Thanks to ImmortalWog for reading this even though it's not his cup 'o joe, and to JaxieTonks for getting excited as well even though she doesn't watch the show.
They are not mine, though I routinely wish they were.
They belong to that lucky…guy, Zuicker, who I'm sure won't share.
Always and For Good
"Hey, Flack? Ya wanna stop for a beer after we get done here?" Even as the sentence left Danny's mouth he was sure it was a mistake. Any other day it would have been fine, even normal for he and the tall detective to hit a pub after their shift. Danny was sure today was not one of those days. Those normal days when he could force himself to think of Lindsay, force his mind away from certain sexy homicide detectives that had beautiful girlfriends. Today had been a harder than normal day. He and Flack had been trying to talk to what they thought was a witness when the guy took off on them. They'd both glanced at each other, matching looks of resignation and excitement on their faces. With a feral smile that flashed his sharp canines at Flack he broke into a run just a second before the taller man. They'd run together, Flack's strides pulling him ahead of the CSI just a bit, Messer pushing harder to keep up. He hated it when Flack had to go after the bad guys on his own and was damn sure that wasn't going to happen when Danny was there.
They'd caught up to the guy together, had both put hands on him in synch and all three had tumbled to the ground, rolling in a tangled heap. At one point in the rolling Danny could swear the full length of Flack had been pressed against him, that somehow his own hands had transferred, for just that second, from the perp to Flack's broad chest and the muscles under his dress shirt had burned their lines into his palms.
Even now, standing in front of his locker, Flack to his left changing out of the same dress shirt Danny's hands had been on, Danny could feel Flack's chest under his hands. Rubbing them on his jeans, Danny turned to sit and tie up his shoes. Anything to keep his eyes off the skin peeking out from the lifted hem of Flack's undershirt. Why couldn't the man unbutton his shirt like a normal person? He just had to take it off over his head. His long arms stretching above him, his back flexing, those few inches of hard stomach flashing out at Danny, making his mouth water.
Shoes. Shoelaces. Tying shoelaces, that's what he was doing. Now would be a great time to focus on Lindsay. Unfortunately, the small blonde didn't seem to materialize in his mind with Flack's tanned stomach and that line of hair that traveled down from his belly button to under his belt buckle still clear behind Danny's eyes.
"Oh, definitely, Messer. You read my mind." Flack glanced down at the CSI next to him, glad the smaller man was so focused on his shoes. It gave the detective one of those rare moments of time when he could look his fill at the blond without fearing that the highly trained CSI would be able to see just what he was thinking. Normally Flack could keep his eyes clear of those thoughts when he looked at Danny, but today had been an…energetic day and keeping his eyes off the man was hard enough without trying to keep his truly inappropriate thoughts off his face.
Flack's detective eyes swept Danny from head to foot, soaking in the close-cropped but spiky blond hair, the glasses that focused a person on those lovely blue eyes, the goatee that focused a person on his mouth, a mouth Don Flack fantasized about deep into the night.
One that had flashed a quick and fierce smile, complete with those cute almost cat-like teeth, at Flack earlier that day. Danny had sprinted after their perp just a few seconds before Flack could, and the detective had not wasted those seconds. They'd seemed to go by in slow motion as his eyes took in Danny's strong legs bursting his lean body forward, leaving just a taste of his aftershave and that earthy, clean scent that was all Messer, to tease Flack's nose. Just as Danny's hard body had teased Flack's when they'd tackled the perp together, the three of them hitting the ground and rolling in a tangle of arms and legs and chests. For just a moment the world had slowed down for Flack, just in that moment when Danny had been pressed beneath him on the ground, his strong hands burning Flack's chest through his shirt, his hips and legs pressing the length of Flack's. In that one moment Flack had an answer to a question about the CSI that he'd had for a long time. Flack had guessed right, Danny Messer fit against his body like a dream.
And that's enough of that, Flack chastised himself. Messer was finishing up his shoelaces and would be focused back on Flack's face when they talked and he really needed to think about something other than how much he wanted to feel those sharp teeth on his skin…Now's a good time to think about Devon.
"Where ya wanna go, Messer?" Flack asked, eyes trained into his locker as he tried to banish thoughts of a naked Danny pressed against him instead of the fully clothed one from earlier. Definitely a good time to focus on Devon. Tall, strawberry blonde Devon with the great body and…Did Danny's eyes just travel the length of his leg and pause at his belt buckle before he turned to grab his wallet? No. Wishful thinking, that's all it was. Flack shook his head and reached for his belt. "Paddy's? I think I heard Angel and Hawkes talking with some other detectives about heading over there." If they were around other cops Flack could keep his head together and away from inappropriate thoughts of Danny.
"Nah, I don't wanna get stuck talking shop all night." The thought of having to share Flack with all their work buddies and being stuck in a cop bar all night when he just knew he wouldn't be able to not look at the tall detective was not something Danny wanted to suffer through. It'd be better, harder, but better if they could just sit at a booth or table and drink some beers and talk about hockey or baseball. Then if Danny spent too long watching Flack as he walked to the bar for refills no one they knew would see, he wouldn't be in danger of straight as an arrow Don Flack, Jr. hearing that his "good buddy" and overall fuck up Danny Messer was staring at his ass. It sure was a great ass though, Danny thought as Flack turned to drop his towel in the community basket at the end of the aisle of lockers. And THAT'S exactly why they couldn't go to a bar full of overly observant cops. Danny ripped his eyes from Flack's toned and muscled ass to slam his locker shut and drop his forehead to the cool metal. If he couldn't keep it together in a locker room full of cops in a building full of cops, there was no way he'd be able to keep it together with beer in a bar full of cops.
Danny felt a strong warm hand on his shoulder and fought back the shudder of pleasure he always felt when Don touched him. Taking a deep breath he rolled his head to look up at a concerned Flack.
"You alright there, Messer?" Why did he have to be such a great guy, why did they have to be so good at being friends? Danny was sure that if he was less…perfect, and they were less friendly, his lusty thoughts about Flack wouldn't be as big a problem. Granted, no matter what, nothing would happen between them. Don Flack, Jr. was definitely a heterosexual. Hadn't they all seen his super hot girlfriend? Didn't Danny hate her automatically for having what he could never have? Danny had heard from Stella how disheveled they had both been when she arrived on scene. Flack's short hair was a bit mussed and he was stripped down to his undershirt, and the girl, she apparently barely had her dress on before changing into pants and one of Don's undershirts-"Don" that's what she'd called him when no one called him that. Hard to not know what they'd been doing just before the girl had been robbed by that super spy.
Danny flashed a smile before standing tall to face Flack. "Yeah, just tired. That was some chase today, huh?" He forced out a chuckle and turned to head for the exit, hearing Flack's footsteps pick up behind him after a short moment.
Flack paused, glad Danny had turned before he could see the look that Flack hadn't had time to hide when Messer mentioned their little chase earlier that morning. The grin from Danny and the memory of that second of time when they were pressed together was almost too much for Flack. Especially after Danny decided they wouldn't be in the safety of a few dozen cops while they drank. If they were surrounded by New York's finest Flack was sure he could keep his eyes clear and his hands to himself, but if they were in some nondescript bar, just the two of them… Fuck, Danny, Flack cursed before shaking his head to clear Danny from it and following the CSI out the door.
A couple hours and a couple beers later Flack was sure he'd done something to piss off God. Why else would he put a slightly buzzed, and gorgeous with it, Danny within inches of him with no possibility of anything fun, naked, or permanent coming from it?
They'd found the little bar just a couple subway stops from the precinct and Danny had gotten excited by the banners for multiple baseball teams as well as the neon sign in the window that they served international beers. After grabbing a high table toward the back of the bar, they'd both headed back there and angled their chairs so both doors-the front and the back-were in their line of sight; putting them directly across from each other.
Unfortunately, this put Danny Messer's handsome and expressive face directly across from Flack's and to make it even more difficult, their knees kept bumping under the extremely small table. They'd talked the whole time, covering the current season of every sport but Curling-that one they'd had a lively argument about whether or not it even constituted a sport and should therefore be included in the Olympic Games. That had been fun. Danny could be so bright and vibrant when he got excited about something. His face would flush just a bit and his eyes brightened and his mouth moved a mile a minute, sometimes faster than his brain and it was almost too cute the way he stumbled over his words when that happened. Of course, Flack had to somehow keep all this off his face; he knew his face wasn't as expressive as Danny's, but after the trying day and the second beer it was getting harder and harder for the detective. Harder not to reach across the table and take Danny's hand in his, harder not to say something embarrassing like "ah, gawd, Danny, you're the best" after he said something cute and blustery that made Flack laugh into his beer.
And after those moments, it was so hard for the tall New York City detective not to reach across the table with both hands to grab Danny and drag him to his chest for a deep and drugging kiss. Of course, after that thought-0ne he'd had, oh about a dozen times already-Flack would drop his eyes to his beer and listen and laugh and try to think about something but how much he wanted Danny, wanted every part of Danny.
"Time for another refill." Danny hopped off his stool and glanced at Flack. "Want the same or shall I choose a different country?" They'd been drinking by country since they'd walked into the bar, starting at Ireland and moving east. They'd just finished a pint from eastern Germany and Danny was pretty sure he didn't want that one again.
"No. Not this one again. I don't know what these Germans were thinking." Danny laughed and for just a moment couldn't take his eyes away from the bright blue of Flack's. This kept happening to him. They'd be talking and he'd say something to make the detective laugh, or Flack would make him laugh and Danny would meet his eyes and for that moment it was as if he could have everything he wanted. If he only…but he never found out what he needed to do to get it. Either he would lose his nerve, afraid Don would be able to read exactly what he was thinking in his eyes and then deck him, or Don would look down into his beer, still laughing and talking, just no longer looking at him.
"Yeah, this was definitely a one time only beer. There's this French one I know is good. It's like drinking alcoholic raspberry jam." Danny grinned at the slightly disgusted look on Don's face before spinning to head for the bar. Just as he turned he caught his elbow and foot on a haphazardly moved chair and bounced off it, tripping over it as he went. His eyes closed and his hands braced for the impact on the floor, but suddenly a strong arm banded around his middle and an equally strong hand gripped his waist, pulling him hard into a well-muscled chest. Danny's breath left him in a whoosh and his mind focused down to the parts of him pressed against the hot, hard parts of Don. He knew it was Don based on his body's reaction, he could feel his blood rishing through his head before pooling low in his belly.
Danny felt their legs entwined together, the strong muscles of Don's arm pressed against the muscles of Danny's stomach, felt-like a fire in his gut-the warm press of Don's big hand on his waist and broad chest against his back. As Flack let out a breath that brushed across Danny's ear he couldn't stop himself from shifting his weight, there was too much of Don finally pressed to too much of Danny for him to be still. When his shifting brushed a certain part of Don against Danny's ass his breath came back to him in a gasp and he turned his head to look up at Flack. With the movement came another breath across Danny's ear and face and Don's hand tightened on Danny's hip. Danny could feel his eyes dilate and his pants tighten as his eyes met the burning blue of Don's.
For a tense and not nearly long enough moment they stared at each other. Bodies flush against each other, faces inches apart, eyes locked. Flack was positive everything he wanted, everything he thought about the CSI was in his eyes for Danny to read and as he saw Danny's eyes dilate and a flush darken his cheeks he wasn't sure he cared. Flack knew what those physical signs meant. He also knew what Danny's gorgeous ass pressed against his groin was doing to him, but Danny hadn't moved away-hadn't jumped away-in disgust. He'd turned and set those baby blue eyes on him, to drown him in their color and now in the promise of…
Suddenly Danny lurched up on his toes and latched his mouth onto Flack's. Surprise and pleasure seared through Flack's brain and his hands turned Danny lightning fast so that their chests, hips, groins, legs were pressed together. His arm banded back around Danny, pressing him as close as possible to Flack's chest. Danny's hands locked onto Flack's waist and Flack almost whimpered at their strength. As Flack focused what was left of his brain on kissing Danny Messer, on sliding his tongue against Danny's, on sucking Danny's lower lip into his mouth to lick and nibble, on breathing in the clean, earthy, spine-tingling scent of Danny while his tongue reveled in the same spine-tingling taste in Danny's mouth, his palm brushed against Danny's five o'clock shadow, the rasp and tingles pulling a low moan from him even as something wicked and magnificent Danny's tongue was doing weakened his knees. Danny's mouth, Danny's tongue, Danny's smell, Danny's taste, Danny's face, hair, chest, everything was Danny and Flack's whole brain emptied but for one thing: Danny.
Just as Flack's hand traveled the length of Danny's compact and toned body someone bumped him from behind and his world of Danny was shattered. The jostle broke their kiss, stumbled Danny out from under his hands, separated their bodies and Flack swore he felt less for that separation.
As he stared at Danny's flushed face and red, swollen lips and remembered where he was and who he was with he watched as Danny's eyes remembered the same information, watched as the horror of the last minute and the implications of what it meant crystallized in Danny's eyes and Flack felt a part of his heart break. Danny took a step back and dropped his beautiful blue eyes to the floor and another little bit of Flack's heart broke.
"I'm…I'm sorry, Don. I-I didn't-I didn't mean to- I'm- Fuck!" Flack froze as Danny's eyes met his on the oath and he could read in those blue depths that Danny wasn't really sorry. Flack could see that his eyes were still dilated with pleasure and watched as Danny's light blue irises flicked to Flack's lips and held there a moment too long. Could he-? Flack reached for Danny, wanting his mouth under his again, his body under his hands, and now he was almost sure Danny wanted that too.
Danny smoothly side-stepped Flack's hands and dropped his eyes again. "I'm sorry, Flack. That was-It won't happen again, let's-let's just pretend we left after that awful German beer." Flack let his hands drop, suddenly not so sure that he'd seen desire and lust in his buddy's eyes. Suddenly afraid he'd just seen what he wanted to see and now he'd lost his best friend. Desperate to keep their friendship, at least, Flack slid his hands into his slacks, sure he could keep them to himself if they were hidden away.
"That was a pretty horrid beer, Danny." Flack plastered what he hoped was a small, isn't-this-a-funny-moment-we-can-remember-later-for-laughs smile on his face. And waited for Danny to meet his eyes again. The sheer relief he saw there shattered what was left of his heart and he knew Danny hadn't wanted him, that some fluke of proximity had happened and the kiss had been nothing more than a drunken accident. Danny looked away before Flack's face fell and he knew that everything would be fine between them tomorrow. Danny would be Messer and he would be Flack and they'd be buddies again, good-naturedly picking at each other in the halls and fighting the good fight side-by-side in the streets.
"Next time, you can pick where we start." Danny smiled, relaxed that Flack wasn't punching him in the face, happy that it seemed they were back to being buddies. He forcibly ignored the small part of him that seemed to have broken into sharp little pieces in the back of his brain when he'd seen Don's small smile of friendship after his apology. It was great that Flack was being such a good sport about the fact that Danny had basically mauled his mouth in public, but Danny couldn't stop those shards from stabbing painfully behind his eyes.
"Messer, next time I will be picking where we start. You, my friend, have horrible taste in beer." Danny laughed and headed to the door where he and Flack said their good-byes and headed in opposite directions. It wasn't until Danny had reached his apartment and looked in his bathroom mirror that he realized his face was wet. And it hadn't been raining.
When Flack got home he'd pulled a beer from the fridge, threw the twist-off cap in the general direction of the sink and dropped with a loud and frustrated "FUCK" onto his couch. He'd morosely sipped his beer and stared into space, wondering how his life had gotten so complicated. A few years ago he'd been a regular overworked and underpaid, and happy, police detective. He'd dated beautiful women and gone to sports bars with his cop buddies. He had a hard-fought and almost perfect arrest record and was liked by most everyone in his precinct. Then he'd been assigned as the number one detective for the crime lab. The detective that had the job before him had retired, and his record as well as his ability to play well with others pushed Flack to the top of the list of replacements. He didn't even mind having to play so directly with the science geeks of the department. He liked science, he didn't really get the finer or more complicated points, but it was sure fun to hear them all talk about it like it was normal everyday knowledge. He'd been happy even then.
Until he'd been assigned a case with the infamous Danny Messer. Resident hot shot, ladies man, and sometime fuck up of the labs. Something had happened then. Something between the time Messer had left the locker room and when he'd stopped in front of Flack. Something in Flack's brain or his very genes had been rewritten as he'd watched the cocky Italian New Yorker strut down that hallway, grinning at his colleagues, stopping to banter with some, flirt with others. The world in Flack's head had narrowed down to Danny, just Danny. His strong stride, the flattering cut of his jeans, emphasizing his toned thighs and lean hips, but lengthening his legs. The way his shirt moved as he did, stretching and shifting across a well-toned chest, the short sleeves stopping in the middle of muscled arms that led to strong, wide-palmed hands. When he'd finally stopped in front of Flack and thrust out his hand, that fierce and cocky smile on his face, those twin kitty teeth flashing at him, Flack's blood rushed in his head and the feel of Danny's cool, wide-palmed hand shot fire across his skin. Flack willed his way out of the cloud of lust and rushing blood and was able to converse like a normal person. But since that day he'd not been able to get CSI Danny Messer out of his head. No matter how many women he filled his bed with, it was Danny he saw there. No matter how many men he tried to pick up, it was Danny he thought of, Danny he couldn't get away from.
And now, here he was drinking on his couch, alone, with the taste and feel of Danny hot and eager and pulsing under him clouding his mind. It was all Danny's fault. If not for him Flack was sure he'd be enjoying his relationship with Devon a little more, would have perhaps found that one person to settle with. Danny rose fresh in Flack's mind, hair mussed, face flushed with heat and pleasure, lips swollen from his kisses and Flack groaned, his cock hardening in his slacks, blood rushing through his head. Wouldn't that just take the cake. If he'd found that one person and it was Danny fucking Messer. No, no, this was just some lust thing, there was just something about the guy that drove his body crazy-Again Danny rose in his mind, but this time his face was bright with laughter at something Flack had said, then he was talking animatedly about some new science they'd implemented in the labs and he was grabbing at Flack to show him the mechanics and Flack could feel the tingle of Danny's hands on his skin, the simple joy of being the person Danny shared his excitement with, then the pride that he was the one Danny turned to for comfort, for companionship, for help.
Maybe, just maybe, there could be something there.
Flack jerked as his cell vibrated at his hip. He read the caller ID: Devon. Shit.
"Hey there." Flack listened as she chattered at him and he made the appropriate noises, but pictured Devon, in his life, his apartment, cooking for him, taking him to movies, chattering at him, giving him children , growing old with her… His heart dropped to his stomach and he felt a little queasy. Then Danny bloomed into his head again and his heartbeat quickened as he imagined his life full of Danny Messer. Danny in his apartment, Danny in his shower, Danny naked and in his bed, Danny to cook breakfast for, Danny to see movies with, Danny to drag on vacation, Danny forever. Flack got a little dizzy and dropped his head on the back of the couch. Danny was his one. Ah, crap. "Devon? I'm sorry, I don't think it's going to work out between us."
Danny Messer had not slept well. As he dragged ass around the locker room he cursed Lindsay Monroe and her strange ability to get things from him. He hadn't wanted to give her a key to his place, but somehow he had and when he'd gotten home from the bar and after he'd cleaned up from his…walk, she'd come bursting through the door. She'd been mad as a hornet because he'd forgotten they were supposed to see a musical that night. He'd explained that after his long, punishing day, he and Flack had gone to a bar for some drinks, then he'd abruptly stopped talking. He did not want a head full of Flack's mouth on his while he tried to convince his girlfriend that he was sorry he missed the crappy musical she'd wanted to see. He'd taken a deep breath and moved close to her and rubbed her arms and apologized, even though all he could feel under his hands was Flack's lean waist, so he'd kissed her. Hoping she could burn away the image of Flack as she'd been able to do before, granted it was only for a short while, but she'd done it. Now, kissing her was like kissing a friend. When they'd separated and he'd looked into her eyes he saw that she felt the same.
She'd kept him up until the wee hours of the morning talking. She had realized they would never work, she wanted to stay friends, they had to be able to work together, blah blah blah. All Danny had wanted, sitting on his couch talking to Lindsay, was Flack. Flack's big warm hands on him, Flack's big hot body against his, Flack's hot, skilled, beautiful mouth on his, just Flack. Danny didn't want to talk about his feelings for this transplanted Montana-girl, or how they were going to act together at work, he wanted Flack to clear his mind of everything but the big, dark haired detective. Wanted that witty and sarcastic and brilliant mouth on his again. Even as he agreed that they should be friends, that this "interlude," as she called it, would change nothing about their behavior at work, it was Flack who he thought of. It was Flack's behavior at work he wondered about. It had seemed that the detective wasn't going to hold Danny's impromptu kiss against him, that they were going to be friends again, that nothing would change, but what if it did? What if Flack woke up in the morning and realized he'd been French-kissed by a guy? A guy that he worked with, a guy he'd have to see in and out everyday…what if Flack decided it would be too weird and he stopped working cases with Danny? What would Danny's life be without Don Flack, Jr.
When Lindsay had finally left, Danny had fallen into bed with this question bouncing around in his always active mind. He'd slept fitfully, his dreams full of deserted black and white basketball courts, bars that were empty and dull, coffee shops without pie, work without the joy of discovery or the excitement of new technology. Dreams full of scenarios common in his life but devoid of Don. Those scenarios became bleak and dark and unbearable. Danny woke in a cold sweat 20 minutes before his alarm his head pounding with the knowledge that somehow Don Flack had become everything good and beautiful and happy in his life. That even if he could never have Flack as he wanted-in everyway that mattered, and scarily enough, forever-Danny had to keep his friendship. Without even that the rest of his life looked pretty dour.
In the shower and as he dressed and ate breakfast and left for work Danny wondered how this had happened. Danny had always been a player of the field, had always enjoyed dating and sex and everything in between. In college he hadn't limited his field to just women, he was a curious man after all, but even then it was more about the fun of the chase and the joys of good sex. When had he become this person that thought about the future and made plans? When had it become important that ONE person factor into his future so completely? As Danny rode the subway in he thought of the first time he'd seen Don Flack, Detective.
He'd swung by a crime scene Aiden was working on his way home, they'd had plans to hit up this small Italian place she'd found near her apartment later than night, and since her scene was on his way home he thought he'd finalize their plans in person rather than on the phone. She'd been up to her hips in trash in a back alley garbage dumpster and he'd had some fun with her. She'd glared and spat at him as she was wont to do, but she'd smiled too. She'd always had a smile for him, no matter what.
As he moved around the dumpster to stand on the crate she'd used to boost into it, he'd seen the tall dark detective. He'd frozen there, his hand at the corner of the dumpster, half of his body still behind it, one foot in the air, mid-step. He'd just looked so…in charge. So together and comfortable with who and what he was. At the time Danny hadn't even known his name, hadn't known anything about him, but what he looked like and he'd respected him automatically. After he took a closer look Danny was surprised when his blood began to heat and his slacks got a little tighter. The guy was practically a God; all long legs and long arms and big hands, with a thick head of wavy black hair and the brightest blue eyes Danny had ever seen. Danny had a sudden flash of those legs entwined with his, those arms wrapped around him, those big hands all over his body. Danny could see his fingers buried in that thick black hair, those bright blue eyes clouded over with lust for him.
He'd taken an involuntary step forward then, had almost gone to the tall detective. Aiden had noticed him not paying attention to her and had smacked him on the back of the head. Danny forced his head to face hers, but as soon as she looked away he stared back at the detective. As Danny watched him talk and bluster and crack a smile with his fellow officers, Danny's blood heated again and his breath just stopped. In that moment the man's whole face lit up and all Danny could think was so that's what a walking, talking sex-God looks like. It was the only explanation for his reaction to the man. He'd been attracted to men before, but not to this degree of incapacitation. Aiden called his name again and he focused back on his fellow CSI. Danny listened until she looked away again, but when he searched for the sex-God with the mop of dark hair he was nowhere to be seen.
As Danny left the subway and headed to the CSI building he remembered the day he'd finally seen Don Flack again. Mac had just assigned him a case with the new homicide detective and Danny left the locker room to meet the guy. He'd been in a great mood, he'd gotten a number the night before and he was pretty stoked about his new case-he had an idea about using some new technology he'd read about in a Forensic journal. He'd talked and laughed and flirted his way down the hallway but when he focused on the detective waiting there his heart stopped and his blood heated. It was the guy. Tall with dark wavy hair, blue eyes and all that lean length, just relaxed against the wall. His eyes were focused on something behind Danny, but it was the guy.
Hoping he hadn't noticed his little falter, Danny kicked up his attitude a notch, wanting to charm him. He'd stuck out his hand and flashed his best cocky smile and waited to hear the guy speak. When he'd clasped Danny's hand in greeting it was all Danny could do not to whimper. His hand was huge and warm and shot sparks down his spine. For just a second they simply stared at one another and Danny almost lost himself in those blue blue eyes.
Then he'd introduced himself and Danny finally knew what walking sex called itself. Don Flack, "call me Flack."
Danny let himself into the locker room and headed for his locker, hoping and dreading seeing Flack. He wished and didn't that the detective was on a different shift today. There was too much going on in Danny's head for him to face Flack, not after last night, not after his realization. He needed to be better prepared before he faced Flack and the possibility that all joy would leave his life. In the elevator Danny had realized that over the years since that first meeting, while he still thought of Flack as a sex-God, he'd fallen for the guy himself. He was thoughtful and selfless and loyal and strong. He fought the hard fight and never let anyone down if he could help it. The moment Danny knew, all those years ago, that Flack would have his back no matter what, that was the moment he'd been lost. Lost to the rest of the world, lost to a life with a woman and a picket fence and those 2.4 children he kept hearing about. He was lost to all but a dark haired NYC detective that would only ever see him as a friend.
Danny dropped his head on his locker door, the cool metal soothing him once again. It was alright. He hadn't even been sure he wanted that woman and that fence and those kids. He could live without them, would live well and happily without them, but it was just so…hard to realize that Don would never even consider Danny romantically because he was so damn straight. They'd only ever talked about women, Danny had only ever heard Flack talk of dating women, taking women home. Danny knew it was less rare these days for a man to be as curious as he was about the differences between men and women, but Flack had never even looked at a guy. Danny knew he'd been caught by Aiden checking out certain guys in clubs, but she'd never mentioned Flack doing it.
Crap. He hadn't ever thought he'd want to settle down with one person. But of course, because he was always such a fuck up, he had to want the one person who wouldn't want him. Double crap.
"Messer? You in here? We got evidence to sort through." Danny sighed at Lindsay's voice as it echoed through the locker room. Well, at least now he had something else to focus on. Danny stepped away from his locker and straightened his back. He may be in emotional turmoil, but that didn't mean he couldn't work.
"God you're bossy, Montana." She laughed and bumped his hip with hers as they headed to the trace room.
Flack sailed off the elevator and into the CSI labs practically whistling. He'd woken that morning enlightened. His cop brain had taken over for him while he slept and it had gone over everything he knew about Danny and everything that had happened in that bar last night and had come up with some interesting observations.
Like, Danny Messer was a pretty curious guy, about everything.
He was also careful of those he thought of as his friends. He didn't have many close friends so the ones he did consider to be close friends he fought hard not to jeopardize that.
He also did not get drunk on three pints of beer. They'd only hit Ireland, England, and had just finished Germany when the "incident" had occurred. Danny Messer could hold his own when it came to liquor, probably went back to his days running with his brother and the Tanglewood boys. While Flack could understand a straight Danny kissing a man after imbibing enough to be drunk, the man was again, a pretty curious guy, he had not been that drunk when he'd kissed Flack. He'd barely been tipsy. Which made Don wonder…was Messer as straight as everyone assumed? Granted he'd only talked about women: dating women, sleeping with women, but that didn't mean he didn't sometimes date men. It just meant he didn't talk about that side of himself at work. Considering the line of work he was in that wasn't too big a surprise.
So Danny wasn't drunk enough to jeopardize his close friendship with Flack last night, though based on his apology and obvious need for them to forget it had ever happened he thought he had jeopardized that friendship. Which meant that, regardless of his sexual preferences, Danny thought Flack was straight. Thought he was dangerously straight. Straight enough that a "drunken" kiss would endanger the friendship they had.
Since Danny would do anything to keep the close friends he had, it made perfect sense that he would apologize automatically and try to sweep what he considered a "dangerous mistake" under the rug.
Knowing all this, realizing all this, made Flack wonder what Danny would do if he found out Flack wasn't as straight as everyone seemed to think; it made Flack wonder what would happen if he was to mention that he had dated men before, had taken them to his bed before. The possible outcomes were enough to put a bit of cheer into a man's step.
Flack swung around a corner, searching the many labs for Danny and almost barreled over Stella.
"Whoa, there Flack, where's the fire?" She chuckled as his big hands caught her and set her back on her feet. She glanced at his face and had to take a deep breath in. He was practically glowing with good cheer. The guy was a happy guy, but usually in a calm, serene, sarcastic way. She didn't think she'd ever seen him…this cheerful.
"No fire, Stella. No fire. Just…a good mood." He smirked to himself and Stella's curiosity piqued.
"Mmm-hmm. A good mood. Right." He glanced at her face and smiled at her disbelief.
"I just woke up on the right side of the bed today, that's all. I'm sure it'll pass." Not wanting anyone to pick up on the reason for his good mood, unsure how Danny felt about people knowing who he might be-who he would be-sleeping with, Flack tried to get back to his normal dry sarcastic outlook.
"Alright, if you're sure, then I won't worry." He laughed like she meant him to and realized Stella wouldn't out him or anyone else for that matter.
"Have you seen Messer?" She gave him a look before pointing toward the trace lab.
"He should be in there doing trace. Something up?" She eyed him, but Flack wasn't a detective for nothing. He kept his light smile on his face and shook his head.
"Nope, he just forgot something at the bar we went to last night. No big deal." She nodded, already back into her case file. Flack turned the corner to head for the trace lab as Monroe moved out of the locker room, Danny following her.
"God you're bossy, Montana." Flack watched as she bumped her hip against Danny's and laughed up at him as they brushed against each other and flirted on their way to the trace lab. Suddenly his good mood evaporated and the green haze clouded his vision. He'd known there was something going on between the two of them, hell, Danny had said as much to him a few weeks ago. He'd just never seen them together, or didn't think he'd see them together after the kiss Danny had given him last night.
In fact, based on that kiss she shouldn't be touching any part of Danny Messer. Her hips shouldn't be anywhere near his and her hands shouldn't be brushing his shoulders and she should definitely not be standing that close to him. Flack surged forward, all thoughts of his plan to entice Danny to him thrown aside for the green rage now burning inside him. Danny was his now, his alone, and Flack had just discovered that he was not good at sharing.
Danny was laughing at something Lindsay said over his shoulder when the door to trace burst open and they both jumped. He turned to find a very large, very angry Flack standing in the doorway. Crap, not here. Not in front of everyone. Danny had been afraid Flack would be mad about last night, but he hoped the detective's own instinct for keeping his private life private would lead to this confrontation done away from work. Far away from work. Not in the damn labs.
"Morning, Flack. You scared me." Lindsay laughed, a hand at her throat. She turned in time to miss the fact that Flack's eyes never left Danny's.
"Uh, Lindsay? Could you run to the storeroom and grab some more beakers? The big ones?" Danny said to her, not daring to look away from the vibrating anger that was coming off of Flack. More than anything in this moment, he wanted no one to hear this particular fight.
Distracted by her own tests and findings she simply muttered an agreement and headed out the far door. Danny took a deep breath.
"Flack, I can explain-" Danny said as Flack gritted out, "Danny, how dare you-" They just looked at one another before Flack surged forward and braced a hand on either side of Danny, trapping him between Flack's body and the evidence table. For a second the heat from his body fuzzed Danny's mind and his hips swayed of their own accord closer to Flack. Just in time he was able to come back to himself and stop them from pressing against Flack's. That would not be good.
"You kissed me last night. You were not drunk. And yet, you're in here throwing yourself at Lindsay." Danny flinched at the way Flack spit out Lindsay's name like it was a bad word. He hadn't known Flack would be so mad on her behalf. It made Danny sad that Flack thought he'd continue to date Lindsay without even telling her that he'd made a mistake like kissing someone else. In fact, it made Danny kind of mad. Really mad. How could Flack, FLACK, who he thought knew him better than anyone, think he'd hurt a friend like that? He pushed Flack away and stalked across the room. If he could just stay away from the man's heat he could think.
"I did kiss you. I wasn't drunk. And who I throw myself at is none of your concern." He snapped at Flack. Flack moved toward him again, the anger bright in his face and Danny had a horrible thought that maybe Flack was mad for Lindsay because he wanted her for himself. Oh, God, no. Danny had to get back to angry, he couldn't fight if all he was feeling was his heart breaking again.
"It is my-" Gotta stop that…don't want to hear him pledge his love to Lindsay, can't hear that. Danny stepped into Flack this time, his anger back, protecting him from what he didn't want to hear, didn't want to know.
"It's NONE of your concern. Just as my reasons for what happened last night are none of your concern. Just as the fact that Lindsay and I broke up last night is none of your concern." Danny blinked, didn't mean to say that. Now he'll think she's available. "Anyway, don't you have a girlfriend?" He spat that out at Flack, hoping he hadn't noticed his stumble. And pissed that Flack did have a girlfriend and so obviously didn't come in here to ask for more kissing from Danny, just maybe Lindsay. No. Danny looked to Flack, morbidly curious as to what his reaction to Lindsay's new availability would be. Surprisingly Flack looked thoughtful, still a little mad, but now more pensive.
"I don't have a girlfriend." Danny froze, since when? Since last night? Since I kissed him? Danny's heartbeat picked up and he shifted a little closer to Flack. "And it's completely my concern why you kissed me and who you flirt with." There was that angry Flack again, but his words, his tone was different. A shot of hope lit Danny's heart. Was that a possessiveness in his tone? Directed at Danny and not Lindsay?
"What do ya-" The door behind Flack opened and Mac's voice carried into the room.
"Danny. I need you. Homicide in the park, take Lindsay." Flack had stepped closer to Danny before the door had opened and his hand had reached for Danny's but now it tightened to a fist and that anger was back on his face.
"No." Flack said, not thinking, just desperate to get Danny away from Lindsey. Desperate to decipher what had been on Danny's face just before the door opened. Desperate to get his hands on the shorter man. Just desperate to be alone with Danny again.
"What, Flack?" The tone in Mac's voice let Flack know he had forgotten his place and he turned, his cop face in place, his voice controlled.
"I wanted Danny," he heard Danny take in a quick breath and once again wished he could have deciphered that last look on his face before Mac had ruined everything. "I have a double, uptown." Mac paused, then shook his head.
"Sorry, Flack. I need him for this one. It's going to be mostly trace; take Hawkes and Lindsay." Danny watched as Flack's hand balled into that tight fist again at Lindsay's name and wanted Mac to have given him just another couple minutes. He had to know what had happened with Flack's girlfriend, had to know if Flack was possessive of him or of Lindsay.
Flack shook his head. "I don't need her." Danny could just barely make out the tone when Flack said "her" and wanted more than anything for Mac to just go away.
"Fine. Take Hawkes. Danny, go get Lindsay, meet me downstairs in five." Flack moved to say something but Mac hustled out of the room before Flack could get around his anger enough to get anything out. Suddenly Flack spun and backed Danny against the evidence table again. This time he kept his hands balled at his sides, unsure what he'd do with them if they got too close to Danny's body.
"Danny, if you so much as-" again, before Flack could finish, before Danny could get any clarity a door opened and someone interrupted.
"Messer, we gotta go. Mac's waiting." Lindsay was surprised to see the angry looks the two men sent her way, but assumed they were fighting over something stupid as boys do and didn't take it personally. When neither moved after focusing back on each other she huffed out a breath. "Danny. Let's go." Flack shot her a glare that could kill before cursing violently under his breath and storming from the room.
"What was all that? You two okay?" Danny glanced at her absently, then at the door Flack had just charged through. He moved past her and for his gear, sitting on his desk.
"It's nothing, we're, uh, fine. Just a misunderstanding." Lindsay shrugged, already moving on to the next part of her day.
"Did Mac tell you anything? I heard clowns and deer and a bazooka were involved."
Their morning encounter had driven Danny to distraction all day. After the second time Mac had yelled at him to focus he'd slowly counted to 30 and been able to keep it in the back of his head instead of the front. The long subway ride home after work and the fact that he hadn't seen Flack since their fight had brought the encounter forward again to take over his mind. He'd gone over and over and over it during the ride and up the steps of his apartment building and still couldn't really make sense of it. How would he be able to? There was no way he wanted to have that conversation at work, but would Flack ever agree to meet him alone again? Danny chuckled, doubtful. He sighed and fished his keys out of his jacket pocket. As he looked up to his door the sight that greeted him stumbled his heart in his chest.
Flack was leaning against the wall next to his door, still angry, still tightly wound, but there. It looked like Danny would get his conversation after all. Now all he could think was, too soon, it's too soon to loose him. He nodded to Flack as he fit his key into the door. Flack nodded back as the door handle turned and Danny felt the tall detective follow him into the apartment. Danny heard the door close and his heart picked up a beat or two when he heard the lock slide home.
He put down his messenger bag and turned to face Flack. God, he's gorgeous. Was his first thought, followed quickly by, could you be more pathetic, the man's about to destroy you. Danny watched as Flack paced toward him.
"If you and Monroe broke up why were you flirting with her?" The anger from this morning welled up in Danny and his stubbornness kicked in. He straightened his back and met Don's angry eyes.
"What Lindsay and I do is none of your-" Flack's eyes flashed and he gripped Danny's arms and shook him once. Twice.
"Why were you flirting with her?" Flack ground out and Danny was tired of this question, tired of Flack being so very angry at him. He shook off Flack's hands and moved away from the taller man.
"Because we're friends, and that's what we do. We always have and probably always will." Some of Flack's rage drained from his face, but Danny didn't care, he wanted answers to his own questions now. "Why did you break up with Devon? Why were you so angry this morning? No-if it has to do with you wanting Lindsay, don't answer that question." A laugh burst from Flack and Danny's back straightened in anger. No one likes to be laughed at.
"Monroe?!" Flack asked, like he was saying "the dirt under my shoe?" "Ha! Not fuckin' likely." Flack moved closer to Danny.
"Then why were you so angry this morning?" Flack paused, an arms length away from Danny and Danny wished he'd kept his mouth shut. It had seemed like Flack was going to touch him until he'd opened his big mouth. Damnit.
"Why did you kiss me?" Flack asked and Danny sighed. This is why Flack was a detective.
"Does it matter? I said I was sorry. That I didn't," Danny paused, his heart tired and broken, "mean it, that it wouldn't happen again. Isn't that enough? Don't you want to be friends? Or would you rather we not be friends over one little mistake?" Danny moved away from Flack, sure that if he moved forward it would be taken the wrong way.
"Danny." Flack's whisper of his first name froze him on the spot. Slowly he turned to face the taller man. His eyes were tired and there was sadness there. Involuntarily Danny stepped forward, his hand rising to comfort. He caught himself a few feet from Flack and just waited. "It matters to me." Flack took a deep breath and moved away from Danny and around the room. "It matters 'cause I broke up with Devon because you kissed me. It matters 'cause I was so very angry at Lindsay today because you kissed me. It matters 'cause I came over here so you could tell me you loved her and that it was a mistake that you kissed me." Flack was back and in front of Danny and his bright blue eyes were full of sorrow and pain and fear and his big hand was on Danny's cheek and his heat was making Danny dizzy. "It matters 'cause all I want is to kiss you again." Flack dipped his head and Danny lifted to his toes just a bit. "It matters 'cause I want to kiss you forever." And his head dropped, Flack's lips taking Danny's and every piece of Danny pressed against every piece of Flack. Flack's tongue traced the curve of Danny's lower lip, gloried in Danny's mouth when he opened for Flack. There was that taste that had haunted Flack since the night before, that clean, earthy, spine-tingling taste that was all Danny. Flack moaned deep and his hands tightened on Danny and Danny let out a low growl and suddenly his hands were everywhere. On Flack's shoulders, his arms, his chest, his waist, under his shirt. Flack shuddered at the feel of Danny's wide-palmed hands on his body and wanted more. More of Danny, more of Danny's hands, Danny's mouth, Danny's body.
This time it was Flack that growled, Flack's hands that streaked over as much of Danny as he could reach. Flack pressed him back and when they hit the kitchen counter Flack boosted Danny onto it before attacking the long pale line of Danny's neck with his lips and tongue. His hands flew to Danny's belt on their own as Danny's hands tore at Flack's suit coat, practically ripping it down his arms. As Flack hit the button and fly of Danny's jeans, Danny's hands were scraping off Flack's shirt and gripping the muscles of Flack's back and Flacks hands finally, finally found their way into Danny's boxers to grip the long hard length of him. Danny shuddered under Flack's mouth and his hands and just before he traced tongue and those kitty teeth across Flack's neck he moaned "Oh, Don" loud and long. And that was it for Flack, he couldn't be another minute without everything that was Danny pressed naked and hard against him.
"Danny, bedroom, please." Danny nodded and slipped off the counter and tried to head toward his room, dragging Flack by the hand. Flack didn't like the lack of Danny skin touching his own so he pulled back on Danny's hand and turned him so they could kiss as Flack walked him back to the bedroom. "Again, Danny, say it again." Danny moaned as Flack pushed his jeans down and wrapped his big warm hand around him again. Danny toed out of his jeans as he tried to remember how to walk.
"Don, Don, please." Flack laughed with pure joy and when Danny's legs bumped the bed he lifted his head from the skin of Danny's neck to meet those blue eyes. He shot Danny a wolfish grin and undid his own slacks before pushing them and his underwear to the floor. He waited for Danny's eyes to travel the length of him and gloried in the low purr of excitement that came from the shorter man when his eyes traveled the hard length of a certain part of him. When Danny's eyes met his again and Flack was sure he had the CSI's full attention he ran his hands from Danny's shoulders to his elbows.
"Anything you want, Danny. Anything and everything." With that he pushed Danny back on the bed and dove after him.
Danny was pretty sure he'd died somewhere on the train ride home and this was heaven. He was almost positive that was the only way he'd be squirming and rubbing and moaning under a sex-God. A certain dark haired and gorgeous sex-God who was at the moment doing something amazing to his nipples with that wicked tongue of his. If something had happened to make Don Flack crazy and willing to sleep with his male friend Danny, then Danny was going to make the most of this opportunity. Stealthily he wrapped his legs around Don's and wrapped his hands around his arms and quickly flipped the taller man so that he could be on top. Don let out a surprised bark of laughter before Danny turned it to a moan by pressing his hips into Don's and rubbing their hard lengths together. Danny watched in awe as pleasure lit Don's face and he threw his head back.
Smiling Danny licked his way from Don's neck, across a collar bone and down to a nipple, before gently nipping at the other one and traveling across Don's toned abs and around his belly button before following the path of fine dark hair until his chin bumped the head of Don's penis. He glanced up at Don and saw that those brilliant blue eyes had somehow darkened to an almost sapphire with his desire. Danny grinned his kitty grin and watched Don tense before he licked his way down Don then up the other side before taking all of him into his mouth in one quick motion. Don bucked beneath him, so Danny pressed down on his hips with his hands, and only sucked and worked Don all the more. He was having such a great time he started humming to himself and Flack let out a ragged moan.
"Danny, Danny. Stop. I can't-I'm too close-I want," Danny tried to ignore him, wanting so much for this to be great, for this once chance he had to be perfect. But as he continued Don grabbed him and flipped him over so his body was covered by the taller detective. Danny wriggled underneath him, so very happy to have that much Don skin against his own. "Bad Danny." Danny grinned up at Don, and wriggled again, wanting so badly for him to be buried deep inside him, but unsure what Don really wanted in the end.
Don dropped his forehead to Danny's not entirely sure his control would last him if this is how good Danny was at foreplay. He was sure his head had almost exploded there for a minute with Danny's extremely talented mouth working him. Don skimmed a hand down Danny's hip, tracing the lines and contours before following the soft skin around to the curve of one of his cheeks. He nibbled on Danny's mouth as his fingers slid along the inside of Danny's thigh and down to tickle his balls before dipping back, one finger sliding slow into his tight heat. Danny bucked up from the bed and moaned into Flack's mouth and his own cock twitched once hard.
"Danny I need to be inside you very," he slid a second finger into Danny, "very soon," Don stated, silently asking Danny, even as he scissored his fingers, loosening and stretching Danny so he wouldn't hurt him later. Danny's eyes locked with his, baby blue with bright blue, and he smiled as a hand reached to the bedside table for a condom and some lube.
"Don, if you're not inside me very," Danny flexed around Don's fingers, pulling a groan from both of them, "very soon, I'll kill you." He winked as he slid the condom on Don, then very slowly ran lube covered fingers up and down the length of him. Don dropped his forehead to Danny's and said a silent prayer of thanks.
Don gripped Danny's hands in his, their fingers twining as he pressed against Danny's tight opening. Slowly he rocked his hips pushing into Danny as they both groaned. When he was buried to the hilt he kissed Danny fiercely and pulled out quickly before pushing slowly back inside. He didn't want to hurt Danny, but it was hard to keep the slow rhythm when all he wanted was to pound his desire into Danny, to lose himself in the heat and pleasure and beauty of the man beneath him. Danny kissed him hard and lifted his hips to meet him halfway and it was almost too much for him.
"Danny, if you keep that up I won't be able to go slow." He moaned as Danny tightened around him. Flack met Danny's eyes and saw that they were almost blind with lust. His hips moved involuntarily at the knowledge that he'd done that to Danny just by being inside him and moving a little. He wanted so badly to push Danny over that edge just by fucking him, wanted to bring Danny without either of them needing to touch him.
"Don, please, don't go slow, I can't wait-I can't wait." Danny tightened around him again and kissed him deeply, pulling his body forward and effectively driving Flack deeper into him. That was it, the line, Flack couldn't hold back anymore, he gripped Danny's hands in his and pumped in and out of Danny, kissing his lips, his face, his neck, his chest, nibbling and biting at Danny's nipples even as he drove himself harder and harder into him. Soon enough Danny was moaning his name over and over and over again and his head was thrashing against the pillows and Flack couldn't wait anymore.
"Danny! Danny, open your eyes. Look at me while I bring you, while I come inside you." Danny's eyes flew open and that was it for Don. They were so huge and blue and full of desire for him and Danny was clenching around him and moaning his name louder and louder and Flack pumped with every ounce of himself rubbing and rubbing over that spot in Danny until all of Danny tensed and he came hard and screaming Don's name. Danny's muscle spasms brought him right after Danny, shooting fireworks behind his eyes and lighting his whole body on fire and when he'd finally spent himself he closed his eyes and sank against Danny's chest, suddenly and blissfully surrounded in Danny.
Danny was almost positive he was dead now. There was no way someone could experience that kind of mind-blowing orgasm and live to tell about it. He felt like every nerve ending was alive and they were all pulsing one word in time with his heart beat… Don, Don, Don, Don. Also sure that Don Flack wasn't feeling anywhere near the same thing Danny tried to pull himself away from such romantic crap. If anything this was a one-time thing, if it was more, then it was a short affair and Don Flack would remember he was God's gift to men and women everywhere and would leave for the next person. That's not depressing at all…Danny fought out from those thoughts and tried to focus on the fact that the sex-God was in his bed at the moment.
Enjoying the feeling of Flack's heated body pressing his into the mattress Danny frowned when Flack shifted to pull out of him. For a moment his heat was gone and Danny was sure that was it, he was leaving, but he heard something land in the trash can and Don pulled Danny to him, spooning his long body around Danny's, bringing his heat back. Danny sighed and, though he'd deny it to his dying day, he pressed back into Flack's embrace, happy and content to have the long arms wrapped so tightly around him.
They lay like that for a time, until Danny's stomach rumbled then Flack's rumbled and Flack chuckled, his laughter vibrating through Danny's naked back. "I guess you're hungry." Flack mumbled, his lips moving against Danny's ear, making Danny wiggle his body against Flack's. Danny noticed that Flack didn't seem to mind that, and wiggled once more.
"I guess you're hungry too." Before he could check if his wiggling had worked Flack was sitting up and glancing around the room for his clothes. Danny's eyes closed for a moment and he took in the last bit of this that he could. "And I guess I'll see you at work tomorrow." Danny moved to sit up and roll off the bed, but Flack's big hand grabbed his shoulder and pressed him back to the bed, one of Flack's legs thrown over Danny's to keep him there.
"Why would you guess that?" Flack asked, all seriousness. "Do you want me to leave?" His voice quieted and Danny thought of all that heat and lust and…Don leaving.
"No. No, I just thought you'd want to go. You're hungry and…I'm hungry." Danny finished lamely, unaccustomed to this streak of cowardice that was afflicting him around this big vibrant man.
"Can't we eat together? Here?" Danny looked around, then back at Flack.
"I guess so, but…why?" Flack smiled and kissed Danny hard and quick and fierce.
"Because, Danny, I want you again-I want you now, as a matter of fact-but I think we'll both pass out if we try that again without any food on board. Also, I'm pretty sure I'm going to want you again later so we need to get enough for seconds." Flack winked at Danny, absurdly pleased at the look of shock and pure delight on his face.
"Oh, then, yeah. We should probably order seconds." Flack laughed and thought about Danny's reaction to the idea of him leaving. Hope sprung in his chest. He wanted very much for this not to be a one-time thing, hoped that he'd been good enough that Danny would want him again and again and again. Maybe, just maybe, Danny had the same fears?
"Danny?" Danny's face closed down a bit at the question, but he nodded. "Do you think you'd want to do this again, say, tomorrow?" Danny flashed a smile and nodded. "The day after that?" Again Danny smiled quickly and nodded. "How about the day after that?" Nod. "And the week after that?" Danny smiled and this time it stayed. "And the month after that?" Danny's face was bright now and Flack was pretty sure they were on the same page, but he knew Danny would never say it first. He had serious trust issues. Flack shifted and cupped Danny's cheek, stared straight into his eyes, wanting Danny to understand.
"How about for forever, Danny?" Danny's face closed down a bit and he had to clear his throat before he answered.
"What?" Danny's eyes flicked back and forth between Flack's two bright ones and Flacksmiled what he hoped was a reassuring smile and willed Danny to see the truth in his eyes, to see his heart in his eyes.
"How about, I love you, Danny Messer and I want this, I want us, and I want "us" to be For Good." Flack watched as Danny searched his eyes and face, waited with baited breath for the reaction he wanted even as he dreaded the reaction he knew was just as likely. Danny was not a "forever" kind of guy. He didn't commit easily, and he shied away often. But this was important to Flack, important for them both. Flack could be the first to say it, as long as Danny said it back. Suddenly Flack was on his back, with Danny straddling him, pressing his long heat against Flack's, kissing him deeply and thoroughly.
"Yes. Don, yes. For Good sounds great." Danny said clearly, offering his eyes to Flack as he had to Danny, letting Flack see that he was being true. Flack waited for that last bit, but Danny stayed quiet.
"And?" Danny froze, so Flack pulled his face close so they were nose to nose. "It's all or nothing here Danny. Take the chance. Trust me. I've always got your back. Always." Flack whispered, willing, hoping, that Danny would know, would trust enough.
"I love you, Don Flack. Always and For Good." Flack smiled brightly and rolled them again, pressing Danny into the mattress, soaking himself in Danny skin and Danny smells, in Danny sounds and Danny Love.
"We can order food later." Flack mumbled at Danny's neck, his hands rushing over every bit of Danny's body they could find. Flack was sure he'd never get enough of Danny's skin.
"Later." Danny moaned out, "later sounds good." Flack smiled and went to work making Danny glad he signed up For Good.