Danny strolled into the cafe and ordered a coffee to take away; as he waited he glanced around the cafe and noticed Johnny sitting in the corner stabbing moodily at a plate of food in front of him. "On second thoughts, I'll have it here." he said to Carol who was preparing his coffee. "You've been avoiding me." Danny said dropping into the seat opposite Johnny.
Johnny looked up from the fried breakfast he was half-heartedly eating and glared at Danny. "Sure, take a seat." he said sarcastically.
Danny chuckled, reached out and stole one of Johnny's slices of toast. "So you kiss me and then you ignore me, way to confuse a guy."
Johnny blushed. "Keep your voice down." he muttered glancing around the cafe to check know one had heard; his sexuality wasn't a secret anymore - he had his Aunt Shirley to thank for that after she's blurted it out in front of the whole pub but that didn't mean he wanted everyone to know his business.
"That ashamed of it are you?" Danny asked biting into the toast. "Thanks Carol." he said as she set his coffee down in front of him before heading back to the kitchen.
"I'm not ashamed." Johnny putted setting his knife and fork down and pushing his plate away. "But it was a mistake."
"You going to finish that?" Danny asked nodding toward the plate which was still pretty full. Johnny sighed and shook his head. "Waste not want not." Danny said pulling the plate toward him and tucking in.
Johnny rolled his eyes. "You're unbelievable." he muttered.
"That good a kiss was it?" Danny said with a playful wink, causing Johnny to blush once more - God he loved making him do that. "Makes me wonder why you're not keen for a second go."
Johnny's eyes darkened and his teeth gritted together. "Are you ever going to drop it?" he hissed. "I'm not interested, get that into your head."
Danny reached across and touched the back of Johnny's hand with his finger tips, Johnny instantly snatched his hand away and held it close to his check like he'd been wounded. "I just want to help, I know you're having a hard time and I've been through it myself. I had to do it alone - I don't want you to have to do the same." he told him.
"I'm not alone, I've got my family." Johnny replied.
"I've seen you with them, you still can't be yourself even though you've come out - you won't let them know how you really feel." Danny said.
Johnny got up and zipped up his coat. "Just leave it Danny." he sighed.
Danny gazed up at him and could see Johnny was just going to resist and resist as much as he could, he just had to wait and make sure he was there when he finally crumbled - the pressure his family was putting on him was taking its toll, he could see that - the poor boy looked like he hadn't had a good night sleep in days. "Ok I'll drop it." he said. "But you know where I am if you need to talk." he said also getting up. "You might regret that kiss but it doesn't mean we can't be friends, it doesn't mean I can't help you. Think about it." he said running his hand down Johnny's arm before swiftly leaving the cafe.
Johnny watched him go, his arm prickling with excitement from Danny's touch. "Get a grip Johnny!" he told himself crossly before heading out of the cafe.
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Johnny hadn't counted on his parents actually letting him walk out of the door when he threatened to move out - Whitney had been wrong, they hadn't called his bluff and now he found himself standing outside the back entrance to the Queen Vic with one bag over his shoulder and another in his hand not knowing what to do.
Johnny headed over to the bench and sat down, staring up at the Vic and his bedroom window; the argument still echoed in his ears and his mothers words were enough to prevent him from going back. "Great." Johnny muttered feeling spots of rain his shoulder. "Bloody great."
Johnny pulled out his phone and stared at Whitney's number, his finger hovering over the dial button - she'd said he was welcome to stay at hers but he wasn't so sure she was expecting her to take her up on the offer; with four adults and five kids the house was already packed to the rafters and he knew he couldn't be a burden on them, another mouth to feed when the family were clearly struggling as it was.
Johnny leant back against the bench and stared up at the sky, not caring about the rain drops falling on him. How long would he have to sit there until his mother came out, apologised and asked that he return home? Couple of hours tops, he could wait that out couldn't he?
Suddenly the heavens opened and it started to rain harder than Johnny had ever known it too - seriously putting doubts in his mind about how long he'd be able to hold out.
"You'll catch your death out here."
Johnny sighed, of course he knew who it was without having to look - Danny - it was always Danny. "So?" he muttered.
Danny sat down on the bench beside him despite the weather. "Are you always so stubborn?" he asked. "Or do you really hate me?"
Johnny turned to look at Danny, water dripping from his fringe. "I don't hate you, I just can't deal with you right now. It's too much for me to think about."
Danny just nodded, he understood and wasn't offended - he knew Johnny was attracted to him, he'd made that obvious when they'd first met, but he also knew he was trying hard to deny it. "Come back to mine, you can have a hot shower and wait it out there - at least it's warm." he said knowing Johnny would probably sit on the bench in the rain until his mother asked him to come home.
Johnny scoffed and shook his head. "You really are something aren't you?"
Danny was offended this time. "You think I'm trying to lure you to my flat just to get you into bed?" he asked indignantly. "All I've done is try and help you and you just keep throwing it back in my face, well fine sit out here all night if that's what you want - see if I care." he said getting up and strolling off.
"Danny wait!" Johnny yelled jumping up, grabbing his bags and following him but Danny did not stop. "I'm sorry okay!" he shouted hoping Danny could hear him over the wind and rain. "This is hard for me - too hard." he said stopping and dumping his bags down, not caring that they landed in a muddy puddle. "I can't cope with this, I don't want to be like this. I want to be normal." he said, tears forming in his eyes.
Danny turned and looked at Johnny. "You are normal." he said, his anger draining away as he walked toward him. "There is nothing wrong with you." he said stroking away a tear that dripped down Johnny's cheek. "I know it's hard, but it gets easier. I promise."
Johnny sniffed back his tears. "It hurts, what she said ... it really hurt, the way she looks at me now ..." he trailed off and just shook his head. "I disgust her."
Danny wrapped his arms around Johnny and cuddled him close. "Your mum loves you no matter what, it might take some time but everything will be okay." he assured him.
Johnny wished he could believe it but he'd seen the look in his mothers eyes and he knew there and then that things would never be there way they were again, there was no going back.
Johnny held onto Danny tightly, his fingers digging into the leather of his jacket; he breathed him in deeply, he was warm and comforting and Johnny felt safe for the first time in a long time.
Danny continued to hold Johnny and was prepared to for as long as he needed, not bothered by the locals that stared at them as they dashed past and not caring that the rain had soaked him through.
"I'd really like that shower now, if the offer is still there?" Johnny asked, shivering with cold as the rain reached his skin.
"Of course." Danny said smiling as they drew apart. "Come on." he said picking up one of Johnny's bags and heading off.
Johnny grabbed his other bag and glanced briefly over his shoulder at the Vic before he dashed after him, running to catch up with Danny whilst dodging the puddles.
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"Here were are then." Danny said after he'd unlocked the door and let them both into his flat. "It's a bit on the small side, but it's home." he said a little embarrassed - after a series of bad investments he'd been left pretty broke and had only recently just started to get himself back on his feat again so the flat was pretty basic to say the least.
"It's great." Johnny said with a shy smile; now they were alone in Danny's flat he felt that same desire, that same nervous tension overcome him.
"Here get that coat off, I'll hang it up." Danny said whilst shrugging out of his own jacket.
Johnny did so and handed it to Danny; he set down his bag and found himself wandering around the flat taking in every little detail - wanting to learn as much about the mysterious older man as possible.
"I'll show you the bathroom, you can have that shower if you like?" Danny offered. Johnny simply nodded and followed Danny down a narrow hallway to the bathroom. "Here." Danny said handing him a towel. "I'll make some tea."
Johnny closed the bathroom door, stripped off and stepped under the heat of the shower. He couldn't believe where he found himself and was still slightly nervous. Was this was all a game of Danny's to get him into bed? No, he shook that thought from his head - he could trust Danny, he sensed that.
"Feel better?" Danny asked when Johnny emerged from the bathroom, his skin pink and warm.
Johnny nodded. "Thank you." he said sitting beside him on the sofa. He noticed Danny had changed out of his suit into joggers and a t-shirt and felt more relaxed, he looked so much less intimidating dressed casually and it reminded him of the first day they'd met. "You've been so kind to me." Johnny sighed. "And I've been such a pig to you, I'm sorry."
Danny ran his hand over Johnny's thigh."Don't worry about it, I understand remember?" he smiled reassuringly. "You don't have to explain a thing."
Johnny leant forward and pressed his lips to Danny's; he drew away and blushed when Danny didn't respond. "Sorry." he mumbled running his hands through his damp hair. "I ... sorry ..." he said hating himself for reading the atmosphere between them so wrong.
"It's okay." Danny said grabbing Johnny's hand, stopping him from getting up.
"Then why didn't you kiss me back?" Johnny asked. "You don't like me?"
"Of course I do, I just don't want you to think this is what I brought you over here for."
"I don't." Johnny said quickly. "I've wanted to kiss you again for so long, I've been trying to fight it but ... I don't want to anymore."
Danny smiled. "I'm glad."
"So can we try that again?" Johnny asked blushing a little, he couldn't believe he was being so bold.
"Definitely." Danny nodded quickly.
