all these things that I have done

Danny looked at Niko. "It is... was... I don't know... I'm just confused by how sudden you're telling me this..."

Niko's frown deepened and he turned away to find some clothes.

"You've been here several nights, non stop, I've seen nothing but you and I don't- I'm not tired of you, you're not tired of me. Normally people are long gone by now, or I've left. We've bathed together and- I don't know, I guess I don't understand properly. Don't worry about it."

Danny went to put on his clothes. He was silent, knowing this was bad for both of them. He stood there awkwardly, before going to make some food. He didn't know what had come over him.

Niko dressed slowly, tying his damp hair back in a ponytail to stop it dragging along his shoulders. He'd been foolish, spoken too soon and too hastily after all he'd said before.

Danny left the room, and Niko followed a few long moments later, going down to lean in the doorway of the kitchen whilst he watched the other man prepare food.

Danny wiped at his eyes as he cooked the food, trembling, not knowing Niko was watching him.

Niko sighed softly, watching Danny for several minutes before going over and wrapping his arms around him from behind.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I didn't think."

Danny flinched slightly when Niko wrapped his arms around him from behind. "Not your fault," he murmured after a long moment.

Niko kissed just below Danny's ear, drawing him away from the kitchen counter.

"Talk to me about it?" he asked. "We were doing well with the talking earlier..."

Danny swallowed, stifling a soft moan. "I guess after hearing you talk about how I was moving too fast, it felt like you were teasing me by saying you though you loved me..."

Niko frowned, pulling away from Danny slightly.

"That's something you'd think I'd do?" he asked, a little hurt. "I didn't want you to get too invested in something I couldn't reciprocate. I just... I was trying to say that it's okay now. But I suppose maybe it isn't?"

Danny looked up at the hurt in Niko's voice. "I'm sorry. I should've known better. I just..." He shook his head slightly. "I know you would never hurt me."

Niko shrugged a shoulder, pulling away from Danny entirely and pulling a lighter and a cigarette from his back pocket and heading to the door.

"It's fine," he said. "Doesn't matter, I'll be outside a sec, alright?"

The second Niko left, the tears that Danny had been trying to keep back started trailing down his face. He somehow managed to finish cooking, and then disappeared into the bathroom to hide, leaving the food on the table.

Niko crouched outside his home, leaning back against the wall and chain smoking as he watched the world go by. His damp hair was no doubt getting doused in the smoke, and he knew from experience that the scent would stick something awful. But right now he couldn't bring himself to care.

The pile of cigarette butt's between his feet grew as he tried to get his thoughts in order, a small bemused frown on his face.

Danny finally came out of the bathroom and went to find Niko. He sat beside him, silent for a few moments. "I'm sorry," he began, "I'm not used to people telling me they love me. If you can ever forgive me, I promise you I'll no longer be such a baby about everything. And I'll tell you I love you, too... But I do love you."

Niko listened in silence as Danny spoke before winding an arm around his shoulders and pulling him close, pressing a kiss to his temple.

"You don't have to be sorry," he said. "I know you've got your worries, and they're valid. But this is new to me as well, I've no idea what I'm doing."

Danny smiled as Niko pressed a kiss to his temple. He nodded, lacing his fingers with the other's.

Niko fell silent once more, squeezing Danny's hand gently as he finished his cigarette. Eventually he stubbed the thing out on the floor, tilting his head back to release the last drag of smoke with a sigh.

Danny kissed his lips. "I love you so much. I never should have accused you of doing anything to hurt me..."

Niko kissed Danny back, bringing his free hand up to cup the other man's jaw.

"Don't worry about it. I've never been in love before, I'll probably get things wrong. Just... talk to me, yeah?"