Hey guys!

So sorry for the long wait! I've been having trouble doing ANYTHING for a while, but i finally got the this chapter done!

before that

InvadorJohnny: I also wasnt expexting Star's appearance, but I think it was a fun decision.. kinda. And yeah, Danny isn't exactly thrilled about the new information. But someone had to tell him. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Chapter sixteen:

In Little Ways, Everything Stays

Something was up with Danny.

And Valerie was sure that she wasn't the only one who felt that way. After all, she couldn't be. Surely, Ellie and Jazz had to have seen it. Whatever ' it' was anyways. All she knew was that it appeared after his encounter with Star.

A part of her wanted to ask Star what exactly they talked about. Though she was already told the gist of it, from the blonde, she felt like something was missing. Especially if it got him this distant.

The question (for now) was: Was Danny distant from everyone or was it just her?

Thus, Valerie started her plan to 'find out what's wrong with Danny.' And for the past week has spent her free time going to check on the ghost boy. The first few days went by with her starting small talk.. and receiving dry responses in reply. Sure, one can say he was too busy. But it was rude nonetheless.

On Thursday, she offered to help him with the portal (since Ellie was spending the day with Jazz). Cerulean blue met meadow green. First eye contact of the week. So far, so good. Or so she thought until he turned her down.

("Weren't you going somewhere today?"

Valerie opened her mouth to deny it, but then it hit her. She did make plans today. )

Friday was a little better. The teen had double-checked her schedule before being the offer-up to Danny once more. This time, she was met with a sigh and a soft "All alright." The day went on with both of them working on the final parts of the portal. With her asking questions on it and him answering. However, she wasn't sure why he laughed when she asked why the power button was different from the blueprints.

Saturday was similar to Friday. Only she was called into work, so she couldn't stay too long.

Which left Sunday.

"Finally," Danny spoke first, stretching out his back as he stood.

Danny took a step back to properly view the portal. In a seemingly good mood. Proud of his finished work. (Or she thought so. She swore there was something mischievous in how he was staring at the freshly built portal.)

"It looks good," Valerie complimented. Though, she didn't have anything to compare it to.

"Yeah?" Danny looked at her. When she nodded, he huffed out a laugh. "Sadly, it just 'looking good' doesn't mean it'll work."

Valerie just blankly stared at the other. Seriously, could she not compliment anything?

As if getting the message, from her stare, Danny nervously chuckled. "But you're right! It looks cool. Granted, not as cool as theirs . But I beat their building time." He rambled a bit as he turned his attention back towards the portal.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to know why 'they' were. So, Valerie didn't pry.

The two eventually fell into a semi-comfortable silence. Both of their gazes were on the portal. The two standing on opposite sides, Danny to the left and near the wall while Valerie was closer to the exit. Valerie's mind was racing, thinking about what to say.

"Can I ask you something?" Two voices rang out in unison.

The two teens looked at each other, shocked that they had spoken over each other. And not only that. They said the same thing. That fact by itself made the two burst into laughter.

Once they calmed down, Danny was the first to speak. "My bad. You go first."

Valerie smiled slightly. "It was nothing. I just wanted to ask if you were avoiding me-"

"Avoiding you?"

"Or something like that?" Valerie shrugged. "You seem off these days."

Danny took in the words as he gave an absentminded nod. "I've been… feeling off these days so.. it makes sense."

That got Valerie's attention. Okay. Communication. So far, so good. "How come?"

"I just.." Danny's hand found its way into his hair as he sighed. Turning back to Valerie, he gave her a tight smile. "I missed a lot this past year, didn't I?"

Oh? … oh. Valerie's heart sank.

"I already knew when I talked to you three, but after talking to Star." Danny took a breath. "Something about seeing her and how different she was. It felt more real, I guess. Weird, isn't it?" He asked.

' Wasn't it?' Valerie thought to herself. To her, a lot had changed. Obvious stuff had changed. She couldn't understand exactly what Danny was talking about. Then again, she didn't go through what he went through.

When Valerie said nothing, he continued. "But at the same time, it felt like nothing changed. The park was just how I remembered, the same people on the streets, Star's gossiping, and you still keeping secrets from me ."

Valerie's head snapped up — when did she look away? — to look at Danny. Her breath stilled at his hardened gaze. What did he mean? Did he find out? "What? I-I haven't kept anything from you." She silently cursed herself for stammering. But boy, did the door look so inviting.

"You haven't?" He asked.

Valerie gave a tight smile and shook her head. Do ghosts see sweat? She hoped not. Maybe she could divert the conversation back to Portal.

"Val."

She raised her eyebrows in response.

God, did he get closer?

Swallowing her nerves, she spoke. "Danny."

The atmosphere felt heavy around her as he silently stalked up to her. Then—

"Why didn't you tell me my hair was turning white?!"

What?

Danny turned and parted his hair, showing her the silvery white roots. Crap. "Look at this!" He cried while pointing at the new color with his other hand. "I'm too young for this!"

Before she could say anything, Danny turned around. "This would've been great to know beforehand," he said. "Like you telling me my parents told the entire school I was dead."

Valerie winced. Her eyes shut when the sentence left his lips. " That's why you were avoiding me, wasn't it?"

Danny just gave her an incredulous look.

Well, she got her answer. No chance of dancing around it.

"We didn't know how to tell you." She ended up saying. "On.. both accounts. The hair's new." She slowly added. Which was true. None of them expected to see any sort of color peep through his dark hair.

"'The hair's new?'" He parroted. Then blinked. "How new? Don't answer that," the yet went unsaid as he sighed. "Why couldn't you tell me when I woke up?"

Valerie looked at him like he was crazy. "Like you were in the right mind to hear anything about those two at all. You needed a well-deserved break from them!"

Danny was staring at the far wall before turning his head to Valerie. "It was Jazz's idea, wasn't it?"

She blinked and then frowned. "It could've been mine," she huffed.

Danny raised an eyebrow. "...sure, but I know my sister. Too worried about me for her own good. She's the one that said those words to you, right?" Valerie wasn't sure what expression she wore, but it made the halfa chuckle. "Thought so. She was right too. She always was. I still don't know how she can say stuff like that, yet still be such an awful liar."

Valerie silently watched as the faint smile on his face slowly vanished, his eyes were distant. It was then that she realized Danny had changed too. He wasn't the same easygoing and awkward kid she knew before. Hell, he wasn't even the annoying, overconfident, immature ghost she remembered either. In his steed was someone more anxious. Jumpy. Like he was broken. But maybe that was going too far, or not far enough.

She called out to him, getting his attention. "I'm sorry for not telling you about your parents."

That seemed to have snapped Danny out of it (at least she thought so). "It's fine. I get why you didn't. Can't say I'm not upset about it though. Though I'm more upset on not hearing about it from one of you instead of what they said. It wasn't the worst thing they've said..or did." He muttered the last part, but she heard it nonetheless.

..does that count as a Red Flag? Should she switch the topic? What could she talk abou—

"You know," Danny pulled Valerie out of her thoughts. "They were very.. obsessed with finding out what happened to their son. They had weird questions and theories. Kidnapping was one of them, obviously. I just denied them all. Then one day… I don't know what happened, but one day I finally got them to see it was me . That I was right in front of them." He gave out an airy scoff. "The look on their faces was so haunting. I still can't get it out of my head." His voice got softer as he spoke his last sentence. "I wonder if that was the day they declared that."

A long silence fell between the two. With Danny entering back into his head and Valerie..? She was shocked. Not at just the words he told her, but at the fact he said anything that happened that year. Granted, it wasn't much. But it was something.

Soon, Danny cleared his throat and straightened up. "Could you call the others? The portal's ready for the first test." When Valerie gave him a nod, he thanked her. "Also, I'm sorry for avoiding you too."

The girl shrugged. "I get why you did. So, it's fine this time around." Those were her words, but her eyes read [ Don't ever do that again.] If his averted gaze was anything to go by, her point was made. To lighten the mood she gave him a smile. "Also don't worry about the hair. White looks good on you like this too."

Valerie watched as he opened and closed his mouth, blink, then made his way back to his side of the portal. To either double check his work or process what was said. Something tells her it's the latter. With a small snort of her own, she opened her phone to notify Jazz.

A few seconds later

Danny, after fully processing the comment: Does that mean you liked Phantom's hair?

Valerie: …no. *sees Danny smirking* nO. Stop looking at me like that!

Danny: (teasing) Did you secretly like Phantom, Val?

Valerie: I got my thermos with me.

Danny: Understood. Sorry, ma'am.

Valerie: THEN STOP SMILING!

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Hi, guys!

I did not mean for this chapter to take as long as it did. I've never had such a hard time with writing like these past few weeks. Speaking off, I think I went off schedule. So sorry about that..

BUT hopefully this fluffy Danny and Valerie chapter was a good apology. This was mostly me thinking "okay, they need to interact.. it's been too long." And I like writing Valerie's POV.

Anyways, sorry for keeping you all waiting! Hopefully I'll be back on track this time around..

Hope you all have a wonderful day/night! Remember to eat and hydrate yourselves!

Next up: Danny tests the portal for the first time. Will it go perfectly? Or will it be a disaster? Find out next time!