Page 37 of Bad Daddy

“Danny,” Haru said patiently. “If you get your grades back and you didn’t ace your midterms, I will eat your scarf.”

“You wouldn’t,” Danny said in mild, only-half-joking horror. “What if you lose that bet? Not only would you get sick but I’d lose my scarf. I like my scarf. It’s my favorite winter accessory.”

“Well then, it’s a good thing you aced your finals,” Haru said with a grin.

Danny muttered something about jinxing his grades under his breath, but then Haru drew him into a re-enactment of his ASL presentation anyway, even though Haru had already seen it before because Danny had practiced on him.

Danny was pleasantly warm and full by the time they moved to Haru's comfortable couch, though some nerves did creep in as he remembered the comics he had squirreled away in his backpack.

“I’ve got something to show you,” Danny blurted out, at the same time Haru said, “I’ve got something to ask you.”

“Oh,” Danny said quickly. “Okay. You go first.”

“It’s okay,” Haru said with a laugh, eyes glinting with curiosity. “What did you want to show me?”

Danny crossed his arms. “Question first,” he insisted. He doubted it was anything bad, but he didn't want it hanging over his head anyway. And this way he could put off showing Haru the comics for a little longer.

“Okay, okay, you win.” Haru smiled, holding up his hands. “I was just wondering if you had plans for—”

He was interrupted by Danny’s phone chiming. He stopped talking, lips pressing together.

Danny had to fight his wince. It was the it’s Clint chime. Haru recognized by now that it wasn't a sound that meant good things for their hang outs.

Danny bit his lip. He could ignore the summons for a little bit, right? For all Clint knew, Danny was in the shower or something. Danny didn't have to scramble to answer this very second. “It’s okay,” he said weakly. “It’s probably not important. Plans for what?”

Haru smiled at him again, but it looked brittle, cracking further around the edges when Danny’s phone started to buzz and didn't stop.

Danny swallowed, feeling himself start to sweat. A text he could get away with putting off. A phone call though?

“Hey,” Haru said quietly, reaching forward to almost touch Danny’s hand from where it was clenched on his knee. “It’s okay. Do you need to get that?”

“Yeah,” Danny forced out. “I’m sorry, I’ll just–” he pointed to the kitchen as he stood up. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Haru said again. It sounded almost like he was trying to convince himself, too. “Really, Danny. It’s okay.”

“I’ll be right back,” Danny said in a rush before he ducked fully into the kitchen.

Good mood soured, Danny only barely managed not to snap as he answered his phone. “Hi?”

“Hello pet,” Clint said, and Danny had the brief, furious urge to just hang up on him. He hated, hated, hated that stupid false-endearement. It rankled worse than usual right now.

“Hi,” Danny said again. “Did you, uh, did you want something?”

“Funny you should ask.” Clint’s voice was smooth, edging into darkly amused and all too foreboding. “I had a simply marvelous idea. If I recall, today was your last midterm.”

“Yeah,” Danny said, even though it wasn’t a question. Of course Clint knew.

“Mm-hm. So according to your schedule, you’re officially on spring break and free until the Monday after next.”

Danny didn't say anything, heart pounding, absolutely certain he wouldn't like whatever next came out of Clint’s mouth.

“I’ve decided you’ll spend the week with me,” Clint continued, and Danny went numb. “I’m due for some time off work as it is, and I think a bit of involved stress relief is warranted.”

“The… the whole week?” Danny heard himself say.

“Why not?” Clint purred. “It gives us such a chance to get creative.”

Clint went on to tell Danny that he would be spending Friday wrapping things up at work, and that Danny should be ready to be picked up Saturday morning. While part of Danny’s brain filed that information away, the rest of him tuned Clint’s voice out into a dull buzz.

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