." Stiles waves his arms. "It's okay."
"Yeah. That's not your fine voice. Now you've got to tell me..."
"I just told you to go to sleep," Stiles says, grabbing his phone from the nightstand to check nothing in particular.
"And I said I don't want to." Jackson insists moving closer to Stiles until he can reach Stiles's phone and grabs it, leaving it on his nightstand where Stiles can't reach it.
"What's going on?" Jackson frowns, sitting crossed-legged next to his husband. "You were kind of weird during dinner today."
"That's not true." Stiles says, crossing his arms.
"Yeah, you were. You barely looked at me. But I thought... I thought maybe you just had some problems at work today and you didn't want to tell me about it. I thought maybe you were stressed out... So, I didn't ask you."
"Nothing happened at work. I mean, the usual shit, nothing new."
"Okay." Jackson nods and waits.
"Why didn't you tell me about the arrows?" Stiles blurts out.
"Of course..." Jackson shakes his head and licks his lips.
"I found them on his shelf, okay? On his shelf!"
"Stiles, I was going to tell you. I swear..."
"Then, why didn't you tell me?" Stiles opens his arms wide. "Just why?"
"Stiles..." Jackson starts but he's not sure how to continue exactly.
"Don't Stiles me, okay? Just tell me. I mean, you knew I was going to find out... so, I don't get it."
Jackson sighs.
"I didn't tell you because I didn't feel like having an argument that night. It was late when we got home. And I thought it was a conversation for another moment. That's all."
"And you just assumed we were going to argue?" Stiles snorts.
"Yeah, of course. I knew it would happen. Because I knew you'd make a big deal out of it even if it really isn't. And we're arguing now, aren't we?"
"This is not an argument. This is a conversation. We can have a conversation, can't we?"
"If it was a conversation you wouldn't have asked me to put something on," Jackson says matter-of-factly.
"That's because your chest is distracting and I don't want distractions when I'm talking to you about our son."
Jackson just rolls his eyes dramatically and tries not to smile.
"Fine." Jackson waves both arms in defeat. "I admit I should have told you. But really, I just forgot afterwards. It's been a busy week, okay? And like I said, it's really not that big of a deal. So what if he wants to shoot some arrows? They were Andrea's gift and he's not going to hurt anybody... besides, he's a kid, you know?"
"Yeah, he's a kid... and a werewolf."
"So what?" Jackson shrugs.
"So, it is a weapon. And you know that and that's why you didn't tell me."
"That's not true. It was fucking late, Stiles. And it's not really a weapon... it's not like he's got a gun or something..."
"Yeah, that's what he said." Stiles waves his right arm.
Jackson smirks for a second before he can help it. He's not surprised.
"That's because he's smart... He knows there's a difference."
"I can't believe you just said that." Stiles shakes his head. "You've had an arrow sticking out of your back. You've been in agonizing pain because of that thing... They had wolfsbane, remember?"
"Yeah, I do remember... but that was a long time ago. Things change. And I don't want him to think about that. This is just a game for him. Just let him have fun if he likes it."
"Yeah, well, all I know is that your other son could have hurt himself with them... he just left them around..."
"I'll talk to him tomorrow, okay? I'll tell him to be careful." Jackson offers.
"You're a little late... I already told him."
"Fine. Then I don't see the problem here."
"Yeah, I know you don't. That's what worries me."
"Look, he's got to make his own choices, okay? If you forbid him from doing something, he'll just want to do it more... and he'll do it behind your back. And I know because that's what I did whenever my parents didn't want me to do something. So when he told me, I knew it was pointless trying to forbid it just because of.... you know... history or whatever... He's not defined by what he is, you know?"
"I know that. Of course I do. I just..." Stiles hesitates.
"What?" Jackson raises his eyebrows.
"I don't want him to feel like he's any less than his brother. Like we don't care about everything he does... like we don't..." Stiles hesitates.
"Protect him the same way?" Jackson finishes Stiles's thought.
"Yeah. I guess so." Stiles admits.
Jackson wants to say that that's crazy but he doesn't. He just looks at Stiles for a few seconds before he speaks.
"I know what you mean but... he's not like that. He loves his brother... except when they want to kill each other." Jackson smiles for a second. "There's no jealousy. He gets it."
"Look," Jackson continues. "He's like you. He's pretty independent... he's always been. You can protect him all you want but he doesn't really need it and that's also why sometimes he gets away with stuff... you know that. I'm sure that when you were his age you got away with all kinds of shit... so don't make me ask you father." Jackson grins.
"Don't you dare ask him." Stiles smiles.
"Okay, I won't..." Jackson says probably too fast. "But next time you wanna have a conversation don't wait until I'm going to bed and I'm barely coherent anymore."
"Fine. I'll ruin dinner instead..." Stiles's voice full of sarcasm.
"That sounds like fun," Jackson says, getting up the best way he can and getting under the covers. "God, I'm so fucking tired."
Stiles turns off the light of the lamp on his nightstand and places his arms around Jackson in his usual spooning position.
"Good night." Stiles says, kissing Jackson's nape and enjoying the warmth of Jackson's body against his own.
"Night." Stiles hears before closing his eyes.