Danny & Steve [Completed]

Part 6

The parking long was packed. Most of it was a sea of red and white, though there was a corner where the opposing team's blue and gold dared show their colors. The energy in the air was palpable. Savory scents of grilling filled the air, and everywhere around them, pennants flew and people chanted and cheered.

Steve and Danny made their way through the crowd to a red Ford F-150 with a camp grill on the tailgate. Steve perked up and called over, "Hey, Brad!"

A blond guy with a mustache and trimmed beard turned around and waved a spatula at the pair of them. Danny could see the resemblance. They had the same blue eyes. Brad was older, his hair a few shades darker, closer to honey than gold, and he had a few pounds on him around the stomach. Whereas Steve looked like a soccer player, Brad was a comfortable teddy bear.

Steve and Danny put down the cokes, and the brothers embraced with much thumping of backs. Steve tugged Danny over and said, "Brad, this is my roomie, Danny." Danny relaxed. He hadn't been aware of how tense he was until Steve only introduced them as roomies. There was a twinge of disappointment, though. After last night and this morning, is that all they were? Roomies?

Brad shook Danny's hand firmly and said, "It's nice to meet you, Danny. Do you prefer Danny or Dan?"

Danny said, "Either's fine, thanks."

Brad grinned. "I'm going to call you Dan. You like burgers, Dan?"

Danny's grin echoed Brad's. "Sure."

Brad said, "Then you're in luck. I'd better get back to the grill. Steve'll introduce you around."

Danny looked around in a daze as Steve introduced him to the rest of the family. There was Stephanie, Brad's blonde, pretty wife. Then there was Jimmy, Brenda, and Mary, their three children, and Henry, the baby. Running around after the children was a slobbery bulldog, huffing and puffing. "And that's Baxter," Steve said as he knelt to give the dog a thorough scruffling.

It wasn't that Danny wasn't used to a big family. He had lots of cousins, and the house was always full at holidays. It's just that his family was so proper. Children didn't shriek with glee for fear of reprimand. Danny had no older brother whose laughter boomed above the din of the chaotic parking lot. Nobody in his family boomed. Everything here was noise and laughter and people moving around Danny while he stood in place. He wasn't even sure who put a red cup of root beer in his hand, but he looked down and he was holding one.

Steve came to Danny's side and said, "You look overwhelmed."

Danny ducked his head. "A little."

Steve grinned. "You'll get used to it. There's a rhythm to the madness." Brenda's pigtails bounced as she came darting by, and without missing a beat, Steve redirected her toward the rest of the children. "We can duck out if you want to, though."

As much as the idea of getting Steve alone appealed, Danny figured if he want off with him, his family would assume they were together. They'd think they were off being... gay, together. "No, it's okay. I like this." It wasn't a lie. For all that it was overwhelming, the energy of a happy family was infectious. He liked being around it.

"They don't treat you different," he said.

"Different from what?" Steve replied, glancing at Danny.

Danny chewed his lower lip, then shook his head. He didn't want to rehash his issues all over Steve. "Never mind. They're great."

Steve grinned. "Thanks, I think so."

After burgers and a lot of cheering to bring up the energy level to a fevered pitch, the family packed up the truck, then walked with the rest of the fans toward the stadium. Steve held Brenda's hand while Mary rode on her dad's shoulders. Steph had the baby and Jimmy wanted to be a big boy and walk on his own. Brad fell into step beside Danny, with little white sandals hanging down over each shoulder while Mary waved a foam hand that nearly engulfed her tiny arm.

"So, uh, Danny," Brad said, his demeanor suddenly serious.

Danny swallowed. "Yeah?"

Brad glanced over at him, then back to the path ahead. "I need to know what your intentions are toward my baby brother."

Danny felt his stomach sink. "My... my intentions? I... um... I mean... I hadn't..."

Brad broke into a broad grin, and he said, "Oh, man. You should see the look on your face."

Danny blinked a few times. "What?"

Brad let go of Mary's leg long enough to chuck Danny on the arm. "Relax. I'm just messing with you."

Danny tried not to hyperventilate. "You almost gave me a heart attack," he said with a nervous laugh.

Brad studied him for a second, then said, "Whatever's going on with you, man, it's okay. You're safe with us."

By the time they were in the stands and the game was in full swing, Danny had relaxed quite a bit. He even cheered instead of clapping politely when their team scored. He booed a bad call loudly alongside the rest of the family, and at the touchdown that won them the game, he jumped up and down, yelling with the others.

Then everyone was hugging. Danny got hugged even by the kids, and he hugged back. Then he found himself wrapped up in Steve's arms, and he held him close. Steve murmured in his ear, "They think you're awesome. So do I."

Danny grinned, and he kept hugging Steve. He smelled so good, and it felt so right. He drew back, looked into his eyes, and almost kissed him. Almost. Who would care? His family? They were cool. The people around them? No one knew him here. Except...

"Hey, Danny!"

Danny let go of Steve so fast it was like he was on fire. "Ben!" He grinned and waved at Ben as Ben came wading through the cheering fans toward him. He had a girl with him Danny didn't know. She was built, with curves for days. Her hair was in thin dreads gathered in a tail, and her dark brown eyes carried a keen wit in them. She held Ben's hand and was wearing his high school letterman's jacket.

Ben said, "How's it going man? This is Lashonda." He had a dopey smile on his face.

Lashonda gave Danny a little wave. "Hey, there. It's nice to meet you. Danny, was it?"

Danny nodded, and he said, "Good to meet you Lashonda." Then he gestured to Steve and said, "This is Steve. He's my roommate." His heart beat a million miles a minute. If he'd gone with his instinct, Ben would have seen him kissing a boy.

Steve flipped them a friendly wave and said, "Nice to meet you Ben, Lashonda."

Ben and Lashonda both returned the gesture. Then Ben said, "We gotta go. I just wanted to say hi."

As the couple departed, Steve glanced over at Danny, and he said quietly, "Close call, huh." He didn't seem as relieved as Danny felt.