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Danny wedged himself firmly into the corner of his bunk, back against the wall and snarled again at Steve when he tried to get close. Fuck him. Fuck him with a rusty, serrated knife. He had done this---infected Danny without his knowledge or consent and tricked him into leaving Hawaii and his baby girl. God only knew how many people Steve had killed. He had confessed to Lori's and Wo Fat's murders, but Danny suspected there were others. Danny wasn't sure he wanted to know about the rest. Danny scrubbed a hand over his hot, prickly face. Goddamn it! He licked his lips, horribly thirsty, but suspicious of any liquid offered. That was how Steve had first slipped him the virus, he realized. Every time Steve had given Danny coffee or water it had been laced with Steve's venom and now withdrawal was a bitch.
The freighter lurched in the rough sea and Danny's stomach rolled in response, and he gulped hard, fighting the nausea. Goddamn Steve, not only was Danny infected, he was seasick as well. Fucking SEAL, he didn't even seem to notice the heaving deck beneath them. Danny opened his eyes long enough to slap away Steve's tentatively reaching hand and stoically ignored his wounded eyes. Danny shivered and drew his knees up to his chest. One minute he was freezing, the next he burned as the virus surged through his system. There was no cure. Bleakly, Danny thought about making his way up to the top deck and throwing himself overboard, but Steve watched him like a hawk, had locked the cabin door, and would fight him if he tried to get past him again.
He glared at Steve when he edged closer, again trying to touch Danny, to comfort him. Danny had tried his damnedest to rip Steve's head off earlier, but he was just too weak. He settled now for huddling as far away from the man as he could get, angry and frightened. He felt his eyes fill with tears again at the thought of never being able to touch Grace again without fear of infecting her, and sniffled and wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand, before raising his head to glare viciously at his companion as Steve tried yet again to edge close enough to touch. Danny dropped his chin down on his knees and clutched his hot, aching head. Everything hurt, every joint he had ached, and he had flashes of intense sensory surges--where things were too loud, or too bright. He could smell Steve now--and he smelled good. Like everything that meant safety and home to Danny. He just wanted to curl up in Steve's strong arms and let Steve kiss and hold him, so he could sleep...shit! There he went again, nearly yielding to his desire for comfort. Weakly, he shook his head, trying to clear it, he was trembling now with exhaustion as well as fever.
"Danny, please! Please let me help. Please!"
Steve was all soft eyes and voice and open arms, big hands held out pleadingly, as desperate to touch as Danny was to be touched. With a sudden jolt, Danny realized that Steve was as addicted to him, as he was to Steve. They were in this thing together, whether Danny wanted to admit it or not. Danny was committed to the man for life--had been from the moment he had refused to leave Steve's side when he was first infected. In the hospital while the virus raged through Steve, changing him irrevocably, Danny hadn't even thought of his child. His only concern had been for his partner---now his lover, his mate.
Dully, he lifted his head and stared at his partner, realizing as he did that he was already giving in to his need for the man, because despite everything Danny still loved Steve with all his heart. He slumped as the freighter plowed through the choppy waves, too weak to sit up now, nearly falling out of the bunk as the ship lurched, but Steve was suddenly there, catching him and holding him close, big body curling protectively around his smaller one as he braced him in the narrow bunk. He crooned comfort in Danny's ear and pressed soft kisses to his face and finally Danny yielded, opened his mouth for his lover's cool tongue and deep, wet kisses as he let his old life roll away with the waves and the new one surge in and consume him. He realized that Steve was crying as well, frightened and pleading for Danny to stay with him and love him, and weakly Danny responded, curling his fingers in Steve's shirt and kissing him firmly back as he made his choice.
Everyone else had left Steve, but Danny never would.
He closed his eyes and with a deep sigh, relaxed and curled into his mate's embrace, burying his hot, sweaty face in Steve's cool throat, Steve's venom already singing through his veins, easing his discomfort and lulling him into a healing sleep. Dimly he was aware of Steve pulling a blanket over them, a big hand stroking his hair back from his hot face, words of love whispered in his ear, then he fell into the dark well of exhaustion and sleep. He knew that when he awoke everything would be different and he could live with that.