Unbeta'd. Pointing out of mistakes appreciated and encouraged.
Thanks for reading and enjoy! =)
Friday night, the end of another gruelling week. Luckily, they'd been able to wrap up their latest case early that afternoon, allowing the team a rare weekend off – assuming nothing else came up. Danny and Steve were sitting on the couch, a game on, which Danny was only partially invested in, Steve knew, no matter how much Danny tried to pretend otherwise. Neither of them had a whole lot of energy for anything, but Steve was happy, relaxed, content with the opportunity to enjoy a night in with his partner, to watch Danny slowly let the tension out of his body. And if Steve could help with that, then why not?
"What are you doing?" Danny asked as Steve reached for the remote control sitting between them on the couch.
"I'm muting the TV."
"Why?"
"Because."
"Because? That's your answer? You do realize I was watching that?"
"The commercials, Danny? You were watching the commercials?"
"Well, no, but the game is gonna start back soon."
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yeah, okay." Steve was trying to act as casually as possible, moving to get his guitar, the one that Danny had given to him, which was sitting on its place of honor beside the couch, were it could be easily reached.
"You're gonna play now?"
"Mhmm." Steve was practically ignoring Danny. Well, he was pretending that he was.
"I just said that the game is gonna start again soon."
Steve didn't reply, busy tuning his guitar.
"Steven."
That was Danny's exasperated tone, the one he got when he was gathering the energy to start a rant complaining about everything under the sun. Everything that involved Steve, that is. Steve didn't mind. He was enjoying it, in fact. It only made what he was about to do better. The guitar was tuned, and he started to play.
"Take these broken wings, and learn to fly again, learn to live free."
"What are you doing?"
"I'm singing, Danny."
"I can see that. But why?"
Steve just shrugged and kept going.
"The book of love will open up and let us in."
"Could you just stop that?"
"In a minute. 'Danny, I think tonight, we can take what's wrong and make it right. Danny, it's all I know, that you're half of the flesh and blood that makes me whole. I need you so."
"What the fuck, Steve?"
Steve stopped to change the tune in his guitar and started again.
"Cause nothing compares. Nothing compares. To you."
"Seriously?"
"Oh, Danny, you stand by me, I'm forever yours faithfully."
"Steven."
"Would you stop interrupting me? 'I'm in love, sweet love. Hear me calling out your name, Danny. I feel no shame, I'm in love."
"Seriously, Steve, what the hell?"
"Could you be quiet? I'm trying to serenade you." God, this was fun. Steve was having a really hard time keeping his expression neutral.
"Serenade me?" Danny had a look of mixed bewilderment and offense. And a tiny hint of something else.
"What do you think brought the sun out today? It's my Danny, oh help me sing."
"Oh, God." Danny groaned and let his head fall back on the back of the couch.
"My Danny don't care for shows. My Danny don't care for clothes. My Danny just cares for me."
Danny turned to look at Steve, managing to glare at him with just one eye open. Steve couldn't stop the grin that formed on his face anymore.
"The look in your eyes is more than enough to make my poor heart burst into flames."
Danny huffed and closed his eyes again. Steve could have sworn he saw the barest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of Danny's lips. Steve smiled. Almost there.
"I wanna know what love is. I want you to show me. I wanna feel what love is. I know you can show me."
Danny didn't move or say anything, but the smile did get a bit larger. Not long now.
"I can't stop thinking of you. I can't get you off my mind. I need your lovin' tonight." Steve affected his voice as best he could. "I need your lovin', oooooohhhh, toniiiiiiight. I'm so hooked on your love, Danny. It feels so right."
"You're ridiculous. You know that, right?"
Danny was laughing now. Just one more...
"Because I can brighten up your day. If you're feeling bad, I put a smile on your face."
"God, Steve, please, I beg of you, stop."
And now Danny just looked beautiful. Shaking with laughter, crinkles on the corner of sparkling eyes. Steve placed his guitar on the floor and started moving towards Danny.
"What? You really expect me to believe that you weren't enjoying that?"
"No, Steven, I was most definitely not enjoying that." Danny could barely talk between the laughter and the smile threatening to split his face in half.
"And you want me to believe that you don't feel the slightest flutter in your stomach when I declare my love for you like that?" Steve couldn't help but mock Danny now, one because they were both enjoying themselves way more than could be expected after a week like they'd had, and also because he knew how much of a sap Danny was deep down, and fluttering stomachs were a definite possibility. Steve was crowding over Danny now, forcing him to lie back on the couch.
"Of course not." Danny let himself be pushed back, goofy grin still on his face, eyes going suspiciously soft, game completely forgotten. "You're such a goof."
"Yes, I'm a goof. A goof who just wants to 'keep on loving you.'
Danny shut Steve up with a kiss. Mission accomplished.
Songs used (in order of appearance):
Mr. Mister – Broken Wings; Sinead O'Connor – Nothing Compares To You; Journey – Faithfully; Anita Baker – Sweet Love; Sister Sledge – Thinking Of You; Nina Simone – My Baby Just Cares For Me; Whispers – It's A Love Thing; Foreigner – I Want To Know What Love Is; Alyson Williams – I Need Your Lovin'; Joyce Sims – Come Into My Life; REO Speedwagon – Keep On Loving You.