Daniel Decides by RiseAgainPhoenix

Daniel popped the question when he was balls-deep in Darren's ass. Darren thought his timing could've been better.

"What are we doing?"

Darren didn't mind a little conversation in the bedroom, but he minded when it made all other activities cease.

"Well, Daniel, we *were* having sex," he replied, shoving his hips up in a 'hint-hint' kind of way.

Daniel didn't take the hint. "I know what we're doing. I mean, what are we doing? Where is this going?"

"This better be going towards the best orgasm of my life," Darren growled.

Daniel was quiet for all of two seconds before he came up with "Are we getting a relationship out of this, or are we just fucking?"

"We're not even fucking, because fucking involves *moving*," Darren reminded him, wiggling his ass. Why was Daniel bringing this up, anyway? At such an inopportune time, too. For some months, they'd been screwing around, no questions asked. At first, it had been to relieve stress, and then it was to help Darren through yet another failed relationship. Then, they'd continued when Daniel had confessed he hated being alone. And then it just became routine. The sex was incredible, and Darren had no complaints. Until now. "If you really want, we can talk about this. *Later*. Way later."

Daniel finally gave in and began thrusting. Things fell into the natural rhythm they'd been in for months. Their moaning and breathing got louder and louder, and then Daniel started talking again. Darren found it interesting, in an annoying way. Wasn't Daniel supposed to be the quiet one?

"Darren, I have to know. Where are we going with this?" Daniel panted.

If had had really wanted a decent answer to that question, he probably shouldn't have moved his hips the way he did. Darren was too heady with pleasure to do better than a mumbled "I dunno" before he exploded. Daniel came a few minutes later, and when he finally caught his breath, he gave Darren a Look, meaning he was waiting for a better answer. Darren shrugged. He was tuckered out, and there was no way his brain could formulate something that would satisfy Daniel. "I have no idea where this is going. It's up to you."

Thankfully, that was enough to get him off the hook, and Daniel slid off him and went to sleep.

~ ~ ~

The next morning, Darren awoke and everything in his world was normal. His blinds were half-open to let in the light of the rising sun, his sheets were a sticky mess on the floor, and the lingering smell of Daniel reminded him of last night's goings-on. His bathroom was neatly arranged in the way he always kept it, save for the ripped condom package that Daniel somehow missed the garbage with, every single time. He threw it out, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and dressed himself in patented Darren fashion. He exited his bedroom and entered his kitchen. And then normalcy ended.

"Mornin' mate. Coffee?"

Darren thought about it. He'd sworn off caffeine, but he had a niggling feeling that he would need a high-octane drink to get him through this. In the end, he declined, settling instead for asking a question. "Daniel. What the hell are you doing here?"

"Having breakfast," he replied, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Darren wondered whether he'd spent the night, but he didn't feel like asking. Darren also wondered why he'd never seen Daniel in the morning before. He looked incandescent --- absolutely golden.

~ ~ ~

Darren returned from the studio to find his apartment.rather.changed. Half of his potted plants were gone. Half of his candles were gone. There was a pack of nasty, disgusting cigarettes on his coffee table. And leaning against his bookshelf was what looked suspiciously like Daniel's guitar.

Daniel himself showed up on his doorstep later, around the same time he always did. Darren wanted to ask him about the stuff in his flat, but Daniel was wearing that cologne that drove him nuts, and the question got lost in the sounds of clothes hitting the floor.

In the middle of their frenzied coupling, it occurred to Darren that the loose shirt he'd stripped from Daniel's lean body was so loose because it wasn't his. It was Darren's.

He didn't have a lot of time to wonder at that, though. Daniel gave a little moan, half-caught in his throat. Darren knew that sound. He'd spent a long time learning how to make Daniel make that sound. When he came, he murmured something Darren couldn't quite catch.

~ ~ ~

The next morning, Darren found his world normal up until he entered the bathroom. His hand scrabbled on the tile floor, looking for a condom wrapper that wasn't there. He peered between his legs and thought he had better take a shower. They didn't use a condom.

When he entered the kitchen, he was considerably less surprised to find Daniel there. Finding Daniel's aftershave in his medicine cabinet had sort of prepared him for the fact.

"Did you sleep well?" Daniel asked, passing him a plate of pancakes.

Darren could've sworn he'd never seen Daniel look so beautiful.

~ ~ ~

Coming home, Darren found himself strangely nervous. In a fluttery, anticipating, totally foolish kind of way. He opened his door, and was a bit relieved to find his remaining plants and candles still present. Also present was Daniel. In an apron. *His* apron.

"'Sup, mate? How's the album coming along?"

Darren tried to stop gaping. "Fine. Just fine. What are you doing?"

"Making dinner. Vegetarian lasagna. It looks rather nasty, but the taste is heavenly."

Darren had trouble finding a reply. He thought the lasagna looked just fine, though. He said that out loud without meaning to, but he was glad he'd said it when Daniel flashed him That Smile. He couldn't remember ever having a more delicious meal.

And later, as he was fucking Daniel into the mattress, he was very glad they'd given up the condoms, because it felt *good*. So good, to be against and inside Daniel in every single way.

~ ~ ~

Normalcy lasted all the way to Darren dressing himself the next morning. This time, he couldn't place it. Something was off; something felt strange. Felt weird. But he couldn't say what. He went into the kitchen and said good morning to Daniel.

Daniel replied with "Those are mine."

"What are?" Darren asked.

Daniel tugged at the band of his briefs, sticking out above his low-slung jeans. "These."

Oh. So that's why they seemed so tight. Darren was so happy at figuring out what felt so strange that he forgot to ask why Daniel's underwear was in his drawer.

~ ~ ~

Daniel showed up at the studio that afternoon. He hadn't done that since they stopped making albums together.

Daniel came right up to him and gave him a quick kiss. He was a little surprised, but not too surprised to put an arm around Daniel's waist and pull him closer. His assistants raised their eyebrows, but Darren ignored them the way he did in all other matters.

"Hey, Daniel. What's the occasion?"

Daniel leaned into him, hard enough for Darren to feel his ribs pressing against him. He had an absurd urge to draw him in even closer. "Decided I wanted to see you. Doing your thing. Just you," Daniel replied.

Darren loved the warm feeling that crept over him.

~ ~ ~

For the first time Darren could remember, they went from the studio to his flat together. They also had supper together, and watched movies together. They undressed together, made love together, and fell asleep together.

It felt good.

~ ~ ~

Normalcy wasn't even a blip on the radar screen the next morning. Darren woke and found a sleeping Daniel nestled in his arms. He looked so soft and sweet that Darren hated to wake him up. But he had to, because he'd been itching to ask. It was now or never. He nudged the warm shoulder with his nose, bumping until Daniel awoke.

"Hmm? Morning, Dar---" Daniel broke off, yawning.

So damn cute. But Darren couldn't let himself get sidetracked. He would ask him. "Daniel? What are we doing?"

"Waking up?"

"No. Yes, we are. But after that, where is this going?"

Daniel smiled in That Way, the way that made his eyes scrunch up and his face glow. It was something to behold at 6:00 a.m. "Remember when I asked you that?"

Darren nodded. He did, sort of. He remembered that it was in the middle of great sex.

"You said it's up to me. So I'm deciding. This is where it's going. We're going to have a shower together. Is that okay with you?"

Darren watched the curve of Daniel's ass as he got up to follow him. He decided that it was very, very okay with him.