/Y'all can blame my friend for encouraging me to write this. I'm sort of annoyed that there's no Danny fan fics so here's some gay police men I guess. This is a one shot, so only one chapter. I have so many damn WIPS where Charlie has his heart and body broken, I thought it might be time for me to try my hand at some romance, you feel? Warnings, obviously, period specific homophobia. And I did my best to keep Lawson in character but tbh I don't know how well I managed. He seemed disgusted by homosexuality, but didn't actually want to arrest anyone for it. IDK, man, IDK
As always, reviews are encouraged, any comments questions or concerns, feel free to contact me. Especially if you still aren't over the fact that Jack and Danny are related.
…
He wishes he could stay the night. The air outside the blankets it cold, he can feel it on his toes under the sheets. His nose is cold, and next to him, he can hear the soft breathing of his bed partner. He turns halfway over, to look at the sleeping man. Charlie smiles. Danny looks peaceful, when he sleeps. And he wishes that he could mirror the expression with his own face rather then the creased expression he apparently wears when he sleeps. He puts his hand on Danny's cheek and looks at the comparison between their skin. He's white like milk, Danny reminds him more of the wet sand at the beach. Danny looks lively, while he looks more like all the colour was leeched out of his skin. It's equal parts beautiful and concerning.
"Boys will always break your heart, Charlie." His mother said, and she was probably right. Every relationship he'd ever tried to have before had ended poorly, with him trying to stick all of the pieces of his broken heart back together, and them scrabbling to defend their own poor hearts. Even worse, everything has to be done in the quiet of the bedroom, with no eyes on them to make sense of him and his choices. Aside from being very lonely, it's also very difficult.
But moments like this somehow seem to make it worth the wait. He knows, deep down in his chromosomes that he and Danny will not be forever. People never really are these days, not from what he knows of the world. He knows, in every part of him, every pore and every hair follicle, every eyelash and every fingernail, every tooth and every muscle, they all know, that in this moment, this second, he is deeply in love with Danny Parks. And he would even go so far as to say that the feeling was returned.
He is eventually forced to get out of bed, lest he be found here by Mattie, or even worse, the conservative Mrs Toohey. He doesn't want to go, but he's spent his whole life learning how to keep secrets. He doesn't think that this deserves to be any different. He puts his clothes back on, underwear, shirt, pants, and then tucks the covers around Danny, to make sure that he's warm at least. He pauses to look at him sleep for one more moment. He runs a hand though his hair, before leaning in to gently kiss Danny's nose before he headed out into the hallway.
Since Blake's leaving with Mrs Beazley (and as far as Charlie can see, quite frankly the pair should get married just to get it over with.) Danny had come down to fill in for Munro, since they had a new gap. No one said anything about Lawson taking back over. Danny claimed his old room, and Charlie was still in the room he had to clear all of the boxes out of. But he wanted something to drink, so after stopping in his bedroom to make sure nothing was too obvious, he went down to find the kitchen.
He opens a cupboard, and takes out a glass, and even makes it to the sink before he realizes her. He bumps into the chair, and after cursing his stubbed toe, he realized that she was sitting in the chair he'd just accidentally kicked. "Bloody hell Mattie." He said, before filling his cup in the sink. "What are you doing awake?"
"Waiting for you."
"Me? "
"No, the other you."
"Shut up." He replied, before filling his cup.
"Charlie sit down, will you?" Charlie does, and takes a sip of water. "I can see what happening between you and Danny."
"I didn't think we could slip it past you."
"Just shut up for once and listen to me." Mattie sighed. "Danny is very careless with relationships. I don't want to see you get hurt because you loved him and he saw you as a quick lay."
"I don't think he thinks like that."
"I think you're underestimating him. He leaves every relationship he's ever has a mess and I don't want him to mess up you as well." Charlie sighed, but nodded. "He's not bad. He's just..."
"Messy."
"Yeah. I can see how much you've fallen for him, bloody hell Charlie." Charlie chuckled and took a sip of his water. "Just be careful, okay?" She asked softly, before standing up. She gave him one last look, before heading up to bed. Charlie finished his drink before following after her.
…
Charlie Davis was equal parts mystery and quiet storm. And there was something about him that Danny couldn't pin down. But from the sounds of it, that's not new. Apparently his replacement in Ballarat had about (According to Lawson) half his charm, twice his smarts and three times his lying ability. Charlie Davis was indeed smart, but more then that, he was beautiful. Perhaps not in the traditional way, but he certainly was. There's something sweet about his eyes and something cold about his hands that made him so pretty.
And that was all it took for Danny to fall head over heels in love with him.
Much like Charlie, Danny was used to pretending, hiding and acting, fact was, he didn't even like men that much. Charlie apparently had liked men his whole life, if evidenced by his sparing talks about his past lovers. Charlie was hard to get to know, and any time he was open about his life, Danny always wanted to be there to listen. Danny wonders why only Charlie made him feel like this. He never mentioned it to Charlie. He didn't want to worry the other.
He stares at Charlie from across the room at the station, and he feels like he could float over there with him. His fingers are long and slim, his wrists are thin and pale, his face is soft, and he eyes are as stormy as ever. Danny finds that he wants to kiss the storms out of his eyes. He knows better, however, then to try anything here. Charlie had made it clear that there was no possible way for them to ever be public. They'd be thrown in jail, to never see each other again. He knows that Charlie's right. It's better to be quiet then to be thrown in jail. And that's not even taking into consideration his career. And Charlie's It's a strange sort of feeling, but not one he'd class as a good one.
The phone on Charlie's desk rings. He answers and Danny can feel Lawson's eyes on him so he hastily looks down at his own work, and didn't look up as Charlie walked past his desk, hat in hand, and was followed after by Hobart.
Hobart seems to be annoyed to have to put down the file and follow after poor Charlie, and it annoyed Danny because he would love to go out with Charlie to whatever call he'd just been sent on, but Lawson had clearly made his choice to not send him as a message. Not an ideal message, but one all the same.
Once Charlie and Hobart have left, it's just him and Lawson sitting in the room. "Parks...Come here." Lawson said, and Danny does. He walks over and sits in front of Lawson's desk. "Do you think I'm an idiot?"
"Pardon me, sir?"
"You heard me. Do you think I'm an idiot? I can see how you and Davis are looking at one another."
"It's no-"
"Let me finish. I can see how you look at one another, I can see that you appear to be in love. I also know that Charlie Davis is a persistent bastard and you're unlikely to give up on a good thing. If you're in love with him, then I'm not going to arrest you. I don't need to lose two good officers, as long as the two of you keep it in your bedroom then I won't do anything.' Lawson had turned slightly green as he appeared to consider what the two of them did in the bedroom, he shook it off quickly. "But I also have to warn you about Charlie Davis. He's hiding something from you. He's always hiding something, and I doubt he will ever truly be honest with anyone."
"That doesn't bother me."
"Just don't let him break your heart with his secret keeping. He won't ever trust you one hundred percent."
"I don't need him to."
"If you say so, Parks." Lawson sighed. "As thanks for me not arresting you, go make me a cup of tea." Danny nodded, and got to his feet. "And I assume you're smart enough to know that we keep this between us? Last thing we need is Charlie getting upity because he thinks I'm trying to scare you off."
"Aren't you?"
"No...I'm not. I want to be happy for you two idiots." Danny smiled, and put the kettle on.
…
"Stop kicking the blankets up." Charlie complained, using his foot to pull the blanket back down over their toes. Danny smiled and tightened his arms around Charlie's chest.
"Well maybe I'm hot!"
"It's the middle of winter, you idiot." Charlie complained, "And it's freezing bloody cold."
"I think that you might just be extra sensitive towards cold."
"Or maybe I'm just extra sensitive towards my idiot lover." He grumbled, before pulling Danny closer to him. Danny chuckled softly and leant up to kiss his cheek. Charlie smiled slightly, and kissed him back.
"You know...Lawson called me an idiot today was well."
"He was right."
"He also called you an idiot."
"He did what? That bastard!" Danny couldn't help but laugh, but quickly fell serious.
"He told me that he knows, and that he thinks you're going to break my heart because you don't trust me."
"He's probably right." Charlie said, softly.
"Maybe...But I just...I just want you to know that I don't mind...That you have secrets. I mean, everybody does."
"Do you?"
"Yes." Charlie nodded, and gave Danny something between a smile and a grimace.
"And I assume that I can't ask you about them?"
"You can ask." Danny laughed. Charlie kissed his nose and smiled at him.
"Do you know Mattie said something like that to me last night. "
"She knows?"
"Well we do live in the same house. And you aren't exactly quiet."
"That's your fault, but I guess I'm not surprised." Charlie shook his head and gave him another kiss.
"She told me that you're not careful with relationships, and that she doesn't want you to break my heart because you can't control yourself."
"Ah."
"Danny if I'm honest, I don't really care about what you do in ten years, or five years, or two days, I care about where you are now. And that's right where you should be."
"In your arms?"
"That's a bit romantic. I lean more towards 'here with me."
"Same meaning."
"Makes it sound like we're in some god awful movie." Danny chuckled softly, and sighed at Charlie.
"I think that's beautiful." He murmured.
"I suppose. But..You know, I'm fully expecting you to find some nice girl, settle down and have some nice kids."
"Really? You don't think we'll be forever?"
"No. Relationships like this never are."
"Like this?"
"Like us. Boys."
"Ah."
"Societies expectations aside, we're so different. I like to stay home, you like parties. I'm a wet blanket, you're the gasoline. I'm the headache, you're the bex. I'm the sacateers, you're the overgrown rose bush. I'm the rock, you're the waves."
"That's all very poetic Charlie, but I'm beginning to see what Lawson meant about you not trusting people."
"Sorry."
"Don't you have any faith in us at all? We could be something! Something amazing."
"Or we could crash and burn."
"You're such a wet blanket, Charlie." Charlie doesn't reply, he just sighed, and pulls the blankets up closer to their chests.
…
Charlie is shocked, when ten months later, not only is he still in Ballarat, (The Bonehead offer went off the table after Munro left. Lawson needed someone he could trust as his second in command, apparently.) but still so in love with Danny. Even stranger, Danny still seems to be in love with him. They spend whatever moments they have together, still spend every night in Danny's bed, and still make eyes at one another at work. Lawson seems to have gotten used to the idea because at some point in the last few months, he seemed to have moved in. Not that Charlie minded so much. He was happy that Lawson was here rather at home in his old man underwear drunkenly shouting the answers at Game of Champions. Now he sits in their living room drunkenly watching Game of Champions. Charlie normally doesn't drink. Having seen both his mother and father be angry drunks, he always feared that he'd end up with the same response. Danny on the other hand, seemed to enjoy getting as drunk as he possibly could. Charlie just sort of patted his back in the bathroom and made sure that he didn't dehydrate himself.
This Friday seemed no different. Mattie went to her room to study away from them, and Charlie stayed behind because he was Danny's boyfriend and that's what boyfriends are meant to do (And quite frankly, he woudn't miss Lawson trying to pronounce things while drunk for the world) After the show, Danny still seemed cheerful and put an arm over his shoulder. Charlie sat back into his arm and kept his eyes on the tv.
"I really love you." Danny said, drunkenly. Charlie patted him on the shoulder.
"I know you do."
"No Charlie. I really love you." Charlie gave him a funny little smile.
"I love you as well, you peanut." He said.
"I love you even if you call me names." Charlie shook his head again and lay his head on Danny's shoulder. Lawson looked away from them, but didn't move away.
"Good." Danny put his arm tightly around Charlie, and then kissed his hair. Charlie gave him a tiny smile.
"I love you so much." Danny repeated. "You're so good to me." Charlie let out a small breath of air.
"If you say so." He murmured, before looking at him again, and folding his arms over his chest in a slightly defensive position, and for a long moment, Danny looked incredibly sad.
"I wish that I could show you how much I love you. Then you wouldn't feel like that."
"Like what?"
"Like you think that we aren't going to last.' Charlie stood up, after a moment.
"I think it's time we went to bed, hmm? Stopped annoying Matthew."
"Yeah.." Danny said, and took both of Charlie's hands to help himself up.
"Night Boss." Charlie said, as he helped Charlie up the stairs to his bedroom. Lawson tries to pretend that he can't feel what Danny was talking about in the air around them.
…
Within the same month, Jean and Blake returned from Adelaide. Unmarried, and full of tension as ever. Charlie didn't comment about it. He and Danny started being more careful. Lawson moved back to his place, claiming his duty of care to his 'two inept at even the basic functions of adult life subordinates' was complete. Despite their best attempts to keep it hidden, it didn't take Jean long to pick up on it. And from there, single Charlie out.
Coming home from work a bit later then Danny one night, Charlie walked into the living room to find Jean and Blake sitting on the couch waiting for him. "Doc. Mrs Beazley." He nodded, as he passed through towards the parlor to find Danny, when they called him back.
"Come sit down, Charlie." Blake offered. Charlie returned, and took a seat.
"I want to know how." Jean said, finally. Blake put his hand over hers.
"What she means is that...You're both so different..."
"And you're a very conservative woman who think I've tricked her child into being a homosexual. I've heard it before." He said, waving a dismissive hand. "How do any two people get together?" He asked. "We met, we shook hands, he smiled at me, I smiled at him." He looked a little dreamy, for a moment, like he was elsewhere. 'We made eyes at one another across the police station. We touched feet under the table. And one night he asked me to see a movie. I agreed. And then it just felt like we couldn't get enough of one another."
"Do you think he loves you?" Jean asked. Charlie nodded.
"Yes ma'am. I know he loves me."
"And...Do you love him?"
"Yes. I do. Very much." Blake looked him up and down.
"Do you think that he's your soulmate or...something?"
"I don't believe in that sort of nonsense, Doc. But I do think...That I've fallen so head over heel, so stupidly in love with him, that it would be very hard to let him go." He pauses, and watched them for a long, long moment. "If you'd like for me to move out, then I will. But...Danny and I...We're both adults who are capable of making our own choices in life. I don't really know why his choice to be with me, and mine with him should be any different to the choices that other couples make."
"Well Charlie..." The doctor began for Charlie stopped him.
"No offense, Doc, but I don't really fancy relationship advice from you two. Who can't even admit they like one another despite having ample time and I imagine opportunities to do so. I won't break Danny's heart. He won't break mine. We'll break our own hearts, probably but not one anothers. I love him. He loves me. Are we done here? I seriously need a shower and a nap." He said. Jean gave him a slightly watery smile.
"I was hoping you'd say something like that. Something to defend him." Jean said, dabbing at her eyes. "You're a good boy Charlie. Danny's lucky to have you." Blake nodded in agreement, having stayed largely quiet throughout the discussion.
"Of course you're still welcome in the house." He murmured, and gave Charlie a hug. Charlie awkwardly hugged him back after a moment.
Sitting at the table for dinner was a little awkward. The doctor sat at the head, of course. Mattie and Jean sat next to one another, and naturally now Charlie and Danny wanted to sit together. The chicken had been served, and Charlie had carefully secured himself a wing. However, as they ate, Danny reached over and took it from him.
"Hey!" He said, smacking Danny's fork away. "That's mine."
"Aren't boyfriends meant to share food?"
"Maybe. But I like the wing."
"I'll let you do the wishbone with me."
"Yay. Getting chicken grease all over my hands to break some poor rib cage in half. I'm thrilled."
"Please?" Charlie sighed and surrendered his wing to Danny.
"Give me the damn wish bone." He said, as Blake and Jean tried not to laugh at him. Mattie just shook her head, used to it by now.
"All right. Made a wish?" Danny asked. Charlie nodded. They snapped the bone and Danny sighed.
"Guess it's not my turn."
"You peanut. You got the knobby bit. Now your wish comes true."
"Nahh. The knobby bit means you don't get it, right Mattie?" Mattie shook her head.
"Charlie's right."
"I've been doing wish bones wrong my whole life.' He said, softly. "Well if you lost, then what did you wish for?"
"My wing back.' Charlie said, stabbing a piece of broccoli with his fork. After a moment, Danny set the wing back on his plate.
"Wish granted." Charlie smiled at him for a moment, and then shook his head, sticking the broccoli in his mouth.
…
"Can you feel it, Charlie?" Danny asked, softly.
"Can I feel what?" Charlie asked, somewhat blearily.
"The storm."
"Huh?"
"The one..Inside us. Between us..."
"There's no storm Danny. It's meant to be blue skies all week.""
"No, no. Not that kind of storm. One we make."
"Us?"
"Mmm." Charlie kissed his cheek, after rolling over to face him.
"But at the moment...We're in the center. So it's calm. But all around us, there's this...this feeling. This..mounting pressure."
"You think so?" Danny nodded, and put his head back on Charlies chest.
"And I'm so worried. Because I can see it in your eyes. And we've been though so much. But there's still so much of it left." Charlie leant down to kiss the crease out of Danny's forehead.
"Well we'll do it together." Danny nodded, and then after a moment, pulled the sheets up.
"Even if it's raining and windy and you lose sight of me?"
"I'll leave no stone unturned until I find you again."
"Do you really think we can't make it?" Charlie looked thoughtful, before kissing Danny gently.
"I really don't know, Danny. I used to think that, yes, but now...Now I've fallen stupidly head over heels in love with you. And it's not going away."
"And neither am I." Danny promised.
"Well that makes two of us I suppose. Now go to sleep. It's almost three am."
"Love you too." Danny said, after a moment of watching Charlie's face.
"I don't doubt it." Charlie said, pulling him closer.