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]

"Wow, no thanks," Henley answered, making a face into her coffee as she took a sip. Once she'd swallowed and perhaps a bit more seriously, she asked, "Where did you even get that thing in the first place?"

And then less seriously, "Cut up one of Merritt's old toupees?"

She glanced towards the door she'd come in, that said, as if she expected Merritt to suddenly appear. She -- well. She hadn't meant anything by it, just remembered the promo photos she'd seen from his original run, after they'd all come together, and couldn't help herself. The hair he'd had then had been something of a nightmare. And did she mention she hoped he hadn't overhead that? She wasn't looking to accidentally hurt his feelings in busting his and Daniel's balls.

[first_rule]

"You'd probably look good in a handlebar one," he teased, though it was likely true. "I had it in a trunk," he admitted. "Just one of those things to keep on hand. People focus on it and not the hands," he admitted, which made the reason for carrying it make more sense.

He laughed at that, giving her a look. "Would I put something from his head on my face? You really are making that accussation?"

[the_highpriestess]

She didn't grace the handlebar comment with a response, just rolled her eyes, before popping one shoulder in a shrug. Okay, yeah, that made sense, and --

And then she was laughing, too, at the question. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

[first_rule]

"Don't even go there. I cope with him. I kind of don't hate him," he said. "That is just about all there is," he said, rolling his eyes.

[the_highpriestess]

"And yet you're still going." Never mind the fact that she'd probably be poking at him just as much if he'd declined comment. It was kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation and she was taking far too much amusement from it.

[first_rule]

"Next time I'm drinking all the coffee myself," he said, making a face at her. "You all packed?"

[the_highpriestess]

"Uh huh," she answered, disbelieving.

Another sip of her coffee followed, and as she lowered it, she nodded. "Pretty much, yeah. I need to take another lap around the suite and make sure you three didn't leave, like, your shampoo in the shower or whatever, but other than that?"

Yeah, she was packed.

[first_rule]

"I will. I will hoard it and make you beg," he said, trying to sound as smug as he looked. "Wait, I like the sound of that," he admitted, canting his head as if thinking about that.

"I never leave my shampoo in the shower. Do you know how much I pay for what it takes for this," he asked, running his fingers through his hair. "And like McKinney has any."

[the_highpriestess]

"You get that, where ever we end up going, there's probably a Starbucks on every block, right? So, you might be kind of shit out of luck on the begging thing." Especially if he was going to be disgusting about it and regardless of whether or not he was kidding. She'd turned Merritt down for the same thing, after all.

"And Merritt's got enough hair to warrant shampoo." A beat. "So does Jack."

[first_rule]

"Do you know how sad it is we could go into an entirely different realm and there's probably a Starbucks?" Which wasn't entirely a joke. Okay, it was a tiny bit of a joke. He leaned in, nudging her with his shoulder. "My coffee is better."

He gave her a look. "I didn't say Jack didn't. He just doesn't have the concerns I do," he said, touseling his curls.

[the_highpriestess]

"Can you make a Skinny Carmel Macchiato?" Because that was the only way he'd ever be able to beat Starbucks completely.

Regardless, she nudged him back gently, before, in all seriousness, asking, "Speaking of. Is it just the shampoo, or do you have to have that professionally straightened?" Last time they were together, he'd all but had a fro for how poofy it was, after all.

[first_rule]

"No, because I didn't work there, or pretend to even know what you're going on about," he said, smirking and being more than amused by himself. Mostly in teasing her. "If it's that important to you, I will learn then," he offered.

"We are not talking about the hair back then," he warned her. "It's a rule. A law. Something." He smirked a tiny bit though. "Maybe it's magic," he said, taking another sip of his coffee.

[the_highpriestess]

"It's not that hard," she tells him. "It's more about having the stuff you need for it than anything else, which we can probably grab whenever we get ... where ever we're going."

As long as there was a supermarket nearby and maybe a Bed, Bath and Beyond so she could pick up and espresso machine, they'd be good. She dismissed that thought for the time being, however, in favor of nudging him again.

"Maybe salon magic." A beat. "And we're totally talking about the hair. I might even print out a couple of pictures from back then and hang them up, where ever we end up. I think Merritt and Jack need the whole White Guy Fro experience."

Never mind the fact that Jack had probably already seen Daniel's hair, back then, what with his interest in him before they'd even met.

[first_rule]

"Yeah, I'll get right on making you a soy mocha nonfat caramel whatever the hell ever," he said, rolling his eyes at her. "Do you get sequins in those drinks?"

Yep, if she was touching the hair, he was going after the sequins.

"No. No they do not. No one needs to have a return of that, Henley. I worked hard to overcome that look, and you will spare me McKinney never shutting up about it," he said, almost as if it was a command. Then he blinked at her, all puppy dog eyes. "You wouldn't do that, would you?"

He wasn't great at puppy dog eyes, dammit.

[the_highpriestess]

She rolled her eyes in return, never mind the fact that she was still smiling. "I could if I wanted -- I think they make little edible sparkle things." A beat. "And just for that, I'll find them and take pictures when you get them all over you when you make my 'soy mocha nonfat caramel whatever the hell.'

"They can go up with the ones of your hair, because yeah, I'd totally do that." No, she wouldn't. "You brought it on yourself, Danny."

[first_rule]

"Little edible sparkle things?" Okay, she utterly had his attention now. "Wait, so you could make your entire costume out of something that's edible? Is that what you're telling me? Is that's the case, I will buy you a costume made from that," he assured her, and probably actually meaning it.

"Wait, those pictures are punishment for the past, or making fun of your pretty coffee?"

[the_highpriestess]

"You're as bad as Merritt," she answered on the heel of a groan. "Never mind the fact that I'm pretty sure that something like that would melt off under the stage lights, just -- no."

A beat. "And let's go with all of the above." For the past, for him poking fun at her coffee, for the idea that he might try and get her into an edible costume. All of it.

[first_rule]

"Nooo, I am soo much better than McKinney," he corrected, his hand lightly brushing along her arm. "And I didn't say for you to wear it on stage. I was thinking more wearing it for me," he added, so careful in the moves he made, knowing they were still caught between the past, the last year, and all their future could be.

"Let's go with, you like me too much to post pictures of that hair," He said softly, just barely resting against her side.

[the_highpriestess]

"Yeah, I got that. Hence why you're as bad as Merritt." Never mind the fact that she leaned into him a little. "Also, I don't do sparkles anymore. Mostly.

"And the pictures are totally going up, regardless of how much I may or may not like you." Again, she was teasing. She wasn't that cruel. Most of the time.

[first_rule]

He lightly nuzzled at her hair, his empty hand curling around hers, holding her hand if she lets him. "I think you look wonderful in sparkles," he admitted. "How I first saw you."

And he still remembered how she looked then.

"Come on now. There has to be something I can do, right?"

[the_highpriestess]

She let him take his hand -- more than that, she squeezed it gently, letting out a long, slow breath as she leaned into him. A moment of pause followed, and then softly, she answered, "Yeah, I remember."

Another silence, as she recalled their meeting, and then ever so slightly, she shook her head. She didn't want to give him cause to pull away, but she needed to dismiss the fog of memories all the same. When she'd managed, she asked, "Are you offering to bribe me, Daniel?"

She sounded (mock) horrified at the thought.

[first_rule]

"I remember it. You. A lot," he admitted. It was a place where he could talk about it, what he could share. He could talk to her about this, them together, what theyhad been and could have been if he hadn't been a damned fool.

"Yeah, I think I might," he admitted. "What kind of bribe do you want?"

[the_highpriestess]

She hummed, pleased, and leaned into him a little more. While she didn't grace that statement with a response beyond that, however, she was obviously touched by it. And trying very hard not to think about how badly it had gone after that and how quickly.

"I don't know. Offer me something and we can go from there."

[first_rule]

"Well. Let's start here then."

Life was changing, and he wasn't taking the chances he had in the past, letting her go. So he leaned in, kissing her tenderly as his fingers brushed along her cheek, back to card through the soft tendrils of her hair.

[the_highpriestess]

Despite their proximity, despite the fact that Daniel was obviously flirting with her (and she'd be lying if she said she hadn't been flirting back), the kiss still surprised her. That in mind and if only for the briefest of instants, she tensed. When that moment passed, when she relaxed, she let out a breath through her nose and kissed him back gently, one hand coming to rest at the side of his neck almost tentatively.