Page 32 of Bad Daddy

Haru’s expression turned from playfully-serious to concerned. “You’re not going to be eating twelve boxes of candy, Danny. I mean, unless you really want to? You’re taking tastes from twelve boxes of candy. You don’t have to finish anything. And you certainly don’t have to eat more of something if you don’t like it or don’t want to.”

Danny’s mouth worked soundlessly for a moment. “Oh,” he managed after a too long pause. “I… thank you. For thinking of me. This is, um, this is really cool.”

Haru took a seat on the couch, the mountain of candy in between them. He gave Danny a crooked smile. “Not too much?”

Danny shook his head. “N-no. And uh, hey I mean, it might get us into the mindset of watching people make sugar art.”

“That’s the spirit,” Haru said, holding out a box of sour gummy worms.

***

Danny had his astronomy lab on Wednesday nights. He kind of liked astronomy lab, liked Professor Smythe’s teaching methods and learning about the stars, but they also spent a good amount of time outside looking at the sky, and Danny was always freezing by the time they headed back inside, warm coat or no. Tonight was no different, and by the time lab was over, he was very ready to go home, take a hot shower, eat dinner, and collapse into bed.

His phone chimed just as they were getting dismissed at ten.

Danny flinched. Of course it was Clint’s chime.

He hurried out of class and went to lean against the wall, pressing his phone to his ear as he played the text message.

I’ve sent Ernie to pick you up, his phone’s robot voice said as Danny’s heart sank. He should be arriving in a few minutes. Don’t keep him waiting, pet.

Danny clenched his fingers around his phone. He’d had his business law class earlier and had just finished astronomy and had been at campus almost all day, getting homework done in between his classes. He was tired and he hadn’t eaten since lunch and he had statistics tomorrow morning at nine.

And there was no telling how long Clint would want Danny to entertain him. No way to know what Clint would expect him to do.

Ok, Danny texted back, feeling numb.

He swallowed and made himself push away from the wall. He needed to go outside and wait for Ernie’s car. He needed to not tie himself into knots worrying or panicking about what Clint might do to him. It didn’t matter, really, because he’d already agreed to this.

One thing at a time.

***

“These star charts are amazing,” Haru said with naked admiration when Danny offered his journal up for inspection. He’d been working on it for the better part of two weeks, and had figured that Haru ought to see it, considering that Danny had done most of the star-gazing recorded in the journal while they had been together. “Your teacher’s going to love it.”

Danny ducked his head, trying to hide the blush. He couldn't deny that he had worked hard on it, but it felt weird to be praised for a school project.

“No, Danny, I mean it,” Haru said. “This is art.”

Danny bit his lip, cheeks hot. He’d tried to make the chart look good, yeah. Figured adding some colors couldn’t hurt. He’d had to improvise, since it wasn't like he had a lot of stuff to color with, but it turned out that highlighter could look pretty nice, in a pinch. He told Haru this, ending with a halting, “You really like it?”

“Of course I do,” Haru said.

“Want me to make you one?” Danny asked, before he could think about how stupid it was to offer. Haru had actual art on the walls in his house, of course he wouldn’t want—

“Really?” Haru asked, looking delighted. Like Danny making him a star chart colored with highlighter was this incredible thing.

“I mean sure,” Danny stammered. “Yeah. If you want me to.”

“That’d be amazing,” Haru said. “I’d love one.” His smile turned mischievous. “If you’re making another star chart, does that mean I get to stargaze with you again?”

Danny’s blush deepened. “I mean if you want. I’d, um, I’d like that.”

“So would I,” Haru said. He didn’t reach out to touch Danny, but for a moment Danny wondered what would happen if Haru would. How it would feel, to have Haru’s fingers wrap around his own, or to feel the man’s warmth at Danny’s back. “Are you free this Friday night?”

“Oh, I…” The warm feeling doused quickly. “I have plans Friday,” Danny said, breaking eye contact. “I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay,” Haru said easily. “Saturday or Sunday? I’m pretty open this weekend after the sun goes down.”

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