Sorry for the wait, and if you have to blame something then blame it on Victuuri (love everyone who knows what this is)
**IMPORTANT** Imagine Mrs. Sprites house as a yellow one-story classic house with a porch and white railings. There is also a more run-down fence surrounding the backyard.
Third person (following Danny):
Danny can't believe he agreed to Mrs. Sprites conditions. He can't just go out and pretend he know how to be social. It'll just kill the confidence he did have. This is a terrible idea. Why would the young man even listen to her? His mind answered, 'she's the only constant friend you have.' Danny stopped complaining in his head after that thought. He can't let her get disappointed in him because he isn't social enough, and besides it could be good.
A picture of him and Vlad talking and laughing popped into his head. Danny was taken off guard and stopped right in the middle of the sidewalk, making the gentleman behind him run into the previously moving man. Danny mumbled an apology, still stuck in his past though.
Sure Danny had been thinking about the man since he ran into him, but to think of them talking like old friends. It was curious to imagine a man you barely know into a situation where you spent a lot of time together. Danny finally shook his head and continued walking to Mrs. Sprites house.
It takes Danny one bus ride and to walk three blocks to get to Mrs. Sprites house, but he thinks it is a small price to pay to see the old woman. Except on this occasion, he knew he would be chewed out by her after planting the flowers he promised. Danny could already feel the uncomfortable conversation he was going to get.
Sooner than he would have liked, Danny reached the front door of Mrs. Sprites and his traitorous hand was knocking on the door. It took a few seconds before the door opened revealing a Mrs. Sprites smiling with a wide smile.
"You going to just stand there or come in?" Mrs. Sprites says with a cheeky smile and wrinkles forming around her eyes.
"Course not, just delaying the inevitable is all."
"Oh hush now. We'll get to that later. For now, you need to start with the first housework and that's-"
Danny cuts her off, "Do you want lemon cake or lemon cookies today?"
"I think cookies would be great. The oven is already heated and I have enough of the ingredients in the pantry" Mrs. Sprites informs her unofficial helper of the day. Danny got started with making the old woman a treat they could eat after he did all the housework she needed today, seeing she herself couldn't complete it in her old age.
Danny started on the cookies preparing the dough and then the frosting that goes on top. Mrs. Sprites and Danny talked about trivial things like the weather as he worked. He cut them into flower shapes just the way his friend likes them. Then quickly placed them in the oven and set a timer to let her know when she should take them out.
Danny asked before leaving the kitchen, "Where are the flowers you want to be planted for the front and back yards?"
"In the garage as always, you should know this by now, and I would prefer the pink ones to go in the front and the yellow ones to go in the back by the gate." Mrs. Sprites answered.
Danny nodded his understanding and when outside to get to work. The dark haired man enjoyed planting flowers, he just disliked the digging-a-hole-first portion of it. He'd much rather plant the flowers than dig a hole for them. Danny started in the backyard because he wanted to stay in the shade the house provided and try not to think of the ache he would have after he completed his work. The young man made quick work and soon he was heading to the front to plant the pink flowers he had no idea what the name was.
Danny seemed oblivious to the stares he was getting across the street, most female but a few men had been eyeing the goods of the short man who was bending over to dig a hole. The old woman in the house of which the short man was working was not oblivious and muttered, "Clueless," as she shook her head.
Mrs. Sprites knows Danny has some things he has to work out, but he needs to move on if he wants to have a better life that he deserves. She just doesn't want to see him so sad all the time, spending long hours at a bakery instead of making friends. It's okay though, she had a plan to get him to go out more.
After a particularly large man on the sidewalk across the street looked too intently at Danny, Mrs. Sprites decided it was time to wheel him in after tempting the neighborhood so much. She called through the front window, "I think what you have there should be fine; come on in now."
" I'll be right in, just let me put the shovel and extra soil away," Danny replied.
"Okay just hurry up the cookies have been done for five minutes and I'm hungry."
The young man walked away smiling think of the woman who was always in the mood for some pastry item. Still oblivious to the stares on his back as he retreated into the backyard.
Putting the stuff away than making his way to the back door was a fast trip and was in the house frosting the lemon flavored flower cookies in under a few minutes.
Danny then got two plates set up with three cookies each and headed to the table where Mrs. Sprites sat with two teacups filled with green hot tea. He smiled as he set the plate in front of her then sitting down on the opposite chair.
Getting down to business, Mrs. Sprites started, "So I was thinking you should go to a club this weekend." Danny's cookie hanging partly out of his mouth at the announcement of the older woman.
"Are you really going to make me do that?"
"Yes, it's what we agreed to."
"I know, but I thought you were just saying that for show."
She shook her head, "Do you really think I'm the kind of person to do things just for show? Come on you should know me better after all the time you spend here instead of making friends."
"I guess, but can you blame a guy for trying?" Danny muttered in a lower tone just having his dreams crushed.
"As I was saying, I looked into a club on the east side not too far from the shop. It's less eccentric than the others around here and more open to anyone." Mrs. Sprites explained.
The dark-haired man sat there with his mouth open not only at the amount of research his friend put into him going out but that she was suggesting a gay club for him. Taking a sip of his tea because he really needed a minute to process that Mrs. Sprites was attempting to get him more opportunities for a boyfriend. At that thought, a certain grey-haired man popped into his head. Not now(maybe later), and what is she thinking were the two thoughts that went through his head at that moment before he responded. "Are you saying I should go to a club to get a... um... boyfriend?"
Nodding her head, "That is precisely what I'm saying. You need someone in your life who you can count on."
"I have someone: you. You've never let me down before, why should now be different?" He retorted quickly.
"I not-"
"You said I can always count on you no matter what even if my situation may be over your head you said you would find a way to help," Danny interrupted.
"Liste-"
"I don't want to feel like a burden to you, but you're one of the closest friends I have ever had and I don't think I can really be happy without you."
"Enough!" Mrs. Sprites nearly screamed. "Listen right now to what I'm about to tell you." Danny opened his mouth, "And no interrupting this time," his mouth closed at her demand. "First I want to say that you are an absolute joy to me and will never be a burden. Next, I need you to understand that I'm not pushing you away for any other reason than for you to be happy and to help prepare you for when I die."
"But you're not going to die anytime soon," the young man argued.
"You can never be too careful, and I'm getting up there in age boy so don't be too optimistic. No more interrupting now I mean it." She touched her finger to her chin in thought, "Now where was I? Oh... I'm also not saying you should get a boyfriend. What I want is for you to make friends who will accept you for you, and you can never be too careful now of days." She explained simply as if talking to a child.
Danny responded curiously, "I think I can understand your reasoning for wanting me to put myself out there at a club, but I don't have anyone to go with and it would be awkward and a little unsafe to go alone."
"There's where I come in," the old woman said, "I already talked to Mateo last week to see if his son would be willing to come with you."
For the second time in the conversation, Danny's mouth was hanging open. "You basically found me a babysitter to go clubbing!"
"Oh hush. He's not a babysitter as you say. He's just a young man, like yourself, who shares the same troubles as you. He also doesn't have too many friends that would be willing to go clubbing with him so I thought this would be a nice match." She said rapidly to get her point across to avoid another outburst.
"Is he even aware of this?" Danny asked.
"Yes he is and he already agreed so no more fighting about it."
"I don't even know this guy. He could be an ax-wielding murderer for all we know. He could take me to a spooky warehouse and chop me up to little bits and feed them to dogs while you sit home comfortably while I'm made into doggy kibble." Danny said half joking and half concerned.
"I bet you'd taste delicious if that's what you're worried about." She teased with a smirk on her face.
"I still don't know this guy," he said as a last resort to get out of going to the club.
"His name is Gervaso, but Mateo told me he likes to be called Wulf." Mrs. Sprites concluded.
Coming to terms that he would be going out on the weekend, to a gay club, and with a guy who goes by the name of Wulf. This new information was started sinking in as their conversation lulled to safer topics as they finished their tea and cookies, and then later went out to a small family restaurant to get lunch.
Question:
Do we like Wulf added to the story?
Which perspective do you want next?
Is there any other characters who you would like to see?
(Once again I am truly sorry for the wait)