Disclaimer: Nope, don't own. Damn.
A/N- HI! LOOK! I'M BACK! And I come bearing a brand new chapter! (Which is kind of amazing since Bandom has taken over my life and eaten my brain... but it was kind enough to let these boys resurface and have their say.) Thank you guys so much for the reviews and for being patient with me, you have no idea how much it means to me! Soooo I present this brand new chapter for your reading pleasures. And boys getting hot and heavy, say what? *looks innocent* Enjoy and let me know what you think!
"Don't you have female friends for this?"
Sam shot him a quick glare over her shoulder and reached randomly into a rack, pulling yet another dress out and tossing it at him. He caught it completely by luck, the pile in his arms already close to blinding him. He kept a wary eye on the staircase to their left, having visions of tripping over one of the dresses, unable to see and plummeting to an untimely death. And wouldn't that be humiliating?
Death by prom dress.
He shuddered at the thought and followed after Sam as she grabbed two more with a frown and a sigh- somehow he didn't think she had much more idea of what they were doing than he did.
The sales lady kept eyeing them as they made their way through the store like they were about to take off with the dresses or something.
"That's what I have you for." Sam smiled sweetly and then threw another dress at him.
"Is there anything I can help you with?" The sales lady finally gathered the courage to approach them; a look of superiority gracing what would normally be pretty features and giving off a disapproving air. Danny had never felt more awkward in his sneakers and jeans.
"Just a change room please." Sam barely glanced over, eyeing a short pink cocktail dress that was mostly ruffles with obvious disdain.
"For all of these?" The sales lady asked, perfect eyebrow arched. "Wouldn't you rather try one of these?" She gestured to the clearance section across the store and Sam snorted, rolled her eyes and produced a black card with the stores name written in slender silver writing across it.
"No." She said, smirking at the look of shock that passed over the sales ladies features. "These are good."
Danny handed over the mountain of dresses and watched as the sales lady hurried off to start a change room.
"What was that?" He asked.
Sam just shrugged though a smile was tugging at her lips.
"My mom shops here." She said, before grabbing his arm and pulling him across the room. "Let's find you a tux."
"Sam," He spluttered and tried to stand his ground but her grip was unrelenting and soon he found himself across the store, standing obediently still so Sam could hold up tuxedos to his wiry frame. "I can't afford this store."
"You can with my mothers store credit." She said discarding one tux for another. The sales lady was back to eyeing them, this time with open confusion.
"I'm not taking your money."
"Danny," Sam rolled her eyes and handed him four tuxedos. For all she claimed to not know, or care, anything about fashion, it appeared that something had inevitably rubbed off living with her parents. "My parents are so excited that I actually have some interest in prom that they're throwing money at me to pay for you and Tucker and a limo. Not to mention that they're pushing for some fancy dinner at a restaurant for all our families," She frowned and led the way to the changing rooms. "I'm working on getting out of that."
"Still." Danny said, uncomfortable.
"Danny, shut up and go try on the tux." Sam tossed the clothing at him and headed into the dressing room next to his. "The faster we get through this, the faster we can go check out the occult store we passed earlier. My parents will love that." He couldn't see her smirk but he could definitely hear it.
It took him a few minutes to figure out the first one and that turned out to be too long in the legs, the next to wide in the shoulders. He tried the third one; decided it wasn't completely horrible or about to choke him and wandered out of his change room to see what Sam thought.
"Just a second!" Sam called, followed by a string of angry muttering.
Danny took the time to inspect himself critically in the mirror. Normally when he had to wear a tux to something (and it was few and far between) the suit was too big or hung weird or on one occasion smelt suspiciously- and hadn't that gained him a few odd looks. But, though it was hard to admit, he didn't look half bad.
A low whistle distracted him and he glanced up, catching Sam's reflection in the mirror as she grinned at him.
"Dash is going to be one happy guy." She informed him, coming forwards to tug on the jacket a bit, adjusting it. It wasn't stiff and uncomfortable like he'd thought it would be either.
"It doesn't completely suck." He allowed and Sam rolled her eyes.
"Okay," She said, stepping back and spreading her arms. "What do you think?"
Danny stared openly and Sam glared, shifting.
"It can't look that bad."
"It looks amazing." He told her truthfully. The red dress fell just past her knees, tight in the torso and loose when it reached her hips. It had a scoop neck line, coming up around her neck and an open back.
"Thanks," she grinned, spinning. "Its kind of bright, but I guess it means my parents can't bug me about it."
"And," Danny continued, innocently. "I'm pretty sure that's Kwan's favourite colour."
Sam's cheeks coloured a little and she disappeared back into her changing room, calling over her shoulder,
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
DI
"Danny?"
They were in the food court, bags on the chair next to them and halfway through their burgers when someone called out his name. He glanced up, scanning the busy area, before spotting the pair headed their way.
"Don't make eye contact." Sam hissed, eyeing the pair warily before ducking back down like her burger was suddenly the most interesting thing she had ever seen.
"Danny! Hi!" Paulina arrived at their table, smiling, if not somewhat hesitantly, at them. She cast Sam a quick glance but the normal disdain was missing. Sam seemed to notice this as well, confusion flickering across her features before she schooled them.
"Hi," he greeted. Valerie pulled out her phone, ignoring them all in favour of texting and giving off an air that clearly said she was only there because she had to be.
"I was wondering if I could ask you something." Paulina dropped into the empty chair next to Sam, leaning forwards eagerly.
"Uh," he exchanged a look with Sam, who just shrugged. "Sure."
"I hope you don't mind, but I was just wondering if anyone had asked Tucker to prom?"
"Tucker?" Danny repeated, surprised. Sam was just as surprised if her expression was anything to go by.
Paulina nodded and reached across the table to grasp his hand.
"If it's okay, I know it may be weird."
"Not in the way you think." He muttered and Sam's lips quirked into an almost grin. "But, no one's asked him."
Paulina brightened visibly and pulled her hand back, smiling at him and for a moment he was reminded why he had been so anxious to date her for years. But it was dulled and nothing compared to what he had now.
"I thought you were going to go with a jock or someone." Danny admitted.
"Most of the jocks are jerks," Paulina shrugged delicately and rose to her feet, gathering her purse. "You got one of the good ones." She said with a wink and a smile and left, Valerie in tow.
"Any idea what just happened?" Sam asked, watching them go.
"I think that there may be a rip in the universe." Danny said sagely, grinning when Sam threw a French fry at him.
DI
His mother managed to get to the door before him through sheer force of will; he'd been waiting in the living room since he'd gotten home from school and the moment he'd gotten up to get a drink, the door bell had finally rung- five minutes early no less- and his mother had somehow appeared at the door like she'd been the one stalking it. Considering his parents, he wouldn't put it past them.
"Dash." She greeted cheerfully. "How are you?"
"Great, Mrs. Fenton," he replied with a smile. His gaze slid past her to Danny and widened. Danny grinned back, warm.
"Come on in," she stepped back to let the quarterback in. "I was just on my way out to meet Danny's father- we have a date."
She winked and disappeared into the kitchen to find her purse. Danny wasn't quite sure what to make of the weekly dates his parents had taken to, but it got them out of the house and they honestly seemed happier for it so he wasn't about to complain.
"What do you want to watch?" Danny asked.
"I brought Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy." Dash pulled out the case, waving it.
Danny's mother wandered back in told them they would be back by nine and to have fun and then left and Danny locked the front door after her.
"So, movie?" He turned around and Dash jerked his gaze back up from where it had been drifting lower, cheeks colouring.
"Sure."
He let it slide, grinning to himself as he put the movie in.
Danny considered making popcorn but he figured if they actually wanted it they could always make it later. His stomach was twisting with something like anticipation and he'd never be able to eat at that rate. He settled down on the couch next to Dash and was struck by the memory of the last time they were on the couch; he felt his face heat but Dash didn't seem to notice.
Shortly into the movie Dash shifted and Danny glanced over at him, curious, but a hesitant arm came up and around his shoulders and Danny flushed with warmth, shifting closer to the blonde with a small grin, his heart pounding in his chest. Dash was like a furnace, heat pressed all along his side and distracting him.
He wasn't quite sure how it happened but eventually they stopped paying attention to the movie altogether. He felt nervous, excited and giddy, skin tingling every time Dash shifted. His gaze kept drifting from the screen to the blonde next to him and though he wasn't sure how to initiate what he wanted, it became obvious that he wasn't the only one having trouble focusing on the movie when Dash met his gaze.
He didn't know what to say so he let the silence speak for himself and held the gaze, long past the point of comfort, making it feel charged.
Dash's eyes were dark, even though the lights were on, blinds shut. He licked his lips and Danny followed the movement, mouth dry and head dizzy.
"Can I," Dash started to ask and Danny nodded quickly. Yes, he thought, yes to whatever Dash was asking. Anything.
Dash ducked his head down, hot breath puffing against Danny's mouth; nose bumping his lightly and Danny sucked in a sharp breath and didn't think, just closed the distance between them.
Their lips met, easy and slow like they had been doing this forever. It grew hotter, deeper and they pressed closer. The world titled but he barely noticed as his back hit the couch cushions, moaning high and needy, something he'd deny later, and shifting until he was sprawled on the cushions with Dash settled above him, holding part of his weight with an arm braced next to Danny's head.
His skin felt too tight and heat pooled low in his stomach. He was hot all over and desperate for more, hands moving of their own accord to grip the back of Dash's thin shirt, tugging asking for more.
It was great, it was amazing, Dash licking into his mouth, sucking on his tongue- their chests pressed together and every time they shifted he could feel it all over- but it still wasn't enough. His jeans were too tight, he was hard and the realization just made him blush harder.
He couldn't help it, his hips bucked up, grinding- he was a teenager, infomercials could turn him on but this was Dash, who was all flushed, strong muscles and piercing blue eyes and everything he hadn't even known he'd wanted. They broke the kiss, a broken moan escaping him and they froze, breath panting against each other's lips. They should stop now, stop before they went too far but. But Danny wanted, wanted so much he could taste it- wanted Dash to press him down, to taste him, to reach down and grip him and it terrified and exhilarated him.
And then Dash, staring down at Danny like he was thinking the exact same thing, ground down, carefully and Danny could feel his erection through two layers of jeans- just as hard as he was, and all the fears and thoughts stopped mattering.
"More," he whispered, but it came out as a whimper as Dash shifted his weight and brought his hand down to rub Danny through his jeans. He gripped the back of Dash's shirt tighter, shifting his hips as Dash stroked the outline of his erection, steady, intense gaze watching Danny.
His heart was pounding in his chest, desperate to escape; he couldn't believe they were doing this- he couldn't believe they hadn't done this sooner.
Dash let out a frustrated grunt and pulled his hand away and Danny eyes flew open- he hadn't even realized he'd closed them- suddenly terrified he'd done something wrong. Dash sat back and in a quick, smooth move tugged off his shirt and Danny's brain, hazy and scrambled, caught up with the moment and he squirmed, pulling off his own shirt. And then Dash was back, settling his weight down fully and he was heavy but it felt good to have him press him down into the cushions, to feel the heat pouring off him in a steady wave.
He arched up, kissing the blonde again, because he could, because it was something he knew how to do so out of depth here and Dash kissed back harder and ground down again. Pleasure curled its way through him and he gasped into the kiss and arched up.
It was all so much, too much and he could feel the tension coiling in him as Dash ground against him again and again and Danny tried to match the pace, messy and awkward but perfect.
He was close, so close he could taste it, frustration seeping in when he couldn't get there. He brought one leg up and then the other, wrapping them around Dash's waist, his hands on his shoulders trying to tug him closer, harder, anything.
And Dash took the hint, grinding down harder, pushing Danny further into the cushions with each thrust and Danny thought about doing this with a bed and a lot less clothing and what it would feel like for Dash to be above him, in him and he jerked, coming before he even realized he was there.
Danny broke off the kiss, panting harshly as it surged through him, washed over him like a wave, his cock pulsing in his boxers and Dash kept thrusting through it, desperate. He ground harder and Danny managed to open heavy eyes as Dash stilled suddenly, groaning low and near silent and he realized as he stared up, watching Dash's brow furrow and mouth fall open in an 'o' that he this was what he looked like when he came. The surprised spark of heat it sent through him had him biting his lip to stop the needy sound that tried to escape.
Dash, arms shaking with the strain of holding himself up, titled sideways, settling between the back of the couch and half on Danny in the tiny space.
His skin felt cool and prickly, except where Dash's heat pressed hot- almost too hot- against his side. His boxers and jeans felt damp and uncomfortable. But there was no way he would even think of moving, even with the awkward silence threatening to settle in on them, he was content, comfortable and not moving for the world. But Dash wasn't saying anything and doubt kept trying to creep in with what ifs and the realization that he'd just- done what exactly? Had sex with his boyfriend on his living room couch? What if his parents figured it out?
"My jeans are gross." Dash grunted out, hot breath puffing against Danny's neck and a small shiver ran through him at it.
And then he found himself giggling of all things and he would have been worried about appearing manly in front of the quarterback but then Dash started giggling too and pretty soon they were curled together, laughing as the credits for their movie scrolled by in the background, forgotten.
DI
Danny wandered out of the library after school in time to catch Victor slamming some kid into a locker, laughing and walk away. He scowled after the jock at the other end of the hall but Victor didn't even see him. The kid was on the floor, still where he had fallen, books all over the place and it was with a start that Danny realized just who it was.
"Someone needs to teach him a lesson." He said, dropping down beside Tucker and grabbing some of his books into a messy pile.
Tucker blinked, like he was surprised to see him there and then sighed, tilting his head back against the locker.
"He's a jock, he picks on nerds." The way he said it had such finality to it that Danny stopped still crouched on the ground to stare at his friend. "We're almost done at this school, and then we can move on to the next bully at college and then the one after that when we start working."
"Tuck," Danny gaped at him. "This doesn't sound like you. You don't think like this."
Tucker just shrugged, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose looking for the entire world like he was quite content just to stay where he was on the floor. Danny couldn't figure out what had gotten into him.
"Has Victor been targeting you?" Danny narrowed his eyes, pieces slowly fitting together.
"I'm an easy target." Tucker shrugged again.
"No you're not!" He exploded. The halls were empty but he still felt his cheeks flush as his voice echoed. "Tuck," he continued softer but with no less conviction, anger. "You're a person, not some target so Victor can make himself feel big. No one deserves to be treated like this."
"And stand up to him?" Tucker asked, sarcasm dripping from his words. "Without your ghost powers or Dash's strength? Sam is safe, even Victor wouldn't hit a girl." He pushed to his feet and Danny stood too, handing over his books.
"I just have to get through the last of the school year," Tucker continued, shoving his books into his bag with a sigh. "I figure I can avoid him for at least half of it."
Danny didn't know what to say, didn't know how to convince Tucker that he couldn't let Victor treat him like this when he didn't have any defence and Danny couldn't be there all the time. It all sounded flat and hollow in his head so he didn't say anything, just followed him as they headed out of the school.
DI
"I think I've got something."
Tucker made a face and Sam rolled her eyes, ignoring him. They were gathered in front of the school, by the bench under the trees early in the morning waiting for the first bell to ring. Danny dragged his gaze back from where he was watching for Dash.
"Its not contagious, right?" Danny asked in his stead and Sam glared at the pair of them as they snickered.
"I think I know where the gangs been hiding out."
That sobered them up fairly quickly.
"They've been pretty quiet lately." Tucker pointed out. "How did you find anything?"
Sam cleared her throat, tugging at a loose strand on her skirt.
"Sam," Danny exchanged a look with Tucker. "What did you do?"
"I told the box ghost about a new shipment of boxes," she said, chin tilted up. "And he told me about some guys who had taken over one of his old warehouses. Apparently they moved out his old boxes and the new ones they brought in just weren't the same." A small grin flit across her face as she added, "I'm sure my dads company will love the box ghost. He'll make a great addition."
"So we might actually know where these guys are?" Danny asked, a sick sort of anticipation creeping through him.
"I've got the address written down." She waved her phone at them.
Somehow having an actual address seemed to make their crazy plan all that more real.
"I'll have to stop by and thank the box ghost later." Danny muttered as the bell rang.
Together they headed up the steps, following the few other people standing outside. The halls weren't too crowded and as they made their way to their lockers Danny had to shake himself, sure he was imagining the way heads followed them.
He caught sight of Dash through the crowd, waiting by Danny's locker, Kwan next to him. He grinned; smile dimming a little at the grim look on the jocks faces and quickened his pace, a sense of dread creeping up on him.
Valerie appeared in front of the trio before they could reach the pair waiting at the lockers, a vicious, gleeful smile on her face.
"My, my, my Sammy," she said, a mocking air to her voice and a few people had taken to openly staring at them. "Who knew you had it in you?"
"What?" Sam asked, irritated.
Valerie held out a printed sheet of paper with a smirk and Danny caught a glimpse of someone that looked a lot like Sam and too much skin before Sam snatched it away.
"What do you have to say for yourself?" Valerie asked, voice pitched loud and it was obvious now what everyone was staring at, similar papers held in their hands and openly listening in, laughing, pointing.
There was a pause and Danny held his breath, horrified, embarrassed for his friend, waiting for Sam to take off running, to blush, to break down- anything.
Instead she just arched an eyebrow at Valerie with her sharpest smile and said,
"Victor has to resort to photoshop to try and get to me? And then has you do the dirty work?" She laughed, dark and amused and Danny was reminded that out of all of them Sam was by far the strongest. She said with a wink, "You're slipping."
Dash and Kwan reached them, ripping the papers out of the onlooker's hands.
"What are you staring at?" Dash loomed over a group of freshmen, glowering down at them. They shrank back against the lockers, apparently having heard stories of the infamous Dash Baxter.
"Get lost." Kwan scowled at them, expression dark and serious and Danny was momentarily struck by the complete change in the normally happy jock. "Now!" He barked when they didn't move.
Tucker and Danny grabbed a few more papers, ripping down the handful taped to the lockers as the small crowd dispersed, taking Valerie with it.
Sam was glaring down the hall at no specific point, shoulders tense and a muscle jumping in her jaw from where she was clenching her teeth. Everything about her posture screamed defensive, the paper in her hand clenched and crumpled, distorting the image.
"Hey," Tucker touched her arm gently but she just shook it off and with it most of the tension. She shook her head and sighed, balling up the paper into a tiny ball and tossed it in the closest trashcan.
"Are you okay?" Kwan asked quietly, unsure.
Sam offered a grin but it wavered and the lines around her eyes were tight.
"I'm fine." She shrugged again. "It's just a picture and it's obviously fake."
Tucker exchanged a glance with Danny, laced with guilt; probably at thinking Sam was exempt from Victors wrath because she was a girl. Violence wasn't the only form of bullying.
"Do you want to skip school?" Dash asked and Sam shot him a look saying,
"It'll only be worse if I leave. I'm not running from this."
"No, you're not." Dash agreed easy, fishing around in his pocket to pull out a few pieces of paper, which under closer inspection turned out to be tickets. "But I'd already mentioned to Paulina that I was going to take Danny to the carnival that opened by the docks today." Danny grinned, face flushing at the pleasant surprise that flit through him.
"And he invited the rest of us," Kwan added. "And Paulina so it should be all over the school and Internet by the end of first period."
Dash grinned flashing six tickets.
"Paulina is going to meet us out front with her car."
"So you're not avoiding the student body or anything." Kwan explained. "You're just coming to the carnival with us, we're supposed to skip- we're seniors. It's what they expect of us."
Sam was silent, chewing on her lower lip thoughtfully and Danny knew it was up to her, he would stay at school and ride out the looks and the gossip with her if she chose to face it head on.
"You know what," Sam said finally. "Screw what they think- let's get out of here."
Danny grinned and hugged her tight, quickly.
Kwan quickly stepped up to Sam's side as the pair led the way down the hall, Tucker trailing after, while Danny followed behind with Dash at a slower pace.
"How did you know Victor was going to do this?" Danny asked quietly.
"I didn't." Dash shook his head, a rueful grin spreading across his face. "I just wanted to take you to the carnival."
"But you had enough tickets for everyone." He pressed, frowning.
"I uh," Dash rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I just wanted to do something nice. Cause I could."
Danny blinked, surprised and then grinned, because he shouldn't have been. Not with Dash, not now.
"Thank you." Danny said, reaching out and linking their hands together, squeezing and not letting go.
Dash blushed lightly but smiled back.
DI
The carnival turned out to be a success. Paulina dragged Tucker on half a dozen different rides, laughing happily when he won her a stuffed panda, with a bit of ghostly help. Dash smirked like he knew exactly what Danny had done but said nothing and Tucker got to be Paulina's hero for the remainder of the day.
Sam and Kwan disappeared shortly after arriving, wandering off towards the fun house and with Tucker and Paulina distracted at the games that meant he had Dash all to himself. He tried not to show how pleased he was with it, but he wasn't quite sure he had succeeded.
The line for the Ferris wheel- a rickety old thing that looked like it had had better years but was still somehow standing- was short, both from the age of the ride and the fact that in the middle of the school day, even with the end of the year, not many people were around and the few that were, were gravitating towards the food tents as the lunch hour neared. They ended up joining the short line, herded onto the ride soon after and were squished together on the bench as the wheel began to spin slowly. The close contact had his stomach twisting, face flaming and palms sweating.
He'd been sure that the second his parents came home, or Sam and Tucker saw him the next day they would know, know what he and Dash had done. How could it not be written all over his face? And it wasn't that he regretted it- he wasn't sure he had it in him to regret anything about Dash. It was that he kept waiting for the pointed fingers, the disappointed stares, anything to disturb the happiness he'd found despite the years of baggage between them.
But no one had said anything; his parents had ended up phoning and letting him know they were going to be late and had ended up coming home after he went to bed and had barely mentioned the fact that Dash had been over the next day and Sam and Tucker hadn't noticed anything. He couldn't believe he'd gotten so lucky.
"Is everything okay?" Dash asked, uncertain, pulling Danny away from his thoughts.
"Yeah," he said and Dash frowned. "It's just, no ones noticed. About, you know."
Dash blushed and glanced away asking,
"You want them to?"
"No," Danny said quickly, sharply, shrugging. "Its just- I thought things would change or something."
"What like the sky was going to turn purple or something?" Danny's face was flaming and he was well on his way to feeling like an idiot. Dash seemed to realize this, his hand reaching out to grasp Danny's- just as sweaty, as warm and maybe he wasn't the only one feeling out of his depth.
"Things changed," Dash said and ducked his head down to press a quick, warm kiss to Danny's lips. "Just not exactly on the scale you were imagining."
Danny sat back against the seat as it swung lightly, stopping at the top to let a terrified couple off down below. On an impulse and feeling daring he tilted his head, resting it on Dash's shoulder- with the warm weather he was missing his varsity jacket and the black material of his t-shirt attracted the heat of the sun and warmed Danny's cheek. Dash squeezed his hand and pressed a gentle kiss to the crown of his head and Danny decided he could definitely live with this change.
DI
"I think the teachers decided to combine the gym classes to torture us." Danny scowled at the handful of grade elevens across the locker room, all mostly changed and laughing loudly at something Victor had said.
"They're not that evil." Dash said but he was frowning like he couldn't figure out why the teachers would do it either.
Danny rested his foot on the bench, hunching down to tie his shoe. He didn't hide the sigh of relief as Victor and his friends finally filed out of the locker room and out towards the field where the classes were gathering. Dash stepped up beside him, and under the guise of moving to tie his own running shoes, slid one large warm hand up Danny's back. Danny shivered and grinned at the touch, some of his bad mood lightening.
"We could always skip." Danny suggested lowly and Dash smirked. "There's this janitors closet on the second floor…"
"Or," Dash suggested, deftly doing up one shoe and switching to the other. "You could come over after school- my parents will be out of town for a few days, we could watch a movie or something."
The way Dash said movie left very little to the imagination and he was suddenly very glad Tucker wasn't there yet- he'd never hear the end of it.
Speaking of Tucker.
"Tucker should be here by now." Danny straightened up, frowning.
"Not exactly the response I was hoping for." Dash muttered and Danny smiled apologetically.
"Sorry, I'd love to come over and watch a movie tonight." Danny stepped closer, smirking at the slight shudder that ran through the blonde as he ran his hands lightly over the waistband of his gym shorts.
"Yeah," Dash said, sounding breathless, face flushing. "You mentioned something about a janitors closet?"
Danny didn't get a chance to reply, his phone buzzing angrily in his bag.
"Ignore it." Dash suggested but Danny pulled back with a sigh, rummaging for it and flipping it open.
"It could be from Tucker." And it was. Danny read over the message, expression darkening.
"What is it?" Dash asked, concerned.
"Tucker ran into Victor earlier." Danny typed in a quick reply and stuffed his bag into his locker. "I have to go get him out of his locker."
"Do you want me to come with you?"
Danny shook his head, good mood evaporating as quickly as it had come.
"Just make sure Victor doesn't try anything with Sam, please?" He asked and Dash nodded, heading off to join the others on the field as Danny hurried out of the locker room.
DI
"I don't want to talk about it." Tucker said as the lock sprung open and Danny let his friend out. His shoulders hunched, eyes wide and normally dark complexion pale, he set off down the hallway and Danny was helpless but to follow.
"Someone needs to teach that guy a lesson." Danny muttered darkly, mostly to himself but Tucker heard anyways.
"He's not scared of you, and whatever you've been doing, Danny." He pointed out. "Nothing bothers him."
"He's such an asshole." He said with such loathing that he startled himself.
"The king of assholes." Tucker agreed easily.
They walked the rest of the way in silence, Danny shooting Tucker furtive glances along the way and Tucker ignoring them. The locker room was empty when they reached it, and Tucker changed quickly.
The class was divided into three groups and Danny spotted the two gym teachers by the bleachers, talking to a group of girls that weren't dressed for gym- Danny recognized at least two of them from their gym class. They started that way, figuring they should check in but yelling caught his attention. Across the field one of the groups of students had formed a circle around two people, chanting and cheering and Danny watched for a moment, confused. The coaches glanced up at the noise and a second later were running across the field, shouting for the students to break it up.
"Who's fighting?" Tucker asked.
Danny shrugged, unable to see through the circle of students. Other groups were heading towards the fight and the teachers were attempting to force their way in to stop the fight themselves.
Sam appeared at their side and Danny looked around, sinking feeling in his stomach as he realized that he couldn't spot Dash amongst the crowd.
"Hey!" Sam shouted suddenly and Danny followed her gaze to where Kwan was shrugging off one of the hockey jocks. He grabbed her wrist before she could charge over and give the guy a black eye.
The teachers made it to the center of the circle and the crowd dispersed suddenly, apparently not wanting to get the blame for any of the fight and Danny spotted, just as the teacher made it to Dash, the blonde knock Victor flat on his ass with a solid punch.
He didn't know whether to cheer or fume. The two were pulled apart and marched towards the school doors, towards where the trio stood.
Kwan followed closely behind, glowering at the back of Victor's head. As they got closer Danny could see the split lip, rapidly bruising cheek and the way that Dash held the wrist he'd hurt fighting the gang not long ago, stiffly and close to his chest. Victor was another story, his right eye was already swelling shut, nose bleeding freely onto his gym shirt and his left eye looked like it was going to turn spectacular colours within a day.
"Are you okay? What happened?" Danny asked when they were close enough.
"Get to your groups." The teacher leading Victor barked at them and pushed past. Victor sneered but otherwise remained silent.
"Dash?" Danny called after him but Dash just grimaced and ducked his head, following without having to be told.
"What happened?" Sam repeated Danny's question to Kwan, physically stepping in front of him to stop him from following the others.
"Victor said something to Dash," Kwan watched his friend go, grimacing. There was a bruise high on his cheek. "And Dash lost it."
"What did he say?" Danny asked, anger coiling through him and with no outlet for it.
"Kwan!" One of the teachers turned back, calling to the jock. "Let's go!"
"I don't know," he said quickly. "I didn't hear."
Danny watched him jog to catch up to the others, he kept watching long after they'd disappeared into the school. Dash wasn't the most patient person, wasn't one to back down from a challenge- but starting a fight like that in gym class? Danny frowned, worried.
"We could slip out." Sam suggested quietly.
"They're probably at the principals office by now."
"Wouldn't they go to the nurses first?"
"Let's go." Danny said interrupting them, suddenly very anxious to find out what had happened.
DI
The principals office was closed tight and they couldn't hear what was going on inside but they sat, somewhat patiently in the hard plastic chairs out front, waiting for someone to make an appearance.
The vice principal had glared at them, pointedly telling them that they were missing their next period twice before apparently giving up. Danny had ignored them; ready to go ghost and sit around invisible if it meant being there when Dash got out. Sam had a look on her face that promised pain and revenge if they tried to make her move.
"Dash and Kwan have done stupid things before," Tucker said, nervously. "And they spent five minutes in the principals office."
Danny glanced reflexively at the clock on the wall; it was going on forty minutes since they'd sat down to wait.
When the door opened, Danny had been on his feet before he'd realized what he was doing. Victor was the first through the doorway, looking petulant until he spotted the trio, then his expression turned incredibly smug. He smirked at Danny, and Danny felt a hand curl around his wrist, a precaution to make sure he wouldn't do anything stupid. Sam released him once Victor had disappeared out of sight, taking to hovering at the door.
It opened again a moment later and Kwan stormed out, fuming. He stalked by them and after a brief look, Sam followed after, pulling Tucker with her. Danny turned back as Dash joined him in the room, face stormy.
"Hey," Danny said quietly, aware of the vice principals desk close by and the principal on the other side of the door. He took in the dark expression on Dash's face, the bruises and cuts and the way he kept his arm close to his chest. "Have you seen the nurse?" He asked, already knowing the answer.
"No." Dash said curtly. Danny blinked, taken aback at the tone and Dash sighed, sagging a little. "I just want to head home."
"Home?" Danny asked, but led the way regardless.
"Yeah," Dash nodded as they headed down the hallway. "Suspended for two days."
Anger bubbled up through him but he kept silent for the moment, knowing he had time once they reached Dash's house to find out what had happened with Victor, why the other jock had seemed so smug and what Dash was thinking. Or better yet, why Danny hadn't been there to stop it.
It didn't take them long to get to Dash's, he lived close enough to the school. The house was silent when they let themselves in, his parents having left early that morning for their trip out of town.
Danny grabbed the first aid supplies from the bathroom and forced Dash to sit still on the couch while he dabbed at his split lip and inspected his bruises. It was quiet save for the sound of their breathing and when Danny reached for something in the kit and he could feel the tension rising between his shoulders, coiling tighter.
Dash let out a slight hiss when Danny, inspecting his wrist, squeezed a little too tight and he dropped Dash's hand like he'd been scalded, quick to apologize.
"It's fine," Dash said. "Danny, really- I'm okay."
Danny shifted, dropping his gaze and Dash sighed, reaching out to pull him closer but he scooted back out of reach with a frown.
"What?" Dash asked, confusion spread out across his face.
"What did Victor say to you?"
This time it was Dash's turn to frown, scowling at a point over Danny's shoulder- and didn't they make quite a pair, unable to meet the others gaze?
"It's nothing."
"It is something." Danny pressed; Dash a year ago- Danny would assume he had no reason to jump into a fight, but Dash now? There had to be a pretty good reason.
"Danny, if it was something important I'd tell you. But there's no point in telling you."
"Why?" He demanded, frustrated and feeling like he was missing most of the puzzle.
"Because it was bullshit about you!" Dash shot back, face flushed and voice sharp. He paused, grimacing like he hadn't meant to say it. He continued, softer. "And it will just hurt you to repeat it, won't change that it's not true, so there's no point."
"I can take anything Victor says about me." Danny set his jaw, voice firm.
Dash nodded and twisted so he could lean back against the couch, tilting his head back like he was suddenly exhausted.
"I know, but you shouldn't have to."
Danny wasn't sure what to say to that, but he could feel his resolve crumbling.
"Did Victor get suspended too?" Danny finally found his voice, but the look on Dash's face told him everything.
"Detention for two weeks." Dash said and then sat back up, going to run a hand through his hair before remembering his wrist.
"We should get that looked at." But Dash shook his head and Danny knew not to push, understood the feeling even if he didn't like it and pulled a tensor bandage out. "Then I'll get some ice."
"In a second," Dash reached out and snagged his hand and the contact was enough to have Danny remaining on the couch, pulled closer to his boyfriend by an unseen force. "There's uh, something else I should probably tell you."
Danny nodded, stomach twisting with a sinking sensation. Every bone in his body was screaming for him to not listen, to get up and go get the ice, to put off whatever it was that Dash wanted to say because he knew it was not going to be anything good.
"Kwan got suspended too," Dash began. "But since I started the fight, even if Victor was the one instigating it,"
"And because Lancer has a new favourite pet." Danny cut in, scowled darkly and Dash squeezed his hand.
"I, um, was banned from prom." Dash finished quietly and Danny sat there, staring blankly ahead. His chest felt tight and it took him a moment to remember how to breathe. "Danny?"
Dash looked uncertain, and it took Danny a minute to figure out what he was thinking and when he did he was shocked, shocked that Dash would think he'd get up and walk out on him over that.
"Hey," Danny said, sliding closer. He pulled Dash's hand up and pressed a kiss to the pulse point on the soft skin on the inside of his wrist. "It's fine," It wasn't fine, it was unfair, unjust and Danny wanted to do something, anything. "We won't go then."
"I can't ask- you said you have your tux." Dash protested.
"I'll get Sam to return it, it wasn't really me anyways." He said and ignored the little pang in his stomach at the thought. "I prefer jeans."
"You should still go with Sam and Tucker and Kwan. We can hang out before or after or something."
"Dash," Danny said firmly and slid into his lap, feeling brave and reckless and furious all at once. "I'm not going without you."
He cut off any arguments Dash could come up with, leaning forwards and capturing his lips in a deep, slow kiss his hands coming up around Dash's shoulders as the blonde's settled on his waist, pulling him closer.
He'd let Sam know later, have her return the ridiculously expensive tux- he still felt guilty about the price- and he and Dash would do something together, go out or maybe just stay in with a movie. He pressed a little closer at the thought, jeans growing tighter as he imagined the ways that they could forget about prom and all of the troubles at school.
Somehow though, this all felt like giving up, giving in. And he'd decided that losing to Victor Feldsman wasn't an option.
What have you gotten yourself into Victor? He'll never see this coming...