Work Text:
Resting its weary wings
The plane ride to Asia is less taxing than Danny had been expecting it to be. He'd managed to nap for a large part of it, interrupted only briefly by the tantrum of a toddler five rows back.
Really, it's a good sign when you end up wiping drool off your face while getting off the plane.
Still, though he's in a good mood, there's a strange feeling of unrest fluttering at the edge of Danny's brain. It's not until they're at the gate for their connecting flight that Danny finally pins down what's been bothering him this whole time: Matt's body language is all wrong.
Danny turns a little, leaning on the back of the flimsy airport bench to turn in Matt's direction. His voice is a little husky from disuse.
"Hey. You okay?"
Matt shrugs.
"Yeah, fine."
To most people, he would have seemed just fine, but Danny can sense the weariness in the movement and wonders why he didn't notice sooner.
"Sorry for dragging you all the way out here. I know you've gotta have better things to do-"
"No, it's fine." Matt lifts his head, turning his face in Danny's direction not for eye contact, but to emphasize his point. "You need my help, so I'm here."
And that's all there is to it. It's so simple that Danny bites his lip, feeling suddenly and horribly guilty.
"You sure? Because you look really ragged around the edges." He taps at his forehead, then colours when he remembers that, yeah, Matt's blind. After the slightest awkward hesitation, he adds, "You've, uh, got frown lines like nothing else between your eyes. I couldn't help but notice."
"I'm tired, not mad." Matt pauses, affecting an embarrassed sort of air. "It's too loud in places like these for me to sleep properly. Rhythmic sounds like clocks are fine, but public places... I can't get my brain to filter out the noise."
"They aren't exactly predictable. I got it."
Matt nods and lets himself slump forward, resting his elbows on his knees to brace his head in his hands. He looks strangely small like that, washed out by the fluorescent lights and the pale tile and plastic of the airport. It feels wrong.
Hesitantly, Danny puts a hand on Matt's shoulder and squeezes.
"Um, hey, lemme try something. C'mere?"
He shifts and pulls Matt closer to him, surprised and bashfully proud when Matt blinks blearily, but lets himself be maneuvered around to lie across the bench with his head resting on Danny's chest. Matt's quiet ends up making him nervous, though, and Danny starts to babble to fill the silence.
"Does that help? A little? I just thought, you know, the airport's loud, but my heartbeat- I can keep it steady if I meditate, so-"
Matt lifts his hand and gracefully covers Danny's mouth, leaving him speechless.
"Shh. Talking makes your chest buzz."
Danny blushes more, but he stops speaking and focuses on not moving and controlling his heartbeat-- especially when Matt's breathing slows and levels off. He ends up being mightily stiff when their flight starts boarding two hours later, but he can't help but feel like it's worth it.
And cradling the eternal rhythm
Of waves and of space.