(A/N): Leo and Danniel chat about how Lisbet, Jerremyah and Greygorry are acting strangely, which Danniel's seems to know more about than he's willing to tell Leo. Leo asks Danniel why he pushes himself so hard, and Danniel explains some stuff about his childhood, and how he grew up with his single mother. They also talk about Leo telling Audrey that Danniel is 'like a brother to him'. A fairly decent length chapter, over 2,700 words, because my boys needed to TALK. As I upload this (21/02/23), I have up to Chapter 355 written up- 355 should be uploaded on 25/3/23 (which is the day of my sister and her fiance's joint birthday and engagement party!)

Leo

Danniel apparated us within hearing distance of the Folley's house- our hearing range, not theirs- and immediately set the cardboard box of picnicking supplies at the base of the closest tree. He pulled the orange blanket out of the box and whipped it open, spreading it across the snowy ground before stepping back, and raising his wand to cast a cushioning charm on it.

"Molliare. There." He raised his eyes to me, sticking the tip and first two thirds of his wand in the front pocket of his jeans before gesturing towards the blanket. "Take a seat, get comfy." Reluctantly, I did as he bid of me, and when my backside came into contact with the blanket, I was impressed by the fact that it felt just like sinking into a plush armchair, instead of sitting on a thin blanket on the cold, hard ground.

I looked up to see him watching me, and even I knew that the nod I gave him was rather awkward.

"It's good." I told him. "Like sitting on a cloud." Danniel's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and I was briefly worried that I had offended him somehow.

"Have they not taught you that one yet? I mean, I know you can't do magic outside of school, but you never seem to ask people to perform spells for you when you're home, so I kind of figured maybe you don't know certain spells exist, or how to ask for them." I shrugged lamely in response.

"I'm used to not having the creature comforts- it doesn't bother me. I know the spell, I just usually don't... don't care enough to ask." Danniel's eyebrows furrowed even more dramatically.

"You shouldn't have to be uncomfortable just because-" I cut him off, but I didn't really have to work very hard for it- the second I opened my mouth, he closed his.

"I'm not uncomfortable." His frown intensified, and I continued before he could speak up. "I'm not uncomfortable, I'm just not comfortable. Most of the time, I don't even notice." He seemed slightly perturbed by this for a second, before his expression softened, and I had a feeling it was calculated.

"Well, if you do ever happen to notice you're less than comfortable, let me know." He hesitated for a second, before finishing it up with, "Performing magic makes me feel more like the person I was before I was turned."

Oh. Well, that was... poignant.

"I- Okay. I guess I'll... try to pay more attention." The smile Danniel gave me was so earnest, I couldn't help but return it.

"Thanks." He said quietly, before starting to remove the cutlery and plates from the box, and setting them on the blanket off to side, so there was nothing between us. After he was done with that, he pulled out his wand again, pointing it at the box and saying, '"Manere Frigus." Ah, he must be casting some sort of refrigeration charm on the box to keep the food and drinks cold. "Probably not necessary, given the weather, but better safe than sorry." It would also probably keep the pop cans from getting too cold, and bursting.

I carefully placed the loaf of bread I was still holding next to the plates, and tucked my hands into the pocket of my jacket- glad that I had picked a fairly thick one when I had gotten dressed that morning. The cold didn't affect me as terribly as it did humans, but it definitely still affected me- and if I got hypothermia, Lisbet would never let me hear the end of it.

"So... Do you have any idea what's going on with Lisbet, Jerremyah and Greygorry?" Danniel apparently had a secret talent- he was the worlds greatest 'deer in the headlights' impersonator. He even gave James a run for his money!

"...You mean other than the fact that they can't seem to decided who's on top?" Uh... yes. Other than that- the thing I really didn't want to think about, to the point I almost considered halting this avenue of conversation completely.

"I mean the fact that Lisbet suddenly seems obsessed with keeping things family friendly-" His face twitched, almost imperceptibly. "and first Jerremyah, and now Greygorry, have been looking at the two of us like we're the worlds most captivating circus act." Danniel grimaced, looking like he'd rather be anywhere but fielding my questions on this subject.

"Um, well... I'm sure it's more to do with Lisbet, than you." That didn't reassure me as much as he undoubtedly thought it would.

"Believe it or not, that doesn't make me feel better." Danniel seemed disappointed that he hadn't been able to comfort me, and immediately tried again.

"Lisbet's... a complicated person- and I have the feeling that Jerremyah and Greygorry are just as complex, though I don't know them anywhere near as well." 'Complicated' didn't begin to cut it.

"It didn't used to be like this- she used to tell me if she had a problem- in fact, she wouldn't stop telling me." Danniel's lips twitched up, like he was amused, but didn't want to show it.

"I don't think it's a problem, just..." Clearly, Danniel had more of an idea of what was going on than I did. The issue, was convincing him to tell me.

"Just...? Just what?" Danniel sat down across from me on the blanket, reaching for the box and tossing a can of pop at me, which I caught with ease.

"Just... Something she has to deal with, outside of your relationship." He said, punctuating the statement by cracking open his own can of pop, and taking a long draught from it. Silently, I echoed his movement, just for something to do. "Lisbet wants you to be safe and happy- we all want that for you, but Lisbet... Lisbet wants it for slightly different reasons." I struggled not to let it show on my face how touched I was by the sentiment that the members of my clan wanted me to not only be safe, but also happy- which was something I hadn't experienced often in my life thus far.

"And you know what those reasons are." It wasn't a question and couldn't be mistaken for one, and that made Danniel shift uncomfortably, flicking the tab on his can nervously.

"I... have an inkling. Not anything concrete, and I don't think it's something I should just come out and say, if I'm not completely sure-" I cut him off, part of me remembering the fact that he had had an 'inkling' about Jerremyah being their sire, and that he had kept it from Jo in order to keep her from getting herself killed trying to take him down.

"Is it dangerous?" He blinked in surprise at my question. "To me, or to the rest of the clan?" He hesitated for a second, before shaking his head.

"I... I don't think so. It's certainly not dangerous for you, and the only reason it would be dangerous for the clan if is Lisbet put your wellbeing over anything else- which we're all willing to let her go ahead and do." I purposely ignored that last part- I couldn't deal with that right now, not without risking breaking down into tears, anyway.

"If it's not dangerous, then... Then I suppose Lisbet can keep her secret." Danniel's eyes widened in surprise, and I pulled my hand out of my pocket to run it through my hair. "Not that Lisbet usually does the same for me, but I'm trying to be the bigger person- and I have a genetic advantage on that front." Danniel snorted, and cracked a smile at that- despite being four years older than me, he was also four inches shorter- closer to Greygorry's height than Jerremyah's. Jerremyah, who was also about an inch shorter than me, but clearly didn't let something as trivial as height affect the way he acted.

"Do you think she'll tell me at some point?" Danniel considered this for a second.

"I don't know. Now that Jerremyah and Greygorry are here, I'm guessing things will ramp up a bit." So, it wasn't just because Jerremyah- and now Greygorry- had shown up, but some other reason? At least, Danniel seemed to think that was the case. Lisbet had been going easier on me since my father had died- maybe she felt bad about teasing me while I was grieving?

"And how are you doing? With Jerremyah, I mean. I know we were all more focused on Jo, since she wanted to murder him- I think I managed to convince her that she wouldn't win that fight, by the way- but how are you handling it being confirmed for you?" He looked relieved at the prospect of me talking Jo down, before he shrugged.

"Okay, I guess. I'm not exactly the murderous type- I may not have wanted to be a vampire, but getting revenge on my sire was never going to fix that- and if I hadn't been turned, I probably never would have met you guys. And... despite the fact that we all fight sometimes... I do like you guys." I felt my face soften, and tucked my hands back in my pocket.

"We like you, too, Danniel." I grinned at him. "After all, you're usually one of the less infuriating members of the clan." He returned my grin, and I braced myself for what I was about to say. "I meant what I said." His mood immediately sobered. "At the Folley's... about you. I meant what I said."

"Leo..." I started talking again in a rush, before he could continue.

"You don't have to say it back, or reassure me that we're friends or whatever. I just thought it was unfair that I said it to Audrey, and not to your face." His mouth tightened into a line- he looked almost pained. "Honestly, before she asked me to describe everyone, I hadn't... I hadn't thought that hard about my relationship with my fellow clan members, so I... I'm glad she made me think about it." I finished lamely, and Danniel reached across the blanket, bumping my kneecap with his knuckles.

"Leo... I'm not going to try to reassure you- that would probably take way more time that we have, and honestly, I'm more of an 'actions' person, than a 'words' person." Yeah, you and me both. "However, I would like to remind you that I've never had a little brother before- I've never had any siblings, in fact, so if I screw up, you have to promise you'll tell me." I blinked, surprised and confused.

"What-?" He cut me off, gentler than I had ever heard him.

"I don't know what it feels like to have a little brother, but... I think it might be something like this- and I want to be the best big brother to you I can be." Now, I really was blinking back tears, before Danniel cracked a smile. "Though, I think Herc might try to fight me for the right to call myself that." A chuckle bubbled out from between my lips before I could even think to stop it, and Danniel's face lit up at the sound.

"Don't worry, Danny, I'll protect you." An odd look crossed his face, and I felt my eyebrows furrow. "What's that look for?" He hesitated again, and I extended my leg out to push my foot into his shin lightly, before pulling back.

"My mother always called me Danny." Oh.

"I've been meaning to ask you... you... now, don't take this the wrong way, but... you seem to have a tendency to overexert yourself, and I was wondering... why that might be?" Danniel looked slightly embarrassed about this, and swallowed thickly as he lowered his head.

"I... I guess I've always been a bit... competitive. Mum always worked so hard to make sure I had the things I needed, and I... I couldn't let that go to waste. So, I pushed myself as hard as I could, harder than all of my friends, in the hopes that I could make her proud- and maybe, someday... I could return the favor, and give her everything she needed." We were both silent for a second as I digested that.

"I've never met your mum, but... you know she was probably proud of you anyway, right?" Danniel nodded firmly, and I was relieved that I wouldn't have to try and convince him of that.

"I know that she was proud of me- but that was... before." Before. Before he became a vampire, and disappeared.

"Danniel-" He cut me off, gently.

"I know I can't go back- to her, and in general- because I would..." He hesitated for a second, baring his teeth in what I suspected was a purely unconscious gesture. "Kill her, but I thought that... maybe... If I worked hard enough, if I pushed myself as far as I could, then maybe... maybe I could see her, eventually." After saying this, he pushed forward quickly, as if he were trying to speak over me- but I had no words to say, even if I had wanted to. "Not to stay, just to... just to see her, and maybe... let her know that her baby boy- her Danny- is still here... and didn't abandon her by choice." Oof. That hit closer to home than Danniel could ever know.

I had never thought much beyond telling the Twins that they couldn't go back to their family, about how being turned into a vampire might have affected those they left behind, but maybe I should have. I couldn't imagine having a family member just disappear without a trace one day- although, maybe it shouldn't be that hard for me, considering I had done it myself.

"You didn't abandon her-" He cut me off.

"She doesn't know that." I suppose that was true.

"...Danniel- Danny." He stared at me, his expression pained, but... wistful? I thought that maybe if his mother always called him Danny, then maybe being called Danny by someone else might remind him of her. Keep her close to him. "I know we said you can't go back to her- not yet, not until we're sure your control is good enough-" He nodded firmly, clearly he more than agreed that seeing his mother sooner rather than later wasn't worth risking her life for. "But- if you want- you can always write to her." His eyes widened, and I saw the pure, unadulterated longing in them.

"I... What would I even say?" His face contorted. "'Hi Mum, turns out, I'm not dead. Well, actually-'" Danniel wasn't usually so pessimistic, but I suppose if there was ever a fitting situation, this was it.

"I was thinking more along the lines of, 'Something came up, and I had to leave. I'll come back when it's safe for me to do so. I love you, Danny.' Maybe add in a, 'I'm sorry for not writing before now.' I don't know, man, it's not like-" I cut myself off, but Danniel filled in the blanks for me.

"It's not like you've ever had a mother that cared about you. Yeah, I know." Actually, I'd been about to say, 'It's not like I've ever disappeared for years on end', but that wasn't exactly true, and I certainly wasn't going to mention it to Danniel.

"Something like that. Danny, I promise you... no matter how long it takes, I'll make sure you get to see your mother again." His expression softened, as if his face had been the thing hit by the cushioning charm, instead of the blanket.

"She'd love you- she always wanted another kid. She never told me, but I knew she would have liked to be able to give me a sibling- and you're the best little brother I could have wished for." Well, the tears were back, and threatening to fall once again.

"Right. Well." Danniel barely constrained his grin at my awkward reaction, and I rolled my eyes at him. "You can't keep pushing yourself so hard. Yes, it might get you closer to seeing your mother sooner, but you're no good to her dead." His mood sobered a bit.

"I know. I'm no good to you dead, either." Me? Oh. Oh, he was taking this big brother thing quite seriously, wasn't he?

"...You- I... I guess." He smiled at me, not unkindly, and said,

"Sandwich?"

(A/N): Professor McGonagall: 'Biscuit?'

Danniel: 'Sandwich?'

Molliare is the canonical cushioning charm used on broomsticks, but Manere Frigus is a spell I made up. It means 'Stay Cold' in latin, and I imagine it's an atmospheric charm (like how the ministry has atmospheric charms for things like air conditioning) and Glacius, the freezing spell.

The parallel between Shari trying to cut Leo off, but Leo stops talking the second she takes a breath to speak in 320, and here when Leo tries to cut Danniel off, but Danniel closes his mouth the second Leo opens his mouth, was unintentional, but very welcome.

320: "I didn't mean to startle you-" She cut me off, which she probably shouldn't have been able to do, considering how weak and quiet she was, but I was so focused on her that I stopped talking the second I saw her take a breath in.

339: "You shouldn't have to be uncomfortable just because-" I cut him off, but I didn't really have to work very hard for it- the second I opened my mouth, he closed his.