it has been a perfect evening so far.

their lives have become less intertwined than he originally thought. she got her own place, a new place, and he often stays in the sub where he passes out after training. so close, yet so far.

so he's happy to get to spend whatever time he can with her.

"you kidding? i'm gonna love it."

he smiles up at her, then looks at the plate of food as she takes a seat next to him. without wasting much time, he digs right in.

"fuuuuck. serena, this could be the best pasta i've ever had in my life. no joke."

Serena Malcolm

☉

Serena swirled the deep crimson liquid in her glass as amber hues watched Danny carefully. "you kidding? i'm gonna love it." he replied and she nodded. "Sure hope so," she smiled as she brought the glass to her lips. She had a feeling she'd be seeing the bottom of a bottle tonight. Maybe two.

"fuuuuck. serena, this could be the best pasta i've ever had in my life. no joke." She smiled and nodded, "Glad you enjoy it." she said as she leaned her cheek against her hand while the other held her drink. "So, how are things?" she asked as warm amber pools locked gazes with him.

"I know we've been super busy lately but let me live vicariously through you." she said with a sigh. "Anything exciting happen on your end? I could use a good story time." she said with a slight pout.

note: and so the game begins... | outfit

DANNY HALL

☉

"things are...great, i think."

the pause is only taken because it feels wrong to say. should he really be thriving in this environment? between training and going out on assignments, he hasn't had time for much else, but somehow, for whatever reason, he finds that okay.

even if it means they've spent less time together.

"nothing exciting, really! oh, wait. i did meet gavin the other day."

a week or two ago, actually, which has been more than enough time for his bruises to heal.

"he, uh, roughed me up quite a bit. i deserved it, though."

Serena Malcolm

☉

Her pacing had been slow up until now. Mostly because she had been mulling things over in her head in the meantime. She wondered if he would willing tell her what she already knew to be true. Which is why she asked the question. But perhaps she had been too vague. That was her fault.

"things are...great, i think." he replied and she nodded as she straightened up to pour herself another glass of wine. "nothing exciting, really! oh, wait. i did meet gavin the other day." Out of all the people she expected him to bring up her mentor was not one of them. Cillian Quinn hadn't mentioned anything about this chance encounter with Danny.

Intrigued she paused for a moment before bringing the glass to her lips once more. "he, uh, roughed me up quite a bit. i deserved it, though." Her eyes widened as she quickly scanned him over. She didn't see any signs of injury. Perhaps enough time had passed for them to heal. "That's....unexpected."

But was it really? Gavin had been beyond pissed recently on the topic of Danny Hall so she should've seen this coming. Still, while it did feel nice having someone who got angry on her behalf and actively defended her, it truly brought her no joy to hear harm had come to Danny. It was thinking like this that drove her to inaction and frustrated her so.

With a soft sigh she quickly downed another glass. "I see." She said as she got up from the dinner table. "Though I wouldn't exactly call that encounter with Gavin 'interesting'." she said as she ran a nail along the surface of the wood gently before walking towards the kitchen once more.

"If you have nothing else to share though," she began as she bent down to retrieve a few things from a lower cabinet. One she pocketed while the other's were a stack of papers and a pen. "I have something for you." she said as she placed the papers beside him as well as the pen. Once she arrived at her seat once more she reached for a pack of cigarettes that were laying on the middle of the table.

Quickly pulling one out before offering the box to Danny and lighting her own. She took a healthy drag, allowing the smoke to settle and burn in her lungs before releasing it from her lips in a puff of smoke. "It might look familiar to you, the contents of the document, because it is." She began as she stared up at the ceiling.

"This is the contract you originally signed with me." She revealed as she still stared up at the ceiling. "According to the contract you were to serve a trial period of a year as my boyfriend and would be offered monthly installments in addition to an upfront payment and annual fee should your services last after the trial period."

Serena's tone had shifted now. It was heavy yet empty at the same time. So too was her gaze. It almost seemed like a contradiction how someone could look so fragile and strong at the same time but here she was. Facing her worst nightmares head on. "As mentioned in the clause of the contract. Should this partnership be terminated prematurely you would receive the written sum and any additional coping services you should need."

She now turned to look at him for the first time since she began speaking to him of this. With a tilt of her head she looked at him as she tapped her ashes in the ash tray. "All you need to do is sign on the dotted line and things will begin to move forward." she said as she gestured to the paper.

"That was so you can be with the person you actually want to be with. No need to force yourself anymore on my behalf. I'm formally releasing you from that duty." She said as she leaned back in her chair a bit before bringing the cigarette to her lips once more.

note: i'll speed things up a bit so i don't keep you here long! | outfit

DANNY HALL

☉

it was less interesting and more eye-opening. it was danny's first real look into some of the consequences for his actions. he knows the next time won't be as pretty.

but his thoughts are soon pulled away by a familiar document.

"hm?"

it takes him too long to put the pieces together. when he finally does, she's already reached the end, and he's gripping at an empty glass of wine with nothing left to hold onto.

"i don't...understand. you're the person i want to be with?"

Serena Malcolm

☉

"i don't...understand. you're the person i want to be with?" It sounded like he was confused, like he wasn't following what was going on and it only left a bitter taste in her mouth. "Ha." was all Serena said as she lowered her gaze. She slowly reached forward and crushed the smoking bud of her cigarette into the as she felt her control slip.

It was silent for a moment as her shoulders began to tremble. Her bangs shielded her eyes and it almost was as if she was crying. That is until the giggle slipped from her lips. It would've been better for him if he was honest. If he just admitted the truth that she already knew. Or rather was convinced of.

Instead it would seem he was determined to try to pull the wool over her eyes. Serena continued to laugh uncontrollably until she wiped a tear from her eyes and her shoulders went slack. She was so tired. So very tired of constantly being used and abused by others. Every. Single. Time. She ended up trusting someone she grew to regret it. Every. Single. Time. They hurt her. When was enough, enough?

Serena felt her temper flare and in one swift movement her glass went flying across the table before it shattered into the wall behind her. Crimson liquid stained the walls as it dripped down the surface like paint. Her breath was shaky and labored as she felt her mental slipping. "You must think I'm some fool." she growled as she lifted herself from the table.

She needed to distance herself, unsure of what she would do if she was closer to Danny than she already was. As she began to pace the room she chuckled again as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "That wouldn't be far from the truth though." she said, her tone low. "Because I was a right fool to believe the words and promises you gave me." she continued.

"You know, I always found it strange. Why would you, who had so much, give it all up for me?" She began before laughing again. "You said it was love but...would love betray me time and time again?" She asked as she ran her fingers through her hair. "That is...unless that love was conditional." She said as she turned and finally faced him.

"I believed you when you apologized to me. That you swore you would never hurt me again. How could I not? The words you wove were so sweet." She said as she wrapped her arms around herself in an embrace. "You used to hold me so tightly and tell me there was only me. That'd you'd never leave me." she chuckled again.

"But it wasn't till I found out what happens when I'm not around that I came to my senses." She said as she twirled around the room. "I have the bad habit of falling for the bad ones. The Snakes, liars and cheats." she sighed. "But you know what's the most disgusting thing about me?" she said as she walked towards the table.

Serena slammed her palms against the wood causing the glass to rattle, "That if you had been honest from the start I still might have forgiven you." She shook her head at her own pitifulness that she knew to be true. She lowered her head as her shoulders and back arched. "All you had to do was lay low." she growled.

"I had one mess from you that I already had to clean up. You. Promised. To. Behave." she said through gritted teeth. "But you couldn't even do that much, could you?" she scoffed. "No, you just had to meet up with that elite four member." She said as she turned her back to him. Her hands were trembling at her side. "And not just any one. Katherine Fairburne. The very same one that caused your girlfriend and rocket such grief!"

The sigh she released was so heavy as she shook her head. "I spent so long trying to understand how you could hurt me so. After everything....and then I realized. It would've been nothing for you if this had been your plan all along." Her movement was swift as she pulled the gun that had been pocketed out and pointed it at Danny with a tilt of her head.

"Get close to the target, leak information, weasel your way into the inner circles, get them to trust you, then kill them from the inside. It all makes perfect sense. I mean, why else would you meet with the one that not only tried to kill your lover but betrayed your organization? The one sworn enemy of your girlfriend? Why else would you give up your life and follow your lover into certain danger? Why else, after careful warning would you leak classified information to a League. Officer?"

The gun in her hands clicks as she takes the safety off. Her eyes quickly lose their earlier luster and affection as she stares back at him. "This would've been simpler had you just signed the damn papers Danny." Her words were laced with venom and it became apparent that their earlier lovingly filled evening was nothing more than a distant memory now. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot you now and be done with it?"

note: i'll speed things up a bit so i don't keep you here long! | outfit

DANNY HALL

☉

"?"

stunned, confused, and at a genuine loss for words, danny can do nothing more than stare at her, tensing through it all before finally summiting in the form of a gun.

"what the fuck, sera? we were just horse riding."

he even chuckles at the end of it, more disbelieved than anything. swallowing, he steels himself.

"my loyalty is to you and to rocket. besides telling Greyson Connors, i've never done anything else to betray that."

Serena Malcolm

☉

She would've thought when one was backed into a corner, especially with a gun pointed at them, that they would come up with some sort of decent excuse. That or lie convincingly enough to save their hide. But yet again it would seem Danny existed to defy her expectations.

Whether that was a good or bad thing was yet to be determined.

"my loyalty is to you and to rocket. besides telling Greyson Connors, i've never done anything else to betray that." Serena howled with dry laughter. "You act like telling him isn't enough to get you killed Danny." she said as she turned golden hues back to him. "You were warned how serious shit was before you decided to swear allegiance."

She continued as she kept the gun trained on him. Her mind was still stuck on his poor excuse for Katherine. Then again, he didn't know that she had Serenity tailing him and that she had relayed their meeting to Serena with telepathy. So he didn't know just how much she did know. "So you didn't fuck her, want a gold star?" she said dryly.

"What I can't understand is how you still think it's okay? I don't care if you went horseback riding, snowboarding, or played fucking patty-cake with her. Why in the hell are you meeting up with a murderer and traitor, Danny?!" It was safe to say her trust in him was completely shot at this point.

But how could it not be? The person she hated most in this world was having a lovely evening stroll with the person that was supposed to love her. Sickeningly sweet nothings exchanged between the two of them sealed the deal. Serena didn't care what his reasoning was, she had half a mind to pull the trigger for that alone. But would she?

No, of course not. Because she was a fool till the end.

With a heavy sigh she lowered the gun. "I can see we will get nowhere like this." she muttered to herself, "Get the hell out of my sight." she said as she turned away from him. "I don't want to see you again. If I do I won't hesitate next time." She hated how much she was like this. Was it any surprise people continuously betrayed her? Not at all.

note: i'll speed things up a bit so i don't keep you here long! | outfit

DANNY HALL

☉

"because i thought i could get close to her."

a lie; his tell is in how he rubs the back of his neck.

even when the gun lowers, the tension remains, hanging in the air with enough density to crush a copperajah. he exhales, shifting in his chair slightly.

"you will see me again, serena. i'm still in rocket. i'm still trapped here, for fuck's sake. nothing's ever gonna change that."

foolishly, he continues.

"for the record, the majority of us have killed and lied. what makes us any different than her?"

Serena Malcolm

☉

"because i thought i could get close to her." Serena's jaw set and became rigid as she listened to his lies. How did he not realize that she already knew better? Just how much more would she have to endure from this man? He was supposed to love her! She hissed as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

She was losing her patience quickly. "you will see me again, serena. i'm still in rocket. i'm still trapped here, for fuck's sake. nothing's ever gonna change that." he presses on. "debatable," she growled. He already had one underboss that wanted him dead. It wouldn't take much to convince the other and the rest of the higher ups if she wanted to.

In fact, Cillian Quinn was on standby ready to come over at a moment's notice should she need him, well aware of the possibility of today going south as it already had done. "for the record, the majority of us have killed and lied. what makes us any different than her?" Serena felt her blood run cold the moment the words left his lips.

Her eyes widened and she felt a chill run down her spine. "What did you just say?" she hissed, her voice low. Was he making excuses for her again? Defending her, despite knowing everything she did, in her presence, AGAIN?! Before Serena could think better she quickly lunged across the table and tackled Danny to the floor. Her gaze was furious and wild as her hand wrapped around his throat. Pinning him to the floor as she straddled him she stared down at him with murderous intent.

"You dare..." she growled through clenched teeth. "You dare say she and I are the same?!" Her body was both cold and hot at the same time as she glared down at the man she once thought she knew. "I am NOTHING like her!" she screamed, "I don't betray my own! I always keep those that are closest to me, best interests at heart. Something you clearly know nothing about!"

Serena leaned closer to him as she spoke in a hushed voice, her tone dripping in venom. "While you were busy getting close to her just who did you leave at home to clean up your mess?! And you dare preach to me about loyalty?! You don't have a loyal bone in your body." Serena shoved him away as she got off of him before aiming the gun at him.

"You have 30 seconds to get out of my house." she said as she adjusted her aim to the side and pulled the trigger. The gun fired a loud piercing shot as a bullet hole appeared in her wooden floor next to Danny. "Next time I won't miss. If you want to keep your life I suggest you go. Gavin won't forgive you a second time, and he's already on the way here." her tone was dry as her gaze became void of all emotion now. Any small hope she held onto for Danny seeing the wrong he had done had faded as she came to terms with the reality of this situation.

It really was over.

note: i'll speed things up a bit so i don't keep you here long! | outfit

DANNY HALL

☉

before he could fire out a smart (dumb) rebuttal, he's tackled to the ground, pinned under her as her hand grips his throat. naturally, he struggles, but he's smart enough to not fight back.

"serena..."

he squirms, struggling to catch his breath. but she steps off only to fire the gun, and the ring that follows is deafening.

"FUCK—"

almost missing her warning, he slides away, backing himself against a wall.

"you're all the fucking same..."

his fist slams against the ground only for a chuckle to escape. he tilts his head back, sighing as he stands.

"guess i am now, too."

Serena Malcolm

☉

"you're all the fucking same..." Serena felt herself tense and the vein in her forehead flex before all the anger in her seemed to be sucked out and replaced with just sheer exhaustion. It wasn't supposed to end up like this. Danny was supposed to be different.

"guess i am now, too." Serena has her back turned to him but she can still hear his words and feel them pierce through her chest. "...you didn't have to be. You could've been different." She says much softer now. This whole ordeal took her through such an exhausting emotional roller-coaster and it wouldn't only go down from here.

She bit her lip. "But if this was going to always be the end result. You could've just saved us both the pain and embarrassment in the beginning." she muttered before heavily sighing. "Just leave." She'd say no more on it. She was already disobeying orders by letting him freely walk out the door, but she couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger.

All the bullshit, and she still couldn't bring herself to hurt him. Not like that. Instead she moved to the chair she was sitting in and hunched over, her head in-between her knees as she held onto the gun. Tempting. It was so tempting. And it would be easy too, to just turn it around. But she couldn't allow herself a way out like that either.

"Fuck..." she sniffed as warm tears began to flow down her cheek.

note: i'll speed things up a bit so i don't keep you here long! | outfit

DANNY HALL

☉

the sharp ringing in his ear persists, dulling out all other senses. but through the anger and annoyance — not at her in particular, but at the situation and how it came to be — is genuine pain over the loss of a friend.

"i'll leave."

he sighs.

"but you'll still be seeing me around, sera."

with that, he steps towards the door.

Serena Malcolm

☉