A/N: Sorry for the temporary hiatus. I recently got into grad school and things have been confusing with COVID interfering with class schedules. I hope you're all staying safe and sane during this time. Thank you for your lovely reviews! It kept me going when times were rough. I'm so happy that this was a joy for you to read because it certainly was a joy for me to write!
Suffice to say, Danny kicked off the summer in a really bad mood.
"Control the motion of your swing, Daniel. Just because you're tired doesn't mean you can be lazy."
Danny gritted his teeth in frustration, circling Vlad on the gym floor. "I don't need you to tell me how to punch," he growled, lunging forward to land a series of strikes.
"It's called training, my boy," Vlad countered, blocking the punches effectively. "Constructive criticism is part of the deal."
"So is teaching me new stuff," Danny argued. "Getting sick of repeating drills, Vlad."
The next punch caught Vlad in the torso and stunned him. Danny then went low with a clean swipe at his legs that sent the man airborne. Vlad came crashing down on the practice mat with a sharp exhale, only to come face to face with Danny pinning him down with a smug grin.
"Not bad, little badger," Vlad smiled. "But you left yourself open."
Without warning, Vlad raised his legs and kneed Danny in the shin. The boy yelped in pain and stumbled, and Vlad took the opportunity to grab his arm and twist it behind his back. Danny went down with a grunt, his arm caught in an awkward position in Vlad's hold. Vlad tightened his grip and purposefully bent the arm at the wrong angle to cement his victory.
"If you bothered to master the basics, you wouldn't be on the ground right now," Vlad said, close to his ear.
"Shut up, fruitloop." Danny stiffened underneath him. "Get off me."
Vlad pulled back and got off him without a fuss, mindful of Danny's sour temperament. It's been like this for the past two weeks now. Vlad knew something was off the moment Danny tossed his bags near the front door and then flopped lifelessly onto the parlor couch, his expression sullen and dark. While conversations between them still flowed quite normally, Vlad felt a lackluster effort on Danny's part.
Once or twice, Vlad felt like he hit a nerve when he casually asked about that farmer boy he was dating, only to see Danny frown deeply and clam up or change the subject. Ah, trouble in paradise, Vlad thought to himself, but decided not to poke and prod him about it.
Danny will tell him in due time if he's patient about it, he thought confidently. After all, one catches more flies with honey than with vinegar.
"Again," Danny demanded, getting into position impatiently.
"Normally I would love to, but I'm afraid I will have to end the lesson here today, Daniel," Vlad said apologetically, checking the clock on the wall. "I have a business dinner later this evening and I need to get ready now."
Danny didn't bother to hide his annoyance. "What time will you be back?" He asked, taking a swig from his water bottle.
"Late," Vlad said. "You know how these things go."
"Fine," Danny grumbled, tossing a towel over his shoulder. "At least give me a heads up if you're gonna bring someone home." The snark in his voice was very evident, but there was an underlying intent to his words that didn't go unnoticed by the older man.
Vlad smirked and ruffled the boy's hair playfully. Daniel was so cute when he was angry. "No promises, Daniel."
"Seriously?" Danny said towards Vlad's retreating back, exasperated.
"You know how these things go."
Vlad was totally messing with him.
If there ever was a time when he carelessly brought strangers back for one-night stands, then it was a long time ago before he even knew who he was or what he wanted. Danny had little to worry; at his age, Vlad found little enjoyment in moonlit trysts with partners he barely knew, and who wanted little to do with him after it was all over.
He wouldn't enjoy this so much if Danny wasn't so easy to tease though.
Vlad smirked into his bourbon, his eyes scanning the room. There were escorts here tonight, no doubt hired by a few acquaintances of his in the gentleman's club. Of course. They were the young and reckless types to mess around behind their partners' backs.
"Masters!" A voice bellowed. Vlad turned around to see a tall brunet walking towards him in large strides. The man was equally decked out in a fancy suit. His features were not unlike those of a fox. All sharp and conniving. A real cutthroat in the business, Vlad recognized.
"Kinsley," Vlad greeted. "No doubt this shindig is your doing."
"I may have had a generous hand in here or there," Kinsley said with a sly smile.
"I'm sure those ladies can say the same thing," Vlad responded dryly, his pointed gaze swept over to the professionals.
Kinsley looked at the girls with a leer and swung an arm around Vlad's shoulders. "Oh, come now, Masters, surely you're well acquainted with a little fun under the table. Heard you got a few tricks up your sleeves back in the day."
"That was then." Vlad sipped his drink nonchalantly. "Eventually all things come to an end, my friend."
Kinsley shrugged. "Suit yourself, Masters. I guess it's just more for me then," he said before blending into the party.
It was really getting late, Vlad thought and checked his watch. There wasn't any point in staying anymore; the networking portion of the night was dying down and the whole scene was starting to bore him.
"What do you say to a drink, Mr. Masters?" A feminine voice caught his attention.
Vlad looked at the girl standing before him, appearing sophisticated and demure in her navy gown. She was a pretty young thing with attractive blue eyes. Vlad gazed into them, used to seeing sparks and fire dancing in those blue pools and belonging to someone else. Instead, a cold stillness answered back within these eyes, empty and devoid of warmth.
The woman was utterly indifferent. This would be as much of a business transaction for him as it would be for her.
"Excuse me," he replied and headed for the door. He felt like he couldn't get out of there fast enough.
Vlad rushed home in the limo, his head filled with memories of lively blue eyes and biting wit.
Danny trudged down the stairs the next morning sleepily in a stale mood. With no Vlad to distract him, he was left alone with his thoughts in the big house. It was something that he was hoping to avoid, especially after he –for a lack of a better word- got dumped by Nick before the summer even started. He still didn't know what the hell had happened; one minute they were fine, and then the next thing he knew, Nick was calling it quits with him over coffee.
"Why did you start something with me if you weren't sure you want to stay in the country?!"
"Because I couldn't not, okay?! But this still doesn't change anything. I'm sorry."
To call it unfair would be an understatement. Danny didn't really know what to call it. The words 'cheated' and 'bullshit' came to mind, because who the fuck does that- but Danny didn't want to complain and gripe about the situation any more than he already did. Ralph and Krystal already got an earful.
Conversing with Vlad's ghostly servants was also a fruitless endeavor; spirits usually preferred an isolated existence in the afterlife with no interruptions. Sensing that his presence was unwelcomed, Danny spent one evening after another in one of the guest rooms, brooding and licking his metaphorical wounds until breakfast time.
He was rummaging around the cabinets for jam, procuring sustenance before heading off for work, when she walked into the room.
Danny stared, a piece of toast between his lips. What the-?
"Oh Jesus Christ," he mumbled tiredly. "Vlad, I told you to give me a heads up if you're bringing company home."
"Excuse me," the young woman countered, surveying Danny from head to toe. "If anyone's the 'company' in this house, I think it's you."
"Jolie, don't be abrasive to my guest." Vlad walked into the kitchen, fiddling with his cufflinks. "My apologies for letting her run loose in the house, Daniel. Jolie here is my personal assistant. Unfortunately, my day started late so I needed her to drop by."
Danny felt dumb with food hanging out of his mouth, but he couldn't help but feel a little blindsided. On second thought, the young woman was remarkably refreshed and well-dressed to be an 'overnight guest'. Her make-up was immaculate, cherry red lipstick to go with her cherry red pantsuit. Pressed and crisp with sharp angles. Feminine yet commanding. A power move.
Jolie had a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Ordering off the secret menu again, are we?" She shot Vlad a look, like she held some unspoken secret. It didn't go unnoticed.
"Like he knows there's a menu."
Silence.
It took a competitive streak and a lack of mental filter at eight in the morning, but there it was. The words flew out of Danny's mouth before he could stop it. He took there, frozen, balking at his own actions.
Vlad looked taken aback, his brain clearly not registering what the hell just happened. As if Danny didn't just insinuate what everyone thought he did. Jolie, on the other hand, looked like the cat that got the cream.
"Oh?" She looked way too happy with this information. "Well, well, I must say-"
"Enough." Vlad snapped; why must he always be surrounded by insufferable people? He stared intensely at Danny, who suddenly felt vulnerable under the weight of the older man's attention. "I'll be home late tonight," Vlad said, his voice betraying no emotion.
Danny refused to make any eye contact.
"Toodles, darling," Jolie said cheerfully, following Vlad to the door. "It was interesting to meet you, to say the least."
"Uh, yeah. Whatever," Danny mumbled, not moving until he heard the front door slam shut and the sound of the car engine trail off down Vlad's (ridiculous) long driveway. Danny groaned and slowly banged his head against the counter, feeling equal parts of embarrassment and panic course through him.
What the hell was that?
To be continued...