Mirror Man

Too Much Too Soon!.

"I screwed up, I know I did, and he's hurt because I can't keep my bloody hormones in check, I mean he's only really known me for one day, two, but I've known I wanted him for years, I moved too fast and I messed it up" he slapped his hands on his thighs, wincing slightly as he caught his bandaged fingers.

"Oh love, I know how you feel about him, but he's scared Mark, he's been treated so badly, do you know in those four years he's had four failed relationships?" Rachel looked at her son as he shook his head.

"The last one was a married man with four kids, Danny only found out by accident when someone tagged his friend Hina in a post on Facebook, the guy was a total closet case, even lied about his name" Rachel sighed.

Marks eyes widened, he hadn't known any of that, but John and Rachel had found this out when they'd had their long lunch with Danny and Hina.

"On top of all that other stuff he saves a mans life then finds out who you are, someone who's been trying to find him for years, and having to deal with the fact he's adopted and a load of other stuff, he's scared Mark, very scared" the woman soothed as Mark sunk his face into his hands.

"I wish someone had told me" he sniffled up a tear that rolled down his cheek.

"Honey, you almost died, you only woke up yesterday, there's been no time to explain it" his mum said gently, "Danny really likes you Mark, he may not love you like you love him, yet, but I think he will, he just needs careful steps honey, your dad and I think he's great and we so want it to work out with you two", sliding an arm around his shoulder she comforted her son as he simply sat with his head in his hands.

"Just talk to him Mark, just sit and really talk, get to know him, and tell him about your heart operation, I know he saw the photo, you have to win his trust honey, okay?", the woman sighed as she stood up from the sofa.

"Yeah, I realise that now mum, thanks, I'll be in soon I just need time to think, if you see Danny could you ask him to come here please?", Mark half smiled.

As Rachel opened the door Danny stood, hand raised as if to knock, "oh blimey Danny you frightened the bejeesus out of me", Rachel clamped a hand to her chest, "I'm going to have to go get a coffee now, steady my nerves" she laughed.

As the woman walked away Mark looked up, "come in Danny, I think we need to talk a bit", Danny nodded as he walked in and closed the door.

"I'm sorry Danny, I pushed you too soon" Mark began as Danny sat down, taking up the three fingered hand he stroked it lightly.

"Yes you did, I ........ I'm scared, of all this, of-of feeling so close to you already, one minute I'm over the moon the next I'm convincing myself it's all too good to be true and I'm going to be dumped on again" Danny sighed.

"I know, I know you've said you would never do that" Danny cut Mark off as he was about to speak, "but John said it, so did Damon, so did Evan, and look how that went, and not to mention Paul, Phil, whatever, and his wife and four kids, he was so far in the closet he found Narnia" Danny sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know about all those others, I didn't know how much you'd been through Danny, I still don't know it all, all I know is that.........I've loved you for 6 years........", Mark said clearly.

Dannys eyes popped, wider than a freshly bloomed rose bud at that statement.

"I just want to be with you so badly, I'll take anything you throw at me, you've invaded my thoughts for 6 years, I keep forgetting that you've only known me for two days" Mark said in a sorry tone.

"A week if you count mirror man" Danny huffed.

"Oh yeah, my rival" Mark chuckled.

"Look, let's start again okay, I'll tell you anything you want to know......just ask" Mark sat up straight, wincing a little at the stiffness in his knees.

And so they talked, and talked, moving to the bedroom when Marks back started to play up, laying next to each other on the bed, Dannys head on Marks chest, his arm wrapped around the mans waist as before, they just...... talked.

"I was born with a heart condition, it wasn't an issue when I was younger, but then one of my valves failed, then another, and before I knew it I was stuck in bed for most of my 11th year on this planet" Mark sighed, curling a stray blonde curl in his fingers.

"When I finally had the operation, to fix it I almost died, one of the sutures burst and my chest cavity started to fill up, I almost drowned in my own blood, I was lucky, it was spotted and corrected without any lasting damage" Mark shifted to look at the photo on the window ledge.

"I was so damn scared but I survived Danny, and when I saw you for the first time, and got to know about you while I was undercover, I felt that I'd survived just so I could meet you, but then you disappeared and Cross bought that slut home" he sighed heavily.

"You know the rest" he coughed a little from laying flat for too long, he'd been flat on his back for a week and that had made his chest hurt, turning on his side he faced the blonde who did the same.

"So, now you know me Danny", the grey eyes met the blue.

Danny stayed silent and thoughtful.

"I.......want to be with you, I really do, and I'm sorry I was so sharp to you yesterday, I guess I'm still trying to process how my life has hopped from being alone in a dead end job with only one friend, to saving your life, seeing mirror man, catching feelings for him........well, you, losing my job, being here, your amazing parents taking so much care of me" Danny spoke quietly.

"Dylan turning up and......Teddy", Marks parents had told him about the Teddy thing that morning before Danny woke up.

"And....... me being a-adopted, and all the other stuff, and it's only been a week, my life has fucking flipped upside down" Danny breathed out sharply.

"It's all been so much to take in, I want to make a go of us I really do" he smiled across at Mark, "I just need time to adjust and I still need to find a job and get back to the flat........" Marks face dropped at the mention of Dannys dingey flat.

But he wasn't going to push it, if he could gain Dannys trust enough he was going to ask him to move in with them, leave that awful place.

"I'm not going anywhere, like I said I've wanted you for 6 years, there's no way I'm letting you go".

Danny and Mark, face to face, an arm around each others waist, finally fell asleep again.

"That's better, they look so good together" John smiled as he and his wife peered through the part open door, having heard it go quiet they'd looked in.

"They'll work it out" Rachel smiled as John nodded and kissed her cheek.

"Come on, let them sleep".