Steak Sides
I wasn't quite satisfied with the things left between Danny and Lindsay in DOA for a Day so I took out my frustration by writing this…enjoy!

Of course he had forgotten. Lindsay couldn't exactly blame him, but she did sort of blame him. He was obviously still dealing with the whole Ruben situation and she gave him space. But it had been almost a month and a half now and she knew that there were a lot of other things on his mind, but she thought her birthday would be at least of some importance.

Obviously, this wasn't the case. It wasn't really the fact that he forgot, but it was more of his excuse for forgetting.

"A guy usually remembers football stats and steak sides…"

It honestly hurt to know that steak sides were more important to him than her.

"I'm not gonna live this down, am I?"

"Forgetting my birthday? Probably not."

Lindsay sighed as she headed to the elevator to go back to home. Two months ago, she wouldn't be going back to her own apartment, or at least not alone. And the one thing that was waiting for her now was a warm bath and sleep.

These were all very depressing thoughts.

--

She rode the subway home, alone. She walked into the door of her apartment, alone.

Lindsay looked around. It seemed like the first time in ages that she actually noticed the furniture.

She had forgotten how loneliness felt.

She dropped her things on the ground and headed directly for the bathroom. She filled the tub for a bath, lit some candles, and got a glass of wine. Not long after she was settled down in the water did Lindsay hear someone knocking at the door.

Stumbling out of her room while still trying to get a robe on, she immediately froze when she opened the door.

--

Danny gulped. He hadn't really known what to expect when he went over to Lindsay's that night. His mouth went dry and his mind went blank the second she opened the door. She was frozen and the position she was in didn't help get any words out.

The ends of her hair were wet and her robe's sash wasn't as tight as it should be. His eyes drifted to her neck and below where small water droplets clung to her skin. Dear Lord, she was distracting!

"Linds, I um…" he tried getting out a sentence but ended up trailing off and trying to gesture with his hands. So far, she hadn't said anything and her eyebrows were knitted in confusion.

Lindsay crossed her arms across her chest and she unconsciously bit her lip. Danny had to suppress the urge to not close the foot of distance between her and kiss her until she absolutely, positively needed oxygen.

But Danny was used to waiting. Especially for her.

He opened his mouth again, hoping that some semblance of a sentence would come out, but nothing did, "Y-y-you…'re… You're mashed potatoes."

He almost smacked himself the second after he said that. Lindsay was more confused than ever, "Excuse me? I'm mashed potatoes?"

"Yeah…" he looked down at his feet and mumbled the last couple of words, "They're my favorite steak sides."

Her expression softened and he could see her cheeks turning red. It made him grin for the first time in a long time. Danny finally took three steps into her apartment and slammed the door behind him.

He stood right in front of Lindsay, looking down at her and her looking up at him. He hooked one arm around her lower back and brought her so that their bodies were nearly touching. His other hand gently stroked her cheek, brushing away a stray tear that escaped the corner of her eye.

She barely opened her mouth to say something before he silenced her by leaning in so close that she could feel his breath on her skin. His eyes searched hers, "You're on my mind, Lindsay Monroe. Everyday. I'm sorry that I don't show it a lot, but you are."

Danny paused again and used his thumb to catch another tear rolling down her cheek, "You just gotta know that."

Lindsay slowly nodded and bit her lip again, "Okay…"

With that, he slowly closed the space between their lips, finally being able to feel the thing he'd been missing out on for so long. Physically, he'd closed the last couple of centimeters between their faces and their bodies.

Emotionally, he'd finally broken down the barrier standing between them. The way he should've a long time ago.

After proceeding to kiss her until she was whimpering and sighing with every kiss, he pulled away and smiled awkwardly.

She laughed too for the first time in a long time, now knowing that she wouldn't have to go through the night alone, "So am I before football stats?"

His arms went under her knees and he picked her up in his arms, walking in the way of her bedroom. Stopping briefly, he pulled her down for another kiss.

Breaking apart, he said one word, "Definitely."