March 7th

[haolehothead]

Danny feels ridiculous. Genuinely and truly, he doesn't know that he's ever felt like more of a schmuck in his entire life, feeling as nervous as he does. He's in the main room of the hut, watching sports like something might actually change in the outcome of his Best Of DVDs if he just watches hard enough. Nothing does change.

Still, he stays nervous and he feels like he's about to do something that could simultaneously be the best and the worst thing that he's ever done in his entire life -- and it's tomorrow. He's getting hitched with Steve tomorrow. He's got his clothes hung up over the doorway, he's got a speech in mind for the reception, and he's even doing fairly okay with not having Grace there. He just can't shake the goddamn nerves.

"Shit," he mutters, getting up to get some air, leaving the door open before he returns to the best of the NHL, circa 2008. He's supposed to be calm about this. It's Steve. It's his best friend, it's the guy he's been with for over a year -- almost to the day, even -- and friends with for over a year before that.

Maybe the solution here is some booze, but Danny doesn't want to be that tragic kind of guy who does it all alone.

Comments

[angriestman]

It's nothing as obvious as Rachel sent him, but it's close. He's never been that good at having friends; it's a habit that he never really got into. He taps at the doorframe, head stooped a little, hat already in hand. One eyebrow quirks.

"Room for one more?"

[haolehothead]

Danny looks up to the voice, gratitude flashing over his face. "Hey! Yeah, come in," he invites eagerly, waving to the spot on the couch next to him. "I got the Rangers playing, but the truth is, all I can think about is a good glass of something. Now that you're here, it's not even like I'm an alcoholic if I do indulge. You want?"

[angriestman]

"I could go for a drink," says Raylan, nodding, dropping his hat on the back of the sofa. "Are we goin' out or stayin' in? Pretty sure Rach'll end up wherever we are eventually, so at least we can keep an eye on her."

He feels like he spends his life shepherding that woman about. "Nervous yet?"

[haolehothead]

Danny gives a soft laugh, leaning over to grab a bottle of booze by the neck, holding it up with a proud smile. "Staying in," he says, assuredly. "I don't want to go out tonight, not when I feel like I'm halfway to having a fit. And hell, nervous is one way of putting it. I guess I started thinking it'd never happen."

[angriestman]

"So were the rest of us," says Raylan, with a grin. "Startin' to feel like me and Rach had a chance of beating you up the aisle." He grins easily and sits, glancing back at Danny.

"Glad we've lived to see it."

[beaugeste]

Some time ago, she can't say exactly when, Marie stopped waiting for somebody to answer the door at their house. She taps on the door to alert Danny to her presence, then lets herself in, curling up on the other corner of the couch. "Nervous?"

[haolehothead]

Danny can't help his grin when he sees Marie. "Right about now, I'm thinking about getting so drunk that I wake up just in time to get hitched. Steve will kill me, but I'm thinking about it anyway," he admits, putting the DVD on pause to talk to her. "And yes, nervous. So sue me, it's my second marriage."

[beaugeste]

"So you should be used to it," Marie teases. "Know how everything works. When to stand up, sit down, say 'I do'...."

[haolehothead]

"I got vows, but my vows are pretty shit. I'm pretty horrible when it comes to being a loudmouth. I mean, I insult Steve more than I compliment him. My vows are going to be pretty terrible," he says. "Maybe I'm just nervous because the first time ended in a pretty heavy crash and burn."

[beaugeste]

"Does it matter if the vows are terrible?" Marie asks honestly, chewing on her nails. "As long as you say them, and he says them, you end up married. Actually, you can probably be married without saying them, I don't think this place has any hard and fast rules. And I think it's safe to say this is miles away from the first time, both literally and metaphorically."

[adealtooartful]

"Hullo, what's all this, then?" Dodger shuts the door behind him, and comes in close to the screen, peering curiously, the unusual light and sound making him wince a little.

[haolehothead]

Danny's pretty much brightened by Dodger's presence in the first moment he enters, which is handy because he needs the companionship tonight. "I'm watching old hockey games. You feel like hanging out for a while?" It'd give no pressure for tomorrow and it'd help Danny to get his mind off of it all.

[adealtooartful]

"Like bandy-ball," Dodger said, consideringly. Knocking a ball around with sticks he got, but the rest of it was pretty foreign to him. "Only, is that ice? And 'ows it indoors?" He squinted, and then had to back up a bit as his head started to ache. He moved around to sit next to Danny, taking this for the recommended distance.

He was worldy enough to know that a man wasn't the best of sorts the night before his nuptials, even if in his experience future-husbands were to be found at the pub. He'd intended to keep Danny company, so he settled in well enough to watch the game.

[haolehothead]

"It is ice and it's indoors," Danny agrees, a pleased smile on his face when Jack sits down to join him. "Welcome to the wonders of the future." Really, he can't complain about all the advances that technology has given them. If nothing else, having hockey is pretty incredible. "So, you coming tomorrow?"

[adealtooartful]

"'Ow come it doesn't melt?" Dodger asked, watching the lights and crowds of the tape, wondrous at this sort of futuristic display. "'Spose they make make it indoors as cold as it is out somehow." He'd seen Luna's computer, and the television itself was pretty unbelievable, but it was things that this that got him wondering. The more advanced stuff was beyond his ability to even wonder about - they just were, like the Island.

"Oh, aye, wouldn't miss it!" Dodger said brightly. "I'm bringin' Karen on me arm, too, on the count of 'er sayin' that gentlemen bring dates and such to these sort of o-cca-sions."

[sluttylyingliar]

"Quit fucking fidgeting around!" Rachel announces as she barges into the house. Well, a slow barge, anyway. "You need to relax, Danny. Seriously."

[little_moons]

"This is fuckin' pitiful," I say, stepping up behind her, my hands resting on her shoulders while she waddles into the room.

"See, this is the problem with havin' the damn bachelor party three fuckin' months before the wedding. You're supposed to be gettin' drunk right now."

[haolehothead]

Danny shoots them both a look when he hears voices, leaning over to pick up one of Steve's tank tops, pelting it at Neil's head as he wanders in. "Hey, did I say I couldn't have a second bachelor party? Huh, no. The first was enough, I'm just stewing in my own goddamn panic right now thanks to my ex-wife."

[sluttylyingliar]

Rachel nods in agreement at Neil's proclamation and slides an arm around his waist, lazily letting him support some of her weight. "Oh my God," she groans, pushing her long hair out of her face. "Babe, Steve is not going to run off. Steve is excited about this. And you can't get drunk and show up to your wedding hungover as fuck."

[little_moons]

"Yeah, that's why we're around, to make sure to cut him off," I point out to her, my arm around her shoulders.

"Man, what the hell are you even worried about? You two fuckin' assholes are so made for each other, it's fuckin' gross."

[girlsolo]

Kate's never been the kind of girl who lets a guy drink alone. Her favorite kind of beer is always yours. But you can't show up asking for booze the night before a dude's wedding, so when she stops over to Danny's place and he's watching something that sounds like hockey from the scrapes and clashes, she's got a jug with half a bottle of vodka (Joan gave her a bottle for looking for her and Emily, which was kind of kickass of her and way more practical than she would've expected from that chick) in one hand and some pineapple juice in the other.

"It's a shit combination, but pina coladas are for girl's night out. Want a drink?"

[haolehothead]

"Normally, I'd complain about being the girl in the scenario yet again, but you have booze," he says, grateful for the vodka right up until the moment he sees the pineapple juice, making a face. "Just -- just not that. Don't even bring that foul stuff into this house. That stuff is verboten, here."

[girlsolo]

Kate just laughs and drops the juice at the door. "Not going to hear any complaints from me. I'd kill for a decent tomato juice or a Bloody Mary bar." Maybe she'll mention it to Trixa. It's a great Casino gimmick.

"Saw your guy out on the water this morning," she says while she's pawing around for glasses. "He seems good."

[haolehothead]

"What, Steven? Yeah, he's always good, he's kama'aina," Danny drawls out the words as he lazily drags the table closer, bringing Zulu into his lap as he buries his fingers in the dog's fur, trying to keep his mind off everything. "I'm pretty sure he's figuring out ways to sneak tongs onto his person so he can grill all evening, tomorrow."

[girlsolo]

"That's why you should make him get married in a Speedo suit or something," Kate teases, and then makes a triumphant little 'aha' when she finds the glasses.

She drops down on the sofa next to Danny, sets the glasses on the table, and lines them up for bartender pour. Except she doesn't waste the vodka with the splashy move, just pours them separately.

When she hands off the glass, she gives him a look over. Not as fried as she'd have figured him to be by now. "You all copacetic?"