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]

"Yeah, help yourself," Danny nodded, pulling out his phone to see if he had any messages. ...Well, messages from Greg, to be exact. Though he didn't see one yet. Must have been a late night.

[petty_dabbler]

John got up to pour another, not thinking until he was actually pouring.

"You want me to top you off?" he called.

[london_spy]

"No, that's alright, you can have it," Danny smiled. "I don't drink much coffee in the morning," he admitted.

[petty_dabbler]

"I drink too much," John chuckled. "I'll never turn down a cup."

He came back and saw Danny's phone and just knew.

"Did he message you back yet?" he asked.

[london_spy]

"No. Must have been up late with James," Danny said quietly, his thumb hovering a little over the screen before he turned it off and put it down. He didn't want to be a pest.

"His partner's really ill. Cancer. ...Untreatable," he explained.

[petty_dabbler]

"That's a bitch," he said, thinking of the tumours that riddled his own lungs. But the significant other would eventually die. John didn't get that luxury.

[london_spy]

"Yeah," Danny said softly. "Yeah, it's miserable."

[petty_dabbler]

"So, uh..." he started, then paused. There was no good way to ask. "You just waiting around for him to drop?"

[london_spy]

"What? No- God, no, it's not- It's not like that," Danny replied, looking upset. "I know what it's like to lose someone you love. My last boyfriend was murdered, and I- I'll never recover from that. If I had it my way, Greg would never go through that, even if it meant I'd be alone forever."

[petty_dabbler]

"I didn't mean to...it's rough losing people you love. I just wonder if waiting for a guy who doesn't text back is what's going to make you happy."

Jesus, John. Shut the fuck up. Leave him alone. Walk. Away.

[london_spy]

"Greg's been really good to me," Danny said softly.

[petty_dabbler]

"Yeah?" John asked, gave Danny just a second to think, then added, "Alright."

[london_spy]

"Yeah, really. He- He's kind and he's understanding. And he's smart and cool, and- I dunno. I just like him," Danny shrugged. "...He tells me I'm clever, and I believe him."

[petty_dabbler]

"You don't have to explain it," he said. "You can't help who you fall for."

If you could, there'd be so many more people who would talk to him.

[london_spy]

"Really? 'Cause it sounded as if you wanted an explanation," Danny countered with a faint smile.

[petty_dabbler]

"Not me. It's not really my business," he said, even though he'd made it his business. He should just listen to Chas and leave Danny alone. He couldn't possibly believe there was any future here.

[london_spy]

"I think you've got a crush," Danny joked, his tone playful and soft.

[petty_dabbler]

"You make it sound like I'm a school boy," he chuckled. He couldn't help but consider the fact that when he had actually had school boy crushes, Danny was still in nappies.

[london_spy]

"We never outgrow crushes," Danny assured him.

[petty_dabbler]

"Ueah... well it's stupid. I'll get past it," he lied.

[london_spy]

Danny smiled, not really believing that the other man had a crush on him.

[petty_dabbler]

"I should probably go. You've probably got loads of school work and wotnot," he said, moving to his coat.

[london_spy]

"You don't have to," he said softly, but I won't keep you either.

[petty_dabbler]

John, you absolute fucking idiot. Make one good choice in your life. I'm begging you.

John looked at Danny like he was on the edge of saying something, but then it caught and he couldn't.

Chas was right. Chas was always right. He was a fucking idiot beyond compare. The word goodbye just about choked him, though.

"I can stay," he said. "I was just going to see a friend for tea later."

[london_spy]

Danny smiled warmly at that.

"I have class later, but not until noon," he replied.