What's Christmas without a lie or two?

Summary: Danny is greatly amused by Martin's lies when he avoids any Christmas parties he's invited to. Slash.

Pairing/s: DannyMartin.

Warnings: Fluff?

Disclaimers: I don't own Without a Trace and make no money writing fanfiction.

-o-

It's been far too long since a Without a Trace story!

-o-

They'd been late getting the tree up, so one week before Christmas Danny had started while a marathon of calls began. Martin was good though; so far he had made sure none of his lies broke right open and exposed the fact that he actually had nothing planned for Christmas break.

"Tomorrow?" he heard Martin say. "Oh, I'm working tomorrow. Yes, full day. Yes… well, you never know with my job, I could be there late at night. Yes. Yes, that does happen. No, I'm not saying that just because I don't want to come, mother. Yes, you can ask Jack about it."

Danny snickered before resuming decorating, this time humming under his breath. The phone call ended, and moments later it called again. Martin had time to mutter:

"It never ends…"

Then he answered in a pleasant voice, and Danny had to admire his acting skills. If Martin failed to become an FBI agent, he could easily have become an actor. That, or a lawyer. The last thought was a bit terrifying, as Danny perhaps had the skills since he had studied but he didn't have the perfect poker face like Martin.

"Christmas day? Oh, I'm already booked up," Martin said. "Yes, you know, so many things to do. I simply have no time, I'll be lucky if I get to go to sleep at all. What I'm doing? I'm going to my uncle's place for lunch, but the rest of the day I'll be busy with work. Yes, I know, don't we all want some free time. Yes… yes. I'm sure I'll see you later."

He hung up and managed to get into the living room at least before the next person called. This time it was his father, not talking about tomorrow but Christmas day as well. Martin spun up another lie about work, and lunch was simply impossible because if his father found out Martin would go to his uncle's place there would be annoying phone calls long after Christmas.

Danny kept on humming and making sure the tree stood straight in their living room.

"With Danny?" he heard Martin say and turned around, striking a pose. Martin rolled his eyes at him. "No, dad, Danny will be working as well so that's when I'll see him. No, I know. I know mother wants to see me. Yes, I know."

He finished the call and sighed.

"She wants me to come, but not you," he said, "because apparently her son being gay and in a relationship has completely slipped her by."

"Well, her loss," Danny said as he looped his arms around Martin's waist, "because I'm a great-looking son-in-law."

"Yeah, yeah, keep telling yourself that," Martin said.

"How many times have you lied today?"

"Oh, don't remind me."

"You are amazing at that, Fitzie. It's an art; I could watch you do it all day."

"I'd rather they stopped calling me," Martin said and hugged Danny. "At least Jack agreed to lie with me."

"It's not a complete lie; we will be working part of the time," Danny said. "Christmas doesn't mean people will stop disappearing."

"I know. Still wished people would stop calling me. Shouldn't they know by now I'm a lying asshole to them?"

"They don't know you're lying, which only proves how good you are at it. Want to help me with the tree?"

Martin was about to answer, when it rang again. He looked at the phone and said:

"Can I just pretend not to be home?"

"That means they'll keep calling."

"Oh, it was much easier when I was a kid…" Martin moaned and answered. "Yes, hi, sir. Yes, I know who you are, you work with my father. Yes. Yes. Christmas day? Oh, no, unfortunately I will be working. Yes, work simply does not stop just because of the holidays. But thank you for thinking of me, sir. Yes, yes… yes. Goodbye."

He hung up and said:

"When will I learn? I need to send out a mass-text just telling everyone I'm an asshole and don't want to see them."

"You're too polite for that, Marty. Now come on and help me, you might get the lights up before the next one calls…"

When the next one did call, Martin said:

"Day before Christmas? Oh, no, I'll be out of town. Yes, visiting family. After that? There are no other teams available so we got stuck working for the most part. Yes, that is unfortunate. Yes. Yes, goodbye."

He hung up just as Danny was about to start wrapping glitter around him.

"Don't you dare, Danny."

"Don't I dare what?"

"I don't think there'll be anyone else," Martin said. "But definitely mass-text next year. It's about time they learn I can be an asshole."

"Your parents will be shocked," Danny said. "And your mother will blame me, because when it comes to you doing things she doesn't like, Danny exists if only to place blame on. At least your dad is sort-of okay with me."

"Well, I'll handle her. I cannot do another year of these lies, it's so boring and I have to keep track of everything."

"Can't you just tell everyone you're working?"

"They don't fall for that every year, because no one can be forced according to them to work on Christmas every year for the last ten years."

"You've been doing this for ten years, Fitzie? And never got caught?"

"Not once."

"Damn, that is some good lying right there," Danny said. "Now can we please finish the tree? I am in need of dinner."

"We don't have any at home."

"That's why take-out exists."

"You'd eat take-out, you health freak?"

"There are healthier options of take-out but don't you worry your pretty head, Fitzie; you'll get your greasy food."

"It's not that greasy," he protested.

Danny had started humming again as they finished up the tree, and then took Martin for a spin in the living room.

"You are a total romantic," Martin said.

"You love it."

"Of course I do."

The phone rang again, and Martin groaned before putting his head on Danny's shoulder.

"I'm not picking up," he said.

"Before we got together I would never have thought you were this popular around Christmas time."

"Dad, my dad you mean. To them I'm just an extension they can dangle to other guests. Still not answering."

"Come on, man, you're gonna deprive me from your lying?" Danny asked. "Go and answer, and I will get us food."

"Fine, but next year I'm gonna start being the asshole."

"Sure, whatever you say sweetheart."

"Shut up."

Danny listened to two more conversations about how Martin possibly couldn't attend some parties, one involving another out of town-lie while the other was Jack had ordered them to the other side of the country due to a missing person's case. He couldn't wait to see if anyone caught on this year that Martin was totally bullshitting them all.

Sitting down next to Martin as he received a third call, Danny had finished ordering food and now wrapped an arm around Martin's shoulder, nosing in behind his ear before starting to hum again. Martin's lips turned slightly upwards, and he squeezed Danny's hand before launching into an explanation why it was simply impossible for him to attend a party at New Year's Eve. Danny settled down to listen to his lover lie like a pro, and wait for their food.

End

Short one due to me being busy. But it's been so long since I wrote Danny and Martin I just had to squeeze this one into my schedule.

Until another time,

Tiro