#XDC

[mewhoismyself]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/52529302

This the first of my projects for the Fragile Dreams (Farewell Ruins to the Moon) 15th Anniversary event, under the prompt ‘Stars’!

Many thanks to @lunarhillfunland for being a wonderful event organizer!

[timehealstale]

[satorusplaything]

tell me why today i come into class mad because why the FUCK am i here today and like.. this girl sits here n shows an attitude when me back!! like this is not elm, mid, or highschool baby we r IN COLLEGE!! i get i was mad but why are u mad bc i’m mad tf

anyways let’s get lit frl

[thtverse]

Within 24hrs I got hooked with moonblossom au. First, it started with a character outfit for my OC in this au then it snowballed to this.

@moonblossom-au by @slimesomniac

Kronen from moonblossom au.

Komi from TimeHealsTale @timehealstale by H.Ran.

[onedigital]

LG presenta una plataforma de control integrada para vehículos en el CES 2025

Consolidando los sistemas IVI y ADAS en un solo chip, el controlador de próxima generación de LG establece un nuevo estándar para la experiencia de movilidad Continue reading LG presenta una plataforma de control integrada para vehículos en el CES 2025

[jbfly46]

Scam the globalists.

[megamindsupremacy]

these tags by @grunkleuri came from a different post and I may be interpreting them wrong but “Clark Kent Raised By Grunkle Stan” AU is an absolutely fascinating premise. He would fit stupid well into gravity falls can you imagine

[law-blocks-ai]

From Conflict to Resolution: Law Blocks' ADR and ODR in Action

In a world driven by digital transformation, the legal landscape is no exception. Traditional approaches to dispute resolution are giving way to innovative methods that are faster, more accessible, and in tune with the times. Enter Law Blocks, a trailblazer in the realm of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). In this blog, we'll embark on a journey through the intricacies of ADR and ODR, exploring how Law Blocks is reshaping the way conflicts are resolved in the digital era.

The Digital Revolution Meets Legal Innovation

As the digital revolution continues to disrupt industries, the legal sector is undergoing a profound transformation. Gone are the days when resolving disputes meant lengthy court battles, hefty legal fees, and a process that often left parties dissatisfied. With the advent of ADR and ODR, a new era of conflict resolution has emerged—one that's efficient, cost-effective, and tailored to the needs of the parties involved.

Law Blocks: A Catalyst for Change

At the heart of this legal evolution is Law Blocks, a platform that's revolutionizing how disputes are settled. With a suite of innovative tools and technologies, Law Blocks simplifies the process from start to finish. Here's a glimpse of what it offers:

AI Templates: Law Blocks provides AI-driven templates that guide users through the creation of legal documents. These templates aren't just static forms; they're smart, adapting to user inputs and ensuring the resulting documents are accurate and legally sound.

Secure Document Sharing: Collaboration is made seamless with Law Blocks. Users can securely share documents with counterparts, eliminating the need for cumbersome email exchanges and reducing the risk of version conflicts.

Document Editing: Need to make changes to a shared document? Law Blocks allows for real-time, collaborative editing, ensuring that all parties are on the same page, literally.

Cryptographic Signatures: Signatures are a critical part of legal agreements, and Law Blocks employs cryptographic signatures for utmost security. These signatures are tamper-proof, ensuring the integrity of your documents.

Blockchain Integration: Law Blocks leverages blockchain technology to provide an indelible record of transactions. Documents are loaded onto the blockchain, creating a transparent and immutable history of all interactions.

ADR and ODR: The crux of Law Blocks' innovation lies in its ADR and ODR capabilities. Parties can opt for mediation and arbitration courts within the platform, streamlining the dispute resolution process.

The Power of ADR and ODR

So, how do ADR and ODR work in practice? Here's a simplified breakdown:

Mediation: In the event of a dispute, parties can choose mediation. A neutral mediator, agreed upon by the parties involved, facilitates discussions and negotiations. Mediation encourages collaboration and communication, often leading to mutually agreeable resolutions.

Arbitration: If mediation doesn't resolve the issue, the dispute moves to arbitration. Here, smart contracts come into play, ensuring transparency and enforcing the decisions of the arbitrator. It's a faster and more cost-effective alternative to traditional court proceedings.

Law Blocks in Action

The real magic of Law Blocks unfolds when you see these processes in action. Picture this: You need to draft a complex legal agreement with a business partner. With Law Blocks, you access an AI template specifically tailored to your needs. As you work on the document, your partner reviews, edits, and signs it—all within the platform, securely tracked on the blockchain. If a dispute arises, you opt for mediation, facilitated by a neutral mediator. The process is transparent, efficient, and cost-effective, thanks to smart contracts. The result? Conflict to resolution, seamlessly.

The Future of Dispute Resolution

In a world where speed, accessibility, and fairness are paramount, Law Blocks' ADR and ODR innovations are driving change. The legal industry is catching up with the digital age, and Law Blocks is leading the way. As blockchain technology continues to mature and gain acceptance, the synergy between legal expertise and innovation will be the driving force behind the next evolution in dispute resolution.

From conflict to resolution, Law Blocks is rewriting the narrative, offering a vision of legal innovation that's accessible to all. Stay tuned as we continue to redefine the landscape of justice in the digital era.

For more information check here >>

Linkedin : Lawblocks

Discord : https://discord.com/invite/e9cKqusTDB

Reddit : https://www.reddit.com/user/LawBlocks

Twitter : https://twitter.com/lawblockstoken

[thestarsofpines]

i read this and immediately had to draw the last part because holy shit

(please also reblog the original prompt!)

[mariastorm]

Danny became the head assistant to one Timothy Drake-Wayne after nearly 20 years of being retired from the hero gig. In Danny's opinion,no 16 year old should be managing a multi - million dollar company as a pass time instead the fricking grown adult who owned said company... *cough,cough .....Bruce Wayne.

But then again,what did he know, alot.....he knew alot about Tim and his family of furries...the undead souls of Gotham tended to tell you things if you gave them the chance, he was just some guy in his thirties who had just moved to Gotham just a year ago. He couldn't just walk up to them and offer a free therapy session with his sister to fix the general mess that was the Wayne family unless he wanted the 'batclan' to start paying attention to him and later creeping him out with their stalking. So he chose a more subtle approach ; slowly integrate into their lives and fix their disaster of a family one appointment at a time.

He started off great. Tim began to open up to him in the office as the days went by. They talked in-between work schedules and meetings. He learnt about Tim's likes and dreams,lent an ear when he needed to vent about stuff involving home or school. In a way , Danny had realised somewhere in between that he was slowly mentally adopting Tim as his kid . He ended doing the same thing with the other Wayne children when he met them. Apparently,Tim spoke about him to the others when he was home and they had all gotten curious. Heck he had even met Alfred and they got on like a house on fire . Now he sometimes joins the old man to shop for groceries every other weekend. He had met Bruce as well and let's just say their first meeting involved Danny scolding the hell out of the man for allowing a literal child to manage his company when said child should have been doing child things as well as all the other things and the others had told him Bruce had done. Alfred had patted him on the back after he had finished his speech while the kids had been laughing at their father's expense.

Bruce had surprisingly taken it like a man considering the fact that he was being told off on how to 'parent' by a twink who was his son's assistant and therefore his employee. Danny had expected to be jobless after that fiasco but instead he was invited to dinner that very same week by Bruce himself. Albeit Bruce refused to make eye contact and seemed to have been having a fever as his face and ears were bright red but Danny didn't mind,free food was free food.... Even if he still wonderd why he had spotted Dick and Stephanie spying on them from the hallway with knowing looks on their faces......

Danny didn't even know how but suddenly he was fully involved in their lives; night time hobbies included after they dramatically told him to which Danny had simply responded with an "ya don't say?"and proceeded to go back to drinking his tea with Alfred . Things in the bat-brood were healing nicely;they were talking, bonding and generally starting to look like a true family. A true family with Danny in it. And Danny himself didn't realize this until one fluke .....no.... Two flukes occurred on the night of the biggest gala Danny had ever attended in his halfa life {galas he attended at Sam's mansion included} .

The first fluke ,he had been both happy and embarrassed about.....

Not one or two or three BUT four of the Wayne children had addressed him as 'Dad' . That too in front of a large group of guests and reporters with cameras and recorders . Damien had gone as far as to specify that ,yes they were referring to him and not Bruce..

And the second fluke....

Well, Danny wasn't sure how to feel about that one............

... Bruce Wayne,the bachelor billionaire,the man Danny had come to have a huge slight man crush on,...........

.

.

.

Kissed Danny. Right on the lips. On the balcony.

And Danny being a complete idiot had hiccuped then used his invisibility to hide and later run all while forgetting one tiny thing..

He hadn't told the batclan about his secret yet..and honestly??

Danny blames Clockwork.

[musicfeedsmysoul12]

I am very into the idea of Dani having DNA from both Danny and a random DC hero cause she needed to stabilize with another set of DNA. So like Danny randomly went to a place and stole some and oops he didn’t know it was a Superhero place meant to hold their Blood for testing reasons.

Bonus: Dani deaged to and is now baby

Bonus-Bonus: Danny is trans and can fake having her as one of those invisible pregnancies

Bonus-bonus-bonus: Danny slept with the civilian ID and has no idea.

Just the freaking chaos.

Dick Grayson? Jason Todd? What about Wally West? Roy Harper?!? John Constantine?!? Bruce Wayne?!? Tim Drake?!? Conner Kent?!?

Just IMAGINE

[helluva-hazbins]

Sure, he'd noted the attempted malice in the returned stare. And Lu knew well enough, exactly how Adam felt towards him in that shared moment. Still he opted to simply lift a brow and leave it as an unspoken exchange between them.

It's to Lu's surprise that not only does Adam stir but he actually begins to speak and explain himself. This...this was good progress by means of communication, if anything. Not so great in other regards. Indeed he was a mess in every sense of the word. It was enough for some amount of guilt to wedge it's way forward, causing Hell's ruler to wince, squinting as the feeling kicked in and briefly disappeared again.

"Well, you're capable of sitting up, that's a good sign. We can have you looked at professionally if you want to agree to that. I'd offer some angelic powered display of healing but something tells me you'd rather treatment come from an outside source..." His voice trailed off. Trust issues were still standing bwteen the two and pushing past that barrier was going to take much more time than either of them likely could surmount for now.

"So, we can start with the soup, if you.......Lute?" His mind files through faces, and names and on past encounters....was this the same name Adam was spouting off about before? Lucifer vaguely remembers Adam getting violently protective over a new woman in his life, shouting that the Deamon better not think of taking her...by Satan's honor, Lu himself hardly had any idea who the woman was as far as he could recall and he wasn't looking to woe anyone away...

"Uhh...this Root? Is that someone close to you? Because it sounds like someone you may be missing. Adam, call it a hunch here, buuut could you...maybe be suffering from a bout of being homesick?" Could be psychological...he's not overlooking it as a possibility.

Adam normally was a voracious glutton. He loved food. He loved ribs, he loved treats. He loved going to get ice cream shakes with Lute in Heaven.

And normally, he loved Hell's food too. The barbecue down here was the best and devil's food cake was delicious.

But it was like his stomach couldn't hold anything in. He tried, but he just felt so sick.

He wasn't hungry, he was just so sad. He needed a massive kick in the pants to snap him out of his malaise.

He had tried sleeping but all Adam could do was stare at the wall, remembering the happy memories he had in Heaven. Of the things he did with his girls. He missed Lute, he missed his wings. He just felt so....so alone...

Adam stirred as he heard Lucifer come in. He managed to pull himself up, just a bundle of sore muscle as he winced, sitting up on the side of the bed.

He gave Lucifer a look that should have been smoldering, but right now looked like a small match strike.

" I can't stomach anything. I'm fucking trying....but it's like my stomach locked up...."

He was so tired. He rubbed his eyes with a clawed hand.

" Fuck.....I just want to sleep. But I keep.....seeing shit. I keep thinking I'm home with....with Lute....."

[dp-marvel94]

Real -Chapter 3

Summary:

While hiding from his parents in Gotham, an ill-timed encounter with his neighbor, Jason, has Danny pretending to be his own twin. Fortunately for Danny, the more he pretends the easier it gets. Until he is not pretending at all. Or: Danny names a duplicate and via ghost logic, said duplicate ends up becoming real.

First->Previous -> Next

Also on AO3

Jamie and Danny practice for several days. First just piloting a heavier, human body. Sometimes the clone just pauses to listen, getting used to the sound of a heart beating in his ears. Then there’s the ghost powers. Intangibility, invisibility, flight.

“Great job!” Danny congratulates silently, a small ecto-blast flickers between their fingers at Jamie’s command.

Jamie can even trigger the transformation into ghost form. And now, there is one more step.

“Here we go!” The clone raises his (Danny’s) arms. He pulls and stretches, his tiny cold spark pulsing. Wrapped in ectoplasm, the forming core strains to coalesce. Their shared body is ripe with tension, a rubber band just before the point of breaking.

Danny is flung back, suddenly back in control of his body. Jamie floats in front of him, upside down and grinning.

“You did it!” Danny takes his clone by the arm and swings him around.

Still, the separation does not last the night. A dozen threads connect them, energy trickling from Danny into his twin. Jamie’s forming core refuses to come together, to solidify into something real.

And yet, when Jamie appears human, he is heavier. His body is warmer, he breathes more often. And…

“Can almost feel it.” Jamie mutters, nodding off as he and Danny watch a movie. “Here. Jamie’s heart.” His hand rests on his chest.

“You know, you can use the first person. My heart.”

The clone opens his eyes, brow furrowing, not with confusion. But something Danny can’t quite read. “Jamie’s heart.” He insists.

Sleepy himself, Danny does not argue. Instead, he reaches for Jamie’s wrist, for the pulse that is almost there. “I can feel it too.”

Again, before morning dawns, Jamie’s physical form is gone.

Another day, another attempt to separate, another dinner with Jason.

“Have you guys called Duke yet?” The man asks, measuredly not pointed.

“No.” Danny blushes sheepishly. “I completely forgot. We’ll do that when we get back to the apartment…” He frowns, brow furrowed. “if I can figure out what happened to that number.”

Jamie pauses in lifting his drink to his lips. For a second, hesitance flickers in his eyes “It’s in the drawer near the sink.” He slowly answers.

“Thanks baby bro.” Danny says, offering a disarming smile.

His twin rolls his eyes. “Not a baby.”

“So you’re the older twin?” Jason asks.

“You could say that.” Danny shares a look with his twin, a knowing glint in his eyes.

Jamie gives a half-hearted chuckle. Danny can’t help but notice the anxiety twangling across their bond.

Back at the apartment when Danny goes to retrieve the number, his twin pointedly stands in front of the drawer, blocking it from opening.

“What is up with you?” The half ghost asks.

The other boy stares him down, scowling. After a long pause, he huffs. “You can’t call Duke.”

“Yes I can.” Danny rolls his eyes, reaching around his brother’s side. “Come on. Move”

“You can’t call him.” Jamie insists again.

“Look.” The older twin tugs on the handle. “I’ll call him and ask some about the Foundation. Just to make Jason happy. It’ll be fine.”

“No!” The clone insists more harshly.

“Why?” Danny spread his hands, growing exacerbated. “Why not?”

“Because… because…” His twin stutters.

The older sucks in a breath. “Why not, Jamie?”

“Because…” The younger’s brow furrows, nostrils flaring in frustration. “You call Duke, you ask about the Foundation. Then… then you’re asking them for help. But we can’t… because… because… Jamie isn’t real.”

“Yes, you are.” Danny argues.

“Jamie isn’t real on paper.” The clone grits his teeth. “No documents.”

“Okay, that is true. But-”

“The police will find out. Then the GIW and your… The Fentons.”

The words come with a wave of fear but Danny does not like himself be cowed clone’s feelings. “That’s not guaranteed. We’ll be careful. Just… get out of the way Jamie.” Danny grits his teeth right back.

“No.” Jamie remains stubbornly in place. “Why do you have to call him?”

“Jason will push again if I don’t.” The half ghost starts.

“No. Why?” His twin presses, harsh.

“Jason will-”

“Why?”

The question interrupts once more and Danny’s anger flares. “Because I don’t want to live in this crummy apartment forever! I want to get into college, get a good job, have a real life! I don’t want to be running and hiding forever!” He spreads his arms, wide imploring eyes fixing on Jamie. “Don’t you want that too?!”

His twin doesn’t look away, eyes just as gratingly fixed. “You won’t be safe.”

“Safe?! Safe?!” The older twin lifts his hands. “Nothing about my life is safe! None of this is! Being half ghost, living in Gotham, letting you exist-”

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, Danny knows he fucked up.

Jamie steps to the side, not even bothering to look at him.

“Jamie! Jamie! I’m sorry.” A cold guilt washes over him, Danny’s pleading eyes fixed on the back of his retreating twin’s head.

Jamie slams the door to the bathroom and in a haunting snap, the tangle of anger and hurt radiating from him cut off.

“Jamie? Jamie!” Panic claws up his throat. Did… did his brother just disappear, fade out of existence? But… no, no rush of energy returning to him. Jamie is still there. He must be.

Heart in his throat, Danny approaches the door. “I’m… I’m sorry. I-”

“Go away!” The familiar voice yelled through the door, the anger more stark and real than any emotion communicated through their bond.

“Jamie.” He tries again, gently.

“Go away!” The words are a roar, a stab to Danny’s heart.

The half ghost slinks away. He opens the drawer and calls the number, despite the shame roiling in his gut. He talks to Duke for a long while, asking his questions about the Meta Human Foundation.

The call ends and Danny slumps back on the couch. He wants to be comforted by what Duke told him. The foundation helps undocumented metas; they could help him and Jamie. And Danny has been denying it for too long but they need the help. He wants better than running and hiding forever for himself. He wants better for Jamie.

Guilt clogs his throat. Jamie, the person he dragged into this mess. The ghost he… imagined into existence. Again, the awe of that hits him. But… the guilt. He feels like an irresponsible parent, unable to provide for his family. Damn, is he Jamie’s parent? A jolt of panic hits him. Is he a dad? Is Jamie his child?

Danny shakes the thought away. It doesn’t really matter. He’s all Jamie has, whether he is the other ghost’s dad or his older brother. And he just royally screwed up.

Heaving a sigh, the half ghost stands up. He needs to fix this, needs to apologize.

“Jamie? Baby bro?” He knocks on the bathroom door. “Can we… can we talk?”

No answer comes.

Danny tries again. “I’m sorry I said that, about letting you exist. I…I didn’t mean it like that. Just… open up.”

No sound comes through the door. Not even Jamie’s occasional breathing.

“You’re worrying me. I haven’t even felt anything from you in a while. Please just let me in.”

Still nothing. Taking a shaky breath, the half ghost opens the door and…

An empty bathroom lies in front of him.

Danny’s heart drops into his stomach. “Please, please tell me you’re just invisible.”

But he knows that is not the case. No familiar cold presence, no translucent figure only visible to another ghost.

Hardly thinking, Danny transforms. Jamie had to have run off. He had to. He tugs on the connection inside him, linking his core to Jamie’s forming one. The… the bond is still there, though silent and still. The slow trickle of energy screams that his clone is still there, not reabsorbed when he wasn’t paying attention.

For just a second he thinks… he could tug on the line, reabsorb his twin’s physical form – still a duplicate if the mind inside is not– back into himself. No, Danny shakes his head, sick with  thought. He will never, never do that on purpose. The thermos instead. He rises from the ground, grabbing it from under the couch. He can capture Jamie if he must, though he hopes the other boy will return willingly

Invisibility phasing through the wall and into the open air outside, Danny follows the tug of their connection. Jamie wouldn’t have gone far, right? Around a corner, passed the bus stop, passed the store where he buys groceries.

A few streets from home, Danny’s ghost sense wafts in his mouth.

“Jamie?” He whispers, a blip of hope. But… no, his twin has never set off his ghost sense. He… hasn’t sensed any ghosts since he’s arrived in Gotham, even if Jason and Damian do both have the aura of someone touched by death.

Gunshots echo off the walls, the sound seizing  Danny’s attention. Another waft of ghost sense… from the same direction.

The half ghost sprints through the air. More gunshots, a man cursing. Then… the sound of a woman’s cackle, a familiar misery-consuming voice. And underneath all the cacophony… an even more familiar whimpering.

Danny blasts around the corner to find… a tall, muscular man in a leather jacket wearing a red helmet. This must be the Red Hood, one of Gotham’s vigilantes. And-

“Stop. Please.” Someone whimpers.

His brother, crumpled on the concrete. The Red Hood stands over him, back to Danny.  A street light flickers above, an island of light in the darkness.

And just visible beyond the streetlight…

“What is that thing?” Hood lets out another curse, another bullet from his gun

A shadow writhes, red eyes burning.

“And… Red Hood isn’t it?” The ghost cackles. “How does it feel to know that daddy cares about a murdering clown more than you?”

Hood growls, hand twitching on the gun.

“Like… a crowbar to the head? Or a pile of explosions? Or…both?”

Danny has heard enough. Rage filling his vision, he pounces.

Another bang. “There’s another one?!”

“We’re ghosts!” The half ghost shouts, dodging the shot. “And she’s the bad guy!”

Danny does not register the vigilante’s reply. Just Spectra’s grinning fangs, her self-satisfied laughter.

A tangle of limbs and shadow, Danny fights. Green shots blast his enemy. Black claws tear at his arm. Danny tears in kind.

Behind him, Jamie sniffles.

Hungry red eyes fixed on his brother. “Too weak to-“

The half ghost cuts off the hateful words with a punch to Spectra’s face. The ghost’s head ripples, black encasing his fist. Spectra’s shadow wraith. Tendrils of oily darkness lunge for his neck, his mouth. Danny flinches back. But his dodge is unsuccessful.

Pressure squeezes his neck, fills his nostrils. He… he can’t breathe.

The crackling energy, warm yellow-orange light cuts through. A glowing blade in Hood’s hand slice through the darkness.

The shadow ghost hisses, releasing Danny. Spectra recoils away from the light. She holds an indistinct limb against her chest. Neon green drips onto the asphalt.

Blades clash, swinging for inky black limbs. Ectoblasts crackle, like breaking ice. Spectra’s darkly joyful grin shifts into something angry, something desperate. She dives for Jamie.

With Danny’s enraged cry, ice shots from the ground. It drives up, skewering the ghost just below her core. “Don’t touch him!”

The clone scuffles backwards on his hands with a yell. Wide, fearful eyes jerk to where Danny floats.

The eyes contact focuses the half ghost’s attention. The thermos. Before Spectra can even begin to struggle free, the cap is off, and she is dragged into the blue light.

Once the threat is captured and the thermos intangibly shoved into Danny’s side for later, he only has eyes for Jamie.

The ghost boy surges forward. Before he has even reformed his legs to kneel, he is pulling his twin into his arms. “It’s-“

A sword jabs, right under his chin. Gasping with surprise, Danny looks up.

Red Hood stands above him, face unreadable through his helmet. “Don’t you dare hurt him.”

The half ghost’s eyes flash, teeth bared in offense. “Of course I won’t. He’s my family.”

That makes the vigilante pause, blade lowering. “What even are you?”

“A ghost. Not that it’s any of your business.” Danny scowls.

“You’re in my turf, kid, so it is my business.” The words lack the expected bite.

“Look.” Danny huffs. “I’m just trying to live my afterlife. Sorry about Spectra.” He glares at the spot of ectoplasm on the ground. “She won’t be a problem again.”

Jamie mutters, interrupting. “Can we go home?”

Danny’s attention jerks back to his brother, finally looking him over. The disheveled hair, the bruise on his cheek, his watery eyes.

His throat suddenly thick, Danny feels just as close to crying. “Yeah, of course we can.”

The other boy’s eyes turn mournfully to his ankle. “Twisted it.” It is swollen and discolored, now that Danny looks away from his brother’s face.

The half ghost gently wraps one arms around Jamie’s back, the other under his knees. Carefully, he lifts the other boy from the ground.

“What are you going to do with the other ghost?” Hood cut in, taking another step towards the pair.

“Bury her in the park, probably.” The half ghost hisses darkly.

The vigilante’ head tilts ever so slightly. Gaze unseen, Danny still feels it on the cut on his arm. “How are you bleeding Lazarus water?”

“I don’t even know what that is.” Danny rolls his eyes, floating from the ground.

“It’s-“

“Just give it rest.” The half ghost cut in, anger flaring. “Don’t you see I have someone to take care of?!”

Ignoring Red Hood’s sputtering question, Danny turns invisible and flies away.

Soon enough, he phases back into their apartment. Lowering Jamie down onto the couch, Danny turns human in a flash of light.

He kneels down, a hand taking his brother’s. “I’m… I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. I didn’t realize you’d left and… how… how did Spectra even find us? Never mind that. Are you okay?”

Jamie just nods. Slowly, emotions trickle down their bond. Hurt, heartbreak, fear. All oddly quiet, oddly subdued.

“Do you want a hug?”

Another small nod.

For a long while, Danny just holds his brother. Finally, slowly, Jamie starts to cry.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Danny tries to soothe. “Whatever she said to you wasn’t true. Spectra… she… she picks at whatever you’re insecure about, whatever you’re doubting and using that to hurt you. But it’s not true.”

Still, Jamie cries, tears silently dripping down his face. A shaky breath. Chest pressed again Danny’s, the older half ghost can feel the ectoplasm tremble and shake, a storm inside.

Finally, the younger ghost mutters. “It’s… it’s not safe for Jamie to exist.”

In Danny’s own chest, his heart stales. Spectra had used what he unthinkingly said to Jamie, the words already causing him pain, to torture the younger boy.

“I… I’m… I’m sorry.” Danny stutters. “I didn’t mean it. No, I… I didn’t mean it like that. There… there is danger but you’re worth the risk.” He pulls back, out of the hug. “You’re worth the risk.”

His brother does not move or speak, eyes fixed on his lap.

“Jamie, look at me.” The older half ghost pleads.

No response comes, the other’s body ripe with tension.

“Please. Please look at me.” Danny shakes his head. “Just… just show me that you hear me.”

The clone’s head tilts up ever so slightly. His eyes flicker to Danny’s face for just a second, before looking away again.

The acknowledgment earns a shaky smile from the older boy. “You are worth it, Jamie. All of this, anything that could happen, you’re worth it.” He pours all the affection, all the sincerity he can hold into the words. “I love you. I love you so much. I want you to be happy. I want you to get to live the life you deserve. And…” A shaking breath. “Yes, there is danger. The GIW or Mom and Dad could find us. The Bats… Red Hood knows about me now. And who knows what he’ll do? And even Jason… how would he react if he finds out where you really came from? I… I don’t know what’s going to happen but…”

Danny reaches, gently taking Jamie’s hand who returned the touch with a squeeze. “After you talked to me, really talked to me for the first time… I… at first I just thought about me, about not being alone. But you told me you wanted to be real and…” Tears welled, smiling through watery eyes. “I knew I wanted to help you grow. I wanted to see who you were becoming. I… I wanted to be your older brother. I am your big brother. And I’ll keep you safe. I’ll protect you, no matter what happens.”

The words trickle to a stop, so much earnest passion within them. Danny prays they are heard and accepted.

Finally, his brother looks up. Round, still-watery eyes met his. “Jamie loves you too. Want you to not be alone, to be… to be safe too.”

“I know. I know you do.” The half ghost’s eyes soften. He does know. He can feel the care vibrate down the threads connecting him to his twin, singing through him like a note plucked on strings. “And I appreciate that you worry about me. But you don’t need to.” Danny smiles encouragingly. “Let me worry about the danger. I’ll do everything I can to keep us safe and still get the help we need. You just worry about growing and getting stronger, okay?”

For a second, Jamie’s brow furrows with a frown. Then he exhales. “Okay.” He sounds sincere despite the wrinkle. “Will focus on growing.”

“Good.” Danny sighs, relieved. Still… worry for his brother swirls in his core. “Did Spectra say anything else to you?”

The words fall heavily, followed by a weighty pause. Jamie’s eyes flicker to the side. A complicated mix of emotions flash on his face. But finally, he simply answers. “No.”

An inkling dances at the edge of Danny’s mind, a suspicion that he should press. But before it can solidify…

“Ankle hurts.” Jamie cuts, face screwing up with pain.

Danny frowns down at the joint. “It looks like it.” Swollen and discolored, shades blue and purple paint the skin. It would look like any other bruise, if not for the neon green undertone. The hint of the ectoplasm under Jamie’s skin in place of blood. “Maybe some ice will help.”

The half ghost conjures a block of ice, collecting a clean shirt from their bag of thrift store clothing to wrap it in. Carefully, he unties Jamie’s sneaker and pulls off the ankle sock. His twin lifts his leg and Danny places the block under the swollen ankle.

“Let that sit for a while. Hopefully the swelling will go down.”

Jamie hums in agreement, relaxing back on the couch. “Hopefully it’s not broken.”

“Yeah.” The thought has Danny scowling worriedly. Can it even be broken, considering Jamie is a ghost and ghosts don’t usually have bones? Usually such an injury isn’t even possible for him in ghost form, not something as mundane as twisting his ankle. And yet Jamie just did.

And another conundrum…. Normally an injury of this caliber would cause a duplicate to dissipate. Danny would feel an echo of the pain inflicted or even receive a lesser version of the injury. If he reabsorbs Jamie’s body, will he end up with a partially healed version of his twisted ankle?

Granted, all that could be solved with some ectoplasm to speed up the healing process. “If I could just get my hands on some ectoplasm….” Danny sighs into his hand.

Wait.

The revelation hits Danny like a truck. “I… I can’t believe I forgot.”

The sudden movement has Jamie blinking at him in question. “What?”

The half ghost kneels on the floor, a hand phasing into it. “My go bag… I packed ectodejecto.” He pulls out a glowing green vial.

The clone’s eyes widen, frowning suspiciously as he eyes the liquid. “What is it?”

“This is what I used to stabilize Ellie. Dad made it to hurt ghosts but instead it makes them strong.”

“And this might heal the ankle?” Jamie asks, one brow raised.

“Maybe….” Danny’s mind races now that he is actually thinking about the ectodejecto, actually considering the possibilities. “Maybe it can do more.” Hope rings in his voice. “Maybe this can make you strong enough to… to separate from me.”

A tentative hope wavers in Jamie’s eyes. “Separate? As in… won’t be a duplicate anymore?”

“Yes!” Danny laughs, elated with the realization. “This might actually do it.”

Still, Jamie eyes the vial, not as confident. “How do we…” He bits his lip. “How do we use it?”

“Last time, I just sprayed it on Ellie and she healed up instantly. So I guess I’ll just do the same thing..” Danny kneels in front of him. “Alright. Here we go. How about you take off your shirt first? Wanna get direct skin contact.”

“Okay.” With a nod, the clone wrestles out of the cotton t-shirt.

“I’ll spray it over where your core should be. That should make it work faster.”

The clone fixes nervous eyes on him, body ripe with tension. Still, offering an encouraging smile, the older twin depresses the nozzle and sprays.

The cloud of mist falls on Jamie’s chest, the green fading from sight in a blink. The next, and Jamie is leaned over, panting.

“Hey, take it easy. Just breath.” Danny offers comfort, rubbing his twin’s back.

“Look.” The clone breathes shakily, eyes fixing on his out stretched ankle.

Danny’s gaze follows. In the span of five seconds, the ankle’s swelling disappears. The color shifts, lightening from dark blue and purple to a sickly green-yellow. Another heartbeat and the skin is its normal pale peach.

“It healed.” Danny’s eyes widen, hope blooming. “Did it… did it finally work? Did we separate?”

Jamie’s brow furrows, a hand on his chest. “Don’t know. Maybe?”

The older brother reaches for the familiar pulse point. “I’m definitely feeling something!”

The clone hums thoughtfully. “Good.”

At Danny’s insistence, the younger twin takes a shower and changes clothes. The two settle down to relax before bed.

Danny slowly falls asleep, excitement and nerves dancing in his gut. The same feelings trickle across his ever present link to Jamie. The bond itself takes a different hue though, no longer a slow moving stream of energy. But a simple comforting thread of brotherhood.

In the morning, Danny awakes to Jamie asleep on the couch above him. Air softly whistles out of his nose, chest slowly rising and falling.

The half ghost’s heart sang with joy.