Nick came home from a paper work binge at the station to find Danny shoving clothes into a suitcase.
"Danny?"
"Ah, Nicholas, perfect." Danny answered, pulling him into a quick kiss before pushing him towards the case. "Perfect timing. Do us a favour and sit on the case will you?"
Nick narrowed his eyes at Danny, but did it anyway, because he has a bit of a problem saying no to Danny. Danny struggled but managed to pull the zip closed, letting out a victory whoop and causing Nick to giggle while he jumped off.
"Are you going to tell me what this is about?"
Danny smiled at him in a way that made Nick's inside turn to slush, and Nick couldn't help the lovey dovey smile on his face when Danny kissed him.
"We're running away."
Nick laughed, but when Danny didn't join him he realised that he wasn't kidding.
"Running away?"
"Yeah."
Nick considered this for a second, weighing the pros and cons. "But who will water the Peace Lilly?"
This time Danny did laugh, and Nick kissed him and pulled him down onto the couch. "What's wrong, Danny?"
Danny's smile fell a little. "I went to see my dad today. I wanted to talk to him about the wedding, and he didn't react particularly well." Nick watched Danny closely as the usually happy man replayed the events in his mind.
Nick sighed.
“So we’re what? Eloping?”
“Yeah?” Danny sounded so unsure that it brought a smile to Nicholas’s face.
He sighed. “Danny, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Danny sighed, smiling in a way that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
Nicholas’s heart broke for him. He took a deep breath and kissed Danny quickly. “Alright. Where are we going?”
Danny head snapped up and his eyes met Nick’s. “What?”
“Where are we going? Is this a train situation or a full fledged airport trip?” Danny giggled and Nick saw a glimpse of an actual genuine smile, and it made his heart flutter. “I need to know where to tell the taxi to take us.”
Danny’s smile didn’t falter. “I don’t know. I didn’t get that far.”
They both laughed, and Nicholas felt like the Grinch in that bit where his heart grew three sizes. He always thinks if his heart got any fuller he would explode, and yet everyday he spends with Danny his heart swells.
“Danny, your dad doesn’t define you. I know it hurts, but running off to Vegas or Gretna Green for a shotgun wedding isn’t going to solve anything. And besides,” Nick paused, looking into Danny’s big eyes and letting his thumb graze his cheek bone, “there are people here who do care about us. People who’d be disappointed if we just up and disappeared to Las Vegas to get married.”
“Or Gretna Green.”
Nick laughed. “Or Gretna Green.”
Danny smiled and reopened the case. “I guess I’ll unpack then. Sorry for destroying your wardrobe.”
Nick laughed, still in awe of how much he could love this man, and pulled Danny close to him. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” Danny smiled.
“I can’t wait to be married to you.”
“Hey,” Danny smirked, “there’s always Gretna Green.”
Nick laughed, moved the suitcase off the bed, and pulled Danny down onto it with a kiss.