Author's Notes: Hullo! For today's segment, we have Rorschach being weird and Dan exhibiting his saint-worthy patience. Bless his little Dan heart. Also, many fervent apologies for the lateness. Rorschach refused to have a motive for the longest time.
I wish I owned Watchmen. It would be distinctly lacking of blood in the snow…
11. Break In
It was the clatter of what very well have been another little owl figurine that littered his kitchen (and well, let's face it, his whole house) that jerked him out of his sleep. Dan's eyes flew open and he shot up from his bed. Shifting his casted arm nervously, he crouched in his darkened bedroom, his head tilted to the door. He waited for another sound, any sort of disturbance to signal that what he hadn't just dreamt the first time.
A minute ticked by and Dan was about ready to go back to bed, curse his broken arm and wish (for the millionth time in the past week and a half) he'd been on patrol that night when the complaining of his old refrigerator door jerked him back to attention. Someone was definitely there, all right. Blood and adrenaline pounding through his ears, he considered his options. There was no way he, the goddamned Nite Owl was going to be robbed, it just rankled his pride way too much. So then, the only other option was to take some kind of punitive action. Dan blinked at his own thoughts, punitive actions? You're starting to sound like Rorschach.
Rorschach wouldn't let a broken arm stop him. Granted, Rorschach was left handed, having a broken right arm wouldn't really faze him very much. But the point remained: Rorschach would find some way to use his injury to his advantage. Dan entertained himself briefly with the idea of Rorschach terrorizing people with a casted limb before the dull scrapings of someone rummaging through his cabinets forced him back into focus. Okay Dreiberg, he thought to himself over his pounding heart, think like Rorschach, you can do it. Taking a deep breath, he pushed his door open and stalked silently down the hallway, thick socks muffling his padded steps. When he reached the door of the kitchen, he steeled himself, unused to having to do battle in his own house. Fists clenched, he moved from the shadows to peek through the crack in the door to gaze upon his intruder. His eyes widened.
It was Rorschach. Speak of the Devil.
For a moment, Dan just stood there, blinking. Suddenly, he was absolutely convinced he was having a very vivid dream. There was no way Rorschach could be in his house. The man had just gotten used to calling him Daniel and sleeping on a cot in the basement when he was really spent. No way would Rorschach break that so-sacred barrier and acknowledge the reality of Daniel's Other Life. And yet. Rorschach was still standing, back to the door, messing with something in front of him on Daniel's counter. Dan swallowed and pushed the door open all the way.
"Uhh… Rorschach?" Dan cleared his throat nervously.
Obviously taken by surprise, Rorschach shot almost a foot in the air, jerked around and dropped what appeared to be a spoon onto the floor. The spoon was full of peanut butter. Dan struggled to suppress both a smile and the sense of satisfaction at finally being the one to startle Rorschach for once.
"Daniel," Rorschach also (for once) seemed to be stumbling over his words, "You are supposed to be asleep."
Dan ignored this, "Y'know, if you were hungry, you could have just come earlier. I sure could have used the company."
Rorschach swallowed so loud Dan could hear it, "Couldn't." He replied swiftly, "Had work to do. Besides, you're supposed to be resting. Minimizing your time incapacitated. Also," he added, as though the thought just occurred to him, "You have a horrible lock."
Dan blinked at the non sequitur, "Oh. Do I?"
Rorschach nodded, seeming more comfortable with this line of conversation, "Yes. If I'd had ill intentions, I would have broken through that in a second."
Dan swallowed, "So can I take this to mean that you kicked my door down?"
"Not this time." Dan couldn't tell if Rorschach was teasing or serious, but he opted for the more optimistic possibility. He smiled, "Well, all right then. New lock for me, it looks like. So… ah--" He bent down and picked up the spoon full of peanut butter, "Just dropped by to test my lock and eat my peanut butter?"
It had meant to come out as a joke, but the tone of it changed somewhere on its journey from Daniel's mouth to Rorschach's brain. The smaller man shuffled awkwardly. "Apologies Daniel," he mumbled stiffly, hands fleeing to the nearest pockets, "meant to come back earlier to update you on underworld dealings. I arrived too late, you were sleeping and…" He glanced over at the open peanut butter jar and tried to find more face-saving words before Daniel interjected, embarrassed and exasperated.
"Rorschach, I was only kidding," Daniel smiled reassuringly, "Any time you want to come in and have something to eat is totally fine with me. In fact," Dan sidestepped Rorschach and threw the spoon in the sink before looking at him again, "I insist."
Rorschach shuffled his feet, obviously uncomfortable and Dan decided to have mercy on him. Still grinning and now wide awake, Daniel gestured to the table, "Sit down, man. I want to hear what I've been missing."
Slowly, Rorschach made his way to the table and sat gingerly on one of Dan's chairs. The way he was acting, he expected one of two things: for something to explode or for Daniel to change his mind with no warning and decide to be mad at him after all. Dan rolled his eyes and grabbed the peanut butter jar and two spoons before plunking himself down across the table. Rorschach stared curiously at the two spoons and Daniel grinned.
"What?" Dan laughed, "I can tell you're still hungry and I want in on this." Without further preamble, Dan picked up one of the spoons and plunged it into the peanut butter. He pulled himself a mighty scoop and stuck it in his mouth.
Rorschach tilted his head to the side, as if scrutinizing him. After a moment of consideration, Rorschach followed suit, pulling up his mask up to the bridge of his nose and pushing a great glob of peanut butter in his mouth. Dan swallowed quickly to make room in his throat for laughter.
"God, I haven't done this since I was a kid," he grinned, "Good call, buddy, I'm feeling better than I have in days."
Rorschach nodded thoughtfully, spoon hanging out of his mouth, causing Dan to laugh again. Rorschach allowed himself a small almost smile, curving around the handle of the spoon, which may or may not have an owl design on it. Dan had taken another mouthful of peanut butter before Rorschach spoke again.
"That's good. Patrol has been quiet. Also, not nearly as efficient without Owlship."
Dan snorted around his peanut butter, "Y'know," he mumbled, speech slightly garbled by the thickness that glued down his tongue, "The way you talk, I would think you were only my partner for Archie."
Rorschach was silent just long enough for Dan to fear he had offended or embarrassed him again. Just as he was about to apologize, Rorschach mumbled out, "Conversation is also appreciated."
Daniel beamed at the statement, half hidden behind peanut butter and self-consciousness, "Even when I talk about owls?" He teased. Rorschach snorted.
"I have my limits Daniel. Shouldn't take this as encouragement for slightly obsessive fascination."
Dan choked on his spoon. Spluttering between laughter and cardiac arrest, he pounded the table lightly. Rorschach did not pat him on the shoulder or pound his back like he would is he was someone else. He did, however, allow another almost smile tug at his usually dour mouth and lean forward a little, "Heard it helps to swallow first Daniel."
"Yeah, shut up." Dan gasped out, grinning, "So, will you come back tomorrow."
As soon as the words escaped his lips, he wanted to pull them back in again. He was enjoying himself, goddammit, and there he went, ruining a perfectly good (and rare and precious) moment with his pressuring. Now he knew what was going to happen next. Rorschach would stiffen, clench his fists once (or twice if he was really uncomfortable) and then leave. And this would never happen again. Dammit.
However, as Daniel waited for the inevitable, Rorschach scooped another spoonful of peanut butter and sucked on it thoughtfully, "I'm considering it. You need to be updated on issues of patrol, so you won't be behind when you return. Also," he added, leaning back in the chair, "you happen to have good peanut butter. Not chunky. Don't need superfluous material. Good choice Dan."
Daniel threw his head back and roared with laughter.
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Author's notes: Wow, that turned out weirder than I expected. Blame James Blunt!! He's what I'm listening to!! Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed latest installation. Angst maaaay be coming up next if I can figure out a non-cliché way to go about it. Thanks again for all of the wonderful support in reviews!