Mirror Man

Alone!.

Alone on his bed, back in his dingey flat Danny cried, again, for himself, for Mark and for the aching in his heart and mind, the emptiness of his arms without Mark to hold, the need in his blood for the dark haired man with the grey eyes, the man who loved him so passionately, the man he'd let down and hurt with his ridiculous fragility.

Two hours earlier:

"Danny can we have a word?", John had beckoned him back through to the kitchen.

"Mark needs to rest, he shouldn't have gone out on his own, so........we think, we think.....you need to go back to your flat, Mark needs space" Johns face held an immense sadness.

Danny could only nod, head in his hands, tears brimming at the corners of his eyes.

"Look, Danny, we love having you here we really do, and you know we'd have loved for you to stay, we really would, but........", Rachel sighed, "Mark was pushing you to stay, we know that, and, we can't force you to" the woman said quietly.

"It's obvious that it's too soon for you, and Mark knows that really, and he's probably going to be really angry at us for doing this but........we don't think you being here is helping him", John finished what Rachel started.

"I know", Danny said sadly, feeling an ache in his heart that sat so heavily he almost couldn't breathe.

"Do you know", the deep voice of the dark haired dark eyed man cut in, "you were all he talked about, since the day he first saw you, I....... loved Mark, I don't now, I've kind of, grown out of love with him but I still care about him, he told me that he couldn't be with anyone but you, that hurt........but I accepted it" the man sniffed.

"He was right of course, we weren't right for each other, and to be honest he was so wrapped in finding you that it wouldn't have worked anyway", the man looked over at Danny with passive eyes, he wasn't being confrontational, he wasn't angry, he wasn't anything really, just passive.

"I-I d-didn't know anything about that, I was.....shocked when I found out...who...who he was and......" Danny tailed off.

"Sorry Danny, we love you we really do, and Mark loves you so much, but.....we can't see him go up and down like this, now, we're not into forcing people into choices they don't want to make, but......", Rachel began.

"We think it best you go back to the flat, and.......let Mark come to you when he's ready, he can't keep on like this and neither can you" John finished what his wife was saying.

"We think for everyone's sake you should go back home, for yours as well, being here is obviously not sitting well with you, we know you're independent and you're uncomfortable with this, so.......we think it best", Rachel rubbed her face, hard, she looked tired, and suddenly older.

"We'll always be here for you Danny, but you blowing hot and cold all the time is just making things awkward, we're really sorry, but we have to think of Mark, he exhausted himself today to help you, and.......we can't......" John finished.

Long long minutes of uncomfortable silence passed as the four looked anywhere but at each other, Danny feeling the tears running down his face.

"I....I understand, I'll.....call a taxi".

Standing up Danny looked around one last time, who knew how long it would be before he'd be welcomed back into the haven that was this house and this wonderful family, who had been nothing but kind and accepting.

It was all ruined, and for once it was his fault, his and his alone, he knew Hina would rip him to shreds this time, well and truly, and he wouldn't blame Mark if he never spoke to him again.