Dan knows it's wrong, but he has never known himself to have any moral standing.

He tries. He tries to be a good person, to do the right thing when the situation arises. When his students come to him with problems, he does everything in his power to come up with a solution. And despite sometimes being so exhausted, or coming out of his high, he still at least tries to keep a keen eye on his students to notice when anything is amiss. The moral of the story is, Dan Dunne tries to be a good man.

But sometimes being good, and doing the right thing don't go hand in hand. Sometimes, the world is so heavy, so cruel, so demanding, so dark, the right thing isn't what feels good. Because when he sees you at that bar, he knows you aren't old enough to drink because he knows you. You had been his student back in the day, but not long enough. You're eighteen, he knows that... but God, he isn't stupid either. Bringing you home with him was stupid, letting you stay was stupid, inviting you into his life was stupid.

And yet, you are the sweetest, brightest thing he has right now. You give him a reason to put down the drugs. Everything about you is pure and innocent and beautiful, and he wants to preserve that for as long as possible, though he feels like he's tainting you merely by being involved with you. Despite this, you are all sunshine to him. Cuddles after a long day, making him meals, tidying up his apartment, giving love to his cat. He aches to hold you every night in his bed, and you cling to him like a koala.

It's wrong. He's thirty years old and you're only eighteen. He shouldn't even be looking at you the way he does, but you are the light of his life. You make the weight fall off his shoulders. You're far too sweet for him, but he can't help but love you.

Dan emerges from bed, patting your usual spot next to him. Cold. His eyebrows furrow as he rubs the sleep from his eyes, sitting up and hobbling to the kitchen where he hears soft clatter. And there you are in all your glory, fixing breakfast and coffee.