Tumble and Fall

Danni stumbled out of Ryan’s room late the next morning and went straight into the kitchen. She looked around for a minute before letting out an exasperated sigh.”Of course you don't have a coffee maker,” she said aloud.

“I can go get you coffee if you want,” Justin’s voice came from the living room.

Danni jumped a mile and shrieked. “Jesus Christ, Schultz! You scared the crap out of me.”

“Sorry,” he replied. He set the remote aside and joined her in the kitchen. “Do you want me to go get you coffee?”

“Let me get dressed and I’ll go with you.”

“You don’t have to; I don’t mind.”

“I know but I feel bad. Five minutes, I promise.” He nodded and she walked back to Ryan’s room, pulling clothes from her bag before going into his bathroom.

“Where are you going?” Ryan asked, sitting up. Danni walked over to him, ruffling his hair.

“You can’t look at me like that,” she told him, kissing his cheek.

“Like what?”

“Like this,” she gestured. “I can’t with your bed head and your smile and your dimple. It’s sensory overload.” He sat up and the covers slipped around his waist and Danni groaned. “See? Now it’s worse. You’re half naked and rumpled and just...ugh! Sweet jesus...”

Ryan laughed and swung his legs from the bed. “Where are you going?”

“Coffee.”

“Can I come?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because this is Justin’s time and you’ll be interrupting.”

“What if I walk at least ten paces behind you guys?”

Danni thought about that for a moment. “Okay, I think that will be fine.”

“I just need a minute.”

“I’ll be in the living room with Justin.”

Danni rejoined Justin who grabbed his keys from the counter. “Ready?” he asked.

“Ryan is coming with us...but I’m making him walk ten paces behind us since this is your time.”

Justin chuckled. “You are something else.”

“I know.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Why’d you guys leave so early last night?”

“I was tired,” Danni lied.

“What did Hallsy do?”

Danni shrugged. “Nothing. I was tired.”

“I saw him dancing with you. Tell me so I can kick his ass.”

“Don’t worry about it, Justin. It’s handled.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.” She smiled when Ryan walked out. “Ready?” she asked him. He nodded and Danni linked her arm through Justin’s. “Let’s go then.”

They made the short walk to the coffee shop and then back. As they walked up to the building, Ryan saw Jordan and Taylor pull in. “I need to go to the grocery store, so I can cook tonight,” Danni said. “It was that way, right?” Danni pointed up the street vaguely.

“Why don’t I go with you,” Justin suggested. He tossed his keys to Ryan.

“See you in awhile,” Ryan said, kissing her. Danni hugged him.

“Be nice? Wait, why am I even asking, Of course you’ll be nice. You’re a good guy; that’s why I like you.” Ryan smiled and kissed the tip of her nose.

“I’m always nice,” he swore.

“I don’t doubt that for a minute.”

“Come on, Justin,” Danni said.

“Where are you going?” Jordan asked as he jogged over.

“Grocery story,” Danni answered.

“You're not invited,” Justin added.

“Whatever; I wanna go.”

“You have to walk ten paces behind us,” Danni told him. “Ryan did.”

“Is she serious?” Jordan asked Ryan.

“She doesn’t kid,” Ryan answered him.

“Fine, ten paces,” Jordan muttered, following behind Justin and Danni as they set off.

“Do they need help?” Taylor asked.

“Nope. Come on,” Ryan said, motioning for Taylor to follow him. He hesitated but followed Ryan inside. They sat on the couch and Taylor flipped on the Xbox, tossing a controller to Ryan.

“I don’t appreciate whatever it is you said to Danni last night,” Ryan said, his eyes fixed on the television. “I told you that we were together and I asked you not to. I thought you would respect me more than that, that you would respect her better than that.”

“I’m sorry,” Taylor muttered.

“I don't believe you. Cross the line again though and I will kick your ass. You even look at her funny and I will hurt you. She’s my girlfriend, not some bunny for you to pick up.”

“Sorry. I was out of line.”

“You need to apologize to Danni.” Taylor nodded and Ryan dropped the subject. They played Call of Duty in silence until Danni, Justin, and Jordan returned.

“Who’s winning?” Justin asked.

“Other team,” Ryan answered. “Game is almost over; you want in?”

“Hell yeah! Come on, Ebs.” He tossed a controller to Jordan and the four scattered across the living room furniture. Danni shook her head at them. The game ended and Taylor stood, walking into the kitchen where Danni was putting away groceries.

“You need any help?” he asked.

“Sure.” She pointed at a pile of bags in the floor. “That stuff all goes in the fridge.”

Taylor nodded and dutifully put everything away. He turned to Danni when he was finished and bit his lip. “I uh, wanted to apologize, for last night,” he said quietly. “I shouldn't have...it was stupid and I’m sorry. I know you and Nuge are together and I’m an idiot.”

“Apology accepted.”

“Really?”

“Really. Do it again though and I will not hesitate to slap you across the face, got it?”

"Got it."

Danni hugged him and they walked back in the living room, Danni squeezing in beside Ryan on the couch. “Give me your controller, Hallsy,” she said, holding her hand out. He reached across and handed it to her. “Which button kills people?” she asked.

Justin gave her a quick tutorial as the new game loaded up. Taylor moved over, giving Danni room on the couch as the game started. Justin and Danni were on a team, Ryan and Jordan on the other.

“First kill!” Danni shouted. “Suck it, Ebs!” She exclaimed as she expertly killed him. Her fingers moved nimbly over the controller and her eyes focused on her corner of the screen, bottom lip held between her teeth in concentration.

“You’re a fucking ringer!” Jordan shouted as she took him out again.

“How are you so good at this?” Ryan asked as she killed him next.

“Practice. Doesn't everyone love this game? I’d play for hours with the guys I used to lived with. Now quit trying to distract me... Damn it! I’m so getting that asshat back,” she cursed as she was killed for the first time in the game.

By the end of the game, Danni had racked up the most kills on her team and Justin reached across to high five her. “You always have to be on my team.”

“Duh! You are my favorite after all.”

“I thought I was your favorite,” Jordan pouted.

“He bought me coffee.”

“I could buy you coffee.”

“Buy me coffee tomorrow then.”

“But I want to be your favorite now.”

“I think you're the cutest. Will you take that?”

“Yes,” Jordan beamed. “You need my jersey though.”

“I have a jersey.”

“You have a Flyers shirsey. Taylor told me.”

“I have Ryan’s jersey; he gave me one. And I wore it last night too.”

“I didn’t see you in that,” Taylor spoke up.

“Ryan did though, didn’t you Nugie?” Danni smiled sweetly. “I wore it for what, two intermissions and the second period right?” Ryan blushed furiously. She tossed her controller back to Taylor and curled up beside Ryan. “Let’s go do something.”

“Like what?” Ryan asked.

“I don’t know. You live here, not me.”

Ryan glanced to Justin helplessly and he laughed. “It’s your girlfriend, dude. You gotta figure it out.”

Ryan considered for a minute and finally, an idea came to him. “I know something else we can cross of my list.”

“Yeah? Is it that thing I suggested last night?”

“No.”

“But that thing seemed like a lot of fun.”

“Sixth date,” Ryan declared.

“Sixth huh? Because you think you’ll live through the fifth? I’m pretty sure you’ll die so really, it’s better to get all these bucket list things out of the way now.”

“Then maybe that will be the fifth date.”

“Good plan,” she nodded approvingly.

“What are you two talking about?” Justin asked. “Because I’m pretty sure it’s sex but then I remember this is the Nuge and it can’t be sex. Is it sex?”

Danni giggled and Ryan blushed again before he stood, pulling Danni to her feet with him. “We’re leaving,” Ryan announced.

“Dinner’s at seven!” Danni called out over his shoulder as Ryan grabbed his keys and her purse and headed for the door.

“Oh my God! You were talking about sex!” Justin hollered. “The Nuge is going to get laid! Someone alert the news media!”