John - Post Asylum

[london_spy]

He'd woken up in his own bed. Alone. Safe. Normal. Danny didn't understand why or what that meant. His first instinct was to call Greg, but his phone wasn't working at all. the screen was shattered and when he plugged it in there was no sign of life.

He supposed he'd have to go get a new one.

Coffee in hand he found himself just walking, past the hospital where Greg should be checking in for his shift, past the flat Hex shared with Flynn and the others, then past the hotel where John had been staying. He could have gone into any off those places, but he just wasn't brave enough to see who was there and who remembered him.

He stared at John's hotel a beat longer, then began to walk again.

Comments

[london_spy]

"You slipping off?" Danny asked quietly, ducking his head. "Right no, you- I mean I didn't want to fuck last night, so it's kind of amazing you stayed at all."

He didn't want to admit he was hurt, and he looked away.

"I'm going to take a shower, I'm sure you can find your way out."

[petty_dabbler]

"I can live with not getting laid, Danny," John replied kindly. He took up his shirt and turned the sleeves the right way out.

"I stayed because I wanted do." Not the smartest idea, but he was known for less than stellar ideas. "...What do you want? Out of...whatever's going on."

[london_spy]

"I don't know. ...I have no idea. I just like being with you. But- I don't know. It's complicated," Danny sighed.

[petty_dabbler]

"That's the truth," he agreed with a nod. He pulled on the shirt and put his tie on but didn't draw it up.

"You want to talk about it over breakfast?" John offered then, too stupid to walk away when given an easy out.

[london_spy]

"You want to have breakfast?" Danny asked, visibly surprised by the suggestion.

[petty_dabbler]

"What? Don't you eat in the morning?" he teased. "Get up and get ready. I'll wait."

[london_spy]

Danny still seemed surprised, but nodded his agreement before getting up to wash up and get dressed, leaving John to roam the house.

[petty_dabbler]

John went to the kitchen and poured himself the dregs of last night's pot. A quick pop into the microwave and John was completely unsurprised to find it disgusting.

He drank it anyway.

He could hear the shower running and thought he'd have at least enough time for a cigarette. He slipped on his coat and went to the porch. He was fishing for his pack when the door clicked closed behind him. John froze. Turned. Tried the knob.

And banged his head once on the door.

"Fuck my life," he sighed. Then lit up since he was stuck.

[london_spy]

Danny emerged a few minutes later, having pulled on one of his nicer outfits- The sort of thing he'd worn when he was out on the pull. The house wasn't very big, and he walked from room to room, wondering where John had wandered off to.

A small part of him feared the other man had left, but a peek outside revealed just how far he'd actually made it.

"You know where you want to go?" he asked.

[petty_dabbler]

John sighed so hard his shoulders showed it.

"Watch the door!" he said, reaching for it. "I've been locked out here for...this is my third cigarette."

He did look appropriately ashamed about it, too.

"What's close? Better, what can we get takeaway?"

[london_spy]

"If you want to eat here, I know how to make pancakes," Danny offered, thinking about how he and Alex used to have them once a week.

[petty_dabbler]

"You'd...cook for me?" he asked, strangely charmed.

[london_spy]

"No, I was just going to cook for me and make you watch me eat," Danny teased.

[petty_dabbler]

"Interesting kink," he quipped dryly. John smiled at him and swallowed hard. He should politely decline. He should leave Danny alone.

Oh, but this was nice. It felt good. John was not such a good man he'd deny himself a little happiness, even when he knew what was going to happen.

You're such an asshole, John. Leave him alone. Oh, yes. Just what he needed was Chas's voice ringing in his head.

"Pancakes sound good."

[london_spy]

Danny laughed, heading back inside, leaving the door open for the other man.

He'd made pancakes often enough that he didn't even need the recipe, and he pulled out a bowl as he started to make the batter. He thought about Alex then, how methodical he was, how it had always driven him a little mad the way Danny eyeballed everything rather than measured it out.

[petty_dabbler]

While Danny cooked, John made himself useful by brewing a fresh pot of coffee.

"Did you sleep alright?" he asked casually.

[london_spy]

"I did," Danny replied, glancing back over his shoulder at John. "Did you?"

[petty_dabbler]

"Like the dead," he replied. "It really is a much nicer bed than at the hotel," he added with a little laugh.

[london_spy]

"Yeah, well, you can crash here again if you like," Danny offered, even though just putting that out there seemed a bit stupid.

The pancakes cooked fast, and soon he had two plates, each with three pancakes. He paused to grab the syrup from the fridge, then set both plates on the table.

"Should eat them while they're hot," he said awkwardly.

[petty_dabbler]

He was happy to tuck in. He never gave them a chance to cool off. John ate like a man who had no idea when he might eat again. He savoured every bite and even played at getting the extra syrup into his mouth.

It didn't leave time for chit chat until he was done.

"You're a good cook," he finally said when he'd swallowed everything down.

[london_spy]

"I'm really not," Danny assured him, still eating. "This is my only recipe. This, and beans on toast."

[petty_dabbler]

"Beans on toast is actually my favorite," he said. "There were times that's all me and my band could afford. We'd huddle inside this beat up van, heating up beans and toasting bread over a sterno flame."

He gave a bitter little huff.

"Good times."

[london_spy]

"Do you miss it?" Danny asked, finishing his last bite.

[petty_dabbler]

"Not. Remotely," he chuckled. "Some things are best left in my twenties, back before I knew any better," John smiked

[london_spy]

"I bet you looked good on stage. All swagger," Danny smiled.