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1, Tim’s POV
It’s time for the bi-weekly family… hopefully this won't be too bad, it's been going well recently because of these being Danny's first few family dinners and that Jason’s been too busy to join (he won't be at this one either so there's a slightly smaller chance of a fight happening…maybe).
“Hey!” Danny calls from the other side of my door, “Alfred says it's time for dinner!” He says in a chipper voice. I quickly move my laptop to the door, opening it I say Danny waiting for me on the other side. He wore a black hoodie with a ghost on front saying “BOO!” along with deep blue sweat pants and looked excited for family dinner. The walk to the to dining room was quick and silent.
Alfred greeted me and Danny as we walked into the dining room. There were already a few people there, Bruce at the head of the table, Damian to Bruce's right, and Duke near the end on the left side. Me and Danny took our spots next Duke (Danny to Duke's left and me to Danny’s left as well), we shared some small talk while waiting for the others to arrive. Thankfully, since Alfred is the best, he had already had a cup of coffee to give to me which tasted wonderfully.
A little less than a minute later, Dick came walking into the room, his every step confident. “Hi!” He brightly greeted seeing those already in the room while swiftly moving to sit on Bruce's left side.
“Hello Master Richard,” Alfred greeted as he started placing food around the table. At that moment the girls, Cass and Steph, came through the door already deeply engrossed in a conversation. “Hello Miss Brown, Miss Cain.”
“Hey Alfie!” Steph happily responds as Cass and her sit to the right of Damian. With everyone there chatter seemed to carry around the room as dinner went on.
After a bit, Dick decided to ask Danny, “Hey! What have you been thinking of family dinners so far?” There was a short pause in conversation as those around the table waited to hear what Danny had to say.
“Oh, well Alfred's food is obviously divine!” That got many nods of agreement and a quiet thanks from Alfred, though he quickly followed that with, “not to mention the food isn't fighting back or trying to start an uprising!” ...what? I thought to myself as I processed what Danny’d just said. Why did he say that like that’s a normal thing??? I stared at Danny but he had just gone back to eating like that was perfectly normal, apparently ignorant to the confused and concerned faces staring from around the table.
“... What??? ” Duke asked what we were all thinking in a small voice.
“Oh, you get what I mean,” Danny said with a wave of his hand and a roll of his eyes, obviously dismissing the concern none of them were sure whether or not he knew was there, with a glance around the table it was obvious to me that none of us knew what he meant.
2, Duke’s POV
Okay, what Danny said last night was… weird and concerning but we’d tried to look into what Danny meant and couldn't find anything so for now im just gonna assume he was joking. For now im just hanging around one of the libraries not used as often watching some videos on ghost hunters along with some ‘sighting’s’ of ghosts, Danny has mentioned ghosts a few times so I got curious.
During a kind of climax in the video where they had ‘seen’ a ghost, a voice deadpan’d behind him, “that's not what ghosts look like.” I startled at the voice and quickly turned, only to see Danny standing there with a stack of books.
“I… What? How long have you been here???” I could tell my confusion was clear in my voice and on my face, but all Danny gave in return was a small shrug before turning and disappearing out of the library.
What???????
3, Jason’s POV
Alright, this is my first family dinner since Danny’s joined so I’m hoping it doesn't go too bad but from what I’ve heard he’s fine, although he’ll sometimes say some… concerning stuff? I don't know, for now it doesn't matter. I think as I speed towards the manor on my motorcycle, the gate comes into view from the distance.
My steps as I move off and away from the bike are quiet and confident, I got here a bit later then I wanted but whatever it would only mean every one is already here. As soon as I reached the door Alfred opened it from the other side, “Hello master Todd.” He greeted calmly in the same way as always.
“Hey Alfie, how’ve you been?” I asked, pausing in the foyer to speak with him.
“I have been quite alright, thank you for asking master Todd. How have you been as of late?” He returns with a small smile.
“I’ve been doing pretty well, though at work their have been some… annoying people,” I said with a small roll of my eyes. Alfred gave a small nod as we began moving towards the dining room. With every step closer, the pit seemed to act up a bit more and I couldn't understand why.
I gave Alfred a small thanks as he opened the door to the dining room and I took a step in. As soon as I was in the dining room the pit went completely silent and I felt the need to run, I tried to shake it off and forced myself to move into my seat. The room was silent as I took my seat on the other side of Steph, until that silence was broken.
“Damn dude, what brought you back from the dead? You stink,” Danny said while waving a hand in front of his face. Everyone looked towards him and it took a minute before the quiet exploded into a volley of questions.
“WHAT?” “I just showered, what do you mean?” “Why is that the first thing you say???” “What is that supposed to mean Fenton?” as well as loud barking laughter suspiciously seeming to come from the general direction of Steph.
After another few minutes of questions there was a small break in hopes of Danny answering ANY of them.
“It’s the first thing I said because its true,” was all Danny decided to answer before going back to eating.
And no matter how many times we asked, Danny repeatedly managed to sidestep or confuse us even more.
4, Steph’s POV
Fuck. Its extremely windy today and I made the dumbest mistake, I didn't keep an extra hair tie on me! From my peripheral I see Danny passing by and before I can think, I ask, “Hey, Danny! Do you have a hair tie?" I realize after asking that its a stupid question because-
“Oh yeah! Here!” he says, stretching out his hand and in it is a simple black hair tie. I mumble my thanks as I try to figure out where Danny had the hair tie. His hair had been down, there where none on his wrist’s, he wore a simple Nasa T-shirt, and basket-ball shorts with no pockets… Where was he storing this? I think as I tie my hair up in a simple bun. But before I can ask, he’s gone. Why hadn't I heard him leave?
An hour later…
I saw Danny again looking around the library and decided like the bat I am, I would figure it out without just asking. So I moved to quickly ask him something before he disappeared, “oh, Danny! Do you have a pen I could borrow?” I tried to sound as innocent as possible.
Danny, who was in the same thing as earlier and with nothing in his hands, held out a pen in the less than a second it took for me to blink. I confusedly took it and once again mumbled my thanks, he gave a small nod and smile before disappearing out of the library. It took a minute to think through what happened, Danny had been weirdly fast and I still couldn't figure out where he was holding it…weird.
Guess I'll just have to keep trying, this could be fun I thought with a mischievous grin and glint to my eyes.
5, Dick’s POV
Thank whatever god’s are listening that that’s finally over, I think to myself as me and my family settle down in the car after a rather long and boring gala, I mean… At least there were no rogue attacks. That's even better considering this was Danny’s first gala with us.
With that thought I look over to where I knew Danny was sat, he was slightly slouched and looked done with the world, I wouldn't be surprised if he passed out on the way back. With this thought and observation I let out a small chuckle.
“C’mon! Don't laugh at me, you must’ve been as tired after your first gala as the newest wayne!” Danny said, obviously taking notice to my laughing, although through saying this a few more giggles broke the previous silence. Duke just patted Danny’s shoulder and nodded in understanding, though he himself wore a small smile.
“Soooo, what did you think of your first gala with us?” I ask, trying to start some conversation.
“Well, basically everyone there was a rich fucking fruit loop so that wasnt great,” Danny said, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms. There are more giggles from around the car at the more then accurate description for most people at the gala. “Though none of them were as bad as the first Fruit loop I met.” oh?
“What’d the first ‘Fruit loop’ do?” Tim asked what most of us were thinking.
“Hm? Oh, he was a creep that was weirdly obsessed with me and my mom to the point of committing crimes," Danny responded like that was the only normal answer. Everyone in the car stared at him with extreme concern obvious on their faces, hoping he would say he was joking.
He never said he was joking and none of us worked up the ability to continue the conversation.
+1 (6), Damian’s POV
I am currently sitting at the table eating a small snack while Thomas and Fenton work through some inane math work together, they had been here working before I arrived and seem no closer to being done then they were before.
Their complaints that they would throw to one another here and there became more of a background buzzing to my own thoughts after a bit, but as I was just about finished with my food and nearly stood up, Fenton stated-
“Ancients, I would rather fight the ghost king again then keep doing this,” Fenton stated as he dropped his head to the table. I thought about what he had said and how, so with this I decided to ask:
“Again?” with a raised eyebrow sent towards Fenton, although after I said this I heard Thomas mumble to himself ‘you’d do B proud with that question’. Hearing this I sent a short glare his way and he promptly shut his mouth.
“Ohh, haha,” Fenton gave some awkward laughter before offering a real answer, “the ghost king attacked my town once, I helped from far away…definently? Yeah, like a lot of other people living in the town also helped.” It was fairly obvious Fenton wasn't sure in the answer he gave, for what reason though I have yet to figure out.
“Was the Justice League informed of this?” I don't believe I’ve heard any reports on this.
“Oh we’ve tried before but they laughed at us so we just relied on the local … Heroes? Vigilantes? I don't know but something like that” Fenton lightly rolled his eyes before returning them to the paper in front of him. At this statement me and Thomas shared a look of confusion and on his end light concern.
“Oh,” Thomas started in a small voice, “who were your local heroes?” hmm, it would be good to learn their names so we can find them later and see if they still need help.
“Uhh, there was Red Huntress, she became a hero later, and Phantom, he had been helping from the beginning but there were a few times the town turned on him,” Fenton answered before going back to his work.
I could tell we wouldn't be able to get any more information out of him like the other times, but at least we got some names.