Let's get down to business

[first_rule]

If Daniel had thought the last year had been a whirlwind, it was nothing like all that changed the moment they stood before Dylan in the park. A lifetime of hardwork, a year of risking prison and failure, and now he had come to the pinnacle of all he had ever wanted.

And it wasn't even close to over yet. Packing wasn't hard, and leaving behind his life had already been done. They had no idea where they were going, or what was coming next.

He did know that McKinney didn't stop making whatever sound that was at the ungodly hour of not even four in the morning, and he was about ready to scream if the coffee maker didn't go faster.

Comments

[first_rule]

For a long moment he thought to argue that, about he didn't. Maybe it was trust. Maybe it was using honesty as more startling than a lie. Either way, he went with the truth.

"No, there's stupid, and then there's that kind of stupid that was tossing her out. I don't plan on doing the latter again."

[the_death_card]

Jack went even more serious as he watched Daniel for a moment before he nodded. "Good. Because I'm pretty sure if you break her heart again, Merritt'll make you think you're a six-year-old girl for the rest of your life."

Jack would just punch him in the face.

[first_rule]

"Merritt even looks at her wrong even if it's for my supposed good and my next trick will be to make him disappear," he said with a smirk.

[the_death_card]

Jack just snorted in response to that, shaking his head. "Pretty sure he does a lotta that just to mess with you, y'know."

If Daniel didn't know that, Jack was pretty sure there was no helping him.

[first_rule]

"Yeah well..." He made a face, shrugging a shoulder. "This is... I just..." He paused, considering his words.

"Things have changed and I don't want to let it go when he does." He didn't want Henley thinking he would just let it go.

[the_death_card]

"I think it's pretty obvious to everybody she's still got feelings for you, man." He paused a beat before teasing again, "And you pretty much screwed up as royally as you could've before, so it's all up from here."

[first_rule]

"Do not underestimate how much I can screw shit up," he said, being honest even as he made it sound as if he was defending himself.

"And how could she not. I'm everything a girl could want."

[the_death_card]

Jack snorted softly. "Believe me, I've got kind of an idea." As to how he could screw shit up, Jack meant.

That got another disbelieving sound. "Yeah, well. No accounting for taste on some people's part."

[first_rule]

"No, you have what she tells everyone. You've only seen the best," he said, smirking even as he rolled his eyes.

Then he made a sound quite like Jack's, giving him a broad smile. "The fanboy in you adores me. Remember, I know that."

[the_death_card]

Jack rolled his eyes, too. "The fanboy in me hadn't met you when he spent three days straight on your YouTube videos." He was joking, though, and that should have been obvious; he really did still respect the hell out of Daniel. He wouldn't care what the other man thought of him if he didn't.

[first_rule]

"And then you did, and three days wasn't enough, was it?" Oh two could play at that game. "Least you didn't stalk me under a pseudonym?" He paused, giving Jack a look. "Did you? Were you Atlasboy15? Oh! trufanzboy26?"

[the_death_card]

Jack snorted. "Yeah, no." He paused a beat. "Atlasboy15 is creepy, and definitely not me."

He actually hadn't ever posted on the forums, even if he had read some things there.

[first_rule]

Daniel opened his mouth, closed it, and then nodded. "They were, are. I still get mail from them. I keep worrying the fifteen is actually an age and it ... No."

He shook his head. Okay, that had been nearly mean.

"But you haven't denied you were there. Good to know."

[the_death_card]

"I told you in the apartment I'd seen everything you'd ever done," Jack returned, because he wasn't actually going to be embarrassed about this one at this point. He'd done enough of that the day they met, even if he'd been too excited about the whole thing to worry about it then.

[first_rule]

"I know. I just ... I like hearing it," he admitted, smirking. Not that he wasn't seeing a spike in his fansites these days, but that didn't stop him from wanting to know.

[the_death_card]

Jack snorted softly.

"Careful, man. Your head gets any bigger they'll have to widen the doorways around here."

He was still teasing; it wasn't like it was a secret that Daniel had an ego about his craft.

[first_rule]

"And yet it would just be more of my beauty," he noted. "I'm not seeing the downside."

His ego was a thing of beauty and he couldn't help but feed it.

[the_death_card]

And Jack just cracked up, now, not able to stop himself laughing. "That was a new one."

[first_rule]

There was a time when the laughter would have bothered Daniel but then things changed. The relationship of the Horseman changed a lot.

"I can't help the truth of it."

[the_death_card]

"Especially if it involves your ego."

It had, and Jack was glad for it. He'd spent a while wanting a family. It was good to actually have one, now.