Ahhhhh I'm screaming. I managed to get this chapter done, finally, it took a while because I never seem to get scenes right so I hope I'm not losing my touch.

On the bright side, I'm turning 17 tomorrow so that's a plus (even if I feel old as shit now- but on the bright side, I'm the Dancing 'King').

~CWA


CHAPTER TEN


Danny Fenton

Month later

Shit. Holy fucking shit on a stick. I run my hands through my hair and quickly try to make myself look slightly more presentable. No matter what I seem to do, my hair just isn't cooperating today at all. It just sticks up in all sorts of directions in a messy manner. Damn it. I've never really cared that much about my appearance before, but after that day in the Lucky Cat Cafe, here I am worrying about if I look good for Tadashi. It's proving to be a lot more hassle than it's worth to be honest.

That day in the Lucky Cat Cafe was something…. I realized just what the connection was between Tadashi and I. God, what a rollar coaster this is to realize that the one guy who I argue with all the time, about ghosts no less, is actually… someone I want to pursue. Our auras that day at the cafe, just started to open up to each other. Sure it'd be a while before it really formed anything, but they were starting to try to meld together. It is… exciting… to realize that Tadashi and I actually might have something going- maybe not now, but eventually anyway. Something that's deep and actually meaningful. Like what I had before… I sigh a bit wistfully at that thought. He is a really attractive guy. He's nice. He has a big heart. He loves his family and has a great connection with them… I'm attracted to him that's for sure, have been since Day One…

But that's not going to stop me from messing with him. Because messing with Tadashi is easily my favorite pass time. I rush out of the communal bathroom and head straight toward the cafeteria, phasing through a few walls and doors when I'm sure no one is around and there's no cameras on me. I just hope that I can get there before Tadashi does. I quickly take out my phone as I run, barely even glancing down to dial Hiro's number.

"Hello this is Hiro Hamada, how can I help you?"

"Wow sounding so grown up, Hero. But quick, what's Tadashi's favorite sandwich? Tuna on rye?"

"Uhh yeah?"

"That's what I thought, thanks."

I quickly hang up just as I make it to the cafeteria. I dodge the few people that are left in it and quickly head straight to the sandwich area. I know exactly what I'm looking for now. I jump over a few stray textbooks and chairs, not losing sight of the target. It's not long before I'm paying for the last tuna on rye sandwich. This is going to be too good. My hands are practically shaking with excitement as I plop down at one of the tables in the back near the trash can.

Now all I have to do is wait. The sandwich is laying on the table in front of me, untouched and still in saran wrap, as I take out my phone. I shouldn't have to wait too long, but it won't hurt to kill time until then.

From- Hiro the Hero

Why did you want to know Dashi's fav. Sandwich don't tell me you've become a cook!? ;)

I snort at the text slightly, shaking my head at what he was implying.

To- Hiro the Hero

Yeah right. I can't even cook a hot pocket. And you'll see exactly what I'm planning…. (insert evil laughter)

I follow the message up with an evil, devil-horned red emoticon before I send the message along with a picture of the sandwich, making sure that the label is seen. I can practically feel the confusion from Hiro as he sends me an array of multiple question marks, wondering just what it is I'm up to this time. I almost tell him, but at that moment, someone rushes into the cafeteria. He's missing his usual cap and his hair is a bit messy, but I know Tadashi when I see him. The 'dad sweater dork'- I called him that once, in front of Hiro and to Tadashi's dismay, Dad became his new nickname even in our group of friends. It's his own fault for wearing the sweaters and having that dad-like personality. And I know a dad sweater when I see them. Hell, I wear a few myself in the colder months. Not that cold really bothers me, but it's for the aesthetic and to keep up the appearance of actually being a normal human.

Now that I think about it, I think I have that exact sweater somewhere in my luggage. Shit. I'm probably going to have to buy a whole new wardrobe soon with winter coming up. Either that or I'm going to have to deal with so much shit from Tadashi. I can see it now. He's going to be call me Dad the whole winter just because of the sweaters…. I don't really think that I have enough money to buy more sweaters, so I think I'll just stick to my leather jacket until it starts snowing. I think that should keep me safe for now.

Oh it looks like Tadashi has noticed that his precious sandwich is missing. He has a frantic look on his face as he searches the counter top for any missing tuna sandwiches. Time to act. I carefully unwrap the sandwich and just like I have predicated, the sound of the saran wrap has gotten Tadashi's attention. His head whips to me so quick I'm almost surprise that he doesn't have whiplash. His eyes first go to me and if I'm not mistaken, there's a bit of hesitation on his face as if he's not sure if he wants to come over here and chat me up or not. But then he sees his sandwich, unwrapped and in my hands.

Inwardly, I'm cackling. This has to be one of the best things I have ever thought of doing. I lock eyes with Tadashi as I take the first bite of the sandwich.

God I forgot how disgusting that tuna on rye is but seeing the absolutely brokenness on his face is worth it. I'm so glad that I'm able to get a picture of that face to send to Hiro. I think I'm going to make that picture Tadashi's contact pic in my phone too.


The best part is for the rest of the day, Tadashi gets all flustered around me and he still hasn't had the chance of doing anything back to me since we've both been busy with our own projects. By the time that I'm heading to the cafe, I feel about as giddy as a blue bird. I know that one day, somehow, Tadashi may find a way to get me back. But I doubt that's going to happen unless Hiro decides to betray me. Considering that I ended up getting a picture of all the faces he made at me throughout the day and sent them to Hiro, I doubt Hiro is going to switch sides any time soon.

As soon as I enter the cafe, the first thing that catches my eye is the help wanted sign. I mean, I knew that they were going to need help eventually. But the fact that they actually put up a sign is kind of funny to me. Because I am sure that they know that if they really want help, they could have just called me. Shaking my head, I take the sign down just as Aunt Cass spots me from her place from behind the counter- apparently she had been busying herself by cleaning the dishes…. Damn it. They have me calling her Aunt Cass now….

We meet eyes and I wave the help wanted sign a bit with an are you serious look before I gesture to myself, signaling that hello I can work here. She seems to understand my meaning, even if it takes a second before it processes, as she scrambles over to me with an excited yelp and a grin. She's tripping on her own feet so much that when she reaches me, I have to set the sign down in favor for catching her before she falls. It takes a minute but I'm eventually able to let her go as she gains her balance again. A frantic expression is on her face and her hair is a bit messy as she brushes her hands on her aprons to get any muck and dirt off. With that taken care of, I find myself in a bone crushing hug as she squeezes me.

"Oh Danny, I should have thought about just calling you to see if you can help out instead of that sign- not that the sign is any help because no one who has come in with an application is exactly Lucky Cat Cafe compatible but you. You are absolutely perfect and this is perfect. Thank you so much! If you can, just show up tomorrow at the same time you usually do- that's about lunch time- and if you can't make it call and this is going to be so much fun!~"

She gives me one last, long hard squeeze before she lets me go, still screaming a bit in excitement as she zips off to finish the dishes, leaving me standing there a bit dazed. I… I think I just got hired? With Aunt Cass, it's really hard to tell sometimes. I stand there, blinking a bit blankly before I shake my head. Well. I guess I'll be here around my usual time tomorrow to work then.

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that Aunt Cass hired you?"

I glance to see Hiro entering the cafe with a small amused smirk on his face as he eyes Aunt Cass. She's humming and dancing to herself as she cleans the dishes, oblivious to everything and everyone as she gets caught up in her own little world. I shrug my shoulders a bit,

"I… I think so."

Hiro laughs and pats me on the back with a grin,

"Don't worry, we all have trouble understanding her sometimes."

He's still laughing at bit as I finally get a good look at him. I wonder why he's just now entering the cafe when he should be helping out. But as soon as my eyes fall on the small bot he's carrying, I know my answer. I never waver from staring at it as I sigh a bit,

"Hiro..."

He catches on what I'm looking at and as if I would take the bot away from him, he holds it a bit closer to himself. A slightly defensive expression on his face.

"You're the one who said that I can do anything I want to."

At times like these, Hiro reminds me a bit of what I was like back when I was his age. Thirteen. Before ghost powers. Doing well in school, excellently even, and bordering on genius, especially when it came to anything related to ghost weaponry. But I still skipped class every now and then. Coming home just before curfew and pushing limits. Occasionally stumbling upon the older students doing drugs or smoking on school grounds- I never really joined them, per say, but they have offered me some more than once, which I declined. Well. Usually declined.

Then I was fourteen. Suddenly no more messing around. I struggled with my grades and social life as I battled ghosts on a daily basis. Losing sleep because I had to fight ghosts. Missing curfew completely and getting chewed out for it. No more stumbling upon the older students who did the more illegal things because there I was, spending nearly every second of every day fighting ghosts like some sort of slightly illegal ghostly vigilante.

By my current age, aside from things ghostly related, my own personal life has been a field of doing mostly morally correct things, but littered with the occasional hook up, smoke and like two experiences with drugs. I even had a few slightly illegal gambling rings that I've been too- though that particular incident was related to a ghost who had a strange obsession with gambling and cards. I don't think I ever really got everything together until the Battle started and things got very serious, very quickly.

At this point, criticizing Hiro for bot fighting would be really hypocritical of me. Besides, I did encourage him to make his own path.

"If it doesn't hurt you or yourself," I chime, "I mean, I don't exactly like you doing anything illegal either, but I'd be lying if I said I never did anything that was outside the law."

Hiro scrunches his nose up at my words, still cradling the bot to his chest, a bit of defiance shining through.

"I haven't hurt anyone."

I quirk an eyebrow and move a bit closer to him, going as far as bending down to be more on his level as I put an arm around his shoulders as if we're in a secret meeting. He eyes me cautiously, careful to move his bot so that I wouldn't be able to just snatch it away so easy. Pft. If I really wanted to snatch that bot, I would done so by now. Dropping my voice down to a whisper, with a heavy heart, I gesture toward Aunt Cass.

"Are you sure about that? Suddenly disappearing? Coming home at late hours? Putting off the work you're supposed to be doing for the cafe? Not giving her a solid explanation for it all? Ditching school? Take a good look at her and tell me you're not hurting anyone."

We both stare at her for a second and I hope he sees what I sees. A worn, worried motherly woman with bags under her eyes and stress related wrinkles. A happy grin on her face to hide the absolute concern and uncertainty in her eyes- the eyes of a woman who doesn't know how to raise kids but is trying so hard to do her best. And I know I see something else that Hiro never will. Her aura. Her aura is thinning away from stress, but still shines bright as ever.

I can see the small bubble of guilt in Hiro's eyes as his grasp on his bot loosens and he slumps forward a bit. Seeing that genuinely didn't mean to hurt anyone, I give him a small side hug,

"Just be careful, okay Hiro? She really loves you and is worried sick about you on top of all the stress she gets here at work. And Tadashi is getting worried too, I'm sure and even I worry sometimes about you because I've seen where bot fights take place and who bot fights and it's not exactly a safe, pretty image. I'm not saying that you should stop bot fighting all together, because that's your choice. I'm just saying that you have to be a bit more considerate of those around you, okay?"

I think I got through to him this time. Hopefully anyway. I watch a bit fondly as he gives me a small smile before zipping off to Aunt Cass, no doubt to ask what he can do to help. I shake my head a bit and turn on my heels to head out, not wanting to disturb Aunt Cass and Hiro. This is their moment after all. Their family moment. And I'm not part of their family. Our auras, our souls, are forming that bond, sure, and I am thinking of them like family, but I know my boundaries. I know that this is something more personal for them and it's not something I should intrude on.

Only I come face to face with Tadashi. He leans against the doorway with his arms crossed. For once, I can't really read what he's thinking and his face is a bit expressionless or confused as if he's not too sure how to feel himself. It takes a moment before he finally even talks to me.

"I heard what you said," he speaks up, a bit softly so he's not overheard, "Not all of it, but I did catch the gist of it…."

I give him a small nod, acknowledging his comment before I make my way past him. I can't help but be a tiny bit tense. A part of me is concerned if he thinks I spoke out of line or something. The last thing I want to do is make Tadashi mad at me and I mean really mad at me not just the whole ghost-no-ghost spiel. I don't think I could handle it if Tadashi actually got genuinely pissed at me, especially if it was over something like family matters. Someone intruding on family matters is not easily forgiven and not easily forgotten.

I don't even make it out the door. Tadashi gently reaches out and clasps my shoulder to stop me. There's something shining in his eyes. Thankfulness? Relief? Respect? It seems like some sort of strange mix of all three and then some in a way that makes me flush a bit as he smiles softly at me.

"Thanks, Danny…. I…. I think he needed to hear that."

I try to tell him it's no problem, but I end up stuttering so much I don't think he can understand me. He just laughs lightly at me, shaking his head in amusement as I struggle to even so much as speak. I'm still a stammering mess as I try to make my escape out the door, wishing I could just go invisible or sink through the floor to disappear. All I can really do is clumsily walk backwards as I try to contain my eyesight on Tadashi. I don't even have the sense to turn intangible as my side rams into the door way. That's what I get for admiring Tadashi and walking backwards.

Shit. I can still hear his laughter as I all but run down the sidewalk.