Breakable Heaven

Part Five

You woke up in better spirits the next morning, Danny felt. When he walked by the bathroom after getting dressed, he had to pause, you were humming the chorus to Heat Above, and he peeked into the room. You were standing in front of the mirror, finishing up your second French braid, one already done on your left side. Your fingers twisted and weaved the strands of hair effortlessly as you hummed, as if muscle memory from years of practice.

Danny suddenly wanted to ask you where you learned, had you been a little girl at sleep away camp? A cheerleader who learned on the bus on the way to an away game? Or was it time spent with your mother who told you stories as she braided, as you sat in front of her cross-legged on the floor. He wanted to know everything you would tell him about yourself, craved it, nearly. Danny didn't realize he'd been caught staring until he realized you'd stopped humming.

"Sorry," he blushed slightly, feeling like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He met your eyes in the mirror with an apologetic smile.

"I'm the one who should be sorry," you replied, twisting your hair tie around the end of the braid, securing it tightly. Turning you blinked up at him. "I drooled on your pillow last night."

Danny laughed. After coming to bed, he slid in on your side, realizing his was completely taken as you snuggled into his pillow. The smell of your lavender shampoo and conditioner had surrounded him and lulled him into a more restful sleep, thanks to his conversation with Sam. When he had woken, it was to a small, yet pleasant surprise. You had rolled again in your sleep this time coming back to your side, and you had snuggled close to Danny. He had woken up to your legs tangled with his. Your toes had been cold, like you had them out of the blanket at some point in the early morning.

He took care to make sure they were warmed before he untangled himself from you, feeling more certain that Sam was right with his hypothesis. He shook himself from his thoughts as you spoke again.

"Actually I wanted to say sorry for how I acted last night." You sighed, rubbing your arm anxiously. "I wasn't upset with you or anything. I guess...I guess I just feel like we've gotten close in the past few days, and when I mixed up Jake and Josh, and you said it's okay as long as it's not to their faces..." Danny watched as you bit your lip, avoiding eye contact as your cheeks heated up. "It just reminded me that I'll never meet them. After this week, there's no reason for us to be together."

"Oh honey," Danny sighed. There was a small pang of sadness that friendship was the only thing on your mind, but he decided that friendship was better than nothing at all. "We can still hang out after this is over. I would love that." he watched your eyes light up.

"Really?" a small, hopeful smile graced your face.

"Yeah, really." Danny chuckled. "You're not like any other I've worked with. Now come on, we gotta finish packing for our camp out."

There was a small tingling in your chest when Danny told you that you weren't like any other he'd worked with. You'd come to terms earlier that morning that part of the reason you would miss Danny was that you had started to develop a small crush on the young man. Talking yourself through it in your head, you convinced yourself it was just because of the act the two of you were putting on. Danny was a brilliant actor, and it was like being back in the high school theater club.

Once this weekend was over, you'd lose the crush on Danny and it would be a beautiful friendship. Once you were back in your own bed in your own apartment, you would realize it was just a silly little moment, nothing more than a passing fancy.

By the time the two of you made it down to the lobby, two vans were waiting, overnight bags being tossed into the back of each. Danny had slung yours over his shoulder and went to load it up when Olivia came around, laying a hand on your shoulder.