[attr="class","danny"]to say he feels out of place in the luxury of her penthouse is an understatement. he's not used to it — the closest he's ever been to this sort of lifestyle is a random party in galar. but he does his best to blend in.

"sure — i'll try my best."

it's a while before she returns and danny uses that time to simply walk around, not imposing or invading in the slightest, but he's just curious. he takes a wide shot of the living room in particular and shoots a quick text over to Greyson Connors with the image attached. when she returns, he's stood like a polite guest over by the couch.

her voice pulls his attention when she returns — so does her outfit, and though he makes no comment on it, the smile that tugs at his lips should say enough.

"i'm looking forward to it," his smirk mirrors hers as he approaches, gesturing towards the fridge as he does. "drinks should be cold now."

stopping by the counter, he spares one more look at the apartment.

"so how often do you get followed by paparazzi?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Serena Malcolm

[attr="class","danny"]"another one sounds lovely," he says, accepting the now-cold can of beer. he cracks it open, takes a sip, and feels liquid courage returning to him. not like it left in the first place.

the trailer for the movie? his mind quickly flicks through the upcoming releases and wonders if he had seen her before. he can't seem to remember, so he drinks the thought away.

"yeah i imagine it can't be too fun to be followed all the time, especially if you're just trying to go for a walk or something. or a nice date."

his gaze lowers slightly when she leans against the counter but it quickly flicks back up. her apology catches him slightly off guard and it has him shaking his head, chuckling.

"oh there's no need to apologize at all! i don't mind. i'm not that big on my privacy anyways. not much to be private about to my eighty instagram followers."

though he jests, his words are honest. he truly doesn't mind whatever this is. he takes another sip, thinking.

"i don't imagine this is the scoop they wanted though. i doubt this is spicy enough for them." he gestures to himself when he says 'this'.

[attr="class","noodles"]Serena Malcolm

[attr="class","danny"]"you think so?"

to be honest danny doesn't know much about what the tabloids might want. he barely keeps up with social media as is, let alone all the gossip and drama that comes with fame. he shrugs and accepts the plate with a "thank you."

he follows her to the couch not long after that. he takes another sip before setting the beer down to start at his food. he remembers then that he still hasn't eaten anything since breakfast. he peers up when she starts speaking, making sure to meet her gaze.

"oh you're putting me on the spot," he laughs, then stops to think for a moment before continuing, "you seemed like someone who knows how to have fun, and someone who likely knows what they want in general. i like that — i could use more fun and direction in my life."

a beat.

"plus, you're beautiful, so why wouldn't i swipe right?"

he offers a smile, then reaches for his beer.

"what made you?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Serena Malcolm

[attr="class","danny"]the flush comes involuntarily; his cheeks taking up a light shade of pink. he smiles at the compliment and turns away in an attempt to hide them. but his gaze returns when she continues talking.

"down to earth, huh?"

he never would've considered himself that but it's really accurate now that he thinks about it. he nods in agreement.

"your life sounds hectic, serena. i don't know how you do it! i wouldn't be able to keep up. but if it means anything..." he considers his words, cautious not to cross any boundaries. "i do hope you find that luxury because you seem like a great person, and you deserve as much."

to her comment, he chuckles, then raises his drink.

"well, i imagine it's only going to get better from here."

he talks big and he knows it. it shows in the way his lips curl into a smirk. he takes it a step further.

"any tips for the paparazzi?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Serena Malcolm

[attr="class","danny"]after a bit more conversation between the two, he finishes her food, and his eyes trail her as she leaves for the fridge.

briefly, he wonders if arc's managed to destroy the furniture in whatever room he's in yet.

he finishes what little's left of his beer right as she approaches. he meets her grin with one of his own.

"sounds fun. what'd you have in mind?"

[attr="class","noodles"]Serena Malcolm

[attr="class","danny"]"never too full for dessert."

he accepts her challenge and plays right into her hands. he pushes himself off the couch, stands, and extends a hand out towards her.

"come on."

which answers her earlier question as he intends to lead them to the kitchen. he makes sure to grab the drinks she had brought over earlier as well before strolling over to the kitchen. he leans against the counter, crosses his arms over his chest, and eyes the oven.

"you're going to have to guide me here."

[attr="class","noodles"]Serena Malcolm

[attr="class","danny"]"it might be." the tease in her voice draws him in and he latches on without hesitation. he doesn't shy away from her touch, instead, he leans into it. he meets her gaze and holds it. "you don't have to be."

when she starts going over the instructions, he does exactly as he's told, and though he does some of them a bit slower to ensure he doesn't mess up, the end result stays the same.

he's never quite baked before nor has he spent much time in the kitchen, but he could see himself doing this again. as long as she's there with him. so he loses himself in the moment, relishing every bit of it.

"you were more gentle than i imagined," he chuckles; his smirk mirroring hers as he takes a step closer to her. with her sat on the counter, they're practically eye level. so he leans in a little too close, tempting her. "was it good for you? keep in mind it was my first time."

he's reminded of their interruption as his eyes fall to her lips. he wanted to kiss her more, then, and he wonders if he'd be able to now.

[attr="class","noodles"]Serena Malcolm