"You didn't text me back all week!" Whitney bitched the second he walked back into the apartment, "I was worried!"
"Elevator's still out." Danny grumbled and set his bags down after dragging himself all the way up to the fifth floor.
Whitney read his mood immediately, he was low. Really fucking low.
"Hey—you okay, D?"
"I'm sorry." He handed Whitney her keys, "About not texting you back."
Danny pushed past her and headed for his 'room'. He slumped onto his air mattress, setting his earbuds and searching through his playlists to find something relaxing.
Whitney followed and squatted down next to him.
"The fuck's wrong with you?" She half-joked, half-prepped to go kill someone if she had to.
Danny pressed play, he just wanted to check out for a little while. Whitney wasn't having it and pulled his earbuds out.
"Hey—" Danny tried to stop her but she was too quick and threw them across the room, "I just need to rest, I'll be up in two hours." Danny closed his eyes, "Please can I have those back now?"
"Are you and Lacey okay?" Whitney asked carefully. She knew Lacey was the moon and the stars to him.
"We're better than okay, actually. It's everything else that's a fucking nightmare. What's the point of anything?"
"Whoa, okay. Sorry but we're talking now."
Whitney plopped down making Danny roll right off the air mattress that was absolutely designed for only one person. Danny didn't even bother trying to get back up, the floor was just fine.
"I'm such a fucking loser, Whit. What the fuck am I even doing?"
"Yep, you definitely just had a solo two hour car ride that ended with city traffic." Whitney knew those trips could take a toll on one's inner dialogue.
"Lacey's focused on school and she's so smart and passionate." Danny sighed, "I'm just here, two hours away from her, broke and working at some bar—"
"Okay, first off, you're not a loser. It may not have been national news or whatever but I followed the trials. That one guy? Lacey's ex? He got like two hundred and sixteen years!"
"It was fifty five." Danny looked at her like she was crazy.
"Oh same thing, he'll die in there. I'm just saying, YOU helped with that. You are so brave to do that all week long, expose yourself like that and help hold the real losers accountable."
Sarcasm and over exaggerations aside, Danny trusted Whitney and heard what she was saying.
"Thanks." Danny sat up and slouched forward a little, "Lacey's not interested in moving here. At least not until after college. She asked if I'd move there."
"To Green Grove? Yikes."
"Maybe I'm just trying to run away because of how bad things got and I'm forgetting how good the good parts were?"
"Green Grove is a dump. You're a city boy, at least, you were—"
Danny struggled with that. He always thought that too, but he had never known happiness at the level he had found it until he stepped foot in that small town.
"What else happened? I know there's more." Whitney persisted.
"Mr. and Mrs. Desai showed up today."
"Oh Jesus. What did those assholes want now?"
"It's a long story—"
"I'll make it simple. Number one, you're a grown-ass man, fuck your parents. Number two, if you and Lacey really are 'better than okay' then you'll make it work. Now roll over."
Whitney jumped up and practically kicked him until he got back on his mattress and rolled onto his belly. She straddled his back.
"Whit—"
"Relax, I know who you belong to. Keep the pants on, shirt off though, let's go."
Danny hiked his shirt up and over his head and tossed it wherever, too tired to question anything right now. Whitney got comfy, sliding herself down to sit on Danny's perfect ass. She began a deep back massage for her woeful friend.
"Okay, this was a good idea." Danny almost moaned.
A week of sleeping on the less luxurious air mattress mixed with raging stress, anxiety, a lonely two hour car ride and then five flights of stairs really fucked with Danny's usually fit body.
Whitney's hands were like truth serum. Danny told her about his moment with Kyle and while he was happy about it, he still struggled with trusting him fully. Up until this point every other adult Danny ever had in his life had betrayed him somehow so he knew it would take some time for his heart to fully let Kyle in. Right now he just needed a break.
He also ran through the trials, gave an update on Archie, Jo and Tess and then went on to gush about Lacey.
By the time Whitney had made it down to rubbing each of his fingers, Danny was out like a light. She set his alarm and went about her business.
Danny woke two hours later, groggy but feeling a little better overall. He popped out of his house of cards and found Whitney laying on her back on the kitchen floor, legs up the wall, watching Netflix on her phone.
Danny walked over and joined her, finding weird relief with his legs above him.
"Thank you." Was all Danny said.
"Any time." Whitney said casually and turned up the volume.
They sat like that for at least a half hour before Phoebe stumbled in after working job number one.
"Hey." They both uttered in more of a collective grunt than saying actual words.
"Have you guys just been sitting like this all day?"
"No—" Danny slid his legs down, sat up and stretched a little, "Before this I took a nap." He grinned.
Leave it to all the strong women in his life to help drag Danny through his more insecure times. He felt safe being vulnerable and honest with them in a way he never felt like he could with Archie.
He definitely missed his best friend, but Whitney was right, Danny was a grown-ass man now. Time to be better.
Danny focused on the things he could control and worked his ass off. He took on extra shifts at the bar three days each week, the combination had him working six days straight.
Lacey worked extra hard to catch up after her week off. She also had to deal with the local buzz surrounding the end of the trials, something that Danny didn't have to deal with. Answering the endless questions was almost like her version of a second job except she wasn't getting paid.
They missed each other. They texted all the time. Danny called her whenever he was alone to try and link up at a time when she was also alone so they could just soak in each other's voices.
As the weeks wore on, Danny began looking forward to Lacey's next school break. The break was only a four day weekend, but he had already begged and cashed in favors to take a few shifts off so he could go and visit her.
Archie's release from rehab was also set around the same time, the weekend of Halloween. Archie was going to be heading back to his parent's place in the city and Danny wanted to make sure he could be there for him too. He hadn't quite figured out how to be in two places at once, but Lacey would come first always.
What Danny didn't know? Whitney and Lacey had been talking nonstop since Danny came back from the trials. The girls worked out a plan to have Lacey come out and surprise him in the city for the long weekend instead.
Whitney was also in contact with Archie's parents and agreed that the guys would both benefit from seeing each other asap. Archie's parents knew that Archie had been the bad influence here and not the other way around. They knew that Danny and the girls would keep him out of trouble and protect him after all of his hard work in therapy and rehab.
Lacey was en route to the city and had been for the last two hours. She was currently circling the block around the apartment building for a third time looking for a parking space.
Danny was folding a pile of his clean clothes and had begun packing them neatly into his open suitcase.
"So what's the plan again?" Whitney smirked to herself, she knew the damn plan. It was time to stall him a bit.
"You already know—"
"Tell me again, it'll help you remember to pack everything."
Danny took a deep breath and sighed loudly while he paused to think.
"Uh—okay, I'm leaving in like twenty minutes, filling up your car with gas, getting a big-ass coffee because I'll need it tonight." Danny chuckled to himself.
Whitney shook her head, "Got it, thanks."
"You asked." Danny shrugged.
"What else?"
He held his hands up to tick off his list on his fingers as he zoned out and stared off into space, "We're staying at Johnny's apartment tonight, making the rounds with family on Saturday—" Danny snapped his fingers, "There's some party Saturday night, I need to bring hangover stuff, thank you!"
Danny scurried off into the bathroom to collect some pain reliever and his giant container of antacid.
Whitney: Where are you?
Lacey: Just parked I'm heading up now :)
"When are you seeing Archie?" She yelled toward the bathroom from her spot in the kitchen, already knowing that answer too.
"I'll be back Sunday. His parents want me to stop by then." He yelled back.
Danny returned and zipped up the medicine inside the front pocket of his suitcase. He looked over at Whitney and the Cheshire Cat grin she had on her face all morning.
"What is up with you?"
"I'm just excited that you're leaving. I need a break." Whitney joked with him.
"Fuck off." Danny played back.
"What if I told you that I changed my mind about you taking my car this weekend?" Whitney bit her lip like she might actually be serious.
"I would say please no, please?" Danny started to panic, "Or at least drive me there and drop me off. Whit—"
Danny paused when he heard the knock at the door.
"Oh can you get that?" Whitney asked while she stuck her hands in the sink and pretended to do the dishes, "I ordered Thai for Phoebe and I tonight."
"You ordered food again?" Danny said incredulously as he pulled the door open, "You're never going to save any mon—"
Danny's mouth just stayed open as his eyes landed on his stunning girlfriend waiting on the other side of the door.
Danny fell apart. He grabbed Lacey, pulled her into his arms and just held her for a moment before spinning her around.
"What is happening right now?!" He squealed joyfully, never remembering being happier than he was right now.
"Surprise!" The girls said at the same time.
"It was time for Lacey to see what life's like in the city. Now set that fine ass woman down so I can get some."
Whitney shoved Danny away and took a turn wrapping her arms around Lacey. They danced each other side to side a little, happy they were able to pull this off together.
"You two planned this?"
"Yep. Your ex is pretty dope." Lacey winked at him, "I'm staying in your cubicle here this weekend. Show me around?"
They took two steps forward and Danny literally pointed to the partitions around his air raft. They took three more steps and he showed her the girl's room. This studio apartment was half the size of the studio above the diner. Lacey had never seen anything like this before.
"Bathroom is through that door and that's it." Danny couldn't stop beaming, "Welcome to the city."
His eyes traveled all over her. She was wearing black leggings and her black docs, a black and grey space dyed cropped hoodie over a black sports bra. Her curls were shiny and bouncy, just like her.
"You look beautiful." Danny gushed.
"You're not so bad yourself." Lacey looked at him like he was on the fucking menu and she was there to eat.
"Alright, well, D—" Whitney clapped her hands one time to snap him out of it for a moment, "I'm out. I'm picking up Phoebs from work and then we're going shopping for food."
"Oh! Here—" Lacey reached into her bra and fished out some cash, "Like I promised."
"Sweet, thanks. We'll be back in a couple hours, you kids have fun now."
"Bye—" Lacey said politely, eyes fully glued to her handsome man.
"Whit, thank you." Danny said sincerely, his heart swollen and full.
Whitney left and locked them in, worried they'd never make it over to the door to do it themselves.
"So, I guess we have a couple hours." Lacey licked her lips and walked closer.
"Sounds like it." Danny did the same.
"I like the new hair—" Lacey ran her hands along his goatee thing, he was so damn fine.
Danny wasted no more time, leaning right in and capturing her mouth with his. Her lips were delicious, floral and sweet, flavored with whatever luscious gloss Lacey had basted them with before she arrived. He went back for more.
Danny's hands slid their way under her bra, pulling everything up and over her head. Danny ran his fingers through her curls, eventually roaming further south, ghosting her nipples and stuffing his hands down the backside of her pants to grab her bare ass.
"I don't want every time we see each other to be like this—" Lacey was panting at this point, her hot breath puffing against his neck as Danny continued sucking on her mouth and exploring her body.
Danny slid his hands toward the front as her words sunk in. His fingers paused and rested on her bare hips, ready to move between her legs before it sunk in that he needed ask more questions. He reluctantly pulled his face away a little to seek more clarity.
"No? You want to stop?"
"No—" Lacey almost growled, her face still very much in predator mode, "We just can't let it go this long again, that's all."
"Agreed. Can I have you now?" He didn't really ask. Lacey's response to his touch spoke volumes.
Danny lifted her up, her legs wrapping around him as he carried her over to his infernal bed and plopped her down.
"This bed is ridiculous. You can't sleep on this every night—" Lacey's ass was touching the floor as she sat on it even though the mattress was fully inflated.
"It's been fine. I live in a shoebox, I couldn't care less about it." Danny answered simply and yanked the rest of Lacey's clothes off, "Shit." Danny noticed her new hair too, something about seeing her downstairs curls made his cock rock hard, "I like that."
He reached out to finally touch her there, inspecting the new texture before nodding, loving every goddamn thing about how she chose to be the way she was. She was the one he wanted to know forever.
Danny pulled his clothes off unceremoniously and climbed up, awkwardly straddling the edges of the bed, being careful not to pop it.
"This is crazy." Lacey giggled.
"I promise we won't always have inflatable furniture." Danny whispered and nestled himself between Lacey's gorgeous long legs.
"One of my professors has a crush on me, one can't stand me and one thinks I'm brilliant so I guess you could say I'm getting the full college experience."
"Who has a crush on you? That's wildly inappropriate I think isn't it? I mean who do they think they are—"
"That's what you heard out of all the things I've said?"
"What class does he teach?"
"Who said it was guy?" Lacey raised an eyebrow.
"Oh—"
"It's a guy." Lacey laughed, "And no, I don't think he really has a crush on me, I just hate those teachers that are just SO excited for you, you know?"
"Not really." Danny definitely could not relate.
The air mattress was dead. It had slowly deflated during their first round, which made their second round very….rustic.
Lacey rolled to her feet and began to shimmy back into her clothes, "They're probably going to be back soon."
"Yeah, you're right." Danny did the same, unable to keep his eyes off of her, "So what do you want to do tonight?"
"Whitney said we could all hang out."
"Your first night in the city and you want to stay in with your boyfriend, his ex girlfriend and his ex girlfriend's girlfriend?"
"Yes." Lacey giggled.
Once dressed, Danny rolled up the failed air mattress tightly and put it beside the trash can.
"Aww, you were packing to come and see me." Lacey spied his suitcase and Danny's meticulous folding.
"Yeah, guess I've gotta unpack it now." Danny flipped the suitcase closed and slid it out of the way, "I'm so happy you're here."
Lacey followed Danny out to sit on the cushions on the kitchen floor.
"This is kind of our living room-slash-dinning room. It's basically the only place to sit if you're not sleeping."
"Cozy."
Whitney: Yo, all hands on deck bitch
Danny: You here?
Whitney: Yep! Please help I'm double parked
Danny: On it
Danny and Lacey headed down and helped carry the groceries up five flights while Whitney drove around looking for parking. Once they dragged everything through the door, Phoebe and Lacey finally connected.
"Lacey, nice to see you again." Phoebe gave her one-time drama pupil a warm smile.
Whitney eventually burst through the door once she was sure she wouldn't have to carry anything up.
"You and your friends getting caught smoking in the bathroom was the greatest thing that could have happened to Green Grove high school's drama department."
"Ooo, Lacey's a bad girl?" Whitney liked that about her.
"You have no idea." Lacey thought back to all the stupid shit she did back then, selling drugs, dating Charlie, it was madness.
"Danny won't shut up about you. You're in college now, right? Are you taking drama?" Phoebe wondered.
"No." Lacey laughed as if drama classes were dumb and then stopped abruptly when Phoebe's face fell, "I'm sorry. I'm—I don't know what I'm majoring in yet, I'm just taking undergraduate classes right now."
"I could use your help tomorrow night, all of you actually. Our show finally goes live off Broadway and I need crew hands. I can't afford anyone and I haven't had enough interns sign up."
"I'd love to." Lacey said surprising Danny and Whitney who both would have said no in a heartbeat. Lacey picked up on the awkward silence, "What? Did we have other plans?"
"These two are birds of a feather. They like to do the least." Phoebe said flatly.
"Hey!" Danny and Whitney said at the same time.
"I think helping with a show sounds like fun." Lacey shrugged and helped Phoebe finish putting the food away.
"It is fun!" Phoebe took advantage of someone actually willing to listen to her and continued to ramble on about the theatre scene she was heavily involved with.
Danny and Whitney chose cushions next to each other and linked up to play games with each other on their phones while they ignored them completely.
"Danny doesn't want to get involved but he's such a natural actor. He's sensitive and understands how emotions work on stage and he has a wonderful voice and this instinct to know what to do in an inprov situation."
Lacey's eyebrows shot up and she turned to look at her boyfriend after that glowing review. Danny realized the chatter had stopped and looked up from his phone.
"What?"
"Phoebe says you're a great actor."
"Phoebs, I said some shit one time to kids who definitely don't remember a fucking word I said." Danny minimized his impact, something he always did and it always irked Lacey.
"Well sorry to break it to you but you're gifted." Phoebe shrugged a single shoulder.
"Guys I'm bored." Whitney whined, "Let's get drunk before Archie comes back Sunday and we can never drink again."
"Don't do that—" Danny scolded her, standing up to help her with drinks anyway because she was fucking right.
Lacey watched them work, the depth with which they knew each other was obvious. Danny and Whitney worked together like they had been married for twenty years. Lacey was a little jealous deep down that he had this connection with her while all her and Danny seemed to do right now was have sex. Perfect sex, but still, Lacey wanted all of what they had too.
Whitney spun around and handed Lacey the first drink.
"Hope you like tequila—" She smiled, "It's a spicy margarita. Basic bitch, I know, but that shit's delicious."
Lacey took a healthy sip, damn it she was right.
The four of them fell into an easier flow once that first drink went down. They shared stories and laughed, a lot. The laughter was something that had been missing for all of them for a while. Lacey was so happy to finally unwind with Danny and his friends on his turf.
One thing that she also noticed was that Danny's connection with Whitney actually got stronger the more they drank. Phoebe noticed too.
"Let's play a game guys—" Whitney begged.
"Oh! Like 'never have I ever'?" Phoebe said condescendingly.
Whitney looked at her girlfriend, "Why are you so bothered right now?"
Phoebe shot a look over at Lacey to see if she'd get any help from her. When Lacey took a long sip from her drink, she got her answer.
"I'm not, it's fine." Phoebe lied, "I'm tired. I think I'll head to bed."
Whitney scowled curiously, "Phoebs—"
"It's okay, have fun." Phoebe shuffled off the few feet away to their bed.
Two drinks later and the three friends were trashed, laughing and listening to the songs of some obscure New York band through Danny's tiny phone speakers.
"So. Truth or dare?" Lacey was the one who suggested a game this time, she had questions of her own.
"I'm thinking that's not a good plan." Some part of Danny's pre-drunk mind was fighting his currently-drunk mind hard to shut this down.
"You just tell the truth or you choose dare, it's not complicated." Lacey giggled which set Whitney off which then made Danny start laughing too. They were doomed.
"I'm down." Whitney said without a second thought.
"I'll go first. Danny, truth or dare?" Lacey asked him.
"Truth." Danny decided, thinking he probably shouldn't try standing up right now.
"Are you still in love with Whitney?" Lacey asked flat out.
Danny stared at her. Lacey's eyes pierced through him as he tried to think of what to say and how to get his drunk ass to say it right. In the end Danny decided there was no reason to fake it, not with her.
"I will always love Whitney." He answered truthfully as was the game's title, "But do I love her romantically anymore? No."
"Same." Whitney smiled.
Whitney watched Lacey's face from the moment she asked the question until the moment she got her answers, girl was jealous. Whitney decided she needed to fix this.
"Lacey, I like girls. Hundred percent."
"Hey, it's not your turn." Danny pointed to Whitney.
"Shhh—" Whitney slapped a hand over Danny's mouth, "He's not like a brother, I'll give you that. But we're not fucking."
Danny pried Whitney's hand off of his face, "You already know it's not like that." He said to Lacey.
"It's truth or dare and I asked my question. Who's next?" Lacey deflected.
"I'll go next." Whitney squealed, ignoring their ongoing conversation, "Lacey, truth or dare?"
"Lace—" Danny got her attention back.
"You two are so comfy—" Lacey tried to explain, "I want us to be like that." She admitted, her buzzed brain revealing a rare moment of her own insecurity.
Danny was thrown off by that and began to panic a little.
"Hellooo—" Whitney tried to get their attention, sensing Danny's mood shift.
"We are comfy, I think we're comfy. You don't feel comfy?" Danny thought they were comfy.
"I'm comfy." Lacey could feel Danny's anxiety rising as well.
"Whitney and I were kids, we grew up together and we were together for years. You and I are new. I'm comfy, we'll definitely get more comfy." Danny leaned over and kissed her.
"Are we playing or not?" Whitney finally got their attention.
"Truth." Lacey finally responded.
"Have you ever kissed a girl?" Whitney wondered, "Your friends don't count—" She added.
Danny knew where this was going.
"No." Lacey couldn't help but smile, she knew how much Whitney seemed to fancy her.
"Whit, don't."
"Do you want to?" Whitney asked a follow up question.
"I don't think you're playing the game right—" Lacey giggled.
"My turn." Danny piped up, "Whitney, truth or dare?"
"TRUTH!"
"If you don't stop flirting with my girlfriend you and I are about to become less comfy." Danny said playfully.
"You're not supposed to lay a truth ON me—" Whitney objected and giggled until her and Danny were both silent-laughing.
Lacey loved them, tonight was fun.
"Alright my turn again." Lacey smirked, "Whitney, truth or dare?"
"Shit." Danny knew this wasn't going to end well.
Whitney was glowing at this point, "Dare!"
Lacey leaned up onto her knees and pulled Whitney up with her. Danny looked up at both of them, hoping for the best.
"Kiss me." Lacey dared her.
"Lacey—" He tried to stop it before it happened.
"Are we playing the game or not?" Lacey challenged.
"Yeah, Desai, don't be such a cock block!" Whitney wanted this so bad, "Let me kiss your smoking hot girlfriend when she asks for it, jeez!"
"Did you forget about your own girlfriend?" Danny was very worried this night was about to escalate into something none of them would be able to come back from.
"Danny's an asshole." Whitney whispered as the two girls held hands, their faces a few inches apart.
"You're backing out?" Lacey whispered back, not about to quit.
Whitney sat back on her ass and pouted. Lacey sat back too, feeling Danny's eyes on her. She looked over, his eyebrows were up, waiting for her to say something.
"Oh please, you don't want to see that?" Lacey rolled her eyes.
"That's a trap." Danny shook his head.
"He wants to see it." Whitney said as if she had some insight here.
"Whit—"
"How do you know?" A smile began to grow at the corner of Lacey's mouth as she fished for Danny content she had never heard before.
"He told me."
"Here we go—" Danny wrenched off the cap to a water bottle and chugged it, wishing he'd just somehow spontaneously not be drunk.
"He told you he wanted to watch us kiss?" Lacey was surprised.
"No no no, he's always wanted to watch me kiss other girls—" Whitney shrugged.
"Why don't I know this stuff?" Lacey was curious, "What else are you into?"
"I'm happy to talk about that but that's a conversation for just the two of us." Danny looked at Whitney and then back at Lacey.
"Okay." Lacey smiled brighter.
"Did I just help you two level up?" Whitney asked playfully, "Damn I'm good."
"Are you going to complete your dare or are you a loser?" Lacey pushed Whitney harder.
Whitney accepted the hand Lacey extended and pulled her in close, needing no further prompting to suck the life out of the woman she found stunning, warm and loving.
Danny watched helplessly as his past and his present commingled, tongues and all. Lacey pulled away first and caught the same expression on Whitney's face that was now plastered on Danny's too: Wow. It was wow for all involved.
"Another drink?" Lacey asked no one in particular as she got up for a refill like one of the hottest kisses ever was just another day for her.
Whitney stood and handed her glass over to Lacey, "I'll take one. Be right back." She said quietly and snuck off to the bathroom.
Lacey prepared a new batch of drinks, sneaking peeks at her handsome boyfriend while her mind buzzed on.
"Are you okay with it?" Lacey asked.
"It's already done."
"So you're not okay with it."
"It's not up to me who you decide to kiss." Drunk Danny said sagely.
"I get that, but you're the one I have the commitment with, so I'm asking."
"It's not that simple—"
Lacey walked back over, drinks in hand, and basically fell down next to him, careful not to spill a drop.
"I'm all ears."
"Did I enjoy watching it? Hell yeah. Am I okay with it, probably—"
"Oh—kay?" Lacey didn't understand, "I'm too drunk to figure out what the hell you're saying."
"We're equal partners here, would you be okay with me kissing her too?"
He was trying to get her to see that there were other people involved here, him and Phoebe. The reverse psychology was not the best move when everyone was drunk.
"If you wanna kiss Whitney just say that." Lacey laughed.
"Whoa, what?" Whitney caught only Lacey's response as she returned to the kitchen.
"No, no—Jesus." Danny rubbed his face in frustration, still, tonight was very interesting. He'd be lying is he said he wanted this to end any time soon.
No one knew, but Phoebe was also listening closely from her bed while she pretended to be asleep.
"You need to loosen up, D." Whitney advised.
"Honestly." Lacey reached out and lovingly tucked some stray hairs behind Danny's ear, "Let's just have fun."
Danny's whole body strangely caught fire by those words. Had he been thinking about Whitney like old times? No fucking way, but something about the buzzed, lusty curiosity pulsing through Lacey's voice made him want to participate in anything those two wanted to give. Phoebe who?
"Let's go Desai, you're up." Whitney cheered and tapped her glass against Lacey's.
"Truth or dare?" Danny asked Lacey, the fire between them now blazing bright for all to see.
"Dare." Lacey challenged him, knowing he was feeling more free about whatever was happening here.
"Swap clothes with Whitney."
Danny laid back, his palms behind him and propping him up as he watched the two hottest girls he'd ever seen pull each other's clothes off. They were intentionally torturing him, removing pieces slowly and helping each other redress in opposite outfits.
In the early hours of the morning, the trio were lying together comfortably amongst the cushions on the kitchen floor, warm, happy and surprisingly still wearing clothes. Once their focus to play games fizzled, they dissolved into talking and laughing together for hours.
Danny had watched Whitney effortlessly insert herself into Lacey's life as the amazing friend she was. He watched the tender side of Whitney that he knew well pour out, the side she hid from everyone not privileged enough to handle her vulnerability.
He had lost her. Danny loved Whitney as deeply as he knew how to at the time. He was happy for her the day she decided to live her life the way she needed to, but at the same time it had also been the toughest time in his life up until that point.
He had found Lacey when he wasn't looking and at a very dark time. He had connected with her immediately and had never fallen harder. Now, as he watched them connect with each other, Danny wondered if it would happen again. Would Lacey realize that she didn't want him just like Whitney did? Would she regret tonight?
Danny knew his insecurities were the reason that Lacey had called them off before and he refused to let that happen again. Because of this fear, Danny had lost the ability to tell her his worries. Would she think he was being insecure again?
It wasn't worth the risk. Life without Whitney was hard, but life without Lacey was the worst thing ever. He kept his mouth shut and just watched.
The longer that Danny laid there with his thoughts, the tighter he held Lacey against him.
"You're like when the seat belt does that locking thing and ends up strangling you—"
Danny's face was already tucked in by Lacey's ear, the sensitive one that he knew she loved him to say the nastiest shit into. He hoped it worked in reverse as well.
"Can we go to bed now, like to actually sleep?" Danny said as sexy as he could, "Please?"
"Five more minutes?" Whitney begged softly.
"He's right, we should get some sleep." Lacey said gently, "I had fun." She smiled.
"Me too." Whitney agreed before she bounced up and dragged herself into her bedroom corner, sliding in next to Phoebe for the night.
Danny stood and reached to help Lacey off the floor. She hesitated taking his hand and he began to fear the worst. His face must have shown it all because Lacey's face melted into the sweetest smile.
"Maybe we should just stay here, with the cushions—" Lacey clarified without him even asking.
"Oh—right." Danny forgot about his mattress being out of commission.
He gathered up the cushions and rearranged them inside his little bedroom cocoon so they'd at least have some privacy. Lacey settled in and the two of them found their favorite sleeping positions together before finally drifting off.
Danny began to squirm around first, his constant readjustments literally shaking Lacey awake an hour before she'd hoped.
"Please no." Lacey could cry at the sudden throbbing in her head that she became aware of when her brain woke up.
"I thought mornings were your favorite." Danny roasted her and her typical love for morning sex.
"You're talking too loud." Lacey said softly, eyes closed and in obvious discomfort.
Danny cut her some slack and slid his arms around her to just hold her. Images and memories of the night before began flooding Lacey's thoughts, she sighed into Danny's chest.
"Oh god."
Danny held her tighter.
Lacey knew how hard Danny had worked to overcome the insecurity he felt about their relationship and here she was just kissing his ex. He hadn't expressed any real feelings about it but she knew he must have been a mess.
"Are we okay?" She asked carefully, her face still in his chest, too nervous to meet his eyes.
Danny wanted to make sure this counted. He leaned away a little and tipped her face up. Once he had her full attention, he held it for a moment. Lacey watched him search her face and lovingly brush her hair back.
"Last night we had fun, right? It was just fun. I love you." He gushed and then crumpled forward to rest against her.
The anxiety had consumed him. He had laid there for a long while beyond the time Lacey had finally passed out. Being able to tell her how he felt without fear, during insecure times or not, had to be something that they worked on.
"I need to be able to talk to you, about anything, any time." Danny took a chance that she was not about to crush him into dust right now.
Lacey rubbed his back, this sweet man who was obviously so deeply in love with her, he deserved all the happiness in the world.
"You can, I—"
"FUCK YOU!" Phoebe suddenly interrupted Lacey's attempt at working on their ongoing communication issues, "You're so full of shit."
"I'm trying to tell you what happened—" Whitney pleaded.
"Oh I know what happened—" Phoebe continued to rage, "You're wearing her fucking CLOTHES, Whitney!"
"Shit." Danny sat up, waiting for the right time to help Whitney out.
"You and your slutty friends got drunk and figured it would be fine to all fuck in my kitchen!"
"We didn't—"
Part of Danny's anxiety induced insomnia last night also included the unknown about how Phoebe would handle hearing about their collective late night activities.
"You and your friends can all find a new place to live." Phoebe stormed toward the bathroom and connected with a very rough looking Danny and Lacey, "Nice. Thank you VERY MUCH!"
Danny and Lacey jumped as she slammed the door shut.
"Fuuuuck." Whitney muttered and poured her hung-over ass out of bed and over to wait outside the bathroom door.
Lacey couldn't help but sit in shock, was Phoebe really this upset about truth or dare kissing? Her eyes dragged over Whitney's body, still stuffed inside her leggings and her crop top. She completely forgot about switching their clothes back.
"I'm sorry." Lacey mouthed to her. Whitney just let her head fall forward into her hands.
Phoebe eventually opened the door to see three sets of eyes on her and Whitney with her arms crossed around her chest in frustration. Phoebe took a deep breath.
"You're overreacting." Whitney said calmly.
Danny cringed at how those two words would immediately put Phoebe back on the defensive. He stood up and hung back, literally standing by as backup.
"YOU'RE UNDERREACTING!" Phoebe shrieked and then turned her attention on a shrunken Danny, "You happy?"
"Can we talk about this?" Danny requested as neutral as possible.
"Sure! You like any and all ladies and have no self control. Your turn." Phoebe smiled sweetly.
"We didn't sleep together, none of us did." Lacey said matter-of-factly.
"Please just let me explain—" Whitney tried again.
"Oh save it." Phoebe threw her hand up.
"I didn't touch your girlfriend." Danny tried.
"Lacey?" Phoebe craned her neck around Danny to address the real issue: she felt threatened by Lacey's stunning beauty, brains, personality and charm.
"I got drunk and played truth or dare with my friends." Lacey shrugged, "Whitney and I kissed, it was a dare—"
Phoebe's nostrils flared, "You all really expect me to believe you just kissed?"
"I tried to tell you." Whitney grumbled.
"How about the clothes?!"
"Also a dare." Lacey said, hungover and done with this shit.
"I don't believe you, I mean after everything that has happened between you two so far—" She pointed a finger between Danny and Whitney, Lacey's stomach dropped a little.
"Phoebs—" Whitney realized that Phoebe knew a lot more than Lacey probably did. She looked over at Danny apologetically and tried again to reel this in, "I've been honest with you, please just leave it alone."
Danny knew this wasn't going to end well for any of them.
"What's happened so far?" Lacey wanted to hear it.
Phoebe smiled wickedly, "Oh, you don't know?"
Lacey's eyes darted between Danny and Whitney, finding Whitney's eyes glued to the floor and Danny looking at her like he never thought she'd ever find out whatever was about to come from Phoebe's mouth. She nodded and looked back at Phoebe, bracing herself.
"I was honest with you, Phoebe. Please—" Whitney knew her friendship with Danny was just that. Phoebe trying to cause problems as a low blow.
"I'm glad you're so open, Whitney. I guess I'm the last to know." Lacey looked back at Danny, was he seriously hiding shit?
"Happy to help." Phoebe smiled, "Well there was that sleepover they had the night before Archie went to rehab, the one with Whitney and Danny sleeping in the same bed together, her being naked of course because, unlike last night when she actually decided to wear your clothes to bed, she usually sleeps naked—Or the time she had Danny take his shirt off so she could give him a massage. Oh! Or that time when she visited whatever dump of a town you're from and wanted to fuck you and Danny but settled for Archie, all of these times happening after her and I got together—" Phoebe whipped around to face Whitney, "But I'm the one who's overreacting, right? I'm the one who is irrational to think you would actually stop treating me like I don't matter!"
Lacey licked her lips, not sure what to do with this new information. She edged her way toward the bathroom.
"Excuse me." Lacey said, dodging Danny's classic attempt to grab her arm to stop her from walking away.
"I know it bothers you too!" Phoebe shouted after her.
"That's enough." Danny fumed, "You met Whit on craigslist or something. You haven't even known her for six months!"
"It's been long enough to find out that's she's a slut and her friends are criminals and drug addicts."
"And yet you stayed with her." Danny's tone seared into her, "We had fun last night, that's it. Remember fun? It's something you obviously know nothing about because you bailed like you're better than all of us and went to bed—"
"I am better than you! I work three jobs, I was tired! Don't turn this around on me, you're the one who only tells their girlfriend half the story."
"There is no story!" Danny bellowed, refusing to let anyone try to break them up, "Whit and I fell asleep at Kyle's and she gave me a massage on a bad day. She's my friend and we care about each other, god damn it, Phoebe!" Danny raked his hands through his hair and paced around, "You must see what I see when you look at her—" Danny paused and looked over at Whitney, "I was afraid of losing her once too."
"Danny—" Whitney tried to stop him from bleeding all over the place.
"She's awesome. She left my ass to find whatever was missing and that was you."
Lacey returned and stood with her back against the closest wall, letting Danny's words seep through her consciousness. He turned and connected with Lacey.
"It was the best decision because it led me to Lacey." Danny's whole chest ached, "Now I have the love of my life and an amazing friend. I'm sorry you can't feel both too."
Lacey sat down, this was too intense for a hangover at 9 am.
"Phoebs, have you even met Danny's girlfriend?!" Whitney pointed at the ball of Lacey on the ground, trying to make her girlfriend snap out of it and laugh again, "We got shitfaced and played a stupid game and then made out. Danny and I didn't do shit. That's it."
"Forgive me for reacting so strongly but you did sleep with Archie after all—" Phoebe said with such a deadpan face that Danny laughed out loud.
"I love you." Whitney said and pulled Phoebe into a bear hug, on the fence about strangling her.
Danny dragged his hands down his face and covered his eyes, sighing to himself before opening them again and searching out Lacey. He began pacing.
Phoebe and Whitney headed to their 'room' to talk and give Danny and Lacey some room to breathe.
"You slept with Whitney?" Lacey wondered out loud.
"NO! No—well yes, yes we slept, I just—" He didn't know what the fuck to say, "It was just sleeping and she was just, how she is." Danny's hands worked to explain what his brain couldn't make his mouth articulate.
"And the massage?"
"I came back after the trials with two hours to nap and a nonstop feed of bullshit running on a loop in my head. She rubbed my back until I fell asleep."
"Are there other things I don't know?"
"I don't know, probably? I told you about that one kiss with the girl at work when we were on the break—I'm not doing anything." He groaned, his own head now throbbing.
Danny walked over and sat down in front of Lacey. He took her hands into his and rubbed them tenderly, his eyes shimmering with bare fear and undying love for her.
"I didn't tell you because it wasn't important. You're important. You're the most important part of my life."
Lacey allowed him to get some energy out by fiddling with her hands while she thought about what she wanted to say. After a few moments she could feel Danny's anxiety begin to rise again and she knew the longer she kept quiet the more anxious he would become.
"I know you." She smiled warmly and reduced Danny's fear by half, "I know how open and comfortable you are with your friends and I love that about you."
"I'd never hurt you like that—"
"Listen, if you fuck up being with all this—" Lacey gestured all around herself, "That's on you."
She got Danny laughing and watched the tension in his shoulders melt.
"Please come back to bed with me?" Danny asked, completely exhausted.
Lacey crawled over to their pile of cushions without hesitation, collapsing and snuggling into the front of her ridiculously sweet boyfriend. Danny wrapped his arms around her tighter than ever, only backing off when Lacey squirmed around in discomfort.
"I love you." Danny gushed into whatever part of her that his lips were smooshed against.
"I love you too."