t h e . t a s t e . o f . h a p p i n e s s

The Taste of Happiness
[by victoria p.]

Rating: G

Summary: Rusty tastes of red wine and sleep.

Date: December 24, 2004

I thought I tasted of too many cigarettes but you tasted like wine ~"Jump in the River," Sinead O'Connor

The first time Danny kisses Rusty, it is like a shock of electricity arcing from lips to cock. Every inch of his body -- every molecule, every cell -- is aware of Rusty's body, lithe and loose-limbed and ready to run at the drop of a hat, so close and yet not close enough. Never close enough.

Rusty tastes of cheap beer and Doritos, an awful combination that will always remind Danny of him, of happiness, even after they've stolen their first million and can afford champagne and caviar.

Sitting in that hotel room in Rome, twenty years later, Danny stares at the perfect curve of Rusty's jaw, the flawless arch of his cheekbones in the flickering light of the television, and his mouth goes dry.

They are respectable adults now, or as near as it gets in their line of work. Tess is waiting at home for him, and Rusty is obviously hung up on this Isabel chick. But that doesn't stop Danny from leaning over and kissing Rusty as the end credits of "Happy Days" scroll by onscreen. Danny has always believed respectability is overrated.

Rusty tastes of red wine and sleep, of memories and money and dreams. But mostly, he tastes of happiness, the way Danny remembers.

end

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Disclaimer: All Ocean's 11/12 characters belong to Soderbergh and Warner Bros., etc. This piece of fan-written fiction intends no infringement on any copyrights.