Been a while since i posted one of these huh? whelp here ya go.
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Danny stared at his dorm room ceiling, unable to sleep. Somehow he had ended up at the bottom of the sleep pile, with Jason wrapped around his torso and Dani sprawled across his legs, both snoring thunderously. Even if it weren’t for the noise, he was sure the constant train of thought running laps through his head was more than enough to keep the possibility of sleep well out of his grasp.
It was worry mostly. Worry about what Jason would think when he found out about Dani. About how she had been created. Would he be confused? Mad? Would he decide Danny was too much work, too much baggage, and just leave?
And What about Vlad? What was he planning? Why would he just dump Dani on him out of nowhere? Not that Danny didn’t want her around, but it wasn’t like he had the means to support her yet either. They had made that deal for this very reason.
These thoughts buzzed around his head, making the small room feel a lot smaller. Tristan had come back at some point in the night and four bodies in the small space made the air feel stuffy and gross, almost hard to breathe. On top of that, his skin itched, that uncomfortable itch that scratching it didn’t help. It just sat there under your skin and made you squirm.
There was a soft blue light filtering through his window, though, casting everything in a gentle glow. It was rare that the moon was actually visible from the campus, but if it was then maybe a star or two would poke its way through as well. Maybe if he got up now, got some fresh air, maybe he could catch them.
Decided, Danny wiggled out from under Jason’s arms, taking care to be as gentle as possible as to not wake either of them. They both looked so peaceful in their sleep. Like a fragile picture he was so scared of breaking.
He didn’t bother with shoes, just floated straight through the ceiling and up to the roof. The feeling of tangibility returning to his limbs sent a pleasant shudder through him as his bare feet touched down on the cold concrete and he took a breath.
Gotham air was still unpleasant, definitely the worst he had ever personally put into his lungs, but it was still better than the stuffiness of the dorm. The night air was crisp and refreshing with that hint of crispness that signaled winter was coming. It felt good on his skin at least.
He found a ledge to sit on and dangle his foot over the edge of the building. He had been wrong about the stars. In fact, the cloud cover was so dense that you could cut it up and eat it with a fork, it was a miracle any moonlight had made it to his window at all. He settled for watching the lights of the city. The way they sparkled and flickered was almost a fair replacement. It was so different from sleepy Amity Park.
The din of Gotham’s nightlife was a soft drone in the background of Danny’s thoughts. All the same ones from earlier, but now he had the space to actually think without the stirring anxiety. He found himself melting into the calm.
It was either several hours or a handful of minutes before he heard the roof access door creak open. A pair of boots scuffed against the concrete and Danny pulled his knees up to his chest. His core doing that little hiccup thing that let him know he was safe.
“I told you I would explain everything later, didn’t I,” Danny breathed into the silence as his boyfriend settled onto the ledge next to him.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.” Jason’s voice was still rough from sleep, but it was soft. The sound of it made something flutter in Danny’s chest. “I understand completely if you don’t. I did the math.”
He did didn’t he. He put two and two together about his and Dani’s age, about Vlad and the way the pair spoke about him, and he got the same conclusion that everyone always did.
“It’s not what you think,” He said, sparing a glance at the other man, his eyes wide and unjudging as he took Danny’s hands in his. “Vlad… has hurt me,” he hedged, “He has violated me. Just not in that way.”
“Danny-”
“She’s a clone,” he blurted. The words had left his mouth before he had even processed stopping them and they just kept going, tumbling free with no filter to slow the tide.
“She’s my clone,” he corrected. “She’s not really my daughter, except she is. She’s me, technically, just me when I was twelve. Except she’s her own person and deserves to be treated that way. I- Vlad made her when I was fourteen. He wanted a son. He wanted me to be his son. I don’t know why, but he was so obsessed with me and my mom and, I don’t know, I guess he thought that that would win us over?
Dani wasn’t even the only one. Isn’t that sick? Vlad was expecting a boy when he cloned me but none of them were ever stable. Dani was the only one that survived but even that was a close thing. Fuck, I’m sorry.” Danny gasped, out of air. He spared another glance at Jason, his earlier calm now thoroughly dissipated. The other man’s brows were furrowed and there was a hard set to his jaw that sent a spike of anxiety through Danny’s chest. He had been right, this was too much. He never should have told him.
“Jason?” He asked, squeezing their entwined hands, begging for a reaction, anything. He closed his eyes, silently begging the Ancients. He didn’t want to lose this one. “Jason?” Hearing his own voice break like that in the name hurt like nothing he had ever been shot with had.
But then there were strong arms wrapping around Danny’s shoulders, squeezing tight and holding him close. There were hot tears pricking at the corners of his eyes as he buried his face into the comfort of Jason’s neck.
“I’m so sorry that happened to you starlight.” He said quietly. “Just tell me what you need and I’ll do it. I’m here for you. I promise.” They sat with that for a while. The silence helped. Jason being there, holding him, carding his hands through his hair. He hadn’t realized he’d bottled all this up until now.
“I made a deal with him,” he finally said after a long silence. Because now that he had started he couldn’t stop. It was like word vomit, forcing itself out of his mouth, begging to be heard like some kind of twisted confession. “I couldn’t take care of her. My parents couldn’t know. So he promised to take care of her if I’d be his perfect godson. Just like he wanted. And she’d be taken care of.” Wow okay, here come the waterworks.
The tears tracked down his face hot and heavy, and soaked into Jason’s sleep shirt. He felt bad, being such a mess. It really wasn’t that bad. Dani was so far from the worst thing that had happened to him in highschool. Why was he breaking so easily over this.
That was a fucked up thought. Jazz would have scolded him for hours if he’d ever voiced it. He could already hear her voice. ‘Your worst days don’t make the bad ones any better. You have the right to feel what you feel. Regardless of your threshold.’ She was so annoying in that way.
“I hate that I left her there,” He sniffled, burying his face further so Jason didn’t have to see him. “I just-” he screwed up his face further, searching for the right words. “I love her, and it’s not that I don’t want her but I just- I don’t think I’m ready. I mean. I just started college. I don't know how to parent a twelve year old! I can barely remember to feed myself most days, how am I supposed to be responsible for a whole ass other human?”
There was a moment of silence that Danny spent scowling at Jason’s shoulder, before he was being maneuvered to stare right into those beautiful blue-green eyes. “Starlight, listen to me,” He said, voice stern and commanding. “You are going to do great. That girl adores you and I know that you are both resourceful. I believe in you, it will work out, and I promise I will be there for you if you ever need me. I’ve got you.”
Danny couldn’t help the smile that cracked even as the tears kept falling. “Thank you,” he whispered, because he didn’t know how else to word the overwhelming swell of emotion in his chest. It felt- it wasn’t quite fixed. He still had a lot to work through. But that promise, knowing Jason would be there for him, it helped.
“Anytime Starlight,” He grinned, leaning in to plant a kiss right on his forehead. “And if you ever want me to blow that bastard’s brains out, just let me know. I will do it.”
Danny chuckled wetly and leaned back against his chest. “I believe you,” he mumbled, His eyes taking in every line of his face before drifting up to look at the sky. Huh. “It's waning gibbous tonight.” He muttered. A yawn overtaking him as his eyes drifted shut.
Jason looked up at the sky too, the moonlight haloing his head in an all too familiar way. “So it is,” he replied.
Breath Danny, this is all fine. This was however not fine. Danny stared, mouth agape, food untouched, as The RED godamned HOOD sat across from him tearing into a burger and fries. The man had taken off his helmet and almost sent Danny into a panic before seeing he had another mask underneath. Which, honestly, shouldn’t be surprising, from what Tucker’s told him these bats are hella secretive and have an insane amount of contingencies. He thought back to the time when Tucker had tried installing similar plans in case of emergency, which mostly fell through after like two attacks. Only a few plans survived and receive semi-regular upkeep.
“Dude you gonna eat that or what?” Danny was pulled from their thoughts by the vigilante sitting across from them. Right, that. As a response they lifted a couple fries to his mouth and Ancients these are good. Hood let out a chuckle at whatever face Danny had pulled, before his voice turned a bit more serious.
“So how’d you come across the Joker? Much less put a crater in his gut?” Ah, so this was an interrogation, Danny can do an interrogation. He swallowed a few more fries before responding.
“Um, well, I was just walking back to my dorm, and the guy jumped out of an alley and grabbed me. He started talking about the Waynes and… some other stuff. So I panicked and then he was dead.” Danny trailed off, stuffing the burger in his mouth to avoid talking more. And if it weren’t for his nerves this burger would have tasted amazing, but at this moment it was just a burger.
Hood nodded, “And the smoking crater? Are you a meta or something?” And there was the question Danny constantly thinks about because yes, technically he would be considered a meta, after all his dad and his sister both have the gene so it would be so easy to explain away his powers like that. But it felt so much like a lie. Like he was denying the fact of his true nature. But Danny also really didn’t feel like explaining the complexities of ghosts at whatever Ancients forsaken time it is, to the Red Hood, over a burger and shakes. So he nodded, gesturing flippantly with his hand in a vague either or motion.
Hood looked weary but took the answer nonetheless. “I took care of the body and called some friends. Do you mind if I tell them who did it or would you like to keep it under wraps?” He said, leaning back in the booth.
“Umm,” Danny ducked his head and dropped his hand to his lap, “I’d rather not have my name or face publicized, if that's alright.” Hood Hmm’d in agreement before tilting his head to one side, A smile smile tug at the corner of his lips which, if Danny wasn’t under an intense amount of stress right now, would actually be kind of cute.
“Speaking of,” Hood said, his tone shifting to something Danny couldn’t detect, “I don’t believe I got your name.” and that’s a lie, Danny had told him in the alley way. But then, Hood had been in a bit of shock so maybe he forgot?
“It’s Danny,” Danny said again, a bit more sure this time, “Danny Fenton.” He paused for a moment before tacking on “ He/ they” and holding out his hand for Hood to shake.
That smile on the vigilantes face grew more as he took Danny’s hand, “Hood, he/him. Pleasure to make your acquaintance” was that a wink? It was hard to tell with the domino mask, but did RED HOOD just fucking wink at them.
“So how old are you Danny? You said you were heading back to your dorm, are you a student?”
It took a few moments for their brain to catch up before Danny replied, “Yeah, I just turned 20, I’m starting my first semester at Gotham U in a couple days. I’ve uhh,” Danny ducked his head again, reaching to rub at the back of his neck, “I’ve only actually been in Gotham for like three days.” he muttered sheepishly. Looking back up at Hood through his bangs.
“You’ve only been in Gotham for for three days,” hood whispered to himself, his brows drawing together in confusion, “And you killed the Fucking Joker???” He half shouted, incredulously.
Danny’s Head shot around scanning the dingy burger joint, no one seemed to have noticed. Hood looked apologetic, then a war of emotions fluttered across his face before that smile, that Danny had now decided is definitely cute (Cause that’s not a lot to unpack), crept its way back onto the man’s face.
“So what do you study?” Hood asked, resting his chin on his hand and tilting his head just slightly.
Danny fought the blush threatening to creep up their face because no, no this serial killer crime boss is not cute you absolute idiot. And instead they launched into an explanation of how theyŕe majoring in Aerospace engineering and Astronomy, because this is his obsession and he could talk about his obsession all day if he could.
----------
Jason stared at the man before him, excitedly explaining a bunch of star stuff that, to be honest, he didn’t really understand. But this man was so goddamn cute. Danny apparently is the kind of person that talks with their hands when they get excited, because the wild gestures they were making only managed to captivate Jason more.
The two talked for almost another hour before Jason had to drop them off at their dorm because, “You almost got murdered once tonight and you got lucky, I’m going to escort you home whether you like it or not.” before returning to his patrol route.
He made a mental note while he was beating up a potential mugger, to look into this Danny Fenton, to maybe meet in civvies, because there is no way Jason is going to lose this guy.
It was the first thought that struck him upon opening his eyes. He Had a test. And it wasn’t some nothing burger test either like a pop quiz or a unit test. This was the end of the first quarter test. The test that would indicate whether or not it was actually worthwhile to pursue a future as a rocket scientist or if he was just a waste of program space.
Now obviously he wouldn’t get kicked out of his program for doing bad on it, that would be silly, but it was still… a big important test.
Dani’s snoring hitched for a second before she curled up tighter at the end of the bed, shuffling the blankets so he was kind of half in half out.
So the question was this; how was he going to take this very big, very important test and watch Dani. He couldn't, right? Duplicating was a skill he never really mastered so he couldn’t exactly be in two places at once and he really didn’t want to just leave her in his dorm alone, not after the way she had arrived the other day. He didn’t want to abandon her like Vlad had.
But his skin itched at the thought of missing the test. Of having to make it up.
He decided to get up and start getting ready for the day. Tristan was miraculously gone again, sometime during the early morning no doubt. Jason had also left sometime around 3 am, citing an early meeting at work that Danny didn’t question. Jason’s work was something Danny was starting to get suspicious about but he knew that in Gotham it was better left unasked. He just had to trust his boyfriend wouldn’t get into too much trouble.
That being said; he was already dressed and hair brushed- it was starting to get long again, he’d have to find a barber to go to- and ready to go by the time Dani even woke up with a great big yawn.
“Morning, Sport!” He greeted, his voice sounding a little high strung to his own ears as he finished shoving his laptop in his bag and offered her a cold pop tart because they weren’t allowed to have toasters in the dorms, not that he trusted one to be there anyway. She took it with a sleepy slow-blink and a mumbled thanks. Danny sat by while she woke up and checked his phone.
The test started in twenty-seven minutes, about ten minutes longer than it would take to walk to the exam hall at a brisk pace, the remaining time would be spent taking his seat and going through his final preparations; recounting the important things like the current time and place, how that differed from what was scheduled, double checking he knew where exactly his loved ones were, reviewing his strategies for doing well on the test without going too above and beyond to get noticed by the professor…
Was he thinking too hard? Dani was looking at him with a very confused look so he was probably thinking too hard and it was showing. He stilled his hands from tearing at the hem of his hoodie and coughed to clear the sand from his throat.
“Are you okay-”
“So what do you want to do today?” They both asked at the same time. It was awkward, he was awkward. They both stopped talking, allowing space for the other to continue what they were saying. Neither did.
Dani spoke first. “You nervous or something? You look like you’re gonna freak out.”
Danny couldn’t help the very nervous chuckle that escaped despite him not feeling that nervous. “No,” he laughed, “I was just uh… do you-" he paused, trying to find the words that would make him not a shitty caretaker, "I've got a test today." He settled on. It wasn't- well it was a statement, yet not a very detailed one. Dani cocked her head, her eyes still blinking rather slowly which meant he'd probably have to give a little more of an explanation.
He checked his watch again. twenty-four minutes now.
"It's kind of important, and normally I would have no issue blowing off schoolwork to hang out; I do, kind of, really need to be there for this one." he explained.
Dani just nodded along as she tore the corner off of her poptart and sucked the jam out like a caprisun before polishing off the pastry in one, large, bite, and wiping her crumb coated hands off on his comforter.
"It's cool man. If you've got a test, go take the test. I'll be fine wandering around on my own for a bit." She shrugged and rolled off the bed to reach for something in her backpack. Danny raised an eyebrow in that parental way he'd seen Tuck's dad do all the time.
"I don't think I want you wandering by yourself. I need you to stay here until I get back. It's only three hours, four max."
Dani paused in her rifling to give him a patented teenage glare that was far worse than he remembered his being when he was that age. "I can handle myself for a few hours, I've visited far worse places than a college campus, Danny. I'll be fine." She grumbled, finally pulling a fresh set of clothes from the bag and leaning back on her heels, still glaring. "Go on, git."
Danny frowned. "You've still got your phone right? You'll text if you need anything?"
Dani looked at him, clearly holding back a major eyeroll. "Yes, I've got my phone. I text if I need anything, I won't talk to strangers and I won't do anything life threatening to myself or others. You happy, nerd?" She asked.
Danny sighed but nodded. "Yeah, I guess you've covered all the bases. I'll be back soon, love you."
Dani scoffed and finally rolled her eyes, mumbling a quiet "yeah yeah." before manhandling him out the door and punching him in the arm. "Have a good day loser," she said before slamming the door in his face. Danny decided to take that as a show of endearment… maybe.
Doesn't matter anyway, because his thoughts were immediately sidetracked by the sounding of his ten minutes warning alarm and he really needed to get moving.
—-----
Danny Fenton is never late for tests. He knows that. His classmates know that. His teachers even know that. It’s that kind of odd quirk you pick up on after three months of a fairly laid back, middle of the pack, student showing up fifteen minutes earlier consistently on days they happen to have a test or quiz. Obviously not everyone notices this one guy's attendance habits, but it is noticeable to some when class is two minutes to start and his seat is still completely empty.
“Hey Per, have you seen Danny yet today?” Miranda asked, leaning back in her chair and against her friend’s desk. Peridot took their time switching focus from their aggressively highlighted study notes to Danny’s usual desk, their eyes widening just a bit as if they hadn’t actually expected the spot to be without their slightly neurotic friend.
“Huh,” they muttered, which for them might as well have been a dramatically shocked gasp, they pulled out their phone and flicked through a couple chats before typing something and setting it down face first on their desk. “They’re probably on their way.” They insisted.
Hmm. Per and Danny were practically on the same level of insanity when it came to attendance and Miranda knew they coordinated preparations on exam days so if they didn’t know where he was.
‘‘Hey Nova have you-”
“No,” Nova replied, flicking her dark hair out of her gorgeous brown eyes, not even bothering to look up from her own notes. “Haven’t seen them since Tuesday. I think he’s been skipping classes but I don’t know why.”
“Shit, you think he’s gotten into something shady?” Jaime chips in, he’s got the furthest back desk of their group so he has to lean precariously forward to do so. “To be so honest he does seem like he’s totally the most likely to go crazy and put on a costume if you know what I’m saying.”
Miranda could practically feel the collective eyeroll at the statement. While. yeah it might be true, there still could have been some more tact. Peridot leans back to swat his nose with the end of their pencil.
“Danny’s not going to become a supervillain,” they defended, with no elaboration.
“Yeah but he totally would though, right?” Jaime insisted, wriggling his eyebrows and grinning like he’d found the best possible joke he could ever make about why their classmate was uncharacteristically missing. Miranda definitely did not miss the absolute death glare Peridot sent his way. Ahh, they didn’t know anything.
The subject was dropped when their professor started talking to the whole class and they had to focus up. That is until the door slammed open to reveal the devil himself: Danny Fenton, who was panting in deep lungfuls as if he’d run the whole way here.
The tension in the room was nearly palpable with Dr. Vasquez tapping his foot impatiently, waiting for Danny to right himself and find a seat. He did eventually, muttering a quick apology, and took to his desk. His shoulders hunched up to his ears and tension strung tight in his movements. Honestly, he looked on the verge of a freaky freak out with the way he breathed in and out in a forced rhythm.
Peridot tapped him on the shoulder, garnering a startled flinch and a confused look, before passing him a bright green stress ball which he took with telegraphed gratitude.
Their professor returns to his loud speech as quickly as their conversation picks up in soft whispers.
“Dude, are you, like, okay?” Jaime whisper-shouts from his unfortunately distant seat. Luckily he doesn’t garner too much unwanted attention and Danny only turns to him, pausing a shortened version of his pre-test ritual, some kind of gears turning behind his eyes before responding.
“Yeah it was just a, uh, family thing. My kid cousin is staying with me and I was worried about leaving her in my dorm alone.” He shrugs and returns to powering down his phone and slipping it away, moving on to pulling out various papers and notes which reminds Miranda that she had still yet to prepare her own desk, something she set to work on; pulling out her own notes and formula cards, just as the test packets started making their rounds.
If the first page was anything to go off of, this one shouldn't be too hard. However judging a test by its first page is not the way to go about life, apparently. Especially with one of Dr. Vasquez’s tests, these things were mcfrikin hard. As much as she loved puzzles, sometimes the numbers liked to jump around the page so it was important to prepare as much as possible. God, she wished she had prepared as much as possible. Why, oh, why did she decide to take applied physics and not some kind of psychology. People are so much easier to read than whatever imitation math this stuff was.
A harmless peak to those around her and thank god she's not the only one struggling. Guess she just has to buckle down and work through it. She can question her decisions at a later time.
Damn distractions, Miranda lost focus for the nth time when the lights flickered. Absently, she heard someone gasp sharply, preluding a sharp popping sound and shattering glass. Every set of eyes in the room snapped the broken overhead light as it sparked and sputtered its dying breaths.
Dr. Vasquez stood quickly, immediately cutting off the murmurs of the students. “It’s likely just a blown fuse everyone, continue your exam in silence while I investigate further.” Several nods and murmured agreements, and Dr. Vasquez left the room, leaving them in the trusty hands of their TA Kyle.
Obviously Miranda wouldn’t be able to focus of numbers now. She glanced around the room to take stock of the general vibe. Most students had begrudgingly returned to their work, bending over their packets with furrowed brows and downturned lips. Others had taken to low conversations barely audible from her seat much less to Kyle playing on his cell phone at the front corner of the room. Jaime was one of those such people. Nova and Per had both returned to their work.
Danny, though, was still had his eyes glued to the broken light, a tension in his body so tight he might just implode from the sheer force of his muscles constricting like that. Miranda leaned over to tap her pencil against his desk to maybe snap him out of whatever trance he had fallen into. She didn’t expect him to flinch so hard he almost fell out of his chair.
“Sorry,” she whispered too belatedly as he righted himself, shaking his head as if physically shedding whatever stupor that had been. He waved a small gesture in a sort of ‘don’t worry about it way’ but she chose not to heed that. “You good man?” she asked instead.
Danny nodded, albeit shakily, his eyes drifting back to the light for a second before snapping back to the packet in front of him. “Yeah,” he said, his demeanor shifted and he gave her a smile. “Uh, don’t worry about it, I’m fine.”
Now it wasn’t to say Miranda didn’t believe him; but It wasn’t her place to push anyway, they weren’t that close after all. They studied together and had some mutual friends really, at least that’s how she always saw it. So she let it be and they both focused back on their work.
…
“Woof, that was a hard one,” Jaime heaved as they all filed out of the lecture hall in various stages of exhaustion and confidence. “Hey, what did you guys get for number six? Not gonna lie, the whole question went right over my head, I ended up just guessing on it.” he asked, practically draping himself over Miranda and Nova’s shoulders. Nova huffed and shoved at his arm but he didn’t budge.
“You wouldn’t have had to if you’d paid attention last week. The book had two whole pages on that kind of problem,” Miranda grumbled, also shoving at his arm with an annoyed eyeroll to follow. Jaime pouted but removed his arms from their shoulders.
“I cannot seriously have missed that." Jaime muttered, his face a picture of shock and mild horror at his own mistakes. Abruptly he pivoted around to look for someone, that someone who was trailing distractedly behind the group eyes glued to his phone and frowning. "Danny, my buddy," Jaime called, "Tell me it's not true."
Danny's head snapped up, looking somewhat like a deer in the headlights, or an unprepared actor getting shoved in front of a packed theatre. "What?" he asked as he turned off his phone and shoved it into his pocket.
"Question six," Miranda supplied, "We covered it last week, right?"
"Oh," Danny said, his confused frown melting into the easy grin they were much more accustomed to see on him. "Oh yeah, man. Hate to say it, but the answer was in the published notes. That and the fact that we did an almost identical problem on last weeks homework, is the only reason I understood that one at all."
Jaime made some kind of deflated balloon sound at that, pouting like some little kid.
"Hey man," Danny comforted with a playful punch to Jaime's shoulder, "You'll gettem next time, don't worry about it."
"Yeah, I guess," Jaime pouted, a bit less seriously than before. "It's not like I won't still pass because of it… probably."
"See that's the kind of positive thinking-" Danny cut himself off with a sharp gasp that seemed to come out of nowhere, seemingly surprised even him as his eyes blew wide and he started scanning the hall.
Just then the roar of an engine boomed through the tight hallway, and they all found themselves getting shoved against the wall seconds before a whole ass motorcycle pulled to a stop right where they had been standing.
Students up and down the hallway were pulling out their phones as the driver set the kickstand and leaned over the handlebars to leer at them with crooked, yellowed teeth. His hair and face were greasy and he looked in desperate need of a hamburger and some sun, but he grinned as he held up his arms for, presumably, a hug.
“Danny! Just the guy I was looking to see!”
Danny, to his credit, looked more than put off by this guy. His face ran a quick cycle through confusion, annoyance, and grieved acceptance. The reaction put Miranda on edge, a cautious edge, but one she was still ready to pounce from if the need arose. She saw Peridot settle into a similarly wary stance behind Danny. Jaime cut to the chase.
“You know this guy, Danny?” he asked, actually shoving himself between him and the biker dude. Danny’s face snapped back to confusion as he came out of whatever death stare he had been skewering the guy with.
“What? No he’s fine it’s just-”
“Ugh, this isn’t that boyfriend you’ve been talking about is it?” Nova asked, scrunching up her nose, “The one with the bike? You made him sound a lot hotter by the way you talk about him.”
‘What?!” Everyone in the near vicinity cringed at the horribly high pitch their friend managed to hit with that one word before clearing his throat and trying again. ‘’No, this is not Jason. Nova, you’ve seen photos.” The gorgeous brunette let an even gorgeous-er grin melt onto her face as the joke settled in. Danny stared at her and shook his head.
“No,” he clarified for the whole group, “This is just Johnny. I don’t know why he’s here but he was just leaving.” he directed that last part at the biker, a pointed edge to his voice, dripping with poison.
"Hey now, there's no need to be like that, Kid. You know you're happy to see your ol' pal Johnny." The biker explained, grinning just a little too wide. Peridot leaned closer to Danny and whispered something in his ear. Danny heaved quite the heavy sigh and whispered something back, his eyes rolling so hard it was a wonder how they even stayed on his his face, but Per nodded and stepped back.
"Johnny, believe it or not; I don't really have time for your games today, I've got other stuff going on."
Johnny barked a short shrill laugh and leaned forward against his handle bars. "Ye'? And what exactly could be more important- nigh- more fun than hanging out with your best pal Johnny 13 and his Shadow?"
Danny visibly clenched his jaw and Miranda debated leaving them to their conversation, on one hand; it seemed kind of personal and not meant for the ears of unwitting bystanders such as herself, but on the other hand; Danny was technically her pseudo-friend and she felt the need to be around if he happened to throw first.
"Come on man, don't be such a buzzkill," the biker pushed. "Look if-"
"You know what Johnny?" Danny cut him off, his eyes flashing a bright toxic green for just barely a second, Miranda almost didn't catch it, but she did. She also caught the small flash of panic on his face when she, and a few of the others, took a cautious step back. The small, gross, guilty feeling she got from that was not at all pleasant.
"- Fine." he punctuated. "I've got some stops to make first though. You good with that?" it was phrased like a question but sounded more like a threat. Johnny lit up like a christmas tree.
"I knew I'd getcha man! Alright! Hop on we're goin' for a ride!"
"mhm," Danny muttered in lieu of any actual agreement. He turned back to the group, suddenly sheepish. "Sorry about him guys. I'll, uh, see y'all in class tomorrow?"
Jaime snorted.
"Y'all?'" Nova asked, her perfectly sculpted brow popped quizically. Danny himself turned a light shade of red and he put on an over-exaggerated frown.
"Yeah yeah." he rolled his eyes, "Let's all make fun of my regional dialect, how 'bout?"
He was met with a short round of laughter from the whole group because they, all being from the same general area, would in fact tease this midwesterner mercilessly when given the chance.
"Yeah, we'll see ya tommorrow," Jaime confirmed, offering a fist bump, "Just actually show up and be on time man."
Danny laughed as he climbed onto the back of the bike, not a helmet in sight. "I'll do my best. See you guys!"
"Bye."
"Stay safe!"
And they were off, the bike tearing down the hall and weaving between students that practically threw themselves out of the way. It was a miracle that no one got hit.
"Soooo," Jaime broke the silence. "We sure he's not getting a little too close to maniac territory?" he asked. Peridot punched him in the arm and Nova rolled her eyes, but none of them actually disagreed. They were probably all thinking it. But, hey, this was Gotham after all, if their friend really was turning into a supervillain, the best thing you can do was support them unconditionally and hope they spare you when the time comes.
Thinking about Danny wishing to go back to a time where he wasn't constantly in danger, and Desiree not being able to find a time in his life that can fit the bill so just,,, nothing happens.
Danielle's knees locked underneath her, leaving her unbalanced and off kilter but blessedly still upright. She used her right hand to steady herself against the cold alley wall because her left was a little too busy- well- falling off.
Not to say the arm falling off thing was gruesome or anything, she just forgot to take her Ecto dejecto this morning in the midst of... everything, so she was getting a little goopy is all. The real problem at hand is that she cant find a moment of peace to get the damn medicine out of her bag.
She checked over her shoulder as she caught her breath. Phasing straight through that wall definitely bought her some time but the suits would be back on her tail really soon. She had to fix the melty-ness and lack of ghostly energy thing. Fast.
Shaky legs pushed her further into the annoying clean alley, there was hardly a stray box or dumpster anywhere for a girl to hide in. The only saving grace was the lack or a dead end. She turned in to a much narrower adjoining alley. The buildings above pressed closer blocking out a decent amount of the midday sun. She passed three locked access doors and two trash cans before taking another left and a right immediatly after that. The connecting alleys like a labyrinth she, or anyone trying to follow her, could get lost in.
She lost count of how many turns and twists she took before climbing the first semi-sturdy looking fire escape she found. It wasnt easy but the goal was to get out of any immediate sightlines and this alley had a lot of clotheslines strung across it that could conceivably veil her position.
She finally collapsed about three stories up, against the windowsill of a vacant looking apartment. She panted heavily for only a minute before slinging her backpack off of her one good shoulder and starting to rifle through its contents.
The canvas pouch had shifted all the way to the bottom of the pack in the rush but the half-dozen epi-pen like devices inside were unharmed. She takes one and jabs the orange side into her thigh. Immediately she feels better, but still not /good/. She tosses the empty pen back into the main compartment of her bag and packs the rest away. She uncaps her water bottle and takes a long drink, freezing when she hears the thundering of a dozen heavy boots below her.
They stop, much like her heart. It's several long seconds before one of them shouts and they move on. Danielle actually feels the second her breathing restarts and her blood goes back to circulating at a normal rate, it comes with an overwhelming amount of relief.
She shifts just enough to weasel her phone out of her back pocket before sinking back into her makeshift seat. She really doesnt /want to/ call for help but at this point its probably more responsible of her to do... that.
Her finger hovers over her- over Vlad's contact for half a second before she scrolls down the list and clicks on Danny's.
Adrenaline coursed through Danny’s veins as he made the mad dash to Wisconsin. Vlad had been right, they had turned on him. He could still hear the shrill whine of his mother’s blaster as she aimed it at his chest. He could see the tears in Val’s eyes as she told him to leave before she destroyed him.
Danny blinked away the memories, the tears they had brought getting lost to the wind and the rain.
His injuries were screaming at him, vying to make themselves known. Wisconsin never seemed so far away. A searing pain, like a fire lit against the skin of his abdomen, sent him careening into the trees below. Branches and twigs tore at him as he fell, each clawing for a chance to leave their own mark on the ghost boy, stopping only when the ground itself rose up to meet him.
And suddenly he didn’t feel the pain anymore. He knew he should. There was a pool of something warm and wet spreading out from beneath him, which definitely wasn’t good. It could just be the exhaustion mixed with the adrenaline. Right? Maybe he just maxxed out on pain and his brain decided to turn off the voicemail. Except all that was worse.
This wasn’t the first time he’d been hurt, he could fix this. His bag had landed a few feet away, if he could get to the first aid kit he could put himself back together enough to get to Vlad. He was sure of it. He would be okay. He always ended up okay.
No matter how much he stretched, how much he told his body to just get the hell up and grab the kit, he couldn’t. All he could do was lay there as the pool of liquid beneath got deeper and deeper. He was going to die here wasn’t he? For real this time. No more second chances. No more transforming in back alleys, no more going back to being alive. This time he would just be gone.
He should have listened to Vlad. Or at least told him what he was planning to do. He should have listened to Jazz, should have taken more precautions, should have had an actual plan. There were so many should have’s, so many thing he could have done differently. But instead he put his faith in the ghost hunting fanatics. The parents who had accepted him in almost every other timeline, and now he was bleeding out, alone, in the middle of the woods, unable to even sit up. Helpless to do anything but think about all the things he hadn’t done right.
Then a light broke through the black. Small at first but soon blinding in the dark and the rain and the trees. For a moment Danny thought it might be that white light everyone warns you not to go towards when you’re dying. Which was ridiculous in this situation, Danny couldn’t even sit up much less move towards something.
Then it started moving towards him, and he worried just a little bit more.
But then there was shouting too, as the light got brighter, and footsteps. And people. Maybe he wasn’t dying. Maybe he was saved. He let his eyes close as the relief washed over him. Someone had found him.
There were hands sliding around his limbs, then he was moving. The pain bloomed across his body with a new vigour. Their movements were sharp and jarring. What little air had been left in Danny’s lungs escaped with a painful gasp, and a bad feeling formed in his chest that screamed danger, but he dismissed it. He’d been found, he was safe.
They finally stopped in a bright area and Danny was set down on a hard surface, the back of his head hitting hard against it and lolling to the side. Then there was a prick in his arm. It was hardly noticeable through all the pain, but it felt like a… a needle.
That- why was there a needle?
Danny forced his eyes open, just to check. He was sure everything was fine. He was- he was safe now.
The men in white suits milled around in his vision just as something heavy clamped around his wrists.
He was not safe.
A grinning face leaned in close as Danny tried and failed to struggle free.
“Sleep well abomination, you’ve got a big day tomorrow,”
Danny woke slowly this time.
The gradual return of his senses brought alot of pain though. He couldn’t even count all the places that hurt. He was sweating bullets, his sheets soaked through. (huh, sheets, those were new.) ‘
He was still breathing, that at least was a good sign. He focused on keeping his lungs doing that and his eyes stuck shut as he took stock of his surroundings, he was in a new place, he had to be careful.
The ever present smell of antiseptic was potent, barely masked by the faint citrus scent he had picked up on last time he was awake. There was also a faint buzzing in the air, accompanied by the slow beeping of medical equipment. He could exactly where each line pierced his skin to connect him to the accursed things. He couldn't feel anyone watching him though, making this the perfect time to escape.
In an Instant, Danny’s eyes were open and he began the arduous task of removing each and every one of those needles and tubes. Ridding himself of whatever poison those bastards were pumping into him. There was a ridiculous amount of them, monitoring literally everything that could be monitored, like whoever had put them in didn’t even know what they were looking for. Idiots.
Once they were all off, Danny swung his legs over the side of the cot he’d been put on. (No straps either, must be more security measures than he could see. That or they were getting cocky. Danny hoped for cocky.) Sitting up so fast had caused a headache to bloom behind his eyes, but he pinched it back, it was just another pain to deal with later.
This room was sparse but still a lot better than any of the other GiW holding cells he’d been in. In fact, it was set up more like an ICU than a holding cell. A row of cots lined one wall, and shelves stocked to the brim with medical supplies on the other. It was… different. They usually just shoved him back in a dingy cell that hadn't been cleaned in months, after messing with him.
“You’re awake.”
The ectoplasm in Danny’s blood ran cold, his breath catching. He had been certain the room was empty. His back was to the door, so he couldn’t see whoever had spoken, but his mind was wiring almost as fast as his eyes darted around the room, searching for an exit, any chance of escape. He couldn’t get caught. Not now that he’d been seen up and moving, trying to get away.
The walls were probably coated with a ghost repellent, no chance of phasing through them. No vents either. The door behind him would be the only exit, but with it blocked fighting would be his only way out. Could he do that? Could he have the energy to actually get out. There was no doubt there were more agents. Getting past whoever was in the doorway would only be the start. Could he do that? Really?
Danny forced himself up onto wobbly legs. He could. Fighting was what he did best. He’d had two years of practice. He took a steadying breath ( It was a real testament to his nerves that he hardly felt it past his chest) and turned around, coming face to face with… a girl?
She looked about his age, but with a sandier, more monochrome complexion. Her eyes though, they were a piercing, icy blue. They cut into him, sharp, critical. Danny felt himself wobble a little under that unnerving stare, but the girl didn’t say anything, didn’t move even, just stared.
Danny took a shaky step back, then another, keeping his eyes on the girl the whole time. Every step was harder than the last, every breath was worse. Each pass of air rubbed at his throat, stinging like the biting wind during flight. Each movement was a battle against gravity to maintain balance and to lift his feet just enough to shuffle backwards. His feet dragging against the course concrete, the cold of it sending shivers up his spine.
A stray power chord was all it took to throw his hard won balance to the enemy, and he stumbled. The backs of his knees collided with something hard, and gravity, ever unsatisfied, took hold and brought him down.
Searing pain struck like lightning through his body, Stabbing pains where his skin pulled and twisted across his chest. Fire burnt deep in his muscles, the tense pressure all along his arms and legs, he swore he heard popping. It all hit him at once, shoving the air out of his lungs in one dizzying wave. He gasped for air but that hurt too.
“Are you alright?” The girl’s voice was much closer now. Danny opened his eyes (He hadn’t realized he had screwed them shut) to find her face mere inches from his.
He cried out, or he tried to. He felt the air pull from his haggard lungs. He felt it push through his throat, tearing and burning, but all he heard was a raspy hiss as he scrambled backwards over the cot he had fallen on, kicking out with both feet as he went. His first kick landed with a weak thump against something soft, the second sailed straight through the girl’s torso, sending a shiver through his whole body. Then he fell over the side of the cot, twisting violently and landing on his right shoulder, hard. He definitely heard popping this time as he rolled onto his hands and knees and scrambled away.
He heard her say something, but he wasn’t sure what. Probably an order to stop. Danny kept crawling. He wasn’t quite sure where he was going, he just wanted away. Preferably before reinforcements showed up.
He reached a corner and stopped. Two stone walls met seamlessly in front of him. The angle perfect and smooth, as if the room had been carved from the rock rather than built by it. Just like his parents’ lab. Just like the corner a much smaller Danny would tuck himself into while his parents worked.
This Danny wedged himself between the walls, tucking his knees up to his chin and his hands clasped behind his neck. He looked back. The girl was advancing on him, looking much less happy than before. Her form was blurring at the edges, particles swirling around her in an angry cloud, almost like smoke.
“Hey,” she said, voice tinted with a forced sounding sweetness to hide the rougher tone that sat just left of anger. Danny knew that tone, knew what it meant when people spoke to him like that.
We promise not to hurt you Danny.
We’re glad you're here Phantom, don’t worry it’s just a few tests.
I promise I won’t be angry, Daniel, just come here.
His body moved on instinct. He just grabbed and threw.
Whatever it was sailed right through the girl’s forehead.
There was a second when nothing happened, just silence. Then the cloud swirled faster and faster as she descended on him, filling the room in seconds. There was no more forced compassion. Her anger and indignity was almost tangible in the air. The overwhelming emotions pressing in on him as cold bursts of air tore themselves from his chest.
The girl was gone, but she was still there, swirling in the cloud as the pressure built and built. Danny clamped his hands over his ears and pulled himself into a tight ball. Hot tears ran down his face as he did everything he could to block it all out. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t- why did he think he could fight this. Fight them. It all ended the same. Always back on that table. Trying only made it worse. Why- Why -why whywhywhyw-
Then it stopped. The pressure in the room eased substantially, and it finally felt like he could breathe again.
“Robin!” the girl cried, her tone suddenly cheerier, “He won’t listen to me,” she whined, “I’m trying to help and he won’t let me!” there was a pause. Danny didn’t dare uncurl himself enough to see why.
“Secret…” Someone started
“What happened?” A slightly higher voice cut in. It was laced with a sort of clinical calm that set Danny’s nerves on edge.
The girl huffed, “Why are you mad at me? He’s the one that won”t let me help!” Danny flinched, he could feel the new eyes turn on him. He just wanted them gone. He wanted to be gone.
There was a deep measured sigh before the second voice spoke again. “We’re not mad at anyone,” they said in a carefully regulated tone, “I just need to know what happened so I can know how to handle this.” Handle? Was the owner of that voice his new handler? What happened to agent H? No, no it didn’t matter, he couldn’t go through anything like him again.
“Oh,” the girl said, “Well, he woke up again so I tried to talk to him, but then he, like, freaked out and attacked me. He’s not responding either.”
A hand grazed Danny’s back without warning, he threw himself forward and batted it away with a feral hiss. The hand pulled away and he shoved himself back into the corner.
“Did you fight him back?” the first voice asked. It was alot closer. Probably the owner of the hand.
“He attacked me.”
Someone sucked in a sharp breath.
“Thank you Secret, we’ll take it from here.”
“No problem Rob!” A few seconds passed before her presence was fully gone, leaving Danny alone with two unknowns. Not that three enemies was better than two.
What was her deal? She felt- well, she felt like a ghost. The way her emotion had felt so tangible in the air around her, that was unmistakably a Ghost Thing ™. But he’d never seen a ghost like her.Not only in the way she looked but also in the way she acted. Danny had definitely never heard of any right- minded ghost (Or as right-minded as any of them were) working with the GiW. What had they done to her?
Danny tensed as something was set down inches from his face.
“Hey.” The voice was a lot softer than it had just been. It was using that same tone. “Sorry about her, Secret isn’t too great with people yet.”
“Isn’t that an understatement,” the other voice snarked. Then there was a pause and a mumbled sorry.
“I’m Robin, and this is Superboy,” Superboy? The Justice League publicity stunt? What was he doing at a GiW facility? Danny loosened the tight knot he had curled into, just enough to peek at the two people kneeling in front of him. Sure enough, he recognised Superboy from TV. The Kryptonian was the one sitting closer to him. He looked more nervous than the other one. Robin, he had said, that name sounded familiar he just couldn’t put his finger on it.
“We’re here to help you in any way we can, okay?” the barest hint of a smile crossed Robin’s face. It was hard to tell if it was sinister or genuine. “We have water, if you would like it.”
Danny would be a liar if he didn’t admit how much he actually would like some. His throat was insurmountably dry which was only making breathing harder. A task that was getting more and more difficult by the minute. But that didn’t mean he could trust anything they gave him. It was probably drugged. That’s the only reason they would have to even offer. Afterall, ghosts didn’t need food or water, it was just a vanity for them. Or at least that’s what they would always say whenever he had begged for just a scrap.
Still, he couldn’t help but want.
The two were still watching him. And, well, they didn’t really look GiW. They were both dressed up in hero outfits. Superboy was obviously wearing his signature look with the jacket and the S crest. The other boy, though, was dressed like a traffic light. Yellow cape, green gloves and boots, and a red suit. Most of all though, they looked Danny’s age. What were they even doing here? This was all too bizarre to trust. Or… too bizarre to not trust?
Ancients, he was thirsty.
He risked breaking eye contact to let his eyes flicker over to the clear plastic cup they had placed in front of him. The liquid inside looked like water, but that was no guarantee. Slowly, he reached a hand out to snatch the cup. Neither of them flinched, just watched. The liquid was clear. Even with his senses dulled as they were, Danny’s were still better than most. There were no floating particles, no odd smells, no physical tells that this wasn’t just ordinary water.
He took a hesitant sip- a small one, just in case- and still nothing. It tasted like water, clean water, no dirt or minerals to hide the taste of the sedative. At least 80% sure that the water was just water, Danny downed the rest of the cup in one go, swiping the excess off of his parched lips with the back of his hand. The immediate relief on his throat was bliss, but he was still waiting for the other shoe to drop. There had to be a reason they had given him that.
Superboy took the cup and got up.
Where was he going? What was he doing with that cup? Had that just been a ploy to get his DNA? No that was ridiculous, if they wanted his DNA they would just cut him open and take it. But then why did he take the cup-
Then Superboy was back, the glass refilled. Oh.
Danny took the cup gingerly, eyeing the Kryptonian curiously.
“Can you tell us your name?” Danny’s eyes snapped back to Robin as he spoke. Strange. Shouldn’t they already know his name? Agent H had known his name, boasted about it even, used it against him. Were these people attempting an opposite approach? Pretending to be friendly to lure him into a false sense of security? That sounded like something they would do, but something about that thought felt wrong in an unexplainable way. Whether they were playing a game or not, though, his name, that was a powerful thing to give to people he didn’t know. They had given their names though. Obviously they were codenames, but still, that was more than he’d gotten from previous agents. They had never introduced themselves, Danny had had to learn their names by listening to conversations. So maybe…
“My..” name is Phantom, he said. Except, he didn’t. He choked on the first word, his voice was raspy and cracked and his throat felt weirdly full as he took a sip of water and tried again. “My-” It wasn’t even a whisper. His throat was burning as if set on fire. He was moving his lips, forming the words, but nothing was coming out. Even though he could feel the air moving through his throat. Robin only looked, disappointed? Sad? As he watched Danny struggle for his words.
Danny was only vaguely aware of his breathing getting faster and faster. Each breath bringing only more fire. His hands flew up to clutch at his throat, maybe to check it was okay, maybe to stifle the increasing speed, but there was something wrong. It felt wrong, it- One of his fingers slipped into a channel, feeling the ridges where his skin met with some rubbery material.
Ancients, there was a hole in his neck.
His lungs kept pulling in air at a rapidly increased rate. Why? He was a ghost, ghosts didn’t need oxygen. It was a non-necessity and all it did was hurt. He just- he needed it to stop.
“Hey, hey, breathe for me okay?” Robin said, trying to soothe him. Danny tried to look at him, but there was a light flickering just behind his head. It was just- on and off, on and off, again and again and again and again- Danny looked away. His gaze fell on Superboy. He was glaring at Robin.
“Here, try to match my breathing, okay? In for six, hold for three, out for six. Got it? Again.” Robin was demonstrating the technique, trying to get Danny to follow along. But Danny didn’t need to breathe, he needed to stop.
“It’s okay, you’re safe. We’re at Mount Justice, the old Justice League base. We rescued you on a mission. You sustained multiple injuries from your captors. Chiefly to your voice box, we had to install a laryngectomy tube so you could breathe, but you have to calm down before you damage it further.” If Robin thought that little infodump would calm him down, the dude seriously needed to work on his people skills.
It was only by some miracle that Danny managed to get it under control. He started by matching Robin’s pace, then slowing it down until he was hardly breathing at all. For some reason that seemed to worry them more than the hyperventilating. There really was no pleasing some people. He chugged the rest of the water to hopefully relieve his throat a little.
“Hey, hey, hey, you still need to breathe, okay? You can’t just stop.’’
“Back off Rob.”
“Not now Superboy, I know what I’m doing.”
“Yeah? Well I don’t think you do. Back off a little.”
Danny flinched away from the yelling, curling back into himself just a bit more. It would be nice if they could both leave, actually. Danny had a lot to process right now, and their bickering wasn’t helping. There was already so much noise, and their voices were getting louder, and that light was still flickering just at the corner of his vision. On and off and ON and OFF and ON AND OFF AND-
The door flew open with a loud bang, there was a streak of red and white light then-
“Morning! How are you feeling dude? These two bothering you? Are you hungry? Want a snack? I have Trail mix, Mars Bars, chips, fruit leather, and a granola bar. I just came form school though so they aren’t the good ones y’know? Just the gross high calorie ones that Max makes me carry around in case of emergencies. Actually- scratch that. You probably shouldn’t eat those unless you have, like, a suuuuper fast metabolism. They might, like, destroy your liver or something. That or give you the sugar high to end all sugar highs.” The boy was in Danny’s face before he had even had time to process his arrival. A buzzing started in his ears, getting louder and louder as the boy talked, his fire engine red hair bouncing with each wide gesture he made.
Danny pressed himself further against the wall, willing his body to just go through it already. Anything to get him away from all this.
The buzzing sound hitched, then something lurched in Danny’s chest, and suddenly he was falling. Falling through the cold stone and away from the noise.
He landed in what looked like a supply closet, amongst seemingly endless rows of dusty shelves and unopened cardboard boxes. It was dark, though, and the floor was cold, the chill was grounding. The buzzing had stopped, leaving him in total silence. It was nice. He almost didn’t want to try standing or leaving. Maybe he could just stay here for a bit.
He crawled under the nearest shelf and curled up with his back pressed against a heavy crate.He shivered as his exposed skin made contact with the frigid stone. The only thing separating him from the floor was the thin hospital gown he had been changed into at some point. The front was soaked with blood and ectoplasm, which were probably the stitches he’d popped earlier. He pulled at the fabric a bit to see if that was a now problem or a later problem. He settled on later. Just the thought of getting up now made him feel nauseous.
Which meant he probably wasn’t escaping anytime soon. Even with the new knowledge that walls were not, in fact, ghost proofed, if he didn’t even have the energy to sit up and look through a few boxes, then he definitely didn’t have the energy to phase himself out of the- Robin had said they were in a mountain? Yeah, that wasn’t happening. He couldn’t even feel the ectoplasm under his skin, the ever-present, comforting hum wasn’t in his chest anymore. That buzzing had been the closest thing he’d felt to it since that third week when they had started the operations.
One hand found its way to his neck, bare fingers ghosting over the uneven ridges left behind by careless stitches. He could still smell the rubber, feel the sting of the antiseptic, see the leering grin on his face as they poked around his chest cavity, knowing just where to squeeze to force a scream.
He shook his head to dislodge the memory. Ancients, Ancients help him.
—------
He woke up later, back in the cot. The lines were returned to his arms and face. The light was still flickering. There were no people.
There was a glass of water set on the side table, next to a note.
‘We’re sorry. You are safe here. We promise.’
Danny didn’t know what to believe anymore. He crushed the paper into a ball, and threw it away.
Ahhhh, i know its been literal months since i posted the og part, but ive been working really hard on this and i finally think im ready to post it? Maybe? It will not be a quick update schedule bevause im always changing things, but i hope you all like it.
Tim knew he had screwed up and it was driving him nuts. One would think he would be better at this by now. After almost a year as Robin, fixing Bruce's whole mess, it should be second nature to know how to help with the less physical injuries. He should know how to handle these situations better. But he just kept pushing on this one one and he didn't know why .
No, that's not right. Tim knew why he was pushing. It was because of that kid sitting in a too-cold empty room down the hall. It was because they had found him curled up and bloody and he couldn't be more than a year younger than Tim.
Living in a place like Gotham, the sight of violence is no stranger. Working with The Batman, it's routine, expected. Tim knew he had definitely seen worse, but that - he couldn't shake the images from his head. And that was why. Because Tim helps people. It's what he does. He solves their problems and he takes care of things. But maybe he's going about it the wrong way.
After the whole ordeal in the medbay, the team had taken to tiptoeing around their visitor, but that obviously wasn't the right course of action. He looked absolutely miserable in that empty room.
Which meant they needed to course correct. Be more present maybe. Phantom obviously didn't trust them, which, fair, considering how terribly every interaction with him seemed to go. They just needed to show that they were trying to help. They needed to figure out how to help. Correctly. Without triggering the trauma he was clearly carrying.
He would have to strategize with the team later when at least some of them were available. For now though- His hands stalled, rifling through Kon's drawers. Phantom obviously wouldn't fit anything Tim owned, he was too tall, so Kon's was the next best choice. His teammate wouldn't mind... probably.
Fuck, he didn't know if this would fix things. But after so many stumbles, hopefully he could start doing this right.
