These characters and their environs on Sports Night belong to ABC and Aaron Sorkin. No infringement is intended. This is just for fun, no money is being made from this. This story involves pre-sex between two men, aka: pre-slash. If that is *not* your cup of tea, sweet as it is, then don't read it! (simple, ain't it??) Feedback is *very* much appreciated, and always answered. Flames will be passed around to friends and chuckled over. :) Sequel to 'Cleveland', 'Treasure', 'Creaming', and 'Things'. More to come... Consideration by Amirin #126 *********************** Dana came into the control room like her heels were on fire. It was early, way, way early. But sleep had been fought for and lost and she'd given up, deciding to come into work, hoping it would act like the usual balm on her waters. Or, failing that, a hell of a distraction. Apparently, she wasn't the only one. "Natalie. Jeremy. Hi." "Hey, Dana." "Dana. You okay?" "Yeah, sure. Really, Natalie, I'm fine. I'm totally fine. With everything." "You thought about it," Natalie pressed. "Yes. I thought about it a lot. And I'm fine with it. It's okay. It's really...okay." "You're sure." "Yes. Yes, I'm sure. And I wanted you to know. I'm...okay. With it." "Good." "Yeah, Dana, that's really...good," Jeremy chimed in, trying to act like he believed her. "Yeah. I mean...yeah. It is, isn't it? It's really...good." "Good," Natalie and Jeremy chorused. "Yeah. Good. Well, I've gotta go. I just wanted you to know that, whatever happens, I'm...good." "Okay. See ya later." "Yeah. Yeah. See ya...later." Not two seconds after the door shut, Jeremy looked at Natalie. "She's in serious denial." "The pyramids are coming into view." ~~~ Dan worked on his script, trying to act like he didn't know Casey was pacing just outside their office. He was concentrating so hard on acting that he jumped when the man suddenly appeared at his elbow. "Hey." "Hey," Casey said with some hesitation. "What?" "I just need..." "What? Anything." "Clarification." Dan tossed his pen on the desk and leaned back in his chair. "Shoot." Casey sat on the edge of Dan's desk, like he'd done a thousand times before. It felt no different. "Why didn't you say anything? I mean, before. I mean..." "I know what you mean," Dan interrupted gently. "You weren't in a position to consider it." "I wasn't." "You had...other obligations." "Entanglements." Dan nodded. "Those, too." "Okay." Casey moved to get up and paused. "I'm still thinking. About your thing." "I'm glad," Dan smiled. "It's a lot to think about." "I know it is." "I mean, it really is." "Case, I know. Take your time. There's no deadline, here. Okay?" "Yeah. Yeah, okay. You're being incredibly patient." Dan reached out and took Casey's hand, holding it easily. "I've waited this long. I can wait a little longer." "Just a *little* longer." "It's okay." "It's just...so much..." "I know. It's okay. Think it all the way through. All the way." "Yeah. All the way," Casey sighed with something like relief as Dan stood up and moved to his side. "Can I give you one more thing to think about?" "I think I can handle one more thing." "You're sure?" "Yeah." "Okay." Dan smiled slowly, placed his hands on Casey's shoulders, and leaned forward, just a little, his dark eyes never leaving Casey's until their lips met, oh, so carefully. It was something less than a kiss, really. More like a caress of warmth against warmth. Dan eased back and groaned softly when Casey followed him, not wanting it to end. Not just yet. And, in that moment, it became something more than a kiss... ~~~ Dana came around the corner to Dan and Casey's office and halted in her tracks. She stood there for several seconds, long enough to see Dan kiss Casey, long enough to see him try and back off, long enough to see Casey refuse to let him. And the kiss went on. And on. And on. "Shit," she muttered to herself. "I am *not* okay with this." ~~~ Casey's head was spinning. Maybe the room was spinning. No, his head. Definitely his head. He didn't want to let go of the man in his arms. Danny was his anchor, the only thing keeping him...Oh, *damn*, the man could kiss. Dan moved away with a little more insistence, just enough to break contact, and took a long look at his best friend. Casey looked... floored. Stunned. Frozen. Solid. Very solid. Strong. Hard... Ohh, shit. "I think that's more than enough for you to think about," he murmured, brushing the lingering dampness off Casey's bottom lip with his thumb. "Whoa." "You okay?" "Yeah." "You sure?" "Yeah." "Case?" "I'm fine. That was really...wow." "I rate a 'wow'?" Dan asked with a smile. "Serious wow." "Sounds impressive." "It sure as hell was." Dan laughed, by himself for a moment until Casey joined him. "Boy, you just love giving me things to think about, don't you?" "I wouldn't want anything left...unconsidered." Casey grinned and nodded. "That was considerable." "That was really, *really* bad." "Worked for me." "I think you need to consult the base of Isaac's lamp for a second opinion on that call." "I can do that," Casey shot back, smiling, as he slid off Dan's desk and headed for the door. "I'll catch you later." "I will be here." "Here?" "Right here." "I'll be back." "I'll be waiting." "You will." "For as long as it takes." "Okay." And Casey was gone. Dan watched until the moment his friend disappeared from view then fell into his chair, head dropping into his hands. "I am a dead man, I am *such* a dead man," he murmured at the floor. He only looked up when high heels clicked into view. "Dana? Hey." "Hi." "You just missed Casey." "Actually, I didn't miss Casey," Dana informed him, her voice edging toward manic. "I didn't miss Casey and *you*. I didn't miss anything at all, Dan. I caught a great deal." Dan winced. "You saw." "Everything." "I'm sorry," he told her honestly. "I just couldn't wait any longer." "You couldn't wait until after *work*?" "I'm talking about the larger picture, here." "Okay, let's talk about the larger picture. Wait a minute, what larger picture?" "I couldn't wait to tell Casey any longer." "This is about the thing, isn't it?" "Yes. It is." "I don't think that's what I'm having the problem with." "It isn't." "No. No, I don't think so. I think I'm okay with the larger picture. It's the close-up of you kissing him that I'm having the problem with," Dana muttered darkly, pacing with stiff, sharp strides. "I'm sorry. I needed him to think about it." "Oh, I'll be willing to bet he won't be thinking about anything *else* for the rest of the day. Certainly not the *show*. Not his *job*. No, he'll be thinking about *you*. And *him*. And the *thing*..." Dan was out of his chair, getting in the way of her pacing, trying to slow her down. "Dana, breathe." "I *am* breathing! That was *completely* irresponsible! You just can't...This is not the place for the *thing*, Dan, okay?" "Okay. Okay. Dana, look at me. We'll keep it out of here. I promise. Okay?" "Okay," Dana flipped her hair off her forehead and leaned back against Dan's desk. "I'm sorry. You're absolutely right. It was...inconsiderate." "Yes, it was," Dana sighed. "I'm *trying* to be good about this." "I know you are. Shhh. It's okay," Dan murmured as he rubbed her back gently. "I really am. I *want* to be a good person. I *want* to do the right thing and feel the right way and act like it doesn't bother me a damned bit, but I *can't*. I just can't. And I'm sorry. I really am sorry. And I don't like myself very much right at this moment and I hope you won't tell Casey." "I won't. I won't. But you need to realize, whether you see it happening or not, it's going to change things. Whichever direction he takes this, it's going to change things. I wish there was a way to stop it. But there isn't." "I know. And if he had to be with someone, I'm glad it's you. God knows, he could do a hell of a lot worse." "Thanks. I know this isn't easy." "You have no idea." "No?" Dan asked with a hard edge to both his voice and his eyes. "I have no idea? You want me to tell you how long *I've* had to live with this? Huh? Do you?" "No. Not really," Dana whispered truthfully. "The nights we spent talking til sun-up, after he'd had some fight with Lisa. The shit I heard and really didn't want to hear, because it just made me *hate* her. The hell she put him through, Jesus, Dana." "I know. I do!" she protested at his incredulous look. "I know I don't know as much as you do and I didn't hear as much as you did and I wasn't right there with him, through the worst of it, like you were...Oh, shit." "Yeah," Dan nodded, a wry grin on his face. "Right there. The whole damned time. Right there with him, the only way I could be. Christ, Dana, do you have any idea how tired I am of seeing the people I *care* about hurt by people who just don't care? Or can't? Or simply *won't*? Do you?" "I think I do." "I'm tired of hurting for him. I'm sick of seeing him hurt. God, I'm so sick of it. You wouldn't believe..." "Yes, I would," Dana said, gripping his arm as she tried to clear her eyes without destroying her makeup. It was hopeless. "I would. And I meant what I said earlier. I'm glad it's you." "I'm not Lisa." "I know you're not," Dana smiled. Shaky, but a smile. "You couldn't be if you tried." "I won't try," Dan promised her. "If you *ever* see me starting to act like that, you have my permission to shoot me." "I'll keep it in mind." "Thank you," he sighed, leaning his forehead against her shoulder for a moment. "You know, I think I'm going to be okay with the thing," Dana admitted slowly. "Yeah?" "It's gonna take some time. But, yeah." "We'll watch the thing. When we're here. I promise..." "I know," she sighed, nodding. "It's a hell of a thing, isn't it?" "It's a major thing," Dan agreed. "It'll be a good thing." "God, I hope so. I really hope so." Their heads turned when Jeremy knocked and entered, gesturing over his shoulder. "Natalie needs you." "Back to work." She straightened up and squeezed Dan's hand once on her way out the door. "See you later," he called after her. "No help for it," she shot back with a grin and took off for the control room. "You okay?" Jeremy asked Dan cautiously. "Yeah," Dan sighed, took a deep breath, and tried to relax. "Yeah, I think so." "The thing?" "Oh, boy, is it ever." "Dana will be okay. Once she gets used to it." "I hope so." "She will. Natalie will work on her." "Natalie's okay?" "Very okay." "That's a relief. And you?" "Also very okay." "Thanks." "Anytime," Jeremy headed off, leaving Dan to wander aimlessly around the office. And wait for Casey to think things over. ~~~end