They closed the portal. Amity Park stopped getting ghost attacks. Vlad and Danny's parents did not take it well, but they handled that too.
Until they realised it was keeping Danny from fulfilling his Obsession to Protect.
It affected his concentration first, his health second.
But he still refused to re-open the portal. Inflicting harm on the people he's sworn to guard for his own needs is anathema to the fulfillment of his Obsession.
Jazz suggests he divert his attention to another core part of himself.
His love for the cosmos.
Danny starts going on space expeditions in Phantom form.
He goes to Mars and brings back samples. Pokes around Saturn's rings. Takes a nap on Pluto.
It helps tremendously.
Until he starts leaving the solar system altogether. He meets new alien forms, makes groundbreaking discoveries he cannot share in a scientific journal.
It's wonderful. That's the problem.
Space as an Obsession is all-consuming.
When Danny thinks of getting back home to check on his friends and turn back into a human, decades have passed.
Danny does not grow while he is in ghost form. He still looks like a teenager. His friends are middle-aged.
His parents are dead.
And his human form is different. As his ghost form has accommodated his Obsession by developing space-related powers, his human body has adopted the traits of the alien forms he has encountered. They are subtle, but in a dimension where he is the only hero of Earth, they unmistakably mark him as other.
He makes a portal to the Ghost Zone and begs Clockwork to send him back so he can return to his friends and family.
Clockwork congratulates him on taking the first steps to becoming the Ancient of Space.
"I cannot give you back the decades you lost, because even sent back to the past you will be stuck in the same dilemma. You cannot stay grounded on Earth without acting as a guardian spirit, and space makes you forget your anchors to mortal life. What you need is to fulfill both."
"How?"
"In a dimension close to this one is a world of heroes you would thrive in. In that world, an organisation called the Justice League was founded to protect their Earth and galaxy from all who would seek to threaten them. Lend them a hand, and you will fulfill both of your Obsessions as well as grow in your role of Ancient. For every year you do so, I will give you three days, six hours and five minutes to spend with your loved ones in the past."
"What do you get in return?"
Clockwork tilted his head.
"I do not think you realise how dangerous the malleability of a halfa's Obsession is. If you start forcusing on the time you have lost too much, you risk developing powers that will let you unravel the timeline, to devastating consequences. I will do all I can to steer you in a better decision, both for your sake and this world's."
AKA "Gotham has a new vigilante, Eidolon: a phantom, spirit, or spectral double of a living or dead person. The batfam are absolutely not adopting this one." Or: how to acquire a new family member in 3 steps.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
This is definitely a trap.
A batburger - double beef patty, extra sauce, smelling like heaven - sits innocently on the ledge beside a stone-faced Batman. The vigilante is staring dutifully out towards the city... ignoring the burger, folded carefully out of its paper prison, beside him. Suspicious. Danny squints at Batman, the burger, back at Batman, back at the burger.
Then snatches it off the ledge and crams half of it into his mouth. And it is heavenly - tomatoes, lettuce, onion, beef, sauce, lightly toasted bun. Danny's immediately devastated when he's finished it. Only for Batman to pull out a box of night-nuggets and jokerized fries and nudge it towards him. And, well, Danny's cover is already blown. He shoves a handful of fries into his mouth.
Batman clears his throat. His voice is deep, raspy, oddly reminiscent of Lady Gotham but with a deeper timbre. "Thank you."
Danny nearly chokes on the night-nuggets, startled when Batman turns slightly so Danny's no longer just in his peripherals.
"You've been following us, helping when you think we won't notice. And while we appreciate it, you aren't trained like we are. Gotham isn't safe, especially not for metahumans. We know you mean well, Eidolon, but you need to stop - if not for your own safety, then for the people you could accidentally hurt." Batman's tone is surprisingly soft, almost apologetic. Danny crinkles the paper bag woefully empty of fries and stares at his hands. The gnawing ache of hunger is replaced by his core, adamantly refusing. Protect, protect, protect, it screams.
"I can't." Danny doesn't really know when his invisibility drops. But right here, Batman's soft voice sounding all too much like when his dad says I'm sorry, Dann-o, your mom and I wanted to make it but... it makes him feel like a helpless teenager who's in a situation he can't control and doesn't know what to do about it. He is. "I'm sorry. I never wanted to bother or hurt anybody. I never... asked for this. To be like this."
Danny studies his Lichtenburg scars. They spiderweb across his hand up his arm, disappearing under his hoodie sleeve. He looks up at Batman, realizing the man is already looking at him. "I don't know what to do. I don't have anywhere to go. I just know that I can't stop; even if it means I do it alone, I have keep protecting people."
Batman scrutinizes Danny silently for a couple of moments, as if trying to tell if he's is lying, before offering an almost amused huff.
"My children will never let me live this down." Batman sighs. At Danny's baffled huh?, Batman continues, "I have a contact at the DCF. Bruce Wayne. He's a registered foster parent and has several adopted children, one of whom is also a metahuman. He's safe. If you're willing... I can set up a meeting, even if it's just to discuss temporary housing."
And Danny may be a teenager, but he's not stupid. He's been in Gotham for weeks now. He can't survive off ambient ectoplasm and what little rest he can find perched on rooftops, even if he needs less food and sleep in his ghost form. Lady Gotham's rules be damned. (He trusts Clockwork will pull him out if he's really in danger. Plus, he thinks the creepy city spirit is somewhat fond of him. She probably won't curse him. Maybe.)
"Danny." He holds out a hand, "My name's Danny."
Batman's mouth twitches in a small smile as he shakes Danny's hand.
((Several months later, Bruce Wayne reveals himself as Batman and lets him into the Batcave. The batfam already have a training regiment for Eidolon. Tim is giving Danny a tour of the training facilities and pass by the showcases.
Danny: You had a dinosaur in your basement?!? This whole time?!?
Tim: Not our fault you didn't look in the basement.
AKA "Gotham has a new vigilante, Eidolon: a phantom, spirit, or spectral double of a living or dead person. The batfam are absolutely not adopting this one." Or: how to acquire a new family member in 3 steps.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
"So... did anybody else hear that or is my gas mask totally screwed?" Spoiler squints as she presses her ear to her comm, trying to make out the garbled comments of the bat brood through crackling static. She does, however, hear Jason's voice say I'm pretty sure everybody heard that, Barbie before she refocuses on securing Scarecrow's remaining goons. Batgirl drops down beside her, having returned from securing the fear gas shipment. Her hands curl and straighten in ASL.
Heard. Scream. Sad, she gestures to her comm.
"No kidding. It's like somebody blew an Aztec death whistle, assuming you're on fear gas and recently took shrooms." Spoiler claps her hands together, brushing off imaginary dust, and pulls a Wonder-Woman stance. "Back to the Cave or Batburger?"
More hissing, spitting crackles in her comm. Spoiler looks expectantly at Batgirl, wondering if she got the garbled command. Batgirl grins, full face mask pinching slightly at the lips, and she shrugs. The next 45 minutes are spent on the roof of Batburger - two Batburgers, extra Jokerized fries, and night-nuggets dipped in honey barbeque sauce. Casper stays with them, if the sensation of cold humidity over their shoulder says anything. Spoiler talks, sometimes repeating Batgirl's ASL aloud so Casper knows what she's saying, and stuffs her face with greasy food. 10/10 patrol food even if she knows she's going to have a stomach ache come the morning. If a couple of her night-nuggets disappear, neither she or Batgirl say a word.
They make their way back to the Cave, the sensation of cold humidity slowly evaporating the further away they get. The Cave is quiet when they get there; Batman, Red Robin, Red Hood, and Nightwing are already changed into their civilian clothes and hair damp from post-patrol showers. They're all squished up against the Batcomputer (aside from Jason, who's lounging on the only comfortable settee. Steph kicks it as she walks by, rousing Jason with a complaining grumble).
Report: Entity is invisible, but refractions of light and temperature fluctuation can cause a brief afterimage in the mask sensors. Abilities include invisibility to the visible light spectrum, assumed intangibility, "death whistle", and flight. Thin and tall, consistent with a 15-16 year old male. Behavior currently non-hostile, non-sedentary, does not attempt communication, displays interest during moments of activity, possibly providing assistance. Prone to leaving if target is inactive for periods of time. Primary objective observation only.
"Ice," Cass comments, recalling the moment several goons "slipped" while trying to load an ammunition shipment. What looked to be ice melted moments later, leaving only damp wood.
Dick crosses his arms, expression unusually grim. Dead kids do tend to do that. "I spoke with Deadman again. He says he's not sure, but there's been talk of a powerful protection spirit by the name of Eidolon, Phantom of the Infinite Realms and Apprentice to Time. Deadman can't enter the Infinite Realms without a portal to get more information and Constantine refused."
(They ignore Jason's disgruntled mutter, "Of-fuckin'-course. When doesn't he?")
"B., he's-... He just looks like a kid. Like any other Gotham teen. He's got on this NASA hoodie, jeans, and sneakers. If he's... dead. Then maybe it would be best to get Zatanna here so she can, y'know, give him some peace."
Bruce's lips press together, offering only a solemn hn as he types at the Batcomputer. He turns to Tim after a moment. "What did your contact with Young Justice report back?"
"Secret mentioned Eidolon as well, but not as a protection spirit. They called him a 'halfa', an entity half-alive and half-dead. I'm not sure if that's the same as..." Tim straightens, glancing briefly over to Jason. They watch as the older teen stiffens at the careful avoidance of his death, even the thought of Jason's death and subsequent revival causing a faint sheen of green over his eyes. Tim hurriedly continues, "But they assured me it had nothing to due with the Lazarus Pits."
Bruce hummed again, causing several groans.
"Kid's definitely alive and also definitely a vigilante." Duke stumbles down the Batcave steps, still in his sleep sweats and yellow sweater, squinting out tiredness from his eyes. He's swiping at his phone. A yawn mangles his next words but causes the entire bat-family (minus Damian, whose bedtime is 10PM on weekdays) gape in shock:
"Kid's insta is D.Phantom and his geotag is Amity Park, Illinois. Same place as a local vigilante named Phantom. Kid's pics are pretty cool, too. Hey, look at this one - that's a dope electric guitar!"
(The next 25 minutes is just Tim throwing his entire body at Duke, shrieking to give him his phone, while Duke scrambles away laughing. Bruce is studiously typing "i-n-s-t-a-g-r-a-m-d-o-t-c-o-m" in the Batcomputer search bar.)
((Oracle, of course, already knew Danny Fenton, Phantom, and Eidolon were the same person.))
AKA "Gotham has a new vigilante, Eidolon: a phantom, spirit, or spectral double of a living or dead person. The batfam are absolutely not adopting this one." Or: how to acquire a new family member in 3 steps.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
Okay, so, Danny moved to Gotham mostly for the vibes. Also, Clockwork decided Danny needed an "understanding of how to govern an ungovernable realm" and signed him up for a internship under Lady Gotham's tutelage. Who is... definitely something. Not necessarily a benevolent city spirit, but also not malicious. Not kind but not unkind.
When Danny first introduced himself as "Phantom", she presented herself as an obsidian figure half-obscured by writhing greenish-tinged gasses, pin-pricks of burning red pupils peering at him from the shadows like a vulture waiting to strip flesh off a carcass. Her voice was deep and raspy, lilting slightly with amusement.
"No, little king. Here, you are not."
(He shudders at the memory. Danny does not want to get on her bad side. Or any side, really. She seems like the kinda lady whose favor or displeasure will haunt somebody like a nasty curse.)
So, Gotham's Eidolon was born. Well, not really, but you get it. Danny's task is mostly simple: observe Gotham's Knights. Mostly simple because the Gotham's Knights are incredibly perceptive and have the unnerving penchant of zeroing in on Danny like ectoplasm-calibrated laser beam. He doesn't even know how! He's practicing actively not being Phantom, so he really is just a dead boy. (Lady Gotham was oddly insistent that keep his human form, her tongue lashing only softened by her compliment of such beautiful dark hair and those enchanting blue eyes, why change?)
The Dark Knight in particular was way too observant for being entirely human. Unlike the Red Hood, who Danny could kinda sense but more like "weird aftertaste in Dunkin coffee that makes you wonder if they gave you burnt bean water" kinda way. One time Danny sat down on the ledge of Wayne Enterprise while Batman was having his Brooding Time (AKA when he perches on a gargoyle and just...stares?). Danny huffed a bored sigh and rocked forward on the ledge, ready to head out for the night since Mr. Broody wasn't doing anything, but startled when he saw Batman's attention snap towards him. Towards Danny. Who was invisible.
Nightwing was the weirdest. He always had this coin clutched in his hand, mouth pressed into a firm line and an almost solemn look on his face as Danny floated beside him. And Danny could've sworn his gaze followed him if there wasn't a white film in his mask obscuring his eyes. It's actually so unnerving that Danny takes to following Batgirl and Spoiler more often, the girls often chatting amicably to themselves and eating greasy food Danny stares longingly at. (He wishes he could eat. Lady Gotham has him feeding off ambient ectoplasm but his human stomach aches with the absence of tangible food.)
But watching Gotham's Knights has its perks. He watched Signal use photokinesis to make his motorcycle invisible, Red Robin solved an impossible locked-room murder, and he sat in on Red Hood's literal organized crime meetings. (Danny now knows how to avoid RICO charges, not that he'll need to.)
The only downside is that Danny isn't supposed to help. Phantom thrashes in his mind, Protector Spirit mourning not coming to these vigilantes' aid and helping those in need. He's not stupid enough to directly go against what Lady Gotham asked, but he's also going to lose his mind by not helping. So, he does. A little. Here and there. Just enough that maybe the trigger of a gun is frosted over while a goon points it at Robin. Or a thug accidentally trips face first into a wall very hard, even if he claims somebody pushed him. Or even Danny uses a very, very quiet Ghost Wail on Scarecrow goons, effectively terrifying them enough to tell Spoiler where the shipment of fear gas is.
(("So...did anybody else hear that or is my gas mask totally screwed?"
"I'm pretty sure everybody heard that, Barbie."
"O., can you-?"
"Already sent to R.R. for sound processing. Reports coming your way, B."
"Hn."
"Sounds like we'll finally get a read on Casper the Friendly Ghost."
What if Danny goes to the DC universe and quickly becomes concerned for the state of this universe, because just in the 2 months he's been there, the timeline has been rewritten thrice! And he, as he is of the realms and not from this world (also clockwork mentorship/the time amulet in his chest/core) remains unaffected! Not to mention tears in reality or space open up just about every other week! And now, to top it off, his favorite coffee place just got erased due to one of these resets/timeline changes! He is getting real annoyed with this now.
(Idk if anyone has done this but whatever, link if they did)
Danny Fenton was declared legally dead. He wasn’t outed as Phantom to his parents. No, it was due to government clerical error. When a Daniel Fenten (no relation, he checked) died, someone replaced the e with an o.
The problem comes in that it is an absolute pain to be declared alive again. It also prevented him from going to school, since despite the GIW’s attempts to cut off Amity they wouldn’t mess with taxes.
So after a lot of hassle trying to overturn it they get fed up and make him a fake identity under Daniel Nightingale and he switches to online school (which actually goes much better for his hero schedule).
This later becomes important when Danny tries to join WE and his ID gets flagged in the background check.
After the grief comes the realisation that Danny is immortal. Oh, he will surely die a second time, but his future as a ghost is pretty much assured.
He will have to bury many more of his loved ones, and very few will follow him to the afterlife.
But some can.
Here is Danny's most well-kept secret: he knows what it takes to make a living being into a ghost at the moment of their death. He has never spoken a word of it to anyone, and he never will.
But it gives him the idea to ask his loved ones if they would follow him to his strange sort of afterlife in death.
(Well. Not all of his loved ones. He knows what his parents' answer would be.)
Tucker and Sam say yes.
They've followed him to the Ghost Zone before, and they see nothing wrong with making a permanent residence there when the time comes. They won't leave him to face eternity alone.
Jazz says no.
It devastates him, but Danny accepts it.
He has to. His method only works on the willing. He doesn't want to think he would force this on anyone, but he is also glad the option isn't there.
He deals with it.
They have decades to live together. Who cares if they don't have forever? His time with her will be no less precious for it.
Except they don't have decades together.
When Danny is on the cusp of his eighteenth birthday, he, his friends, his family and Vlad are caught up in the blast of an explosion. His world detonates around him and he survives it only because he was in Phantom form.
Danny buries his loved ones and the godfather he never wanted.
(Vlad had promised they were one and the same. That if anything, they would survive each other.
He was supposed to be the one that understood. The one that stayed.
Vlad was wrong, and Danny hates him for it.)
He goes after the GIW, who were responsible for the explosion, and makes them regret it. He doesn't go so far as to kill, he knows too well the price of death, but he makes sure they would find death preferable.
Then he waits.
It takes a week for Sam and Tucker's ghosts to form. When it does, Danny disables the portal and leaves Amity Park behind. He takes his best friends with him.
They go to Gotham City, where their obsessions can more easily be fulfilled and the ambient ectoplasm is ideal for newly-formed ghosts.
Sam and Tucker are different now.
It is harder to rein in their impulses. Danny does his best to remind them to be careful around humans.
He buys the three of them a mansion with Vlad's money. It's properly goth and outfitted with the latest technology. It's decently isolated so they don't have to pretend to be human out there.
His best friends are different.
But he marked them for death before tragedy happened and it had the unforeseen side effect of letting them retain more of their identity than any ghost he has previously encountered.
He is glad for it.
They bicker as much as ever.
And they worry for him.
Sam nags him into attending his classes at university, Tucker forces him to make living friends.
When he meets Tim Drake-Wayne and falls in love, they cheer him on.
If he wasn't already half-gone, that boy would be the death of him.
He makes Danny believe life is beautiful again.
But Tim is accident-prone. Every few weeks, he has some sort of injury. Sometimes they are extreme sports-related, sometimes they have to do with the infrequent kidnappings he and his family are subjected to.
Sometimes he is collateral in a rogue attack during one of his family galas.
(Why anyone still organises galas in Gotham is kind of beyond him.)
Sam and Tucker think Tim is hiding something, but they respect Danny's desire to wait and see. He has things to hide too, after all.
But he is starting to want forever with Tim and he does not know if he wants to wait until they trust each other to find out if that is something he can hope for.
So he asks him one quiet evening, where their hands are interlinked and their eyes fixed on the stars in the planetarium Tim bought them tickets to.
"Would you want to live forever if it meant you were no longer human?"
(Tim thinks about Ra's Al Ghul, who has lived centuries and become so twisted he cannot rightly be called human.)
Tim says no.
It hurts, but it is his choice. Danny accepts it.
A day later, he breaks up with him.
Better to save his cracked heart from further shattering.
Tucker philosophises, sitting on Danny's bed. He's been rotting in there for the past few days, skipping class to mope around instead.
"It's like asking your partner if they want kids one day but for half-ghosts, I guess. It's better to know immortality's a dealbreaker now than after you're married."
Sam nods, her glowing purple eyes soft with sympathy. She is floating on top of him, the tip of her combat boot intangibly passing through his elbow.
"You'll find your happily ever after, Danny. I'm sorry, I know you really liked him."
"I loved him," he mumbles, burrowing further into his sheets.
"And I'm sure he loved you too. Unfortunately, sometimes love isn't enough. You have the right to save your heart for someone you won't have to grieve. You've lost enough, Danny."
The halfa sighs.
"Maybe I don't have to grieve him, but I'm losing him anyway. It feels less like self-preservation and more like cowardice."
But he's made his choice, and now he has to live with it.
Danny travels through time and across the universe a lot. Mostly because he has an agreement with Clockwork and the Observants that if he does so they'll give him heads up if he's about to experience something that might drive him crazy, but also because he just likes to travel and visit alien civilizations.
As a result of his travels, he ends up learning a lot of cool things. Cool things that he doesn't realize are super big deals because he is learning them when they very much aren't. Stuff like various cultural rights and traditions of Krypton, how to construct Martian bio-ships, the origins of Themyscira... To him, they are just neat little tidbits, like people mentioning how Otters have favorite rocks. To the Justice League, and particularly to those from nearly dead species and cultures, everything he randomly drops lore on is a much bigger deal.
Damian, running down the stairs: The babies are coming!
Bruce: Excuse me?!
Tim: What?!
Dick: *murdered walrus sounds*
Danian: Alfred the car! Please! Let's go!
Bruce, running after him: W-Wait Damian what babie?! What babies?!
Car: *Speeds off*
*15 minutes later*
Damian, hushed voice: Am I too late?
Danny, shaking his head: She has only pushed out one so far. *points into a welping box*
Welping Box: *a large black dog with big ears, large curling goat's horns, a lion-like tail, and glowing fire-like eyes lays inside the welping box, panting with a round ripping belly and a single litte white puppy suckling*
Damian: Amazing. It doesn't have horns yet?
Danny: Urco grow their horns as they age, isn't that right Pearl?
Pearl: *Whines and lays her head on Danny's hand*
Danny: Such a good girl, strong girl. Sorry for calling you so suddenly, I hope your family isn't worried.
Damina: I told you to call me when it happened. Besides, there's no reason for them to freak out over some puppies being born.
"So does this mean I'm like... adopted?" Danny asked as he looked over the documents on the table before him.
"Oh honey, as far as we're concerned you're our flesh and blood!" His mom was quick to reassure him, "Though legally speaking... yes."
Danny frowned as he read through and reread the papers, trying to reconcile the information found there with the story he'd been told. A story about a younger version of his parents, who'd had his sister and decided they were ready for another child but were struggling.
After multiple failed attempts, they sought out a fertility specialist and learned that their years of exposure to hazardous materials had compromised their ability to have children. The fact that Jazz was born first try and without complications was a miracle. A long series of medical records and doctors notes showed all the tests they went through trying to find another way to conceive, culminating in a positive test result for Maddie's ability to carry to term. With renewed hope, they began to research IVF treatments and donors. Unfortunately, they couldn't afford both an egg and sperm donor as they hadn't yet found someone willing to invest in their patents. Not willing to give up, Maddie took to browsing online forums for advice from people who had been in her position. It was there she learned that, similar to organ donors, people who have their embryos frozen can sign a consent form allowing their stored embryos to be donated in the event of their death. This was the lead they were waiting for.
Another couple who had also been struggling to conceive had six embryos prepared and were successful on the fourth attempt, leaving two behind when they passed away. Having signed the consent form, those two embryos had been kept in stasis waiting to be donated. With a confirmation that they were compatible, the Fentons wasted no time in setting up an appointment. The first didn't take but the second did. They took every precaution during the pregnancy, this leading their decision to start wearing hazmat suits even while outside the lab, and nine months later the Fentons were welcoming their second child to the family. At this point in telling the story, Danny had been handed two matching documents; the donor profiles the clinic had given his parents all those years ago. There were no pictures, and information like surname and address had been redacted out of privacy, but they held the health screenings and physical descriptions of a couple named Thomas and Martha.
"Nothing has to change Danny," His mother stated, "We love you so much and are so proud of you, biological child or not."
"That's right Dann-o!" His father jumped in, "The only difference is that now you know."
Danny looked at his parents, then to the documents, then back to his parents before asking, "So why are you telling me this now?"
"It was never something we meant to keep from you. And now that you're sixteen, we felt it was the right time," His dad said.
"And," His mom added, "We felt that, if you wanted to have a relationship with your biological family, you should have the chance to find them." She then placed a box on the table, an AncestryDNA kit. "We never had any means of contact to let them know you were born and services like this didn't exist back then. It's okay if you don't want to, but we felt you should have the option."
Danny studied the kit before nodding to himself with determination. "No matter what some DNA kit has to say, you're my parents. You've been there for me my entire life, I'm not going to replace you with some strangers who share blood with me. But.. I would like to know them."
Secure in his decision, he proceeded to complete the DNA collection and send out the test with help from his parents. In a little over a month he would receive his results. He was nervous to find out if he had grandparents or siblings but, a little selfishly, relieved that he wouldn't have to worry about meeting his biological parents. He knows he's old enough that a court would let him choose where he ended up but he doesn't want to think about what would have happened if his bio parents were alive and decided they wanted to fight for custody. That just made him feel guilty though. He should feel sorrow for the parents he never got to meet, and he does, but if they had lived, would they ever have gone back for him? Would they eventually have decided they wanted another child or would he never have been born, forever in stasis as the world went on without him?
He shoved those thoughts away, not wanting to dwell on them. He doesn't need to worry about 'what if's, they didn't happen after all. This is how his life played out and he wouldn't trade it, his family, and his friends for anything. Now he just has the opportunity to add some new people to that group. Until then, it's back to his normal routine while anxiously awaiting his results.
Later, in a cave in New Jersey far below the surface, an alert would flash on a high tech computer.
Batman, over coms: Alright, let's bring it in for the night.
Nightwings: Hold on, there's a civilian running around. Early twenties, black hair, super pale and kind of sickly lookin. He looks panicked, like hes looking for something or someone, I'm going to check in, in case its a child.
Nightwing: Excuse me sir, are you alright?
Danny, pressing a hand to his chest in pain: So-Someone broke into my-my appartment when I was at work and-and they left the door open, and now I can't find Mittens!
Red Robin, over comms: Seriously? All this drama over a cat?
Red Hood, over comms: Who actually names their cat "Mittens"?
Oracle, over comms: You two are so stupid.
Robin, over comms: I agree, shut up. This is serious, that poor animal could be injured.
Nightwing, helps Danny sit on a nearby bench: Hey its alright man. I'll have the others keep an eye out for her okay? What does your kitten look like.
Danny, releived: Mittens isn't a kitten, shes a puppy, really tiny girl. She's a Bully Kutta, and she's mostly white but has black unclipped ears and some black splotches- here I have a-a picture. *pulls out his phone with shakey hands and shows Nightwing a picture of Danny and Mittens in their new appartment, Mittens goes up past his hips*
Nightwing, stunned into silence: . . .
Red Robin, over comms: That is "tiny" to him?!
Robin, over comms: Stunning.
Oracle: Found him. Daniel Fenton moved to Gotham with his Service Dog in Training, Mittens, two months ago. He works at Gotham's Space Museum, and writes Parnormal Fiction stories on the side, and he apprentantly visits Middle schools to do presentations. Mittens is 15months old and is set to graduate very soon. She has high praise from all her trainers, but it seems Danny's employers at the Museum are pushing against him bringing her to work once she graduates, Danny seems to be fighting with them about it a lot. Jerks.
Batman, over comms: What does he need her for?
Oracle, over comms: Heart problems, and mobility issues caused by an accident when he was a teenager, as well as Anxiety, and PTSD. A lot of his file is sealed because he was a minor when it happened, I can snoop more?
Batman, over comms: No, that amount is fine.
Nightwing: Well, the others know, and will keep an eye out for her. You're still shaking pretty bad, how about I see you home.
Danny: I appreciate it. I'm sorry for keeping you back, being a hero is- seems like an exhausting job.
Nightwing, joking: You speak from experience?
Danny, eyes distant: No, I was never a hero.
Robin, over comms: Mittens spotted near the Museum!
Nightwing: Hey, Robin said he spotted Mittens near the Museum.
Danny: She went looking for me, of course she did. If she won't go to Robin by name, have him call her "Vöttr", I'm the only one that ever calls her that, so it will catch her attention.
Nightwing, nodding: Robin call her Votter.
Red Robin, over comms: Old Norse?
Nightwing, eyebrow raised: Old Norse?
Danny, shrugging: Its a hobby.
Robin, over comms and sounding very excited: Target secure. . . . May I pet her?
Nightwing, snorts: Robin wants to know if he can pet her.
Danny, amused: As much as they want, as long as I get her back.
Robin, over comms: Understood, we will reconvene at Fenton's appartment.
Nightwing: Hah that kid. He said he'll meet us at your place if thats okay.
Danny: Sounds good, I'm just happy that I didn't loose her.
Blackbat, over comms: Sad, remorse, upset.
Red Robin, over comms: He does seem interesting.
Batman, over comms: Hmm.
Red Hood, over comms: I still can't get over the fact that he named that monster dog "Mittens".
All life was suffering and all joy was fleeting, and for no one was this more true than for Jason Todd.
Ok, so maybe he was being a little overdramatic, and maybe he should stop pouting before Damian got more suspicious. But he couldn’t help it.
His date with Danny had gotten cancelled. Well—ok—rescheduled, they’d already moved it to a different day.
But the important thing was that it was supposed to be tonight, and Jason was gonna take Danny bowling after dinner at his favorite restaurant, maybe take a little drive on his bike after all of that, and then take him home. But that didn't matter now. His life was ending.
Robin shot him a look as he sighed again and Jason looked away quickly. They were on a stake out currently, well, half stake out, half preparing for something.
Something being a rumored Arkham break out. So far there had been nothing, which normally was a good thing, but if nothing happened that would mean Jason canceled his date for nothing too, and that would just piss him off. So he was honestly hoping something would happen already.
Obviously he didn’t dare say that out loud, everyone else would blame him for jinxing them if the night turned for the worst, but it was his own private hope. He wanted there to be an actual reason for the reschedule, he didn’t just want to go home by himself in a few hours after standing around all night.
…maybe he’d stay in the manor tonight, whether something happened or not, so he wouldn't have to go back to his empty apartment tonight. Maybe. He’d ask Bruce later.
God. Who was he? What was he thinking? If he asked Bruce to stay in the manor tonight, he’d end up staying all right: in the lab while Bruce ran tests to make sure he was really himself. He hated sleeping in the manor, especially after patrol. What was this relationship doing to him? Maybe he should call his therapist. God! What? What? Call his therapist? Maybe he should let Bruce run tests. He hadn’t had a therapist since he was a teen. He was legally dead in her records right now. This was getting ridiculous, all because he couldn't see Danny for their second date.
Maybe he’d been more touch starved than he’d ever realized.
Damian glared at him as he questioned his own thoughts. The kid wasn’t actually upset, he just didn’t like not knowing things, and when someone was clearly acting strange without him knowing why, it bugged him. Jason stopped pacing for his sake.
“Hood. Why are you so restless tonight? Are you suddenly so incapable of sitting still for a few hours?”
“Hahh sorry birdy, I’m just frustrated tonight. I’ll sit still.”
“What is— ahem. Would you like to talk about it?” The question sounded just slightly forced still, but Jason was proud of the kid nonetheless. Aww look at him, not just demanding an answer, look at that consideration and communication!
“Well, I guess I'm more disappointed than frustrated. I had plans tonight that I had really been looking forward to that I had to cancel to handle this, so the fact that so far there haven’t even been any problems is bugging me a little. It feels like I canceled for nothing.”
“Oh. I can understand that, I had been planning to work on something tonight as well that I’m missing now. I’m going to do it tomorrow instead…can you not reschedule your plans?”
“I already did, we figured it out, but I’m still disappointed you know? What were you gonna do?”
“...there’s a painting I started that I was hoping to get some progress done on tonight, thinking I would be free, but hopefully I’ll be able to get enough done tomorrow to make up for it.”
“I’m sorry about yours as well. Maybe when I finish I will let you see. Maybe.”
“Haha, ok, I’d love to see your painting kid.”
They looked back out at the city, checking the streets from where they were seated, when he didn't notice anything Jason looked back at Damian and instinctively reached a hand out to ruffle his hair.
“You’re a good kid, you know that brat?”
Damian swatted his hand away and immediately went to fix his hair, scowling. “Of course I know that! I am the best!”
Jason laughed, despite the rebuttal, there was a slight flush on the kid's face, and Jason caught him smiling to himself when he looked away. Man this family needed to give more affection.
They spent a few more hours out there, but eventually Oracle called an all clear and Batman ordered everyone back to the cave, calling it for the night. They’d keep alerts on high priority in case anything did happen, but for now Arkham had been contacted and secured, and there was no real point in waiting on random roofs any longer.
Jason challenged Damian to a race back that somehow got everyone else involved, and although Bruce sighed when they all dashed back into the cave, he was smiling anyways. They went through debriefs and Bruce dismissed them to the showers.
Jason let everyone else go ahead and popped his helmet off, setting it on the table in the cave. Bruce was looking over some files and Jason took the opportunity to just study him for a minute. His greys were showing at the sides again, he’d probably dye them this week, if he still even tried to hide his greys anymore. The ever permanent circles under his eyes looked lessened tonight, someone (Alfred and Tim) had probably made him sleep a few full nights recently. Jason had a startling moment of affection as he took in Bruce, cowl pulled off, relaxed, at peace, for at least a moment in his life. Suddenly Jason really did want to stay the night, he wanted to get up and have breakfast with everyone tomorrow, maybe get dragged somewhere for a bonding activity. He wanted to talk to Bruce in the kitchen while he helped Alfred do dishes. What kind of monster was Danny turning him into?
Bruce stopped typing and glanced back, finally registering Jason’s presence. “Jason? Aren’t you going to shower?”
“Yeah, I will, I wanted to talk to you.”
“Oh? Uh, go ahead then.”
“Can I stay here tonight? I know there’s probably not really a room made up but I just, don’t really want to go home right now…Its fine if its easier for me to just go–”
“No no, no that’s fine!” Bruce said too fast, setting down the papers he’d been looking at, “That’s— more than fine Jay, of course you can stay here. I’m sure there’s a room made up, and you know Alfred would happily get one ready if need be. You can always stay here Jason. Whenever you want, ok? You don’t have to ask.”
“Oh. Right. Ok, thanks Bruce.” Jason started to head for the locker room to shower, a warm feeling in his chest. Bruce of course had to ruin it.
“Oh, by the way, now that I think of it, Dick said you were supposed to have a date tonight?” Bruce asked with a knowing smirk growing on his face, affection giving way to a look that promised relentless teasing and interrogation. Goddamnit it Dick! Jason ran for the locker room, Bruce chuckling behind him and calling out, “I expect to meet them soon son!”
That was never happening. Ever. Danny could never meet any of them ever. Jason had to protect him from that.
Jason showered and changed quickly, his day starting to catch up with him. He found a room made up next to Tim’s, and he slept decently well. When he woke up he could already hear his siblings getting up and heading down for breakfast, but he opted to lay in bed a while longer. It was warm, and the quality of the bedding at the manor was no joke. He checked his phone and was pleasantly surprised to find a text from Danny waiting for him.
“Good morning gorgeous, I was wondering if you had any free time today? I know we already moved last night’s plans, but I still want to see you…”
Jason beamed and sat up, he was halfway through a response saying ‘yes absolutely name a time and place,’ when Dick knocked on the door and Jason was forced to remember he was at the manor and was very likely to get dragged into doing something with someone that would leave him not free. He groaned as Dick opened the door with a grin.
He quickly typed out, “Let me get back to you on that, my siblings might be kidnapping me. But I’d love to see you too,” before Dick descended. He managed to hit send and turn his phone off just before Dick went to snatch it out of his hand and drag him out of bed. The older man pouted when he realized Jason had turned it off, but didn’t give it back, much to Jason’s annoyance.
“Alfred said to come down, breakfast is almost ready. Who were you texting so early huhh? The beau?” Dick waggled his eyebrows and Jason shoved him away by the face as he sat up, already halfway falling out of bed, trying and failing to snatch his phone back.
“No one. Give it back dick.” Dick as in not his brother’s name.
“Nuh uh, not until you admit it.”
“Admit what?”
Of course, Danny being Danny, texted him back, and Jason watched in horror as the phone buzzed in Dick’s hand, prompting him to look at the screen and read the notification.
“Ooh let him know about what?”
“Hahh about whether or not I’m free today” Jason grumbled as he headed to his closet to throw a shirt on, trying to ignore how the light in Dick’s eyes brightened at the admission.
“Aww cause your date got messed up last night? Were you guys gonna do something today instead? You are free right? you should totally try and meet up.”
“In theory I could, but I know I’ll probably get roped into doing something with one of you dorks, so I told him I'd let him know.”
“Aww you do love us! Ok come on, I think Steph was planning something actually, plus I’m starving. If we get started early you could probably be free tonight.”
“You say that…” Jason accused.
“No really, I will personally make sure you’re free, ok? I’ll even take your patrols if you want, I know you were upset about last night.”
“I don’t patrol on Sundays dork, it's my day off, I let my guys run the routes.” Jason scoffed as they left his bedroom, heading downstairs for breakfast.
“Oho, fine, Mr. Fancy Pants with “Guys” to run his patrols on Sundays, I see how it is. But seriously, I’ll do my best to make sure you don’t get dragged around too late today, to show my appreciation of your willingness to participate in sibling bonding. Now come on, I want breakfast and Alfred wants to hear about your boyfriend.”
Jason shook his head, “I am not telling Alfred anything. Especially not in front of Bruce.”
“Aw but he’d be so happy, you know he loves tea. Both kinds.”
“Nuh uh. Not risking B finding out anything else after you told him I had a date! I can’t believe that by the way, what happened to sibling solidarity huh?”
“Hey hey, I didn’t tell him anything, he overheard me telling Alfred, that’s all.”
“You weren't supposed to tell anyone dickhead. Have you guys already told everyone else?” Jason asked, defeated.
Dick gasped dramatically, “What? I would never gossip about you like that, I would never, hand to god.” He raised his right hand like he was taking an oath, “I am an excellent secret keeper.”
Jason just raised an eyebrow, “Right.”
Dick slowly lowered his hand, “Ok but seriously I didn’t tell anyone else, just a little convo with Alfred that Bruce unfortunately overheard, but I already talked to him about digging so it should be fine! I don’t know about the terror twins, but I haven't told any of the hellspawn. You wanted to keep it to yourself and I’m trying to respect that. I’m just happy you told us mostly willingly, and want to hang out with us more often lately, I don’t want to ruin that.”
“Oh Tim and Cass totally told everyone, Dick you were supposed to make them keep it a secret too!”
“Keep what a secret?” Bruce asked, looking up from his phone as they stepped into the dining room.
“Nothing!” Dick and Jason chimed at the same time, only freezing for a split second as they moved to sit down. Since last night had been a team effort, almost everyone was present at breakfast, having spent the night at the manor.
Jason thanked Alfred as he brought him coffee and turned to Steph as the butler started sliding food onto the table, buffet style. “Alright menace, what are we doing today, I’ve got plans tonight.”
“Oh ho ho, do you now? I'll tell you if you tell me what you’re doing tonight.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing yet, I’m just blocking it off.”
“Why?”
“Nunya.”
“Aw come on. Share with the class.”
“Nope.”
“Then I guess you’re just gonna have to wait and find out.”
“I hate you. You know that.”
“It’s my preferred state of existence.”
Idle conversations picked up again as everyone started getting food, and Jason thought that would be the end of it.
“So, how is everyone feeling after last night? Did you all get your reports in?”
Everyone groaned as B started check-ins.
“Yes B.”
“Did it last night.”
“You already read them all, why are you asking?”
And other various replies went around the table and B chuckled, "Alright alright, just checking…what do you have going on tonight Jason?”
“Nothin B, just busy,” Jason grumbled. He didn't like the grin on Bruce’s face. It was only nice on the surface.
“Your siblings are mocking you too much for it to be nothing. You really aren’t gonna tell me? Is it about your date?”
“Not a chance old man. And my siblings should know that if anyone else tells you anything else, I’ll shoot ‘em”
Bruce sighed, “I thought we talked about threatening to shoot your siblings.”
“We did, and I have been very good on that front, I’ll have you know. The situation just requires more force.”
“Right.”
“I’ll stop when the brat stops holding us at knife point over minor inconveniences"
“Damian! I thought you weren’t doing that anymore. We talked about that too!”
“Tch, Todd! You’re such a snitch! The minute I find out your secret date’s name I’m telling father.” Damian sputtered, glaring across the table and ironically wielding a butter knife menacingly.
“You wouldn’t,” Jason stared the teen down, Dick tried to deescalate while Steph leaned over to Damian, seemingly trying to tell him ‘the secret.’ B, per typical B behavior, just sighed and sipped his coffee. It was too early for sibling rivalry. Plus he wanted to know more about Jason’s dating life enough to just let it happen.
“Stephanie Rosa Brown if you tell him I swear to god I will do something so horrendous to your apartment you will never be able to look at anything glittery or purple ever again without gagging”
Steph backed away from Damian, grinning and showing her hands placatingly. “Ok ok, geez, chill out Jay, I was just kidding. Don’t ruin my apartment please.”
Jason held the glare as she sat back down and pouted for the rest of breakfast, pointedly ignoring all of the eyes on him. Between Bruce’s open curiosity, Damian’s ire, Dick’s concern, and everyone else's teasing he was considering just bailing on the family day and going straight to Danny’s when he finished eating. Not even telling him, just showing up unannounced.
As if summoned by the thought, Jason’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He paused and pulled it out. Smiling despite his mood as he replied with one hand and kept eating with the other.
All of the siblings “in the know” grinned like menaces and stared him down. He typed a quick reply and put it down, doing his best not to look at Bruce, who was surely giving him puppy eyes at this point.
“Do you even have a plan Steph?” Jason asked, attempting to refocus the conversation.
“Oh I have a plan alright, and don’t worry your pretty little head, I’ll have you back in plenty of time.” She said, grinning as she checked something on her own phone.
“You better. Your secrecy is making me feel like I’m gonna have to decontaminate after this.”
“Oh god. Please don't tell me we’re doing anything gross Steph, I have plans tonight too.” Tim groaned, looking at her pleadingly.
“No no, calm down, it's nothing gross or dirty. Just fun! I promise!”
Jason was a little scared of how amazing the date was, of how amazing Danny was so far. More than anything he was afraid of how good he felt after.
Of course, this was immediately dashed by who was sitting in his living room when he got home.
Multiple whos. Watching him walk into his own apartment at 10:30 in the morning, grinning like a dope, wearing borrowed clothes, and probably reeking of unknown alpha. Fuck. fuuuccckkkk.
He tried to back out the door and escape, but Dick was faster, jumping up and grabbing him to manhandle him back into the apartment with a menacing grin. Officer Grayson perp walked him to the couch and forced him to sit down, where he was immediately grabbed by Cass on one side and Tim on the other, arms pinned. In theory he could force his way out of this, but that took more energy than just taking whatever they had planned. So he behaved. For now.
“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” Dick drawled, and Jason already regretted deciding to comply. “Where oh where have you been all night?”
“N–Nowhere.” Jason avoided Dick’s eyes to the best of his ability. Obviously he knew that lie wouldn’t work, he wasn’t even trying, but he figured he could squeeze a few more minutes of peace out of this interaction if he dragged it out well enough. Especially since Dick, a beta, currently had no idea he was covered in pheromones. That would change in a minute when he asked one of the goddamn blood hounds on either side of him to report a scent check, but for the moment Jason was safe.
“Cass! Report!”
Oh boy.
Cass cleared her throat softly and raised her hand: “Alpha, sir! Strong! All over him, the clothes too, mint, pine, ozone. Not familiar.”
“Just one alpha?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm, Tim? Anything to report?”
“Like Cass said, singular unknown alpha pheromones all over him. His own scent is subdued now, but it was sweeter than normal when he walked in.”
“This is so creepy you guys.” Jason slumped back into the couch as Dick considered the reports, pacing.
“Hmm, uh-huh, I see.” Dick, ever one for drama, laid out the facts, “so: you were out all night, with a strange alpha, and came back late into the morning, wearing a stranger’s clothes and reeking of said unknown alpha, while your own scent has changed? …What do you have to say for yourself?”
The odds so far were not in Jason’s favor. The evidence was heavily stacked against him.
“I don’t have to tell you anything.” He said defiantly, still trying to drag it out. Dick’s disappointed look told him he wouldn’t be holding out much longer.
“Jay…don't tell me you…got pollened? Or drugged?! Kidnapped?!?”
“What? No! None of those, I didn’t even patrol yesterday…”
“Then was it a— a date? An actual date? With an alpha?! Aww little wing!”
“Nah come on Dick, it was probably just a hook up, you know Jason.”
Logically Jason knew he was being baited into telling the truth, and that Tim was just saying that to get him to spit it out and defend himself, but something about the way he said it, like Jason couldn’t have possibly gotten an actual date with an actual alpha, completely ticked him off.
“No, it was a date, an actual date, with an alpha.” He said, slumping further into the couch to try and hide his blush.
Based on the way Tim and Cass grinned and looked at each other, Jason had walked right into the trap. Obviously Tim didn’t think of him like that. They’d had conversations about that kind of thing enough times for Tim to know that was an insecurity, which was exactly why he’d used it to poke an admission out of him. The little brat.
Dick gasped softly, “Really? It was a date? Oh my gosh Jay that’s great! You have to tell us about it! And about them! Was the date fun? Are they nice? How’d you meet?”
“Slow down Dickhead, sit down, I’m done being interrogated" he grumbled, shaking Cass and Tim off of him but not making to leave. He could do this. He could have a normal conversation with people he cared about, about someone else he was starting to care about. Dick settled in the arm chair and Jason took a breath.
“His name is Danny, we sat next to each other on my flight home a few weeks ago. He helped me not freak out on the flight and we talked and stuff on the plane, he asked me for my number and if he could take me on a date, and we’ve been texting. Last night was the first time we were both free so we went out.”
“Aww meet cute! And? How was the date?”
“Uhh it was— it was good…really good. He paid, took me out to dinner, and we got gelato. Then we went back to his place and watched a movie andI fell asleep on the couch, so he put me to bed and I ended up staying the night…”
Tim and Cass exchanged a look again, “Is that all that happened?” Cass drawled and Jason sighed, hiding his face with his hands.
“We may have made out a little bit…”
A series of teasing ooh’s went around before Tim prompted him further with an eyebrow raised, “and?”
“And nothing, he asked about boundaries and I said I didn’t feel comfortable going too far, especially since we were going to see each other more, so we just made out and watched a movie.”
“Holy communication.”
“Yeah, uh, it caught me off guard a few times, he seems very good at communication and boundaries.” Unlike everyone else in their family, clearly.
“But it was good? You had fun? You felt good?” Always trust Dick to be worried.
“I…I think last night was the best I’ve ever felt with anyone, ever. He made me feel so…I don’t know, me? Like every time I got even a little insecure he just knew? And immediately made it go away and I just– I think I really like him guys.” Jason admitted, feeling good enough to feel like being vulnerable with his family, even as he embarrassedly sank further into the couch. It’s insane what Danny was doing to him. Why was he suddenly a real person after getting some dick? Not even. After getting some kisses? Some– some affection? That's all it took? Really?
Ridiculous.
Before he could come back from his thoughts there were arms around him. Dick had gotten up from the arm chair and wrapped his stupid octopus arms around all three of them. There was no escape
“That's great Little Wing. You look really happy, I’m glad you found someone who’s doing that for you and making you feel safe, you deserve it.”
Wow. Maybe he really did just need some affection. Jason usually doesn’t enjoy unexpected hugs; ever since he was a kid they bothered him, when he’d be expected to hug someone, or if someone touched him without asking. Sometimes it really made his skin crawl, especially after—you know—dying, not to mention the lazarus side effects too. But this was nice, and Dick sounded so genuinely happy for him it was hard to believe. God this family was terrible about being open and sincere.
“...does that mean you guys won’t be creepy and investigate him?” Jason asked hopefully. All three of them laughed.
“Hahaha oh Jason. Not even a little bit, that alpha’s getting vetted like he just applied to join the Justice League.”
“We’re gonna look into him more thoroughly than any up and coming rogue” Tim tacked on helpfully.
“He’s getting followed home.” Great. Thank you Cass. God forbid anyone have a partner in this family.
“...I hate you all” they laughed again and released him. Dick stood and headed for the kitchen, announcing he was making coffee as he waved a hand in Jason’s direction. “Jason, make us breakfast, we’ve been here all morning waiting for you.” Like they hadn’t chosen to be here waiting instead of eating breakfast at home.
“Ooh yess. I’m starving, Dick will you make me a mug too?” Heh, maybe Alfred had put a coffee ban on Tim again. Not that Tim usually drank coffee, but when he was desperate and out of energy drinks he'd take just about anything.
“On it, what should we have for breakfast? Or brunch now? Brunch?” Dick called, already heading for the kitchen.
“French toast! French toast!”
“Ooh yeah, good idea Cass, Jason, do you have fruit to put on top? You do, right? And whipped cream?”
The attack force got up and started raiding the kitchen, Jason sighed as he started obeying their demands. If princess Cassandra wants french toast, french toast she will get.
“Will you guys at least go easy on a shovel talk if you ever meet him?” He tried one last effort to protect Danny, desperate, hopeful that french toast would bring out the compassion in their hearts. They blinked in response.
“Why would we do that? Some strange alpha is putting his hands on my baby brother and you expect me not to shovel talk him? Impossible”
“Inconcievable”
“I’ll bring the shovel personally.”
“This house is a fucking prison” Jason grumbled, his siblings snickered at his reference while they fished berries out of his fridge and made coffee. Cass was nice enough to make tea for both of them, and fixed his for him while he cooked. He supposed this wasn’t too bad after all. It was a good morning, he’d had a great night, and his kitchen was full of people he cared about, laughter, and french toast. It wasn’t bad at all. Maybe this was where Jason Todd's life finally took a permanent turn for the better.
