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

[the_highpriestess]

"I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be," she answered, ever-amused, "but yeah, okay, I'll take it." She figured it would be the best she'd get out of Danny.

[first_rule]

He didn't truly think that poorly of Merritt, but now there had been linking him to Henley and so he wasn't going to give the other man better. Not right now.

"Okay so luggage?"

[the_highpriestess]

"Luggage," Henley repeated with a nod as she tugged him over in the direction of her bags. Surprisingly, it wasn't a mountain of things. Not that it was only one bag, but knowing her, Daniel knowing her, it was probably better than it could have been.

[first_rule]

He considered the lugagged, head canting as he looked it over. "And does it negate the deal if I bribe Jack into doing it," he asked, being rather serious in that moment which might well mean he was joking. Maybe.

[the_highpriestess]

"If you could actually talk him into it?" Which she doubted, honestly, particularly if he found out why Daniel was supposed to be moving her luggage in the first place. "Yeah, no, that doesn't count."

[first_rule]

"I could. I'm sure I could." He'd play up the way Jack once looked at him, even if he'd come to see Jack as an equal and not a groupie. "Isn't that conservation of energy?"

[the_highpriestess]

"Pretty sure I'd go with 'cheating,'" she shot back, pulling away from him slowly. A gesture to her bags followed. "Luggage, Danny."

[first_rule]

"Course you do," he said with a snort and a roll of his eyes. "Next time I'll just do it. Easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission."

Yet he went to get her bags, preparing to carry it out to the van waiting for them.

[the_highpriestess]

She hummed, following him over to the bags idly. She made no motion to help, however -- oh, no, this was all on Daniel. "You say that now ... "

[first_rule]

"I do, and I will remember it," he said, glancing back at her. "Though if we go through an airport, I'm leaving your bags unattended," he teased.

[the_highpriestess]

"I think I can watch my own bags, Danny." Not that she actually thought he'd leave her things in the middle of a lobby somewhere, for anyone to mess with, but. Better safe than sorry and she was conscripting Daniel for the heavy lifting, not for babysitting.

[first_rule]

"I'm sure. Though if they begin to make odd noises, move, attack others, I don't take responsibilities," he teased, knowing he wouldn't magic them to do anything of the sort. He probably couldn't even if he tried, but that didn't stop him from teasing her.

[the_highpriestess]

"You got some jumping beans somewhere that I don't know about?" she asked. A pause followed, as did a more sour look, and then, "Or are you planning on locking Fluffy in my luggage?"

[first_rule]

"I would not lock Fluffy in the luggage. Clothes are in there," he pointed out, as if that was the only reason, though they both knew about it, and knewhe wouldn't do it. Not really, even if he said it.

[the_highpriestess]

"Oh, the shedding, right," she agreed with another amused roll of her eyes. "Sorry, I forgot for a minute that that's your sole reason for not liking the poor rabbit."

[first_rule]

"You like it more than me. I hate it for that reason too," he said brightly. "There, feel better?"

He made it sound like a laugh and a joke but he was being deadly serious.

[the_highpriestess]

Daniel may have made an effort to pass it off as a joke, but Henley knew him too well. She knew that he was being serious, and -- well, she couldn't help but stare at him for a moment, stunned. Seriously? Daniel was jealous of a rabbit?

"I don't like the bunny more than you, Daniel," she told him after a moment and once she'd regained her composure.

[first_rule]

He hefted her bags in his hand, turning to look at her. He wore his best smile, bright eyed, and utterly honest. "I would. Fluffy's never treated you like crap," he pointed out, which was him working up to apologies he knew he should have given before now, but he wasn't that good at them and he didn't even know how to say the words, if he was honest with himself.

[the_highpriestess]

Henley's smile, on the other hand, did not return.

Really? They were doing this now? It wasn't that she didn't want to hear Daniel apologize, didn't realize what a big step that was for him, just -- well, okay, maybe she didn't want him to apologize. She didn't want to have to think about some of the shit he'd done to her, some of the shit she'd given him right back. They had a good thing going, for the time being, and she didn't want to see it ruined, so soon. She wasn't in the mood for the argument she all but knew would stem from it when she or Daniel or whoever said the wrong thing at the wrong time.

"Don't," she said, that in mind. "Not that I don't appreciate the build up to the whole groveling act, but just -- don't, okay?"

[first_rule]

His gaze wouldn't settle. Not on her. Not anywhere. The floor, the wall, as shifty eyed as they came. His mind was reeling, trying to come up with the right words. Hell, with any words. He wasn't sure what the words were that were needed in this moment, but he was trying so hard to come up with them.

Then he had nothing. Nothing at all but her saying no.

Then he did lift his head, looking right at her. Staring for a long time before he nodded. "Okay then. Whenever you're ready. If ever."

He wasn't sure he would ever be, just willing to ignore it if it meant he had this, but he wouldn't risk this by not saying it either.

[the_highpriestess]

She shifted, when he started, taking a step forward to rest a gloved hand against his arm lightly, almost apologetically. She felt a little bad, shutting him down, but she just couldn't do this, couldn't have this conversation. Not now.

"Okay," she repeated softly, for lack of anything better to say.

[first_rule]

Leaning in, he kissed the corner of her mouth. Maybe they would never have the talk. Maybe that would be enough. He didn't know, but he did know he would tell her the words if she ever wanted to hear them.

"Also, you have better ways of shutting me up, you know."

[the_highpriestess]

With a breath out, she turned her head, returned the kiss. When she pulled away, it was with a roll of her eyes, this one a little closer to genuine than the ones she's offered before had been. "Yeah, well, I didn't exactly think that'd work, in this case."

[first_rule]

He wasn't sure why she thought that all things considered. It saved him making an ass of himself. "What? I listen to you," he noted. "Sometimes. Maybe."

[the_highpriestess]

She laughed, a little more of the tension of the last few minutes receding. "You keep telling yourself that, Danny."