He Who Wants A Rose, Must Respect The Thorn

Set Up

Double update Friday!

OLIVIA'S POV

"oh hey" I smiled unexpectedly greeted by Nick, Penny's brother as I knocked on her apartment door. "hey. She's in the shower. Come in" he said, letting me into the apartment. "we're going out to the movies later" I said to him, "yeah she said, I'm only here to drop some paperwork off for her. I'm at a work dinner tonight" 

"fancy" I grinned at him, seeing him roll his eyes. "no way. It's going to be long and boring, but I've got to go, we're one of the sponsors of an upcoming charity ball and we've got to hash out all the finer details." he told me. "oh, is this the Mens Health and Mental awareness event?" I asked, "yep, the very one" he nodded, "Danny has been invited to that." I told him, "I might have to get Pen to go for me, it's Ally's sister's birthday and they've arranged a surprise party for her." Now my cogs were turning. I knew Penny couldn't hear me, but I still grabbed Nick's arm and pulled him into the kitchen area. 

"well, if you tell Penny she's gotta go, and I try and get Danny to persuade Julian to go..." I proposed, hoping Nick got my drift. He immediately grinned, "we somehow happen to get their seats next to each other" he said, rubbing his hands together. I grinned. This was gonna be perfect. "we just need to convince them both to go." Nick said, "we'll think of something" I sighed, right as Penny walked out of the bathroom. 

"what are you guys whispering about?" She narrowed her eyes as us. Me and Nick looked innocently at each other. "you're paranoid" Nick shook his head and walked towards her. "I've gotta go pick up Ally for this dinner" he huffed, he kissed her cheek and said goodbye to us. "have fun big brother" Penny teased him. He ignored her but flashed me a grin from behind her back. I held back my laugh and he disappeared behind the door.

DANNY'S POV

I was hanging out with Jules tonight while the girls were at the movies. Liv had sent me a text about some brilliant scheme to set Jules and Penny together. All she said was to get him to this ball in my place and Nick would do the rest. Like how the fuck was I gonna get him to agree to go?!

"c'mon man, you see her every minute of the day. Put your damn phone down" Jules teased me as I read her text. I laughed at him and threw my phone down beside me. "like you can fucking talk, Instagram stalking Penny" I laughed loudly. "like I do that man, you're talking crazy" he pulled a face at me, making me laugh more, "you were fucking doing it earlier!" I laughed, pointing at him. He just laughed at me and selected a new game. 

"have you actually called her yet?" I asked. "no man. I don't know how to approach things" he said, both our eyes glued to the tv screen. "just call her man." I said like it was that easy.

"sure I'll do that. Ask her out on a date... c'mon Dola" he replied. I delayed my response as I tried to pop him in the head with a revolver. His character, obviously..."well you gotta do something. I thought when you last saw her things were cool?" 

"they were. I mean, she was her, perfect and sexy and...Penny." he said, making me smirk. "but I don't know how she feels about me and all the dating shit again." he said, suddenly jumping up, getting over excited about the game as usual. "especially after being with that dickwad" he said, "has she said anything to Liv?" he asked. "not that she's told me. She might have tonight." 

"what they doing?" he asked throwing his controller down onto the beanbag in front of him in frustration. I sat back smugly, in my quiet victory of eliminating his character. "they've gone to see that 50 shades movie" I said, checking my phone again. He looked over at me, catching my attention. "better get those cuffs ready for when she gets home" he winked at me.

...............

OLIVIA'S POV

"so how did it go? Is he going?" I asked Danny as I walked into his apartment after I left Penny at the movie theatre. He looked at me sheepishly. "oh Danny" I sighed in disappointment. "I didn't ask him yet!" he replied, looking at me from over the back of the couch. I pulled my boots off and wandered over to him, dropping down beside him and laying my legs across his lap. "Did you have a good night?" he asked me, I smiled and nodded, he narrowed his eyes and I giggled, "what?" I asked him. "that smile tells me you enjoyed it a little too much" he accused me. I felt myself blush and then next thing I knew Danny leapt up off the couch, throwing me over his shoulder as I screamed out. "Babe!" 

"you can give me a run down" he said as he carried me to his bedroom. "This isn't gonna get you out of not getting Jules to go to the ball!" I laughed, swiping at his ass as I admired it from his shoulder. "fuck it, I'll just tell him she's going. That'll work" he said, slamming the door behind us.