The Day After

[daniel_brown]

Going home after what had happened wasn't easy, it wasn't until after many pizza-flavored kisses and a text message threat from home that he reluctantly put his clothes back on and forced himself to say "Goodnight" - leaving his panties purposefully tucked into the sheets to be found later.

He slept deep and well, waking the next day to go about business as usual - aside from a stop for confidential STI testing - even though it was hard to keep his head out of the clouds. After settling into the team bus it was hard not to want to reach out to him.

He types out several messages - "I think I love you." "I want you so bad." "Are you thinking about me?" - and erases them all, opting for a much more neutral message.

what r u doing?

Comments

your suggestions were things of beauty :3

[mysticism]

Merlin would have to admit he hesitated over giving Daniel his phone number. It's not like he expects anyone to get all CSI over how his new - lover? - is spending his private time, but it's difficult to explain to a third party why he's given his personal mobile number to a student he doesn't even teach.

But he did it anyway. Because - he just did. And despite himself, he smiles like an idiot when DB flashes up on his phone. He picks it up to tap out a quick response.

marking homework. nobody knows the periodic table. :( where are you?

Such a confused, lovestruck boy...

[daniel_brown]

When his phone chirps right back, he grins even wider and turns away from his half-asleep seat-mate to answer.

bus to st. marys game at 7.

Hesitating a long moment, he adds miss you and hits send before he can reconsider.

Merlin has that effect on people. (no he doesn't. :( )

[mysticism]

Merlin looks at that parting shot for a good few moments and he has to accept that he's probably not getting any more work done for a while. Which might be a blessing in disguise, because his remarks are about to start including things like 'stop showing up drunk to classes' and 'I really don't care what Wikipedia knows'.

He doesn't have much hope for his tenth grade class.

He lounges back - he's sitting on his sofa at home, leaning on a hardback book to work - and retrieves his phone.

will come watch next time. pack my pompoms and everything.

Danny would beg to differ....

[daniel_brown]

He couldn't help laughing under his breath, drawing the brief attention of the lineman beside him.

I'll paint ur chest blue & gold

Biting into his lower lip, he sends a second message right after.

homecoming next wk wish up cld go bet ur sexy in formal

[mysticism]

Merlin laughs softly, discarding his book along with the pretence that he's going to be working any time soon.

sorry to disappoint, but look like small child borrowing dad's clothes. not sexy at all.

And the entire concept of Homecoming is something that completely bewilders him, which he knows is a source of amusement to the rest of the faculty and a lot of the students.

[daniel_brown]

Curling up against his jacket, pulling it over himself to hide what he was doing, Danny replies:

still sexy. Wld ravish u.

[mysticism]

Oh. Oh, so this is what they're doing now?

He mulls this over for a few moments.

that reminds me, got all stalkery on you & pulled up your record @ school

And a few seconds later:

you are seventeen

And finally:

just in case anybody else asks

[daniel_brown]

Damn it. Danny knew he'd find out eventually, but had also sort of hoped it'd be after it mattered.

Biting into his lower lip, he waits several long minutes for angry message that doesn't come.

I'm sorry, do u hate me?

[mysticism]

Merlin smiles ruefully down at the message. Was he annoyed when he found out? Yes. Would he have done the same thing as a confused, closeted teenager who thought he had an outside chance of getting some from a teacher he was crushing on? Absolutely.

not possible. but no more fibs, ok?

[daniel_brown]

Relief washes over him and Danny stifles a nearly giddy laugh.

promise. Physical this am was clean, no hiv. shld know rest by mon

[mysticism]

same, went to clinic in afternoon.

After a few minutes, he adds:

although, last test 3mnths ago so def clean unless right hand has been on adventures i don't know about.

[daniel_brown]

Letting the giggle come, somewhat secure under the bulky jacket, Danny blushes at the thought. He still can't believe Merlin's single... Let alone that it's been a long time.

lucky hand ;) want to see u

[mysticism]

An awful thought crosses his mind and his hand drifts towards the button on his jeans but - no, exchanging texts is one thing but photographic evidence is very much another.

soon, promise. lots i want to show you. when can you next come over?

ONWARD!

[mysticism]

Merlin spends the time between the game and the formal in a state of utter distraction. He knows a few days of abstinence is good for them - absence makes the heart grow fonder, and all that, not to mention what a wreck he'd be if he had any more fantasy fuel - but it is really, really difficult. He comes close to seriously injuring himself in an AP class, and a couple of his colleagues in the department ask what's making him so distracted. Some more suggestively than others.

This isn't to say that they're being entirely well-behaved. There's a steady, continuous exchange of text messages - some increasingly filthy, some ordinary to the point of being domestic - and another late-night session over the phone that leaves him panting and gorgeously exhausted.

He's offered a spot chaperoning the dance and decides to turn it down. There is literally no chance he'll be able to see Daniel in a tux without locking them both up in the nearest bathroom and engaging in acts that will get him arrested.

He does, however, get online and blow most of that month's discretionary budget. And the the day before the dance, when Daniel opens his locker to find a plain paper package and a small card saying:

To you from m.e.:

Open at home, in private!

Inside is the most extravagant gift Merlin's ever bought another person; just as well Daniel's discarded panties had a size label.

And underneath that is an amateurishly taken photo of an 18-year-old Merlin, grinning and awkward in a grey suit that doesn't really fit, leaning against the side of a limo and arm in arm with a pretty black girl in a yellow dress.

Rambling tag is rambling... and also might not make sense.

[daniel_brown]

Between homework and practice for the upcoming game, Danny doesn't really have much time to do more than think - he tells himself it's not obsessing because obsessing is creepy - but the messages, and the calls especially, are small pockets of happiness that move him a little closer to wherever he hopes that they're going. He doesn't get the gift until right before leaving for home, knowing full and well that he'd have to be back in two hours gearing up for the game.

Private. It had to be something great... something that would undoubtedly distract him...

With deep - amazingly deep - regret, he leaves it unopened on his bed with the intent of tearing into as soon as he gets home. The only flaw in his logic being that a win on homecoming means 'coming home' might not happen until rather late and usually involves just a little bit of drunken revelry at the small hours of the morning that mean it's just after three when he crawls into bed and clings to the package. It doesn't even occur to him to open it, he simply digs the phone out of his jeans to plug it in for the night and shoots off a quick text message to it's deliverer:

UR the best. and handsomest and nicest and awesomest. <3 U

Waiting for a response is not his strong suit after too many beers and too little foresight, and the assumption that Merlin's well asleep at that hour, and Danny's content to curl up with his unopened package and sleep off the victory.

[mysticism]

Merlin is, indeed, asleep by that point - but when the alarm on his phone wakes him up in the morning, checking his messages is the first thing he does.

He proceeds to spend ten minutes silently debating the meaningfulness of <3 versus the actual word love, and whether the distinction matters. Of course, he suspects that Daniel was wasted at the time of writing and he knows that he's a teenager and love at that age is a hormone-fuelled, mindblowing obsession over whoeever you click with for whatever esoteric reasons...

...but Merlin remembers what it was like being seventeen. He remembers feeling completely insane for an older boy who was at best a 1 on the Kinsey scale and didn't have the time of day for him, and he remembers being a heartbroken clusterfuck for months after he'd started going out with some girl.

He feels very strongly for Daniel. And he doesn't really think of himself as a grown-up, but at least he's grown-up enough to know that attaching words to things isn't always necessary. He types a response.

<3 you too.

see you @ my place after formal?

[daniel_brown]

It's after noon when his Mom drags him out of bed to eat real food and nearly one when he scrambles back to his room. The package comes to his attention first, remembering just how excited he'd been to get it home the day before.

It's the simple photograph that catches his eye in the nest of high-quality black lace. It draws up a wide grin, and he brushes his fingers over the familiar, awkward face.

The basque is like nothing he's had the privilege of wearing before, not just "nice" but exquisite. The slight tightness around his ribs forces his posture up straight and in the soft stockings he can't help but feel powerful and sexy.

UR amazing. Will be there soon as I can.

After sending the message, already casting glances at the black and white tux set to hide the fine lingerie, he takes a full-body picture in his closet mirror that doesn't even bother to hide his arousal.

It comes attached to a simple message;

Unwrapped my gift. 2nite u unwrap urs

and I'm off for the night <3

[mysticism]

When Merlin's phone buzzes, he's slouched on his sofa drinking tea and wearing a cardigan because he's a national stereotype. The first message gets a broad, affectionate smile - the second makes his toes curl. Jesus wept. Even if he was never going to put his hands on Daniel, never going to be able to run his hands over that gorgeous body and peel off his gift piece by piece - the photo alone is worth every cent.

you look edible. send me a photo of your tux before you leave?

Added a few moments later:

w/ you inside it obviously, you are what i'm mostly interested in.

Quite all right, night class on Thursday always keeps me out late and dazed when I get home...

[daniel_brown]

Daniel can't help but tuck a grin into his shoulder as he pulls an undershirt over his head. He doesn't really like the tuxedo, but there are expectations - and when your team just won the big game and you ran a touchdown yourself, it's almost required to at least play the part of high school royalty.

The suit comes on much faster than the softness of the femininity underneath had; finished off with well-shined shoes and a belt and his hair slicked back to look quite the man of the hour. Smiling pretty for the camera, for the one the photo is really for more than anything, he sends it right before heading into the fray.

I wish you were with me.

[ooc: And someone may have binge watched the first two season of Merlin this week. *shifty eyes*]

[mysticism]

Merlin smiles sadly at that, briefly regretting his decision to stay home, but - no, he knows it's for the best.

with you in spirit. <3 have a fantastic night, you're wonderful and you deserve it.

[OOC: Haha, hope you're enjoying them. X3 It can be pretty silly but, well, I loved it.]

[daniel_brown]

He doesn't respond to the message, anything he can think to say only comes out the same way. Being rushed out the door, he's paired with every unattached girl in his social circle until he's had all the socializing he can really handle.

It's only just after 8 when he slides behind the wheel of the car he borrowed from his father and retraces his way back to Merlin's building for the first time in over a week.

Leaning hard on the buzzer to be let in, he nervously rakes his fingers through his gelled hair and shifts the comparably stiff fabric of his suit against the soft basque and lacy panties.

[mysticism]

Merlin's not expecting him for another couple hours at least, and he's literally just stepped out of the shower when he hears the buzzer. Still blinking water out of his eyes, he gropes around until he feels terrycloth and then pulls his robe on, tying the belt as he comes out to the panel near the front door. He dries his hand off on his sleeve and then pushes the intercom.

"Hello?"

[daniel_brown]

He couldn't help himself, not when there's somewhere else he'd rather be.

Calling back, he says simply; "I couldn't wait."

[mysticism]

Despite himself - despite knowing that there'll be talk when someone as visible and popular as Daniel slopes off early, and that it's not something he ought to encourage - Merlin smiles broadly, and it comes through in his voice when he presses the door lock.

"Come up. My front door's unlocked."

[daniel_brown]

Grinning wildly despite himself, Danny to the stairs in twos, letting himself in with the faint tremor of someone who knows something's about to happen.

Staying rooted near the entry, locking the door behind him, Danny looks for where he might be in the small apartment.

"I have my results with me," he says nonchalantly; "Sadly I'm not pregnant."