#pt 7

But a treacherous part of him wished it could last. The early mornings with the quiet clinks from the kitchen, the smell of coffee, the mutual understanding of not needing to talk… it had started as a forced normalcy and was slowly becoming… actual normalcy.  The easy banter and gradually genuine comfort of the company. It was knowing someone was there. A steady routine that assured him he wouldn't be coming home to an empty apartment.

His phone buzzed, shattering the thought. A reminder from his mom. ‘Did you get the transfer? Love you!’ He dismissed it, the familiar pang of resentment and resignation flickering. His parents' love was a series of financial transactions and weekly check-ins. Wally had been his anchor, but even he had to leave for college. The loneliness had been a constant, hollow ache.

Growing up Wally was the one he referred to for everything, who he played with, spent the afternoons with, who would take him out to the park or the movies, but then, he had to leave for college, even then he was more present than their parents. With his father being a pilot and his mother a fly attendant, a really cute love story, but not much of a good parenting one. They always sent money and would call at least once a week besides daily text check ups, but they weren't there. And he resented them for that, but now, he thinks he just doesn't want to waste more energy on that and decided to just not care.

It started small, keeping track of the papers and on TV for any ghost related news. He started going out more and walking around hoping to get so see some ghost fight and see Phantom. Then he started following Danny around school, trying to get a glimpse of him changing into Phantom, of any of the oddities he now noticed were related to that. He even got a camera just to document everything. It was so obvious! How was anyone else not noticing this? The absences, Phantom apparitions, the excuses, the name. Hell, they even looked alike! it was just a color change!

But no caring doesn't take the loneliness away. Maybe that's why he got so obsessive with Danny at first. He would always notice the Fenton kid walking through the hallways, carfree, not caring if Dash would rouge him up a bit or that others would make fun of him because of that, he would just roll his eyes and go back to his friends. Wes envied that, but couldn’t help but keep watching, he made it a habit, to see what Fenton was up to that day. It was a way to feel connected to something. But he started to notice some things. How he would suddenly go rigid and blurb some excuse and leave the area, how he sometimes looked exhausted when coming back, how he had some kind of injury he didn't have moments prior.

It was interesting, it was different and something that made him curious, so he kept watching. Sometimes he would try to follow Fenton whenever he was about to run wherever he went every time, but it was like he vanished in thin air, one moment he is turning around the corner, the next the hallway is completely empty. It frustrated him. So he kept following him.

And one day, he did it, he was able to follow Fenton all the way to one of the restrooms, he got into one of the stalls and closed the door hard. At first it disappointed him, all this drama and mystery for a bathroom emergency? but then a blinding light came from the stall and Phantom shut upwards and through the ceiling.

Wes stayed there, paralyzed and confused. His brain didn't seem to actually grasp on what he just witnessed. But it made sense, how sudden his escapades were, how it always turned out there was a ghost sighting  or directly a ghost attack at the school, the injuries that weren't there in the morning but Dash didn't cause.I made so much sense. This was the most interesting thing to happen in this town and in his life, and he wanted to see more. So he kept following him

He needs to get his head straight and start seeing the whole picture. He was gonna make amends with his past actions and try to make it up to Danny. To hell with the lie, Danny wasn't a pawn to use for his own sake. He knew that now.

He started to get frustrated on how everyone seemed to be so oblivious, it was like they were doing it on purpose to piss him off,and it was working. Never mind the bullying he got for following Fenton around, nor the worried glances from his teacher or Wally’s constant questions about having friends and going out. It had nothing to do with this, not at all, it was just frustration at everyone being so stupid that they couldn’t put 2 and 2 together. So he started following Phantom.

Then that turned into trying to make everyone notice how Fenton and Phantom were the same. He tried everything, he put flyers on the halls, he told people, he explained his reasoning, he published his proof, but everyone just keep making fun of him and saying to get over ‘his crush on Fenton’ They were all morons, he swears, how could they not when it was so extremely easy to understand. What frustrated him the most was how Fenton seemed to always know he was there and would make everything he could to make fun of him being even more hard to follow, disappearing the exact moment he was out of Wes view, holing up in Manson's high security mansion, always finding him when he was trying to get a candid, or outright corrupting his files with some weird ghost shit.

After a while he just gave up, people were morons, Phantom was a little shit that enjoyed making fun of him and no one at school would look at him like he was just some dude anymore. So he did the same he did with his parents, he stopped caring. He erased his post on Danny being Phantom, took down his conspiracy board and got all the pictures he printed in a shoebox and threw it somewhere in his closet, too hard to completely trash so many hours and effort put into the only thing making high school life the tiniest bit bearable.

Now. Now he thinks that he was just lonely and too secluded to notice how fucking weird and wrong it was to make his isolation Danny’s problem. That should he been a bit less stupid and less coward, he could have actually had a friendship with Danny from the start, help him keep his secret or his academics afloat, spend the afternoons with them in Sam’s high security mansion, actually being to have pictures that weren't from far away and blurry, but actual selfies and photos he could frame and have around the house, in his bedroom, that wasn't a borrowed memory that only hurt Danny to have out in the open.

He was selfish, he knew it, but he really wanted to keep coming home and knowing it wasn't empty, to have someone to banter and share jokes, to not have to see everyone posting photos with friends or going out while he was holed in his bedroom working on a paper he didn't really  put his heart on. He wanted to actually be able to call Danny his friend and that Danny would feel comfortable enough around him that their interactions didn't feel awkward or guilt filled all the time.

The resolution was a warm, solid weight in his chest. He finally felt like he was seeing things clearly. He looked up from his screen, his gaze finding Danny in the living room.

The feeling vanished, replaced by a jolt of concern.

Danny wasn't relaxed. He was a live wire. He was cleaning, but the movements were too quick, too sharp—wiping the same spot on the coffee table over and over, rearranging books that were already neat. He looked less like a guy tidying up and more like a caged animal trying to wear a path on the floor. Every soft click from Tim’s laptop in the study, every low murmur from Vic on the couch, made his shoulders tense minutely.

The others casual, professional vibe today was a stark contrast to yesterday's tourist mode, and it was clearly grating on Danny’s last nerve. Wes wasn't sure why that was the case, but it seemed to really affect him.

At that moment Danny’s phone buzzed and he snatched it up like it was a lifeline, his shoulders hiking up to his ears. Wes watched a series of emotions flash across his face—panic, sharp relief, and a desperate kind of determination.

“I have to go,” Danny announced abruptly, his voice a notch too high. He shoved the phone back into his pocket without looking at anyone. “I’ll meet Sam at the mall. I’ll be back.”

He didn't elaborate. He didn't wait for a response. He was out the door in a flash, closing it a little too hard behind him.

Wes was left staring at the door, a weird, worried feeling settling in his chest. The exit was too rushed, the excuse too vague. The panic was palpable.

And he wasn't the only one who noticed.

From the hallway, Tim Drake watched the door close, his coffee forgotten. He’d seen Danny’s frantic texting, his jerky movements. He was a bit worried when he noticed Danny moving around like a man on a mission, cleaning everything in his way. At first he thought that maybe he was waiting for some news on something, or maybe there was something going on outside of what they’d seen so far. But then he got a text and practically fled the scene with the most flimsy explanation he has heard in a while.

A faint, cynical disappointment washed over him. It was the most common, sordid explanation in the book. Infidelity. It was too cliché, but his own sense of professional curiosity—and a desire to either confirm or eliminate the simplest variable—clicked into place. He needed to know.

The pieces arranged themselves into a simple, obvious pattern. The illogical panic, the urgent need to meet the "ex"-girlfriend in a public place, the refusal to elaborate. It pointed to a personal, clandestine meeting, not a casual errand.

Decision made, Tim moved. He set his mug down silently and slipped out the front door, his movements efficient and utterly silent. The truth, however disappointing, was waiting to be found.

______________________________

Tim found them easily. A splash of black and white in the crowded food court. Danny, looking even more anxious than he had at the apartment, and a girl in dark clothes—Sam Manson. Tim’s suspicion solidified. He followed at a distance, using the crowd as cover, his expression grim.

He watched as Sam, noticing Danny's state, led him away from the thoroughfare into a quieter, dimly lit service hallway. The perfect spot for a clandestine meeting, Tim thought, his lip curling slightly. He moved closer, finding a shadowed alcove near a fire extinguisher cabinet, close enough to hear their hushed, tense voices.

"You've been acting weird all day," Sam said, her voice low and full of concern. She took Danny's hand, and his fingers trembled slightly in her grasp. "What's going on, Danny?"

Danny looked away, his gaze fixed on a fire extinguisher on the wall. "It's dumb. It 's just... I think it is finally getting to me, I’ve been stressed and on my nerves all morning. Wes is all weird and. The guys are getting on with their job, and I dont know why It is making me so fucking nervous" He breathes hard and squishes Sam’s hand “Yesterday was really nice, I felt comfortable around others, Wes was nice, and I actually enjoyed being with him and being able to talk about space and watch movies… but. Is it stupid that I feel like I’m whoring myself up here?”

Sam’s eyes widened, her grip tightening on his hand. "Danny, what? No! Don't say that." She stepped closer, pulling him fully into the shadows of the empty hall. "Why would you say that?" She asked gently, carefully moving her thumb over Danny’s knuckles.

Danny’s voice cracked. "Because, aren't I? Being with Wes, living with him. He knew I couldn't afford moving, and he offered to help with the rent. He said he'd take care of things and he accommodated my necessities, and all he asked in exchange... is for me to move with him and take care of some of the chores and keep the ‘perfect’ boyfriend act" He said with a grimace.

"Danny, no..." Sam said softly, but Danny pulled his hand from her grasp and avoided her eyes. 

He started pacing around the small space while gesticulating with his arms with excess energy “I blocked my windows, kept my curtains closed, and spent as much time as I could at your place or Tucker's because I knew it would be harder for him to get there” He huffed and stopped pacing, just standing still with his arms to the sides and looking at the floor “And even now… I feel like I'm being followed. It’s like high school all over again. I feel like I could turn down the hallway and find him with his camera right now…" 

"And the worst part is that I don't even like it!” He ran his hand through his hair brusquely “I don't really like him. For God's sake” The hand that was on his hair moved downwards to grab at his nape while the other came up to cover the lower part of his face. “Sam, he stalked me! He was worse than Dash!" He stopped and turned to look Sam in the eyes. "With Dash, I just had to endure some bigotry and bruises. It was annoying, but it didn't bother me, not really, just something else to deal with. But Wes?" He turned away again, hugging himself and grabbing his elbows while avoiding Sam's concerned gaze.  "He made me start watching over my shoulder in the hallways, made me hide anything of mine from easy access, even my trash!” His voice came out choked, accompanied with a disbelieving laugh.

“Danny-” Sam tried to get close, say something. But her throat was getting tight with  emotion and Danny just kept talking. 

A shiver went down his spine at the thought, and he paled a bit, having to swallow a thick gulp down his increasingly dry throat. "This whole arrangement is making me lose my mind. I don't know if I can keep it up…” He whispers.

Tears welled in Danny’s eyes and he tried to blink them away. "I have to share a room with him. Sleep in the same bed. And usually that's not a problem, but it's Him " His voice cracked again, and he buried his face in his hands. "It's not about touch or something. “he shakes his head a little and drags his hands down his face “I hate this about myself, but I like the casual shows of affection. I like being able to just lay down comfortably with someone, cuddles, hugs... I love affection, and sometimes I feel like I crave it, like some pathetic kicked dog,” he spat self-deprecatingly. "And even though I don't like Wes and hate all this arrangement, I can't help but lean in if he side-hugs me or something. It makes me feel gross, like, I shouldn't like it. Like I should pull away, but I just don't! It's wrong." he said brokenly. and hugged himself.

Sam didn't try to say anything this time. She just took a slow step forward and held her arms slightly out, a quiet, non-verbal offer. Danny hesitated for a fraction of a second, his body still tense, before he simply melted into her embrace. He kept his arms wrapped tightly around himself, a form of protection, but let his head fall onto her shoulder. His body shook a little as he began to cry silently into her neck.

She held him tight, carding one of her hands softly through his hair and the other wrapped over his shoulders. "I’m so sorry Danny," she said gently. "I should have told you before telling Wes he could ask you."

Danny shook his head without moving from his position. It was a bit awkward since he had to bend over a bit to put his forehead to Sam's shoulder, but he felt a bit better this way. "I did accept, I put thought into this and took my decision."

"Still… I should have known that Wes affected you more than I thought…" She admitted, ashamed.

"I hid it from you guys," he said. He moved his arms, wrapping them around Sam, putting his cheek onto her head, and pulling her closer, wanting to comfort her a bit too. "I didn't want you guys to worry more than you already did with all the other bullshit going on…" He sighed and squished her a bit before pulling out gently. He cleaned his face hastily and looked down to the side, not exactly ashamed, but exhausted of all that. 

______________________________

After hearing all that, Tim silently retreated from the alcove. The voice of Sam comforting, a worryingly dead eyed, Danny fading behind him, and the cold, professional anger he’d felt earlier was now a white-hot fury, but it was no longer directed at Danny. It had a new, much clearer target.

He pulled out his phone, his fingers steady despite the rage simmering under his skin. He didn't call Wally. He called Roy; he’d answer faster and wouldn't panic immediately.

The line picked up after two rings. "Yeah?" Roy's gruff voice came through, the sound of the van's engine in the background.

"It's Tim. I'm at the mall's north entrance. I need you to pick me up. Now. And put me on speaker." His voice was clipped, devoid of its usual dry humor.

A beat of silence. "...Okay. We're close. Two minutes." Roy's tone had shifted from casual to alert. Tim heard the faint click of the speakerphone activating.

"Tim? What's up, man?" Wally's voice, laced with confusion, came through.

"Danny left hurriedly this morning saying he had to meet with Sam, I followed him because I thought it was going to be about an affair. Wait until I'm in the van, I’ll explain" Tim said, his voice leaving no room for argument, and hung up.

He didn't have to wait long before the familiar black van pulled up to the curb. Tim slid the side door open and climbed in. The atmosphere inside was tense. Roy was in the driver's seat, his grip on the wheel tight. Wally was twisted around in the passenger seat, with a worried expression. Garfield was in the back, uncharacteristically serious, sensing the shift in mood.

Tim closed the door with a definitive thud. "Drive. Pull over somewhere first. You're not going to want to hear this while moving."

Roy didn't question it, pulling the van back into traffic and heading for a nearby convenience store parking lot. He put the vehicle in park and turned in his seat, grimly. "Okay. We're stopped. Talk."

Then, all eyes turned to Tim. He took a breath and let it out softly, steading himself and letting him put on the detective mask, otherwise he would get too worked up to actually say anything. His voice became flat and clinical, a stark contrast to the storm in his eyes. "I owe you all an apology. My initial assessment of the situation was critically flawed." He looked directly at Wally. "I believed Danny was being unfaithful to your brother. I was incorrect."

Wally's shoulders slumped in a wave of relief. "Oh, man, Tim. Don't scare me like that. So what is it? Did you find out he's in witness protection or something?"

"Worse," Tim said, the single word sucking all the air out of the van. "I followed him to the mall. He met with Sam Manson. I observed their interaction. Wally... It wasn't a romantic meeting. He was stressed, I actually got to see this before leaving the apartment. He was moving around cleaning everything even though it was already clean, he was fidgeting, sweating, all that. And he left to blow some steam or something."

Tim looked to the side, starting to get uncomfortable. How do you tell one of your best friends that not only is his baby brother a stalker, but that his brother’s boyfriend is apparently a victim of said stalking practices. "So, apparently, not only did Danny have an asshole bully who would beat him, but he believes Wes was worse than that dickhead."

He avoided Wally’s eyes and pointedly kept his own looking at the space between them. “He met with Sam and she immediately noticed something was wrong with him, so she took him to a more secluded area. I was able to follow them and get a good advantage to listen in” He made a small gesture with his mouth, almost a grimace but he stopped himself midway.

“But Danny is ok, right?” Wally asked worried, this felt too sudden and out of place. Danny was so calm and serene. Just yesterday he looked really happy and at ease with all of them, showing them his interests and indulging them with their questions with the patience of a saint. Something not even them could keep on among themselves.

Wally opened his mouth to protest, but Tim held up a hand, silencing him. "He confessed that Wes used to stalk him. Made him so paranoid he started watching his back around school, hid his stuff, including his trash, and had to spend all his time at his friends' places just to get away from him." At this, he finally looked Wally in the eyes, trying to let him know how serious he was about this.

He continued, detailing Danny's feeling of "whoring himself out" , the coercive nature of the living arrangement, Wes offering Danny shelter and financial help in exchange of moving in with him and rolling with his fantasy of having a ‘perfect boyfriend’ as stated by Danny himself. The history of being followed and photographed, and his devastating confession about craving affection even from someone he fears.

Roy's knuckles were white on the steering wheel and Gar’s face had lost all its color, his usual grin replaced by a look of sickened dismay. Wally just stared, his mind racing, his earlier denial shattering as Tim laid out the brutal, logical facts.

"That... that can't—" Wally began, but then he remembered. The photos. Always candid, never together. "The pictures..." he whispered, horror dawning on his face. "All the photos Wes sent me... they were... they were just like that. Stalker shots. I thought it was just his weird style…” 

Wally's mind races, piecing together the subtle details he had overlooked. He replays the conversations with Wes, the constant questions about his new boyfriend, and the way Wes would eagerly send him photos of Danny. But the photos weren't what he expected of a budding relationship. They were all candid shots, taken from a distance, with Danny often smiling or laughing with his friends, never with Wes. He had explained it away as Wes being shy or just having a unique photography style, but now the truth is clear.

"Whoa, whoa, easy, man." Garfield was out of his seat in the back and crouching outside the van by Wally's chair in an instant, his voice uncharacteristically soft and steady. "Breathe. In and out. This isn't on you. You didn't know." He placed a calming hand on Wally's shoulder.

“What is it?” Tim asked, noticing the change in Wally.

“It's just… When I kept asking Wess about a boyfriend, he kinda bombarded me with pictures of Danny, but they were always spontaneous, I thought he was just shy or something… but, now? God…” He covered his mouth with his hand, paling by the second and with little droplets of sweat going down his temples. “Tim what if… what if I pushed him into this” A sudden feeling of a boulder falling into his gut comes to him  “Fuck. Did I push him too far?” Wally says with a shaky voice “Is it my fault that Wes stalked Danny into psychological warfare? I think I'm gonna be sick—”

"Gar's right," Roy growled, his voice a low rumble of anger. "The fault is with the little creep who thought that was okay. No one else." He shot a look at Tim. "What's the play, Rob? We go back there and have a chat with Weasley?"

"Not yet," Tim said, his strategist's mind taking over. "Confronting him now gives him time to spin a story, to manipulate Danny further, or to flee. We need to be smart. We go back. We act normal. We gather more information. We confirm Danny's living situation and find out if he has anywhere else to go. Most importantly, we need to get Danny alone and make him understand he has a way out. We need him to trust us."

Wally blinking away some stray tears and guided by Gar's calming presence, took a shuddering breath and nodded, though he still looked shattered. "Okay. Okay. We act normal." The words tasted like ash.

The drive back was silent, thick with a shared, furious grief. The cozy apartment they were returning to no longer felt like a home. It felt like a prison they had to help liberate.

______________________________

also. @goddamnitmahtin told you this was gonna get messy very quick, hope this was what you expected

So! how are we feeling? I hope i got at least one of yo misty eyed, it hurt to get Wally so worked up, I actually have a draft version where it was just Tim and Wally, he gets more emotional and distressed since he didn't have Gar to help him, but i fully believe that Gar is the more emotionally adjusted of the bunch (Besides Victor) and would know how to keep the other from spiraling.

Anyway, I really wanted to write this chapter, I had this scene planed basically since part 1. I have another one i really want to include, its the one that started all this fic tbh, but we have to wait a bit more before that. Next part we have Danny's POV and why he got so worked up in the first place and decided to fucking run from the apartment, we also get another POV