The Official Dan Fisk

Dan had to put the pizza shop’s address on Waze as he left the studios, still trying to learn the roads around town and on his way back home, still chuckling every now and then whenever he remembered the reason why he was picking up the pizza in the first place. ​Oh, Aleksander.​ He kept repeating in between chuckles, shaking his head at the other man’s poor attempts in the kitchen. He had to admit, however, that the unfortunate was quite fortunate, in a way, because he had been thinking about pizza all day and the smell alone was driving him insane as he reached the share apartment, keys shuffling in one hand as he tried to work the lock while the other balanced the box. “Lucy, I’m home!” Dan laughed at the I Love Lucy reference, walking to leave the box in the kitchen island before starting to untangle the scarf he had wrapped around his neck.

Aleksander was done with his scenes for the day, since he only had a flashback scene to film with both Ava and Sabrina, so, he was home earlier than usual. The younger man thought it would be nice to make something to eat for when Daniel got back home. It had been his first week in Charleston and they hadn’t done much with their lives except for rehearsing and reading scripts together. They had shot a scene two nights ago, one that had been fun, just like any other time that they had been able to share a scene. So, he thought of making dinner, but his chicken ended up burned and dry, which, pissed him off completely. Aleks let out a chuckle when he heard his roommate’s voice coming from the front door and shook his head as he stepped out of his room. “Alright, Dan van Dyke.” Rolling his eyes, he offered Dan a little smile. “Did you find the pizza place easily? I’m starving, man.”

Dan walked to the oven, opening it but not finding the ruined dinner, so he reached the sink but couldn’t see anything there either. As funny as he deemed the failed attempt, he also found it endearing. It wouldn’t make him stop laughing but he did appreciate the effort. That wide, amused smile was still lingering on his lips when he heard Aleks walk in, shrugging off his coat before hanging it on the back of one of the nearby stools. “The wonder that is Waze.” Walking behind the taller man, he patted his back in greeting before he went to reach for some glasses in the cupboard behind them. “Dig in, by all means. Don’t wait for me. The shooting ran longer than it was scheduled to, we had some setbacks with the lights. How was your day?” Standing in front of the refrigerator, Dan began filling each glass with ice.

Aleksander let out a small chuckle as Daniel mentioned waze, pulling the pizza box open and pushing himself up to sit on the kitchen island, before he picked up a slice and took a bite from it. His eyes followed Daniel around the kitchen, watching him pick some glasses in the cupboard, then move to the refrigerator. He had that careless look that he sometimes carried after a long day of shoots. He wasn’t going to say it out loud, but it looked better on Dan, than being always worried about his hair and clothes and everything else. “My day was alright. I got that ice cream that you like, by the way.” He mentioned, before taking yet another bite of his pizza. “I tried making us chicken, but it didn’t work out. My shooting schedule was pretty light today. I only had to shoot a scene with Ava and Sabrina, and since it was a flashback, it wasn’t emotionally heavy. I’m looking forward to our next scene, though. Should be fun.”

Dan perked up at the mention of ice cream. Call it childish but anything overly sweet was enough of a temptation for him. “Ben and Jerry’s Half Baked? Did you, really? You really are a good tipper, Aleksander, wow!” Placing the glasses on the counter between Aleks and pizza box, he held onto the edge for a minute, eyes moving from his friend in pleased surprise at the fact that he remembered, to the pizza pie as he tried to pick a slice. Granted, they all were the same but it took him a second to choose one before he pulled it out of the box. “That was thoughtful, thank you…. I’m sure, hadn’t it gone to complete waste, it would’ve been superb!” Dan moved to lean against the counter across from where Aleks sat, chuckling still despite having his mouth full, pressing the back of his hands against his lips in an attempt to cover his mouth at the mention of the chicken. “Wait, which one is Ava again?” He frowned merely because he found it hard to place a face to the name. “I had an action scene today, makeup took ages but it was some trouble with the lights that held us back a while, it was a good scene, I think, not much dialogue.” It was then he remembered he hadn’t filled the glasses, pushing himself away from the counter quickly. “Let me get that for you.” He called, twisting open the liter of soda that came with the pizza after putting his slide aside. “Well, scenes with you are easy. I know you, I know how to handle you. Those are always fun but I’m sure the director will have our heads if we keep messing up lines because we’re laughing…”

Aleksander shrugged, offering the other man a half-but-completely-smug smirk. “See? I told you I always tip. But yes, Ben and Jerry’s Half Baked. It’s your favorite, isn’t it? According to Magazines A and B, it is.” He winked, teasing Daniel, because he knew how much the other man hated magazines tapping on his personal lives. Aleks did too, which, it was why he made sure to show with that wink, that he was merely teasing. Daniel had told him several times, so it wasn’t like Aleks would need a magazine to tell him what was his roommate’s favorite ice cream flavor in the first place. “I don’t think it would have been edible, even if I hadn’t burned. I’m not cut out for a life where I have to do anything remotely close to the kitchen. Unless it’s either hot pockets, chicken nuggets or ramen.” He shrugged. Aleks knew it to be true anyways. Hence why he would either live on take out food or his grandma’s. “Ava is Mariah. Sorry, she sometimes goes by her middle name… Ava. But yes, Mariah and Sabrina. They’re my girlfriend and her sister on the show, remember?” Again, he took another bite, hearing about Dan’s day and nodding in thanks when the other man offered to fill his glass. “Aw, thank you, sweetheart. You’re always so gentle.” He joked, yet again, before changing the subject. “Action scenes are always my favorite on the show, if I’m being honest. I love doing them and the results are always great, so there’s that.” He laughed, nodding when Dan mentioned the director having their heads. “It’s not my fault you keep distracting me, Daniel!” Finishing his slice, Aleks quickly reached down and picked another one. “I know we might look unprofessional, but I think it’s because we get along better than anyone else on that set. It’s sometimes hard not to laugh or crack jokes.”

Dan couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the mention of the magazines, giving Aleksander a pointed look though it held no accusation as the other man’s wink had him letting out a snorted laugh. He was pretty sure he had let it slip a time or two, anyways, plus all the times he’d hang around the trailers with a tub of the ice cream on hands. Not that he had a lot to talk about, considering his heavy intakes of sugar, but still… “Hot Pockets, Aleksander? Ramen? Do you know how much sodium are in those? Haven’t you seen that video, how it takes forever for your body to digest those noodles? We’ll make the chicken over the weekend, it couldn’t have been ​that​ bad, come on.” Pushing the now filled glass towards Aleks, Dan picked his half eaten pizza slice and returned to his previous position, leaning against the counter before his roommate and facing him. “Yes, Mariah, now I remember. I think we have some upcoming scenes together but haven’t really worked with her yet. We have plenty, actually. I met my stunt today, cool guy. I didn’t think I would need one but apparently, I have no say.” Dan took another bite from the pizza, breaking it in half now that it was near the breadstick. “You’re welcome, ​darling​.” He even got a British accent going on while at it, practically curtsying just to follow in the joke before he shoved the last of the pizza into his mouth quite unceremoniously. “Oh, I’m distracting you now? You don’t say!” Shaking his head, he reached for his soda, not going for a second slice just yet. “Let’s be honest, Aleksander. Even if they have to do a few takes, we still get those scene done and over with in half the time than everyone else. I think the cast’s nice, by the way. You can tell this is not L.A. and, you know, it’s actually nice.”

Aleksander laughed. “Okay, ​mom​.” He couldn’t help but to roll his eyes, though, as Daniel kept trying to convince him to stop eating so much crap. Truth was, he only ate healthily when on the set, because the catering was usually so good, that he didn’t need to resort to fast food or things of sort. “Aw, so we’ll cook this weekend? Sounds good, sweetheart.” Again, he winked, matching his friend’s British accent with one of his own, but soon regretting his own joke. Why did he decide that it might have been a good idea to cook? Now he had given Daniel ideas and couldn’t take back, so, might as well crack jokes about it, but now, Daniel had taken things seriously and he couldn’t walk away. “We don’t really have to cook. We can always order in. Or you could cook and I could eat, like it usually happens. And yes, you’re very distracting! With your eyes and your jokes and, you know–you just are!” Shaking his head, he then took another bite of his pizza and downed it with the soda that Dan had poured out to him. “Here not being L.A. is actually one of the reasons why I like it here so much. Not too many famous people walking around expecting special treatment and the traffic isn’t all that bad either.”

Dan had actually gotten into the idea of a cookout, mostly because he really liked working around the kitchen. He didn’t a whole lot but he liked experimenting, and the fact that he barely had any spare time to watch TV but, when he did, it was often the Food Network, helped him have a slight idea of what would go well with what ingredients. Still, he laughed already knowing very well how Aleks and the kitchen were not really too fond of each other. “How often has this kitchen been used, Aleksander?” Quirking an eyebrow with the question, he practically waved a hand towards the cupboards above him and all the kitchenware that went unused. “Oh, come on. Now you’re backing out of it. We could even have people over. Well, not a whole lot of them. Add some wine and music and we have ourselves a nice little get together.” Dan was already adding more to a simple idea, something very much of him to do as he enjoyed gatherings and having people over. “Or we can just go somewhere.” He looked at Aleks then and shrugged, because as he got lost in his own planning he remembered that his friend had a different approach when it came to socializing. “You said you’re still exploring and I heard of this restaurant I’ve been dying to go, Magnolias. I can make reservations.” At that he stared back expectantly, laughing because his eyes were distracting. “I do believe, had I no eyes, that would be even more distracting! Don’t blame me when you’re the one looking at me like that all the time, like you’re about to crack up and I don’t even know what I’ve said… but yes. The lack of heavy traffic and disgusting grayish air pollution is definitely a perk. Although there are some people who seek special treatment still, even if they’re not exactly famous. I’m now starting to believe it’s just encrypted in their genes, being utter fucks.”

Aleks couldn’t help but to laugh, dropping his half-eaten slice of pizza on the box, so that he could raise his hands in a defensively way, while he looked at his roommate. “In my defense, I was not backing out on it? I was simply telling you that I would do a better job watching you cook, rather than cooking. I’ve already ruined dinner once, don’t let me do it again.” Shaking his head, the younger man reached for his pizza slice again and took another bite, trying to digest the idea of having people over. Although he worked with those people–had been working with them for three years now, it was hard for him to imagine them coming over for dinner, but Daniel liked people and he liked socializing, so maybe he could make an effort. “We can do both, if you’d like.” Aleksander shrugged. “Wining and dining me. Next thing I know and you’re taking me to bed, mr. Fisk. Wait–don’t tell me you’ve ran into Giorgio Armani?” It had become their inside joke. The Giorgio Armani guy, that was. “But anyways… We could definitely eat at Magnolias. You can make the reservation. Or I can. Up to you.”

Dan just laughed. He was tired, it had been a long day at ‘the office’, lots of filming hours, and yet it was as though the moment he walked through the door, he felt all that stress and heaviness of the job abandon him entirely. Waving Aleks’ defensive hand away, he decided to just go ahead and pick another slice, taking his time again in trying to choose one—the smallest he could find. “Practice makes perfection, Aleksander, and, okay.” He was practically beaming like a child when promised a play date. “I’ll keep it close-knit, I promise. It’ll be nice.” It was always nice, spending time away from the studios, from sets, from filming sites. It gave the crew a chance to relax and get to know each other better, improve their performance, their chemistry. Still, Dan was genuinely content having Aleks agree. It was both their apartment, after all. He wouldn’t bring people over if it made him uncomfortable. “Oh, I would be impressed if I could pull that off, Aleksander. You’re impossible to attain.” With a teasing grin, he just took a bite of his pizza and walked behind the kitchen island to sit on the stool he had left his coat hanging, getting rid of the top buttons of his shirt with his free hand. “You know, the one guy I came across with that could fit that description wasn’t really wearing any designer clothes, so I don’t think so… but there was this woman who would just twist every single thing I said in an effort to invalidate it… those bite-your-tongue-and-smile-at-the-camera lessons really came in handy.”

Aleks shrugged innocently. It was safe to say that when it came to his personal life, he was more willing to try new things either on or for a part, because Aleksander wasn’t exactly the most open person to change. Honestly, he would have rather not invite anyone in, he’d rather dine out and not have to worry about being social, but there was something about Daniel’s presence that made him more courageous in a way. He knew that if something went wrong, Dan would have his back. Besides, the look on his friend’s face alone was enough to calm Aleksander down, so maybe it was about time that he would try something new. “Oh, ​I’m​ impossible to attain? Of course. Super impossible.” He laughed softly, shaking his head. “Just let me know how many people are coming, because we might have to buy more dish sets and glasses, that’s all.” He offered the other man a thin-lipped smile and turned around on the kitchen island, so that he could face the other blond, furrowing his brows when he mentioned the woman that he had met. “I ran into a woman who was anxious to buy me drinks at 10 o'clock in the morning, so there’s that.” He chuckled, watching Dan unbutton the first few buttons of his shirt, and took another bite of the pizza. “I really like it here, though. I guess… I don’t know. I guess it’s nice to walk around without being constantly bothered by the paparazzi. Some people don’t even recognize me here, it’s humbling… I like it. And the people are so nice without trying to get to know everything about my life. It’s different.”

Dan was always willing to push Aleks limits in a subtle way. He wasn’t trying to change him, not at all, but ever since they met and so effortlessly clicked even with their seemingly opposite personalities, he found their dynamic interesting. He could see in Aleks that slight shift that was more willing to try new things, to open up and, in consequence, Dan would also tone down and not sweat so much on the small stuff that had him stressing so often. In a way, they complemented each other both on and off screen and it was easy to see and hard to deny. “Dare say you’re not.” His brows arched almost challenging as his smile widened. “I’ll take care of it, don’t worry. You know I won’t mind a trip to Pier 1 Imports.” Dan didn’t think he’d invite that many people, mostly those he had taken a particular liking to… Definitely less than 10 guests, five would be a safe number. He’d have to control himself but it was achievable. Still working through his second slice, Dan rested his elbows on the counter top, laughing through a mouthful at the image. “Someone was desperate for a drinking buddy…” He chimed in accordance as he dusted his hands clean and relaxed on the stool now, pondering on the lifestyle they now shared in this southern coastal town. He liked it, yes, it was warm and welcoming. He wasn’t used to it, though. Part of him still aches for the chaos in which he grew up in, the buzzing cities, the constant noise. “I think I can get used to it…” Dan finally admitted with a forlorn smile. ​It won’t last long, though. Nothing ever does.​ Looking up at his friend, his eyes quickly picked up and turned brighter as he let the pitiful thought vanish. “I’ll make the reservations for Sunday. Have heard nothing but wonders about the Pecan Pie at Magnolias’… It’ll be my treat, for letting me crash in your place, please. Let me do this.”

Aleksander: “No, but–tell me exactly ​how​ I’m so impossible to attain?” Granted, he was not the easiest, most approachable person on the planet, Aleksander still tried. And with Daniel, things had been easier than they usually were with other people. It was still a mystery to him as to how these two clicked right away, but since it had happened, Aleksander wasn’t simply going to ignore it. In fact, he embraced Daniel’s friendship. He appreciated it. Hence why he would often do things that he wasn’t used to doing, such as, throwing a small dinner party in his apartment. No, this was all Daniel, and the best part was that Aleksander could actually tell people that it was a celebration for Daniel’s arrival at the show, and it wouldn’t paint him as a lone weirdo. He noticed his friend’s smile when he admitted possibly being able to get used to Charleston’s rhythm. And in his mind, Aleks almost replied with a 'if anything, we can always move up to Vancouver’, but he stopped himself, because he didn’t know how Daniel would react to that joke. He understood the tone in his voice and the way that smile was offered, and he didn’t want to give his friend a 'c'mon, cheer up!’ kind of response, though. Whatever Dan needed, he’d help. “Oh, is it what this is, then? You’re crashing at my place? How teenager of you, crashing at my place, sleeping on my couch? Eating up my cereal. Why can’t you just accept that we are sharing an apartment and let it go?” He arched his brow in an amused fashion, before he chuckled softly. “Dinner at Magnolia’s on Sunday. It’s a date. As for the Saturday dinner here–who are you thinking of inviting over?”

Dan simply stated straight into Aleks’ eyes for half a minute as he tried to gather all the ways how he was, in fact, unattainable. Sure, he’d known of his friend’s dating life and not just by what magazines would spread—​he hated that blasted media​. “There’s something about you that attracts people, like moths to a flame, just as dangerous, I suppose, and inevitable. But how many can truly get to enjoy your warmth without it bringing them down to ashes?” Was he making any sense? Was he even answering Aleks’ question or, in trying to do so, asking one himself? With a sigh he tries to mask as a breathless chuckle, Dan just shook his head and dropped it, the mild confusion that settled on that light crease on his forehead. He laughed, however, easily with that casual light cackle of his as he focused on the man before him and the neverending flow of theatrics that never quite ceased to amuse him. “Yes, crashing. But I don’t eat your cereal because it isn’t colorful at all… Which reminds me I need to buy Fruit Loops.” And at the thought, he quickly pulled his phone out and added the item to the makeshift grocery list he had on his Notes. “You know what I meant, Aleksander. We ​are​ sharing and apartment, yes, but you still opened the doors for me when you didn’t really have to.” ​Especially after all the mess I put myself through—the drinking, the drugs— you still trust me enough to share a living space.​ But the words went I said, simply swallowed quietly, opting to offer his roommate an eye-roll and a soft pull to his lips. A hand wrapped around the glass in from of him then, thinking about who he was thinking of inviting. “I was thinking the main cast, if only to get to know them better and see it working on screen. And Isabel, the latest addition… So that makes it what, seven people? Is that okay?”

Aleksander took a deep breath through his nose, his lips being tugged up into a sad, or maybe wicked grin as he exhaled. “Maybe the fact that I killed several people one night, including my parents, makes me dangerous.” It had been so long ago. Over twenty years and he still hadn’t gotten over it. Aleks doubted that he ever would get over it. It had been his fault after all, and no matter how many jokes he could crack, it still wouldn’t be enough to show that he had moved on from the tragedy. ​How many can truly get to enjoy your warmth without it bringing them down to ashes?​ That was an interesting question that Daniel asked there. Not many people were able to pierce through the armor, the walls that Aleksander had built around himself. Clearing his throat, the taller man tossed the breadstick on the pizza box, dusted off his hands and hopped down from the kitchen island to wash his hands. “Maybe that’s the reason why I don’t let people in. So that I don’t burn them with my warmth or whatever the hell you said.” Daniel might not have meant it like that, but Aleks took it this way–a reminder of the murderer that he really was. “Funny… you want me to eat things with less sodium, but here you are, drowning in sugar with your colorful cereal and your overly sweet coffee drinks.” Once he had finished, Aleksander dried off his hands on his jeans and walked over to his friend, holding onto his face to make Daniel look at him. “You’re right. I didn’t have to. But you also could have said no. It was my decision to ask you to move in with me because I figured you could use a friend.” With that, he dropped his hands from his friend’s face and continued. “Someone who wouldn’t constantly wave the 'Hollywood fuck-up’ flag over your face and remind you that you are, indeed a great actor. It was my decision and I don’t regret it. So you might as well stop saying bullshit like 'I’m crashing at your place’. It’s ​our​ apartment, Daniel. You’ll pay the bills, too. And yeah, seven people is fine.” Letting out a sigh, he found his appetite coming back, which prompted him back up to the kitchen counter and to pick another pizza slice. “Just stop bullshitting yourself, Dan. You’ve had problems, you’re rising above them. Embrace it.”

Dan darted his tongue to wet his lips, pressing them together ever so carefully the moment Aleksander brought his parents murder into the conversation and the constant rhetoric that put the blame of the terrible event on the young man’s conscience. His eyes left his roommate for an instant as the taller man hopped off the counter and instead took to study the tumbler. It was smooth and crystalline, heavy in material forged under great heat… fire. An idle smile took over his features then, keeping the thought to himself. Dan shook his head, then, not falling on a ​It wasn’t your fault​ speech. Aleks had heard those plenty of times and it made no difference. He knew that in acting the younger man found a way to escape his own mind, his guilt, the memories he couldn’t piece together and haunted him, and that no matter how easy going he seemed to be when it came to it, it still affected him. The nightmares were still there. “The strongest steel is forged in the hottest fire, Aleksander.” His voice was casual though the topic was sensitive. Dan wasn’t one to shy away from it, from dwelling into such stormy waters. He had learned, like a good fisherman, to wait for the bait instead of disturbing the waters enough in seek of one and never getting it. Such was Aleks and this conversations, and he hoped his friend knew that he could joke as much as he wanted about it, he wasn’t afraid of getting burn. He was still there in the same way Aleks had been there for him when he needed someone the most. “Ah— there’s a difference. I make up for it in a healthy, lean diet. You live off whatever you can find unless it’s catered on set!” He had sat straight in the stool as he tried to defend himself when Aleks approached him, looking straight into the man’s green eyes and though he was about to protest about it, he let out a breathless chuckle and an appreciative smile because he was, in fact, in dire need of a friend when Aleks brought him to this town and helped, alongside his agent, set him back on track. 'Thank you’, he lipped, though the absence of any sound coming from his lips was unintentional and he found himself clearing his throat, laughing softly at the chastisement over the shared apartment, a hand running through his hair as he took his eyes away from his friend’s there for a minute, somehow finding it overwhelming. “Yeah, talking about which, I need to give my accountant the info on the lease…” He settled back to rest his arms on the counter once Aleks walked away, tapping idly against the granite top to some random rhythm. “Human nature is funny, isn’t it? In that we are really good at encouraging others we care about but, when it comes to ourselves, we might as well dig our own graves.” There was no heaviness in his words now, though, features relaxed as he watched his roommate start working on his third slice. He would embrace it, yes. This opportunity. He would enjoy it, too, and make all the troubles worth the pain… a phoenix rising from the ashes, keeping all the metaphors coming but staying safely tucked in his head. “I got the first invite for a red carpet since… since coming back. The Force Awakens’s world premiere in LA, the 14th. Got a plus one spot to fill, it’s yours if you’re up for it. Greg is taking care of it, told him I might skip it cause we’re busy here but he knows we’re not filming by then and he’s on my ass about me making it so, I guess I can’t keep hiding anymore. Besides, I really do miss red carpets, you know I’m a sucker for those.”

Aleksander took a deep breath. He didn’t want to dwell on that… on the past, any more than he already had. He didn’t need his good friend’s nice words making him rethink his life options. People were better off because he kept them at arms length. Despite having dating some people here and there, Aleksander still haven’t been able to make his relationships last longer than a few months, because people wanted more from him than he was willing to offer. “According to my medical records, even if I keep ingesting these crazy amounts of sodium, I’m still pretty healthy, so, I think I’m alright. Your high amount of sugar just leaves you hyper, Daniel.” Aleks focused on his third, and possibly final slice of pizza, chewing slowly on it as he heard Dan talking about the lease, about human nature, about The Force Awakens premiere in LA… Tilting his head to the side to crack his neck, Aleks let out a pleasing sigh once he heard the loud pop, then looked over to his roommate. “You can’t keep hiding. You had a problem, you’ve dealt with it and now you’re back. I’ll go to the premiere with you, but you need to stop acting like you’re in the hiding. We both know rumors will kill surfacing no matter what we do anyway.”

Dan had a hard time trying not to laugh, all things considered, when his high level intakes of sugar and his supposed hyperactivity were thrown at his face. Yes, they had suddenly stepped into thinner waters, and though there was still a slight remanence of that sad grin on Aleks’ face, so had his roommate’s semblance calmed and moved on from it. Dan accepted this, changing the topic, moving on without it being awkward between them, what was said, what was unsaid. He was always perfectly comfortable around his best friend. “I’m not hiding anymore!” The older actor cried in protest though he wasn’t fooling either of them. “We’ve had Avoiding Destiny interviews already, I already confirmed my attendance for the premiere. I’m getting there.” At that, he stepped off the stool and walked to the fridge, opening the freezer door in search of the ice cream. “In the meantime, I’ll just focus on the important things like finding that ice cream you got me and making sure I prove your hypothesis on my hyperactivity wrong. I can be perfectly calm after dessert.”

Aleksander couldn’t help but to laugh when his best friend got all agitated over the small joke he had made on his high sugar levels. It wasn’t news to anyone just how hyper Daniel could get whenever he had ingested the amount of sugar that Aleks was used to seeing him on, which, made this whole thing even funnier, considering that he would not be able to prove Aleksander wrong. “No, you won’t.” He shook his head, still laughing softly as he continued. “We’ll keep talking and before we notice it’s four in the morning and you’re still wide awake, while I’m begging for you to go to bed. We’ve been through this before, Daniel.” Winking at his friend, Aleks dusted off his hands one more time and, after closing the pizza box, he hopped down from the kitchen island and took the box to the fridge, playfully nudging the back of Dan’s knees with his own. “You should have eaten more, Daniel. You’re a little weak on the knees there, sweetheart.”

Dan glared back at Aleks when he started laughing, eyes narrowing as the other man told him how things would go and, although he reckoned it had happened before, he was not backing out, reaching for the tub and working the plastic to open it. “Yes, and while you’re begging me to go to bed, you’re still there talking, too. It’s a two-way street, Aleksander. I couldn’t pull it off if I was talking to myself.” He wasn’t paying much attention to his roommates moves when he felt his knees give in and he instinctively reached to grab the handle of the fridge’s door, closing it in turn as he quickly recovered, shaking his head and walking to grab a spoon. Granted, he’d probably tire his own ear talking to himself—he’s done it before as well. “That’s too heavy for this time of night.” Dan offered quickly as he shoved a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth and practically moaning at the taste. “Have some, you need some ​sugah​ in yo’ life, Aleksander. You need it.” At that, he scooped the spoon into the tub and offered it to his roommate.

Aleksander leaned back against the closed fridge, watching as the other man took a bite from the ice cream, and he fought back the urge to lick his lips. Was he staring? He probably was, so Aleks looked away, softly clearing his throat. Before he knew, Dan was standing close to him again, mentioning something about Aleks needing some sugar in his life, which caused the younger man to roll his eyes. The taller man then eyed the spoon momentarily, narrowing his eyes, before he leaned down and took the spoon in his mouth, accepting Dan’s offer. It was weird. Maybe it was all in his head and it possibly was all in his head, but sometimes, he couldn’t help but to feel attracted to some of the things that Dan would do. “It’s good.” He nodded, using the back of his hand to cover his lips as he spoke. “Enough sugar for me, though. I still have to go through half of a glass of soda.” Winking at his friend, he walked around Dan and took the glass of soda, before moving to the living room. He turned on the sound system, dropping to the couch and propping his feet up to the coffee table. He put on some relaxing music, Bossa Nova, he’d say, before he rested his head back and closed his eyes, trying to relax.

Dan had a problem when it came to sweets, that much he knew. His doctor kept telling him to balance it on his diet or else he’d have to end up dealing with diabetes. His mother had once been on his case about it. He couldn’t help it. It was there. It reminded him of his grandmother, may she rest in peace, a sweet tooth just like himself or maybe it was the other way around. She would always sneak in some candy behind his mother’s back, take him out to the ice cream shops. Although he didn’t have a big recollection of childhood memories that didn’t involve his career, those were one of the precious few. So he indulged in the ice cream, the chocolate and vanilla ice cream swirls, trying to have a bit of both brownie fudge and cookie dough in each spoon. It was the only way to have it! And he certainly didn’t think anything about offering his friend some of it, sharing from his same spoon. It’s not like Dan cared and, besides, Aleks had bought the ice cream. “I know.” He grinned, eyes focused on the contents of the tub on his hands, taking yet another spoon scoop from it and licking it clean with a shrug. “Fine, more for me.” He chimed. Even if he was the oldest of the two, Dan had more childish tendencies than Aleks away from the set. Following the taller man to the living room but instead of joining, he leaned against the wall frame dividing the two rooms, eating the ice cream, watching Aleks’ movements, nodding silently in approval to the music of choice. He didn’t say anything, debating when was a good time to stop eating—considering he was already half way the entire tube, he was actually glad The Girl From Ipanema began playing and he started humming along and, in so, he decided to go put the ice cream away, involuntarily swaying to the rhythm as he walked. “Are you staying up?” Dan returned, his coat folded over one arm, voice almost hushed. “I’m going to get rid of these clothes.”

Aleksander knew. Somehow, he knew when he heard Dan’s voice, that he would probably be swaying to the rhythm of the song. Always the chipper one of the two, the one to put on some Jazz and really get into the music. That’s who Daniel was. Aleks was more the awkward of the duo. “I’m planning on it.” He told his friend, lifting up his head to look at Daniel standing there, with his coat folded over one arm. He had a clear schedule the next day, well, almost, safe for two phone interviews, but those shouldn’t be a problem. “I shall be waiting for you, darling.” There was a little laughter that escaped his lips once he had said those words, yet again, using his British accent. “You’ll probably be back and I still won’t have finished this drink anyway.”

Dan nodded at Aleks after the other had replied on his plans to stay awake a bit longer, laughing yet again at the ​marvelous​ British accent they kept coming back to every now and again before before ran back to the kitchen to grab his scarf. “It’ll be watered down and disgusting by then, Aleksander.” He called from the other room, picking up the missing piece of clothing and made it back to the living room again, head shaking still in mild amusement as he stood behind his friend on the couch. It was the only way, unless he stood a couple of steps ahead of him on a staircase, that he could actually hover over the taller man. “I’ll make the wait worthwhile…” With a wink to go along with the horrible voice he put up that didn’t really work as he was practically crying in his efforts of not breaking out in laughter, he just ruffled his roommate’s hair and left the room, shower taking a bit longer than he had thought it would because the hot jets felt too good against his sore back muscles and he opted to also wash his hair, considering he wasn’t going straight to sleep anyways.