Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Authors Notes: Part One, all five chapters from all three point's of view, is now complete. As I had mentioned below, I do not have a beta-reader at the moment, thus I do all of my own editing and advising. I do occasionally go back through and edit/ revise minor details, fill-in plot-holes, and fix any other mistakes that I may stumble upon. Part Two is currently in the works, as well as a bonus (rated M) scene that goes along with part one. I am a full-time student and am raising a family of my own, so I don't get to write/ update quite as often as I'd like to. I will, however, promise to update as frequently as possible and with multiple chapter uploads at a time.

*Side Note* - My works are cross-posted on AO3, FanFiction.Net, and Wattpad. All under the same username and story names. I will also have some original works coming to AO3 and Wattpad in the near future.

Copyright Disclaimer: I do not own the original series which the following work of fiction has been derived from. The original series, along with its characters, settings, locations, and plots all belong to the original creator/ network/ production team. This work of fan based fiction is for entertainment purposes only and has not/ will not be monetized in any manner and complies to all acts of the Fair Use Doctrine under the law of the United States of America.

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Original show/ series: Danny Phantom

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Show/ series creator: Butch Hartman

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Produced by: Billionfold Studios

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Network which the show was aired on: Nickelodeon

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Aired dates/ run-time: April 2004 - August 2007

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This show was made up of three seasons and contained a total of 53 episodes.

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I own any original characters that I decide to write in, as well as my original plots, story-lines, themes, and ideas. Being a non-monetized writer, I ask that you kindly do not use any of my characters or ideas without first gaining my consent. Thank you and enjoy.

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Post-Disclaimer Disclaimer: 98.6% of my written works will contain mature and suggestive themes that may not be suitable for a young-minded audience; reader discretion is highly advised. Some of these themes may be considered offensive to certain readers based on their own personal points of view, moral standings, and other lifestyle related beliefs. If you are not an open-minded and open-hearted being, then my works will most likely not be for you. Possible themes and subjects that could occur are, but are not limited to: Explicit language, substance use/ abuse, violence, sexual content, psychological trauma, non-consensual acts, ambiguous situations. Also, it's 2021 and those whom are classed along the LGBTQ+ spectrum are just as 'normal' as those whom are not. So I do not choose to include 'gay warnings' in my disclaimers, because if you have an issue with someone whom is simply being them-self and living their life, you may want to re-examine your own life and moral code. Thank you.

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I am currently working on this fic as well as a few others, so I will not be posting daily updates but I will try to keep the updates flowing as frequently as I can. This story is going to be told from three different POVs (Points Of View): Dash's, Danny's, and Kwan's. I chose to write in that format because I wanted to showcase how different one story could come across when it is told by multiple people. That and, there will be a lot of un-spoken dialog and personal thoughts that each character will have throughout the fic and I wanted to make sure to include all of them. Also, this fic is currently rated T 13+(for violence, language, suggestive themes, and mild/ implied sexual content) but that is subject to change (to M - Mature 18+) as the piece progresses.

This work of fiction currently does not have a Beta reader/ editor. I do all of my own editing and proof-reading, and for anyone whom is familiar with writing, you know how easy it can be to over-look our own mistakes. I will be correcting any errors that I find as I find them, and if you (the reader), find any mistakes, please do let me know so that they can be corrected A.S.A.P.

Also, a lot of my writing/ updating happens in the middle of the night, due to my lovely little friend dubbed Clinical Insomnia. So I apologize in advance for the casual lack of sanity.

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Now, without further ado, I give you: Phantom Fate.  ~ AmeliaNoire

Chapter Text

-Part One: Dash's POV-

Chapter One

*Buh-bum. Buh-bum. Buh-bum.*

His heart pounded inside of his chest. His lungs burned as they continued to object to the rate at which they were having to preform.

{...After all of those years that I thought you were a coward, a weakling, a wimp, just another nameless loser who was too afraid to stand up for himself...}

Brittle leaves in dull shades of reds and oranges crunched beneath his feet. The scenery of trees and withered flowers whirled past him in a nearly unseen blur.

{...I was wrong. So very wrong. I harassed you daily. Tormented you, teased you, humiliated you, beat you to a near bloody pulp on more than a few occasions...}

He quickened his pace. His platinum hair was darkened, damp with sweat. His knuckles were white as they clenched tighter, holding on as if the disheveled bundle in his arms was the most precious thing on the planet.

{...You could have fought back. You could have literally obliterated me if you'd have wanted to. But you didn't. You never laid as much as a single finger on me. And now I know that you always reacted and responded as you did not because you couldn't fight, but instead because you chose not to fight. Because you knew it wouldn't be a fair fight. And because you were better than that. You are better than that. Better than me. You knew you could really hurt me...}

The sun was beginning to set. The vivid and vibrant hues of the forest were fading out as dusk began to creep upon them. He knew he had to keep going. It couldn't be much further now.

{...If anyone in those situations was a coward, it was me, not you. People don't hang around me because they really like me or respect me; they hang around me because they want to get close and stay on my good side. Because they are afraid of me. I rule by fear. But underneath it all, I probably am the most afraid out of any of them...}

His breath was coming in short, labored gulps and his eyes stung with the prickling threat of tears. 'Suck it up, you can't stop now.' He was suddenly grateful for all of the years of training and football practice that he had endured as he pushed past the aching in his legs, and heart, and continued running.

{...Not afraid of fighting or physically being hurt. But afraid of being alone, of being judged, of being vulnerable, of being seen as my true self, of being rejected. Afraid of what others would think of me if I didn't have constant control over a situation. I have always ensured that everyone sees me as tough, superior, someone whom could and would fight and just take what he wanted...}

To his relief, the dirt and grass beneath his feet began to transition into gravel, and then into blacktop. He could see buildings in the some-what near distance.

{...The thought of people forming their own opinions about me terrifies me. As long as I behave and live as I do, I'll always know exactly how others will perceive me. There is no room left for thoughts or doubts or questions. And that's how I've always wanted it to be. As long as I put up that front and dawn the mask, then what others think will never be an issue. Even if they don't like me. Because it has never been the real me they were looking at or judging. it has always been the façade that I created and have worn every day...}

...God. I'm so pathetic...

He looked down at the boy in his arms. He appeared to still be unconscious and there was a pained expression plastered across his face. His alabaster skin was flushed and covered in welts, scratches, cuts, and markings that were already beginning to darken in color and bruise. His raven black hair was matted together with sweat, dirt, and blood.

He was nearing the city and knew that he had a possibly life altering decision to make. Did he do the obvious thing that most people would do in this situation and take the boy to the hospital so that he could get the best possible treatment or did he trust his gut and take him to his best friend's house and pray to whatever deities that may be watching them that his friend was home, and alone. He thought really hard about it for a moment and then stopped in an alley. He carefully shifted the boy in his arms so that he could remove his own jacket. He then draped the red and white Letterman over the boy's face and torso to conceal his identity before beginning to run again. He came to the end of the road and turned left and hoped to god that he was making the right choice.

*End Chapter One*

Chapter Text

Chapter Two

To his relief, the boy had only been knocked out and was still breathing. The last of his wounds were being tended to when Dash finally took a seat on the edge of the bed. His hands were shaking and he was still panting to catch his breath, he was soaked with sweat, and his shirt was covered in dirt, blood, and... {something green?} where the boy had been pressed against his chest. But he didn't care. None of that mattered to him right now. Danny was safe. That was all that mattered.

"So... Want to tell me why you brought a bloody and blacked-out Danny Fenton to my house rather than taking him to the hospital like a normal person would do? ... How did you even end up with him, like this? You didn't kick his ass again and take things too far... did you?"

Dash dead-pan stared at his best friend. Did he really think that Dash did this to Danny? Yeah he bullied the boy... But Kwan knew him better than anyone, and he also knew Dash's truth.

"Jesus, Kwan. I'm a complete asshole 99.8% of the time, I know, especially towards him... but you know me better than anyone else... You know the truth... I'm not really a monster..."

The last part of the sentence came out in almost a whisper and seemed to be an attempt of reassurance towards himself. Dash genuinely looked like he'd been hurt by his friend's comment.

Kwan sighed and shook his head as he took off his nitrile gloves and tossed them in the trash before pulling up a chair to sit beside the bed. "I'm sorry, Dash. I didn't mean to imply that you did this to him... I just needed to make sure." He offered the other jock a small, apologetic smile. "What exactly happened?"

Dash inhaled a deep breath and looked up at his friend. His cyan blue eyes that normally conveyed excitement, confidence, and life were bleak, tired, and sagged with signs of worry, stress, uncertainty, and fear.

"I guess I should probably start at the beginning... But you have to promise me, Kwan, that you won't EVER repeat any of this to anyone as long as you live."

The Asian raised a brow and then rolled his eyes. "Oh yes, because I always go around running my mouth, blabbing your secrets, and broadcasting everything that you tell me." Dash glared at him and then returned the eye roll. "Yeah yeah, I know, but this is different... I'm just... God... You're going to think I'm crazy, but it will all make sense once I tell you..."

Dash went on to explain the series of events that had unfolded and lead up to Dash showing up at Kwan's door under the circumstances that he had.

Kwan was normally well composed, calm, and rational, but he gaped at his friend for a moment as if he had grown a second head. "He's... you mean... no way... Seriously?..." Kwan looked between Danny and Dash back and forth a few times. Dash stayed silent but shook his head yes. "So, you were fan-boying over Phantom, again, and you stalked him into the woods behind Amity Park, again, and then you watched him fight another ghost, only the fight didn't end as Phantom's fights usually do? The other ghost some how over-powered him and sent him blasting into a tree before cackling maniacally and flying off? And then when Phantom slid down the tree and landed on ground, he was out cold?" Dash scrunched his face up and shot Kwan a dirty look.

"First off... I was *not* fan-boying OR stalking him... I was simply observing..." Kwan snickered. He knew his best friend. He knew him well, very well. He was the only one whom Dash trusted with his most secretive of secrets, and he knew that Dash had had a crush on Phantom since shortly after he first made his appearance in Amity almost three years ago. "Mhm right, Dash, go on..." Dash huffed and folded his arms across his chest.

"Secondly... yes, that's pretty much how it went down. I was keeping my distance so that neither Phantom nor the ghost could see me and then I ran over to Phantom after the ghost was gone. I carefully scooped him up into my arms... which I was shocked that I could even do, by the way, I always thought ghosts were... you know..." Dash gestured with his hands. Kwan chimed in. "Intangible, or able to pass directly through solid objects, such as trees... and people." Dash nodded. "Yeah, that. After he hit the tree I wondered if it would be possible. So I tried, and realized I could. He was in my arms for maybe ten seconds and that's when it happened... he transformed from Phantom into Fenton."

Dash had been right. It did all make sense after he'd explained it. Well... as much sense as finding out that one of your classmates was also the town's personal hero could make. "Ahh. I get it now. So you brought him here because you were protecting his identity... And maybe also because you wanted a chance to be his hero for a change." Dash's cheeks reddened at the last part of his friend's comment.

"Yes... I MEAN NO!!! ... I mean... UGH, I swear Kwan, you're lucky I love you like a brother, because if not you'd be so dead right now. I didn't do it to be a hero. Danny hates my guts and has every right to do so. I did do it to protect his identity, yes, but also, and more importantly, to protect him from what might have happened if anyone else were to find out. Like... I dunno, Fenton's crazy ghost hunter parents... I'm pretty sure it's safe to assume that they have no idea that their own son is secretly a ghost... Telling them isn't my choice to make. And I couldn't stand the thought of them finding out and then possibly doing god knows what kind of painful tests and experiments and whatever else to him... or worse..." Dash shuddered at that thought and quickly shook his head.

"I also brought him here because I know that you're a medical junkie, and both of your parents are doctors, and your sister was the administrator over a home-health program while she was still in med-school, and before your grandmother passed away she lived here and was on bed-rest and there were all sorts of machines and medical supplies still lying around... I figured between all of that, there were bound to be enough things we could manage to scrape together to at least get him stable for long enough for us to figure out what to do next."

Kwan nodded and looked over towards Danny whom was now bandaged, cleaned up, tucked beneath a blanket, and seemed to be resting well. He also was hooked up to a machine that monitored his heart-rate, oxygen levels, and blood pressure. There was a small tube for oxygen under his nose and an IV in his arm to administer fluids and a 'mild' pain reliever. They had had to cut the majority of his clothes off to gain access to all of the injuries without moving him around too much. There were a few gashes that had to be stitched up. And he had what appeared to be burn marks along his chest. But other than that, for the most part, his wounds were superficial and should heal up on their own over time.

"I think you made the right choice, Dash. I mean, if things would have gone south and we weren't able to have gotten him stabilized, we'd have had to at least called my mom or dad ... and then possibly an ambulance... But for his sake, I'm really glad that it didn't come to that." He smiled and looked back to his best friend.

Dash turned his head and looked at Danny before turning back to face Kwan. "Me too Kwan, me too."

*End Chapter Two*

Chapter Text

Chapter Three

Kwan hung up the phone and grabbed two sodas out of the fridge before returning to the guest room where they'd set Danny up in. "Okay. Pizza's ordered, Danny's parent's have been called, my parent's will be at work until Monday night and they never get upset if I have my friend's over to stay anyways, and we're off school for autumn break until after next week... So I think that covers everything."

Dash smiled as he was handed one of the sodas. He popped the tab and drank half of it in one gulp before setting the can down on a nearby table. He was grateful to have a friend like Kwan. Kwan was always so mature and put-together, even in stressful situations like this one. "What did you tell his parents? You didn't tell them he's hurt or anything did you?" Kwan rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Of course not. Duh. I told them that we'd all been playing football in the park and that we came back here to chill out and watch a movie and that Danny fell asleep. So I asked if they minded if he stayed over, and since I'm me and everyone in the town loves me... *Dash smirked and rolled his eyes* ...they said of course he could and then thanked me for being such a thoughtful young man for thinking to call them."

Dash couldn't help but to laugh. He knew it was true though. Everyone in the town really did adore Kwan, and his entire family for that matter. "Thanks man, you're much better when it comes to parents than I am... but playing football? Fenton? Really?" Dash continued to laugh, and then he began to wonder just how unaware Danny's parents truly were when it came to their son. It had began to seem like they didn't know him at all.

He would bet money that they knew nothing about his double-life as Phantom, or how he did in school, or what he liked, his hobbies, who his friends were... They questioned nothing and simply accepted Kwan's story without as much as batting an eyelash. And that made Dash really feel bad for Danny. Because he and Danny were anything other than friends, and he still knew him better than that.

Danny hated sports, especially football. Dash had known that since the beginning of Eighth grade. The two have always had gym class together. And Danny never hung around Kwan or himself. Granted, Kwan was friendly and polite and spoke to pretty much everyone... But anyone whom even remotely knew Danny would raise a brow and call bullshit if you told them that he was hanging out with Dash Baxter.

"Dude. Earth to Dash. Daaaaaash. Paging nurse Baxter..." Kwan waved his hand in front of the blonde's face. Dash blinked and snapped back to reality. "Huh? Wha.... Wait... Nurse Baxter?!?!" Dash picked up a roll of gauze and chucked it at Kwan's head. The dark haired boy laughed as he ducked to dodge the incoming projectile. "Hey, I had to get your attention somehow. You were about half a gaze away from becoming a total space-cadet. What were you so lost in thought about anyways?" Kwan reached down to pick up the gauze roll off of the floor and mindlessly began to toss it up and catch it.

"And yeah, I know, Danny playing football with us was definitely a far-cry but I had to think fast, and come on now, don't tell me that you wouldn't love it. Getting to see him actually enjoying himself and having fun, getting all worked up and sweaty, maybe you could even get him to take his shirt off... Though now, knowing he is also Phantom, I'd say he'd do pretty damn well with being aggressive, but you'd most likely just tackle him on purpose as an excuse to be on top of him..." Dash couldn't believe the words that were spewing out of his best friend's mouth. His face was heating to the point where he was beginning to wonder if it was possible for it to actually catch on fire... "OH! Better yet, maybe talk him into going home with you after the game so that you could dress him up as your own personal cheerleader and have him..." Before Kwan was able to finish his statement there was a knock at the front door, which Dash was secretly thanking the gods for. Kwan grabbed his wallet and went to answer it, leaving a very flustered and red-faced Dash sitting there, dumbstruck, and more than a little turned on. "I will never be able to look at pompoms the same way again..." Dash mumbled under his breath as he looked over to Danny one more time before following Kwan out and towards the kitchen.

*End Chapter Three*

Chapter Text

Chapter Four

The boys finished their pizza and put their plates in the sink. Dash looked at the clock. 10:13 PM. It had been just around three hours since he'd made it to Kwan's house with Danny in tow. He was about to walk back to Danny's room when Kwan reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Relax, man. I know you're worried, but Danny's going to be alright. You should go take a shower and try to unwind a bit." Kwan gave his friend a quick once over glance. "And change into some clean clothes." Dash had almost forgotten that he was still a mess. He let out a sigh. He knew his friend was right. As usual. He did have to take care of himself, even if he didn't want to. And Kwan would always be there to make sure that he did just that.

"Shouldn't he be awake by now though? Are you sure he's not in a coma or something?" Kwan shook his head. "He's not in a coma, and I did give him a low-dose of morphine... So he's probably going to be out for at least a few more hours. If it makes you feel better, I'll sit in there by him whilst you're gone." Dash nodded. "Thanks man." He knew Danny was in good hands with Kwan. And it's not like he had to leave to get any clothes or shower supplies. Kwan's house was basically his second home, and vise-versa. Both boys had clothes and personal products at the other's house at all times.

"Alright. I'll make it quick." Kwan smiled and walked back to Danny's room and left Dash to go shower. Dash stopped by Kwan's room to grab a change of clothes and then by the linen closet for a towel. He closed the bathroom door behind himself and turned the hot water on and all of the way up. He waited until there was a nice cloud of steam hovering over-head before he stepped in. A sigh of relief slipped past Dash's lips as the near scalding water poured down over his shoulders.

His blonde hair clung to his face as he leaned forward to rest his head and hands against the wall. His mind wandered off as it had many times that evening. Back to the events from earlier. What would have happened if Dash hadn't have been there? Would Danny still be lying in the park? Would he have been okay? Had this happened before? Did Dash actually save his life? Those thoughts and many others danced around inside of Dash's head. But one thought in-particular stood out to him. He had seriously been worried about Danny. Phantom or Fenton, Dash had been worried about the boy.

That thought was a tangent to another thought. Dash liked Danny. Phantom or Fenton. He liked him. And he liked him a lot. Dash became curious about his sexuality shortly after he had started in middle school and puberty began to kick in. All of the other guys were talking about girls. Which ones they liked, which ones they didn't like, who thought who was cute... Dash of course played along. He had to. He was popular. A star athlete. Fitting in was his way of surviving. But he never had those thoughts. He didn't notice the girls in those ways. Sure, he thought some of them were pretty, beautiful even, but even back then he understood that there was a difference between appreciation, admiration, and attraction.

His curiosities were solidified in the spring of his seventh grade year. He was thirteen and on the baseball team. One day after practice he and the other guys were back in the locker room. They were changing clothes and showering, and that's when it happened. The locker room had group showers. They were large square rooms with a big drain on the floor in the middle and two heads and sets of nobs along each of the three walls that weren't attached to the doorway. So six people could shower at once. He was walking towards one of the rooms and was about to step in when he noticed one of his teammates. Like, really noticed him.

The boy was standing opposite Dash, on the far wall across from the entry. He had his back turned so that he was facing the wall. His arms were stretched out in front of him with his hands resting on the tiles and that position made the boy's back arch in a way that left his ass perked out and on display. He way smaller than Dash, slender in build, but still well toned. His hair was a sandy blonde, several shades darker than Dash's, a lot longer and more unruly as well. His skin was sun-kissed bronze in color. Beads of water were trickling down his back. Dash felt like something was caught in his throat as he tried to swallow, hard. His eyes were fixated on the boy, they locked onto one of the water droplets and followed it as it trailed from the nape of his neck, down his spine, all of the way to the small of his fellow teammate's back before it dipped down and seemed to disappear over the subtle curves.

Dash caught himself and realized he'd been staring. He felt a pang in his stomach and an ache in his groin. He quickly stepped into the shower, picked a space as far away from the other boy as possible, and turned the water on cold in hopes of killing his arousal before anyone noticed.

After that day, he knew without a doubt that he was gay. It all made sense to him then. That following summer before they began eighth grade he finally gained the courage to tell Kwan. He was his best friend and he hated the thought of keeping a secret from him. To his relief, Kwan was fine with it. He didn't even seem to be that surprised. And he agreed that he would never tell anyone unless Dash wanted him to.

Dash's thoughts rounded back to Danny. When Phantom first appeared in Amity, Dash was awe struck. His town had a real life super hero. And not only was he a role model, protector, and really great fighter, he was also drop-dead gorgeous, mysterious, and more alluring than anything or anyone Dash had ever laid eyes on before. There was something about him that instantly grabbed at Dash and lured him in but he had never been able to quite put his finger on what it was. And then there was Fenton. Danny and his family moved to Amity the same summer that Dash had come out to Kwan... Only a few months before Phantom started coming around... Oh for fuck sake, could he be anymore dense? How had he not have put all of the pieces together before?

When school started up that fall, Dash became some-what of a bully. He hadn't always been that way, but looking back on it now, he's pretty sure he started picking on people as a way to further hide his secret and defend his reputation. Dash didn't know Danny very well, or know him at all at that point, but he did find him to be rather cute, and he was quickly realizing that he had a type. Slender built boys with messy hair seemed to always catch Dash's attention. Danny was the new kid. He seemed pretty shy and timid, a bit clumsy too. Dash briefly considered trying to befriend the boy, but driven by his insecurities and fears, he decided against it. He didn't want anyone getting the wrong idea. And then once Danny had made friends with... Tucker and Sam, Dash became a bit jealous. That's when the bullying really began. Over time, it went from occasional teasing and name calling, to full-on harassing the kid and beating his ass on a weekly basis.

Dash sighed and threw his head back, letting the hot water stream down his face. He was a real jerk. He'd made people miserable for the past few years all because he was so caught-up and worried about what everyone would really think about him. If he had to be mean and belittle others just to keep friends.. then were those people really the kind friends whom were worth having in the first place? The bulk of his 'friendships' were lies or were based on shallow standards and materialistic aspects.

{What's going to happen when Danny does wake up? Obviously he's going to be really confused, probably in a lot of pain too, and scared, hell, I'd be scared. I was scared. I am scared. I'm probably the last person on earth that he's going to want to see. And what's he going to think about me knowing his secret? Shit. Do I even tell him I know? ... Or do I just pretend that I found him passed out, as Fenton ... but then he'll ask what I was even doing there, or why the hell I didn't take him to see actual doctors like a normal person would. He'd probably think I was being a dick on purpose or trying to make him hurt even more or that I was the one whom beat him up in the first place.}

Dash groaned. The water had gone cold some time ago but he was buried too deep within his own head to notice. He begrudgingly shut the nobs off and stepped out of the shower. He grabbed his towel and dried off before getting dressed. He gathered the clothes he'd been wearing and his jacket as well. He was about to toss it into the heap with the other clothes in his arm when he noticed that there were a few red smears along the white embellishments and sleeves. Blood. Danny's blood. Blood that had been spilled all because Danny had been fighting to protect the town. Dash lightly traced his fingers over the stains and found himself growing angry.

{No more. No more being a fucking coward, or an asshole, or a bully. This kid risks his life daily and never asks for anything in return. He could have told everyone that he is Phantom and became instantly popular and loved and treated like a hero, but he hasn't. He has lived a double-life for god knows how long just so he can protect everyone and keep people safe. And then there's guys like me who no doubt have made his normal life a living hell. I've been no better than the ghost scum he was fighting today. No more. I'm done. Even if he doesn't forgive me or want to speak to me ever again. I definitely wouldn't blame him. But I'll be damned if I sit back and let anyone harass him again. As Phantom or Fenton. And if people want to judge me for that or whatever, that's their problem, not mine.}

*End Chapter Four*

Chapter Text

Chapter Five

Dash heard people talking as he made his way back downstairs. Maybe Kwan was on the phone again. He stopped by the kitchen to grab another soda and that's when he heard him. His voice was faint, soft, but definitely belonged to him. Danny. He's awake. Alive. Dash took off running towards Danny's room, nearly tripping over the rug in the hallway. He caught himself and tried to play it cool but failed miserably as he toppled into the room. Kwan was grinning as he watched his best friend make a not so smooth and definitely, obviously, embarrassing entrance. A small smile played across Danny's lips as he looked up at Dash.

Dash just stood there staring. He was okay. Danny was okay. He was still extremely pale but he had smiled. He smiled at him and in that moment Dash knew without doubt that he'd made the right decision when he'd brought Danny here.

"Uhh... you're..." Dash couldn't manage to form a complete sentence. "Nice to see you too, Dash. I see that English still isn't your best subject." Danny snickered and Kwan busted out laughing. Dash blushed and adverted his gaze to the floor. "So.. umm... how do you feel? ... Damn it, no, wait, that's a stupid question, you were... uhh never mind. How much do you remember?" Dash wasn't sure that he really wanted to know the answer to that, but he needed to. Danny looked over to Kwan, who nodded reassuringly, and then up to Dash, who looked like someone had just kicked his puppy.

"A lot. And what I didn't remember, Kwan has filled me in on. I was out on ghost-patrol like I usually am on the weekends. I check over the park, the mall, and some other highly trafficked areas. There wasn't much going on. Hadn't seen a ghost in a few days. Everything was quiet. Too quiet really. I was giving the park one final sweep when I sensed something. I can feel when ghosts are near by. I followed it back into the woods, hoping to be at least mostly out of sight so that no one passing by freaked out or got hurt. The ghost I was fighting, I'd never seen it before. I still haven't seen its face... if it even has a face. I don't know its name or really anything about it other than it had a hell of a lot more power than I'd given it credit for. We were neck and neck, blow for blow, and I thought I'd just about finished it off... but then the ghost pointed out that there was a person watching and it taunted me by asking what would the town think if its 'precious hero' stood back and watched as citizens were being attacked... That's when the ghost changed its aim from me, to something to the side and behind me. I turned my head to look and got half a glance before the ghost turned its fire back to me and landed an ecto-blast dead-center in my chest and sent me hurling back into a tree. I kept my eyes open long enough to see the ghost laughing and flying off and then everything went black and got cold. Judging by what Kwan said, I'm assuming I transformed shortly after that. From there, I remember bits and pieces, I guess I was fading in and out between being conscious and not but I was too weak to open my eyes or say anything. I could hear what was going on when I was conscious though..."

Danny's cheeks began to lightly tint pink. It took Dash a moment.. but then he realized what Danny was implying and he looked to Kwan with a mortified look of sheer horror on his face. "Please tell me that doesn't mean he heard everything we were talking about in here..." Dash put his hands over his face and shook his head. Kwan tried to contain his laughter. "Oh I could tell you that... But then I'd be breaking my promise of promising never to break a promise, and I promised that I'd never lie to you." Dash pulled his hands away enough so that he could see Kwan's face. That asshole was smirking at him. Dash was utterly distraught and exposed and Kwan was living it up. "You are such a damn sadist Kwan. You're enjoying this way too much."

Danny coughed lightly and then winced. Both boys turned their heads to look at him with concern. "Hey Kwan, would you mind letting me talk to Dash alone for a minute?" Kwan smiled. "Of course not. I'm going to go see what we have that would be light enough for you to be able to eat, and keep down." "Thanks Kwan." Danny gave a small smile and watched as he left the room. Dash stood there awkwardly fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. Danny patted the spot on the bed next to him. "Come sit. I.. I think we should talk."

{Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. What all did he actually hear? And what all did Kwan tell him? Everything? How much does he know? And regardless of what I did today, I'm still the same asshole whom has been an utter dick to him for the past three years. He probably hates my guts now and wanted Kwan out of the room so that he could really let me have it...}

"Hey space-cadet, stop thinking so much, I can hear your brain frying from over here and I haven't even started talking yet." Danny laughed softly and Dash's blush darkened. Normally, comments like that directed towards Dash would have landed Danny in a world of hurt, but now, now Dash just stood there as his face began to rival the hue of his Letterman jacket. He was beyond doomed. "Sorry, I'm just... Sorry. For everything." Dash covered his mouth. That sounded stupid, and lame, and really unapologetic and sympathetic and... Dash was thinking too much again. He decided it was best to just shut-up and take a seat.

Dash sat down next to Danny on the bed and Danny did his best to scoot himself into a slightly more upright position. The pair looked at one another for long moment. Both silent. And now it was Danny's turn to be nervous. The raven haired boy worried his bottom lip between his teeth. "Uhh.. I'm not really sure where to even begin." Danny 's words came out hesitantly. His cheeks were flushed and that made Dash wonder if Danny was possibly just as confused as he was.

{He has me to himself and he's not screaming or yelling or throwing things at me.. so maybe, just maybe...} Dash inhaled deeply and held it for a moment before slowly breathing out. {Now or never, Baxter.} He looked up, his eyes were now fixated on Danny's. "I think I have an idea of where to begin..." He reached up gently so that his right hand was resting against Danny's left cheek. Danny's expression displayed confusion mixed with a twinge of curiosity, but he wasn't left wondering what Dash was talking about or doing for long.

Dash leaned down so that his face was hovering about three inches above Danny's, their eyes met, waves of cyan and cerulean crashing together before consuming one another. Danny gave the slightest of nods and that was all it took for Dash to capture the smaller male's lips with his own and close the distance between them.

*End Chapter Five*

-End Part One Dash's POV-

Chapter Text

-Part One, Danny's POV-

Chapter One

"Oh how cute. Is that the best you can do? Really, did you actually think for even a second that you would be able to defeat me?" The shadowy figure mocked, more than a little too sure of itself for Danny's liking. Shots were fired one after the other, ecto blasts going back and forth between the two ghostly beings. 

{..Who in Clock-Work's name is this guy? I think it's a guy.. a little hard to tell due to the long, dark cloak and lack of personal details... other than his gravely, yet nasally voice, psychotic laugh, and alarmingly creepy red aura that he's giving off.. anyways. He seems to know an awful lot about me and yet I've never come across him before. And how is he THIS powerful?! Usually only the most well-trained and experienced ghosts give me a decent fight and the rest would be lucky if they were even able to win against The Box Ghost. Beware! But this guy just shows up out of no-where looking like he got dressed in the bargain-bin of  a cheap Halloween store and instantly he is able to keep up with me blast for blast..}

"And just what would the lovely people of Amity think if their precious little Phantom-hero started... Oh, I don't know, attacking the town's citizen's?" The mysterious creature quipped and aimed his staff so that it was no longer locked dead-center on Danny but now instead was positioned towards something slightly to the ghost-boy's left. 

"Oh yeah?! And why would anyone here believe some faceless nut-job like you? You don't even..." Danny was about to finish his sentence when he noticed that the other ghost had taken its aim off of him and was now aiming for something behind him. Danny quickly jerked his head to see what the new target was and was completely caught off-guard by what... or who he saw.

{... Dash?! ...}

As soon as Danny turned his head, the ghost opened fire and unleashed a series of ecto-orbs at the young halfa. Danny caught a glimpse of glowing red hurling his way but it was too late. The creep nailed him in the chest several times with blows powerful enough that the boy was knocked back a dozen or so yards before his back slammed into the trunk of a giant oak tree.

"Baah-hah-hah-hah some hero. You're just as pathetic as you've always been. That should do for now though. So long, Phantom-zero, you will be seeing me again.. In your nightmares.. granted, you survive." Satisfied with his work, the unknown entity cackled like a mad-man as it flew off, vanishing into a cloud of crimson smoke shortly after taking flight.

Danny's eyes were clenched together tight, his arms had instantly wrapped around his chest and abdomen as the last of the shots had been fired. A  bitter, metallic mixture of blood and ectoplasm filled his mouth and gushed from his wounds. Everything was hot and cold at the same time as he slid along the jagged bark of the tree before landing sharply on the ground below. He opened his eyes but his vision was hazy. 

{...What on earth did that thing shoot me with?! This pain... it's... ...And why hasn't my speed-healing started to take affect...}

A loud groan escaped his bloodied lips as the sensation became too much to bare. 

Just as he felt himself beginning to slip deeper into that warm space of existing that lied somewhere between being aware and being unconscious, he suddenly felt a set of arms slip beneath him and settle against his back and thighs. 

His eyes flickered open for a split second, barely long enough for Danny to make out the bulky silhouette that was now cradling his severely beaten frame.

And with that last thought flickering through his mind, he couldn't hold on any longer. His body gave-way, glowing icy-blue rings appeared around his torso and he transformed from ghost back into his human form right there in Dash's arms.

*End Chapter One*

Chapter Text

Chapter Two

The rustling sounds of what he was pretty sure were coming from leaves and clothing had stopped. The heavy breathing had quietened down as well. And he no longer felt the warmth that had been radiating from the larger body that he had been cradled against.

He realized that he missed the warmth, despite knowing where it had been coming from.

{... I'm...alive? Ouch. Pain. Still in pain. Yep, must be alive. But where am I exactly? Think Danny, think. You were patrolling in the park, then mister faceless and mysterious came along and decided that it was a good day to kick your butt, and then there was Dash... DASH. Oh god. Dash was there. Why had Dash been there anyways? It looked like he had been watching the fight for some strange reason and then after the blast I remember looking up and there he was, holding me... Oh god... I... In his arms... He knows.}

Danny could hear faint voices and foot steps but he didn't have the strength to open his eyes or speak as he continued to drift in and out of consciousness.   

{...He knows.... He knows. He knooooows! Dash knows that I'm Danny Phantom. Out of all of the people whom could have found me... Why did it have to be Dash fucking Baxter?!}

There were strange sounds coming from near by, like electronic beeping noises and the clanging of something metal. And then there were hands on him, touching him along the areas that seemed to ache the most. The touches were gentle though, almost... concerned? caring?

{Dash has ALWAYS hated me and I've never really known why. I met him on the first day of eighth grade. My family and I hadn't been living in Amity for very long at that point. I didn't know anyone and saying that I was socially awkward would be about as much of an understatement as saying that Vlad is only slightly a total fruitloop. Anyways. I was walking down one of the hallways with a stack full of books in my arms, trying to figure out which room I needed to be in, and that's when I first ran into Dash. Literally. I couldn't see where I was going and I ran into the guy. We just stared at one another for a good 10 seconds before we both stammered incoherently, pointed in opposite directions, and ran off. *sigh* As much as it pains me to admit it, I thought that he was hot, even back then. Stupid neanderthal jerk.}

"We're going to have to cut his clothing off. If we were to try and remove it as is, we could possibly end up doing more damage in the process."

{...Kwan? Kwan is here too? I didn't see him at the park.. Wait.. cut off my clothing?! Oh great, this is going to be like the gym class locker rooms all over again...} 

Danny was sure he'd be blushing if he'd have been awake. He could feel small flashes of cold as steel grazed along his skin, followed by a slight chill from the air and the sudden realization that he was now almost completely bare and exposed in front of his number one bully, and crush.

"...So...  ...bloody and blacked-out Danny Fenton... ...my house... ...hospital ...  ...him, like this? "  

"...Promise me Kwan... ...won't EVER repeat any of this..."  

There were two sets of hands working on him. He could feel wounds being cleaned, treated, bandaged. Most of the work had seemed to be coming from one set of hands, the other set appeared to be more... comforting? Giving light caresses near the areas that had received the most damage.

Bits and pieces of the conversations that were taking place in the room began to circle through his mind, and slowly, Danny began to figure out what was going on.    

{Dash. Dash is still here. He watched the fight, found Phantom.. err.. me, brought me to Kwan's house.. and now they're both here... apparently playing doctor with me... But why? He could have just left me there to die. But he.. he saved me, and he brought me to Kwan's house to ensure that my identity as Phantom remained hidden from the public. Again... But why? None of this is making any sense... Oooow, needle, that was definitely a needle. Where did they even get that.. or any of the rest of this junk that they've been using... better yet, what exactly did he inject me wi... Oooh warm... and tingly... that feels nice... I think I'll take a nap now...}

"...And maybe also because you wanted a chance to be his hero for a change."  

{Hrmmm? ... Whaaa? ... Did he just say? No... I must be dreaming... *snore snore snore*}

*End Chapter Two*

Chapter Text

Chapter Three

Danny decided that whatever was in that shot he had received, he needed a whole bottle of, because he felt pretty damn great for someone whom had just nearly been killed by a faceless psycho. His body was still drained and resting, but he was more aware mentally of what was going on. Almost like he was in a trance, or was a bystander watching the events of his life from a distance. He wasn't sure if that was normal or if it was just an ability that only ghosts and halfas could possess, but either way he wasn't complaining.

He'd been listening to Dash and Kwan carry-on for a while now. And he was very relieved, and surprised by the two jocks' actions. Especially Dash's. Had he harshly mis-judged the blonde all of these years? 

But he was still a bully... Danny's bully... That meant Dash hated him, right?...

Danny was still confused, to say the least.

{At least my parents won't be worried... and also won't be trying to hunt ghosts inside of me... I can't believe that they bought Kwan's excuse though. Me? Playing football? Like that would ever happen. It's not that I dislike sports, I just.. Well umm.. *coughs*. Okay, Back to eighth grade. I already knew that I was gay and attracted to guys. Being the kid of famous 'ghost hunters' ... Yeah, I spent a lot of time alone in my room on the computer... uh.. studying! Yeah that's it. Anyways. First day of eighth grade, gym class, Dash was there. We were all playing basket ball and I was actually doing pretty well... until a certain dumb jock decided that he should take his shirt off... My focus was completely gone after that and I decided very quickly that maybe sports were't the best activity for me.. unless I wanted to get the shit beat out of me daily for being a fag. So rather than explaining that to anyone, ever, I always just said that I didn't like sports. Especially football.. because that was Dash's favorite.}

Danny's mind was going back and forth from the conversation in the room, to his own thoughts and memories... That is until he heard something that he's fairly certain made his cheeks catch fire.

"...Don't tell me that you wouldn't love it.. ...getting all worked up and sweaty... ...Though now, knowing he is also Phantom...  ...you'd most likely just tackle him on purpose as an excuse to be on top of him..."  

The drugs. It had to be the drugs. Because there was no way in hell that he was actually hearing what he thought he was hearing.

"...Better yet, maybe talk him into going home with you after the game so that you could dress him up as your own personal cheerleader..."

Danny was now sure that his face was on fire and he was hallucinating.

{Dash?! ... But... No... He isn't... He doesn't... He can't be... asdfghjk...}

Danny could hear his brain sizzling within his skull.

{Where's Technus when I actually need him.. Because I'm pretty sure my head just short-circuited.}

{Dash has thoughts like that about guys??? About... Me? But that would mean... It would make everything that's happened and been said tonight make a hell of a lot more sense though.... Could the years of bullying me all been for cover?}

{WAIT... Cheerleader?! Me?! Why Kwan, Whhhhhhhy?}

{For the love of ClockWork, I have a feeling that I'm going to be wishing I was actually dead before this is all over with.}

*End Chapter Three* 

Chapter Text

Chapter Four

Danny opened his eyes slowly. He was still feeling quite lethargic and a tad bit lucid. His brain was in a fog but his mind was reeling with all of the thoughts and events from the evening.

{Was it all just a dream? Did that ghost blast me even harder than I remember? I mean.. Kwan was saying some pretty crazy things about Dash, and Dash didn't deny any of it.. So I had to be imagining it all, right?}

Danny was startled out of his thoughts when someone began talking.

"I wasn't expecting you to wake up any time soon. How are you feeling?"

Kwan sat the book he'd been reading to the side and looked at Danny whom was now looking around the room in a slightly confused manner.

{The Vampire Lestat? Kwan reads Anne Rice? I didn't think anyone in Amity other than Sam read her books.. Huh, I should let Sam know that she's not the only fang-fanatic.}

"Do you remember anything that happened today?"

Kwan suddenly realized that Danny most likely had no idea where he was, or how he had gotten there. He was about to begin explaining when Danny spoke up. His voice was quieter than usual and there was still a slight weakness in his tone.

"I'm feeling like I got hit by a bus, to sum it up simply. But the pain isn't too over-baring.. for some reason. And I remember the fight, I also know where I'm at and how I got here. Thank you, for everything you've done, by the way."

Kwan nodded as he got up to change the fluids bag that was hooked to Danny's IV. 

"I can't even begin to imagine how that feels. And you're welcome. Dash would have done the same for me if he could and the situation would have been reversed. After everything he told me, I'm glad that he brought you here instead of to a hospital. How do you know where you're at, by the way? And you said you remember the fight, so you also know that I know your secret."

Danny's cheeks pinked lightly.

"I.. uh.. heard a lot of what you and Dash were saying while I was still out of it. I'm not sure if it's a ghost ability or something than humans can do as well but it was like my body was unresponsive and I couldn't move or speak or actually wake up, but I could still hear and feel what was going on. As far as the pain and how it feels, yeah it hurts but at least I heal a lot faster than humans do.. or I usually do anyways."

Kwan looked thoughtful for a moment as he switched out the empty IV bag for a full one.

"Ahh, it could be either one or a bit of both. I don't know much, or anything really about ghostly abilities, but it is possible for humans to be able to hear and feel while their physical body is not functional. If you don't mind me asking, how does being a ghost and a human work exactly? I know you're not dead, you have a pulse and your blood pressure and oxygen levels are pretty normal for someone whom has been through severe trauma. And you heal faster than humans? That would explain why some of the wounds looked rather mild, or faded, but a few were still pretty bad.."

Kwan pointed to the machine and monitors that Danny was hooked up to. They displayed all of Danny's vitals across the screens. Where did Kwan get all of this stuff and why did he have it in the first place? Danny made a mental note to ask later.

"I'm a half-ghost. I have both a fully functional human side as well as a fully functional ghost side and I can transform between the two freely at will. If I'm seriously injured or I go unconscious, I  sometimes turn back into my human form. Which is what happened earlier today. And yes, it's called speed healing, and for some reason it's not happening nearly as quickly as it usually does."

Danny felt strange, he was just sitting there talking casually about one of his biggest secrets, and to someone he wasn't even friends with for that matter. And then the panic began to set in...

"You and Dash... Uh... You didn't tell anyone else, right? And you don't plan on telling anyone else, right? Me being Phantom.. It's kinda a big secret that only a small handful of humans know about."

Kwan gave a reassuring smile and shook his head.

"You obviously didn't hear enough of what Dash and I were talking about. Dash made me basically swear on my life to never mention any of this, to anyone. He wouldn't explain anything until I promised. And despite how I'm sure you see Dash, given how he treats you in public, he's not the total hardcore douche-bag that he lets on to be."

As crazy as it sounded, Danny was starting to believe that. Dash had gone out of his way today in more ways than one all to ensure that Danny was safe and taken care of. 

Danny nodded and lifted the blanket to look at his wounds. He was well bandaged up, so he couldn't see anything, but he was also quickly reminded that he was basically naked.. and that both Kwan AND Dash, most likely, had seen him that way.

He quickly put the covers back down and pulled them up tightly against himself. This made Kwan laugh to himself a little. 

"Uuhm, so... all of that junk you said about Dash.. the little comments that you made about him 'stalking' Phantom and stuff.. Was all of that true? Does he? I mean... Just Phantom, right? Now that he knows it's just me..."

Danny's cheeks were glowing red once again.

Kwan turned the chair so that the back of it was facing the bed, he sat down so that he was straddling the seat with his arms folded on top of the chair-back and his chin resting on them.

"He likes you, Danny. As Phantom or Fenton. He likes you. He's always liked you. Just like you've always liked him."

Danny stammered. Damn Kwan and his super smart Asian mind-reading abilities. He had always thought that he'd been pretty sneaky when it came to hiding his true feelings in regards towards the blonde jock.

"...How long have you known? About Dash? Me? Any of it."

"I suppose it's alright to tell you, since you already know the main information. Dash came out to me the summer before eighth grade began. I'd suspected it for about two years before then. That's the same summer that you and your family moved to Amity. When school started that year, I saw the way you and Dash looked at one another. I was in the hallway when you two first collided. *Kwan grinned to himself* Yes I know, stereotypical Asian sneaky ninja comment goes here. I don't know exactly how you felt, but for Dash, I know that moment terrified him. He didn't know what to do, or think, and he was afraid that everyone else would be able to see right through him. He'd wanted to be friends with you, he just didn't know how. After you started making friends of your own, Dash got pretty jealous. He's always been a bit of a sore loser. He was never used to not getting what he wanted. So he buried all of his feelings inside of himself and started being a bully. I'm fairly certain his reasoning to that was something along the lines of people would never ask questions if they were too afraid to even speak to him. When Phantom started showing up in Amity, Dash got that look in his eyes again. I really should have thought more about it and put all of the pieces together. Looking back on it now, you being Phantom.. it seems so obvious. Anyways, he had that same awe-struck glimmer in his eyes that he had when he'd first met you as Danny Fenton. And he's never had that look in regards to anyone else. Before you even ask, no, I don't believe he likes Phantom more. I only think that liking Phantom has been easier for him, because he's felt like Phantom was more unattainable, like there was absolutely no way he'd ever be able to be with Phantom, so pining from a far felt more safe. He was around you as Danny Fenton in school all of the time. I think he was afraid that his feelings for you would show if you and him were to be friends. Thus, the bullying, acting like he didn't like you, couldn't stand you, pushing you away, making sure that you hated him... Do you get it now?" 

It did make sense. All of it. And there was so much more to the story than Danny would have ever thought about. So much more to Dash. 

Even after all of the years of torment and bullying, Danny still didn't hate Dash. He couldn't. He'd tried many times, but he couldn't. It had frustrated him to no end, because no matter how hurtful Dash had been, Danny still continued to notice him. Watch him. Think about him. He just never dreamed that even in a million years would the feelings be reciprocated. 

Danny was so lost in his thoughts that he'd barely noticed when the subject of his near insanity literally stumbled into the room.

{Dash.}

*End Chapter Four*

Chapter Text

Chapter Five

Danny couldn't help but to smile when Dash came rushing into the room so quickly that he'd almost landed flat on his face. Dash's hair was wet and hanging slightly over his eyes and his skin was still flushed from showering. Danny had almost forgotten just how attractive the jock had gotten over the years. Not that he was ever anything near being ugly. But time had definitely done well with him.

Danny had been staring a bit longer than he wanted to admit, but apparently Dash hadn't noticed because he seemed to be just as dazed as Danny was. 

Danny wanted to test the waters, so he dared to make a few small jokes at the blonde's expense and was pretty much flabbergasted when no threats were made nor harsh comments exchanged.

"So.. umm... how do you feel? ... Damn it, no, wait, that's a stupid question, you were... uhh never mind. How much do you remember?" Dash rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Danny looked over to Kwan, who nodded reassuringly, and then up to Dash, who looked like someone had just kicked his puppy. 

Danny went on to explain what he knew, and had heard, and how Kwan filled him in on what he didn't know. Dash looked like he was wishing that he could go-ghost and fly away.

{Come on Danny.. This is your chance. You have to talk to Dash. Kwan has said all of these things, and not that Kwan would have any reason to lie, but you know you want to hear it straight from Dash's mouth..}

Danny coughed softly, hoping to grab the other two's attention.

"Umm Kwan.. would you mind letting me talk to Dash alone for a few minutes?"

Kwan smiled and nodded, he mentioned something about fixing Danny something to eat and then he was gone. 

Danny smiled at Dash and patted the bed, hopeful that the other boy would join him.

Once Dash had finally taken a seat, Danny was suddenly much more nervous and aware that they were alone, and that Dash was now close enough for him to reach out and touch.

The two exchanged looks and held one another's gaze for several moments. Neither really sure what to say or where to begin.

The raven haired boy worried his bottom lip between his teeth. 

"Uhh.. I'm not really sure where to even begin." {Smooth Danny. Real smooth.} Danny spoke as he looked up at Dash. Dash looked like he was thinking about something and Danny wondered if the blonde was just as confused as he was.

Dash exhaled loudly and looked over so that his eyes met with Danny's. "I think I have an idea of where to begin..." Dash said in a hushed tone that sent a chill straight up Danny's spine. His cheek was gently cupped in one of the larger male's hands and he knew that his peaked curiosity was displayed all across his face. 

Danny wasn't left in the dark for long though.

Danny's eyes were locked on with Dash's as he lowered his head, his face inching closer to Danny's.

{So much for talking things out... this soooo is not talking...}  

Danny could feel the warmth coming from his former(?) bully's lips. Dash paused for a moment, almost as if he was asking Danny if it were okay.

{He's.. asking? He has every advantage here, he could do or take whatever he wanted, and yet he's asking to...}

Danny no longer felt the need to hear it all from Dash's mouth. He already knew the answer. Dash liked him, and Dash cared about him. If the day's events weren't enough to prove that, then the pause just now was. He nodded his head yes and instantly his lips were met by a fiery warmth. It was like all of those years of yearning, of pining from a distance, of wondering why and how he could like someone so.. like Dash were finally given meaning and being answered.

Having Dash's lips against his own was easily one of the best things that Danny had ever experienced. Dash was being so careful and gentle with him, but Danny wanted more. His wish was soon granted as he felt the other boy's tongue sweep across his bottom lip. Danny let out a soft moan and parted his lips, allowing Dash access, which the other quickly made use of. Danny reached up with both arms and draped them around Dash's broad shoulders, pulling the jock down closer until they were chest to chest. 

Dash groaned against Danny's lips. His tongue dipping in to the smaller male's mouth, eager to explore and claim what should have been his all along. He kept his one hand against Danny's cheek and let the other slip beneath the blanket to rest on Danny's bare hip. 

Dash must have forgotten that Danny wasn't clothed, because the sudden feel of taut, hot flesh beneath his finger's was a more than welcomed surprise, electing another groan from himself.

Danny arched upwards in response to the touch. Suddenly desperate for more contact.

The two were so engrossed in one another that they both jumped and were startled when one of the machines that Danny was hooked up to started beeping loudly at an increasing pace.

As if he'd been summoned, Kwan stepped into the room and shut the machine off before looking to the bed and smirking. "About damn time."

Danny was blushing crimson and Dash looked like he wanted to strangle his best friend for interrupting. 

Kwan laughed and shook his head. "The next time you two decide to get one another all hot and bothered, you might want to unplug the heart rate monitor first."

"Carry on."

And with that, Kwan slipped back out of the room, leaving a very breathless, slightly annoyed, and more than a little worked up Dash and Danny.

*End Chapter Five*

-End Part One Danny's POV-

Chapter Text

- Part One, Kwan's POV -

Chapter One

Kwan glanced over at the clock and sighed. It was 6:37 PM on a Saturday evening and he was sitting at home, alone, with his nose buried in an Anne Rice book. Kwan had never been the stereotypical jock type. He was good at sports, sure, but he was also always one of the top students in his class academically. He had a love for literature and was a lot quieter and more laid back than most of his friends and teammates. He was also a lot more observant and considerate. If you wanted to say something bad about Kwan, you'd really have to dig deep to think of something because he was an all-around great guy. And yet, there he was, home alone on the weekend with no plans of changing that.

Both of his parents were working double shifts at the hospital, again. That had become the norm for them over the past several years. They were two of the top leading surgeons in the country; with his father specializing in pediatrics and his mother in neurology. He was proud of his parents, but that didn't mean that he didn't wish they were around more. 

The house was spacious, large enough to comfortably home at least fifteen people, but it was just him there. It had been just him on most days, ever since his sister moved out and his Halmoni (his grandmother) passed away. There were boxes and bins of medical supplies and equipment stacked up in one of the spare bedrooms. His Halmoni had been ill for a long time before her passing. She was a stubborn lady, sweet as could be, but stubborn none the less. Kwan had always admired that about her. She had refused to go stay in the hospital, so Kwan's sister and parents basically brought the hospital to her. Kwan thought that he probably should sort through all of the materials and donate them to a shelter or clinic, and he may still do so.. eventually.

He sat his book to the side and got up off of the couch, determined to find something, anything to do. He walked over to the mantle and smiled as he looked over the pictures. His favorite still being the one that was taken after the team had won the playoffs during his freshman year. It had been raining the entire game and everyone was completely soaked and covered in mud, but there he stood arm-in-arm with his best friend, both with massive grins on their faces.  "Hmm I wonder what Dash is up to.. Maybe he'd be up for coming over and watching a movie.. or five."

Dash was Kwan's other half; in a platonic, brotherly sort of manner. The two had been inseparable ever since they met all of those years ago, when they both were in kindergarten. Kwan was quiet back then as well. You could even say he was a bit shy, but Dash made sure to 'fix' that. He had walked right up to the other boy on the first day of school and flashed him a smile that could easily be used to get by with murder. The bright-eyed blonde boy ignored the other's awkward shyness and wouldn't let-up until he was certain that they were going to be best friends. Kwan used to always question why, why him, but as years went on, he learned to simply accept it and be grateful of his friendship with Dash. They couldn't be anymore opposite if they actively tried, but at the same time, they understood one another better than anyone. 

They truly were like brothers. Even Dash's mother had become like a second mom to him. She never missed a school event or a single football game, and she always cheered just as loudly for Kwan as she did for Dash. She was always insisting that Kwan come over and stay for dinner during the week so that he wasn't at the house all alone. And every Christmas there were presents under the Baxter's tree with his name on them. Financially, Kwan's family was much better off. But yet, he had always thought of Dash as being 'the lucky one.'

Kwan was snapped out of his mental stroll down memory lane by a pounding that was coming from.. the back door? He decided to go look out the window for safe measures before going to answer. "That's strange, no one ever uses the...", but before he could finish his sentence, he had peered out the window and quickly understood why the person in question didn't come around the front way.

*End Chapter One*

Chapter Text

Chapter Two

Kwan ran the rest of the way through the house and slung open the back door to reveal his best friend standing there with a limp body clutched in his arms. He quickly ushered him inside, being sure to lock the door behind them.

The blonde was panting and dripping with sweat. His shirt was smeared with what appeared to be dirt and blood, and whom ever was in his arms was being concealed by the familiar red and white jacket which had been draped over their face. Kwan reached out and pulled the jacket up so that he could see whom lied beneath.

The dark haired teen froze in place when he caught a glimpse of whom was being cradled in the other's arms.

"Fenton?!"

{Fucking hell, Dash. This looks bad, really bad, and for the sake of well.. pretty much everyone and everything, I seriously hope that you're not to blame for this... Focus, Kwan, you can ask questions later. Right now, right now you need to take action.}

Danny Fenton had been the target of Dash's tormenting for over the past three years. To the general public, it was easy to assume that Dash hated Danny, but Kwan knew that those assumptions couldn't be any further from the truth. 

It had all started the summer before their eighth grade year. Well.. sort of. That summer, Dash had come-out to Kwan as being gay. Kwan had been fairly certain of that fact for around two years at that point, but he never said anything to Dash about it. He wanted to wait until his best friend was ready for him to know. He knew he would be told eventually, and he was. He supported Dash and still viewed him as his brother. Nothing would ever change that.

When classes began that fall, there was a new kid in their grade. He wasn't like Dash and Kwan or any of their other friends. No. This boy was different. He was much more slender in build. He was very fair complexioned and had cerulean blue eyes and raven black hair. Kwan had stayed a few moments after class to talk to one of the teachers about a project, so he was late leaving that day. He was about to step out into the hallway when he noticed Dash and the new kid. They'd literally ran into one another and were both staring in an awe-struck manner. Kwan decided to wait until both of the other boys had left before leaving the classroom. He never mentioned to Dash that he'd seen the two of them that afternoon, or the way that they had looked at one another. It was just another one of those things that Kwan felt would be better to wait and allow Dash to come to him with, when he was ready.

Kwan knew that Dash wanted to befriend the kid, but he also knew that wasn't likely to happen. As time went on, the boy ended up making a few friends of his own. Which made Dash jealous; though he wouldn't admit it at the time. That's when Dash really started showing aggression towards Danny, and Kwan knew exactly why he was behaving as he was. He didn't like that Danny basically got the short end of the proverbial stick, but he also knew that Dash wouldn't take things too far.. And he hoped that still stood to be true.

{This isn't exactly what I had in mind when I said I wanted something to do for the evening..}  

"Dash, man, you know you're family to me, and that we've always helped one another out of tough situations, but I seriously hope you've got a good explanation for this one." Kwan lead the way through the house and into the bedroom where all of the medical supplies had been stored. "Lay him down on the bed and then put on some gloves, you're going to have to help me with this one."

Kwan was suddenly grateful for the amount of medical knowledge that he'd stowed away in his head over the years. {Thank you, mom and dad.}  

Dash nodded and Kwan couldn't help but notice the mixed emotions in the other's eyes. {He looks.. Scared. Worried. In-shock.} "I do man, trust me I do, and I'll explain everything but right now I just want to make sure that.. he's going to be okay." Kwan brought over an armful of materials and dropped them onto the table before moving to turn on a few machines that stood on the other side of the bed. It didn't take him long to have an IV running and the monitors hooked up so that he could continuously keep an eye on the boy's vitals as he worked on treating the injuries. 

Kwan looked down at the bloodied and bruised figure that laid before him. It was nothing like anything that he'd ever seen before. Usually, it would be at least some-what clear as to what had caused an injury or created a wound, but this.. This looked.. Other worldly. He grabbed a pair of scissors, he knew that the clothing would have to come off and if they tried to pull the shirt up over his head, they would be running the risk of creating further damage.

As he explained this to his best friend, he saw that he was physically shaking.. and.. {was that.. did he just.. blush?} He couldn't remember the last time that he'd actually seen Dash be nervous about anything. And despite everything else that was going on, was he actually shy about having to remove the other's clothes? He went ahead and began cutting the shirt up the center, being careful to keep the fabric pulled away from the skin. Once the obstruction was out of the way, his eyes instantly gaped at the sight.

Danny's chest was heavily bruised, and there were small gashes and lesions covering the flesh. He didn't see anything that looked like bullet or stabbed wounds, and there were no bones coming through the skin, so those were all good signs. But what in the hell could have possibly happened to leave marks like this? Before he started to work on further assessing the damage, he decided to go ahead and give him a shot of morphine. He wasn't sure what all he was going to have to do, but he definitely didn't want to cause Danny anymore pain or discomfort than what he was most likely already feeling. 

He worked diligently, cleaning and dressing each wound. Dash assisted when he had been instructed to, but for the most part he had just kept his hands on Danny, his fingers gently tracing along the more damaged areas. He could see the fear and worry that was written all across his best friend's face and it really made him feel for the guy. He didn't know what had happened, but he did know that without a doubt, Dash truly did care for Danny.

Kwan looked up after the last bandage had been secured. "So... Want to tell me why you brought a bloody and blacked-out Danny Fenton to my house rather than taking him to the hospital like a normal person would do? ... How did you even end up with him, like this? You didn't kick his ass again and take things too far... did you?"  Kwan's voice went quiet. He didn't like thinking about his best friend like that. He knew the guy could be a jerk but.. No. He wouldn't have done this to anyone.. especially not to Danny..

When he saw the hurt expression on Dash's face, he instantly wished that he could take back what he'd said. He didn't mean to stab at his best friend, but now that Danny was stabilized and resting, he needed answers. 

***

Kwan wasn't sure that he'd heard him correctly. He didn't know how to respond to what he'd just been told, so he just sat there and stared in disbelief. {Did he really just say... there's no way... he can't be... how did I not fucking see this before?! Danny Fenton.. Danny Phantom.. oh for fuck sake, duh Kwan. Their names, their physiques, the fact that I've never seen them both in the same place at the same time.. And what should have been the biggest clue: The way Dash looked at both of them. I was there on both days when Dash saw Danny, as Fenton and then as Phantom, for the first time. Dash had gotten a look in his eyes, it was like everything had clicked for him and he'd suddenly been overrun with a plethora of emotions all at once.}

Dash had had feelings for both Danny's... Both sides of Danny for years now. And Kwan had kept his secret all this time. It didn't mean that Kwan didn't playfully tease him about it whenever he got the chance though. After-all, what are best friends for?

Kwan shook his head and grinned. "That actually does make so much more sense now that you've explained it. I still can't believe neither of us figured it out before now. And hey, at least this will make things easier for you, you'll no longer have to worry about crushing on two different people."

Dash drug his fingers down his face dramatically. "Uuugh you are totally the worst, Kwan." 

Kwan preened, he loved when he was able to actually poke-fun at his best friend. "That I am, but you wouldn't have me any other way."

*End Chapter Two*

Chapter Text

Chapter Three

"Mhm of course Mrs.Fenton, I'll let him know when he wakes up, please do enjoy the rest of your evening." Kwan hung-up the phone and grabbed a soda for Dash, and one for himself as well. He wandered back into the room and found that Dash was still sitting on the edge of the bed. He hadn't taken his eyes off of Danny since they'd arrived. Kwan thought it was rather endearing. He liked that he got to see this side of Dash, and he was glad that Dash felt comfortable enough around him to know that he didn't have to pretend to be anything or anyone other than himself. Now if only he could convince Dash that it was truly okay to be himself around everyone else.. But he knew that was as almost as much of a far-cry as Danny actually playing football with them.

"Okay. Pizza's ordered, Danny's parent's have been called, my parent's will be at work until Monday night and they never get upset if I have my friend's over to stay anyways, and we're off school for autumn break until after next week... So I think that covers everything."

Kwan tossed Dash one of the soda's before falling back into his chair. Dash quickly popped the tab on his can and downed half of the beverage before setting the can down. "What did you get on the pizza? Pepperoni? Bacon? Sausage?" 

Kwan raised a brow and looked over at Dash. {Sometimes he makes this far too easy..} "Yes Dash, I'm well aware that you have a deep-seeded love for meat.." He couldn't keep a straight face and ended up laughing loudly by the time he finished the sentence. 

Dash's cheeks flushed lightly, indicating that Dash had indeed caught on to the true nature of his friend's comment. "Kwaaan. I swear. You're horrible." 

Kwan snickered. "Hey, I've learned from the best. It's not my fault that you set yourself up as an easy target."

Dash rolled his eyes and let out a huff. "I still can't believe that Danny's parents actually bought your lame-ass story. I mean seriously, can you picture him going up against any of the other guys on our team? He would end up in worse shape than he's in now... And then I'd have to kill someone." Dash grumbled the last bit of his comment under his breath.

Kwan shook his head and looked over to his best friend, whom was damn near sulking at this point. "That may be true, but that doesn't mean that you don't think about having him on your team... in more ways than one." Kwan waggled his eye brows suggestively and Dash groaned. 

"Oh my god Kwan, I swear I'm this close to choking you out." 

Kwan couldn't resist himself...

"I'm flattered man, but you know I'm not into that."

He ducked just in time as a second roll of gauze was launched in his direction.

"But in all seriousness, yeah I know it wasn't the best excuse to tell his parents but it worked. And it has also worked at getting your mind reeling with thoughts of Danny actually turning the tables and showing some aggression towards you for a change, that or possibly him dressing up as your own personal cheerleader, that would be one game where you better score..."

Kwan was having so much fun at Dash's expense, he almost missed the knocking at the door. He quipped off one final thought before leaving a very flustered Dash behind as he went to pay for the pizza. 

*End Chapter Three*

Chapter Text

Chapter Four

An extra-large pizza, an order of cheesy bread, and two giant chocolate chunk cookies later, he and Dash were both stuffed to the point of misery. 

Kwan looked over at his friend as they worked on cleaning up their table mess and placing their dishes into the sink. He'd nearly forgotten that Dash was still covered in blood.. and some questionable green substance? 

He basically had to order the other jock to go take a shower. Though most would never believe it, Dash could be truly selfless at times. And that's when Kwan would have to step in and remind him that he had to take care of himself as well.

Kwan stopped by the living room to pick up the book that he'd been reading earlier that evening and then he made his way back to the guestroom where Danny was resting. He made himself comfortable in his chair before sitting back and becoming engrossed with the novel. He glanced up as he was turning the page and to his surprise, he saw hazy blue eyes curiously peering around the room.

{I wasn't expecting him to wake up this quickly. I know he has to be freaked out and definitely confused. I was hoping that Dash would be here when he woke.. but maybe this will give me a chance to.. well, do as I do and make sure everything falls into place.}

He and Danny spoke back and forth for a while. Discussing the events from the evening, some events from the past, and basically how both Danny and Dash utterly sucked when it came to expressing their feelings and emotions.

He wasn't super shocked to find out that Danny had been watching Dash for all of these years, just as Dash had been watching Danny.

Danny also pointed out the book that Kwan had been reading. Saying that his best friend Sam was also obsessed with Anne Rice's Vampire series. Kwan made a mental note of that. He didn't know many people, or anyone really whom shared his tastes in horror and fantasy literature. He thought that he actually wouldn't mind talking to her about it sometime. Because if things went as he very much so hoped they were going to go, Danny would be hanging around Dash and himself a lot more in the very near future. And that possibly meant that Danny's friends would be around more as well. Kwan didn't mind the sound of that, he'd spent more than enough days alone for his liking.

Almost as if he'd been summoned.. Kwan heard a loud 'cruuu-thud', a few backwards hopped steps, and then toppled in a very red-faced Dash. 

Kwan tried to contain his laughter but he failed miserably. Dash was always so smooth and on point around everyone else. It was amusing when he actually slipped up.

"Nice of you to.. drop in." 

And with that line, Kwan received a harmonious groan from both Dash and Danny.

Yep, those two were definitely made for one another.

*End Chapter Four*

Chapter Text

Chapter Five

Kwan watched in amusement as Dash and Danny exchanged a series of awkward looks, half-spoken sentences, goofy grins, and other various traits that you would generally associate with a teenage girl whom was obsessing over her idol.

He was about to come up with a reason to excuse himself when, to his surprise, Danny spoke up and asked for a few moments alone with Dash.

Kwan was more than happy to oblige. As far as he was concerned, it was about bloody time those two finally talked things out.

Kwan decided to take advantage of this time to do a little talking of his own. Danny had given him Sam's phone number and asked if he could call her and let her know what was going on and to tell her that he promised to call in the morning.

The call went pretty well... after Sam was finished yelling, freaking out, and then threatening his and Dash's lives. He had to admire her passion though. She cared a lot about her best friend, just as he cared about his. After all of the chaos and initial shock had settled, the two of them actually had a nice conversation about classic horror films vs new-age horror films, and of course he had to mention the Vampire series. Sam had genuinely seemed shocked, and maybe slightly impressed by his array of knowledge on the subject.

Kwan was just about to ask her if she'd possibly want to get together some time to watch Interview With A Vampire or Queen Of The Damned... when he heard a loud, increasingly fast-paced beeping sound coming from the other room. He smirked and apologized but said that he would be back in a moment. 

When he arrived back at the guest room, his assumptions had been proven correct. He hated to interrupt their fun.. but part of him also found it far too amusing not to. He stood in the doorway for a moment before coughing and stepping into the room. He unplugged the monitors and swung the cord around as he grinned. 

"It's about damn time you two finally hooked up, but next time, might I suggest not doing it whilst one of you is hooked to a machine that goes haywire with even the slightest increase of blood pressure or heart-rate hmm?"

He didn't wait for a response, he simply laughed and walked out into the hall, being sure to close the door behind him. 

He didn't believe in wishes, or luck, or destinies. He wasn't sure if there was a god or goddess or some other higher being. But he did know one thing. Whatever Dash and Danny had forming between them could only be described as one thing: It was fate.

*End Chapter Five*

- End Part One, Kwan's POV -