Pas de Trois

Chapter 34: "Can I hug you?"

Danny woke up that morning as Slade was sneaking out of his bed. He grinned into the pillow and watched Slade walk to the bathroom, still naked from the night before. Was there anything more beautiful than that view?

Yes, yes there was. Danny rolled on his side so his hand could wander freely. He had to admit he loved seeing Slade's face before he came more than admiring his body. There was nothing that could be better than how proud Danny was the first time he'd gone down on Slade. Nothing. Unless it was the first time Slade went down on him without hesitating first. Or the time-

"Hey," Slade startled him by coming out of the bathroom. He was looking right at Danny's hand so the he shouldn't have had to ask but he did anyway. "What are you doing?"

"Mm, what's it look like?"

"Oh, don't let me interrupt," Slade laughed, coming back to bed.

"Okay," Danny had hoped that Slade would take over but there was something exciting about having him watch. Especially when he started touching himself too and kissing Danny as he did it.

"This is going to ruin my day," Slade moaned. "I won't be able to think about anything else."

"Could be worse," Danny grinned. "God I love you."

"Love you too," Slade leaned his head on Danny's shoulder. It was easier to hear his soft panting and little gasps that way.

"Ah, can you reach my shirt?" Danny asked when he realized he was getting close.

"I'll clean you up," Slade shook his head. "Please, let me have it."

"And you honestly used to be afraid of this," Danny teased but he rolled on his back and scooted as close to Slade as he could.

Slade cleaned him up after, as promised, and lay there with his head on Danny's chest. He was quiet for a long time.

"I'm sorry, it just all hit me again," Slade whispered. "I was happy a few minutes ago, I promise. Then I remembered."

"I'm sorry too," Danny hugged him. "I know you need time."

"But I know you need me too," Slade took a deep breath. "And I don't know what I'd do without you right now. Fall apart, I guess."

"If I weren't here, you wouldn't be going through this," Danny didn't want to remind Slade of that but it was true and the guilt was picking away at him.

"Don't start that," Slade shook his head. "We all made choices," he yawned.

They were quiet again after that. Danny tried not to let those thoughts overwhelm him but it was hard to stop the little voice in the back of his mind that kept pointing out he wasn't innocent in all of this.

"Boys, are you up?" Danny's mom knocked just once before opening the door. She raised her eyebrows at them. "You have to be out the door in 20 minutes, what are you doing?"

"Pretending it's Sunday," Danny yawned.

"Come on, let's go," Carol shook her head and left them, leaving the door wide open. Danny groaned and got up.

Breakfast was ready in the kitchen. Danny's mom was pouring coffee when he walked in and Ivan was sitting at the kitchen table, reading an actual newspaper.

"I don't know why we should even get you two separate rooms at this point," Carol said as she passed Danny his coffee. "When was the last time you slept in separate beds?"

"Uh, yesterday?" Danny frowned. Ivan looked up.

"You two share a bed?"

"We, uh, yes," Danny wished he could do something other than freeze whenever he was caught, but it was always the same. If he panicked, he froze.