stagesoflove round one
title: Pay No Mind
with: Mac/Danny
rated: PG
herein: five wrongs - “Outside Man” post-ep
disclaim: me no own
note: Yes I’ve already done one like this, but I think this one’s better. Maybe.
When Mac finds him, Danny is hunched over a table in evidence.
Staring at photos of the scene.
Mac has steeled himself. He expects Danny to smile, to give the smile that makes something inside Mac leap.
But Danny doesn’t smile. Danny doesn’t seem to register Mac’s words at all.
After a decent breadth of silence, Mac decides to ignore the sadness in Danny’s words and face. Dwelling on it will get them nowhere, and he knows Danny will be able to shake it off. “C’mon,” he says. “Let me buy you a beer.” He means to celebrate.
Danny agrees, but once they’re outside he stops. “I don’t know Mac. I don’t feel like Sullivan’s.”
“We could go somewhere else. Have you eaten yet?” He doesn’t think, making the offer doubly uncharacteristic.
And Danny hasn’t, so they end up at a deli not far from the lab.
They don’t talk much. Mac wants to say something about being proud because that’s the one thing about Danny he can find the words for. Danny avoids the subject of work, and Mac can ignore this as well.
He waves Danny off when the bill comes.
Out on the sidewalk again, Danny thanks him.
Mac shakes his head. “You did good work today, Danny. You do good work.” There’s more to it than this, but Mac can contain it to this.
He can. But Danny stops and looks at him. The sadness is still there, but something else has crept in next to it. Mac wills himself to step away, to continue down the sidewalk because nothing extraordinary has happened to warrant standing here, staring at Danny.
Danny moves closer, touches his arm.
When Danny touches his arm, Mac closes his eyes and the world reels as if he had taken Danny drinking at Sullivan’s. He grabs Danny’s shoulder and snaps his eyes back open. His brain keeps up a steady stream of orders, telling him to move, to step back. He stops breathing instead.
Then Danny’s mouth touches his own.
Mac’s hand tightens on Danny’s shoulder, drawing them closer together.
The kiss deepens for a moment, then Danny moves away just a little. He smiles like Mac had expected him to back at the lab. Mac isn’t ready for it, and his throat tightens.
“Come home with me?” Danny’s words ghost against his cheek.
“Yes.” Only one syllable, but it slips from him too easily.
In the cab, Danny’s fingers touch the outside of Mac’s thigh, and Mac attempts to rationalize this. Danny knows. It’s too late. They might as well go for broke. Something shakes inside his chest. Mac takes a deep breath and wonders if this is how Danny feels all the time.
If the sadness is still there in Danny’s eyes it’s easier to ignore now.
……………
Thanks for reading; feedback always appreciated.
with: Mac/Danny
rated: PG
herein: five wrongs - “Outside Man” post-ep
disclaim: me no own
note: Yes I’ve already done one like this, but I think this one’s better. Maybe.
When Mac finds him, Danny is hunched over a table in evidence.
Staring at photos of the scene.
Mac has steeled himself. He expects Danny to smile, to give the smile that makes something inside Mac leap.
But Danny doesn’t smile. Danny doesn’t seem to register Mac’s words at all.
After a decent breadth of silence, Mac decides to ignore the sadness in Danny’s words and face. Dwelling on it will get them nowhere, and he knows Danny will be able to shake it off. “C’mon,” he says. “Let me buy you a beer.” He means to celebrate.
Danny agrees, but once they’re outside he stops. “I don’t know Mac. I don’t feel like Sullivan’s.”
“We could go somewhere else. Have you eaten yet?” He doesn’t think, making the offer doubly uncharacteristic.
And Danny hasn’t, so they end up at a deli not far from the lab.
They don’t talk much. Mac wants to say something about being proud because that’s the one thing about Danny he can find the words for. Danny avoids the subject of work, and Mac can ignore this as well.
He waves Danny off when the bill comes.
Out on the sidewalk again, Danny thanks him.
Mac shakes his head. “You did good work today, Danny. You do good work.” There’s more to it than this, but Mac can contain it to this.
He can. But Danny stops and looks at him. The sadness is still there, but something else has crept in next to it. Mac wills himself to step away, to continue down the sidewalk because nothing extraordinary has happened to warrant standing here, staring at Danny.
Danny moves closer, touches his arm.
When Danny touches his arm, Mac closes his eyes and the world reels as if he had taken Danny drinking at Sullivan’s. He grabs Danny’s shoulder and snaps his eyes back open. His brain keeps up a steady stream of orders, telling him to move, to step back. He stops breathing instead.
Then Danny’s mouth touches his own.
Mac’s hand tightens on Danny’s shoulder, drawing them closer together.
The kiss deepens for a moment, then Danny moves away just a little. He smiles like Mac had expected him to back at the lab. Mac isn’t ready for it, and his throat tightens.
“Come home with me?” Danny’s words ghost against his cheek.
“Yes.” Only one syllable, but it slips from him too easily.
In the cab, Danny’s fingers touch the outside of Mac’s thigh, and Mac attempts to rationalize this. Danny knows. It’s too late. They might as well go for broke. Something shakes inside his chest. Mac takes a deep breath and wonders if this is how Danny feels all the time.
If the sadness is still there in Danny’s eyes it’s easier to ignore now.
……………
Thanks for reading; feedback always appreciated.