Of Words Unspoken and Actions Done, for dictiongodess
Title: Of Words Unspoken and Actions Done
Author: clockstopper
Recipient: dictiongodess
Word Count: 15,031
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Second and third seasons re-done to fit this prompt: Martin and Danny have a relationship rather than Martin and Sam.
Warnings/Spoilers: Minor spoilers from Risen (2x16) all the way to Off The Tracks (3x21)
Disclaimer: I do not own Without a Trace or the boys. Some (and by some I mean like two or three lines) taken from Second Sight (3x19) and Off The Tracks (3x21)
He wakes up slowly.
He’s not really aware of his surroundings. All he knows is that he’s not home. He guesses he’s at Danny’s place. That’s the only other place he’d be at, especially this early in the morning, but he’s got that first morning disorientation that makes everything go hazy and unreal.
He knows that they went out the other night, just like every other night for the past few months. And he knows it had been far away because that’s been Danny’s MO for the past few months. It’s starting to irritate him. The secrecy… he’s just not good at it. People tell him he sucks at keeping secrets and he’s inclined to agree with them. He doesn’t like them.
But there’s nothing he can do about it. Danny wants to keep it secret and that’s how things have been going for the past few months. Martin tries. He brings it up every once in awhile just to keep it in Danny’s mind, but Danny just brushes it off like its no big deal.
And it’s really starting to irritate him.
He knows that he’s not out of the proverbial closet either and he’s always been a private person, but this is Danny. This is him and Danny and Martin thinks there isn’t anyone that if they were in his position, wouldn’t feel the same way.
Martin wants to shout it from the rooftops. He wants everyone to know that he and Danny are he and Danny and he doesn’t think it’s selfish of him to want that.
He thinks it just makes him human.
Martin hears Danny stir in his sleep. Danny moans a bit, stretching slightly as he does so. Martin can tell he’s starting to wake up, slowly and fighting it the whole way; Martin knows how Danny is in the morning.
“Too early.” Danny says petulantly.
Martin can just tell he’s glaring at his alarm clock even though it’s minutes from actually going off.
“Any later and we’re going to be late getting to work.”
“So.” Danny says, shifting until he’s closer to Martin.
“I don’t think Jack would take too kindly to both of us showing up late. He’s kind of a stickler for being on time.”
Danny groans again and turns around. His eyes are still closed, but he has a small smile on his face. He’s warm and soft and Martin can’t help but reaching out just a little bit. His fingers trail down Danny’s side, lightly grazing and Danny arches into it.
“You think Jack would object to us taking the day off?”
“Yes.”
Danny frowns.
“You didn’t even think about that one.”
“Because I don’t have to. Half the team gone… I don’t think that’s something Jack wants to face, especially if a case comes in.”
“It’s been pretty quiet lately. Who’s to say a case is going to come in?”
“Well we could call in, but I still don’t think Jack is going go let us take the day off. He’s tricky like that.”
“If we told him that we were sick…”
“Both of us sick? That could raise some questions.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Maybe we should just go in. Who knows? It could turn out to be an interesting day.”
Martin groans.
“You just had to say that. Now we’re definitely going to have a case and it’s going to be long and drawn out.”
“Anything’s better than sitting around twiddling our thumbs. It’s been boring lately.”
“Boring is good. There’s nothing wrong with boring.”
“There’s nothing wrong with staying home in bed.”
“Yeah and there’s nothing wrong with going to the Knicks game, but you seem to think that there is.”
He doesn’t mean to bring it up again, not since it ended in a frosty argument that had lasted for days. He just doesn’t see the problem with going to a Knicks game together on a weekday.
They’re not hurting anyone. They’re just having a relationship, dating if you can even call a handful of dinners at secluded restaurants and pizzas while watching games at Danny’s apartment dating.
He thinks they are. He isn’t seeing anyone else and he doesn’t really want to. And it’s not like no one at the office knows. Sam does- Martin can’t help that he’d been backed into a corner when she’d asked him to come home with her and it had just slipped out.
And he suspects that Viv knows because she’s just scary like that and knows everything that goes on in the office. He’s not sure what Danny’s trying to hide and he’s starting to get sick of it.
“I thought we’d already settled this.”
He doesn’t want to argue, especially this early in the morning. He knows when to pick his battles with Danny and when to leave it alone and this is one of those times where he should just leave it alone. He’s not going to get what he wants out of the deal.
“Yeah, yeah we did.”
*
He watches as Danny’s hands shake and he puts his own hands over them, willing them to stop.
“Martin.”
“It’s fine. You’re going to be fine. This whole situation is going to be fine.”
“Fine?” Danny asks.
“Yeah, okay, so maybe I overused the word fine there, but Danny… it’s not…”
“Martin… it’s my brother. I mean… he’s… I just.”
“You did the right thing, you know.”
He hadn’t really been paying attention at the time. All he had known was that Danny had been distracted throughout their case and Martin had tried to ask why, but it had always seemed like a bad time.
Martin had heard, like everyone else that had been part of the gossip mill, that Danny’s family had come, but Martin had been under the impression that Danny didn’t have any family. At least none in the city.
“I’m not so sure.”
“Everyone deserves a second chance right. He’s been in jail for nine years. Parole board says he’s cleaned up his act.”
“Yeah, because I convinced them that he has.”
“You were just a character witness. You know how these things work Danny. And family’s important.”
Martin wishes he didn’t sound so cliché, but it’s what he can offer. He’s been sitting here on Danny’s couch drinking sodas and half-listening to the game that’s playing in the background. Danny hadn’t explained much, short clipped sentences about how his brother had been a drug addict and had gone away because of it.
Martin doesn’t pretend to get that he knows what that feels like because he doesn’t, but he thinks just being there for Danny is enough.
“I don’t know if I can face him.”
“So you don’t. I mean at least not right away. Come on man I’m sure he knows you need some time to adjust to this.”
Danny sighs and shakes his head.
“I just… I know I made the right decision. I know this. I mean I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t think that it was the right thing to do. I’m just a little… freaked.”
Martin smiles even though he knows he probably shouldn’t.
“It’s understandable.”
“I’m just worried that he’s going to fall back onto his old ways. And I’m not even sure that I can… face him.” Danny finishes a bit lamely, but Martin can see that it’s hard for him to even articulate that much.
“You just need…”
“What if I can never face him? What if I can’t bring myself to ever look at him again? There’s a whole lot of history there that I’m not sure I can get over. And what kind of brother would I be if I can’t even face…”
Martin doesn’t know what possess him to do it. One minute he’s sitting there listening to Danny’s fears and the next he’s pressed up against Danny, lips mashing together and he’s pretty sure that he’s the one that started it.
But Danny doesn’t pull away. In fact he pulls Martin closer, tongue questing out and licking Martin’s bottom lip and Martin moans, mouth opening just a bit to let Danny’s tongue inside. Danny’s fingers press into his arms a bit more and Martin’s fingers twist Danny’s suit jacket, pulling him closer until Danny’s toppling onto him and pushing him down onto Danny’s couch.
He feels Danny’s fingers unbutton his shirt, pulling it out of his pants until those fingers are touching Martin’s skin and Martin arches up into the touch. Danny grinds down against him and moans into Martin’s mouth. Martin’s leg moves up, bending at the knee and Martin wishes they were less clothed or, at the very least, not on Danny’s couch.
Danny pulls away from his mouth, lips still sucking on Martin’s or placing kisses on Martin’s jaw and neck.
“We doing this?” Danny says throatily into Martin’s ear.
Even as he says it, Danny’s hands go to his pants, hands hurriedly unbuttoning and Martin lets out a surprised sound when he feels Danny’s hand on his cock, hot and needy and it’s just way too much and not enough at the same time.
It feels so good, desperate and just a little bit dirty and right, Danny’s hand stroking him, hard and just right and he can’t even manage to pull Martin’s pants down because he wants it that much.
And so does Martin.
“Yeah, yeah we’re doing this.”
*
After a quick shower in which Martin doesn’t think about Danny and their issues and just focuses on how warm and good the water feels on his skin, Martin puts on a suit that’s in Danny’s closet and doesn’t think about how weird it is that he’s got some of his suits in Danny’s closet, but Danny can’t even admit that they’re a couple to other people.
Strangers on the street, yes, but people they know and, by default because it’s really hard to meet people and have friends outside of work when you work as much as they do, people in the office are a big no-no.
He doesn’t want to think about it though. He’s told himself that he’ll do this until he can’t possibly do it anymore, till it weighs on him too heavily that they get into some spectacularly huge argument that ends with them barely able to look at each other, let alone talk like normal people.
It’s a plan. Not a good plan, but a plan nonetheless and it’s about the only option he has at this point because Danny’s taken away all his other options.
Martin’s not good at secret relationships mainly because he’s never had any. He’s surprised that he’s willing to put up with this, but its Danny and for some reason that’s all his brain needs before it tells him to shut up and just go with it.
When Martin walks out of the bedroom, Danny’s got a hot mug of coffee ready for him and a strained smile on his face. Like he’s afraid their argument isn’t quite over yet and he’s mentally preparing himself for a smack down.
Martin just takes the mug and smiles at him.
“So… Chinese or Mexican tonight. I think I’m in the mood for something spicy.”
He enjoys the confused look on Danny’s face for just a second before Danny smiles and shakes his head.
“Totally up to you Fitzie.”
“Why thank you, but considering how picky you are about you’re food, I think it’s better to consult you before I make any decisions.”
“I’m not picky. Just compared to you, Mister Eat Everything in Sight, I seem picky.”
Martin smiles and goes to sit at the breakfast bar. He sees his cell phone on the table and notices that he’s got a few missed messages. He takes another drink from his mug before picking up his phone.
“Yeah, whatever you have to tell yourself, Taylor.” Martin says as he presses the call button on his phone to get to his voice mail.
He skips the first two, they’re both from his mother and he doesn’t really want to hear whatever she has to say this early in the morning.
The last one his from his cousin Allison. She sounds a bit nervous and Martin remembers why. There’s an opened wedding invitation on his kitchen counter top mixed in with various coupons and take out menus that he’s yet to RSVP for and it’s like a month away from the big day.
“Look, Marty, I know you’re busy and all, but a simple yes or no would be nice. And if you’re thinking about bring a guest… that’d be fine you know. No one’s going to say anything if you do. I can’t guarantee the same can be said if you don’t. It is a wedding after all. Just call me, okay. Anytime you’re not busy.”
The message ends and Martin closes his phone, teeth biting at his lower lip and he looks down into his coffee mug, frown on his face.
“Who was it?” Danny asked, voice concerned sounding and Martin shakes his head.
“It was my cousin.”
He looks up to see Danny looking worried and Martin shakes his head again.
“No, it’s good news this time around.”
“Oh, good.”
“Yeah. She’s getting married”
“Oh, that’s great.” Danny says, smile on his face.
“Yeah.” Martin says smiling back.
“She wants me to bring a guest.”
“Are you going to?”
“I don’t know, am I?”
Danny frowns.
“Martin.”
“Oh come on, Danny. This isn’t the same as a Knicks game. This is just you and me at a wedding.”
“Yeah, with your family. That’s… that’s a big deal. Your dad…”
“If I’m not afraid to take you, then why are you afraid to go?”
He’s not afraid. He knows he probably should be. Victor Fitzgerald isn’t going to take it very well that his only son is in a relationship with another man especially another agent. Martin doesn’t think he’d do anything drastic like transfer Danny to California or something, but Martin understands that it’s a risk for Danny.
“Look I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Martin takes a deep breath and gets ready to say something when his cell phone rings.
“Fitzgerald.” Martin answers.
“Martin, its Jack. Look, a case just came in and I need you to get here as soon as you can.”
Martin hears Jack rattle off the address and he writes it down, eyes never leaving Danny for a second and Danny fidgets under his stare.
“Okay, got it Jack. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Martin hangs up his phone and opens his mouth to say something when Danny’s phone starts to ring.
“It’s probably Jack.” Martin says.
Danny bites his lip.
“Yeah, it probably is.”
*
“You like him.”
“What?” Martin says.
He sees Allison looking at him, smirk on her face and she looks pretty proud of herself.
“You like him. The guy you’re working with.”
Martin sighs and wrings his hands together.
It’s been one hell of a day, getting longer by the fact that he’s talked to everyone and he still doesn’t have any idea where his aunt is.
He’s lucky enough to have gotten the time off from work with Jack’s blessing and even the offer for extra help. Martin had declined at first, but after awhile the case had started getting too big for him to handle by himself so he’d asked for Danny.
“What are you talking about?”
“Danny. You like him. I see the way you look at him.”
“Now isn’t the time…”
“I see the way he looks at you too. If that helps. Why haven’t you said anything?”
“What makes you think I haven’t?”
Her eyes widen in shock and she slaps Martin on the arm.
“You’re dating him.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call it dating.”
“Okay, Marty, that was more than I wanted to know about your personal life, but… seriously? I mean he seems like a really great guy and he makes you smile, but… you work together.”
“You weren’t so concerned about us working together a few seconds ago.”
“That was before I knew the two of you were dating or… doing whatever it is that you‘re doing.”
Martin sighs.
“I’m not even sure it means anything.”
“That makes it worse. You’re willing to risk your working relationship for something that might not mean anything.”
“Okay so it means something. Jeez, what do you want me to say Allison. I’m not exactly thinking clearly about the whole thing.”
“Well that’s obvious.” She grumbles.
He smiles at her and takes her hand in his own, squeezing softly and she returns his smile.
“I’m glad that you’re worried about me.” Martin says.
“Of course I’m worried about you. Martin… you’re like a brother to me.”
“And you’re like a sister to me. And it’s important that you care that much.”
“Of course, Marty.” She says squeezing his hand back.
“It’s kind of hard to explain me and Danny, but I am happy. Just so you know. I’m not sure where this thing between us is going, but I’m willing to find out. I just want you to know that so you don’t worry about me.”
She shakes her head.
“I’m always going to worry about you just like I know you’re always going to worry about me.”
He can’t say anything about that. He’s known her since she was born. He’d been around filling in that big brother spot for both her and Jamie since they were little and he sees them as closer to him than anyone else in his family, even his parents.
“True. But Danny’s a good guy.”
“Yeah, I know. He’s helping you with mom. I mean obviously I don’t know him like you know him. You’re the better judge of his character here. Just… try not to get hurt or anything.”
Martin smiles.
“I’ll try.”
*
“I don’t have my car.” Martin says after Danny hangs up the phone.
“Right.”
“We can drive to the office. It’s on the way.”
Which is how Martin finds himself in Danny’s car, quiet and the tension is so thick Martin thinks he’s going to suffocate on it.
He’s tried to get Danny talking, just to say anything because the quiet is starting to drive him insane, but Danny’s acting like he’s too focused on the road to talk and that just pisses Martin off even more than he’s already pissed off.
“If you don’t want to go, it’s fine.” Martin says finally before Danny can cut him off.
He sees Danny frown, but he doesn’t say anything, eyes glued to the road in front of him and he turns into the garage Federal building and parks next to Martin’s car. He turns off the ignition and sits there for several moments before he turns to Martin.
“I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“You said that before.”
Danny lets out a frustrated noise and slides his hands over his face, hands rubbing at his eyes a bit before the go to his hair and he lets out a sigh.
“I know, but it’s still the truth.”
“It’s fine Danny. I already said its fine. You don’t want to go. I get it. You don’t have to go. I’ll just tell my cousin that I’m going alone.”
“Martin.”
Martin opens his door because he can’t sit here anymore. He’s letting Danny get away with this and he’s just trying to be understanding, but it hurts to be this understanding. He thinks it’s a bit pathetic, but he can’t help it.
He feels Danny grab at his arm and he turns.
“Danny.”
“Martin.”
There’s something in Danny’s eyes, that same lost and hopeful look that always makes Martin want to make everything better for him. Martin doesn’t see it often, Danny doesn’t let that happen, but he’s seen it enough time to know what it means, to know that it means something.
He knows Danny cares about him, he can just feel it when Danny looks at him sometimes and Martin guesses that’s what keeps him coming back for more.
“Its okay, Danny.” Martin says and he feels Danny’s fingers caressing his arm.
“It’s fine.”
*
He feels numb.
They’d found her, they’d found his Aunt Bonnie and he knows he should be feeling really good right about now because she’s safe. They know where she is and she hadn’t killed herself and she’s alive and that should be what’s important.
But it’s not because she’s going to die. The doctor’s give her a little less than a month and they can’t even do anything for her. They’ve tried everything and now they’re all out of options.
He’s not sure how to feel.
It doesn’t feel right to mourn her, not yet because she’s not dead yet. They get a month, but it doesn’t feel like enough time.
“My parent’s died when I was a kid.”
Martin looks over to see Danny sitting next to him and he wonders when Danny sat down and how long he’s been sitting there, waiting for Martin to say something.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I was eleven. It was a car accident. I was in the car with them. I don’t… I don’t remember what happened. One minute I was in the car with them and they were arguing and I just wanted them to stop and the next… the next I was waking up in the hospital room and Rafi was standing over me crying.”
It takes a lot out of Danny to even say the words, Martin can see it on his face and Danny’s holding onto his hand like it’s a lifeline or something and Martin never wants to let go.
“I know what it’s like to loose people you love. I know that it… it hurts so bad and you never think you’re going to get over it. You think you’re never going to get rid of that big hole in yourself. And for a long time you won’t. It’ll always sting, but the pain… it’ll fade.
“You get some time though. You get sometime to say goodbye and that’s a lot more than most people get. It doesn’t make it better, but at least you get it. And I know you’re not going to waste it.”
Martin smiles at him. He leans in and he’s surprised that Danny lets him. He’s surprised that he’s kissing Danny and Danny isn’t objecting or pulling away and he must look like he needs this or something because Danny’s been really cautious about the public displays of affection.
He feels Danny pull him close, feels Danny’s hands on his arms and when Danny pulls away, he leans his forehead against Martin’s and sighs.
“Let me take you home.” Danny says.
Home is so far away in the city and the drive would take a few hours and Martin’s not ready to leave just in case something happens.
“I don’t want to go home.” Martin says.
“Then let’s get a hotel room.”
Martin smiles.
“You don’t have to say. I’m sure you have to work tomorrow. It’s a long way back to the city. If you stay here then it’s going to take you forever to get back.”
“Yeah, but you are in no condition to be by yourself.”
“I’m not going to do anything drastic.” Martin says.
“I know you’re not going to do anything drastic. I know you’re smart enough to not do anything drastic. But… I just don’t want to leave you alone.”
Danny leans in and kisses him, soft and quick like it hadn’t even happened and Martin just wants to cuddle close and forget the world for a little while.
“Okay.”
*
“You okay?” Jack asks.
“Hmm… yeah, I’m fine.” Martin says.
Jack doesn’t look like he believes him, but there’s not much he can do about it.
“Danny’s interviewing the mom of the victim and Samantha’s with a sketch artist right now giving an ID of the guy.”
“She saw him?”
“She saw the whole thing go down while she was out for a jog. Did you get anything from the witnesses?”
“No, just the same story over and over again. People saw the suspect and the kid arguing and thought it was a father son thing until the mom started screaming. No one was able to give me anything other than the guy was average.” Martin says.
“Figures.”
“But if Sam saw everything, then I’m sure we’ll get a pretty good sketch of the guy. She is trained to remember these things.” Martin says.
Jack nods.
“Right, guess we lucked out on this one.”
“Yeah I guess.” Martin says a bit distractedly.
He can see Danny getting out of the SUV face a bit guarded and he watches as Danny starts talking to one of the officers on the scene like he can’t tell that Martin’s staring at him.
“Are you sure everything’s alright?” Jack asks.
“Yeah, fine.” Martin says looking Jack straight in the face.
“Because you seem a little distracted.”
“I’m fine. I just… not enough coffee to start the day you know.” Martin says jokingly.
Jack looks like he’s going to press the issue. He opens his mouth, but then closes it like he thinks it’s probably a bad idea to bring it up.
“Okay. If you say so.”
*
He thrusts in slowly and Danny gasps.
Danny’s legs wrap around his waist and his hands slide across his sides and he moans and thrusts again.
“We don’t get to do this enough.” Martin whispers into Danny’s ear.
Danny lets out a breathy laugh and he turns his head. His lips graze the skin on Martin’s neck and Martin groans.
“Yeah, but work.”
“Yeah, work. Life would be so much easier if we didn’t have to work.” Martin says.
Danny laughs again and Martin turns his head and captures Danny’s lips with his own.
They’ve been doing this for two months now and it never gets old. In fact it gets better with time and Martin knows just where to touch Danny, where to lick and suck and kiss to make Danny a quivering mess and he loves every second of it.
They have to steal time away because of work and that would annoy Martin more if they didn’t have the same job. He gets what his ex-girlfriends meant about weird hours and he’s glad he doesn’t have to worry about it explaining it to Danny. Danny gets it because he works the same crazy hours.
He’s not thinking about any of that right now though. He’s thinking about Danny, hot and tight around him and he definitely can’t get enough of this, not even on the nights when they have nothing to do and they have hours to do this.
It’s almost like he craves it, touching Danny, kissing Danny, being near Danny and he doesn’t think he’s going to stop any time soon.
“Oh god… Martin.”
Danny’s hand goes down to his cock, jerky strokes and Martin knows that Danny’s close, can feel it in the way he shivers and the tone of his voice, hoarse and breathy. Martin’s hand moves down to join Danny, sure smooth strokes and Danny makes a mewling noise.
And that’s when Martin’s phone rings.
“Shit.”
“Don’t answer it.”
“It could be Jack.”
“We’re having sex.” Danny says like Martin doesn’t already know that.
“He’s just going to call over and over again.”
“So answer it after we’re done having sex.”
“Damn.” Martin says, hand on Danny’s cock moving faster and Danny lets out choked off yells.
“Now’s not the time to… oh god…”
Martin thinks this is all a little bit weird, having sex to the sound of his phone going off and Danny coming all over their hands and Martin feels like he’s about to come too.
“So… the phone’s ringing again.” Danny says, grin on his face and Martin laughs.
“You’re just saying that to get me off of you.”
*
He drives Sam back to the office.
It only seems fair. Jack’s sent Danny off already and why get a cab when they’re going the same place. He agrees because he needs to stop thinking about Danny, even if it’s only for a little while.
“So this looks like it’s going to be one of the easier ones.” Martin says.
Sam arches an eyebrow and looks at him like he’s crazy.
“I’m just saying. We already know what the suspect looks like. It’s just a matter of running him through the database. That’s more than we usually have to go on.”
“Yeah, but we have to find out who he is and track down where they’re going. It’s like predicting the future.” Sam says.
She flips the passenger mirror down and starts applying lip gloss.
“I didn’t say it was going to be easy. I just said it was going to be one of the easier ones.” Martin says.
She turns to him when she’s done and smiles.
“Which are still pretty damn hard.”
“Yeah, well, if they were all really simple, I don’t think they’d have so much training for us to do our jobs.”
She nods.
“You and Danny are fighting.”
She says it in a matter of fact tone, like it’s something very obvious and Martin’s surprised for a moment that she just said it like that, no other evidence or factors taken in to account other than how he’s been acting. He thinks that they obviously aren’t very good at hiding if Sam can tell that they’re fighting or maybe Sam’s just very good at being a detective.
“It’s nothing.”
“Same old argument then.” She says like they’ve had this conversation before.
They have, but Martin doesn’t think that’s the point.
“Yeah, but its fine.”
“Is it really?”
“Look I know you’re concerned and it’s nice that you’re trying to be a good friend here, really it is. I don’t… I don’t have many friends here, but you know that. This thing with me and Danny… it’s nice to talk to someone about it because it’s confusing and good, but we have a case right now.”
“I know. I’m just wondering if you’re committed to it or if you’re busy thinking about your domestic problems.”
“I’m not thinking about my domestic problems. I promise.”
She looks like she doesn’t believe him for one second and it’s Jack all over again. He doesn’t think he’s letting his irritation with Danny get the best of him, but clearly other people seem to think differently.
“What I am thinking about is this case.”
She smiles.
“It’s not wrong to want to be like all the other couples in the world.”
Martin looks over at her and he wonders, not for the first time, how she does that.
“Yeah, well, tell that to Danny.”
*
She looks at him, hopeful stare in her eyes and he thinks that maybe a few months ago, maybe if she had said yes to that drink after all, that this would be the invitation of a lifetime. But it has been months and he thinks about all the struggles he’s had to go through to keep this thing with Danny afloat.
He’s not willing to risk that for a night with Sam, no matter how beautiful she is or how easy it could be.
“Sorry. I’m not going home. Just thought I’d get some air.” He tells her.
Her face falls just a little bit and Martin gives himself a minute to mourn the fact that he could be with her. That he could take her in his arms and take her to things where his family will be at and they might actually like her even though she’s an FBI agent.
He mourns that loss of easiness, but he promised Danny, no matter how hard and complicated and maybe not with actual words, but he promised Danny that they’d sort through this together even if it meant secrecy.
So he mourns it and he lets it go.
“You sure?” She says, head tilted just lightly to the side.
She knows exactly what she’s offering and she’s not putting up any pretenses about it and Martin has to admire that about her.
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
“Not the right time?”
“Something like that.”
“I’m too late then.”
He’s amazed at how good she is at this. He wonders how someone like Sam could be so bad at relationships that she’s used to the whole rejected thing. She’s smart and funny and pretty and Martin just doesn’t understand how she keeps getting into these dead end relationships.
“It’s Danny, isn’t it?”
“What?”
She sighs and moves a piece of her hair out of her face.
“I saw the two of you. On the balcony at the office that time that your aunt went missing. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but…”
“Samantha… you… you can’t say anything.”
She looks a bit confused, mouth hanging up just a bit before she frowns, brow furrowing a bit.
“It’s Danny’s thing.”
“He wants to keep it secret?”
“Yeah.”
The question is poised on her tongue and Martin knows she wants to ask why. He wonders why himself.
But she doesn’t. She just smiles a bit sadly before she opens the door to the cab that’s stopped in front of her. She turns to the cab and goes to get it, but then turns around to face himself once again.
“I hope this makes you happy, Martin. You both deserve it.”
She doesn’t wait for him to say something back before she gets into the cab and takes off.
*
Martin can feel the adrenaline rushing through his body, blood rushing through his ears giving everything that far away sounding quality and he’s not even really listening to the paramedics who are ushering him out of the way to take care of Brian Stone.
He’s got blood on his fingers, warm and sticky and he thinks this suit might be a lost cause. Danny’s always telling him it’s an ugly one anyway.
He looks up and sees Danny standing a few feet away, eyes wide and he looks scared and shocked and worried and its seconds before he’s running over to where Martin’s standing, hands roaming over Martin’s body like he’s searching for wounds or something.
“You’re not hurt.” Danny says.
“No. The guy tried to shot himself. He was going on and on about how he just wanted to be with his son. Man, he was really messed…”
He trails off when he feels Danny grab his arm and he looks up to see Danny’s concern vanish and be replaced with anger.
“Are you stupid? Do you have death wish I’m not aware of?”
Danny’s grip on his arm tightens, eyes a little wider than usual and Martin struggles to get away, but Danny holds strong.
“Answer me.”
“Quit yelling at me.”
“Of all the stupid things you’ve done…”
“So saving a kid’s life is stupid now.’
Danny shakes his head, eyes closing briefly and his lips purse.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“That’s what it sounded like.”
“I just…”
He feels Danny’s hand on his chest, warm and solid, fingers trailing up and down Martin’s tie and it’s the first time he realizes just how close they’re standing, inches apart really and it’s not like that’s something new. He and Danny stand close to each other all the time, but this is decidedly different. There’s something in the body language, something in Danny’s tone that makes it different.
If Martin thought he could, he’d trail his hand up to Danny’s face, cup Danny’s cheek and pull him close, damn the SWAT team and the other agents and the news choppers. But Danny’s set pretty clear boundaries and Martin’s been trying his hardest to keep them clear despite how he feels about it.
Except, Danny’s breaking them right now with the way he’s standing and holding and the way he’s just looking at Martin like Martin could have died and he’s still in shock over it.
“Hey.” Martin says softly.
But Danny’s not paying attention to him, not really anyway and his hands are all over Martin’s chest, touching feathery soft and Martin can’t help it if he leans in just a little bit.
“You shouldn’t do that. You could get yourself shot.” Danny whispers, soft and a little broken sounding.
“Someone needed to do it.”
“Someone could have been the SWAT team. It is there job.”
“Nothing happened.”
“Now.”
“I was just doing my…”
But Danny cuts him off, pulls him close and before he knows it they’re kissing, hard and messier than he’s ever remembered a kiss between him and Danny being and he’d spare a moment to think about how utterly cliché this whole scenario is if he hadn’t been so busy having Danny’s tongue in his mouth in front of everybody.
“Just… don’t do it, okay.” Danny whispers against his lips when he pulls away.
“Okay.” Martin mumbles a bit dumbly.
“Okay.” Danny says.
And then he’s gone, dark, unreadable look on his face and Martin’s left to stand there in confusion.
*
“So.”
Martin looks up from his laptop to see Danny standing in front him across the coffee table.
“So?” Martin prods.
“I think we should go out.”
“Go out?”
“Yeah, like… to a restaurant.”
Martin frowns.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I made reservations.”
Danny smiles, wide and happy and Martin notices that he’s wearing a suit, casual, but still kind of dressed up and Martin takes in his own appearance, loose, comfortable jeans and a shirt.
“Right now?”
“Well, in a few minutes. Like thirty.”
“You could have told me before I changed.”
“Why?”
“So I wouldn’t have changed.”
Danny shakes his head and Martin frowns.
“You’re not wearing the suit you wore to work.”
“You are.”
“Yeah, but I’m stylish.” Danny says, smirk on his face.
Martin cocks an eyebrow at him and bites his lip.
“So what am I going to wear?”
“Well, I went through your closet and, though it was hard, I found a suit that goes pretty good with mine and it’s not hideous.”
“My suits aren’t hideous.” Martin says dryly.
Danny shakes his head and lets out a sigh. He walks over to where Martin’s sitting on the couch and flops down next to him. Martin frowns.
“Watch out.”
“Your laptop’s fine. Anyway, you want to go out with me right?”
“I never said I didn’t want to.”
“So you’ll put on the suit?”
Martin sighs.
“Which one?”
“I was hoping you’d ask that. I laid it out on your bed with a suitable shirt.”
“Danny I can pick out my own clothes.”
“I know, but I picked them out. Trust me. I’m not putting you in a clown suit or anything. Just you black suit with your white shirt.”
“No tie?”
“The restaurant doesn’t require you to wear one and since most of your ties are hideous…”
“Again with the ties.”
“Martin, they’re hideous. I’ve told you this time and time again and still you won’t believe me. Besides, black suit and a white shirt is classic.”
“It reminds me of Jack.”
Danny pulls a face and Martin has to laugh at that. He hadn’t meant for Danny to get freaked out about it, but it’s the truth. Jack wears nothing but black suits and white shirts.
“Hmmm… maybe your blue suit would work better. But then you’d have to wear a tie because a blue suit without a tie… not gonna work.”
“I could just wear what I was wearing earlier. That way I don’t have to get anything dirty.”
“No, you can just wear your blue suit tomorrow. With the white shirt and your red tie. The one that doesn’t have the pattern.”
Martin shakes his head. He’d been looking to a quiet night at home. Just him and Danny sitting on the couch watching television and maybe sex, but it isn’t necessary. At least Martin hopes it’s not necessary.
“Do I really have to?”
“No, you don’t have to.” Danny says.
But there’s something in the tone that makes Martin wonder if it is okay that they don’t go. He thinks Danny’s trying to make a point here. That they aren’t all about sex and Martin thinks that he’s the one who’d been complaining that it had been.
“Yeah, okay. We’ll go out; I’ll wear whatever suit you want me to.”
Danny smiles and Martin tries not get that warm feeling inside his stomach.
“Great. We’re going to have a great time.”
“I’m sure we will.”
*
Martin tries to get to Danny sooner than he does, but with the whole stand off situation, things get a little hectic at the crime scene and Danny slips by him without Martin even noticing.
Which sucks because it leaves Martin alone to deal with the curious SWAT and FBI agents; some looking at him like he’s the luckiest bastard to walk the planet and not bothering to hide their contempt for that fact and some looking at him with just plain contempt.
He’s glad to get back to the office, if only to have a reprieve from the questioning eyes and he just doesn’t care that it means mountains of paperwork.
He doesn’t count on Jack though.
“Martin, a word.”
Martin feels like he’s eight years old again, fidgeting in his seat because he’d been called into the principal’s office for getting involved in a fight between a bully and one of his friends. Jack’s stare certainly doesn’t ease the nervousness he’s feeling.
“Anything interesting go on at the scene?”
“Other than the fact that it turned into a standoff?”
“I was thinking about the fact that you and Danny decided that it was the perfect time to start making out in front of a dozen different agents.”
Martin really wishes the Earth would open up and swallow him whole.
“You heard about that.” Martin mutters.
“Yeah, I heard about that. I already talked to Danny about it.”
“How’d he take it?”
He’s pissed, very pissed at Danny and he thinks he’s got every right to be, but it’s still Danny and there are still feelings there despite the fact that Danny is an ass.
“How’d he take it? Well, he was embarrassed for one.”
Martin can picture it clear in his head. Danny wide-eyed and terrified and he doesn’t get how Danny can be so confident and charming about everything else, but this he gets tight lipped about. It just doesn’t gel in Martin’s head and thinking about it too hard makes him feel dizzy.
“But he said it would never happen again. Which I’m going to assume it won’t.”
“No, of course not.” Martin says quickly.
Jack gives him a look he can’t entirely read, but Martin thinks it means ‘yeah right’ which just confuses him even more.
“Look, I can’t keep you from being together even if I wanted too.”
“You don’t want to?”
“No, why would I.”
“But the team…”
“Will be fine. I mean you guys must have been doing this behind my back for awhile now and it hasn’t affected anything until this point. But I would expect that you could be a little more professional in the future.”
Martin frowns. It’s not that he thought Jack was going to be an asshole about the whole thing. On the contrary, he’d thought Jack would be totally fine with them if it didn’t affect their work. But it’s still weird that he’s okay with this.
“So… no objections.”
“Other than the fact that you need to keep it out of the office… no. Did you think I was going to?” Jack asks.
He looks just the slightest bit offended that Martin would think that and Martin can’t blame him. Jack’s pretty open-minded about a lot of things.
“No, I just… I wasn’t sure.”
“Well now you are. Just… try and keep this from meaning anything bad in the office. And don’t be surprised if some people aren’t as… understanding as I am.”
Martin nods.
“Good, I’m glad we’re understanding one another.”
“Yeah… understanding.”
*
“So I was thinking that maybe we can go somewhere for the three day weekend.”
“How do you know we’re going to even get the three days off?” Danny asks.
Martin shrugs.
“They have to give it to us. It’s a federal holiday. It’d kind of go against the whole thought behind it. I mean… it’s Labor Day. It’s a day of rest for everyone from work. It’d be kind of hypocritical if they made us work.” Martin says.
They’ve always gotten Labor Day off, even in the middle of a big case. The government makes them take the day off and Danny knows this. Martin doesn’t understand why he’s putting up such a fuss about it.
“So we should just stay here. Lock ourselves away in your apartment. Catch up on some sleep and… other things.”
Martin rolls his eyes at Danny’s leering and shakes his head.
“Don’t you think it’d be fun to go somewhere? Like on a vacation.”
Danny frowns. He opens his mouth to say something, but the words don’t come out and Martin wonders what he’s thinking.
“Not a good idea?’ Martin asks.
“No I just…”
There’s a conflict going on in Danny’s head. Martin can see it in his eyes and he wants to question what Danny’s thinking about because he doesn’t see anything wrong with taking a small vacation.
But then Danny smiles and Martin has a minute to be shocked by this sudden change in demeanor.
“Yeah, that sounds great.” Danny says.
Martin frowns and opens his mouth to say something, but Danny cuts him off.
“Where are we going?”
Martin doesn’t have time to question as Danny launches into possible places they can run off to and soon he just stops caring.
*
“Danny. Danny, open the door. Danny, I know you’re in there.”
He’s getting nowhere knocking on Danny’s door. He’s been standing out here for almost five minutes, pounding loudly and making as much noise as he can and it’s starting to get irritating. He knows because the neighbors have looked out their doors and Linda, the woman that lives across the hall from Danny with her husband and newborn, has asked him to keep it down.
“Danny, please open the door.”
It’s his last ditch effort. He can’t stand out here all night, no matter how much he wants to. He does have to get up tomorrow and go to work.
He stands there for a few more minutes, lips tight and he goes to ball his hand into a fist to knock again when Danny opens the door, weird look on his face and Martin frowns.
“What?” Danny asks.
“What? What? That’s all you have to say after… Jack told me he saw you at the office. That he talked with you.”
“He did.”
“Yeah, I know. How come…”
“Look, Martin could we… not do this right now.” Danny says.
He’s blocking the doorway, his body keeping Martin from stepping inside and Martin wants to talk about this right now.
“No, we have to…”
“We have to what? Talk about how I outed myself to the whole bureau?”
“It’s not the whole bureau and since when do you care about that stuff. You don’t strike me as the type of guy to care about that kind of stuff.”
“Well I do.”
“Sure you do.” Martin says sarcastically.
“Why do you think I wanted to keep this quiet?”
“Because… I… I mean you don’t…”
Martin’s at a loss for words. He never, not for one second during the whole time that Danny had asked him to keep their relationship a secret, thought once that Danny had asked because he was afraid of being outed. It just didn’t jive with the Danny he knew. Martin had just thought it had to do with his father and the possible fall out from that.
“That’s not the reason.” Martin says.
Danny smirks at him.
“What makes you think it isn’t?”
“Because I know you.”
“Really? You know me.”
Danny leans in, hand still firmly on the doorframe and that stupid smirk is still on his face.
“Yeah, I know you.”
Martin bites his lip and watches as Danny pulls back, odd expression on his face and Danny frowns.
“Maybe that’s the problem.”
Martin doesn’t even have time to question what Danny means by that before he closes the door in his face.
Part 2
Author: clockstopper
Recipient: dictiongodess
Word Count: 15,031
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Second and third seasons re-done to fit this prompt: Martin and Danny have a relationship rather than Martin and Sam.
Warnings/Spoilers: Minor spoilers from Risen (2x16) all the way to Off The Tracks (3x21)
Disclaimer: I do not own Without a Trace or the boys. Some (and by some I mean like two or three lines) taken from Second Sight (3x19) and Off The Tracks (3x21)
He wakes up slowly.
He’s not really aware of his surroundings. All he knows is that he’s not home. He guesses he’s at Danny’s place. That’s the only other place he’d be at, especially this early in the morning, but he’s got that first morning disorientation that makes everything go hazy and unreal.
He knows that they went out the other night, just like every other night for the past few months. And he knows it had been far away because that’s been Danny’s MO for the past few months. It’s starting to irritate him. The secrecy… he’s just not good at it. People tell him he sucks at keeping secrets and he’s inclined to agree with them. He doesn’t like them.
But there’s nothing he can do about it. Danny wants to keep it secret and that’s how things have been going for the past few months. Martin tries. He brings it up every once in awhile just to keep it in Danny’s mind, but Danny just brushes it off like its no big deal.
And it’s really starting to irritate him.
He knows that he’s not out of the proverbial closet either and he’s always been a private person, but this is Danny. This is him and Danny and Martin thinks there isn’t anyone that if they were in his position, wouldn’t feel the same way.
Martin wants to shout it from the rooftops. He wants everyone to know that he and Danny are he and Danny and he doesn’t think it’s selfish of him to want that.
He thinks it just makes him human.
Martin hears Danny stir in his sleep. Danny moans a bit, stretching slightly as he does so. Martin can tell he’s starting to wake up, slowly and fighting it the whole way; Martin knows how Danny is in the morning.
“Too early.” Danny says petulantly.
Martin can just tell he’s glaring at his alarm clock even though it’s minutes from actually going off.
“Any later and we’re going to be late getting to work.”
“So.” Danny says, shifting until he’s closer to Martin.
“I don’t think Jack would take too kindly to both of us showing up late. He’s kind of a stickler for being on time.”
Danny groans again and turns around. His eyes are still closed, but he has a small smile on his face. He’s warm and soft and Martin can’t help but reaching out just a little bit. His fingers trail down Danny’s side, lightly grazing and Danny arches into it.
“You think Jack would object to us taking the day off?”
“Yes.”
Danny frowns.
“You didn’t even think about that one.”
“Because I don’t have to. Half the team gone… I don’t think that’s something Jack wants to face, especially if a case comes in.”
“It’s been pretty quiet lately. Who’s to say a case is going to come in?”
“Well we could call in, but I still don’t think Jack is going go let us take the day off. He’s tricky like that.”
“If we told him that we were sick…”
“Both of us sick? That could raise some questions.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Maybe we should just go in. Who knows? It could turn out to be an interesting day.”
Martin groans.
“You just had to say that. Now we’re definitely going to have a case and it’s going to be long and drawn out.”
“Anything’s better than sitting around twiddling our thumbs. It’s been boring lately.”
“Boring is good. There’s nothing wrong with boring.”
“There’s nothing wrong with staying home in bed.”
“Yeah and there’s nothing wrong with going to the Knicks game, but you seem to think that there is.”
He doesn’t mean to bring it up again, not since it ended in a frosty argument that had lasted for days. He just doesn’t see the problem with going to a Knicks game together on a weekday.
They’re not hurting anyone. They’re just having a relationship, dating if you can even call a handful of dinners at secluded restaurants and pizzas while watching games at Danny’s apartment dating.
He thinks they are. He isn’t seeing anyone else and he doesn’t really want to. And it’s not like no one at the office knows. Sam does- Martin can’t help that he’d been backed into a corner when she’d asked him to come home with her and it had just slipped out.
And he suspects that Viv knows because she’s just scary like that and knows everything that goes on in the office. He’s not sure what Danny’s trying to hide and he’s starting to get sick of it.
“I thought we’d already settled this.”
He doesn’t want to argue, especially this early in the morning. He knows when to pick his battles with Danny and when to leave it alone and this is one of those times where he should just leave it alone. He’s not going to get what he wants out of the deal.
“Yeah, yeah we did.”
*
He watches as Danny’s hands shake and he puts his own hands over them, willing them to stop.
“Martin.”
“It’s fine. You’re going to be fine. This whole situation is going to be fine.”
“Fine?” Danny asks.
“Yeah, okay, so maybe I overused the word fine there, but Danny… it’s not…”
“Martin… it’s my brother. I mean… he’s… I just.”
“You did the right thing, you know.”
He hadn’t really been paying attention at the time. All he had known was that Danny had been distracted throughout their case and Martin had tried to ask why, but it had always seemed like a bad time.
Martin had heard, like everyone else that had been part of the gossip mill, that Danny’s family had come, but Martin had been under the impression that Danny didn’t have any family. At least none in the city.
“I’m not so sure.”
“Everyone deserves a second chance right. He’s been in jail for nine years. Parole board says he’s cleaned up his act.”
“Yeah, because I convinced them that he has.”
“You were just a character witness. You know how these things work Danny. And family’s important.”
Martin wishes he didn’t sound so cliché, but it’s what he can offer. He’s been sitting here on Danny’s couch drinking sodas and half-listening to the game that’s playing in the background. Danny hadn’t explained much, short clipped sentences about how his brother had been a drug addict and had gone away because of it.
Martin doesn’t pretend to get that he knows what that feels like because he doesn’t, but he thinks just being there for Danny is enough.
“I don’t know if I can face him.”
“So you don’t. I mean at least not right away. Come on man I’m sure he knows you need some time to adjust to this.”
Danny sighs and shakes his head.
“I just… I know I made the right decision. I know this. I mean I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t think that it was the right thing to do. I’m just a little… freaked.”
Martin smiles even though he knows he probably shouldn’t.
“It’s understandable.”
“I’m just worried that he’s going to fall back onto his old ways. And I’m not even sure that I can… face him.” Danny finishes a bit lamely, but Martin can see that it’s hard for him to even articulate that much.
“You just need…”
“What if I can never face him? What if I can’t bring myself to ever look at him again? There’s a whole lot of history there that I’m not sure I can get over. And what kind of brother would I be if I can’t even face…”
Martin doesn’t know what possess him to do it. One minute he’s sitting there listening to Danny’s fears and the next he’s pressed up against Danny, lips mashing together and he’s pretty sure that he’s the one that started it.
But Danny doesn’t pull away. In fact he pulls Martin closer, tongue questing out and licking Martin’s bottom lip and Martin moans, mouth opening just a bit to let Danny’s tongue inside. Danny’s fingers press into his arms a bit more and Martin’s fingers twist Danny’s suit jacket, pulling him closer until Danny’s toppling onto him and pushing him down onto Danny’s couch.
He feels Danny’s fingers unbutton his shirt, pulling it out of his pants until those fingers are touching Martin’s skin and Martin arches up into the touch. Danny grinds down against him and moans into Martin’s mouth. Martin’s leg moves up, bending at the knee and Martin wishes they were less clothed or, at the very least, not on Danny’s couch.
Danny pulls away from his mouth, lips still sucking on Martin’s or placing kisses on Martin’s jaw and neck.
“We doing this?” Danny says throatily into Martin’s ear.
Even as he says it, Danny’s hands go to his pants, hands hurriedly unbuttoning and Martin lets out a surprised sound when he feels Danny’s hand on his cock, hot and needy and it’s just way too much and not enough at the same time.
It feels so good, desperate and just a little bit dirty and right, Danny’s hand stroking him, hard and just right and he can’t even manage to pull Martin’s pants down because he wants it that much.
And so does Martin.
“Yeah, yeah we’re doing this.”
*
After a quick shower in which Martin doesn’t think about Danny and their issues and just focuses on how warm and good the water feels on his skin, Martin puts on a suit that’s in Danny’s closet and doesn’t think about how weird it is that he’s got some of his suits in Danny’s closet, but Danny can’t even admit that they’re a couple to other people.
Strangers on the street, yes, but people they know and, by default because it’s really hard to meet people and have friends outside of work when you work as much as they do, people in the office are a big no-no.
He doesn’t want to think about it though. He’s told himself that he’ll do this until he can’t possibly do it anymore, till it weighs on him too heavily that they get into some spectacularly huge argument that ends with them barely able to look at each other, let alone talk like normal people.
It’s a plan. Not a good plan, but a plan nonetheless and it’s about the only option he has at this point because Danny’s taken away all his other options.
Martin’s not good at secret relationships mainly because he’s never had any. He’s surprised that he’s willing to put up with this, but its Danny and for some reason that’s all his brain needs before it tells him to shut up and just go with it.
When Martin walks out of the bedroom, Danny’s got a hot mug of coffee ready for him and a strained smile on his face. Like he’s afraid their argument isn’t quite over yet and he’s mentally preparing himself for a smack down.
Martin just takes the mug and smiles at him.
“So… Chinese or Mexican tonight. I think I’m in the mood for something spicy.”
He enjoys the confused look on Danny’s face for just a second before Danny smiles and shakes his head.
“Totally up to you Fitzie.”
“Why thank you, but considering how picky you are about you’re food, I think it’s better to consult you before I make any decisions.”
“I’m not picky. Just compared to you, Mister Eat Everything in Sight, I seem picky.”
Martin smiles and goes to sit at the breakfast bar. He sees his cell phone on the table and notices that he’s got a few missed messages. He takes another drink from his mug before picking up his phone.
“Yeah, whatever you have to tell yourself, Taylor.” Martin says as he presses the call button on his phone to get to his voice mail.
He skips the first two, they’re both from his mother and he doesn’t really want to hear whatever she has to say this early in the morning.
The last one his from his cousin Allison. She sounds a bit nervous and Martin remembers why. There’s an opened wedding invitation on his kitchen counter top mixed in with various coupons and take out menus that he’s yet to RSVP for and it’s like a month away from the big day.
“Look, Marty, I know you’re busy and all, but a simple yes or no would be nice. And if you’re thinking about bring a guest… that’d be fine you know. No one’s going to say anything if you do. I can’t guarantee the same can be said if you don’t. It is a wedding after all. Just call me, okay. Anytime you’re not busy.”
The message ends and Martin closes his phone, teeth biting at his lower lip and he looks down into his coffee mug, frown on his face.
“Who was it?” Danny asked, voice concerned sounding and Martin shakes his head.
“It was my cousin.”
He looks up to see Danny looking worried and Martin shakes his head again.
“No, it’s good news this time around.”
“Oh, good.”
“Yeah. She’s getting married”
“Oh, that’s great.” Danny says, smile on his face.
“Yeah.” Martin says smiling back.
“She wants me to bring a guest.”
“Are you going to?”
“I don’t know, am I?”
Danny frowns.
“Martin.”
“Oh come on, Danny. This isn’t the same as a Knicks game. This is just you and me at a wedding.”
“Yeah, with your family. That’s… that’s a big deal. Your dad…”
“If I’m not afraid to take you, then why are you afraid to go?”
He’s not afraid. He knows he probably should be. Victor Fitzgerald isn’t going to take it very well that his only son is in a relationship with another man especially another agent. Martin doesn’t think he’d do anything drastic like transfer Danny to California or something, but Martin understands that it’s a risk for Danny.
“Look I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Martin takes a deep breath and gets ready to say something when his cell phone rings.
“Fitzgerald.” Martin answers.
“Martin, its Jack. Look, a case just came in and I need you to get here as soon as you can.”
Martin hears Jack rattle off the address and he writes it down, eyes never leaving Danny for a second and Danny fidgets under his stare.
“Okay, got it Jack. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Martin hangs up his phone and opens his mouth to say something when Danny’s phone starts to ring.
“It’s probably Jack.” Martin says.
Danny bites his lip.
“Yeah, it probably is.”
*
“You like him.”
“What?” Martin says.
He sees Allison looking at him, smirk on her face and she looks pretty proud of herself.
“You like him. The guy you’re working with.”
Martin sighs and wrings his hands together.
It’s been one hell of a day, getting longer by the fact that he’s talked to everyone and he still doesn’t have any idea where his aunt is.
He’s lucky enough to have gotten the time off from work with Jack’s blessing and even the offer for extra help. Martin had declined at first, but after awhile the case had started getting too big for him to handle by himself so he’d asked for Danny.
“What are you talking about?”
“Danny. You like him. I see the way you look at him.”
“Now isn’t the time…”
“I see the way he looks at you too. If that helps. Why haven’t you said anything?”
“What makes you think I haven’t?”
Her eyes widen in shock and she slaps Martin on the arm.
“You’re dating him.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call it dating.”
“Okay, Marty, that was more than I wanted to know about your personal life, but… seriously? I mean he seems like a really great guy and he makes you smile, but… you work together.”
“You weren’t so concerned about us working together a few seconds ago.”
“That was before I knew the two of you were dating or… doing whatever it is that you‘re doing.”
Martin sighs.
“I’m not even sure it means anything.”
“That makes it worse. You’re willing to risk your working relationship for something that might not mean anything.”
“Okay so it means something. Jeez, what do you want me to say Allison. I’m not exactly thinking clearly about the whole thing.”
“Well that’s obvious.” She grumbles.
He smiles at her and takes her hand in his own, squeezing softly and she returns his smile.
“I’m glad that you’re worried about me.” Martin says.
“Of course I’m worried about you. Martin… you’re like a brother to me.”
“And you’re like a sister to me. And it’s important that you care that much.”
“Of course, Marty.” She says squeezing his hand back.
“It’s kind of hard to explain me and Danny, but I am happy. Just so you know. I’m not sure where this thing between us is going, but I’m willing to find out. I just want you to know that so you don’t worry about me.”
She shakes her head.
“I’m always going to worry about you just like I know you’re always going to worry about me.”
He can’t say anything about that. He’s known her since she was born. He’d been around filling in that big brother spot for both her and Jamie since they were little and he sees them as closer to him than anyone else in his family, even his parents.
“True. But Danny’s a good guy.”
“Yeah, I know. He’s helping you with mom. I mean obviously I don’t know him like you know him. You’re the better judge of his character here. Just… try not to get hurt or anything.”
Martin smiles.
“I’ll try.”
*
“I don’t have my car.” Martin says after Danny hangs up the phone.
“Right.”
“We can drive to the office. It’s on the way.”
Which is how Martin finds himself in Danny’s car, quiet and the tension is so thick Martin thinks he’s going to suffocate on it.
He’s tried to get Danny talking, just to say anything because the quiet is starting to drive him insane, but Danny’s acting like he’s too focused on the road to talk and that just pisses Martin off even more than he’s already pissed off.
“If you don’t want to go, it’s fine.” Martin says finally before Danny can cut him off.
He sees Danny frown, but he doesn’t say anything, eyes glued to the road in front of him and he turns into the garage Federal building and parks next to Martin’s car. He turns off the ignition and sits there for several moments before he turns to Martin.
“I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“You said that before.”
Danny lets out a frustrated noise and slides his hands over his face, hands rubbing at his eyes a bit before the go to his hair and he lets out a sigh.
“I know, but it’s still the truth.”
“It’s fine Danny. I already said its fine. You don’t want to go. I get it. You don’t have to go. I’ll just tell my cousin that I’m going alone.”
“Martin.”
Martin opens his door because he can’t sit here anymore. He’s letting Danny get away with this and he’s just trying to be understanding, but it hurts to be this understanding. He thinks it’s a bit pathetic, but he can’t help it.
He feels Danny grab at his arm and he turns.
“Danny.”
“Martin.”
There’s something in Danny’s eyes, that same lost and hopeful look that always makes Martin want to make everything better for him. Martin doesn’t see it often, Danny doesn’t let that happen, but he’s seen it enough time to know what it means, to know that it means something.
He knows Danny cares about him, he can just feel it when Danny looks at him sometimes and Martin guesses that’s what keeps him coming back for more.
“Its okay, Danny.” Martin says and he feels Danny’s fingers caressing his arm.
“It’s fine.”
*
He feels numb.
They’d found her, they’d found his Aunt Bonnie and he knows he should be feeling really good right about now because she’s safe. They know where she is and she hadn’t killed herself and she’s alive and that should be what’s important.
But it’s not because she’s going to die. The doctor’s give her a little less than a month and they can’t even do anything for her. They’ve tried everything and now they’re all out of options.
He’s not sure how to feel.
It doesn’t feel right to mourn her, not yet because she’s not dead yet. They get a month, but it doesn’t feel like enough time.
“My parent’s died when I was a kid.”
Martin looks over to see Danny sitting next to him and he wonders when Danny sat down and how long he’s been sitting there, waiting for Martin to say something.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I was eleven. It was a car accident. I was in the car with them. I don’t… I don’t remember what happened. One minute I was in the car with them and they were arguing and I just wanted them to stop and the next… the next I was waking up in the hospital room and Rafi was standing over me crying.”
It takes a lot out of Danny to even say the words, Martin can see it on his face and Danny’s holding onto his hand like it’s a lifeline or something and Martin never wants to let go.
“I know what it’s like to loose people you love. I know that it… it hurts so bad and you never think you’re going to get over it. You think you’re never going to get rid of that big hole in yourself. And for a long time you won’t. It’ll always sting, but the pain… it’ll fade.
“You get some time though. You get sometime to say goodbye and that’s a lot more than most people get. It doesn’t make it better, but at least you get it. And I know you’re not going to waste it.”
Martin smiles at him. He leans in and he’s surprised that Danny lets him. He’s surprised that he’s kissing Danny and Danny isn’t objecting or pulling away and he must look like he needs this or something because Danny’s been really cautious about the public displays of affection.
He feels Danny pull him close, feels Danny’s hands on his arms and when Danny pulls away, he leans his forehead against Martin’s and sighs.
“Let me take you home.” Danny says.
Home is so far away in the city and the drive would take a few hours and Martin’s not ready to leave just in case something happens.
“I don’t want to go home.” Martin says.
“Then let’s get a hotel room.”
Martin smiles.
“You don’t have to say. I’m sure you have to work tomorrow. It’s a long way back to the city. If you stay here then it’s going to take you forever to get back.”
“Yeah, but you are in no condition to be by yourself.”
“I’m not going to do anything drastic.” Martin says.
“I know you’re not going to do anything drastic. I know you’re smart enough to not do anything drastic. But… I just don’t want to leave you alone.”
Danny leans in and kisses him, soft and quick like it hadn’t even happened and Martin just wants to cuddle close and forget the world for a little while.
“Okay.”
*
“You okay?” Jack asks.
“Hmm… yeah, I’m fine.” Martin says.
Jack doesn’t look like he believes him, but there’s not much he can do about it.
“Danny’s interviewing the mom of the victim and Samantha’s with a sketch artist right now giving an ID of the guy.”
“She saw him?”
“She saw the whole thing go down while she was out for a jog. Did you get anything from the witnesses?”
“No, just the same story over and over again. People saw the suspect and the kid arguing and thought it was a father son thing until the mom started screaming. No one was able to give me anything other than the guy was average.” Martin says.
“Figures.”
“But if Sam saw everything, then I’m sure we’ll get a pretty good sketch of the guy. She is trained to remember these things.” Martin says.
Jack nods.
“Right, guess we lucked out on this one.”
“Yeah I guess.” Martin says a bit distractedly.
He can see Danny getting out of the SUV face a bit guarded and he watches as Danny starts talking to one of the officers on the scene like he can’t tell that Martin’s staring at him.
“Are you sure everything’s alright?” Jack asks.
“Yeah, fine.” Martin says looking Jack straight in the face.
“Because you seem a little distracted.”
“I’m fine. I just… not enough coffee to start the day you know.” Martin says jokingly.
Jack looks like he’s going to press the issue. He opens his mouth, but then closes it like he thinks it’s probably a bad idea to bring it up.
“Okay. If you say so.”
*
He thrusts in slowly and Danny gasps.
Danny’s legs wrap around his waist and his hands slide across his sides and he moans and thrusts again.
“We don’t get to do this enough.” Martin whispers into Danny’s ear.
Danny lets out a breathy laugh and he turns his head. His lips graze the skin on Martin’s neck and Martin groans.
“Yeah, but work.”
“Yeah, work. Life would be so much easier if we didn’t have to work.” Martin says.
Danny laughs again and Martin turns his head and captures Danny’s lips with his own.
They’ve been doing this for two months now and it never gets old. In fact it gets better with time and Martin knows just where to touch Danny, where to lick and suck and kiss to make Danny a quivering mess and he loves every second of it.
They have to steal time away because of work and that would annoy Martin more if they didn’t have the same job. He gets what his ex-girlfriends meant about weird hours and he’s glad he doesn’t have to worry about it explaining it to Danny. Danny gets it because he works the same crazy hours.
He’s not thinking about any of that right now though. He’s thinking about Danny, hot and tight around him and he definitely can’t get enough of this, not even on the nights when they have nothing to do and they have hours to do this.
It’s almost like he craves it, touching Danny, kissing Danny, being near Danny and he doesn’t think he’s going to stop any time soon.
“Oh god… Martin.”
Danny’s hand goes down to his cock, jerky strokes and Martin knows that Danny’s close, can feel it in the way he shivers and the tone of his voice, hoarse and breathy. Martin’s hand moves down to join Danny, sure smooth strokes and Danny makes a mewling noise.
And that’s when Martin’s phone rings.
“Shit.”
“Don’t answer it.”
“It could be Jack.”
“We’re having sex.” Danny says like Martin doesn’t already know that.
“He’s just going to call over and over again.”
“So answer it after we’re done having sex.”
“Damn.” Martin says, hand on Danny’s cock moving faster and Danny lets out choked off yells.
“Now’s not the time to… oh god…”
Martin thinks this is all a little bit weird, having sex to the sound of his phone going off and Danny coming all over their hands and Martin feels like he’s about to come too.
“So… the phone’s ringing again.” Danny says, grin on his face and Martin laughs.
“You’re just saying that to get me off of you.”
*
He drives Sam back to the office.
It only seems fair. Jack’s sent Danny off already and why get a cab when they’re going the same place. He agrees because he needs to stop thinking about Danny, even if it’s only for a little while.
“So this looks like it’s going to be one of the easier ones.” Martin says.
Sam arches an eyebrow and looks at him like he’s crazy.
“I’m just saying. We already know what the suspect looks like. It’s just a matter of running him through the database. That’s more than we usually have to go on.”
“Yeah, but we have to find out who he is and track down where they’re going. It’s like predicting the future.” Sam says.
She flips the passenger mirror down and starts applying lip gloss.
“I didn’t say it was going to be easy. I just said it was going to be one of the easier ones.” Martin says.
She turns to him when she’s done and smiles.
“Which are still pretty damn hard.”
“Yeah, well, if they were all really simple, I don’t think they’d have so much training for us to do our jobs.”
She nods.
“You and Danny are fighting.”
She says it in a matter of fact tone, like it’s something very obvious and Martin’s surprised for a moment that she just said it like that, no other evidence or factors taken in to account other than how he’s been acting. He thinks that they obviously aren’t very good at hiding if Sam can tell that they’re fighting or maybe Sam’s just very good at being a detective.
“It’s nothing.”
“Same old argument then.” She says like they’ve had this conversation before.
They have, but Martin doesn’t think that’s the point.
“Yeah, but its fine.”
“Is it really?”
“Look I know you’re concerned and it’s nice that you’re trying to be a good friend here, really it is. I don’t… I don’t have many friends here, but you know that. This thing with me and Danny… it’s nice to talk to someone about it because it’s confusing and good, but we have a case right now.”
“I know. I’m just wondering if you’re committed to it or if you’re busy thinking about your domestic problems.”
“I’m not thinking about my domestic problems. I promise.”
She looks like she doesn’t believe him for one second and it’s Jack all over again. He doesn’t think he’s letting his irritation with Danny get the best of him, but clearly other people seem to think differently.
“What I am thinking about is this case.”
She smiles.
“It’s not wrong to want to be like all the other couples in the world.”
Martin looks over at her and he wonders, not for the first time, how she does that.
“Yeah, well, tell that to Danny.”
*
She looks at him, hopeful stare in her eyes and he thinks that maybe a few months ago, maybe if she had said yes to that drink after all, that this would be the invitation of a lifetime. But it has been months and he thinks about all the struggles he’s had to go through to keep this thing with Danny afloat.
He’s not willing to risk that for a night with Sam, no matter how beautiful she is or how easy it could be.
“Sorry. I’m not going home. Just thought I’d get some air.” He tells her.
Her face falls just a little bit and Martin gives himself a minute to mourn the fact that he could be with her. That he could take her in his arms and take her to things where his family will be at and they might actually like her even though she’s an FBI agent.
He mourns that loss of easiness, but he promised Danny, no matter how hard and complicated and maybe not with actual words, but he promised Danny that they’d sort through this together even if it meant secrecy.
So he mourns it and he lets it go.
“You sure?” She says, head tilted just lightly to the side.
She knows exactly what she’s offering and she’s not putting up any pretenses about it and Martin has to admire that about her.
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
“Not the right time?”
“Something like that.”
“I’m too late then.”
He’s amazed at how good she is at this. He wonders how someone like Sam could be so bad at relationships that she’s used to the whole rejected thing. She’s smart and funny and pretty and Martin just doesn’t understand how she keeps getting into these dead end relationships.
“It’s Danny, isn’t it?”
“What?”
She sighs and moves a piece of her hair out of her face.
“I saw the two of you. On the balcony at the office that time that your aunt went missing. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, but…”
“Samantha… you… you can’t say anything.”
She looks a bit confused, mouth hanging up just a bit before she frowns, brow furrowing a bit.
“It’s Danny’s thing.”
“He wants to keep it secret?”
“Yeah.”
The question is poised on her tongue and Martin knows she wants to ask why. He wonders why himself.
But she doesn’t. She just smiles a bit sadly before she opens the door to the cab that’s stopped in front of her. She turns to the cab and goes to get it, but then turns around to face himself once again.
“I hope this makes you happy, Martin. You both deserve it.”
She doesn’t wait for him to say something back before she gets into the cab and takes off.
*
Martin can feel the adrenaline rushing through his body, blood rushing through his ears giving everything that far away sounding quality and he’s not even really listening to the paramedics who are ushering him out of the way to take care of Brian Stone.
He’s got blood on his fingers, warm and sticky and he thinks this suit might be a lost cause. Danny’s always telling him it’s an ugly one anyway.
He looks up and sees Danny standing a few feet away, eyes wide and he looks scared and shocked and worried and its seconds before he’s running over to where Martin’s standing, hands roaming over Martin’s body like he’s searching for wounds or something.
“You’re not hurt.” Danny says.
“No. The guy tried to shot himself. He was going on and on about how he just wanted to be with his son. Man, he was really messed…”
He trails off when he feels Danny grab his arm and he looks up to see Danny’s concern vanish and be replaced with anger.
“Are you stupid? Do you have death wish I’m not aware of?”
Danny’s grip on his arm tightens, eyes a little wider than usual and Martin struggles to get away, but Danny holds strong.
“Answer me.”
“Quit yelling at me.”
“Of all the stupid things you’ve done…”
“So saving a kid’s life is stupid now.’
Danny shakes his head, eyes closing briefly and his lips purse.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“That’s what it sounded like.”
“I just…”
He feels Danny’s hand on his chest, warm and solid, fingers trailing up and down Martin’s tie and it’s the first time he realizes just how close they’re standing, inches apart really and it’s not like that’s something new. He and Danny stand close to each other all the time, but this is decidedly different. There’s something in the body language, something in Danny’s tone that makes it different.
If Martin thought he could, he’d trail his hand up to Danny’s face, cup Danny’s cheek and pull him close, damn the SWAT team and the other agents and the news choppers. But Danny’s set pretty clear boundaries and Martin’s been trying his hardest to keep them clear despite how he feels about it.
Except, Danny’s breaking them right now with the way he’s standing and holding and the way he’s just looking at Martin like Martin could have died and he’s still in shock over it.
“Hey.” Martin says softly.
But Danny’s not paying attention to him, not really anyway and his hands are all over Martin’s chest, touching feathery soft and Martin can’t help it if he leans in just a little bit.
“You shouldn’t do that. You could get yourself shot.” Danny whispers, soft and a little broken sounding.
“Someone needed to do it.”
“Someone could have been the SWAT team. It is there job.”
“Nothing happened.”
“Now.”
“I was just doing my…”
But Danny cuts him off, pulls him close and before he knows it they’re kissing, hard and messier than he’s ever remembered a kiss between him and Danny being and he’d spare a moment to think about how utterly cliché this whole scenario is if he hadn’t been so busy having Danny’s tongue in his mouth in front of everybody.
“Just… don’t do it, okay.” Danny whispers against his lips when he pulls away.
“Okay.” Martin mumbles a bit dumbly.
“Okay.” Danny says.
And then he’s gone, dark, unreadable look on his face and Martin’s left to stand there in confusion.
*
“So.”
Martin looks up from his laptop to see Danny standing in front him across the coffee table.
“So?” Martin prods.
“I think we should go out.”
“Go out?”
“Yeah, like… to a restaurant.”
Martin frowns.
“Really?”
“Yeah. I made reservations.”
Danny smiles, wide and happy and Martin notices that he’s wearing a suit, casual, but still kind of dressed up and Martin takes in his own appearance, loose, comfortable jeans and a shirt.
“Right now?”
“Well, in a few minutes. Like thirty.”
“You could have told me before I changed.”
“Why?”
“So I wouldn’t have changed.”
Danny shakes his head and Martin frowns.
“You’re not wearing the suit you wore to work.”
“You are.”
“Yeah, but I’m stylish.” Danny says, smirk on his face.
Martin cocks an eyebrow at him and bites his lip.
“So what am I going to wear?”
“Well, I went through your closet and, though it was hard, I found a suit that goes pretty good with mine and it’s not hideous.”
“My suits aren’t hideous.” Martin says dryly.
Danny shakes his head and lets out a sigh. He walks over to where Martin’s sitting on the couch and flops down next to him. Martin frowns.
“Watch out.”
“Your laptop’s fine. Anyway, you want to go out with me right?”
“I never said I didn’t want to.”
“So you’ll put on the suit?”
Martin sighs.
“Which one?”
“I was hoping you’d ask that. I laid it out on your bed with a suitable shirt.”
“Danny I can pick out my own clothes.”
“I know, but I picked them out. Trust me. I’m not putting you in a clown suit or anything. Just you black suit with your white shirt.”
“No tie?”
“The restaurant doesn’t require you to wear one and since most of your ties are hideous…”
“Again with the ties.”
“Martin, they’re hideous. I’ve told you this time and time again and still you won’t believe me. Besides, black suit and a white shirt is classic.”
“It reminds me of Jack.”
Danny pulls a face and Martin has to laugh at that. He hadn’t meant for Danny to get freaked out about it, but it’s the truth. Jack wears nothing but black suits and white shirts.
“Hmmm… maybe your blue suit would work better. But then you’d have to wear a tie because a blue suit without a tie… not gonna work.”
“I could just wear what I was wearing earlier. That way I don’t have to get anything dirty.”
“No, you can just wear your blue suit tomorrow. With the white shirt and your red tie. The one that doesn’t have the pattern.”
Martin shakes his head. He’d been looking to a quiet night at home. Just him and Danny sitting on the couch watching television and maybe sex, but it isn’t necessary. At least Martin hopes it’s not necessary.
“Do I really have to?”
“No, you don’t have to.” Danny says.
But there’s something in the tone that makes Martin wonder if it is okay that they don’t go. He thinks Danny’s trying to make a point here. That they aren’t all about sex and Martin thinks that he’s the one who’d been complaining that it had been.
“Yeah, okay. We’ll go out; I’ll wear whatever suit you want me to.”
Danny smiles and Martin tries not get that warm feeling inside his stomach.
“Great. We’re going to have a great time.”
“I’m sure we will.”
*
Martin tries to get to Danny sooner than he does, but with the whole stand off situation, things get a little hectic at the crime scene and Danny slips by him without Martin even noticing.
Which sucks because it leaves Martin alone to deal with the curious SWAT and FBI agents; some looking at him like he’s the luckiest bastard to walk the planet and not bothering to hide their contempt for that fact and some looking at him with just plain contempt.
He’s glad to get back to the office, if only to have a reprieve from the questioning eyes and he just doesn’t care that it means mountains of paperwork.
He doesn’t count on Jack though.
“Martin, a word.”
Martin feels like he’s eight years old again, fidgeting in his seat because he’d been called into the principal’s office for getting involved in a fight between a bully and one of his friends. Jack’s stare certainly doesn’t ease the nervousness he’s feeling.
“Anything interesting go on at the scene?”
“Other than the fact that it turned into a standoff?”
“I was thinking about the fact that you and Danny decided that it was the perfect time to start making out in front of a dozen different agents.”
Martin really wishes the Earth would open up and swallow him whole.
“You heard about that.” Martin mutters.
“Yeah, I heard about that. I already talked to Danny about it.”
“How’d he take it?”
He’s pissed, very pissed at Danny and he thinks he’s got every right to be, but it’s still Danny and there are still feelings there despite the fact that Danny is an ass.
“How’d he take it? Well, he was embarrassed for one.”
Martin can picture it clear in his head. Danny wide-eyed and terrified and he doesn’t get how Danny can be so confident and charming about everything else, but this he gets tight lipped about. It just doesn’t gel in Martin’s head and thinking about it too hard makes him feel dizzy.
“But he said it would never happen again. Which I’m going to assume it won’t.”
“No, of course not.” Martin says quickly.
Jack gives him a look he can’t entirely read, but Martin thinks it means ‘yeah right’ which just confuses him even more.
“Look, I can’t keep you from being together even if I wanted too.”
“You don’t want to?”
“No, why would I.”
“But the team…”
“Will be fine. I mean you guys must have been doing this behind my back for awhile now and it hasn’t affected anything until this point. But I would expect that you could be a little more professional in the future.”
Martin frowns. It’s not that he thought Jack was going to be an asshole about the whole thing. On the contrary, he’d thought Jack would be totally fine with them if it didn’t affect their work. But it’s still weird that he’s okay with this.
“So… no objections.”
“Other than the fact that you need to keep it out of the office… no. Did you think I was going to?” Jack asks.
He looks just the slightest bit offended that Martin would think that and Martin can’t blame him. Jack’s pretty open-minded about a lot of things.
“No, I just… I wasn’t sure.”
“Well now you are. Just… try and keep this from meaning anything bad in the office. And don’t be surprised if some people aren’t as… understanding as I am.”
Martin nods.
“Good, I’m glad we’re understanding one another.”
“Yeah… understanding.”
*
“So I was thinking that maybe we can go somewhere for the three day weekend.”
“How do you know we’re going to even get the three days off?” Danny asks.
Martin shrugs.
“They have to give it to us. It’s a federal holiday. It’d kind of go against the whole thought behind it. I mean… it’s Labor Day. It’s a day of rest for everyone from work. It’d be kind of hypocritical if they made us work.” Martin says.
They’ve always gotten Labor Day off, even in the middle of a big case. The government makes them take the day off and Danny knows this. Martin doesn’t understand why he’s putting up such a fuss about it.
“So we should just stay here. Lock ourselves away in your apartment. Catch up on some sleep and… other things.”
Martin rolls his eyes at Danny’s leering and shakes his head.
“Don’t you think it’d be fun to go somewhere? Like on a vacation.”
Danny frowns. He opens his mouth to say something, but the words don’t come out and Martin wonders what he’s thinking.
“Not a good idea?’ Martin asks.
“No I just…”
There’s a conflict going on in Danny’s head. Martin can see it in his eyes and he wants to question what Danny’s thinking about because he doesn’t see anything wrong with taking a small vacation.
But then Danny smiles and Martin has a minute to be shocked by this sudden change in demeanor.
“Yeah, that sounds great.” Danny says.
Martin frowns and opens his mouth to say something, but Danny cuts him off.
“Where are we going?”
Martin doesn’t have time to question as Danny launches into possible places they can run off to and soon he just stops caring.
*
“Danny. Danny, open the door. Danny, I know you’re in there.”
He’s getting nowhere knocking on Danny’s door. He’s been standing out here for almost five minutes, pounding loudly and making as much noise as he can and it’s starting to get irritating. He knows because the neighbors have looked out their doors and Linda, the woman that lives across the hall from Danny with her husband and newborn, has asked him to keep it down.
“Danny, please open the door.”
It’s his last ditch effort. He can’t stand out here all night, no matter how much he wants to. He does have to get up tomorrow and go to work.
He stands there for a few more minutes, lips tight and he goes to ball his hand into a fist to knock again when Danny opens the door, weird look on his face and Martin frowns.
“What?” Danny asks.
“What? What? That’s all you have to say after… Jack told me he saw you at the office. That he talked with you.”
“He did.”
“Yeah, I know. How come…”
“Look, Martin could we… not do this right now.” Danny says.
He’s blocking the doorway, his body keeping Martin from stepping inside and Martin wants to talk about this right now.
“No, we have to…”
“We have to what? Talk about how I outed myself to the whole bureau?”
“It’s not the whole bureau and since when do you care about that stuff. You don’t strike me as the type of guy to care about that kind of stuff.”
“Well I do.”
“Sure you do.” Martin says sarcastically.
“Why do you think I wanted to keep this quiet?”
“Because… I… I mean you don’t…”
Martin’s at a loss for words. He never, not for one second during the whole time that Danny had asked him to keep their relationship a secret, thought once that Danny had asked because he was afraid of being outed. It just didn’t jive with the Danny he knew. Martin had just thought it had to do with his father and the possible fall out from that.
“That’s not the reason.” Martin says.
Danny smirks at him.
“What makes you think it isn’t?”
“Because I know you.”
“Really? You know me.”
Danny leans in, hand still firmly on the doorframe and that stupid smirk is still on his face.
“Yeah, I know you.”
Martin bites his lip and watches as Danny pulls back, odd expression on his face and Danny frowns.
“Maybe that’s the problem.”
Martin doesn’t even have time to question what Danny means by that before he closes the door in his face.
Part 2