Disclaimer: Singing to tune of 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' I don't own Red Dwarf, I couldn't if I tried, Oh Danny I wish that I could, but I aint one of the writers! ...(Ahem)
Anyway, welcome to a very, VERY prolonged instalment of Vita Amici - sorry for it's rubbishness, but nevermind... Oh yeah - If your wonderng why the hell I'm listening to 'Don't Go Breaking My Heat' it's to do with a random fic that came into my head - should post it later tonight, but it culd be in two or three parts - It depends.
Lister flopped down onto the settee and yawned. "Finally." He said as Danny walked into the apartment holding a bag of Indian take out in one hand and what looked like the remains of a black remote control in the other.
"What do you mean 'Finally'?" Danny said with a roll of his eyes as he put the bag on the counter.
"Well you found the remote!"
"Yeeeees – In the middle of the pavement – I stood on it as I came back with the food." Danny replied as Howard took the remote from him and turned to glare at Lister.
"How the smeg did it get into the middle of the pavement?" He asked, causing Lister to shrug his shoulders and stand up – Slyly moving to his room whilst grabbing his order from Bobby who was helping Hattie and Danny to organise the food.
Howard let out a defeated sigh and ran a hand through his thinning hair. "Is he always like this?" He asked towards Danny.
"Afraid so bud. – Don't worry, you'll get used to us." Danny added as he poured himself and Hattie some wine.
"He doesn't play his guitar often does he?" Rimmer asked hesitantly.
"Erm yeah… Do you lot have ear plugs?" Danny asked, getting the response of a yes from Hattie and Howard, and a no from Rimmer.
Rimmer shot a confuse look at them. "It's your self hypnosis tapes…" Hattie said after a slight pause.
"And the Hammond Organ music." Howard added.
"And Reggie Wilson." Bobby said after another pause, causing everyone to look at him oddly.
"How do you know I like Reggie Wilson?" Rimmer asked suspiciously.
"Just a guess."
"Ooooooookay… Don't you have to go home?" Rimmer responded as he flopped onto the settee next to Hattie.
"Not really." Bobby replied as he but his curry order back in the bag Danny brought it in, and exited through the door anyway.
"Awwww I feel really guilty now." Hattie muttered after a moment.
"You're too soft, he has a home – You make it sound like we've just turfed out a small, lost puppy dog." Rimmer replied as there was a small meaning Howard had gone into his room and shut the door.
"Whatever Arnold." Hattie replied as she picked at her food with her fork.
Rimmer shifted his weight and listened to the slight uncomfortable pause, he had spent many a night on the settee with Hattie, mostly talking about Howard, but now Danny was here too.
Danny cleared his throat and poured himself another glass of wine. He turned his head and looked past Hattie to Rimmer. He thought for a moment, and then topped up Rimmer's glass too – He didn't like Rimmer and wouldn't mind starting an argument if only for the fun of winding him up, but Hattie needed her two confidants to be there for her… Even Danny knew that much.
And however 'blonde' the model was, he also knew what Hattie thought and he also knew there were many times he could have taken advantage of Hattie when she was low, and that she probably wouldn't mind, but he had lines to draw – Even if that meant shutting her out sometimes even as she opened up.
He supposed that's what he'd done with Susan – On the whole he didn't generally 'draw the line' with women, but Hattie was a special friend, and Susan… Well, she was kinda mental.
He took another sigh and put the plastic tray of half eaten food onto the coffee table, then he stood up, grabbing the wine glass with one hand, and running the other threw his hair as he left Hattie and Rimmer, and walked towards his room.