Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The beach was perfect.

It was quiet, warm and most of all, peaceful.

Danny laid back on the sun warmed sand, arms spread like a starfish listening to the waves and feeling the wind.

He was at a private beach owned by none other than Vlad—former villain, obsessive fruitloop, certified manipulative jerk—but when push came to shove, the guy saved him.

Pulled him out of a GIW facility where he was trapped for months, handed to them by his own parents.

His chest ached with the phantom sting of containment cuffs. His ears rang with memory.

His sister's screams. The Fenton's laughter.

....and then the warm embrace of the man who he thought was the enemy.

Danny shook his head and sat down, his sunglasses fell from his head and onto the sand.

He gritted his teeth and shoved the memories down. He's safe now, Vlad made sure of it.

No use of shedding more tears than necessary.

Danny pulled his legs close to him as his gaze took in the blue sea.

He needs a distraction.

'I need to relax.'

Danny slowly stood up then stretched until his back popped.

He wandered down to the shallows, rolling up his shorts. Salt water lapped at his ankles. He paused at the edge, staring down where his appearance, or what could be made out, was reflecting.

Messy black hair was first to make an impression. Sunlight and seawater painting halos around his outline.

But he looked away.

Instead, his hands, scarred and yet still pale, drifted up, almost on autopilot. His fingers curled over his chest, tracing the edge of a rough, raw scar shaped like a Y.

A nasty reminder of the past.

But it's alright now, he's free.

Danny exhaled through his nose, let his hand drop, and muttered, "Not thinking about that today."

But if everything he experienced was to go by, he mind have just found the perfect distraction.

Ghost powers responded to intent, right? His ectoplasm was half-tied to emotion and willpower. In theory, he could reshape himself—not just clothes or limbs, but maybe, change his form.

Other ghosts did it.

He should not be an exception.

Danny grinned, already feeling his core buzz with excitement.

"Alright, experiment time."

This time, consensual of course.

He let the transformation take over him—white hair, glowing green eyes, light rising off his skin like mist.

'Now with that's done, to what should I change into?' Danny thought, letting his body hover above the ground for a bit.

Should he take baby steps but what could he try?

His hair?

Maybe add claws?

How about a change of outfit?

Danny's mind filled with random thoughts and ideas but he couldn't pick anything right up.

He wrinkled his nose, letting his toes sink into wet sand. His thoughts ran in circles, What would even be cool? What would make sense?

His eyes drifted back to the sea—and this time, they stayed.

And suddenly, his thoughts stopped.

A memory surfaced... one from way back. Before everything began.

Sam and Tucker sitting on the school rooftop during lunch, bickering about sea life and  whether or not mermaids existed.

Sam had been dead serious. Tucker insisted they were just a marketing myth. Danny hadn't even liked the ocean that much, but the way they argued about it—like it mattered—making him laugh so hard that day.

He smiled.

"…Bet they'd lose it if I showed up with a tail."

The words escaped before he could stop them. There was no one around to hear.

No one else to share this moment with.

His fingers traced the scar on his chest, or where it should've been. The ache never left. Not really. But right now? It didn't hurt to think of them. Not as much.

"Alright," he said softly, turning to face the water fully. "Let's make their dream come true."

What is he going to lose anyway?

Danny didn't dive in right away.

He slowly let himself sink into the water, but not fully. Just enough to cover him if he did succeed.

He floated back slowly, letting himself sink and even though he might be able to breathe? Underwater, since he's uh dead— he doesn't want to risk it. His hair drifting around his face. The waves rocked him gently.

It felt nice.

Just like space.

He closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax, willing his core to do its magic.

The change started small.

From his ears, to his chest and lastly his legs.

Danny took his time to just slowly work his way through this. And after what felt like an eternity, he opened his eyes.

What he saw made him freeze.

Gone were the black jumpsuit his ghost form had, now replaced with an...armour like pattern of sort.

The patterns curling along his sides and over his shoulders in a smooth, black and white contrast. It wasn't armour exactly, more like sleek plating formed from natural ectoplasmic energy, hugging his body in abstract streaks that glowed faintly, like light caught in marble.

Thin lines of deep black webbed across it in slow, swirling arcs, mirroring the constellations on his now green tail. His chest glowed subtly and his core purred in delight.

And the tail—oh his tail.

Just like the pictures Sam showed him of merman, his tail was long and beautiful. He couldn't look away.

The scales were tight and fine near his waist, but grew larger and more iridescent down his thighs—if he still had thighs—reflecting every light in shifting patterns of stars!!

Omg his tail shined like space!!!

Silver and black lined the edges very subtly. The tailfin was wide and looked almost transparent, but sparkled nonetheless.

He moved once, just to test it, and the fin moved like he intended.

Danny blinked, dazed.

Then grinned.

"This is awesome!"

Danny didn't even hesitate.

The moment he got a feel for the new form—how natural it felt, how his body wanted to move—he ducked his head, curled his tail, and shot forward through the water with a bubbly laugh.

'Holy crap,' he thought, twisting in a smooth arc, 'I'm fast.'

The water, once chilly and dark, now felt like space to him.

It made him feel free.

Danny grinned so hard his cheeks hurt.

'I could stay in here forever.'

He dipped lower, letting the sunlight fade into rippling shadows around him. The glow from his scales lit up the water in a soft, green haze.

Fish scattered as he passed, some even followed him. 'They'd love this,' he thought suddenly. Sam, with her love for weird and wonderful creatures. Tucker, following right next to him, sharing his joy.

A smile curled at the edge of his mouth again, softer this time.

'I hope you guys see this from above.'

He kicked off the sand in a slow glide upward, the light growing brighter as he neared the surface. Just before he broke through, he spun in one last twist, tail flicking right behind him.

He surfaced with a burst of laughter, flinging water into the air like a dolphin show off.

"This is so cool!"

Danny floated there, face to the sky, hair plastered to his forehead.

He hadn't felt this light in… ancients. He didn't even know how long.

Danny spent hours in the sea, swimming until his muscles ached and the best part?

When he got out of the water, dripping and breathless, he could shift back.

Sort of.

The tail would melt away, replaced with sore legs and tired arms, and he'd collapse on the sand with sand sticking to his hair and a giddy grin stuck on his face.

It was the first time in a long while that he was the one pushing his powers without anyone trying to kill him or skin him alive.

So of course… he pushed further.

"If I can hold the tail in ghost form," he reasoned, "could I reshape it as a human?"

It wasn't like he hadn't toyed with ecto manipulation before. His core could shift his clothes, mimic textures if needed but he'd never tried anything this major outside of ghost mode.

So he tried.

A little shimmer along the spine. A breath through half-open gills. A flash of green in his eyes that didn’t quite fade.

Every day, he tweaked. Adjusted. Blended the two sides of himself, smoothing the lines until he couldn't tell where ghost ended and human began.

And then, one evening, while the sky burned orange and the waves lapped gently at the shore…

He shifted into the tail again.

But when he tried to change back—

Nothing happened.

Danny frowned, floating just offshore. He concentrated, let his core do his magic but still...

Nothing.

Normally he would've panicked, he's literally a mermaid? Merman right now!! Not even a ghost fish!!

Which is, for visuals instead of the green his tail is blue? Danny simply thought it's similar to how his outfit colour changes when he goes ghost.

His chest scar is very permanent though...but oh well.

He's a simple teenager okay.

His tail flicked once.

Then he snorted.

Not the first time his powers decided to go on a little vacation of their own. Between overuse, burnout, and general ghost weirdness, his ecto had flaked out before. It always came back eventually.

Besides, if he had to get stuck in a form for a bit?

This was not the worst after all.

The ocean rocked around him like a lullaby. His tail felt like it had always been there. Even the gills, fluttering gently at his neck, felt more natural than breathing air.

So… yeah.

Why not enjoy it?

Danny curled up in the shallows, letting the water carry him closer to the sea floor where the sand was soft and the waves quieter. Tiny silver fish darted past his glowing scales without fear.

He giggled.

He was really out here. Sleeping in the water.

Jazz would've beat his ass at this point.

He stretched once, tail waving lazily through the water, then folded his arms under his chin and let his eyes drift closed.

He'll deal with the ghost stuff later.

Right now?

Our ghost boi shall rest.

The Phantom Zone was quiet.

Clockwork drifted before his array of crazy crazy screens, each displaying countless timelines.

He was trying to find a suitable dimension for phantom.

Thoughtfully, he murmured, "Plasmius won't agree with a mirror dimension for the young ghost, but what if, it's one where not even he exists?"

It wasn't that clockwork couldn't refuse Vlad, but with the state the young king was in, he couldn't help but agree to their deal.

"Ah, this is perfect."

A dimension where Aliens walking among humans. Gods, mortals, and everything in between coexisting together.

Clockwork watched it all without blinking.

There, the young ghost shall never feel estranged.

He observed as a Kryptonian caught a collapsing bridge midair. Elsewhere, a cloaked detective moved through shadows. A child launched lightning from their hands. A speedster blurred through the streets.

The ancient ghost smiled.

"He will fit right in."

He stepped back, letting the display fade slightly, though it remained active in the background. His eyes returned to the screen showing the baby ghost, still asleep in calm waters, his face softened.

What? To him Danny is practically an infant! He only like...died two years ago.

"Rest well, Daniel Fenton," he said, voice calm. "Time shall forever be on your side."

He lifted one hand and gently moved two fingers.

The screen viewing Danny brightened. Then suddenly, the young boy vanished from where he rested.

"I'll watch over you."

Somewhere in metropolis, deep in the water, laid a young child sleeping peacefully surrounded by sea creatures.

All guarding him protectively.

Well ... Until some ugly sleezy freakshow lunatic, crazy crazy circus owner decided to basically fish him out and kidnap our baby.

But that'll continue on to next chapter of course.

For now, lets leave our protagonist to rest.

Ancients know he needs it.

Chapter Text

The night was clear, sea calm, moon fat and bright—just the way crazy crazy fruitloop liked it.

His boots clicked across the polished deck of his private fishing boat, a custom black painted trawler outfitted with everything but morals of course.

"Tonight's the night, boys," he called, spreading his arms, his fat ass on full view. "I can feel it. We're gonna find somethin' special out here."

Ah yes, forgot to mention, this lunatic b repeat the same lines everyday, all week, all his life.

The crew moved with efficiently, dragging out reinforced netting and marine crates with thick gloves. These weren't ordinary men-they were trained, paid well, and told never to ask questions.

Yes, fruitloop is crazy and all that but he knows his stuff.

From behind gold rimmed sunglasses-worn even at night- the freak scanned the open sea, his teeth gleaming in a smile that could put even the title of most ugly to shame.

The coast behind them had faded into shadow, and ahead was nothing but dark water, it was perfect.

He stepped over to the side railing and flicked his half finished cigar into the water, eyes scanning a still patch of sea that shimmered faintly green under the moonlight.

"There," he said suddenly, pointing. "Drop the net. There's somethin' down there."

His crew hesitated only a second before the winch whirred to life. The specialized deepwater trawl net sank smoothly into the dark.

They were use to this, and learned not to question the crazy.

He paid them handsomely after all.

Minutes passed.

The water gurgled. The winch strained. The boat shifted slightly thanks to le silly waves.

They actually picked something.

Excited, the fruitloop quickly gave out his orders. "Pull it up-slow now, slow—"

The winch groaned. The boat creaked. And then-

A flash.

Blue.

Glowing.

Scales.

The net breached the surface with a slow, rising swell-and caught in the center, tangled in reinforced mesh, was a young figure. Pale arms, dark hair, and a long, coiled tail that shimmered with colour—blue like deep crystal, edged in silver and star like flecks of black.

A merboy.

He looked so... young, peaceful even. Curled in the net deep asleep as his scales shines slightly in the vast sea.

Water dripped from his soft, glowing hair. Gills fluttered gently along his neck. His chest rose and fell in slow, steady rhythm.

Absolutely gorgeous.

Level max ugly fruitloop smiled, he could already feel the fame wash over him.

"...Jackpot."

One of his men murmured, "Boss thats... a kid."

Delulu guy's head turned slowly, almost lazily.

"And?"

Another crewmember leaned closer, whispering, "No-no, look at the tail. That's not just a kid. That's a—" He swallowed. "That's a merboy."

Silence fell across the deck.

"...We need to put it back," the first man said suddenly, urgent. "Boss, we can't take him. You know what this means. If he's from Atlantis—we're dead men. This is international! We're talking Justice league—"

"Shut it!!" The bastard barked. "I don't give a damn if Poseidon himself crawls out of the sea," he said, spitting at them. "This thing goes in the tank."

The men hesitated.

The fruitloop crouched, brushing a hand gently over the boy's hair to not break his gem. The child flinched in his sleep, tail twitching once as if sensing something wrong.

"Look at him," Ugly started in a matter of fact tone. "You think anyone's gonna care where he came from? All they'll care about is what he is. You think parents will pass up the chance to show their kids a real merboy? HA!"

He stood again, arms spread wide.

"This is the kind of freak of sea who will make my circus thrive!"

Silence answered him.

Then, slowly, begrudgingly, the men moved. The net was untangled. The sleeping merman was gently lifted and placed into a secure, cell.

Water circulated to keep him comfortable, as if sensing the dark future of the child. Lights inside glowed faintly as it reflected his scales.

The men couldn't do anything but watch as the lunatic laugh and order them around.

What else could they do? In the end, it's none of their business.

Even if their hearts ached for the child.

Danny was dreaming.

He was sitting on the grass with his friends, Jazz right behind him. She was gently combing through his hair like she used to when they were kids.

She smiled down at him, as they chatted and kept running her fingers through the messy strands.

Tucker had his head on Danny's lap, snoring lightly, while Sam leaned against his shoulder with her usual smirk.

They chatted, teased eachother, and even made silly jokes. It was great.

Danny felt whole again.

He felt safe.

Danny smiled and leaned back into Jazz's hands, closing his eyes. He could stay like this forever.

It was a beautiful dream.

He didn't want to wake up.

Then—

"Danny."

He blinked, eyes still half-closed. "…hm?"

It was Sam, her voice was soft and in all honesty, he could simply be lulled to sleep by it.

She was looking at him now, like really looking at him.

It spooked Danny a lil.

"You have to wake up."

Danny blinked. "What?"

"You have to wake up, Danny."

Confused, he glanced toward Tucker, who was sitting up now, staring quietly at him. Even Jazz's fingers had stopped moving.

All three of them were watching him.

Feeling awkward, Danny laughed. But something really felt wrong. "Okaaay, seriously, what's the bit? Are we doing a horror prank now?"

"Danny." Sam leaned in closer, her eyes were filled with sadness. "Wake up."

"Wha—"

"WAKE UP!"

His eyes snapped open.

Cold water pressed against his skin from every side, and for a moment, he didn't understand why.

Danny blinked hard, confused and tried to clear his vision. He reached up, felt the slight drag of water tugging at his fingers. His hair drifted lazily as he moved.

He tried to swim up—

Clink.

His entire body jolted. Pain flared across his lower half where something pulled painfully tight.

Danny froze.

Then looked down.

A thick, dark band of metal wrapped around his tail, it was heavy.

He stared at it for a second.

His core hummed but somehow his powers didn't work.

The halfa then remembered why it didn't work.

He was stuck...No,

He was... Chained...

'No.'

His breathing started to hitch. His chest tightened, he frantically let tail twitched again, but it barely moved an inch before the chain stopped it short.

He was trapped.

Why was he chained?

Where was he?

How—?

The hard metal locked to soft scales — yanking him to a stop no Matter how much he tries. The sensation hit his nerves like ice water, and in the space of a single heartbeat—

He was no longer free.

He was back on that metal table.

Back in GIW ' hands.

Memories threatened to surface, he felt weak. Danny curled in on himself, arms wrapping tight around his stomach as his heart thundered in his chest.

"No," he whispered, voice barely a breath in the water. "No, no, no—"

He was panicking.

Danny tried to distract himself, His hands shook as he reached up to feel his surroundings and was met with glass all around him.

His view of the outside world was shield.

Danny pressed his forehead to the glass, breath fogging the inside despite the water.

Where was he?

What was this place?

His mind spun through the possibilities like a wheel. The GIW? No. No. They couldn't have found him. They couldn't. Vlad promised.

His godfather wouldn't lie to him.

Not when he sacrificed everything for him.

Danny's arms dropped to his sides, trembling. His fingers hovered over the faint outline of the scar on his chest.

'I was at a private beach.'

How in hell did he get here.

Danny squeezed his eyes shut and breathed.

In. Out.

Just like how Jazz thought him.

And somehow, his thoughts stopped and his mind emptied.

For a moment, he let himself pretend he was still at the beach. That he was still safe.

Still free.

Thud.

Danny forced his eyes open. Someone was here and his head turned straight to where the sound came.

Someone was humming.

Danny's heart skipped a beat.

He slowly backed away, cautiously let his back face the glass, away from the sound. Suddenly, he saw the world lit up.

Bit by bit, the world outside the tank came into view, revealing the insides of a.... warehouse?

And right in front of the glass, standing just feet away, was a man.

The word pig came to mind when Danny's eyes laid on him. The man — a slug in the shape of one. Fat, short, and ugly in all ways that it mattered.

His face was all cheeks and no neck could even be visible, did he even have one? A thick cigar stuck out of his mouth, unlit but chewed, as he leaned forward and grinned.

Danny felt disgusted.

"Well, well," the man drawled, placing thick fingers against the glass, staring at him. His nails were yellow Ew. "Ain't you a pretty little prize."

Danny's stomach turned.

He instinctively pulled back, hands curling protectively over his chest, tail coiling beneath him. He didn't know this man. But he didn't need to. Every part of him screamed bad.

Not even the fruitloops he met before made him feel this way.

The pig tapped the glass lightly, tilting his head while smiling. "I couldn't believe my own eyes when the boys pulled you up." His laugh made Danny feel uneasy.

He might not be able to access his ghost self now but he'll be damned if he let this guy have his way with him.

Watching his reaction, the fruitloop snorted. "What’s the matter, fishboy? Can't talk? Or too smart to waste your breath?"

He tapped the glass with a thick knuckle. Tink. Tink.

Danny flinched despite himself.

The man noticed, and grinned wider.

"Oh yeah. You'll be real popular. People will pay good money to see freaks like you." He laughed. "In my circus, you'll be the star of the show!"

'This bastard.' Danny’s eyes narrowed. His tail moved. His body shifted into a defensive posture, but the chain held him in place.

The man's eyes widened. "Ohhh, you're feisty. Good."

Danny didn't speak. He didn't know if he could trust his voice in front of this ugly fruitloop, not without making sure nothing could go wrong on his side.

And a Circus? Was he mistaken for an actual merman and got captured?

'Just my luck.'

At least...he wasn't with the GIW, since guy didn't mention Danny's 'ghost' status.

While Danny wasn't paying attention, the man was introducing himself and stating his business and lifehood.

Blah, blah, blah.

Honestly, why should Danny even listen?

"And you, my little sea gem, are going to be the main attraction." He looked at Danny with hunger in his eyes.

It made him shiver.

What's with old men wanting him so badly? Atleast Vlad never looked at him like that.

"Once we clean you up, get a few tricks drilled in, you'll be a star. Everyone's gonna wanna see the freaky little merboy."

Danny clenched his fists.

The word freak rang loud in his ears.

He really hated this guy.

"And don't worry," the lunatic continued. "You'll get used to the chains, most of 'em do."

Danny stared down at the man, he refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing him being effected by his words.

The man said nothing and turned away from the glass, talking to someone off to the side. "Make sure to cover the tank when I'm not here. We don't want him getting ideas. Feed comes at dusk. Don't overdo it, just enough to keep him alive."

Danny watched as the man walked away, humming again, feeling smug.

The lights turned off.

And Danny just floated alone in silence, processing what had just happened as the hum of the tank barely covering the rapid beat of his heart.

...Will he ever be free?

Chapter Text

Jon Kent had never planned a surprise party before.

To be fair, it wasn't technically a party. It was more like... a really cool outing. An awesome, birthday celebration for his bff'z brother!

One that hopefully doesn't get ruined by a world ending threat.

He crossed his fingers at the thought.

The idea had started innocently enough. The Wayne Manor was quiet that afternoon, unusually so.

In the sunroom, Jon sat cross-legged on the floor, watching as Alfred the cat—tail high, nose in the air—strode away from him like royalty.

It was wearing a mini birthday hat.

Damian sat a few feet away, gently sorting down the meal Alfred the human had prepared for them, including the pets too.

"You're really doing this," Jon said, smiling. "A full on birthday meal for a cat."

Damian didn't look at him. "Tt. Alfred deserves everything, birthdays included too. What kind of lunatic doesn't celebrate the birth of their beloved animal companion?

Jon laughed, watching as Titus—Damian's massive dog—trotted in and flopped down with a groan beside them, immediately pressing his head into Damian's lap.

Damian didn't smile, but he scratched behind Titus' ears gently and gave the boy a look.

Fearing that his friend might get upset, Jon quickly corrected himself. "No, no, I'm not judging," he said quickly, hands raised. "It's just... Uh...I never had a pet before so I didn't know birthdays were a thing here too."

"Tt."

Jon exhaled, clearly glad that he was able to save himself right there. Instead of making them both feel awkward, he decided to change the topic.

Kind of.

"So...You really do this every year?" He asked animatedly.

"Yes."

"Do the others know?"

"I don't advertise it," Damian said flatly. "Drake tried to livestream it once. I made sure he couldn't access the Manor Wi-Fi for a month."

Jon tried—and failed—not to laugh. "God, I wish I saw that."

Batcow moo'd, as if she too wanted details of le drama.

Damian didn't smile, but the corner of his mouth tilted, just barely.

When Alfred the Cat finished eating, Damian took a small, cat sized elegant bowtie that matched his from his pocket and slipped it around the feline's neck who wore it with pride.

"Meow!"

Jon tilted his head. 'Cute.' he thought, obviously not aimed at the cat.

"You ever do this for anyone else?" he asked quietly.

"No."

Another pause.

Jon's voice turned soft as he spoke, "You're a really good person, you know."

Damian stiffened a little at that, like the words had caught him off guard. Then he crossed his arms and said nothing.

After a moment, Jon added, "Speaking of which... anyone's birthday coming up soon?"

Damian didn't answer right away.

Jon blinked, more curious this time. "I mean, no need to think of everyone'z. Maybe your sibilings for a start?"

"Two days," Damian said finally after giving it some thought. His tone softened just slightly. "Richard's birthday should be two days from now."

Jon's eyebrows shot up. "No way! Really?"

Damian raised an eyebrow.

Jon sat up straight, eyes wide with sudden energy. "You mean like... actually two days? Like in forty eight hours?!"

"Tt. That is what 'two days' typically means."

Jon scrambled to his feet. "That's so soon! Oh my god, Dami, we have to do something!"

Damian blinked. "We don't have to do anything."

"Yes, we do," Jon said, pacing now. "He's your brother. He's—he's Nightwing! He does everything for everyone. He's probably the nicest person on the planet and the only one who doesn't make me feel dumb when I break things at the Tower, and you're telling me we're just gonna let his birthday slide by like it's nothing?"

Damian frowned.

Jon flopped back down beside Titus, who shifted from Damian's side only to lay his massive head on Jon's lap.

They stayed quiet for a long moment. Damian watched Alfred the Cat clean his paw with perfect indifference, then glanced toward the rain streaked windows.

Finally, he said, "...What do you suggest?"

Jon beamed.

If Konner had known waking up early would lead to scheming with a hyperactive Kryptonian sibling, he might've stayed in bed another hour.

He was half reclined on his couch, hair a mess, wearing one sock and pants with a coffee stain from yesterday. A half eaten bowl of cereal, perfect breakfast he might add, balanced on his chest, and he was scrolling lazily through his phone when the whoosh of super speed hit his ears.

"Kon!!"

The unmistakable voice of his brother rang in his ears.

He groaned before he even looked. He didn't need to. That voice was burned into his brain.

"Jon, it's—"he glanced at his phone. "—Nine o'clock on a Saturday. What the hell could you possibly want?"

Jon didn't answer immediately. He was too busy being excited and looking at him with big blue eyes, practically vibrating more than Kon had ever seen him before.

"We are going to throw Dick a circus birthday!"

Kon blinked, staring at his brother. His spoon slipped deeper into the milk.

"What?"

The young boy basically bounced around and he spoke animatedly.

"Dick's birthday is coming up! And Damian told me he used to be in a circus and I thought—that's, like, a huge part of him! So what if we took him to one? Like, a real one?"

"Hold up, hold up," Kon said, sitting up and nearly spilling his cereal. "You're telling me you want to celebrate one of the most traumatized members of the Bat family's birthday—the one who was literally orphaned at a circus—by dragging him back to a three ring tent?"

"Yes!"

Kon stared at his innocent, precious brother's eyes emitting golden retriever energy.

He rubbed a hand down his face.

"You're insane."

Jon didn't even flinch at his brother's comment. He knew damn well that he loves him and he's just confused right now is all.

Still, Jon had make this work! So he used his most adorable expression he could muster that would bring even superman to his knees.

...Well, to be honest, his dad will mostly do that if he just smiled but that's not important right now.

"Brother, please." Jon looks directly at Kon, making sure he doesn't break eye contact. "I just need you to help me just this once!! I know you and Wally are besties and him and Dick are closer than that! So I just want you to convince Wally to help us kidnap Dick to his birthday party." Jon takes a moment to breathe then continues.

"He'll listen to you. If you just talk to him, he'll agree."

Kon gave him a look.

"What am I? Cupid? Go talk to him yourself. I'm tired."

"Please?"

Kon groaned and rubbed his face. "Fine. I'll talk to him. But if this ends with Dick annoying me for stirring up speedster love drama—"

"He won't!" Jon grinned. "Wally won't let him anyway! Plus maybe he'll be grateful and get a kiss out of it."

"Please never say that sentence to me again."

Wally West had gotten a lot of wild texts in his life. Truly, imagine the worst and that alone won't be anywhere near the stuff he receives.

So to make a point, Wally knows how to handle random ass texts when he receives them. But even though, nothing ever prepared him for this type of crazy.

It was a text from Kon.

It's not like his friend never texts him. Hell, they spam eachother on the daily! But this was so out of character for his friend.

His mind ran through the worst case scenarios! Tim showing up with a concussion? Kon having a meltdown about something dumb? Or worse—something actually bad? Because if it was, Wally was so ready to back up his bestie!

He stormed into Kon's apartment, calling out before he even got a chance to take his shoes off.

"Kon! Where's the fire? What did you do?! Don't tell me you and Tim broke—"

He stopped dead in his tracks.

Kon was sitting on the couch, legs crossed, scrolling on his phone like nothing was wrong.

Wally raised an eyebrow.

"Dude. What's going on? You made me think you were in some kind of life or death crisis here."

Kon glanced up and gave him a lazy smile.

"Nope."

"Then why the damn emergency text? I was ready to suit up."

Kon shrugged and motioned toward the couch. "Sit down. We need to talk."

Wally plopped down, crossing his arms but looking more curious than annoyed.

Kon took a deep breath, like he was about to drop a secret mission briefing.

"Richard's birthday is tomorrow."

Wally blinked. "Huh?... Wait how did you—"

Kon shushed him up and started to explain. Of course he didn't fail to tell him how he almost lost his cereal this morning cause his adorable brother decided to show up.

After everything, Wally leaned in.

"And?"

Kon smirked. "Jon's plan? Take him to a circus."

Wally's eyebrows shot up so high they almost disappeared under his hairline.

Kon loved his reaction so much and decided to take a picture of it while he was dazed and add it to his black mail materials.

What? Tim is a bad influence on him.

Wally didn't even notice. And only after his initial shock, he decided to ask.

"So... where do I come in?"

Kon's expression softened a little. "We want you there of course. You're important to Dick and he'll most likely agree if you ask. Even if we might not tell him the real reason why."

Wally let out a breath and thought for a moment. His relationship with Dick is still raw and new, and maybe celebrating his birthday is just the thing they need.

He smiled. "Alright, man. Count me in! Let's make this the best birthday ever!"

Kon grinned.

"Perfect, I'll call Jon then."

Later the next day—exactly Ten in the morning, sharp—someone knocked on Dick Grayson's apartment door.

He didn't move at first. The knock came again, just loud enough to be annoying but also annoyingly polite enough to make it obvious they weren't leaving.

Dick groaned and rolled over in bed, dragging the blanket higher over his head. He didn't do mornings on his days off. Not unless it was urgent. Not unless someone was dying.

Or Jason annoying Bruce but that too was not enough reason to bother him.

The knocks didn't stop one bit.

"You've got to be kidding me."

God help whoever was behind that door.

He walked to the front door with the resigned energy of a man already regretting answering it.

He unlocked it, cracked it open— and froze.

Standing there, in full sunshine mode, was Wally West.

His crush.

Wearing red. Holding a bouquet of flowers double his size and grinning while blushing like high school girl.

"Good morning, birthday boy! You are officially being kidnapped."

Dick blinked once. "What?"

He did not sign up for this.

Somewhere in the circus, in the dark 'fish' tank. Danny was breathing heavily.

Chains wrapped around his arms and tail, pinning him low in the tank. A muzzle was strapped tight around his jaw, biting into his freshly bruised skin, silencing him completely.

His body ached and the water stung. His head throbbed from whatever they'd used on him last— probably drugs but he's too tired to think straight.

Even his core felt weak, weaker than before since he hardly was able to eat or move around.

It's been seven days since he had been tortured in the name of learning tricks after all.

Danny curled in on himself, arms pulled tight across his chest, the weight of the chains dragging him down.

He didn't bother moving much.

The fruitloop made sure he learned how that'll end.

He just stayed there, breathing slow through his nose, holding onto the only single innocent thought that hadn't gone numb yet,

'Someone… please save me.'

Chapter Text

It was perfect.

In all the chaos of the past year— missions, late night patrols, rebuilding relationships, and being the best brother his siblings could ever ask for even at the cost of his own emotions—Dick had almost forgotten what it felt like to breathe.

But today?

Wally reminded him.

And all it took was for him to be kidnapped.

By the time they left his apartment, Wally had already mapped out the day. They started in Bludhaven, hopped to Metropolis, made a detour through the city, and somehow ended up in Gotham for a mid morning breakfast.

Wally didn't forget to take pictures of everything and their day didn't even start at that.

Dick had never smiled so much in one morning.

They went to the aquarium, walked hand in hand through arching tunnels where stingrays glided overhead. Wally pressed his nose to the glass every time he saw something colorful and made fish puns so bad Dick laughed until his sides hurt.

Of course, they didn't forget to take pictures here too.

Next came the zoo, they shared a bag of roasted peanuts while walking. Wally made friends with a parrot who wouldn't stop mimicking his laugh.

Dick felt like a fool in love again.

They spent a solid twenty minutes watching the little guys roll around in the water. Wally tried to mimic them, Dick took pictures.

Then came ice cream, Wally got something bright blue that stained his tongue. Dick went with a mango swirl and made fun of him until Wally threatened to kiss the blue right onto him.

Which of course didn't happen but the two turned into blushing highschool girls after that.

Some random side character took a picture of them by that point and gave it to the couple, Dick swears they recognised him but for his sanity, he decided to ignore it.

They ended up on a rooftop downtown for a bit, legs swinging off the edge, half melted cones in hand as they just… talked.

About everything and anything. Their families, crazy childhood memories, weird League moments, Wally's latest team gossip, Dick's blackmail material of both Jason and Roy in case those fools were blind enough about each other.

Mainly Jason, god knows how much Roy tried to get his attention.

By the time they reached the little outdoor theater Wally swore up and down that it was perfect, only four hours had passed since the kidnapping.

They sat on a bench in the back, sharing popcorn and watching the movie Dick had picked. Wally leaned into him just enough that their shoulders touched the whole time.

It was later that Bruce had called,  A simple, "Happy birthday, chum," followed by Alfred gently informing him there would be dinner waiting at the manor that night. His favorite. And his siblings will be gathered as well.

Dick couldn't stop smiling.

Today was perfect.

They had just stepped out of the zoo, Wally wanted to say goodbye to his new animal friends again, Dick still laughing about the monkey that tried to snatch Wally's sunglasses while the speedstar mourned the loss of his pizza when the sound of raised voices pulled Dick's attention toward the plaza.

"I told you we are not going there!"

"Dami, just listen—!"

Wally blinked, trying to perfect his acting skills, "...Wait. Is that who I think it is?"

Dick turned instinctively, gaze landing on two very familiar figures near the ticket booths. Jon Kent, gesturing wildly with a crumpled flyer in one hand. And Damian, his adorable youngest brother had his arms crossed, jaw tight, looking ready to stab someone any moment now.

"Well, we should've expected Superboy since we are in metropolis." Wally commented, watching the show.

Dick shook his head and made his way to them, the redhead followed closely.

"Come on, just give it a chance! They even got tigers there!!" Jon pleaded, trying to convince Damian.

Damian rolled his eyes, unimpressed.

This kept on going till Jon 'noticed' the two adults first. Damian followed his gazed and nodded at them.

"Grayson, West, greetings."

Dick tilted his head, hands in his pockets. Wally waved at the two from behind. "Everything alright over here?"

Jon gave Damian a look, then turned toward Dick with something too close to hopeful while also trying to stay cool cause in front of him is NIGHTWING.

The boy simply showed him what he's holding.

Dick's eyes flicked to the flyer Jon still held. 'Aqua Mystique circus show.'

He raised an eyebrow. "A circus?"

Jon nodded, a little breathless. "Yeah! It's in the city for the weekend. Traveling setup. They've got water tanks, live shows and lots and lots of cool stuff!"

Damian rolled his eyes. "Kent insists it's worth wasting our afternoon on."

"It's not a waste," Jon muttered, then quickly looked at Dick. "They have a special show tonight and it'll be awesome to watch."

Wally leaned in over Dick's shoulder. "Sea themed? That's new."

Jon perked up, his smile could force superman to his knees. "Yeah! It's supposed to have water acrobats, and even trained dolphins! I just thought it sounded fun."

Damian stayed silent, watched as his friend trying to gain his brother's interest in the topic.

Dick looked down at the flyer again. The paper was already creased from being held too tightly — Jon had clearly been gripping it for a long time.

He looked at the kid's face and then at Wally who was trying to mess his brother's hair.

He smiled a little, folding it once and slipping it into his jacket.

"Sounds like we've got one last stop to take and more company. what do you think, Wally?"

Jon looked stunned, and then delighted. His face gave both Wally and Dick a mini heart attack. Damian secretly gave a quick nod to his companions then sighed as if he was forced to agree.

"I suppose if you insist, Grayson. I'll endure it."

Wally clapped his hands together. "Perfect! The more the merrier. Let's head out."

Jon cheered like le adorable boy he is. He was just so glad the plan was going well.

Nothing could ruin this moment for them.

The circus was massive.

Even from outside the main tent, the buzz of it wrapped around them— lights stood bright overhead, colorful signs pointing to food stalls and animal tents, the scent of popcorn and roasted peanuts thick in the air.

People moved in clusters, families with excited kids, couples with linked arms, groups of friends laughing loudly over cotton candy.

It was crowded, loud, and bursting with life.

Wally gave a low whistle as they stepped through the entrance. "The owner must be rich rich."

Dick chuckled, looking up at the towering canvas tent. "That or some real rich sponsors."

This place screamed money, even the blind could see it. The ushers wore tailored uniforms that could be nothing but personalised, and even the snack stands looked more like food trucks than carnival booths.

Jon practically bounced beside them as they handed over their tickets.

"Told you it looked cool."

Wally couldn't help but pat his head to which the boy blushed slightly and tried to fix his hair.

They followed the usher through the crowd, down one of the wide aisles toward the center ring. Their seats were close enough to catch every detail of the performance, but far enough to avoid inconveniences.

Jon and Wally handled the snacks. Arms full, drinks wobbling. Dick just shook his head, amused, as they settled in.

"Not bad," Wally said, sitting down and stretching his legs. "Good view, good snacks—" He nudged Dick. "—great company."

Jon watched them then grinned, holding two paper buckets of popcorn and a balanced tray of drinks. "I even got Dami's favourite! They have vegetarian friendly options too!"

Dick glanced toward Damian.

The youngest Wayne stood at the edge of the row, eyes scanning the entire place. People around them moved as they settled themselves onto their seats.

He took everything in, his usual expression slowly turned softer and his eyes sparkled.

Damian looked innocent.

Cute even.

Dick's heart skipped a beat. Without thinking, he pulled out his phone and snapped a quick picture before the moment passed.

Damian didn't notice.

It was a perfect shot— a rare, honest second of pure child like fascination.

Dick smirked, opened the Batfam group chat, and typed:

"Taking our youngest out on his first circus show."

The image sent with a soft click, followed almost immediately by the first buzz of a notification.

Then another. And another.

Dick glanced down just long enough to see Babs's "OH MY GOD!" Steph and Bruce typing something suspiciously long before he muted the chat with a flick of his thumb.

He slipped the phone into his jacket and leaned back in his seat.

Damian finally moved, slipping into the seat next to him like nothing had happened. Now holding the popcorn Jon gave him.

Dick's smile never faded.

Today was perfect.

The lights dimmed slowly, and the crowd quieted all at once.

Then, with a cheerful ring of bells, the show began.

A group of performers ran into the ring in colorful, sea themed costumes. Silks that shimmered like waves, bubble props that caught the light. An acrobat flipped from one tall platform to another, landing in a graceful twist. Others swung on high wires, dancing through the air like they weighed nothing.

Dick felt a familiar rush in his chest watching them, nostalgia hit hard and he very much wanted to join in the fun.

He used to fly like that after all.

Still does.

Jon was beaming. Elbow deep in popcorn, his legs bounced slightly every time someone flipped or leapt. Damian even leaned forward in his seat as trained dogs jumped through hoops, their coats brushed to perfection.

"Did you see that?" Jon whispered, eyes sparkled with joy.

When the big cats were brought out, Damian's eyes locked onto the lions with fascination.

Nothing but pure aw filled his expression.

Dick watched him quietly, heart warming at the rare expression on his brother's face.

He was glad they came.

A moment later, Wally leaned closer and bumped his knee softly against Dick's, smiling as he took pictures of the boys and him as well.

They laughed, clapped and cheered.

His birthday was perfect.

Then the music changed.

With a low hum the stage lights faded and a single spotlight lit the center ring.

The announcer's voice echoed from above.

"Ladies and gentlemen now, for our special addition. Witness the ocean's rarest wonder…"

The crowd leaned forward, phones came out and some kids stood up on their chairs. A few flashes went off early as Jon sat up straighter, eyes wide full of curiosity slowly leaning forward onto his knees, whispering a soft "whoa."

Even Damian tilted his head, curious.

From the back of the ring, a group of workers began pushing something large onto the stage. It creaked as it moved, wheels heavy, dragging slightly.

The object was big sure, but it could only rival an adult in height. Wide, completely covered in thick, black cloth that brushed the ground.

Phones came up, recording. A few whispers passed through the crowd.

"Is that a new act?"

"Maybe it's a shark this time!"

"Is it alive?"

Jon looked unsure now. Damian's brow furrowed slightly.

Even Wally muttered under his breath beside him. "What the hell is that?"

Dick said nothing, but his eyes narrowed.

The crowd continued to whisper across the tent.

The ringmaster stepped forward, arms wide.

He grabbed the cloth—and pulled!

The cover dropped in one motion.

There was a moment of silence as if to register what they were seeing before the gasps hit.

A few adults murmured something under their breath, unsure whether to be amazed or… disturbed.

Inside the glass tank, something was moving.

Dick's heart skipped.

His gaze locked on the glass tank in front of them, and what was inside.

"...Is that—?"

Chapter Text

"Wake up. It's time to get ready."

Danny stirred, cracking one eye open and instantly regretted it. Headache soon followed as his vision blurred green as he blinked up through the water.

His body felt heavy, sluggish, and uncomfortable. The halfa groaned and rolled onto his side, chains clinking as it followed. every movement was followed by itching pain and as he shifted, cold metal bit into his wrists and tail.

'Just great,' our protagonist thought mockingly. 'Yet another day in paradise.'

A part of him wanted to laugh at how pathetic he must've looked—muzzled, bruised, and weak.

Sure, his kidnappers shoved meals at him. Making sure that he stays alive and align with whatever twisted ideas they had for him. but without ectoplasm he was basically starving to death.

Daniel would've killed for just a sip of ectoplasm. Even one lousy thermos from Frostbite's freezer would've done the trick.

His wounds healing at a level far worse than they should and his core still whined and burned, leaving him hollow.

However, it wasn't something he couldn't deal with.

After all, compared to what he lived through at the GIW, this was child play.

He wasn't worried.

Just starving.

And lonely.

...and in pain.

"Did you hear me, fishboy?" The voice was closer now, irritated. Danny didn't bother answering. Not like he could, not with the stupid muzzle strapped across his face. He just lay there, staring at the ceiling, thinking about how funny this situation must be.

He wasn't even trying yet trouble always seemed to find him.

Bang!

'Why couldn't they just leave me alone?'

His tail shifted lazily beneath him, the heavy chains dragging across the tank floor. When he finally lifted his head, his gaze landed on the one man he hated most.

"Wake up," the ugly fruitloop sneered, tapping the glass. His yellow teeth flashed in a smile that made Danny's shiver in disgust.

"Get ready, we have a long day ahead of us."

Danny's lip twitched beneath the muzzle, the closest thing he could give to a sneer. His body stayed curled in on itself, tail coiled tight, but his eyes didn't leave the man's face.

Ugly couldn't help but grin wider when he faced those beautiful blue eyes. And all he could see was the gold that would earn him.

The crazy crazy circus owner leaned closer, fogging the glass with his breath. "Today, the world gets to see you. Imagine it— all those eyes, all those cameras. You're gonna make me rich!"

His hand tapped against the tank twice with thud, and he laughed, satisfied by how his gem was looking tame.

Danny didn't move. He stayed curled up, eyes half lidded, watching the man the way one might watch mold spread across a wall, which the man mistook for fear.

with detached disgust, our baby was too tired to glare. Too tired to care how his day will go.

The best he could give was nothing at all.

No one will save him after all.

The fruitloop's smile grew wider at the lack of reaction, "don't worry," he said with a wink. "They'll love you, whether you want it or not. Be ready in an hour."

And just like that, he walked away, whistling to no end.

Left alone, Danny let his forehead rest against the cool glass, the weight of his chains tugging at his arms. His tail stayed wrapped tight around himself, a habit he developed with the lack of pillows to hug.

Yes the water was nice, but there was zero to no comfort here and that was not helping his current mental state at all.

Danny hated the thought of it. Hated how hungry he felt, how weak, and powerless he was. Hated that even as he floated, muzzled and bruised, a small spark of hope still hadn't left him.

But he couldn't help it.

That's how he survived this long after all.

"Ladies and gentlemen now, for our special addition. Witness the ocean's rarest wonder…"

The cover was removed and soon bright light snapped across Danny's vision. Confused, his eyes squeezed shut before he forced them open again.

He swore light never been so painful.

The voices followed, rising in a wave— gasps, cheers and bright laughter.

"Oh my god—"

"Is it real?"

"Look, honey, look!"

"Mommy! Mommy, it's a merman!"

Danny blinked hard, vision adjusting slowly to the flood of color and motion. Rows of faces blurred into his view. Families packed tight together on benches, kids perched on shoulders, phones and cameras held high, all of them pointed straight at him.

At his cage.

He wanted to puke.

He shrank back on instinct, tail curling closer to his body. The chains dragged across the floor with a scrape, rattling loudly enough to draw another ripple of "ooohs" from the audience.

His stomach churned.

'Fuck.'

His blue tail moved unconsciously, slowly sending a swirl of bubbles spiraling upward and the children gasped in delight.

"Did you see that, Mommy? He waved!"

"No, sweetheart, I think that's just—"

"Do it again! Do it again!"

Listening to the crowd of people, Danny's chest tightened. He hated this so he turned his face sharply away, pressing closer to the far corner of the tank.

The bright lights weren't helping, nor were the sounds in the background of the crazy fruitloop and his gang were making.

Danny felt dazed, weak.. hungry.

'I want to go home.'

It was Like he was a specimen in a jar.

Danny's jaw tightened under the muzzle. His eyes flicked toward the crowd again— curious faces, greedy faces, innocent faces— then away. He couldn't stand to look at them any longer.

Because no matter how pretty the lights, how loud the applause, all he saw was white walls, restraints, and faceless men who had looked at him the exact same way.

Like he wasn't a person at all.

'Clockwork, help me.'

He couldn't take this anymore.

At the same time, somewhere among the cheering crowds, Dick's heart froze.

He couldn't drag his eyes from the boy in the tank—pale, scarred, chained.

Exposed.

"Fuck." Dick muttered under his breath before he could stop himself.

He looked thin, too pale, skin almost glowing under the water. Silver chains dragged across his wrists and tail, glinting each time he shifted. A muzzle clamped tight over his mouth, metal biting into bruised skin.

The crowd gasped in delight and Dick felt sick.

And the worst part was how young the kid was. A baby, in every way that mattered to mermen of their species and he was naked.

With an ugly scar on his chest that he recognised too well.

Wally flinched beside him, his hand tightening around the armrest in rage and he couldn't fault him.

Jon sat by Wally's other side, pale as a sheet. His popcorn bucket had tipped to the ground, completely forgotten, eyes glued on the boy inside the tank.

He was speechless.

His reaction snapped Wally in his trance as he quickly wrapped an arm around the kid, tugging him close. The Speedstar's tone was soft and almost cracked as he patted Jon.

"I know, bud. Just breathe, alright?"

But Jon couldn't look away. He swallowed hard, his small fists balling in his lap. His stomach turned at the sight of the raw skin around the boy's wrists, the heavy iron biting into his tail.

He looked sick.

Damian, meanwhile, was a statue, furious but showed nothing on his face. His fists were clenched so tight his knuckles had gone white. "This is unacceptable," he hissed. "They dare put chains on him—parade him like a trained hound—"

"Damian." Dick put a hand on his brother's shoulder.

Damian turned his head toward his brother, eyes blazing. "Grayson, you cannot expect me to sit idle while—"

"I'm not," Dick cut him off. The tone of his voice alone made Damian's thoughts calm for a moment and actually focus on his brother and away from the prisoned child.

Dick's stomach twisted. He didn't have the luxury of rage. He had to think. Fast.

He pressed a finger to his comm discreetly, the hidden mic buzzing faintly in his ear. "Oracle."

Static came, then soon Barbara's steady voice. "Here."

"We've got a situation," Dick said tightly, watching the boy curled tighter against himself, tail flicking once in the water before stilling again. The crowd cheered at the movement, and he flinched away. "I need you to push this to the League. Now. Inform Superman, Batman, and more importantly Aquaman."

He took a breath, "Priority: immediate. we have eyes on a captive minor on display in a traveling circus in Metropolis. I'll send visuals."

Oracle's reply was immediate. "On it. Pushing to the Watchtower and escalating to Clark and Arthur directly. Do you want me to hold grounding on local PD as well?"

"No, it's not my call yet." Dick said. "But mark it as trusted. Don't stop at anything. This kid is in immediate danger."

"Copy, do you need backup on your side?" Oracle's calm voice was doing wonders to Dick's mind right now, he was glad to have his best friend to count on.

"No, Wally, Damian and Jon are with me and they will be enough but inform Kon of the situation for this might escalate as we don't know if there is an organisation behind it." Dick paused, then shared his theory.

"By no means finding a merboy this young could be easy after all they are known to be hidden especially with Arthur's protection. Not to mention how wealthy this place is, someone must be behind this and sponsoring them. I'll be patching live feed now"

"Copy. Sending now." Oracle's voice snapped off and then a soft beep indicated the data channel opening. "Live stream active. I've got the Watchtower on red alert. Batman acknowledged; Aquaman is en route. Superman pinging back—he's in a meeting, but he's reading the visuals."

Dick let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Now that he's not walking in blind, he can now start with a recovery plan until backup arrives.

"Listen up," he voiced, leaning in so only their little group could hear which got everyone's attention. "We wait for backup, but we won't just sit still and do nothing."

Wally sighed, relived and ready to go. Damian and Jon nodded their heads and waited for Dick's plan.

"When the act ends they'll move him backstage. That's our window. Wally, you sweep perimeter and entrances. Search this place thoroughly and find the route they'll take him, identify the trailers and trucks. If there's heavy security, mark it. If you can get cams on the route, do it."

Wally's eyes were bright as he took in the information. "Got it. I'll run the perimeter. I won't be seen."

"Good." Dick looked at Jon. "You will stay low right behind him. Don't engage unless I say so. You're on comm watch with Babs—relay anything Wally or Kon once he calls out."

Jon swallowed and nodded too fast. "Okay. Okay, I can do that."

Damian's hands curled, the nails digging into his palms. "And us?" His voice was small but sharp.

"You and I will stay until they move him," Dick said. "We go in after them, as silent as possible not to alarm them."

He met his brother's eyes. "You can go loud if things go south. But not before."

Damian's face hardened into that small, murderous set Dick knew too well and if the situation wasn't serious he would've poked his cheeks. But alas woe is him.

Damian nodded, "Understood, I will not let a soul touch him."

It was a threat and Dick knew that his youngest brother will murder if needed.

Wally leaned forward, lowering his voice so the people around their row wouldn't even notice. "If they try to move him through the crowd, I'll cut paths. Kon will help with blind spots. We'll keep you two covered when you slip in." His fingers brushed Dick's hand briefly but the message was there which made our boy wonder smile.

Dick leaned back in his seat just as the crowd burst into another round of cheers. The ringmaster was bellowing into his microphone, soaking in the applause, while the child in the tank didn't move at all.

The four were prepared and ready to take action. Dick took in a deep breath. "On my mark," he told them, and waited.

Nothing will stop them from saving him.

Chapter Text

Danny pressed his palms over his ears, shutting the world out. It was the only thing he could do to protect himself.

The cheers and flashes were draining him mentally and he doesn't even have the energy to retaliate anymore.

All he could do was simply float there in the water and shut himself away from everything.

Danny was too tired, too hungry and in pain to think of anything else.

The halfa blinked, deciding then and there to simply rest without care if he was in danger or not. It didn't change anything after all, he'll still be caged and chained in the end.

Slowly, and for a moment the blinding circus lights faded and was soon replaced with a scene he was too familiar with.

A bedroom, one that could only be found inside his godfather's mansion.

For a split second, he thought he was back. That it was all just a silly dream— albeit traumatizing— but a dream nonetheless.

Danny lay still, body heavy and sore, his wrists burned faintly for some reasons but he was too tired to care at this moment.

The bed was so comfy.

He felt safe.

'Maybe it was all just a dream in the end.'

At that moment, he felt something cold touch his cheek. He tried to ignore it and bury himself underneath the bed's covers but he couldn't get rid of it.

Annoyed, but too tired to care, he opened his eyes lazily only to find a figure, holding a white cloth and carefully brushed it across his temple.

Confused, and probably delirious, he opened his eyes clearly to see the person better.

It only took one look for him to recognise them immediately. It was Vlad, his godfather and ex nemesis, sitting on a chair with a silver bowl of water in hand while looking as much of a fruitloop as always.

He saw him dip the white cloth again and brush it on his cheek with utmost care.

The cool touch made him flinch.

"You don’t have to…" Danny found himself speaking without realising it. His voice cracked, rough from exhaustion. He swallowed, tried again. "You don't have to do that."

Danny remembers this moment.

How could he not? It was the day he was rescued and was held hostage by his godfather.

'This is a dream—no, a memory.'

Vlad didn't look offended nor did he scuff at him or tease him. His expression was soft as he wiped another smear of dried blood from Danny's cheek, moving to his neck.

"Hush now, you've been through more than enough, little badger." he said, not quite looking Danny in the eye. "Let me do this for you."

Memory Danny blinked up at him, surprised by the softness in his tone.

The boy shifted, pulling the blanket tighter around himself as if trying to hide himself underneath it without disturbing the adult any longer.

Vlad simply chuckled and smoothed back a strand of black hair, his gloved fingers careful not to press against a bruise.

"I'll say this once so listen to me well, Daniel." The older halfa said, looking directly at Danny's eyes and the boy could swear he was looking right through him.

"The world will try to break you, my child. Again and again. But whenever you feel yourself slipping—when you're tired, or frightened, or lost…" His voice dropped, sounding more serious. "…remember that you are not alone. I will always be there with you."

Danny stared, a blush slowly forming on his face as he couldn't help but look away.

'Stupid fruitloop! Stupid vampire wanna be!'

He felt his eyes sting. Why would he say such a thing? He can't just make promises he couldn't keep!

But Danny remembers, he knows Vlad had promised him safety. He promised.

So why wasn't he there with him when he needed him now?

'Liar'

Danny hates him.

He hates him so much.

But why would his heart ache just for a stupid memory of him?

'Stupid Fruitloop.'

Danny should've known better to believe that he'll ever be safe.

...

..

.

He wants to go home.

"Keep... inside."

Danny's stomach twisted at the familiar voice. He didn't even lift his head and stayed still as he was.

He hated the fruitloop to death.

"... cage."

The voices were muffled through the glass, but still too loud for Danny's aching head.

He shut his eyes tighter, ignoring them. If they thought he was asleep, then fine. That just meant they wouldn't try to bother him for the time being.

For once, he could steal a little more rest. Hooray for small mercies!

The chains around his wrists and tail weren't changed and felt quite heavy and as uncomfortable as always. Still, he was getting used to it and he almost perfected ignoring the pain in his body.

Danny just wanted to rest.

Minutes stretched lazily into as he relaxed and sank deeper into exhaustion.

A dull thump echoed from the floor outside. Then another. Voices, muffled and angry, collided with each other. Bodies hit the ground, heavy footsteps. Danny's mind processed it lazily at first—'not my problem. I'm too tired and weak to care.' His tail twitched, almost in protest, but he let it settle.

Even if something strange was happening outside, it was none of his business.

He's weak after all.

Soon the place became quiet.

Danny was glad that whatever was happening was finished and he could relax. Not that he was worried in the first place.

If it was trouble, it's not like he hadn't died once before.

The merboy hummed as he curled and hugged himself.

'I'm hungry.'

The thought left as soon as it came, it's not like he could do anything for it.

Tap.

'Hmm?'

What is it now? Who was disturbing him?

Tap.

He heard a gentle tap on the glass again, one he wasn't familiar with. It was softer and not like that of the fruitloop.

For a split second, Danny debated ignoring it entirely. Then again, it did sound rather respectful and didn't make his ears buzz.

It was by the third tap he decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. Especially when he was so exhausted to care much anyway.

He opened his eyes slowly.

Only for him to stare at bright green ones, eyes that reminded him of his own.

The child on the other side tapped the glass again, softer this time, almost as if testing whether Danny would react.

But Danny didn't move, but simply stared at the boy in wonder.

Even he doesn't know why he's acting like this.

'I should probably move or something, the kid looks quite... Worried?'

Danny decided he'd greet him—pain or not. Kids were always a soft spot for him and Danny probably favoured this one because of his eyes.

The halfa forced the brightest smile he could manage to show over the muzzle, slowly he swam forward, black hair drifting around him getting so close to the boy that only glass separating them.

The boy blinked, tilting his head slightly. Then, very carefully, he reached out and pointed a finger toward his ear. Words followed, soft, almost impossible for Danny to catch over the ringing that had settled in his head. Something about help and… safe.

Danny frowned, pressing a palm against his temple, blaming the headache and the buzzing in his ears.

'If I could hear him properly, maybe I'd understand.' But even if he couldn't, he understood enough. The boy was trying, in his own small way, to reassure him.

'Cute.'

This is why Danny loves kids.

Danny smiled again and felt curious green eyes wander from his face to his body. His gaze lingered on the scars he bore, the Y across his chest, the bruises and scars appeared faintly on his pale skin.

Danny ignored it all, letting the boy look. It's not like he can do something and well... Hide himself.

He heard the boy make a sound and look away, looking pissed and ready to murder someone.

'What do they feed kids these days?'

The merboy titled his head then shook it, deciding that he probably imagined things.

'This headache is going to be the end of me.'

Suddenly, a flash of red caught Danny's eye. He blinked, disoriented, and for a split second thought his exhaustion was making him hallucinate.

But no—there was a man, ginger hair flashing rather evidently in Danny's  vision. The man had a grin on his face and winked at him before talking to the boy.

Danny frowned. 'Who is he? Why is he… friendly?' His tail twitched, chains rattling softly as he tried to make sense of the scene.

Then came a loud crash somewhere outside, followed by a panicked shriek. Danny's stomach twisted at the sound. He knew that voice… it belonged to the ugly fruitloop.

The stranger and the boy exchanged a quick eye contact as if a silent conversation passed between them. The boy nodded then the man moved closer to the tank, and Danny's pulse quickened.

'What does he want?'

Let's just say that adults aren't on Danny's good side.

....Even though this man looked rather friendly.

The man opened his mouth, speaking softly, but the words barely reached him. His head hurt, and a sharp pulse blurred the sound.

He could only make out the words "…don't… worry… almost… here…"

Danny pressed a hand to his temple, trying to dull the ache. The two on the other side expressions shifted, alarm flashing in their eyes as the man gestured urgently toward him.

Danny blinked slowly, nausea curling in his stomach. His limbs felt heavy and he felt just so...so hungry.

'When was the last time I ate a proper meal?'

In pain, he couldn't help but let out a low groan, curling slightly in the water. 'I'll just sleep.'

He had a feeling that the two won't hurt him.

His tail slowed, drooping, as his eyes slid closed. He saw the frantic, worried looks they gave him but he couldn't care less right now.

'I'll deal with everything once I'm awake.'

With that, he passed out.

Wally was panicking.

The baby merboy had gone limp in the tank, eyes closed, tail drooping like he'd been drained of every ounce of energy.

The Speedstar's grin vanished instantly, replaced by a look of horror. He slammed both hands against the glass. "Hey! Hey! Wake up, kid!"

The merboy twitched slightly, but his eyes didn't open. Wally's heart sank.

'Oh no… no, no, no…'

Behind him, he could hear Damian was updating the rest of the team of the situation.

It didn't look good.

Then, a deafening, terrified scream ripped through the circus tent only to be followed by a raging voice.

"LET ME AT HIM!"

Wally winced, the voice was unmistakably Aquaman's and he's clearly pissed.

Who'd blame him? Merfolk were rare on their own and to suddenly find one so young and clearly tortured.

... Even he couldn't hold his anger back.

Wally glanced at Damian, who tsked in annoyance. "Superman is holding him back," he informed him. "Aquaman would have killed that man already if not restrained."

Ah...

As expected.

He turned back to the tank. The boy looked… worse than he'd expected.

His scars and bruises seemed to stand out and Wally's stomach clenched at the Y shaped mark on his chest. He didn't allow himself to think about what had caused it.

He couldn't.

"The boy needs to be treated now." But how could they get him out of that safely?

Suddenly, a loud crash came from the side. Wally's heart leapt when he saw Arthur appear, moving fast even he was impressed.

The sea king didn't hesitate. He leaped into the tank, water splashing over the edges. Wally's eyes widened—he'd barely thought the tank would even hold the boy, and now the man was in it too, hands gently reaching for the kid and scooping him into his arms.

He looked so small in his arms.

Wally could see Arthur's eyes softened as he held the boy close, scanning over the scars, bruises, and basically everything while taking his own cape to cover him.

Right, he's basically Naked.

Fuck, Wally wanted to hit more of these bastards just to let off some steam.

Even in his rage, there was care in the king's eyes. Superman hovered nearby, aiding the situation.

It's going to be a long night.

Chapter Text

Arthur stood outside the medbay, arms crossed, fists still red and caked with blood. Not the boy's blood of course. No, this was from the ugly bastard who thought it was clever to put chains on a child of the sea and make a spectacle of him.

Arthur had nearly beaten the man to death if not for Superman and the others dragging him off of him before it went that far.

He almost wished they hadn't.

Through the glass, the boy lay pale, surrounded by the best doctors The Watchtower could offer. Arthur had already informed his people to prepare a room for the child to stay in at any moment notice.

He wished to take him home right there and then but he knows better than to risk the journey.

Arthur watched as his chest rose and fell as wires were attached to him. Anyone who took one look at the child instantly thought he was dead, and if not for the slow, shallow heartbeats the king could still hear, he too would've believed the same.

...Beep... Beep... Beep.

The sound of the monitor was the only thing keeping him sane right now. Arthur's throat tightened, he had fought wars, seen horrors, slaughtered monsters with his own hands, but nothing had prepared him for this.

The moment he saw the boy and held him in his arms, he feared that it was already too late.

He squeezed his eyes shut and cursed under his breath.

How dare they.

The scars across the boy's body, the bruises flashed in his mind. The signs of torture were clear, he knew better than to mistaken them for anything else.

He leaned forward, forehead nearly touching the glass. "Fuck…" he muttered under his breath. "He's just a kid."

It took everything in him to not hunt down that thing in the cells and kill him for what he had done, but his friends were right...

They needed to know who's behind this.

The bastard who dared to touch what was his will pay.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Batman standing silently down the hall, watching the same sight. Bruce said nothing but Arthur knew his friend was looking out for him.

The king sighed, he needed to calm down. He barely even registered the sound of footsteps until Kaldur was beside him. His protégé said nothing at first—he didn't need to.

The look on his face was enough for Arthur.

Arthur took a moment before speaking, "is everything prepared?"

"Yes," Kaldur answered without hesitation, though his eyes kept looking at the boy inside. "Preparations are underway to receive him. He will have care in Atlantis, should he become strong enough to be moved without complications."

Arthur's mind went dark for a second but he forced those thoughts down. No use on imagining the worst. "And the merfolk? Any sign of a missing child?"

Kaldur's gaze moved from the boy and looked back at his king. "None. Those we reached out to in the north sea report of no child of his likeness missing."

Arthur swore under his breath and mumbled softly. "Then he has no one."

Kaldur shook his head. "Perhaps not. Or perhaps someone ensured his ties were cut. If he was taken from the seas as an infant, presuming him dead, who knew which parents out there are his."

"The rates of which stillborn infants die are high after all, if not for some actually surviving the merfolk would've been extinct."

Arthur's eyes darkened, his chest rising with the effort of holding back rage and sadness. He looked at Kaldur, finally making his decision.

"Listen to me, Kaldur'ahm. Whether he has kin or not, he is ours now. My queen agrees and we will take him in as our young prince." He smiled at the thought of his wife. "With that, he's my responsibility now once he agrees and we'll see to it that those who harmed him will pay."

Kaldur inclined his head, thinking of this new sibling he'll have. His gaze softened at the thought of the idea— no, his new reality and in turn, he nodded at his king.

The monitor beeped again, if only to show the sign of lil life there was.

Both Atlanteans could only watch in silence and feel powerless in this situation.

The peace felt like a gift.

Danny hasn't had many of those lately. From his coronation or whatever Clockwork calls it to losing his baby sister soon followed by his own friends and older sister which to this day, he doesn't know the cause of it.

Then somehow gets kidnapped by his parents in his grief only to get tortured for ancients know how long.

And if fate was messing with him, he gets found and saved by his one and only nemesis.

All that happened in one year according to them, but it felt like centuries to Danny.

He was only thirteen, well—he died thirteen and will forever and always be thirteen.

Until his core decides otherwise of course and even though Danny doesn't want to test that but it doesn't mean he's not annoyed by it.

He knows damn well how short he was because of that since he never had his growth spurt hit like normal teenagers.

Frostbite was the only person to assure him that when the time is right, he'll grow.

Danny calls bullshit but the yeti never lied before so he trusted his words.

Even when two years had passed since his death.

Of course, after that incident and making peace with Vlad, Danny felt free.

Until he got kidnapped again.

Which was totally not his fault by the way! The plot had to be set after all.

And now, he felt relaxed. His body was comfortable, nothing pained him and he simply just....floated there.

He let himself melt into the comfy bed... Was it a bed? Danny doesn't know and doesn't care.

It was nice.

He thought of many things at this moment, how Jazz would pat his head and hug him whenever he needed it.

He always did.

How Sam and Tucker would always mess with him only to erase any dark or heavy thoughts he had from his death.

He never thanked them for it.

How his lovely Ellie would always visit him whenever she returns from her trips and show him her album of all the pictures she had taken.

He promised to travel together after everything ends.

How Vlad treated him with love and gave him protection that even he couldn't receive from his parents.

He wanted more.

They were all sweet memories and Danny didn't want to stop thinking.

If he could, Danny would've stayed there forever.

But fate had other plans.

At first it was small. A brush against his arm, a light touch on his shoulder. Annoying true, but nothing that could force him to wake up.

'Let me sleep.'

The more touch he felt, the more he got irritated. Annoyed, he reluctantly dragged himself back toward consciousness.

Danny blinked his sleepy eyes open, expecting the usual view inside of his cage, maybe the ugly smile of the fruitloop.

Instead, all he saw was white.

White walls, white lights, white coats. He felt suffocated as his mind went wild with multiple thoughts all at once.

It can't be.

Even though the room wasn't exactly how he remembered it, but does that even matter at this point? No. He had to leave.

He will not be tortured again.

His tail reacted first, striking the nearest figure. The sound of impact followed by a thud—someone slammed to the ground as water splashed from his current tub...bed?

Before he could move, more hands came to him restraining his movements.

No. No no no no—

'Fuck I can't do this again.'

As his sudden movement startled the figures in white, they all came to bind him even more.

Danny couldn't breathe.

His vision blurred, his chest heaving as panic clawed into him. His throat burned with the scream he tried to hold back. He didn't want to give them that satisfaction—but a low  whimper came out, breaking the hearts of those who heard it.

Tears blurred his sight, Danny was weak, he felt weak. He was hungry, starving even, his strength was failing him and he couldn't do anything about it.

But hell would he allow them to do what they want.

Unfortunately, even with all that no one listened to him. His ears buzzed uncomfortably and saw at the corner of his eyes someone holding a scalpel?!

Unknown to him, with all the crazy crazy action going on, his tail had hit a random table close that held many unnecessary surgical tools and a poor, innocent doctor only wanted to pick them up before things got worse.

Of course, seeing it, Danny panicked.

"Don't—! Don't— please I'm still alive!"

Despite the fact that no one could understand what he had said, they all instantly froze by the sheer pain in his voice. Of course, as always our main character noticed nothing of it.

The guys in white never listened to him before even when he begged, they always pushed and ignored his screams.

Tears streamed down his face, he wanted his godfather to come rescue him like last time.

He promised.

Danny felt so weak and scared right now but he knew better than to stop trying. Feeling a hand near his face, the halfa's jaw snapped forward, sinking his teeth into the poor doctor's hand.

The man cried out, stumbling back, and Danny tore his arm free. His tail swung hard, knocking another figure off balance. He went for the arm holding his other side, desperate to claw it off— only for someone to appear and hold his hand gently before he could attack.

Danny looked up, aiming to bite his new aggressor, only to see a pair of blue eyes staring right at him.

The stranger noticed his dazed state and somehow was able to lift his other hand before Danny could attack and slowly reached out to pat the messy strands of black hair.

Feeling the stranger's gentle touch, Danny could only stare at him in confusion.

Why is he looking at him like that?

Danny wasn't a scared, traumatized child for this stranger to look at him like a wounded animal.

The man kept patting his head gently without a sign of stopping any time soon and Danny slowly felt himself calm down.

It wasn't his fault that the stranger patted his head like how Jazz does it.

It wasn't Danny's fault that his core screamed safe even though his instincts warned him not to trust any adult.

.....and it probably helped that he wasn't wearing white like the rest...

Danny blinked at him, torn between stopping the stranger from being so close to him, or trusting him only because he's too weak to do anything anyway.

Honestly, Danny would love to eat right now more than anything.

Seeing how the child is calming down, Arthur sighed softly. The moment he heard the boy's cries saying that he's alive, it took everything in him not to go insane. But of course he knew better than go crazy crazy inside The Watchtower.

He chose to calm the boy himself, he's the king of the sea after all and everyone of the sea loves him so why not this child? Arthur fixed the messy strands of hair and stopped patting which gained the boy's attention.

He smiled as he looked at those pure, innocent blue eyes that were far brighter than his own.

"You are safe now," he wiped the tears from his cheeks. "No one will harm you."

Maybe it was because of how pitiful the boy looked or how now he noticed his close relationship with The Clear albeit still young, Arthur felt like fate gifted him this child.

And he'll do everything in his power to cherish him.

Chapter Text

After Danny calmed down, the medical staff finally dared to look toward Arthur.

Their eyes said it all—help us.

They wanted to examine the boy, to heal him and make sure he wasn't bleeding out somewhere or hiding a broken bone.

Who knows what those monsters did to him.

And right now, the King looked heaven sent.

He understood what they wanted, but one look at the boy curled in the waterbed was enough to remind him that trust wasn't a gift so easily given.

Not from a kid who'd clearly had it ripped out of him.

If Arthur was going to help, he'd have to do it right.

He leaned closer and moved his hand, brushing his fingers gently against the boy's cheek. The touch was light, meant only to draw his attention.

Blue eyes similar to his own if not brighter looked up to him.

Arthur was stunned as he felt the strong connection the merchild had with The Clear as he does if not similar.

This new child of his was truly remarkable, but alas it wasn't the right time to think of this.

So he softened his voice, speaking fluently in the language they shared. "Do you mind if they take a look at you?"

The blonde kept his tone calm and soothing. Traumatized children could bolt at the smallest misstep, and Arthur had no wish to scare him further.

Especially not when he already felt protective of him.

Danny blinked at him in confusion, then glanced at the staff in white. Whatever color he had left drained right out of his face and quickly shook his head shrinking back until his back pressed into the curved wall of the bed.

He hugged his tail tighter, keeping it as close to his chest as possible.

The sight alone nearly broke Arthur's heart, baby merboy looked so terrified.

Fuck, the damage is more deeper than he expected.

Still, Arthur tried again, coaxing him gently. "They mean no harm. Truly."

Danny's eyes narrowed faintly, of course he didn't believe him.

He wasn't stupid.

The man might look different, might even sound kind—but that didn't mean he wasn't with the GIW. Men in white wanted to run tests. They always wanted to run tests.

He doesn't know how they found him again, but Danny wasn't going to let that happen again without a fight!

Hopefully when they took him somehow, no harm fell on the green eye kid from back then.

Danny liked him quite a lot after all.

Arthur waited patiently, giving him the space to decide. Finally, his boy spoke. His voice was quiet, and easily missable.

"They'll hurt me."

At this moment, the king wished if his queen was here, she was better suited for this than him.

He was never good with kids.

Still, he tried.

"No," he said softly. "They won't. No one will—"

But Danny didn't like how he was denying him, and before he could speak, a low grumble cut through instead.

He froze, it was his stomach.

The room went silent. Everyone's eyes that weren't specifically fixated on him, shifted toward him.

Danny in turn, flushed scarlet. Quickly, he buried his face in his tail, wishing he could sink through the water and disappear.

'Great, can't even starve in peace without embarrassing myself.'

He peeked out just enough to glare weakly at the nearest person. The poor, innocent man had to look away in fear of further damage.

It was not Danny's fault that he's basically starved to death! If he wasn't kidnapped by those fruitloops in the first place, he would've had a feast!

Arthur stared for a moment and then chuckled, his future son was quite cute. Fine. If the boy wouldn't allow them to treat him yet, which is fair. Then at least they could feed him.

No need to use force after all.

"It's alright," Arthur said gently. "How about we bring you some food? Is there anything you'd like to eat?"

Danny hesitated. His stomach twisted, reminding him just how long it had been since he last ate. He was starving, really. But could he trust them?

The GIW had fed him sometimes, but only enough to keep him 'alive'. Still... if this stranger was offering, Danny couldn't afford to refuse.

He has to get stronger to escape.

But what if it was a trick? What if the food was drugged again? If not, would they really give him what he craved for?

His core hummed, urging him to trust this stranger.

So against his better judgement, Danny decided to try at least. Carefully, he answered. Watching the man's face for any signs of a lie.

"Ectoplasm."

Arthur blinked. "Pardon?"

Danny frowned slightly. Maybe he didn't hear him correctly? "Ectoplasm."

'Ectoplasm?' Arthur never heard of this before, he looked at the doctors in the room and asked them if they knew. 

The doctors glanced at each other, confused. None of them seemed to know what the child was asking for.

Arthur rubbed a hand over his jaw, thinking. He doesn't want to fault the child who was clearly tortured for god knows how long, so maybe... it's something he knows but in a different name?

If that's the case, the king simply had to ask him of what it looks like.

Easy enough.

"Ectoplasm?" he repeated. "Can you… describe it for me?"

When he was asked about ectoplasm, Danny just stared at the man like he'd grown two heads.

Working with the GIW and doesn't know what ectoplasm was? Was this guy serious? The GIW didn't train their people anymore?

Maybe he was a rookie? Was that why he was so... nice?

Danny's suspicion wavered with his hunger, clearly using so many braincells was making him starve more.

He wanted food, desperately. So he gave the simplest description that came to mind.

"Green…Shiny."

Arthur blinked at him, 'That narrows it down?' He couldn't think of anything green and shiny that you could actually eat—except maybe seaweed, and even that wasn't shiny.

His brows furrowed, those bastards didn't feed him trash did they?

While Arthur spiraled further down that angry train of thought, Kaldur, who had been quietly observing near the back of the room, decided it was time to intervene. His king was clearly suffering right now.

Danny noticed him immediately. Hard not to, really. The guy stood out— tall, dark, and somehow looked like he'd walked straight out of one of those fashion magazines Jazz used to make fun of.

'The GIW recruited more people? Since when were they all ridiculously handsome?'

'At least they improved something', Danny scoffed in his mind.

Kaldur crouched near the bed, offering a calm smile to his future prince. He spoke gently, as though coaxing a baby.

Which wasn't far from the truth.

"I am Kaldur'ahm," he introduced himself. "What is your name?"

Arthur froze, the thoughts that were running wild in his mind stopped. Right. Names. That should've been the first thing he started with.

Hopefully his child doesn't take it to heart.

He cleared his throat awkwardly and added. "Arthur. My name is Arthur and I would too love to know your name."

Kaldur looked at his king and raised an eyebrow, did he truly just introduce himself?

Danny blinked at the two men, thrown off by the sudden introductions.

Since when was that a thing here? The GIW didn't do names, they never even spoke to him before.

Well, other than the normal crazy crazy threats here and there.

So these two ridiculously handsome men introducing themselves like friendly neighbors completely threw him off.

The silence dragged, both of them looked at him like two golden retrievers expecting an answer. His heart skipped a beat at the attention and felt… awkward.

Well, Jazz didn't raise him to be rude.

"…Danny," he muttered at last. His voice came out softer than he meant it to, and he immediately hated how small it sounded.

Was introducing himself this difficult before? He blames his starving self.

Both Arthur and Kaldur'ahm smiled genuinely at him, and Danny didn't know how to feel about that.

GIW smiling always meant trouble after all.

Kaldur picked up smoothly, "it's nice to meet you, Danny. I must apologize—we don't have any of this ectoplasm you speak of. Would it be alright if we found you something else to eat until then?"

Danny tilted his head, narrowing his eyes a little. Was this a trick? They obviously should have ectoplasm Somewhere.

They were the GIW after all.

But he didn't argue. His stomach was leading his last brain cell on, and honestly, he was too tired to think about it.

So he just gave a small nod.

Even if they weren't going to give him ectoplasm, he could still feed his ghost half using alternatives.

Vlad had made sure to teach him those after all, though in his current situation it'll be quite difficult to access them.

Better here than stuck in a tank...

He knew what to expect from the GIW, he'll survive. But strangers? The days he was stuck with those disgusting fruitloops could attest to it.

It wasn't his fault though! If he was in a better state, he could've just disappeared before anything could happen.

So fine. He'd take what they gave him now. Later, he'd figure out how to sneak the good stuff.

....after he's strong enough to have his legs back.

'Just a little longer', he thought. 'Then I'll be free.'

Kaldur watched him closely, and seeing how cute his prince's expression shifted on his face, a faint smile couldn't help but appear as he reached out and ruffled the boy’s hair

He always wanted to do that, Richard was quite annoying sometimes when he showed off his siblings.

Now he has one of his own. Even though said sibling doesn't know it yet.

Danny blinked, startled, but didn't pull away. He let him… Mostly because he was handsome.

Arthur smiled, though felt jealous since he too, wanted to mess with his hair.

Soon after, a tray of food was brought in and it smelled better than anything Danny had seen in weeks. But he only eyed the tray warily, without initiating anything.

Who knows if this was poisoned by that cursed flower? He knew better than to simply trust.

When it became clear that nobody was leaving, Danny just stared harder. Confusing everyone else in the room.

Why wasn't he eating?

Fortunately Arthur picked up on the hidden meaning and took a bite of the food, clearly showing that it was safe to eat.

Although Danny knew that humans aren't affected by it, but the sincerity Arthur gave off made him let his guard down.

That, and something else telling him that he could trust the blonde.

So he took a bite, and started eating.

With a glance at Kaldur and the medics, Arthur gave a subtle nod. One by one, they filed out of the room, leaving the boy to eat in peace.

It was clear the young merboy was having a difficult time with everyone around.

The hallway outside was quiet until the doors slid shut. There, waiting for them, were Batman and Superman in mid discussion. Both men paused when Arthur and Kaldur stepped out.

Superman offered them a simple wave while Batman simply acknowledged them and walked away.

It was time for the meeting.

Inside the watchtower, the heroes gathered to discuss the latest crazy crazy situation that happened.

Of course, not all were present since some were on off world missions.

Batman alone was close to having migraines from shutting down the news of this matter all around the globe.

And who'll fault him? Removing videos upon videos of the young child on the internet was not an easy task especially with everything going on.

Thankfully, Tim had volunteered to take the lead on that particular disaster. Bless the kid and his endless caffeine intake.

Now, though, every eye in the room was glued to the holographic screen above the conference table staring at the DNA results that somehow had the Flash shut up.

Batman tapped the hologram, giving his teammates full view of the boy's records. With it his image and full scan of his body.

"Unlike our first assumption," he began. "Daniel is both half atlantian and human and although it's rare, given what we've known so far it's... possible."

His eyes shifted to Aquaman, who looked just as stunned as the rest.

"What concerns me isn't his lineage," Bruce continued, tapping twice more until the scan zoomed in on the readings, "but his history."

The hologram rotated, showing the outline of a frail frame— ribs visible as well as nasty scars and burns. Energy readings low, and the heart rate monitor hovering far below healthy range.

No one spoke, each had their own various expressions on their face, words hardly coming out of them.

That, and they knew better than to speak before Batman is done.

"His body shows extensive damage, malnutrition, fractures that have healed poorly, scar tissue from restraints, and—" His voice hardened slightly. "—some injuries didn't happen recently."

The table fell quiet.

Wonder woman, Diana, leaned forward and was the first to speak. "You mean they're old wounds?"

Batman nodded once. "Most of them are at least two years old."

Aquaman stiffened. "Two years?" His disbelief giving way to anger. "You're telling me he has been suffering for at least that long?!"

"Yes." Bruce switched the hologram to another image, a footage from the insides of the circus where Danny has been captive. "The circus owner admitted to having him for less than four months. Which means Daniel was in someone else's hands before he was taken by him. Someone who did this to him."

Superman leaned forward, his voice unusually low. "And you think Luthor had a hand in this?"

"We can't prove it," Bruce said, pulling up financial records. "But the circus was operating under a series of shell companies, all linked to LexCorp subsidiaries. Luthor's name doesn't appear directly, but the funding matches."

"And given his history, it shouldn't be far fetched." The Flash commented, thinking of how Wally looked miserable after rescuing the boy.

He won't forget this.

Diana closed her eyes and sighed, "If those injuries are years old, then the poor child has been passed around. Likely stolen from his home and sold if not experimented on."

Humans are terrifying once their greed turns them blind.

Arthur's voice came quieter now. "And judging by how he reacted to the medical team earlier…"

Batman didn't disagree. "From what we've seen, it's clear that he's been subjected to unimaginable things. And since he falls under your jurisdiction, Aquaman, the final say is yours."

"But with Luther as a suspect, it will be wise to leave this case to us. We'll stop to nothing till we take down the culprit."

Everyone fell silent as they all looked at Aquaman, waiting for his response.

Arthur was quite for a moment, thinking back at the young child he held in his arms.

He wanted nothing more than to take Danny back to Atlantis. Let him swim in safe waters, feed him properly, let him sleep without fear.

But the boy's condition... he knew better than to rush it and already planned for his stay here till he's in the clear.

However, even with that, he has to bring justice to what had happened to the child and doing this alone won't work.

Arthur trusts his friends and teammates, and as king, the safety of his people is priority.

It didn't take long to decide.

Aquaman looked at all of his friends, gaze finally meeting Batman's. "As the King of Atlantis," he started,"I request the Justice League's help in bringing those responsible for my person's pain to justice as your law sees fit."

He could clearly see Superman smiling at the corner of his eyes but he wasn't done yet. "Afterwards, I wish for them to be handed to me for...personal matters."

Batman looked at him for a long time before nodding. "Understood."

"Yeah! Leave it to us Arthur, we'll beat them up!" The Flash, Barry spoke the moment the big bat gave le clear.

"Daniel is a brave child, he deserves the world so fear not Arthur, his case is ours as much as it's yours." Diana commented, bringing her hand on his shoulder to show support.

"If Luther has hands on this, I'll personally bring him to you." Clark smiled at his friend showing his support as well.

The weight in Arthur's chest eased, he was truly glad to have his friends.

As everyone chatted and discussed their plans, the king felt he made the right decision to trust them.

Then, in the middle of their chatter, Arthur remembered something small but important.

"So..." He started, gaining their attention. "Does anyone know what Ectoplasm is?"

He needs to feed his new child after all.

Chapter Text

"No."

"Please?"

"Absolutely not."

"Damian— come on!" Jon leaned over the back of the couch, practically hanging upside down until his hair nearly brushed the floor just to catch his best friend's eyes. "It's just a visit!"

Damian didn't even glance away from the tablet in his hands. "We are not disturbing a patient under medical supervision. He requires rest, and that is what he'll have."

Jon groaned and dragged a hand down his face. Was it so difficult to visit their new friend? I mean sure, they aren't technically friends yet, but Superboy was positive they will be!!

He peaked at Damian from under his messy bangs. Jon has to convince him somehow! "Even just a tiny peak? Promise I'll be quiet!"

Damian didn't answer right away. He stared down at the tablet, scrolling slowly, then shut it off with a small sigh.

"You are not going to stop asking, are you?"

Jon grinned. "Is that a yes?"

"Unfortunately," Damian stood, tucking the tablet under his arm. "Five minutes. And if you hinder me in any way Kent, you'll regret it."

Jon jumped to his feet, trying, and failing, to hide his excitement as he flashed the most adorable smile ever. "Deal!"

Damian shot him a look as he headed toward the door, already questioning his life choices.

Why was he friends with him again?

"Don't make me regret this."

"Never!" Jon said, way too cheerful for someone who'd just been threatened.

It didn't take long before they reached their destination. Sure, they had to avoid surveillance, but what is that to an ex assassin trained from birth and a literal Kryptonian?

....though it had to be noted that Damian nearly disowned Jon when the older boy stupidly tripped over his own feet and made a loud crash.

But all things considered, they did well! ...ignoring Jon's broken heart of course.

Damian was quite scary when he wanted to.

They reached the medbay door, and Damian glanced around the hallway, it was empty. Perfect. A quick nod between them, and they slid the door open, fully intending to go inside.

Fortunately, no staff were inside. Maybe it was fate, or that they decided  to leave our poor baby to rest peacefully inside without letting anything disturb him.

Either way, a win is a win.

Once inside, Jon let out the tiniest, barely audible sigh of relief. "Phew… we made it."

Damian hummed, looking around for anything that could hinder their lil adventure.

When the cost was clear, they looked around in search of their target.

The medbay was pretty spacious after all.

It took them a minute to reach their destination, it was quite obvious really. It was the only bed with a built in water system, like a tiny pool, carefully designed for maximum comfort.

Jon's eyes sparkled when he saw it, he wanted one of his own! Even if to only see what it felt like.

It took a look from Damian for Superboy to pay attention on their actual target.

Danny.

He looked impossibly small and delicate, chest rising and falling slowly under the thin medical cloth covering him. His black hair curled naturally around his face, so dark it almost seemed unreal against his pale skin.

Jon's eyes drifted lower, catching the beautiful blue tail he saw that day.

It looked much healthier than before.

Honestly, now that he had a closer look at it, under the medbay lights, the scales shimmered faintly, tiny star like specks scattered across them like stars in space.

It was beautiful.

Jon wasn't clueless about merfolk, he had seen videos and photos of them in the Justice league database to know how they looked like.

But none were as pretty as the boy before him.

All the research he had done seemed to be pointless at this point. Still, he grinned, thinking about all the fun they were going to have together once Danny was healed! He could hardly wait to play with his new friend.

Damian on the other hand, was very pleased to see Daniel finally wearing the modest clothes he had seen merfolk wear before.

He noted how the cloth at Daniel's waist followed proper style, with obvious lack of accessories and though the colour was quite plain, the material was of high quality.

It was obvious that Arthur had a hand in this.

Jon whispered, as if afraid to wake up the sleeping beauty. "Dami..."

Damian's mouth twitched. Normally, that nickname would earn Jon a scowl or at least a jab to the ribs. But he let it slide this time since he's in a good mood.

So, in true nonchalant fashion, he replied. "Hmm?"

Jon hesitated. Maybe he was wrong? However, concern and worry for his friend's health filled his thoughts. So, he decided to voice it out.

"I— he, well... There's no heartbeat."

Damian blinked once. "What?"

"I'm serious." Jon looked back at the sleeping merboy. "I can hear everyone's heartbeat, Damian. Even when I try not to. But his—" He tried to focus harder, brows furrowing. "There's basically nothing."

Damian's eyes flicked to the monitors beside the bed. The readings were steady, green lights pulsing in a calm rhythm. Heart rate… barely showing, but constant.

He doesn't know if it's considered normal for his kind, but as long as there's signs of life, everything should be fine, right?

Jon should understand that too.

Damian crossed his arms. "You're mistaken."

Jon almost whisper shouted. "No, I'm not! Believe me Damian, this can't be good...what if he's—"

"—dying?" Damian finished for him, unimpressed. "If he were, the alarms would have already gone off. The medics would've came rushing in."

Jon's mouth opened, then closed. He speechlessly looked at the monitors that younger boy so graciously pointed out.

It was true. Though it wasn't normal by any means, a beat was clearly showing even if it was very, very slow.

...If that's the case, was the problem him? Was his powers acting up again?

He swallowed. "Then… why can't I hear it?"

Damian didn't answer immediately. His gaze softened, this idiot worries him sometimes by his lack of brain cells.

Oh well, Damian is the most superior one in the room right now so he has to explain everything to him. "Perhaps because it's faint," he decided to say after some thought.

His best friend did have good hearing after all. It will be unwise to discourage him. "Slower than what you're used to. Different doesn't mean dead, Jon."

Jon looked back at Danny, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest. "It's just so quiet."

Damian said nothing to that.

Why would he? When he too was worried.

The ghost zone was quiet.

Danny liked that about it.

Just endless sea of green stretching out forever. No need to fear anyone bothering him here, not even ghosts seek to play with him when they find him all relaxed and chill.

He drifted aimlessly, floating wherever the current wanted to take him. It had been a while since he felt this calm, taking in ecto likes he's a starved beast.

Staying here forever doesn't seem like a bad idea after all.

Until he opened his eyes— and saw a child staring right back at him.

"AHH!" Danny yelped, flipping midair. "Dude!"

Clockwork chuckled, clearly entertained by the reaction of the young king.

"Damn it man, must you always do that to me?" Danny asked, resting a hand on his chest.

"You know I do." Clockwork flashed him a smile, clearly amused.

Danny shot him a look. After a second, though, his shoulders slumped. Finally returning to the chill state he was in before he was rudely interrupted.

he looked at the Ancient of time up and down. "What is it this time?"

Clockwork tilted his head, that knowing smile never leaving. "Are you enjoying your new home so far?"

Danny blinked. "New home?"

"Yes, your new reality."

"Uh… what are you talking about? I'm still here." He waved his hand around, as if proving a point.

Clockwork hummed like a parent amused by their kid's confusion. He reached out, ruffling the young ghost's hair gently. "Danny, you know better than to trust I'll visit you personally while you are awake. This—" he gestured, "—isn't real."

Danny froze.

Then all at once, everything came rushing back. It wasn't long till he realised what was actually happening.

He exhaled shakily. "…Ah."

Clockwork's expression softened, the teasing tone fading away. Gently, he pulled the young halfa into a hug, shifting into a more appropriate older form.

Danny didn't resist it, simply allowing himself to be held.

"It's okay," Clockwork whispered. "You're safe now."

The boy's breath hitched. He hadn't realized how much he needed to hear that. How much he wanted to believe it.

For months he had experienced nothing but pain, hunger and loneliness.

But now, for the first time in what felt like forever, his guardian was here. Even if it was only a dream.

He pressed his face into Clockwork's shoulder, silent tears slipping down his cheeks.

If only Clockwork could save him for real. If only this was more than a dream.

So like any scared child finding their way back to safety, he spoke the words he'd been too afraid to say out loud.

"They have me again." He whispered.

Clockwork's hand paused before it could mess with boy. "Who?"

Danny's voice cracked. "The Guys in White. I... I got stuck in a new form I was trying out, and an ugly fruitloop found me. Then—then somehow before I could even fight back, I ended up back with them."

The elder stilled as if realizing something.

Then, gently, he brushed a hand through Danny's hair. "My young king," he said quietly, "no one will ever harm you again. Not from where you are now."

Danny blinked up at him, confusion clear on his face. "What do you mean...?"

The Ancient of time smiled, almost proudly at himself. "You are not staying in your original universe, not anymore." He wiped the tears from Danny's face with his thumb. "There are no GIW there, no one who could ever harm you in any way and most importantly, no one knows who you are."

The young halfa stared at him, completely thrown off. "...what?"

Clockwork chuckled, clearly amused by the reaction. "I made a deal with an old friend. Let's just say your little 'new form' idea caught their attention—and they've taken quite a liking to you."

Danny blinked again, still trying to process everything.

"Wait, wait… a new universe?! A deal? And what friend? You can't just— Clockwork, what the heck did you do?!"

"Relax," Clockwork said, a soft smile tugging at his lips. Not even worried in the slightest. "In fact, you're in the safest place in the entire multiverse right now. And as for that little form you're stuck in…"

He tapped Danny lightly on the forehead. "My friend might have had to make a few adjustments to your DNA, just to make sure you wouldn't have any complications in this new world."

"What?"

Seeing how shocked the boy way, which is understandable, the older tried to reassure him. "Your body is still recovering, the damage done isn't as simple as you think it is. Your core is starving and once your body stabilizes, you'll gain your legs back."

Danny stared at him, lips parting. "So… I'm not stuck like this forever?"

"No, though you are still, in the universe's eyes, a merboy." He explained. "So you can always simply shift back to your new form whenever you wish."

Danny let out a shaky breath in relief. That was quite the info dumping after all.

Wait a second, if he's in another universe right now, does that mean he won't see Vlad again?

And who's that friend he keeps talking about?

Danny has so many questions, even his mind can't keep up.

He was so tired right now.

Clockwork noticing the various expressions on his face, could only imagine what the young boy was thinking. Still, it was time to leave so he can't answer them all.

"Let's continue this pleasant conversation at a later date," he said softly, a hint of regret in his tone. "It's time for you to wake up Danny."

Realizing what clockwork was about to do, Danny eyes widened and protested. "Wait—no! I still have many things to ask about!!" His voice desperate. "You can't just—"

The Ancient smiled. "Till next time, my young king."

And just like that, the world around him began to fade.

"Clockwork—!"

But the name barely left his lips before everything went dark.

Chapter Text

Danny gasped, eyes snapping open. Blue, taking in everything all at once.

'I'm still here.'

He blinked, remembering the white cursed room he thought was his new jail cell.

Not the GIW, he now understood. But an actual... hospital? Clockwork did say he's in the safest place. So maybe that's it? It did make sense.

Doesn't mean he liked it.

He was never a fan of doctors, not after what they had done.

He swallowed, trying to force his racing thoughts into order. 'Where am I exactly? If not then GIW, then who saved me?' People don't do anything out of the kindness of their own hearts.

Even if he's 'safe' right now, he is still weak which means he can't trust anyone with his safety.

The quiet room did nothing to calm his thoughts. Even though he knows it's not the same now, white still trigged more of his... painful memories.

So caught in his own head, Danny didn't even notice the two boys by his bed.

Jon, who in all innocence wanted to carefully cover the boy since he was frozen cold, stood awkwardly with a blanket in hand. He looked guilty, thinking that he was the one to wake the halfa up.

Damian on the other hand, noticed how Daniel woke up in shock, a nightmare perhaps? It was unfortunate, but understandable.

Jon shifted the blanket in his hands, meaning to tuck it gently over the boy—he still looked—but his grip slipped.

The fluffy dark blanket fell with a soft thud against the floor.

Danny's head snapped toward the sound, eyes locking on the two strangers for the first time.

Jon blinked, panicked for half a second before offering the world's most awkward smile and a small wave. "...Hi."

Gosh, that sounded lame.

Danny blinked at them, sure he was shocked to know that he wasn't alone in the room. But that doesn't mean he's going to panic out of nowhere.

Plus, one of them was the green eyed kid he saw back then. Danny is quite happy to know that he's safe.

Maybe he was the one who brought him here?

Oh well, he'll think about that later.

With no reaction visible on the merboy, Damian remembered that not all merfolk speak their language.

Especially those who never interacted with the surface.

So even if by theory, Daniel was captured at young, that doesn't mean he came to learn of their language.

Feeling that his logic was sound, the young Wayne crossed his arms and said. "Tt, don't make a fool out of your self Superboy, he might not even understand our language."

Yes, even if the possibility was high, he still won't call his friend's name in front of a stranger.

They were in costume after all.

Danny blinked at that, feeling amused and in the mood to mess around with them for a bit.

It was forever since he had a nice chat with boys his ...age? Oh well, not fruitloops.

"Hello." He greeted, making sure to look as innocent as possible while tilting his head.

They might become his first friends in this universe, first impressions are important.

Plus, he's the crowned king of the infinite realms. And although it's a title he doesn't like. At least it had its own perks.

Languages were one of them.

Jon's face lit up like a switch had been flipped. "You can talk! That's—oh wow, that's great! I mean, not that I thought you couldn't, but he said—"

"—that you might not understand," Damian cut in smoothly, unimpressed by Jon's enthusiasm. "Which, considering your usual communication skills, was a fair assumption."

Jon shot him a look. "Dude. Not helping."

Danny blinked, unable to contain his smile. He wasn't sure what to make of them, but something about the exchange was… oddly familiar.

It reminded him of Tucker and Sam bickering, they always brought a smile to his face.

He missed his friends so much.

Jon, as if reminded of something, straightened a bit. "Right. Uh—hi! I'm Jon. Jonathan Kent. But I kinda go by Superboy, sometimes. You know, if the whole, uh, super part didn't already give that away." He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

Damian stared at his friend like he's an idiot. Did he just give out his civilian identity to a random stranger?

They'll have a long chat before the young ex assassin actually disowns him.

Danny blinked, confused.

'Superboy?'

Like, an actual super hero from the comics? Were heroes a thing here? He glanced at the crest on the boy's chest—red and yellow, shaped like an 'S.'

Next to him, the other kid who he met before, glared at Jon before fixing his already perfect posture, introducing himself as well "I'm Robin."

'Guess he won't share his name.' Danny thought. But if superheroes are actually real, then secret identities too.

'Where in ancients name did you send me, clockwork?!'

Jon grinned, taking a small step closer like he was trying not to spook him. "We found you a few days ago. You were, uh… not doing great. But you're safe now! Promise."

'Ah, well that answers one question.'

So he was saved by heroes? Danny remembered the state he was in so maybe, when he saw Robin that day with the other guy, they were there to save him?

Was that what happened?

Either way, he's very grateful. One more day with that fruitloop and he would've lost it!

So in true Danny fashion, he smiled at them, eyes and all just like how Jazz taught him to do.

"Thank you."

Damian was pleased, and knew that Daniel was truly thanking them. So he offered a simple nod in turn.

Jon on the other hand, brightened immediately, looking ready to explode from pure happiness. "No problem! Oh, man you should've seen when we brought you in!! Superman and Aquaman were totally freaking out! Well, okay, Superman was more like concerned, and Aquaman was pissed more than anything! But Batman had that scary face thing going on—you know, his normal face—"

"Superboy," Damian interrupted sharply.

"What? I'm just saying!"

"Be quiet."

Jon groaned but fell silent—well, for about three seconds. Then, unable to help himself, he added, "Anyway, you've been asleep for like, two days or something. The medics been running tests and making sure you're stable and—oh! Do you remember what happened?"

Danny stared at the sunshine of a boy and couldn't help but blink in confusion.

Superman? Aquaman? Batman? Were those actual people?!

Was batman an actual bat?!

This new universe was crazy and he didn't know whether to laugh or cry right now.

He glanced down at his hands resting on the sheets, both fashioning faint, light scars from then the fruitloops wanted to test out his regeneration ability.

Danny wondered, just for a second, if there were superheroes back in his own universe, would they have saved him?

Or will they too believe he's not alive, and therefore not worth saving?

He shook his head, yeeting those thoughts away. There's no use thinking about it now! Clockwork said he's safe here.

Which means, for once, no one will come and hunt him down.

No one even knows who he actually is here!

...Wait...

'What if they learned that I'm a ghost?'

Was he even a half ghost anymore? He's still definitely half human maybe, now a merman too! Does that even make sense?

Yeah, no. He always hated math for a reason.

Danny must've been quiet for a while, because when he looked up again, he met a pair of worried green eyes watching him

He really liked those eyes.

Realizing he’d spaced out, Danny gave a small, awkward smile. "Sorry. Uh... only a little," he answered, finally responding to Jon's earlier question.

The young super's expression softened immediately. "That's alright. No one's rushing you anyway."

The words eased something inside him. Danny let out a sigh, shoulders finally relaxing. "...Thanks."

Jon ginned, bright as ever. "You're welcome. Oh! You have to meet Krypto later. He's gonna love you, right Damian?"

Robin raised an eyebrow, as if the question itself was stupid.

"If you believe that Krypto would do otherwise, then you are stupid."

Danny blinked. "...Krypto?"

Jon's eyes lit up like Christmas morning. "My dog. Well, kinda. He's my aunt's dog, technically, but he's the best! You'll see."

Robin rolled his eyes. "He's tolerable, I suppose. Competent enough, not quite on par with Titus or Murder king but still adequate."

Danny's lips twitched. Titus? Murder King? Those names were… kind of cute. Sam would've loved them.

He then got reminded of his own best buddy, and doesn't know why he wanted to share his story too, but it just felt right.

"I had a dog too." Danny smiled at the thought of him. " His name was Cujo."

Damian perked up, curious at the mention of a pet. "A fine name, what type of dog was he?"

"A guard dog actually," he replied, his own expression softened at the memories of the ghost dog. "He was… energetic. Loved to fetch and would find me whenever he wanted to play."

Jon practically bounced. "How did you find him? Did you train him? Oh! Was he huge?!"

Imagine if all their dogs met each other, it'll be le best day ever!!

Simply thinking about it excited the young super.

Danny frowned, could he tell them? Was that okay? ...he didn't really feel ready to speak about it in detail.

So he did what he thought was best.

"Cujo… he passed away," the halfa said quietly, his tone breaking the hearts of those who heard it.

It's not like he lied anyway.

Jon flat out felt embarrassed, upset that he made the younger boy sad.

"I'm sorry."

Danny shook his head. "It's alright, he's still with me even if he's not physically present."

"Do not dwell on what you cannot change," Robin added, making Danny look at him. "It honors him more to be remembered by the way he was, not the way he is no longer."

Was he... Trying to cheer him up?

Danny let out a quiet laugh, Robin was truly growing on him now.

Damian noticed Danny's expression ease and puffed out his chest, clearly pleased with the outcome.

Jon noticed it too and sighed in relief, he seized this chance to lift the mood. "Anyway! Speaking of pets, Robin got some really interesting ones."

Yes, Jon had noticed the way his best friend glared at him when he slipped and revealed his name.

He wasn't stupid to do it twice.

"More?" Was Robin a zoo owner? How could one own more than two pets and actually survive the ordeal?

Truly, Danny wondered how he accomplished it.

"Yeah! Her name is Batcow and she's the best cow ever!" Jon waved his arms excitedly.

Even Damian nodded, why won't he? Batcow is indeed the best.

Danny blinked. "Bat.. cow?"

...Was Robin not a zoo owner, but a Farm owner instead?

This universe is starting to get stranger and stranger by the second.

Before Jon could answer, the sound of the door opening, followed by footsteps gained their attention.

All three heads turned to face it.

Two doctors stepped in, eyes scanning the room with a mix of surprise and confusion. Their gaze immediately fell on the two boys at their patient's bedside.

Both Jon and Damian stiffened instantly. They weren't supposed to be here and they both knew it.

The doctors exchanged a look, should they say something?

Jon shifted awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. While Damian didn't even bother to do anything.

They were caught, it was an oversight on his part.

Soon, two heavy footsteps came and in turn, two figures appeared. Danny watched this scene and felt second hand embarrassment.

....It's like visiting your friend's house only for said friend to be yelled at by their parent in front of you.

His instinct is telling him that's what about to happen right now. And by the way both of the boys tensed up, he should be correct.

Oh well, it was nice knowing them both.

"What are you two doing here?"

Chapter Text

Bruce was having a good day.

He actually slept for five hours. which, by his standards, was luxury level treatment which was practically a steal with all things considered.

He even woke up on time for breakfast. Alfred had even made his favourite! And honestly, the man outdid himself this morning.

The dining room was busy in the best kind of way, Dick and Duke were chatting about their plans for the day, cracking jokes that even he couldn't help but smile at.

Tim, for once only had one cup of coffee. And although whatever was mixed in it was questionable, that in itself was a miracle of its own.

Bruce was quite pleased with Damian as well, his son didn't throw a single knife at his siblings and even had a decent conversation with Cassandra.

Even Jason was present this morning! Hell, he even greeted him with a smile.

Truly, today was a good day.

Dealing with paparazzi as Brucie Wayne was surprisingly tolerable. Few had shoved cameras at his face, but other than that? No one jumped at him nor asked for his signature on a suspicious looking paper that may or may not have resembled adoption papers.

For the first time in weeks, Bruce had survived with his clothes intact.

Truly a miracle.

When he finally returned to the Manor, he found himself standing in the hallway, a little dazed.

It's already ten in the morning and he had finished off everything for the day. Normally it would've taken him till lunch but he somehow finished everything early.

Even Signal didn't need any help watching over Gotham this time, since nothing worth mentioning had happened yet.

He stared at the grandfather clock and signed. Bruce will just head out to the Watchtower an hour earlier than planned.

It's not like he's needed here right now.

So naturally, he suited up and made his way to the Zita tube, heading straight to the Justice league base.

And if he looked forward to it, it wasn't shown on his face.

Fortunately, the Watchtower wasn't crowded today. Just a handful of the younger heroes scattered around, busy with training or light patrol work. None of the core League members were in sight, which suited Bruce perfectly.

He walked the long metal corridor toward the office he rarely used. I mean, why use it when the batcave offers the same if not a higher quality system than here?

It might be biased of him, but was there really anything that could top the Batcave?

Thought so.

Still, he still does in case of emergencies or in this case, chance.

On the desk sat a single file, belonging to none other than the young child his  sons and the rest of the team had rescued that day.

Danny.

No last name, possible name alternatives: Daniel.

Bruce sat down, fingers tracing over the name before flipping the file open. The more he reads, the worse it becomes.

Possible abduction since childhood. No existing records. DNA analysis inconclusive, no living relatives found. Signs of long term confinement and extensive physical trauma.

Scars scattered all over his body, most as old as two years, some already Healed.

A large, horrifying scar across his chest. Notes suggesting failed vivisections, evidence: no lost organs.

Batman exhaled, eyes focused on the single sentence on the page in hand.

Age: Twelve.

And he looks, much, much younger.

Even a blind man could tell that he was so malnourished, that his body failed to grow properly. And with the possibility of torture, the boy hardly even had time to care for himself further.

That is, if he knows how to actually do that.

Whoever had done this to the boy hadn't been just doing it for the fun of it, they were experimenting on him but for what? No one knows. And yet, somehow, the kid had survived it against all odds.

The medical scans were the worst part. He'd seen horrors before, but there was something particularly cruel about this.

It's like they weren't doing this on a living, breathing person, but a dead body.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the office door.

'Who could it be?'

He looked up. "Come in."

The door slid open with a low hiss.

"Hey, Bats," came a familiar voice, he could already feel the headache coming. "Hope I'm not interrupting whatever brooding you had scheduled."

"Hal."

Hal Jordan stepped in, the door closing softly behind him. He looked tired, must've just returned from space. "Heard about the kid. Figured I'd drop by before heading home. You look like hell, by the way."

Batman ignored that. "You've read the reports?"

"Yeah. Poor kid, he's been through a lot." He shook his head frowning. "Heard that Arthur plans to adopt him once he's stable."

Bruce hummed softly, just enough to acknowledge the information without giving away what he was thinking.

Hal leaned a little closer, offering a smile. "If there's anything I can do to help, just say the word."

He didn't respond, only nodded at him.

Hal straightened, a hint of mischief returning to his posture. "Alright, I'll leave you to it. But seriously… try to get some sleep. Even Batman deserves it once in a while."

....but he already did?

'Do I look tired?' Bruce felt that Hal was saying nonsense stuff again. He's Bruce Wayne after all.

To keep up with his Brucie Wayne persona, his skin is as perfect and clear as it can be!

It's totally Hall who's blind.

The door hissed shut behind him, leaving Bruce alone with his thoughts. He glanced back at Danny's file, eyes narrowing just slightly.

Maybe he should visit.

Even if it's to just check up on the young boy, Not because he had to, of course. Just to make sure the room was exactly as it should be, perfectly safe, comfortable, everything tailored for a good recovery.

Totally not because of his dark hair, blue eyes, obvious traumatic background and could fit right into his family.

No, Bruce does not have a problem.

Bruce walked down the corridor toward the medbay, thinking of simply heading inside when he noticed that he wasn't alone.

Up ahead, he saw Arthur strolling alongside two doctors, deep in conversation.

They must be talking about Danny, which is quite expected after all.

Arthur must've noticed him at some point. His eyes met his, and he gave a polite wave. "Batman. Good to see you. We're just on our way to check on young Danny, would you like to join?"

The doctors greeted him which he returned with a nod, giving Arthur a look which told him everything he needed to know.

He kept his expression neutral as he fell in step beside them, listening to the recent reports provided by the two doctors.

Bruce and Arthur soon reached their destination, the two doctors just ahead, quietly reviewing charts and murmuring to one another.

And there they were.

Robin and Superboy, standing silently beside Danny's bed. Neither of them said a word when they saw them, both clearly aware they shouldn't be there.

Danny was lying comfortably on his bed, clearly having been awake for a while now.

Bruce let out a long, quiet sigh. Of course. He should have known better than to think this day was going to be perfect till the end.

"What are you two doing here?" He asked, showing his displeasure clear in his voice.

Both boys stood silently, not answering his question.

He was about to ask again, when a small, hesitant voice spoke instead.

"...Sir, are you going to punish my friends?"

It was Danny, he looked quite pitiful and vulnerable. There was a small quiver in his time that made his fear obvious. Still, he held Bruce's gaze in a small act of courage.

Batman froze, momentarily speechless.

Perhaps because he didn't reply sooner, the boy continued. "I...I was scared when I woke up alone. They found me and kept me company. You won't punish them right, sir?"

For a moment, the room was silent. Even the boys in question were caught off guard. They knew that Danny was lying through his teeth, but could they really call him out on it? No.

Not unless they wanted to embarrass their friend who was clearly trying to protect them.

And if they do, there was a solid chance that Danny might never speak to them ever again.

They both exchanged a glance, knowing exactly that the other felt the same.

With those bright, nervous blue eyes staring up at him like a kicked puppy, Bruce could only silently sigh in defeat.

Of course Damian and his friend somehow managed to gain the boy's trust in such a short amount of time and used it against him.

Bruce's expression softened, at least his child is making new friends.

"No, they are not in trouble." He finally said, watching how the boy's shoulders relaxed. Danny smiled, wide and relieved, looking happily at the two beside him.

Now, wasn't it mentioned in the report that he couldn't speak their language? Clearly it needs to be updated.

Arthur, who watched this scene in silence, let out a soft chuckle. He too was amused by the situation and was glad that the child was making new friends.

Also Proud by the fact that the boy was opening up.

Batman turned his gaze to Robin, who now met it head on unlike earlier.

"I'll need a full report later."

Receiving a nod, Bruce watched as the doctors moved in. Quietly checking monitors and adjusting equipment around Danny's bed.

Now that the vibes were less, crazy crazy, Arthur took this chance to speak with the young merboy.

Stepping closer, he smiled gently at him and asked. "How are you feeling?"

Danny blinked up at him, a small, hesitant smile tugging at his lips. Now that he knew this handsome blonde, Arthur was it? Isn't working with the GIW… well, he felt less... complicated about it

Still, he couldn't fully trust him, or any adults for that matter. They could be a bunch of fruitloops in disguise!

But the old clock did say he's at the safest place. So he gave the older man an answer that'll satisfy him, he looked genuinely worried after all.

"Um… I'm okay," he said softly, shrugging just a bit. "A bit tired, but… I'm fine."

Positively starving in fact! But Danny couldn't simply say that could he?

Arthur crouched slightly to meet him more at eye level, resting one hand gently on the edge of the bed. "That's good, are you hungry? You didn't eat breakfast this morning."

Ah, of course he'd say that.

Danny hesitated, debating whether to actually answer or just nod along and hope no one brought him oatmeal.

Arthur noticed the young merboy's reluctance, so he tried another approach.

"Would you like some Ectoplasm?"

That caught his attention.

Danny's eyes widened, unable to believe what he just heard.

For a second, Danny honestly thought he'd misheard. Sure, he asked about it last time. But that was because he thought he was at the GIW!.

Now that he knows this is an entirely different universe, the chances of it existing are zero to none.

Of course he could still gain it by other means, but pure ecto? Did they really have it?

Arthur sees the suspicion on the boy's face and took out a small shard of Kryptonite.

It was small enough to barely hurt anyone, especially the young Kryptonian in the room.

Superboy was the first to notice it which was expected, he flinched at the sight and instinctively backed away.

Robin right by his side, looking at Arthur warily.

Danny's eyes, though did the opposite. They brightened.

Arthur's suspicion was confirmed instantly. The kid's reaction had said it all and didn't let anything to be refuted.

He sighed softly, glancing back at Batman who, of course, stood silent but clearly watching the exchange.

Of course he knew what Arthur was up to, he was there at the meeting after all.

Arthur remembered the conversation with Clark that day, the both of them going over theories of what relations Lex Luther could have had with Danny.

It was then that Superman pointed out that the description of the Ectoplasm the boy had given was exactly how he would've described Kryptonite.

Although, with more details of course.

A horrific thought had crossed their minds that day, and with it possibilities that they hoped weren't true.

What if he experimented on the child using Kryptonite? As nothing but a food source at that on top of everything else?!

He could still remember what Clark had told him.

"If the possibility that Luther had a hand in this, give Danny the shard and see how he reacts to it. If he reaches out for it..."

Arthur had hated the idea then. He hated it even more now.

Holding the shard up just slightly, Arthur spoke softly, careful not to make the boy feel cornered.

"This is called Kryptonite."

Danny's gaze was locked on it, eyes glowing faintly now, and Arthur didn't miss the small, instinctive reach of his hand before he caught himself and pulled back.

"Tell me," Arthur said, gentler this time. "Was this the Ectoplasm you've asked for?"

Danny blinked, looking at him in confusion but still nodded his head.

Arthur lowered the shard immediately, turning it offhandedly in his palm before slipping it back into its container. Well, that was the plan, before a young hand reached out and took it away.

He didn't even have time to react before the young boy had put it straight to his mouth, swallowing it whole.

"Danny, no!"

In mere seconds, chaos filled the room.

Chapter Text

In his defence, Danny was starving.

The moment his eyes landed on that shiny green shard, his brain just... stopped. He couldn't focus on anything else around him.

Hardly even paid attention to the man speaking to him.

Sue him, it looked like candy.

And ancients did it taste like one!

Danny licked his lips, savoring the way the strange, sweet shard melted on his tongue, leaving a faint chill in his mouth that spread all the way down his core.

Kryptonite, was it? Whatever it's called in this universe, he wanted more.

The young merboy looked up at the handsome blond who 'handed' him the tasty candy, completely ignorant of the way every person in the room had gone pale with horror, eyes wide, jaws practically hitting the floor.

Puppy eyes on maximum effect, he tilted his head and asked innocently. "Can I have more?"

The moment he said those words, his mouth was forcefully pried open by the blond who had a panicked look on his face.

"Damn it! Spit it out!"

"Uhhauww" Danny tried to speak, which was quite the difficult task to do when there are literal fingers jammed inside his mouth.

The two doctors, as if finally waking from a trance, scrambled forward and pried Arthur's hands away. They grabbed their tools and tried to help, checking the boy's mouth for the shard to hopefully remove it.

Only to pause, because there was nothing inside.

Did their patient really....eat it?

"Are you okay? Do you feel anything?!" It was Jon who rushed close to the merboy's side with wide eyes. Damian followed right after, looking just as alarmed with worry clear on his face.

Danny, not exactly thrilled about the adults basically touching him without consent and forcing his mouth open, shook their hand away and nearly hissed.

Because... rude?

'Seriously, does no one here ever heard about personal space?'

Rising an eyebrow at the two doctors and the still horrified Arthur, he turned to the two boys and smiled brightly at them. Though confused by their question.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

Jon was speechless.

What was he even supposed to say?

Maybe something along the lines of, "Because you just ate a radioactive shard left from Krypton that could..I don't know, KILL ME?"

... Truly... how could he say that when his friend was looking at him with those innocent, blue eyes?

Damian, however, didn't share Jon's hesitation.

"Tt. You just consumed Kryptonite," he said, crossing his arms. "Forgive us for doubting your definition of fine, but eating that alone warrants concern, regardless of how oblivious you are."

Danny blinked, confused. He had only eaten Ectoplasm… if anything, he felt a little better.

Was Kryptonite bad here? I mean... It did make sense since it's for ghosts. Oh well, Our protagonist felt the need to clarify if he wanted to get more of it in the future and avoid possible misunderstandings.

"Huh? But I always had it before. I'm fine, truly. If anything, I would like more, please."

Everyone just stared.

It was only a moment after that someone spoke. "And you had access to this... Ectoplasm before?"

It was Batman. The tone of his voice made Danny slightly flinch, it totally shocked him.

'How is his voice so deep?!'

The boy had almost forgotten the man was there in the first place, he could barely even sense him! But the question sounded normal enough, so he nodded earnestly.

Anything to get more Ecto candy!

"Yeah! It was all I could eat after all."

Although that sounded wrong and could totally lead to potential misunderstandings, but it was true!

Danny remembered how, when he'd been captured by the GIW, Ectoplasm had been his only source of sustenance, the only reason he was able to stay alive through it all.

Even when they gave him so little.

And later, when he stayed with Vlad, the man had kept up doing the same thing, though obviously better and with more care.

Yes he ate normal human food, but Vlad always fed Ecto to him at least six times a day.

He basically lived off it.

So for Danny, it was just... normal. And right now, sitting in this room surrounded by the group of heroes who looked like they are about to rip someone's soul out of their body, it hasn't even crossed his innocent mind that what he knew was harmless to him, might be crazy crazy for others.

"... I see." Was all Batman said, resting his cloved hand on Aquaman's shoulder, who looked a second away from causing genocide.

The two boys stayed silent but shared a look, it was clear that this wasn't a simple case as everyone thought it would be.

Watching how everyone had suddenly turned silent, Danny scratched his cheek. "So, can I have some more please? I'm starving."

That almost broke whatever thin line of sanity the adults had left.

It was then that one of the doctors clapped their hands together, gaining everyone's attention in the room.

"How about we check on our patient first," they said with that tight professional smile on their face, "and then continue this lovely conversation later?"

The hidden meaning was clear,

Get out.

Eventually everyone resigned and greeted Danny well. Batman gave a curt nod before heading out first, followed by Damian who did the same but with more emotion on his face.

Jon hesitated before following, but that didn't stop him from smiling and waving at his new friend with promises to visit later!

Arthur was the last to leave, choosing to ruffle Danny's hair affectionately with visible reluctance on his face. It took a look from the two doctors for him to actually walk out.

Once the door shut, Danny blinked in confusion, still not entirely sure what he'd done wrong. "Was it something I said?" he murmured, tail moving absently in the water.

The doctors sighed in unison.

It's going to be a long day.

"Did you hear what he said? HE'D BEEN FED FUCKING POISON BY THAT BASTARD!"

Arthur was pissed, his voice thundered across the hall outside the medbay.

"Calm down Aquaman," even though Batman shared his worries, rushing into things wouldn't be wise.

"Calm down?" Arthur's face contorted in disbelief, how could he not understand what he's feeling right now? The King was heartbroken on his ward's behalf. "My child was being treated in every inhuman way possible and you want ME to calm down?!"

"Arthur..."

"Tsk."

Bruce exhaled slowly through his nose, massaging the bridge of it. This day was getting worse by the second.

He glanced behind at his son and Jon, both were following behind in silence as Arthur practically fuming in anger.

They needed more intel, and to do that...

"Robin, report."

Damian stood straighter, it was time to show his father how his skills had advanced.

Obviously, he was the superior Robin.

"Daniel is obviously malnourished. His physique reflects prolonged underfeeding, with visible scars across his body.

Most notably on the wrists as well as faint lines, clearly self inflicted in response to trauma or confinement. No doubt from attempts to relieve discomfort or control his situation where he had none."

He paused, thinking for a second before adding. "When Superboy and I spoke with him, he hardly shared anything personal. Only mentions were of a guard dog he's clearly attached to that had passed away—likely placed by his captor or 'guardian.' It is impossible he could have acquired such an animal himself given his isolation and lack of access to normal society."

Jon gave a slight nod, confirming Damian's observations without interrupting.

"He exhibits extreme aversion to physical contact, especially from adults. Any touch prompts visible discomfort and defensive gestures. Furthermore, when we referenced other superheroes or those related, he showed clear confusion. Indicating his knowledge of the outside world is minimal at best."

Seriously, who doesn't know Batman? Daniel clearly had been living under a rock.

Bruce hummed, acknowledging Damian's report while studying his expression.

It was clear he wanted to add more, so he signaled him to continue.

Robin's eyes behind his mask narrowed. "Additionally… based on Superboy's observations, Daniel's heart beat is almost.. none existent."

Batman frowned.

"Is that true, Superboy?"

Jon shifted slightly, uncomfortable and clearly shocked that The Batman addressed him, but he knew how important this was so he stood straight like Damian and shared his thoughts.

"Yes," he confirmed, meeting Bruce's eyes. "I've been monitoring his heart from the moment I realized something was off. And… if he hadn't been awake, talking to us, I would've thought he—" He hesitated, unsure how to phrase it."—I would've thought he was… gone."

It was quite frightening, Jon couldn't help but assure himself that his friend was alive. That it's simply because he was hurt.

There was a brief silence between them. Batman hummed thoughtfully at this new information, his jaw tightening at the possibilities in light of it.

It wasn't like that their scans didn't show that, but they simply assumed it was temporary since the boy was in a critical condition back then.

For it to last even now...

Arthur's eyes narrowed, his anger had lessened the moment young Robin started speaking.

True, that he was furious, but he will not let it blind him into acting irrationally.

His friend was right after all.

When Robin finished his report, Arthur found himself at a loss.

Was he so focused on speaking with the boy that he failed to notice his failing heart?

He didn't know what to feel about this.

Batman looked down at Robin. "Anything else?"

Damian shook his head, he had shared everything he had learned from that simple interaction.

If only they weren't interrupted, he could've learned more.

"Well done, both of you." Recieving the praise from his father, Damian puffed his chest and stood proudly.

Very pleased of course.

Jon too smiled, although flustered. Red tint clear on his cheeks.

"However," Batman added. "Don't think you two are getting away with disobeying orders."

Their smile fell just as fast as it appeared, making Batman's lips twitch at the sight.

The boys reaction was quite cute after all.

Danny sighed, staring at the plate in front of him. It was stacked with food—grilled fish, fancy bread, even a few shiny fruits that Danny hadn't seen before.

The doctors had brought it over after they finished with whatever they were doing. Only because he had said that he was starving....

Totally regretting it now.

He doesn't even like fish!

Danny poked the fish with his fork, lost in thought. Was he not going to get Ecto? That rock candy was truly delicious, he wanted more.

With a sigh, he let his fork fall in the plate, ignoring it now. He'll just have to ask his new friends for it.

They seem kind enough not to refuse his simple requests.

The medbay was quiet, it felt quite lonely sometimes. As he poked the fruit, making it roll away, the sound of the door opening came followed by soft footsteps.

Danny looked up intrigued, only to see Kaldur walk in, followed by two strangers.

He blinked.

Why was everyone handsome here?! Were all the people in this universe born with lethal face cards?

"Hello, Danny. Hopefully we are not disturbing," Kaldur politely sad, smiling at his future prince.

Danny shook his head, still unsure of how to treat this guy.

The two men behind Kaldur offered friendly waves. One had dark hair and kind blue eyes, while the other shorter guy had soft ginger hair and green eyes.

He felt very familiar to Danny but he couldn't remember where he'd seen him before...

Then it clicked.

"Oh!" Danny eyes lit up, widening just a bit.

"Hey, kid." He greeted, a bright smile appearing on his face. "We came to visit."

Danny blinked again, then awkwardly gestured at the untouched plate. "Uh… you guys want some fish?"

It's only proper to offer food when guests arrive.

Chapter Text

Y'all must know, it really wasn't anyone's fault.

When Kaldur came to visit, no one had bothered to mention that our lovely young merboy could, in fact, speak perfect English.

Yes, even Arthur didn't.

But could you fault him? The king was quite furious by the recent information they had on Danny dear and he needed time to well...chill.

So naturally, the Atlantean greeted our boy in his own language, thinking that it might make Danny feel more at ease.

He had even planned to be the official interpreter between his friends and his new Prince so everyone could enjoy their time together.

Except... Well...

In Danny's case, he didn't even notice. As everyone knows, one of the perks of being the king of the infinite realms is every translator's dream aka the knowledge of all languages be it alive or dead.

Even with that, it didn't mean much with him. He doesn't hear the difference, nor notice it actually until it's too late. Whoever speaks to him, he hears what his brain decides as his default language. And when he replies, all they hear is their own language.

Of course, if Danny wills it, he could speak multiple all at once. It's crazy crazy and truly makes my brain heat up.

Think Harry Potter speaking perseltongue, it's all English to him but definitely not to others.

So when Kaldur spoke first, Danny's brain instantly locked onto that language. And stayed there.

Even when our speedstar spoke after, our protagonist's brain just simply picked favourites.

And honestly I can't fault that.

Which is why, when Danny offered his food, all adults weren't surprised by the use of another language.

Yes, even our Nightwing wasn't up to date with the news because, who checks the Batchat every second?

So, they both simply looked at their friend to translate, and when they did that Danny just thought they were taking permission for some reasons.

Kaldur, bless him, didn't even flinch. He simply translated, just how he planned to do. "He is offering you his food."

Wally perked up immediately. "Sweet!" He reached out without hesitation, he won't mind a snack after all.

But before he could grab it, smack!

"Ow!" Wally rubbed the back of his head, glaring at Dick. "What was that for?!"

Dick rolled his eyes but still looked fondly at him. "Yeah, and you don't just snatch food from someone recovering, genius."

Kaldur chuckled, mildly amused. "He was offering, so it should be fine."

Wally grinned, shooting his boyfriend a smug look. "See? I'm innocent."

Dick didn't argue, why would he? He let his fingers linger on the back of the Speedstar's neck which was enough to make the ginger shut up.

"At least introduce yourself first." He added.

Wally flushed faintly, the tips of his ears turning pink, clearly embarrassed. But what for exactly? Well...

Anyway.

Danny watched the exchange quietly, blinking as the two bickered with each other.

'They seem like good friends.'

Wally coughed which gained Danny's attention. Blue eyes meeting green.

'Not like Robin's, not as shiny.'

Danny found himself comparing the two unconsciously. He couldn't help it really, he missed his own green eyes.

"Hey kid, just call me speedy! Fastest man alive."

The ginger, speedy, introduced himself proudly which made Danny pull away from his thoughts.

'Fastest man alive? As in literally?'

Danny didn't know if he should take the last sentence seriously or not.

Dick shook his head, already knew that wally would go straight to nicknames. "I'm Nightwing." He then pointed at Wally after noticing the boy's clear confusion. "Flash here is indeed the fastest man alive but we don't talk about it here."

Kaldur choked on a laugh and Wally gasped, scandalized. He did not just say that!

Aqualad wisely ignored the two and choose to translate what they had said to the young merboy who simply kept staring at them.

Quite adorably in fact.

As he was about to translate when Danny interrupted—this time in clear, perfect English.

"Oh—uh, hi." His voice was quiet but warm, and a little shy. "I'm Danny."

That caught them all off guard for a second. And all they could do was watch.

Wally blinked, blurting out. "Wait— you can speak?!"

Danny flinched at the volume of the voice, confused by the question but answered nonetheless. "....yes?"

Didn't he just speak with them?

Wally quickly realized his voice had come out a little too loud, especially when Danny flinched. His face fell instantly, guilt flashing across his face.

He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced helplessly at Dick for help.

Dick sighed softly and walked over, crouching beside the bed. "Hey," he said gently, "Sorry about Speedy here."

Wally muttered apologies which didn't quite reach Danny but the two adults heard it.

"What he meant to say," Dick continued, smiling like le best older brothers he is, reminding Danny of how Jazz smiled at him in turn. "is— are you able to understand us?"

Danny hesitated, his gaze flicking between them. He didn't really get why they were asking that. Weren't they speaking with each other just now?

Our halfa might actually start questioning their intelligence at some point.

but something about the way Nightwing looked at him made him think that it was genuine.

So he nodded.

Dick hummed thoughtfully, glancing over his shoulder at the others.

Kaldur took a small step forward, hands behind his back. "And did you know you were speaking two languages just now?"

That made Danny pause. His head tilted slightly, the question taking a second to fully process.

'Two languages?'

He blinked as the realization soon came sinking in.

'Oh—'

Ghost King perks. He may have forgotten about that part.

But he couldn't exactly say that can he? So he did the next best thing.

His cheeks flushed faintly with embarrassment. "...No," he admitted after a beat, which was true! "It all sounds the same to me."

If he can't name it, he'll just explain it!

Still, Danny gave the adults his most pitiful puppy eyes. "Is it bad?"

Wally choked, even Dick who was directly in front of the boy was left speechless.

Kaldur on the other hand was trained to do better! He placed a hand near Danny without touching him, making the merboy turn to him.

His future prince and younger brother shouldn't fear such things after all.

"No, actually it's a good thing." He smiled at Danny. "It simply makes us wonder how many other languages you know."

They did come to gain information after all, not that they weren't worried about the lil guy!

Danny's eyes lit up. A chance! This was perfect timing to explain a lil without looking suspicious.

Who knows if he'll slip up again in the future?

"Oh! I know lots and lots of languages!" he said brightly, voice almost bubbling with excitement. "Even Vlad had trouble keeping up with me!"

The memory of his Godfather made Danny smile. Though it fell soon after.

He won't be able to see him again...

The three adults exchanged glances, a name was mentioned which means a possible lead, a possible suspect.

"… who is Vlad?" Wally asked quietly, leaning forward just a little, careful not to alarm Danny.

He doesn't want the boy to flinch because of him again.

Danny paused, torn between telling them who Vlad was or not. He still didn't trust them yet even If they were handsome and nice.

So he chose the safest option.

"He's my... guardian." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either.

That set off alarms in everyone's heads, but they had to proceed with caution if they wanted to know more.

Dick's expression softened, "and did he take good care of you?"

Danny's gave fell to his lap, watching how his tail swayed in the water.

He couldn't tell them the truth.

He can't.

Because Vlad really had taken care of him. He had fed him, taught him things he could hardly even imagine, even tried to make his strange new diet feel normal!

It was difficult for him to have Ecto more than once every day, but Vlad promised that he had to for his body to grow stronger.

Especially after he....

Then a thought hit him like a bucket of cold water.

Right, food.

Maybe he can use this chance and get Ecto! He really liked the shiny Ecto candy and would love for nothing more than to have it again.

Kryptonite, was it? Well then, Danny will just hunt more.

Danny lit up, proud of the genius plan he had. "Yeah!" He replied, face was full of smiles and sunshine. "He even gave me lots of Kryptonite to eat!"

The room went dead quiet.

Kaldur blinked once. Dick's smile froze and Wally made a noise halfway between a choke and a gasp.

"I—sorry, what?!" Wally sputtered.

Dick's brows shot up, frozen halfway between confusion and horror. "You… ate Kryptonite?"

Kaldur looked mildly alarmed but kept his composure. "Danny, are you certain it was Kryptonite?"

"Uh huh!" Danny nodded, remembering earlier. "Even Arthur gave me some! It was only a small shard though and I really wanted more."

Another beat of silence.

Wally's head snapped toward Kaldur. "Aquaman gave him Kryptonite?!"

Kaldur was now horrified. His own king gave his young prince, poison?!

Was it even poisonous to them? It's a rock! How could one even eat a rock?!

He couldn't believe it but Danny looked so sincere it was hard to argue.

"Danny," Dick said carefully. "Do you still have any of it?"

Danny shook his head. "No, I ate it like I said. But I would love to have more please."

What is up with them? This is the fifth time he asked for more and no one even gave it to him.

The people in this universe don't have manners at all!

Kaldur's brow furrowed. "So you…actually ate it."

"Mhm!" Danny nodded, proud of himself. "It's like candy but even better!, you know?"

Wally muttered, "No, actually, we don't know," under his breath, who could even do this to a young child.

Experimenting is one thing, but to actually feed him such a horrible thing that could in no way be possible to bite into—

Wait, how did he even eat it?

"Kid," Wally asked, rather carefully. "How were you able to...chew it."

His question made the two adults pause, fair.

Kyriptonite was a hard rock after all, it can't easily be broken but less bite into.

Danny blinked at them, confusion clear on his face. Were they serious right now? He tilted his head slightly, tail fin giving a lazy flick in the water.

Maybe because no one eats Ecto here so they were curious?

The young ghost was tired of answering so many questions without receiving anything in return.

'Maybe I'll just have to ask Robin and Jon, they are better than these adults anyway.'

So he wrapped his arms around himself, shoulders curling slightly. "I dunno," he mumbled, eyes avoiding theirs. "I just do."

Wally's mouth opened, aiming to question further but Dick caught his arm, a quiet shake of the head telling him to drop it.

Kaldur studied the boy for a long moment, how can he make his lil prince trust them? "You do not have to answer if you are tired, Danny." He bowed his head. "Forgive us if we disturbed you."

Danny turner and blinked at him. Great, now even the handsome men looked sad. Seriously, why was everyone here so stupidly good looking?!

He gives up honestly.

"...I'm hungry," he muttered after a moment, voice shaky. "And the only thing I want is to eat. So why isn't anyone giving me the only thing I want to eat?"

No, Danny was not going to cry. He wasn't! He was just hungry, that's all.

But when the tears started pooling anyway, blurring the edges of his vision, all three adults instantly panicked.

Kaldur straightened in alarm, lost on how to react. Wally froze, eyes wide, hands flailing slightly like he was trying to comfort a wet cat.

They couldn't just give him Kryptonite! What if he gets harmed?!

Dick, unfortunately wasn't able to stop himself seeing how easily the tears fell. "It's okay, it's okay!" He reached out, wiping the tears away. "You just want Kryptonite right?"

Danny sniffled, looking up at him with those bright, watery blue eyes much like his own.

Damn it, Bruce is going to kill him!

Dick checked his belt and unlocked one of the hidden compartments. Every Batfam member had one, though it was more of a 'just in case Superman gets mind controlled' like that one time than for feeding children.

He took a steady breath and pulled out the small lead lined capsule, clicking it open. Inside, the green glow shimmered faintly, it obviously had kryptonite inside.

And it was much larger than the one Danny had before.

The halfa's eyes locked onto it immediately. His pupils widened like a starving kid seeing food for the first time.

Wally gasped. "You just had that with you?!"

Dick raised a brow, deadpan.

The speedster groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Of course you did."

Dick ignored him, eyes falling back to the merboy. Danny was still watching the shard, eyes still red from crying.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Dick asked quietly, his voice cautious. This might still be a huge misunderstanding after all!

Danny nodded instantly.

"Are you sure you won't get sick?"

Danny blinked at him, then gave him a look that said are you serious?

Dick sighed. If Bruce doesn't kill me, Arthur definitely will.

He hesitated for only a second longer before holding out the shiny green rock. "Alright, just don't make me regret this."

Danny held it with utmost care. The kryptonite was much bigger than the small shard from before and could hardly hold it without using both of his hands.

He smiled as the glow reflected in his eyes, his core purring simply by being near it.

'Finally.'

Without wasting anymore time, he opened his mouth and bit right into it.

Crunch.

Wally was about to faint.

Kaldur caught him by the arm before he could, but his eyes never leaving his prince.

All three adults stood frozen as Danny casually took another bite, and another, and another. Humming in delight as if he's eating candy and not something that could kill a Kryptonian.

"Holy—he's actually eating it!" Wally breathed out, not believing his eyes.

Danny didn't even seem to notice them. He just hummed softly, tail flicking once in contentment as his eyes fluttered close.

His core purred, blooming in delight.

Oh, this tasted so good... This was such a tasty Ecto, so pure and perfect.

After taking his last bite, savouring the taste. He opened his eyes to thank Nightwing, possibly ask for more.

Once he did, all adults inhaled sharply.

Because Lazarus green eyes stared right back at them.

Chapter Text

If anyone were to ask Richard Grayson Wayne what he thinks about le colour green, he'll either say Wally. Because yeah, his boyfriend's eyes were green and bright and alive in the best possible way—

Or he would simply not answer at all.

For green, bright green to be exact, isn't a colour he is fond of.

It reminded him of the pits and nothing else. How it affected his Jaybird and took his bright laughter  that he was so fond of away, and Dami whose childhood was simply ruined for it.

Even Bruce hadn't walked away unaffected, and neither had the rest of his siblings.

Be it used for good or not, our vigilante wasn't one to kindly forgive and forget anything that harmed his family after all.

Of course he doesn't hate the colour green, but he isn't quite fond of it especially if it resembles that crazy crazy waters of hell.

Which is exactly why when the young merboy stared at him with inhumanly, bright green eyes that looked like it had a mind of its own, dick could only think of one thing.

Lazarus pit.

This child that doesn't even look past twelve if not eleven years old had eyes as if he had been revived via pits over, and over, and over again.

It made him feel sick, and worse, he feared for the boy because no child should ever look like that.

Because it meant something had clearly been done to him far worse than they had imagined.

Dick forced himself not to react. He kept his face calm, neutral as if whatever he was seeing wasn't fazing him at all.

Because Danny was watching him.

And if his instincts were telling him anything, the boy looked like he was one second away from eating him whole.

'More.'

Danny stared at his now empty hands, still could feel the kryptonite that was in his hands just a second ago, and all he could think of is how empty it felt right now.

'I want more.'

He looked up, blue eyes meeting his. The man stayed in place doing nothing but stare at him in turn.

'He must have more.'

Danny swallowed. He hadn't realized just how hungry he was until now. That piece, actual normal size for once, had been the first real food he'd had in… he didn't know.

Forever?

It felt like forever.

'I need...'

His gaze drifted down without him meaning it to. Down past Nightwing's hands... to the utility belt.

That's where it came from.

'...Ecto...'

His fingers twitched. He lifted his hand slowly, almost on instinct, reaching for—

—and then someone touched his shoulder.

Danny flinched.

He turned his head and found Kaldur there, eyes wide with concern. His hand quickly left his shoulder almost immediately, as if knowing full well what he did was out of line.

But still...

It's as if the state Danny was in was but an illusion, all the crazy crazy thoughts he had all in his head suddenly vanished.

"Are you okay?" The handsome Atlantean asked softly.

The halfa blinked.

'Am I....?'

He looked back at his empty hands.

For a moment, our protagonist felt confused. Why were they even asking that? He was fine, he wasn't hurt in any way just simply hungry that's all.

Though his sister would've hit him for normalizing such a thing but like.... What could he do?

It wasn't a bad thing though...kind of?

Will that be a good answer though? Should he even answer that? But why should he?

But they did sound concerned.

Danny's mind was doing mental gymnastics while le adults in the room were getting more concerned by the minute.

Especially Wally who at one point decided that standing up is no longer an option.

But it wasn't long before they heard the boy finally speak.

"No... I'm still hungry."

His voice came out small. Softer than he meant it to, they almost couldn't have heard it if they weren't so close.

'Hungry?!'

They all stared at him, various expressions written plain across their faces—but before anyone could voice out their thoughts, they watched as the very pitful, adorable and young child hugged his body closer to himself, looking smaller by the second.

He looked up at them ashamed, greenish blue eyes wide and unsure.

"Did...did I do something wrong?"

No one dared to answer.

Everyone's thoughts short circuited.

Because really—who was supposed to answer that?

Not Wally… of course not Dick. And definitely not Kaldur! The man was trying to be on le good side of his instant young brother and prince.

No one wanted to risk anything and say something that could harm the fragile line of trust they painstakingly created with the young merboy.

Especially when he seemed so out of it.

Everyone hesitated to answer as they looked at each other.

And that, unfortunately, was a mistake.

Because no one seemed to notice lil fingers phasing straight through very unsuspecting vigilante's belt and taking the rest of le shiny space candy our protagonist seemed to be obsessed with right now.

Obviously, it's their fault for not paying attention.

It wasn't until our speedstar decided to be the one to speak, did he notice literal one apple tall Danny wasn't paying attention to them anymore and was instead eating the rest of the Kryptonite with a pleasant expression on his face.

"Kid, No!"

But it was too late, the halfa had just finished it all.

Dick blinked and to his horror turned and realized what had just happened. "Oh my god—Danny?!"

HOW DID HE EVEN GET THAT?!

Danny startled at the raised voices, eyes widening as he looked back at them. The green glow briefly lighting his eyes before fading. He swallowed reflexively, then blinked.

"…What?" he asked, genuinely confused.

As if he didn't just...steal? Is it really stealing if it's food? Does food even count? He was just hungry after all.

Stealing food when hungry is not punishable by law...he thinks? Unless this universe is crazy crazy and the laws are fruitloop level insane, which will be very uncool.

Anyway…Dick quickly reached for his belt, and as expected, it was empty. No Kryptonite on sight.

"Oh my god," he breathed. "Arthur is going to kill me."

Wally stared at him, horrified. "Dick. Buddy. The kid did not just rob you—"

Kaldur was already kneeling beside the young merboy, checking him all over. He knew better than to force the boy's mouth open or even touch him, especially when Danny's eyes followed him looking purely innocent.

"Are you okay?"

Our young trouble maker paused, still confused but of course not stupid to not realize the question was genuine.

So he nodded.

Kaldur let out a long, resigned sigh.

This young prince, he decided, was absolutely going to be the death of him.

Wally was mentally exhausted.

He just came to check up on the kid they saved the other day, nothing more nothing less.

The speedstar didn't expect to be faced with a bright, Kryptonite eating, clearly traumatized and tortured one apple tall merboy.

Honestly, his was quite worried. And totally wanted nothing more but to question this clearly innocent boy.

And as always, when he finally decided to share his thoughts, le fates aka author decided it was not the time for his curiosities to be answered.

Yawn.

Danny blinked, one hand coming up to rub at his eyes. The action was so innocent and adorable that Wally could imagine flowers blooming all around the boy.

Ah, what are we in now? Anime? Should I change the tags?

As it so happens, it was normal to feel sleepy after having such shiny and fulfilling meal. Danny was feeling his core purr in satisfaction.

But the others had other thoughts.

Wally cleared his throat. "Uh—yeah. It's, uh… getting kinda late,"he said, unusually subdued. "How about we, y'know… give the kid some space? Let him sleep?"

Translation: Get me out of here before I'll start questioning my sanity!

Kaldur hummed thoughtfully, eyes shifting away from his prince and at Dick—who, for some reason, had his phone out facing Danny. The Atlantean had zero to no braincells left to burn so he decided against commenting on it.

"Indeed," Kaldur said instead. "It's getting late anyway."

Translation: We will absolutely speak of this outside.

Dick nodded along, slipping his phone away after snapping the picture. He couldn't help it, especially since Danny looked so peaceful.

Still, his eyes narrowed. He should inform Bruce of what had happened, especially since the kid's health was at stake.

Danny, meanwhile, wasn't paying attention to any of that.

The water felt quite comfortable. His body slowly sank in deeper in his bed, feeling utmost comfort after a long day. Blue eyes slid shut on their own, exhaustion finally winning out.

Everything was toning out.

He felt a gentle hand ruffle his hair.

It was nice.

The sound of the door closing followed soon after.

And just like that, Danny fell asleep—full, warm, and blissfully unaware of the absolute chaos he'd left behind.

But was the author worried? Nah. Le baby finally ate and slept well after what felt like forever ago.

Plus, nothing bad will happen to le adults if they had lil heart attacks anyway.

Though, one must wonder, what happened to our beloved vampire?

Vlad Plasmius—Masters, technically—had just finished deleting the men in white from the face of the planet and was on his way to visit his lovely son.

Well... soon to be, once he officially asked him, of course.

He was in an excellent mood, so rare these days but that's what makes it so special. Everything he planned had gone smoothly, and those who dared to touch his child had suffered from it.

Ah, how he loved the fruits of his labour.

Him and Daniel were on good terms. Better than good, actually. Far better than Vlad had ever dared to hope. He was able to care for him, and the boy had given him all his attention.

Their relationship was blooming, fast.

Which had improved especially after the unfortunate loss of, well—

Everyone else.

Tragic, truly. But Vlad wasn't one to dwell on it.

Anyway, He walked inside, food in hand, already anticipating the moment Daniel would notice him.

Possibly give him a hug.

Which never happened of course, and wasn't likely to happen any time soon but a man could dream.

"Daniel?" Vlad called pleasantly, stepping further inside the private property he had purchased just for his son while he takes care of everything else.

The vampire wanna be was gone for a week after all, Danny must be upset with him.

Still, the young halfa always answered his call.

However, nobody did.

"Danny?" Vlad stopped.

He left everything on the nearby table and looked around. The rooms? Empty. Garden? Nothing. The beach? Not a single life in sight.

"... Son?"

There was no sign of the halfa anywhere.