Author: Doodle Bug Title: Moonlight Serenade Series: Number three in Happily Ever After Pairing: Tom/Dan, little bit of Rupert/Alan Rating: pg Disclaimer: I don’t own these people, unfortunately. Distribution: Just ask if you want it Summary: Some bad singing, some Teenage angst, and Yanni Dan sat alone in the lunchroom. His chin lay in his left palm as his right hand ran a plastic spork halfheartedly through some scrambled eggs. He half-hummed, half-mumbled a morbid tune under his breath, “kinda funny…find I’ kinda sad…dreams in whi’ I’m d ying…best I’ve ever had.” He let his left hand fall sloppily to the table and blew a bit of fringe out of his eyes. Something horrible had happened to Dan. Something so painful, so awful, he couldn’t bear to think about it. He also couldn’t stop thinking about it. Yes, that’s right. He was in love. And not just any love. The worst kind of love. The painful kind. The unrequited kind. Of course, that was to be expected, for he wasn’t in love with just any kind of person. This person was… different. Cool in the best sense, unshakable, a good actor, and a good person. He was hot, too. That was the other thing. He was a he. Daniel Radcliffe, the same boy who had single-handedly stolen the hearts of a billion fangirls across the globe, was gay. Now, this was all rather new to Dan; he had only figured this out a day before, and the idea hadn’t quite settled yet. So he sat there, all alone at his little table, and thought about it. And thought about it. And, although his mind was working like crazy, and his heart was in the middle of a very complicated process called “breaking,” on the outside, he was staring into space and, unfortunately, drooling a bit. He was like that when Tom found him. Dan came back to reality then. His first sight was one of Tom’s hands snapping its fingers and waving in front of him. “Oi, Danny Boy!” Tom said. “Hey, look at that, I rhymed,“ he smiled, and sat down across from Dan, sliding his tray in front of him. “So, decided to rejoin the land of the living then, ‘eh, Dan?” Dan shook his head a bit, wiped his mouth (surreptitiously, of course), and picked his spork back up, “Yeah, because living is so wonderful.” Tom laughed and raised his eyebrows. “And what, may I ask, brought this on?” Daniel viciously stabbed a lump of egg. “I’m in love,“ he said, brow furled, and his lower lip pouting slightly. “Oh,” Tom said, not quite catching on. “How… horrible,” he cocked his head, and an eyebrow, “I’m so… sorry?” Dan sighed, “Me too.” “Hang on,” Tom gently removed the spork from Dan’s han, and asked, “How is this a bad thing?” Dan folded his hands in his lap and fixed his eyes on the spork. “The… object of my affection doesn’t like me back.” “She told you that then?” “No.” “Then how do you know?” “Trust me. I don’t stand a chance.” “Is it someone on the shoot?” Daniel nodded morbidly. “Well then, I know the perfect way to win her over.” Dan snorted. “I swear! All you have to do is sing to her.” He sorted again, “I can’t sing.” “Yes, well, that’s the beauty of it. You don’t have to sing well,” Tom smiled and continued, “She’ll be so caught up in the fact that you would do something so “sweet” for her that she won’t care how dreadful you sound!” “Whatever, c’mon, we’re gonna be late.” They stood up and piled their trays on the counter. “Honestly, Moonlight Serenade. Works every time.” “Right.” They walked out of the lunchroom, heading for the set. Later that day Dan, Rupert, and Tom were frolicking about at the edge of the forest. Dan had gotten over his earlier mood. He was even able to joke around and make fun of people, even – especially - Tom. In fact, it was that very ability that led to him being chased around a large rock by the object of his affection. He was laughing and running, the fact that he was in love not seeming so horrible anymore. In fact, it felt rather nice. He was on top of the world. But suddenly, his feet lost contact with the world, and he went sailing, head first, towards the very rock he was running around. Luckily, Rupert was there to catch him. They spun, and wobbled, but stayed upright. Until, of course, Tom ran into them. Dan landed on his back with the wind knocked out of him. He lay still for a moment, and when he opened his eyes he was staring into Tom’s. Tom was smiling, and Dan thought his eyes sparkled. “Moonlight serenade, huh?” Tom’s smile got wider, and he nodded, “Yep.” They stayed that way for a moment, before: “Uh, guys?” “Yeah?” They replied in unison. “Would you mind not pressing so hard on my spleen?” They all laughed as they got up. They were still laughing a little later when Mike came over and yelled at them to get on set. Even Later that Day Dan and Rupert were walking to their trailers. Dan was sort of embarrassed; he had just caused Rupert to fall on Alan Rickman. They had just gotten finished filming for the day, the beginning, and end, of the second task, and they were sopping went. Dan had gotten a little too into Mermaid joke he had been trying to make, and failed to pay attention to his footwork. He had tripped over the edge of the blanket he was wrapped in, and crashed into Rupert, who crashed into Alan. It would have been funny, if he hadn’t been mortified. So he did the only thing he could think of. He made a joke. “You and Alan were looking pretty cozy back there,” “Thanks to you,” Rupert said, smiling slightly and looking at Dan out of the corner of his eye. “And what about you and Tom earlier? You planning on singing to him tonight?” Dan gave an odd little laugh. “Hey, Rupert?” “Yeah?” “Can I talk to you?” Rupert seemed as though he was about to make a smart remark, but he stopped when he saw the pleading look in Dan’s eyes. “Yeah, sure, come to my trailer after you’ve finished changing, okay?” “Yeah, thanks,” Dan looked extremely relieved. “Thanks.” Their trailers were right next to each other on the lot. They soon separated, and went to their respective doors. Ten minutes later, Rupert opened his door to let Dan in. Dan shuffled in, chin down, and headed towards the couch. Rupert followed, and they both sat down. Their backs were straight, and their hands lay on their uncrossed knees, and neither one looked at the other. After a few moments of tense silence, they both tried to break the ice at the same time. “Thank y-“ “Listen, I-“ Rupert laughed, and Dan said, “Sorry, you go first.” Rupert nodded and took a deep breath. “I just wanted to say that you can tell me anything. Anything. Because I’ve got something I need to get off my chest as well, and err… maybe we could, I dunno, exchange secrets?” Dan smiled, relieved, “That sounds great.” Rupert looked over and laughed, “You’re funny looking when you smile too big, you know that?” Dan hit him with a cushion, “At least I’m not funny looking all the time.” They leaned back, the tension gone, and stared at the black TV screen. “So,” said Rupert. “So?” “You first.” “All right.” Dan rubbed his sweaty palms on his thighs, and licked his suddenly dry lips. “I,” he laughed nervously, “I think…IthinkI’minlovewithTom.” There, he had done it. He felt worlds better, until… Was Rupert laughing? Oh God, had he made a mistake? He looked over at him worriedly. “I shouldn’t have told you,” Dan started to get up, “I’m sorry.” But he was pulled back down. “Oh, stuff it, Dan. I wasn’t laughing at you. Well, okay I was, but it’s okay. I think my secret’s worse.” “How could anything be worse?” “Trust me,” Rupert looked at Dan and laughed again. “Oh, shut up and tell me yours!” “Well, I… umm, I like a guy too.” “Who?” Dan asked, surprised and happy that he had someone to share it with. Rupert rubbed his forehead and sucked on his lower lip briefly, before drawing it back out through his teeth. “Okay, it’s um, it’s Alan.” “Alan?” Dan cocked his head. “Alan Rickman?” “Yeah.” “You’re right, that is worse.” It was Rupert’s turn to swing the cushion. They both sat there for a moment, before: “Now, what’s all this about a moonlight serenade?” “Oh, that was Tom’s idea.” “He knows?” “No,” Dan laughed, “I wish. No, it was just… earlier today he was giving me advice on how to woo the “girl” I was pining over.” “Well, that’s… odd.” “Tell me about it.” “Are you gonna sing to him?” “Well, I don’t know. I don’t even know if he… if he can like me that way.” “Only one way to find out.” “I suppose so.” “So, now on to the big question.” “What’s that?” Dan asked, confused. “What to sing.” “Oh. Right.” Rupert got up and disappeared into the back for a minute, before coming back out with a pile of CDs and a small CD player. “Right, well, I figure there’s got to be something suitable in this lot…” A Few Nights Later Dan let himself into Rupert’s trailer. He’d been going there every night for the past few days, learning the song they had picked out, and plotting ways to get Alan to notice Rupert. Rupert looked up from the notebook he was writing in. “So, you gonna go through with it tonight?” “Yes,” Dan said, trying to sound confident. “And you’re wearing that, are you?” Dan looked down at himself in surprise, and then slowly back up. “Look, just ‘cause you’re gay, doesn’t mean you have a good fashion sense.” “Whatever. I just wouldn’t wear a black hooded sweater that was five sizes too big on the night I wanted to woo my true love.” “Oh, bite me.” “No. Now, let’s hear the song one more time.” “Do you want to know, If everything glittering…” “Okay, okay, let’s hope that thing he said about the sing-ee not caring about how the singer sounds is true.” Dan’s brow crinkled worriedly. “Is it really that bad?” “Does it matter?” “I guess not.” “Right then, off you go.” He made a shooing motion with his hands, “Good luck.” Dan took a deep breath and headed outside. He got about two steps outside the glow of the lights from Rupert’s trailer and froze. Before he could turn back, he heard the door open, and Rupert’s careful footsteps crunching over the gravel. Rupert walked around in front of him and smiled. He handed Dan a flashlight, and wordlessly patted him on the shoulder. He then walked back to his trailer, leaving Dan all alone. Dan flicked the light on and took a few slow steps before he heard a ‘thud’, Rupert’s exclamation of, “Bugger!” and what sounded like him hopping on one foot up the retractable steps to his trailer. Dan smiled and started walking quickly towards where he knew Tom’s trailer to be. He got there in a few minutes and walked around to what he thought was the bedroom window. He flicked off the flashlight and set it on the ground. Standing up straight, he took a deep breath, and dropped his arms to his sides. Dan’s heart was beating much too loud, he was sweating all over, and his breath was coming in shallow gasps. He stood up straighter and swallowed twice before licking his lips and taking another deep breath. With his face tilted slightly upwards towards the window, he began to sing, “Do you want to know If everything glittering Will turn into the gold I see in your hair I feel it could be there Somehow, tonight And do you want to find Something worth saving The change would do me right ’Cause I've been just waiting And hesitating With this heart of mine His voice wavered, he was sharp on the low notes, and flat on the high ones. But he kept on singing, “You're still a mystery But there's something so easy In how you're sweet to me I feel completed Like it's something I needed For this heart of mi-“ “Dan!” A whispering voice cut him off. “Tom?” Daniel couldn’t see anything but Tom hadn’t sounded mad, he had actually sounded rather happy. Dan allowed himself a small amount of hope. “Yes, it’s me, you idiot!” What? What was he talking abo- “You got the wrong trailer Dan!” Tom laughed, “Jeezus, you really can’t sing.” Dan’s heart sank to his sneakers. He had almost believed he had a chance, but Tom couldn’t even take him seriously. “Bu-,” he began, then thought better of it, “I’m sorry Tom, it won’t happen again.” “’S all right, talk to you tomorrow?” “Yeah…” he said halfheartedly. “You should use a flash-light next time, my name’s right there on the door, you know.” “Yeah, I’ll remember that.” “Later then?” “Later.” Dan turned and walked straight back to his trailer, not bothering to tell Rupert how it had gone. He felt numb, and in need of sleep. The Next Morning “Hey, Dan!” Rupert called his friend over, they were headed towards the lunchroom for breakfast. “How’d it go, mate?” Dan told him. “Well, that sucks.” “You’re telling me,” Dan said softly. “Well, at least he didn’t reject you outright.” “That’s true.” “It’s not so bad.” “Yeah, hey Rupert, you want to read over page 57 with me and Emma today?” “Well, that was a quick subject change.” “I need to get him off my mind.” “Sure, at lunch?” “That’s fine.” Shortly after Lunch Dan was on his way to costume when he heard someone running behind him. “Hey, Dan, wait up!” Oh God, it was Tom. “So,” said Tom, as he matched Dan’s stride. “So?” “Oh, come on, did you find the right trailer last night?” “Yeah.” “Well? What’d she do? How’d it go?” “Nothing happened, I told you it wouldn’t work.” “Really? Nothing at all? What went wrong?” “It was doomed from the start.” Tom looked at Dan apologetically, “I’m really sorry man, I really thought it would work. I’ll make it up to you.” Dan snorted and pointed to a makeup trailer, “Well, I’m off to La La Land. See you later.” “Yeah, all right,” Tom watched Daniel disappear behind the door before he turned to walk to his trailer, head down, and hands in pockets. When he got there, he noticed something sitting on the ground just outside his bedroom window. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a flashlight. But why wou- Oh. Tom slowly picked it up, his mind racing. If Dan had had a flashlight last night, then he’d seen the door, and he’d known he was singing to him. So, that would mean that Dan… fancied him? But Tom wasn’t gay. On the contrary, he’d had loads of girls. Okay, a few girls. All right, one. Sort of. But he most certainly didn’t like guys. And certainly not Dan. Dan was just a friend. A cute, apparently gay, friend. Who just happened to like him. Oh God, he really needed to think about this! Later that Night Tom walked quietly across the lot, towards where he knew Dan’s trailer to be… Meanwhile, in Rupert’s Trailer Dan and Rupert were lounging about on the couch, recalling the day’s events. “And then, when he spoke, the look on your face!” Daniel laughed at Rupert. “It was hilarious!” “My face? You should have seen yours. And then you walked out like you were in a trance!” “Well, at least now I understand why you like him so much.” “Yeah, he is pretty-” “Hang on!” “What?” “Is someone singing?” The boys looked at each other, and then towards the door. They both raced to get there first, but Dan won. He flicked on the outside light and leaned out, “Tom?” He asked incredulously. The older boy didn’t hear him, however, and kept on singing his heart out, facing Dan’s bedroom window. “Pardon the way that I stare, There’s nothing else to compare” “TOM!” Dan said, louder this time. Tom stopped and turned around slowly, squinting to see who had interrupted him, “Dan? But I thought this was yours?” he asked, alternating between squinting at Dan and looking back at Dan’s trailer. “I thought…” “It is,” said Rupert from behind Dan, “Daniel here had just come over to borrow s ome CD’s,” Rupert shoved a few CDs into Dan’s hands as he pushed him out the door. “Isn’t that right, Dan?” “Uh, y-yeah, right.” “Well then, now that’s settled, you’ll just be leaving, won’t you?” “Yes,” Daniel said stupidly. “Okay then, goodnight, Tom!” Rupert said over Dan’s head as he shut the door, automatically retracting the steps Dan was on, causing him to jump off them and towards Tom. They stood facing each other, Dan just inside the glow of Rupert’s trailer, and Tom just out of it. “So, you, uh, you were serenading my trailer?” “Yes. Well, I mean, I thought you were in it at the time.” “Oh.” “Yes.” “Well then,” Dan stepped forward a little, to the edge of the light, “Would you like to come in? We could listen to some music.” “Sounds good.” “Yes, well, I’ve got uh,” Dan held the CDs up to the light, “Err… Sounds of the Rainforest, Michael Bolton’s Greatest Hits, and umm, some Yanni.” “You wanna just talk?” Dan smiled. “Yeah, that sounds good.” “You know, you look good when you smile.” “Thanks.”