Here’s a way too long drabble based loosely off of this headcanon by @sin-grumps
Danny looked up from his spot, laid out on the couch. Turning his attention from the tv, he stared at his partner/roommate. Nin/ja Brian was standing at the bottom of the stairs. He was in full nin/ja gear.
“Headed out, Bri?” Danny asked with a frown.
It was pretty late. Nin/ja Brian usually finished everything he needed at a reasonable time in order to get a good night’s rest.
Nin/ja Brian stared at Danny for a few moments before shrugging.
“Need to meditate. I’ll be back.” He signed, walking towards the front door.
Danny stared at the closing door. He turned his head back towards the tv. He could feel a nagging feeling in the back of his mind.
Nin/ja Brian needed to meditate? On what? And this late? Again?
Danny felt like he was missing something.
For a few months, Nin/ja Brian hadn’t been behaving like his usual psychopathic murderous self.
Which in a way, was great for Danny. Dying so much was really starting to cramp his style, especially when it happened when he was trying to court a pretty lady.
Now that he thought about it…when was the last time Nin/ja Brian had killed him?
Or even injured him?
Danny couldn’t remember.
And Nin/ja Brian didn’t seem as annoyed with Danny as he used to be. He had even created a mental connection with him, so he could communicate more.
Odd for a nin/ja who swore an oath of silence before his neck injury.
Strange.
Maybe he was missing something.
—————————————–
The following morning, Danny awoke to the smell of something delicious.
Dragging himself out of his bed and down the stairs, he found a wonderful breakfast spread on the kitchen table.
Nin/ja Brian was at the sink, washing dishes. Danny walked over to the table and sat down. Everything looked amazing. Several of his favorites amongst the spread.
Nin/ja Brian made all of this? Danny knew he could cook but had never seen him go all out before. It was way more food than the two of them could eat.
“Bri, you really outdid yourself.” Danny said, helping himself and filling his plate.
As Danny scooped some eggs onto his plate, he felt the tingle of their mental connection linking.
“Just felt like cooking this morning.” He said.
“Well, I’m glad you did. This is great.” Danny said, in between bites. “But why so much?”
“Mornin’!” A voice called from the foyer.
Danny looked up to see Ego/raptor walking into the kitchen.
“Sorry, I’m a bit late, Brian.” He said, patting the nin/ja on the back. Danny’s eye twitched.
Ego walked over to the table and took a seat, greeting Danny.
“Hey, Danny.”
“Mornin’, Ego.” Danny greeted, watching the younger man fill two plates with food.
Danny couldn’t help but realize that Ego was at their house a lot, lately.
What for?
Nin/ja Brian finished the dishes and joined them at the table. Danny watched in shock, as he took off his mask and began eating from the plate, Ego offered him.
Danny stared at the two.
Had he missed something?
Since when did Nin/ja Brian show his face to anyone but Danny and from Ego’s lack of reaction, this wasn’t the first time he had seen him unmasked.
And Nin/ja Brian making enough food for Ego and Ego fixing his plate.
When did they become friends?
Sure, they made music together and sometimes Ego helped out with missions. At most, he and Nin/ja Brian should have just been acquaintances.
Listening to Ego seemingly talking to himself, Danny could tell it was more than a one sided conversation. Nin/ja Brian was mentally linked to him too.
Danny had thought Nin/ja Brian was only connected to him.
Nin/ja Brian and Ego were having a conversation…without him.
“What’s up, Danny?” Ego suddenly asked, having noticed the staring.
Danny shook his head.
“Um, nothing. It was…nothing.” He said, quickly returning to eating his food. Nin/ja Brian looked at him curiously.
“So, got any plans today?” Danny asked, changing the subject. Ego raised an eyebrow, having noticed the diversion.
“Uh, yeah. Brian and I have training today.”
Danny frowned.
“Training? What kind of training?”
Ego rolled his eyes.
“Just the training we have been doing for the past three weeks. Really, Danny?”
Danny just looked at Nin/ja Brian. He was feeling something and Ego seemed to be making it worse.
“What training?” He asked.
Nin/ja Brian shrugged.
“Some basic ninjitsu. If he’s to keep joining our missions, he needs to be able to defend himself.”
Danny sat back with a smile. That made sense and it was probably the reason Nin/ja Brian created a mental link with him.
“Well, we better get going.” Ego said, standing up and grabbing his and Nin/ja Brian’s empty plates and placing them in the sink.
“I’ll be back later, Danny.”
Danny just nodded, watching the two exit the kitchen and hearing the front door close.
There was something still bothering him, though.
Sure, it made sense why Nin/ja Brian was training Ego but why did he reveal his face to him? Why did Nin/ja Brian cook for him? Why did they behave like old friends? Like Nin/ja Brian trusted him.
And most of all, why was this bothering Danny?
——————————————————————-
Later on in the day, Danny was walking around town. He was doing some shopping for N/S/P videos.
He and Nin/ja Brian usually did the shopping together but Nin/ja Brian hadn’t returned home yet and Danny had gotten tired of waiting.
It wasn’t out of the ordinary that Nin/ja Brian got caught up in whatever he was doing. Hell, Danny did it all the time, so he wasn’t going to fault his partner for the few times he did.
Turning down another block, Danny saw a large crowd gathering at the nearby park. He could hear music playing.
Curiosity getting the better him, Danny headed towards the park. As he reached the edge of the crowd, he could see that there was a small stage set up. Must be a mini concert going on. Danny couldn’t help but think the music sounded familiar.
Carefully moving through the crowd, Danny was finally able to get a good look. His eyes widened.
It was T/W/R/P.
The futuristic band were playing their 80s type jams and they weren’t alone.
There in front, playing on a keyboard, was Nin/ja Brian.
Danny continued to stare as Nin/ja Brian’s body rocked to the music. The music seemed to flow out of him. Nin/ja Brian looked like he was in his element. Like he wasn’t even a nin/ja, despite his clothing.
Danny had never seen Nin/ja Brian look like that. He told himself it was because, he was always out front singing but looking at the members of T/W/R/P, he could clearly remember seeing how into the music they were.
Why hadn’t he noticed before with Nin/ja Brian?
After the song ended and the applause died down, Doc/tor Sung announced the next song, saying it was written by their buddy Nin/ja Brian and was a favorite of his. The crowd cheered in anticipation.
Danny was curious.
Nin/ja Brian had a favorite song?
The music began, Nin/ja Brian’s fingers gliding across the keys. Danny’s eyes widened.
It was a variation of Nin/ja Brian’s Bloopy Reggae Jams.
That was right. He did like those, didn’t he? That music had always annoyed Danny. A strange feeling was arising within him.
Danny watched as T/W/R/P joined in, expanding the music into a full blown classical Reggae ballad.
Nin/ja Brian had wrote this.
And was playing it with a different band.
A band that didn’t include Danny.
That feeling was increasing.
It didn’t fade, even when Danny, backed out of the crowd.
Unable to listen anymore and not entirely sure why.
———————————————————————————-
Danny walked through the halls of his home, scratching his head, grumbling at his fingers getting caught in the tangle of curls.
He was still in his kimono, having just woke up. It was mid-afternoon.
Normally, Danny wouldn’t sleep in so late but he had been feeling some kind of way lately and didn’t feel up to facing the world.
Passing by Nin/ja Brian’s room, Danny could see that his partner was gone. His door was open, which was odd, he usually kept it closed.
Danny could also see his ninja gi, folded on the edge of the bed.
That was odd too.
Coming down the stairs, Danny came to a sudden stop.
There pacing back and forth with his arms crossed, was Nin/ja Brian.
He was dressed in a dark blue button down shirt and black jeans. His greyish hair was neatly combed and his face freshly shaved.
Nin/ja Brian looked amazing.
Danny couldn’t help but stare. He didn’t even notice when Nin/ja Brian looked up, noticing his presence. Nor the familiar tingle of the mental link.
“Danny?”
Danny didn’t answer, staring into Nin/ja Brian’s eyes.
Were they always such a sparkling blue?
Danny felt like he could drown in them.
Nin/ja Brian looked so fucking good!
How had he not noticed before?
“Danny!”
Danny shook his head, snapping out of his shock induced haze.
“Oh. Uh, hey Bri. What’cha up to?”
“Ego is taking me out.”
Danny felt something shoot through his chest.
“Um, where you guys going?”
Nin/ja Brian leaned against the wall, arms still crossed. And wasn’t that just a strange but satisfying stance
“He didn’t say. Just that we were meeting up with some of his friends.”
Danny frowned. Nin/ja Brian was going out with Ego, dressed, normally and meeting new people? He’d never done that with Danny, no matter how many times he asked. Though he had given up years ago.
What had changed?
“You’ve been hanging with Ego a lot, haven’t you?” Danny muttered, mostly to himself. Why did he feel so strange?
Nin/ja Brian shrugged.
“In exchange for training, he’s been helping me with some stuff.”
Danny looked up with interest. Some stuff? What kind of stuff? Could he not help?
“You could’ve just come to me, man. I can help you out. I don’t mind.”
And he didn’t. Danny was starting to realize that he and Nin/ja Brian were no longer hanging out like they used to.
Maybe it was the dry spell he was going through with the ladies. Not that he had been trying lately. Chasing after women hadn’t appealed to him for some time now.
Danny couldn’t help the fact that he was feeling lonely. And the one person who was usually there, able to fill that hole, no longer was.
Nin/ja Brian just stared at him, a light blush dusting his cheeks. He shook his head.
“No. You couldn’t.” Nin/ja Brian said. A note of resignation in his ‘tone’.
He then looked up, as if listening to something.
“Ego’s here. I’ll see you later.”
With that, Nin/ja Brian walked out the door, Danny watching him go.
“I’ll see you later.” “I’ll be back.”
Phrases that were becoming all too frequent between Danny’s exchanges with Nin/ja Brian. And to think, it used to be the other way around.
Danny rubbed his hand down over his face.
That feeling again. As if something was lodged in his chest. Always present when Nin/ja Brian was around.
What the hell was wrong with him?
————————————————————————–
“Hey, Ego?”
Ego/raptor looked up from where he was seated, cross-legged on the floor, cleaning his sword. He watched Danny enter the room and sit on the bed.
They were currently in Nin/ja Brian’s room. Ego had just finished a training session and was cleaning off the dirt and grime from their blades. Nin/ja Brian was out with T/W/R/P for another mini concert.
Ego placed the blade down onto the cloth in front of him. Danny sounded off.
“What’s up, man?” Ego asked, giving Danny his full attention.
Danny leaned forward on his knees, holding his head up with one hand. His fingers digging into his hair. Ego couldn’t help but notice the dark bags under his eyes. The lines in his brow from frowning.
He looked upset.
Danny inhaled slowly, letting the air out through his nostrils.
“I have a question for you.” He began. Ego nodded, showing he was listening.
“You’ve been hanging with Brian a lot. Haven’t you?” He asked, glancing at Ego out of the corner of his eye.
Ego nodded, having noticed the almost accusatory tone in Danny’s voice. He had a feeling he knew where this was going.
“So has T/W/R/P.” Danny stated. Again Ego nodded.
He and T/W/R/P had been helping Nin/ja Brian, at his request, come out of his Danny shaped shell. Learn to be around others who weren’t Danny, and try to branch out from his nin/ja life and try to be at least semi-normal.
It had been months ago, when Nin/ja Brian had confessed his feelings for Danny to Ego. Ego couldn’t say he was surprised. He had seen the lingering looks. The change in behavior. The lack of senseless murders. T/W/R/P had noticed too.
The only one who hadn’t noticed was Danny.
Nin/ja Brian had felt his feelings were hindering him, especially since he knew that Danny would never reciprocate. He was afraid of him finding out and wanted to try to get over them.
Nin/ja Brian had asked Ego and T/W/R/P for help and they had all agreed.
It seemed Danny was finally catching on to the changes around him and he didn’t seem to be handling them well.
Which was very revealing in itself.
“This is so fucking stupid.” Danny said, muttering under his breath.
“What’s stupid?” Ego asked.
“Why it’s bothering me.” Danny answered.
Ego stayed silent a few seconds. Yeah, this was definitely going the way he thought.
“Danny. What’s bothering you?”
Danny didn’t respond. He continued to glare at the floor.
“Does it have to do with Brian?”
Danny’s hand twitched.
“Does it have to do with Brian and me?”
A slow inhale.
“Brian and T/W/R/P?”
A bottom lip bite.
Ego shifted to his knees. He wanted to be in a better position, just in case. After all he was treading new territory with Danny.
“Danny.” Ego began. “Are you…jealous?”
The seconds ticked by in silence, until Danny slowly turned his head towards him.
“Jealous? What the fuck do I have to be jealous about?”
Ego shrugged, putting on a nonchalant front.
“I don’t know. You tell me.”
Danny huffed out a breath.
“I-I don’t know, man. Fuck! You and Brian training, I can get. But going out to meet new people? Dressing like a normal person? Like, why didn’t he come to me?”
Danny took a breath, lowering his head.
“He’s even playing music…without me…” Danny shook his head. “I fucking hate it!”
“Why?” Ego asked.
Danny looked up, meeting Ego’s hardened gaze. His expression one of confusion.
“Why what?”
Ego held his gaze.
“Why do you fucking hate it? Why does Brian hanging out with me and T/W/R/P bother you so much? Why are you jealous, Danny?”
Danny looked away.
Why was that?
It was simple wasn’t it?
He missed his best friend. He missed his partner.
He should be the one to train with Nin/ja Brian. The one to help him integrate into society. The one to play music with him.
Nin/ja Brian was his, dammit!
Danny froze
His?
Where did that come from?
Was it more than just jealously?
Did he really want Nin/ja Brian all to himself?
Did Danny…have feelings for him?
Danny thought about it.
How for some time now, going out on dates didn’t appeal to him. How it was fine to just stay in and hang out with Nin/ja Brian and chill on the couch or brainstorm new songs.
How he felt an overwhelming sense of happiness when Nin/ja Brian woke up early just to fix them breakfast. Always making Danny’s favorites.
How Danny could always count on him to be there when he was having a bad day, supporting him with his silent presence.
Not to mention, the way Danny’s pulse would quicken whenever Nin/ja Brian smiled at him. Or how nice he looked when he was wearing regular clothing.
How cute it was when he blushed from a throw away compliment Danny would give him.
How upset Danny felt, that Ego and T/W/R/P were going to take him away.
Danny ran both of his hands through his hair.
How had he not noticed?
He had feelings for Nin/ja Brian.
Ego watched the different emotions flicker across Danny’s face.
It looked like he finally got it.
Standing up, Ego placed a hand on Danny’s shoulder.
“Now that you know, maybe you should talk to him.” He said, picking up the blades and placing them back on the training racks. He then headed for the door.
“”I’ll see you later. Call if you need anything.”
Danny didn’t reply, still in shock over his revelation.
————————————————————————————
Nin/ja Brian unlocked the front door and entered the dark house.
It was late.
He had stayed out longer than he intended but T/W/R/P had invited him out for drinks after the concert. And well, he had accepted.
He was trying to be more outgoing, more normal and that meant doing some things he didn’t really care for.
Walking through the darkened hall and up the stairs, he saw that Danny’s bedroom door was closed. He was most likely already asleep.
Opening the door to his own room, Nin/ja Brian pulled off his mask and walked over to his nightstand, turning on the asian inspired lantern.
He blinked a moment, letting his eyes adjust to the lighting change. He turned towards his bed only to freeze in place.
Danny was lying on top of the covers, hands behind his head, eyebrows creased, staring up at the ceiling.
The seconds ticked by, Nin/ja Brian too stunned to move.
Why was Danny in his room, on his bed?
Eventually, Danny let out a sigh before sitting up. He brought his legs into a crossed position and leaned his elbows on his knees, his hands hanging between his legs.
“Danny?” Nin/ja Brian said after a few more moments.
“It’s funny, isn’t it?” Danny said. “The way things turn out.”
Nin/ja Brian tilted his head in confusion.
“What are you talking about?”
Danny just laughed.
“I’ve spent years chasing after all those women. Searching. Having sex with as many as I could. Looking. Never committing to any of them. Longing. For someone to fill the craving I thought I felt.”
Danny looked up, meeting Nin/ja Brian’s eyes.
“The craving to love.”
Nin/ja Brian’s breath caught in his throat.
What was going on?
What was Danny saying?
Danny scooted to the edge of the bed and stood up. He faced away from Nin/ja Brian and looked out the window into the night sky. The full moon shining in the distance.
“Some people would say that I was just lonely. Trying to fill the void in my heart. But that’s not true.” Danny looked over his shoulder at Nin/ja Brian.
“It wasn’t true because I had you. I never felt lonely because you were always there, Brian.”
Nin/ja Brian just continued to stare. He didn’t know what to say. He still didn’t understand what was going on. He’d never seen Danny like this before.
“But then you weren’t there.” Danny said continuing on. “Hanging out with Ego. Making music with T/W/R/P. Going out and doing things…without me.”
Danny shook his head.
“I didn’t even notice. Not at first. How the more you drifted out, the more I was sucked back in. It was like we had switched roles. You leaving the house and me waiting at home. Pretty fucking funny.”
“Danny…” Nin/ja Brian started. Danny held up his hand, halting his words.
“No, Brian. Let me finish.” Danny turned around, fully facing Nin/ja Brian, a soft smile on his face. “I wasted so much time, trying to find what was right in front of me for years.”
Danny walked across the room until he was directly in front of Nin/ja Brian.
“I wish I had figured this out sooner but of course I was completely oblivious.” Danny chuckled, humorously. “It took me being fucking jealous to realize the truth.”
Nin/ja Brian swallowed, thickly.
“What truth is that, Danny?”
Danny smiled, reaching up a hand and cupping Nin/ja Brian’s cheek.
“That I’m in love with you.”
Nin/ja Brian inhaled sharply.
Danny dropped his hand, averting his gaze.
“I don’t expect you to feel the same way, especially with the way I usually treat you but this isn’t something I think I could keep from you for long.”
Danny took a step back, moving towards the door, his eyes beginning to glisten.
“I understand if you hate me or want to leave. I mean you and Ego are close and then there’s T/W/R/P. If you want to-to…”
Danny covered his mouth, his chest tightening, holding back a sob. He could feel the unshed tears spilling over, sliding down his cheeks.
He had no doubt that Nin/ja Brian would leave him and then he really would be all alone.
Alone with his many regrets.
Danny wiped at his face, continuing towards the door.
This was for the best. Nin/ja Brian was better off without him.
As he was about to step through the doorway, Danny’s body came to a sudden stop.
Danny gasped in surprise, feeling muscular arms wrap around his waist.
“Danny, wait. Don’t leave.”
“B-Brian?”
“You said your part, now let me say mine.” Nin/ja Brian began.
“It wasn’t my intention to make you feel jealous. The only reason I started hanging out with Ego and T/W/R/P, the reason my behavior has changed…” Nin/ja Brian took a breath, his hold on Danny tightening.
“I was trying to cope…with my feelings for you.”
“What?” Danny said, his voice barely above a whisper.
“I’ve had feelings for you for a long time, Danny. But I just knew you were straight and would never feel the same way. I wanted to get over the way I felt for you. Ego and T/W/R/P were helping me with that.”
Danny turned around in Nin/ja Brian’s grip, gently raising his head so their eyes can meet.
“You really had feelings for me?”
“Have. Have feelings for you.” Nin/ja Brian corrected with a nod.
“I-I love you, Danny.”
A wide smile spread across Danny’s face.
“We really are a couple of idiots, aren’t we?”
Nin/ja Brian smiled, nuzzling against Danny’s chest.
“I don’t disagree.”
Danny raised his hand, gently lifting Nin/ja Brian’s head by his chin. Chocolate brown eyes stared into piercing blue.
“Brian. Can-can I kiss you?”
Nin/ja Brian nodded, his smile widening.
“I think that’s par for the course, don’t you think?”
Danny laughed.
“Shut the fuck up.” He said as he leaned down, covering Nin/ja Brian’s lips with his own.
“I love you, Brian.”
“I love you too, Danny.”
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