Greta Van Fleet // Oneshots

Tough // Danny Wagner

Warnings: blood (nonsexual)

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"Can you just put it down? You're gonna hurt yourself," Danny said, watching you from the other end of the kitchen as you struggled to slice through an entire frozen cheesecake with a bread knife.

Both of you had succumbed to late-night cravings and decided on the cheesecake, but you were the one who was too impatient to let it thaw. You kept pushing the knife down, determined to slice up the damn thing.

"I got it, Danny, relax," you replied, straining a bit, trying to shimmy the knife further down. He may have had more upper body strength, but you had more determination.

"It would take just as long to let it thaw as it would for you to keep struggling," Danny said, eyeing you warily, his arms crossed over his chest and a strand of hair falling in his face.

"You'll see," you said, bringing your focus back to the task at hand. You managed to slice to the bottom just once, so you wiggled the knife out and directed the tip to the center, shaping out the perfect piece, then started to press down again.

Your hand slipped on the handle and Danny gasped and moved closer to you, reaching out, but you continued.

"Will you just put it down?" he demanded again, hovering over your shoulder.

"I got one, just gimme a minute," you insisted but, as you jammed the knife down further, your forefinger got caught under the blade and before you could even blink, hot, red blood was running all over the cheesecake and the knife.

"Oh, Jesus Christ," Danny exclaimed and grabbed a bunch of paper towels, lifting your hand away and wrapping up your finger, the blood already soaking through. "What did I say?"

It took a couple seconds before the pain actually hit--a terrible burning, stinging feeling, made worse by the feeling of the scratchy paper towels on the open wound. You tugged your hand away from Danny--as much of a loving boyfriend as he was, sometimes his care for you turned into over-protection, and you felt stifled. If he hadn't been literally over your shoulder, you would have been fine.

"I got it," you said hastily, removing the paper towels and turning the tap on, running your bleeding finger under cold water.

"Oh Jesus," Danny repeated, running his hand through his hair. "You're gonna need stitches."

Even to you, the wound was pretty bad--and it wouldn't stop bleeding. Still, you let the water run red before replacing the bloodied paper towels. "No, it's fine."

Danny was already shuffling out of the room, getting his shoes on. "Nope--come on, I'm taking you to urgent care."

"I'm fine--"

"Babe," Danny interrupted, although the term of endearment wasn't filled with affection in that moment. "We're going."

You exhaled, annoyed--the wound definitely hurt and you were definitely still bleeding but Danny still seemed like he was overreacting. "I'm not going--I have some of that glue in the bathroom. It's fine."

"What glue?"

"Liquid bandage--that stuff."

Danny huffed and returned to the kitchen, reaching for your hand again. "Let me see."

You held it out to him. "See, it's really not that bad," you said as he inspected the wound again, the paper towels damp in your other hand.

"You should've waited for it to thaw," Danny mumbled, still looking at your finger.

You snatched your hand back, returning the paper towels. "I wouldn't have cut myself if you hadn't been hovering over me."

"Are you serious?"

You were escalating--you could feel it. You had just wanted to do one thing, and there you were, bleeding and angry. It was just a cut, after all.

"You don't think I can do anything myself," you said, trying not to shriek, and not just for the benefit of the neighbors. "I'm not totally helpless, you know."

Danny looked shocked, then his face fell a little as he looked down at the floor, then back to you. "I don't think you're helpless, I--"

"So I cut myself? Big deal," you went on, trying not to get distracted by his crestfallen face. "Accidents happen. But you get so worried you don't think that I should do anything."

"That's not true," Danny pleaded, looking at you with those golden eyes that always swept you under. "I know you can do anything, I just--I worry."

You winced before you could respond, the bleeding breaking through the paper towels, blood running down your hand. Danny took your hand in his and tossed the paper towels on the counter, only to grab some new ones.

"Can you just get the liquid bandage?" you asked. His hands were so tender on yours, so carefully cradling you and smoothing over your skin--even his face was soft, focused on you, his brow furrowed and his lips slightly parted.

Danny's eyes lingered on the wound for a moment before he sighed and had you keep the pressure on so he could go retrieve the liquid bandage. When he came back he commenced pressing down the paper towels himself before he quickly sealed the cut between his fingers, then brushed the little applicator along the cut before anymore blood could run.

"I'm sorry," Danny said, still looking at the cut.

You reached your other hand up and stroked his hair, tucking it back behind his ear. "It's okay. I'm sorry I blew up at you," you said. "I know you worry. I can't imagine caring as much as you do, it must be exhausting."

Danny laughed. "You don't worry about me?"

"I worry. You may look tough," you replied, stroking his hair again, trailing your fingers down his neck. "But I know you're just a teddy bear."

Danny smiled. "Well you're tougher than you look." He glanced down at your finger again, then gently pressed his lips to your hand. "Clearly."

"It helps knowing I have you to take care of me," you said, pulling him in and kissing him gently. "Especially when I do stupid stuff like this."

Danny chuckled against your mouth, wrapping his arm around your waist. "Always."