Fandom: CSI: NY
Pairing: Mac/Danny
Prompt: Sunset
Disclaimer: Tragically, I don't own CSI: NY otherwise the men in the department would follow a strict shirtlessness policy and Danny and Mac would be together already.

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The sun's begun to set as I step out of the lab and onto the busy New York street. It's a real nice night, cool and calm. Jeez, it's when you start thinking about the weather that you know you're trying to avoid the big issue.

My issue? Another day's passed and I've managed to "forget" to tell him.

My boss. That I love him.

What am I meant to say? "Forget your dead wife, have some of the Messer lovin'!"

Real smooth, right? How could he say no to that?

I notice some guy in a suit looking at me funny. I'm about to as him that the hell he's staring at when I realise.

I'm fucking talking to myself.

Great. Fucking fantastic. Now I'm not just lovesick, I'm also crazy. Always an attractive combination.

I'm so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I don't notice anyone else on the street. I nearly trip over some bum on the street. Then I collide headlong with some guy in an overcoat.

"Sorry," I mutter gruffly. He grabs my arm. I whirl round, ready to punch the dude's lights out. Tell him to get his hands the fuck off me. Then I realise whose hand it is.

"Danny?" For a second, I honestly can't remember if that's my name. Sounds pretty damn familiar, so I nod.

Oh crap, maybe I was wrong. Mac's looking at me pretty damn funny now. Somehow my brain kicks into gear and I remember the normal greeting isn't a nod. "Hey, boss," I say far to enthusiastically. I want to kick myself. What the fuck am I doing, calling him boss at a time like this?

"I was just heading over to Sullivan's to meet Stel and Aiden, you wanna come?" My heart's pounding, afraid of a rejection that I have no reason to fear. So what if he doesn't come? Could be he's got a lot of work to catch up on, maybe he's got to stay in for an important delivery. I'm still working on a half-decent excuse (on Mac's behalf, weird, huh?) when he speaks.

"Y'know, we need to catch up, Danny. How about we go get a drink someplace else?"

My head's spinning. Did Mac just ask me to go for a drink? With him? Alone? Crap, my brain's going into mulch mode again.

I swallow, and nod meekly. (Meekly? Me? Jeez, Mac sure has some effect on me...)

"Good, so where to?"

And with that we walk off. Together.

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A/N: Reviews are very much appreciated. And I forgot to thank my lovely beta Ruth for putting up with me whining about my inability to write Mac.