glory days

"It is not a chore to love you, Danny," Maggie replied, her eyes narrowed in annoyance. Nobody (save, maybe, her late fiancee) knew her as well as the man sitting across from her, and, in that vein, nobody knew just how adeptly to bug the everloving shit out of her. See: his Hallmark comment. She rolled her eyes as he patted her shoulder. Still, at his excitement, she perked up. She nodded, listening to him spin his yarn, her brows lifting as she sunk her teeth into her lip while considering; it would be a hefty story, but they'd carried out more intricate— and far dumber—schemes before. "I think you might have just cracked it," she stated proudly, raising her class to his in admiration. "I've seen a Lifetime movie about this we can watch for inspiration. Which, like—you deign to judge me for my Lifetime movies when you're watching shit where no one can even kiss? Grow up."

"Oh, I know. Look at this face. It's almost too lovable." Danny replied triumphantly. He was the baby of the family, the dumber to Maggie's dumb, and so there had always been an inherent adorableness to Danny — it was innate. "Hell yeah! Score for Danny once again." He grinned, clinking his beer to hers before chugging it down. "I don't give a shit about the Bechdel test. I want explosions, I want guns, maybe some super fucking fast cars. I don't need any of that —" He considered his words. "... Stuff. I get dragged to the newest rom com with CJ like, way too fucking much. I have my standards, and my standards are just a lot of men blowing shit up."

Random Character Development Questions

DANNY'S HOUSE w/ @danny-mancini

Danny wasn't admittedly the sort of guy who ever enjoyed casual hookups, but Maggie had offered the effective mantra that if he wanted to get over someone, he should get under someone. He heard the shuffling beside him as Thea nosed her way through his things, but he didn't care enough to look over, until she was directly summoning his attention. "They're exactly what they look like, and they're really comfortable, so." He sat up in bed, pulling the sheets with him as he did. "Don't worry, I never intend on intentionally going out with you in public." He joked, being leaning over to grab his discarded boxers and slide them on. "You hungry? I could cook something." Walking over to Thea, he snatched the cargo pants out of her hands, now wholly intending on putting them on.

Closed: @danny-mancini Location: Green Street Coffee Co. - Midtown Village

When it came to the Ricci family, Danny hadn't ever worked hard to ingratiate himself. He was in and out too often, and he knew how it looked. He wasn't exactly the prize steer that they were hoping CJ would bring home. Danny was fine with that — he played nice in the sandbox, but he didn't need to get too close. It also kept him from getting hurt, particularly when they were off. His airpods were in, and Danny was blasting his music while he walked, scrolling through his phone as he did so. He had just grabbed breakfast with one of his sisters, and decided to walk to the stadium, knowing he had a session with one of the pitchers in about an hour, and he didn't mind being early.

danny-mancini​:

If Danny stopped to consider what was happening between he and CJ, he might have been profoundly sad. This felt different, because it was different. Maybe he wasn't mature enough to see it, or accept that there was some finality to this. "Yeah, CJ, maybe my advanced fucking age has something to do with it." He'd been bugged enough by his parents, when was he going to settle down, the whole nine yards. And while he'd thought about it in the abstract, Danny hadn't ever given serious consideration for the future. He liked to live in the proverbial now, and with CJ, that worked. Any time they threatened to get serious the relationship collapsed.

Outside Retrospect || @danny-mancini

Danny was a social butterfly — and while yes, he spent a lot of his free time with Maggie or Adam, he did have a roster of good friends that he maintained diligently. He cared about his friends, and typically made time for them when his assistance was needed. If wanted he could give was his time, then he gave it willingly. Seeing Esme ahead on the sidewalk, Danny sported a smile as he apporached. "Hey — oh, shit. Fuck yeah!" He accepted the box, opening it to peak inside. He loved tres leches. Particularly from CJ's abuelita, but it didn't seem like he'd be tasting that any time soon, or ever, potentially. "You don't have to thank me. You know I love this shit." He replied, gesturing towards the thrift shop. "I might own a closet full of the same exact thing in triplicate, but I still like to look. And I'm happy to be of assistance."

"Me, looking like an idiot? Impossible" Sebastian said. shaking his head side to side as if that were actually true. But it lasted all but two seconds before he gave into laughter. "I know you're joking but my mom would probably be into your shitty clarinet solo. She used to be a music teacher for like twenty years, if there's anyone that appreciates that kind of stuff, it's her," And it was probably one of the reasons why he had become so talented in nearly ten different instruments, too. "Okay, don't gotta know anything about sports — check. I love commentating on shit so this is sounding pretty perfect to me," Sebastian nodded as he spoke trying to keep a straight face. "I get that, it's being as free and unrestraint as possible. Too bad I can't do that at gigs."

"Okay, well your most is into more than just my clarinet, so jot that down." Danny replied, wagging a finger in Seb's direction. "I'm not a big outdoors guy but I've been a cougar hunter in my day." He added with a broad grin. "But like, back to the whole music teacher thing, that's actually adorable. You're like, secretly very wholesome, aren't you?" He squinted, eying his friend over. "I knew there was some depth to you. Might be mildly terrifying, like a spider infested cellar, but like, it's there." Danny reached for his beer again, taking another swig. "I think the worst thing about this world is the number of things I'm not allowed to do naked. Ru Paul says we're all born naked and the rest is drag, but what if like, everything is naked?" He tapped his temple. "Makes you think, right? Just another way for the man to get us all down."

Maggie grinned at Danny's remark, blissful. She had long been considered an honorary member of the Mancini family, and she held a great deal of love for them. "If being your 'little girlfriend' is what I need to do to keep being invited over for dinner, so be it." She nodded once, as if dedicating herself to the fact with valiant bravery. This bravery would be tested almost immediately, upon Danny uttering the phrase 'glizzy gladiator' in earnest. "You're the real Nancy Reagan of hot dogs," she offered dryly, casting a glance at him over the rim of her drink. Taking a sip, she thought for a moment, deliberating on a better story. Coming up short, she slumped back in her seat. "Fine. You're better at this than I am. You win. You can be my little Rumspringa Romance."

"God, you make it sound like such a fuckin' chore. I'll remember that next time you need to be hosed down like a dog because you're too depressed to bathe." He liked to think there were worse things in the world, than having to be his girlfriend. But, if you were asking certain women, then it might actually be a role for someone with the bravery of a US Marine. "Throat goat." Danny concluded with a happy grin and a nod. "Rumspringa Romance sounds like a great Hallmark movie. You have a face for Hallmark. That could be a real thing for you. I can see the steam coming out of your ears every time you have to figure out how much dosage a patient gets, so maybe it's time to give the ole noodle a break, y'know?" Danny gave her a pat on the shoulder before his eyes lit up. "Wait, wait! I got it! Okay. What if you're my therapist, or like, were, and you lost your license because we, y'know, fraternized. But it's okay, because we got married in the end. I may have a face that knows what a PS5 is, but I also have eyes that scream psychiatry." To add to his point, Danny flashed his best pathetic stare in Maggie's direction. "I could get a grippy sock vacation in a heartbeat, baby."

"Wow, I bet you would really love that," Sebastian said, pursing his lips together before he gave way to laughter. He couldn't help how much amusement he got out of picturing Danny totally rock a clarinet solo. "You know I'm definitely gonna go searching for a clarinet now just so I can see your skills, even though I think you're full of shit," There was no way Danny could play the clarinet, right? A part of Sebastian was hoping the guy would prove him wrong for entertainment alone. "Beloved? By who?" He shot back with the raise of his brow and a playful grin. "Okay so first thoughts —obviously the name is amazing, perfect, really. But sports? God, I haven't played any sports since high school and I really only keep up with football these days. But yeah, you definitely have a face for podcasts, I'll give you that."

"You're gonna look like an idiot if you do. F-Y-I." Danny replied, finger pointing at Seb as he took another swing of his beer. If a challenge was being laid at his feet, Danny would accept, even if it meant totally embarrassing himself. He'd do it with gravitas. "By your mom, first and foremost." He replied with a puffed out chest. Danny was many things, but never beyond a good 'your mom' when the spirit was right. "So first of all, you don't have to know anything about sports. You can just be a color commentator. I'll, y'know, actually supply the meat of it. And more importantly, no one will have to look at either of us, so we'll really stand a chance. Which also means I can record in my boxers. I prefer to be as naked as possible at all times."