NO MERCY.

' shut up, '  daniel mutters,  playing at annoyed.   (  though he’s sure the fact he presses closer to john,  just for a moment,  betrays how much the comment doesn’t bother him.   they are “old man glasses,”  a dead giveaway he’s getting older.   he’s made his peace with that.   for the most part,  at least.   it doesn’t hurt that his pair aren’t dissimilar from the ones mr. miyagi had sported.  )   he shakes his head.   ' wanting a stand mixer doesn’t make someone a nerd.   it’s a tool,  like your drill or tape measure.   just for food instead of handiwork. '   though it does reveal him as someone who,  maybe,  takes food a little more seriously than others do.   sue him :  he’s italian.   he practically grew up in kitchens,  between his ma and nonna.   the same way sam spent more time on the showroom floor or in the dojo than she did her own bedroom as a little girl.   his lips twitch up at john’s obvious excitement about there being VHSes up for grabs.   who’s the nerd now,  huh?   brow raises at the question,  giving john a small nod.   ' yeah.   a lot of the time they’ll be in these huge lots,  ‘cause it’s people gettin’ rid of their whole collections.   but if it’s somethin’ real rare or super in - demand they get listed individually. '   an ex - coworker had given him a rundown on the whole process,  back before he and amanda had finally quit to start their own dealership.   it’d been a strange conversation.

it makes you a fucking nerd, actually, johnny thinks, but he doesn't voice it aloud. he swallows the grin that threatens to bubble up, but that's about it : a smile that's forgotten. daniel confirms his question, and that's enough for him. he can't bear to look at his partner, not with the way he's damn near certain his face is going beet red at the confirmation. instead, he takes daniel's hand, the one that's ( probably holding him up against the table ) beside him, and pulls it toward him, wraps it around his chest. cocooned in daniel, what a way to go. this brings the warmth of his favorite space heater even closer, hot against his back, and he lets himself melt into the touch. maybe if he acts docile and content enough, daniel won't press any further. johnny hums, tapping his fingers against daniel's, against his chest. ' so i'd have t' look for, like, what, a lot of, like, eighteen - eighty - eight magazines? and i'd find a bunch? or you think i'd actually have luck lookin' for stuff by name? ' instead of looking back at daniel again, he presses his head into his cheek once more in lieu of a nod. ' my time's real important, larusso — don't have a lot'f it to waste, you know. '

WELL HELLO GORGEOUS !