Title: The Sound of Silence
Author: shellah
Fandom: Sports Night
Pairing: Casey/Dan
Rating: G
Summary: Casey needs to apologize.
Notes: Written for the fandompoolside Free Verse Challenge, and using another title from hyperfocused's Simon and Garfunkel Title Challenge.

After driving the first forty miles of the morning
you accused me of ignoring you.
Now I'm waiting for the next volley
but it isn't coming.
I've been thinking for an hour since
and I don't know what you meant.
All you probably wanted was to trade a few words.
I didn't.
--from Last Leg, by Viggo Mortensen

The silence coming from the other side of the office was becoming deafening. After several hours of it, Casey couldn't concentrate enough to even attempt to write his script. Finally, he pushed the computer aside and leaned back in his chair with a sigh. For a few minutes, he just watched Dan.

Dan was studiously ignoring him, staring at his own computer screen with such an intense look of concentration that Casey was sure it was fake. The serious eyes, though, the mouth twisted into an unfamiliar--or all-too familiar, if he thought back to some of Danny's darker days--shape...those looked real. That realization is what finally made him speak.

"Dan."

"Yes, Casey?" Dan didn't look up, but his reply didn't sound nearly as casual as Casey was sure he meant it to. Rather than discouraging him, that inability to act casual, as if nothing mattered, gave Casey hope.

"Danny. Can't you stop for a minute?"

When Dan's eyes lifted to his, Casey felt skewered. He swore silently, cursing himself for his own stupidity. He got up and paced closer to Dan. Dan didn't move, but Casey sensed his body tensing.

"Look, Danny, I'm sorry. I'm an idiot. I was in a bad mood and I took it out on you." When Dan didn't visibly react, Casey blew out a frustrated breath and turned away. He sank onto the couch and leaned his head back. Staring at the ceiling was as productive as anything else he'd been doing today, anyway.

A moment later, he felt the couch cushion sink next to him and a warm body lean slightly into his side. When Dan started talking, Casey sighed quietly in relief.

"I know you didn't mean it, Casey, but...you've got to know that even the people who really care about you, who understand you, can get their feelings hurt. You need new ways of working out your frustrations."

"I know," Casey said quietly, "I'm trying."

There was a long moment in which Casey began to get nervous again, and then, as quietly as he'd spoken, Dan replied, "Try harder."

"I will. Try harder. I promise. I don't...I don't want another day like today."

"Me either." Dan shifted slightly, pressing his shoulder against Casey's, then squeezed his hand quickly before getting up to move back to the desk.

Casey watched him move, still a little uncertain about where he stood with Dan now. Then Dan turned back to him and held out a hand. "Let's get back to work, hm? I don't know about you, but I've got a lot of script left to write."

Grasping Dan's hand, Casey heaved himself to his feet, chuckling. "Yeah, me too. Like all of it." He looked down into eyes that were twinkling now, all earlier seriousness driven away, and felt real relief. "I also have some plans to make."

Dan looked at him questioningly.

"For some serious making up with someone who means everything to me," Casey continued seriously.

"Oh, that. I'm sure you'll think of something appropriate." Dan looked Casey up and down, once, intensity pinning Casey in his spot, then smiled winningly at him and strolled back to the desk.

Casey stared wonderingly for a second, then shook himself and sat down at the computer. Only a few more hours and so much to do...both at the studio, and later. Casey smiled broadly and settled in to work.