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The late hours of the night are always the quietest.
People laying peacefully in their beds, eyes closed - or open - dreaming dreams they'll never be able to remember. The birds going silent and sleeping as the full fall moon shines fiercely against the sky looming over Amity Park.
The only times you couldn't see the moon, was when the clouds pulled over the sky. Creating an ever dark abyss for whoever was awake to see it.
Tonight was clear of clouds, the harvest moon was that night and Danny Phantom had been out ghost wrangling for the past few hours.
It seemed his efforts to stop everyone from coming through the portal were futile and disastrous. Danny blamed all the ghosts coming through on his parents, feeling like they must have tampered with the ghost portal to make the ghosts feel they have free reign again.
It was late; 2 am on a school night yet here he was, the ghost kid dragging himself across the air hovering a few feet above the ground. His eyes drift shut for a moment, sending a fleeting wave of dizziness over his body before he would open them again and regain his balance. He couldn't confidently fly with his eyes closed, yet.
This was getting out of hand. He was eighteen, an "adult", he wasn't sleeping, or at least not enough. He ate, but just enough to last him the day, his grades were low, he hadn't even thought about his college plan! Fuck, that.
Danny was so wrapped up in his head he didn't realize he was flying with his eyes closed, but this time when he opened his eyes, he let out a scream as he flew right into a man. Sending both of them sprawling onto the sidewalk.
Danny scrambled to get up, breathing choppily as he patted swiftly around for the thermos before looking up to who he had sent sprawling to the ground. When he looked at the other long enough, a wave of guilt but also relief washed over his cold ghost body. His shoulders dipped down as he stood, thermos in hand.
"Dash." He chuckled lightly as the blond hair blue-eyed jock stood up. Huffing a bit as he brushed his chest off. At the mention of his name, Dash looked up and the reaction seemed to be similar to Phantoms. Dash's shoulders fell as he noticed it was just Fenton. Well, Phantom, technically. Dash didn't like that compared to Phantom, he was a few inches shorter. But he definitely didn't like that Fenton was the same height as Phantom.
"Danny." Dash somewhat chuckled as he stuck his hands into his red and white letterman's jacket pockets. The cold fall air seeming to take a toll on the fluffy blond. It looked as though Dash hadn't brushed his hair, or at least like someone had run their hands through it with the intent of messing it up. The jocks silvery-blue eyes shimmered in the light of the large moon above them.
"What are you doing out this late?" Danny asked concerned, clipping the thermos back onto his side before he looked back up to Dash. Shrugging, the jock looked up to the moon before back down to Danny, who was patiently waiting for an answer. "Well?"
Dash tensed a bit before he cracked a useless smile and shrugged again, more dramatically, hoping the halfa would just drop it.
"You care... why?"
"Dash!" Danny exclaimed in frustration, he's known Dash personally for quite some time, becoming friends after Fenton had a breakdown in the gym locker room after school. Weird circumstances and Dash didn't know how to handle it. He had tried talking to Danny, nervously allowing a soft side to show. The previous 15-year-old had calmed down after a bit of weak assurance from his bully. After that, it was private conversations in the locker room, slowly working up trust. Now that Danny was 18 and they had been working on trust for a few years. Danny could openly tease and mess around with Dash. No fear was taking him over to run away anymore.
"What are you doing out?" A snap of determination in Phantoms tone, shining green eyes focused to find the reason.
Dash took a step back as he cleared his throat, pursing his lips together before he growled and shuffled his hands out of his pockets.
"Don't yell at me!" Dash snapped back as he showed Danny his bruised knuckles and wounded hands. "A fight! Ok? I got into a fight. It was scheduled, I was meant to be home an hour ago but I've just been walking around." The breath that follows Dash's outburst was a clear sign that Dash felt guilty for yelling.
Now it was Danny's turn to take a deep breath to calm his nerves. That would explain Dash's hair.
"A fight." Danny wasn't proud, that was for sure. His tone monotoned and silent.
"Y-"
Danny just shook his head, glancing down the sidewalk before two rings of light circled his body, one going up as the other went down. Black and white converse replaced the all-white shoes of his ghost. A pale blue hoodie rested neatly over his skinny frame and his pants black cargo.
Danny Fenton looked up to Dash with a disappointed look.
"I thought we helped that. Guess not. Dashie is still getting into fights with his street friends." Danny replied sarcastically, the bags under his turquoise blue eyes showing how much sleep the teen was getting.
Dash slowly started to pull his hands away from Danny's sight.
".. I know, I'm sorry," Dash muttered just above a whisper,
Danny quickly reached out his lightly tanned hands to grab both of Dashes. Danny held them carefully for a moment, letting realization slowly wash over him, with a look he gripped onto Dash's hands harder. He looked at all the little wounds, the bruises, the dried blood under the jock's nails and between his fingers.
"Fenton."
Dash's steady and smooth voice made the young adult jerk his hands away and clear his throat. Danny looked to his side to make sure the thermos was still there before he looked back up to Dash. He didn't open his mouth, just kept his hands close to himself and nodded a response. Dash couldn't help but let out a little laugh, fuck Dash and that stupid laugh of his. "Shut up, Baxter," Fenton growled, crossing his arms across his chest. Danny had been exploring his sexuality all through high school, but never his type. Dash, when the male was still bulling Danny, Danny saw nothing in him. But now that Dash was slowly growing more comfortable and vulnerable around Danny well... needless to say, Danny fell hard for the insecure male.
Dash pulled his hands back into his jacket pockets, looking over the fuming raven-haired male in front of him. It was cute to see Danny annoyed and rightfully so.
"If I didn't know any better Fenton, I'd say you like me." Dash teased, looking over to the flustered male.
The whole time Danny had felt butterflies in his stomach, but suddenly a wave of newfound tired confidence flowed through him and he looked slightly down to Dash.
"Then start knowing better, Baxter." He replied smoothly, dropping his arms from his chest and walking closer to Dash, his blue eyes piercing Dashes soul. The blond himbo taking an involuntary step back, fearing what was to come.
What did come, was wholesome... He felt a warm touch against his chin, gentle fingers holding it gently as he felt his head getting tilted up so he could look directly into Danny's eyes without any trouble.
"W-what?" Dash asked cluelessly to the previous comment.
"Do I really need to explain it to you?" Danny asked with an expression of amusement for the confusion of the other.
When Dash stayed quiet and just looked at the arm connected to the hand holding his chin up, Danny took that as a yes.
"I like you."
A wave of heat crept over Dash's face as his mind sped at 100 miles per hour. Did he like Fenton? Did he want to say it back? Was this an elaborate prank being pulled on him? He was meant to be home an hour and a half ago, did he want to spend another thirty minutes trying to explain his relationship issues?
"ʸᵉᵃʰˀ" Dash's voice came out meek and silent. Danny giggled when he heard it, looking down to Dash's eyes. "You're aloud to say oth-" "Shut up, I-" Dash breathed to compose himself. He could trust Danny, and if he couldn't? then this was it for him. "I want to try this with you. Danny, I can trust you, right?" Dash asked, feeling a gentle pressure on his chin before seeing a nod.
"Of course you can trust me. I won't put you to the side." Danny assured, earning a sweet smile from Dash.
"So, are we official now?" Dash asked, clearly blushing as he tried to hide it by subconsciously trying to pull his head from Danny's hand. "If you're comfortable with that label already, then yeah," Danny replied, that gentle smile making Dash feel safe. "Mhm.." Dash nodded before he opened his mouth to say something and as if Danny could read his mind. The male's hand slid away from Dash's chin and cupped it over the jock's mouth.
"Anything more than hugs and cuddles is for after the first date." Dash's brows instantly dropped over his eyes and he muttered a muffed. "..Fine." Behind Danny's hand, just meant they would need to plan a true first date soon.