Katie (Ashton)
Written by Ashton (danielnelsen)
Game: Hollywood U Genre/s: General Ship/s: Mentions of Dris (Danny/Chris) and Dethan (Danny/Ethan), and kinda Hunny (Danny/Hunt), but not a ship-based fic Warnings: none Word Count: 3441
Author’s Note: Some Nelsen sibling goodness. Basically, I just wanted to write some Danny+Katie interaction, so this happened. It’s a bit random and jumpy, but there were a few things I wanted to talk about... I’ll have to write more with these two some time.
“I still can’t believe you got in here,” Katie chirped, following Danny as he strode across the campus of Hollywood University. “I mean, I know you’re super talented and everything… but it was pretty lucky that you were able to get someone to pay for you.”
“Lucky, yeah.” Danny gave a small shake of his head.
“I can’t wait to go to college,” Katie continued. “This place is amazing. It looks like heaps of fun!”
Danny smiled. “Whoa there, slow down. You’re not even in high school yet.”
“Yeah, I’m yet to see how good your school really is. But I’ll be done with that in a few years, anyway.” Danny led them into the platinum dorm building and Katie gasped. “Wow, this is so cool! Do you really get to live here?”
He laughed. “Sure, that’s why it’s so expensive.” He let them both into his dorm room Katie looked around for a minute or so.
“It’s so big!” she remarked after a while. “For a dorm, I mean. I didn’t know you could even get dorms with double beds.”
“Yeah, well, that c--”
Katie held up a hand. “Ew, don’t even go there, Danny!”
“You know me too well,” he mused. “But anyway… I haven’t seen you in ages. Sit down. How’s everything going at home?” Katie climbed onto the bed and sat cross-legged at the head. Danny sat opposite her, mirroring her position. “How’re Mum and Dad?”
“Well, maybe you’d know if you actually called,” she said pointedly. “But they’re good. It’s weird not having you around, though, and I think they miss you more than they let on.”
“What about you? Do you miss me?”
Katie grabbed a pillow from behind her and threw it at him. “No way!”
Danny chuckled. “Sure. What about school? How’s that going?”
She grimaced and shrugged. “It’s awful.”
His face fell. “Yeah?”
“Okay, it’s not that bad,” she amended. “But loads of people are obsessed with you and it’s weird. Then they work out that you’re my brother and they keep asking me if they can meet you or I can get them your autograph or something.”
“Ah.” Danny’s smile returned. “Sorry.”
“Could you, like… not be famous until I’m finished school?”
He laughed. “Not really.” He paused. “Are you serious, though? About people being obsessed?”
Katie rolled her eyes. “They’re so annoying. They always talk about you and how great you are and they spend all their time watching videos and looking at pictures of you and-- oh my god, can you please stop modeling. If I see another picture of you in underwear I’m actually gonna puke.” Danny grinned. “And they spend ages talking about rumours of who you’re dating and how they wish it was them, and they’re, like, thirteen, so ew.”
Danny shrugged. “You learn pretty quickly how to handle stuff like that. There’s no way I’d ever date any of them, and they know it.”
“Some of them I’m not so sure…”
“Aw, come on, Katie. Are you really telling me you’ve never had a crush on a celebrity?”
She folded her arms and made a face. “Like I’d tell you if I did.”
“Go on,” Danny prompted. “Who’s your favourite actor right now?”
Katie glared at him for a few seconds, before sighing. “Fine. Because you’re way too new to all this to have anything to do with him… Chris Winters.”
Danny gave a sudden cough of surprise, gawking at her. “Chris? Really?”
“What?” Katie asked, smiling sheepishly.
“I take it you’re not as obsessed with him as your friends are with me, yeah?”
She shrugged. “No way. But he’s still my favourite. Why?”
“He’s, uh… Well…” Danny smirked, trying to picture what her reaction would be. “He’s a pretty good friend of mine, actually. He’s a really sweet guy.” He watched her eyes widen as he continued. “Don’t tell anyone, but he’s actually playing a big role in my next movie, after he’s finished filming his current one, so I’ve been working with him for a while. In fact, I just got back from Thailand a few days ago because he’s filming there right now. He and I have known each other basically since I started at Hollywood U, and… Well, I’m kind of sleeping with him.”
“Shut up!” Katie exclaimed, whacking him a few times with another pillow. “Why would you even tell me that?” she continued as Danny laughed loudly. “Is any of that even true?”
“Yes!” Danny answered. “Every word! We’ve been dating for a while now. He’s taken me out a few times.” Katie gave him an unimpressed look. “Seriously! You know what? How about I give him a call. That should clear things up for you.”
He quickly pulled out his phone, and Katie’s expression turned to one of horror.
“No! No, Danny! Don’t!”
“So you believe me now?” he teased, scrolling through his contacts to find Chris’ number.
“Danny, please!”
“I thought you were a big fan of his,” he said, switching the phone to loudspeaker and holding it out of her reach as it rang.
“Exactly!” she exclaimed. “You can’t just call him! I’m not ready! What do I say? Danny, hang up right now! Danny!” She grabbed his arm, trying to get him to drop the phone. “Danny, please, just--”
“Danny?”
Danny and Katie fell silent as a voice came through the phone. Katie’s mouth hung open and Danny smirked, bringing the phone between them.
“Hey, Chris!” he said, trying not to laugh at the look on Katie’s face.
“You caught me at a good time,” Chris remarked. “I was just about to head to bed. I can’t talk for long, though.”
“We’ll make this quick, then,” Danny agreed. “You enjoying your last few days of filming?”
He could practically hear Chris’ smile when he spoke. “Thailand is beautiful, as you well know, Danny. And filming’s been pretty fun, but it’d be even better if you were here with me.”
“I bet you’re keeping pretty busy, though.”
“I’ll never be too busy to miss you, Danny.”
Danny looked pointedly at Katie, who blinked a few times.
“Well, when we’re filming Permanent Wound, we’ll see each other every day on set,” Danny reminded him.
“And off set too, I hope,” Chris replied, earning a raised eyebrow from Katie. “I’m looking forward to it. I’ve only ever heard good things about your skills as a director.”
“Wait, now are you talking about on or off set?”
“Both,” Chris answered. Katie grimaced.
“Well, I’m looking forward to it, too. And, uh, Chris?”
“Mhm?”
“My sister, Katie, is over right now and I’m sure she’d love to say hi.” Katie shook her head furiously. “She’s a bit of a fan.” She facepalmed as Danny spoke. “Here, you’re on loudspeaker.”
“Hey, Katie!” Chris greeted. “Danny’s told me a bit about you. How’s it going.”
“Uh, g-good!” Katie stammered, shooting Danny a sharp glare. “H-how are you?”
“I’m doing pretty well,” Chris answered. “I’ve been filming in Thailand for the last few weeks and I’m heading back to L.A. in a few days. I’ll definitely be catching up with your brother, so maybe you could join us sometime. I’d love to say hi in person.”
Katie blushed, unable to speak.
“If that’s alright with Danny, of course,” Chris added.
“Sure,” Danny shrugged. “Just as long as I get you to myself as well.”
“That’s a guarantee. But the three of us could grab coffee, or something,” he suggested. “My schedule’s pretty packed with premieres and promotions for the movie once I get back, but I should get a day or two off before the L.A. premiere. Sound good?”
“Yeah, that sounds great!” Katie managed to say.
“Well, we’d better let you get some sleep,” Danny chimed in. “But it was great talking to you, Chris. I've been missing you."
"I miss you too, baby. I'll send you the details of my flight home as soon as I know them." A brief silence followed. "I'll, uh, I'll see you in a few days, then."
Danny gave a distant smile. "Sweet dreams."
"Thanks, Danny. I love you."
Danny rolled his bottom lip between his teeth momentarily. "See you soon, Chris." He hung up and, after a few seconds, he looked up at Katie. "Satisfied?" She nodded quickly.
"Yeah, but don't ever do that again!"
Danny laughed, moving to place his phone in his nightstand.
"He, um... He said he loves you," she remarked, and Danny froze. "And... you didn't say it back."
"Yeah," Danny said after a moment. He finished putting his phone down and turned back to her. "I know."
"Don't you love him too?"
Danny opened his mouth to reply, then closed it a few seconds later, sighing. "I care about him a lot," he eventually answered. "I don't think I'm ready to bring love into it." Even the word felt strange on his tongue, he found. "He understands."
"Well... At least that clears one thing up."
"Hmm?"
Katie grinned. "The rumours about who you're dating. Chris Winters."
Danny gave a small chuckle. "That's certainly part of the truth..."
"What do you mean?" Katie looked confused. "Oh, are you dating a few people, like with Berry and Ash?"
"Not exactly, no."
"So... you're dating a few people?" Danny nodded. "But separately?" Another nod.
"But they all know about each other and they're all fine with it," he added.
"All?" Katie raised an eyebrow. "So more than two, then?"
"More than two," Danny confirmed.
"Wait, if you're dating lots of people, then are there any, like, secret ones? That you don't want the media to find out about? There's got to be, right?"
Danny felt his cheeks pale slightly.
"Oh my god, I'm right! Tell me everything!" She shifted forwards onto her knees.
"Katie..."
"Oh, come on, Danny! Like I'd ever tell anyone!" She gave him a pleading expression, and he shook his head, smiling slightly. "Okay, so who would you not tell people about? It can't be someone you work with because that'd be like Chris and you're an adult anyway... Is it one of your teachers, or something?" she guessed. When Danny didn't say anything, she gasped. "What? Danny! You're dating one of your teachers?"
"We're not dating, exactly, just--"
"That's so risky, Danny! Are they hot? What do they teach? Do they treat you differently from all their other students? Oh my god, this is just like--"
"Shut up!" Danny hissed, reaching forward to cover her mouth with a hand. "Of course he's hot," he replied quietly. "He teaches Hollywood 101, which is basically an introduction course to working in the industry. And no, he doesn't give me special treatment. If anything, he's even worse to me than he is to anyone else."
Katie pulled his hand away. "You mean he's usually really strict? Does he get you in trouble a lot? Oh! And does he ask you to stay after class? That's so bad, Danny!" she giggled.
Danny could feel himself beginning to blush. "Shush!" Katie giggled more at his embarrassment. "Most people just think he hates me, really. He’s a nice enough guy, but he’s brutal as a teacher.”
Danny was saved from any further conversation by a knock at the door, and he quickly jumped up to open it. Sighing with relief, he welcomed Ethan into the room and shut the door behind him. Ethan pulled him into a hug and kissed his cheek.
“I have a meeting soon so I can’t stay long,” he began, “but I’m free from about six, and I thought you might want to go out, if you don’t already have plans. There’s a Thai place I’ve been wanting to take you to, and we could make a date of it… Grab dinner, maybe head down to the pier, go back to mine for the night…”
Danny smiled warmly. “That sounds wonderful.” He pressed his lips against Ethan’s for a few seconds, his arms lightly circling his waist. Eventually pulling away, he turned back to Katie and dragged Ethan further into the room. “This is Ethan,” he announced. “He’s my… agent.”
Katie smirked. “Yeah, I’m sure.”
Danny glared at her, then looked to Ethan. “This is my little sister, Katie.”
“Hey, I’m not little!” she shot back, folding her arms.
Danny shrugged. “You’re smaller than me, and that’s what matters.”
“Nice to meet you,” Ethan said, stepping forward and extending his hand.
Katie shook it, then gave him a small hug, which he returned. “Are you really Danny’s agent?”
Ethan laughed. “Yes. I was pretty lucky to snag him on his first day here. He’s my best client to date, for sure.”
“Your best client to date?” Danny smirked, throwing an arm around him.
“For sure,” Ethan repeated, grinning at him. “Well, I only really intended to stop by here a minute or so, so I’d better get going. I hope to see you around, Katie.”
“It was nice meeting you,” she replied.
Ethan nodded and walked back towards the door with Danny. He stopped before leaving, wrapping his arms around Danny and pulling him close. “I’ll pick you up at six, then?”
“Yeah, I can’t wait,” Danny purred, reaching up to fiddle with Ethan’s tie. “Don’t wear yourself out this afternoon, okay.”
Ethan leant forward to rest his forehead against Danny’s. “I’ll see what I can do.” He brought their lips back together for a few moments, before pulling back with a small sigh. “What did I possibly do to deserve you?”
“Nothing remotely bad enough,” Danny chuckled, opening the door for him. “See you in a few hours.”
“See you, sugar,” Ethan grinned, giving him a small wave.
Once he was gone, Danny slowly turned back into the room and walked lazily back over to the bed.
“Well, I like him,” Katie said, as Danny sat next to her.
“Me too,” he sighed, lying back on the bed. “He gets really busy, so we don’t get to go out much…” He smiled up at the ceiling for a few moments, before looking back at her, clearing his throat. “You, uh… You like him?”
She shrugged. “He seems nice. And you two looked so natural together. It was cute.”
“Yeah, he is…” Danny breathed, and Katie laughed.
“You’d better have told him you love him,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything more obvious.”
“Huh?” Danny sat up again.
“You’re completely smitten, you idiot.” She shook her head, amused. “Both of you. How can you not see that?”
“Well, I mean…” Danny trailed off. “I do really enjoy spending time with him…”
Katie furrowed her brow and stared at him for a few seconds. “Do you love him?”
Danny frowned. “Katie, I--”
“It’s a simple enough question, and I think the answer is pretty clear, too. Do you love him?”
They looked at each other in silence for a moment, before Danny glanced down. “Yeah, I think I do.”
Katie gave a small squeal and pulled him into a hug. “Danny! This is perfect! He seems really sweet and he’s cute, too, and he obviously loves you… You need to tell him!”
“Maybe later,” Danny muttered softly.
“‘Maybe’?” Katie gasped. “I get that maybe you’re not ready to say it now, but you have to tell him sometime! What if he thinks you don’t? You can’t leave it too late!”
“Yeah, I know,” he said quietly, then smiled. “What about Chris? Why didn’t you insist I say it to him?”
“Well, I didn’t really see you interact,” she explained. “Maybe you have that kind of chemistry in person, but I didn’t see that. But with Ethan, you just… I dunno. You clicked. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so in love.” Seeing him chew his lip slightly, she sighed and hugged him tighter. “Don’t rush it, just work on it, okay?”
Danny gave a small nod, then shook his head. “What about you?”
Seeming to accept his change of subject, she pulled back from the hug and folded her arms. “What about me?”
“Are you seeing anyone at the moment? Any crushes?”
“Hell no!” she laughed.
Danny smiled. “You make it sound like it’s ridiculous.”
“Well…” Katie gave a half shrug. “I guess I wanted to talk to you about that…”
“Yeah?” Danny crossed his legs, sitting opposite her. “Is everything alright? Is someone giving you trouble, or…?”
“Oh, no, everything’s fine!” she said quickly. “I just…” She took a deep breath. “I think I might actually be aromantic.”
Danny nodded. “That’s fine.”
“It is?” Her shoulders slumped. “I mean… obviously it is. But it’s okay with you?”
“Of course.” He reached out and put a hand on her arm. “Nothing wrong with that. But I know it can be a big deal telling people, so well done. I’ll always have your back.”
A wide smile stretched across her face, and she gave a relieved laugh. “I just thought… Well, I know sometimes that kinda thing isn’t really accepted by people, even other people who aren’t straight. I see people invalidate asexuality a lot, so I’d expect it would be even worse for aromanticism, because even less people know about that. I know a few ace people in my school’s GSA, but no one who’s aro. I feel… pretty alone sometimes. Like no one will ever really be able to love me because I can’t handle romance.”
“Hey…” Danny soothed, initiating a hug of his own. “You’ll always have me. And, besides, I know a few aro people and some of them are in perfectly happy relationships.”
He felt her shrug. “I know some aro people are okay with romance, even though they don’t feel that way… But it just makes me really uncomfortable and even though I really want to have some kind of relationship, I know I can’t…”
Danny shook his head. “Relationships don’t have to be romantic, Katie. You know Ash? He’s just the same - aromantic and completely romance repulsed. But look at him and Berry… They couldn’t be happier.”
Katie pulled back. “Ash is aro and romance repulsed?” she asked, surprised. “But… weren’t you…?”
“We were in a relationship, yeah,” Danny finished. “Just not a romantic one. If you really want to be with someone, then just work out your boundaries and make them clear. Work out what you’re uncomfortable with, and get rid of those things. He always said to Berry and me that what he wanted in a partner was a best friend. Even in a romantic relationship, you should look for someone like that, too. You can just skip out on the romance.”
“That’s… that’s really a thing?” She looked shocked, but excited. “Because that’s what I want. I want to be able to spend my life with someone and for it to be a committed, steady relationship, but without it being romantic. And that’s what they have?”
Danny nodded. “Yeah. You should go talk to them about it sometime.”
Grinning, Katie pulled Danny back into yet another hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
“No problem,” he chuckled. “But I’ll warn you now… from my experience with Ash, you’re probably gonna come up against some rough patches. Romance is so widespread and ingrained into society, and as someone who doesn’t relate to that, it might get you down a little, but remember you can always find people to talk to about that. There’s me, and then I’m sure he’ll be there for you, too. He’ll understand. He told us that a lot of his trouble was that he didn’t have any other aro people he knew that he could talk to, so I know he’ll be able to help if you need someone.”
“You’re the best, Danny,” she murmured into his shoulder. “I don’t know why I was nervous to tell you. I haven’t told Mum and Dad because I don’t think they’ll understand, even though they’re fine with you, so I thought maybe you’d also not understand. Sorry…”
“It’s fine, Katie. I’m really proud of you for telling me, and I do feel pretty honoured.” He sighed. “You’re probably right about Mum and Dad, though… I’m sorry…”
She shrugged. “I’ve accepted that I might not be able to tell them for a while. I’m just glad I can talk to you.”
“Always,” Danny smiled.
They stayed in the hug for a few more seconds, before Katie quickly pulled back.
“Ugh, that’s enough sentimentality for today!”
Danny laughed. “I hear you! Come on, how about I show you around some of the campus?”
“That sounds great!”
Danny led them back across the room and pulled the door open. “Let’s go!”