Lightning
dcxdp fic idea
Phantom doesn't like Static Shock. And it was beginning to be a capital P Problem.
At first it was little things. Giving the barest of greetings to the hero before moving on. Finding ways to politely excuse himself from conversations after Static joined them. Nearly seamless from his years of having to find reasons to leave class to fight ghosts. (He was an expert at leaving without being suspicious at this point.)
Then he found reasons to miss/switch off Watch duty when he noticed they were both on for the same shift. Unusual for Phantom of all people to miss an opportunity to stare into the great beyond, but the man was the Bridge Between, protector of an infinite number of ectoplasmic beings. It stood to reason that his duties would occasionally conflict with his responsibilities.
Then they were called to help out against one threat or another and the two ended up next to each other facing off against the baddie of the week.
The others didn't see what happened, and Phantom wouldn't say anything.
but something shifted after that. None of them knew exactly what. But Phantom became...colder afterwards. Both in the literal sense of causing the temp to drop whenever he was near, and in the figurative sense of becoming less friendly- less of the ghost of a dead kid that they'd come to know and more of the ancient being and legendary protector they had originally expected after first hearing about him.
He began bailing from JL meetings whenever the Bang Baby was present.
His stilted, but friendly, greetings turned to silence.
Static tried taking him aside. Tried to talk to the spirit and figure out why Phantom, who seemed to be able to forgive everyone for just about everything, hated him so much.
Static refused to say what happened.
But Phantom stopped coming to the Watch Tower altogether. Stopped answering pages.
All but disappeared from the world of the living.
Eventually, someone managed to talk to him. (it was an accident. Danny had just wanted a burger and fries. Didn't realize that he didn't use his human form. Or that he was like, two blocks from a hero/vigilante patrolling route). It went...poorly.
Batman found a letter of resignation from the JL, effective immediately, on his desk, soon after. Along with a formal declaration separating the Infinite Realms from their universe and forbidding any and all future contact. Batman didn't even know that Phantom had the power or sway to make that kind of declaration.
Bruce was blindsided.
He knew there was tension. but Phantom was beyond professional at all times. His ability to help and be kind inspite of unthinkable tragedy had impressed the Dark Knight early on. The hero had an unfailing moral compass and seemingly limitless capabilities for forgiveness.
Bruce never considered that the tension would last. Let alone blow up so profoundly.
A mistake he wouldn't make again.
It was time to do damage control.
but first.
What the hell happened???
What had changed?
What was the tipping point??