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luxaofhesperides · 6 months

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For the ghostlights drabbles!! Slow dancing + aged up? Maybe it’s their wedding, maybe they’re just having a slow night, maybe it’s an all-Wayne’s-must-show-up gala event and Danny tagged along but I’m just thinkin like. Older Danny and Duke so in love with each other everything else just. Fades away

Danny’s been fidgeting all day.

He can’t help it, being so full of restless energy that he has to keep moving somehow. It’s enough to be noticeable, and though Duke gave him a curious look, he didn’t push when Danny insisted he was fine.

It’s just that he’s hyper-aware of the small box tucked away in his pocket. And judging by the excited, gleeful looks on the other Bats faces when he had lunch with them, they are also aware of his plans to propose. He just hopes Duke doesn’t have his suspicions so he can surprise his boyfriend properly.

Throughout their walk through Robinson Park, as Duke had wanted for their weekly date, Danny keeps brushing his hand against his pocket, thoughts drifting as he wonders when he should ask, how everyone would react, how difficult wedding planning would be…

“Seriously, are you okay?” Duke asks, pulling Danny to the side where a few trees hide them from view. “You’ve been distracted all day.”

“Yeah! Yeah, I’m fine. Really.”

“Sweetheart, you know you can tell me anything.”

Danny looks at him, takes in the sincerity of his words, the softness in his gaze, and smiles. He can’t help but pull Duke closer by his collar, leaning down a bit to kiss him. “I know,” he whispers against Duke’s lips. “I promise everything’s fine.”

“What’s on your mind?”

“It’s a secret,” Danny says, a giddy grin spreading across his face. “But I’ll tell you soon. Very, very soon.”

Duke looks into his eyes, gauging how honest he’s being, then nods. “Alright. Take all the time you need, honey. I can wait forever for you.” He presses a kiss to the corner of Danny’s mouth, then pulls away, taking hold of Danny’s hand. “Ready to head back home?”

“Yeah. Let’s go.” Danny squeezes Duke’s hand and follows after him as he begins walking, wondering how he got so lucky with the sweetest, bravest, most considerate person to be his boyfriend. And more, hopefully. He really wants to keep Duke forever. He wants Duke to keep him, too.

He considers proposing right then and there, too full of nerves to survive keeping it secret for another few hours, but the park isn’t empty and he knows Duke wants something more private. So he lets Duke lead them home, their steps falling in sync as they make their way to the streets.

Gotham is as busy as ever, full of noise and people as everyone goes about their day, trying to get from this place to that. But with Duke, everything feels quiet, as if the rest of the world can’t touch them when they’re together. He rarely ever feels so comfortable in silence, but like in most matters, Duke is the exception.

Danny swings their hands between them as they walk the few blocks to their apartment, heart filled with so much love he doesn’t know what to do with himself. So much has changed over the years; Danny is barely recognizable as the fourteen year old who just had a lab accident and took on the responsibility of protecting Amity Park. He was smaller, then, and struggling to figure out a way forward when everything seemed determined to ruin him.

At some points, he didn’t think he had much a future at all. His parents had found out that he was Phantom, and rather than attacking him, they were heartbroken to know that he had died so young and they never noticed. His parents have never stopped seeing him as a dead kid since, always grieving him and too guilty to really see who he is now. He hopes inviting them to the wedding won’t be a mistake, because he does want them there so they can see how happy he is.

He can hardly believe that it’s been nearly eight years since he met Duke. They had gotten together after being friends for a year, working together to handle any ghosts who needed help or were causing trouble in Gotham, and helped each other through college and getting their first jobs.

Duke has been with him for most of his happiest memories. He had been by his side through so many milestones and and quiet moments.

If there’s a life for him without Duke, he doesn’t want to live it.

So overwhelmed by his feelings, Danny can’t help but cling to Duke, wrapping him up in a hug as soon as they step into the elevator of their apartment building. Duke doesn’t ask any questions, just holds him gently and helps walk him to their door, making sure he doesn’t trip.

Danny hears the key slide into the lock. The door opens a moment later, and then Duke is slipping out of his arms, kneeling to help Danny out of his shoes at the entryway.

It’s little things like this that make Danny feel like his heart is going to burst. Duke loves in such quiet, gentle actions.

“I’m going to go change real quick,” Duke says as he takes off his own shoes. “What do you want for dinner?”

“We have garlic soy sauce pasta in the freezer.”

“Sounds good. I’ll be back in a minute.”

He heads off to their bedroom, already stripping out of his shirt to change into more comfortable clothing, which tends to be either sweatpants or pajamas. Danny goes to the kitchen, pulling the pasta bag out of the freeze and setting it on the counter to thaw a bit.

He bites his lip, thinking, then pulls out his phone and texts Barbara.

caspar: hey babs, are there any cameras in our apartment that you can hack?

big brother: Only at the front door and windows. Why?

caspar: can you hack my phone and record a video for me? i’m going to propose to duke tonight

big brother: Danny! Yes of course I can!!

caspar: thanks babs :) pls also send it out to everyone else tomorrow so we can have a quiet night in

big brother: You got it Danny. Can’t wait to share the news!! Go ahead and get your phone in a good place and I’ll be ready to start recording.

Danny sends her a quick thumbs up emoji, then glances around to find the perfect spot that wouldn’t look too suspicious. He settles on the dining table, which looks into the kitchen. The island isn’t in the way, thankfully, so as long as Danny stays in front of the counters that are in the camera’s sight, he should be able to get a good video of the proposal to send to everyone.

Besides, he knows Duke loves collecting memories like these in every way he can. And while Danny considered asking Tim to stalk them with his camera to get good proposal photos, that would have meant proposing outside to ensure he got a good shot and Duke has never been into public proposals.

He’s just set his phone up when Duke reappears, wearing gray sweatpants and a large dark blue sweater, knit by Jason a few years ago.

He looks so soft and comfortable that Danny can’t be blamed for falling onto Duke for another hug, burying his face in his shoulder.

“Hey, there, honey,” Duke laughs. “You sure you’re feeling alright? You’ve been really clingy today. Not that I mind, or anything.”

Danny nods. “I just really love you.”

Duke kisses his temple, and Danny can feel his smile against his skin. “I love you too, sweetheart.”

“Dance with me?”

“Alright.”

They start to sway softly together, just moving side to side, then Duke brings out his phone to play a few quiet songs from one of their many playlists. He recognizes the song as coming from their ‘heart to heart’ playlist, because they very much are that cheesy couple that make playlists for each other and for every occasion. This one is for quiet nights together, full of soft love songs and ballads.

With music to guide them, they start moving more, pulling apart to properly dance. They twirl in small circles, still swaying slowly as they dance, just happy to be together.

Danny sinks into the comfort of this quiet joy, slow dancing in the kitchen with Duke for a few songs. He’s already looking forward to dancing together at their wedding.

Duke pulls up his hand to lead Danny in a spin, and Danny returns the favor.

Just as Duke begins to turn back around, Danny takes out the ring box from his pocket with his free hand and drops to one knee.

Duke completes his spin, smiling softly, then freezes when he sees Danny kneeling.

“Duke,” Danny begins, and then Duke lets out a startled laugh, grinning wildly.

“Wait!” he says, “Wait, I can’t believe this. Do not move, Danny, I swear—” And then he’s turning and rushing away. Danny watches him, confused and just a little hurt, wondering what’s going on as he watches Duke move a few knick knacks on their shelf aside. He hides something in his hands, then returns to Danny and also drops to one knee.

He opens his hands to reveal a ring box. “I was going to propose later tonight,” he says, laughter in his voice, “But you beat me to it!”

Danny grins, elated, all but tackles Duke in a hug. “Oh my God,” he laughs, “I love you so much. More than anything.”

“I love you so, so much. Give me my ring, I can’t wait to marry you.”

Smiling so hard it hurts, Danny slips the ring onto Duke’s finger. Duke does the same for him, then lifts Danny’s hand to place a kiss against his knuckles. “I’ll love you for the rest of my life.”

“And I’ll love you beyond the rest of mine.”

He cups the back of Duke’s neck and kisses him sweetly. It doesn’t last long when neither of them can stop smiling, laughing together breathlessly.

“Come on,” Duke says, pulling Danny up to his feet. “I want to practice for our wedding dance.”

And Danny follows his lead, falling back into step with him, twirling slowly through the kitchen. He already can’t wait to be married to Duke.

. . .

[send me ghostlights prompts!]

#ghostlights #dc x dp #dp x dc #dcxdp #dpxdc #dc x dp fic #prompt fill #my writing #they are so in love here!! as they should be :)#the slow dancing doesnt take up much of this fic but hopefully the cuteness of them makes up for it #the bats and dannys friends + jazz are absolutely going to lose their minds once babs sends the video out #and then it spreads around and by the time they get to wedding planning the entire justice league and the titans and a bunch of ghosts #want to be invited and are doing all they can to be on the guest list. bribes are involved. people are going ALL OUT #there is indeed a few physical fights over who gets to be best man/woman and in the wedding party

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