Monday
Who: Daniel and JD When: Monday Night What: Dinner and Angst Where: JD's place
Daniel had some serious making up to do after his little misstep earlier in the day. So when he arrived at JD's door at precisely 7pm that evening, he had a very expensive bottle of scotch in one hand and a bouquet of dark blue lilies in the other. He had said he would take care of dinner, and he was going to. He had arranged for a delivery of some food from a local restaurant to arrive shortly after he did. Knocking on the door, he placed both of his hands behind him so that his gifts were out of sight and waited for his friend to answer, placing the most innocent smile he could manage upon his face, though it still looked like a smirk. As always.
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JD had finished his paperwork hours ago, but still he sat at the table, not doing a thing but staring out the window and thinking about Daniel and of course more so at the moment Jay. The kid was in trouble, only because he wanted to do exactly the opposite of what his father wanted.
He had no idea so much time had passed, but when there was a knock on his door it clued him in. He ran a hand over his face and fixed his loosened tie, walking over to open the door for Daniel, who he still wasn't happy with at the moment. But it was Danny and he couldn't stay upset with him for long, especially in person.
JD opened the heavy wooden door and motioned Daniel in. "Come on in." He said a little gruffier than normal, because he hadn't spoken in a few hours.
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Daniel smiled when he saw JD. He always did. He could go months without seeing him or merely hours without seeing him, but the reaction was always the same. The man was his best friend, his family, possibly even his soul mate, and he loved him, plain and simple, no matter how annoyed the other man may have gotten with him at times. "For you," he said, then held out the flowers, a smirk tugging at his lips. "And I brought this for Zowie." He pulled out the bottle of scotch and then frowned to keep up the ploy. "Wait, I think I may have gotten that backwards."
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JD smiled back he always did, no matter what Daniel had done Daniel's smile tended to bring out his own. "You are hilarious I'm sure Zoe will love her flowers, because I'm not sharing that scotch with anybody except possibly you maybe a little." Jd said with a smirk and then went to the table to straighten up the papers before grabbing fresh tumblers and ice for the scotch. He was in the mood for ice.
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Daniel felt himself relax a little. All was forgiven. He was glad. He followed JD into the house, glancing around to see if he really had made some changes. "Nice," he remarked, glancing back over at JD. "I never knew you had such good taste." He walked over to join JD at the table. "Actually, the flowers are yours too. Unless that violates some sort of bro code." He smirked. "Zoe's gift is in my pocket. Another charm for her bracelet. I picked it up in Tokyo." The bracelet itself was a gift from Daniel from many years ago and he almost always brought her a charm from any new place to which he traveled.
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"thank you Zoe helped of course because now she has input into everything because apparently, she's an adult. I don't agree with that but it's really hard to argue with her sometimes, pretty sure she'd be a lawyer if she wasn't a witch." He smiled when Daniel said something about violating the bro code and just shook his head. "I don't think you and I can violate whatever bro code there could possibly be. Not after a lot of the things that we have done." JD smiles when Daniel said he had a charm for Zoe she loved that bracelet more than anything. "Thank you, it means so much to her that you remember that, she wears it pretty much every single day."
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"Her too?" Jay was at that age now as well. He thought he knew everything, could do anything he wanted and never face any consequences. He was wrong, of course, but he still thought that. "No, you're probably right. If there was some sort of line, we crossed it a long time ago." The smile that followed that remark was one of fondness. The two of them had a lot of history together and, hopefully, a lot of future to follow. "Of course I think of her. She's my best girl." He retrieved the small box from the inside pocket of his suit jacket and laid it on the table. "Vase?" The flowers weren't in water yet. He figured he better get them there before dinner came. "Food will be here shortly, by the way. I ordered the Chateaubriand from Le Monde. My assistant is dropping it by."
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JD chuckled and nodded. "Yep, she thinks because her father is single he has no clue how to do anything. She thinks I need to get married, etc..." He shook his head and then shrugged. "But I'm glad she has strong opinons, I wouldn't want her weak. Of course I'd like her to stop daydreaming she will marry Jay, that would be nice." JD said with a sigh.
"Sometimes I think she's the only female you actually enjoy the company of." JD said as he opened the scotch and poured the glasses. "Vase is in the kitchen I believe, the mundanes keep putting things away on me." He cleared his throat and then nodded. "Do you still have that hot assistant with the tight ass?" JD asked with a raise of his eyebrow.
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"Hmm. That's not going to happen." His son didn't like women. Daniel had known that for a long while now, but confirmation had occurred while in Tokyo. That was part of the reason why he had come here tonight, to talk to JD about that whole thing. And to ask for a favor, of course. Not that he wouldn't have come to see him anyway.
"Apart from you, yes," Daniel retorted with a smirk, not missing a beat. Headed into the kitchen to find the vase, he replied, "At least you're home enough to kind of know where things are. I have to look up my address. I've not been there enough to memorize it." He was always traveling. "Which one?" He quirked a brow slightly. He had had several. A guy first, now a girl. With JD, one could never be sure which one he meant.
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"I know, and I've tried to explain it to her, without telling her exactly why...but you know Zowie." He said with a sigh. JD was totally oblivious to Daniel's ulterior motive here and even if he did know, who knows what he would say.
JD just gave him a flat look and sipped his scotch, waiting for him to continue. "I have been home a lot more lately, the coven wants to pull in all the children it can find. But it's not legal to kidnap people so they want me to find legal ways to bring them back." He said with a frown and then glanced over at Daniel. "That blonde boy you had last time, he was....lovely." JD said with a slight smirk, which was a sure sign he had fucked the kid.
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"I do." Daniel exhaled a soft sigh as he shook his head. "She will figure it out eventually."
"Right. And they're always so very concerned with doing things the right way." Daniel smirked. He was being sarcastic, of course, not that he didn't respect the coven, as much as he respected anything really. "Oh great. Now I know why he left me." It was not the first time JD had cost him one of his assistants. He scowled at him, but honestly he was used to it. He opened a few cabinet doors before finding the vase and filling it with water, the blue flowers placed inside and sat on the counter. "They match my eyes," he remarked, then glanced over at JD as he asked, "Did you notice?"
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"Probably when he tells her, but yes she will. She's been in love with Jay since about ten years old." JD said before sipping his scotch and then smiled wickedly at Daniel. "I had nothing to do with that, do not blame me that you had such a flightly assistant." JD had a tendancy to sleep with most of Daniel's assistants, especially the women if they were the type Daniel was attracted to. JD liked to get rid of them very quickly.
"Yes dear, I did notice that, I notice everything about you, you know that." He said with a charming smile.
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"Uh huh." Daniel knew what JD was doing. He always went after the women in Danny's life. Of course it wasn't as if Daniel didn't do his best to run off JD's would-be suitors as well. He was just as jealous as the other man was.
Daniel smiled, though his smile looked a bit like a frown in that moment, as he crossed over to grab a glass of scotch for himself. He took a generous swig before he spoke. "It really isn't fair." It was a sentiment he had shared before, at least once or twice, though perhaps not enough times for JD to get his meaning, and certainly not without a lot more alcohol in his system.
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JD gave him his wicked grin again and then pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. He wasn't apologetic about chasing Daniel's suitors away, Danny has never asked him to stop, so he hasn't.
He gave his friend a look and then tapped his ring on the glass. "What isn't fair love?" He asked Daniel as he also frowned slightly, a little confused as to why Daniel sudenly said that.
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"This," Daniel remarked, then gestured between them as he added, "Us. Who you are to me. Or could be, anyway." If he gave in to that pull, that constant nagging feeling that drew him to the other man, that seated him above all else when it came to his affection. It was unfair that it was him. And even more unfair that it was looked down upon, or would be, should he ever act on it, when it was something that he was unable to control. But no one ever said that life was fair. Daniel finished off his glass of scotch then opted for a refill, pausing before he poured another glass to ask, "Do you mind?"
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JD sighed and just stared at Daniel for a moment. "Who I could be if you would let it happen, you mean." He stated and then motioned with his hand that it was fine for Daniel to pour more. "Fill mine while you are at it." He said with a slight smile, his mind drifting for a moment as he watched Daniel's body go through the movements of pouring his scotch. JD glanced up when there was a knock on the door and he smiled a little. "Your assistant I assume?" He asked as he started to walk towards the door.
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"Mmm. If it wouldn't destroy everything I've worked my entire life to build." Daniel knew that JD understood, and yet didn't. And he didn't blame him. It wasn't as if it were easy to live with this... thing between them and not act on it. Sometimes Daniel behaved as though it were, of course, but it wasn't. It was just as difficult for him, maybe even moreso, as it was for JD. He poured JD another glass before topping off his own. And he was about to say something when there was a knock at the door. Arching an eyebrow, he shot JD a look. "Don't get any ideas." Klowie wasn't exactly his type anyway, but she was a great assistant. She was eager to please and didn't ask too many questions. Daniel appreciated that about her.
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JD had to keep himself from rolling his eyes, he knew this story, he had heard it before and he hated every second of it. "Mmm if it wouldn't destroy everything." He said before taking another sip of his scotch, doing his best not to sulk; he hated being reminded of the situation.
JD chuckled and held his hands up in front of himself. "I don't do anything, honestly." He continued with a grin as he headed for the door and opened it. JD made a small fuss over Klowie, since it was his nature, but she was nothing like what Daniel was attracted to so JD just stayed friendly, not flirty.
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Daniel knew he hated it. And it was for that reason that he had hope that maybe one day things wouldn't be that way. He was ambitious, after all. If he had it his way, in another fifty or sixty years, he'd be the one in charge of the court. And then he could do whatever he wanted with whomever he wanted. He never told JD this, however. He didn't want him to live his life on maybe. He wanted him to find happiness, he just wasn't sure that he could stand if it he did. It would very likely destroy them.
When JD went to answer the door, Daniel got up to do his part, heading into the kitchen to grab plates, silverware, napkins, etc., and set the table for two. He'd let JD get some more booze in him and a little food before he sprang on him the favor he had come here to ask. He waved at Klowie when she called out a greeting to him and gave her a curt smile. The girl didn't linger after that, realizing she was being dismissed. He loved how perceptive she was. Honestly, she was perfect for the job even if she wasn't all that much to look at.
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Over the years JD had tried very hard to move on with his life, but Daniel made sure to destroy it every time. When Zowie was born he wanted to try to be with her mother, but Daniel was having none of it and blew the relationship apart. JD wouldn't give up Daniel for the woman so she left. It had always been that way, if he tried to have a relationship with a man, Daniel made sure to have it proven JD could love no one like Daniel. That usually made them leave. But despite all that JD wouldn't walk away from Daniel, he did love him too much.
JD smiled when he saw the table and barely noticed when she left. "I like her, she seems good at her job." He said as she set the bags on the counter.
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Daniel was precisely the opposite. He didn't even try. He knew there was no real point. It wouldn't work out and it would only frustrate the both of them that much more. Besides, if he was tied down, he couldn't use his powers of seduction on those that mattered, those in power, those that could make his dreams for the future a reality. He had to remain uncommitted otherwise he wouldn't be able to sleep his way to the top. It worked for women, after all. It may as well work for a man.
"She is," Daniel remarked. "She listens well, picks up on my unspoken cues, doesn't ask too many questions, and I have absolutely no desire to sleep with her whatsoever." He grinned over at JD as he said that last part. "Which means neither do you." He began unpacking the bags once JD had set them down. He was pleased to see that they had prepared the food the way he had requested, leaving it whole, plating it in aluminum pans so it would retain its warmth. In addition to the fancy steak he had ordered, there was asparagus grilled with a balsamic glaze and some whole new potatoes in a garlic infused butter. Daniel's stomach growled a little and he laughed. "Excuse me. I guess I didn't realize how hungry I am." When was the last time he had eaten? On the plane?
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Part of JD wanted to be in a relationship, living that picket fence life, but that wasn't what he would end up in no matter how things went in his life so stopped trying to have it a long time ago. Now it was just random sex, sometimes it lasted a night, other times a couple of months. Really depended on how much he saw Daniel at that point.
"Well she's not anything you normally like so, that's obvious. Our taste is so simaler in women." He said with a chuckle.
JD laughed softly when Daniel's stomach growled. "It's alright, im not even sure I've eaten today."
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"It's not that similar," Daniel remarked. There had been a few he had been involved with over the years that JD simply couldn't stand. "You just fuck them so that I won't. I know your game." He smirked over at him.
"I don't think I have either." Daniel replied, pulling the last of the food from the bag. He glanced over at JD and then arched a brow, nodding towards the table. "Sit down. I got this." Clearly he wanted something. Daniel was never so courteous as he was when he had a favor to ask.
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JD widened his eyes in fake shock at Daniel's accusation and then shrugged. "I don't really try to hide it do I?" He said as he bit his bottom lip, just like he saw through Daniel, his friend could see right through him.
Daniel was being very nice to him, something was up, but for the moment JD was going to just go with it and take advantage of how nice his friend was going to be.
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"Not in the least," Daniel agreed, a smile forming upon his lips. He really did love this man. Really and truly. He couldn't imagine his life without JD in it. And he hoped he never had to.
Daniel knew that JD would know that he wanted something from him, but he was letting him get by with treating him for the moment anyway, so he did precisely that. Fixing up both of their plates, he brought them over to the table, setting one down in front of JD and the other at the chair across from him. "Dinner is served," he said with a flourish of his hands before he took a seat across from him. "I've missed this," he remarked, and he was being sincere, not just trying to get on his good side. "Being here with you feels like home."
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"Thank you." He said before digging into his plate and groaning at how good the food was, especially since he was this incredibly hungry. JD looked up at Daniel and smiled. "I've missed this as well, nothing ever feels right unless we are together it seems." He said with fondness, but also sadness, they were meant to be together but Daniel's success meant that they couldn't be.
"How long are you going to keep me in suspense love? a few more drinks?" JD asked with an arch of his eyebrow.
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"You're welcome. It's the least I can do." Daniel gave him a winning smile. Of course that last part was a bit sad to think about. He hummed and then agreed, his gaze dropping to his plate to avoid giving too much of himself away. "No, it never does." If only Daniel could not care what his kind thought about him. If only he could just do whatever he wanted without giving thought to consequence. He envied those who could. Like his son. As much as he was annoyed by him because of his unruliness, he was almost jealous.
Smiling almost shyly, Daniel took another drink of his scotch to wash down a bite of food. "You know me too well." He sat his glass back down and then folded his hands in front of him, looking at JD. "I need a favor." Here went nothing. "Jason needs more guidance than I can give him right now. And I'd like it if you would help me with that."
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JD wasn't going to dwell on it for the moment, for now he was going to enjoy the food and the company. If he just started to obsess about Daniel right now then the whole evening was going to be ruined.
"I do, thats why I can't wait to hear what you have to say." He said with a chuckle as he popped a forkfull of food into his mouth, listening as Daniel spoke. That was not at all what he was expecting. JD chewed, swallowed, and took a sip of his scotch before answering. "Daniel, you want me to take care of your son. What makes you think he will listen to me any better."
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"I know how persuasive you can be," Daniel replied simply, though there was nothing simple about his request. Still, there was one honest truth that they both knew was fact. "He respects you more than he does me. And you already said, you're going to be staying around for a while. I'm... not in a position to do that. And I can't take him with me. Not again. Not after what happened in Tokyo." He wasn't going to go into the details of that, though he was certain that Jay would tell JD all about it soon enough. And he would paint him as the bad guy even though he wasn't. Or at least he didn't think he was. "I just need someone to make sure he doesn't... end up dead in a ditch somewhere, someone I can trust." He locked his gaze with JD's own as he added, "There's no one that I trust more than you."
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"I'm a lawyer, that's my job." He said with a frown and then tapped his ring against the glass of scotch as he thought about this. "Danny...I don't know how Jay will see this, I mean won't he think you are just handing him off? I am worried about him too but I'm concerned that this won't help." He said with a sigh and then started to defend Daniel. "That's not true, you're his father, he respects you." He said softly. JD chewed on his lip as he thought about it. "He doesn't see the dangers in what he does."
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"Yes, that's exactly what he'll think. But I'd rather him be angry with me then.... the alternative." Jay was out of control. Tokyo was the last straw, of course but this honestly had very little to do with that. That had been his solution to the problem and it had failed, splendidly, and had nearly cost him his position without the court. Of course his child was more important than that, but he didn't see why he couldn't have both. He could. With JD's help. "He's always taking off, going God only knows where. I've gotten phone calls I can't even tell you how many times from members of my staff who've had to go pick him up at bars or nightclubs, strung out on God only knows what." He sighed. "I've tried. That's why I took him with me this time. But he was no more manageable there than he is here without me. He needs structure. And I can't give him that. He wouldn't allow me to even if I tried."
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JD couldn't deny it, Jay was out of control and the boy didn't care that he was. Daniel had zero control over Jay and everyone knew it. He licked his lips and let out a breath. "I can try love, but honestly I don't know how...how I can control him. I mean I can't just ask him to be a good boy and expect him to behave." He said and then sighed in frustration. "I will try Danny, I hope I can help."
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"Just.... do what you can, okay? I'm not expecting any miracles at this point." He knew he should have put the reins on Jay a long time ago, but he had been too self-involved to do so and he knew it. There was no coming back from that. But he was confident that JD could make a difference. "Whatever you need to do... I won't hold anything against you." That was his way of saying without saying that he recognized that a firm hand, some strong discipline, may be required, and he was okay with that.
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JD gave Daniel a level stare and opened his mouth to speak, closing it and opening it again. "Whatever I need to do? You will understand." JD said flatly, not truly believeing Daniel for the moment. "I have a much firmer hand than you, Daniel...Jay might come to you crying about what happens." JD wasn't kidding, to regain control of a spoiled child, he didn't see anything wrong with physical means.
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Daniel gave him the same level look in return. "I trust you with my life, JD. Why would my son's life be any different?" He shifted his focus back to his food, retrieving his fork once more. "I know you would never truly endanger his well being. If he comes to me crying.... That just means that it's working. And I'll send him back to you."
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JD nodded and then continued eating. "No I wouldn't, but he's going to be sore if he doesn't listen to me, I won't deny that." He said firmly before taking a drink from his scotch glass. "I hope it works, I don't want him getting hurt because he's being reckless and stupid." JD said softly, honestly concerned about Jay, and also a little worried about how their relationship will fare if he becomes the bad guy.
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"Neither do I," Daniel replied, frowning at his plate. He was losing his appetite talking about all of this. "I'm sorry to have to ask this of you," he said, looking up at JD as though he could read his thoughts. "I know he thinks of you as a friend, and I don't want to see that ruined, but I don't know what else to do aside from locking him away somewhere and that.... isn't an option." He frowned. "But even now, when we've just gotten back, after everything that happened in Tokyo, he's taken off again." He scowled. "Only difference is this time I know exactly where he is." He retrieved his cellphone from his pocket and placed it on the table. "I had his phone charmed so I would know his whereabouts. I knew he wasn't going to stay at home like I told him to. And somehow he always manages to evade my security detail."
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"I hope Jay understands I will only be trying to help him. But I'm sure he won't, but eventually." He said with a frown and then nodded. "Yes I know, he couldn't wait to go out and get into trouble. Of course I did tell my daughter and she searched him out. Nothing bad will happen to Jay with Zoe there, she will hurt someone first." He smiled and then chuckled. "He is so damn good at evading your security detail."
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"Yes, eventually," Daniel agreed. He arched a brow slightly when JD said that Jay couldn't wait to get out and get into trouble. "You spoke with him?" That was news to him. "I thought that Zoe was out with her mother?" The last word was said with a certain degree of distaste. He didn't like the woman, mostly because she had tried to come between the two of them. Or at least that was how he viewed it. Really she was trying to have a relationship with the father of her child but... Daniel refused to see it that way. He didn't want to see JD happy with someone else. Not really. "Like father, like son," Danny remarked with a smirk, remembering how often he used to evade those who tried to enforce rules upon him as well. "So you think he'll come back here tonight? With Zoe?"
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JD nodded slightly and then cleared his throat. "He texted me, so no I didn't actually speak to him." JD finished his scotch and then smirked a little, he knew how much Daniel hated Zoe's mother and honestly he enjoyed that. "She was, but Zoe gets bored of her mother easily so knowing Jay was in town is all she needed to hear." JD smiled a bit and nodded. "Yes he is a lot like you." He leaned back and shrugged. "I have no idea, I doubt it unless she annoys him enough that he would do it just to get her to stop."
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"Right," Daniel replied, his lips slightly pursed and his jaw tight. Clearly he was not amused by his technicality. "Ah, well, can't say I blame her." Daniel smirked a bit as he reached forward to grab his glass and have a sip. "He doesn't see that. But then again, he doesn't really know me." Not really. There were very few that did. In fact, he would not be remiss to say that JD was the only one that really did. He had seen Daniel's dark side, his rebellious side, the side that let him know that Danny was only playing the High Court's game but not really buying into it. "Hm. I was kind of hoping that he might. That way, you could just tell him that he's going to be staying with you for a while." Of course he was planning to pawn that duty off on JD if at all possible.
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JD just smiled at Daniel's annoyance and then nodded. "She loves the boy, what can I say." JD shrugged and then frowned slightly. "No well not many people do know you Danny." He said as he chewed his bottom lip for a moment as he remembered what Danny was like when they were Jay's age. But then Danny dropped his little bomb. "Fuck Daniel, really? You want me to tell him so you don't have to." He said as he narrowed his eyes slightly.
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"I was referring to being bored with her mother, but that works too." Daniel smirked a little. His jealous side was showing. He caught that frown and that caused him to frown a bit too. He knew that JD didn't really care for this version of him, the one he was because of the High Court, because of his ambitions. If it were up to JD, Danny would tell them all to go fuck themselves and move in here and live in gay bliss with him. But that wasn't likely to happen any time soon. He'd worked far too hard to be accepted and... It mattered to him that he was. He knew that JD didn't really understand that, but he didn't have to. It was Daniel's choice. "No. Of course not. I just thought... Well you'd be able to present it so much better than I would." True, but still an excuse. "If I were to tell him, I'd basically just be saying I didn't want to deal with him anymore so I was pawning him off on you. But if you tell him, you can position it as... Well, as you've heard that he's struggling and you want to help and would LIKE for him to stay here with you for a while." He smiled almost innocently.
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Yes JD wanted Daniel to be done with the High court and just be with him, but he knew how ambitious Daniel was and honestly JD respected him so he never really said anything about it because he knew there was no reason to, because Daniel would never leave until he was ready.
"You would just rather I did it so you don't have to." JD said flatly before getting up to pour himself more scotch. "Would he take it better from me, most likely." JD said as he sipped his scotch and brought the bottle over to fill Daniel's glass.
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Daniel's innocent little smile faltered a bit when JD called him out on his shit. "You're right," he replied simply. "I don't want to do it. I don't know if I even can. I just... I know how he would take it coming from me, and the look on his face...." As much as Jason thought that his father didn't love him, he did. Very much so. He just wasn't exactly good at showing it. Perhaps because he hadn't grown up with an example of that himself. Or perhaps he just wasn't equipped in that way. Some people weren't. Truth be told he probably never should have had a child to begin with. He could play the role of the doting uncle who spoiled one silly well enough, but when it came to the hard stuff, he wasn't so good at that.
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"Fine Danny, I will talk to him, only to save you from having a son who loathes you." JD sat back down, tapping his ring against the side of his glass, a very classic irritated or thinking JD move. "He's going to throw a hissy fit when I tell him...I'm not really sure how to handle his bratiness at what is about to happen but I'm sure I will figure it out." He said with a slight frown.
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Daniel pushed himself up to his feet and walked around the table. Placing his hands on JD's shoulders he leaned in to press a kiss to his temple and said, "Thank you," before beginning to rub his shoulders for him a bit. The man was tense. And Daniel couldn't deny his accountability in all of that. He knew he was at least partly to blame, what with his behavior earlier in the day and springing this on him now. "I promise I'll make it up to you someday." He was always saying that, but he meant it. At least in theory. Whether or not it would ever actually happen was to be seen.
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JD's body tensed again when Daniel kissed his temple. He was mad at himself for giving in again, and he wanted to hate Danny but he never could. "And someday I will make sure you pay up." JD said as he turned his head and kissed Daniel's jaw before getting up and heading down the hall. "I suppose I need to get the spare room in order if he's going to be staying here, although I'm sure it's clean, the mundanes do a good job of it." JD just needed some physical space from Daniel, he had pushed JD to his limit for the next few days.
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Daniel hadn't meant to make him even more tense. He frowned. He was always doing the wrong things, apparently. He never meant for them to be wrong, they just always were, or so it seemed. And when JD stood up and walked away from him, he knew that was his cue. The other man had had enough of him. He could either leave or... Well, there wasn't really another viable option. "I guess I'll leave you to it," he called after him. "Unless," he added, but there was nothing that followed. He couldn't keep himself from frowning as he moved around the table to clean up the mess from dinner. It was the least he could do before he went.
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"Unless what Danny? Is there something else you'd like to do?" JD asked as he turned around, pulling his tie off and unbuttoning his shirt, JD often used his nakedness as a challenge towards Daniel. Only once when they were really drunk did it actually do anything, but it was still something he did. "You're going to help? Make sure the room is okay, he has everything he needs? I don't know, not take advantage of the fact I love you and I'm wrapped around your finger as you continue to ignore the fact that it kills me." JD said before running a hand over his face and grunting. "I'm sorry, I am tired and stressed." He said roughly. "And maybe I had a few too many scotches too quickly."
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Oh God! Here they went again. Daniel groaned as he moved a hand up to rub over his face then back through his hair. "What do you want me to say, JD? Would you like for me to lie to you? " He shifted to place both hands on his hips as he said, "No, JD, there's nothing else." That was the lie, and they both knew it. "You always want to behave like this is so fucking easy for me," he began as he started gathering up the dinner plates and, rather determinately, raking the leftover food into the trash. "Always the victim, always the martyr, whereas I am of course the villain of the piece, taking advantage of your affection for me and using it to my benefit. Well you know what," he sat the empty plates rather loudly in the sink. "Maybe I do. Maybe that's ALL I can do. Because not all of us have the leisure of being able to just... be whoever the hell we want, do whatever the hell we want, and still matter, still be respected. Some of us have to... NOT do that." He walked over to grab his jacket from the chair where he had hung it earlier before sitting down to dinner. "So I'm sorry that you're tired and you're stressed out, but you're not the only one, JD. This isn't.. as one-sided as you try to make it out to be so I would appreciate it very much if you would stop behaving as though it is when we both know that you know better."
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This fight was constant between them, JD would reach the end of his rope, blow up and then take all of the anger Daniel threw his way because he felt he should have kept his mouth shut...and often he bought Daniel beautiful things to further express how bad he felt about saying things to him. But tonight Daniel had asked something rather huge of him and JD didn't feel horrible for what he said. "I don't think you're a villian, but today was too much for me to handle gracefully." He said simply. The picture, the talk it had gotten JD riled up and then the dinner and basically handing his son over to JD to discipline, he had reached his limit. "Our entire lives, I don't honestly push you, and I've respected your ambitions, because I love you. This is what you want and you've done everything you can to get it, I won't destroy that for you." JD was just tired of being alone, he wanted some comfort when he came home, instead of coming home to nothing but his scotch.
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Daniel stilled for a moment, holding his jacket in his hand but not yet moving to put it on. His gaze was on the floor, or somewhere near it rather, though he wasn't really seeing anything in that moment. He was too much inside of his own head. "I would let you if I thought I could be okay with it," he said after a moment, his voice uncharacteristically quiet. "But I don't think I would be and..." He looked up at JD, very much unguarded in that moment. "I wouldn't want to end up resenting you. I would never want that." And that, above all else, was his biggest fear when it came to.... all of this. Swallowing hard, he finally moved to put his jacket on and, with it, his usual guarded facade. "You need to move on," he announced, as if it were that simple. "And I need to let you." Yes, he was aware that that was the biggest issue. He just wasn't sure that he could.
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JD wanted nothing more than to walk over to Daniel and wrap his arms around him, of course he couldn't because strangely in this type of conversation between them that would be bad. "I...couldn't live with you resenting me." He said softly, his lip caught between his teeth. Somewhere deep inside JD knew that all his dreams, everything he wished would happen for them, never would. "I don't think I know how to move on, and you don't know how to let me." He said roughly, not sure what to say.
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"Neither could I." And that was the long and short of it. Maybe one day things would change, but until then... JD deserved better than this. As did Daniel. He knew what it was like to come home to an empty bed, to no one, to nothing. He didn't want to be alone anymore either. "Well, I'm... supposed to be heading out to Madrid in a few days. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone yet but..." Maybe the time and space would do them good? Of course Tokyo hadn't changed anything. Everything was the same as it had been when he'd left if not worse. He moved a hand up to scrub at his face before he offered, "If you don't want Jay to stay here," Because having his son around would likely be a constant reminder of him. "I'll figure something else out." There wasn't anyone else, really, that he trusted, but he couldn't put that on JD if it was going to be unbearable for him. "Maybe sleep on it and let me know?"
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"It will be good for us to have some space right now...I mean I will miss you, I always do but...you know." For being the amazing linguist as a lawyer that JD was, he sucked terribly when it came to emotional discussions. "No Danny, I will take care of Jay, of course I will. You would do your best for Zoe if I needed you to." The fact was that would probably never happen and they both knew it but, JD knew Daniel would do it if he had to. "Just, talk to me tomorrow anyways okay?" They might need physical space, but JD didn't like not talking to Danny for more than 24 hours.
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Daniel nodded his head in agreement. As for taking care of Zoe if the need ever arose, "I would." He wouldn't be the best at it, he was certain of that, but he would try if that were to ever happen, not that it ever would. Not unless JD died or was grievously injured, neither of which Daniel wanted to think too much about. "Okay," he said, smiling a little. Danny inhaled a deep breath then and frowned thoughtfully for a moment before he crossed over to where JD stood and gave him a hug. "I love you, dickhead," he muttered against his hair, giving him a tight squeeze before pulling away. Best to keep it short right now, though he couldn't have just left without doing it. "I'll give you a call tomorrow," he stated as he took a few steps backward and towards the door. "Let me know after you've spoken to Jay and I'll have his things sent over."
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"I know." He said with a slight grin. "Although be careful, she might try to get you to take her with you now." Zoe adored her uncle Daniel almost as much as she adored Jay, and that was definitely a lot.
JD blinked for a second when Daniel hugged him, but he hugged back, chuckling when he called him a dickhead. "I love you too asshole." He murmured, letting him go once he started to pull away. "Alright, I will. Fair warning, he might be locked in his room afterwards but he will be fine."
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"Well every girl should see Spain at least once." Zoe would love it, actually. And she would likely be a far more behaved travel companion than his son was though he wasn't so certain how the Coven or Court would feel about a witch accompanying him on Court business.
"I know," Daniel said with a smile. "I trust you. With my life, remember?" Always had and always would. So yes, he knew that Jay would be fine. He had no reason to question JD's methods and it was doubtful that he ever would. "Go get some sleep," he instructed. JD looked like he could use some. And there was nothing he could do right now that he couldn't just handle tomorrow. He turned then and headed out the door. He should probably get some sleep as well, but he wouldn't. Already he'd made up his mind to go out. He didn't want to go to bed alone tonight.