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Johnny softly rapped his knuckles on the frame of the door leading into the boss' office; hanging in the doorway.
"Mr. LaRusso, I'm done detailing the cars on that list you gave me," Johnny notified.
"Oh, good job, Mr. Lawrence," Daniel said without looking away from his computer.
Johnny licked his lips and shifted his weight from foot to foot as if he was waiting for further instruction.
"I just wanted to let you know before I clocked out," Johnny continued, hooking a thumb in a vague direction.
"Well, thank you," Daniel replied, sounding jovial.
This time he turned his head and gave Johnny a grateful smile, making the blonde feel a certain way. It felt nice to be praised for his hard work, especially by someone like Mr. LaRusso. Johnny went to leave, assuming that was all, only to have himself called back in.
"Actually, uh, Johnny I wanted to ask you something," Daniel interjected. He pushed away from his desk and stood up to talk to the kid properly. "Could you stay for a little while longer?"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, it's just tomorrow is Christmas eve and you know how we're gonna have that big event," Daniel explained, wringing his hands together.
Ah, yes. Tomorrow was the annual raffle Mr. LaRusso held every year. It was essentially a charity benefit where Mr. LaRusso would give back to the community. Music, catering, the works… Mr. LaRusso himself would dress up as Santa Claus and entertain the children. He would even give them a drive around the car lot in a tricked out Santa mobile. And at the end of the night, he'd give a few cars away to a handful of lucky people.
Most car lots wouldn't even dream of giving stock away for free, even in the spirit of the holidays. But Mr. LaRusso was different. He understood what it meant to come from nothing. That's what Johnny liked most about Mr. LaRusso. He was humble and his deeds were admirable. At least compared to his own step father who didn't have an empathetic bone in his body.
"I was wondering if you'd help me set things up," Daniel asked.
He walked over towards the young man, leaning against the door frame and in Johnny's space. That was another quirk of Mr. LaRusso. He liked getting close to people when he talked to them. He said it made it more personal. Johnny didn't really care what the reasoning was because it made him feel flustered every time. Maybe it was because he wasn't used to the affection or maybe it was something else. Either way, Johnny didn't move away.
"Isn't Louie setting up before we open?" Johnny pondered, hesitating.
"Between you and me, I don't really trust Louie to do as he's told. Knowing my luck, he'll probably sleep in and show up late tomorrow," Daniel said morosely, offering a tired smile. "I wouldn't ask you unless it was super important to me and you've proven to me on multiple occasions that I can rely on you."
True. Louie wasn't the most reliable guy. Mr. LaRusso gave him so many passes because he was family. If it wasn't for blood, Louie would've been fired ages ago and they both know it. But what caught Johnny's attention was the fact that Mr. LaRusso had said he trusted Johnny with important things. Johnny could practically gush with excitement right now, but how embarrassing would that be? He had to play it cool, but all he could think of to say was:
"Would I get overtime?"
"Isn't helping me outta the kindness of your heart enough?" Daniel joked.
Things got awkward for a second when Johnny didn't react or, rather, didn't react in the way Daniel was hoping. Johnny was still awestruck by Mr. LaRusso entrusting him with an important task that Daniel interpreted it as Johnny taking the joke seriously. It was Daniel's turn to feel flustered as he back peddled a bit.
"Come on, Johnny. You know I'm good for it," Daniel reassured, clasping a hand on the blonde man's shoulder. "You'll get overtime and since it's the holidays, as an added bonus, I'll even pay you time and a half."
"Oh, Mr. LaRusso you don't have to do that," Johnny told him.
"You're one of my best employees and you're always eager to help me even when I don't ask for it," Daniel praised. He kneaded Johnny's shoulder tenderly; the type of gesture that came off as familial. "It's the least I can do to reward you for all your hard work."
Johnny was once again floored by Mr. LaRusso's frankness. He was giving out praise left and right like it was nothing. When in reality it meant the world to Johnny. Before he started working at Larusso Auto, Johnny couldn't tell you the last time he was congratulated for anything. The idea was so foreign to him, that the slightest bit of acknowledgement always sent him to the moon and back.
"So whaddya say? Will you be Santa's little helper?" Daniel inquired; that easy smile spreading flawlessly across his face.
Between the smile and the somewhat intimate inflection of Mr. LaRusso's voice, how could Johnny say no?
After everyone had gone home for the night and it was just Johnny and Daniel, they went to work getting the showroom ready for tomorrow's festivities. There wasn't that much to do. It was mostly just moving the cars out of the showroom and bringing in the ones that would be part of the raffle. The same cars Johnny finished detailing before his shift was up. Mostly SUVs and the like; family vehicles. They were brand new, as well. Mr. LaRusso always offered the best when it came to these giveaways. He said it made it more meaningful and special.
Knowing Sid, Johnny's step father, if he even had a modicum of good will like Mr. LaRusso, he'd give away the bare minimum. The kind of stuff that wasn't even worthy of being labelled as scrap metal; the absolute worst dog shit beaters you could think of. It made Johnny think of "the loaner" from that Jim Carrey movie The Mask. Just a heap of metal glued together in a rattling mess. Johnny was glad Sid wasn't a car dealer. Who knows how many people he'd endanger by selling faulty junkers just to save some money.
Once all the cars were set up to Daniel's liking they went in the back stockroom to wheel out a bunch of bonsai trees. Mr. LaRusso thought it'd be neat if they had a bunch of bonsai trees made up to look like little Christmas trees with tinsel, ornaments, and mini candy canes. They would also be given away as a gift for the children. Johnny found the idea ingenious and endearing, knowing how much joy it would bring Mr. LaRusso to see their faces light up with glee.
For the next hour or so, Johnny decorated bonsai trees with Mr. Larusso. It took a little longer than usual because they couldn't find the decorations for a good twenty minutes. They were buried in the back of storage since they had to make room for all the trees earlier in the week. Daniel had a pretty good idea of who misplaced them too, but he wasn't going to get into all of that. Instead, him and Johnny worked side by side effortlessly, passing the time with idle conversation they couldn't normally have while working.
Not that they didn't already talk a lot. Johnny does overtime more frequently than anyone else, even when Daniel doesn't explicitly ask him. Which was weird to Daniel at first. He's noticed some of the younger workers around Johnny's age aren't very keen on working more than they have to. Hell, even some of the old timers aren't thrilled by the idea. But Johnny's different. He goes out of his way to prove himself to Daniel no matter how much reassurance and praise he gets. Johnny acts as if Daniel will fire him at a moment's notice. At least that's how Daniel saw it.
Daniel wouldn't dream of firing a nice young man like Johnny. Not only because of his work ethic, but because he genuinely enjoyed the kid's company. Daniel couldn't help but feel a certain fondness for the blonde. Ever since Johnny started working here, Daniel brought it upon himself to take the young man under his wing. Daniel's always been pretty paternal in a way, seeing as how he had lost his father at a young age. He wondered if Johnny ever thought he was overbearing at any point with how much he pestered the kid.
The last thing Daniel wanted was for Johnny to feel uncomfortable; like he had to wear a smile and reciprocate Daniel's attention just because he's the boss. He didn't even put two and two together until now. What if Johnny was just being nice to please him? Oh no...
"You don't always have to do overtime, ya know," Daniel piped up suddenly when Johnny was in the middle of talking.
Johnny looked up from the tree he was decorating and gave Daniel a puzzled look, losing his train of thought. He stood there waiting for Mr. LaRusso to make eye contact, but the boss seemed dead set on the task at hand.
"But I thought you wanted me to do overtime?" Johnny said slowly, working the words out in his head before saying them. "Isn't that why you asked me?"
"No, I know that. I just mean you don't always have to say yes to me every time I ask," Daniel clarified with a guilt ridden sigh. He finally took the chance to glance at the blonde man apologetically. "I want you to know that you're not obligated and no one's forcing you to stay late."
"Well, if I say no who else is supposed to help you?" Johnny countered, seemingly unfazed by Mr. LaRusso's demeanor taking a complete one-eighty. "Besides, I don't mind staying late for you Mr. LaRusso. Really."
There he goes again, trying to prove himself. The young man seemed to be honest in his admission, but Daniel was still a little ambivalent despite the sentiment really touching his heart. Guilt was ultimately stronger in this scenario.
"Wouldn't you rather be with family?" Daniel questioned, still unconvinced.
Johnny laughed mirthlessly. "Honestly? No, not really."
The statement caught Daniel off guard for a moment. Johnny was so beside himself that Daniel didn't know what to say. He was so earnest when he said it too. All of sudden, Daniel felt dumb for even doubting their friendship.
"Why not?" Daniel then pried, adding, "If you don't mind me asking."
"It's my step dad. We don't really get along. And my mom, well..." Johnny trailed off, leaving the conclusion up for assumption. He didn't like discussing Sid, even with people he trusted like Mr. LaRusso. "That's part of the reason why I do overtime so much. I'm trying to save up money to get my own place."
"I'm sorry your home life isn't the best. I can't imagine how hard it must be growing up with absent parents," Daniel consoled, reaching over to lay a hand on Johnny's shoulder like he had earlier.
"It is what it is," Johnny said with a shrug.
He hadn't known Johnny's home life was such a touchy topic. He knew of Sid Weinberg, but didn't know much else beyond that. Johnny never really spoke of either of his parents, but Daniel now understood why. Daniel was looking for a way out of that particular subject when he thought about the other thing Johnny had said.
"What's the other part?"
"What?"
"You said money was part of the reason you do overtime," Daniel recalled, getting Johnny to forget about his step dad momentarily. "Why else do you do it?"
This prompted a bashful glance and a hint of a blush to creep up on Johnny's cheeks; you'd think the kid got wind chill from how fast his fair complexion turned rosy and flushed. Had Daniel asked another terrible question?
"Promise not to laugh?" Johnny confided, managing to keep eye contact with Mr. LaRusso despite wanting to curl in on himself.
"Of course," Daniel promised, taking a step closer to Johnny to face him better.
Christ, was he really going to say what he was about to say? Johnny already had a rough time expressing his feelings to regular people, but Mr. LaRusso? His boss? What if Mr. LaRusso was weirded out by his admiration? Was it appropriate? It's not like Johnny would be confessing the fact that he's had a crush on him for the longest time. He just wanted Mr. LaRusso to know that he treasured their friendship. That's all. Nothing weird about that.
"Well…" Here goes nothing. "I like being around you."
Mr. LaRusso seemed stunned by this; like it was completely inconceivable to believe that a kid like Johnny could ever like an old dweeb like Mr. LaRusso. Which, yeah okay… Mr. LaRusso isn't the coolest dude and he's kind of out of touch with most things and he's a total dork, but Johnny found that that made Mr. LaRusso all the more wholesome and endearing. Johnny liked his personality.
"Really?" Daniel asked in almost disbelief.
"Yeah."
Daniel couldn't fathom that someone so young would even like his company. Daniel wasn't exactly a spring chicken; he was pushing fifty-two and Johnny was just fresh out of high school the year before. To say there was a huge generational gap would be an understatement. Not that it was ever hardly a problem. Surprisingly, Johnny liked a lot of old movies and music. At least old compared to Johnny.
"Any particular reason?" Daniel pressed with a giddy chuckle.
He needed to know more. Daniel wanted to know why Johnny liked him. What qualities did the young man see in him that would make Daniel feel validated and why did he care so much? God, it was like asking for feedback on a survey. Maybe it was the people pleaser inside him wanting to know what he can work on to be an even better version of himself.
"I don't know. I just feel like you genuinely care about the people around you," Johnny divulged, feeling put on the spot now that Mr. LaRusso's attention was a hundred percent on him. "You listen to people's problems and you always try to help them out. When I'm around you it's almost like I have someone looking out for me."
"Like a father," Daniel pondered out loud.
"Well, maybe not a father," Johnny gushed nervously. He scratched the back of his neck and his eyes darted away. "That would be kinda awkward."
"In what way?" Daniel teased.
"Because you're my boss and…" Johnny was full on blushing at this point. "I don't know. It would just be awkward."
Johnny knew the reason why, he just didn't want to say it. If he wasn't embarrassed enough already, then he would be after explaining why thinking of Mr. LaRusso as a father figure might be problematic. Luckily, Mr. LaRusso could tell when to leave something alone and didn't press him on the topic further.
"Fair enough. As long as we still get to be friends," Daniel concurred with an ardent smile, squeezing Johnny's shoulder.
They went back to finishing up the bonsai trees, as well as getting a few other things in order. All while they talked about life, music, and what movies they were excited about that are coming out soon. Mr. LaRusso absentmindedly suggested they go see something together after the New Year and Johnny can't help but get his hopes up over whether that was Mr. LaRusso making a pass or just being friendly. Johnny knew it was most definitely the latter, but a guy can dream right?
It doesn't take long for them to get things in order. It could've taken them an hour instead of two if they hadn't been talking for so long. Neither of them were complaining. Daniel got to bond with Johnny and Johnny got time away from his step father. Overtime was just the added bonus that came along with it. Johnny hated to go, but it was already getting pretty late into the evening and he was hungry. There was nothing more to do anyway and he didn't want to suck more overtime out of Mr. LaRusso.
Mr. LaRusso closed everything up afterwards and they said their goodbyes, both feeling as if they knew the other a little bit better now. It felt nice knowing that Johnny actually liked him after all. Daniel couldn't tell you why he had doubt to begin with. He usually doesn't care what people think about him, but for some reason it mattered greatly to Daniel to know if the young blonde man truly liked him. Not to mention the way Johnny spoke of him or how he seemed bashful at times. Daniel wasn't sure what that meant, but he liked it.
He liked it so much that he thought about it later on when it was finally time to get some shut eye. It kept him up for a while, thinking about how nervous and flushed Johnny got when he asked why Johnny liked doing overtime. Or how flustered he seemed when Daniel mentioned the prospect of being a father figure to him. Why the hell was he so embarrassed by the notion? Was it really just because he was Johnny's boss? Perhaps.
Regardless, it kept Daniel up for longer than he'd like to admit, but eventually he fell asleep and was well rested for what was to come.
The event planned for Christmas Eve went off without a hitch after only a few minor hiccups. Daniel ended up calling it when Louie came strolling in about a quarter shy of being an hour late. It made him eternally grateful that Johnny had helped him out the night prior. Without Johnny, Daniel would have had to stay closed as he scrambled to set everything up, which meant the catering would've had to wait and it would've just caused a pile up. No pun intended. Daniel made sure he would give Johnny a formal thank you after the day's festivities were over.
And festive it was.
Daniel was dressed to the nines in a Santa costume with the beard and everything while the rest of the workers were dressed up in a menagerie of holiday themed characters. Some wore snowmen outfits, others were reindeer, and a select few were dressed as elves. Johnny was dressed like an elf. He had the red and white striped tights, the green velvet tunic with bells adorning the fringe of the collar, the jangly slippers that curled at the ends, a Peter Pan style hat, and some fake pointy ears.
Johnny had expressed his displeasure over the outfit, claiming that he looked stupid. Daniel assured him that he looked fine; cute, even. The boost of confidence and word choice was enough to bring about that soft rosy tinge to Johnny's cheeks. The blush somehow completed the look, making him look ethereal in a way. It was compounded further when Daniel pointed this out and showered him in compliments.
"I don't know why the rest of us have to dress up," Johnny bemoaned in the break room after he had put on the elf suit.
"Why? What's wrong with it?"
Johnny gave him a grim look like he was in disbelief.
"Look at me!" Johnny lamented, holding his arms out to show off the full extent of his embarrassment.
"Oh, I'm looking," Daniel said with an amused chuckle.
He took in the sight of Johnny decked out in the elf costume. He looked absolutely adorable with that hat atop his mess of blonde hair and the pointy ears oddly suited him. Not to mention the striped tights really flattered his thighs. Daniel never realized how toned and in shape Johnny was until now. Christ, the tights looked really good on him.
"I look like a dumbass," Johnny insisted; hands on his hips.
"Hey, watch your language young man," Daniel chided softly much to Johnny's surprise.
Johnny gave him this indescribable expression, like he couldn't believe Mr. LaRusso just scolded him like a child. Okay, maybe scolded is too strong of a word, but Mr. LaRusso was acting like his father or something and that made Johnny feel a... particular way.
"Or what? Are you gonna ground me, dad?" Johnny remarked playfully, thinking of it as a joke, but Mr. LaRusso's face seemed to pale there for a moment.
"Just… watch your mouth around the children, will ya?" Daniel reiterated, willfully ignoring the spike of excitement he got when Johnny called him dad.
"Don't worry. I may look stupid, Mr. LaRusso, but I'm not gonna act stupid," Johnny promised.
"You don't look stupid."
And he meant it. Daniel was only used to seeing Johnny wearing his uniform or occasionally catching him in his red leather jacket. So to see him like this, was something special. Simply put, Johnny was precious, even as he pouted.
"Sure I don't..."
"I mean it. You look great," Daniel stated, noticing the blush that overcame Johnny. "I think it looks cute on you."
The blonde furrowed his eyebrows, giving Daniel a suspicious once over like he was waiting for a punchline. Johnny couldn't quite believe his ears. Did Mr. LaRusso just call him cute? He could feel the familiar heat of blood rushing to his face. He wasn't sure if Mr. LaRusso was being patronizing or if he was being earnest. He didn't appear to be having a laugh at Johnny's expense so he had to assume it was the latter.
"Really?"
"Oh yeah! You look even more adorable now that you're blushing," Daniel pointed out, truly admiring Johnny's boyish looks. "Makes me wish it was Christmas everyday."
"You don't mean that," Johnny laughed off nervously, knowing that Mr. LaRusso had to be pulling his leg.
Still, it didn't negate the fact that it made him feel special. Especially coming from someone he admired as much as Mr. LaRusso. It's like he was walking on clouds.
"What makes you think that?"
"I don't know…" Johnny said with a shrug.
Because you're so mature and handsome and there's no way someone like you could think someone like me is cute.
"I like to think I have pretty good taste," said Daniel, not thinking his words through better.
Johnny stared at him wide-eyed.
Taste?
It was Daniel's turn to feel the heat rise in his cheeks as he realized his poor word choice. The funny thing is, is that he really did think Johnny was cute. Johnny was very attractive and Daniel has, shamefully, found himself staring at the young man for prolonged periods of time. He would watch Johnny wipe down the cars in the lot and daydream about things he ought not daydream about. Daniel cared about Johnny on a platonic level, but here recently that all started to change and this slip up was proof of that.
"I mean, I like to think I can tell when someone's attractive," Daniel corrected quickly.
Nailed it.
After that, Johnny walked off still red in the face from Mr. LaRusso's honesty and tried to keep his mind occupied with customers and guests. He mingled for the most part, like everyone else. He entertained the kids waiting in line to sit on Mr. LaRusso's lap-- er, Santa's lap. He wasn't well versed in occupying children, but he made do by asking them if they were excited to see Santa or telling them that Santa had something special planned for them if they were good.
Johnny assumed he was doing a good job because most of the kids were delighted to see him. Johnny thought they just really liked the way he jingled every time he moved. But the kids also engaged him in conversation; asking him questions about the North Pole and where Santa's reindeer were.
"Santa's reindeer are at home right now resting up for their big journey tonight. So make sure you leave out plenty of carrots for 'em," Johnny would say in response.
Between engaging the children and occasionally sneaking off to get some food, Johnny was mostly watching Mr. LaRusso for the entire evening. He had such a way with prioritizing his attention for each and every child, making sure it was specially personalized for all of them. Something about seeing Mr. LaRusso being so compassionate and kind warmed Johnny's heart. It truly spoke volumes about who Mr. LaRusso is as a person.
Every so often Mr. LaRusso would catch his eye and give him a small nod of acknowledgement. Johnny liked to think he was smiling underneath his fake Santa beard whenever they locked eyes. Because Johnny sure did. It was kind of awkward, but Johnny couldn't help it. He was riding high on the nice things Mr. LaRusso had said to him and how… funny it made him feel.
He wasn't used to people complimenting him. No other adult role model had ever cared enough about him to build up his self-esteem. If anything, Sid had always taken him down a peg or two. Sure, his mom tried to stand up for him from time to time, but if she truly cared about Johnny's well-being she would ditch that asshole. Money and security be damned.
But then there was Mr. LaRusso.
LaRusso Auto hadn't been his first choice of job after graduating. He didn't have much experience with customer service or anything close to it; let alone any qualifications. Johnny didn't know how to deal with people in general. He'd been quite popular in school, but that was mostly because he had a car and motorcycle. But eventually Johnny caved and put in an application. If he got the job, then awesome. If not, oh well.
Mr. LaRusso ended up conducting the interview himself instead of some manager or middleman. The first time he met his future boss was surreal. He'd seen the cheesy commercials on tv all the time and when he finally got to sit down and meet the man himself it was interesting to say the least. Johnny realized right away what kind of man Mr. LaRusso was. He was hired on the spot after Mr. LaRusso said he had determination and spirit. It wasn't long after that when Johnny had started developing his fondness for his boss.
He always figured it was because Mr. LaRusso had shown him more care and attention than his so-called parents, but recently he's begun to suspect that it was something else entirely. Even the way the older man was speaking to him had evolved into something… different. He still maintained that fatherly vibe, but there were always moments when a touch or gaze would linger. And now Mr. LaRusso calling him cute?
There's a huge difference between calling someone handsome and calling them cute. Handsome implied that one was simply admiring another person's attractiveness while cute seemed more intimate and personal. Johnny's probably overthinking it, but then why would Mr. LaRusso get so flustered and correct what he said? Maybe it was just a slip of the tongue and he wanted to reiterate what he meant so the compliment sounded more professional.
These thoughts and more tumbled around in his head throughout the afternoon and well into the evening as the Christmas eve event came to a close. The winners of the raffle were called and every kid was sent home with a decorative bonsai tree. Daniel enlisted the help of Johnny to hand them out since the kids seemed to have taken a liking to him. All in all, the benefit went about as good as expected, if not more. Everyone basically got paid time and a half for what was essentially an office party, so Daniel could rest easy knowing that his employees were going home happy.
Everyone went home almost immediately except for Daniel who had to stay behind so catering could pack up all their stuff. Daniel went to his office and took off the fake Santa beard, breathing a sigh of relief now that his face would no longer be itchy from the coarse white curls. He kicked back in his chair, suddenly feeling the weight of how exhausted he was. It was satisfying, though. He felt like he accomplished a lot today. Daniel thought he could fall asleep in his chair right here and now, but was roused when he heard a light tapping on his door.
He peered over to see that Johnny was still here and straightened up.
"Catering guys are gone," said Johnny, still wearing his elf costume.
"Guess that means I can finally close up shop," Daniel replied, stretching out his body in his chair. He inhaled deeply through his nose and looked Johnny over. "What are you still doing here?"
"Oh, well, I uh was wondering if um…"
Johnny took the hat off of his head and started twisting it anxiously in his hands as his eyes darted from Daniel's face to the ground.
"I kinda need a ride home," Johnny finally managed to say after struggling for the words. "I got dropped off today and my ride home just bailed on me."
"I can take you home if you want," Daniel offered without hesitation.
"Are you sure? I wouldn't wanna be a burden," Johnny fretted; afraid of being an inconvenience.
"Nonsense! I'd rather drive you home myself knowing you're safe than riding home with a random stranger," Daniel told him. He stood up from his desk, grabbing his phone and car keys, and made his way over towards the door. "Are you ready to go now?"
"Sure."
Mr. LaRusso locked everything up and they went out into the employee parking lot. Johnny followed him, licking his dry lips as the chill in the air nipped at his skin, making his cheeks flush. They got to the car and Johnny climbed inside. He sat there patiently, rubbing his hands together to warm them up as Mr. LaRusso got the heater running. It was the first time Johnny had ever been inside his boss' car and, along with the close proximity and being alone together, it felt intimate.
They sat there for a moment or two waiting for the car to heat up and Johnny just sank back in his seat comfortably. Mr. LaRusso turned on the radio but kept it at a low hum to fill in the silence. A Christmas song was playing in the background. Mr. LaRusso buckled up and pulled out of the lot.
Once they were on the road, a million thoughts raced through Johnny's head. He'd been thinking about all their interactions that led up to this point and contemplated whether he should bring it up or not. He wondered if the older man would say something, but he was silent for the most part. Johnny peaked over at Mr. LaRusso from time to time, gauging his expression to see if there was any change, but he was just sitting there with a vague smile on his face the whole time.
The closer they got to Johnny's home, the more reluctant the young man felt. He started to get cold feet and questioned if getting a ride home with Mr. LaRusso was a good plan after all. He thought about this moment all night after he came to the epiphany that, yes he just might have feelings for his boss. Now that he had the opportunity to confess, Johnny wasn't sure if it was such a bright idea.
What if he got fired for crossing a line? What if Mr. LaRusso was disgusted in him for making a move? Johnny wouldn't care about losing his job, but to have Mr. LaRusso wanting nothing to do with him anymore… That's what was really on the line. Their friendship. Was it really worth it to lose the only positive relationship he had? Or was the real punishment not taking a risk to make this into something more? Johnny knew how he felt, but was he reading all of Mr. LaRusso's signals wrong?
It got to the point where Johnny finally had enough and just said fuck it. If this is what he'd feel like every time he was around Mr. LaRusso, then he'd rather take a leap of faith than to go through this torment any longer.
"Mr. LaRusso? Can we park somewhere private for a little bit?" Johnny spoke up, breaking Daniel out of his trance.
"Uh, sure. Gimme a minute," Daniel obliged.
It didn't take long for Daniel to find an empty patch of dirt off the side of a back road. He noticed Johnny had been unusually quiet since he got inside the car, so to have him make an odd request out of nowhere kind of stunned him into compliance. He thought about it more and figured it had to be something important. Maybe Johnny was having problems at home and wanted to talk about that. Or maybe it was something else…
Daniel parked the car and switched the engine off, but left the keys in the ignition to keep the heater and radio going. He didn't bother switching on the overhead light because the glow from the console was enough to illuminate their faces. Daniel unbuckled his seatbelt and glanced over at the young man with concern.
"What's wrong, Johnny?"
"I lied," Johnny admitted.
Did he forget about a conversation they were having or something? Daniel was baffled and asked what he meant by that.
"About what?"
"I didn't need a ride home," said Johnny. He still wasn't looking at Daniel despite knowing Mr. LaRusso had his full attention on him.
"I'm not sure I follow," Daniel said in confusion.
He had come this far already and was at the point of no return. Johnny had to go all the way now. There was no turning back. Now or never.
"There's something that I wanna tell you, but I'm afraid that you'll hate me afterwards," Johnny professed.
The pressure was getting to him so bad that he thought he'd cry at any second. How had this escalated so fast?
"Oh Johnny, I could never hate you," Daniel reassured, reaching over to put a hand on the blonde's knee.
Johnny eyed the hand precariously and felt his face warm up. He thought about that hand curling inwards and running slowly down his thigh. The tights were so thin that it felt like Mr. LaRusso's skin was touching him directly and that caused the stretchy fabric to expand a little.
"Never say never," Johnny commented ruefully.
"Well, why don't you let me be the judge and decide for myself whether I'll hate you or not," Daniel suggested, rubbing Johnny's knee in encouragement.
"Don't say I didn't warn you," Johnny sighed, though that was more for himself than it was for Mr. LaRusso.
Johnny took a few calming breaths and raised his head to look over at Mr. LaRusso. He was still unsure and nervous as hell, but as he gazed at the older man with his warm welcoming smile a little of his initial fear melted away, leaving him with newfound determination.
"I don't know how to say this Mr. LaRusso, but…"
His throat felt like it was closing up. The sound of Carol of the bells was like a death knell, playing softly as he sank further and further into quicksand. He scrambled and fought his way back up to the surface, determined to stand his ground. Instead of words coming out, however, Johnny took one look at the older man's lips and his body sort of just went on autopilot. The next thing he knew he was lurching over and pressing his lips to Mr. LaRusso's.
Daniel's eyes widened as he made a surprised noise that got trapped in his throat. He didn't know how to respond. He couldn't even bring himself to push Johnny away because 1) he was so stunned and 2) he didn't exactly mind what was happening. So he found himself in a sort of limbo. He was leaning back when Johnny insisted on pressing further into him and his hands kind of just hovered around the young man, as if he was contemplating whether he should embrace him or not.
The moment came to an abrupt end when Johnny finally realized what he had done and wrenched himself from his boss. His breathing was shaky and his eyes were wide as shock set in. Did he really just kiss Mr. LaRusso? He… He was a dead man. Johnny had officially ruined his life. Why did he kiss him? Fuck! He was sure that Mr. LaRusso would kick him out of his car in disgust and never talk to him again. But, to Johnny's surprise, when he spared a shameful gaze over at Mr. LaRusso the older man just gave him this bewildered expression.
Johnny was fully prepared to babble out an incoherent apology, but Mr. LaRusso cut him off before he could do so.
"Wow that's--" Daniel was at a loss for words. At first he didn't know how to feel about Johnny kissing him. It changed everything. "I certainly wasn't expecting that."
Time seemed to slow down and Daniel forgot how to breathe all together for a few seconds as his brain tried to keep up with him. His breath had quite literally been taken away. When his head eventually cleared up, Daniel's mind began to race as he tried to ascertain what had caused Johnny to want to kiss him. Again, he didn't necessarily mind that it happened, he just couldn't fathom why a young man like Johnny was harboring these feelings for him.
He finally glanced over at Johnny once again and he could see the look of horror on the blonde's face. The kid was in absolute shock over what he did. It was plain to see that Johnny was having a hard time coping with (in his mind) his grave mistake. Daniel could sense that Johnny was on the verge of tears because his breathing was shallow and jagged. The last thing Daniel wanted was to see Johnny so emotionally distraught just because of the way he felt. Especially when it awakened some deep seeded feelings of his own.
"I didn't know you felt that way, Johnny," Daniel said plainly. He was too stunned to say anything else in the moment.
"Yeah? Well, now you know," Johnny answered much to his shame.
"I'm not gonna lie Johnny, but--"
Johnny's head whipped around like nobody's business. He fixed his wide and terrified eyes on the older man, bracing himself for the worst. His head was spinning; he could still feel Mr. LaRusso's lips upon his. He was expecting his boss to tear into him, but what came next truly floored him.
"--I kinda liked it."
The admission was enough to astonish both Daniel and Johnny. Johnny just sat there staring at him, mouth slightly agape and eyes gleaming in awe. Daniel gently grabbed Johnny underneath the chin and leaned forward to bring their lips together again. The kiss was softer and more chaste compared to Johnny's spur of the moment kiss. Daniel could feel the tension slowly melt away from Johnny, but he was still guarded.
At first, Johnny didn't initially kiss back because he was so perplexed that his boss was actually kissing him right now. But Daniel took his time and eventually Johnny's defenses came down and he found himself kissing back. The embrace was deepened when Daniel's other hand came back to rest on Johnny's leg. Daniel ran his hand across the sheer fabric of the tights, traveling down towards Johnny's inner thigh.
This elicited a noise out of Johnny, prompting Daniel to rub his palm even closer towards the inside just so he could hear Johnny enjoying himself more. Johnny responded by reaching over and putting his hand on Mr. LaRusso's leg. Daniel could feel Johnny's hand tentatively slide against his leg, as if he was afraid that this was all a ruse. Daniel decided to lay Johnny's worries to rest and closed the distance between his hand and the young man's groin.
When his palm cupped Johnny's half hard erection all doubt was thrown out the window. Johnny spread his legs to accommodate Mr. LaRusso's hand and sank back into the car seat. This, in turn, encouraged Johnny to touch the older man. His hand ran tantalizingly slow up Mr. LaRusso's leg until it reached its destination. Johnny rubbed his hand over the bulge in Mr. LaRusso's pants, taking note that-- oh yeah-- he was still wearing the Santa suit.
They sat there for a few moments, just kissing and touching each other. This was about as far as Johnny had ever gone with someone. He was used to the idea of heavy petting, but Johnny had a feeling this might go further beyond that if this teasing kept up. Sure enough, the ultimatum was brought up not a moment later when Mr. LaRusso finally broke the kiss.
"Do you wanna come to my place?" Daniel asked, panting slightly as his hand retreated just a little.
Johnny could only nod his head as words failed him. He couldn't actually believe that this was happening. The rest of the ride to Mr. LaRusso's place was all a blur to Johnny as his head was clearly in the clouds. Next thing he knew he was in Mr. LaRusso's house; in his bedroom. Mr. LaRusso was sitting on the foot of his bed, still in the Santa costume, and patting his leg.
"Come sit on Santa's lap," Daniel beckoned.
Johnny numbly did as he was told and approached the bed. He straddled the older man's lap, bracing his hands on his shoulders as he grinded himself on Mr. LaRusso's lap. They began to make out as Johnny rocked his hips back and forth, building up more friction so he could feel how hard Mr. LaRusso was against his ass. The act itself was such a turn on for him that the front of his tights started to get damp. Every time he brushed his erection against Mr. LaRusso's abdomen, a shudder ebbed through him and made his hips stutter.
Johnny was so worked up that he thought he might actually come from this alone. That notion was slowly becoming a reality because despite wanting to stave off his orgasm, his body kept pushing for more, more, more. It also didn't help that Mr. LaRusso was holding onto his ass either; squeezing it and helping him hump his crotch. Johnny couldn't help it. He kept on grinding himself all over Mr. LaRusso's lap even as he felt his climax creeping up on him.
In the midst of making out and humping, Johnny broke free from the kiss and instead wrapped himself completely around Mr. LaRusso's body. His hips jerked a few more times until he came; face buried in the crook of Mr. LaRusso's neck. His whole body shuddered from the force of it, leaving him a moaning, shivering mess as come soaked the front of his tights. Daniel held onto Johnny until the height of his orgasm broke and he came down from his high. He was stroking Johnny's blonde hair as the kid panted and shook with pleasure.
Daniel really hadn't been expecting that to happen as quickly as it did, but he wasn't disappointed. He got to feel every tremor work its way through Johnny's body as he held on tight. So tight that Daniel thought he was being squeezed by a boa constrictor. There was something satisfying about Johnny coming so fast just from grinding alone, but it also made Daniel want to experience the same thing but while he's inside Johnny.
"I'm sorry," Johnny began to apologize, voice trembling from heightened sensitivity and embarrassment. "I didn't mean to come that fast."
"That's okay. That just means I have to get you hard again," Daniel whispered in his ear, petting his hair and kissing him softly.
Johnny shivered to think what that might entail.
After Johnny regained some stamina, Daniel helped him get undressed and cleaned him up a little too. His underwear and the striped tights to his elf costume were soiled. The thought of letting Johnny burrow some of his clothes and getting his smell all over him turned Daniel on even more. He couldn't believe this was actually happening right now.
"Get on your hands and knees," Daniel instructed, getting an eyeful as he watched Johnny climb onto the bed.
The realization finally hit Johnny. Mr. LaRusso walked over to his dresser and rummaged around before finding what he was looking for. Johnny's heart was racing as he heard Mr. LaRusso disrobe behind him. This was actually happening, wasn't it? This is how Johnny loses his virginity; to a man almost three times his age who also happens to be his boss. This can't be real. Panic had overtaken him, causing him to scramble around to face Mr. LaRusso before anything could transpire.
"Mr. LaRusso, I've never done this before," Johnny confessed with shame.
"You're a virgin?" Daniel asked in disbelief.
It was just so hard to believe that someone as stunning as Johnny could still be a virgin. Not that there was anything wrong with being a virgin. Daniel's actually glad Johnny said something, because now he knew how slow to take it. Daniel took a seat on the bed next to Johnny and consoled him.
"If you're not ready, we can stop," Daniel told him. There he goes being all paternal again.
"It's not that. I'm just kinda nervous. I already ruined the mood by coming too soon," Johnny said with a self-defeating tone. "I don't wanna ruin it again by being inexperienced."
"It's completely normal to be nervous, Johnny," Daniel comforted, stroking Johnny's hair. "And you didn't ruin anything because it's not over yet. It's not over until you say so."
Mr. LaRusso was too good of a man for him. Even in the midst of being intimate he still retained the capacity to act so fatherly and understanding towards him. It made Johnny feel weird and shameful in the most pleasant way. His eyes raked up and down Mr. LaRusso's body and he knew right then and there that he wasn't going to say no. He didn't want this to stop. He wanted to go the distance.
"So, do you wanna stop?" Daniel asked again to make sure they were on the same page.
"No," said Johnny in a soft voice. "No, I wanna keep going."
"Alright. Get on your hands and knees," Daniel reiterated, giving Johnny a comforting smile as he patted him on the ass.
Johnny crawled back into position, feeling a little more brave now that he was aware that Mr. LaRusso would be patient with him. He felt the bed dip behind him a little as the older man climbed on. There was a moment where everything was still, then Johnny felt hands on the backs of his thighs, coaxing him to open himself up more. Johnny shimmied to spread legs further apart and dipped his back to raise his ass up a little. Johnny wasn't sure what to expect. Even as he heard a snap of a cap open and close.
A few seconds ticked on by and the next thing Johnny knew there were fingers gently rubbing in between his cheeks. He flinched from the contact, but immediately relaxed when Mr. LaRusso laid a soothing hand on his left cheek. Daniel took his time with Johnny; using the tips of his fingers to tease the rim of the young man's entrance. He bent forward from time to time to lay kisses all over the feverish skin of Johnny's rear end. He kept this pace up; only ever flirting with the idea of slipping a digit inside Johnny but never actually taking it that far.
Once Johnny began pressing back into his touch, Daniel took it upon himself to start working on loosening Johnny up. He spread some more lube on his fingers and proceeded to slip a finger inside Johnny slowly. Johnny let out the softest whimper and rocked his body backward, begging for more of that odd sensation. Daniel took a chance and slid another finger right alongside the first and this time Johnny gasped. Daniel felt Johnny's muscles clenching around his fingers experimentally as he wiggled his hips back and forth.
Daniel pulled his fingers out and gently slid them right back in. He did this a couple more times until Johnny got more used to the feeling. He thrusted and scissored his fingers, making the muscles more relaxed and slippery. Johnny continued to make noises here and there. He got really into it when Daniel coupled this with a few light swats to his butt and tender nips to his thighs. He was doing his damndest to make sure Johnny was comfortable with everything he was doing, resulting in very little complaint, if any at all.
The muscles flexed all around Daniel's fingers, becoming more pliant as he massaged Johnny's insides. Daniel couldn't begin to imagine what Johnny would feel like around his cock. He was well and truly aroused by this point. So much so that he could hardly keep himself in suspense. In the middle of preparing Johnny, Daniel reached down between Johnny's spread legs and grasped his dick. He was pleased to see that Johnny was getting hard again.
"Does that feel good?" Daniel inquired, hyper aware of every little move Johnny made.
"Yeah," Johnny replied in a breathy tone.
Johnny kept rocking himself back; occasionally looking over his shoulder at Daniel. He licked his lips and moaned when Daniel plunged his fingers in again. Daniel squeezed a handful of Johnny's ass which spread him open even more to reveal the tight little entrance just begging to be filled up.
"Do you want more?" Daniel inquired, becoming more breathless as he reached the limit of his composure.
He slapped Johnny on the ass to get him to answer faster, giving the kid a jolt of surprise as he gasped in response.
"Yes."
Daniel pulled his fingers out and tapped him lightly on the hip. Johnny flipped over onto his back, pupils dilated and cheeks ruddy with arousal. His body was like a furnace giving off heat, he was so aroused. Daniel admired the young man's physique and Johnny seemed to do the same. They stared at each other like they were just realizing the other was real; that this was real.
Johnny slid further up the bed and Daniel followed him. Johnny spread his legs and Daniel climbed in between them. They shared a kiss and Daniel leaned back to pour a generous amount of lubricant into his hand. He tossed the bottle aside and worked the lube along his cock until it was nice and slick. Johnny waited with bated breath as Mr. LaRusso made sure everything was in order.
"Are you ready?" Daniel questioned when he braced himself over Johnny.
"Uh-huh."
"Don't worry. I got you," Daniel consoled, grabbing the base of his cock and pressing forward.
The first push inward was tedious, yet patient. Daniel wasn't in such a hurry that he would hurt Johnny just to sate his own desire. No... Daniel, despite his overwhelming arousal, worked himself in little by little until he was fully inside Johnny. Johnny reached out and clawed at his back as he enveloped Mr. LaRusso's cock within his body. He was making sharp, breathy sounds; some of which he tried to muffle by burying his face into Mr. LaRusso's neck. But Daniel heard and felt everything.
By the time Johnny had adjusted and relaxed his body, he was left trembling from a mixture of slight pain and adrenaline. Daniel, in the meantime, planted tiny kisses to Johnny's shoulder or the side of his neck or whatever place he could reach while murmuring sweet words of encouragement to him. Once the trembling in Johnny's thighs subsided, Daniel tested the young man's comfort by pulling out and pushing back in. He was met with a sudden gasp, followed by a soft moan.
Johnny was so tight and Daniel moved so slow that he could feel the pull and give of Johnny's muscles all over his cock; like a vice. Daniel couldn't remember the last time it felt this good for him. Granted, Johnny was a virgin, but it couldn't be that cut and dry, could it? Whatever the case, Johnny was feeling relaxed so Daniel started moving regularly. Once the initial hisses and whimpers of pain stopped, Daniel established a nice, steady pace to help Johnny get used to it.
From then on it was nothing but smooth sailing. Johnny was moaning and hanging onto whatever part of Daniel he could get his hands on and Daniel took care of him as best as he could. He made sure Johnny's first time was as pleasurable as possible. There were a few hiccups along the way, but Johnny had nothing but the utmost trust in Mr. LaRusso. And despite having orgasmed once already, Johnny was unbelievably hard by the time Mr. LaRusso started making love to him.
Time just seemed to disappear as they both were swept away in the moment. It felt like hours but it could just have been minutes for all they knew. All that mattered was the way they felt in that moment. It almost didn't feel real; like it was a dream. So many things were happening all at once and yet it felt as if there wasn't enough going on. And other moments when either of them were afraid they might miss something because everything was moving so fast and slow all at once.
Johnny's brain must have been caught up in some random thought because his eyes were glazed over, his cheeks were hot and red, and he was uttering nonsense. It sounded like he was urging Mr. LaRusso on or expressing his pleasure, but when the older man readjusted ever so slightly and picked up the rhythm again, Johnny's words came clear as day.
"Oh, fuck! Yes, daddy!" Johnny sobbed gratefully.
Daniel stopped dead in his tracks, looking down at Johnny in awe. When Daniel didn't continue moving, Johnny opened his eyes to see Mr. LaRusso hovering over him with an astonished expression. They stared at each other for what seemed like ages. Johnny realized what he had said. His heart sank and the adrenaline he'd been riding high on slowly started crashing down around him. That was it. He was done. He had grossed Mr. LaRusso out and officially killed the mood…
At least that's what he thought until--
"Watch your language, young man," Daniel remarked playfully, mirroring what he told Johnny earlier that day.
Johnny's cheeks were radiant with arousal and embarrassment. He didn't know whether he should feel mortified or turned on by the fact that he just called his boss daddy and that Mr. LaRusso was totally on board for it.
"Sorry, daddy," Johnny apologized, worked up and thoroughly well on his way to his second orgasm.
It was all downhill from there. They were both so turned on by the idea of Johnny calling him daddy that whatever shred of restraint they had left was all but forgotten. Daniel was still mindful not to hurt Johnny, but Johnny was so far gone that pain wasn't a mood killer. As time went on, he got more used to having Mr. LaRusso's cock inside him, so even the slightest bit of pain felt good in comparison to the immense pleasure he was experiencing.
Johnny kept calling Daniel daddy; further reinforcing the dynamic that had already been present, but turning it into something shamefully titillating. Like a guilty, forbidden pleasure. Johnny invoked the word anytime he felt particularly overwhelmed by stimulation or whenever he just wanted Mr. LaRusso to thrust a little harder. And Johnny said it a lot. It practically became a mantra that devolved into incoherent babbling and moaning.
Daniel bent down to feverishly capture Johnny's lips in a passionate kiss, leaving them both panting and breathless as they neared completion. It wasn't until Johnny said please daddy more did it register to Daniel that oh shit I'm about to come. So he reached down and wrapped a hand around Johnny's leaking cock that laid neglected against his stomach and began to jack him off. Daniel did his best to sync the timing. Daniel could tell Johnny was close too because he could feel his slick channel tightening rhythmically all around him.
And when they finally came, they came together. Daniel had plunged himself balls deep into the younger man while stroking Johnny's cock at the speed of light. Johnny threw his head back and thrashed slightly against the mattress as he came for the second time that night. He fisted the blankets and sheets in his hands as he exploded within Mr. LaRusso's palm. Johnny let out a broken moan as his brain was flooded with dopamine and the rest of his body tingled deliciously in response. His cock was pulsating and his muscles twitched excessively as his orgasm quaked throughout him.
Daniel came immediately after when Johnny's muscles contracted around his cock almost painfully tight. It left virtually no room, so Johnny felt every hot, gushing pulse of come coat his insides. Daniel let out a groan that was somewhere between satisfied and sore. The initial release felt heavenly, but the longer he stayed inside Johnny's impossibly tight body, the more discomfort it brought him.
When Mr. LaRusso finally pulled out, Johnny could feel the older man's release and excess lube leaking out of his used hole. It made him feel deliciously dirty, knowing that he was officially deflowered. And by his boss, no less. Johnny never thought it could feel so amazing and he was glad that it was with someone so kind and considerate as Mr. LaRusso. Daniel collapsed onto the bed and the blonde instinctively curled up next to him.
"Are you okay?" Daniel asked, caressing Johnny's hair as he held him in his arms. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"No, you felt amazing," Johnny murmured with a dreamy smile.
"Amazing, huh?" Daniel echoed with a giddy chuckle. "Well, I'm glad I could make your first time memorable."
"I think I'm ready for my second time," Johnny hummed, playfully humping against Daniel's body.
"Already?" Daniel huffed in comic disbelief. When Johnny showed no signs of a bluff, Daniel resigned to admitting defeat. For now, at least. "You're gonna have to wait if you want that. I can't bounce back as easily as you anymore."
"For how long?" Johnny whined.
And, oh, is Daniel going to enjoy Johnny incorporating bratty behavior into their relationship.
"At least until Christmas," said Daniel with an exhausted yawn.
Johnny got a devilishly evil idea and sat up to peer over at the clock on Mr. LaRusso's nightstand. The red glowing numbers read ten thirty-six and a grin slowly spread across Johnny's face.
"Well, you better be ready to go in an hour and a half," Johnny casually warned him. "'Cus at midnight, I'm riding you to the north pole and back."