Title: Tessellation (20/33)
Author: Emono
Rating: FRAO
Fandom: NCIS/Dark Angel crossover, mixing CSI's
Pairings: Jethro Gibbs/Logan Cale, Mac/Horatio, Catherine/Abby, Tony/Speed, Danny/McGee
Series: The Not-So-Dark-Angel Universe
Disclaimer: I do not own either, why? Because I'm poor, that's why.
Summary: "We shouldn't have done that."
Beta: gil_follower
Warnings: Rare pairings, AU, randomness, slight OOC-Danny, established relationship, snow, flashback
Prompt: "Impressionable Youth"
AN: This was actually supposed to be at the end of the last chapter, but I realized it was going to get too long. I decided for as much crap as McGee and Danny get, they deserve their own chapter. Oh, and ignore the lack of Italics on the flashback, that's not how I roll
~Scene Cut: Same Day~
"We shouldn't have done that."
"I know."
The only sound in the bedroom was their heavy panting, two figures tangled in sheets and glistening sweat from their earlier activities. The blonde was on his stomach, arms folded under his chin. The dark eyed, paler man was flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling.
Tim closed his eyes briefly, lips quirking, "But it was fun."
"Hell yeah, it was!" Danny chuckled, he couldn't keep the dumb ass smile off his face. He sat up on shaky arms, looking over at the man. The man he had just made love to…fuck, they hadn't been able to make it through the door before they were all over each other. Tim was timid, and he double-guessed every touch he made. But Danny had made him forget it all with a few well-placed kisses, touching just the right spot…to nibble on this man's neck was to turn him into goo.
Danny moved to straddle the man, noticing the flush that stained his cheeks. The blonde curled his fingers around the edge of the sheet, and bent down to place a chaste at his collarbone. He took note how the man's dark eyes fixated on a spot on the wall, like he was trying to block it out.
"What's wrong?" blue eyes clouded over in hurt, fingers tightening on the sheet "Don't you…? You don't want me to touch you, do you?"
"No, that's not it" McGee sounded as if he was scolding him for something stupid, those lovely dark eyes turning on him with something akin to shame in his eyes "Before, I was too caught up in it and I didn't think too much…you're really good at distraction. But now…I'm kind of…body conscious."
Danny made a face of disbelief, "What?"
"Tony always teases me about my extra weight, and I've been trying to cut down on the snacking" Tim's eyes roved down his lover's lean torso, the corded muscle of his upper arms, the cut of his hipbones "I mean…I don't look like you."
"If I wanted me, I'd carry a mirror. I'd save money on dates, but the cuddling would get cold without another person" Danny flashed his cat grin "I like your body, and I thought I showed my appreciation earlier. I'll work harder this time, promise."
Danny pulled down the sheet, admiring how the man's embarrassed flush colored him to the base of his collar bone. He leaned down again and pressed his cheek to the soft skin, almost bare of any hair. Tim seemed to sigh in relief, realizing his new lover was only caressing and dropping kisses.
Not one to be ripped from his lover in such a tender moment, the blonde couldn't help but groan when his cell rang. He grudgingly sat up, naked except for his dog tags. He rolled off the man, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. He clawed for the blurry image of his phone on the night stand…
"Yeah?" he grumbled, rubbing at his eyes.
"Danny?" it was Logan.
"Hey Eyes" Danny looked over at a tap on his shoulder, his glasses were gently slipped over his ears "Thanks, Tim. Now I can see…what is it?"
"It's snowing" Logan stated, as if that solved everything (Danny looked out the window to see the fist-sized flakes coming down fast) "The airports are closed until further notice. The storm is supposed to last for two days, so…stay there."
"I'll ask" Danny replied curtly, then hung up and tossed the phone on the side table. A tentative hand touched his shoulder blade, he purred at the warmth. Tim's fingers were determined, tracing a shape there on his skin. The blonde tensed when he realized what the man was looking at, what had caught his attention so. The Tanglewood tattoo…the one that marked him for life as a criminal. The one he hadn't even let Aiden see, even though she had known about his past…the one only Speed and Logan had seen…maybe some of his past lovers, but they probably didn't pay enough attention…
"This looks like a gang tattoo" Tim spoke softly, fingertips tracing the ink mark on his lover's tan skin.
Danny scowled, "It's nothin', Tim…"
"We shouldn't start a relationship with lies" the NCIS agent scolded him, soft hands drifting over his shoulders. Danny sighed when the man's bare chest pressed into his back, sitting up on his knees and locking his hands over the CSI's heart in a romantic gesture. "I won't think anything less of you…trust me."
//This man, who I love, just trusted me with this body, I owe him this// Danny silently put a hand on his lover's, taking in the comfort //I trust him, too.//
"When I was younger, no more than eighteen…no, before that" Danny clenched his eyes shut "Be patient wit' me, Tim, I've never told this before."
Tim's lips bussed his lips across the tan neck before him, "I'm listening…we've got time."
"The Messers' have been under surveillance since before I can remember. We're…we've got mob connections, we handle organized crime" when McGee only nodded, his lover's nerves were soothed 'It was this group called Tanglewood…all the men in my family had been involved in it since Grand-Pa's days. It was a tradition, I didn't realize there was anything wrong with it. I grew up with guns and people who betrayed us disappearing. I was going to play baseball, but when I was eighteen…my brother Louie and Sonny Sassone had me take care of a guy. Halfway through beatin' the hell out of him, I broke my wrist…my dreams were shot to hell."
Danny absently rubbed at his wrist (phantom pain), the heave of his lover's chest at his back.
"So I…I started gettin' into the family business" Danny's voice took on a sordid tone "I did whatever Sassone and Louie told me to do, I was their go-to guy for whatever. Drug smuggling, teachin' some guy a lesson, whatever. I would've stayed there too, if…somethin' bad happened…did anyone ever tell you why Logan and Speed are my two truest friends?"
Tim's brow furrowed, "No, but I wondered…"
"They eased into Tanglewood, got my attention and trust. Then showed me that what I was doin' was wrong" the CSI winced at the memory "Logan taught me a hard lesson, turned the mirror on me. Then, once I agreed, Speed played on my aptitude. He got me into the academy, taught me a lot of things, then put my resume in front of Mac Taylor. They've got tattoos like mine as a testament…I owe them."
Tim held him tighter as he absorbed all the new info, lips pressed to the base of the blonde's neck, "We…we've all got pasts, Danny. Good or bad, they make us who we are. I won't think any less of you, I promised…and, you know, my sister's been involved in some crime. You couldn't control it…I'll stop rambling now."
"It's cute" Danny replied softly.
McGee nuzzled the soft hair at the nape of his lover's neck, "I had to choose a mobster."
Danny's eyebrows shot up to his hairline, "You don' care?"
The brunette shook his head, "How could I? After what we just did…nothing could make you less than amazing in my eyes."
"Sweet-talker!" Danny growled playfully, turning and taking the man into his arms. They were both smiling into the kiss, light hearted, slowly heating up for a second round. Danny played and toyed with his lover until he was panting and hard again, then laid him out on the bed. A pillow was shoved under his pale hips, and he made this sweet, keening sound when the inside of his thighs were kissed.
Danny fingered his still-loose lover, already eager to be inside him again.
"Tim…?"
"Please, Danny" McGee moaned, dark tongue darting out to moisten his dry lips "Do it…I want to feel you in me again."
Danny didn't deny his love a thing, he grabbed the lube and slicked himself up…
»*»
~Back-Flash~
~13 Years Ago~
Danny Messer took a long drag of his cigarette, letting the acrid smoke linger in his lungs as long as he could before exhaling out his nose. He was hid behind a wall of an abandoned building, a bruise around his eye. His broken glasses were stuffed in the deep pocket of his jacket, the hood pulled low over his head. He just wanted to be alone, he didn't need his Tanglewood brothers getting on his back. He wondered briefly if Sonny told the rest what happened, or if he made up some lie?
Sonny Sassone…Danny shuddered at the thought of that man, taking a hard puff off his cigarette to try and quench the nauseous feeling that rose in him. Sonny had done something so horrible, so unforgivable…it made him sick to think about it. The bruise on his eye was a testament to his hate, plus…he only smoked when he was nervous, or upset.
Earlier, he had walked in on Sonny and Louie in his bedroom. They had been talking, heads together and voices hushed. The blonde had been curious about what they were doing in his room, but was always eager to talk and hang out with them.
'Hey guys…anythin' good to share?'
'Dan' Louie had given him a look that should have warned him right away 'Sonny's asked me for something in place of our…smell debt to him.'
'Yeah, Son, I'm sorry about that deal that went down' Danny had looked guiltily at the man then 'I didn't know they'd turn on us. Hey, whatever I can do to getcha that money back…'
Louie's smile had been vicious, 'I'm glad you feel that way, Danny.'
And then things had gotten weird. Sonny had walked over to him, right in his personal space…and then ran a hand down his arm and whispered "I want you for my payment, Daniel." And Danny had been shocked into silence, gaping at the man who had basically been in his life since birth. Sonny had taken with abandon, hands pulling at his jacket and slipping underneath to scrape over his belly. Just as he started to fight back, Sonny had pinned him to the wall and had his lips.
Danny had screamed, and only cried out more when his mouth was released and his neck was attacked. Sonny was a fucking animal on him, and his jacket was already bunched at his elbows. He had looked over at his brother for help, and Louie was only sitting back in his chair and watching passively.
'Get off me' Danny had pushed hard at Sonny's larger frame 'Get off!'
And then the blonde had swung back and hit him upside the head, and Sonny's first instinct was to wheel back and hit him in the face. Thankfully, he had been able to scramble to the door and get the hell out of there. And now Danny was hiding behind this warehouse, smoking down his last cigarette and wondering what the hell he should do.
"Danny?"
Danny flinched, ready to fight back in a moment. He wasn't about to be jumped after getting the fuck scared out of him, and his muscles strained at attention. He looked over, but it was only the two newest members of Tanglewood. Speed…the pale, scruffy kid who wore jackets with hoods like him and had a sharp wit. They had been friends when they were kids, playing with tourists by sticking bills between the cracks of the dock and making a sport out of picking their pockets. He was a wicked-wizz with computers, and he packed some punch (but not enough for Papa Messer to put him on offensive.) The man had his hands in his pockets, black hood pulled over his dark hair.
The other kid was a guy who just went by Eyes…he had these piercing emerald eyes and short brown hair, and these thick/dark-rimmed glasses that hid his expression. His clothes were very informal as well, t-shirts under his dingy denim jacket. They were -indeed- the newest to the gang, but they had all become quick friends. Speed had vouched for this guy, which made him good in Danny's book…they all gelled pretty fast.
"Eyes, Speed-Demon" Danny smiled weakly, taking a last pull off his cigarette before stubbing out it on the wall "How'd you guys find me?"
"We know what Louie did" Eyes stated, they were standing on either side of him now "We know how he paid Sassone off."
Danny colored, "If you guys think you can fuckin' hold this over my head-!"
"Calm down, Danny" Speed spoke softly, much easier than he usually sounded. The blonde shut up at this, he wasn't used to hearing the man so kind "We're here to help you, not ruin you. Just listen to what we have to say, and keep an open mind. Ok?"
Danny nodded, tugging down his hood and look between them.
"My name is Logan Cale" Eyes began firmly, taking off his glasses and replacing them with a smaller, lighter pair that were oval and showed off his handsome features "Your friend Tim came to me when he realized what was going on with you. Don't blame him, he was concerned. After you broke your wrist a few months ago, you've slipped into crime Danny."
The blonde sneered, "You don't fuckin' know me."
"Danny" Speed snapped, and the younger man shut up.
"What they're doing is wrong, Danny" Logan put a tentative hand on the younger man's shoulder, and Danny didn't feel the urge to flinch (but his palm was warm on his shoulder) "Your brother is treating you like property to be sold…today, he was renting you out to Sassone. You do anything they ask of you, I've seen what they can manipulate you into by saying it's for the greater good of the family. Do you want that, Danny? Do you want to be a slave to someone who would hand you out like a whore?"
Danny's eyes teared up at the words, "Louie would never."
"It only hurts because it's true" Logan stepped closer, pulling the man into a firm hug "It's ok, Danny, we know it's not your fault. He's your brother…you thought he knew best."
"I thought he loved me" Danny whispered hoarsely, letting the man support his weight. He gripped the man's worn jacket, burying his face in the lapel. The man's touch wasn't aggressive like Sonny's had been, it was warm and Logan only wanted to comfort him.
"I know, I know" Logan pulled away just enough to look the man in the eyes, cupping his face in both palms "I want to get you away from here, Danny. We both want to."
"I think you've got the skills to become a CSI" Speed stated "I want to help put you through the police academy, Danny…get your chemistry degree and your criminology pass."
"I…what? A CSI? Those behind the scene coppers?" Danny looked at him like he was crazy, back against the wall again "I don' wanna be a copper. Papa won't let me, and Sonny sure won't. Louie will throw a fuckin' fit over it! They'll put a God-damn bullet in my head! You'll find me in the Hudson!"
"No, Daniel" Logan's face was so set, he looked so sure, that the blonde believed him in that instant "We'll keep you safe, keep them away from you. You'll cut ties completely, and you'll never see them again. But you'll have to swear in front of your father that you'll never speak of the family to the cops…and after I talk to him, he'll let you go."
Danny's face set in disbelief, "But you two are part of Tanglewood. What if this is a test?"
"We'd never be so cruel to you, Danny. Hell, we only joined Tanglewood and got these tattoos to save you" Speed stated, and Logan nodded "If you show a talent for being a CSI, I'll keep you on the fast track. But if you half-ass it, don't want it, I'll give you right back to your family. If this isn't what you want, tell us."
"No, I want it" Danny nodded eagerly "Guys, I want it so bad."
Logan looked relieved, "Then I'll talk to your father, explain the situation. You're leaving, no questions or strings. And no one will stop you."
Danny looked between them helplessly, "I owe you both so much."
"Remember that in ten years" Speed grinned "I might use it."
TBC