"You, Always." - Danny Ramirez
Warnings: Slowburn, RPF Fic, Multi-part series
(In case you missed the first chapter, click here)
February 20. Three years prior. Two different people.
Nobody expected them to become such close friends. Sure, both (Y/N) and Danny had naturally easy-going personalities, and they were good at making friends, but it wasn’t obvious at first why they clicked so well. Time passed, and somehow, they just fit.
They only had one class together, but they shared a solid group of mutual friends.
(Y/N) was a couple of years younger than most in their circle. She'd transferred from abroad to attend NYU Tisch, pursuing her passion for the Institute of Recorded Music.
Danny, on the other hand, had transferred from Miami after realizing he wanted more than just picking up random acting gigs for cash. He wanted to perform. But that didn’t mean giving up sports. If anything, sports had always been his first love. So, he joined the football team.
There were only three games left in his final season before graduation. That Saturday, everyone gathered to watch him play in one of them. The field was packed with fans, both sides screaming as the second half kicked off.
You could see the players weaving across the field, coordinating in real-time, dodging tackles as they pushed forward. Danny was in his element, shifting his body to avoid opponents, eyes locked on the end zone. He stretched his arms wide, ready to catch the ball as it soared toward him—and he did.
The roar from the NYU crowd surged around him. His friends cheered from the stands, urging him on, though the noise barely reached him over the rush of adrenaline.
“Come on, Danny! Let’s goooo!”
Everything was perfect—until it wasn’t.
It came fast. First, he felt the impact. A collision—his body slammed against a larger, heavier frame. Everything blurred for a moment as his body crashed to the ground, dragging the other player with him. The ball slipped from his hands.
A tense silence followed before a sharp scream cut through the air. Danny's hand shot to his shoulder, his face twisted in agony as pain exploded through his body. His teammates rushed to him, but the crowd’s energy faltered, replaced by uneasy murmurs.
On the bleachers, Yason’s face twisted into a frown, his body tensing.
“Something’s wrong.” (Y/N) stood up, eyes fixed on the field as the medical team rushed toward Danny. “Guys, he’s not okay.”
“Come on.” Yason was already moving, the rest of the group following suit.
Chaos broke out. Some players argued with the ref, accusing the other team of a dirty hit. The assistant coach had to step in to calm things down. Meanwhile, Danny was carefully lifted onto a stretcher, his arm and shoulder stabilized.
It wasn’t looking good. The decision was made. He needed immediate medical attention.
The paramedics, already standing by, exchanged positions with the athletic trainers. They spoke in hushed tones as they assessed Danny. A fracture could be involved. He was out for the rest of the game.
“Can one of us go with him?” Amelia’s voice cracked as she asked, her face twisted in worry. She followed the group down the steps toward the field, urgency in her step.
“One of the trainers is going with him,” Yason replied, not missing a beat. “We’ll meet them at the hospital.”
“And how are we supposed to get there, Yason?” someone asked, their voice tight with frustration. (Y/N) didn’t answer. Instead, she fell into step with the paramedics, keeping close behind them as they made their way off the field. Danny lay on the stretcher, his face pale, sweat clinging to his skin, his features twisted with pain. His eyes were shut tight, his frustration evident, but he still didn’t allow the tears to fall.
“Hey, Danny. It’s okay.” (Y/N)’s voice was quiet but firm. He didn’t look at her, his jaw clenched tight. The anger, the pain, the sadness swirled together on his face. But she didn’t need him to answer. “You’re gonna be okay. We’ll see you at the hospital.”
It didn’t take long before most of the group piled into an Uber heading to the hospital that had been chosen to treat Danny. The atmosphere was thick with tension; everyone was on edge, worried about his condition. Getting any information out of the nurses was a challenge—they only spoke with the assistant coach, who, for now, was the one legally responsible for Danny.
Hours passed before they finally got an update. As expected, his shoulder was fractured, but thankfully, it was a closed reduction, and the area was immobilized to allow for healing. He’d be sent home soon, but the recovery time meant he wouldn’t be able to finish his final season. It was over for him.
(Y/N), who had interacted with Danny’s mother more than once, was the one who had to break the news. Of course, she was concerned—this was the second time he’d been injured like this—but (Y/N) made sure to reassure her that he was okay and that they would take care of him. After all, this was the family he had in NYC.
Danny was discharged and sent back to his apartment, the reality of his situation setting in: his passion for football had just been ripped away, again. Why did this have to happen to him? Why again? He was furious—at himself, mostly—even though no one could have predicted the injury.
Nearly two weeks passed, and Danny barely left his apartment, only going out for classes and work. He didn’t want to see his team; he couldn’t bear the thought of them treating him like some fragile charity case.
One night, he was lying in bed, reading a book, when someone knocked at his door. He barely moved, his eyes flicking to the door but remaining silent, waiting for the visitor to announce themselves. The guys never knocked.
“Uhh... Are you gonna let me stand out here waiting?” (Y/N)’s voice rang through the door. He hesitated for a moment before answering.
Her head popped through the door as she opened it, her eyes quickly scanning both him and the rest of the room before she stepped inside.
"Had to make sure you were in decent shape before I came in," she said, her voice light but with a hint of concern. Danny glanced at her, still confused, and then noticed the items she was carrying—food, along with a few other things he couldn’t quite make out.
"Aren’t you supposed to be at a rehearsal?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah, but it got canceled. I figured we could hang out since you seem to want to be MIA."
He settled back against the pillows, placing his book on the nightstand just as she walked in, dropping everything she’d been carrying and casually sitting down beside him with a quiet sigh.
"So, did you miss me?" she asked, her voice light but with a spark of mischief in her eyes. Danny rolled his eyes, purposely avoiding the way she looked at him with that teasing smile, or the gentle nudge to his good arm. She was the one person he didn’t mind being around—but he wasn’t about to let her see that.
"You just came here to bother me, didn’t you?"
"Maybe," she replied, her grin widening as she relaxed beside him, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth. A subtle smile tugged at his lips, despite himself. "But seriously, you don’t mind me being here, right?"
He sighed, his tone softening without him quite realizing it. "You know I don’t, (Y/N/N)."
Her smile deepened, and she stood up to grab the takeout food from the table.
"Good. Let’s eat, then. Maybe watch a movie. You can pick whatever you’re in the mood for."
Danny nodded, reaching for the remote. He wasn’t exactly in the mood for anything in particular, but she’d made the effort, and he appreciated it.
Soon, they found themselves lying in bed, full from Chinese takeout, with a movie playing quietly on Danny’s computer, positioned between them.
The only sounds in the room were the occasional low comments they made to each other and the soft hum of the city drifting through the window. The night hadn’t quite settled in, but the room was darker than usual—thanks to the heavy curtains that shut out the chill of the lingering winter air on a typical March afternoon. Their shoulders brushed occasionally under the large blanket that covered them both.
(Y/N) glanced at her phone now and then, tapping out notes as they popped into her head. It was a habit—she noticed the little things, let them simmer in her mind, and later, they’d find their way into her music. Whether the outcome was good or not didn’t matter much. It was just how she kept her creativity sharp and her mind awake.
Danny glanced at her screen and smirked before turning back to the movie—one he wasn’t really paying attention to anymore.
“Do you even want to be doing this?”
(Y/N) blinked at him, confused, until he nodded toward her phone.
“Oh. I’m sorry. I just don’t want to forget what I’m thinking now.” she admitted, setting it down.
Danny hummed, his gaze steady. “I know how your mind works,” he murmured. “I just want this moment to be about me, you know?”
A teasing smile played on his lips, making her roll her eyes before nudging his shoulder.
“Please, you’re not that special.”
He grinned. “Am I not? Look who you chose to spend your afternoon with.”
His confidence was effortless, but she didn’t quite match it this time. Instead, she glanced away before shifting in her seat.
“Are we really going to pretend like everything’s fine?”
Danny’s jaw tensed. For the first time, he broke eye contact.
He let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “What? You want me to say I’m pissed? That I feel like I wasted my time? That I don’t know why this shit keeps happening to me?” His voice was sharp, but not loud. “I’m not the type to complain, (Y/N). It’s over. That’s it.”
A quiet pause stretched between them before she spoke again, softer this time.
“Life’s not over just because you didn’t finish this goal, Danny. There’s more to do after this. You just have to figure out what’s next.”
He turned toward her then, their faces inches apart.
“And what if I don’t know what that is?”
(Y/N) exhaled, tilting her head slightly. “Then thank God you decided to pursue acting instead of football. Or soccer. Or whatever else you’ll be obsessed with in the next couple of months.”
For once, he didn’t have a comeback.
Instead, he just looked at her, his head resting on the bed frame and just mere inches away from her. Both stayed silent, not really having anything else to say. She was right, and he knew it, but instead, he could only now concentrate on the fact that he was thankful to once again have a moment where there were only the two of them.
Danny stayed quiet for a moment, his gaze lingering on her before he looked away, his head resting against the bed frame, just inches from hers. There was hesitation in the air, the weight of their conversation still hanging between them. After a beat, he nodded slightly, as if coming to terms with something unspoken.
"Thank you," he murmured, the words soft but sincere.
They both fell into silence then, the tension easing as they were left with just the quiet presence of each other. She was right, and he knew it, but for now, he didn’t even care—thankful for this rare moment where it was just the two of them, with no distractions or complications.
His head dipped slightly, forehead nearly brushing against hers. The touch was barely there, but somehow, it felt like everything.
Her heart stuttered in her chest.
There it was again—that look. The same one they’d been avoiding for a while now.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Danny exhaled, his breath fanning over her lips as he shook his head lightly. “You know, (Y/N)...”
Her lips parted, but she didn’t speak. The weight of the moment pressed down on her chest, heavy and real.
Danny let his head rest against hers fully now, his touch featherlight, hesitant in a way that made her stomach flip. His hand—his good one—lifted, fingers brushing against her jaw, barely touching. It had been happening for months now—longer, maybe. The glances that lingered too long, the way their conversations drifted into something quieter when they were alone. The way he always found an excuse to touch her, whether it was knocking his knee against hers under the table, tucking her hair behind her ear, or the way his hand had found the small of her back at an event a few weeks ago when he guided her through a crowd.
That was the moment she had known—really known.
They had been sitting on a bench listening to music, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows, when he reached up, almost absently, and ran his thumb along her cheek. Like it was the most natural thing in the world.
She let him because, deep down, she wanted it. Just like she wanted this.
(Y/N) swallowed hard, her lips pressing together as she finally forced a breath out. “I—”
But he didn’t let her finish.
His fingers tilted her chin slightly, just enough to make her meet his gaze head-on, and before she could talk herself out of it—before either of them could—he closed the space between them.
His lips brushed hers, a question rather than a demand.
It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t an explosion. It was quiet, hesitant, like the moment itself was holding its breath.
And then, it happened. A soft inhale, a shift, and the slow press of lips meeting lips.
(Y/N) felt her hands curl into the fabric of his hoodie, grounding herself in something, anything. Danny sighed against her mouth, his hand settling along the curve of her jaw, his thumb brushing the skin there as if he wanted to memorize it. For a moment, they lingered, as if neither of them wanted that moment to end. It was too good, too unreal.
But the world around them came rushing back, and (Y/N) slowly pulled away, her breath shaky. She didn’t want to admit it, but the words slipped out before she could stop them.
After a beat of silence, she finally whispered, "What are we doing?”
_____________________________________________
March 24. 1,095 days later. A long way to go.
It was the day before the wedding, and the air was thick with the rush of last-minute details. Amelia and Yason were both stressed, so their loved ones were either trying to help or staying out of the way.
(Y/N) was on a mission to buy Amelia some comfortable shoes for the wedding reception, having forgotten them back at her house. As she walked out, she bumped into Danny, standing with a coffee and a book in his hand, looking completely at ease.
“Oh hey! Glad to see you survived last night,” he joked, a smile spreading across his face.
“Yeah, been awake since the crack of dawn, trying to help with this wedding,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “I’m heading out now. Need to find some stuff for Ame.”
“Want some company?” Danny asked, not even overthinking the proposal.
She raised an eyebrow, surprised. “You’re coming with me to buy shoes?”
“Why not?” He shrugged, glancing down at the book he was carrying. “I was gonna go for a walk anyway.”
After navigating shoe stores, coffee breaks, and a few rounds of aimless window shopping at thrift stores they used to visit back in the day, they found themselves at a quiet little park. The sounds of the city faded into the background for a moment, the sun high in the sky, casting a golden glow on everything. Neither of them felt the need to rush back to the hotel just yet.
They sat on a weathered bench, their backs leaning against the rough wood, shoulders brushing lightly every so often, but neither acknowledged it. There was something comfortable about the silence, something that wasn’t forced. It felt like they were picking up where they had left off—only now, there was something different. Something they couldn’t quite name yet.
Danny took a sip from his coffee, looking out at the patch of green in front of them, fingers tapping the side of his cup absentmindedly. (Y/N) kicked her feet lightly, the tips of her sneakers brushing the ground.
“So…” he began but stopped himself, glancing at her, then back at the park. “It’s funny, you know? I always thought if we saw each other again, it would feel like... like we were complete strangers. Nothing left of who we were.”
She raised an eyebrow, her gaze still on the half-full coffee cup in his hands. "The people we were? " she said, a dry chuckle escaping.
Danny’s lips quirked up at the corner, a little embarrassed but not backing down. "Yeah… I just thought time would do its job." He turned to face her fully now, his tone softer. "But I guess I never really imagined it would be this easy to talk to you again."
She glanced at him, holding his gaze for a beat longer than she intended. "You think it’s easy?"
He smirked, setting his coffee down next to him. "I don’t know. Maybe ‘easy’ isn’t the right word." He paused, his smile fading a little as he looked out into the park. “It’s just... surprising, I guess. How normal it feels. Like, it’s been years, but you’re still here. And I’m still here. Like we were never gone, you know?”
The simplicity of it hit her—this was what they had. A kind of unspoken understanding, wrapped up in years of lost time and unresolved feelings.
(Y/N) kicked the dirt lightly with her shoes and looked down, trying to brush off the heaviness in her chest. "Yeah, I get it. It's like... nothing really changed, even though it did.”
Danny chuckled softly, but it wasn’t the teasing laugh she remembered. It was warmer, more grounded. " Mhm… I guess we’ll have to talk about that too. I don't know it now's the right time, though.”
They both sat there in silence again, but this time, it wasn’t uncomfortable. It was just them, existing in the same space, figuring out what it meant to pick up the pieces after everything that had happened.
Still wanting to read more? Here are some other Danny's shots to read. You're welcome!!!!
