Whelp. I've had an eventful Christmas. Difficult personalities and difficult situations, yay! Anyhow, on the the story:

x.x

Danny spun the damp cloth in his hand. It didn't belong in the laundry. The clothesline would be outside, wouldn't it? The tour he'd been given had taken him outside, but now corridors brought him to room upon room, to doors that wouldn't open, and he was getting sick of the artificial light.

Perhaps they didn't have a clothesline. Perhaps they dried everything in some high-tech cupboard. He rubbed his forehead wearily. One more door, then he'd go back to the laundry, throw the cloth in a bucket, and leave it to someone else.

The door, of course, was locked. Ghost mode, intangibility-style, he poked his head through. It was empty. Danny sighed and leaned back against the door, rubbing his eyes. He opened them.

Grey wall, grey wall, grey corridor. He was lost. Wonderful.

Beep! Whistles and beeps chortled up the corridor. He followed them down a steep passageway, the sounds slowly coming louder, and entered a wide cavern. Cold concrete covered the ground and stalactites clutched the ceiling, their long points like hungry teeth.

The beeping came from a large metal ball, taller than even Danny. Superboy was sitting on the ground, talking to it. It beeped back at him. Right. Did Superboy speak beep?

Danny knew where he was, now. Passing Superboy was essential if he was to return to the living areas. He squared his shoulders and walked past. His eyes flickered towards Superboy. Superboy didn't change position or even look his way.

He must know Danny was there. He had to have heard Danny back when he was lost and then decided not to help. Danny scrunched up the cloth in his hand. He could leave it on a rock for Superboy to put away.

He could, yet Danny took the cloth with him.

M'gann's room was in the far corridor, she could tell him where to put it. He paused outside her door, then knocked. The door opened under his fist.

M'gann sprung from her desk, a cloud of green paper scattering over the edges.

"Er, If you're busy, I can co—" Danny's words were cut off as she wrapped him in a hug, pinning his arms to his sides. Danny's chin pressed against her shoulder at an angle that stretched his neck.

"M'gann—" Danny managed, squirming in her grasp.

M'gann's arms pressed tighter around him, and his stomach tensed in protest. He squirmed again. "M'gann, let me go!"

The arms left him, and left him gasping. M'gann floated back a whole two meters and watched him wide-eyed. Her fingers twisted together nervously. "I'm sorry. It's, uh, it's a hug. An Earth greeting." Her cheeks pinked against her green skin.

"I know that, I'm from Earth, just not this one," Danny muttered. He held up the cloth. "Now, where does this go?"

M'gann flicked her hand, and the cloth jerked in his hand. He clutched it tighter, but a second flick of M'gann's hand sent it shooting into the air. "I'll put it away," she chirped, plucking it out of the air.

"No," Danny growled, and strode up to her, holding his hand out expectantly. "I'll put it away."

M'gann was holding the cloth close to her body, but she pulled it away from herself, scooted forward, and dropped it into his hand. She bit he lips uncertainly, and shuffled a little.

"Thanks," Danny hissed, gripping it tightly and turning tightly for the door.

The door was still open. Superboy, down the corridor, could probably hear everything they were saying.

"Danny, I'm sorry!"

Danny glanced back at M'gann.

"I'll show you the way. I won't take it, I'll show you where we take our wet things. Is that… is that okay?"

That way, no-one would be moving it or objecting to where he'd put the cloth. "Yeah, that's okay," he answered. M'gann smiled tremulously and led the way.

Danny demanded that they avoid the cavern, and though he gave no reasons, M'gann did not object. She grasped the opportunity to give him another tour, again explaining how to get from A to B without detouring past the rest of the alphabet.

They entered the hall in which he had met Black Canary.

"And this," M'gann said with a flourish, "Is where we train and practice our skills. Black Canary trains us." She spun around on her toes and clapped her hands in excitement. "Would you care to join us sometime?"

"Nah," Danny turned his gaze away. "Black Canary's already agreed to train me."

M'gann stilled. With her facing him, he could see her expression freeze like a broad bean dropped into liquid nitrogen.

"Oh what is it now?" He threw up his hands and they shot through his hair, gripping it at the back.

"You can't train with Black Canary. Not alone."

Danny could barely believe her. He gave her a long, disbelieving stare. Then, he held out the cloth. He had had enough. She could take the cloth. She could do whatever she would do.

M'gann watched it, but kept her hands away. "It's just—" she mumbled, and then with finality: "I slipped.

"Black Canary's close to figuring out I'm white. If she guesses that you're…"

Her son. Danny bit down on the impulse to scream just how wrong she was.

"Well, Uncle J'onn wouldn't protect a white Martian. And you – I don't know what would happen! Maybe they'd take us both back to Mars or maybe they'd only take me… Black Canary can't know."

"M'gann, I'm not your son."

"Acknowledge the possibility – just please don't… Black Canary could figure it out!"

Danny sighed. "I'll think about it. Show me where to put this cloth."