A continuation of worldbuilding and confined.
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Comfort
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Danny had neither enough strength nor focus to switch back to ghost form, so he just crouched, naked, on the island. His breath was coming fast and hard, and he was trying not to pull his hair, but there was nothing else to grab onto. Nothing that was really his. Nothing that wasn't wings or tail that he refused to believe were his, refused to believe were permanent.
This wasn't fair. Life in general wasn't fair, but this was especially unfair. He shouldn't have to go through life and afterlife double-guessing everyone and everything. He shouldn't have to worry that every stranger who was friendly to him was secretly plotting to murder him, kidnap him, or brainwash him. No one should have to worry about that. He didn't want to be suspicious and paranoid all the time. He wanted to be able to trust people, and make friends, and not pay for the attempt with being drugged, held prisoner, and- and changed.
Having his body drastically altered against his will once should be more than enough, shouldn't it?
"Daniel."
The words were so soft but the sounded so loud, and Danny's head snapped up painfully fast. It was Clockwork, with his robes and staff, floating just over the rocky surface of the island. He floated at a respectful distance, tail lashing with some agitation, and Danny just knew Clockwork had calculated to prevent him from feeling threatened.
Danny's eyes flicked up and down Clockwork, making sure he was there, really there, making sure this wasn't a trick, a trap, or some trick of Danny's admittedly over-stressed mind. Finally, with a gasp of relief, he uncurled from his crouch, and ran to Clockwork, hugging the older ghost like his life and sanity depended on it.
Clockwork swung his cloak around Danny's shoulders and patted him gently. "It will be alright," said Clockwork.
Danny realized then that Clockwork had known what was going to happen. He had known what was going to happen and didn't warn Danny, even though Danny had come to visit him right before he ran into the Glass City people. Danny pushed away from Clockwork, took several stumbling steps backwards, opened his mouth to say something angry, defensive, and accusatory, then remembered his voice wasn't working. He tried to settle for crossing his arms.
Clockwork hadn't tried to hold on to him. This was hugely upsetting to Danny for some reason, and he started to cry. Then he tried to hide the fact that he was crying by hiding his face behind Clockwork's cloak, which was stupid. That's what everyone did when they were crying.
"Daniel," said Clockwork, very softly. He floated over to Danny, then down, so that his eyes and Danny's were at the same level. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I know that it was traumatic, and I don't expect you to forgive me. You don't have to. You have every right to be angry with me. It was the lesser of several evils, and you will need what you gained there. I hope you will at least believe me when I say that." He paused. "Will you let me touch you? I can fix your voice."
Danny hesitated, still angry, but also wanting to be held again, feel safe again. He lowered his hands, and nodded, still withdrawn in Clockwork's cloak.
Clockwork raised his hands. "I'm going to have to touch your throat," he said.
Danny nodded again, a little more sharply this time. Clockwork's gloved hands touched his neck, feather-light. Danny still flinched. He was too used to people grabbing him by the neck during his fights. Clockwork paused, meeting Danny's eyes. Danny nodded again, and squeezed his eyes shut.
He felt the chill of intangibility as Clockwork's fingers briefly dipped into his throat, then back out again.
"That should be it," said Clockwork.
"Really?" whispered Danny. He sighed in relief. He could speak again. He looked up at Clockwork. "Why didn't you warn me?" he asked. "Why did- Why did that-? Why would they do that? And what- I can't go home like this. I can't hide these. They're too big."
"It is complicated," said Clockwork, "and I'm sorry. I truly am." He ran his hand down Danny's shoulder. "Let me bring you back to my lair. You can get cleaned up, I'll get you something to eat, and we can talk about what to do next."
"Okay," said Danny. He leaned into Clockwork, hiding his face.
"Alright, here we go," said Clockwork.
He opened a portal and gently steered Danny towards it. They came out in Clockwork's lair, surrounded by the ticking of clocks. Oddly, this didn't spark any unease in Danny, despite how the sound had been used while he was imprisoned in the Glass City. He just felt calm. Safe.
"The bathroom is over there," said Clockwork, pointing. "I've laid out some clothing for you."
"You really planned this out," grumbled Danny.
"I'm afraid so. What would you like to eat?"
Danny looked down at his bare feet. What did he want? Was he even hungry? He found that he was. As for what he wanted... Nothing sweet. Nothing soft. He'd had too much of that. "Something spicy," he said, "and crunchy."
"Hm. How do nachos sound?" asked Clockwork.
"That would be okay," said Danny, still looking down.
"Alright. They'll be ready when you come out."
"Okay," mumbled Danny. He shuffled forward across the floor, enjoying the feeling of the stone under his feet. The stone, not glass. He wasn't sure how, but it was different.
Once in the bathroom, he hung up Clockwork's cloak on one of the hooks, and started a shower. He had to get all the ectoplasmic goo off of himself. The water made his... wings... feel heavy. It was weird, and he didn't know if he should try to wash them more vigorously or not. He knew that with butterflies, if you grabbed their wings, scales would come off, and that was supposed to be unhealthy.
He settled for just rinsing.
When he came out, he found a towel the stack of clothes Clockwork had set out. Sweatpants with a hole for the tail, socks, and a turtle neck that hung down to his knees with two long slits in the back.
He hadn't looked in the mirror yet. He had a nasty suspicion about what he'd find. He shuffled, not sure if he should look, if he was ready to look, but then decided that it was better to be quick about it, to get it over with.
Except for what he was wearing, he looked like the Glass City nobles. His eyes were too big, and his skin was too smooth. He bit his lower lip, suppressing a panic. Clockwork had said he would explain, and they would be able to talk about what they'd do next. Or he had almost said that. He had said something like that. Sort of.
He had to believe that Clockwork would help him.
He shuffled out of the bathroom, and made his way to Clockwork's kitchen. Or tried to, anyway. He would swear that the floor plan of Clockwork's lair changed every time he came to visit.
But before he could be lost for long, Clockwork appeared, and directed him to the kitchen. There were some very fancy nachos on the counter, chips piled high with cheese, meat, peppers, and other vegetables. A large glass of water was sitting next to them, and a pair of stools was sat in front of the counter.
Danny perched gingerly on one of them. Clockwork sat on the other. Danny started eating.
"Would you like to hear about the Glass City now," asked Clockwork, "or would you like to wait until after you eat?"
"Naof," said Danny around a nacho he had already shoved into his mouth.
Clockwork nodded. "You were told that the Glass City suffered in Pariah's war. You were not told how much. Nearly their entire royal family was wiped out. Their community suffered greatly with the loss of leadership. As their collective Obsession was the well-being of their community, this was unbearable. They looked for ways to replace their royalty. Their solution was to take persons who had traits and skills they found desirable and change them to fit their needs."
There was a pause as Danny shuddered and blanched. He reached for the glass of water.
"They did not, could not, do not, just take anyone, however. It may not seem that way to you, but they do have morals. They select only either the completely willing or those they believe are being abused. That's why they decided they wanted you. Your Obsession would have meshed well with theirs, and they believed that your parents were abusing you. Which, well..."
"Not too far from the truth, is it?" said Danny, miserably. "They just don't know."
Clockwork patted Danny on the shoulder. "If it helps, the people of the Glass City were one of the inspirations for fairies. They are skilled at stealing people."
"It kinda does, I guess. But what am I supposed to do now? I can't- I can't go home like this."
Danny looked up at Clockwork, and for a brief second, doubted him. For a brief second, he imagined that this had been Clockwork's plan all along, that it had been Clockwork's intention to trap him here, and keep him for himself. (If the second had been allowed to last longer, Danny might have been surprised by how little that bothered him.)
"No, but that does not mean that you can't go," said Clockwork. "Eat first, then we can start working on how."
