Chapter Text
“Oh, hey. Sorry. Not too late am I?”
Daniel swallowed his mouthful of admittedly pretty decent coffee and shook his head. His offer of consolation at the other man’s tardiness died on his lips as he took in the gorgeous pale blue eyes of the worried face looking down at him.
Holy fuck he was gorgeous!
“Nice to meet you.”
The blonde smiled at him, perfectly even white teeth on full display. Daniel swallowed harder.
Talking of harder!
It had been a while since he’d managed to start chubbing out without the help of a hand or mouth.
‘Welcome back, soldier.’
“Thanks Janine. I’ll just have my usual, thanks.”
A delicious tinge of pink coloured his high cheekbones as he asked “Did you already order?” in the sexiest California drawl he’d ever heard.
When did he turn into a horny teenager from an airport romance novel?
He had to get a grip…
… John was mid-shrug of removing his leather jacket and - his arms!
Oh fucking hell his arms!
They weren’t as solid as a man in his twenties but still held their shape. He was built!
He tried to turn his mind back to the menu. The menu on the table. Not the menu of debauchery his brain was currently working on and would most certainly get them kicked out of the diner.
He swiped his hand across his face as he felt his cheeks start to burn.
John smirked at him as he threw his coat onto the bench beside him.
Of course he’d seen Daniel blush at the flex of his biceps. Did he just flex them again?
The smile and cheeky glint in his eye let him know he had.
He picked up his coffee and swallowed around the little groan he wasn’t entirely sure he hadn’t let slip.
“Let me guess. You’re a cauliflower and mung bean Dahl burger kinda guy, with sweet potato fries and a kale smoothie to go with it?”
Daniel looked at him through his lashes and saw the smile freeze on his lips.
‘Got ya.’
He’d practically patented the ‘Bambi startled by a loud noise’ look.
John nodded in thanks as Janine brought him over a large coke with about six ice cubes clanking about.
“Oh no. A man needs some hunk of meat every now and again. Plenty of protein.”
Okay - so as flirting went it was shockingly awful but it seemed his date wasn’t so sophisticated as to not be affected by it.
John leant forward and whispered “Enough to get you through the night anyway.”
Then he flexed his fucking biceps again.
Janine sighed and Daniel looked up at her passive face. Bored but not rudely so.
“Two burgers then?”
John coughed, sat back and shrugged his wonderful broad shoulders.
“Yes please.”
“You got it.” Janine turned her back but hadn’t taken a step as he added “Actually, could I swap my fries for sweet potato fries please.”
John’s laugh was deep and perfect. Just like the rest of him.
‘Oh get a grip of yourself!’
Then he thought about John gripping him under the table and he knocked his coffee over.
////
“I thought I recognized you!”
Daniel swiped another fry through the spilt burger sauce on John’s plate and furrowed his brow at how small the world actually was.
“I didn’t recognize you! You’ve grown! And filled out!”
John must’ve realised how it sounded and tried to clamber aboard a life raft of not making it sound as though he thought Daniel ate too much considering Daniel had eaten all of his fries and John’s leftovers.
“I got a job and managed to bring some money into the house. More money more food that doesn’t come wrapped in foil from the gas station!”
John looked to the side and shuffled.
“Oh come on!”
A big meaty hand - bigger and meatier than his own and he needs to stop thinking about that - cut through the air accompanied by a laugh. “I’m on the road all the time.”
Daniel licked his fingers clean - far longer and with greater dramatics than required but John had stopped mid-excuse and watched with his mouth slightly open so why wouldn’t he give him a taste (as it were) of what was on the dessert menu if he wanted it.
Yep, he really was having a midlife crisis.
With a loud smack of his lips he picked up his napkin and wiped his fingers clean. With John’s full attention.
“How many dojos do you have?”
Those big blue eyes were focused on his fingers and his brain was currently mush it seemed.
“Dojo?”
Daniel let his bunny-teeth peep through his smile. John, it seemed, enjoyed the chase as much as Daniel.
Which was very flattering considering his confidence had taken a massive beating since Amanda had left him for Louie.
“I thought you had a karate business?”
The blue eyes flicked back to life, long dark eyelashes fluttered perfectly as his brain reengaged.
‘There are other words than perfect.’ his brain informed him.
‘But none as perfect.’ his cock replied.
An embarrassed chuckle as brain came back on line made Daniel want to kiss the shyness away.
“Yes. Four. Four dojos.”
He smiled as he sat back in the booth, his long legs stretched out in front of him to absolutely-on-purpose brush against the soles of Daniel’s smart brogues with his heavy ankle-boots.
The perfect - yes okay! - footwear for a man who engaged in so much manual labour.
“They’re starting to pay for themselves and I reckon I should be able to pay Sid back by the end of the year. Then I’ll maybe sell the handyman business and focus full time on Karate.”
Janine brought the bill and placed it in the middle of the table with a kind smile that landed on the windowsill rather than either one in particular.
His black leather wallet was folded over with a grin he couldn’t quite interpret.
A wad of notes wafted the bill away as they thucked onto the table.
Daniel thanked him with his eyes and John pressed their feet together harder.
“Fancy some ice cream.?”
John thought about it, nodded and gathered his stuff together before they left the rather upmarket diner, crossed the street and made their way to the creamery proclaiming “Under new management.”