The Panic Pure

Chapter Eleven

Super awkward morning after--averted. Super awkward evening after--currently in progress.

Marshal wouldn't have thought he would be so willing to go forward with it, but there was honestly nowhere else he wanted to be. Sitting at the dining room table in Danny's mansion carefully slurping some kind of noodle-laden tomato and vegetable soup. His biggest worry was dripping it down his shirt or making obscene sounds with his mouth.

Everything else would figure itself out on its own and he refused to be worried.

He was happy being in Danny's company.

"This soup is delicious," he said, gesturing with his spoon. Then he coughed as some pepper tickled his throat and hurriedly drank some water. He felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment.

"It's one of Olivia's specialties. She used to make it for me when I was sick." Danny held his spoon in his left hand while he ate nibbling bites of bread with his right. It was strangely adorable.

Marshal wondered how many other people got to see Danny like this. He didn't think very many, but he still couldn't help being jealous of all those fictional people his imagination insisted on projecting. He wanted to keep this time with Danny for himself alone.

Seeming to sense his gaze, Danny met his eyes. Then his fair skin flushed red and he looked away. He fumbled with his spoon. It was endearing.

Marshal had to admit, things hadn't turned out as completely awkward as he'd worried. Danny was Danny, and that was a guy that Marshal really liked.

He was able to show up for dinner and it felt perfectly right. He liked Danny more than a lot and that was amazing to him.

He'd always lacked commitment before, but Danny brought it out in him. And he liked that. He liked the man Danny was making him become.

* * *

-THE SPACES IN-BETWEEN-

Arthur didn't know what he was supposed to do. He'd been avoiding Danny for the last few days, quietly driving him around before escaping. He was worried Danny would be able to read the truth on his face.

He lived in the guest house, which was beautiful and lavish and the kind of place he'd never thought he'd see the inside of when he was a kid. It was like living in a mansion of his own, but Danny liked to keep him close.

Right now he wished he was a hundred miles away because some completely paranoid part of his brain insisted that Danny would be able to read his thoughts through the walls or something.

Arthur curled up in his favorite chair with his phone. It only rang twice before Sophia answered.

"Arthur, this is a surprise," she said. "Is something happening?"

He blew out his cheeks. "It's a Code Black," he said.

She gasped. "Are you sure?"

"More than sure," Arthur said. "Vanessa called me the moment the alert hit her desk. Lauren is back in the States and she's heading this way."

"That bitch," Sophia cursed. "What are we going to do?"

"We keep her the hell away from Danny at all cost," he growled. "She is not to come near him. I don't want him to know she's even here."

"You don't think that might make him angry with us later?" she asked. There was no reluctance in her voice, just honest curiosity.

"I'll take the blame if it comes to that," he said. "I've got no problem playing the best friend card, but there's no way I'm letting her crawl back into his head again."