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britcision · 11 months

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Hey guys

I have present for you

Not sure if there will be a WIP Wednesday this week since I’m con crunching and we leave on Thursday, soooo… this will tide you over I’m sure! The completed chapter 15!

Previous Chapter:

First chapter and AO3 link:

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I’ll Take The Highway

Time was almost slipping away too quickly in the milkshake bar, and Danny wished he didn’t have to keep an eye on it.

(Well. Seriously hoped. Even in the privacy of his head, he couldn’t make it a wish.)

He had to get Tucker back to MIT though, and back to Gotham in a reasonable time frame to get to bed before class tomorrow.

If he got to bed before midnight, there might be a chance for he and Jason to run to the Far Frozen in the morning. Or after, Danny’s classes didn’t run late. Or…

He was missing out on the fun today, trying to plan tomorrow. Much as Jazz would love him being more organised, he pushed it to the back of his mind.

They’d visit Frostbite soon. And find out how Jason’s core was, though Danny was beginning to think he knew. Here, when Jason was happy and relaxed? Not tensed, shut down, or angry?

Danny could definitely feel something he hadn’t before. Not exactly the same as another ghost, or any of the other halfas, not yet.

But it was almost like Box Lunch’s fresh core seen through a house of mirrors.

Maybe that was what had him so close to the edge today? It was taking some pretty serious effort not to react to even the mention of an old threat to Jason.

Jason, the sweet baby ghost.

And if his smile was a little sappy at that thought, well, that was no one’s business but his own. At least he had something to sit on for when his rogues started embarrassing baby stories.

Finally he couldn’t put it off anymore. Too much to do, friends to fly across country, and he still hadn’t found a good way to ask Waylon his question. He just… well.

He’d given Jason all the server info, the stuff about who his rogues were, how he beat them, the things they’d learned about the Infinite Realms. They’d even shared some stories around different bits.

That didn’t exactly explain what he wanted to ask Waylon about. And it really wasn’t something he was comfortable sharing just yet, even if he already knew it was dumb.

Jason was a good guy. Who hung out with Batman, who was apparently an asshole. He wouldn’t judge Danny for having some dark and fucked up stories in all the zany ones.

Fuck, maybe Waylon could tell him how Jason would react. It was gonna come up, it’d have to, and Danny really would feel better having someone else’s opinion.

He was reluctant to interrupt their good time, another story devolving into laughter, but it was getting into the afternoon and… well, he also had no idea how long this would take.

“Hey, uh, by the way. I’ve gotta head out in a bit, dropping Tuck back off in Massachusetts, I just wanted to talk to Waylon for a minute first? In private?” Because if Danny had learned one thing?

Direct worked best.

It worked now, Harley nodding along and hopping up, cartwheeling her way along the table and out of the booth.

“Say no more, Danno! C’mon, Jayjay, I wanted ta catch up with you on somethin’ too, so this works perfectly!” She declared cheerfully, giving Jason a fond tug to his fluffy white streak of hair.

Jason shot Danny a look that was half commiserating, half curious as he slid out of the both after her, but Danny was too busy staring into an imagined hellscape where Harley met Jack Fenton.

Fuck Dan, the world couldn’t handle that.

By the time he came back to himself, he and Waylon were alone in the booth, the big man watching him curiously.

“So, what’s on yer mind, kid?” He asked in a low voice, folding his arms on the edge of the table and leaning in.

Secret villain hideaway or not, this wasn’t something Danny wanted just anyone overhearing, so he beckoned Waylon closer to his end of the booth first, tucked into the wall.

The big guy slid his way surprisingly delicately down the seat, then leaned in again, watching Danny expectantly.

Which was when Danny realised he shoulda probably thought about a good way to put this.

Blunt it was gonna have to be.

“So… you… Harley said people called you Killer Croc before you ever hurt anyone?” He said in a rush, flinching at how bad it actually sounded said aloud.

Waylon… did not have eyebrows to raise, and it was really fucking weird that he was noticing that now, but it was definitely what he’d been doing, and Danny was distracting himself again.

“They did,” Waylon agreed a moment later, his voice low and even. Guard up, but not defensive. Not closing the topic off.

Danny huffed out a sigh, and found he couldn’t quite meet the man’s eyes. Found himself intently examining the diamond pattern on the formica tables. His own hands, twisting in front of him over that pattern.

“You… you became what they said you were. A monster.” The words caught in his throat, hard to spit out and shit he thought he was past this.

It had been years.

A scaled green hand covered his, and Danny found himself surprised by how smooth the scales were. Far from soft, but not rough. Almost smoother than the table.

“Who called you a monster, kid?” Waylon asked softly, his voice gruff with something too close to understanding.

Danny’s head snapped up and he shook it quickly, sucking in a deep breath.

“Oh, no one. Not for like, a really long time now. And they said sorry and everything, it’s not that. It’s… you gave into it. Let them make you something wrong and dangerous, and you stopped. How did you stop?” He asked quietly, finally finding it easier to look at Waylon’s face.

He looked surprised.

Finding Jason had been harder than usual. He’d never turned his phone back on after last night, and Bruce was still wrestling with one of his least favourite (and most common) side effect of a concussion; light sensitive headaches.

Even with the screen brightness all the way down, it was hard to even look at the batcomputer while he waited for Constantine to arrive.

None of his usual tricks were helping, spikes of pain jabbing behind his eyes every time he tried to scan the cameras for Jason’s presence.

It was Babs who found him in the end, taking her lunch at the library late to help him out. She had whole programs to scan the security cameras of Gotham for her, trained to recognise any bat or rogue from any angle.

False positives happened, but usually didn’t take more than a look to confirm or deny. They were extremely accurate.

Bruce would know.

He had copies of the same programs.

They just weren’t running properly.

He was probably still tired. He’d been pushing himself while injured, as usual, and as usual Alfred would be eager to tell him he’d been overtaxing himself too hard to work efficiently.

And then Constantine was late.

By the time the magician arrived, Bruce was regretting having taken a break to sleep at all. He should have sorted this out last night, before ever calling Jason.

They could have picked a time to meet, and while Bruce was fully aware Jason might have just told him to fuck off, he might not have. Especially if Bruce had promised to leave him alone.

He knew better than to ask Jason to introduce Danny to Constantine.

Barbara had generously kept an eye on Jason in the interim, and by the time Batman and Constantine were ready to go he seemed to have settled in Freeze’s place.

The Frozen Fields. Named for his wife, who Bruce’s top scientists still wouldn’t be able to save.

Along with Harley, Waylon Jones, and Danny.

Of course he was with Danny.

Half the city seemed to be intent on frustrating him today. They’d taken the Batmobile, and while he tended to only drive it in emergencies (and after dark), it still barely sped the journey through the city traffic.

It always felt wrong, sitting and waiting with the rest of the cars in the Batmobile. Didn’t match the “lurking justice in the shadows”. Which Constantine was quick to remind him.

Bruce just gripped the steering wheel tighter, sucked in a deep breath, and nearly bit his tongue when they finally edged up to an intersection only for the light to turn red.

Waylon sat back in his seat, back scraping against the wall of the booth as he surveyed the kid in front of him.

Little squirt was tougher ‘n he looked, that much was definitely true. Harley had given him the short run down on their way to the milkshake bar, all the powers she knew he had.

And that he’d been hunted by his folks for a while. Waylon knew how that kinda shit could mess ya up.

He appreciated the heads up too, cuz this kinda shit coming up outta nowhere? Also pretty damn rough. He’d wondered if the kid just wanted to come along for another fight.

If he just wanted another chance to say he’d looked Killer Croc in the eye.

But there was no real bravado there, not even when he challenged Waylon to a rematch. Shit, the kid treated him more normal than most of his henchmen had ever managed to.

Made sense, knowing he was part a ghost an’ fought ghost rogues, but it left Waylon wondering. Apparently he was getting his answer.

Same damn question he’d asked himself a thousand times, ‘specially around the kind of young vigilantes who’d taken a turn to the bad.

Didn’t mean he had a good answer.

He regarded the kid for a long minute, watching the fidgeting, the sudden shyness from a boy who’d literally tackled him from behind on a whim.

This wasn’t just an idle question. Something made him sure of that, and he’d never been involved in all that much of the really weird shit. You heard stories, especially in Arkham.

So he decided to give the kid the best answer he had.

“Cuz I was the worst version of myself. I let myself be the monster they thought I was, got pretty good at it. But it never made me happy.” He paused, mulling it over.

Chuckled softly and looked down into his half drunk milkshake. It was kinda funny how obvious it seemed, in hindsight.

“Shit, there was never even anythin’ I wanted. Not like Penguin, Freeze, or the others. People treated me like a monster so I tried to be one, cuz why the hell not? Couldn’t be worse, could it?”

His gaze shifted back to Danny’s face, watching the kid’s expression. No judgement, which was nice. But he did look confused.

“So you just… got sick of it?” Danny asked, his brows furrowed as he played with his fingers.

Waylon chuckled and shook his head.

“Kinda. Spent a while thinkin’ if people couldn’t treat me with respect, fear’d do. But it ain’t the same. An’ I never had the drive or creative cruelty to stand out in Gotham.”

Danny looked a little incredulous at that, eyebrows rising, but he caught himself before commenting. Snickered and shook his head.

“Yeah, I guess being in a city that’s used to people like Scarecrow and the Joker puts “big and green” into perspective,” he agreed dryly, and Waylon laughed.

It felt good to laugh.

“Oh yeah. City’s got more than its share of low level thugs anyway. I spent a while as extra muscle for the big boys, but I ain’t the takin’ orders sort,” he explained with a modest shrug.

Danny grinned, folding his arms on the table and leaning forward.

“What, a shy and retiring guy like you?” He asked, clearly teasing, and Waylon waved a hand dismissively.

“I’m lucky it was Gotham,” he added after a moment, reflection sobering his mood. “Got sent t’ Arkham. Met Harley. An’ the Bat’s not all that bad. He tried gettin’ me outta the life a couple times.”

Danny cocked his head, a slight frown returning to his face. Following Waylon’s lead.

“How did Batman try and get you out?” There was a little too much intensity for it to be a casual question, and Waylon noted it. Not that he’d figure it out on his own.

Just tryin’ to make sure he didn’t damage the kid.

“Oh, there were a couple ways. Got me moved down to Florida once. Out in the green, away from people. I figured bein’ a wild animal might be more my speed, but it wasn’t. An’ it got messy when I left. Like that whatever he tried, really. There’s lines you can’t uncross.”

Lines like being a cannibal.

Not that he was sobbin’ on a preacher’s shoulder about it. Most of the people he’d eaten were assholes who’d deserved it, and it’d been a preference, not a need.

For all people loved to go on about him eatin’ kids and babies, he’d never actually done it. A guy had to have standards.

Made it easy to stop, once he was in a better head space. He and Harley had talked a lotta old shit out.

Kid didn’t need to know those grisly details though, at least not from his own mouth. Watching Danny a moment longer, Waylon came to a decision.

“Look, kid. There’s a lotta reasons people go bad. Some of ‘em can’t be helped. But if they’re not gettin’ anything out of it, if there’s no goal? The appeal runs out. And sometimes all it takes is someone willin’ to reach down an’ haul yer back up to the light.”

He wouldn’t ask if that was the case with whoever the kid wanted to help. Everyone heard stories, ‘specially about heroes meeting their evil selves.

The fear looked personal, but the asking coulda been for anyone. Waylon was in no rush to judge.

Danny mulled over his words for a while, lips moving soundlessly as he frowned down at the table. This time when he looked up, there was a peace in his eyes.

He’d come to a decision. Good for him.

“Thanks, Waylon. You seem like a pretty great guy to me,” he said simply, and Waylon definitely did not feel a lump in his throat.

“This is after years o’ Harley workin’ on me,” he grumbled gruffly. Shaking his head, he slurped down the last of his milkshake quickly.

Nothing like brain freeze to explain being a little misty eyed.

Jason didn’t exactly object to being led out of the bar by Harley; Danny wanted to talk to Waylon in private.

Jason had figured Danny had something to ask the guy about. He hadn’t exactly expected not to be part of the conversation, but that was fine.

He’d know if Danny got into trouble. Fuck, Danny could handle any trouble Gotham could dish out, probably. And the rogues had some basic manners; not starting shit in Freeze’s place was one of them.

Penguin might put the squeeze on and make your life uncomfortable if you lit up the Iceberg Lounge. Dr Freeze’s cold shoulder was a lot more literal, and he didn’t do “proportional response”.

So yeah, he could be cool and give Danny some space.

It wasn’t exactly a surprise that Harley wanted to talk to him either, although he still didn’t see the point. But he let her guide him around the side of the building to a back alley anyway.

“Still fine, Harley,” he said before she could get started, both hands raised in front of him.

She gave him an all too knowing look and hopped up to sit on the dumpster. Put her about a head taller than him. Not that he cared.

“Sure, kid. You’ve been goin’ through a lot though, so I gotta ask; is there anythin’ ya wanna talk to Auntie Harley about?” She asked in her sweetest voice, interlacing her fingers under her chin and batting her lashes.

Jason snickered and leaned against the other side of the alley.

Shit, he wasn’t even annoyed with her play acting. The pit was a happy little puddle in his chest, all sunshine and roses.

A week ago he’d have walked away. Been pissed at wasting his time, getting in his way. How much of that had been because of the Lazarus pits, the problems with the ectoplasm he’d apparently been supposed to be solving?

Was that why nothing had ever been enough? Why he always had to keep pushing? Carve himself a patch of Gotham, keep going. Cut the crime out of Crime Alley, not enough.

Take up with the Outsiders, keep himself busy, rushed off his feet so that when he fell into bed for a couple hours a day he didn’t even dream?

When was the last time he’d taken a breath and just… relaxed? It all felt so long ago, but it had barely been a week.

It just. His whole life had unclenched, like it was a muscle he’d finally stopped using.

Fuck, maybe he should talk to Harley about it.

He got the feeling she knew though, those eagle eyes tracking his every move. They’d never really hung out, but he was uncomfortably aware of how well she’d known him.

How much of him was still the boy she’d known?

She was waiting for an answer, and all of a sudden Jason wasn’t sure what he’d say. Knew that if anyone in the world understood, it just might be Dr Harleen Quinzel.

He sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck, unable to meet her eyes. Fuck, he was getting as bad as Bruce.

And if that thought didn’t kick him up the ass…

“You ever wake up one day and realise your whole life’s been going wrong?” He finally asked, glancing up from the corner of his eye.

She’d dropped the cutesy act, leaning forward with her arms braced on the edge of the dumpster, her face professionally calm. Open. Sympathetic.

“Think I might know just a lil about what that’s like,” she agreed softly, and Jason snorted.

“Yeah. Well. Turns out ever since I came back from the dead I’ve been haunted. Literally. And no one ever noticed.”

He hadn’t even come all the way back, but he couldn’t say that. Not yet. But maybe he could share some of the rest.

Harley nodded slowly, giving him her full attention. Just waiting for him to go on.

It kinda felt like being under a microscope, but not in the cold, analytical way Bruce did that always pissed him off. Like she really cared, and was looking for all his broken parts so she could help him fit them back together.

Fuck, if his kid self had ever known he’d one day trust Harley Quinn over the whole Justice League…

Shit, he didn’t even know how much she already knew.

“The pit rage… it’s a psychosis people get, coming out of the Lazarus pit. Makes you angry, violent, stronger, like a blind rage. For most people it goes away. Mine didn’t.”

He almost wanted to laugh, bitter and sharp.

“Because it wasn’t just the psychosis. I’m not fucking weak, I’m not fucking broken, there’s something else living inside me and it made me so fucking angry all the time…”

The frustration was building again, but this time it was his. All his, not a bubble, not a stir, and part of Jason thrilled with it. He could feel however he wanted, just him.

He cut it off though, forcing himself to relax before Danny could notice. Could worry about whatever he was projecting in his aura.

He could kinda still feel Danny’s, which was new. Not brushing against his, not touching like they were close, but he was aware in a way he hadn’t been before.

Like if he shut his eyes he could point in exactly the direction Danny was standing.

“Danny’s the only one who noticed. Well, really, he’s the only one who could. It’s a ghost thing, and he… he got me help. I feel like myself for the first time since… since I came back.”

He hadn’t even noticed how much the background rage burnt through him until it stopped. Until he could look at his family and see their prodding for what it was; concern.

It was still surprising him, and maybe would for a while. Kinda hoped not though. It wasn’t the most cheerful train of thought.

Seeing that he’d run out of words, Harley gave him a moment to find more, then reached over and ruffled his hair. It was barely a strain in the cramped alley.

“Kid, anyone with two eyeballs t’ rub together can see Danny’s real good for ya. So why’s Bruce tryin’ so hard to keep ya apart?” She asked gently, and Jason snorted.

Rolled his eyes and folded his arms, caught himself doing it, and forced them back to his sides.

“Not rubbing his eyeballs together?” He asked dryly. Harley just snickered.

“Please, if we could get ‘im ta stop overanalysing everything that’d be the miracle. So what’s got ‘im on edge?”

Jason hesitated for a long moment, thinking about it. Finally he shrugged; as always, Bruce was a mystery to him. The man who’d taught him all the tricks to pick apart any mystery. Except himself.

“No idea. We played a prank on him and the Mansons at the gala like we told you last night?” He offered, already aware it wasn’t likely to be the answer.

Harley shook her head in agreement, which almost threw him off.

“Nah, you’re right. The whole making-out-in-a-closet shtick is classic, even if he didn’t see through it yet he’s never cared about you boys smoochin’ before,” she agreed, then sighed and tugged him in to press a kiss to his forehead.

“Whatever his problem is though, it is his problem Jason, an’ what he pulled at the gala has nothin’ t’ do with you or Danny. I already told ‘im off about not talkin’ to ya and I’m gonna do it again when I catch him. Right now I just wanna hear you say you know it ain’t your fault,” she told him firmly, cheeks held between both hands.

Jason fought the urge to roll his eyes. And the rising lump in his throat.

“I know Bruce’s bullshit isn’t my fault, Harley,” he grumbled through smushed lips. Harley squeezed his cheeks a little tighter.

“Then say it anyway. It ain’t your fault Brucie has a bug in his ass, and ya ain’t done anything wrong to deserve it.” She was firm as the wall behind him, utterly unrelenting.

And she could go on for hours, if memory served. Long enough for Danny to come out and see. That was why Jason told himself he gave in.

Nothing at all to do with the way her words ached and bled a gentle warmth into the icy void in his gut where the anger still roiled.

“It’s not my fault B’s got the emotional capacity of a wet newspaper. I don’t deserve his helicopter bullshit any more than anyone else,” he told her obediently, doing his best not to be too sarcastic.

Harley placed a kiss on his nose and released him.

“That’s my good boy. Now, more about this haunted thing. You boys got a plan?” She asked sharply, head cocked as she watched his face.

Cheeks red, Jason leaned back against his wall and pretended it made him out of reach.

“We do,” he said curtly, looking down at the trash strewn ground. Trying to explain it now would take too long, Danny would be out soon.

Of course Harley noticed, nodding thoughtfully and leaning back, kicking her legs.

“Well, if ya ever want to tell me more, you’ve got my number. An’ I’ll get Brucie off ya back for a while, even if I’ve gotta call in the Boy Scout. Whatever you aren’t tellin’ ‘im, don’t let ‘im rush ya,” she told him firmly. Jason had to smile.

“Aren’t you the one always telling us to communicate?” He asked half rhetorically. Harley grinned and hopped off her dumpster, making her way to the front of the alley.

“It only works if ya wait til you’re ready. Pushin’ an’ rushin’ only makes it worse,” she explained airily, stepping out into the street.

Turning, and freezing like a hound on a scent. Eyes narrowed, she patted Jason on the chest as he stepped out after her, not turning her head.

“Jason darlin’, be a dear an’ run get Auntie Harley her bat. The bike’s parked ‘round the back,” she said ever so sweetly, and that tone combined with the narrow eyed glare meant Jason knew exactly who she was looking at before he turned.

He did it anyway, eyes widening as he caught sight of Batman, in full gear, coming down the street towards them. Accompanied by John Fucking Constantine.

Had he seriously come to chase him away from Danny in person? In fucking costume?

The anger surged, his and the pit’s, held back only by the small woman in front of him. The dainty hand on her chest, that’d turn into an iron bar if he pushed it.

Sure, she couldn’t actually hold him back, but she didn’t need to. Whatever Jason wanted to say or do to Bruce, Harley could do a whole lot worse.

Anger melding into a vicious satisfaction, he turned straight back down the alley with a spring in his step.

Bruce was a little relieved to arrive outside the bar and see Jason already there. Batman walking in wouldn’t have been out of the question, but he’d rather avoid the theatrics.

Danny not being in sight didn’t come into the decision one bit.

But then Harley said something to Jason and he turned away, leaving immediately. Bruce sped up, planning to follow Jason down the alley-

“Hold ya horses, Batsy,” Harley snapped, stepping directly into his path. He could have gone around her, certainly, but he stopped.

If there was even a chance he could get her on side, that would help immensely.

“I just need to talk to Jason,” he said in Batman’s low growl. Constantine had stopped too, well back of whatever was going to happen.

At least he wasn’t a complete fool.

Harley folded her arms, giving him her very least impressed look.

“An’ if the words you’re sayin’ ain’t “I’m so sorry please forgive me I’ll never do it again”, ya don’t actually need to. Ya need ta speak to me.”

Bruce almost frowned at her words. Why now? They’d spoken before, but she’d seemed satisfied. What had changed between now and their last conversation?

Batman’s face remained impassive as ever.

“Harley. It’s important.”

“He wants me to give the kid a magic checkup,” Constantine put in from behind him, still well back. He waved at Harley when she glanced his way.

Harley’s eyes narrowed for a moment and then Jason was jogging back down the alley, holding her bat.

What the hell had changed since their last conversation?

Pinning Constantine with a piercing glare, she held it for a minute before turning her attention back to Bruce. Snapping her fingers in front of his mask before he could even open his mouth.

“Uh uh! Johnny needs ta talk to him fer that, not you. YOU need to come talk ta me. Now.” She held out her other hand without looking, and Jason slipped the bat into it.

Had he really upset Jason that much at the gala? He’d thought he understood about the public apology, but this felt… well, worse than he’d expected.

More urgent. More vehement. She was more angry than she had been.

He’d gone wrong again, some time between now and then, and he had a Justice League meeting in an hour. Less, counting in the travel time back to the nearest zeta terminal.

Did he have time for this?

Jason was glaring at him, flat and unfriendly, but with a decided undercurrent of anticipation. Bruce’s presence would only make Constantine’s job harder.

Ignoring the part of him that thought the magician deserved to have it a lot harder, he nodded and refocused his attention on Harley.

“Fine. Here?” Better to get this over with. He could put aside all of his personal thoughts and feelings for the meeting, but at least he’d have answers.

Harley gave the surrounding street another sharp look, then shook her head, crooked her fingers, and led him into the alleyway.

“We’ll go ‘round the back. You’re bad for business,” she told him archly, and Bruce followed without a word.

He didn’t tell Jason to stay and speak to Constantine; he was self aware enough to know that would have the opposite effect. The magician would just have to sort himself out.

Part of him almost hoped she would actually use the bat this time. It served its purpose as a visual symbol, but everything made much more sense when people just wanted to beat him up.

Navigating their emotions and separate interior lives and expectations was… messy.

Constantine and Jason stared at each other for a long moment after Harley and the Bat disappeared down the alley.

Then Constantine sighed and nodded after them.

“If they’re goin’ round back, we can take this off the main street. If you don’t mind?” Not that the boy had much choice.

They’d caught him unmasked, which raised again the fuckin’ question of why Batt-o was so intent on being masked up for this one.

Maybe he just didn’t want to change. It looked like a lot of kohl on under that mask. Probably took a while to switch in and out.

Jason narrowed his eyes back for a moment, then shrugged. His whole posture still screamed annoyance and aggression, but moved back into the side alley anyway.

“Whatever. Not too far though. I need to hear if my friends leave.” There was something about the agreement that didn’t quite sit right for John.

Too easy. He didn’t have much (any) experience with the kid, never having willingly gotten near a revenant, but… well, this? This was weirdly passive.

When he’d seen the kid coming back with a weapon, that had made sense. He’d half expected Jason to take a swing personally; the dead-or-dead-aligned tended to have a different understanding of acceptable violence.

Handing it off to Harley was basically trading a gun for a nuke, but he didn’t seem at all upset that it hadn’t been used. Hadn’t gone for Batman’s throat, no matter how much Harley seemed to think he’d be justified.

What the hell did the Bat do now?

Something was off with Jason, something that made Constantine almost rethink his earlier guess.

Kid dies, shows back up a couple years later in a storm of blood and violence, demanding revenge? Yeah, that was classic revenant. Physical body, jacked beyond anything the kid shoulda grown into? Ditto.

Even the rage the Leaguers reported checked the boxes, but a revenant shouldn’t be this calm. Not in the face of any kind of threat.

Good news, really; he probably wouldn’t go for Constantine’s throat. John was more than happy with that, though he did regret getting the Bat all worked up.

Not that there was another version of the story Batman might take better, mind. Whatever the hell Jason Todd was, the kid wasn’t human anymore, and for ol’ Batsy the rest of the details didn’t much matter.

They got out of sight of the main thoroughfare, Jason leaning back against a wall with his arms folded and a smirk on his face that was just all challenge.

Constantine didn’t rise to it, brows furrowing as he raised a hand and murmured the beginnings of a spell.

Felt it instantly crash around him, smacked down by a power so titanic he’d have fallen if the side of a dumpster hadn’t caught him. A power so old, so wrought with death, so fucking familiar that it blacked out every sense.

No way in fucking hell any kind of fucking revenant, wraith, zombie, ghost, anything could leave that taste in his mouth. No, that? That was a personal signature.

And not something that could be done lightly either. A power like that… no, this power, Constantine knew exactly whose it was.

This kind of power, reacting this strongly? This instantly, even here on Earth? That was the full force of the Infinite Realms, which had to mean…

Eyes wide and shaken, John scrabbled at the lid for support, staring at Jason. Who actually looked more than a little surprised himself.

It took him a moment to find the words, longer to steady the shake in his voice.

“You… you… holy fucking hells, Jason, do you have any idea what you’ve done? You’ve bound your fuckin’ soul to-”

“The same guy you sold yours to?” Jason drawled, raising an eyebrow.

And alright, fair, that was a pretty good fuckin’ point, but Constantine was well aware he was a dire warning, not a good example.

Damn hard to argue that to a smugly reclining something-or-other that had bound himself so tightly to that same king that John couldn’t even do a gentle magical probe.

He’d been planning on being polite and everything. Noninvasive, Jason wouldn’t even feel it.

Shit, had he felt the spell shut down too? Constantine was about to ask, but Jason wasn’t done talking. Or smirking, looking distinctly amused that he’d shut the mouthy magician up.

“Did you know he owns your soul eleven times by now? That seems a little low to me, surely you’re down to hocking scraps,” Jason noted with a dry chuckle.

Constantine shrugged defensively, well aware that his battered soul was nothing to write home about. Still mostly trying to work out what the fuck was going on.

What use would the Ghost King have for a bat? A use important enough to fold Jason, who’d only be risen six years, into the high court?

Sure, the kid was good, he’d proved that in Gotham’s underworld, but to the Realms? He was barely an infant, and cuttin’ off heads would not impress there.

“No one buys just a piece of a soul. Every deal’s for the whole thing, which is why they keep me alive rather’n letting me kick it and tearin’ up the bits,” he explained distractedly, giving Jason another slow once over.

The good news was, nothing about the guy smelled like a revenant. There was power there, sure, a hint of a magical signature just on the borders of recognizable, but he couldn’t quite pin it down.

Jason hummed in acknowledgement, or maybe interest, but Constantine needed him to keep talking. Needed more clues to work out what the fuck this guy was.

“Pretty sure I haven’t had anyone make the same deal eleven times though,” he commented cautiously, trying to appear as casual as Jason while watching him closely, wishing he’d accepted some bat-training, “most people only make that mistake once.”

“Yeah, I asked about that,” Jason agreed with a dry chuckle, and the bottom fell out of Constantine’s stomach.

A position that let him backtalk the king of the Infinite Realms? Triple not good, not least because that lot were volatile and fuckin’ possessive, but not more so than goddamn Batman.

“Apparently people handed you over for some kind of tax season. You’re a low value trading card over there at this point.”

And that knocked every other thought out of Constantine’s head as he straightened, unreasonably affronted.

It’d be fucking nice to be low value. People might ignore him.

And since when did the Infinite Realms collect taxes?

“Low value? Princes of Hell are fightin’ over my damn soul, it’s the only thing keeping me kickin’,” he protested, and Jason snickered.

Gave John a smug, superior smile.

“And ten entities gave your soul up for tax breaks. Let’s face it, it’s not like you have rarity on your side,” he pointed out smugly.

“It’s still only one soul,” Constantine pouted idly, his mind suddenly spinning mile a minute with the implications.

The kid couldn’t have had this much presence last night, whatever else was true. John would have noticed.

It might just have been now that he knew to look for it, but Jason practically glowed with the essence of the Realms. He’d also somehow not just gotten himself bound to the Ghost King, he had a position where he could question them.

And have his questions answered, if not hugely coherently. Maybe that was just the translation through Jason, though.

That could be a good thing. A good sign at least, for the temperament of the new king. Pariah Dark never listened to questions by all accounts; people never got the opportunity to ask. He just conquered.

Of course, John knew enough magical entities to know that “willing to talk” did not mean, friendly, helpful, safe, or even “not prone to constant and complex lies”.

Thing was, he could handle liars. Tricksters. Anything of the sort, usually, cuz if nothing else? Being willing to talk before shooting meant Constantine had a chance to confuse them.

He was bloody good at that, all else notwithstanding. Almost his most useful talent.

It might be worth trying to find a little more about the Ghost King. Doubly if Jason was willing to help, but that’d have to be careful. No way to know what the kid had accidentally sworn to on that soul bond.

Hell, how was he gonna work out what the kid even was with magic off the table? It’d be back to the fuckin’ books and Undead 101.

At least he was still in his own body. That put a limit on the possibilities, but there were still a lot of options. Bats was going to be unbearable.

Because worse yet… the one thing John did know, with absolute certainty, was that the kid was getting stronger. If he hadn’t manifested any powers yet, it was just a matter of time.

Whatever Jason was, whatever deal he’d managed to pull, the damn halfa wasn’t even the tip of the iceberg. Something was feeding the power in him, whatever had yanked him back to the land of the living to start with.

Plus side? Batty could get off his ass about the kids hanging out. Jason had already taken a fuckin’ jet across whatever influence hanging out with a ghost could do, and pushed right the way to the other side.

He might as well be fuckin’ drinking ectoplasm at this point. Kid could carry Danny around on his back and not make a lick of difference.

Course, if it was the halfa who got the kid to make his deal… well, Batman would have another reason to worry about them hangin’ out together, but the damage was already done.

It wasn’t a soul buy, not to John’s experienced eye. Not a leash around the kid’s neck, not a claim stamped into his being. If anything, this was worse.

Somehow Jason had gotten himself so tightly wrapped to the Ghost King that the other’s power all but flowed in his veins. Even from here, far from the Realms, Constantine didn’t even finish the spell before it was smacked down.

That… that was new. Nothing he’d ever seen before, and he was well used to possessive metaphysical assholes who didn’t like anyone else touchin’ their shit.

Fuck, did Jason even know?

Constantine sucked in a breath and gave damn near instantly on even trying to form a tactful question a bat would understand. Kid was playing in his kiddy pool now, like it or not, and John had to know how deep he’d gone.

“So what deal did you make?” He asked bluntly. Not that Jason apparently minded in the least, still smirking as he gave the magician a cool once over.

“Y’know, I’m pretty sure it’s rude to ask. Not discussing paychecks and all that,” he drawled casually, eyes still dark with that barely covered aggression.

Constantine rolled his eyes.

“I had three princes of Hell gettin’ a little too cozy and a cursed rock lookin’ to turn the world to pink tourmaline. The Ghost King was big enough to shut ‘em up and let me push the rock to a different dimension where it’s never gonna be our problem again. Now quit bein’ an ass, I know a lot more about this kinda shit and I can tell ya if they hid any clauses.”

That did shut Jason up, the kid’s eyes widening for a moment like he hadn’t expected Constantine to share.

Tough titties for him, John already knew Batman was gonna be a bitch about this so doing the due diligence early? Pretty much their only hope.

He considered it longer than John thought was justified, since it was inarguable. John Constantine, soul selling expert. He should have business cards made.

Finally the kid shrugged. He still looked prickly, defensive, but he was listening.

“Well I didn’t sell him my fucking soul.” Which.

John stared at him, mouth agape. Snapped shut and narrowed his eyes.

“Kid, you could not be more marked if you wore a neon sign. You signed something over, the Ghost King ain’t the sort to give prizes for free.”

A Ghost King Jason seemed to think was a he, so that was a useful little piece of intel. He’d definitely know better than John if they were already on ask-questions stage.

Jason scowled and shrugged, arms still crossed.

“Lucky me. Protection from big scary human wizards, for the low low price of my service. And some help with my Lazarus problem,” he added, as if the last was the only part he though worth mentioning.

Constantine sagged back against the wall, sinking down to sit on the alley floor. Bracing his elbows on his knees he ran both hands through his hair, holding his head up.

“Great… just fucking great,” he muttered, voice muffled by his new position. Part of him wanted to laugh, but he was pretty sure it’d come out a sob.

Hysteria beckoned.

Jason made another noise that might almost have been concern, and Constantine forced himself to suck in a breath. To keep it together.

Forced his head up so he could glare at the kid who now looked just way too confused.

“You get that that’s worse, right?” He snapped, eyes narrowing. “You get that selling yourself into service is fucking worse?”

Jason glared back down at him, drawing himself up like size and muscle was gonna impress a magician.

(It might have if Jason was a decade or two older, but not the way the kid intended.)

“What the fuck d’you think will happen when he takes your soul?” He snapped back, aggression rising fast enough that Constantine forced himself to stop again.

Deep breath in. Hold. Out.

One more in. Hold. Out.

He got to ten, the kid watching him with visible confusion, deflating the longer John went without pushing back. Yippee for him.

When he thought he had his voice under control again, John forced himself to his feet.

“I sell my soul, and if anyone ever actually claims the damn thing they can do whatever they want to it for eternity. It’ll fuckin’ suck, kid, but the one thing they can’t do, no matter who it is?”

He just sounded tired now, which only wrong footed Jason even more. Why had he even gotten out of bed at all?

Maybe if he left now he could just go back. Tuck himself up in the House of Mystery, feed his League communicator to something pandimensional, and just hide for a while.

The Bat would probably come after him.

Taking another bolstering breath, John did his best to sound calm. Not patronising. Because the kid damn near definitely had no idea.

Which was why people should leave magic to the fuckin’ professionals.

Catching Jason’s eye, he held it, hoping to impress the seriousness of what he was about to say into the kid’s soul.

“They cannot compel me to action. They can try all sorts of force, all sorts of fucked up shit, but I get the last say. They say jump, I say fuck off, no jump. But selling service?”

Jason’s eyes had widened now, and John could just see all those little wheels turning. Well, set the little fuckers spinnin’ faster.

“They say jump, you’re on the way up before you can ask “how high?”. I dunno what you think you signed up for, kid, I dunno what deals with the new king are like cuz I didn’t fuckin’ ask. But you get a copy of the damn contract and bring it back to me. I’ll see if there’s anything we can do about it.”

It was the only logical option, especially with an entity this powerful. Constantine was betting the kid’s hatred of being used, being controlled, would make him agree even if he hated it.

He probably could have been nicer, though.

Jason’s eyes flashed, actually flashed a bright, ecto green as he shot John a glare that promised bloody dismemberment.

There was something else too, something that definitely wasn’t there a second ago but filled the alley now. Something hot and angry and powerfully vicious, something that wanted his blood.

If there were space to back up, he would have. As it was, he let his hand slip behind his back, ready to teleport. He had no doubt that any kind of binding would meet exactly the same fate his inquiry had.

Even in civvies, Jason Todd cut a menacing figure as he stalked the two steps across the alley to put himself directly in Constantine’s face.

“For fuck’s sake, I am not a fucking child! I don’t need you to hold my hand, I don’t need your fucking help, and I don’t need your fucking permission to live my fucking life!”

Constantine actually leaned back, his head brushing the wall behind him as Jason shoved a finger into his face, his every muscle taut with barely restrained violence.

“Like you just fucking said, you don’t know shit! So maybe, just fucking once, the whole fucking lot of you sit the fuck down, shut the fuck up, and stay out of my fucking way!”

This close, Constantine could feel Jason’s hot breath on his face. This close… something clicked.

He could feel Jason’s anger, projecting out of him in a way that definitely wasn’t human. Choking and visceral and absolutely nothing like the pulsating bloody rage that forced itself down his throat.

There was something fucking else inside Jason. Something that tasted of the Infinite Realms and wanted his head on a stick.

Something that wasn’t the Ghost King. Didn’t carry the touch of his claim.

John was about to teleport away, fuck Batman and all of Gotham, when Jason turned around sharply and marched out of the alley. Almost like the kid was running.

Slumping back against the wall, John Constantine closed his eyes and breathed in the city smogs, only happy that none of it actively wanted his blood.

Harley let Batman precede her around the milkshake bar to the parking lot at the back, a quick glance confirming that they were alone.

For the best, really; anyone present might get entirely the wrong idea.

Taking a casual roll of the wrist for added momentum, Harley took a quick shot at the back of Batty’s knee, stepping up quickly beside him to use the return swing to catch him in the gut.

Caught off guard, he crumpled, landing on one knee and glaring up at her.

“Harley…” he growled, and her eyes narrowed.

She’d done this the nice way last night. He hadn’t listened, so now they were doing it his way.

“Batsy,” she shot back, cutting him off quick and direct. Tapped her bedazzled bat gently off her other hand. “We had us a talk already this week.”

No specific times; not in an unsecured location. He’d know anyway.

From his silence, he wasn’t quite ready to admit it. But he didn’t try to rise. Conflicted, then.

Like that was new.

Harley pressed the bat gently under his chin, tipping his head up to face her.

“And yet somehow, despite you assurin’ me you’d listened real close, a mister Jason Todd is out here tellin’ me you tried to ban him from hangin’ out with his new boyfriend?” She asked sugar-sweet, her expression all danger.

She could just about see the moment it sank into his head. Even with his actual eyes covered, that cowl was still plenty expressive.

Kinda freakishly expressive. Not ideal for the crime fighting to her mind, but what would she know? She much preferred committing the crimes.

He tried to argue, frown so deep he’d have wrinkles within the day.

“This has nothing to do with that, the Fenton boy is dangerous to his condition-”

Harley cut him off by poking the end of her bat almost into his mouth, her eyes narrowed. And sure, she was bein’ delicate with his head outta concern for that concussion, but there were limits.

“An’ what d’you think ya know about Jason’s condition that a half dead kid don’t?” She asked sceptically.

Batman hesitated. If he pushed the bat away, they’d have an actual fight on their hands. One he might let her win, if he just needed the tussle.

She’d never known a man so eager to have someone put him on his ass, and so incapable of ever lettin’ it actually happen. Well, other than Jason.

Musta run in the family.

Bruce sagged back, sat on the cracked asphalt of the parking lot.

“Constantine believes that Danny’s energy may strengthen something inside Jason. Something dangerous,” he explained, still in Batman’s rough growl.

She was gonna get him a vocoder. Just for shits and giggles.

Fuck, was that why Jason wore the whole helmet for Hoody? Now that she thought of it, there was a voice changer in there.

Two cranky little peas in matching muscly pods.

She dropped to sit cross legged on the ground across from him, bat laying in front of her. Talkin’ again, take two. Time to make it stick.

“Have you actually talked to Jason about this?” She asked sceptically.

The eye slits in the cowl narrowed. Harley was not impressed.

“Have you talked to him at all, since he an’ Danny have been hangin’ out?”

Bruce glared at her for a moment longer. Did not fold his arms or pout, but she could tell he wanted to.

“I spoke with him last night. He’s irrational, angry, unwilling to listen to reason…”

“He’s sick of ya tellin’ him you know what’s best and not listenin’ ta what’s wrong,” Harley corrected flatly.

Watched his shoulders sink just a little. As much as he could deflate in the suit. Even his growl lost most of its sandpaper.

“He said Danny was taking him to a doctor. More exposure to the realms could make things worse. Kill him, or give the pit another chance to take over. I can’t…” he cut himself off, voice tight and garbled around the forced gravel.

Harley watched him for a long moment.

He’d come out in the suit. It had to be for a reason.

She couldn’t ask the questions that would break him apart in the suit. Couldn’t guide him through the revelations and the grief. Not if there was somethin’ else he had ta be doing.

Another damn time then. She’d get ‘im here again.

“Batsy.” Her voice was gentler this time, and drew his face back to hers. She made sure to catch his eye. “He already died. Seems ta me somethin’ in there never really let him go.”

She didn’t know much about the Infinite Realms… or anything at all, really. All this magic and mayhem and ghosts was fun an’ all, and she always liked to play, but it wasn’t her wheelhouse.

Didn’t have ta be. She knew how to listen to the professionals.

Bruce had stiffened, the mask of Batman pulling back, and she cut him off with a raised hand.

“An’ you only have ta look at Danny ta know that whatever all that is? Jason ain’t the first. Won’t be the last. Someone’s gonna know what went wrong, and Jason believes they’re helping him. You need to believe Jason.”

“But he could be wrong.” It was barely more than a whisper. Low and grinding and completely devoid of Batman growl, like it’d been pulled right out of his soul.

Harley gave him a gentle bop on the head with her bat.

“Then we deal with that then. But all ya doin’ by bossin’ him around an’ not listenin’ is pissing him off and makin’ him more likely ta run right off to these Realms. He’s not the sweet kid followin’ ya shadow anymore, Batsy. He’s a man, and he gets to make choices. And mistakes.”

This sure as hell wasn’t one of ‘em, but Bruce had never been good at taking that on faith. He had to be shown, and he’d never stop waiting for the tables to turn.

Which was how he usually made things worse. But he did at least know that.

He still looked mutinous, scowling across at her, so she gave him a slightly harder bop on the shoulder.

“Batman, listen ta me. I know you mean well, but Danny makes him happy. All Jason’s seein’ right now is that he’s happy, an’ you wanna take it away.”

That hit harder than any of her blows, though she wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t known him so long. His whole body stiffened, sudden hesitation in even his breathing.

Harley stared him down through it, then nodded in satisfaction as his shoulders lowered, just a fraction.

“I can’t lose him again, Harley,” he whispered, barely audible even less than a foot away.

She gave him an even harder bop on the other shoulder.

“Then stop driving him away. You ain’t even said sorry for the other night yet an’ now you owe him another apology. There’s always that things might go wrong; he might get hit by a car crossing the street. The only sure thing is that if you keep treating him like this?”

She leaned forwards, grabbing his chin and forcing him to face her. To look at her, and see how serious she was.

He was reluctant to meet her eyes, but even under the white outs Harley knew when she had someone’s attention. Good. He probably knew what came next.

“You will lose him, Batsy. And it’ll be no one’s fault but your own.”

Danny couldn’t have missed Constantine making his way up the street blindfolded and with his ears plugged. It might have been the whole “owned his soul” thing.

It also might have been the vortex of swirling magical attention that followed him like a cloud. The guy clearly wasn’t trying to advertise his presence, but to something like Danny…

Well, trying to hide that hard always caught his attention. A magical “nothing to see here” tasted like liquorice in the back of his throat.

Maybe the trench coat was actually cursed, in more than just the unfortunate fashion sense.

Part of him wondered if this had anything to do with them. The rest, well aware what his luck was like, wondered if he’d come barging into the restaurant.

It wasn’t like he shouldn’t be getting ready to go anyway, but he just… well, he was having a surprising amount of fun just hanging out with Waylon.

The guy was old enough to be his dad, but he was a great listener. Really encouraging, and he’d told Danny another couple of stories too, some from his darker times but all with happy endings.

He was probably trying to make Danny feel better after their talk, and it was definitely working. It just… well, he didn’t even really like thinking about Dan.

He’d asked Nocturn to put him to sleep not long after becoming king, to give the guy something to do other than stew in a thermos and plot vengeance.

Part of him still kinda expected that to bite him in the ass, but even if Dan broke out of Nocturn’s dreams, he couldn’t break out of Soup Time. For whatever reason he’d never learned Danny’s portal trick.

All the people who kept souping Danny were dead in Dan’s timeline.

Danny had almost been ready to wrap things up with Waylon (as little as he wanted to; they’d already exchanged numbers) when he felt Jason’s rage bubble.

He didn’t realise he’d blanked out until Waylon tapped the table in front of him with a claw, concern on his scaly face.

“Somethin’ th’ matter, kid?” He asked in a low growl.

Danny shook his head, staring down at the mostly empty milkshake and chugging the rest.

“Probably nothing… just got a bad feeling about Jason,” he explained with a shrug.

Reached out just a little, extending his senses but not aura. If Jason was already mad, that might send him over the edge.

Just as he reached out a sudden flare of fury made his hand clench, the glass he was still grasping shattering. Great, he had a hand full of milkshake and shards.

Shaking both free, Danny shoved his way out of the booth at the same time as Waylon, the big man going from concerned to battle ready in an instant.

For the first time, he almost looked dangerous. Danny was glad to have him at his back for the visual component at least; anyone who didn’t think twice about pissing off a tank like Jason wouldn’t even blink at Danny.

Killer Croc though? He got that name on his looks alone, long before he earned it.

They didn’t even make it across the bar, wait staff scattering to what were clearly well established positions in case trouble came in.

Trouble didn’t; barely.

Jason Todd did, all but vibrating with rage and steaming green with Pitty’s contribution.

Wait; steaming? Jason had mentioned the Lazarus pits did that, but Danny had never seen ectoplasm steam before. Could everyone see it?

Whether Waylon could or not, it didn’t stop him from hurrying forward, attention fully focused behind Jason for anyone following.

It was maybe the teeniest bit cute that even so angry he had a personal heat haze, Jason didn’t even think Waylon was going for him. His attention was fixed somewhere else; somewhere internal and probably bloody.

Instinct pulled Danny forward, Jason slipping easily into his aura and for a moment Danny felt like he’d drown in Jason’s rage. Answered it himself a moment later, stroking across the anger with worry-protect-safe now.

Jason twitched just a little as the aura washed around him, looking around on automatic until he faced Danny.

The rage softened just a little as he caught Danny’s eye, shoulders sagging. His jaw unclenched enough to talk; visibly enough that it must have been painful.

“Just fucking B again, treating me like a fucking child,” he spat, fists still clenched tight at his sides.

The effort it was clearly taking not to go out and start swinging kept Danny on edge, even as Waylon relaxed.

“Yer a long way from that, kid,” the big guy agreed with a low chuckle, still between Jason and the door, and rested a large hand lightly on Jason’s shoulder. “Want me to go have a word?”

Jason shook his head sharply, the smallest of smiles flicking across his face before the anger replaced it. Yeah, definitely cute.

“No thanks. You’ve only just got out, you don’t need bat trouble again already,” he said through gritted teeth, then nodded to Danny. “I just wanna get out of here.”

Danny nodded immediately, going from maybe-fight to flight. Which was kinda literally an option. Ghosts knew how to make an exit.

“Do you wanna take your bike or just disappear?” He asked simply.

Jason gave him a tight smile, barely layered over anger he was still struggling to control. Fuck, if this was what he’d been dealing with every day before Danny came along…

“Harley’s out back with Batman. I just want to fucking go,” he growled, shaking his head.

Danny nodded again, turning and crouching a little for Jason to hop onto his back.

“Phantom Express it is then.”

And yeah, he knew it looked stupid without Waylon’s confirming snort of laughter.

So did Jason, and the tinge of mirth that coloured his rage-burning-break in his head was more than worth looking silly.

Seemed like Jason was finally starting to trust his strength too as he hopped up without question, Danny not reacting in the slightest to his added weight.

And definitely not the way Jason now towered over him, or having those thighs wrapped around his waist. Nope. No horny in the aura today.

Giving a last nod to Waylon, he turned them both invisible and flew up through the roof, intangibility phasing them through at the last second.

Once they were high enough to be beyond any eavesdropping, he slowed to a stop, not quite looking back at his passenger.

“So, where do you wanna go?”

As Danny had kinda hoped, the sudden exhilaration of flight had tamped Jason’s anger back down until it was less a physical presence. It still seethed and boiled inside him, but it was losing steam.

About half of what he could feel from Jason now was just tired, and honestly? Couldn’t blame him.

Danny had been told how bad his pit rages had been, a visceral wrath that almost possessed Jason and made him lash out in all directions. And by all accounts? He still hadn’t seen the half of it.

It made his core ache just thinking about living with that much rage stuck inside. Feeling like that all the time… Danny had always respected Jason, but this? This demanded a whole new level.

And a little bit made him want to put Jason in a nice ectoplasm hamster ball so he could roll around the streets and nothing would ever hurt him again.

Gonna have to keep that under wraps too, since apparently Danny was losing his fucking mind all up in Gotham.

(Not that he’d never hamster balled anyone before. It was just usually a punishment for Tucker, or Wes if they were being assholes. Derogatory hamster balls were totally fine and not evidence of losing anything at all.)

The man himself was quiet for a long moment, struggling with just everything that was going on inside him.

Danny waited, turning them both intangible again just in case Jason could still be affected by the cold. At this height, it wasn’t exactly pleasant.

Made him side eye all those pictures of witches in dresses and long socks on broomsticks. Good way for the living to get pneumonia, in Danny’s opinion.

Jason didn’t even seem to notice, letting out a frustrated huff of air.

“We’ve gotta get Tucker home. If B is off being an asshole we can at least go to the manor,” he grumbled.

Danny paused for a long moment himself, considering another solution. After all, for ghosts it was simply unthinkable that they hadn’t even had an introductory brawl yet.

Whenever he got that pissed, getting the shit kicked out of him had always helped burn off the energy. But maybe Jason’s was different.

Danny was pretty sure he’d never been that pissed, not even at Pariah. Not even at Agent K.

Danny wouldn’t judge. For now, he nodded, turning to head towards the manor.

“We can go to Frostbite after we’ve dropped Tuck off. It’s been long enough, and you definitely feel stronger?” He offered, kinda hoping it might help Jason feel better.

The grunt he got in return didn’t sound convinced, but Jason also didn’t argue.

Neither of them were expecting to run into traffic in the Gotham airways though, at least not below airline level. Or to be interrupted.

With a sudden loud gust of wind, another black haired young man in a black leather jacket pulled up in front of them, looking around with a frown.

“Hey, I heard someone up here? Jason? Where are you?” He asked loudly, brows furrowing like he was still listening.

Danny’s confusion was better than words as Jason gave his shoulder a quick squeeze.

“Superboy the first. Tim’s boyfriend,” he explained quietly, and Kon’s head whipped around to follow the sound.

“Okay Jason, I know you’re up here, what the fuck?” He asked impatiently, which was when Danny remembered.

Still invisible. Hiding from the Bat and also concerned citizens. He popped them back into visibility with a sheepish grin, waving at… Connor? Or Con? No, kinda sharper. Kon.

It might have been a secret third level of alias, but Danny was pretty sure the bats had called him by a couple names over the various stories.

“Hey… sorry, forgot we were invisible,” he explained, trying not to laugh. Mostly at himself, but best not give the wrong impression.

Superboy’s eyes locked on them for a moment, narrowed briefly, and then his face broke into a grin.

“So, I’m gonna guess you’re Danny, Tucker’s friend that Tim has been gushing about?” He asked eagerly, reclining comfortably in the air. Then paused. “Well, gushing about Tucker. You were mentioned, though.”

That sounded about right.

Danny snickered and nodded, giving Jason a careful reshuffle. If they weren’t gonna be travelling for the moment, they could get a little more comfortable.

Thick thighs tightened around his hips and Danny very specifically did not melt into a puddle of goo. Not even a little bit.

“Yeah, we were just gonna go get Tucker and head out. Are you coming to see Tim?” He asked, kinda half wanting to wait around long enough and see what Tucker and Connor made of each other.

Kon if he was here in official capacity? But he wasn’t exactly wearing a super uniform, or logo. But Jason hadn’t mentioned a name, because Jason wasn’t a helper.

There was one easy way around that though. Bouncing Jason just a little more roughly than strictly necessary, Danny stuck out his hand.

“Danny Fenton, by the way. Since we haven’t been fully introduced.” He gave his best cheerful-but-totally-human grin. No point unnerving the first official alien he met, even if he was only half alien.

The boy reached out easily, giving him a firm handshake back.

“Kon El. Connor when we’re on street level. And yeah, I was just heading the same way when I heard you guys. Tim asked if I’d bring Tucker home though, he wasn’t sure what you guys’ plans were so if you had anything else to do?” He glanced from one to the other, so clearly not asking that he might as well have.

Could Kryptonians see the heat haze of Jason’s anger too? Or did he just know the family well enough, know Jason well enough, to know the signs?

Danny hesitated, glancing over his shoulder at the other halfa. He could almost taste Jason’s indecision, holding each other this close. Bitter and tight in the back of his throat.

How much did he want to deal with his family, with that rage still burning inside him? Hell, they hadn’t even worked out what Jason would do while Danny took Tucker home.

Danny kept quiet though, leaving the choice up to Jason.

It didn’t take long.

Sucking in a deep breath, Jason let out a heavy sigh, a wave of pure relief washing over him.

The anger was still there, a hot little coal right between the dual cores, but it couldn’t drown out the gratitude-sorry-safe. Barely tempered it anymore.

His voice was still gruff when he spoke, still stiff with emotion, but Kon seemed to understand.

“Yeah, that’d be great. Thanks Kon.”

The younger man tipped them both a sarcastic salute, straightening in the air and turning towards Wayne manor.

“You’ve probably got like, a text from Tim about the change of plan, if he even bothered to mention it, but I’ll let him know I saw you. Seems like you’re sticking around, so I’ll probably run into you again, Danny.” He gave them both a cheery nod and flew away.

A tiny part of Danny was sorry that they wouldn’t be around to watch Tucker spiral when confronted with Tim’s boyfriend.

Tim Drake Wayne was a hottie, no point denying it, and he was easily Tucker’s second biggest tech crush beside the mysterious Oracle. With all that hero worship though?

Tucker probably hadn’t actually noticed he was also hot yet. He’d have been in love with him if he’d looked like a snail.

Kon El though? Kon El had exactly the kind of leather jacket, too cool for school, sculpted good looks that Tucker fell head over heels for on any gender.

(Danny absolutely was not a hypocrite, he’d be the very first to admit that he and Tucker had very similar taste in partners, at least as far as appearances. Tucker just preferred a little more “step on me” energy.)

In all the reminders that Tim had a boyfriend, no one had said his boyfriend was hot.

Danny didn’t mention it. It wasn’t like he’d have been able to fully enjoy things anyway; the night before had proved that, and Jason’s mood had been rosy by comparison.

He did offer just one comment though, watching Kon fly away thoughtfully.

“Should we have warned him that Tucker is going to spontaneously combust if Kon tells him to ride him?” He asked mostly hypothetically, fading them out of visibility and tangibility again.

It startled Jason into letting out a snort of laughter which became a cough with his last rasp of thinner air.

“You just did, with Kon’s hearing,” he managed once he could talk normally again, and Danny considered feeling bad about it.

That sizzling coal of rage was almost buried under amused-anticipation-relief.

Nah. No matter what form Tucker’s next wave of vengeance took, this was worth it.

“So, where to next?” He asked, again… kinda hypothetically. From Jason’s sigh the older man was just as aware of what the answer had to be.

“Let’s just fucking go see Frostbite. If I keep looking at the city something’s gonna piss me off again.” He sounded reluctant, resigned, but a slow creeping glow of amazement spread through his aura.

About to pop open another portal, Danny tipped his head up as far as he could and made them visible again, looking for his face.

“What’s up?” He asked, willing to put dimensional travel on hold if there was anything they might be able to do to actually help.

Jason shook his head to focus himself, glancing down at Danny and quickly looking away. Was Danny imagining that sweet pink blush in his cheeks?

“It’s nothing.”

Danny waited, secure in the actual empathic sensation of Jason warring with himself on his back. Finally he won (and also lost, as all civil wars end) and sighed.

“Just. I’ve never come out of the pit rage this fast before,” he admitted gruffly, glaring down at the sparkling lights of the city below. Like this wasn’t something to celebrate.

Danny let them fade back to invisibility, since Jason pretty clearly didn’t want to be looked at.

“Hey, that’s great news! We’ll just have to short circuit Tucker’s gay ass every time you need a boost,” he chirped brightly, and popped the portal open to Jason’s laughter.

In his heart of hearts, Bruce knew why Harley was taking him to the parking lot.

If there was any chance of witnesses, any possibility of being overheard, he couldn’t listen to her. Not in the suit. Couldn’t show what any of his rogues (who hadn’t met Harley) might misconstrue as weakness.

If there was a single place in the city which could be trusted to be unsurveiled, it was the parking lots to his rogues’ side businesses. They had their own professional courtesies.

He appreciated it, in his own way. The closest thing to privacy they could have outside the Batmobile at the moment (and even then his children could listen in).

The baseball bat had been… well, not a total surprise, she’d had Jason fetch it in front of him and it wasn’t likely to be an empty prop twice in a row.

Still, he wasn’t as prepared as he could have been, and the first two blows hurt. His fold to the ground was mostly genuine, though part of him was definitely leaning in.

Concussion be damned, he’d been taking an emotional beating this week. At least exterior bruises would show him when they were healing.

But he hadn’t had time after her warning to do anything but head to the meeting.

Had he?

All he remembered was the seriousness of her face, the weight of absolute certainty in her words.

He would lose Jason, because he himself had pushed him away. Because Jason didn’t think Bruce trusted him. Thought Bruce would take away his chance at happiness.

Maybe Danny had been right. Maybe Jason didn’t even know Bruce loved him.

Things were so much worse than he’d made himself believe.

He knew he’d risen when his alarm went off, giving him ten minutes to head to the zeta tubes. Found Constantine again in the alley, since the man was with him now.

Couldn’t remember talking to him. But that wasn’t unlike himself anyway.

There was a hidden zeta tube downtown, only just far enough to justify the Batmobile, but Bruce would rather not leave it to drive home from Freeze’s place anyway.

He set it to return to the cave as he climbed out, at the end of another dark alley. The sun was already beginning to sink, painting the city in yellow and gold.

Constantine tapped carefully on the hood of the Batmobile between them, then jumped back as the car drove itself away, swearing. By the time he finished dusting himself off, Bruce was watching him again.

“Are yer back in there?” The magician asked cautiously, his own voice rough.

Bruce took a moment to assess his colleague. Never exactly tidy, Constantine looked more dishevelled than he had before Bruce and Harley left him.

Jason’s checkup likely hadn’t gone well.

Of course it hadn’t. Not if Jason felt the way Harley said… no. The way he’d told Harley he felt. Because Harley asked.

Something deep and weary in him tried to pull his shoulders down to sag, but he ignored it with the aid of long practice. Just gave Constantine a stiff jerk of the head.

“Hn.”

The man rolled his eyes, turning and heading for the defunct phone booth disguising the zeta tube.

“Great, monosyllables. Well, since yer back, listen up.”

The results of his examination, if Jason even let him perform it. Still, maybe the man would have something? It wasn’t like he couldn’t have cast a few spells without Jason knowing.

“First of all, yer boy ain’t a revenant.”

That jerked Bruce to a stop, his brows furrowing as he turned to face Constantine head on again. The magician had pulled a cigarette from somewhere, likely because they were heading for the Watchtower.

Bruce didn’t bother trying to stop him. He was too busy trying to process.

Constantine didn’t look happy either, so this probably wasn’t actually good news?

“What do you mean?” He growled, stepping closer and lowering his voice to avoid eavesdroppers.

Constantine rolled his eyes, waved his free hand, and the smoke from his cigarette crackled briefly in the air.

“None o’ that cloak and dagger shit, Bats. No one’s gonna hear us. But the kid, Jason? He’s not a revenant. Not sure what he is, actually, an’ not too keen on lookin’ deeper.”

It might have been the longest Bruce had heard him speak without saying “fuck” since the Amity Park question came up. The fact that he looked distinctly uneasy made that less reassuring.

“Why not?” Bruce growled, a little grateful to be able to step back and away from the smoke. Harley had left his head be for the most part, but it was already pounding again.

Constantine fixed him with a slow, speculative look.

“See, here’s my issue,” he began, raising a hand to cut off a growled protest and pointing directly at Bruce. “You? You’re Mr Worst Case Scenario. Can’t stop pokin’ at shit til it gives you an answer, or bites yer head off.”

That was certainly true. It was something that Alfred… Selina… Clark… Dick… Diana… almost everyone close to him had complained of.

Bruce wasn’t convinced it was a shortcoming, but he knew it about himself. It had been an underlying theme this whole investigation; Constantine telling him things because otherwise he’d go poking.

So what changed?

“You’re not gonna like whatever I tell you. An’ I could try an’ temper that by lyin’, or I could treat you like a fuckin’ adult on yer promise the you don’t go punchin’ inter shit yer don’t understand.”

Constantine stared expectantly at him, taking another long drag on his cigarette.

Ah. Waiting for Bruce to choose an option. As if there was any doubt?

“I swore your oath,” Bruce reminded him gruffly, and Constantine rolled his eyes again.

“An’ I’m fully aware you’re a tricky piece of shit that’ll try and work around it the second it comes up. That’s why it’s generic. You hear about the Ghost King, you back the fuck off, shut the fuck up, and run. That’ll include any of yer precious reports.”

He took another slow drag of his cigarette, watching Bruce the whole while. Bruce stared back, unsure what he was looking for but determined that he’d find nothing.

Shit. So much for having Red Robin and Oracle prod around for him. Though he had been planning to warn them to be delicate.

It barely occurred to him that showing nothing might tell Constantine more than anything else before the magician sighed and shook his head.

“Listen, B. The shit you need to know? Actually, really need to know? Jason’s… safe. There’s not a damn thing in the Infinite Realms that can hurt him now, whatever he is. I’d even put money on him bein’ demon proof, with the wards on him now.”

And wouldn’t it be so, so nice to believe that Constantine had put those wards on him? Bruce could feel the wish for it, a flight of fancy he rarely allowed himself.

Bruce let himself indulge in the want to believe for about the same length of time as that ominous pause.

“What wards?” He asked flatly, the low rumble not exactly hiding how he felt about the situation, but since he’d almost rather yell, he considered it fair.

Constantine, again, was not impressed. He folded his arms and prodded at Bruce with his still smoking cigarette.

“See, there’s that prodding. I’m trying to do this the nice way, B. Give you answers instead of just shutting you down, but you aren’t gonna know everything without a couple decades of practice, and you need to get over that.”

The magician took another drag, closing his eyes tightly for a second. When he opened them again, he looked entirely uncompromising.

The stern professional Bruce had only seen previously in life and death situations, and ones getting worse at that. Was this situation that dire?

“I could speak a word and make you forget this whole damn thing. Four more, and you’d have no choice about droppin’ it,” Constantine growled, clearly bitterly regretting not choosing that option. Bruce’s eyes narrowed in response.

He’d clearly ruled it out, but he hadn’t wanted to. Whatever he didn’t want to tell Bruce, Constantine expected him to have a powerful response.

Which meant that is was very bad, but also that Bruce’s natural response would make things worse. He could work around that.

He chose not to address the remark at all, just waiting for Constantine to continue. The man stayed silent just long enough that Bruce wondered if he was changing his mind on trying to make him forget.

This was why he hated magic. But he’d broken through it before. No spell could stand up to intense, detailed scrutiny, and he would surely have plenty of clues to remind himself when the problem was with his own son.

Finally Constantine sighed, flicked the butt of his cigarette to the ground, and crushed it under one heel. He seemed to have come to a decision, new purpose under the fear he’d been hiding since he first arrived.

“Let’s just get this over with,” he sighed, heading for the zeta tube. There was just a little more spring in his step.

Bruce frowned and moved to block him.

“The wards,” he pressed, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice. This conversation was important.

Constantine looked surprisingly chipper actually, raising his chin to give Bruce a sudden and almost startling smirk.

“Oh no, big guy. You had your chance to promise to behave like an adult, so we’re going with option three.”

He’d noticed Bruce’s lack of comment. Obviously, but Bruce hadn’t really thought he’d need to say anything.

Investigating was what Batman did. He knew how to do it tactfully, and without stepping on toes. He just wouldn’t promise not to do it.

None of which explained Constantine’s suddenly improved mood. It was almost the same satisfaction he’d show when he’d worked out how to pawn an unpleasant job off on someone else.

“And that is?” Bruce asked warily, suspecting he wouldn’t like whatever made this not Constantine’s problem. Constantine waggled a finger at him, like he was nothing more than a naughty child.

“I let you ask questions, after Wonder Woman promises to keep yer in line.” He said it with the finality of a lead weight, and it dropped through Bruce’s chest like one.

Shit.

Diana… Diana knew him far too well. If Constantine convinced her of whatever gave him this level of caution, she would camp in the bat cave to stop him if necessary.

Diana didn’t tolerate what she considered risk. If Bruce could convince her he was right instead… she could be a very useful ally. And she had always liked Jason.

Jason adored her. Wonder Woman had always been his favourite hero, even as a child. If Diana asked him, he might even agree to a consultation.

Bruce still didn’t know what had happened with today’s consultation, and apparently he wouldn’t even find out until they spoke to Wonder Woman.

He could extrapolate from that alone, frankly, even if Constantine wasn’t visibly rattled.

Bruce stepped aside somewhat reluctantly, letting Constantine step into the zeta tube first. They could technically fit in together, but he wasn’t exactly in the mood to play sardines.

The magician’s vehemence was troubling him, as was his conviction that Wonder Woman would be the answer. It was possible that Bruce had miscalculated the scale of the threat they were facing.

Whatever had warded Jason must be touchy enough to dislike any form of questions, and powerful enough to have its displeasure matter. And if it would be able to detect the questions being asked…

Contrary to popular opinions, Bruce did know how to temper his investigative instincts when called for. People only had to ask.

And.

Impress on him. A few times. That they meant it.

Honestly if they just told him why and what to expect, set some limitations and boundaries, it wasn’t like he was unreasonable. He just liked to verify data through his own sources.

Justice League Dark were a perfectly reputable source when he had to involve himself with magic. He could cross reference things between other members if he needed to check Constantine’s intel.

The unfortunate fact of the matter seemed to be that however little Bruce liked it, he did now need to learn more about magic. He’d been content to leave it to the experts for as long as he could, but…

But it now concerned one of his children. His second son, the one he’d lost.

At the very least, he needed to understand enough about the Infinite Realms to know how to keep Jason safe. What he would need, if there was anything they should be doing for him.

Not that the JL Dark had bothered to let him know when they thought Jason was a revenant. That might have been nice, even if apparently he wasn’t.

He’d already planned to start with Constantine’s attached reading on the Infinite Realms, and the Ghost King in particular for his new researches.

(Just the thought sent a shiver down his spine, and Bruce stepped into the zeta tube a little faster than necessary. Was that his oath? On just the thought?)

He could get information on these specific wards too. Cross reference with Zatanna when she was available. Perhaps contact Dr Fate.

The Justice League Dark had their own sections of both reference materials and secured artefacts in various bases around the world.

Studying those should be a sufficient compromise; he wouldn’t reach out to the Infinite Realms directly, not until the Anti-Ecto Acts had been dealt with.

Then they could get in touch with Jason’s mysterious doctor, provided he was willing. Have the dismantling of the acts as a show of good faith.

He’d have to ask Constantine about a sufficient apology too. And mention the acts themselves; somehow there just hadn’t been time today.

Stepping out into the Watchtower, Bruce was maybe just possibly anticipating the magician’s reaction, in a dark way. Let someone else have a bad day for a change.

The poor man had been so upset with the idea that Bruce might ask questions about the realms. The fact that the United States had declared a kill order on all its occupants was not going to go over well.

And all that sass and defensive aggression could be pointed at someone other than Bruce for a while.

Actually? He should wait until Constantine was sitting down. He could add it to his meeting notes, bring it up to the whole League at once.

There would be someone on site if the magician actually fainted.

Or if Bruce’s head actually exploded.

Bruce made a mental note to check their medical supplies and defences, in case there were any unpredictable reactions. He could swing by the infirmary before they got started.

Giving Constantine a quick parting nod, he turned away from the hall and walked quickly towards the infirmary. Just to check in.

Today’s meeting was just the Justice League, with Constantine as the sole representative of JL Dark; Dark’s members all seemed to know about the Infinite Realms and Amity Park already. They didn’t need the briefing.

They’d have to read Bruce’s meeting notes now though. The same ones he was fully aware most members of the League just ignored, considered wasteful paperwork.

They expected to be told directly if something was important. As if he had all the time in the world, and they had no personal responsibility.

The lights thrummed softly as he walked, all the little noises of the satellite’s systems ticking over in perfect order helping Bruce settle into his purpose.

Jason’s report had been thorough, and though Bruce could easily see the bias around his son’s words… in this case it was more than justified.

The wording used to describe Jason and others like him in the acts contained less expletives, but were no better. The veneer of detachment only made the disdain shine through more clearly.

As if his son were beneath contempt. If Jason were to be believed (and Bruce would confirm with Constantine and Shazam) then most of his family were ecto-contaminated.

It was almost nice to have a tangible problem to solve. An enemy he could face and defeat in simple, easy manoeuvres. It was unlikely to be a physical fight, but that hardly mattered.

The delicate machinations of politics were better left to Wonder Woman, Aquaman, damn near anyone but Batman. No, Bruce Wayne was far more influential in that arena.

A little money in the right places, press coverage, a big “himbo with a heart of gold” performance. They weren’t his preferred weapons, but he knew they were effective.

And for Jason, there was nothing at all he wouldn’t do.

Purpose and the time limit combined hastened his step, his cloak billowing around him as he stalked the halls of the Watchtower. The infirmary was empty; always good.

Their stocks were full, and there were three nurses on duty that Bruce had personally selected. He trusted all of them, and none looked worried at his visit.

Batman was well known for overpreparing. It always came in useful.

He was just making his way back towards the meeting hall, feeling markedly better himself with a firm goal in mind, when Superman rounded the corner ahead of him.

The man of steel was heading his way, worry writ large on his face. If he’d heard Bruce’s talk with Harley… actually, if he’d been able to overhear Constantine’s talk with Jason, that would be very useful.

Bruce prepared a few brief words to reassure his friend as succinctly as possible, and get them both moving back towards the meeting. They could actually talk afterwards.

He never got to say them. Superman ignored his little nod of greeting and hurried up to him, standing close enough that they couldn’t be overheard. Blocking Bruce’s path.

A thrum of dread wormed its way back into Bruce’s heart as he looked up into his friend’s earnest, deep blue eyes.

Clark kept his voice low, urgent and concerned as he whispered five words that shattered the world.

“Bruce? I can’t hear Jason’s heart.”

—————————

😈

Now quick, for extra bonus points, who can name what was supposed to happen at some point in the last two chapters and didn’t? This is your chance for a treat from the beginning of the next chapter

Tag List: @welcometosasakiworld @kyrianclawraith @someonebored0100 @stealingyourbones @starkcravingmad @frostedthroughghost @akikkobara @rainbowbunny0159 @littlefeather345 @violet-catsarelife @serasvictoria02 2 @wolfjackle @blacksea21090 @secretdestinywerewolf @anime-hipster-the-amazing @undead-essence @skitscratched @blackroserelina @snoodly-boop @trickerdi @mayoota-blog @xysidhe @idkmrpianoman @little-apricot-the-writer er @chaoticmistake @the-legal-shipper @bun-fish @aroranorth-west @demon-cat-goes-woof @perfectwastelandcreation n @onyxlightdragon @larks-and-katydids @peachesandcreamfemboy @jesus-camp-the-sequel @may-rbi @mothman-the-mothman87 @viyatrix @stargirl1331 @idfk-man10 @thedepressedrobin @skulld3mort-1fan @rootsmudge @ravenshadow17 @cankoking @phantom-dc @mentalcarebear @magic-pincushion @redamancyardor @lyra689 @itsparadoxlacuna a @alcorbearson @asphyxia778 @why-must-i-be-like-this @tkiesai @greenpyrowolf @frivolous-pastel @honeysuckletook

Next chapter!

#danny fenton dead and loving it #dp x dc #dead on main ship #danny x jason #chapter 15 #i’ll take the highway #the highway to heeeeeeeeeell/The Ghost Zone #anyway rip to bruce wayne but i would simply not tell my son he can’t have nice things #i’m just built different #so is harley #and she has a bat #and a bat-shaped problem #fuck i’m so looking forward to the start of the next chapter it’s a joke i’ve been waiting on for months #hint: sam #dpxdc #dc x dp #dcxdp

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ghostgothgeek · 3 years

Text

Chaos.

Another for the Phic Phight! This one kinda combines two prompts and I had so much fun writing it! In this, Danny and Tucker don’t know Sam plays video games yet. 5,063 words.

"What do you mean you don’t feel the same way? We´ve had a mutual crush on each other for years." Sam says angrily after finally confessing her love to him. But Danny´s heart was beating hard for someone else entirely. Prompt by phantomfana.

Danny wants to ask his crush to the upcoming school dance. Prompt by Rikaleeta.

-----

It was another long night of ghost hunting for Danny. Technus took up the first part of the night, trying to take over the park’s new security system. Tucker was fortunately still awake to help him out with that. Then Johnny and Kitty rolled in, but they weren’t looking for trouble, they just wanted a date night and swore they wouldn’t be a problem. Apparently Fridays were their days off for “everything but each other”. Danny was a romantic, but he didn’t know if this was sweet or nauseating. Ember had put up a good fight, though. He was proud he only had one injury to tend to. He had dodged most of her attacks, but she was still a pretty advanced ghost. And, of course, Danny had caught the Box Ghost six, count them, SIX times. How did he always manage to get out?! He wasn’t difficult to take down, he was just a pest.

Danny sighed as he sat down at his computer chair. It was only 12:30 am, and it was a Friday. He could sleep in tomorrow and he deserved at least a couple hours of fun. He logged into his online gaming account and saw Tucker was online. Figures. He pulled up the chat anyway.

Astrohaunt: Hey Tuck. Still up?

Technopedia: You know it. Chaos signed on about a half hour ago and I’m not passing up the opportunity.

Astrohaunt: Dude is so good it’s unreal!

Technopedia: He goes to our school, I tracked one of his IP addresses and he logged in at school a few times.

Astrohaunt: Tucker wtf. That’s creepy!

Technopedia: I just want to make sure Chaos is actually a kid and not Lancer again!

Astrohaunt: I still can’t wrap my mind around Lancer playing Doomed…

Technopedia: Same. But Chaos IP is different from Lancer, so we good. Unless more teachers play Doomed.

Astrohaunt: I hate you for putting that image into my brain.

Technopedia: Sorry dude. But quick come join before someone else gets Chaos.

Danny, Tucker, and Chaos had made a great team. Whenever Chaos was around, they were actually able to progress through the game. They played several rounds until Tucker was caught by his mom and was forced to sign off, but Danny and Chaos kept playing.

TeamChaos: Hey, what’s up?

Astrohaunt: Omg dude you’re so awesome.

TeamChaos: Ha, thanks. Gotta blow off steam somehow.

Astrohaunt: Tell me about it! Between Lancer’s three projects and midterms and...other stuff...this is my only time to actually chill. I’ve been so stressed!

TeamChaos: Same. I did finish one of the projects though. I’m always here if you need to talk, you know.

Astrohaunt: Wow, I may just take you up on that offer. I’ve had a rough night.

TeamChaos: Lay it on me.

And so Danny, sparing the ghost hunting details, stayed up chatting with Chaos until 5 am. He got along really well with the guy, they had a lot of similar interests. This was just the first of many up-all-night conversations they shared. After a few months, Danny felt a special connection with Chaos, and yet, he didn’t even know his name!

Astrohaunt: We’ve been talking all these months and I still don’t know your name. I’m Danny.

TeamChaos: Oh, thought you knew. It’s Sam!

Astrohaunt: Hey! One of my best friends is named Sam!

TeamChaos: You don’t say!!!

The next day at school, Danny pulled Tucker over to him, whispering, “Dude, help. I think I might be gay....”

“What?!” Tucker shouted.

“Quiet, Tuck!”

“Okay, well uh...why?” Tucker sent him a weird look and took a step back.

“No, not you. Chaos. I think I have a crush on Chaos.” Danny ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what to do! I never thought I’d be...you know. Chaos and I just have good conversations and he’s always there to listen to me when I need to vent. I thought maybe I found another best friend but...this is different. Chaos is so cool and I’m crushing and I don’t even know who he is or what he looks like! Or if he feels the same way! Maybe I’m just stupid and-”

“Dude, chill. You’re jumping too far ahead of yourself. Whichever way you, you know, swing...I’m still your best friend.” Tucker pulled out his PDA. “Let me see what I can find out. I know Chaos goes to our school.”

“Thanks, Tuck. As if being half ghost wasn’t hard enough! Oh, and he’s in our class, because he’s talked me through assignments and knows what they are and stuff. He’s almost as good as explaining things as Sam. Crap...Sam. Don’t tell her about this!” Danny started fidgeting.

“Well,” Tucker raised his eyebrows in surprise, “I can tell you with absolute certainty that Chaos is definitely a girl.”

“You found out who Chaos is?!”

“What, like it’s hard?” Tucker chuckled. “I traced the IP addresses she uses. I know who she is. So do you,” Tucker smirked, “It shocked me at first, but it makes total sense! And I can totally see why you like her.”

“Really?” Danny let out a breath in relief. “Okay that makes me feel a lot better...hey, maybe I can ask Chaos to the dance next Saturday!”

Tucker rested a hand on Danny’s shoulder. “Go for it. Ask Sam. I’m almost positive she’ll say yes.”

“Okay, I will...wait, not Sam! Chaos!” Danny clarified. “Well, actually, I think Chaos told me her name was Sam. Ha, small world. I can’t wait to introduce Sam to Sam. I think they would really get along.”

Tucker busted out laughing, “Oh, dude. You go ahead and do that.” He left Danny standing there in the hallway, still laughing all the way to his next class.

Danny, a bit confused by Tucker’s laughter, shook his head and smiled to himself. Okay, good. He’d had enough identity crises to fill a lifetime. Chaos was definitely a girl. Now if he just knew Chaos returned his feelings, things might actually work out for him this time and he could actually have a girlfriend.

Meanwhile, Sam was having an internal debate of her own. Sitting in a class where the teacher couldn’t give two shits about what the students were doing, she had always used this class as her thinking time. Usually her thinking-about-Danny time. She nervously clicked her pen as she thought about recent events.

She and Danny spent so much time chatting online when they weren’t hanging out in person. Danny was a little bit more bold online, probably because he didn’t have to interact face-to-face or risk his pants falling down in public again. Online, they talked about everything. No topic was off limits. Plus, Sam felt like their friendship had only grown even stronger when they could chat online and not have to worry about blushing or getting teased by Tucker. Chatting online took away all the pressure and made it much easier to connect with Danny.

Danny hadn’t said anything yet, of course. He was probably scared. Hell, she was scared. She was already so in love with him, and getting closer online only further solidified that fact. She had never been in love before, and even though she hunts ghosts, this was more terrifying! She was fairly certain he returned her feelings, but both were too chicken to actually make that final step. They’ve been best friends forever. She didn’t want to mess up their already great dynamic or force Tucker to be the third wheel, though he did insist he was more than okay with that and encouraged them to finally get together.

Sam stopped clicking her pen as she suddenly remembered it was senior year. They hadn’t picked colleges yet, but whether they ended up going to the same school or not, things were going to change. Danny was very attractive, and going off to college meant girls may actually approach him when they didn’t know his parents were ghost fighters. The fact had never bothered Sam, but she did kind of like how it kept most girls at school from asking him out or giving him attention. Valerie had been a challenge, especially because she was a ghost hunter herself and probably wanted to get tips from his parents. Sam was glad that relationship ended relatively early. It was too hard on her. Joyous or not, though, she was still mad at Valerie for how she broke his heart.

But that was 2 years ago. They had all moved on and friendships were more or less mended across the board. This made Sam glance at her favorite picture of her and Danny. Tucker had taken the candid picture and it was now her phone’s background. In it, Danny was giving Sam a piggyback ride. Her arms were lightly strung around his neck, legs looped around his waist. Danny had kept going in the opposite direction Sam told him to go, which frustrated her but also made her laugh. She had rested her chin on his shoulder, her face pressed right up against his. Danny was looking at her and Tucker had captured that rare moment when Sam had a huge grin on her face, still laughing. She smiled at the picture. They would be okay no matter what. Their friendship would survive.

Anyway, Sam also realized she had already come close to losing Danny, in more ways than one. Whether it was to other girls or a ghost, there was always that anxiety stirring in her head that she could lose him entirely some day. Life was too short. She needed to take the plunge for both of them and just get them both over this hurdle, and they could finally, finally, actually get together.

Sam made her decision. It was now or never. She was going to tell him. Today. The trio was meeting up at Danny’s house later anyway, and if she got there early enough, she could talk to him before Tucker showed up and teased them about it. Sam firmly nodded her head to herself, a confirmation of her decision. It was finally time.

After school, Danny was pacing in his room, trying to figure out how he wanted to do this. Asking a girl to the dance wasn’t a huge deal, and yet at the same time, it was. He would rather ask in person, but he still didn’t know what Chaos looked like, so asking in person seemed to be off the table. He could look in the yearbook for all the girls named Sam at their school. He could already omit one Sam Manson from that list. How many Sams could possibly attend their school? It would be easier to ask Tucker, though. Tucker already knew who she was. Sam and Tucker were on their way over right now. When Sam wasn’t paying attention, he could ask Tucker for Sam’s full name.

Chaos Sam, not best friend Sam. God, this was so confusing. Why were girls so hard for him? Freshman year, Paulina only liked his ghost half and wouldn’t give his human half the time of day. Sophomore year, Valerie hated his ghost half and that hatred was more important to her than her feelings for his human half. Junior year, he had been denying that he was in love with his best friend. And now that he had finally accepted that he did like his best friend as much more than a friend, a new girl entered the picture and he now found himself trying to choose between two Sams. Because it apparently wasn’t hard enough for him already to make the biggest and most important change he could possibly make in a friendship, let’s add another crush to the mix and give them the same name.

Sam. Best friend Sam - that’s who he was planning on asking originally, even if he chickened out and had to ask her as a friend instead. Plus, he and Sam had somehow gotten closer recently, and he was pretty sure she liked him. Sure, it was only because Tucker told him so, but it was a possibility. The thing was, he didn’t want to ruin things. Especially because he truly didn’t know how Sam, best friend Sam, felt about him. She was a tough and courageous girl, surely she would have said something by now if it were true. So Tucker must be pulling his leg.

But he did have another option - Chaos Sam, who may actually return his feelings. Sure, the feelings weren’t nearly as strong as what he felt for his best friend, but the feelings were still there. Plus, if he got rejected by Chaos, it would be less heartbreaking than being rejected by Sam, someone he had known for years rather than months. He could deal with losing a newer friend, but not one of his best friends. Sam was too important and he knew he needed her in his life.

Danny sighed. This was really hard, but he made a decision. It was easier to go with Chaos than risk ruining things with Sam. Danny had enough drama going on in his life already, he needed an easy win.

He broke from his thoughts when the doorbell rang. He ran downstairs and opened it, only slightly surprised to see Sam there. She was usually early for things. He and Tuck were more prone to being late.

“Hey, Sam. Come on in!” Danny moved so Sam could enter his house. He shut the door and followed her upstairs and back to his room as she returned his greeting. She was pacing the same path he just had, muttering quietly to herself. She looked nervous. “Something on your mind?”

Sam was startled out of her thoughts. “Huh? Oh yeah.” She noticed his disheveled appearance, also noting he was fidgety. Was he going to do what she was about to do? “What about you, you look like you’ve been thinking a little too hard about something.” She smiled softly.

Danny chuckled, “Yeah, but it’ll resolve itself soon. I’ll worry about it after the movies. Tuck should be here any second. Oh, but I’m glad you’re early. Can you help me with something quick?”

“Of course.” Sam followed him to his desk, smiling and rolling her eyes when he pointed to a homework problem. “I should have known.”

Danny gave her a lopsided smile and watched as she showed him how to do the problem in her perfect handwriting. It took no more than a couple of minutes. Now, they were just waiting for Tucker to arrive.

Sam looked at the time. He would be here soon. She needed to do this now. She needed to tell Danny. She couldn’t wait until after the movies for him to tell her. She had already waited long enough and couldn’t bear another second.

“Danny, can I talk to you for a second?” She sat down on his bed and gestured for him to do the same.

Danny could sense the seriousness in her voice, and nodded anxiously. He was scared when Sam was serious about things. It was usually something bad.

“Danny…” She decided to get straight to the point. “I like you. As in like-like you. More than like, and more than a friend. And we’ve been doing this dancing around for at least 4 years now and I’m sick of it. I just want to be with you already. What do you say?” Sam held her breath as she waited for Danny to answer.

He stared at her with wide eyes before nervously rubbing the back of his neck and turning his attention to his shoes, avoiding eye contact with the goth. God, why him?! He had stupidly thought, for once, things would be easier for him this time. He had already sent an offline message to Chaos that he wanted to ask her something, and then Sam had to come along and tell him what he had wanted to hear for some time now. But he couldn’t blow Chaos off when he had already somewhat asked. Of course, his life just had to be complicated every step of the way. He really liked both girls and didn’t want to hurt his best friend. Regardless, he had to be honest. He owed Sam that much. “Well, I mean, yeah, but…”

“But what?” Sam whispered, clearly already upset. Fuck. Fuck fuck FUCK. This was exactly what he didn’t want to happen. He decided to try going with Chaos so he could avoid heartbreak from his best friend. The very thing he had been so afraid of, he was doing to her right now.

Danny sighed again. “But I can’t. I’m so sorry, Sam.” It was hard to choke out, but he said it, and he felt terrible. He pressed his lips together and kept staring at his shoes until Sam lifted his chin up, forcing him to look at her.

“What do you mean you don’t feel the same way? We’ve had mutual crushes on each other for years!” Sam said angrily, feeling her heart break as her best friend and love of her life rejected her confession of love. She was so sure he returned her feelings! Especially after all the great conversations they had shared online these last few months. “Or, at least, I thought we did.” Tears swelled in her eyes. Did he lead her on? “I-I need an explanation, Danny,” she quietly stated after he didn’t continue.

Danny frowned and his heart ached. He didn’t want to hurt his best friend like this. Hell, he really liked her! Of course their crushes were mutual! And if this had happened 6 months ago instead of now, he would have jumped at the chance. But now...now he had Chaos and already forced himself to stick with his decision. It was easy with Chaos; there was no friendship to risk, no denying of being lovebirds or brushing off kisses as fakeout makeouts. Plus, he couldn’t lie to his best friend. She would know if he was lying. And he already told himself she deserved the truth. “There’s...someone else…”

“What?” Sam whispered before turning angry again, “Paulina? Valerie? Star?” she spat out.

Danny shook his head, “Ew, no...it’s someone I met online...I’m so sorry, Sam. I like you a lot, I really do, but I think I’ve already come to the conclusion that I like this girl I met online, Chaos, and I have to try to see that through.”

Many emotions crossed Sam’s face as she pieced together what he just said. At first she was upset, but as he explained himself, she felt disbelief, confusion, anger, and finally, hope. He couldn’t really be that clueless, right? “Show me.”

“Huh? I mean, I don’t actually know what she looks like, but we message every night and she really understands me! I know it sounds ridiculous, but-”

“Show me,” Sam repeated. “Show me her profile.”

“You’re not going to hurt her, are you?” Danny questioned cautiously.

“No, of course not. Just shut up and show me the profile.” Sam was more calm now, and that was kind of scary. Even though Sam said she wouldn’t hurt Chaos, he didn’t want to give her the chance. But he knew how stubborn his friend was, and eventually in whatever way, she would force the information out of him.

Danny sighed and pulled up the profile to show Sam. “I’m sorry, Sam. I’m still your best frien-”

“Shut up.” Sam scrolled through what Danny pulled up for her and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. Closing her eyes slowly, she took a deep breath. “Didn’t Chaos tell you her name?”

“Uh,” Danny thought, “oh yeah! She said her name was Sam, because I thought she was a boy at first and I had an existential crisis, but then Tucker told me-”

“Danny. I’m Sam.”

“No I know, and sure it’ll be a little weird cause you’re Sam and she’s Sam, it’s confusing, but I-”

Sam interrupted him once again. She could hear Tucker’s footsteps approaching. She was running out of time to not make this a spectacle. “No, Danny. Chaos. Sam. Me. I’m Sam. I am Sam,”

Tucker only heard the tail end of the conversation as he entered the room. Never able to pass up a comedic opportunity, he smirked and added “I am Sam. Sam I am. I do not like green eggs and ham!”

It was suddenly silent in the room as his friends seized conversation and glared at him. Oops.

“Oh, am I interrupting something?” Tucker could see the fire in Sam’s eyes. “Uh, oh wait I forgot my...sock. I’ll be downstairs!” He raced out of the room.

Sam turned her attention back to Danny. “No, you stupid fucking MORON. I am Chaos. You’ve been talking to me the whole time. I thought you knew that!” Danny stared at her blankly until she pulled out her phone and he watched her log into her account, proving it to him. Sure enough, it was Chaos’s profile. He could see all the direct messages between them, including his offline message about wanting to ask her something.

“Wait, you? You’re Sam? I mean, Chaos? I mean Sam?” Danny looked back and forth between the profile and his best friend.

“UGH!” Sam shouted as she threw her hands in the air. “Yes, Danny. That’s me! Did you really not notice that Chaos was the same age as me and a girl who goes to our school? We have the same name and interests! Didn’t you wonder why it was so easy to talk right off the bat? I thought you put that all together and us just pretending to not know each other was a little bit you were trying to do or something!”

Danny stared at her as he continued to piece it all together. He was definitely embarrassed. He felt so stupid. How could he not tell that Chaos was Sam, his best friend since 7th grade? Talk about being totally clueless.

Wait. Clueless? Well, fuck! He got the nickname now!

His eyes flickered back and forth as he thought everything through. Eventually, he started to crack a smile. “Wait, so I’ve had a crush on you and also you? You’re the same person! This is great! Do you know what this means?!”

Sam slapped her forehead and began walking downstairs. “I don’t even know if this is worth it anymore…”

“Wait, how come Tuck and I never knew you played video games! We can enter team tournaments! You’re so good!” Danny chased after her.

Tucker watched as Sam grumbled about Danny caring more about video games than her. An excited Danny was right on her tail.

“Tucker! Sam is Chaos! I’ve been in love with Sam this whole time!” Danny explained.

“Tucker, I need you to refrain me from slapping his stupid clueless face,” Sam started.

“Wait, you didn’t know Sam was Chaos? Dude! I thought I was obvious about that!” Tucker began laughing at Danny.

“I know, so did I.” Sam crossed her arms over her chest.

“Danny, you can calculate levels of rocket fuel and figure out how to get us to Mercury or something,” Tucker started.

“Mars, actually,” Danny corrected.

“But you can’t figure out that your best friend and your crush are the same person? You’re more than Captain Clueless, you’re like….Lieutenant Clueless? That’s like, bigger right?” Tucker continued.

“I don’t think that’s how it works, Tuck,” Sam chimed in.

“Shut up Sam, this isn’t about you,” Tucker immediately stopped his train of thought when he felt Sam glaring daggers at him. “Heh, uh. Except it does. It actually has nothing to do with me. I’m sorry I told you to shut up, please don’t hurt me!” He threw his hands up in front of himself in defense.

“Relax, Tucker. I’m more angry with this fucking dingus,” she pointed her thumb in Danny’s direction.

The halfa was about to protest, then closed his mouth. “That’s fair, I deserve that.”

“I can’t even look at you right now. You scared me! I poured out my emotions to you. I thought you were rejecting me and that I would have to change my name and move to a different country! Wait, are you still rejecting me?” Sam stopped her pacing to look at him.

“Of course not, Sammy!”

“Oh don’t you ‘Sammy’ me! I told you I love you, you stupid fucking idiot!” Sam began throwing pillows at Danny, who expertly dodged them (though as a result, Tucker got hit in the face by one).

“Technically, you didn’t say ‘love’ you said ‘like’”, Danny offered as Tucker shook his head and slashed finger across his neck, signaling Danny to stop talking.

“Oh, I’m sorry! This is all my fault! I’m going to go jump off a cliff now!” Sam growled and Danny let out a small “oomph” as one of the pillows finally got him.

“I’m out. Good luck, bro!” Tucker quickly slipped out the door, leaving Danny and Sam alone.

Sam was about to follow Tucker out when Danny stopped her, “please don’t leave!” She still had angry tears in her eyes. He frowned. This was not how he expected things to go. She watched him for a few seconds before sitting down on the couch, refusing to look at him. “Sam I’m so sorry, this is just a huge misunderstanding.”

“No, Danny. It’s not. You were going to turn me down to go out with someone else.”

“But that someone was still you!”

“Yeah, but you didn’t know that! We’ve been friends for years, and you were more interested in someone you just met a few months ago! I don’t want to be anyone’s second choice, Danny! I’ve been standing by for years as you continuously chose other girls over me. I thought we were done with that, and that you were finally choosing me first, but you won’t and you never will and I’m so stupid.” Sam put her head in her hands as she tried her hardest not to let tears fall.

And that was when he finally figured it out. It wasn’t just the moment of rejection, it was years of rejection, and at her biggest confession, she still thought he was choosing someone over her. Not to mention, Tucker witnessed most of the conversation. Sam rarely showed her emotions. She always had her heart guarded, and he knew this. Tucker knew this. Hell, she didn’t even tell them she was rich until after a few years of friendship. It took them a while to get her to open up to them. She was a pretty private person. She was probably already hurt like this before. And now, she was probably embarrassed.

“You’re definitely not stupid. I’m stupid. I should have known it was you. That was actually what I really liked about Chaos, she reminded me of you.”

Sam forced a small sarcastic laugh, “Yeah, right.”

“No really,” Danny sat on the couch next to her and grabbed her hand, placing it in both of his. “Sam, you’re absolutely incredible. How dumb would I have to be to not notice?” Sam gave him a pointed look. “Okay yeah but it’s not the way you think it is. I liked Chaos because she was a lot like you. She reminded me of you. And it just seemed easier to go with her because she was basically you, but she and I didn’t have a really great friendship that could have gotten ruined if we broke up or something. I could live without her, but I can’t live without you. You’re always my number one. Always have been, always will be. Even if I did just fuck everything up. I’m so sorry, Sam. I’m ready to be with you, if you’ll still have me.”

Sam stayed silent and stared at her lap, processing this new information. Of course she would forgive him; she always did. She just needed a little time.

Danny was getting nervous that he really did fuck this up for good. This was so fucking important! He couldn’t risk fucking this up! Sensing her hesitation, Danny tried one more thing to get her back. One thing he hasn’t done before. One thing he just learned how to perfect.

“Sammy, I’m sorry,” a duplicate popped up next to her on the other side of the couch, startling her.

“Please forgive me?” Another duplicate was floating in front of her, hanging upside down, hair flopping all over the place.

“I know I’m a dummy but,” Sam snapped her head towards a third duplicate.

“I’m only a dummy because I’m in love. With you,” the real Danny finished. Sam looked back and forth between all the Dannys.

“We’re sorry, Sammy,” all the duplicates said at once.

Sam was trying really hard to hold back a smile. “You learned how to duplicate,” she stated simply.

Original Danny grabbed her hands. “Sam. I will make this up to you. I promise.”

She could hear the determination in his voice and sighed. “You better.”

Danny smiled and hugged her. “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!! I love you so much!”

Sam pushed him off of her. “I love you too, you fucking idiot.”

“But I get to be your idiot!” Sam couldn’t hold her laughter back anymore. “Oh!” Danny shouted, “Will you go to the dance with me? Please?”

Sam pretended to ponder the answer before saying “alright”.

“Yay!” All 4 Dannys cheered. The duplicates on either side of her kissed her cheeks as the real Danny kissed her forehead tenderly. The final duplicate, feeling left out, squeezed his way in to give her a hug.

Sam was now roaring with laughter before kissing the real Danny sweetly. “You know, duplicates won’t always get you out of trouble,” she warned.

“Yeah, but they could come in handy for other things,” he wagged his eyebrows up and down suggestively before passionately kissing her, the duplicates kissing her neck and touching her in near-dangerous places.

Sam bit back a moan, eyes lustful before smirking, “I think you just found a way to make it up to me.” She began dragging the real Danny and one of his duplicates back to his room. Fuck the movies.

#phic phight 2021 #danny phantom #danny fenton #sam manson #tucker foley #amethyst ocean #also yes I took a prompt that was kinda anti-AO and turned it into AO #it's my super power #AO ho 4 life #stephanie writes sometimes

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ad1thi · 3 years

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2020 fic recs!! [Part 2]

part 2 of my 2020 fic recs!! as before, ive limited this to five fics per month; and fics are ordered by the month they were published. This spans fandoms and ships, and hopefully you find something you like!! credit for the idea goes to @iam93percentstardust

***

July

this is the start: @capnwinghead

Clark and Bruce continue raising the Wayne children and encounter a number of challenges along the way.

great minds (love alike): @starklysteve

Steve’s eyes flicks down to Tony’s knees on the floor.

“Are you – are you proposing to me with my ring for you?” Steve asks incredulously, eyes wide and confused.

---

Or, Steve finds Tony’s ring for him, Tony finds Steve’s ring for him. Panic happens.

Marvels Unsolved: @iam93percentstardust

Marvels Unsolved was never supposed to be this popular. It started off as a novelty web-series about Tony trying to convince Bucky about the existence of the supernatural—he firmly believed that if science could turn Uncle Steve from an actual shrimp to the god of muscles, then magic had to be out there—and then they’d started talking about an unsolved crime from the early 20th century after filming an episode one day, forgetting that the camera was still rolling, and had ended up with enough footage to make a second episode about real crimes. They had stayed pretty unknown throughout that first season but then true crime podcasts had exploded in popularity and Unsolved along with them.

it’s a small world after all: @maguna-stxrk

“Great speech.”

Smiling at the compliment, Tony turns around. “Thank y—”

And nearly drops his champagne flute.

His world comes to a stop.

They had only spent a night together, but Tony would recognize those baby blues anywhere.

It’s Steve.

Steve from Tony’s London business trip. Or, as Rhodey has become accustomed to calling him—The Soulmate That Got Away.

you’re in my blood, you’re in my veins: @nethandrake

Tony always figured that if they ever were to break up, it would be like a blaze. Scorching and hot and all-too blinding. Intense like the two of them have always been.

Instead, they break up on a Tuesday, with the rain pelting the windowpane and the midnight silence stifling.

August

Five Times Danny said he’d marry Steve (plus one): @five-wow

Danny humphs. “Look, all I’m saying is, I think I’d probably have married you by now.”

“I’d marry you, too,” Steve says.

Or: An experiment in how many times you can say something before you have to put your money where your mouth is.

Family (You’ve Always Had It): @/SunnyQueen

A black Camaro and a scowling blond was not what Junior had been expecting.

“Hi, sir. You didn’t have to pick me up.”

The blond looked up from the screen on his phone and groaned, completely ignoring Junior's statement. “You are right, I didn't have to."

Ode To Yoga Pants: @riotfalling

OR the continued terrible mating dance of Bucky and Tony, AKA when betting on your friends stops being fun

Through The Years: @hawkbucks

Tony brings home Natasha one day, proclaiming her to be his new sister.

Natasha takes this all in stride.

The broken road that led me home to you: @just-fandomthings

A documented list of conversations between Steve and Danny via text and phone call following the events of 10x22 "Aloha." (Where, even thousands of miles apart, Steve and Danny can't go without talking to each other.)

September

someday, we’ll pass it on to you: @starklysteve

Steve smiles.

Reaching up, he flattens his hand against his son’s far smaller one, curling gently around it. “You wanna be like him?”

“Da!” Peter agrees again.

One year old, and you already know who’s the best of us, Steve pauses to reflect, all his fears chased away by a fierce pride. “Your Dad’s coming home real soon,” he promises, “you should tell him that.”

---------------

Or, five times Peter did the repulsor pose as a toddler

+ one time he used the repulsors as an adult

Classic Sci Fi: @notdoingsohot

Bucky wakes up to Steve telling him he's lost his memory, but not to panic, it'll only last a few days. Easier said than done when the last thing Bucky remembers is fighting Hydra with the Howlies in WWII.

He tries to make the most of it however, and there's this guy... Tony Stark. It's pretty clear the guy hates Bucky's guts, which is unfortunate because god damn is he a sight.

He tries to figure out what he did to wrong Stark, but everyone just tells him he doesn't want to know.

They were right.

Blooms in Frost: @/Diomedes

Tony coughs up his first petal on the sixth of July. He has been married to the love of his life for two years.

Bury a Hanahaki corpse in earth and it will beget the most beautiful garden. All that love, it is said, must go somewhere.

Hanahaki AU: Established relationship

------------------------------------------

A Single Thread of Gold: @lovelyirony

Rhodey doesn't believe in love at first sight or any of that cheesy shit. He just wants someone who is nice, dependable, and safe.

Tony Stark is Housing Service's little problem for the school year, and now he's stuck in Rhodey's room because he's exploded the last two dorm rooms he's been in and won't live off-campus.

high roller, place your bet: @machi-kun

“Would you kiss Stark for a hundred bucks?”

“I would pay a hundred bucks to kiss him.”

October

press my luck: @omg-just-peachy

But... Steve is almost ten years his junior, and he could be with just about anyone, looking and acting like he does. And then there’s the not so small fact of Tony’s name and net worth and the fact that, okay, Tony had paid for Steve’s grad school tuition, and now he’s worried Steve feels obligated to stay. Or something.

Or, Tony is a billionaire, Steve is a grad student, and they learn to let themselves be taken care of.

see it with the lights out: @starklysteve

Tony goes on a business trip, and he does not - not at all - get jealous of Dodger hogging his husband's chest, a territory otherwise known as Tony's pillow.

(or, Steve goes on an Instagram spree and Tony misses home)

adulthood is looking both ways before you cross the street and getting hit by an airplane: @starkslovemail

It was a perfect plan, if Peter did say so himself.

The Buy In: @dracusfyre

For the ImagineTonyandBucky prompt: Mafia AU with Tony as the Boss (except he's a really good one, making the streets safe, keeping drugs away from kids etc) and Bucky as the detective sent to go undercover to catch him out but ends up realizing he's actually doing more good than harm and they end up falling in love

trinkets of your affection: @starklysteve

Kissed him once for every year I loved him, Steve had written.

By that count, Steve owes him five more kisses now.

Tony traces the words, hands trembling, and tips back a shot of Howard's ancient whiskey. None of it burns anymore.

One day, he'll have lived more days without Steve than there are words in the diary.

For the first time since he'd woken with shrapnel in his chest, Tony fears the future.

----------

Or, five things Tony keeps to remember Steve by, and one thing Steve gives him to remember.

November

“Hey Tony”: @riotfalling

Steve points out that Bucky never calls Tony by his actual name. Bucky doesn’t believe him, until he does.

Remembering You is Hard to Do: @lovelyirony

“The future’s crazy, honey-bear.”

Jim looks up.

“Why do you call me that?”

“Call you what?”

“Honey-bear. It’s weird.”

“Inside joke we have,” Tony says, chest tightening. “We thought those couples that have the lovey-dovey nicknames were ridiculous.”

overheard your heartbeat (calling me yours): @starklysteve

"Tony - "

"I wish I could promise to come home this time," he feels the armor crawl back down his arm, continuing unnoticed over Steve's red gloves, then up the blue uniform as Tony fights to keep Steve's gaze firmly fixed on him.

The last eyes Tony might get to see, and he wants to be lost in them.

In the end, his entire life boils down a few simple things: "JARVIS, take care of him for me."

----------

Or, Tony overhears a phonecall where Steve proposes, a battle happens, and a paper ring settles some misunderstandings.

i (really, really, really, really, really, really) like you.: @nethandrake

For as long as Steve can remember, he's been crushing on Tony Stark. The thing is, he's pretty sure Tony doesn't know Steve exists. And how could he? Steve's scrawny and little. He's a nobody compared to Tony who's Mr Popular and the son of a billionaire.

Or at least he thought so until Tony swings by the bakery Steve's mother happens to own to enlist Steve's help in finding the perfect Valentine's Day card.

The perfect Valentine's Day card for someone who isn't Steve.

One Song (My Heart Keeps Singing): @iam93percentstardust

When Thor is old enough to understand what a Heartsong is, he goes to his mother to ask her why he can’t understand the language his is in. He listens as she tells him about the first soulmates who couldn't understand their Heartsong until the day they meet, excited by the thought of a grand adventure, one that will take him across the cosmos in search of his One.

He’ll search all the Nine Realms if he has to.

December

Swiping Right: @s-horne

“Ouch. Definitely a hard pass for that one?”

Steve startled at the sudden comment from the row of chairs behind him and turned around. He’d been passing the time in the airport lounge by swiping through Tinder and had gotten lost in his own world. It was almost jarring to be pulled away from the screen of hot men and back into reality where the PA was screeching and there was noise everywhere.

Adjusting to the difference, Steve frowned. Wait, he knew that face. Oh, shit… he knew that face.

“No, no, it’s fine,” the man said before Steve could get out anything other than an embarrassed sort of yelp. Waving his hand through the air, the stranger smiled ruefully. “I get it. It’s the beard, isn’t it? True be told, it was a weird winter choice that year and I knew it would come back to hurt me.”

Steve didn’t know what to say. He knew it must have shown on his face and could feel himself flushing, panicked and embarrassed all at once. What were the odds of swiping left on someone literally sat behind him?

set your flight path home (to me): @starklysteve

Tony puts down his welding torch. “I’m building you a plane.”

Stepping carefully over the gears and tools scattered about, Rhodey slowly makes his way to him.

“And when did you become an expert on how to build a plane?”

“Last night,” Tony grins.

---------------

Tony builds a plane, and Rhodey teaches Tony how to fly it. Or he would be teaching Tony, if Tony didn't distract him so much.

I Want A Man With A Slow Hand: @thefourofswords

“Can I ask you a question?” he asked on their way to a crime scene, because no time like the present, and Danny believed in ripping off band-aids.

“Why not?” Steve replied, eyes on the road. “You’re gonna even if I say no.”

“What do you like in bed?”

Danny undertakes a very important mission to get Steve laid. For his health. Ahem.

same time next year: @omg-just-peachy

“I forgot to ask. When’s your flight home?” Steve asks, draping his arm over Tony’s shoulder and settling in against him.

Tony ignores the knot that forms in his chest at the idea of it, leaving Steve again for his own impersonal apartment, his piles of books and projects and the nights without sleep.

“Day after tomorrow.”

Steve huffs a little sigh, then brings his lips to Tony’s neck. “Well, we’ll have to make the most of it, won’t we?”

Or, four (4) Christmases with two (2) idiots who can't admit they're in love.

rearrange my heart (to fit your smile): @starklysteve

"You dare," Howard's chair makes an ugly noise as it scrapes against the stone floors, the chatter of the room shifting into hushed whispers and stolen glances. "I am your father and your King!"

"My King is my husband," Tony tips his chin up, defiant. "And I refuse to hear you suggest that my husband has been anything other than good to me."

Next to him, he feels Steve's shoulders stiffen in surprise.

Howard's fist slams loud on the table. "Your husband does not even love you!"

Tony jerks back, burned. He knows that. Knows that Steve did not marry him for love – does not need any reminder of the cold truth, of what he desperately yearns for and can't even hope to have – but the harshness of Howard's words was scalding, and Tony can't afford for this to go any further.

----------

Or, King Steven marries Prince Tony, Tony is pretty sure he shouldn't panic when he falls in love with his own husband, and Steve tries his very best not to cause diplomatic crises.

Keyword: try

#adi's rec list #superbat #superhusbands #winterironfalcon #mcdanno #buckytony #peppernat #superfamily #rhodeytony #ironfamily #and that's a wrap!!!

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flutteringdreams-matw · 3 years

Text

Out of Time (15)

First/Last Read on AO3 Word Count: 6953

Previously: Dan went after Lancer but thankfully Danny flew in for the rescue. After their latest scrimmage, Lancer manages to save Danny and contact Tucker to put up the shield. Honestly - some very good friendship scenes with Tucker and Lancer.... with a semi-brutal fight in between. I suggest reading it before this.

Now: The final showdown? CW: Brutal fight, graphic descriptions of injuries, blood and ectoplasm up ahead. Please let me know what you think! Feel free to drop a reply or reblog whatever. Posting early cause I'm exhausted and will be equally so next week. Next chapter will be out on Sunday (link will be in the replies!)

Wind whipped at Danny's hair as he knelt on top of the last bits of his shield. He frowned, looking down at the glowing hand as it absorbed more energy. I have to do this he thought, watching his hand shake, the bruises on it a stark contrast to the ripped white gloves. Sighing, he pushed himself up; glancing at the last eighth of the shield that still protected the town. He closed his eyes, using the shield to look for his family in the chaos below. An image of Jazz, his Mom, Valerie and Vlad standing around talking greeted him. No sign of his Dad or Danielle. He wished he got to talk with them too. I'm still here, he thought to them. He sighed deeply, opening his eyes to scan the town. I'll come back.

A grim smile washed across his face as the Fenton Shield finally activated, pulsing through the town up and outward. It completed itself, protecting the town just inches below where he stood. They'll be safe now. He could hear the distant screeches of the shadows being pushed out of the town, the roars of the Far Frozen as they charged forward to the outskirts. He turned to the outer rim of the shield, scanning the skies for Ethelwulf and Sam. Eventually he found the large winged wolf spiralling through the air and cutting through the shadows, making them disappear. Ethelwulf stopped spinning and a small figure landed on his back. Danny chuckled fondly as the figure shot through five ghosts, making them explode and disappear. At least they're okay.

A roar of anger brought him out of his musings. His green eyes found Dan quickly; the future Phantom was clawing at the shield with vigour, red eyes burning with anger and destruction. Danny watched at a distance, stone faced, as Dan continued to attack the shield.

Danny had once asked Clockwork how he could face what he was. He had been naïve then- how could he not face him. All the guilt, fear and self-doubt he felt stemmed from how he saw his future.

A future that will never exist again.

Suddenly he felt determined, feeling green ecto-energy dance around his aura. He glared at the angry spectre, waiting in anticipation until Dan noticed him.

It didn't take long; Dan stopped his onslaught, turning slowly toward his younger self. Blue flames danced in the air as red eyes bore green. The dark clouds overhead swirled, rumbles of thunder off in the distance. On some level, Danny recognized the sign of an Ecto-Storm brewing.

Dan smiled crudely, looking across the shield to his prey. The hatred and loathing for the other almost suffocated them both.

They flew at each other at the same time, clashing with an explosion of green energy above the city.

:-=-:

"It was his idea," Tucker relayed, his breathing was laboured. "If Ethelwulf and Sam are out there, they're going after him. I-I didn't want to do it."

Maddie sighed, looking toward her companions with unease. Jazz sat aboard Valerie's sled, eyes darting over the mother's face for some kind of clue to what was going on. Valerie's expression was unreadable, looking forward to the town and pretending Plasmius didn't exist. The ghost in question looked above, a concerned frown directed at what was left of Danny's shield. "I know Tucker," she told him gently. "We're headed over to the edge now; get some of those Shadow Ghosts out of the way before going after him."

"I'll meet you there," Jack replied instantly. "Danielle and I can fight through the Northwest and meet you. Danny's not going in there alone."

Maddie smiled. "No, no he isn't" she agreed.

"Mrs. Fenton," Tucker started, and then paused. He sighed deeply before he continued. "Do you… do you have a thermos with you?"

Maddie frowned at the question and then mouthed the word 'thermos' to Jazz. Jazz gave her a quizzical look before holding up the object in question. Valerie bristled as she looked in their direction. Plasmius' concerned frown now looked to Maddie. "Yes, Jazz does."

"If… if you see Danny, suck him in," Tucker said quickly, guilt bubbling through his voice. Maddie made a noise of protest but Tucker cut across her. "He's hurt - he's hurt bad Mrs. F. We need to get him back to FentonWorks and I'm not confident my shield will let him in without being in there."

Maddie paled at his words.

Jazz frowned worriedly. "Mom, what is it? What's wrong?"

"How bad," Jack whispered. Maddie couldn't find her voice.

"Like he should have keeled over five hours ago bad."

"Danielle said something happened to his core," Jack said worriedly. "Mads, you have Plasmius there right? He may know."

Violet eyes glanced in Plasmius' direction. "What's wrong with his core?"

Jazz gasped, Valerie's eyes narrowed as Vlad looked sombrely at the woman. "I don't know," he replied softly. "But he's stuck as Phantom for the time being. His core energy is keeping him there."

Maddie gasped softly, hearing Tucker swear and Jack make a pained noise.

The shield shook as something attacked it overhead. Maddie pursed her lips as she looked above. "What are Ecto-Enhancers?" she asked the half-ghost, bringing her eyes back to him in the process. She barely heard Tucker's brief explanation to Jack.

Vlad frowned at the question before looking exasperated. "He didn't tell you?" he asked instead. He sighed when a glare met his eyes. "Basically a power up of energy - I gave them to Daniel so he could heal faster if he needed to. He's taken at least one. It's working, albeit slowly."

Maddie frowned, running through calculations in her head. Valerie scowled in his direction.

"Didn't you also say that Phantom was flying into battle while juiced up?"

Plasmius flinched under the hard glare Jazz and Maddie gave him. "They're not steroids girl; they're like an energy drink. I'm sure you've frequented them with your extra-curriculars." Valerie growled in response. "But yes, he is."

Maddie sighed, locking eyes with Jazz worriedly. "You know him best Jazz. What's his next move?"

Jazz frowned in thought. "He's going back out there," she said. "Like I said, Dan's jealous of Phantom - meaning Dan's going to be acting irrationally." Her eyes widened. "We need to focus on the shadows Mom; I think with the amount of duplication and shadows his mind is weakening. He's definitely slowing down. If Danny can outsmart him, he might have a chance."

Maddie nodded in consent, looking toward the perimeter of the Fenton Shield again. She glanced at Plasmius. "Will he hold out until then?"

Plasmius scoffed. "If I know anything about that boy, he won't back down easily," he said with fond bitterness. "If we act quickly, he'll be more likely to succeed."

Valerie watched their reactions slowly, fully realizing that she did not know as much as she thought she did. The Fentons had a truce with Phantom, they knew about Vlad but they all can't care about this ghost that much?

"Fine! Destroy ghosts! But can you really take part in destroying a human?"

Her eyes widened at the memory, gaze resting on Mrs. Fenton and Jazz with a thoughtful frown. Did they know he was half human too?

"Hey! What about the Fentons?! Phantom had asked her.

Valerie laughed, inspecting one of her weapons. "Are you kidding?! Before your truce, they couldn't catch a ghost if it was living under their own roof!"

The ghost boy's eyes furrowed slightly, a small twinkle in his eye before he responded. "True."

"We'll find our boy," Maddie vowed softly to Jack on the line. "We'll find Danny."

Valerie's eyes widened further, a small gasp escaping her lips as her eyes darted upward. She called him Danny, she thought widely. The pieces clicked quickly in her mind, guilt and horror rising within her.

Where's he running off to all the time?

"You really risked your neck to save that Fenton kid." Valerie found herself smiling at her Dad's comment. "Yeah. I like him a lot. Maybe even enough to give up ghost hunting."

It was eating her to say it, Danny didn't deserve this. "I've had a lot of fun these last few days, but my life's way too complicated right now for us to be anything other than... friends." He stammered out in disbelief before she pushed through. "There's something important I have to do and I don't want you to get hurt because of it." She wasn't going to let Danny Phantom ruin anyone else's life.

"Are you kidding?! Before your truce, they couldn't catch a ghost if it was living under their own roof!"

I know you, don't I?

A huge explosion of green energy made them all jump, eyes glued to the sky above them. "Danny…?" Valerie breathed. Danny Fenton. Danny Phantom. Guilt filled her chest, realizing for the first time how wrong she had been.

She barely heard Jazz whisper his name behind her. The world as at a standstill, her green eyes watching as two figures clashed overhead.

"Valerie?" She jumped, looking down to Jazz's worried face. The red head's eyes scanned Valerie's face, grimly noticing the silent distress the teen hunter was in. Jazz sighed, shaking her head. "Let's go."

:-=-:

Sam landed gracefully on Ethelwulf's back, watching as more of the shadows explode with a satisfied smirk. "Nice catch Ethelwulf," she said to the ghost. She felt his laugh before she heard it.

"Nice shooting," he replied back. His yellow eye looked back toward her. "The shield's up." An unspoken request passed between them; the ghost flew upward, gliding in the air as Sam looked behind them. Four shadow ghosts gaining on their tail. She made move to shoot, but with a battle cry Skulker crashed into two of them, dragging them below. She shot at the other two as Ethelwulf levelled himself in the air.

Her eyes darted over the shield, anxiously searching until she found him. "Danny," she breathed, relaxing as she saw him standing above the shield. Ethelwulf looked down hastily, yellow eyes scanning the shield below also. "He's okay!"

"Sam," Ethelwulf replied seriously. "He's not alone."

The girl stiffened, skimming the shield again until she saw the other ghost at the shield. Dan and Danny were staring at each other, the air thick with tension as they watched the other's move. Sam frowned as thunder rumbled overhead. He wouldn't…

"I will do whatever it takes to protect the people I care about."

Sam's breath hitched in her throat. He would. "We need to get down there," she said hurriedly. Ethelwulf dove as a reply. Sam grabbed his fur tightly, silently willing him to go faster. He obliged, just as both Phantoms took flight, ecto-blasts at the ready. "No!" she cried, watching with dread as they collided, the shockwaves of the collision blowing back and blocking them from interfering. Ethelwulf grunted, black wings flapping against the wind and stopping him from losing control.

"I'm alright," he assured before Sam got to ask. His normally calm voice was tight with anger. They watched from above as both Danny and Dan flew at each other, equally matched as they traded blows.

The Phantoms moved quickly, neither seemed to notice when an ecto-blast struck their bodies. They rushed forward, both trying to inflict some blow to weaken the other.

Ethelwulf frowned as blue electricity hit into a blue flamed punch. "I don't think he can keep this up for much longer."

Sam bit her lip, watching anxiously as they finally bounced back, floating with chests heaving. Ethelwulf was right; they needed to stop this soon…before… "Can you get close to them?"

Ethelwulf turned his head to her. "I can try, but the amount of power they're using will make it difficult. It's going to be a bumpy ride."

Sam charged the bazooka and turned on her wrist ray. "Let's do this."

Ethelwulf charged with a roar, attempting to get closer as the shockwaves pushed back again. Sam braced herself, taking aim at Dan. Suddenly, they were bombarded by the shadow ghosts, blocking their path as they lunged. Sam gasped, extending her arm and firing her wrist ray, hitting a few. Ethelwulf dove, attempting to lose them but they followed, their low screeches of anger echoing under the explosions of the Phantoms. Sam fired wildly, ignoring how her stomach turned at the sudden descent and speed. They needed to get to Danny.

Ethelwulf glided in the air, growling before he charged for the ghosts again, waves of ecto-energy flying back against them. Sam hit the remaining and soon they were free of them. She let out a small sigh of relief before she turned, coming face to face with more of the shadows. "I'm all about the dark and creepy," Sam yelled frustrated as she fired. "But this is getting ridiculous!"

Ethelwulf and Sam readied themselves before hearing a whine of a guitar, two guitar chords and watched as two giant fists rammed into their nearest foes. Sam looked up and recognized Ember's fiery blue hair, smiling smugly above her.

"Can't let you have all the fun," she said, turning her guitar dial up idly. "Besides, I want some pay back. That clown isn't the only one with an army!" Ember whistled, and up flew many of the ghosts hiding in Amity; Sam recognized Box Ghost, Dora, Wulf as they charged too. She looked up at the floating ghost and nodded in thanks. Ember scowled, scanning the crowd. "Just get the ghost kid - I don't do 'I owe yous'!"

She didn't need to be told twice. "Let's go," Sam muttered to the wolf ghost. He raced upward again, towards the top of the shield as the she heard the crackling electricity of the ecto-blasts. Then all too suddenly, it stopped. Sam paled at the eerie quiet it left behind. Ethelwulf reached the top not long after to find no trace of either Phantom. "Ethelwulf…" Sam said, trailing off.

An explosion away from the city caught both of their attentions. Sam frowned, watching the brilliant green light up the forest, bringing down some of the trees. "They teleported," Ethelwulf said quietly.

They stayed only a moment longer, watching the Far Frozen soldiers race out into battle before they took off after the Phantoms.

:-=-:

He didn't realize they had teleported until his back crashed into a tree.

Danny gasped as he shot upward, dodging a glowing green hand as it swiped from where he once was. A snarl from behind him was the only indication that he was being followed. Danny's hand lit up in green, wildly throwing ecto-blasts at Dan as he flew faster, white hair whipping back.

A ball of blue flames narrowly missed him, making the teen hiss involuntarily as he started to zigzag. Eventually he flipped in the air, his hands a blue-white as two electrical ice blasts aimed directly at Dan hit his mark. Both Phantoms stopped, glaring at each other from across the sky.

Their battles were nothing compared to the sheer desperation to win that currently encompassed every ounce of their bodies. Out of breath, Danny quickly assessed Dan; the evil Phantom was panting, red eyes manic with repressed rage. His suit was tattered, revealing small injuries that he got through their scuffle. Some part of him felt relieved that Dan no longer had the upper hand. Green eyes glanced briefly to the flash of green lightning above, frowning slightly as Dan smiled. Dammit.

Danny barely had time to throw up a hasty shield as Dan teleported in front of him. In one quick movement, the older Phantom punched straight into Danny's shield, pushing the boy backward in the air as it broke. Wasting little time, Dan's hand glowed green with small knives of ecto-energy, stabbing the boys injured leg as he pulled Danny toward the ground. Dan's hand moved down his leg, a trail of ectoplasm in its wake.

Danny bit back scream as Dan brought them toward the ground at an alarming speed. Ignoring all logic, his right eye turned blue, releasing a small ectoplasmic pulse from his core. Dan cried out, letting go as both Phantoms losing control in the air. Shaking his head, Danny regained his bearings, flying at Dan with icicles at the ready. One managed to pierce Dan's shoulder, the older howling in pain. The icicle melted just as Danny tackled him to the ground.

Danny staggered upright, faltering as he stood on his bad leg. He managed to roll further from the downed evil ghost, trying and failing to stand again.

Dan was faster on his feet; he groaned but flew up. He hovered as red eyes darting around looking for his prey. Once found, Dan threw his arm outwards and blasted Danny into the trees behind him with a yelp. The impact of the boy hitting the last tree broke it as he slid lower to the ground.

He tried to voice a small ow, but winced heavily as a set of sparks danced through him. He moved as quickly as he could, grimacing again as he tried to stand. He needed to keep moving, he needed to find Sam and Ethelwulf, he needed -

"There you are." Dan's voice fluttered from above him.

He needed to fight.

Breathing heavily, Danny gripped the tree trunk as he pulled himself upright. Taking inventory of his powers, he realized with disdain that he couldn't keep this up much longer. He had seen what would happen next; he was out of time.

Thunder and lightning rumbled through the sky as Danny met Dan's glare. "You told them." Dan stated coldly.

"I thought we were over that," Danny said sardonically, running his hand through his hair. He winced slightly as he touched a new bruise forming. "Remember - the part where you threw me like a Frisbee into the school?"

Dan growled in response. More lightning above them. Danny frowned, watching the lightning move through the clouds. It was different than last time.

"What's so different about you, Danny?" Dan asked darkly. "Why did Clockwork try so hard for you? Why do our parents get to accept you?"

He was slightly taken aback at the question, brow furrowing as too many thoughts crossed his mind at once.

Dan scoffed at the lack of an answer. "You're still the same selfish asshole that I was," he said. "They died because of you."

Danny had heard it all before - it had been a running commentary in his mind for the better part of a year… and yet something in Dan's tone had him shaking his head. "No," he replied in a low voice. It was a simple answer, and as soon as he said it, there was none of the guilt or anger for himself left in him from the alternate timeline. Dan's face contorted in rage as more lightning streaked across the sky. "No."

Before Dan could react, Danny teleported; disappearing from Dan's wrath to get some sort of distance away. He dropped out of the air, faltering again and took inventory in his surroundings. He had reappeared in the destroyed clearing from their first battle earlier in the day. It's far enough.

Danny heard Dan's roar over the thunder that rumbled overhead. He braced himself, ignoring the throbbing pain of his left leg as he planted himself in place just as Ethelwulf taught him. Dan landed across from him with force, creating a crater around him.

"I'm not done with you boy," Dan snarled, red eyes glowing menacingly. "I want to know what makes you so special that you changed my destiny?"

"Your Vlad is showing," Danny sassed before he could stop himself. "Destiny? Really? You made a choice dumbass. I made different ones." His green eyes glowed in retaliation. "We're not the same, not anymore."

Something in Dan broke. "YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS!" he roared, green ecto-energy whipping up around him. Green eyes snapped at Dan's feet, finally confirming that Dan's Ecto-Storm was coming. "What are you anyway? Human."

Danny's eyes narrowed, feeling his own deep raw energy itching to be released too. This was his last card left to play, and if he timed it right, he could finish this.

"So you're saying raw energy is basically a bomb waiting to go off at any point?"

If it didn't finish him first.

"Actually," Danny said coolly, watching as Dan's entire body shake with emotion. "Yeah, I am. And my friends? My family? They're alive because of it."

An inhumane growl escaped Dan's throat, red eyes shining brightly as green energy whipped around him. Danny's face was grim as he watched Dan's Ecto-Storm finally manifest, interacting with the clouds above. Dan's body was encased in the swirling vortex of energy, his animalistic noises becoming more feral as a red version of the Phantom emblem appeared at his feet. Violent whips of energy tore trees from roots around. Red eyes found green and with a yell released strong waves of energy toward the boy.

Danny was ready for the attack - his right eye turned blue; emblem appeared at his feet in a burst of light, a large shield blocking the onslaught.

:-=-:

Tucker swallowed as the he watched the screens helplessly. Danny and Dan had disappeared into the forest again, the large mass of ecto-energy following. He saw the signs, and hoped desperately for two things; for Danny not to be so stupid, and for Danny to be the one actually creating the storm. The alternative was too scary to imagine.

Clockwork grunted, gripping his staff as the entire lab turned toward him. Tucker frowned, abandoning the console to head toward the Time Master. "What is it?" he asked. When Clockwork made no inclination to answer, Tucker sighed. "It's Danny isn't it? He's the one stopping time?"

Clockwork looked up, red eyes glancing over the teen like he was seeing him for the first time. "We're nearing the paradox," he said gravely, nodding his head. "I can no longer see the present, only the past. The effects of the Time Medallion are affecting him now."

Another flash of light appeared on the screen. Tucker didn't look at it, teal green eyes staring into Clockwork's. "How long?" Tucker asked evenly.

Clockwork did glance at the screen, watching as some of the buttons stopped flashing and then continue at random intervals now that Tucker wasn't at the console. Time was stopping at random.

"Now."

:-=-:

The lightning made it difficult for them to follow by air. Ethelwulf dove into the forest, flying through the trees as he scanned the area for either Phantom.

Sam was stiff on his back, doing the same. She looked up at more of the green lightning danced across the sky. "Ethelwulf," she whispered. Danny wouldn't use the Ecto-Storm like this… would he?

"It's not his," Ethelwulf said quietly.

Her fear only grew at his confirmation. "Dan - Dan has it too!?"

"Clockwork had said Dan used in the last clash these two had," he explained quickly. "Though never to this extent. I'm sure Danny's wail surprised him enough catch him off guard. Danny has the element of surprise again."

Sam bit her lip. "He's hurt."

Ethelwulf flew faster. "I know," he replied. He glanced at her briefly. "I told him I would not let him die. We need to get to him before -"

A giant swirling mass of ecto-energy interrupted him, stopping them in their tracks. Sam gasped as an Ecto-Storm appeared before them.

"Shit," Sam bit out. She reloaded a Fenton Bazooka hastily, watching as power whipped around them. "Ethelwulf we have to hurry."

The wolf ghost took off again.

:-=-:

"NO!" Dan bellowed, shaken as he watched his younger self push back against the attack. Danny ignored him, stopping the raw energy from attacking. "How!?" His disbelief fuelled his anger, which in turn fuelled the attack more.

Danny grunted, pushing back against the attack as lightning tried to strike him from the sky. Everything hurt. Everything. The raw energy that now flooded him was only just holding Dan at bay. Focus he told himself. Focus on that line between life and death. Find the balance. Electricity sparked from his shield as he poured energy back into it. If he wanted to survive, he needed to remember his training.

"You can't have this power!" he heard Dan yell over the strong crackles of electricity and howls of the wind. "This is mine. You don't get to have it all!"

Was this what Clockwork warned me of? He thought, ignoring the now burning pain from his side; old wounds started to open again. Is this all I can do? Danny shook his head, gritting his teeth. No, he could do more. He had to do more.

He was tired – run ragged from the day's fights. Danny couldn't let Dan win - it wasn't an option.

Promise me you'll win.

Sam's voice echoed in his mind, reminding him of his promise. She had asked him to come back alive.

He had to try.

Danny let his own powers push outward, feeling not only raw but core energy expend out of him. His aura glowed, ecto-energy swirling around his feet now as it encased him. With his Ecto-Storm released – pain shot through Danny's entire being as electricity from his core mixed in. He faltered slightly before digging in his heels, releasing his own streams of raw blue-white energy toward Dan. He still had control - he could still win.

"The things you need to fight for? That makes you more dangerous too." Ethelwulf had told him that… it was time he believed it.

Their attacks clashed in the middle, both streams of energy pushing back against the other as both Phantoms fought for dominance. Dan was lost in a sea of rage, snarling madly at the young teen with such malice. Danny kept his attack focused, pushing forward, sheer determination and will driving him far beyond his limit.

"Danny!"

Focus broken for a slight moment, he turned at the fear filled voice as Sam and Ethelwulf flew forward from the cover of trees. Even from a distance, Danny could see the terror on her face.

Unfortunately, so did Dan. With a wicked smile, he turned, arm outstretched in their direction. A wave of blue flames and green ecto-energy flew toward them. Ethelwulf stopped advancing, bringing his wings together and shielding them both from the onslaught. Dan laughed, a twist between sadistic and manic laughter as his powers grew, anger and resentment pushing the storm outward toward the town.

Danny's eyes darted to Amity Park, to Ethelwulf and Sam and then back to his older self. Dan had lost sense of control, fully engulfed in the ecstasy of his raw energy. There was no way her could protect them all.

Danny felt himself fading, knees threatening to buckle. I can't win this he thought hopelessly.

You can.

The world slowed drastically, the ecto-energy dancing in the wind. Danny knees gave way, chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. He looked up and a translucent figure of himself - his human self - stood before him, smiling gently.

"You can do this," Fenton assured. His Ecto-Storm still flowed outward, beautifully painting the world around them with blue, white and green light in slow motion. "What do you want from all this?"

Sam had asked him the same thing earlier. "I can't… I'm not enough…" he said breathlessly. He shook his head. I'm going to die.

Fenton scoffed. "You are," he said fiercely. "You're just afraid to admit it. Danny, you have the power to stop this. You've had it for a year now. You can finally end this." A translucent hand reached out to him. "So let me ask you again: what do we want?"

Danny stared at the offered hand, his mind racing. Fenton looked slighted bemused, watching his counterpart with mismatched eyes. He didn't fear Dan. He didn't even fear himself.

Danny feared power - and what that power would do to him.

To move forward, he needed to embrace Ecto-Storm.

A look of purpose washed across his face as he grabbed the hand, staggering upright. Thoughts of Frostbite and his people, Ethelwulf, Clockwork, Jazz, his parents, Tucker and Sam filled him to the brim, one common theme shaking him to his core. What did he want?

Phantom and Fenton both turned toward Dan, eyes narrowing in determination. "Ready?" he asked Fenton, thinking back to their conversation in his bedroom.

His human half nodded, a small grim smile on his face. "Ready." He confirmed.

Their eyes glowed as time started again. Fenton disappeared, leaving Danny alone within the Ecto-Storm of his own creation. He let his powers flow freely, giving in to the instinctive use of his power, the one he never felt ready to use. His eyes glanced over to Ethelwulf's determined yellow eyes, protecting him and Sam from the onslaught of the ghosts. His shield was holding. Briefly, his blue- green eyes managed to find a pair of fearful violet eyes behind the shield. I'm sorry.

Dan roared, getting the younger Phantom's attention once more. Dan took off in the air, flying at Danny's Ecto-Storm with drive. Danny felt the will of Dan attempting to get to him; slicing through his attack with force. Danny pushed back, watching as Dan's Ecto-Storm battle with his; fire and ice trying to hurt the other.

Danny felt something stir in his core, painfully reminding him of the first time he used this power. He was afraid then; he wasn't anymore. His pupils disappeared, blue and green ecto-energy shining brightly as electricity and ice joined the battle, pushing his emblem outward to rival Dan's. The older Phantom clawed at Danny, beyond reason as he attempted to get to the teen. Blue flames danced at his feet as the two storms started to merge.

What did he want?

Dan made it through Danny's defences, flying to the centre with a vengeful smile. Danny's breathing was too loud in his ears now, realizing it was time.

To see his friends and family alive.

To win.

Danny's eyes shone brightly as the world turned white.

Scorching heat and bitter cold danced around them…

Dan's shocked face just as he reached Danny, arm reaching for the boy's chest…

…The world exploded in pain…

…An explosion…

…Darkness…

:-=-:

Sam gasped, bringing her hands up to shield herself from the bright white light. The explosion pulsed outward, levelling trees and sent small shockwaves throughout the area. Ethelwulf sunk to the ground, breathing hard as the explosion died down.

"Ethelwulf!" Sam cried, looking at the large black wolf.

"I'm alright," he replied, yellow eyes finding her worried ones. "Are you?" She nodded, silently marvelled at Ethelwulf's power to still have his shield around them. "Good," he said softly, standing slowly. "That's …" The ghost trailed off, looking away from her to the destruction beyond her.

Sam followed his gaze, gasping slightly. Debris was everywhere, Sam noticed, as she watched the remnants of the Ecto-Storm disappear. The ground was broken, split apart from the raw power from the fight, the tree trunks cracked and half and blue fire patches danced around large figures of non-melted ice. Sam's eyes scanned the battlefield before she saw it; Danny's emblem, still alight, was shrinking slowly... but her best friend was nowhere in sight.

Dan's red emblem was completely gone.

"Danny," Sam whispered, dread settling into the pit of her stomach. She started running long before she realized Ethelwulf was calling her back. "Danny!" she yelled, hoping he would answer. Her voice echoed in the eerie silence. Sam ran, jumping over tree trunks, occasionally tripping over roots as she tried to find him. It took a few minutes, but she found him just as his emblem finally disappeared.

She paused for a moment, horrified as she took in his appearance from a few feet away.

Danny, still miraculously in his ghost form, lay on his side, limbs askew. Even from this far away, she could see the amount of sickly green ectoplasm that he was covered in. Swallowing the bile in her throat, Sam continued running, faster from before. Once close, she skidded on her knees, slowing her speed and scrambled to him. "Danny," she croaked, eyes wide and disbelief.

He was worse than the last time she saw him. There was a nasty bruise on the side of his head; multiple small cuts up and down his body that made his skin seem even more other worldly than normal. The purple handprint bruise on his neck was more visible now, burned and varying shades of blue. His jumpsuit was ripped across his left shoulder, which appeared to come out of his socket, showed magnificent bruises and large burns from an earlier fight. His left leg was covered in ectoplasm, long gashes from his calf to his knee.

He was barely breathing.

Anything the ecto-enhancer managed to heal had reversed in the last fight. Sam looked down, alarmed at that realization and instinctively put her hands on Danny's side. The injury had reopened, gushing large amounts of ectoplasm. He shuddered beneath her, wheezing erratically.

"Come on Danny, stay with me!" Sam said to him hysterically. She brought one of her hands to his face, smearing it with his own ectoplasm. "You aren't dying today – you promised." No answer. "Eth-" Sam tried to yell, coming out in a half sob. Sam took a deep breath, swallowing the lump in her throat before she tried again. "Ethelwulf!" Sam yelled desperately. She felt a rush of air as Ethelwulf flew to her, hovering slightly before landing.

"Danny," he said gravely, concerned yellow eyes taking in his appearance before coming closer.

Sam paid him no mind as he started inspecting his lower body. "Danny, come on," she said worriedly, trying to rouse the boy in front of her. His face scrunched, shallow wheezing breaths becoming more pronounced. His eyes fluttered, opening ever so slightly.

Sam sighed as she looked down at his electric green eyes. "Thank goodness," she breathed. Her smile fell when she realized his eyes weren't registering her. "Danny?" The fear came back to her in full force in that moment. "Danny, can you hear me? You did it, it's over." The girl turned to Ethelwulf helplessly. "Help him! We can't –" her voice broke in a dry sob as she finally realized the gravity of the situation through her shock.

"We're going to need to move him," Ethelwulf said quickly, curling his body around the two teens. "Sam, keep pressure on that wound, we need to keep him as Phantom for as long as we can. He's losing too much ectoplasm; if he transforms and it turns to blood, I'm not sure if I can save him."

Sam's eyes widened but nodded, holding her hands tighter against his wound. Danny made a raw, strangled noise as he continued to wheeze through the pain. The white ring of light appeared at his waist but sputtered out of existence quickly.

"Hang on!" Ethelwulf said, glowing in a golden light. The next thing Sam realized, they were over Amity Park on Danny's shield staring down the Ghost Shield. He closed his eyes and sighed. "We need to take down the shield!"

Sam shook her head. "No, they were supposed to put his ecto-signature in it," Sam said distractedly. "We don't have time." Danny's arm fell onto his shield limply, the ring of light appearing again at his waist, lingering over him. It didn't move. "Danny no!" she yelled, turning his face toward her. "Hold on okay? Just-Just a little more."

Ethelwulf growled. "I can't teleport us in – it means that they're blocking one of our ecto-signatures. Last I heard, they still couldn't separate Danny's from the Dark Phantom's."

Sam looked down at Danny, swallowing in temporary relief as Danny managed to make his transformation stop again. Green sparks attacked his chest. "Tucker," Sam muttered, eyes widening. She kept one hand on Danny's wound while the other dug into the pocket of her jumpsuit. Crying out triumphantly, Sam found the Fenton phone she pocketed as she left the city. She stuffed it in her ear quickly, ignoring that it wasn't comfortable and moved her hand back to Danny's wound. She pressed down on in firmly, another strangled gasp escaping his lips. "Tucker!" she shouted into the small device.

"Sam!?" Tucker's surprised and relieved voice crackled in her ear. "Thank God! You took your damn time! If it wasn't for Danny-"

"Not now Tuck!" Sam said, cutting him off. "I need you to drop the Ghost Shield."

"Drop it?" he asked. A brief pause before Tucker pressed on. "Do you have Danny?"

Sam turned her gaze back to the boy in front of her. His blinks were slow. "He's… It's bad Tuck" Sam admitted, voice raw. "We need to get back to Fentonworks. Ethelwulf is standing by to teleport us."

"On it," was Tucker's determined reply. "It'll take me a few minutes. We'll be sitting ducks for Dan's forces, so be careful. We don't have Danny's shield like last time."

"As fast as you can Tuck," Sam urged. Ethelwulf nodded in understanding from her words. "Come on Danny," she whispered comfortingly to him. Another strangled noise came through his mouth. "A little longer. Then you can drop the shield. We'll be home soon, okay? Just stay Ghost for a little longer."

Danny shuddered again, closing his eyes. The wheezing became worse and Sam frowned.

"Ancients," Ethelwulf swore quietly. The word slipped out of his mouth like dirt. "Sam!"

Sam looked up in confusion and gasped. Before them, Danny's shield slowly started to repair itself, green electricity flowing through the solid parts of the shield before connecting. She looked down quickly, eyes glued to his hand on top of his shield. It shimmered green through his ripped gloves, green sparks moving through his forearm.

"Sam? What's going on?" Tucker asked anxiously through the Fenton phone.

"Dammit! Danny stop!" Sam pleaded, ignoring her friend in her ear. "Save your energy… please. You're hurt. Don't do this!" The shield continued to repair itself; he couldn't hear her. Sam swore. "Tucker, how much longer?"

"You should see it coming down any second," The teen replied swiftly. Sam could hear the determination in his voice. She wasn't the only one worried.

Danny's hand went limp as the shield finished repairing itself. Blue sparks now wracked the middle of his frame before they disappeared.

Sam only had to wait a very short second before she saw the signs of the ghost shield coming down. She breathed out a sigh of relief as she turned back to the half-ghost in front of her. Her relieved sigh turned to a startled gasp as she watched Danny's white hair turn slowly black and parts of his jumpsuit turning into his regular street clothes. "Ethelwulf!" Sam called to ghost in alarm. Green ectoplasm that stained her hands had turned red gradually and started gushing through her fingers; she hadn't realized the change. There was no ring, no flash of light as he reverted back. Danny Phantom seemingly faded away, leaving the body of Danny Fenton in his place.

"No…. nononono." Tucker's voice rambled through her ear. "Danny, no, stay with me okay?" She tried to get a rise out the friend currently bleeding out in front of her. He gave no inclination he heard her.

Ethelwulf was at their side quickly and with another flash of gold light, the smell of the Fenton's lab greeted Sam's nose. She blocked out the world around her; only focused on keeping pressure on Danny's wounds. She didn't have nearly enough hands; there was so much blood now. She very briefly heard Ethelwulf's cries for something, a flurry of movement as ghosts rushed forward. Lots of rushed whispers, a few barked orders, more blood on her hands. Suddenly, someone was pulling her off him.

"Get off me!" She said, fighting whoever was pulling her off the boy. She managed to elbow them in the gut but they didn't even cry out. "He's bleeding! I have to help -"

"Sam," Tucker's low voice was in her ear. She stopped; turned to lock eyes with her other best friend. Taking his chance, Tucker dragged her away, nodding to someone before swallowing. He looked like he was going to be sick. "Sam - they need to restart his heart."

What.

Sam looked at him with wide eyes, disbelieving his words. She turned back to Danny's lifeless form being hovered over by Ethelwulf in his guise of Dr. Cliff, Frostbite and a few other members of the Far Frozen. At some point, they put a mask over Danny's face to give him air. Ethelwulf's hands were alight with ecto-energy as he put them on the boy's chest. Danny convulsed on the floor for a second, before returning to being completely limp.

She couldn't look away. There was more flurry of activity around him; Ethelwulf charged his hands again, Danny's body arching upward in the air, falling back to the ground.

Ethelwulf brought two fingers to the boy's neck, a grim look over his face. "Where's that stretcher!?" Ethelwulf yelled, the hazel eyes of Dr. Cliff turning more yellow as he grew frustrated.

"There!" Frostbite yelled, watching another one of his followers fly over intangibly with a rolling bed. The ghost flew through the floor and made it tangible under Danny. All ghosts, led by Ethelwulf, pushed the unconscious Danny toward the Fenton infirmary, leaving the stricken friends staring at a pool of Danny's blood.

#danny phantom #cartoons #fanfiction #danny fenton #action #adventure #cross posted on ao3 #no phantom planet #But his parents know #ecto storm series #Out of Time #multichapter #Dan v. Danny #fight scene #this poor boy #or boys #posting early due to busy week #see you sunday

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oceanselevenism · 3 years

Note

If you're still doing them maybe number 12 with both the ocean's siblings and their partners?

hell yeah!! i’ve put it under the cut :)) it is Very Tangentially holiday-sweater-related but it is too long to not post now! hope you enjoy, and happy holidays :))

It’s the first Christmas they’ve spent together in... nearly a decade and a half, actually. The years had flown by, blurring into a mess of run-ins and arguments and you stay on your side, I’ll stay on mine, but hey, Danny can’t fault his sister for wanting to make up for lost time. No, he can’t fault her (after all, if she had been the one to fake her death, he’d probably have moved into her house for a week, just to make sure she didn’t do it again) but he can make fun of her, so that’s what he does. “Aw, you really did miss me,” he says when she gives him and Rusty perfunctory hugs on her way into his house (Lou just claps them both on the shoulder, and he’s not sure whether to feel snubbed or relieved). “I can’t believe my dear sister actually cares,” he tells her when she brings him a mug of cocoa, ingredients nabbed from some billionaire in Germany. “Pure family bonding for the whole family,” he remarks when she goes off on a drunken, expletive-filled tangent about the Met Gala’s security over a game of poker (they’ve given up on trying to enforce the no-cheating rule, and he’s pretty sure Lou takes the opportunity to peek at Debbie’s cards). But in all honesty, he can’t keep up the ribbing; it really is good to see her, even if she definitely gets along better with Rusty (she’s told him as much, and right to his face, too) and the third day ends in a bitter, wine-fueled not-argument about their mother and their father and they themselves. But on the fourth morning Danny gets up early (it’s five in the goddamn morning, why the fuck has Lou already left a note on the counter saying gone on a run) to make latkes, and when Debbie comes downstairs she scoops out a dollop of his favorite sour cream instead of her usual applesauce, so unless her latke preferences have done a complete 180 since the last time he’s seen her, they’ve forgiven each other.

She and Lou volunteer to go on a grocery run that evening, and Danny’s glad; he hasn’t had the chance to jump Rusty’s bones in, like, five days (turns out cleaning up for houseguests takes up way more time than anticipated) (hey, the only people they’ve had over in years have been the crew from the Benedict job, and he’s heard Reuben threaten to shit on Turk’s feet, they don’t need to clean up for them). And for a minute, as Rusty pins him up next to the to-be-composted bag that is currently overflowing with potato scraps, the only thought in his head is the usual why didn’t we do this sooner. But then Rusty pulls back-- “Rus,” Danny complains-- and he tilts his head in that We Need To Talk manner. Which would be hot, if not for the fact that Rusty probably wants to talk about Debbie.

“You’re good, right?”

“We were never on bad terms.”

“Liar.”

“Well, hostile terms, maybe,” Danny amends. “But never bad.”

Rusty shifts, adjusting his forearms so it’s more like they’re just two good pals having a conversation three inches from each others’ faces instead of two good pals about to do very unsanitary things in a kitchen, and says, “I think you’re putting too much water under the bridge.”

“What am I, a Dutch engineer?”

“You’re very funny.”

“I know I am. Now, are we gonna--”

The door opens. Danny swears. “We were gone for twenty minutes,” Debbie says. “Are you that desperate?” Danny regrets going for the open-concept first floor, and he regrets it even more as Rusty pushes himself off with an air of utmost nonchalance.

“Here,” Lou says, lobbing a ball of fabric at Rusty. Her aim is remarkable, and Danny almost asks if she ever played softball before deciding he likes his well-being more than teasing his sister’s motorcycle-riding, brass-knuckle-owning girlfriend. It’s fine; next to him, Rusty huffs an amused laugh at the unsaid comment anyway. “Happy Christmas Eve.”

Rusty unfolds the fabric to reveal a truly hideous (and possibly offensive) Christmas sweater. It’s got red sleeves, a green torso, and a large, colorful fruitcake emblazoned on the stomach. Above it, in red and yellow, is text that reads FRUIT CAKE. “I love it,” Rusty says, pressing his lips together in that way that says he’s trying his damndest not to laugh. “It’s perfect.”

Lou opens her coat to reveal her own sweater, hers saying Ho Ho Homo. “I thought the theme was appropriate.”

“And for you, dearest brother,” Debbie says, pulling an atrociously-colored wad of wool out of a paper bag and chucking it at him, “you get the best of both worlds.”

With a mounting sense of horror, he recalls the year that he insisted on putting teal and orange streamers across the house, because it’s Hanukkah and Christmas mixed! That was the last year their parents had lived in the same house; Danny used to joke that it had been the final nail in the coffin for their mother. He pinches an edge of the cloth between two fingers and lets the rest fall open. It’s a Miami Dolphins holiday sweater. A teal-and-orange, festively-patterned Miami Dolphins sweater. Oh, his Boston-bred father would be frothing at the mouth. “We’re in Canada,” Danny says, equal parts shocked and awed. “How the hell did you get this here so quick? We were supposed to be meeting in Quebec until three days ago--”

“Danny, please learn what priority shipping is,” Debbie says. “Now c’mon. Wear it.”

There’s no way he can back out of this. If he refuses, she’ll just play the I thought you were dead card. He’s never regretted a decision more.

He puts on the sweater. Rusty-- his partner, his right hand, the love of his life-- wolf-whistles.

“I’m divorcing you,” Danny announces.

“Don’t worry,” Lou says with a grin, and is that her phone oh fuck she’s got a picture-- “Debbie, take off your coat.”

With the air of someone who has suffered the weight of the world, Debbie shrugs off her jacket. She’s wearing a matching sweater, and the dolphin on this one has a lovingly-embroidered smiling mouth stitched into it. Danny tries very, very hard not to laugh. “Shut it,” Debbie warns him.

“Oh, I’m not saying a thing,” Danny replies.

“We actually did get groceries,” Lou says, turning back to the door, “so--”

“Lemme give you a hand,” Rusty says. “Let these two bask in the joy of their new sweaters.”

“Fuck off,” Danny and Debbie say in unison. Rusty grins, cheery as ever, and leaves Danny’s side to follow Lou out the door.

“Great gift,” Danny says. “I’ll be laughed at by Reuben for the rest of my days.”

Debbie snorts, walking into the kitchen and rooting around in his cabinets. “Well, actually he’d-- wait, please tell me you didn’t, like, have gross old people se--”

“Shut up, Deborah,” Danny replies, feeling his neck heat up. “I’m only two years older than you. And no.” He refrains from adding on a “not this time.”

“Thank God,” Debbie says, pulling a glass out of the cupboard. “Anyway. Reuben’s not gonna laugh at you, he’s just gonna talk about your embarrassing baby stories in whatever groupchat you people have.”

Danny wonders how his baby sister got to be cooler than him. It’s very distressing. “That’s worse.”

“Yep,” she says, putting the pitcher down and picking her now-full glass up. She leans on the wall across from him, sipping her water, and narrows her eyes at him. “Are we, y’know... good?”

“Why wouldn’t we be?” Danny says. Besides the thirty years of vaguely pretending the other didn’t exist.

“I’m not gonna answer that,” Debbie says. “But... I’d just like to make sure. ‘Cause you’re the only not-completely-insufferable blood relation I have.”

Neither of them say anything for a moment; Danny picks at a loose teal thread, trying to think of how best to phrase the thoughts rattling around in his head. “I don’t hate you,” he finally says. “And I don’t dislike you, either. You’re a pretty good sister. And a great thief.”

“I know,” she replies. “I’m not gonna say it back, ‘cause then you’re gonna get an inflated ego.”

“Works for me,” Danny says, grinning a little.

“I guess it’s just... I mean, I let all the old resentment get in the way of, y’know. Having a decent relationship, personally or professionally.”

Danny nods. He’s still got the scar from the time they both went after the Ruby of the Isle; he’d won, but just barely, and only because he had Rusty and she hadn’t found Lou. But at the end of the day, neither of them have tried to kill the other, and they still did grow up together, playing in Atlantic City casinos and building sand castles under the boardwalk. “I think we’re too old for that now.”

“You’re the old one here,” Debbie replies, no bite in the remark.

“Only two years,” he reminds her. “But I did the same thing as you, letting petty grudges get in the way of family, and for that I’m sorry.”

“I am, too.”

“Thanks, Debs.” He frowns. “They’re taking a really long time to get the groceries, aren’t they?”

As if summoned, the door opens, and Rusty and Lou, each with a measly two bags in their hands, walk in. And Rusty has his phone in his hands. “Rus, I swear--”

“Too late,” Rusty grins, as the shutter sound rings out through the living room. “That outfit has already been immortalized.”

“Have I already said I’m divorcing you? I’m divorcing you.”

“Does it count as fratricide if he’s your brother-in-law?” Debbie asks.

“Disproportionate reactions,” Rusty accuses. “Besides, I’ve already sent it to Linus.”

Danny’s eyes widen. “Not Linus.”

“You heard me.”

His phone vibrates in his pocket. It’s a text from Linus Caldwell himself, consisting of a single thumbs-up emoji and two grinning cats. “You’re all terrible people. Terrible, terrible people.”

(the sweater rusty is wearing is real) (as is lou’s) (and the ocean siblings’)

#oceans 11 #oceans 8 #danny ocean #debbie ocean #rusty ryan #danny x rusty #debbie x lou #lou miller #my writing

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sunny-flower-girl-01 · 4 years

Text

Ohana- A Hawaii Five-0 Fanfic Chapter Four

This chapter is super long, so I apologize in advance lol. I’m hoping to still have the next chapter up next week, but I won’t has as much free time to write at work like normally do. Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

FRIDAY NIGHT STEVE MCGARRETT’S HOME STEVE’S POV:

“See, Gracie? You have to wait 4 minutes before you flip it, or it doesn’t get cooked on both sides.” I said, flipping one of the burgers over. She nodded that she understood, her arms wrapped around my neck to hold on since I had her up on my hip so she could see the grill better. We were just waiting on Thea and Nora to arrive, so I went ahead and started the food and asked Grace to be my helper.

Mindy, Kono, and Max were in the kitchen getting the rest of the food together. Danny walked up behind me, nudging me in the shoulder and holding his arms out for Grace. She grinned and jumped into her dad’s arms. “Are you teaching my daughter the incorrect way to grill a burger?”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, Daniel.” I said sarcastically. I flipped another burger and glanced back at Danny’s girlfriend that he brought with him today, Kari. “So, how is Kari doing?” She was nice, blonde, and a paralegal. She seemed to get on with all of us just fine, minus Grace. Which, in my mind, was more important than her being friendly with us. It was very obvious that Grace wasn’t a fan of the woman. She had stuck with me for the whole hour that she’d been here already and had already asked me 4 times when Nora was going to come. Kari didn’t seem to be that big of a fan of Grace either. She gave Grace an indifferent smile when she became the center of attention, and with our group, that was quite a lot. We all loved that little girl. Overall, I wasn’t too impressed with her and was sure Danny and I were going to talk about it tonight when everyone went home.

Danny shrugged. “She’s fine. She’s enjoying getting to know you guys.” I saw Grace roll her eyes and push away from her dad to be let down. I knew bringing up Kari around Grace like that probably wasn’t the best idea. Danny set her down and she immediately made her way back up to the house. Thankfully, he didn’t see her eye roll.

“I’m going to wait for Auntie Thea.” She said.

Before I had a chance to say it, Danny took a step closer to me. “Grace doesn’t like Kari.” He said quietly.

I tried my best to hold back a laugh. “I could have told you that, buddy.”

Danny sighed and smoothed his hair down. “God, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I mean, Kari is nice but Grace means more to me. She knew I had a kid and she just isn’t that interested in getting to know her.” He glanced over at the table I had set up across the yard where Kari was sitting with Malia, Chin, Adam, and Charlie. I felt bad for Danny. He had always told me that dating with a kid was difficult, but I had never seen him really struggle with it. It made me think about what it would be like with two kids. I tried to think about it but really the only person I wanted to be with was already having my kids. Since I found out that Thea was pregnant and we were spending some time together and we were talking more, I’ve really come to like and care about her than just the mother of my unborn children. And Nora has become really special to me like Grace has. I did invite her because the team wanted to meet her, but I also wanted her to get to know them like I know them. If I was gonna try and pursue this with her, I wanted all my ohana to get along.

“Danno! Uncle Steve! Nora is here! Look! We’re matching!” Grace and Nora came running out of the house hand in hand. They were both wearing the same romper outfit over their bathing suits, but Nora was wearing navy and Grace was in army green.

Danny and I both smiled at the two girls. “My two favorite girls, wearing my two favorite colors!” I said, scooping them both up into my arms causing them to giggle loudly. I looked up to see Thea walking out the back door with Mindy and Kono who were carrying bowls of food out. I smiled at her. She had on a blue and white polka dot dress. She smiled over at me, her eyebrows raising slightly when she saw me holding up both girls. I couldn’t help but grin at her. I loved watching her smile and seeing the dimples on her cheeks.

‘God, she looks amazing’

“Can we go play in the sand?” Nora asked, staring over at the beach. I remembered Thea telling me she loved the water. I set both girls down and handed the spatula to Danny to finish manning the grill.

“We’re about to eat so I’ll tell you what,” I said, looking at them. “After we eat, I’ll take you both out into the water. That way Danno doesn’t have to get his hair wet.” The girls giggled when Danny smacked me in the arm.

“Hey, it takes a lot of product to make it look this good.” He claimed.

Thea, Mindy and Kono walked to us. Nora quickly started to tell her mom about how we were going to go swimming after we eat. Thea smiled at the little girl who was practically bouncing. “That sounds great baby.”

Mindy and Kono set their bowls down on the table that was set up for the food. “Alright that’s all of it boss. Let us know when to come make our plates.” Kono nodded. Mindy made her way back to the table with Nora while Kono linked arms with Thea and led her over to the group over at the table. I remembered Thea telling me that she and Kono went to high school together. It comforted me a little bit that not everyone here was a complete stranger to her.

I watched them walk to the table and Kono started to introduce her to everyone. She had a smile on her face the whole time and took a seat right next to Malia. My family felt complete watching everyone sit and have fun together.

I must have been staring for a bit because when I looked at Danny after he obnoxiously cleared his throat, he had the burgers on a plate and was setting them on the food table. “Stare some more, I don’t think she noticed.”

“Shut up.”

“Seriously. Maybe it’s time to thaw your heart and tell her you want to be with her.” Danny said, grabbing two paper plates. He handed me one. “Alright Super Seal. It’s time for your Dad Training.”

“My what?”

“Your Dad Training.” He said. “You’re about to have not just one but two babies you’re responsible for. On top of that you’re practically in love with a woman who has a 7-year-old.”

“Hey-”

“So, do what I do and make Nora’s plate for Thea. The girls are going to eat at the table up on the lanai.” He gestured for me to copy him.

“This is ridiculous.” I sighed but started to make the plate like he was. “I’m going to assume you know what Nora likes to eat.”

He nodded. “She’ll basically eat everything but she’s allergic to onions. So, don’t put her food anywhere near onions.” He filled up the plate with a burger, plain with ketchup, mac and cheese, salad, beans, and the fruit salad. I did the same, quickly avoiding the small plate of onions that was set out for people to put on their burgers. I glanced up at Danny.

“Should these even be out?” I didn’t want to risk her eating them and something happening. I think Danny noticed my small moment of panic and placed his hand on my shoulder.

“No, idiot, she’s not going to go into anaphylactic shock by looking at them. She just can’t eat them or anything they’ve contaminated. She’s good about avoiding them or telling people she can’t eat them. Thea and Rachel both did give me a big speech about it the first time I had her over for a sleepover with Grace though. She always has an epi-pen when she isn’t with Thea- so get that nervous look off your face, it’s fine.” He handed me one of the plastic forks and turned to look over at the table. “Gracie, Nora! Come on time to eat, guys!”

The crowd was laughing as they made their way over to the food table. Danny and I went and set the girls plates on the smaller table closer to the house. Grace has pretty much claimed it as her table anytime she is over. There were marks all over it from craft projects she had done on it. “Grace, go show Nora where the juice boxes are. When we get done and clean up, we can go for a swim, okay?” I said to her and watched them run off into the house.

Danny rushed off to go make his plate with Kari as Thea walked up behind me. “Her burger doesn’t have onions on it does it?” She asked. She had that same nervous look on her face I’m sure I had a few moments ago.

“No no, Danny told me she’s allergic. I just put ketchup on it.” I said softly.

She looked a little shocked but smiled softly at me. “Thank you for making her plate.”

‘Damn that smile will be the death of me’

I put my arm around her shoulders casually. “Let’s go eat before our friends eat all the food.”

She laughed and nodded. We made our plates and sat next to each other at the large table. I noticed she constantly had a hand on her stomach, almost like she was nervous. Kono quickly pulled her into the conversation she was having with Malia and Charlie.

“Thea used to surf with us in high school. She could have totally been pro if she wanted.” Kono said.

Thea laughed. “Yeah, I don’t think so. I was good, but nowhere pro level.”

Mindy shrugged. “I don’t know, T. You definitely could have taken on Kalakaua.” She teased, causing Kono to throw the cap of her Longboard at her. I leaned back and watched the girls interact. Danny was having a semi-private with Kari. I couldn’t hear them, but I could tell from the look on his face he was upset, and Kari didn’t have a care in the world. I gave him a look, asking if he was alright. He just rolled his eyes and shook his head. He and Grace have that eye roll down pat. By the time we had both turned back to the group, the topic had changed.

“Oh, trust me, Danny has several things to say about Steve’s crazy behavior.” Chin laughed as he drank his beer.

“Crazy how?” Thea asked, turning to look at me and then over at Danny. I looked at Danny, silently asking him not to tell her anything but he ignored me.

“Oh, this crazy bastard got me shot our first day working together.” Danny said extremely calmly.

“You what!” Thea exclaimed, her eyes wide looking at me.

“Hey, I apologized! It was just an arm graze.” I said, putting my hands up to defend myself. “You were fine, you even punched me in the face.”

“Yeah that was after you put me in an arm lock!”

“Danny it was over a year ago, get over it.”

“I-” I cut Danny off by changing the subject.

“Anyway, anything else to talk about that doesn’t revolve around me?” I said, whacking Danny in the arm.

Malia spoke up. “So, do you guys know what you’re having yet?”

Thea and I both shook our heads. “No, we might find out in 3 weeks. Our last appointment the doctor said if they’re in the right position we should be able to tell.” Thea said while she stroked her stomach.

“Are you planning on having a gender reveal?” Kono asked. I gave a confused look.

“A what?”

“It’s where the expecting parents invite friends and loved ones to find out the gender of the baby, or in your case, babies, after the ultrasound. Typically, the parents don’t know either. It usually involves a mild, but colorful powder explosive or a pink or blue cake.” Max piped up from the end of the table.

“Jesus, why’d you have to say explosive?” Danny shook his head.

Thea looked at me and then Kono. “Uh, we haven’t really thought about it.”

“Do you want to do something like that?” I asked her.

She nodded. “I think it’d be fun, if you’re up for doing it.”

“Oh, he’s always ready to blow something up.” Danny chimed in. I rolled my eyes and told him to shut it. “Rachel and I did a cake for Grace’s gender reveal. White icing and a strawberry cake since it was a girl.”

“Maybe we could make two smaller cakes. One for baby A and one for baby B.” Mindy smiled.

“My aunt makes cakes for gender reveal parties all the time at her bakery, I’m sure she could do two for you.” Kono said. Thea just looked at me with a smile on her face.

“What do you think?” She asked me. I had never done anything like this, or even heard of anyone doing it.

I shrugged, leaning back in my seat. “It sounds like it could be fun. If you want to do something, we can.” I smiled at her. She turned to Mindy.

“Alright but you have to plan it.” She laughed. The conversation moved on while we continued to eat. Max went into a long explanation about his fossil collection before Danny interrupted him. Despite my trying to keep the conversation off the “dangerous” things I do for work, the team ended up telling more stories about me. I was nervous she was gonna get scared off by some of them. We did have a long conversation about my line of work and what it entails. I wasn’t gonna be home the same time every single night, I was going to be in danger, and I could get called in at any moment. She told me that she understood and as long as I was making an effort to be there, that was good enough for her. I had gotten a better understanding of her childhood out of that conversation too. Her and Nora’s father was almost never around, and their mom was checked out. I had gotten a bit more information from Mindy about her background. Thea basically had Nora from the moment she was born. Her mom was incapable of raising her and Thea didn’t trust her to raise another baby. Her mother gladly handed her off to Thea. I lost my mother at a young age, but to know she was physically here and not involved would have killed me, I couldn’t even imagine that.

After everyone was finished eating, the table was cleaned up and the food was put away. Everyone went on with their activities. Max, Charlie, and Chin were sitting and drinking longboards. Malia, Kari, and Kono were gathered around the fire pit that Danny had started up even though it wasn’t dark yet. I had gotten Grace and Nora ready to go in the water. Danny was standing about knee deep in, refusing to join us any farther than that. Mindy and Thea were sitting in the sand. They had both shed their clothes to sit in their bathing suits. It took everything in me to keep my eyes off of Thea and focus on the two 7-year old’s demanding my attention. I swam around in the water with the girls for a while, enjoying the intense game of Marco Polo they started and teasing Danny about not wanting to come join us.

Later after it got dark, everyone was gathered around the bonfire. I guess I wore the girls out because Grace was asleep in Danny’s lap and Nora was asleep, curled up at my side. I had my arm over her to keep her from slipping off the bench we were sitting on. Thea was on my other side, my arm over the back of the bench behind her. It felt nice having them both this close to me.

“Jeez Steve, you really wore them out.” Danny said, looking down at his daughter.

Thea shrugged. “It’ll make bedtime easier for Rachel, that’s for sure.” She said, yawning herself. Both their phones pinged at the same time. “Speaking of, I guess she’s here.” Danny got up, still cradling a sleeping Grace in his arms. He walked up the house. Kari followed behind him. Thea stood up and looked like she was about to take Nora from me. I shook my head and stopped her.

“I can carry her for you.” I said. I stood up and gently placed the sleeping girl on my chest, her head resting on my shoulder. Her arms came up and wrapped around my neck.

“Are you sure?” She asked, looking a little nervous. I wanted her to know that I wasn’t scared of kids, and that I didn’t care that she already had a kid. Again, I was thinking about the comments that Danny had made about dating with a kid.

I nodded. “Yeah, I got her. You don’t need to be carrying her anyway.”

We walked out to the front of the house. Danny was putting Grace in the backseat. Kari and Rachel looked like they were having a stare down. Thea sighed.

“Here we go.” I heard her mumble before looking at me. “There’s already a booster seat in the back for her, if you’ll put her in, I’ll buckle her up.”

“I can do it.” I said, but quickly realized how demanding that probably sounded to her. “I mean, if it’s okay with you, so you don’t have to bend down-”

“It’s fine, Steve.” She put a hand on my arm and smiled gently at me. “I just don’t want you to feel like you have to.” Her eyes glanced down at her hand.

I took my hand that was on Nora’s back and put it on hers, squeezing gently. “Look, Thea, I don’t care to help out. With Nora or anything you need, okay?”

She squeezed back and nodded; her eyes looked like they were watering up but she turned away before I could really see. She went over to Rachel while I carefully placed Nora in her booster seat. Danny stayed bent down in the car to show me how to maneuver the seatbelt. I was shocked at how easy it was.

“Oh, don’t go thinking you’re a pro just yet, booster seats are easy. Just wait until you’re trying to put a squirming baby in a car seat with multiple straps and buckles.” He said, kissing Grace’s head and closing her door.

“You’re really helping calm my nerves about this Danny.”

“It’s what I do best.”

Thea’s POV:

I went up to Rachel and gave her a hug. I knew she and Stan were going to talk about a divorce tonight, that’s why Grace was with Danny this afternoon. I wasn’t sure if she exactly told Danny what her plans were though.

“I told him.” She whispered. I could tell she had been crying recently. “I told him and here I am having a staring contest with Danny’s girlfriend.” She rubbed her eyes with the sleeves of her sweater.

I rubbed her arms soothingly. “It’s gonna be okay.” I tried to comfort her. “We can talk more about it tomorrow after the apartment showing.” Rachel and I were finally going to look at some new apartments and condos for me and Nora. She nodded, sniffling as she gave me a hug. I pulled back to look at her. “Are you gonna be okay with the girls tonight? I don’t care to take them if you need to be alone tonight.”

She shook her. “No, I’ll be fine. I think some time with them might be what I need. Stan packed a bag and left after we argued, so he won’t be home.”

I walked to the car to kiss Nora bye even though she was still asleep.

“Are you okay?” Danny asked her. He probably saw how upset she was. I glanced over at Kari then looked at Steve. It was obvious he picked up on the anger radiating off of the blonde woman.

“I’m fine Daniel. I’ll call you next week.” She said shortly and got in her car. The four of us stood and watched her drive off. Kari stormed off to her car, Danny quickly following her. We could hear the argument starting so we headed back to the backyard.

“I’m gonna say bye to everyone and head home.” I told him. “Rachel and I are going to look at apartments tomorrow.”

“You’re moving?” He asked, holding the back gate open for me.

“Yeah, my apartment is only two bedrooms and the stairs up to it are starting to kill me.” I laughed. He looked at me like he wanted to say something. “What?”

“Oh, nothing. Just let me know if you need any help.” He said, giving me a smile. “I know you’re not incapable of doing things yourself and I’m sorry if I’ve made it seem that way. I just want to be able to help.”

I stopped walking and put my hand on his arm to stop him. “I know, and I really appreciate it. Just going to appointments with me and helping me with the doctors’ bills has helped more than you know. I promise I’m not over doing it.” I told him seriously. “Also quit listening to Danny about how scary pregnancy is.” I laughed. Steve laughed too, shaking his head.

“Yeah, Danny has been giving me advice.” He chuckled.

“Yeah, that Dad Training advice might come in handy though.” I giggled and walked towards the group. Everyone looked like they were getting ready to go. I heard Steve groan behind me.

“Oh, God. You heard that!”

After saying goodbye to everyone and giving a round of hugs, Steve walked me out to my car.

“Thank you for inviting us tonight.” I said.

He grinned at me. “I’m glad you had a good time. You and Nora are welcome here any time. I know she absolutely loved the beach, just like you said.”

I laughed. “Oh, yes, she’s my water baby for sure.” I got in my car and Steve closed my door for me. “Let me know when you get home, okay?” I nodded and waved as I pulled out and headed toward my apartment.

After my 10-minute drive, I parked and went to check the mail before slowly climbing the stairs to the apartment. I looked through the mail as I closed and locked my door. A large yellow envelope caught my eye. I set all my things down on the bar in the kitchen and opened it.

Peter Kenwood, Plaintiff

Theodora Kenwood, Defendant

Petition for Change of Custody

My breath caught in my throat. I reached for my phone and my first thought was to call Mindy. ‘No, she’s going home with Charlie tonight.’ My next thought was to call Rachel. ‘She has the girls, I can’t push this on her too’ I braced myself on the bar and sat down, dialing the number on my phone.

“Hey, did you make it home?” Steve asked me after he answered. I was silent, trying not to let my tears fall. As soon as I opened my mouth to speak, they fell anyway.

“Can you come over?” My voice broke.

I heard some shuffling on the other end. “Thea, what’s wrong?” He asked, concerned.

“I-I just really need you.”

#Steve McGarrett #steve mcgarrett imagine #Hawaii Five 0 #hawaii five o imagine #mindy shaw #Danny Williams #Book Em Danno #danny danno williams #grace williams #rachel edwards #CHIN HO KELLY #Kono Kalakaua

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doitjake · 3 years

Text

The music in us - P2

Jake kiszka x reader

warnings: none.

Request: “two rockstars meeting in a festival, and both bands hanging out cause they are both friends with the struts, then jake starts falling in love w this person because of their personality, talent and charisma, they start to match in the second day of camping at the festival and then the bands have to play in the same day, jake tells his feeling and the reader doesn’t know how to react.”

A/N: sorry it took so long to bring the second part and unfortunately or luckily we will have part three! I hope you guys like it and if you want to see a specific scene in the second part comment here or you can send me a message / question!!

Requests here: https://forms.gle/6uMRSCzFvyR2FgZPA

"Wake up, bitch." I open my eyes and see Ana climbing down from her bed, going straight to mine. Strange, usually Lexa who has the job of waking us up.

I sit up in bed before Ana could reach over and start pulling my covers off. Ana looks satisfied and walks towards Lexa's bed.

"Let me sleep, Ana." Lexa covers her head with the sheets.

Poppy comes out of the bathroom, already with her makeup and hair done. "This is what happens when you spend the night hooking up with a drummer." Poppy stops next to Ana who laughs looking at Lexa.

"Hanging out with WHO?" I finally really wake up and still hit my head on Ana's bed, which is on top of mine.

"Lexa and Danny kissed yesterday at karaoke." Ana speaks excitedly and Poppy continues. "Momma got it off!"

In less than 2 seconds Lexa stands up and appears at Poppy and Ana's side. "Shut the fuck up." I can see her red cheeks as she walks past me to go to the bathroom.

"What about you, honey?" Poppy looks at me arching her eyebrow."You and Jake hm, I felt the tension."

"WE ALL FEEL IT!" Lexa shouts from the bathroom, over the sound of water.

"Why don't you talk more about yesterday, Lexa?" I yell in response, causing her to shut up.

"Did kissing happen?" Ana asks.

"Oh my God people, he just walked me to the bus." Lexa comes out of the bathroom and I walk in right after her. "You guys are watching too many movies." I say already inside the bathroom.Inside I take a quick shower before some of my band mates start complaining.

Back in the room I get my boots and some necklaces and rings to complete my outfit, Poppy comes to me saying that Ana and Lexa are already gone to make it to a concert of some indie band at the festival.

Poppy and I get out of the bus and head towards the stages, which are already starting to get crowded. We pass by the security guards - who for some reason laugh when they see us - showing us our badges to enter the VIP area of one of the stages, which is now occupied by the members of Bloc Party. When we enter we see Luke, Adam, Sam and Josh at one end of the stage.

"Hi girls!" Sam is the first to see us as we approach and am I going crazy or did I really see Poppy blush now?

"Hey guys" Luke offers us each a bottle of beer. Poppy accepts, going to sit on one of the benches below the stage, I nod my head no. "It's not even noon, Luke." I laugh walking over to Poppy. "May I ask why you sat down, dear? We have to be on the big stage in 15 minutes for the Aerosmith show, they're opening."

Poppy's face contorts into a grimace as she looks across the festival to the stage. "You know Y/N, you who are an Aerosmith fan here, you're not going to make your pretty friend walk all this way to see a band I don't even listen to much?" Poppy smiles childishly at me.

"You are the worst friend in the world!" I speak to as I walk past the boys to say goodbye to them.

"I love you too!" Poppy shouts as I am almost at the stage exit.

As I walk to the other stage, I realize how beautiful the festival is. Camping tents circle the lawn, groups of friends take fun pictures lying down, not caring about the grass and a little bit of mud. Food trucks begin to set up their trailers to receive the drunken crowd in need of something solid in their stomachs, Poppy and Ana are included in this crowd. I laugh with thought and only realize that there was someone in front of me when I bump into her as I enter the vip air of the stage.

"I'm sorry." I raise my gaze to the person and am relieved that it is not a stranger who would probably cuss me out. "Oh, hi Jake!" I smile at the man in front of me.

"Hi Y/N." He laughs making room for me to pass. "How are you doing?"

"Well, how about you?"

"Fine too." Jake leans against one of the bars, he's even more handsome in the daylight, shit! "Still feel like you're going to pass out at any moment?" He smiles at me.

"Don't even remind me of that!" I smile too. "And you Sir, you have to promise that even if I faint you won't let anyone take me away from this privileged place." I point to the VIP area we are in, which is less than a meter from the stage.

"Okay, I promise!" Jake laughs and runs his fingers through his bracelets, coming closer to me, to speak something in my ear. "I know the whole festival has probably already seen this, but I think it's only fair to warn you that your badge is backwards." He looks at me amused and waves his own badge.

I look at my badge and see that all the writing and pictures are upside down. I try to turn it over still holding the rope, but I only make it worse, making the badge fall into the grass.

Before I can duck to pick it up, Jake does it for me and he also catches the badge cord around my neck with his own fingers and puts the badge away easily.

"There!"

I look at him and smile at the same time blushing. "Thanks."

Jake shrugs his shoulder smiling.

We both look over our shoulder when we hear familiar voices. Coming towards us are Ana, Gethin and a little behind them Lexa and Danny. Very close.

I laugh at the scene and Jake seems to read my mind and follows me smiling at the 'couple'.

"Cute, huh?" Ana nods to Lexa and Danny, making them both blush.

I pat her arm lightly and turn to Gethin and Danny. "Hi guys."

"Hey Y/N." The two respond in unison.

Gethin crouches on the floor opening a bale of beer and handing it out to each of us. I get tired of rejecting drinks, so I accept. Before I can open mine, Danny and Gethin are already toasting with their bottles.

I shiver at the whisper right next to my ear. "I said, beer guys."

I turn to Jake smiling at the memory of our first conversation.

The half-computerized voice comes out of the speakers, announcing that soon the band will take the stage. And maybe it's the adrenaline from the concert about to start, but I take courage and approach Jake.

"So, today the girls and I are going to build a bonfire on the lawn behind our bus." I look at him, who has a sideways smile on his face and nods. "Do you want to join us? I mean, you and all the boys too."

"Sure."

We smile at each other and only stop when seconds later, Joe Perry and Steven Tyler enter the stage, being followed by the rest of the band afterwards.

"No fainting, eh." Jake speaks low to me, but loud enough for me to hear over the beginning of 'DREAM ON.'

"No getting me out of here if I faint." I speak would be but can't stand it and follow Jake in laughter as he throws his head back.

And now the show really begins.

I spend the next two hours singing (screaming) all the Aerosmith songs, some hours cuddling with Ana, other times helping Gethin open another bale of beer.

Jake, Ana and Gethin spend the last 4 minutes of the show laughing at me and Lexa, because we were crying of 'I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing' until we saw that Danny was also almost crying and then we were all engaged in the mission of laughing at him.

Definitely one of the best moments of my life.

When the concert of a small alternative band starts, we leave the VIP area and head towards the food trucks. Ok, maybe I am also part of the audience that needs something solid in the belly.

As we sit down on some folding chairs, Josh, Luke, Jed and Adam come towards us. Josh frowns, taking a seat in one of the chairs in front of me.

"Where are Sam and Poppy?"

"Are you guys too drunk and have you forgotten that they were both with you?" I ask laughing and the 4 boys in front of me look even more confused.

"They said they were going to meet you in the VIP area of the big stage." Adam replies.

All ten of us stare at each other's faces. Then Josh can't help himself and lets out a laugh and everyone starts to understand what really happened.

"Wow, two couples in less than a day of festival?" Luke hisses.

Even though I am a few chairs away from Lexa and Danny I can feel them both wanting to hide when we all give them quick glances, my glance is quick but so much so that I miss the scene of the two of them smiling at each other.

When I finish eating everyone is still too busy discussing Poppy and Sam and how they match as a couple.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to Jake, who has also finished eating.

"We have an hour and a half until the Stones concert and I have half a bottle of Whiskey on the bus." He raises one of his eyebrows with an inviting smile.

"I'm in."

No one seems to care much when we say we're going for a walk around the festival. No one except Ana.

"Hey, Luke, look at the third couple!" She points to me and Jake laughing.

And for the second time in the day I feel all my blood rising to my cheeks. But I still have a little bit of bad bitch attitude left in me, so I yell back. "Only if you and Josh are the fourth." I hear Jake laugh behind me and get up the courage to look back, where I find Guitarist with his hand raised so we can have a high-five.

I slap his hand and look at Ana again and see a unique scene, my cousin embarrassed as Josh winks at her playfully.

Jake and I make our way back to the buses, stopping to look at a stall full of handmade jewelry. I leave with a lanyard with a pendant of James Jamerson's miniature Fender Precision bass and Jake with a leather bracelet, also with a pendant, a miniature Fender Stratocaster, Hendrix's trademark.

We stayed chatting about these iconic instruments until we arrived at his bus door.

"Welcome, Miss." He opens the door for me and I walk past him laughing.

Their bus is not much different from ours, except for the amount of drinks in one corner. But who am I kidding? If it weren't for Lexa, ours would be like this too.

Jake goes over to the corner and says he's going to get the glasses and the bottle and I sit down on the small brown leather sofa.

I pick up a book that was on the little table next to the couch, "Is it yours?" Jake comes over to me holding a bottle of Jack Daniel's and two glasses, one with ice and the other without.

"Yes." Jake sets the glasses down and opens the bottle. "Have you read it?"

I look at the paperback edition of an Edgar Allan Poe book of short stories and nod. "A classic." Jake fills both glasses with the liquid. "The best kind for touring."

Jake smiles and holds out one of the glasses to me. "No ice, right?"

"Right!" I smile at him.

We toast with our glasses and relax on the couch.

"Do you want to hear something?" Jake asks pointing to the small radio on the small table.

I say yes, even though the silence between us is not at all uncomfortable.

I smile when Five By Five by the Stones starts to play.

Jake lays back on the couch smiling as well "Just to get in the mood."

"I get it, Keith Richards's 'fangirl'." I wink at him, getting a laugh in response.

By the time the fifth and final one starts, we are at the end of the bottle.

I look at Jake beside me, his eyes and hands are focused on filling our glasses for the last time. A wavy lock of hair falls across his face, while the rest is tucked behind his shoulders.

And it must be the fault of the damned drink that I take my fingers to this lock and curl it around my finger, making it almost curl when I let go.

Jake looks over his shoulder and laughs anasaly. I pull my fingers out of his hair, embarrassed.

"Sorry, it was kind of irresistible." I give him a nervous smile.

Jake offers me my glass and smiles, "It's okay, Y/N!" He props his glass on the floor and brings his hand up to my hair, curling it in his finger, the same way I did with him.

Jake rests his cheek against the back of the couch and smiles. "Sorry, it was kind of irresistible."

I laugh and stare at the ceiling for a few seconds, but when I turn my gaze back to Jake, he is no longer smiling. But he doesn't look angry or upset. He scans my entire face, until his gaze meets mine again. My hair still curled on his finger.

"Would you be mad if I said I really want to kiss you?" Jake asks and shit I feel time stop and all that silly teenage nervousness come back.

I look at him and Jake looks anxious, waiting for an answer.

"No." I speak low, because for some reason my voice seems to get lost inside me, "I wouldn't be mad."

"And you wouldn't be mad if I actually kissed either?" Jake smiles sideways at me.

Without moving much, I leave my glass on the floor next to his.

"I would be mad if you didn't kiss." I admit smiling at him.

His fingers that were holding a lock of my hair, go to the back of my neck pulling me closer, one of my hands goes to his arm and the other goes through his hair.

And then our lips are together and when I briefly open my mouth, Jake gets the message and begins to explore my entire mouth. One of his hands goes to my waist, looking for support to deepen the kiss.

Neither Jake nor I care when the music stops.

Our breaths are a pleasant sound to both of us now.

His hands slide to the back of my thigh, pulling me onto his lap.

My two hands go to his neck while trying to make as much contact as possible with his mouth. I curse Jake mentally as he separates our kiss, he realizes my disappointment and laughs as he brings his mouth to my neck and I take back all the swearing I did second before.

Just as I am about to start the last buttons on his shirt (the only ones that were buttoned) a noise at the door and voices make me quickly get off Jake's lap.

"There are locks on these buses you know, brother?" We look at Sam who is dying to laugh at the moment.

And when Poppy's head appears through the door I realize that he is not the only one dying of laughter.

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yutaya · 3 years

Text

Iron Fist Rewatch: 1x01: Snow Gives Way

-Someone barging into Ward's office acting like they own the place and also know Harold is alive must have sent such a jolt of fear through Ward for a second

-Ward puts himself between Danny and Joy when it seems like Danny might get physical

-Ward tells Joy not to have Danny arrested - Harold concerns?

-Danny PTSD set off by the elevator turbulence?? But he was fine going up. Just stress induced? He's shaking.

-FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DO NOT BREAK INTO THAT HOUSE

-Joy's dog just disappears after this episode?

-Danny just meditates or something to get that dog to calm down. Calms his mind so as to seem not a threat / not present? Is Danny some sort of animal whisperer? I'm now positive that at some point during Danny and Ward's Adventures Across Asia, they were stranded somewhere for some reason, Ward is complaining about being stuck in some muddy backwater hick town or whatever, Danny just sort of strolls up to some large animals (attached to a cart? Wait, that would be stealing. Hm...) goes all zen state, then says to Ward "they'll take us to the next town" like that's a normal series of events and not COMPLETELY INSANE, DANNY, WHAT THE F---.

-Pictures on Joy's shelf: Harold with his arm around young Joy, all six of them on some vacation. Rands + Meachums kind of separated in this photo, though. Don't people normally stand closer together in group photos? Also, young Joy much shorter than young Danny. Note: Wendall's hands on both Heather and Danny's shoulders. Harold's hand on Joy's shoulder. Ward and Danny both have hands in pockets.

-"Dad says rules are for pussies" ;___; (Young Ward refusing to pay monopoly rent because he just doesn't want to. Starting the corrupt financial elite training off early, huh?)

-"Oh, here comes Mommy and Daddy to protect you and give you lots of hugs and kisses and tell you what a sweet little boy you are. It's disgusting. *sweeps all the game pieces off the table even though they've clearly been playing for awhile and it's not like Danny just won he was only asking for like $200*" Ward, you dramatic bitch. Also, they were literally only saying they were home, not necessarily rushing in to protect Danny from the Big Bad Ward refusing to pay $200 monopoly money. Metaphorically, I suppose this is still Ward being a sore loser, though. It's not monopoly Danny beat him at, it's having parents who love him. T_T AND THEN HE LIES ABOUT IT, PLAYING THE BELEAGUERED BABYSITTER, ASDFGHJKL - WARD. (Note: neither Danny nor Joy speak up against this blatant unfairness. Previous failure? YOU'RE SUCH A BULLY, WARD.)

-Big Al is first person to be friendly to Danny and I'm sure Danny doesn't forget it. Headcanon Danny is def actively caring towards 'lower class', including homeless and drug addicts, and actually sees + treats them as equals. Classism definitely a theme in these shows with the people who struggle financially like Colleen being the kindest and most charitable and the rich being assholes.

-But also why is he informing Danny that the internet can be used as a search engine with no prior indication in their conversation that Danny doesn't know this? I mean, Danny does not, in fact, know this, but.

-In the news article, the photo of the Rands is the same one in Joy's apartment, but the Meachums are not there. However, they are not merely cropped out: the background extends into the spot they should occupy. Did some poor news article graphic designer have to go find a photo of that tourist spot background at the exact right angle and photoshop them together to get rid of the Meachums, or was Joy's photo a photoshopped family vacation image, which could have explained the awkward distance between the two families, even though it wouldn't have been that hard in editing to set them all closer together? Maybe they all still went on the same vacation together, but instead of asking a passerby to take a photo for them, both families took photos of each other and then someone combined them at a later date? Practically speaking, that still means the angle would be likely to be off for the background, and it's also suspicious that there are zero other tourists around. These rich families rented out the entire space?? Would lend to lack of external parties to take a group pic for them. Obviously, IRL explanation is they're all photoshopped onto a static background, but fun to think of the in-universe reasons. ...Actually, most likely explanation is that they took multiple photos - Rand only, Meachum only, maybe also kids only, Wendall+Harold only, etc, as well as group. So this entire train of thought is inconsequential. Oops.

-Harold had a big event funeral, "mayor and everything"? That must have been fun for both Harold and Ward, with significantly different usages of the word 'fun'.

-Hello Joy, not only did I follow you home to accost you at your front door the morning after I attacked the security at your workplace to enter your probably restricted top floor executives offices, I also did extensive research into your childhood history down to the position you and your friend played on your childhood soccer team, oh and also I broke into your house yesterday where I interacted with your dog. Now watch while I prove my physical prowess by flipping over a taxi.

-Bird flying into city while Danny meditates?? Symbolically, follows the idea of the bird flying through the pass that was Danny's sign to leave K'un Lun and return to NYC. Spiritually - what? AU where the bird is Danny's spirit animal and he's connected to it / seeing through its eyes right now. For the HDM AU fans: bird could be Danny's separated dæmon? (Would a HDM AU Danny's dæmon be a dragon? Honestly, idk how much dragon stereotypes match Danny's personality. Would have to think about that. Would be funny if someone else had the dragon dæmon, not any of the Fist holders.)

-Danny. Danny. Colleen JUST HUNG THAT FLYER UP. Take one of the little tabbies, if you must, that's what they're for, but don't take the entire flyer down! Those cost money, you know. And it takes time to cut all those little tabbies out and then go around hanging the flyers up.

-Colleen be like "dear god, this is why you shouldn't be nice to people, they start trying to hit on you, @ random park dude, please stop talking at me and following me while I continually shift out of your line of vision"

-Danny: "Hey you speak Chinese? I speak Chinese." Colleen: "I'm Japanese you dick. :)"

-Ward: I'm gonna make sure our personal security team is guarding you against this clear and present threat, but also we're still not calling the police??

-Ward turns this from either a crazy homeless guy or a scam artist into a potential organized corporate sabotage - the kind of threat that Joy is more easily able to compartmentalize her emotions on and crush under her heel?

-Ward just gets into a moving vehicle with someone he has verbally acknowledged as an active threat to his family. Did you have ANY stranger danger safety lessons growing up, Ward?

-Danny now appears to be actively threatening Ward, while using the reasoning that Ward and everyone else have been seriously trying his patience and he's in danger of losing his temper, but he's still giving Ward one last chance to back down. Note: this is a technique commonly employed by abusers, and probably more triggering to Ward than Danny knows, even though Danny probably actually does think he's being sincere as opposed to manipulative.

-->Aaaand Ward responds by ratcheting up instead, because of course he does, IMMEDIATELY leading to the gun to head scene. oh, geez.

-Danny provides personal details - probably this is the moment Ward starts to believe it might actually be Danny somehow, against all logic and reason. He looks shaken, then immediately starts trying to gaslight Danny. asdfghjkl WARD.

-->Ward lying to Danny's face and putting himself in the position of the righteous with Danny as the person in the wrong when they both know it's a lie is very reminiscent of the monopoly scene from when they were kids and the implied constant behavior from when they were kids. But this time, Danny doesn't accept it the way he did as a kid. He stares at Ward, remembering this pattern, actively teetering on PTSD flashback mode, and fights back. Makes Ward think he might be about to kill them both - while having flashbacks that hinder his ability to stop so Danny in hindsight gets freaked out about what he almost did too. (Note: looking freaked out and claiming he didn't mean to almost kill them both just now was probably more concerning to Ward rather than less.) And then he promises he'll be back because this isn't over. gdi, Danny, no wonder Ward wants you gone asap.

-Colleen, trying to tell Danny to go away because he's being a creeper: TAKE A HINT TAKE A HINT

-Danny, casually: Oh yeah Master Lei Gun "The Thunderer" used to smack me hard in the face with the practice swords

-Colleen bringing a sword to a gun fight

-Danny grabs enemy's gun, but not to use as weapon/defense - only to disarm it and run off - which Colleen sees.

-What festival is this that's happening in Chinatown? Has anyone figured out an IF timeline? Could compare dates to real world events, see if there's any potential cross over.

-None of these bystanders so much as bother to look at the fistfights happening 2 feet away from them

-Ward sitting in his office eating his food (it has decorative greens so you know it's ~fancy~) and answers his phone smiling because he's expecting the good news that Danny-probably-an-impersonator-but-also-potentially-maybe-not-but-we're-not-thinking-about-that-Ward-get-a-hold-of-yourself is dead. Way to be a villain stereotype, Ward. I know you try real hard at it so good job uwu

-Harold intro. Ward clearly at his beck and call and just as clearly resentful of it. "I think...” *resigned* “-of course, right away." is such immediate shorthand for someone abusing the power imbalance. (Note: Ward puts off approaching Harold with the "Danny problem" until night 2, tries to handle it quietly until he has implicated himself (Danny now knows Ward tried to have him killed) and Danny is still present and now an even bigger threat)

-So many elevators. All express to specific floors/areas? This lobby is so unsettling. Elevator leads to another hall full of elevators, then stairs, then handprint access to hall with second elevator into penthouse. (Note: Ward is one of those people who press the close door button multiple times with a frustrated facial expression)

-Ward to Harold: "How do you even know about that? ...Shit. Are you behind this? Is this another one of your stupid tests?"

-Harold to Ward: "I wish you would take things like this more seriously, so I don't see my company destroyed."

-Photos on Harold's shelf: young Joy, posed photo of Meachums in formal-ish clothing, Harold's hands on both kids shoulders, indistinguishable group of people on a bridge(?) somewhere. Group photo atop a fancy box, Joy photo in front of the Meachum family photo. On Harold's desk: another photo of young Joy, this one looks like one of those posed school photos where they have the kid stand against a "tree" backdrop.

-Ward says out loud that he could ignore Harold and Harold wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Harold casually observes that Ward is now and has always been childish. Ward remarks that Harold has been telling Ward he's disappointed in him his whole life. Harold is still disappointed in Ward right now.

-Harold: this is how you make your employees loyal to you. *proceeds to display his complete dominance over Kyle, who looks nervous and threatened by the direct attention* Ward: "Jesus, Dad, what the hell is wrong with you?" (Still doesn't do anything to remove Kyle from this situation though)

-Harold lectures at Ward as if everything Ward has ever done is wrong, always, including snapping his fingers at him when he starts to speak himself, like a bad dog, and listing off things that Ward has already brought up to Joy as if Ward is an incompetent who would never consider those angles himself

-Ward makes a snide comment, Harold snaps at him, Ward smiles a little bit because he has succeeded in getting under Harold's skin for a moment

-Harold: Leave this to me. I'll tell you exactly what to do. Ward: Like always. Harold: Like always.

-Awww, Danny was rushing back to tell his new friend Al all about Ward sending people to kill him, possibly looking for advice? ;_; (Also, why is there a foreboding music significance to Al having a bird tattoo? Does this ever come back??? I don't remember this mystery going anywhere.)

-Danny is lurking in Joy's office. He doesn't say anything even slightly reassuring, like that he has an appointment, just heavily implies that he snuck in. sigh.

-"I'm not gonna hurt you," Danny laughs, after displaying a whole lot of extremely threatening behavior. Joy smiles, drugs him, and buys time until it kicks in.

#iron fist rewatch #iron fist #snow gives way #my stuff #the immortal iron fist

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kileyrose-2003 · 4 years

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Dan Torrance x Fem Reader Pt.1

A/N: @merci-bitch This is the pain in the ass post I have been messaging you about since this morning, lol. Anyways now that that is out of my system: Hello lovelies! This is the pt 1 of the intro fic I wrote about Danny with it revolving around Rose that tons of you have been asking about.

I am going to warn you by saying this post will leave you with a lot of questions and a lot of ‘how dare you’s’ and questions. Many of which will be eventually answered. It is a sad fic.

Link is going to be above on my page since it wouldn’t load. Enjoy!

As The Knot got everything all set up with Violet, Rose was in the process of tucking you into bed in her camper. It was far enough away that Rose knew you wouldn’t hear any of Violet’s screaming but you could get to her just in case you needed her.

“Now,” She gently laid you down in her bed. “I’m going to be spending the night in daddy’s trailer but if you need me, I’ll be just next door. Okay?”

“Okay, mama.” Rose kissed the top of your head. “That’s my girl.” She began to pull the covers over you. “You had fun today?” You nodded. “I guess.” Just as you were about to lay your head against the pillow you reached out and realized you were missing something. “Wait!”

“What’s the matter?” You scanned the bed up and down. “My pillow. I can’t find my special pillow I hug at night.”

“The one I gave you with the Celtic Knot on it or the one daddy gave you?” Rose got off the bed and scanned the floor. “The one you gave me.”

“I don’t see the Celtic one but, I do see this one.” Rose held up your pillow that Crow gave you that had a mix of all different types of flowers on it. “Is that okay?”

“Yes mama.” You would of been lying though if you said you weren’t a little disappointed. You could of sworn you had both of them this morning. Rose set the pillow next to you and you snuggled close to it. “It smells like daddy’s cologne.” Rose grinned. “It does, doesn’t it?” You nodded and she leaned down to kiss both your cheeks. “We love you. You know that, right?”

“I know.” Rose hinted at a smile. “Goodnight, my sweet girl.” You kissed her nose. “Night, mommy.” Rose flicked the light switch near the bed. “You’re sure you’ll be okay?” She asked. “I’m sure.” You could make out the nodding of Rose’s head in the darkness and she gave you a small wave before she left her trailer.

The darkness from earlier began to set in again and you moved your head somewhat under the blankets as you squeezed the pillow.

(Danny? Are you still up?)

(Yeah, what’s up?)

(I’m scared.)

(Don’t be. Think of it like pictures. It’s not real.)

(But they are though. What if it comes to get me?)

(Then I’ll be here to help you. If you need me, I’m right here.)

(Thanks, Danny.)

….

Around 12 am, you felt a warm arm draped around you snuggled close to it, thinking it was Rose. “I thought you were spending the night with daddy.” You breathed in, expecting to smell cotton and flower but instead all you got was the stench of decay.

The person laying next to you in bed sat up and just as you were about to let out a scream, she placed a finger onto your lips. It was the lady from earlier.

“Shhh..it’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.” You let out a cry and tears started streaming down your face. “Shhh..please don’t cry. You’re too pretty for that.” Your real mother ran her fingers through your hair before kneeling down and stepping away from the bed. Your crying wasn’t lessening any and she sighed. She noticed a piece of fabric sticking out from the sides of the bed and pulled it out. “Hey, is this yours?” She held up your special pillow from Rose.

You wiped your eyes and nodded. “You found it!” You whisper yelled and took it out of her hands, holding your pillow close to your chest. Slowly you began to calm down and eventually you met her eye. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Y/n.” Despite the black and blue all over her face, you thought the spirit sitting infront of you was pretty. “What’s your name?” She smiled bitter sweetly at the question. “You can call me a friend for now if you’d like.”

“Okay,” You hummed sweetly and hesitantly reached out to hold her hand. “I’m sorry I ran from you before but I thought you were going to hurt me..Although I don’t think you would. I feel like I’ve seen you before.”

“You have.” There were tears in her eyes but she refused to let you see them. “From where?” You asked. “That doesn’t matter. This world is a dream of a dream to me now. All that matters is that I protect you.”

“Like an angel?” She nodded. “Yes, somewhat like that.” You cracked a hint of a smile. “Good, because I like you. You seem nice.” You wrapped your arms around her. “I’m glad you think so. I can’t stay long but I want you to know that when you’re in trouble, when you’re in pain, I hear you. And I’m going to do the best I can to protect you, got it?”

“Got it?” You nodded and she smiled. “You’re a sweet girl, Y/n. Stay as sweet as you are.” Before you could respond she was already gone but this time, you didn’t feel so alone and scared in Rose’s RV. You felt safe.

You laid back down on Rose’s bed, hugging your pillow tightly. “I promise,” You mumbled into the air. You heard footsteps on the stairs to RV and you squeezed your eyes shut as if you were sleeping as the door gently swung open.

You felt a calloused hand brush over your face and you knew it was Crow. He smelled of iron and dirt and you had to try your hardest not to make a face. “Is she asleep?”

“Deeply and soundly. She lasted over three hours, Rosie. I’m surprised Y/n didn’t wake up.”

‘Lasted? What do they mean?’ You thought to yourself.

“I’m surprised she didn’t either. She was loud too. Anyways, I’m going to get cleaned up. You coming or not? One of the few times we can do our thing without having the kid around.” Rose asked impatiently. “I am. Just give me a minute. I didn’t get to say goodnight to her.”

As you heard Rose walk away you felt Crow press a kiss against your temple. His mustache tickled your face and you smiled softly. “I love you,” He whispered softly and ran a thumb across your cheek.

“Crow!” He stepped away from you. “Coming, coming..” Crow shut the door behind him and you opened your eyes. “Something is definitely not right.” You felt a rush of warm air wrap around your stomach.

(Don’t worry about it..at least for now. You won’t see me again for a while, Y/n.)

(Why?)

(Because, Ka is a wheel and all comes round.)

….

“….Y/n! Y/n!” Crow chased after you. “Just don’t!” You begged and threw your suitcase in the trunk of your car, trying to make your way to the driver side door but Crow was determined. “Y/n..Y/n, stop.” He wrapped his arms around your waist. “N-no.

"Think about what you’re doing, Y/n. How much you leaving would hurt all of us,” Crow grunted as you tried to break free of him.

“There’s nothing you can say that is going to make me make up my mind. I know, you know. About everything,” You continued to fight him.

“What?” He asked. “You know what, Crow,” Rose answered for you. “I tried protecting the both of you. I really did. She though, seemed to need a bit more persuading. Isn’t that right, Y/n?” The more he looked at you, he noticed tiny bruises on your wrist and realized there was probably more in other places he couldn’t see.

Crow scanned the group of people around and slowly reality began to set in. Every single one of them knew. His posture stiffened and Crow’s grip on you loosened. “Rosie, we talked about this when she first entered the picture. This isn’t okay.”

“We also had a talk about how I didn’t want you to grow attached to her because we didn’t know how everything was going to pan out and look how that turned out.” His eyes locked with yours as if he was trying to find something to try and keep you there with him but there no love in your gaze. It was hurt. Hurt that he and Rose caused. “Y/n-”

“I’m sorry. I love you like you’re my dad because you practically are, but I can’t be here anymore.” Fear unlocked an almost unnoble reserve and he looked at Rose almost as if he was begging her do to something.

“Let her leave, Crow.” Rose smiled gamely. “She’s old enough to make her own decision and know that she’ll have to deal with the consequences on her own and by herself. Isn’t that right, Y/n?”

You narrowed your eyes at Rose, extending a saddened glare to Crow. “Y/n..” You shook your head and opened your car door. “I’m sorry.”

“Y/n baby..” You shut the door in his face and put the key in the ignition. “Y/n- Rose, make her stop!”

“I can’t and I won’t. You want to continue to coddle her and live a false reality, go right ahead. The little bitch fails to realize that those rube fucking pigs would of never of been able to provide for her and then because she realizes the truth she wants to run. Over 10 years of time I wasted. I want nothing to do with her right now.” He let out a frustrated sigh and placed his hand against your window.

(Ignore her. She’s being ridiculous. Y/n, please honey.)

(No.)

(Well if you won’t come back will you at least look at me?)

You let out a sigh and hesitantly did as you were asked.

(I know what we did was wrong but I love you, honey. Even when we thought you would just be here for the steam, I loved you. I still love you, sweetie. Please, just get out the car and stay home.)

(I know you do and I love you too, believe me, I do. Even after everything she’s fucking done to me, I love her to. This though..all the pain I’ve caused to the kids even I didn’t directly hurt them, and their familes..it’s not right. And she stole me. You both took me from people who also loved me and then you killed my mother and that’s not right, either.)

(Y/n-)

(You kill other people’s children so why should either of you deserve to have me?)

The question was met with silence for a few moments. “Y/n-” You could of sworn you seen him crying out of the corner of your eye but you refused to acknowledge it. You knew if you did, you’d cave in and that was the last thing you wanted. You wouldn’t give Rose the satisfaction of making an example out of you more than she already had. Even after everything they all did, you still had a soft spot for the bastard. He was going to have to suffer. You had no other choice.

“Goodbye, Crow.” You began to drive away. “Y/n! Y/n..”

(I’m sorry.)

(Y/n, come on. I…)

His voice began to fade away in the distance and you let out a sob. Even though you couldn’t hear him, your emotions were still synced though and you felt like you were being stabbed in the heart.

(YOU LITTLE BITCH! HE WON’T EVEN FUCKING TALK TO ME. LOOK AT WHAT YOU’VE DONE!)

Bam! You let out a cry as you fell of your bed, gripping onto your childhood pillow. “I hurt him, I hurt him,” You hicupped and let out a soft scream. “I hurt him..”

You felt a hand running gently through your hair and you seen your biological mother’s see through form standing above you. “He hurt you too. Don’t feel so bad.”

“I know but-” She interrupted him. “You still love him a little bit?” You nodded and sniffled. “Yeah.” She kissed the top of your head. “I was the same way with your father even when he started beating me. It’s not a good mentality to have.”

There was a pause. “What about the woman in the hat?” You furrowed your brow. “Rose?” She nodded. “I don’t know honestly. I had a good relationship with her until she seen you. I think she knew she wasn’t going to have control over me and that’s when she started hitting me..” You started crying hysterically all over again.

“I know..I know.” Your mom took your hand in her’s. “Some of all this is my fault too. I let it happen with your father and then the crow let it happen, even if he didn’t mean for it to happen but you got to let go of this though, sweetie. You’re such a good person and you deserve so much better.”

“I’m afraid though. Because what happens when I move on. When I forget it all? Or what if when I finally do settle down with someone, it’s just a repeated cycle all over?” She kissed the top of your head. “Ka is a wheel and everything comes around so it will never truly go away but, I will say it does get better. I can say no more. Okay?”

“Okay.” She ran a hand over your cheek. “Take care of yourself honey.” Before you had a chance to respond she was already gone. You rubbed your face and forced yourself to sit up. “God, what time is it?”

“Oh, it’s only 10..shit, it’s ten o'clock! Shit! Shit! Shit!” You ran over to your closet and began to throw clothes on. “Shit.” Your phone began to ring and you answered. “Hello? No, no..I’m on my way. Sorry, I got stuck in traffic..Yes, sir..I’ll be careful. Bye.”

…

Later on that night you laughed with a few of the regulars at work as you poured them shots. “Come on, Y/n. I’m being dead serious.” You shook your head. “A pretty girl like you, you could have any job in the world and any man you want. Why settle on dump like this with jerks like us?”

“It’s not a dump. Look at it this way, someone always has it worse.” They mumbled in agreement. “I’m just saying though Y/n/n, you’re worth so much more than this.”

“I know, but I’m happy and that’s all that matters.” You noticed a new face sitting at the other end of the bar and put on that fake smile you mastered so well. “What can I get for you, handsome?”

“Jack and coke, please. Oh, and a beer.” You nodded and took out a tumbler and some ice. “Don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before. There a name you go by?”

“It doesn’t matter.” You had to bite your lip to try and hide your disgust at his attitude. “I see.” You placed the glasses down infront of him. As you did so your eyes interlocked and your blood ran cold. “Danny?” The man sitting across from you stiffened and his eyes searched your face before reaching out, gently cupping it. “Y/n..oh my god. Y/n?”

“Yes!” Your eyes started to tear up and you nodded happily and walked around the bar to hug him. He reeked of alcohol but you didn’t care. “How are you?” You asked with a smile even though you already knew the answer from the emptiness in his eyes.

“Hanging in there..I’m just so happy to see you. It’s been so long. Physically at least,” He chuckled. “Over 20 years,” You recollected. “What have you been up to in that whole time, anyways? It was like you just..disappeared.”

“I’m sorry,” You hummed softly. “No, no..I get that life gets hectic sometimes.” You nodded. “Yeah..I’ve been moving around.” He nodded. “Well yeah, you said your family is pretty nomadic right? They running away from something?” You could tell he was joking but you couldn’t help but feel the coldness you buried deep down inside ringing through you.

“I-” He gently caressed your shoulder. “I’m joking..I’m joking although it’s alright if you don’t want to talk about it.” When he leaned in close you could see a few flies on his clothes and chills ran up your spine. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing..I just thought I seen something.” You smiled at him sweetly. You didn’t know whether Danny bought the excuse or not, but either way he didn’t seem to care.

“God, I just can’t believe you’re infront of me. I missed you.” He took your hands in his and gently squeezed it. “What time are you supposed to get out.”

“12-”

“Actually you can leave now if you want to, Y/n.” You turned to look at your coworker. “Are you sure?” You asked. “Yeah, it’s slow and you’ve been here all day.” You smiled appreciatively and looked at Danny. “Just let me do my cash out really quick and then we can head back to my place if you want.”

“Yeah, that’s fine.” He took his last swig of beer and patted your shoulder. “I’ll meet you outside.” You nodded and watched him walk out the door. “You’ll be okay with him going home with you?” Your coworker asked.

“Yeah. I know he looks rough on the outside but I promise he’s a nice guy.” She let out sigh. “Okay, just if he pulls anything, don’t hesitate to let me know.”

“I won’t. See you around.”

….

An hour and a half and two pizzas later, you and Danny found yourselves lounging out on the couch in your apartment and a quarter of the way 'Natural Born Killers’

It was an interesting movie and your inner cynic found yourself loving the irony of it all but you weren’t 100 percent focused on the movie. Every once in a while you found your gaze drifting off to watch Dan.

He had a drinking problem. There was no doubt in your mind about it just what caused him to have this change was a mystery to you.

“You uhm..do this frequently?” You asked softly as you watched Dan take another swig. He dropped the empty bottle of Jack Daniels to the floor and unceremoniously moved you closer to him, wrapping an arm around your shoulder. Normally you would of protested such actions but you knew you could trust Danny even though it made you a little uncomfortable.

“Yeah, unless I’m at the bar..Y/n, am I making you uncomfortable?” He gestured to the way he had his arms around you. You debated on telling him the truth but didn’t. Whatever it was that was bothering him, you wanted to alleviate just a little bit. “No, no..you’re good.”

“Cool.” You didn’t know if it was the liquor talking or him letting loose but he pulled your head close to his chest. “You know, even though I only seen you once besides this time, I never forget about you. How pretty I thought you looked.”

“That’s very sweet, Dan.” He let out a yawn. “I don’t know why there’s something about you that’s like a magnet. Like I’m attached to you.” A fly landed on his arm and you squeezed your eyes shut. “I feel the same way,” Your voice wavered. Dan looked down at you and you tried to block tears from coming out. You were going to have to say something. You couldn’t just let him end slowly killing himself. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just-” You fanned your eyes, trying to stop that whining tone in your voice. “I’m just very happy to see you. That’s all.” It wasn’t completely a lie and even if Dan wanted to look into it, you knew he couldn’t. His steam was too polluted from the liquor.

“Well-” He plopped a kiss sloppily on the top of your head. “I’m glad to see you too.” Dan tightened his grip around you, zoning off to the movie. “Are you staying the night?”

“Only if you’re comfortable with it.” You nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine. If you want to take my bed for the night, you can. I don’t have a problem sleeping out on the couch.”

“No, no. It’s your house.” He ran a hand up and down your arm. “You’re freezing.” He grabbed the blanket on the arm of your couch. “Danny, that really isn’t necessary-oh okay.” He threw the blanket over the two of you anyways and you snuggled close into it. “Thanks.”

“Of course.” His eyes were starting to drift shut and you ran your thumb across his clothed sternum, tracing little shapes on him. “Why are you doing all this for me?”

“Because, I miss you and I care about you. We’ll talk more in the morning.” He grunted slightly. “About what?” There was a slight amount of fear in his voice. “You’ll see in the morning. Go to sleep, Danny?”

“You’ll stay with me?” You nodded. “If that’s what you want.” Dan patted your hair and smiled softly. “You’re too good for me, Y/n. Too good for anyone.” You smiled tightly and nuzzled closely to him. “Good night, Danny.”

“Night, Y/n.” You stayed up a little while after he fell asleep and looked down at the liquor bottle at the floor. He was at the end of the bottle.

The movie was finished and the light that radiated out from the credits shined down on the bottle. There were those flies all over the bottle too. You wanted to take and smash it against the wall but instead you held Danny’s hand, planting a gentle kiss on it. Even when he was sleeping, he didn’t look at peace.

You squeezed your eyes shut and even though you didn’t even believe in god, you began to pray. “Make it stop..make all the pain stop.”

….

The next morning when the two of you woke up you stood in your kitchen making breakfast as Dan had his head in your trash can.

“I know being special the way we are is hard sometimes.” You threw some spinach into the pan. “But Danny, this..this isn’t the way to cope.” You paused for a moment. “You ever hit rock bottom, Danny?”

He ceased his vomiting for a moment and looked up at you. “If rock bottom is vomiting, I’ve had worse,” He sniffled. You looked out the window in your kitchen and smiled cynically. “I have. Not with drinking, but with depression. It takes you places you could never picture yourself being, with people you think love you but in reality they couldn’t give a damn. Rock bottom is not a good place to be.”

“So I’ve heard.” Dan shifted uncomfortably on the ground and got up, sitting at your dining room table. “I don’t know how that works with drinking but I imagine that’s where you’ll end up soon, Danny. Rock bottom.” You set the cure all hangover omelette down infront of him and it made him feel sick. He wanted a drink. Desperately. “I-i can control it if I want to.”

“Sure you can. That’s why you’re thinking about raiding my refrigerator right now and sorry, not trying to disappoint but I don’t drink.” Danny looked hurt and you let out a sigh. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to hurt you but look-” You sat down across from him and held his hand in yours. “I want to help you.”

“I can’t let you.” You furrowed your brows. “Why not?” He covered his face with his hands. “If I did, I’d scare you away. I’d never see you again. The things I’ve done and seen, experienced- You wouldn’t understand.”

“Wanna make a bet on that?”

“Why? Because mommy and daddy gave you no love?” You frowned at him. 'Two can play at this game, sweetheart.’ You smiled in a tight lipped manner. “Which ones?” Dan furrowed his brows. “What?” You shook your head. “Nothing. That’s a story that can wait for later, anyways-” You could feel Dan trying to go through your head and locked him out. “Hey!”

“I said it’s a story for later. Why are you trying to start with me?” You yelled. “And why are you trying to help me?!”

“BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT YOU, DANNY!” His posture slumped down, slightly taken aback by your yelling. “B-but I don’t deserve it, Y/n. Really, I don’t.”

“If I didn’t think you were a good person, I wouldn’t try to help you. I would not be having this talk with you if I thought you were a scum bag because I know that’s what you think you are, but you’re not. Look, I know you don’t want the help right now because you 'don’t have a problem’ and can 'control it’ but when you are ready, I want to help you.”

“You think you’re ready for all my baggage and more?”

“100 percent.” Your eyes interlocked and Dan began to smile. “What’s so funny?” You asked. “Nothing..I just-I like it when you argue with me.” You furrowed your brows. “You do?”

“I do.” Your serious expression faded into a smile and you giggled. “What am I going to do with you, Danny?”

“Deal with me, like you always have,” He laughed and took a bite out of his omelette. You took a bite of yours and hesitantly stared him. You could see he didn’t want the help yet but he trusted you and that was enough for now. You had a feeling he would be coming back to you again. The two of you were magnets and as long as you cared, you’d find each other.

Later on as he got ready to leave you stood at the doorway all teary eyed. “Promise me that I’ll see you again?” You held his hands in yours and your eyes interlocked. “I promise.” He placed a kiss on the top of your hand and pulled you into a hug. The two of you stood their for a while, holding onto each other. His touch healing your pain and yours to his.

Part of you wanted to beg him to never let go and just stay but you couldn’t do that. Not yet anyways. You didn’t have to be in Dan’s mind to know that he didn’t want the help with the help and no one could make him get it if he didn’t want it. He was going to have to suffer and you prayed Rose wouldn’t get to him before you did because that would of been even worse than seeing him hit rock bottom.

Eventually he released you from his grasp and gave your hand a gentle squeeze. “You know where I am if you need me, okay?” Dan nodded. “I know. Thanks for everything, Y/n.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll see you around, Danny.” He gave a small, appreciative smile. “I’ll see you around.” Your eyes gazed at each other longingly as he shut the door and you let out a sigh once he was out of eye shot.

You sunk down to the floor and curled your knees up into your chest, almost rocking yourself back and forth. “You care too much. You know that, right?” You looked at your biological mother’s ghostly figure. “Please tell me he’s going to be alright.”

“He’ll be fine, as will you.” Tears started streaming down your cheek. “I-i just..I don’t want him to be in pain anymore. I feel something for him and the thought of something happening to him, knowing I could of prevented it just-” You broke down into sobs and you felt her lay a hand on your shoulder. “I know..I know.”

Meanwhile Dan stood in the parking lot of your apartment building, staring up at your window longingly. Somewhere deep down he knew the drinking was going to kill him but he knew he’d see you. Just when and why was the question he didn’t know the answer too.

8 months later:

BANG! “I’m coming! I’m coming!” It was two in the morning and you were nearly half dressed, as you just got out of work a few hours ago and were exhausted.

You unlocked the door. “You better have a good-” You stopped what you were saying and stared at the person on your doorstep in wonder. “D-danny? Danny, what are you doing here this late?”

His eyes were bloodshot and his face stained with tears. He looked like a man who hadn’t slept in years and smelled of cheap women’s perfume. He didn’t say anything and simply wrapped his arms around you. “Danny?”

He heaved a sob and ran his fingers through your hair. “You were right about me, Y/n. You were right. I-i need help and I don’t know what to do!”

“O-okay..okay.” You pulled him inside and shut the door behind. “You’re the only one I have left..” His leg muscles gave out and he slowly slumped down to the floor as you his weight along the way.

You pulled him into your arms and kissed the top of his greasy hair. “Don’t leave me, Y/n! Promise me you won’t leave me!”

“I promise,” You whispered softly and cradled him close to your chest. You could see your mother looking at you from the shadows approvingly. “I promise..”

#doctor sleep #dr sleep #dan torrance #Danny Torrance #The Shining #rose the hat #crow daddy #the true knot #imagine #imagines #x reader #x fem reader #stephen king

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nicole-lynne · 4 years

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All The Love Songs - Chapter 2

Summary: Thea has a few strange interactions with Jake and she goes to the Greta Van Fleet concert.

Pairings: Jake Kiszka x OFC (eventually) and Thea x Mason (OMC)

Notes: I changed Thea’s nickname to Teddy so there is one change! I hope you guys all love the story! Please like, comment, reblog, and follow ^_^

If there was a higher power in the world, they would strike her down with a very contagious flu that would require her to stay in bed for an undetermined amount of time. They would cause a blackout, an alien invasion, or a zombie outbreak. Any possible thing that would make it impossible for her to go to this show.

Instead, Thea was trying on her twelfth outfit of the night, which was actually the first outfit she’d tried on. Her favorite black leather skirt paired with a maroon shirt with an embroidered rose on it for the band, adding her thigh high boots to the outfit for good measure. With her dark hair curled loosely down her back and her smokey makeup, the look was absolutely killer.

So why did she feel completely self-conscious and nervous? During the most difficult time of her life, New York had become her safe haven. Her friends had become a harbor in a dark night. That feeling had been washed away with a single ten minute conversation with her ex boyfriend and the fear of having him step into her new world.

There was a quick rap at the door and Sam popped his head in. He had his black leather pants on with a bright teal button up hanging open revealing his muscular chest.

“Hey squirt, I was thinking it was almost time to head out.” Looking you up and down, his eyes bugged out of his sockets. “Wow, you look stunning.”

“Thanks, Sammy.” She looked down sheepishly. “Very classic look for a rockin’ show. It’s going to be a great night.”

“I hope so. Josh said he thinks an agent might come so it would be great if something could come from that. I really want this to work...”

Thea sank down onto her bed and pulled her feet under her, motioning for Sam to follow. It wasn’t very often that she had to give Sam a pep talk. Most days, he was a high-energy, optimistic person who could make her feel like nothing else in the world mattered.

Today, she could see the doubt behind his brown eyes.

“You’ve got amazing things in your future, Sammy. That agent would be an idiot if he passed you guys because Greta Van Fleet is the hot ticket. And just know that I’ll be there cheering you on every minute.”

He patted her knee and shot her a thankful look, “I’m glad I’ve got you, squirt. Our shows wouldn’t be the same without your face in the front row.”

Since the first show, Thea had always been front and center, cheering the loudest or being the only person in the crowd dancing. At first, people made fun of the spastic girl, but once Greta became a regular, more people started to see their potential. Pretty soon, the whole place was packed for their shows. But Sam still saved her a spot right at the front of the stage.

“I would never miss a show, at least until you get rockstar famous and are playing like five shows a week. You might have to give me a break then.”

“Nope, you have to be there. You’re my good luck charm.”

“Sam!” Gina screeched from the kitchen. “Danny just called, we’re gonna be late!”

Sam hissed through his teeth. “Oops, okay we better get down there before Danny shits a brick. That’s when you know it’s bad. You coming, tiny?”

“I’m not sure if Gina is ready or not, can you wait for us?”

“Sam!”

“Uh, can you catch up to us? You know how particular Danny is about his pre-show meal.” Thea gave him an understanding smile and Sam jumped forward, kissing the top of her head before bounding out of the room like a golden retriever. The front door slammed and then it was dead quiet in the apartment.

Gina appeared at the door, a dark purple tank top contrasting with her brown skin. In the darkness, she looked like a sunset on a winter day.

“Babe, you look fabulous! I love that purple color on you.” Thea gushed. “How did I manage to get such a snack for a bestie?”

“Pure luck, I would guess.” Gina flipped her curls off shoulder theatrically then gestured for Thea to follow her to her room. “I need your help, I can’t decide on the black skinny jeans and boots or the matching purple skirt.”

Thea circled Gina a few times, evaluating the options. “What about that black skirt you have with the zipper up the front? Then you add your grey booties and your crop leather jacket.”

“This is why I keep you around.” Gina dropped to her knees and started digging through the bottom of her closet. “So are you ready for tonight?”

“Ehh...”

“You’re definitely going to turn some heads tonight, you little firecracker. I guess the question is, whose head do you want to turn?”

Thea fell backwards onto Gina’s bed and stared up at the ceiling. “Can we just skip tonight and order take out?”

“No, you’re avoiding the question. And besides, I do not look this good just to sit on the couch with you.” She lifted her head somewhat to see Gina putting the finishing touches on her outfit. “Now, let’s go before you chicken out like a pussy. All your men are going to be waiting on you.”

It was now or never. Run and hide from an uncomfortable situation or walk straight into it like the boss that she knew she was.

~~~

The girls entered the hole-in-the-wall italian restaurant and looked around for the group, finally spotting them at a table in the corner. Jake and Danny were yelling over each other while McKenzi, Danny’s girlfriend, tried to play referee to their argument. No one had noticed them yet.

“All I’m saying is that you don’t have to practice your set at 3 in the morning, it’s ridiculous.” Jake’s hands were flailing around while Danny was shaking his head furiously.

“If you can blast your music when you’ve got a girl back, then I can play the damn drums. Fair is fair.” Danny retorted, crossing his arms firmly.

Beside her, Gina nudged her in the ribs but Thea just pretended she hadn’t heard that last part and cleared her throat, all eyes falling on her.

“My bodacious babes, you both look dazzling!” Josh pronounced, knocking his chair back and motioned to the empty chairs.

Her first instinct was to sit in the chair next to Jake, but his attention was diverted to the glass in front of him, avoiding making eye contact at all costs. Rolling her eyes, Thea slid into the seat between Josh and Sam, across from Danny and McKenzi, letting Gina across from Jake.

“So are you guys pumped for tonight? Tyler said it’s supposed to be the biggest crowd you’ve ever had.”

“When did you talk to Tyler?” Sam asked quietly, only so Thea could hear.

She raised an eyebrow, “Hmm, on Wednesday I think it was. I went by the bar after work and he was there. Why?”

“I don’t like that guy. He hits on every girl who walks in there, it’s annoying-”

McKenzi tapped on the table, stopping whatever Sam was going to say next. “And why shouldn’t he hit on her? She looks hot! You’ll have to beat the guys off with a stick tonight.”

A few seats down, Gina choked back a laugh into her water. Thea shot her a murderous glare and smiled at the girl. “Thanks, Kenz, you look amazing too. That fringe jacket is to die for.” McKenzi excitedly ran her fingers through the strings, making them dance in the air. The rest of the comment vanished into thin air.

“Can we please get back to the matter at hand?” Josh’s voice boomed over everyone else. Thea shrunk her seat, unprepared for them to go back to discussing Jake’s love life being interrupted by drums. “The setlist for tonight is still undecided.”

Oh thank god.

The boys all launched into a discussion about which songs would be best in which order. It gave her the chance for her mind to wander. To think about if Mason and Declan had gotten the apartment, why Jake was avoiding eye-contact, what Mason might wear tonight, how drunk she wanted to get.

A light tap on her shoulder brought her back to reality. “Hey, are you alright, tiny?”

“Yeah, I’m great. Just have some stuff on my mind, I guess I spaced out.” Her eyes flashed over to Jake, who was in the middle of a passionate discussion with Gina on the effects of music on mental and emotional health, before looking back down to the table.

“Anything I can help with?”

She patted his knee appreciatively, “not really, Sammy, but thank you.”

The best thing and worst thing about Sam was that he was an observer. In an instant, he could zero in on the smallest dip in someone’s mood. Most times, it was the thing she looked forward to at the end of a long day. However, when she was trying to keep a secret, it made things a lot more difficult.

Thea nervously picked at a loose thread on the table cloth, praying that something would grab Sam’s attention, and thanking the lord when the waitress walked up to the table. The girl moved out of the aisle and squeezed in the small space by Jake’s chair, flashing him a flirty smile.

“Hi, I’m Sienna. Have you guys decided what you’re in the mood for today?” She asked enthusiastically. The group all nodded at each other, agreeing that they were ready to order. “Well let’s start with you cutie.” Her hand was a feather on Jake’s shoulder and she leaned in close to him.

A giant pile of jealousy slammed onto Thea’s chest as she watched Jake return the waitresses smile from across the table. A vision played in her mind of sweeping her hand off his shoulder and then pulling him in for a kiss, making it clear that he was hers.

“Ahem, T, it’s your turn.” Sam jostled her shoulder, startingly her.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” frantically, she grabbed for the menu and scanned it, ignoring the feeling of Jake’s dark eyes boring a hole in her skull. At this very moment, she wished that a hole would open up and swallow her for eternity.

“She’ll have the chicken fettuccine with no mushrooms and mix in little marinara sauce please.”

Thea’s head snapped up to see Jake ordering for her. The waitress looked back at her and Thea slowly nodded her head indicating that was really what she wanted. Sienna gathered the menus in her arms and trudged off to the kitchen. All eyes at the table moved to look at Jake in complete confusion.

Jake sat still for a second before shifting in his seat uneasily. “What?” He croaked out.

“Uh how did you know her order, dude?” Danny’s forehead crinkled.

Jake stared at him blankly, “because it’s her favorite dish here? Even though she acts like she’s gonna get something new, she orders it every time.”

On the inside, butterflies were flying around in Thea’s stomach at the thought that Jake had noticed her. He had noticed her in a way that wasn’t only meant to be physical. There was something that made him remember the things she ordered and her behaviors. She wanted to squeal and dance and jump around like a crazy person.

On the outside, she was cool as a cucumber, instead just giving him a thankful smile and putting her attention on Josh, who had already begun telling his next dramatic story.

This didn’t change anything. They were still just two people in the same friend group, nothing more. Nothing more to the public eye.

~~~

“I’m gonna need a round of shots to make it through tonight.” Gina chuckled at Thea’s whiny tone. “And gin. Lots of gin.”

“Alright, this round’s on me.”

Elbowing her way past groups of people to the bar, Gina already looked completely done with the crowd. The entire place was packed wall-to-wall with people, all mingling with each other, creating a single hum of mixed voices. It was dimly lit, the only light coming from the few fixtures scattered on the walls.

She’d spotted a few Greta Van Fleet shirts floating around, and for a second, she wondered if it would be possible to spot the agent or if they would blend right in with the sea of faces.

“I swear to god, I will murder someone by the end of the night. It took so long for Tyler to even get to me. All those stupid girls were flocking around him like seagulls.” Gina huffed as she slammed the tray of drinks down on the table.

Thea snatched a shot and downed it in one swift motion. The alcohol burned the back of her throat and sat warmly in her stomach. She reached for one more and shot it down quickly too, grabbing the gin and tonic to chase it down.

“Dude, I need you to slow your roll.” Gina looked baffled.

“Sorry, G, that was just a weird dinner.” Her throat was on fire from the alcohol.

Gina took a shot of her own. “Yeah, what the hell was up with that? First he acted like you didn’t even exist and then he’s quoting your food order like it was a sonnet. Aren’t you guys supposed to be acting normal or something?”

“I have no clue what’s going on. I’m not usually in this type of position. I don’t know how to be friends with benefits with someone that I like-like but that someone doesn’t like-like me back.”

“No one does. Because you’re not supposed to get in these situations when you like someone. It only leads to heartbreak.”

Thea pouted, “I didn’t intend on getting in this situation, jerk-”

“Teddy! Gina!” Mason’s voice called from behind them and they turned in their chairs to see Mason and Declan weaving between the bodies. Impulsively, Thea grabbed another shot and slammed it down. Gina grumbled under her breath and moved to stand up, pulling Thea out of her seat too.

She hugged Declan casually and stepped towards Mason, gulping as she looked up at him. Instead of his usual jean jacket, Mason had a red sports jacket on over his black hoodie. Damn he looked good, like always. He held out his arms and she stepped into them on instinct, her heart fluttering as he wrapped her in a strong hug. She inhaled the sweet scent of bergamot and cedarwood, the smell of the cologne he’d worn since she’d bought it for him in freshman year, and a slight hint of his favorite gum, winter mint. It was invigorating.

“Well, I had gotten us all shots, but T took yours, I’m sorry.”

Mason laughed at Gina’s sour face, “it’s all good, G, I’ll just grab a couple beers. You guys want anything while I’m up there?”

They all shook their heads no and sat back down while Mason disappeared into the crowd. Declan started joking about why they’d been late and the girls both started cackling at them getting lost.

“How do you get lost? It’s a grid system, Dec!” Thea exclaimed zealously.

From the side of the stage, Sam watched as Gina and Thea greeted two random guys with hugs. One guy headed towards the bar, but the other one planted himself right in between them.

“What the fuck?” He muttered to himself.

“What’s wrong?” Sam jumped at Jake’s voice behind him.

Looking away, he tried to pretend he hadn’t just been staring at the girls. “Uh, it’s nothing...”

“Samuel, just fucking tell me.”

“I just didn’t realize that Gina and Thea had invited some friends to the show. It’s not a big deal.”

Jake peeked around the corner, his eyes instantly finding Thea at her usual table just as a guy walked up behind her and squeezed her shoulder. She beamed as he sat down in the chair beside her and laid his arm across the back of her chair.

Keeping his face neutral, he looked back at Sam. “The more the merrier, huh?”

“Yeah, I just don’t recognize them...”

“They’re probably just friends from work.”

Sam sulked. “Do you think they could have boyfriends? They haven’t mentioned any guys to me, but you know girls, they’re weird as hell. All four of them look pretty chummy.”

“I doubt it, dude. You live with them, I think you’d know if they were hooking up with people.” Jake shook Sam’s shoulder roughly, “don’t focus on that. Focus on melting these people’s faces off.”

“Gentleman, the time is now!” Josh flourished his arms into the air and stepped out onto the stage.

The crowd roared loudly as the rest of the lights dimmed, only the stage lit up. One by one, the guys followed after Josh. They were all dressed to the nines. Josh lit up the stage in his paper white jumpsuit, a little white feather earring dangling on the side of his head. Danny was wearing his favorite leather vest without a shirt. And Jake, he looked like a god tonight. He had a black jacket with beautiful gold emblems open over his bare chest.

Without hesitation, Thea jumped up from her seat and walked toward the stage. She glanced back and saw the rest of them still sitting. “Aren’t you guys coming?”

“I’m gonna sit back here for a bit, babe. I like being able to see the whole stage.” Gina called, clapping loudly. Mason’s eyes darted between Gina and then Declan before following after Thea.

“Somehow, you still have me chasing after you.” He joked, nuding her shoulder.

She looked back at him and winked, “this will be worth it, trust me.”

She rushed up to the center stage and waved at Sam excitedly. He nodded back at her just as Jake ripped into the first riff of Highway Tune. They shredded through the song and immediately went right into Edge of Darkness. This was her favorite song because Jake had a remarkable solo for almost five minutes.

Once in a while, she would make a silly face at Sam but he ignored her every time. Her heart sank at the thought that maybe Jake had told him their secret. Her eyes drifted to watch Jake, his head was thrown back and his eyes were scrunched closed while he played the notes.

“These guys are awesome! How did you say you know them?” Mason’s voice was right in her ear causing goosebumps to prickle across her skin.

She leaned in a little bit and tilted her chin so he could hear her over the music. “They’re my best friends. Sam, the bass player, is me and Gina’s roommate.”

Mason moved his head back and blinked in surprise. “They’re really good, that guitar player is fantastic.”

“Yeah, he’s on fire tonight!” Thea bounced up and down just as Josh stepped back in to finish up the song.

~~~

After an hour, the band finished their set and disappeared off to the side of the stage. Thea let out a deep breath, the adrenaline making her heart pound, and grinned up at Mason. She had forgotten that he was there after a while, being so focused on Greta playing a flawless set.

Her eyes had constantly been changing from Sam, who had barely glanced at her the whole time, and Jake, who had been so focused on the songs that he had barely even looked up.

“Come on, let’s head back to the table.” She stepped backwards towards the back of the bar. “What did you think?”

“They’re great, they all seem to have real talent with their instruments. The singer-”

“Josh.”

“Yeah, Josh, he’s amazing. His voice is so old school rock n’ roll. I love it.”

They returned to the table just in time to hear Declan raving about how good the show had been. There was a small feeling of pride in Thea’s chest to know that her friends enjoyed the band. These were her guys and it felt good to see the reactions from newcomers.

“Oh my gosh, they did amazing!” McKenzi shouted over the rest of the voices as she plopped down in an empty chair, looking completely dazed and her hair was flying all over the place. Gina leaned across the table and tried to tame some of her flyaways but it was a lost cause and they both started giggling.

From across the room, Thea could see the boys breaking down their equipment. Every one of them was completely in sync, moving one way while someone else moved the other way. It was clear they were one unit and that’s why everything worked as well as it did.

Danny finished putting away his bass drum and the group jumped down from the stage and crossed the room. Josh swept around the group and placed a kiss on top of Gina’s, McKenzi’s, and Thea’s heads lovingly - something he did after every show as part of his ritual as a way to thank all the positive spirits.

Slipping into the chair next to McKenzi, Danny pulled her into a tight embrace, leaving splotches of sweat on her shirt. Behind them, Sam and Jake hovered back, both of them watching Mason and Declan with blank stares. Thea squirmed uncomfortably at the tension she felt was being directed right at her.

“Ahem, guys, this is Declan and Mason, some friends from high school.” Gina finally spoke up. “Dec, Mas, this is Josh, Sam, Jake, Danny, and Danny’s girlfriend, McKenzi. Sam is mine and Thea’s other roommate.”

Mason shook everyone’s hands as Gina introduced them and Thea cringed at the intensity that Sam squeezed his hand when it was his turn, but Mason just grinned like it hadn’t even phased him. He had never been one to back down from an awkward situation.

Now that everyone had officially met, maybe the rest of the night could go off without a hitch, Thea prayed. She couldn’t keep herself from wondering what Jake might be thinking, he hadn’t looked at her once since the restaurant.

“Are you guys gonna sit down?” Thea asked curiously.

“I’ll be at the bar.” Jake replied tersely before bee-lining it away from the table. Thea’s lips parted in surprise before her eyes moved to look at Sam sadly.

“Sammy?”

“Ya know, I think I’m gonna get a drink too.” He replied bluntly.

Thea glimpsed over at Gina desperately who gave her a half-hearted shrug in response. Both boys stood side-by-side at the bar, their shoulders filled with tension, and she so badly wanted to follow after them but it was clear they wanted some space.

Her heart dropped slightly as she saw a girl saunter up to Jake and start flirting with him. Instantly, he had his charming smile on and was leaning in so he could hear her better. Thea could feel the tears burn her eyes but she blinked them away as quick as possible.

“So,” Josh clapped his hands together loudly, “Mason and Declan, you guys went to highschool with our girls?”

“Yep, since sixth grade. We were attached at the hip for most of it.” Declan said before taking a sip of his beer. “Mason and Teddy dated for like four years too.” He said and everyone’s eyes went wide.

“Who’s Teddy?” McKenzi asked, her brows crinkled deeply.

“Um, Thea? Ya know, short for Theadora.” Mason sounded a bit baffled.

Danny chortled, “T, your name is Theadora?”

“What of it, Wagner?” Thea hissed and Danny’s face went pale as he shrunk behind McKenzi’s shoulder, but she pushed him away from her. “Anyways, can we please move on from my hideous name, please?”

“So, Mason, what kind of job do you have?” McKenzi intervened, clearly seeing how embarrassed Thea was feeling at the whole situation. One reason that Thea hoped Danny would never let that amazing woman walk out of his life.

Mason gave her appreciative smile for trying to divert the conversation. “Oh, I just started working for Atlantic Records Group as a talent agent.”

#Jake kiszka #jake kiszka gvf #greta van fleet #gvf #jake kiszka x oc #jake kiszka fanfic #jake kiszka fanfiction #greta van fleet story #fanfiction #original female character #nicole-lynnefics #all the love songs chapter two

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