Danny

[0_0_7]

Bond had sat in his car watching the building. He'd been watching for some time now and he knew Danny's habits. When he was home, for how long, when he left, where he went, and he'd even learned to tell how long he might have by how the man dressed. He'd go out dressed neatly, hair combed and face shaven. Job interviews. He'd go out at night in a casual shirt and a second hand jacket he didn't mind losing. Clubbing. Sometimes he dressed nicely but casually and on those nights he'd followed him to Hex's house. So he knew he'd have the night. Of course he knew Hex's schedule. That bloke was predictable.

And so Danny went out for the night and Bond made his move. He broke into the flat, well aware that the flatmate was at her boyfriend's house, likely high and fucking by now. THat gave Bond plenty of time to stage the flat.

He tipped over a table and scooted a chair. He dropped a shoe he'd brought and then some distance later he dropped another. A shirt tossed to the side. Trousers left puddled in the hall. And atDanny's bedroom doorway a pair of pants with anonymous DNA staining the crotch. He tussled the bed and smashed the pillows and then he waited in the shadows. Danny would be home soone enough.

Bond just hoped this wouldn't implicate Hex in this staged sex crime. He'd feel a bit bad if that happened.

Comments

[london_spy]

"Right, yeah," Danny said quietly, nodding and rinsing off the last of the soap.

He didn't bother dressing, instead pulling on pyjama bottoms and a faded t-shirt as he put the kettle back on to boil again. Anything to keep him from dwelling on Hex, Alex... Anything.

The hardest thing about being around Hex was how easy it was. How right it felt. Hex was beautiful, yes, and the sex was- In his humble opinion- Amazing, but it was more than that. Hex was a perfect balance of everything he'd been and who he'd become. A single man who seemed to have mastered the perfect balance of the things that buzzed about inside of Danny like a swarm of bees.

It would be so easy to love Hex. They seemed so perfect for one another- They felt so right...

Do you believe in soul mates?

He remembered asking Alex that, and in the end that uncomfortable exchange had told him so much. About the man He loved, about how to crack the only secret of his Danny could actually touch. Could physically hold onto...

Not only do I not believe in them, it's not even a nice idea. That there's just one other person out there for you.

Had that been deliberate? Not just a moment of Alex's rationalism clashing with Danny's own romantic ideals, but something Alex had wanted him to believe as well?

Had that been Alex's way of making sure Danny's love didn't die with him?

He stared at the kettle, listening to the tiny bubbles and hisses it made. Then turned off the heat completely and went to find Hex, wrapping his arms around him and kissing him firmly.

He didn't know if he was ready, he didn't. But love- It was so rare and so precious. To shun it, to cling to the notion that his heart only had room for one real romance- Well, that went against everything he believed. ...Went against everything Alex believed as well.

[just_hex]

Hex was surprised by the passion of it. Stunned, really. And yet it was so
easy to wrap his arms around Danny and kiss him back with the same
ferocity. He kissed him til he couldn't breathe and only then pulled back.

"Didn't expect that," he chuckled.

[london_spy]

"Me either," Danny confessed quietly. "I just- I was thinking about something Alex said to me once. I asked him if he believed in soul mates, and he- Well, he was very Alex about it all. Told me that it wasn't even a nice concept- That there had to be more than one person for everyone. But that we didn't know any of them, we just had one another, and that- Well, it pissed me off at the time, if I'm honest. ...But maybe he was right. And maybe this is why he wanted me to see it his way. Maybe he knew he was going to die- Maybe he was worried I'd stop looking for love if I lost him."

[just_hex]

Danny's words filled him with hope and made it so he could breathe, really breathe, and yet a part of him was reluctant. He knew Danny needed time. If they had a fling it would be wonderful but Hex wanted a future and he wasn't certain Danny was ready for that. Not so soon.

"It's a nice thought," he agreed. "I think there's someone for everyone, but not soulmates. Best friends, yeah? Love. I believe in a strong bond and I do believe in destiny. Maybe you both have it right."

[london_spy]

"I hope so. ...I'd hate to think I've had all the love that was meant for me already," he admitted.

[just_hex]

"I think that when you're ready, love will be looking right at you," Hex said shyly.

[london_spy]

"I don't know about that- Love tends to slip right through your fingers if you don't grab hold of it," Danny replied, looking at Hex for a long moment, then glancing away.

"Do you want to stay tonight?" he asked softly.

[just_hex]

"I'd really like that," he replied, his voice equally soft. "...If you're sure."

[london_spy]

"I'm not sure at all," Danny laughed, flashing a smile and raking his fingers through his hair before reaching for his cigarettes.

"I'm not sure of anything- But maybe that's alright," he admitted as he lit one and took a long pull, exhaling slowly. "It feels good to be at the beginning again, do you know what I mean? Those first months of getting to know someone, that giddy feeling you get, the way your mind focuses on them... I missed that. And I miss him, god do I miss him, but I think about you a lot lately."

He took another pull then, and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "There's a lot of guilt that comes with that- Thinking of you when I feel like I should be focused on him. ...But, I can't mourn him forever. I can fight for him and still live my life. I think that's what he would have wanted."

[just_hex]

"I think about you, too. All the time," he replied. "Sometimes I think that maybe you came to me when you did and it was..."

There was a sharp knock on the door.

"That'll be dinner," he said and moved to get his wallet to pay, leaving his thought unfinished.

[london_spy]

It was what? Danny wondered, frowning at the interruption, then heading back into the kitchen to put the kettle back on.

[just_hex]

Hex paid and tipped and came into the kitchen with a bag filled with luscious smelling food. He set it aside and came up behind Danny and took hold of his hips and nuzzled his neck.

"...Meant to be. That's the end of what I was saying. You came in and it was meant to be."

[london_spy]

Danny closed his eyes, just for a moment, letting his body memorize every part of this. Hex's hands on his hips, his breath against his neck...

"You do make it easier to look back on that day in the clinic and not feel as though it was all just crushing sadness and emotional devastation. You're a bright spot in that bleak moment."

[just_hex]

"I'm glad I can be that for you," he replied. "Danny, I...I really like you. The way I feel I could really so easily fall in love with you. So I'm only going to ask you one time...please don't mess me around, yeah? Please?"

[london_spy]

"Mess you around?" Danny asked, turning so they were face to face.

"Do I seem like that sort of bloke, Hex?" he asked.

[just_hex]

"No. Not a bit. But...this could be the first time I really...my first real...well, erm, I've never had a boyfriend, Danny. Just hookups and mates, but nothing like what I hope you're saying to me," he said.

[london_spy]

Just like Alex. ...Except this time at least Hex had experience.

"All the more reason to go a bit slow. I'm still healing, this is new territory for you... I'd like to see you though. Yeah? Not hook-ups, more than friends. Dating. ...But don't- Don't put all your eggs in one basket, alright? We're still getting to know one another, and we're not in a rush, are we? Dating, yeah? Seeing each other. Let's start there. ...I'm not dicking about though, I swear. It's only you in my life right now, and I- I think I want more for us. I can see us working. I just... I can't rush this. I'm worried if I go too fast I'll only fuck things up."

[just_hex]

Hex nodded and he could feel in, in this very moment, as he lost his heart.

"Slow's a good idea," he agreed. "I think that's just right. No rushing into anything."

He'd already made that mistake with Spencer.

...Oh, shit. Spencer.

[london_spy]

Danny smiled softly, reaching out and stroking Hex's cheek.

"Good. That's... This is good," he smiled, feeling positive about something for the first time in what felt like ages.

[just_hex]

Hex smiled, his cheek rising to meet Danny's touch. He wanted to pull him closer but...slow. He knew he needed to take this slow, regardless of how much he wanted to dive right in. If there was any chance of something lasting he needed to be sensible.

"Come on. Let's eat," he said. "I didn't know how spicy you like stuff so I told them only one star."

[london_spy]

"Perfect," Danny said, smiling and reaching out to touch Hex's arm, before moving to sit and enjoy his meal.

For a moment, just a moment, Danny felt certain things were about to get better at last.

[just_hex]

Hex grabbed plates and forks so they didn't eat out of the containers like savages and brought them to the table in front of the telly.

"God, I'm starving," he said, moving just a bit stiffly since he still ached in the best way.

[london_spy]

"Me too," Danny smiled, looking over at Hex for a long moment, then smiling as he dug into his meal, content as he sat on the sofa and relaxed beside the other man.