Danny & Steve [Completed]

Game Day, Part Two

Saturday morning, Danny leapt out of bed with the alarm. He had to get to a store before it was time to leave for the tailgate party. Steve lay in his bed, the blankets pulled down far enough Danny could see his naked chest, defined abs, and the V of his hips pointing down beneath the covers. It was a momentary distraction as Danny thought about the night before, how sweet Steve's lips had felt against his own. Danny wanted to run his fingers down Steve's chest and wake him up with his mouth-- not necessarily with a kiss.

He shook his head and got dressed in the bathroom so as not to wake Steve up. Then he slipped out and pedaled his bike to the local Stop-n-Shop. He only got four 2-liter bottles, since that's what he could carry in the milk crate strapped to the back of his bike seat. Root beer, Mountain Dew, Pepsi, and Diet. He hoped it would be enough.

By the time he got back to the dorm room, Steve was already awake and dressed in red and white, their school colors. He gave Danny a sleepy smile and, once the door was closed, he moved in for a kiss. Danny slipped an arm around his waist and delivered. Steve's lips tasted minty from his toothpaste, and Danny let slip a low moan as he deepened the kiss.

They finally drew away from each other, and Steve said, "Good morning, handsome."

When they got to the game, 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, is that still 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 was noise and laughter and people moving around Danny. 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.