"Don't burn that bread," Lou said and glanced over his shoulder.

Danny saluted and peered into the oven.

Danny brought in the donuts to work, and that was that. Danny continued with his shift, and Lou ate them in the office and threatened Brennan when he asked for one.

When Lou locked his office for the day, he told Danny to meet him at his house. When Danny turned up with his store-bought complimentary chocolate chip cookies, Lou told him he was on Garlic Bread duty while Lou prepped the steaks for grilling.

Lou tossed them on the grill after a generous round of seasoning. Danny smiled at the sizzling sound through the patio door. When Lou came back in, he said, "Alright, out with it."

He walked to the sink and washed his hands. Danny sat on the island stool and wrapped his hand around his glass of water.

Danny raised an eyebrow. "Out with what?"

"I've seen that look enough on my Phoebe's face to know boyfriend trouble."

Danny shook his head. "My face doesn't say boyfriend trouble."

"Mhmm," Lou said. He rested his hands on the island after peering at his watch. "I saw you moping all day, and you have ten minutes to spill. I'm not talking gossip over dinner."

Danny took a sip of his water. "We got in a fight," he said reluctantly.

He kept trying not to think about it, but it was eating away at him. He felt so guilty, but he didn't know why, really. He did something good. He helped, so he shouldn't feel bad about it. But then he remembers the anguish on JJ's face, and he rethinks everything.

"He got so mad that I paid for his restitution, and I don't understand why." Danny ran his hand through his hair for the thousandth time this day. "He kept saying that I'd expect something now."

Lou nodded and drank from his beer. "What else?"

Danny shrugged. "That I'd end up hating him now? Which is like—he thought we were transactional and. . . that, that hurt."

He stared at his interlocked fingers with a deep frown. "Did Phoebe ever go through this?"

Lou huffed a laugh. "No. No, this is a bit more complicated than Johnny-down-the-street-doesn't-like-my-outfit-fiasco."

Danny sighed.

"But I went through something like this," Lou said.

Danny's head snapped up. "Really?" he asked, anxious. "What happened? How'd you fix it? Did you apologize? What do I do?"

Lou raised a hand. "Slow down."

Danny stared, expectant.

"Being wealthy is something very different than being poor," Lou started. "There are different mindsets, at least in my experience."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was growing up, there was always a debt that needed paying. Now it was unstated but implied. If my friend got us Mcdonald's one day, then we had to buy his ice cream the next day. There's a give-and-take element."

Danny nodded along. He could understand that.

"When I got older and got more money, I didn't think like that anymore. I could afford to give and not need to take. Okay?"

Danny nodded more enthusiastically. "Yes, that's what I'm doing."

Lou finished his beer and placed the bottle in the recycling bin by the patio door. "That can be good," he said, "but you have to remember that when you give, give, give, he gets overwhelmed, and he thinks he'll never be able to pay you back."

"But there isn't a debt. I don't want anything back. I just want him." Danny sighed in exhaustion, wondering why no one could grasp where he was coming from.

"I know, kid, I know. But he probably has this mindset. You can explain how you feel, or you can ask for something. Something he can do that would help him pay off this debt he thinks he's in."

Danny deflated and ran his hands over his face. "That feels so wrong. Like, like our relationship is now just give-and-take. I don't like that. It feels like someone's always keeping score."

"Even if you don't want a score, he still sees it."

Danny felt stuck. Every path he thinks he could take wasn't satisfying.

He could have JJ 'repay him,' but that felt fake. Like every action would then be recorded and weighed against a previous action. It made him think their whole friendship was based on a lie, like it wasn't genuine because JJ felt forced to do something for Danny simply because Danny did something for him.

Or, Danny could do nothing ever again for JJ so there wouldn't be any more 'debt' that needed paying. But Danny would never.

Or they could continue to remain the same. Except Danny already knew JJ was unsatisfied with this path. Danny wouldn't let him continue to suffer, even if he couldn't fully understand it.

Lou brought in the steaks on a platter. Danny stood and took the Garlic Bread from the oven. One end of the loaf was burnt, but the rest of it looked fine. He smiled sheepishly at the man.

As they washed the dishes after the meal, Danny asked, "How do I fix this?"

Lou sighed and thought for a moment. He dried the plate and put it away. "Doesn't matter what I think. You need to talk with him."

***

When Danny pulled up to John B's, he saw Pope working out of the back of his father's truck. Danny walked over, his hands tucked in his pockets. He kicked mindlessly at the fallen branch.

"Sup, dude," Danny said and rested his arms on the top of the side panel.

Pope glanced up in surprise. "Danny!" He stood and dropped his pencil and the winch. He rounded the truck and attacked Danny with a hug. "Thank. God."

Danny chuckled and patted Pope's back. He looked into the yard and froze. "Uh," he muttered, "Why the hell did John B decide to renovate?"

Pope hardly spared a glance over his shoulder as he continued to gather the materials in the bed of the truck. "JJ," he stated simply. "Shopping spree."

"Mhmm," Danny hummed, and that was all he had to comment on it.

"Come on," Pope said urgently, "You're the only one who can help me."

Danny obliged and followed Pope under the tree. He had materials laid in the grass: the large bucket, cables, the boat winch, and a hook. Danny read through the design and details Pope created. He nodded and immediately knew what Pope was going for.

"Where is everyone?" he asked.

Pope pulled the bucket in front of them, and they started attaching cables to it. "John B's fishing with Ward. JJ's around somewhere. Kie said she'd be back soon."

It was silent as they worked. They looped the cables over a thick tree branch and began attaching the cables to the winch to wind it up. After they finished, Danny whispered, "Is he okay?"

Danny didn't say his name, but Pope knew anyway.

Pope shrugged an answer, and Danny knew enough to know that gesture leaned towards the answer of no.

Danny frowned.

"It was kinda bad, actually," Pope added, oblivious to Danny's plight. "He had a breakdown and everything. I wish you would have been here. You'd've known what to do."

The guilt in Danny's chest burned hotter.

Pope winced like he remembered the circumstances on why all of it played out the way it did.

Danny felt torn between checking in and making sure JJ was okay and giving him the space he wanted. But Danny wasn't going to be selfish this time. He'd take it at JJ's pace. And if that meant he had to watch from the sidelines, then that's what he'd do until JJ spoke with him.

If JJ spoke with him.

"Right," Danny mumbled.

When Kie returned, they tested the winch with her weight. Danny helped her into the bucket. She sat on the edge, and Pope slowly raised it.

"Good?" Pope asked her.

"Yeah." She shifted, and the bucket swung. "This thing's digging into my ass."

As Pope continued with his test run, Danny ambled over to the hot tub. He blew out a breath and leaned his chest against it. He glided his hand through the water. Danny didn't know what emotion he felt as he took in the expensive hot tub and all its matching amenities, paired with the fairy lights strung through tree branches and inflatables littering the yard.

The slamming screen door made him jolt. He glanced over his shoulder and froze.

JJ stood on the top step, face unreadable, but Danny couldn't miss how his fists clenched at his side. Danny attempted to swallow, but his mouth was too dry.

"Hey," he said, a hair's breadth louder than a whisper. "I, uh—"

Danny's voice must have broken whatever trance JJ was in because he tore his eyes away and walked further into the yard without another thought.

"I like your hot tub," Danny mumbled, miserable. He turned and faced the water, not able to stomach the sight of JJ walking away from him. He rested his head on his arms on the edge of the hot tub.

stopitstopitstopitstopitstopitSTOPIT, he repeated the mantra in his head when his eyes filled with involuntary tears. Danny blinked harshly to dispel them. He did not have the right to be upset. He wronged JJ, not the other way around.

JJ is allowed to be mad at him, and he needs to accept that, even if it hurts.

Danny perked up when he heard JJ yell, "Hey!"

He sniffed and wipped mindlessly at his eyes, making sure no stray tears escaped.

John B walked through the yard, his face blank but his eyes wild.

"Dude, I set up the entire winch to pull up the gold and everything."

Pope corrected, "No, he did not. I did that."

"Hey," Kie added when John B ignored them. She and Pope trailed after John B.

John B continued his mission and walked into the house.

"Okay, that's it?" JJ asked.

"Uh. . . what's that all about?"

John B's been so anxious to get the gold, and now that they created and finished the winch, Danny expected some excitement. Or at least acknowledgment.

JJ said, "I was gonna ask you the same question."

The four shared questioning looks and hesitantly walked into the house to check on John B.

Danny saw him rummaging through the china cabinet and across the surface of a table.

He pushed past Pope who asked, "You all right, man? What—what's up?"

"What are you looking for?" Kie asked.

"Bro, what's going on?" JJ asked as John B searched the pull-out couch. He lifted the top corner and pulled the handgun out. He stared at it in resolution.

"Dude?" Danny asked.

"John B, what do you need the gun for?" JJ said. He stepped closer to John B. "Talk to us!"

John B turned and grabbed JJ's shoulders. He shoved JJ onto the bed.

"Whoa!" Danny said. He stepped toward the bed and hovered his hand in JJ's direction. "You all right?"

"John B, chill!" Kie yelled.

Pope stood to block the door, his arms spread on either side. "What, are you JJ now?"

He didn't pay Pope any mind as he grabbed Pope and shoved him into the kitchen table. The legs of the table scraped the ground at Pope's weight. John B exited the back door without a word.

"Shit—Are you okay?" Kie asked Pope. At his nod, she quickly followed John B outside.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" Danny wondered. He handed JJ his fallen hat as he stood from the bed. The three followed Kie outside.

"John B, what the hell are you doing?" Kie yelled and jogged into the yard. John B revved the engine of JJ's dirt bike.

He glanced over his shoulder, face borderline heartbroken. "Ward knows about the gold. He killed my dad." He sped away. Danny could only guess to do what. He hoped he was wrong.

"Shit!" JJ cursed.

"What do we do now?" Pope asked. "He's gonna kill Ward."

"He wouldn't do that," Kie said and shook her head. Yet, Danny could hear the doubt in her words as she said it.

Danny ran his hands through his hair and suppressed his stressful groan as he turned and walked to the dock. He crouched and untied the Pogue.

He didn't turn his head when footsteps sounded, and the dock creaked. But he did nearly topple into the water when it was JJ who spoke, "Where are you going?"

Danny stood and gripped the rope. "Cameron's. Uh, to see if John B shot him. Will you come?" Danny held his breath and waited for the answer. His eyes widened, and he rushed, "Only if you want to! Like, totally up to you. I mean, who cares what I want? I can—you don't have to."

He wrung the rope in his hands. His heart raced faster the longer JJ stared at him in silence. Did he say something wrong again?

He didn't want JJ to feel like this was a way to pay Danny back just because he asked. He wanted JJ to go with him only if he wanted to.

Kie and Pope jogged down the ramp.

"Think he's gonna do it?" Pope asked. He hopped in the boat.

"He seemed pretty upset," Kie added and lifted a shoulder. She also settled into the boat. "Wonder what happened on the fishing trip."

"Can't be anything good," Pope muttered and sighed.

JJ stepped into the Pogue. He took his place behind the wheel and started the engine. He cleared his throat and glanced at Danny. "You coming?"

***

Night fell by the time they arrived at Tannyhill. They tied off the boat next to the hulking yacht and searched the backyard.

"What now? We just go up to the front door and ask, 'Hey, have you seen John B?'" JJ asked.

"Look, he lives at Tannyhill now. It's plausible," Kie said. "We can play dumb."

"Play dumb?" JJ asked doubtfully.

"It's pretty late," Pope added.

"Look, I've never seen John B like that. We should honestly be going to the cops."

JJ scoffed. "The cop—Yeah, and say what, Kie? We're worried about our friend because he's on a rampage because Ward Cameron killed Big John?"

Danny pushed up on his tip-toes, trying to peer over the large expanse of trees and bushes. Pope stood next to him and raised the binoculars to his eyes.

"Like, they're not gonna believe us!" JJ continued.

"Hey," Pope said, "I see Ward."

Kie quickly stepped closer and held out her hand. "Let me see."

"Doesn't look dead to me. Let's go home," Pope said easily.

"What?" Kie asked and whirled around. She shoved the binoculars at Danny's chest. He looked through them and saw Ward standing on the back porch. He seemed stressed, if not a little agitated. John B was definitely here. But where was he now?

"Uh. . . Okay. Obviously, Mr. Cameron is fine," Pope explained. "And even if John B was here, he isn't now, okay? Plus, I have the biggest, most important moment of my life in six hours."

Kie frowned. "Yeah, well, our friend is in trouble."

"I'm in trouble," Pope countered. "Guys, I haven't been home in three days. My dad's probably put all my shit on the street by now."

"Okay, so that's it?" Kie asked in disbelief. "In a time of need, you're just gonna bail? You're just gonna walk away?"

Danny sat on the edge of the boat and kept watch on the house. If they attract attention, Danny will be the first to know.

"Okay, yo, guys, can we not do this right now?" JJ asked in a noticeably quieter volume.

"Hey, I have a scholarship interview in the morning," Pope stressed. "I can't—"

"Okay, well, what about John B?"

Pope took a breath. "Why is it always about John B?"

"It's not always about John B. You're so stupid. It would be any of you in this situation."

"Oh, bullshit!" Pope cried.

"Guys—" Danny warned.

"This is about friendship."

JJ sighed from his position on the bow. "Bring it down."

Kie continued, "Look, this is about Pogues for life."

"What about forensic pathology, huh?"

"Forensic pathology?"

"It's my life. Everything I've worked for."

"That's your priority?" Kie asked and rounded the controls to stand beside Pope.

"Would you stop the moral high ground bullshit?"

"Dude," Danny admonished as JJ added, "Pope, come on."

"No," Pope defended.

"Excuse me?" Kie asked, offended.

Pope shook his head and looked at Danny. "No, no. She has no room to talk." He directed his attention back on her and asked pointedly, "Where were you when Big John went missing? You weren't there. You weren't there for John B. You weren't there for any of us."

Danny sighed and turned away again. He couldn't watch anymore.

"Remember your Kook year? Yeah, you forgot about us. Now you feel guilty."

"Give me a break," Kie shouted.

"Hey!" JJ yelled. Danny turned around and saw the pair shoving each other. JJ stood and pulled Danny to follow.

"That what you need? You need a break? Move!"

JJ pressed in between the two, and Danny pulled Kie away.

"Hey! Yo, yo, yo, cut it out, all right?" JJ said and glanced between them. "If I'm the one mediating, we've hit rock bottom."

"Come on," Danny mumbled, and they sat down on the back of the boat.

"Bow, now," JJ told Pope and pointed to the front. "Go!" JJ started the boat, and they peeled away from Cameron's dock. "Pope, I'll drop you off."

She sighed and leaned further against Danny. He rubbed her arm and told her mindless stories to distract her. He didn't know if it was helping, but she didn't ask him to stop.

After they dropped off Pope, Danny realized JJ was driving to Danny's home first. He tried not to think too deep into it but failed.

JJ didn't want to spend time with Danny or even risk the chance that they'd be the only two left in the boat. Danny ruined their friendship. Things would never go back to how it was. Danny sighed and dropped his forehead to rest on the back of Kie's head.

Danny couldn't tell if she could pick up on his turmoil or if it was mindless when she patted his leg, but he appreciated the gesture either way.

He should try and talk with JJ now.

"Hey, Kie," Danny said quietly.

"What," she monotoned, still upset from her argument with Pope.

"Can you plug your ears?"

She turned and faced him, her features scrunched in confusion. "What? I'm not gonna plug my ears."

"Please just plug your ears."

"No. I'm not gonna—"

"Please. Fucking plug your ears," he whispered.

"You're crazy. You plug your ears."

When JJ glanced over his shoulder at them, Danny cleared his throat and looked at the water. When he turned back around Danny continued to whisper through gritted teeth, "Kie, please." He tilted his head in JJ's direction.

She rolled her eyes and huffed dramatically as she made a grand gesture of plugging her ears with her fingers.

Danny smiled and kissed her forehead. He took a breath of courage and stood. He leaned his elbow against the controls, trying desperately to remain casual. He was facing Kie and watched her give him a nod of encouragement.

JJ was staring at him when he glanced back. Danny's mind went completely blank. Everything he prepared to say vanished, and he looked back with his mouth parted. He crafted over twenty starting points and supporting claims the previous night to explain his actions, yet he couldn't remember a single shadow of an idea. No one's ever made him quite as speechless.

"What?" JJ said and turned his head forward again.

Danny laughed nervously.

JJ raised an eyebrow.

"I, um, I just, I uh," he paused and glanced back at Kie. She nodded again, and Danny returned the gesture. "I'm sorry," he told JJ.

And he was. He was so terribly sorry that it physically hurt.

JJ shook his head. "I don't want to do this right now. I can't."

"Well. . . why?"

"Because!" he said in exasperation. "I just need time to think without you trying to apologize and manipulate my feelings."

Danny frowned. "Manipulate? What? I'm not trying to—"

"Please," JJ said. "God. I need space and time to, to think, Danny. Okay?" he repeated.

Danny nodded and took a step away. He winced at the familiar ache in his chest.

Kie stood, eyebrows drawn in anger. "Plug your ears, Danny."

"Huh?"

She passed him and guided him back to the stern. "My turn to have a word with him. Plug your ears."

Danny obliged, even though he was mildly confused. He watched her shove his chest, and then JJ roll his eyes. JJ motioned back to Danny, and Kie shook her head. She continued for a long time and then JJ ended up plugging his ears, even though he looked completely put-out.

She walked back to Danny and motioned to her ears. Danny took it as a go-ahead and removed his fingers.

Without preamble, she said, "I know you love him, Danny, but you shouldn't let him treat you like that."

His mouth dropped open, and he stood. "You listened!"

She raised her hands in surrender but continued, "Just because he's mad at you doesn't mean he can treat you like that. You would never—"

Danny shook his head. "No, no, Kie. He wasn't mean. It's fine."

"Stop defending him!" She looked over her shoulder at JJ for a moment. "Just admit that he hurt your feelings."

Danny turned and watched the passing homes. They were getting closer to his neighborhood. He bit his lip and shrugged. "I mean, yeah, but it doesn't matter."

And it didn't matter what he felt. JJ is what matters.

"I hurt him first," Danny whispered.

"No, no, no, no," JJ interrupted Kie before she could respond. He stepped over to them and pointed at her. "Plug your ears."

She glared at him and stepped to the wheel, placing her fingers to her ears.

"You're saying I hurt your feelings?" JJ asked, annoyed, if not a bit angry.

"Am I the only one who knows how to plug their ears?"

"You're saying I hurt your feelings?" he repeated.

Danny nodded. "I just, I really hate when I don't understand exactly why you're mad at me."

"I hurt your feelings?" His laugh didn't have any humor. "Danny, do you even know how you made me feel? How I still feel? It's like—just think about how it'd feel if the most important person in your life betrayed you. How you'd feel like literal shit. Yeah? That's how you made me feel."

"Betrayed you?!" Danny asked, incredulous. "JJ, I don't understand. This can't be just because I kept that from you. What else is going on?"

JJ ran his hands down his face and stared out at the water. He mumbled to himself with a chuckle, "I hurt your feelings."

He tried to keep his growing agitation at bay. There was obviously something JJ was hiding. "Would you just talk to me? Tell me what this is really about."

Kie slowed the boat next to Danny's dock, but Danny wasn't ready to leave. "I did not betray you. I would never betray you, JJ. I'd literally rather die."

And as dramatic as that sounded, he meant every word.

JJ remained silent. He shook his head almost imperceptibly and continued to look out at the water. He hasn't seen this look on JJ's face since he said Danny had a savior complex at Rixton's. Just because Danny's seen it once before doesn't mean he's any more prepared to see it again.

Danny tugged at the strands of his hair. "J," Danny said softy, so tired of fighting. "I paid your restitution because I love you. That's it. Not because of whatever you think I did that means I betrayed you."

He took a step closer and raised his hand to rest it on JJ's shoulder. He paused at the last moment and pulled away. "I'm sorry I made you feel this poorly, but I wouldn't take it back. I'd pay the rest if I could, and I'd buy you the world because I think you deserve nothing less."

He saw JJ close his eyes, but that's as much as a reaction that he gave.

"You can be mad at me for however long you want, but I'm not going anywhere." Danny glanced behind him when his deck light flicked on. "So, just please come talk to me when you're ready."

He turned to the dock but paused when Kie captured his wrist. "Danny. . ." she said. A frown tugged at her lips.

Danny forced a smile on his face. He hugged her and said, "It's all right. Good night."

He pushed up onto his dock and walked away. The motor picked up, and he heard them cruise away, but he didn't turn to watch.

The door to the deck slid open, and his mom stepped out. She wrapped her robe around her body and crossed her arms. "I heard shouting. Is everything all right?"

Danny climbed the steps and nodded. "Just had a fight is all."

"Everything okay?"

Danny shrugged.

She opened her arms, and he accepted the much needed hug. "A package came for you. I put it on your desk."

"Thanks."

She kissed his cheek and returned inside with a parting call telling him not to stay up too late. When he made his way down to his room, JJ's watch sat on his desk like a mockery of what could've been.

Danny turned his lamp off and collapsed on his bed as he became further acquainted with the familiar ache in his chest.

*****

So some may still be confused on why exactly JJ is angry, but it's okay because I want you to be! We're all in the same boat as Danny rn, but we'll clear it up later.

(If you read between the lines and figured it out, bravo!)

Also, one more chapter until we finish season 1.

So it begs the question: do you want me to post the first ch in season 2 so it's not a cliff hanger or wait until I plan out my season 2 more?

Thanks for reading!
R