Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Johnny’s life was falling apart. 

Well, it actually fell apart already. This was just the sad aftermath of the mess that is his entire existence. 

Johnny was never taught to settle for less. He was always told to keep his head up, that he deserved the same as everybody else, if not more. And that was before his mom married a well-off bastard who gave him an allowance to keep him out of sight. 

Johnny would like to say he’s being dramatic, that it’s just been a shitty week and that everything would be alright, but he really wasn’t too sure about that. You see, Johnny’s life had been pretty perfect before this. 

Sure, his stepdad was sort of a dick, but so long as Johnny stayed out of his way, he kept the money flowing. And he would fight with his girlfriend now and then, but that was just their dynamic. The constant back and forth that they both enjoyed so much. It was their thing and had been since high school. 

Johnny was sure they would get married soon. He had planned on proposing at some point. Ali was in med school and her schedule was shit. The endless studying put a damper on most of their plans, but Johnny was fine with that. He was still young, he still had time. 

Or so he thought. 

Now that stepdad of his was dead and the money was no longer coming in and that girlfriend he planned on marrying once her schooling died down was no longer his girlfriend. A simple breakup would have sufficed but having been dumped and told that she was leaving him for one of his friends was a sharp twist of the knife. 

With his stepdad gone, Johnny was sure to have his mom by his side, as it had originally been the two of them together pre-Sid. The tag team. The dynamic duo. 

That wasn’t an option either anymore. 

As it turned out his mom had been having a bit of a love affair before the death of her husband and now that he was out of the way, well nothing was stopping her from being with her new beau. 

Who also happened to be one of Johnny’s friends. 

Popular friend group, huh? 

Seeing as two out of the four betrayed him, Johnny would have expected the other half to take pity on him, but they had plans of their own. One was off to pursue his own passions and the other skipped town in an attempt to find himself and/or run out the law after breaking his probation. 

That meant Johnny Lawrence was on his own for the first time in his life. 

Why he hadn’t bothered to make any other friends since the eighth grade was beyond him, but here he was now, in his early twenties, wishing he had tried to be more pleasant, tried to be more outgoing like his mother wanted him to be. 

Then again, Johnny wasn’t very fond of his mother's decisions lately so perhaps it was better he did his own thing. Sticking with the same four guys didn’t seem too bad of an idea at the time, though now he was suffering from it.

Without a friend in the world, Johnny went to the only place he thought would bring him some solace . . . only to get thrown out of there halfway through the night. 

Who the fuck celebrates a bachelor party at a bar? Go to vegas for that shit, don’t surround the billiards table at a local bar; that’s too pathetic even for Johnny and he made sure to express that to the group after requesting they shut the fuck up when they got to rowdy. 

It wasn’t exactly a fight, as no punches were thrown. Johnny wishes there was a fight. God, he missed fighting. He was good at fighting. Maybe not those screaming matches he and Ali used to have but any time he could get physical was a good time for Johnny as he was known to never lose. 

John Kreese didn’t allow losers in his class. 

If only he could see him now. John was sure his Sensei would be ashamed of his current state. Thank God for his annual vacation to Tahiti. 

Johnny left the bar on his own accord. He wasn’t tossed out onto the street and he rolled his eyes at the promise they made to call the cops. Man, fuck the cops! He wasn’t doing anything wrong! Silly him for wanting to wallow in his self-pity in peace!

He wandered the street for a second, heading down an alleyway to avoid a group of women making their way down. The last thing he needed was to show off those pearly whites his stepdad paid for and to have one of them roll their eyes at him. Johnny didn’t even attempt it, he left that unlucky. 

So instead he leaned against the brick wall, taking in the cool nighty weather. He was thinking over his life and the choices that other people made that got him to this point when the silence ended and the loud echoing of dance music filled the space. 

Johnny opened his eyes to see the door across the way opening up and the silhouette of a patron stepping outside. 

“Shit. Sorry. Thought I’d be alone,” The guy mentioned suddenly. 

Johnny watched as he kicked a rock or a trick or something into the door, keeping it ajar as he went to lean against the wall across the way. 

“Rough night?” He asked curiously. 

Johnny wished he smoked or something, anything that would keep him occupied. Instead, he was just looking up at the starless sky, wishing the ground would just gobble him up already. 

“Rough life,” He admitted, figuring he might as well be honest about it. 

The guy whistled, bobbing his head in agreement. “We’ve all been there. Just came out for some air.” 

Johnny squinted in the darkness, not seeing much of the color across the way other than his shadow-covered outline. 

“God this music is terrible,” Johnny muttered as the club music continued to echo out into the hallway. 

Whoever the fuck made the playlist that played at most clubs deserved to have their dicks shot out. Or clit. Depending on the person, obviously. Half of the time, the songs didn’t even blend and a high majority of them wanted there to be some beat to drop, but it just never did and if it did, then it always happened prematurely. 

House music was garbage and Johnny would die on that hill, okay? 

The stranger chuckled, pushing off the wall. “The music they play in between sets can be pretty bad,” he agreed. “I'll make sure to tell the DJ to take requests,” He added, lifting his arms in a stretch. He opened the door then, kicking that brick back against the wall. “Coming back in or are you done for the night?” He asked. 

And while it would have been easy for Johnny to walk away and admit defeat, he hadn’t always been the smartest when it came to decisions. Sometimes he would do things he would later regret and other times he would do things he didn’t want to do but it worked out in his favor in the long run. 

He had no idea what choice this would be, but he was certainly curious. 

“Sure. What else do I have to lose?” He muttered, pushing off the wall. 

He followed the guy inside, the booming music filling his ears. Darkness turned to technicolor as they went deeper and deeper into the club and soon everything was blue and red, and purple. 

Johnny had been in a club before. He was no stranger to a good time. Ali liked to dance and Johnny liked Ali, so he would follow her along with her friends and some of his own when he still had some, and they’d go to whatever dance club they could find. 

This wasn’t one of those types of clubs. This place looked like a nightclub that had a love child with Broadway. There was a stage up front in the shape of an upside-down T and seats all around it. There were seats further back, booths for patrons to watch whatever was on the stage in the comfort of the shadows.

It also smelt better than any club Johnny had been to. Not like the sweat, BO, and booze most places did. This smelt like expensive perfume and floor polish.

Johnny drifted to the bar, settling next to the now illuminated shape that had been leaning across from him outside. 

The guy was tan, that much he could see, and there was something shiny on his face. Glitter or whatever that crap Ali used to put on when they would go out. Johnny didn’t know much about makeup. But it showed off his cheekbones and maybe there were some on his lips too. 

“Holy shit,” He muttered, catching Johnny’s eyes. “I know you. West Valley, right? You’re the King Cobra.” 

God, it felt good to hear that title again. He hadn’t given it to himself, he wasn't that creative or even that pretentious, but the school knew him and his friends well. They were the rich, popular hotshots who ran the school with an iron fist because it didn’t matter what sport you did, nobody was stupid enough to go against a black belt in karate. 

Funny enough, they were all also on the soccer team, which only proved how powerful their kicks actually were. Go figure. 

Johnny had been the ringleader of that group, once upon a time. The Cobra Kai kids; though King Cobra was a cooler name. More badass in his opinion. 

“Fuck. Had I known you were into this shit, High school would have been a lot more interesting,” The guy said, smiling as he turned back to the bartender. “Hey! Whatever he wants is on my tab,” 

“You really don’t have to do that,” Johnny mumbled, not wanting the guy to feel sorry for him.

Or worse, to find out that he had actually bullied this kid. Johnny looked at him again, trying to figure out how he knew him. He couldn’t even tell if he was familiar or not. That shiny shit on his face was too fucking distracting. 

“Don’t worry about it. Besides, the drinks here are cheap. It’s the dances that will hurt your wallet.” 

“Dances?” Johnny repeated.

He looked around, his eyes falling onto the stages across the way. There was a person on stage dancing. Not so much stripping — Johnny had seen stripping before. There was no pole here, no tits being shaken in the face of a man holding a dollar. 

Johnny might have drunk a bit at the other bar, but he wasn’t drunk. At least not enough to be able to tell the difference between a bare chest and some tits. 

Johnny was at a gay club. 

A gay dance club with a stage and costumes and lighting.

Yeah, this definitely wasn’t how he thought his night would go. 

“So what are you drinking?”

Johnny turned his head, looking back to the guy. He squinted, trying to place him in the midst of the confusion and the noise. “What’s your name?” 

The guy chuckled again. It wasn’t an annoying laugh, though it seemed to linger in the back of Johnny’s mind. “It’s Daniel,” He called out over the music. “I didn’t think you’d remember me. We didn’t exactly roll with the same social crowd,” 

The guy -- Daniel -- turned back to the bar and gestured to the bartender. “One vodka sour,” He ordered, glancing over to Johnny. “Get him a rum and coke to start,” He added. “You don’t look like a martini type of guy,” 

“Never had one,” Johnny noted, but then again, life was full of never’s. 

Johnny had never been dumped before. He had never been betrayed by one, let alone all four of his friends. And he had never stepped foot into a gay bar, club, or strip club before. Or whatever the hell this was.

Never say never, right? 

“I haven’t seen you around here before and trust me, I would have remembered if I did,” Daniel noted, leaning back against the bar. There was a twinkle in his eyes as he spoke or maybe that was just the reflection of the glitter on his cheeks and the lights flashing around them. “It’s not every day we get customers as easy on the eyes as you coming in. You know, if I was the jealous type, I’d feel upstaged.” 

And there it was, another never to add to his list. Johnny had never been hit on by a guy before. And while he could act smug any day of the week, Daniel was without a doubt hitting on him. There was no denying that. 

And to be honest, Johnny didn’t know what to make of it. Part of him wanted to be angry because that was what the tiny voice in his head that sounded like Kreese, that sounded like Sid, was telling him to feel. 

That voice was telling Johnny to get the fuck out of that club and to never come back, to get away from the likes of Daniel because guys like that were sick and wrong, and should be dealt with properly. 

And yet Johnny found himself remaining where he stood, just a foot away from Daniel, his eyes unable to pull away from the shimmering on his cheekbones. Johnny had never found another guy attractive before, but like so many other things in his life, there was a first time for everything. 

“I’ve never been here before,” He confessed, thanking the bartender as he slid his drink over. 

“In that case, Willkommen !” Daniel lifted his glass, offering a silent toast before bringing his own glass forward. 

Another guy came around, dressed nicely compared to himself. He cut in front of Johnny, focusing his attention solely on Daniel. 

“Dan, you’re up next,” 

And then he was gone, slipping easily into the crowd. Johnny looked back to Daniel, who was downing his drink in seconds. “I don’t take requests but maybe I could make an exception.” He mentioned, his eyes moving up Johnny’s frame slowly. 

And Johnny, taking three Mississippis to realize Daniel was speaking to him. With no idea how to even respond, Daniel just smiled, stepping in closer all of a sudden. “Stick around after the show. We’ll catch up,” He said, placing his empty glass on the bar before disappearing into the crowd. 

Johnny was left alone then and suddenly left strangely sober. Even as he tilted the glass and tasted the harshly sweet liquid on his tongue, he was far too aware of his surroundings. Another guy at the other end of the bar caught his eye and smiled. Johnny turned the other way. 

Bad idea. Very bad idea. Johnny wasn’t supposed to be in places like this, surrounded by people like this. He had to leave. He had to go. 

Tab or not, Johnny went into his wallet, pulling out a ten to pay for his drink, both their drinks if it really was as cheap as Daniel said, as well as a tip. 

The lights went down then, leaving him in more darkness than he had been outside the place. He turned as someone on the speaking announced the next performer. 

There was no ridiculous stripper name. Not something sweet like Candy or sexual like Long John (which totally wasn’t his own made-up stripper name).

Just: “Welcome to the stage — a neighborhood favorite — Danny!” 

Music started playing then, a song Johnny had heard once before. It had echoed through the halls of his home, before and after he had moved in with Sid. Like Johnny, his mother was a big lover of music and often enough she would find herself listening to her records, dancing in those flowy sundresses that still fit her like she was fifteen again. 

Johnny didn’t listen to that type of music often. Pop and disco were never his go-to when it came to tunes. He likes rock and metal, but he heard enough from this one particular band to have the chorus memorized. 

It was easy enough as the damn thing was repetitive as all hell. The constant “gimme gimme gimme” was enough to drive any man crazy. 

Gimme a man? Give Johnny a break! 

Johnny didn’t have time to be annoyed, however. His face could scrunch up into a scowl in disgust over the bubbly pop song blasting through the place as he was far too distracted by the man on stage. 

Whatever routine Daniel was doing must have been rehearsed as he was hitting every mark, every stance. He didn’t miss a single beat, earning every hoop and cheer from the audience.

Articles of clothing were removed, piece by piece, but even then Johnny couldn’t call it stripping. It was too good for that. He didn’t know if taking your clothes off could be considered an art form but this guy seemed to master it. 

At the start of the song, Daniel had on black slacks, a white button-up, and black suspenders. Three easy enough pieces of clothing though by the end all were gone, as well as the wife-beater he had on underneath the button down. He had a fedora on too, which by the end of the song he was using to shield his dick from sight after dropping trow for the final few notes. 

He tossed the hat to the crowd as the lights on the stage cut off, leaving him naked in the darkness. By the time the lights came back on, Daniel was gone, the stage was being cleaned up by a staff member, and that shitty in-between music was back on.

“Jesus Christ,” Johnny muttered, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hands.

“He’s amazing isn’t he?” A voice asked from beside him.

Johnny pulled his hands away, squinting at the woman beside him. She was wearing a uniform similar to the bartenders, and her red hair was pulled back in a high ponytail. 

“Never expect a guy who dances like that to sell little trees,” she added, her smile only brightening.

And while Johnny would have loved to have added to that conversation, the threat of an oncoming headache (foreshadowing the impending head over he was sure to have) as well as a raging hard-on that Johnny was trying to ignore.

Getting aroused by someone dancing wasn’t new to Johnny. He had seen Flashdance, he went to clubs. Seeing girls move their bodies or even have their bodies against his own was enough to make Johnny stand at full attention.

Having it done by a guy though? Now that shit was different. And Johnny, he just didn’t have time to unpack all that. At least not tonight anymore. 

So he put the money down on the bar, paying for the drink that was still half full beside him, and slipped out the club, stupidly not catching the name of the place on his way out.

Chapter Text

Johnny did wake the next morning with a hangover, though the small tidbit of familiarity was welcomed. Knowing he could drink endlessly and wake feeling like shit brought an odd sense of relief to Johnny; a reminder that not everything had changed. 

Johnny made his way downstairs, rummaging through the normally well-stocked cabinets. With Sid gone, his mother decided it would be best to cut back on a few things. She let go of the staff, figuring she could do the housework with Johnny’s help. They had taken care of a home before Sid (granted their apartment was a hell of a lot smaller than the mansion) and they could take care of one after him too. 

Johnny guessed she hadn’t gotten to the shopping just yet since they were currently out of Cocoa Pebbles, leaving him no other choice but to eat Fruity. Wasn’t his preferred breakfast, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. He grabbed the box, and then the bowl, and then a spoon, and finally the milk. He poured whatever was left in the colorful box into the fine china bowl his mother bought for everyday use because that's what wealthy people did, topped it off with milk, and dug in. 

The spoon never reached his mouth, however. 

Johnny was cut off by the sound of laughter coming in through the side door. His mother and his former best friend, both decked out in their swimwear and towels wrapping around them, were giggling up a storm, lost in their own little world. Only the echoing clatter of Johnny dropping his spoon in disgust caught their attention, rendering them silent for a moment. 

Laura of course smiled, as if she had nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of. “Good morning, sweetie,” She greeted, stepping closer to her son. 

Johnny was up and out of his seat, moving around the island to create space between them. His appetite was suddenly gone and he remembered what he had to do today. Might as well get a head start on it. 

“Johnny,” Laura called out, her tone groaning but Johnny didn’t care. 

He was up the stairs and down the hall, slipping into his room. He didn’t bother with a shower, choosing to douse himself in cologne and deodorant, and brushed his growing hair because he hadn’t gotten around to getting a haircut just yet. 

He dressed nicely because he could still afford to do so, he grabbed the keys to his car that he had sitting on his dresser. He thought he was slick, going out through the garage. His mother would be busy with her boy toy and he’d be able to leave in peace. 

Except that boy toy was waiting for him outside, leaning against the Avanti as he owned it. 

And if Sid bought the car, and Sid was married to Laura, who got everything when he died, and now he was dating Laura, Johnny guessed in some fucked up sense, he sort of did. 

Jimmy must have taken the time to get dressed, at least for his upper half. He had on a tee-shirt, something posh that Johnny was sure that his mother had helped pick out. 

Once upon a time, Johnny used to be her ken doll. The pretty boy she would take shopping and dress up for her own pleasure. And now he’s been replaced by the newer, younger model. 

“Get off my car, dickhead.” Johnny muttered, not bothering to spare him another glance. 

Jimmy sighed, that soft expression he always wore just seemed to rub Johnny the wrong way today. “Johnny, come on. Can’t we talk about this?” 

“Can’t talk. Got shit to do.”

“Johnny,” Jimmy sighed, sounding far too much like his mother for Johnny’s liking. 

He got into the car and started her up, revving the engine in hopes of scaring Jimmy off. It worked, though he didn’t jump back in fear. He stood, going to walk around the front of the car, blocking Johnny’s exit. 

“You think I won’t run you over?” Johnny asked.

Surely something like this would hold up in a court of law. It was bad enough the fucker was in his way but adding the fact that he had been banging his mom? The jury would have to be on his side.

“If you want to hate me, so be it. Leave Laura out of this.” Jimmy requested. 

Johnny should have stepped on the gas right then and there. Laura. First name basis. Of course, it wasn’t surprising. Would you call the person you’ve been sleeping with by their last name? How about their married name? His mom hasn’t married anymore, so Johnny didn’t know if she would go by Ms. Lawrence, Mrs. Weinberg, or even Widow Weinberg. 

It didn’t matter anymore, since Jimmy had no problem dropping the name Laura as it lived on his tongue for weeks. And maybe it has. 

You see, the thing between Jimmy and Laura had come naturally. As much as Johnny would like to be angry and call them out on it, everything that had bloomed between them came from a place of friendship and understanding. 

Laura was a bored housewife. Not the kind you see in the movies, where they sleep around with the pool boy and spend all their husband's money. She had no real friends to call her own. She was significantly younger than the other wives in Sid’s friend group, and while they were kind enough to her while at the country club, outside of the circle they wanted nothing to do with her. 

Sid was working a lot and looking back, they were both pretty sure he was hiding his declining health from them. Whether it be he didn’t want to worry or even excite them that he would be expiring soon. 

Laura was lonely and the only way to get her out of that funk was to sign her up for some activities that would keep her busy. It was Johnny’s own fault looking back. He basically handed his mother right to Jimmy, who was working part-time at the country club as a tennis instructor. Johnny wanted his mother to have something to look forward to and before getting pregnant with him, she had once been a promising tennis star in her hometown. 

She threw that all away to raise him, so Johnny just wanted to give that back to her. He signed her up for lessons, knowing Jimmy would go easy on her. They were three times a week, all paid for by her dear husband who was happy to have his wife off his hands. 

Laura did try to love Sid. She tried to be a good partner. She kept her weight down and her makeup minimal. She gave up those flowery dresses she loved so much and wore things that she knew Sid would like because she knew the role she had to play in Sid’s life. He worked around pretty women and knew how replaceable she was. If she wanted to give her son a good life, she had to stay in the image that Sid wanted of her. 

That was all over now. Now, she could wear her hippy-dippy attire every day of the week. She could wear those thigh-high boots and do her hair in crazy styles. She was free to eat what she wanted, be who she wanted, and be with who she wanted. That just so happened to be Jimmy.

You see, sometime in between all the tennis lessons, the two had become fast friends. Jimmy wasn’t much of a talker, always the quiet one of the group, while Laura had been trained to more or less sit and look pretty. Once together, they talked about anything and everything. 

Jimmy was young and single, and yet he didn’t chase after the girls at the country club. He was a gentle soul who had been kept in a box for far too long. What Laura saw in him, he saw in Laura, so it came with no surprise that their attraction would be mutual. 

It started small. They were going out to lunch, talking strictly about tennis. And then the conversation would open to more things, bits and pieces. Laura wanted to know Jimmy outside of just what she had already been told by Johnny over the years. 

Lunch and tennis lessons turned into legitimate hangouts and for the first time in a long time, Laura had a friend. Lunch would become dinner on nights when Sid would ditch her for something work-related or Johnny wasn’t around. 

They would go to the beach because it was the place Laura felt the most comfortable and they would confide in each other. Laura, about the life she had wasted wanting to be a good wife and Jimmy, always feeling overshadowed by his friends. They were more alike than either expected and their differences only brought them closer. 

Laura didn’t intend to start an affair and looking back, Johnny was sure she actually felt pretty bad about it. It wasn’t physical until after Sid had already passed away, but then again, an affair of the heart is still an affair, right? 

Sid died on the golf course, surrounded by work associates that he didn’t like and didn’t like him. They all made money off of each other and after one final swing, the bastard went down and never came back up. Three days after burying him, Johnny found out about Jimmy. 

It was the same day that Ali broke up with him and told him all about how she was leaving him for another man. And then he saw the other man, who happened to be Tommy of all people. They tried to explain, but Johnny wasn’t having it. How do you tell your boyfriend that you’re leaving him for his best friend? How do you steal your best friend's girl right from under his nose? 

Johnny didn’t understand and he went home to tell his mother all about it, because no matter how old he got, Johnny told his mother everything. He told her about karate, about his crush on Ali, about how lost he felt after graduating high school. Laura was his shoulder to cry on, so he burst into her bedroom, ready to pour his heart out. 

That's when he saw them in bed together, wrapping up in nothing more than the expensive sheet she had only recently purchased. She made this whole big stink about how if she was going to be sleeping alone, she wanted sheets that hadn’t been soiled by her former husband. 

They went shopping together and Johnny watched as his mother ran her fingers along with the thousand thread count options, finally settling on the Egyptian cotton. Neither looked at the price tag, but they weren’t dumb. They knew how much something like that was. 

But that didn’t matter to them. They had the money and now that Sid was gone, Laura was entitled to all of it. She could redo the entire mansion if she wanted to. For now, she’d stick with the super-soft sheets for the bed she’d be sleeping alone in. 

Except she wasn’t sleeping alone. 

Five Mississippis passed until Johnny finally said something. The sight of Jimmy wrapped up in the sheets, making out with his mother post-coitus was quite a shock to Johnny, both that had both of them clinging to the sheet, hiding their nude bodies after Johnny released the loud and rather appropriate “ WHAT THE FUCK ?”

Johnny didn’t let them explain either. His mother tried a few days later after cornering him in his own bedroom. She told him all about what happened and how she never expected to fall for James (not Jimmy -- James ), but she did and she is happy. 

Johnny couldn’t remember the last time his mother said she was actually happy. 

Didn’t make the realization hurt any less, of course. 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Johnny replied, tapping his fingers on the outside of the car. “Move, Jim.” 

“We didn’t want to hurt you, Johnny.”

And Johnny believed him. Jimmy had never done anything to cause Johnny pain, and yet the betrayal from every one of his friends was just too much for him to focus on right now. Turning the wheel as far as it could go, Johnny drove around Jimmy, deciding he had too much conversation for one afternoon. 

He drove around after that, remembering why he left the house in the first place. Sure, it was to avoid his mother and her love, but also because, well you see, Johnny didn’t have a job. He had been living off the extended allowance Sid had given him and now that Sid was gone, Johnny wasn’t sure if the money was going to continue to flow. 

He wasn’t going to take the chance of it and if his mom did in fact cut him off, well Johnny wanted to have something to fall back on. 

The only issue was he didn’t actually know what to do with himself. He never had a real job before. The closest thing to one was being a cart boy at the country club when he was a teenager and he wound up quitting that job after getting caught being high on the job. He quit so he wouldn’t have to face being fired. After that, he stuck with his allowance from Sid. 

If he stayed out of trouble, he stayed out of debt. It was easy enough. He kept to himself, believe it or not. He wasn’t the rambunctious teenager anymore. He didn’t do karate or get into fights, nor did he piss away the money he did have. He would take Ali out and pay for rounds with his friends, but now that was all over.

Johnny didn’t know the first thing about finding a job. What, do you just walk into a place and apply? Did they actually have HELP WANTED signs upfront or was that just shit in the movies? 

Johnny wound up driving around most of the day, wasting gas he would have to replace, meaning more of his savings was going to be dumped down the drain. 

He got to an area he didn’t really know, nor did he really like, and Johnny wasn’t bold enough to admit that he was lost, so he just continued to circle, hoping to find his way back. 

That’s when he saw it. 

Little Trees. 

Johnny felt like cold water had splashed across his face and after nearly running a red light, he did a three-point turn to get back around, coming back to face the storefront. 

He hadn’t thought much of last night, other than it is an experience he would never forget. He didn’t get the name of the club and wasn’t sure if he would ever go back. He didn’t know if he even could go back. How do you face an insane truth like realizing that your dick can get hard from watching another guy dance? 

Johnny hadn’t put much thought into his sexuality and he truly believed he was past the point where he needed to. He liked tits, wasn’t that enough? Why the fuck did he have to discover new shit at the age of twenty-three and in the middle of a crisis? 

And yet he couldn’t get over what the girl at the bar had said. He didn’t remember much, outside of the guy, the dance, and the comment about little trees. 

Surely this was just a coincidence, right? After all, what kind of place even had little trees? What the hell was a little tree anyway? 

Johnny got out of the car to find out, slipping into the shop with ease. The ring of the bell alerted his entry and someone called from the back, promising to head up soon. 

Johnny roamed around the place, finding it filled with, you guessed it, little trees. He knew there was a name for them, though he couldn’t think of it at the moment. And while they were different shapes (some short and chunky, others skinny and long) they were all in fact very little. 

“Sorry about that,” A less muffled voice called out.

Johnny turned, watching as Daniel made his way from the back. He knew it was Daniel by the tan skin and the swooshy hair, though he lacked the same shimmer on his face he had the previous night. 

He smiled when he saw Johnny and approached with a little less professionalism. “Well, look who's here.”

Johnny’s voice seemed to disappear for the moment. He was caught in the sight of Daniel, who wasn’t shiny like he had been the previous night and yet looked so warm, so welcoming. 

It almost made his heartbreak.

“You ditched me last night, King Cobra.” 

“I did?” Johnny asked. 

And then he remembered that Daniel had told him to stick around so they could catch up. Johnny wound up hurrying home, cursing out his hard-on during the drive. It went away by the time he got home, but its very existence was enough to suggest that maybe Johnny didn’t know himself as well as he thought he did. 

“Right. Sorry about that.” 

“It’s fine. To be honest, I sort of figured it was a fluke that you’d be there; it doesn’t really seem like your type of place.” Daniel admitted with a shrug. 

He wasn’t wrong. Johnny had never been into clubs or even bars. Sure, back when his friends were young, they’d use fake IDs to get into places, but now that he was a little older, the thrill was gone. He could drink at home, alone, and he usually did though that was more on being alone more often than not. 

Daniel was still smiling, however, not looking too disappointed, which was good. Johnny was getting really tired of disappointing people. “You can make it up to me.” He added, testing the waters for something. 

And that's how they ended up going for coffee. Johnny wasn’t the ‘go for coffee’ type, so he bought them food as well because just sitting around and drinking coffee seems lame. Who the hell liked plain coffee anyway? He got something iced and sweet, while Daniel ordered a frap. Johnny argued for a moment that a frap is a bonafide milkshake, something Daniel didn’t wholeheartedly dispute. 

The conversation drifted to Daniel’s job at the tree shop and all that it entailed. “It’s not much, but it’s my mentor's dream. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t have that happen?” 

“Do you sell trees during the day and then strip at night?” Johnny asked as he broke his croissant in half, offering it to Daniel. 

Johnny had skipped out on breakfast to get away from shit at home so he was hungry. And he wasn’t the type of guy to pretend like he didn’t want to eat when he was out, so if stuffing his face was a turn off then so be it.

“It’s not a strip club,” Daniel replied, rolling his eyes playfully as he took the piece. “It’s a cabaret. A bit of burlesque.”

Johnny bobbed his head, playing along like he knew what either one of those things was. 

“It’s a performance. The dancing is classy. We don’t offer lap dances or expect our audience to throw money at us.” 

“So you don’t get tips?”

Daniel shrugged, humming as he chewed. “After the performances, the guests will put money in a donation box. Each dancer gets their own so we take home whatever is inside the box and then go on our merry way.”  

Daniel took a sip of his drink, clearing out his mouth. “The tree shop doesn't make that much money, but I refuse to give up. I work there most nights and put all my tips into paying rent on the shop.” 

“So you’re what, a showgirl? Or guy. Showy?” Johnny asked, trying to piece together exactly what it was Daniel did. 

“In a way, I guess so. I go on three times a week, each night to a different song. We get regulars, so I have to be on my toes, you know? Well rehearsed.” 

“You’re the neighborhood favorite,” Johnny mentioned, remembering what the announcer said as he came onto the stage. 

And had Daniel’s skin tone not been so tan, he was sure the guy would beat red as he hid his smile behind his cup. “I don’t have a lot of competition as a guy. I get a lot of attention.” 

“A lot of ladies coming by?” Johnny questioned.

Johnny could see it now, the high demand of women circling the stage, watching the male dancers give it they're all. Only seemed fair with the number of male clients female dancers he put up with.

“And men,” Daniel added. 

Of course. And men. Gay men who wanted to see another guy dance on stage. Who wanted to get their dicks hard just as Johnny had, though he didn’t go out seeking a man for that. It just happened. It was a fluke. Johnny didn’t find men attractive. At least he didn’t think he did. 

There was no denying that Daniel was nice in the eyes. 

Tan skin, fluffy hair, big eyes. He was the perfect opposite of his ex-girlfriend, who was so gentle to look at, you’d think she was a porcelain doll. Daniel was pretty in a way that Johnny had never experienced before. Masculine and sharp. 

Even now, when Daniel was dressed in his street clothing, unlike the button-up and suspenders from the previous night, Johnny could appreciate the sight across from him. 

“So. Was it a happy accident, coming to the shop, or am I bold enough to believe you were looking for me?” 

“I was looking for a job,” Johnny admitted bluntly. “Some girl at the club last night mentioned you sold little trees so when I saw the sign, I figured I’d be able to find you here?” 

“So you were looking for me,” Daniel said, smiling brightly. “Well, finding one out of the two things you were searching for isn’t bad.” 

“Now I just need to find the other.” 

“I’m sad to say we’re not hiring currently. It’s just me and the old man. He fixes the trees and I sell them.” Daniel hummed, those dark eyes moving up and down Johnny’s frame. “Do you still do karate?” He asked curiously. 

And while the answer was no, that didn’t seem to matter for what Daniel had in mind.

Chapter Text

As it turned out, what Daniel had in mind turned out to be just what Johnny needed. A job. 

It seemed the club (or theatre, whatever the hell it was) needed some new security, and who better to take the position than someone who used to kick ass regularly? 

Daniel dragged him to the place after their impromptu lunch date (totally not a date. So what if Johnny paid? He was being polite. And yeah he held the door for Daniel, but that was just a guy thing. He holds the doors for a lot of people. Not a big deal, jeez) and took him to meet the owner. 

Johnny stood there for a solid minute as Daniel rambled on and on about how amazing Johnny had been back during his Cobra Kai days. How he had seen Johnny pin people down with such ease and break up fights like it was his destiny to be a protector of the innocent. 

Johnny didn’t know people could talk that quickly and he also didn’t know Daniel paid that much attention to him in High school. 

Later that night when Johnny was sure Jimmy had left or had at least locked himself away in his mother's bedroom, Johnny returned home and began rummaging through his closet until he found his high school yearbook. He had no idea what Daniel’s last name was so he flipped through until he saw him. 

And then it hit him. 

Johnny did know Daniel. Or at least, he forced himself not to know him. 

Because as much as Johnny would like to say that he wasn’t having some sexual awakening because of the guy, that wasn’t true, and Johnny knew it wasn’t true because he had dealt with this shit before.

Back in high school, when he was on top of the world, the King Cobra, and had pretty much everything a high school senior could want, he met a boy.

Correction, they never officially met. Didn’t even speak a word to one another. But Johnny had seen him across the way now and then. The high cheekbones, the tanned skin. Those big eyes. Johnny would never forget those big eyes. He looked like the humanization of Bambi. 

Johnny wanted to be angry because the kid was always looking, always watching. Dutch noticed a time or two and voiced that somebody should give the guy a black eye to keep him from watching, but he never did. 

Dutch was all talk, no action, and Johnny was smart enough not to get involved because the last thing he needed back then was any more action. 

They hung around with different people. They came from different worlds. Johnny on the hill and Daniel wherever. He was social with Ali, but not enough for him to feel a wave of jealousy like he would whenever Ali would speak to someone else and give off that hundred-watt smile that she had once given him. 

Johnny wasn’t sure if they had even ever spoken. They sat together during graduation thanks to that wonderful alphabetical order, though Johnny also sat next to Ali, so he was a bit preoccupied. 

High school was one big blur for Johnny. He was so focused on having fun and winning competitions, that it never occurred to him that there were other people around. 

People with big eyes and sharp jawlines seemed to go on for miles. 

Johnny got the job at the theatre and wasn’t given much of a uniform. He had to be comfortable and not stick out. If someone gave a performer a hard time or tried to jump the stage, he had every right to handle it properly. 

The place was named after some Barry Manilow song, or at least that was what Daniel told him. To be honest, Johnny didn’t listen to a lot of that music though he was sure his mom would be able to give him a hint if he bothered to talk to her. 

The owner liked to believe in giving second chances so he was to give a warning to every patron that caused trouble. 

Johnny could handle trouble. He used to be troubled, so he knew it well enough. 

What he couldn’t handle was sitting out by the bar, watching Daniel grind on stage to a fucking Paula Abdul song, all while continuously telling himself that shit was normal. 

Don’t get him wrong, it totally was. Being gay wasn’t an issue to him. He wasn’t some homophobe alright? 

But why now?

Why when his world was already crumbling around him did he have to discover something new about him? Why when he was literally on the edge of a breakdown, drowning in loneliness did he have to unearth something that had obviously been buried down so deep that couldn’t tell if it was even new or had always been there. 

Johnny played it off as cool. Played it off like it was nothing. 

So what if seeing a guy nice turned him on? So what if he’d go home and rub one out, replaying the scene again and again. It was a catchy song, who could blame him? 

His job was pretty easy. Just sit and watch, make sure all the patrons were keeping their hands to themselves. Not in that way! Apparently, that has happened in the past and while Johnny might be on the path to self-discovery, he certainly wasn’t interested in seeing some stranger's dick at half-mast in the middle of a theatre. 

For now, none of that’s happened. So he sits at the bar and drinks his soda because it's unprofessional to have alcohol while on the clock. He tried to convince himself to turn around during Daniel’s set, but that was borderline impossible. So instead he watched in a trance, mentally cursing himself until the lights came back on. 

The stage cleared and the staff came to clean up. That familiar redhead came along with the donation box, thanking all the patrons who slipped their money in to celebrate Daniel’s great performance. 

“Another successful night,” She mentioned as she settled next to Johnny at the bar. 

Johnny hummed, turning away from the crowd to order himself another drink. He went into his wallet to tip because even if he was an employee now, he wasn’t an asshole and tossed a ten into the box. 

“Aren’t you generous,” The redhead commented, her smile only widened as Daniel came to join them. 

He has dressed again, though the button-up sat loosely on his shoulders and the joggers hung low in his hips as he leaned over the bar to order his drink. 

“How are we looking, Jess?” He asked, moving to take his place beside Johnny. 

The redhead -- Jess -- shook the donation box, rattling all the money inside of it. “Very promising, Danny.” She said, pushing off the bar to take another round. She paused, glancing from Daniel to Johnny, and then back again. “You even got something from your bodyguard here,” She added before disappearing into the crowd. 

Daniel beamed then, twisting around so he was facing Johnny. “Tipping my performance, Johnny?” 

“It was good,” Johnny replied, fingers gripping his rumless coke. “You worked hard. It showed.” 

Johnny chose to leave out the part where watching him straddle a chair and pelvic thrust against it all while wearing nothing but a black tie and biker shorts made Johnny lose his mind a little bit. It was unprofessional after all. 

“Did you like the song? I chose it for you.” 

“Huh?” Johnny paused, thinking back to the lyrics. “Oh! Because the guy is a snake. And I was a cobra. Wait, isn’t that about a cheater?” 

Daniel waved him off, taking his drink from the bartender as it came. “Technicalities.” He decided, sitting up as one of the patrons came over to compliment him.

And Johnny looked away, not because it bothered him, but because he was polite. Who fucking cared if Daniel had someone hit on him? How cared if that someone was another guy? None of that shit mattered. Daniel was a performer and he could be complemented from here to fucking Neptune. He put on a great show, of course, he should receive praise. 

Johnny was giving him a bit of privacy. If Daniel wanted to listen to the guy old enough to be their dad talk about how fantastic he looked on stage, then that was all on him. Sugar daddies were a thing and for all he knew, Daniel could be looking for one. 

And while Johnny still had a good chunk of money left in his account, he didn’t think he was old enough to be considered a sugar daddy. Maybe like a sugar brother? 

Splenda Papa? 

“So where are you taking me after this?” Daniel asked then, his voice pulling Johnny from his thoughts. “All that moving works up quite the appetite and I was hoping we could grab something to eat after we close up shop?” 

Johnny was left a little speechless. It was late, so there wouldn’t be a lot open. Maybe a dinner if they could find one. Johnny was sure Daniel knew of some places that were open late. It came from having a job that required you to stay up until two in the morning. 

“Wherever,” He answered, which seemed to be what Daniel wanted to hear because he was still smiling, sipping away at his drink. 

Johnny sipped his own and turned back around to face the crowd, keeping his eyes out for any commotion. 

They did wind up finding a place to go when they finally ended the night. Daniel and the other performers went through their respected boxes, taking all the tips that were rightfully theirs. Johnny could have left and part of him figured he should since he didn’t want to be unwelcomed in their space, but nobody paid him any mind, so he kept waiting around in the back, sipping on his iced down soda until Daniel came back out.

His face was clean of any shimmers and he was wearing his street clothes once more. His hair was still damp from sweat, but he looked pleased with the turnout. Johnny followed him out and led Daniel to his car which was parked outback. 

“Holy shit. You’re still driving this beauty?” He asked, his hand running along with the hood of the Avanti.

A wave of pride swelled into his chest. Sid didn’t give him much growing up, other than rules to follow and a fist to fear, but this car was the one thing he truly did treasure.

The car had been something special when he was a teen. He was the first out of all his friends to get a car and he was also the first in their senior year to show up with a bright red convertible fresh off the lot compared to a lot of handy downs or second owned technicals. 

“I used to ride my bike every morning and I’d look across the lot and there you all were. The Cobra guys with their girlfriends, all sitting around this gorgeous car.” 

“I didn’t drive it every morning,” Johnny ventured. “Sometimes we’d take our dirtbikes.” 

It was easier to just take his car the senior year, especially since he usually picked Ali up or drove her home and she would always bitch at him when she had to get on the back of the bike. Not like he didn’t have a helmet for her! Don’t blame him cause she chose to wear a skirt! 

Daniel hummed softly, looking up from the car and across to Johnny. “The car’s hotter.” He decided. 

And while Johnny would have loved to dispute that, he was cut off by Daniel getting into the car without another word. Johnny followed suit and drove about six blocks until they got to the 24-hour diner that Daniel told him about. 

They got a booth in the back and Johnny ordered an omelet because he loved to eat breakfast at night. Daniel seemed to have the same idea and ordered pancakes and was rambling on from the time they ordered from the time the waitress came around with their plates. 

“You can tell me to shut up, you know. I might not listen, but I’ll get the message.” Daniel told him, silencing only to take a forkful of pancake into his mouth. 

“I don’t mind the talking,” He confessed.

If things had been different if he hadn’t been so mesmerized by him right off the bat, Johnny was sure he would have found it annoying, but instead, he liked listening to him speak. He had a slight accent in his tone, something more east coast compared to a lot of people around here. 

“You don’t do much talking yourself,” Daniel noted, watching Johnny carefully. 

Johnny shrugged, knowing if he started to talk then he’d go off the rails. He would say something he didn’t want to or it would come off as crude and he’d get tangled up in being seen as an asshole. 

And maybe that was what he needed right now. Maybe he needed Daniel to see he wasn’t this awesome guy and that he was so fucked up in the head that even wanting to be around him was a terrible idea. 

“That’s alright,” Daniel added smoothly. “I talk enough for the two of us,”

Johnny didn’t question it. He didn’t push for more. Instead, he just focused on the conversation at hand and ate his eggs.

Chapter Text

And that's how it began. Whatever this was between them. 

Every Friday and Saturday night, when Daniel would give off the performance of a lifetime, Johnny would be there to watch and stand guard, and then they would go out and grab dinner. It would always be breakfast food and Daniel would always go on and on about everything and anything. 

Johnny wasn’t used to someone talking to him about every little detail of their life. He would think back to his relationship with Ali and while she’d talk to him about everyday shit, it wasn't anything important. 

Or maybe she did and he just wasn’t listening all that well. He listened when Daniel spoke, even if it was about mundane bullshit that didn’t even involve him. 

One week it was all about that damn Bonsai tree store and how he and the old man he worked with had to scale a literal cliff just to grab this tree that was worth a shiton of money. 

Another week it was about his mom and how she had been pressuring him to move back to Jersey (the place he had originally come from -- hence the accent) or even Fresno )where she was) because she was lonely and missed having him around. 

Johnny thought about how unlonely his mother had become in the past few weeks and how he very much doubted that she missed him. 

Johnny had successfully dodged his mom nearly every single time he was home and in the few instances he hadn’t, well he was quick to leave because he wasn't ready for that conversation. 

On the third week, Johnny actually got to have some fun of his own and toss a guy out of the club. It was Jessica’s night to go on and after putting on a pretty good performance to a Bonnie Tyler song, some audience members got a little handsy with her at the bar. 

Johnny offered the first warning but after a bit of backtalk, he decided that their admission ticket wasn’t worth putting up with his attitude and tossed him right out the front door. He had previously been advised to never actually cause a scene as it would be bad for business but in a moment of annoyed passion, Johnny made the call. 

It was a big show, with all eyes on him, including Daniel’s. There was a glimmer in his eyes he had seen once before, on the night they met almost a month ago. Johnny didn’t know what it meant then and he barely understood what it meant now, but it made his dark eyes look full and bright. 

Jessica wound up thanking Jonny afterward, standing in nothing more than her underwear because he guessed she was just used to being seen like that. 

“Do you wanna come inside?” She asked, gesturing to her fitting room. 

The room was spacious enough, with a bright and shiny vanity on it and a door that locked. 

Johnny knew well enough what could go on in that room, on that vanity. 

Jessica’s performance was amazing. She stepped onto the stage wearing this big suit and tie, clothes that definitely belonged to a man. As she continued to move, another layer came off until she was left in nothing but her skimpy lingerie. 

Johnny was sure there was some correlation between clothing choice and the song, but Johnny didn’t think too much about it. 

And despite everything going on with him, his dick, and all he had seen on stage with Daniel, Johnny still got it up for a nice pair of tits and Jessica did in fact have a nice pair. 

His life was still spirling in ways that Johnny couldn’t completely handle and while a quickie against a vanity might make things a little more manageable, the last thing he needed to do was fuck it up further by sleeping with one of his coworkers. 

“I just wanted to thank you for kicking that guy out.” She replied, twirling the red strands of her hair around her pointer finger. 

“It’s my job.” He replied with a light shrug. 

“You handled him so easily though. Big and strong. It’s like we have our own protector around here,” Jessia replied. 

And Johnny knew the tone she was using. Cute and flirtatious. Johnny was used to it. Ali used to use it early in their relationship when flirting was still necessary. Johnny had always liked when people would flirt with him. It showed interest. He liked knowing there were people out there who wanted him, especially since as of late, it seemed like nobody did. 

Another door opened and both turned to see Daniel across the hall, wrapped up in his after-show robe. He leaned against the door frame, watching the two. 

“I’ll let you finish getting dressed,” He said to Jessica, stepping back politely. 

Jessica and Daniel shared a smile and the redhead giggled as she closed the door, leaving the two men alone in the hall. 

He glanced at Daniel, who held his gaze easily. The dark-haired man cocked his head, gesturing for Johnny to come into his dressing room. He followed without question, watching as Daniel closed the door behind him and made his way over to his own vanity chair. 

He was also wearing nothing but his underwear under that robe and Johnny wanted to bash his head in because really, this was just cruel. 

“Glad to see you still have it in you,” He noted, sitting back in his chair and crossing his legs in a way that showed them off in the best way possible. “Pretty impressive fighting you did out there.” 

Like, Daniel didn’t even have long legs, but they looked strong and Johnny thought only for a moment if Daniel would coke him out with them. 

Was it normal to put your head between your friend's legs?

Was Daniel even his friend? 

God, Johnny was so tired. 

“He didn’t put up much of a fight,” He confessed. 

Johnny wished he had. He wished he had someone to beat up, someone to hurt so he wasn’t the only one feeling like garbage. 

“I don’t like dicks,” Johnny replied, muttering under his breath. “That’s not . . . assholes, I don’t. Holy shit. Jerks. I don’t like jerks .” He finished, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“You okay over there?” Daniel asked, pushing up from the chair so he could get dressed. 

No, Johnny wasn’t okay. Far from it. He was very much not okay at this moment. 

He saw Ali earlier that day.

She swung by to get the rest of the stuff she had left at his house and of course, she had to bring Tommy with her because the possibility of her being the least bit decent was so god damn love, even for her. 

“Do you wanna skip dinner and go somewhere to talk about it?” He asked gingerly. 

And Johnny didn’t want to talk about it, because he knew if he did talk about it, then he would probably never stop. It would be a can of worms opening up in the middle of the theatre or wherever Daniel would take him. 

And yet he found it impossible to say no to Daniel, at least in some ways. They skipped the diner and Johnny let Daniel take him to his neighborhood, into his quaint, attached apartment. 

Being at Daniel’s place was different from going to the diner or getting coffee. They were alone here. No eyes to watch them, no walls to keep up. Johnny was allowed to relax here, even if just for a moment.

Daniel moved around the small area, chatting up about how he doesn’t ever bring people over because the old man is a light sleeper, but he enjoyed sitting at home and winding down after a good show. 

Johnny let Daniel sit him down and give him a drink and when Daniel told him to let it all out he decided to do the exact opposite and kept quiet. 

Well, mostly. 

Johnny wasn’t a moaner, not very often at least. Daniel was the vocal of the two of them in pretty much every way and that included in bed or this case, on the couch. 

And while making out with another man certainly wasn’t on Johnny’s bingo card for how he expected things to go he had little to no issue letting it happen, because by God could Daniel kiss. 

That mouth was used for more than just talking, that much was for sure. And when Daniel decided to straddle Johnny just as he had that chair the previous week, Johnny had little to no choice but to hold onto him as he rubbed their growing hard-ons against their jeans. 

Johnny really thought that once he started having sex that the whole grinding stage would end, but here they were, rubbing one off against each other like they were in fucking junior year under the bleachers, not wanting the fucking band geeks to notice them during practice. 

Johnny held onto Daniel for dear life while Daniel did most of the work. He arched back against Johnny’s roaming hands, all while his own gripped the back of the couch which was just barely big enough for the two of them. 

It didn’t take much for either of them to shoot off and while creaming his jeans was embarrassing on its own, Johnny didn’t have the mental capacity to give a damn. He was left panting, kissing along Daniel’s jaw as he slowly came down from his high. 

“So,” Daniel muttered after a few seconds. His eyes were bright and his smile was loopy and God, Johnny couldn’t stop himself from kissing him. He kissed him again and again until a tired giggle escaped Daniel’s mouth as he pulled away. “So,” He repeated. “Wanna talk now?” 

Johnny hadn’t been very emotional back when he dated Ali and maybe it was a gay thing, but the moment Daniel said the words, Johnny let it all out. 

He told him about his day, and about how he had to witness Ali being so kind and sweet to Tommy while being cold to him. 

He confessed what had led to his best friend stealing his girl. You see, Tommy was a great fighter, but he tended to get hit a lot. Especially in the head. This led to him having to go see the doctors due to lingering blackouts, headaches, and migraines. No doctor thought anything of it. He was a young guy who took a lot of hits to the head. No biggie. 

Until it was a biggie. Until one doctor thought they saw something and suggested it might be a tumor. 

No 23-year-old guy wants to hear that. So they rushed him to the hospital to have him checked out. Ali was there, working on her early residency like the perfect little student she was, and she talked the doctor into letting her stay to calm Tommy down. 

From what Ali said, Tommy was a mess, saying how scared he was, how he had a whole life he wanted to live, and things he wanted to do. Ali did her best to relax him. 

That’s when Tommy blurted it out. The secret he had been hiding since he was fourteen. 

You see, Johnny wasn’t the only one who fell for the Mills girl. Tommy had loved her even before becoming friends with Johnny and confessed that he only took up karate because he heard she thought it was cool. 

Of course, he couldn’t compete with Johnny, but he was content with loving her from afar. 

He held onto those feelings for nearly ten years and now if he was going to be faced with the reality that he may die he didn’t want to keep it under wraps anymore. 

He told her how gorgeous she was, and how smart, and how she deserved nothing but the best. 

Apparently, that was all it took for Ali to break the wonderful bonds of their relationship. Tommy wound up with a clean bill of health and the girl of his dreams in one day. 

Ali swore they did nothing but kiss and while Johnny believed them, it still hurt, especially since she didn’t even give him another chance. She heard what she wanted to hear from somebody else and that was that. 

“Do you still love her?” Daniel asked after a few moments. He had grabbed them each a pair of boxers so they weren’t just sitting in their own splooge. 

Daniel didn’t let him answer it. He took their clothes and went into the main house to run their laundry. Had Johnny been a worse guy, he would have left right then and there, but instead, he stayed, trying to figure out his answer. 

“We had been together for years,” Johnny replied, even though he knew that wasn’t much of an answer. “I had no idea she was unhappy.” 

“Were you? Happy I mean,” Daniel asked, keeping his eyes on Johnny. 

And to be honest, yeah he was. At least he thought he was. He planned on proposing one day. Planned on having a family. “I couldn’t give her what she wanted I guess,” He mumbled, sipping at his almost forgotten drink. 

“I knew it was too good to be true,” Daniel admitted with a wince. “God, that is so rude. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make this about me,”

Johnny blinked, his mouth open, though no words came out. 

“It’s just when I first saw you at the theatre, I thought I had gotten lucky, you know? Like, really fucking lucky. Here is this gorgeous guy that I was was infatuated with back in high school,”

“You had a crush on me?” Johnny interrupted.

And it wasn’t anything new because Johnny knew a lot of girls had a crush on Johnny. Ali did, which made sense since they were dating. Barbara did at one point. Probably Susan too. Johnny was used to it.

But hearing Daniel admit it; confessing that those long stares across the hall were more than just admiration. Well, that did something to Johnny. 

“A crush makes it sound juvenile,” Daniel scoffed. 

“It was high school,” Johnny reminded him.

Daniel rolled his eyes, waving his hand dismissively. “There you were, sitting at the bar, ready to watch my performance. I thought my prayers were answered, you know? But then we started hanging out more and you’d never react to any of my compliments or give any back other than saying how good my performance was.” 

“Danny.” 

“Trust me, I have dealt with a lot of closet cases or even guys who just wanna play the field. If that is the case, it’s fine. I just want us to be on the same page.” 

“I don’t . . . I’ve never.…” Johnny left like a failure, unable to process whatever the hell it was he was trying to say. 

He didn’t know if he was gay. Until today, he had never done anything with a guy. And maybe he told himself not to, maybe he pushed it so far down, he couldn’t remember ever wanting to be with a guy. 

But he remembered Daniel. Remembered seeing him across the wall with those big eyes. Remembered telling himself that guys aren’t supposed to be pretty. 

“I don’t know what I am,” Johnny muttered at least. 

How do you say you’re not into guys when you get hard over watching them dance and cream your jeans from having them sit on top of you? Johnny was too tired to process all of this. There were too many revolutions going on inside his head and it was just too much for him to deal with at this current moment. 

 “I like being around you.” He added quietly, wanting to at least be honest. “And I’m pretty sure my dick does too,” He gestured to their lack of clothing. 

Daniel smiled then, soft and sweet. Johnny thought he felt pity for him like he was patronizing Johnny because he felt sorry for him. Johnny didn’t want his pity. He didn’t want to be another closet case for Daniel to lead with. 

“I like having you around too,” Daniel noted, lifting his free hand to run his fingers through Johnny’s hair that he had yet to cut. “I think I’ll keep you around. See how curious you really are.” 

And while Johnny was pretty sure it was beyond curiosity at this point, he decided not to comment. Mostly because Daniel was back to kissing him and with their pants gone, it made things a whole lot easier.

Chapter Text

Johnny never intended on finding a common ground with Daniel, one that put them in a place where they both got what they wanted. To be honest, Johnny didn’t really understand it. How can you tell if the lines between a full-blown relationship and friends with benefits begin to blur? 

As far as Johnny could tell, he and Daniel were together. They’d go out together, hang out together. Sometimes he would go to Daniel’s place and they’d fool around and they would even sleep together. 

Johnny found that doing that sort of stuff with a guy wasn’t much different from doing it with a girl. The only real difference was in whatever his hand was doing at the time. Johnny had thought about going further, though Daniel didn’t seem to wanna rush anything. 

Johnny secretly wondered if Daniel was holding back on him. Like he wanted to get the most out of Johnny questioning his sexuality before he eventually crawled back to whatever heterosexual bar he got kicked out of the night they met and found some pretty girl to take him on. 

The thing was though, Johnny didn’t think he was questioning. 

Sure, a nice rack still got him going and it always would. He could go on for days how that Elle Macpherson magazine spread changed him from a boy to a man. Being into women was never something he had to force or pretend. 

Daniel had the same effect on him. There would be times when he was on stage, performing like the master he was and Johnny would have to think of something terrible to keep himself from getting hard beside the bar. 

And then there would be other times that weren’t even inherently sexual. 

Johnny had introduced Daniel to the old man, dragging him around the shop so he could learn how to properly care for a bonsai tree. Daniel would take his hands to show him how to use those tiny ass clippers and his skin would be soft, and they’d be so close that Johnny could smell the cologne against his skin. 

He was used to Ali who always wore the same perfume since high school or that lavender lotion that made her skin greasy. Everything about Ali was feminine and sweet while with Daniel, he was constantly reminded that, while he was petite and thin, and pretty, was one hundred percent a guy. 

It didn’t matter how much highlighter he wore for shows (Daniel told him the name after he asked one night), Daniel was a dude. A dude who liked other dudes. And Johnny couldn’t ignore that even if he tried. 

So he gave up. He waved the little white flag, he surrendered himself to the universe because really, what else did he have to lose? 

He wound up telling Bobby about it when he finally got around to calling him. He was living his dream over in whatever third-world country he had gone to and after spending about fifteen minutes raving about how amazing it was to bring the word of Jesus to the people, Johnny decided to burst his bubble and confess his sins. 

“If you’re gonna disown me as a friend, tell me now.” He demanded, figuring he would get the heartache over with. 

“I would never disown you, Johnny,” Bobby told him carefully, though he could practically hear the eye roll. 

It was still the nicest thing he heard in a while. Especially since for the past month and a half, Johnny had practically been on his own. He spoke to Dutch once after getting a random call in the middle of the night (he made it to New York and was having a blast living off the grid) and then Jimmy twice because the bastard was over his house again. 

He refused to have dinner with his mother and Jimmy. Refused to acknowledge their relationship as anything other than bizarre and painful. It was just too much for him right now. 

He hasn’t seen or talked to Tommy since he came with Ali to drop off his stuff and Johnny was fine with it. 

Totally fine.

It didn’t matter that Tommy had been one of his first friends when he and his mother moved in with Sid. Johnny didn’t care that, along with Bobby, most of his fondest memories involved Tommy and that they never actually got to have a proper end to their relationship. Because at the end of the day, they were both seen as assholes to the other person. 

To Tommy, Johnny would always be the bitter bastard that frowned on the love Tommy and Ali shared while to Johnny, Tommy would always be the guy that used his moment of desperation to steal his girl. 

And Jimmy, well he was just a motherfucker so fuck him.

Johnny was fine without them. He had the theatre now. He had Daniel. His job was nice enough though the pay wasn’t that great. Minimum wage and all that only three times a week. He really needed another job, but he was surviving off his savings and since his mother had been left everything after Sid died and she had yet to kick him out of the house, he was still living there rent-free. 

Silver lining and all that shit, right? 

Daniel didn’t have many friends either. He had the old man, who spoke in like, fucking riddles, and then Jessica who also had a day job at some pottery store that Daniel bought all the pots for the bonsai trees. 

There were a few other performers at the club that Daniel got along with, but he didn’t exactly hang out with them. He mostly came around, did his show, and then stuck around to collect his money before dragging Johnny away so he could buy him dinner. 

He always had an appetite after a show and Johnny was happy to buy the man as many pancakes he wanted if it meant keeping him around. 

Johnny didn’t have to think when he was around Daniel. He would bury himself completely in whatever Daniel was talking about, hoping to drown in his lifestyle for as long as possible. 

“Have you ever thought of performing?” Daniel asked at random.

They were lying in bed together, naked except for their boxers because it was hot and Daniel didn’t have an AC.

They had fooled around earlier and didn’t bother getting dressed again. It was that sticky kind of weather that made sharing a bed, especially a small ass twin-like Daniel had, nearly impossible. They had the fan going but it was only doing so much. 

And Daniel, well he wasn’t helping. Because despite the lingering fear that Johnny would get up and go back to the old womanizing ways he had no issue being clingy and touching Johnny when they sat like this.

He was lying beside him, his finger running along Johnny’s jawline. 

“You’re gorgeous. The world should be able to see it,” 

“You see it,” Johnny answered, keeping his eyes closed. 

“I’m not the jealous type,” Daniel answered even though that wasn’t what Johnny meant.

Johnny wasn’t like Daniel. He didn’t eat up the spotlight. Even when he was doing the tournaments, he always hated when they would call out his name. He was the three-time champion and was proud of his achievements but Johnny wasn’t a show-off. He was just good at what he liked.

Daniel was born to be on the stage. He had so much Charisma and talent. He would come up with ideas the morning of his performance and by the time the spotlight hit him, he would take that work in progress and turn it into something spectacular. 

There was a reason he was the neighborhood favorite; why he was the one going home with hundreds each weekend. 

All that money would go directly to that little tree shop. All the time and effort he put into it, all so he could help the old man live out his dream of showing the people of California just how amazing those little trees were. 

Johnny even went home with one, free of charge. Well, free if you call making out as a source of payment. 

Johnny liked kissing Daniel. He was eager and determined. Johnny didn’t have to do all the work with him. Daniel knew what he wanted and took it even if he was keeping himself at bay most of the time. 

Johnny wasn’t opposed to sex with Daniel but he certainly had to think it over. He wanted it to be something Daniel would enjoy, so if he wasn’t pushing for it then Johnny wouldn’t either.

Whatever this was they were doing, spending time with one another, using each other, Johnny was fine with it. 

But then again, he didn’t exactly understand what Daniel could be using him for. 

With Johnny, it was an escape. He threw himself into Daniel’s world, following him around to rehearsals and dinners, sitting quietly in the background so he wouldn’t be too much of a bother, all so he could ignore the obvious meltdown that was happening inside his head. 

He didn’t understand what it was he offered Daniel. Yeah, they fooled around, but it wasn’t full sex. When they got lost in one another, it wasn’t getting lost in that sexual passion. It was deeper than that. They had a connection, one that Johnny didn’t fully understand. 

He connected to Ali because they made sense. Both rich, both beautiful, both popular. Being together was what people expected. They worked well together because they both knew what they wanted from one another. Or Johnny thought he knew what Ali wanted, but as it turns out, he was dead wrong. 

He and Daniel on the other hand made no sense whatsoever. For one, Daniel was gay. Like, openly gay. Like, he wasn’t hiding it from anybody. He was out and proud, confident in his work both at the tree shop and on the stage. He knew not everybody was going to accept that and he just didn’t care. 

Johnny, however, had no idea what he was. He just continued to exist in everybody else’s lives, both wanted and unwanted, unsure of where the fuck he was supposed to be in life.

Where the fuck was he supposed to be in Daniel’s life. 

Johnny wasn’t even in Daniel’s life, not for real. He was just there in spurts, something Johnny didn’t like all too well. After all, Daniel had become one of the few constants in Johnny’s life. Can’t blame a guy for wanting to keep a good thing around.

He pushed for more, little by little. When Daniel would finish up a show and count out all his tips, they would usually go grab a bite to eat. They would do that every Friday and Saturday through slowly, Johnny had begun offering to head straight to Daniel’s place instead. 

They could grab food on the way or Johnny would grab something during his break before Daniel hit the stage. 

It would give them more time alone, which they used to fool around and relax. Johnny liked relaxing. He liked laying in bed with Daniel on top of him, because despite not wanting to go all the way sexually, Daniel was a clingy mother fucker and was plenty content with just laying in bed together. 

Sometimes they’d watch tv, with Daniel’s head on his lap. Johnny would run his fingers through his hair, submitting himself to the domestic bliss they shared if only for a few moments. 

Johnny was greedy, however. He wanted more. And while Daniel seemed pretty content with how things were going, Johnny missed the sense of normality he used to have. He missed being a boyfriend, missed having someone rely on him. Ali may not have been his perfect match, but at least she kept him busy. 

Not sure how to properly address everything going through his head, Johnny decided to just blurt it out. Probably wasn’t the best-laid plan, but it was better than suffering in silence. 

They were at the shop in the middle of the week. Johnny had nowhere else to be and the old man was off doing deliveries. Daniel called him up and flirted a bit on the phone, suggesting Johnny swing by. He expected it to be whatever a PG-rated version of a booty call could be, but instead, they sat together, trimming all the bonsai while Daniel rambled on about something. 

Johnny cut him off, both guard and in his sentence. 

“Do you wanna go out?”

Daniel paused, those Bambi eyes wide. He placed down the tiny clippers he had been using and leaned back on his workbench. “I guess we could take a break. Grab a late lunch,” 

“I don’t mean now,” Johnny answered. “I was thinking about dinner. Tonight.” 

“Oh,” 

Johnny drummed his fingers on the table, tapping his foot. “Like a date.” 

“ Oh .” 

Right. He didn’t exactly sound too excited by the idea. And then when Daniel started laughing, Johnny was fairly certain that he would have been better off just keeping quiet, cutting the stupid little trees into shape as he listened to Daniel’s endless babbling. 

“Well, this is new,” Daniel admitted suddenly. 

“What? You’ve never been asked out on a date before?” Johnny questioned. 

And Daniel, the beautiful bastard with the big eyes and fluffy hair, actually shook his head. “Not by someone like you,” He confessed.

“Someone like me?” 

“Someone who doesn’t want anything more than to mess around,” Daniel explained. “Sure, I’ll have guys wanna buy me drinks, butter me up, but never dinner. I’m not worth that kind of effort. Shit, I’m easy. I don’t need that kind of effort.” 

Johnny, still trying to figure out if Daniel was insulting him or not, stood up from his workbench, shifting around the table. “I thought we were beyond the point of just messing around,” He stated. 

And Daniel laughed again, not for long as he realized Johnny wasn’t laughing with him. “Oh shit. You’re serious.” He realized, hands on his hips. “Fuck.” 

Johnny, suddenly realizing they weren’t on the same page, decided it was best for him to go. He pocketed his keys and headed out the door, pausing as he reached the car because Daniel called out for him. 

He could have gotten into the car and drove away, ignoring the voice in his head that always told me to do what Daniel said because Daniel was all he had in his life at the moment.

He didn’t do that though. He turned back to face Daniel, seeing him standing in the doorway of the shop, a shy smile spread out across his lips. “Pick me up at six?” 

Johnny did get him at six. He went home, glad to find his mother and her lover gone. He went upstairs to shower and change, wearing the clothes that Ali always wanted him to wear because they fit his body well and made him look good.

He combed his hair in the car, contemplating whether he should get a haircut or not. It was getting shaggy now and he wasn’t sure if he could work that look. 

He knocked on Daniel’s door, hands in his pockets as he waited for an answer. When he did Johnny was floored because Daniel, well he looked amazing. 

He wasn’t covered in highlighter or glitter but there seemed to be a glow around him, and his clothes weren’t theatrical or posh like when he was on stage but he cleaned himself up pretty nicely. 

“You clean up nicely, John,” Daniel said as he exited his place.

Johnny was at a loss of words as nobody ever called him John, except for his mom, but they weren’t speaking so he hadn’t heard it for quite some time. 

“Yeah well. I make looking good seem easy,” he replied, Johnny tried to play it off as ran his fingers through his hair as led Daniel out to his car.

They skipped the diner, choosing to go a bit uptown for a change. There were a lot of places he had gone before, fancy restaurants that his stepdad would drag him to when he wanted them to be seen as one big happy family. 

And there would be places that Ali would want to go when she was tired of the same old date night. She wanted more than just going to the movies or going dancing. Sometimes she wanted to feel wanted, to feel fancy. She was a rich girl after all. The future doctor would own a boat and eat only the best. You know, like other rich people. 

Tommy didn’t have a boat so she’d have to do that on her own. Good luck to her. 

Johnny was shifting in his seat, watching as Daniel looked around the place curiously. “You sure do take me to the nicest places, Johnny.” 

“I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic,” Johnny confessed. 

Daniel smiled then, placing a hand on the table. It was poor etiquette until he realized it was meant to be an attempt to be coy and Johnny practically slammed his hand onto the table to take Daniel’s on his own. 

Daniel laced their fingers easily as he went to flip through the menu. The place had no prices, though Johnny wasn’t worried about that. 

In fact, the only thing Johnny cared about at that moment was Daniel having a good time and the woman in blue across the way. 

The blond woman in blue was laughing at something being said as she waited for her table to be set. The woman who Johnny would know from anywhere. 

“Any suggestions?” Daniel asked though Johnny wasn’t looking at him anymore, more like over him. Over his shoulder and across to the entrance. 

“We have to go,” Johnny replied, standing to his feet.

“Wait what?” 

Johnny didn’t answer. He was still holding Daniel’s hand and merely pulled him up and out of the seat.

“You know, normally guys try to ditch after the food comes out. Maybe you could explain what the hell is going on?”

“John?” 

Johnny groaned as the woman in blue came forward, blue eyes they both shared wide as she caught sight of Daniel and Johnny. 

“Honey, I didn’t know you were dining here tonight,” She said, sounding almost excited. 

“I’m not. We were just leaving,” Johnny answered, narrowing his eyes as Jimmy came around to stand beside his mother.

Laura looked to Johnny, and then to Daniel, and then to their joint hands. There was a glimmer of surprise in her eyes and when they lifted back up, meeting him once more, Johnny knew there was no going back. 

“Our table is ready,” Jimmy said softly. “Will you be joining us?” He asked, offering a smile to Johnny and Daniel.

“Yeah not happening,” the blond snorted, pushing past them with Daniel in tow.

Johnny breathed deeply as he made it outside, finally free from his mother’s piercing gaze. He might not be able to hide but that didn’t mean he still couldn’t run. 

“Was that her?” Johnny asked, pulling his hand back as they reached the street. “Your ex?”

“What? No. That was worse,” Johnny answered, leading Daniel down the block to where he parked. 

“Who was she?”

“My mother,” Johnny muttered. “I had been avoiding her like crazy and now she saw me in there and I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Why have you been avoiding your mother?” He asked quietly. “How long have you been avoiding her?” 

“How long have I been working at the club?” Johnny asked in return, not remembering the exact amount of days or weeks it had been. He refused to count, refused to care that much. 

Something seemed to click in Daniel’s head then and he stopped walking behind Johnny, leaving a large space between them. Johnny noticed after a moment and turned back towards him, finding Daniel standing in the middle of the sidewalk, looking defeated and somber. 

“What?”

“She doesn’t know,” Daniel said. “She doesn’t know and you don’t want her to know,” 

“Know what?”

“About us,” Daniel replied. “Going on a date is one thing. Being seen by strangers is fine. But family is different. Sometimes I forget.”

“What?”

“Why did I bother saying yes?” Daniel muttered to the sky, turning on his ankle to walk in the other direction. 

Johnny followed, far too confused to do anything otherwise. “Daniel the car is this way,”

“You really are too good to be true,” Daniel laughed bitterly. “Now I am glad I withheld sex from you. God, I am so tired of people like you.” 

“Like me? What are you talking about?”

“Men who are curious or in the closet!” Daniel snapped, stopping his moments to turn back to Johnny. “All you do is take without caring about what other people are left with! Christ when you asked me out I honestly thought it was a legit offer.” 

“It is one!”

“Yeah until your mother shows up and your secret is out!” 

“What secret?!”

“You don’t want your mom to know you’re gay. And that’s fine Johnny but I don’t want to be passed off like I’m nobody important,” 

“My mom doesn’t know I am gay because I haven’t been speaking to her!”

“Because you started working at the club, right?”

“Because she started fucking my best friend!” Johnny answered. 

There was a pregnancy pause then and the air around them seemed so hot and heavy despite the cool breeze. Daniel stared at him, caught off guard by Johnny’s words. “That guy she was with? That’s her boyfriend. Her lover. And my former friend.”

Daniel blinked, taken back by the confession. “What?”

That was how Johnny spilled the beans about his mom and Jimmy and their romance. Right there on the sidewalk as other couples with less pathetic lives walked past. Johnny expected Daniel to continue his attempt to leave but he stayed by his side, listening to his tale.

Johnny hadn’t expected their first official date to turn out like this, sitting against the brick wall of a jewelry store that was closed for the night as Johnny poured his heart out to Daniel for the second time since they met. 

“I know I am wrong to be angry. I know they’re adults and they can do what they want but I just can’t let it go.” 

Johnny knew it was different with Ali and Tommy. There he was involved directly while with his mother and Jimmy he was nothing more than a bystander. This was their love story and he was on the outside looking in.

“It’s understandable,” Daniel mentioned after a bit. “I think you just need time to adjust.”

Time was something Johnny had too much and too little of. 

“How old is she anyway? I know you and Jimmy are my age, so I’m guessing she’s-”

“She’s thirty-nine.” Johnny cut him off, extending one bent knee across the sidewalk. The people could walk over him. He didn’t care anymore. “She had me when she was sixteen.” 

It was an unplanned pregnancy, obviously. A former tennis star who gave up her teen dream to become a mother; Laura did everything she could to give Johnny a good life. She took care of him, making sure he always had food on the table and clothes on his back. After marrying Sid, she completed that goal and promised she would always make sure he was taken care of. 

She continued that promise as she still hadn’t cut him off though Johnny knew it would be coming soon, especially with how much of a dick he had been to her as of late. 

Maybe if things had been different. Maybe if she and Jimmy had sat him down and told him about it carefully rather than him walking in on them. Johnny didn’t know. 

He thought back to seeing her in the restaurant for that brief moment. The smile on her face as she laughed at something he said. Johnny couldn’t remember a single time Sid made her laugh. Really laugh. Not that generic, housewife laugh she would do to make it seem like she was blissfully happy to be with him. 

And then he thought back to the way Jimmy had looked at him and his mom at Sid’s funeral. He had been watching Laura so carefully. At the time, Johnny thought he just felt bad for her, being a widow and all, but now those small glances meant so much more. 

Johnny stopped thinking after that. His head hurt too much. 

“Can I ask you something?” Daniel muttered quietly. “You really don’t care that your mom saw us together?” Daniel asked quietly. 

“I told you I don’t know what I am, but whatever it is, I’m not hiding it,” Johnny answered. What was the point? Half the people he associated with wanted nothing to do with him before realizing he liked kissing guys, touching guys, being with guys (one guy in particular) so there was no need to pretend like that wasn’t his thing. 

“I’m sorry I assumed the worst,” Daniel admitted after a moment. “Not to sound conceited but I’m sort of used to guys like you.” 

“Guys like me?” Johnny mimicked. 

“Hot guys who are confused or curious. They see this petite pretty boy they can have fun with before running off to their old ways. I guess I just wanted to hold onto whatever it was we had for as long as I could.” 

“Is that why you withheld sex from me?” Johnny asked, the words sounding like poison on his tongue. 

Johnny didn’t push for sex, he didn’t beg for it. He figured it just wasn’t something Daniel was ready for and that was fine, but now knowing that it was something Daniel purposely kept at bay from him? He wasn’t angry, just confused. 

“Most guys only want one thing. And when I give it to them, they usually disappear shortly after. I wanted to prolong the inevitable for as long as possible.” 

“I’m not one of those guys, Daniel,” Johnny told him quietly. 

He wasn’t the King Cobra anymore. He wasn’t this prick with a silver spoon in his mouth who got off on using people and didn’t care who he hurt so long as he stayed on top. Johnny wanted to believe he was better than that. That he had grown from his teenage self and become a better person. 

At least in some way. 

“I don’t know if it’s obvious or not, but you’re pretty much my only friend at the moment.” Johnny reminded him. Sure, he still spoke to Bobby and even Dutch, but they weren’t around. A phone call could only do so much. 

Daniel was there nearly every single day, allowing Johnny to forget about his problems for the moment and enjoy the company he so desperately craved. 

Daniel smiled shyly, bumping his shoulder against Johnny’s. “Friend, huh?” 

“Am I allowed to be more than that? Cause, if you haven’t gotten the message, I’m sort of into you.” 

“Sort of?” Daniel repeated. 

“More than sort of.” Johnny corrected. 

And Daniel, with that gorgeous smile lighting up those dark eyes of his, reached out to take Johnny’s hand for the second time that night. “I sort of like you too.” 

“Even with my baggage?”

The mom drama, the ex-girlfriend, his shitty friends, and the lack of awareness. Johnny wasn’t exactly the poster child for boyfriend material. 

“We all have baggage. I’d be more concerned if you didn’t come with any,” Daniel told him quietly. 

They stayed there for another minute, just listening to the sounds around them; the cars driving past and the people walking by. Daniel was the first to move, pushing himself up as he pulled on Johnny’s hand. 

“Alright. Enough self-loathing for the night,” He decided.

“Some first date, huh?” He mused aloud. 

“You can make it up to me,” Daniel answered, walking Johnny back toward the car, their fingers laced. 

Chapter Text

Things changed after that, just slightly. Johnny found that dating a guy wasn’t much different from dating a girl. 

Sure, Daniel had a dick, but honestly, that was the only major difference. 

They went on dates, the same as he would with a girl. They went out to dinner, some places a bit nicer than others, while other times they’d grab fast food, sit in the back of Johnny’s car, and bitch about the clientele until Daniel had to head to work. 

Most of the time it was just them hanging out. Johnny didn’t want to think of it as friends with benefits, because that wasn’t the case. They weren’t two dudes who hung out together, jerked one another off, and then went their separate ways. 

Johnny might have been lost in a lot of ways but he knew what he wanted from Daniel and that was more than friendship. 

Of course, that was a lot to bring around to his actual friends, especially since he seemed to only have one at the moment. Dutch was still off avoiding this town like he was some kind of outlaw, and both Tommy and Jimmy were on Johnny’s shitlist. That left only Bobby who had finally come back from his Godly retreat. 

Johnny wasn’t nervous introducing Daniel. There was no shame in being with a guy, nothing that Johnny wanted to hide. If anything, he was more worried that Bobby would start telling Daniel about all the wild shit they used to do back when they were just dumb kids. 

He didn’t, of course, because Bobby was mature enough to know times had changed and there was no point in clinging onto the past -- something Johnny was still trying to do. 

They also introduced Bobby to Jessica, who took a quick liking to him, though Daniel warned that what happened to all guys with pretty eyes caught Jessica’s attention. 

“She hit on me too once. That was a fun conversation,” Daniel teased over drinks one night. 

Jessica gasps across the table, shaking her head in disbelief. “I happen to remember it quite differently actually.” 

“I’m sure you do,” 

“Well, you’re spoken for now.” Johnny reminded him, his hand running slow circles along Daniel’s back. He reminded himself to be gentle since Daniel had gone a little too hard on stage and wound up with a cramp throughout his back. 

“I’m also gay,” Daniel added with a chuckle. 

“And now you’re both,” Bobby offered, raising his glass in cheer. 

Daniel and Jessica excused themselves, no doubt to gossip about them and Bobby in particular outside while Johnny waited to pay the tab. He waited anxiously for Bobby to say something, anything, to make even the smallest comment, but it never came. 

“Well?” He demanded, earning a knowing smile from his one and only friend. 

“He’s not who I expected you’d be with,” Bobby confessed. 

“Cause he’s a guy,” Johnny added, already knowing that that was the last thing even he expected of himself. 

Johnny could go on and on about how much he loved women, and tits, and pussy, and the prospects of one day touching someone’s belly and knowing that was his kid growing in there and none of that would ever relay back over to being with a guy. 

But then Johnny would look at Daniel and he wouldn’t think of any of that and if he ever did want to peep into the future and wonder if he’d have kids, it didn’t seem too out of reach, even for two dudes. 

“Cause you’re good together,” Bobby explained. “I don’t know. With you and Ali, it was so juvenile. Like, the endless fighting. Sometimes it seemed like you were only into each other for the sake of being popular.”

“I didn’t date Ali because she was popular,” Johnny said outright. “She wasn’t like . . . I wasn’t pretending to be into her.” 

Bobby lifted his hand in defense, shaking his head gently. “I know. I know, Johnny. I didn’t mean it like that.” He swore. “You and Daniel, you just work well, alright?” 

Johnny looked away, taking his credit card back from the bartender. 

“Speaking of Ali, have you spoken to her or Tommy lately?” 

“Nope!” He answered, dropping a hard P as he scribbled his signature on the little piece of paper.

“You can’t stay angry forever,” Bobby argued as Johnny put his credit card back into his wallet. “You moved on didn’t you?” 

“So what, Bob, just because I’m with someone else I should get over the fact that they royally fucked me over?” Johnny asked, pushing off the stool with a hough. 

“I get that, trust me I do, and I’m not happy with how they handled things either but he was your best friend.”

“And I was his. And what he did is unacceptable and unforgivable. Look, you wanna go get your little pastor licenses and officiate their wedding, then all power to you, but I don’t want anything to do with them.”

“Lemme guess, you feel the same way about Jimmy too right?” Bobby demanded. 

Johnny stopped walking once they got outside and turned around to face Bobby. In the back of his head, he tried to remind himself that this was Bobby, the friend he had the longest and the only one he had left. If he didn’t want his words, he may not have anybody. 

“I never said I didn’t forgive Jimmy,” He muttered, knowing damn well he didn’t say he did. 

“Yeah?” Bobby challenged. “There’s going to be a tennis tournament luncheon at the country club. He’ll be there.” 

Along with his mother, of course. Because even if they weren’t the latest couple to strut their stuff through the country club doors, his mother was a well-known member. Interesting as Johnny could remember all the comments the other wives would make about his mother throughout his entire upbringing. Calling her a whore, a homewrecker (even though Sid was single when they married), and of course a gold digger. 

And now here she was, on the arm of their leading tennis instructor. Christ Johnny could imagine the comments they made now. 

“You should come,” Bobby replied, looking over his shoulder briefly. “And bring Daniel.” 

“Now why the hell would I want to do that?” Johnny demanded, knowing what kind of a scene that would cause if people put two and two together. 

“Easy. What better way to ruin your mother's reputation,” Bobby mentioned with a shrug. 

And Bobby, well he was too kind to ever suggest a thing, but Johnny knew it was true. Johnny hadn’t been a big fan of that country club and what a way to tarnish the family name than to be presented as his true self? 

“When is it?” 

It turned out to be Sunday, which worked out better for everyone as Bobby would come after church and both Johnny and Daniel were off. Jessica was also off, so she tagged along eagerly sticking to Bobby’s side since she suddenly liked the idea of being a pastor’s wife after going on one double date with both Johnny and Daniel. 

“She cried about having to throw her heels away, but she figured a diamond ring would look better on her anyway,” Daniel confessed during the drive. 

The conversation leading to asking Daniel to go with him had been rather short-lived as the two of them had found themselves stuck in somewhat of a sexual honeymoon phase. Daniel was no longer denying him anything which meant the two were mostly going at it like rabbits any chance they could. 

Shower sex had suddenly become Johnny’s favorite thing and even though he had arrived at Daniel’s place dressed and ready, all of that went to hell. Gone was his polite jacket and a nicely pressed shirt. He had spent far too long trying to pick out an outfit that showed off his particular physique and he found that blues did work well for his skin tone. 

Daniel was wearing purple, as it went nicely with his tanner skin tone. 

Or he would be wearing purple once they were finished. Though they were never really finished. A kiss would always lead to more and even in the middle of more they couldn’t seem to get enough. They would hold onto one another tightly, leaving marks that would eventually fade and then be covered by new marks. 

Johnny left a mark this time along on Daniel’s shoulder blade. He bit down hard while they were screwing in the shower and after they finished, Johnny was the one who had to clean the shower even though Daniel was the one who came all over the walls like this was some kind of porno. Dramatic shit. 

He caught Daniel looking at it in the mirror before covering the mark up with his shirt, buttoning it up properly. It was cute, seeing him be so shy about something like that. Johnny knew he couldn’t have marks due to work so he’d always be careful where he left them. 

After their hair dried and Johnny made sure to style it all over again, they finished getting dressed, with Johnny in his blue and Daniel in his purple (“it’s wine,” Daniel told him proudly. “It’s fucking purple,” Johnny replied, kissing him in response) they made their way to this luncheon. 

There was a tennis tournament beforehand, one they had been late for because Johnny couldn’t give two shits about tennis. His mom had tried to get him to play when he was in high school, but he was too deep into karate to sign up for another sport. Jimmy on the other hand couldn’t get higher than a brown belt, so karate wasn’t his thing. He liked tennis however and was destroying the competition. And in the corner was his cheerleader, Laura. 

It was jarring to see just how casual they were about it. Laura would call out his name and they would share a smile. They would call for a break and Jimmy would grab his water, and his towel and go over to her side. She would run her hand up and down his arm, whispering in his ear, and then he’d walk back onto the court, but not without leaning in for a kiss because they were the same fucking height and he didn’t have to lean down. 

Short motherfucker. 

Johnny felt like his skin was crawling during the remainder of the game, though Daniel seemed to be enjoying himself. “Who doesn’t love seeing guys in short-shorts hit some balls?” He asked, most likely to get a smile out of Johnny. 

It didn’t work, but he did hold his hand and that was just as good. 

When the game ended and Jimmy won, Johnny followed Bobby inside so they could snag a table for the luncheon. It was standard, with wealthy people of all different shades of white going around, mingling and eating finger sandwiches. Johnny would interact with anyone who spoke to him first, though he did not attempt to go and talk to others. 

A few paid attention to him, glancing at the man who had his arm on the chair of another man, as if a living, breathing gay was something to be horrified by. 

Like there weren’t scarier things going around. 

“John!” He groaned at the sound of her voice, looking up to see his mother making her way over. 

She was wearing a soft orange, the color she had always liked wearing even though Sid said she looked like someone who crawled out of the 70s. Her hair was down and she had a necklace that Johnny had never seen more. It was simple with a small sunflower sitting in the hollow of her neck. Dainty and sweet, just as she presented herself off to be. 

“Oh honey, I’m so glad you came.” She said, going to hug him as he stood there. She looked off to where Daniel was sitting and he was quick to his feet, crowding behind Johnny to introduce himself. “Who's your friend?” 

“Boyfriend, mother,” Johnny replied sharply. 

Laura merely rolled her eyes, glancing away from Johnny to Daniel. “Well, if you weren’t so aloof nowadays I would have known that. It's nice to officially meet you,” 

“Same to you, Ms. Lawrence. Now I see where Johnny gets his gorgeous looks from.” Daniel replied, earning a glare from the taller man. 

Not like he had to win her over, so the sucking up was just dumb. Come on, Daniel. Stick with the program! 

“Hey,” Johnny looked up to see Jimmy standing in front of him. Gone was his tennis uniform and in its place was a comfortable-looking brown outfit that Johnny just knew his mother hand selected for her new beau. 

“Congrats on the win,” Johnny replied, knowing better than to ignore him, especially when Bobby was sitting on the other side of the table, watching carefully. 

“It was for charity. I’m pretty sure the trophy they gave me has a spelling error on it,” Jimmy confessed with a shrug. 

“Jim! We saved you a seat,” Bobby called out, gesturing to the chairs across from him. Johnny counted the number of seats and went to look at his best friend, wondering if the other guy was a bastard and was trying to punish him for his latest sins. 

The seat of course was right next to Johnny and Johnny didn’t know what was worse: sitting next to Jimmy or sitting next to his mother. In the end, Jimmy sat beside him, and then Laura sat between Jimmy and Jessica, allowing the women to chat while Bobby and Daniel carried on a conversation filled with riveting topics such as catholic guilt and John McEnroe. 

That left Johnny and Jimmy, sitting there as they ate their salads. “So. How’s work been?” Jimmy asked, trying to make the best of this very awkward situation. “Laura -- she said you got a gig at a club?” 

“Bouncer,” Johnny replied. 

The only reason he had told her was due to a fight they had where he made it very clear he didn’t need her handouts as he got a job of his own. She had yet to cut him off though, which was nice since Johnny did need the large sum of money because now he had a significant other to take care of even though Daniel had his own home and job. 

He was a giver okay, fuck off. 

“That has to be exciting,” Jimmy mentioned. “I’ve been working with my dad lately at the shop. Someone brought in a Porsche 550 Spyder the other day,” 

“Bullshit,” Johnny said without missing a beat. 

Jimmy’s dad owned an auto body shop, one that the guy was most likely going to take over in the future. They used to hang around after karate and always hoped someone would bring in a fancy car like in the movies. 

And there was no one fancier to Johnny than James Dean. 

“It was amazing, man. Practically flawless.” Jimmy went on to explain.

“Did you take it for a test run?” Johnny asked, shaking his head at Jimmy’s silence.

“After I check the motor on Friday I’ll probably start her up to make sure she’s good,” Jimmy mentioned after a moment. “You’re welcome to come around if you wanna see her,”

It would have been the experience of a lifetime, being around or maybe even being behind the wheel of that car. Teenage Johnny would be creaming his jeans at the very thought of it. 

“Are you going on about that car?” Laura asked, leaning in across Jimmy to get their attention. “It’s all he’s been talking about for days. I’m starting to think you’re dropping hints for Christmas,” 

“You are not buying me a car for Christmas!” Jimmy laughed. 

“I guess it is a little too big to fit under the tree,” Laura noted, tilting her chin up as she smiled at him. “I’ll just have to give you something else to unwrap.”

“You’re insatiable,” Jimmy replied, leaning in to kiss her sweetly. 

And while this would have been a fun day full of catching up and chatting like old times Johnny was suddenly rudely reminded that Jimmy was kissing his mother. The woman who birthed him and the guy who used to cry whenever the Liberian spoke too harshly to him. 

Johnny placed his hand on the table, intent on standing up and walking out because he had enough when Daniel reached out. 

“Did I ever tell you how good you look?” Daniel asked, turning Johnny’s attention fully onto him. 

And maybe they had this conversation or maybe they just fell right into the shower. Johnny isn’t one hundred percent sure, but now he was looking at Daniel, at those brown eyes that just seemed so warm and deep and whatever had been bothering him just moments ago seemed so transparent now. 

Christ, is this what happiness felt like? 

“Tommy?” Jimmy questioned suddenly, breaking away from Laura to glance across the way. 

And suddenly everything was crashing to the floor again. Johnny broke Daniel’s gaze to see Tommy walking over. Ali was by his side, their hands laced tightly. 

Johnny had thought back to all the time they would attend these things together. Ali wouldn’t hold his hand when they walked. Instead, she would grab onto his wrist, pulling him here and there, guiding him wherever they needed to go. Johnny followed because he knew better than to embarrass her in front of the country club, the same as he did with his mother. 

And while the idea of bringing a guy to this place in a sly attempt to scandalize his family's reputation, it seemed rather pointless when it came to Ali. 

Johnny wanted to stand, to leave, but it was impossible. Tommy and Ali were there, in front of him, smiling blissfully as they greeted the table. Bobby spoke, introducing Jessica ever so politely. Jessica, who no doubt heard about the Johnny-Ali-Tommy drama from Daniel, smiled kindly because she was just a good person who didn’t care about shit like that. 

Jimmy was up on his feet suddenly, grabbing Tommy’s attention onto something. Johnny didn’t hear what he was saying, but he was dragging the other guy away, all while his mother grabbed Ali’s hand, gasping with excitement over her the tennis bracelet that her parents had bought her when she got into the medical program at school. 

Laura had no doubt seen that bracelet before and her excitement didn’t sit right with Johnny until he realized exactly what she and Jimmy were doing. 

Give him an out. 

Because even after the shit they pulled, they still loved Johnny enough to not force him to face all this just yet. 

Bastards. 

Johnny gestured for Daniel to follow him as they slipped away from the table and after narrowly avoiding a handful of other people that would love to hear what Johnny had been up to in the past couple of weeks, they finally made it outside to the parking lot. 

Johnny drove them away from the country club though they didn’t get very far. He didn't have a destination planned so he ended up bringing them to the beach. They sat on the hood of his beloved car and just watched the crashing of the waves until Daniel finally broke the silence. 

“So that's the great and powerful Tali huh?” 

Johnny barely turned his head, using his very strong side-eye to make his glare apparent. “Never say that again.”

Nothing rubbed him the wrong way like couples' names. Jali had been what they used to call him and Ali and he feared whatever the fuck people would come up with for him and Daniel. 

“She’s pretty. I get why she’s the Helen of Troy in your life.” 

“It’s complicated,” Johnny noted, his chin falling to his bent knee. 

How did one discuss such a thing with the person they’re currently dating? How could Johnny explain to Daniel that he was over Ali but the pain was still there? Why was the pain even still there? If Johnny could wake up and not feel betrayed by his best friend, then he would be fine, but life wasn’t simple, life wasn’t easy. 

Johnny couldn’t wake up and think that his life was okay because it wasn’t. Not by a long shot. 

Johnny would love to blame it all on Ali. She was the type of girlfriend that wanted to make appearances and wanted to live in this beautiful bubble and Johnny just didn’t care. He knew he was also to blame. He knew he ignored her feelings and did what was best for him. He knew they didn’t work but continued to stay together because it was comfortable, and dating was scary, and marrying your high school sweetheart was romantic and expected. 

They were horrible to and for each other, but that didn’t stop the ache in his chest every time he thought about how one of them could have put a stop to it and instead carried on until they were both in ruins. 

“Could always be worse,” Daniel mentioned suddenly. “She could have found out you were gay.” 

Johnny sighed after that, laying back until his head hit the windshield and the hot sun was beating down on his face. Daniel didn’t speak anymore after that, but he did take Johnny’s hand so he figured: close second.