Danny isn't really one to complain. It's not like he doesn't have things he wants to get out, but he knows there isn't really anyone who could complain to. Everyone has their problems, and issues that they are dealing with. So why would he unload his own problems onto someone else?
So, he doesn't. Every time he's friends ask him how he's doing, it's always the same answer. Just fine. It's not like he really wants to, Danny never really has the urge to vent out his feels. So, it makes it easier if he just hides it from people. He didn't want to questions, or the probing, if he's having a bad day. He had enough of it his first year as phantom.
He settled into an easy routine. Working through the new life of being the Ghost King, keeping an eye out for any straying ghosts causing havoc, and trying to balance it all with his home life. It's not like his home has changed much in the last few years. Jazz was stressing about college, about to graduate and be off to one of her dream schools. His parents, however, have only gotten worse.
He assumed the changes he's implemented as king would help ease the Fenton's stress and worry, but it only made it worse. Jack and Maddie seemed more frazzle as every, building new prototypes on a daily, and mumbling about something big. What it could be, Danny had no clue. It was weird having a tighter leash on the ghosts, fewer interruptions during his day, but his life didn't settle down.
Not with being King. Not with his parents. Not with the few ghosts who only wanted to end of the world.
"Be home right afterschool, we don't want you wondering about with all these out of towners."
Maddie didn't like Vlad's events. It always rubbed her the wrong way that all these people that don't live there, or plan to, were occupying the streets for about a week. The way she regarded the business-men was to similar to the way people regard teenagers evading their state for spring break.
Not that Danny really blamed her, a lot of the men who came through hated Amity. They were there for one thing, appearances. They hated the small town for all it's oddities, and they didn't exactly treat the citizens with much respect. Thing was, they aren't dangerous. They aren't dangerous to your average civilian, so they weren't going to be dangerous to a super-powered being.
Jack, on the other hand, viewed it as an opportunity to get their name out there. It never worked.
"Danny, we still on for movie night?"
That was kind of the only times they hung out these days. Sam and Tucker still helped him sometimes, but Danny wasn't going to pull them into his supernatural world when they had other things to worry about. Sam was already prepping her college applications, looking forward to being accepted to a variety of colleges. NYU being her top favorite.
Tucker was holding off until the start of his Senior year before focusing on colleges. Even though he was doing plenty of extra-circulars that would look great on his application, it wasn't what he was aiming for. He was just finding things to fill his time, to engage in his love for tech.
Danny on the other hand, if he wasn't home, he was in the Zone. If it wasn't those two places, it was one of the few movie nights they have. He can't say he really minded. The few things he was passionate about he would just do when he was stuck at home. He didn't want a club, or group, to explore it with.
"Sorry, mom has me on a tight leash right now."
Stuck to a schedule isn't as bad as it might seem. Danny liked having more structure in his life, especially compared to when he first became Phantom, or when the ghosts started coming. The first two years were hectic. It was a good change that his third year was more relaxed. Less all over the place, he expects the trouble he ends up being in. He had time for the things he loves.
Like he's favorite pastime. Nightly meetings with Cujo.
It took some work, a lot of training, for Cujo to finally understand he couldn't come bursting into Danny's life whenever he missed him. They settled a compromise. Every night, at the same time, Danny would meet Cujo at their spot. Deep in the park, away from the streets, even with the unspoken curfew you could never be too safe.
After a taxing day, it was nice to know he had a chance to relax. To play with Cujo, and watch the small ghost light up when he arrived. Exacted and barely able to contain his powers.
If anyone asks, Danny didn't adopt Cujo. Cujo adopted him. Every since the first time they met, Cujo has always wanted to be around the halfa. Not that Danny minded, it was nice. Cujo was the only person in Amity Park that loved him for him. The puppy didn't care about Danny being a halfa, or his king status, all he carried about was making Danny smile. Being there for the human, his human.
Cujo was all Danny needed to get through his day. That was until the Cape Crusader.
Danny remembered the anxiety he felt when Batman first arrived, mostly scared that his secret was out. The justice League had found out about him. The relief he felt when he realized that wasn't the case was overpowering.
Then he realized, the hero was nothing like he expected.
Sam and Tucker had gone on hour-long debates and rants about the Dark Knight. He's friends were massive fans, and Danny was left to hear all about their findings. It was always a nice experience, watching the way his best friends could light up, and actually agree on somethings. However, because of this, he had a preconceived notion of what the vigilante would be like.
It wasn't what he found.
It wasn't a man who tried to stifle his laughs or smile. Someone who regarded Cujo with as much gentleness as one would approach a puppy. It was nice. It was comfortable.
Danny found himself relaxing in those moments.
He wouldn't want to admit it, but he was pleasantly surprised when Batman showed up the next time. Settling on the ground next to him, and greeting the hyper Cujo. It was strange how the night seemed to go faster with the older hero there. Danny found himself smiling more than he'd expected. Seeing the smile under the cowl was more than a surprise.
Then it kept happening.
Every night Batman would be there, arriving only moments after Danny settled down.
"No Cujo?" Danny glance up, smiling at the vigilante.
"Oh he's here, just fetching." Danny waved off in the distance. Cujo seemed a lot more energetic, Danny had settled for playing fetch.
Batman simply nodded. It was only their fourth night meeting up, and Danny already felt at ease with the man being there. It was nice to talk to someone who didn't know you. Didn't see you as the freak, or phantom, or a screw-up. All Batman saw was Danny, and he didn't seem to hate what he saw.
Why else would he keep coming?
It was comforting, unburdened. Batman never asked him about the strange things that occurred in this town, and Danny never asked him about his life in Gotham as a vigilante. They settled for easier topics. Danny would ask Bats about his family, if he had any kids, and life outside of his suit. Pulling back if he felt like he hit something he shouldn't.
Bats would ask him about school, his friends, and his family. Danny didn't realize how nice it was to have someone focus on you. Really focus on you. Notice when they are broaching a topic they shouldn't.
"I'm kind of worried I won't graduate."
Danny wasn't sure what spurred it on. Before he knew it, he was telling the man about one of his biggest worries. To be more specific, his biggest worry about his normal life.
"Why?"
Danny swallowed, glancing at the man. He wasn't met with what he's used to. Everyone at school, even his parents, always looked at him like he was an idiot. Like he's grades reflected his intelligence. Sam and Tucker used to always tell him that grades were stupid, they didn't mean anything. Thing was, they wouldn't get it. They'd get a very similar look when they tried to tutor him in something that was considered easy.
Tests, homework, all those things were just hard for him.
"My grades aren't great, my GPA is basically in the trash, and I'm in so many remedial classes that it's unlikely." Danny explained, picking at the grass as Bats took over fetch duty. "I'm thinking of just getting my GED, I'm not great at tests, but I think I'd rather take that ten times that redo senior year when the time comes."
When Danny looked back up, Bats was regarding him with a small smile. Completely open and understanding. In any other situation, Danny wouldn't be surprised if he teared up. But he didn't. He couldn't.
"I might have exceled in school, but plenty of my children didn't. Statistics and grades don't mean much when it comes to what you really do. You don't have to graduate to be brilliant. In this small time, I already know you're one of the smartest kids I know."
The way Danny's core hummed in his chest was almost deafening to his ears. It was strange, but completely comforting, to be able to do this. Talk about mundane things and not be greeted with judgement.
The amount of times he tried to mention it to others, he always felt judged. If it wasn't the question of how he was the stupid on of his smart family, than it was why he was so worried about it when he was a king. Halfa or human, Danny didn't want to drop his normal life. He didn't want to be absorbed into being a full-time ghost king until the day he finally died. Completely and wholly.
Danny didn't want to analyze why he felt strange when he left that night. The way his core thrummed in a different way the further he got from the vigilante. He didn't want to dissect any of it, because he didn't want to taint it. He has a large problem when it comes to overthinking things. He could twist things every which way and screw up a good thing.
He wasn't going to do that. Not this time. He knows Batman's time in Amity park was going to come to an end. Vlad only hosted for a week. It was already night four, and he expected the crusader to head back to his home. Danny knows obligations, Gotham was the place Batman haunts. Just like Danny haunts Amity Park.
Even as he settled into bed that night, he's mind was mostly on one thing. The destressing he got the past few nights. The long hours of just talking away as if the world didn't exist. As if they didn't have obligations, or reasons to step away.
He didn't feel like he was talking to a vigilante. Even when Bats choose his words carefully, not reveal too much about himself. Even when Danny caught himself just before he slipped a detail. It didn't feel like he was in the presence of a hero who has saved the world plenty of times.
It felt like he was just talking to someone else. Someone who wanted to get to know him. In a way a lot of people don't.
When Danny awoke later, just as his alarm blared, he didn't think about Batman. Instead, he actually thought about how he was going to hand school. He had input from someone who had know clue where he was in life, or academically. He actually felt like he had the strength to sit his parents down and tell them. Tell them that it was likely when his senior year rolled around he wasn't going to have enough credits to graduate.
The idea of taking the GED seemed a lot less daunting.
Danny wondered if Batman would be interested in playing tutor. The man had mentioned being relatively well in school, graduating from one of the golden universities. Mentioned having homeschooled a few kids, helping them with homework. If the vigilante didn't mind, Danny might propose the idea.
Thing was, Danny didn't feel scared to ask for help from Bats. Not the same way he felt when he had to ask his parents for something, or when he had to go to Jazz. He didn't feel like a bother. Not with the smile he was greeted with whenever he mentioned something, or asked for advice.
He felt easier getting through his classes knowing he had a back-up plan. He didn't have to stress that his life would be over the day he was denied his diploma. At least not for him. He still felt apprehensive of how he's family was going to take it.