Danny looks up from the mesmerizing aquatic scene and catches Steve staring at him. He tilts his head to the side, studying Steve's face, then says, "Whatever it is, let me hear it."
And Steve could play dumb, could pretend that he wasn't rehearsing the words in his head, but there's no point. Danny already knows that he needs some time to work up to important conversations, and no doubt he's noticed Steve being a little distracted lately.
Steve can't say it straight out, though, so he starts by laying the groundwork. "Do you like living with me, Danny?"
To his credit, Danny just blinks. "Yeah, sure. I mean, you kick like a mule in your sleep, you're obsessed with making me eat healthy food, and you're far too neat. But I think we've made it work. Why are you asking me this?"
"Because I like having you there," Steve says. "I know it was only meant to be temporary, while you found someplace else, but I don't want you to leave."
Danny spreads his hands wide. "Who said anything about leaving? The temporary thing was only while you were still too damn closeted to admit how you felt, and I was convinced you were straight as an arrow. Once we got that sorted, moving out made no sense. So unless you're fumbling your way towards breaking up with me, I've got no plans to be anywhere else."
"No, no," Steve says hastily - how is it that Danny can derail his careful conversational plans so quickly? "That's not what I'm saying at all. It's the opposite, actually."
"The...opposite," Danny repeats, eyes wide. "Okay, babe, you've got my attention. Keep talking."
He doesn't seem freaked out or anything, but this is still so hard for Steve to ask. "Can you see yourself with me, long term?"
Danny leans back a little, and stares out across the water. He's quiet for what feels like forever, though it's probably a matter of seconds.
Then he looks Steve in the eye and says, "Yeah, I think I can. You're too honourable to ever cheat on me, you're too good-hearted to ever hurt me deliberately, and I can't imagine ever getting bored while you're around. I had my doubts at the start that we could survive working and living and sleeping together. But it's been eighteen months and somehow I'm still crazy about you, so..." Danny shrugs. "Yeah, I figure I'm in this for the long haul."
Though Steve had been pretty sure of Danny's answer, it's a relief to hear it out loud. Now it's his turn to lay it on the line. He takes a deep breath, and says the words that have been churning in his head for a while.
"Danny, I want to spend my life with you. I want my house to be our home, and Grace's too. But if Rachel decided to move again, to take Grace away, then I'd follow you: to Jersey, to England, wherever. I'd leave the Reserves and become a civilian, if that's what it took for us to stay together. Because I love you more than I love Hawaii, and more than I love the Navy - more than anything or anyone else in the world."
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timeasmymeasure
Steve/Danny, futurefic: 'Anchor Me', 3/?
Date: 2011-10-22 03:22 am (UTC)And Steve could play dumb, could pretend that he wasn't rehearsing the words in his head, but there's no point. Danny already knows that he needs some time to work up to important conversations, and no doubt he's noticed Steve being a little distracted lately.
Steve can't say it straight out, though, so he starts by laying the groundwork. "Do you like living with me, Danny?"
To his credit, Danny just blinks. "Yeah, sure. I mean, you kick like a mule in your sleep, you're obsessed with making me eat healthy food, and you're far too neat. But I think we've made it work. Why are you asking me this?"
"Because I like having you there," Steve says. "I know it was only meant to be temporary, while you found someplace else, but I don't want you to leave."
Danny spreads his hands wide. "Who said anything about leaving? The temporary thing was only while you were still too damn closeted to admit how you felt, and I was convinced you were straight as an arrow. Once we got that sorted, moving out made no sense. So unless you're fumbling your way towards breaking up with me, I've got no plans to be anywhere else."
"No, no," Steve says hastily - how is it that Danny can derail his careful conversational plans so quickly? "That's not what I'm saying at all. It's the opposite, actually."
"The...opposite," Danny repeats, eyes wide. "Okay, babe, you've got my attention. Keep talking."
He doesn't seem freaked out or anything, but this is still so hard for Steve to ask. "Can you see yourself with me, long term?"
Danny leans back a little, and stares out across the water. He's quiet for what feels like forever, though it's probably a matter of seconds.
Then he looks Steve in the eye and says, "Yeah, I think I can. You're too honourable to ever cheat on me, you're too good-hearted to ever hurt me deliberately, and I can't imagine ever getting bored while you're around. I had my doubts at the start that we could survive working and living and sleeping together. But it's been eighteen months and somehow I'm still crazy about you, so..." Danny shrugs. "Yeah, I figure I'm in this for the long haul."
Though Steve had been pretty sure of Danny's answer, it's a relief to hear it out loud. Now it's his turn to lay it on the line. He takes a deep breath, and says the words that have been churning in his head for a while.
"Danny, I want to spend my life with you. I want my house to be our home, and Grace's too. But if Rachel decided to move again, to take Grace away, then I'd follow you: to Jersey, to England, wherever. I'd leave the Reserves and become a civilian, if that's what it took for us to stay together. Because I love you more than I love Hawaii, and more than I love the Navy - more than anything or anyone else in the world."