themes/warnings: minimal cheesiness(like usual), Luke Hughes x f!reader, lotssss of sweetness(YAYAYA), very cute shy Lukey, (LOTS OF SHYNESS)
wc: 1,307
You wake up to the sound of pots and pans clattering in the kitchen, yet you don’t fully process that Luke would have to be in the kitchen for those sounds to occur.
So you reach over instinctively, searching for the warmth that is usually there, only to be greeted by empty sheets.
You groan, opening your eyes to look at the unoccupied space. Your gaze lands on a small pink piece of paper, folded into the shape of a heart.
You sigh, grabbing the note and pulling closer to you, carefully unfolding it enough to read.
A smile tugs at your mouth as you finish reading the note. Luke was quite inexperienced with Valentine’s Day coming into it, and you know he’s shy about it even if he won’t admit it.
Just seconds later, you hear footsteps and then see Luke walking towards you with a tray.
He smiles big, making your heart flutter.
“Hi,” he says, coyly.
“Hi,” you say back, smiling up at him.
“I made you breakfast,” he says as he sets the tray on your lap. “Chocolate chip waffles. Your favorite.” He slips back in bed next to you, leaning against the headboard.
You lean towards him, pecking his lips quickly and then resting your forehead on his.
“Thank you, Lu. This looks delicious.”
He smiles, shy but proud. You can tell that your praise is making him warm up to the day a bit more.
Though it may seem strange to many that he is so shy about Valentine’s Day, you know it’s because he wants to do everything in his power to make the day as good as possible for you without asking for help. You know him. You know that if he did ask for help, he would find it less meaningful.
As you dig in, you practically drool at how good it tastes. It must be showing on your face, because Luke’s smile only gets bigger.
“You like it?” he asks, hopeful.
You nod enthusiastically, unable to speak with your mouth stuffed.
He chuckles softly, and then his face lights up as if he’s remembered something. He quickly hops off the bed, retreating to the door again.
“Where are you going?” You frown.
He smiles back, awkwardly, yet adorably. “I have to go get something.”
And just like that, he’s out the door.
By the time he comes back, you’ve finished your whole breakfast. It was too good to even think about it getting cold. He smiles upon the sight of your empty tray, and advances, setting a basket on your lap.
A Valentine’s Day basket filled to the brim with cute stuff.
“Luke…” You practically melt at his flushed face, but also at the fact that he had actually paid attention to all the TikToks and instagram reels you sent him.
“I hope you like it… I tried my best.” He smiles sheepishly, looking down.
Something about how shy and boyish he is today is completely melting you to your core. Your usually confident, outgoing, jokester boyfriend is reduced to shy glances and whispered sentences. It’s completely new, but you love it.
“Luke, I love it.” You pat his cheek, hoping to bring him out of his newfound shell.
He glances at you then the basket, clearly waiting for you to look through everything. Right as you’re about to begin, he points out a stuffed animal first. Your favorite animal.
“I saw him at the store and I thought of you, so I had to buy it for you.” He smiles bigger, remembering the exact moment he spotted it on the shelf.
You pick it up, admiring how adorable it is. “He’s so cute, I love him,” you say.
He gently guides your hands to bring the stuffie closer to your face, and as he does, you catch a whiff of his cologne.
“I sprayed my cologne on it. You told me once that you love when I spray it on things before roadies, so I figured I’d give you something meant for it.” He sinks down into the bed again, nervous for your response even though he knows you’re in love with it.
“Oh, Lu… I love it.” You keep it up to your nose, breathing the scent in repeatedly.
His smile turns into a dopey grin, and you can’t help but giggle at how cute he is. Today feels like teenage love all over again for you two.
He gestures to the rest of the basket, in hopes of taking the attention off of him.
You look back at the basket, eyes darting between everything. You pick up the bag of your favorite candy and smile mischeviously and open it right away.
“I figured that would happen.” He chuckles.
You pop one in your mouth, humming a laugh.
“Ugh, I’ve missed these,” you say, stuffing another one in your mouth.
Luke places a hand on your thigh, firm and loving, as he warms up more. You smile at him as he does.
You focus yourself back on the basket in front of you before your boyfriend gets too anxious. As you go through the rest of it, it has your favorite body scrub, snacks, a blanket, a mug, and lots more.
As you get to the end, however, there is one more gift.
Luke gets visibly super nervous when you get to it, so you look at him, as if asking for permission with your eyes.
He nods and then looks down.
As you gently pick it up, unwrapping the delicate tissue paper, you reveal a book inside.
But not just any book…
A scrapbook.
As you open it, it’s everything but intricate and perfect, which makes it perfect in its own way. It is completely and totally Luke, which melts you.
It’s full of photos that are glued in, with little love notes scattered. There’s random little pieces of your relationship, like a shred of the napkin you gave him on your first date after he got water on his face.
Silly things like the paper slips from inside of fortune cookies, sequins from the dress you wore to one of his team events, and even a cutout of the magazine that had a picture of the two of you in it.
Everything in it is odd, silly, and strange. But that just makes it beautiful.
A tear slips down your face before you even realize you’re crying. Seeing it, Luke panics.
“Oh, no… Is it bad?” He sits up straighter, nervous.
Before he can continue, you grip his chin and yank him into a kiss. You feel all the tension leave his body as he leans closer, wrapping his arms around your waist and melting into you as he hums in content.
When the two of you pull apart, he wipes your tears gently with his thumbs.
“This is the best gift I have ever received, Lu.” You sniffle. “Thank you. I love you so much.”
He smiles, shy and proud.
You giggle.
“Why so shy on Valentine’s day, Lukey?” You question, quirking an eyebrow.
He brushes his hand acros your jaw, face softening.
“Because you’re so perfect and I was scared to mess it up.”
Your cheeks heat up and you can’t help but display a toothy grin, flattered by his words.
“Oh, Lu. Just having you today is enough.”
He pulls you in for another kiss, finally loud and proud instead of timid and quiet.
In this moment, you think about how many Valentine’s days the two of you have ahead of you.
And you know that every single time, he will never fail to make it better and better.
a/n: YAYYYY FINAL PART OF VALENTNES DAY SPECIALSSS!! I was super lost on this one, so i really hope you enjoy it! I really liked the shy lukey idea. I hope you do too!!
Please see my pinned post for request availability
Everything hurt when Danny managed to peel his eyes open at some indeterminate time later. Psychosomatic aftershocks of electricity racing over his limbs as the cold dragged over his skin and scalp. He was staring at the ceiling of his cell with his breath fogging out in front of him. This was the result of having the cell next to Mr. Freeze.
He blinked. Under the blanket....blankets he'd been given. It dampened the agony between his skin and his jumpsuit. Shifting his head the ugly reminder around his neck dug into the tender skin. Swallowing harshly, he turned on his side to stare at the wall.
His parents had designed this new tool. Something they must have done with Vlad and has his request. It worked too. They were mad but their science was sound. It wasn't as if he couldn't feel his Other. It remained there but utterly muted. Even the Specter Deflector hadn't done such a thorough job. Just dampening his power for a limited time; but this felt...secure. As if his parents had put their best work into this collar before handing it off to Vlad.
Vlad. Vlad wasn't supposed to be allowed to visit him after Dr. Kingfisher had recommended it; but overshadowing was a powerful tool very few people could resist. It wasn't a surprise he'd gotten in or that he'd brought the collar. Danny was more surprised with how betrayed he felt by the whole thing.
"Danny?" Pamela spoke up as she turned the corner into his cell. "You're up?"
"Hi." Tucking every rough emotion away, Danny turned to face the supervillain.
"Thank God you're up. It's been three days, kiddo." She produced a protein bar and bottle of water. "I guess they wammied you good?"
He hummed, sitting up just enough to drink the water without spilling over himself. The bar went down like a rock, but it was food and he couldn't complain that much. "Three days?"
"Three days. Victor has been beside himself. I've been pretty worried myself."
"Anything happen?"
"Not really. Two-Face has been reciting Shakespeare. He's pretty good at it. You missed an appointment with the doc and you Classic Lit class. I guess that's about it. Honestly, you're the most interesting thing around here right now."
"You didn't take me to the infirmary?" Could he go back? Back where this thing had been forced around his neck, back when he'd felt Vlad's cold breath on his face?
"They dragged you here on purpose, kid. There's no fucking way." Pamela reached out, brushing back his bangs. Both jerked away from each other, blinking. "Sorry...don't know why I did that. Your hair...it's getting pretty long."
"It is." Danny reached for the collar. It was cool under his fingertips, thrumming with energy and...he paused over the logo. It wasn't just the shape was different now; there were bumps.
Bumps?
"I'm sorry." Pamela muttered, handing him another protein bar.
Danny shrugged. "So am I. I."
"Daniel!" Victor appeared at the door in his suit. "You're awake!"
"I'm up." He agreed. "Why is it so cold?"
"I believe your powers insulated you from the cold. This is as close as I dare get." He remained just within the door. "My friend. Are you feeling well?"
"No. I feel like shit." He ignored Victor's flinch.
"And your powers?"
"I can't....feel them." He squeezed his fingers around the wrapper. "I'm...tired."
"Ah, of course." Victor nodded at Pamela before retreating.
"You're not immune to his cold anymore. He's been really upset."
"Gee...poor Victor." Danny drew a hand through his hair, sighing. It was getting long and disgusting. "I.."
"I can take care of your hair." She gestured to her own, bouncing up when he gave a slow nod. Returning not much later with a few hair care products. It was calming, almost meditative as she ran a comb through his hair. Careful with the tangles and clumps. With a tie she worked it into a shallow pony tail.
"I look like a founding father." Danny smiled, almost dozing.
"A very cute one," Pamela offered, "Get some sleep, alright?"
"Sure." He let himself be tucked back under the blankets; dozing with the collar digging into his neck.
Over the next few days he wobbled around with unsteady legs and sudden racing aches over his limbs. He was cold and hollow but food did no good. When he finally made it to the mess hall for a meal a hushed silence washed out away from him. Goons, villains, and guards watched Danny proceed up the aisles toward the line.
Just like high school. He told himself and ignored everyone.
"Well. Well. WELL! Isn't that a shiny new toy!"
Fear washed through his system, then anger, which morphed into a white-hot fury totally at odds with his personality. Danny was turning before he knew what he was doing, bringing the tray up to catch the descending limb against the wrist. Pained cackling followed and increased as Danny dragged the tray back around dig into the flesh behind his elbow. It wasn't a strong tray. A thin plastic not designed for hand-to-hand combat or allowing injury; but Danny did his best until it broke under his fingers.
He didn't have his strength. He didn't have his ghost half and betrayal sat hot and sick in his stomach. Taking his anger out on the Joker was the easiest decision he'd made since waking up. "JUST BECAUSE I'VE GOT THIS DOESN'T MEAN I CAN'T KICK YOUR SORRY, PATHETIC EDGELORD ASS!" The Joker was a monster. Hideous and wretched and cruel with a soul splashed gleefully about in a bathing pool of blood he'd spilled; but he was still a man. Mortal, with flesh which could rip and bone
They weren't given heavy shoes as a matter of principle; too many dangers when angry patients wore weapons. Years of training and ghost battles and bullies left him with an intimate knowledge of where to stomp to get someone to stop moving. It didn't even take that much force to hear the crack he'd been aiming for.
It didn't take long for a the guards to converge. Jolted out of their stupor by a pitched screamed.
Without his powers and strength he really didn't have the ability to fend off anyone. Surprise and skill over true strength; but when he was hauled out of the mess it was with blood sprayed over the base of his pants and clean, white socks.
This time, solitary was interrupted by an unexpected figure. Warden Valery with his guards and secretary; sputtering hopelessly. "Danny! You just recovered! You shouldn't be starting fights!"
Danny stared down at his fingers, hairline cuts from flying plastic just red enough to show they'd broken skin. "You're awfully concerned, Warden."
The man nearly flapped his arms around, sputtering. "Young man! I know you're not from Gotham, but this is a serious matter!"
"You know. I can count on one hand how many fucks I give." Danny flipped the older man off. Taking immense satisfaction with the way his eye bugged.
"Mr. Fenton!"
"I feel like you're more worried about what Bruce Wayne is going to say rather than my actually getting into a fight. And, for the record, I didn't start that fight. I finished it."
"He hadn't even done anything!"
"So? His existence is a declaration of war, and fuck you for yelling at me especially after you fucked up and let Vlad fucking Masters in."
Warden Valery blinked. " I What?"
Of course. Vlad had covered his tracks. The Warden was pathetic and stupid but he was decent enough that Vlad would have had to overshadow him to gain access into Arkham."
"Are you stupid? Where do you think I even got this?" Danny flicked the collar with a fingernail. "It's sure as not shit standard issue."
People overshadowed rarely remembered anything they'd done. If they noticed, the memory gap was enough to alarm and upset them. For someone with security access and concerns, Warden Valery would be deeply worried. Or Danny hoped he would be. "Right. Yes....well. I'll....look into that. You know the consequences for fighting, Mr. Fenton."
"Fighting goons or that lunatic, because when the goons jump me no one does a damn thing. So it is about Wayne."
Valery pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mr. Fenton. You'll be out in the morning. Get to class once you do, alright?" He was gone a moment later and Danny let his head sag back against the wall. His fingers traced over the logo again, and curiously, he traced them out on the wall. Seven dots outlined in the sweeping calligraphy. Seven dots and in a moment he was staring at the distinct outline of a constellation smeared into the all.
Ursa Major. The Great Bear. The Big Dipper.
Danny stared blankly at the quickly fading sketch, grappling with a confusion he couldn't place. Why? Why would it be there? They'd designed this. Locked away Phantom and his powers and....his parents didn't know he was Phantom.
Did they?
If they'd designed this for a meta then it wouldn't have been half as effective. Designed for a ghost it was brilliant.
But they didn't know. He'd been arrested and tried as a human. Vlad had been perfectly clear and deliberate about that. So...why did this work? This wasn't Vlad's design, that much was clear. His dads nano-tech was groundbreaking.
Vlad wanted to be brilliant. He was good, but nothing compared to Danny's parents. He couldn't have designed this collar and Danny wouldn't have trusted him not to put an extra bit of torture in there for his own amusement. A shock collar. A tracking piece. A camera....something.
So, now...what did that mean?
Danny shifted onto his back. It wasn't as if he forgave them...but this didn't make any sense.
Ursa Major....probably the easiest to fit in this new logo and; but why?
It was still bugging him in class and then when he saw Bruce Wayne. It wasn't until he'd gotten a few moves into their chess match when the man finally spoke. "Something on your mind, chum?" He'd been quiet aside from the general greeting. Apparently reading Danny's expression and acting accordingly. Danny wondered what his kids were like.
"A lot of somethings." Danny admitted, peeking up from his arm to glance at the board. He'd put the rules together during their last match."I guess it's more of a mystery."
"Oh?" Bruce had brought some cookies with him. A batch made by his butler, and milk from a cow he kept on the manor grounds. He'd laughed when Danny had told him that rich people were crazy. "Well, if you read Sherlock Holmes, "when you have eliminated the impossible whatever remains, However improbable, must be the truth."
"You just know that?" Danny muttered, toying with the captured knight. "Which...I guess still confuses me."
For a moment, the blue eyes were a sea-hairs shy of too-calculating. "I'm sorry. I'm no good with mysteries."
"Do you call up your boyfriend? I mean, Batman?'
With a suddenly aggrieved sigh, Bruce shook his head. "You know....sure. Yeah." It was funny and Danny managed his first smile in a few days. "I heard you got into a fight with the Joker."
"Oh yeah? Warden blabbing to like it's a fucking report card? Calling home to tell you your kids have been in a fight?"
"Something like that. Well, my children's school calls my secretary."
Danny flicked at his collar. "He was reaching for this. It didn't seem like a good idea to let him get within grabbing range."
"No...it was not. Well done." Someone made a choked noise in the background.
Well done. So far every had fussed and worried and scolded but being complimented....Danny looked away. "Thanks." He must have been feeling better. He wasn't as cold these days, even around Victor. Still, Wayne's smile managed to warm him further.
#$#$#
Bruce hadn't made it past the front door of Arkham when the wardens' voice called. "Mr. Wayne! Mr. Wayne!"
"Mr. Valery!" Bruce grinned, chess set tucked under his arm. "What can I help you with?"
Valery was panting faintly from the run to catch up with him. "Mr. Wayne....do you mind a private conversation?"
"Not at all!"
"Well...Mr. Wayne, I know you have a...relationship with...uh, the Dark Knight. No. No. I've heard the rumors; but listen. I need to talk to him...there was a security breach and as far as I can tell.....well. I think he might be able to handle it."
"Not you?"
"This seems...Justice League level, if I'm honest, but I know how your man feels about other heroes in the city. Listen, this is serious. Do you think he'd mind?"
Bruce thought about protesting, but he sighed instead. "I'll let the commish know. You know, he's got connections."
Warden Valery winked, "of course. The commish....just, it's urgent."
Was it urgent? To do with Danny's new collar? The sight of it had curdled his stomach and knowing just how effective it was alarmed him greatly. No one was sure how powerful Danny was; but his children were taking bets. He wanted to take this run himself but pulled out his phone. He needed plausible deniability.
#$#$#
Valery lived in an upscale section of Gotham. Being warden to the most notorious asylum in America netted him a tidy income as well as proportional death threats. Very few people had access to his apartment, so it was a nasty shock when he turned on the light in the kitchen to find Nightwing leaning against his counter and arranging the magnetic poetry strips into dirty limericks.
"Jesus Fuck!"
"Nope! Nightwing." The vigilante tilted his head, whites of his mask narrowing. "So? Security breach?"
"Your step-father works fast. well. I guess he's got everyone on speed dial. Look, I don't..." He waved for the man to take a seat on the couch and produced two sodas. Glass bottles like his grandmother used to serve. "I don't want to go to someone outside, but there's no one I can think of who could handle this threat. We had a security breach a week ago. My cameras are glitched out at the time and the men involved don't remember a damn thing. I don't remember a damn thing. The thing is, Vlad Masters is barred from seeing or visiting Danny Fenton. It used to be that the kid just turned him down, but then...well. Dr. Kingfisher heard some alarming things and we decided to ban him officially."
"Alarming things?"
"Best we can guess is that he's a creep to the kid. I know he was involved with his trial and is his Godfather, but even that doesn't negate what the doc said. He tried playing that angle a bunch of times to get a visit." God, he wanted a beer. He wanted something hard that would make the edge of the world go fuzzy.
"You listened to Dr. Kingfisher?"
He rolled the cold bottle between his hands, humming thoughtfully. "Yes. I mean. I know there's...I'm limited, but that I can do. That I could do, but a week ago...Vlad Masters got access to Arkham. By my permission and he came in with my men and he....he put that collar on Fenton. Apparently dragged him back to his cell by the sounds of it. I don't know how. I don't remember, but he got in and....fuck!" Valery ran his hands through his hair. If anything really unsavory happened to Fenton and the press found out? If someone explicitly barred from the teenager suddenly managed to barge in and slap a new debilitating collar on him? He would be crucified. His career would be over!
Nightwing hummed thoughtfully and thus began the longest and most intensive interrogation Valery had ever dealt with. By the time the younger man seemed satisfied the warden already felt like passing out on his couch. "We'll be in touch."
That was something. Better than nothing, he supposed.
"But...did he really break the Joker's arm?"
"Hmm? Oh, yeah." Nightwing grinned and vanished off the balcony a moment later. Only once he was gone did Valery sink sideways onto the cushions. He wasn't sure if he dreamed or not. but the only thing he remembered was the ringing gong of a grandfather clock jolting him out of sleep just as his alarm might have gone off if his phone hadn't died.
Ok so Danny has essentially claimed earth as his. And he is fully aware that there are constant threats to the planet. Now he can’t stop a threat that originates on earth (that’s something he’ll leave to the Justice league) but he can do something about outside threats. Doing some research on ancient spells, rituals, and artifacts, he cast a world wide barrier on the planet to protect it from hostile threats so they cannot enter. This will prevent another Pariah Dark incident. However, barriers like this come at a price. You see, there are two ways to make a barrier. Either make one powered up by your own energy and power (which would be constantly draining) or set up a barrier with rules. The way magic works is that nothing can be absolutely indestructible. It must have a weakness. The most powerful barriers weren’t the ones reinforced with layer after layer of protective charms and buffed up with power. Those could eventually be destroyed either by being overpowered, wearing them down, or by cutting off the original power source. No, the most powerful barriers were the ones with a deliberate weakness. A barrier indestructible except for one spot. A cage that can only be opened from the outside. Or that can only be passed with a key or by solving a riddle. So Danny chooses this type of barrier and does the necessary ritual and pours in enough power to make it. And he adds his condition for anyone to enter.
Now the Justice league? Find out about the barrier when Trigon attempts to attack, they were preparing after he threatened what he would do once he got to earth. How he would destroy them. The Justice league tried to take the fight to him first but were utterly destroyed, so they retreated home to tend to their injuries, and fortify earth for one. Last. Stand. Only when Trigon makes his big entrance…he’s stopped.
The Justice league watch in awe as this thin see-through barrier with beautiful green swirls and speckled white lights like stars apears blocking Trigon and his army’s advance. The barrier looks so thin and fragile yet no matter how hard the warlord hits, none of his attacks can get through and neither can he damage said barrier. That’s when Constantine and Zatanna recognizes what this barrier is. Something only a powerful entity could create. For a moment, the league is filled with hope that Trigon can’t get through yet Constantine also explains that it’s not impenetrable. And clearly Trigon knows this too for he calls out a challenge.
And that’s when, in a flash of light, a tiny glowing teenager appears. He looked absolutly minuscule compared to Trigon and yet practically glowed with power (this isn’t a King Danny AU though).
And that is when the conditions for passing the barrier are revealed. And the Justice realize that the only thing stopping Trigon and his army from decimating earth. The only way he can get through….is by beating this glowing teenager in a card game.
Not just any card game though. The most convoluted game Sam, Danny, and Tucker invented themselves. It’s like the infinite realms version of magic the gathering, combined with Pokémon, and chess. And Danny is the master. So sit down Trigon and let’s play.
(The most intense card game of the Justice league’s life).
After Danny wins, this happens a few more times with outer word beings and possibly even demons attempting to invade earth, yet none have been able to beat the mysterious teenager in a card game. Constantine might even take a crack at it and try to figure out how to play. He’s really bad though. Every time this happens, the Justice league worry that this might be the time the teenager looses. Yet every time, he wins (even if only barely).
Meanwhile, Danny, Sam, and Tucker have gotten addicted to the game and play it almost daily. Some teachers might seem them playing the game are are like ‘awww how cute’ not realizing this game is literally saving the world. Jazz is just happy they aren’t spending as much time on their screens playing Doomed.
what is your worst "hear me out" for transformers? mine is tarantulas like a spider in irl hell no… but a big robot spider thats hot
Probably Tarantulas (I love his Earthspark design) or IDW Waspinator.
I read Windblade for Metroplex lore and it reminded me of this messed up, fatally gullible mech that is everyone’s punching bag and just knows it.
🔞🌶️ storyline, eventual sparked reader
Worker Bee
IDW Waspinator x Reader
• Dragging his broken body, his alt mode scrabbles for purchase in the leaf litter. It’s hard to focus on much besides the pain and finding somewhere safe to hide and heal. He’s not even sure what he did, only that Skywarp had pointed at him right before Megatron went ballistic on him and the two other Decepticons that had been close by. Maybe he had done something wrong. He must have. “Waspinator’s fault,” he rasps, antenna flicking because there’s light up ahead, a building where he’ll be out of the snow just beginning to fall. Leaving the tree line, he drags himself inside, legs scrabbling and knocking over a metal can that clatters as it goes rolling and he collapses on the straw inside. So tired, burrowing in.
• Looking up from your book at the noise, you groan because the raccoons are back and they’ve tipped over the trash can. It’s late and you just want to ignore it and deal with it in the morning, but there might be garbage strewn across the yard by then. Standing, you tug on a coat, grab a flashlight, and a rifle just in case it’s a bear, not cute little trash pandas raiding your garbage. You’d left the barn door open apparently and you find the can turned over, but its contents not scattered everywhere. Maybe the sound scared them off? Setting the gun down, you right the can and turn as something shifts within the hay, rising slowly to tower over you.
• There’s a human with a weapon. Here to hurt him, because everyone does. They always do. It hurts to transform and reach for the human, but his injuries throw him off balance and he crashes down, knocking the little organic sprawling with him. And you’re screaming at him, your fear jangling through him making him curl forward, servos over his head. Waiting for a blow that doesn’t come. “Not hurt Waspinator?”
• Hyperventilating as the monster lifts its big head slightly, you can’t even scream. Voice overlayed with slow buzz, the thing had spoken. It’s gigantic, seizing your ankle when you try to crawl away and dragging you back, looming over you. All you can do is hold up your hands in supplication as those awful mandibles work and those glowing optics stare. “Don’t hurt me.”
• This is new. Someone afraid of him? It should make him feel powerful to be the one feared for once, but it just makes him feel oddly ill. Sitting up and gingerly touching the wound in his torso sluggishly bleeding energon, he makes a buzzing click of his mandibles. “No hurt,” he says as you scramble to your hands and knees to put some distance between you. “Already hurt,” he adds tiredly, and you hesitate in your retreat. Staring at the energon welling through his servos. You rake a hand through your hair, expression twisting.
• All you have to do is run like hell. That thing, Waspinator it had called itself, is hurt too badly to chase you. Maybe. But there’s something about its defeated tone that makes you feel guilty. This isn’t your problem. Big and scary was already hurt when he crashed in your barn. So why do you go over to the workbench and retrieve a roll of duct tape? He hisses at you, rearing back when you try to touch him and you freeze. “Cut that out,” you snap and his antenna flatten back. Not hurt Waspinator? You’d guessed with the way he’d worded that question that maybe he’s used to being hurt. That he’d fold if you acted aggressive and you were right. It’s unsettling to see a giant, metal death bug cringe like a puppy being scolded. But he doesn’t make a peep as you find the hole in his metal side and gingerly tape the leaking lines, trying to not think too closely on what you’re touching or that your hands are inside him rooting around. “Waspinator, right?” The way he’s just staring down at you with those wide glowing optics just cements in your head that he’s a big, really ugly puppy.
Live & work. The popular tourist site, Desert Tower & museum in the In-Ko-Pah Mountains is for sale. The registered landmark was built between 1922-1928 in Jacumba Hot Springs, CA.
In addition to the tower, gift shop, and museum, there are 3 small homes for living, guests, or income. Many possibilities include yoga retreats, art studios, performance spaces, stargazing, etc. 90+ acres. $1.685m and the owner is offering seller financing w/$500k down and flexible interest-only terms for 5–7 years.
This is nice, but I would make this a home, and maybe cut down the store space or locate it in one of the little houses.
This is so cool, the way it goes around.
There are a lot of rooms in here and 3 floors.
I don't know what this is. Maybe the museum.
These look like artifacts.
It's unclear where these rooms are all located, but they're nice.
It actually looks like a home.
There's plenty room for a store, still.
Observatory in the top of the tower.
One of the little houses. Isn't this cute?
This looks nice.
This must be the museum.
I'm thinking that the art is part of the museum, too.
Lots of cool stone art.
Look at this piece.
And, this looks like a stage or a covered outdoor venue.
There's a well.
Apparently these are the public restrooms.
Displays. I'm sure that the buyer gets all of this stuff.
Danny's been High King for years now. More than half his life. His parents? Reformed. His arch nemesis? Retired. The GIW? Still there, but not much of a threat anymore. Until someone got a lucky shot with a brand new, and extra nasty weapon that left Danny fighting not to just retreat into his core.
Good thing Frostbite told him about a way to condense himself to save energy and heal. Sure, making himself shrink is a little weird, but as long as it gets the job done, right? A quick portal jump and he'll be home and can just rest and relax until he's strong enough to go back to normal.
...Maybe he jumped a little too far. Because he's never heard of this Gotham place, and who the heck is Batman? Wait, they've got superheros here?! (And they're cute. Oh no.)
---
I'm writing this for my unnofficial NaNoWriMo, so there is next to no editing and things may change. If you want to wait for the finished fic, I'll be posting it on AO3 later. <3
Edit 12/6/25: Since I've caught up to tumblr on AO3, I'll be adjusting these posts with the edits and future chapters will be posted at the same time on both sites. <3
Notes: Danny's in his thirties here. Eventual Clark/Bruce/Danny ship. Author has no shame.
"Come on, Boxy, you've gotta stop trying to sneak into their storage room."
"They cannot keep me away from so many cubical cardboard containers! For I am the Box Ghost!"
"You're going to be in a box in the ground if you don't quit letting them tempt you," Danny said with a sigh. This had to be the third time this week alone that he'd had to break into the GIW base to break the weaker ghost back out. All because they were probably the only people in town to still keep their supplies in their original shipping boxes. Shaking his head, he jammed Tucker's latest scrambler into the cell lock, making it pop open almost instantly. "Let's get going, or Lunch Lady's gonna start stress cooking and Jack's already been gaining enough weight lately."
Ushering the Box Ghost ahead of him to make their way out to where he could open a portal, Danny shook his head. Who would have thought that rescue missions against the GIW would ever feel so routine? Certainly not his teenage self. The thought of the place would have given him nightmares back then.
But that was then. Now, he'd been a ghost for more than twenty years, and king for most of that. And adult Danny had made his way past so many of his childhood fears.
After he'd defeated Pariah Dark, the Observants had barely wasted any time in trying to force the crown onto his head. To catch him unprepared, unschooled, and controllable. It'd been Clockwork who stepped in to help him insist on waiting until he could graduate high school. Until then, he'd be the crown prince, king in waiting. It gave him power, yes, but not nearly as much responsibility. Giving him time to be a human kid, but also to study and learn about the position he was destined for. He couldn't be more grateful to the ghost who he'd come to think of as an adopted grandfather.
The other Amity ghosts, the ones he'd come to think of as his, eased up on him after his victory too. Yes, Skulker still came for his pelt, Johnny and Kitty still went joyriding, Ember still had her concerts, and of course Boxy still gave Amity Park a good reason to avoid keeping any boxes around. But they worked out a schedule that allowed him to attend his classes, and even get most of his homework done. (Well, except for Boxy, but at least he avoided coming to the campus during school hours.)
And then the biggest miracle happened. His parents just stopped hunting him one day. He hadn't known why then, but he wasn't going to complain when he stopped having to dodge Fenton blaster shots, or anti-ecto coated nets. It wasn't until later that his mom confessed that they'd finally noticed that he was growing. Their research had said that ghosts didn't change after they formed. It'd led them to re-examine their presently held theories, and more and more had begun to fall apart.
And, well, without the fear of being shot or dissected, he'd found the courage to tell them summer after his graduation. He was eighteen by then, able to leave and make his own way, soon to be crowned, and strong enough to escape. If he'd had to.
He hadn't.
The three of them had probably cried more that night than any other time in any of their lives. It didn't matter that he'd shot up nearly to Jack's height by then, he still felt like a little kid when they'd sandwiched him between them in a desperate hug, like they were scared he was going to up and vanish on them. Because he was dead. It'd taken three trays of fudge, two hours of story telling, and letting his dad hold onto the cape he wore when in his 'royal' form to calm them all down enough to actually get any sleep that night.
He'd felt light enough to float away. Especially when he called Jazz to tell her, and she'd told him how proud she was.
The cape, he didn't see again until a few months later, days before the holiday truce, when his coronation was to be held.
"I was wondering if I was going to get this back," he'd teased, shaking the cloak out to drape across his shoulders. But then he'd noticed a difference in the outer fabric. The liner, if it could be called that, hadn't changed. It was still a light drinking dark that you began to see stars in if you looked long enough. But the outside had been a smooth white. Simple. Plain.
It wasn't plain anymore. All over it, in fine white and silver threads, was delicate embroidery. Celestial shapes, swirls, snowflakes. And little ghosts, hidden in the patterns.
"If those ghosts are going to see my boy crowned their king, then they're going to see you dressed in style," Jack had said, his chin stiff in the way that Danny knew he was trying not to cry.
Danny had hugged him so tight that even his ribs had creaked.
Now, with more than a decade passing, Danny had settled into his new place in the world. He still came around Amity, spending at least a month with his friends and family every year, often more. While the Anti-Ecto Acts hadn't quite gotten reversed yet, the drastic reversal in the Drs. Fentons scientific findings had weakened them. And that in turn had lost the GIW almost all of their funding. No more huge, state of the art facility, no more high tech, cutting age weapons, no more helicopters and tanks. The only ghosts they managed to catch most of the time were those of animals.
Along with a certain former warehouse worker who just couldn't resist.
As for the weapons and technology they already had... Danny had just grown too strong for most of it work against him. Making the rescues easy. Routine.
Which was probably how he got too complacent.
He hummed a tune to himself as they floated through the hall, one hand holding a glowing green shield up, the other pushing Box Ghost along. Agents came swarming out to attack them, the beams from their out-of-date guns bouncing off of his shield.
"You guys really need to find yourselves a better hobby," Danny quipped cheerfully. "This one really isn't working out too good for you anymore."
"Shut your mouth, ectoplasmic scum!" Agent R shouted, trying to shoot him again. Or was it Q? Danny hadn't bothered to learn their code names past K and O. They were still his favorites.
The feeling wasn't mutual, of course. But Danny still grinned when the familiar pair, the last of his original hunters, shoved their way through the crowd of their fellow agents.
"Hey guys, nice to see you again," he called out, waving cheerfully and stopping. Because they'd reached their destination. "Long time no see! I'd love to catch up, but you know me. Gotta get this guy home. See ya later!"
Turning his back to the agents, Danny's nails changed into claws as he slashed at the air, ripping a portal open. Down in the lower levels, the shielding on the building kept him from just portalling or phasing in and out as he pleased. The whole building was supposed to be like that. Too bad that being sucked into the Infinite Realms and spat back out twenty years ago had cracked their foundation, and left a gap in their shielding that they'd never managed to fix.
Holding the portal open, he pushed his sulking subject through. It'd drop him right on the other side of the Fenton portal so he could come through and keep his wife from freaking out. Before flying through himself, he turned his head to look over his shoulder, unable to resist his own urge to deliver a snappy one-liner.
And that was his mistake.
Pain flared across his back, portal snapping closed as he dropped to the ground with a cry that was as much in shock as agony. Looking up, he stared at the smoking weapon that Agent K held in his hands. It wasn't a stolen Fenton invention. It wasn't one of the GIW old standard issues. It was new. Rough, unpolished still, but dangerous. Danny sucked in breath through his teeth, his back feeling like it was on fire from the one blast. And from Agent K's cold smile as he advanced, his shield broken when he fell, the man knew it.
"Say goodbye, ectoplasmic scum. It's a pity we won't be able to study you while you're 'alive,' but I'm honored to be your End," the white suited agent all but purred.
"Like I'd make it that easy," Danny snapped back. He didn't wait for the agent to raise the gun again before dragging his claws along the floor to open another portal right under him. The pull of power needed, barely a drop in the bucket these days, made him gasp. Another blast, this one to his shoulder, almost made him lose it, the fabric of the veil twisting against his hold, but damn it, he was not going to let them get him like this.
Danny fell out of the other side of the portal onto concrete, grunting in pain as he staggered to his feet. A glance around told him that he'd made it to the surface, but the blaring alarms making his ears ring meant that he hadn't gotten anywhere near far away enough. The agents would be swarming him any moment, and whatever that gun had been, it'd left him feeling weaker than he had in a long time.
Of course, he hadn't had the luck to surface in front of the gates, high fence standing solid and in his way. But since when had something like a wall stopped him? Of course, that was before he tried to lift up from the ground in order to fly over it and away, only to crash back down, his head spinning with the effort. Okay, so flight was a no go. Time for plan B.
When he leaned against the wall and actually fell through, he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, and didn't need. At least that was still working.
But it didn't keep away the feeling of weakening as he stumbled his way away from the base. With every step, it felt like he was having a harder and harder time keeping his form solid. Which was, needless to say, bad. From the lessons he'd gotten from Frostbite over the years, that was a warning sign that he was about to retreat into his core for healing. Whether he wanted to or not. Meaning he'd be an absolute sitting duck.
But Frostbite had also told him about a way to stave it off. To conserve enough energy to stay awake, a full ghost (well, halfa) and not just a core sitting where just anyone could snatch him up. Danny had laughed at it then, because it sounded absolutely stupid, like some kid's cartoon.
Oh, Sam and Tucker were going to laugh at him when he got back into town. There was no way they were going to let it go.
Because the solution was to reduce his body down as much as possible, easing up the energy needed to keep it together. In other words, he had to shrink himself. Like the Fenton crammer incident all over again.
Danny ducked behind a tree, out of sight from the gate and hopefully the watchtower they'd set up to keep locals away. He panted for breath out of habit, closing his eyes tight. "This had better work."
How had Frostbite described it? Pull your ecto in tight, like you were curling around a small ball. Every bit of him, curled close. There was no need for anything more than a few inches from the ball. From his core. Tight. Small.
His stomach lurched as everything shifted around him, leaving him shaking even as it settled again. Prying his eyes open, the ghost jerked at the world that'd just grown many times its original size, looming over his head. At least, it'd grown in comparison to him! But, on the bright side, he no longer felt like he was going to crumble and fall apart.
"Okay, step one sucks, but it's done," he muttered to himself, going to brush his bangs from his eyes only to wince when his just recently shot shoulder protested. Come on, he'd completely rearranged his body to shrink it down. Did it have to carry the injuries forward? Who was in charge of that? He wanted to file a complaint!
Just as soon as he was someplace safe.
He didn't have enough juice to make a portal all the way to the Zone. He knew that without trying it. It might be his kingdom, but getting through the veil between them was harder. That's what had taken him so long to learn how to open portals in the first place, even with Wulf's tutoring. But he didn't need to get all the way to the other side. He just needed to get away from here.
Home would be best. Safe would be good. Anywhere but where he was now would be acceptable. So, taking a deep breath, he brought his focus in and put all his strength into ripping a new portal open. He wished (silently) that he could have taken the time to check out where it went before jumping through, but holding it open even this long was already taking his toll, and he could hear the gates opening, trucks already rolling out to find him. No time. So, crossing his fingers, he jumped through.
Passing through the portal didn't feel nearly as smooth as it usually did, a flash of light blurring past before green overtook him once more.
And emerged still surrounded by woods.
"Oh come on," Danny yelled at the surrounding trees. Had he even gotten a whole mile away?!
Worse, he'd ended up ever closer to the road than he'd been, making it much more likely that their scanners would pick him up if they drove by. He seriously wanted a refund on today, and was going to give Boxy some royal grief over being the cause of this whole mess.
At the sound of an engine approaching, Danny ducked down in the grass. He frowned. It sounded too loud to be one of their usual trucks. Had things really gotten so bad for them that they'd had to get some old beater? Somehow, he just couldn't picture that. Hell, they probably still put most of their budget into laundry to keep their precious white suits clean.
He had his answer soon enough, because what drove around the corner was absolutely not GIW approved. Those guys wouldn't know undercover if it bit them, and wouldn't be caught dead in the old, beat up delivery truck that was rolling down the road.
And not all that well, either. Danny felt a twinge of concern at the smoke leaking out from the hood of the truck. Even if he hadn't been into mechanics for years, he'd have known that smoke generally didn't mean good things. And, thankfully, the driver seemed to agree with him, because the truck pulled over on the side of the road. Directly in front of Danny's hiding spot.
As the driver climbed out with a jug of water and a sailor's mouth to pop open the hood, the opportunity seemed to be too good to be true. He'd been able to phase still, so he'd be able to get in the back and hitch a ride back to town. From there, he'd find a way to contact his fraid and get home to rest up and recover.
There wasn't a lot of time to weigh the pros and cons about it, unfortunately, but hey, no one said that Danny, Fenton or Phantom, wasn't an impulsive kind of man.
He was extra glad that it hadn't been his legs that'd gotten shot as he sprinted across the ground, gritting his teeth as his back and shoulder screamed at him for it. And maybe he hadn't been able to fly far earlier, but he didn't need to, kicking off from the ground with more of a leap than his usual release from gravity. A leap of faith at that. Come on, come on...
The jump landed. Barely. Danny smacked into the rear running board chest first, hands grabbing tightly onto the nonslip grit paper to pull himself up. But with the hood slamming shut in the front, he couldn't just rest and catch his breath there. He had to get inside before the truck started moving. Switching to intangible made him queasy in a way he didn't like, but it was the difference between crashing into the closed compartment door and actually getting inside.
And it was only once he was inside that he let himself just stop and lean his good side against the nearest box and catch his breath. He needed to consider his next move. Danny wasn't exactly sure where he and his unwitting taxi driver were headed, but he'd get out soon as the truck made its next stop. From there, find a place to hide. Reach out to his fraid... somehow. Go home. Profit?
Danny snorted to himself in the dimness of the cargo area. Ha, like he ever got to profit.
At least getting in the truck had bought him a moment to breathe, and get a look at what the stupid gun had done to his shoulder. His sleeve was barely holding on, a big hole burnt in the fabric. He grimaced. Even in this crappy light, it didn't look good, skin an angry green and black. He didn't want to think of what his back must look like. Judging from the way it felt, it probably looked like absolute shit. Barbequed ghost. He wondered who would throw a bigger fit about it. His dad or Frostbite. Either way, he'd be in the Spector Speeder faster than he could blink and on his way to the Far Frozen.
Sighing, Danny closed his eyes. He could take a breather before he continued to see what the gun had done to him, right? Just a few minutes...
The last thought he had before passing out was to wonder how had a truck in this bad of shape, with New Jersey plates, made it all the way from there to Illinois?
etho is working on his moss farm, debugging some redstone, squished in a one block high space. bdubs finds him like that, tinkering away. he comes up behind etho, peers over his shoulder, "what's the issue?"
etho startles and then laughs that cute little laugh of slight embarrassment and then explains the problem to bdubs. bdubs presses closer to etho's back to see what etho is pointing at, still watching over his shoulder. etho is radiating heat, probably sweaty from crawling around redstone all day and bdubs finds he doesn't mind at all. in fact he presses closer when he says, "this sounds like a task for redstone master bdubs!"
etho's eyes crinkles, his smile hidden behind his mask but audible in his voice when he says, "i better get out of your way then."
bdubs's moss coat would be too bulky for the space so bdubs tugs it off, makes sure to put it somewhere where they hopefully won't get too much redstone on it. etho shifts to the side and bdubs crawls into the space besides him. their hands brush when bdubs reaches to change the timing on a repeater and etho giggles again, flustered, cute. bdubs has to focus on the redstone too much to look over and catch his fond look.
bdubs solves the problem, something about an accidental bud powered line. "of course i fixed it," he boasts to etho, teasingly knocking into his side with his shoulder before he moves out of the crawlspace again. before bdubs can fully retreat, etho grabs his arm, gloved hand on bare skin. "hey. thanks bdubs."
"always happy to lend you my skills!" bdubs's jovial tone doesn't match the shiver that runs through his body at etho's hand still on his skin, warmth seeping through the material of his glove. bdubs can't tear his eyes away from it, from where etho's pale fingers are leaving redstone dust fingerprints on bdubs' tan arm, the red dust getting caught in his dark hair as etho's fingers shift.
etho must notice because he pulls his hand away like he got burned and shuffles to the side. "i should build the rest of this," etho says, quiet and unsure.
before bdubs can say anything, etho is already gone, disappeared deeper into the cramped maze of redstone lines. bdubs shouts his goodbye before he picks up his moss coat and flees the scene, just like etho had
fic recommendations with Danny Phantom interacting with various BatFam members
More Like Home by liketolaugh
Following the arrest of the Drs Fenton, Bruce takes Danny home as his newest ward. It's nothing he hasn't done before. Danny presents some unique challenges - his inhuman physiology, his parents' in-progress trial, the scope and magnitude of his abilities - but he's still a child like any other. Any of Bruce's, anyway.
FANDOM: Batman x Danny Phantom
PAIRING: Danny Fenton & BatFam
SITE: Archive of Our Own
STATUS: Ongoing
Discordant Truths by basilbleu
As the entity's head swings back and forth between them, wisps of white hair float unnaturally through the damp air and light catches on a metal muzzle glinting across its face, which doesn’t hinder a deep growl that echoes through the chamber; grating, it sends a sense of dread through Bruce.
Damian’s prone body lay beneath it.
The sight cracks something within him.
“Release him,” Batman snarls. The entity only cements himself more firmly in front of his son, nearly blocking him from view. The growling grows. Nightwing unsheathes his escrima sticks.
Thick tension settles among them. The entity’s glowing green eyes flicker and in that moment, Batman acts.
---
Damian has been missing for two days after looking into an organization named the GIW. Batman's only lead is an escaped ecto-entity who he believes kidnapped his son as a hostage. When Nightwing and Batman finally find the entity, they will do everything in their power to bring their boy home.
FANDOM: Batman x Danny Phantom
PAIRING: Danny Fenton & Damian Wayne; Danny Fenton & Bruce Wayne
SITE: Archive of Our Own
STATUS: Ongoing
A Good Manor Must Be a Little Haunted by Coffeetailor
Danny's been High King for years now. More than half his life. His parents? Reformed. His arch nemesis? Retired. The GIW? Still there, but not much of a threat anymore. Until someone got a lucky shot with a brand new, and extra nasty weapon that left Danny fighting not to just retreat into his core.
Good thing Frostbite told him about a way to condense himself to save energy and heal. Sure, making himself shrink is a little weird, but as long as it gets the job done, right? A quick portal jump and he'll be home and can just rest and relax until he's strong enough to go back to normal.
...Maybe he jumped a little too far. Because he's never heard of this Gotham place, and who the heck is Batman? Wait, they've got superheros here?! (And they're cute. Oh no.)
FANDOM: Batman x Danny Phantom x Superman
PAIRING: Bruce Wayne x Clark Kent x Danny Fenton; BatFam & Danny Fenton
SITE: Archive of Our Own
STATUS: Ongoing
