THE LESS YOU'LL SEE

NOTES: We're down to the last three chapters! On one hand, I'm a little sad to let go of this main arc, as it has served as my source of sanity for the last couple of months, but on the other hand, I decided I would do interludes based on the main story (so I'm really not letting go, after all). Prompts/requests will be much appreciated, so please do drop me a note in the comments section or email me directly at ficamaze .

Let's start wrapping up loose ends with Chapter 18 – The Horsemen still have two shows, after all, the first being in 5 Pointz – this time, as the quintet we have grown to love. Let's see how the five will mesh in the few minutes before their long-delayed show, but of course, my main priority is to try and show you guys where Jack and Danny pick up from here. Please note that this chapter doesn't actually contribute much, and was written in bits and pieces over the last working week.

The usual drill: I cannot stress these points enough, so I will put these at the start of every chapter:

This is primarily a Lover's Death story.

I do not own anyone (i.e., characters, etc) or anything (i.e., lines, scenes, concepts, etc) from the Now You See Me series. Absolutely no copyright infringement intended.

Some events in this story are inspired by my own experiences, and should you see yourself in the story, then let me give you a high five, but that honestly was not my intention.

October 2008: Pygmalion

Contrary to popular belief, Jack Wilder liked to think that he knew lots of things outside of magic, in fact more than most of his peers.

Not many people knew that he had grown up in a very nurturing household full of books and stories: he remembered the best times with his parents had been that of them taking the time every day to read he and Lara stories from all over the world. Before he discovered magic, it was reading that took him to places, and provided an inexplicable sense of comfort that had not been replicated by anything else in this world.

He liked to think that it was his only little secret, one that only his parents and sister knew about him. Even after almost two years of knowing with Danny and being with him a little over one, his boyfriend had taken for granted how he had chosen to be a literature major, thinking that Jack only went in it on a whim. He never bothered to correct Danny's assumptions, preferring to keep to himself just how exhilarating it was to pore over written works, the exact translation of the inner workings of the human mind. The showman didn't mean any harm, and anyway, it was hell of a lot easier to cruise along without the pressure and expectations of being a reader.

Their next appearance would be at 5 Pointz, revealing half of the things Jack had worked hard on getting and unravelling for the last three months, and it also marked their first real show as The Five Horsemen. As for their last show – well, Jack smiled to himself, they weren't quite done with Arthur Tressler and Walter Mabry yet. He looked forward to that show: that would be a real spectacle to behold.

A few days before their appearance at 5 Pointz, Jack and the other four were standing in a circle, practicing their lines and exchanging ideas, when suddenly – as though struck by lightning – Danny had frozen in place, blue flames in his eyes, a beautiful smile on his face, the card he was toying with still in between his long fingers, as he did when he had a brilliant idea that he just couldn't wait to see come to life, but this time, Jack was barely paying attention to what he said, because the reader in him was struck speechless.

Did she seem warm to his touch, or was it just residual heat form the sunset that had warmed the stone?

Jack remembered the first night they found each other again. He thought it would be difficult, he thought that too much had changed for them to ever return to the sweet ease of what they once were, he thought it would be different.

He was right – it was different. But it was so much easier, and so much had changed for the better the minute he had pushed Danny onto the bed they shared: there was a new vulnerability in their methods that was never quite present before, and a fresh hunger that he doubted could ever be fully satiated in the years to come. They had touched each other, explored every crevice and edge with the tips of their shaking fingers, their trembling lips, and had claimed each other just as carefully and just as swiftly, a silent promise of never letting go.

They had drowned and resurfaced so many times throughout the night, gasping for air only when the first rays of the early morning sun peeked into their room, wanting a glimpse of something that could light up the room just as well as its brightness could.

Jack often teased Danny for being cold: aloof façade aside, the man's skin was ridiculously cold all the time, regardless of the weather. But now, as he nuzzled his partner's whole body, inhaling deeply and registering his intoxicating smell and flavor, he thought he detected a faint layer of warmth that had not been there before.

He smiled. "So, you're human," he said softly.

He could almost hear Danny's eyes rolling. "What are you going on about?"

Jack shook his head, planting a light and warm kiss on Danny's inner left thigh, as cool as marble, and he was rewarded with a husky gasp. "Nothing," he whispered.

Did the statue's lips seem soft?

"Hey… Jack? Can we talk?"

It was about a week after Dylan had come back to them with instructions and the plan. The apartment was empty: Merritt and Henley had gone on a date, while Lula was out with her flavor of the week. Jack's head snapped up at the unsure tone that was completely not his Danny. He frowned at the showman, who was fidgeting uncharacteristically. "What's wrong?" he demanded immediately. Danny's hands were restless, playing with a large coin, which was now deftly making its way across his fingers.

The sleight sighed, crossed over to where the showman was, and stilled his hands by clutching it with his own. "Danny," he said firmly but gently.

Danny cleared his throat. "Sorry," he said crisply. "You just… I just wanted to talk. Because… you told me you wanted me to… talk," he finished lamely. Jack said nothing, allowing Danny to gather his thoughts for a few moments. Danny took a deep breath. "It's about Lula."

"Mmm."

"She… she said she's in love with you."

"I heard her," Jack said carefully.

Danny's eyes searched Jack quickly. "Are you?" he asked gently.

Jack knew he promised not to lie to Danny ever – no more secrets, no more lies. Which is why he gave a little sigh, saying, "I think some part of me will always be, Danny," he admitted carefully, forcing himself to look Danny in the eye. "She was my best girl, and she's my best friend now."

The blonde's blue eyes were sad and resigned, and there was the minutest trembling of Danny's lips. He turned his gaze to Danny's lips, which had always been soft against his own, tasting like peppermint and smelling like candy. "I'm sorry. It's probably not what you wanted to hear. But I told you I would never lie to you," Jack said quietly.

Danny shook his head, a tight smile on his face, his eyes shining suspiciously. It was during moments like this that Jack fully appreciated how only he was allowed to witness the humanity behind his lover, his partner, his best friend. He told himself he would never squander such a high privilege.

"And I did tell you that it doesn't change anything," the showman said decisively, clutching Jack's biceps tightly, pulling the sleight closer. They were so close that their lips brushed as Danny spoke. "Sorry for the morbid curiosity. And… well, I'm sorry, but… I'm never going to wave the white flag when it comes to you."

Jack smiled. "I'll keep that in mind," he whispered, the feather sensation of lips against his giving him the chills. "Thank you for talking, Danny."

"Thank you for telling me the truth, Jack," Danny said simply before finally putting his ridiculously soft and warm lips over Jack's, silencing any response effectively.

Did there appear the glow of life from within the marble form? Was he imagining it?

Galatea.

The mighty J. Daniel Atlas would have him smacked him if he knew what was going on in Jack's mind: right now, he was a marble piece of perfection, one that the sleight could only have dreamt of in his previous life, one that finally came to life because some goddess had taken pity on his then-pining heart. Not even the next calculated movements of his boyfriend could break the spell that had been temporarily cast on him.

Danny, as usual, didn't miss a beat. He looked over at Jack questioningly, a little crease appearing in between his eyebrows. "My eyes are up here, Wilder," he deadpanned, but Jack knew that was meant in jest. "You back on earth to join us mortals?"

Jack carefully put the thought at the back of his mind as he shook his head. "I'm just hungry, man," he drawled impishly. "Can't we get a break or something?"

"You just ate half a rack of ribs, Jack," Henley said incredulously. "Where do you put it all? It's not fair."

"Well…" Jack wagged his eyebrows at Danny suggestively, earning a groan from Henley.

"Okay, I did not need to know that!" she protested, covering her ears.

"Oh, come on, Henley, you probably know what Jack's talking about, given your history with Danny," Lula said impatiently. "You know it's a bit legit, given that both of them are still as thin as they've ever been—"

"Hey, can we not talk about what Atlas and Jack-o possibly get up to for them to keep themselves fit?" Merritt protested loudly.

"Yeah, why don't we talk about the… oh! I almost forgot!" Henley said excitedly, reaching for something in her bag.

"God, I missed this," Jack said in an excited whisper as he broke the kiss, gasping for air. "This is the kind of thing I was initially looking forward to at the start of all this insanity."

A pair of blue eyes rolled in response to the remark. "You've been saying that since we got here."

Jack gasped in mock horror. "How can you not enjoy this, Danny?"

Danny scowled. "Really, being stuck in a closet with an irritating twat?"

The snarky remark was met with a one-sided grin. "A dark closet, at a full liberty to make out with said irritating twat, college-party style, Atlas. Don't forget those important details."

"Just because it's impossible for me to leave you, it doesn't mean I can't get sick of you."

Jack chuckled as his eyes adjusted to the dark. "Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that, Atlas. You know you love me."

Danny rolled his eyes. "And isn't that your favorite thing to hold over my head," he said impatiently as he quickly struggled to bring their lips back together.

"Are you guys decent in there?" Lula called out loudly from the closet door, showing up right the next second.

The sleight sighed exasperatedly as both he and the showman's eyes adjusted to the light. "Apparently, it doesn't really matter, does it, Lula? What with you barging in the same time you ask that question."

The self-decapitator waved her hand impatiently. "There's not much about you that could scar me for life, anyway, Jack-o," she said casually.

Danny suppressed a sigh: since Lula had admitted her lingering feelings for Jack, it had been easier to take her offhand comments, but if he were to be honest with himself, it still bothered him at times, though he did admit that being honest about it with Jack helped ease the burden.

"Cut it out, Lula," Jack said sharply. "Last I checked, Seven Minutes is only for two people, not three."

"If you two had any sense of time, you would have known that Seven Minutes was done about fifteen minutes ago. We have to go now," she said urgently.

Immediately after the river fiasco, Dylan's first order of business was to lay out the timelines and plans for them for at least the next three months, something which Danny had been grateful for – it was a semblance of organization, something he didn't have to draw up himself, and he was relieved for the break he had been given.

All five of them had been enrolled in Queens West College, and this time, they were told, it would be for good. They used completely new identities in campus, identities that did not at all talk about magic of any kind. Due to their lost records in Octa, though, they had to start as freshmen again, something which none of them – not even Merritt – minded in the least. It was the most refreshing thing for Danny, and if he picked up anything from the last year, really, it was how much he appreciated the normalcy of college life, where the biggest issue he faced was whether he would go on a private date or a college party with his boyfriend.

Having several members of The Eye in the Board of Directors, Danny found, was one consideration The Eye had in selecting the school for them: they were still, after all, the Horsemen, and were bound to disappear ever so often for an expose mission. It would make their absence unnoticeable, and their excuses acceptable when they did return. As Dylan was explaining their unique situation, Danny was once more filled with a grateful surge that the FBI agent had taken care of things for them.

Life was definitely good for Daniel Atlas right now. He looked at his boyfriend, who was practically bouncing with excitement as they walked down the full pavement away from the large house, and in the moment, Danny thought that maybe this is what it was like to have it all.

Henley and Merritt were already sidled up next to each other in the sleek black car that had been sent for them, running through their lines and positions. It was time for their 5 Pointz show, something that Danny had looked forward to for the last month: it was their first show as the new quintet, and the perfect opportunity to rub in everyone's faces that they were alive and very much kicking.

This was, however, just a little sideshow in preparation for the main show on New Year: he owed Walter Mabry and Arthur Tressler a little comeuppance for what they very nearly did to Jack, after all. Just remembering how very nearly he had lost Jack sent a shudder down his body. He cast a glance at Jack and involuntarily held the sleight's hand, as though reassuring himself that Jack was still there.

Jack looked at him gently, squeezing his hand back before looking at the rest of the team. "You guys ready to take the world on again?" he asked.

More than an hour later, the stage was set up. It had taken all of one tweet from each of them for the word to spread, and in ten minutes tops, 5 Pointz was full of people.

Jack huffed out a breath as he excitedly paced the room. "I'm so nervous, and we aren't even actually going to be there," he gushed.

Lula cleared her throat. "Well, I heard that when you're nervous, you… uh… picture each other naked."

Danny rolled his eyes. "It's actually to picture the audience naked, Lula."

She shook her head. "No, no, this is… this is a new science. One that, of course, I won't be able to do, since I'm the only one in this group with no one to picture naked," she said dryly.

Henley ribbed her with a wink. "Aww, come on, honey, is the magic of our marriage wearing out so quickly already?" she teased. "I'm hurt."

Merritt cleared his throat. "Daniel?"

Danny looked up at the mentalist with a raised eyebrow. "Yes?"

The older boy fidgeted. "I just thought that in this rare moment of vulnerability and sentiment, I ought to tell you something that's been on my mind for quite a while now."

The showman cocked his head, a half-smile on his face. "Okaaaay," he said easily.

"Well, when I first met you, I thought you were a…" Merritt paused, suppressing a smile.

"Hmm?" Jack egged on, his eyebrows wagging.

"…a dick."

Henley snorted in laughter, shaking her head and nudging Merritt playfully. "And…?" she prompted.

Merritt's eyes widened, as though genuinely surprised at her follow-up question. "Oh, no," he said. "That's it."

"Oh," Danny replied flatly, though there was a twinkle in his eye. "I'm touched."

Merritt smiled cheekily. "Well, it's from the heart."

Danny shook his head. "I didn't tell you where I was touched."

Lula looked at the other four, a nostalgic smile on her face. "Seriously, guys, what are we going to do after all of this is over?" she said quietly.

Jack poked her playfully. "You're getting a bit too sentimental, Ms. May."

"It just sucks that I have a grand total of two shows, and we're done," she said bitterly.

Danny's blue eyes shone as he looked at her. "And who says we're done?" He cast his eyes to meet Jack's, and a real smile appeared on his face. "We are far from over. If I have to go knocking on Dylan's door for new missions for the rest of our lives, I'd do it."

"Whoa, someone's getting a touch too sentimental for me!" Merritt crowed. "Now come on, let's get on with our show before we lose whatever emotional dignity we have."

The first sound that greeted them was the din of adoration and amazement. Lights filled the whole packed place, and Jack suspected that the fact that he and Danny went out hand-in-hand further added to the excitement of the crowd. In the next seconds, he was proven right: the cheering crowd started a low chant that he was only able to decipher later on as "AtlastJack".

He bit his lip in amusement, looking at Danny to comment on the hype of the crowd, but immediately, whatever words Jack wanted to say vanished into thin air as Jack took in Daniel Atlas in his element: there was so much life and excitement in his boyfriend's blue eyes, a light blush creeping on his cheeks, his hand warm under his. But however amazing Danny was, there was nothing more amazing than the fact that – shockingly – he was Jack's.

Jack's.

"Hello, New York!" Henley started enthusiastically. "Thank you for the magic, and thank you for being such an incredible and dedicated audience!"

"Unfortunately, like all good things, it must come to an end," Merritt continued, taking Henley's outstretched hand. "So we would like to start tonight's show by saying goodbye… for now."

It was his line. He paused, and Danny looked at him in light alarm, thinking that he forgot his lines. Maybe he did, for a bit – he would swear up and down in that moment that he even forgot his name. Jack supposed there was just too much of a good distraction next to him.

Jack smirked, first at Danny, then at the audience. "All we wanted to do was to bring the world to a magic show—"

"—and thereby bring a little magic back into the world," Danny continued smoothly, his eyes never leaving Jack.

"This has been amazing, and one hell of a ride," Lula said, her voice breaking slightly. "But it's time for us to disappear… but never for good."

"We'll see you very soon… after all, we have a bone to pick with some old friends," Henley said deviously, causing another uproar among the crowd.

"Good night, New York!" Merritt said with the tip of his hat.

"And thank you for believing in us!" Jack cried out, waving to the crowd before the five of them ran off into the lights, disappearing with the same gusto as wild, crazy fireworks shooting across the sky.

"We'll see you very soon… after all, we have a bone to pick with some old friends."

Three thousand miles away, Walter Mabry turned off the television set with shaking hands. For the first time in his life, he was well and truly afraid. He took several deep and calming breaths before picking up the phone and placing it on his ear.

"Hello?" came a thick voice on the other end of the line.

"Dad," he said as calmly as he could. "They're coming."

Dead silence. Walter cleared his throat. "Dad, did you hear me? They're—"

"Then let them come," came the sharp snap of Arthur Tressler's voice. "Don't call out the obvious to me, boy. And suck it up. We've got work to do."

Click. The line went as dead as thought he would be very soon. Walter stared at the phone in his hands, wondering what it is they could possibly do to beat the Horsemen, once and for all. He comforted himself with the thought that they couldn't harm him – they couldn't possibly bring down Walter Mabry, under any circumstance.

Could they?