Everything Was White: Part 18
[see all chapters]
read on: [ao3] [ffn]
Summary: After being accidentally revealed to the public and taken away by the government, Danny deals with the aftermath of his time with the GiW.
---
There was a video in the morning. A hidden paparazzi camera, he found out. The video was sold to TMZ and subsequently reuploaded to every social media site within the hour.
“Danny Fenton can walk?!” was the caption of the one Danny was currently watching on TikTok. It was a video of him approaching the stairs, and—ugh—struggling to climb them. He could see Tucker’s (fake) smile and Sam’s concerned oversight. His legs wobbled as they ascended each step, his gate abnormal.
And as internet culture dictated, the comments were sure to point everything out.
ok but why do his legs look like that 💀💀💀
>don’t be gross, he’s clearly got some medical issues
My cousin is paraplegic and Danny walks similar to him.
Y’all are freaking out like there aren’t videos of him already in physical therapy 🤦
Wtf happened to him?
I know this isn’t supposed to be funny but it kind of is
>stfu he’s a minor
>>So? He’s a celebrity, he can take it
These comments are horrible. This kid clearly got abused during his imprisonment and has suffered lasting damage, and there are people here who think it’s funny because he walks differently now? That’s disgusting, and as a disabled person myself, it’s horrible to see so many comments and likes making fun of him. Surprise, disabilities affecting motor function make people look different when they perform said motor functions. Grow up.
Danny pinched the bridge of his nose. This was exactly what he was afraid of. It was the entire reason why he had been avoiding walking in public.
He hadn’t even seen anyone around them. Had someone followed the van all the way to Tucker's house? Did this mean that Tucker and his family were going to get stalked too?
Ugh, ugh! This was horrible. And now he had to go to school where everyone would have seen that video too?
Fuck.
He peeked out his window, and beyond the recently installed tall fence lining the property, Danny could see a circle of paparazzi and media vans parked along the sidewalk.
This was insanity. It wasn’t like this was the first video of him walking in general; there were videos and pictures of him at PT. Sure, he was being supported by the other physical therapists and equipment, but he was still walking. It just happened that this was the first video taken of him in public, which Danny guessed was enough for the algorithms to grab hold of.
His family was so lucky the neighbors seemed understanding of the media circus that was now their life. Although, Jazz had mentioned bringing cookies over to a few of them before…
“It’ll die down,” Danny reminded himself. “Once they get bored, they’ll move on.”
But even that sounded like a lie the more he said it. Because unless another half-ghost stepped into the public eye, it didn’t seem like there would be anyone to take the spotlight off of him anytime soon.
He checked Twitter and…yep, he was the top trending topic on there too.
Fucking hell, did no one have anything better to do?
His inbox was flooded, and his notifications were worse. Danny was glad he had turned off all social media alerts on his phone ages ago. His phone would have probably caught on fire with the rate he was being tagged in tweets.
He closed his eyes and exhaled, breathing just like his therapist had taught him. In, two, three…out, two three.
Okay, so what if everyone knew what he looked like when he walked now? It wasn’t like he could keep this hidden forever. If anything, his physical therapists were probably just relieved he’d finally ripped the band-aid off because now he had no excuse to continue avoiding walking in public.
And was that really a bad thing? More practice meant strengthening his muscles, which meant that he would be closer and closer to ditching the walker for crutches.
He absentmindedly scrolled through his notifications, until one blue-checkmarked name caught his eye:
Izaak Adams @izaakadamsCongrats to @dannyphantom for kicking ass in PT! It’s amazing to see the progress you’ve made since I saw you last. Soon, you’ll be outpacing me! Keep working hard 💪
Danny frowned at the screen. Had that guy met him? As far as Danny remembered, he hadn’t met any celebrities since his release. Was this guy lying for clout or something?
Danny clicked on his profile and read his bio. “Paralympic Gold Medalist and Video Game Enthusiast”
Paralympic gold medalist? Why did that ring a bell?
Danny racked his memories for anything, but he drew a blank. Did he know this guy? Or maybe he was reading too much into this tweet?
A knuckle rapped on his door. “Danny?” came Jazz’s muffled voice. “You awake?”
Danny looked up. “Hey, Jazz? Do I know a guy named Izaak Adams?”
Jazz opened the door to reveal her baggy sweats and messy bun. “Huh?”
“Izaak Adams, a paralympic athlete?” Danny held up his phone. “He tweeted at me almost like we’ve met?”
Jazz’s confused frown was replaced by a look of surprise. “Yeah, I remember, you have met him!”
“Really? When?”
“At the hospital one time, he came to visit? When you were first learning to use your wheelchair.”
Fragments of that memory hit him, and on instinct, Danny cringed. Oh yeah, how could he have forgotten what an underweight, stuttering, dazed mess he’d been? Ugh, how embarrassing.
Jazz stifled a giggle. “Oh come on, it was cute! He was so supportive and patient.”
“Yeah, but—”
Jazz shot him a doting glare. “Danny, anyone looking at you could see that you were in intense recovery. I’m sure he wasn’t expecting the Phantom when he went to meet you. Cut yourself a bit of slack.”
Danny looked back down at his phone. “Yeah. You’re right.”
He contemplated what to do for a few seconds before an impulsive, teenage fuck it crossed his brain. He shrugged, opened the tweet, and hit reply.
Danny Phantom @dannyphantom Replying to @izaakadamsThank you for the support! Better watch out, I’m coming for your title as the gold medalist in Hospital Hallway Racing.
There. That was equal parts easygoing and funny enough to show the press and public alike that no, he wasn’t self-conscious about the way he looked, fuck off.
Jazz glanced down at her phone and snorted.
“Good response?” Danny guessed.
“Perfect. Now get ready for school!”
---
As expected, the police were escorting the paparazzi off the property when he arrived at Casper High that morning.
It wasn’t like Danny was able to use his walker at school anyway.
Still, the murmurs from classmates followed him into the building, and the sideways glances to outright stares trailed behind him in the halls.
Fantastic. Just when he thought his classmates might be getting used to him, the world had to backtrack. Part of him wanted to turn around and snark, “Fascinating news, guys, the elusive creature known as the halfa learned to walk! What an amazing step in evolution this was!” But he bit his tongue. His wit wasn’t worth whatever backlash the internet would make of it.
Danny rounded the corner and spotted Sam and Tucker hanging around their lockers. Their fight and the weight of Sam’s unresponded text were still fresh in his mind, but he took a deep breath and pressed forward.
“Hey, guys,” Danny said awkwardly.
They turned around, apprehension etched on their faces.
“Hey, Danny. What’s up?” Tucker asked.
If Sam looked desperate to say something, Danny wasn’t going to entertain her. “Nothing. My morning’s been uneventful as usual.”
Tucker fidgeted with his cap, looking sheepish. “I honestly didn’t see anyone around yesterday. They must have been hiding behind the bushes or something.”
“It’s fine, Tuck,” Danny said. “It’s not like this wasn’t going to happen soon anyway. And besides, the—the embarrassing part is done now.”
“It’s not embarrassing, Danny,” Sam rebuked. “It’s admirable if anything. The comments I’ve seen have been very supportive.”
“Sure, some of them.”
“Most of them.”
“Sam, I appreciate the pep talk, but it’s fine. Really.” When Sam’s adamant expression refused to let up, Danny reiterated, “It’s fine. There are other—other videos of me walking online. This is just the one every–everyone saw. I don’t care.”
“Good.” Tucker closed his locker door. “In an incredibly important change of topic, we never saw the new Dead Teacher movie!”
“You guys didn’t watch it?” Danny asked.
Tucker gave Danny an incredulous look. “Without you?”
“I don’t know, I figured me being out of commission was enough of an excuse.”
“Did you not read my texts? I said we weren’t gonna watch it without you. Really, Danny, do you think so low of me?”
Danny tapped into his bullshit meter, trying to gauge if Tucker was lying—it wouldn’t be the first time—but for once, nothing pinged his radar.
“We should just marathon the whole series now that they’re all on Netflix,” Sam said. “You guys can come over next weekend and we can play them in my home theater.”
“You, Sam, have a truly wonderful brain,” Tucker said.
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll believe it when you can say that while eating a salad.”
“Don’t push it, woman.”
“That’s what I thought.” Sam rolled her eyes and turned to Danny. “You up for it?”
Danny hesitated, his hold on his wheelchair tightening. “I thought I wasn’t allowed at your house?”
“Yeah, but you’re a—oh…right. I forgot.” Sam slapped her hand to her forehead and groaned. “Damn, I forgot you don’t have your powers still. Shit, sorry, guys.”
“I don’t have a fancy home system or anything, but you guys can come over to my place,” Tucker offered.
“Thanks, Tuck,” Sam said.
Out of the corner of his eye, Danny saw Principal Ishiyama stare at him for a moment too long before scurrying down the hall.
Weird.
He tried to shake the uncomfortable squirming in his gut. “Yeah, Tuck, sounds good.”
“And this time…” Tucker leaned down cheekily. “Maybe you can try to not kill yourself getting to my bedroom.”
Sam and Danny both reacted immediately, shouting a chorus of “Tucker!” and “Dude!” They briefly made eye contact before Tucker’s evil cackling snapped Danny back to focus.
“That’s a cheap shot! No fair!” Danny moaned. “You can’t—this—this is bullying.”
If anything, Tucker grinned wider. “Fine, then next time I won’t save your sorry ass from a life of embarrassment the next time you try to launch yourself to the top step because you’re too lazy to climb up the stairs.”
“You have a lot of stairs!”
“My house has a perfectly reasonable amount of stairs.”
“No, I call foul,” Danny protested. “You’re literally picking on the disabled kid. Unreal.”
Tucker patted Danny’s shoulder. “Sure, okay, ghost boy.”
“That was a very dangerous move, though, Danny,” Sam said. “You could have fallen.”
“Eh, cut him some slack. Walkers are really annoying.”
“Don’t encourage this, Tucker!”
“I got your back, Danny.”
But Danny wasn’t paying attention to them anymore. Something else had caught his attention. A deep laugh, one so familiar it had sent a shockwave of ice shooting through his veins. If it weren’t for the chip, he was sure he’d be covered in ecto-frost.
He stared across the hallway, his breath frozen in his throat. Time slowed around him, and the conversational voices of Sam and Tucker melted away into the background.
No...it couldn’t be…
He must have been hallucinating. His mind was playing tricks on him. There was just no way that he was actually here in the hallway of Casper High.
No way it was true.
But it was.
There, in full view of the entire student body, was Operative O himself. His white suit gleamed against the dull cream and red of the high school. He stood against a row of lockers with his chest out, sunglasses covering his eyes, and a smirk splayed on his lips as he conversed with Principal Ishiyama.
No.
No.
Danny needed to run away. Flee. Get out of sight.
But he couldn’t. It was as if his wheelchair was cemented to the ground. He was trapped, staring at the man who had made it his life’s work to ruin Danny’s.
It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real.
Operative O’s head turned until it locked onto Danny. His smirk widened and his sunglasses positively glistened. He brought a hand up above his shoulders and waggled his fingers at Danny.
Fear was replaced by hot anger. That bastard was waving as if he and Danny were longtime friends.
“Hey, Danny?” Tucker poked his shoulder. “Isn’t that…?”
The unsaid question hung in the air like a dark cloud.
Sam’s expression hardened. “What are they doing here?”
But Danny was seething. His stomach churned in fury, and the corners of his vision tinged green. Adrenaline spiked in his veins, and he could feel his core screaming against its restraints.
Before he could so much as think, Danny was whizzing down the hall. When he got close enough, he abandoned his wheelchair altogether, pushing himself up and gripping onto the lockers for support for the final few steps. Ishiyama gave him a warning look, along with a subtle shake of her head, but Danny wasn’t listening to her.
If it weren’t for this fucking chip, he probably would have transformed into Phantom right in the middle of the damn hall.
“What the hell are you doing?” Danny hissed. Despite his fury, his palms were clammy against the metal lockers.
“Why if it isn’t Danny Phantom. What a coincidence it is to see you here.”
Operative O’s slimy voice pierced him at once, and Danny nearly crumpled to the ground. Memories came rushing back, transporting him far away to a dark, musty place where the air smelled putrid and his skin was wet and sticky. Where he never knew what time it was, where his stomach felt sick with hunger, where he begged for anyone to find him, rescue him.
“I’m doing a routine inspection. Your school installed ecto-shields, and it’s my job to make sure they’re working properly. Nothing that concerns you,” Operative O purred, leaning in to pull what appeared like a dog tag on a silver chain from his pocket. “And might I congratulate you on how wonderful it is to see you walking again. If we were back at the research center, I would even give you a little treat.”
Danny’s blood ran cold, and he stopped breathing.
Operative O chuckled, standing back up and slipping the chain out of sight. “Now if you don’t mind, Ishiyama, I’d like to see those shields you mentioned…”
Danny’s ears rang, that laugh echoing over and over like a broken vinyl. He looked up, but Mr. Lancer had inserted himself in front of Danny, blocking O from view. The world tilted, and Danny gave up. He rested his head on the locker just in time for Sam and Tucker to catch up with him, their voices muddying into the background. The world was spinning, the entire hallway was probably watching, and Danny was just trying not to throw up.
A heavy hand fell on his back, and Danny barely caught the low murmur in his ear. “...my office?”
Danny nodded, not sure what he was agreeing to, but just knowing he had about five seconds to get out of the hallway before he was going to faint on the floor.
Thankfully, the hands were strong, and they held him upright as they guided him forward. Sam grabbed his arm, steadying him as well. Mr. Lancer said something, and Danny recognized Sam’s protesting tone in her response, but Lancer’s voice was sharper.
Sam huffed and squeezed his arm, and then his friends were gone just in time for what sounded like helicopters to womp in his ears and the spinning to reach a climax. He was pushed through the door and immediately felt his hand hit something behind him.
Danny collapsed onto his wheelchair and gasped, taking his first breath of air in too long. But his throat tightened again and he panicked, trying to breathe through the coffee straw that was his lungs.
A hand once again landed on his back, and a voice spoke soothingly into his ear.
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Mr. Lancer said.
Danny shook his head and clawed at his shirt. Was his shirt choking him? Had the Operatives drugged him again? Is that why the world was spinning, why his arms were shaking so violently?
“It’s okay. Breathe, you’re okay.”
Danny clutched at his core, demanding whatever flickering bit of invisibility he could muster at whatever limbs were the closest. He couldn’t cloak his entire body in it, but the small whispers of his core powers were just enough to not send him into a complete meltdown.
“Why?” Danny finally gasped out. “Why?”
Mr. Lancer didn’t answer. Danny didn’t know if this was because he didn’t actually know the answer or if he just felt like Danny shouldn’t hear it.
Danny’s throat squeezed tighter. He glanced down at his bag and could feel the weight of the emergency pills. He was desperate for one. But he couldn’t, not in Lancer’s office.
Mr. Lancer pulled his chair beside Danny and sat down. He kept his voice low, whispering “it’s alright, it’s okay” as he waited for Danny to get himself under control.
But as soon as the dizziness ceased and the world righted again, Danny’s ragged breaths melted into sobs.
He bent forward, hiding his face in his hands. He could taste the ghost of the red bag on his tongue, and he could feel the plastic tube being shoved down his throat, cutting off his oxygen supply as it reached for his stomach. He felt the pain in his back, his chest, the phantom nerves in his legs firing off any way they could.
He felt Operative O thread his fingers down his torso, exploring the blank canvas prime to decorate with green.
“I didn’t want it,” Danny choked out. “I…”
His stomach turned, and he clamped his hands over his mouth, gagging.
Mr. Lancer was quick to react, shoving a waste bin under Danny’s chin just in time for Danny to empty the contents of his breakfast into it.
Mr. Lancer’s hand was on his back, rubbing circles as Danny’s head lurched forward once again. He coughed, spitting bile and stomach acid into the bin. The warmth in his body had never felt so uncomfortable before, so dizzying.
Danny shook his head, mumbling, “I didn’t want it.”
“I know,” Mr. Lancer responded quietly.
“I didn’t—I just—I just wanted the granola bars. It wasn’t my—” Danny choked on his voice. He shook his head, trying to force out the memories that flickered past the back of his eyes.
He just needed to reach his hand out and grab the granola bar. That’s all he needed to do. So why couldn’t he do it? Why did his mistake cost him the last shred of the dignity he was still clutching onto?
A fresh wave of tears fell from Danny’s eyes. “I—I’m not…” I’m not a dog, he wanted to scream, but he couldn’t.
Because he would be lying if he said he truly believed it.
“I’m sorry,” he said instead. Because he was sorry, truly, for continuing to be a burden on Mr. Lancer, a teacher Danny had spent the past two years disappointing over and over, a teacher who’d been forced to babysit him in detention dozens of times, a teacher who had now twice had to deal with him being an emotional fuckup.
“You have nothing to apologize for.”
But that was a big fat fucking lie if Danny had ever heard one. And he should know, he was the master of lying.
---
His parents didn’t try to make him talk when they picked him up from school that day.
Danny was too busy staring out the window unseeing to talk anyway.
He didn’t remember getting inside. Couldn’t remember transferring out of the car or going into his house.
Maybe he should’ve been thankful that the wheelchair was autonomous now. Or whatever his doctor would tell him.
He blinked, and he was on the couch with a throw blanket over his body. Jazz was next to him, staring at the television as some reality show played. Danny’s gaze followed hers, and he didn’t miss the way her eyes noticed his movement. But he didn’t acknowledge her. Instead, he much preferred to watch…
…
What was he doing?
There was this stillness over his body, in his mind. It was…quiet. Light.
It was nice.
He recognized this feeling. This lightness in his limbs, the calm in his body. The lack of pain, lack of burning from his nerves and muscles.
It was just. Relaxation. Pure tranquility.
He remembered then, the emergency pill he managed to sneak while Lancer and his parents slipped into another room to talk. And then a different pill his parents handed him moments later.
One that he’d taken while he was shaking, his body in shock, desperate for an ounce of relief.
When the world stopped, it was euphoric. The fog returned, blanketing his mind and shielding him from the realities just outside the door. He relaxed, accepting the fog like a long-lost brother. It stayed with him for hours, and he cherished every second of their time together, but now it was bidding adieu.
But this time, the loss didn’t seem so bad. There was no pain, no stress. It was only the calm with no storm to follow.
He closed his eyes and sank into the couch. He was tired, and the cushions and blankets felt so nice. He wasn’t in the cell—not even close—he was home with his sister. Safe, protected.
“Thanks, Jazz,” he murmured.
She didn’t respond, but he knew she heard him.
“What show’s on?”
“Survivor,” she said. “A rerun. Not sure which season.”
“Oh. Okay.”
The television droned on, and Danny heard the contestants bickering about…something or other.
Heh. That sucked for them.
“M’sorry.” Danny yawned. “Sorry for…you know…I hope I didn’t ruin your day. You babysitting me.”
“It’s fine, Danny, It’s not your fault. They shouldn’t have been there.”
“I don’t know…it sounds like they could be there.”
He heard Jazz shift beside him, and his eyes peeked open to see her attention fully diverted from the show.
“Danny—”
“Where’s Mom and Dad?”
“They’re with the lawyer.”
“Okay.” Danny’s eyelids felt heavy, and wisps of his core tickled his chest. “I need the chip out.”
She was quiet again.
“You understand why,” Danny said.
“I do.”
“I need Mom and Dad to—to remove it. If they don’t…”
“I wish I could help,” she said quietly.
“Then convince them. They won’t listen to me, I’m a ghost. You heard them, remember? I’m…my Obsession is influencing my brain. And…” He looked at the ceiling. “And, well, maybe it is. But Operative—the Guys in White were still there today. And I…I think I’ve seen them before today too. I thought I was…but no, I think it was them.”
Tears glittered in Jazz’s eyes.
“You have to convince them for me.”
“I’ll try my best. We can talk to them tonight together.”
Danny shook his head. “It’ll never work if I’m there. They think I’m crazy.”
“They don’t think that.”
“They’re scared of me. Or, the half of me they don’t like.”
“No.” Jazz wiped her eyes with her sleeves. “No, that’s not true.”
“I’m not deaf, Jazz. I heard them. Remember?”
“They love you so much, Danny. I promise. They’re scared for you.”
“What’s there to be scared for?” Danny pressed his finger into his thighs, feeling only the strange sensation of pressure in return. “It’s not like…I don’t know, it’s not like I’m banned from—banned from existing. That’s what the court case was all about, right?”
“Right.”
“And I’ve been in therapy for months. I go there every day. They know I’m not going to—to hurt myself.”
Jazz pressed her lips into a thin line. “I know.”
“So why don’t they?”
“This summer was…” She sighed. “This summer was hard, Danny. We’d all do it all over again if it meant getting you under legal protection, but the period you were gone? That was—it—” Her voice broke. “Not knowing if you were alive or dead, not hearing a word about you for weeks? That was terrifying. The last thing we remembered was you being carted off by the Guys in White and SWAT teams, knocked out, electrocuted, and then you were gone. Just like that. And when you were finally brought back to us…”
His eyes felt too dry for once. His body was too calm to rewake that pain.
“I know—I know it was so much worse for you. I know our experiences outside don’t even begin to compare to yours. I understand, and they do too. But in the flash of an eye, their entire world changed. They’re coping.”
“Their coping is going to get me killed, though.”
“The government can’t touch you.”
Anxious Danny might have snapped at that. But Anxious Danny wasn’t here right now. He continued in the same bland tone as before, “You have no idea what the government is capable of.”
Jazz’s expression tightened.
“If their reasoning for not giving me back control over my core is—is just that this summer was hard for them, then that’s a shit excuse. And it’s going to get me killed. That’s really—really…that’s really it.”
“I know. I’m not making excuses, I’m just explaining what’s going through their heads.”
“Then you need to talk to them. Because at—at this point, I’ve said everything I can.”
Jazz mopped at her face again, nodding. “I know.”
Danny reached his hand out, gently lowering it to her arm. He felt her stiffen before her free hand shot down to clutch his.
She was trembling.
“I need you, Jazz. You’re…you’re my sister. I need you to be on my side right now.”
“I am. I’ll try. We can bring it up tonight as a united front. I’ll lead the conversation.”
He gave her arm a gentle squeeze before breaking off the contact. He sank back into the cushions, closing his eyes. “Thanks.”
Jazz sniffled beside him.
---
Dinner was a quiet affair that evening. The painkillers had worn off, and Danny was itching to escape upstairs to lie down.
But Maddie insisted that he eat, so he picked at his bowl of noodles, not bothering to hide the fact that he really didn’t feel like putting anything down his throat at the moment.
Thankfully, his parents didn’t seem to want to fight him tonight.
“So…” Danny started.
Maddie took the bait. “We met with the lawyer today.”
“Okay, and?”
At Maddie’s despondent look, Jack took over, placing his hand on hers. “The government can’t touch you legally. We want to make that very clear. No matter what, they can’t take you.”
“But…” Danny prompted.
“But as far as everything else goes, at this current moment, we can’t do anything about them showing up in the same buildings as you.”
Danny wanted to laugh. Or cry.
Or both.
“We tried to file a no-contact or a restraining order,” Maddie said. “But due to the current laws, we can’t get anything. If the agents physically hurt you, then we might have a case. But unfortunately, as of right now, our hands are tied.”
“Nothing can be done,” Danny muttered numbly.
“I’m sorry, son,” Jack said. “We’re going to continue to see what other paths we can take. We won’t give up, I promise.”
Danny had always known that the Guys in White weren’t finished with him, that they were on a mission to cleanse the world of all things ecto. He knew that no matter where he went, they would follow.
But it still hurt to hear.
“So that’s it,” Danny said. “I just have to wait till they hurt me in front of everyone.”
“We’ll never let it get to that point,” Maddie said.
Danny shook his head, his eyes staring blankly at the table. “Okay.”
Because what could he say to that? He couldn’t just pretend like this was fine, like he was fine with this. Because that would have been so insane of a lie that not even his dad would have bought it.
Jazz’s eyes flickered between them. “There’s also the other thing we talked about before dinner, Mom.”
“I know.” Maddie looked to Jack for support. He gave a solemn nod, and she pressed forward, despite looking like she’d rather do anything else. “We know that your…halfa psychology makes situations like these difficult for you emotionally.”
Danny’s mood darkened instinctively. Any mention of his ghostly Obsession with his parents had a tendency to turn sour.
“I know that things haven’t exactly gone the way you’ve wanted them to. And I hope you understand that everything we’ve done has been for you and your safety.”
Yeah, because I’m so ‘safe’ that I can’t even defend myself, Danny internally quipped.
“We know that…protection…is something that’s important to you. And Mr. Lancer said that you, um, struggled after the confrontation,” Maddie said.
“I had a breakdown,” Danny stated, his dead tone surprising himself.
“Right,” Maddie said awkwardly.
“Jazz mentioned that the situation has gone directly against your core,” Jack said. “And we’re worried about that too.”
There was one way they could fix this, but Danny wasn’t going to be the one to say it. They knew what he was thinking.
Maddie sighed. “We were wondering if there was anything that you wanted to talk to us about. About this, your core, any of it.”
Danny didn’t let a single muscle twitch in his face. No way did they deserve a clue—not after they were the reason that Danny was completely defenseless against the Guys in White today.
They sat at the kitchen table listening to the hum of the fridge. The grandfather clock that Jack had built ticked on, each click seeming louder than the last.
And finally, Danny shrugged.
“Well,” Jazz said. “I think Danny has done a really good job at upholding his end of the bargain. And now we’re at a point where continuing in this trajectory is going to actively hurt his progress in therapy.”
“And we agree to a certain extent. But honey…”
“But nothing, Mom. We’ve talked about this: Danny is as much of a human as he is a ghost. It’s not fair to him or his psychology that he’s spent months without access to his core. And with the government making bolder moves such as this, it’s important to Danny—and me too—that he is secure.”
Danny didn’t like being talked about as if he were a test subject, but if this was what it took to get his core back, then so be it.
“The government is not going to touch him. Not unless they want to be sued to hell and back for violating court orders,” Maddie said.
Oh, he could scream.
“I’m not talking about that; I’m talking about how this affects Danny’s mental health. The whole point of the chip was to give him the safety he needed to heal, but the issue is that now the chip is actively interfering with the entire reason it was created.”
“But to go from zero to full powers right now…” Maddie drifted off.
Jack nodded. “I agree, it’s too much.”
“Well, you guys are the scientists. Figure out a way to adjust the power level on the chip, then.”
Danny’s eyes narrowed, snapping to Jazz. Just what in the world was she saying?
Jack pondered her proposition. “That’s not a bad idea, actually.”
“I know.” Jazz leaned back and folded her arms in that annoying fashion she did when she thought she’d won.
“Hun, I don’t even think that’s possible. To access those mechanics on the chip, we’d need to extract it from Danny,” Maddie said.
“Maybe!” Jack snapped his fingers. “This chip might not be flexible, but I bet we could build one that was! And we’d be able to remotely configure it!”
Immediately, Danny felt sick.
Apparently, Maddie didn’t, judging by the way her eyes lit up. “And then we could even program it to slowly fade its power levels! Oh, Jack, that’s brilliant.”
“Aren’t you glad you have such a genius for a husband?”
“I am!”
“Don’t worry, son, we’ll get you fixed up in no time!” Jack gave him a thumbs up.
Danny was careful to not let the mask slip from his face and betray how truly revolted he was by this plan.
A chip that let his parents remotely set how much control over his core he had? He couldn’t think of anything more dystopian.
Perhaps noticing his silence, Maddie prompted, “Honey?”
“I don’t know what you want me to say,” Danny admitted.
“You can say anything on your mind, dear. This is…we’re a team.”
Even as she said those words that had been repeated so many times before, her voice sounded unconfident.
Danny could have laughed at the irony.
“You already know what I’m going to say.” Danny’s eyes traveled up from the table until they pierced hers. “There’s nothing else.”
“Yes, and you understand why we can’t just give you free rein of your ghost powers, right?” she asked.
No.
“Yes.”
“And you know that—that you’re still safe, right? You’re still protected in the meantime?” Maddie asked.
He wasn’t safe.
“Yes, I know.”
“The law is final, son,” Jack said gently. “They can intimidate you all they want, but they will never be able to touch you at all.”
“Sure.”
“And pretty soon, you’ll start to have your powers back. Okay?” Maddie said.
Danny looked away. “I was just scared. That was all.”
---
Danny glared at the name on his screen. Never in his wildest dreams could he ever have imagined he would be willingly seeking this scum of the Earth out, but he had no other choice.
He was down to his last few pills, and with the escalating boldness of the Guys in White, there was no way he was going to make it out of this intact.
Grumbling for the tenth time, he pressed the call button and brought the phone to his ear.
Later on, he would be disgusted at how quickly Vlad picked up the phone. “Daniel!” he said, his voice too cheerful. “What a lovely surprise!”
“Yeah, lovely.” Danny’s tone was anything but.
“To what do I owe this pleasure? Does your mother miss me?”
Danny closed his eyes, remembering Vlad’s warning about his calls being tapped.
“Gross, no, shut up about my mom. I’m…I need help. With a school project.”
He could feel Vlad’s grin on the other end of the line. “A school project, you say? That seems a bit bland of a request.”
“In—in science. I had an idea, but I need resources. And you’re…rich.”
“Science? My, that is interesting! If you don’t mind me asking, Little Badger, why not just ask your parents for assistance?”
Cocky bastard.
“I feel bad. They’ve—they’ve done a lot for me, and…I know they’re busy. They were meeting with the lawyer today, and I just don’t want to—to bother them. With this. And I know you…from your college days, you have experience and your old gadgets still.”
“Surely your parents have some old gadgets in their shed you can toy with.”
“Most of those are fried. You know how my dad gets.” He knew that Vlad was just trying to pick at any loophole in their conversation, and he needed to play along, as much as he hated it. “I wan–wanted to show the school that I’m okay. You know? They have me in these—the Learning Center, and I wanted to prove I can handle real classes again. I need something to impress them. Especially after today, I just…I don’t want them to think I can’t—I can’t handle myself.”
There was a brief moment of silence on the other line before Vlad hummed. “I see. Well, you know I am a very busy man, Daniel.”
“Yes, but…”
“However, I suppose since you reached out, I would be delighted to help my favorite nephew with his assignment. Does tomorrow after school work for you? I can pick you up if so.”
Danny’s eyes widened. “Yeah. That’s fine, I don’t have PT. There—it’s just that I’m under…I get picked up by my mom.”
“I see. So would I have to contact the school to pick you up instead?”
“No, I don’t—I don’t think so. I think I can ask my mom.”
“Alright, well, hopefully dear Maddie and my old friend Jack won’t be too jealous that you’ve asked me to help you rather than them. Do tell your mother hello for me, alright?”
“Whatever,” Danny grumbled. Then, remembering the code, he slapped a fake smile on his lips and bared his teeth into the receiver, “Thank you, Vlad! I’ll see you tomorrow!”
“Ta!”
---
previous / next
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Thanks so much for @imekitty for doing beta work while mid-NaNoWriMo. That is insane so please appreciate her thank you 💚
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I just saw the fic you did for the shut up mom prank and I loved it! do you think you could do one with mikey, draken and hanma 🥺👉👈
STFU Mom | Draken, Mikey, and Hanma
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
- Part 2 of you and your kid pranking your husband. Ft. Timeskip Draken, Mikey, and Hanma
(Female Reader)
warnings: cussing
genre: crack
A/N: Thank you, anon! I actually want to try this prank but my Asian ass is way too scared for this LMAO
Draken (Ryuguji Ken)
When it comes to having the Best Dad Award, you'll have to give it to Draken.
You always knew that he'll be a great father, and you weren't wrong. From the moment your son was born, Draken was attentive and doting to him.
And your son, to your husband's pleasure, was a carbon copy of him. He inherited his father's brute strength and his love for bikes. He even asked you to get the same tattoo as his Dad's, to which you disapproved.
Although despite being like Draken, your son's got the puckish sense of humor. From time to time, he loves annoying either you or your husband which up until now, you couldn't get used to.
Today's one of those days. Your son asked you if you can get along with him to prank his Dad. Which of course, you agreed to.
Currently, you three were on the bike shop. Your son reading a guide regarding machines and motors, while your husband was fixing a customer's bike.
"Dabi, can you take out the trash please?", you asked your son as you do your best to act normal.
Your son ignored you and continued to read.
"Dabi?" you asked.
"Shut the hell up, Mom. I'm trying to read," he said as he rolled his eyes at you
The both of you were startled with pieces of screws clinking on the floor
"HAAAA???" Draken shouted as he looked at his son
"Oi, you jerk. Did you just tell your mom to shut up?" Draken asked as he was looking for something in the toolbox which confused the both of you.
To your surprise, Draken pulled out a wrench which he used to point to your son.
"Apologize you brat. Or I will not hesitate to beat the shit out of you with this," Draken threatened as his eyes burned holes in your son.
"Pfft, Dad! It's just a prank," your son said
"Baby, you're way too serious!" you laughed at your husband.
Draken glared at the both of you
"I swear, you two," he said as he faces palmed himself. "I'll die out of stress here before you know it," he continued.
Mikey (Sano Manjiro)
When Mikey found out that you're having his child, he was unsure of how to feel.
Sure, he felt blessed when you agreed to marry him. But having a kid is a different story. Actually, he felt glad when he first heard the news. But at the same time, he's worried if he'll ever be a good father.
But he's actually one.
As your son grew up, Mikey was able to close the gap between them. You can tell that the two were close as they often bond. Usually, they play video games together, have rides, and Mikey would sometimes train him to fight. He's a patient and a good dad.
Your son would sometimes wonder just how patient his dad is to him. Despite his antics, Mikey rarely scolds him. So to give it a try, your son teamed up with you to prank him.
Currently, your husband and son are on the couch playing their PS5.
"Shinso, can you help me get the laundry upstairs?" you asked.
Your son continued playing pretending to ignore you.
"Hey, go help your mom first," Mikey said while still playing.
"Shinso" you repeated
"Mom, shut up!" your son yelled.
Suddenly, you felt an intense aura coming from Mikey and saw a flying controller across the room.
Apparently, Mikey threw his PS5 controller to his son.
"You asshole! Go help your mom," Mikey half-shouted.
It was quite a shock from your son for it was rare for him to see his father lose his cool.
"Then come back here and I'll shove some manners down your throat you brat," Mikey continued, now holding onto one of his household slippers and using it to point at your son.
By this time your son burst into a peal of uncontrollable laughter.
"Huh? You think it's funny?" Mikey said pissed. Ready to throw one of his slippers.
"Baby, it's a prank," you said as you smiled at your husband.
"Yeah, Dad! I didn't know you could do that," your son said in between giggles.
Mikey looked at both of you and pouted.
"Hmph," he said crossing his arms. "Go help your mom anyway," he continued.
Shuji Hanma
If you'll describe Hanma as a husband and father, it'll be adventurous.
Hanma likes to keep the thrill. When you were still pregnant, he suggested not to have a gender reveal party so that both of you will be surprised. You didn't even think of names throughout the pregnancy and just named the baby right on the spot.
This didn't stop even when the baby was born. As the kid grew, Hanma would teach him how to fight, what tattoos to get when he gets older, and how to pick up chicks. Sometimes, the poor kid will be the victim of your husband's unending teasing. Honestly, it was quite a nightmare for you. Yet, you still enjoyed it.
On a daily basis, it's either you or your son who'll get the curse of Hanma's endless annoyance. But today, it was different.
Both of you wanted to get back at Hanma. So you and your son decided to prank him.
Right now, your husband and son were playing Uno while you're preparing for dinner.
"Dad, you do know that I'm aware that you have extra cards hiding under the table right?" your son said questioningly.
"Ha? I don't care," Hanma said in annoyance.
You decided to butt in between the two of them
"Aki, come and help me cook here," you said.
"Shut up Mom, I'm playing," your son replied, pretending to be annoyed.
"You jackass..." Hanma said, crumpling the Uno cards in his hands.
Hanma suddenly grabbed his son by the collar.
"You ain't going to disrespect my wife and your mom like that you shit," Hanma said growling.
Your husband's fist was about to collide with your son's face when you suddenly stopped him.
"Babe! It's a prank," you explained.
"Pffft, Dad, you're so gullible," you said.
"What?" Hanma asked, confused.
"We're just joking. You, zero. Us, one," you said pointing to you and your son with a smirk.
"Tsk. I hate you two," Hanma said. "I'll get back at this," he continued, jokingly.
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