If at First (or Second or Third) by quiesce, Dan/Casey, rated: G

[quiesce.livejournal.com]

Title: If at First (or Second or Third)
Author: quiesce
Author's website: fic index post
Pairing: Dan/Casey
Rating: G
Category: ficlet, slash
Notes: Written for the "Dan/Casey, persevere" prompt for rat_jam. (excerpt cross-post)



Dan said no.

"It's not that I don't want to," he explained. "Believe me: I want to."

"Then what's--"

"I've been down this road before and I know where it goes and I can't go through that again, Casey. Not with you."

Casey nodded and watched Dan fidget with the cuff of his sleeve. He tried again. "It'll be different. I'll be different."

"No, you won't." Dan smiled and patted Casey on the knee to take the sting out of his words. Then he got up and left.


***

"All I'm saying is--"

"Stop."

"What?"

"I'm not changing my mind, Casey." Dan signalled Jack for another drink.

"I was talking about basketball."

"You were going to use a longwinded history about the rule changes in basketball as a means to argue that things can change for the better and then turn that into an excuse to ask me out again."

"Maybe," Casey allowed.

"I said no last week. I said no the week before that. I'm saying no tonight. Can we just take it as given that I will continue to say no and skip to the part where you let it be?"

"No."

"Casey."

"I'll drop it for tonight though."

"Thank you."

"I still think reducing the time restriction from ten to eight seconds was a good example."

"It was."


***

"60 seconds live."

Casey cleared his throat and bent his head to speak directly into the mic. "I have an announcement I'd like to make."

Dan's pre-show high was replaced with apprehension. Announcements were never a good thing.

"I want everyone to know that I am pursuing Dan--"

"Oh, God."

"--to a romantic and sexual end."

Dan dropped his forehead to his hand and repeated himself. "Oh, God."

Nothing but silence filled the studio and control room for several long seconds -- a rare event so close to going on air.

"30 seconds live."

"I just wanted everyone to know because I have nothing to hide and I'm not ashamed or embarrassed. And while I think that it'd probably be best for our careers, and therefore your careers, if this didn't go beyond the floor, I wanted to be completely out in the open about this because it's not some dirty little secret."

Casey turned to Dan to flash him his best "aren't you proud of me?" grin. Dan's head stayed down with his eyes focusing intently on the desk in front of him.

"In 3, 2..."

Dan's head shot up and he faced the camera, only his still-red face belied his air of professional calm.

"Good evening. From New York City, I'm Dan Rydell alongside Casey McCall."


***

A bouquet of flowers lay on the desk.

Dan stepped back out to the newsroom to see if Casey was lurking around a corner watching him, but Dan couldn't see him. He returned to their office, took off his coat and hung it up. He eyed the flowers suspiciously.

With a sigh, he picked up the card and read just enough to confirm it was addressed to him. It was. He grabbed the flowers, walked over to Kim's desk and got down on one knee, holding the bouquet out to her.

"What?"

"Can't a guy get flowers for his favourite secretary?"

"Bite me." She glared at him, then smiled and gladly took the bouquet.

Dan stuck the card in the desk drawer.


***

Casey grabbed a can from the bar fridge as Dan loosened his tie and flopped on the couch.

"Can I come over tonight?"

"Sure," Dan nodded.

"Pizza?"

"Yeah."

"Mock West Coast?"

"Of course."

"Fool around a little bit?"

"No."

"Pepperoni?"

"Yes."


***

Casey called as soon as the noon rundown broke.

"You're sick?"

Dan groaned in response.

"It's pretty slow here at the moment; I've got time to come over. I can pick up soup or something on the way."

"You won't try to take advantage of my weakened state to talk me into anything, will you?"

It was a joke, Casey knew, but his answer was serious and subdued. "I want in for the long haul, Danny. I think we can make a real go of it -- I know we can -- but only if it's what you want too."

"Ok, soup," Dan replied after a pause. "Anything but chicken noodle."


***

They took turns tossing the ball to Charlie in the park.

"This is good."

Dan lobbed the ball in a slow underhand. "He's a great kid."

"I mean this. Us."

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Not yes yes."

"So, no?"

"Not no no."

Casey turned to Dan thoroughly confused and almost missed the ball coming towards his head. He reacted in time and threw the ball back. "I have no idea what you're saying."

"I'm saying I'm thinking about it."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"But not yes yes."

"Exactly," Dan nodded.

They spent the rest of the afternoon wearing matching smiles.


***

Casey pounded a fist into the keyboard.

"Trouble?" Dan looked up from his script.

"This Hurricanes-Devils bit is mocking me."

"I could take it." Dan offered.

"Then it'd just be a different bit mocking me. And that'd be in addition to the network notes, which are also currently mocking me. Since when do I overuse alliteration?"

"Ok."

Casey stopped short. "Um, even if that wasn't a rhetorical question, I'm fairly certain it wasn't a yes/no answer question."

"I was answering a different question."

Casey frowned in thought. "Did I ask another question?"

"With disturbing regularity over the past several months."

"Oh. Oh. Ok?"

"Yes."

Casey gulped. "Ok."

They stayed frozen in place, grinning at each other.

Natalie rushed in asking if they knew the final score from the Dallas game. She trailed off when she realized neither was paying attention to her.

"What's going on?" She looked back and forth between them. Then she noted their expressions. "Omigod, Dan said yes?"

"Yes," they both replied.

"Ok, the talking in unison thing is a bit too cute. It doesn't work for you guys."

They broke eye contact and stared at Natalie. "Ok, ok, I'm leaving. I'll ask someone else about the game."

Natalie squealed her way through the newsroom and many eyes wandered over to their office.

"Danny?"

"Yes?"

"You just had to say yes when we're at work and have several more hours to go before we can have a moment to ourselves?"

"Yes."

Comments

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

You're a writing machine tonight! This is wonderful - so very boys! And Danny, of course, is well worth pursuing. With thimbles and with care and perhaps even with forks and hope. Or anything else that comes to mind.

[quiesce.livejournal.com]

You're a writing machine tonight!
Seriously. Now I just need someone to give me a firm lecture about how I should be applying my machinations to fics with both due dates and minimum word counts. Then I'd be all set. Or I could skim the prompt list and try for another "fic written for the express purpose of avoiding writing another fic" fic. :-)

Danny says he prefers being pursued by chopsticks rather than forks.

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

Are you Remixing? In that case, incentive's easy: get it done or musesfool will hunt you to the ends of the earth. This works so well with me that both years I've done it, I've submitted my fic with weeks to spare - and I am the Queen of Procrastination (it's a small but perfectly formed independent state just a little south of Ruritania).

But another small fic to get things flowing wouldn't hurt, now, would it?

Chopsticks can be pokey in bad places.

[quiesce.livejournal.com]

That'd be the one. I have it started (and ended, actually, as I don't write in order) and the still-to-be-written section is all written in my head, there's just a blockage somewhere between brain and keyboard that's preventing the actual writing. I'm not worried about it yet though, still plenty of time. Although not as much as I thought before the reminder went out, as I was remembering the due date wrong. Didn't you finish your picfor1000 fic in the first week? As someone who submitted on the due date (or possibly the day before, I can't recall), I demand you abdicate the throne.

I know you're staying clear of much of ratjam, but there are lots and lots of good SN prompts begging to be written; you should come play with me. I'd even let you keep your crown (although not, as already mentioned, the throne).

Whereas forks are soft and cuddly?

[scout-kent.livejournal.com]

Oh! This is - - this is just . . .

I LOVE IT SO MUCH!!

When Casey made his announcement, I was both laughing and bouncing in my chair with excitement.

And how much do I love Casey's low-key persistence, and the fact that poor, neglected Danny is being wanted and pursued? Much, I tell you.

And this line? "With disturbing regularity over the past several months."

Can I be your fangirl?

[quiesce.livejournal.com]

Yes! You may fangirl me! I've always wanted a fangirl of my very own! *fangirls your fangirlishness*

I had so much fun with Casey's announcement :-D
And yay for loving it to a capslock-worthy degree! Thank you muchly.

[sansets]

*twirls you around*

You are being SO prolific, and it is ALL WONDERFUL! First of all, Casey outing himself to the entire news crew before going on the air kind of made my night! Second of all only if it's what you want too." "Ok, soup," Dan replied after a pause. "Anything but chicken noodle." ♥ Third of all, which would you perfer that I link to when I do the round up post for rat_jam tonight - this or the comment? Either is fine with me! Thank you for playing!!

*continues to surround fic with ginormous hearts*

[quiesce.livejournal.com]

*beams* Thank you.

The link that you ended up using is a-ok with me. I hate posting fic in comments on principle (I'm horrible with finding minor tweaks or word choice changes I want to make immediately after posting and it drives me nuts that comments aren't editable), but I don't mind the round up link going to the comment version one bit :-)

[hermitsoul]

I love Casey pursuing Dan! And Casey making the announcement was hilarious! Dan never stood a chance.

[quiesce.livejournal.com]

Hee, Casey can be very stubborn when he sets his mind on something. You're right: Dan never had a chance. :-D

[lamentables.livejournal.com]

This feels so real - are you sure you haven't just lifted it from a transcript? In particular I can see Casey's Announcement very clearly.

[quiesce.livejournal.com]

Oh, I wish Casey had made an announcement like this one on the show! Even if it'd just been part of a joke and not canon-slash at all, I would love to watch poor Dan's reaction. I guess this'll have to do :-)

[catwalksalone]

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! *twirls you*

Not only are you the Prompt Empress but this is just so lovely. I *heart* persevering Casey and I know Dan's worth the wait.


"I want everyone to know that I am pursuing Dan--"

"Oh, God."

"--to a romantic and sexual end."

Dan dropped his forehead to his hand and repeated himself. "Oh, God."

And crazy as this is, Casey might just do it - I can hear him now.

Pizza?"

"Yeah."

"Mock West Coast?"

"Of course."

"Fool around a little bit?"

"No."

"Pepperoni?"

"Yes."

*hearts* I love this exchange, like the serious intent is totally covered up by the casual way Casey switces from friendly to personal and back again.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"Not yes yes."

"So, no?"

"Not no no."

Another perfect exchange. Five different words in there but saying so much.

And
"With disturbing regularity over the past several months."

Hee!

In conclusion: Yay!

[quiesce.livejournal.com]

*twirls back*

I love writing SN dialogue. I don't know that I always get it right (although I'm rather happy with the snippets here and am pleased that others seem to like them too), but I always have fun writing their exchanges.

Casey should pursue Dan more often (preferably to a romantic and sexual end). It's good on him and it's good for Dan.

[vsee.livejournal.com]

This makes me completely, goofily happy. I love the drawn out inadvertent tease of Dan's resistance and all the snappy conversation.

[quiesce.livejournal.com]

:-D I don't often give the boys happy endings, but this one was so much fun.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

*HEARTS YOU*

"I want everyone to know that I am pursuing Dan--"
"Oh, God."
"--to a romantic and sexual end."

That is the most dorky, embarrassing, awkward and endearing thing that Casey could have done in that situation, and I love him for it. Even if it made me groan and scrunch up my eyes for a moment at the *level* of dorky, embarrassing awkwardness.

However, Casey slowly going after Dan and Dan taking his time to think it through? Was romantic and sweet. And it was so right that Natalie would be enthusiastic about them and dash straight off to gossip.

[quiesce.livejournal.com]

Hee! I have to cringe with Dan at what Casey said, but I can still imagine Casey thinking that speech would endear him to Dan. *hearts the boys*

Thank you!

[squidgiepdx]

I *so* have to agree with everyone on this page. I read this on the plane, and was bouncing up and down in my seat. The guy next to me thought I might be nuts, but I calmed him down with a bribe of the season finale to Glee, and then went back to bouncing.

Seriously one of the best conversations ever written for the boys:
Pizza?"

"Yeah."

"Mock West Coast?"

"Of course."

"Fool around a little bit?"

"No."

"Pepperoni?"

"Yes."

OMG I know I just *squee*'d again, just re-reading it! :)

[quiesce.livejournal.com]

*g* It's so much fun getting comments on older fic. I'm glad people are still reading and enjoying it. And I love Sports Night dialogue so much. Thanks!