Chapter five: The Jack of Hearts

Word Count: 934

The tension in the car was thick enough to cut through with a knife. Danny sat pressed up against the window; he was determined to have as much distance between himself and Jack as was humanly possible. He could still see the smug smirk on Alma Dray's face as she allowed him to leave. Danny realized when he saw the facial expressions of the other three that there had been a purpose for them standing there.

His cheeks turned violently, and uncharacteristically, red as Jack looked him in the eyes and he muttered a quiet let's go before leading the way out of the building. When they came outside Jack stood next to him with a frown apparent on the normally calm boy's face.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Danny glanced at him and nodded. "Yes, I'm fine." He forced himself to smile. "It was all part of the plan, right?"

Jack nodded. Not entirely convinced. And painfully aware of the fact that this had not been part of the plan at all. "Yeah, sure it was all part of the plan."

Danny could feel Merritt glance over at him every now and again as they waited for the cab to show up. Even more when they got in the car. Danny crossed his fingers and hoped with everything he was worth that he wouldn't be questioned about his reaction when there was nowhere for him to run. Like Merritt had read his mind he leaned forward so that he became more visible behind Henley and Jack.

"Would you mind explaining to me why you dropped the act Atlas?" the mentalist asked with a tone of voice that made it sound as if he already knew the answer even if Danny had yet to say it.

Danny shrugged.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" Merritt continued in a nonchalant voice. "Look man, I don't really care but it could be good for us to know if you have some kind of weakness that they can use."

Still no words came from Danny's firmly pressed together lips. Merritt sighed.

"Do not push me Daniel Atlas. Because I can figure you out even if you don't want to. Just because you don't believe that what I do is magic doesn't mean that it's not effective." Danny smirked at Merritt's words and somewhat tilted his head towards the mentalist. "So you have a weakness… several weaknesses, it has to do with you… us… not all of us… me… Henley… Ja-"

Every time Merritt guessed the right thing his smile grew and Danny's lips turned into an even thinner line than it was the moment before.

"Excuse me," Danny leaned forward towards the driver. "I'm getting out right here."

"Here?"

The drivers question had Danny roll his eyes and he answered with a tone of irritation. "Yes, here."

"Where are you going?" Henley asked as Danny opened the door.

The showman left without another word, there was nothing coming through the sound of his own blood rushing through his ears or the feeling of his heart making an attempt to break through his chest. He felt slightly nauseous by the idea that the thoughts that had been roaming his mind since the first time he laid eyes on Jack Wilder had almost been spoken out loud.

Because that would have been a catastrophe.

A spur of curse words left his mouth as he saw the car with the three horsemen driving by him. He scrunched his face together and squinted at the car. Or was it only two.

"Hey man." Danny flinched when a hand touched his shoulder and a fearful expression appeared on his face for a few seconds until he saw who it was. Jack himself. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"That's okay." Danny said nodding as he continued walking forward now with Jack by his side. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to make sure that you were okay." Jack replied as he pushed his hands into his pocket. There was a moment of silence when Danny almost felt like they were the only two people in the world. "So, do you want to talk about what happened back there?"

Danny rolled his eyes. "I would prefer not to but I'm assuming that we're going to anyway."

Jack laughed. Just the sound was enough to make Danny's smile grow. "You're very right about that Danny. But since you might be more comfortable talking hypothetically. Let's hypothetically say that I like this guy and almost found out that he liked me back. What would I do?"

"Tell him?" Danny said with a slight hesitation in his voice.

Jack took a quick step forward and put his hands on Danny's shoulders to make him stop. "I like you."

"You like me?"

Jack nodded. He took a step forward. "I like you." The moment those words left his lips Danny's mind began buzzing with thoughts. Jack laughed. "Don't think about this too much. What do you want to do right now?"

A slight blush appeared on his cheeks as the thought entered Danny's mind. He looked Jack's lips and felt a tingling sensation go through his body.

"You have to use your words." Jack said with a slight smile on his face.

Danny rolled his eyes. "I want to kiss you."

The smile on Jack's face grew as he took another step forward and eliminated the space between them. Danny could feel Jack's breath against this skin as the sleight whispered words that Danny never thought he would find beautiful. "Then do it."

The end