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stleoshi · 1 year

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Top 4 Fic Recs

If I could only read four fics per fandom for the rest of my life, I would choose these.

Under the cut are recs for Danny Phantom, Daredevil, House M.D. Rurouni Kenshin, Sherlock Holmes, Supernatural, and Thor, though I may add more later.

Danny Phantom

The Disparaged Series by imekitty (gen, rated T) Long

Maddie Fenton’s obsessive quest to capture Danny Phantom brings disastrous consequences.

A recent take on the classic “dissection fic”, with Danny/Maddie’s relationship at the center of it. The first two fics in the series are complete, and the third is currently being updated monthly. The author skirts the limits of the readers comfort in an absolutely fascinating way which would not work in a lesser authors hands. I’ve been loyally following it for a couple years now and I find that I’ve never had to reread a previous chapter in order to remember whats going on. It’s very memorable.

Masks by Cordria (Gen, rated K+) Mid-Length

Sometimes, people hide who they truly are behind masks. This is a short story about the day that Lancer decides enough is enough when it comes to Daniel Fenton. Sequel is 'Plunge'.

It feels a little blasphemous to pick this Cordria fic when they have many, far more iconic fics to choose from (*cough* PITS) but this one just holds a special place in my heart.

Phantom of Truth by HaiJu (gen, rated T) Long

Locked away in a secret government lab with Phantom as her subject, nothing stands between Maddie and the truth... except, perhaps, herself.

Everyone and their mother recommends this fic, and that’s because it fucks severely. There’s a complete sequel now, but I find that I prefer this fic over it. The progression of Danny and Maddie’s relationship is titilating, you’re constantly on your toes wondering how he’ll make it out of this situation half-alive.

What A Nice Surprise by DarkNymfa (gen, rated T) Long

A ghost and two ghost hunters, sitting around. Like a family. Which they were, but, well. The other two didn’t know that. --- AKA the story of how the Fentons accidentally adopt their own son.

In a fandom full of fucked up and sad fic, it’s nice to have this cute, fluffy series to come back to at the end of the day.

Daredevil

Lucky Devil by ChuckleVoodoos (Matt/Foggy, rated T) Mid-Length

Matt gets caught, Foggy gets a clue, and cases get won.

Emotionally intimate, loving and believable. I’ve read this fic a thousand times and can never look away once I’ve started it.

Of Monstrous Shape by RosaLui (Gen, rated M) Short

“Put me in the ring,” Matt said. His glasses were cracked like a spider’s web, and in the shifting shadows it looked as if he was raising hackles in disgust.

“The House doesn’t profit from quick deaths,” said the jailor.

This fic is dark, violent, dramatic, and insanely engrossing. The author deftly paints the world of Daredevil and I am always in particular gripped by the climax.

Trial and Error by shyday (Gen, rated T) Mid-Length

'You're a lot of scary adverbs right now, my friend. Trust me when I say that "fine" is not one of them.'

This author loves to get into Matt Murdock’s head and imagine the world the way he perceives it, and they do it very well. Each fic of theirs is a sensory trip, but this one is my favorite. Very strong dialogue between Matt and Foggy as well.

Trust: Handle With Care by ceterisparibus (Matt/Karen, rated M) Long

Matt and Foggy's new client is a mother whose son was sexually abused by a priest.

This is a fic that deals with the heavy topic of abuse in the Catholic Church, but if you are able to stomach that it is an expertly executed fic. Not many authors would be able to craft a fic like this, but you can tell that every aspect of it comes from a place of deep personal knowledge and care. Also, the author is a lawyer, which is a rare treat in that the legal case is legit.

House M.D.

Codependency by debbiel (Hilson-ish, rated PG) Short

It was the sort of diagnosis that wouldn't rate a sad-face on his whiteboard. And yet it could change everything.

I’m a huge sucker for the premise of this fic, but none that I’ve found have hit quite like this one. Like a soulmate au, but more poignant ;)

Down to the Water by Blackmare (Gen, rated PG-13) Short

After Amber’s death, House and Wilson try to figure out their place in eachother’s lives.

So many little moments of this fic have stuck with me over the last decade, it’s quiet and beautifully melancholy. There’s a sequel as well which you can find on blackmare’s profile.

The Open Road by Pun (Hilson, rated M) Mid-Length

Wilson goes along for the ride.

Another road trip fic! This one is how I used to imagine the show would end, and somehow in the end it.. kind of was. This is still better.

Two Solitudes by mer_duff (Gen, rated PG) Short

"You were protecting me," House snapped. "What would you have done if he'd had a gun? Stood there and taken the bullet?" Wilson shrugged. "Better me than you."

A short exploration of Wilson’s tendency towards self-sacrificial protectiveness for House. I come back to this fic constantly.

Rurouni Kenshin

An Unexpected Lesson by Conspirator (Gen, rated PG-13) Long

Three years after the end of the Bakumatsu, a chance encounter with a kabuki troupe teaches Kenshin an unexpected lesson in survival.

A wandering era fic that gives us a window into what might have aided Kenshin in developing his “bumbling rurouni” act. I’ve read it a hundred times over the years, it is a great story with believable OCs and balance of humor and drama.

Out of Time by Siriusfan13 (Gen, rated PG-13) Long

During a trip to Kyoto with his friends, Himura Kenshin winds up in deep water... thirteen years in the past. How will Kenshin deal with the Revolution again? And how will his friends deal with Battousai, who has traded places with him?

This is such an earnest and loving study of Kenshin, who is my all time favorite character. This is certainly in my top fics of all time, and shares a similar premise to my other favorite fanfiction Bargaining, which just goes to show I have consistent taste lol.

Recovery by hakubaikou (Gen, rated T) Long

As Kenshin recovers from his wounds after his duel with Shishio, his friends sense a threat and take precautions for his safety. Complete.

Kenshins characterization rings absolutely dead on and the tone in general is like canon . This fic always feels like a warm hug to me, and I come back to it often. Hakubaikou was an amazing writer and she is missed every day, I’m so happy she shared her work with us.

Twelfth Knight by an_earl (Gen, rated T) Long

A bloody street-side massacre has been identified by Saito as the product of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. There are two suspects: Himura Kenshin and his master Hiko Seijuro the Thirteenth. Unbeknownst to them, a third user of their exalted style has time travelled to the future: Hiko Seijuro the Twelfth.

A fic about mistaken identity inspired by Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

An ongoing fic that reads like a fandom classic (and I mean that very, very affectionately). The author’s Saito/Kenshin interactions absolutely crackle.

Sherlock Holmes

Bel Canto by bendingsignpost (Johnlock, rated T) Long

After years of waiting for wealthy patrons to faint, Dr John Watson discovers a far more interesting patient in the opera house basement. (AU through a Phantom of the Opera lens.)

The Phantom of the Opera AU I hold all others to as a standard. So delightful and entertaining.

How Sherlock Holmes Was Compelled to Remember One Festive Occasion Per Year: A Reminiscence by John H. Watson, MD by MirithGriffin (Johnlock, rated M) Short

Known to the SH fandom as The Turkish Bathhouse Fic. Charming as hell with ACD canon flavor, reading this fic has become a Christmas tradition for me.

Particular Peculiarity by saavik13 (Johnlock, rated M) Long

“How high is your regard for me, Watson?” He asked abruptly, his eyes still trained on the fire. “If I were to confess my darkest secret would you leave? Would you abandon me here to my melancholy?”

A case forces Holmes to reveal the truth to Watson and risks both their reputations and their liberty. Just how understanding is John Watson?

An obviously well researched and beautifully characterized fic. It feels very Granada in Holmes’ mannerisms, though it can be read as ACD or Granada. This fic is like a warm cup of tea on a cold day to me.

The Quiet Man by ivyblossom (Johnlock, rated E) Long

"Do you just carry on talking when I'm away?"

This is a BBC fic, as opposed to the rest on my list. It’s well worth the read though, ivy’s prose is so organic. It was a fandom classic for good reason.

Supernatural

a turn of the earth by microcomets (Destiel, rated M) Long

Dean’s your typical half-orphaned, monster-killing 22-year-old until a trenchcoated stranger crashes into his back windshield one September night, claiming he’s an angel that knows him from the future and that he’s on the run. Frigging fantastic.

(Or, in which Castiel gets stuck in Dean’s timeline preseries and Dean kind of hates it—until he doesn’t.)

This fic is overflowing with love, desire, longing and loneliness . It’s a time-traveling Cas fic which is something of a trope in this fandom these days, but the premise of Cas being dead by the time he meets a young Dean just lends something special to it.

I CARRY YOUR HEART (I CARRY IT IN MY HEART) by unicornpoe (Destiel, rated E)

“Take me,” Dean says. He doesn’t have to think about it. “Take me as your vessel, Cas.”

or: Cas is cursed into an endless sleep. Dean offers himself up as his vessel while they try to break it.

Compassionate, tender, and full of evocative imagery. It’s about being taken care of, and the act of caring for another.

Phantom Load by lovesrain44 (Gen, rated M) Long

Dean and Sam return to Boulder, CO, where they investigate a haunted school. The job seems simple enough to Sam, who has good, although vague, memories of living in Boulder back in 1992. Dean, however, has altogether different memories, far less pleasant and far more damaging.

Quiet, moving, and melancholy. The past-present scenes are woven together very well. Subtle where it needed to be. Just an amazing fanfic, though it deals with some possibly upsetting subject matter which is presented up front in the warning section.

So Says The Sword by komodobits (Destiel, rated E) Long

Castiel doesn’t mind working security duty; he was briefed shortly after the initial salvation of the Sword from the pit, and again before taking up his position. He knows what to do. However, it’s easy to forget that the green room isn’t real. Time moves differently there, the space ever-changing to make a prison of mountains, cathedrals, salt flats, orchards, and whatever Castiel was led to believe about Heaven’s greatest weapon—Dean Winchester is something entirely unexpected.

Original, dazzling and creative, komodobits was an absolute force in this fandom. They took it upon themself to recreate the entire Destiel relationship timeline, and did so beautifully.

Thor

Bargaining by Proantagonist (Gen, rated T) Long

Faced with an eternity without his brother, Loki strikes a bargain to change the past. Post TDW.

This is a near-perfect fanfic, and one of the most emotionally satisfying stories I’ve ever read. Cannot stress enough how much this fic means to me, it’s possibly my favorite fanfic of all time.

Mirror, Mirror by Lise (Gen, rated T) Mid-Length

While poking around in corners of the palace, Loki finds a peculiar mirror that doesn't show his reflection.

It’s clear that I love Loki’s various issues, and this fic puts an industrial spotlight on them.

Slow Poison by Mikkeneko (Gen, rated T) Mid-Length

Years before the events of Thor and Avengers, Loki is working as a spymaster for his father the King. Or at least... that's what he thinks he's doing.

I love miscommunication and fucked up family dynamics. This fic is like a friend to me.

#fic recs #loki #danny phantom #thor #supernatural #sherlock holmes #rurouni kenshin #house md #daredevil #hurt/comfort #whump #mostly lol

56 notes · View notes

imekitty · 6 months

Note

Prompt idea: Danny is stuck in ghost mode while at school. (Is he dressed up as Fenton? Is this during a post-reveal? Crack where the bomb is dropped on the last day? Crack commentary on the obliviousness of the townsfolk? A rumor of Phantom secretly attending classes turns into something more serious for Danny to grapple with?) If it interests you, go wild c:

I have no excuse for how long these prompts take me...

-----

"Jazz. Jazz! Wake up."

"Mmmm, what?" Jazz groggily lifted her head off of her pillow, her hair neatly fashioned into two braids. "What time is it?"

"It's one in the morning," whispered Danny. "We need your help."

The room was dark except for Danny's ghostly glow, illuminating Sam and Tucker beside him. Jazz bolted into a sitting position.

"Did something happen?" she asked in alarm. "Danny, are you okay?"

"I'm okay," said Danny.

"If you can call being stuck in ghost form okay," added Tucker.

"Stuck in ghost form?" echoed Jazz, her brow knitting.

"We were out on patrol and some ghost hit Danny with a ghost ray that's now preventing him from changing back," said Sam.

Jazz gasped. "Is he stuck in ghost form forever?"

"No," said Tucker. "I mean, we don't think so. We're sure it'll wear off, we just don't know when."

"But we don't think it'll be before school tomorrow," said Sam.

"Yeah, and I have a really important English test tomorrow," said Danny, sounding panicked. "Like I have to take it or Lancer says I'll fail the whole semester. I'm sitting on a low C right now, so I can't afford to miss it."

"Danny, have you even been studying for this test?" asked Jazz, narrowing her eyes and sounding cross. "Why did you go out fighting ghosts when you knew you had this big important test to take?"

"Look, can you spare me the lecture?" pleaded Danny. "I need your help."

"What exactly do you think I can do to help?"

"I need you to help disguise my ghost form so I can go to school tomorrow looking human enough to attend all my classes and take the test."

Jazz stared at the three teens in front of her. They all stared back.

"You can't be serious," said Jazz at last.

"Dead serious," said Tucker. "No pun intended." He chortled. "Okay, maybe a little intended."

Jazz sighed and grabbed her phone off her nightstand and opened a note-taking app. "All right, let's start by making a list of everything we need to disguise. Then we'll go through each one at a time. First, the white hair, of course."

"White eyelashes and eyebrows, too," said Sam. "And the glowing green eyes."

"His glow in general," chirped Tucker. "He can light up a whole room sometimes, especially when he's hyper or happy."

"His voice echoes."

"He blushes green."

"Plus his skin has an overall green tinge instead of red."

"Yeah, even his lips are greenish-blue, looking like he's oxygen-deprived."

"And he's like a walking, floating AC. You just instantly feel cold when he's nearby."

"True, he's deathly cold to the touch."

Jazz nodded, tapping each entry into her phone. "Danny? Do you have anything to add?"

Danny flinched and rubbed his neck. "No, I think you've all managed to list out everything that makes me a freak."

"It doesn't make you a freak, Danny," said Sam, putting a hand on his shoulder. "It just makes you unique." She shivered and withdrew her hand, shaking it out. "But damn, you are cold."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Thanks, Sam. I feel much better."

"First, the white hair," said Jazz. "Hats aren't allowed at school, so we need to dye it black."

"No problem," said Sam. "I have plenty of black hair dye at home."

Tucker and Danny quirked their brows.

"Oh, come on," said Sam. "You both already know that my natural hair color is blonde. And even though my mom hates that I dye it, she at least buys me the good stuff so I don't look 'cheap,' as she says."

"That takes care of that, then," said Jazz, writing in some notes. "Okay, next is the eyes."

"I have some blue colored contacts, too," said Sam.

Tucker gasped, pressing a hand over his heart. "Sam, do you mean to tell me your natural eye color isn't purple either?"

"Shut it," hissed Sam.

"But the contacts aren't going to stop his eyes from glowing," said Jazz.

"Yeah, I don't know how we can cover up his glow," said Sam.

"Layers," said Tucker. "Lots of layers. Danny, you're just gonna have to be hot tomorrow."

Danny sighed, not enjoying that idea at all.

"You know, this is the part where you're supposed to say, 'I'm always hot!'" quipped Tucker.

Danny snorted. "Who do you think I am, you?"

"Layers won't work," Sam cut in. "His eyes and face would still glow, and we can't cover his face with a mask."

"Then you're screwed, dude," said Tucker. "Ghosts can't just stop glowing."

"That's not true," said Danny. "I've encountered several ghosts that were able to suppress their glow and pass for humans while in town. Like Johnny and Kitty."

"I guess that's true," said Tucker, nodding.

"But how do they do it?" asked Sam.

"I actually asked Kitty that once," said Danny. "She said the easiest way is to hold back on all emotions, to be completely serious, blank. Empty, as she put it."

"Empty?" Tucker tilted his head.

"Yeah," said Danny. "You said yourself that my glow gets brighter when I'm really happy."

"And it gets dim when you're depressed," said Jazz. "Yes, we've all noticed that."

"So if I just try to stay blank all day tomorrow, I shouldn't glow," said Danny.

"But you're like the moodiest guy we know," said Tucker. "How are you going to pull that off?"

Danny glared at him, his eyes flashing brighter.

"See?" said Tucker, pointing.

"He's right, Danny," said Jazz. "You're a little moody, you know."

"You get kind of pissy pretty easily," added Sam.

"And you get turned on just seeing Paulina in a tight shirt," said Tucker.

"Tucker!" squealed Sam, lightly decking him.

"Hey, you like seeing Paulina in a tight shirt as much as I do," said Danny, his face glowing green with flushing ectoplasm.

"Yeah, but I don't light up like a glowstick," said Tucker.

Danny groaned. "Okay, fine. I guess I just have to stay away from everyone tomorrow. You know, not talk to anyone…at all. Ever."

"Really?" Sam raised a brow. "You're just not going to interact with a single person tomorrow?"

"What choice do I have?" asked Danny. "It's the only way to stop myself from showing emotion that would make me glow."

"It would also solve the problem of your echoey voice," said Jazz. "Honestly, not talking at all probably is your best bet."

"Right," said Danny, nodding. "I just go to school, stay blank and emotionless all day long, take the test, and then come right home. We've already tampered with the school's ghost detection system to not pick up on my ecto-signature, so no one will suspect that I'm secretly a ghost in disguise."

"If we're really going to do this, we need to start now," said Jazz. "Sam and Tucker, go get the hair dye and contacts. Danny, start figuring out how to suppress your emotions."

Sam and Tucker left to retrieve the dye while Danny stayed in Jazz's room and tried to meditate. He sat cross-legged on Jazz's carpet, closing his eyes and just breathing.

But his mind kept wandering. Thinking over Kitty's instructions made him remember how she overshadowed Paulina and made him think the prettiest girl in school actually liked him—that hurt.

And thinking about Dash borderline worshiping Phantom but having no respect for Fenton—that made him angry.

And imagining being stuck in ghost form forever and his parents eventually finding out and taking him down to the lab for torturous experimentation—that frightened him.

Through his closed eyes, he could see his glow pulsating, emanating with his different emotions.

"Here." Jazz lit an unscented candle and placed it in front of him on the floor. "I was doing some research on my phone about clearing your head when meditating, and they suggest focusing on a candle flame."

Danny opened his eyes and tightened his cross-legged position, holding his ankles as he stared at the crimson-edged flame. Bright white and orange sparked and flittered around the wick, melting the wax in a shiny pool underneath.

He followed each movement, each flicker.

Anytime a new thought tried to enter his head, whenever his mind started to wander, he refocused on the flame's dreamy dance.

"Hey!" Jazz squealed. "It's working!"

Danny blinked and looked down at himself. His brow creased when his glow appeared just the same as always.

"Well, it was," insisted Jazz. "I guess maybe I was too excited and that knocked you out of your state of emptiness. But it really does work!"

Danny refocused on the flame, this time with the confidence that this was definitely not a waste of time and he really could stop glowing if he just stopped feeling anything and everything.

His English grade depended on it.

After a few more minutes, Danny was able to clear his mind enough to dim his glow. He was working on closing his eyes and imagining the flame in just his head when Sam and Tucker arrived with the dye and contacts. With just half an hour before sunrise and a lot of teamwork, Danny Phantom was at last all dressed up and disguised as Danny Fenton.

Danny looked at himself in his bedroom mirror after Sam and Tucker returned home to get what little sleep they could before they had to start getting ready for school.

"What are you going to do with that?" asked Jazz, pointing at his black and white jumpsuit draped over his desk chair.

"Oh." Danny grabbed the suit and phased it through his wall, setting it on the nogging that he was using as a makeshift shelf for all of his hidden contraband. "Wow, I've never had to do that before."

Jazz put her hands on her hips as her gaze traveled up and down his body. "Black hair, blue eyes, regular clothes with pants and long sleeves to cover up as much as possible—but you're still glowing."

Danny moaned. "I know. I'm feeling nervous right now."

"Clear your mind. Let me see the full effect."

Danny shut his eyes, conjuring the flame again. His shoulders relaxed, and he opened his eyes, trying his best to remain blank and unfeeling.

Jazz approached him, her lips puckered with scrutiny as she walked around him, studying him from all angles. She then cupped her hands around her eyes and leaned in very close to his face.

"You're still glowing a tiny bit." She stepped back. "But as long as the lights are on and you try really hard to keep your mood even and bland, no one should notice."

Danny nodded, not wanting to even speak and risk losing his focus.

"But there is one last thing that needs to be covered up," said Jazz. "Your complexion. You still look like a ghost with all those green undertones." She brightened. "But some foundation will fix that right up!"

Danny sat in his desk chair while Jazz retrieved a few makeup items, including a bottle of foundation and some makeup brushes and sponges.

"Just don't think about it," said Jazz. "I need you to keep that glow dim so I can do this right."

Danny focused on the flame in his head and sat still while Jazz caked the foundation onto his face, blending out the edges and then setting it with a matte finishing powder. She also swept powder into his eyebrows to darken them.

"Open your eyes," said Jazz, coming toward him with a mascara wand.

"Is mascara really necessary?" asked Danny as Jazz tickled his eyelashes with the wand.

"Well, I considered using fake lashes, but I figured your white lashes would still show up underneath them," said Jazz. "Look up, please."

Danny grumbled but obeyed as Jazz continued applying the mascara.

"Okay, now look at me." Jazz squinted as she studied Danny's face. "Just one last thing."

Jazz picked up three tubes of lipstick and held them up to Danny's face, closing one eye as she examined each against her recent makeup job. Danny groaned and regained his glow.

"Danny, try to stay blank right now," said Jazz. "It's hard for me to choose the right color when you're glowing."

"But Jazz, lipstick, really?"

"Your lips are cold green. We have to somehow convince everyone you're filled with blood and not ectoplasm."

Danny groaned a final time before clearing his head again and subsequently dimming. Jazz selected a color and applied one layer over his lips, then another.

"This is expensive lipstick that is supposed to stay on your lips all day and not transfer," said Jazz, recapping the tube. "But just be careful when you eat or drink."

Danny stood to check his reflection in a mirror. His glow started returning as soon as he saw it.

"I've used makeup to cover bruises, but I never thought I'd wear a whole face of it," moaned Danny. After allowing himself to pout, he forced his glow back down again.

"You look great," said Jazz, coming up behind him. "You look human."

"You sure this is going to fool people?"

"As long as you don't let anyone look too closely, yes. Just keep everyone at a distance and don't engage in conversation or even eye contact." Jazz rubbed his back. "And don't touch anyone either, okay? No handshakes or anything like that. There's no way for us to raise your internal temperature."

"Mom likes to hug and kiss me in the morning."

"Well, then I guess we'll just have to leave for school early before she gets a chance."

Later, when Maddie was about to start cooking breakfast in the kitchen, Jazz invented an excuse for having to get to school early, something about a morning study session in the library before the first bell that of course Maddie believed because Jazz would never lie to her about such a thing. Jazz then ushered Danny past the kitchen, grabbing some toaster pastries that they could eat on the way.

"Bye, you two," said Maddie. "Study hard!"

Danny almost replied but stopped when Jazz shushed him. Right, right, his voice echoed too much in ghost form, he had to try very hard not to speak at all the entire day.

For once, Danny was relieved that he was not popular.

On the way to Casper High, Jazz stopped to pick up Sam and Tucker, who both had very dark circles under their eyes.

"Danny, hey." Sam gave him a groggy smile from the back seat. "You're looking good."

"Yeah," said Tucker with a yawn. "You look human."

Danny nodded but kept a very serious expression. "Thanks."

Tucker leaned forward and studied Danny more closely. "Dude, are you wearing lipstick?"

Danny blushed. "It was Jazz's idea. She insisted—I mean, she said my lips looked too green." Danny looked down at his glowing hands and groaned. "Oh, great. Tucker, I'm trying to keep my emotions in check, you know."

"That's right," said Jazz. "You two can't be cracking any jokes or teasing Danny today, not when he has to focus on staying blank."

"But Danny's always so fun to tease," said Tucker, grabbing and shaking Danny's shoulders from behind.

"That's of course true," said Jazz with a smile, "but he needs you two today." She glanced at Sam and Tucker using her rearview mirror. "You two need to be flanking Danny as much as possible, and if anyone tries to talk to him, you need to speak for him."

Tucker yawned again, more exaggerated this time. "I don't know, I might actually pull a Danny and fall asleep in class today."

Danny scowled. "Hey! I don't fall asleep that often!"

"Danny," said Jazz sternly.

"Right, sorry," mumbled Danny as he reeled his mood back in to turn down his glow again.

"We only got a couple hours of sleep," said Sam with a small slur. "But you two don't look too tired."

"That's because we didn't even try to sleep. Your bodies are feeling sluggish because you probably woke up in the middle of deep sleep," said Jazz. "I'm sure Danny and I will both feel some fatigue later today, but hopefully Danny will get the ability to change back before tomorrow so we don't have to do this again."

"God, I really hope so," moaned Tucker. "Danny's usually such a chatty Cathy, I don't know how we're going to explain why he's suddenly mute today."

Danny scoffed. "I am not a chatty Cathy!"

"Danny!" rebuked Jazz.

"God damn it." Danny gritted his teeth and refocused on the candle flame in his head.

When they arrived at Casper High, Danny stuffed his hands into his pockets and kept his head down as he walked between Sam and Tucker toward the main entrance.

"Is there anyone around that we know?" asked Danny, staring at the ground, watching his shoes with each step.

"Not yet," said Tucker.

"Okay, good," said Danny. "Please let me know if you see Valerie or Paulina headed toward us. I don't know if I can stay blank when I see a pretty girl."

"You've been looking at me just fine," said Sam, scowling.

Danny hunched over and shut his eyes. "Sam, don't make me feel guilty right now, please."

"All right, whatever," muttered Sam. "There are no pretty girls around to get your hormones in a twist, so you can relax."

"Let's just get to our lockers and then go directly to homeroom," said Danny evenly.

At his locker, Danny turned the dial for his combination, not wanting to risk phasing through in case engaging his ghost powers caused him to glow again. Nope, today he had to be as completely human as possible.

"Paulina's walking this way," said Tucker next to him, tilting his chin up to indicate down the hall. Danny closed his eyes and breathed in, focusing on the flame in his mind.

"She's seen us," said Tucker. "She's looking right at you, dude."

"Tucker, don't tell him that!" hissed Sam, smacking Tucker's shoulder with the back of her hand.

"Just tell me when she's walked by," said Danny, gritting his teeth and pretending to organize his books in his locker.

Danny could hear her voice, her laughter. She was getting closer, closer, and then he could hear her right behind him.

And a second later, she was still there. Another second, still there. Why was she taking so long to walk past?

"She's doing that thing you love where she flips her hair over her shoulder," Tucker whispered out of the side of his mouth.

Oh, God, he did love that. Danny ducked his head and threw his hands into his locker to hide the flash of his glow.

"Tucker, seriously, shut up," Sam whispered back.

Paulina's voice was finally starting to move now, drifting, floating away. Danny turned his head and could see her just out of the corner of his eye. She was looking back at him with a very confused pout, and then Star ushered her down the hall.

"She's so irritating," grumbled Sam.

"You survived, dude!" Tucker clapped a hand on Danny's back. "Now let's get you to class quick."

Danny breathed deep, sticking his head in his locker as he tried to keep the image of the flame bright. He exhaled, then pulled his head out and was just about to close his locker when he caught sight of another very pretty girl walking in the hall, a very pretty girl who smiled at him and was heading right for him.

"Shit, shit—" Danny buried his head in his locker again. "Tucker, make her go away, don't let her talk to me."

"Who?" Tucker whirled around. "Oh, Valerie! Hey!"

"Hey, Tucker," said Valerie. "What's Danny doing? Did he lose something in his locker?"

Danny pushed his head into his locker even farther.

"Nah," said Tucker. "He's just got a real bad zit he doesn't want anyone seeing."

Oh, Danny was gonna kill him for that—

Danny pulled his head out and slammed his locker door shut before dashing down the hall.

"Danny?" Valerie called after him. "Danny, everyone gets zits sometimes, it's okay—"

Danny ignored her, had to ignore her, couldn't let her see him glowing—

He breathed, slowed his walk, focused on the candle flame again.

"Danny." Sam came up beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You got this, Danny. And don't worry, I'll be sure to kill Tucker for you." She winced, lifting her hand. "You really are cold."

"Let's just get to class," muttered Danny.

"Okay, but be careful," said Sam. "Dash and Paulina are straight ahead."

"Of course they are."

Danny jammed in his hands in his pockets and stared at the floor as he walked quickly down the hall. He could see Dash's sneakers and Paulina's flats come into view.

"Hey, Fenturd!" taunted Dash.

Danny ignored him.

"Danny, hi!" greeted Paulina with her signature lilt.

Danny ignored her harder.

"Oh, my God," laughed Sam, looking over her shoulder. "Paulina looks so confused. I guess she's not used to guys just walking by her."

"She doesn't look mad, does she?" asked Danny anxiously, his glow promptly returning.

"Danny, chill."

"God—shit—"

Danny breathed in, his glow fading.

In homeroom, Danny clasped his hands on his desk and sat up straight, staring at Mrs. Werner's face and nothing and no one else. Breathing, breathing, breathing, staring, breathing some more.

When the bell rang, Mrs. Werner stopped Danny on his way out the door.

"You looked so focused, Danny," said Mrs. Werner. "You looked like you were really paying attention. Usually you look like you're about to fall asleep this early in the morning."

Danny stared at her. In truth, he could not remember a single word from her lecture.

"It's because you're a good teacher," he said flatly.

Mrs. Werner tilted her head. "Your voice sounds strange. Are you feeling okay?"

"Come on, bud, we don't want to be late for our next class," said Tucker, pushing and dragging Danny out of the classroom.

"Danny, your voice echoes in ghost form, remember?" said Sam in a low voice. "You can't talk to anyone."

"But nice try telling Mrs. Werner she's a good teacher," laughed Tucker. "You hoping to flatter your way to better grades?"

"I'm really not hoping for anything right now," said Danny, staring forward with blank expression. "Except to get through this day without anyone finding out I'm a ghost."

Paulina was out in the hall chatting with Star and Dash. She dropped her pen as Danny walked by. Danny barely glanced at the pen and didn't look at Paulina at all as he sped past her.

Right behind him, Tucker picked up the pen and held it out to Paulina with a big smile. "I think you dropped this."

Paulina made a face and held up her hand, palm facing him. "Ew, you can keep it." She turned up her nose, clutched her books to her chest, and walked away.

"You will not believe what just happened," muttered Tucker, running to catch up with Danny.

"I heard it," said Danny without turning his head. "Remind me to laugh about it later."

Each class blurred together for Danny. He had no idea what any of the teachers were saying as he tried to focus on the flame in his head, but they each remarked on his attentive stare and straight posture.

"Nice to see your eyes open for once," said Mr. Falluca with a wink.

"I've never seen any student look so enthralled with my lesson!" said Ms. Eddington while clasping her hands.

Danny never smiled, staring through them and not at them.

"Yes, Danny enjoyed your class so much, but we've really gotta get going now," said Sam on his behalf over and over again.

A few of his classmates tried to get his attention in the hall between classes.

"Hi, Danny!"

"Danny, hey!"

Danny could see the confusion on their faces out of the corner of his eye as he walked past them without even a glance.

"Fentnerd, hey, I'm talking to you—"

Dash's red letterman jacket was merely a blur.

"Danny!" cooed Paulina. "Where are you off to in such a rush?"

Danny had no idea why Paulina was actually trying to talk to him but he hated that he had to shrug her off. God, he hoped she would forgive him.

"Is it just me, or does it seem like everyone is trying to talk to me today?" asked Danny.

"Isn't this what you always wanted?" asked Tucker with a grin. "To be popular?"

"Not when I literally can't even enjoy it," said Danny. "Could this day go any slower?"

Lunchtime arrived at last. Danny phased himself and Sam through a locked classroom door while Tucker headed to the cafeteria. Danny took a seat at a desk in the empty classroom and sprawled out, letting his head fall back as relief and all other emotions washed over him and brought out his ghostly glow.

"I'm exhausted," sighed Danny, closing his eyes. "I had no idea repressing your emotions could be so draining."

"You've been doing a great job," said Sam at the desk next to him. She pulled her vegan lunch out of her eco-friendly bag and spread it out before her. "Want some?"

Danny eyed the leafy rabbit food. "No, thanks. I'll just wait for Tucker to bring some real food."

"That slop in the cafeteria isn't real food, Danny. It's literally cancer."

"Well, at least it tastes good."

Sam turned up her nose and took a bite of her lettuce wrap.

A few minutes later, Tucker entered the classroom carrying two lunch trays. Jazz walked in behind him.

"Pizza today, my friend!" whooped Tucker, setting a tray with a large pepperoni slice on Danny's desk.

"What are you doing here, Jazz?" asked Danny. "This isn't your lunch period."

"She snuck out of class!" laughed Tucker, popping open a can of soda and taking a seat next to Danny with his own pizza slice.

Jazz blushed. "Just for a little bit. I just said I needed to use the bathroom." Jazz held up a hall pass. "I really wanted to see how you were doing."

"Well. I survived the first half of the day." Danny groaned. "Barely."

"Tucker tells me you've managed to keep your glow at bay."

"I just hope to God I never have to do this again."

"Dash was actually looking for you in the cafeteria," said Tucker, his mouth full of cheese and sauce. "He's not happy you've been ignoring him."

"Yeah, I'm sure I'm in for the swirly of my life when this is all over," Danny quipped.

Jazz gasped, pressing a hand over her heart. "He does that to you?"

"When he's in a good mood," said Tucker, causing Jazz to gasp again.

Danny rolled his eyes. "Calm down, Jazz."

"But have you reported him? Have you told Mom?"

"No, Jazz, and you better not tell her either." Danny glared at her. "The last thing I need is for Dash to come after me if I get him kicked off the football team or something."

"But Danny—"

"No, I'm not having this conversation right now. One problem at a time." Danny placed both palms on the desk in front of him, breathing in slowly. "I just need to get through today so I can take my English test and go home without anyone realizing that Danny Phantom has actually been filling in for Danny Fenton."

"But Paulina would be all over you if she knew you were her ghost boy." Tucker grinned. "Although I think she maybe wants to be all over you now. I overheard her talking to Dash in the cafeteria. She thinks the way you've been ignoring everyone and acting all aloof is 'manly,' her word."

Danny's glow brightened. "She said I was manly?"

Sam scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I guess you just need to shut up every day and you can finally have the mega babe of your dreams."

"You're really telling me that this whole time, all I had to do was not talk to her?" Danny's jaw dropped. "Why didn't anyone tell me this sooner?"

"Hey, this is news to me, too!" insisted Tucker. "I had no idea girls also like it when guys play hard-to-get."

"Boys, calm down and eat your cancer," said Sam. "Lunch is going to be over soon."

"And I need to touch up your makeup a bit, Danny," said Jazz, holding up a small bag of cosmetics she had brought with her. "You're looking a little green."

Danny finished eating and stayed still while Jazz smoothed a new layer of foundation over his face, using red undertones to neutralize the ectoplasmic tinge. He closed his eyes and tried to keep his glow down.

"Have you even tried changing back yet?" asked Tucker. "Maybe it's already worn off."

Danny sent a signal to his molecules to switch over, but they remained trapped in ghost form. "Still stuck like this."

"You've made it this far," said Sam. "You'll be fine."

Jazz swept black powder over Danny's eyebrows and studied his eyes. "Mascara really makes your eyes so pretty, Danny."

Danny groaned and looked away, feeling his glow returning. "Yeah, that's just what I need to hear right now."

"She's not wrong," said Tucker, batting his own eyelashes mockingly.

"There's nothing wrong with guys wearing makeup," insisted Sam. "You look great, Danny." Her mouth twitched, threatening to curl into a smile. "And so very pretty."

Danny smirked mirthlessly, irritably. "You know, maybe you shouldn't make fun of a guy with ghost powers."

"Aw, are you trying to threaten us?" Sam coyly stuck out her bottom lip. "That's adorable."

"Be nice to Danny, you two," said Jazz sternly. "You can tease him all you want after school."

"Fine, fine," Sam and Tucker grumbled. Danny sighed and tried to once again suppress everything he was feeling.

Just a few more hours of suffering. Then he could go home and pray that this would somehow wear off before school the next day.

The next few classes passed similarly, teachers and students equally confused by his unusually stoic behavior and the way he sat up straight at his desk. Never speaking, never making eye contact, never allowing anyone to get close enough to touch his icy skin.

"Last class, dude," said Tucker, leading the way to Lancer's English classroom. "You ready?"

"You better ace that test after all the work we've done to get you here," said Sam.

"I will be thrilled with just a C," said Danny.

"Just try not to be thrilled until you can safely feel emotion again," said Sam.

In Lancer's classroom, Danny sat up straight with his hands clasped on his desk, looking forward and filtering out all the chatter around him, focusing only on the flame in his head.

Just one last class and then he could go home and wash off all this makeup and this nightmare would be over.

"Glad to see everyone is on time for our English test today," drawled Lancer, looking right at Danny. "Please remove everything off your desks except for a pen or pencil."

The students obeyed, shuffling and clearing off their desks all around Danny, who continued staring at nothing, his pen lying in front of him on his bare desk.

Lancer began passing out the tests. Danny's heart fluttered as a thin packet of paper was placed in front of him, and he hoped the lights were bright enough for no one to notice his skin tone flickering.

Sam and Tucker glanced at him before turning their eyes to their own tests. Danny breathed deep and picked up his pen, writing his name at the top of the first page of the test.

Easy so far.

He continued, a few multiple-choice questions about literary devices, some short-answer responses about the novels and short stories they had been reading in class. He relaxed, relieved that he remembered all of this from his studying.

Maybe he could actually get an A this time.

Or at least a B.

He was getting close to being done, almost there, just one more question, an essay question. Yes, he could describe the main character of the novel they had been reading the past couple weeks. Yes, he could discuss how the character upheld the themes and he could write a thesis statement and then expand on it in several paragraphs. Yes, yes, he had been studying this and he could do it, for once he could—

The lights went out just then, the sound of the air conditioner also vanishing. Students gasped and shrieked, a few whooped and laughed.

Danny's heart skipped once, maybe twice. He blinked down at his test, which he could still see in the natural light coming in through the windows.

"The power's out!" Paulina squealed.

"Does this mean the test is over?" asked Kwan excitedly.

"No, it does not. Everyone, please calm down and continue taking the test." Lancer opened the window curtains fully to bring in maximum sunlight. "Settle, settle, please."

Danny breathed in. This was fine, he could still finish his test and then go home and everything would be totally and completely fine.

But even with the sunlight streaming in from one side of the room, Danny realized just how dark it still was. If he were to glow now, it would be obvious, he wouldn't be able to hide it.

His heart started racing, sweat breaking out on his neck and under his shirt.

"Danny," whispered Tucker, staring at him. Sam also turned in her seat to look at Danny, her eyes widening.

Danny didn't need them to say anything. He knew exactly what they were seeing.

"Whoa—hey—what's going on with Fenton?" asked Kwan, standing up to get a better look.

"What do you mean? Oh, whoa." Dash also stood, his mouth gaping.

"He's glowing!" gasped Paulina. "And not the way my skin always glows, like actually glowing!"

"I told you he was a freak," said Star huffily.

Whispers arose all around the room, and Lancer didn't even try to quiet everyone this time. He was too busy staring at Danny, his expression comically dumbfounded.

And Danny's panic only grew, his glow brightening. Should he leave? Run away? No, that wouldn't solve anything. How could he explain this, solve this, fix this—

"Danny, uh—did you eat your dad's ecto-fudge again?" asked Sam.

Danny turned to her, his eyes big and mouth hanging open.

"Uh, yeah," said Tucker, sitting up straighter in his seat. "You know that stuff makes you glow like a ghost when you eat it."

Danny now stared at Tucker, still unable to speak as his mind tried to process their words.

"Wait a minute," said Dash. "You're saying Fenton is glowing because he ate some of his freakazoid dad's ghost fudge?"

"Yeah, sometimes Danny eats it for breakfast and forgets the side effects," said Tucker, chuckling and shaking Danny's shoulder with one hand.

The room was completely silent for a moment. Danny was sure his glow was getting brighter and brighter as he tried to avoid everyone's eyes.

"That is so cool," said Kwan, sounding genuinely awed.

"Ooooooh, so pretty!" gushed Paulina.

The room filled with excited whispers and murmurs. Danny looked around, confused and unsure how to interpret any of this.

"You guys really don't think it's freaky?" asked Dash, frowning.

"It's super freaky, but that would look so awesome on the dance floor," said Star. "It would be perfect for a rave."

"And I would love to glow just like the ghost boy!" Paulina sighed and clasped her hands against her cheek. "Maybe then he'll finally ask me out."

"And I wouldn't have to sleep with a night-light anymore!" exclaimed Kwan.

The room fell quiet as all eyes turned to Kwan.

"Uh, I mean what, who said that?" muttered Kwan, turning bright red as his enormous frame tried to shrink under his desk.

The lights came back on. The students chattered and whooped as Lancer tried to restore order in the classroom.

"You're in the middle of a test, everyone," said Lancer. "You still have until the bell rings, no extensions. Please focus and get back to work."

Lancer gave Danny a final odd look before sitting at his desk and surveying the quieting classroom. Sam and Tucker both smiled reassuringly at Danny before turning away from him.

Pens scratched against paper all around him. One student cleared his throat.

Danny sighed with immense relief as he looked down at his unfinished test, feeling his glow dimming a little. But now he no longer had to repress his emotions to hide it.

Everyone already thought he was a freak even before they saw him glowing, but at least no one suspected he was a ghost.

Danny picked up his pen, only too happy to finish writing his essay.

-DP-

Danny could feel his ability to change back into his human self return as Jazz drove him home after school. In the bathroom near his room, he removed the colored contacts and washed all of the makeup off his face, relieved to see his normal reflection in the mirror again.

Downstairs, the doorbell rang. Danny ignored it as he put his head in the sink and started rinsing the black dye out of his hair. It was probably just another package for his parents, parts and supplies for their ghost-hunting inventions.

"Danny?" Jack's voice called up to him. "Why are there a bunch of kids here asking to buy fudge?"

Danny froze before turning on the water even higher and burying his head farther into the sink.

#danny phantom #danny fenton #jazz fenton #tucker foley #sam manson #imekitty writes #prompt writing #astravis

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