london_spy | John

Danny had been thinking about texting John all day, but as the sun vanished beyond the horizon he finally sat down on the edge of the bed with his phone. He wrote a message- Then deleted it. Then another, which he also deleted.

Finally he wrote something he didn't hate.

<i>Come over.</i>

Two words, nothing more. He just hoped John replied.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

petty_dabbler

John didn't see it for a bit. He was busy playing darts, talking shit, and getting piss drunk.

But when he did see it, he melted a little.

OK he sent back an hour and a half later, then he went out to find a cab. No way he could drive. He paid extra for the bloke to take the most direct route. And when he arrived he wobbled to the door. He wasn't sloppy, but oh was he loose.

He lit a cigarette and willed himself to sober up a bit before he knocked.

He was not, in fact, any more sober than before he'd lit up.

From:

london_spy

Danny had nearly given up. ...Okay he'd absolutely given up, changing into his pyjamas and curling up on the sofa with some popcorn and a terrible horror film.

By the time he noticed the text back he was past the point of getting dressed again, but he did get up and turn the porch light on.

Door's unlocked.

From:

petty_dabbler

John walked in a few minutes later followed by a waft of smoke and cheap beer vapor.

"Hey," he said lamely.

From:

london_spy

"Hi," Danny said, the movie still playing and the popcorn half-eaten on the floor. "I- I wasn't sure you'd actually come."

From:

petty_dabbler

"I shouldn't have. Chas told me not to," he replied, strutting into the room to sink onto the sofa next to Danny. "I was playing darts with some lads. Sharked them out of fifty quid when I said my goodbyes."

From:

london_spy

"Who's Chas?" Danny asked curiously, curling up a little and turning to face the other man.

From:

petty_dabbler

"A mate from a long time ago," he said. "He's sort of like...my conscience."

From:

london_spy

"That's nice. ...I don't really have any old friends," Danny admitted. "Not anymore."

From:

petty_dabbler

"All my friends are dead," John said. "Doesn't mean they're quiet."

THat poor Klaus bastard. He couldn't imagine more than just his nearest and dearest berating him.

From:

london_spy

Danny looked over at that, surprised and slightly unnerved.

"Right. Ghosts."

From:

petty_dabbler

"I wish. If they were ghosts I could probably get rid of them," he laughed bitterly. John looked over at him for a long moment. "I really wanted to keep this from you. It's better to not know and leave it to bastards like me."

From:

london_spy

"I want to know. I don't want to live in ignorance, John. ...I've had more than enough of that for one lifetime," Danny said.

From:

petty_dabbler

"In for a penny, in for a pound, right? I won't hide any of it from you anymore. I guess now you're not safe either way so you might as well be able to protect yourself," he said thoughtfully.

From:

london_spy

"...That's one way to view it, yeah. So- Talk to me. Tell me what I need to know," Danny pressed.

From:

petty_dabbler

"You know there's magic in the world now." John leaned his head back, but kept looking at Danny. "There's good and bad, but all magic is powerful. It costs to use it, and sometimes things go pear shaped. There's an entire other world you've never noticed...but you will now. People you only see out after dark. People who up and vanish when the moon is full. People who are really hostile to the church. You've met them. You just didn't know he was a vampire or she was a witch. And then thre's creatures from other realms that come to bring down destruction. Consume souls. Those are the ones I concern myself with."

From:

london_spy

Danny nodded, taking that all in. He was silent for a long moment, then wet his lips.

"Can I learn magic?"

From:

petty_dabbler

"Can you? Yes. Am I going to let you? Over my dead body," he replied.

From:

london_spy

"Don't be a hypocrite," Danny frowned. "I want to learn. Just something little. Something small."

From:

petty_dabbler

"It also takes a lot of time and discipline, Danny. It's not something small," John cautioned. "Can't I just teach you a card trick?"

From:

london_spy

"Would a card trick have stopped that thing from choking me to death?" Danny asked, raising a brow.

From:

petty_dabbler

"No. But it'll take years of training for something like that," he replied honestly.

From:

london_spy

"Surely you can teach me something," Danny pressed, moving closer and reaching over, his hand slipping into John's lap, toying with the zipper of his jeans.

Old habits died hard, and Danny wasn't above a bit of 'bargaining'.