Chapter 22: A Much-Needed Talk

Despite what he promised, Danny didn't go straight home.

Instead, he went to the boardwalk amusement park. Although he didn't go for fun, he went to find some place secluded enough for him to think.

Once he was sure no one saw him, he went into the gondola of the Ferris wheel at the very top. Since it seems the amusement park was closed, he returned to human form and just looked out at the sea.

It was sunset and Danny felt that some alone time in a world where even his closest friends can't find him is the perfect place to be.

So, I said that I was sorry… I doubt she'll come looking for me. And even if she was, I doubt she's willing to forgive me.

This thought makes him feel even sadder.

Despite it all, he never wished her any harm and didn't like seeing her sad.

He wondered what would have happened if she did indeed choose to forgive him then and there. Would there have been a potential future for them as a couple? Would she have been willing to give him a chance even if the two of them are from completely different species? And would she have been willing to let him find some way to make up for not telling her the truth and letting her go along with thinking he was like her? He could've told her at any point even if he couldn't change form, granted there was the chance she wouldn't believe him though she's likely seen stranger things given who she lives with.

Danny sighs as he rests his head on his arm, looking out at the sunset.

"I see you are here."

A familiar female voice speaks to him. Looking to his side, he sees Starfire, floating outside and peeking in.

Danny just remained there, motionless.

She gives a small smile, though one less joyful and more to ease his concern, and hovers in, sitting next to Danny.

This brings back memories. Mostly her suffocating me with kisses.

After blinking once, Danny scratches the back of his head, questioning what to say.

Starfire rubs the arm not featuring the bracelet strapped below the shoulder, not sure what to say either.

"So/How are-"

The Ghost Boy and Alien Girl say at the same time.

They pause and look away from each other, once again unsure of how to interact.

"How did you find me?" Danny asked.

"I did not." Starfire answered. "I felt the need to get out and came to the boardwalk for the walk of deep thinking with of the air of the fresh. Then I saw you enter this compartment called the gondola and felt the need to speak with you."

"Oh…" Danny said, rolling his eyes away from her.

"So…" Starfire stretched that word a bit, notably pulling a strand of her hair in thought of what to say next. "If you are not a Tamaranian, why do you look like that?"

Danny made a small smile.

"It's a long story."

Starfire makes a small smile of her own.

"I have the time for the long story."

For the next 20 minutes, Danny explained to Starfire his past. He told her that on his Earth, as well as explaining he's from a different universe, that his parents were obsessed with hunting ghosts. They built a portal to enter the dimension called the Ghost Zone. When it didn't work, Danny was convinced to take a look and, after pressing the on button while it was powered, turned on. He was blasted with energy that mixed his DNA with ectoplasm and granted him ghostly superpowers. His eyes turn green because of the green energy, at least that's what he figured. The tan skin was likely a side effect. As for his hair and clothes, he theorized that it inverted his colors for some reason.

He also included bits of his life as a superhero. He's fought a hunter who wanted to hang his pelt on his wall, an evil rock star, some buffoon who obsesses over boxes for no apparent reason, an evil ringmaster and his father's former friend who is also a supervillain out for world domination because he's got a huge ego. During this, he noticed Starfire had a smile on her face. He was hoping this meant she liked what she was hearing.

He didn't know it yet, but it's true. Starfire was impressed to learn more about this boy. She knew already he was a nice person due to what he said about Val-Yor's bigotry, hearing that he saves people without hesitation just added to that. As attractive as his ghostly form was, while admitting his human form does have a sort of cuteness to it, hearing this heroic side makes her feel somewhat relieved to learn more about him.

"And that's basically most of my life as a superhero." Danny said.

Starfire smiled and looked out at the setting sun.

"I see." She says. "Phan- I mean, Danny."

Danny's eyes widened.

That's the first time she used my real name.

"I must tell you… I was never angry with you." She admits.

"What?"

"I realized now you were not the comfortable with my actions of affection most of the time we were spending around each other." She says, sounding regretful of her actions. "I was too into the attraction to notice how you actually feel." She looks away, not wanting him to see her face. "I assumed you were simply the shy and resumed my affections." She began pressing her thumbs together. "I am the sorry, not the angry."

Danny gets a closer look and realizes Starfire is upset with her own actions.

She's not mad at me? She never was?

"Learning the truth did give me the breaking of the heart feeling… but I never blamed you."

He felt some level of relief that she's not angry with him, but he still hated that he broke her heart. Danny still felt like he should make it up to her for.

"Starfire?" Danny asks. She finally looks to him. "I am sorry I didn't tell you I'm not a Tamaranian, even if the scenario didn't give me a chance to." He clears his throat. "The reason you kept being so affectionate in an extremely cartoonish way is because the energy my body released affects a Tamaranian to be more emotional than they usually are. That's still no excuse, so I still feel like I should make it up to you. If there is any way I can do that, let me know. If not, I'll leave you alone." He says.

Starfire just stares at him.

Danny holds his breath, worried of what she'll say.

She doesn't answer right way, instead, she looks out at the sunset.

Danny decides to do the same.

They both look out.

While they do so, both let their thoughts wander.

Danny thought of the first time he met this girl. He was immediately into her; she was pretty and acted very nice to him. True, her turning out to be the alien that ghosts were afraid of made him concerned, her being overly affectionate made him uncomfortable, and her inability to stay away. His second meeting with her allowed him to see she cared for innocent people and recognize she had a genuine interest in him. He would later meet her sister, who is a bully and a horrible person. Her interest in him was far less flattering. He would encounter a cruel bigot who talked down to her, even though she still saved his life and wished him no harm. She was, in short, a good person. Not like the girls he likes on his world, she was a nice person and could kick major butt. Sam would never have Starfire's level of empathy for others, considering she wanted him to not hurt Val-Yor anymore. Sam would have let the guy get eaten alive instead.

Starfire thinks to the moment she first saw Danny. She saw a handsome young man. She was so fixated on her broken heart that she had to be near him. She assumed he was just shy but still liked her like she liked him. He did save her from her sister and called out Val-Yor for his crude comments to her. He did come all this way to seek forgiveness from her. This alone convinced her to do so, that and she never was angry with him.

"I was never angry with you… but to ease your mind, I forgive you." She says.

Danny looks to her and sees her smiling.

Feeling a weight lifted off of him, he smiled.

"Thank you."

The two went back to looking out at the sunset one more time, they remained silent.

Hours pass and it's now nightfall. They haven't said anything, though they occasionally glance at each other with a smile.

Danny takes a breath.

"Well, I guess I should go."

Danny morphs in front of her and gets up, but Starfire then grabs his arm.

"Wait." Starfire asks. "I wish to ask you of something."

Danny looks at her.

"Do you… have the interest in me?" She asks.

Danny just stared at her for a moment.

"W-what?"

"Do you like me?" She asks, her face concerned.

Danny blushed and looked away, not sure how to answer.

"I…" He was unsure for a moment, but thinking back to when he willingly kissed her, he decided to answer. "I think I do." He looks at her.

Starfire blushes.

"I see… I thank you for your honesty." Starfire says.

Both of them weren't sure what to say next.

"So… I guess I could go." Danny said, though one look at Starfire suggests he should stay a bit longer. "Unless, you don't want me to?" He asks her.

Looking up to him, she smiles.

"I would like to spend more of the time with you…" Her smile drops as she looks away. "But… learning what you are has made me realize… I do not actually know you."

Hearing this causes Danny to feel bad for breaking her heart again.

"Starfire-"

"That is why I would like to get to know you, the real you. The one I do not mistake for a cute Tamaranian boy, but a cute boy."

"You still think I'm cute?" He asks, looking hopeful.

"Indeed. I would like to get to know you, not as Phantom, but as Danny." She says.

"What exactly do you have in mind?" He asks.

"I believe you and I should do the activity known as "the date"." She says. "A proper one rather than you reluctantly coming with me."

This causes Danny to smile.

"Okay. But, where do we do it? Your universe or mine?"

"Perhaps we should go on the date twice? One in each world?" She suggests.

"So, you want us to go on two dates?" He asks.

"If that is the okay with you." She asks with a small, sheepish smile."

Danny thought for a moment.

Actually, he didn't take anytime, he knew what his answer was.

"Absolutely!"

Both of them had a smile on their faces.

Starfire got up and hugged Danny as tightly as she could. Once she heard him grunt, she let go.

"Oh dear! I am sorry!" She remembers, due to her alien strength, her hugs were rather painful for others. "I apologize!" She says, sounding regretful.

"It's okay!" He says, rubbing on of his arms. "I'm pretty durable in this form… mostly. I have a healing factor, so I'll be fine." He assures her. He then holds his arms out. "Let's try this again."

Smiling, Starfire holds her arms out and hugs him again.

Both teens hugged each other as best as they could without hurting each other. The remain that way for a moment because neither wants to let go. Once they finish, they let go and look into each other's green eyes.

They smile and blush.

"So, when do you want to have that date and which world?" He asks. He has a moment of realization at what he just said. "That's a question I never thought I'd ask in my life."

Starfire giggles, holding her hand near her mouth as she does it.

"I will let you decide when is the best to the going out." She says.

After a moment of silence, both teens looked to their feet.

"I guess… I'll see you later?" Danny asks.

"Before you go, I have one request."

"What?"

"May I see the human form you have?" Starfire asks, sounding curious and eager to see what he looks like again.

Danny took a moment to think, but shrugged when he figured there was no harm.

"Sure." He morphs in front of her.

Looking up and down, Starfire quickly thought of how he looked. He had black hair like Robin, though his physique was less athletic. Yet there was a sort of adorableness to it, to him. She smiled.

"Your being Danny Phantom makes you more attractive in a Tamaranian way…"

Danny looked unsure how to responds, so he does as best as he can.

"Uh… thanks?"

Suddenly, her lips were on his.

In that split second, Danny reacted automatically by kissing back despite the shock going through his body.

Once the kiss ended, she smiles to him.

"However, you are still the attractive in a cute boy way and your mouth during lip contact still feels nice." She says as she smiles with her hands behind her back, giving her an adorable look that causes Danny to stare.

The kiss alone made him blush, Starfire's actions caused him to blush harder.

Suddenly, his original weakness of acting nervous around cute girls started to catch up to him

"W-Uh! Y-you… you ju- I- We- Y-"

Starfire giggles at his stuttering.

Starfire hugs him again, only not as tightly. Instead, she did so lightly, treating him like a fragile piece of art. Feeling her arms causes the blush to remain on his face.

"Oh! I am the so happy you came to me! I am the very happy of the dating with you on a proper date!" She says as she laughs happily.

She let him go and Danny smiled at seeing her happy. He was about to phase through the wall, when he thought of something and looked to Starfire.

"Say? Do you want to know what it feels like to be intangible?"

Starfire looked surprised to hear that, but she thought a bit with a finger under her chin and smiled with a nod.

"I would like to know."

"Hands, please?" Danny asks as he holds his own hands out.

Once Starfire gave Danny her hands, he used his powers to make them both intangible and phase through the gondola's walls. Once it's done, he regains tangibility.

Starfire shivered. "That felt the cold, like cold shower." She then smiles once she stops shivering. "I liked it!"

"Great."

The two realize they're still holding hands and let go. Both teens look away with a blush.

"So… I guess I should go home now." He says. He looks to Starfire and smiles. "Unless…"

"Unless?"

"Unless a certain alien girl wants to get hands on me and shower me with affection?" He suggests.

Starfire smiles before putting on a determined grin.

"You are mine!" She wraps her arms around him and smothers his face with kisses. "You cannot escape…" Danny phases out of her arms, much to her surprise. "Me?"

"My powers weren't working right during all of those times. They're working now!" He tells her.

This doesn't take away her determined smile.

"That will not deter me!"

She then flies after him, giggling. Danny, for once, actually laughs at Starfire coming for him. He's having some fun with her.

They would fly into the city, going around some buildings. Danny at one point hid behind a billboard and peeked out to look for Starfire, who makes her presence known by kissing his forehead. Still, they kept going until they reached past Titans' Tower, and where the portal is.

Once they reach it, Danny stops, causing Starfire to stop as well. She's confused as to why.

"This is where I go. The portal that takes me home is here, and apparently, because I'm from that other universe, only I can use it." Danny says.

"I see…" Starfire says, sounding a bit saddened by this.

"So… I'll see you next Saturday?" Danny asks.

Stafire gives an open-mouthed grin.

"Yes!" She realizes she sounds too excited and calms down. "I mean, I will be awaiting. I will remain patient and-"

Suddenly, Danny cups her face with both hands. He smiles into her face. Wanting to do more than just say bye, Danny kissed her quickly on the lips. This causes a jolt of joy to go through Starfire, it's the first time he willingly kissed her in a long time. He parts the lips and looks into her eyes.

"I'll see you then." He says with a smile.

"I will see you then." She responds.

The two kiss quickly and Danny lets go to enter the portal.

Once he disappears, Starfire raises her arms in victory.

Once Danny returned to the Ghost Zone, he gave a cheerful fist pump.

They both said the same thing at the same time despite being in two different worlds.

"I have a date! A real date!"

Finally, a proper pairing.

From this point on, there will be focus on them as two people who genuinely like each other.

So, anyone wanna guess where their date takes place and what happens?

I have some plans for these two, those plans involve them becoming very close.