[for Hedwig] Practically perfect people never permit sentiment to muddle their thinking

[so_catholic]

 
There's no denying it. It's been one hell of a Christmas. Considering this is Danny's second in the space of four months, he really could have done with a quiet, uneventful few days where all he did was sleep in, tidy up and go to church. Sleeping had been hit and miss, his apartment looks like a bombsite with day-old laundry lying around (in a basket, tucked away, but still) and church is a word best left unspoken.

Today, he had planned on cooking pasta fazool while he and Father Anthony dissected the complexities of Daniel Alan Castellano's life, starting with his childhood and ending with the impure thoughts he'd had last week when he'd inadvertently walked in on the end of Mary Poppins in the doctors' lounge. Was it the accent or the flying or the talking umbrella? Now he'll never know.

Instead, Danny's fresh from the shower after a session at the gym, legs stretched out on his couch, cool flannel resting over his eyes. He has the tv on in the background as company, some show about the fifty funniest moments in the history of Darrow, and Mindy's neck massager pressed to the tense muscles just above his shoulder, the constant buzz a comforting substitute for his old white noise machine back home.

Comments

[so_catholic]

"She'll start with threats but yeah, that's," Danny gestures at him, missing the sarcasm, "she's done that before. That's accurate."

After a moment of hesitation, he dips his chin, looking at Hedwig over the rim of his glasses. "Okay, but I'm buying the batteries, okay?" Danny had begun all this trying to help him out financially, not score a free gift for himself. But Hedwig has already said his attempt to help was insulting, so refusing his one condition would probably just add to it.

[beautifulandnew]

"Yes, yes, that's fine," I say, sliding his hideous glasses up the bridge of his nose with my index finger. Ordinarily, I would say that giving someone a gift an not including the batteries is a bit half-assed, but I've gotten all the agreement I need out of him, so he could have that much if it made him feel better.

"Tomorrow?"

[so_catholic]

The help with his glasses is a little weird but ultimately harmless, Danny thinks, so he just presses his lips together for a second and meets Hedwig's gaze. "Thank you."

Danny's work schedule has pretty much been the opposite of Mindy's for the past couple of weeks; he's had more time off than he's known what to do with. "Sure. It's not like I'll be going to church," he quips, and while it's lighthearted, it doesn't quite strike the amusing chord that he intended.

[beautifulandnew]

"Yeah. I'm sorry your priest turned out to be a perv," I say, and while I do mean it, to some extent, it's difficult to make a statement like that sound very sincere. I'm not sorry for exposing the man or the act that led to it, but I am sorry that it had ruined Danny's day and that he is obviously still reeling from it.

Not sorry enough to miss out on a chance of having a bit of fun at his expense, however.

"Tomorrow then. I think I know the place where Mindy might have gotten hers." And I think if I actually manage to get him through the door he'll end up cutting his boycott short and wind up in a church, anyway.