A/N The 'RandomReviewer' kindly asked how Jason and Danny got together so I thought I would oblige. Truthfully, I put them together because I thought it paired everyone off nicely but I've given it some thought since then. We'll be backtracking to some earlier chapters to help piece it together. I'll try not to confuse you. Enjoy!
Riding through the Georgia heat in the middle of the summer is doing nothing to help his already problematic asthma. He's been sitting in the back of this wagon for three weeks and Mom and Dad still won't tell him what's going on. They'd woken him up in the early hours of the morning, told him to pack the necessities, and are currently dragging him through the Georgia Federation towards the Monroe Republic.
Why on earth anyone would want to go there is beyond him.
XxX
West Virginia was the worst. In fact, Danny's pretty sure he hasn't breathed properly since they crossed into the territory. Mom and Dad still won't tell him why they're going to Philadelphia, but he's heard them arguing late at night when they think he's sleeping. Whatever their plan is, it involves a girl.
XxX
Too much sun, too much pollen, too much outside. He's always been more of an indoor kid, it's safer that way. But now he's collapsed in the back of their wagon, exhausted and barely able to breathe. He prays that they'll arrive in Philadelphia soon, if for no other reason than he'll finally be able to rest.
XxX
Someone keeps nudging his leg. It's annoying. He wishes they would go away. It's probably just Dad waking him up so they can make camp, so he ignores them.
"Hey, kid. Wake up."
But that doesn't sound like Dad's voice.
Danny blinks open his swollen eyes and finds himself trapped under a man's unfamiliar gaze. Dark brown eyes and a stiff looking uniform, the poor guy must be sweating to death in the sweltering heat.
"What's your name, kid?" The man asks impatiently and Danny bites back the irritation at his words. This guy's what? Four, maybe five years older.
"Danny. Danny Matheson."
Something flickers in the other man's eyes. Recognition followed by... panic, maybe? What could a soldier in the Monroe Militia possibly be afraid of?
There's no time to analyze the Militia man's strange behavior though. The sun is hot and the air is heavy, his lungs feel like an elephant decided that his chest would make a good seat. He coughs and sputters uncontrollably as another soldier leads him inside, though he doesn't miss the man's worried voice as it carries across yard.
"Go find Doctor Foster."
Finally, Danny thinks as he stumbles up the stairs of a large building. Someone is actually paying attention to me.
Xxx
The doctor is incredibly kind, not at all what he'd expected coming from the Monroe Republic, and he's feeling better already. Although the Militia Captain, Baker - he thinks, is asking an awful lot of questions. Of course he's sure he doesn't have a sister. Pretty sure he would remember having a sibling.
The Captain and the doctor dissappear out in the hallway, leaving Danny along with his thoughts and the ability to breath properly. He doesn't have any idea why his parents would try to break into Independence Hall.
Can you say, suicide mission? Danny thinks with a have been stories circulating around Georgia for years about the Militia's brutality. Though he must admit, he hasn't seen it yet. Actually, all they've done so far is try to help him. His mom would totally freak if she heard him say that. She's hated Monroe for as long as he can remember but he doesn't really understand why.
Maybe she's wrong.
XxX
The moon has risen fully in the night sky and Danny feels more exhausted than he's ever been, yet he can't seem to sleep. A nice lady with a maids cart brought him dinner a few hours ago but had no new of his parents to share. The Captain hasn't been back to talk to him, nor has he seen the other Militia guy. The one with the dark eyes that kept calling him kid.
Danny snorts aloud in the quiet room and mumbles to himself. "Not a kid."
There's a soft knock at the door and the man himself pokes his head inside. Their eyes meet, the man's steps faltering when he realizes that Danny is still awake.
"Oh, sorry. I was just coming to make sure you were alright in here. You know, make sure I didn't need to get the doc again."
A small smile breaks across Danny's face as he shakes his head. "No, I'm fine."
The other man nods, hesitating on the threshold before entering the room and shutting the door behind him. Danny steps back instinctively, his mind conjuring up all of the horrible stories his mother had ever told him about the Militia.
"What do you want?" He asks nervously.
The man's dark eyebrows furrow, his lips pulling into a straight line. "I just wanted to ask you something."
"Oh." Danny feels himself flush with embarrassment and thanks whatever God there is that it's dark in the room. "Go for it."
"It's about your parents. They really didn't tell you why they wanted to come to Philadelphia? That seems like something they would share with their son."
"No they didn't tell me anything. Why do you people keep asking me that?" Danny asks, feeling his irritation growing. But rather than jumping to defend himself like Danny had expected, the other man simply shakes his head with a sad look in his eyes.
"No reason. Sorry I bothered you," he says as he walks to the door.
Guilt tears at Danny's chest, a strange sensation when mixed with his frustration. "Wait."
The man turns to look at him with curiosity sparkling in his eyes. Unsure of why he told him to wait, Danny searches for something to say.
"What's your name?" He asks when nothing else comes to mind.
The man smiles, broad and welcoming, warm in a way that Danny didn't know a smile could be. "I'm Jason. Jason Neville."
When he's gone, Danny decides to add Jason Neville to his new list of things he doesn't quite understand. Along with why his parents dragged him all the way here and why the Militia seems so goddamn curious about it.
XxX
Sister. Sister. Sister. He has a sister. A living, breathing human being that shares most of his DNA. They have different hair and different eyes, but their noses are exactly the same. Its weird.
He hasn't spoken to either of his parents since they spilled the beans. How do you keep a child, his sister, a secret for seventeen years? More importantly, why?
He is beyond frustrated with them and this entire situation. At this point, Danny would be perfectly content to pack up and head back to Georgia so he could pretend that none of this had ever happened.
She seems nice, though. But she's married to the President and he's pretty sure the President is an old dude. Oh well, to each his own. Or her own, in this case. He would like to talk to her, try to get to know her, but she seems so set in her perfect little life here in Independence Hall that he isn't even sure where he'd fit in. Apparently his sister will be just another family member that doesn't need him.
XxX
Meeting and afternoon teas, galas and party planning, dress shopping and flower arrangements. He's only been hanging around Charlie for a week and he already has no idea how her head hasn't exploded. Apparently, the Monroe Republic can't even function without her to push all the right buttons.
He often feels like his tagging along is just getting in her way but Charlie insists that he join her during her daily duties. It's nice that she's trying, he just wishes it didn't feel so forced.
So far, Jason is the only one that seems genuinely happy to see him, though Danny gets the feeling that it's more out of his love for Charlie than anything to do with him. The two of them are practically inseparable, always talking, always laughing, sometimes having entire conversations with just a look. If it weren't for Charlie's apparent love for her husband, Danny might suspect that she and Jason were having an affair. But their relationship isn't quite right for that. They're too close, almost like brother and sister.
But I'm not jealous, Danny reminds himself.
But he is. Jealous that Charlie went on and found herself a new brother to replace him and jealous that all of Jason's attention is on her. It's an odd feeling. He's never really been the jealous type, so where is all of this coming from?
XxX
This little... infatuation he has for Jason is getting out of control. At first he just like hanging out with him, it was nice to have a real friend, someone he could talk to. But now... It's moved on to a full scale crush. Man, he hates that word, but that's exactly what it is. A crush.
Every joke, every laugh, every smile, makes his stomach twist up in knots and it's the weirdest thing he's ever experienced. Sure, he's had girlfriends, but Jason is no girl. He's all muscle, strength topped with the most sincere smile he's ever seen.
It's refreshing and terrifying all at once.
He hopes Jason doesn't find out.
XxX
It's the night of the gala and Jason's mom, Julia, has been after them for hours. "Comb your hair, don't wrinkle your suit, manners!" It's giving him a headache.
Jason grins at him from across the room while Julia goes over the night's schedule, again, and discreetly pulls a flask from his jacket pocket to take a sip. Danny rolls his eyes at him, but can't stop the smile that tugs at his lips. He could definitely use a drink right now.
Moving slowly, he crosses the room without Julia noticing since she too busy fussing about Charlie's hair, though Miles does smirk at him as Jason hands over the flask and he takes a sip. Danny just sticks his tongue out at him.
The drinking doesn't stop there. They refill the flask with some of Bass and Miles' good scotch, Jason swears they won't notice, and down that too, along with a glass of homemade wine that's meant for the party. By the time the party actually starts, Danny can barely walk straight. He's been leaning on Jason all afternoon, enjoying his steady warmth and then backing away from him, confused by by the strange feelings swirling in his gut.
He has such thick lips, Danny thinks as Jason introduces him to another round of party guests. I wonder if they're as soft as they look.
Wait. What?
Danny back away from the group of strangers abruptly, causing Jason to look at him with concern. "Hey, you OK?"
Unable to look him in the eyes, Danny turns in the direction of the patio. "Yeah, just need some air." He speeds off without waiting for a response, hurrying into the cool evening air to try and clear his head.
I don't really want to know what his lips feels like.
Or does he.
"Hey, are you alright? Do you need Maggie?" Jason asks, his voice laced with worry. Danny chances a glance at him and finds his dark brown eyes only a few inches away, his full lips almost level with his eyes. He looks away quickly.
"I'm fine," Danny says, his voice scratchy. "Just had too much to drink I guess."
Jason looks at him with disbelief and leans down to catch his eyes. "Are you sure? You look upset."
He looks so worried and if it wasn't the nicest anyone's ever been to him Danny might not care, but Jason is the nicest person he knows. And he does care, maybe a little more than he should.
"It's nothing," he tells him with a shake of his head.
"Don't lie to me, Danny. What's wrong?" Jason lays a hand on his shoulder, the warmth of his fingers and his closeness, and his rich scent making it impossible to think straight. Danny reaches up an presses a kiss on Jason's lips. It's awkward and badly aimed, landing on the corner of his bottom lip, and only lasts a second. When he pulls away, Danny turns brick red, utterly mortified.
"Oh shit."
Jason doesn't say anything, but merely looks at him curiously as if he were a difficult puzzle.
"I'm so sorry," Danny murmers, backing away from the scene while he plans his escape to Mexico in his head. "I'm sorry."
He gets about three steps before Jason is right back in front of him invading his personal space, his eyes a mixture of confusion and something that Danny can't identify.
"I'm sorry," Danny whimpers, terrified of what will happen next, but Jason I stead of attacking him like he'd half expected, Jason kisses him. It's fully on the mouth this time and his stomach erupts in a volcano of butterflies as he smiles against Jason's lips.
They are pretty soft.