Harry was buttering his tie, staring at nothing, thinking about nothing.
"Hi Harry," said Dan, approaching the table where Harry was sitting. "Feeling any better?" After getting no response from Harry, the prosecutor continued. "Well, wounds of the heart take time to heal. I just want you to know I'm your friend and I'm here for you."
The prosecutor turned around and saw the rest of his colleagues at a table nearby, he hadn't seen them before, he was too worried about his judge. To conceal his true feelings he started to joke. "What a loser!"
The session went by without excitement. The court workers tried to get Harry's mood up but failed. Once court was over, they all asked Harry if he needed them. When he assured them he didn't, they all left. Dan left too, but once he was driving he regretted it and drove back to court.
Knock Knock
"Come in."
"Hello, Sir." Dan entered the chambers and closed the door behind him.
"I thought you'd left."
"I did, but I came back."
"Dan," said Harry, getting up "If you came here because you're worried, I already told you, I want to be alone."
Dan sighed "Your Honor, Harry, I hate seeing you like this. I've never admitted this, but I-" Dan held himself and sighed "care about you." Harry opened his mouth to talk, but Dan talked first "I know what you're going to say; I'm not leaving. You may think you want to be alone, but you need someone right now."
"Dan, I assure you I'll be okay, I just need time." Harry sat on his table.
"I know I don't know much about break-ups, but I know about you. And I also know that you need a shoulder to cry on" Dan got close to Harry and opened his arms. Immediately after, Harry threw himself at Dan and started letting it all out. He explained everything to Dan, everything about Margaret, and how much he loved her and misses her. Those words stung Dan, he loved the judge, and hearing him talk about his love belonging to someone else was terrible. But he needed him.
Half an hour later they were on the couch, Harry was sleeping with his head resting on Dan's lap, Dan was stroking his hair. Suddenly, Harry woke up.
"You're here."
"Indeed I am" As he spoke, Dan realized he was still stroking the sleepy man's hair and quickly stopped.
"Don't stop."
It took Dan by surprise, but he started again.
"You look happy, sir."
"Don't 'sir' me, Dan" Harry smiled and then put on a serious face. "I don't want to be alone."
"You are not and you won't be"
Harry got up slowly, "I'm exhausted" he looked at Dan, he knew he couldn't tell him about his dream, not yet anyway.
"I could drive you to your house," Dan offered, "and I'll pick you up tomorrow."
"Thanks"
Dan parked his car and accompanied Harry to his apartment. Harry opened the door and stepped inside. "Dan, I haven't thanked you properly. Thank you, I mean it, I feel much better and it's all because of you."
Dan didn't think, he just grabbed Harry's tie and pulled him close for a kiss, but rapidly pulled back. "Oh God, Harry! I'm so sorry, I-" before letting the judge speak, Dan turned around and left. Harry closed the door, smiling.
Dan sat in his car, banging his head against the steering wheel. How could I be so stupid, he thought. When his head started to hurt he left. And to think that he had to see him again tomorrow, he didn't know how he would be able to look him in the eyes. He arrived at his apartment and threw himself on the couch, face down. Why was I so stupid? he sat and saw there was a message on his answering machine. He listened to it, it was Harry. 'Hey, Dan. I'm gonna need you to come 45 minutes earlier than we had agreed to pick me up. I need to talk to you.'
Dan listened to it again, Harry didn't seem to be mad, but maybe he was. Feeling foolish he went to bed.
He was now driving against his will, he did not want to have that talk.
Knock Knock
Harry opened the door. "I wasn't sure you'd come. Come in." Both men sat down on the couch, it was small and their knees were almost touching. He saw Dan was beginning to speak, but he interrupted him. "Let me go first," Dan nodded. "I don't want you to apologize for what happened yesterday. When you came to my chambers, I was feeling worse than I had felt in a very long time. I told you to leave, but you stayed. And then you caressed me while I slept." Harry stopped, remembering the feeling of Dan's hand on his hair.
"Harry, why am I here?"
"The reason you are here is because I had a dream." Harry saw Dan repress a sarcastic comment. "While I was lying on that couch I dreamed about the courtroom. I felt worthless, and all of a sudden, Mel Tormé appeared, though it was not Mel, it was Herb, my guardian angel with Mel's appearance. He showed me how your lives would have been if I had never been there, just so you know; you were a judge." Dan raised his eyebrows.
"Was I any good?"
"No. You were a corrupt, unfair judge."
"Appreciate the honesty." said Dan mockingly
"Anyway, I left the courtroom and entered my -your- chambers. Christine also came inside and resigned, but you seduced her and you kissed. And that hurt, but not for Christine. It was a pain caused by jealousy."
"What are you trying to say?"
"What I'm trying to say is that, at that moment, it all made sense. Of course, what I had lost with Margaret would hurt, but I realized that I had something better waiting for me" Harry lifted his right hand to cup Dan's face. They remained looking at each other, unsure what to do next. Dan, then, leaned and kissed Harry. It felt good, very good. When they parted, they just hugged tight, burying their faces in each other's necks.