Danny

~ Chapter 10 ~

"Are you all set up and ready?" An assistant of the office, Sarah, asked, handed me a clipboard.

Today was the day I was taking all of the pictures of the members of the team. Head shots, full body shots, uniform shots, all of those things. I had my cameras set up, lighting and backdrops. I noticed the clipboard had the order of everyone I was going to be seeing that day, noticing that it was not in alphabetical order. 

"Everyone arrives at a different time, so they kind of just arrive in a certain time frame. Just mark them off when you finish with whoever comes in and we'll move on to whoever is next." She said and I nodded along. Easy enough.

She sent the first couple of players in, ones I did not know of too well, but had seen around and exchanged words with before. One being good old Jimmy G.

"Hey Jimmy, how are you?" I asked, as he stepped in front of the camera, making a smile as I got his head shot.

"It's been good you know, just getting ready for the next season, even though, you know, its far away." I laughed, taking a full body shot next.

"Well, better to just get it over with and get to enjoy your offseason right?" I asked and he nodded along as we finished up and said our goodbyes.

The next few players went by in a breeze, many of them talked and most of them were hilarious. That offensive line, let me tell you, they make great jokes to pass the time. I finished with about half of the list and asked Sarah to send in the next player.

"I'm here and ready to get my picture taken." I looked back as Julian sauntered into the room, and I say sauntered, because that is literally what Julian does.

"Julian, I think you're ready to get you're picture taken all of the time." He 'pfft', but then smirked, meaning he knew full well that was true. 

"How's Sam doing?" I asked, taking his full body shot and he smiled wide, it was so cute seeing him get so riled up about his love.

"She's doing great, we are doing great. Married life isn't so bad." I laughed and shook my head.

"For you guys at least, I'm glad it's working. Have you guys opened your wedding presents yet?" I asked, smirking, knowing what I get her full well. 

"We have and so much great stuff." I loved presents, that's like the only reason I would want to get married.

"Nice, I want to like just go registering for a wedding and then receive the gifts, without getting married." He smiled, ruffling his hair for the next shot. 

"That's what you say now." He said and I shook my head.

"Okay mister confident." I said back and he sighed.

"Yeah, whatever. Anyways, if we are done here, I'm headed to get a burrito." He said and I gave him a wave goodbye. 

"Bye Jules." I said and before I could turn to the door for Sarah, Julian entered once more.

"Speaking of burritos, it's pretty burrrrito outside." I gave him my deadpan look as he waited for a response.

"So I'll be leaving." He said again, pointing and making a shrugged face before finally leaving. I laughed, man, Sam was a saint for dealing with that for 24 hours a day.

The last group of players were going great, even though it felt like a lull as it went by. 

"I think that's all of them." I said, flipping through the papers, but managed to see one name that wasn't crossed off.

"Ah, Danny." I said, looking to the door. I opened it and looked out.

"Sarah, is there anyone else?" I asked and she shook her head.

"Nope, that's all of them."

"Not all of them." I heard Danny say as he walked by her and she sat down as he walked into the room. 

"Why are you so late?" I asked and he sighed, before jumping in front of the camera. 

"Caught up I guess." I smiled.

"Did you fall asleep?" I asked and after a moment he nodded and I nodded back.

"Lets do this." He said, clapping his hands, but I looked at him strangely. 

"Um, Danny, you need your uniform shirt on at least." He looked at me like deer in the headlights style for a moment before it went off in his head.

"Oh, right! Do you have one on hand?" He asked, hoping I would and I nodded, grabbing one and throwing it to him. I was given backup jerseys just in case this would happen. 

I watched as he immediately stripped his shirt and as much as I wanted to look away, that shit did not happen. I knew he played football and that meant training, but man was a boy fit. Muscles and everything. 

"Enjoying the show?" He asked, slipping the jersey on and I laughed. "Sure." But really, I did. 

As I went to take the first shot, I noticed his dead look. "Can you give me a smile for this photo please?" I asked and he nodded, before giving me the same look. 

"Danny, really, this is my work, so please, smile."  After a moment of waiting, no smile.

"Danny-"

"El, I don't smile for pictures really, I'm sorry." I rolled my eyes. 

"Okay, liar. I know you smile for pictures, so won't you?" I asked and for a moment there was silence.

He looked back at me and the expression on his face turning from neutral, to a raised eyebrow sassy look, somewhat sexual if I do say. 

"Make me." He said in a deeper voice and something about it, it sent shivers down my spine. I remembered that voice, that saying somewhere else. I pushed it out of my mind as I remembered I had to finish this, but I was definitely going to revisit that.

So how does one make Danny Amendola smile?

"Remember that scene in Remember the Titans when they all are fighting they get to that training sight they are going to be at and Ringo is playing in the background as they fight about posters in their rooms and stuff and hey, remember Sunshine?" I had seen the movie, loved it, and hoped it would spark something out of him. 

"I love all of that, best movie ever." And he was smiling as soon as he said that and BAM, got my shot.

"Hey!" He said, pointing at me.

"What?" I asked innocently as I looked at the picture.

"You used my favorite movie against me!" He yelled and I laughed, nodding. 

"Yeah I did and it worked wonders. Try it sometime." He rolled his eyes at me, before we set up and did the body shots next. 

"Well we are done, but I'll see you for lunch tomorrow, okay?" I asked, giving him a handshake, before he pulled me into a hug. 

"Sure thing El." I smiled and hugged back, before pulling away and catching his eyes. Something about those eyes too.

Something about today in general, about the 'make me'... something...