bakerstreet | winter is a lingering season

He finally nods slowly, making a soft sound in the back of his throat before he moves to shift his stance and offer his hands out, fingers laced together so Matt has a place to put his boot. He doesn't quite have the strength Luke does for this sort of thing, but he can probably get Matt back to that hole in the roof with little trouble.

All right, then. Matt chalks that up to another loss and that doesn't do anything to improve his mood.

He presses a hand to Danny's shoulder for balance, and, yes, he's heavier but this way he can help Danny up after. Anyway, he doesn't need a big boost. The lift he gets is enough to let him get his grip on the edge of the hole, and, fortunately, it's strong enough that he can pull himself through, messing up the fine layer of snow. Matt turns around to reach down, offering his hand to help pull his partner out.

"I lost a big case," he explains, because Danny likes that, right? He likes when Matt opens up. "I was too arrogant. I can't get it out of my head."

He lingers for a moment, even while Matt waits with his hand down for him, and it's enough of a distance that he has to back up a few steps to give himself some leverage to jump and catch his friend's hand, pulling himself up to grip the rafter so he can bat Matt go and climb up the rest of the way on his own.

"I didn't know you were working on a big case." He finally says, sitting on the edge of the opening where there's a sturdy support beam, not minding in the least that it leaves him sitting in the snow.

"I'm a lawyer. I figured you probably didn't want to hear about it every time I had a new client." Sometimes he tells Danny, especially if it requires a little night work, but for the most part it doesn't seem important.

"Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'm pushing for an appeal but who knows how long that can take."

"Aw Matty it does matter, I've had you out with me all week cleaning this up-- you could have been working on your case. I didn't even think." This time he can't hide the frown in his voice.

He shouldn't have pestered him so much to come along. "Sorry man, I got this-- you gotta focus on the important stuff." Like his real life, for one, the one he'd tried so hard to salvage and now Danny was going to ruin it for him all over again.

"It wasn't because of this," Matt says, quick to say it because he can hear it in Danny's voice and regret only suits one of them. "I thought I had it in the bag. They found a loophole that I didn't think they would. That's my fault."

Matt tries to crack a smile. He doesn't want Danny to feel upset. "This is good. It gives me something else to focus on."

He doesn't really believe that humoring smile, but Matt's just as good at pretending as he is, so Danny doesn't say anything about it, just curls his fingers in the snow and lets his legs hang down from the jagged opening in the roof.

"Tell me at least, so I don't distract you." He feels like he asks this too much, always wheedling at Matt to open up to him, to ask him for help or tell him when things were wrong. Though he could always kind of tell Matt was reluctant to do so.

"You've never been a distraction."

Danny had always motivated Matt, if anything else. Or made Matt at least feel like he could be a better person, or do better things. He was at his best with Danny. Things had just gotten out of hand.

"It's too cold out here."

Danny huffs out a little laugh, breath rising up in the cold air as if to prove just how right Matt was.

"I guess it is." He moves to stand again, a little more careful now that he knows the roof is weaker in places, reaching to touch Matt's cheek. His palm is damp from the melted snow, but still surprisingly warm despite it.

"Go on home, Matty."

He reaches for Danny, maybe under the guise of keeping him from falling through the roof again, but drops his hand. He does turn his head, nosing into Danny's palm despite the hard edge of his mask.

"Do you want to go for dinner some time?"

"Maybe." He smiles, ducking his head a little. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"If you think we're at a good point for a date."

Matt's not sure. They didn't do this the first time around. He's just trying to show Danny that he's serious, though it's hard to look serious when Danny's obvious smile makes him smile, too.

"Or we could just be friends. Or we don't have to do anything at all."

He touches his fingers against Matt's lips to hush him before he gets another 'or' in.

"We can have dinner, I know a few places you might like." As if he hadn't taken Matt out before and knew all of the other man's favorites.

"When are you free?"

Matt doesn't really care where they go. They could end up eating burgers somewhere and he'd be just fine with that.

"Tomorrow, next week, next month, whenever you call me, I'll make the time." He lets his hand drop, resting against the armored plate across Matt's chest.

"But not tonight. Tonight you should go home and take a hot shower and not worry about court cases or old churches or turf wars."

Matt figures, well, he's maybe on a lucky roll so ...

"Can I give you a kiss good night? Just here." He presses a gloved hand to Danny's face, brushing a thumb across his cheek.

He chuckles again, tipping his head against the rough pads of Matt's glove. And maybe he's been shying away from more than a little affection. Or maybe that's why every time he meets up or tags along with Matt they're in costume.

But. "I don't think it could hurt."

Leaning in, Matt presses a kiss to Danny's cheek, lips cold against Danny's warmth. It's nice. It's maybe more than he deserves but he's glad Danny let him have it anyway.

"I'll call you tomorrow."

Danny hums a little sound in response, reaching up to cradle the back of Matt's neck so he can turn his head and gently bump their foreheads together.

"I'll be waiting. Take care of yourself tonight." At least some of Matt's sour mood had faded, and that's all Danny could ask for.

"Don't I always?" That's a joke, because Matt knows he doesn't. He'll probably shower and pass out on his couch - if he even makes it to the shower. He's reluctant to leave Danny, but forces himself to take a step back, turning towards home.

"No." His laughter follows as Danny moves away as well, there's still more around to investigate besides the Church, then he can drag his own ass home to bed.

And, before he jumps off the other side he follows up with an "I love you." Because it's no less true now than it had been before, and maybe sometimes Matt needed to hear it.

Matt huffs a bit, but he doesn't say anything. Danny's gone by the time Matt would want to say it anyway, so he just presses his lips together and goes the opposite way, mindful of the slippery rooftops on the way home.

It's five in the morning before Matt gets a text from Danny, probably because the younger man lost track of time, or could hope that he was asleep and ignoring the vibration of his phone. Because if it was important, people should call first, right?

Got that mess cleaned up I think. How about breakfast instead?

As if Matt would ignore it. He's too light a sleeper, and the announcement from his phone that it's Danny means that Matt is reaching for it from his spot on the couch. It's not like he was really asleep, anyway.

As his phone reads out the message, Matt smiles.

I like breakfast.

Can I pick you up at nine?

That might give him some time to sleep, not that Danny isn't usually bouncing off the walls after finishing a job, but then he had more energy than most people.

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