Masked Tidbit: A Threat
“Sorry to intrude,” Clark said politely. They weren’t the bashful words of a Midwest raised man though, this was Superman speaking through and through. There was an undercurrent of worry under those words.
Bruce and Diana looked about ready for war.
Dick stood to face the trio and, while obviously confused about what was going on, the rest of the Titans followed suit. Phantom stayed floating in the air, but sat upright.
“There’s been a threat made against Phantom,” B said, direct to the point as always.
“Phantom?” Gar asked incredulously.
They thought that Phantom could hardly be hurt. Dick knew better. Dick had seen Phantom bleed red. His hands had been coated in that blood. He took an unconscious half step in front of Phantom, as if somehow he could protect the other from the danger; a danger that Dick didn’t even know yet.
Bruce’s eyes tracked the movement. Dick couldn’t see Bruce’s eyes behind the lenses of the cowl, of course, but he knew.
Bruce hadn’t agreed about letting such a complete unknown as Phantom join the Titans, but this was Dick’s team, not his, so he really didn’t have a say in it. Still, it had been a near argument and a long lecture on accountability. It was a little cute how much Bruce worried, and how bad he was as showing it in a normal way. By this point Phantom might still be almost as much of an unknown, but there was no denying that he had proved his metal and loyalty a hundred times over. Dick thought that Bruce had even come to appreciate Phantom’s presence on the team.
And he had honored Dick’s order not to look into Phantom.
Or Dick thought he had. This brought up a lot of questions.
“Bruce Wayne was approached in Gotham,” B explained, as if sensing Dick’s question and potential anger.
“By who?” Dick asked since it seemed Phantom wasn’t going to. He always tried to have as little interaction with the Justice League as possible.
“Doctors Jackson and Madison Fenton.”
Phantom’s feet hit the floor. “Oh. That’s… you don’t have to worry about them.”
“They seemed rather assured that they could hurt you,” Diana said, her tone both soothing and commanding in that way she had.
With how close they were standing together, Dick could feel the motion as Phantom shrugged. “I mean, yeah, they can. But they’ve never managed to that seriously.”
Dick twisted enough to send a pointed look at Phantom. “What do you call not that seriously?”
Gashes weren’t serious, barely being able to stand wasn’t serious, broken ribs and bed rest wasn’t serious; Dick didn’t really trust Phantom in this.
“I mean, I’m still—” Phantom paused with a frown before continuing oddly. “I’m still around.”
What ever that pause was about made Bruce twitch which was very concerning.
“They want to rip you apart molecule by molecule,” Bruce growled.
Gar made a wounded sounding noise at that and Cyborg outright flinched.
“And that’s not an exaggeration,” Clark said, arms crossed. “That’s a direct quote.”
Clark must have been there as, well, Clark. Dick ran through everything that had been going on in Gotham that might have Clark there. It was better than letting himself dwell on those words. Two charity events. There was some sort of conference, Tim had talked about going to look for tech…
Phantom leaned forward just slightly and Dick naturally leaned back.
“Yeah, that’s just how they are about me. They’ve never captured me, at least not long enough to actually do that. They’re mostly just talk.”
“Son,” Clark said seriously. Phantom almost jerked at the word; Dick pressed more firmly back against him. “If they’re able to hurt you, then that is not just talk.”
“They’re just misguided,” Phantom almost pleaded.
“A misguided rogue is still a rogue,” B insisted with the certainty of a man who dealt with that constantly. He might as well fired a shot for how Phantom flinched and moved further behind Dick. Of course B noticed. “We’ll continue this in a conference room.”
Phantom’s “N’s coming with” overlapped with Dick’s own “I’m coming too.”
B rearguard them for a long, still moment before he nodded and swept off with a sweep of his cape.
Dick couldn’t do anything but follow.
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AN: You didn't think the Fentons would let go of Phantom being a hero that easily, right? And before there's any doubt, B is 100% trying to protect Phantom here and aware (maybe even more than Dick) how important Phantom is to his son.
You can find the other parts and ao3 link for the first chapter here.
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Prepared for Anything Part Three
What was with Danny’s luck and fires? He wondered as he searched a warehouse he’d come across for survivors. He’d been flying home(invisibly of course) when a nearby building had exploded. Flames licked at the grease spattered floor and ate at old crates, but the biggest issue was the smoke. It billowed thickly like the smog that filled Gotham’s skies, and impeded even Danny’s enhanced vision. He could taste the ash in the air. He knew there were people here. He heard someone coughing and the sound of fighting going on ahead.
He forged onward, dashing towards the sounds, and the layers of smoke lessened enough for Danny to see what was taking place.
The first thing he noticed was the scuffle. About a dozen of what were clearly henchmen fired guns and grappled with. . .
Danny sighed.
More vigilantes.
One wore purple and had long, blonde hair. The other wore black with gold accents, and a mask covered her face. Both sides of the fight wore rebreathers.
The second thing Danny noticed was the red vigilante with bandoliers across his chest, bound with chains, and hanging by the ceiling. He hung over a vat of boiling oil that was alit with flames.
. . .
. . .
What was this? Some scene from a childrens’ cartoon?
Danny hurried forward, egged on by the lung Red was hacking up, one who very much was not wearing a rebreather.
Danny pointed a finger at the chain suspending the poor vigilante, and shot a small ecto-blast from the tip. The chain broke.
The vigilante screamed as he fell towards the boiling vat and Danny leapt to intercept him mid-air.
“Huu—“ The vigilante huffed at the impact, Danny’s shoes squealing as he landed and skidded to a halt.
The red guy wheezed. “Thanks.”
“Sure. Couldn’t just leave you hanging around, now could I?” Danny grinned.
Tim groaned.
Danny didn’t think the vigilante had room to complain.
Immediately, they were beset by attackers.
“Oop.” Danny dodged a bullet, shifting only the needed inch to avoid it. “Hey! Watch it! I’ve got cargo!”
“Carg—?!” The vigilante tried, only to hack again. He sounded offended. Danny didn’t really care.
A few goons were closing in on them from all sides, and Danny found it highly annoying that they were interfering with his mission to get this damsel in distress outside to fresh air. It wouldn’t take too long to knock ‘em out, but still.
One of the lackeys raised his weapon and Danny prepared to—
Flying in from the left came a foot, clocking the man in the jaw. Danny watched a small and lithe black figure move like she was the manifestation of violent, deadly grace itself. Danny was in awe as she took the man out, gliding and dancing as if it was all she breathed and all she lived. Her movements were efficient and so quick, Danny could barely catch the motions taking out the next three men after. She tore through them like they were nothing. They fell at her feet as if they were insignificant gnats, as if one look was enough from the goddess of death over here to kill them.
She turned to Danny when she’d cleared his immediate attackers, and he stared at her, mouth slightly agape. His heart fluttered.
“That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. . .” Danny muttered mostly to himself. He could watch her do that over and over and over again and never get tired of it. It was captivating.
The black vigilante went still for a moment, her eyes seeming to lock with his through her mask, before motioning for him to flee.
“Right.” Danny dashed past her, lugging the red one in a bridal carry. A fireman’s carry would probably be hard on his lungs.
“Wh—at w—s tha—t?!” The red one coughed up. Danny couldn’t tell if he was laughing at him or judging him. Or both.
“Shush.”
Danny blew through the nearest doors of the warehouse to meet fresh air and sucked in a deep breath. The smoke didn’t bother him, but this was still nice. He distanced himself from the warehouse quickly, worried about wasting time and risking this dude’s life. Or health. Danny had no idea how bad the smoke inhalation was. Pretty bad, he was guessing.
Danny laid him down in some alley. Mechanical whirring announced who had arrived. Danny looked up as the purple and black vigilantes dropped down from the roofs.
Danny’s eyes briefly glanced over Purple to rest on Black.
“Oh, hey. That was quick.”
The purple one shrugged. “We were almost done any—where did that come from?”
Danny uncoiled the tube to the oxygen tank and mask, fixing it over the baffled face of Red.
“Huh?” Danny fiddled with the knob on the tank and Red took deep breaths.
“You just have an oxygen tank on you at all times?” The purple one laughed.
“You don’t?” Danny countered. He tried not to smirk as Purple choked on her laugh.
“I was joking!”
Danny shrugged.
“Good job.” Black complimented and Danny’s heart palpitated. Her voice was so soft and gentle and the most melodious thing he’s ever heard.
“Yeah, thanks, I mean, no problem, just passing by, I'm in burning buildings all the time, wasn't any trouble." Danny rambled as he went back to fumbling with the knobs.
"Wait, what?" Red croaked.
Purple took in a long breath, as if hit with some amazing bit of realization.
Danny abruptly stood where he’d been sitting on the ground next to Red.
“Here. These are for you.” Danny thrust his hand out to Black, holding a bouquet of exotic, beautiful flowers, native to the Infinite Realms, and at least six times the size of his head.
Purple nearly seized back. “What the—?! Where are these things coming from?!”
Danny had received a multitude of bouquets for his coronation and he was suddenly very glad that he’d frozen them in time to decorate his keep with. Jazz had insisted it would brighten up the place.
“Ah, well, you never know when you might need a professionally done, extravagant bouquet of exotic wildflowers to present to your rescuer. You were my knight in shining. . .whatever kinda armour that is. . .”
Purple’s jaw went slack. Black seemed to pause before shrugging lightly and looking away, curling a little into herself as if embarrassed. Her body language said she was still happy, though. She carefully took the bouquet from him.
Danny was gonna die again. The butterflies were going to mutate and burst out of his stomach.
“Oh my gosh! Stop flirting over my dying body!” Red interrupted.
Danny spluttered. “I am not—“
“You totally are!!” Purple cackled as if this was the most entertainment she’s had in weeks.
Danny ignored her. “Anyway, can I have your name?” He asked Black.
“Wait. . .”Purple tried to get herself under control. “You don’t know who we are?”
Danny shrugged. “I’m, uh. . .from outta town.”
“Well, that was kinda obvious.” Red said.
“Orphan.” Black gestured to herself.
Danny paused. He blinked. Alright, that was. . .that was some oddly personal information to go straight to, but okay.
“I’m. . .sorry for your loss.”
Purple guffawed and slapped a hand over her mouth. Red hacked up another lung. He was gonna run out soon.
Black shook ever so subtly with her own laughter and Danny nearly melted.
“No. Name.” She gestured to herself. “Orphan.”
“It’s her vigilante name.” Purple was still laughing.
“Ah. . .yes. . .right.” Danny blushed. “My name’s Danny. It’s nice to meet ya’ll.” His words implied he spoke to all of them, but he looked only at Orphan.
“Yeah, I’m lucky you were there to grab me. I don’t know how that chain broke.” Red said from where he’d sat up from the ground. Danny’s lips pursed. He honestly kept forgetting about him.
Purple took a steadying breath, warding off the laughter still treading her words. “We should probably get him some medical attention.”
“Psh, I’m fine.”
“I thought you said you were dying?” Danny asked.
“That was like, ten seconds ago, I’m fine now.”
“Yeah, about as fine as a chain smoker with a drinking problem. Have you heard yourself? It’s like you swallowed a sword and gave it a good swishing around down there.” Purple retorted.
Red scoffed.
Danny backed out of the alley, flashing Orphan a smile before disappearing.
<><><><>
“What happened to all your food?!”
Danny came home to Jason(AKA Red Hood. {The wacky ectoplasm kinda made it obvious. Danny was working on that}) peering into his fridge judgementally as if it was an a affront to his person. “I loaded it up just a couple days ago!”
Danny reached past his friend to grab the orange juice and poured himself a glass. He went to sit at the counter. “I ate it all. Duh.”
“There was a week’s worth in there!” Jason gestured indignantly at the empty fridge, staring at Danny.
Danny took a long sip of his juice, keeping eye contact with Jason all the while. When his thirst was parched, he set the cup down with a quiet clink. He leaned his elbows on the counter to hold his face.
“Obviously not, because I ate it all.”
Jason pinched his nose and sighed before letting the fridge door drift closed. He poured the kettle he must’ve boiled earlier into a prepared mug.
Danny stared down at his half-emptied glass. “I think I’m in love.” He murmured thoughtfully into it.
The tea bag bobbing in Jason’s mug paused, before continuing. “Oh?”
“Yeah.” Danny sighed, mournfully. He wondered if Orphan would care if he was half-dead or from another dimension. Would he meet her again? He really, really hoped so. “I met her in a burning building.”
“. . .What?”
“Yeah, what an amazing coincidence, right?”
“That’s not—“
“She was so cool.”
“. . .kaaay?”
How did Danny get her attention? He couldn’t just show up wherever she was vigilante-ing, could he? He didn’t want her to feel like he was stalking her.
Danny shuddered and made a face. Ugh. Ew.
No. He needed to find another way.
A small smile wound it’s way over his lips as an idea came to him.
“What’s her name?” Jason asked.
“Umm, you’ve probably heard of her. She said her name was Orphan.”
Jason choked on his tea.
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