Danny was just straight up not having a good time. Don't get him wrong, he wanted to be here. In college, attending classes, and living a normal life. Well as normal as a life as he could have, which wasn't really that normal to begin with. It was just-Danny wasn't built for this. The classes, the people, finding a balance between everything. He barely managed to make it through high school as it was, and that was back when people didn't bother to talk to him.
Danny half tried to talk himself out of attending school once more, he sent out applications nonetheless. However, as rejection and acceptance letters came through, Danny lost his steam. He figured he could work for the rest of his life, or if anything he could just stay in the zone and manage his life there somehow. Though his two ghostly guardians wouldn't let the idea grow into a plan.
Clockwork, aka Charles, and Pandora took it open themselves to make sure Danny still opened every letter he received. Talked the senior through which schools he really wanted to attend, and which ones were more so for a back up plan. The two elder ghosts knew all too well that the Fenton wanted to attend college, wanted to learn more and continue to grow his knowledge. They weren't willing for him to just let that dream go.
When the acceptance letter came in from Stanford, Danny was more than surprised. He didn't have the best grades, and his extra curricular didn't exist until senior year. So why they accepted him, the teen wasn't so sure. It wasn't like his academic record stood to pare with any other applicants, there were most definitely students better than him that should have his spot.
Nonetheless, Danny followed through with all the sign up required. Which was a lot more stressful than he expected, don't get him started on how difficult it was just to navigate the world of student loans. He made it, all the way through the first week of college before he found himself getting a little too overwhelmed.
Classes weren't to hard, aside from how hard it was for Danny to simply sit down and finish his work. All his classmates seemed ten times smarter than he was, and most definitely looked like students that could be engineers or scientist some day.
He had just finished one of his chemical engineering classes, mind still reeling over all the the new information he learned in one sitting. Half way through the class he found his mind wandering over all the possible device he could build to make hunting just a little easier, mind supplying the small notebook he kept since his first real hunt, that help all his half thought out ideas.
He only made it a few steps from the door when the anxiety and doubt came ramming into his chest. He froze in spot, the feeling of a hand curling around his throat and slowly cutting off his oxygen supply settled in, a tremor running across his body. He's had panic attacks before, he hadn't had one since the night before move in day. He was hoping he wouldn't for a bit longer.
The tightness grew tighter, and his limbs felt like they didn't want to listen to any brain signals. Motor functions were on pause until a rushing student bumped his shoulder.
"Shit, sorry man." The half-ass apology shout out over a shoulder before the kid was out of sight. Danny shook his head, gripping his bag strap before making a beeline for the bathroom. He needed to be away from prying eyes-and preferably seated, to try and sort through his head and figure out what the hell cause this particular attack.
Which he couldn't seem to figure out.
The moment he got in the stall, he locked it shut with a clang and fell back against the closed toilet seat. He fell into a much too familiar position, elbows rested on knees and the heel of his palms pressing into his eyes. "Breathe Danny, come on. You're fine." He whispered under his breath, repeating it quietly, trying to ease the storm brewing.
He reached inside him, feeling the ever comforting buzz of his powers under it all. Unlike the tremors that came with his anxiety, this feeling felt like home. It reminded him of how he felt every time he stepped foot into the ghost zone. It helped calm him a tiny bit, but the feeling was still there.
A soft frost glistened across his hand, adding immediate cooling to his hand. It took a few seconds before the effect settling in, the tightness slowly eased away and the tremors slowed to a stop. This wasn't the worse attack he's had honestly, it was better in the sense he wasn't crying. He released a sigh, pressing back against the wall as he waited for his heartbeat to slow to its natural, slower tempo.
He wasn't sure what caused it, or if it was worth trying to dig deeper in his head to find the meaning. It could easily trigger another one and at this point, Danny was too tired to care. He'd much rather go back to his room and sleep, but he'd problem end up having to do the homework and applications he's been putting off. But that's a conversation for when he gets there.
It took a little longer than the teen would like to admit before he exited the stall, taking a glance in the mirror to make sure it didn't read on his face. Sure the dark bags under his eyes looked a little darker, and his normal pale skin was a bit more dulled, but it was good enough for him. It's not like he normally got the attention of people anyways.
With a heavy sigh, Danny pushed open the bathroom door and searched his pockets for his headphones. It's easier to zone out when he wasn't bombarded with college chatter. His mind snap to the door, however, when it was suddenly stopped in it's track. "Woah-"
"Oh my good, I'm so sorry about that." Danny rambled, rushing to the other side of the door to see the damage. "I wasn't paying attention-" The words died in his throat when he caught sight of the person before him. It may have been a while, but Danny doesn't think he could ever forget those eyes.
"Danny?" Danny couldn't stop the smile from stretching across his face at the surprised but pleasant look the other sported. Before he could process what he was doing, Danny rushed forward and pulled Sam into a hug, pulling a startled noise from the other.
"Ah, sorry, I just-" Danny started backing away but was quickly pulled back into the hug. He settled in those arms easier than he'd admit, feeling comfort in the warmth around him helped ease whatever feelings that still lingered.
"I'm so happy to see you." Sam spoke, pulling away and smiling at Danny. One of his hands rested on Danny's shoulder, almost as if he was afraid the shorter would suddenly vanish. Danny smiled, looking up at Sam.
"Dude, I never thought I'd see you again." Danny confessed, glancing around campus. "Honestly I never expected to get into Stanford."
"Hey, do you wanna go grab coffee or food and catch up?" Sam asked, Danny noted a small hint of concern in those wonderful eyes. Danny glanced at his phone, he wasn't really needed anywhere and some food places should still be open. Even if he had to be somewhere, Sam was more important. This was the happiest he felt in weeks.
"That sounds awesome." Danny smiled.
"I'm glad they encouraged you." Sam responded, placing his mug down. Danny nodded, taking a sip of his own coffee. "What did... what did your parents think?" Sam asked, Danny tensed slightly. Memories of that conversation filtered through his head, he shook his head slightly and instead gave Sam a small smile tinged with sadness.
"Uh, they weren't the happiest, ya know?" Danny answered, fidgeting with his mug. "Wanted me to stay around, and help with the family business.
"Yea, I know." Sam sighed, looking down at his murky brown drink. Danny felt a ping in his heart, he didn't like seeing Sam look so sad. It kind of reminds him of their last night together. "Leaving isn't easy, but we need to live our life right?"
"Absolutely." Danny agreed nodding, before a thought struck him. "Sam and Tucker will be surprised to hear your back in my life."
"Those two! How are they?" Sam asked, the other couldn't help but smile at the thought of his two oldest friends. Even if it brought some sting of pain.
"Sam went to a school in Connecticut, and Tucker is in Virginia. They've been good honestly, Sam started in Summer, and Tucker and I started fall." Danny paused, taking another drink. "We don't talk as much recently, cause of everything that's going on."
"It happens, but I'm sure it won't stay like that." Sam reassured, offering Danny a sympathetic smile.
"Yea I know." Danny plastered on a fake smile, downing the rest of his drink. "It's not like college is easy, but hey we both made it here right?"
"That's something to celebrate." Sam responded, but Danny could see some hesitate in him. Danny wasn't sure if he said something wrong or reveal too much, but all he knew was that maybe he should stay away from the topics that gave him the most pain. He didn't want Sam to think he want from being a sad high schooler to a sad college student.
"So, how's been your first week?" Danny shifted the topic watching Sam slightly relax. He sat quietly, smiling and nodding along as Sam told the story of how he met his current friends. His mind cataloged the names, Jessica, Brady, Becca, Tina, but even as he was present he wasn't really present.
The whole experience felt surreal, like it wasn't really happening. Danny was genuinely happy to see Sam, it wasn't what he expected to get thrown into his life but it was also something good. In his experience things that are good don't last long, and the fear of losing Sam again curls in the back of his mind. He wasn't sure what it was, but just seeing Sam-seeing him happy and laughing, was enough to make his bad day turn good.
Losing him once more would hurt more than it did the first time, Danny wasn't sure if his could handle it after everything that's happened since he left the first time. He didn't expect things to hurt as much as it did, or to take the deeper turn they did. However, it happened. All he can hope is that he can guard himself to not let that hurt settle in his bones again.
AN: Oh wow, a whole other update. I'm surprised that I actually got this done faster than I expect. But also Your guys reviews really do help motivate me.
I expected this update to take a few more days before I finished it but you know sometimes you surprise yourself
I don't have much to say this time, so I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, and let me know your thoughts, concerns, and ideas in the reviews below! Stay Safe Everyone!