Daniel (danhoffman) wrote in neogenesisrpg, @ 2009-01-06 20:07:00 |
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Entry tags: | dan hoffman, jason song |
Who: Dan Hoffman, Jason Song
What: Food deliveries and chance encounters.
When: Monday, January 5
Rating: PG
Status: Complete.
It was too damn early but Daniel hadn't been able to sleep all night. Part of it was to do with the deep mug of coffee he'd nursed down to the wee hours of morning as he waited for the latest results and part of it was the nagging voice at the back of his head that wouldn't leave him alone. Several times he had flipped open his cell and contemplated calling Jason to apologize. But the longer he waited, the later it got and he figured the other man would be working. Or, failing that, sleeping.
For his part, Dan didn't manage to do as much himself until sometime around four. He was back on his feet, so to speak, at seven and boiling the coffee until he realized what he was doing. He drained the bitter, undrinkable liquid down in the sink and gave up on the idea. He was running on too much caffeine anyway. Instead, he rolled into the living room, setting the tv to some mindless morning show. Something that didn't require brains. Mondays were Jerry days and he glanced at the electronic clock to see how long he had before torture began again.
Hearing the intercom ring all but made him want to jump out the window.
After working from nine in the evening to six in the morning, the last thing Jason expected or wanted to hear was that Tom the morning delivery guy was out sick. That meant that Jason, one of the few in the grocery store that early in the morning, would have to take up the slack.
It was around 7:30 by the time he had loaded all of the ordered items into the refrigerated truck. Most of the deliveries were easy, drop off the boxes or bags with the people at the door, collect the money, and have them sign the invoices. He even managed a handful of tips.
The last order on his list was a bit different. It came with a list of special directions. Not only did he have to go into the apartment building, but he had to go directly to the apartment, then place the perishables in the refrigerator before he could accept payment. First he had to get in. He yawned as he spoke into the intercom speaker: "Food for less...delivery for D. Hoffman?"
Dan allowed himself a sigh of relief. Not the torturer, not yet. Jamming his finger onto the button, he noted the different voice but saw no reason to worry. Before Tom, it had been Mike and before Mike it had been Jake and before Jake another Tom. In the six years he'd been ordering his groceries from the same place, he had learned to know most of them by name. He figured this would just be Tom 3.0.
"Yeah, come on up. Twentieth floor, second door on the right." He pressed the open button for the front door, rolling back a few inches to see the screen around the corner.
New protests in New York had ended in bloodshed. New accusations were being made. By the government, by the people, by pretty much everyone.
Groceries in hand, Jason leaned against the wall in the elevator and spent the ride up with his eyes closed. It was all too soon that he heard the ding to herald the arrival to the twentieth floor, and he had to continue on working instead of taking the nap he sorely wanted.
He stopped at the second door on the right and pressed the doorbell with his elbow.
Captivated by the broadcast, it took Dan a moment to tear himself from the TV to answer the door. Unlike other conspiracy nuts - some of which he considered his friends - he didn't check to see who it was. Didn't feel the need to. Instead, he just pulled open the latch and twisted the doorknob.
"Hi," he smiled, manner not entirely affable given the hour. "Kitchen's through there."
"Morning," Jason's polite smile probably couldn't be seen behind the items in the box that were stacked all the way to his eye level. He shuffled the box that was growing heavier the longer he held on to it, and looked around the stack of food items to confirm where the kitchen was.
"The instructions said to put the cold stuff in the fridge, frozen stuff in the freezer, do you want me to go ahead and put away the rest?"
Dan rolled out of the way to make room for him, nodding before realizing the kid couldn't see it around the stack of boxes. "Please do," he told him.
"What happened to Tom? Did he get fired?" If his life were a movie, this was the part where the new delivery boy pulled out a gun with a silencer and pressed the trigger. In real life, the government didn't expend such resources on a loud mouthed netizen.
Jason yawned and waited until the man in the wheelchair was clear before he made his way to the kitchen. "He's out sick, stomach flu," Jason yawned again, "he'll be back next week."
He eased the box onto the counter top. It was a wide and impressive looking kitchen, and from the looks of it well-stocked already. "Any way you like to have things placed? Or just put everything wherever?"
"Wherever you find room," Dan called to him from the living room, loathe to miss even a moment of the very edited and very biased coverage of events in NYC. "Not like I'll need to find them anyway."
As faithful as grocery shopping once a week was, so was throwing out items past their expiration date. It was a sport. An exercise in futility.
"Right," Jason called back as he unpacked and loaded the food. From the looks of the items he put away, the guy really must like to eat healthy. Whole-grain this, lean cuts of that, and nothing generic or low-quality.
Out of habit, he began to organize it all. Making sure that the layout of everything was neat and made sense. It took possibly fifteen minutes longer than what it should take, but even half-awake he would to a through job. He shut the pantry door when he finished and called over. "I'm done, do you need anything while I'm in here?"
Absorbed in what Annie C was saying about public protests being acts of home-grown terrorism, Dan almost forgot to answer. "Uh, no. Thanks."
He spared a thought for his blog, for what he would add to it later, and shifted back to sign the invoice and lead the man out. "Tell Tom I said hey if you see him around."
Jason pulled the folded invoice out of his jean pocket and fished in his jacket for a pen. "Yeah, I'll let him know you said hi," he handed over the invoice and pen with another wide yawn.
"Sorry, I've been awake for the past eighteen hours."
"It's okay, I know how you feel," Dan offered with a smile, leaning the invoice on his knee to sign. He didn't think anything of it, the operation almost mechanical he had been doing it so long and his mind elsewhere. He added the tip like he always did, signed his name over the same dotted line and handed back both paper and pen.
"Thanks. And I hope this is your last run so you can get some sleep, uh..." He left room for the other man to fill in his name, for the first time getting a good look at his face and feeling a pinprick of concern.
"Jason," Jason filled in with a slight smile, he brushed his bangs away from his eyes and held his hand out for the man to pass back the invoice. "This is my last stop, after this I can try and catch a nap before..." As typical for him meeting new people, his gaze had been set to the floorboards through most of the conversation, but he chanced to make eye-contact and suddenly fell silent.
Once he got a good look at the face of the man in the chair, everything else his half-awake mind chose to ignore fell into place.
Dan felt his throat tighten uncomfortably. Part of him - the gullible, cowardly part - bid him hand back the invoice and pretend nothing was wrong. Fake it, as it were. But the rest of him was too busy trying to get over the reality of having a man he'd met online - a man he'd heard on the phone only yesterday - in his home, to comply. What were the odds.
"Jason," he repeated. "Nice to meet you." Finally. In real life. Face to face.
"Daniel, nice to meet you," Jason's smile tightened and his eyes narrowed slightly, "you didn't call."
His day couldn't get any better, first getting blindsided at work and now being blindsided by this. Standing face-to-face with the one person he was felt wanted nothing to do with him.
It was like something out of Deathtrap and Daniel found himself wondering if there was a gun around. Just in case they needed to start shooting each other.
"After our last conversation, I wasn't sure it'd be welcome," he shot back, mirroring the smile.
"I wonder why," Jason muttered sarcastically, his smile fading. "I had a feeling you wouldn't, but I waited by the phone anyway. Pretty stupid, huh?"
Jason sighed and shook his head at the admission. "Can I have the invoice back?"
Dan held it out, a ball of guilt in his stomach. "I'm sorry." And he was. He'd forgotten Jason didn't have a cell. Didn't realize what promising to call would entail. And he felt sorry too for the things he'd said when they did talk.
He couldn't get it right.
It was hard to feel angry after an apology, even more when he could see the look on the other man's face. He could sense that Daniel was apologizing for more than neglecting to call. "I...I'll get over it. I just wanted to hear from you."
He could've read his blog, Daniel almost threw back even as he knew it was a falsehood. His blog wasn't about him or his life and that was precisely how he liked it. No one besides his therapist wanted to hear about his life - and even there, he had his doubts.
"How... how've you been?" he found himself asking, broadcast and blogpost forgotten.
"Tired," Jason answered quietly, taking the opening to loiter even though his obligation to stay had long passed.
"I practiced, or tried to, I think I'm going to choke my audition. Even though the lottery supposed to be called, all I could really think about was some guy I met on the internet."
"Ah," Dan sighed at that, unsure what the proper response would be. What did the manual say about flirting with college students?
"Want to... sit down... or something? You look like you're about to pass out." And while it sounded like an invitation, he couldn't imagine Jason had anything to fear from the guy in the wheelchair.
"Sure, after this," Jason held up the invoice, "I'm officially off the clock. They'd probably appreciate me taking a break before driving back and fall asleep behind the wheel."
Jason decided the living room where Daniel had been watching TV was the best bet, and sat down on the couch.
"I can see how that could end unhappily for both you and the car," Daniel nodded, following him into the living room and turning down the sound on the TV. They could do without hearing the weather report.
"I thought you worked nights," he noted, trying to make conversation and thinking an apt response would have been 'I thought you could walk'.
"Technically, I work overnights," Jason laughed sheepishly, "my shift starts at night but ends in the morning. There are still a lot of things that we still needed to learn about each other, huh?"
Dan cracked a smile at that, the understatement of the century. "No kidding... of course we've only talked once before this." Before fate decided to throw them this nice little curve-ball.
"I was hoping we'd talk again," Jason returned Daniel's smile, "I'm glad that I got to see you in person. Even if you...probably didn't want to."
"No, that's not true." Dan's lips froze in a tight smile. "Why would you think that?" he queried, wondering if he looked as tense as he felt. Wondering if he really was that transparent.
"You said you weren't interested in a college kid, and then you didn't call me," Jason looked down at the floor, "I just assumed."
"Jason..." But it was the truth and he did say that, he did do that, except he didn't mean to. He was beginning to see the wisdom in Pinocchio and wondered if his own nose would grow as a result of all the lies he spewed. "I'm amazed that it happened, but I'm not sorry to see you." Maybe a little sorry you got to see me, but that's another problem. "What were the odds, huh?"
"Two million to one, easy," Jason laughed. "Crazy how that worked out, if I wasn't a scientist, I'd take that as another sign. I mean, I'm here at your place. I'm glad I didn't tell my supervisor to shove it."
"Note for future reference, I guess," Dan answered with a grin. "Always take on the shitty jobs. You get to meet internet cripples." Okay, so that didn't come out exactly as planned. But it caught the gist of it and for the first time, Daniel was almost honest. Maybe it was an improvement. Maybe not.
"I didn't know you were in a wheelchair," Jason pointed out, and leveled his gaze at Daniel, "you know, I'd still be interested in you if you told me."
Because paralysis was just that sexy, Daniel thought to himself, not entirely kindly. "Why?" he asked instead, crushing his better judgment under the wheels.
"Because I like you?" Jason's eyebrows disappeared beneath his bangs, it didn't dawn on him that even an older and successful person like Daniel would fear being rejected by someone like him. "I thought that was obvious."
Dan decided to point out the obvious. "You don't know anything about me." Not anything beyond the words he typed and the opinions he defended. "I could be a convicted killer. A psychopath." A smirk. "Heck, I could be a fan of N'Sync."
"Well? Are you? I don't think you are. If I'm wrong I'm telling everyone in chat that you love N'Sync." Jason countered, and playfully clapped his hand against Daniel's shoulder. "Really, I thought the whole point was to get to know each other."
"You can tell them, but they won't believe you," Dan shot back, hoping that was the case. Hoping Jason wouldn't try to prove him wrong. Against the warmth of the other man's hand - a different touch from that of his trainer or his physiotherapist - he relaxed a little. "Not a fan of N'Sync. Possibly psychopathic. Haven't been convicted of anything yet. Does that help?"
"That does help, now that I know your last name I can do a background check if I really got too paranoid," Jason teased, keeping his hand where it was simply because he liked it there. "Just to be fair, my legal name is Seung-Jae Song. The only thing you'd find on me is an unpaid parking ticket."
"Why unpaid?" Dan smiled, playing the game because he wanted to, not because he had to. "And you really need to up your crime quotient. You don't sound like a college kid. No drunk and disorderly behavior? No car accidents?" A shake of the head that was two thirds a mockery.
"I wasn't the one who parked the car!" Jason argued indignantly, "And I'm almost done with college, thank you very much, I only have three semesters to go. My college life was very boring. How about yours?"
"Boring," Dan concurred. "And short. What are you planning to do after? Join the government ranks? They're always in need of scientists... and I'm always in need of an inside source." It was a joke. For the most part.
"I'm planning on getting a job as a weatherman, someone has to prepare those boring weather reports. I don't want to work for the government, ever." Jason answered honestly, laughing, "I doubt they'd need anyone who studies clouds all day."
"Depends on what those clouds do," Dan mused, lifting Jason's hand from his shoulder but not entirely letting go. It took a lot of courage he didn't have to do even that much. "If they're going to impede a military stirke, you're suddenly Mr President's new best friend. Not that I'm saying you should ever work for the government. But just... hypothetically speaking."
"You have a point, but I'm sure there are better people for that job," Jason grasped Daniel's hand and squeezed it absently, the gesture second nature to him. "I'd leave the military advice to military types. Maybe I'll give out advice to outdoor amphitheaters, I'd love to do that."
He was holding hands with an almost stranger, Dan noted distantly. It didn't feel real. "Forecast on which days they should up their prices?" he suggested, head tilted to the side as he considered the idea. "You know, there could be a niche business in there somewhere."
"Probably, I could make a small fortune if I sold it right," Jason laughed and released Daniel's hand when he realized that he hadn't let go. "If it doesn't work out, I can always fall back on the violin, I'd get somewhere piggybacking on my sister's name."
"Is she the more musical twin?" Daniel asked, feeling the absence but filing it away like it didn't mean anything. And it didn't. Just like talking to Jason didn't mean anything beyond the obvious. If he stopped overthinking for five minutes the world wouldn't implode. "If all else fails, you can bank on being related to a prodigy. Even geniuses need someone to cash their checks."
"She's the one with the talent, instead of college she went straight into professional work, she's been a soloist for the LA symphonic orchestra, she's worked all over," Jason's voice was filled with pride more than jealousy, merely talking about his twin would bring a smile to his face. "I could do nothing else but practice everyday and I still wouldn't be half as good as her. I could try to make a living as her manager, but I'd have to get over the fact that she never listens to me."
Jason pulled his legs up on the couch and curled up against the armrest closest to the other man, pointedly making sure to keep his shoes off of the apolstery, noting as an afterthought that he was probably making himself too comfortable in the other man's space. "I'll figure something out."
"You've still got time," Dan pointed out. It wasn't like he had any pressing need to choose a career; no limited time frame either. He was a student and that gave him the opportunity to figure himself out. Maybe it was better not to have big dreams. Plans had a way of unraveling.
He caught sight of the fact that Jason was making himself at home in his apartment and didn't quite know what to do with the knowledge. Part of him insisted that he get himself together and cease playing with fire, but the rest of him ignored it. It was nice to have someone in the apartment, all the more so to know that it was someone who wanted to be there. He tried not to stare too much. It would be creepy.
"Try not to take time for granted, it has a way of running out when you least expect it," Jason said and caught the other man watching him out of the corner of his eye. And much like his sister would whenever she realized she had the attention of her crush, he ducked his head to try to hide the color that appeared on his face. "At least that is what my parents used to say."
Dan had a brief a-ha moment before covering it up with a smile. It widened a little when he saw Jason duck his head, the gesture oddly endearing. "In other words, carpe diem," he supplied. It was a good philosophy, but not one he followed. After a pause, he added: "You know, if you want to lie down for a bit, that's okay. I can turn off the TV and I've got stuff to do so..."
"You really don't mind?" Jason craned his neck to catch the other man's expression, as much as he wanted to stay where he was and sleep, he didn't want to be an inconvenience. "I mean, it'd be rude to fall asleep on you when I could be visiting, but then again if I'm sleep then you could go back to work. I could just grab an expresso at the Starbucks down the street, but I really don't want to go."
Dan shook his head. He wasn't entirely sure when this had gone from a chance meeting to a visit, but that was what it had become and he wasn't smart enough to end it. "It's probably safer if you stay. Less chance of driving off a cliff by accident." He smiled, reaching for the remote. "I don't mind."
"Okay, just don't prove me wrong and kill me in my sleep," Jason teased and stifled a yawn. "I just need an hour and I'll be fine. You can keep the TV on if you want, I'm a heavy sleeper."
"Guess that's a risk you'll just have to take," Daniel retorted with a grin. "I'll get you a blanket." He left the TV on mute, because if it didn't bother Jason, it wouldn't bother him either, and moved into the bedroom to see if he could remember where he kept the bed linens.
"A risk I'm willing to take," Jason smiled as he worked on pulling off his shoes. He stretched out on the couch and closed his eyes. Sleep came easily, and Jason was out before the other man could return with the promised cover.
By the time Dan came back, Jason was out like a light and sleeping soundly. It was a little weird, a little scary but ultimately a little different to have someone else in house besides himself and Dan made a point to move quietly around the place so as not to disturb him. And halfway through making a fresh pot of coffee, he remembered to call his trainer and ask him to take the day off.