Scars
Summary: Set after 'Tanglewood'. A Mac/Danny fic.
Mac's observational skills dredge up bad memories for Danny.
It all started because of his T-shirt. While it was comfortable, it was shorter than anything else he owned and had a tendency to ride up. Which was exactly what happened when he was on an investigation with Mac, reaching up to a shelf.
"What's that?" Mac was looking at the revealed skin on his lower chest, and Danny remembered too late what was there. He considered lying to cover up, but he sensed that: a) Mac had already put together an accurate assumption and b) That Mac was already annoyed with him enough over the Tanglewood case for him to add fuel to the fire.
"It's a scar" He replied, and leaned down so the t-shirt fell back into place. Mac scowled and stalked forward, lifting up the edge of his shirt to touch the long, thin scar reaching from Danny's navel to the far edge of his hip. Danny shivered slightly. It was the first instance of close physical contact Mac had made since the Tanglewood case, when he had gotten a suspicious glare from both Stella and Mac, though it hurt more coming from the latter. Danny knew he was walking on eggshells with his boss, and had subsequently ended up staying at Flack's apartment for the last week, avoiding the apartment he shared with Mac, the tense silences that replaced the usual banter too hard for him to bear.
"I know that" Mac frowned, eyes sharp "Long and thin...a blade?"
Danny mentally shook his head. Mac was far too good at this. He gave the other a weary smile and he recalled the exact weapon that did it.
"Yeah...a hunter's knife to be exact" Danny's eyes flicked around the room. To the broken glass table, to the lampshade, to the blood spatters on the floor. Anything to avoid catching Mac's eyes.
"Who?" The quiet anger made Danny look directly at Mac, who was staring at him with a somewhat worried expression on his face. Danny took a breath and said the one word bound to anger Mac.
"Tanglewoods" he whispered "Well, a Tanglewood" Mac was staring at him, so he felt compelled to explain "Tony. Antonio Sassone"
"Sassone" Mac repeated, eyes boring into Danny, who nodded and gave a resigned sigh.
"Sonny's cousin. An ex...well, not really" Danny gave a wry, defeated grin "We were more like fuck buddies" He glanced at Mac, who was staring at him incredulously "Why so surprised? I did run with them, you know"
"Danny-"
"It was a few years ago" Danny started, wanting to get it over with "I told him I was leaving the Tanglewoods. We'd been fighting for a while, and we weren't that close anyway, but when I said that I wanted to train to be a CSI he snapped. Pulled his hunting knife out of his belt and..." Danny unconsciously reached out to grab Mac's hand, which was still resting on his scar "Next thing I knew, I was on the floor and in pain" Danny stared off into the distance "The rest of it was a haze, really. Woke up in hospital, left for the academy as soon as I was released"
"Did you go to the police?"
Danny shook his head "No. It woulda just been another fight between gang members, to them nothing very important" he suddenly noticed his hand and Mac's and attempted to pull away, but Mac laced their fingers together, eyes narrowing as he stared at Danny.
"Is that what they or you think?" Danny shrugged helplessly.
"Both of us, I guess" He answered finally "But why do you care?"
"Because you're my CSI and friend" Danny's shoulders slumped at his words, face downcast "And I love you more than I'd like to admit. I apologise. I should have found out about your past with the Tanglewoods"
"I probably should have mentioned something earlier. But we're not very good talkers, are we?" Danny chuckled "We need Stella or Aid for that"
Mac smiled quietly as Danny grinned at him, caustic sense of humour firmly back in place, before Danny's face suddenly became serious.
"So you gonna forgive me for not mentioning this?" He gestured with their joined hands to the scar. Mac considered it carefully.
"Two questions" Danny nodded, as if it was something he fully expected "How did I not notice?"
"I have ways of making people not see what I don't want them to. And the other question?"
"Why?" Danny froze then, seeming to think it over before answering slowly.
"Because you don't say no to a Sassone" He shrugged again "I never said I completely consented" Next thing he knew, Mac had his arms wrapped around him, and the memory of Antonio Sassone faded away, becoming merely the stuff to fuel nightmares. Danny's eyes closed, relishing the feeling of strong arms around him.
"After the case is done, I'm taking you home" Mac whispered in Danny's ear. Danny blinked.
"Home?" Danny smiled "Home sounds good"