The statement stabbed through Danny's heart as his mom smiled at him. His eyes widened as he uttered a whisper, voice a mixture of hurt and offense. "What?!"
Mom's eye brows drew together, as she looked up from the new ectogun she was working on. "I'm so proud of you, sweetie. That you've stayed true to yourself. " She ruffled his hair in an attempt at a motherly gesture, though to Danny it felt forced and awkward.
"Why won't I?" The words came pouring out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Stay...me, that is?"
Mom froze, biting her lip. After a moment she spoke, voice quiet and unsure. " You know how ghosts are." He narrowed his eyes at her and the woman backtracked. " Not you of course. You're not like most. You haven't turned malevolent, haven't turned feral, haven't hurt anyone, haven't damaged too much property."
Danny's mouth fell open at the stinging words. "That...that's not...ghost's aren't always evil."
"Of course not." She sighed, rolling her eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Then she paused. "But... an exception does make the rule."
Danny's nostrils flared at the accusation. "Ghost's aren't just evil by default!" He shook his head, eyes flashing with ghostly light and hands balled into fists. "I'm...I'm not evil. I'd...I'd never turn evil."
Mom's eyes widened, one hand held in front of her as the other hovered over her ectogun. Whether to placate him or protect herself, he did not know. "No you wouldn't. Whatever you've been doing to keep hold of your humanity, it's working and your father and I will make sure you don't lose that humanity"
Humanity. At the word, the image of red eyes, fangs, and flaming hair flashed through his mind. His now trembling hands uncurled. "I'm ...I'm not...I'm not evil. I'd never ...I'd never hurt anyone."
"Of course not." She reached forward and hugged him with one arm, the gesture too tight, too stiff. Her eyes feel on the weapon on the table. "I would never let that happen."