londoncallingrpg

london_spy posting in

He hadn't exactly left London after he'd vanished on Hex. Instead he'd just slipped by under the radar, working quietly to uncover what, exactly, had happened to Alex. Along the way he'd lost Scotty. ...Or, rather, Scotty had been taken from him. By the end, even once he had his answers, it had been for nothing. No one wanted to hear it. Nothing changed. Nothing was fixed.

So when Hex's friend Q (which was still definitely not a name) had reached out to him to go see Hex, he'd accepted. Now, after weeks of watching Hex struggle to recover from the mess he'd made, Danny was slowly slipping out of the shadows he'd been lurking in. Though it didn't stop though shadows from following him around.

For a while everything had changed. Less drinking, no more drugs that weren't prescribed. He'd kept it up as well, not just for his own health, but for Hex's. The last thing the man needed in his life was a junkie. ...And yet here Danny was, in the bar just after noon, drinking and all too aware of the little baggy of powder in his pocket.

Sitting at the bar, his gaze looked slightly blank. He was well dressed, a thick blue knitted jumper keeping the creeping august chill at bay and hiding his slightly too thin frame. The dark circles under his eyes seemed lighter, and he'd recent had his hair trimmed. The pills were doing their best to keep him healthy, and it showed. He looked better than he'd looked in some time- He only wished he felt as well as he appeared.

Finishing his beer, he pondered having another, then glanced outside. He could really fancy a smoke as well. A habit he was still trying to kick.

(ota- Find Danny at the bar or outside having a smoke)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

just_hex

Hex was doing so very well staying sober. He'd not drank since the night Danny had come back. Some days it seemed impossibly hard, but he was always able to resist. He'd texted Danny earlier and found out where he was and he thought maybe he was in a place where he could go into a pub and not feel any compulsion. Or at least he hoped so.

He wasn't feeling terribly well. The Truvada was playing merry havoc with his guts and he'd lost a bit of weight. It was worth it, he thought. Worth every second. He slid in behind Danny where he sat at the bar and he slipped his arms around his waist and kissed his neck.

"Hey," he said softly. "I found you."

From:

london_spy

Hex's touch was enough to help him find his will power again- At least for the moment, and he smiled softly as he leaned back against the other man.

"We don't have to stay, there's a chip shop down the road. ...I know this can't be easy for you."

From:

just_hex

"It smells too good in here," he admitted, his eyes sliding to the pint that was nearly empty. "I don't know that I can eat much, but chips and gravy does sound good. You doing alright?"

From:

london_spy

"Fine," Danny lied, aware that Hex needed him stable right now. That if he slipped, they'd likely both slip. "Let me settle up and we can have lunch."

From:

just_hex

Just thinking about lunch made his stomach cramp and the slow, dull ache was hard to ignore. He'd been assured this would ease off, and his doctor had said if it didn't she'd prescribe a treatment.

Hex waited close to the door. When Danny finally joined him he took hold of the man's hand.

"I'm so glad I'm off today," he said. "Glad to spend time with you."

From:

london_spy

"Me too," Danny assured him. "I miss you when you're at work. Scotty's is so large and empty, and I-"

Well, he didn't have much to do now that there were no more shadows to chase. Honestly, he was feeling a bit lost.

From:

just_hex

"You need a hobby, love. Or a job, but you don't need the money. Have you thought of joining anything?" Hex asked as they strolled along.

From:

london_spy

"No. I- I don't know. I'm not sure anywhere would want me," he admitted.

From:

just_hex

"Bollocks," he scoffed. "You can do anything you want, Danny. And if you can't yet, we can see to it that you get the skills. You're a good bloke. You shouldn't be knocking about our house with nothing to do but get lost in your own head."

From:

london_spy

"Our house now, is it?" he teased, mostly to get Hex's attention off him and onto something else. "Breaking your lease, are you?"

From:

just_hex

Hex was very easily distracted and he blushed a little and ducked his head.

"No. I mean...I just...I don't know. I can't leave Spencer or Jenna hanging but I feel at home with you. Where ever we happen to be."

From:

london_spy

Danny loved that little blush, and he smiled at the sight of it, leaning over and pressing a quick kiss to Hex's cheek.

"I feel at home with you too," he assured him.

From:

just_hex

"You do? Good. Good," he said as a broad smile spread. He let go of Danny's hand so he could slip his arm around the man's waist to walk together closer. "I still think you should get out more."

He wasn't entirely distracted from his point. Just mostly.

From:

london_spy

"I was out today, that's something," Danny pointed out.

From:

just_hex

"It is. What did you do? I mean I know you had a pint...what else?" he asked, genuinely interested in what Danny had got up to.

From:

london_spy

"Oh, um, I played some darts," he replied. ...And that wasn't a fib, he had.

With himself.

From:

just_hex

"Did you win?" Hex asked, assuming Danny was naturally playing against someone.

From:

london_spy

"No. No I certainly didn't win at all," Danny assured him, frowning at himself.

From:

just_hex

"We'll the point is to have fun," he said, letting go of Danny so he could open the door for them.

From:

london_spy

Danny said nothing to that, he simply shrugged and headed into the chip shop, hoping they could speak of something else.

"How are you feeling?" he asked. "I know that stuff isn't easy on your body," he added softly.

From:

just_hex

It was Hex's turn to shrug and try to play it off as less than it was.

"I'm alright. Bit of an ache, but it's not bad," he said unconvincingly.

From:

london_spy

"Maybe just chips," he suggested, not believing that for a moment. "Go easy, yeah?" he said with a soft smile- And feeling like shit as he remembered Hex was only going through this because of him.