I take my time with my shower, only leaving the warm spray so I don't drive up Alex's water bill. I'm sure that'd just be the icing on the cake today.

As soon as I'm dressed, I glance over Danny's latest text. Before I got in the shower, I responded with a sort of apology but mostly just excusing the fact that I forgot because there was pizza and any food makes me forget that anything else exists.

From: Danny Fenton

You suck. Also, how's your homework?

Ugh, asking like a true tutor. I open up the bathroom door with one hand and type back 'ugh' with the other, before I step out. Alex and Anastasia are still talking in the kitchen and their voices are carrying back to the bedroom. They don't sound angry, they just sound like they're discussing something intense. I can't tell if it's a good time for me to come back or not but my phone vibrates in my hand before I make a decision.

From: Danny Fenton

Can I call you?

I re-read the text three times before I hit call on his number. Alex's room leads to a balcony so I move toward it, unlocking the glass doors. The call connects just as I swing open the doors and Danny's voice fills the silence.

"S-Sorry… we probably could have texted instead, I just…" he trails off and I have to wonder if he's anything like me. If late nights mean that he needs to hear someone else's voice so he remembers that he's not the only one still left awake.

I push the doors closed behind me and pace over to the balcony railing, leaning my forearms against it. "Nah, don't worry about it," I respond, letting out a breath. "Can't sleep?"

Danny exhales softly in response and a small groan immediately follows after it. "Did I ever mention that I have insomnia?" he asks, his voice quiet. So I was right. That is why he gave Star advice. …ugh, insomnia's the fucking worst. I really wish he didn't have it too.

"No you didn't but hey, I never mentioned I have it either. So, I guess we're even." I can't help but grin when he laughs a little. If I can make him laugh then my night's just gonna get better. "Yeah, I've had it since the sixth grade but the doctor said I probably had it for like two years or something before that."

"You know what's kinda funny? I think we were both diagnosed the same year," he says, letting out a small laugh. "I went for like six months or so without ever knowing what was going on but when I told my dad that I just couldn't sleep, my parents decided to have someone look at me. Insomnia runs in my family, apparently."

I don't think any of my relatives have insomnia but I don't know for sure. I haven't seen most of them since whoever died last… I think it was an uncle. Mom never had problems sleeping unless dad really did a number on one of us, but I've always had trouble with it.

"Insomnia's a bitch, man," I say, letting my eyes fall closed. I don't know if there's some kind of connection to anxiety and insomnia but I guess at this point, anything's possible. Considering Danny has both and I potentially do too, it wouldn't surprise me.

"Yeah, I just… it's like, you lay down, right? And you're totally ready to just go to sleep but nothing works. I thought I was going crazy as a kid and to be honest, I still feel that way sometimes." Danny just sounds exhausted and I've definitely been there.

I pull my phone away to check the time and I'm kinda surprised that it's past midnight. Shit, no wonder he's exhausted. I usually try to crawl into bed around ten, even if I don't feel like I'm gonna fall asleep. Sometimes I surprise myself by drifting off and sometimes I lay awake for hours.

"Didn't realize it was so late," I say, letting out a breath as I lean more of my weight on the railing. It's almost chilly out right now but hell, I'll welcome in cooler temperatures with open arms. It'll make practice a hell of a lot easier.

"When'd you lay down?" Danny asks, stifling a yawn as he asks the question.

I snort, mainly to disguise the fact that I think his noise is fucking adorable, and run a hand through my hair. "Haven't yet. Alex is forcing me to with him for the night. I just got out of the shower," I say, glancing back toward the glass doors. I don't know if they're still arguing or just talking but still, I'll give them their space.

"Well, I-I'm glad that you won't be alone tonight… would it be too weird if I said that I was kinda worried about you when I left?" he asks, his voice dropping in volume as he speaks. Oh fuck, I don't think I can handle the thought of Danny worrying about me. Not when my heart practically jumps at the thought. God, he's gonna be the death of me.

"No, that's not weird at all," I reply, trying to hold the smile from my voice. I'm sure he can tell at least a little that I'm grinning like a fucking idiot on my end but at least he can't see me. "To be honest though… I was worried about you."

Danny lets out a breath and silence falls over us. I'm guessing he's still not up for explaining his reaction at the garage and I don't want to push him for an answer. Right now, I don't care. We'll talk about anything he wants to as long as his mind doesn't go wherever the fuck it was earlier.

I easily start talking about the most random things I can think of and he follows me up with some of his own stories. He keeps me grinning and I keep him talking so he doesn't have time to let his mind go back to the dark shit. I still haven't put it past him yet to be lying about his parents.

After a while, I hear the balcony doors swing open behind me and I glance over my shoulder. Alex gives me a tired smile and I angle my phone away from my mouth to talk.

"Going to bed?" I ask and he nods, the sheer exhaustion pulling at him. I promise myself I'll make it quick and I gesture at my phone. "I'll be inside in a minute, okay?"

Alex leaves me alone to finish my call, pulling the doors closed behind him and it takes me a few seconds to work up the nerve to talk again. I don't know why I'm suddenly nervous to speak to Danny, I'm just gonna be telling him goodnight.

"So, I gotta head inside. Alex wants to sleep and I think he'd kill me if I wake him up by coming through his bedroom when I want to lay down," I say, turning my gaze out past the balcony again. The stars are really visible tonight and I can't help but smile. "I wish you could see the stars right now, you'd be able to tell me all kinds of stuff about them." Not to mention, I'd also get to hear the excitement in his voice as he did.

Danny laughs softly, the sound filled with static over my phone. "That'd be great… but you should lay down. And we'll both try to sleep, okay? At least for a couple hours," he says, the amusement clear in his tone.

"Sure thing," I respond. There's an awkward few seconds of silence where I guess we're both waiting for each other to say something but it's late and Alex wants to sleep. "I'll see you tomorrow. Night."

"Night, Dash," Danny responds, another yawn escaping him before he hangs up. I stare down at my phone for longer than necessary before I open the balcony doors again, stepping back inside. Alex is coming out of the bathroom, the scent of toothpaste strong in the air and he offers up a smile when he sees me.

"Anastasia's staked claim on the couch but I inflated the air mattress for you," he tells me. I don't care where I lay down, just as long as I can attempt to pass out for a few hours. I don't know how successful I'll be but it's the thought that counts, I guess.

I tell Alex thanks and pat him on the shoulder as I pass by him. I wish there was something I could say to make things better for him or help in whatever way I can but I can't think of anything to say. He never told me what happened with Kendra and I don't think it's really my place to ask. At least, not tonight.

We say goodnight before I head into the living room where Anastasia's already spread out on the couch. She glances up from her phone, giving me a grin when I sink down on the air mattress. "Hey, squirt. How'd your call with your girlfriend go?" she asks and mistakes the flush slowly creeping up my cheeks to mean that she's right and I was talking to Paulina.

I roll my eyes before laying back on the mattress, stretching my arms over my head. I can't remember the last time that the thought of Paulina made me blush but it's been a long time. Apparently I don't get nervous about her anymore but Danny… well he's an entirely different story.

"You know, you're adorable when you blush," Anastasia says, laughing when I groan. I toss my arm over my eyes, trying to block out any other comments from her. I'm not ready to figure out how I feel yet and I don't think her teasing comments are gonna help.

My skin smells like outside and the last time I remember noticing that was at the beach. When Danny slept in the bed next to me and we talked for most of the night. If I hadn't pushed him for answers then, would I have ever realized that I don't see him as only a friend?

"Personally, you two don't really make sense to me but whatever. As long as you're happy," Anastasia says, shrugging when I lift my arm just high enough to look at her. "I mean, everyone just expects you two to be together and I don't know… I think you could be happier with someone else."

I almost want to ask who she has in mind but I doubt she'd say Danny. Shit, I actually want her to say his name so I won't be the only one that wonders if we'd be good together. Christ, I can't think about this right now.

"Yeah, I know," I respond, letting my arm drop over my eyes again.

Anastasia tries a few more times to tease me but loses interest when I don't respond. I guess she forgot the fact that I've perfected the art of bullshitting when it comes to teasing. I kinda have to since I'm on a team with a bunch of immature idiots.

The silence stretches on long enough for me to guess that she's drifted off before she speaks. "So… you really met Kendra, huh?" she asks, her voice soft. I don't know if she's trying to make sure Alex doesn't overhear but I keep my voice low when I respond.

"Yeah… Alex helped me find the electric place and went inside with me." I move my arm from my eyes and stare up at the ceiling. There was so obviously something between them and I've never seen Alex respond the way he did around her. It was like nothing else mattered to him. And afterwards, he barely talked about her but I could tell it was eating him alive.

I turn my head just far enough to look at Anastasia and she immediately turns to me, propping her elbow up and leaning her cheek into her palm. "It's weird… he never mentioned seeing her until tonight," she says with a frustrated sigh. "Did he say anything to you about her when you guys met?"

The day I met Kendra was when I patched things up with Danny which explains why I can't remember everything Alex said. Though I doubt he said much… he didn't seem like he wanted to talk about Kendra at all.

"Uh… not really. He just said that she was the first real girlfriend he ever had… he didn't really get into it more than that." I wish I hadn't been distracted by Danny that night… maybe I'd remember more of what Alex said. "She seemed… really important to him though."

Anastasia nods, dropping her elbow and falling onto her back. "Yeah, she is. I wish you coulda seen Alex back then. He was so happy whenever he was with her, you wouldn't believe it. He'd rearrange his plans all the time just to get to spend a few hours with her."

That doesn't sound like the Alex I know… someone that important can't just disappear suddenly from his life without a story behind it. For as long as I've known Alex, he's always tried to see the good in everyone. I doubt that he was that different when he was with Kendra.

"So what happened?" I ask, rolling over to face Anastasia. She shrugs a little, keeping her gaze on the ceiling and I guess that's all I'm getting tonight. No explanation of why Alex reacts the way he does when Kendra's brought up.

My phone vibrates against the carpet and I roll onto my other side to get it. My screen lights up with another text message and when I unlock it, they're both from Danny.

From: Danny Fenton

I just had a great thought and it might be cause I can't sleep but

From: Danny Fenton

You should add me on snapchat

I snort, flopping back down onto the mattress. Kwan's obsessed with snapchat. I had it for about a summer but there are only so many photos I can handle of my teammates in various stages of drunkenness.

With a bit of careful positioning, I manage to start typing my response without dropping the phone on my face. I'm almost finished typing when Anastasia speaks.

"I can't tell you what happened. Alex might when he's ready to but really… it's his story to tell, it's not mine," she says with another heavy sigh. She spares a final glance at me when I look her way before she rolls over. "Night, squirt. Try to at least attempt to sleep."

To: Danny Fenton

I would but I don't have snapchat

I wait to see if I'm gonna get a response back before I drop my phone onto the carpet, looking to Anastasia again. This Kendra situation has them both on edge and that's added to whatever the fuck was going on at the garage. Anastasia was right when we ate pizza on the roof of the garage that day. There's so much more to the both of them than I ever thought.


The sun's starting to creep out when I wake up but it's only five. My phone has three unread texts and I glance up at Anastasia before sliding my thumb across the screen. I feel a little bad for falling asleep before Danny last night but I guess insomnia decided not to fuck with me.

From: Danny Fenton

WHAT

From: Danny Fenton

How do you not have snapchat?

From: Danny Fenton

You should get it and add me. I'm rather-be-in-space

Was he really texting me so early to talk about snapchat? Ugh, maybe I should get the stupid thing… Kwan's been begging me to add it back on my phone and besides… it might make Danny smile if he wakes up to a message from me. I position my phone enough to where I can type and I open up the appstore, drumming my fingers while it pulls up results.

Snapchat takes a decade and a half to install but once it's on my phone, I open it and set up my account. The hardest part is picking my username but 'my-friends-made-me' is available so I go with that.

Danny's the first person I search and as soon as I click on his username, his profile picture appears. It's him, probably a year or so ago. His hair's a little longer than it is now and it looks like someone else took the photo. He's got a fucking adorable smile on his face and I don't know if the way my chest is aching is a good thing or not.

I turn the front camera on and hold my phone just far enough away to get a picture of my sleepy grin and unnecessary peace sign. A bunch of text options pop up and I type out a couple of different messages before I end up going with 'happy?' and sending it off.

Anastasia's still sleeping and I click my phone screen off, rolling over to face her again. I watch her back rise and fall a couple of times before my eyes drift closed. Sleep takes me away again and I don't have to think about anything.


I can hear low voices above me, snatches of conversation. The sunlight is drifting in and hitting my face at just the right angle and I let out a groan, trying to pull the blankets over my face. Someone snickers above me and I catch enough of what they're saying to realize that they're teasing me.

Anastasia laughs when I hold up my middle finger and I blink open an eye. Her and Alex are in matching Casper High sweatshirts, each clutching mugs that I'm guessing is filled with coffee judging by the smell.

"Morning," Alex says softly, lifting his cup to take a sip.

I have no idea how long I was asleep after I sent that snapchat to Danny but I'm guessing it wasn't too long. Anastasia and Alex both look exhausted but I actually feel rested. I don't know what force decided to not let insomnia fuck with me but I'll roll with it.

"What time is it?" I mumble, already reaching for my phone with one hand. My screen lights up and I start a little, wiping at my eyes to make sure I'm seeing this right. How the fuck is it past ten? Did I sleep through my alarm? I glance up at Alex and he sets his coffee down on his knee, keeping one hand looped around the handle.

"I turned your alarm off when it started making noise. I also texted Kwan to tell him you weren't going to school today," Alex says, giving me a tired smile. He quietly sips from his coffee again. "He said he'd collect your homework for you."

Anastasia shifts on the couch until her legs are folded up underneath her and she gives me a grin. "So, you got a free day, squirt. Any ideas on how you're gonna spend it?"

If I wasn't so rested, I'd probably just sleep some more. But that seems kinda pointless considering I was passed out until ten. I glance at Alex, letting out a soft breath as I stretch out on the mattress again. "Don't know. It depends… Am I allowed to go home today?"

Alex laughs and rolls his eyes as he lifts his mug. "Probably. If your head looks okay, you can."

I turn my attention back to my phone as Anastasia and Alex continue downing their coffee. As soon as I get my ass out of bed, I'll get my own cup but right now, I'm distracted by Danny's face on my screen. He responded to my snapchat this morning and has since sent me two additional messages.

The first is him lying in bed with his tongue stuck out saying that he can't believe that's my first snap to him. His second message is him standing in his bathroom with a toothbrush sticking out of his mouth with the caption 'I've barely slept, why does school have to be so early?'

I have to bite back a snicker when I scroll down to the third cause it's a picture of two coffee cups sitting next to each other on the back of his car. The caption reads, 'I brought you Starbucks and you're not even showing up?'

Several text messages are waiting for me to read over and I switch to them instead. I don't really want to take a photo of myself with Alex and Anastasia sitting in the same room. I have a feeling that Anastasia would probably tease me if I told her what I was doing.

From: Danny Fenton

morning. did you sleep at all?

From: Danny Fenton

Niiice snapchat btw

From: Danny Fenton

You okay? Aren't you normally at school by now?

From: Danny Fenton

Are you kidding me? Kwan just said you're not coming in today. I BROUGHT YOU COFFEE, DASH. GOOD COFFEE TOO, NOT SHITTY MCDONALDS

I can't keep in the snort this time and Anastasia and Alex both look at me. I hesitate a few seconds before I look up at them. "Sorry. One of my friends is just being obnoxious," I say, fighting to keep the smile from my face. Of course I lose that battle and have to pretend to be interested in my phone again.

"Would that friend be Danny by any chance?" Alex asks, sipping his coffee innocently when I glance up at him. Shit, am I that obvious in trying to figure out what the fuck I feel for Danny even around Alex? He's always been pretty good at reading me but I really hoped he wouldn't figure this out before I had a chance to.

I sit up on the mattress before dropping my gaze back to my phone, offering up a shrug. "Yeah," I mumble, my chest constricting with every silent moment that passes between the three of us. I wonder if they've both already noticed that I'm struggling with figuring this shit out or if they're just teasing cause of how I react.

"You guys seem like you're really close," Anastasia says, lifting her own mug when she talks. She pauses it in front of her lips and raises an eyebrow when I look at her. "I don't think you've mentioned him before the past couple weeks."

I try to nonchalantly shrug it off but I feel like I have to explain. Like there should be a reason why I never brought Danny up before and that reason shouldn't have anything to do with the fact that I now have to figure out if I'm happy just being his friend.

"Yeah, we didn't really… we weren't hanging out before then, kinda ran in different circles. You know how high school is," I say, keeping my gaze on my phone. I don't want to look at either one of them but the silence stretches on for so long, I feel obligated to.

Anastasia's trying to hide her grin behind her coffee cup and Alex isn't hiding his at all. He sets his empty mug on the floor before he leans back on the couch, his stare never leaving me. "You almost get defensive whenever he's the topic."

I don't need his laugh to tell me that my face flushes but the sound definitely doesn't help. I drop my gaze back to my phone and type out a response to Danny, intent on ignoring them both. I click send but I stare at my screen for longer than necessary to avoid looking up again.

To: Danny Fenton

Sorry, I slept in cause Alex cut my alarm off. He told Kwan I wasn't coming in too… Don't know what to do with this free day though. Any thoughts?

I debate on adding another message before I eventually just back out of Danny's conversation and open up Kwan's instead. He's sent me a few but I don't get a chance to look over them before Alex speaks again.

"You know… it's okay if you defend him for a reason, Dash," Alex says, his voice soft.

His expression is less amused now and shit, I think he's figured it out. He knows that I don't see Danny as only a friend but he has no idea how much I'm trying not to think about it. Cause if I start thinking about it, I'm gonna freak the fuck out and I can't do that now.

"My friends can be pretty careless. Danny's had some run-ins with them in the past. I'm just trying to protect him from their obnoxiousness," I respond, keeping my face straight. Somehow, I manage to avoid letting on just how freaked out I am cause Alex buys it.

Anastasia shifts on the couch, leaning over to set her empty mug down too. She draws her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around her shins, letting out a breath with the movement. "Sometimes I forget how young you are, Dash." She shrugs when I look at her with what I'm sure is a confused look on my face. The fuck is she talking about?

"You've just got so much other shit going on with your mom leaving and especially your dad…" She exhales out before she shrugs again. "I don't know, you feel older than seventeen to me."

My heart skips a beat at the mention of mom but my stomach fucking drops when she brings up dad. I never told her anything, how the hell does she know? I glance at Alex but he shakes his head, seeming to have already guessed where my mind was going.

"I didn't tell her," he says softly, turning a little to look at his sister.

Anastasia makes a face, tilting her head to one side. "I'm not an idiot, Dash. You've come to work bruised more often than you have not bruised. And your mom left town in the dead of night. It really doesn't take a genius to put two and two together."

I can't look at either one of them with the mention of mom. I could tell both of them how I met her after the game or even about the letter she wrote and get their advice but something stops me. Something always stops me and I don't know how to put my thoughts into words. I've never been good at it and even though I've been trying more, I still suck at it. I think they mistake my silence for pain because Alex immediately switches topics.

"I put your clothes in the wash this morning so you'll at least have something clean to change into. I'm guessing you didn't want to wear my clothes," Alex says, standing up from the couch. He collects his and Anastasia's mugs before he gestures toward the other end of his apartment. "You can take a shower whenever you want. I've laid your clothes on the end of my bed."

He wanders into the kitchen and I take that as my cue to leave. I don't really want to move yet but I prefer that over hanging around and talking about mom or dad. I'm not sure I could handle that today on top of figuring out how I feel about Danny. Though I seriously doubt I'll be handling that either.

I move into the hallway that leads to the bedroom but I pause when Anastasia leaves the couch. She heads into the kitchen with Alex and I hear him rinsing out their coffee mugs. As soon as the tap shuts off, he lets out a sigh.

"You probably shouldn't mention either of his parents for a while," he says softly and Anastasia groans. I strain my ears to catch anything but it's almost a full minute before I hear her response.

"I hate this, Alex," she practically whispers. "No one deserves that kind of shit but he really doesn't. Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with his father?"

Alex sighs again and I hear his footsteps. For a second, I panic, thinking he's coming toward me but the sound stops and I glance just around the corner to see the two of them. Anastasia's leaning against the counter next to the stove and Alex is opposite her, leaning against the one beside the sink.

"I hate it too," he responds, folding his arms over his chest. He darts a look to the hallway and I manage to stay hidden in the shadows. Even though he's almost looking right at me, he can't see me. It doesn't stop me from holding my breath until he looks away from the hall.

Anastasia's quiet for a few seconds before she pushes away from the counter and places a hand on Alex's arm. Her eyebrows draw down but it seems almost sad in a way. "You know you need to tell him at some point, right?" she whispers and I can barely hear her over the sound of my own heart. What the fuck does he need to tell me? And why the hell can't he tell me now?

She tosses a glance toward the hallway. "Especially after last night… Dash merece saber," she mutters, her accent strong on the Spanish.

"I know." His voice is louder than hers but I still have to strain to hear him. "I know, Ana, but not yet. He's not ready to hear any of this… I'm not adding anything else to his mind right now, alright?"

Anastasia shrugs before she steps back from him. Her expression is still sad but she lets it go. "I told you before. I'm not telling him anything until you do. You're the one who needs to tell him anyway… So, don't worry. I won't say a word." She hesitates a second before pulling him into a hug.

I leave then, practically sprinting down the hallway and into the bathroom, grabbing my clothes from the bed. It doesn't hit me that I'm shaking until I drop the shampoo bottle and the noise is so fucking loud, a small yelp escapes me.

My hands continue to tremble as I soap up my hair and rinse it out again but I do my best to ignore it. Whatever Alex has to tell me can't be that bad. It's just fucking Alex, why am I this terrified? I guess… maybe it's cause I've never seen Anastasia so concerned before. What the fuck does she know that I don't? And what the hell does she think of me now that she knows about the shit dad does?

I try not to let my mind wander into all this shit and just get through my shower. There's coffee waiting on me and a possible response from Danny when I get out. That's all I'll let myself think about cause if my mind goes anywhere else, I'm sure I'll end up panicking. I doubt Alex will let me go home if I panic. And I'm definitely not interested in hanging around here with the giant ass elephant in the room.


A/N:

All the angst for this precious boy

Yo! Thanks for checking out this update – I'm glad I still have readers at this point (I know it's been a really slow build up but I promise, we're right around the corner to some more action-y chapters)

As if last chapter wasn't enough, you get even more information on Anastasia and Alex. Though it's kind of weaved through chapters, their story is slowly unfolding and I'm so happy that a lot of you are genuinely interested in reading about them

Speaking of the two of them, I don't speak Spanish so I had to do some translation to get what Anastasia's saying. If I've done it right, she should be saying, "Dash deserves to know."

Dash is thinking about that lil' space nerd a little too much to just be friends, don't you think? ;P Also, shout-out to Danny for dragging him into using snapchat. I never said that Danny has insomnia but it's always been a thing in my mind for this fic. But now it's been officially said so, yeah that's a thing lmao

This chapter titles comes from "Passing Through A Screen Door" by The Wonder Years. This song really reminds me of Alex, from the way he's been acting in recent chapters to his character throughout this story overall. While the song is very much Alex's in my mind, I felt the lyric I chose fit Dash's feelings for this chapter as well.

Thanks for reading this update, I appreciate the continued support. One more thing before I let you guys go, I posted an oneshot for these two if you're interested in checking that out. It's called Lips of an Angel – let me know what you think if you check it out!

I'll see you guys next chapter!