Chapter Text
Danny was used to death.
It wasn’t like he could stop it. Far from it, he’d tried. Tried so hard to save the people in his dreams, but it always ended inevitably to their demise.
It’s an ending that Danny cannot rewrite. It just was.
The dreams had been there for so long, ever since his accident 10 years ago, giving him visions of people’s deaths. They were always random; it didn’t have to be someone he personally knew, nor did their deaths happen immediately. Sometimes Danny would have a dream of someone’s death that would occur days, months, or even years later.
This time he dreamt of someone who looked around his age, wearing a black suit.
Eyes that were stormy blue, so striking and inviting that Danny felt his feet moving towards this person as the snow fell around them in the darkest night. A trail of blood streaked across the side of the stranger's temple. His eyes…so filled with desperation, almost begging Danny for something…and Danny didn't know why, but he wanted to ask this person – Was he okay? Why was he looking at him like that?
His long bangs blew across his face, his skin almost turning pale from the cold, but the person in front of him was so focused on Danny that it sent a warm feeling across Danny’s chest, and he didn’t understand why.
In a blink, Danny watched himself walk towards this man—Geez, an out-of-body experience—Surprisingly, he was injured himself (and a shorter haircut like he had in high school. What the fuck?), but it was nothing that Danny couldn't handle, just a cut on his forehead. The streets were empty and forlorn, and there was a foggy smoke that loomed behind behind this person.
Danny watched himself throw his arms around this handsome stranger who had looked so defeated standing there amongst the wreckage.
“Thank you,” Danny heard himself whisper to that person, who looked too shocked at the bold move. Danny wondered that as well. Why would he hug this stranger?
“What for?” the stranger breathed, befuddled.
Danny’s future-self smiled softly. “For saving me.”
“How can you believe me? How can you trust me, a stranger?”
“Because I know.” It was said so empathetically that Danny couldn’t help but stare at the scene in wonderment. “‘Cause it’s happening to me as well.”
The man’s face immediately crumbled before burying himself in his future self’s hair, holding him tighter as if afraid he'd disappear.
Danny couldn’t help but wonder: Who was this stranger in his future?
Who are you?
Danny gasped awake, shooting up from his bed. But instead of having trouble remembering…he still remembered that stranger’s face so clear as day, unlike any other dream he had ever had.
Striking stormy blue eyes, with a lock of black hair that Danny couldn’t help but feel the urge to brush away—
No, no, not important. With one glance at his alarm clock, he knew he had to do his usual routine.
02/13/2023 – 6:45 AM.
He reluctantly pulled out his notebook (because Jazz said it would help process all those traumatic events, whatever) and wrote all the things he could remember about that event. It was more detailed and clear than any other dream he had.
“DANNY! You’re going to be late to work.” Jazz’s voice called out. “I made breakfast.”
Danny took a moment to stretch his back before starting his morning routine: Shower, brush his teeth, change into fresher clothes for his first day of work, and double-check his backpack before entering the kitchen, where he was met with a frazzled Jazz who yelped as hot cooking oil splat into her face.
He chuckled in amusement before taking the spatula from her to save their remaining breakfast, “Really, Jazz? You trying to cook? I thought we all agree you’re a terrible cook.”
Jazz pouted.
It was okay because Danny kind of liked routines, which was surprising for him since he’s usually a klutz and always late to his classes, but he got by and managed to graduate and got his degree in Astrophysics. Everything should be fine for the two Fenton siblings.
“Did you have your dream again?” Jazz’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts.
Danny scowled, his morning now kind of ruined. He kind of wanted to forget that actually, more so than any other dream. “I was there this time,” he admitted.
Jazz lowered her mug, concern written on her face. “What happened?”
“That’s just it,” Danny’s brows furrowed. The image of the stranger was clear as day in his head. “I was hugging this stranger. There was snow falling down on us. Staring at each other in the streets at night."
“...you’re hugging a stranger? Was he cute?”
“Yes—I mean NO. That’s not the point,” Danny gave her a stink-eye. “I’m seeing someone, remember?”
“Yeah,” Her flat tone indicated her feelings about his boyfriend. Danny scowled. Like she could talk about her history of men she had the misfortune of dating.
“I don’t want you mentioning the man in my dream in my life.” Not when I have the man in my life.
“I don’t need to. Your dreams always happen in real life.”
“That’s not true!” Danny denied. A movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention and when he looked through the window: a guy in a leather jacket, around Jazz’s age, with broad shoulders and a white streak in the front among that mass of black hair, was carrying a box into the house across from them before returning outside to talk to someone that caught Danny’s attention.
“Yeah, new neighbors,” Jazz said, taking the spatula away from him, interested in the breakfast that Danny had laid out. But Danny was focused on the familiar man standing outside the gate, his eye showing prominent bags as he held a thermos in one hand while the other was gesturing wildly at this white-streak guy, probably brothers if Danny had to guess.
When stormy grey-blue eyes met his, Danny yelped in surprise, falling on his back onto the floor, now out of view, as soon as his mind registered who exactly that was.
“You okay, Danny?” Jazz called out.
Before Danny could speak, the sound of a doorbell rang across the room. Dread pooled in him as he slowly got up to look at the intercom monitor.
There, in front of him, was the same man holding a food container with a strained smile on his face.
Danny could feel the color draining from his face. Fudgecakes, please kill him now.
“Danny,” Jazz sounded unimpressed behind him.
“It’s him!” Danny gestured panicky at the monitor.
“Who?”
“The man from my dream!” How is he here?
“Don’t you mean the man OF your dreams?” she deadpanned.
Danny shot her a dirty look.
“Um, good morning.” The stranger spoke up. It weirdly sent goosebumps down his spine for how real his voice sounded compared to the dream Danny had. “My brother and I just moved into the house in front of you—“
“Please leave,” Danny cuts in, unimpressed. “Don’t come to our house again like this. Thank you. I don’t want any of your food or some kind of gift basket. My apologies. Good day!” Then he shut the intercom off before the guy could react.
Hopefully, he would know better now.
“DANNY!” Jazz sounded scandalized.
Meanwhile, Tim stood there, flabbergasted at how rude his neighbors were before turning to his brother, “What?” he hissed.
Jason just chuckled, amused. “Did you smile?”
“Yes, I smiled!”
“That’s the problem.”
“This is your fault!” Tim hissed.
“It’s rude not to give gifts to our fellow neighbors when we moved in, Timbo. We were raised better than that.”
“Shouldn’t they be the ones giving us a housewarming gift?” Tim muttered, lowering the food container before he joined his brother.
“Well it’s not a warm welcome,” the bastard was still chuckling before he quickly stopped, his gaze laser-focused on something with an undecipherable expression.
Tim’s brows furrowed as he followed his brother’s gaze and it was in the direction of that rude neighbor’s house. A red-haired woman, who was a couple of years older than Tim, was standing there by the window, talking to someone that Tim couldn’t see.
Tim couldn't see what was so interesting about her till he glanced back at Jason, who had a dopey grin on his face. Oh no.
“Jason, please no,” Tim moaned.
Jason just shot him a wolfish grin. “I’m happy to do the warm welcome this time.”
When Tim looked back, he was met with glaring blue eyes. This time it was someone around his age with bird’s nest black hair and blue eyes watching him next to the red-haired woman.
Tim gave a hesitant wave, and the man’s scowl deepened before they covered the curtains right in front of him.
Yeah what a nice start in the morning, Timothy Drake.
Danny sat alone on an empty long bench at the bus stop, tapping his foot impatiently as he glared at the sun blazing down on him. This part was not his favorite morning routine. Usually, he would go to his favorite coffee shop before heading to class, but since it was his first day at work with a limited time, he was kind of in the rush to get there now, though at least he had Humpty Dumpy playing in his earbuds to distract him from the heat.
“Stupid Jazz, stupid dream, stupid him,” Danny grumbled.
A flicker of movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Danny glanced and he could feel the stiffness in his neck as he watched the man from his dream earlier heading towards his direction, seemingly distracted. This time, he was wearing a business outfit that was almost the exact same one from his dream, except this was in a lighter shade of grey.
Before Danny could let out internal curses in his head and come up hundred different ways to leave without catching this guy’s attention, the topic himself flopped down a seat next to him.
Danny wanted to die. He wanted to scream why was this happening? Out of all the empty seats, this guy chose to sit next to him? Danny was already silently pleading for the earth to swallow him up as stormy blue eyes met his questioningly, probably reading his tensed behavior.
Danny could only pray that his neighbor didn’t recognize him, at least Danny had brought his cap that would hopefully shadow his face and hair.
But still, though, why did this guy decide to sit next to him?
No. Don’t jump to conclusions. I’m full of myself for thinking that, right? I’ll be even more humiliated if I’m wrong. Danny shook his head before he moved one space away from this guy. Irritation flickered as the guy just followed him behind.
What the fudge?
Danny moved another space to his left, and the guy. Just. Moved. One. Space. Closer. To Him.
What the fuck was wrong with this guy? Unbelievable. Was this guy interested in him? Well, Danny was prepared to give him a piece of his mind that he’s very much taken, thank you very much. So he stood up, just as the same time the other guy did, and said:
“I’m not interested in you.”
“There are seats here. You can sit now.” The creep said at the exact same time.
Danny was confused for a moment before his mind registered that the guy was facing a group of high school girls nearby. And when he mentally rewind the guy’s words, Danny internally cringed at the awkward silence.
Oh Ancients, please kill me now. Danny moaned as his maybe-not-actually stalker turned to face him, looking unimpressed and perhaps offended?
This is what I get for jumping to conclusions. Danny really wished the earth would swallow him now, embarrassed now.
“What do you mean?” his totally-not-stalker-he-guessed said.
“Oh wow, did this guy think this hottie was hitting on him?” One of the girls murmured to the other.
Danny’s skin prickled. He could feel his cheeks reddening, from irritation or embarrassment, he didn’t know which.
“That guy isn’t even cute. How dare he!”
“Nerve of him, really.”
“Shh! Be quiet.”
Well, too late. Danny internally huffed as his neighbor raised an eyebrow at him. Oh right.
Danny tried to regain his composure, never leaving the guy’s gaze, but the words failed him because how was he supposed to explain that? It was a fair assumption to make about the guy who seemed to have it in his way to bump into Danny’s life. More times than Danny could count, and it wasn’t fair!
(Okay, maybe he’s being dramatic. It was only the second time today).
“I’m—“ Then Danny’s eyes caught sight of the bus sliding next to them. “Gonna catch the bus. Bye!”
Hopefully, his maybe-not-stalker wouldn’t follow him as he took the very backseat of the bus where he can look back and watch his neighbor staring at him bemusedly.
Tim was bemused as he watched this stranger hop onto the bus, obviously trying to preserve what little dignity he had left.
But the voice—
Recognition hit. Tim froze, the memory snapping into place.
“You’re him. That rude guy earlier from the intercom,” Tim said in disbelief, just as his neighbor turned with that same glare that was given to him a few minutes ago.
This was what he got for choosing to commute today.
Danny sighed in relief as he plopped himself on his workspace. At least his first day on the job had been a breeze: his supervisor had shown him around, told him about the ropes (and gossip), and introduced him to everyone. They were all nice and polite to a newcomer, which was a relief for Danny since he had been a wreck when he got a phone call that he had been accepted to work here.
“Hey babe,” a familiar voice greeted him, followed by a kiss. Danny let out a startled squawk,his cheeks flaming. He was met with the sight of his brilliant, ridiculously attractive boyfriend.
“Hey Dash,” Danny said, shyly smiling.
“How are you loving it here?”
“It’s great.”
“You know I told you that you could have come and worked with me. We would have had plenty of time.”
Danny tried to be stern. Really he did. But it was hard when Dash was wearing the suit. And Danny just has a weird weakness for the suit.
“Nepotism,” was all he could say. “What are you doing here?”
“Meeting with the CEO. Business meeting,” Dash shrugged. “What about you?”
Danny scowled. “Not a great day. There’s this stupid guy who’s been following me around.”
“Really?” Dash cracked his knuckles. “Want me to beat them up and shove them in a locker?”
Danny chuckled. “It’s fine. I kicked him in the balls. Metaphorically.” Before his boyfriend could join in his celebration of how he put his stalker right in his place, a feminine voice called out.
“Mr. Baxter? Mr. Drake is ready for you now.” Standing there was a woman, probably the CEO’s secretary.
When she made a gesture next to her, Danny’s eyes followed, and he could feel the blood in his veins freeze. You have got to be kidding me—
“It’s you! My stalker!” Danny couldn’t help but blurt out in disbelief. His stalker’s eyes snapped towards him before it flickered with recognition.
Ah, crap. I shouldn’t have said that.
Then his mind registered the sound of whispering. The way his co-workers started looking at him weirdly.
Yup. I DEFINITELY shouldn’t have said that. Can this day get any worse? Danny couldn’t help but internally cry out.
“Um babe, that’s Mr. Drake,” Dash whispered to him, awkwardly.
Danny was sure the color on his face drained as he mentally backtracked the event again, taking a closer inspection at his stalker. Dressed like a businessman. Well, that made sense since that’s Mr. Drake, apparently—
Danny blue-screened when he registered that piece of information.
Wait? Did I just call Mr. Drake, the CEO of the company I’m working on, my stalker? Oh fudge, I can’t believe I beat up the CEO of the company I work at.
Then his eyes widened when it just occurred to him.
MY STALKER-SLASH-NEIGHBOR IS MY BOSS?!
Yup. Danny was so dead.
“So how was work?” Jazz asked casually, her eyes darting back and forth on the menu.
The brother and sister decided to have dinner at the small café near where they lived since somebody forgot to buy groceries. Interestingly, Jazz even brought her work here as well. When Danny asked about it, Jazz’s mood soured, and she just said, “It's nice to work somewhere not at home. I just need fresh air for a new perspective. Without distractions”.
(Earlier)
“Hello,” Jason said, casually leaning with his one arm above the doorway. “Jason Todd. Your new neighbor. And you are?”
Jazz was unimpressed. “Not interested.”
And there began a whole set of Jason trying to woo his neighbor.
This was so not the cute classic boy-next-door and girl-next-door story that Jason had hoped he would one day tell to their future children.
“Why don’t you want to go out with me?” Jason couldn’t help but ask later, perched at her window. Jazz resisted the urge to toss her files at him.
“You remind me of my ex,” she flatly said.
“Oh, and what’s he like?” Strong? Capable? Handsome? Smart? Because, pretty lady, I'm sure I'm better than that and fit the criteria.
“Dead.”
Danny scowled. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
After that embarrassing mishap, Danny was definitely known as the weirdo who accused the CEO of the company as his stalker, with the way his co-workers started whispering whenever Danny walked by.
Danny wouldn’t be surprised if he was fired for possible “assault charges,” even though Mr. Drake totally started this.
First day on his job. Great job, Danny Fenton. Only he would have that kind of karma.
At least, Mr. Drake seemed like he wanted to forget the event as well, though he got a stink-eye for it, maybe? Danny didn’t know Timothy to correctly judge his expressions.
And well, Danny was not going to let his stalker/neighbor/CEO stop him from doing the things he loved. Timothy was totally a player, stalking Danny, falling for him even though Danny was happily in a relationship with someone else (okay, his stalker doesn’t know that). But still, it was the principle of things!
The only one who seemed to find amusement in his pain was Dash, which wasn’t surprising since he’s been giving Danny pain since high school.
“I saw Dash at my workplace,” Danny said, seizing a brighter topic.
Jazz lowered the menu to give him an unimpressed look. “Really?”
Well, she never liked that he was dating Dash. She assumed that the reason they were together was that Danny felt homesick and dating his childhood bully was his way of “coping” with the move by going for someone familiar. Actually, she thought Danny had “low standards” which was rich coming from her who had impossible standards and expectations for an ideal guy she wanted to date. And didn’t Jazz used to think that Dash was an okay guy before? She even tutored his boyfriend once during his freshmen.
“He has a reservation place for tomorrow on Valentine’s Day. Candlelight dinner.”
“And since when’s the last time you two went out?”
Danny glowered at her. “2 months, but we’ve been bus,y you know. Other commitments.”
“He doesn’t even respond to your messages.”
“Jazz, knock it off.”
Jazz’s face softened. “I’m worried, Danny. You’ve been moping whenever he doesn’t reply to your messages or forgets the plans you have been looking forward to. I hate to see Dash hurt my little brother.”
“I’m perfectly happy with my relationship, thank you very much,” Danny replied, though his gaze caught a man in a skull-printed jacket leaving the café, lighter in hand. His stomach sank.
His stomach sank in with dread. The image was clear in his head. “I remember you,” Danny breathed, his eyes never leaving that man. Just out the doors. Maybe in minutes or hours. That man would die.
“What’s wrong?” Jazz’s face blocked his sight.
“That guy…he was in my dream three months ago,” Danny said quietly. It was never easy when he encountered the people in his dreams. The majority of the time, he never met them. But when he did, there was always that sense of helplessness and dread feelings that came, knowing that he can’t do anything about their deaths.
“It was snowing. That guy was at the gas station. The moment he used his lighter to smoke a cigarette...” Kaboom. The whole place exploded in flames.
Jazz blinked and then looked outside for that guy.
Oh, it’s snowing, Danny thought with apprehension when he caught the sight of the beginning of snow falling outside the dark streets. Just like my dream.
“So that means it will happen pretty soon. Okay, we just take his lighter,” Jazz’s determined voice interrupted his thoughts.
Danny was taken aback as Jazz quickly got up and rushed towards the man. He blinked a couple of times in surprise before he scrambled after her. “Jazz, wait!” He called.
“Sir?” Jazz called out, stopping the man from entering his car by touching his shoulder. The man looked befuddled as his sister made wild gestures while Danny stood by the doorway with nervous anticipation.
The man shook his head at something Jazz said before he quickly got inside his car and drove off.
Danny sighed before approaching his sister. “No one ever believes me when I told them how they’ll die, what makes you think you can change it, Jazz?” he said.
He was met with Jazz’s bright smile as she held out a lighter in front of him. “Well, my little brother, I took this. Will it work?”
Danny frowned, considering. Possible, but—
He quickly shook away his hopes. “It’s useless. My visions ALWAYS happen, no matter how hard I tried to save them. One way or another, that man is going to die,” He said, defeat sinking in as he stared at the car growing smaller and smaller in front of him.
It’s his choice and his fate.
“Besides, who would believe my crazy story?” Danny said dejectedly. Even if I told him my dreams will always come true, even if I practically begged him to listen to me if he wants to live. He’ll still die.
Our parents didn’t believe me. And they passed away like that.
“I can never change the future, Jazz.”
Danny blinked in surprise when he found himself in some kind of hospital room. Christmas decorations hung around the room, even a small Christmas tree lying in the corner with a couple of gifts scattered around.
So a Christmas death dream. Great, Danny crossed his arms. See this was why he never liked Christmas in the first place. He always had bad experiences whenever it was Christmas. Now this dream was just depressing.
“You’re telling me,” a familiar voice spoke up. His own voice.
Danny’s head snapped towards the direction and he was surprised to see himself on the bed, wearing a hospital gown (thankfully he still had his mullet, unlike his other dream). His future-self was holding a piece of paper and was looking at the person sitting at his bedside.
He had to blink a couple of times when he recognized Aunt Alicia, whom he hadn’t seen for a very long time.
“—that my sister Jazz died because of me? Because of the accident I caused?” His future self said to Aunt Alicia, one hand clenching his fist.
Danny could feel the blood on his vein freeze, horror sinking into his gut. “Jazz?” He breathed.
No, no, no, no, no. This is not happening. No! This CANNOT be happening!
Danny took a couple of steps back, watching his future-self shaking his head in denial, tears in his eyes.
“Please wake up. Please wake up. This is a dream. This is not a dream,” His future-self let out a sob, with one hand clutching his chest.
Danny wanted to scream at this scene. He wanted to rage that this was just a nightmare. That this wasn’t his stupid curse.
Not Jazz. Anyone else BUT Jazz.
Danny gasped as he shot back up from his bed, his heart pounding in his ears. He blinked away the tears in his eyes when he registered he was in his bedroom, not the hospital room. He took one glance at his alarm clock and let out a breath:
02/14/2023 – 6:59 AM
He pulled his knees close to him, letting out a sob of grief. Even though he knew it was just a dream, he recognized the implications.
His visions were never wrong. Not about that.
What am I going to do? His body shook, breath heaving as he buried his face into the arms wrapped around his knees. It’s Jazz. I can’t lose her. I can’t!
Please not her.
For the first time, Danny felt raw fury about this stupid damn curse. He was already jaded for the people he can’t save before but never had he imagined that the vision he had would be Jazz.
He never felt more helpless up until this moment.
His mind felt numb as he forced himself to get up and write down the dream in his notebook, forcing himself to remember every single detail, knowing it was vital, even though every single moment of it was killing him on the inside at such loss.
Mullet. I was in the hospital bed. Christmas. Aunt Alicia was there. I was holding Jazz’s Last Will. She died because of the accident that I apparently caused—
It wasn’t long before his tears dropped onto the page, ruining the words, but Danny didn’t really care because he was sure this dream wasn’t something he’d EVER forget as he buried his face in his notebook, crying.
Why me? Why HER? Please not her! Anybody BUT Jazz, please.
I can’t lose her. I CAN’T. She’s all I have.
It had taken a long time before Danny managed to pull himself as he slowly headed towards the kitchen, where he can hear the sound of plates moving around.
“Hey Danny, it’s time to eat. And go take a shower.” Jazz called out to him.
And when Danny’s eyes landed on her, the smile on his sister’s face froze when she caught sight of what must be his puffy eyes and red cheeks from all that crying. Jazz looked concerned as she slowly approached him.
No, I can do this. Danny kept telling himself that, turning away from her. I need to be strong. I need to be strong—
“—A gas station was lit up in flames. A man who lit a cigarette caused an explosion.”
Danny whipped his head towards the TV. Right there, on the news channel, was the image of the same guy last night, lighting up his cigarette on the security footage, just seconds before the gas station exploded, destroying the camera.
The same guy who can’t fight against his fate. The same guy that Jazz tried to save last night. The reality felt more real than ever. Fear gripped into his heart as he realized, with a sinking realization that he really can’t change it. Not at all.
Danny quickly stormed off to the bathroom with Jazz protesting “Where are you going? Danny?”. He can hear the sound of footsteps growing louder as he quickly snatched a scissor behind the bathroom drawer and started cutting off his mullet.
“Danny, what are you doing?” Hands started to grab for the scissors, but Danny pushed her off, determined as the final thread of his hair was finally cut off. When he looked at the mirror in front of him, he was met with glaring blue eyes and choppy short hair that he hadn’t had since high school, with one hand clutching scissors and the other his mullet.
There. The dream wouldn’t happen as long as I kept my hair short.
“What’s the matter with you, Danny?” Jazz demanded, pulling both his shoulders to face her. “Where is this coming from? Why did you cut your hair?”
The sight of his sister so concerned for him made when he’s the one at fault for causing Jazz’s death had Danny crumbling to the floor, crying again.
“Oh Danny,” she said before warm arms wrapped around him, whispering comforting words in his ears. Danny clung to Jazz’s comforting presence, burying his face in the crook of her neck as the scent of her apple-scented shampoo hit him on his nose.
“So you had a dream about my death?” Jazz said quietly, holding a mug of tea close to her chest.
They were seated at the dining table. Danny couldn’t help but spill everything to her. It’s not like he can hide anything from her, really.
“What am I going to do, Jazz?” Danny said, desperate. The ugly reminder of the guy’s death that Danny can’t save anyone’s death was fresh on his mind. But that’s not going to stop Danny. He was determined to save his sister if that was the last thing he did.
Fuck the dreams. I won’t let you take her. I won’t let you take Jazz away from me.
“But you don’t know when it will be?” Jazz softly inquired. Danny shook his head. As I long I stopped my hair from re-growing, it should be okay.
“No. Jazz, what am I going to do? You’re the only family I have left in this world. I don’t think I can live without you.”
Jazz sighed before she pulled him into a hug. “Come on, Danny. You know I’m too stubborn to die. You can’t get rid of me that easily, little brother.”
Danny chuckled before he buried his face in the crook of her neck. “You’re right. Way too stubborn.”
Despite what he said, he still can’t help but be worried. Is it enough?
Jazz, alone in her bedroom, pulled out her bankbook and a piece of paper. She wrote down her will with a heavy heart. She knew that no matter how hard her brother tried, she would succumb to Danny’s vision.
It would hurt him, but at least Jazz can secure Danny’s future with her fortune and savings. His life will be secured, even without her. It’s the least Jazz could do, as his oldest sister, to do everything she can to keep her brother safe.