#dethan fic

Good Morning, San Diego (also on Ao3)

This is what Ethan sees when he first crawls out of bed and out of their room in search of Danny. His fiance is already dreassed for the day and has a couple of minutes to spare before has to get to work. Just leaning against the wall, mindlessly staring out the window enjoying the view.

"Come back to bed," Ethan says tiredly looking at his fiance through lidded eyes. "It's so could without you."

Danny just smirks into his mug as he watches Ethan make his way over slowly, naked as the day he was born.

Ethan makes a move to grab at Danny, presumably to pull his fiance into an embrace, but Danny knows better than to trust such an innocent gesture. If he lets Ethan pull him in now, he'll never make it to work.

He opts, instead, to carefully place the mug in Ethan's hands and presses his lips to the top of his sleepy head. He then moves towards the kitchen to prepare himself another mug. But not before giving Ethan's ass a firm pinch for his own pleasure.

Ethan lets out a yelp in surprise, "You're evil!"

"It's why you love me," Danny says from the kitchen, pouring some cream into his new mug.

This is SO late and I’m so sorry. But better late than never, right?

"Are you sure you wanna do this, Ethan?" Danny asks, a worried expression falling over his face as he watches his boyfriend remove his shirt and set himself down on the reclining chair. "Scott said it's really painful."

A smirk plays at Etha's lips, "I can handle it. I've handled worse. Probably."

"Probably?”

Ethan reaches a hand out, gripping his worried boyfriend's hand in his, lacing their fingers. Danny squeezes tight in response but doesn't tear his gaze away from the floor.

"Hey, look at me," Ethan whispers.

Danny's concerned eyes tentatively meet Ethan's more sure ones. "I'll be fine."

"How do you know?"

Ethan's mouth curls into a crooked smile, "Because I have you."

Danny smiles, too, because how can he not when he's got the world's cheesiest boyfriend.

A few moments pass by in silence, Ethan lying there shirtless, Danny by his side, before Ethan breaks it, "I feel like I'm losing him again." Danny perks up at that, looking to Ethan again. "I can feel pieces of him slipping. I remember him. But -- but some of the memories are already beginning to fade. I don't even think I remember what he sounded like. Danny, I don't want to forget him."

"You're not going to," Danny says.

"How do you know?" Ethan asks, voice cracking.

With his free hand, Danny strokes the side of Ethan's face and breathes in, his resolve finally breaking. "Because you're going to get this tattoo. And I won't let you forget him. I won't let you forget your brother. You hear me?"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Scott, their friend -- their Alpha, walks in just then breaking the moment with a blow torch in hand.

"Ready?" He says, igniting the flame.

"There's a less creepy and far less frightening way you could have entered the room, you know." Danny says, watching his boyfriend physically gulp.

"Yeah. Sorry." Scott says, frowning.

"No worries," Ethan says. "Let's just do this." He grips Danny's hand a little tighter, but not too much because he doesn't want to hurt him.

An hour later finds Ethan breathless but finally calmer and drenched in sweat, wrapped in Danny's arms on a couch, a gemini symbol inked into the right side of his chest.

"Better?" Danny whispers into Ethan's hair.

“Ethan,” Danny scolds his boyfriend through his teeth, grabbing at Ethan’s freshly clawed hand with his own more human-like one. “You’ll expose yourself.”

Ethan, not wanting to cut Danny with his claws retracts his hand away. “But they could hurt these people. They could hurt you.”

Danny glances through the crack in the restroom door of the bank they’re in where he can see masked gunman ordering the bank’s patrons around.

“Last resort,” he whispers. The finality in his voice tells Ethan that that’s the end of discussion.

Ethan sighs, eyes closed and reverts back to his more human self. Calm now, Ethan quietly shuts the door. “So what’s the plan then?”

Danny pulls his phone out of his jacket pocket, “Multiple part plan: 1. I call the police. 2. I call McCall...”

Ethan raises an eyebrow, “And the rest?”

“Kaiden Daniel Mahealani!” Ethan calls out from where he’s sat on a bench near the children’s playground, little baby Kaila cradled safely in his arms. “You better be sharing that swing.”

Kaiden pulls a disgruntled face but hops off of the swing anyway, albeit with a little too much attitude for Ethan’s liking and motions for the kid beside, whom was waiting for a turn, to have at it. 

“Five more minutes, Kaiden, then we gotta go.”

“But we just got here,” Kaiden whines.

“We’ve been here for over an hour Kaiden,” Ethan says, though he should know better than to argue with a seven year old. “We didn't just get here.”

Kaiden makes another face.

“Don’t give me that face mister. Five minutes. Make it count.” Ethan adjusts Kaila in his arms and tilts the bottle in his hand at just the right angle for her and says to her in a comical voice, “Big brother is so stubborn, isn’t he? But not you. You’re my good little girl. Aren’t you?”

Kaila smiles behind her bottle and it’s one of the cutest smiles he’s ever seen.

Ethan looks up from Kaila towards the playground to get eyes on his overzealous son and spots his husband, Danny, lifting their son into the air, their dog, Spot, jumping along excitedly. A bright, warm and happy smile spreads itself across Ethan’s face.

Danny and Kaiden and Spot cross the sandy playground and approach the bench where Ethan and Kaila are seated.

Danny plants kisses on each member of family’s cheeks, starting with Ethan and ending with Kaila, “A kiss for my baby (Ethan), a kiss for my other baby (Kaiden), and a kiss for my baby-baby (Kaila).”

A quiet bark from Spot lets Danny know that he missed one. “Oh no, I missed doggy-baby. I should be ashamed.” Danny plants a small kiss at the top of Spot’s furry head. The dog looks pleased. 

Everyone laughs...

And this is where it ends because idk where else to go with this tbh. Idk, this is really dumb and really mushy but omfg imagine... *cries*

Look at Ethan being a parent with a stubborn child. He’s totally got the ‘mom’ thing figured out lol.

Because Brian (ssdethan) is a butt and decided to share this (but there won't be any like scandalous stuff. I just saw it and my mind shot off like a million different AUs and ideas) so I kind of got inspired to write the onlinedatingthing!au nobody asked for but I'm sure we all want.

But it's not even really online dating but, yeah, here read it, please. so here we go...

**THING-1** is online IM_IN.hack is online

**THING-1**: have i ever told you just how ridiculous your username is? **THING-1**: because it totally is **THING-1**: :P IM_IN.hack: you may have mentioned it... IM_IN.hack: as if yours is any better IM_IN.hack: XD **THING-1**: whatever **THING-1**: you know you love it **THING-1**: embrace the thing Danny!! IM_IN.hack: why does that sound like a euphemism for your dick? **THING-1**: BECAUSE IT IS :P IM_IN.hack: why are we friends again? **THING-1**: because i'm the only one willing to write you shitty fic for your shitty OTP IM_IN.hack: TAKE THAT BACK **THING-1**: XD IM_IN.hack: wait. am i talking to Aiden on accident again? **THING-1**: fuck ING low. blow. Danny... **THING-1**: and no. i'm Ethan. you're talking to Ethan. the better looking brother. IM_IN.hack: aren't you twins? IM_IN.hack: lol **THING-1**: technically... **THING-1**: XD IM_IN.hack: lol damn. you're kind of asshole aren't you? **THING-1**: you sound surprised? **THING-1**: you should know this by now :)

IM_IN.hack: so it's been awhile since we last spoke IM_IN.hack: how have you been? **THING-1**: good. mostly. **THING-1**: how have you been since... **THING-1**: you know... IM_IN.hack: since i broke up with Michael because he's a cheating dirtbag? **THING-1**: lol **THING-1**: yeah. that. IM_IN.hack: i'm... getting better **THING-1**: good. **THING-1**: that's good. IM_IN.hack: it's a slow process **THING-1**: i get it...

IM_IN.hack: hey, i gotta run. IM_IN.hack: meeting up with Jacksion in a bit. IM_IN.hack: but thanks. you know. for asking. **THING-1**: you're welcome. and have fun. IM_IN.hack: i'll try ;) **THING-1**: lol IM_IN.hack: ttyl **THING-1**: ttyl

IM_IN.hack is offline

**THING-1**: we should meet up **THING-1**: FUCK

**THING-1** is offline

“You need to get back in that saddle, Danny,” Jackson says, passing the bottle of whiskey to his best friend.

“I just ended a five year relationship, Jacks.” Danny takes a large swig of the whiskey, making a face as it goes down. “I’m gonna need a little more time.”

“Time? No, what you need is a good fuck!”

“Are you volunteering?” Danny jokes.

“Do you want me to be?”

A beat.

They exchange equally amused looks.

“No,” Danny says. “Us fooling around once is enough for me.” He passes the bottle back to Jackson.

“Twice! We fooled around twice.”

“I didn’t know you were keeping score.”

“I’m not. Not really. Also, would a third or fourth time with me really be that bad, Daniel? I’m an excellent lay.” He takes a swig from the bottle, reveling in the burn of the alcohol.

“No. I didn't say you were bad in bed, Jacks. You're just bad. A selfish lover. At least with me.”

Jackson opens his mouth as if to defend himself but stops himself. He realises that Danny isn't wrong.

He. Does. Not. Pout.

Danny laughs at his expense.

Jackson’s laugh follows shortly after. “Shut up, asshole.”

“Jackson’s on the line, Danny,” Janet, his assistant says, cracking the door to Danny’s office open a smidge. “I know you're busy but he says it’s urgent.”

He waves it off with a hand. “It’s fine. Thank you.”

Janet retreats out the door as Danny saves an hours worth of work and reaches for the receiver. 

“Hello?”

“Danny get your ass down to the coffee shop down the corner!”

Danny takes a moment to roll his eyes. It doesn't quite have the effect he’s normally accustomed to with his best friend not being able to see it, but it makes him feel a little better.

“What? Jacks, I’m a bit busy.”

“No, you’re not. Janet said you’re just working on your shitty fanfiction crap or whatever. So get your ass down here.”

“Go to hell, Jackson.” Danny laughs into the phone despite himself. Jackson had a way of doing that. “Now I’m definitely not coming.”

“I’ve got Lydia with me.”

“She’s in town?”

“For a whole month. Something wanting to spend time with her friend in his time of need or something lame like that.”

“Then why didn’t she just call me herself? Or even come to see me?”

“Fuck if I know. When has Lyds ever been practical about anything?”

Danny thinks for a second. “True.”

“So are you coming or not?”

“Fine. But no talking about Michael. I don't have the stomach for that today.”

“Promise.”

**THING-1** is online IM_IN.hack is online

IM_IN.hack: help. i think my overbearing friends want to help me move on from Michael. **THING-1**: isn't that a good thing? IM_IN.hack: maybe. probably. i don't think i'm ready for that just yet. **THING-1**: :/ then just tell them that. IM_IN.hack: you don’t know my friends. **THING-1**: then you need better friends. IM_IN.hack: i've been saying that for years. :) **THING-1**: XD **THING-1**: they're your friends, Danny. i think they're just trying to help. IM_IN.hack: i know that. and i appreciate it. i do. that they care. **THING-1**: in any case, you've always got me. IM_IN.hack: yeah. i do. you're a good friend too, Ethan. **THING-1**: I KNOW XD IM_IN.hack: DORK. lol IM_IN.hack: ok. i g2g. ttyl **THING-1**: later...

IM_IN.hack is offline **THING-1** is offline

It’s official.

Danny has the worst friends ever.

"You did what?" Danny exclaims loudly in the crowded coffee shop. The other patrons are most likely all staring now, but he doesn't care, all his attention being aimed at his good-for-nothing friends.

"Signed you up on this dating site." Lydia states proudly. "Don't worry, we kept your profile modest, clean and truthful."

Danny can't do much but to stare in shock, jaw open, because what the fuck?

"Look, you guys, I don't --" he starts but is immediately cut off by Jackson.

"Yes, you do. You have terrible, terrible, taste in men and we," he motions between himself and Lydia, "are going to weed out all the bad ones for you."

Lydia nods her head in agreement but pauses and says, "Well, not too terrible. Physically speaking the guys you go out with are in top form. Psychologically? Not so much."

"Grade A asshole syndrome." Jackson interjects. Lydia nods in agreement, lips pursed to fully articulate her sass. Danny isn't as amused as Jackson is.

"That's not an actual syndrome, Jackson." Danny says.

Jackson brushes it off with a wave of his hand. "Semantics," he says with an exaggerated eye roll.

Classic Jackson.

"It's more like a state of mind, really..." Lydia says. The rest of the conversation dies there when her phone chimes. Danny feels relief wash over him.

It doesn't last long.

She grabs her phone off the table and scans it. "Oh my god!"

Jackson leans over to look. "What?"

"There are twenty guys, and counting, interested in Danny. His profile is being flooded with messages."

"What a slut!" Jackson exclaims, a toothy grin forming on his mouth, obviously amused. There isn't any real venom behind Jackson's words though, so Danny will forgive him the use of that term.  

"Wait, you have my profile on your phone?"

"There's an app." Jackson and Lydia say at the same time as if that explains everything.

It really doesn't.

"If we're going to do this," Danny says, trying to get a hold of the situation. He grips his cup of coffee a little bit tighter, anxiety taking over because he has a feeling he won't be able to. "Shouldn't I have access to it too? You know, my profile?"

The disgusted looks he gets sent his way make him feel all but five-years old again and he shrinks into his seat. Guess not.

"The whole point of this, Daniel" Lydia says, bringing her phone's screen into Danny's line of vision, waving it in front of his face, he can barely make out the outlines of the app open on it as he cringes at the use of his full name. "is so that you don't go picking the wrong kinds of guys again. If we let you have control, you'd be a heartbroken mess in a week because the guy moved on to the next piece of ass down his list."

Well, she's not entirely wrong. He thinks to himself.

"So we'll be compiling a list of the best guys for you and you'll be going on series of dates."

"A series of dates?" Danny mimics, concern filling his voice. "Oh god, I have the worst friends ever." He cover his face in his hands, attempting to hide from his friends' scrutiny and evil plotting.

Jackson and Lydia send satisfied, smug grins in his direction before turning their attention back to Lydia's phone.

"Amazing. There's only the one pic and the messages are flooding in." Lydia states.

"Yeah, and it's not even one where he doesn't have his shirt off."

"I'm right here, you know." Danny says trying to be included in the conversation, at least.

They ignore him.

"It's gotta be the dimples."

"Oh, definitely."

"I hate you both."

"Hey, Jacks, you got one with his abs showing?"

"No, please --"

"Yeah, of course."

"Ugh!"

"Send it my way."

"Already ahead of you."

"I'm getting new friends."

"Got it, thanks."

"I've got more if you need it."

"Why the hell do you even have so many of me without my shirt?"

Jackson finally looks up and acknowledges his best friend, sass on the tip of his tongue, "I've been collecting for years for this very moment. Knew you'd need help and besides, sex sells, Danny-boy. Well, sex appeal at least. I'd know. I'm in advertising."

"I hate you," he replies.

Jackson smiles bright and smug. "I know." That receives a small chuckle from Lydia.

"There are like, fifty new messages since the abs pic. Time to weed out the pervs and jerks."

"Oooh, let me help. I'm fluent in asshole."

Danny downs the last of his coffee then gets up from his seat. "I think I'm gonna get something stronger. Like an espresso with a couple shots of vodka."

"Do they even serve that here?"

"Fuck if I know." Dannys spits out, turning back towards the counter to order.

"Oooh, bitchy," Jackson coos.

Danny's face contorts into a full scowl aimed at his best friend, to which Jackson responds with an overly cocky wink. Danny's eyes roll to the back of his head just before he gets in line.

Jackson guffaws, nearly choking on his espresso.

Next to him Lydia says, "This one looks promising."

Jackson recovers, wiping his mouth with a napkin and leans over to peer at the screen in her hands. "Meh, too broody. Read the description."

Lydia's eyes squint a bit as she leers at the screen, "Yeah. You're right. Next."

“I'm starting to worry about you,” Janet, his assistant says over lunch the next day. “Have you been sleeping?”

He shrinks into his seat, tries to hide his behind his sandwich, “Of course I have.”

“Liar,” she crosses her arms. “There are bags under your eyes and you've been staying later than usual. Past midnight, Danny.”

“Shouldn't I be more worried as to what you’re doing here so late?” he suggests.

Janet sends a steely look his way. “You're deflecting.”

“And you're sleeping with Andy. In the office, no less.”

“At least I’m getting laid. What have you done besides work for the past few months? Have you even been anywhere besides this office and your home?”

Dannys stays quiet, staring at the half eaten sandwich in his hands. The answer is ‘no’.

Janet breathes a sigh and nods, understanding.

“I’ll get there eventually, Janet.” He says quietly.

“I know you will.”

**THING-1** is online **THING2** is online

**THING2**: have you told him yet? **THING-1**: no. **THING-1**: shut up, Aiden. go away before he comes on. **THING2**: like hell. i wanna see this trainwreck happen live. **THING2**: XD **THING-1**: i hate you. **THING2**: when he does come on. don't message him too quickly. **THING2: don't want to seem too eager now ;) **THING-1**: SHUT. UP. **THING2**: lol

IM_IN.hack is online

**THING-1**: sup Danny! **THING2**: OH MAN! you're already fucking this up! IM_IN.hack: wut? **THING-1**: nothing. **THING-1**: ignore him. **THING2**: lol IM_IN.hack: ok... you guys are weird. **THING2**: so Danny. a little birdie told me you started dating again. online. IM_IN.hack: yeah... **THING2**: how does that work, exactly? when you say 'dating', do you actually go on a /date/? or are you just hooking up? **THING-1**: AIDEN!!! you can't just ask that! **THING-1**: i'm so sorry Danny. my brother's an idiot. :/ **THING2**: what? i'm just making sure... **THING-1**: OMG IM_IN.hack: it's fine, Ethan. IM_IN.hack: and no, Aiden. i’m not out to just hook up with guys. **THING2**: so, what you're saying is that you’re looking for more? **THING2**: a relationship. **THING-1**: JFC Aiden. invasive much? **THING2**: and? Danny and i are friends. i can ask. right Daniel? IM_IN.hack: of course we're friends, Aiden ;). you guys, we can talk about anything. IM_IN.hack: also yes. i am looking for a relationship. **THING2**: anything? IM_IN.hack: anything. :) **THING2**: hear that, Ethan? anything! **THING-1**: SHUT UP Aid!!!! I’m going to come over to your room and throttle you!!!!! IM_IN.hack: ... IM_IN.hack: what am i missing? **THING-1**: nothing!!! **THING2**: EV-ER-Y-THING!!! IM_IN.hack: haha. you guys are weird. **THING2**: hey, Danny. Ethkasj;dflksj sdkljfk s IM_IN.hack: what?

....

IM_IN.hack: guys? where did you go? IM_IN.hack: hello?

**THING2** is offline

**THING-1**: Uh, Aiden had to go. IM_IN.hack: what’s going on? **THING-1**: nothing. i swear. Aiden was just being his usual weird self. XD IM_IN.hack: uhhh... OK IM_IN.hack: Ethan, did you just kill your brother? 0.0 **THING-1**: maybe... **THING-1**: wanna help me hide the body? IM_IN.hack: i’m down. lol **THING-1**: lol. nah. but i did kick his ass. and i also may have stolen his laptop XD **THING-1**: and locked him out of the house. **THING-1**: :) IM_IN.hack: :) **THING-1**: so, got any plans for tonight? anything exciting? IM_IN.hack: besides mentally preparing myself for the date i have tomorrow my dumb friends set up for me via this dumb dating site? IM_IN.hack: no, not really. you? **THING-1**: nope.

**THING2** is online

**THING2**: got this bitch on my phone motherfuckers!!!! IM_IN.hack: y’all are a riot! XD **THING-1**: UGH. **THING2**: haha IM_IN.hack: lol it’s been fun guys. but i got work in the morning. i’ll talk to you guys later. **THING2**: wait, don’t go. Ethan’s got something to tell you. IM_IN.hack: what is it? **THING-1**: it’s nothing, Danny. it can wait. IM_IN.hack: are you sure? **THING-1**: yes. IM_IN.hack: ok. well, good night. **THING-1**: good night. **THING2**: night, Danny!!!!

IM_IN.hack is offline

**THING2**: that was a disaster! XD **THING-1**: yeah, thanks to you. you ruined everything **THING-1**: !!!!! **THING-1**: >:( **THING2**: ok, yeah. sorry, i got excited. **THING-1**: obviously. **THING2**: so... when you gonna let me back in so i can get to bed, too?

**THING2**: Ethan?

**THING-1** is offline

**THING2**: did you just? **THING2**: YOU DID OMFG!!! I’M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU!!!!

**THING2** is offline

I hoped y’all liked it. Chapter 2 will be up as soon as I can get it done. I have quite a bit of it already done. I’m aiming for 5 chapters at most. But, I might not make it to 5 (or a miracle might happen and I’ll exceed that). I don’t exactly have the best track record at multi-chaptered fics. So, please, if you liked this and would like to see/read more, tell me either in your tags should you choose to reblog this, or send me messages telling me so. It would really go a long way in encouraging me to finish.

Thanks,

So I cheated and just made it one guy trying to hit up on Danny but I did allude to the fact that Danny gets hit on all the time, so there’s that. :)

Also, I am SO SORRY that this is SO late. I’ll try and do better next time. Thank you for the prompt anon. I hope you get to see this. 

I really, really like this one. One of my better ones.

Ethan’s returning from the bar, a drink in each hand for him and his boyfriend, when he sees it. Some stranger flirting with Danny. He senses no distress from his boyfriend, so he makes his way over at a normal pace. Determined to let Danny handle the situation himself. He can take care of himself, Ethan is sure.

Though, it doesn’t stop the slight tinge of worry prickling at the back of his neck. Occupational hazard, he thinks to himself.

Slipping between a couple of the club’s patrons, he peeks a glance towards his destination. To anyone else, it looks innocent enough; two people having a casual conversation.

But Ethan knows better. Can see the guys intentions with his boyfriend clear as day. Can see it in the way he’s looking at Danny. Can see it in how close he is to Danny; how the gap between them is getting smaller with every second. He can smell the guy’s arousal from where he’s standing.

Even in the middle of all of the sweaty, grinding bodies around him, he can smell it. How it’s mixing with Danny’s pure scent.

That’s what drives him over the edge. Not that the guy is flirting with Danny – his boyfriend. Ethan gets it. His boyfriend is hot. He understands completely. He can handle other guys, and sometimes girls, flirting with Danny. One flash of those glorious dimples and Danny’s got the world at his feet.

He’s a big boy. He’s not worried about Danny straying. At all. He trusts him. Ethan knows that if at any point Danny no longer wanted to be with him, he’d be the first to know. They’ve been there before.

They’ve started over before. Started fresh. They’re on solid footing now. Theirs is a bond that cannot be so easily broken.

No, what drives him over the edge; what brings out the big green werewolf of jealousy, is the guys scent mixing in with Danny’s, looking to erase Ethan’s own. Ever since they’d gotten back together almost a year and a half ago, Ethan’s scent had been mixed in with Danny’s. It excites him to know that other wolves, or any other supernatural someone with enhanced senses, would know right away that Danny and Ethan were a thing. An item. Together and very, very intimate.

It’s a primal werewolf thing, he thinks, to want to mark Danny as his. Though, he’s under no illusions. Completely aware that Danny is not his; he doesn’t own him. You can’t own other people. Just that Danny is as much Ethan’s as Ethan is Danny’s.

They belong to each other. They belong together. That had been painfully clear in all the time that they weren’t.

By the time he reaches them, though, he’s got himself under control and his hand is steady as he hands Danny his drink.

“Here you go,” he says, calmly. Schooling his voice and his features appropriately. “One sex on the beach.” He gives Danny a look as he says it, halfway between flirty and downright filthy. Danny looks up, his eyes meeting Ethan’s and a blush colors his face along with his dimples. 

A flash of memories come barrelling into his mind. Memories of last summer. Clear blue waters, white sand, and the two of them in a secluded spot, away from others. Where they’d been completely alone with each other for hours. 

He smiles into his own drink, taking a long sip. Danny doing the same.

“Who’s your friend?” Ethan says, stressing the word ‘friend’ hard, barely sparing the stranger a glance. All his focus on Danny.

“Oh, we just met,” Danny replies. He gestures towards Ethan, “This is Ethan, my boyfriend. Ethan, this is – i’m sorry. I don’t recall your name?” Something in Danny’s tone, suggests to Ethan that Danny does remember his name, though. He hides behind his drink to conceal his smirk.

The stranger looks pressed that Danny hadn’t remembered his name.

“Mark. My name is Mark.”

“Right, of course. Mark. Sorry, Ethan this is Mark. He was just telling me that he owns the club.”

Ethan’s eyebrows raise in shock, “Really? Well, congratulations. Your grand opening seems to be a huge success.”

“Thanks,” Mark says, dryly, unimpressed. Mark gets up to leave, “Well, I’ll leave the two of you to it, then. Hope you have a good time.”

“We will.” The both of them say at the same time with matching smiles.

Mark leaves and Ethan takes the vacated spot next to Danny. 

“Thank God. I thought he was never going to leave.”

Ethan laughs. “Did you even tell him you were with someone?”

“Twice.”

“Dick.”

Danny takes another sip of his drink. “I kind of want to leave now.”

“What? No. We haven't even been here that long.” Ethan protests. “Let’s finish our drinks and have one dance. And after that, if you still wanna go, we'll go.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Ok, then. But I get to lead.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You forgot, Ethan.” Danny hisses, carefully closing the door to their daughter’s room. “You forgot about your only daughter’s first dance recital. You know how much it meant to her that we both be there. How much it meant for us.”

“I didn't forget,” Ethan says, trying to defend himself. “It just -- it slipped my mind.”

“That is literally the same thing.”

Ethan shuts his eyes, breathing in a frustrated sigh. “Yeah. OK, I hear you. I’m sorry.”

Danny blinks. “I'm sensing a ‘but’ in there somewhere.”

“But,” Ethan says, stretching the word to convey his irritation, “there was an emergency and it just -- please, Danny, can we talk about this in the morning? It’s been a long day.” He’s rubbing at his eyes now, obviously exhausted.

Danny, able to finally get a good look at his husband after the calming of their nine-year old daughter, notices just how tired Ethan looks.

The usually broad and upright shoulders slouched. The disheveled state of his clothes. The mussed up hair like he'd run his hands through it a couple of times out of frustration. Puffy eyes.

“Ok.” he says after a beat. “But this isn't over.” Danny grabs his husband by the hand, interlocks their fingers and leads his husband into their room.

Later, in bed under the covers after they've had a shower and a change of clothes, Danny’s behind Ethan and he’s got his arms wrapped around Ethan in a tight embrace.

The room is quiet save for their breathing and their occasional shuffling as they get comfortable and settled for their night’s rest.

“I didn't mean to miss her recital, Danny.” Ethan says, breaking the silence. “I swear! I wanted to be there.”

Danny bring his nose to the back of Ethan’s head and breathes him in, “I know.”

“Things were just crazy in the ER today. I got swamped --.”

“I know,” Danny interrupts. “I understand. I’m sorry I snapped at you. It’s just -- you didn't see her face, Eth. When she realized that papa wasn't going to be there when he said he was going to be.”

Ethan sighs, fighting back tears.

“It’s not your fault, I know it’s not. But she doesn’t. All she knows is that her daddy, whom she loves, didn’t keep his promise.”

The room goes quiet again as Ethan takes Danny’s words in. “I’ll make it up to her, I swear.”