I was asked to write a story with this pairing by Babycas
The quotes are from song lyrics and the songs and artists are listed at the end of the story.
Pelaam© July 2009
*
"Oh you, you're so hard to get to
Oh you, you don't wanna play."
"We're getting worried about Danny," Mac said, his eyes reflecting his anxiety as he spoke quietly.
"Why?" Don was instantly on the alert. He had been away for the last three days and on his first day back Danny was unexpectedly off.
"He looks so tired. He's skin and bone anyway, but I'd swear he's lost weight. I've seen bags under his eyes you could pack a week's worth of clothes in. He's still beating himself up over not coming up with the answer quicker in our last case. I tried to chat to him the other day, but he clammed up and almost bolted out of here."
"No one knows anything? Nothing's happened recently?" Don queried.
"He's got a house-guest," Mac said thoughtfully. "But that's all we know. I tried to chat before you went away, but then he talked without saying anything. You get my drift? I even tried to get him to join us all for a drink, but he wouldn't come. We care, Don, and we want to help if we can. He and you seem to hit it off well together. I thought maybe if you had a word?" Mac trailed off hopefully.
"He's in tomorrow. Leave it with me," Don said squeezing the older man's shoulder.
Don stared after Mac's retreating form and gave a soft sigh. He had reconciled himself to never being anything other than a friend even though his feelings for Danny had become much more than simply fraternal. Don did not know what was wrong, but the older man had no intentions of trying to take advantage of the ingénue. He gave a frown as he stood. He knew how difficult Danny really found opening up to people and his crazy, distorted self-image, but if there was a problem there was a whole team ready to help. Whether Danny realised it or not, the team did care, almost as much as Don himself.
Shrugging on his jacket, Don headed home.
Alone.
"For it breaks my heart to be in love
When you don't know"
****
"Oh can't you see, you belong to me
How my poor heart aches"
Don watched Danny predatorily. Now that Mac had mentioned it, the younger man's lab coat did seem looser on what was already a slender frame. Don also noticed that there seemed to be weariness, a resignation, in Danny's eyes as well as dark shadows beneath them. They younger man had taken the last case too much to heart, openly berating himself for not help solve it quicker. Whatever had affected Danny so deeply had started then. He noticed a wince of pain as Danny reached for something, the blond rubbing at his upper arm, before moving closer to what he needed. 'A houseguest' Mac had said, Don's eyes narrowed, warning bells ringing and all his cop instincts sending out alert signals. He did not like what he was seeing. He fully intended to act on his concerns.
Danny performed his job like an automaton, distanced in his own mind from the people around him. He wondered if things would be different today. Would today be the day that Curtis took their relationship further. A part of him shuddered at the thought; it was not what or who he wanted. However the destructive inner voice insisted that it was all he was worth; to be Curtis' toy. The older man had said as much himself. He was worthless, useless and would lose everything if his co-workers found out what a pathetic deviant he was. Glancing at his watch he noted that his shift was over. He took off his lab coat and began to move shakily towards his fate.
Outside his home, Danny paused before entering. He repeated the mantra of what Curtis expected from him when he came home, petrified of making a mistake. His hand touched his underarm. He had received a brutal pinch there for putting Curtis' slippers on in the wrong order. 'Left then right' he reminded himself. He was so engrossed in his memories that he did not see the shadowy figure following him.
"Was it something I did in another life?
I try and try but nothing comes out right."
****
"your lips are venomous poison
You're poison runnin' through my veins."
Danny entered his apartment and began to disrobe. His jacket was hung and his shoes were placed beneath it. His socks and shirt went into the clothing hamper that was positioned there. He looked down at his body. He hoped he was losing the fat that Curtis had pinched and shown him when he first moved in. Danny had only been having the single meal-replacement drink that Curtis insisted upon. He had not eaten anything else, determined to do something right for once.
He stared at the collar that sat on the clothes peg next to his jacket. Danny was not certain he really wanted or needed a Master and still resisted the final step. Curtis had been so attentive and loving when they first met and had made it sound as though being a sub would be just what that Danny needed. To have someone who would take care of him, free him from responsibility, focus their attention on him, make him feel loved, needed, worthwhile. However, now those things seemed to be as far away as ever but Danny could not bring himself to tell Curtis to leave. If he lost the older man, if Curtis walked away from him, he would have no one, nothing and would be truly lost and alone.
He entered his own sitting room, head down, awaiting Curtis' greeting. He hoped tonight would be a favourable one. He was desperate for some kind of affection. He felt so alone, so isolated, so worthless, it was almost like a physical ache deep within his chest. The discontented grunt carried to where he stood.
"You're a fool, Daniel," the older man's voice cut deep into Danny's heart with its clear tone of disapproval. "Come here."
The kiss was hard and demanding with hands gripping with bruising tightness, but it was affection and Danny whimpered needily. He was pushed backwards before he could lose himself in the kiss and a cold hand pinched at his stomach.
"I think you're starting to lose that fat, Daniel," Curtis said. "I told you I would make you attractive."
Danny glanced at his belly critically. Curtis had pointed out the excess flab the first time he had seen the younger man without a shirt. Danny had been controlling his eating under Curtis' guidance ever since.
"Thank you, Curtis," he said.
"Make me some coffee," Curtis responded, waving Daniel towards the kitchen. "Then I want a foot massage. I have some shirts that need pressing and my bed needs changing. I bought what I wanted to eat tonight and I expect it on time. Don't just stand there, Daniel," Curtis chided. His smile was supercilious as the blond scurried to obey. "It's taking longer than I thought, but I will break you."
An insistent ringing at the front door had Daniel emerge from the kitchen with wide eyes.
"Danny, it's Don. Open up."
"Leave it," Curtis hissed.
However, Danny did not even hear the whispered words. Not thinking about how he looked, he rushed to the door to gaze anxiously at Don.
"Get dressed and get a change of clothing you won't be back tonight. Something's up." Don followed Danny into the apartment, noting the blond did not head to his own bedroom, but the guest's. His eyes raked over Curtis as he took an instant loathing of the older, corpulent man. "I'm sure you understand the demands of a job like Danny's," he said, uncaring of the furious gaze aimed in his direction. He wanted Danny out of there and away from the man that every cop instinct he possessed told him was a predator and Danny his prey. The big man's heart ached as Danny returned a look of sadness, wariness and anxiety clouding his beautiful blue eyes.
"Let's go," Don said matter-of-factly. As much as he wanted to give Danny the reassurance everything was alright that he knew the blond needed, he had to get him away from the other male first.
"Call me as soon as you can," Curtis said.
Don bristled at the command. It was not a request and his eyes narrowed as Danny immediately agreed, his friend's orbs now holding fear. Gritting his teeth, Don turned on his heel expecting Danny to follow.
Danny clutched at his overnight bag as if it was a lifeline. Don had seen, Don knew what kind of deviant he was. He would lose his friendship, maybe even his job. He bit back a groan as he saw Mac in the car and Don slipped in beside him muttering words Danny was too distracted to hear. He huddled in the back, praying that something of his relationship with the two men and his job could be salvageable.
"When you feel your heart is breaking
Hold on tight to your dream."
****