First position, times three
Giggles. Is that giggles? Brain still foggy with sleep, Dougie tries to open his eyes. Yeah, giggles. Coming from two five years old mouths. The sun is barely up, the light in the room is dim and there are shadows on the floor and the wall. The two boys whisper to each other and giggle again.
''Is he your husband?'' asks Colin, hiding a laugh behind his hand.
''What?''
Groggy, Dougie tries to focus his head on the question. Why is he asking that? And then he realizes that he was asleep very close to Danny. So close that the brunette, laying on his stomach, has an arm over Dougie's chest. The blonde is holding the arm with both hands. He immediately lets it go and Danny moves a little, takes his arms back to lift himself up a little.
He blinks at Dougie and then smiles. He can't help it, he always feel a stupid grin climb inside of him each time Dougie looks back. Like if it meant he cared! Ah, how stupid… Loli is wrong, Dougie doesn't like him that way.
The twins giggle again and run to the TV. Instantly, cartoons start to play.
''What's up with them?'' asks Danny, head back in the pillow.
Dougie blushes. Obviously, Danny didn't catch on them being so intimate in their sleep… How Dougie would have wished to be awake when he did that, put his arm on his pecs. His heart might have burst or something. He is starting to like the feeling more and more but… sometimes, he gets scared. More scared than when his dead father falls on him when he sleeps, more scared than when he had to shake Helena and seeing she wouldn't wake up, more scared than that time in Juvi where everybody was screaming in protest. So loudly that he crawled under his bed and stayed there for a whole day. More scared than when his mother… more scared than that. Dougie doesn't want to fall in love. Love is that great feeling… that humanity… that weakness… He can't let that happen to him.
''OK, monsters'' growls Danny, sitting up. ''Who wants breakfast!''
''Me!''
''Danny, it`s six AM'' Dougie lifts an eyebrow and the other shrugs.
''You have to occupy their mouths so they won't blab during two hours…'' he says with a smile. ''But hey…'' he adds, coming closer as the little ones stomp up the stairs. ''You didn't wake up once all week end.''
He winks and follows the tornados as Dougie stays in bed. Yeah, not even once. He moves his fingers on the bedding's fabric. It's because of Danny's hand in his. Or on his arm or wherever it went during the night… Unable to resist, Dougie grabs Danny's pillow, press it on his chest.
''I can't believe I just did that… '' he mumbles throwing it on the other side of the bed. ''I'm turning into a gummy bear…''
When he rejoins the others, Dougie is dressed and took a shower. His mind is clear. The girls are taking care of the twins, chatting and helping as Danny is finishing his plate in silence.
''Hey'' he says with a smile. ''I thought you fell asleep again.''
''We would have been late…''
''Whatever'' winks the brunette. ''Here.'' He slides a plate towards him. How did he manage to make waffles on a Monday morning at six AM? Make that seven thirty now.
''My dad did the mix before he left'' explains Danny.
Right. It's Monday, they have to bring everyone to school. But how will they all fit in Danny's jeep? Even the other family cars are too small…
As if someone read Dougie's mind again, a few knocks can be heard at the door. ''It's him!'' shrieks Xio, brushing her hair and getting up at once.
''Him?'' whispers Dougie to Danny and the brunette watches his sister run to the door. Someone has a crush on Elliot apparently. Wow, Danny really didn't want to know that.
''Hi guys, I have the van'' says Loli, taking place on a stool of the kitchen, Xio climbing on another next to him. Dougie sends a smile to Danny, who hides his face in his hands. He is embarrassed for his sister. They are like… five years apart after all, poor Xio. Now, Danny has to talk to his friend.
''Did you sleep well?'' asks Elliot to Dougie. From the other side of the table, Danny growls. What is it already with those questions? Elliot is making such a point in making Dougie say something that will prove to Dan Dougie likes him! It's getting annoying. Especially since it's the second time he asks that question and, the first time, last Friday, Dougie was sure Danny had talked about his nightmares. Which he didn't!
''Yeah, not bad'' mumbles a blushing Dougie. ''Although six am was really too early…'' He sends a look to the little ones, who giggle. That's all they can do, giggle.
''You ready?'' demands the redhead as the twins and Leslie get up to run around the table.
''Nuthouse'' sighs Danny, rubbing his eyes.
''You shouldn't say that, you've never been in one of those…'' Dougie's voice is soft and yet sad at the same time. He gets up and catches Colin as he passes behind him. ''Clothes time, little people.''
Talon and him race down the stairs and Danny follow them and Dougie with his eyes. He really didn't need to know that thing about Dougie. Another reason to protect him at any cost. Danny eats his toast in silence. He doesn't want to look at Loli. Who knows what he might say this time! Plus, his sisters are just here, at earing range.
When Dougie gets back up with the twins, he smiles at Danny. ''Ready?'' asks the brunette.
''We are'' chuckles the other. ''But I doubt people will let you in class in boxers… although some people might think it's a genius idea.''
With a look at his half naked self and hearing the laugh of the others, Danny blushes. He ignores Loli's glare that probably means something like « Dougie said people would be happy to see you in boxers… he would like it! » and goes put some clothes on.
Loli takes the wheel and Danny the passenger seat. Dougie sits behind Elliot and the twins next to him as the girls take place in the back of the van. ''We look like a summer camp or something'' says Xio and Elliot laughs.
Turning around, Danny sees her blushing and smile widely. Yeah, he needs to talk to his sister… Great.
They drops the two sets of youngsters at their respective schools and head for the high school. As Danny talks in the front, Dougie leans on the window and watches him. He likes to see him smile so genuinely… His eyes always smile and his freckles makes him look like the nicest guy on earth. Well, he is. Dougie never met someone like him before… That seems to be so blind about how everything rolls for him because he wants everyone around to feel happy. Even though he is reluctant to let people see him for the softy that he is.
Dougie is suddenly aware that Loli is watching him from the rear-view mirror and adverts his eyes. Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit! Did is face show something? Will he tell Danny? What if he does? Will the other push him out the bed? Because he slept so good the last three nights! And it felt so…
Dougie turns his head to the window again. Stop looking. Stop being a lovestrucked puppy. What? He isn't in love. At all.
As soon as the car stops in the parking lot, Dougie opens the sliding door. ''Thanks'' he mumbles, running out.
''He always does that'' sighs Danny, following Dougie's silhouette. ''He's like a ghost sometimes… Haunted and scary. Or scared, I don't know.''
''What are you going to do with him?''
Danny turns his head to Elliot, who's taking the key out of the ignition. ''What do you mean?''
''I always say he likes you and you dismiss that thought like if it's a ball of hair.''
''What a weird comparison…''
''You're doing it again… Are you scared, Danny?''
The brunette scoffs. ''What? Scared of what?''
''He was looking at you so… So longingly just then'' explains Loli, pointing the now empty back seat. ''Either you tell him to stop or…'' He trails off.
''Or what?'' asks Danny roughly. ''No, don't tell me. You are my best friend, can you just stop with it? I thought it was the best friend's job to cut the other some slack with complicated stuff.''
''So you admit it's complicated?''
''Fuck you, OK?''
With that, Danny gets out of the cars and slams the door. He is pissed! Elliot might think there is something that needs to be talked about but he doesn't get it. He doesn't understand that Danny doesn't want to talk about it? He doesn't want to admit he has feelings for a guy. He had enough trouble admitting it to himself! What will Elliot say? Will he still want to be friends? Danny is fearing his reaction so badly…
But no. He won't know. Because Danny won't tell, because there is nothing to tell. Despite all Loli can say, Dougie isn't attracted to him. Or to men for that matter. He always adverts his eyes when Danny is topless before him, he barely never looks in the showers in gym class. A few glances don't count, right? Danny does it too so…
''And you're bisexual'' he whispers to himself, opening his locker. Doesn't mean Dougie is gay, right? It could but… Danny kind of hopes he isn't. Because, first, it's hard and it's scary for Danny so… He doesn't wish that for Dougie. And second because nothing can happen between them. Dougie lives in his house, allo! There is a line that should not be crossed here…
In maths, Danny looks at Dougie from time to time during the exam and when he is done, getting up, they share a smile. Good, that means he is doing OK.
When the class is done, Danny waits to see him. Loli passes him with a nod of his head. He is a bit mad and Danny understands. He told him to fuck off after all… He needs to apologize somehow.
''How was it?'' demands Danny hastily.
''Teacher did good'' replies the other.
''So student did good?''
''Students hopes he did.''
Danny chuckles. A bunch of people passes close to them and Dougie takes a step back. When he looks up, he is totally unable to look away. The blue pupils are calling him, it's insane. How can you feel that kind of pull toward someone when you really don't want to?
Dougie clears his throat. ''See ya, Danny.''
He walks away hastily to his locker and is greeted by the drawing of a penis. Great. He doesn't even want to erase it. You can't get away from who you are, right?
Dougie looks at his wrists. No matter how you try to get away with it, you still are… just yourself.
On the way back home, the drive is silent. Elliot is sulking, Dougie is afraid that the driver is going to say something mean and Danny is troubled. In Dougie's eyes, this morning, after maths… there was so much desire that Danny is pretty sure his inside were burning under the look. Could Loli be right? But that doesn't mean that doing something about it is right…
For a rare time, Elliot drops Dougie at the studio and drives Danny home.
''Listen'' starts the brunette. ''I am sorry for this morning, I was tired and… ''
''You have enough of me saying Dougie has a crush on you.''
''Yeah…'' Danny blushes. Does his friend know that he, Danny, has more than a crush on the perfect… gorgeous… sexy blonde dancer?
''I won't tell anything more about that, OK? Just be careful with how you handle things…''
''You're acting like if he is gay again…'' sighs Danny.
''Let me talk, just this once…''
''And the twenty times before that.''
Loli chuckles. ''Yeah, I guess. I won't say a thing after today, OK? But… I know you think I am delusional and it's OK, what the hell. But if I liked someone the way Dougie likes you, I would invite him… well, her for me… somewhere, show her my favorite things, want to know her favorite things… If Dougie does that with you, then you will know I am right. The redhead is always right.'' Danny starts to laugh. ''Now, get out of this minivan, camper Jones.''
