Work Text:
“You look tired Danno.” Steve’s deep voice pulled Danny out of his semiconscious state quickly and he shifted in the beach chair.
Danny looked up ready to wave the comment off but found his mouth go dry at the sincere look of concern on Steve’s face. It was rare that anything so raw, so delicately human, made it’s way to the surface and Danny felt compelled to take a moment to admire it. Steve either ignored Danny’s admiration or didn’t recognize it at all as he quickly filled the silence.
“Don’t try to deny it you haven’t made one jab about my driving or even tried to get the keys. What is going on Danny?” Steve looked like he was at the end of his rope trying to solve an unanswerable question, and Danny (for once) had all the answers.
Danny knew he could make it easy. He knew he could end the fragile game of cat and mouse that they had been playing since they met. Danny knew it had started when they had pulled their guns, solidified when Danny had punched Steve (and damn if that hadn’t felt like his life was finally headed in the right direction!), and when Steve had been there to just sit and listen when Matt had “gotten away” (hell the man had lied to the FBI for him!) that was when Danny knew he couldn’t deny it any longer…he was in love with Super SEAL Steve and he couldn’t say a damn thing to anyone. That was what hurt the most, watching Steve with other women (always women) smiling and laughing and touching in ways that Danny would die to be a part of. He knew he couldn’t though, Steve was a man who liked women and Danny was just lucky to be a part of his life because Monday to Friday Steve (for the most part) was his. And Danny would be damned if he lost this little piece of heaven, moments like this out on the beach with a beer, in the car driving and having a friendly argument…no, the risk was to great.
“I’m fine, Babe, drink your beer.” Danny smiled and locked the pain away, for just one more day he could fake the lie his life had become.