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“Danny,” Jazz starts, voice just this side of patronizing.
“Jazz,” Danny doesn’t look up, just tilts his head in her direction to show he’s listening.
“What is this?” she asks, holding up a Fenton Thermos that has a green blinking occupied light.
“This is a shoe,” Danny holds up his foot with the untied shoe half on, “That doesn’t seem to fit anymore.”
“Do we need to go shoe shopping again? We just bought you shoes last month.”
“Can we please?” he flops backwards to lay across the floor.
Jazz steps closer to look down at him being dramatic.
He blinks at the thermos in her hand. “What’s that?”
“I was asking you, it was in your backpack.”
“Oh! It’s my snack. Special soup.”
“Speci- do I even want to know?”
“Uh… maybe?”
Jazz arches an eyebrow at him.
He shrinks a little.
“Try me.”
“So, uh, you remember how last month I was super tired and unfocused?”
She frowns, gaze drifting as she recalls, “like when you would phase through the door instead of actually opening it?”
“Like when I would zone out and just start floating unfocused.”
She winces in empathy.
“Yeah, so, apparently, I wasn’t eating right?”
“Why does that sound like a question?”
Danny shrugs, “Frostbite gave me that and said to drink it and to go to him to refill it when it gets empty.”
“What is it,” Jazz shakes the container.
“Special soup.”
“Why do I even bother?” She asks herself, walking back to the kitchen.
“Because you love me?”
“Unfortunate.”
“What am I supposed to do with my shoes tho? I can't go to school like this,” he pointedly sticks both feet into the air to show both ill fitting shoes.
“Wear dad's,” she calls from the kitchen.
“Ew.”
“Then flip flops?” She offers, coming back into the hall, his backpack in one hand.
“I don't even think I have flip flops that would fit.”
“Well you can't go barefoot.”
“Obviously.”
“Dad's crocs would work.”
“I cannot stress enough the following statement: EW .”
“You can't afford more absences and the stores aren't open for another hour so we can't buy any before class starts,” she lists on each finger. “If you miss school, you would have it marked permanently on your record, which would put you at a disadvantage for basically every stem-centric university. Which would mean you probably won't get into the NASA program-”
“Okay fine, shut up, I'll wear dad's shoes.”
“We can go shopping as soon as I'm out of class at 6 today.”
“You’re the worst.”
“Am not, you’re lucky to have me.”
“Unlucky if you ask me,” he mutters.
“I heard that,” she says as she pulls her keys out of her pocket. “Ready? I can give you a ride.”
“And be an even bigger social pariah? No thanks,” he says, hopping into the air as he transforms. “Don’t be late.”
“I won’t,” she waves as he disappears through the wall.
“Danny!” Sam calls over the din of students in the hall.
Danny waves with one hand as he shoves his other through his locker door to grab his textbook.
“We didn’t see you outside,” Tucker says as he slumps into the locker next to Danny.
“I didn’t want to be seen,” Danny shrugs, pulling his arm and book free.
“Why…are you wearing those?” Sam asks, looking down at his feet.
“My shoes don’t fit,” he falls forward to bang his head onto the locker.
“Dude,” Tucker covers his mouth to hide his expression, “Those are your dad’s.”
“I’m aware.”
“Didn’t you, like, just get new shoes last month?” Sam asks.
“Yeah…”
“And you outgrew them already?” Sam arches a brow at him.
“Unfortunately…”
“...good news?” she starts.
Both boys turn to look at her.
“It means you’re gonna have a giant growth spurt soon.”
Danny perks up at that, “You’re lying.”
“Nope, I remember my cousin having the same issue and she shot up like 9 inches in just a few months.”
“Speaking of inches…” Tucker waggles his eyebrows, elbowing Danny, “You know what they say about big feet.”
“Oh- gross- you disgust me!” Sam declares loudly before stomping away.
Danny can’t help but laugh, elbowing Tucker back, “You’re horrible.”
“It’s part of the Too Fine charm,” he winks back, throwing double finger guns.
“Yo, Fentina,” Dash shouts over the din of students ahead of the pair.
“Oh great,” Danny rolls his eyes. “Just another thing for today.”
“Maybe it won’t be that bad?”
“Press X to doubt,” he responds in monotone.
“Ignore me some more,” Dash says as he gets close enough to not need to shout anymore. “See what- what even are those?”
“Shoes, they cover your feet for protection,” Danny answers.
Dash punches him in the shoulder. It’s not hard enough to hurt Danny, but it’s abrupt enough to make him stumble.
“You’re a real jokester, think you’re funny?” Dash leans forward to tower over Danny but finds that they’re a bit closer to eye level now.
“Sometimes,” Danny shrugs.
Dash frowns and stands up straight, putting a hand on top of Danny’s head.
“Dash, what,” Danny swats the hand away, sidestepping out of reach.
“You’re getting taller, I thought you would always be the runt of the Fentons.”
“Dude, have you seen the men in his family?” Tucker snorts.
“I’ve seen his dad,” Dash rolls his eyes. “Everyone has.”
“You’re forgetting-”
Danny slaps a hand over Tucker’s mouth. “You know, funny thing about the Fenton genes, we’re late bloomers, speaking of late, I think that’s the bell.”
Dash opens his mouth when the warning bell rings.
“SeeyalaterBYE!” Danny calls over his shoulder, half dragging half carrying Tucker away.
As they get around the corner, Tucker breaks free enough to walk on his own.
“You really are going through a growth spurt, what even-”
“Did you forget that we’re keeping the other men on the DL right now?” he hisses back.
“Oh shit, right, sorry man.”
“Yeah, whatever, c’mon let’s just go.”
Danny trips over the bench trying to sit down at the cafeteria table, faceplanting spectacularly.
Tucker barks out a laugh of surprise as Sam jumps, startled.
“Dude, what, are you okay?” she asks.
“Yeah, just dandy,” Danny says into the table, not bothering to lift his head.
“You’re usually more graceful,” she frowns, pushing her sandwich to the side to poke his head.
“That is a word I would never describe Danny with,” Tucker snorts.
Sam elbows him, “You know that’s not I mean, I meant like, what with the ghostliness, you don’t really pay attention to physical things.”
Danny sits up, scrubbing his face. “Blame the big feet, I keep tripping on things because I’m not used to them.”
“You’re joking,” her voice flattens.
“You try jumping from a size 5 to a 10 in a month and see how you handle it!” Danny gestures to his foot that he holds up for dramatics.
“No thanks, I’m having too much fun laughing at you,” Tucker chuckles, dipping his fries into barbeque sauce.
“Gee, thanks, I am so glad to be your friend.”
“No problemo my dude,” he winks.
“Ugh,” Danny groans, dropping his head into the table again.
“You should maybe consider less face time on the table, I wouldn’t exactly call our school the most sanitary,” Sam pokes him again.
“At this point, I don’t think I can get sick anymore.”
“Wait,” Sam and Tucker freeze in unison.
“You’re joking.” Tucker continues.
“Ancients, I wish,” Danny rolls over to cushion his head on his bicep. He pulls out the thermos with the glowing full button blinking lazily. “Whatever Frostbite has me eating is doing wacky things to me.”
“Did you ever actually find out what it is that he has you eating?” Sam frowns, taking the thermos.
“Special soup.”
“And what is special soup ?”
Danny shrugs with his free shoulder, “Soup that is special.”
“I don’t know why I bother,” she huffs, putting the thermos down.
“You sound just like Jazz.”
“Horrid, hate that, thanks.”
“Happy to oblige,” Danny smiles sunnily at her.
“Can we get back to you not getting sick anymore?” Tucker asks, leaning forward. “Cause is that a thing FB can hook us up with? Cause I would very much like to not get sick anymore. Be great.”
“You don’t even get sick all that often,” Sam rolls her eyes.
“Are you saying you want to pass on the never getting sick buff?”
“Guys,” Danny cuts in, “I don’t even think that’s how that works. This is like special special soup.”
“You don’t even know what’s in it.” Sam frowns.
“I know it’s making me feel better,” Danny sits up properly to pull the thermos closer. Popping the lid, “I’ve been drinking it for…three weeks and I cannot even begin how human I feel.”
Sam and Tucker blink.
“You feel… human ?” Tucker repeats.
“I know it sounds insane,” Danny huffs, he leans a little closer to the two. “But it’s like I have living energy again, I feel, I don’t know, grounded?”
“Then I’m happy for you,” Sam says, giving a genuine smile. “Did FB say if there were going to be side effects?”
“Side effects of what?” Dash asks loudly from behind Tucker.
“Uh,” Danny says intelligently.
“What’cha got there, Fentina?”
“A smoothie,” Danny answers on reflex.
“Yeah? Let me try,” Dash snags the thermos out of Danny’s hands.
“Wait-!”
“Dash, I wouldn’t-”
“No-!”
Dash takes a large swig of the Special Soup and promptly gags, spitting bright neon green all over the floor.
“Oh gross, dude what the fuck is this?” Dash wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, looking more green than possible.
“Doctor prescription,” Danny stands, taking the thermos back and helping Dash sit down.
“That’s ghost goop,” Dash says, hair starting to glow. His gaze shifts from the glowing splatter to Danny’s ankles.
“Are your pants shrinking?” he squints up.
“That’s physically impossible.” Sam says, moving around the table, “We should get you looked at though.”
“‘M fine,” he slurs, waving a hand dismissively. If aimless flapping was dismissive.
“You’re certainly not fine,” Tucker says, pulling out his PDA. “I think we may have to take the speeder for FB to take over.”
Danny’s gaze narrows as he watches Dash start to float upward. He places a hand on his shoulder to try pushing Dash down. Dash shifts, slipping out of Danny’s grip and sliding sideways along the bench. Not unlike trying to press two magnets together.
“Whoa…trippy,” Dash slurs, slumping sideways. His hair is now glowing an impressive red which has spread to all of the fine baby hairs on his face and arms. “‘M furry.”
“Yeah, this is definitely a FB issue.” Sam says, looking around the cafeteria.
“The real question is how do we get him there?” Tucker asks.
“Well not quietly,” Sam mutters.
Danny and Tucker look up to see they have the attention of the entire cafeteria.
“Think we can get Desiree to do us a favor?” Tucker asks half joking.
“I wouldn't bank on it,” Danny says.
Dash lurches forward, clapping a hand to his mouth. Danny barely manages to steady him from tipping onto the floor. It doesn’t stop him from getting sick though.
“Ugh gross, I thought it was just cartoons that had vomit look like rainbows,” Tucker whines, backstepping away.
“Fever Dream, people, what is going on here?” Lancer’s voice precedes his appearance by way of parting the crowd.
“Dash is sick,” Tucker answers, holding his PDA over his mouth and looking more green than usual.
“Very colorful observation, Mr. Foley,” Lancer says as Dash hurls up more rainbow substance. Looking more shocked than disgusted, he continues, “Gulliver’s Travels, what did you eat?”
“Dann’y smoothie,” Dash mutters, slumping fully into Danny where he was being supported.
“Mr. Fenton?” Lancer arches an eyebrow.
“It was prescribed by his doctor,” Sam says.
“Prescri- medication? ” Lancer balks. “What kind of medication has this as a reaction? What are you taking it for?”
“That’s illegal,” Sam crosses her arms.
“What- there is a student evidently poisoned by a supposed medication, I think it's within my right to find out so-”
“Not to be that person, Mr. Lancer,” Tucker pipes up, “But you're an English teacher, not a doctor.”
Danny shuffles Dash onto his side on the bench, extracting himself from suddenly clingy arms. Sam and Tucker continue to argue with Lancer while Danny rummages through his backpack.
He pulls out a long horn the length of his arm.
“Danny?” Tucker’s voice pulls his attention up.
Sam is standing between them and Lancer, in his face and shouting. Tucker has his gaze locked on the horn.
“FB said to break it in an emergency,” Danny says.
“Did he say-”
Danny crushes the horn in his grip.
An explosion of frigid air whips out, blasting everyone in frost. Swirling snow and ice blinds everyone momentarily, pushing them away from Danny, before ending as suddenly.
The bench is empty.