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

[petty_dabbler]

"We all have our vices," he said, moving in to rest his hand on Danny's leg. "Did it work at all?"

He guessed the answer was no.

[london_spy]

Danny shook his head, exhaling a slow breath.

"No," he said honestly. "It just dragged me back to a place I thought I'd left behind."

[petty_dabbler]

"Those places never really leave us, do they?" he said as he rubbed Danny's arm. "Why don't I make some coffee and you go take a shower and shake it off a bit and we'll chat."

[london_spy]

Danny hesitated a beat, then nodded.

"Okay," he agreed, his voice tight but soft as he got to his feet and started off towards the bedroom.

[petty_dabbler]

John had no problem poking around Danny's kitchen to make the coffee. It wouldn't work like magic, but it might help a bit.

[london_spy]

Danny was gone a while, but when he returned he seemed a bit more with it- Not 100%, but better. His hair was still damp, and he'd changed into pyjamas. A faded t-shirt and old shorts.

"I'm sorry I'm like this tonight. I've been clean a while..." he promised.

[petty_dabbler]

"No judgment from this corner, Danny," he said. The pot had finished and John had already had half a cup.

"This isn't bad. Better than I've had in a while."

[london_spy]

"I just buy the same beans Scottie used to get," Danny admitted, pausing and then explaining. "This was his home, he left it to me. I didn't find out until..."

He trailed off, then moved to pour himself a cup of coffee.

"He was a good friend. Best friend I've ever had," Danny confessed.

[petty_dabbler]

"He must've felt the same, making sure you were taken care of," he said, just assuming Danny had had some sort of a deeper relationship at some point.

[london_spy]

"Maybe. Or maybe I was just all he had," Danny said quietly. "I don't deserve his kindness, but I'm also in no position to refuse it."

[petty_dabbler]

"I've never met a single person who had to deserve kindness. And I never met a kind person that put qualifiers on their actions," John said wisely. God knew he didn't deserve an ounce of kindness, yet found it in almost every quarter.

[london_spy]

Danny was silent for a long moment, then wet his lips.

"He was in love with me, and I pretended I didn't know," he said quietly. "I was a shit friend, but Scottie was- He was the best thing to happen to me."

[petty_dabbler]

"Why do you think you were a shit friend?" John asked.

[london_spy]

"I was selfish, self centered..." Danny said, trailing off. "He wanted me, and I wanted whoever I was into that week. I was looking to get high and get fucked and he wanted me to be better. Did what he could to look after me."

[petty_dabbler]

"That's Chaz for me," he shared. "I don't know why he keeps me around. All I do is fuck up his life."

And sometimes his death.

[london_spy]

"Who's Chaz?" Danny asked, still coming down as he leaned back against the counter.

[petty_dabbler]

"He's my driver," he said, laughing at his own joke that no one thought was funny but him.

"I met him when he was a kid. He drove a cab and I lodged with him and his mum. Then I saw how it was and, well, she won't bother him anymore, yeah? So I like to tell him he owes me. Our little joke. He's repaid any debt ever, and then some."

[london_spy]

Danny nodded a bit in understanding, then fell silent again as he nursed his coffee.

[petty_dabbler]

"He's who I always wind up back with. Best mate. He's got a wife and a girl now. He doesn't need this mess coming around, though," he said as he gestured to himself.

[london_spy]

"I'm sure he doesn't mind," Danny said, sitting down at the kitchen table.

[petty_dabbler]

"Maybe," he shrugged. "He's one of just a few who'll still take my calls, so that's something."

[london_spy]

Danny nodded, and beside him his new phone chirped. Once, then twice more. Texts from Rich trying to coax him back to the club for some after hours fun.

Danny turned off the sound and turned over the phone.

"He live here in London?" He asked.

[petty_dabbler]

"Not anymore. When he got married they moved out of the city," he said. If he kept on with this he was going to need a drink.

[london_spy]

"Oh," Danny replied, nodding slightly.

[petty_dabbler]

"What about you? You've got to have other mates," he asked, glad to shift the focus off of himself.