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Danny closed the door to his apartment and took off his jacket with a sigh. Alex’s “Death Anniversary,” as his mother always called it, was rough on them all. He stepped further into the warm apartment and breathed in the scent of his favorite meal. Alex always knew how to lift Danny’s spirits after having to deal with his mother. Mi6 didn’t want anyone, especially government-related, to know he’d survived, so Danny had to keep up the charade.
They had learned how to cope. On Alex’s first birthday after his death, Danny had spent the day with Alex’s mother and then had come home to takeout and a back massage while they had watched, and made fun of, James Bond films.
On the first anniversary of Alex’s death, Danny had received an uncharacteristic angry phone call from the estate, but hadn’t taken it too seriously since he then proceeded to turn the phone off, turn over, and snuggle back into Alex’s warmth.
Not all anniversaries were a cause for grief, though. On the first anniversary of the day Alex was allowed to reveal himself to Danny - now that was a day they had minimally left the flat. It had been a day for making out, and pillow fights, and bashing of dramatic spy movies, and just general enjoyment of the fact that they were together and alive.
Danny remembered all these different anniversaries as he entered the kitchen and kissed Alex on the cheek. He took the offered wine glass and went about setting the table, even lighting a candle for good measure. The second anniversary of Alex’s death had hit his mother hard, but it was all evened out by the smile full of warmth that welcomed Danny back home at the end of the day, every day.