Disclaimer: All characters are entirely fictional and do not belong to me, they are the property of the creators of 'Swamp Thing'. Sadly I am making no money out of this.

Notes: This is a dark fic, no fluffy bunnies here! You've been warned!

Daniel
Part 1
by Jacqui

Graham was disturbed to see a faint light from the main lab as he slipped quietly past, he hadn't expected Dr Arcane to be up so late. A few months ago he would have gone in to speak to Arcane, maybe try to encourage him to get some sleep or offer to make him a hot drink, and probably he'd have been turned away with sarcasm or abuse. Back then that wouldn't have stopped him trying, but back then he wouldn't have been away from the compound late at night, he wouldn't have had a reason. So much had changed.

Graham couldn't risk meeting Arcane now, he had no doubt that the doctor would see through his secrets if he came upon him without having enough time to slip back into role. Bumbling, insecure, adoring Graham had to be firmly in place, Arcane could not be allowed to meet the Graham who had learnt how to smile and laugh, to believe that he was worth more than insults and threats. Daniel had taught him so much, taught him how to like himself and to accept that he was worthy of giving and receiving love. "Daniel," Graham breathed the name to himself, caressing it, longing to be able to shout it out, to tell the world how much in love he was and how proud of his lover. He sobered abruptly and choked down his insane impulse. He must never give away their secret, never do anything to put Daniel in danger.

Graham didn't begin to feel any sense of safety until he was in his own bedroom. He had a few precious hours before he had to begin to get back into his old skin, prepare himself to be the daytime Graham who worked alongside Dr. Arcane. This was his private time, when he could take in what it meant to be truly happy for the first time in his life.

When he had first seen Daniel there had been just the merest moment of surprised recognition. Sitting in the audience, looking up at a dimly lit stage Graham had seen the slim figure bent over the unwieldy bulk of his cello, long dark hair falling forward into his eyes. He had glanced down the row to Arcane and had just seen a superficial resemblance but that was swept away by better lighting and his close, rapt attention to the man on the stage. That night Graham found himself totally engaged by the performance, usually bored by classical music he now wanted it to go on forever, wanted to see every possible moment of the beautiful young man with the cello. He had thought that would be all he would get to treasure and keep.

Graham still couldn't think how he had found the self confidence to go back stage after the concert. He had told himself that he was just bored, needing to stretch his legs while Dr Arcane got down to the serious purpose of the evening. He had been brought along as chauffeur and bodyguard, he was not required at the after concert drinks party where Arcane was checking out a certain congressman's susceptibility to bribes. The doctor had a 'trophy' girlfriend with him to help work on the politician and he didn't want Graham lurking in the background. So Graham went backstage, and he met Daniel. And he fell in love.

Even now Graham couldn't quite understand why Daniel had been even remotely interested in him. He had met the younger man while looking around for a cup of coffee and Daniel, having reasons of his own for wanting to escape the orchestra gossip, had taken him to the nearby Starbucks. They had laughed together over the pretentious range of coffees on sale and Graham could hardly believe it of himself, laughing? When had he last laughed? Ever? And they had talked. They seemed to have nothing in common and yet they had so much to talk about. Daniel had just come out of a serious relationship, the first he'd had since acknowledging he was gay. There had been a lot of violence and betrayal at the end and he was still hurting. Graham had never met anyone who he was so sure would understand him. He told the younger man of the years he'd spent loving someone who only seemed capable of returning love with cruelty, who would neither accept that there was something between them nor let Graham go. Neither of them had given details, names and events didn't matter, what they were sharing was their feelings. When Graham realised, with great terror, how late it was and began to panic Daniel seemed to understand and realise who it was that would be waiting for him.

They exchanged mobile numbers but Graham expected nothing to come of it, he went off to face the doctor's near homicidal rage with little more than the memory of one wonderful evening to sustain him. The surprise to him was how much sustenance it did give, how much he could bear if let himself think of Daniel.

He would never have dared call Daniel, but to his amazement Daniel called him. The orchestra was in town for another week and Graham became obsessed with making as much of that precious time as he could, taking ludicrous risks, lying to Doctor Arcane so that he could be with Daniel. In that week they became lovers. Graham hadn't known that he could fall in love with gentleness, he had let himself believe that he needed abuse in order to become aroused and was amazed to find how erotic it was to cared for and treated tenderly. He realised that a man could be brilliant and beautiful without becoming cruel. Daniel was clever but he never seemed to use his cleverness as a weapon, he appreciated beauty without needing to possess it and he had a sense of humour but didn't need to demonstrate it at anyone else's expense.

When Graham could actually bring himself to believe that Daniel could love him then it transformed his view of himself. Even more that Daniel accepted so unquestioningly that Graham could not leave Houma, and was always prepared to fly back in his breaks from performing. He never complained and never tried to pressurise Graham into doing his share of the traveling. Graham couldn't bring himself to explain his fear of discovery because to do so he would have to reveal at least a fraction of the evil of which Arcane was capable. It was easier to bear the risk that Daniel might misinterpret Graham's reasons than to reveal to him any of the monstrous acts with which Graham had colluded, he trusted completely in Daniel's love but was not sure that even that could withstand too much truth.