Danny Phantom x My Hero Academia Drabbles

Danny nodded, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. It’s never been a habit he’s been able to break. Even without the tick, though, he could tell Aizawa knew he was nervous. If it wasn’t written all over his face (which, let’s face it, it was), it was in his body language. He was too stiff, and his shoulders were up to his ears. He couldn’t keep his hands still, and his lip was becoming tender from chewing on it so much.

“Yeah,” Danny said, unable to meet his teacher’s eyes. “That’s why your power wouldn’t work on me.”

“Elaborate,” Aizawa said simply, tiredly, but not angrily. That gave Danny enough bravery to push on.

“I’m a quirkless accident. I mean-quirkless and was in an accident.” Aizawa looked unimpressed but he seemed to be more awake. Danny didn’t know if that was a good sign or not. Nevertheless, he continued. “My parents are ghost hunters and have a lot of ghost hunting equipment including a portal and I sort of died but not really and now I’m some weird mutation of the two.”

“So...You’re kind of like Schrodinger’s teenager?”

“Yes?”

“Okay,” Aizawa said with a shrug.

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

“You’re not...Upset?”

“I am, but not at you. You didn’t ask to be half dead. Besides, with parents as...Eccentric as yours, something like this was bound to happen sooner or later. I’m just glad that you’re safe and somewhat healthy, at least.”

Danny chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, and Aizawa narrowed his eyes.

“You are safe and healthy, right?” He asked, as if his tone of voice could simply will it into existence. And honestly, it was Aizawa. That card was still on the table.

“My parents may or may not have been arrested for child endangerment and neglect. So it’s just been me and Jazz.”

Aizawa sat there, eyes boring into Danny long enough for him to start sweating with nervousness. After a little while Aizawa closed his eyes and sighed before standing up to his full height. He radiated the same kind of protective aura that Frostbite did.

“I’ll make some calls. Then we can get you and your sister moved in. Yeah?”

“I-Wait, what?”

“You and your sister are going to live with me. I can’t just let you guys keep going on how you are.”

“Really?”

“I don’t say things I don’t mean, kid. Besides, now I’m well within my jurisdiction to get you a new pair of shoes, too.”

Danny was shell shocked, to say the least. He followed Aizawa to Nezu’s office, and then to the train station. It wasn’t until they were crossing the threshold of the Fenton household, where there was inedible food in the fridge and dangerous tools scattered across the house that he and Jazz both were too afraid to touch. Danny looked down at the ground, embarrassed.

But then Aizawa placed a hand on his shoulder, and squeezed it. It grounded Danny in a way that very few things could do. He sighed and looked up at his teacher.

“Thank you, Professor Aizawa.”

“Don’t mention it, kid.”

Chapter 2: Raw Power

Chapter Text

Smoke was billowing up from the buildings in large, black plumes that were making the reporter’s eyes water, but she didn’t dare look away. Nearly the entire block had been destroyed by this villain that seemingly only Phantom could beat, and right now things weren’t looking too good. She told the camera as much.

Every other hero that had come to help-Present Mic, Midnight, Cementoss-hell, even Eraserhead was seen flying around-were all put out of commission by this villain.

He called himself Plasmius. He was a vampire like man with pale blue skin, but as far as anybody could tell, he didn’t have any kind of blood quirk. In fact, his powers were more in line with what Phantom had shown them. Phantom said his quirk was ghost-could this man have the same kind of quirk? And if so would Phantom be able to defeat him?

---

Phantom wiped the ectoplasm out of his eye as he shakily stood back up. Most of the city had finally evacuated. He had originally been stalling, but it was taking all of his energy to not fall under Vlad’s boot. Over the years the man had become more fierce, desperate, even, to show Danny that he was the more powerful one between them. But Danny had one more trick up his sleeve, and now that there were no civilians in harm’s way, it was time to show him.

He waited until Plasmius was closer to him. Timing was key to this working like Danny needed it to.

His feet slid into a firm stance. Maybe he should phase his feet into the ground for more stability? No. Vlad was too smart for that. He would just have to prepare himself for the impact the old fashioned way.

Plasmius sneered as he glided closer and closer, his hands glowing with a menacing pink energy. He was saying something, but Danny’s coldn’t hear it over the blood rushing in his ears. If he didn’t win this fight everybody’s efforts will have been wasted, and Danny would not let that happen.

Plasmius lifted both of his hands, boiling over with hot ghostly energy that was radiating from him so much Danny could feel it from six feet away.

That’s when Danny struck.

Just as the blast was leaving Plasmius’s hands, Danny took a big breath, opened his mouth, and screamed.

Danny was always quick to anger. He was angry because Plasmius had hurt his friends, had hurt him. he was mad because Plasmius had destroyed these people’s homes, and he was mad that he did it all just to prove a point to Danny. Danny was boiling over with anger. There was a tangled knot in his chest that just got worse the more he pulled at it. Despite his ice core, he felt like his skin was boiling. He threw all of that at Vlad with his attack.

The damage from his Ghostly Wail was absolutely devastating.

The initial wave made Vlad’s hands extinguish themselves as he was thrown back. Vlad managed to find a perch in the ground, but it was hard for him to hand on because the ground was disintegrating right under his fingers as Danny screamed.

The buildings behind Vlad were in the shape of the sonic attack, and if he wasn’t so distracted by the force of the blast and his bleeding ears, he would have been able to see the green rings making their way past him.

The attack seemed to go on forever, and there wasn’t a single moment where it wasn’t full force.

Vlad, who had been airborne and holding on quite literally for dear life, fell the the ground just as suddenly as the noise stopped. The ringing in his ears was overwhelming. His whole body hurt, and everything was too bright. But he was no quitter. That much power would have had to wear the Little Badger down. Even though Vlad was severely injured, he would not lose.

Vlad picked himself up off of the ground. His arms were shaking as he pushed himself up. It seemed to take even more energy just to lift his head, and he regretted it almost immediately.

A glowing ball of hot energy was pointed directly for him, and before Vlad had any time to process this, the blast his him, and the world faded to black.

Danny was panting, and the rings were flickering in and out of existence. He was quite literally at the end of his rope, even as he knelt down and picked Vlad up in a fireman’s carry.

In the distance there was a bewildered reporter who no doubt ended up getting that on camera. He looked at her, and she looked at him. Slowly, without thinking, he let go of Vlad’s arm and raised a glowing hand into the air, bathing the destruction the fight had caused in an eerie but hopeful green light.

He could hear her cheers even from so far away. She hopped up and down in excitement as she reported to the camera.

Danny found that he had no energy left. It was taking all of his willpower just to stay standing let alone walking, too. He felt numb. The only thing he was able to do was watch as helicopters touched down. He let them take Vlad from him, and he let them look him over for injuries,. He had multiple, but it wasn’t anything Recovery Girl or his own healing wouldn’t be able to fix. The only real extensive damage he would have to deal with was his throat.

At one point when he was being surrounded by reporters, Eraserhead walked up. He had a bandage over his head and was walking with a crutch. He had managed to usher Danny out of the reporter’s prying eyes and into a little black car. Danny hadn’t said a single word, but Aizawa had known him long enough to know that Danny appreciated that more than words would ever let on.

As soon as the car door was shut, there was a blinding flash of light. Aizawa looked away, and when he looked back Danny was sitting there, black hair and blue eyes and a blank, exhausted face.

“You okay?” He asked.

“Yeah,” Danny said quietly. His voice was rough from the attack, and he flinched slightly when the noise passed his lips. “I’ll be okay.”

Chapter 3: Misunderstanding

Chapter Text

All Might watched as some weird person with some kind of multi-powered quirk wreaked havoc in the city. He was small, but judging from the damage done, he had power. And worse, he knew how to use it.

All Might sprung into action, and some of the other heroes sighed in relief. They were watching. The whole world was watching. They always did. So he plastered a big grin on his face.

"I am here!" He said as he came flying in, heading straight for the man. First thing first was get him away from the people if possible.

All Might flew towards him, fist pulled back. It should have made contact, but the number one hero just flew right past him. He had a lot of momentum in that punch, and almost got to enjoy the wonderful taste of asphalt. Luckily he used that momentum to turn around and regain his balance, and man, was he caught off guard.

Because there was a pair of surprised, green eyes staring back at him. But he didn't look menacing. He looked terrified.

Good.

All Might jumped into the air. As he stared to fall again, he pulled his fist back, harder this time.

"Detroit smash!"

His fist made contact, but the villain didn't crumble like any normal person would. The smoke lifted with the power of the punch, and some windows nearby broke with the force but the man under him was holding his fist, preventing it from making contact with his important parts. All Might stood there, fist clutched in the other one's hand, as the smoke cleared. Which, as far as All might knew, was impossible.

And as it did, he realized that this wasn't a man at all.

He was a boy.

He should have realized it sooner. Hell, he had been just as scrawny as him. He had white hair and some kind of jumpsuit, and he looked terrified because he was a child, and all of these pro heroes were attacking him.

"You-You stopped it?" All Might asked.

"Look, I'm sorry man, I don't understand what you're saying and all of this was just an accident and-"

"-Hey, woah, it's okay," All Might said, switching to English. "Here, why don't you just tell me what happened?"

"I-I just got to Japan, and sometimes when I'm stressed out my powers go haywire. I'm just-I'm just trying to find my new place and then I accidentally froze one of the stands, and then these heroes started chasing after me. I tried to tell them but none of them speak English."

"What's your quirk?" All Might asked as he took in the information. "You seem to be quite powerful for someone who doesn't know how to use it. It's not every day someone stops my Detroit Smash."

"Oh, uh...My quirk is Ghost. I have all the powers of a ghost, and then some."

That makes sense. He had never dodged the first punch. He just allowed All Might to go through him.

Weird.

"Okay, well, this was obviously all just a big misunderstanding. Why don't I just help you find your place, and then you can start getting better with your powers. Sound good?"

"Y-yeah," the boy said.

"What's your name?"

"Uh, Danny," he replied. "I already know who you are."

"Perfect!" All Might said, clapping a hand on the boy's shoulder before grabbing him around the waste. "Let's hop to it, then!"

Before Danny could protest, All Might was in the air. He seemed more worried about being grabbed than he did about being in the air. As All Might kept jumping from rooftop to rooftop, Danny tapped his shoulder.

"Uh, it's the other way, dude," he said.

Ah, right. All Might switched courses, and soon enough, he was dropping the teenager off at the top of his building.

"Thanks, man, I appreciate it. I guess I'll see you around," he shrugged.

"Stay in school!" All Might shouted gleefully at him.

And then he was hopping from building to building, leaving Danny on top of a building he had no normal way of getting off of.

It's a good thing he could fly.

Chapter 4: I'm Glad You're Still Here

Notes:

TW: Talk of attempted suicide

Chapter Text

Aizawa left out a soft whuff of air as he landed on the next rooftop. He was just a little too loud, his feet scuffling against the cement, but even if they hadn't this certain vigilante would have head him anyway. He always had a sort of sixth sense about him, always hyperaware of his surroundings. Even around friends.

He had been meeting up with the kid for a few months now, around the same time as these weird creatures started showing up out of nowhere. This vigilante, who insisted he be called Ghost, had appeared around the same time. He had given Aizawa a thermos to use on them. Once a week they switched them out. Ghost would take the full one and give him an empty. Aizawa had no idea where he put the captured ghosts, and he didn't quite have the energy most nights to care.

Whenever they met up Aizawa was usually met with bright eyes and a cheeky grin. He was a bubbly kid who craved positive attention, and Aizawa had grown attached, though he'd never admit it. Ghost reminded him of his students. Bright, with their whole future ahead of them.

This time, though...This time was different. Instead of the obnoxiously loud greeting, he was met with an unnerving stillness. See, Ghost was in some form of constant motion, whether it be flying lazily next to him or bouncing his leg while they ate the lunch that Hizashi packed for them occasionally. But there was no movement. No bouncing leg, no blinding smile. Hell, not even a flinch. It made the hairs on Aizawa's neck stand up.

He was sitting on the edge of the building, looking down at the empty street. He looked...Well, he looked like someone had died.

"I've thought about it, you know," he said after a few minutes of tense silence. Aizawa took this as permission to sit next to him. He left a few inches in between them though, because he didn't want to scare the kid off.

"What do you mean?" Aizawa asked quietly, matching the volume of the vigilante child next to him.

"About...Jumping. Or something else, another way."

So he saw the news. That's probably what this was about. There had been a small article about a nameless quirkless girl who had jumped. The article had been barely four sentences, and offered no genuine remorse for her death. The statistics for quirkless people, especially young quirkless people, weren't great. An estimated 25% of them committed suicide before they were thirty.

"I...I grew up quirkless," the boy said quietly, looking down at his gloved hands. They were shaking. "I...Everybody was against me. I was bullied everywhere I went. At school they would put spider-lilies on my desk and carve names into the wood. They would beat me up and I would get in trouble. They would...They would tell me to jump."

His voice cracked, and a quiet, steady stream of tears started falling. Aizawa resisted the urge to pull him into a hug. The boy was sensitive to unwanted touch, and in this critical moment, he didn't want to give him a reason to leave.

"But I didn't," his crying was evident through his speech now. It broke something in Aizawa, because he had been where this kid was. Before UA, before Hizashi, he had stood at the edge of a roof, toeing the line between life and death. At the time, he though stepping back had been cowardice. Now he realizes it's the opposite. But nobody in this boy's life had bothered to tell him that. "I didn't because I made a small promise every day. i told Jazz or my friends that I would see them tomorrow. And I-I tell them that every day so that I have a reason not to.

"And then-and then the accident happened," he was hiccupping as he talked, sucking in deep shaky breaths as tears streamed down his face. Though Aizawa was shocked by his sudden openness, it didn't show on his face. Especially with the talk of the accident. Months ago when they first met he had told Aizawa he was dead. Like, actually dead. But he had never said how, and Aizawa knew when not to pry.

"It really was an accident," he said, wiping his face roughly as he looked to Aizawa for the first time that night. His blazing green eyes bore into him, and Aizawa met them. He was not going to break, because for Ghost, this was important. He hoped his eyes told him that Ghost could trust him. That Ghost could tell him anything and he wouldn't breathe a word of it to anybody else, not even Mic.

He must have passed, because Danny broke their gaze and stared at his hands again. He took off his left glove, and Aizawa realized this is the first time he's seen him without them. He was having a lot of firsts tonight, it seemed.

There was a large scar, crisscrossing up his arm and back into the suit where it was hidden. It was like green lightning criss crossing through his system, starting at the palm of his hand.

"My friends and I...We were just messing around. My parents were working on a portal to the Ghost Zone, which is why there's been so many of them lately. It didn't work, and Sam wanted a picture, so I climbed inside. And then I tripped. And then I...I died. Because my parents were dumb enough to put the power switch on the inside. And the worst part is, I can't even yell at them about it, because I'd out myself if I did."

Ghost sounded tired. More then the usual exhaustion Aizawa was all too familiar with. This was something that went deeper than drowsiness. This is the kind of thing that led him to a rooftop he never jumped off of.

Without warning, there was a bright flash of light. Aizawa reflexively reared back, covering his eyes. When he opened them again, he was no looking down at this vigilante he had gotten to know pretty well over the past few months. He was looking at a child. A child.

He had a shock of black hair and eyes that were as blue as the sky. There was a scar over his lips from being busted open one to many times, and there was a collage of scars, ranging from size and color, running up and down his arms. A permanent reminder that he was treated worse that villains by his peers.

"I can't tell my parents," he said. "I know they love me, but...They love their work more. If I told them they might tear me apart "molecule by molecule," he said, using air quotes. This was something that he heard his parents say. "And it's frustrating because it was their stupid invention that ruined my life. It was their carelessness that made me think it was a good idea. I went into that portal for more than just shits and giggles and they don't even know because they never bothered to pay attention. Jazz has a telekinetic quirk, not one of intelligence or strength like they were hoping. No matter how smart she is, and she's the smartest person I know, she was never enough. And then I was born, and..." He sighed, allowing his shoulders to slump forward. Aizawa was tense, ready to catch him at a moment notice if he had to. "They weren't abusive. Just neglectful. But Jazz was always there. But I can't talk to her about it because the responsibility of my mental health should not be on her shoulders. But even if I could go to someone, there's nobody I could really talk to about dying."

"Kid," Aizawa said. "Neglect is abuse. How long has this been going on?"

"Forever," Ghost said. "I just...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have trauma-dumped like that. I just..." He had seen the article, and it had hit a little to close to home.

Without warning there was a pair of strong arms around him. He tensed, until he recognized the soft rumble of Eraserhead's voice. He doesn't even know what he was saying, but just the fact that Eraserhead cared about him so much despite the fact that he was a freak of nature made something in Danny snap.

The tears came in full force, rearing their ugly head as he buried himself in Aizawa's chest. He's about eighty percent sure that there's snot all over the front of his suit now, but neither of them could really bring themselves to care.

It took a while for him to calm down, but when he finally did, Aizawa still hadn't let go. He hadn't stopped talking, either, and now that Danny was tuned in to what the older man was saying, he couldn't help but be captivated by it.

"...third one's name is Doornail, but we call him Door for short. He's really stupid and likes to walk into walls. He gets along really well with Alpine though, who's the white shorthair I mentioned before. And-"

"How many cats do you have?" Danny asked him.

"Three," the pro said. "They're all the bane of my existence. I love them," he sounded amused. "Do you have any pets?"

"Just a ghost dog named Cujo," he replied.

Aizawa let Danny talk his ear off about the antics he and his dead dog got up to, and eventually the kid that Aizawa had met all those months ago was starting to appear again. He didn't look as tired, and he even gave a couple of laughs at the dry jokes Aizawa made. After he was done, there were a few moments of comfortable silence until Aizawa spoke again.

"What's your name, kid?" He asked.

"Danny," he said, because after all of that, there was really no reason why he couldn't trust the pro with that. "Danny Fenton."

"Well, I'm Shouta Aizawa. It's nice to officially meet you, Danny."

A few more minutes passed before Aizawa spoke again. It was soft, quiet. It was a promise. A promise just for Danny to hear.

"I'm glad you're still here."

Chapter 5: Death Day

Summary:

Headcanon that on their Death Day, ghosts relive their deaths. Like, Ember and Danny are just talking one day and Ember's whole body goes still and flames surround her as she relives burning alive (or however you headcanon her death.) So just imagine one day Danny is just casually talking but then all of a sudden he's getting his shit fucking rocked by electricity

Notes:

TW: Death

Chapter Text

It happened during a training session in first period.

Everything had been going perfectly fine, for the most part, which is why Aizawa should have know something was bound to happen.

The slightly cloudy day and light breeze was the perfect temperature to do some outdoor combat training. And Aizawa, because he didn't like to hold back, was not letting up at all.

He shouted advice from time to time, keeping an eye on all of his students, when his second favorite problem child caught his attention.

He had been sparing with Tokoyami. They had suddenly stopped as Danny threw a hand up, looking at his palm with terrified green eyes. Aizawa followed the boy's gaze. Hell, he could see it from here.

He was well aware of the boy's...Special circumstances, regarding his quirk. But he knew for a fact that he couldn't just pull more powers out of his ass, so the sudden appearance of green sparks in his palm was cause more than enough cause for action.

Aizawa was by his side in just moments, but by the time he got there it was already to late.

Aizawa barely managed to get Tokoyami out of the way as Danny suddenly became enveloped in green lightning. His eyes were blown wide, and his mouth wide open, though no sound came out. Not immediately anyway.

His body writhed in mid air, and he seemed to be stuck there, like he was in a trance. It was illogical to try and grab him, but Aizawa did anyway. Nothing happened through. He couldn't even feel the lightning. It just went right through him. The only thing he felt was a slight shiver running through wherever the lightning touched him. But it was very real, still, because if Aizawa could feel that, Danny was very obviously able to feel it tenfold.

His body was locking up and seizing, and now the whole class was watching but Aizawa honestly couldn't give two shits in that moment. This was going to end eventually, whatever it was, and the Aizawa wasn't hurt by the lightning, so he did the only thing he could think of.

Aizawa hugged him.

He pinned the boy's arms to his sides and held him as tight as he could. He almost pulled away when, at some point, Danny started screaming. It sounded all to familiar, and it sent chills down his spine. (Later, he would place it as the same sound that he heard whenever Danny used his Ghostly Wail.)

Eventually the screaming stopped, and Danny's body went completely limp. If it hadn't been for Aizawa holding him, he would have probably cracked his head open on the concrete.

He panted slightly as he lifted the boy up into his arms bridal style. This was definitely a cause to bother Recovery Girl.

"Class is dismissed," he told the crowd. His students all had worried or confused looks on their faces, but they knew better than to question him, thankfully.

After all, he had a medic to see.

--------

When Danny woke up, his whole body hurt. He had a splitting headache, and the bright lights were only making it worse. He felt sick to his stomach, and he was pretty sure if he moved any part of his body he was going to hurl.

"What hit me?" He asked. His voice was hoarse, and quiet, and his throat was on fire.

"Well, you gave everybody quite a scare, dearie," Recovery Girl told him. She held out a glass with a bendy straw in it, and Danny took it in his mouth. The water was cool and refreshing, but did very little to actually soothe the soreness of his throat.

His limbs felt like lead, and even just doing that took a lot of effort he didn't have the energy for. What had happened? He had been training with Tokoyami and then...Then...

"Danny," Aizawa asked him. His face was blank, but his body language told Danny he was worried. His shoulders were up to his ears, and his hair was messier than usual, like he had been running his hands through it nervously. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just...Just tired." It was more than just lack of sleep or a hard training session. It was like somebody had just sucked any kind of energy out of him like a vacuum, leaving a husk of a boy behind. Tired really didn't even begin to cover it.

"Do you remember what happened?" His teacher asked.

"Not really," Danny replied sheepishly.

Aizawa ran him through all the nitty gritty details, and the longer he spoke, the more pale Danny became. He had told Aizawa he was a halfa. It was to help Aizawa train him better, but also to provide a better understanding of his physiology just in case he got seriously injured in his ghost form. But he had never given Aizawa any kind of detail. He had just told him it was a lab accident and nothing more.

So it was very surprising to hear Aizawa describe it perfectly.

"What...What day is it?" He asked.

"April third," Aizawa replied. Danny sucked in a sharp breath. He had completely forgotten about it.

Ghosts, on their death days, relieved their death completely. Danny doesn't remember dying, not really. His brain either blocked it out, or it was just a byproduct of the electricity. He just had the memories of fire in his veins and being sore for a week after, and that was it.

He explained as much to Aizawa, and then some. He stuttered and cried and nearly had a panic attack as he did so because reliving his death twice in one day was a lot, but Aizawa seemed to know when he was at his limit, because as Danny was about to explain more, he cut him off and told him to get some rest.

And how could Danny resist that? God, he was just so tired.

With his teacher by his side as he drifted off, he was comforted by the fact that he would eventually wake up.

Chapter 6: Something to be Said

Chapter Text

There's always something to say about the way a hero moves without thinking. Throwing themselves in the heat of the battle just to save one life, even if it means they have a high possibility of forfeiting theirs.

Nedzu has seen this quality in many heroes. All Might, of course. The Symbol of Peace wasn't a term coined lightly. And of course the rest of his staff. Some of the kids they taught at U.A. had this quality as well. Not every hero had it, but those who did ended up changing the world, and almost always it was for the better.

He saw that quality in the child that ran in front of him.

He had been grocery shopping for an office party. They had one at the end of the year, just to celebrate a new generation of heroes being sent out into the world to protect and serve. It was a simple celebration where they were able to drop their masks and be human under their hero personas.

It was a simple grocery run for a simple celebration.

Or at least, it was supposed to be.

As he was walking out of the store, there was the sound of screeching tires, the smell of burnt rubber, and the screams from terrified civilians. Nedzu barely had any time to react. He saw the large black van coming straight towards him, but there was no way he could get out of the way in time.

Luckily he didn't have to.

He felt a cold rush down his spine, seeping into every part of his being as a teenager clad in black stepped through him. He grabbed the front of the van and stopped it in its tracks. He stood tall and firm, not letting his planted feet move even an inch.

Then, without warning, ice shot from the bottoms of the boy's feet, encasing the tires completely so that the driver could no longer move.

And then he turned around.

There was something to be said about a lot of things. The familiarity of the boy. The stench of decay lightly coating him. The familiar, piercing green eyes he's sure he's seen somewhere before. Back in the days Nedzu has made a great effort to forget. Humans had hurt him, had torn him apart little by little before putting him back together again.

From the looks of it they had done the same to this boy, who knelt down to look Nedzu in the eye.

"Are you okay?" He asked. Worry creased every line in the boy's face. He seemed completely unharmed, and unconcerned about using his quirk without a license.

"Why, I'm perfectly fine. Thank you for your help, young man," Nedzu said. "Say, how old are you? Obviously too young to have your license, yes?"

The boy stood up and sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah. But I couldn't just let you get hit. And I didn't want to crush you by tackling you. You're small, and I'm still learning how to control my str-"

Nedzu smiled, amused as the boy started to uncontrollably sink through the ground. He grabbed onto the nearby bench, clutching it like his life depended on it. He pulled himself up, only having to wait for a moment to put his feet back onto the ground.

"It seems like you have a lot of control problems," Nedzu said. "The school year for U.A. has ended, but I would love to see you apply this upcoming year. If, of course, being a hero is something you'd like to do."

There was a spark in those toxic eyes that Nedzu looked into. Not only did this boy want to be a hero, he was absolutely starving for it.

And there was something to be said about that, as well.

"I'll see you then. And I'll have my powers more under control."

"It sounds very promising, indeed. Now, it would be a shame if I just turned my head and you were gone, yes? Wouldn't want the police to have to question a child, of course. Oh, and the paperwork. How terrible."

The boy grinned down at him before giving him a two-fingered salute, and disappearing into thin air.

Multiple quirks, seemingly unrelated to each other.

Something to be said, indeed.

Chapter 7: Father Figure

Chapter Text

Danny's never had a good father figure.

Sure, he's got his old man. But his old man ignores him because he's not smart enough. Not into the same stuff as him. Is overall pretty average.

Well, below average, if you take into account that he was born quirkless.

It was the modern day scarlet letter.

And Danny knew his dad loved him. But only when it was convenient. It was only when Danny could give him something. Only conditional. And, well, he had learned a long time ago from his sister that that wasn't real love.

He had hoped, growing up, he'd find some sort of father figure in a teacher. In daycare there had been Mr. Lancer, and he had never treated Danny differently, even after the diagnosis. Danny sometimes kept in touch with the man, but it was nothing more than a few emails here and there. And so far, there hasn't been a single other teacher who was willing to give him the time of day. Or the encouragement he needed.

They only reprimanded him for fights he never started.

So when he got his powers through a freak accident, he couldn't just come out as a late bloomer. He couldn't tell his parents. Not really, anyway. He could just say he was in gen ed, or support course. They'd never believe him if he actually told them he got into the hero course with a quirk that showed up overnight. A quirk that was suspiciously supernatural.

So he didn't talk to them, and they were more invested in their work than they were in him, so it worked out pretty well.

He hadn't been expecting anything different when he came to U.A.

All his life the teachers turned the other way as new scars appeared on his body. They scoffed at his good grades and gave him detention for cheating on the basis of just not being enough. He expected similar treatment.

Because of the biases he had walking in, he ended up butting heads with multiple teachers. They listened to him, and they were more fair than any other teachers he's ever had, but there was that lingering sense of wrongness. He was waiting for the other shoe to drop. For them to berate him in front of the whole class, for them to give him detention on a whim even though he had a quirk now, he wasn't useless anymore. He was being seen for the first time since he was four years old and terrified.

He had been having a bad day.

He woke up late because of another sleepless night (Pariah this time, but instead of winning, Pariah disintegrated half his face like Shigaraki almost had during the USJ incident). Because he overslept he skipped breakfast, and as much as he hated to admit it, he was hangry. And then to add to the frustration, he had received a test back that he had studied an entire week for, only to barely pass. It was all...Overwhelmingly frustrating, when he poured his heart and soul into everything and still came up short. He still wasn't good enough.

So by the time they came to practicing outside, and he had accidentally gotten too close to Bakugou, things were bound to go bad. Usually he would just brush the brash blonde off but today, with Bakugou's nerve-grinding attitude and his lack of a filter because he was tired and hungry, he snapped back.

It had gone from practice to a fight pretty quickly. Danny was used to not fighting back, though. When it came to his peers, it was instinctive. He had a nasty burn on his shoulder for his trouble. However, it didn't burn nearly as bad as Aizawa's eyes did, boring into his fucking soul while he stood in front of his teacher's desk.

He had been here to many times to count. In front of a teacher's desk, waiting for punishment for something he never started. And yeah, he should have handled better. He fucking knew that. But his patience was wearing thin, and he was exhausted. He just wanted his punishment to be over with already.

"Fenton," Aizawa started with a sigh. Already off to a great start, "Are you doing okay?"

Out of all the things Danny had been expecting, that hadn't been it. The only teacher he never had a problem with was Aizawa, because Aizawa left him alone. He was always too busy putting Midoriya back together to notice him. Or so he had thought, anyway.

"'m fine," he shrugged, not meeting his teacher's gaze. Aizawa just raised an eyebrow.

"You look tired. And your grades have been slipping. You look thinner than usual, and instead of poking fun at Bakugou like you usually do you get into a fight with him. Obviously something is happening."

Danny looked down at the ground. There was a green stain on the trim of his shoe from when he had dug a bit too deep into the ground a week ago during training. He hadn't had the time to clean it.

He hadn't had time for a lot of things. Like sleep, or food, or just positive social interactions. He was exhausted and so, so overwhelmed and frustrated. And the more he thought about it, the more hot his face got. He could feel the familiar sting of tears behind his eyes, but he forced them back.

"You don't have to talk to me," Aizawa said. His voice was calm, soft, but it was just a glaring reminder about how much Danny sucked. Of course he was the only student to be fucking coddled. Why couldn't he just get the punishment over with. "There are other resources at school if you're having a hard time. But obviously something is bothering you. It always helps to talk to someone about it. And yes, it's personal experience I'm speaking from."

It was a piss-poor attempt at being funny, Danny knew, but he didn't have the energy to laugh. Because Aizawa couldn't be more wrong. He couldn't go to anybody about what he's going through because nobody would understand.

They wouldn't understand the paralyzing fear he got whenever he got too close to Kaminari when he used his quirk, and they didn't understand his ghost nightmares mixing in with his hero nightmares and they didn't understand that his parents loved him but not really and they didn't understand that he hasn't had a good teacher he could trust since he was four, they just didn't understand, they-

He doesn't know how he ended up on the floor. Maybe his legs had given out. maybe it was Aizawa who led him, considering he was leaning in front of Danny. God, was he having a panic attack? Fucking useless-

"You're not useless," Aizawa said firmly. It was more than just a comforting statement. From Aizawa it was an absolute. And it was just enough for Danny's brain to kickstart itself back into reality.

His face was hot and wet with tears he had finally shed, though he didn't remember it. Aizawa was doing these deep breaths, and Danny did his best to match. It was comforting, and grounding.

Eventually he came back to his senses. He was exhausted, and he really didn't want to get up.

"Are you okay?" Aizawa asked him softly after a few more minutes. Danny just shrugged, and without thinking, asked, "Why do you care?"

Aizawa seemed taken aback. It was an illogical question, and Danny regretted it the second he spoke it, but the filter between his brain and his mouth was paper thin and virtually useless.

"Would you like to elaborate?"

"No, not really."

Aizawa just gave him a look, and Danny knew that whatever Aizawa was offering, it was genuine. But Danny didn't let himself hope like that. He had been scorned to many times to be hopeful like that.

"I just...I'm, a, uh, late bloomer," Danny started. "For a long time people thought I was quirkless." Aizawa's eyes widened just a fraction, but Danny was perceptive enough to catch it. It was basically a death sentence. The survival rate of quirkless kids his age was absolutely abysmal. He had the stats memorized like the back of his hand. "The teachers don't take to kindly to quirkless individuals."

Aizawa was always grumpy, but usually there was something else with it. Sometimes annoyance. Sometimes sleepiness. Once Danny thought it was even fondness. But the only expression Aizawa was giving Danny was pure, unadulterated anger.

"What?" He asked, short and sharp like a hot knife in his side. Danny couldn't help but flinch.

"I-I'm sorry, I won't speak ill of any teachers again. I just-"

"I'm not mad at you, kid," Aizawa said with a tired sigh. He didn't look as angry as he had a second ago, but the line of tension in his shoulders was still pulled tight. "I'm mad at the people who hurt you. I'm mad at the people who didn't protect you from being hurt."

All Danny could do was stare at his teacher. Aizawa never lied. Sometimes he pulled logical ruses, but he never, ever lied. Aizawa worked in absolutes, and this was one of them. It was enough to make Danny's brain bluescreen.

"You're...Not mad?" He asked. He hated how small his voice was.

"I'm worried," Aizawa told him. Another absolute.

Danny didn't know how to process that.

Eventually he was fine enough to stand. He talked vaguely about what it was like growing up quirkless, with abusive peers and neglectful parents. He hinted at his sleepless nights due to his nightmares, but he wasn't quite ready for that yet. He felt like his exoskeleton had been peeled away like a scab, exposing the raw, sensitive skin underneath. He was exposed, and it was uncomfortable.

But it was a step.

Eventually, he thinks, he'll open up more. Hell, maybe he'll even tell Aizawa about the origin of his supernatural quirk, and why it was quite literally life and death as to why he couldn't tell his parents. But for now, he could start with the mistreatment he endured in a space that was designed to make him feel safe.

Aizawa had become a father figure he hasn't had since he was four. he was filling a void Danny hadn't even known he'd had. He was just hoping he could keep it.

He clutched onto Aizawa's kindness like a lifeline, and he wasn't planning on letting go anytime soon.

Chapter 8: A Whole New World

Summary:

What about Danny fresh from the accident with no handle on his power just being spat out at ua? Like I'm talking the accident happened but instead of walking back out into the lab he just is in a classroom and everyone is speaking g japanese.

Chapter Text

When Danny had finally come to, he had been expecting the cold interior of the ineffective ghost portal. Instead, he was met with indescribable pain and a homeless man leaning over him.

He inhaled sharply as he scooted as far from the man as he possible could. Who was this guy? How did he get in the basement? Where in the fuck are Sam and Tucker?

The man was speaking to him. It was a low, soft growl that Danny knew was supposed to be comforting. It wasn't English, though.

Japanese, his mind supplied. He knew enough to recognize it, but not enough to speak it. Years of endlessly watching anime was wasted, apparently.

"What the fuck is going on?" He asked. His heart, terrified as he was, was thankfully pretty calm. He had no idea how, but he wasn't about to question it.

"You speak English?" The man asked. Danny nodded, and the man continued. "I'm the pro hero Eraserhead. Are you okay?"

There was an implied are you safe? But Danny was too focused on the other words that had come out of Mr. Hobo's mouth. A pro hero? Heroes weren't a thing. They were from comic books and cartoons. They weren't supposed to be able to lean over him and ask him if he was okay.

Danny gave a shaky nod, as he looked around. He was nowhere near his house. And if Japanese was what he had been greeted with, he probably wasn't even near Amity.

When Danny looked around he was met with twenty pairs of eyes, all staring at him in disbelief. And he knew he was hallucinating. This had to be a bad dream because pink girls and eight-armed boys were a thing of fiction. At least, they were supposed to be.

There was a sturdy hand on his shoulder, and his head whipped back to-what was his name- Eraserhead? If that was his hero name he seriously felt bad for the guy. His PR was not doing him any favors.

"Can you stand?"

Danny gave him another nod before shakily getting up with the help of Mr. Hobo.

From the terrain alone, it was obvious he was in a school. Because of course he was. Even on weird days he always ended up here. There were long, confusing hallways with classrooms and the occasional Halloween-dressed faculty member passing by.

"Where are you taking me?" Danny asked.

"To Recovery Girl to make sure you're okay. What's your name, kid?"

"Uh...Danny. Where-Where are we?"

"Were at U.A," Eraserhead answered. "It's a prestigious school to train young heroes."

"Train heroes? What do you mean?"

He got an eyebrow raised at him for that. Were superpowers normal here?

"Well, the hero business is extremely competitive and selective so to combat that and to properly train them, we teach high schoolers how to hone in their quirks, as well as other basic necessities for being a hero."

"Uh...Okay. Can I ask one more question?" At Eraserhead's silence, he continued. "What's a quirk?"

Eraserhead turned fully to him now. His eyes were narrowed with suspicion. "What do you mean? you obviously have one. I mean, even if it's just the eyes, I'm pretty sure only a quirk can make them glow."

"What? My eyes aren't glowing," Danny told him. But he was quickly proven wrong.

As they made it to Recovery Girl's room, and after she had fussed over him and kissed his hand for good measure, Eraserhead pulled out a very high tech piece of technology that would have had Tucker absolutely drooling.

He stared back at himself, and didn't recognize him.

Instead of the blue eyes and dark hair he looked at every morning, he was met with white hair and toxic green eyes. He almost thought it was a joke at first, but the movements of the stranger were mirroring his perfectly.

Eraserhead seemed to know what was happening, considering he pushed Danny back onto the bed. Danny's breathing became labored and he became unfocused. What had happened? How could-

The portal.

Eraserhead had said something about him coming out of one. What had happened? The last thing he remembered was going in, and posing for a picture. And then he tripped, and then...

White hot pain.

Danny looked down at his gloved, left hand. That's where it had stemmed from. It's what hurt the worst, even after Recovery Girl's treatment. With a shaky hand he pulled the glove off, and gasped at what he saw.

Starting from his palm, electric-green was crisscrossing all over his hand and up into his sleeve. He didn't need to pull it back to know it covered his whole arm. Maybe even his whole body.

"Am I...Am I dead?" He asked. It was more to himself, as a realization. He hadn't been expecting an actual answer from Recover Girl.

The answer was no, of course. But he might as well have been. Almost no heartbeat. He was unnaturally cold, and the blood she had taken from him was green, not red, which was not correct.

"Where did you say you were from?" Eraserhead asked him. He hadn't said, but if Eraserhead was phrasing the question like that, he knew it must be pretty serious.

"I'm from Amity Park, Illinois. I was in a lab accident in my parent's basement. They're inventors, you can look it up. They're names are Jack and Maddie Fenton."

"We'll see what we can find."

-------

"That's...Impossible," Danny said, staring at his hands in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, but there is no Jack and Maddie Fenton, or an Amity Park in Illinois. Not since before the pre-quirk era, anyway."

While Eraserhead had gone to do some research and call some people, Recover Girl had patiently explained what quirks were, and how the world worked. The pre-quirk era, he knew, was before super powers.

"Nobody had superpowers. There were no superheroes, where I'm from," he had told her.

Hearing that particular news from Eraserhead, though. It was devastating. And he didn't know how to handle it.

Maybe it was the news. Maybe it was the emotionally taxing day. But Danny was exhausted, and he quite literally could not take any more of this. He just wanted to go home, with his cool mom and his loud dad and his overbearing sister. he wanted to see Sam and Tucker again. Hell, he'd even let Dash bully him if it meant he got to go back. But now that there was no Amity, and he had somehow ended up in the fucking future of all things, his options were looking very slim to none.

White rings split Danny in half. All he could do was yelp and stand up as the rings went opposite directions, encasing him in a bright light before suddenly disappearing.

He was back in his normal street clothes. He made grabby hands at Eraser, who held up his phone ("that's a cell phone?"). He was staring back at his normal self. Black hair, blue eyes.

"I should have never gone into that stupid portal," he said tiredly, sitting back on the bed. "If I can't even keep the superpowers then what's the point?"

"You mean the portal you came through?" Eraserhead asked. Danny shrugged.

He explained his parent's profession, which Eraserhead made less embarrassing than normal, and he had explained going into the portal. it wasn't supposed to turn on but-how had it? Right. His parents put the power switch on the inside. That's what his hand landed on when he had tripped and...Died.

He was dead. Half dead? Half ghost? Could he change back?

Just at the mere thought the rings came again, and gave him the weird white hair and echoing voice. Death was permanent. He knew that. So the same could be true for a half-death, right?

"Oh my god, dying gave me superpowers," he said. And all because of the portal.

The portal.

There was something he was missing, wasn't there? He had learned everything about ghosts because his parents had forced him to. The portal was supposed to go to this place they called the Ghost Zone. That's where they resided in their afterlives. What if their theories hadn't been wrong? And if that's the case, if he could manage to get back into the Ghost Zone, he could probably manage to get back home. If it took him forward in time, it only made sense to allow him to go back as well. Like Newton's law, or something. (He really needed to pay more attention in class.)

He explained all of this to Eraserhead, who had given him a shrug and a half-hearted, "It might be possible."

That was all Danny needed though. If he could somehow recreate the portal, he could make it home. He was sure of it.

After all, he had people waiting for him.

Chapter 9: The Sports Festival

Summary:

If you're up to it, can we get more Danny in UA? Like maybe something from the sports festival? I wanna know how people would react to him and his Quirk

Chapter Text

Danny knew Sam and Tucker were probably laughing at him but he couldn't care less at the moment.

The Sports Festival was something he'd been training for for forever, and as soon as he had the opportunity to show off what he could do, the fucker Todoroki froze him and two dozen other students.

Thank god for intangibility.

He got out quick enough, and met up with the robots. Todoroki was a powerhouse, freezing them to gain the upper hand with the other students. They toppled with no problem. He saw one land on Kirishima and some guy from 1-B, but the other he decimated himself with a large, powerful ectoblast.

Instead of being caught in the stampede, he jumped into the air and activated his flight. He was fast, and it would help him get across the large chasm that spanned at least a mile wide. He was going so fast that the wind was pulling at his peers as he flew past them.

As he was about halfway over the chasm he felt something latch onto his ankle. How though? He was higher than anybody could jump.

He looked down, and saw a girl with pink dreads cackling wildly as she used him to hitch a ride to the end. He grit his teeth at the cable digging into his ankle. His hand lit up green, and he gripped the end of it, letting it melt away. He slowed down enough to do it where the girl wouldn't be hurt. If she made it to the next few rounds, she was definitely going to be in for it.

Just as he was about to fly into the next obstacle, he was blasted from under him. He hadn't managed to catch himself in the air, and landed hard on the ground.

His ears were ringing and his breath was caught in his throat, but he didn't have time to think about that as he was non-lethally blown up.

Danny was on his knees now, coughing and gagging at the smoke. Through the tears in his eyes he saw Bakugou and Todoroki slamming into each other as they avoided the land mines set in place.

Bakugou, Danny thought bitterly as he stood up. Why am I not surprised?

Going into the air like that with Bakugou in the lead was a bad idea, so he ran instead, throwing up his intangibility instead. As the other students around him triggered the mines, none of them phased him. His lungs were still on fire from the one he had set off, but it wasn't enough to keep him from catching up to the other two.

As he neared them, his feet pounding against the ground, he threw a few ectoblasts at their feet. He made Bakugou stumble, but he unfortunately didn't fall. The bastard.

There was a loud explosion-louder than the rest of them so far. He only had a few seconds to react as Midoriya of all people skated by on a piece of scrap. He smacked the ground with it, igniting more bombs that Bakugou and Todoroki briefly got caught up in. Danny sprinted past, nearly flying.

Midoriya beat him by just a couple of seconds.

But he had gotten in front of Bakugou, so it was still a win.

----

For the next event, he had decided to team up with He ended up being the rider for Jirou, Sato, and Koda. He could make himself lighter with his flight, thus increasing their speed, and it would be the easiest for him to steal headbands with his specific powers. Not only that, but since everybody was holding him, he was able to extent his invisibility and his intangibility to them.

Because of these reasons, the first thing he wanted to do was go after Bakugou.

He had turned them invisible, and when they got closer, intangible as well. He insisted they run through the team, and when they did, Danny stole all of the headbands from them.

They did this to several other teams, using Danny's quiet instructions to enact sneak attack after sneak attack. And since nobody could touch them, it was a piece of cake.

Too bad Bakugou made it to the finals, though.

------

His first fight was against Ibara. She was a girl from class 1-B with the power to control her vine hair. She had a very 'holier than thou' way of speaking, and acting, and it made Danny feel gross. He would end this quickly.

After some sort of speech (he hadn't been paying attention to it), she shot her fines at him.

They were completely encasing him, squeezing him tighter and tighter, but he had been prepared. He had covered himself in a skin-tight suit to avoid the thorns from her vines. As soon as they were around him, he expanded the shield so fast that the force threw her back.

"You're gonna have to try harder than that," he said. "My best friend has a plant quirk, too."

That seemed to piss her off enough to charge at him. She went at him with her hair, teeth bared. He slid his foot back, bracing himself.

Only for her to lunge at him, and pass right through him. Like his teacher would say, it had been a logical ruse.

Ibara quite literally threw herself out of bounds.

The crowd cheered, and there was some casual commentary about his strategy from Aizawa (it was funny that he thought Danny had one), and a very excited Presentation Michael all but screaming into the microphone.

His next fight was with Ida.

The first thing he tried doing was running in circles around him. Since he couldn't touch him, the next best thing to do would suck the oxygen out and make him pass out. It was quite clever, and it would have worked on literally anybody else.

After all, ghosts didn't need to breath.

Ida was careful to keep Danny in the very center as the air grew thinner and thinner. Danny slowly walked closer and closer to the white line that marked the out of bounds area. had Ida noticed? Probably. If not, well, there were some good old fashioned tricks he had up his sleeve.

As soon as he felt like they were close enough, Danny lunged forward, tripping he speedster. He skid to a halt, just barely avoiding the lines of the stage. Damn, he really thought he had him with that one.

Danny rushed forward one more time, and pushed Ida hard in the side as he was standing back up. He shot his class president an apologetic look as the horn rang and Danny was declared the winner. He almost felt bad. Ida had a lot riding on this.

But then again, so did Danny.

His next fight was with Todoroki. Danny knew he couldn't keep playing around. This one...This fight was serious.

Todoroki started out like he did almost every fight. With a Heaven Piercing Ice Wall. Danny had been expecting it though, and had braced himself with his own.

Ice wasn't one of his strong suits, but against another ice user it only made sense. Especially since he was apparently using his left side now, too.

"Shoto!" He heard a guttural yell from the stands. Danny looked over at Endeavor leaning over the railing so far he was at risk of falling. "Don't disgrace me!"

Before Danny could unpack that, and before he could turn his head back around, Todoroki attacked him.

He managed to get a pretty lucky shot in. It had the force of fire and ice behind it, and it sent Danny flying. He smashed into one of the giant ice walls, creating a crater. He needed to focus! Ignore the hero, focus on the fight.

Between the continued distraction from the #2 hero and the massive headache he had now, Danny almost didn't dodge in enough time. He quickly flew into the ice as Todoroki's ice-covered fist slammed into the ice where Danny's head had just been. He looked pissed. it seemed as though his father was a distraction to them both.

Danny flew out of the ice and grabbed Todoroki around the waist. He needed to end this quickly. He needed to-

Blinding white pain erupted in the back of Danny's head. he needed to stay tangible to move Todoroki but in doing so it made him open to attacks.

There was another hit in the same spot, and Danny was seeing spots. The force of the two attacks sent Danny into the ground. His grip loosened, and Todoroki managed to climb on top of Danny mid air, and used him as a springboard to get away from the quickly approaching white line.

The force of Todoroki's foot pushing off the back of his head sent him straight into the ground.

He landed hard, bringing up a mountain of cement and dirt and other gross things with him. His vision was incredibly blurry from the multiple head injuries he sustained, and there was a loud, insistent ringing in his ears.

He squeezed his eyes shut in pain, and when he opened them again Midnight and Cementoss were standing above him with mildly worried expressions on their faces.

"Looks like a concussion," Cementoss said. "Don't fall asleep, okay? Recovery Girl will patch you up soon."

Danny could only groan in response. Soon enough he was being lifted onto a stretcher and carried away.

God, he had come so close.

Now he wasn't going to be able to fight Bakugou on national television for another year.

Chapter 10: Control

Chapter Text

The wind whipped around violently, pushed and pulled by the swarms of ghosts wreaking havoc across the city. There was a reporter no the scene, and though her technology was being screwy, she was still able to report what was happening.

It was like nothing the city had every scene. Pro hero Phantom, King of Ghosts, going on an unprovoked rampage. They couldn't not put it on the news.

"Phantom!" All Might had to shout to even be remotely heard over the wind. "Why are you doing this?!"

"Because I want to show you all what real power looks like!" He shouted back, a wicked grin on his face. His eyes were a piercing red instead of the familiar green All Might had come to know as friendly. There was something off about his voice tough. It was certainly Danny speaking, and the echo from his voice was sending chills down All Might's spine. But there was something else. "Face it, All Might." In the blink of an eye Danny was in front of him, gripping him by the underside of his face, slightly choking him. All Might weighed a lot, he knew. It was terrifying how easily Phantom picked him up. "You're outclassed."

With very little windup, Phantom threw All Might. He crashed into one of the buildings, going through several walls before finally stopping. Thankfully the city had been mostly evacuated. The rest were at the edge of the city, getting out of harm's way.

But All Might's hunch was right. There was somebody else's voice on top of Phantom's. Something making his eyes red and his heart black. He pressed down on the com in his ear and told everybody on the other side.

All might grunted as he walked out of the building covered in dust and rubble. Endeavour was looking up at Phantom, a look of utmost concentration on his face. When All Might walked up to him, he still didn't look over.

"Someone is controlling him," All Might said, giving Endeavor a spare com link. He put it into his ear and it crackled as it came to life.

"Do we know by who?" Endeavour asked. All might shook his head. "Do you have a plan then?"

"Contain. We just need to get close enough to him to knock him out."

"You do realize he is a ghost, right," Endeavor asked. "How are we going to contain him?"

"With this."

The two top pros turned around, only to find a lesser hero walking up behind them. She was holding a thermos in her hand.

"Who are you?" Endeavour asked.

"Red Huntress. If you wanna be protected by the other ghosts then wear these, and to punch him, these." She handed over a couple of belts and gave each a pair of high tech gauntlets.

"How do you know so much about his weaknesses?" All Might asked.

"I'm his wife. Now get moving gentlemen."

Red Huntress jumped in the air and a hoverboard appeared from her feet. She shot off into the air without another thought.

All Might and Endeavour nodded to each other before jumping into the fray themselves. Hopefully they could get Huntress close enough to use the thermos.

---------

"Red Huntress is on the scene," Present Mic whispered. Eraserhead only nodded. Valerie had told them who was pulling the strings. It was an old foe of Danny's, back from his early ghost days. He had almost taken over the world, but then Danny made everybody forget. It was a whole thing. And now that Danny was a full fledged king and in charge, well, that kind of power was not so easily stoppable. Or controllable.

The abandoned Circus Gothica had several screens, all tuned in to the same news station covering the fight between Phantom and the top pros. Best Jeanist and Mirko had finally made an appearance, and Midnight and Snipe were quickly en route.

They were able to see Phantom fighting, however subtle it may be. He could easily kill any single on of the pros, no matter how durable they are, but he was holding back. He looked like he was grinding his teeth together, trying to prevent his mouth from opening. Knowing the kind of damage Phantom could do with his voice, he was glad his colleague was still in there somewhere.

Before making it to the main tent, Eraserhead and Mic made sure all of their ghost tech was working. They had the belts and gauntlets, along with a couple thermoses of their own. It was strange that they hadn't ran into any ghosts so far. It was obviously a trap.

But Freak Show was in there. He had the staff that was controlling Danny. No matter what they had to destroy it.

Sneaking into the tent was easy enough. There weren't any stands like a normal circus, so their only cover was the shadows and the occasional curtain. It seemed to be enough, though, as Freakshow was preoccupied.

"No, no, no!" He was shouting at a few ghosts. "I told you I wanted the TV over here! And the camera has to be over here. I want the world to see that that stupid brat is under my control. That I can make him take down countries if I really wanted to. Everybody will kneel to me. But none of that will happen if you can't follow instructions!"

The ghosts, neither of which they recognized, had the decency to look a little ashamed. The only one he wasn't yelling at was the bald one with tattoos. He seemed to be really fond of her.

As he talked he waved his arms around, and in his grip was the staff they were after. The more he waved it, the most the ghost seemed to be agitated. The tattooed ghost tapped on his shoulder and pointed to the screen, where Phantom was on his knees, actively fighting the control. Freakshow snarled and gripped the staff tighter. It seemed to be taking a great amount of concentration to keep Phantom under his thumb.

Mic sent him a raised eyebrow, and Eraser nodded his head, but before either of them could move, rough hands came from below, grabbing their ankles, and pulled them underneath the earth.

--------

"Phantom! Come on, I know you're in there!" Red Huntress yelled. He mask had been torn, so she had taken the whole thing off. Her large, curly hair blew around her violently, but the headband stayed strong. Danny looked at her with unseeing red eyes.

"Ah, I know you," he said in a voice that wasn't his own. "You're the girlfriend. Well you'll soon be able to join your little pro hero friends."

Danny lunged forward and lifted her into the air by her throat. His hand was shaking, like he was fighting against an invisible force. His hand acted like it wanted to squeeze her head off, but Danny- her Danny-was fighting it. Just like she knew he could.

She had dropped the thermos somewhere. Or maybe Danny had destroyed it, she couldn't quite remember. Either way she couldn't rely on it. Or anybody. All of the pros that had come to help were out of commission. Not dead, thankfully. Another sign that Danny was still in there fighting.

"Danny..." she choked. How had he been snapped out of it last time? He had mentioned being shocked out of it, when Valerie had kissed him for the first time. He was able to beat Freakshow after that. But kissing wouldn't shock him. What would, though? Think, Val, think!

"Danny," she gasped, trying to lessen the pressure on her throat. "I'm-I'm pregnant!"

The hand on her throat loosened, and she crumpled to the ground. His eyes were flickering between red and green, fighting for control. It wasn't enough to overcome it, but it was enough to give him a leg to stand on.

Valerie kept talking. She had found out the news a few days prior, and was trying to plan the perfect date to tell him. But now was as good a time as ever.

So she kept talking. She told him how it was going to be a girl, and how she was thinking of naming her Oriana after Danny's favorite constellation. She talked about how beautiful she would be with her hair and Danny's eyes, and joked about ghost powers being paired with a normal quirk. It seemed to do the trick. His eyes were still flickering, but it was more green than it was red.

"V-Val..." Danny grunted. He was on his knees now, clutching his head. "He-he's going to kill them."

---------

"What is she saying to him?" Freakshow asked. "How is this possible? How is he fighting this?"

Sweat raced down his forehead as he was desperately looking at the screen. Phantom was on his knees, fighting Freakshow. He could feel the control slipping. He couldn't let it go, though. He was too close.

Their ghost equipment had been confiscated at the time of their capture, along with Eraser's scarf and Mic's directional speaker. They were being held from behind by freakishly large ghosts. Their grips never wavered.

"Because that's what heroes do," Mic said matter-of-factly. "He's got people he's fighting for."

"What, like you? I'm gonna kill you. And when I'm done with you I'm gonna make him kill that pretty little girlfriend of his, too." Freakshow moved closer. he was gripping the staff so hard his hand was shaking.

Their first mistake was not restraining Eraser's lower body. It didn't look like it with the jumpsuit, but he was all leg and no torso.

Eraser kicked out, clipping Freakshow in the chin. He was so infuriated that Eraser dared to touch him, that he came closer once more.

Mistake number two.

Eraser managed to kick the staff out of Freakshow's hand. It flew up into the air, and just as Lydia, the tattooed ghost, was about to catch it, Mic let out a quick, sharp yell that left Eraserhead's head hurting. But it was enough to do the trick.

Lydia flew back from the force, and the staff dropped to the ground, red top first.

It shattered upon impact, and immediately they felt the grip of the ghosts holding them let go completely. Eraserhead and Present Mic wasted no time in neutralizing Freakshow.

And if you asked either of them, they would swear up and down that they didn't enjoy it.

-------

Valerie watched as Phantom was taken away on a stretcher. The staff had been broken and the pieces recovered so that it could never be remade. The heroes that had been taken down were either at the hospital or being patched up on sight.

The only thing that was really bad was the property damage, but there weren't any civilians to be harmed by it, so all in all it was a win.

Valerie flopped down on a building turned sideways, before leaning over the edge and throwing up. She didn't know if it was the morning sickness or the fact that her husband had almost killed her. Maybe it was both.

Eventually Midnight came and sat next to her, letting Valerie lay her head on her shoulder. She was beat up and dirty and worried about her husband. Mind control was hard enough to get over the first time, but now that Valerie had gotten hurt?

She would set an appointment with his therapist, that was for sure.

"You okay?" Midnight asked.

"Yeah," Valerie said with a sigh. "Just tired."

"How's my little god-child?"

Valerie snorted and shook her head before standing up. Nemuri followed suit, digging herself a deeper grave. And with the easy smiles and the crisis averted, she knew she and Danny would be okay.

And with godparents like Nem, Oriana would, too.

Chapter 11: Shoto Todoroki is a Secret Love Child

Summary:

Somehow I can see Todoroki have a conspiracy theory where Phantom and Elle are his lost family/ cousin from his mother side.

Chapter Text

Shoto Todoroki knows three things to be true.

1. His dad is a douche bag.

2. Izuku Midoriya is most definitely All Might's secret love child. (In that same vein, Shinso Hitoshi and Eraserhead may also be related).

3. He himself might be related to the Phantoms.

He hadn't really thought much about it. Not until he had been on a patrol during his work study with Phantom instead of Endeavour because he had been severely injured in his last fight.

He had high a high respect for his astronomy teacher and his niece (daughter? Sister?) but it became even more apparent when he worked with them.

Phantom and Spirit were nothing like he was. They were both loud, overzealous, confident in their abilities to help people. And while Shoto had the ability and enough confidence to do his job, he felt like he was behind. There wasn't really anyway he could explain it.

But in the few weeks he's been patrolling with them, laughter and jokes have come easier. Teasing Elle is almost like second nature, and when Phantom asks if he wants to join them for dinner, he slips into their lives seamlessly.

It's at one of these dinners where shit hits the fan mentally for Shoto. Phantom-Danny, in his own home-mentions that he hasn't seen Rei Todoroki in quite some time, and asks Shoto how she's doing.

He doesn't remember the answer he gives. His mind is to busy trying not to go into overdrive. How did his teacher know his mom? His mother, who hasn't been outside of the hospital in ten years, and had been kept away by Endeavor for longer?

But then something clicks.

White hair.

Ice powers.

Cold to the touch, even in the hottest of summers.

The easy way their laughs can brighten up a whole room.

Was he...Related in some way to the Phantoms?

It wouldn't be to out of the question. He knows his mother made frequent phone calls to a distant cousin of hers. How old was Danny? He was in the same graduating class as Aizawa, putting him at about thirty. He would have been around nineteen or twenty when his mother was frequently on the phone, right before she got sent to the hospital. Had his mother burdened his teacher with her home life? Something Endeavour made her swear not to talk about to anybody that wasn't blood related?

"...to? Shoto, you okay?"

Shoto blinks back to reality. Danny is looking at him with a concern that makes Shoto's chest tight. Danny doesn't have grey eyes like his mother. He has bright blue eyes, but they're not quite like his father's. Despite having an ice quirk, his eyes are much warmer, more inviting. The only warmth in his father's eyes is his burning resentment for Shoto not surpassing All Might before he's even out of high school.

They're not grey like his mother's, but they're warm in all the same ways.

Danny's brow is furrowed with something like worry, and he's seen that expression on his mother's face too many times to count. And if he looks past the chiseled jaw of his teacher, he can see a bit of softness in his cheeks, in the same shape as his mothers.

"Are you related to my mom?" He blurts out before he can stop himself.

Danny's eyebrows are pulled up, disappearing under his bangs. He doesn't look like he's judging him, per se, but rather he's trying to figure out Shoto's train of thought. Elle's shoulders are shaking slightly, with barely-hidden laughter, but he doesn't let his eyes waver from Danny's. His teacher gives him a smile. Shoto has no idea what kind of emotion is holds.

"No, kid. Rei was a friend of my mom's back in the day, that's all." Danny looked almost sad as he spoke. "I remember I had just started my second year at U.A. when Rei dropped off the grid after she met Endeavour. I hadn't thought much about it at the time, though. I had been preoccupied with other matters at the time."

What Shoto doesn't know is Danny was still trying to control his newfound powers. And he had been trying to control his emotions. Especially after Oboro's death. But Shoto doesn't need to hear any of that, so he doesn't say anything.

"If you want though, you're more than welcome here."

Shoto just nods as Danny gives him an easy smile. He's not fully convinced.

Maybe he can ask his mother next time he visits her.

Chapter 12: Leap pt 1

Notes:

TW: Attempted Suicide

Chapter Text

Izuku couldn't help the choked sob that racked his body. The wind was whipping around him but his chest was constricting. His breathing was ragged, stuck in his lungs and desperate to escape. Or maybe it was choking him. Maybe it was a sign.

He was already on top of the roof.

The words from Bakugou and All might rang in his head, endlessly tormenting him.

Jump off the roof and pray for a quirk in your next life.

You need to see reality for what it is, kid.

He had been told his whole life that he couldn't do it. That he was useless. That he was deku. He had fought against that his whole life. He so desperately wanted to prove everybody wrong, and he thought maybe-just maybe-if he had validation from All Might then the fighting would be worth it. That he could keep going with his head held high. he just needed one person to believe in him.

He was numb as he toed his shoes off. Numb as he grabbed the railing and threw his legs over it. He gripped it as he stood on the very edge. He could feel his body sway with the wind. Any stronger and it would have knocked him off by now. Maybe it was a sign.

He was just so tired of fighting. He couldn't do it anymore. Nobody believed in him. His mom loved him but anytime he talked about heroes, she gave him this look of pity that spoke volumes. And the bullying, especially since his teacher had announced that he shouldn't go to U.A. had only gotten worse. He couldn't keep fighting.

An eerie kind of calm washed over Izuku as he opened his eyes and looked out at the sunset. It was beautiful. It would be his last.

The numbness in his mind and heart took over, and he let go. He let himself tip forward, and he didn't try catching himself. It was too late now, whether he regretted it or not.

The wind whistled through his ears, and he closed his eyes. it would be over soon.

He didn't know how close he had gotten to the ground. He never landed like he had been hoping. Instead, a pair of strong, sturdy arms caught him and suddenly they were airborne.

His eyes snapped open, looking at the hero in astonishment. It was the first time seeing the #13 hero in person, but he'd recognize him anywhere. He had spent countless nights staring at those intoxicating, unearthly green eyes.

The Ghost King: Phantom easily flew him back on top of the building where his shoes and bag were waiting.

"Are you okay?" He asked, setting Izuku down on the ground. Before Izuku could respond in any kind of fashion, however, he was lifting all of his limbs, looking over for any major injuries. "Can you walk?"

Izuku let out a jerky nod. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment as his heart beat against his chest.

"Then what the hell were you doing, kid?" He asked. He wasn't accusatory. Concern was the only thing bleeding into his echoing voice. It was genuine, and all too much. Izuku felt the familiar heat behind his eyes before full sobs wracked his body once more.

Phantom immediately pulled him into a hug. He was freezing, Izuku thought, but he didn't mind. It was grounding.

They stayed like that for an embarrassingly long amount of time. Long enough for the sun to finally finish its descent. The only thing illuminating them was the soft natural glow coming from Phantom. When Izuku had finally calmed down, he pulled away and rubbed at his eyes. He felt a little better, but the weight of today was still pressing down on his chest. He had his head above water now, but tomorrow he could be drowning again.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Phantom asked.

Izuku didn't answer at first. He knew Phantom wasn't going to leave. He wasn't the type. And if he did leave, it would be after he got him off the rooftop. He was one of Izuku's favorites. That wasn't a title gained lightly.

"I'm quirkless," he finally said. Saying it out loud felt like a taboo. Sure, he's said it plenty of times before. But he had told All Might, and had then been left on the roof of a building. And if All Might did that, then what kind of reaction would Phantom have?

Phantom didn't have any kind of reaction. Not yet, anyway. Usually when Izuku admitted he was quirkless, people would flinch away, or give him dirty looks. They would turn their noses up at him and scoff, as if he was lesser.

"Is that all?" Phantom asked. His voice was even and calm.

"I-I can't be a hero if I'm quirkless. And I-I asked All Might and he said-he said I needed a reality check. And if All might thinks that, then-"

"-All Might's an idiot," Phantom said, interrupting him with a wave of his hand. "He's a great hero, don't get me wrong. Very respectable. But he likes to put his foot in his mouth any chance he gets. He told me- me- that ghosts weren't real. Like, I'm literally the king of ghosts. That's not a fancy hero name. It's a fact. So whatever All Might told you, take it with a grain of salt. If you wanna be a hero then be a hero, kid."

Izuku felt like his brain was finally working against him. Had he just...Dissed All Might? And...Did he really believe he could be a hero? The words came out of his mouth, but it was such a shock to Izuku he didn't dare think it was real.

"R-really?" He asked. He hated how small his voice sounded, but he couldn't help it. Phantom was the first person ever to tell him that yeah, he could be a hero without a quirk.

"Yeah, man. It won't be easy, but you can do it. Just look at the underground heroes. A lot of them have quirks unsuited to be heroes but they still manage anyway. They might not be big spotlight heroes, but they still save people. And at the end of the day, what's more important? That, or whatever superficial chart getting updated this month?"

Izuku knew he was right. He was almost angry at himself for giving up. But it was just so hard sometimes, getting abused day in and day out. He must have been muttering without realizing, because Phantom spoke up again.

"It's understandable to be tired. You've been fighting alone this whole time. All Might didn't become number one without help. And if I hadn't had help I'd probably be a stain on the pavement. We all fall. We just need to decide if we're going to get back up or keep falling. And with the right support, getting back up will be easier and easier every time."

"What-what do you mean?" Izuku asked in a shaky breath. Phantom jumping off of a roof? He didn't have a villainous quirk. Maybe he just had poor mental health?

"Well," Phantom said, mulling over his thoughts. "I guess since I can't keep my big mouth shut. You can keep a secret, right?"

Izuku nodded his head furiously, making Phantom let out a light chuckle. He watched as the ethereal hero closed his eyes and took in a long, slow breath before letting it out.

"I used to be quirkless when I was your age. I only got powers from a lab accident in my parent's basement. So I understand where you're coming from."

Izuku could only gape. how could someone so powerful start out like him? At Izuku's silence, Phantom spoke up again.

"That's not an invitation to become a lab experiment. Dying wasn't exactly a great way to get a quirk."

Izuku shook his head, his curls bouncing from side to side. "No, of course not! I just-you're just so strong, and you save everyone with a funny comment. You're so-so confident!"

"Yeah, well, I fake it till I make it, you know? I wasn't always like this. But I was putting on a confident mask for so long that in the end it just happened naturally. And you'll get there too. It just takes time. Can you give yourself more?"

The implied question was practically screaming at Izuku. Promise not to try and kill yourself again? Tears were threatening to spill out again. It must have shown on his face, because Phantom just chuckled once more before ruffling his curls. Izuku, without thinking, leaned into the touch.

"Listen, kid. If you ever need me again, just come to U.A. I teach astronomy there. Even if it's to come and chill, or hang out. Maybe do some more..." Phantom reached down and picked up Izuku's burnt notebook. "Hero analysis for the future?"

He raised a questioning eyebrow at Izuku, who only nervously nodded. He had loads of information on Phantom in that notebook. In fact, izuku was pretty sure he was the first entry.

Phantom read quickly but thoroughly, and the more he read the wider his grin got. "Kid," he said, almost laughing. "This stuff is amazing! Do you do this professionally? If not, you totally should. Even if you decide you don't want to be a hero you would be invaluable as an analyst. Christ, man, not even Tucker can analyze like this. You're really something, you know?"

Izuku was hot all over. He's sure he looked like some sort of warped strawberry with how red he was. He wasn't used to receiving validation, let alone compliments. Actual, genuine praise for his efforts to become a hero. It was strange, and izuku found himself craving more of it.

Phantom eventually got him down from the roof and walked him to his apartment complex. The entire time they talked about heroes and quirks and different agencies to work at. And if Izuku ever wanted to, he could go to Phantom's. he would always be welcome there, as well as his office at U.A.

By the time he got home to his fussing mother, he was over the moon. The hardships from the day weren't forgotten, but he knew that with one person backing him up, he could face any more that were sure to come his way.

This was a leap he was willing to take.

Chapter 13: Leap pt 2

Summary:

Hello! I love Leap, can we have a sequel ? Like Izuku going to see Phantom and just talk or Phantom scolding All Might for leaving a quirkless Kid on top of a building after destroying his confidence and dreams ? Or introducing Tucker to Izuku?

Chapter Text

Phantom was a patient man. At least, he liked to think he was. But sometimes patience has to take a backseat to blinding rage.

He had worked with All Might here and there. They were both powerhouses in their own right, and the police or the commission would team them up every so often. He had the experience, and his intelligence was mostly with being a hero, and not much else.

So when Nezu introduced them to the new staff member joining them for the next term, the last thing he had been expecting was the number one hero.

He had seen Izuku since he tried to jump. They would hang out at the park sometimes, or Danny when Danny picked up Elle from middle school they would pass, just in case he heard the sounds of fighting. Just in case he needed to jump in and save Izuku again.

He had met Inko a couple of times, and had told her who he was. It would be unfair to her if she was out of the loop. And he wanted to eventually gain enough trust from her to maybe start training Izuku in basic fighting skills. Enough to pass the entrance exam, anyhow.

He was bright like a ray of sunshine, and he was so fucking smart. Way smarter than him, and he was incredibly strong. Maybe not physically, not yet, but he had this determination he's never seen in anybody else.

These were his thoughts as he pinned All Might to the wall, snarling in his face. The only ones who hadn't moved to stop him were Aizawa, Yamada, and Nezu.

"You idiotic piece of shit," He spat. "How dare you-how fucking dare you break his fucking dreams!"

"Phantom-I don't-I don't understand what this is about," All Might stammered. He was still in his large form, but he seemed to shrink under Phantom's intense faze.

"He almost died because of you," he said. His voice was low and dangerous. His hands were trembling with a rage barely contained, leashed back but not muzzled. "He jumped because of you! I barely saved him in time!"

Before he could let his anger make him do something he'd regret, he threw All Might to the side and stormed to the other side of the table, slamming his hands down.

"What are you talking about?" Snipe asked. None of the other teachers made a move because Nezu still hadn't stopped him. Aizawa was watching calmly, probably glad to see the number one's face get verbally kicked in by a coworker. He had told Aizawa and Yamada about Izuku. Because maybe if Danny trained him up enough Aizawa could teach him with the capture scarf, and show him how to be stealthy in ways that Danny couldn't teach him.

"You don't remember? You're unbelievable. Because if I had ever crushed the dreams of a quirkless kid having a really bad day, I'd sure as shit remember. He asked you, on that roof, if he could be a hero without a quirk. Do you remember what you told him, All Might?"

All Might was pale now, looking between Nezu and Danny, as if the principal wasn't practically on the edge of his seat.

"I-I told him he couldn't be a hero without a quirk. I told him he could still be a doctor or something and help people that way."

"And then what did you do?" Danny was aware of a hand on his arm, and it was quite literally the only thing holding him back. His whole body was trembling now, with nothing but white hot anger.

"I left."

"You left," Danny repeated in an almost condescending tone. "You crushed the dreams of this quirkless child, and left him on a roof with no second thought."

There were a couple of sharp inhales from his coworkers. He's pretty sure the gasps were from Cementoss and Thirteen. The grip on his arm tightened.

Danny tucked his head in. There was a familiar sting of tears behind his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. He could still hear Izuku's trembling words.

I asked All Might, and he said I needed a reality check.

If Danny had been a second slower he would have been to late.

"I almost didn't save him," Danny said. HIs voice was quiet, tired, but it still held an immense weight that had everyone in the room hanging on his every word. "If I had been a second slower..." He let the sentence hang in the air. Let the words, the consequences, sink into All Might, who only stood there with his mouth open like a fucking idiot.

"He's a bright kid. Has a wonderful talent for analysis. Has all of these notebooks on heroes and their fights. There's something about everybody in this room in those notebooks. Even Aizawa. The passion this kid has is...There aren't words to describe. And he's fucking funny and he's brave and so so strong to deal with the intense bullying he gets from his peers already. And all he needed were a few words of encouragement. And you...You couldn't even give him that."

Danny sat back down, resigned, tired. The hand on his arm-which belonged to Mic, slid around his shoulders. Danny used the small comfort to keep going.

"You didn't sit there with a crying boy in your arms at the top of a building that night. You didn't hear how little he thought of himself because his favorite hero told told him he had no chance. And people wonder why the survival rates of quirkless people are below 30%," Danny scoffs. "You're a fucking joke, All Might."

---------

The meeting shortly ended, and Nezu had All Might stay after. Nobody said anything to Danny as he scrubbed his face. Mic and Aizawa walked with him until they hit the teachers lounge, but then they went their separate ways. He still had to go pick Elle up from school.

When he got there, she was already in a heated conversation with Izuku about the uses of support gear for underground heroes, or for people who had non-combative quirks like the Red Huntress. He couldn't wait to introduce Izuku to the quirkless #7 hero. Maybe after he introduced him to Tucker.

But first, he had another Midoriya to talk to about a training regiment.

Chapter 14: Leap pt 3

Summary:

Bakuogo meet Phantom when he tried to hurt Izuku only to be stopped by an angry Phantom and his little sister Dani. Because no one will make me change idea that Dani would become Izuku new best friend and taunt Bakuogo

Chapter Text

just for simplicity im gonna have Dani be referred to as Elle (Also am I about to write a full length fic lmao) (maybe after the one im working on inspired by Complicated Creations, we'll see)

-----

A couple of weeks after Danny's outburst, All Might came up to him and profusely apologized. And Danny could tell it was genuine. He really hadn't meant any harm to the boy, he just didn't want to give him false hope. And while Danny could understand that, leaving him on a roof was still a bad idea. All Might had promised to check himself in the future, and had promised to apologize to Izuku as soon as the new term started. At least All Might was confident in Izuku's ability to make it into U.A. on his own merit.

All of these thoughts swarmed around his head as Elle bounced around next to him. They had made a routine over the past couple of months. Danny would pick Elle up from school, and then they would walk a few blocks over and walk Izuku home.

And man, did those kids catch on like a house on fire.

Elle had even gone so far as to invite Izuku over for a sleepover, which Danny wasn't necessarily opposed to, but he would have to lock up the ghost portal properly before letting an extra child roam free. Izuku wasn't a bad kid, not by any stretch of the word, but Danny was paranoid enough about another Accident happening that he really didn't want to take the chances.

Aldera middle school was a short, squat building with an open courtyard that had a few students lingering. Usually Izuku would be waiting by the entrance, but today he was missing. Danny frowned.

"Maybe he's held up by a teacher or something," Elle said. Her brows were furrowed together with concern, the same way Danny's did. Danny looked around the courtyard for a sign-any sign that Izuku was there.

And then he heard it.

An impact.

A grunt.

Danny strode onto school grounds, transforming as he did so. They wouldn't listen to some jackass off the street, but if the #13 hero came, they would show some respect.

He turned invisible as he rounded the building, only to see a blonde haired kid pushing Izuku up against a tree with one hand, sparks flying dangerously close in the other. He walked closer, until he was right behind the kid, and tapped his shoulder.

The kid whirled around, a snarl on his lips, but it quickly fell to confusion. Izuku, though, knew exactly what was happening. Danny knew he did by the upwards twitch of his lips.

"So you're the little menace that's been hurting my niece's friend," he said, still invisible. The kid snarled and swung, missing Danny by a few inches. "You want in the hero course, right? Not very heroic, if you ask me," Danny taunted.

Bakugou has let go of Izuku now, righteously furious at someone unseen. Izuku was allowing himself a small smile as he slipped away towards the side of the building where Elle was waiting for him.

Bakugou swung again, and Danny gripped his wrist and hoisted him into the air. Danny was as tall as All Might, and almost as strong, so lifting his body off the ground wasn't too great a feat.

Plus, the look on Bakugou's face when Danny turned visible again was priceless.

"You-You're Phantom," one of the other kid's said. "The number thirteen hero!"

"That I am," Phantom said coolly. Toxic, unearthly green eyes met fierce, angry red ones. "I'm sure a warning will suffice, yes? I don't need to hover over you to make sure you stop bullying everybody?"

Bakugou struggled for a moment, and his hands flared up, but he was smart enough not to attack a hero.

"Do you want to be a hero?" Phantom asked.

"What kind of fucking question is that?" Bakugou yelled. "Of course I want to be a hero!"

"Then I suggest," Phantom said, dropping his voice dangerously low. He leaned in, and dawned a feral grin. The kind he used when he dressed up as Aizawa for last year's Halloween party. "You get your act together. Heroes aren't bullies, kid. They're the ones who help pick others up."

It was subtle, but he could tell Bakugou was scared by the way he swallowed, and his shaking hands. Bakugou grit his teeth, likely biting back a loud retort, before giving a single, sharp nod. Danny let him go, and he settled both feet back onto the ground. He glared daggers at his shoes as Danny walked towards Elle and Izuku, calling out as he did so.

"Come on, Izuku! We need to ask your mom if you can spend the weekend at my place."

If only just to make the other kids jealous.

Elle whooped and hollered as they left, while Izuku gave furtive glances over his shoulder at his old childhood friend. He put a comforting hand on Izuku's shoulder, and the boy looked up at him.

Danny offered him a smile. "All Might says he's sorry. Knowing him he'll probably wallow at your feet when you get to U.A. so just be prepared for that, okay?"

Danny couldn't help the grin as Izuku sputtered about how All Might didn't need to apologize, and how it wasn't his fault, which wasn't a completely false statement. But if Izuku held no grudge, Danny wouldn't either.

That grin carried them all the way to the Midoriya's place.

Chapter 15: Leap pt 4

Summary:

Would Danny investigate Izuku school and expose them for what they did to Izuku and the others students who had minor quirk? And also tell Nezu about Bakugou being a bully so that the teachers know he is to watch out ?

Chapter Text

"All Might!"

Danny runs forward, trying to catch up with the number one hero. It doesn't take him long.

"is everything all right, Phantom?" All Might asks, his brows knit together.

"Uh, yes and no. I was just wondering if you wanted to help me on a special project of mine."

Phantom had a plan, and it was going to work. And if he had the number one at his side, it was foolproof. The number one, who had met Midoriya in person, and had gotten down on his knees and apologized. It was more than Phantom and Midoriya had been expecting. Midoriya had forgiven him almost instantly as All Might explained his side of things.

He doesn't know if it was the way he had talked about the kid, or the spark he saw in the boy, but All Might apparently had good taste in successors.

"I'm gonna open up a law suit on the middle school Izuku goes to," Phantom told him. He pulled a thick file out of his bag and handed it to the older hero, who took it with raised eyebrows.

"Is this all evidence of Aldera's misdemeanors?"

"That's a file on just Midoriya. His mistreatment there wasn't just by schoolyard bullies, it was by his teachers as well. They either participated or condoned it. None of them should have their licenses anymore, if you ask me. Teachers shouldn't be actively tearing kids down for any reason."

"We could take this to Nezu, to. He could pull a few strings, expedite a few things. I had no idea Young Midoriya had such a rough time at his last school."

"Well, it's not like he talks about it. But in the last couple months of the semester I had him gather this evidence. I wanted to wait until he started at U.A. to act though, in case it brought him unwanted attention."

All Might hummed and nodded as he skimmed through the file with a frown. "Midoriya doesn't seem like the type to start fights. Why are there so many?"

"They're misreported. He didn't start them, he was the victim of them. He was the only one who ever got reprimanded though. And that's just scraping the ice berg. It's way worse than that."

All Might looked like he wanted to be sick as he gave Phantom a worried expression.

"If this is as bad as you're saying, we should get Aizawa involved as well. And maybe see about putting the boy in some kind of counseling just in case."

Danny grinned at the hero. For the remainder of their lunch, they formed a plan.

------

"Ah, Phantom, please come in."

"Hello, sir," he said to Principal Nezu. There was already a second cup of tea waiting for him. Because of course there was.

"I have a couple of concerns I wanted to speak to you about."

"This has to do with izuku Midoriya's middle school, does it not?"

"Mostly yes, but I also wanted to talk about another student. Katsuki Bakugou and Izuku Midoriya have some kind of past. I don't know the details cause the kid hasn't really opened up to me, but I know Bakugou has been bullying him for a while."

"What do you suggest we do then?" Nezu raised an eyebrow as he took a sip of his tea.

"Well, I think the next time anything happens Bakugou needs to be reprimanded. And maybe sent to Hound Dog for some counseling or something."

"You're aware that he's suicide baited Midoriya, along with an extensive record of abuse. With all of this information you've given me in the past I'm surprised you don't want him expelled."

"Well, sir," Danny said rubbing the back of his neck. "It's...hard to explain. I think Bakugou should face the consequences of his actions. But I also believe he, like Midoriya, has been failed by the systems put in place. He's been told his entire life that he's amazing and perfect, and his peers and teachers before U.A. have turned the other cheek to his abuse. Nobody ever reprimanded him, and therefore he thought it was okay. But if we start now, he can learn. And that's what this school is about, isn't it? To learn to be not just the best hero you can be but the best person as well. At least, that's how I've always thought of it." Danny shrugged, and took a sip of tea. And even though he miraculously didn't slip up in his little speech, he could still feel his heart hammering against his chest. God, why was this so nerve wracking?

"I believe," Nezu said slowly, "that you are correct. I will speak with Aizawa on the matter. In the mean time, I understand you want to open a lawsuit against Aldera Middle School. Do you have any kind of evidence?"

"Oh yeah," Danny said, pulling out the thick file he had shown All Might a few days prior. He slapped it down on the thick wooden desk. Nezu raised an eyebrow as he skimmed through.

There was a deafening silence. The only sounds were the sipping of tea and the turning of pages, and the suspense was killing him. Danny's leg couldn't stop bouncing. Not until Nezu looked at him with a feral grin, reminding Danny of why bear was one of the possibilities of his species.

"Let me make a few calls."

Chapter 16: The Fallen

Notes:

TW: Major Character death
ngl i made myself cry w this one

Chapter Text

Shouta Aizawa is not somebody who is in the habit of crying, but when he does, it's always an overwhelming, unstoppable rush of tears that he has no chance of holding back.

Shouta took unsteady steps to where his student-no, his kid, was laying.

Danny Fenton-Aizawa was barely twenty-four, and here he was, on death's door for the second time.

There was nothing they could do. Hell, he couldn't even make it to the hospital. Shouta quite literally had mere minutes with his kid. So, as Danny lay on the ground, bleeding out and choking on his own ectoplasm, he sits with him.

He pull's Danny's head into his lap and strokes his white hair out of his face. His bright, usually vibrant eyes are dulling with every second that passes. Danny tries to say something but the only thing that comes out is a choked noise and some more coughing.

"Hey, it's okay," Shouta says. "You don't need to talk." Shouta wouldn't be surprised if his voice was completely unusable now, considering how long he had held his Ghostly Wail for. Even if there was a way of him surviving the injuries he sustained, his voice would be permanently damaged.

Danny gave him a weak grin. A sign that he was still there, even as he was quickly fading.

Shouta didn't want to look at the damage. He didn't need to know that there was a huge chuck of his body missing from his torso. A perfect crescent shaped hole where his organs should have been. He doesn't need to see that Danny is missing his right leg from the knee down, or how his hands are charred black with the overuse of his powers. All he looks at it Danny, and his weak smile,.

Despite how weak his body is, Danny manages to lift a shaky hand. It takes him a lot of effort, but he slowly but surely bends his middle and ring fingers in, keeping his thumb, index, and pinky extended.

I love you, he signs.

There's a familiar sting behind his eyes as the first tears drop. He cups Danny's face, long hardened by the growth spurt he had when he was seventeen. He wipes some of the ectoplasm away, along with some of the tears that he's managed to shed.

Danny once told him he wasn't afraid of dying. Once it happens once, you kind of know what to expect. Dying, it was never a fear of his. But leaving his family behind afterwards?

That was truly terrifying for him.

So Shouta, through quiet sobs, comforted his son in his final moments, with I'm so proud of you, and It's okay, you'll be okay, we'll be okay. He hummed an old tune that used to help Danny with his nightmares after he had adopted him.

Eventually, the King of Ghosts: Phantom, takes his last breath.

Shouta Aizawa closes his eyes, and for an undetermined amount of time, cries over his son.

------

When Shouta finally stands, he brings his son with him. He holds him bridal style. With all of the pieces of him that are missing, he is much lighter than he should be.

He doesn't look at the crowd that forms. He doesn't have to glare at them for them to move out of his way.

In the quiet stillness, his steps crunching against the toppled buildings are absolutely deafening.

His shoulders are still shaking with quiet sobs, but he manages to make his way to the ambulance. There's nothing they can do now, but maybe clean him up. He doesn't want to watch, but he can't bring himself to look away as they put his son in a body bag and cart him away.

There is no fanfare.

There is only the harsh sun beating down on them, and the heartbreaking wails of a father who just lost his child.

Chapter 17: Rescue

Summary:

I was watching some old episodes of my hero academia and I was watching Eri rescue. I was thinking with Phantom there ( as a tecaher) he would probably first save Eri. Like he would turn himself and Izuku invisible, pass through all the walls and floors and reach Eri, let Midoriya talk to her and then get out so then the rest of the squad can storm the base

Chapter Text

Phantom took in a dep breath to steady his nerves as as he looked down at his student. Deku had a look of determination and resolve. It made him look older than fifteen. Though, no fifteen year old should be on a mission like this, even if it was for a work study. Even if he was directly involved now.

It doesn't matter now, though. They were in this together.

"Ready, Deku?" Phantom asked. Deku looked up at him, and though he stood steady, his eyes held a sheen of fear. Phantom put a steadying hand on his shoulder and nodded before moving behind his student. He floated a few inches above the ground, hooking his arms under Deku as he did so. Phantom met Nighteye's gaze and gave him a nod before turning him and Deku invisible.

Though Danny had not been involved, he had been called in almost immediately. With his powers, he was a unique force to be reckoned with.

And what a reckoning Chisaki would undergo when they got the girl out of there.

"You have to be as quiet as you can," he whispered to Deku as they came up on the entrance. "You're invisible, not unhearable."

Deku nodded, and he could feel the kid stiffen up even more in his arms. And with that out of the way, they continued on.

The hallways were pristine in a way that made Phantom's skin crawl, flashes of emotion coming from his own time as a lab rat. That had been hard enough as a teenager. He couldn't imagine the lasting effects it would have on a child like Eri.

Hall after hall, door after door, and he could feel Deku getting increasingly frustrated and restless. Phantom was all to used to confusing corridors and such because of his experience in the Ghost Zone, but even he was starting to get upset about it.

Eventually they found their way to the lab section underground, flying through the walls slowly as to not disturb anyone. While Phantom was nearly undetectable, anyone who was paying attention to the temperature could easily find him. No matter where he was or what he was doing he always ran cold. Cold enough for people to point it out occasionally.

They found Eri in a child's bedroom. It was covered wall to wall with toys that had never been touched. She was lying in a bed that was much to big for her. She was sniffling, but there weren't any tears.

Danny let Deku down, the invisibility dropping. He had experience with Eri, he could talk her into coming with them. Phantom would keep watch until it was time for them to go.

"Eri?" Deku said quietly, slowly approaching the bed. Eri shot up, eyes wide with unshed tears.

"Deku?" She asked. Her voice was heartbreakingly small. Deku smiled softly at her.

"We're gonna get you out of here, okay, Eri? I brought the pros with me."

Eri's lip trembled as she all but threw herself into Deku's arms. He tucked her head under his chin, and walked over to Phantom, who's head was sticking out through the door. He tapped him on the shoulder, and he came back in. His head was still invisible, and the sight made Eri gasp until he dropped the power.

"Hey, Eri," Phantom said, soft and calm. "My name is Phantom. I'm gonna get us out of here, okay?" She nodded, and he grinned. "I just need you to do one very important thing, okay?" Another nod. "Until we get out of here, you need to be as quiet as possible. Once we're outside we can make sound. Think you can do that?"

Eri pressed her lips together and nodded her head, looking at him with a mix of fear and determination. He smiled at her. "You're very brave, Eri. I'm really proud of you. You got her Deku?" Deku nodded and pulled Eri in closer.

Phantom picked Deku up bridal style and turned them invisible and intangible, before flying straight up. Now that they had the kid, he wasted no time in getting the hell out of there. Other than the occasional henchman, nobody tried to stop them. They were undetectable.

Danny grinned as they flew through the roof, sun shining down upon them. He touched down where the heroes were waiting in anticipation, and dropped the invisibility. He set Deku down, who never let go of Eri for a second.

Eri looked around, wide eyes and terrified, but Danny managed to grab her attention and smile at her.

"You did so good, Eri. Deku, why don't you take her to the police, okay?"

Deku looked like he wanted to protest, but he nodded and ran off with the girl. he turned to Nighteye, Fatgum, and Eraserhead who were patiently waiting for his return.

"You ready to blow this popsicle stand?" He asked with a lopsided grin. Fatgum grinned right back at him.

"Let's show those thugs what we're made of!"

Chapter 18: The Number 1 Underground Hero

Summary:

DP x BNHA
Either the camping trip arc or no.13 hero, Phantom is no.1 undergroud hero and the staff, class 1-A or All Might is about to know why. Aizawa is not phased.

Chapter Text

Aizawa has been friends with Phantom for fifteen years. He's made a name for himself as the Number 1 underground hero. Considering how hush hush and territorial underground heroes tended to be, it was quite a feat.

Aizawa knew this.

Hizashi knew this.

The rest of the staff...Well, they would soon find out why exactly he was the number one underground hero.

---

Phantom doesn't do it on purpose. He really doesn't. It's just easier to sneak past people if he's invisible. And sometimes he's so focused on the task in front of him that he forgets to drop it sometimes.

He's in the staff room making coffee, adding sugar and cream and whatnot. The door opens, and Thirteen comes in. He turns and waves his spoon at her. She yelps and leaves the room.

Danny finishes making his coffee, confused.

-----

Snipe is in the middle of a lecture on hero laws when Phantom scares the absolute bejeezus out of him.

It starts with a few snickers as he's walking back and forth from the chalkboard to the desk. He raises an eyebrow but otherwise is unaffected.

Not until he's taking a sip of tea and sees Phantom's head poking through the ceiling.

He coughs and sputters as Phantom shoots apology after apology.

"Sorry, Snipe!" He says, looking sheepish. "I didn't want to interrupt. But I Midnight asked me to tell you she needs to see you during lunch."

Snipe growls something like an affirmation and waves off his coworker. He pointedly ignores the chuckles from his students.

---------

Hizashi is easy to startle.

This is something Danny does do on purpose.

It's not hard to do, really. He's got the same free period as Hizashi, so while he's busy at his desk grading papers, Phantom sneaks in.

All around the room he's placing fake bugs here and there. One on the podium, some in his drawers. There are a couple he glues to the ceiling, and one he ever so carefully places on Mic's gelled up hair.

The terrified scream he hears from down the hall twenty minutes later is totally worth the trouble.

-------

He's running late.

He's supposed to be teaching a heroics course with All Might and Class 1-A, but the lady in front of him at the coffee shop wasn't willing to cooperate with the staff members there. He gave an extra tip for their troubles and raced to school.

It was easier flying if he was invisible, and he didn't bother dropping it until he was flying through the window's of 1-A's classroom. All Might was in the middle of another over-the-top speech when he finally dropped his intangibility and invisibility, shooting Aizawa an apologetic look. He held out the coffee, and the other pro took it with a nod.

A few of the students had gasped at his arrival, but All Might kept pushing on, talking about the safety precautions for their next exercise. Danny leaned against Aizawa's desk and listened with half an ear.

Until All Might turned around, that is.

He doesn't think he's ever heard a grown man scream quite like that before.

"When did you get here?" He asked, still looking visibly shaken. Phantom just shrugs.

"Few minutes ago, I think. Sorry I was late, it was kind of hectic this morning. Anyway, are you guys ready to get started?"

-------

Aizawa makes a bet with him after that.

He wants to test All Might's situational awareness, and bets Danny an egregious amount of money to scare him a dozen more times. Danny, not one to ever back down from a challenge, accepts it wholeheartedly.

-----

"Nezu, we have a problem," All Might says during the next meeting. "I think this place is haunted or something."

"Oh?" Nezu asks, raising a tea cup to his lips. he pointedly ignores Phantom trying to hide his grin as Aizawa passes him some cash. All Might nods.

"Cold spots, everywhere I go. And there's this weird feeling, like someone is breathing down my neck. And I went into the staff room, and the coffee was making itself. I know I sound crazy, but maybe we can add some extra security."

"I never expected you to be afraid of ghosts, All Might," Mic teases. A couple other staff members snicker, but All might has this look of determination on his face. Maybe that's why Nezu keeps entertaining it for a few minutes before saying, "Well, you wouldn't be wrong. U.A. is haunted. Though it is not a problem you need to worry about."

"So-you know it's haunted, and nothing is going to happen?"

"Not unless you speak with the resident ghost yourself."

"Well, where can I find them?"

"You guys can stop talking about me like I'm not here," Danny says, unable to hide the mirth in his voice. "I mean, I know I can turn invisible and whatnot, but this is a little much."

From the corner of his eyes, Phantom sees Aizawa duck his chin into his scarf, hiding his smile. Midnight and Mic are in a fit of giggles on the other side of the table, and Ectoplasm, Snipe, and Midnight are looking on either bored or mildly entertained.

"It-you?" All might stutters. Phantom nods.

"The first time was an accident. After that Aizawa made a bet with me."

"Did you win?" Recovery Girl asks.

"Of course he did," Aizawa says tiredly. "He's the number one underground hero. This wasn't a challenge to him at all."

"Then why make the bet?" Snipe asks.

"Because it was really funny," Aizawa replies. He doesn't know if it's the look on All Might's face or the monotonous tone Aizawa spoke with, but it sends Phantom over the edge.

For Aizawa, it was money well spent.

Chapter 19: USJ

Summary:

I have to ask, is Phantom at USJ when LoV attack ? If so , his presence what would change?

Chapter Text

Phantom grunted as several villains dog-piled on top of them. Jeez, how many were there? This has been going on for far too long. Eraserhead was beginning to fatigue, he knew. He could feel his own exhausted starting to seep into his bones.

He created a shield around himself and pushed all of the villains off of him. He blasted a few for good measure, but most of them had been flung hard enough to knock them out.

Danny was panting as he readied himself for more villains, until he heard a scream that would later haunt his dreams.

He whirled around, only to see a giant monster pinning Eraserhead down. His face was bloody and his arm was forcefully bent at a sickening angle. Phantom didn't think twice, however, about taking to the air.

He could fly fast, and he could hit hard, but he needed to build up the speed to have the most effect. So he shot into the air, and did a big loop before heading straight down, letting gravity aid his abilities.

The beast didn't know what hit it.

Danny punched the thing off of Eraserhead. It flew back, skidding on the ground for a moment before stopping. Phantom created a shield over Aizawa and the kids by the water section. Shigaraki was far to close to them for his liking.

"Ugh, another boss fight," Shigaraki scratched at his neck. With a wave of his hand, he said, "Nomu, take care of him."

In the blink of an eye, Danny was being lifted into the air and slammed down into the ground. He saw stars, and for sure had a concussion. How his neck didn't snap under the force, he would never know.

He quickly phased from his grip and blasted him away, but the thing could take a hit, apparently. His ice would probably be useless too. So Danny did the only other thing he could think of.

Without another thought, Danny dived right into the Nomu.

The screech from the monster could be heard throughout the whole USJ as Danny fought with it. It didn't really have anybody in there. More like an overwhelming sensation of pain, and an undying need to fulfill Shigaraki's orders. Which couldn't happen if Danny was inside of him.

"Where did he go?" Shigaraki asked. He sounded like he was on the verge of a tantrum.

"That is the Ghost King: Phantom, Shigaraki. It would be wise of us to assume he can possess people."

Shigaraki screamed in frustration as he stomped over to the shield with Aizawa in it. He was trying to get up, but the man was beaten to hell and back. It was taking quite an effort just for him to stay away.

"You're time is up, Eraserhead," Shigaraki snarled as he placed all five fingers on the dome protecting the underground pro. It turned grey, and started to flake away, but when the dust was gone, the green was still there, holding strong.

"Incredible," Shigaraki said with genuine awe. "Even though he's fighting the Nomu he still had a strong hold on these shields. Enough to replace them, anyway."

The Nomu screeched again, bending back at an odd angle before righting itself once more. Its eyes were a bright, toxic green.

"Shigaraki," it said, its rough, screechy voice overlapping with Phantom's. "Surrender now."

"You can't hold control of my Nomu forever," Shigaraki said with a grin. "I wonder what would happen if I disintegrated it with you inside. Nomu, come here."

The creature lurched forward. Its movements were stuttered and halting as Phantom fought with it. The sheer willpower it was probably taking was impressive enough.

The Nomu eventually made its way to Shigaraki. He held up his hand and pressed it against the Nomu.

And just as expected, Phantom fell out of the beast. He was actually breaking a sweat from the laborious task of trying to keep the Nomu at bay.

All Shigaraki had to do was point to Phantom, who just barely managed to react in enough time. As the Nomu's fists came down, Phantom grasped them before they could make contact with him.

It was a battle of strength that Shigaraki was confident with. Nomu was built to kill All Might after all. What was this puny fake going to do?

The Nomu backed Danny up against the shield. He was losing, and the shield was starting to crack. The one protecting the students flickered for just a brief moment.

"You can do this," Aizawa told him. he sounded absolutely spent, but he wasn't wrong. Danny was the ghost king. He defeated Pariah Dark, he could defeat this stupid Nomu.

So Danny grit his teeth and strained his muscles. Eventually the beast moved back, giving Danny enough leverage to straighten himself again. Nomu had the advantage of size, but with strength they were equally matched.

As Danny fought harder, pushing against the Nomu, the shields seemed to glow brighter and brighter. Danny's obsession was protecting. He would do just that, even if it was the last thing he did.

His arms and legs were shaking with the effort. His vision was starting to get blurry around the edges. All he had to do was last long enough for help to arrive. All he had to do was last just a little bit longer, just a little bit-

The Nomu pushed him down. Danny's feet sank into the concrete. He couldn't phase because then he wouldn't have a foothold. He was essentially stuck now.

Shigaraki gave a leery chuckle as he came up behind Danny. His fingers brushed the side of his face, and Danny could feel the pain from his skin flaking away. But before he could go any further, the doors to the USJ busted open.

"I AM HERE!"

--------

When Danny woke up he was in a hospital bed next to Aizawa. Hizashi and Nemuri were both there too, watching over them. Aizawa was still unconscious, but he was all bandaged up. He was informed that he would more or less make a full recovery. There would be some physical drawbacks, but otherwise he'd be fine.

Danny had been patched up. He hadn't gotten to badly hurt, but he was sore all over from his grapple with the Nomu.

"Are the students okay?" He asked. His voice sounded like shit. He made a move to grab water, but his muscles were so shot he couldn't get more then an inch off of the bed. Hizashi was a trooper, though, and held the glass to his lips.

"They're all fine," Nemuri answered. "All superficial injuries, except for Midoriya. He broke his bones using his quirk again."

Danny relaxed into the bed. he was so tired. he Definitely overdid it.

He yawned, and sleep was quickly pulling him back under. He was aware enough to realize someone was pulling the blanket back over him, but he was too exhausted to care.

Who knows. Maybe when he wakes up he'll be able to lift his arms.

Chapter 20: Oh, You Haven't Heard?

Summary:

Nobody knows that Danny is Aizawa and Mic's child (except for the selected few) and its been very amusing listening to his friends talk about his parents but now the teachers need to visit all of their parents to talk about moving into school. That's gonna be fun :)
Teacher: so the last on our list is Danny's house
Aizawa or Mic about to drop the news: oh, haven't you heard?

Chapter Text

"What do you think your parents will say about moving into the dorms?" Kirishima asks him over the phone. Danny shrugs, though his friend can't see it.

"I think they'll be okay with it. Probably more so than others."

"Big hero fans?" Kirishima asked. Danny didn't need to see him to know he had a huge grin on his face.

"Oh sure," Danny said with a grunt as he lifted on of the last boxes to move it to the living room. "They even asked me if I could give them my autograph so that they could be the ones with the very first Phantom signature."

"Man that's so cool. My moms said that they would wait until I debuted because it 'makes it more special' or something."

"My dads hold no such qualms," he laughed. "Anyway are you still on to play tonight? This is the last night I can until we move because I'm packing my computer tomorrow."

"Oh you're so on."

--------

Shouta and Hizashi had told Danny about moving into the dorms the second the staff meeting with Nezu ended. They had a week to pack all of his stuff, and then some. They were thankful they didn't have to worry about Jazz, as she had already moved out a few months ago after landing a pretty good therapist gig.

Shouta and Hizashi, because they were private people, only told two other people that Danny was their kid. That was Nemuri, who had been there since day one of adopting him, and Nezu, because Shouta and Hizashi were his emergency contacts. Hw would have found out either way.

So when there was a curt knock at the door, Shouta realized he had forgotten to tell them Danny had the o-k from his parents.

Since Shouta was in the kitchen and Hizashi was off visiting other parents for the gen ed courses, Danny was the one to open the door.

"All Might, Cementoss, come in," he heard hi say. Shouta resisted the urge to groan. "Hey, dad! We have guests!" Danny called to him. Shouta thumped his head against the counter and took a quick, deep breathe before grabbing his and Danny's newly brewed coffee and padding into the living room.

The shock on their faces was hilarious, though Shouta didn't show it. He just handed Danny his mug and waved the boy away to go finish packing.

"He's going," Shouta said as he sat down across from the teachers. Though Cementoss had gotten over his initial shock, All Might's jaw was still on the floor.

"I didn't realize Danny was your son," Cementoss said. "No wonder he has a good head on his shoulders."

"You can thank his sister for that," Shouta said, taking a sip. It was true. Danny had the accident when he was twelve. Shouta had been on their building, hopping from roof to roof during his patrol. He wasted no time in busting in. In terms of child neglect and quirkless discrimination against their son, it was an open and closed case against the Fenton parents. It had left Jazz and Danny with nowhere to go, however, so Shouta brought them home with him. Less than a year later they were both officially adopted.

"How is Jasmine doing? I know Snipe was sad to see her graduate," Cementoss said conversationally. Shouta shrugged.

"She's good. Just landed a new job as a therapist across town. Somehow she still finds the time to badger me about my sleeping habits."

Cementoss laughs and shakes his head fondly. Jasmine Fenton had been a force to be reckoned with when she was at U.A. All the teachers loved her, and also simultaneously didn't want her in their classes because she was smarter than them.

Before Cementoss or All Might could continue the conversation, Hizashi walked in. He was in a suit, and his hair had been braided back. He took his coat off and hung it on the back of Shouta's chair as he leaned down and kissed him.

"Hey guys," he said with a yawn. "I didn't realize you'd be coming. Did Sho not tell you?"

"I didn't realize you two were married," All Might said, looking between the husbands. Cementoss snorted.

"They're sickeningly in love outside of U.A." he said with a fond smile. Before Hizashi or Shouta could respond, though, Danny stuck his head through the wall that separated his room and the living room.

"Hey Pops," he said. "Do you have any bubble wrap left? I need it for my models."

"Yeah, in my sound booth," Hizashi replied. Danny nodded and phased the rest of his body through the wall and into the other room. A second later he came out with armfuls of bubble wrap, and he phased through back to his room.

This was normal in their household. Shouta and Hizashi had decided that it would be more detrimental for Danny to continue hiding his new powers, and it was a nice way to practice with little things like that, so they had allowed small uses of his quirk in the home. He's progressed exponentially.

"I have so many questions," All Might said. He was finally getting over his initial shock.

"Hey guys, I'm home."

The four heroes turned to Jazz, who was hanging her coat up and taking her shoes off. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail.

"Hey, Jazz," Hizashi said, wrapping her up in a tight hug. At his confused look, Jazz rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"Danny wanted help packing his model rockets. Said he didn't trust either of you."

"Pops broke one last time!" Danny yelled as he stuck his head through the wall again.

"Are you staying for dinner?" Shouta asked. He was aware that their dynamic was sickeningly domestic. He was loving every second of it.

"Yeah, though depending on how long this takes I might not be able to help much. He's got so many."

"Oh speaking of," Shouta said, twisting around to face Danny. He grinned at the chance to embarrass his son. "Do you need more glow in the dark star stickers for your room?"

As expected, Danny's face turned bright red. he glared at Shouta, who was having a little too much fun messing with him. Hizashi was chuckling next to him. Danny glanced at the teachers on the couch, then back at Shouta.

"Yes, please," he finally said. he sounded fully serious. Then, without another comment, he stuck his head back in his room. Jazz rolled his eyes and with a wave of her hand left the room to go help Danny.

"How long...?" All Might asked.

"We adopted them three years ago," Hizashi answered. His shoulders were still shaking with laughter. "Are you guys staying for dinner as well?"

"I'm afraid not," Cementoss said. "We have a few more houses to get to." He met Shouta's gaze for a moment. "We'll keep this visit under the rug," he finally said. Shouta nodded his thanks, ushered the two heroes out, and curled up on the couch with a soft blanket.

"Come on, Sho, we need to make dinner," Hizashi said with a grin. Shouta grumbled and buried himself further. Hizashi opened his mouth to say something, but Shouta pressed his finger to his lips before he could speak.

"I'm getting up," he said. "Just five minutes."

Hizashi just laughed and rolled his eyes. With a sigh, he shook his head and shrugged. "Introverts, amiright?"

Chapter 21: Field Trip

Summary:

Phantom-sensei takes class 1-A (and maybe the other class as well) and takes them to pandora's (daedalus?) labyrinth as training. Myths are real! The sky's green! Now go fight them.

Chapter Text

"Alright, kids, listen up," Phantom said with a clap of his hand. "We're going somewhere that is incredibly dangerous, so I need you all to do exactly as I say, got it?" There were twenty heads bobbing up and down in front of him. "We're going to a place called the Ghost Zone. It's where I go when I have business. Now, you may encounter other ghosts on our way to Pandora's so I'm setting rules.

"Rule one, don't open any doors. Those are ghost lairs, they will tear you limb from limb if you go in uninvited. Rule two, don't let go of each other. We'll have to fly to get there, and I can lead you, but just to make sure we don't lose anybody, hold on to each other. I don't want to have to backtrack. And lastly, for the love of all that is holy, don't ask ghosts invasive questions like how they died or what their obsession is. Not everybody is cool about it, and it's a quick and easy way to start a fight. So unless the information is offered, shut your mouths. Got it?"

Another nod from twenty heads.

There was some commotion as they figured out the best way to hold onto each other. Danny took the front, and Aizawa the back just in case anybody was actually dumb enough to let go. Once everybody was secure, Danny tied a cable to his waste and handed it to Ida, who was at the very front.

"Don't let go of that," he instructed. Ida gave him a very serious salute before tying it round his wrist and gripping it tightly with both hands. Danny nodded with a smile, and held his hand out.

A portal, swirling green and mysteriously, opened up. Danny waved them forward, and one by one they stepped through into open air.

There were oohs and ahs all around. Even Aizawa seemed a little impressed by the Zone.

Danny took them the long way around, letting them sight see for a bit. They passed Skulker's Island, and flew above the carnivorous canyon. He waved at the dragon coming from Dora's kingdom, and kept far away from the River Styx. Finally, they made it to the Acropolis of Athens.

He knew the class was probably brimming with questions, but he needed them to wait. So he quickly herded them onto the landing platform and through the large gates. he was met with the four-armed ruler from ancient Greece.

"Pandora!" Phantom said excitedly. It had been a while since he's seen her. With her duties to her kingdom and Danny's busy schedule between teacher, hero, and king of ghosts, they only managed to see each other during the council meeting once a month.

"My king!" Pandora said, a ferocious grin splitting her face. "Are these the children I'll be teaching today?" Phantom nodded.

"This is Class 1-A. Class, this is Pandora's territory. Whatever she says goes, okay?"

There was a resounding, "Yes, sir!" From the whole class as Aizawa walked up to meet them. "Come on, Eraser, let's go."

---------

The class was more or less surprised by the green people dressed in ancient armor coming at them. Especially when they would dissolve and repair themselves whenever they were hit to hard.

this was good for the students to learn to adapt to their opponents, as well as taking on groups of them at once. There were a lot of unknown things about ghosts that Danny had purposefully not told them. It seemed to be paying off as Mineta had his face shoved into the dirt.

"These children are a force to be reckoned with, indeed," Pandora said with a laugh. "No hesitation!" She yelled at them, her voice echoing eerily around the large arena. "Show them your fiercest smile and devour them!"

"Considering how unpredictable ghosts usually are, they're doing pretty good," Danny said. "Though, a few of them should probably work on situational awareness," he said, gesturing to Kaminari and Mina, who had teamed up to fight the group surrounding them.

"Weren't you planning on having-" Eraserhead started, but was cut off with a boisterous laugh.

"Great One!" Frostbite said as he reached the top of the stairs. Danny grinned and hugged his old mentor. "My apologies for my lateness. You know how us ice users move."

"No worries," Danny chuckled. "Just hit them with everything you got, yeah?"

Frostbite nodded, and Pandora reached two of her hands out, opening the gates of the arena. None of her soldiers left, however. Instead, warriors from the Far Frozen came running out, loud and terrifying. 1-A seemed to get over their initial shock pretty quickly enough as they ran and faced off against the yetis, equipped with ice and weapons made of bone.

"Strike fear into your enemy's hearts!" Frostbite yelled at them. "Put your whole being into it!"

"Is this how you were taught?" Eraserhead asked, eyebrow raised. Phantom shrugged.

"More or less. Though I was also trying to memorize ghost laws at the same time. This scar on my eyebrow is from hesitating while I was trying to remember Clockwork's time laws."

Eraserhead hummed noncommittally before turning back to his students. "I'm gonna take a nap. Don't kill them, please."

-------

"So, how was it?" Danny asked with a grin. Frostbite and Pandora were standing on either side of him, while Aizawa was standing off to the side. The class was lying on the ground, covered in scrapes and bruises, dirt and ice and ectoplasm. They were panting hard.

A few of them glared, but others held up a weak thumbs-up. Pandora stepped forward.

"You are the next generation of warriors," she said. She spoke with authority, easily capturing everyone's attention. "You adapt well, but you hesitate to much. If you don't strike first, they will. So do as I said earlier-show them your most ferocious smile and devour them."

"What the fuck does that mean?" Kaminari groaned.

"It means fight with all you have, and take any necessary measures you need to to come out on top. Show them why your heroes. You're all passionate in your own way. Take that to the battlefield and make them regret waking up that day," Danny supplied. He had long since learned how to decipher Pandora's battle talk.

"You're all exceptional, but there's always room for growth," Frostbite told them. "Don't let your vision of yourself hinder your own progress. Start thinking outside of the box for the uses of your powers. I think you'll all be amazed by what you may find."

"Well said, Frostbite," Danny nodded in agreeance. "Are you guys ready to go home?"

All twenty heads nodded furiously. It was all they had the energy for. Danny smiled and nodded before stepping to the side and opening another portal. He peaked his head through just to make sure they were back at U.A. he stepped back and gestured towards the portal.

One by one they all went through. Aizawa nodded to Danny's colleagues and stepped through last. Danny turned to Pandora with a grin.

"Thanks for wearing them out. They've had a lot of pent-up energy lately. Misplaced aggression does wonders, doesn't it?"

Pandora laughed and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You can bring them around any time you want. My warriors definitely needed the training."

"As did mine," Frostbite said with a fond smile as he looked down at Danny. "Will I be seeing you for tea this weak, Great One?" He asked. Danny shrugged.

"I might have to rain check on tea, but next week I'll be bringing Class 1-B for this. We can make it up there?"

"It would be my honor," Frostbite said.

"Rad. I'll see you guys soon."

He waved one more time before entering the class of 1-A. The kids were gathering their stuff, and the sun was setting. It was a good thing they had dorms.

"You guys did great today. I don't think I've ever heard Pandora compliment somebody like that," he told them. "Not even when I trained under her. And I know you have questions, but they can wait. You can rest first, and we can circle back another day."

Aizawa yawned behind his scarf as the kids shuffled out one by one until it was just the teachers left.

"You wanna come see Vlad shit bricks when I take him and his class next week?" Danny asked. Aizawa shrugged, but he could feel the mirth coming from his coworker.

"Absolutely I do."

Chapter 22: Double-Ghosting

Summary:

hey, idk if you were here when "Danny double-ghosting" was doing the rounds but, can I ask for some Phantom double ghosting? Maybe fighting afo... 👉🏻👈🏻

Notes:

https://ghostly-penumbra.tumblr.com/post/160825891016/haikujitsu-sarapsys-ladyleceaction

Chapter Text

"I have a plan," Phantom said. He was beaten and bloody, and All Might was worse. He didn't have much time left but if he could extend it Phantom would do everything in his power that he could.

"What is it?" All Might asked. He was holding his side, and there was blood trickling into his eye.

"I can temporarily become a full ghost," Phantom said. "It's complicated. The only setback is, I kind of forget myself when I'm in that form. So if I don't come back, drag me back, okay?"

All Might had no idea what that mean, but he wasn't going to unpack it. They didn't have the time. Not when All for One was standing eerily across the battlefield, unperturbed by the debris that he buried other heroes in.

He gave a grim nod to Phantom. "Do it. We need to end this."

Phantom nodded. His usual cheer was gone, replaced by clenched teeth and grim determination. He stepped back from All Might, and let the rings wash over him once more. But instead of turning him human, he became a dark green hue. The whites of his uniform and the green of his eyes seemed to glow more eerily than usual. He looked at All Might with only a vague sense of recognition. All Might pointed towards AfO, and Phantom hissed.

All Might ignored the way his stomach twisted at the fangs and forked tongue he knows the other hero didn't have before.

Phantom was aware of his enemy. At least, he partially was. He knew this was the man who was causing pain, the one he needed to fight, with his dark mask and crisp suit.

As a halfa he could fly over a hundred miles per hour. As a full ghost, even temporarily so, that power was doubled.

The only thing saving AfO from a speed attack was the sheer amount of quirks he held, probably alerting him of Phantom's movements or giving him the reflexes he needed to dodge.

Wherever Phantom flew, dust and debris shot off the ground, leaving nothing but dust in his wake as he attempted to get closer and closer. He was dodging every attack AfO sent his way, weaving and bobbing.

Nobody with normal eyesight could see it through the dust storm he was creating, but as he flew, he dove down into the rubble and pulled the fallen heroes out. He dropped them off at a safe point and returned in the blink of an eye.

He's only done this a few times before. He was instinctually aware that it drained his life battery. The longer he was in this state, the power that he used...It only expedited the process of becoming a full ghost.

He snarled at AfO, hands glowing, as he flew straight towards the man. AfO lifted one of his hands, but in the blink of an eye Phantom had disappeared and reappeared behind the villain. He blasted him forward and into the ground. Before he could get up, Phantom gripped the back of his head and forced it into the ground as he flew. The only thing saving him was the black helmet he wore.

AfO sent another attack, hitting Phantom squarely in the chest. At his speed, it was nearly impossible to right himself. He flew face first into the Nomu warehouse behind them.

AfO stood and dusted off his suit. It was no longer crisp and clean, but it was more or less intact. He turned to All Might, who had long since caught his breath. He was injured, but Phantom had bought him the time he needed, and had managed to do actual damage to the villain.

In a blur of black and yellow AfO and All Might charged, blow after blow becoming more and more of a blur.

He was dimly aware of his haunted friend coming back out, still in his full ghost form, and attacking AfO when there was a chance.

Danny could feel himself slipping. His mind, his clarity of being. It was turning into sand and falling through his fingers the more he fought. But he couldn't let up, not now. Not when they were so close. If he did, the blood of the world would be on his hands.

His core ached at the very notion.

With every blow he landed, more sand was knocked out of his hands. He had enough sense to stay back when All Might landed a devastating United States Smash, neutralizing the threat. he floated down next to All Might, who had deflated. His fist was up in the air. A symbol of victory.

A symbol of peace.

Phantom buzzed around him. Was he...Who was this? With his strange yellow hair and his bloodied fists. His tattered uniform, and his unwavering conviction. No alarm bells went off in his head. Even when those piercing blue eyes looked to him.

"You can change back now, Phantom."

Change back? What did he mean? He tilted his head to the side, and All Might frowned.

"Phantom?"

Chapter 23: Father Figure pt 2

Summary:

More father figure

Notes:

dadzawa is my favorite flavor

Chapter Text

Shouta was tired.

After the events of the training camp, he had gotten multiple calls from worried parents from every single student except one. And it was one he had begrudgingly grown attached to. After the training incident when he had gotten into a scuffle with Bakugou and then had a panic attack at the prospect of Aizawa treating him like every other fucking adult in his life.

He was tied, and didn't want to have this conversation. He didn't know how it was going to go. But maybe being surrounded by his peers in more than just a school setting would ease Danny's nerves. He was always so jumpy.

The building was a standard brick and mortar, with a gaudy neon sign at the top. His shoulders sagged as he walked to the front door. He allowed himself one more sigh before straightening back up and knocking.

The door swung open, revealing Danny in a faded Jaxa t-shirt and a headset. He paled and looked behind him to see if anybody was there. Instead of inviting Aizawa inside, he stepped out in his bare feet. He said a quick goodbye to whoever he had been speaking to, and pulled the headset down, letting it rest across his shoulders.

"Not that I totally don't want to see you, but why are you at my house?" Danny asked. He was nervous and clamming up. The alarm bells in Aizawa's head couldn't be louder.

"I came to talk to your parents about moving you into the new on-campus dorms," Aizawa explained calmly. Danny seemed to pale further.

"Ok. Cool, coolcoolcool." He looked behind him at the closed door before turning back to Aizawa.

"I just-listen," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. His voice held all the seriousness of Midoriya when Kaminari had jokingly threatened to destroy one of his All Might figures. "You cannot-absolutely under any circumstances-tell my parents I have a quirk." Aizawa raised an eyebrow, and opened his mouth to speak, but Danny was faster. "Listen, I know it's confusing, and I promise I'll explain everything, but they don't know I have powers. To be honest I don't even think they know what school I go to. So please," Danny's eyes were wide and fearful. Pleading.

Though there were many questions swirling around in his head, only one was spoken. "Why?"

"Because I have ghost powers. My parents are ghost hunters. I didn't get my powers until I was fourteen. Sensei, they can't know. Please."

Danny was implying a lot of things. Would the Fenton parents hurt Danny just because the nature of his quirk defied their beliefs? Danny seemed to think so. And he knew his parents best. Aizawa stared at Danny, long and hard. Those large, blue eyes never wavered.

"Fine. But I expect an explanation when we move into the dorms. Understand?"

"I promise I will tell you everything," Danny said, his shoulders sagging with relief. "Come on in."

The Fenton's house was about as standard as any other house. It was clean, and decorated with family photos. There was one near the coat rack that caught Aizawa's attention.

It had the Fenton parents and Danny, along with a slightly older red head he vaguely remembers being in Present Mic's class. He had heard Danny talk about his sister a few times, but hadn't cared enough to pay attention to what was said. Now, though, he was realizing he never said a single thing about his parents. Even Bakugou talked about his occasionally.

He followed Danny to the kitchen and shot Aizawa one last thankful look before opening a side door and disappearing down the stairs. There were sounds of saws and welding tools. Were his parents in the support course business? No, couldn't be. Danny said they were ghost hunters. (He was still wrapping his head around that one.)

A few minutes later, there was an exasperated shout and Danny's nervous mumbling, and three footfalls on the long set of stairs. The door swung open again, and a large man in a bright orange jumpsuit walked through. Behind him was a smaller woman with red hair and wearing a matching turquoise suit. Behind them, Danny followed. His shoulders were pulled up to his ears, hunching over as if trying to make himself smaller. It was quite odd, seeing as how the kid could turn invisible.

Aizawa stood up and shook their hands and introduced themselves. At the mention of him being Danny's teacher, Jack sent a warning glare to Danny. Maddie busied herself with making tea for them, with an offhanded comment about how that was the first thing Danny should have done when they invited his teacher in.

The way they offhandedly dragged their son around made Aizawa's blood boil, though he didn't show it. Instead, he took the offered tea and tried to give the kid a calming look. He sat down next to Aizawa, and his leg started shaking up and down. He said nothing, and stared at the table as the adults talked.

"We are so sorry for our son's behavior," Maddie started, throwing a pointed look towards Danny, who seemed to shrink further in on himself. "Though he must like you considering you're the first teacher of the semester to pay us a personal visit. Who knows, maybe he'll actually learn something."

Her tone was light and airy but the comment fell like a lead balloon on Aizawa's ears.

"Danny is not in trouble, Mr. and Mrs. Fenton," he said. He was proud of his voice not wavering with anger as he spoke. "In fact, he's one of my best students. He has been nothing but exceptional."

"Oh, well that's a first," Jack laughed. It was a thundering, ominous sound given the comment.

"I'm here to talk about the new dorm system that U.A. is setting up," Aizawa said evenly. "Due to some complications with the hero course, we though it be best to secure the safety of the student body with an on-campus dorm system."

"And you want Danny to move in?" Maddie scoffed. Then realization dawned on her face as she turned to Danny. "Since when did you go to U.A?"

"Since the beginning of the year, mom," Danny replied. His voice was quiet. Aizawa ignored the tone Maddie used. It was condescending, and it made his blood boil.

"Oh. Well, good job, sweetie. I'm sure the general education is happy to have you."

Aizawa opened his mouth to correct them, but he caught Danny's eyes. Right. They didn't know he had powers. Let them believe he was a quirkless kid in gen ed because it would raise less questions.

"We are," Aizawa said instead. "He has some of the highest grades, and has surpassed every goal we've given him with flying colors. You should be proud."

There was a sudden line of tension in Danny's shoulders, though he didn't say anything. He just kept his head down.

"We are," Jack said. "He's finally learning something! Maybe one day he'll be smart enough to join the family business! Have you ever heard of ghosts, Mr. Aizawa?"

-----

The conversation was long and boring and Aizawa never wanted to speak to the Fenton parents again. It was easy enough though, getting their permission for Danny to move into the dorms.

Danny walked him back out silently. The driver had left to pick up All Might from the Midoriya's place, leaving him alone with Danny for a few minutes.

"Sorry about them," he said. He was still tense, jittery. They had done nothing but show off their ghost hunting equipment, and had at one point gone into full detail about how they would dissect one. No wonder Danny didn't want his parents to know about his powers.

"It's not a problem," Aizawa said with a shrug. But it was. The casual way they put Danny down, the dismissive behavior they portrayed as ignored him until they called him stupid. Aizawa hadn't been kidding when he said Danny was one of his best students. He was one of the brightest, both in the classroom and on the battlefield. Aizawa was proud to be his teacher.

"Still," Danny shrugged, not meeting his eyes. "Usually the don't go as overboard with the, uh, details." He paused before straightening up and looking Aizawa in the eyes. There was nothing but relief. "Thank you for not bringing up my powers. And I promise I'll tell you everything. I just-I thought I could last until graduation. Then I could finally leave."

"Well, if you need a place to stay for breaks, you can always crash with me." The words were out of Aizawa before he had a chance to stop them. Though, he hadn't really wanted to, either.

"Wh-really?" Danny asked, eyes wide with disbelief. Aizawa nodded, and he broke into a grin. "Thank you so much sir!" The sincerity in his voice hurt Aizawa's heart. Aizawa was barely being nice. He had a couch, and a cat. The guest bedroom had long since just become a storage room.

But seeing the sheer delight on Danny's face from not having to go home...It gave him the motivation to finally clean it out.

"It's not a problem," Aizawa says again, but he hopes Danny hears the underlying message. You're not a problem. Danny just beams at him. God, with him and Midoriya they'd blind the whole city with their smiles.

"I'll see you on move-in day," Aizawa said once the car pulled up a few minutes later. Danny nodded his head excitedly as he waved goodbye.

"I can't wait!"

Chapter 24: Conspiracy

Summary:

Elle is the clone of Phantom so who knows she is clone ( for Danny as student and Danny as teacher) .
So in the au Danny as student, would Aizawa adopt both Fentons and Elle as his kids ?
And for au Danny as teacher will Shoto discover the truth and be like " I knew it! You are his clone!!"

Chapter Text

"I'm gonna need you to repeat that," Shouta says slowly, looking up at a very nervous Danny. "Just for clarification sake."

"I have a clone and she needs a place to crash," Danny says again. The words in that order still are bizarre, but he looks down and sees Danny's earnestness, and he can't say no.

So that's how Shouta ended up with two very hyperactive half-ghosts annoying the hell out of him.

Since Danny lived in the dorms and Shouta ended up there more often then not, Nezu had made an exception and let Elle stay in the 1-A dorms with Danny. He had explained the whole clone thing as well as he could, and that seemed to intrigue Nezu. Shouta made a mental note to warn Elle.

The cover story was they were siblings. A lot of people knew Jazz my word of mouth, and knew that she wasn't particularly the dating type, let alone a have-a-magically-fourteen-year-old-daughter-right-out-of-high-school type. It worked out, because Danny and Elle looked almost exactly alike, save for the massive height difference. Danny had shot up in height over the past few months and now towered over the entire class. Even Shouta had to look up to talk to him now.

She fit in well enough when she was over. She was finishing up exploring the world, according to Danny. A two year long road trip by herself. Money wasn't a big issue since she could fly and steal food, but any allowance he had been giving Danny and Jazz had gone to Elle without him knowing. It was an disgustingly sweet gesture, and a nice way to give her her freedom while still checking in on her. Now that she was pretty much back, save for the small islands around the country, she had nowhere to stay. So Shouta, for better or for worse, now had three kids.

This, of course, was not mentioned to his class. Hell, they didn't even know Danny and Jazz had been adopted by him. He had wanted to keep it secret, for fear of them accusing him of special treatment. Aizawa hadn't necessarily blamed him for it.

However, her presence was the main cause of gossip around the classroom nowadays. Todoroki is swearing up and down that they look to alike to be just siblings, and Shouta was almost afraid his conspiracy theories would lead him to an actual answer. Danny however, just laughed them off, as if Todoroki wasn't straying to close to the actual truth.

But Elle, for better of for worse, fit seamlessly with his class. The girls adored her, and called her a cuter version of Danny. He knew at least three of them had a crush on his son, but he wasn't going to say anything. Plus it was nice just having another girl around, to help even out the class.

She didn't attend class with them, she wasn't quite old enough. Instead, she left U.A. to go to a middle school Shouta had enrolled her in. On weekends she would either go travel, updating them on her whereabouts, or she would spend the weekend at the dorm kicking Kaminari's ass in Smash Bros. Shouta had to hide his smile ever time he nearly short circuited himself out of frustration. Hell, even Bakugou got along with her, more or less. It was impressive, to say the lease.

Adopting her, it seemed, was rather effortless on his part. He was loving every second of it.

-----

"No, Midoriya, I'm telling you," Todoroki said, exasperated. "They're more than just siblings."

"How do you figure?" Midoriya asked. The corners of his mouth twitched up in barely contained amusement.

"Because siblings don't look that close unless they're twins," Todoroki stated matter-of-factly. "Not even me and my own siblings look that close. And they act nearly the exact same way, too. And their powers are identical. I've only ever seen that with twins, and they're not twins."

"What do you think they are, then?" Uraraka asked.

"I don't see why this matters," Iida said as he pushed up his glasses. "His familial relationships are none of out business. We should respect their privacy."

"Iida, don't be a buzzkill," Uraraka rolled her eyes. She got support from Todoroki, and Midoriya couldn't hold his grin back any longer as he urged the boy to continue his wild conspiracy theories.

"Maybe one of them is a robot," Todoroki sad. "Or-I don't know. A clone maybe?"

"Do they even have that kind of technology?" Iida asked. If you can't beat them, join them.

"I'm sure the government does, or some mad scientist somewhere out there." Todoroki pressed his lips into a thin line, and Midoriya could practically see the gears turning. Any second now smoke would be coming out of his ears. "But if she is his clone, why is she here now? How come she hasn't been here the whole time? How come Danny doesn't talk about her?"

"Maybe they were separated at birth or something," Midoriya said. He knew he shouldn't encourage this, but it was too funny.

"Elle said she had been traveling, though. But if that's true then where are her parents? Was she traveling alone while they stayed back with Danny? Or was Danny alone with his other sister?"

These were all very good questions. And Todoroki was determined to get answers.

--------

"Geez, how are you guys so alike?" Mina was asking as the Fenton siblings ate. They both looked at her with the same furrow in their brows, mouth open and food stopped halfway between there and the plate. Even their shoulders hunched the same as they put their silverware down.

"She's my clone," Danny said sarcastically. Elle snorted and elbowed him, earning her a grin in return. Mina just rolled her eyes, ignoring the way Todoroki perked up at the casual statement.

"I knew it," he said as he came over. Midoriya quickly followed, trying and failing to bring his friend back.

"What?" Elle asked, eyebrow raised.

"That's you're clones," Todoroki stated simply. Mina cackled as Danny swallowed his fork from surprise. He coughed and hacked until Elle stuck an intangible hand inside of him and pulled it out. He gave her a thankful nod.

"It was just a joke," Danny said, voice rough.

"No, it's not," Todoroki said. "You're a terrible liar, Danny."

"As your sibling I do agree. You are a terrible liar," Elle said.

"Who's side are you on?" Danny frowned.

"The funny side."

"If she is your sister why was she traveling instead of going to school? And why was she doing it alone? Do your parents know? Were they with her? And if they were, did that mean you were alone?"

He asked his questions, rapid fire, and Danny finally understood why Shouta got a headache from Class 1-A so often. He could feel the pressure building from behind his eye the more Todoroki talked.

"Yeah, he's actually got some good points," Mina said, a finger to her chin.

"She was traveling because she was studying abroad," Danny said smoothly, but as it had already been established, he was a terrible liar.

"Ugh, can we just tell them?" Elle asked, resting her head in her hand. "They're not gonna leave us alone. Besides, from the stories I've heard I know I'm not the weirdest thing you guys have seen."

"We shout probably ask Shouta first," Danny said. A slip of the tongue that nearly had him swallowing his fork again. Elle yanked it from his hand and sat it back down at the table as their three friends stared at him, mouths hanging open.

"Why would you need Sensei's permission?" Mina asked. Danny swallowed and rubbed the back of his neck-a nervous habit he had never been able to fully get rid of.

"Because he may or may not be our dad?"

"What?!" Mina said, jumping around excitedly. "This whole time and you didn't tell us?"

"I didn't want anybody to think I was getting special treatment. Besides, it's still kind of new. I only got adopted like two years ago."

"But Sensei would never let her travel by herself," Midoriya said.

"He didn't know about her until a few days before you guys met her. She-no lie-is my clone."

"So much for asking Shouta," Elle said with a roll of her eyes.

"Really?" Todoroki asked. His voice was quiet, but he was leaning forward, hanging onto Danny's every word. Danny nodded.

"My parents were scientists, and they were friends with this other guy who was obsessed with my mom. He wanted to kill my dad, marry her, and make me his son. It never worked out for him, so he made Elle. She's made from ectoplasm and some of my DNA."

Elle shot finger guns at the small group, not glorifying the story with a response. Vlad was still a touchy subject sometimes.

"Oh my god," Mina said. "You're not lying. He's not lying. You're not lying."

"I am not lying," Danny agreed. "But this stays between us. Please? We don't need more trouble on our backs. And please for the love of all that is holy don't breathe a word about Shouta adopting me. I don't want to be treated differently."

Mina nodded excitedly. "Cross my heart," she said, making the motion over her heart.

"God," Elle said with a fond shake of her head. "Yall are fucking crazy."

Chapter 25: Oh, You Haven't Heard? pt 2

Summary:

I just read through your entire ao3 basically and... I absolutely need more shenanigans from "oh? haven't you heard?"!!! Class 1-A is entirely clueless, except for Todoroki. No one else believes him (esp after "all might's secret love child" and stuff), but hes convinced Danny is Aizawa's kid

Chapter Text

Todoroki had figured it out a long time ago. He had seen Danny and their teacher board the train together, and come to school together. Whenever they didn't have classes or training he was hanging out with him or, oddly enough, Present Mic.

It was frustrating, however, not being taken seriously when he told Midoriya and the others about it. The All Might's Secret Love Child Incident was still fresh in their minds, and Midoriya of all people did not want a repeat of it. So when he presented the evidence to them, they brushed him off with a half-heartedly "Maybe they just take the same train," and went about their day.

And the worst part about it?

Danny knew that he knew.

It was an incredibly frustrating two weeks where, after Todoroki confronted him about it, it was made into a big joke. Any time they saw each other in the halls, he would get a big grin and tell the other boy he was going to hang out with his dad. Around friends, though, it was said in a tone that made them all laugh. Danny's eyes shined with mirth every time.

Because of this, nobody batted an eye when Danny said, "Yeah, dad?" After being called on in class. Aizawa had just rolled his eyes, ignoring the chortles from other students. Mina was in downright awe for the next two days, asking Danny his secrets. Danny had just shrugged and told her it was true, and she had laughed and walked away with a roll of her eyes.

It was incredibly infuriating to watch.

Danny on the other hand was having an absolute blast. He had told Shouta everything, of course. How could he not? And besides, he didn't really care if everybody else found out. Sure, he didn't want to announce it, or be treated differently by his peers, in or out of 1-A, but it also wasn't the end of the world if they did find out. Danny should know. He's almost experienced it a couple of times.

But because Danny had been messing around with the boy for so long, it was no surprise when he ambushed Danny in one of the normal gyms on campus. He was taking his time with the punching bag, working on perfecting the technique Shouta had taught him.

"Why do you keep doing this?" Todoroki asked. And Danny, because he's an asshole, just shrugged.

"What, working out? We are heroes in training," he said. Todoroki huffed. It looked like he was getting genuinely annoyed now.

"You know what I mean, Danny," he said. "How come they don't believe you."

"The same reason people would never believe it if I told them that our teacher sprained his wrist hoola-hooping with Present Mic," Danny said, rolling his eyes. "It's so outlandish that people think it's a joke. Besides, other than hair color we don't look alike, or act alike."

"Do you look more like your mom?" Todoroki asked.

"No," Danny said with a bitter laugh. "I look more like my dad. But my sister and I were adopted by Aizawa like, three years ago. So he's my dad, but not by dad. Make sense?"

Danny was giving him a full confirmation and Todoroki hadn't had the sense to record the conversation as proof. But looking at the way Danny's shoulders tensed at the mention of his biological parents, the way his face scrunched up in a type of resentment Todoroki had seen on his own face, he's glad he didn't.

"What happened, if you don't mind me asking," Todoroki said. he walked over to the punching bag Danny was whaling on. He was punching harder now, the need to vent his frustrations quickly outgrowing whatever he had initially been working on.

"They were scientists. They had a lot of dangerous stuff laying around but didn't have the proper safety precautions. I got into an accident," Danny pulled back, breathing heavily. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and unwrapped his left hand.

He had seen the Lichtenburg figures before. Kaminari had similar ones adorning his own arms. But to be electrocuted in your own home? He was lucky he survived.

Danny, without further prompting, lifted up his shirt. The figures travelled all the way up his arm and spread out across his chest, stopping just before his abdomen.

"They didn't even care," he said. "I was a late bloomer with my powers, so I basically grew up quirkless. And then I got into the accident, and they were just happy that their precious experiment finally worked. Shouta adopted me and Jazz pretty soon after since he was the hero who took care of everything."

"That's...Horrifying," Todoroki said after a few minutes. "Does it hurt?"

Danny shrugged and started wrapping his hand back up. "Not really. Sometimes my hand gets all twitchy and I can't do anything with it, but other than that it's fine."

"If it makes you feel any better, my mother poured boiling water on my face when she was having a mental breakdown."

Danny just stared at him for a moment, blinking slowly. "No, it doesn't make me feel better." Danny offered him a warm smile. "But I appreciate the effort."

"Does this mean you're gonna tell them about me being right?" Todoroki asked. Danny shrugged and threw him a lopsided grin.

"Not a chance."

Chapter 26: Dynamic Duo

Summary:

Danny and Mirio interactions!!! (Either as a student or a teacher)

Notes:

sorry i havent been super active lately I was out of town for my stepmoms funeral. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Text

Danny groaned as he fell forward. Mirio's fist was still burring itself in his stomach, twisting ever so slightly, like adding salt in the wound.

He fell to the ground like the rest of his peers. His stomach was in excruciating pain and he felt like he was going to throw up. But he still couldn't help but be amazed at the third year stepped over him. The smile never left his face, though it did turn sheepish when he realized he had no clothes on.

"You did pretty great!" He said. Danny rolled over to his side, not wanting to see anything more than he had to. "I've never met anybody with a quirk similar to mine!"

"How are you so cheery right now?" Danny croaked out. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, pointedly looking away from the third year. Mirio placed a hand in his line of sight, and Danny, not really wanting to be the sore loser here, gripped it. Mirio lifted him to his feet with a practiced ease and patted him on the back.

"That's just my charming personality," the blonde was grinning now. Danny had to resist the roll of his eyes. He's sure that if his stomach wasn't on fire right now he'd be more willing to play nice.

Danny placed a hand on his shoulder and activated his invisibility, so it looked like Mirio was just a floating head. Soon enough they made their way back to the wall where Aizawa was, a calculated mirth in his eyes. Nejire came over and gave Mirio his clothes back. When he at least had his pants on, Danny took his hand off of Mirio's shoulder.

"That's a neat trick! Maybe we could practice sometime, yeah?"

Danny shrugged, only half paying attention now as Aizawa had started speaking. "Sure, whatever."

--------

Danny couldn't help the yelp that escaped him as an unfortunately familiar face pushed through the wall. Was he always so unnervingly cheery? Maybe he should see a doctor.

"Fenton!" He cried happily, stepping through the rest of the wall. Danny huffed a polite greeting as he knelt down to pick up the stuff he dropped.

"Danny's fine," he said, standing back up. Mirio's grin seemed to widen even more.

"Fantastic! Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to train with me! You seemed pretty excited after class the other day."

Mirio was reaching if he thought that was Danny being excited, but he had said yes, and he didn't really have anything to do. He sighed and shrugged.

"Lemme put my stuff in my room and we can head over."

------

"So how does your permeation work?" Mirio asked him after explaining his own quirk. They were standing in one of the workout gyms. Danny was wearing his gym pants and a black tank top, showing off his muscles and scars.

"It's less complicated than yours," he said. "I can make my whole body intangible, and if I drop it, I'm stuck. I don't shoot out like you do." To further explain, he stuck his arm through the punching bag and turned tangible. While his arm was fully stuck now, he wasn't being shot out of it. "Also, I can still breathe."

"How can you do that if your lungs are intangible, too?" Mirio asked as Danny too his arm out of the punching bag.

"Well, my quirk changed my anatomy, so even though I function like a normal person, my body on the inside isn't. When I'm in my ghost form my insides become mostly ectoplasm, including my lungs. And it also helps that in that form I don't really have to breathe. Not a lot, anyway."

"Fascinating!" Mirio cheered, his already large blue eyes somehow getting bigger with excitement. "Do you wanna spar? We can use only intangibility!"

Danny could feel his core thrumming with excitement. It seems Mirio was ribbing off on him. "Absolutely I do."

-----

"Mercy," Danny panted. He was sitting on the ground, his head bent between his knees trying to catch his breath. He took his shirt off and wiped at his sweat before flopping the rest of the way onto the ground, arm over his eyes.

"Oh come on, Danny," Mirio said, and Danny could practically see his permanent grin. "How about one...More..."

Danny frowned as he lifted his arm to look at Mirio, who was staring at him. "Something wrong, dude?" He asked. The sudden tension was palpable.

"Your chest," Mirio said eventually, keeping his voice even. Danny glanced down, and wanted to punch himself. He should have remembered the giant autopsy scar marring his torso. Mirio looked like he was going to be sick. Danny, however, just shrugged, and gave the same excuse he gave everybody. It was all he could do to fight back the memories.

"I had surgery, dude. No worries, okay?"

Mirio's usually cheery smile was gone. Instead, his lips were pressed into a thin line, and he looked torn between trusting Danny and running to Recovery Girl.

"I won't tell anybody," he said eventually, a smile coming back onto his face. Danny, however could see right through it. He had spent a lot of time forging masks that look exactly like that. It made him wonder how many of Mirio's smiles were actually genuine. "But if you ever wanna talk..."

Danny starred at him, shock written all over his face. It wasn't what he had been expecting. But Mirio was a third year. He's probably seen his fair share of shit he couldn't talk about. Especially working under somebody like Sir Nighteye. Danny sighed, letting the tension in his shoulders relax. He gave Mirio a small smile.

"Thanks, man. And listen, if you wanna talk, too, I'm here." He glanced over Mirio, and while the smile was still there, his shaking hands gave him away. Danny glanced at them, and back at Mirio. "Mint tea works best for stress," he found himself saying. It was something his sister had said to him several times over the years, when he was cramming for tests and fighting ghosts before curfew. "And chamomile for anxiety."

It was more than just an olive branch being extended over the thick, tense air. It was a hand to help pick the third year up in case he couldn't do it himself. Mirio grinned at him. It wasn't a mask this time.

He held out his hand, and Danny took it.

-----

"Okay, are you sure this is going to work?" Mirio was asking. Danny huffed.

"Who do you take me for? Of course this will work. Now go."

Mirio gulped like he was in a goddamn cartoon and knocked on the large door while Danny gave him a two-fingered salute before disappearing.

"Come in!"

Mirio put on a brave face and opened the door.

Thankfully the only person in the teacher's lounge was All Might, in his shrunken form. It looked like he was going over some papers, and he looked relieved to have an excuse to take a break.

"Ah, Young Togata," he greeted. "What can I do for you, my boy?"

God, if Sir found out about this he'd kill him.

"Hello, All Might," he said, plastering on a grin. "I just had a couple of questions about Sir. If you don't mind, that is."

All Might looked shocked, to say the least. He knew that he and Sir had some sort of argument, but Sir held him in such a high regard, it was hard to think All Might wouldn't be the same.

"Is everything okay with Nighteye?" the pro asks. Mirio waves his hand and smiles.

"Of course! He's never been better! But I figured since you know him pretty well, you'd be able to help me. See, Sir's birthday is coming up soon, and I wanna get him something that will make him laugh. I was wondering if you had any ideas?"

All Might turned away from the rest of the lounge, where the couches and chairs were. Danny's hand appeared, giving him a thumbs up, before disappearing again.

Mirio ignored the way every piece of furniture moved behind All Might as they put their brains together for Sir's birthday. Keeping All Might looking in his direction wasn't too much of a problem, considering he was looking down in thought half the time. Maybe Midoriya got his muttering from All Might.

Soon enough, Danny's hands were waving at him again, before passing through the wall to the hallway. Then there was a knock on the door, and Danny poked his head in.

"Oh, am I interrupting?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck. Sheepish looked like it was second nature to Danny.

"Oh, not at all," All Might said, standing up. "I think we were about done anyway. Let me know how everything turns out, okay?"

"Will do, sir!"

He gathered his things and made a quick escape with Danny.

---------

Shouta frowned as he stepped into the teacher's lounge. It looked the same but something was off. He couldn't quite place his finger on it, though. The other teachers in the room seemed to have a similar feeling.

"It just-the couch just doesn't feel the same," Hizashi was whining from his spot on the end. Nemuri was rolling her eyes, but didn't disagree. Snipe was sitting on the other end of the couch, rubbing at his temples.

"What's going on?" Shouta asked tiredly, taking a sip of coffee.

"Something is wrong in here but we can't tell what it is," Cementoss said from his spot near the microwave.

Shouta looked around. It looked the same. But he felt it too. Somebody had been in here. He scowled as he looked at the furniture as if it had been the couch that offended him.

And then he saw it.

The couch wasn't centered with the throw rug. He knelt down next to the back of the couch, finding exactly what he thought he was going to.

Scuff marks.

So it was just a prank then. Shouta huffed and moved the couch six inches to the right where it had originally been. Hizashi almost immediately stopped his dramatic blubbering, feeling the herky-jerky way Shouta had moved the couch. He stood up, noticing similar signs throughout the entire room.

"Better?" He asked. Hizashi nodded. Shouta rolled his eyes.

Whenever he found out who did this, they were going to run until they puked.

Chapter 27: Father Figure pt. 3

Summary:

Dadzawa is my favorite too!!! Can i have Jazz visiting the dorm next? Maybe on Danny's birthday?

Notes:

Jazz Fenton supremacy brainrot

Chapter Text

After the move to the dorms and Danny's explanation about the origin of his powers, the kid seemed to thrive. He was no longer riding on the coattails of anxiety when coming to class, and the bags under his eyes seemed to lessen. He seemed brighter, less suffocating. His shoulders were no longer permanently hunched. instead, he stood tall and proud, his shoulders back and head held high. It had only been a couple of months but Danny was making leaps and bounds, both with his powers and his well being. And even though Aizawa did his best to hide it, the kid's smile was infectious.

But despite the high he had been riding, he had seemed off all day. In class he had a hard time focusing, and he seemed distant. No longer vibrating with excitement at the prospect of learning, but looking forlornly out the window.

Aizawa knew why, of course. He had mentioned to Asui that his sister was out of town and couldn't meet up for his birthday. (And really, it spoke volumes that he constantly talked about his sister, and actively wanted to see her and not their parents. But that was a task for later.)

He was well aware that it was a bold-faced lie, though. His class has been talking about a surprise birthday party for him for two weeks now. And was he in on it?

Of course he was.

But mostly because Hizashi wouldn't shut up about it.

Definitely not because he cared or anything.

He had contacted Jazz Fenton almost two weeks ago and told her everything his students had been planning. She had been excited, and immediately down to clown. In fact, she was on campus now, setting up decorations in the dorm room and wrapping the presents the class had gotten for their resident ball of anxiety.

He seemed to be in a mood all day, and his students needed time to prepare the food, so he had Danny stay after class while his students threw thumbs up and knowing glances over Danny's shoulder. He had to repress his eyeroll at their antics.

Danny looked nervous, but not like the first time he had been called up. It was most likely just because he had no idea what Shouta was going to say.

"You okay, kid? You've been out of it all day," he said. Danny looked at him, and then anywhere but him. His bottom lip was trapped under his teeth, and the confident young man he's been turning into the past few months was replaced by the kid who was to afraid to tell his parents about his powers.

He didn't press Danny to answer faster. He didn't want to break the trust the kid had given him. Even if he did know the problem, he wanted Danny to come to him.

"Sorry, sir," he said eventually, rubbing the back of his neck. He still wasn't looking at Shouta, but it was probably because he was about to cry, if the wetness of his eyes were anything to go by. "It's just...It's my birthday, and I can't see my sister. She couldn't get off work."

"Well, there's always next week, isn't there?" Shouta carefully said.

"There is, but...It's stupid."

"Danny, if it's making you this upset it's not stupid," he said almost sternly. Danny's eyes flicked over to his, and once again he was startled by just how blue they were. They were intense, and searching. They must have found what they were looking for, because the tension in his shoulders lessened ever so slightly.

"Well, my parents have never celebrated my birthday," he said. "Even before the quirkless diagnosis. They were always busy with work. But Jazz always made time for me. And when she got older we were able to go out to this really good ramen place in Tokyo. It's just...It'll be my first birthday without her. Because she has work. And I'm...I'm trying not to be upset-" he took in a shuddering breath as he turned his head away again. There was a tear trailing down his cheek. "Because I know she's busy. But it feels like my parents ignoring me all over again. And I know she'd never do that but-but it's one day."

Shouta sighed as he stood up and moved in front of Danny. He opened up his arms, and Danny launched himself into them. He wasn't sobbing like Midoriya usually did. His shoulders shook but his tears were silent and Shouta couldn't help but wonder how many years he's had to suppress his cries. How many years he went without a hug from his parents.

"It'll be okay, kid. Come on, follow me."

Shouta led them to his office. Sitting on the desk was a small box wrapped in blue wrapping paper that Hizashi had helped him pick out. He gave it to Danny, who was looking at him in shock.

"You got me a present?" He asked. Shouta nodded. He did it for every student. Specifically for reasons like this. But also because he was a big softie who cared about his students. Not like he'd ever admit it, though.

Danny carefully tore the wrapping paper, eyes widening as he realized what it was. And when he did, he didn't wait for Shouta's invitation. He threw himself at Shouta, crushing him in a hug with his supernatural strength. The air was knocked out of the teacher, but he still managed to smile fondly at the boy.

"Thank you!" He said, before letting go and hopping around excitedly. "I can't believe-this model rocket is limited edition, how did you-"

Shouta couldn't help but watch fondly as Danny buzzed excitedly, going on about the facts of the space rocket, the crew members, what their mission was. When it came to space he acted like Midoriya, unable to hold in his excitement.

For nearly an hour he talked nonstop about space and astronauts and anything in between. Shouta's phone buzzed with a text from Momo saying everything was ready, and he texted saying they were on their way.

In his excitement Danny had seemed to forget his reason for being so upset, so seeing his eyes widen in realization as his sister shouted "Happy birthday!" With the rest of his friends was absolutely overwhelming. He barreled into Jazz with happy tears in his eyes. Shouta doesn't know how she didn't get knocked flat on her ass like he had almost been.

He pretended like he didn't care about the party as they all opened presents and played party games. As their homeroom teacher, he had to be there for events like this just in case shit went south (Todoroki not knowing how to use a microwave was the main reason for this).

Once the party was in full swing and Danny was too occupied to notice, Jazz snuck away to Shouta's corner and sat next to him. Wordlessly, she handed him a tiny box, able to fit in the palm of her hand near perfectly.

"Here," she said when Shouta didn't immediately take it. "For you."

Shouta took it and opened it without fanfare. It was a tiny keychain in the shape of a black cat, and a gift card to his favorite coffee shop. He looked at her, an eyebrow raised. She just shrugged.

"Call it a thank you," she smiled at him. "For taking care of him. He never shuts up about you, you know. He calls me nearly every day to talk about how cool you are. I've never seen him this carefree."

"Just doing my job," Shouta shrugged, but he put the keychain on his keyring anyway. It was the only one he had, and he knew Hizashi would ask him about it later, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He looked back up at Jazz, who had a knowing look in her eyes. He vaguely recalled Danny saying she had some sort of empathy quirk. He pointedly ignored the warmth in his chest as he watched Danny in the corner of his eye arm wrestling with Kirishima.

"Still," she said, leaning back in her seat. "Thank you."

Chapter 28: Oh, You Haven't Heard? pt. 3

Summary:

Time for some 'Oh, you havent heard?' angst train! ( Assuming the Fenton's havent been arrested yet.)
The Fenton's make an unveiling of their new invention(weapon) that could either incapacitate ghosts ( basically mortified, relieves their death and make them weak for days) or exorcist them out of existence ( basically humans and ghosts, he's half-dead so major injury that he cant self-heal and will leave a huge scar). Goal: Danny gets shot with said weapon.
Potentially leads the Fenton's to believe Danny's a full ghost since Danny's not only originally quirkless but also his quirk doesn't mach theirs and its supernatural.

Chapter Text

Danny was on patrol with Present Mic when it happened. \

He had decided to choose and easy work study person. Who better than one of his parents? Not only that but he was good in the limelight and in the shadows like his other father. He was able to get the best of both worlds without Eraserhead's nagging.

The night had been cool and the wind low, and there hadn't been anything more major than a purse snatching all night long. It was no surprise that Phantom was able to talk Mic into getting some mid-patrol ice cream before they closed for the night.

And it's not like they stopped. No, once their ice cream was paid for, they walked right back outside to continue the patrol. They passed pedestrians who stopped Mic and Phantom both for photos and autographs, whish both of them were more than happy to provide.

It was supposed to be an easy night.

He hadn't seen them in almost three years.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

A few terrified screams came from around the corner as people were jumping off of the sidewalks and into the street or in whatever store was closest to them. And they didn't have to question why, because before they could even start running in the direction of the commotion, the commotion came to them.

Danny had an ice core, but he's pretty sure that's not what made his blood run cold. Not when an unfortunately familiar armored van fishtailed around the corner.

"Is that-"

"Yup!"

It was a quick conversation between the two as they quickly protected the civilians from the green energy beams racing towards them. Mic shielded one with his body while Danny threw up a bright green shield in front of a family. His hands were shaking, and there was a force stamping down on his chest making it harder and harder to breathe.

"Get out of my son, ghost boy!" Maddie Fenton yelled from the open window she was hanging out of. Danny moved, taking the family with them, and shoved them into the nearest store. Just as the shop door closed, a beam his his shield, breaking it in an instant. He was thrown back into the glass windows by the sheer force of it.

It was instinct alone that kept him from being shot. He moved before his brain could catch up. A scorch mark stained the walls where his head had just been moments before. His mother, it seemed, has been working on her aim.

They were obviously after him. He needed to lead them away from the civilians without getting hit. So going into the air was the obvious choice for him to make.

It was all he could do to dodge the blasts. Since they were made of ecto energy they worked on him even if he was intangible, and with the million sensors he knew they had in the van and his mom's infared goggles, there was no point in going invisible.

He led them back the way they came. The destruction was evident, so there wouldn't be much more damage, and the streets had cleared because of their crazy driving.

From where he was at he could see Present Mic and another hero who had joined the scene working on crowd control as he led them away. That was good. That meant that Mic wouldn't be hurt.

Danny yelped as the heat flew past his ear, just barely missing. He glared down at the armored van and his parents.

"Get out of my son, ghost scum!" She shouted, before firing off another blast. Danny dodged, and cupped his mouth so they could hear him.

"Not possessed!" He didn't get to say much more between the green rays still being shot at him. They weren't giving him any time to think. That was smart. It had been their biggest mistake in the past when they tried to catch him.

In the corner of his eye he could see Mic sprinting towards them. Eraserhead was at his heels. He must have been in the area. Danny swore.

Maddie must have seen who he was looking at, because for a brief, wonderful moment she stopped firing.

Only to point her gun at the two oncoming heroes.

Danny shot down to the ground like a rocket, making it just in time to throw up a shield in front of them. It broke as soon as the ectoray hit is, sending Danny back a few feet. He was about to throw up another one, when Maddie sent off a quick, second shot.

It hit Danny square in the chest, right where his core was. White hot pain immediately coursed through him. His knees buckled, and he fell to the ground, he knew that. But other than that he was dead to the world. The blood rushing in his ears and his vision turning white was deafening. In the distance he hard a scream that was sending shivers down his spine. It sounded awfully familiar. Was it him screaming? Maybe that would explain the extra pain in his throat.

It felt like his muscles were being torn apart, sinew snapping like wires. Fire and ice ran through his veins, begging to be let out. He couldn't speak, couldn't move, couldn't think-

His vision started to fade. White eventually to foggy figures looming over him, melting in far to quickly with the black that took him.

----------

"Eraserhead."

Shouta didn't need to lift his head up to know who was speaking. They had been working long enough now.

"Tsukauchi," he said. It was something to distract him from the heart monitor his son was hooked up to. It had been three days and he still hasn't woken up.

"I came to talk to you about what happened," he said. "I already got a statement from Mic."

Shouta closed his eyes. His leg was bouncing up and down uncontrollably, and he gripped his son's hand like his life depended on it.

He had been patrolling the area when he saw Danny flying around. He was quick to run to Mic and get a rundown on the situation as they ran for their son. He had jumped in front of them. He had protected them. He...He was a self-sacrificing dumbass and Shouta wished so, so much that Danny would have just let them be hit because seeing Danny hooked up to a million machines, weak and exhausted, made him want to vomit. He would take a thousand of those blasts if it meant he never had to hear Danny scream like that again.

After being hit, Danny had dropped to the ground, writhing in pain. He wasn't aware of his surroundings at all. He had Mic stay with him, and move him to safety while Shouta had gone after the older Fentons.

He doesn't remember all that happened. He was in a blind rage when he attacked them. He remembers incapacitating the woman quickly, but the large brute of a husband had gripped him by his throat and shook him around until Shouta managed to make them crash. He had come out on top, of course. When you let blind rage take over that tends to happen.

Danny had been screaming. Green lightning was covering every inch of his body, and he was seizing. HIs body was jerking around in unnatural angles, centering around chest where Shouta knew his ghost core was. He would have gone back to kick the shit out of Maddie more if Mic hadn't stopped him.

The rest was a blur. Danny eventually passed out from the pain and reverted back to his human self. They rushed him to a hospital and called Jazz to let her know what was happening. The Fentons had been arrested, but Jack was in a separate hospital right next to the prison for injuries Shouta had given him. He had beaten the man within an inch of his life, Tsukauchi had told him. He didn't regret it one bit.

How could he? He would do it thrice over if it meant that Danny could be awake, and smiling and joking. If it meant that there was no possible permanent damage to his ghost half or his human half. If it meant he didn't have another Lichtenburg figure spanning across his body centering around his core. It was another permanent reminder of the people who were supposed to be his parents failing him.

Shouta included.

He thought he had taught Danny to stop being so self sacrificial. He hadn't done a good enough job, it seemed.

Tsukauchi said there would be no punishment for Shouta this time. Excessive force from heroes wasn't something usually glossed over, but Tsukauchi understood better than most. Plus, he hadn't used his quirk to take down Jack Fenton. Just his bare, blood-stained fists.

The detective left not long after, wishing Danny a speedy recovery and a promise that the Fentons would be behind bars indefinitely. Shouta thanks him, and turns back to his son.

Danny was pale, and wrapped in bandages. To monitor it better, they had left his chest exposed for the world to see. Even in his human form it was glowing a bright, angry green, fading to black the closer it got to his core. He gripped Danny's hand tighter, bringing it up to his forehead as he let his elbows rest on the side of the bed.

His son was dying. He didn't need a specialist to tell him that. And there was nobody in this godforsaken hospital who could help him because nobody here knew how to take care of a ghost.

The tears came quickly, but for once Shouta wasn't surprised by them. He was just glad Hizashi and Jazz had left the room to go get food from the cafeteria when Tsukauchi had walked in.

After a few long minutes of private, silent crying, there was the sound of a door opening, and then clicking shut. He expected it to be Hizashi, or Jazz, but there were no footsteps coming closer, no comforting hand on his back. No doctor to tell him to let go of Danny so he could take his vitals again.

Instead, there was a deep, smooth voice that rang throughout the room.

Shouta shot up at the unfamiliar voice, snarling as he stood up. The chair he had been sitting in tipped backwards and onto the floor. The blue being in front of him was unfazed.

"Who are you?" He asked, barring his teeth. He gripped his scarf, ready for action if he needed to take it. The blue man just smiled at him softly, as if he had expected this from Shouta.

"Eraserhead," he said. "It's nice to finally meet you. My name is Clockwork."

Shouta had heard Danny talk about him a couple of times. The Master of Time, he had called him. It fit, considering the staff and the fact that his whole torso was a giant clock. He could see the future, or possible futures, but couldn't intervene.

"Why are you here?" He asked. He didn't flinch as the ghost changed from a young adult to an elderly man. But he did grip his scarf a little harder when he pulled out a small vial that had a snow-blue liquid swirling around in it.

"This should help him," he said. "Since his core was attacked he won't be able to heal himself with this injury. This solution was made specifically for Danny, however. It should mend his core enough to wake him up."

"What about after?" Shouta asked. He didn't relax, but the grip on his scarf did loosen.

"He'll still be able to transform and retain his powers. Though they might be weakened for a while, he will make a full recovery."

"Why are you helping us?" Shouta asked after a few moments. The ghost shifted into a child, though the serious look never wavered. Most ghosts hated Danny just for existing. So why was this one so different?

"Because I care for him," Clockwork eventually said. "I'm not supposed to intervene, but Danny has made quite an impression. And he's destined for greater things than dying in a hospital bed." He gave the vial to Shouta, who took it with a shaky hand. "As his guardian, I do have to ask you a favor."

"I should have known this was a catch," Shouta said, baring his teeth once more. Clockwork just gave a soft chuckle.

"No, there isn't. That's why it's a favor, not an ultimatum."

Shouta considered this for a moment, before finally nodding towards the ghost, who had shifted back into a young adult.

"Go on."

"I wish to train Daniel in the Ghost Zone," the ghost eventually said. Shouta opened his mouth to protest, but Clockwork held up a hand to silence him. "Not forever. Not even for a long time. But the boy needs training and he needs rest. The ectoplasmic atmosphere will speed up his healing, as well as a session or to with Frostbite, who is the one who made the medicine for him. All I'm asking for is one night a week at the very most."

"Why should I grant it to you?" Shouta asked.

"Because, he is the future of both worlds. The future is still unclear, but if it goes in the way I think it will, I want him to be prepared. He is the only one who will be able to join both ghosts and humans to fight off the threat looming over out futures. Plus, I think it's high time he have a positive ghost role model to show him the ropes."

"So you're going to groom him into being your ambassador? Your weapon?" Shouta scowled. Danny wasn't some tool to be used and thrown out when useless. He was a person with his own thoughts and feelings and ambitions. He wasn't going to let some fucking ghost get in the way of that. And Danny, he was too willing to do the right thing. If Clockwork told him he needed to jump to save the world, he'd ask how high. As his parent-his father, Shouta couldn't just let him go like that.

"As I said, the future is still unclear," the ghost replied. His calm tone was starting to piss Shouta off. "The threat may not come at all, and Danny will still be all the better for it. Whether the threat comes or not, he's still going to learn how the Zone and ghosts function. Beyond just befriending a few and getting aimlessly lost with the infi-map."

"Why should I believe anything you're saying right now?" Shouta asked.

"I have no reason to lie. And it'll benefit him in the long run. When he is older, and his human half fades, where do you think he will go? He has already been touched by the Zone. He will need to know all of this eventually, anyway. Plus, I will admit I've grown rather fond of the boy. He's the only one who comes to visit because he enjoys my company. Not because he needs something from me. Purely selfish, on my part, I know, but...He is going to be a hero. Both in this world and mine. I just wish to give him all the tools I can."

Shouta had to admit, the ghost made a pretty good argument. And he seemed genuinely sincere with his words. Still, he needed time to think. He would need to talk to Hizashi and Jazz, and Danny when he woke up. He told as much to Clockwork, who nodded with understanding.

"I will come when you call," he said. "Make sure he gets that, however. Ingesting it will work perfectly fine."

With that, he tapped his staff against the ground and left through the portal it made.

----

A week later Danny finally woke up. He looked a little worse for wear, and he had thinned out some, but it wasn't anything physical therapy couldn't take care of.

He had woken up with a joke, and a soft smile in his eyes.

Shouta, for the first time in nearly two weeks, slept a full night, in the dim light of the hospital with his son.

Chapter 29: Father Figure pt 4

Summary:

Father figure but its the entrance exam or Danny (student) getting his hero's lisence

Chapter Text

Danny felt like he was going to throw up.

The nervous energy he'd been sporting all day had gone away for a while during the practical, but now that he was standing in a crowd full of students from other schools, all waiting for the same results, he couldn't stop the anxiety from bubbling up.

He looked up into the stands. There were a few heroes scattered here and there, but his eyes landed on the one that he wanted. He wasn't hard to find, considering his whole outfit looked like a big, black blob from a distance. Looking over at Aizawa calmed his nerves just enough to face the board that was filled with everybody's results.

Danny searched and searched and searched and-there.

Fenton, Daniel. Status: Passed.

Danny felt giddy with relief, and all of the nervous energy he had a moment before seemed to dissipate. He had made it. Sure, it was just a provisional license, but it was one step closer to his dream.

He stood there, stuck in shock, until a familiar red head barreled into him from the side, cheering loudly in his ear.

"We did it!" Kirishima screamed. He was all but hanging off of Danny, who was quick to match Kirishima's triumphant grin. Kaminari joined them on Danny's other side, and the three boys were hopping up and down excitedly. He was laughing from excitement and bewilderment of not only having a license but also at the fact that he had friends he could celebrate with.

Almost the entire rest of the class joined them. Bakugou and Todoroki decided to opt out, but the cheers of the other eighteen members of Class 1-A from U.A. could be heard throughout the entire stadium.

--------

Shouta couldn't help but roll his eyes fondly as he walked his students from the bus to the dorm. They were all hopping around excitedly. Their hard work had definitely paid off. Though it was disappointing to see Bakugou and Todoroki let their own selfishness get in their way, he knew it was a valuable learning opportunity for them both.

(That wasn't going to stop him from giving them an extra load of homework on hero etiquette, however.)

And even though he seemed much more subdued than he had been earlier, Danny hadn't stopped grinning. He looked far more relaxed than he had been in months. Honestly, the kid deserved it.

Shouta stopped outside and took a seat on the bench. He would be lying if he said he wasn't tired. He was proud of all of his students, but twenty rambunctious superpowered teens were a lot even on the best of days.

From inside there were cheers and celebrations, and Shouta could smell Sato's cooking even from outside. The dorms for once were stress free, and absolutely full of life.

Shouta doesn't know how much time has passed. He's been dozing in and out, stargazing when he's awake enough. Though he forces himself out of this trance when the door to the dorms opens. The party is still going strong, but the sound gets muffled once more when the door is softly closed.

Shouta doesn't turn around to see who it is. He doesn't have to.

Danny, without much fanfare, sits next to Shouta on the bench. Shouta spares a glance, and can see the fading tension in his shoulders. He lets out a sigh, as if he'd been holding his breath this whole time.

"You good?" He asks, turning back to the sky. Danny lets out a huff of laughter.

"Yeah, just...They're a lot sometimes. It's overwhelming. When I need time to myself I sometimes come out here and stargaze."

"Your sister mentioned you were super into space," he said conversationally. It was apparently the correct thing to say if his student's immediate excited vibrating was anything to go off of.

"When I was younger I thought I was going to be an astronaut!" He said excitedly. "There's just so many cool things about space, and rockets, and-" Danny cut himself off. "Sorry," he said after a moment. He was much quieter than he had been a moment ago. "I didn't mean to ramble, or intrude."

"You're not intruding," Shouta replied. "And I don't mind the rambling. If it's something that makes you happy I'm glad you're sharing it with me."

He didn't need to turn his head to know that Danny was probably on the verge of tears. He's like Midoriya, sometimes. As soon as he's overwhelmed with emotion, his eyes shine with unshed tears. Though Danny is a bit more reserved when it comes to actually crying.

Danny brought his lugs up onto the bench and wrapped his arms around them, tucking his chin between his knees. "Thanks," he mumbled.

And although he didn't start talking again, the silence that fell between them wasn't uncomfortable. But Shouta would be lying if he wasn't curious about Danny's obsession with space.

"If you were so set on being an astronaut then why did you change your mind? It sounds like you're really passionate about space."

Beside him Danny just shrugs. "Jazz taught me about space when I was little. And I started studying so I could be an astronaut and go on cool missions. But they don't accept quirkless people as astronauts." Danny said it with an air of causality, as if stating a common fact. Shouta had to remind himself that the life of a quirkless person was in fact Danny's normal. it was having powers that was new and terrifying. "I also liked heroes, though. It was always my plan, to be one or the other. And if I couldn't do that then I'd get as close as possible."

That tracked in Shouta's mind. His grades in math, science, and hero ethics have always been the highest in the class. Then again, growing up around scientists probably helped, too.

"Well, they're dumb for turning away brilliant minds like yours on the basis of a quirk," Shouta said. "Seriously, kid. If I have to hear about Ectoplasm's convoluted plan to steal you from my class one more time..."

He was teasing, leaving the hollow threat in the air. Danny laughed and rolled his eyes, before releasing one of his legs. He rested his elbow on the other, his head in his hand. With his free hand he took his hero license out. It had a picture of him in his school uniform, beaming confidently at the camera. His hero name, Phantom, was typed out in big, bold letters at the bottom.

"Thank you," Danny said. Shouta looked down at him, eyebrow raised. "Thank you for supporting me. And helping me get through everything. I...If you..." He was trying to say something important, Shouta knew. He sat and patiently waited, and he hoped his patience didn't come off as him trying to silently pressure the kid. "Before U.A. everything sucked. Home, school, and just...everything. I thought all teachers sucked no matter what. But even after finding out about my secret, you're still cool. So. You know. Thanks."

There was a lot to unpack. Like how, Shouta probably knew the kid had a fear of rejection. Maybe that's why he waited so long to tell Shouta about his powers. Or maybe it's because he thought Shouta would treat him like all of his other shit teachers. Shouta wouldn't consider himself nice, not by any stretch of the word. He was a bitter man with a jaded view of hero society as a whole. He was blunt and sarcastic and all he wanted to do was sleep.

But he would be a bold faced liar if he didn't admit to being proud of his students. His kids. Danny. He would be a bold faced liar if he didn't feel the warmth spreading in his chest at the fact that his student was comfortable enough to be vulnerable like this in front of him. he would cherish the trust long past his graduation in two years.

So if he scooted a little closer, and slung his arm around Danny's shoulders, nobody could really blame him.

And if he let Danny ramble on about every constellation they saw that night, well, that would be his secret.

Chapter 30: Oh, Haven't You Heard? pt. 4

Summary:

Oh, you havent heard? series or student danny
Danny learning/ discovering duplication and aizawa's haunting realization that he's going to have to practice that quirk indoors as well (as if 2 phantom's isnt enough already)

Chapter Text

"Hey, Dad, check out what Clockwork's been showing me."

Shouta sighed as he turned towards his son. They were in one of the gyms practicing the homework Clockwork had given Danny. In the end they all agreed that it would be good for Danny to be trained my the master of time, if anything just to get more control of his powers that they couldn't teach him. For almost a month now it's been one brand new power after another. Not even Danny knew how many he had.

He watched in mild amusement as Danny tensed his whole body. His face was squeezed shut, fists clenched with focus and exertion. And then there was a quiet pop.

Shouta blinked.

He blinked once more. The second head still didn't magically go away.

"I can make duplicates!" Both Danny heads cried. They looked at each other and laughed excitedly. Shouta could feel the migraine already starting.

"I feel like your ghost tutor is out to get me," he said with a roll of his eyes. He couldn't help the fond smile, though. After all, there was nobody else around.

"Awe, no way! Clockwork totally loves you," Danny said with a wave of his hand. "I also totally love you. Way better than the alternative, that's for sure." Shouta didn't miss the way he rubbed at his chest uncomfortably. It's a habit he's gotten into the past few weeks. He would have to ask Danny later if it was causing any sort of chronic pain.

"If he loved me that much he wouldn't show you how to make two of you," Shouta sighed. "Can you make a full one yet?"

"Yeah, but it's really unstable. Wanna see?" Shouta nodded, and Danny went back to concentrating.

The head disappeared, and he watched, slowly but surely, as another Danny was formed. It wasn't quite a perfect duplicate like the head had been, but when Danny said he could only hold it for a second, he hadn't been joking. Almost as soon as it was formed, it started melting into a puddle of green goo. Danny sopped forcing it out, and looked down at the puddle, a small frown on his face. He was tensing to try again, but Shouta stopped him.

"What do you think about when you make a duplicate?" He asked. Danny shrugged.

"Just that there needs to be a new me, I guess."

"So, a separate being from you?"

"Yeah, I guess so," he replied after a brief moment of contemplation. "Why?"

"Well, how do you think of the rest of your powers?"

"Well, uh," Danny rubbed the back of his neck, thinking or a moment. "I focus the energy on where I want it to go. On what I want it to be. Kind of like..."

"An extension of your powers?" Shouta offered. Danny nodded, and Shouta continued. "Try thinking of your duplicate that way. Not as a separate being you have to make, but an extension of yourself. It's still you after all."

Danny pressed his lips into a thin line and nodded. He was fully focused on his task as he tensed up again. Shouta walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Relax, kid. It might be easier if you don't train your base body while we're doing this."

Danny nodded. He forced his shoulders to relax, and spent nearly a minute taking deep breaths. He closed his eyes, and he kept breathing. Shouta watched, in amazement as blobs of ectoplasm left Danny like they had before, and formed into a duplicate.

This one was a perfect duplicate, and it was holding much better than the last. Both Danny and his clone opened up their eyes at the same time.

Danny started moving around, waving his arms and shaking his legs. Duplicate mirrored every single move perfectly. They even jumped up and cheered the same.

Danny was grinning between his duplicate and Shouta, before holding his hand up for a high five. His copy gladly took the invitation. As soon as their hands made impact, the duplicate exploded, sending ectoplasm everywhere. Danny was absolutely covered in it. He turned to Shouta, and had the decency to at least look a little sheepish.

"Sorry, Dad," he said nervously. Shouta made a fruitless attempt to get the ectoplasm out of his hair. He sighed, before smiling at his son.

"Good job, kid."

-------

Shouta was going to kill him.

It had been a week since then, and Danny had been working diligently to create a duplicate that could take a hit. And unfortunately for Shouta, he was successful.

Chaos was always something he expected when he walked into the dorms. But whatever he was looking at was fucking ridiculous.

"Get him!" Uraraka was yelling as she looked up at the ceiling.

"Danny, get him to go away!" Jirou yelled.

"I don't know how! If we hit him hard enough he should melt!"

"Move it extras! I'll take care of this!"

"Wait, Kachaan-"

Midoriya was cut off by the sounds of Bakugou's explosions. Shouta activated his quirk, cutting off everybody's quirks before they could cause any real damage. All except for Danny's, because of course he was different. Technically with his ice core, that made his quirk a mutation type. Shouta couldn't erase it, and he couldn't get rid of the duplicate.

"Why," Shouta asked, pinching the bridge of his nose, "are you making duplicates in the common room?"

"I was just trying to show Kirishima and no he won't listen to-hey, get down from there!"

The duplicate just chuckled and waved from his spot on the ceiling. He flew around and around, taunting them. Occasionally he would disappear and mess with one of the students in the common room, by pulling at their hair or poking their faces. All harmless on the surface, but it could quickly escalate if not handled soon.

"Sero, bring him down, Ashido, throw acid on him," Shouta said in an even tone. The two wasted no time. In almost perfect synchronization Sero taped Duplicate's arms together and brought him down. Kirishima helped tug him down. Together they got him close enough to where Ashido could safely use her acid without causing any other property damage.

The duplicate melted, staining the common room floor with ectoplasm. He turned to Danny, who looked about two seconds away from a panic attack.

He doesn't like to think of the treatment his son might have gone through living under the Fenton's roof. He doesn't like to think that the punishment never fit the crime. He looked ready to bolt as he looked between Shouta and the pile of ectoplasm with a terrified look on his face.

"Are you okay?" He asked. Danny opened his mouth, before clicking it shut again and nodding. He bowed his head, shoulders up to his ears.

"Sorry, sir," he mumbled. Shouta just sighed and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it. Just get this mess cleaned up, okay? And let this be a lesson to everybody," he turned his gaze to the rest of the class. "That we don't try out new moves in the dorms. Those are reserved for the gyms. Got it?"

There was a chorus of 'yes sir!' from his students. But Danny, head still bowed, was still trembling. He stood in front of Danny, both arms on his shoulders, blocking his view from his peers.

"You're okay," he whispered. Danny had super hearing. He didn't want to embarrass his kid in front of his friends, who he knew were trying to listen in. "Not in trouble. Understand?"

Danny nodded. Shouta took a deep breath in, and let it out slowly. On the next one, Danny joined him. His breath was shaky and wavered, but his shoulders eventually detached themselves from his ears, and he was able to lift his head up and look Shouta in the eye.

"Thanks, dad," he said quietly. "Sorry about the mess."

"It's just carpet," Shouta said with a shrug. "Do you wanna talk after it's cleaned or do you want Jazz?"

Danny looked between the mess and him once more before answering. "I'll talk to Jazz this time, I think. I'm more-she's more familiar, I guess."

"I'll send her a text. Let me know if you need anything, okay?" Danny nodded, and Shouta gave him a fond smile. He tapped Danny's shoulder three times. A secret way to say I love you without actually speaking. Danny gave him a shaky smile and nodded.

Shouta lingered for a few more minutes, making a pot of coffee and pretending to supervise his students. Danny grabbed some gloves and heavy cleaning supplies. Uraraka offered to help, and most of the other students hanging out down here followed soon after. If his class wasn't so annoying he would have found it endearing.

(He still did, but he wasn't going to admit it.)

Shouta finished off his first cup as they were about done cleaning the worst of the puddle. Danny thanked them for his help and stepped outside to call his sister. Shouta texted Hizashi, who sent back a string of heartfelt emojis he would show Danny later.

For now, though, he needed his big sister.

Chapter 31: Oh, Haven't You Heard? pt. 5 (prequal)

Summary:

Oh, you havent heard?
Jazz-centric fanfic, pre-adoption. Moving in with a hero (stranger)

Notes:

Jazz Fenton supremacy

Chapter Text

Jazz was smart. At least, she liked to think she was. Her grades certainly reflected that, anyhow.

So why did it take her so long to notice her brother was different?

At first she had brushed it off as normal, teenage weirdness. But he was physically colder. More closed off. He was keeping more and more secrets. That was normal for him to do to their parents, but to her? He had always been an open book with her. It hurt, to say the least.

She was always there to pick up the pieces. He was quirkless. Being bullied came with the territory. She had been the one to sit him down on the edge of the tub and patch him up with worried nagging, only to receive an eye roll in return.

Jazz had an empathy quirk. If she touched somebody, she could tell exactly what they were feeling, but she could decide when she wanted to use it. She learned at a young age that it was a huge breach of privacy to do that to people without their permission. So she never activated her quirk on Danny. Not intentionally anyway.

Not until the argument.

Mom and Dad were out of the house. Their precious portal hadn't worked. Danny was beat to hell, and Jazz was furious at the people who did it to him, and worried. Danny brushed her off for the millionth time, and she was stressed out because of that and school, and-

She had just wanted to help.

She had used her power when she had been patching him up, and the buildup of emotions had made her slip. The pain, the loneliness, the sheer worthlessness her brother felt...It was staggering. She had pulled back like he hurt her, an apology forming on her lips. her brother was smart, too, though. He knew what she had done in an instant.

They screamed at each other. Jazz apologized, but Danny was an emotional, abused twelve year old. It was only natural that her apology fell on deaf, angry ears.

He had stormed off. She hadn't followed. A door was slammed. That was normal, he was twelve. She thought it might have been the front door. Maybe he was just going on a walk to cool off.

But then the lights flickered. And there was a gut-wrenching wail coming from the basement.

Jazz was never one to run down the stairs, but if she could have she would have leapt all the way down.

What she found would haunt her for the rest of her life.

The portal was alive with power, casting the lab in an eerie, unearthly green glow. And then there was a body, sprawled out on the floor just outside of the portal. There was a faint trace of smoke lifting from the body. The smell of burnt flesh assaulted her nostrils.

He turned the body over onto his back, and couldn't help the cry of surprise, and the powerful tears that wracked her body almost immediately. Because even if his clothes were different and his hair was white, she'd be able to recognize her baby brother anywhere.

She knew him by the small scar on his lip from when he busted it by running into a tree on his bike. And by the one in his eyebrow from when he had jumped from a chair and busted his face against the edge of the counter. Of the pinched expression he was making, even in his unconscious state. He always had that expression when he came home from school.

She pressed her ear to his chest.

There was no heartbeat.

In the distance she could hear a pounding. Bang bang BANG on the door, but she couldn't bring herself to get up. Her little brother was gone. He was dead and he wouldn't even have come down here if it weren't for her. If she hadn't used her quirk on him he would still be-He would still be-

"What's going on down here?"

Jazz startled badly, head whipping over to the unfamiliar man. Her heart was beating against her ribcage, as if it had a personal mission to break every single rib.

"I-I don't know!" She cried. The tears were coming in full force now. Her body was shaking as she turned back to Danny. Even in death he couldn't be at peace. "We got into an argument and he came down here and-and-" She took in a shuddering breath. "The portal wasn't supposed to be working," she said in a moment of clarity.

The man, with long black hair and a black jumpsuit, looked between them and the portal. He came over and knelt beside her, handing him a card. A hero license. Eraserhead, it read. A pro hero.

He must have heard Danny's scream.

He looked Danny over, checking for a pulse. Even though he had just died, he was oddly cold. Usually bodies were warmer after they just died. Especially if they had been fried to death.

"What is this?" Eraserhead asked her. She glanced over to what he was talking about. He had Danny's left arm in his hands. But it didn't look like his arm. It had bright green electric-like patterns crisscrossing up his limb. It was bright and angry and raised.

"I-I don't know," she said. Eraserhead put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She couldn't stop herself from crying even harder.

Her parent's invention had killed her only brother.

But he was quirkless. Would they even care? They never seemed to care about anything else going on in his life. Would they even notice his absence?

Before she could jump further down that rabbit hole, she was being pulled behind Eraserhead. He was still on the floor with her, but his eyes were wide and focused on the body in front of them.

But the body was looking around wildly, his eyes full of fear.

Danny was alive.

He was alive.

Sheer relief washed over her like a wave crashing against the shore, and she lunged forward, scooping her brother up in her arms and holding him tightly.

"Wha-Jazz? Jazz, what happened?" He sounded worried, panicked. She only squeezed him tighter.

"What do you remember?" Eraserhead asked. Danny narrowed his eyes and shifted so Jazz was more behind him.

"Who are you?" He asked. His jaw was clenched and his grip on his sister tightened.

"He's a hero, Danny," Jazz said, pulling back. "He came when he heard you scream."

Eraserhead could tell he was not one to be lightly fooled, so he pulled out his license again and showed the boy. He looked between the card and him for a few moments before finally nodding.

"What do you remember?" Shouta asked again, looking over at the portal. Danny followed his gaze with a frown.

"Jazz and I got into an argument. I came down here to cool off. Mom and dad said the portal didn't work, and I...I was curious. So I walked inside. But I tripped..."

"And then?" Eraserhead asked. Danny just shrugged.

"I woke up on the floor with a homeless man standing over me."

Eraserhead huffed. he could feel a headache already forming.

"How do you feel, Danny?" Jazz was asking, looking over him in an oddly maternal manner. Danny shrugged and pulled at his shirt.

"I feel fine. A little cold, I guess, but otherwise I'm good. Why?"

Jazz bit her lip, and turned away. She seemed to be fighting herself, but Danny was patient when it came to his sister. He would give her the time to muster up her courage.

Eventually she did. She pulled out a little pocket mirror she used to adjust her makeup, and handed it to Danny. He popped it open and gasped.

"What...What am I?" He asked. He was starring at his reflection like he didn't recognize the person looking back at him. He pulled his white hair in front of his face and frowned. "What the fuck happened to me?"

Before any of them could start, however, the front door opened and the sound of their parents echoed throughout the house.

-------

The trial for custody had been quick and painless, mostly due to the fact that Eraserhead-Shouta, was a pro hero. The fact that his parents had been working on technically illegal person projects without proper lab safety also helped, but it wasn't enough to get them thrown in jail. Not even their cries about their son being possessed did anything.

The transition for Jazz was easy enough. She didn't have a lot of things she wanted to take with her, anyway. All a permanent reminder that she had come from a place like the Fenton household. She didn't like her parents, no matter how much they adored her. She didn't want to keep anything they gave her.

Danny, on the other hand, had quite a lot of stuff he wanted to take. Shouta and Hizashi, Shouta's husband, were helping him pack. Their parents had never gotten him a single gift. They bought some of his clothes and put food in front of him, but even that was being generous.

But that didn't mean Danny didn't have a lot. In fact, he had more than Jazz. Because as soon as Jazz was able to, she got a job to start saving up. She had gotten him a small army of model rockets and space posters for his birthday, and Christmas. Or if she just felt like it, because her brother was good and deserved it.

But she could tell the transition was still hard for him. It would be a new school, new friends. He had new powers, too, and could barely control them. Just an hour ago he got stuck halfway through the floor and Hizashi had to calm him down enough to get him to unstick himself. But in the couple of weeks he's had his powers, he's made a lot of progress. Baby steps, Jazz reminded him often.

The process for control was slow, but getting Danny to come out of his shell was even slower. Outside of training, or hanging out with Jazz, he didn't really talk a lot. Jazz had been careful not to activate her quirk again, but it was frustrating to watch him shut everybody out. Even her, to some extent. Anytime she showed any sign of worry he would clam up and tell her he was tired.

Jazz had expressed her frustration once to Shouta when they had gone grocery shopping. He just hummed with understanding while trying to decide between what breadcrumbs they would get.

"Well, it's only natural," Shouta had said. "Some people shut everybody out after a traumatic event. And up until recently, you're the only person he was able to rely on. It only makes sense he doesn't want you to worry about him or how his death affected him."

Right. His death. Because that's what he was, wasn't it? Sure, not all the way, but her brother had died. Had died because her parents were careless. Had died because Jazz didn't know how to keep her nose out of his business.

There was a quick, sharp pressure suddenly on her forehead. She looked up at Shouta, who was poking her. He gave her a tired smile.

"He needs time, Jazz," he said. "You're already doing everything you can by being there for him. So don't blame yourself, okay?"

"Yeah," she said. "Okay."

----

It had been three years since then. Jazz had moved out, but she still came over every weekend for family dinner, and took Danny out once a week for ice cream.

Being able to see her brother so carefree and light made her indescribably happy. She had never thought she'd ever be able to see him like this.

So yeah. His death had been a tragedy. But it made his life much more vibrant.

Chapter 32: Dadmic to the Rescue

Summary:

Adopted danny
Mic and Danny hangs out as radio show host. Discovers that Danny has a potential to sing. Build up to ghost

Notes:

I'm alive! I was in Houston for Thanksgiving, and had some commissions to work on so I didn't have time to write. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Text

Mic was absolutely ecstatic. And though it wasn't super hard for him to achieve that level of happiness, he couldn't stop the face-splitting grin as he looked over at his adopted son.

Danny had been in his custody for almost a year now. His sister still lived with their parents, and when they weren't home he visited occasionally. Unfortunately he couldn't get his parents for quirk discrimination since there were practically no laws protecting the quirkless, but he could at least provide the kid with a proper environment to grow and thrive.

Danny had quickly came out of his shell. No longer was he the shy, timid kid Mic had met over his radio show. He was confident and happy and Mic couldn't be prouder. Especially when he had accepted Mic's offer of going from Frequent Caller to Co-Host.

The fans had loved him before as just a caller. The views always spiked any given time Mic was on the phone with him, and they stayed consistently high ever since he joined Put Your Hands Up Radio officially. It was kind of surreal at first, but talking smack and dissecting hero fights and controversies with him now felt like the most natural thing in the world. It was like he was born to be behind the mic.

Plus it was a fun way for them to bond. Instead of Mic separating his work and home life, they became one in the same in a beautiful fusion of trust and teamwork. Plus, Danny had really good music taste, so there was that.

mic couldn't help but smile as Danny laughed at his own joke over the air before queuing up another song. When it was playing, he took his headphones off and turned to Mic.

"Can I hang with Sam and Tucker this weekend? They said they had something cool to show me."

"Yeah, I don't have a problem with it," Mic replied. His first mistake. "Just update me whenever you go from place to place, okay?"

-----

He had been hanging out with Shouta when he got the call. It was in the evening, the buildings blocking out the setting sun. Danny had been with his friends all day, and as promised, had been updating him. He was currently at his old house, hanging out with his friends and his sister. Hizashi didn't really feel comfortable with him being over there in general, but it was the only way the siblings were able to see each other since the Fenton Parents barely let Jazz out of her room nowadays. But they were gone for the day. Everything was fine.

Or, at least, it should have been.

Instead, he was getting a call from a frantic Jazz, telling him to rush over as soon as he could.

Without warning Shouta, he started sprinting towards FentonWorks. Whenever Danny visited he wanted to hang close just in case anything happened. That decision seemed to be paying off now, as he was only a couple of blocks away.

When he and Shouta got there, he didn't bother knocking. He barged through the front door, where Tucker was waiting for them. He looked like he was going to throw up as he led them down the stairs to the basement. The only thing keeping Hizashi from throwing up was Shouta's steady hand on his shoulder as they took the stairs two at a time.

He was expecting a frightened Danny. Maybe a little beaten, a little bloody. He had imagined Jack Fenton, standing over his defenseless son with bloodied fists and an anger no man should ever have.

What he found was so much worse.

Jazz and Sam were leaning over Danny's body. He looked much different now, with the jumpsuit and white hair. But it was still unmistakably Danny. Mic collapsed next to them, bringing his son in his lap and hugging him close. Tears were streaming down his face, but he didn't notice past the sheer terror he felt.

"What happened?" He heard Shouta ask. He sounded far away, like he was underwater. Or he was just trying to be calm and collected. Something Hizashi was currently not as he held his son's cold body in his arms. He hadn't been dead for that long. Why was he so cold?

He caught snippets of the conversation. Something about the ghost portal. How he went inside and tripped. How Jazz was going to murder her parents for even building such a dangerous thing in their home.

Hizashi wasn't paying attention. He couldn't. Not when his son was in his arms, eyes closed. He looked almost peaceful, in a way only the dead could be. He brought one hand up to cup Danny's face. Despite having died only a few minutes prior, he was absolutely freezing. Hizashi ran his thumb over Danny's thick eyebrow, and moved snow white locks out of his eyes. It had only been a year. He had gotten only a year with him. It wasn't long enough. Not when he had been planning on sending him to college if he wanted, and hosting radio show events with him and travelling the world with him. Not when-

Wait. Did his nose just...twitch?

Hizashi shook Danny, and his whole face scrunched up this time before he blearily opened his eyes. They were a bright, intoxicating, unearthly green color.

"Hi...Hizashi?" He croaked. "What-what happened?"

"Dude, you were dead," Sam tells him. She's not one to beat around the bush, and while Hizashi loved that about her, it probably wasn't the best way to break the news to his newly awakened son.

Hizashi didn't answer. Instead, he just pulled Danny into the tightest hug he's ever had.

"You are totally grounded when we get home," he said with a sob.

Danny hugged him back just as hard.

---------

A week later things were more or less back to normal. Danny had changed back to his normal, black haired blue eyes self. They quickly found, though, that he could switch back and forth.

They also found that the ghost portal may or may not have given him ghost powers.

Hizashi found out in the worst way, too. Danny had dropped something under the kitchen table. Hizashi had walked past, and asked what he was looking for. And Danny, without thinking, sat up, so only his head was above the table. Going through the table.

Hizashi had fainted, and Danny hasn't let him live it down.

Things weren't perfect, though. They were both having nightmares about Danny dying. There were a lot of mishaps because of Danny's lack of control, and while Hizashi was a patient man, it was exhausting. Too many coffee mugs lost their life at the hands of Danny accidentally turning intangible. Plus, Jazz wanted out. She always had, but the court hadn't ruled in her favor the first time. But with the new evidence of illegal support equipment in their basement, and with some help from Nezu, it was easy enough getting custody of her. Which meant that he didn't have enough rooms. Which meant they needed to move.

But Hizashi wouldn't have it any other way. He had two beautiful, confident children and an adorable cat Jazz had insisted on keeping. Now that he had a quirk, Danny was thinking about expanding into heroics-something he's always wanted to do but was unable to due to his quirkless status.

He had the support of his children, and Shouta and Nemuri. With all of that love, Hizashi knew they could get through anything together.

Chapter 33: Big Brother Danny

Summary:

Danny and Eri interactions next, please! I think he'd adore her and be like a big brother like Mirio and Deku are.

Chapter Text

Danny had absolutely no experience when it came to little kids, but everything just seemed so natural when it came to Eri.

Danny was practically vibrating in his seat as he walked towards the teacher's dorms where Eri was staying. She was an official ward of the school since she no longer had any biological family to take her in, and she would be close to Aizawa, so it only seemed logical.

He, Mirio, and Midoriya had taken turns playing with her throughout the past couple of weeks since she's moved in. Sometimes they double up, but three people this early on might be overwhelming. Eri needed somebody mellow that wasn't a parental figure. And as good as Mirio and Midoriya were for her, neither of them fit that bill.

But Danny didn't mind. He had been one of the ones to help rescue her, and she reminded him a lot of Elle in her early days. Lost, confused, not really sure what to do now. But with three overprotective brothers and a terrifying father, he was sure Eri was going to do just fine.

Danny thanked Ectoplasm as he let Danny into the teacher's dorms. He was led to the common space where Eri and Aizawa were waiting for him. He waved, and Eri looked up with a bright smile on her face.

"Danny!" She cheered. He walked over and sat next to her, and she squeezed his face hard. He laughed and returned the favor, and pretended like he didn't see the fond smile growing on his teacher's face.

I have to go up to the school and do some paperwork, as well as meet with Nezu. Can you watch her until I get back?"

"Will do, Mr. Aizawa," he said with a two-fingered salute. Eri looked between him and Aizawa, before half-heartedly repeating the gesture. And once Aizawa bid his goodbye with stressed, please call me don't hesitate if you need me, Danny and Eri got busy coloring.

"So, Eri, how are you today?" He asked, grabbing a green crayon. He didn't really know what he was making, but it seemed like the right choice to make.

"I'm great! Mirio came and said hi, and Aizawa said we could bake cookies when he gets back!"

"That's great! Promise to save me one?" He asked. She nodded her head vigorously before looking down at what he had been drawing for the past couple of minutes.

"Why is the dog green? Does it have a quirk like Nezu?"

Danny looked down, and realized he had been mindlessly coloring Cujo. It didn't look anything like him. Not even the shade of green was the same, but it was recognizable enough. After all, there aren't many green dogs with spike collars running around.

"Not quite," Danny said. "This is my dog, Cujo. He's a ghost."

"What a ghost?"

"It's like...Uh...When a person or an animal go away forever, sometimes a piece of them come back. And that piece is called a ghost. They're just like how they were before they went away, but sometimes they look a little funny. That's why he's green, now."

"Is he soft?" Eri asks him. "Aizawa said animals like cats and dogs are soft."

Danny all but melts at the look she gives him.

"Do you wanna see for yourself?" He asks before he can stop himself. She nods, and he gets up. His knees ache and his shoulder is still giving him problems from training two days prior, but he wastes no time in hoisting Eri onto his hip and going out to the front. He's sure the teacher's won't enjoy a 20-ft tall ghost dog running around inside.

"Cover your ears, okay?" She nodded and did as she was told. Danny stuck his index finger and pinky on either side of his mouth, and blew out a shrill whistle. It was loud and piercing, and Eri looked both annoyed and awed at the fact that he could make such a loud sound.

"What now?" She asked, removing her hands. Danny just shrugged.

"Now we wait. Sometimes it takes him a while to get here."

--------

They waited for maybe thirty minutes. They spent the time playing hopscotch and drawing with chalk. Danny made a poor caricature of Frostbite, and Eri made a papa cat and an Eri-cat to show Aizawa later. He briefly wondered if his teacher would cry from Eri's sheer adorableness. It was definitely a possibility.

Soon enough, Cujo came trotting around the building. He yapped and wagged his tail. Eri giggled as he spun around her in circles, and Danny took pictures and videos so he could send them to Aizawa. She twisted this way and that, trying to watch as he came and went.

"Do you wanna pet him?" He asked. She nodded. "Put your hand out flat like this-yeah, perfect," he beamed. "Now, all you have to do is say, Stay!"

She repeated the word, though it was too quiet for Cujo to hear in his excitement. After some prompting from Danny to be louder, she tried again, and he skidded to a halt in front of her.

"Good job, Eri! He's trained pretty well so if you want him to do anything else just ask me, okay?"

She nodded, before placing a tentative hand towards the green dog. He nuzzled his face into her palm and looked up at her expectantly. She started to scratch and pet, and Cujo was absolutely living for it.

Spoiled brat.

"Wanna see something cool?" He asked. How she managed a verbal confirmation through her endless giggles were beyond him. he walked forward and knelt down next to them. "All dogs have this special place they like to be scratched. It makes their back leg kick really fast. Do you wanna know where Cujo's spot is?"

"Yes, please," she said. Danny was going to spoil the shit out of her one day, if it was the last thing he ever did. Even when he became a full ghost and she was still alive and kicking he'd try his best to give her the world. How could he not?

Danny reached forward and scratched under Cujo's chin. Immediately his back leg started thumping against the ground. With his free hand, her gently pulled Eri's hand and quickly replaced his with it. Cujo didn't seem to care. In fact, he leaned into the touch, throwing himself off balance. With that and the thumping of his leg, he ended up flopping over to the side. He rolled over onto his belly with an expectant look towards Danny. The hero in training rolled his eyes as he started to rub the dog's stomach.

"I wish there was more of him to pet," Eri said. "He's so small. But if there was more of him then Aizawa would be able to pet him too."

Danny couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as he looked over at Eri, who was diligently scratching Cujo under his chin.

"I have one more trick I wanna show you," he said. "So remember when I said ghosts can come back different? And they can look weird and be able to do weird things?" She nodded. "Well, that applies to ghost dogs as well. Wanna see what Cujo can do?" Eri nodded excitedly, her hair bouncing from the force.

He brought her a few feet back and commanded Cujo at attention. Usually Cujo did this on his own, but Danny had trained him to do it at his command whenever they were hanging out together if it wasn't a life-or-death situation.

And man is he glad he did, because the sheer look of excitement on Eri's face as Cujo grew was more than worth it. He snapped a picture and sent it off to his teacher.

"Now there's plenty of him to pet, wouldn't you say?" He asked. Eri squealed with delights as Cujo leaned down enough for her to scratch under his chin. His leg thumped, making the whole ground shake.

Eri's giggles never once stopped.

-------

Shouta doesn't really know what he had been expecting when he returned. Maybe drawings they wanted to show him. Maybe invite him to a tea party that Eri magically had roped Bakugou into one time. Maybe it was both of them passed out watching cartoons.

So, needless to say, the giant green dog sitting in front of the teacher's dorms hadn't made it on the list. Danny and Eri were standing in front of the dog, taking pictures. Danny showed Eri, and only a few seconds passed before he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket.

"Do you wanna ride on Cujo, Eri? He's gentle, I promise. It'll be like riding a giant horse. Except it's a dog."

Eri was visibly vibrating with excitement, making Danny laugh. He wasted no time in scooping the girl up and flying her up to the top of the dog. They sat just behind the collar, which he was having Eri hold onto. He sat behind her, arms bracing on either side protectively.

It was during this that they finally noticed Shouta standing there.

"Mr. Aizawa! You should join us! We're just gonna do a lap around U.A!" Danny called to him. Shouta sighed. He didn't particularly care for dogs. They were fine, sure, but he had a very obvious preference for cats. But then he met Eri's excited eyes, and he just couldn't say no.

So after a long day of paperwork and meetings, his winddown was not a nice cup of coffee and baking with Eri. it was riding a giant green dog around campus grounds with his daughter and student.

If you asked him directly he would say he hadn't really cared, the ride was fine, he preferred cats, yadda yadda. Of course their teacher would never admit he had actually enjoyed something other than threatening expulsion or playing one of his logical ruses on the class.

But Danny knew he had made the right call when he walked in Monday and saw that his teacher's new background was a picture of him and Eri beaming at the camera, with a stupid, giant green dog drooling in the background.

Chapter 34: A Lost Soul

Summary:

So this is an au I came up with five seconds ago where Danny can casually see weaker spirits just hanging out. Not strong enough for the Zone and completely harmless. Whenever he fights Nomu he can see all of the fragmented souls that go into making one up. So that's why he has an odd reaction when Shouta and Hizashi are showing him pictures of their old friend, Loud Cloud
Manga spoilers if you don't know what happens to him or a certain warp villain we know

Chapter Text

Danny couldn't help but stare.

There was a scrapbook laid out on his lap, and starring back up at him was a picture of Hizashi and Shouta when they were in high school, with a third friend dangling off their shoulders. he had pale blue hair and a bandage over his nose, and Danny knew, even though they claimed he was dead, that he's seen the man before. Very recently, in fact. And he was very much alive.

Shirakumo Oboro was not dead.

When he tried to explain himself to Hizashi, the older hero just gave him a sad look and retreated to bed for the rest of the night.

-----------

Shouta had talked to him about it later. he was their best friend who got crushed by a building in their second year at U.A. And though Danny held strong in his belief that Oboro wasn't dead, it was obviously too much of a scar in their memories for him to torment them like that. At least, not without proof.

-----

His proof was only his recollection. His experiences.

At the USJ he had possessed the Nomu attacking Shouta. Had forced the monster to pull off of his father. What he had been met with was a dozen souls crying out in pain. They had all been asking to be set free. He hadn't understood it, then.

--------

The Nomu from Hosu were the same. But Danny knew what he had been looking for, and the faint, barely their auras he could feel coming out of them hit him like a slap in the face. Because through the chaos, through the fire, and the screaming, he saw them. He saw the fragments. He saw them crying out in pain as they lashed out against their wills. It was a horrible splicing job. Gruesome at best, and it had haunted Danny's dreams for weeks after.

---------

It was two weeks after he figured out where he had seen Oboro. Shouta and Hizashi knew he could see wandering spirits. Sometimes just glimpses of them as they shopped or rode the train or walked the halls. He realized now that they probably thought he saw Oboro here at U.A. And while that wasn't a lie, necessarily, it wasn't what Danny had meant either.

Because since he's seen the other Nomu, there's been something bugging him about a certain warp villain.

Kurogiri was a Nomu.

It was a simple fact. The only conclusion Danny had been able to come up with. The only difference was, instead of a dozen fragments, a dozen quirks, being shoved down into a monstrosity, Kurogiri was only two. A parasite on its host. A leech on an elbow. A tick on a dog.

Oboro was still there. All of him. Danny could see it, when he though back to just how strange Kurogiri had looked to him. Kurogiri was the invasive species, infecting Oboro, who was drowning under the presence. Had been drowning for so long, thrashing against the water once he had seen Shouta being hurt by what they thought had been the original Nomu.

The original Kurogiri was dead, and his soul-his fragmented self, the very thing that made ghosts what they were, was infecting his parent's dead childhood best friend.

He was going to do something about it.

---------

It took him three days to convince them. It wasn't that they didn't believe him, he knew. It was the fear that Danny was right, because if he was, that meant that it had been nothing but fifteen years of pain and suffering for their friend, right under their noses. They didn't want to face that reality.

But they were heroes. Just like Danny. They couldn't just not go and check out Danny's hunch, because a hero's hunch was as good as law when it came to things like this. A hero's Gut Feeling could have an entire city evacuated if the imposing threat was large enough.

But Shouta and Hizashi had spoken with Nezu and Tsukauchi, and with little effort, they made an appointment to see Kurogiri.

-----------

Tartarus was everything Danny had been expecting. Dark, grimy, covered in screams of pain and anguish as people rotted away for the rest of their lives. But the interrogation rooms were a sparkling, pristine white, with a large sheet of glass separating them from the villain. Tsukauchi and Nezu were behind the one-way glass to their left.

"What are you planning on doing?" Shouta asked him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Danny hadn't realized how tense he had been until then. Because they couldn't see what he was seeing.

Now that he was looking for something specific, it was hard to miss it. In the brief glances of the villain he's caught before, he was sure there was a chance he could have been wrong. But now that he's standing up close and personal, there was no mistaking it.

Danny could see Oboro's infected soul. The half that was Kurogiri was dead, and therefore a ghost. Danny could see the spread, dark around the edges of Oboro. The only clean part of him was a ring around his heart, where Kurogiri was still moving, growing. A tumor on someone that had been once so bright and promising.

"I'm going to go inside," he said. "I can get in their, and I can cure him. I can see the infection, and I think...I think I know how to fix it."

He wasn't looking at Shouta, but he knew that the older man was nodding by the way he squeezed Danny's shoulder one last time before letting go. Hizashi pulled him into a tight, brief hug, and kissed his forehead. Danny gave them a soft smile, before schooling his features and turning around.

"What have you got planned for me, little hero?" Kurogiri asked him. Danny gave him a sad smile.

"I'm going to set you free."

Danny allowed himself to float into the air before launching himself intangibly through the glass and into Kurogiri.

Inside was dark.

Usually when he overshadowed people he only stuck to surface level things. Speech, emotions, movement. But this was deeper than that. Danny had dived into the soul, where the only thing giving him any kind of light was his own aura.

"You're quite interesting."

Danny whirled around. Standing about five feet away was Kurogiri. He was standing tall and calm, hands behind his back. But even though he stood confidently, Danny could see he was in distress. The way his purple cloud-like being whipped around him told Danny everything he needed to know.

"How so?" Danny asked.

"In a lot of ways, really. Your multiple quirks. Your devotion to do good. Your clear adoration of hero society, yet your clear distaste for the law or the government. Even the Hero Commission."

"Well, just because they make the laws it doesn't mean they're making the right choices. If I blindly followed them I would be just as bad as a villain."

"Is that what you think of me? Of a villain? I've attacked you, your class, your blubbering teacher out there."

"And I hate you for it. I hate you for hurting the people I care about the most. But I also know it's not...It's not you. You're just an infection. A tumor on a body you don't belong to, stitched together by All for One."

The purple wisps thrashed around harder, before being reigned in by Kurogiri. Danny needed to keep him talking. He needed to find Oboro. He took a deep breath and focused on the feeling of the clean area he had seen, while Kurogiri continued to speak.

"You're a dumb, hopeless child," he said. "Your theories are loose at best, and you have no proof of such things."

"Do you not remember, though?" Danny asked him. He could feel Oboro, he was close. He just needed to dig deeper. "I can see spirits that have yet to pass on. A product of being one myself. Kurogiri, you are a fragment of a soul carrying out the bidding of a mad man. You're a ghost that has been forcefully overshadowing Shirakumo Oboro for fifteen years. Or have you just forgotten?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Kurogiri said. His voice sounded strained, and the purple was uncontrollably growing and thrashing. He was in distress from the existential crisis Danny was forcing him to go through.

"You're a lost soul, Kurogiri," Danny told him. "You died at one point or another. Everybody knows that ghosts are created from a fragment of the original soul. They either learn to move on, or they reside in the Ghost Zone. But you never had that opportunity, did you? All for One somehow figured out how to harness you." Kurogiri was holding his head in pain now. His foot slid back, just so, bracing himself against Danny's verbal onslaught.

There. Where his shoe had been.

It was a small, barely there pinprick of light. It was dull, but Danny could get the sense that it was waking up for the first time in a long time. How deep had All for One buried Oboro?

While Kurogiri fought with himself, Danny rushed forward. He lit up his hands and punched Kurogiri away. He could feel pain reverberate all around them. The light was beginning to pulse.

Danny punched the ground, and the hole spiderwebbed. Beams of light began to fill the room as Kurogiri came back up. He was taking off his gloves, and though his face was just two yellow slits for eyes, he could tell he was pissed.

"You stupid boy," he hissed, pulling back his fist. Danny caught it, quickly getting to his feet. He kicked the villain in the chest, not holding anything back. He went flying. In one motion, Danny knelt down on the ground again, sending another punch towards the quickly growing hole. Someone grabbed the back of his collar and threw him back. Kurogiri stood over him once more.

"Prepare to die here, boy."

--------

Shouta and Hizashi were both freaking out. Kurogiri was thrashing around in his restraints. His eyes were flickering between yellow and green as an internal battle was fought. The purple clouds grew in size, and they were attacking the glass and walls around him.

And in all of that mess, there he was.

Oboro was pulling against the restraints. His face was covered, but the hair and goggles were unmistakable.

"Fight it, Oboro!" Hizashi yelled. "You can do it!"

"Come back to us!" Shouta yelled. It was something he only did when he absolutely meant it. He knew the damage loud voices and harsh words could do. And Oboro knew that. The purple flickered again, and the right half of Oboro's face was exposed.

"Hell of-kid, Sh-" he was saying. The yellow eye still covering his face was flickering madly between Kurogiri's menacing yellow and Danny's confident green.

"Come meet him then!" Hizashi shouted. "You can be his uncle! You just have to come back to us! Shirakumo, please!"

"We can still be heroes!" Shouta told him. "Fight him, Shirakumo!"

-----------

Danny groaned as he stood back up. He definitely had a couple of busted ribs. Kurogiri has never fought in front of him, and Danny had underestimated him. He was incredibly strong, more so than he looked.

But he had something the villain didn't have.

"Fight him, Shirakumo!"

The words rang loudly through the darkness. Light was quickly escaping the hole Danny was made, and it was bright and beautiful and warm. It was alive and fighting, spilling out and lighting up the endless span of darkness.

"Come back to us, boys!" Hizashi's voice rang. Danny grinned as he stood on shaky feet.

The one thing Kurogiri didn't have was people like Shouta and Hizashi on his side, supporting him any way they could. And that would be his downfall.

Oboro was almost free, he could tell. One more hit would do it. But Kurogiri was standing in between him and the bright light that was still attempting to escape.

"Give up, boy!" Kurogiri yelled at him. He was completely unhinged now. The purple was uncontrollable, and he was starting to flicker.

"Come over here and make me, then," Danny grit out. Kurogiri, unable to think clearly, charged for him. Danny charged too, but instead of the impact the villain had been expecting, he ducked under the villains legs, and slid to the hole.

It was one smooth motion.

Danny leaning back up, sliding on his knees. He raised his hands over his head, a large hammer made of ice forming as quickly as Danny swung. The large flat end rang throughout the darkness, echoing off the walls.

Everything went black, except for him and Kurogiri. He pulled Danny back, and threw him to the ground before straddling him. His hands were around Danny's throat in seconds. Had he failed? Was he going to die here?"

"Geez, kid, you're just as dramatic as Hizashi."

A second later Kurogiri was being pulled off of him by the man Danny had seen in the photo all those weeks ago.

"Oboro?" He croaked, rubbing his throat. The man grinned at him.

"The one and only, kid. Now get out of here. I'll take care of the rest."

"Wait, but what about-"

"-I'll meet you on the other side," he cut off. "I promise."

There was a surety in his words, and as he spoke, Danny could see the truth being made. Because all around them, Kurogiri's darkness was melting away, and was actively being replaced by baby blue skies dotted with fluffy white clouds.

He looked between the hero, and the limp villain in Oboro's hand. Danny eventually gave him a nod.

"If you don't I'll come back in here and kick your ass. Got it?"

Oboro threw his head back and laughed. it rang clear and bright, and it was unlike anything Danny had ever heard before.

"You've been hanging out with Shouta too much," he chuckled. "Now go on. I'll just be a few minutes."

--------

Everything in the interrogation room was still.

Kurogiri wasn't moving. His eyes were a dull yellow. Shouta and Hizashi were out of their seats, leaning forward, all but pressing their faces against the glass.

And then Kurogiri's chest lit up. Danny stumbled out, looking beaten and bloodied to hell, but he had a massive grin on his face. He stood up and phased through the barrier, and was immediately brought into a hug from Shouta and Hizashi, who were looking over him with worried hands.

"Are you okay? Where's-did it work?" Hizashi croaked, unable to let himself hope. Danny smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, everything is fine. Oboro said to just give him a few minutes. He's taking care of the rest."

Shouta insisted he go to the infirmary, but Danny refused to leave. Not until they watched the purple mist fade away completely. Not until they saw a very tired looking Oboro blink awake, shooting all three of them a lopsided grin.

"What's a guy gotta do to get some food around here, huh?" He asked. He was grinning so hard his eyes had all but disappeared.

Shouta collapsed on the ground, uncontrollably sobbing from sheer joy and relief and disbelief that his old friend was here. Danny was kneeling beside him, and Shouta pulled him into a bone crushing hug, a mantra of whispered thank yous escaping his lips. Danny hugged him back, and after a few minutes, he pulled away and had Shouta look at him.

"I think I have an uncle to meet, don't you?" He asked. Shouta pulled him in for one last hug before they stood up together. Oboro was let out of his restraints, and he was pressing his hands up against the glass.

"We have to make sure there's no lasting mental damage," Oboro was telling them. "So I'll be here for a little while. But as soon as I get out you guys are treating me to sushi, got it?"

Hizashi choked out a wet laugh as he nodded, tears still streaming down his face.

"What happened to Kurogiri?" Danny asked. Oboro looked down at him and gave him a comforting smile.

"He's gone. For good. He won't be joining up with the League anytime soon."

Danny smiled and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Kid?" He said, getting the boy's attention once more.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you," he said. "You set us free."

Chapter 35: Father Figure pt 5

Summary:

{father figure/ oh, you havent heard?/ Student danny}
danny gains ice power. Aka the day he got freezing sick

Notes:

Full disclosure i only remember what vaguely happens. The danny phantom wiki hasn't steered me wrong yet

Chapter Text

Aizawa raised an eyebrow as Danny sneezed again. It was starting to get colder outside, so maybe it was seasonal allergies. Danny had already gone to see Recovery Girl yesterday, and he was fine, except for the odd body temperature, but that was normal for him. He's always ran cold, as far as Aizawa's concerned.

Aizawa made a mental note to talk to him about it. And the blue wisps that wouldn't stop coming out of his mouth.

--------

Danny was having a rough time. His powers were acting up, and he couldn't see anybody about them. It wasn't a normal quirk. nobody knew how to fix what was wrong with him because he was one out of two halfas in all of existence. Because of course he fucking was.

So instead of acting like his powers were the thing that was wrong, he pretended to be sick. It's not like it was hard. With how shitty he actually felt, and the coldness that crept up his spine and settled in his bones, it was easy to get Recovery Girl to excuse him until he was better.

He knew Aizawa was worried, but soon he wouldn't need to. His body would bounce back, just like it always did when weird ghost shit happened.

Right?

--------

Aizawa noticed it almost right away. The trail of frost that Danny was leaving behind, and the food in the cafeteria he barely touched turning into a hunk of ice as he left. He didn't know what was going on, but it was obviously something ghost related. Which meant it probably wasn't a normal illness. He made a note to ask Danny about it at the end of the day.

---------

Danny was going to fist fight the universe.

He knows that ghosts won't follow his schedule and leave him alone when he's at school learning how to kick their asses better, but it's still very annoying when the ground breaks open beneath their feat and a giant plant ghost breaks through.

And of course none of his classmates can really do anything, because on top of being a powerhouse with plants, he also has the normal powers of a ghost. Danny was virtually the only one who could touch him, and he had to do it without his classmates finding out his secret. The only one who knew was Aizawa, and he planned on keeping it that way.

Everything has been harder today though. He's incredibly cold despite the warmer temperature of the class and outside. He doesn't understand why. And he's been keenly aware of his skin slowly turning blue, and the icicles coming off of his elbows that he's been desperately breaking off before anybody could see. This is something ghost related. Nobody here at U.A. could help him.

The ghost is monologuing. Danny finds as annoying as he finds it useful as he dives forward, ectoblasts at the ready. He starts blasting vines and large roots that are shooting out to attack him and his classmates, but the plant man-Undergrowth, was it?-is regenerating too quickly.

Danny lines up a blast to his beaked face when something grabs his ankles and drags him down, slamming him into the ground. It creates a crater that Kirishima is quickly trying to pull him out of. But just as they get back to their feet, Danny feels an itch in his nose, and the whole world fades to black.

-------

Shouta knows the pressing feeling of a migraine more than the normal person. He's had plenty of them from overusing his quirk or the occasional concussion. His experience with them is the only thing keeping him from opening his eyes right as he wakes up. He goes through his mental checklist, and is pleased to find that the only thing that really hurts is his head.

He groans as he covers his eyes with his hand before opening them, trying in a vain attempt to put off the inevitable. Eventually he adjusts enough and takes his hand away, scrubbing lightly at his face. He is met with a dim room with a heavy, earthy smell, and a shivering half-ghost sitting next to him. He goes to shake him awake, trying not to be too concerned about the blue tone the boy's skin has taken. When his hand gets close, however, a quick layer of thin frost covers his fingertips. He pulls his hand back and wraps it in the end of his capture scarf before shaking the boy awake.

Danny is apparently not a morning person. It takes at least two more tries to get him to finally open his eyes, and some gentle nudging to get him to sit up. He sneezes, and a series of blue wisps escape his mouth.

"I was going to talk to you about that," Aizawa says, keeping his voice low to not upset his headache. "Is it a ghost thing?"

Danny nods. He looks absolutely miserable. "Yeah, but I have no idea what it is, or how to control it. I don't know if I'll be any help against Undergrowth when I'm so sick."

Aizawa takes in a deep breath to calm his nerves, and he's please to find that Danny does the same. Though the shaking in his hands don't stop, he suspects it's from Danny being cold more than his anxiety.

"If we can make it to my parent's house we'd be able to get all of the ghost hunting equipment we would need," Danny says.

"Time to see if all of this stealth training I've been showing you finally pays off," Aizawa replies dryly as he slowly gets to his feet. He helps Danny to his before they look around, feeling around the wall.

It's got the texture of a leaf and the durability of drywall, which Danny uses to their advantage by heating up his hands and burning the plant away without outright blasting it. He takes a second to try and warm the rest of him up. When he's done he's still cold, but he is less blue.

Danny hovers in the air for a brief moment before looking back at Aizawa. It's a mi of worry and determination, one the boy has been an expert in making since day one. Aizawa gives him an encouraging nod and they leap from the pod they were being held in.

Everything around them is covered in thick vines taller than All Might and twice as broad. The usual training grounds of Ground Beta were nowhere to be seen. Instead there were a bunch of other pods around. Danny makes a break for one of them, only to be stopped by vines latching onto him and pulling him back. Aizawa tries to move forward, but his legs are quickly secured. The ground rumbles again, and Undergrowth comes back out.

"There's no use in fighting it," Undergrowth brags as Danny and Aizawa struggle to escape. "The growth is stronger than any meat creature."

"Why can't I get out of these?" Danny barks in frustration. He pulls again, and Aizawa winces at how the vines dig into his skin more. He can see the blue coming back as Danny gets more and more frustrated, only interrupted by Undergrowth's speech.

"This is exactly what nature intended all along. Mankind is merely a temporary weed in the garden of life. A weed, that can be removed," he smiled triumphantly. Then, with a wave of his hand, the surrounding pods open up, and Aizawa's heart jumps into his throats.

Sitting inside of the pods are his students.

They're all in various stages of being tied up by vines, and all of their eyes glowed an unearthly pink.

"What did you do to them?" Aizawa snarled. Undergrowth just laughed.

"My mind vines have taken effect," he said. "I'm going to use them and every other god-forsaken hero to destroy this city! For too long human progress has been prioritized over the nurture of the very earth you all walk on! Tearing it up by its roots and burning it to the ground! I will no longer sit idly by and watch it happen."

The speech is punctuated by a sneeze coming from Danny. When Aizawa looks over, the vines holding him back are encased in ice. There's icicles coming from his nose and he looks like he'd rather be anywhere else.

Danny doesn't waste the opportunity his shitty allergies give him though. He quickly gives one big tug, and the vines break apart. he wastes no time in freeing Aizawa while Undergrowth yells in frustration, unable to catch the halfa. Aizawa is careful to only let Danny grab his uniform and not his whole arm as he dodges the plants with a fluidity that's learned only from experience.

"Take us high!" Shouta tells him. Danny immediately adjusts their course. First rule of fighting someone who needs the ground? Get to the sky.

Just as he had hoped, once they were high enough, the vines were unable to reach them. Aizawa could feel his breaths coming in more labored from the thinner air, though Danny seemed perfectly fine. In fact, it looked like he was thriving.

That is, until they looks down.

The city of Musatafu was completely covered, just as U.A. had been. There were pods opening and brainwashed heroes roaming the streets. Aizawa felt a cold, tingling sensation down his spine as he looked down.

"We have to go to the Ghost Zone," Danny tells him over the wind. "I have a friend there who might be able to explain what's going on with me. And on out way out we'll be able to get some ghost hunting equipment."

Aizawa nods in agreement, doing his best to ignore his captured colleagues as they come closer and closer to the ground.

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

Sneaking into the Fenton household wasn't hard, even with ghost powers that would usually trip every alarm. It seems, however, that Undergrowth took care of that problem.

They don't start having problems until they reach the bottom of the basement.

Shouta Aizawa has never seen the thing that killed his student, but now it's looming over him, casting the room in a harsh, eerie lighting. He briefly wonders what it's like to have lived just over the thing that murdered you. It's probably not good for his mental health.

And standing in front of the portal are the Fenton parents.

Aizawa scowls, and is surprised to find something other than stubborn determination on his student's face. In fact, staring at his parents with their large guns and scowling mind controlled faces, he looks absolutely terrified.

"You ready, kid?" He asks, placing a hand on his shoulder. It seems to snap Danny out of it enough for him to gulp in some air and nod.

And once everything here is all said and done, Aizawa is going to murder the Fenton parents with a law suit so big they'll be paying it off when they're dead. Because Shouta knows for a fact that it's not the portal that Danny is terrified of.

Without much fanfare, their blasters are pointed towards himself and Danny, who on nothing but instinct throws up a green barrier between them and his parents. The blast dissolves into nothing. Danny grips Aizawa's uniform and pulls him behind him before going into a sprint.

While a very real threat, without their own thoughts in their heads, their moves are slow and sluggish. Danny is easily able to use the shield as a battering ram, running through his parents and into the Ghost Zone, dragging Aizawa along with him.

----------

Ice powers.

That's the ghost bullshit that Danny was going through. And conveniently, it was their way of taking down Undergrowth.

He sat in while Frostbite explained the behavior of cores to him and Danny. But something still didn't make sense. He knew Danny had been electrocuted, and cores had something to do with death. So why did Danny have ice powers?

When he asked, he received two very different looks. Frostbite looked almost sad, and maybe a little concerned, while Danny looked away, not wanting to meet his eyes. It was only then that Aizawa realized his question was in bad taste. When he tried to apologize, though, Danny waved him off.

"It's fine to ask questions, Sensei," he said, though he still looked uncomfortable. "Clockwork mentioned once that cores are related to how we died but not-not the physical part. Since cores are essentially ghost hearts, their powers come from whatever your emotional state was when you died."

"What...What does ice mean, then?" He asked softly.

"It's...Different for everybody," Danny answers eventually. "But for me I was...I couldn't move. I was uh, frozen with fear," he grimaces at his wording, but it made perfect sense to Aizawa. He's been in too many situations where it's fight, flight, or freeze. And Danny was only fourteen, with his whole life ahead of him. It only makes sense that he had been terrified with the concept of dying.

He wasn't good at being an emotional anchor. Not like Mic or Midnight. But everything always seemed to be an exception when Danny was involved. He could tell by the kid's stilted body language that he was tired and unsure of what to do. So Aizawa, without really thinking, opened his arms. Not even a second went by before they were full of his the kid.

Maybe he should book him some sessions with Hounddog.

----------

After some quick training and strong foundation for the basics of his new ice quirk, they quickly found their way back to Musatafu. According to Frostbite, when Undergrowth is defeated, everything and everyone will go back to normal.

As a gift to Aizawa for not being a complete dick to Danny, they played around with his capture scarf. Now, if he every caught a ghost in it, including Danny, they wouldn't be able to phase through. It was a step in the direction of trust that Aizawa didn't plan on messing up anytime soon. This was a lot of power for his student to give to him. It was also just another glaring reminder that every other adult completely and utterly failed him.

Danny was also no longer shivering and encasing anything he touched in ice, so Aizawa was safely being carried through the skies by his students. If anybody asked, they would get immediate detention.

Soon enough, they made it back to U.A. Every bone in Aizawa's body was screaming to be stealthy, but Undergrowth wasn't going to come out of his hiding spot if they were. So instead, Danny played around with his newfound ice powers and started freezing the stems and roots of the pods where his classmates were.

Undergrowth was quick to show up at that point, screeching about how they were never going to get away with defeating him. It was a song and dance both had heard more than enough times. Danny turned to Aizawa, a look of confident determination on his face.

"You got everything handled topside?" He asked. Aizawa nodded, gripping his new and improved capture scarf. Danny gave him a lopsided grin, before giving him a two-fingered salute and disappearing into the ground.

Undergrowth was fast. Definitely one of the faster villains he's faced, which is impressive considering Undergrowth's size. But Aizawa was slim and nimble and used all of that to his advantage. multiple vines chased after him, and Aizawa, with only a vague sense of what he was doing, tangled them all up easily enough. All he had to do was stall.

He just needed to buy time for his kid.

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

Danny has had nightmares where he turns intangible and falls through the ground, but none of them are like real life.

The only light source is him and his powers, which isn't necessarily a big issue. It's better than his dreams. But now, he's got a mission. Find the base of the roots and destroy it. It should be easy enough since all of the roots have secured themselves deep in the earth. All he has to do is follow them to the base.

it thankfully doesn't take him long to get there, and when he does he doesn't waste any time. His classmates are in danger. His sister too, probably. And Aizawa...The one adult who's ever treated him with any kind of respect it out there risking his life for the second time that year for his students. The man needs a break.

Still, he couldn't help the warm fondness he felt whenever he interacted with Aizawa. It was...Nice to just be recognized. To be seen. It's more than his real parents have ever done with him.

Danny shook the thought from his head as he willed his ice to come, willing it to spread from the base to the rest of the roots and up Undergrowth's stem. Aizawa would never think of him like his kid. He needed to stop being so attached. He was only going to get hurt again.

Danny grit his teeth as he pushed forward. His hands were starting to get so cold they burned. Was this how Todoroki felt?

Eventually it was completely covered, and Danny wasted no time in sending a large ectoblast its way. The roots shattered as much as they could in the compacted earth around them. It was bright and cold and warm all at the same time. As the roots were still crumpling, Danny made his way tot eh surface.

Undergrowth was a lot smaller now, wailing in pain as he clawed at the ground. Danny had no words for the ghost, no witty come back or a promise to kick his ass again the next time he pulled shit like this. He was completely silent as he sucked the ghost into his thermos and clipped it to his belt.

Around him all of the plants and vines were deteriorating quickly to the point where it could almost be disintegration. The only thing showing that anything at all had happened was the shriveled up plants and confused hero students wandering around the streets as the brainwashing left their systems. Aizawa was helping Uraraka as she threw up, rubbing small circles on her back. He looked up at Danny, an exasperated, tired hint of a smile on his face.

Danny gave him a thumbs up.

Chapter 36: Father Figure pt 6

Summary:

Father figure. Penelope Spectra >:]

Chapter Text

Danny had his reservations about the new guidance counselor at school. He was around her a lot, though, because of his recent sessions with Hound Dog. Mr. Aizawa wanted him to try therapy out after the whole Undergrowth incident, and, well, Danny was willing to try pretty much anything once. And over the course of the month his mental health he has found it easier to smile, easier to will his hands to stop trembling. Whenever he has a panic attack, Hound Dog is right there to assure him that progress isn't linear, and that he's getting better. It just takes time.

But then Penelope Spectra came to U.A.

In light of recent events with Undergrowth, there was a surge in therapy sessions from Hound Dog, and Nezu, the omnipotent Rat God of U.A. had thought it best to hire another counselor to take some of the weight off of Hound Dog's shoulders. It made sense, but there was something Danny knew that everybody else didn't.

Penelope Spectra was a ghost.

He wanted to tell Aizawa, but he was already so busy between being a teacher and some new case that he had accidentally overheard him talking about with Present Mic. Danny has never backed away from a conversation faster in his life. If Eraserhead ever found out he eavesdropped-even accidentally-it would be detention for life. Maybe his afterlife, too.

So the best he could do was tell Hound Dog he was interested in seeing the other counselor, just to see what she was like. Hound Dog had thankfully not taken it personally. The pro had mentioned that some therapists are better for different people, and it's important to find the right one so they can be on the road to recovery at a steady pace. Or something.

His first session had left him absolutely drained. He didn't talk much, not like he did with Hound Dog. He doesn't even remember most of what she said. It feels like he got kissed by Recovery Girl, exhausted to the bone and his mind full of cotton. When he came back to class after his free period, Aizawa looked more than a little concerned. Danny had just yawned with a promise that he was fine, really, before keeping himself from falling asleep for the rest of the class. Thankfully he sat next to Iida, who was more than willing to help on that front.

And what's worse is that he doesn't have anything on Spectra. He doesn't remember what she said to him, only that they caused alarm bells in the back of his head. He could go to Nezu, but then he'd have to out himself as a half-ghost. It was bad enough that Aizawa knew. He didn't want to burden anybody else with the knowledge that he was a freak of nature. And what if Nezu saw his halfa status as cheating? He'd be thrown out of U.A. so quickly he'd get whiplash. And then he would be stuck with his parents again. Now that he's had the taste of freedom, he doesn't know if he'd be able to survive going back to them.

So of course, the only logical solution was to take care of this himself.

-----------

Over the course of the next week, he could see his classmates being just as exhausted as he had felt after his first session with Spectra. And it wasn't contained to just his class. 1-B and some of the gen-ed and business course students traumatized by the Undergrowth events sought out Spectra in the hopes of getting better. Now nearly the entirety of U.A. save for the majority of the teachers were sluggish.

Foundational Heroics and combat training were an absolute bust. Not even Midoriya, Mr. Sugar on Wheels, with his nonstop energy, nervous or otherwise, was super into it. His normal mumbling was just a garble of tired sounds and a depressed sigh that had him leaning against the wall with Todoroki, who was sporting some pretty impressive bags under his eyes.

Seeing his classmates suffering like this, it made his stomach roll. He felt sick, and angry. He was going to confront Spectra, and he was going to throw her back into the Ghost Zone if it was the last thing he did.

---------

"I know what you are," he snarled, dropping his bag in front of him. It was unzipped, and the thermos was just a quick reach away.

"Well, I would hope so," Spectra said. "It is on my plaque," she gestured to the name plaque on her desk. Dr. Spectra, Therapist. Danny scowled at the sickly smile she gave him.

"You know what I mean," he said, his anger rising.

"Spit it out, then, kid," she said, as if she had already won. "What am I?"

---------

Aizawa tries his best to be as observant as possible. He knows something is wrong with his class. He knows something has Danny specifically on edge, and if he's on edge it's probably some dumb ghost bullshit.

The only thing that's changed recently is a new member of their staff. And Aizawa isn't blind to her fake smiles and the predatory look she gives students. How her skin seems so glow more with each passing session. Most of his students, he knows, have given her a shot at least once. With all of the events that 1-A has had to go through, therapy was mandatory for them. He thought the option of a new counselor would be beneficial, just in case she was going to be able to help them in a way Hound Dog couldn't, but looking over his twenty kids who were slumped over their desks-even Iida-he knew something was wrong. And he knew it had something to do with a certain therapist that had been hired.

He had told Nezu his concerns, which had been quickly shared. It was how Aizawa found himself strolling down the hallway with omnipotent Rat God hiding in his scarf.

Just as they were reaching the door, however, there was a crash. Something breaking, maybe a vase, and a loud thump. He heard somebody grunt in pain, and wasted no time in kicking the door down.

Spectra, in all of her terrible glory, was pinning Danny up against the wall by his throat. He was willing the rings to come, but they flickered in and out of existence. His head whipped around to face Aizawa, before his eyes flickered over to Spectra's desk.

Aizawa ducked and rolled in that direction, narrowly missing a blast coming from the demented school therapist. He landed right next to the thermos he's seen Danny use. He grabbed it, dodging another blast, before uncapping it and pointing it at Spectra.

She screeched in frustration as she was sucked through. Aizawa quickly capped it before Danny could get sucked in with her. Once she was secure, he ran over to Danny, grabbing his face tenderly.

"Are you okay?" He asked, tilting his student's head this way and that. His neck would have some bruising, and the cut over his eyebrow would probably scar, but otherwise he looked okay. Still, Aizawa didn't relax until he got the confirmation from Danny.

"I'm-yeah. Sorry," he rasped. Nezu climbed out of Aizawa's scarf and looked around the destroyed room and at a very terrified looking Danny.

"Well, I believe an explanation is needed, yes?" He said. Danny just slumped against the wall and nodded, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. Shouta squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

"We'll be okay," he said. "Nothing bad is going to happen."

--------

True to his word, nothing bad happened. Nezu had been told about Danny's quirk origin, and the Rat God had taken it with a chuckle and a cup of tea. Nezu made him promise to tell them if there were any other ghost infiltrations so that they could be handled properly by the pros. Once their meeting was over, Aizawa took Danny to the empty 1-A classroom.

"Why didn't you tell me she was a ghost?" He asked him once they got comfortable. "I know your secret. I could have helped."

"I didn't..." Danny bit his lip, looking away for a brief moment. He dropped his gaze to his hands before he continued speaking. "I didn't want to stress you out more. You're always tired and complaining about how our class gets into villain trouble, and I-I accidentally heard that you had a really stressful case you're working on outside of all of this and I-I just didn't want to burden you again and-"

Danny's stream of words came to an abrupt halt when there were two, strong arms suddenly squeezing him.

Danny had been hugged enough to recognize what it was, but the sheer comfort, the sheer tenderness in his teacher's touch...That was unfamiliar. It was like he was putting all of his care into a single embrace, and Danny couldn't help the tears that came. It only made Aizawa squeeze him tighter.

"You're not a burden," his teacher said. "You never will be."

Danny, as much as he tried not to, could only cry harder as a response. He's never heard those words before, let alone in such a paternal tone. And Danny knew from experience that Aizawa didn't say shit he didn't mean. He reached up and fisted his hands in Aizawa's jumpsuit, and cried even harder.

---

Once Danny had calmed down, Aizawa took a small step back. The kid looked absolutely exhausted. And he was going to wait until they had a more solid case to speak to him about it, but he couldn't wait any longer.

"Danny," he said. The boy lifted his gaze to finally meet Aizawa's, and the pro did his best to offer a comforting smile. "The case I've been working on...It's to take down your parents."

He watched as the boy's expression went from confused to shocked, before quickly going through the five stages of grief right before Aizawa's eyes. His bottom lip started to tremble again.

"R-really?" He said through a hiccup. "Why?"

Man, wasn't that a loaded question.

"Because you don't deserve the way they treat you," he said. "You're smart and caring and you're a great fucking kid. You shouldn't have to live in fear of them. Now, we probably have enough to take them down on illegal support equipment and lack of proper safety protocols, but if there's anything you would like to come forward with, that would be a one way ticket to prison."

Danny's eyebrows furrowed together as he processed the words that came out of Aizawa's mouth. Like he couldn't really believe that this was all happening. That someone had finally cared enough to do something about his horrible treatment by the people who were supposed to take care of him.

"Where would I go?" He asked eventually. "I don't have any other relatives I could go to. Not any that could afford to take me in, anyway."

"Well," Aizawa sighed as he leaned back, his spine popping in a quick sequence. "You have two options. You could either become a ward of U.A. where you would stay in the dorms all year 'round, and leave when you graduate. Or...Or you could..." Fuck why was this so hard? Just spit the words out! "Every hero has an emergency foster license. So, if you wanted to, I could take you in."

Danny went back to shock. His jaw was on the floor as he stared up at Aizawa with big, blue eyes. They were full of nothing but hope.

"You...You really want me?" He asked in a small voice. And man, wasn't that just fucking heartbreaking. Aizawa nodded, and in the blink of an eye he was being tackled in a hug. He squeezed the his kid back just as much, letting Danny burry his face in his chest. He's not sure how long they stayed like that, but Aizawa made sure to not let go.

Eventually, though, when everything calmed down, Danny pulled back and gave him a watery smile.

"Thank you."

Chapter 37: Ms. Joke

Summary:

Danny meets ms.Joke :)

Chapter Text

Danny was practically vibrating in his seat, and nobody knew why.

His friends looked at him, some curiously, some worried. Iida was telling him to calm down or he might get hurt, which-okay, that was fair. The last time Danny had gotten this excited he had pulled something. But he just couldn't contain himself. How could he not be excited about meeting his second favorite hero?

Right behind Thirteen-but just barely-was Ms. Joke. She was hilarious, and he used his quips against villains as an homage to her. Always taking down villains with a confident smile and a joke at the end was exactly the kind of hero he wanted to be. Maybe not quite to the scale Ms. Joke performed on since that was her gimmick. But still, everybody takes inspiration from somewhere, right?

He knew her visit was supposed to be a secret, which was why he hadn't told anybody else. From his excitement, he knew their too-observant-for-his-own-good teacher already knew, as he was trying to suffocate himself with his sleeping bag. He had accidentally overheard him planning it with Nezu in the middle of the night when he had gone down to get some food.

Supernatural hearing definitely did have its perks sometimes.

And right on time, as soon as the bell rang, there was a loud bang as the door swung open.

"Aizawa! Marry me!"

Most of the class gaped like fish out of water at the ludicrous statement Ms. Joke just made. There was a muffled grunt from the sleeping bag, and Ms. Joke threw her head back and laughed. Danny couldn't help the grin that spread across his face.

This is going to be fun.

---------

Out in Ground Beta, the jokes didn't stop. Midoriya was near the back giving a brief analysis of her quirk, but Danny was more than familiar with her. There was one time back in elementary school where she had saved him, Sam, and Tucker from a robbery gone wrong.

"Do you remember me?" He asked her. As Phantom, probably not. But she had seen him as Fenton. Maybe a robbery wasn't noteworthy enough to remember, though. If there was a gun to his head, he wouldn't be able to tell the difference between one fight against the Box Ghost and another, so he understood.

She eyes him with a large grin, feeding off of his excitement. "You're Phantom, right? You looked really different back in class! Sorry, though, I don't remember!" She frowned only for a moment, before slinging an arm around his shoulders. It was quite a feat considering he was a lot taller than she was. He had to lean down for it to work. "Remind me!"

"You saved me and my friends from a robbery like, almost a decade ago," he said. "My friend with the glasses threw up because he got so excited."

Joke gasped as she pulled away, stars in her eyes. "Shoe Vomit!" She exclaimed. Danny threw his head back and laughed at the nickname for Tucker. He was definitely going to hang that over his head. "Is he in the hero course too?"

"Nah, he's in the support course. But you're still one of his favorites! Mine too!"

"Awe, so I don't get the number one spot?" Joke fake pouted. "Who's number one? Eraserhead? He is very dark and mysterious-definitely your type, I think."

Danny couldn't help the rising blush. While she was right about his type, Eraserhead definitely was not it. he much more preferred people like Sam. His reaction, though, was apparently what she wanted. She was cackling, holding her gut as if in pain from laughing too hard.

"Actually, it's Thirteen," he said. Ms. Joke smiled at him and nodded.

"They're really cool! Are you a big space fan?"

On the walk to Ground Beta, the rest of Class 1-A got to witness Danny act more and more like Midoriya the more he talked about space. his excitement and giddiness was kind of infectious. Uraraka was quick to join the conversation about how cool Thirteen and space were. Danny's ramblings about space were sure to be good competition for Midoriya's mumblings about quirks.

And if Aizawa was nowhere to be found when they got back to class, well, that was nobody's business but his. He had enough to deal with when it was only Ms. Joke. He didn't need a traitor student on top of it.

Though he would be assigning a paper on why it's important for a hero to be quiet.

Chapter 38: A Whole New World pt 2

Summary:

Hey can I get some more of that good soup? You know the one where danny just pops into existence fresh from the portal accident. Maybe him and deku bond over having no control over there powers?

Chapter Text

It's been a month, and he wasn't any closer to getting home.

He had accepted the fact that he was in the future. He was half dead, which was weird. When he was alive he could feel the unnatural coldness and his slow-beating heart. Elements that were permanently changed. He would never be able to be fully alive ever again, and in return, he got kickass super powers. It was like he was in a comic book or something.

His Japanese was getting better by the day, too. It probably helped being surrounded by people who were constantly talking to him in said language, and helping where he needed it. In turn, he helped them with whatever English homework Present Mic had given them. He's glad to see that at least some of Lancer's lessons stuck with him.

In his free time he worked with Power Loader to try and create blue prints for the portal. He remembered the shape and all the important parts, like the power switch being on the inside and the ecto-filter that needed to be changed occasionally. But with no actual memory of the mechanics of the machine, it was taking a lot longer than he had hoped.

So to relieve some stress, he worked in Gym Gamma. Getting a hold on his new powers was hard-one of the hardest things he's ever done, actually. But he's finally stopped letting drinking glasses slip from his grasp, and he's not accidentally turning invisible at the slightest noise that set him off. So, baby steps.

Still, it was hard. Especially when he was getting new powers every day. Like yesterday, he had accidentally blasted Kaminari into a wall during a training exercise. While Kaminari took a trip to Recovery Girl, Eraserhead had to calm him down from a panic attack. He had a new power and it was dangerous and they knew nothing about it. This was different than his invisibility and his intangibility. This could hurt people. He needed to get a hang of it as fast as he could.

So that's how he found himself in Gym Gamma, by himself with crudely drawn targets on the other side of the room.

Turning the ectoblasts on and off came easier than he initially thought it'd be, but the kickback was insane. He started out okay, but as soon as the power came, it was too much, and he was knocking himself off target. He had managed to scorch every surface except the targets.

He growled in frustration and slammed his fist against the wall. Another thing he was getting used to-supernatural strength and endurance. The cement wall cracked in a spiderweb pattern starting from his fist. He huffed and pulled his hand out of the cement, rubbing it thoughtfully. It hadn't hurt, not by any means, but avoiding property damage was still a good idea, probably.

Just as he was mulling over his options of trying some more or going home to Eraserhead's apartment, the doors to the gym creaked open.

"Oh-sorry. I didn't realize anybody was in he-here."

Danny turned around and was met with a face full of freckles and untamable green curls. He smiled. Midoriya was pretty cool, and he seemed too kind for his own good. A bleeding heart just like his sister.

Stop thinking about them, he thought to himself bitterly. He pointedly ignored the longing ache in his chest as he smiled at Midoriya, hoping that none of his thoughts were readable on his face.

"It's no problem," he said, slowly and kind of clunky. "I think I'm about to head out anyway. I can only take so much frustration, you know?"

"What are you frustrated about? Maybe I could help?"

Instead of answering, Danny just gestured vaguely to the targets, oddly clean compared to the walls around them. Midoriya looked over, and instead of making fun of him, he put a hand to his chin in deep thought. After about a minute of muttering that Danny wasn't even about to try and understand, he lit up like a lightbulb.

"I think I know what the problem is. Can you try again?" Midoriya asked him. Danny just shrugged and braced himself. He did everything in his power to keep his arms from flying everywhere, but the kickback from his new power still sent his hands flying to the side. Midoriya hummed, a new thought forming.

"I've got a strength quirk that's strong enough to break my bones if I overdo it," Midoriya tells him. "So to combat that, I only use my quirk at about five percent. The stronger I get, and the more practice I get, I'll be able to wield more of it. Right now your energy blasts are all or nothing. Instead of opening the door all the way, see if you can crack it."

Danny nodded. He thinks he understands the general idea Midoriya is trying to explain. A door. That was easy enough, right?

The first time is a complete fail. Midoriya, ever the optimist, urges him to try again.

The second time is the closes he's gotten all day. He's not putting as much punch into his blast, and the kickback isn't as bad. He just needs to adjust until-

There. The sweet spot.

He sends an ectoblast towards one of the targets, and, much to his excitement, he actually hits it. His aim needs a lot of work, but with Midoriya's advice he's made more progress in the past two minutes than he has all day. Danny whirls around, eyes wide and excited.

"Do you wanna work together?"

-------

Aizawa sighs as he walks towards the gym where his resident Problem Child and Time Traveler are. Mic had sent him a text saying he heard some pretty worrisome booms and crashes coming from inside, but he had already been late for his radio show.

As he walks closer to Gym Gamma, he can already feel the headache growing right alongside the sounds of the booms and crashes Mic had so eloquently described.

When he opens the doors, he's not sure what he's expecting. Maybe Midoriya broke another limb. Maybe Danny is waste deep in the ground and they're trying to dig him out.

What he doesn't expect, is Danny lifting a boulder three times his size and weight. His hands are glowing green, and Midoriya is in the corner, furiously writing in one of his notebooks. Aizawa can see that Danny's arms are visibly shaking from the effort of holding up the massive boulder. After about forty seconds, his legs start to shake, and his stance becomes wobbly. His hands glow brighter, and the boulder starts to crack. Green light spills from the spiderweb fractures until-

BOOM

Aizawa can feel the heat from the blast all the way from the door, though neither of the teens seem surprised. Midoriya clicks the stopwatch he pulled out of thin air, and smiles before speaking rapidly to Danny. The kid is bent over, hands on his knees and out of breath. But the grin on his face isn't leaving. Not even as he throws a thumbs up in Midoriya's direction.

"What are you two doing?" Aizawa asks tiredly. The two teens jump, and he makes a mental note to start teaching his class situational awareness.

"Quirk training!" Midoriya says excitedly. Danny was still a little clunky with Japanese, and at the rapid-fire words coming from Midoriya, he looks about as lost as Aizawa feels. He manages to catch the gist of it, though, and nods to the boys, letting them know he understands. And although he wishes they'd gotten a teacher first, Danny was still new, and didn't know all of the rules. Plus, after what had happened to Kaminari, it wasn't too big of a surprise. He's just shocked to see that, instead of shying away from his new power like most people would, he's tackling it head on. If he does decide to become a hero in this time or his, he'll be a good one. Maybe one of the best ones.

The kid is exhausted though, that much is obvious. The thought is only punctuated by the rings flickering around his waist before holding steady and transforming him back to his normal self. He stand up straight, swaying a little. Aizawa sighs. His headache is making itself known, now.

"Come on," he says. "Recovery Girl has something for quirk exhaustion in her office. Midoriya," the head of green curls bobs as the kid looks up at him. "Good job on not breaking anything."

Midoriya turns scarlet as he starts mumbling about what he's been working on, and Aizawa dips his chin in his scarf to hide his small smile.

When Danny had first come, he had wondered how Danny was going to adjust. If he was going to be okay mentally as well as physically. Getting thrust into the future didn't just happen everyday. Plus, his parents are ghost hunters. Aizawa often wonders if he'll be okay when they do get him back to his time.

But at least he can sleep easy tonight knowing that he's at least okay right now.

Chapter 39: A Dog? A Mouse? A Bear? A...Dad?

Summary:

Danny adopted by Nedzu!

Chapter Text

Nezu hadn't expected much to come out of a day like this. It was pouring outside, flooding the walkways and parts of Grounds Beta and Omega. And because of the nature of Ground Gamma, it was best to just keep Foundational Heroics inside today.

Which meant that he was able to step outside and replenish his tea.

He sent an email to the staff before grabbing his umbrella and heading out.

Nezu quite liked rain. The smell, the sound, and even the squishy feeling he got in his shoes from walking through puddles. It was quite calming, and it gave him something to focus on other than the abrasive sounds of the city. Sometimes, with his animalistic hearing, it was a bit overwhelming, even for him.

Still, though, the heavy pitter-pater of the rain didn't stop him from hearing the whimpers from an alley he was passing as he walked back to U.A.

Without hesitation, he stepped over a few piles of garbage, his nose scrunching in disgust. The garbage smelled, sure, but there was something else. Something...Dead, like a corpse. But, no, that couldn't be, could it? He could still hear its heartbeat.

Nezu made his way to the end of the alley and turned the corner where it extended to a dead end. In the corner, curled in on himself, was a young teenager. Thirteen at the very most, possibly younger. Judging from how small and thin the boy was, it was hard to tell.

"Well, hello, there," Nezu said. A head of white hair whipped up, and the principal was met with startling green eyes that gave off a slight glow. There was a speck of that same green on his cheek, and through the boy's legs he could see splotches of it on his torso.

"Who-who are you?" He asked. He was absolutely terrified. Understandable. Those who did not know of the infamous principal of U.A. were always in for a rude awakening.

"Am I a bear? A rat? A dog? Who knows! I am the principal of U.A. My name is Nezu. What's your name?"

The boy eyed him warily, but the tension in his shoulders did dissipate every so slightly. "I'm Danny," he said. "Danny Fenton."

"Do you need assistance, Mr. Fenton?" Nezu asked him. He was soaked to the bone and obviously injured. Though it was a bit chilly from the rain, he didn't seem bothered in the slightest. The boy's guard was up, as the tension was back. "I promise you will be in good hands. No harm will come to you."

"Do...Do you promise?" Danny asked. His voice was quiet, and small. He looked absolutely miserable.

"Absolutely," Nezu gave a curt nod and held out a paw. Danny reached out slowly, as if Nezu were one for tricks. But when he didn't make any negative motion towards the boy, Danny grasped his paw firmly, and with much more strength than it looks like he had. Nezu stepped back and pulled, helping the boy to his feet.

He was lanky and skinny in an unhealthy way. His clothes hung off of him in tatters, and the green that was on the boy's face was all over his torso, covering a good majority. No doubt this was the substance responsible for that horrid dead smell.

"I-" Danny started, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "Can we...Can we not go to a hospital? I-they're not safe. Not for me."

"Well, of course!" Nezu said cheerfully, keeping the new information Danny gave him locked away in his head. Maybe he could find out what actually happened. "U.A. has it's very own Recovery Girl on standby at all times! She can patch up any wounds that you may have. Does that sound okay?"

Danny looked more than a little taken aback by his question. It was another thing Nezu filed away. Consent was important in any relationship, and the boy's surprise at being offered that was not a good sign.

Danny gave him a nod, and offered to hold the umbrella since he was taller. Though it made no difference to Nezu, he happily obliged.

From what little information he has on the boy, it's not hard to deduce that he hasn't had much freedom to do what he wants. So if he wants to hold Nezu's umbrella, well, there's really no harm in that.

---------

"What is it?" Recovery Girl asked. It was just her, Nezu, and Danny, tucked away in the office. The heater was on, and Danny was dressed in an extra set of U.A. gym clothes, though his shirt had been folded and put to the side.

Danny's torso was covered in a range of scars, from burns to cuts and slashes, to even surgical. The most prominent one being the giant autopsy scar that split his torso down the middle. However, there was an odd device embedded in the boy's chest, right above his heart. It was small, and circular with a faint, green glow.

"It's like," Danny waved his hand, a frown creasing his features. "It's like a quirk suppressant. It's preventing me from changing back."

"Back?" Recovery Girl asked before Nezu could. Danny nodded.

"Yeah, a magical girl transformation is a part of my quirk. It's preventing me from using any of my powers, and from changing back to normal."

"Powers?" Nezu questioned. "As in, multiple quirks? Does that also explain why you bleed green?"

-----------

Nezu was not surprised by many things, but the truth behind Danny's quirk definitely did do the trick. He had Power Loader come in and take a look since it was similar to the quirk suppressant technology, and with no questions asked, the support teacher managed to get it out of the boy. And just as promised, there was indeed a magical girl transformation, turning white hair to black, and unearthly green eyes to an icy, intense blue. He looked more exhausted than ever.

The boy had quickly fallen asleep after he was fully dressed and kissed by Recovery Girl.

He hadn't mentioned much about what had happened. Just that he didn't have anywhere to go, and really, that was no good. Though, it wasn't surprising considering what had happened to his parents.

Fenton. He knew the name had sounded familiar, though he hadn't been able to place it until he looked over the articles about the infamous ghost hunting duo. There was some kind of explosion at their home, and the only survivor was apparently Danny. The Guys in White, also experts in the supernatural, had moved in quickly to clean the place of "supernatural filth."

Nezu has a strong hunch that they weren't just referring to the rubble and debris.

It didn't take a genius like Nezu to figure out what happened next.

Nezu was many things, but an angry man was not one of them. Not in the slightest. Cutthroat and merciless, sure, but since his escape from the humans, anger is rarely an emotion that he experiences it.

However, right now? Right now, he's blinded by it.

----------

"You want to...Adopt me?"

"Well, it only makes sense. You don't have a place to stay, and foster care is much too unpredictable, especially with a powerful quirk like yours. Under my care and the care of the staff you will be perfectly safe." Danny was looking at him with big, doe eyes. Nezu was going to burn the Guys in White to the ground. "When we first met, I promised that no harm would come to you. Do you still trust me?"

Danny looked between Nezu and his hands, slowly opening and closing. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, deep in thought for a moment, before opening them and meeting Nezu's gaze with a fire he hadn't seen the boy exhibit thus far. It made Nezu grin, sharp and prideful.

And when Danny said, "I do," it was filled with a righteous determination that even the best heroes did not have.

Nezu was a great many things. A rat, bear, dog mixture. He was the principal of the most exquisite hero school in the nation. And now he was a parent.

A parent who was about to go to war with the people who tore his kid up.

He was going to tear them limb from limb while they begged for mercy.

Unlucky for them, though, mercy was not something Nezu was going to give them.

Chapter 40: Father Figure pt 7

Summary:

Father figure
what aizawa says: problem child (affectionate)
what danny hears: problem child (derogatory)

Chapter Text

The case against Danny's parents was harder than Aizawa had expected it to be. They had tried to go in on their neglect of Danny and Jazz over the years, but since Danny's been quirkless most of his life, it wasn't really a strong hit. It wasn't until they brought up the illegal support equipment they were manufacturing, their unlicensed at-home lab, and the lack of safety protocols in place did anybody finally start listening. And while they didn't get arrested, they were stripped of their licenses and the custody of Danny, who was immediately taken in by Aizawa with his emergency foster license.

For the most part the two stayed on campus, and Danny slept in the dorms like normal. Other times, if he needed to get away for the weekend, Aizawa would take him home where they set up his bedroom with posters of Nasa and Thirteen. The ceiling had glow in the dark star stickers that Aizawa knew for a fact matched the ones in his dorm at Heights Alliance. Upon seeing the accuracy, he had ruffled Danny's hair with a, Good job, Problem Child," and promptly left to go make dinner.

He should have noticed it then.

Problem Child was always meant to be affectionate. Danny was a danger magnet, almost as much as Midoriya, and the pair were sure to give him grey hairs before they graduated. But he loved his students. His kids. He would take them and all of their problems any day of the week. Including his new traumatized son.

Danny was quiet when he moved around. He wore socks all around the house and made sure his footsteps were as quiet as possible. Something Shouta himself had done growing up with the strong hands of his father looming over him. When he walked around, he tended to stick closer to the walls where the wood creaked less, gliding around like a ghost. Shouta had assured him that he could move as freely as he wanted to, and he could take as much food as he needed. It was taking a while, though. But that's okay, because progress was never linear.

He had to remind himself of that just as much as he had to remind Danny.

The more weekends they spent together, the more he seemed to relax. It helped that Jazz came and visited every now and then too, soothing her brother's anxiety in a way Shouta doesn't think he'll ever be able to.

There are some days that start good and take a sharp turn for the worst. Danny will become closed off, and he'll lock himself in his room and won't come out until after dinner. He hasn't figured out what's triggering him, and he's getting more worried by the second.

---------

Danny knows he can trust Aizawa-no, it's Shouta when they're not at school. He's proven to Danny time and time again that he'll do anything to keep him safe. Hell, he got his face smashed into concrete by a Nomu for them. If that's not dedication to his students, he doesn't know what it.

But he's also helped Danny with his powers. With his confidence. Hell, even with his parents, which he thought would never be possible because of his previous quirkless status. And sure, it was all the illegal support stuff that got them, but it was still a huge relief to wake up and not be in his old bedroom.

He was happy to be here, with Shouta.

Maybe that's why it hurt so much when Shouta called him Problem Child.

He never did anything wrong when he was called that. At least, he doesn't think he's done anything wrong. But it was almost every day when he was called that, and every time it nearly put him in tears. Jazz has tried getting him to open up about it, to tell her what's wrong, but she's finally free. She doesn't need him burdening her.

She doesn't need problem child holding her back.

So even though he knows it's not healthy, he reverts back to his old habits. Walk close to the walls, don't make a sound, don't interrupt, and only eat after everybody else. Don't try to take enough to where it's noticeable. All of these things kept him safe. Kept him from getting hurt.

"I told you to save some for everybody else, you useless problem, Child!"

"What did we tell you about interrupting us? You're a problem, Child."

A problem. A child. Not even worthy enough of being called his name in his own home. Just problem. Just child. Inhuman. Quirkless.

There's a knock on his door, soft and muted. It's only then does Danny realize he's got tears streaming down his face. Out of frustration or the fact that Shouta probably secretly hates him (which hurts so much more) he doesn't know.

As he hops off his bed he scrubs his face clean of any tears, and answers the door.

Shouta is standing there, in his bright pink sweatpants and a tank top that doesn't hide any of his scars. Danny's eyes go to the elbow that Shigaraki had disintegrated at the USJ, and he gulps, pushing down any residual guilt. He forces his eyes to go to the plate of food in his teacher's hand.

"Danny?" He asks. His voice is like his knock. Soft, quiet, unalarming. It's a complete one-eighty from what Danny's used to. His parents were both loud and brash, and they never knocked. No, there's a permanent dent in his wall from his door being thrust open at all hours of the night, when they were frustrated and just needed somebody to yell at. "Is everything okay?"

No, not really. "Yeah," Danny answers. "I'm fine. What's up?" He tries to sound as casual as he can, but it's hard when he knows his face is red and his eyes swollen from crying. Shouta just gives him a concerned frown.

"Dinner," he says, gesturing with the plate of food. "But-look. I don't want to push you, I know things have been pretty hectic the past few weeks. But something is obviously bothering you. Is there anything I can do to help?"

I don't know. "Nothing's wrong, Shouta," he states very unconvincingly. Shouta raises an eyebrow, and Danny rubs the back of his neck nervously. He was going to get in trouble for lying. Shouta was going to take away the food, or he was going to wake him up in the middle of the night and take his frustrations out on Danny. He was going to-

"Is it somebody from school?" He asks.

"No," Danny replied. And it's easier to be truthful about that. He doesn't have any problems with any of his classmates, thankfully.

"Is it..." Shouta's voice is somehow smaller now. "Is it something that I've done?"

Danny's lips press into a thin line. Shouta was going to be able to tell if he was lying but he didn't want to say it out loud because then that would make it true. And Shouta has done so much for him already, and it's his own fault for being a problem, and-

"I'm gonna take your silence as a yes," Shouta says. He sighs and puts the plate of food down on Danny's dresser. "Do you want to talk about it?" Danny knows Shouta well enough to know that he's not going to let this go, not anytime soon. So he nods, and moves to climb onto his bed. Shouta takes the desk chair. His elbows are on his knees, hands gently clasped as he leans forward to look at Danny. His hair is pulled back into a lazy ponytail, so Danny has nothing to distract him from Shouta's intense gaze.

"I'm sorry," Shouta says after a few minutes of silence. Danny's head shoots up, surprised. Shouta presses on. "I'm sorry that I've done something to make you upset. It's the last thing I ever want to do. You're my kid, and I hate to see you hurting like this."

Danny's chest aches with the sincerity in which Shouta speaks. He almost sounds like Jazz. It was the same words, just less overbearing. They were quiet and manageable. Something Danny doesn't have a lot of experience with. So he takes a big breath in to steady his nerves, and looks at his hands, because it's just easier that way.

"I...I don't like being called problem child," he said. His voice was barely a whisper, but somehow Shouta still heard it. The adult stiffened where he sat. "I...My parents used to say that kind of stuff to me. And every time I hear it I just think of them. And-I'm sorry, I know you're not doing it to be mean, but my brain tells me you are and it-it's just hard sometimes."

"Oh, kid," Shouta says as he stands up. Danny keeps his gaze firmly on the hands in his lap as the bed dips with the weight of his new guardian. A pair of strong arms wrap around him, and Danny leans into the warm touch. The tears are back now, and his shoulders are shaking slightly, but it only makes Shouta hold him tighter.

"I'm sorry I made you feel like that," he tells Danny. "I didn't realize that it was making you upset. I won't say it to you anymore, I promise."

Danny squeezes his eyes shut and lets out a shuddering breath. He squeezes Shouta back, and feels a warm hand rubbing circles on his back as he breaks down. At some point between the comforting words and rocking back and forth a cat is placed in his lap. And then a second, and then a third. All of them are mewling for attention, and it's enough to make Shouta huff with amusement. Danny cracks a smile and pulls back, still petting one of the cats as he does so.

Shouta keeps telling him the road to recovery isn't linear, and it's never rang truer than it has today. But his chest was a little lighter, and breathing came a little bit easier, and Danny couldn't help but feel like he actually accomplished something.

And with three cats in his lap and an overcaffeinated man by his side with soft words of encouragement, he knew he was going to be okay.

Chapter 41: Test the Limits and Break Through

Summary:

Midoriya and Danny explores the limits of Danny's powers.
Chaos ensures.
Bonus: the rest of 1-A plays with their experimental discoveries on their quirk. Games ensues

Notes:

Since he's inspired from Spider-Man (and because i just saw the movie for a second time) I based his strength off of Spidey's. Everything else was just guess work

Chapter Text

Danny grunted with effort as Midoriya put another weight around him. His legs and arms were starting to shake with the strain but he held firm. Across the way Aizawa was keeping a careful eye on them, sipping his coffee as Cementoss chatted aimlessly with him. If the weight became to much for Danny at any point he would relieve it for him. And even though it was hard to hold all of this weight up, he wasn't anywhere near his limit. He could keep going.

And going.

It was another ten minutes before he finally called it. Cementoss took the weight off of him and he sank to the ground with a relieved sigh. Without all of that weight on his shoulders he felt like he could suddenly breath again. Midoriya came over and handed him a water bottle, a clipboard in his other hand.

"This...This is incredible, Danny," Midoriya said.

"What did I get?" Danny asked, taking a swig of water. "Three? Four hundred pounds?"

Midoriya looked at him like he had grown another head before turning the clipboard towards him. There was a bunch of nonsensical math scrawled all over the page but down at the bottom, circled and underlined, was a whopping twelve tons.

Danny choked on his water, still reeling as Midoriya slapped his back.

"It looks like your limits are a lot higher than we originally thought," Midoriya told him. "We need to do some other tests to see just how far you can go. Do you know how fast you can fly? Or how high up you can go?"

Danny shook his head and took another drink, pointedly ignoring the clipboard that was still shoved in his face. "How are we going to test that stuff, though? The gym seems a little to small for flight tests."

"Ground Beta isn't," Aizawa said. He looked mildly surprised at the dozen tons Danny could lift. "But it's getting late. We should head back to the dorms before curfew, and give your body a chance to recover from the strength test."

--------

Word had quickly spread about Danny's supernatural strength. Twelve tons wasn't something he could just brush off. Not when he was being complicated left and right. Hell, even All Might said his control over his strength and knowing other people's limits was impressive. And if he was being completely honest, Danny hadn't even noticed. He knew he was stronger, sure, but he had no idea how much he had actually been pulling his punches.

It's because of his newfound popularity that there was a small crowd in Ground Beta. It was just a couple of people from 1-A. Midoriya, of course, since he was smore invested in these tests than Danny himself. Ida and Uraraka were there too, but probably only because Midoriya had personally invited them. Bakugou had been dragged along by Kirishima, and Momo was there for mortal support should he get an answer he didn't want. To help him with his flight tests he had Aizawa, Thirteen, and Nezu all on standby.

"Fly to the end of the city and back to see how much speed you pick up," Aizawa told him. He handed Danny a speed-tracking device Hatsume made and he attached it to his chest before giving his teachers and classmates a two-fingered salute and flying off.

Flying was probably Danny's favorite part about being a halfa. To just feel the freedom and the wind in his air and wind so fast it made his eyes sting. It was thrilling and liberating in a way words couldn't truly describe.

The test went pretty quickly, though. He knew his rough speed indoors when turning thanks to Tucker, but outside in the open air it was much more. Inside he could do about a hundred miles per hour. He hadn't been expecting to his three hundred this time around. He kicked up the wind and stopped on a dime not far from the teachers. Some of the students were blown back by the force but nobody actually fell. Without another word, Aizawa just pointed up. Danny nodded, and with another salute he was off.

To see just how high he could go, Hatsume had added a camera in the thing on his chest that was giving a live feed back to the teachers.

The air was thinner the higher he got but because he didn't breathe in his ghost form he wasn't affected by it. he heard Aizawa's voice in his ear letting him know they had people to catch him if he fell, but to turn back if he was feeling lightheaded. Danny had given a quick, "Sure thing," before adding another burst of speed.

He isn't sure how long he was flying, but he kept going and going and going until there was...Nothing left. Just the atmosphere. The cold wasn't affecting him, and neither was the lack of air.

He wanted to go further, but he knew he was probably freaking his teachers out. It's not every day you find out your student can free-fly in space. But he did savor the moment, of staring at the stars and just taking this moment for himself. There was a serene kind of quiet at the edge of the atmosphere. Danny doesn't recall ever hearing anything so silent before.

After a few more minutes of admiring-because let's face it, wow doesn't really begin to cover just how beautiful space is-he let himself fall back to earth.

Going down took a lot less effort than going up, and with the help of gravity, it was a lot faster, too. And although he was disappointed he had to go back, he couldn't get the grin to leave his face as he gently touched back down. Everybody was so surprised. Even Aizawa was openly showing his emotion at Danny's ability to casually just go to space.

"Holy shit," he breathed.

"Dude," Kirishima said.

"What was it like?" Uraraka asked him.

"I need a drink," Aizawa muttered.

-----------

Over the course of the next week, they all gathered round to test the limits of Danny's powers. But almost the entire class had come to watch most days after the space incident. It made testing feel more like a goal he could reach over just being a glorified science project. It was especially fun when Kaminari made it a group project.

"I think that's all of us," Midoriya said from somewhere in the middle of the pile. They were all lying on a giant slab Cementoss had made for them. All twenty of his classmates were perched on top, giggling and making jokes as Danny casually walked around with their weight.

"Do we just weigh nothing to you?" Shinso asked him. Danny shrugged as best as he could.

"It's like holding a couple of grapes."

That was a gross exaggeration, but in the grand scheme of things, a few hundred pounds was nothing compared to twelve tons.

Some of the teachers filtered in and out and climbed on top with the kids. Even All Might walked in, and turned buff whenever he climbed on top. It added an extra five hundred pounds, but Danny held firm.

For his classmates, he would always hold firm.

----------

After that it kind of derailed into seeing just how oblivious Danny could be when it came to his strength. Jirou had lied and asked him to help her lift the couches so she could find something. They had all expected him to lift one at a time, but instead he gripped the frame and lifted both at the same time. Jirou had barely contained laughter as he set them back down, saying she hadn't found what she was looking for.

Another time Aizawa had been grading papers at three in the morning. Danny had come down and in his half-asleep state took off the cabinet door that held the cups. The scary thing about that was that he hadn't even noticed. After that, Aizawa made sure to put a few glasses out so that Danny didn't break more school property than necessary.

The worst incident though was when Mineta was involved. Danny had been showing a picture of his sister to Uraraka and Mina because he had mentioned hanging out with her over the weekend and-

"Your sister's pretty hot, Fenton," Mineta said. "Is she single? Do you know what she looks like under all those clo-"

He hadn't been able to finish his sentence because in a blind fit of rage Danny had gripped the back of his head and shoved it through a wall. His eyes were blazing green, and the class was so silent they could hear a pin drop.

Needless to say, Danny had received detention and he had to reschedule his weekend with Jazz. But Momo and the others had baked him cookies as a thanks, so, you know. Silver lining.

After that, they went back to testing his limits, and Mineta pointedly avoided going to these meetings.

So. Yeah.

Silver lining.

Chapter 42: A whole New World pt 3 ft. Therapy

Summary:

Danny (who had been portaled to the bnha world for some time now) meets hound dog. Discovers/accepts that his parents are not as nice as he led himself to believe.
Bonus: Danny sometimes slips to esperano cuz hound dog reminds him of wulf

Notes:

Oof, not this one hitting too close to home lol. And the gaslighting workbook is an actual book, my therapist gave me a copy of it to help me with my crippling daddy issues. So if any of yall cant afford therapy or if you feel like you need a bit more help, its a pretty good resource.
Anyway, there is a lot of them dealing with emotional neglect/abuse and gaslighting, so if there's anybody who's a bit sensitive to that please read safely. Love you guys <3

Chapter Text

Some of Danny's powers were tied to his emotions, and for the obscene amount of anxiety and anger he had, Aizawa thought it best for him to see Hound Dog. Because apparently even in a quirked world it's unhealthy to jump at every noise or get irrationally angry whenever there's a minor inconvenience.

And sure, some of those things could be attributed to the fact that he's been blasted to the future with a slim-to-none possibility of getting home, but if he's being completely honest that's the least stressful part of his life right now.

Because right now, he had therapy.

He's not sure what he's expecting. Maybe something condescending like his school counselor back at Amity who told him he was just an overdramatic teenager. Maybe something overbearing and loud like Jazz. He wasn't really sure, but he knew it hadn't been what he ended up getting.

"So anger in itself is not bad. In fact, it's there to protect you," Hound Dog was telling him.

"Protect me from what?" Danny asked, because this was definitely out of his realm of understanding.

"Protection from being hurt again, usually emotionally. Usually when the anger doesn't fit the situation, there's a consistent level of invalidation or gaslighting. Sometimes it's unintentional, but it doesn't make everything magically better. Have there been any instances where you've felt like that?"

He could name several. Most of them revolved around his family and his teachers. Every time he had to speak with his parents, no matter the topic of conversation, he felt this pit of anxiety in his stomach that turned into anger at the drop of a hat. His parents would always compare him to Jazz, and he loved his sister, but with her constantly around and showing off he felt like he would never be good enough. His grades weren't the best but they weren't bad, either. And sure, he wasn't super fit, but he had at least tried his best considering the only advice he's ever gotten from Tetslaf was "Be a man!"

But he couldn't go to his parents for anything. If it was any kind of negative emotion, they would tell him he wasn't feeling like that, or that he had no reason to, and they would turn around and continue working on their ghost bullshit. Sometimes they'd make promises and break them. For six years in a row they promised to throw Danny a birthday party and for six years they had forgotten. And when Danny stopped bringing it up altogether, well, they forgot altogether.

Most days it felt like they loved their work more than their children. And it hurt because he knew that with them, he was always going to be an afterthought.

He also spoke about the way they talked to him. They didn't treat him like he was fourteen. They treated him like he was five. It was incredibly frustrating when they would get him something from a cartoon he couldn't even remember watching, and be upset when he was disappointed with it. Once he had learned to make his own sandwiches they kind of just left him on his own.

"A major reason they could be talking to you like that is because that's the last time they truly knew you. Or it could be the last time they were able to control you. Sure, they're your parents and you have to listen to them-but once you start gaining independence, they no longer have any interest. It's a strong possibility that that's what's happening here. And it doesn't help that, from the sound of it, they have no problem crossing your boundaries."

Boundaries between his parents and himself were basically nonexistence. A fairy tail under the Fenton's roof. His parents made sure of that. Most of the time it was a physical boundary, like barging in when he was showering, or stealing food from his plate even after he tells them he hasn't eaten all day because Dash stole his food again. Sometimes it was both physically and emotionally, like driving up to the school and announcing to the entire town with their speaker system that Danny is their cutest wittle boy oh just look at him. If he had a nickle for every time he wouldn't be able to live down the embarrassment they caused him-even after he's asked them to stop it-he's be able to afford his own funeral. Or maybe new parents.

Hound Dog is a good listener, and he's easy to talk to. And now that he's broken the damn, Danny can't stop talking, even if he wanted to. Because it's nice to know that he's not the only one who goes through stuff like this. He's not the only one who jumps at every little noise because he's not sure if he's gonna be dragged inside another locker or shoved into another toilet.

The tears start coming when he realizes that he's never really felt safe at home. Even without the ghost security system, his parents have made it into a warzone-both physically and mentally. He steps on one wrong thing-physically or verbally-boom. He's grounded, with no chance of fixing whatever he fucked up. Hound Dog silently hands him a box of tissues.

There are too many instances to go into detail about. Too many times where his parents downplayed his experiences and manipulated his emotions. Too many instances where they told him he wasn't good enough because he wasn't somebody else.

And the realization hurts. It hurts to know that even though his parents love him, they don't care that they've hurt him. They don't even acknowledge it. And Danny has to stop the nagging in the back of his head, asking him if his parents ever really loved him at all, or if he was just another toy to get bored with. Jazz is better in the sense that she actually does care, and does try to help him sometimes, but she's too analytical. She tries conforming him to her textbook definition, and is worried more about being right than she is about Danny's wellbeing sometimes.

By the end of the session, three hours have passed and he feels exhausted. His chest aches a little less, and his head feels a little more clear, but he knows that the second his head hits the pillows he's gonna be out like a light.

Before he leaves, Hound Dog gives him The Gaslighting Recovery Workbook: Healing from Emotional Abuse, and tells him to pace himself, and to work on it when he's not in a bad mood. Recovery isn't linear, and there will be times where he's triggered or just having a bad day. And that's okay. Because healing from emotional abuse is new and scary and confusing and he's going to get frustrated. He just needs to keep it going.

He kind of wishes he could take Hound Dog back to Amity with him.

---------

After the first month in therapy, Aizawa notices the changes. Danny is still twitchy and nervous, but not as much. He's a little more confident when he answers questions, and he speaks up a little more each day. He doesn't quite have the same aversion to adults as he did in the beginning, and when he gets angry, instead of blowing up, he separates himself from the situation and comes back when he's cooled off.

It's a work in progress. And it's a lot of progress he's made in just a month. But Aizawa is proud of him nonetheless.

He hopes that one day, Danny can be proud of himself, too.

Chapter 43: All Might Gets Ripped a New One

Summary:

Teacher Danny is the real teacher of hero basic training, all might is just the teachers assistant, and he is absolutely livid when all might skipped weeks ahead of the syllabus while he was away on a mission.
Danny: im sorry, which one of us has a teaching license?... Thats what i thought.

Chapter Text

Since All Might didn't have his teaching license yet, he was reduced to a teaching assistant. Not that it mattered to him either way, not when none of the students would know. The only ones who were aware of this was the staff-more specifically pro hero Phantom who taught foundational heroics. And since All Might had forty years of experience-at least twenty to thirty more than Phantom had-it only made sense that foundational heroics was where he was placed.

This worked out well, though. At the beginning of the school year, Danny was nowhere to be found. According to Nezu, he was caught up in a sensitive mission overseas, and wouldn't be back for another day or two. So the first lesson would be under All Might's care.

And he's really beating himself up now.

Danny had wanted to go over the syllabus before his mission, and All Might had more or less blown him off, and they didn't get the chance to reschedule before Danny left. It's fine, though. What kind of hero would he be if he couldn't improvise?

Battle trials were something they did often enough at All Might's time in UA. Surely they would be fine. And what a way to start the year, too! They could have another one in a few months to check their improvement. Yes, that would work. Perhaps he could speak to Danny about it.

-----

So, the battle trials hadn't gone quite as planned. Everybody did fine, and they were pretty tame, bar the fight between Midoriya and Bakugou. Midoriya was the only one with any serious injury, so All Might counted that as a win. He knew his successor was smart and driven, and would in no time find a way to control his newfound power. And who knows? Maybe Bakugou might mellow out a bit.

----------

"Hey, All Might," Danny greeted as he walked into the teacher's lounge. He looked tired, like he hadn't gotten enough sleep last night.

"What time did you fly in?" Aizawa asks him as he hands the tired hero a mug of coffee. It was still steaming, but Danny didn't seem to care as he downed it like a shot and had Aizawa get him a refill.

"Few hours ago. All the planes were delayed because of the attack, so I just. Flew here. I'll probably catch a nap during lunch or something."

"You flew all the way here from America by yourself?" All Might asked, impressed. Danny just shrugged.

"I was excited. I wanted to see how the kids all did yesterday. I've been waiting to gauge their martial arts abilities since the entrance exam. I have high hopes for Ojiro, though with the skill he's shown he might just put me out of a job," he chuckled as he took another cup of coffee from Aizawa. He took a gentle sip this time before turning to All Might. "How did they do?"

"Midoriya got pretty beat up," Aizawa answered for All Might, essentially throwing him under the bus. "Had to go to Recovery Girl."

"There's no reason he should have been that beat up," Danny said, frowning into his mug. "Not if they were just doing some quirkless sparring."

He looked over at All Might, who's heart was stuttering nervously. He couldn't keep a secret to save his life, bar the one about his quirk. Plus, there was video footage of all of the fights that he had wanted to go over later. There was no way he'd be able to keep it from Danny. But he was their colleague, and a pro with thrice the experience as Danny. This shouldn't be too bad, just a minor misunderstanding.

"Well," he said, hating how nervous his voice sounded. "We didn't do quirkless sparring."

Danny's brows furrowed in confusion as he stood up a bit straighter. With his tired features and the fact he's clearly at the end of his rope in terms of patience, he looked twice as scary as his usual self. It also didn't help that he was a brick shithouse in both of his forms, unlike All Might.

"What did they do yesterday?" Danny asked. He didn't sound super threatening yet. But he knew that he was going to, here in just a second when All Might gave him his answer.

"We did battle trials."

Danny closed his eyes and took in a deep breath to calm himself as his rage spiked. He heard the faint sound of ceramic being compressed, and Aizawa quickly took the mug out of his hand before he could shatter it with nothing but his grip. His hands opened and closed, and All Might watched as he bobbed his head up and down ten times, likely counting backwards, before opening his eyes again. Instead of the calming blue he had been looking at, he was met with a terrifying green that sent shivers down his spine.

"All Might," Danny said through his teeth. "Why did you not follow the syllabus?"

"Well, we never got a chance to talk about it-"

"-I emailed it to you," Danny hissed, stepping forward. "You didn't bother to look? And you-re just-you're perfectly okay with sending a bunch of untrained teenagers without proper control of their powers to beat the shit out of each other?"

Danny's voice was rising with every word, right along with his temper. All might audibly gulped, hyper aware that the remaining teachers, save for Aizawa, were quickly leaving to avoid his wrath. And he's pretty sure Aizawa was there to prevent Danny from genuinely committing homicide.

"Not only that, but if there was a student who got hurt enough to go to Recovery Girl then that means the fight should have stopped way sooner than it had. That kind of injury takes buildup. Which means you more than likely had plenty of opportunity to stop it.

"How dare you endanger the lives of these fucking kids, All Might. And for what? Because you've suddenly become illiterate? Computers are as old as you are, I thought you would know how to function with one."

"Now, listen, Danny-"

"-No, All Might, you listen," Danny was absolutely seething now. The air around them was much more cold than it had been a minute ago, and there was a subtle layer of frost starting to build up on Danny's clothes-a sure sign that he was seeing red right now. "You do not get to dictate what happens in my classes. You do not walk into that classroom unsupervised. You do not get to call the shots. I don't care how many decades you've been the number one hero. That doesn't mean anything at a school when you don't have a fucking teaching license. And if I'm gone, someone else will take over. And the syllabus. Will. Be. Followed. Do I make myself clear?"

All Might opened his mouth to say something, but at the glare Danny sent him, he quickly snapped his mouth shut, and nodded. Danny leaned back, and seemed much more calm than he had a second ago. Still very visibly pissed off, but easier to manage. He leveled All Might with another glare.

"I will be talking to Nezu about this."

Then he took his mug from Aizawa, and walked out the door. Aizawa shot a tired glare his way.

"Just so you know, if he hadn't ripped you a new one I would have. And I don't have the same restraint he does. So count your lucky stars, All Might."

And he walked away too.

Maybe...Maybe he was a bit over his head with this teaching thing after all.

Chapter 44: Last Man Standing

Summary:

Danny being the only 2-A student that survived Aizawa's

Chapter Text

Aizawa wasn't expecting much from this new batch of kids. He never did. Last year he expelled all but five, and he had pretty low expectations this year. Some of the performances he saw during the entrance exam gave him very little hope.

He watched from his spot on the floor, tucked away in his sleeping bag. The class was loud and rambunctious and openly using their quirks as if this weren't a heavily regulated hero school. There were a few kids who were sitting down, not talking to anybody. But there was one in particular that stood out to him.

Large, icy blue eyes stared at him owlishly. He's the only one who's noticed Aizawa's presence so far. Aizawa presses a finger to his lips, and the boy zips his own and throws his hand over his back like he's tossing something away. He doesn't recognize the boy from the exam, but if he's here then hopefully he'll show at least some potential.

"If you're here to make friends then you can just leave right now," Aizawa says loudly and sternly.

The reaction from the students was definitely worth it.

------

Aizawa frowned as he looked down at his watch. He gave them the standard ten minutes. Four of those minutes had passed, and there was only one student out there. The blue eyed boy, Fenton. And the only reason he hadn't been sooner was, I'm so sorry Mr. Aizawa I would have been here sooner but my zipper was stuck and-

Either way, he was the only one Aizawa was tolerating right now.

The ten minute mark came and went, and it was another three before the rest of them finally started trickling by.

"Your late," he said, very obviously annoyed. "If you want to be heroes it's time to start acting like it. Time is everything."

"I thought beating up villains was everything," said a girl with brown hair, who was using her quirk to roll around a couple of rocks in the air above her palm.

"Time is the difference between life and death," Aizawa said gravely. His temper was quickly rising, and if these students didn't shape up they were all going to fucking go home. He refused to teach anybody with no potential. He wasn't about to send a bunch of kids to their death if they didn't care enough about the right things. "If you're too late to a scene because you're too busy with your uniform or a phone call then more people die. I expect less ignorant things to come out of your mouths. Now," he brought his clipboard up, marking a red X next to the girls name. "Let's get ready for the quirk apprehension test."

--------

Most of this year's batch was actually pretty fit. Not a big discovery, considering they had a huge practical for the entrance exam, but it was still disappointing to see them just openly not care.

None of them were being creative with their quirks and none of them were taking this seriously.

Well. That was a lie. There was one who was actually putting in the effort.

The Fenton boy.

For the fifty-meter dash, he used his flight to help him run, and make himself lighter. And his grip strength was pretty impressive too. He thought the kid was going to break the machine for a moment there. With the standing long jump he flew again, but he also used these green beams from his hands to propel him forward. Aizawa's memory of a white haired kid blasting through robots and making sure everybody was safe while doing so slotted into his brain.

The rest of the tests went pretty much the same way. For the repeating side steps he created this gelatinous consistency of green and used it to bounce back and forth. His ball throw was fairly impressive as well. He got almost 700 meters from using his strength and another green blast to propel it forward.

He got the most sit-ups out of the class, and he barely seemed winded at all. And with the seated toe touch, he was much more flexible than he had previously let on. He did the stretch just fine, but decided it wasn't quite enough, so he phased part of his upper body into the ground just to get a deeper stretch. What was this kid's quirk again? Ghost? Phantom? He couldn't be bothered to remember right now, but he was using his multitude of powers any way he could.

Aizawa was most impressed, however, with the distance run.

The kid just wouldn't stop. He was fast, and he kept going and going and going, lapping around other students two and three times. There was no flight, no green blasts or intangibility. It was just him with his feet firmly on the ground, and he wasn't even winded. Hell, the kid wasn't even sweating. But from the pumping of his arms and the fire in his eyes he knew that out of this whole, idiotic class, the Fenton boy was the only one worth keeping around.

He had the drive the others didn't. He was incredibly powerful with a very versatile quirk, sure, but the quirk didn't mean shit if the user wasn't creative enough to make it even more so. The others lagged behind in every test, and in every test he was leaps and bounds ahead of them. And all just because he gave a shit. And from the set jaw and determination in every step, Aizawa knew it wasn't just because he might have been afraid of him. It was because he actually wanted to make a difference.

After the first two tests, he hadn't bothered with taking down the rest of the student's scores. They didn't matter because they weren't going to become heroes. And he told them as much, when they all huddled in a group to see their scores.

"Nineteen," he said. "Nineteen out of twenty of you do not have what it takes to be a hero." There was no use in sugar coating this. "I will not teach people who have no potential. I will not send you out to an early grave. The nineteen of you who are not on this list-pack up and go home. Don't come back tomorrow."

Fenton had a weird combination of shock and relief painted across his face. Shocked, probably, at Aizawa's teaching methods, but relieved that he was still in. He kept his mouth shut, though. None of the students memorized each other's names yet, and if it was obvious that he was the last man standing there would be a riot. So he walked briskly by them, slipping a note into the kids pocket as he did so, and headed to the teacher's lounge for some much needed coffee.

----------

Danny felt like he was on cloud 9. Out of everybody he was the only one who made it. he was thankful he hadn't said a word to anybody yet. It made it easier to be inconspicuous about it. But man, he hadn't even transformed. He hadn't wanted to bring attention to himself. He would just be another freak.

But Aizawa...He was different. He didn't know why, but he knew he could trust him. And if he was going to get taught properly, he needed to know the truth.

He walked back with the others, his head held a little higher than his peers. He slipped his hands into his pocket, and brought out a note he knows was not there before.

Good job, kid. Grab a syllabus from the class and go to your next class. Tomorrow we get started. Plus Ultra style.

-A

Danny couldn't help the small grin that spread across his face as he all but skipped to the locker rooms.

He would tell Aizawa his secret later. Right now, though? He was going to enjoy the peace and quiet of being the only student in his class.

Chapter 45: Tartarus

Summary:

b r a i n r o t

Chapter Text

Aizawa had been called to Tartarus multiple times. It wasn't unusual for an interrogation to need his particular set of skills. It was inevitable, and he found himself walking the dim halls of the prison far more than he preferred.

Which is why he couldn't understand why they didn't call him about a literal child in their hold.

He hadn't even been called in for him. He had been passing through the cells when there was a grunt of pain. Something in his gut told him to look through the small, thin window, and he's glad he did. Because now he was seeing red.

He's acutely aware of the fact that if this kid was in Tartarus there was probably a good reason. But he couldn't have been older than his first years. Hell, maybe even younger, if his size was anything to go off of. There had better be a damn good reason why he was there.

"Ah, dude's been here a few weeks, now," the guard told him when he asked. "Not sure what his quirk is. He was wearing that fancy collar when he was dumped on our doorstep with a note to never take it off. Same with the muzzle."

"I want to have a session with him," Aizawa told the guard. He shrugged and radioed Aizawa's request, and within the half hour, he was sitting in front of a tired looking kid, a wall of plexiglass between them. Aizawa sighed as he turned to the one-way glass on his left, hoping Tsukauchi could feel the full effect of his glare.

"How am I supposed to ask him questions if he's got that thing on his face?"

He got no answer, but a moment later there were a couple people who walked in and fiddled with it until it came off. The kid looked absolutely terrified that they were messing with him, but once they were gone he sent a thankful look Aizawa's way.

The kid had a shock of black hair and startling blue eyes and he looked much, much to young to be in a place like this. There were heavy bags under his eyes, and his hands were twitching in their restraints. He was nervous, though that was to be expected when a hero suddenly wants to interrogate you.

"What's your name?" Aizawa asked.

"My-" the kid went into a coughing fit, voice rough after so long without using it. When he spoke again, his voice was hoarse, and small. "Danny Fenton," he replied. "Who-who are you?"

"I'm pro hero Eraserhead," Aizawa answered, carefully studying Danny's body language at the mention that he was a hero. His face was carefully guarded, but his eyes showed nothing but relief. At what, Aizawa wasn't sure. Usually villains weren't to keen on having a meeting with any kind of pro. Aizawa tucked the information away for later. "How did you end up here?"

Danny shrugged. It was an awkward, stilted movement, and it seemed like it was a tick to grant him time to gather his thoughts versus that being an actual answer. Aizawa waited patiently as he watched the gears in the kid's head turn.

"I was...Kidnapped. They-they call themselves the Guys in White. Off-branch of the government with low funding that specialize in the study of supernatural entities."

"Meaning?" Aizawa raised an eyebrow at the jargon.

"They're glorified ghost hunters on the government's dime," Danny supplied. He looked almost embarrassed to say it out loud, though Aizawa couldn't blame him for it. Ghosts? Illogical, surely. But he didn't say that out loud.

"Why did they kidnap you? Was it because of that?"

"If by that you mean ghost bullshit, then yeah. My parents are ghost hunters and specialize in making ghost hunting equipment. And...I'm...My quirk isn't normal."

"What is your quirk?" He knew the others hadn't had much luck in getting anything out of the kid, but he was cooperating perfectly fine with Aizawa. He wasn't pulling teeth. He asked for a piece of the puzzle, and he was given it. It was the least annoying questioning he's done so far in this godforsaken prison.

Danny glanced nervously at the one-way glass before turning back to Aizawa. Then he closed his eyes and looked towards the ground. He took a deep breath, but he didn't move his head back up.

"I'm a halfa," he said, almost too quietly for Aizawa to hear.

"What does that mean?" Aizawa asked him softly.

"It means I'm...I'm a half ghost. Half human." There was a beat of silence, but Aizawa was still trying to figure out what the fuck that meant. Thankfully, Danny kept talking. "I-my parents built his massive device, and I was stupid and there-there was an accident. It-I half...Died? And now I have ghost powers. But halfas are pretty much nonexistent. So the Guys in White have been on my tail for a while. It was only a matter of time before they finally got me."

He made it sound like it was an inevitable truth, and not something that could have been avoided had he had the proper support. Aizawa made a mental note to look into his parents later.

"Anyway, after they were done with me they dumped me here."

There were a lot of details-both about his supposed death and his kidnapping-that he was skipping over. Both were obviously sensitive subjects, but Aizawa wasn't going to be able to do anything for the kid if he didn't talk. So he chose the road he thought would be easier for the kid to handle.

"Was there anything the Guys in White specifically did to you?" He asked. Danny's head shot up, and there was nothing but surprised in those big blue eyes.

"You-you believe me?" He asked. He sounded utterly relieved, like he had just been offered water after weeks in the desert with no relief.

"I'm not sure, yet," Aizawa answered honestly. "I need to look into a few things, do a bit of research. But I'm hoping the answers you provide will speed that process along. I want to help you, kid, but I don't have all of the pieces yet."

Danny seemed to deflate at Aizawa's brutal honesty, but he nodded in understanding anyway.

"That...That's fair. I know it's weird-I'm weird. But I promise I'm telling the truth about everything." Aizawa believed that Danny was telling his truth. But he didn't know how close that truth was to the hard, cold facts he was trying to pry from the kid. "Any-anyway," Danny continued. "The Guys in White did..." he took a shaky breath, and looked away again. "They did a lot of shit to me. At first it was easy. Just tests. You know, like, a physical, I guess, but worse. And then they started getting progressively worse."

"I know this is hard to talk about," Aizawa told him softly, earnestly. "But I need some kind of detail. It's all a bit to vague for me to be able to do anything for you."

Danny gave him another shaky nod. "They experimented on me," he says. His voice is so quiet, and so raspy that Aizawa has to strain to hear him. But when the words process, his blood runs cold. It's not the first time he's seen this kind of stuff, far from it. As an Underground hero it just came with the territory more often than not. But it never ceased to make his calm with rage.

It took a while for Danny to spill what he could in stilted, hesitant sentences, as if Aizawa was suddenly going to tell him to stop joking around. And the things he told Aizawa...They were absolutely horrendous.

By the end of it Danny was silently crying, and Aizawa was absolutely seething.

"I'm going to do what I can, okay, kid?" He told Danny. "I just need you to be strong for just a little bit longer."

Danny nodded, and opened his mouth to say something when the door behind him burst open. The two guards from earlier were back, with the muzzle in hand. Aizawa flared his quirk, and they stopped in their tracks.

"The muzzle. Stays. Off," he said in a low, threateningly calm voice.

"Keep it off, guys, there's no need for it," Tsukauchi's voice rang through the speakers. "Eraserhead, a word please."

Aizawa tried to give one last, comforting look at Danny, but the teen was already being escorted out and back to his cell. Aizawa frowned as he made his way to the next room over, where Tsukauchi was waiting for him. His face looked incredibly grim.

"Well?" Aizawa asked.

"He was telling the truth," Tsukauchi said, turning to him. "About everything."

Aizawa grimaced.

It looks like its time to go and visit the Fenton parents.

Chapter 46: Thick and Thin

Summary:

Danny and hawks are HPSC buddies
aka they grew up together
bonus: passive agressive duo @ HPSC

Chapter Text

It was no secret to the public that Phantom and Hawks were thick as thieves. It's been done before, but it's still incredibly rare for heroes to co-own an agency, but to the number 2 and 13 heroes, it just made sense.

When Hawks had been a kid, he had been saved by Endeavour and had been taken in by the HPSC. It's a lot more cut-and-dry than Danny's experience. The short version? Danny was around six when he got into his accident, and the HPSC had snatched him up so fast he's surprised the kid didn't have permanent whiplash. Was that even a thing?

Not important.

What's important is the giant fist coming straight for him.

Hawks, with no time to dodge, braces himself for a punch that never makes impact. Instead, a there's a firm grip around his ankle and a yank and suddenly the fist is going over his head.

"Maybe space out after we beat up the guy with a gigantification quirk, yeah?" Phantom asks, jerking a gloved thumb to the villain. Hawks blinks owlishly at him before giving him a trademark smirk.

"You gotta chill out, man," Hawks said as he flew higher, gaining a bit of distance between him and the villain.

"Oh, like this?"

Hawks barely has time to dodge as ice shoots out, encasing the giant villain. Phantom looks a little to smug for his liking.

"Your aim is getting worse," Hawks tells him. Phantom just throws his head back and laughs. It's cut short though when they both get the same notification on their phones.

"It's the Commission," Phantom says, his face pulling down into a frown. Hawks really couldn't blame him. Sure, the training he had gone through had been hell, and he had definitely been treated as a weapon from the start, but Danny? They had done some bad shit to him. He had no idea what it could be, his brother in everything but blood was always so closed off about that aspect of his life. But he knew it was bad.

He send a feather to Danny in hopes of a quiet reassurance.

-------

Danny clasps his hands behind his back as casually as he can to hide how they shake. He's not afraid of anything. He hasn't been afraid of anything since he was six and died. And not even the thought of death got in his way-he knew where he was going, after all.

But Handler had always had a way of bringing out the fear in him. He's not sure if it's because she's the one who stood over him while he was strapped to the table or because she put the fear of the gods in him during training, but the trembling in his hands refused to go away when in her presence. Even now, at twenty-three, his chest clenched with anxiety.

Her sharp eyes met his, and for a second, he thought she'd figured out his secret. It was hard to keep one when he was constantly being monitored by them, and when he shared a house and an agency with Hawks, but he made it work. He couldn't tell them he's been making secret trips to the Ghost Zone to try and figure out what the fuck he is and how he's essentially been brainwashed his whole life.

"Hawks," she starts, and the feather that's been hiding with Phantom curls itself in his palms in a comforting motion. Leave it to Hawks to make him feel better when he was the one under the microscope. "We have a special mission for you. Go up and get the details. And speak of this to nobody. Not even Phantom."

"Aye aye, Captain," Hawks gave a two-fingered salute before waltzing out of the debriefing room. She turned her gaze to him, and his shoulders involuntarily tensed.

"Have you found out anything more about this Ghost Zone we found?"

"No," he lies. His hands have always been his tell, so he's glad that they're behind his back. "Nothing but ectoplasm and endless space."

"Hmf," she says, eyeing him up and down. Danny keeps his a calm, collected mask that refuses to break under her gaze. His hands are clenching and unclenching. "Do better. That place made you. It's got to have some other stuff we can use. Dismissed."

--------

"Keigo," Danny says, not looking at him. It's supposed to be a lazy Thursday, away from missions and the agency and the watchful eyes of the Commission. "I have to show you something. But you have to promise not to tell anybody else."

Keigo sits up, fully alert. He's be a liar if he said his blood pressure didn't spike with worry at Danny's words, but he was a hero. He was good under pressure.

"Alright," he says. "What is it? A secret surprise birthday party?"

--------

It is, in fact, not a secret surprise birthday party.

It's a pocket dimension.

"Welcome to the Ghost Zone, Hawks," Danny says. He knows Danny had been taking the occasional field trip in here for the Commission, but it's nothing like the descriptions he's given the Handler.

Danny had once described it as a green abyss with no end, and no life. And while the 'no life' part had technically been true, it was still very lively.

Doors were scattered as far as the eye could see, and other multi-colored beings were flying back and forth. They all had that same unearthly glow that Danny did. And Danny must have made an impression here, because a few of them even waved at him.

"So..." Hawks said, looking from Danny to everywhere else. Something finally clicked in his brain as he shot the other hero a small smirk. "Secret field trips?"

"Secret field trips," Danny confirmed with a nod. "You can't tell them, though. They'll just want to use this place as a resource. But these ghosts-these people...They don't deserve to be run dry and used as a power source. Not like we were."

Hawks had a distinct feeling that Danny really meant I and not we but he kept his mouth shut because holy hell...This was big information.

"I've...Is this place secure?" He asked.

Danny shrugged. "For the most part. I know a more closed off space we can head to, though."

And head to they did. It was on a slab of purple rock that floated around a dark castle. Everybody seemed to be avoiding this area. It was perfect for Hawks to spill his secrets as well.

"I got a new mission," he said. "Well, two, actually. One deals with infiltrating the League of Villains," he paused for dramatic effect as Phantom raised an eyebrow, a prompt to go on. "The other is to spy on you. Handler doesn't believe you've been telling her the truth about this place."

"You won't tell them, will you?" Danny asked, genuinely worried. "This is-Kei, I'm finally getting some straight answers as to what I am. I'm a halfa. A half ghost. And I'm half dead. And it's so nice to to talk to people who understand what it's like to learn how to not breath and Kei-my powers. I've made so much progress since finding this place. And I feel so much energized! It's like-"

"-You belong here?" Hawks asked, amused. Danny predictably sputtered.

"What? Well-no-yes? I don't know," he said, defeated. "I know my place is back home where I can help people. But I know that a part of me needs to keep coming back here, too. It's like this is the last puzzle piece that I didn't even know was missing."

"Maybe it's instinctual," Hawks said with a shrug. "Maybe you're drawn to this place because you're apparently Casper."

He got a punch in the arm for his troubles.

Worth it.

"I won't say a word about this," he says after a few minutes of silence between them. He can see why Danny likes it so much. Overstimulation is often a problem he has to deal with. Here though, floating on this rock in an endless, green abyss it was quiet. Peaceful, even. Hawks was never one to stop and smell the roses like Danny was, but even he could appreciate the feeling of tranquility standing still for once gave him. "Besides...I think after the League mission I'm going defective."

Danny whirled around, eyes wide and bright, pinning him with those toxic green eyes.

"Defective? Kei, are you sure?" Hawks nods, and, to his great relief, Danny's face splits into a massive grin.

"That's great! When you do, I'm coming with you. Thick and thin, remember?" Danny held out his pinky. Hawks smiled as he linked his pinky with Danny's, giving it a tight squeeze.

"Thick and thin."

Chapter 47: Last Man Standing pt 2

Notes:

Holy shit guys! The feedback from pt 1 was insane! I hope you enjoy this one just as much, it's quickly starting to become one of my favorite Aus! Anyway, I've got something fun-and maybe a little angsty-planned for drabble number 50 so keep an eye out for it!

Chapter Text

So it turned out Plus Ultra Style was absolutely fucking brutal. Every day Danny went home, exhausted and drenched in sweat from his training with Aizawa. But man, he absolutely loved it. He loved all of it, really. He's never liked school because, as a quirkless kid, the whole world is biased against you. Some people just couldn't get past that little fact, and it had made school a living hell.

He should have known U.A. was different. He should have known all of his teachers were cool, and that they were so willing to help him with anything he needed. Aizawa even offered to set up appointments with Hound Dog for him if he ever needed to talk about his death. Nobody has ever done that for him before. It was like a breath of fresh air.

So it was no wonder when Jazz noticed. She went to U.A. too, but she was in the gen ed course looking to become a therapist specifically for heroes. She had always let him ramble when he was excited, but nowadays he found him doing just that on the train ride to school, up until he met up with his friends at the front gate.

He couldn't help the grin on his face as he slipped into his class, where Aizawa was already waiting for him.

-------

Aizawa watched as Danny went through the forms Aizawa had taught him. He caught onto hand-to-hand fighting like a fish to water, and it was really refreshing to see him thrive.

The kid had told him that he had died, and that's how he got his powers. Before, he was quirkless. It was a lot to take in-especially since he knew the kid wasn't lying or pulling some weird prank. It had taken everything in him to not be surprised by the news though. He didn't want to make Danny feel like he couldn't come to him. It would make class kind of awkward, all things considered.

Still, though.

The fact that the kid had died didn't sit right with him. Maybe it was because he was a kid, or maybe it was because he had admitted that he couldn't go to his parents about it (which was another can of worms Aizawa had to dig through eventually), but either way Aizawa wanted to be there for him in any way he could be.

Sometimes he wandered the cafeteria to get a glimpse of his one student, who nearly every day sat with a kid from the support course, and a goth girl in Mic's gen ed class. They looked like they would get into a lot of trouble together.

He had talked to the other teachers and with Danny's permission he told them everything Danny had told him. He was rather surprised the boy had, because he just seemed so closed the rest of the time. He's glad, though, because if he had gone in thinking he had had his quirk his whole life like the rest of them, he'd probably be teaching the kid a lot differently.

"Oh, I bet it was Sam that convinced him to do it," Mic had said one time. "She's the goth girl in my class-refuses to be called anything else. She's got a good head on her shoulders, though I need to talk to her about more advanced work. She's pretty fluent already in English."

"So is Danny," Aizawa told him. "His parents are apparently from America and they grew up learning it. She probably picked it up from him. Maybe you could teach him JSL or something, I don't think he knows that."

Mic had nodded with a grin and ran out of the room at the speed of light to go make a lesson plan.

All in all, though, Danny was doing pretty well. His grades hadn't been the best in middle school but Aizawa had a suspicion that it was more likely the school's fault. Whether it was falsifying grades or just making it a hard environment for Danny to learn in, he wasn't sure. Not like it really mattered, either, though.

But here in U.A. he thrived. He was a genius in disguise. All of his grades were great-his math and science being near perfect-and Aizawa felt like he was finally at the point where he could start going over strategy-work with him.

He was definitely going to need it for the Sports Festival that was next week.

Chapter 48: Loud Mouth

Summary:

I can't remember if someone suggested this or not, but I can't get the thought of how Present Mic would react to Danny's Ghostly Wail out of my head. Perhaps he's fighting another ghost and a literal screaming contest ensues? Danny getting worked up over something, while under a lot of pressure and just stressed out, and accidentally slipping into a Ghostly Wail as he screams. The potential panic and embarrassment from Danny realizing what he just did. Then the bonding potential between the two because of the similarities between their powers in that regard.
(Please feel free to censor my name, I can't ask anonymously. Thanks!)

Chapter Text

Danny's never been known to back down from a challenge. Even a self-inflicted one. All of his friends knew it. All of his teachers knew it. So it was no surprise that Danny was found in one of the gyms, just minutes before curfew.

He was working on a form they had been shown in class and it just wasn't clicking. And on top of that he was stressed out about their upcoming exams-especially for Cementoss' class, considering Literature has never been his strong suit.

He had a pair of headphones on, and because of that he didn't hear it when the door opened. He didn't hear the footsteps behind him, as he tripped up in the form again.
He didn't hear the newcomer as he threw off his headphones and yelled out in frustration. His power ripped itself from his throat, shattering the wall of mirrors and sending most of the heavy equipment flying into the walls.

He stood there, frustrated as he looked at the destruction he accidentally caused. Why did his throat hurt? Was this a new power? Why did he suddenly feel like crying?
"Those are quite the pipes you got there, Listener."

Danny whirled around, only to see Present Mic. He looked a little surprised, and with his tilted sunglasses it might have even been a little funny. But Danny was frustrated beyond belief, and he had just caused a lot of damage to school property.

And in his experience, that kind of thing never ended well. Not with teachers.

He quickly bowed at the waist, a stream of apologies slipping from his lips. He expected a verbal lashing. And, maybe, a small, small part of him expected a physical one, too. It had only happened once, but it was enough to make him warry of it happening every time. Even from teachers who were heroes, because at the end of the day they were still teachers.

"No sweat, Listener," Mic said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder and bringing him out of his bow. "It happens more often than you think. Besides, it doesn't really look like this," he looked at the destruction of the room, "was on purpose."

"Still-I'm sorry. I don't-I don't know what that was. That's never happened before."

Danny was, admittedly, a little scared. He's knows for a fact he didn't have any ghost powers that could cause this kind of destruction. Not with such little effort, anyway. And usually there were scorch marks littered along the broken pieces. But here, there were none. And it wasn't making sense. And he was kind of scared.

"That's okay," Mic said softly, looking down at him. It was weird seeing his usually high-energy teacher be so calm about this kind of thing. "It just looks like a new part of your quirk has been unlocked. And from the looks of it, it's your voice. Does your throat hurt?"

It did, as a matter of fact. He hadn't noticed until mic had asked, but now that he was paying attention to it the pain was almost unbearable. So he nodded instead of trying to speak again, and Mic gave him a knowing smile.

"Elm tea will help with the soreness. If it still hurts in the morning then I would see Recovery Girl. And I'll talk to Eraser about setting up some private lessons with me, if you want. This kind of power can be really destructive, ya dig? It's important to learn how to control it. Especially if we're frustrated."

It was a lot of information, and Mic must have known that, because instead of trying to overload him some more he placed a firm hand on his back and led him out of the gym.
--------

When he walked into class the next day, Aizawa pulled him to the side.

"If you want to train with Mic with this new power than meet him at Ground Omega after school today," he said. "Also, these are from him," he handed Danny a box. It was a new pair of headphones, since he had apparently destroyed his other pair last night in his burst of frustration. But before he could even begin to process that, there was a warm, firm hand on his shoulder. He looked up at Aizawa, who suddenly had a soft look on his face. "It's important to take breaks every once in a while," he said. "And it's even more important to ask for help."

It was a clear message, and Danny couldn't help but duck his head with a quiet, "Yes, sir." Aizawa nodded and let him go to his desk. And at lunch, he tested out the new headphones Mic had given him.
They were perfect.
--------

He trained with Mic after school three days a week. He didn't want to strain his voice, which was already sounding a little more rough. Right now, he was at the all or nothing point with this new power, and it was leaving him more than a little exhausted. But Mic told him that when he first got his quirk, that's how it was for him, too.

Of course, there are a few differences between the powers. No two quirks are the same, after all. For instance, while Mic could go crazy high of crazy low with his pitches, Danny could really only do one. It was devastatingly powerful-even more so than Mic's when he went all out. And man, wasn't that a crazy thought. That one of his minor powers was stronger than a whole pro hero.

On the days they didn't practice with their voices, Mid taught him JSL. Mic's quirk made him hard of hearing, which wasn't a big surprise. Most people with quirks like this often were. But since Danny was practicing with it a lot more, it was important for him to learn as well, just in case his hearing ever got shot. Plus it was just a nice skill to have, especially with scared civilians and angry Pomeranians he shared a floor with in the dorms.

It was all enough to take his mind off of the stressful part of their exams, and he ended up passing his literature one with a decent score. That dumb form he had been so frustrated with had been quickly tamed, and now he was onto the next one. And he owed all of it to Mic, because now, when talking got to be too much, he could just sign.

And if he was feeling overwhelmed, he could just put on his new headphones and ground himself once more.

Chapter 49: Tartarus pt 2

Notes:

this was...a lot longer than i thought it was going to be. I couldn't help myself, though, I just love writing Jazz so much

Chapter Text

Aizawa was a man on a mission, and that was a very dangerous thing.

When he was focused like this, he was calculated and cold. He only had the objective in mind-contain the bad guy and make sure nobody was hurt. But right now, his brain is having a hard time comprehending that because everything is out of order.

The civilian is contained. And he's not sure if the bad guys can be taken in, considering they're officially part of the government. He had to many questions, and all of the answers he was getting was just making him more confused. But the kid-Danny-had given him a name. Fenton.

It was, at the very least, a place to start.

The Fenton owned their own building. They were semi-known support specialists that were a little bit to invested in their pet projects. Aizawa's never been interested in learning more than that because he's never had a reason to. Not until now, anyway.

The giant neon sign flickering in the evening glow feels a lot more ominous now.

He knocks on the door, and he's greeted with a red headed teenager. She looks incredibly tired. There are large bags under her eyes and her shoulders are slouched forward with exhaustion. He vaguely recognizes her-maybe she's in one of Mic's classes? The last name is suddenly more familiar to him.

"Mr. Aizawa?" Jazz asks him. "I didn't know you were coming by, I'm so sorry. Here let me just-"

She moves out of the way and lets Aizawa in before rushing off to the basement where her parents are. The sounds of hammering and excited talking can be heard, but he can't understand what they're saying.

He makes himself comfortable on the the armchair that's sitting diagonally from the couch, and he takes a look around.

The Fentons are...Eccentric doesn't seem like the right word, but it's the only one Aizawa can think of right now. Genius, if the awards and multitude of framed handshakes are anything to go by. But there aren't a lot of family photos. In fact, the only one he sees is a small frame tucked away, holding a photo of all four Fentons-including Danny.

Why did he look absolutely miserable?

Soon enough the remaining Fentons met him in the living room.

"Hello," Mrs. Fenton said. "I'm Maddie, and this is Jack. You're one of Jazz's teachers at U.A? Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine with your daughter, Mrs. Fenton," he said, casting a quick glance Jazz's way. "I'm here on official hero business."

"Oh?" Mr. Fenton asked. "How can we help?"

"When was the last time you saw your son, Danny Fenton?" He asked. He wasn't here to beat around the bush. He needed answers.

And just from that one question, he was getting some pretty unfortunate ones.

Mr. Fenton looked like he was going to break his wife's hand from gripping it so tightly. He was a big guy. He probably had some kind of strength quirk. Mrs. Fenton's lips turned into a thin, pale line as she looked at him with uncomfortable, calculating eyes, like she was trying to pick him apart right there in the living room.

"We haven't seen him in months," Jazz answers for them. Her parent's heads whip around to her, but she's got her gaze fixed solely on Aizawa, who holds it. She continues. "He was-he was kidnapped by some guys in white uniforms."

"Jazzy, that's enough-" Mr. Fenton starts saying, but it seems to be the breaking point for Jazz.

"No it's not!" She screams at them. Her glare is cold and icy and Aizawa is so glad that he is not the one on the receiving end of it. "He's out there missing and you two don't-you don't care! I want my baby brother back, and if I have to ask a couple questions to make that happen then so be it."

"If he's been missing for months then why hasn't there been a missing persons case filed?" Aizawa asked. He had Tsukauchi look into it for him after his conversation with Danny, and there hadn't been anything filed. It was a bit concerning to say the least.

"I did," Jazz said, her earlier fire taking a break. "But Danny-he was born quirkless. They probably didn't look at all, now that I think about it."

And man, wasn't that fucking heartbreaking to hear. But she had chosen her words carefully, Aizawa noticed. Born quirkless, implying that he was no longer-which, in this case was true. He met her eyes once more, and her gaze flickered up and diagonally where the loft was. A clear message once he finished playing his part with the Fenton parents. If that was anything to go by, they had no idea Danny had powers. And it was probably best that they keep it that way.

"I wouldn't worry so much about him," Mrs. Fenton said with a wave of her hand. "Our Danny has always been a trouble maker. Always starting fights, failing his classes. You're a teacher, you probably have enough kids like that already. Plus, this isn't the first time he's gone away for a while-"

"-He always calls, though," Jazz said. The bite in her words was back full force. "He calls me to let me know how he's doing. And where he's going. He hasn't-he probably can't! I saw him get kidnapped!"

"Honey, you're probably just overthinking things again," Mr. Fenton said, and man, that just made Aizawa's blood boil. Obvious emotional manipulation, and invalidating her experiences. And over something as important as this made it even worse. They were unfit to be parents.

"Where were you when you saw him get taken?" Aizawa asked.

"By the Red Star café," she answered. He knew that place. It was in the slums of Musatafu. Whenever he patrolled there he sometimes stopped by if it was a particularly rough night. That particular café though had a soft spot for quirkless people. It was no wonder that Danny and Jazz frequented it.

"Do you remember what day or time?" He asked. Without hesitations he answered him. And, briefly, he felt pity for her. He couldn't imagine what it must be like, living with parents that don't give you the time of day. Living with parents that don't care. And, judging from how protective of Danny she was, she probably raised him, too, more or less. It didn't paint a pretty picture. Even without the horrific example of negligence towards their son, they should have been removed a long time ago.

"Well, this has been a pleasure," Mr. Fenton said, standing up. He was looking at his watch with a frown. "We're running a bit late for a meeting and if we don't leave now we won't make it. If you want to talk again, please schedule a meeting next time."

"Of course," Aizawa said. He shook Mr. Fenton's hand, and the way it was nearly crushed in his grip did not go unnoticed. The same went for the others, though Jazz's grip was probably more out of worry and urgency and anything bad.

He quickly left, the Fenton parents close behind him. He made a big show of swinging over a few buildings over with his capture scarf and going to the roof before disappearing in the night sky. He watched and waited as they got into their van and drove off. Once they rounded the corner, he ran back to Fentonworks, where Jazz was shimmying open a window.

"They have cameras at the front and back entrances," she explained. "You can come in this way."

Once he was inside, it was right down to business. He respected that, and her for it.

"How much about Danny do you know?" She asked.

"I know that he definitely does have a quirk," he said. "And that he got dumped in Tartarus a month ago. I only just found out yesterday, when I went in on other business."

Jazz promptly burst into tears.

Aizawa has never been good with emotions, but the violent display of emotion just made it worse. Still, he put a comforting hand on her shoulder as she pulled herself together again.

"He's alive, then," she said. Her voice was nothing like it had been downstairs. It was small, and broken, and months of worrying was etched into every word.

Aizawa definitely had to get them both out. And soon.

"He is. He's being taken care of now," he said. Because as soon as he had gotten done with Tsukauchi he had ripped the warden a new one, and unless they wanted to face the wrath of Eraserhead-with Nezu right behind him-they were going to do as he said. "I just need to know the motivations behind the Guys in White wanting to kidnap him."

Jazz wiped her eyes and nodded, stealing her resolve. She led him downstairs-and then downstairs again to the basement. There were odd looking weapons that didn't look anything like normal support equipment, and they all had this weird, green glow to them. But on the opposite wall was a massive octagon with a swirling green something inside of it. It would have been mesmerizing if not for the circumstances.

"That's where it happened," she said, nodding towards the octagon. "Our parents built a portal to the Ghost Zone, where ghosts live. It didn't work at first," she walked over and pressed a couple of buttons on a control panel. Two silver doors slid shut, cutting off the eerie glow. "Danny and his friends were down here hanging out one night. I was tutoring some friends, and out parents were out. They wanted-" her voice cracked, but she didn't let it stop her from continuing. "They're just kids. Danny was fourteen when he-"

Aizawa could see it happening in his mind. Danny goes into the portal, and the portal somehow gets triggered. The activation while he was inside must have caused his death. And since apparently ghosts were real-it turned him into one. It was so bizarre, but it made a frightening amount of sense.

"It turned him into a halfa," he said. Jazz nodded, a grim look on her face.

"An incredibly rare kind of ghost," she said. "There are only three in existence-and one of them is a clone of Danny." Aizawa felt like getting punched in his gut would have hurt less than those words. Clone? Was there a third child out there that he was going to adopt now?

"Anyway, their rareness is why the Guys in White are so interested in Danny. Usually when people get electrocuted they just die normally. Danny has a theory about that, though. Something about life long exposure to ectoplasm being the thing that saved his human half. You'd have to ask him for details."

"What about details on the Guys in White?" He asked her. "Any kind of proof? Not that I don't believe you-I do. But it'll be easier to convince the warden and the courts to let him out with something concrete."

Jazz, as troubled as she looked by his statement, nodded in understanding. She pulled out a piece of paper from one of the shelves and scribbled a phone number and an address on it.

"Tucker is Danny's best friend, and he's the best tech guy I know. If anybody can get you details, it's him. Just-maybe go over the weekend or something. His parents are usually away then. They're really overbearing, and Danny is a really sore subject since he's-he was quirkless."

"This will be a big help," he said. He took out his phone and put the number in. And then, after a moment of thinking, he started taking photos of the basement. Even without the illegal experimentation with otherworldly things they've been doing, there were no safety precautions of any kind here. It was no wonder Danny died-sort of. This place was a ticking time bomb of half-finished projects waiting to blow up in somebody's face.

"Do you feel safe here?" He asked Jazz. His voice was quiet and low. It was a stark contrast to the bark of bitter laughter that Jazz made.

"I haven't felt safe here in a very long time," she said. "Those feelings were only cemented when Danny had his accident. I've been trying to save up to move out right after I graduate."

"Well, since you're a student of U.A. we as your teachers have partial custody of you, just in case anything happens to your guardians. With the photos I have and a testimony from you I could probably have them in jail by the end of the month. Maybe faster if I get help from Nezu."

He was expecting maybe a surprised look. Maybe a stuttered, "Oh-no that's not necessary I didn't mean it like that-"

But instead he got the wind knocked out of him from the bone crushing hug Jazz was giving him.

"Where would we go?" She asked, her face buried in his chest. He hugged her back, trying his best to be some kind of comfort.

"Well," he said. "We've got a spare bedroom. Though you and your brother might have to share until we can get a better place. But if you don't want that then you can stay at U.A. all year until you graduate."

Jazz only hugged him harder.

He had a feeling he knew what her answer was.

Chapter 50: Honesty is the Worst Policy

Notes:

Let's hear it for drabble #50! I've been super excited for this one. Words cannot describe how much I appreciate all of you. Your support and enthusiasm makes writing these much more fun, and I'm happy that you all are as excited about these as I am!

Chapter Text

The day had started off normal. Great, even. But he should have known to wait for the other shoe to drop.

It happened during lunch. He had gotten a stain on his blazer, and, well, his parents already didn't like buying him things, and it's not like he could afford another. So he was doing His Best™.

He had been chatting actively with Tucker, Sam, and another one of Sam's new gen ed friends, who had reached over him to slap Tucker, and had used his arm as leverage.

But he hadn't noticed. Nobody had. Not until he had gotten slammed into a wall by Bakugou and his dumb explosions during Foundational Heroics.

"Are you okay?" Uraraka had asked, hands hovering over him.

Yeah, I'm good, is what he had tried to say. What had come out was, "No. My head hurts, I'm tired and I'm pretty sure at least one rib is broken."

That had been more than enough for him to get his ass sent to Recovery Girl. And like always, as the end of the session she asked the same question.

"Anything else, Dearie?"

And he tried to respond with his usual, "Not today! Maybe tomorrow I'll have a concussion for you!"

And then she would swat him with her cane and send him on his way. What came out, however, was nothing like that.

"Not anything you can fix. I'm kind of a biological anomaly that can't be fixed."

He fled before she could ask him questions. She would probably tell Aizawa about it later, but that honestly sounded like a future-Danny problem. Present-Danny was currently trying to get a hold of Sam.

"Aren't you at training?" She asked him.

"Bakugou broke my ribs and I had to get them fixed," he says, and he can't tell if it was against his will or not. "But something is wrong. I can't-the words that I want to say aren't coming out. I just told Recovery Girl I was essentially a freak of nature. And I didn't want to."

"Sounds like Shinjistsu accidentally activated her quirk," Sam replied. She sounds far to calm about this for Danny's liking.

"Okay. Where is she so I can turn it off?" He'll apologize for his snappiness later. Right now he needs to get his brain fixed so he doesn't accidentally spill anything terrible.

"You can't. It has to wear off on it's own. I think she said it lasted a week? Maybe a month? I'll have to double check with her. I think part of it is answering all questions directed towards you, too. Honestly, obviously."

Danny wanted to scream out in frustration, but instead of doing that, he forced himself to take deep breaths. "I'll have to give you my phone, then, just in case," he said. "And I have to tell Aizawa. Maybe if I'm lucky he'll excuse me from class until it wears off."

"Why don't you just tell him the truth?" Sam asked. "I mean, if anybody is going to believe you-and help you-it's gonna be the guy who got totaled by a Nomu for you."

"Because he might tell my parents and they already don't like me. And you know how they feel about Inviso-Bill. I don't really wanna be strapped down to a table and experimented on, Sam."

"Ugh. Right. Listen-I'm super sorry but I have to go. But talk to Aizawa, I'm sure he'll help you out."

-------

Sam is a big fat liar.

He had turned over his phone to her after telling Aizawa who told him he still had to attend class.

"Whatever petty teenager bullshit you have going on isn't important enough to have you skip out on class," he had said.

It wasn't too bad at first. For the first two days he wasn't asked too many questions. Not any that he wouldn't have answered honestly anyway. And when they got back to the dorms, he would hide away in his room and work on homework to avoid a mental breakdown.

Aizawa had notified all of the teachers, but none of his classmates, per Danny's request. The less questions he got, the better. And man, were they good at asking needlessly invasive questions sometimes.

It was on the third day when everything went to shit.

He was walking into class, debating on whether or not he wanted to invest in some kind of muzzle when he was hit with a question by his least favorite person.

"Danny-what bra size is your sister?" Mineta asked him from across the room. His voice carried, and nearly everybody went quiet, but Danny saw red.

"I don't know. I don't care. But if you ask me anything like that ever again," he let his eyes flash a dangerous green, "then I'll punt you into the fucking sun."

"Geez, no need so be so sensitive. Why is your quirk so creepy like that, anyway?"

"Because I'm dead."

The words had left his mouth before he could even properly process Mineta's question. And it was said with such a finality, such a certainty, that even if he hadn't been under the effects of a truth quirk, he's pretty sure a couple of them would have believed him.

"He, yeah, right," Mineta said. Danny could practically feel Mr. Aizawa's gaze on the back of his neck despite the fact that he was hiding behind his desk in his sleeping bag. "Tell us the truth."

"I am."

He's starting to think that maybe he should have let Aizawa tell the class he was under the effects of a truth quirk.

"Oh yeah?" Kaminari asked. "How'd you die?"

"I got electrocuted with millions of volts of ectoplasmic electricity and it bonded to my DNA."

There was a bark of laughter and a couple of applauds from his friends for committing to what was obviously a very hilarious bit. But the more he spoke, the more he could feel Aizawa's gaze boring into him.

But thankfully, he was saved by the bell.

---------

"Class dismissed," Aizawa drawled, but his sharp eyes were sitting firmly on Danny, who didn't move an inch. "Fenton, stay behind."

He wanted to punt Mineta into the sun. It hadn't been a threat when he said it earlier. It had been a promise.

The class cleared out quickly enough. His friends only lingered for a couple of moments before being dragged away by other classmates. The entire time, Danny stared at his desk, unable to look up and face his teacher.

Because Aizawa knew he had been telling the truth. Had known that he couldn't lie. And now he knew he was a freak and he was going to tell his parents, and when they found out they were going to strap him to the table in the basement and-

"Danny, breathe," Aizawa told him, stepping into his vision. Danny squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head.

"I don't need to," he said against his will. "Fuck."

If Aizawa had a problem with his swearing, he didn't show it. Instead, he sat down in the chair in front of Danny's desk and placed a warm hands over his cold, trembling ones.

"Are you okay with answering a few questions?" He asked. And, wow. Danny hadn't been expecting that. He had been expecting a full-tilt investigation into his weird tragic backstory. But Danny could see it. It was the illusion of choice, whether Aizawa saw it like that or not. He could answer yes, and spill his guts. Or he could answer no, and be pestered about it later, and with his terrible luck, he wasn't going to count on that being a time where he was vulnerable.

So he nodded his head yes.

"What did you mean by you being dead?" He asked. Danny just shrugged.

"Exactly what it sounds like," he says. "Sort of. I'm half dead."

"How did-how did you survive?" Danny didn't miss the hesitation in his voice. The uncertainty of the words coming out of his own mouth. And Danny couldn't blame him, not really. If he was Aizawa, even with a truth quirk playing a part in all of this he wouldn't believe a word he said either.

"My parents are ghost hunters and they experiment a lot with ectoplasm. I think a lifelong exposure is the only thing that saved me. Er-well, half of me, anyway."

"So your other half-your Phantom form...That's your ghost form?"

"Yeah. My superpower is dying on command."

"That's not funny."

"I'm not trying to be."

A tense silence fell between them. Danny met dark eyes, but the only thing he could see in them was genuine concern. And...And maybe Sam was right, he thinks. Because the only thing Aizawa has ever done for him is help. Whether it be from a panic attack or a walk to Recovery Girl or giving him harder course work because everything else was just to easy. He helped Danny in any way he could.

Could he help here?

Danny averted his gaze to his shoes.

They were bright red with black laces, and more bulky than the average shoe. There was only one brand that sold half-decent shoes that fit the feet of quirkless people, and they only came in one color. It was a constant reminder that he was different. Even with the power that he had now, he was still different. Because he had things that he didn't need, like an appendix, wisdom teeth, an extra toe joint.

He's seen Midoriya with the exact same pair. There was an understanding between the two, though they hadn't talked about it. Maybe after all this was over he would spill his guts to him. But right now, he needed to spill his guts to Aizawa.

Because if anybody was going to help him it was him.

-------

Aizawa wanted to throttle the people who hurt his kid student. From the beginning Danny's been a twitchy, anxious mess, just like Midoriya, but he had passed it off as social anxiety because he wasn't the one breaking his bones every day.

And he wasn't stupid. He noticed the shoes. He and Midoriya had the same ones. As an Underground hero he's seen more than his fair share of quirkless murders or suicides. Always young. Always powerless.

But these kids have power. Almost too much, if he was being honest. He figured that maybe they just had abnormally wide feet, and needed the extra space. But after hearing Danny's confession-about his parents, about his death, he was cursing his past self for being so ignorant. He should have looked at the signs and connected the dots a lot sooner than this.

And the worst part was that he was telling the truth. There's no way he could tell a lie.

"Why...Why didn't you say anything sooner?" Aizawa had asked him.

"Because I didn't want you telling my parents," Danny answered.

"Are you safe at home?" Fuck, was this kid abused? It happened often with quirkless kids. And he could see it being a super awkward conversation with his parents that he was just a late bloomer. A late bloomer with a quirk directly tied to their profession.

"I don't know," Danny answered. "Probably not. They're not good parents."

The words seemed to slip from him without consent, and Danny's eyes widened, as if he was just realizing this for the first time. It was a possibility-it's not uncommon for the abuser to make their victim completely rely on them, or to make them think nothing was wrong.

"If you elaborate-depending on what you say-I can get you out of their custody by the end of the week."

"Including my sister?" Danny asked. His voice was quiet, and he was suddenly met with wide, blue eyes. They looked absolutely desperate for help.

"Including your sister. So...Do you want to elaborate?"

"Yes."

"Are you okay if I record this conversation? It can be used as evidence later."

"Yes."

"Okay," Aizawa said, starting a recording on his phone. "What makes you feel unsafe in your home, Danny?"

------

They had talked for hours. Long past the normal time for a teacher and a student to be speaking. Maybe he could just pass it off as a tutoring session. It was no mistake that Danny was working on more advanced math and science classes. Growing up in a lab gave you a leg up on some things, he supposes.

He was drained, and all he wanted to do was eat and go to bed. Maybe he could skip the shower and just take one in the morning. He hadn't gotten to gross from training.

He held a hand over his mouth as he let out a large yawn, while his other opened the door to the dorms. It was around dinner time, so the common room was in full swing with students milling about here and there. Danny genuinely enjoyed his time with all of them, but tonight he just didn't have the energy. Maybe he could sneak upstairs and just have a big breakfast. That could work, right?

"Hey, Danny!" Uraraka greeted. "Did your talk with Mr. Aizawa go okay? You were gone for a long time."

"Yeah, it went...Really good, actually. But I'm really tired so-"

"-What did you guys talk about?" Kaminari asked him.

"About how my abusive neglectful parents inadvertently caused my death."

"Wh...Bro, are you okay?" Several others were starring at him now, and-oh, that's right. They didn't know he was under the influence of a truth quirk.

"Not currently, no. I had a really emotionally draining conversation with Aizawa and I'm tired of being so open and vulnerable with everybody."

"Then why don't you just shut up?" Bakugou barked. He got a couple of glares from his friends for his trouble.

"Because I got hit with a truth quirk and now I'm forced to tell the truth. It'll last for another...four days? That's what Sam said, anyway."

"So if we ask you questions you have to answer truthfully?" Sero asked.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"So...You're actually...Dead?" Ashido asked him. She looked like she was about to cry.

This was going to be a long night.

"Half dead," he corrected. "It's why I have so many powers that aren't linked together."

It was strange, hearing these words coming from his own mouth. It wasn't hard to talk about with Sam and Tucker since they were there when it happened, but telling his classmates was a completely different experience. He wasn't stressed necessarily. It was just odd that his normal anxieties about being caught were overridden by the quirk.

And, maybe, there might be a small part of him that was tired of hiding. He trusted his friends. Everyone in this room, with the exception of a tiny purple menace, he trusted with his afterlife. If anybody was going to hurt him over this, it wouldn't be these guys.

"What was your quirk before you died, kero?" Tsu asked.

"I didn't have one," Danny answered automatically, and okay. Maybe things would change now. Because he definitely didn't want people knowing that.

He noticed the way Midoriya and Bakugou flinched, but it was missed by everybody else, who's attention were all laser focused on him.

The class was stunned into silence. The only sounds they could hear was Danny's rapid, panicked breathing. He didn't want this. He didn't want to talk about his quirklessness. It had caused so many problems for him his entire life. Why was talking about his death easier than that?

He would have to answer that question later. Because now, he was too distracted by Midoriya standing up. He slowly walked over, and when he got to be arms length, he held them out.

His arms were littered in self-inflicted scars from his bones breaking over and over, but with his sleeves riding up, he could see the edges of starburst scars and permanent red handprints.

Danny opened his own arms out, and Midoriya crashed into him. His ribs were thankfully fully healed. otherwise the hug would have been painful with how tightly Midoriya was squeezing him.

He's not sure how long they stood there for. It could have been seconds or minutes, but he didn't care. The only thing he cared about was finding comfort with the one other person in this entire school who could understand him.

Because being quirkless in a world full of superheroes was a fate worth than death.

It was abusive parents. It was being berated every day by peers. It was hard fists and brutal kicks in back alleys. It was the threat of death looming over their heads every time they were out and about. It was the ache in their chests when they read an article about another quirkless death. It was the silent mourning as peers mocked the dead the next day and pretending that it didn't bother you. It was starring over the edge of a roof and thinking, maybe today's the day. And, unless your last name was Fenton or Midoriya, it was unescapable.

At least with death, he had been, in a way, set free. Because now, he knew where he was going when he finally passed. The illusion of peace was broken right alongside him when he activated that dumb portal.

Eventually he and Midoriya let go. Unsurprisingly, Midoriya has tears in his eyes, but he's got a small, watery smile, and Danny thinks that, yeah, with someone who understand by his side, this will be easier.

------

The rest of the week is a little rough. The class did not take his death as lightly as he thought they would. Thankfully they had banned Mineta from even being in the room. And they had promised not to tell anybody outside of the class.

And though things were a little weird, it wasn't all bad. Aizawa, as promised, had gotten custody of him and Jazz. Over breaks and some weekends, they would be staying with him. And Hagakure, who's been pestering him about his nonexistent love life since the start of school, finally got him to confess about his crush. Danny avoided her for the rest of the week, and prayed to whoever was in the sky that she didn't spill the beans.

Todoroki was, oddly enough, a silent comfort. Whenever things were getting to be too much he would ask Danny to help him out with something random. In the end, they would just sit in one of their rooms and sit in a comfortable silence, or sometimes they would invite Izuku-because that's who he was to Danny now-and they would talk about shitty fathers with unrealistic expectations.

Danny found the whole ordeal oddly freeing. It was like he could breath properly again for the first time since he got his powers. He hadn't realized how much those secrets sat in the back of his mind, taunting him about his peer's reactions. But now that it was out in the open, there wasn't anything to fear. Not really. The people who knew all cared about him, in their own ways, and he trusted that they would protect his secret.

After all his dirty laundry was aired out, the rest of the week wasn't super terrible. But the best part was when how he found out the quirk wore off.

It was a bright Saturday, filled with a warm breeze and laughing classmates as they all hung out in their various friend groups. The girls were having a picnic, Kaminari, Kirishima, and Sero were actively trying to piss Bakugou off, and Midoriya and Uraraka were laughing at something Ida had said-and judging by the boy's face, he had no idea what was so funny, which sent his friends into another round of hysterics.

Sam, Tucker, Shinsou, and Shinjitsu, who had apologized profusely, sat with him under the shade of a tree. He was half-asleep next to Shinsou, laying in the soft grass and being lulled to sleep by the sounds of Sam talking and Tucker tinkering.

Hagakure, Jirou, and Momo walk up to them, all looking a little too smug.

"So, we Danny, we were talking about what you said to Mineta a few days ago," Jirou says, and wow, she's not trying to hide her mirth at all.

"Which part?" Danny asked, still half asleep.

"When you said you would punt him into the sun," Hagakure said excitedly. "You were under the truth quirk. Does that mean you can really do that?"

"No, I was just talking out of my ass," Danny said. The sarcasm was more of a reflex than anything, but it was enough for him to jolt upright a moment later.

"Hagakure, gimme a lie."

"Uh, you can't punt Mineta into the sun?"

"I can't pun Mineta into the sun," Danny repeated. He couldn't keep the grin off of his face as he jumped up. Without warning he picked up Hagakure excitedly. He repeated the phrase, growing louder every time he said it. The attention of his classmates were on him again, more confused than anything.

"I don't see why you're cheering about that," Uraraka tells him. Danny sets Hagakure down and runs over.

"It means I can lie again! I'm more than capable of punting him into the sun but now I can say I can't!"

In all his excitement, he wound up in a jumping circle with all of the girls, save for Jirou and Momo, who had a finger on her chin in deep though.

And after, Danny will be pestered about how he can go to space, unharmed. About how, yes, he doesn't need to breath in his ghost form, he's dead, so he can last long enough to get to the sun. And Aizawa will give him a half-concerned raised eyebrow and makes him promise to not actually commit to such an act.

And later he will also have to go to court against his parents and admit to them that he is no longer fully human. He will have Aizawa and Jazz by his side, as well as Nezu. And he will fight great, wonderful battles that bring the rest of them to their knees, but Danny has always been stubborn, so he refuses to go down. And when the ash will settle, he will stand tall as a glowing beacon of hope.

But that's for future Danny to worry about.

Right now, Present Danny is just excited that he can punt Mineta into the sun.

Chapter 51: Broken Trust

Summary:

Conspiracy theorist voice: danny is afo's son.
Proof: multiple (constantly gaining) powers.

Notes:

heres a danny phantom playlist i made
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6LUnLyFLuIsmfw9ybtL3co?si=66ea572c702b4ade

Chapter Text

All Might didn't really know how to feel about one student in particular.

He was a good student, and had a knack for heroism, but there was something that just seemed a little off about him. He hadn't been able to place his finger on it until he watched the Sports Festival.

Danny had multiple powers, and he had the same white hair as Number One and All for One. With both of them, they had this ethereal, almost unearthly vibe from either being over two hundred years old or haunting a two hundred year old quirk. Danny have off the same vibe. When he got serious in a battle, it was foreboding. A promise that he would come out successful.

It was the same feeling he got when he fought AfO.

Could...Could he be somehow related to the ancient villain?

And All Might had put it in the back of his mind because Danny has never hesitated to do the right thing. To save everyone at the expense of himself, and to make sure everybody is okay. He never fails to put a smile on a victims face, or joke around with his classmates.

But All Might is no idiot. Not when it comes to picking out villains. Danny is hiding something, he can tell. And he plans to get to the bottom of it, no matter what.

----------

"There's gotta be a traitor," Mic says matter-of-factly at there meeting post-Kamino. And though shock ripples across the meeting table, All Might can't help but think of Danny. He was as heroic as they came but maybe-maybe it was something else. Maybe it was a front. He could walk through walls, disappear, and fly. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to think he'd sneak out and have secret meetings with the League of Villains.

He shares this opinion, and about the weird vibes he gets. About his multitude of powers and how he seems to get a new one every week. Everybody brushes him off, though he does catch a calculating look from Aizawa. He's very protective of his students, so for one to be called out like that certainly doesn't sit well with him.

But All Might is not a stupid man.

So after their meeting, he stays behind to talk to Nezu, because if anybody was going to understand his concerns, it was the only other staff member who know about One for All and All for One. And when Nezu agrees that Danny is an anomaly, and not one to be taken lightly, he knows, deep down that Danny has some sort of relationship with the League that goes beyond villain vs. hero.

But they need to be patient. First, they need to move the students into the dorms. And then they needed to set up counseling sessions with the hero students, and make sure that they were doing okay. They were heroes in training, soldiers being bred for the front lines but at the end of the day they were still children, and Nezu was not going to let All Might forget about that.

That was fine, though. He was a patient man.

-----------

Danny had never been so nervous in his life. He was more than excited about about moving into the dorms with his friends. He had the freedom to be himself here, power and all, where at home he was hiding behind a very thin lie. If his parents looked a little harder, cared a little bit more, they'd be able to make the connection themselves, but they just didn't care enough. He doesn't know how to feel about that.

But he does know that he's excited for the opportunity to just be.

After Kamino, things go back to normal soon enough. Classes start right where they left off, and the comradery between the hero students is stronger than ever. It's like a breath of fresh air, and without the threat of his parents finding out his secret looming over his head, school came easier than ever.

But he couldn't help like he was being watched.

For the entire first week, something had him on edge and he couldn't quite place it. It wasn't from Kamino or the training camp, he knew that much. Real life battles were not a foreign experience for Danny. Looking death in the face and coming out on the other side was second nature. But back at school, he knows something is wrong.

And just when he gets the courage to try and go up to Aizawa about it, he gets called to the principal's office.

When he gets there Nezu is sitting in his big comfy chair. All Might is standing behind him, his blue eyes hard and piecing, as if he's already decided Danny's fate. Aizawa is standing off in the corner, and though he's wearing a neutral face like always, Danny can tell that he's absolutely seething. His shoulders are taught and he looks about ready to jump into action at a moments notice. Half of his face is hidden by his scarf, but it does nothing to hide how he's glaring daggers at All Might.

"Take a seat, Mr. Fenton," Nezu says, gesturing to the couch in front of the desk. Danny does as he's told, glancing over at Aizawa. He's looking at Danny now, and he looks...He looks sorry. That's the only way Danny can describe the defeated, weary look he's got going on.

And man, if Danny wasn't on edge before, he sure as shit was now.

And he was absolutely terrified. Did they know about his secret? About how he used to be quirkless? Were they going to kick him out of the hero course? If they did he's probably be barred from other schools, and then disowned or something.

HIs anxiety was starting to spike, but he did his best to school it. But he could tell from the way All Might shivered that he wasn't doing as good of a job as he had hoped.

"What...What is this about?" Danny asked, looking at them warily.

"We just have a few questions to ask you," Nezu said. He sounded much too cheerful compared to the thick tension that hung in the air. It was absolutely suffocating.

"Okay...? Go ahead, I guess."

"As you are well aware of, All for One was taken into custody following the Kamino Ward incident," Nezu starts. "He's a very old villain who has the ability to take and give powers as he pleases, and we have confirmed that he has been orchestrating the League of Villains from the very beginning."

"That's...A lot," Danny says in the silence that lasts just a little too long. "But I don't understand what that has to do with me."

"We suspect that there is somebody on campus who has been feeding information to All for One and the League," Nezu continues. "And we have reason to believe that that person is possibly you."

Danny felt like he was blue screening. All coherent thought left his mind as he sat there, stammering absolute nonsense. Because why? Had he done something for them to think that he was the one who betrayed his class? His friends? Has he not proven himself to be hero material? Has he not done enough?

Or was it just a biased prejudice. Did they think this because he was creepy? Or maybe because he was quirkless before U.A? There was no telling, but both reasons left a bad, bitter taste in his mouth. He honestly felt like throwing up.

Because of course this would happen to him. Of course he would die and then get into the school of hid dreams, only to be accused of being a traitor. And it hurt in more ways than one. There was the familiar ache of rejection sitting comfortably in his chest, and he fought hard to keep the tears at bay.

"I'm not," he said around the lump in his throat. "I'm not a traitor. I would never do that."

He can't stop the trembling in his hands as his anxiety spikes once more. He feels like his world was tipped on it's side and shaken so hard he couldn't tell which way was up anymore.

"Do you have proof?" All Might asks, speaking over Nezu's head. "You share a resemblance with All for One, and as stated he gives and takes quirks to suit his benefit. Fenton, how did you get all of your powers? None of them are related in the slightest. Not only that, but I looked at your middle school file. You were quirkless until U.A. What changed?"

"It's-it's not like that," he tells them. He glances over at Aizawa, who, though surprised, is trying to comfort him with his gaze.

"Then please explain, Mr. Fenton," Nezu says calmly. It wasn't fair that he got to sit there and pretend like everything was okay after he's all but destroyed Danny's perception of U.A.

"It's-it's a wild story. And I don't know if you'll believe me," Danny admits, because there's no way out of this. Not unless he spills the beans on the fact that he's a half dead freak of nature who's essentially been haunting the school since the beginning of the year.

"Try us," and to his surprise, it's Aizawa that speaks. He's moving closer now. His dark eyes are absolutely unreadable to Danny, but there's no threat. Not with Aizawa. his body language, and just overall vibe when it comes to his students, is open and inviting. Because he actively wants to help people. It's the complete opposite of All Might, with taught shoulders and set jaw, his eyes unwavering as they bore into Danny.

So he takes a deep breath and he tells them. He looks at Aizawa the entire time, taking comfort in his encouraging words and thoughtful questions. He tells them about how his parents are dumb but smart, and he tells them about how he and his friends were dumb teenagers looking for an indoor adventure and they just bit off more than they could chew. He tells them about what it's like, being split apart and haphazardly put back together again, and you're you but not really, and you're alive but not really, and you're absolutely terrified but not really. Because it's too much and overwhelming and the only coping mechanism you've ever known is disassociation or just plain old bottling it up and shoving it down into the recesses of his mind to never see the light of day again.

And to drive his point home, he switched to his Phantom form. The only one who reacts is All Might, who goes into more of a fighting stance. But Nezu just sits there and sips his tea and Aizawa is sitting there, encouraging him, because he's Aizawa. The only adult who's ever given a genuine shit about Danny. The only one who's ever reached out. The only one who's ever noticed when something is wrong and he refuses to let it go until he's okay again.

So with the comfort of his teacher he takes off his left glove.

In his Fenton form, it's pale, nearly invisible even. If you're not looking for it, you probably won't notice. Sometimes his hand shakes uncontrollably because he can still feel the phantom pains of being electrocuted to death. On particularly bad days it aches so bad he can't curl his fingers at all. If anybody asks, he could probably pass it off as a training accident that left him permanently damaged.

But when he's Phantom, more dead than alive, it glows a bright, unearthly green. It's the color of his eyes when they burn angrily. It's the same color of the ectoplasm that stains his bathroom.

It's the color of death.

Aizawa gingerly takes his hand, tracing his fingers against the Lichtenburg figure that travels all the way to his core. Ever since his death he's always ran cold, and he's always found a comfort in that. Heat has always hurt him, whether it be from the ectoguns his parents make or Todoroki's fire in a training accident. But Aizawa's hands are warm and safe and they grip his mutilated hand like it's the most precious thing on the planet.

"Why...Why didn't you say anything?" He asks. His voice is soft, but there's no hurt or accusation. Just pure curiosity, and maybe a bit of regret, though for what Danny doesn't isn't sure.

"In any other setting would any of you believe me?" He asked. "I'm the one who died and I still can't believe it sometimes. It's a crazy, unbelievable story."

Aizawa only nods, and squeezes his hand one more time before letting go. Danny puts his glove back on, and turns back to Fenton. Nezu is sipping his tea but his eyes are sharp and calculating. All Might looks somewhere in between surprised and 'my puppy just got kicked.' Danny isn't sure how to feel about the fact that his teacher was rooting for his demise.

"Well," Nezu breaks the tense silence. "I do apologize for bringing you in under such circumstances. But with the villains preparing for some big plays, we just had to make sure. You have proven time and time again that you are and will be an exceptional hero. I will do everything in my power to regain your trust in myself and this institution."

Danny doesn't really know what to say so he doesn't even try. He just nods, and takes All Might's stilted bow in stride. He's led out by Aizawa, and as soon as they've turned the corner, he's being brought into the best hug of his life.

"I'm sorry you felt like you couldn't come to me like this," he tells Danny. And Danny goes to open his mouth, to tell him that it's not his fault Danny is a paranoid asshole with issues. But instead a lump forms in his throat, and all he can do is hug Aizawa back as he finally, finally let's himself cry.

The following weeks during foundational heroics aren't quite the same. All Might won't meet his gaze, and Aizawa is there for every lesson now, just in case. Because he puts Danny's wellbeing over his coworker's comfort. Nobody has ever put Danny first, and it makes him more than a little emotional.

He doesn't think he'll ever be able to trust Nezu the same as he did before all of this. U.A. and most of its staff, sure, but not the people who were in there, ready to arrest him at the drop of a hat over a hunch.

He doesn't want to know what would happen if Aizawa hadn't been there.

(He doesn't want to think about what cell he'd be thrown into, or what table he'd be strapped down to. So instead he throws himself into his school and training, and only comes out for movie nights and to swap romance manga with Bakugou.)

He knows he's got at least one adult, and his entire class, and that makes everything else manageable.

And right now, that's enough for him.

Chapter 52: Split

Summary:

what if AfO can actually take Danny's powers, but he's actually just taking Phantom (think of Identity Crisis), but since he's just a ghost he can pretty much leave becuase it's like when he overshadows someone (tho he can't take control of AfO because he has practice overcoming annoying quirk ghosts)

Chapter Text

The fight leading up to his powers getting taken is a blur.

They're at Kamino. He's trying to help save Bakugou, but then some kind of black goo erupts from his throat, choking him and engulfing him until he's right next to the guy all of the pros are fighting.

He's grabbed by the throat and dangled in the air like a trophy.

"You have quite a lot of quirks, boy," All for One drawls. "All very useful. Thank you so much for your contribution."

Danny feels a painful tug, and can't help the scream that comes. It's easily one of the most painful things he's experienced. If he had to put it on a scale, he'd say it was right next to dying. Which, considering how that had gone, was a lot.

It feels like he's being split in half. There's an overwhelming ache in his chest and there are tears in the corners of his eyes. It all lasts for too long, until finally, he's dropped onto the ground, forgotten.

His vision is blurry around the edges and there are black spots dancing around his sight, but he can see himself, clear as day, still being held by the villain.

"How...Peculiar," he says. "I've never seen a quirk take on a physical form such as this."

He watches-and for a brief moment he thinks he's in a dream-as Phantom struggles before finally slipping out of his grasp with his intangibility.

The last thing he sees before his world finally goes black is Phantom diving head first into All for One.

-------

Phantom is straight up not having a good time.

He sees himself-dark hair and dull blue eyes lying on the ground, inmoving, but he knows he's not dead. But he's still there, in the air, being held by All for One. Maybe it's some kind of hallucinogen? No, the body looks way to real for it to just be a dream. He kicks for a moment, trying to break free, before remembering he can just turn intangible.

He needs to stop this fight as soon as he can. There's too many injured civilians and pros alike, and All Might himself is on his last legs. Usually he wouldn't resort to overshadowing, but these are desperate times.

As soon as he dives in, he's almost immediately kicked out. Whoever this guy is, he's apparently experienced in the art of fighting off ghostly possession.

"A valiant attempt from a child," he hears a voice, echoing around him in the darkness of the villain's mind. He reaches out again, but there's another invisible wall blocking from taking over. "No quirk I've taken has ever manifested like this," the villain says. "Tell me boy-what are you really?"

The question causes a split second of hesitation form Phantom, which is all it takes for him to be completely booted out. He lands on a solid, firm ground with a grunt. They're still in Kamino, surrounded by destruction. His body is still lying there, unmoving.

He looks around him. Buildings are topples and smoking. He can see the limbs of other pros sticking up out of the dirt as the dust begins to settle. He stares up at the man with the large, black mask, and feels an unfamiliar type of fear course through him. It's absolutely paralyzing, and for a brief moment, he almost forgets how to breathe.

But then the villain moves. He has his hand outstretched, reaching for Phantom. And moving purely on instinct, he turns invisible and intangible. He scrambles to his feet and dodges the hand. The villain makes an amused sort of sound as Phantom grabs his body and extends his powers to it, before flying away.

---------

Danny's head is throbbing when he wakes up. He's pretty sure he died again. Or maybe it was just a weird hallucination? Though, he's sure hallucinations aren't supposed to make him hurt this much. He can still feel the last dredges of that all to familiar ache in his chest.

He doesn't open his eyes. He doesn't know if he can, if he's being completely honest. He feels like he's stuck in limbo, trying to gather information around him.

He's safe, at least. He can smell the familiar antiseptic mixed with the perfume that Recovery Girl likes to wear. And he can hear the familiar rumbling of his teacher's voice, talking slowly and gently, as if he's trying not to spook whoever he's talking to. He's too out of it to really understand what's being said, but if Aizawa is there then he knows he's in a safe place. So he let's himself doze off again.

-----------

Aizawa does not get paid enough for this.

He had half a mind to expel every student except for Bakugou and those who were still unconscious when the rest of his class came up with a halfcocked rescue attempt. Thankfully nobody was really hurt. The only one who was hospitalized was Fenton.

Which was strange, because Phantom was pacing back and forth in front of him.

Fenton stirs on the bed, and he mumbles something unintelligible, before drifting back off. Just as he does, the door is thrown open with a loud bang, and he's met with three very worried looking teenagers.

He knows his student well enough to recognize them. Two of them are from other classes-the support and gen ed classes, Tucker Foley and Sam Manson. The other is a third year in Mic's class, with fiery red hair and the same blue eyes and the prone body lying on the bed. She's got the same nervous ticks as her brother as she turns to him with an apologetic look, rubbing the back of her neck as she does so.

"Danny, you're okay!" Sam cries and she throws her arms around Danny. Tucker looks relieved, but it only lasts for a fleeting moment as his eyes lock onto the body in the bed.

Everybody in the room follows his gaze, and they freeze.

There are a couple of beats filled with nothing but a tense silence before Sam breaks it. "Is he...Is he going to be okay?"

"We don't know," Aizawa answers honestly. He had no idea what happened. This-this Phantom was Danny's quirk but he's never seen anything so sentient before. Not even Dark Shadow could do the things Phantom is doing right now. And that's not even touching on the fact that his quirk, if taken from him, shouldn't have physically manifested like this at all.

But nobody else in the room seemed surprised.

"What are you not telling me?" The question is directed at the whole group but he looks at Phantom as he asks. He looks nervously at his friends, then his body in the cot, and then back at Aizawa before finally folding.

"I'm a half ghost. Or-at least I was? My human half and ghost half got separated somehow, when the villain was trying to take my quirk."

"I don't know what any of that means," he tells them. "Half ghost? How can somebody be half dead?"

"It's a complicated story. The footnotes are lab accident, then ectoplasmic bonding to my DNA. Bada-bing bada-boom and here I am," Phantom shrugs. "Though I'm not sure how we're gonna get back together."

"Is that invention your parents have still working?" Tucker asks, pushing up his glasses.

"Probably but they never leave the basement, so we can't go in. And there's no way they're gonna let that thing out of their sight again."

"Why can't-do your parents not know about this?" Aizawa asks. He can feel his eyebrows rising as high as his blood pressure.

"Well-no," Jazz answers. "Danny is a half ghost. Our parents are ghost hunters. We don't know how they'll react. Especially since before the accident he was quirkless."

There's a lot of implications there that Aizawa doesn't have the emotional capacity to try and go through. Thankfully, he's saved before he can even make the attempt.

Next to them on the cot Danny stirs again. He blinks his eyes open, wincing at the harsh lights, as he sits himself up. He rubs at his face and yawns, and when he opens them he looks more...Exhausted, than surprised.

"Oh, not this shit again," he says bitterly. It's enough to cut the tension in the room. Sam snorts and Tucker barks out a laugh, while Jazz gives a small smile. She walks over and ruffles Danny's hair, and at Phantom's pout, does the same to him.

And then Danny's eyes fall onto Aizawa. He reaches up to rub the back of his neck, mirroring the same movement Jazz had done when she walked in.

"I can explain?" He says half-heartedly. Aizawa just looks at him and sighs.

This is going to be a long night.

Chapter 53: Thermos

Summary:

A bnha/dp request if you're taking:
Yamada brings home a cool thermos from the thrift store because the ones Aizawa takes on patrol keep getting damaged. Neither of them expect a boy to come out of it.
(Authors choice how long he's been in there)

Chapter Text

It started with a small, black thermos.

It was a simple, dinged up thing that Shouta had gotten from a thrift store. There was a cat sticker on it that Hizashi had stuck over the dent to make it less noticeable. It was arguably the one that lasted him the longest, until he lost it to a small-time villain with a magnet quirk.

He lost a good thermos, and good soup that day.

The next one he got was a bright, hideous yellow one that had been a gift from Hizashi. It lasted him a week before it was knocked out of his hands and crumpled beyond repair during a training exercise from his second year students. Needless to say, their training had been especially hard that day.

The blue one after that lasted a month before he just straight up lost it.

And Hizashi, bless his heart, was at his wits end.

So Shouta isn't surprised when his husband walks in with a giant, clunky thermos that clashes with everything he's ever worn. And considering his wardrobe is a collection of mostly blacks and greys is pretty impressive.

"The guy at the thrift store said this one was basically indestructible," Hizashi told him. "He dropped a box of hammers on it and it didn't even dent. It should last you for at least a month. Think you can handle it?" His voice lifts in a teasing way that has Shouta rolling his eyes and snatching the thermos from his hands.

"Thank you, 'Zashi," he says, placing a kiss on his husband's cheek. He stand up and walks to the kitchen, Hizashi at his heels. There's a fresh pot of coffee that has his name written all over it.

Until it doesn't.

It's just a thermos. A regular, ancient, beat up thermos.

So why does a glowing kid and a stout little blue guy in overalls tumble out?

"The Box Ghost is finally free!" The blue one yells triumphantly. The kid with white hair blasts him with some kind of green energy beam from his hand before snatching the thermos from Shouta. He presses a button on the outside and the Box Ghost is quickly sucked back in. He caps it quickly, and turns to the pro heroes. Hizashi's jaw is on the floor, and if Shouta wasn't usually so stoic, he wouldn't be far behind.

"What the fuck just happened?" Hizashi asked.

"It couldn't have waited till I started my patrol?" Shouta grumbles, taking a step forward.

The kid had white hair, toxic green eyes, and a splash of freckles across his cheeks. He was incredibly pale, and judging from the temperature drop, incredibly cold.

"Sorry about the disturbance," the kid says in near perfect Japanese. Which, considering his very European features, was unexpected.

"Who are you?" Shouta asks.

"I'm Phantom," the boy shrugs. "Though I'm not from around these parts. It's probably why you haven't heard of me."

"I can't think of anybody named Phantom anywhere," Hizashi said. Between the two of them, he was the one that kept up with up-and-coming heroes from other countries just in case they had to work together or if he miraculously got them on his radio show one day. Since he was fluent in three languages it would be pretty easy to do in theory.

"Where are you from?" Shouta asks.

"Uh, Amity Park. It's in America," Phantom says. He pulls his legs up to sit cross legged in the air, and Hizashi's eyes go wide.

"How are you doing that?" Shouta asks. Phantom looks down at his legs as if he wasn't sitting in the middle of the air. He shouldn't be able to do that. He had green blasts that came from his hands. How many quirks did this kid have?

"Uh, I don't know. I just do? It's kind of like-well you don't think about breathing. You just do it. It's kind of the same thing with flying for me."

"No, I mean-you already have a different quirk. With your hands. So how are you doing that?"

"I don't understand-what's a quirk?"

If it wasn't for the genuine confusion on the boy's face, Shouta would have thrown his capture scarf around him and hauled him to the station for wasting his time. But there wasn't any kind of deception in those bright, unearthly green eyes.

"...Kid," Hizashi asked, a frown tugging at his lips. His brows creased together with worry. "How long were you in that thermos?"

Shouta wasn't surprised that his husband had caught onto that faster than he had. Hizashi has always been smarter than people give him credit for. But...It's been over two hundred years since the start of quirks. Has this kid really been in there that long?

"Uh...I don't know. A few days? What's the date?" He looked even more confused now.

"Kid, it's 22xx," Shouta answers. The boy's eyes go wide with a melting pot of emotions. Fear. Anguish. Grief. Worry. They all flash in his eyes in a split second, before settling on denial.

"What? No-there's no way. I-I have school tomorrow. I was supposed to meet up with-with my friends and go to the arcade. There's-there's no way. You're just-you're pulling my leg with all this time travel and quirk bullshit. And you never even answered my question."

"A quirk," Shouta starts, low and calming, "is what we as a society call powers. Eight percent of the world's population have them. I can temporarily erase someone's quirk. Hizashi let's out a sonic attack when he yells."

"Prove it," Phantom says, crossing his arms over his chest. "Because-because nobody but me has any powers. And-And I'm not even supposed to have them. I'm an accident. So-so just prove it."

Shouta and Hizashi just share a look, but eventually comply. Without warning, Shouta activates his quirk on Phantom. His eyes are glowing and his hair has lifted, but...Nothing happens. Phantom is still sitting there, cross legged in the air with a raised, unimpressed eyebrow.

"Why isn't my quirk working on you?" He asked, more to himself than anybody.

"Because I don't have a quirk," Phantom tells him. "There's-okay. If humans have evolved this much in two hundred years, there's got to be a biological component. But since I'm from before quirks started popping up, I don't have that biological component that you can block or erase or whatever. Or there are certain limitations to your quirk that prevent it from working on me."

And. Okay. Neither of them were expecting that kind of on-the-fly analysis from the kid. He was evidently incredibly smart.

"The only people my quirk doesn't work on are those who have mutation quirks," Shouta explains. "If someone has four arms, if I activate my quirk on them the extra two won't go away."

"Oh, that makes sense, then. I've got, like, an extra organ that produces my ghost powers. But what about him?" Phantom gestured to Hizashi.

"Unless you want your eardrums busted I suggest not," Shouta said, pulling out his phone. "But here's one of the number two hero in the country."

He turned his phone to Phantom, showing him the news clip of Endeavor battling some huge villains. Phantom frowned.

"Okay," Phantom said.

"Okay?"

"Okay."

"Kid, for just finding out that you're two hundred years away from where you're supposed to be you sure are calm."

"There's...Not a lot of options for me," Phantom told them. He spoke slowly, as if talking would suddenly make ideas and theories appear in his head. "I could try and get back to the Ghost Zone. I'm friends with Clockwork and he could send me back in time to where I'm supposed to be. But I would need a way to get to the Zone. And that's on the hunch that he might help-which, considering it would probably effect the timeline, it's highly unlikely he will. Or he'll give me some cryptic bullshit about following my heart or some shit. As if I didn't already have a fucking life before being stuck in this dumb thermos for a couple centuries."

"What are the other options?" Hizashi asked.

"I stay here, in this world," Phantom shrugged. "I..." his voice cracks, a quiet, broken sound that both pros almost can't hear. "I start over. I figure out what the fuck is going on in this world. Be a hero or an astronaut or something. Forget I ever had a past life in Amity."

"Well, let's not give up hope. I'm sure there's a way to talk to this Clock guy-"

"-there is but there's no way to get to him. I'd have to build another portal from scratch and I don't have the blueprints. So unless a natural portal conveniently shows up, I'm stuck here."

"Well," Shouta says, stepping forward. He places a hand on Phantom's shoulder. "Since you're stuck here, you can stay with us. We can work out some way to get you home-or at least find a way to get you answers. In the mean time, we can get you proper papers and catch you up to speed. Does that sound good?"

"It's not like I have much of a choice," Phantom says. He uncrosses his legs and places his feet firmly back on the ground. It's in this moment, that he looks absolutely exhausted. His shoulders are slumped and there are terrible bags under his eyes. Like he's been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

He's from a time where quirks didn't exist. But he still had power.

He was the only hero in the whole world.

Shouta can't imagine how fast this kid has had to grow up. And he doesn't even look sixteen.

"I'm sorry, kid," Shouta sighs. "I can't imagine how hard this is for you right now."

"It's-it's not a big deal," Phantom shrugs in a way that says the opposite. "Anyway, if I'm going to be staying with you-and since super powers are normal-I gotta show you something."

He takes a step away from them both, and lets two white rings split him at the waste and travel up and down his body. When they disappear, he's got raven locks and icy blue eyes. He's wearing baggy clothes that hang off of his thin frame. Whether it was from unfortunate circumstances or just the style two hundred years ago, he wasn't sure. He doesn't have time to think about it. Not when Phantom is taking a step forward, his hand outstretched.

"Hi. My name is Danny Fenton. It's nice to meet you."

Chapter 54: Magical Girl Transformation

Summary:

How about Danny get's into UA in his Human Form, but once the Nomu attack happens he Goes Ghost and everyone is just like "where'd that come from"? Just because I think it's funny.

Chapter Text

Danny didn't so it on purpose.

It was easy enough channeling his power in his human form after enough practice, and he didn't want to bother with transforming. The dumb jumpsuit he died in wasn't in the least bit flattering, and it was uncomfortable. And if he was going to be fighting a bunch of robots, he wanted to be comfortable.

So in the entrance exam, he was just plain old Fenton, and he got a solid third place. Robots were dumb and slow and easy to take down. There hadn't been a need to exert any more energy than that.

And in training, since it's the start of the year, it's been just the basics. Save for the battle simulations on their second day, it's just been experimenting with different types of hand-to-hand combat. And even then, during the simulations, he had been playing a villain. He hadn't needed to transform to keep Kouda and Mineta at bay.

But then they go to the USJ.

And then villains attack them.

He gets thrown into the same section at Todoroki. Taking down the F-tier villains is as easy as breathing, even with their minimal training.

But then he sees his teacher crushed by a giant monster.

Danny is moving before he's thinking. He doesn't even realize that he's gone into the air, he doesn't notice the rings wash over him. He doesn't notice the surprised looks of his peers who are able to spare him a glance.

All he focuses on it his fists beating into the monster, pulling him away from his teacher.

And it's a tough fight. Danny is fast in either form, but as Phantom he's able to flit around the beast in the air with more ease than he ever would have been able to as Fenton. He knows he can't beat it in a one-on-one fight, so he turns intangible and distracts it long enough for the others to get Aizawa out of harms way, and for the heroes to finally show up.

And after everything is said and done, and they're watching as an ambulance takes away their teacher and classmate, the class all but pounces on Danny.

"I didn't know you could do that!"

"Why didn't you tell us-?"

"You sparkle almost as brightly as me, mon a mi."

"It's a magical girl transformation!"

There's too many questions all at once, but the one that gets asked the most is why he didn't tell anybody. And...Honestly, he hadn't even realized he hadn't transformed in front of them before. The topic never came up, and each of the problems they've been faced with until today have been small enough to not justify a full transformation.

So naturally, when he just shrugs and says, "I don't know, I just didn't really think about it, I guess," his classmates go ape shit.

It's almost comforting, Danny thinks, that after staring death in the face, they can still laugh and joke around as if nothing ever happened. They're not hung up-not now, anyway-about what it would be like if they or a peer died. If the choices they made were a little different, if they could have done something faster-

And Danny almost envies them. But he knows as heroes they'll all have their fair share of hardships to come. So for today, he lets them hound him for the next week about his transformation. He walks into school on Monday to see a crudely drawn picture of Sailor Moon and can't keep his laughter under control for the rest of the day. Aoyama is insisting that he takes some glitter with him everywhere to shine even brighter, and although he has no intention of ever using it, it's the thought that counts. Kaminari spams his phone with He-Man and She-Ra memes.

Danny makes it a point, now, to transform every time he plans on using his powers.

The smiles he sees on everybody's faces is well worth it.

Chapter 55: Ice Sculpture Contest

Summary:

I had another idea pop into my head. Danny and Todoroki getting into a massive, but overall playful, ice sculpting 'competition' at the behest of their classmates, maybe even some teachers are in on it. Shenanigans ensue.

Notes:

if this chapter has taught me anything, it's that i will shoehorn aizawa into literally anything and im not sorry

Chapter Text

It starts off with Danny casually making tiny figurines.

He does it to release his ice so it doesn't store up dangerously like the time right before he fought Undergrowth. Since there isn't a lot of ghost activities, and he's been working on his other powers in training, it's the only thing he can think of to release some of the pressure that builds up inside of his core.

And he doesn't mind doing it. And since it's ghost ice, it doesn't really melt unless he wants it to. And his friends seem to like finding little trinkets around the kitchen and common room.

Usually he makes little animals. Kouda seems to really love them, and he'll sit at the coffee table in the common room to play with them. Sometimes Kirishima and Kaminari will channel their inner child and pick up the bigger ones and make them fight. Momo likes the tigers in particular, and as a gift for being the best teacher he's ever had, he left a cat on Aizawa's desk before he made it to homeroom.

All of this is a silent endeavor. He never wanted to take credit, but it comes out anyway. It's a hot day and the pressure underneath his skin is building, so he brings his hands together and makes a statue of Thirteen, just a little bit bigger than his hand, and sets it down on the end table next to him.

And before he knows it, he's being roped into an ice sculpture contest with Todoroki.

And while he hasn't been making any sculptures with his ice, Danny knows he probably can. But 1-A lives by the Plus Ultra (i.e. go big or go home) motto so they take their ice powers outside.

The first is their favorite pro hero. Danny makes a life sized figure of Thirteen, this time with one of her finger holes open, and there's a swirl of thin ice being dragged into it. He's studied Thirteen since he was good enough to say her name. He knows it's perfect.

Todoroki makes a life sized All Might figure. It is as equally detailed as Danny's Thirteen.

Next is their favorite animal. Danny's never really thought much about it. He's never really been an animal kind of guy, with the exception of Cujo. So he just shrugs and makes a sculpture of him in his giant version, with blank eyes and a lolling, drooling tongue. Todoroki makes a snow leopard prowling for food. It looks absolutely elegant and menacing.

For the third and final round, they have to make one of each other. They scrutinize each other for a solid minute, taking in every single detail that they can. Danny pays more attention to the way his eyes are narrowed with concentration, the way his white strands of hair lay over the red. The way his smile tugs up ever so slightly at the corner. The scar is there, but more of an afterthought, just like the real Todoroki.

It's at this point that Aizawa and Mic are coming up, but Danny is so, so close to being done that he doesn't even notice. It's not until he actually backs into him when he takes a step back to look at his work that he notices. And he jumps ten feet in the air with a startled yelp, which just makes Mic laugh at him.

"What's going on?" Aizawa asks.

"Todoroki and Fenton are having an ice sculpture contest!" Ashido yells excitedly.

"Yeah, but they're both so good we haven't been able to decide on a winner," Uraraka chimes in. Iida chops his hand in agreement.

Aizawa looks between the two ice wielders before looking back at their works of art that are scattered around the courtyard. And in one fell swoop, he and Mic have become their unofficial judges.

"I vote Thirteen," Aizawa says, looking between the two.

"You only say that cause you don't like All Might," Mic says, rolling his eyes.

"My point still stands."

"How-"

"-The snow leopard wins," Aizawa continues. "It's got more realistic proportions than the dog. Bigger doesn't always mean better."

"Okay, but my dog can actually do that," Danny tries to defend, but it falls on deaf ears, unsurprisingly so.

"That's a tie so far," Midoriya mumbles. "Whoever wins the next one wins the contest."

"What does the winner get?" Mic asks him. Danny and Todoroki just shrug.

"Bragging rights?"

"Fair enough."

"You two, come stand next to yourselves," Aizawa says. His inability to decide between the two without them being right next to the sculptures is a testament to how good they actually are, Danny thinks. It may as well be an actual compliment.

"They look...Exactly the same," he says eventually. "Both are carbon copies of the real people. Looks like it's a tie."

"Awe, that's no fun-"

"-does that mean we both get bragging rights?"

"Okay but if I stick my tongue to them-"

"-Is it possible that the dog could hold my weight? I wanna ride it-"

The class forgets the competition almost as quickly as when they dragged Danny and Todoroki outside. The two boys share an amused look before Danny gestures to the sidewalk behind them.

"Do you wanna take a walk? I think I'm done with people for today."

Todoroki, ever the anti-social boy that he is, just nods. Aizawa envies them as the others bicker about the best way to get on top of the giant Cujo statue that Danny made.

"So," Todoroki says after a few minutes of walking in a comfortable silence. "Does your dog actually get that big?"

Danny grins. "Yeah," he pulls out his phone. "Here are some pictures..."

Chapter 56: Death is Waiting

Summary:

Danny shows up at kamino (well, more like leaps over the railing, out of Midoriya's grip, but who's counting) - normally, it's a Death's job to hunt down those who dodge the natural course of things, but sometimes the King of All Ghosts can take on a case or two. And, with the beginnings of a liscenced hero career under his centuries old belt, he thinks he's more than equipped to take on this human with an ego complex the size of the Keep.
Hopefully All Might feels the same.

Chapter Text

The Ghost King Phantom did not often let himself deal with the petty squabbles of men. Now that he was long dead, and long king, he had other responsibilities, and his own little pocket dimension to take care of.

But then he came out of his hidey hole and saw just how colorful the world had become, with brightly colored heroes and villains and the sun beaming down on him like it hasn't done in centuries.

So it's only natural that he gets his hero license.

It take a lot of time and lot of bureaucracy but in the end it's worth it. Because now, he's not here in Kamino on a hero mission. He's here in Kamino on a Ghost King Mission.

Phantom is from a time before quirks, but he's surrounded himself around powerful ancient beings to know when he's starring one in the face. Or, well, in this case the helmet.

Without much fanfare he escapes Midoriya's grip and leaps over the railing. He throws up a shield just in case they try and follow him. Their mission is to save Bakugou.

His mission is to take care of this person who should have been long dead.

He can feel the soul decay all the way over there. It's like a beacon calling to him, and he's suddenly struck by a conversation Death had with him decades ago.

"I cannot take him, though it is his time," they told Danny.

"We will take care of him in due time, old friend. I'm afraid with his certain powerset it will be a great feat."

"But if not now, then when?"

"I'll take care of everything when the time is right," Phantom assures his friend. "And when I do, his soul will be yours to consume."

He walks calmly across the battlefield. He let's his own ancient power surround them like a thick blanket. It is welcoming and warm to the heroes trying to do good by the public. It is absolutely suffocating to those who try and do otherwise.

And even though he's in the body of his sixteen year old self, he holds himself like the kind he is. His shoulders are broad and held back. His chin is lifted with a confidence that running an entire dimension for over two hundred years will give to you. He has power, and he is not afraid to use it.

All for One recognizes this.

"You're different," he tells Phantom. "Older than you appear, it seems."

Phantom lets himself drift into the sky, letting his power ebb and flow, pulsing brightly as he stares down his nose at All for One.

"You should have died a long time ago, Shigaraki," he says. "So would you like to needlessly draw this out or skip to the good part?"

His powers flash again, and he can feel his crown atop his head. His cape is flowing in the wind, and he knows that everybody is listening to him. He is the all powerful King of Ghosts. His presence demands to be listened to. None of the heroes try and stop him.

"You cannot help these petty heroes," All for One tells him.

"I'm not doing it for them," he says, his voice booming and firm. It sounds much deeper than normal. "You should have died centuries ago, but instead you have decided to rot away on the planes of this earth. It is long past time for you to leave."

Without warning, All for One sends an attack his way.

Without moving, Danny slashes his hand across his chest, sending the attack towards the destruction of the buildings around them, where no other citizens are.

"It seems as though we are equal in power," All for One boasts. Phantom can see All Might in the corner of his eyes, struggling to get to his feet as he looks down upon this ancient villain. And it seems, this ancient villain has made a grand mistake.

"It seems as though you are wrong," Phantom tells him. And, man, he really has to apologize to Aizawa after this. "While you hold onto your fear of death, of your very soul being consumed by them, I am not held back by such childish notions." He let's his aura be all consuming, wrapping him up in an ethereal light. "I am the Ghost King: Phantom, and you will fall by my hand."

All for One tries another attack, but Phantom counters it before it even starts. He blasts All for One into the ground, creating a crater the size of a truck.

"I will win, because my duty is to protect against the personification of evil such as yourself," he hits him squarely in the chest with a powerful ectoblast, sending him further into the ground. His voice is booming and commanding and he knows that everybody is listening. Even as he throws up a shield around Bakugou and lifts him out of the fight. He drops him behind the wall where the others are. He encases the League in his ghostly, unbreakable ice as he descends upon All for One, standing over his crater like it's a grave.

"Today you will be face to face with whatever saw fit to let you exist in the universe, and you will have to justify the space you've filled," he tells All for One. "And knowing Death as a personal friend, I can tell you that your odds do not look to be in your favor."

All for One sends another attack, and because of the close proximity and manages to send Phantom skyrocketing into the air and into the shield that stands between the fight and the kids. It cracks with the force, but doesn't break.

It's fine. He's had worse.

He wipes the ectoplasm that's gathered at the edge of his mouth from the force of the blow. His suit is in tatters, and it is draped across his form in artful tatters. All for One got lucky with the one shot he made against Phantom.

He will not be lucky again.

Phantom moves faster than the blink of an eye. His fists are glowing and powerful as they send All for One careening back into the ground. In the time it takes him to stand back up, his right arm is larger than his whole body, disgustingly mutated with the many quirks he's got stored in his body.

"This is the ultimate combination of quirks," he says. "And it will defeat you."

All for One steps forward. He pulls his arm back and swings.

It all happens in slow motion. At least, it does for Phantom.

He blocks the attack with his left, knocking the villain off balance. He digs his heels into the ground, and braces himself. But instead of winding up for another punch, he sucks in a deep, lungful of air, and screams.

The sound reverberates around them, causing even more destruction to the fallen buildings. Some of them turn to dust as bright green soundwaves crash into them. All for One grips the earth because his life does indeed depend upon it. Phantom, in the blink of an eye, is gripping the front of his tattered suit and is screaming in his face.

Even without eyes, he can see the fear All for One suddenly shows.

It's not surprising to Phantom. He knows what his Wail is like. It is overbearing. Suffocatingly so. It presses down with all of the pain and mourning Phantom felt when he died his first time. It presses down with the grief of dying his second and final time, strapped to a cold table with white cloaks standing over him. It suffocates them with all of the overwhelming negative emotions Phantom has felt during both of his deaths.

It is the sound he made when he walked into that portal and turned it on.

But above all else, it presses down with determination. A determination to do right by the people who cannot protect themselves. A determination to carry out his obsession. A determination to fix a wrong he should have taken care of when Death first brought it to his attention.

It was the will of the Ghost King, unwavering and all-powerful. It is bright like a supernova and thrice as powerful. It is blinding and all-consuming and absolutely, terrifyingly destructive.

It is absolutely beautiful.

He didn't stop screaming until he felt the life drain away from All for One. He didn't stop until a tiny blue wisp escaped his mouth. And though he nobody else could see the remains of All for One's ghost, he could. So he grabs him by the throat, and in a bright flash of light, he sends Death a gift.

The battlefield is eerily silent. There is carnage all around them, and a massive crater bigger than anybody's ever seen that was made from Phantom's Ghostly Wail.

He stands over the remains of All for One. His shoulders are broad and pulled back. His head is held high in the kind of victory only a king could feel so deeply.

He walks to All Might, and helps him to his feet. He looks like he has questions, but he it too bewildered to ask them. Especially out in the open as other heroes and rescue operatives start to flood the area. Soon there will be the news reporters and pestering questions. But in the brief second he whispers into All Might's ear, it doesn't matter anymore.

"Nana Shimura is proud of you," he says. All Might goes stiff in his grip, his piercing blue eyes searching Phantom's toxic green ones for any lie. When he finds that there is none, he pulls Phantom into a hug, crushing him with the last bits of his strength.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, my boy," he says. He sounds choked with tears.

"Later, All Might," he says. "For now, let's go rest."

Chapter 57: Why Do You Want to be a Hero?

Summary:

Danny, a gen ed student cuz he still believes that all school are biased to quirkless and thus still hiding, meets shinsou and trains him to be a hero. If only he could hide from nedzu...
Bonus: Danny is vigilante

Chapter Text

It took almost no effort on his part to get unto U.A.

To be fair, he hadn't taken the hero course test. Just the one for general education, because he's pretty sure people would ask a lot of questions why he suddenly manifested a quirk six months ago, and he can't afford being subjugated to all of the questions that might come his way. They might get taken from his parents, or he could be sent to the government, or whatever else.

Sam says U.A. is different.

And maybe it is. He has, after all, seen a hero course kid walking around with the same red shoes as him.

(But that same kid had a quirk. He wasn't a ghost, though. Maybe a rare kind of late bloomer?)

But he doesn't want to chance it. Especially since he's most definitely met their homeroom teacher out on patrol as Phantom. He's sure that if he was in that class, he's have been found out a long time ago.

He knew how strict the laws were against vigilantism but technically those only applied to the quirked, and he didn't have one. He was just dead.

Arguably not much better, but. Well. Silver lining.

Plus it was his fault in the first place that ghosts were even running around Musatafu, so it was his responsibility to wrangle them up and dump them back in the Zone. Plus, he was the only one who could actually stand in the same ring as them. No other hero he knew of could fight the ghosts and do what they do because none of their quirks factored in the natural baseline powers all ghosts had-intangibility, flight, and invisibility. Most have some kind of ectoblast, sure, but a lot of them have to have special ways to channel them, like Ember and her guitar. So that wasn't too big of an issue.

Plus gen ed wasn't that bad. Sure, he couldn't be in the same class as Sam, but he had already made another friend. And considering how little he had, it was quite the accomplishment.

"At the sports festival I'm going to win," Shinsou was telling them as they walked back to Mic's class. "That's why I've been so tight lipped about my quirk. If that information got to anybody, I'd be down for the count before I get the chance to get started."

"I can help you," Danny said without really thinking about it. "I mean-I've been working out, and fighting and stuff. And I can process quirk information pretty quickly. I could help train you, if you want."

"Sure," Shinsou replies. "A little company from the only other sane person in this school definitely wouldn't hurt."

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

"Dude," Shinsou coughed from his place on the floor. Danny was standing over him with a sheepish smile as he helped Shinsou back to his feet. "How are you so fast? And strong? Is that your quirk?"

"I don't kiss and tell, Shinsou," he said with a sly smile. "Now, let's try it one more time."

Shinsou nodded before getting into a defensive stance. His arms were in front, protecting his face like Danny had showed him. They had three weeks until the festival, and it turns out Danny is actually really scary when he gets into a fight. He was going to make this time count.

He lunged.

-------

"Hey, little listener," Mic said as he strolled up to Danny. He passed him a note. Danny took it, eyeing Mic warily. "Principal Nezu wants to speak to you."

Mic didn't sound super worried, more confused, but the small, "good luck" he gave him on the way out the door just made Danny's nerves worse.

He hadn't done anything to warrant a visit from their esteemed principal. Maybe they finally looked at his file and realized he was quirkless? Sure, he had updated his information with the government and everything, but they were still going to ask why it took so long for it to bloom, and why he's got so many. Maybe he can make an excuse of his body not being ready to handle to many powers at once. Not until he bulked up. It could be passible, since his late night escapades did give him some muscle, but he was a shitty liar and he knew it.

Someone was bound to find out about his quirklessness sooner or later. He just wishes he'd had a chance to show U.A. what he was made despite the fact.

When he gets there, the door opens by itself, because of course it does. Inside sitting at his big desk in his big chair is the tiny principal of U.A. His nose twitches excitedly as he gives Danny a toothy grin. It doesn't feel predatory, but it still has this edge to it that Danny can't quite place.

"Hello. Uh, you wanted to see me?" He asks as he walks up to the desk. He holds back a wince. Being socially isolated your entire life will make some day-to-day things a bit awkward, and it seems like this is one of them.

"Ah, yes! Mr. Fenton, I have been very excited to meet you since the entrance exam! Though with the business of getting everybody set up for school and then the unfortunate USJ incident a few days ago, I haven't had much time. Nevertheless, I am excited to finally speak with you. Please, sit."

Danny does. The steaming cup of tea that's already in front of him doesn't go unnoticed, but he makes no move to pick it up. His stomach is rolling over so much that just the thought of drinking it makes him want to hurl.

"What is this about, sir?" Danny asks, and he's proud of himself that his voice doesn't waver like it usually does when he's under pressure.

"I wanted to speak to you about your, uh, extra curricular activities," Nezu says. He sounds much to cheerful for what is about to come, Danny thinks. "I'm well aware of your vigilante persona, Mr. Fenton."

Danny's blood turns to ice as he tries to school his features, but Nezu has been analyzing him since he walked through the door. There's no way he didn't see the panic in Danny's body language, which all but confirms it for the principal. And, again, he was a shit liar. There's no way he'd believe anything that came out of Danny's mouth if it wasn't some kind of confirmation.

"Tell me, Mr. Fenton," Nezu continued. "Why did you decide to become a vigilante? Surely with your quirk-or rather, quirks-you could have gotten into the hero course easily. You didn't even bother applying, though."

"I was afraid you'd be like every other school," Danny replied after a few tense moments of silence. He picked up the tea in front of him, but didn't take a sip. He just needed something in his hands to keep him from fidgeting to much. Teachers didn't like when he did, and he was definitely on thin ice right now. He couldn't risk anything.

He couldn't help the hunch in his shoulders as he subconsciously tried to make himself smaller. It was the only way he was going to survive, after all. Be weak and submissive and they'd take pity on you.

"Would you care to elaborate?" Nezu asked.

"I got my quirk like, six months ago," Danny's voice is so quiet even he can barely here it. But judging from the small flick of Nezu's ears, he heard him perfectly. "I grew up quirkless, and until my powers came in, I was treated as such. When I was applying to schools, most wouldn't even accept my application. I didn't think I'd be able to get in at all, let alone the hero course."

"A fair observation," Nezu told him. "I assure you that U.A. will not have such discrimination within our walls. Now, I don't normally advertise this, but if those who are in the gen ed course do well enough in the sports festival, they can be transferred to the hero course."

"I know, I've been helping Shinsou with his training the past few days." Danny replies.

"Have you considered trying for the hero course yourself? It would certainly be easier than going down the road of vigilantism."

Danny looked up at the principal, confused. "You mean you won't expel me?" He asked, daring to hope. But this whole situation was also very confusing, because then it begged the question, why? Why wasn't he being expelled on the spot right now?

"No, I am not."

"I'm confused," Danny admitted. "Why?"

"Because you show potential to be a proper hero."

Danny does not jump ten feet in the air. He doesn't.

No, instead he turns around, where Eraserhead has been leaning against the wall. When did he get there? Knowing him, probably the whole time. Danny, with his luck, probably just walked right past him without even noticing.

But this just caused more problems. Because Eraserhead was the underground pro assigned to bring him in. He was the pro who he'd been flying circles around for the past six months, taunting him while fighting off ghosts and the occasional purse snatcher. Danny paled as he walked towards them.

"And because, as of right now, we find that you are the only one who can defeat the new type of villain that's been popping up everywhere, all with a similar powerset as you."

"They're ghosts," Danny says with a shrug. If he sound casual about it maybe they won't ask him if he's one, too, even though the answer to that now is a very obvious yes. "My parents are ghost hunters. I'm the only one who's actually been able to fight them. And has the technology to fight them. Since I got my powers it's either vigilantism to stop ghosts or just sit idly by while Technus takes over every electronic store in Musatafu. One of those options is significantly less annoying than the other."

"It still doesn't negate the fact that you've been breaking the law," Eraserhead says. "However, if you're willing to work with us, we can come up with some kind of plan to take care of these so called ghosts without you having to interfere."

"Why go through all of this trouble to help me?" Danny asks him. Because it is a foreign concept to him. His whole life he's been pushed around and beaten to a pulp. When he was twelve he was almost kidnapped by human traffickers picking off quirkless kids like him. And the amount of times he's had to replace his middle school desk is astronomical. And every teacher he's ever had-with the exception of Mr. Lancer from middle school-has just stood idly by and watched the abuse happen. And it's the instincts that come with living quirkless for a decade that have saved him, both physically and emotionally. And it's not that he doesn't want to trust them. He does. He wants to, so fucking much.

He just has no idea how.

Aizawa seems to consider this for a moment, looking down at Danny with dark eyes and a blank expression. Though it's not calculating like Nezu's gaze. It's like he's getting confirmation from all the words Danny never said.

"Why do you want to be a hero?" He asks.

And man, isn't that the million dollar question.

Why did he want to be a hero? Was it because he know what it felt like to be absolutely powerless? Or because he had grown up in the armpit of society, ostracized at every turn over something he couldn't control? While they were true, neither of those answers felt quite right on his tongue.

Because how can he describe the feeling of rightness when he saved someone from a ghost of a villain? How was he going to explain the hum in his core at the relief he saw from those he's rescued. How triumphant it felt as he stood on his own two feet after a hard battle won. And even though the sting of failure was at the forefront of his mind, there was a sort of comfort he felt every time he pushed past that fear to do the right thing.

"My entire life, I've never had any power. Growing up quirkless was absolutely terrible. But then one day, I started getting my quirk. And then I was able to do all of these things. And then I had to ask myself, now what? I can either do what everybody expected of me and join the dark side, or I could lend people the hand that I had never had the privilege of receiving. Doing unspeakable acts to the society that never cared about me, or lifting people up in their time of need. When I asked myself that question, it wasn't really a choice at all.

"The first time I saw a ghost attack, it was like my body moved on it's own. I don't even really remember the fight, it's all kind of a blur. But I just knew I had to protect them. If I didn't, I don't know what I would have done with myself."

It was a long winded backwards way of saying he wanted to protect those in need, but judging by the soft, almost fond look on Eraserhead's otherwise blank face, he figured he answered correctly.

"You're going to teach me how to fight ghosts," Eraserhead said eventually. "And I'll help you become a hero. And Shinsou too, since this school does still have its obvious biases," he said, shooting a look at Nezu. Then he turned back to Danny with an expectant look. "Do we have a deal?"

To Danny, this wasn't really much of a choice either.

Chapter 58: Safe and Sound

Summary:

Danny gets a Y section cut and, in his deliriousness, runs to the only place he calls home.

Notes:

This is a Guys in White chapter so
tw: experimentation
tw: torture
(mostly just mentioned, nothing super detailed but still, tread carefully if you're uncomfortable with this stuff)

Chapter Text

Danny's lungs burned as he ran. He had no real idea where he was going, if he was being completely honest. With the amount of pain he was in, mixed with whatever they had shoved into his bloodstream made coherent thinking nothing but a myth. He was running this way and that, ducking into alleys and sewers based purely of instinct.

It had started on a bright, Tuesday morning.

He had actually gotten plenty of sleep, and all of his homework was finished and packed away. It was supposed to be a good day.

And then it wasn't.

He had been walking to school when it happened. There was shortcut he took through a small patch of abandoned office buildings to get to the train, so there was nobody around to see him get kidnapped by a bunch of guys in sunglasses riding around in pristine, white vans.

And man, they did not pull any punches.

First it was just regular tests you would take at a doctor, though he's pretty sure doctors don't string their patients up and leave them at the mercy of the overzealous security guards with terrible anger management issues.

They dumped god knows what into his system. The hallucinations had been bad, but bearable once he found that they vanished if he was able to touch them. Which, due to his restraints wasn't often, but it gave him some peace of mind knowing that none of the hallucinations of his friends and family and teachers were actually real. if they were, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to take the cutting words they had said to him.

He pulled at the collar around his neck as he slipped out of the sewers and started running. He was stuck in his ghost form, but wasn't able to use any of his powers. And to make things worse, he had this dumb muzzle stuck to his face. It had some kind of special lock so he couldn't just rip it off. It was too small and dug into the bridge of his nose and the tops of his cheeks, and it made breathing way harder than normal, and in turn, slowed him down.

A part of him was almost thankful it was the middle of the night, where there wouldn't be any normal people looking at him. He's sure that the story of a shirtless glowing kid bleeding out was a fun headline, but he didn't want the extra attention. Though he's sure that if he had broken out of the Guys in White compound during the day, the process of running away would be a lot easier.

As he rounded a corner, he saw the all too familiar headlights of one of the vans that had been following him around since he escaped. He ducked under some shots that were thrown his way and cut through a park. He needed somewhere safe. Somewhere with security. His parents, if they hadn't figured it out then, probably knew now, but they still weren't an option. The Guys in White knew where they lived, and he would be damned if he led them right to his family. So he went with the next best thing his instincts could come up with.

Climbing the gat of U.A. was nearly impossible, but with the tree about ten feet away from the side of campus is was manageable. It took him way longer than it should have to climb it. Once he was in it, he wasted no time in finding the sturdiest branch he could and jumped from it.

He barely caught the wall. It, like everything else he touched today, was immediately stained green.

With his dwindling strength he managed to pull himself up and over, though it wasn't a soft landing by any means. He fell onto his side, hitting the cold, hard ground with a distinct thud. What little air that was in his lungs was knocked out, and he struggled through his muzzle to gasp for much needed air as he pulled himself up to his feet.

His vision blurred as he was his with a wave of vertigo, but he couldn't stop. Not when he was so close. He just needed to get a little closer, and he's be home free. The heroes would stop the Guys in White.

Who were currently starting to make a valiant attempt to scale the wall.

Danny, without much fanfare, continued to run as much as his body would allow. Which wasn't much. With how exhausted and injured he was, he was surprised he was moving at all. Maybe it was the adrenaline finally doing him a favor.

Thankfully he had made his way to the side of campus that had the dorms-including the ones that housed the teachers. He went there, and pounded on the door with what little strength he had left.

When a very tired looking Cementoss opened the door, Danny's knees buckled, and he collapsed. The last thing he saw before his vision went dark was a Cementoss looking over his shoulder and shouting.

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

All of the teachers held their students near and dear to their heart, but that was taken to a whole new level with Aizawa.

And what he saw made his blood boil.

He didn't have time to process that though. Not when the alarms were going off, waking everybody and their mothers up. Not when Thirteen was busy carting off his missing student to Recovery Girl. And god, he wanted to be there with him, but right now, they were being invaded, and Aizawa had two months worth of pent up aggression.

He grabbed his scarf and goggles and ran out with Cementoss, who was creating barriers to stop the men in white from getting any closer. The students were starting to come out of their dorms. His hell class all but busted the front doors down, ready for a fight. He didn't have the time to tell them to go back to bed, though.

Around him, Ectoplasm's clones flew and Mic's screams shook the ground they ran on. They were being blasted with a strange, green energy, and Aizawa worked purely on instinct as he dodged this way and that.

And if he found the sickening crunch of bones breaking beneath his hands like music to his ears than that was his business.

They had hurt hiss student. And if that giant scar on his chest was anything to go by, that had experimented on him.

Aizawa was not a merciful man this night.

His students joined the fight against these mysterious operatives and he didn't tell them no. Not when he saw Bakugou absolutely pulverize one of them. Not when he saw Midoriya break a few kneecaps. Not when Todoroki was surely giving them hypothermia and third degree burns.

Not when he knew they recognized the glowing green that stained the earth beneath their feet.

With everybody fighting, it ended quickly. Much to quickly for Aizawa's liking, because he was still shaking with rage. Even as blood dripped from his fists and the invaders laid on the ground, absolutely mutilated.

He did not lecture his students on their obscene force because then he would be a hypocrite. Instead, he told them to go back to the dorms, and a teacher would be there to explain everything shortly. They went without argument, which was good, because Aizawa didn't have the energy for that.

Not when he had a student to go visit.

----------

When Danny woke up, he was not met with the blinding white lights and antiseptic small he had grown wary of. Instead, he was met with the smell of fresh flowers and a familiar perfume, though he couldn't place where he had smelled it before. His everything hurt, and it was blocking off any kind of coherent thought he could make. But he was still okay enough to relish in the fact that for the first time in days-maybe weeks-he was safe.

He slipped in and out of consciousness. He probably could have stayed awake the first time he woke up, but everything still felt overwhelming, and it had been far too easy to fall back asleep. But when he woke up, and stayed awake, he was met with his tired teacher dozing in the chair next to his bed. Next to him was Jazz, and behind her were his parents. Judging from the looks on their faces, Jazz probably told them everything.

He tried to sit up, and although he wasn't in too much pain anymore, his limbs still felt like lead. He fell back into the bed with a soft grunt, and everybody's attention was on him in a second.

The reunion with his family was met with loud sobs and apologies and reassurances. They were, for once, gentle with their hugs, but did not treat him like glass on the verge of breaking.

Recovery Girl came up and gave them all a list of the damages. Drugs in his system, the remnants of a mind quirk used on him, and of course the glaring autopsy scar that marred his torso. Since most of the stitches had probably popped during his escape, he was glad to see that they were done properly and with obvious care this time, and not just to last long enough until the next session.

The wound had completely closed over, but he couldn't tell if it was from Recovery Girl or his own accelerated healing. And if he was being completely honest, his mind had started to drift a bit when she was talking. It was okay, though. There were four other people in this room who would make sure he was well taken care of, and no doubt nineteen other bratty teenagers willing to wait on him hand and foot until he was better.

The Fentons stayed for a couple more hours, giving him a sense of peace and stability. When Detective Tsukauchi came in to ask him questions, Jazz held onto his hand like a vice as he spoke. He was surprised that the answers came as easily as they did. Maybe it was because he was still exhausted.

Recovery Girl shooed his family out closely after the detective left, leaving him and Aizawa alone to talk before Danny fell asleep again.

"Sorry," he found himself saying. Aizawa looked at him, eyebrows raised and eyes confused. "I didn't-I didn't mean to worry you guys."

Even if Aizawa denied it, it was pretty obvious. His expression was professionally schooled into a calm blankness, but he could see the worry lines across his face, and the bags under his eyes looked almost like bruises. He looked much older than he had the last time Danny had seen him, and even though it hadn't really been his fault, he couldn't help but feel a little responsible.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Danny," he said as he stood up. Danny winced in sympathy as half his joints popped with the movement. "This was all out of your control."

"I know. I just...I don't know." He was almost surprised that those words felt as true as they did. He decided to ignore it, and tactfully change the subject. "What happened? After I blacked out, I mean."

"The Guys in White invaded the school grounds and they were met with the full force of the staff and heroics department."

"Meaning?"

"Most of them are in the intensive care unit being treated as we speak. They sustained several life threatening injuries."

Danny's eyes flicked to Aizawa's hands. His knuckles were wrapped in white bandages, and there was blood crusted along his fingernails, not all the way washed off. If Aizawa hadn't held back, he could only imagine what the others did.

The thought was oddly comforting.

"What's going to happen to them?" He asked. His voice was small, weak.

Afraid.

Aizawa sat at the edge of the bed and grippe his hand. The bandages were rough against his skin, but not uncomfortable.

"Nezu has the full power of the U.A. lawyers and half the government in his back pocket. They're being shut down, and each and every member is going to prison for illegal experimentation and child abuse."

Danny let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. And it was only when Aizawa hugged him did he realize he was crying.

He didn't know why. Maybe it was from the pain. Maybe because he was tired. Maybe because he was just so fucking relieved that it was all over. Maybe all of the above. But throughout his breakdown, Aizawa was a strong presence, and a soft comfort, and, well, no doubt he had plenty of experience with Midoriya's tears. Danny's were probably a walk in the park by now.

"We're going to take things slow," Aizawa says as they pull apart after a while. "While you're recovering you're going to be catching up on homework you missed. And you'll be starting sessions with Hound Dog, though if you don't like him we can set you up with an affiliate of U.A. And...If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask me or any of the other teachers. Okay?"

If Danny wasn't so tired he's sure he would have started crying again from the sheer amount of care he was feeling from his teacher. Instead, he let out a wide yawn as he nodded his agreement. His jaw cracked uncomfortably, sore from being forced shut for so long. Aizawa gave him a soft smile, and pulled him into another hug.

"I'm glad you're safe," he said. But Danny was already slipping back into sleep, his body actively refusing to stay awake at this point. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

It was the first night in nearly two months that he didn't dream.

Chapter 59: Double Trouble

Summary:

Chaotic mei and danny duo as they scavenge through his ex-parents inventions.
Improves, creates better, anti phantom detection, good for other than ghosts!
EXPLOTIONS!!!! (since i think ectoplasm is highly dangerous without safety measures... Rip power loader)
bonus: note to self; keep her AWAY from the fenton mech suit.

Notes:

Hey everybody! Sorry for being off the radar for a while, I've been busy with commissions and regular work. This one is pretty short but i had a lot of fun with it!

Chapter Text

Danny met Mei through a series of very chaotic events that may or may not have involved a stink bomb gone wrong, mild property damage, and detention every day for a month.

They've been inseparable ever since.

Especially since Danny told her his parents, before they were arrested, created support items as well as ghost hunting equipment.

Most of the ghost hunting stuff was seen as garbage since it didn't really work against anybody but Danny and other ghosts. And since most of the general public of Musatafu thought ghost attacks were regular villain attacks, they didn't think much of it. The attacks were so rare that they were almost always immediately forgotten about.

Which meant that most of his parents inventions, save for the portal, were thrown in the dump.

The dump that he and Mei were currently rummaging through.

He had some blueprints saved onto his computer just in case he ever needed them. His parents had handed them over pretty quickly when he showed a mild interest in ghost hunting. It was one of the only times they had spoken to him as their kid and not just some guy living with them rent free. Too bad that didn't last long.

"What is this?" Mei asked, popping up from her pile of garbage. She was holding up a silver belt with a green, glowing center.

"Specter deflector. Wear it and it creates a shield to protect you from ghosts. Though it doesn't last very long so it's gotta be used sparingly."

"Not when I'm done with it!" She cackled. Danny grinned.

This was going to be so much fun.

----------

After about seven showers and a massive equipment haul later, they hunkered down in the support department after school. Mei had thankfully promised not to work on them without him, so long as he met up with her as soon as he got done with his foundational heroics class and the occasional meet-up during lunch.

Working with Mei came as naturally to him as breathing. They were able to silently work together in tandem, without getting in each other's way. They've only really worked together one other time when Danny needed help fixing his thermos, but just that small experience alone made it so much easier to work with her now. Especially if he was able to get her focused enough to not yell directly into his ear.

They had managed to salvage a bunch of equipment from the dump. Most of it was damaged or just didn't really work well to begin with, but if it had an ectoplasmic power core then they took it.

There were a couple of inventions they just took for the power source and the spare metal. The ghost gabber was one of them. Ghosts already talked like regular people, there was no need for a shitty translator like that. There were about a half dozen wrist rays and ecto-guns. The Fenton Phones were in near perfect condition, and he handed Mei a pair before putting his own on.

"The range on these is amazing," he tells her, and she promises to keep them in all the time, just in case. Danny makes them an official part of his hero uniform, and makes a plan to make a new pair for Aizawa and Mic.

There are a couple other inventions here and there. Some of them are half finished or completely useless so they go ahead and get started with the dangerous stuff.

"Ectoplasm can be pretty volatile," Danny says as he carefully extracts a small vial of concentrated ectoplasm out of one of the ecto-guns. He places it in a small tray sitting between them. "I've got a place at home where I can safely store it, so when we're done rebuilding some of these we can put them back in. We just have to be gentle."

"I can do gentle," Mei says with the confidence of somebody who's fought god and come out the other side.

Danny, unfortunately, has full faith in her.

-----------

So it turns out, Mei cannot be gentle. This is proven by a rather large explosion when she accidentally makes one of the wrist rays go off. It had been pointed at the tray of about a dozen ectoplasm capsules.

Danny, moving on nothing but instinct, threw up a shield to protect them both from the blast. And, while the lab was kind of trashed, they were in one piece. Danny decided he'd call it a win, because the thought of Mei being a halfa like him did genuinely terrify him.

Luckily, Mei had caused the accident when nobody else was there. Which meant nobody else was going to accidentally half-die like him.

Power Loader does come in pretty quickly though, followed by Aizawa and Mic who had been on their way to pick him up to go home. Danny can only stand there, sheepishly, as they take a look around the room. Mei is laughing loudly next to him as she speaks at top volume.

"Wow, Spooky! You weren't kidding when you said it was dangerous!"

"Yeah, it's almost like I grew up around it or something," Danny says dryly as he meets Aizawa's tired gaze. Oh yeah. He's definitely getting another detention for this. Maybe he should have gotten Aizawa's permission to go dumpster dive first before actually doing it.

"I can explain," he says, and they really don't need Tsukauchi in the room to know that he's lying. Mei just laughs harder and claps a hand on his shoulder.

"Once we're done making babies there will be nothing that can stop us!"

Danny lets his head hit the table with a groan. And then groans louder because it's still covered in ectoplasm. And now it's all over his face. He lifts it back up and looks to his guardians.

"Would either of you be willing to push me into oncoming traffic?"

Mic barks out a laugh and Aizawa, with a tired sigh, ducks his face into his scarf to hide the smile Danny knows he has. Power Loader gives them each their own rags without a word.

"I was gone for literally thirty seconds," he mutters under his breath.

"Better get used to sleeping here then," Mic says. "I have a feeling this is going to be a common occurrence."

Chapter 60: Who Do You Fight For?

Summary:

You know there are a ton of stories where Izuku gets the crossover as a mentor, but why not switch it? Old Ghost King Danny finds Bakugou one day being a bully and sets him straight, then later Bakugou sees Danny beat a villain. So he comes around later and Danny helps him be less of a disaster. So a quick look at the UA acceptance exams with a calmer Bakugou, less traumatized Izuku, and Danny and All Might chatting about their little apprentices.

Notes:

im definitely making a sequel for this one

Chapter Text

Danny has had his fair share of bullies in his three hundred-ish years hanging out in the human realm. There was Dash, of course, when he was still alive. Skulker sure does know how to press his buttons sometimes. Even now that he's the king, sometimes he'll take an ill-fated swing and spend the next couple months in the thermos. Endeavour is another, when they went to school together, and even now, that both of them are pros. Working out the transformation part of his powers had been tricky, because he didn't really remember what he looked like when he was sixteen, but it worked out in the end.

But now there's this kid yelling about being the best hero ever, and he's beating the snot out of someone else.

Well, Danny knows for a fact that that isn't super heroic.

He walks up with little fanfare, but sure does give the kid a good scare. Despite the cold permanently clinging to his body, he can sneak up on people quite easily. He was naturally quiet when he was alive, and now that he's dead, his ghost instincts take over.

He places a hand on the kid's shoulder with a raised eyebrow. The kid he's beating up takes the opportunity to run away, clutching his bag to his chest as he does so. The kid tries to weasel his way out of Danny's grip, but the ghost king holds firm.

"For all that talk about wanting to be a hero you sure don't act like it, kid," he says.

"What the fuck are you talking about, you geezer?" The kid huffs. And, man, the mouth on him. He couldn't be more then twelve maybe. Danny gives him an icy smile to show that he's not playing around.

"Kid. You want to be a hero. Right?"

"Duh! What else would I be?"

"Heroes don't hurt innocent people, kid. Somewhere in that big brain of yours you surely already understand that."

The kid stays silent, but he doesn't let his fierce red eyes waver from Danny's calm, green ones. Danny sighs and gives the kid a level look. Despite his hero work and Ghost King duties, he does have free time. Maybe he could use it to tutor the kid into not being such a jackass.

"What's your name?" He asks.

"Why the hell should I tell you?" The kid barks back.

"It's only polite. My name is Danny."

"Tch," the kid says, turning his head away as if Danny isn't worth his time.

"Look," Danny says. "You wanna be a hero. I can help you with that. But if you really think you're gonna make it in the world of heroics with a shit attitude like that then you've got one rude awakening coming up."

"Well it's his fault for looking down on me!" The kid finally snaps, looking at Danny once more and not backing down. The kid's got spunk, he'll give him that.

"Did he actually say that, or is it in your head?" Danny asks. He's been on this planet for over three hundred years. At this point he can confidently smell an inferiority complex a mile away. And judging from the kid's sudden silence, he knows what the answer to his question is.

"Look," Danny pulls out his card and hands it over. It doesn't have a number on it. Just his name, and on the other side a place for him to scratch with a coin. "Take this. You ever decide you finally want some help learning how to be a good hero, just scratch that and I'll be there. Time knows we don't need another Endeavour on our hands."

"Endeavour sucks," the kid spits out. "All Might is way better."

"I suppose it's a good thing he's number one then," he replied. He takes his hand off of the kid's shoulder and stands back up to his full height.

"Why should I trust a dirty old hobo like you?" The kid asks. And, okay, he's not wrong but he could have been nicer about it. The white hair and the green eyes were easier to keep, but they weren't uncommon enough for him to be pegged as Phantom. And to downplay it even more, he wears clothes that don't fit properly so he can hide his figure. It only makes sense when you're a pretty popular hero.

"I think they call that a leap of faith. When you're ready you should try it sometime."

----------

It's three weeks later when Katsuki is saved by the mysterious man with white hair. Who just so happens to be another cool hero. The number 13 hero, to be exact. And Katsuki had all but told him to fuck off.

God, he was kind of an idiot sometimes.

He had been thinking about what Phantom had said. About De-Izuku looking down on him being in his head. He doesn't remember why he started thinking these things. He just remembers the burning anger associated with it. Maybe it was because Izuku was the only one dumb enough to stand up to him. Or maybe it's because, even when Katsuki pushes and pushes and pushes Izuku still resists, and wants to be his friend. He doesn't understand it, and that makes him frustrated, which just makes him angry all over again.

And it's exhausting, being angry all the time. It's like he's got this knot in his chest and every time he tries to untangle it, to unravel it and let himself relax for once, it just gets more and more tangled. And holy hell does it fucking ache. He's tired of being angry and he's tired of being followed around by idiots who don't know how to think for themselves and he's-he's just tired, he thinks.

He looks over at the card on his nightstand. A constant reminder that has Katsuki's thought's going in circles.

Because Phantom was right. Izuku hadn't necessarily done anything wrong. He wasn't a villain. And heroes were only supposed to fight villains. So why did he bother staining his own knuckles with Izuku's blood?

He finds a coin at the bottom of the drawer and scratches at the back of the card.

-----------

"Katsuki Bakugou."

"What?" Phantom asks him.

"My name. It's Katsuki Bakugou. You asked me last time we talked."

"That I did," Phantom says, and there's a small, ghost of a smile on his lips. He holds out his hand for Katsuki to shake. "It's nice to finally meet you, Katsuki Bakugou. Are you ready to get started?"

Katsuki grips the hand like his life depends on it. He does not shiver from the cold seeping through Phantom's gloved hand.

"I was born ready."

------

Training with Phantom isn't like anything Katsuki thought it was going to be. Sure, sometimes they worked with his quirk and his fighting and the process of building muscle. But most of the time, they just talked.

They talked about why Katsuki wanted to be a hero. All his life, the reason was always so simple until now. He wanted to be the best. He wanted to be like-no, better-than All Might. And to do that he needed to be at the top.

But Phantom had just shook his head with an almost sad smile and asked him again. A clear order to think on it some more. To go down deeper than that.

It had taken nearly a year for Katsuki to come back with an answer.

In that year, he's had more conversations. Some about his mom being annoying. Some about how he and Izuku have sort of fixed their relationship. Izuku has always been quick to forgive, but it doesn't stop the burning guilt Katsuki feels every time he looks at the boy without his shirt off.

Overtime they work through his inferiority complex and when Katsuki feels frustrated at someone or something he takes it out on Phantom during their training, because he can take the hits. But that's also not healthy all the time, so he also writes in a journal occasionally. Usually when Phantom isn't available.

And overtime, the knot in his chest lessens. It becomes manageable. It's still there, and probably always will be. Katsuki doesn't know how to not be angry. It's one of the only emotions he knows how to express really well. But his chest doesn't ache anymore with the anger. And usually, when he is feeling that way, it's not because someone is looking down at him. It's because someone else is being a bully. It's because someone else has knocked Izuku to the ground and Katsuki in all his righteous anger will not be stopped. It's sometimes at himself, when he remembers what he put his best friend through for the better part of a decade.

Because Izuku is his best friend. Probably his only real friend. And Katsuki had treated him like shit.

Phantom was right. That hadn't been super heroic of him.

Because Izuku was still strong in his own ways. With his unwavering determination and his expert analysis Katsuki is sure he'll be a good hero some day.

He doesn't know how to say these words out loud, though, so instead he invites Izuku to jog with him in the mornings and do homework together after school, and that's okay for now.

----------

"Where are we?" Bakugou asks. Phantom looks down at him. He's grown so much over the past couple years, it's hard to imagine that he had once been a snot nosed brat with an attitude problem.

And he still was. But it was more manageable than it was before. It didn't consume Bakugou's every waking moment like it used to, and Phantom couldn't be more proud of his student.

"We're in my home," Phantom answered, gesturing to the swirling green abyss. "This is the Ghost Zone. Come one, I'll show you my Keep."

It didn't take them far to get there. The castle has aged with him through the years. It's no longer dark and dreary like how Pariah had had it. Instead, it's bricks are well kept and the gardens tamed by his groundskeeper who's obsession is gardening. The inside is not particularly bright, but anybody could still see just fine. It's got a homey, lived in kind of feel to it. Even when he keeps it cold for his core, it feels warm. It feels like home.

In the throne room there is his big fancy chair with his crown and his cape sitting perfectly folded. As he puts them on, marveling for the millionth time as the constellations on the inside of his cape move around, he directs Bakugou's attention to the portraits on his walls.

They are of his family. His friends. Long, long since passed but not a day goes by where Danny doesn't think about them.

"These were my friends and family," he says. He hasn't quite explained to Bakugou that he's three hundred years old and actually dead, but he's sure that with all of this cold, hard proof surrounding him the conversation will be easier. "These are my parents," he gestures to their portraits. His father takes up nearly all of his frame with his broad shoulders and barrel chest. His mother is smiling serenely towards the viewer, her eyes sharp with knowledge. "This was my sister, Jazz," he gestures. Jazz is sitting ramrod straight just like always. There are crows feet around her eyes, and her favorite blue headband keeping her bangs out of her face. She looks as kind and intelligent as she did the day she died. He moves over to Sam and Tucker, and introduces them to Bakugou. Tucker had filled out as he got older. Ghost hunting will do that to a person, he supposes. But he's also the most intelligent person Danny's ever met, and it shows, with his easy smile and his relaxed shoulders. He had done very well in life, Danny remembers. Sam had long hair when the portrait was made, but it had been buzzed down when she died. The portrait sometimes can't decide which one it wants to show, so it slowly flickers between the two hairstyles. She's got tattoos covering all of her exposed skin that isn't her face. She's got obvious muscle from her time as a ghost hunter as well, but even more so as he time as an activist. She is the kindest person Danny has ever known. Her heart holds enough for every living thing. Especially the things people would cast aside without a second glance.

It's the final portrait that makes Phantom hesitate, just for a moment. Not because he doesn't enjoy seeing her, but because she is hard to talk about. It's been hundreds of years, but one doesn't forget the pain of losing their partner so easily.

"This was my wife, Valerie," he tells Bakugou, who has been oddly silent this whole time. "She was a ghost hunter, too. But she was also...My queen. Words cannot describe the pain I felt when I finally lost her." Phantom hold the ring that sits around his neck as he follows the grey streak in Valerie's hair. Her eyes are big and brown and absolutely stunning. Sometimes when Phantom isn't feeling his best, he'll sit beside her portrait and just talk to her. It's not quite the same as it was when she was alive, but it still brings some comfort. And that's not nothing.

"Why are you showing them to me?" Bakugou asks. There is no bite or bark to his words. Just a solemn curiosity that Phantom understands a bit to well.

"These were the people I fought for. The people I protected for. I leaned on them when I couldn't stand on my own. I trusted them with my greatest secrets, and was better for it. I had their help, their support, and their unwavering loyalty, so long as I gave the same to them. I'm showing you this part of my history because it is important for you to understand this lesson and ask yourself.

"Katsuki Bakugou, who do you fight for?"

Chapter 61: Now You See Me

Summary:

A request if you have time. DPxBNHA
The vestiges are a bit ghostly yes? Danny may run across a few ghosts attached to Izuku. And maybe a certain woman who he sees around our favorite well intentioned but sometimes poorly executed mentor ( All Might ) as well as Izuku. Nana keeps an eye on favorite son and grandson.

Chapter Text

Danny knew Izuku Midoriya was weird from the start.

Sure they wore the same red shoes, signifying the same quirklessness that both of them evidently grew out of. And yeah, that was weird, but not as weird as his ghost sense going off anytime Midoriya got in his general vicinity.

Because last time he checked, Midoriya was alive and breathing.

So why did his ghost sense go off whenever he was around?

--------

So it turns out, Midoriya is haunted. Or, rather, his quirk is. It's late one night in the dorms when neither of them can sleep when he sees her for the first time. She's wearing a dark blue jumpsuit with yellow gloves and a white cape. She looks kind. Almost motherly, even. And she's following Midoriya around the kitchen as he makes them both tea.

She makes eye contact with Danny, who makes a point to let her know he can see her, before disappearing.

------

The second time it happens, it's some big burly guy with a pair of goggles strapped to his head. He's sitting against the wall of the classroom next to Izuku, listening to Midnight's art history lesson. He shakes his head a couple times with a frown, evidently not agreeing with whatever her lecture is about.

He gets frustrated and leaves.

--------

The woman with the yellow gloves and kind smile is the one that shows up the most often.

She doesn't speak. Danny isn't sure if it's because she's Midoriya's ghost or if she just isn't able to. Either way, he takes the time to brush up on his JSL.

The first time he signs to her she seems pleasantly surprised, but does not know it herself. Danny is only slightly disappointed by this. He wants to talk to her so bad. He's got so many questions. But seeing as how she's somehow tied to Midoriya, it'll be pretty impossible without his classmate being a little bit suspicious.

---------

So it turns out, she's attached to All Might, too.

He's in the middle of a lecture on vigilante laws along with Aizawa, when she appears. She walks around him a few times, nodding along with half an ear to whatever he's saying.

But...She looks almost...Sad? She's still smiling, just like she always does, but her eyes are filled with a somber sort of acceptance as she stands beside All Might in his small form.

She catches Danny's eyes, gives a shrug as if to say what can you do? Danny let's his eyes flick between his teacher and his classmate.

Maybe Todoroki's theories aren't complete bullshit...

-------

"You're one of us."

Danny startles so bad he nearly falls off the couch.

It's another sleepless night. He and Midoriya seem to have them the most often, so it's not uncommon for them to already have a second cup of tea or hot chocolate waiting for the other. Tonight, though, as Danny does the last of his homework at the coffee table, Midoriya finally let's himself relax enough to sleep on the couch.

"So you're a ghost then?" Danny asks, keeping his voice to a soft whisper so Midoriya doesn't stir. She shrugs.

"Sort of. Not in the traditional way that you are."

"I wouldn't say I'm necessarily a traditional ghost. There's only three of us, after all."

"True. But you certainly aren't just a remnant hitching a ride on somebody else's quirk."

"That's fair," Danny says, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. It's cold now, but it gives his hands something to do. "What's that about, anyway? I saw another guy one time, and a couple others here and there. How many of you are there?"

"Eight previous holders of One for All," the ghost tells him. "Izuku Midoriya is the ninth holder. All Might is the eighth. I am the seventh."

"What's your name?" Danny asked. He wanted to ask about what the fuck One for All was, and if it had a counterpart. He wanted to know about how a quirk could be passed from one person to the next. He wanted to know what it was like, teaching All Might before he became All Might. He had so many questions but...Well, he figured they weren't his answers to have. It was obviously a pretty big secret, and that was one thing he understood more than most.

"Nana Shimura," the woman said. "It's lovely to meet you, Danny. Midoriya thinks highly of you. And he's also curious about your..." she glances down at his bare feet tucked beneath his legs under the coffee table, and Danny understands without her having to finish the sentence.

"It's complicated," Danny offers. Talking about his death was always so hard. Every time he closed his eyes he could see the bright green flooding his vision, and he could feel the pain all around his body. His left hand ached with the memory just thinking about it.

"I understand," Shimura told him. "I find that it's hard to talk sometimes as well. I was never able to talk to Toshinori, but Midoriya seems to be getting used to having eight other people in his head."

"Toshinori?"

"All Might. I tried contacting him like we can contact Midoriya, but there's always been a block somehow. There's...There's a lot of things I never got to say to him."

"Well...maybe I could help with that?"

----------

"Young Fenton?" All might asked as he looked between him and Midoriya. "Was there something you needed?"

"Uh...It's complicated?" Danny said, his shoulders rising to his ears. "It's-complicated. But I need Midoriya here to show you."

All Might brought them into the thankfully empty teacher's lounge. He took a seat, and gestured for them to do the same. Midoriya complied, but Danny didn't. No, he was too focused on Nana flickering into existence right behind them.

He circled the table and stood behind her before transforming into Phantom. He's never done something like this. Doesn't even know if it'll work. But it's worth a shot, he supposes.

He puts his glowing hands on Nana's shoulders and lets the power flow from his core down his arms, through his hands and into Nana.

She became more solid under his hands, and judging from All Might's sudden movement and Midoriya's gasp, they could finally see her too.

"Hello, Toshinori," she greeted with that same sad smile she sometimes gave Danny. "Hello, Izuku. It's wonderful to see you again."

Chapter 62: All Might Gets Ripped a New One pt 2

Summary:

Heroics teacher Danny somehow hears Izuku was formerly quirkless and is new to his quirk. Rips all might once again and goes to have a heart to heart talk/training with izuku.

Chapter Text

It had just started as a rumor.

He's not sure where it originated, but the whispers of Izuku Midoriya being born quirkless ran rampant through the hero course like wildfire. Fortunately, it had stopped just as quickly as it began thanks to the strict gossip policy the school had. And it seems that Midoriya himself hadn't heard the rumors, but...Well, Danny wouldn't be much of a hero if he didn't notice the shoes.

After all, he had a pair himself.

He had his theories, of course. He knew it was possible for a quirkless kid to stumble their way into power. He was, after all, Exhibit A. And, well, it didn't take a genius to figure out that Midoriya didn't really know how to use his quirk. Not in the way that he should, if he had had it his whole life. If he had his quirk for more than a few months then he wouldn't be breaking his limbs at any given chance from the sheer force of it.

It also didn't take a genius to figure out that his quirk was a little like All Might's. Sure, the number one hero didn't glow with green electricity, but the actual strength part was basically the same. Hell, even Midoriya's smashes were similar to All Might's. Plus, with how often they had lunch together-and All Might didn't offer that to any other student-there was obviously something going on.

Danny intended to find out what.

-----------

It had been an accident. Sure, he was digging for answers, but he hadn't meant to actually eavesdrop on the two.

"Now that you've inherited my quirk, you need to learn on controlling it better," All Might was saying. Danny's brow furrowed as he stopped in his tracks right outside the teacher's lounge. Curse his supernatural hearing, because now he couldn't bring himself to keep moving.

"I know. I'm trying, but my body can't handle more than one percent right now," Midoriya replied. He sounded upset, though if it was at himself or All Might he couldn't tell. "Maybe...Maybe we should tell Aizawa? Since he oversees most of out training he would be able to help me get better control of it. I can't keep breaking my limbs, after all."

"I think, for now, we should keep this between us," All Might said in a grave tone. "The less people know, the better. If this secret got out, they could get hurt."

"Oh-of-of course," Midoriya stuttered out. He sounded absolutely ashamed, and he's not sure why, but Danny saw red.

Because all of his theories were confirmed.

That Midoriya hadn't had his quirk long. That All Might had something to do with it. That All Might was actively keeping Midoriya from getting the help he needed. All Might sure as hell wasn't doing his part in training the kid-not enough, anyway. He was letting this teenager bumble around and figure things out on his own.

Danny was not going to have any of it.

Midoriya had gotten seriously injured during the battle trials because of All Might's incompetency. He wasn't going to stand idly by and let it keep happening.

He phased through the door, and Midoriya and All Might looked at him, surprised. Midoriya was hunched, as if he was trying to make himself smaller, while All Might in his small form stood quickly.

"Phantom? Can I help you with something?" He asked. He sounded nervous.

Good.

"Midoriya," Phantom said as gently as he could. "I need to speak with All Might. Could you please excuse us for a moment?"

Midoriya nodded and got the hell out of dodge. Danny turned his glare onto All Might.

"If his homeroom teacher has the power to help him control his-his-quirk, then you have no right to prevent him from asking for help," Danny said. There was a dangerous edge to his voice, and he could see the frost building on the edge of the tea cups that were sitting on the table beside All Might. "He's a kid who doesn't know how to use his quirk. And considering it literally shatters his bones, it would be detrimental to turn him away from asking for help.

"And, All Might, I know you're dense. It's no big surprise. But even a moron like you should have enough sense to let him ask for help."

"You have no right to listen in on our conversations-"

"-I have every right to listen in if it involves the safety of another student," Danny hissed. The lights above them flickered dangerously as Danny's anger spiked. He stepped forward, inches away from All Might's narrow face. "Instead of forcing him to isolate himself and only go to you, he should be branching out and getting all the help that he feels like he needs. He doesn't need your ignorant words infecting his own thought process."

"And for the record, I don't care about your quirk. I don't care how he got it from you. I care that it hurts him, and you're only putting him in an environment that hurts him more. It is his quirk, All Might, and he deserves to tell whoever he wants."

Frost was coating his clothes and the table and the furniture, and Danny knew that he had to reign it in before somebody barged in on them. He wanted to yell at All Might more. He wanted to yell at Nezu, because he knew for a fact that there's no way the rat god didn't know about this.

But Midoriya had looked so upset when he scurried out of the room. He had to make sure he was okay. He had to make sure he knew Danny was going to be there for him, no matter what.

He had to go after him.

----------

He found Midoriya in an empty classroom that was rarely ever used.

His shoulders were up to his ears as he hunched in on himself, physically making himself smaller. Danny recognized the signs-he used to do it himself, before he got into his accident. Midoriya's fists were clenched in his lap, and he was trying desperately not to sob.

Danny, not wanting to scare the poor kid, gently knocked on the door frame. Midoriya's head snapped up. His eyes were wide and shined with unshed tears. He looked absolutely miserable.

"Can I come in?" Danny asked. Midoriya gave him a nod, and he walked over. He leaned against the teacher's desk, and slouched his shoulders so he didn't look as scary. He knew he looked intimidating on his best days, and Midoriya really didn't need that right now.

"So-you-you know?" Midoriya asked. Danny sighed and nodded.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop," he told Midoriya. "I'm sorry for invading your privacy like that. But I couldn't just stand there and let him manipulate you like that."

"He-he wasn't," Midoriya defended, but the words sounded weak to even him. "He's just trying to l-look out for me."

"If he was truly doing that he would have allowed you to ask for help from other teachers. Not to say his heart isn't in the right place, but his line of thinking is outdated."

"B-but-I...I'm scared," Midoriya admitted. Tears were finally making their way down his freckled cheeks, and it made Danny's heart fucking break. "None of my other teachers ever liked me 'cause I was quirk-quirkless."

"So you're worried that they'll think of you differently?" Danny asked. Midoriya stiffly nodded. Danny gave him a small smile, and hoped it came off as comforting. "I won't think differently of you. Quirk or no quirk."

"But why?" Midoriya asked, his face twisted in confusion. Danny just shrugged.

"I'm probably the only other guy in the world who could understand what you're going through," he told the teenager. At Midoriya's growing confusion, Danny figured a demonstration would probably be better at explaining than his words ever could. So he let the two white rings wash over him, turning him from Phantom to Fenton.

Midoriya's eyes sparkled with unasked questions.

And then they flicked down to his shoes.

The were bright red, with black laces and white soles. On the heel was an embroidered Q.

They were the same shoes Midoriya was wearing.

Understanding dawned on his face, and Danny had the pleasure of watching his face go through an emotional roller coaster akin to a soap opera.

"But how?" He asked.

"My parents were overzealous scientists that specialized in the supernatural," Danny answered. "I got into a lab accident and died. Er, half died, I guess. Don't try it at home, kid, I don't recommend it."

"I have...So many questions," Midoriya breathed. He was practically vibrating in his seat from his excitement, and Danny couldn't help the fond smile on his face.

"And I'll answer them eventually," Danny replied as he changed back from Fenton to Phantom. "But in the mean time, do you still wanna go tell Aizawa?"

Midoriya seemed to clam up again at the thought. "What if-what if he doesn't want to teach me anymore? What if he expels me?"

"What if he thinks of you differently?" Danny asked him, getting to the true root of the problem. Midoriya nodded, and Danny lifted himself off the desk. He walked over and placed a hand on Midoriya's shoulder.

"He knows about my secret," he told Midoriya. "Actually, he was there when it happened. And he was friends with me when I was just some quirkless kid. He won't care about any of that superficial stuff."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"O-okay," Midoriya said. He physically steeled his resolve, putting on a brave face and slapping his cheeks a couple of times. He quickly wiped his tears away and looked at Danny with nothing but determination.

"Let's go."

Chapter 63: A Dog? A Mouse? A Bear? A...Dad? pt 2

Summary:

back by popular demand

Chapter Text

With Nezu's influence, the Guys in White had been absolutely decimated over a short weekend with a little time to spare. He spent the extra time playing chess with his new son.

Summer was here and it was bright and invasive, but it was obvious Danny loved it nonetheless. He had his own time to cope, as well as his scheduled times with Hound Dog. His parents were given proper funerals, and Nezu did his best to reduce Danny's stress.

Unfortunate, his staff could be a bit overzealous.

It started on an early Thursday morning when Danny had offhandedly mentioned that he had always wanted to be a hero, and if he couldn't do that then he'd be an astronaut. e

Needless to say, the whole staff had taken that to heart.

His training, much to the boy's excitement, began immediately. Nezu was more than a little excited about the untapped potential he had. His physic, while small, could still pack a punch. He had superhuman strength and wasn't afraid to use it. Aizawa was very pleased with the sparring and physical tests he had put the boy through.

HIs English was also near perfect. His parents had been from America, and thus had taught it to them growing up. Mic had decided to start teaching him JSL instead, since he was leagues ahead of the upcoming first years.

While he was lacking in his literature class with Cementoss and his Art History with Midnight, he absolutely excelled in math with Ectoplasm, and had a knack for problem solving that was far past even the skill of their third years. Because of this, they had taken him to the support course and had him do whatever he wanted. Needless to say, everybody was impressed.

In between all of that, Nezu took the time to spend time with Danny. He had no intention of not spending time with the child he had adopted. Academic progress aside, he was glad Danny was genuinely doing better. Maybe not okay, not yet, but he wore his heart on his sleeve and was much more emotionally open than most teenagers. Danny had said they had his sister to thank for that, since she had wanted to become a psychiatrist. Their conversation after bringing her up hadn't lasted very long, but the fact that he had brought her up so freely anyway was miles ahead of how he talked about them when he first came into Nezu's care.

They would play chess, and at some point Danny had convinced him to play Doomed with him. While the strategizing Nezu did while playing was, well, child's play, he did enjoy himself. If anything, the faces Danny made made it all worth it.

Nezu's never really been an affectionate person. He cared deeply for his staff and his students, but he can't say he loves any of them. They're colleagues. Coworkers. Principal-student relationships.

But Danny is different. That's a constant that Nezu seems to be running into quite a bit. Because Danny is the first human he genuinely loves. Danny is his son, and just the thought of anything bad happening to him makes his hackles rise and his teeth bared.

Nezu is not an angry person.

Or, at least, that used to be true.

Because when it comes to Danny, he will burn the world to the ground with a flick of his finger and a phone call if it meant keeping his son safe.

Hero work is different, of course. Danny is hell bent on it, and Nezu would be a hypocrite to not let him into the entrance exam. He is bound to get hurt, and he is bound to end up in situations he probably won't be able to get out of alone, but he will not be afraid. Danny is a brave young man with courage the size of oceans. With a drive and determination that reaches past the stars.

Danny is a Fenton, and they famously don't do anything by halves. With them, it has always been all or nothing. But that mixed with being taken under Nezu's wing, well.

It makes for an interesting future, that's for sure.

Chapter 64: Death is Waiting pt 2

Summary:

language-of-ghosts on tumblr wrote their own sequel and its super good! Go check it out!
https://language-of-ghosts.tumblr.com/post/673776506475102208/danny-shows-up-at-kamino-well-more-like-leaps

Chapter Text

"You have some explaining to do."

Danny looked between All Might, Nezu, Aizawa, and Tsukauchi. He knew this day would come eventually, where he would have to out himself as the Ghost King, who's older than quirks themselves. But now that it was actually here, he had the all too familiar ball of anxiety making its home in the pit of his stomach.

"My name is Danny Fenton," he tells them. "And I've been dead for three hundred years."

A tense silence flooded the room as the three heroes in question looked at Tsukauchi. He stood there, slack jawed with his notepad at his side.

"He's telling the truth," he tells them.

Danny smiles at him in sympathy as he lets his rings wash over him and change him into his proper form.

Instead of a scrawny teenager, he was almost as tall as All Might and built like a brick house. his shoulders were broad, but not overwhelmingly so. He was wearing his usual kingly garb-a skin tight, black shirt with his logo emblazoned on his chest. Loose, baggy pants that were no doubt armored, and a pair of heavy white boots and durable white gloves to match. There was a crown made of ice floating above his head, and the cape that he wore had the animated night sky moving aimlessly in its folds.

His face was much older, too, though that could be attributed to the beard he had. It was clean and on the shorter side, but it no doubt only enhanced his age. Around his eyes were crows feet, and the tell tale signs of stress lining his face.

He was no doubt the Danny they had all come to love. The nose and jaw came to the same, sharp points, though a little more defined. He still rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous tick he's apparently had for three hundred years. And he still wore his heart on his sleeve.

He was worried. Resigned in a way that said he had been expecting their immediate disregard of his origins.

"I'm sorry for not coming clean," he told them. His voice was much more echo-y than it had been a few minutes ago, the strong, sturdiness of his voice bouncing off the walls eerily. "But I'm sure you wouldn't have even considered me had I not posed as a student."

"Problem child," Aizawa groaned, as he collapsed into the couch by Nezu's desk. Phantom smiled at him.

"I'm technically older than all of you combined. I think that title officially belongs to you, Aizawa."

He got a glare for his troubles, though it lacked any real heat.

"Getting back to business," Tsukauchi said. "Ghost or not, you killed All for One. That can't exactly go unpunished."

"It can if it's ghost business," Danny told him. "I'm not just some ghost, Detective. I'm the king. And All for One has cheated Death for too many years to simply let him walk. He should have died two hundred years ago."

"If he was such a problem why didn't you kill him sooner?" All Might asked. There was an edge to his voice that Danny placed immediately as aggressive, in a personal way.

That's right.

For Danny, it was easy to forget that ghosts were people once, too. He spent so much time with them, and their otherworldliness that it wasn't something that's been at the forefront of his mind. Not in a long time, anyway. And Toshinori Yagi had lost so much to All for One. Of course he would be hurt that Danny didn't do anything sooner.

"It's a horrible excuse, but it genuinely isn't my job, usually," he starts out. He sees All Might's anger flare up by the tension in his exhausted shouldered, but Danny goes on before he can say anything. "Usually Death takes care of the reaping. I take care of the souls when they've already passed. And those that are particularly nasty get consumed by Death personally. I don't know what kind of quirk he had, but All for One was somehow able to hide from them. Death came to me, and they asked me if I could figure out what the problem was."

"And they didn't realize he hadn't died sooner?" Tsukauchi asked.

"One very crafty, clever soul in a see of quadrillions. Calling it a needle in a haystack wouldn't even be close to a fair comparison. But, Yagi, if it's any consolation, Nana says hi."

All Might's expression was unreadable. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but there was the bob of his Adam's apple and he closed his mouth, preferring silence instead.

"So does that mean you know about One for All, then?" Tsukauchi asked him.

"It's hard not to, when you're friends with most of the past users," Danny shrugged. "Plus, any time All for One had a fight like this, we always got an influx of ghosts. I'm sure when I return to my domain I'll have my work cut out for me."

"If the number of ghosts spike like that why wasn't he noticed sooner?" Aizawa asked tiredly.

"Numbers spike all the time," Danny explains. "Large scale villain attacks happen every few years. Plus there's natural disasters that take thousands out every year. And beyond an overwhelming emotion, ghosts aren't exactly too keen on reliving how they died. They were people, too, once. We're not just some monster made up in the horror movies Kaminari likes to watch."

Aizawa snorts, and takes his answer in stride as he lets Nezu's couch swallow him further.

"So, what now?" Nezu asks. It's the first time he's spoken, though Danny hadn't forgotten that he was there. "How are we going to proceed, Your Highness?"

"Phantom is fine, Nezu," Danny said, waving off the title. "And, well. I'll need to head back to the Ghost Zone now. I can always claim I was from another dimension, or I can come out with the truth. Though I have a whole realm of people to protect. The less spotlight on them the better."

"And Class 1-A?" All Might asked.

"A few of them were already there," Danny answers. "I'm sure they saw and heard everything. Though, they're good kids. I'm sure telling them won't be an issue. After all of this, they deserve to know."

"We're setting up a dorm system," Nezu told them. "They're starting construction as we speak. So whenever they move in, you can tell them then. In the mean time, let's work out a statement for the press, yes?"

Chapter 65: Thermos pt 2

Summary:

Thermos; more daunting horror realization that danny was the only frontliner in the face of danger with all the little/ big things he do and danny is so unphased by it cuz to him its normal and he doesnt see anything wrong with it. And he's being toyed with, hunted down and hated by people he protects! And he's like 'eh, thats another tuesday'
He doesnt see how it damages his mental/ emotional health because he always brushes himself aside for the more bigger, immediate threat.

Chapter Text

Danny's been terrifyingly calm about the whole situation.

He's been with them for a month, now. There hasn't been a single tear shed, and there hasn't been any kind of panic attack or any other kind of trauma response that Shouta and Hizashi had been expecting. Especially from such a young teenager.

But he did have a terrible habit of throwing himself into his work.

Since he's stuck with Shouta and Hizashi, it was easy enough to have him apply for the new school year. The kid's incredibly smart, and absorbs knowledge like a sponge. His strengths are in math, science, and oddly enough, literature. English is a breeze since he already knows how to speak it, so Hizashi has created a lesson plan to teach him JSL. While he hasn't taken the entrance exam yet, with his powers and obsession to do good, there was no way he wouldn't make it.

If he wasn't going over the history he missed with Nemuri, and if he needed a break from trying to figure out how to build a massive ghost portal from scratch, he was found training. He would go on morning and evening jogs, with some kind of intense workout in between. Hizashi had insisted he take a break every now and then, but Danny had simply told them he didn't know how.

"What do you mean by that?" Shouta had asked.

"Well, I'm not used to not being busy," Danny replied with a shrug. "If I'm not in school I'm studying or going on patrol. When I'm at home my parents have me clean the lab or have me help them out. Between all of that and the unplanned trips to the Ghost Zone I hardly have enough time to myself."

"Kid, that isn't healthy," Shouta tells him. Danny just gives him another shrug, and Shouta can't help but ask, "What about the other heroes?"

"There weren't any other heroes, remember?" Danny sighs, and he looks so much older now than he has any right to be at fifteen. "I mean, my friends helped me out occasionally, but I was the only one with any kind of powers."

"That must have been so hard," Hizashi says sympathetically. Danny, though, just waves him off.

"It wasn't ever a big deal," he says. "With all the ghosts everywhere someone needed to step up. I just so happen to be the best option. But it's better, now. Here there are tons of heroes so I can actually relax and focus on what I need to get done."

The conversation had puttered off into small talk, but Shouta and Hizashi's thoughts were going a mile a minute.

They knew he was from the pre-quirk era, but it hadn't quite sunken in that he was still by himself. Sure, he had friends to help him, but they were still limited in what they could do. Some days they could only pick Danny up and bandage him up for another day.

The scars were the worst part. Shouta and Hizashi have their own, and have no problem walking around the house shirtless. But they're adults. They chose this life, to be heroes and to put their lives on the line to protect the general public. From the sounds of it, though, Danny never had that option. He died, but he was never given the option of resting. And if his bowling ball-sized scars are anything to go by, it's been going on for far too long.

It's a lazy Tuesday afternoon two weeks before the entrance exam when Shouta finally breaks down and asks him.

"What kind of things did you protect your town from?"

"Ghosts, mostly," Danny answers easily. "Most of them are harmless, like the Box Ghost and Skulker." Shouta remembers these names from past stories, already committed to memory. "But sometimes there were...There were really bad ones. Vlad Plasmius was like, my arch nemesis. Another halfa, though I'm sure he's a full ghost by now. There was my evil older self that I had to fight, too. And then there was Pariah Dark, the old ghost king. He's the one that did this." Danny lifted up his shirt to find a circular scar the size of a dinner plate. There were divots in the skin where they were pierced by whatever he was hit with.

"He got a lucky shot in with his Morningstar," Danny explains with a shrug. "Probably would have actually kicked it if I hadn't been wearing armor."

That was another thing they were still getting used to. They knew Danny was dead, but Danny's casual relationship with it was jarring. To everybody else, dying was a big deal. It was serious, and there was always a chance it could happen at the drop of a hat, but for Danny it was different. He knew where he was going when his human half died. He had no reason to not be ready for the other side.

Shouta's heart absolutely ached for the kid. Hizashi always told him he had a bleeding heart when it came to kids, but he's thought much of it until now. Because that's what Danny was. A kid. And he's already saved the world at least three times over, almost single-handedly. He's got the scars and the stories to prove it, and Shouta-

He takes a deep breath in to calm his shaking hands. Because on his bad days, when Danny is grinning at him so hard his eyes are closed, he sees Oboro. He sees another fifteen year old ready to take on the world and win, only to be crushed without a second thought. It's a miracle that Danny still smiles as easily as he does.

Still, that doesn't stop him from convincing Danny to try therapy out. He's got nightmares in spades, and there are some days where he doesn't-can't-say a word to either of them for one reason or another. More than once he's caught Danny just starring vacantly off into space. So, yeah, he didn't cry, but his body and mind were getting him to deal with it one way or another.

They don't know how long they're going to have Danny, but they're fully prepared to help him in any way he needs. And right now? He really needs it.

Even if he doesn't realize it himself.

Chapter 66: Hero Killer: Stain

Summary:

I am curious about a showdown between Stain and Danny. Would Stain quirk even work on Danny when he is in ghost form ? I mean in that form he is basically dead right?

Chapter Text

"You guys are so fucking stupid for coming here," Danny yells at his friends behind him. There's a shield separating Stain's sword and Danny's face as he stands protectively over Iida.

"You need to leave!" Iida yells at him. "Stain is dangerous! You'll get killed!"

"Should have thought about that before deciding revenge was the thing that was going to do your brother some good," Danny shot back. And yeah, it was a low blow, but Native is injured and instead of trying to help him out Iida decided to try and fight Stain himself. He was worried. Sue him.

"If he ingests your blood he can paralyze you," Midoriya told him. "He's got a time limit though for different blood types. Type O is the shortest, it looks like."

Danny absorbs the information as Todoroki runs up to grab Iida. He drags their friend away as Danny pushes against his shield, sending Stain back a few feet.

"We need to end this quickly," Danny says. "Just a heads up though, Hero Killer, my blood isn't something you should ingest."

"Oh?" Stain says, tilting his head to the side. He is unamused and unimpressed. "And why is that, little hero?" He asks in a condescending tone.

"Because it's not blood."

As soon as the words leave his mouth, he can feel a wetness on his arm that wasn't there before. Across from him, a little closer than he had been a second ago, Stain eyes his ectoplasm with nothing but unbridled curiosity.

"Oh my god, that came out of you?" He hears Todoroki ask behind him. Danny just shrugs, though it looks a bit weird since he hasn't taken his eyes off of Stain.

"Don't do it," Danny warns him. Sure, he doesn't want to get paralyzed, but to humans ectoplasm can be poisonous. A small amount like that would probably make him really sick for a few days, so nothing to really worry about, but still. It was kinda gross.

Stain flicks out his inhumanly long tongue and licks his blade. Danny can immediately feel the effects as his limbs lock up. He tries to move, but his fingers don't even budge. He pulls at his core and lets his intangibility wash over him. If he was going to be a sitting duck he wasn't going to make it easy.

"Interesting taste," Stain comments as he stalks forward. His blade drags on the ground, creating a noise that's absolutely grating on Danny's ears.

"Kind of like Ranch 2?" Danny quips. Stain doesn't dignify that with a response. Instead, he brings his sword up in the blink of an eye.

It's going through Danny, but not in any negative way. He hears Iida and Midoriya's screams of horror cut off abruptly once they realize he's fine, and he makes a mental note to apologize for the scare later. But right now he just needs to stall a little bit longer.

"What are you?" Stain asks him, pulling his sword out of Danny's chest. He waves it through him a couple more times in more of that morbid curiosity.

"A Virgo."

As the words leave his lips, he watches what happens next like it's in slow motion.

His limbs free up, but only because Stain can't focus on his hold anymore. The ectoplasm is no doubt doing it's job as it travels through his system. Stain drops to his knees, and throws up all over Danny's shoes. Thank god he's still intangible.

"I told you not to drink it," he tells the Hero Killer. He walks around Stain as he collapses onto his side, convulsing horribly. He presses down on Stain and transfers his intangibility to his body, making all of his weapons drop to the ground. Danny leans down and grabs him by his collar before dragging him away from them while Midoriya pulls out some capture tape. Todoroki goes dumpster diving for some rope, and in no time the Hero Killer Stain is tied up and dry heaving at the mouth of the alley.

It doesn't take long for more heroes to show up, and with them come Endeavour who looks at Danny and his friends like they're the scum of the earth, save for his son.

"What did you do?" The number two asks them. Danny just shrugs.

"He did it to himself," he says. "I tried to warn him about the side effect of my quirk but he wouldn't listen."

Danny gestures to his arm, which is stained a bright green, but no longer bleeding. Endeavour looks at him for an uncomfortably long time as they wait for villain transport.

Gran Torino joins them, too, and he tears Midoriya a new one. Mirko shows up too, but instead of chewing him out she throws her arm around Danny excitedly and presses her knuckle into his head with more affection than genuine force.

"I knew it was a good idea taking you on," she says with a massive grin. Danny just sighs, defeated as Mirko whispers, "Don't think there won't be a punishment for pulling that shit, though, kid."

"If I don't see you guys at school," he tells his friends. "It's because Mirko murdered me."

"We won't let it be in vain," Iida tells him with a salute. It's a serious situation, but coming from somebody who doesn't normally tell a lot of jokes, it lightens the mood considerably. Danny shoots him a grin and gives him his own two fingered salute, which is a little tricky since Mirko still has him in a headlock.

All in all, internships go pretty okay.

Chapter 67: Secrets

Summary:

For Am when he discover his student Elle is Phantom ( Danny as teachsr) clone
" Elle ! What where you thinking ? ! That was dangerous! Sometimes I wonder who do you take after!" said Phantom while scolding Elle
" I take after you! I was created by your DNA! If you forgot I am your clone!!" Screamed Elle
".......sometimes I forgot " said Phantom
All Migth who was listening " SAY WHAT? WHO IS THE CLONE OF WHO ??"

Chapter Text

All Might stopped abruptly outside of the teacher's lounge. He had been on his way to grade his papers. Usually there was nobody inside this time of day, but it seemed that a very lively couple of people were inside, now.

And they weren't in the least bit quiet.

"Seriously, Elle, that was incredibly dangerous!" Phantom was saying. That was strange, though. Phantom never raised his voice. In all the years he's known the young hero, he's never heard him yell. Not even on the battlefield.

"It's fine, Danny," Elle Fenton huffed. All Might knew the two must be related somehow, what with their quirks, but they usually kept it professional at school so less questions were asked. It was strange to hear Danny arguing with his family so heatedly.

"Just-you could have gotten killed, Elle. I need you to be more careful," Danny's voice was calmer, though just barely. He could practically see the tension leaving his shoulders as he says, "Geez, sometimes I wonder who you take after."

"I take after you!" Elle shouts at him. "Remember? I was cloned from your DNA, Danny! If anybody is to blame for my attitude it's you."

"Right..." Danny said tiredly. "Sometimes I forget."

All Might has said over and over that a true hero buts into problems they have no business being in.

That's the excuse he tells himself when he opens the door.

Danny is rubbing his temples as he leans against the coffee counter, while Elle is slumped in a chair across from him, arms slumped and looking absolutely murderous. When he steps in, both of them stiffen and look at him.

All Might can't lie to save his life, especially when faced with someone as perceptive as Danny, so he doesn't even try.

"I'm sorry, I'm a bit confused," he starts off, closing the door behind him. "Who's the clone of who?"

"Shit," Danny and Elle say in unison. It's almost scary how alike they are, now that they're next to each other. Both have the same slump in their shoulders, the same nervous ticks, the same way their eyes scan for an exit before remembering they can walk through walls.

"Should have had this conversation at home," Elle says, shooting Danny a look. Danny shoots her the same look back, and All Might suddenly feels dizzy from how exact they look. The same sharp nose and jaws, the same furrow in their brows, the same roll of their eyes. It's a staredown, and if it weren't for the fact that Elle was a bit younger, he would have thought they were looking in a mirror.

"Don't sass me," Danny tells her before turning to All Might. "It's a long story."

"An evil billionaire megalomaniac tried to make a clone of Danny since he wouldn't be his son or apprentice," Elle says bluntly. Danny shoots her another look, but she's pointedly ignoring him. "I'm his clone. Not his cousin or sister or whatever we decided to go with."

"That is...A lot to take in," All Might tells them after a few moments of trying to wrap his head around that face. She's being completely honest. Her words were said with a conviction that only honesty can provide, and it makes a frighteningly large amount of sense. Sure, family can show resemblance, but it's scary how much these two are alike. Outside of looks, all of their mannerisms are the same, and it's really quite fascinating to look at. "How is that possible? I've never heard of any cloning attempts that were successful."

"It almost wasn't," Danny says, suddenly more serious than he had been a second ago. Elle is also eerily quiet now. "There was a lot of complications, but we managed to get Elle stabilized before we took the guy out. We destroyed any evidence of the cloning equipment and registered her as my sister." Danny turned his gaze from the floor to All Might. His eyes pinned All Might in his place, and Danny, in this moment, looked much older than he was. There were stress and worry lines crisscrossing over his face as his frown deepened. He was being completely serious, a rare look for the young hero. "I need you to keep this to yourself, All Might. Nezu already knows, but otherwise don't breathe a word of it, okay? I don't need Elle getting taken by the Commission or the Guys in White or something."

"You have my word," All Might said without hesitation. After all, he knew how the weight of such a secret could affect the world. Danny and Elle relaxed considerably. Had they really thought he'd say no? Maybe scream it from the rooftops or post on hero forums? Still, though, Danny was looking more like his usual self as his frown lessened.

"Thanks, All Might."

Chapter 68: Keeping Up With the Todorokis

Summary:

Hello!! Phantom as teacher having a " nice" chat with Endeavour about how he is treating his family

Chapter Text

It's no unknown secret that the Number 13 Hero, Phantom, hates the current Number 2, Endeavour.

This idea is only reinforced by the viral video that goes around right after the sports festival.

Aizawa's Hell Class is the one to see it first. It involves one of their own, after all, and it's spread among them like wildfire. It's a shaky video at an odd angle. An unnamed spectator started video taping them part way through the argument that the two pros were having. Though the cement hallways didn't have any lights, the fire and unearthly glow coming off of the men illuminated it eerily.

"-re talk about him that way," Phantom was hissing in Endeavour's face. He was almost a head shorter than the flame hero, but that didn't stop him from getting all up in his business. "Todoroki is his own person. Not one of your fucking eugenics projects, Endeavour," Phantom spits his name out like it's poison.

"My family is none of your business," Endeavor says, sticking his nose in the air. "You're nothing more than an ignorant child."

"Even blind people can see how much of a creep you fucking are," Phantom, on god, snarls at Endeavour. Todoroki is pretty sure Hagakure is swooning. "He's not your creation. His purpose in life is not to surpass All Might. And his accomplishments are not yours."

Todoroki's hands are trembling as he watches the video so Midoriya gently takes it from his hands and holds it steady as their classmates crowd around them some more.

"Todoroki is a smart, capable young man who will become a great hero because he wants to. Not because you bred him to be. You need to stop living vicariously through your children or so help me god I'll shove my foot so far up your ass you'll taste leather. And if I ever see you on campus with him unsupervised, you will be facing consequences."

"You cannot keep my creat-my son from me," Endeavour says angrily. "What is he to you anyway? You're just a teacher."

"Yeah. I'm a teacher who knows what it's like to have a shitty father who wants to control your every move. I know what the burden you're placing on him feels like. Fuck, Endeavour, he's crippling himself because of you! There's going to be lasting damage to his body because he won't use his left side. What kind of fucked up things have you done to him to make him hate you so much he'd stop using his own fucking quirk?"

"He's just being childish," Endeavour crosses his arms over his chest with a roll of his eyes. "He'll come around eventually."

"Will he?" Phantom asks, his eyes blazing dangerously. "Or do you plan on making him?"

Endeavour doesn't get the chance to answer, because the next round of the tournament is called and the video cute out.

All eyes are on Todoroki as Midoriya hands him his phone back. His hands still haven't stopped shaking. Not until Iida gently tells all of them to go back in their seats before the bell rings. Most of his classmates are shocked, and are looking at him with a mix of sadness or pity he really doesn't want.

Aizawa comes in shortly after, and he has Todoroki go out in the hall. His chest squeezes with anxiety. He got here on recommendations. Because of his father. Will they kick him out now that they know what a piece of shit he is?

When he steps out in the hall, Phantom is leaning against the wall. His shoulders are slumped, and there are prominent bags under his eyes. It's been about three days since the video came out. About a week since the incident itself. It doesn't look like the other pro has slept since his conversation with his father.

He straightens up as Todoroki steps toward him. And then, to his complete amazement, he kneels in front of Todoroki. His legs are folded underneath him, and his forehead is touching the floor.

"I'm sorry," the teacher says to him. Todoroki feels his face burn hot, though from what eh doesn't know. Embarrassment? Shame? He's too emotionally constipated to try and decipher those emotions. He's saved from making the attempt as Phantom speaks again. "I didn't know that civilian was recording. You don't deserve your personal business to be aired out like that."

Todoroki's brain comes to a screeching halt. He got in Endeavour's face. He yelled at him in front of the whole world and their mothers. His own hero image is taking a big hit because he's not as high on the charts as his father. But he's apologizing for everything getting out to the public. It confuses him. Shouldn't he be sorry for the words that he said? While it had been amusing to watch another hero catch an attitude with Endeavour, it seemed a little too good to be true. Somebody going against his father in his defense? It was a dream that had fizzled out when he was ten and a visiting hero had watched in mild amusement as his father beat him into the ground and called it training.

But, still. Phantom apologized. The least he could do is be polite.

"Thank you," he tells his teacher. Phantom gets back to his feet, and Todoroki starts turning to leave, but Phantom places a hand on his shoulder and stops him. Though Todoroki is pretty sure he would have been frozen in place anyway just from his teacher's gaze alone.

"Look, I know not everything is perfect, especially with an asshole of a father like that," Phantom said. Todoroki nearly blue screens again. Had he...Had he meant the words he shouted in his father's face? "Todoroki, if you...If you ever need an out, let me know, okay? All the staff members have foster licenses. I could take you in if you want. Or another teacher, if you'd prefer. But just know you're not alone in this. Okay? I meant every word I said to him."

His purpose in life it not to surpass All Might, Phantom had told his father.

"What is it then?" Todoroki asks before he can stop himself. "My purpose? If not to surpass All Might, then what is it?"

Phantom gives him this sad sort of look that's filled with more understanding than Todoroki cares to admit.

"Your purpose in life it to do whatever you want, Todoroki. To be whatever you want. And if that doesn't include being a hero then that's okay. But if you're going to be one, do it because you want to. Not because somebody else played eugenics. Okay?"

Todoroki nods numbly. Phantom pats him on his shoulder. His grip is strong and grounding, though cold to the touch even through his uniform. His teacher straightens up to leave, gives Todoroki one more apology, and starts to leave.

Todoroki's hand moves without his permission. He's gripping Phantom's forearm like a lifeline. Because, well, it kind of is. Phantom is his chance of getting out. His chance of getting away from his father and creating substantial relationships with the siblings he never had the privilege of getting to know.

Phantom is like Aizawa. He is protective of his students and he stepped up for him when no other pro would. Though he's a bit more energetic, he does care in that subtle, genuine way that his homeroom teacher does. And most importantly, he does not lie. He speaks in absolutes, just like his homeroom teacher he's come to respect so much.

So Todoroki knows. He knows deep down that Phantom isn't bullshitting him. He means every word that comes out of his mouth.

Still, he can't help the shaky, childish question that tumbles from his lips as he looks up at Phantom's expectant look.

"You promise?" He asks. His voice is barely a whisper. "You promise you can get me out?"

Phantom steps back, but Todoroki doesn't release his iron grip on his arm. Though, Phantom doesn't really seem to mind. Not as he looks Todoroki in his eyes and says, full of conviction and promise, "Yes. I can get you away from him."

Todoroki surges forward, his arms wrapping around his teacher. Phantom doesn't hesitate opening his arms and wrapping them around him.

And later they will go to Nezu to ask for their help. Later they will have to deal with the shit show of press and journalists. Later they will go to court and Todoroki and his siblings will have to testify.

But right now, the natural cold coming from Phantom feels warmer than anything Todoroki has ever known.

Chapter 69: What's Gonna Work?

Summary:

Can we have Phantom ( as teacher) try to teach class 1 A teamwork? And what better way to teach that than dog sitting Cujo ( in both forms ) ?

Chapter Text

Teamwork was hard.

If you were stuck with someone who wanted to butt heads and lose more than work together win it just created headaches for everybody involved. Most of Aizawa's class was pretty good about working together with their own friend groups. Midoriya and Uraraka made an amazing team, as did Bakugou and Kirishima. But neither of them expanded outside of their social circles to work with others unless they were assigned to. And, well, that went both ways.

So Aizawa decided that if they could come together as a single team of twenty, they could work together individually.

And he had the perfect solution that in theory should cause the least amount of headaches.

----------

"This is Cujo," Phantom introduced them. They were dressed in their hero outfits, shuffling near the edge of Ground Omega. Cujo was sitting at his feet, looking this way and that as he took in all the bright smells and colors around him. His tongue lolled out of his mouth as his tail wagged so hard it was moving his whole body. "Your job is to work together as a class to take care of him for the week. That means playing with him, walking him, bathing him, etc."

"How is a dumb dog supposed to teach us how teamwork?" Bakugou huffed.

"Well, I mean, if you can't do it-"

"-I can totally do it!" Bakugou snarled at his teacher, and Phantom had bite his cheek in a vain attempt to not laugh at how easy this student was.

"Good. I'm glad you're so willing to work with your other classmates. Now, Cujo is a ghost dog, so he doesn't need any food or water or treats. And he's already trained."

"This should be easy then, right?" Kaminari asked semi-confidently.

"Cujo is the easy part. Working together is the assignment. Just try not to break anything. Oh, and be prepared for anything. Okay?"

He pulled out a dog whistle from his pocket and threw it to Iida, who barely managed to catch it with his fumbling hands. Behind him Jirou snorted.

"Well?" Aizawa said tiredly. "What are you waiting for? Get to it."

----------

As it turns out, taking care of your teacher's ghost dog was not easy.

The little mutt had a habit of leaving, and since he was a ghost he could just slip through their fingers or turn invisible. And because he was a ghost, that meant that he didn't really need to sleep. It led to the unfortunate event of Bakugou being woken up at three in the morning to a dog who wanted to play.

But because he had a point to prove, he did so without complaint.

And then on the fourth day of dog sitting, they finally figured out what Phantom had meant by be prepared for anything.

Anything was apparently his dog's ability to grow, and grow, and grow.

"Uh...This should be easy...Right?" Kaminari asked, though he sounded like he believed the opposite.

The giant dog had planted itself in front of the dorms, and his heavy tail made the ground shake with every thump. He barked, and Jirou and Shoji winced from the excited volume.

"I can see why Mr. Aizawa is a cat person," Sero muttered under his breath.

"How are we supposed to walk him like this?" Uraraka asked, holding a leash that was suddenly far to small.

"We could give him a bath," Ojiro suggested. "With all twenty of us working on him it shouldn't take too long, right?"

After a quick game plan from Iida and some soap graciously provided by Momo, they got to work.

Hagakure, Tsu, and Kouda did their best to distract Cujo while the others hosed him down and started scrubbing. As a small dog this would have been hard because small dogs are squirmy and can wriggle out of grips fairly easily, even without ghost powers. As Cujo the Big Green Dog, though, it was hard because there was just so much of him.

And he sheds like a motherfucker.

There were six classmates trying to tackle his back and sides while three started on his belly. The remaining classmates washed his legs.

They were all soaked to the bone in no time. Yes, pun intended. Out of everybody, Tsu seemed the most okay, though she could do without smelling like wet dog. Todoroki wasn't far behind, because the water on his left half kept evaporating with the casual use of his quirk. Bakugou, though, was quietly seething as he scrubbed the nape of Cujo's neck with vigor.

"You missed a spot," Kirishima teased, which only made Bakugou bark at him angrily before going to the place Kirishima had pointed out.

After about an hour of thorough scrubbing they rinsed him off, making sure to get all of the soap out. During this process, Aizawa and Phantom meandered their way on by. Cujo thumped his tail excitedly but otherwise stayed still.

"Hey, everybody!" Phantom said. "Good job washing him! He looks really good!"

There was a loud chorus of thank yous, drowned out by the scoff Aizawa gave Danny. He had purposefully planted the idea of washing Cujo because he didn't want to himself. Still, though, he couldn't help but notice that all of them were working pretty well as a team. Even Bakugou wasn't arguing, just grumbling as he focused on not getting soap in Cujo's eyes.

Once they were done rinsing, a couple of them left to go get some spare towels to dry him off. Phantom swung an arm around Aizawa, and the man allowed it only because he knew what was coming next. He felt the tell-tale tingle go up his spine as Phantom turned them both intangible.

Cujo, without needing much prompting, shook himself.

His fur went side to side with his body, making dog water rain down upon their students. It passed harmlessly through the teachers. Aizawa milked the moment for all it was worth, even going so far as to take a sip of coffee as if his students weren't squealing in indignation by the natural action all dogs took after bath time.

Phantom threw his head back and laughed as Aizawa ducked his face into his scarf to hide his smirk. Cujo barked excitedly, his tail nearly taking out Mina and Sero.

As he was being dried off by an army of super powered teenagers, Cujo eventually shrunk back down and leaped into Momo's arms where a fluffy towel was waiting for him. She cooed at him as she scratched under his chin. He yapped happily at her.

--------

After the experiment was over with, the class moved on the training field like a well oiled machine. Their communication was precise and informative, their movements were fluid and with purpose. Bakugou, even, was listening to what the other's had to say, and only shot down some of their ideas.

All in all, having them watch Danny's ghost dog for a week wasn't a terrible idea.

Maybe the next time they got on his nerves he'd borrow the stupid mutt again.

Chapter 70: Promise

Summary:

Danny first time using the ghostly wail against the villains it happened during an attack USJ or training camp. All the villains got scared terrible, especially Shigaraki that keep having nightmares afterwards

Chapter Text

Tomura Shigaraki was not afraid of anything.

Or, at least, he hadn't been afraid of anything.

But then he went to the USJ with a bunch of useless npcs that had all been taken out with one attack by one cornered teenager.

Every time Shigaraki closed his eyes, he saw him. Sharp jaw, furrowed brow, righteous fury. The boy had an unearthly glow and toxic green eyes that bore into Shigaraki as his Nomu crushed Eraserhead into the ground.

He had glanced from the him to Shigaraki to the other people backing him into a literal corner.

From the look on the boy's face, he shouldn't have been surprised by such a large attack.

He was working off his emotions. Weak people like heroes always did.

But sometimes he forgot just how destructive emotions could be.

The boy had sucked in one large breath, planted his feet, and screamed.

It had been weeks and the sound still haunted Shigaraki.

He remembers being pushed into a wall by the sheer force of the attack. All around them he saw the fighting stop as the building trembled and groaned. Green rings moved towards him, crushing him even further with the pressure of a scream. It was as if Present Mic had used cheats on his quirk.

But that wasn't even the worse part. Because even if he hadn't been pressed down by the sheer force of the boy's attack, he would have been forced down by the emotion that came with it.

The scream itself sounded like death personified. It was filled with anguish and pain. A blinding, hot, searing pain that spread throughout his whole body. It weighed on his bones and filled him with a sort of dread he had never had the displeasure or knowing. The agony was an absolute. Not a threat, but a promise, and in Shigaraki's head, that distinction is important.

He doesn't know how long he was there, pinned to the wall to high up to touch the ground. Too weak to move out of the way. It felt like seconds and years all at once, though realistically he knew it had to be less than a minute, because though the breath the boy had taken had been big he was screaming. His lungs couldn't last that long, could they?

Shigaraki fell to the ground. Everything was too quiet around him, too still. The building settled, and there was this annoying, deafening ringing in his ears that wouldn't go away, even after a minute. He was on his hands and knees trying not to vomit, and had compromised instead for dry heaving like a cat throwing up a hair ball. Kurogiri stumbled to his side in seconds.

Shigaraki lifted his head. It was pounding so hard his vision shook with each heartbeat. The heroes had finally busted through the door. Is that why the boy had stopped? Would he have gone on for longer if they hadn't?

Said boy was on his knees, breathing hard. There was a ring of light flickering in and out of existence around his waist, and it looked like it was taking a lot of effort to make it go away.

Once the boy caught his breath he stumbled to his feet and limped towards his fallen teacher. The Nomu was nowhere to be seen. It had probably flown off, with nothing to help pin it in place like the wall had done for Shigaraki. The only reason Eraserhead hadn't flown off was because he was sitting in his own personal crater.

The boy was smart. He didn't take his eyes off of the villains as he knelt down beside his teacher. His eyes were full of a steady, righteous anger, and even though he was clearly exhausted, Shigaraki knew that trying to fight this powerhouse of a teenager was, tactically, pretty stupid. He was an unaccounted for boss level with mods and cheats flooding his system. Shigaraki would need to come back stronger and smarter if he ever had a chance of winning against him.

For weeks the boy has haunted his dreams. His nightmares. His fits of rage any time his ears decided to ring without anything making them do that. When he closed his eyes he saw death. Felt it, really, in every fiber of his being, but it was not the welcoming embrace he felt whenever flesh turned to dust underneath his fingertips. It was oppressive, and in his nightmares it was after him.

It was blood thirty, and held the same righteous anger that the boy's gaze had.

He would come back stronger. Smarter. He would come back and destroy everything that that stupid boy held dear. He was going to make him feel the absolute agony he had felt when he was pinned like a bug on a windshield.

He was going to decimate that boy.

And that was not a threat. It was a promise.

The distinction was important for Shigaraki to note.

Chapter 71: Dog Person

Summary:

Danny is a dog person, the class/Aizawa find out and ask. So Danny brings in Cujo(who has a quirk to change size), Wolf(a werewolf quirk), and Frostbite(who has an ice quirk but also is just yeti shaped) to class. Chaos ensues.

Chapter Text

"Cats don't really like me," Danny was telling Shinsou sheepishly as they walked into their classroom. "I think it has something to do with the overall creepiness of my quirk."

"Yeah, I get that," Shinsou set his bag down on the ground as he climbed into his seat, which was next to Danny's to the left. "But dogs? I can't believe my best friend is a dog person."

"You don't like cats?" Todoroki asked Danny, butting into their conversation. It happened often enough though, Danny couldn't really be upset. It was just another fun Todoroki thing that happened.

"I think cats are fine," Danny corrected. "It's cats that don't like me."

"Usually when someone doesn't like cats it's because it's rarely a good reason," Aizawa pipes up from the front. He's buried in his sleeping bag, and he has this glint in his eye that says he's just saying shit to stir the pot. Unfortunately, it's kind of working, considering half the class is looking at him now. Danny shoots him a glare as he continues. "Usually they've never interacted properly with a cat or they have a bad association with something that involves cats. Or a phobia, but you don't seem like the type."

He was half-right about the association. Vlad was still hanging onto his weird obsession with his mom via cat, but honestly Danny rarely saw the thing much less interacted with it. He thinks cats in particular are just good about sensing the offness that Danny's had since the accident.

He gives his classmates a shrug. "All of my friends are dog people. And I have a dog. But that doesn't mean I don't like cats."

"Oh, can we meet these friends?" Hagakure asked excitedly. Danny just shrugged.

"I'm sure we collectively begged them to let them on campus it won't be a problem. Right, Mr. Aizawa?" Danny said, punctuating every syllable since his teacher was in the mood to start shit.

He hoped the headache was worth it.

----------

"Wow," Jirou said. "When you said your friend were dog people, I didn't expect them to be...Dog people."

In front of them stood Danny's closest friends from the Zone. Frostbite, in his never ending wisdom and cool ice arm. Wulf in his broken English and wonderful sense of humor. And Cujo, who the class was familiar with only in passing.

Danny just stood next to his friends, awkwardly shrugging. His head and shoulders was pushed down by an affectionate paw ruffling his hair. Frostbite threw his head back and laughed before slapping him on the back. The force sent Danny sprawling, but it only made everybody else laugh harder.

"Guys, these are my friends, Frostbite and Wulf. And that's my dog, Cujo."

"Cool!" Kirishima cheered as he knelt down and opened his arms. Cujo jumped in without hesitation as Danny peeled himself off the ground. Aizawa was looking at the group with a weird half-curios, half-disinterest as he sipped from one of Momo's coffee mugs. (He had tried to take the Nasa one, but seeing as that's Danny's only mug and it had been a gift, there's a strict rule that only Danny gets to use it.)

"What are your quirks?" Midoriya asked them, eyes sparkling.

"Frostbite here has an ice powers," Danny said, gesturing to the yeti. "He's actually the one that taught me. And Wulf has...A mutation quirk," he finally settled on. It was an indirect way of telling his friend not to tear a hole through space and time to go to and from the Zone until his friends were gone. Wulf just winked at him. Danny sagged. He's not really sure if it was from relief or exasperation.

"And the dog?" Iida asked, chopping his hands in Cujo's general direction. Danny whistled sharply, and Cujo leaped from Kirishima's arms and ran beside Danny, standing at rapt attention.

"Cujo, grow," he commanded. Cujo let out a single bark before allowing his form to grow and grow and grow until he was nearly the height of the dorm building. Danny easily floated up and gave the dog belly scratches, rendering him useless. Kouda in particular looked very excited about having more Very Good Boy to pet. Several other classmates wasted no time in joining in.

Aizawa just looked tired.

"How do you know Danny?" Aizawa asked them.

"Oh, the Gre-Danny has been a wonderful pupil. He came to me for help when his ice powers first emerged."

Wulf replied in a language Aizawa had no hope of understanding, but Danny did perfectly.

"I ran into Wulf when he was in a bit of trouble, so I helped him out," he said, looking as Wulf kept talking. "It was a miscommunication since he's a mutation type and all scary looking. Guy's a real softie, though. And he's hilarious."

"What language is he speaking?" Uraraka asked.

"Esperanto," Danny replied without much thought.

"Did you say you taught Danny ice powers?" Kaminari was asking Frostbite.

"Did you show Todoroki his moves, too?"

"I've never met this man in my life-"

As everybody started talking over everybody, Danny managed to slink away where Aizawa was lazily watching, though Danny had no doubt the man was listening to every word.

"So, a dog person, huh?" Aizawa asked. Danny just shrugged.

"Dog people like me. Cats still don't, though."

Chapter 72: Solidarity

Chapter Text

Shouta grunted as he hit the ground. Another boy wasted no time in straddling his hips and gripping the front of his school uniform with shaking fists.

"You're nothing but a stupid villain!" The boy shouted in his face. "And if you erase my quirk again I'll tell!"

"It-it was an accident," Shouta grunted out the last word in pain as the boy adjusted his grip on his shirt, tightening it, and therefore cutting off his windpipe. Not enough to be dangerous, but it was definitely enough for the young boy to get the message.

"You say that every time!" A girl with a unicorn horn said, stomping her foot. "You're nothing but a liar! And only villains lie!"

Shouta wanted to point out that that logic was illogical, because everybody, good or bad, had a habit of lying. But he never got the chance, because in the blink of an eye, the heavy body that had been sitting on top of him was being tackled off of him.

"Get off of him!" The boy shouted. He was scrawny and lanky, with a shock of black hair and cold eyes that bore into the boy he was punching. The girl pulled the newcomer off of her friend, and her horn started to light up dangerously. On instinct, Shouta activated his quirk, cancelling hers out. She cried out in indignation before pulling her friend off the asphalt and stalking away.

The boy pulled himself up off the ground. Somewhere in the scuffle his lip had been split, but he was grinning at Shouta like he hung the fucking moon. He held out his hand and grinned.

"My name is Danny," he said as he pulled Shouta to his feet. "Danny Fenton. What's yours?"

"Shouta. Shouta Aizawa."

----------

Danny was quirkless.

It didn't really matter much to Shouta, but for some reason it made it easier to be friends with him. He didn't have a quirk to erase, and therefor didn't have something that Danny could be mad at him about. Though, considering how kind the other boy always was to him, he doubted there was a thing in this world he could do to make Danny upset with him.

They were starting their third year of middle school, now. They both got bullied severely-Danny more so than Shouta-but neither of them let that stop them from talking excitedly about their dreams.

Or rather, Danny talked excitedly. Shouta found that he preferred listening. Which was good, because Danny had so much energy, he had to put it somewhere. Even when he spoke, he was always in some constant form of movement. His hands moved excitedly as he spoke, and when he sat his leg bounced, and when he studied his pencil thudded against the paper in an endless, constant rhythm.

But Shouta didn't mind, because he finally found a friend who thought his quirk was cool, and evidently perfect for heroics. Not that he needed the validation, but still.

Shouta had asked him once why Danny had wanted to be friends with him. Shouta was quiet and awkward and didn't really like people all that much outside of his parents and Danny. And Danny had just grinned at him and said something stupid about solidarity, before jumping to the next topic like he always did.

It was nice having a friend.

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

"Come on, Sho, it'll be fine," Danny said as he zipped up his Hazmat suit his parents had made for him. He shoved a camera into Shouta's hands and gave him a thumbs up.

Danny had barely taken two steps inside before he tripped.

And then there was a bright flash of light.

----------

"Danny? Danny? Oh my god, you better not be dead!"

Shouta couldn't see past the tears in his eyes as he shook Danny's shoulder. He was lying on the ground, and there was steam rising off of his body.

Eventually he woke up, but he wasn't the same.

---------

White hair. Green eyes. Ghost powers. Nine months before the entrance exam.

"I'm not saying I'm glad it happened," Danny was saying. It was warm, a wonderful day for ice cream. They lounged outside and people watched as the sun slowly started making its descent. "It hurt like a mother fucker. If given a second chance I wouldn't do it again."

"What are you getting at?" Shota asked tiredly. He hated talking about Danny's half death, because it was a reminder of the time he almost lost his best and only friend. He really doesn't like to think about what would happen if he actually had.

"Having ghost powers is cool," Danny said. It was spoken like a fact. The sky is blue. Water is wet. Ghost powers are cool. Shouta didn't know how to feel about how final it sounded. Not when the boy still woke up, shaking and crying with nightmares from the accident any time they spent the night at each other's houses. "And I'm excited. Because now...I feel like I have a real chance at getting in. I get to be a hero, Sho. No ifs ands or buts about it."

Shouta thought that if anybody could be the first quirkless hero, it was someone like Danny. That he didn't need a quirk to be a hero. That he hadn't needed to die before he had any worth.

But he didn't say that out loud.

----------

It was raining.

Somehow, it seemed fitting. Like the movies and the books always showed. When tragedy struck, the rain came with it.

Danny had been on crowd control with Midnight and His Purple Highness while Shouta and Loud Cloud were supposed to apprehend the villain.

He had heard Oboro's voice through his speaker while he was buried under the rubble. He had been shouting encouragements, and with that voice ringing in his ears Shouta had taken down the villain single handedly, only to find out later that Oboro's voice...It had been in his head.

Because when that building fell, it had become a tomb.

Danny caught up quickly enough, but judging from the look on his face, he already knew.

Danny had told Shouta once that he could feel when people died. He could feel their spirit manifesting as the life drained from their eyes. It's why he didn't like hospitals or nursing homes. But here, in the battlefield, it could only ever mean one thing.

Hizashi came up not long after, clutching at Danny and Shouta like his life depended on it.

After a while, nobody could tell if it was tears or rain that was on their cheeks.

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

Shouta went underground as soon as he graduated. Danny and Hizashi went to the spotlight. Danny went somewhere in between. He was known enough to be recognized in his Phantom form, but stealthy enough to keep up with Shouta in the shadows. Danny, it seemed, always did things in careful halves.

---------

"Ready for your first day?" Danny asked as they walked up the gates of U.A. Last time they were here, they had stood on a stage while their teachers congratulated him. There were heavy crocodile tears from one Mr. Jack Fenton, while Mrs. Fenton patted his back affectionally. Jazz had been absolutely beaming as she wiped her eyes as her brother and might-as-well-be-brothers waved from their temporary spotlight.

Being back felt almost the same. All eyes on them, with new expectations weighing them down.

"Let's just get this over with," Shouta sighed tiredly. Danny just grinned at him, bumping his shoulder with his as he talked animatedly with his hands, speculating over what kind of students he thought they'd have for their first year teaching. Always moving, even when there was no reason to.

That's okay, though. Shouta had always been a good listener.

Chapter 73: Cujo

Summary:

Just read the ice sculpture one, loved it! But now I have a question: How would class 1-A react to actually meeting Cujo?

Chapter Text

"So, I've got a question," Uraraka said as she leaned over Danny's desk. Danny looked up at her, eyebrow raised.

"What's up?" He asked.

"When Mr. Aizawa was judging the ice sculpture contest last week you said your dog could actually get to that size. Were you being serious?"

"Yeah," Danny shrugged, pulling out his phone. He opened up his gallery and started showing her pictures of him in his small and big form, tongue lolling as he wagged his tail.

"Woah," Kaminari breathed, coming up behind her.

"I don't believe it," Bakugou huffed. "Not without proof."

"Bakugou, if you want to see my dog in person all you had to do is ask," Danny said. He gave the other boy a shit eating grin as he whirled around to yell at him, only to be interrupted by their teacher.

Bakugou sat their simmering for the rest of the class period, and Danny made a mental note to call Cujo to him when they were safe and sound in the dorms.

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

"Guys, I have a surprise!"

Aizawa sighed as Danny's voice called through the common room. All he wanted to do was have an easy night grading while making sure Todoroki didn't burn another microwave. Was that so much to ask?

He watched tiredly as Danny carried in a tiny, green dog with a spiked collar. He yapped happily, and Aizawa made a mental note that no pets were allowed in the dorms, unless it was for their quirk or mental health. But now that half his class was surrounding him, trying to pet the dog, he'd leave it for tonight.

(How had he even gotten the dog on campus? Has he been here the whole time?)

"His name is Cujo!" Danny said excitedly as he set Cujo down. The dog yapped annoyingly as it ran around in circles, and, really, cats were so much better.

"You said earlier he could grow! We still have an hour left before curfew, can you show us?" Kaminari asked excitedly. Danny nodded enthusiastically before calling Cujo to him. The dog didn't hesitate. Well, at least he was responsible enough to train the dog.

And if the dog had a size quirk that probably meant he should get up.

Aizawa sighed as he set his papers to the side, grabbed his coffee, and stepped outside with the rest of his class. Danny and Cujo were in the clearing in front of the dorms while everybody else gathered on the porch or the steps. Aizawa leaned against the wall, watching very unenthusiastically, thank you very much.

With one quick command from Danny, Cujo grew and grew and grew until he was almost as tall as the dorm. Aizawa pressed down his surprise. Danny said the dog could grow on command, but this isn't really what he had been expecting. For a dog to be able to get that big...It's a miracle there hasn't been any incidents.

The class wastes no time in asking Danny if they can pet him. Cujo rolls over onto his back, exposing his stomach for tummy rubs. Kouda in particular is excitedly whispering to the dog as he pets his large snout. Cujo barks excitedly at whatever he's being told.

The only ones that aren't super gung ho about petting the dog are Bakugou, who's upset to be proven wrong, and Todoroki, who had probably never touched a dog in his life. Well, not until Midoriya pulls on his hand excitedly and leads him over. Bakugou huffs, and Aizawa takes another sip of coffee.

Eventually Danny manages to peel himself away from his friends, and he sits down on the steps. He watches with a fond smile as one Very Good Boy gets half a dozen kids scratching furiously at his stomach in a valiant effort to make his back leg thump in the air.

"How long have you had him?" Aizawa asks. Danny shrugs.

"About a year? He was already trained when I got him, thank god," Danny says casually.

Ah, Aizawa thinks. That makes more sense.

Bakugou mumbles something under his breath while glaring at Danny. Aizawa didn't hear what he said, but judging from the grin that splits Danny's face in half, his classmate most certainly had. He throws his head back and lets out a bark of laughter, and goes back to watching his dog.

Eventually Danny makes the dog shrink and he sleeps with Danny. In the morning, the dog is gone, but Danny doesn't seem upset by it, which means it's probably perfectly normal for his dog to just come and go as he pleases.

It raises a lot of questions.

Aizawa buries himself in his sleeping bag instead.

Chapter 74: Join Us

Summary:

LoV kidnapping: arent you tired of being nice? Dont you want to go ape shit? Theres evil in you, BECOME A VILLAIN!!!!
Danny who already went through Dan: lol what?

Chapter Text

Danny groaned as he woke up, blinking the stars out of his eyes. He tried to lift his hands, but one simple tug told him they were being restrained against the chair he was sitting in. Maybe he could-No, intangibility apparently doesn't work. His parent's invention? Maybe Vlad's?

"Spooky's awake," somebody off in the corner said. It didn't take a genius to figure out who it was. He did, after all, engulf the training camp in blue fire. How long ago was that? He could still feel the burn of ash in his lungs, so he either hasn't been out for too long, or he's a lot more injured than he originally thought.

He looked around, throwing a particularly nasty glare in the fire user's direction. He was in come kind of bar, with a TV on a small stand across the room and a bunch of villains hanging around looking very put out.

"Oh, I loved your performance in Phantom of the Opera," Danny told him, venom lacing every word. And, yeah, Danny knew it wasn't okay to make fun of one's disfiguration, but he was an asshole that hurt his friends, so he'll make an exception just this once.

"He's familiar with the theatre?" Marble Man asked, almost hopefully.

"Enough, already," said a voice from Danny's side. Even without looking he knew who it was by the chills that went down his spine.

"Nomu," he had said at the USJ. "Kill him."

"Eraserhead is so cool!"

"This brat is more than just an NPC. Maybe he's useful..."

"Shigaraki," Danny spat. "What the fuck do you want?"

"That's no tone for a hero," Shigaraki leered as he came into Danny's view.

"Perhaps you should extend our offer," Mr. Compress said with a flourish.

"Join us," Shigaraki said, putting his hands on Danny's arms and leaning into his face. Danny tried to lean back, but the chair was stopping him. He instinctively turned his face away, acutely aware that the only thing keeping him from turning to dust were Shigaraki's pinky fingers. God, did villains never brush their teeth?

"Why would I do that?" Danny asked, voice strained from the awkward position.

"Because!" Shigaraki threw himself off of Danny dramatically. "Aren't you tired of being nice? Don't you want to go ape shit like you did at the sports festival?"

As if on cue, the TV flickered to life, showing a reel of Danny in his fight against Bakugou. It was a closeup of his face, with his glowing fist pulled back for a massive punch. His eyes were wide with anger and his lips were pulled back in a snarl, showing off his fangs that insisted on growing in. He remembered being upset, though he can't remember why. He just needed someone to take it out on, and Bakugou had been more than willing during their round.

"The potential is oozing out of you, Fenton," Shigaraki said, gesturing to him burying Bakugou's face in the dirt and pulling his fist back for another punch as his other held his classmate's face down. "I've never seen a more bloodthirsty look on someone so young."

Danny's gaze flickered over to Toga, but he remained silent. These guys were seriously asking if he wanted to join the dark side? Do they even have cookies? No, it would appear not. It doesn't matter either way, though. Danny's seen what happened in a world where he was evil. He had no intention of making that a reality.

Every time he thought about his future he wanted to throw up, because every time he thought of Dan. His wicked grin, piercing red eyes, flaming hair. He had been so cold, and a powerhouse that decimated Japan in one week. The memory of his friend's dead bodies lying around the ground, bleeding and broken would forever haunt his dreams.

He was not going to let that happen.

"I think you got the wrong guy," Danny told them. In the corner, he heard Dabi snort, but it was quickly covered up by an elbow from Spinner.

"You're him, though," Magne said, looking between Danny and the TV.

"Yeah, I'm him. But if you want a superpowered brat to join the dark side, you got the wrong guy," he clarified. "So you can take your offer and shove it."

"I know all about you, Fenton," Shigaraki said, enunciating the syllables in his name. "Your parents don't care about you. Society cast you aside when they thought you were weak. They would have rather seen you splattered across the pavement than someone who stood up to them. So why? Why be a hero?"

"So I can help people," Danny said with a shrug. "I don't care about being famous or known or any of that dumb bullshit. I just want to do what I can."

"But why?" Shigaraki was genuinely angry now. Like he couldn't wrap his head around why someone would ever want to be a hero. And Danny could understand why. He knew why he had become evil in an alternate timeline. Because heroes and people alike disregarded him at every turn and never gave him a chance. And from the looks of it, Shigaraki got the same treatment and a worse support system.

"I don't know how to explain it," he said honestly. "It's just a gut feeling. I know my purpose in life isn't to help you destroy the world and kill All Might or whatever other super cliché evil things you've got planned. It's to help people the way I never was."

"How naïve," Shigaraki sneered, turning away from him angrily. "You share the ideology of children, blindly worshipping a hero world and a hero government that-"

"-I'm not," Danny says firmly. "I don't trust the system. The Commission is just as terrible and corrupt as the GiW. And the hero ranking system is a joke. But the best way to change something is to do it from the inside. Not world domination."

Shigaraki opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a knock instead.

"Pizza's here," someone said. Everybody stared, confused for a moment. Danny just grinned, and heaved his chair to the side. As he hit the ground, a group of very brightly colored individuals busted through the wall, right where he had been sitting.

"Nice of you to join the party," Danny said with a lopsided grin. "Now untie me so I can help kick some ass!"

Chapter 75: Red Shoe Theory

Summary:

Are Danny and Izuku ever going to talk to each other about their shoes?

Chapter Text

Izuku noticed it on the first day.

Not very many people outside of the quirkless community knew about the significance of red shoes. To a normal person, they were just shoes. But to the quirkless, they were the bare minimum. A subtle scarlet letter. These shoes were bright red with white souls and black laces, and if you looked on the heel, there would be the letter Q branded into the shoe.

They were the only kind of shoe that fit quirkless people because of the extra toe joint. There was also really only one brand for it, and one color, because even quirkless brands didn't give a shit about them.

So color him surprised when he sees another kid a few seats away from him wearing the same shoes.

And he wasn't quirkless, either.

He had used a plethora of powers during the quirk assessment test. Green rays, flight, intangibility. And from the looks of it he was holding back. But that was...Wrong? There's no way there could be two quirkless-born kids in the same class.

Right?

-----------

Danny wanted to talk to Midoriya about his shoes. Because it was obvious his quirk wasn't suited for his body, but he obviously wasn't a ghost. So how did he take down a zero pointer with one punch?

The first couple days he wasn't able to get the kid alone long enough to have a conversation. If they weren't doing first day bullshit, it was the battle trials, and then the USJ Incident where he almost died a second time and Midoriya had been hospitalized because he broke his bones again. It was obvious he was untrained with his quirk, but that wasn't necessarily his fault, was it?

Still though, with Danny's rotten luck, what were the odds?

--------

They weren't able to talk to each other until after the sports festival. Their time in between the USJ and the festival had been spent by training non-stop, with a little bit of harassments from other classes mixed in for good measure.

So it was on a bright Wednesday morning before their internships during lunch where Danny was able to pull Midoriya away. They snuck onto the roof with their bento boxes in hand and sat down, gazing out at the bright blue sky.

The silence between them was tense. They both wanted to ask, but they both had secrets that they held near and dear to them. Their secrets could get them or others hurt. And though no words were spoken, it was a silent observation.

It was Izuku that broke the silence.

"We have the same shoes," he said. Because he had known all along why Danny wanted him to come to the roof. It was quiet, and there weren't a lot of people who knew how to get up there, making it safe from any eavesdroppers.

"But...But we're not...Not anymore," Danny said lamely.

"Yeah," Izuku replied awkwardly.

"I think we're different though," Danny continued. He was pointedly not looking at Izuku. Instead, his gaze fell upon his left hand. It was mangled, and had faint Lichtenburg figures crawling up his hand and into his sleeve. Izuku couldn't help but look at his own right hand, with crooked fingers and jagged scars marring his freckled skin.

"How did you get yours?" Izuku asked quietly. Danny looked almost sad as he looked from his hand back to the sky. There was a cloud blocking the sun. It was probably going to rain again, soon.

"I was in an accident," Danny said quietly. It was as if it was spoken for the first time, and Izuku knew from experience that that was scary. Like saying it out loud finally made it permanent. "My parents are support engineers who like to experiment with ghost stuff. I thought it was fake until...Until a year ago. They built a portal and...I was inside of it when it turned on. Now I'm..."

Dead, Izuku filled in. Not human. Not fully. Izuku couldn't quite relate to that part, but he understood what it was like being other.

"I don't quite understand what I am, to be honest," Danny said. "I'm half human. Half ghost. But I'm too human for the ghosts and too ghost for the humans and there's just-I have all this power now, and still I'm the freak. And it's...It's frustrating."

Izuku offered Danny a small smile, but it was not returned. And up close, Izuku could see how tired Danny really was. There were bags under his eyes, and faint scars that you'd have to be looking for to see. Izuku would know, he's got his own. The starburst ones burned under his uniform.

"What about you?" Danny asked.

Izuku bit his lip. He promised All Might, but...If anybody was going to understand a secret like this, it was going to be Danny. Plus, Danny already told him his secret. It would be unfair to not provide the same comfort Danny had shown him.

"We agree that none of this leaves this roof?" He asked. Because man, anxiety was a real bitch sometimes. Luckily, though, it makes Danny give out an amused huff.

"I wouldn't have told you if I thought you were gonna go blabbing," Danny said.

"R-right," Izuku said. He felt his face grow hot with embarrassment as he mustered up the courage to say what needed to be said. And when he did, it came out in a rush of words, forcing them to be said aloud instead of holding them back like he had taught himself how to. "All Might gave me his quirk."

Danny's eyebrows shot up into his hairline, but he didn't say anything. That was all he needed to do, though, for Izuku to tell him everything about All Might's accident and his time limit and One for All. And it stressed him out that he was spilling all of this to a classmate, but holy fuck did it feel good to finally get this off of his chest. Now that he had someone to talk to about it, he felt like he could breathe for the first time in nearly a year.

And it's not like he didn't know keeping this secret was going to be hard. Not when his late bloomer status was unheard of. Not when he and All Might couldn't act to save their lives. Not when it was so painfully obvious that his body couldn't handle his quirk yet.

But now he had somebody who understood. And it wasn't quite the same, because Danny's had his powers a lot longer, and it was a power that was his-not borrowed and passed down like Izuku's. But there was something more between them.

They both knew what it was like to be quirkless. They knew the statistics like the back of their hand and could spit off facts at the drop of a hat. They had to take the beatings and insults, and they were barred from grocery stores and movie theaters.

They had to buy their shoes online, in secret.

"I know this is going to sound really selfish," Izuku said eventually. "But I'm...I'm glad I'm not the only one."

"Yeah," Danny said with a small smile as he looked to Izuku. "Me too. Though, you should probably tell Aizawa. He can help you stop breaking your bones."

Izuku groaned and buried his face in his hands. Danny threw his head back and laughed.

Chapter 76: Debut

Chapter Text

There were screams of pain and fear as smoke and ash filled the air. It was pulled down by the rain, but not enough to completely clear the air. Probably due to the villains quirk. What were they calling him? Blaze? Dumb name, but it would do for now. Some kind of fire quirk, or maybe explosions.

The reporter coughs as she drags her camera man away from the mayhem. Sure, she should stay and get the story-and she will. But not with her friend and coworker in danger.

The earth beneath them rumbles. Already weakened buildings start to fall, and those that were standing were starting to crack from the quirk of Blaze's partner in crime.

"We need to get out of-" the reporter starts, but is cut off by another tremor that sends both of them into the ground. Standing is hard from the rain and mud that sloshes around their feet, and it becomes impossible as the building they're next to starts to creak and buckle. In a matter of seconds they're staring down at their own demise, as a huge chunk of debris starts to fall. It's intent it to fully crush them to dust.

She knows it will be quick, but she braces herself anyway.

The impact comes.

But...She's...She's fine. And so is her camera man. It's dark, and they're definitely being crushed by something, but they're perfectly fine. How...?

"Are you guys okay?"

The reporter jumps, and it's only then that she notices the firm grip the man has on his shoulder. His voice echoes eerily around them as his burning gaze flicks from the reporter to her camera man. She can't seem to form words, so she nods instead. The newcomer lets out a relieved breath before grabbing onto their clothes and pulling them from the chunk of building that had indeed landed on them.

"Who-who are you?" The reporter asks, trying to keep the tremor from her voice.

"Name's Phantom," the man grins, reassuringly. "Just make sure to get to the medic tents set up, okay? I'll hold them off."

The reporter only nods, and he nudges her and her coworker in the direction of the tents. But instead of going there, she and her camera man run to a safer spot to film.

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

Danny grunts as he gets slammed into a building. There's a fire lasso around his waist, burning through his suit and into his skin. He let's out a flare of ice that makes the fire dissipate. The villain, Blaze, sneers at him.

"You look a little young, hero," He taunts. "What, they couldn't get someone good like Thirteen or something?"

Danny is fully aware of how young he looks, but he's more than capable of taking down a couple of B-rank villains. The only reason it's taken him this long is because he's also playing rescue. And on top of that, he hasn't been able to find out who the source of the tremors is. That means he's either hiding or he's in the ground somewhere. Finding him shouldn't be a big problem, so long as he can take care of Blaze first.

More fire comes at him, but he weaves in and out. The guy is a pretty good long range fighter, considering what his quirk is, but that probably just means he's shit at close combat. And with how fast Danny is coming towards the guy, he can't keep up. The rain, for once, is in Danny's favor.

He flips in the air and his feet connect with the villains chest. He sends him into the ground, creating a crater around him. He's unconscious.

Now he just needs to worry about the earth villain. If he's causing these tremors, there's probably a limited range he can handle, especially with this much infrastructure around. Which means he needs to get airborne.

Danny flies straight up. Another tremor rumbles through the streets, and...Well, it's not really a tremor at all. It's a perfect circle that's created from splintering concrete with a thirty foot radius. He's been hard to pinpoint because with how much damage he's been causing, it's been impossible to tell where he is. But now that Danny has his eyes locked onto the villains position, he doesn't waste any time.

Without any hesitation, he dives head first into the ground at the center of the last attack. Down below, maybe twenty feet, his arms find their way around somebody's waist. He grips the man's uniform and punches him in the face. Danny grimaces as he feels the cartilage of the man's nose crunch under his fist, but it does more than enough damage. Like Blaze, this one is also down with one hit.

He takes him up to the surface. Most of the fire has been put out now, now that Blaze is unconscious and in quirk suppressant cuffs thanks to the backup that's finally arrived. He hands the earth quirk guy off to the cops, who quickly do the same, and gets to work.

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

Less than a day later there's a video of Phantom pulling dozens of people out of the rubble. He's using his intangibility and flight to do most of the rescue, and he finds all of the survivors in a handful of hours. It beats All Might's debut record by thirty minutes.

A reporter comes up to him-one that he had saved earlier in the video, as this is her footage. He looks at her with only mild recognition as she thrusts a microphone in his face while he's in the middle of helping a woman with a broken leg onto a stretcher.

He hasn't rested. His injuries haven't been tended too, and even though there's footage of his stomach being charred black, the only evidence of that happening now it his burnt uniform that's stained green.

"Phantom," she says eagerly, and slightly out of breath. "On behalf of me, my crew, and the city, I just want to thank you for helping us."

Phantom gives her a surprised look, before it melts into a warm smile. His image flickers on the screen, but if the distortion is from the damage to the camera or Phantom nobody is really sure.

"It's not a problem, ma'am," he says. "I'm just glad I could help."

"Some are already saying that, after this rescue, you're going to be the next All Might. How do you feel about that?"

"I think," Phantom pauses, choosing his words deliberately, "That if you're looking for the next All Might, you got the wrong guy. I'm not looking to surpass him or outrank him or be like him. I'm just trying to do what I can to keep people safe."

The video cuts off there, but there's a lengthy article of how Phantom went to the hospital and made sure every survivor was okay, and being taken care of. He talks them through the recent trauma they've just experienced, helps them process that they're okay and they're safe. Helps them deal with facing certain death for the first time with an understanding that nobody as young as Phantom should have. He's only in his early twenties, for gods sake.

But he leaves each room a little bit lighter, despite taking on the brunt of their recent trauma, like Atlas holding the world on his shoulders. But Phantom stands tall and strong. An immovable object.

He's not the next All Might. He's not the next Symbol of Peace. That spot belongs to Deku, another up and comer in the same graduating class as Phantom. But Phantom doesn't need to be All Might to make an impact. He doesn't need to be a symbol for the public to find safety in.

He just needs to be Phantom.

Their new Beacon.

Chapter 77: Breaking Curfew

Chapter Text

Aizawa knew the adjustment to the dorms was going to be a little tough for everybody. It was a big change right after the historical event of All Might retiring, so he didn't doubt that there would be tension and worry and late nights with his students.

He had just been hoping that those late nights were spent indoors, and not out in courtyard of the dorms breaking curfew.

It was two in the morning, and he had been alerted by a patrol-bot that there was a student out of bed. And after the little fiasco between Bakugou and Midoriya the other night, he had really hoped the rest of the class got the message.

Evidently, one Daniel Fenton had not.

He was sitting cross-legged in the air, hunched over a tree stump and looking like he was in deep thought. He said something as if he was speaking to somebody, but there was nobody there in front of him. Shouta frowned as he walked over.

"Of all the people breaking curfew I didn't expect it to be you," he tells him. To his credit, Danny doesn't jump like he usually would. He just offers Aizawa a sheepish grin as he rubs the back of his neck nervously.

"Sorry, Mr. Aizawa," he says. "But it was important."

Aizawa flicks his gaze down to the stump. There's a small pile of playing cards, and even more in Danny's hand. Is he playing by himself? He couldn't have done this in his own room or with one of his equally restless friends?

"Care to explain?"

"Is no an option?" Danny asks nervously as his gaze flicks between Aizawa and the person he was supposedly playing cards with. At Aizawa's unimpressed look, Danny crumbles. "Okay, alright. I'm playing cards with Youngblood."

There's a beat of silence where the only thing that happens is Aizawa's slow, calculating blinks. A movement that only Danny can see happens, and he whirls around to face this Youngblood.

"I can see you cheating, you little shit," he says, though there's no real heat behind it. And, much to Aizawa's amazement, a card is lifted off of the stump and placed back into the air, disappearing as it's slid into Youngblood's hand. "That's what I thought," Danny says triumphantly as he places his own card down. Then he turns to Aizawa.

"We'll be done soon, sir," he says. "I can explain everything once we're done, but I need to finish playing with him."

There's a sort of desperation in his voice that Aizawa latches onto. He knows, without a doubt, that this goes beyond weird teenager bullshit.

"How come he's invisible?" Aizawa asks him.

"Well, he's not. He just-he can't be seen by adults. Only kids can see him. Those in-tune with their inner child, if you will. And if he would stop cheating," he pointedly says to thin air, "then we would actually be able to finish a round of this time-forsaken game."

Something is said by Youngblood that has Danny shooting him a withering glare as he slaps another card down. "Take that!"

Aizawa watches patiently as this goes on for almost another hour. They finish a round of whatever they're playing, and Danny happily relays any message Youngblood has for him. Most of them are snarky, immature comments that he expects from children more so than whoever Danny is playing with.

"No, sorry, kid," Danny says to the air in front of him as he puts the cards away. "I've got school, and then this weekend I'm helping a classmate with somehitng. But I promise that next time I'm in the Zone we'll hang out some more, okay?"

That seems to be enough of an answer for Youngblood, because after a few seconds, Danny's gaze turns upwards, following this ghost up to where he inevitably has disappeared. Danny lets out a low, impressed whistle.

"I'll never get over the fact that he has his own pirate ship," he says. "It's historically accurate, too. It's really impressive."

Aizawa follows his gaze, but of course, he only sees the cloud-spotted sky above them. When he looks back at Danny, the kid is staring at him with a thankful smile.

"Thank you," he says. "I'm sorry for breaking curfew, it's just-I won't be able to go to my parent's place until next weekend, and I didn't want to stick him in the thermos that long. He's just a kid, y'know?"

Oh.

Those childish remarks were like that because it was a child making them.

Somehow that thought hadn't occurred to him.

"How old is he?" Aizawa asks. Danny almost looks sad as he answers.

"He was nine? Ten? Something like that, when he passed away. It was cancer, I think. His obsession is playing, and, well, I didn't think a couple card games could hurt. It's better than him throwing a tantrum and trying to mess with all the adults. Plus, I kind of owed him. Last time we were scheduled to play I had to deal with these dumb meetings that Clockwork is making me go to."

Aizawa is fully aware of the...Unique nature of his student's quirk. He had spilled everything after he had broken down after accidentally being his with Kaminari's quirk sometime before the sports festival. He recognized the name Clockwork, though for the life of him he couldn't remember why. Danny only ever mentions him in passing, it seems.

"Don't worry about tonight," Aizawa tells him. "Just make sure your next play date is at a more reasonable hour, okay kid?"

Danny gives him a smile big and bright enough to rival Midoriya's.

"Thank you, Mr. Aizawa. I'll do my best."

"That's all I can ask. Now go, get to bed. We still have school tomorrow."

Danny complies without complaint, even going so far as to give him a two-fingered salute as he floats up to his dorm and slips in through his balcony. Aizawa sighs, and turns to go back to the teacher's dorm.

Ugh, he thinks with a fond shake of his head. Kids.

Chapter 78: Mr. Fenton

Summary:

Heroics teacher danny first meeting with his class as red-shoes civilian danny. Many recognize what that means, few underestimated him, said few gets their butts handed to them.
Oh, and a reveal i guess but we know exactly who would recognize civilian danny, the quirkless accident turned royalty.

Chapter Text

Mr. Fenton is...Strange.

They all saw it on the first day. The shoes he was wearing matched Midoriya's, and while that did raise a few questions about their classmate, it raised even more about their teacher.

Because their teacher was tall and broad and he had scars that littered his exposed forearms but he didn't seem at all like any other hero they've met. He wasn't over the top like Midnight and he wasn't incredibly obvious like Mic. He didn't keep to himself in the same way Vlad King did, but he was smart in the same way Power Loader was. He was horrifyingly cryptic but wouldn't bat an eye at cracking jokes with his students.

He was...Just a guy. A normal guy teaching them science and obsessing over space.

Most of the class, of course, wondered if this was safe. Mr. Fenton obviously wasn't a pro. He probably got the scars from teaching students or maybe it was the same reason he wore those red shoes.

Of course, there was one exception to this. And whenever there was an exception, it was always, consistently, one Izuku Midoriya.

Because he almost immediately recognized the hero walking in. Though it seemed his science teacher was more than okay with seeing how long it would take for everybody to make any kind of connection. Which, really for a bunch of heroes in training it was taking far longer than it should have. Phantom was notorious for having an obsession with space, and that's what littered his classroom was littered with. Model rockets on the shelves, Apollo 13 posters on the wall, and a framed newspaper clipping from the first Moon Landing.

Not to mention the scars that were on his face were identical to the ones that Phantom had. There was a scar over the bridge of his nose, and a small sliver of one of his eyebrows were missing. Creeping up his neck were three long claw scars that ended at the base of his jaw, and disappeared into his flannel.

And while Midoriya was the first, Bakugou wasn't far behind. He was just as much of a hero nerd as Midoriya sometimes, and through all their years most of his knowledge comes from his current rival. So to put two and two together was child's play.

But then, the first day back after moving into the dorms, Mr. Fenton had a wonderful announcement to make.

"Hey, everybody-just a heads up, since All Might has officially retired from hero work I'm gonna start helping him out in foundational heroics. So just be prepared, okay? Always expect the unexpected."

That was some cryptic bullshit, but two out of twenty understood the meaning immediately. It had been months and most of the class still hadn't realized he was a pro. It didn't help that he never showed off his quirk, but occasionally there would be a trick of the light that made his eyes look eerily green instead of blue. When Bakugou and Midoriya saw this, Mr. Fenton just winked.

At the end of the day the class wasted no time in getting into costume. The rest of the class still remained blissfully ignorant. It probably didn't help that All Might in his small form was standing next to Mr. Fenton. And Mr. Fenton was still plain, boring old Mr. Fenton.

"Hey, everybody!" Mr. Fenton said with a beaming smile. "Today we're just going to be working on sparring. I want to see how far you guys have come with you're hand to hand skills as well as see if there's anything that can be brushed up on."

"Sir!" Iida asked, shooting his hand in the air. "Will we be able to choose out partners or will there be lots drawn?"

"Neither," Mr. Fenton said. He had a wicked grin on his face, showing off his fangs. He looked fucking crazy. Bakugou gave him his own feral grin as their teacher said, "You'll be fighting me."

"All at once?" Uraraka asked worriedly. Mr. Fenton just nodded and stepped out into the middle of the street.

Bakugou was the first to blast off.

He propelled himself through the air with an explosion at the ready and a battle cry on his lips, but as he reached for Mr. Fenton's face, sparks flying from his palms, Mr. Fenton gripped his arm with one hand and pushed up on his chest with the other, following the motion until Bakugou was slammed into the ground.

"Good try," he told Bakugou. "But you leave yourself open when you extend like that. Don't do it so early, it gives me time to take advantage of the fact that you left yourself open."

Without batting an eye, he ducked under Hagakure's invisible leg, and swept his leg out, knocking her down instead.

"Adjust your weight so that your steps fall quietly, Hagakure," Mr. Fenton said. He flipped backwards a couple times to avoid Jirou and Aoyama's twin attacks and shouted more advice.

This went on until every student was down and couldn't get back up again. Mr. Fenton hadn't even broken a sweat, and he was barely breathing hard, but he looked incredibly happy about everything as he stood over them. All Might walked around with water while whispering encouragements to his students.

"H-how?" Mina asked from her spot against Tsu. "How did you beat all of us? You're not even a pro!"

Mr. Fenton's eyes flashed green and he gave them a dangerous smile as two white rings split him in half and traveled up and down his body. When the light disappeared, Fenton was replaced by the number 13 pro hero. The Ghost King: Phantom. The only ones who weren't surprised by this were Bakugou and Midoriya, who, while in the process of peeling himself off the pavement, was practically vibrating with excitement.

"Wh-since when?" Kaminari asked. Phantom threw his head back and laughed, and the sound echoed eerily around them.

"I did tell you all to expect the unexpected. Though, extra credit to Bakugou and Midoriya for figuring it out a while ago."

The class collectively groaned as Midoriya stuttered out his thanks.

Phantom made a mental note to speak to Nezu about the kid's analysis, and another one to thank Aizawa for the opportunity to mess with his class.

Chapter 79: Second Chance

Summary:

WAIT okay. Hurt/comfort mentor!danny where bakugou dies at kamino (maybe a stray chunk of rubble, maybe a dusted chest, maybe katsuki just missed the hand kirishima offers) and becomes a ghost. Now danny has to teach the newly formed Dynamight how to a) be a ghost and b) how to be human enough to not be suspected of being a ghost. Lots of hidden trauma, lots of parental danny (and maybe a Ghost Adoption, whos to say).

Chapter Text

Danny's knees buckled as he stared down at his student's broken body.

The move had been risky. He doesn't think he's ever seen Bakugou try and fly like that. And he had been so close to catching Kirishima's hand.

Danny had been so close to catching him as he fell.

There was that familiar ball of guilt and anger rising up in his chest as he looked at Bakugou's blank expression. There was a crater where he had tried to slow his fall, but it hadn't been enough.

Danny held Bakugou's face gently, like he was a fine piece of china. He thumbed some soot off of the kid's face, and allowed a couple tears to finally shed.

But then his ghost sense went off.

He jerked his head up, a gasp getting locked in his throat. Because standing before him was one Katsuki Bakugou.

He looked almost exactly how he had died. The only difference was a faint glow, and a tinny echo that appeared when he spoke.

"What the fuck is happening?" He asked.

"You-I didn't catch you," Danny told him, unable to hide the anguish in his voice. "You died, Bakugou. You're a ghost now."

As if realizing this for the first time, Bakugou glanced down at his own body, pale and lifeless, and then back at Danny.

"Hide it," he said. "Hide my body."

"What? Bakugou, I can't do that. You need to-"

"What I need to do is become a hero," Bakugou said. He seemed to accept this far faster than most ghosts. Danny would have been impressed if it weren't for what he was being asked to do.

"Bakugou," Danny said as the boy's image flickered. "You're unstable. I need to take you to the Zone so you can recharge. And then we can talk about-talk about what's going to happen next."

"Tch," Bakugou said, crossing his arms over his chest. Because while he may have processed the fact that he was dead, and a ghost, Danny was still reeling with the loss of one of his students. Even if he was back as a ghost just to spite him. "I'm gonna be a hero," he said. "Not even dying is going to stop me from doing what I was born to do."

This is Bakugou's obsession at work. It's new and violent and clouding his thoughts, but the chances of Bakugou losing control as a ghost is high, and it would be just as devastating as what's happening behind them. Danny needs to tread carefully. Bakugou was already obsessed with becoming a hero when he was alive, that much was true, but now that he's a ghost it's even worse. Ghosts are a bundle of emotions and ectoplasm, after all.

"I'm not saying you can't still be a hero, Bakugou," he said. "Just look at me," he gestures to himself. "The Ghost King isn't just some pompous title I came up with, kid. But there are a few things we need to do first, okay?"

Bakugou looked at him for an unnervingly long time. He seemed unbothered by the explosions of the fight that's off in the distance.

"Fine. But you better teach me how all of this ghost bullshit works."

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

"We have a bit of a problem," Danny said. Nezu, Aizawa, and Bakugou's parents stared back at him expectantly.

"What's happened to my son?" Mrs. Bakugou asked, full of fire and rage and drive that Bakugou no doubt inherited.

"It...I couldn't save him," he said after some silence. "But he's not...Gone. It doens't make much sense, but I need everybody's word that what is said in this room stays in this room. Nobody else can know."

"I don't see how this has anything to do with Katsuki's...His-"

"-With all do respect, Mr. Bakugou, it has everything to do with him. Bakugou, you can show youself now."

His parents jumped back in surprise, and Aizawa's brows shot up to his hairline as Bakugou appeared before them. Over the course of the week Danny has been in the Zone coaching him on his ghost powers and ghost anatomy. He still has his explosions, thank time. But now he has to deal with the added stress of being able to control the rest of his powers.

"What...What's happening?" Mrs. Bakugou asks as she shakily walks over to her son. Bakugou can read a room, at least, so he lets his mother pull him into a tight hug. She buries her face in his hair as she hold him tight, tears streaming down her face. Mr. Bakugou isn't far behind.

"So he's like you?" Aizawa asked. Because they've been friends since high school, and he's always been good at putting two and two together.

"Sort of. He's full, not half," Danny explains quietly in a vain attempt to give the Bakugou's a semblance of privacy. Aizawa pales, and he sucks in a deep, deep breath. He didn't want to break the news to him this way, but he couldn't not tell the kid's homeroom teacher. He was, after all, the second best person capable to deal with ghost bullshit.

After about fifteen or so minutes, the Bakugous all pulled apart. Nezu handed them tissues, and Bakugou looked away. Danny pointedly ignored the tear stains on his face in favor of an explanation.

"So, Bakugou is a ghost. And because of that, there are certain things he needs that can't be found in the mortal realm," Danny calmly explains.

"You seem to know from experience," Mr. Bakugou tells him. Danny gives him a smile, but it lacks its usual warmth.

"The Ghost King title in my hero name isn't just for show," he tells them. "There's this pocket dimension where ghosts who are determined enough to stay live. It's a whole world that's made of ectoplasm-the thing us ghosts are all made of. Instead of sleeping or eating to recharge, he'll need to go there. For now, at least overnight for the foreseeable future. He's still a new ghost, so he can't be out of the Zone for very long. Eventually he'll get strong enough to last a few days, or even a few weeks without returning.

"All of that being said, Bakugou is still determined to become a hero," he says this while looking at Nezu and Aizawa in particular. "All ghosts have an obsession-a reason for staying, if you will. A reason for, lack of a better word, living. It's the very essence of a ghost, the very reason they're created. Bakugou's obsession is being a hero."

"What are you saying?" Aizawa asked him.

"I'm saying not even death is going to stop the kid from being a hero," Danny explains. "Since it's his obsession, there's quite literally no stopping him. But, well, we've already proven it can be done," he gestures to himself. "I can train Bakugou on how to be a ghost, and while he's in the mortal realm he can stick to just using his explosions."

"You stubborn brat," Mrs. Bakugou says with a proud smile. Bakugou rolls his eyes.

"Whatever, you old hag," though there's no real heat behind it. He's very aware of the gravity of the situation. In death, there's a solumn undertone to his movements and his speech. His tone, too, is a bit quieter, but that could just be him getting tired. Danny glances down at Bakugou's hands. His fingers are flickering in and out of existence.

"This is all...So much," Mrs. Bakugou says.

"It is," Danny agrees. "And I'm sorry I couldn't do more for him. But he's in good hands. Now, I'm sorry to cut this meeting short, but I need to get Bakugou back to the Zone so he can recharge. If you need me for anything at all just talk to Aizawa, he knows how to contact me when I'm in the Ghost Zone."

Aizawa sends him a tired glare, but nods resolutely. Danny shoots him a thankful smile before opening up a portal to the Ghost Zone. Bakugou says one last goodbye over his shoulder, Danny gives one last thank you to the group, and then they're gone.

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

Bakugou honestly doesn't know how to feel about being dead.

He can't tell Midoriya because then he'll never shut up, though he'll probably be the first to notice something is wrong with him. He can't tell Kirishima because then it'll be nothing but guilt, and he doesn't need his friend feeling that way. Not over a mistake Bakugou himself made. If he hadn't hesitate, if he had propelled himself a little bit farther, none of this would have happened.

He doesn't remember hitting the pavement, half buried under debris from the fallen buildings. He does remember a cool calm washing over him. It was dark, but when he opened his eyes he was staring at his teacher-who's apparently also dead-holding his limp body.

Needless to say, it's a lot to process.

Phantom once asks him if he wants to talk to somebody about it. Bakugou nearly explodes his face off, and Phantom doesn't bring it up again.

Getting the hang of his new body though is enough of a distraction for him. Sure, he can't use it in his hero work without people getting suspicious, but it's something else to master. Another hurdle to jump over, and he welcomes it with open arms.

The biggest problem with his ghost powers is them being tied to emotion. Apparently, according to Phantom, ghosts are made through intense emotions mixing with ectoplasm. Some ghosts have different powers that either stem from their quirk or the way they died. Bakugou is glad he only has his explosions to deal with in that regard. He doesn't think he could be bothered to learn a new quirk on top of the baseline powers that all ghosts apparently have.

He's got a strong hold on his invisibility. Phantom had said that's the most important one, because if a flight or fight response is triggered, even subconsciously, it would activate. It's best not to avoid that if he doesn't want to be hounded and expose both their secrets. Intangibility is next, but it's a lot less obvious if he slips up most of the time.

Phantom later has him try out ectoblasts. They're one of Phantom's go to, so it doesn't surprise him. What does surprise him, however, is what comes out. Instead of a clean beam of energy like Phantom's, his normal explosions come. But instead of the usual fiery red, they're the same toxic green as the world around them.

"Interesting," Phantom said. "Unsurprising. But channeling your ectoplasm like you would your quirk somehow merges the two. Try using your explosions normally."

He does, and he's thankful that they're back to normal. Phantom hums like he's in deep thought, but doesn't say much about it.

But, it does make Bakugou curious.

"What was your quirk?" he asks Phantom. "Before you died, what kind of power did you have?"

"Hm?" Phantom asks, momentarily knocked out of his daze. He takes a second to process the question before waving him off. "I didn't have one. I was born quirkless."

Bakugou carefully doesn't comment. He's been getting better, and while it can't make up for the shit he did in middle school he does realize that he was wrong. He lives with the guilt of telling Deku to kill himself every day. But it's still a bit of a shock to his system, figuring out that one of the most powerful heroes in the nation was just some quirkless schmuck who got the short end of the stick.

"How...How did you die?" Bakugou asks after a couple minutes of silent contemplation.

"My parents built a portal to this place, but it didn't work. Or, at least, it wouldn't have if I hadn't stepped inside of it. They put the power switch on the inside, and when I tripped I turned it on. Let me tell you, electricity is not the way to die."

"So you're just an accident?" He asks. He's dimly aware in the back of his head that that's a rude question, but he's never cared about that kind of stuff before. He's not going to start now. Phantom though, he takes it like a champ. He throws his head back and barks out a laugh.

"Most premature deaths are, kid," he says. There's something sad in his tone that squashes Bakugou's curiosity. He'll ask his other questions another day. "Oh, before I forget, here." Phantom hands him a jar of green spices. "To eat. You can't eat normal food, but I had a friend of mine whip that up. Just sprinkle it on your food and you should be able to eat it normally. Same with any drinks. Plus, it's ectoplasm, so if you eat consistently you'll be able to last a bit longer outside of the Zone."

"Thanks," he says, taking the jar.

"No problem. Just...Only make sure it's in your own food. If anybody else eats it they're gonna get really sick. And, let me tell you, ghost sickness is also not the way to go out. Got it?"

Bakugou can only nod.

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

"How did you get over it?"

Phantom turns to look at him, confused for a moment before giving him a shrug. They're in Phantom's Keep today because he's got back to back meetings with the Ancients, who are apparently big and powerful who are older then he can truly comprehend. He's got a crown of ice floating over his head, and he's wearing a cape with moving constellations on the inside of it, held in place around his collarbones by two glowing skulls. He looks every bit the king he evidently is, and Bakugou can feel the commanding aura emanating from him.

"I had support," he tells Bakugou. "I had friends who helped me along the way, including Aizawa. I made friends here, too, though they all hated me at first. There are only three halfas in the world, and I was the only one keeping them from taking over downtown Musatafu. Ghosts are all emotion, most of them tend to hold a grudge more often than not. But...I talked to people. I let them help me."

Hm. Food for thought, he guesses.

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

The first couple of days in the dorms is loud and obnoxious, and it puts him on edge. He puts all of his focus into staying seen and solid more so than yelling at his dumb friends. The only one who's noticed a true difference is, of course, Deku, but he's smart enough to not say shit in front of everybody else.

The others take his more subdued behavior in stride, thinking it's a side affect of being kidnapped by a nutsack looking motherfucker instead of actually dying. It's obvious they're gad he's just here. Somehow that makes him feel worse.

Still, being around his friends makes him feel normal. As if him dying never happened. There's still this ache in his chest knowing that he doesn't even need to breath anymore-that it's just habit at this point-but with Kirishima hanging off his shoulders as he talks excitedly about some dome shit Kaminari did, he feels normal. He feels alive.

He even almost feels okay.

Chapter 80: Food Poisoning

Chapter Text

It was a little known fact that Danny had the innate ability to make friends with literally anybody. He's friends with everyone in the class, with the exception of the grape, and a bunch of kids from all of the other courses. He's chill, laid back, and absolutely hilarious. And he's a good listener, and gives great advice.

That is the reason Momo asks him if he wants to try out this new tea blend her mother sent her.

"How's your sister doing?" She asks him conversationally as she makes them tea. He gives her that soft smile of adoration every time he gets the chance to talk about Jazz. Momo has only bet her once, but just from that brief interaction he can see where Danny gets his need to help people, and his emotional maturity.

"She's doing great," he replies, tipping back in his chair so it's balanced on two legs. "She really loves that book you recommended. I've got a list of others from her in my room, I'll grab it when we go back up."

"That would be wonderful," Momo says as she finishes places the tea cups on their little saucers. She carefully picks them up and wanders over back to Danny, who tips his chair back so it's on all four legs. He picks it up, and sniffs at it before crinkling his nose.

"What did you say this new blend was?" He asks suspiciously.

"Oh, it's a special type of rose. I'll have to ask Mother for their proper name, but it's absolutely delicious. I think it's one of my new favorites."

Danny sniffs it one more time, and even though his face doesn't change, he shrugs and gives her a lopsided smile. "I'll try anything once."

For Momo, it feels like watching a car crash in slow motion.

She watches as Danny confidently presses the cup to his lips. Watches his throat move as he takes a couple of gulps. Watches as his eyes go wide and watery. His hands start shaking and the tea cup drops and shatters on the floor as he falls out of his seat and onto the ground.

Momo moves at once, coming to Danny's side as he pulls himself onto all fours. His eyes are squeezed shut in pain, and he's gagging like a cat with a hairball stuck in its throat. She goes to the kitchen and drags the small trashcan over to him, just in time for him to hurl into it.

His skin is pale and clammy, and he's sweating. She's never seen him sweat before, not even during intense training. He says it's a side effect of having ice powers. In her head that means that if he's sweating, something terrible has gone wrong.

Once his stomach has nothing but bile, he continues to dry heave as he falls to the ground completely. By now several of their classmates have rushed over, and Iida wastes no time calling their teacher.

He's gasping like he can't get enough air in his lungs and his throat is swelling. His eyes are blown wide with panic, and Momo tries to get him to calm down enough to pay attention to her breathing. It does little to help since his lack of being able to breathe is precisely the problem, but it gives him something to focus on other than the burning in his throat.

Aizawa busts in the door, takes on looks at Danny, and picks him up bridal style before running from the dorms. Momo wastes no time in following. Guilt eats away at her insides.

"What happened?" He asks as they sprint towards Recovery Girl's office.

"We were just having tea," she tells him. "A new blend my mother got me! Two sips in and he started vomiting."

He doesn't say anything else, but he does nod. It's important information to have so they can explain to Recovery Girl.

by the time they make it to her office, Danny has lost consciousness. He's still breathing, and it's his quirk that's the only thing keeping him even remotely alive right not, because they're coming in shallow and sporadic.

Aizawa doesn't waste any time as he all but kicks down the door. He tells her what's happened, and she shoos them out of her office without a second thought.

"Do you think he's gonna be okay?" She asks in a small voice after a couple of hours have passed.

"He'll pull through, I think," he tells her. "We reacted quickly. He doesn't have any allergies attached to his file, so she's probably gonna pump his stomach and fix whatever damage happened to his insides."

"He-he made a face at the tea," she says. And she can feel the familiar sting of tears behind her eyes. She squeezes them shut to try and prevent them from falling, but it doesn't work. Still, she doesn't open her eyes. "He didn't like the smell. But he tried it anyway because I said it was a new favorite of mine."

"That was his choice," Aizawa tells her softly. It's supposed to make her feel better, she knows, but it doesn't stop the guilt from clawing at her chest as she chokes out a sob. Aizawa pulls her into a hug that's strong enough to be comforting, but loose enough to where she could pull away if she wanted to. But she doesn't. She can't. Instead, she clutches onto the front of his uniform and cries it out.

She's been so overwhelmed lately. Between training, homework, her duties as vice president, and making sure everyone in the dorm is taken care of, she's been so stressed out lately. This was supposed to be a time for her to relax and vent, and instead she accidentally poisoned her friend. How can she forgive herself for that?

Aizawa mutters reassurances as he rubs her back gently, and it helps immensely. Even after she's stopped crying, he doesn't pull away. Not until Recovery Girl comes back out with a grim look on her face. Momo wastes no time in asking about Danny's condition.

"He'll be fine," she tells her softly. Momo can feel the tension drain from her shoulders. "He's resting right now, and I'll keep him overnight but observation. His stomach was in pretty bad shape, and he won't be able to talk for the next couple of days but he'll make a full recovery."

"Is he awake?" She asks. "Can I see him?"

Recovery Girl just smiles and steps aside. Momo walks in hesitantly with Aizawa at her heels, a silent, comforting presence. Danny is sitting up in bed. His skin isn't as pale as it was, and he's already looking so much better despite the exhaustion that's dragging him down.

"I'm so sorry, Danny," she tells him. He gives her the same soft smile that he reserves for his sister as his hands start to move in front of him.

"He says it's not your fault," Aizawa tells her. Danny sends him a thankful look, and then nods to Momo to confirm that, yes, it isn't her fault.

"Still, I should have showed you the packaging when you asked what kind it was. Did you know you were allergic to them?"

He moves his hand in a so-so gesture before signing something else. Aizawa's expression pinches, and from the looks of it, he's picking out what to tell her.

"The tea blend was made from blood blossoms," he tells her. "His body's reaction to it is a side effect of his quirk. That's why it affected him like it did."

"Oh, that's awful! I'm so sorry, Danny. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Danny gives her a playful smile as he huffs before signing once more.

"Just let him pick the drink next time," Aizawa tells her, his eyes trained on Danny's hands. Momo huffs out her own laugh and gives him a sigh of relief.

"I think that can be arranged."

Chapter 81: Loss

Chapter Text

The first time Danny uses his Wail, it's during internship with Mirko.

They're fighting a team of villains in the middle of a mall. With Danny's help most of them were evacuated pretty quickly while Mirko occupied them long enough to get them all out.

When he gets back to the fight, the food court is in shambles. One of the villains with some kind of electricity quirk is drenched in an assortment of noodles while his partner, some asshole with a water quirk, is making quick work of all the soda machines.

The pipes from the sinks and drink machines bend and groan as whatever liquid is in them comes sloshing forward, drenching the floor. Danny's in the air, but Mirko isn't as lucky. With no hesitation, Electric Guy activates his quirk on the liquids. Mirko's body lights up like some kind of Christmas tree from hell. She doesn't cry out or give them the satisfaction of hearing her scream, but when he stops, he body drops like a rock. She's panting hard, and her body is convulsing with aftershocks.

The Electric Guy activates his quirk once more, but before he can touch down on the floor, Danny opens his mouth and he screams.

It's just the word no, but it is the most destructive thing Danny has ever done. The sound is guttural, and it rips from his throat. It's so powerful he can't close his mouth to stop it. The building rumbles and the windows shatter and the bad guys are thrown back into the wall by the force of Danny's new power.

It's loud and it's pressing and when he spares a glance at Mirko's limp body his anger just makes the scream more powerful. Decorations start to fall and large cracks appear in the wall before Danny finally runs out of breath. His vision is dark at the edges, and at some point during his screaming he had fallen to his knees. He watches dazedly as the two villains fall to the ground, unconscious.

His vision is swimming and there's a loud ringing in his ears. Still, it doesn't stop him from slowly getting to his feet. There's nothing to keep him stable, so he only makes it two steps before his knees buckle and he goes down.

He can't stop the bright rings of his transformation, and he can't stop the blackness that takes over his vision.

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

When Danny wakes up, there's this annoying ringing sound that won't go away. He can tell by the smell that he's in a hospital, but that only makes a little bit of sense because aren't heart monitors supposed to sound different?

He opens his eyes, and he can hear his throat rumbling when he groans, but he can't hear it. He can't hear anything past the dumb ringing that's giving him the biggest migraine of his life.

Mirko is there. She's standing above him and she's giving him a big fangy grin when she gets excited about something cool. Her lips are moving, but no sounds are coming out.

"Wh-what?" He asks. "I can't-you need to speak louder. I can't hear you," he tells her. Her smile fades as her head tilts in confusion. She must realize something he doesn't because she moves over towards the window and picks up her phone. She quickly types something into it before shoving it in Danny's face.

What do you mean you can't hear me? The text reads. He takes it from her, and with shaky hands he gives his reply.

Nothing but this annoying ringing. I can't hear anything else right now.

Mirko reads his reply and gives him one last concerned look before holding up her finger while she puts the phone up to her ear. Danny drifts back to sleep.

----------

When he wakes up again the ringing is still there, but it's not as intense. There's a doctor there with him, but he's speaking to Mirko instead of him. Danny can hear him talking, but it's so muffled that he has no idea what he's saying.

Since Mirko's there, he lets himself be manhandled with all their usual tests. At their concerned looks for his odd temperature and his too-slow heartbeat, Mirko gives a quick explanation that it's a side effect of his quirk. During this time, Aizawa and, oddly enough, Present Mic walk in. Danny looks away while they talk about him.

He's still trying to process what happened. His throat burns and his head hurts and he can't fucking hear anything. He feels like he should be worried, feels like he's missing something, but he's so exhausted that he can't quite put the puzzle pieces together. Whatever. His healing abilities will take care of everything like they always do.

Right?

---------

The doctor tells him he has permanent hearing loss.

Since he went all out with his new power without realizing it, it's a surprise his ear drums didn't completely burst. Maybe he can thank his healing for that.

He's fitted for hearing aids, and they run a million more tests before telling his teachers when to bring him back so he can get his hearing aids when their ready.

It's strange, not being able to hear anything other than muffled voices. It's like background noise, but not as overwhelming as it usually it. If it weren't for how frustrating it was, he would almost like it.

Aizawa and Mic start teaching him sign language right away. Apparently Mic is also deaf. His headphones work as hearing aids as well as noise cancelling, so when he uses his attack he doesn't damage them anymore than he already has. And this way, his actual hearing aids don't get broken. It's a pretty nifty support item. Danny had always thought they were just for decoration, but he supposes that the headphones make more sense for his limelight hero work.

His class is taking it super well. Midoriya had the worst reaction out of all of them. He nearly burst into tears, and probably would have if Shinso hadn't stepped in. Though he does find it equally annoying and hilarious with the new ways they try and get his attention.

Usually they stick to throwing things at him or texting him. Some try and sneak up on him, but even with his hearing mostly gone he still has the third best situational awareness out of the entire class. Other times they'll stomp on the floor, which is more effective than Danny ever thought it would be. And because his whole class is great, they put on subtitles during movie night without him even having to ask. And since he can no longer hear his alarm, Iida has been making sure he's up in enough time to get ready for school.

Of course, it does have his drawbacks. He's still learning how to sign and he's learning how to read lips. It's hard to follow along in class when Aizawa turns his back to write something down, but he does help by having pre-printed notes for Danny to have. And when he's talking without writing, he always makes sure to sign so that Danny can get a little bit of practice.

He's also...A lot more left out than he used to be. His friends are great, and they're trying, but sometimes they'll be laughing and jeering and having a conversation, and they always say oh sorry, I'll just explain it to you later, and then they never do. It's incredibly frustrating. At least, until he gets his hearing aids.

Being able to hear his friends laughter again is like a breath of fresh air. He doesn't stop his lessons with Mic and Aizawa, and he even picks up a few on learning how to channel and control this new power. Once he's cleared by everybody, he's back out on the field with Mirko, who's been signing to him in the same, clunky finger-spelling he's been trying to get used to. And if Danny cries from how happy it makes him, Mirko doesn't say anything. She just pulls him into a headlock and grinds her knuckles into his skull very affectionally.

All in all, it's a lot to get used to. It's not the end of the world and definitely not the worst thing he's ever been through. Still, he has his bad days just as much as his good days. It's hard and stressful and frustrating and confusing, but it's also a relief to be able to just turn his hearing off for a while when he starts to get overstimulated.

And, well, if he starts to teach the rest of the class disguised as hero training then nobody calls him out on it.

Chapter 82: What a Mad Banquet of Darkness

Summary:

Could you maybe do something with ghost king Danny attending ua, and with the dorm system they find out? I absolutely adore reveals, and I just think it would be hilarious to see how his classmates could find out, and their reactions! :)

Chapter Text

It was supposed to be a normal night.

Everything in the day had gone perfectly. He aced his math test in Ectoplasm's class. Managed to stay awake in Cementoss' class. Absolutely kicked ass with Kirishima and Jirou during foundational heroics, and remembered to call his parents and tell them how school was doing. With enough time to spare for homework.

But just as he was getting settled in, there was a pull at his core.

His transformation came without his permission, and he realized with horror that he was in the outfit that he wore to Council meetings. Fuck-what was happening? Why was his whole body being covered with light? What the fuck was going on?

He tried to resist the pull, but all it did was make his chest ache like a motherfucker. He kept trying though, until he cried out in pain. The bright light enveloped him and in the blink of an eye he was...

In the common room?

He was floating above a sigil that had been painted on a large blanket of canvas, with candles surrounding him. Below him were his very confused classmates, and in the kitchen with a mug halfway to his face was a very wide-eyed homeroom teacher.

"Yo, what the fuck is going on?" Kaminari asked, breaking the tense silence.

"Uh...I think you guys just summoned me on accident?" He asked, stepping down to the ground. He was hyperaware of the crown of ice floating above his head, and the Cape of Constellations brushing his calves.

"We-I was trying to summon the King of Ghosts," Tokoyami stuttered out. "I didn't think it would actually-Danny, are you... The King of Ghosts?"

All of his classmate's eyes were on him. Even Bakugou had stopped whatever he was doing to look at him. In the kitchen, Aizawa's expression was expertly blank, which probably meant he was absolutely furious.

"Uh...I can explain?"

"Please do," Aizawa said as he grabbed his mug and walked to the common room. He stood behind a bewildered Tokoyami. "Please, tell me how my student is apparently the King of Ghosts."

"Well-er, you see," Danny rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he looked from one surprised face to the next. "Almost a year ago there was this big bad guy named Pariah Dark who was let out of his Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep and I helped beat him? And because I was the one that defeated him, by ghost law, I'm the one who has to run the Ghost Zone now."

"I think you misunderstand me," Aizawa says. His voice his horrifyingly calm considering the situation. "Let's rewind to the part where you're apparently a ghost."

"Oh, well, you guys all know about my parents, right? They're a little crazy when it comes to ghosts, and um-well, to make a long story short I got into a lab accident and I sort of...Died? But I'm still alive? It's-I don't really know how the science works, if I'm being honest. But. Yeah. They call me a halfa-half ghost, half human. Half alive, half...dead."

The class was stunned into silence. Danny was so nervous, he knows for a fact that the temperature dropping was his doing and not the AC being fucky again. He really hadn't wanted anybody to find out, let alone like this. And now they were going to think he was a freak. It was just like Spectra said. He's just a creepy little boy with creepy little powers and-"

"What was your quirk before you died?" Tsu asked. Because of course she was going to. She was one of the most observant kids in the class, and the was the one blunt enough to ask what everybody was now thinking. He could feel his face heat up with shame as he looked down, avoiding everybody's gazes.

"I was quirkless before my accident," he tells them. His voice his quiet, but the room is quieter. When he speaks, nobody has a problem being able to hear him.

He hates it. He hates this. He hates being the center of attention. He feels like an exposed nerve that they're all twanging, playing him until he finally snaps. He feels like there's ants under his skin and he can't help but shrink in on himself.

"Do your parents know?" Aizawa asks him. He knows about his parent's reputation as ghost hunters. For their son to be one, it certainly doesn't paint a pretty picture. But thankfully this is one question he doesn't have to worry about.

"Yeah, they do. I told them right before the entrance exam. They-they're helping me out. They've been really supportive. Honestly, I should have told them sooner."

"So do you have any other cool ghost friends?" Uraraka asks. It's enough to break the tension, and Aizawa is looking a little concerned, but not enough to keep pressing. His classmates however, bombard him with questions.

"Are you a ghost hunter too?"

"Is that why you have so many powers?"

"Do ghosts quirks transfer over to the afterlife or do they get a new power depending on how they died?"

"How do the constellations in your cape move like that?"

It's a lot of questions all at once, and Iida, thank time, forces everybody to raise their hands like their in class. But none of them...Care. They probably care that he died in the first place, but they don't care that he's a real ghost-or the Ghost King-and none of them care that he was quirkless. It's so much more than he could have ever asked for.

He looks over at Aizawa, who's back to watching from his spot in the kitchen. He's doesn't bother trying to hide his mischievous grin in his scarf like he usually does as revels in the chaos in front of him. Danny looks to Tokoyami, because it was he apparently who brought Danny downstairs. And, with a completely straight face, says some very off the wall, on brand-Tokoyami shit he's ever heard.

"What a mad banquet of darkness."

Chapter 83: Date Night

Summary:

You know we get a lot of angsty stuff here. Makes sense seeing as Danny is half dead and all, but still. So how about something really fluffy today(whenever/if you decide to do this), Danny's first date with whoever you like the most, but the class interrupts.

Notes:

my favorite dp pairing is grey ghost but I think in the spirit of crossovers I'll put him with everybody's favorite gen ed student

Chapter Text

Daniel Fenton has never had a dating life. Ever. That tends to happen when you grow up quirkless and bullied. The closest he's gotten to a real date is somebody asking him out on a dare.

So he was, needless to say, very surprised when Hitoshi came up to him after training one day and asked him out.

Danny had been a stuttering, blushing mess, but he had managed to give out a choked " absolutely."

So on the next free weekend they both had, they decided to go to the mall. It was better than the movies because they actually got to talk to each other, and it it was familiar territory since they've been to the mall together a few times already.

But the knowledge that this was a date and not a hang out made the beginning of the date a little nerve wracking for the both of them.

"So," Danny asked, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "What store did you want to go to first?"

"Maybe the video game store?" Hitoshi asked. His cheeks were bright red as he refused to meet Danny's gaze.

"That-that sounds like a good idea," Danny tells him. His cheeks are a bright green, and it makes Hitoshi smile at him. God, he could just look at that smile all day long. Danny shoots him a grin, and in a rare feat of bravery, holds Hitoshi's hand. Hitoshi looks at him, shocked. Danny nearly pulls away, but as his hand jerks to do so, Hitoshi's grip tightens. Danny looks between their hands and him, and smiles so wide his eyes become crescents.

With their newfound confidence, the rest of the date goes by a little easier. The air around them is bright, and though they still have their awkward first-date moments, it's going better than Danny ever thought was possible. Especially has he watches Hitoshi snort at a t-shirt with one of his favorite memes on it.

"Why don't you get it?" Danny asks, laughing. Hitoshi just shrugs as he wraps his arm around Danny's shoulder.

"I already have one like it at the dorm," he tells Danny. "I just wanted to show it to you."

And man, doesn't that make his heart flutter. He already knows Hitoshi's favorite memes and his cat's names and how he lights up whenever a new chapter of his favorite manga is uploaded. He's been studying the apple of Hitoshi's cheeks when he grins for weeks, has memorized the hard lines of his jaw and has stared at his lips for what's probably considered a creepy amount of time. But it still makes the butterflies in his stomach flutter around whenever he shows Danny something he thinks he'll enjoy. Like his sole purpose in life is to make Danny smile and laugh. It's absolutely endearing.

After the video game store, they go to a record shop that's on the third floor where Jirou, Momo, and Tokoyami are hanging out. Which is weird because eh doesn't remember any of them saying anything to him about going to the mall this weekend. Usually they all go together to look for new music. Danny pointedly ignores them as he makes Hitoshi help him hunt down a record for Dumpty Humpty and this new K-pop band that's been hitting the charts recently. Hitoshi also finds him one of instrumental music for nights that he has trouble sleeping, and Danny has to physically restrain himself from throwing himself at Hitoshi and kissing him stupid. He introduces Hitoshi to this band he found last week, and buys him their cd.

As they go down the escalator, Danny's in the middle of telling him a riveting story of the time Cujo nearly killed the mailman when Hitoshi suddenly jerks his head to the side. Danny follows his gaze, and sees the backs of Mina and Hagakure's heads as they talk and laugh and definitely don't look back at Danny and Hitoshi.

"Is this some kind of prank?" Hitoshi asks him. There's an edge in his voice that's bordering on hurt, and Danny jerks his head back to look Hitoshi in the eye.

"No. Not by me, anyway. I saw Jirou, Momo, and Tokoyami when we were in the record store."

"That's too many of your classmates to be a coincidence, isn't it?" Hitoshi sighs tiredly. He looks more annoyed now, his hurt replaced by irritation. Danny can't say he really blames him. He hadn't really spoken much about his upcoming date because he didn't want them snooping. But leave it to his nosy classmates to butt in anyway.

"I swear I didn't tell them anything," he promises. Hitoshi snorts and rolls his eyes.

"At least three of your classmates have stealth quirks. And I'm pretty sure Mina has a secondary quirk that allows her to know everybody's weekend plans."

That brings a relieved laugh out of Danny, and he smiles at Hitoshi for what seems like the millionth time that day. He can't help it though. Even with his classmates obviously stalking them, he feels like he's on cloud nine.

"Do you wanna grab a bite from the food court?" Danny asks. Hitoshi just shrugs, which Danny takes as a yes, and he leads them there. He nudges Hitoshi when he spots Iida, Midoriya, ad Uraraka ducking into the arcade, which has a perfect view of the food court. How convenient.

"How long do you think it'll take them to notice we know they're here?" Danny asks him.

"Jirou definitely knows," Hitoshi answers without hesitation as they get in line for ramen. "Midoriya too, probably. He's way too observant for his own good."

Danny nods his head in agreement as he stares at the menu, but when he feels eyes on him, he turns his head.

Across the food court, huddled behind one menu, is Kaminari, Sero, and Kirishima. Bakugou is with them too, but he looks like he was dragged here more than he came willingly. Kaminari and Kirishima quickly duck their heads back under the menu in a vain attempt to hide themselves from Danny.

"They're all idiots," Hitoshi tells him. Danny has to choke down his laughter as he and Hitoshi step up to give their orders. After receiving their food, they find a spot on the other side of the court from the boys of the Bakusquad.

They slip back into conversation seamlessly. It's easy to forget that his classmates are there stalking him when he can listen to Hitoshi's soft voice and quiet chuckles. He's much more reserved with his emotions than Danny is, but he doesn't mind. He's just glad Hitoshi feels comfortable around him to be as expressive as he is. At school he's much more closed off, even around Danny.

Danny is leaning over the table, head resting in his hand as he looks at Hitoshi tell him about his cat's outfit they bought her for Halloween when they hear an excited yell come from off to the side. There's a jewelry store, and Shoji, Aoyama, and Kouda are looking at a group of rings that are on sale. Shoji has his back turned, looking down at Aoyama for his outburst, as Kouda waves apologetically to them. Danny waves back, and cleans his hands with a napkin before signing to him.

We know you're all here, he tells Kouda. Don't tell anybody, okay?

Kouda nods his head and gives him a thumbs up before turning back to Aoyama, who is still crying excitedly. When he turns back, Hitoshi is giving him an odd look.

"You know sign?" He asks. Danny nods and shrugs.

"Yeah," he admits. "I started learning after my Ghostly Wail came in, just in case I start losing my hearing. But...I don't know. Sometimes it's easier to just not talk, you know? Sometimes moving my hands is so much easier than actually speaking. It's come in pretty handy."

You can say that again, Hitoshi signs. Danny beams at him, and for the rest of their date, they decide to sign to each other instead.

They go to a couple more stores. They see Todoroki and Tsu in a shop filled with soaps and bath bombs and lotions. They seem to actually be there to shop around and look for things. Neither of them seem like the type to snoop into other people's love lives. They don't even look up from whatever product they're in the middle of smelling when they walk past the store.

Sato and Ojiro are stopped in an artisan store, looking at a shelf full of different honeys. Ojiro waves at them briefly, and Sato gives them a thumbs up, but it looks like they're at the mall for themselves as well.

Is that all of them? Hitoshi asks. Danny laughs and nods before adjusting the bags in his hands to sign back.

Did you wanna keep shopping or do you wanna go? There's this new cat cafe that opened up and it's only down the street.

You had me at go, Hitoshi signs. Danny gives him a thankful smile. He loves the mall, but his social battery has been depleted from being around so many people all day long. Hitoshi, ever the introvert, apparently feels the same.

On their way out, they see Sero, Kaminari, and Kirishima hiding behind a potted bush while Bakugou crosses his arms and looks away. Danny flips them off, and Kaminari pops out of the bush, offended. Sero and Kirishima waste no time in pulling him back down while Danny throws his head back and laughs. He's completely unaware of Hitoshi staring softly at him as he does so.

The walk is nice, and the cat cafe is quiet. They pay for an hour before ordering their drinks. They set up in the corner where there's a small table set up low enough for them to sit on the floor. There are pillows, but there's currently a fat orange tabby occupying one, and a hairless cat in a pink sweater in the other.

The atmosphere is soft and quiet, and just what the both of them need. They sign to each other, neither wanting to disturb the atmosphere around them with their voices. Danny has to ask Hitoshi to resign something multiple times because he keeps getting distracted by his eyes. He's never seen a more beautiful shade of lavender before. When Hitoshi asks him why he isn't paying attention, Danny is too distracted to tell him anything but the truth. Hitoshi's entire face turns red, and Danny laughs at him softly.

Once the hour is up, they walk back to the school uninterrupted. They both unintentionally slow their pace so it takes them even longer to get to their dorms. They stop outside of class 1-A's dorm, just outside the decorative wall that separates the main path from the courtyard.

"I had a really fun time," Danny tells him. Hitoshi looks at him like he hung the goddamn moon.

"Me too," he says. "We should do this again sometime. But maybe without your classmates stalking us next time, yeah?"

"Agreed," Danny says, shoulders slumping. But he straightens back up again when Hitoshi steps closer. There's only a couple of inches between them now. Danny can feel his heart beating against his ribcage as Hitoshi leans down. He stops, just a couple inches from his face. Danny closes the distance.

The kiss isn't long. It's short and chaste and awkward, but it makes both of them feel like they're floating on cloud nine. Hitoshi gives him the biggest grin Danny's ever seen, and Danny feels his whole body heat up. Something warm settles in his chest, and he jumps up to kiss Hitoshi once more. He has to stand on his toes to reach. Hitoshi wraps his arm around him to help him balance. When they break apart, Hitoshi looks drunk on love.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Danny asks. Hitoshi can only nod.

"Yeah," he says, unable to keep the smile off his face. "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Danny."

"Goodnight, Hitoshi."

Danny stays there until Hitoshi makes the turn into his own dorm. They wave at each other one last time before Danny finally heads up the stairs and sneaks inside.

Some of the students are already there. Most of them avert their gazes and pretend like they weren't trying to listen in using Jirou's quirk. Danny huffs a laugh and rolls his eyes as he starts to walk towards the elevator. But before he can, he's tackled to the side by Mina and Hagakure. Under their combined weight, he falls to the ground, and takes them with him.

"Oh my god, how was your date?" Mina asks him loudly, waggling her eyebrows.

"You absolutely have to tell us!" Hagakure adds.

"You all were there, you know how it went," he points out.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," Mina says, feigning innocence. Danny raises an eyebrow at her before rolling his eyes and giving her a soft laugh.

"It was good. We're gonna go out again sometime. Now please, get off of me."

"You're under house arrest until you give us all the details!" And, oh, that's Kaminari yelling from the kitchen. Danny lets his head fall back onto the floor and groans, though there's no real irritation behind it.

His classmates are weird and stalkerish and annoying and always butt in when he doesn't want them too.

But he wouldn't have it any other way.

Chapter 84: To the Rescue

Chapter Text

Aizawa looked between himself, Nezu, Midnight, Mic, and the newcomer who had just appeared before them twenty minutes ago.

He was a big guy. Huge, even, and covered in fur. He had horns, and his arm was made of nothing but ice and bone. His eyes were full of a desperate sorrow that Aizawa related to all to well some days.

"Please," Frostbite said. "Please, you have to save him. You're the only ones who have listened."

"Who are we saving?" Mic asked. His arms were crossed and he was leaning against Nezu's desk, but Aizawa knew from experience that he was ready to pounce. Every muscle was tense, coiled and ready to strike if he needed to. Unsurprising, considering Frostbite had just appeared in front of them.

"The boy king," he said. "His name is Danny. He's being held against his will in a place where no ghost can go."

"Ghosts?" Midnight asked, stepping forward. Her hand was resting on her whip, just in case. "You're saying that's what we're dealing with?"

"That's who you're rescuing," Frostbite clarified. "He was taken from his home by-I don't know their proper name, I'm afraid. I believe he called them the guys dressed in white?"

"The Guys in White," Nezu offered. "Also known as the Ghost Investigation Ward. They're a subset of the government that deal with the supernatural."

"How do you know all that?" Aizawa asked him. There was a dangerous glint in Nezu's eyes, and his smile was much more toothy than usual.

"The Ghost Investigation Ward were not always involved in the supernatural," he tells them. There are a lot of implications that none of them want to think about. It's no secret Nezu had been experimented on by humans until he managed to escape and pass a law saying experimentation on quirked animals was illegal. But for that same Ward to evolve into something else? It wasn't looking too pretty.

"We will help," Nezu declared after a tense moment of silence. "After all, that's what heroes do. Now, do you have a location?"

-----------

Danny groaned as he woke up. His everything hurt and the collar keeping him from using his powers was itching like a motherfucker. Not like he could do much about it though. He was restrained to the wall starfish-style while he actively tried not to bleed out from the botched stitches that were keeping his insides, well, inside.

How long has he been here? Was anybody going to come for him? He's pretty sure his parents had tried to stop them from taking him, but that could have also been a hallucination caused by whatever the fuck they pumped into his system in those early days.

He can't expect any help from the ghosts, either, and that's his own fault. He told them never to get near the Guys in White, for their own safety. He had practically begged them to run the other way if they ever came onto their radar. And he was their king. They had to listen to him. He had very little hope that anyone would come.

Was this...Was this his life now? Has his destiny gone from the Savior of the Infinite Realms to a mere science project? Was he still going to be able to save people?

Was he...Was he going to die here?

he quickly shook his head free of the thought. No, he couldn't go there. That was spiraling territory, and if he was going to get out of here, then he needed to keep a clear head.

He just prayed it was soon.

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

Aizawa has never been a big fan of raids. Too many moving parts can make cause a whole plan to fall apart, and it doesn't properly factor in all the things that can go wrong.

That being said, this raid was going pretty smoothly.

All of the Guys in White-and wow, he will never doubt such a nickname again-all had low level quirks. There were a few security guards who looked like they could have been trouble, but they had been caught by surprise and taken care of swiftly.

Their tactics were strength in numbers, but against the powerhouses that were himself, Mic, Midnight, and a few heroes who helped during the Yakuza raid, they were no match.

Midnight and Fatgum find a lab, and in the center is a table stained with a bright, glowing green. Aizawa and Mic go through the hallway, taking down every door that's locked. Most of them are empty, with the exception of a few storage closets and one door at the end of the hall.

Aizawa had been more than a little fed up with the nicknames Frostbite had been throwing around. He had said the boy king, and in Aizawa's mind, that had translated to young adult. He hadn't been expecting an actual boy.

He was a scrawny kid with glowing white hair that was stained green. There was a muzzle secured over his face and a collar that blinked methodically at them. He was shirtless, and it showed off his battle scars and the autopsy scar that was held together with flimsy stitches. (Aizawa didn't want to know the implication of that, either.)

He had been in the middle of pulling on the restraints when they busted in. He looked at them, wide-eyed and relieved. He struggled harder, as if to say let me go! Please!

Between the two of them, Aizawa and Mic made quick work of the restraints. Mic held the boy's face gently as he worked the muzzle off of the kid's face. There were faint lines across the bridge of his nose and the tops of his cheeks from where it had dug in. From the looks of it, they were probably going to scar.

"Thanks," he said. His voice was rough like sandpaper, and had a slight echo to it.

"Don't mention it, kid," Aizawa said gently. "Can you walk?"

It was a dumb question. The kid was barely standing, using the wall to help him balance. He gently let go, and took a step forward before falling. Aizawa caught him, and softly apologized when he accidentally pulled at the boy's haphazard stitches.

"Carry?" Danny asked. Aizawa nodded and wasted no time in scooping the kid up bridal style. He was much to light for a boy his age.

As Mic told the others they found the boy, Aizawa tried his best not to jostle Danny. The kid would occasionally wince, but it's pretty obvious what he's been through. There was most certainly going to be a lot of therapy in his future.

The halls were mostly empty, save for a few police officers here and there. Danny didn't seem to bothered by them, but that could also be from the fact that he was fading in and out of consciousness as they moved through the stark white hallways.

"Sleep?" Danny mumbled into Aizawa's chest. The kid was trying so hard to keep his eyes open. It would have been adorable under any other circumstance.

"Yeah, kid," he said. "You can go to sleep. I'll be there when you wake up."

"Thanks, 'Raser."

Before Aizawa could ask him how he knew who he was, he was out like a light.

Chapter 85: All Might Gets Ripped a New One pt 3

Summary:

All Might Gets Ripped a New One
Flashback/ Danny telling the story of his accident with aizawa and nemuri (i wanted yamada but i want him to meet them during the sports fest more)
I want to know how they went through it and how they dealth with it. The panic, the angst, the guilt and most of all the fear and internallized hate that danny had that nemuri and aizawa had to beat out of.
Dead kid pretending to be alive or just a quirkless kid with creepy powers?

Notes:

This time featuring no All Might

Chapter Text

"So, I know you told me the gist of it," Midoriya said to Phantom one day while they walked back to the dorms. "But...How did you die? Half die? How does that even work?"

Danny smiled down at Midoriya. The kid was like a sponge, absorbing any and all knowledge he could get his hands on.

"I'll tell you," he said. "But promise not to tell anybody without asking me first, okay?" Midoriya nodded his head furiously, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "So one day me, Shouta, and Nemuri-that's Midnight, were hanging out at my place one day..."

-----------

"-ny! Danny!"

Danny groaned as he opened his eyes. Shouta and Nemuri were hovering over him, concern written all over their face.

"Did either of you guys get the plates of the train that hit me?" He asked. He startled at his own voice. It was rough like he had been screaming for the past hour, and it had a slight...Was that an echo?

"Don't freak out," Nemuri said.

"Saying that is just going to make me freak out," Danny said. Shouta was gripping his shoulder tightly, and Danny couldn't be more thankful. It was hard and grounding and kept him present as Nemuri dug through her backpack and pulled out a small make-up mirror. She passed it over to Danny, who flicked it open with ease.

He was...Well, to say different would be an understatement. He was a fucking freak. White hair, green eyes that cast an eerie glow. Were those-were those fangs? Did he have fangs now? And he was glowing?

As his mind recognized all of the differences, he was able to put the pieces into place. He could remember the pain. It was white hot, searing every nerve in his body. He could remember being pulled apart and put back together all wrong.

With a shaky hand, he pulled off the glove of his left hand.

He had a bright green Lichtenburg figure crawling up his arm and disappearing behind his hazmat suit. He looked from his hand to Shouta and Nemuri, who was biting her lip worriedly.

"I...I think I died..."

----------

"That sounds really painful," Midoriya said. He looked a little pale.

"It was," Danny agreed. "Being electrocuted with ectoplasmic electricity is not the way to go, let me tell you."

"How did you cope with everything? I mean, I can barely handle my quirk now. I can't imagine having to deal with all of the quirks you have."

"Well, it wasn't easy."

---------

"I think I'm going to die again before we hit high school," Danny groaned, leaning back against the steps he, Shouta, and Nemuri were lounging on. "If I have to hear my dad say he'll tear the next ghost he finds apart 'molecule by molecule' I might actually throw up."

"It can't be that bad, can it?" Nemuri, ever the optimist, asked. Danny and Shouta leveled her with blank looks, and she huffed. "Fine, it is that bad. But would they seriously hate you for that? It was their stupid portal that killed you."

"They barely tolerate me as is," Danny shrugged. "Ever since Jazz found out it's been a little easier, but they barely look at me."

Neither Shouta or Nemuri really knew what to say. Both of their parents were pretty great, and they had welcomed Danny with open arms despite his original quirkless status. But two be two things that your parents hate? They didn't really have experience with that.

After a few minutes of silence, Danny sighed and closed his eyes, sinking further into the steps despite the fact that it was probably the most uncomfortable thing in the world. "Sometimes I think Spectra was right," he said. He opened his eyes, starring straight up at the orange sky. "Maybe I'm just a creepy boy with creepy powers."

"Fuck Spectra," Shouta said, with much more conviction than any of them had been expecting. "And fuck your parents."

"As much as I appreciate the sentiment, it's not that easy," Danny said, huffing out a laugh. "I mean-I'm too human for the ghost world, but I'm too ghostly for the human world. Neither want me unless they need something from me. And it's-it's all confusing and frustrating. There's no quirk counselor I can go to. No therapist that will speak to me. And I-I need to talk to somebody, but nobody knows what it's like to die. I just-there's no instruction manual for when you come back. I feel like I'm flying blind and the only thing waiting for me on the other side is an ectogun."

"Danny...How long have you felt like this?" Nemuri asks, concern written all over her face. Danny just shrugs, which is answer enough for the both of them. This has been a problem since before Spectra. Her presence just turned everything up to eleven.

"I don't...I don't think I've ever liked myself," Danny says. His voice is barely a whisper. "No matter how hard I try, my parents won't love me the same way they love Jazz because of my stupid foot. At every turn, they and the teachers and other kids at school talk down on me, and they beat the shit out of me. Fuck, that's how Shouta and I became friends! But now that I'm weird but in a new way...I just don't know what to do."

"Sometimes," Shouta said, placing a gentle hand on Danny's shoulder. "Sometimes it's okay to not know what's next. We just have to keep moving forward until we find the the answer. And when you fall down, we'll help you back up. You're...You're not alone, Danny. Not anymore."

Danny sat up and, despite his best efforts at avoiding contact, pulled Shouta into a bone-crushing hug. A second later, Nemuri wrapped her strong arms around them both, and they let Danny cry it out.

"I love you guys," he sniffled.

"We love you too."

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

"Does...Does he normally do this?" Hizashi asked from his spot next to Shouta. They were on the roof eating lunch. Shouta looked over at Danny, who was starring off into space with a frown on his face. He snapped in front of Danny's face, making the other boy flinch back. He scowled at Shouta, but didn't comment as he started eating his barely-touched food.

"Don't worry about it," Shouta said. "He's just having an existential crisis."

"You're fifteen, what is there to have a crisis about?" Hizashi asked.

"Do you think...Do you think I'm actually fully dead and I'm just possessing my own corpse?" Danny asked. Hizashi choked on his food. He had been told about Danny's situation shortly after the sports festival. he was close enough to Danny and Shouta that it would have been impossible for them to completely hide it from him. As it turns out, Hizashi still isn't used to off the wall questions like these.

"I mean, you're still breathing, aren't you?" Nemuri asked.

"Yeah, when I'm human. But what if it's just habit?"

"Well, you also bleed red when you're human, too," Shouta pointed out. "If you were a ghost possessing your corpse then you wouldn't you bleed green in either form?"

"Yeah..." Danny said, thinking it over for a few moments. "Yeah, you're right. I would. Thanks, Sho."

"Anytime."

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

"So how exactly are you a halfa?" Midoriya asked.

"Well, the ectoplasm from my accident bonded to my DNA on a molecular level. So my human parts became all ghostly. That's why I'm able to go intangible without the same restrictions Mirio Togata from 3-A has."

"That's so cool!" Midoriya was bouncing all over the place from excitement. "Do all ghosts have cool powers like yours?"

"There are baseline powers every ghost has. Flight, intangibility, and invisibility. Everything else is subjective to what quirk they had when they were alive or it's changed completely and related to how they died. On the rare occasion they can merge, but I've only ever seen that happen once."

"Cool," Midoriya breathed. Danny smiled as Midoriya practically vibrated, completely forgetting about his conversation with All Might just an hour ago. He was glad he could give the kid something to relate to. Unsuspecting quirkless kid with too much power bestowed upon him in an unconventional way? Yeah, they were two peas in a pod.

Danny led Midoriya up the stairs to the teacher's dorm where Shouta was. Midoriya seemed to shrink in on himself as he opened up the door. Hizashi and Nemuri were on the couch fighting over the TV remote. They froze in their spots, Nemuri's arm reaching far away from Hizashi as he all but climbed over her to reach it. Danny snorted and shook his head.

"Where's Sho?" He asked them.

"If he's not in the kitchen he's probably chilling on the roof," Hizashi says, making a last second lunge for the remote. He cheered in his brief moment of victory before Nemuri tackled him to the floor. Danny barked out a laugh as he led Midoriya up the stairs and onto the roof.

Shouta was leaning against the wall that held the door to the roof, sucking on a jelly pack and grading tests. He didn't look up as they walked up. Danny sat down beside him, and Shouta wordlessly handed him a spare jelly pack. Danny nudged him, and Shouta rolled his eyes and held one out to Midoriya as well, who took it as an invitation to sit down across from them.

"So," Danny said. Because of his tone, Shouta immediately was giving them his full attention. He closed the folder that held the tests, and moved it to the side. "Midoriya here has something he wants to discuss with us."

Midoriya paled as he looked at his homeroom teacher, but Danny just gave him an encouraging smile as he took a sip of his jelly. Midoriya took a deep breath, and looked back at Shouta with a new determination.

"I have to tell you about my quirk," he said. Shouta raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Midoriya took another deep breath before continuing. "So, it's called One for All..."

Chapter 86: Piano Man

Notes:

Nocturne op.9: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E6b3swbnWg
Gymnopédie No.1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-Xm7s9eGxU

Chapter Text

One of Danny's earliest memories is of his father teaching him how to play piano.

His father has always loved working with his hands, but before he could hold a screwdriver or a blow torch safely he funneled that need through music. Through pressing down black and white keys and singing joyously at the top of his lungs. And when Danny was diagnosed quirkless, his father sat him down at the piano and said, "let's try something new today."

It's become kind of a release for Danny. While he managed to keep most of the bullying hidden from his parents, they were in no way idiots. So to make him feel better, his father would sit him down and they would play the piano together. Sometimes his mother or his sister would sit on his other side or on the couch and just listen as his fingers danced across the keys. He's always found a comfort in playing the piano, because if he didn't have friends, he could at least have this. It's probably the one thing that saved his life.

And then the accident happened.

He didn't tell his parents. Even when he went out and got his ass kicked by other ghosts, he didn't tell them. Not until he got his letter from U.A. telling him he passed, because at least he could soften the blow with the news that he finally had a chance at being a proper hero. And it had gone better than expected. He had been grounded for two whole months for lying to them, but it was a small price to pay. And unless Danny needed to go to the Zone, the portal stayed off, meaning no ghosts ever got through. It was a great relief for Danny, who didn't have any time to do much of anything anymore.

U.A. was just as intense as he expected it to be. His teacher was an intelligent hobo, and his classmates were ruthlessly competitive as much as they were funny, and the studies had hit Danny had. Especially Cementoss' literature class. his only saving grace was his math grade and the ethics papers Aizawa sometimes assigned them.

So to say he had no time to play was an understatement.

And school was already hectic without the villain attacks and All Might's retirement. The air was shifting around them, politically and socially, and, well, it was no secret that Danny was stressed out by it. It didn't help that he hasn't been able to do the one of the only things that's kept him sane all these years.

Moving into the dorms helped a little with his increasing stress levels. It was nice to not have to deal with the subway, and it was nice to be able to hang out with his friends almost anytime he wanted to. They helped him relax on his good days, and sat with him in a silent support on his bad.

Still, it wasn't the same as home. Because at least home had a piano.

Or, at least that's how he used to feel.

Two weeks into staying at the dorms, Momo had asked if there could be a piano placed in the common room. Everybody said they were fine with it, and with that knowledge she had gone to Aizawa and Nezu about it. The next day there was one installed, and Danny could have cried in relief.

But...Even though there was a piano now, he still didn't play. Because outside of his family, he's never played in front of an audience before. And just thinking about doing so makes him want to puke.

So he waits. He bides his time until most people are gone over the weekend, and the ones that stay are in the gyms or the library. And once he's sure he's the only one left in the dorms, he sits down, lifts the lid to the keys, and starts playing.

It's an immediate relief. It's like aloe vera on a sun burn, or a cold glass of water after an intense training. The more he lets his fingers fly, the less tension he can feel in his shoulders. And it doesn't take very long for him to get completely lost in the music, in the notes that come with whatever his heart desires.

His eyes are closed and his body is moving with the music as he plays, and he's so immersed that he doesn't notice the front door opening and closing. And when the song ends, he shakes what little tension there is out of his shoulders and he starts a new song. He's grinning and singing softly under his breath, slowly getting louder and louder the more he plays.

And then the song fades out, but before he can start a new one, there's an impressed whistle behind him. He startles so bad he nearly falls off the bench. He whirls around to see Todoroki and Midoriya beaming at him. Aizawa is laying on the couch, half asleep like he was listening to what Danny had to offer.

"S-sorry," he says, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I didn't hear you guys come back. I can stop now if you-if you want."

"I thought it was nice," Todoroki says, face unmoving. Midoriya is nodding his head vigorously.

"I didn't know you could play, Danny!" He says excitedly. "You're so good! How long have you been playing?"

"Oh-uh. Since I was like, four. It's not a big deal, though, really-"

"-do you know Gymnopedie no.1?" Aizawa asks from his spot on the couch before Danny can say anything worse about his playing.

"Uh...Yeah," Danny replies.

"Play that, please?"

"Yes, sir," he says. He turns back around, and takes a deep breath. Behind him he can hear Todoroki and Midoriya settling in to listen.

The song is slow and quiet. It's calm and peaceful, and it helps calm down Danny's nerves as he plays in front of his little audience of three. Plus with his back to them, it's easy to forget they're even there.

The song is only a couple of minutes, but when it's done Danny feels light in a way he hasn't been since starting U.A. Over on the couch, Aizawa has fallen asleep. More so than his usual catnaps he takes in class. His breathing is slow and deep, and he can hear soft snoring coming from the man, like Danny's playing is the one thing he needed to finally relax. Sitting on the floor at the coffee table is Midoriya, who's writing in one of his notebooks. He looks up at Danny, and his smile is absolutely blinding. Todoroki is sitting beside him, watching Midoriya write with a small smile. He looks up at Danny, and it's the calmest Danny's ever seen the other boy. His shoulders are relaxed and his face is serene.

"Do you know Nocturne op.9?" He asks quietly, like speaking would disturb the little bubble of peace they've made for themselves. "It's my mother's favorite."

Danny nods and turns back around to start playing.

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

This becomes a thing he does most weekends when his other classmates have gone back home. It's always a mix and match of faces, the only consistent ones being Todoroki and, after the first week, Uraraka. Aizawa comes in when he can, and every time he asks Danny to play the same song. Every time, he's out like a light. Sometimes Present Mic will come and sit with them when Danny plays. Danny offered to play with him, but Mic just shook his head with a soft smile and asked Danny to keep playing.

Word spreads like wild fire throughout the student body and staff. After the weekend with Mic, almost all of 1-A stays, but Danny doesn't break his routine of playing once a week. He needs it just as much as everybody else wants it.

Almost every weekend, Aizawa and Mic will sit on the couch and listen and sleep. Cementoss started coming in when he wants a quiet place to read. Snipe and Midnight grade tests in the kitchen. All Might has shown up once or twice with Nezu right behind him. Sometimes they quietly ask him to play something, and other times they just sit and let him play whatever he wants, so long as he plays Aizawa's Gymnopedie first.

And Danny is sure that there are other kids who are able to play just as good as him-if not better. Jirou and Momo to name a couple. But it's nice having this routine, and this audience. Because while his music has always been for him, he's never minded sharing with people he considers family.

And, well, if he gets a laugh out of Kaminari and Sero from playing Giorno's Theme, then that just makes it even better.

Chapter 87: Science Experiment

Summary:

Ive got a prompt, since you don't seem to mind a bit of angst... (of course feel free to ignore if it's too much)
The Nomu are dead. Danny's dead. Cue All for One getting ahold of him to see just how many quirks he can take. You know, out of scientific curiosity.

Chapter Text

When Danny wakes up, all he sees is darkness. The only thing that offers any kind of reprieve is his own natural glow.

His whole body hurts. Aches in a way that he hasn't felt since his accident. His limbs are all strung up, and he can't hardly move. His tugging, though weaker than usual, should have been enough to get the bonds to break, but the restraints didn't budge. He tried to fire up an ectoblast, but nothing happened. Which means these people...They knew what he was.

Maybe it was Vlad. If it was, that would make everything so much easier. Sure, it wouldn't explain the swirling purple-black mass that had swallowed him up, but it would explain the lump on the back of his head, and it would explain why he can't use his powers.

He's not sure how long he waits for somebody to finally come and mess with him. He knows he dozes in and out for a while, but with no way to tell the time it could have been hours or maybe even days. Had he been gone for days already? How long was he unconscious the first time? Were Mom and Dad looking for him? Was Jazz chewing her nails down to the quick with anxiety?

When somebody did finally come, it was a single man in a black and white skin tight suit. He was energetic and bored at the same time as he talked to Danny, though he can't really say he was paying much attention.

He didn't take the restraints off of him, but he did take the restrains off the wall. But before Danny could even think about attacking, four other copies of the man appeared and held him down long enough for one of them to shove his hands behind his back and lock his wrists together.

The man-Twice, he had introduced himself as-couldn't decide between shoving him harshly and gently prodding him. He seemed to be at war with himself, even before he made his duplicates. And because there was no telling how many he could make, Danny just complied as best as he could. He didn't have his ghost powers to back him up this time.

He's taken to this tall, long room with vats of miscellaneous creatures on either side. Danny can't help but cringe at the sight. He's briefly reminded of his clones being held in similar containment units, half melted and begging for mercy. But these ones...They look a little familiar. Didn't they cause that big mess in Hosu not too long ago?

"Ah, taking a gander at your kin," a new voice said. Danny tore his eyes away from the Nomu to look at the man who had spoken. He was wearing a dark, three-piece suit and a weird looking helmet like he was from a bad sci-fi movie. On his left was Shigaraki, scratching absently at his neck. Danny's never met the guy in person, but he would be an absolute idiot to not realize who that was. On the Boss' right was a man with dark hair and burn scars all over his body, looking down on him with piercing, blue eyes. He scoffs as he turns to the Boss.

"You think this runt is going to be able to handle it?" He asks snidely.

"Take the cuffs off and let's go a few rounds," Danny barks. He's in no position prepared to fight, even without the cuffs, but he'll take any chance he can get at escaping.

Unfortunately, nobody rises to the bait. But the burnt guy does give him a little condescending smirk, and well, it kind of pisses him off. He stamps it down as much as he can, because he won't be able to think clearly if he's blinded by his own rage.

"If you keep acting up you won't get your present," the Boss says as he slowly, threateningly walks down the stairs. There's a buzzing in the back of his head that's screaming danger! Run away! But Twice and his restraints make it impossible. So he tries to squash down the trembling his whole body is doing, and tries not to show any fear.

Evidently, neither of those work.

Boss comes down and cups Danny's face, and he has to fight the urge to throw up at how possessive it feels. He tries to lean away from it, but the hand follows without much trouble.

The suddenly, with no warning, the hand was gripping his face painfully. Danny tried to shake the hand off, but the Boss' other hand gripped his hair at the back of his head and held him in place.

There was a sudden, blinding hot pain. His whole body felt like it was on fire. Danny gasped and choked as his vision turned white and his ears started ringing.

He was vaguely aware that he was dropped to the floor as his knees buckled. His entire body spasmed. His mouth was open in a silent scream as his back arched towards the sky. As his vision slowly but surely returned to normal, he could see a blurry, dark figure hovering over him.

"Oh, this is better than I expected," the man crooned. He reached for Danny once more, holding the junction of his shoulder and neck, thumb pressing firmly onto his throat as a reminder that he could die right then and there.

Danny blacked out from the pain.

---------

This went on for what Danny can only assume is weeks.

Sensei, as that was his name, or All for One, which was too fucking long, hadn't gotten tired of him yet. Every day he would place his hands on Danny, and every time he did so he was met with blinding hot pain that made him fall to his knees.

"The Nomu," he had told Danny as he convulsed on the ground, "are my pride and joy. Several quirks genetically engineered in a perfect body to withstand the forces of All Might. You're a lot like them." A boot pressed down on his chest. Dabi came into view, looking more smug than ever.

"You're both dead," he said to Danny, looming over him. He felt his ribs creak from the pressure, but they didn't break. "Nomu are lifeless husks we shove quirks into. And, well, so are you."

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"Why?" Danny coughed as he was dragged out into the chamber room again. "Why don't you just kill me?"

"Well," All for One said, giving him a serene smile. "Where's the fun in that, boy?"

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Danny's sense of time was rightfully fucked. He knew he had been captured for a long time. Day in and day out he was met with nothing but pain, with the constant reminder of his death in the back of his mind. his body ached constantly, and his surroundings became a blurred sense of darkness and pain.

More often than not he felt like he was in limbo. He could feel the powers writhing under his skin, and in his brief moments of reprieve, he would try to distinguish what power was what.

Most of them were non-destructive. He could write in the air with glowing green letters. He could see in the dark, like built in night vision. He could smell the last three meals everybody had last eaten. But none of them could get him out of this mess. None of them were dangerous enough to require quirk suppressants. Only the ghost shackles that pulled his arms uncomfortably behind his back. God, when was the last time he was able to use his hands? Had weeks finally turned into months?

Was he...Was he going to die here?

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Danny was woken up by an earthquake. At least, that's what it felt like.

He peeled himself off of the floor and just barely managed to roll away from a piece of ceiling that fell from above him. He quickly squirmed his way to his feet and looked at the door.

The foundation of the building was ruined, and so was the door frame. The large metal rectangle attached to the wall was bent in awkward places, causing gaps in between it and the frame holding it in place.

And with another tremble of the earth, it was just barely big enough for Danny to squeeze through.

It was a bit rough with his hands still cuffed behind his back, but desperate times called for determined actions. Plus they hardly fed him anyway. If they didn't want him to be able to escape through tight spaces they shouldn't have allowed him to get so skinny.

With his quirks, he's able to figure out the best escape route. It's like a sixth sense at this point, and with Night Vision and Danger Tingle he's able to dodge any rubble that comes flying his way, or avoid hallways that are seconds from collapsing.

When he gets to the chamber room, there's a huge gaping hole where half the room used to be. All for One is floating in the air, speaking in his usual condescending tone. Through the mountains of rubble, he can barely make out the form of a very sickly looking, gaunt man.

They're having a classic city-leveling quirk fight. There's no way Danny is getting out of this if he's still cuffed. He looked around wildly, and prays to every god he can think of that All for One doesn't fucking notice him.

The universe seems to have allied itself with Danny one last time, because there are lots of sharp and pointy things he can use to break through the restrains. He sits down and maneuvers the cuffs around his feet so they're in front of him instead of behind him, and he slams them down repeatedly onto the very sharp pointy things until they snap.

His shoulders pop uncomfortable. His muscles haven't been stretched quite so far in a long time, and he doesn't have his full range of mobility. But the cuffs are sparking and flickering, and Danny can feel the familiar, long lost coldness that sits in the center of his chest.

He lets the power travel to his hands, and the cuffs burst in a flash of powerful green.

For the first time in months, Danny allows himself to smile.

He turned to the fight. All for one and this newcomer-All Might, he heard the villain call him (which, weird but okay)-were in close combat now. And with the force of the punches Danny wasn't sure he could handle bring caught in the crossfire. No, All for One would probably use him as a hostage or something. It was best if he stayed hidden.

Just as the thought crossed his mind, he heard All Might's battle cry.

United States of Smash!

Danny had seen it once on TV. That smash had leveled half the city he had been fighting in. It was the equivalent of Danny's Wail, and he knew just how absolutely devastating that could be. But most of the hiding places were glass, and he wasn't sure if he was strong enough for intangibility just yet. He had been planning on flying out originally and he needed to save all of his strength.

Wait.

In the back of the room, All for One's large chair stood strong and sturdy. It was big enough for him to hide behind, he just had to-

He didn't make it.

Instead, he was swept up in a tornado of forceful winds and miscellaneous debris and slammed against the wall.

He immediately passed out.

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Danny woke up slowly to the sound of continuous beeping and bright lights.

He groaned, and tried to cover his eyes with his hands, but found that he couldn't move them. He looked down, and found them cuffed to his hospital bed.

Quirk suppressants, his mind supplied.

And then-

Wait. Hospital bed?

He knew the Doctor had a room similar to this, but it was filled with heavy, malicious machinery and wall-to-wall monitors. This...This was just a normal, plain old hospital room. Had...Had All Might won?

Before he could think much more about it, the door opened. The nurse took one look at him, froze, and then scurried down the hall. A few minutes later, a detective and a hobo walked in. Danny almost laughed. It was like a setup to a bad joke.

"My name is Detective Tsukauchi," the detective said, taking off his hat. "This is pro hero Eraserhead. We just wanted to ask you a few questions about your involvement with All for One."

Danny scowled at the name and adjusted himself in the bed to get more comfortable. It was a bit weird with the cuffs, and in the back of his mind he knew he could channel his ghost powers to phase out of them, but he wanted these guys to trust him. To realize he was a victim in this mess too. So once he was settled, he took a deep breath and looked both men square in the eye.

"I'll tell you everything I know."

Chapter 88: All Bets are Off

Summary:

I got an idea for a DPxBNHA draft:
The staff at UA have many bets that have yet to be completed due to different reasons, most of them because they're mysteries of their own, and as such the betting pools for them are slowly becoming bigger, however they always make sure that the people involved never know of the bets their involved until they're over.
A few examples include: Does Kayama-san have a crush on anyone? How long does it take Yamada-san to do his hair? Neither Aizawa, Kayama nor Nezu are alloed to give away the answer nor bet. What does Lunch Rush look like under his chef's hat? How long has Aizawa slept today? This one is renewed every day. Who'll be next to learn how to understand Inui when he gets flustered/angry/etc.. and lose all comprehensive language abilities?
But the biggest mystery of them all, the one that has managed to collect hundreds of thousands, and even millions of Yen once Toshinori-san joined the fray, the one bet that will probably remain forever open, How is Fenton-san such a good friend with Nezu? They only have one clue, and that is that when Nezu rose to his current position of principal of UA, Fenton-san joined him as a heroics foundational teacher.

Chapter Text

Betting among the U.A. teachers wasn't anything new. They had two or three bets always going on at a single time. Most of the time it was about each other-Nemuri's love life, Shouta's sleep schedule, etc. But the biggest one that's been going on for months now is Danny's relationship with the principle.

Because they've obviously known each other for a very long time. But when asked how old he is, Danny always tells them a random number. It's assumed that he can't really be older than Shouta. All they knew was that his birthday was in September, and over the five or six years that most of them have known them, he hasn't aged a day.

And it's with this bet that they find they don't really know much about him. Sure, he talks a lot, but he doesn't really say anything. He'll crack a joke or deflect, or subtly switch the conversation to something else and make everybody think that was the natural course of action. He's obviously a pro hero-pretty high in the ranks, too-but he doesn't have a single interview under his belt, and as soon as all of the civilians and villains are taken care of, he bolts before the media can sink their hooks into him.

He rarely talks about anything personal and when he does it's only with their resident Rat God.

The two have an oddly close relationship that none of the other staff members can really pinpoint. They're close, and know each other's secrets in a way only best friends can, but it's such an unlikely friendship that it has everybody wondering how the fuck they met.

Shouta placed his bet on one of them rescuing the other and they hit it off from there. Hizashi is pretty sure they met at a hero conference. Nemuri says they met at a gala. Kan thinks that maybe he rescued Nezu from the humans that experimented on him.

There are about half a dozen other theories that they throw around before the bell rings for homeroom.

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How delightful, Nezu thinks to himself as he sips from his cup of tea. He glances at Danny, who's dozing in and out of sleep while floating in the air. Something he does when he doesn't have a class to teach or papers to grade. The only quiet place in the school for the most part is Nezu's office, and he gladly lends a helping hand to his oldest friend. But this...This, he thinks, is just a little too interesting. He'll keep Danny out of the loop for now.

After all, he wouldn't want the fun to be spoiled.

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Over the course of the next couple of weeks, they try and gently pry. Danny deflects. Of course he does, he's been doing it for years. But it doesn't seem like he's even aware of it most of the time. It's like it's second nature. As easy as breathing...Well, or not in Danny's case.

It's gotten so bad that Hizashi is about half a conversation away from just asking him outright how he and Nezu met. Nemuri agrees, because he's so good at deflecting that the best way would probably be to just be as straightforward as possible. And while Shouta doesn't particularly care one way or the other, this is the tamest entertainment he's had in a long time. Plus he's got 50,000 yen riding on this. He's eager to see who's right.

Hizashi asks him how his parents are doing. Danny says they're alright, he thinks. He hasn't seen them in years. Nemuri asks him if he's seeing anyone, and Danny just shrugs with a, "I see a lot of people, Nem, you're gonna have to be more specific." She was so distraught with laughter that she had to walk away. Danny mentions his sister in passing once and Snipe bugs him about it for a week.

Of course, this is all a warm up to the question that's burning in the back of everybody's minds. Kan takes the fall as he leans in his chair, twisting his body so he's facing Danny easier.

"Hey, Danny," he says. Danny hums in acknowledgement but doesn't actually turn around. "How did you and Nezu meet? You two seem pretty close."

Danny pauses his grading and looks up at Kan with a confused furrow in his brow.

"Why would you want to know that?" He asks. Kan just shrugs lamely.

"Just curious," he says with the air of a man who doesn't have 80,000 yen riding on Danny's answer.

Danny thinks for a moment, the crease in his brow deepening. "We met...Oh, I don't know, twenty years ago? Maybe thirty? We...Helped each other get out of a pretty rough situation."

"How...What, were you like five when you met?" Hizashi asks. All of the other teachers are blatantly eavesdropping now, though Danny doesn't really seem to care.

"No? I was...I wanna say about three hundred? I don't know for sure, I kind of lost track, if I'm being completely honest. My age isn't exactly a top priority for me, you know?"

"What...If you're three hundred years old then what is your top priority?" Nemuri asks, absolutely flabbergasted.

"Grading these tests before fifth period," Danny shrugs.

For the rest of their lunch period, everybody just gapes at Danny.

Because they all know, with full certainty, that he wasn't lying.

-----------

"Having fun messing with your coworkers?" Nezu asks as Danny strolls into his office. Danny gives him a wolfish grin, showing off his sharp fangs not unlike Nezu's.

"Are you kidding?" He chuckles. "This is the funniest thing that's happened since Endeavour got doused by that water villain ten years ago. And...I think I wouldn't mind telling people about...You know. Me. It's nice that you know and we can joke about it but you already know what I'm gonna say before it comes out of my mouth. I need more dead joke material, you know?"

"Indeed I do," Nezu takes a sip of his tea, and Danny narrows his eyes at the motion.

"They made a bet, didn't they?"

"I shall neither confirm nor deny such an accusation," Nezu says simply. Danny rolls his eyes. He can't wait to ruin it for everybody.

-----------

"What kind of situation did you and Nezu help each other out of?"

Danny looks over at Shouta, who's curled up in his sleeping bag. Danny just shrugs.

"How much is the betting pool at?" He ignores the heads of his fellow teacher's swiveling to look at him with wide eyes.

"About 400,000 yen."

"Gimme a quarter of it and I'll answer," he says. There's a groan from Snipe and a tired sigh from Hizashi who had expected this to happen, but when everybody piles the money next to Danny, who swipes it up and shoves it in his wallet.

"Well?" Nemuri asks excitedly, leaning over the back of the couch.

"Nezu and I were held in the same place for a while," he shrugs. "He was experimented on by humans, everybody knows that. But so was I. After that we just kind of...Stuck together, I guess."

"Why...Why were you experimented on, Danny?" Cementoss asks in a quiet voice.

"Well, the group that contained us was against anything that wasn't human. And I'm not. Not completely, anyway. it was only a matter of time, I suppose, but like I said, it happened decades ago. That group has been swiftly dealt with."

"If you're not human than what are you?" Hizashi asks. There's nothing but pure curiosity behind his eyes. Danny smiles at them as he closes his laptop and turns around to properly face everybody.

"It's time to talk about ghosts."

Chapter 89: Daniel Fenton-Todoroki

Summary:

Any thoughts on how life would have been like if Danny Fenton had been taken in by Enji Todoroki? Since the reoccurring joke I've seen from Shoto is Danny is his half brother anyways (lol). Plus I can see Enji being that guy to puff his chest out about mentoring/parenting somebody as OP as Danny. Maybe his last last hope to prove to himself he's not a terrible father (figure)?

Chapter Text

Danny Fenton looked nothing like his siblings.

Fuyumi was quiet and strong, with fair skin and a kind face. Her hands were gentle and cared in a way he's only ever felt from Jazz. Natsuo is loud and brash and overflowing with an untamable rage. His words are his weapon and when he strikes he does so truly. Jazz is smart and kind like Fuyumi, but loud and angry like Natsuo.

And Shoto, he's the quietest of them all. He's cold and closed off and Danny wants to be there for him but he has no idea how.

It's been a few months since his accident. A few month since he found out he has ice powers. A few months since he found out his dad's ex is the wife of the number two hero. A few months since he found out he has more siblings than Jazz, and a few months since he was all but thrust into their care.

His dad didn't ask where the powers came from. He didn't ask why they came so suddenly and so late for no reason. He was just relieved that his one son finally had a quirk, and he was hell bent on making him learn it.

So now he's staying with the Todorokis.

He doesn't see much of Endeavour. Mostly he sees Fuyumi lurking. Natsuo is fun to be around when he's not yelling at his father, but he's in and out too often for Danny to make any kind of meaningful relationship with him right now. The only one he's actively around is Shoto, and only because they train together in Endeavour's poor attempt to get Shoto to use his fire.

And Danny, he absolutely hated it. He hate Endeavour and he hated that his own dad just shoved him away. He hated that Shoto was hurting, and he hated that he didn't know how to help him, because he's never had a single friend before all of this.

Hell, Endeavour didn't even so much as look at him until he Danny told him what his quirk was. Ice, sure, but that's only a small part of his official quirk, Ghost. And, well, once he saw the potential Danny had, there was no going back. Shoto was still his masterpiece, but he was defiant and rebellious. Danny was new and moldable and above all, a people pleaser. If his plan with Shoto didn't work out, his backup would be Danny.

At least, Danny figured that's how the number two thought. He didn't really care about Danny. Not in the same way he cared about his own biological children. He was a guest in their house. A stranger nobody knew how to be around because even when he was surrounded by other powerhouses he was still a freak.

Because he and Shoto are the legally under Endeavour's care, they're the only ones that get dragged to big hero galas. Danny gets fitted with a nice suit that costs more than everything he's ever owned combined, complete with an ice blue tie, and a mandatory comportment class three days before the event. Shoto is there too, but mostly to act as a good example.

Neither of them want to be there. It's loud and neither of them have enough social skills to maneuver their way through the crowd. He hears Endeavour across the room boasting about him and Shoto, and it makes him want to throw up.

Shoto doesn't look much better. His eyes are hidden by his hair but his jaw is clenched and his shoulders are high with tension. Danny claps a hand on his shoulder and tightens his grip so Shoto can't easily get out of it without making a small scene. The glare he gets is absolutely murderous, but once Danny explains, Shoto is all too eager to agree.

Shoto has only ever tried sneaking out once. He was nine and was caught almost immediately, and the training afterwards had been absolutely brutal. But even he has to admit that it's a lot easier when you're new half-brother has ghost powers.

Danny keeps his hand on Shoto's shoulder and he feels a chill down his spine, like someone dropped a bucket of ice water down his shirt, but he doesn't react. He just slowly moves through the crowd-literally, they go through people-until they're out of the building completely. Danny doesn't let go until they're a couple blocks away, and when he does, the cold in his spine leaves with him.

"Dude, full offense to your dad, he's fucking creepy," Danny says. His nose scrunches up and his brow furrows like he's tasted something sour.

"Then why do you stay with us?" Shoto couldn't help but ask. The whole thing seemed completely out of the blue if he was being completely honest.

"I, uh...It's...Complicated," Danny said. He looked to the ground, suddenly looking much older than he actually was. Like the weight of the world was taking its toll on him. "I can explain, just not here. First we get food, then you unlock my tragic backstory."

Shoto had no idea what that meant, but he had always been curious about the various scars Danny had, so he let his new brother drag him along to a ramen shop before secretly letting him fly him up to a building on the other side of town from Endeavour and that stupid gala.

"I like sitting up here," Danny says when they're about half way through their food. "It's got the best view of the city, and this is where the sky is the most clear. There's only like, two buildings blocking the view."

"Why do you want to look at the sky?" Shoto asks. Danny gives him a small smile, and it's the first genuine one that he's given since moving in with them.

"You can see the stars," Danny explains. "It's really cloudy right now, and the city really isn't the best place for stargazing because of all the lights, but out in the middle of nowhere? They're absolutely beautiful."

"Do you know any constellations?"

"All of them," Danny is grinning at him now, freely showing his unnaturally long canines. "Growing up I always wanted to be an astronaut."

"What happened?"

The grin slips from Danny's face. He sets his ramen down beside him and pulls his knees up to his chest before resting his head on them. He doesn't say anything for a long time, but Shoto has always been a patient person. He's willing to wait as long as he needs to.

Finally, after a few minutes of silence, Danny finally speaks up.

"I died."

His voice is so quiet, and the wind is so loud all the way up there that Shoto thought he heard him wrong. But when he repeats himself, and with such sadness, he knows it isn't a lie.

"How? You're not dead, but you died?"

"Like I said, it's a long story."

And...It is. He knows he and Danny's stories of the trauma and abuse they endured throughout their lives is completely different. Shoto will have no idea what it's like growing up quirkless, and Danny will never know what it's like having a famous, untouchable father, but the hurt is just the same. And it's that hurt that made Danny ignore his sister's concerned warnings as he stumbled into the portal and accidentally turned it on.

When he transforms for the first time in front of Shoto, it is bright and blinding, and Shoto has to sit there for a minute to blink spots out of his eyes. But when he's finally able to focus on Danny, his left glove has been tugged off. Crisscrossing up his arm is a glowing, green Lichtenburg figure starting in the palm of his hand and disappearing into his uniform.

"I didn't mean to die," Danny tells him. "I was just...Curious, I guess. But now I have these insane powers, and I'm a part of this insane world. I just don't know how to handle all of it. Especially since I'm still getting new powers, like ice. That only showed up like, a week before we met."

"That's...Impressive," Shoto said after a moment. And it was. Danny's only been with them for about a month now but he's got an insane amount of control over his powers. And he's got so many. The fact that he's learned not one, not two, but five powers, and has decent control over all of them after just a couple months is a feat in and of itself. Hell, Shoto himself was still struggling with two.

"Thanks," Danny said. He let his legs fall back over the side of the building and leaned back on his hands. He looked over at Shoto through his snowy hair, and...Shoto has never been able to see the resemblance to Danny. His eyes matched Endeavor's, and his hair was far too dark to be truly related to any of them. But here, with the exception of his eyes, he looked a lot like their mother. Fair skin, white hair, a splash of freckles that Fuyumi had their mother both had. For the first time since meeting him, he looked at Danny and saw his brother. "What about you?" Danny asked him. He glanced from Shoto's eyes to his scar.

"My father abused my mother so much. One day, she was on the phone and she was-she wasn't right, mentally. And she was...I walked in on her having a mental breakdown and she poured boiling water over my face."

Danny didn't wince. Danny didn't look at him with pity. He just looked at Shoto with a kind understanding nobody else had, and for the first time in his life, Shoto felt like he wasn't completely alone.

"It wasn't the water that...That gave me my scar," Shoto continued. "She tried to use her quirk afterwards. After she realized what she had done. That's what finally did it."

"Fuck, dude, that sucks," Danny sighs. "She got sent away after that, right? Have you seen her since?"

Shoto shook his head. How could he? She could barely stand to look at him when he was a kid, and now that he's older and more filled out, he looks even more like his father. There's no way she would want to see him. It's his fault anyway she did it.

Danny makes a face when he explains that part and shakes his head.

"No, dude. You didn't make her pour that water on your face. That was her. Even if she was having a breakdown, it was her. And it was Endeavour for literally driving her crazy. I'm...I'm sure she'd be happy to see you. My dad says she never really was the type to hold a grudge. Especially when she was the one in the wrong."

"I don't know. With my father's power, and his face-"

"-stop. Stop being so angsty. None of you is him. It's your face and your power. Who gives a shit if Endeavour thinks you're his masterpiece. You're still your own person with your own power. He can't control what you do or don't do with it."

"Do...Do you really mean that?"

"I don't say shit I don't mean, Shoto."

He was too caught off guard by the conviction of the words to comment on the casual cursing, but it wouldn't really have mattered anyway. Shoto's phone buzzed in his pocket, and when he pulled it out, he scowled at the caller I.D.

"I have to take this," he said.

"Do you though?" Danny asked. Shoto thought for a moment. He was his own person with his own power. His own phone.

He hung up on his father.

Danny gave him a beaming grin, letting his fangs sparkle with the motion.

"What now?" He asked. Danny just shrugged as he stood up and put his glove back on.

"Now we go do normal kid shit. No galas. No training. No pissed off hero. It's a Saturday, and the arcade is open until midnight."

"I've never been to an arcade," Shoto says.

"Well, you are in for a treat, oh brother of mine. Now hold on tight."

----------

Training after that had been brutal but when Danny stepped forward and blocked a blow meant for Shoto, Endeavour seemed to back off a bit. Danny was naturally cold and unnaturally strong, and just from that brief interaction Endeavour seemed to get the hint. And he wasn't perfect and it didn't stop, there was no extra punishment for sneaking out of the gala.

Shoto would call that a win.

Chapter 90: Dan

Summary:

I am not a huge fan of angst, but if we want angst let's go all in, happy ending is welcome but not needed. USJ, with Dani and Danny, and Danny gets hit with a quirk that summons the person that hate's you most. And Dan wants to enjoy making everyone hurt. No exceptions, no mercy, no discrimination.

Notes:

this is hella gory so just read carefully please. Also major character death
also sorry ive been a little inactive, im been busy with a few commissions (which are open if anybody is interested). Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Text

It was supposed to be a normal training exercise at the USJ. They were just supposed to learn how to rescue people from Danny's favorite hero, Thirteen.

So why did everything have to go so wrong?

First it was the villain invasion. Then it was being separated by Kurogiri. Then it was Danny helping his friends fight through a sea of villains. Without hesitation he had thrown himself into the fray, fighting along side Eraserhead to help ease the burden of fighting dozens and dozens of villains by himself.

Then it was the lucky shot one asshole got on Danny when he was going up against three other guys.

He had made quick work of the guys he was fighting, and when he whirled around to take down the guy that hit him, he was met with his worst nightmare.

Instead of confused scrawny guy with shaggy brown hair and a five o' clock shadow, he was met with a hulking figure with dangerous red eyes and flaming white hair. He was stretching this way and that, loosening up his joints before looking down on Danny.

Against his every instinct, he froze with fear.

"Awe," Dan cooed condescendingly as he loomed over Danny. "Miss me?"

Before he could react, or even get his feet to move, there was a hand around his throat dragging him into the air. He clutched at Dan's hand, trying to pry his fingers away, but it was no use.

The villains seemed to think Dan was on their side. One of them clapped Dan on the shoulder in something that was probably meant to be solidarity or comradery, but Dan just glowered. And with no hesitation he gripped the side of the villain's head and blasted it with green energy. The thug fell to the ground, dead before he even made it.

"Don't worry about yourself, kiddo," Dan said. His grin was large and malicious, and Danny got a very up close look at his large fangs. "I'm gonna keep you alive long enough for you to watch me kill everyone in here."

Danny thrashed in Dan's grip as his evil older self turned to another group of villains who were rushing them. He rolled his eyes at Danny, like they were sharing some kind of inside joke, before decimating the thugs with a wave of his hand. The smell of metal in the air was overwhelming.

"S-stop-" Danny choked out desperately. His vision was starting to go all spotty due to the lack of oxygen.

Dan just threw his head back and barked out a laugh before aiming his glowing fist towards his teacher, who was locked in battle with Shigaraki. Dan let the green energy power up, and Danny mustered up enough strength and focus to let his own hands glow green. He managed to let his green energy out a split second before Dan's. Danny created a shield and in the blink of an eye it shattered.

Aizawa jumped back from Shigaraki and spared Danny a glance, but he was caught between a rock and a hard place. Run from Shigaraki and let him get the students who were still in the water, or stay put and let Danny figure it out himself.

Thankfully, he was saved from having to make any kind of decision.

Dani barreled into Dan, throwing him forward and into the ground with such force that Danny was able to pry himself free from Dan's iron grip. He quickly backed away from his evil older self, trying desperately to keep his breakfast in his stomach as his boots squelched in the mangled flesh and blood that stained the ground beneath them.

"Is that who I think it is?" Dani asked him, crouched in a fighting stance.

"Y-yeah," Danny said. his voice was raspy and his throat ached. "Thermos. Clockwork."

Dani seemed to get the message. Just like last time, trap him in the thermos and then give him to Clockwork.

Though, that was going to be a bit easier said than done. Last time, he had a small arsenal from his parent's lab to help aid him, and the only hostages had been his friends and family in one small, contained area that had easily been avoided.

Now, though? Now he had no weapons except for his powers and the thermos, and several people-good and bad-that Dan was gunning for. His only saving grace was that he wasn't alone this time. Dani stood tall by his side as she glowered at the newcomer as he sauntered over. Dan was scowling, and he was only a second away from tipping into untamed feral territory. And not the fun wild kind like Midoriya's brand of feral.

Danny and Dani both lunged forward, catching Dan on either side with their own attacks. Dan grabbed Dani's foot and threw her to the side before whirling around to catch Danny in the stomach with his elbow, sending him sprawling to the ground.

He quickly rolled to the side to avoid being crushed by Dan's heel before jumping back to his feet and sending a wave of ice towards Dan. His whole lower body was encased, but he broke through it easily.

Danny braced himself for the attack that he thought was going for him. He didn't see Dani sneaking up behind Dan. He didn't see the way Dan's hair flicked irritably just a second before he whirled around and sent his clawed hand through her chest.

It was so quick Danny wondered if it had even happened.

But he would never be able to scrub Dani's surprised face from his head. The way her eyes went wide as she stared at Dan, and then at his arm elbow deep in her chest. She coughed once, and ectoplasm dribbled from her mouth. She coughed a second time before slumping forward. Dan turned his arm intangible, and her corpse fell to the ground, unmoving. Her eyes were still open.

And this...This was suddenly a bit to real for Danny. This was no longer a dream he was hoping to achieve. It was no longer a fight to stall long enough until the other heroes showed up to save them.

This was a fight one of them probably wasn't going to walk away from.

Danny allowed himself to let go. He had a tight hold on his powers and emotions. He had too, because if he let go he could hurt people.

But as he watched Dani's lifeless face stare back at him, white hair matted with her own ectoplasm, he realized that that's the only thing he wanted to do.

The temperature drops in a second. The blood on the ground freezes and frost creeps up the corpses of the villains that Dan had so thoughtlessly killed. There was a terrible ache in Danny's chest, full of anger and hatred and pain, and Dan was about to feel every ounce of it.

He lunges, faster than he's ever gone before. The ground breaks beneath his feet with the force of his jump, and he lands one very super powered punch on Dan, sending him flying. Danny didn't hear the crack of ribs, but he felt it, and some primal thing in the back of his head urged him to do it again.

He was on Dan merely a second later, pounding him further and further into the ground. Dan gripped one of his arms, stopping him long enough to blast Danny off of him. But Danny was a man on a mission. His sister was dead, and he felt the power of the Zone thrumming in his veins, asking to be let free.

Danny encased Dan in ice again, and then punched through it, sending Dan flying back once again.

To everybody else, it was an absolutely terrifying sight to see. Students below watched as their nervous, awkward, nerdy classmate glowed with power. The entire USJ felt icy, and they all instinctively took a few steps back as Danny's fists started to glow with ethereal power.

His eyes were completely swallowed by the toxic green that spilled from his sister. That stained the hands of the one that killed her. His hair floated around his head like a halo, defying gravity in the oddest of ways. And it suddenly struck everybody that was watching that...He wasn't entirely human. Their own instincts were screaming at them to run, to get as far away as possible, but hero and villain alike stayed put, watching the raw power emanate from Danny.

Dan pulled himself out of the rubble around him and floated up to meet Danny's eyes. Neither of them wavered, but several students shivered as a layered, echoing voice came from Danny.

"You will pay the consequences for what you have done this day," Danny said, letting his eerie voice bounce around the walls of the USJ. "And let the villains below know what will happen if they try anything again."

Without another word, Danny and Dan shot forward, arms pulled back, but Danny was faster. And with his rage helping him, he was stronger. He gripped Dan's throat as he had done to Danny not to long ago.

"How are-you doing this?" Dan choked out.

Danny didn't answer. Instead, he let the white rings wash over him. Instead of turning back to Fenton like usual, he stayed as Phantom. Though now there was a ring around his finger and a flaming crown floating above his head.

"I'm the motherfucking King."

Danny threw Dan into the ground with such force that it sent out ripples, knocking those who were unprepared down to the ground. Nobody sees it happen, but it's not hard to deduce where the second shockwave comes from.

Danny lifts his hands above his head for a second time, and brings them down on Dan's chest once more. He feels the ghost's chest cave, as he lies limp in the ground. He isn't dead-not by ghost standards, anyway. When ghosts are no longer, they fade in ash or become one with the Zone, melting back into the ectoplasm that keeps them together. But Dan is still there, and still solid.

He looks down at Dan's unconscious form. His hair is still alight, though the fire is smaller. He is stained with his and Danny's and Dani's ectoplasm, and his boots are red with the blood from the villains he decimated.

And Danny...He can't bring himself to end him. He can't bring himself to take Dan's life, because he knows that if he does, he might become him. He knows that if he does, he will never be the hero he wants to be. He knows that if he does, Dani will look at him sadly, and he can't bare to see her so torn.

So instead he gets up on shaky legs, lets his powers die down. His core hums with satisfaction as he pulls away, and instead he takes out his thermos. In a bright flash of light, Dan is sucked up.

The USJ is quiet as he stumbles to his sister. The main villains are gone. All Might is there, and so are the teachers, watching with their breaths held as he drops down next to Danny. The smell of iron makes his stomach roll, but he pays it no mind as he brings Dani's limp body into his lap.

He's not sure how long he stares there, crying over her. It's long enough for her to destabilize. Long enough that eventually the only thing he's holding is a pile of thick, goopy ectoplasm.

Somebody-he's not really sure who-drags him up from the floor. He follows on autopilot as he's led to an ambulance. Eventually they make him lay down, and then they're moving.

But he doesn't pay any mind to them.

All he can think about is the surprised look on Dani's face when she took her last breath.

Chapter 91: Bad Feelings

Summary:

I hope you don't mind an Angsty thought but what a Fenton's bad parenting setting where Danny's going to UA and just one day kinda vanishes. He was able to keep the Ghost stuff hidden up to this point using an excuse kinda like Izuku's thats just a late in life emergence of a quirk using only a small fraction of his powers while human to get into UA. His parents find out about his ghost half tho and don't react well. Now its up to his classmates in 1-A to try and track him down.

Notes:

tw: light torture and experimentation, not super heavy on those details but read carefully if youre bothered by it

Chapter Text

Danny was a quiet and skittish kid who attached himself to the first people who decided to become friends with him. Which just so happened to be Midoriya, who was the most observant person in the classroom. So it's no wonder that he's the first person to point out Danny's absence come Monday morning in homeroom.

"Mr. Aizawa, do you know where Danny is?" He asks after his teacher finishes taking roll. "Is he sick or something?"

"Don't worry about it, Problem Child," Aizawa said, glancing in the corner where Midoriya knew there was a camera hidden. "I'm sure everything is fine."

----------

Everything was most certainly not fine. All morning Shouta's stomach has been churning, threatening to throw up the jelly pack he had for breakfast.

He hasn't gotten any call or email from the Fenton parents. He texts Hizashi to see if Danny's sister showed up, but no dice. One kid not showing up was one thing, but when both were gone-especially one who made it a point to have perfect attendance-that was a problem.

So the second homeroom ends, Shouta is out the door and marching towards Nezu's office. It opens before he has the chance to knock, allowing him to keep his steady stride all the way up to Nezu's desk.

He was going to have a word with their principal.

---------

"Midoriya, you seem quite close to Danny. Do you know where he is?" Iida asks as they sit down for lunch.

"He went to his parent's over the weekend," Midoriya answers, chewing at his bottom lip until Todoroki nudges him, a gentle reminder to stop.

"Maybe he's sick," Uraraka points out.

"Maybe, but..." Midoriya can't shake the gut feeling that something is wrong. His hero instincts are kicked into overdrive as he glances at the empty space that their missing friend usually occupies. "...I don't think so. I think something happened. I'm going to ask one of the teachers if we can go visit him later to make sure he's doing alight."

"I think that sounds like a wonderful idea, Midoriya," Iida says. "We would all like to accompany you."

"That sounds wonderful, Iida."

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

Tsu in the end, also ends up joining them. In fact, she's the one that places a comforting hand on Midoriya's shoulder as he knocks on the Fenton's front door. Her grip is comforting and grounding, and he focuses on that as the small group waits in anticipation for the door to open.

But it never does.

Izuku strains his ears for any noise that could possibly come from inside. Footsteps, a cabinet closing, maybe some talking. But it's quiet.

Almost too quiet.

Midoriya raises his hand to knock again when they're interrupted by their homeroom teacher, who's looking at them all with a raised eyebrow.

"What are you doing here?" He asks. His face is deadpan and his voice is monotone, but Midoriya can tell by the tension in his shoulders and the way his jaw is clenched that he's just as concerned as they are.

"We're here to make sure Danny is okay," Uraraka tells him.

"We knocked, but nobody answered," Todoroki provides.

There's a long, suffering sigh from their teacher, and he seems to age a few years in a matter of seconds. He looks absolutely haggard, driving himself crazy all day with his worry. "I don't suppose I could get you to leave?" He asks, already knowing the answer. When none of them make any move to leave, he sighs again.

"Stay close to me," he instructs them, going from Mr. Aizawa to Pro Hero Eraserhead in a matter of seconds. The others shift into their own hero modes, letting instincts take over. Midoriya can feel One for All thrumming beneath his skin, begging to be released.

instead of knocking again, Aizawa picks the lock. In a matter of seconds, they're walking through the front door as quietly as they can.

The house is quiet. Too quiet, really. They know that everybody is home because the lights on the ceiling are trembling with the footsteps stomping around upstairs. Aizawa looks to Iida and Uraraka and flicks his head towards the stairs. They nod, understanding the message, before quietly floating themselves up the stairs, leaving Midoriya, Tsu, Todoroki, and Aizawa to go take care of the rest of the house.

Every single room is clear except for the one in the kitchen. Midoriya at first thought it had been some kind of closet, but when he stopped outside of it, he heard...Something. Voices, though he couldn't make them out. Some whimpering.

When he touched the handle to the door, it was ice cold. A stark difference from the rest of the house. He slowly turned the knob and opened the door, thankful that it didn't creak in the slightest.

Aizawa and the others were by his side in seconds as the voices became more clear, and the whimpering turned to muffled screams.

Aizawa pushed his students behind him as he went down the stairs first, keeping his steps light and close to the walls so he caused as little noise as possible. He gestured for Midoriya to follow, but gestured for Tsu and Todoroki to stay just in case.

As soon as Aizawa was able to see clearly into the room, he held a hand up to stop Midoriya from going down any further.

It was a lab of sorts. Sleek tiles, metal tables, and a large octagon on the far wall that was sealed with black and yellow tape. Not too far from that were Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, dressed in their usual jumpsuits with their lab coats thrown over. They were leaning over a table, poking and prodding. There was a zap, and another muffled cry of pain.

Mr. Fenton moved to the side, enough to give Aizawa a view of his student. He was strapped down to a table with a muzzle locked over his face and a collar around his neck. He was shirtless, and he was strapped up to at least half a dozen machines that were all calculating different things.

"I'll fight them," Aizawa whispered to Midoriya. "You get Danny out of here."

Midoriya gave him a determined nod. Green lightning crackled around him with his barely contained rage.

He should send him up. He should make them all leave, but Jack and Maddie Fenton were forces to be reckoned with, and with their arsenal and hostage, he needed an extra pair of hands. It was just unfortunate that those hands belonged to another student.

Aizawa activated his quirk as he leapt from the stairs. He threw his capture weapon around Jack and threw him to the side, using him as an anchor to swing himself forward. He kicked Maddie to the ground, but she rolled and recovered almost immediately.

"What the fuck are you doing to my student?" Aizawa seethed.

"He's not human, Mr. Aizawa," Maddie said condescendingly, as if she was speaking to a child. "Step aside so we ca finish our work."

Aizawa doesn't do that. Instead, he lunges. It becomes very clear very quickly that Maddie Fenton can throw a punch. She's skilled, and definitely knows her stuff when it comes to fighting, but she doesn't have the experience of an underground pro. That is ultimately what her downfall is.

When he turns around, Danny is still strapped to the table, thrashing around madly as Midoriya fights Jack Fenton. He's screaming, but nothing is intelligible because of the muzzle. It is the first thing he takes off as, and he all but smashes it into the ground before working on the other straps.

"I can-I need the collar off," Danny says. Aizawa thinks about it for a split second before complying. Danny knows what the collar does, and knows that it inhibits him in some way. If he's more worried about that than the straps keeping him down, it's probably for good reason.

Aizawa wastes no time in picking the lock on the collar, and for good measure he smashes that too.

As soon as Danny is free, he phases through the straps and makes himself airborne. He grips Midoriya's collar and yanks him out of the way, just as Jack's fists comes down. It cracks the concrete where Midoriya had been standing just moments before.

"Go!" Aizawa yells at them. Midoriya hesitates only for a moment before half dragging, half carrying Danny up the stairs.

His friend is...Not looking good. And really, that's a nice way to say it. Now that the small burst of energy is gone, his body sage against Midoriya. His skin is clammy and pale, and stained with green. There are bruises of all different shapes and sizes littering his body. On his face, there are cuts where the muzzle dug into his face, and his eyes are half-lidded, as if it's taking all of his focus to just stay awake.

When they make it to the top, Todoroki wastes no time. He wraps Danny's other arm around his shoulder and they walk him to the living room where Uraraka, Iida, and Jazz are standing. Jazz gasps, and Midoriya is grateful that she doesn't rush her injured brother. Instead, her hands cover her mouth as tears well up in her eyes.

"We have to get out of here," Uraraka says.

"Take Danny outside and call the police," Midoriya instructs, passing him off to Uraraka, who immediately uses her quirk on Danny to make him lighter. He takes off his shirt and passes it to them so that Danny at least has something to wear, before throwing himself back down the stairs to the basement.

Aizawa is still locked in combat with Jack. He's a hulking brute of a man, and he's pretty sure he's gotten a little bigger in the few minutes between this fight and Midoriya's.

He wastes no time in jumping forward, Full Cowling propelling him to the wall. He kicks Jack in the face while Aizawa erases his strength quirk. Midoriya bounces off the walls and the floor until Jack finally goes down in a large heap. Aizawa restrains him with his capture weapon, panting hard.

"Danny is safe with the others. Police and probably a paramedic are on their way," Midoriya informs his teacher. He gets a nod in response, and they wait in a tense silence until the police filter in and take the Fenton parents away.

When they emerge from the basement, Danny is passed out on Todoroki's shoulder. He's wrapped up in a shock blanket and wearing Midoriya's t-shirt. His dark hair is matted with sweat and ectoplasm.

He helps maneuver Danny onto the bed that sits in the back of the ambulance before stepped off and joining Aizawa and Midoriya.

The next couple hours are kind of a blur for Aizawa. They each give their own statements, and despite the complaints from his students, he escorts them back to the dorms before heading to the hospital himself.

Danny is unconscious still by the time he gets to his room. But that's fine. Aizawa has always been a patient man, and he wanted Danny to have a familiar, comforting face to look at when he woke up.

Besides, he had a lot of questions. And he intended to get answers.

Chapter 92: Taken

Summary:

"Did you really never see it coming?" Ultimate betrayal Scenario Shinso (or a character that's close to him of your choice) rats out phantom's location to the GiW or it seems that way anyways or it may just be a cruel trick from the LoV

Notes:

Me? Updating? It's more likely than you think

Chapter Text

Out of all of his new classmates at U.A. Danny can safely, confidently say that his best friend in the class is Hitoshi. And no, it's not because of the small crush he may or may not have on their resident insomniac. It's because he's chill, and quiet, and the silences with him aren't tense. There isn't a need to fill them. They can just exist in each other's presence and do absolutely nothing. Say absolutely nothing.

Which is why Danny finds it a little strange that Hitoshi seems especially chatty today.

It had been fine. Normal, even, as they walked to the mall. Quiet and serene. But Danny had ducked inside of the bathroom, and when he came back, Hitoshi beamed at him, and he's been talking his fucking ear off since.

Hitoshi rarely lets his guard down, but when he does it is something similar to this. Carefree in a way he normally doesn't allow himself to be. Too beaten down by society for having a "villainous" quirk to really be able to show his true self, and that's something he and Danny have always been able to bond over.

But this is...Different.

Danny listens with half an ear as they walk back to school. Hitoshi takes them through a short cut as he talks and texts while Danny looks around his new surroundings. It's a quiet neighborhood with barely any traffic, vehicular or otherwise.

"Hey, Hitoshi?" Danny asks as he looks around. He stops in his place, and waits for Hitoshi to do the same just a step in front of Danny. He turns, pocketing his phone. He's got a dreamy sort of smile on his face, and Danny knows he's seen it before, but he can't quite place where. His cheeks are red and his eyes are half-closed as he gazes at Danny with nothing but adoration. "Not that I don't trust your navigation skills, but are you sure this is the right way?"

Danny is more directionally challenged than most but even he can tell that they're a little bit lost. Hitoshi just nods, and closes the gap between him and Danny. They're about the same height, but it doesn't stop Hitoshi from throwing his arms around Danny's shoulders and getting really close. Danny can feel his cheeks heat up, and his heart starts trying to break out of his ribs.

"You trust me, right, Danny?" He asks, tilting his head to the side. It's a motion that's totally wrong for Hitoshi, so unlike him in every way, but Danny is looking through Useless Gay Colored Glasses that he doesn't see it.

"O-of course I do," Danny stutters. he doesn't know what to do with his hands, but Hitoshi is draping himself over him. Placing them on his hips respectfully is okay, right? That's not weird? "I just-I think we're lost."

"No, Danny," Hitoshi says, leaning in. His breath is hot on Danny's ear as he speaks. "We're exactly where we need to be."

Faster than lightning, Danny feels something heavy and cold clamp down around his neck. In the blink of an eye, he's being pinned face first into the sidewalk. He struggles against Hitoshi's weight, but with the way he's got him pinned it's nearly impossible to get out of. He pulls at his core and tries to summon his intangibility, but instead, he's met with a harsh, familiar pain.

The thing around his neck. A collar. One that can cancel out his powers.

"Hi-Hitoshi! What's going on?" Danny demands as he struggles. Hitoshi just hums thoughtfully and presses Danny's face further into the ground. It's painful, and it almost distracts Danny from the screeching tires that suddenly stop next to them. Several people get out, and Danny hears the familiar whining of ectoweapons as they power up, no doubt trained on him.

There are weird cuffs clasped around his hands and forearms before he's hauled up by several pairs of hands. Hitoshi stands there, flanked by the Ghost Investigation Ward, looking as smug as he possibly can.

It's not a good look for him.

"Why are you donig this?" He asks, desperately tryingt o understand. Hitoshi was his friend. He was kind and smart and funny and Danny had been so stupidly in love that he ignored the signs.

"Did you really never see it coming?" Hitoshi asks, mockingly. "We need you out of the way, Spooky. What better way than the professionals?"

"Who? Are you working with the Le-"

Before he can finish, a muzzle is wrestled over his face. It's about two sizes to small, and digs into his skin unfomrotably. His jaw is already aching from being so forcefully clamped.

He struggles as much as he can, but without his super strength, and the fact that he's severely outnumbered, it's a losing battle.

Something sharp is jabbed in his neck, and the last thing he sees is Hitoshi giving him a small wave, smiling so bright that Danny doesn't see the fangs.

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

Aizawa is supposed to be having a good day. And so far, it was.

That probably should have been his first indication that something wrong was going to happen.

It's nearly time for curfew for all the kids, and he's still missing two of them. Hitoshi and Danny, who had gone out to the mall. Both of them are responsible enough to know better, and to act better. Out of all the kids to lose track of time, he knows it wouldn't be them. So why are they not back yet?

His questions is answers about twenty minutes late when Hitoshi bodily slams his way through the doors of the dorm. He's panting hard like he just ran a marathon. His face is bright red and he's gasping for air, but all Aizawa can see is the way his hands are tied behind his back, and the gag in his mouth that no doubt is giving him friction burns.

Aizawa rushes forward and unties Hitoshi, who all but collapses into his arms. He discovers that Hitoshi's breathing is so hard partly due to the fact that he's on the verge of a panic attack.

"Hitoshi, kid," Aizawa says, gently cupping his student's face. There's a crowd behind him, he knows, but he can't bring himself to care. Something have obviously happened since he's arrived in this state and Danny's not with him.

It takes a few minutes to calm him down. It seems longer than that, because Hitoshi has information he so desperately wants to give. Aizawa forces himself to be patient, and to be there for Hitoshi until he can gain his bearing. And when he does, it's some of the worst news he could ever here.

"I was-I was jumped," Hitoshi pants. "At the mall. Danny went to the bathroom and then there were hands grabbing me and-I don't know what happened! I don't remember. All I remember is waking up in some alley on the other side of town and-I don't-I don't know where he is. Sensei, I don't know where he is. I don't know what happened. I'm sorry."

Aizawa brings Hitoshi to his chest and hugs him tightly as he sobs. He grips the back of his jumpsuit like his life depends on it.

Hitoshi pulls away, and looks at Aizawa with the most broken look he's ever seen. With his lip wobbling and tears still streaming down his face, he whispers so low Aizawa almost doesn't here him.

"He's gone, Sensei."

Chapter 93: Science Experiment pt 2

Summary:

Nomu!Danny aftermath if its okay. Maybe Eraser gains a new son in this chaotic mix of events?

Chapter Text

Shouta Aizawa was a simple man. He liked cats. He liked coffee. He liked sleeping. He does not like children (even if Hizashi insists he's lying to himself). He especially does not like children who have been more or less tortured every single day for months.

Or rather, he hates that it happened to them. The actual child in question is pretty okay.

He's skinny-far past the point of healthy-with dark messy hair that's a little too long, and cold blue eyes that track every movement his doctors and nurses make.

And then he surprises him and the Detective in the best way possible.

"I'll tell you everything."

There was no hesitation. No fear hidden behind his eyes. Just a cold determination to get back at the man who did all this too him.

The story makes Shouta want to throw up. The kid had been force fed quirks because he was dead. And that had also been hard to swallow. But Tsukauchi seemed just as flabbergasted, so Shouta could only guess that the kid was telling the truth. That he was forced to be a one-man Nomu.

He didn't keep every quirk All for One forced on him. Sometimes they were taken, and replaced with new ones. Sometimes he was overwhelmed with quirks, just so All for One could watch him writhe in pain on the floor, groveling like a dog at their feet. It was sickening, and if Shouta wasn't used to sickening stories, he probably would have thrown up.

Instead, he had the stomach to save it for the privacy of his own home.

"What are your quirks?" Tsukauchi asked him, and Danny, the kid, could only shrug.

"I don't...I'm not familiar with all of them. I know I have Night Vision and Danger Tingle. There's this really neat one where I can..." He lifted his hand, and with his pointer finger he wrote his name in the air, a bright green trail following every movement. "Air Script? I think that's what I'll call it. I can...I can feel more. But I don't know what they are. He wanted me to-to lose myself, I guess. Like all the other Nomu had."

"Why didn't you?" Shouta can't help but ask.

"I wanted to remember. My parents, my sister. My friends. Are they..." he looks to the two men with pleading eyes, desperate for some good news.

"We're looking into it," Tsukauchi tells him gently. Danny presses his lips together before nodding. Tsukauchi presses him with one last question. "Do you know what the League's end goal is?"

It ultimately amounts to nothing, as they both suspected it would. But Tsukauchi doesn't seem disappointed. He just thanks Danny for his time, and promises to come back when he has more answers about his family, the Fentons.

When Tsukauchi disappears down the hall, Shouta allows himself to sit down in the uncomfortable plastic chair next to Danny's bed before sighing tiredly. He hasn't allowed himself any proper rest. They were busy during the camp, and then villains had attacked. And then he had to go on live TV, essentially blowing himself out of the Underground scene permanently now that everybody knew his name and face and quirk, and then, not even a few hours alter, he's being called to the hospital because of some kid who may or may not have been a part of the League. He's glad to see he isn't, but he's more than a little worried about what kind of mental state the kid is in. Even if he seems fine now, he can pinpoint the signs of struggle in a heartbeat.

"How are you feeling, kid?" He asks. Danny just shrugs as he fiddles with the scratchy blanket that's covering most of the boy's injuries.

Everything kind of hurts. And I'm tired," he admits after a few quiet moments. "I'm...I'm worried. About my family. I'm worried about what will get leaked to the media. Sure, you guys can't exactly tell people I'm a halfa but-but people will probably find out anyway. And that I'm not quirkless anymore. It's just...Stressful, I guess."

It's a lot more than Shouta was expecting to get, and he's more than grateful for it. Danny, at least to them, is willing to open up. That's going to help with his recovery going forward.

"I understand," Shouta says, quiet and gentle in a way he only ever uses for little kids who are on the verge of panicking. "Why don't you try and get some rest. I'll be here."

Icy blue eyes meet his, and they pin him in place. Shouta feels rooted to the spot from the boy's gaze alone. He waits patiently, blinking slowly as Danny searches for answers to the questions he probably isn't going to ask. And after a few minutes, he finally lets his shoulders relax.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

------

The news that Tsukauchi brings about Danny's family isn't good. There was never a missing person's report filed by the family because they themselves were dead. At least, that's what Tsukauchi suspects. There weren't any bodies, but there were three large piles of dust in various spots around the house, and with the League involved, it's not hard to put two and two together.

But if the news isn't great for Shouta, it's absolutely devastating for Danny. Before Tsukauchi is even able to speak, Danny just knows from the look on the man's face. He breaks down, curling in on himself, and doesn't allow anybody to touch him. Still, Aizawa offers his hand just in case. And after a few minutes, Danny grips it like a lifeline with far more strength than he should logically have.

And after a few hours, he finally uncurls his limbs, but does not let go of Shouta's hand. He looks desperately to Shouta, with red rimmed eyes, pleading for any good news he could possibly muster.

"What's-where am I going to go?" He asks. His voice is raspy, and Shouta presses a glass of water into his hands before answering.

"I'll be enacting my emergency foster license. I'll be your legal guardian for as long as you want me to be. However, U.A. is building dorms for the students and staff, so we'll be living on campus instead of a normal apartment. I've already spoken with Nezu, though, and he's created an extra room for you in my dorm, so you don't have to join the other kids if you don't want to."

"U.A? The hero school?" He asks. Shouta nods, and the kid seems satisfied enough with the answer. He leans back into his bed and closes his eyes. And after a few minutes, with a broken voice, he says, "My sister went there. She was in Present Mic's homeroom."

And Shouta doesn't have to guess about who he's talking about. He remembers flashes of bright red hair, of Hizashi absolutely gushing over the girl despite the fact that they're not allowed to play favorites. He remembers her wit and her strength and her intelligence. God, she was so smart. Smart enough for even Nezu to be impressed. And she had been a force to be reckoned with.

She had been Danny's older sister. Obviously not something he was ready to talk about, not yet, but it's obvious from the tone of his voice that he admired her.

"She was amazing," Shouta tells him. Danny just nods, and grips his hand a little tighter.

"She really was."

----------

The day after they move into the dorms is the day Danny gets let go from the hospital. All of his injuries have been taken care of. The only thing they really need to worry about is getting him back to a healthy weight, but with lunch Rush at the school and the fact that the kid eats like a horse, Shouta doesn't think it'll be to big of a problem.

Unlike everybody else's dorms, Danny's is bare. They haven't had the chance to go and get anything he wanted from his home. They need to do it eventually, both for his things and to see what he wants to keep of his family. Shouta promises to be there. It seems to be the only thing keeping the boy from completely breaking down at the thought.

His class is loud and excited when he introduces them to Danny, but after Momo's tactful, gentle greeting the others follow suit. He can't help but feel a little bit of pride at how well they're treating his kid.

Because...Even though it's only been about a week since they officially met, he is Shouta's kid. Shouta's son. It's probably too soon to say any of those complicated emotions out loud, especially in the face of recently finding out his family's demise, but Shouta speaks that truth in his head as often as he can. Because his kid has been through a lot, and he only wants to help him as much as he can. In any way that he can.

So when Danny sleeps in their dorm in the teacher's building he doesn't push him away or tell him to go socialize. He holds him tight as he cries through a nightmare until they both fall back asleep.

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

Cleaning out the Fenton's home is a larger task than Shouta thought it was going to be.

They have a team to help them. Some grunts Nezu is paying for that help pack and move anything Danny wants to bring to his rooms back at U.A. The other things, he goes through and debates on whether or not he's keeping or tossing them.

Of his sister's possessions, he keeps a couple of scrapbooks, her diary, and an old beat up teddy bear wearing a lab coat. He snoops around a bit longer until he finds a blue headband and ties it around the bear before moving onto his parent's room.

There's even less here that he decides to keep. Like his sister's room, he keeps all the phots he can get his hands on. He also keeps a pair of red goggles, and an old slip of paper that's got a fudge recipe on it. He adds a few journals his parents have written thorough, illegible notes in, and heads downstairs.

Every picture on the wall goes into a box and sent to Danny's room. he's never been one for pictures, but this is all he has left of his family. The only proof that they ever existed. He's holding onto them as tight as he can for the rest of his life.

He doesn't care about the TV or the furniture, or the decorations. In fact, he doesn't even spare it a second glance before leading Shouta down to the basement where his parent's lab is.

Everything is covered in a fine layer of dust, though neither of them point it out. Instead, Danny leads Shouta around the lab, placing odd gadgets and weapons into some sort of safe with a heavy duty lock. He tells the movers that this goes into the most secure storage they've got, and Shouta wants to ask questions, but he knows that now isn't the time.

Throughout this whole process, Danny hasn't hesitated. He's firm in his wants to keep and throw away. But when he reaches the octagon on the back wall of the lab, he hesitates.

Danny stares at it for a long time. Minutes pass. So many that Shouta's knees start to ache from how still they've both been. But eventually, Danny walks over to the panel on the wall, presses a few buttons, and unplugs a cord that's tapes to the baseboards next to the console.

Danny takes it a step further and sends his fist through the whole thing. Sparks fly, and metal creaks, but Danny doesn't even flinch. It took no effort at all to destroy his parent's lifework. He has no idea how he should feel about it outside of the fact that it was necessary.

After that he moves towards the filing cabinet, and instead of looking through it, he completely destroys that, too.

"Ghost shit," is the only explanation Shouta receives. Which probably means it's information sensitive to Danny and other ghosts. Information that could harm them if it came into the wrong hands. So he doesn't question it. It's his house, after all.

The trip back to U.A. is quiet but not uncomfortable. When they get back, Shouta helps him carefully unpack all of his model rockets and helps him place all of his Thirteen and Mirko posters on the walls. And, for lack of anything better to do, he painstakingly helps Danny place glow in the dark star stickers on their ceiling, both in his dorm, and in the one they share. There's so many that Shouta could probably read with all the lights on. He kind of loves it.

And when everything is said and done, Danny gives him a small smile along with his thanks.

It is the first smile that Danny has ever given him.

Shouta thinks, for the first time, that Danny truly is on his way to recovering, in his own way.

He's glad that he's there by his side to help.

Chapter 94: Neighbors

Summary:

I hope this prompt is alright. What if Nezu got captured by the GiW again by some weird stroke of dumb luck and that's where Nezu meets Phantom.

Chapter Text

Nezu is the smartest being on the planet. His instincts alone are something to be reckoned with, and they lead him to making decisions he sometimes won't have an answer to.

It's why he allows himself to be captured once more by the humans.

He's got a tracker on him, of course, and a note left on his desk for when his employees ultimately learn of his capture. But he needs time to figure out why his subconscious is bringing him back to the place that decorates his nightmares. The place that had cut him open, and had poked and prodded. The place that had given him his gnarly looking scar.

They go by a different name now, of course. But it's the same people, though a little older. The same white halls stained with blood and whatever that green stuff was. The same pokers and prodders and malicious smiles as the scalpel digs in deep.

He doesn't fight when they place him in a cell much to big for him. There's nothing but a vent and a cut out where a window obviously used to be, near the ceiling so he couldn't actually look through it.

But despite the fact that he couldn't see through the window on the wall, he could certainly hear. He heard the labored breathing, the slower than average heartbeat, and the small grunts of pain as whoever was in there shuffled around.

And Nezu knew then, deep down, that whoever was on the other side of that wall was the reason he was there.

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

The experiments come and go as to be expected. They hurt, but he takes every chance he gets to memorize the hallways and the structure. Names and faces, and the snippets of conversation he overhears as he passes by. He goes calmly and quietly, too focused on information gathering to really care about whatever pain he was about to be inflicted with.

Not that he enjoyed it. Quite the contrary, really. He could feel his animal instincts telling him to rip out their throats with his teeth any given time he saw them. But he was far more dignified than that. Besides, he couldn't let his own anger distract him from the mission at hand.

Because while he was quiet and compliant, his neighbor most certainly wasn't.

The door to his cell had a small, rectangular window. A sliver of a thing, but every time the boy (the boy, goodness he was just a child) passed, he was fighting tooth and nail. Determination and conviction bled into every movement he made, though he wasn't able to outright speak due to the muzzle clamped over his face.

The bad days were when he was silent. Those days meant he was unconscious, and possibly on the verge of death. They dragged him through the hall and into the cell, letting him drop to the floor in a lifeless heap.

And in a few hours, Nezu decided, it would be time.

After all, his staff was probably on their way right that second.

----------

Danny is having a hard time.

The experiments are terrible, especially in the beginning, but he thought he had gotten over his hallucinations stage. He doesn't remember the agents pumping him full of beta drugs this time around, so maybe he's just going crazy.

Because he's pretty sure strange animals in once-pristine suits weren't meant supposed to be climbing through the hole where a window used to be. The agents had to remove it on Danny's first day when he accidentally broke it with a fraction of his Wail, before they could properly muzzle him. It had been his last little victory.

He forces himself to sit up, which is a daunting task since he's got his hands cuffed behind his back. But he manages, despite the pain in every part of his body.

The animal, small and white, with beady eyes and sharp teeth, looks at him kindly, with his hands clasped behind his back. He's got a nasty scar over one eye, and bandages haphazardly wrapped around his arms from the experiments.

Danny wants to ask who he is, and why he's here, but just the thought of speaking reminds him of the ache in his jaw he's had since the first day, when they forced the muzzle onto his face. So instead, he raises an eyebrow. The animal steps forward.

"Hello!" He says, far too cheery for their situation. "My name is Nezu. I'm the principle of U.A."

Danny can't help the surprise on his face, and judging by Nezu's small chuckles, he gets this far too often.

"My quirk, High Specs, grants me an intelligence far beyond any human level. It also enhances by natural animal instincts, which have in turn led me here to you. My staff is currently en route to our position to help rescue us, so no need to fear any longer."

Nezu comes forward until he's within reach of Danny. He holds out his paws, eyes flicking between Danny and the muzzle. The boy gives him a small nod, and Nezu gets to work.

it takes some finagling, and a lot more patience than Danny would ever have, but he eventually gets the muzzle off. Danny opens his jaw a few times, and it pops uncomfortably at the sensation.

"Thank you," he says. His voice is hoarse and raspy, and he's unable to speak above a small whisper. Nezu just gives him a kind smile before going behind Danny to try and get the cuffs off of him.

When he's about half way through, Danny picks up the sounds of fighting outside. He looks to Nezu, who is absently humming as he works, not at all trying to drown out the screams of pain that come from the agents right outside the door.

After a few more minutes, and a moment of tense silence, there's a loud bang from the cell Nezu had previously occupied.

"In here!" He calls out cheerily. "Do be careful, please, I'm not the only one in here!"

The next door doesn't open with a bang like the other, but with careful, meticulous movements. Eventually the door swings open, revealing a hobo of a man who scans the room with careful eyes.

"Ah! Aizawa, perfect timing! May I borrow your lockpicks? I'm afraid I can't finish the job here without them."

The man, Aizawa, just nods. He passes them over with nothing but a sigh, and in a few short seconds, Danny's hands are free. His arms swing around to their natural position almost painfully. He hasn't had this much mobility in his arms in weeks. Fuck, maybe even months.

"Thanks," he says. It makes his throat uncomfortably itchy, but he needs to get it out before he passes out. His body is weak from the experiments and abuse, and he knows that no matter how much he wants to, he can barely stand.

Aizawa takes it in stride, though. He gives Danny a kind look. Far kinder than he ever imagines the man usually making, before carefully scooping Danny up in his arms.

"What's your name, kid?" He asks. His voice is deep and gruff like he gargles nails every morning for fun.

"Danny," he mumbles out. Aizawa just hums in response as he carefully steps over the unconscious bodies of the agents that had been hurting him for so long.

Eventually they meet up with a few other people. These ones Danny recognizes. Present Mic is there, and so is Snipe. He thinks he sees Midnight in the corner speaking with Cementoss, but he can't be super sure. As they talk, the rumble of Aizawa's voice starts to lull him into sleep. Which, all things considered, isn't a very hard thing to do.

"I know you're tired kid," Aizawa says, gently jostling the boy. Danny's eyes flutter open. "I need you to try and stay awake for me, okay?"

"'m tired," Danny says.

"I know, I'm sorry Danny. Why don't you tell me about something you like."

"Space," Danny answers. "Heroes too, I guess."

"Oh? Who's your favorite? It's not All Might, is it?"

If Danny were a bit more lucid, he'd probably snort at the attempt of a joke. But he's not, so instead he shakes his head as much as he can before answering.

"Thirteen," he says. "Rescue. Space. Nice, 'n stuff."

"They're really cool," Aizawa agrees. There's a creak of metal, and suddenly the lights are gone. Danny blinks blearily up at the night sky, trying to process the fact that he's outside. It's been months since he's been able to breath fresh air. Aizawa's grip on him tightens ever so slightly. "If we're lucky you might be able to meet them."

"I will personally see to it that they come and visit you, Danny," Nezu says cheerily. "I think you two would get along wonderfully."

Danny just hums, and even though Aizawa gently jostles him again, he can't help but let his eyes close.

He's safe. He's never met Aizawa before this, but he just knows instinctively that he's here to help. He's holding Danny, and he has no plans of letting go. No plans of letting anything else hurt him. Here, in the hero's arms, he falls into the first comfortable sleep he's had since his capture.

Aizawa, realizing he won't be able to wake Danny up again, turns his head to Nezu.

"How did you know he was here?" He asks. His voice is soft, and he spares a glance at the teenager limp in his arms.

"I didn't. I just knew I had to be back here."

"Back?" Aizawa questions with a raised eyebrow. And at Nezu's pointed silence, he comes to understand. "Ah."

"Ah, indeed, Aizawa. I had no idea I would find him, but, well, instincts are a funny thing, I suppose."

"What's going to happen to him?"

"If he has a family that's safe to go back to, then he'll go with them. If not, well, I wouldn't mind having a personal student. He certainly seems determined enough. Even if heroics isn't his passion, I would love to teach him."

Nezu chuckles at the way Aizawa pales.

Eventually they hand Danny off to the ambulance, and they all give their statements. When everything is said and done, and all of the officers are gone, Nezu turns to his staff and bows.

"Thank you for your help and understanding," he says. "Because of your quick actions, we were able to save him in a timely manner. Now, go rest. We still have school tomorrow, after all."

There's a grumble of 'yes, Principal,' before everyone goes their own way.

Nezu, however does not head his own advice.

After all, he's got a neighbor in the hospital he needs to visit.

Chapter 95: Goodbye

Summary:

"You... why'd it have to be you?" Phantom mumbled as he gripped is side. Toxic green dripped lazily from the deep wound in his side. Who would have thought the person he looked up to the most in his world would be the one to take him down in the end.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Around them was a world of fire. The streets were burning, and buildings were demolished. The cars were abandoned, and the screams had become more quiet by the second as the last surviving citizens evacuated. The sun was slowly dipping beneath the horizon, bathing the sky in the same reds and oranges that decorated the city around them, blazing hot and nearly unbearable.

Phantom coughed and rubbed the sweat out of his face, but all it did was mingle with the soot and ectoplasm. The smear of filth made his face look almost better than it actually was. He was pale and clammy from ectoplasm loss and he had a nasty gash on the side of his head that was matting down his white hair on that side.

He stumbled to his feet, eyes unfocused. Was backup coming? Or was this the end of Phantom? Was he going to have to fight this person all by himself? not like he really wanted to. Every time he looked at them he had to suppress a wave of anguished tears.

He's not really sure when everything went wrong. Childhood was okay. They weren't happy by any means but they had each other. Or maybe he only had her. Maybe she was never able to rely on him. Maybe she suffered in silence for decades without offering her a shoulder to cry on. Maybe it was because he canceled one to many coffee dates. Maybe it was because he missed her birthday party last year because he had hero work.

Maybe it was because he let her die.

"You... why'd it have to be you?" Phantom mumbled as he gripped is side. Toxic green dripped lazily from the deep wound in his side.

Hair as orange as the flames around them moved as easy as water. It was something so painfully familiar that it made his chest ache. Ache to go back to the way they were before. An ache to fix his mistakes and actually be there for her more. An ache to set things right.

But there was no doing that now.

Jazz let out a cold, harsh laugh as she stalked towards him. He was slumped over, using a car to help pick keep him balanced. She barely had a scratch on her, because he couldn't bring himself to actually hurt her. Stop her attacks as much as he could, sure, but never intentionally hurt her.

"Why did it have to be me?" She asked condescendingly. "Why did it have to be you? Why did it have to be you that stopped me? Why, Little Brother, did you let me die?"

It had been an accident. Danny had been running late to a meeting with her when a villain attack had happened. A villain that had mercilessly killed her right in front of him.

Death does weird things to people. Every person, every ghost, reacts differently. Some mourn for a long time. Some get up and move on. Some just go about their day like nothing ever happened, and they never speak of the event. But there's a very small percentage that are actually driven mad with their untamed emotions. He's sad to see his sister, the emotionally intelligent one between them, let her grief and pain drive her to this point.

And she was right, of course. He had nobody but himself to blame.

"I'm so-"

He was cut off by Jazz, who moved lightning fast. She surged forward, punching his already injured stomach. As he curled over in pain, she gripped his hair and brought his face to her knee. His nose shattered on impact, and he was so blinded by the pain that he hadn't even realized he ended up on his back, starring lazily at the burning sky.

The flames cast distorted shadows over Jazz's green skin, making her look more sickly. For a brief second, he saw her, neck twisted backwards and blood coming from her mouth, before her form flickered back to her ghost self.

"Don't you dare say you're sorry," she hissed. She stomped on his chest, and kept the pressure there as she leaned down. Her could feel his ribs creaking under the pressure, just a little nudge away from snapping completely. He couldn't bring himself to care, though.

He deserved this, didn't he? He hadn't been there for her. Constantly late. Constantly making her his second priority. how many promises had he broken? How many times had he apologized, and promised to never do it again? How many times had he unintentionally hurt her?

How many times did he ignore it?

Blissful ignorance wasn't an excuse. He accepted that. And he wanted to rectify that, but it was too little too late.

She gripped his throat and pulled him into the air with a strength the never possessed when she was alive. He didn't have the strength to try and stop her. his arms felt heavier than lead, even as his body convulsed.

"I know this will take a long time to actually kill you," she said nonchalantly. Her nails broke the skin around his neck, and he could feel lazy drops of ectoplasm bleeding through. "I want it to be slow. I want it to hurt. I want you to wallow in your regret and guilt while you take your last breath."

Danny gasped as she squeezed harder. She was right, of course. It was painful in more ways than one. The weight of his body help up by nothing but his neck, pulling uncomfortably at everything else while he slowly bled out. And because he was a halfa, he didn't need to breath as much as a regular human. Strangulation was a horrible way to go, and she was going to mil every last second of it.

He's not sure how long he hung there, completely at her mercy. Her grip never wavered, just like her conviction. He wanted to say as much, but his words were cut off in his windpipe. He wanted to tell her he was sorry, and he understood why she was mad. He wanted to tell her that she was always the best thing in his life. He wanted to tell her that he never would have been as happy as he had been without her. He probably would have just become another quirkless statistic if it hadn't been for her unwavering support.

But, again, it was too late.

He could feel his heart stuttering as it picked up speed. His vision started to blur, growing black around the edges. He was going to die.

He deserved it.

At some point the white rings came, and Phantom became Fenton. Sluggish ectoplasm became a river of crimson, flowing much to freely to be healthy. His choking became more pronounced as his lungs tried desperately to fill with air. His heart sped up even more, a telltale sign that he was, in fact, dying.

He blinked slowly, and when he opened his eyes, his sister was grinning up at him. Her eyes burned red with an untamed rage and unchecked pain.

He blinked again, and this time, her face showed nothing but shock. He felt her grip loosen, and he dropped unceremoniously to the ground.

He blinked again, and saw a blurry figure dressed in a deep red pulling a bright green sword out of his sister's chest, right where her core was.

"Jazz," he choked. She looked to him, just as her form started melting. Her face was still stuck in that look of shock, but was now joined by tears streaming down her face. "I love you. Goodbye."

He couldn't keep his eyes open long enough to see her melt. His whole body hurt, and he was far past the point of Too Injured. But he could feel the cold ectoplasm spread, staining his skin and clothes. Not for long, of course. Not when there was a pair of strong arms picking him up bridal style.

There was a deep voice talking hurriedly to a feminine voice, the one that belonged to the one who ended his sister. A part of him wanted to be angry, wanted to scream and shout and wish for her to be back by his side. But he lost that privilege when he let her die the first time. Now, he was just tired.

So he let himself sleep.

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

He woke up, unfortunately. And aside from the last moments, he remembered everything.

To the left of his hospital bed was one Momo Yaoyorozu, his best friend and confidant. She looked good, all things considered. Put together in a way he could never hope to achieve. She was reading, and sipping from a steaming to-go cup that no doubt had some kind of tea in it. Next to her was Midoriya, who was bounding his leg anxiously as he looked every but at Danny.

Danny opened his mouth to speak, but ended up in a coughing fit instead. Midoriya nearly fell from his chair, while Momo calmly got up and helped him drink from a glass of water.

"You need to rest, Danny," she instructed. There was something...Hollow about those words. She refused to meet his eye as she bustled around his bed, fluffing his pillows and adjusting the harsh lights so it didn't aggravate his slowly growing headache.

"What-what happened? To Jazz?" He asked.

He knew the answer already. Although she had been blurry, the red of her costume was unmistakable. The fierceness in which she had sent that sword through his sister could only come from her. But also, maybe he was hallucinating. Maybe Jazz had escaped, or maybe she had survived long enough to be shoved into a thermos.

A thermos that had been shattered beyond repair.

Judging from the look Momo was giving him, finally meeting his eyes, she knew he knew the answer to that. But still, there was this nagging in the back of his brain that wasn't going to quiet down unless she confirmed what he already knew. And thankfully, she knew this.

"She was strangling you," she said quietly. "You couldn't fight anymore, you were too weak. Too hurt. So when she was strangling you, I snuck up behind and I-" her voice breaks, and it doesn't surprise Danny one bit. Momo had been Danny's best friend, but she and his sister had gotten along really well whenever they all hung out together. Enough to know that Momo thought of Jazz as a genuine friend. "I ended her," Momo whispers quickly, barely able to get the words out. She sits on the edge of his bed with a hand over her mouth as she lets the tears finally fall.

Danny feels his own tears come, vision so blurred that he doesn't even register Midoriya sneaking out of the room to give them a moment.

With too much effort, Danny moves his hand to cover Momo's free one, and squeezes as much as he can, which is to say, very gently. Momo, though, she grips his hand like a lifeline.

And for a long time, until the doctor comes to check on Danny, they stay there. They stay there, and cry together, and mourn for a second time over their beloved Jazz.

Notes:

okay but yall cannot tell me he doesnt look up to her the most. Now if you'll excuse me, im gonna go cry

Chapter 96: History Lesson

Summary:

Prompt: Someone in the school (a student, you choose) finds evidence that Phantom has been seen throughout history.

Chapter Text

Izuku Midoriya was kind of known for being the most observant kid in the class. With his love of heroes and quirks, and his general anxiety he was hyper observant almost all the time.

This extended into his hobbies, of course. Quirk analysis, fighting, training, and absolutely dominating Iida at Monopoly.

And also his internet searches.

He couldn't really believe what he was seeing. Even without squinting too hard, the person on his screen was none other than his classmate. They even had the same logo on their chest. But it didn't make any sense. This was history paper-turned rabbit hole research about ancient Rome.

There were hundreds of drawings and paintings and carvings and etchings of Danny-or at least, of his doppelganger. Most of them were negative, and in an hour Izuku had his reason why.

Apparently, under the incredibly short reign of Emperor Plasmius, Doppelganger came and fought him, destroying the colosseum in the process.

Izuku clicks on a link and opens it in another tab. It's another sighting of Doppelganger (at least, Izuku is really hoping it's not actually Danny. He's not sure how he would cope if time travel was another power his friend casually had). This time it's drawings and journal entries written in English, but with Mic's classes and the fact that he had nothing better to do as a child, he doesn't struggle one bit when it comes to translating them. Though it is a bit trickier with the Old English that's being used.

But they're all accounts from Salem. Izuku recognizes the name. There had been a vigilante named Salem running around when he was around nine or ten, and he had wanted to get as much information on them as he could. And, well, there wasn't much. But Izuku had gone down a rabbit hole about Salem, Massachusetts.

Of course his little nine year old brain hadn't thought twice about the drawings of Danny. Back then he had thought they were a part of some kind of hallucination or tall tale. This was before the dawn of quirks, after all. But looking at them now, it's painfully obvious that he had just been kidding himself.

And these...These were all so incredibly detailed. Pages upon pages of information. Of blood blossoms and a boy with an iron stomach. Of a dark haired witch that had aligned herself with the dead.

There were recipes for food and sludges and other odd things by one John Fenton Nightingale, meant to protect from possession and ghosts in general. But...That was odd. Wasn't Danny's last name Fenton? Izuku wondered if there was any kind of connection. This was all too much to be a coincidence.

Theories upon theories were running through Izuku's head. It could be a time travel quirk, either possessed by Danny or someone else. Or maybe he was exactly like the passages said, just an undead god looking for something to do. And if that was true then what in the world was he doing here in U.A. of all places? If he was some kind of immortal god then why in the world would he want to spend time with a bunch of rowdy teenagers and grumpy teachers all the time? Why would he subject himself to a world so cruel?

Maybe it was the same reason Izuku did. Maybe it was so he could help people, and be a hero. Or maybe it was just easier to do everything within the confines of the law, as to not be caught.

But maybe this theory was wrong, too. After all, Danny had parents. Bright, happy, loving parents who were both alive. Certainly not gods themselves, not like Danny possibly was.

Izuku wasn't religious by any means, but if he was going to believe in any god, it would be someone like Danny. Strong and all powerful, even if he himself didn't realize it yet.

He pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes, grimacing at the sting from staring at a screen for so long. This was...A lot. And there was a massive chance he was wrong, but the chance that this was all some weird coincidence was slim to none. His gut was telling him that.

Still, he couldn't be quiet about this.

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

Izuku fidgeted as he pulled on Danny's sleeve to get him to stay behind with him. Danny gave him a quizzical look before shrugging and following Izuku over to Mr. Aizawa's desk. That was one thing Izuku really appreciated about his friend. He was laid back. The go-with-the-flow type that eased his anxieties just enough to get him to get the words from his mouth.

"Can I help you?" Mr. Aizawa asked tiredly. He looked them over, unimpressed but willing to hear what they had to say. Danny, as if to cue him, looked over to Izuku, who fumbled with the research he found last night.

"I'm just-just-I have a few questions," Izuku said. "About Danny. I think you have a time travelling doppelganger." That, oddly enough, was not the theory he believed in the most, but it was the safest route to take. Plus it would be his excuse to have them both in the conversation. Aizawa's eyebrows shot up to his hairline as he glanced between the two boys. One of whom looked incredibly confused.

"What do you mean a time traveling doppelganger?" Danny asked. There was a defensive wedge to his voice, but Izuku was too high strung in the moment to try and properly decipher it as he pulled out the binders he made for them last night and handed them over.

Aizawa's expression was carefully neutral, but he could see a twitch of confusion in his brows. Danny, though, seemed to come to a realization as he flipped through the pages and articles, even going so far as to snort at the section Izuku found on John Fenton Nightingale.

"Is this...?" Aizawa asked, briefly glancing at Danny.

"Yeah," Danny replied. "From before U.A."

Izuku had no idea what the fuck any of that meant, but it seems that whatever little secret Danny has, Aizawa knows about. And if Aizawa knows about it, then maybe everything is okay, right?

There's a long, tired sigh from their teacher as he closes the binder and looks at Izuku. "You're not going to drop this, are you?"

"Probably-probably not, sir," Izuku shrugged. It was new knowledge, new answers. If he could get his hands on them, he was going to hold on to them as tight as he could.

"Might want to take a seat, then," Danny said with a sigh, seemingly coming to the same conclusion as Aizawa. "It's a long story."

Chapter 97: We are Here

Summary:

Prompt: Danny with OfA either instead of Izuku or temporarily like Bakugou. I just want to know what would happen if a half ghost gets a haunted quirk

Chapter Text

The world around them was ending as they knew it.

The war had been going on for a while now. Most cities in the area evacuated, save for the few stubborn people that refused to leave for one reason or another. The streets were littered with two-bit thugs and patrolling Nomus, keeping the innocent and heroic at bay until a proper plan was created.

And, well, thankfully the heroes had Izuku Midoriya. Deku, well on his way to being the number one hero, even as a puny first year. And right by his side, spitting ectoplasm from his bleeding mouth, was his best friend, throwing his dream of underground heroics to the curb just so he could help save the world.

Neither of them are really sure how long they've been fighting. Them and everybody else. He could see Jirou helping a faint Manuel off in the distance, and Kirishima was pulling Bakugou out of some rubble, both too injured to continue fighting in any way that would help them.

The only two that were left standing were Deku and Phantom.

But neither of their powers were enough. Even with the plethora of abilities Phantom had, even with the strength and wit Deku had, it wasn't enough.

But that had never stopped them before.

"Phantom, I have a plan," Deku said. He glanced to Bakugou, who was barely able to stand. But his words rang clear through the air, and when they reached Bakugou's ears the blonde looked up. Red eyes met green, determined beyond belief. He gave Deku a small nod, before focusing on trying to stand again.

"What is it?" Phantom asked, eyeing the air for any attacks that might come their way. He was bleeding badly, but ectoplasm was thick and sludgy, and it came out in thick, lazy rivulets.

"I did this with Kachaan once," Deku explained. "I can temporarily transfer my power to you."

"I'll ask later, I guess. If we survive. How do we do it?"

Deku didn't answer verbally. Instead, he took his bloodied hand and pressed it into the wound on Phantom's chest. Red smeared with bright, unearthly green as he thoroughly rubbed it in. Phantom made a face of disgust, but didn't say anything to try and stop Deku.

"How do I channel it?" Phantom asked as Deku stepped back, wiping his stained hands on his uniform.

"In a second, there should be like-a pull in your gut. Yank it as hard as you can. It should enhance your quirk-er-ghost powers. With our combined strength we should be able to win."

"Or die trying?" Phantom said, a rueful smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. Deku, however, didn't rise up to it.

"We're going to win," he said. It was a declaration.

It was a promise.

Phantom just nodded, breathing deeply as he searched for the power. And when he did, he became absolutely alight with power.

To everybody else, it was like two supernovas. Bright like witnessing two supernovas, beautiful and dangerous. They could all feel the power from where they stood, several yards back.

Deku shone with his green lightning and blazing smile.

Phantom shone with his natural, white glow and the crackle of static around his form, the same color as his eyes. He was already unearthly before, with a hidden power running just underneath the skin. But now, with One for All mixing in with his own raw power, everybody could tell just how inhuman he was. How absolutely godly he became.

He floated into the air at the same time Deku crouched, and like bullets, they were off.

The wind kicked up, throwing debris into the air and breaking every piece of surviving glass in their wake.

Phantom felt like he had strapped himself to a comet. He power thrummed beneath his skin, in his chest. His core hummed with an untapped power and strength he had only ever known in his nightmares. But it was different. Deku had the true heart of a hero, and that translated through every arc of lightning that passed over him.

Everything was a lot sharper, as well. His hearing stretched farther, his eyesight crisper, and he could taste the ozone that surrounded them as they flew through the night sky.

All for One saw them coming. Of course he did. With how brightly they shined, human comets gracing the earth with their presence, how could anybody not notice them?

He thought he was prepared, but he wasn't. Not really.

Deku slammed into him while Phantom shot around to do the same from the other side. All for One tried his best to defend himself, activating whatever quirk would be of use to him. And that worked, for a while, but if Deku and Phantom were one thing, it was stubborn. They never let up, not even for a second. A second would have gotten them killed. A second would destroy the rest of the world.

So they fought. Their muscles ached and their lungs burned but neither had been filled with such a righteous fury before. Their grins were tempered blades still hot from the forge, cutting through the air with such a force that All for One could not breath.

Deku leapt faster than the eye could track, hitting him from all sides all at once, while Phantom burned him as mercilessly as he beat him. Fists glowing the same raging green as his eyes as they pounded into him. Every crack of bone, every tear of muscle, was absolute agony under the force of their combined power.

And even in his final moments, All for One couldn't help but think of the unfairness of it all. How unfair it was, to give such a beautiful quirk to such a worthy boy. How All Might had certainly outdone himself with his successor. How he had never been able to truly understand the secrets behind Phantom's powers despite having all the knowledge in the world at his fingertips.

And, childishly, he thought of how unfair this fight was. Two against one was never a fair fight, but here, the scales have not just tipped. They have been demolished by the force of these two boys. These two heroes. All for One had waited patiently on one side, perfectly balanced with All Might. But when Deku was added to the mix, he had guessed. He had hoped. And with his stubborn friend thriving off of the power Deku had nurtured far better than any other wielder before him, he knew.

They weren't here to arrest him.

They were here to end this. Completely.

And even though his chest burned at how unfair it was, he couldn't help but smile as he was beaten mercilessly by two, lightning kissed stars. Words cannot describe what an honor it is to be defeated by a worthy opponent.

He feels his chest cave in. He is exhausted beyond relief, both physically and from his quirks. None of his healing ones are working quite as they should, and his body is beyond broken. He cannot-he will not-come back from this.

He lays on the ground, limp but alive. The night sky, even with the world burning around them, looks absolutely stunning. Ethereal in the same way Deku and Phantom are. Unearthly in the way that all things cosmic can be.

He smiles as he looks up into their blazing green eyes, full of determination and hope and rage and all of those other emotions true heroes are famous for having. Phantom lifts his foot and holds it over his chest, tauntingly slow but lightning fast all at once.

His death was quick, and he died with a smile on his face.

Phantom looks grim as he pulls his foot out of All for One's chest, stained with blood and dust and everything else in between. And he waits, letting the power course through his body, as he feels All for One's soul slip away. And then they wait even longer, just in case, but he never comes back.

"I think," Deku says as they let themselves power down, "that I reserve the right to tell you I told you so."

But before Danny can retort, six figures flicker before them. They grip onto Danny's shoulder like a lifeline, likely the only thing bringing them out. Deku recognizes them immediately, and can't help his small, satisfied smile as Nana Shimura steps forward.

"You both did well," she says, cupping each of their faces. "I am so proud of you. Toshinori couldn't have chosen better."

The others behind her nodded, but stayed silent. And with a final nod to Phantom in thanks, they let go, and disappeared. Phantom turned to him, unimpressed.

"You could have told me your quirk was haunted before passing it on, you know," he said. It was then Deku noticed that Phantom's whole body was trembling slightly from the exertion of using something so volatile. He imagines the only reason he hadn't broken any bones was because of his supernatural durability and healing. Still, he could see the exhaustion in every line of Phantom's body. It was honestly a miracle either of them were still standing.

The area where they fought had become a clearing. A crater, really, that they sat in the middle of with a corpse at their feet. At the edges of the crater, heroes and two-bit thugs and civilians alike slowly came closer, looking down into the crater with a mixture of awe and wariness.

"It's over," Phantom said, giving Deku a sharp toothed grin. His fangs gleamed in the firelight as Deku nodded in agreement before turning to the still-gathering crowd. And with his fist raised, he yelled out as loud as he could. He let the sound fill up his whole chest, happy at the win, sad at their losses, and so unbelievably proud of what he and his friends have accomplished this day. The history they made. So with his own blazing, blinding smile, he shouts.

"We are here!"

Chapter 98: All Might Gets Ripped a New One pt 4

Summary:

All might gets rip a new one
Aizawa pointing at Izuku while looking at Danny: its you
Danny: what? *Laughs* no he's not, he's smarter than me
Izuku: WHAT?! No im not!
Aizawa: *deadpan look*
(curse quirk discrimination to make them have low self esteem)

Chapter Text

"The next time I see All Might I'm breaking his nose," Danny said as he seethed with anger. "At minimum."

Shouta just raised an eyebrow at his friend. He too, was struggling to leash his rage, and if there wasn't a timid student in front of them, he probably would be foaming at the mouth. But Danny had always been the most emotional out of their whole friend group. He said it had something to do with his ghost powers being tied to his emotions. Shouta thinks that that's mostly bullshit.

But it is kind of funny, Shouta thinks, that this would happen in his life twice. His best friend, born quirkless and in a horrible turn of events, received god-like powers. Midoriya, his student, born quirkless and offered a leg up with a god-like power.

And of course, because he was a prick, he was going to tease Danny over it.

"He's just like you," he says, completely monotone, but Danny's known him long enough to detect the undercurrent of mirth in his tone. He whips his head around and narrows his eyes at Shouta.

"No he's not," Danny says. And he says it with such a conviction that he's surprised Midoriya didn't bust into tears right then and there. "Midoriya is so much better than I am. Kid's a certified genius. He's gonna be number one one of these days, I just know it."

Shouta spared a glance at his student, whose eyes were starting to shine with unshed tears at being showered with compliments. Likely overwhelmed by the sincerity in Danny's voice.

"Wh-what? No, I-I'm not that smart," Midoriya said, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked anywhere but them. His face was bright red, and with his freckles and green hair he had a striking resemblance to a strawberry.

"Kid, I've seen some of your analysis," Danny tells him. "When you left one of your notebooks in my class a couple weeks ago? Honestly, it's impressive stuff. Sho, you've gotta see it if you haven't already. The section he's got on you reads you to absolute filth. It's great."

Shouta has heard of Midoriya's famed analysis, but it's mostly just been snippets of conversation with Midoriya and his friends. He distinctly remembers Midoriya saying, on multiple occasions, that it was just a hobby. A great tool in his tool belt, but he never believed it to be anything serious, so he hadn't pressed. But if Danny is saying it's impressive, it's definitely got some merit to it.

"It's just-it's just a hobby. More creepy than anything," Midoriya ducks his head, mumbling. Shouta and Danny share a concerned look before Midoriya lifts his head up again. "Besides, you-you're so cool! You've got one of the most powerful quirks in existence, and you're the king of a whole other dimension, and you're a heroics teacher! You've got so much to do but you're still able to maintain your ranking and keep a balanced work-life schedule. It's honestly impressive."

"I mean, I don't know, I'm just doing my jobs," Danny shrugs. Even after all these years, he's still uncomfortable with receiving compliments. Shouta narrows his eyes at his friend. "My ranking isn't that high, and to be honest I don't even really care about it. And since the Zone is stabilized there's not much to do there other than the occasional meeting. It's nothing to sneeze at."

Shouta wordlessly grabs a couple of packets that he had put to the side and rolls them up as Danny talks. Midoriya is frowning at his teacher, and opens his mouth to rebuke this, but before he can, Shouta takes the rolled up papers and smacks Danny over the head with them.

"When was the last time you saw your therapist?" Shouta asks before he can whine about being hit.

"Last month," Danny answers, too quickly. Shouta jerks his hand in the air, rolled up paper at the ready, and Danny puts his hand in front of his face to avoid the papercut of a lifetime. "Okay, fine! It's been almost a year."

"Danny," Shouta says, exasperated.

"I know. I just got busy, and there's been those things I told you about and-I'll make an appointment."

"Good," Shouta says, setting the papers back down. "Speaking of therapy, I'll be setting you up an appointment with Hound Dog," Shouta tells Midoriya. His eyes are wide with surprise, like a deer caught in the headlights as he stares at Shouta.

"Therapy? I don't-I'm fine, I think."

"No you're not," Danny says, gently but seriously. The complete opposite of how he was just moments before. He looks at Midoriya with soft, blue eyes and a kind smile. "Take it from somebody who knows what it's like, kid. You're not fine. With the bullying and the emotional manipulation from All Might, plus the trauma you've been going through this year with all the villain attacks, and the trauma from breaking your body over and over...It's a lot. Overwhelming. You haven't given yourself the proper time to process. Trust me on this, therapy is going to do you wonders."

Midoriya stayed silent as he processed Danny's words. His brow furrowed and his lips tucked between his teeth, but not bad enough to hurt. And Shouta isn't sure if it's the sincerity in which his friend spoke, the fact that he's speaking from personal experience, or his natural charm that he denied he had, but Midoriya eventually nods in agreement.

"I can't do Tuesdays cause I run with Iida," he told Shouta. "Or Wednesdays because I help the others with their homework. Or Thursdays because Kirishima and I do our strength training together."

"Mondays is it then," Shouta shrugs. "I'll email Hound Dog tomorrow and let you know when the first appointment will be."

"Thank you, Mr. Aizawa," Midoriya says, nodding his thanks as he does so. "It's...It's nice. To finally be able to talk about this stuff. About the-the bullying. I've never met anyone before this who understood what it was like. Or anyone who was willing to talk about it, for that matter."

"Well, if it ever gets too much, my door is always open," Danny tells him. "Everything said up here stays between us, I promise."

"Thank you," Midoriya says, standing up. He brushes his pants off and grabs his bag and his empty jelly packet. He bows at them before giving them one last goodbye, leaving Shouta and Danny to their devices. Shouta levels him with a stare, and Danny doesn't even bother looking at him as he throws his hands up in the air.

"I know, Sho!"

"A year?" He asks, unimpressed. "Seriously?"

"I told you, I was busy!"

"I don't need to get Nem, do I?"

Danny clutched at his chest dramatically. "Eh tu, Brute?"

Shouta just gives a sharp nod, and Danny dramatically fake dies, dropping his head into Shouta's lap. Shouta just rolls his eyes at his friends theatrics and gives him another jelly pack. Danny immediately lights up like a Christmas tree as he cracks it open.

They stay like that for a while. Shouta dozes off while Danny sucks on his jelly pack. Eventually Nemuri and Hizashi join them, and suddenly it's like they're teenagers again. The Rooftop Squad, with one member forever missing.

"Everything okay up here?" Hizashi asks. He lifts Danny's lets up and sits down before setting his legs in his lap. Nemuri takes Shouta's other side, moving his half graded papers out of the way.

"Yeah," Danny says. "Can't say much cause I wanna respect the kid's privacy, but a lot of things are suddenly making a lot of sense. We're helping him."

"Help?" Nemuri asks. "As in therapy?" At Dann's nod she beams. "That's great! The kid's anxiety is worse than anything I've ever seen before."

"Speaking of therapy," Shouta says. He feels Danny stiffen, and he can't help the chaotic grin that splits his face. "Danny, why don't you tell Nemuri when the last time you went to therapy was."

"You're a goddamn traitor, Shouta," Danny huffs.

Nemuri gets her answer and Danny gets an earful, and Hizashi laughs so hard he nearly pees himself. His friends are touchy feely and loud and obnoxious, and he's still burning with anger, but despite how annoying they are they make it better.

His anger could be handled properly tomorrow.

For now, he was going to watch the clouds pass by with his friends.

Chapter 99: Space Themed

Summary:

Pre!accident Danny: im going to be a space themed quirkless hero!
Post!accident Danny who is forced to be ghost/supernatural themed hero: DAMNIT!!!

Notes:

i know its hella short but i didnt think it needed to be any longer than this. Still, it's one of my ner favorites lmao

Chapter Text

"What kind of hero do you wanna be, Sho?" Danny asked as he hiked his backpack higher. Shouta just shrugged as he lazily kicked a rock as they walked.

It was a bright, sunny day, but the breeze kept it from being to hot. The smell of spring was in the air, and Danny couldn't help but take in a big, deep breath before letting it out, satisfied despite the way the movement made him wince from the cut around his eye.

"I don't like people," Shouta said after a moment. "Or the media. I don't care about being big and famous and rich. I just want to help people without all of the theatrics."

"There's a category for that, isn't there? What are they called again?"

"Underground heroes," Shouta answered.

"You'd be perfect for that. Especially with your quirk, it's probably best suited for that kind of stuff anyway."

"What about you?" Shouta asked, dodging the compliment. Danny's face split in two, because if there was one thing he enjoyed talking Shouta's ear off about it was being a hero. Or an astronaut. So the answer that came from Danny's mouth wasn't really a huge surprise to him.

"I'm gonna be a cool space themed hero! I don't care for the media either, and I'm quirkless so I won't be able to fight in big villain fights like All Might or anything. Maybe we could go underground together? We could be an underground duo!"

Shouta did not point out the fact that that was practically unheard of. All underground heroes worked solo for the majority of their careers, only ever teaming up due to circumstances beyond their control. Still, though, Danny was strong and fast, and much more calculating than he gave himself credit for. It wouldn't be a bad idea to do their hero work together.

"What are you gonna call yourself?" Shouta asked. "If it's space themed then maybe after a star or planet?"

"I was thinking maybe Mars? But I don't know if I look good in that shade of red, you know? Maybe moon themed, but there's a million heroes out there that are moon themed. I don't wanna accidentally get confused with any of them."

"Why not that space ship you're always going on about?"

"I go on about a lot of space ships, Shouta. You're going to have to be more specific."

"The-I don't know. They made it into a movie forever ago?"

"Oh!" Danny said excitedly. He flapped his hands excitedly as he bounced in step next to Shouta, who was giving his friend a tiny smile. "You mean the Apollo 13! That could totally be my hero name! I'd need a cool underground costume, though. Maybe one with lots of armor, and-oh what if I had a cool mask, too! I can make it like the oxygen masks that they used and it could filter out gross stuff and sleeping gases and stuff. Shouta, you're a genius!"

Shouta did not agree to the statement, but he knew better than to say such a thing in front of his friend, lest he receive his aggressive unconditional love.

"Yeah, whatever," Shouta said, rolling his eyes and failing to hide his smile. "Just don't pick anything to bright."

-----------

"Well," Shouta said as he looked Danny up and down. It had been a month since the accident, and Danny was finally starting to get a hang of his powers. "I'm sorry, Danny."

"What? Why?" Danny asked, confused as he floated closer towards Shouta.

"You won't be able to be a spaced themed hero anymore."

He watched as Danny's face speedran through the five stages of grief before circling back around to stop at anger. His whole face contorted as he grunted in frustration.

"Fuck!"

Chapter 100: Dungeons and Dragons

Summary:

let's here it for drabble #100! Thank you so much for your support everybody! <33333
(also this may or may not be an excuse to write the mha fantasy au)
(also not me rewriting this three times because I couldn't decide on what adventure I should take them on)

Chapter Text

Danny yawned as he watched the sun rise over the horizon. He had decided to take first watch, but had unfortunately been too awake to fall asleep, so he decided to stay up with Midoriya, ever the early riser.

He had spent the entire shift scribbling away in his notebook. Not that Danny minded, of course. It was a nice background noise as daydreamed about what kind of treasure they might find on their journey.

As the sun rose, the others rose with it. Iida was the first, his movements slow and careful so he didn't accidentally hit any of the armor pieces he had taken off the night before. Next was Bakugou, who had thrown his red cape over his shoulders and marched off into the forest in search of their breakfast. Uraraka was woken by Kirishima's snoring, as well as the quiet chattering that happened as Danny started a fire to cook whatever Bakugou brought back. And when Bakugou returned, he kicked Kirishima in his side to wake him up, barking loudly at him at how it was unacceptable that he always rose so late, though the sun wasn't even fully over the horizon yet.

"So, just a recap," Kirishima said with a yawn, rubbing the back of his head. "We're going on this mission for what?"

"It's a rescue mission," Danny explained. "There's a town that's supposedly under a horrible spell by an evil necromancer, and we're supposed to free them."

"And after that, we're rich," Uraraka stated happily, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she adjusted her hat.

"But that's not the most important part," Midoriya said, snapping his notebook shut. He slipped it into his pack and adjusted the leather strap that sat across his chest.

"We need to hurry," Iida said, slipping his helmet on. He began untying their horses, and handing the reins to their respective owners. "The stories say he gets stronger at night."

---------

It was early evening when they finally reached the town. It was mostly deserted, with the remaining citizens running and hiding and their bright, colorful presence.

Kirishima tries to smile warmly at one of the townspeople, but they squeak in fright and slam the door in his face. Whoever had taken over this town had certainly done a number.

They do their best to stick to the shadows so they aren't seen by the Shadow's guard. They can't get caught before they get the chance to sneak into the castle. Hell, even Bakugou is quiet. He of all people understand the stakes.

This is his kingdom after all.

Or, at least, it was.

Bakugou took the lead since he knew the kingdom the best. He took them through backroads and alleyways. Through secret entrances and under taverns, until finally, a couple hours later, they were sneaking their way through the dungeons under the castle.

"Do you seriously have to wear armor for this trip?" Bakugou asks as Iida shifts uncomfortably. The clanking of his armor is loud, and he's sure that if the castle hadn't been mostly empty, they would have been caught already.

"How else am I going to protect myself?" Iida hisses. "Besides, as a knight I need to keep my armor on at all times."

"You took it off to sleep last night," Midoriya points out. Iida goes red and sputters out a, "w-well. I need to keep my armor on at all times unless I'm sleeping."

"Nice save," Danny whispers to him, snickering.

"We should probably keep moving," Midoriya points out. "The closer it gets to dusk, the harder it will be to beat this villain."

"Nerd's right," Bakugou huffs. "Let's go."

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

The large double doors to the throne room open on their own. They can all feel the dark magic wafting off of it, though. Danny frowns as he grips his sword in one hand and his shield in the other.

The others have their weapons out, too. Uraraka has her wand, and Midoriya his own sword, though it looks ancient. Bakugou's hands are sparking with fire, and Kirishima has his battle axe at the ready. Iida has his own sword, gleaming in the firelight.

"Ah, you've come to kill me, have you?" A deep, dark voice says. In the very back, sitting on the throne is a dark figure with a bird-like head, concealed in dark clothing that helps him blend in with the shadows more. He looks at them lazily, almost uncaring, but they can all see the sharpness to his gaze.

"We won't have to if you just surrender now," Bakugou snarls. The figure rolls his eyes and gets off the throne. He moves slowly but with purpose, closer and closer still, before stopping at the foot of the stairs that lead up to the royal throne.

"Do you know who I am, boy?" He asks.

"You're Tsukuyomi," Midoriya says, voice hard. He's gripping his sword with both hands as his eyes scan the area around them, calculating.

"That I am," Tsukuyomi says. "The master of shadows, and the last thing you will see before you die."

That's all the warning they get before a large shadow creature launches itself out of the shadows and towards the group. Danny blocks the attack with his shield and swipes with his sword, making a shallow slash. Dark Shadow hisses with pain, but does not let up.

Uraraka is quick to help him, sending spell after spell towards the shadow creature. The light makes it weaker, they find, and Danny uses his own magic to use against the shadow.

Meanwhile, Bakugou and Kirishima lunge towards Tsukuyomi at the same time. Bakugou's hands spark while Kirishima is spitting fire. They manage to catch Tsukuyomi off guard as his cloak catches fire. He quickly sheds it, revealing pale muscled arms decorated in rings and bracelets. He lifts his hands, and they start to glow with a purple energy.

His attack misses Bakugou, but it hits Kirishima and sends him flying into Iida. They crash to the floor in a loud heap, followed by Kirishima's groaning. But Bakugou doesn't let them distract him, doesn't let up for even a second.

He sends another bright blast towards Tsukuyomi, who is blinded by the brightness. Iida, who has recovered from his tumble with Kirishima, moves faster than anybody thought possible, slashing his sword down Tsukuyomi's back.

Tsukuyomi cries out in pain as he falls to his knees. Blood drenches his clothes, and drips to the floor, but he still has some fight left in him. He makes a swipe for Iida, who just barely manages to dodge. It's enough of a distraction for Bakugou to kick Tsukuyomi in his side, sending him sprawling.

"I got this!" Uraraka tells Danny as the shadow is once again pushed back. "You go help them!"

Danny nods and runs off, narrowly avoiding an attack the shadow sends his way. When he reaches the others, he quickly helps Kirishima to his feet before returning to the fray.

Bakugou attacks once more, but Tsukuyomi sees it coming this time. He throws up a shield with his magic, and the blast bounces right off. But He's so distracted by Bakugou and his ferocity that he doesn't see Danny coming in behind him.

Without hesitation, he sends his sword through Tsukuyomi's back and out his chest, glowing with his own green magic. Tsukuyomi chokes on his blood, gargled and harsh. When Danny pulls his sword out, he falls to the floor, dead.

-----------

"You're all free!" Bakugou yells out at the crowd that's formed. "Tsukuyomi is dead! May we rebuild in peace, and keep moving forward! After all, it'll take more than a little dark magic to destroy us!"

The townspeople cheer, louder than they have in weeks. The sun is shining brightly above their heads, with not a dark cloud in sight. Bakugou's friends stand behind him, tall and proud as the crowd cheers them on.

----------

"And that looks like a good stopping point," Tucker says, closing his notebook. Around him, everybody but Bakugou whines.

"Dude, that was such a sick kill!" Kirishima says, clapping Danny on the shoulder. The dice tower Danny was in the middle of making gets knocked over with the movement, and Kirishima smiles at him apologetically.

"It was super satisfying," he nods in agreement. "Sorry about your character, Tokoyami," he ads, looking towards his friend.

"I was happy to become one with the darkness for one session," Tokoyami tells him with an amused glint in his eye. "It seems that even in fantasy, the light is too much for the shadows to handle."

"You killed us!" Dark Shadow whines, crossing their arms over their chest.

"You can make a new character if you ever decide you wanna play with us again," Uraraka points out. That seems to cheer Dark Shadow up, and Iida nods enthusiastically.

"You took my kill!" Bakugou yells at Danny angrily.

"Should have killed him faster," Danny shoots back with a shrug. But before Bakugou can lunge across the table to strangle Danny, Midoriya interrupts.

"That was so much fun! I have so many questions now! Do you mind if we hang out sometime this week so I can ask you?"

"I would love nothing more," Tucker says, stacking his notebooks and gathering his dice. "Now, I have to run to my dorm before curfew. Same time next week?"

"Yes, that should work," Iida tells him. Tucker nods, does a weird little handshake with Danny, and sprints out the doors of the 1-A dorms.

"So," Danny grins, "How's you like your first session of dungeons and dragons?"

Chapter 101: The Ghost King: Phantom

Summary:

The story of how the "ghost king:Phantom" became his hero title.
Because im sure as hell he didnt do that on pupose. Most likely spread via public until it just stuck.
(Makes you wonder what the original title was)

Chapter Text

Nobody's really sure who coined the term, but it caught on like wildfire.

The Ghost King: Phantom.

It was far more dark and menacing than the hero himself, which was a double edged sword. Good against villains, but it made other heroes wary of working with him.

But Shouta was there when he went from Danny to Phantom to the Ghost King.

It happened shortly after Danny made his debut as Phantom, when they were eighteen and barely graduated. Because with his increased training came an increase of power, which was only boosted by his official crowning in the Ghost Zone, it only made the supernatural flock to him like a homing beacon.

Shades became visible to the human eye, and grotesque beings with veins full of rotted ectoplasm became frequent, and each and every time any breed of ghost came out of their little hidey hole, it was Phantom who took care of it.

Danny might have been confused, but Shouta remembers how he looked, materializing out of nowhere, and floating down like an angel of death with his long cloak of stars and blazing green eyes to send the spirit back to wherever they belonged.

Shouta had seen it half a dozen times before a reporter finally witnessed it. They had described it as Terrifyingly safe, and Raw power that can't be contained even by him, or regal to no end, even when he's covered dust and blood.
Because, well, he was.

With his debut, and with his crown, came a certain level of authority he had never had before. His shoulders were back and his head held high, and he looked down his nose at those who were willing to oppose him. His aura was calming for those who were seeking safety, and the most unsettling thing to those who were wreaking havoc. Calling him ethereal, unworldly, was really just scratching the surface. Because to Shouta, there were no words to describe the power that came from Danny. Especially when he was honing in on his obsession.

So, no, Shouta had expected this. Danny had been confused, because to him, even as the King of the Infinite Realms, he's still just plain old loser Danny who was mercilessly beat up until his first year at U.A. And while Shouta saw that too, he was also able to recognize the absoluteness of Danny's power. He knew that they were all lucky Danny was on their side, because if he wasn't, they would have been bowing down before him a long time ago.

Shouta looked over to the side, watching as Hizashi balanced another mug on top of Danny's sleeping form. They had class in twenty minutes, so he wasn't surprised that Danny was taking the time to catch a few extra minutes of sleep. He looked just like the rest of them when he did. Peaceful (as much as a ghost king can be, anyway) and softly snoring. Breathing steadily, with no weird glow or echoing voice. Just...Danny. Seeing him like this made it hard to imagine the power thrumming just beneath the surface, but even with the knowledge that he could decimate entire countries with a flick of his wrist, he could still only ever see him as plain old Danny, who offered him a helping hand when nobody else would.

Power isn't the only thing that makes a king, after all. Sometimes all you need to be a good king is compassion.

Lucky for them, Danny oozes that, too.

Chapter 102: Everything is as it Should Be

Summary:

To spice things up abit
Danny is a Shinketsu teacher/student
Bonus besties with ms.joke/

Chapter Text

Danny had originally wanted to work at UA. It was his alma mater, and all of his closest friends worked there. But Clockwork always said that everything is as it should be, so when he walked through the gates of Shiketsu High, he figured it was meant to be.

And, years later, that's still held up pretty strongly. Granted, there were certain times when he just felt like phoning it in. It was a job, and sometimes it really did feel like one. Especially on the long days of training after long nights of patrolling or stakeouts with Eraserhead or-god forbid-the occasional Ghost Zone thing he had to deal with during a weeknight.

Still, he's glad he can confidently say he genuinely enjoys his job. He never thought he would like teaching. After all, he remembers what it was like to be a student-and a bad one at that-but he also remembers the lack of support he had from the people he needed it from the most. If just one of his teachers had reached out a helping hand, he's sure he would have excelled a lot more. And honestly, with the grades he graduated with, it's kind of a surprise he was even accepted for the teaching position to begin with.

But everything is as it should be.

He does his best to be the kind of teacher for his students that he never had. He keeps spare blankets and pillows for when they really need a nap, and extra granola bars in his desk for those who can't afford a little extra food every now and then. And though he's terrible with everything but math and science, he tries his best to help them understand the work they get from other classes.

He enjoys watching his student's eyes sparkle with recognition when they finally solve a problem, or shine with passion when they talk about something they love, or something new that happened with their quirk. And when he went on his own tangents about space or quirk theory, they all sat at the edge of their seats, hanging on every word. Danny never thought he would be a good teacher, but he's glad to see himself proven wrong every single day.

The other perk to working at a superhero school is his coworkers. They're all talented in their own rights, with skills he would never be able to dream of having. But there's one in particular he gets along with well. Like a house on fire, really. Sometimes literally depending on how out of hand their pranks go. But Ms. Joke has been a godsend throughout his teaching career, and he wouldn't trade her for the world.

Through his toughest, meanest days she's stood by his side. Though she never seems to have bad days herself, he makes a point of letting her know he's there for her if she needs him, just like she's there for him. But if either of them ever need a pick-me-up, all it takes is one quick text, a very secretive lunch period, and a can of whip cream.

Danny likes to think that there will be ballads about the kind of pranks they've pulled, each one more wild and crazy than the last. They've never done any genuine harm except for the occasional lost eyebrow (that was completely deserved, if you ask Danny). And they never fail to lift their spirits. Without fail, every single one has ended with them crying and laughing on the floor, unable to stand any longer from the sheer chaotic joy they've caused.

Sometimes he wonders what it would be like if he had gotten that job at U.A. instead. Would he be drinking coffee in the mornings with Aizawa in a steady silence? Would he be brushing up on his literature with Cementoss? Would he be scrutinized in every way imaginable by Nezu? Probably a yes to all of those things.

But he's also created this little pocket of piece. He finally carved out a little section of the world that was just his. It didn't belong to ghosts or anybody else. Just one, kinda tired, Daniel Fenton, teacher extraordinaire.

Plus, the jokes with his morning coffee was a plus.

Besides, everything is as it should be.

And he had no plans on changing that anytime soon.

Chapter 103: Thermos pt 3

Summary:

Thermos
Danny gets badly injured during a mission/ arc/ training and Danny just "shrugs, ive had worst/ im fine/ tis but a scratch"

Notes:

Tw: gore, body horror (?) and blood/ectoplasm

Chapter Text

Shouta had a high pain tolerance. It just came with the territory of being a pro hero-and an underground one at that, where the work was a bit more strenuous, a bit more messy.

As an underground hero, he's seen things that give him panic attacks at the most inopportune times. When he closes his eyes he can sometimes see the blood staining his knuckles from beating villains half to death. When it rains all of his joints decide they want to ache simultaneously. He's got old injuries in every part of his body, and they want him to remember whenever they sky gets a little gray.

He's had most of his bones broken, and he's had his guts all but spilling out of him from stab wounds, and he's early bled out on multiple occasions.

But none of that could even compare to what Danny's going through right now.

It was an accident in training, but one thing led to another, and Danny's guts ended up actually spilling out a bit.

Danny had been sparring against Todoroki, and hadn't had enough time to dodge or go intangible. The ice spiked up and went straight through his stomach and out the other end.

Danny cried out, gripping the ice as green leaked from his mouth and the gaping hole in his stomach. Shouta was over there in the blink of an eye, barking at another student to go and get Recovery Girl.

"Don't worry about it," Danny said, giving him and Todoroki what probably would have been a fond smile, if not for the grimace coming in full force. "I've had worse. It's not even that bad, I promise."

"What do you mean you've had worse?" Todoroki asks, and oh. He's not calm at all. In fact, he looks a little too pale, but whether it's from the look of Danny's injury or the guilt that's no doubt eating him from the inside out, he can't tell. Hell, he can't even begin to process.
"Just stay awake, okay, kid?" Shouta says. Danny's arms are shaking with the effort of holding himself up so he doesn't slip further down the ice, but he just nods and smiles like nothing is wrong. "What's-what's your favorite show?" Shouta asks. He already knows the answer to it, it's some horror sow from the pre-quirk era that Danny has explained to him and Hizashi in length about. But Danny tells him about it again anyway, through choked out words and half-lidded eyes.

It doesn't take long for Recovery Girl and a swarm of medic bots to greet them. A couple minutes at the very most, but it feels like years.

"Hey, RG," Danny greets weakly from his spot above them. "How's it hanging?"

Shouta has never wanted to simultaneously choke and hug someone as fiercely as he wants to do now. But Danny being so calm, as unnerving as it is for Shouta, is probably helping everybody else out.

Recovery Girl gets to work and makes sure she's more than ready to treat Danny. When she's done, he uses his intangibility to slip out of the ice spike. As soon as he's free, he's strapped to a stretcher and wheeled out faster than Shouta can blink.

He calls of the rest of training and sends Todoroki to Hound Dog. He should probably stay and make sure they're okay, but his mind if whirling with what ifs and other, worse thoughts that he was doing his best not to think about.

Shouta had never lost a kid since his tenure at U.A.

He wasn't about to start now. And he certainly wasn't about to start spiraling. Not when Danny needed him.

He all but sprinted to Hizashi's classroom, not caring that he most definitely broke the door with the force in which he opened it. Hizashi was startled, hand already going to his directional speaker. But then he saw Shouta's face, and bless him, because Shouta didn't even need to say anything before Hizashi was at his heels, running with him to the infirmary.

He let them in, despite her strict rule about no visitors during surgery.

"Hey, Zashi," Danny greeted weakly from the bed. How he was still awake, Shouta would never know.

"How are you-" Hizashi paled at the sight of Danny's torso. In hindsight, Shouta probably should have told him what happened before leading him back here. "What happened?" His voice was barely above a horrified whisper. Danny, though, seemed just out of it enough to not notice his dilemma.

"Just a training accident," he lazily waved off.

"How are you still conscious?"

"Oh, uh-well, ectoplasm is thicker than blood, and it leaves the body a lot slower than blood. So I figured if I just stay awake I should be fine," Danny said with a shrug. "Can't hold my ghost form if I'm unconscious, you know? Stitching is a little harder cause my skin keeps turning to goo but it's whatever."

"It's what-" Hizashi said, cutting himself off with the sheer disbelief he was feeling. Because all of those words were very concerning. And sure, it was good to be in tune with one's own body, but how did Danny know that?

Shouta remembered him saying he's had worse. He doesn't want to really find out how worse it was. How close they could have gotten to not meeting Danny at all.

After answering a few ghost physiology-related questions, Recovery Girl shooed them out.

Neither of them talked, but they were both weighed down with the knowledge that if this had been any other kid, there would be blood staining their hands. There would be no cheerful welcome home! waiting for them when they walked through the door. There would be no family picnics and family beach days and family anything.

So they sat, and they waited. They didn't speak, but they did grip each other's hands as tightly as they could without hurting one another, giving gentle squeezes of reassurance whenever the other seemed to be spiraling. It was grounding, to say the least.

Recovery Girl didn't finish her surgery until late at night. She came out looking absolutely exhausted but satisfied with her work.

"He's finally resting now," she tells them. "And he turned back. He should be okay, though he's gonna be on strict bedrest until he heals up. With his natural healing abilities and my quirk it shouldn't be more than a couple of weeks."

Shouta and Hizashi both slumped with relief at the fact that their kid (and really, they've never discussed it, but it was an unspoken fact that Danny was their kid) would be just fine.

"He was in an out of it," Recovery Girl said. "Some of it was nonsense, but some of it was...Concerning. Whenever he's healed up I'd maybe talk to him about it. Or get him to talk to someone else about it."

"Yes, we will," Hizashi said immediately. HIs antsy nature was finally taking over, it seemed. "Can we-are we allowed...?"

"Go on ahead. Just try not to wake him."

"Thank you, Shuzenji," Shouta said. He knelt down and clasped her hands, giving them a thorough squeeze. She patted him lightly on the head before giving him a kiss goodnight. She ushered him into the room with Hizashi, and headed off to her own room that she used more often then she would like.

The room was bathed in a soft moonlight, but it didn't stop Danny from looking incredibly pale. He was completely still, too, which unnerve Shouta. Danny was always animated in some way, whether it be hard at training or bouncing his leg while he did homework. He was always in some form of constant movement. So to see a lack of it was...Well, a little bit weird. If it wasn't for the occasional rise and fall of his chest, Shouta would have thought he was a corpse.

But he wasn't.

He was staring at his son, who was alive and strong and so many other things that Shouta couldn't put into words because every time he so much as thought about it his throat would suddenly close up and his eyes would sting from something that wasn't his chronic dry eye.

He sank into the seat next to Hizashi, right up against the bed. With his left hand he held his husband, and with his right, he squeezed Danny's cold, limp hand, covered in callouses and Lichtenburg figures.

And for the first time all day, he felt like he could actually breathe again.

Chapter 104: Only the Best

Summary:

Danny knew exactly what's going on almost as soon as Aizawa became reluctant friends with a certain loud blond. The question is how long would it take for them to bite the bullet and accept that their together?
Or Danny, Oboro, Nemuri and Tensei makes bets on how long until they become official and how they confess

Notes:

happy pride and happy gay pirate season 2 renewal
I will be on my bullshit when it comes out, this is your only warning
(also its weird having gay pirate and danny phantom brainrot at the same time. it's not a crossover i thought id be making but, well, here we are i guess)

Chapter Text

Danny has been friends with Shouta since they were in diapers.

Their moms were friends. They were there for each other's first words. For each other's first steps. Danny was there when Shouta got his quirk, and Shouta held Danny when he was diagnosed quirkless. And then he was there again, holding Danny after the accident. They've known each other for so long, reading each other is like reading an old, worn book that they've gone through a million times before.

It's why Danny can see it before anybody else.

When Hizashi sidles up to Shouta their first day at U.A. He's bright and loud and has such an obnoxious, infectious joyful attitude that it's hard not to play along.

And man, Shouta falls for it hard.

But he's never had a crush. Not any one that mattered, anyway. Not like Danny's had, with Sam briefly, and then Valerie for a few months before she broke it off. Shouta has never been one to love easily. Hell, he and Danny have been best friends their entire lives and Danny has to pull teeth on the best of days to get Shouta to open up to him about anything.

But this? This is different. Shouta has a crush on this loud blonde. And it's beautiful to watch as he opens up a little more, laughs a little easier, smiles a little brighter. The slow transformation his best friend is going through is one-in-a-million.

And very easily profitable, because nobody knows Shouta like Danny does.

"No, it's totally obvious," Nemuri tells him with an upturned nose. Danny, her, Oboro, and Tensei are walking down the sidewalk, arm in arm as they sip at their bubble tea and gossip about the two that are missing from their current group. "They'll end up together before the end of the year."

"I agree with Nem on this one," Tensei says. "They've been looking at each other with heart eyes since the very beginning. I even heard them talking about getting the same hero to intern under."

"Sho's got it bad," Danny says. "But he's also incredibly emotionally stunted. My guess is it won't happen until either the end of our second year or the beginning of the third. No sooner, no later."

"I think it'll be after we graduate," Oboro says. "Shouta is emotionally stunted, but Hizashi is a big fucking idiot. He's not going to realize Shouta has a huge crush on him until it's almost too late."

"You're not giving their true love enough credit!" Nemuri whines.

"I think I'm giving them just enough credit," Danny says dryly as he takes a sip of his drink. "Anyway, I bet like, thirteen thousand yen."

"My bet is twenty thousand," Oboro says without missing a beat.

"Fifty thousand!" Nemuri calls out confidently with a swish of her hair.

"I think I'll match Danny and go thirteen," Tensei says, narrowly avoiding one of Nemuri's wildly gesturing hands.

"I cannot wait to profit off of you all," Danny says cheekily.

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

He ends up winning, but only because he convinces Hizashi to buck up and confess his feelings. They never agreed to not interfere in their own ways, and as the guy who's known Shouta his whole life, Hizashi was more than willing to take his words to heart.

And he almost completely forgets about the bet. It was over a year ago, after all, and so much has happened since then. But when Shouta walks in to his bedroom, bright red and nearly panicking, he can't help but grin.

Shouta has been messed up ever since the incident at his work study. For months now, he's been down right depressed, with no end in sight. And he's gotten better, in his own Shouta way. He can't sleep at night so he cat naps throughout the day, and he's started opening up to them more. And, well, now that he and Hizashi are a thing, it looks like that progress will get sped up a little bit.

Danny takes the earnings he wins from Nemuri and Tensei and he treats Shouta to a night on the town in celebration. There's laughing, and nervous panicking, and a lot of doubt, but Danny assures him that Hizashi wants this just as much as Shouta does. He would know. Hizashi only went on about it the other day hours into the night and into the early morning. Not that Danny was sleeping much anyway, what with his nightly escapades into the Zone, but if he had been sleeping, he wouldn't really have appreciated the four paragraphs about Shouta's eyes alone.

He saves what money he didn't spend taking Shouta out, and ads in another twenty thousand yen from their fallen, and holds onto it. For nearly four years, it sits in a little box, slowly accumulating more loose bills over time because he knows it's gonna take a little more than seventy thousand yen to throw a party like this.

He helps Hizashi ring shop for Shouta, and he takes Shouta out on one of the best nights of his life the night before he gets hitched. The money is used to pay for their wedding gift, while the rest is paid out of pocket by Danny, Nemuri, and Tensei.

It's only after that Danny presents the both of them with the gift, as well as the origin of the money. After the ceremony, after the reception, and after all of their drunk hero friends hobble off to go save someone from a purse snatcher.

"I thought if he couldn't be here with us, he could be here," Danny points to the canvas he gives them, trying not to smile at the way they gasp and tear up.

It's a painting of all of them. Shouta and Hizashi in their suits while they make out at the alter. Danny behind Shouta, and Nemuri and Tensei behind Hizashi. But right behind Danny is a painting of Oboro, with his shit-eating grin as he leans over Danny's shoulder. The artist aged him up to match the rest of them. Because even after all these years, he's never truly left them. Not in the way that matters the most, anyway.

Hizashi and Shouta don't say anything. Instead, they gently set the painting to the side, and they hug Danny like he's a lifeline. All of them are crying, and holding onto each other as tightly as they can, even if it hurts just a little bit.

"Thank you," Shouta says in his ear, gripping the back of Danny's jacket a little tighter.

"Only the best for my bro," Danny says. A promise he's told Shouta their entire lives.

"Yeah," Shouta says with a wet chuckle. "Only the best."

Chapter 105: Hero Too

Chapter Text

When Danny woke up, it was to a cold, dark room he's never been in, filled with the sounds of desperate and afraid children around his age or younger than him.

He doesn't remember exactly how he got here. One second he was walking home from school, late again because of his usual bullies, and the next thing he knows he's waking up here with a sharp pain in his neck.

"Where are we?" He asks nobody in particular through the dryness of his throat.

"We-we were kidnapped," the kid next to him answers. Danny can't see much in the dark, but he can hear that the kid has been crying recently. His voice is stopped up in a way only tears and allergies can cause.

"Us? Why?" Danny asks, confused. Nobody outside of his family would ever want him. He's just some quirkless nobody who wants to go to space. He's only ten, but he's known the world is not kind to people like him since he was four.

"I think-I th-think it's to take us somewhere else," the other kid gets out around his stuttering. "I heard one of the guards talking about fighting underground."

"That doesn't make any sense," Danny tells him. He feels the other kid shrug his shoulders before leaning tiredly into Danny's side.

"Unless they mean underground in the same way heroes are underground."

"What do you mean?"

"Some heroes don't like people so they're never on the news," this new kid explains. "They fight in the middle of the night in dark and scary places, and save people that way."

"How come I've never heard of them?" Danny wondered allowed. He's always been obsessed with heroes, Thirteen being his favorite of course. His passion for heroes and saving people almost matched his passion for space. He's just so in awe of somebody having the power to help others. It's something he's always kind of wanted, at least in a physical sense.

"They gotta keep themselves secret," the boy leaning on him explains. "They can't be popular like All Might because then all their secrets won't be secrets anymore, and then they'd have a harder time fighting."

"Huh. That sounds...Kind of nice, actually. Do you wanna be a hero when you grow up?"

"Yeah! Just like All Might!"

"I think I wanna be a hero too, now. But maybe I'll be one of these underground guys."

-------

Shouta Aizawa was straight up not having a great time.

For two weeks now he's been on this case of quirkless kids all over the city being kidnapped, and he and Tsukauchi have really been the only ones working on it. It makes his blood boil, knowing that there are people in this police department so willing to turn a blind eye to innocent children over genetics they can't control.

He's in the middle of talking logistics with Tsukauchi when the doors to the police department are slammed open.

Shouta could recognize the Fentons anywhere. They're well known for their top of the line support gear, but even more wildly popular for their opinions and experiments concerning the supernatural. And because they own that gaudy building with the neon sign that lights up the entire block.

Maddie Fenton makes eye contact with him, and she marches over to him looking like a thunderstorm incarnate. Her teal eyes flash dangerously, and it's not hard to see her rippling muscles under her jumpsuit. Shouta straightens at the sight of her, and even more so at the sight of her husband just a step behind her, huge and lumbering and just as angry, just as worried.

"Are you Eraserhead?" Maddie demands. Shouta nods his head and carefully sets down the papers he's holding before turning fully to face the Fenton parents. There's a small red headed girl who peaks out from behind her father's leg, looking up at him with the same bright eyes as her mother.

"What can I help you with?" he asks them, keeping his voice in his usual careful monotone.

"Our-our son was taken," Maddie says, and her voice cracks as she speaks but she firmly holds his gaze, unphased by her vocal cords betraying her. "And nobody is doing anything about it. I have been screaming myself blue trying to get anybody in this godforsaken place to care. it took me nearly forty minutes to be directed to you. So-please. Just help me find my baby."

Shouta glances back at Tsukauchi, who comes around and stands next to Shouta.

"Ma'am, does your child happen to be quirkless?" The detective asks. At the parent's hesitant nod, Tsukauchi moves back around to the other side of his desk. "Please, tell me everything you know."

-----------

"Izuku," Danny whispers.

"Hm?"

"We should-we should be heroes."

"That would be cool. Maybe we could open up our own agency together. Call it the-the All Might Jr. and Thirteen's Rover Agency."

"No, not like that. Well, maybe. But that's not what I'm talking about. You said earlier only one guard usually shows up to check on us, right?" Izuku nods into his shoulder. "Well, the way I see it, is, there's a bunch of us, and only one of him. It wouldn't be hard to surprise him and take his keys or something. Besides, we're all-we're all quirkless. There's no guarantee that the police will help, or any of the heroes."

"Except All Might. And Thirteen," Izuku replies quietly. "But then what, Danny?" Izuku asks. He lifts his head off Danny's shoulder and turns to face them, though they can really only see the dim outline of each other. "If we get past the guard, what happens after that?"

He's not opposed to the idea, Danny can tell. He's just scared of the unknown, and Danny is too, but he's more afraid of the unknown that comes with being moved away from his family. That certainly outweighs the fear of another guard or two running down the hall.

"I think-we can make a plan. But we'll probably need everyone in here to help."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. So, here's what I was thinking..."

----------

Daniel "Danny" Fenton was kidnapped two days ago on his way home from school during one of the busiest times of the day, which meant that it was probably done at the mouth of an alley way, and that they had means of a quick escape.

There are only a handful of alleys like that in the area Danny was taken, and Shouta gets lucky on the third.

There's a latch under the huge dumpster that he manages to crawl under and through. it's locked, but it's also older and rusted, and it doesn't take much effort to break. So with the help of his lithe frame, he squeezes through and drops down into the sewer.

It's an area he recognizes from one of his first missions on his own. He knows there's a door to his left that leads to a whole underground network where a dog fighting ring took place, and when that was taken down, an illegal quirk fighting ring.

It makes him sick to his stomach thinking that might happen to all of the quirkless kids that were kidnapped.

He quickly updates Tsukauchi, and without waiting for backup, he goes in.

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

Danny makes sure he's the first one the guard sees when he opens the door. The light is blinding and makes his eyes sting, but he holds his ground.

"Who are you?" He asks. The guard looks down at him, unimpressed.

"Eat," he says, before throwing a Tupperware container of some unknown food down at Danny's feet. The lid pops off and some of the contents scatter.

"I asked you a question," Danny says, crossing his arms and popping his hip out in the same way Jazz does when she demands an answer.

"Listen," the guard says, taking a couple steps inside. He absolutely towers over Danny's small frame. "I don't have time for useless runts like you. So you're going to eat," he growls, pointing at the food on the floor, "or you're going to starve. I don't particularly care which one happens."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"That's it, you little-"

Before he can finish his sentence, he quickly grabs his crotch in pain, and drops to his knees. Danny and the other kids waste no time in taking him down to the floor, biting and punching and kicking until the man is nothing but a groaning mess.

"That was a good kick," he tells Izuku, who had snuck up behind the man while Danny was talking to him.

"Let's grab his keys and see if we can find the way out," Izuku says.

Out in the bright hallway, it's easy to see how many of them there are now. It's not just a cacophony of cries coming from some faceless source. There are a dozen of them, all dirty and a little scuffed up. But now that they're all out of that room, despair is turning into hope.

"I woke up when they brought me here," one kid says. "I think I sort of remember the way."

"Come on, then," Izuku says encouragingly. The kid nods, and joins them at the front of the group.

"Let's get out of here."

----------

Shouta has taken down his fair share of underground groups. Drug dealers, fighting rings, illegal support equipment manufacturing, you name it, he's taken care of it.

But this has to be the oddest fucking thing he's seen out of all of them.

He's taken down a handful of guards here and there before they can alert the others to his presence, but to find a single guard or two already knocked out and beaten to hell is a new one. And he knows for a fact he's the only hero on the scene at the moment.

He quickly shakes off the surprise though and heads further into the hallway. He follows the trail of unconscious bodies.

But then, when he quietly rounds a corner, he's immediately met with twelve small, pissed off children.

There is fire in their eyes and anger fueling every motion their body does. It's why the little dark haired one lunges at him without looking, almost taking him by surprise. He tries to ram his head into Shouta's crotch, and he can't help but realize that's probably how all of those other guys went down. Shouta steps back and grabs the kid by the shoulders, holding him at arm's length as he gets down on all of their levels. He's never seen such angry blue eyes before.

"Hey, hey, it's alright," he tells him, voice as gentle and soothing as he can make it. The kid, however does not look convinced. "I'm a hero. My name is Eraserhead."

A little green haired kid perks up from the side. He looks like the most skittish thing to walk the planet but he steps up and speaks up anyway. "Eraserhead? Like, the underground hero?"

"Not very many people have heard of me," Shouta tells him, genuinely impressed.

"Where's your card?" the boy his grasp asks.

"It's in my pocket. I can show it to you, if you want. But you have to promise not to try and hit me again. Deal?"

"And if you're lying?"

"Then you can hit me all you want. I promise."

"Fine."

Shouta releases the boy and slowly reaches into his belt and pulls out his wallet, and then his hero license. He hands it over to the dark haired boy, who glances at it before handing it to the green haired one. He hands it back with a nod, and a relieved smile, and the dark haired one relaxes immediately.

"What are your names?" Shouta asks them before tucking his license away again.

"I'm Danny, and that's Izuku," Danny says. The other children give their names, too, but it's obvious it's these two who are have been leading the charge.

"It's nice to meet you. Now, follow me. The way I came in through it this way."

He takes hold of Izuku and Danny's hands, and with them going, all of them follow. They thankfully don't run into any more trouble on the way out. It looks like the operation hadn't quite started yet, and it was just in its beginning phases.

The entire way there, the boys talk about the hero agency they're going to open up when they become pros, occasionally asking Shouta for his input since he himself is one. It's would have been almost fun if it weren't for the circumstances.

"I understand All Might Jr," Shouta tells them when they're near the exit. "But why Rover for you?"

"Because those are the machines they send to space, and I'm gonna be an astronaut one day!" Danny says excitedly. "I'm gonna play with aliens and help Thirteen beat up bad guys!"

"Well, I know for a fact Thirteen would appreciate your help, Rover."

Danny's eyes absolutely sparkle at being called his potential hero name, so he concedes and calls Izuku by All Might Jr. The sparkly eyes he gets in return make it worth it.

Eventually they exit, going back in the way Shouta came, though the dumpster has thankfully been moved. The police and paramedics are there, taking the kids from Shouta as he helps them all out.

He speaks with the boys and their parents as they exchange contact information so Izuku and Danny can hang out once everything has calmed down.

And when they're done, he puts a hand on each of their shoulders.

"I'll see you when you get to U.A. okay?"

He's expecting an earsplitting scream of excitement to burst his eardrums.

Instead, he's nearly strangled by how hard they hug him. He hides his smile in his scarf as he hugs them back, ruffles their hair, and waves goodbye before going back to Tsukauchi.

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

Five years later, on the first day of the new semester. Izuku Midoriya broke his finger with his outrageously powerful quirk, and Danny Fenton can fly and shoot lasers out of his hands.

They remember him. It's obvious by the look in their eyes that they remember him, so it's no surprise when he gets a knock on his office door after school has ended.

"Rover, All Might Jr," he greets dryly.

"Eraserhead," Danny greets, and although he's nervous, he grins at Shouta all the same. "We, uh..." Izuku steps forward, placing a hand on Danny's shoulder.

"We have some explaining to do."

Chapter 106: Atlas

Summary:

Hi, I'm alive
I've been chipping away at this bigger project and trying to shift my hyperfixation back to Danny Phantom because I have kinda been missing writing. I don't have a lot of free time between my apprenticeship and my part time job but I'll try my best to catch up on the requests in my inbox. In the meantime I made you some food
(and if you see any typos, no you don't) (it's almost 1am I am not proof reading this bullshit)

Chapter Text

Dating Hitoshi was the easiest thing in the world for Danny. They just clicked, and could spend hours doing everything and nothing at all. It was going better than either of them had expected it too, and part of that was due to agreeing to make time for one another early on in their relationship. Between school and internships, and graduation right around the corner, they were both incredibly busy. Making time for each other provided not only a chance rest and catch their breath before they continued on with their busy schedules.

So every Thursday when they got done with training they went on a date. Sometimes it was the movies, and sometimes it was a walk through the park or a trip to Hitoshi's favorite cat café. Once it was Danny's favorite arcade where he had his ass handed to him in DDR, and other times it was in one of their dorms, idly enjoying each other's quiet company.

Today was a trip to the mall, with little Eri in tow because Aizawa was pulled away to work last second to help catch an escaped villain, but didn't want to ruin their date night. Especially since he had been a strong advocate of said date night from the start.

And it was going great.

Or, at least, it had been.

There hadn't been a lot of time to react. The earth shook harder than anything either of them had ever experienced. Earthquakes weren't uncommon, but this one was strong and earth shattering-literally.

Hitoshi wastes no time in getting Eri into his arms as he sprints for the exit. Danny is right behind him, practically stepping on him as he helps the occasional person back to their feet.

Another shockwave, worse than the last, rips through the ground, knocking them off their feet. Danny is the first to recover, stumbling his way towards Hitoshi and Eri.

Huge pieces of debris are raining down on them, and there's a rather large rock that pegs Hitoshi in the back of the head. He drops fast and hard, but before Danny can even bend down to check on him, the ceiling caves in completely.

It's a strange feeling to be engulfed in a sudden darkness. The sounds of people's panicked cries are muffled by the concrete surrounding them, and the air is suddenly still. But Danny can't pay attention to any of that.

How can he when he's too busy holding up the building?

It had been an instinctual reaction. He was right on top of Hitoshi, who was unconscious, and Eri, who was still a child, helpless and relying on her big, strong brothers to keep her safe.

Danny allowed the white rings to wash over him, changing him into Phantom. The soft glow he naturally gave off illuminated part of the cavern Danny had accidentally created when he caught the ceiling.

It wasn't a huge space. Maybe four feet high, and enough space for nine other civilians to be trapped with them, packed like sardines. Some were awake and scared, others in a daze, and two who were unconscious.

And all of their lives were suddenly in Danny's shaking hands.

His arms and legs were already starting to burn. He could last, he knew he could. He had to.

There was no other option.

He was in a squat, holding the debris up on his back with his arms spread out as support. He breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth, trying to focus on anything but the pain in his limbs and spine.

Right. First, status.

Three unconscious, five awake, three dazed and probably heavily concussed. He himself definitely had bruised ribs, and-yeah, he bit his tongue. The bitter taste of his own ectoplasm was quickly filling his mouth, so he turned his head to the side and spit it out. Don't think about the pain, don't think about how if you fail, everyone-including Hitoshi and Eri-will die. Don't think about how long it might take to realize they're under here let alone how long it'll take them to get out.

Get out. Could he get them out?

He couldn't turn the debris intangible. The structure was too unstable, too unpredictable, and he didn't need anybody getting any more injured than they already were. He couldn't turn the victims intangible. There were too many of them, and too many were too injured to properly move anyway.

Ice was also probably a bad idea. There wasn't a lot of space for any kind of support system, and not only would the ice not hold up under this weight, but it would probably give everybody but him hypothermia or something. Big ice moves out in the open where the cold could spread out where it needed too was one thing, but to do it in such a tight, enclosed space? Not an option.

His shields, too, would probably shatter under the weight. Not like he wouldn't be straining with that, either.

He didn't have any other powers he could use. Not any that were strong enough without hurting anybody inside.

The ceiling came down with more weight, shoving Danny down a couple inches. He groaned in pain, ducking his head to his chest and he forced his legs to move up, regaining a few of the inches lost.

"Danny?"

Danny's head snapped back up. Eri was looking at him with wide, worried eyes as she looked him up and down.

"Hey, what's up Er-Bear?" He asked, hoping the nickname would sooth her. She and Danny had both been sick six months ago, and in a glorious haze of cherry flavored cough medicine, had decided to watch every single Care Bears movie in one sitting before promptly passing out for twelve hours. The nickname had stuck, and she only lets Danny call her that.

God, what he wouldn't give to be watching Care Bears with Eri again right now.

He tried his best to keep his voice even and calm, but even to his own ears it sounded strained with the effort of holding up the building.

"Are you okay?" She asked. "You're bleeding a lot."

Danny gave her a quizzical look, unable to say anything with the breath stuck in his throat from the effort he was giving out. She pointed to his stomach, and Danny looked down.

Oh.

How had he not felt it?

There was a piece of rebar sticking out of the left side of his abdomen, bright green ectoplasm lazily dripping from the end to the floor.

He was both lucky and unlucky in this situation. Lucky, because ectoplasm was slower and thicker than blood, thus he wasn't going to lose it as fast. But unlucky because he couldn't fucking move, because he was holding up a fucking building.

It would have to stay there.

If he got an infection he was going to be pissed.

"Oh, I'm perfectly fine, Er-Bear," he told her. He pulled at his core and relished in the brief comfort the coldness gave him, focusing on the wound in his side. The ice creeped from the inside out, effectively plugging the hole, though it wouldn't do much good when he'd need to remove himself from it later. But this, this would give Eri a small comfort, and it would help him last a bit longer. Bleeding out isn't exactly a good thing when doing hero work.

Eri spends too much time with Deku. That is to say, she's smart. Quick as a whip and sees right through it, but it's an olive branch that she takes with all the care an eight year old can.

"Hey!" One of the civilians from the back calls out. Danny tries to look at them, but his glow only goes so far. He can barely make out Eri, who's right in front of him. "Can you get us out of here?" She asks.

"No-Not-at the moment," Danny grits out. His whole body is shaking with effort now. How long has it been? How much longer will it be?

"Well, you're a hero, aren't you?"

Danny knows it's the panic. Knows it's the worry. He understands not knowing for certain if he'll make it long enough to see the end of a bad situation.

But for the love of the Ancients, he has never wanted to drop a building more on someone than in that moment.

There's a sharp slap of skin on skin, and a whined out protest.

"Can't you see he's the only reason we're even still breathing right now?" Another stranger says. She sounds younger than the other one.

"Hey-no-just calm down," Danny says through a shaky breath. In through the nose, out through the mouth. "Are you injured?"

"Nothing but a couple scrapes and bruises from us," the younger one answers. Danny nods. In through the nose, out through the mouth.

"Hey, Eri," he says after a few moments of tense silence.

"Everything okay?" She asks, in the same way Yamada does sometimes when he can sense something is wrong.

"Just perfect, Er-Bear," he answers. "But I can't-I can't remember the words to a song. Do you think you could help me out?"

She nods quickly, and he hums the tune as best as he can. She picks it up quickly and starts to sing it to him.

It's a welcome distraction. It's something for Eri to focus on, instead of worrying about him or Hitoshi. It's something for the civilians to focus on so they stop talking to him. It's something for Danny to focus on, to distract him from the pain.

The ground shakes again. It's not as powerful as before, but it's enough for Danny to sink a few inches.

He isn't able to regain them back, but he digs his heels in and holds steady, not letting the space become smaller.

"Keep singing, Eri," Danny gently instructs. "The words are really important to me."

"Okay."

-----

Hitoshi startles with a choked off gasp that turns into a coughing fit. But when he finally calms down enough, and looks past the blinding pain in his skull, he makes out the off-tune singing of Eri.

"Oh, you should sing the one from that cartoon you like," he hears Danny say.

"Neko Neko Weekend?" Eri asks.

"Yeah, sure."

Danny's voice sounds strained and breathy. If he has a reaction to Hitoshi turning to face him, he doesn't show it. Or rather, can't show it. His head is dipped down, chin almost touching his chest. He's in a deep squat with a huge weight on his back with nothing but his aura and his ectoplasm to light up the space they're in.

The space.

The earthquake.

The building collapsing.

Oh.

Hitoshi looks at Danny, body shaking with the strain, sweat dripping down his face. He's got one eye closed because of the ectoplasm that's leaking into it from the big gash on his forehead. There's something sticking out of his stomach, held together by ice.

Hitoshi looks at Danny.

He sees Atlas.

Hitoshi quickly pulls out his phone, fumbling for a moment before trying to turn it on. When nothing happens, he runs his hands along the screen and seems. It's shattered to hell and back. Lucky to be in one piece, probably.

"Danny," Hitoshi says, keeping his voice low for his own sake. His head is throbbing, and the dim light coming from Danny is hurting his eyes. "Danny, do you have your phone?"

"Belt," Danny says, short and clipped. He hasn't looked up, but Hitoshi can hear the relief in his voice. "Left side."

Hitoshi is careful moving around the small space, where the only sounds are Danny's shaky but consistent breathing, and Eri singing herself to death. He fumbles a little, but manages to pull it out without an issue, and other than a small crack in the top, it's in perfect working condition. He quickly dials his dad's number.

"-nny?" Aizawa's worried voice filters through, broken up and full of static. "Where-ou okay?"

"Dad," Hitoshi breaths a sigh of relief. "There was an Earthquake and we're at the mall just outside a store near the exit. We're trapped under some debris."

"Status," Aizawa says. He's using his on-duty voice, and it kicks Hitoshi's brain into hero-mode. He rattles off what he sees or what the civilian in the back tells him, as well as his own injuries. And because he knows Danny is going to downplay his injuries, he goes into what's probably boderlining on too much detail.

"Is Danny awake?" His dad asks.

"He's holding up the ceiling," Hitoshi responds. The glow is a little bit brighter now, Danny's body a little bit shakier.

"What." Aizawa says, and it sounds monotone but Hitoshi can hear the disbelief in his voice.

"He's the only reason we're all okay," he says. "But it's been-" he pulls the phone back to look at the time and sucks in a sharp breath. Fuck. "It's been nearly forty minutes, Dad."

"I'm fine," Danny grits out. "Speaker phone."

Hitoshi obliges as he gives Danny a look.

"I'm fine," Danny repeats, sounding completely not fine.

"You're doing great, Danny. We've got a rescue crew digging as we speak. -scaped villain's doing. He's back in custody. Just need you to hold on a little longer, okay?"

"That's the plan," Danny grits out. The weight shifts above him, and he sucks in a sharp, painful breath as the rebar running him through also shifts. It's a couple centimeters at most but it's enough to distract Danny from the conversation at hand.

"How long?" Hitoshi asks, an edge to his voice.

"Eight minutes," Aizawa answers, and damn it, it doesn't look like Danny has ten minutes.

The cavern shakes and Danny sinks further into the ground. His thighs are parallel with the ground now, trembling.

"Make it five," he demands, his voice bordering on desperate.

"Stay on the line," Aizawa tells them.

"Er-Bear," Danny says after a moment. "What's your favorite song? Can you sing that one next?"

Hitoshi is confused for a moment. Singing? Now? But then he sees Danny's eyes closing, focusing on the sound of Eri's voice as he pushes up. Can hear him shakily breathing close in time with the rhythm of an eight year old. And none of the civilians are panicking.

Danny needs this as much as everybody else in the cavern does. Probably more so.

The song is about three minutes long, and Danny is quick to ask her to sing it again. "There might have been a few missed words or something, Er-Bear," he tells her. "Need to sing it one more time just in case."

And, oh. It's not just a distraction from the pain. Not just a tool to help pace his breathing so he doesn't hyperventilate while holding up a building. Eri's song has become a timer.

Those that are awake appear to catch on pretty quickly, and they're moving in anticipation of their rescue being there.

Half way through the song, the weight above them shifts. Danny is forced to one knee, slamming it down in the ground so hard Hitoshi can hear it crack. There are panicked gasps coming from those that are awake, but Eri is so focused on her song that she barely even stumbles. And, oh. The singing is a way to keep Eri calm as well. The last thing they need is for her to lose control.

When Eri is almost to the end, the back of the cavern where the civilians are opens up. The light that filters in is hazy and dim, but it illuminates their situation well.

The light makes Hitoshi light headed, and his head is hurting so bad he doesn't even realize the civilians and Eri have been pulled free until there are calloused hands gripping his arm and have pulling him to the exit. The cavern is so low now he has to crawl along his stomach, but at least he's alive. At least Eri and the others made it.

Hopefully Danny will too.

------

Shouta sees to it personally that he gets his fucking kids out.

Eri crawls to him without any prompt. Hitoshi is looking a little dazed, and like he might throw up at any second. He takes a bit longer.

And Danny? Well, it's a work in progress.

He doesn't seem to realize help has finally come. His eyes are closed, and his breathing is carefully regulated, as shaky as it is. His whole body is trembling, and holy fuck, Shouta is still coming to terms with the fact that his son's boyfriend caught a building.

"Danny, hey," Shouta says, keeping his voice steady and calm. Danny opens his eyes, but doesn't bring his head up.

"There's not enough space for the paramedics," he explains. "I'm gonna carry you out, but you have to turn us intangible, okay?"

"P-people?" He asks, and it sounds like it's taking an unimaginable amount of effort to do so.

"All safe. Alive and accounted for. You did good kid. Now I'm gonna hold onto you, and on the count of three you'll turn us intangible, okay?"

Danny grunts in acknowledgement, and Shouta moves to his side, one arm around his side and the other behind his legs, waiting to scoop him up.

"Okay, ready? Three, two, one."

Nothing happens. Danny has used his powers on him enough times for him to know how it feels. But there's no icy-water-down-his-spine feeling. He tightens his grip on Danny.

"Kid, you gotta let go," he says.

"Scared," Danny grunts.

"I know. I know, but it'll be okay. Do you trust me?"

He doesn't answer. Not verbally, anyway. But Shouta feels the cold in his veins, and his shoulder goes through the rocks. Shouta scoops Danny up, and the building falls on them, through them, engulfing them in an unnatural darkness.

"We're okay, kid," Shouta tells him. "Just hold on a little longer for me. Can you do that?"

Danny manages one nod, clutching onto Shouta tightly. His whole body is shaking as he comes down from his adrenaline high, and now that the rebar is out of his stomach it's starting to sluggishly bleed between the cracks in the ice.

It's only a few seconds longer, and then they're hitting the open air.

"Danny, we're safe. We're out. You can let go now."

And Danny must have really taken that trust comment to heart, because there's no hesitation this time. His powers leak out of Shouta in an instant, and the white rings appear around his waist, turning him from Phantom to Fenton.

He quickly hands Danny over to the paramedics, and climbs into the car with them as they take him to the hospital.

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

When Danny wakes up, he can't move his body.

His arms and legs are the heaviest things in the world. But he does manage to get his eyes open, barely.

He's in a hospital bed. There's an IV in one arm and a clasp on his finger. The room is pretty standard, with the exception of the excessive amount of get well soon gifts he has surround him. Flowers of all sorts, cards in a neat stack, balloons fucking everywhere and three huge stuffed animals sitting in the corner. The only light coming in is from the streetlights outside, but other than that it's dark.

He turns his head to one side, and nearly passes out from exhaustion. Sitting in one of the chairs is Jazz, seeping soundly. She's got a book in her lap with her thumb in between the pages. It's a children's book, which makes sense since Eri is asleep in the chair next to her, leaning over the arm rest. Danny can picture it in his head like a movie. Eri leaning over, trying to get a good look at the pictures as Jazz reads, before passing out. Jazz following soon after.

He turns his head the other way, and his heart nearly stops.

Aizawa is sitting on the large windowsill, one leg crossed over the other with his face ducked into his scarf as he sleeps. In the chair by his arm is Yamada, hair down, head tilted back, and snoring softly.

And then Hitoshi.

He's asleep at Danny's side. There are bandages wrapped around his head and a couple bruises around his face but he looks otherwise okay. He's facing Danny, snoring lightly, and holding his hand.

Danny squeezes there interlocked fingers, and Hitoshi jolts awake.

He looks confused for a moment before his eyes fall on Danny, and his body sags with relief.

"Hi," he says quietly.

"Hey," Danny croaks out, but he doesn't get the chance to say anything more before sleep pulls at him again.

The last thing he registers before falling completely under is the reassuring squeeze Hitoshi gives him.

Chapter 107: Runaway

Summary:

Runaway/ homeless Danny saves Eri (with or without his sisters)
Danny could only go near to her only in ghost mode
(cant bring the dead back to life but she may revert him to before he got his accident)

Notes:

Sorry I've been a little MIA, I've been super busy with work and some full length fics and whatnot. But I officially finished my first year as a tattoo apprentice! Anyway, happy holidays everyone! Hope you enjoy this one!

Chapter Text

Danny honestly doesn't know how he ends up here.

He's been on the run from months. The Guys in White are relentless. As soon as they found about him, kicking the door down with way to much force, he went along with them to keep his family safe.

The look in his mother's eyes still haunts him. Her cries, her grip being broken by agents in white, as she's separated from her baby boy. It hurt both of them.

After a couple of new guards had been assigned to him, it wasn't hard to get out. Well, it was because he was held together with nothing but hasty stitches and luck, but overall, it wasn't the worst experience he's ever had.

And now they're after him.

He escaped nearly four months ago. He managed to get the inhibitor collar off, and therefore is fully healed, at least physically. He's spent all of his time running from one end of the country to another, trying the skies and the roads and even the seas. The only place where they can't follow, he's found, is the ground.

He usually hides out in small pockets that are just big enough for his lean frame, or the sewer system, but that's more open so he tries to avoid it. He travels with his flight and intangibility, and if he's in the sewers he uses his invisibility as well. It makes covering ground-literally-a hell of a lot easier.

Or, at least it was supposed to.

He's lucky he's invisible when he flies into this new place he's found himself in. It's not a sewer or compacted earth. It's an underground base, with tall ceilings and narrow halls, and if the purple bird guy is anything to go off of, it's also run by bad guys.

His metaphorical kryptonite, if you will.

Bad guys mean danger, and danger means he has to protect, but before he can do any of that he needs to figure out what the fuck they're even planning.

He follows the bird guy. He's quite prideful, and he talks about his plans openly to his direct underlings.

"The test was a success against Suneater," bird guy, Chisaki, is telling someone. "However, it seems as though the effects were only temporary. If we want to make any kind of change, we need to adjust the formula to make the quirklessness permanent."

"Do you want me to receive the girl for you?" Chisaki's assistant asks.

"No, her body is too exhausted to do anything. I'll have to continue my tests tomorrow. But do get her something to eat."

Danny's core hums in discontent. He's only gotten a few pieces of the puzzle, but he can't put them together quite yet. If there's a girl here that they're using for this permanent quirkless bullshit, he needs to find her.

He follows the assistant to the kitchen where he picks up a plate of something pretending to be food, and then to a large, locked door. Inside is dark, with nothing but a large bed, a million unopened toys, and a small, small girl, trembling in fear as the assistant comes in. She can't be older than five or six, and her arms and legs are covered in bandages.

I'll have to continue my tests tomorrow, Chisaki had said.

Danny understands what kind of tests they are.

The flash of metal. The burning just beneath his skin. The feeling of his skin being pried apart, and the way the tools poked and prodded at his muscles, his tendons, his core. He'll never forget the tink tink tink sound that Agent O's tweezers made as he poked Danny's core. The painful sensations going down his spine, so painful he couldn't even scream.

The door closing brings his attention back to the present. Right. Girl. Tests. Quirklessness. He has to get her out of here and get her somewhere safe.

He pokes his head back outside, and once he's sure nobody is coming back in, he pulls the rest of himself back in and takes a deep breath.

"Hi there," he whispers. The girl's head shoots up from the slop that was given to her, eyes wide and terrified. Danny drops his invisibility, and she scoots away from him.

"Hey, no, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I just-I'm...A hero? I'm gonna get you out of here."

"You can't," the girl tells him. "No way out. Or they'll-they'll hurt the nice hero..."

"I promise I'll make sure the nice hero is safe, too. What's your name?"

"I'm...I'm Eri..."

"Eri. Such a pretty name. My name is Danny. And, look. I don't-I know what they're doing to you is wrong and scary. And I get it. Tests have been run on me, too."

"Really?" Eri asks, voice full of childlike innocence as well as the world weariness he's only ever heard from adults.

Danny doesn't want to freak her out, so he pulls his sleeve up to his elbow and shows her the bright pink surgical scar running from wrist to elbow instead of the autopsy scar on his chest. She puts her hands out, and gently touches the raised skin, before looking up at Danny with something that looks like hope.

Danny gently pulls away and pulls his sleeve back down.

"I can get us out. But if I'm gonna do that, I need you to be very, very quiet, okay? Can you do that for me?"

Eri nods, and with her permission, Danny gently scoops her up. He pressed a long finger to his lips, and she mirrors him as she nods her head.

"Okay, this is going to be a little cold, okay? Now, shut your eyes, and hold on tight."

Eri shuts her eyes and hugs Danny's neck, burring her face in his shoulder. He slowly, as to not startle her, turns them invisible and intangible before lifting them up through the ceiling, through the dirt, and into the fresh air. When he's high enough he looks down and makes a mental note of where they are before flying away.

"Okay, you can look now," Danny says when they're far enough away. Her face moves, and he hears a small gasp. He drops the intangibility as well, letting the warm night air flow through her hair. And though she's not smiling or laughing, she does relax more in his arms.

It's the middle of the night, so they probably won't notice her gone until the morning. He thought about taking her to the police, but he also just doesn't rust them. Not after they ignored complaint after complaint about the abuse he went through when he was quirkless. And he's not going to touch the Hero Commission as long as he lives.

But he does know one safe place. He had applied, but because of reasons he never had a chance to actually take the test to get in. It's full of heroes and hero students, and if anybody is going to take care of this girl it would be them.

It takes a little while to figure out exactly where he is, but when he does he's quick to change his course and head to the only safe place he knows.

U.A. High School.

When they get there the sun is just peaking over the horizon. He doesn't want to waste time or energy with whatever security system they've got going on, so he turns them both intangible once more. he flies over the gates, and through the halls of the school before he eventually finds what has to be the principal's office.

When they arrive, said principle's head shoots up. He sniffs the air a couple of times before offering Danny a sharp toothed grin.

"If you're going to sneak in here you're going to have to try a lot harder than that," Nezu says, eyes the general area of where Danny is.

"Sorry, sir," Danny says as he drops his invisibility and intangibility. "I wasn't trying to sneak. Well, I was but not-anyway, never mind. This is Eri," he says, bouncing the sleeping girl on his hip. "I found her waiting to be experimented on by the Yakuza."

The explanation takes a while. Danny is protective and hasn't let go of Eri, but Nezu doesn't seem to mind that at all. At one point another hero joins them, and then two hero students who are interning under the guy who's spearheading the operation against Chisaki and the quirkless bullets he's been trying to make.

"This is all well and good, and we're thankful that you've rescued her," the older, dark haired hero says. "But what exactly were you doing there anyway?"

"I was just looking for a place to crash when I came upon them."

"In their underground base," the hero bluntly states, face emotionless except for the single, raised eyebrow. "Why not crash at home?"

"It's not safe. Not for me, anyway. I've been running from the Guys in White for months, and that's the first place they'd think to look for me."

The organization doesn't ring a bell for this new hero, but the principal sits up a little straighter. The hair on his back rises, and the smile he had been sporting is gone completely.

It opens up another line of questioning from the principal, who apparently has some personal beef with the organization. At some point Danny tentatively gets up to show him the surgical scars they've given him, as well as the autopsy scar on his torso. The hero students are sent out before that, though.

Danny sits back down, careful not to jostle Eri too much, but she ends up waking up anyway.

She doesn't recognize him. At least, not at first. But the panic takes over before her brain can stop her, and her quirk activates. Her horn is glowing, and Danny is trying to calm her down. It's affecting him. He can feel his body changing, but he ignores it in his attempt to get Eri to calm down.

And then, after what could only be a few seconds, it stops abruptly. Eri falls forward, exhausted from her quirk, and crawls back into Danny's lap before falling asleep again. When Danny looks back up, he's met with the glowing red eyes of the older hero. And, well, it doesn't take much more than that for a fanboy like Danny to figure out who he is.

"What was that?" Eraserhead asks.

"I have no idea," Danny answers. "This is the first time I've seen her use it. I feel...Better though. Not brand new, but not as tired as I've been lately."

"I have a theory," Nezu says, clapping his hands to get Danny's attention. "Danny, if you would please show us your chest scar once more?"

Danny once again gently puts Eri down on the couch before standing up and lifting his shirt.

"How fascinating," Nezu says. Danny quirks a brow, before looking down himself.

He's still got all of his ghost hunting scars. The burn from Skulker and the stab wounds from Technus, but the newest addition to his chest is gone. No more autopsy scar, as if it had never happened. Danny checks his arm, a little sad to see that that surgical scar is still there, but relieved altogether to find that he doesn't have to be reminded of what happened to him every time he looks in the mirror.

He pats his face, too. It feels less angular than it had been a few minutes ago. He hasn't been able to eat properly since being on the run, and he was only fed granola bars while under the custody of the GiW. But this, this saves him months of physical recovery. He's almost back to a healthy weight.

"It appears to not be a quirkless quirk, necessarily," Nezu says, "but some sort of rewind quirk. How interesting." Nezu turns to Eraserhead. "I'll contact Sir Nighteye. Please escort these two to Recovery Girl and have Lunch Rush make them something warm and hearty."

For the first time in months, as Eraserhead leads them both down the labyrinth of U.A., Danny allows himself to relax.

He knows, somewhere deep down that as long as he's under their care, he and Eri will be okay.

Chapter 108: Toddler's Day Out

Summary:

This one was DM'd to me a while ago and now that I've got a bit more time on my hands, I'm actually able to finally write it. Enjoy!

Chapter Text

Shouta Aizawa is nothing if not patient. He has to be to have the jobs that he does. However, his patience is running thin due to a certain loud blonde that's very audibly freaking out next to him. And don't get him wrong, Shouta's freaking out too. He's just better at controlling it.

"Mic, we'll find him," Shouta says, peeking down an alleyway. The chances of their runaway is slim to none, but it doesn't hurt to be thorough. Except that it does, every time he looks down one and they don't find him.

Their day had started out normal. They were going grocery shopping for the teacher's dorm, and since Danny needed to pick up a few things from the electronics store right next door, they let him tag along.

Mistake number one was not sending one of them to go in with him.

Shouta and Hizashi had been in the middle of checking out when Danny had come through the automatic doors with a brand new box in hand and a grin on his face when someone had bumped into him.

Several things happened all at once.

Danny was turned into a toddler, and the person who had bumped into his student picked him up and carted him off as another accomplice used his quirk to make several smoke screens, causing Mic's voice to shut down due to the smoke inhalation, and blocking Shouta's vision at the same time.

They ran outside as fast as they could to try and catch a glimpse of the kid, but the kidnappers were long gone.

So, here they were, looking for a toddler in the alleyways while practically every hero in this particular zone searched for the kid. Including the majority of the U.A. who seemed more than a little overprotective of their resident Casper.

Shouta just hoped and prayed that the kid was alright. He couldn't even imagine the kind of twisted shit the villains could be doing to him right now.

----------

"He won't eat it," Misaki, the smoke bomber, said as he waved a piece of toast in front of the toddler's face. The little guy just glared up at him though, nose turned away from the food. "Don't kids like toast? I know my niece went batshit for it."

"He's a kid," Hina, the one who had turned the boy into a toddler, replied without looking up from her cell phone. After a moment, she growled with frustration before slamming her phone down into the old couch cushions. "Our buyer said he's running late and won't make it today. We'll have to keep an eye on him for a little while."

"Which means feeding him," Misaki said, turning around to face his partner in crime. "Kid needs a healthy snack."

"And you think toast is the answer?" Hina asks, exasperated beyond belief. Misaki just shrugs and takes a bite of it before turning back around to offer it to the kid they just stole.

Only to find that he wasn't there.

Misaki looked around for a moment, but found no trace of the kid. He stood back up and looked under tables and chairs, behind the couch, and in the bottom cupboards. He wasn't anywhere to be found.

"Uh, I think we got a problem, Hina."

-------

Danny was having the time of his life. Or, at least as much as one could when they were three years old and had the power of a god at their fingertips.

Danny hadn't wanted any toast, simple as that. He wanted to go outside and play, so he just...Did. Going through the wall had been easy, and he had laughed uncontrollably as he saw the people moving around on the ground, looking like tiny colorful bugs. Not falling immediately was also pretty fun. In fact, he could go even higher!

Danny grinned and flew to the bright orange beam held up by several wires. It was just like the one on the playground that he dances on with Jazz. Or maybe it's like the see-saw, he thinks, as the end of it dips under his weight a little.

He's really high up, but he's not afraid of falling. He knows how to catch himself. And he knows that if he gets a scratch, his mom will come and kiss it all better.

So he shakily get to his feet, swaying with the wind, and sticks his arms straight out like Jazz taught him. The beam was wide enough to where he didn't really need to put one foot in front of the other, but it was more fun that way.

The wind is strong today, and that makes it a little harder to stay upright as the beam moves with it, but he manages like the bog boy he is. It's way more fun this way anyway. The normal balance beams at the playground were too easy.

"Wh-hey!"

Danny looks up, confused as a hero running along the rooftops spots him. He says something Danny doesn't care about, a hand on his ear, before he's jumping up on small trampolines made of light to get to him. But Danny just keeps walking.

A couple of things happen next.

Danny moves forward, intent on making it to the end. The hero, not expecting this, ends up hitting the part of the beam where Danny had been standing. The force makes Danny lose his balance completely, and he tips over the side.

The hero lets go immediately, saving himself with one of his light trampolines, but the kid has disappeared. There's no body falling down, no splat on the pavement, no anything.

"Hey!"

The hero whips his head around, only to come face to face with a very pissed off three year old. His arms are crossed and his face is puffing out as he glares at the hero.

"Kid! Oh, you can-hey, come here, kiddo! We can get you back home, safe and sound, yeah?"

"No! I don't wanna go with you! You ruined my game!"

"Awe, I'm really sorry about that, Buddy. But when we get you home we can play a new game. How does that sound?"

"No! I don't wanna play with you!"

And before the hero can do anything, the kid disappears.

----------

The phone rings, stopping Hina and Masaki in their tracks. Hina looks down at her phone, her face going pale as she looks back up at Masaki. He makes a motion for her to answer it.

"Hello? Oh, Plasmius! So glad that you could make the rendezvous after all! Oh, no, everything is fine, no need to worry about us! Yep! We'll have the kid to you at eight! See you then."

Hina looks down at her phone, looking even more dejected than she had a moment ago.

"Eight? Seriously? That only gives us like, three hours to find the kid!"

"Well, we better get to looking then, if we wanna get paid!"

"You may also want to be a little more quiet next time you're talking about your kidnapping victims."

Hina and Masaki whip around, only to come face to face with Present Mic and Eraserhead. Neither of them have any time to react as Eraserhead moves, faster than anything they've ever seen before. Once the villains are unconscious, Eraserhead turns to Present Mic, an eyebrow raised.

"Plasmius? Does that name sound familiar to you?"

"Yeah, but I can't place where. Maybe the Little Listener will have some answers once we get him turned back to normal."

----------

Danny yawns as he tips backwards, catching himself mid-air so he's floating, looking up at the sky. He's only like that for a moment before there's a large shadow looming over him. His face is covered in flames, and he looks like the actual devil.

Danny bursts into tears and flies away, Endeavour chasing after him.

----------

Shouta swings from lamp post to lamp post, gritting his teeth at the incompetency of other heroes. He's one kid. Sure, he's got superpowers, but how hard could it fucking be?

Case in point, as he swings around the corner of one building, something small and cold crashes into him, sending him sprawling on the sidewalk. In his arms is Danny, crying his little heart out.

Shouta cradles him, and rocks him back and forth as relief floods his veins. he ignores the civilians giving him confused and/or dirty looks as he sits in the middle of the sidewalk trying to calm the kids down.

After a couple of minutes, Danny sniffs and leans back, rubbing the tears from his eyes. Shouta pulls out a handkerchief and wipes the snot from Danny's nose, making the kid scrunch his face up in a totally not adorable way. No, Shouta doesn't know what you're talking about, shut up.

"All better?" He asks, his voice low and calm. Danny just nods, and lets out one massive yawn, leaning back far enough that Shouta has to catch him. "Is it nap time?"

Before Danny can give any kind of answer, the number one hero comes barreling down the sidewalk.

"Come back, you little brat! Time to go home!"

Danny stiffens in his arms and buries himself in Shouta's chest before disappearing, though he doesn't leave the safety of Shouta's hold.

"Endeavour," Shouta says, picking himself up off of the ground without the use of his arms. "I think you've done enough damage today. Besides, I got the kid."

"Hopefully the brat listens to you," Endeavor huffs.

"Don't misunderstand me, Endeavor. This conversation isn't over. You've just done enough damage for one day."

He doesn't bother waiting for a response as he shifts Danny to one arm and fishes for his cell with the other. Once he has it, he contacts everybody who's on the lookout that they don't need to search anymore.

Shouta's got his kid back, and that's all that matters to him.

-----------

Danny groans as he wakes up, blinking stars out of his eyes. Above him is Mr. Aizawa and Present Mic, who's cradling his head as he slowly sits up.

"Geez, what happened?" Danny asks, rubbing the back of his head. "And where are we? I thought we were at the grocery store."

Mr. Aizawa and Present Mic share a long look, communicating with no words, before his teacher sighs and helps him to his feet.

"Well, Kid, you've had a very eventful day."

Chapter 109: A Push Down Memory Lane

Summary:

Was cleaning out the drafts when I had the urge to finish this one
heavy angst, tw: death, abuse, and injury
A villain makes Midoriya, Todoroki, Iida, Danny, and Aizawa watch each others worst memories

Chapter Text

Danny groans as he wakes up, noting the massive headache he's got. He slowly sits up, dimly aware of the friends he's with. Everywhere around him is pitch black, but he cans till see his friends and teacher perfectly fine.

"Where are we?" Iida asks.

"I was in the snack aisle when we got hit by whatever the fuck took us here," Danny answers with a shrug. Because apparently they couldn't even do a simply grocery run anymore.

"Is everyone here?" Aizawa asks them, doing a quick headcount. It had just been Danny, Iida, Todoroki, and Midoriya who had been tasked with grocery shopping this week, with Aizawa as their escort.

"What's that?" Midoriya asks. They all turn to him, and see that he's pointing off in the distance. They follow his gaze.

A long ways away is a small, square pinprick of light, and as the more they look at it, the closer it gets.

"What is that?" Todoroki asks as he gets to his feet. He gives Danny a hand, and they both crouch down into battle stances as the light gets closer.

And...Maybe it's Danny's headache, or maybe it's whatever weird world they're in, but Danny can tell as the light gets closer that it's just...Static. There's nothing there. It seems harmless, but Danny doesn't let his guard down.

When it gets close enough to them, larger than any one of them and thrice as wide, it stops. The static cuts out, and a stage appears.

"I bet you're asking yourselves where you are and what this all is," a voice off camera, for lack of a better phrase, tells them. "Why, you've been kidnapped! And the only way out is for you all to relive your worst memories! A bit gruesome, I know, but nothing says "break them up" without some deep, dark secrets coming into play, am I right? Anyway, sit back, relax, and have an awful time!"

The screen cuts to black, and a moment later, it's lit up with white lights and the all too familiar monotonous beeping of a heart monitor.

It's from the person's point of view, so they can't see who it is, but it doesn't take much to figure it out when the camera pans over to the figure lying in the hospital bed.

Tensei Iida lies in the bed, beat up and unconscious. He's got several lacerations that are hidden behind bandages, and several wires coming from miscellaneous parts of his body, all hooked up to one machine or another. Even unconscious he looks like he's in the worst pain imaginable.

"Brother," Iida whispers, unable to take his eyes off of the screen. "This was the day-the day after the sports festival. What he looked like after surgery. We found out that he would never walk again. Never be a hero again."

Danny gently places a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. He remembers the aftermath of this particular event, as he had been there when they all fought Stain together. But this, the catalyst, was definitely worse than any wound Danny and his friends had suffered that night.

"I've always looked up to him," Iida tells them all with a shaky breath. "And I...I have a lot to live up to, carrying his name with me. It's a bit daunting, if I'm being honest."

"I can't even imagine," Danny tells him. "Fuck, we're all gonna need therapy after this."

"You're already in therapy," Aizawa tells him.

"Don't rub it in, please," Danny begs. Before Aizawa can respond, the screen cuts to black, and the stage comes back. Still, there's nobody there. Just a voice outside of the frame.

"Awe, poor little Iida brothers. How's it feel, knowing you'll never live up to the Ingenium name? How's it feel, knowing that you would have gladly murdered the Hero Killer for what he did to your brother? Not without lack of trying, though. Answer this: if your friends hadn't come to your aid, would you have done it? Chew on that while we move onto the next!"

The screen fades to black, and then to a bathroom mirror.

Todoroki is just a child, here. His eye is freshly bandaged, and the tears coming from his right side keep freezing.

He scowls at himself, before jumping off the stool, tucking ti away before he leaves. The hallway he's going down is long, or at least seems like that. he's stopped by his father, who, even at home has to flaunt his power with his flaming facial hair.

"Moronic woman," he hisses. "To hurt you at such an important time."

"Where did Mama go?" Young Shoto asks, not refusing to look up at his father.

"Huh? Oh, she hurt my masterpiece so I put her in a hospital to keep you safe."

"That was your fault," Shoto says, trembling with anger as he finally glares up at his father. "You're the one who made her hurt me."

Endeavour's face glares down at them, his gaze full of nothing but disdain before the screen cuts to black and back to the empty stage.

"It certainly show's how bad Endeavor must be as a father," the villain says. "Your mother pours scalding hot tea over your face and you blame him? I mean, he's terrible. I would too. But oh, poor baby Todoroki finding out he can't ever cry to his mommy for help ever again. How tough it must have been, growing up without her comfort."

Todoroki is shaking, being held in a tight hug by Midoriya, who's glaring up at the screen.

"Oh, fuck me," Danny says under his breath. Because he knows, he knows what his worst memory is. It also just so happens to be his biggest secret.

The screen changes again, from black to a blue, cloudy sky. Next to Danny, Aizawa tenses up, but then minutely relaxes when he realizes it's not his memory. It's Midoriya's.

All Might is there, in civilian clothes. He and Midoriya are on a roof, and All Might is walking away from him.

"I...I need to know," Midoriya says with shaky conviction, "Is it possible to become a hero even if I don't have a quirk?"

"What? Of course it is," Aizawa says, looking over to Midoriya. "But you-you have a quirk I don't understand. When was this?"

"I'm a normal kid without any powers," past Midoriya says, stopping All Might in his tracks. "Could I ever hope to be someone like you?"

"without a quirk?" All Might asks, looking over his shoulder at Midoriya.

They watch as All might doubles over in pain, smoke coming from his body. They watch as he turns into his smaller form, coughing up blood. They watch as he shows Midoriya the wound on his stomach, talking about the fear behind his smile and the pressures of being a hero.

"Pro heroes are always having to risk their lives," All might says. "Some villains just can't be beaten without powers. So can you be a hero?

"Not without a quirk."

Danny can't help the shout of anger directed at the screen as it cuts to an explosion off in the distance shortly after All Might leaves. He doesn't register the fact that Midoriya is similar to him. he can't process it, not properly when they're stuck here anyway.

"He crushed your dreams before leaving you on a rooftop?" Aizawa asks Midoriya, a terrifying calm quality to his voice. "When was this?"

"About ten months before the entrance exam," Midoriya answers quietly, not looking anybody in the eye.

"Oh, but in the end you did a quirk, didn't you?" The villain says. None of them noticed the screen change. "Hiding all of those scary unheroic emotions behind that fragile smile of yours. Do your peers know about your bullies? Your quirkless status up until All Might took pity on you? Well, lucky for you you're not the only one in this kind of situation. But I'm saving the best for last."

The screen opens up to another blue, cloudy day. Aizawa's capture scarf is tightening around a villain, five times the size of their teacher.

"Oboro!" Their teacher cries out, looing around the rubble. His arm is bleeding, but he doesn't have any more of his capture scarf to use to bind the wound. "Oboro, I did it! You were right, I did it!"

Aizawa looks around, but it's nothing but rubble. He stumbles, tripping over debris, before coming across a broken gourd.

"O...Oboro?"

The process after that is hard to watch. Aizawa is insisting that Oboro is alive, that he heard him cheering Aizawa on as he fought his first major villain.

He watches as they dig Oboro's body out of the rubble. A younger Present Mic is there too, and the cloudy day has turned into a full downpour but neither seem to notice.

The last thing they see before the screen goes away is Oboro's bloody body being zipped into a body bag.

"Holy shit," Danny says under his breath. He chances a glance at Aizawa, who hasn't torn his eyes away from the screen. His eyes are red, and Danny just knows that it's not from his quirk. His breaths are shaky, and it's unnerving for them all to see their stoic teacher so thrown off.

"How's it feel to know you're a failure?" The villain taunts. "That's why you became a teacher, isn't it? You haven't lost a kid yet, sure, but you know deep down that you will. In fact, you've come pretty close with this fresh batch of first years several times! I can't wait to see the look on your face when one of them finally kicks it before their debut! Anyway, on to the grand finale!"

The screen changes, and even though Danny knew it was coming, his blood still runs cold.

"Oh god, oh fuck," Danny says, unable to stop the shaking in his hands.

"Here, put this on," Sam says, handing him a white hazmat suit.

"I know basic lab safety, Sam," Past Danny says.

"Not street safety, though," Tucker cuts in, earning himself an elbow from Sam.

"Do not blame Danny for those quirkist dickfucks," Sam snarls. "It's not Danny's fault he's quirkless. And it's not his fault the teacher's don't do anything about it."

"Guys, cut it out," Danny says with a tired sigh. "It's fine. I'm fine. Now, you got the camera ready?"

Sam gives him a thumbs up, and Danny takes in a deep breath before stepping into the portal.

If your parents find out you're totally dead, dude," Tucker says as he snaps a couple of phots on his own phone.

"Well, it's a good thing they won't find out-fuck-!"

Danny remembers it all like it was yesterday. He watches as he trips, and even though it's just his memory playing, he can still feel the press of the button beneath his palm as he catches himself on the wall. He remembers the split second in between catching himself and the ectoplasmic electricity, where he was frozen with fear. The smell of the ozone, the taste of his burning tongue, the smell of his roasting flesh.

His scream here, as he's dying, is the same sound that comes out when he uses his Wail.

The screen goes black for a second before coming to life again, with Sam and Tucker leaning over him. Off to the side, the portal is alive and thrumming with power. Sam shows him his reflection, foreign to him at the time. The white hair and green eyes had scared him. Had terrified him because as much as he didn't want to admit it at the time, he had known exactly what was going to happen in that split second before the lightning struck. In that second he was frozen.

"Did you...Are you...?" Aizawa asks, unable to force himself to ask his full question. But Danny barely registers his voice as the screen goes blank, and back to the stage that finally has someone on it.

"Oh, I knew that one was going to be sweet and juicy! The backstory! The lore! The death! Just the story of a creepy little boy with creepy little powers, unable to fit into the world of the living or the world of the dead. Quite a conundrum indeed. And now that all your friends know, what will you do?"

"Kick your fucking ass!" Midoriya shouts. There are tears streaming down his face, but they're all more taken aback by Midoriya's cursing.

"If you can catch me, that is!"

Without warning, everything around them turns to white. Danny slams his eyes shut, his eyes burning with the sudden onslaught, and he feels that all too familiar jackhammer in his brain. When the light goes back to normal, he opens up his eyes and looks around.

They're on the stage that had been on the screen. It's small and rundown, abandoned. The villain is nowhere to be seen.

They had been grocery shopping before this, but none of them have the appetite or the mental energy to try and go back.

"You...You're like me," Midoriya says, looking to Danny. "Well-not exactly, I guess but...Similar enough..."

"Should have been obvious from the way you used your quirk at the beginning of the year," Danny answers with a shaky breath, trying to shake off the memory of dying.

"Sensei, how old were you when your memory happened?" Todoroki asked in a quiet voice.

Mr. Aizawa lets out a heavy sigh. "Sixteen. We were best friends, and we were doing our work study together. He sacrificed his life saving a bunch of school children. But don't let my memories distract from yours, Todoroki. We will be talking about this, as well as you becoming a ward of U.A. I'm not going to let your ass of a father around you ever again."

"I would...I would appreciate that."

"And you," Aizawa turns to Danny. "We'll be talking about that. not today, but soon."

"Yeah," Danny says with a sigh. "Yeah, okay. Just as long as I get to shove my foot up All Might's ass. Out here giving out haunted quirks to quirkless kids after crushing their dreams."

"What do you mean haunted?" Iida asks.

"Whenever Midoriya uses a lot of power there are some Shades that hang out. Eight of them, if I counted correctly."

"You were right, Danny," Todoroki says, looking between them all. "We are going to need therapy."

And despite everything that's just happened, Danny manages to bark out a laugh. It's short but genuine, and he knocks his shoulder into Todoroki's for the trouble.

It was a rough day, and they've still got to hunt down the villain that did this to them, but at the end of the day, the dude was wrong. He had predicted that these bad memories and whatever secrets they may hold would tear them apart. In fact, it did the opposite.

Danny feels closer to his friends than he ever has, and he has a new perspective as to why Aizawa is such a hardass when it comes to their training and wellbeing. He appreciates it more than words can describe.

-----

When they get back to the dorm, the pile in Danny's room since he's got the most space. They hang out and watch silly rom-coms until they one by one fall asleep in the early hours of the morning.

And if Aizawa gives them all the day off from school, well, that's nobody's business but theirs.

Chapter 110: Ease the Pain

Summary:

tw: recreational marijuana use

Chapter Text

Danny breathed in deep, taking in the crisp, cold air nipping at his ears. Despite the chill he wore no shirt and no shoes, much more comfortable in the colder weather with the least amount of clothes he could get away with wearing.

He took a second, just like he always did on nights like these, to sit back and appreciate the moon in all of her glory. She was a waning crescent tonight, partially covered by clouds that threatened rain in the morning.

He took another deep breath in, held it for a moment, and let it out slowly. It was late-or early depending on who you were-and despite the peaceful night and the comforting cold, he couldn't sleep. Everything just hurt so much today. And it's not unusual for his body to reject him like this. being electrocuted will do that to a person, after all. So will the hero training and internships and secret missions he's going on. His joints are for sure upset with him.

He's tried several types of different medications, but due to his metabolism none of them seem to work for long periods of time. And because it's chronic pain that he has, there's not much Recovery Girl can do.

Sam came through, though. It was one overwhelming night of pain where he couldn't stop the crying or the emotional spiral, but in the end she had just what he needed. Or rather her grandmother did since she was the one with the med card, but that's neither here nor there. What matters most is that he has one pre-roll left, and he's fully intending to use it.

He checks the pockets of his sweatpants for his lighter that he forgot, before sighing in frustration. He puts one end of the joint in his mouth, and pinches the other with his thumb and index finger, using his powers to light it. It glows green for a moment, and then bright red. Danny takes a drag, inhales one more time for good measure, and lets it out slow.

The first hit never does much for him, but it's a meditative part of his process that he appreciates just as much as the high itself.

He started smoking in secret about a year ago, when the pain started to get unbearable. By itself, before all of the constant hero shit, it was no problem to deal with. Just a little nagging sensation in the back of his head that was easy to tune out. It wasn't supposed to be a long term solution, especially when he's technically doing it illegally, but it's the only thing that works for longer than a few minutes.

Besides, he graduates from U.A. in three months, and turns eighteen in one, where he'll then be able to get his card. So no harm no foul, really. And even if he does get in trouble with the school, it'll probably just be no more than a slap on the wrist. He's so close to finishing, and he's got a steady hero he's working under until he can save up for his own agency.

he takes another drag and taps off the ash from the end of his joint. There's a cold tingle starting to go up his temples, and a pleasant buzzing in the back of his brain that quiets his louder, more harmful thoughts.

Another drag. He closes his eyes, focusing on the way the cold wind feels against his exposed skin, savoring it like a weighted blanket. His core hums. The pain starts to ease.

"Couldn't sleep?"

Danny flinches hard, not having heard his teacher come up behind him. He drops his half-finished joint and it falls onto one of the other's patios. Danny whirls around, trying to act casual even though he knows his teacher definitely saw all of that.

"Mr. Aizawa! What are you doing up here so late?" He asks, trying to will the smell of weed away.

His teacher quirks an eyebrow, but he doesn't look upset. Though it's a little hard to tell. One eye is covered by the eye patch, and he's bundled in warm clothes, with a thick, grey scarf that's not his capture weapon wrapped around the bottom half of his face.

"Came to check on you," his teacher says as he walks up to Danny. "It's late. Couldn't sleep?" he asks again.

"Not tonight," Danny answers.

"Hm."

They stand there for a moment, Aizawa casually looking him up and down while Danny's anxiety spikes, because even though he's not worried about getting in trouble with the school, he's still very terrified of getting in trouble with Aizawa.

"Relax, kid," Aizawa tells him. "I'm not here to bust your balls about weed."

"You're not?"

"It would be pretty hypocritical of me, don't you think?" Aizawa asks him. he reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a new joint, and a little yellow lighter. He lights it, takes a drag, and hands it to Danny, who, for a moment, is too stunned to do anything.

"I didn't know you smoked," Danny says as he finally takes the offered weed.

"Usually I use edibles, but Hizashi almost mixed it up with the regular brownies the other day. Nearly gave me a heart attack when I saw Eri eating like, four of them."

Danny chuckles at the image as he hands the joint back to his teacher. It's no secret that he and Present Mic are married, but it's not often that Aizawa tells them anything like this about his personal life. Usually this kind of thing comes from Mic during the downtime they sometimes have in class.

They sit in silence for a few minutes, just passing the joint back and forth. Danny forces his muscles to relax as he focuses on the tingle in his temples, and his mouth is twitching up into a smile without his control.

"I get it, you know," Aizawa says after a few minutes.

"Get what?" Danny asks, taking another drag.

"The need," Aizawa says, nodding towards the joint. "I smoke to take the edge off the pain, or just to relax because my hell class is about to graduate and be out on their own. Weather's been changing a lot, though. Makes my leg ache more than usual."

Danny sometimes forgets about his teacher's prosthetic, but now that he's pointed it out it makes a lot of sense. Metal being joined to the skin with the healing fast tracked by certain medical quirks is bound to have some lasting effect. And if he's actually saying something about it to someone who isn't recovery Girl or Present Mic, it must be pretty bad.

"It helps with my chronic pain," Danny tells him. "The neuropathic pain caused from the accident."

Aizawa, as well as the whole class, found out about Danny's secret during the War, when they were tossing around suggestions about bringing ghosts in to the fight since the League had briefly recruited Vlad. It had been a...Interesting conversation.

"Does it flare up a lot?" Aizawa asks him.

"Some nights are worse than others," Danny offers. "The cold sometimes helps. But the marijuana is more consistently effective.

"And regular pain killers?" Aizawa asked, but Danny doesn't mind. It's not invasive or judgmental, the way his teacher asks him. He's just curious.

"My metabolism is too fast for them. Even the really strong stuff only lasts about an hour at the longest, and it doesn't do much overall. Weed is nice, cause it relaxes my body, and my thoughts go all quiet, and my pain eases a bit. I can actually get a full night's sleep with it."

"It makes Hizashi really loopy," Aizawa tells him. Maybe it's the weed, or maybe it's just the solidarity of using it to ease their respective pains, but Danny's happy that Aizawa is opening up to him like this. In just a few short months they'll be more colleagues than anything. And they'll probably work together a lot, too, since Danny has one foot in the underground scene. "He gets really giggly, then really hungry, and then he passes out for twelve hours."

"I got Jazz to try it once," Danny says through his laughter. "But it was through brownies. And there was a batch for me and my friends, the strong stuff, and a weaker batch, and she thought they were both the same. She was way more paranoid than usual, but her second trip went way better."

They were up their for a while. They finished the first joint not long after, and Danny went down to get the one he dropped when Aizawa had accidentally scared him, and finished that one, too.

Later, in his bed staring up at the glow in the dark star stickers, he felt his whole body relax into the mattress. The pain had been dulled, almost nonexistent for now. There's an almost overwhelming sense of relief. Of peace. Like everything is a little more manageable for a little while longer.

He manages to sleep through the whole night.

Chapter 111: Reformation

Summary:

Danny secretly reforming LoV
(aka there are benefits of having 2 forms and being an underground hero/ spy other than flushing out human trafficking rings)

Chapter Text

Danny is a secret powerhouse.

Sure, he's got the powers and personality for his daytime endeavors, but that's always been Phantom.

Fenton, however, is a different story.

He's got a few useful powers, and he's been asked on several occasions to work with some underground heroes that he just ended up being some sort of a double agent. Phantom is daylight, Fenton is nighttime, and neither are getting any kind of sleep.

Tonight, he gets a tip from about a bar.

----------

Meeting the League of Villains like this was not something he had mentally prepared himself for, but due to his general experiences he's able to school his expressions pretty well.

He's advertised his quirk to his contact as a general enhancer. His senses and strength are different enough from his more physical ghost powers for this to be a solid play, and keeping these particular cards close to his chest has gotten out of more than a couple scrapes. So when he walks into the bar owned by the League, he stands a bit taller, quirks his head a bit more, sniffs the air, and narrows his eyes at everybody.

He's a big guy. He got his father's genetics when it came to height, and he comes up to a respectable 6'7", and with his many years of training and hero work, he's bulked out quite a bit. All this to say is, even Fenton is a formidable foe. In the lion's den, he's gotta show that he's not one to be messed with.

"Name's Yokai," Danny tells them. "I heard you might be looking for new members?"

-----------

It goes well enough. Danny proves he can bring his own natural talents to the table, and lies through his teeth enough to convince them he's fully on their side. And though he didn't lie about hating the government and the Commission, it's still a pretty solid performance.

There's a weird energy around Kurogiri that sends a cold shiver down his spine. It's enough to clock that there isn't something completely human going on, but not enough to actually activate his ghost sense, which in and of itself is a relief. He has no idea how he would explain that when it's not a part of his known quirks.

Instead, he talks with Spinner first.

He's a stoic kinda guy who seems to be higher up in the ranks due to his ability to keep up with Shigaraki in various video games. He doesn't say much, but when he does speak it's practiced, calculated, as if one wrong word will get him thrown out. Danny knows it's something he's probably had to deal with his entire life. Not everybody is so accepting of mutation quirks that are as drastic as Spinner's.

He's also one of Stain's followers, which will either make things incredibly complicated, or a little easier on him.

Toga is, too, and it looks like Dabi has his own plans. The League for him just seems to be a way to enact them without much getting in his way.

He shares hobby with Spinner and gossips with Toga while they do each other's hair. While he can't let her feed on him for obvious reasons, every time he visits them he makes sure to bring a bag with him that he steals from a random hospital.

With Magne they talk about different parenting tactics, because while neither of them technically are, they're close enough. Danny's got Elle and Magne has this colorful crew to look after. They also talk about sexuality and gender, and Danny has had no discomfort in showing her the twin scars on his chest.

If they hug it out after that particularly emotional conversation, well, everybody is smart enough to keep their mouths shut.

With Mr. Compress, he's more of a theatrical kind of guy. Danny brushes up on his Shakespeare, giving a million thanks to Mr. Lancer as he does so, so he can converse with the man. Danny shows him a few complicated card tricks that make Compress chuckle at him as if he's a child, but Danny doesn't find himself minding one bit.

He goes through the whole League like that, more or less. He doesn't know when this became less of an information-gathering mission and more of a gentle-reformation one instead, but he can't say the results aren't there. They all look a bit more relaxed and at ease. Danny finds himself wanting to take care of them.

He of all people understands what it's like being different. Growing up quirkless and then struggling after his accident, he's never quite fit in. Unfit for regular society, not human enough or ghost enough to properly be in either world. He finds that most of the League have the mindset they'd of because of how society has treated them. And while their actions haven't been okay, he can't say he doesn't understand. If he had had a worse support system he probably would have ended up just like them.

Kurogiri is the one he doesn't hang out with much. Not because of any particular reason. He's usually busy cleaning, or breaking up fights, or setting up meetings or off doing who knows what. Because of his fast travel ability he's constantly running errands for everybody.

But when he does take a moment and slow down, he and Danny share some tea together. Or rather, Danny drinks tea in Kurogiri's quiet comfort. His motivations seem more protective than they are malicious, and that's something that Danny understands all too well. Even if the one he's protecting is a mislead murderer.

Because of their naturally ghostly nature, the two can communicate seamlessly without words. There's this underlying current of emotions that only they're aware of, and Danny's not sure if Kurogiri really even notices. Having not been around ectoplasm or ghosts in general, it can be hard to put a name to what this weird emotional feedback loop is. But Danny's got plenty of experience under his belt to realize that it's ghost related.

With this feedback loop and Kurogiri's general vibe, he eventually figures it out. It takes him a long time, but once he learned it was possible, the answer seemed obvious.

Two souls forcibly inhabiting one body, and neither one of them are in true control. He's not really sure how it was done, and he's not sure how to fix it without completely blowing his cover. Going in and separating the parasite from the host wouldn't be too much trouble with his overshadowing ability, but it's not something he can just do in the presence of the League.

He sips his tea instead.

---------

There's something familiar about the name Shigaraki but Danny can't for the life of him place it. Maybe it's because he raided the USJ during a training exercise in a desperate attempt to kill All Might. Maybe it's because he's the leader and figurehead of the League. But it's more than that, isn't it?

He just can't figure it out.

-----------

Months go by like this. Danny brings them things like medical supplies, gloves for Shigaraki, books for Compress, some high end burn cream for Dabi to prolong the effects of his quirk. He takes care of them, and in turn they trust him with information. Not enough to really do anything with it, but sometimes they tell him about a drop that happened, or a supply run they're hitting. A man named Sensei is mentioned more often than not, and he has to wonder if they've told this guy about Danny as much as they've told Danny about Sensei.

He's more than a little intrigued by this mysterious boogieman, and more concerned by the second about the mental toll he's taken on Shigaraki.

It's obvious the kid-because that's what he is to an immortal like Danny-didn't have a nice childhood. With a quirk like his, he probably had a rough awakening. His parents either didn't accept it or they were killed, or maybe they abandoned him. Either way, the clear malicious intent Sensei has with Shigaraki rubs Danny the wrong way, but he's not sure how to broach the subject without setting him off, and tipping everybody off that he's not really who he says he is.

It all comes to a head when Danny is invited to meet this Sensei character. He goes through Kurogiri's portal somewhere in the middle of the pack, with Shigaraki leading the charge. They enter into this large, cavernous room with giant Nomu test tubes lining the walls. In the very back, sitting on a high chair above the reason of them, was a man that just had an overwhelming sense of wrong. Hooked up to dozens of machines, Danny could tell that this man was more powerful than most of the S-Tier villains and ghosts he's fought. And judging from the weird energy that's similar to Kurogiri's, with an underlying current of maliciousness, it's not a surprising realization to Danny that this person should be dead.

"Ah, the famous Yokai," the villain drawls. Danny narrows his eyes as he feels a prodding sensation in the back of his mind, and firmly puts up all of his mental defenses. He's been mind controlled enough to know what it feels like, and he's not about to let some boogieman get the advantage on him.

"Ah, it seems like your heightened senses are good for more than just surveillance," the man says.

"It's a fun little party trick," Danny replies, trying his best to keep the edge out of his voice. Judging from the side eye that Dabi gives him, it's obvious he doesn't do a very good job of it.

The League up to this point has always been pretty laid back. Dabi especially usually has this aloof vibe he puts off, but all of them seem to be on high alert now. Backs are straight and their attention is forcibly stolen by the man in the chair.

"It's not very often that my young pupil finds someone worth his interest."

The nagging feeling in the back of his head is back, a more forceful prodding this time, and Danny closes his eyes to focus on blocking the intruder out. When he opens them again, there's a distinct chill in the air, and everyone has taken a step back from him.

He doesn't need to look in a mirror to know that his eyes are a ghostly green.

Fuck.

"You should be dead," Danny tells Sensei. His voice has this unearthly echo too it, laired in a way that tells everybody he's got just as much power as the man sitting in front of them. There's a sense of danger coming from from him, but it's directed at Sensei. His protective aura washes over the League, wanting to keep them from this battle for their own safety.

He takes a deep breath in, and lets his transformation take place. As he does so, it's like a little piece to the puzzle has unlocked itself.

Years ago-nearly a hundred years ago now-Clockwork had told Danny about a man named Shigaraki. About how he's cheated death time and time again, and how he will continue to do so. Danny had asked if he needed to go and stop him, and Clockwork had said it wasn't the right time.

With the man right in front of him, Danny can't think of a better opportunity.

The League steps back and braces for battle, and as much as Danny understands, it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

"I'm sorry for lying to you all," he tells them. "But for what it's worth, I truly do consider you to be friends."

Without anymore fanfare, Danny launches himself at All for One.

-----------

It's a long battle that takes down most of this mysterious warehouse they're in, as well as several of the nomus.

Danny pulls himself out of the rubble, stumbling as he does so. he's heavily injured, and ectoplasm is leaking out of him at an alarming rate, but dying is quite possibly the least of his worries.

During the fight, the League had tried to help, but it seems as though All for One wanted Danny to himself. He had protected them from AfO for as long as he could, but in the end Kurogiri was forced to take everyone away.

They would never trust him again. They would never want to be around him again. Danny should be okay with that because they're villains and he's a hero but he knows deep down that it's far more complicated than the black and white world most people want to believe in. Just because they're villains doesn't mean they're inherently bad people.

All for One is gone. Died and ended, with no hopes of ever coming back as a ghost, but in doing so he pushed away his friends. This little family he's found himself in.

There are helicopters and news anchors and paramedics and whatnot, and it's all too loud, too much, and it nearly overwhelms him.

So he disappears.

-----------

He doesn't want to go home to his lonely apartment so he doesn't. He can't call anybody or tell anybody because this is off the record and confidential to the nth level. So he goes to the one safe place he can think of.

Floating into the bar, he's not surprised to see it abandoned. Everything is still there, left behind by the previous owners, but nobody's there to greet him like usual.

It's fine. Danny expected this.

He didn't expect the ache in his core to come with it though.

He goes through the motions of hunting down a half decent first aid kit and gets to work, dumping alcohol on his wounds and sewing them up with practiced precision.

He's about halfway through with a particularly nasty gash on his arm when Kurogiri's portal opens in the middle of the bar, and the League steps out.

They look pissed, and Danny can't blame them. If he were them, he'd be pissed too. But now that his secret is out, he can finally do something he's been itching to do for months.

He ties off the stitches and wipes it down with a relatively clean rag before stepping up to Kurogiri. Everybody tenses, but with a nod from Kurogiri, they don't attack.

Danny transforms once more, and places his hands inside of Kurogiri's chest.

With his experience, it only takes a couple of minutes to separate the two. He pulls this purple, pulsing blob out of the host, and without anything to feed on, it dissipates.

Who's left is a man with clouds for hair and a bandage over his nose.

"i-I'm me again," he says, almost in awe.

"Took me a while to figure it out since I was undercover, but I figured that might help you out. Having a parasite forcibly put into your body like that can't exactly be good for your health."

"Thank you. Name's Oboro Shirakumo. Legally dead, I guess."

"Well, that makes two of us, I suppose."

"What do you mean? You're a daylight hero at the top of the charts, there's no way you're dead!"

Danny gives Toga a small, sad smile.

"Phantom is a daylight hero. Fenton, though...He's been legally dead for nearly a hundred years."

It takes a while to explain the accident and his growing up quirkless, but in the end, the League doesn't kill him. Maybe because they know it won't do them much good. But by the time he's done, he gives them an opportunity.

"Listen, I know things are complicated now, but...I've got a big house with more than enough rooms for everybody if you need a place to stay."

Wordlessly, the League looks to Shigaraki, who mulls over it for quite some time before shrugging.

"As long as it's better than this dump."

Danny can't help but give a relieved grin.

"Let's go home, then."

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Flopyflor on Chapter 1 Mon 08 Nov 2021 12:20AM UTC

<3 This is so cute. I love how everyone has colectively decided that Aizawa is kind of like Bruce Wayne: if he finds a child in disstress, he will adopt them.

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lexosaurus on Chapter 1 Tue 09 Nov 2021 09:59PM UTC

I remember reading this on tumblr when u posted it! love seeing it here on ao3. Don't mind me bingeing the rest of these oneshots

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DP_Marvel94 on Chapter 1 Wed 17 Nov 2021 02:46AM UTC

Lovin' the Dadzawa. :)

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SkeweredFreaky (Guest) on Chapter 1 Wed 12 Jan 2022 03:59PM UTC

This is literally the hug that I’ve been needing for a while, it is absolutely wonderful, I love Dadzawa and Danny Phantom, so I am so happy that I’ve found these works of art (and accidentally too!) This is like warm cocoa on a chilly day

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GulibleLinx on Chapter 1 Thu 13 Jan 2022 02:57PM UTC

Dadzawa to the rescue!

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Izzycrust on Chapter 1 Thu 03 Feb 2022 04:49PM UTC

I'veread some of these longer ago and re-discovered ypur tumblr and have to reread them again and i love it thank you for having written these!!

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Spade_Z on Chapter 1 Mon 16 May 2022 11:25PM UTC

Just a Spade casually dropping by
♠️💚

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mathle0matle on Chapter 1 Sat 16 Aug 2025 11:08PM UTC

🥺🥹

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DP_Marvel94 on Chapter 2 Wed 17 Nov 2021 02:48AM UTC

Dang. Danny really is terrifyingly powerful.

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Firefly_Aki on Chapter 2 Thu 18 Nov 2021 04:20AM UTC

YES PLEASE

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GulibleLinx on Chapter 2 Thu 13 Jan 2022 03:00PM UTC

❤❤❤❤❤

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AGhostofaChance on Chapter 2 Wed 28 Aug 2024 01:48PM UTC

<3<3<3

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DP_Marvel94 on Chapter 3 Wed 17 Nov 2021 02:49AM UTC

Poor Danny. He's really fortunate All Might speaks English.

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GulibleLinx on Chapter 3 Thu 13 Jan 2022 03:02PM UTC

❤❤❤❤❤❤

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Flopyflor on Chapter 4 Mon 08 Nov 2021 12:34AM UTC

<3<3

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lexosaurus on Chapter 4 Tue 09 Nov 2021 10:10PM UTC

Awww this was so adorable. Sad, but cute in the end.

Last Edited Tue 09 Nov 2021 10:10PM UTC

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DP_Marvel94 on Chapter 4 Wed 17 Nov 2021 02:50AM UTC

😭 I'm not crying! You're crying! So tender and sweete but so dang sad. Poor Danny.

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Firefly_Aki on Chapter 4 Thu 18 Nov 2021 04:26AM UTC

[tearfully] so good...

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Izzycrust on Chapter 4 Sun 28 Nov 2021 09:34PM UTC

Asdfghfsdhddfah Dannyyyyyy, adopt him Aizawaaaa

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GulibleLinx on Chapter 4 Thu 13 Jan 2022 03:05PM UTC

❤❤❤❤❤❤

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