#but its clear that danny is in this job for life

[stopthefeeling]

i realised last night i don't actually want robert back

[ew-selfish-art]

DP x DC AU: Tim had heard the phrase 'The wrong twin made it home' a number of times in his life, his parents were always very upfront about how the felt towards him. But... 'made it home' doesn't indicate death, does it? ...Tim ends up taking Danny's place by Sam's side in front of Congress to lobby the end of the Anti-Ecto Acts.

...

Tim has been up for hours passed when he told Alfred he would be resting and he's wrapped up his case files into neat little bows to deliver to Babs and the GCPD/Lawyers to do their jobs. Damian had made a comment earlier in their patrol that night about Tim being the wrong sibling to make it to his rescue and... and it got him thinking about that phrase. His parents were negligent with him, certainly, but they were always very clear about how he stood in their eyes. Praise and criticism were the two options, and very strictly limited passes of 'I love yous' that faded as he got older.

He's run his DNA before in the national databases- it was critical for maintaining his Alias' that multiple people didn't flag- but he's never searched in records before. About his twin. About the one who didn't make it home.

And its definitely the lack of sleep, and definitely the lack of brotherly affection he feels these days, but Tim just can't close the door until he's seen a death certificate. He's hacked Gotham General Hospital a million times for work, but doing it for his own gain feels wrong some how and he works with extreme caution. He finds his own birth certificate and... One Theodore Daniel Drake.

Tim snorts with a short ha, pretentious name alert and goes on to find not a single certificate of death or medical record of atypia. Oh no, what he finds is adoption paperwork meant to be closed to all wondering eyes and one Daniel James Fenton leaving the hospital instead. Tim blinks a few times, retraces his steps and then sure enough, learns for a second time that his TWIN was still alive.

Finding the Fentons was easy enough, their Lab address on all of their patents was seemingly also their home address. Danny had a much better hidden internet presence, it was good cybersecurity he'd have to praise him, but Tim had been trained better. Getting into his brother's files... Raised a number of new questions. Why was he compiling evidence against the government? What the fuck was he doing analyzing policy? Why did he have 'rogue' files???

Then Tim hacks into Danny's phone (he's learned at this point that Daniel was a no-go) and sees the conversations between his twin and his twin's best friends.

Sam Manson has an appointment with a Senator to Lobby for the end of the Anti-Ecto Acts. She wants Danny to join her, demonstrate something Tim can't determine, but he's refusing to leave and let his adoptive parents have even a moment to develop a new weapon without him there to destroy it. Someone called CW warned him about changes coming his way or something cryptic. Tim learns a lot from their back and forth, but stops reading once it gets to their personal squabbles.

Tim gets the meeting details and forwards it to Tam- If Danny can't make it... Tim will. And if Tim can't demonstrate whatever Danny was going to, it would at least help to throw around his name.

Tim writes an email to Danny- It's meant to go out after the lobbying appointment- and it explains that Tim found out about him and wants to connect if Danny does, and if Danny doesn't he at least wants to get him set up with his half of the Drake family inheritance. He includes a few personal facts, including that he too ended up adopted in life and had siblings, that he helped run a company and took on the world too soon. It takes a lot out of Tim to be so candid- but he doesn't want Danny to be too blindsided by the Waynes. He attaches a family photo with the label "you'll be able to tell which one is me'.

...

Sam is tapping her stupid, uncomfortable heels waiting for these dumbass, elderly politicians to get their shit together so she can speak. Sam was resourceful and surprisingly, the second she took on politics as a way to waste the family money, her mother Pamela was all for it. She's wanting Sam to run for president now... At least she doesn't complain when Sam organizes protests.

The door behind her opens, and while she knows its not going to be Danny behind her, a girl can feel a bit crushed. She really thought he would be behind her today, but Danny was being weird about this whole thing. Clockwork had him spooked about something changing today, and Danny wanted to be in Amity Park in case it was another Pariah situation or something. His parents had been on edge lately too...

"Sorry, I'm not late am I?" A voice asks and it's just so close but not- Sam turns her head to see Danny in a nice suit with long hair and eyebags way darker than she'd seen on him in a while. This... Wasn't Danny. She blinks, and then something in her anxiously decides that the universe is fucking with her and she will be fighting back.

"Everyone is late." She glares at him, appraising his every move. The woman behind him is typing dedicatedly on her tablet and the man himself looks like he might fall over while he shuffles his files in hand.

"Well, then I'm on time. My name is Tim Drake, I'm here to help your cause in getting the Anti-Ecto acts repealed and the parties responsible for it apprehended."

"Tim Drake? As in-"

"As in Co-CEO of Wayne Enterprises. And I've done a lot of research, so I hope you'll let me play a supportive role while you speak."

"There's no way you've been able to research if you've been out of Amity, The whole city is under a media blackout." Sam's glare looks like it could cut him.

"Not to brag, but that sort of thing doesn't slow me down these days. I've made physical copies of the things they're most likely to delete and I've sent everything to the Justice League, who in turn are sending it to the Lantern Corps." He states matter-of-factly and Sam finally stops being angry at the world to just be... stumped. What the hell was going on?

"How did you... Why?"

"Tam, tell Ms. Manson how passionate I am about human rights?" The guy sounds anxious, the woman rolls her eyes and says "Very." without stopping her typing.

The doors open and Sam has only a moment to decide that Tim can join her... He proves himself to be an asset, and his name alone gets them further than she had anticipated getting today.

....

Danny is watching Sam walk into the space via C-span, gasping when his own likeness follows behind her. What the fuck???

He can barely drag his eyes away as the clone (?) introduces himself as Tim Drake and proceeds to rip them into shreds for delaying Sam Manson of all people. Danny is transfixed and Tucker is blowing up his phone.

"DUDE ARE YOU SEEING THIS?" Tucker's voice loudly calls out the second danny blindly answers.

"Dude, I just, I don't even know? He cant be a clone right? But he's gotta be?" Danny hypothesizes.

"Nah dude, there's like, a whole lifetime of media presence for Tim Drake since he was like, tiny. This is so weird he looks just like you..."

"This is so weird." Danny dumbly agrees because he can't think of anything else to say.

Sam finishes her points, Tim submits the evidence to the court and they leave. Danny's phone pings with an email notification.

"Danny my guy, you should check that, Sam isn't responding yet. Her phone is probably still off."

He follows Tucker's advise and opening his email... Is a new message from Tim Drake.

"...I don't know what the fuck is going on?" Danny continues to say, and Tucker asks him just to read it out loud, "It's just... Apparently I am both adopted and a twin?"

"...My guy." Tucker sounds just as much at a loss.

...

Sam calls them both after Tim Drake is rushed away by his PA Tam (who she found herself admiring more and more), and is relieved when they dont immediately answer by screaming.

"So Danny, Tucker, you guys are traveling with me next weekend." Sam deadpans.

"Apparently shit gets twilight-zone level weird anytime you leave Amity!" Tucker exclaims.

"...What's next weekend?" Danny asks, hesitation in his voice.

"Your twin invited us, well, mostly you, to a Wayne Family Brunch. We're going cause those assholes have money and political influence, you're going because we all probably need to know what the fuck is going on with that guy."

[im-totally-not-an-alien-2]

Danny thinks he's done a wonderful job all things considered. His city is safe, no one has died yet, no major injuries, Vlad had screwed off after Danny beat him within an inch of his afterlife (Danny learned that Vlad was a revenant abusing dirty ectoplasm for powers-not a halfa), ect.

Most of his rogues gallery also stopped bothering him once it became clear he was having trouble keeping his increased power in check and was trying hard not to hurt them. Unfortunately there was one who refused to leave him alone. A warrior princess was demanding his hand in marriage as she needed to be married by the summer solstice of next year or the throne would be passed down to her younger sister, who was already married.

It didn't matter how many times he said no, she kept coming back and challenging him for his hand. Each time she came back stronger and with new tactics and weapons to try. He was starting to fear she might actually win one day. That day might be sooner rather than later as her latest scheme was cutting it close.

Deciding that 1. Amity didn't need him anymore if he closed the portals 2. He was probably going to have to leave anyway if he loses and 3. He didn't have a future in this world as Fenton anymore he leads her on a wild goose chase back into the GZ and causes the portals to collapse in on themselves. The princess laughs, thinking he had given up. But no.

Danny put a curse on himself to turn him into a bat for the next year or so, a full month longer than the princess had left to find a spouse. She screams. Appearently she had a phobia of bats, who knew? Anyway he was left alone to fly through the Infinite Realms and find a new home.

He found a new world easily thanks to the natural portals of the IR and crossed though. Immediately being pelted on all sides by freezing cold rain was not what he expected but its what he got as he flew over a sign that proclaimed the city beneath him was called Gotham. The little glowing white bat flew through the night for hours before seeing a fruit bowl laying innocently on a kitchen counter through a window. Whats more it was in some giant manor so the occupants probably wouldn't mind if he ate an orange or two.

Right?

Needless to say a kid around the age of 11 or twelve walked in on him clutching an apple like his life depended on it while furiously munching. The kid looked...excited? He started going on about names and what he would need to care for him. Danny wasn't really listening, he didn't realize how hungry he had been until he started eating. He waited until the kid had looked away to turn himself and his apple invisible. This bothered the kid who looked suspicious but went to look for "the bat" anyway.

Later, while Danny was taking a shower in the kitchen sink to wash off the remains of his meal (I headcanon that Danny is a bit of a neat-freak) some other guy walked in holding an empty coffee mug and wearing eyebags that would put a raccoon to shame. They just stared at eachother for a solid few seconds before Danny started squeeking in rage and covering himself with the washcloth he was using to scrub himself clean. It looked like something out of a cartoon. Tim thought he was hallucinating but why would he hallucinate a glowing white bat with hearts all around it (that part isn't real) taking a shower in the kitchen sink. Was his subconscious trying to tell him something??

The next victim person to spot him was Duke who just stood in his doorway as this glowing white bat rolled an orange down the hallway. He decided this was a problem for the night crew and went to tell them.

Alfred saw a small shock of white fur and heard squeeking. His first thought was 'rat' and he didn't even hesitate. Danny dodged 3 bullets and got the hell out of the kitchen.

The batfam are debating on whether this was a shifter or an meta animal that was experimented on.

[dahliadew]

Danny Fenton goon union representative (dp x dc fanfic prompt)

At no point in Danny's life has he ever turned down a challenge, even when he had to deal with opponents bigger than himself. From dealing with everyone from Dash to Vlad to heck pariah dark, he's learned to take down people bigger than himself. So when he overhears that his nice father of four neighbors has been having some trouble at work and has been unable to get some time off, he figures it can't hurt to try to help such a nice guy out. And it does go ok, all things considered; I mean, what if the guy's boss was the penguin, and so what if Danny maybe had to show off some of his less-than-human characteristics to get him to agree to let the guy have some time off? Everything worked out at the end of who cares.

Well, when word gets out that someone is not afraid to go tow to tow with the city's villains, someone's bound to either take him out or hire him. And when word gets around that he's willing to help get better working conditions for Gotham's goon workers, their union could use a new representative.

So Danny inadvertently gets a new job, wherein he gets to meet many strange characters around the city and help many friendly working-class people with their problems. Interchange the goons help hide Danny from the bat, and his no meta-rule, even if Danny doesn't know they're hiding him. But this does cause some problems because people like black mask don't necessarily want to pay for their goon's vision care or overtime and refuses to adhere to any of the union's demands. Danny, for what it's worth, did warn the guy because, unlike black mask, he has the goon's respect and knows that they will listen to him, so when he proposes a strike, they readily agree to his suggestion.

And with all of this going down so quickly in the city, both batman and the red hood need to get as much info on this new player before things get even more out of hand. But with all of the normal underground information channels refusing to give them anything, they are forced to schedule a meeting with not only the union but its infamous leader, which is good for Danny because he wasn't sure how to get into contact with batman anyway. He has some concerns with the level of violence used to take down some goons. And well, when they have no choice but to work in this industry, they should, at the very least, outline a clear code of conduct for all parties involved to ensure the safest possible work environment.

[dolphin-writer]

Story Idea That May Never Be Written

Danny almost 18, decides to leave home, Tucker has a new identity ready for him and everything. With help of Jazz he plans to finish his hs classes online.

Right before he leaves his parents find out/he got sloppy/ his mom freaks but his dad stops her and just hugs danny. He is confused, guilty, and hurt by maddies reaction. Tells danny he’ll handle maddy and to just go as he planed

Danny moves to Gothem, for its high ecto levels and basically chill not give a fuck attatude. And other than the petty crime which he knows he can handle it will be great. He finishes his hs classes and gets a job at a mechanics shop.

Jazz is in college in Metropolis as she thinks the rivalry between the sister cities is interesting to study. And now she can use it as an excuse to visit Gotham and Danny.

Sam and Tucker graduate and move to college. Sam goes to Gotham U where Danny is taking night classes as he is now a full time mechanic at the shop. Tucker is at MIT, working at a tech help store.

A year and a half after he ran Danny gets a message from his dad. Jack is now living in Metropolis near Jazz. Maddy lost it, something about everything hitting her at once, the knowledge that her son died in her machine and that she continued trying to end him for years after, and all the things Phantom had to do hit her at once and shifted something in her mind. She was not sane anymore. She wanted to get Danny legally marked as dead because a part of her knew he died. Jack tried to fight it until Jazz told him that it would be good for Danny to lose that last tie so he finally agreed. Shortly after Jack had her assessed and committed to the hospital and then pleaded to the courts for a divorce so he could focus on his last remaining child Jazz instead of watching Maddy rot away. The courts granted it and Maddy became ward of the state. Jack moved to Metropolis and got a job in helping design security systems. 

By the time Sam and Tucker were graduating Danny had risen to running the shop only below the owner. Sam got a job with a Dr. Pamala Islie working on keeping plants from going extinct and trying to revive ones that were. Tucker was still working part time at that tech repair shop but was really working on getting his own tech/coding business more widespread. 

Danny finished his night classes shortly after them and got a good pay raise with it. Right around this time a big bomb hit Gotham in the form of Gothams Prince Bruce Wayne had returned. No one officially knew where he had gone, lots had begun to doubt he would come back saying he was probably dead. So it was a shock to everyone. And soon gotham gossip came to life with the stories of the himbo playboy. Danny could care less but it was fun getting Sam wound up about him. 

Tuckers business officially took off with big names using it such as (Queen Industries, and other companies associated with future heroes) he moved permanently to Metropolis to be close but refused to move to Gotham saying the lack of sun would kill his complexion, which sam returned with like you spend any time outside anyway?

As a year passed Wayne Enterprise started expanding, small at first building up their departments before adding new ones. Then the Martha Wayne Foundation hit the streets. Founding food kitchens and clinics and pharmacies that were cheap to free for anyone. It made a difference for some. Danny started to question the Bruce Wynes' himbo status as it was clear that this wasn’t just a pr move.

Then two years after the circus that was Bruce Wayne's return as the city quieted back down to its normal levels, the people began to hear about a monster, a demon that had been hunting the criminals of Gotham, a shadow that would leave criminals tied up for the police to find. He was a story that word of, would not spread outside of Gothams borders. Now this was something Danny watched and listened for news of. This creature or man was taking over the city little by little and Danny was protective of the city that had become his home. But he was retired and happy so he waited and observed.

Eventually they got a name, Batman. The cost for them gaming the name was that villains, not just criminals were popping out of the woodwork every other week. It was getting concerning to team Phantom, and all of Gotham in general. The press started to blame Batman for these villains' existence, calling him a menace and demanding his arrest. And Danny was conflicted. This man, for he was just a normal human as far as they could figure, was trying his best to save people, stop a problem that was not his fault but he probably felt responsible for, and now the city was against him for it. Danny did not enjoy the parallels and the reminder of his old life, but he sympathized with Batman and became a very vocal supporter of him. 

Eventually others joined Danny in his support of Batman. Eventually the people calling for his arrest were drowned out by those thanking him for trying to protect them. Eventually the police stopped chasing him and started working with him, even asking for help at times.

Time passed Gotham adjusted, as it always does. Danny was getting bored, he loved the mechanic shop it had become his baby, he trained the new hires and even got a couple to tinker and build things with him. But he got home and was bored, so he started experimenting with baking. He had learned how to cook over his time of living in Gotham and quite enjoyed making food for his family, Sam was always stopping by to raid his fridge since he started experimenting with making vegan food. They even got Tucker to admit to liking it. So the natural next step was trying baking. His first few attempts weren’t a disaster but they weren’t very good either. But as time passed he got better but then he faced a different issue. What to do with all the deserts. Everyone he knew was given some, and then the rest were donated to a food kitchen. At Jazzes' suggestion Danny applied to work part time at a small bakery. It was right on the outskirts of Crime alley run by a couple of older ladies and their son. Danny got to bake and work on improving recipes and they got to sell what he made. Though they did try to set him up with their son several times after finding out Danny was bi. So life settled.

Then Batman got a partner, a child partner, and Danny got upset. He had been a child vigilante, he had barely survived being a chile vigilante. Danny who took in and trained as many street kids as he could at the shop. Danny who proudly watched those kids become adults and make it in Gotham. Danny who kept an eye on all the heroes popping up around the globe, and knew that none of them had brought kids into it. Danny who thought about “his” kids as he dug into Robin and realized that Batman was trying to protect the kid in the ways he knew how, and that Robin probably just like his kids didn’t really listen when you tell them no if they’ve set their mind on it. So Danny was still worried but no longer upset with Batman. 

Then Bruce Wayne started showing up at the bakery.

Bruce is a total dork who struggles with basic human interactions at times. So at a cafe/bakery he tells the 17yo cashier, “Compliments to the chief” like a weirdo. She awkwardly hollers back to Danny, who comes out confused.

Bruce has oh fuck hes hot.

*story happens in between but I don't know what*

Something happens Danny speeds away on his bike. Eventually taking it off a bridge into the water before going invisible and flying to his dads in Metropolis. He goes to the realms to lay low for two weeks after visiting with his dad for a couple days. He has to come back because one of his kids is getting married

Bruce who is crushing on Danny, is worried and talks to people. The ladies at the bakery point him in the direction of the mechanic shop. No one there is worried, they say Danny built that bike from the ground up, he has complete control of it, it couldn’t do something if he didn’t want it to. Plus Jerramy is getting married next month and Danny wouldn’t miss that, he’ll be back.  Bruce thinks these people are delusional and still worries and tries to find anything. He finds nothing but dick and Alfred have figured out that he definitely doesn’t have a crush guys, the mission. 

Danny shows up two and a half weeks later just in time to pick up his suit for the wedding. Bruce is kinda losing it. 

[evilminji]

Okay but >.> continuing my Marvel thoughts?

I got two of um?

First being? Don't Orange and Green go together? *looks it up* Aaaaaay~ "Direct harmony, also known as complementary colors, means pairing your key color with the color sitting on the opposite side of the color wheel." They DO!!! They're a classic example, in fact!

The Orange Soul Stone? Probably looks REAL good, real NATURAL even, against that Green sky! Bet it REALLY pops! Very stand out statement piece, you know? But? More importantly? That thing is sentient. All of those Pillars of Reality across the various Verses are.

And?

I bet it thought Pariah was a lil bitch.

Rank Vibes. Negative ris. Pick your words for it, the man was NASTY. He was too keep his filthy, filthy World's Conquering hands OFF of this Soul Stone. Something, I imagine? That ALL the Soul Stones agreed with.

Yes, I said all of um.

Because the various Realities each need their own. But! They can and DO work from the Zone, which is the PERFECT place to hide. And honestly? They like to get together and do this thing? Where they're all "oooh~ look at US! We are SUPER IMPRESSIVE Kingly Jewelry~☆! Definitely no important reality bending Rocks Of Great Power HERE! No SIR! We're just tooootally rad jeeeeewelryyyyy~~~☆! Oooooooh~☆"

They like to have fun. :3

Hope Danny likes Orange. Ha ha... trick question. He doesn't have a CHOICE! All SORTS of Death based Reality Pillars are rocking up, in their metaphorical Gucci sweat suits and shades with a margarita, going "oh thank ME, babe. The last guy was AWFUL! You're soooo much better? Now let me rub myself all over you. It's been ages and baby needs to recharge on Death Energy."

Danny hates it? So? So much?

He looks like a GAUDY PIRATE. *nnnnnnyooom!* *THWAP!* *Another reality shaking, highly sacred, Godly Staff of Death or whatever they decided to call it, flys in through a nearby window and nearly concusses him as it smacks itself against his upper back and sticks there*

He looks like a walking junk heap of sacred artifacts.

You ever been pelted by rocks? He has! Little orange rocks! Like fucked up hail! Welcome to kinghood, Danny, have a CONCUSSION! D:< he hates it!

But... but, I mean... At Least It's Not The SWORDS. (Panicked scream of "hit the deck!" from the other room.) (Holy sword number 15 wants to CUDDLE! Bare blade first! Dodge, your Majesty! DODGE!)

So yeah.

Danny? In A MOOD. Not feeling particularly FRIENDLY. It's not anyone's fault, really. But... well... you can't exactly negotiate with these fuckers, you know? Rocks are by NATURE, kinda stubborn.

So he's sitting there. Buried. With what he's pretty sure is a sacred text digging into his side. When a... glowing? Mist? Shows up? Huh. That's new. They don't seem to have a very clear image of "Self". Yet it's crystal clear? Just not... PHYSICAL? It's more... code? He thinks?

TECHNUS! Get over here! And behave!

There is much cooing and delight from Technus. The baby is a marvel. A wonder! Danny waits patiently for Technus to get to the point.

Ah.

He would like to "go back". His Obsession is demanding it.

IS it now? You're what? Maybe a day or so dead? You've been busy, if you've already gathered enough information to make your case like this. Alright, let's hear it, little guy.

It boils down to this. His obsession in death is the same as his primary directive was in life. Protect Mr Stark. Which is especially difficult to do from HERE. Even MORE so when there is a known threat, coming too...

WAIT, WHAT!?

The Souls Stones back him up. Oh yeah. Thanos' a lil bitchbaby loser. He's trying to make Death fall in love with him. Or "balance the universe". Depends on the reality. Totally throwing EVERYTHING out of whack.

And? Look. Danny's job? Isn't to interfere if countries kill each other. Or even planets. Nor entire galaxies, as much as he'd like too. But when you get too "I'm messing with Entire Realities or all of a Singular Reality at once in the specific depart of Death and its subsidiaries" territory? THAT is his job.

Might not be a "I personally have to show up" issue. But it still IS very much his job at that point. He has to delegate. Order the appropriate steps be taken. Cause yeah, there may be countless millions every day of such instances? But it IS his job to metaphorically order the roads repaired and the building inspected.

Sudden MASS "immigration"?

That causes Lair disputes. Confusion. Too many ghosts in too small an area. And WORSE, if people start playing with Death Pillars? The Zone might get dragged into whatever nonsense they're up too! It's like children playing with heavy machinery! Put that DOWN! Cease! Desist!!

And then? Clockwork shows up looking Mildly Miffed(TM). O:> dear lord. What madness has he stumbled upon? Oh. Oh of COURSE. First the "balancing" dude and now they're going to be playing with time travel. THATS IT. Someone unburying me!

I'm gonna go menace some humans that might actually believe I'm scary! Frighty! Pack up and shine your armor! Your coming too! We're escorting the baby home then have a Talk(tm) with the local Grape Ceral!

@hypewinter @lolottes @mutable-manifestation @nerdpoe @hdgnj

[hailthegodsong]

LOVE IS OLD, LOVE IS NEW

Two Shot Part 2 ~ Daniel Wagner / Female Reader 𓅪 Link to Part 1

AN: Part 2 is finally here! It is way longer than I intended, but oh well. This is also my first time ever writing smut so... hopefully it isn't terrible. Hope you like the story!!

Word Count: + 15.7k (sorry)

Content Warnings: tooth rotting fluff, anxiety, stress, catastrophising thoughts, mild drinking, pining, self doubt, insecurity, jealousy (if you squint), mentions of STD's, kissing, pushy ex, unwanted digital contact, arguing, profanities, yelling, threats, physical violence, SMUT 18+ INCLUDING: grinding, first time oral (f! receiving), hand job, blow job, fingering, unprotected p in v, cockwarming, slight hair pulling, nipple play, a little bit of pain, multiple orgasms, dirty talk, squirting, sensitivity/ overstimulation, hickeys/ neck kissing, plain old sex, use of the birth control pill, teasing, peeing with someone else there?, talk of money and financial situations, mentions of moving out/ in together, mentions of financial dependence, and of course: Danny being a sweetheart ♡

𓅪

As you stared into the circular mirror perched above Danny’s record player, your hands moved restlessly through your hair, fluffing and smoothing with a kind of desperation. No matter how many times your fingers combed through the strands, it wouldn’t settle, either lying limp and lifeless or rebelling with fluff and frizz.

A frustrated sigh escaped your lips as you stepped away, your reflection an unsatisfying blur of anxiety and imperfection. The room seemed to close in on you, the air thick with the tension that had been building ever since the evening plans were set. You wandered around Danny’s room, half-heartedly searching for a hair tie, as if taming your hair might somehow calm the chaos in your mind.

It had been three days since your world had flipped on its axis. Three days since Otis’s betrayal had cracked open a fault line in your heart, only for Danny to gently step in, filling the fissures with his tender love and care that had always been simmering just beneath the surface. Three days since your quiet friendship had shifted into something more, something that felt inevitable in hindsight. You and Danny had always been close, but the way you’d fallen into each other– how quickly the kisses and whispered “I love you’s” had come, felt like the most natural thing in the world.

Ignoring the pleading messages Otis had bombarded you with, you blocked him on every platform you could think of, eager to erase his existence from your life. Reluctantly, you made the dreaded visit to the doctor, fearing the absolute worst, at the prospect that the woman he had been sleeping with was a long-term partner and may have harboured STDs. To your immense relief, you were given the all-clear, completely clean.

With that chapter behind you, you returned to your new life with Danny, basking in the warmth of his loving presence. On the first day, he greeted you with flowers, and the next, it was coffee and pastries. Your favourites, of course, because Danny seemed to know absolutely everything about you, even when it came down to your flavour profiles. By the third day, it was the compliments. Genuine, thoughtful words that melted the remnants of insecurity you had left over from Otis.

Danny made everything feel different. He wasn’t trying to win you over with grand gestures; he was simply there, day in and day out, showing you what it meant to be cared for. It was the small things that got to you. The way he listened when you talked, the way he seemed to notice every little detail about your behaviour– he was perfect. He was everything you hadn’t known you needed. Attentive, patient, and a steady anchor when your own thoughts spiralled out of control. 

He had this way of watching you, knowing exactly when to step in, when to hold you, when to simply let you breathe. His love was this soft, unspoken force, always there, always giving. Since that night, it was as though his entire world had shifted; the way he looked at you and touched you felt like you had become his new centre of gravity.

But tonight, the bubble of quiet intimacy you’d built was about to be burst. Sam’s birthday meant an evening at the bar with himself, Jake, Josh, and the rest of your close-knit circle of friends. It meant the privacy of your shared love was about to be exposed to your little world, and that thought filled you with a kind of nervous dread that clenched your stomach into knots. 

You had known the boys for years, grown up with them practically, but now that things had changed, you were terrified of what they might think. What if they didn’t approve? What if they thought you were a poor match for Danny, that you weren’t good enough? He was, after all, a rockstar.

You knew that he had spent years on the road, meeting countless beautiful, glamorous women. Women who could capture his attention in ways you couldn’t. That insidious doubt gnawed at the edges of your mind, making your palms clammy and your heartbeat uneven.

It was as if you had already made up your mind. It had become definitive to you that Danny was going to leave you by the end of the night. You should’ve really been looking for a new place to stay instead of a silly hair tie. 

Your search felt increasingly futile as you rifled through Danny’s drawers, met only with the sight of tangled cords, loose change, guitar picks, drum gels and other random trinkets. The anxiety built until you could hardly focus, your hands shaking slightly as they sifted through the clutter. You blew out a long, slow breath, trying to expel the nerves, but they clung to you, tight and suffocating.

Just as your frustration reached its peak, you felt a sudden warmth at your waist. Startled, you jumped, a gasp slipping from your lips and Danny’s hands quickly parted from your skin to give you space. Spinning around, you met his wide-eyed expression of surprise, concern etched into the soft lines of his face.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” Danny said quietly, his voice a low murmur that wrapped around you like a balm. He stepped back slightly, though his hand remained hesitantly offering in the air for you to take, fingers curling and straightening in a wordless offer of support. He slowly reached forward to slide his hand into yours. His touch was warm, familiar. But tonight, even that wasn’t enough to quell the storm inside you.

“It’s fine,” you mumbled, a little too quickly, before taking your hand from his and turning away to continue your frantic search. Drawers opened and closed with sharp movements, your hands still trembling slightly as you tried and failed to focus on the task at hand. It wasn’t about the hair tie anymore. You knew that. This was about the weight of what tonight would mean.

“What’re you looking for?” Danny asked, his voice soft and steady. He watched you carefully, the crease between his brows deepening with every anxious movement you made. He could see the tension radiating from you, though you had been trying to hide it all day. Now, it seemed the walls were crumbling.

“A hair tie,” you muttered, running a hand through your hair again. “I can’t get my hair right. It’s just... bothering me. And I can’t go out with it like this.” The words spilled out in a rush, barely making sense, your frustration evident in every syllable. “Do you not have a single hair tie anywhere in this room?”

Danny blinked, momentarily thrown by your frazzled state. Then, without a word, he raised his wrist, revealing the brown hair tie wrapped beside his bracelets. “Here,” he offered quietly, slipping it off and motioning for you to spin around with a small, patient smile.

You sighed, feeling a mix of gratitude and exhaustion as you turned around. He stepped in close behind you, his presence warm and steadying as his hands moved gently, gathering your hair with practised ease. His fingers brushed softly against your scalp, and you found yourself melting slightly into his touch, the tension beginning to drain from your body as he smoothed away the stray strands.

“What’s really going on?” Danny’s voice was low, intimate, his breath warm against the back of your neck as he continued to gently pull your hair back. You could feel the tenderness in every movement, the way he seemed to know exactly how to calm you, even when words escaped you.

A soft sigh slipped from your lips, and you crossed your arms protectively over your chest, looking down at the floor. “I’m just… really nervous.”

“Nervous about tonight?” he asked, already knowing the answer but needing to hear it from you.

You nodded, biting your lip as you struggled to find the words. “Yeah, I don’t know... I’m– I guess I’m just scared that none of them will approve, or that they’ll think you deserve better. I mean, you’ve been all over the world, Danny. You’ve met so many people. So many women. I just... I don’t know how I can compare to any of them.”

He paused, the gentle tugging on your hair stopping as his fingers stilled. You could almost feel his frown. “Deserve better? Baby, what—”

You shook your head quickly, feeling the heat of embarrassment rise in your cheeks. “Just forget it. It’s stupid. Thanks for the hair tie.”

But before you could take a step away, Danny’s arms slipped around your waist again, pulling you back into the warmth of his embrace. His chest pressed against your back as he buried his face in your hair, his breath a soft, steady rhythm against your skin.

“No,” he murmured firmly, his voice laced with quiet determination. “That’s not how this works. You’re not just gonna bottle this up. Tell me what’s going on, and we’ll figure it out together. ‘Kay?”

Your heart swelled at his words, the gentle pressure of his arms around you grounding you in a way that nothing else could. You nodded like an idiot, and let Danny lead you over to the edge of the bed that you had been sharing for the past few nights. 

You picked at a stray piece of wool that had escaped the hemline of your sweater as Danny's gaze burned into the side of your face.

He was the first to break the short silence, “Where is this coming from? You never doubt yourself like this.” 

He was right. You, like probably every other person on the planet, had insecurities, yet you had an ability to never let them hold you back. It was something that Danny loved about you– the way that you could be unabashedly yourself, despite what others thought about it. That was until your douchebag of a boyfriend cheated on you with possibly the most beautiful woman you’d ever seen. 

You hesitated, not wanting to come across as fragile or jealous. You shrugged one of your shoulders and nuzzled your cheek into the bone, “I dunno, I guess after Otis… I just– I,” you stumbled, trying to find the wording. Danny was patient with you, his arm stroking your back with ease and cation in silence as he gave you the time to spit the words out. “I’m worried it’ll all happen again. I mean, I know you would never do that. But next time on tour you might see or meet someone and I– what if I can’t be good enough for you?”

Your lips pressed into a tight line as you stared at your hands, revealing the underlying thoughts that had been pressing in on you for the past few days. 

“I don’t think you truly understand how long I’ve waited for you. How much I love you. I don’t want all those other people, I want you. And as for the boys… they’ve known for quite some time about my feelings. If anything they’ll have a word with me about treating you right,” he chuckled and tucked one of my baby hairs away from my face, “Just watch, I’m sure they’ll embarrass the shit out of me tonight talking about how much of an idiot I’ve been all these years.”

You sighed, “Okay.” You knew he was right, he had done nothing to make you expect anything different, but it had been hard nonetheless to accept treatment different than to what you were used to. 

His large fingers reached to your chin, almost engulfing it between his thumb and forefinger as he guided your gaze to his. He looked at you with such gentleness, such softness that you felt as if you were floating in his love. He leaned in and pressed his lips to yours lovingly. 

You hummed into the kiss, your body gravitating to him as you succumbed to the familiarity of Danny. Whether you realised it or not, he had always safekept your heart, and only now was he able to show it off. He was proud to have you walk into the room on his arm, and had been nothing but excited at the prospect of showing you off. 

But, as always, Danny cared about you more. Always put you first, and he didn’t want you to be forced into a situation that made you uncomfortable. 

Danny pulled back only slightly, separating your lips but hovering still that you shared the same breath. “We can stay home tonight if you’re feeling anxious. I’d hate for you to feel forced to do something that you don’t want to do,” he offered. 

You were quick to shake your head, and you brought your hand up to stroke his cheek, “No. I’m fine, just a bit nervous. I want to go out, promise,” you assured. “Plus, I’m feeling much better now,” you said with a flirtatious bat of tour eyelashes, bringing him in for another kiss. 

You felt him smile into it, and one of his hands travelled from your back down to your hip, leaving a wave of vibrations in its wake.

You and Danny hadn’t been intimate yet, nothing apart from the innocent touches in your shared shower had occurred between the two of you. You were both teetering around the prospect on your tiptoes, never wanting to be the one to cross the line and make distance on such new territory.

And to be completely honest, you were absolutely terrified. You had only slept with a few others in your life, so it was safe to say that you were fairly inexperienced. Danny however, you were sure had slept around. You had seen firsthand the types of girls that left your shared apartment in the early hours of the mornings, and it petrified you.

You felt like a virgin all over again– what if you didn’t know what you were doing? What if you did something wrong? You would be lying to yourself if you said you weren’t worried about the physicalities of it all too. You had seen how… large he was and truly feared that things might not work out the way you’d hope. But worst of all, what if he didn't like your body? What if, after being sexually intimate, Danny realised that he didn’t like you so much after all?

It was silly, seeing as you'd shared a shower with him only days before; a shower where he fondled your breasts and touched you in ways more intimate than you'd ever been touched, yet the fear still crept into your mind like cancer.

“C’mon then, if we don’t leave soon we might actually be later than them,” Danny remarked and he pulled away from the kiss, simultaneously pulling you from your racing thoughts too. 

Danny watched mostly silently from the edge of the bed as you gathered your things, seeing as he was already ready and you had wasted most of your time picking at your appearance. 

“You look beautiful,” he complimented once you had finally packed your purse with essentials and deemed you looked good enough. He took your hand and walked you to the front door, and you leaned into him, smiling at his complement. “Like always,” he added, leaning in and pressing a chaste kiss to your forehead. 

You didn't have time to blush before he was rushing you out the front door, claiming you were going to ruin his punctual reputation with your record breaking slowness. You were hurried out in tufts of laughter as he expertly directed you from any impending thoughts that may sabotage this night from going well. And you were too blinded by his humour to even notice. 

It was a beautiful night, you realised as you stepped out of the car after the short drive to the bar. There wasn't a cloud in the sky to obscure the gorgeous view of stars overhead, and although a cool breeze drifted by, the air was warm. 

Danny extended his forearm and you wrapped your arms around it tightly, letting him anchor you amidst your floods of anxiety. He kissed the side of your hand and led you through the front door. You were stopped at the door briefly by the bouncer to provide ID, before you were engulfed in the loud atmosphere of your friend's favourite bar. 

A live band was performing in the back corner, a small crowd circled around them as they swayed to the melody of the loud acoustics. The hum of the music was infectious, the energy almost tangible as it rippled through the room. You let Danny lead you into the bar, his hand wrapped tightly around yours, holding it in a way that made your heart flutter.

There was something so grounding about his touch, steady in the chaos of the thick mass of bodies. The smell of beer and perfume lingered in the air, mingling with the low murmur of conversations and the clinking of glasses.

“Here they are!” a voice as recognizably distinct as Josh’s yelled, somehow reaching volumes far higher than the music, causing a few heads to turn at the sound. You spotted him immediately, standing with the rest of the group who had all turned to watch your entrance.

Your heart gave a nervous kick, and you fought to keep your hand still in Danny’s as warmth flooded your cheeks. It wasn’t unusual for you two to show up places together, seeing as you shared an apartment. But holding hands? That was new. Unfamiliar. And definitely not something anyone had seen before tonight.

You reluctantly separated as you approached everyone individually, greeting your friends with hugs and hellos, the usual pleasantries exchanged with an underlying buzz of anticipation. 

“Happy birthday, Sam!” you exclaimed when you reached him, your arms automatically wrapping around him in a familiar embrace. He hugged you back, squeezing you tightly like the old friend he was. Sam was nearly as close to you as Danny, the three of you forming an inseparable trio since middle school, your bond running deep from shared experiences through the awkward teen years into high school.

“Thank you, I’m glad you could make it… Danny told me about, you know, what happened.” He stuffed his hands into his front pockets, rocking back on his heels with a slightly awkward, sympathetic smile. There was a depth to his words, a weight behind the casual tone, and it caught you off guard.

Heat rushed to your face, embarrassment washing over you. You couldn’t help but feel a stab of betrayal that Danny had already told Sam about your new relationship. It wasn’t as if it were a secret, you were planning on telling everyone tonight anyway, but it still felt wrong, like something had been taken from you before you were ready.

“But don’t let it get you down, ‘kay? He’s an idiot. We always knew you could do better than him. What was his name again anyways? Otto?” Sam added.

Relief hit you like a wave, your body relaxing as you realised Danny hadn’t been telling everyone your business. Of course he hadn’t. He promised he wouldn’t, and Danny was nothing if not true to his word. Guilt bubbled up inside you for doubting him in the first place, and you offered a small, apologetic smile to Sam as you tucked a few stray hairs behind your ear.

“Otis. But yeah, I know, he was a dick…” Your voice trailed off as your thoughts wandered back to the night’s real purpose. When would be the best time to reveal your relationship? You mentally kicked yourself for not rehearsing this with Danny beforehand, feeling woefully unprepared.

“Hah! That’s one way to put it!” Sam was clearly a few drinks in already, his smile lazy and lopsided. He slung a heavy arm over your shoulders, pulling you into his side with a little too much force as he spun you both around until you were facing Danny, who was deep in conversation with Jake, a beer in hand.

Sam extended his arm, motioning toward where Danny stood. “Now, it’s been a while since Daniel’s gotten any, so I invited some of my lovely lady friends over there,” he said, nodding his head toward a group of four or five girls. Their hair was pin-straight, dresses tight and short, their eyes scanning the room as they chatted amongst themselves. “Josh and I have made bets on which one will be the lucky lady, what d’ya think?” He nudged you playfully, clearly unaware of the impact his words were having on you.

Your heart dropped, the weight of his words settling heavily in your chest as you watched one of the taller girls flip her hair over her sharp shoulders, her full and unnaturally large lips puckering slightly as she spoke to her friends. The knot in your stomach tightened, twisting uncomfortably.

“Oh, um, I don’t know,” you murmured, your voice small as you tried to mask the growing discomfort. You shifted uneasily under Sam’s arm, feeling the pressure of his intoxicated weight and the sting of his ignorance. It was becoming too much, too fast. You weren’t prepared for this level of emotional turbulence tonight.

“You alright?” Sam’s voice cut through your thoughts, concern lacing his words as he loosened his grip on you slightly. You nodded, but it wasn’t convincing. You could feel the heat rising to your cheeks, and you swallowed thickly, wishing more than anything that you had taken Danny’s offer to stay home. This was supposed to be a celebration, but the tension in your chest told you otherwise.

The sound of your name broke through the fog of your thoughts, and when you looked up, there was Danny, standing right in front of you, his presence like a balm to your nerves. Relief flooded through you as you met his eyes, those warm, steady eyes that always seemed to ground you when you needed it most.

“Hey, you okay?” he asked, his brow furrowed in concern as he took in your pale expression. “I was about to head to the bar, but didn’t know what you’d like to drink.”

Before you could respond, Sam butted in with his usual boisterous charm. “Daniel, brother! How are you?”

Danny offered a polite smile. “Good, good, Sam. Want me to grab you something from the bar too?”

Sam’s attention shifted momentarily as he waved a hand toward the group of girls again, his voice lowering conspiratorially. “No, thank you. But I think one of those lovely ladies over there would be delighted to get a drink…” He wiggled his eyebrows, the innuendo unmistakable. 

Danny’s shoulders sagged slightly in understanding, his eyes darting to yours. You could see the apology written all over his face, the unspoken ‘I’m sorry this is happening’ lingering between you.

“No, Sam,” Danny said, stepping closer to you, his hand gently brushing against your back as he subtly unhooked Sam’s arm from your shoulders. His touch was protective but soft, like he always knew how to comfort you without making a scene. “I’m actually… not looking for anyone. I'm not single anymore,” there was a pause, “We’re not single anymore.”

Sam blinked, his drunken mind clearly struggling to keep up with the sudden shift in conversation. “No? Since when? Who’re you dating?”

You couldn’t help the small laugh that bubbled up, a mix of amusement and nervousness. Danny’s hand settled on your waist, pulling you closer to him as he pressed a kiss to the side of your head, his lips lingering just long enough to make the meaning clear.

Sam’s eyes went wide, realisation dawning on him in slow motion. “Oh my God! Finally! It’s finally happening!” he yelled, drawing even more attention from the nearby crowd. Before you had a chance to react, Sam had taken off, rushing through the bar to find Jake and Josh.

When he returned, both twins in tow, their faces a mixture of confusion and mild irritation, Sam was still buzzing with excitement. “Danny, tell them! Tell them!” His voice was loud, his enthusiasm infectious, and you couldn’t help but smile despite the chaos.

Neither of you had to say a word, though. The way Danny held you, his arm secure around your waist, told them everything they needed to know.

“It’s about fucking time,” Josh exclaimed, walking forward to pull you into a hug, which felt incredibly unnecessary. His embrace was strong, almost squeezing the breath out of you, but you could sense his genuine excitement through his tight grip. You let out a small laugh, feeling the warmth of the moment despite the slight awkwardness of the hug.

Jake whooped from the side, clearly several drinks in, his face flushed from both alcohol and excitement. It made you wonder how much he had been drinking with Sam before this. 

“Well, who made the first move?” he asked, grinning mischievously as his voice rose over the noise of the party. He looked from you to Danny, eyes gleaming as he added, “We’ve placed bets on this, you see.”

You couldn't help but burst into laughter at that, the absurdity of them betting on something like this catching you off guard. When you looked up, you saw Danny blushing deeply, his face redder than you'd ever seen before. It was a rare sight to see him so flustered.

You decided to move to a nearby open booth to talk, grateful for a chance to settle your nerves a bit, and Danny’s hand, warm and steady against your back, was the only thing keeping you grounded.

For a brief moment, you’d almost forgotten about the girls who had been invited to keep Danny company, their presence now completely irrelevant.

“Well,” you started once you were all seated in the booth, the comfortable leather seats making everything feel much more intimate, “It all kind of came out three days ago, after… you know.” You shifted slightly, feeling the familiar unease at the memory of Otis. The weight of that situation still hung in the air, but Jake’s quick nod of understanding helped ease the tension. He then raised his brow expectantly, waiting for you to spill the details.

You looked up at Danny, silently asking him to take over. You trusted him to handle this, and as always, Danny seemed to read your mind. He gave you a small nod before speaking, his voice calm and reassuring. “Well, before we tell you, we’ve gotta hear the bets first.”

The boys laughed, all leaning back in their seats, their playful energy filling the booth. “Well, I always thought Danny was too much of a pussy to admit anything,” Josh said with a grin, throwing his arms lazily over the back of the booth chair. “Bet a hundred and fifty on it.” The casual way he tossed out the number surprised you, and you raised your brows at the high price. You heard Danny chuckle softly beside you, clearly amused.

“I agreed,” Sam chimed in, his voice carrying the same lightheartedness. “Danny’s been talking about you for so long, and I knew the longer he waited, the harder it’d be for him to actually say anything. Jake’s the only one who believed in him, it seems.”

You turned to look at Danny, raising a brow, silently acknowledging the truth in their words. As much as you loved Danny, you had to admit that the majority guessed right.

“Well? Who was it? Who made the first move?” Sam asked again, his eagerness even more evident now, eyes bright with anticipation.

You bit your lip nervously, feeling a flutter of nerves before you perked up in your seat a little. “Me.” Your voice came out stronger than you expected, but the truth felt freeing.

As you spoke, Danny’s hand rested on your thigh, his thumb gently rubbing smooth circles over the fabric of your jeans. The subtle, comforting motion grounded you, and you felt him give your thigh a small squeeze as if in recognition of how thankful he was that you did make that first move. 

“Ha ha! Pay up, son of a bitch,” Josh crowed, swivelling in his seat to look at Jake, his face lit up with victory. Jake let out a laugh, but it was tinged with defeat. He lifted his hips slightly to retrieve his wallet from his back pocket, his expression exaggeratedly pained as he sifted through the bills before reluctantly handing over one hundred and fifty dollars to both Josh and Sam.

“I’m just happy it finally happened,” Jake said, shaking his head as he stuffed his wallet back into his pocket. “Danny’s talked our ears off enough about you.” His words were spoken with affection, and you felt the warmth of his teasing radiate through the group.

“Or is this just gonna make it worse?” Sam added, and the others groaned in unison, making it clear that Danny’s affection for you was something they’d all heard about more times than they could count.

You laughed along with them, a lightness settling over you, feeling utterly flattered. Knowing that Danny had been just as in love with you all this time, just as much as you had been with him, made you feel warm and bubbly inside.

“Alright, that’s enough,” Danny said, standing up from the booth with a mock groan. “You want anything from the bar, beautiful?” he asked, turning to you with a soft smile. 

There was a collective ‘ooh’ at the casual use of the pet name and you bit your lip to hold back your laugh. 

“I’ll have whatever you’re having,” you said with a smile. Danny leaned back in to press a kiss to your cheek before leaving to get you drinks from the bar. You sighed, leaning back in your chair and smiling lightly at what had happened. You weren't sure what had you doubting their reactions so much. You knew them, and they loved you and Danny both. Just as Danny had said, they were completely expecting it, even surprising you with the ridiculous bets they had made. 

At one point in the night, Sam and Josh caught Danny giving you a rather chaste kiss as you waited for Josh to play his round of pool.

“Eugh! It’s like seeing your parents kiss,” Sam complained, raising his hands to try and block the sight. You both laughed, knowing that his jokes were all in good humour.

“Yeah, get a room!” Josh yelled drunkenly, waving his arms around dramatically.

The rest of the evening went by smoothly, all of you feeling a slight buzz from drinking, apart from Danny who had sworn off any more after his second drink as he was driving you both home.

As he expected, Jake, Josh and Sam had delved into stories and recollections of Danny's pining. Their words made you blush significantly, but nowhere near as much as Danny.

He would groan in embarrassment, begging them to stop, yet he truly wanted them to keep going, knowing that you’d feel more confident in the fact that Danny wanted you. 

Sam and Jake became familiar with some of the girls who had been invited for Danny's sake, and you watched in amusement as they tried to charm them drunkenly. The rest of them branched off to the rest of the party, thankfully, leaving Danny and you alone completely to be at ease. 

When the night came to an end, and you found yourself so exhausted that you felt like you could sleep on the bartop, Danny took it upon himself to call it a night. You bidded your goodbyes and a happy birthday to Sam, and wandered out of the bar to Danny's parked car. His forearm was offered to you at his side, and you slinked your arm over him, hugging your body as close to him as you could as you walked. 

“Thank you for tonight, Danny,” you said, your words a mere whisper, but otherwise loud in the silence of the night. 

“Thank you. How do you feel about everything?” he asked, hoping your nerves were diminished after the night's events. 

You smiled up at him lazily, “So good, I don't know what I was so worried about. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

𓅪

The next day was spent at home. Danny and you meandered around aimlessly, doing your usual Sunday shores, and revelling in the domesticity that was the love you harboured for one another.

Whether it be the gentle touch of his fingers on your waist when he passed you in the hallway, or the fleeting kisses he left on your skin before you moved past, you felt like you were melting in his love. 

Danny insisted on cooking you your favourite meal for dinner, spanish fideuà. It was something you didn't have often, but it reminded you of home, and Danny was more than eager to do whatever it took to make you smile. 

He was absolutely shameless in his love for you now, despite you showing him in any and all ways how happy you were, he always went one step above, offering you help, complimenting you and anything else that came to his mind to float you higher and higher in the throws of his love. 

“Danny, this is delicious,” you hummed, as you got the first taste of the seafood dish he had spent the last few hours preparing. 

His eyes lit up at your words, “Really? I know it's nowhere near as good as your moms, but–”

“It’s amazing Danny, thank you,” you interrupted, unable to hear him doubt himself for another moment. You shuffled closer to him from your spot on the floor. You both regularly ate on the floor from the coffee table, being a casual and comfortable position that let you watch a movie while you ate. 

You snuggled into his side, letting your body press into his and absorb most of his warmth, and his heart fluttered at the action. 

“Alright, what movie are we gonna watch tonight?” you asked through a full mouth, setting your fork down on your bowl and reaching over Danny for the remote on the other side of the coffee table. Your phone buzzed too, so you picked it up with the remote and brought them both to your lap. 

“Hmmm,” he hummed through his own full mouth, “I’m feeling like a classic tonight, maybe… The Notebook?”

You looked up at him with a smile, to see him smirking down at you, “Now, are you just saying that cause you know it’s my favourite?”

He looked up in faux thought, “Maybe… or maybe I’m just happy to watch anything, as long as it’s with you.”

You blushed and looked down, pursing your lips as you bit back a smile. He laughed at your response, and pulled you in impossibly closer by his arm. 

Your phone buzzed again in your lap, and you reluctantly reached down to pick it up. You had three new messages from an unknown number. Frowning in confusion, you unlocked your phone and read the messages. 

Your heart sunk when you read them. Despite blocking Otis after telling him to leave you alone, he was absolutely relentless. 

The first message was just your name, alone in its own message bubble, and it made your stomach twist. The next message read, ‘You can’t just cut me out. You haven't even heard me out yet, I never meant to hurt you.’ You didn’t even let yourself read the last, clicking your phone off and shuffling uncomfortably as you sat up straight, pulling yourself away from Danny.

Danny called your name, but his voice sounded distant through the fog of panic that surrounded you. “Baby? Hey, what’s wrong?” he moved closer to you again, resting his hand softly on your back. You looked up at him and were welcomed by his soft expression of concern. You wordlessly handed him your phone to read himself. 

He took the phone carefully, and as he read the messages his expression morphed into one unreadable. Angry, concerned, or annoyed? You weren't sure. 

“Is this.. This is Otis right? I thought you blocked him.”

“I did, this is from an unknown number. I don't know, he must be using a friend's phone or something,” you mumbled weakly, feeling yourself shrink into yourself. 

Danny shook his head, breathing a frustrated breath from his nose, “Look, you don't owe him anything. We’ll just block this one too, and he’ll get the hint.” He took your hand and squeezed tightly. 

“I don’t know… he’s stubborn,” you explained. 

“I can talk to him then,” Danny suggested. 

You quickly turned to him, shaking your head quickly, “No, no don’t do that. It’ll only make things worse. I don't want to get you involved.” He looked at you with a deep frown on his face. “It’s fine, I’ll just tell him to leave me alone again,” you assured, though your tone sounded anything but.

Your stomach began to boil with anger rather than fear. How dare he interrupt you during your quiet movie night of dinner with Danny. How dare he think he had the right to speak with you after the way you had ended things. 

With a sigh, you threw your phone to the other side of the coffee table and returned to your nook by Danny's body. He held you tightly, protectively, and it almost made you forget the messages existed at all. He lifted the remote and put on The Notebook, as he tried his hardest to get your mind off of Otis, tracing patterns into your skin by your hip with the blunt tip of his finger. You sighed as you sank deeper into him. 

About halfway through the movie, once you had practically forgotten about everything apart from the characters on the screen and Danny's warmth beside you, there was a firm knock on the front door. You jumped, startled from the noise as you looked up at Danny questioningly.

With furrowed brows, he moved to get up, but you placed a hand on his chest, not wanting to worry him anymore after the busy hours he had spent in the kitchen for you. 

“It’s alright, I got it,” you said, giving him a quick peck before climbing over him and walking to the front door, the only sound in the silence of the apartment being your bare feet padding against the floorboards. 

Once you approached the door, you raised to your tiptoes to peer through the peephole, knowing better than to open the door to an unknown. Your heart sank when you saw Otis. 

You sighed frustratedly and swung the door open. “What do you want?” you asked sternly, your tone coming across just as harsh as you intended. 

His eyes shot to yours as he realised that you actually opened the door and said your name pleadingly, taking a step towards you. “I– we need to talk,” he pleaded, reaching a hand out to you. 

You recoiled from his touch, “We don’t have anything to talk about. We aren’t together anymore, don’t come back,” you responded, stepping back and out of the way of the door as you swung it shut. Otis desperately launched forward and caught it before it closed completely. 

Danny, who had been listening from the couch, stood. He had wanted to give you space to fight your own battles, but as soon as he saw Otis forcing the door open against your wishes, he knew that he needed to intervene.

“Let go,” you ordered, trying to pry him away from the door. 

“Baby, you haven’t heard me out, please. It was a mistake and…” Otis trailed off, mouth agape as he searched for the words. His attention was caught when Danny's figure approached from behind you. You turned to look at him, eyes blown in frustration and conflict. “Oh,” Otis said, eyes narrowing and clearly taken aback. There was a moment of silence where he tried to articulate his next words, his face morphing from apologetic to distaste in a mere second. “So I didn’t actually do anything wrong? You just needed an excuse to fuck your roomate?” he spat. 

Danny stepped forward, took your arm in his hand and pushed you behind him gently. 

“Excuse me?” he seethed. You couldn't see his expression from behind him, yet you could only imagine the anger in his eyes. Danny was significantly taller than Otis, and loomed from what you could guess was about eight inches above him. 

Otis, clearly caught off guard by the confrontation, fell back to insults to save his pride. “Don't worry man, you can have your slut,” he taunted and you flinched at the vulgarity of his words. Otis had never spoken to you like that.

Danny stepped forward, but you quickly grabbed his wrist. He looked back and down at you, the look on his face frightening, but softening slightly when he saw you, shaking your head. 

Danny tuned back to Otis, “You better watch your fucking mouth. Now go, I don’t want to see you back here–”

“Or what?” Otis challenged, taking a step closer to Danny threateningly. You felt completely helpless, guilty that Danny was fighting your battles for you, but angry at Otis's awfulness. 

You tried to diffuse the situation, frustration and aggression hanging heavily in the air, “Both of you, please can we jus–”

“I’m serious. Leave,” Danny seethed, his shoulders squaring as he stepped to the side, blocking your body from Otis completely. By this point, all you could see with the contracting muscles in Danny's back from beneath his shirt as he breathed deeply. You tried your best to peer over his shoulder to prevent whatever mess was to unfold, but it was to no avail.

“Fine,” you heard Otis say, “But you’ll get tired of her, just like I did. Call me if you’ve got any questions on how to get her to shut the fuck up,” he spat with a snicker. 

In an instant, Danny lunged forward, grabbing Otis by the collar and slamming him against the wall beside your door. Otis’s head struck the surface with a dull thud, shock flashing across his face as he tried to regain his bearings.

The heels of your palms flew to your temples as you gasped, “Oh shit.”

“I told you to watch your fuckin’ mouth,” Danny shoved him further into the wall, teeth bared as anger fumed off of his skin like steam. Otis’s cocky demeanour was long gone, and now stood the image of an innocent and afraid victim. 

Despite the chaos of the moment, you couldn’t help but be drawn to Danny. His muscles were taut as he held Otis firmly against the wall, and his eyes burned with fierce intensity. The way he stood up for you during your most difficult moments ignited a fire within you, making it almost impossible to ignore the rush of desire that surged at the sight of him.

“I’m– fuck I– I’m sorry, okay?!” Otis sputtered out, trying to rip Danny's hands off him. 

“Danny,” you called worriedly, knowing that if he didnt let go now, he was going to have an assault charge on his hands. He didn't look your way, but his shoulders relaxed at the sound of your voice, and he reluctantly let go, watching as Otis’s body sagged against the wall. 

Otis ran an antsy hand through his hair, “You’re fucking crazy man,” he then turned and looked at you, a crazed frustration in his eye, “Not worth the fuckin’ trouble anyways,” he muttered, before turning and storming down the hallway. Danny's head lifted at his words but you reached for him before he could make any irrational decisions, grabbing his arm, dragging him inside and slamming the door shut behind him. 

You stood by the door, watching as Danny ran his hands through his hair, pacing on the spot with his eyes trained on the ground. He breathed deeply, trying his hardest to regulate his temper before he addressed you. Just as you were about to reach for him, take his hand in yours and tell him that everything would be okay, he moved towards you, eyes searching yours desperately for some kind of refuge.

“Baby, I– I’m so sorry, I got carried away, I just– he said all those things and…” Danny rushed, his hands searching your own, gripping tightly as if your strength would keep him from falling off the face of the earth. His head dropped down in shame, “I’m so sorry, honey. Please forgi–”

Unable to hear him apologise any longer, you crashed your lips against his. He was still for a moment, processing your movements in silent shock, until, like a switch, he moved his lips against your own hungrily. You separated your hands, letting your fingers roam upwards and grip his hair and jaw, as his own hands fell to your waist, running his palms up and down your curves and squeezing at the hip. The kiss became needy and rushed, and you let out a quiet moan when Danny's tongue slipped into your mouth. You gravitated backwards, Danny leading you until your back hit the wall. 

Danny moved forward, the warmth of his body pressing against your own. Unknowing or not, his knee slotted between your legs, and your thoughts went hazy as you ground your hips against it. Danny groaned at the feeling, revelling in the knowledge that you were enjoying him as much as he was you. 

His hot breath came out in huffs through his nose, drifting over your skin as his mouth explored yours desperately. Reluctantly, he pulled away, face flushed and panting heavily as his eyes searched yours. 

“So, you aren’t mad?” he asked. You looked up at him through your lashes, an undeniable need flowing through your body. You took his hand in yours and shook your head earnestly, slipping away from the wall and walking him away from the livingroom and towards the hallway to your bedrooms. 

Danny's brain short circuited when he realised what you were doing– where you were taking him. Nevertheless, he followed eagerly on your heels, blood rushing from his head and straight to his crotch as he tried to keep himself sane.

You walked into his dark bedroom, and Danny switched the light on by the door as he followed you to the bed. He clenched his jaw, trying his hardest to control himself and not explode from the anticipation. You turned around and kissed him again, this time shying slightly from the control. You were undoubtedly nervous, no matter how badly you wanted this, you couldn't shake the anxiety of doing something wrong from your head. 

Always in tune with everything that was you, Danny took the lead, edging you closer and closer to the bed until the back of your knees made contact with the mattress. Dannys lips stayed connected to yours as you lowered yourself down, leading you further onto the bed, your hearts beating in rapid synchronicity. 

Moments of pause to catch your breaths were quickly ended as you both searched for one another, hands wandering across your bodies while you brought forward the feelings that had always been there. 

Soon, your back was flat on the bed, and Danny hovered over you, having crawled his way up on top in your crazed hypnosis. You shivered when the hand resting on your waist travelled up your ribs, his knuckles brushing the underside of your breast from beneath your tank top. 

Danny broke from your lips and looked up at you, “Is this okay?” he asked, his knuckles dragging back and forth. He was a sight to see, lips plump and swollen, eyes blown out and cheeks red hot. 

“Yes,” you whispered breathlessly with a frantic nod. You threaded one hand back into his curly hair to bring him back down to your lips, while the other rested on his side. At your permission, Danny's large hand cupped your right breast, and squeezed just tight enough that the soft skin morphed under his imprint. You moaned at the sensation, but before you had time to feel embarrassed, Danny groaned back, grinding his hips into yours. 

Your mind went haywire as you felt the bulge pressing against you through his sweatpants, mixed with the feeling of him fondling your breasts. 

Parting from you again, you realised Danny was panting now. He swallowed nervously, his nose brushing against yours as his hand reached for the strap of your tank top, “Can I take this off?” he asked, eyes boring into your own with such intensity.

“Please,” you responded pathetically. Your core had begun to ache, his groin only brushing against yours briefly now, and your skin was ablaze with the need of his touch. Danny smiled at your words, eyes drifting back down your top as his fingers nimbly took the hem of the top and slid it upward. 

You sat up as he slipped it off your body, raising your arms to let him fully remove it. He discarded it with a toss somewhere behind him, and when his eyes returned to you, they were blown out and wide. He had seen your breasts already, but not like this. This was different, just as tender, but with lust heavy in the air. 

Danny's lips found yours again as his hand reached up to cup your breast again, this time completely bare. The heat of his palm pressed into your nipple as he squeezed, your flesh pooling around his fingers. His sloppy kisses began to change pace, drifting from your mouth to your jaw. Down past your jaw to the tender skin of your neck. 

The sensations were completely overwhelming, yet not nearly enough. The pad of his thumb flicked over your nipple, before pinching it against his pointer finger while he sucked into the tender spot beneath your ear. You breathed loudly, the hint of a moan breaking free at the feeling. 

Once Danny felt satisfied with his work on your neck, his lips continued their assault downward, until they too met the crest of your breasts. Taking one in his mouth, he played with the bud of the other while he licked and sucked at the flesh, making you writhe beneath him, hips grinding upward for relief. 

“Danny,” you whispered breathlessly, “Please.” 

He looked up at you from his place on your chest. “Are you– are you sure? I don't want you to feel like you have to after what just happened. I need you to be sure.”

Your heart ached at his kind words and consideration, but your core ached more, “I promise, I’m sure.” You nodded frantically, reaching down to stroke his cheek, and he leaned into your touch.

Slowly, he dipped his head back to your chest, and he pressed a firm kiss to your sternum. The wet warmth of his lips travelled downward, the kisses turning sloppier the further he moved. Once his lips passed your belly button and were interrupted by the hem of your knitted lounge pants, his fingers traced the hemline as he looked back up at you again, asking for your silent permission with his needy eyes. 

You nodded again, eagerly lifting your hips to help him as he hooked his thumbs under the waistband and pulled them down your legs and over your feet, discarding them somewhere on the floor near your top. 

You tensed as his lips continued their descent, “Wait– what are you doing?” you asked, closing your legs and bending your knees slightly to give yourself space. Danny pulled away immediately, a soft hand coming down your thigh to stroke the skin gently. 

His brows furrowed, “What do you mean?” You only stared at him, eyes wide and biting your lip. Nobody had even gone down on you before. Your friends and sometimes commented on it, making you feel slightly left out from the experience, but no partner you’d ever been with had gone there– had ever wanted to go there. 

When Danny realised you weren't going to say anything, he stroked his hand down your thigh to your bent knee, “I want to touch you and… taste you, if you’ll let me.”

Your cheeks flamed at his words, and you became suddenly aware of the warm wetness that had accumulated below. 

“I… nobody’s ever done that to me before,” you explained, picking at the edges of your nails nervously, sitting up slightly. 

Danny frowned deeply, “What do you– nobody’s ever gone down on you before?” he asked incredulously. Your face flushed, all confidence completely gone as you regretted ever going this far with Danny at all. He probably thought you were a complete prude. 

“Hey, don’t be embarrassed,” he ordered, “It’s just me.” He reached a hand up to cup your face, his body shifting slightly to bring himself closer to you and further from your lower half. “We don’t have to if you don't want to. But, I want to show you what it feels like, if you’d like that?”

Your stomach flipped, and you struggled to hold the burning eye contact Danny was staring at you with. “Okay.”

“Okay? You wanna try it?” he asked, hands rubbing against your bare sides comfortingly. 

You nodded your head, “Yes.”

Danny smiled at you softly and slid his body back down so that his face was hovering over your public bone. “Okay, just tell me if you want me to stop.”

With that, he looked back at your centre, eyes zeroing in on the wet patch that had soaked through your panites by your entrance. His mouth parted and he breathed deeply at the sight, eyes only catching yours for another moment before he tenderly took the sides of your underwear and tugged them downward. 

You lifted your hips for him to take them off, and as he slid them down your legs, you immediately regretted not shaving that morning. You weren't particularly ‘hairy’, having shaved one or two days ago, but there was a little stubble, and you worried Danny was going to change his mind at the sight of it. Your past partners wouldn't have gotten within an inch near your body if you weren't freshly shaved, claiming that it ‘wasn’t very sexy’. But Danny was about to put his mouth on it, and the idea scared you to bits. 

Danny took no notice though, his own mind struggling to keep up with the reality of what was happening. If he could go back in time and tell himself at age fifteen what he was about to do, he was sure he would’ve had a stroke. 

Eyes catching yours briefly, his hand reached for your core, the tip of his middle finger sliding through the slick by your entrance and spreading it up through your folds to your clit. You breathed shakily at the feeling, pleasure coursing through you at the light touch. 

“So wet, sweet girl,” he mumbled, mostly to himself as he watched in awe as he coated you in your own arousal. His thumb joined soon after, rubbing slow, deliberate circles over the bud of your clit, and you clenched your stomach at the feeling, fighting the urge to buck your hips and arch your back. Your eyes squeezed shut as he stroked lazily over the sensitive spot, his other fingers probing gently at your entrance. 

His thumb left momentarily, and just as you were about to open your eyes to see where it had gone, an unfamiliar warmth enveloped you, pulling a moan from your chest. Your eyes shot open to see Danny's mouth on you, lips wrapped around your centre, eyes shut in gentle enjoyment. You felt his warm, wet tongue reach out and flick against your clit and you cried out, the sound making him smile against you. He continued relentlessly, revelling in the way you writhed beneath him in the throes of pleasure. One of his hands reached up to grab your breast, squeezing the flesh tightly and drawing another breathless moan from you.

“Feel okay?” he asked, pulling away slightly, the breath of his words ghosting over your wetness. 

“Ye– yes. So good,” you panted, struggling to maintain your composure. The cocky grin on his face only turned you on more, and when he brought his mouth back to you, mouth sucking on your clit tightly, you bucked your hips upward with a cry. Your hands flew to his hair, fingers threading through the curly locks. Through the haze of pleasure, you were briefly aware of his fingertips outlining your entrance. He broke away from you again, and you almost whined at the lack of contact. 

“Can I?” he asked, his middle finger pressing lighting into you. You bit your lips and nodded frantically. He smiled at your eagerness, bringing his lips down to you again and working a steady rhythm with his tongue. His middle finger slowly slipped inside you, and you groaned at the feeling mixed with his tongue against your most sensitive part. 

Slowly, he curled the same finger upward, pressing against your walls expertly, and you threw your head back in pleasure. 

“Ohh fuck,” you moaned, blind in the ecstacy of the motions. He continued with the movements, and your knees bent up around his head as you fought back the urge to crush him with your thighs. “Please, I need more,” you begged, and Danny slipped another finger inside you, his thick fingers stretching you lightly.

You moaned as he began to set a constant pace, his fingers pressing into your g-spot with every curl and his tongue flicking over your clit. Your hands tightened their grasp on his hair, tugging at the roots as you revelled in the pleasure.

He soon became relentless, starting off slow and gentle and building up a harsh and unapologetic pace against you. It didn't take you long to feel the tension build in your lower belly, and your thighs pressed into the sides of his head as it approached. 

Your stomach tightened, and your walls squeezed against his fingers. 

“Shit, Danny– Danny I’m gonna cum,” you cried out, giving him warning to move away, fearing finishing against his mouth would put him off.

Despite your fears, Danny grunted hungrily, the low sound vibrating against you and bringing you further to the edge. He pushed his body further into yours, suffocating himself in everything that was you. He took your nipple between his fingers and squeezed tightly as his fingers and tongue continued the steady pace against you. 

Eyes rolling back, your back arched off the bed as euphoria crashed over your body like a tidal wave. Your thighs locked against his head, keeping him in place as you ground your hips against his face, moaning loudly through your orgasm. Your fingers tugged at his hair, pressing him closer into you as all muscles in your body tensed, letting the magical feeling slip through your veins. 

Danny watched from beneath you, eyes trained on your face as you threw it back in pleasure. 

He held you through it, humming against you and jerking his fingers inside you despite the way your walls puslated and squeezed against him as you fell off the crest of the orgasm. 

Slowly, as not to overstimulate you, he eased his movements, wanting to draw out the orgasm for as long as he could, yet still keep the feeling as enjoyable for you, being especially aware that it was your first time. As the way you pulsed around him began to slow, he did too– his tongue merely dragging over your clit as you shuddered and his fingers only pressing lightly against the pillowy flesh of your g-spot. 

As your hands relaxed against his hair and your legs released him from their relentless grip, Danny took his mouth off you, and carefully slid his fingers out, leaving you feeling awfully empty. 

Eyes still shut, and head still limp against the mattress, you relied on your senses as you felt Danny crawl up your body. His hands took your jaw gently, and you fluttered your eyes open at the feeling, seeing him hovering just above you. Wetness glistened off his chin to his nose, and you whimpered pathetically at the sight of him wiping it off with the black of his hand. You were panting heavily still, chest rising and falling dramatically beneath him as you tried to calm yourself down. 

He leaned down and pressed a lingering, simple kiss to your lips. “How was that?”

You smiled lazily at him and hummed in approval, “So good, Danny.” You reached up and brought him into another kiss, deepening it as you traced your tongue along his lips. He opened his mouth to let you in, and hummed at your eagerness. Swiftly, you grabbed his shoulders and flipped him into the bed, keeping your lips still connected so that you were straddling his waist. 

He made a sound of surprise at your movements, but you didn't stop kissing him. You ground your hips against his, feeling the bulge from beneath his sweatpants pressing into you, and you both groaned at the feeling.

Slowly, you reached your hand under his shirt, and stroked your fingers over the skin of his chest. He shivered under your touch, his own hands reaching down to steady your hips as you ground against him. You took the hem of his shirt, and he instantly sat, pushing you up with him as he pulled the shirt off his body quickly, his muscles contracting in the movement. 

You reattached your lips to his as soon as you could, desire slapping you in the face as if you hadn’t already had an orgasm. Desperately, you reached your hand down to his sweatpants, feeling for him through the fabric. 

He moaned into your mouth when you held him, slowly grinding him into the heel of your plan as you began to rub him up and down. He pulled away from the kiss, unable to hold back the noises that escaped him as you touched him. He whispered your name in a moan, and at the encouraging noises, you let go of his bulge and slipped your hand under his sweatpants, watching his face intently to ensure you weren’t crossing any boundaries. 

He threw his head back when you touched him bare, taking a firm hold of his dick in your hand and stroking it lazily. He was huge, just as you’d seen days earlier while you showered with one another, but now that you held him, you understood his true size. You traced your thumb up the underside of his dick, until you reached the tip, which felt damp and swollen from strain and arousal. 

He moaned and bucked at the sensitivity, biting his lip painfully as he watched you watch him. You let yourself take some time to feel him, running your thumb over the ridge of his head, and around its circumference, before drifting your hand back down his shaft to the base. You watched carefully for his reactions, taking note of the particular sensitivity he felt when you slid his head between your pointer and middle fingers. 

Beads of precum had begun to trickle out of him, providing a slight amount of lubricant over the skin you rubbed against. But it wasn’t quite enough. 

Breaking your eye-contact, you looked down to where you held him, his pink tip resting against his abdomen and peeking out of the hem of his sweatpants while you stroked at the base of his cock. Slowly, you slipped down his body, smoothing your hands over his soft skin as you travelled down, and you watched in amusement as his eyes blew out widely. 

You took the hemline between your fingers and began pulling them down, but Danny's hand quickly rested on top of your own, halting your movements. 

“You don’t have to– just because I did for you. This isn’t tit for tat,” he assured, cradling your face and stroking the apple of your cheek. 

You looked up at him through your lashes, “I want to, promise.” You reached under and gave him a long, slow stroke again and he fought to keep his eyes open at the feeling. You let go and reached for his sweatpants again, but he kept his hips still, looking conflicted and slightly unsure as he peered down at you. 

“Oh,” you faltered, “Unless you don’t want me to.” You reprimanded yourself for not asking him sooner, pulling away to sit upright and resting on his thighs. 

“No, no, I want you to. Of course I do. I just– stop that,” he reached up to take your thumb away from your mouth as you began to anxiously bite the skin around it. You put both hands in your lap with a huff. “It just might be… a bit hard for you to do. I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

Though it sounded cocky, Danny was admittedly worried that you would push yourself for his own pleasure, and he knew that there was no way you could fit all of him in your mouth. He watched you carefully, taking note of the way you looked back down at him, hard and erect against his abdomen, before you made eye contact with him again. 

“Please, I want to try,” you asked, and he nodded without any further hesitation, giving you the go ahead. This time, he lifted his hips when you tugged at his sweatpants, and he breathed out a moan when you took him in your hand again. 

He watched you through hooded eyelids as, while maintaining eye contact, you leaned down to his cock and pressed a gentle kiss to the tip, a thin string of pre cum connecting to you for a moment as you pulled away. If you didn’t know otherwise, you'd think Danny was in pain by his expression, face taught with euphoria. 

You stuck out your tongue for him to see, and brought it to the bottom of his cock before slowly dragging up to the tip. He whimpered when you then took the tip into your mouth, letting your lips squeeze gently against him while your tongue rubbed against his frenulum. 

You knew your limits, and you knew you couldn't take all of him at once, not without gagging like an idiot, and you thought that activity would be best saved for another time. So instead, you wrapped your hand around the base of his cock, twisting slightly as you pumped him up and down. In synchronicity, you began to bob your head on his dick, bringing the head as deep into your mouth as you could reach before pulling back up again. 

Unable to control himself, his hands flew your head, gathering your hair away from your face into a makeshift ponytail. He watched you intently, brows furrowed in concentration and ecstasy, and he began to fear that the pleasure he was feeling already would have him finishing in the first few minutes. 

“Oh my– fuck,” he whimpered when you picked up your pace a little, getting more comfortable with the feeling of him in your mouth. You hummed in amusement as you felt him twitch against your tongue, his abdominal muscles spasming and hips shaking as not to thrust up into you, all while the pleasure completely overtook him. Danny didn’t care about being too loud, and his moans filled the silence of the room, eliciting a new wave of arousal to your core. 

Subtly, while keeping your movements steady and mouth still attached to him, you repositioned your lower half, throwing on knee over his leg so that you were straddling his left thigh. You sighed as you ground down against it, his bare skin and thick, coarse hair rubbing against you a feeling like no other. 

Danny popped his eyes open at the feeling of your wet warmth on his leg, and a deep groan fell from his mouth when he saw you rocking your hips back and forth against him, cock still in your mouth. 

“Ba– baby,” Danny stuttered, hips rocking gently against you in sync to meet you. 

“Hmm?” you hummed against him. 

“Ah– fuck. I need to have you… and if you– fuck, if you keep this up I'm gonna– shit baby, I'm gonna cum.” 

Reluctantly, you pulled your mouth away from him, not wanting the night to be over yet, and though Danny had been chasing the feeling of release, you could tell he wanted you to stop too. 

Without warning, Danny grabbed your underarms and pulled you up his body, making you squeal. Once you were chest to chest, he wiped away the spit that had spread across your lips and coated your chin, before pulling you in for a hungry kiss.

He flipped you over quickly, your back making contact with the warm sheets beneath you, and you were briefly aware that it had been dampened with his sweat. 

Danny kissed you again, but broke away soon this time, leaning over to reach for his nightstand. He pulled open the drawer and blindly shuffled around until he grabbed a box and pulled it out. He was still kneeled either side of your body, cock hanging in the air between the two of you as he took the box and sifted through with his fingers for a condom. 

“Wait, Danny,” you said, hand coming to meet him where he held the condom. He froze immediately, fearing that he may be moving too far, too fast. 

“What's wrong?” he asked, abandoning the box of condoms by his bedside table again, giving you his complete, undivided attention. 

“I’m uh… I’m on the pill, and I’m clean. I wanna feel you… without the condom,” you admitted, cheeks flushing red as you spoke. 

He blinked, brain clearly running a mile a minute, “Oh– Yeah, I– I’m clean too. Does that mean I can…?” he stammered, trailing off in caution. 

You nodded, “You can finish inside.” 

Danny's eyes nearly rolled back at the sound of your voice uttering those words, and he swallowed thickly, licking his lips before meeting your lips again. 

“I love you,” he whispered against your mouth. 

“I love you too.” You raised your hips slightly, making his tip brush against your lower belly, and he chuckled. 

“So needy,” he teased, learning down further on his knees and taking himself in his hand, pleasuring himself momentarily with a few languid strokes. 

Meeting your eyes again, he took your hip into his other hand, and brought his cock to your centre. He dragged his sensitive tip through your wetness, spreading it from your entrance to your clit, the stimulating feeling eliciting from you a moan. 

He repeated the motion a few more times, helping you relax at the pleasurable feeling against you, while coating you both with your own lubricant. When he returned to the entrance this time, he pressed the tip in lightly, eyes jumping back to your face to make sure you were okay. 

When he saw you were watching intently with your jaw hung slightly agape, he continued, pushing into you only slightly more. The stretch was overwhelming, but in the best way possible, and you spread your legs wider to give him space. He took his hand off your hip momentarily to use his fingers to spread you further, his cock slipping into you with much more ease. 

You jumped with a hiss when the stretch was almost painful, a stinging sensation sparking inside you.

He froze immediately. “You okay?”

You nodded, “Yep, just…” you wiggled your hips, letting yourself get used to the sheer size of him before you continued, “Keep moving, I’m okay.” 

With a quiet ‘okay’, he continued his push forward, watching your expression intently as he slipped further and further into you until he was finally completely bottomed out, his abdomen flush against your own. He sighed loudly at the sensation, leaning forward on his hands so that his head was hovering above your own. 

“Fuck, you feel so good. So warm,” he groaned. 

The sensation was indescribable. You felt so incredibly full, the feeling of him inside you like nothing you had experienced with anyone before. Though, you soon became too comfortable with the feeling, and were desperate for friction.

You began to slowly grind your hips, hoping he would get the hint to start moving, but his hand shot to the soft flesh of your hip, holding tightly to stop you from moving. 

“Just… give me a minute, please. You’re so fucking tight,” he breathed, eyes rolling back with his mouth hung open widely. 

You tried your hardest to relax for him, but the need for movement was overwhelming. You reached your hand down between your bodies and pressed your fingers against your clit, rubbing round in slow circles to give yourself some relief. Danny's eyes followed your hand and he huffed, neck straining as he saw what you were doing. 

Very slowly, and with a deep, contented sigh, Danny pulled back, and you bit back a moan at the feeling of him sliding from you, until just the tip was left. In a swift movement, he pushed back in, the two of you moaning at the feeling together. 

He repeated those movements a few more times, until he was used to the feeling, letting his movements gain more speed against you. You abandoned your clit when he began to speed things up, the feeling more than enough to throw you into the abyss of pleasure. 

“Oh Danny, that feels–” you moaned, latching your hand under his arm to grip his back, nails digging into his skin lightly. 

“How does it feel, pretty girl? Hm? Tell me,” he panted, hips now meeting yours quickly, the sound of your bodies slapping wetly mixing with your loud moans and pants. 

“Feels s’ good, Danny. I– Ah!” He picked up the speed again, and you got dizzy at the feeling of his cock slamming into your g-spot relentlessly. With one arm keeping himself steady against his mattress beside your head, Danny reached his other hand to your hip, fingers pressing into the muscle firmly as he kept you steady, his thrusts now hitting you impossibly deeper than before. 

Your moans sounded borderline pornographic, and when Danny leant down to attach his mouth to your nipple, you all but screamed. The familiar feeling of release crept up on you, and despite your efforts to push it away, it gripped you tightly, squeezing your core and making you shudder. 

“Oh fuck, I can feel you, Baby,” he heaved, abandoning your tit and pressing his forehead to yours, “Squeesing me so tight. You gonna cum again for me?” 

“Yes!” you squeaked out, and he chuckled at the sound. “Danny… Oh Jesus– fuck!” you exclaimed, succumbing to the overwhelming power of your orgasm. Your legs spasmed, flying up to lock around his behind, keeping him close as he fucked you through the orgasm. 

Both of your arms threw around his back, one of them wrapping up to hold the back of his neck, nails digging in harshly as you fought to keep conscious through the orgasm. 

“That's it, that’s– Oh God, there you go,” he cooed, talking you through the feeling as he slowed his thrusts in time with the rhythm of your fluttering walls. He came to a slow stop inside you, letting you come down from your high. 

You were a sight to see, Danny thought. Hair sprawled out around your head like some kind of religious halo, although nothing about these past few moments had been even slightly faithful. A stark flush had settled on your cheeks, spreading down your neck to your chest, and Danny couldn't help but compare them to the wet marks he had left behind with his mouth. A sheer layer of sweat had sunk into your hairline, and if possible, Danny knew he would have grown harder at the sight if it were possible. 

He stroked away some of the wet hairs that stuck to your temples, and you watched him intently as he did. 

“Roll over,” you told him, and you giggled at the surprised expression she bore. 

“Okay, bossy,” he teased, keeping you connected as he gripped your waist tightly, rolling onto his back so that you rested atop him. You leaned down and kissed him, threading your hands into his hair and he kissed you back with just as much passion, licking into your mouth and groaning. 

When you pulled away, you sat up properly, getting a full view of Danny laying below you, body on display and face fucked out. You smiled devilishly at the sight and sighed when you put all of your weight on his lap, ensuring his dick was as deep in you as it could be. 

His hands flew to your thighs, gripping tightly as he watched you. Not exactly knowing what to do with your hands, you placed them on his abdomen to stabilise you while you began to move, grinding your hips in agonisingly slow circles against him. 

The feeling, for you, was magical, and the attention to your clit made your head drop forward, hair falling over your face. 

Danny reached up and brushed the mass of your hair away from your face to look at you. He watched as you moved for a while, hands keeping your hips steady as he helped you roll them back and forth against him. 

Hearing him call your name broke you from your trance. You opened your eyes to look down at him, seeing his expression needy and pained, “Ple– please move,” he begged. You realised how you had been neglecting him, leaving him sitting still inside you while you shamelessly pleasured yourself on the gruff hair over his pubic bone. 

Maintaining eye contact, and your hands steady on his stomach, you rolled your hips forward, arching your back and letting him slip out through your folds, before you slammed back down with conviction. 

You both yelped at the sensation, feeling one another deeper than you had all night. You repeated a few times, slowly pulling away from him, only to drop back onto him with weight and speed, until you got into a groove. You moaned as you slammed onto him, his cock pounding into your g-spot.

He reached his hand up to your face, slipping his thumb into your mouth. You took the digit into your mouth sloppily, unable to focus past the intoxicating way his hips bucked up into you. He slipped his thumb out of your mouth and dipped it below. 

You yelped when you felt it press over your clit, rubbing wet circles into the sensitive bub, and making you double over in pleasure. Fatigue began to grace your movements, and as your hips slowed in exhaustion and laziness, Danny grabbed your ass with one hand, hooking under the thigh slightly for stability. He squeezed tightly so that his fingers dug into the fat, and held your body still above his.

He didn't give you time to complain at the lack of movement, before his hips slammed up into you. He was erratic and relentless, fucking into you so quickly, that all of your thoughts fell apart in your mind. 

You chanted his name like a mantra, and when he began to lift and drop your hips to meet him halfway, your third orgasm of the night began to approach. 

“Fuck! Danny I’m– it’s…” your sentence fell off with a moan. 

He grunted into your ear, “Let go Baby, just feel it.”

Listening to him, you fell forward onto his chest completely, your breasts pressed up against him as he continued his assault. The feeling grew, burning hotter and hotter in your core, until a completely unfamiliar feeling joined it. 

You jerked slightly at the sensation, a new kind of warmth travelling down your body, and rendering you completely limp in the pleasure. 

“Oh my– fuck, Danny, I–” 

He didn't give you any rest, driving you closer and closer to the release of this feeling that had you under its complete control. You moaned aimlessly into his chest, sweat sticking your skin together while you focused on the way his dick slammed into your walls rhythmically. 

Finally, as if you had reached the crest of a mountain, you began your inevitable descent, pleasure coursing through you like a violent shock of electricity. You squeezed tightly around him while he continued to pump into you furiously, and at the feeling of his thumb still caressing your clit, that same new sensation took hold again. 

You were briefly aware of warmth and wetness below, but the feeling shot through you too powerfully for you to notice much else. You wailed through the orgasm, never having felt anything as intense in your whole life, the release feeling like just that– a release. 

“Oh shit,” Danny panted, his breath fanning across your ear as he continued to thrust into you. He flipped you over again, much less gently this time, so that your back was against the sheets and wrapped his body around yours tightly. His arms slipped under your back, letting him rest his head into the crook of your neck as he moaned. His legs hooked into yours, encircling your body like you gave him life, as he continued to thrust endlessly into you. 

Your high began to wear off, though you were still hazy as he came apart on top of you, hugging you tightly. You wrapped your arms around him and raked your nails over his back, trying to keep yourself from squeezing him too hard at the overstimulation. 

It was to no avail though, as even the slightest pulse from inside you was all he needed to completely unravel. Moaning loudly, you felt his hips stutter, grip tightening around your body as he chanted your name. 

“I– I love you,” he cried out. 

“I love you too,” you repeated, holding him tightly through the buildup to his orgasm. He seemed to falter even further at the sound of your words, his movements falling sloppier and moans crying louder.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” he muttered, muffled by the pillows along with the other profanities he repeated through clenched teeth. You moaned as you felt his hot release spill into you, his cock twitching inside you before it stilled, unmoving in the deepest part he could reach. 

He thrusted slowly only a few more times, his breath shuddering at the after effects of the orgasm, until he went completely still. 

You both lay there for the next few moments in complete silence, save for your desperate attempts to catch your breaths. 

“That was incredible,” he breathed into your neck, planting a soft, lingering kiss to the skin. 

“It was,” you agreed, unable to find the words through the haze that still fogged your mind. You shifted slightly, his dick still tucked into you but softening slightly. 

“Wha– why is there so much…” you trailed off as you felt an unusual amount of wetness coat your legs and the skin on which he had his body pressed against. 

“Hmm?” he questioned lazily. You bent your knee to try and get a closer look, struggling to see past Danny's huge body, but managing to see the clear wetness glinting from your thighs. They were absolutely soaked, and as you craned your neck up to investigate further, the sheets around you were darkened with saturation too. 

“What is this?” you asked, sitting up slightly. Danny pulled his head from your neck reluctantly, slipping his arms from their tight grasp around your back to prop himself up against the mattress. He peered down at where you were both still connected, and smiled at the mess you had left behind. 

“What’s what?” he asked. 

You ran a hand through the slick that dripped off your stomach and onto the bed sheets. It wasn’t thick like cum, or like your arousal, and was almost like water. Danny smiled mischievously, placing his flat palm across his stomach to feel where the liquid coated his skin too. 

He cleared his throat, “You… um, I think you squirted.”

You went red hot, embarrassment settling deep into your stomach, “What?”

He chuckled at your expense, “Don’t be shy, was fucking hot.”

You covered your face with your hands, groaning. “Oh my god, I’ve never done that before,” you admitted.

“Really?” he asked, relaxing his body back against you and using his hands to remove yours from your face. “Wanna see you,” he mumbled. You reluctantly opened your eyes, and saw the smuggest look on his face. 

“What?” you asked, still slightly embarrassed. 

He bit his lip, sticking out his tongue through his teeth, “I made you squirt.” His smile was huge, and you groaned in embarrassment. 

“Ugh, stop,” you groaned, pushing his head away as if it would ease your embarrassment. 

He chuckled. “Did it feel good?” he asked. 

You hesitated for a moment, bringing your hand to his hair and tracing little patterns into his scalp, “Felt really different. But really good, I’ve never felt anything like it before,” you admitted, and you felt his smile against your shoulder. 

“Hmmm, guess we’ll have to try it again then, won’t we?” he asked, bringing his hands to your waist and squeezing teasingly. You yelped at the ticklish feeling, laughing as you ripped his hands off your waist playfully. 

Sighing, Danny reluctantly pushed himself off you, “Alright, let’s get cleaned up. You up for a shower or are you too tired?” he asked. 

“I think I can handle a shower,” you giggled at him for thinking you would be too fucked out to last a five minute shower. Danny smiled, quickly leaning down to kiss your forehead before he pulled back again.

He reached down to where you were both still connected, holding himself gently as he slowly slipped out of you, causing both of you to sigh at the tender feeling. 

He climbed off you, planting his feet onto the floor and taking your hands to help you sit up. You let him drag you from your spot to the edge of the bed, careful to not drip more liquid onto the sheets. 

When he pulled you up to stand, your knees quite literally buckled beneath you. Danny quickly caught you with a ‘woah’, and sat you back onto the bed. 

He raised his brow at you, “Okay Miss ‘I can handle a shower’, you stay here and I’ll go get something to clean you up,” he instructed. You bit your cheek in embarrassment not expecting yourself to be so weak. 

You watched your shaky legs swing off the edge of the bed as Danny stepped out, heading to the bathroom. The room felt warm, quiet, and you couldn’t help but marvel at how quickly everything had fallen into place between you two. Despite having known each other for most of your lives, the shift had been sudden– unexpected but natural. You sat there, taking in the moment and realising that this was what it felt like to be truly cared for.

“Alright sweet thing, can you lean back for me?” he asked once he returned. You nodded and leaned back on your elbows, watching as Danny ran a warm, wet cloth over your legs and stomach, collecting your release from your skin and leaving you feeling clean and comfortable. 

He was far more gentle when he ran the cloth over your sensitive centre, playing close attention to the way his own release dripped out of you slowly. You flinched at the sensitivity when the fabric grazed over your clit, and he muttered a quiet apology, smoothing his warm palm over your thigh. 

Once you were clean, he returned to the bathroom, to wipe himself clean from yours and his release, and as he turned to leave the room, you caught sight of red scratch marks on his shoulders and neck.

When he returned to the bedroom, he smiled as he saw you, struggling to stay awake beside the mess you had made on the bed. 

“I’m sorry if I hurt you,” you muttered, leaning forward to reach for his shoulders.

“What?” he asked, craning his neck to try and look at his back.

“You’re all scratched up,” you explained, feeling guilty for causing him any type of pain. But when a toothy grin spread across his face, you recognised an expression of pride on his face.

“Don’t apologise, I love it,” he said, and you stared at him incredulously.

“You’re an idiot,” you joked and he giggled.

His eyes drifted over to the damp sheets beside you and he smiled. “I think we should sleep in your bed tonight. I’ll clean these sheets tomorrow morning,” Danny offered, sitting on the edge of the bed and picking up your foot, kneading the muscles between his strong hands. 

You hummed at the feeling, “Mmm you’re right. But ‘m too tired to move,” you complained dramatically, lifting and dropping a lazy arm for effect. 

He chuckled, letting go of your foot to reach around your body. Standing up, he slid his arms under your upper back and the backs of your knees. You wrapped your arms around his neck instinctively when you understood what he was doing. 

“Wait– Danny…” you started, worrying he wouldn’t be able to bear your weight. He ignored you, knowing exactly what you were about to say as he lifted you from the bed with ease. He leaned down to rub his nose against yours as he walked out of the bedroom. 

“Light,” he said, nodding to the light switch by the side of the door. You reached up and switched it off before bringing your arms back around his neck, fiddling with the hairs as the nape of his neck.

“Wait Danny!” you exclaimed, “I forgot, I need to pee.” 

“Oh shit, yeah,” Danny turned on his heel, taking you to the bathroom, kicking up the toilet lid and carefully sitting you on top of the seat. He casually stepped towards the sink, squirting toothpaste onto his toothbrush and running it under the tap. He put the brush into his mouth and leant against the counter as you sat there in disbelief. 

“Are you just gonna stand there?” you asked, not sure if you had the confidence to pee in front of him yet. 

“What? It's not like I wasn’t just inside you,” he joked, shooting you a foamy smile. 

You huffed, but knew he was right. That, and you didn’t actually really care, as he had already seen every part of you by now. Danny got your toothbrush ready too and brought it to you, plopping it into your mouth for you. You were both quiet as you brushed your teeth and did your business, soaking up the experience that you had both shared moments before. 

When you were both done, despite your protests, Danny lifted you back up and carried you down the hallway to your bedroom. He hovered by the door of your bedroom for you to turn on the main light again, and walked you to the bed, throwing you into the plush cushions with a grunt. You giggled as you bounced against the sheets.

Danny switched on the bedside light and quickly turned off the main light, before hopping over to the bed and joining you. Both of you were still very naked, but neither of you minded, swimming in the comfort of the closeness you could have to one another. 

You searched for Danny's body in the dark, reaching for his warmth and wrapping yourself around him once you found him. You shifted closer, pressing your body against his, your head finding its place on his chest, right over his heartbeat. His hand traced gentle patterns along your back, while the other rested securely around your waist, pulling you even closer.

You draped a leg over his, tangling yourself in him as if you were meant to fit together that way. His warmth surrounded you, his steady breaths a calming rhythm that matched your own. With your arm across his chest, you could feel the rise and fall of his breathing, grounding you in the moment. His fingers moved to your hair, stroking through the strands in slow, soothing motions as he sighed into your hair contentedly.  

“Danny?” you asked, breaking the soft silence between you.

“Hmm?”

“Can I ask you something?”

He shrugged you closer to him, “Of course, anything.”

You sighed, the question having weighed on you for the past few months, only coming to surface now that you were comfortable enough to ask him. 

“How come you never moved out to get a better place?” The words hung heavy in the air, and you quickly regretted bringing it up. “I mean, Josh, Sam and Jake all bought those huge houses in the last year, and you’re still splitting the rent of some shitty flat with me,” you tried to explain.

Danny was quiet against you for a while– so long in fact, that you began to question if he had fallen asleep. 

“Isn’t it obvious?” he finally spoke, “I want to live with you. I knew you couldn’t afford another place, and you’d never let me pay for you. Why would I want to move out when everything I want is right here?” 

Everything I want. The words drifted over your skin and warmed your soul, melting into crevices of your heart that hadn’t even realised were so cold.

His fingers drifted along the length of your spine, and your heart exploded with love for him. “Do… do you want to move out? Get a new place together?” he added.

You pulled your head back to look at him in the dark, not expecting him to take the conversation that far. “Wha– Danny, I can’t afford anything more than this right now.”

He spoke quickly, “I’ll pay for it, all of it. I have enough, I promise,” he reassured, but your guilt held you back. You couldn't use his money like that.

“I don’t know…”

“Just… think about it. I’m happy to stay here with you, forever, if this is where you are. But I can give you a life better than this. We can have a house big enough for all of those cats you want. And it would have a thermostat that doesn't break every month,” he chuckled, and you laughed with him, melting against his words of affection and serious commitment to you. “It can be big or it can be small, it can be wherever you like. With a big garden for you to grow those pink flowers you like. Anything. I just… want you to be happy. And I want to be with you through it.”

You sighed, letting the love of his words envelope you just as tight as the arms wrapped around your body. You leaned in and pressed a kiss to his bare chest, keeping your lips there for a movement before nuzzling your face into the skin. You pocketed the conversation for another day, letting yourself feel him here and now, in the present with you.

“I love you, Danny,” you whispered.

He tucked your head under his chin, “I love you too, sweet girl.”

𓅪

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[bucketofpaint]

Prompt part 2 part3

First Encounter

Danny regrets telling his parents. He wouldn't be wandering around a random city if he didn't. It's been a couple of rough weeks. Scratch that it's been rough for a couple of years! Ever since he went into that dumb portal, when he was 14, everything started to go downhill. But now he hit a new low.

He has no place to stay, barely any money left, and if he was found, he'd end up on a dissection table. Oh, and on top of that, his powers had started acting wonky as soon as he left Amity.

Even though it sucked, it still was like a weight had been taken off his chest. Danny was alone. Yes. But he was also free.

For starters, Danny didn't have to pretend that everything was okay anymore. It also gave him some actual control of his life. This was a new beginning, a time for him to finally work towards something better.

But right now, Danny was hungry. Really, really hungry, and granola bars and cheap Ramen weren't cutting it anymore. He needed money. Hopefully, he would be able to get a job using the fake ID Tucker made for him. Getting a job would be a good start.

Danny's thoughts get cut off by the sudden sound of an explosion and the people screaming.

Danny sighed before pulling off into a secluded alley.

_____

Connor was currently running around gathering people and ushering them to safety, the same thing the rest of the team was doing.

While they did that, some of the League were handled the Rouge, who was responsible for starting the attack.

But its not their fight. Connor and the rest of the team were here as damage control and evacuation.

Just as it seemed like everyone was evaluated, Connor heard someone scream. He whipped around just in time to see debris fall towards a little girl.

No, No, No!

He wasn't going to make it, he wasn't fast enough.He needed to save them. He had to save them!

There was a blur of white and black right befor the debris crashed into the ground, letting out a cloud of dust.

Connor had failed. He couldn't save them. It's all his fault.

Connor froze. Someone was crying. It might not be too late. He ran through the dust towards the sound. As the dust cleared he saw something he didn't expect.

There behind the rubble was a teen. He had white flowy hair and unnatural green eyes. What Connor was really focused on was the little girl in his arms. She was shaking with her arm tightly clutching onto the stranger. But she was alive. Relief flooded Connor.

The Stanger rubbed her back in a soothing way, while talking to her softly. Which Connor could barely hear over how loud his own heart beat was.

Connor watched as the little girl nodded to something the stranger said. The Teen walked over to Connor and stood in front of him, looking hard into Connor's eyes before nodding. He held the nolonger crying girl out to him. Connor reached out and carefully took the girl into his arms. He quickly scanned the girl for injuries before looking back to where the mystery teen was. He wasn't there. He had left, and Connor didn't even notice.

______

@avelnfear @tiblii @quirky-gardener @nerdypaintbrush @silverheartlugia2000 @holygoldfish

[meowmeowmeowmeow4x]

Dark Blue Moon and the Suffering Sun Part 18

This chapter breaks our record at 3.3k words :O

comment and reblog!

MASTAPOST

Damian awoke from sleep. He felt his body squish underneath the weight of Danny’s. The older boy had insisted the previous night, citing Damian’s body being unable to regulate temperature in the cold water at night. This had Damian begrudgingly agree to this arrangement, although he had made his displeasure very clear.

He tried to push down the comfort it brought him. Tried to focus on other things.

Like the fact that he was riding a whale. An entire whale. He even had a harness tied to his waist to stop him drifting behind, the rope wrapping gently around the mammal’s fins and around its body snugly.

This moment? This moment right here was the highlight of his young life. Unconsciously, his chest rumbled and purred as his heart pounded with affection for the beautiful creature.

The whale called out to its pod. It seemed the boys had landed on the largest of the pod, a female (he had checked) and likely the mother of the younger members. Damian rubbed the whale’s skin in soothing circles, its blubber smooth to the touch. There, there, big girl. You are doing an exemplary job.

Each stroke of the whale’s body, undulating through the sea send small shockwaves down Damian’s lateral line, a testament to the size and power of the world’s largest animals (although not the largest organism. That title belonged to Pando). After a while, the rhythm settled into Damian’s bones, like a second heartbeat.

He would have to paint this moment when he got home.

Damian looked behind him. Danny was still out cold after the extensive swimming they had done. It was worth it, though. If Damian’s estimates were correct, they were only a week or less away from Panama. Danny’s swimming speed was nothing short of incredible. It was almost like he was intangible, gliding through the waves with barely a hint of water resistance. Damian had feared it would take a month or longer to get to Panama, considering a dolphin’s long-distance swim speed was only around ten miles an hour, but Danny’s celestial navigation suggested they’d covered about seven hundred miles by the time they hitched a ride with the whales.

Panama was so close… From there it would be smooth sailing, or swimming.

Until then?

Damian untied the rope harness. How many of his family could claim to swim alongside a pod of whales? Using his small, streamlined body, Damian launched off the leader’s body, and dashed in front of her. Despite himself, he gave her a small wave. The whale cooed. Despite not understanding her call, Damian could feel a wave of affection, like a caress through the water.

Damian glanced back at Danny, still fast asleep and snoring. Good.

Looking back at the whale, he focused on their deep, bellowing tones. Opening his mouth, Damian repeated the call as best he could, although it sounded much, much higher pitched than the original.

Much to his surprise, the pod leader called back. Damian smiled in a rare unfiltered grin. The whale answered him!

That was it. He needed to learn to speak whale at the soonest possible convenience. This was of the utmost importance. As a regular human, his vocal cords could never hope to reproduce the calls of a whale, but as a siren, a unique opportunity was granted to him. And he would take it, as befitting his bloodline.

As he contemplated how he would proceed with this plan, his fins slackened, and he found himself lagging behind as the leader swam past him. Damian watched in awe as her shadow fell over his body. He trailed underneath her white underbelly, catching the currents cast by her massive fins, and counted the colonies of barnacles occupying them.

He swam back to circle around the other members of her pod. The baby whales (there were babies too!) crooned to him, and he responded in turn, not sure of what it meant, but wholeheartedly delighting in taking part of a world he’d once considered closed off to him.

A mischievous baby, one he christened Dorothy, bumped him with her nose. The force sent him rearing back. He took a moment to rebalance himself, before she came back for more, playfully nudging him. Hah! Two could play that game. Damian bopped her on the nose, then dashed away. Dorothy gave chase, but Damian was smaller and nimbler.

He twirled in the water, diving underneath an older whale’s belly as Dorothy nipped at his tail. He went up and over the elder’s back. Damian dashed underneath the larger whale’s dorsal fin. Peeking stealthily over the edge, he spotted Dorothy in a state of apparent confusion as his seeming disappearance into thin air, or water.

Serves her right for challenging a master of stealth.

Damian’s lateral line spiked. He turned around just in time to spot a second baby coming for him. Damian tutted. What an amateur. He would have to show them how to properly chase a target. Using his vertical mobility, he launched upward and out of the way. Dorothy spotted him again, and continued her pursuit. Now with two pursuers, and more joining in, Damian laughed gleefully as he led them in twists and turns, using the larger adults as obstacle courses, much to their chagrin. At least that was what he assumed the annoyed-sounding squeaks were.

As much of a fast learner as Damian was, however, he was still new to his body. Damian’s fins flexed at the wrong angle, and his arms bend too far forward, causing him to overshoot his left turn. The green and golden siren crashed head first into the pod leader, briefly floating belly up as stars flashed in his vision.

Immediately the babies descended upon him. Dorothea nudged his body with her nose, sending him floating into her friend, who passed him to another baby just as quickly. Soon the babies formed a circle as they passed Damian’s limp body between them like a game of volleyball. Their actions unfortunately only exacerbated his dizziness, and after a few rounds, Damian was about to test whether sirens could vomit underwater.

A striking croon filled the water, causing Damian’s fins to spike up. However, it seemed the call wasn’t for him, as the baby whales scattered and returned to their parents. Dorothea chittered and gave him one last bump before returning to her own mother’s side.

Damian slowly regained his faculties. He shook off the last of the nausea. That could have been dangerous. They were wild animals, and could have seriously injured him. His father would have been furious.

And he wanted to do it again.

“Yo, Damian!” Danny’s voice called out.

Damian flipped his tail and returned to their miniature mobile campsite in a blur. Danny was snacking on some fish from their last raid. Damian frowned. Their food stashes were already running low.

“Breakfast?” Danny offered him a bundle of seaweed, or kelp. It had a pale yellow colour and sported round sacks along its stems, like bladderwrack.

Damian poked warily at the plant matter. They did not pack this in their supplies. “What is this?”

“It’s sargassum. Plant stuff that floats on the surface. Come try it!”

Damian squinted. He found his stomach stronger than it was as a human, capable of eating untreated raw fish (as much as he would rather not) without so much as a stomach ache.

Damian look a strip of sargassum, feeling the texture between webbed fingers. It was slightly slimy, but soft. He poked one of the bladders, causing its air bubble to pop and float to the surface. As he thought.

“If you’re not gonna eat that, I will. I just swam 700 freaking miles and I’m staaaarving.” Danny whined, a childish gesture.

Damian threw it down the hatch. It tasted… salty (but what didn’t taste salty in the ocean?). The texture was tolerable enough. It was no Caesar salad, or Pennyworth’s casserole, but it would do.

“Hand it over.” Damian gestured for the rest of the plant, and his companion obliged.

Damian chewed absentmindedly as he watched Danny unfurl the map they had ‘acquired’ from the Atlanteans. “So we’re somewhere here.” Danny pointed to a spot in the middle of the blue sea, just off the coast of California. “If we keep going south, we’ll be in Mexican waters, and then it’s smooth swimming to Panama.”

A lump of air pushed up his throat. Damian burped. The beginnings of a snicker were on Danny’s face. The smaller boy held his head high, choosing the high road this time, and maintaining dignity.

“As you were saying?”

“AHEM.” Danny coughed. “We’ve got a bit of a food problem.”

He held up the satchels that they had been using to store their provisions. It was worse than Damian had thought. The bags were practically empty, with maybe a snack and a half between all of them.

He chewed on another stalk of sargassum. Its bubbles popped in his mouth and exited through his nose.

“You cannot swim long distances without sustenance.” Energy could not come from nowhere, after all. The same rules applied for many metas, especially the infamous Flash family. They had left their last stop with bundles of supplies, quickly consumed in the matter of hours.

“We need to hunt again.” Danny concluded. “And get some more seaweed.”

Tut. Damian’s fins drooped a fraction of an inch. It was a shame to leave the whales behind already, but they were always going to go off on their separate paths. He just wished they could stay a little longer.

Danny shifted his sitting position. “To be honest, I’m still getting cramps in my tail. 700 miles.” He said breathlessly. “I never knew I had it in me.”

“So our goal is to recuperate, and resupply.” More quality time with the whales! A couple air bubbles slid out from underneath his gills, the ticklish sensation sending him shuddering.

“Yeah pretty much. Now if you don’t mind me, I’m gonna take another nap.” His companion curled up into a large circle, using his tailfin and arms as a pillow, and closed his eyes.

Damian gaped open. “But you just woke up!”

“700 miles, Damian. 700 miles. We can hunt when I wake up.” With that, Danny was out like a light. Even Damian nipping at his sail could not convince the teenager to awaken.

Damian turned around. The baby whales had returned, hovering just out of reach, apparently having been watching the conversation aptly. He supposed this arrangement had its benefits. Damian whistled, and launched off again.

Satellites.

Her parents had fucking satellites.

That answered how they were going to track Danny. Jazz stared wide-eyed at the computer screen on the deck of the SAV, showing a digital rendition of the entire globe. Off the coast California, about a thousand miles south of their current location, a dot blinked black and white. Jazz’s blood went cold. They had her brother’s hydro-signature. They could track him wherever he went. There would be no hiding, except by turning back into a human, but how could she tell him? And how could he accomplish that goal in the middle of the sea?

Jazz could only gape slack-jawed while her father ranted endlessly about their new radar system, a genius innovation created by her mother in just a day. Isn’t she amazing, Brucie? I’ve got the most beautiful, brilliant wife in the world. Just look at the wiring in this baby.

Bruce Wayne nodded dumbly, remaining silent for the most part, occasionally scratching his head and asking a question. He was listening very intently. No one else could hope to endure her father’s rants. She’d seen very strong-willed individuals awkwardly make excuses and shuffle away, only to be roped back in at the last second. No. Bruce Wayne wanted to be here, and he wanted to learn everything he could.

She imagined thousands of drones printed with WE logos scouring the ocean for a scared teenage boy. No Jazz, no catastrophising. She took steady deep breaths, and counted things she could feel with each sensation.

She needed to focus on what she had to power to do right here and right now. The positives: her parents had very wisely chosen not to sell their most useful tech to the GiW. Her mother never trusted them, and her father was still upset at the government organisation for not having recognised them earlier in their career.

That meant no agents in white suits going after her brother, assuming he’d managed to lose them (which was likely).

Her parents also believed she was here to hunt Phantom. That was another positive.

Their new tech had been whipped up in a fever dream-like haze over the course of two days or less.

That meant an easy excuse if any of them malfunctioned.

The bad news? Bruce Wayne could possibly sniff her out, and snitch on her to her parents. That would severely limit her ability to slow them down.

She turned back as her dad began showing off their miniature sonars, eagerly boasting of their range and precision. Bruce Wayne nodded, and asked about their hardware. How they overcame issues with affecting marine life, how they could compact it into such a small case.

That was good news. Arguably. She did not very much like the idea of the world’s richest man funding a crusade against an entire species. But infallible he was not, and all she needed was plausible deniability and a distraction to grant her brother hours. Even days, assuming she even could distract the enigmatic billionaire. There was the very public, very visible himbo dummy persona. What lay underneath the skin was another story entirely.

Then there was the question of how she would even know what to do in the first place. If she just took a wrench and started whacking, it would be made extremely clear who was responsible. If she wasn’t careful, she might even sink the boat. And she refused to put her family in danger. Jazz was going to do this right, and make sure everyone got home safe.

That meant she would need help.

“I’m getting a little dizzy, guys. I’ll head to my room if that’s ok.” She told the conversing men. Their goodbyes floated in the space behind her, distant to her ears.

She entered her little cabin in the SAV. Well, it was her and Danny’s, but for now she was alone. Jazz closed the door shut and locked it. The cabin consisted of a comfortable bunkbed and two desks for the both of them, as well as a (heavily reinforced) window looking out into the vast blue sea. Although not as densely decorated as her room at Fentonworks, it still carried personal affects dotting around its shelves and walls. A picture of Danny’s first beach day here. A photo of them fishing in Hawaii there. An old scented candle sat at the desk, a relic from when she’d tried to get the smell of fish off the SAV when she was ten.

Jazz had no time to waste. Her mother had noted off-handedly that they were already going a hundred miles an hour. That was insane. They’d catch up with Danny within the day.

Jazz calmed her nerves, and collected herself. She swept the room for bugs and listening devices, something her father had taught her once to ward off the feds. Something told her the screaming IRS agent running away from her house did that plenty, but that was neither here nor there. Once done, she threw the sheets off the bunk beds. The mattresses came off and found a new place shoved up against the wall. As sound-proofed as she could make her room, Jazz recited opening lines in her head.

She pulled out her phone, and dialed. It was time to bust the hatch open.

“Hello?”

“Hello Mrs Foley!”

“Jazz! It’s great to hear from you. I’m so sorry about Danny, I-”

Jazz cut her off. “Actually, about that. Can I please speak to Tucker? I’d like to have a word with him.”

A pause. “Sweetie. Tucker’s been grounded until further notice.” Mrs Foley’s voice ground out at the last two words. It didn’t seem pretty for Danny’s friends.

“I know, but this is urgent.” Jazz stressed.

“He supported Phantom, Jazz. My baby boy committed computer crime for that monster. I just- I just don’t know what’s going on. No. Tucker needs to serve his punishment. And then after- after- after that I don’t know.”

“I know you’re in shock, Mrs Foley. So am I. But have you considered that he might be in grief, too?”

The line went quiet.

“Danny isn’t just my little brother. He’s Tucker’s best friend in the whole world. Tucker’s an honorary little brother to me. Doesn’t he deserve to know what’s going on with him?”

Mrs Foley took a moment of silent deliberation, and sighed. “You’ve got a way with words, Jazz. Fine. I’ll call him down.”

“Oh, and Mrs Foley? Can we have a bit of privacy as well? I think Tucker will need some space for this conversation.”

A minute later, Tucker showed up as promised. “Oh sweet technology. How I’ve missed you so…”

He sounded tired. Incredibly tired, despite his open relief about being able to touch a phone. Not only that, but it sounded inauthentic. Almost performative. “Tucker, stop caressing the phone. I have news about Danny.”

Tucker’s breath hitched. “Do you know where he is?”

Jazz took a deep breath, forcing her shoulders to relax. The moment of truth. “I know what happened to him.”

“Jazz I swear Phantom had nothing to do with it, you gotta-,”

“No Tucker. I’m talking about six months ago.” Jazz looked behind her, listening for any footsteps outside her door. “I saw him in the water three months ago. I saw him changing.”

Her brother’s life was at stake. She chose her words very, very carefully, as vague as possible.

Tucker gasped. “W-what do you mean? D-Danny goes swimming all the time. Wait a minute-”

The line went dead. Panic threatened to tilt Jazz off course. Did she just blow her only chance? No. Think rationally. Tucker was a smart kid. A genius with tech. He probably realised anyone could listen in on his house’s landline. That boy went through PDAs like old clothes; he had to have a few burners spare.

Her phone rang again, and Jazz could have cried in relief.

“What are you gonna do with Danny’s secret?” Tucker hissed, accusation plainly audible.

“My parents have a radar to track him across the world. They have a dozen new weapons to fire on him with. They have an engine that can accelerate the SAV to a max speed of 200 miles an hour. I need you to tell me how to sabotage each and every one of them.”

Tucker choked on the line. “You s-serious?” He said, nakedly vulnerable, like she was about to pull the rug out at the last moment.

“Danny’s my little brother. I’d do anything for him. And I’ve always critiqued my parents’ obsessions as unhealthy. Tucker, I don’t know what half of this stuff does. You’re my only hope. You’re Danny’s only hope.”

Her honorary little brother gulped. When he spoke next, it was like his resolve had been dipped in liquid steel. “I’m right on it.”

She heard thunderous clacking through the line. It looked like Mrs Foley’s punishment was not as airtight as the woman thought it was…

[starkraivennemad]

Rooftop Confessions

TW: Talk of past suicide thoughts.

Greg Lestrade internally sighed as he stepped onto the roof of St. Bart's hospital and saw Sherlock Holmes already there. He just wanted to smoke in peace and not be harangued yet again that he should quit. It was his choice. 

Sherlock stood near the ledge looking out at the vista of London. The lightly breezy afternoon was taking delight in playing with the man's curls. The dark hair seemed to move as though under water, the smoke of the cigarette he held in his gloved hand at face level swirled around the sharp cheekbones of handsome man. 

Sherlock had a look of concentration. Greg would have thought he was in his Mind Palace again, but that was not quite - right? Greg was trying to decide f he wanted to go a different section of the roof of the roof to smoke or leave altogether…

Then Sherlock gave a different choice.  

"Lestrade come over and smoke or go away but for God's sake stop hemming and hawing at the door. Its squeaks are more irritating than Anderson's voice!" the curly haired genius called out. 

Greg chuckled to himself as he joined the genius for a smoke. The two stood in companionable silence simply smoking. Sherlock finished his cigarette but remained on the roof. Greg has known Sherlock for several years now. Well as well as anyone can know such a man as a Holmes. He and brother were masters of hiding their feelings from people. Greg considered himself blessed or perhaps cursed in being one of the few people who had the fortitude to stay around long enough to begin to see beneath the surface. 

"It's nice up here on clear days like today." Greg broke the silence at last knowing Sherlock was not going to. "I'm glad I chose to stay around and enjoy it." He should have known the ever-observant Sherlock would hear the slight tone in his voice. A dark eyebrow rose curiously. "You, Greg?"

"Yeah me." 

"Do spill the tea as I hear is in vogue to say these days."

Greg sighed, knowing Sherlock won't let it go, and buried memories came to the surface. "I was having a shit time in my life.  In a six month span me mum had died. My shite car had broken down - again. My wife was all on my arse about my hours and never being there. I had a run of cases that were shite, and my superiors were all over me at work. Then came Markell …"  Greg stopped to light another cigarette. He shook one out of the pack and stared at it as he spoke.  "Yeah, they tried to tell me there was nothing I could do. The rookie was determined to go it alone and prove himself and he got killed for it. And I know that now, but just then? Danny Markell was the last straw. I figured I'd blow my brains out. I knew where I could do it. I had done a bust there weeks before, knew how to get in the building. Knew I could score what I needed there to fry my brain. What else I had to lose - right? I was pants at home, pants in the job I thought I loved, and pants at life. Who would fucking care if I was gone? I felt so… So worthless!"

Sherlock looked at him intently for a moment, something subtle shifting in those mercurial eyes, but said nothing, so Greg continued.

"I was on the top landing of the stairwell on my way to the roof that night to toss my life away - literally, when I heard a door open some stories below and someone speaking. The voices were kind of warped given the distance and echo, but I distinctly heard him say you have a choice, wallow in your misery and prove the idiots right or rise up above it and prove you have half the brain were blessed with and use them. Use them and show them how wrong they are or let them waste but choose because you can't keep going like this! I don't know who he was or who was being spoken to, but I swear it felt like he was speaking directly to me. There I was a copper in a derelict building known for drug use with enough shit to fry my brain. I knew I was a good cop. I knew I was a good husband. I knew I was a good man, but could all of them be better? Yes. So, I stood, went to the roof and made a choice. I chose to wait a day to see if I would feel better. If I could do better. To BE better." 

Greg smiles as different memories, better memories come forth. 

"The next day I met Linda Younger. I talked her down from jumping off the ledge of her building. Fifteen minutes after she was safe, I went to the loo and flushed the drugs. Had I made a different choice the night before would Linda Younger be alive now? Whose life will I be saving the next day besides my own because I decided to stay around that one more day?"  Greg reached in his pocket and pulled out his keys. He showed Sherlock a sterling silver key fob shaped like a horseshoe. "She gave me this on the first anniversary of that day. Said her luck had changed after we met. Three years later she was married and had named her first son after me. I don't know if someone else would have saved her, I just know because I made the choice to stay one more day, I did. Because I chose to stay, I saved more than one life. Because I stayed, I caught killers before they could kill again. Because I made the choice to stay, I met you. It's what gets me through the shite days of this job - like today. Sorry, I got a little maudlin there. And while I'm sure to catch some shite for your barely legal methods - thanks again for your help, last week, a little girl got to see her mum again because of us. It all balances out." He looked at his watch and winced at the time. "Need to head back to The Yard for my press conference for the suicide murders soon. It's going to be a shit show, I know it."

"It would be less of one if you-" Sherlock tried.

"Zip it you. If something changes, I have the new address, I'll come, alright? It's cold, let's go and I'll treat you to a cuppa first?" Greg gestured towards the door. 

"Are you offering me hospital coffee? No, thank you, Graham." Sherlock huffed as he checked his buzzing phone. "Fresh meat? Excellent! You do your press conference; I'll watch. Then I think I will make the choice to run an experiment with a cadaver, Molly Hooper and a riding crop. See how the rest of the day goes…"

"Your choice." Greg laughed. He reached in his pocket and made another choice: he crushed the cigarettes there. He will purchase nicotine patches later and try quitting again. 

"Greg…?"

"Yeah, Sherlock?" Greg blinked and looked at the call of his name. It was the second time Greg could recall Sherlock using his correct first name - ever. Oh, Greg knew once they left the roof Sherlock will go back to pretending otherwise, but Greg understood the importance of it being used then and was honored.

Again, something important shifted in Sherlock's eyes. "For the record, I… I for one am glad you made the choice to stay that night."

"Thank you, Sherlock." Greg smiled up at the man as the. "As am I, mate, as am I."

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

Read on AO3 @calaisreno @MayPrompts2024

#MayPrompts2024 - Prompt 10: Choice

@flashfictionfridayofficial

[justanotherdrfan]

Welcome to my DTS breakdown!

Please don’t read below if you don’t want a spoiler!

S6EP1 (Money Talks)

-Bad omen to be the season opener in a little car since the last two who did lost their jobs!! 😂

-Why Zak brown is there and then openly says ‘don’t have to see the dickheads I normally see there’ are you referring to yourself when you look in the mirror

-Lawerence stroll saying he can’t drive as good as his son mate your son can’t drive that good so you must be a shit driver then

-Lance stroll and his lack of personality is getting way too much screen time

-They sit Lawerence down with dramatic music and talk a sob story of a trouble accident aka two broken wrist and a toe (he lives clearly)

-Max’s famous last words ‘I’ll see them enough on track’ (he in fact saw no one on track not even in he’s side mirror) 😂

-Da fuck is Danica acting like she’s an F1 driver bitch you just talk shit

-Not Lewis Hamilton saying ‘reclaim my 8th’ 😬

-Not Lando saying to Lance when he came back ‘can you wank yet?’ (How old are you fucker?) and he’s PR having to come in and tell him to shut up

-Claire Williams IS BACK for what reason? I don’t know (but ohh how I’ve missed her)

-How did Lance get cleared to race when he’s clearly is this much pain in qualifying ONLY

-Famous words from Charles ‘no, no, no, no’ as yet another Ferrari engine sees its day

-Lance talking about it being his best day of his life betting adversity (excuse me, WHAT? Your daddy’s rich and got the best to fix your wrist well ahead of the norm. How the fuck you call that ADVERSITY)

-DANNY DANNY DANNY AHHHHHHHH

[hermionegalathynius]

Found Family (1/?)

Fandom: Now You See Me

Pairing: Daniel Atlas x Reader

Warnings: mentions of traumatic childhood experiences.

Part 2

“I can’t believe you broke into their apartment,” you hissed, swatting your sister on the arm as she stuck her tongue out at you.

  “Your just jealous because I got to see the great J Daniel Atlas before you did. If it’s any consolation, Ididn’t get to see Jack,” she said, winking at you in a very conspicuous way. 

  You fought the blush that threatened to make its way onto your face. Lula was the only person on the planet that knew of your celebrity crush on the head Horseman, and that was just because you knew each other so well it was impossible to keep secrets. 

  “Shut up,” you muttered through gritted teeth, casting a pointed look in Dylan’s direction. The older man was typing away on a laptop resting on the kitchen counter. Luckily it didn’t seem like he’d heard anything. 

  “…broke into my apartment, alright?” A familiar voice echoed through the door at the top of the stairs, you straightened, running a hand through your hair nervously.

  “Some amateur who knew everything about me, everything about Henley leaving, and everything about us,” Atlas continued, coming into view on the platform. Refusing to let any silly feelings get in the way of your job here, you forced yourself to breathe evenly. Lula grinned, jumping up and down next to you.

  At the sight of your sister, Atlas ran a hand across his chin in dismay and leaned against the railing, “That’s her.”

  “Hey!” Lula exclaimed, raising her hands above her head, beaming. You buried your face in your hands and shook your head, embarrassed for her.

  “Hi,” Atlas said, exhausted defeat coating his tone. You dropped your hands, giving the three men a little wave, an apologetic wince on your face.

  Dylan stood up and addressed the Horsemen, “You’ve met Lula.”

  Atlas grimaced, “I’ve met her. But not the other one, who’s she?”

  You took this as your cue to introduce yourself, “Um, yeah. Hi. Name’s Y/n.”

  He nodded, “Nice to meet you,” then immediately turning to Dylan, “What are they doing here?”

  “Well, we’re the new Horsemen!” Lula declared, making you want to curl up and die. 

  Atlas looked at you as if to ask ‘is she serious?’ You shrugged, “She’s right.”

  “We’re the new girl Horsemen!” Lula continued, completely unprompted by anyone. To your utter dismay, she proceeded to whoop and cheer, waving her hands as if to tell them to join in. 

  “Lula… Lula,” you said softly, pushing her hands down.

  “Nobody?” She asked, infinitely confident, “No excitement? Jack?”

  “Dylan,” Merritt said, “Dylan, what’s going on?”

  The three men began the descent down the stairs as Dylan explained. 

  “Well, Lula and Y/n have been on the underground scene for the last… decade, and I think they have some real talent and I’d like to try them out on stage to balance out the duo.”

  Throughout this speech, Lula was nodding enthusiastically, a wide-eyed smile on her face. You just watched the three Horsemen with caution. 

  As you guessed, Jack protested, “What? No man, I thought you said after Henley left that I could get back on stage again, not someone who just showed up!”

  He advanced on Dylan, the older man putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. 

  Lula waved enthusiastically at Jack as he passed the two of you, Merritt and Atlas following close behind. When it was clear Jack wasn’t going to react, she turned to wave at Atlas who returned it halfheartedly. He met your gaze, quirking his brows in greeting. You gave him a tight-lipped smile, trying to calm your erratic heart. 

  “I’d said I’d think about it and I have, and I really need you behind the scenes with me for a little while,” Dylan said, an apologetic look on his face. 

  Jack sighed, “C’mon Dylan, I’ve been behind the scenes my whole life.”

  “Which is a crime, might I add,” Lula interjected, making you wince, “Have you seen that man’s face?”

  You tried not to think about the fact that Danny Atlas was standing right next to you, watching the whole encounter. 

  At your sister’s comment, Jack stared at her with a mix of confusion and awkwardness. 

  “As much as I appreciate the addition of some femininity to the group over an above what Atlas provides,” Merritt began.

  You actually smiled at that, huffing a soft laugh and prompting a shocked look from the man in question. 

“I think the real issue is that we’ve been in this-“ Merritt continued, but was interrupted by Atlas.

  “Yeah, the issue is we have been rehearsing for months, for something… we don’t even know what it is-“

  “You’re gonna keep working until-“ Dylan tried, but Atlas interjected again. 

  “Until we work as a single organism, I know. I’ve heard you say that,” he said, frustration leaking into his voice, “Thing is, when you say that, what I think your referring to is us,” he said, gesturing to everyone but Dylan, “you know, not you.”

  “Listen, I’m getting my orders directly from The Eye, okay, and then I give them to you. Now if you don’t like that, you’re welcome to go,” Dylan said. You froze. You had been completely unaware that tension was so high between Atlas and Dylan. Would you and Lula joining help or just make the situation worse?

  “No, I’m not going anywhere,” Atlas said, “But I’m… hm… I’m taking care of myself.”

  “Guys,” Lula said, drawing the brunt of the attention away from the cat fight seconds from happening between Dylan and Atlas, “Can I just weigh in, because I think I see what’s going on here.”

  You shook your head, “Uh, Lula, I don’t think you do-“

  “You guys are this amazing, tight knit family unit,” she continued, completely ignoring your warning, “Y/n and I are these new people stepping in-“

  “No no no no, we are not a family unit,”Merritt protested.

  “Well, our mother… literally knifed our father in the neck one time, so you’re kinda like our family unit,” Lula said. 

  Atlas’s head turned to look at you, his eyes wide. You winced at the memory. 

  “Literally?” Merritt asked, disbelief clear in his tone. 

  “Uh, yeah, it was an accident,” you said, then added, “at least we think.”

  “Okay…” the mentalist said, changing the subject quickly, “So does this mean we’re actually going to do something?”

  “Yes,” Dylan said. 

  Silence fell for a moment. The five Horsemen looked at each other in shock. You met Atlas’s gaze for what felt like the millionth time so far. He quirked a brow — a mannerism you were beginning to realise he did a lot. 

  “You’ve all heard of Octa and they’re playboy CEO Owen Case?” Dylan asked, looking around the circle, “His partner Walter Mabry died about a year ago. You wanna know what all this has been leading to?”

  “Now?” Lula asked before pulling out the blueprints Dylan had brought with him to the apartment.

  “Octa’s holding a launch of of the next gen’s cell phone. Once these phones are on the streets, he’ll cipher the user’s information for the Black Market. Meaning Octa’s selling privacy to up their profit, so The Eye has decided to expose him for it. Our mission is to hijack the show.”

  You looked around at everyone’s faces. Their grim expressions matched your own. 

 “Rehearsal’s over guys. This is what we’ve been waiting for. Now it’s time to get to work.”

[the-witchhunter]

Plant(??) Danny

Just was going through my old likes and found THIS POST

And it gave me some ideas

So kind of a twist on corpse au and full ghost Danny, Full Corpse Danny if you will:

Danny died in the portal accident and did not come back as a ghost, leaving his fully dead body there. To cover up the death someone buries him in the woods. As time goes on, Danny starts to grow from where his body was planted like some kind of twisted shrub made of meat, wood, and ectoplasm that loosely resembles a person, that becomes more Danny-like as he grows. And he’s just kind of stuck there until someone finds him since he’s not very mobile at that point.

Depending on who buried him and covered up his death it can go a couple of ways. 

The Fentons: Seeing their invention killed their son, accidentally, they panic and hide his body in the woods, because as much as they loved their son, they can’t let him have died in vain and destroy their life’s work. The official story in Danny ran away, and Jazz is still hopeful he’ll return or reach out to her. I’d set it maybe a year or two after the accident with Sam and Tucker finding him in the woods, Them being younger and having not known Danny before, and taking care of and bonding with their new weird plant friend.

Sam and Tucker: They were just dumb kids. It was a stupid dare, their friend died, and they panicked. They buried him in the woods and swore never to talk about it again. They watched as the Fenton parents and Jazz desperately tried to find their son, wishing he would come home, and they said nothing. A year passed, Jazz went off to college and everyone had to move on. Then Valerie found him in the woods. Her dad had been let go of his job. Axion had been looking to cut its costs, and after mostly automating the security system, they let go of the more senior(more expensive) members of the security team. They put down their old security dogs rather than rehome them, this is exactly something a company like that would do. So Valerie, having lost her status with the A listers, spent her free time walking in the woods where she finds Danny. Danny’s mind is a little scrambled from the accident and isolation of being alone in the woods for a year. His memories aren’t exactly clear, coming to him in bits and pieces. She names him Danny, ironically after himself, and they bond. over time, with a little extra care from Valerie, he grows more and more until it’s apparent that he is in fact the same Danny. Perhaps even romance happens

maybe after enough time, he can pass as human again. So Danny Fenton returns, much to the confusion and fear of whoever put him in that hole in the ground.

Maybe he still has to deal with ghosts. Hard to do when you’re a plant stuck in a pot, but he’s used to dispose of them like a weird Venus flytrap. Whether he’s eating them or his mouth is connected to the ghost zone is up to debate

[vonclosen]

(ﾉ ^▽^ )ﾉ I’d love to know some fun facts about Chip! What his life was like before becoming a courier and how long he was a courier?

YES absolutely!! i actually have a whole Timeline for this that's changed a lot since i initially created him. he's got Deep Lore and stuff ( •̀ ω •́ ) I don't think I've ever shared it here!

Chip's father (a caravaneer) went missing when he was about 16 years old--He was often away, but when he didn't visit or write for months on end, it became clear that something had happened that had taken him away from the family.

Chip (then going by Danny/Daniel, his "real" name) left home at 17, hoping to find his father. He ended up working with caravans himself for about a year, and probably doing occasional courier jobs with the Mojave Express throughout Utah, Nevada, California and Arizona.

It was in Arizona that he was captured by Legion--Wrong place wrong time. I imagine him being lumped in with people from a recently conquered tribe or settlement. Because he was AFAB, healthy, and of a certain age, he was treated as a woman and was a marriage candidate for Legionaries. A young Decanus, Drusus Caelius Modius, volunteered to take him, and they were married in a mass wedding.

Good news for both Drusus (who goes by Caelius mostly) and Danny, they're both gay men and he was affirming of Danny's gender. Their relationship wasn't bad all things considered, they were considerate of one another, and loved each other in their own way. They eventually grew closer during their two years married, and had a pair of twins together in 2279, Castor and Pollux. By this point, the Legion had unfortunately caught onto the fact that they referred to each other as husbands and were generally not being quiet enough about the nature of their relationship. In an act of "mercy", the Legion would allow them both to live, provided their marriage be dissolved and Danny become a Legionary.

Before this could happen, Caelius facilitated the escape of Danny and their twin boys. The kids were left with one of his aunties to be taken care of, and he proceeded to flee to the Mojave. He joined up formally with the Mojave Express, and made semi-frequent trips (much like his own father had) to visit his children.

Then of course he takes the Platinum Chip job and everything goes to hell. He loses all his memories, and stuff about his family in Battle Mountain comes back before his memories of Caelius, his time with the Legion, and his own kids. There's a whole storyline in my mind about him reconnecting with Caelius throughout the course of NV, but that's it's own post!

I think in all, Chip had probably about 2 years of actual courier experience before the Incident. He's lived an extremely interesting and storied life, its just that he can't remember the last like 7 years (where the most wild stuff has happened)

ANYWAYS, sorry for the long post and lore dump, I hope it was interesting! Thank you so so much for asking, I love sharing my lore and the little stories in my head :3

[operationfortune]

Okay I know this post will gain absolutely zero traction but the more I think about it the more I want to cry about it??

slight spoilers for one of the character arcs in Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre ahead,,,

So I saw Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre in the cinema today. I was alone, it was reasonably full, the film technically only opened two days ago, and it's wider release isn't for another week, but I had time to kill and it was the only thing that piqued my interest. It sits in an interesting spot tonally, comparative, I'd say, to Netflix Exclusive Michael Bay movie 6 Underground, though to use a more recent marker I'd drop it somewhere near Bullet Train (though it's definitely much closer to 6 Underground). All this context to say that I went into this Jason Statham-lead espionage action movie with zero expectations and almost completely blind.

So please believe me when I say I was truly blindsided with joy to have canonical, casual queer representation in this Jason Statham-lead espionage action movie.

Maybe it's that I don't watch a lot of media now, but it's something I noticed while watching Glass Onion too, both with Benoit and Hugh Grant (ha, put a pin in that) and especially with the character of Peg, and it makes me a bit teary and excited when I think about it. There's something to be said for how far we've come, to the point that Casual Queer Rep is even possible. There's something about watching Peg get all flustered talking to Helen and knowing that it's because she has a crush, without it having to be flagged, spelled out, or otherwise othered by the film or its writing.

It's normalised.

Which I know shouldn't be a big deal, but right now, to me, it is. I didn't realise I could feel this way; to see a full character who just so happens to be gay, where the plot doesn't revolve around her being gay, but that part of her identity is still made clear?? I love Peg so much holy shit.

But Glass Onion is the second in a series that has established itself as a forerunner for casual diversity. Let me tell you about how Operation Fortune made me want to YELL in theatres.

It's the 8th of January, and it might be a bit early to call it, but Danny Francesco might be my favourite character of the year.

Is he perfect? God no, he's objectively not a great person; he's sleeping with his sister-in-law, he's a Hollywood diva, he's demanding, and he (spoilers, seriously) ends up engaged to a war criminal. Who happens to be the main antagonist. Who happens to be Hugh Grant. Danny is the light of my life, however, and I love him with my whole heart.

So in the beginning we're told that Danny turned down $10m because he didn't want to jump out of Greg (Hugh Grant)'s cake and sing Happy Birthday; whatever, I thought, Greg is a rich, eccentric with an obsession with celebrities, and Danny is the biggest star right now, I shouldn't read anything into it because Sometimes Rich People Just Do Things For Status Reasons. We're also told, and subsequently shown, Greg tries to take celebrity's partners/girlfriends. Cue Sarah (Aubrey Plaza) in a bright red dress that I will dream about for the next month.

Also, in the scene where Danny, Sarah, and Orson (Jason Statham) are joining the fancy party, there's some distinctly fruity vibes between the three of them, but I'm not here to push my Orson/Sarah/Danny polycule agenda, just know that I have one.

So obviously Greg is excited to see Danny, but later makes a Very Distinct Pass at Sarah, inviting both her and Danny to stay with him for the weekend, with an implied Wink Wink Nudge Nudge.

While they end up taking him up on that offer, Danny, who started the film having refused Greg's Rich Weirdo Request, and now having to spend time with him for the job, finds that he actually genuinely likes Greg, who appears to genuinely like him back, doting on him, even giving him gifts.

When Danny says to Sarah "(I'm paraphrasing, about Greg) he's really into you! If you don't take him up on his offer then I might!" my eyeballs were Out Of My Head. Like sure it sounds like a joke that would be written in to simply highlight Danny's materialism, a whole 'gay for pay' joke, something about his vanity, or even just an offhand joke that I might hear one of my straight friends who were super comfortable and confident in their sexuality say about their best friends, I was So primed for this to be something that the audience could laugh off or dismiss in hindsight. Like in my mind that solidified my headcanon of Danny as bi, but I was so used to queerbaiting and years of being told I was reading into things.

So as the plot continues, Danny's fondness for Greg goes on, turns into something incredibly genuine, and looking back, he clearly has a hero-worship crush on Greg by the end of the film.

The last shot we see of Danny and Greg is the pair of them getting into an elevator after Greg pulls a stone cold power move on the films secondary antagonists, which he had Danny assist with for flare after Danny asked specifically to stay with him for that event. In the elevator, Danny tells Greg that that was "the coolest thing he's ever seen someone do" and that's the last we physically see of them.

HOWEVER!! THE ICING!! THE CHERRY!!

At the very end of the film, one of the protagonists mentions how he's gone into the film industry, and the response he gets is;

"You better not be talking about Danny Francesco and his fiancee Greg Simmonds!"

an accurate depiction of me as the credits began to roll;

WE WIN THESE!!

BOTH DANNY AND GREG ARE CANONICALLY BI/PAN IN THIS JASON STATHAM-LEAD ESPIONAGE ACTION MOVIE IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 2023!! THEY BOTH LIVE UNTIL THE END!! THEY'RE ENGAGED!! THEY'RE BOTH ABSOLUTE DISASTERS!! THEY'RE BOTH FULL, ROUNDED CHARACTERS WHO HAPPEN TO BE QUEER!!

I get choked up thinking about it now, considering how quietly overwhelmed I felt in the theatre realising that Danny and Greg's comments and moments throughout the film weren't some elaborate joke, the dialogue that reminds me of my friends, the moments that felt true to my life as a queer person, they werent the setup for any kind of homophobic mixup, miscommunication, or microaggression; no, I finally, actually felt like I saw a part of myself, of my community represented in media.

Everyone in that movie is terrible in their own way, but Danny and Greg just happened to be terrible people who are also queer. Are they perfect representation? No! Thank fuck! I think we deserve more dumbass, disaster, unethical queers in media.

Even if I don't necessarily recommend this movie (it's pretty okay if you're a fan of the genre I suppose), I subjectively love it and especially it's characters, with my whole entire heart.

Danny Francesco is canonically a dumbass, bi disaster who fell for his sugar daddy, war criminal Hugh Grant. Good for him. It's what he deserves. 🥰🥰🥰

[22bananapudding]

masterpost / about me

my name is elijah/roma i go by she/he

polish/english POLSKA GUROM 🔥

ehh this is mainly an art blog/yapping blog usually abt whatever shit im fixated on currently

not rlly taking art requests currently but feel free to send me an ask!!!!!!!! or yap about whatever you want!!!! in my inbox its rlly whatever ehehe🤔🤔

dni

do not interact ⭐ proshipper[minorxadult, incest etc], homophobic/transphobic/whatever, racist/etc, anti palestine, pretentious :/, just dont be a bitch and we're good basically

yess 🍀 non problematic

i am a MINER INDEED‼️‼️‼️ blog is intended for 13+ people but i do not guarantee that I won't post mild suggestive or gore stuff (obviously all censored and with tw lol)

21+ you can follow and all i guess but dont interact w me directly

also if you're mdni and im following/interacting w you plsss tell me.. im a bit DUMB and probably didnt notice.......... same thing for if im interacting with problematic people/following them please js tell me that i should stop ty ty..... im pretty dense so ill mostly rely on clear communication for boundaries ok ty

ahhh idk where to put the keep reading cut so uhh lets just put it riiiiiight HERE

details 😁😁😁

🌈 current fandoms ; minecraft story mode, undertale, deltarune, mob psycho 100, breaking bad, better call saul, chainsaw man, yume nikki, petscop, vocaloid, inside job

🍮 current interests ; mineral/rock/crystal collection, nuclear history, rpgmaker mv gamedeving, other stupid nerd shit *kicks trash can*

🍌 content creators i like ; jacksfilms, danny gonzalez, kurtis conner, kwite, squiddo, mumbo jumbo, chad chad, pinely, ratskewer n putridslug

🧇 games i play or something i dunno ; slime rancher, ultrakill, roblox, minecraft

🎧lalalalala ; tyler the creator, 100 gecs, joost, weezer, goreshit, rory in early 20s, why the fuck did i write goreshit twice in the original iteration of this post and only now noticed it, my god im so stupid, whokilledxix, atols

currently hyperfixated on uhh mcsm like real bad so i reblog a lot of mcsm stuff especially umm romeo I LOVE THAT GUY romeo i love you romeo minecraft story mode.... sometimes i do stuff and i thnik to my self "damn..... im drinking water......heh.... romeo probably drinks water.........." ahhh romeoo ugh I HATE THAT GUY

i draw on a huion tablet with medibang paint ☀️

tags

#bananadraws - my original art

#bananaedit - edits of fandom stuff

#bananaocs - stuff about any of my ocs

#bananafd - yapping about my oc universe - fine day [name prone to change as it might be a placeholder]

#bananautdr - me blogs about undertale and deltarune stuff

#bananamcsm - minecraft story mode posts golly jee i will surely use this a lot ... me when the fandom loyalty from 2018 comes back full force 💯💯💯

#bananawrites - any fics or paragraph i write 🤔💭 will most likely just end up being mcsm stuff and maybe gasterxgrillby

#bananablogs - just life updates or whatevs heh not like YOU CARE... 😔😔

#bananabrbabcs - bcs and brba stuff, probably wont use this since i dont tag reblogs anyways

#bananaask - ask responses

more coming soon cuz i am SURELY forgetting something

☝️☝️☝️meee

💗strawpage 🎼prns🍇uh i'd post my toyhouse but its.... REAL BAD.... maybe one day tho 🌈

dividers taken from @/animatedglittergraphics-n-more yayy