Title: The Italian Stallions
Author: Emono
Rating: FRM
Fandom: NCIS/CSI: New York
Pairings: Tony DiNozzo/Danny Messer
Disclaimer: This pairing is totally mine, but I just manipulate what should be left alone. No ownership.
Summary: 5 prompt crossover story, nothing solid, just ficlets
Beta: gil_follower
Warnings: Angst, fluff, love, the usual. Spoilers for "Tanglewood" from NY. Some of these are just pure crack, and some of it gets AU.
1. Sweat Out The Fever
Danny didn't get sick often, but when he did it was a freakin' doozy. He had stumbled into Mac's office, pale and shaking and holding his stomach. True to his grumbling tummy, he had upchucked right there. Mac had sent him home to recuperate, but Danny hadn't seen Aiden on her cell.
So there he was, two days later and bedridden. He was so thirsty, his lips and throat were dry…he felt like he had snacked on sawdust. Danny was truly afraid he was going to get dehydrated, but he couldn't force himself out of bed. Thankfully he hadn't eaten anything else, so all his vomiting was dry and he didn't have a mess on his hands. But his fever wouldn't go away for anything, so he found himself tossing and turning in bed all day and groaning.
Then, just when he was sure he'd have to haul his ass out of bed or die, someone came in. Danny grunted at the intrusion, to weak to tell whoever it was to get the hell out. Cool hands brushed the slick hair from his forehead, a soft kiss pressed to his temple.
"Tony?" Danny whispered hopelessly, getting a caress down his arm.
"Aiden called me, told me you were too sick to get your sorry ass out of bed" Tony teased, a waft of warmth caught Danny's nose "Can you try and sit up for me, babe? You've got to eat something…"Danny obeyed the simple request, letting his lover sit him up and putting a cool bottle of water to his lips. And that was just the beginning, Tony could be quite the little house maid. He cleaned up Danny's apartment with little grumbling, cooked him hot, soothing food…keeping him hydrated and warm, rubbing his sore muscles when he needed it. It was three days before Danny felt even remotely better.
Tony had done everything from cooing to him in Italian to soothing his heated skin with cold clothes. Tony was his angel for that week, nursing him back to health.
"You're out of bed by yourself" Tony grinned when his lover came out of the bedroom, The Lost Boys flickering on the screen "Feeling better?"
"Much" Danny straddled the older man, dropping a kiss on his lips "Thanks."
"I'm here for you, you know that" Tony playfully ruffled his hair, but there was more than playfulness in those dark azure eyes "Danny?"
The blonde bent down, nibbling the man's neck with intent, "Let me show you how much I appreciate it."
Tony melted into the couch, but not before muttering, "If you get me sick, I'll shank you."
"I wouldn't have it any other way, amore."
2. Overcompensation
"What?" Danny squawked in disbelief.
Tony just gave the man a look, watching over his shoulder as he worked. Danny was clad in his lab coat, running fiber samples he had picked off the scene. Tony had come to visit his lover, but found himself lingering around the lab and flashing his badge to stalk Danny. And then he just happened to mention…
"What do you mean 'what'?" Tony scoffed "Italy is the most romantic place on earth, and no where is a greater expression of love than all of Sicily. The art, the culture-"
"Shut your mouth" Danny snapped, blue eyes fierce behind his glasses "Everyone knows the Taj Mahal is the most romantic place on earth."
"What?" Tony stated, deadpan "The Taj Mahal, Danny? Honestly?"
"Do ya even know the history behind the Taj Mahal?" Danny gave his lover a hard look, then sighed in defeat when he was returned with a blank stare "The Taj Mahal was made in 1631, for starters. It's that old, and it still looks bitchin'. Shah Jahan I had a lot of wives, but he treasured one above all others. Mumtaz Mahal, he renamed her 'chosen one of the palace' because she was his only true bride (in his mind, at least.) She was loyal wife, didn't cheat, loved him, and gave him thirteen kids."
Tony smiled softly as he listened to his lover talk, the passion in his eyes was endearing.
"Well…the fourteenth didn't work out…boom, death by childbirth" Danny made a cutting motion in the air as he spoke "Thirty-nine years old, gave him nineteen years of loyal service. He freakin' flipped, and built the Taj Mahal as her tomb."
Tony made a face, "That makes it creepy, not romantic."
"Wait, there's more" Danny scoffed at the brunette's impatience, pushing up his glasses "Damn…where was I? Right, well…history states that that even though he outlived his wife by thirty-four years…he never embraced another woman."
Tony snorted at the hushed tone his lover adopted, "Because he was too busy boozin' and feeling up the servant boy."
Danny pinched his lover hard in the arm, "DiNozzo!"
"Ow!" Tony pouted "Sorry, damn…"
"Don't you get it? He loved her so much, even in death…when she couldn't do anything for him. He wanted her to be comfortable in her eternal sleep" Danny got a soft, whimsical look in his eyes as he stared off "Their love was so pure for their time, so untouched…they were soul mates, one couldn't live fully without the other. It's true love…if it ever existed, it was with them."
Tony reached up, threading his fingers through blonde tresses. Danny turned, they exchanged bright smiles…true ones, full of care and love.
"I think it's a little overcompensated" Tony replied lowly "I can show you more love in a night than that man did to his wife in thirty-four years."
Danny leant in, but mindful since they were in the lab, "You gonna show me later tonight?"
Tony waggled his eyebrows humorously, "You know it."
And Danny couldn't keep the laugh inside.
3. Take It Like A Man
(AN: This is a past ficlet, like 13 years ago from present time)
Danny Messer sat alone in the kitchen, a kitchen he had no business being in. The seventeen year old sighed heavily, nursing the beer he had snatched out of the fridge. Damn Louie, the bastard…bringing him here again. The Sassone house…more like the Sassone Manner. Sonny's dad was never here, but Sonny sure as hell was. Sonny wasn't much older than Louie, maybe twenty-one.
The kitchen he was in was kinda small, but only because it was a side-kitchen that connected to Sonny's part of the house.
Anyways, Danny had no business being here.
But Louie was his ride everywhere until his birthday, and Louie had wanted to go here.
"Messer!" it was Sonny's harsh voice that cut through the still air. Danny sighed heavily, getting up from the table with great reluctance. He made his way to the white curtain that separated the kitchen from the sitting room. Sonny had gotten high one night, or so the story said, and had busted it down in a fit of rage. Whatever, the dumbass tweaker probably went on a binge and unscrewed it…
Danny lifted the curtain to the side, standing boldly in the doorway and taking it all in.
The Tanglewood boys were spread out on the floor and the low couches, laughing loudly and pushing each other playfully. Coke. There, on the table…sprinkles and lines of it. Danny sneered in disgust, what a bunch of idiots. Did they had any idea what drugs did to them? And Louie was no better, he was right there with them. It made his heart hurt to see his brother like that, but he didn't give a fuck.
Why was he here again?
"Messer, get in 'ere" Sonny gestured him closer, eyes bloodshot "No point not participating?""I'm good in here" Danny tried for a smile "Don' wanna get in your way."
"Don't be a fuckin' buzz kill, Messer" Sonny gestured to the white dust on the table "Come. I wanna share wit' you."
"Nah, man" Danny started backing away, fear gripping his heart.
Joe Spangal gestured around, high as a kite, "I thought you wanted to be part of us?"
"Not like this, man" Danny put up a hand as Sonny stood, coming at him "I don't want no trouble, Sonny, you know that."
"No trouble?" Sonny snorted, Tony Baba stood up and followed his boss towards the younger man "Don't be a bitch, Messer…either join in or get the fuck out."
"Fine" Danny spat, not casting his brother a glance "I'll walk then."
Danny tried to get past them to the door, but Sonny shoved him back roughly.
"Hey!" he spat, getting angrier by the second "I'm leavin', ok?"
"No way, Messer" Sonny grinned "I got a better idea for you. Help me out, Tony."
Before Danny knew it, both men had seized his arms. He kicked out as he picked right up off the floor, they dragged him towards the back hall.
"Guys! Stop it!" Danny was giving way to panic, unsure what these bastards were going to do "Guys! Come on, this ain't funny!"
"Actually, Danny, it's pretty damn hilarious" Sonny chuckled cruelly, taking all of the blonde's weight as Tony let go and opened up a door. Danny found himself tossed inside, hitting a wall pretty hard. The door shut firmly, locking from the outside.
Danny panted, fingertips digging into the unforgiving surface. It took him a full minute before he realized what had happened…those bastards had shoved him in a closet! Danny scrambled for a light string, but found none. He couldn't reach the top of the closet, even if he stood on his tiptoes.
He felt around, it wasn't very big at all. He couldn't spread his arms out all the way, and there was no more than four feet between the back wall and the door. Coats assaulted him from all sides, scratching at his face and hands. Danny had never done well in tight places, small places…
"Sonny?" he calls tentatively, only getting a harsh laugh. Danny swallowed, sucking in a rushed breath.
"What's wrong Messer?" Sonny teased, voice muffled "Not to you're liking?"
"Tony, let me out" Danny's breath was already catching. Tony and him had gotten kind of close the past couple weeks, but was that enough. "I…I can't breath, man."
"Aw, take it like a man, Messer!" Sonny was breathless he was laughing so hard "Quit bitching!"
There was a shuffle out there, then a hushed 'just leave 'im' before they were gone. Danny wrapped his hand around the knob, twisting. Nothing…the door was completely locked.
"No!" Danny pulled at the knob with both hands, freaking out "Come on! Let me out! I didn't do nothin'! Let me out, you guys! Louie? Louie? Don't let them do this!"
Danny started banging at the wood with his fist, breath hitching horribly in his chest. He sank to his knees, still pounding.
"Louie?" Danny called desperately "Louie, bro…help me out, man! This ain't funny!"
Danny started into a full-on freak out, shouting and banging at the door. At one point he began to claw at the surface, but all it did was make his hands ache.
Hours later, Danny was still curled into the door…drifting in a haze.
The door rattled, scaring the blonde out of his daze. He leapt back into the wall, hitting it solidly and causing his bones to protest. The door swung open, flooding the closet with light. Danny hissed, holding up a hand and blocking his sensitive eyes.
"Hey, man, are you alright?"
Danny blinked up, eyes quickly adjusting. The man appeared like an angel, looking down and offering his hand. He had these bright jade eyes, warm and caring. Long-ish brunette hair fell into his eyes, brushing his ears…softening his strong features.
"Hey, are you ok?" he repeated, dulcet tones circling Danny and embracing him.
Danny reached up tentatively, taking the man's hand, "Yeah…"
"What's your name, kid?" the brunette asked, looking him over for injury.
"Danny Messer" Danny was glad to walk out of the closet, looking down the hall to find the sitting room empty "You?"
"Tony DiNozzo" Tony replied easily, following his line of sight "What the hell are you doing in a closet?"
"Fuckers got high and thought it'd be funny to lock me in there" Danny growled, angry now that he wasn't so frightened "I didn't think I'd ever get out."
Tony whistled as he spotted the door, bloody scratches embedded in the surface, "Damn…"
Tony took the blonde's hands in his, running his fingers over the raw digits. Danny's fingertips were worn down to the point of bloody, fingernails cut down completely.
Tony caught the blue gaze, "How long were you in there?"
"Forever" Danny scoffed, glad for once he was alone in Sonny's house. He gave the brunette a second look over, the man was handsome. "Who are you to be here?"
"I'm not a part of Tanglewood, that's for sure. Bunch of dumb-fucks" Tony gave a pointed look at the sprinkling of coke on the glass table in the sitting room "My cousin is, that scrawny kid who joined a few weeks ago. I'm here to drag his sorry ass back home to Long Island, my uncle isn't pleased. Off to military school with him, and I'm just the messenger."
"You better watch it" Danny warn "They shoot the messenger here in Manhattan."
Tony looked him over in return, "Are you from around here? You hang with Sassone?"
"Hell no, especially after today. I'm from Staten Island" Danny reluctantly pulled his hand out of the brunette's grip, shoving his hands into his jacket "My brother's a member, I just came for the ride."
"Pfft, bad ride" Tony gestured "We should get the hell out of here before they come back. Do you…uh, need a ride?"
Danny looked up sheepishly, "If you don't mind."
"I don't" Tony shrugged "No problem, really."
Danny flashed him a smile, getting one in return.
And that was the start of them.
4. Together…alone…at last
"I can't believe it" Danny squinted out his bedroom window, rubbing at the glass with his fist.
"How bad is it?" Tony asked, lazily spread out on the bed.
"Everything's covered in a half-inch of ice, I think the tree on the street broke" Danny snorted, pushing up his glasses "And the snow's the size of quarters…maybe ping-pong balls. Still as death out there."
"All flights have been cancelled in and out of New York city, and my cell is conveniently dead" Tony stuck out his tongue childishly "Oh no, I'm stuck in New York for the next three days. Whatever shall I do?"
"Gibbs is gonna be pissed" Danny sauntered over to the bed, eyeing the prone form half-nestled under his blankets "He better not call Mac…"
"Oh no, it looks like your cell is dead too" Tony pouted cutely, sitting up and grabbing the blonde by the back of the neck. Danny found himself straddling the brunette's lap, gazing into dark emerald eyes that were alive with mirth. "Whatever shall we do?"
"Make out like teenagers?" Danny suggested smugly.
Tony contorted his features into a shocked expression, "The thought never crossed my mind, you fiend! You just want your hands on my virgin-man flesh!"
Danny snorted out a laugh, "Who took who's ass-ginity?"
Tony laughed evilly at the memory, palms running over lean hips, "I remember that night. You were all nervous and I wanted it to be perfect…now what happened?"
Danny flushed, "We ended up fucking in the backseat of Gibbs' car."
Tony sighed, "And that is Gibbs' fault, he shouldn't have gave me the keys…and kept me away from you."
"It should scare me that you can go from innocent to evil to normal in less than a minute" Danny shrugged, frowning and shaking his head "It doesn't."
"That's cause you want me" Tony growled, pushing the blonde on his back and crawling over him "Now…let's fill in this boring snow day…"
"Oh no" Danny purred "Whatever shall we do?"
5. Get It Out Of The Way
"Uh oh" Aiden looked up from her microscope, eyes wide.
Danny frowned at her, "What's wrong?"
"Remember that fed you flirted with on the Petty Officer case?" Aiden questioned, eyes not straying away from the glass wall.
The blonde gave a sheepish smile, "The cute brunette? Yeah."
She finally looked away, flashing him a grin, "He's here!"
Danny perked up, eyes darting over to spot the NCIS agent heading right for him. Nervous butterflies fluttered around in his stomach, but he couldn't help but feel relieved. Tony DiNozzo had given off a straight-only vibe, but Danny had taken a chance and flirted with him. Tony had reacted strangely unsure of himself and hesitant. The approach had thrown him off, but he hadn't seemed repulsed.
Danny had been afraid he would never see him again.
Aiden tried to leave, but he seized her arm, "Don't you dare leave me alone wit' 'im!"
Tony reached the lab, letting himself inside, "Hey there, CSI's."
"Special Agent DiNozzo" Aiden smiled, her voice politely cheerful as she pried Danny's hand off her with sharp nails "So good to see you."
Tony gave her a charming smile in return, "Aiden, could I speak with CSI Messer…uh, alone."
Danny glared as she complied, giving her a wink and a thumbs-up behind the NCSI agent's back.
"Tony" Danny smiled nervously.
DiNozzo's look turned predatory, "Danny."
"What can I-?"
"I don't think we should beat around the bush on this" Tony crossed his arms, determination pouring from every crevice of him "We're both guys here, we know what we want. You flirted with me, I'm simply retaliating."
Danny colored, "Uh…"
"I'll say this once…I've never been with a guy before, unless tonguing a transvestite counts" Tony held up a finger, giving him a look that said 'not a word about the man-woman, I don't want to talk about it' "But that doesn't matter. I've thought about it again as again, and I've decided that we should hook up."
Danny wasn't sure if this was some horrible prank or a miracle, "Tony-"
"I mean, we're guys. No hearts and flowers right?" Tony's eyes filled with mischief, advancing on the blonde CSI "I'm hot, you're hot, let's be hot together. Simple math, right?"
Danny wanted to point out that nothing was simple. Relationships were give and take, relenting providing. You had to know when to stand you're ground and when to bite your thumb, when to speak up and when to hang your head. It wasn't he proverbial 'happily ever after', not for men like them. He wanted to say all those things, to point out that they barely knew each other and they probably would end up fighting a lot with the Italian blood in their veins.
"I guess so" Danny took it all in stride "Do you-?"
"When do you get off?" Tony pinned Danny to the table with his presence, grinning ferally "Off work, that is."
"Three hours" Danny replied obediently.
"Good, let's have dinner, then hot animal sex at your place" Tony turned, heading towards the door "I'll pick you up at your place, give you time to get ready."
Then Tony DiNozzo was gone down the hall, hands in his pockets and looking completely innocent.
Aiden popped back into the lab, "What happened?"
And Danny could only stare at her and laugh.