Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When Shouta had agreed to help his vigilante friend out, he hadn’t expected it to go so wrong on every level imaginable.

Shouta had been on patrol when Phantom found him. He had been surprised, to say the least considering he hasn’t seen the ghost-powered kid in six months. He had worried himself sick, and had hoped he had given up on being a vigilante, but apparently no such luck.

Phantom had seemed tired and frantic. Clearly he hadn’t been thinking straight, but he wouldn’t listen to reason. He would have gone in alone, and for Shouta, that option was infinitely worse than ending up in a pocket dimension full of dead people.

They had gone to Phantom’s nemesis (because apparently this fourteen year old had one), intending to rescue somebody very important to him. But they had been ambushed by other villains for hire. They were small fry in comparison to the blue-skinned vampire Phantom had tried to take on, but in this case quantity definitely overpowered quality.

“Where are we?” Shouta asked, looking around. His head was hurting, and he definitely had some bruised ribs. His ankle was twisted in a gross angle, and his arm had been badly burned. Phantom didn’t seem surprised by their sudden location change. If anything, it made him more determined to get back to the fight.

“We’re in the Ghost Zone,” he answered, looking around some more. Now that Shouta was just a hair more lucid than he had been a minute ago, he did vaguely recognize the swirling green of the skies. He had only been here once, along with half of Musatafu, but he had been too focused on a raging battle he couldn’t be a part of to notice the scenery.
They were on a slab of floating purple rock in the middle of a green, swirling abyss, but Phantom acted like it was just a normal Tuesday. There was a tree that looked brittle, and old. It had no leaves, and was an odd purple-brown color Shouta has never seen in real life before. Phantom easily breaks off a sturdy enough branch and walks over.

“We need to get to the Far Frozen,” he tells Shouta matter-of-factly. Now that they were in this Ghost Zone his demeanor seems to have changed. The panic he had been exhibiting was no longer there. At least, not as strongly. His shoulders were squared and his jaw was set, and he looked so much older than he actually was. He looked tired, too. “They’re the only ones here with human medicine. It’s kind of far though, so we need to make a splint for your ankle.”

Shouta nods, mouth dry as he watches Phantom kneel down beside him. Before touching Shouta, he took his gloves off and tore his sleeves off at the shoulder. He ripped them into strips and set them neatly to the side. Shouta tried to not look at the Lichtenberg figure going up Danny’s left arm, starting from his hand and disappearing into his remaining uniform. Unlike his other visible scars, this one was glowing green.

“You can ask, you know,” Phantom said. “I promise I won’t bite.”

Aizawa huffed, leaning back on his hands as he watched Phantom work, knowing he was speaking about more than just his arm. He chose to stay silent, at ;east for a moment, and instead he focuses on Phantom. He was quick and efficient. The realization made Shouta’s stomach roll over.

“Is that from the accident?” He asks eventually, ignoring the pain in his ankle that Phantom’s prodding brings.

“Yeah,” Phantom said with a nod. He had explained everything to Aizawa one night at the beginning of their relationship. And while he had been skeptical until now, he had recognized nothing but sincerity in the confession. He hadn’t brought it up again, having learned the hard way that Phantom’s death was a sensitive conversation topic for the ghost. “I’m not really sure why it glows, though. I think maybe it’s because that was the entrypoint for the ectoplasmic electricity, or just cause of death in general. Or maybe it’s because my death was caused by ghost bullshit.” He shrugged before squaring up with Shouta’s ankle, as if the concept of his death was talked about at brunch, right next to Nemuri’s gossip of men fawning over her. Something trivial and not traumatic. It made Shouta uneasy. He changed the subject.

“Have you ever set an ankle before?” He asked. Phantom just shrugged and gingerly touched the limb. Shouta did his best not to wince.

“No. Not on an actual person, anyway. I’ve gotten more used to yeti anatomy here lately. It’s the same concept, though. Are you ready?”

“Yeah,” Shouta replied, lying through his teeth. “Do it.”

“Okay, on the count of three then.”

Danny gripped his foot and leg and with no count to three, twisted in back. Shouta let out a startled scream. Danny’s movements had been quick and precise, and became even more so as he tied the branch to his ankle and leg with his torn sleeves.

“Bastard,” he groaned, tilting his head back and breathing in slowly to steady his racing heart. Phantom let out a small chuckle.

“Come on, old man,” Phantom said, standing up after a few moments. He held out a hand. “You ready to go?”

No. He absolutely was not ready to go.

He took the hand anyway.
-------------
Traversing through the Zone with an injured underground hero was not how Danny had expected this rescue mission to go, but all things considered, it wasn’t that bad.

As he helped Eraserhead walk, jump-flying from one slab to the next, he could practically feel the older man vibrating with questions, though he held his tongue. Danny was grateful. His brain felt like cotton, and there were more pressing matters at the moment, like getting back to Vlad and kicking his fucking teeth in.

He tried to make a mental tally in his head.

Go to the Far Frozen and get patched up. Eraser’s ankle was bad, but Danny knew he had several other injuries. He was just good at hiding them. Danny was also very roughed up, and exhausted on top of that, but the Zone would help with that a little. Being here always has made him feel more energized. He just had to be careful about using more power than he was being given.
Go to Clockwork. The stopwatch owes Danny a favor, and he’ll be cashing it in to get as close as they could to the point when they disappeared. That way they could get Jazz to safety faster, and nobody would have to worry too much about Eraserhead.
Kick Vlad Plasmius’ ass.

Broken down like that, it wasn’t a very long plan. Traversing through the Zone injured would be their biggest issue. The fastest way to get to the Far Frozen was over the Carnivorous Canyon and through the Eldritch Forest. The Forest will spit them out close enough to Dora’s kingdom, where, if they’re lucky, be able to avoid Walker and his goons. Dora had a Passage that linked all of the major territories together, including the Far Frozen.

It was dangerous, and maybe a little reckless, but they couldn’t afford the time it would take to avoid all of those things. Not with Jazz on the line.

“You’re tired,” Eraser said after a while. He was supporting most of his weight, and trying not to upset the pro’s extensive list of injuries. Danny had a nasty gash on the side of his head that had finally stopped leaking ectoplasm into his hair, and it was most definitely a concussion. Eraserhead didn’t need to fucking point it out, though. He of all people knew that Danny was tired.

“Nothing I can’t handle,” Danny said, biting back the sarcastic remark he had wanted to make. He half-shrugged, and twisted them into the air so he could take most of the landing.

He didn’t have the energy yet to fly long distances. Because as much as he hated to admit it, Aizawa was right. He was absolutely exhausted, with sleepless nights and no sense of time in the past six months. His dreams were filled with bright lights and an antiseptic smell that made him shiver. Not only that, but he was also injured pretty badly. He had burns from Vlad scattered around his body, and he was sure his ribs were a little bruised at the very least. His head was throbbing, too. So yeah, he was a little tired. But was he going to admit it? Absolutely fucking not.

“Phantom, we can rest if you need to,” the pro said. He liked hearing his name on the older man’s lips. Everybody else called him Inviso-Bill because the dumb media didn’t know how to pick a good name. Hearing his actual name was nice for a change. But it didn’t change the fact that he was always tired. That he would never not be tired, not after what happened to him. It was the kind of exhaustion that wasn’t fixed with a hearty meal and a good night’s rest. It was the kind that stemmed from a trauma he refused to acknowledge unless he was asleep.

“It’s easier if we keep going,” Danny countered, trying his best to get rid of the dark thoughts that decided now was a good time to rear their ugly heads. “We’re too exposed out here. The faster we get to Dora’s kingdom, the better.”

Eraserhead was looking at him with a gaze he probably gave his students. It read I’m not above making you take a nap like the child you are, and it made Danny grin. God, he had missed hanging out with his favorite grumpy underground pro.

But holy hell. This was going to be a long trip if Eraserhead didn’t stop nagging.

Chapter Text

1 Year Ago

Shouta sighed as he hopped from building to building. The wind was whipping around, though he was used to it by now. Being at large heights will do that. 

It had been a relatively quiet patrol so far. Just a few small-time thugs to take care of, and minimal paperwork. Maybe he would actually get home on time. Hizashi would surely be happy about it. It’s been a few months since Shouta’s managed a patrol without some kind of overtime due to some villain fuckery that he had to deal with. 

The thought of getting home on time immediately vanished from his mind as soon as it had come. In the corner of his eye, on the edge of the building, were drops of green. 

It could be nothing. But Shouta’s gut was screaming at him. He had half a mind to text Hizashi and tell him not to wait up. 

Shouta followed the trail with his eyes. It dropped down into the alley and over to the building next door. They were flyers then, or at the very least roof hoppers. Shouta scanned the skies and saw nothing. He hopped over to the roof and followed the trail. 

It led him three blocks over, and he was not disappointed with what he found. 

Fighting three roofs over was a robot and a scrawny teenager who didn’t know how to keep his mouth shut during a fight. It was quip after quip, dodging and antagonizing. He had a gash on his shoulder that was leaking green instead of red. There was no doubt that that’s what led the pro there.

Shouta knew for a fact this kid-because that’s absolutely what he was-wasn’t a pro. But he was using his quirk against this villain, and thus was acting as a vigilante. 

So much for a peaceful patrol. 

The kid blasted the robot back a few feet with a green energy beam from his hand. It stunned the robot long enough for the kid to unhook a thermos from his belt. Shouta had no idea what a thermos was going to do, but he figured hot soup could work in a pinch if it was dumped on somebody who needed that much support equipment. 

Shouta threw out his scarf, capturing the robot. He whirled around in midair and glared daggers at Shouta. But then there was a bright blue light, and the robot was sucked away into the soup can. Shouta’s scarf fell limply to the ground, and he quickly reeled it back in.

“Thanks for the assist,” the kid said, giving the hero a two-fingered salute. Shouta narrowed his eyes. 

“What did you do?” He asked. He was on edge, and had his scarf at the ready. If this kid kept playing vigilante he would end up dead, and Shouta wasn’t about to let him get away with it. 

“He’s fine,” the kid said with a wave of his hand as he tied the thermos around his waist. “I’ll let him out later, back where he belongs.”

“Which is?” Shouta’s voice was tense and curt, to the point. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know, wea-”

Before he could finish the sentence Shouta threw his scarf in the kid’s direction, tying him up in seconds. He dragged the kid towards him. He was thrashing around in mid air, trying to fly back, but Shouta was stronger. 

“You know being a vigilante is against the law, right kid?” He asked. The kid just glared. His eyes were an unearthly shade of green, glowing so brightly he felt the coldness in his veins.

“Well it’s not like any of you guys know how to take care of these guys,” he said, anger and frustration lacing every word. “So why don’t you just leave me alone!” 

With one final tug, the kid had phased himself through the scarf and disappeared out of sight. 

------

Shouta was at a loss. One quirk was normal. Two wasn’t uncommon but it wasn’t super ordinary, either. But the kid had shown four quirks. Four. And Shouta had no idea how to handle that situation. 

He had been spotted a few times here and there over the past couple of weeks. Since their first encounter, Shouta’s only been able to catch glimpses of him, before he disappears. And Shouta can’t use his quirk if he can’t see the kid. Did he know who Eraserhead was, or did he just have a natural knack for evasion? 

The media had dubbed him Inviso-Bill, a ghost-like vigilante who’s been fighting weird glowing people as well as the occasional mugger. There was even one witness testimony that he helped a cat out of a tree. Shouta would like to argue that the glowing people were as villainous as the muggers he took down, but that was neither here nor there. What mattered is that Shouta was assigned to his case, and he was getting absolutely nowhere. 

At least, until tonight. 

Inviso-Bill was fighting a fat little man in overalls, screaming about boxes as he threw them at the kid, who was weaving and dodging. He seemed significantly less clumsy than the last time they had interacted. Experience was one hell of a teacher, he mused. 

Shouta kept himself hidden in the shadows. The kid pulled out the same thermos as last time, and sucked the other man into it. He capped it, and attached it back to his belt. Before he could get away again, Shouta activated his quirk and thrust his scarf out, entangling the child once more. 

The kid seemed thoroughly unfazed. He looked over at Shouta almost boredly. 

“Really? What is that stupid thing made of anyway?”

“Time’s up, Inviso-Bill,” Shotua told him. The kid groaned at the name and rolled his eyes. 

“Yeah, sure.” The kid turned intangible, and the scarf fell to the ground. Shouta dropped his quirk in shock. 

“How did you do that?” He asked. 

“Do what?” Invisi-Bill asked. 

“My quirk is erasure,” Shouta explained. “I can cancel out the quirk of anybody in my line of sight. How were you able to still use your power?”

“I’m just built different,” Inviso-Bill said with a shrug. God, he was so small and bony, it was hard to believe he was actually a vigilante. “Anyway, since you can’t do jack shit I’ll see you later.”

-------

Their interactions were more or less like that for the next month or so, until Shouta asked about the thermos. It was a mistake, considering the kid hadn’t shut up about it. Or about ghosts, which is what he insisted he was fighting. 

Shouta didn’t believe him. Not by any means, but the kid believed it, and that was scary. What kind of delusion had this kid grown up with? Was he getting help? Or was everybody around him content to just let this play out? Shouta couldn’t fathom an answer that didn’t make his blood boil. 

The kid, however, seemed relieved that Shouta showed no outward signs of not believing him. And that had been the start of their trust. It was thin, and Shouta was sure that if he breathed too hard in its direction it would blow away, so he planned to nurture it as much as possible. 

---------

“Listen,” Inviso-Bill-no, Phantom, the kid had corrected, said. “I’m not gonna stop, and you’re not going to leave me alone. So here.”

The kid had snuck up behind him. Years of training were the only thing keeping Shouta from jumping out of his boots. 

“What is it?” Shouta asked as he took it. It was some gaudy belt that had blinking green lights. It was an absolute eyesore and would be terrible for underground work. But it was a gift from the kid he was slowly starting to get attached to. It was nothing serious, but the kid was right. He wasn’t going to stop, and Shouta wasn’t going to stop nagging. So if the kid was giving him a way to help him, he was going to take it. 

“It’s a specter deflector,” Phantom said. “It’s a belt. If you wear it and activate it, ghosts won’t be able to touch you.”

That was a plus, considering Shouta had gotten thrown into a building by one dressed as a lunch lady a few nights prior. He hadn’t been able to do much other than distract, so having this could come in handy. He could probably just wear it under his normal clothes so it didn’t attract attention while he was on his normal patrols. 

This time, though, he put it on over his jumpsuit. Once it was secure, the kid showed him how to activate it, and then handed him a green earpiece. 

“I’ve got a matching one. This way we can communicate if we’re on patrol at the same time instead of bumping into each other randomly.” Shouta put it in his ear, and Phantom handed him one last item. “This is a wrist ray. It shoots out an ectoplasmic beam that can harm ghosts. You can adjust the intensity here, and shoot by pressing it here.”

Shouta tested it out, pointing it away from the kid. It shot off a green beam into the night, disappearing before their eyes. 

“What are the drawbacks?” Shouta asked. No equipment was perfect. 

“The belt can only be used for short periods, and the wrist ray can only go up to a certain intensity. It’s nonlethal, but it’ll sting like a bitch. On the upside, they don’t work on humans. So if a ghost is behind or inside of a human, it’ll only hurt the ghost. That also means me, though, so try not to hit me.”

Shouta was buzzing with questions, but he ignored them, instead looking at the wrist ray over. It was also an eyesore but it was more easily concealable. He secured it around his wrist and under his sleeve. 

“What makes you trust me enough to give me these?” He asked. “If these can hurt you too, then why give them to the hero who’s supposed to be turning you in.”

“Because you won’t. My charm has won you over,” Phantom shot him a grin. It was a joke, but for a brief second Shouta wondered if that was another quirk the boy had. “But seriously, it’s because you have no way of containing them. I’m the only one with access to the Ghost Zone. If you get rid of me, they’ll just make your life harder. Besides, a normal cell won’t be able to hold me, anyway.”

These were all good points, and Shouta was struck with the realization that he had thought this out. He was smarter than Shouta had initially given him credit, that’s for sure. He was an okay strategist and one hell of a fighter, adapting easily to the other ghost’s (because there was no other word that fit the description of his enemies that made sense) strengths and weaknesses. Shouta had seen firsthand how scary Phantom could be if he was up against a stronger adversary. 

“Thank you,” Shouta tells him. Phantom just gives him another easy smile and looks out into the city, the bright lights twinkling like stars. 

Shouta hadn’t realized it then, but he would do anything to keep the smile on Phantom’s face.

Chapter Text

Present Day

Danny yawned as they landed again. His energy was quickly draining, but he had to keep going. His exhaustion can and would be the death of him if he let it. 

The Carnivorous Canyon was just up ahead. It was like a giant scar in the middle of the Zone, with gnashing teeth and flexible walls. Eraserhead looked at it like he was going to be sick.

“Welcome to the Carnivorous Canyon,” Danny said with the addition of jazz hands. Eraserhead looked unamused. 

“And we’re flying through it?” He asked. “You can barely get from one rock to the next.”

“Well, over it. And this is why I’ve been doing that. I’m trying to conserve energy, not waste it. This way we can get over it without too much of a problem. We just need to find an easier way to carry you.”

“We could use this,” Eraser said, taking off his capture scarf. “I can ride on your back and you can tie me to you. That way if we need to do any maneuvering it won’t be too much of a hindrance, or if you need to use your other powers.” Danny shrugged and took the scarf from Eraserhead. 

“Hop on, old man,” he said, turning around and leaning forward. It was awkward with his bad ankle, but he managed okay. Once he was secure with the capture scarf, Danny straightened back up and looked over the canyon, assessing it. It was too wide to go around, plus they had tendrils that could snap you up and throw you in. The safest way was over the top. 

Danny cracked his neck and relaxed his shoulders. With his supernatural strength holding Eraserhead wasn’t too bad, but if he did it for too long he had a good chance of passing out. The faster they got through this, the better. 

“I’m gonna fly as fast as I can,” he said over his shoulder. “If you need me to slow down just tap my shoulder or something.”

He got a hum from the pro, which was a resounding yes from the man if he’s ever heard one. Danny nodded to him once more, and leapt. 

They fell for just a moment as Danny adjusted to the new weight in the air, and they were off. 

Danny could fly fast. At least a hundred miles per hour indoors. But outside, with nothing but a man-eating canyon in front of him, he could really let loose. 

He shot off like a bullet. The canyon, even when it was anticipating his movement, was too slow. It reached up and snapped at them, but always missed. Danny would fly higher and higher, avoiding the reach of the monster. With Eraser on his back it was harder to maneuver himself in mid-air, but for a slow, dumb thing like the Canyon it was workable. 

Danny kept the speed up for longer than what was probably healthy. His core was straining with the effort. If he slowed down for even a second they would be eaten. He couldn’t afford that. Not with Eraser and Jazz both on the line. 

Danny let out a triumphant laugh as they reached the end, but his victory was celebrated too soon. As they passed the threshold, a tendril whipped out, wrapping itself around Danny’s entire leg and tugging him down, bringing the pro down with him. Danny grimaced as he flew, fighting with the monster. With the way Eraser was tied up against him, he was pretty much useless. It was up to Danny. He turned around, making a poor attempt to fly backwards. His hand was glowing green, but just as he was about to fire, another thing wrapped itself around his waist. 

It wasn’t the Canyon this time. It was much thinner, like wire, digging into his skin through his suit. He groaned as he was pulled in two different directions. He could remedy one of them, at least.

He blasted the Canyon off of him, ignoring the ache in his leg from the pressure it had squeezed him with. He and Eraser were sent off in the other direction from the other thing pulling him. 

He managed to twist himself in mid-air before colliding with whoever was butting in. But before he could process who it was, he was suddenly on the ground, under a glowing, green net. 

“I was wondering when I’d see your face again, Whelp,” Skulker said, looking down at Danny. He had managed to twist himself so he landed on his side and not on Eraser, who had taken the liberty of immediately untangling himself from the scarf. He didn’t have anywhere to go under the force of the net, but it was still a relief all the same. Danny could move around a lot better now. 

“Skulker, is there any possible way you could look to where your heart should be and reschedule?” Danny snarked. He hadn’t missed Skulker in the slightest, and he was more than irritated with this turn of events.

“After you have evaded me for so long?” Skulker barked out a laugh. “Your pelt will be used as a rug for me to walk over.”

“That is unnecessarily graphic,” Eraser said with a grunt. Danny barked out a laugh. It wasn’t often that the overcaffeinated underground hero made a joke.

Skulker didn’t say anything to Eraser. He just scowled and pressed a button on his arm. Immediately the net was alight with green electricity. Danny felt white-hot pain coursing through him, and had to bite his lip to keep from screaming out. Eraserhead’s hands were on him. How was he not hurt? Why wasn’t he writhing in pain? Right. Ghost stuff didn’t work on humans. But if he turned human now, he’d probably collapse from exhaustion, and that would be counterproductive.

The electricity stopped after what was probably a few seconds, but it felt longer to Danny. His whole body relaxed, his chest heaving. Skulker only growled in frustration. 

“You’re that scarf bastard,” he said to Eraser. 

“In the flesh.”

With a quick flourish he threw the net off and threw his scarf at Skulker, who was too slow to dodge. Even from the ground, at a disadvantage, Eraserhead was a force to be reckoned with. He pulled hard, and dragged Skulker to the ground with a large thump. Danny couldn’t help but marvel at the skill through his labored breaths. 

Skulker wasted no time in recovering. In a tangle of limbs it was hard, near impossible to get away from Skulker. He took the chance and pounced on Eraser, holding him down with a knee in his gut. His ribs were on fire, and his vision blurred slightly. Skulker leaned forward, digging his knee in even deeper. 

“If you’re friends with the runt, you’re an enemy of mine,” he growled. 

He leaned back with a grin. A green hunting knife was in his hand now as Eraser struggled under the full weight of the ghost. And just as Skulker started his downward motion, Shouta’s life quite literally in his hands, he stopped, as if he was stuck. 

Shouta experimentally grunted and thrashed around, but Skulker would not move. 

Shouta could feel his heart in his chest. He could barely move with Skulker stuck like he was, but absolute relief washed over him as Phantom poked his head out from over Skulker’s shoulder. He looked like absolute shit, but he had a huge grin anyway. 

“You should really update your armor, dude,” he said. “It’s pretty sad that just anybody can make your suit seize up. Even an idiot like me figured it out.”

The smug teenager walked around and ripped off Skulker’s face mask, revealing a very tiny, very angry green blob with a high pitched voice. If Shouta hadn’t nearly died just a second ago, he would have found the profanities amusing. 

“Fuck off, Skulker,” Phantom said. He put the ghost in the palm of his hand and blew him away with an ectoblast. Once he was out of sight, Phantom picked up the prone armor like it was nothing and threw it into the Canyon, who consumed it with what could only be described as excitement. How a canyon could feel excitement, Shouta didn’t care. He was too tired to even attempt to put much thought into it. 

“He shouldn’t be a problem for a while, now,” he told Shouta. Phantom held out a hand, and the pro gripped it. Despite the pain Phantom must be feeling, he pulled Shouta to his feet like it was nothing. 

For the first time, Shouta realized just how much Phantom has grown. He’s a few inches taller now, nearly as tall as him. He’s filled out, too, like he’s done nothing but consume protein powder for the past year. Shouta had no doubt in his mind that if he wanted to, he could beat Shouta in a fight any day of the week. 

“Are you okay?” He asked. Phantom shrugged. 

“I’ll be fine. Just-electricity and I don’t mix all that well. He’s learning.” Shouta knew enough to read between the lines, and left it at that. There was no reason to pry over something like a cause of death to a still very alive boy. “How are you holding up?”

“Just peachy,” Shouta replied. He was tired and in pain, and just wanted to go home and snug his husband and his cat. Maybe even take a nice, hot bath. He was irritated, but not at Phantom, who at the very least seemed apologetic. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I wouldn’t have asked you to help if I had known we would be hitchhiking through the Zone.”

“No, it’s fine,” Shouta said, squeezing his eyes shut. “It’s just been a long day.”

“Yeah,” Phantom huffed out a laugh. “You’re preaching to the choir.”

Phantom held out his arm and Shouta took it, leaning on the ghost once more. Before long, they were back in the air. 

“Where to next?” Shouta asked over the wind. Phantom was already pale, but he managed to get even more so at the question. 

“Dora’s kingdom. But we have to go through the Eldritch Forest to get there.”

This was going to be a long day. 

Chapter Text

10 Months Ago

It was a quiet patrol, but Shouta had long since learned that if it was quiet, there was trouble. 

Three hours into his patrol and he was proven right. 

The green earpiece crackled to life, and he was met with a gross wet cough. 

“Sorry about that,” Phantom said in his ear. “I just-can you help me? If you’re not too busy, I mean.”

“Where are you?” Shouta asked, immediately on high alert. There was another cough on the other end of the line. His voice was weak, quiet. Nothing like the Phantom he had grown attached to. Anxiety gripped his chest like a vice, and didn’t ease up until the kid answered him. 

“Uh, I’m in an alleyway in the East District. I don’t-I don’t know which one. I’m too far in, I can’t see any signs, but there’s a big purple light right outside of the alley.”

Shouta was moving before his brain could catch up. He knew exactly where he was, there was only one place that had a grossly purple neon sign in that part of town. 

He made it there in record time, and even if he hadn’t had the purple neon sign as a clue, the drops of green led him right to him. 

Shouta jumped down without hesitation, crouching down low. 

Phantom was leaning against a dumpster near the back of the alley, away from the bustling streets of Musatafu. His eyes were closed, and he was leaning his head back, but he was keeping pressure on the large wound in his side. He looked like absolute shit. 

“Kid, what the hell happened?” he asked as he got closer. Phantom peeled his eyes open. His normally vibrant green eyes weren’t as bright as they usually were-a sure sign he was slowly slipping. And judging from the amount of green there was, he didn’t have much longer until he passed out.

“New ghost,” he said. His voice was smaller, weaker in person. “I got him-don’t worry. But he got me pretty good.”

The green stuff-ectoplasm, Phantom had called it once-was oozing out of him steadily. It glowed unnaturally, just like Phantom did. Though the more that came out of him, the weaker his natural glow got. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that all of this was supposed to be inside of him. 

“You need a hospital,” he said. He made a move to pick him up, but with his free hand Phantom stopped him. 

“No-can’t,” he said, wincing in pain from the harsh movement. “My physiology is different, I’m untreatable in a normal hospital.”

“What do you mean? Kid, you’re gonna bleed out.” Shouta tried to move again, but the grip on his shoulder tightened. Despite his weakened state, Phantom held strong. 

“Nobody knows how to take care of a half ghost,” he said, exasperated. “My backpack is over there, it’s got a first aid kit.” Phantom jerked his head to the left where a pale blue backpack was lying. Parts of it were stained green. 

Shouta knew he wasn’t going to back down. The kid was annoyingly stubborn when he didn’t need to be, and they didn’t have time to argue. With a huff Shouta grabbed the bag and yanked the heavy-duty kit out of the bag. It was some industrial level stuff. He and Hizashi had a similar one at home for when they got roughed up on patrol but not bad enough to go to the hospital. It made him sick, knowing a child had to carry one around. 

Shouta set to work quickly. He removed Phantom’s hand from the wound and peeled away the tattered suit. He cleaned the wound as best as he could, doing his best to tune out the pained whimpers coming from the teen. 

“This part is going to hurt,” he said, pulling out a needle and stitch thread. “Why don’t you tell me about something.” If he could get the kid to distract himself then maybe everything would be okay. That’s what Hizashi liked to do for him, anyway, when he needed stitching up. 

“Like what?” Phantom asked, as if that was the last thing he wanted to do. But Shouta needed him to stay awake, because if he passed out he was most definitely hauling his ass to the nearest emergency room, weird physiology be damned.

“Anything you want. Maybe a crush, or something stupid your sister has done,” Shouta was pulling shit out of thin air. Phantom had only once briefly mentioned his sister in passing, but it was information Shouta had held dear, because it was more information about Phantom that he had. He was thankful for it, and he could hopefully use it as a line for Phantom to grab onto.

“Okay,” Phantom said. “I-I haven’t really talked about it with anyone,” he started. He groaned as Shouta pierced the skin with the needle. The gash was long, maybe six inches, but not deep enough to cause any internal damage. Still, he was losing a lot of ectoplasm. “I mean-it’s hard to, when you have nobody you can really go to with it. Nobody I know knows what it’s like to die and come out the other side.”

His words were slow, deliberate, but the next time Shouta stuck him with the needle he didn’t react as badly, so it was a plus. Shouta nearly dropped the damn thing, though. He was bleeding out and he wanted to talk about his death? 

“It’s probably stupid for me to tell you this,” Phantom said. “But I just need to get it out. Just in case. And I trust you.”

I trust you. 

Shouta didn’t want to unpack the just in case part, so he turned his attention to the other very important sentence. Phantom spoke with a finality he hadn’t known teenagers could have. He had earned Phantom’s trust, and it meant more than Shouta was willing to admit. Even now as he was bleeding out. His only light was the faint purple from the end of the alley, and the glowing  green of the ectoplasm staining his suit. 

“Thank you,” Shouta said eventually. “For trusting me.”

Phantom waved him off weakly, and leaned his head back again. He closed his eyes and sighed, wincing as the needle went through his skin again. 

“It happened like, two weeks before we met,” he said. “Some...Associates of mine were working on a portal to this place called the Ghost Zone.”

“What is the Ghost Zone?” Shouta asked. “I know you’ve mentioned it a couple of times now.” He wanted Phantom to know he was still listening, even as his hands worked. 

“Place where ghosts live,” Phantom replied tiredly. “It’s-it’s where I put the ghosts. After I capture them in the thermos.”

“No chance of you showing me this place, is there?” Shouta asked. His voice was light, and he meant it as a joke. Phantom, thankfully, seemed to understand that. 

“I don’t think you’d ever want to visit. I don’t even like it and I’m a ghost. Anyway, they built a portal. But it didn’t work. And-and I was dumb. My friends and I, we wanted a cool picture. So I got into a suit, and I stepped inside. Except the ones who built it are idiots and put the power switch on the inside. And I tripped, and activated it.”

He was quiet for a few moments as Shouta finished his stitches. As he grabbed more antiseptic wipes from the first aid kit to clean it up, he asked, “What happened next?” He was careful to keep his voice soft, and calm. Nonjudgmental, because yeah, it was stupid to do that, but he was also just a kid. He didn’t deserve to half-die for making a childish decision. 

“I...I died.”

Shouta looked up at Phantom, who’s eyes were open now. He was looking straight up, but his lip was trembling, and his eyes were shining with unshed tears. He sniffled and shrugged. 

“I was electrocuted with ectoplasmic electricity that bonded to my DNA. My exposure to it growing up was probably the only thing that saved me. Or...Half of me, at least.”

He sounded sad. Mournful of the childhood he could never experience properly again. Shouta stayed silent as he taped a thick bandage to the stitches and wrapped his torso up with gauze. 

“I’m sorry you went through that,” he said eventually. He leaned against the dumpster next to Phantom. His hands and suit were stained green. 

“It was my own fault,” Phantom said. “I even got to keep a souvenir.” He pulled off the glove of his left hand, and Shouta’s eyes widened at what he saw. 

Starting from his palm and disappearing up his sleeve was a bright green, crisscrossing lightning scar. It started in the palm, angry and raised and so very new. A permanent reminder of the mistake of a child. 

“Still,” Shouta said, because he was bad at this, and couldn’t think of anything else to say. How could he? How could anything that came out of his mouth next comfort this vigilante child who was dead? Thinking about it made his head hurt. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, only speaking again when the throbbing behind his eyes lessened. “Can you walk?”

“I’ll be able to get outta here soon. Maybe an hour? I don’t really know how well the healing factor works.”

Shouta opened his eyes and leaned forward to get a better look at Phantom. “How many powers do you have?” 

“Hell if I know, man. The basic ghost ones, but new ones are popping up all the time. I have a couple of theories, but until I find somebody in the Zone with answers I won’t know anything concrete.”

“Jesus, kid,” Shouta leaned back against the dumpster. “Lemme know if you ever catch a break.”

“I might after this,” Danny replied with a smile. “If you don’t see me for a week or two don’t cry, okay?”

Shouta snorted and rolled his eyes. Though he didn’t want to admit it, Phantom had wormed his way into Shouta’s heart. Whenever he was able to talk to the kid, it always put him in a better mood, and nowadays he was looking forward to patrol just on the off chance he was able to see him. He’s only known the kid for a couple months now, but if anything happened to him he doesn’t know what he’ll do. 

“I’ll try my hardest,” he replied dryly, instead of spilling his heart out to the kid. He had enough on his mind already. 

-----

Two weeks later, and questions about dating advice and hero laws were the first things Phantom said to him. 

God, Shouta rolled his eyes fondly. Teenagers.

Chapter Text

Present Day

The edge of the forest was vast and tall, practically drowning them already. It was full of trees similar to the one Phantom had used to make a splint for his ankle, but instead of foliage it was just a large, swirling black cloud. The scariest part though, was the silence that came with it.

Phantom sighed next to him. Being this close, Shouta could see the bags under his eyes more clearly. His hair was matted with ectoplasm and the dirt on his face was mixed in with the soft, green freckles. He looked dead on his feet. Shouta knew from all the familiar aches that he wasn’t faring much better.  

“What can we expect from the Forest?” Shouta asked. Phantom shrugged as well as he could, considering Shouta was still hanging off his side. 

“Well, it’s called the Eldritch Forest, so probably just some fucking bullshit nightmare fuel,” Phantom said. “I don’t really know for sure. I’ve only been through once, and that had been an accident. They don’t like the cold, though, and I’ve got plenty of that.”

“Well, that’s comforting,” Shouta said dryly. Phantom rolled his eyes and readjusted his grip on Shouta. 

“Whatever you do, don’t make a sound. Got it? The quieter the better. It’s gonna get really cold, so just bear with me until we get through. Sound good?”

Shouta nodded, pressing his lips into a thin line. 

Let’s go, Phantom signed. It was clunky, and with the wrong hand since his other was holding Shouta up, but he understood the message well enough. Though when he had found the time to learn JSL was a mystery. Shouta made a mental note to ask later. 

Phantom lifted them up a couple of inches above the ground. He could feel Phantom’s grip tighten with the strain of holding him up. His grip on Phantom tightened enough to let him know he was okay. The ghost nodded, and moved forward into the forest. 

True to his word, it did get significantly colder. It took Shouta a moment to realize that it was Phantom’s doing, and not their environment. He could see his breath, and from what little forest floor he could see it was slowly being covered in a thin layer of frost marking the way they had come. 

Shouta looked towards the trees. He couldn’t see anything substantial, but moving shadows that were larger than buses were enough of a reminder for him to keep his mouth shut and his breathing even. Though, that was already hard to do from how cold Phantom was making it. Had the kid gotten ice powers since he’s been gone? A question for later, that was for sure. 

Shouta couldn’t help the shiver that wracked his body. A layer of frost was dusting the left side of his body, pressed up against Phantom carefully as he carried the pro through the forest. 

All of his hairs were standing on end. Something bad was going to happen, he just knew it. Or maybe it was his pessimistic thinking. Hizashi had always told him he wasn’t optimistic enough. He liked to think it changed on a case by case basis. 

Just as the fleeting thought of his husband passed his mind, a figure manifested in the middle of the main path. Phantom didn’t stop, but he did tense up and slow down. It didn’t move. It just watched them with ominous red eyes. The closer they got, the more of the human-like figure they could make out. Yellow hair, annoying glasses, leather jacket. Except for the eyes, it was a perfect copy of Present Mic. 

He saw Phantom steal a glance at him. Their eyes locked for just a moment before Phantom shook his head. It was a miniscule, jerky movement, but Shouta understood it perfectly. Even if it looked like his husband, it wasn’t. 

As they got closer, Phantom got colder. Shouta had to grit his teeth to keep them from chattering. 

The fake Hizashi glided out of their way with a grace the real one didn’t have. Looking closer, his skin was a gross, blistering grey-green color that looked absolutely horrifying in the dim, natural light Phantom gave off. Shouta pressed himself closer to Phantom. His heart was beating out of his chest. 

Shouta squeezed his eyes shut and breathed in slowly, and when he opened them, Hizashi was gone. In his place was a red haired woman in an odd turquoise jumpsuit. He could feel Phantom stiffen underneath his grip, and they nearly completely stopped. Phantom sucked in a breath, though it wasn’t audible. Shouta could only tell by the sharp expansion of his chest. 

The woman sauntered over and placed a gloved hand on Danny’s face, cupping his cheek. With the other, she was carding her fingers through his white locks. It was a very intimate, familial motion, and it made Shouta’s stomach roll. 

His grip tightened on Phantom, but they didn’t move. He tried to subtly pinch him, but nothing happened. And with a dawning realization, Shouta found that he could no longer see his breath. Phantom was warming up, going back to his normal temperature. 

His eyes were glazed over, and Shouta has seen mind control enough times to recognize the signs. He just needed to find a way to snap him out of it. But doing that would probably make him make a sound, putting them more at risk. 

Well, Phantom was probably going to get eaten. He may as well give it a shot. Shouta adjusted himself in Phantom’s quickly loosening grip, and cupped his hands together. Without warning, he slammed them down on Phantom’s ears as hard as he could. 

It seemed to do the trick, at least. Phantom dropped him as his hands flew to his ears. He let out a cry of pain. Shouta watched in slow motion as the woman in front of that morphed into a small monster with no eyes and lots and lots of teeth. Shouta gripped Phantom’s ankle and yanked him to the ground, allowing him to dodge the swipe of a tentacle. 

Phantom groaned, but his eyes were vibrant and determined. He turned to Shouta with an apologetic look. “Sorry,” he said. “Couldn’t shake it. But we gotta go.”

Without much more of a warning, Phantom gripped his arm tight and dragged him into the air. 

It wasn’t quite like flying above the Canyon. At least that was big and dumb and slow. Slower than Phantom, anyway. But the Forest? The whole trying was alive in a way the Canyon hadn’t been. The eerie silence was replaced with a buzzing that made Shouta’s ears hurt. Miscellaneous creature noises emanate from the trees, which were moving like they had a mind of their own. They were bending this way and that, trying to knock Phantom and Shouta out of the sky. The only thing keeping them airborne was the halfa’s quick reflexes as he dragged Shouta through the sky.

Shouta didn’t have much of a view for their destination, but behind them a wall of eldritch horrors charged after them. Some were odd colors, with tentacles and sharp teeth. Some were made of just eyes, and others just arms. A few of them had multiple eyes and arms, and others were just giant balls of carnivorous goo that had a strange resemblance to hospital gelatin. And just that thought alone made him want to hurl. 

As Phantom flew, Shouta was doing his best to dodge the branches and supernatural monsters. He knew his twisting was making it harder on Phantom, but if he had learned anything about the ghost it was that he was stubborn to a fault. He was going to do everything in his power to get them both to safety.

Shouta tucked his sleeve between his teeth and pulled, tugging it up just enough for the wrist ray to come forth. The bend of his arm to aim properly was awkward, but with the arm still being held by Phantom he was able to shift just enough to press the button activating the ray. 

It shot off strong green energy beams. The monsters cried out in pain, but the more he shot down, the faster they were replaced with bigger, scarier monsters. One of whom had tentacles faster than Phantom. 

It gripped Shouta’s bad leg, making him nearly black out from the pain. It tugged hard, and he nearly slipped out of Phantom’s grip. They dipped in the air but kept going nonetheless. At least, until a branch moved and whacked them out of the sky. 

They fell in a tangle of limbs, knocking the breath out of both of them. The monster wasted no time in tightening its grip, dragging Shouta towards itself. He twisted so he was being dragged on his back, and sat up just enough to shoot at it. The monster screeched in pain but it didn’t let go. 

Just when the monster was starting to get too close, a blue beam shot out of nowhere, encasing a section of the tentacle in ice. It stopped right before Shouta’s foot. Phantom sprinted over and crouched down. With a powered up punch he smashed the tentacle, and the monster retracted what was left of its appendage with a pained shriek. 

“Almost there,” Phantom told him as he hauled Shouta over his shoulder. If their lives weren’t at stake, Shouta would have probably been embarrassed that a teenager could carry him around like a sack of potatoes. 

As they ran, Shouta shot at the monsters. It didn’t stop them, not by any chance, but it slowed them down. Phantom was breathing heavily, and he stumbled a few times, but kept upright. 

Eventually they made their way through the edge of the forest. Phantom wasted no time in dumping Shouta unceremoniously on the ground before whirling around. The temperature decreased around them, and Shouta could suddenly see his breath. In the blink of an eye, there was a massive ice wall in front of them, separating them and the forest of monsters. There were cries of aggravation from the horrors that chased them. A few even banged on the ice, but when it was obvious the wall wouldn’t falter, they sulked back into the shadows. 

Shouta was panting, looking between the wall and Phantom, who sat down on the ground beside him. He looked like he was going to be sick. 

“Phantom?” He panted. 

“Yeah?” Phantom asked, putting his head between his legs. 

“When the fuck did you get an ice quirk?”

Chapter Text

8 Months Ago

Shouta doesn’t know what exactly happened over the weekend, but he knew it wasn’t good.

Phantom was sitting on the edge of their usual meetup spot. He was nervous, and fidgety. Hell, he didn’t even seem to realize Shouta had walked up. Not until he was placing a hand on the kid’s shoulder, and he jumped nearly ten feet in the air with a startled yelp.

“Don’t do that,” Phantom huffed, clutching his chest. He sounded more stressed than usual. 

“Everything okay?” Shouta asked, eyebrow raised. Danny clicked his mouth shut and looked away, before taking his vacated seat. He turned away, pointedly ignoring Shouta’s stare. 

So no, Shouta thought. He shrugged and sat down, making sure to leave a few inches in between them. He was flighty tonight. It’s been slow lately. He could spare one conversation with the kid. 

“Do you wanna talk about it?” He asked after a few minutes of silence. Phantom tensed next to him. Another five or so minutes went by before Phantom hesitantly looked in his general direction. 

“Do you...Do you think somebody like me could be a villain?” He asked. His voice was small, timid. He wasn’t meeting Shouta in his eyes like he usually did when he spoke to the hero, and it made Shouta’s stomach churn. 

The obvious answer was yes, he could. Everybody, even him-hell even All Might had the potential to become a villain, given the right circumstances. There have been plenty of situations where heroes have crossed the line, or they were tired of carrying out the Commission’s wishes. But that’s not what the kid needed to hear right now.

Shouta’s silence must have spoken volumes to the kid, because he opened his mouth to speak, and nothing but word vomit came out. 

“I mean-I’m just wondering. Not because I want to, but because-well, I’m not human. Not fully anyway. And-And a lot of people are afraid of ghosts. Most people think ghosts are monsters, and even though some of them are bad people that doesn’t necessarily mean they’d be a villain, right? Or a-a monster. Not that ghosts are monsters-well except for the ones who are, but-”

“Do you want to be a villain?” Shouta asked him, cutting the kid off before he could throw himself into a panic attack. The kid looked shocked, and even leaned back as if Shouta had grown a second head. 

“What? Of course not!” He sounded like he was offended. If the situation wasn’t so serious he would have snorted at the kid’s reaction. 

“Then I wouldn’t worry about it, kid,” he sighed, ruffling Phantom’s hair. It was a new habit he had gotten over the past couple of months, and no matter how much he denied it, it didn’t escape Shouta’s notice that Phantom always leaned into the touch. “If you don’t want to be one then don’t. It’s as simple as that.”

“Except-except it’s not though!” Phantom yelled, pulling back. Shouta took his hand back as Phantom’s hands flew to his hair, and they tugged at his scalp painfully. Shouta reached up and pulled his hands out of his hair before he could hurt himself. 

“Kid,” Shouta started, channeling the best Teacher Voice he could. “What happened?”

These thoughts didn’t just come out of nowhere. Maybe it was an old insecurity rising to the surface, or maybe it was the reason Phantom was favoring his right side more than his left. An obvious injury to Shouta, but to the naked eye he looked perfectly fine. Maybe it was the reason he couldn’t look Shouta in the eye. 

It took a while, but Shouta was a patient man. He didn’t want to overstep his boundaries and push the kid into telling him. It was obviously a traumatic experience. Phantom had to come to him. He had to take that leap of faith and trust that Shouta would catch him. 

“I...It was a rough weekend,” Phantom finally said. His voice was rough. He was looking down at the hands in his lap as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. “I’m not a great test taker. I just-it’s a lot of stress. Especially when my sister wants to help. I accidentally got a hold of the test answers, and she found out. Told me not to look at them. And I did anyway. 

There’s a lot of in between, but it ended with my teacher, and my family getting blown up at a fast food restaurant.”

Shouta hadn’t heard anything about that. That surely would have made the news, or at least a small paragraph in the newspaper. There was no way something as devastating as that could have happened without anybody knowing about it. Shouta wanted to open his mouth and ask him about it, but his gut told him to shut up and be patient. 

“My parents are friends with this rich guy who’s like me,” Phantom said. “His name is Plasmius, though they don’t know he’s like me. He’s the one who-remember a few weeks ago when you stitched me up in that alley? He’s the one who did that. Anyway, he took me in. But I was hurting. It hurt a lot, to not have a family or friends anymore. So…” Phantom took a deep breath. His hands were shaking now. He clenched his fists in a vain attempt to get them to stop. 

Shouta held out his own hand. Phantom looked at it for barely a moment before placing his own in Shouta’s grasp. Even through the gloves he was cold to the touch. 

“He took my ghost half out of me. And my ghost half was pissed and tore Plasmius’s half out of him. My half merged the two and...And they killed my human half. He grew up to be Dan, destroyer of the world. He decimated every single town, killed as many as he could and-Eraserhead, horrible doesn’t even begin to describe how it actually was.

“Clockwork helped me out, though. He turned back time, and I was able to fight Dan. And I won. But...But the hurt is still there. In another timeline, I still lost everything. In another timeline, I became the world’s worst villain. And I-I don’t know what I’d do with myself if anything like that happened. Clockwork fixed everything so nobody remembered, but-but-”

The kid couldn’t speak through his hiccups. Tears were streaming down his face, and he looked absolutely haunted in the glow of the city lights below them. Shouta let go of his hand and twisted his body so he was able to hug the kid instead. 

Phantom latched onto him with a ferocity he had never known. Like he was a man in his final embrace, a fish out of water. Like he had never been hugged before. 

Maybe he hadn’t. 

Shouta didn’t want to think about it.

Instead, he just squeezed Phantom tighter as he cried. He had lots of questions. Like who the fuck was Clockwork, and how did he fix everything? Why did he burden Danny with the memories of a life he hadn’t lived? Why did he put so much pressure on the shoulders of a child? These thoughts swirled around his head as Phantom wailed into his shoulder, clutching him like his life depended on it. 

Shouta rubbed circles on his back as he began to calm down a bit. He had no idea what he could say to make the kid feel better. On the rare occasion Shouta got like this his cats and Hizashi would curl into his sides and warm him up from the outside in. It always seemed to do the trick. Maybe Phantom liked cats? No, he seemed much more like a dog person. 

...Well, it was worth a shot, wasn’t it?

They had a black cat named Bastard. Shouta had found him spitting and hissing in a dumpster while out on patrol a couple of years ago. He had barely been older than a kitten and twice as scrappy. Shouta hadn’t thought twice about bringing him home. 

Hizashi had laughed at him and told him he needed to stop bringing home strays. Shouta had asked if that made Hizashi one, and he had gotten an indignant cry in response. It made Shouta’s chest warm with love. 

Sometimes on his really bad nights, Hizashi would run him a bath. He would sit behind Shouta and wash his hair and talk about nothing and everything. About his radio show, about what stupid thing his gen ed students did, and Shouta, I know I shouldn’t play favorites but if this girl was in your class she’d be your favorite, too-

“Wait,” Phantom pulled back from Shouta’s embrace, just enough to look him in the eye. “Your husband is Present Mic? How come you never told me?!”

Shouta rolled his eyes. Of course he could deduce who Hizashi was from the breadcrumbs he left out. Phantom was incredibly smart and perceptive, whether he realized it or not. Shouta had seen it in action multiple times, he shouldn’t be surprised. Instead, he just shrugged. 

“Because now he’s all you’re gonna talk about,” Shouta replied dryly. It wasn’t a lie. Phantom had a fascination with some of the limelight heroes. Though he didn’t nerd out too much, it was very obviously something he had latched onto growing up, like most kids did. Though Shouta could tell the connection between Phantom and his fascination with heroes ran a little deeper than anything surface level most kids had, he wasn’t going to pry about it. He would let Phantom keep that to himself.

“Well, duh. I listen to his show every day! And his podcast is hilarious!” Phantom was smiling now, wiping his tears away with the heels of his hands.

“I’ll be sure to let him know,” Shouta couldn’t keep the smile from his face. “He’s a big fan of yours, too.”

“Present Mic knows about me? You told him about me? What did you tell him?” Shouta couldn’t understand the rest of the dozen questions the kid was spouting out. His mouth couldn’t keep up with his brain, and it was a jumbled mess by the time he was looking at Shouta with anticipation. God, this kid was going to be the death of him. Shouta rolled his eyes and ruffled his hair, pushing him away slightly in the same motion. Phantom let out a cheery laugh. It was almost a complete one-eighty from a few minutes ago, when the only thing keeping the kid together was a pair of strong arms and the deep rumble of Shouta’s voice. 

For the rest of the night Shouta was allowed to blabber on about his husband. It wasn’t something he did often, because he didn’t like the attention, and he valued his privacy. But man, seeing the way the kid snorted so hard he choked on his own laughter when he told the story of Hizashi getting his hair stuck in the piano while trying to tune it was worth it.

Plus, now they had something to listen to while out on patrol.

-----------

When Shouta got home in the early hours of the morning, Hizashi was still up and moving around. He pecked Shouta on the cheek and swept him up in a hug before Shouta even had the chance to take his scarf off. 

“Shouta!” He cried, hanging onto him like a lovesick teenager. Hizashi wasn’t far from that, he mused. 

“Hi,” Shouta said. “I saw Phantom again tonight.”

“Is everything okay with the little listener?”

No, Shouta almost said. But Phantom had opened up to him. Not Hizashi. And as much as he loved his husband, it wasn’t his story to tell. So instead, he gave his husband a shit eating grin. “He loves your show, babe.”

Hizashi melted right then and there. 

For the next hour as they ate and got ready for bed, Hizashi spoke of nothing but the possibility of having Phantom on as a guest. And maybe making a personalized playlist for the kid.

With both of them being so excited about each other, Shouta almost dreaded the day they would meet. 

Almost. 

Chapter Text

Present Day

“When the fuck did you get an ice quirk?”

Danny rolled his eyes. Did it matter? He got them out, didn’t he? He was still-he was still a good hero. He got them out. 

“Consider it a personal secret,” Danny told him. He sat down next to Eraser, who looked about as shitty as Danny felt. Because...Because the monster in there, it read Danny like he was an open book. It detected what he wanted most in that moment, and used it against him, and it almost got them killed. 

Eraser just waved him off with a huff before leaning back on his hands. He looked like he was in a deep train of thought, with his brows furrowing and his nose scrunching up. He was unusually expressive today. Maybe it was because he was more tired than usual and didn’t have the energy to have a permanent resting bitch face like he usually did.

“Who was that woman?” He asked eventually. Danny averted his gaze. Eraser’s bore into him. Danny sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. It had almost gotten them killed. Eraserhead deserved some kind of explanation, he guessed. He sighed, looking over at Eraser but unable to bring himself to look directly into his dark, calculating eyes. 

“It’s a...It was my mom,” he said. Because even after everything, he still wanted the comfort of his mother. He wanted her gentle hands in his hair telling him everything was going to be okay. He wanted the piercing scent of mint to wrap around him like a blanket and never let go. He wanted...He wanted his mother’s love. It wasn’t something he’s ever really had, but he had gotten close, at least. 

Until he hadn’t. 

The monster looked inside of you, and read you like an open book to become what you were longing the most. For Eraserhead it had been his husband. For Danny…For Danny, he was still that dumb kid that craved a mother’s love. It was something he’s never had, and something he would never get. Thinking about it made his chest ache with a longing he had known all his life. He pushed the thoughts about his mom to the side, smothering them with a determined look and a can-do attitude.

Eraserhead could probably pick up on the fact that this was not a subject he wanted to talk about, because he didn’t ask any follow-up questions. He just looked at Danny with confusion and concern. Danny preferred it that way. The less he knew the better, because it would prevent questions, and the long looks of pity that he sometimes got from Jazz.

He knew he was going to have to tell Eraserhead eventually. The man was stubborn to a fault, and wasn’t going to stop until he had all of the answers, or at least a general idea to piece a picture together himself. But he knew enough to at least grant Danny a few more hours. At least until they were in the safety of the Far Frozen. 

“I got them a couple of months ago,” he said, looking down at his hand. He was grasping for straws, trying to steer the conversation away from the loving parents he never had. His ice powers were a lot easier to talk about than his parents, and how they-

No. 

Not here. 

Eraserhead thankfully took the line Danny was throwing at him. He huffed out something that could have been close to a laugh. For Eraserhead though, that was probably his version of doubling over. For a brief moment, he tried to imagine what that would look like. Eraserhead, with a big beaming, genuine smile and not just the creepy one he used on backwater thugs and gang members. 

“How many quirks does that make now?” Eraserhead asked after a moment of thoughtful contemplation. Or he had just been looking at Danny. He tried to hide the fact that he was constantly two seconds away from imploding. He thought he was doing a pretty good job, considering he couldn’t even look at his own ectoplasm anymore. Not without wanting to hurl, anyway. 

“Lots,” Dany shrugged. “There were a couple others my mentors here are having me learn, but they were kind of put on the back burner when my ice powers kicked in. Something about my ice being way more dangerous if it becomes out of control.”

“You seemed to have pretty good control of it, there,” Eraserhead looked from Danny, to the large ice wall, and back to Danny, who shrugged. His gloves were getting in the way of properly fidgeting with his cuticles. 

“A big ice wall is easy,” he said eventually. “It’s the smaller stuff I’m trying to fine tune.”

They lapsed back into a comfortable silence. Danny’s chest was aching with phantom pains and the strain he’s put it through today. He rubbed at it, wincing slightly as it flared. 

“You okay?” Eraserhead asked. With the tone of his voice, Danny knew it was an invitation. Not a demand. He wanted Danny to know he was there if he wanted him to be, but would keep the distance if he needed it. He doesn’t know when he picked up the subtle tones of Eraserhead, and didn’t care enough to backtrack to figure it out. He was just thankful that the pro was there with him. That he finally didn’t have to do this bullshit alone anymore.

No, he wanted to say. There was too much wrong with him for him to ever feel okay again. But he couldn’t just say that, not after ghosting him for six months. It would only make the pro feel more guilty than he probably already did. So instead Danny settles on a tired, “I’m fine,” and waved him off as if that would magically cure Eraserhead’s chronic worry. And it wasn’t a lie. Not wholly, at least. Something unreadable flickered across Eraserhead’s face, but it was too fast for Danny to try and sit there and decipher it. Besides, they had shit they had to do. So Danny pulled himself off of the ground with a tired groan and stretched. He offered his hand to Eraserhead, who silently took it. 

Danny lifted him up with ease. Eraserhead’s leg was completely fucked up in the scuffle with the eldritch horrors that lived beyond the trees. It was, until they got to the Far Frozen, unwalkable. Hopefully it wasn’t completely broken. 

If it was, they’d be stuck here longer. 

------

Shouta had a lot of pride and dignity. 

It’s why he didn’t say a goddamn word when he had been settled on Phantom’s back like a child. His leg was aching like no other. Shifting it around Phantom’s hips and tying his feet together to be more secure took more effort than it should have. 

Besides, piggyback riding on Phantom was only logical. He was really the only one who could legitimately defend them, and he needed both hands for that. Plus, he could take a very well deserved nap. 

They had been flying for a while now, and Shouta finally understood why they hadn’t just done that from the beginning. Phantom was tired, that much was obvious, but flying was like flexing a muscle. If you held it for too long it would get too tired, and you wouldn’t be able to do it anymore. Phantom had been conserving his energy, jumping from rock to rock, because he knew that there wasn’t going to be anything but No Man’s Land in between the forest and Dora’s Kingdom. 

As they traveled, Phantom filled him in on the general rules of the Ghost Zone. Now that they weren’t being actively hunted, it was the perfect time to do so. Plus, it was a gentle reminder for Shouta that the kid was most certifiably a genius in his own right. But still, he needed to learn these in a very short amount of time if he wanted to stay relatively safe in the Zone. Even though he had Phantom, he couldn’t rely on him completely. Not when the kid is this tired. 

So the rules. 

1. Don’t touch any doors. Those are lairs. Lairs are homes. That’s breaking and entering, and it will surely cause trouble. 
2. If the subject comes up, don’t ask a  ghost what their obsession is. It’s an unspoken rule because ghosts are naturally sensitive about the topic. Most of the time it goes hand in hand with how they died. Which brings them to the next one. 
3. Don’t, under any circumstances, ask anybody how they died. That information, along with their obsession, has to be freely offered. 
4. Stay under Walker’s radar. He runs a prison around this area, and he likes to change the rules every five seconds to suit his benefit. A cop through and through. Shouta’s presence in the Zone would surely bring attention, but if they could get to Dora’s Kingdom first they’d be home free. 
5. Don’t eat any food outside of the Far Frozen. Everything here had a little bit of ectoplasm infused for the ghost's enjoyment. The Far Frozen was the only place that had human food. Just the mention of it made Shouta’s stomach grumble. How long had they been here?

Phantom had started to talk about how time was weird in the Zone. It flowed, but not in a natural, linear way like on Earth. It was just enough for Shouta to start drifting off.

-----------

Danny hadn’t realized his precious cargo had fallen asleep until he heard faint snoring. If he hadn’t been pressed right up against Danny’s back, he knows he wouldn’t have heard it. 

And while Danny was a bit jealous, he knew the guy needed it. Even before all of this, Eraserhead never got enough sleep. Between late night patrols, early morning classes, and everything else in between that came with being an underground pro and a teacher, the guy had to be utterly exhausted. Plus pain made people tired. And with his injuries, Eraserhead had to be aching all over. 

Danny sighed as he flew further into the Zone. It’s been a long time since he’s been able to just do this. If it weren’t for the circumstances, it would have been peaceful. And even though his own ectoplasm wanted to make Danny hurl, the giant, swirling mass around them was soothing in the same way star gazing was. Maybe it was his ghost half. Maybe it was the change of scenery. But it was nice. 

For the past two months it’s been nothing but white, bleak skies and the famous snow storms of the Far Frozen. He’s been on a twenty-four hour recovery plan, and with Frostbite’s help he’s been able to bounce back faster than ever. Physically, anyway. Mentally, the flash of metal sent him into a panic. The smell of burnt flesh, and the sound of bad eighties music, and the blinding white light paired with a horrible, antiseptic smell. Two months ago it sent him into a blind panic. Now it was just a struggle to remain in the present. 

Danny frowned and rubbed at his chest. Frostbite said the damage to his core hadn’t been bad, but...It was a violation nobody around him understood. 

He growled in frustration and shook his head, trying to rid himself of the dark thoughts. He needed a distraction. Maybe some music? He pulled out his phone, and nearly cried in relief when he saw that it still had a charge. Just a little less than half battery, but it was enough to keep him sane until Eraserhead woke up. 

He opened up his music app, and fiddled around with it for a few minutes. He left his headphones in his cave in the Far Frozen, so he would have to deal with his shitty phone speakers, but it was better than nothing.

Just as Danny had decided on the playlist that Present Mic had made for him, however, there was an unfortunately familiar rumble of a motorcycle engine. 

His frown deepened as he stuffed his phone back in his pocket. Johnny and Kitty had stopped terrorizing him and Jazz, but they still made it their personal mission to mess with him if he was flying through the Zone. Or to ask for dating advice. He didn’t know which one was more annoying. 

Johnny and Shadow caught up to him pretty quickly. On his back Eraserhead stirred. No doubt he was awake again. 

“Where’s Kitty?” He asked. He knew she wasn’t with Jazz since there was no way for her to get in and out of Vlad's safely enough. Has she been hurt? No, not with how Johnny looked like the guiltiest dead man he’s ever seen. Danny’s frown turned into a scowl. “What did you do this time?”

Johnny took his hands off of the handlebars and fiddled with the ends of his grimy coat. He was biting his lip nervously, as if saying it out loud would make it real, despite the fact that whatever happened happened. 

“Look, I don’t have all day,” Danny said. Johnny looked at him, and seemingly for the first time, noticed Eraserhead. Johnny scowled. 

“What, so you’re too good for us now? You disappear for months and when you come back you’re all closed off. I know we haven’t always gotten along but you blew us off, dude! What the fuck was that?”

Never in his wildest dreams did he think Johnny would care about Danny not being around, let alone be genuinely concerned. And Danny couldn’t even give him a straight answer. 

“I-it’s not important, where I was,” Danny eventually says. “What’s important is what you did to piss your girlfriend off.”

It was a horrible segway, he knew, but Johnny didn’t need to know what happened to him. Didn’t need to know that Danny had been heavily dissociating when he had blown Johnny off when he returned to the Zone. Didn’t need to know that he spent every waking moment trying not to fall apart, to not break further than he already was. It wasn’t any of Johnny’s business. 

Johnny clicked his mouth shut. Danny’s tone must have said everything he hadn’t spoken. After a moment of frustration, Johnny twisted his face up before relaxing it completely. He looked so defeated. 

“I forgot her birthday,” he said finally. 

“How long ago was it?”

“...Last week.”

“Johnny.”

“I know! I know,” Johnny held his hands up defensively, the frown back on his face. “I just-can you help me?”

“Dude, just apologize. Maybe take her out to some place nice. Get her some flowers. I heard one  of the newer ghosts opened up a flower shop, she can hook you up. And do better next time.  You guys are mated for the afterlife, it’s time to nut up and stop treating her like shit. Okay?”

Johnny had looked flabbergasted for the majority of Danny’s advice, but soon enough it turned into hope. 

“That...That’s actually pretty good advice. Man, I owe you one.”

“I’ll cash it in now if it means you leave me alone for the rest of my afterlife,” Danny said dryly. 

Johnny just barked out a laugh and gripped his handlebars again. The engine roared to life. “Glad to know you still have a sense of humor, kid. Anyway, I’ll swing by later and let you know how it goes!”

With a final wave he drove off into the abyss. Danny sighed and shook his head before continuing onward. 

This was going to be a long trip.

-----

Shouta doesn’t know what the fuck he just heard. Phantom giving dating advice? As far as he knew Phantom had never dated anybody. Then again, outside of their patrols and ghostly activities, he didn’t really know jack shit about the kid. 

He knew his favorite color was red because of a specific model rocket his sister had gotten him. He knew his favorite game was Doomed and he played it nearly every night if patrol didn’t get in the way. He knew about the way he died. He knew he was allergic to latex and the smell of citrus made him smile fondly in a way that can only be described as reminiscent. But he didn’t know his name. He didn’t know his sister, or his parents, or anything else that he could have used six months ago to find him. 

But with what this Johnny had said, he had been missing from the Zone as well. And how did he even know Johnny? They weren’t friends, but maybe they weren’t enemies either? Maybe it was like his relationship with Endeavor. Only come when called, talk about business only, and then be on his merry way. He wasn’t exactly itching to get to know the #2 hero.

“I know you’re awake,” Phantom told him, snapping him out of his thoughts. “Ask your questions. I know you have some.”

“Who was he?” Shouta asked. 

“A dumbass,” Phantom huffed, though there was no heat behind it. “Johnny’s okay sometimes. He treats his girlfriend like shit, but Kitty is worse sometimes. There was one time she possessed my crush just to make him jealous.”

“What happened to your crush?”

“She’s fine, I took care of it. She’s also no longer my crush. She’s a little bit too stuck up for me. I mean, even if the whole quirkless thing wasn’t a factor she wouldn’t look twice at me.”

Shouta blanched. Quirkless? He knew he got his powers from a lab accident, but he had figured that at least one of them would have just been his normal quirk. Phantom tensed under him, realizing his slipup. Shouta took a deep, steadying breath. It didn’t matter to him, but he had an idea of just how hard it could be. He had a villainous quirk after all. He couldn’t imagine the scrutiny Phantom would have been under as quirkless.

“She doesn’t sound very good, then,” he told Phantom, keeping his voice light and even. “I think shallow would be the appropriate word.”

That got a snort out of Phantom. Shouta almost smiled as he felt Phantom’s shoulder’s relax a little. 

“It’s funny,” he told Shouta. “That’s exactly what another one of my friends would say.”

Shouta wracked his brain for a moment. He’s met two of his friends. It had been a few weeks after Phantom had disappeared. They thought he had done something to Phantom, and had walked in, guns blazing. The goth girl had looked absolutely murderous. 

“Which one was it?” He asked. “The girl or the one with the weird hat?”

Phantom looked over his shoulder at Shouta, surprise written all over his face. 

“You’ve met them?”

“A little after you disappeared. They looked for you for a very long time.”

He saw something like guilt twist Phantom’s features. Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything. From the sound of it, Phantom hadn’t wanted to go off the radar. He had been forced to. 

“They’re my best friends,” he said. There was an undertone of strain in his voice. “I miss them a lot.”

“Well, after we kick ass and save your friend you can go see them,” Shouta reminded him. Because they were going to win. Phantom huffed out a laugh, but it didn’t have a very positive ring to it. 

“Yeah,” he said after a few moments. He turned away from Shouta, and looked out into the green, swirling mass. “Maybe.”

Chapter Text

7 Months Ago

Shouta was smart. He was resourceful. He had his own personal lineup of connections to help him with cases. A few favors he could have called in. But he didn’t bother with any of that because he knew none of them would have any answers. Not to whatever the fuck was going on outside. 

One second he had been patrolling with Hizashi, the next, the sky was green and they were floating aimlessly. Familiar green figures flashes across the sky, howling as if they were in pain. 

“Sho, what’s going on?” Hizashi asked him. He couldn’t keep the worried expression off his face. 

“I have no idea,” he told his husband. “But I think Phantom might be involved.”

“The little listener would never do this!” Hizashi squawked at him. Shouta rolled his eyes as he gripped his scarf and threw it to the closest perch. 

“I didn’t say he did. This is obviously somebody else’s doing. Now are you coming or not?” He gestured with his head to climb on. Hizashi huffed before latching onto Shouta’s back. 

Shouta swung them from perch to perch, over the still cars and panicking masses. There were plenty of other heroes on crowd control. What Shouta needed to do was get to the edge of the rock they were floating on. And he needed to try and make contact with Phantom. Who knew? Maybe today was the day he’d finally be able to meet Hizashi. He had been delighted at the playlist that the pro had made him, and was listening to it constantly. 

“Mic, there’s a piece in my ear. Talk into it,” Shouta instructed as he swung them from one perch to the next. Both of his hands were occupied with his scarf, preventing the both of them from falling to their deaths. Hizashi nodded and hesitantly let go of Shouta with one hand to grab the green comm that Phantom had given him. He pressed the button. 

“Hello?”

“Busy, ‘Raser!” Came an unfamiliar voice. 

“It’s Present Mic. Is this Phantom?”

“Yeah! Big-” there was the sound of an impact, and a grunt from Phantom. “Big fan! Thank you for the play-the playlist! Where is Eraserhead? Is he okay?”

“Yeah, he’s safe. He’s flying us through the city with his scarf, he’s fine. Where-what is happening?”

“Uh, an evil ghost king woke up and now he’s trying to take over the Zone and then the world. But it’s okay! I have it handled!”

“I’m gonna kill him,” Shouta said after Hizashi relayed the conversation. “I’m gonna make him a full ghost, so help me.”

“Get in line, Eraser! Listen-gotta go!”

Hizashi took the ear piece out and handed it back to Shouta as they landed. He stuck it back in his ear as he walked to the edge of the slab half the city was riding on. They were in a vast, green abyss. In the distance, there was a large, dark castle, and a fight going on. 

And in the very center of it was Phantom. 

“Phantom, I have eyes on you. How can I help?”

“You-shit-you can’t! None of the stuff I gave you is-ugh-strong enough. Just keep everybody in the city. Buy some time for the ghost shields to kick in. Should happen soon.”

He watched in horror as the man he was fighting slammed into him with a morningstar. Phantom went flying into the crowd. He somehow managed to avoid being trampled by the fight going on around him. 

His opponent was at least twenty feet tall with long green hair and a flaming green crown floating above his head. Just looking at him from all the way over here, Shouta felt a terrifying chill down his spine. He couldn’t imagine the fear Phantom must be feeling. His hands reflexively reached for his capture weapon, but there was no way it was going to get him from here to where Phantom was. 

He turned to Hizashi. They needed to tell everybody to stay in the city, find some shelter. But before he could open his mouth a bright, green beam shot up into the sky. It stopped about twenty feet above the tallest building, before spreading out into a dome shape. It stretched over the entire city. Ghosts on the outside ran into it, but otherwise seemed unfazed. This must have been the shield Phantom had spoken about. Had he been the one to set this up? He would have to ask him about it later, and praise him for his ability to think ahead.

Shouta watched the fight from the edge, separated by a translucent green wall. He watched, helpless, as the twenty-foot tall man grabbed Phantom by his throat and lifted him into the air. His tiny body thrashed around, his hands coming up to his throat so he could try and breathe. It felt like someone was gripping Shouta’s heart and squeezing. Like it was about to be ripped out of his body as he saw the kid flail around. He looked so small compared to his opponent. Hizashi gripped his arm tightly, watching with just as much worry as the events unfolded right in front of their eyes.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

There was a beat up, white mass of fur that threw something to Phantom. He caught it, and in the same motion slashed upwards. The man screamed, and clutched the stump where his hand had been. And in a moment of pure adrenaline, Shouta knew, Phantom took the sword and thrusted. 

The sword was buried into the man’s chest, all the way down to the hilt. Phantom twisted it harshly before pulling it out. It was covered in ectoplasm. 

The man clutched at his chest in surprise before falling to his knees. He looked absolutely shocked. He held out his giant hand to try and attack once more, but it was too much for him. 

Shouta and Hizashi watched as the man started fading to dust. Little by little, starting with the hand just inches away from Phantom’s face, until he was completely gone. 

The skeleton army dropped to the ground. The cheers from Phantom’s allies were absolutely deafening. More so than the bright, pink rings that started to swirl around the city. From the distance, Phantom waved at him, and gave him a two-fingered salute, before promptly passing out. 

Shouta cried out. He banged on the shield, but it was too late. The pink rings flashed over them, blinding him momentarily. He didn’t watch the shift in the sky from a bright, menacing green to the beautiful blue he had grown used to. 

He looked around. He and Hizashi were in a park, now, not far from U.A. The only sign that anything had happened at all was the giant crack in the ground, stretching as far as the eye could see. It was where the city had been split, forming a ring around the town. A nasty scar to remind them that they were no longer the only ones here. 

“What just happened?” Hizashi asked, out of breath. He looked absolutely bewildered. Shouta, for once, could sympathize. 

“That,” he replied, “was Phantom.”

----------

The two weeks following their interdimensional incident was spent without a word from Phantom. Shouta was worried out of his goddamn mind. He was staying out until all hours of the night, every night, just to see if he could get a glimpse of the ghost boy who had apparently prevented the end of the world. 

It didn’t help that he saw the fight practically everywhere. Though regular technology was pretty dicey when it came to supernatural intervention, Shouta had found, some schmuck managed to get a video of the middle of the fight. The static overcame the video a few minutes before Phantom kills whoever that had been, thankfully. And while Shouta didn’t necessarily agree with killing, he understood why it had been done. He wasn’t going to make the kid feel like shit for having to make that impossible decision. They’ve all had too. Shouta’s own hands were far from clean. 

But fuck. Phantom was just a kid. His hands shouldn’t be dripping red. 

The shaky footage was being played periodically throughout the day on all news channels. A few civilians that had recognized him from his vigilante work came forward, raving about how Inviso-Bill had saved them once again. And he apparently had a small cult following online. But thankfully the footage wasn’t detailed by any means. In fact, most of the static was over Phantom and his opponent’s figures. Add that with the distance that had been between the battle and the city, and you had one pretty unrecognizable ghost kid. 

Though there was this couple on TV. They were apparently self-proclaimed experts on the subject, even though they were nowhere to be seen. The Fentons, originally from America, were loud, boisterous, and overly confident. Shouta got a bad feeling in his gut every time the father pulled his unwilling children into the view of the camera, though he didn’t understand why. He recognized the girl as one of Hizashi’s students. His favorite, in fact. He had never seen the boy before, but there was some kind of familiarity there that Shouta couldn’t pinpoint. Maybe he had saved him? No, he would have remembered. The kid looked way too smart for his own good, like he knew something everybody else didn’t, and if Shouta had rescued him, there’s no way he’d allow himself to forget. 

Still, though, Shouta couldn’t help but feel bad for the kid. He looked like he would rather be anywhere else, while his sister sat stiff and proper, answering questions with a vagueness only she would be able to decipher. And the boy, he had a few bruises here and there that the media seemed to be ignoring. Was it possible child abuse? Maybe that was the explanation for the weird behavior of these kids. Maybe he would ask Hizashi about the girl, just to make sure.

Shouta sighed and shook his head. He needed to focus. Phantom hadn’t shown up in days, and he needed to make sure he was okay. And though he was exhausted, he knew he wasn’t going to be able to rest properly until he saw the kid again. He just needed to be sure. Some small part of him felt bad because for Hizashi he knew this self-destructive behavior Shouta defaulted to when he was in situations like this drove him up the wall, but he couldn’t bring himself to care at the moment. He would apologize when he knew Phantom was safe and sound, and not being torn apart by people who would rather paint him as a villain than see how he saved them. And Shouta knows without a doubt that any other hero wouldn’t have been able to take the other guy on. Sheer size aside, he was a ghost, and without the proper tech, they couldn’t even be touched.

Shouta frowns and turns away from the main streets down below. The lights were too bright, cars too loud, and paired with his exhaustion, they were giving him a headache. He groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose in a vain attempt to do anything about the situation. 

“Rough night?”

Shouta whirled around so hard he nearly lost his balance. But sitting cross-legged in midair was the kid. He had two cups of coffee in his hand. One of them was still steaming slightly. He held it out to Shouta, who completely ignored it. 

Two weeks. Not a word from the ghost boy. Not a signal, or anything through the comm link, or-or anything. He had been worried out of his goddamn mind. So instead of taking the coffee, he lunged forward and brought the kid into a bone-crushing hug. 

He felt Phantom tense, before relaxing. Melting into the contact Shouta was giving him. He hugged him back, though not as tightly due to his hands being occupied with their coffees. They stayed like that for a few moments before Shouta stepped back. His hands traveled to the boy’s face, looking him over for any injuries. Phantom rolled his eyes, but went along with it. Though they haven’t known each other for long, they patrolled enough to know these things about each other. That’s why Shouta was worried, he needed to make sure you were okay in all aspects-not just mentally, emotionally, but physically as well. And though he liked to pretend he wasn’t good with emotions, Phantom had told him stuff he’s never told anybody before. Because Shouta was one of the only people he could trust, and he knew the hero valued that just as much as Phantom did. 

At least, Shouta hoped Phantom knew. He could be a prickly bastard on his best days. 

Once he was done with his examination, he took the coffee, and gave him one more quick hug. 

“Sorry,” Phantom said, rubbing the back of his neck. “For not contacting you, I mean. I had some stuff to take care of in the Zone, and I had to recover, and-well, I just didn’t get the chance to contact you.”

“Don’t worry about it kid,” Shouta said. “I’m just glad you’re safe.” He looked at Phantom, with slumped shoulders and bags under his eyes. He looked tired. “Are you doing okay?” 

That was apparently the wrong thing to ask, because Phantom promptly burst into tears. 

Shouta was immediately at his side. He set the coffees down and brought Phantom in for another hug. The shorter boy gripped his jumpsuit tightly, shoulders shaking. 

“I-I-I killed h-him,” he said through his sobs. Shouta couldn’t help the pain in his chest that came with the words. He had hoped something like this wouldn’t have happened, that Phantom would just be magically okay. But it seems that he was just as against killing as Shouta. And though his hands weren’t as red, it was a permanent stain. A scar he could only see when he closed his eyes. 

Shouta whispered a collection of hey it’s okays, and I got you don’t worry. There was even a you did what you had to, you saved so many people. 

He’s not sure if it was the calm reassurances that it wasn’t his fault, or if it was just the natural progression of a crying episode, but eventually Phantom calmed down. And though he wasn’t crying anymore, he didn’t pull away. Shouta didn’t make him, either. 

“I’m sorry you’re hurting,” he says eventually. Phantom just sniffles. 

“Does it get any easier?” He asks. His voice was a soft rasp, hoarse from crying. 

“With time. And the proper support. But it’ll only work if you’re not so hard on yourself. I know how easy it can be, but trust me when I say, everybody in this city-hell, maybe even the world-would have been completely fucked if you hadn’t done what you had. You’re one of the most courageous, bravest kids I’ve ever met. I’m proud of you.”

Phantom leaned up just enough to hit Shouta’s shoulder. He had more tears in his eyes. 

“Fuck you for making me cry again,” he says, though there’s a fondness in his words. Shouta smiles at him, and in a moment of lost self control, ruffles the boy’s hair. Phantom leaned into the motion, and smiled back up at him. 

“Thanks, Eraserhead,” he said. Shouta just shrugged. 

“Anytime, kid.”

Yeah, he thought. We’ll be okay.

Chapter Text

“Shit.”

“That bad, huh?” Eraserhead asked dryly. Danny frowned as he looked at the vast expanse ahead of them. They were deep into Walker’s territory, near the prison where he had once kept Danny. They had managed so far, using the cover of floating rocks and doors to hide them as much as possible, but now they were facing something so much worse. 

Nothing. 

There was nothing between the floating rock they were on, and the entrance to Dora’s kingdom. It was just a speck in the distance, and they would have to fly all the way to reach it. Fighting Walker was already hard enough, but with both of them injured and tired, he wasn’t sure if they had a chance. 

But they had to do this. He had to do this. Jazz was counting on him. 

So he tightened his grip on Aizawa, who was still on his back, and straightened up as much as he could. He could do this. They could do this. It was going to be a walk in the park. Absolutely nothing would go wrong, but if it was, he would just throw up a shield and get the fuck out of dodge. It was going to be fine, right? 

Right?

---------

Danny couldn’t have been more wrong. Story of his life. 

They had made it about halfway through before the first shots were fired. He swore loudly as he flew in a backwards somersault, only barely managing to avoid the blast. He threw up his shields, encasing him and Eraserhead. It flickered for a moment before finally becoming fully stable. His hands shook slightly as he held them out, willing it to stay. It wasn’t his strongest work, but if he moved fast enough it would have to do. 

The hands that had been lazily wrapped around his neck suddenly tightened, and moved closer. Eraserhead pulled up his sleeve and turned on the wrist ray that Danny had given him when they first met. 

“Holy shit, you still have that?” He asked, as he dodged more blasts. Even though he had the shield, if it got hit hard enough or too many times, it was going to crack. And if that happened before they made it to Dora’s, they were absolutely fucked. But still, it was nice to know Eraserhead actually used it. Had bothered to keep it on him. He had nearly forgotten he had given it to the hero, but it seems as though he never left the house without it. It would have made Danny’s chest all warm and fuzzy if it weren’t for the fact that they were flying for their lives. 

They were so close before everything went to shit. 

The kingdom was in clear view, the entrance just a hundred yards away. They were so close to safety. And Eraserhead was a huge help with the wrist ray. As weak as it was, he was using it to its full potential. 

But then out of nowhere, Walker showed up. Danny didn’t have time to stop, and slammed full force into him. He was absolutely humongous, taller than Danny could comprehend at the moment. The shield shattered on impact, but now that Walker was here, there weren’t any more blasts coming from the army of cops behind them.

“Oh? What’s this?” He asked, his drawl coming out and sending shivers down Danny’s spine. He took out a book and flipped through it with a smug grin. 

“Humans in the Zone are against the rules,” Walker said matter-of-factly. “And helping them wander around is even worse.” He closed the book with a loud snap. “You’re both coming with me.”

Danny barely managed to dodge the large, black glove that came towards them. Eraser shot it. And though it didn’t do much, it surprised Walker enough for Danny to fly them in between his arm and torso. Seventy-five yards. If they could make it, Walker wouldn’t be able to do shit to them. 

With the shield gone, that left enough power for Danny to kick it into high gear. He couldn't fly as fast as he usually could, but it was faster than what they’d been doing thus far across No Man’s Land. 

But he was rudely reminded that he couldn’t just run away from all of his problems. 

There was a shout from Eraser that was cut off as both of them were backhanded by a massive gloved hand. They went flying. Thankfully it was the direction he wanted to go towards, but he was so dazed by the attack he couldn’t quite give them a soft landing. 

They crashed, Danny first, into the slanted rock that Dora’s kingdom sat upon. He didn’t hear any kind of noise from Eraser, which meant he was officially down for the count. It wasn’t too surprising since he had probably taken most of the impact from Walker, but it was still worrying. Eraser had already been hurt. How badly was he injured now? 

Danny was yanked back by somebody pulling on the unconscious hero, who had thankfully had the sense to tie himself to Danny so they wouldn’t be separated. 

Danny groaned. His head was pounding, and his vision was blurry from the impact. Thankfully, he wasn’t about to pass out. If he took another hit like that, though, he definitely would. 

Though his vision was slightly blurred, he was still able to see Walker’s pale, ugly mug clearly. It was large, and so bright. Looking directly at him just made his head hurt worse, like looking at a blank white page on his computer in complete darkness. 

“Halfa,” he said, voice full of mirth. He didn’t bother the triumphantly smug look on his face as he held Danny and Eraserhead up. “You are hereby under arrest for helping an illegal hu-”

The nice thing about Walker was that he was predictable. If you let him, he would monologue. And what are monologues good for? 

Attacking.

So that’s what Danny did. He sent out a blast of ice, sharp and crisp. It smacked Walker in the face, covering his mouth so he could no longer talk. He dropped Danny and Eraserhead, and instead reached for his mouth to try and rid himself of the ice. Danny wasted no time in catching himself midair. He practically threw them at the entrance to the kingdom. 

As soon as he was on solid ground, he sprinted towards the gate at an awkward gait due to the weird way Eraserhead was tangled now. Once he reached it, he started banging on it with all his might. A few guards who had been watching the fight from their towers wasted no time in lifting the gate up. Danny ducked through it. Just as he was almost all the way through, however, there was a large hand gripping his ankle. It pulled him sharply, knocking him to the ground. He grabbed onto the edge of the gate to avoid being taken by a seething Walker, who still was unable to speak. 

Thankfully, though, he had been in Dora’s kingdom when he was grabbed. 

Which meant Walker was the one in violation of the rules. 

The guards threw their spears and fired arrows at the cop, as two others helped Danny and Eraserhead get to their feet and fully inside the kingdom. Walker’s pained scream was muffled, and Danny couldn't help but feel some satisfaction as it was cut off completely by the closing of the gate. 

“Phantom,” the guards helping them said with a slight bow. “How may we be of assistance?”

“You guys are friendlier than I thought you’d be,” he pants, unable to stop himself. Though they don’t seem to take offense. 

“Any esteemed friend of the queen is under our protection within these walls,” one of them explained. Danny smiled. He hadn’t realized just how good things had gotten in the kingdom since he helped take down her brother. It was nice to be treated with a shred of respect from ghosts outside of the Far Frozen. 

“That’s good to hear. I’m actually here to see her. Do you guys think you could give us a lift?”

Danny could walk, sure. But he was exhausted, and in pain. Eraserhead hadn’t been super heavy at the beginning, not with his ghost strength, but he had been carrying the man for a while, and now that he was dead weight it was starting to get really hard. The only thing keeping him from completely dropping the pro was the capture scarf tying him to Danny. 

The guards nodded, and within a few short minutes they were sitting in a carriage. The guard that was accompanying them helped Danny get the capture scarf off, releasing him from Eraserhead. Danny relished in the sudden weightlessness as he collapsed in his seat. He closed his eyes and took a deep, relieving breath before opening them again. He turned to look at Eraserhead.

He looked like shit. His dark hair was matted with ectoplasm and what was probably blood. There was a layer of grime on him, and the bags under his eyes looked like deep bruises. Danny briefly wondered how long the man had been looking for him. Had it been weeks? Months? The king of exhaustion that Eraserhead held in his body didn’t come from a couple bad days in another dimension. It was built up over time due to stress and worry. Danny almost felt guilty for not coming to see the hero sooner. But he had barely been holding it together. Seeing Eraserhead would have probably distracted him from his recovery with his comforting nagging and the way he ruffled Danny’s hair and-okay, yeah, seeing the hero would have probably done him some good. But he had held himself back. Maybe it was the fear of being rejected. Maybe it was the fear of being seen as less than. And though that was a feeling he had been familiar with his whole life, he had never felt like that around Eraserhead, who looked at him with kind eyes and comforted him with gentle, calloused hands. 

He sighed and leaned back in the carriage. It was a lot to unpack, that was for sure. But he could emotionally dump on Eraserhead later. Now? Now he just needed to sit down and take a breather while he figured out their next step.

He hadn’t expected the ride to be as peaceful as it was, and within moments he was fast asleep. 

------

He was woken up by the guard riding with them when they entered through the gates of the castle. He knew he hadn’t been out for long. Everything still hurt, and all he wanted to do was go back to sleep. But they were here, and they were so close. He could sleep in his cave, where it was warm and safe. 

Danny got up, and with the guard’s help, he managed to make a kind of seat with the capture scarf for Eraserhead to sit in as he was tied once more to Danny’s back. His arms hung over Danny’s shoulders, sticking straight ahead. Danny pulled off his glove and pulled out a hair tie he had started to keep for Eraser on the off chance the hero ever had to ask for one. He wrapped it around the pro’s wrists to keep his arms from swinging around, and continued on their way. 

Danny had been inside the castle once, when they had come to fight Aragorn and free Dora of her brother’s control. He hadn’t really been able to get a good look at anything. But as he was led through the long hallways, he found that he quite liked the decorating. Dora definitely had a knack for it. 

It wasn’t long before they reached the throne room. Dora was bustling around, ordering her servants and guards to do this and that, and though she looked a bit frazzled, she still managed to give him a soft smile when she spotted him. 

“Ah, young halfa!” She greeted. “I’m so glad you were able to visit, though I do wish it were under better circumstances.” 

“Yeah, you and me both. I wish I could stay longer, but my friend here is severely injured, and we need to get to the Far Frozen. Any chance we could use your Passage?”

Dora hummed softly as she looked Danny and Eraserhead over. She cupped his face in her small, delicate hands. Danny didn’t move to stop her. Not even as she brushed his white locks out of his eyes, or trailed her fingers over the new scar that rested across the bridge of his nose from the muzzle that had dug into his skin for four months.

“I am so, so sorry I was unable to help you with your hardships,” she said. Her voice was full of regret, and sadness. And though Danny had expected pity as well, there was none. He was grateful for it. 

“I got out okay,” he said, and shrugged as best he could. “But thank you. It...It means a lot.”

Dora gave him a sad smile, and pressed a kiss to his forehead before finally letting him go. “Come with me,” she said. 

She led him outside through the castle to a secret garden. It was one of the only times Danny has ever seen plants alive and thriving in the Zone. There was green everywhere, with flowers of all kinds decorating the stones. Ivy crawled up the wall and bushes lined the walkways leading to the very center where the Passage was. 

The Passage could best be described as a suped up lightning rod.  It stuck straight out of the ground, and had a glowing green orb sitting on top. Dora walked in a comfortable silence with him. 

“Do you know how to use it?” She asked him when they finally reached it. He nodded. 

“Yeah, Frostbite lets me use his from time to time. Usually just to get to my Keep or the Observant’s place.”

“Good. If you ever need help again, young halfa, do not be afraid to ask. I wish to repay my debt to you in any way that I can.”

“Thanks, Dora,” he said with a soft smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Dora smiled down at him before kissing both sides of his face. She squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, before letting Danny step up to the Passage. 

He took a deep breath in and out, focusing his thoughts on the Far Frozen. And once he had a clear picture in his head, he tightened his hold on Eraserhead with one hand, and placed the other on the green orb. 

His whole body was engulfed in light, and the last thing he saw was Dora’s smile as she gave him a small wave. He closed his eyes, , savoring the chill that went up his spine. His core was thrumming with excitement as he and Eraserhead were transported through the Ghost Zone. When he opened his eyes, they were inside of a familiar cave. Though it wasn’t windy inside, it was significantly colder. Danny could feel his core humming with delight. 

“Great One,” a yeti said, coming into Danny’s view. He had an accent that Danny could only describe as lighthouse keeper. He had only ever heard that accent from those who managed lighthouses in movies and TV shows. He was a comforting presence similar to Eraser. Gruff, but caring in his own way. A silent guardian who felt strongly about the people close to him. Danny smiled up at the older ghost.

“Hey, Permafrost,” he greeted. “If you’re not busy do you think we could get a lift to town?” 

Permafrost looked at Danny and the human tied to his back with a long, calculating look. No doubt he was taking in his injuries, and was wondering what the fuck Danny was doing with a human. But it was Danny. He knew that if it was him coming up to them with a human asking for help, they would. If it was any other ghost, well, probably not. At least he had that going for him here. 

Eventually Permafrost grunted and moved away. He went to the back of the cave, bringing back a couple of large furs. He jerked his head towards the entrance to the sled that Permafrost manned, and Danny quickly followed. 

Once inside, he untied Eraser from him, and covered him completely with one of the furs, protecting him from the harsh, unnatural winter of the Far Frozen. Once he was done, he settled himself down next to the pro, covered himself in his own fur, and promptly fell asleep. 

Chapter Text

6 Months Ago

Shouta was losing his goddamn mind.

It had been a month since his and Phantom’s conversation on the rooftop after the Pariah Dark incident. And almost every night for an entire month he had seen Phantom, and had patrolled and fought with him. He quite liked the kid’s company, and it was an easy way to make sure he didn’t get hurt. And after going missing for the two weeks after his last big fight, Phantom had promised to tell him when he was going to take a break, or be gone for longer than a few days.

It’s been a week now. And Shouta was trying his best not to freak out, but his gut was absolutely screaming at him. Something had happened to his kid and he had no way of knowing what it was, or how to even find him. The only thing he had to go off of was his vigilante name, Phantom, which most people didn’t even know because the media had insisted on sticking with Inviso-Bill. He hadn’t given away anything about his family, other than the fact that he had one. He had friends, but Shouta couldn’t for the life of him remember if they knew Phantom was a vigilante or not. And if they did know, did they also know about him hanging around Shouta? He knew Phantom valued his privacy, it was obviously something that he didn’t really have in his normal life. And Shouta had been respectful, and hadn’t questioned it. Now, though, he’s regretting that decision. Because if he had grilled the kid more he might be able to find him.

After two weeks of no contact, Shouta couldn’t take it anymore. He had gotten Hizashi to help him look when on patrols, and had changed his hours and route up so it matched Phantom’s usual sightings. He knew his husband was grateful for the distraction since his favorite student had abruptly moved schools. Her parents had come in the middle of the day and had talked to Nezu personally. Hizashi was heartbroken, but ultimately glad she wasn’t in danger. Not like Phantom was. Not that Shouta could prove it.

He knew something had happened, but he couldn’t quite place why until the middle of the third week.

With Phantom gone, there were no ghosts.

Not the Box Ghost, who enjoyed annoying them, or Skulker who insisted on getting Phantom’s pelt one way or another. Not a single drop of ectoplasm or shock of white hair that he loved ruffling because it annoyed Phantom, but there was always a fondness that he exuded whenever Shouta did it. Especially when he didn’t think about it.

He knew so, so much about Phantom, but at the same time he knew nothing at all.

5 Months Ago

Shouta hadn’t stopped looking. How could he? Phantom was his unspoken responsibility. More than just a patrol partner. More than just a ward, or a student. He was Shouta’s kid. Outside of a home that ignored his night time escapades, he was Shouta’s. He would never stop looking. He would never lose hope that his kid was still alive, or at least as alive as he possibly could be.

It was getting admittedly harder, though. Every scarce lead he was able to pick up always led to a deadend. And it didn’t help that he was pretty much alone on this. Other than Hizashi, he had no help. He couldn’t go to the police, because they would arrest Phantom for being a vigilante, and maybe even Shouta for letting it go on for so long. Not that it mattered. What mattered was that Phantom was safe and sound, and he very obviously was not.

He felt like he was going crazy. Is this what being a parent felt like? He had calmed down plenty of mothers and fathers that had lost their kids, and given them an outsider’s comfort, but he had never been on the other side of it. And though he wasn’t Phantom’s actual parent he couldn’t help but finally empathize with the thought of losing him.

But he wasn’t lost. He was still alive, Shouta knew. He couldn’t explain it, it was just a gut feeling. The same instinct that told him he was alive was also telling him something was wrong. And he hated not being able to do anything about it.

Hizashi was the only thing keeping him sane. He made sure Shouta actually tried to sleep, and though he hasn’t had an appetite for weeks, he still ate. He kept up his strength because he knew he would need it for when he did find Phantom. But holy hell was it absolutely exhausting.

He knew it was affecting his mental health. Most days the only thing keeping him from staying in bed all day was the fact that he needed to keep up appearances if he was going to find Phantom. He couldn’t just quit either of his jobs and drop everything. Not with the threat of Phantom being arrested hanging over his head. It was quite a conundrum indeed. Maybe after everything was said and done he would have a session or two with Hound Dog because this stress was bad for his health.

He groaned as he sat down on the ledge of a building in a quiet-ish neighborhood. The major part of the city was too loud, and he needed to think. He scrubbed his face in a vain attempt to get rid of the exhaustion that had made its way into his bones.

That is, until he felt something wrap around his ankle and pull hard.

He was yanked down to the ground below, which thankfully was only about three floors up. The only thing keeping him from getting incredibly injured was instinct. His hero experience kicked in, and he managed to catch himself on the fire escape before safely dropping down to face the person who had disrupted his thoughts.

He had been expecting big burly villains who had a bone to pick with him. Maybe they thought he could be a hostage. Maybe it was a prank. Maybe it was petty revenge for putting away a loved one. Either way, two pissed off teenagers was not what he had been expecting.

The girl on the left was holding a grappling gun that had a green wire sticking out of it. The other end was still around Shouta’s ankle. She was looking at him with a venom he hadn’t known was possible. The other kid wore glasses and a dumb hat, and he was weilding a baseball bat. And though he had never met them, he knew who they were immediately, from Phantom’s stories.

“You’re friend’s of Phantom.” It wasn’t a question. Though from the darkening looks on their faces he could tell he was right. He threw his hands up in the air, a sign for peace.

“You’re Eraserhead?” The girl asked him. She practically spat his name. He nodded. “Where is Phantom?” She snarled.

“I’ve been trying to figure that out for weeks,” he tells her. “I honestly don’t know. He disappeared without a trace.”

The girl analyzed his face. His posture. The bags under his eyes and the way he had messily tied his hair up because it was just a little too greasy for comfort since he had forgone the shower before patrol. No doubt he looked like shit. Maybe that’s the reason she showed him mercy.

She must have found what she was looking for, because after a few moments she walked forward and unwound the green wire wrapped around his ankle. She put the grappling gun away in it’s holster and looked at him with tired, amethyst eyes.

“I’m Sam,” she said. “That’s Tucker,” she jerked a thumb at the boy, who had lowered the bat. He lowered his hands. They looked tense and exhausted. Is that what he looked like? No, it wasn’t. He knew he looked worse.

“You wouldn’t happen to have any idea where he is, would you?” He asked them. They frowned and shook their heads.

“That’s why we hunted you down,” Tucker explained. “We were hoping that you might have known something.”

“Sorry,” he said. He couldn’t hide the regret in his voice. That all of his hard work so far in the search for Phantom was quickly growing fruitless. “I wish I had more answers for you.”

“Does anybody else know that he’s missing?” Sam asked. Shouta shook his head.

“Just my husband, but he’s known about Phantom’s vigilante status since the beginning. He won’t tell.”

“So you haven’t gone to the police?” Her guard was back up, and though the bat was lowered, he heard the familiar squeak of flesh against rubber as Tucker’s grip on his abt tightened.

“I’m not going to risk his safety like that,” Shouta told them. “Especially since he wants to be a hero.”

The answer seemed satisfactory, because Phantom’s friends relaxed once more.

“We have a theory on where he might be,” Tucker said after a moment. “Wanna swap notes?”

4 Months Ago

Shouta resisted the urge to grunt as he squirmed his way through the vents. He had heard stories of the Guys in White from Nezu. Usually it was in passing, or when he brought up the horrible past he had at the hands of the shadow organization. Apparently they were mostly known for their hunt of supernatural knowledge.

According to Sam and Tucker, Phantom has had a couple of close calls with them. While they hunted anything that didn’t seem natural (which was a weird statement in the world of quirks) they did focus primarily on ghosts.

He knew from speaking with Phantom that halfas were rare but he didn’t realize how rare until he spoke with Sam and Tucker. There were only two in the entire world. One was their best friend. The other was a megalomaniac billionaire who wanted to kill Phantom’s father and take him on as a son. With the rarity of halfas, it’s no wonder the Guys in White wanted to go after Phantom.

And after a couple weeks of careful planning and some crazy hacking from Tucker, Shouta found himself crawling through the vents with Tucker’s voice in his ear telling him where to go.

And though they were up to some shady shit, none of it involved Phantom, or any other kind of ghost. It was a dead end. Weeks wasted in hopes that he would be here.

He had let himself start hoping again. A mistake he wouldn’t make again.

He doesn’t know if he can handle that kind of failure again.

3 Months Ago

Shouta breathed in deeply. The air was colder, crisper when he was up this high. The harshness of the cold helped him clear his head, which is something he desperately needed.

The Guys in White was a bust.

According to Sam and Tucker he wasn’t home, and Phantom’s parents were freaking out and locked themselves away in their basement, convinced that their son had been kidnapped by ghosts. He had half a mind to make them tell him where Phantom lived, but he knew neither of them would budge. It would be a major breach of privacy, and it would expose Phantom to his ghost-hunter parents. That was potentially more dangerous than whatever situation he had gotten himself into.

Still, though. Phantom hadn’t made any super big enemies with any of the villains he helped Shouta take down on their patrols. The media hasn’t uttered a word about him in weeks. There weren’t any ghosts around to give him answers.

Where could he be?

2 Months Ago

Shouta almost cried tears of joy when he saw the Box Ghost for the first time in months.

Though, there was something wrong with him. He looked sad, worried. Not his usual overconfident self that liked to make bad puns when he threw around boxes. And although every part of Shouta was telling him to be on guard, he tried to keep his presence as welcoming as possible for the ghost.

“The halfa has sent me with a message,” he told Shouta. He perked up, suddenly clear and alert.

“Where is he? Is he okay? Can I see him?” He asked, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice.

“The halfa needs to heal,” Box Ghost told him. “He asked the Box Ghost not to go into detail, so I will respect his wishes. But you do not need to fret any longer. He is finally in safe hands, and will come to you when he is ready.”

“This is-how do I know you’re telling the truth?” He asked. He was so relieved that his kid was in a safe place but not being able to see him sent up a flurry of red flags. Box Ghost gave him a sad smile.

“He said you would ask that. So he told me to give you this.” Box Ghost pulled out an envelope with his hero name scrawled on the front in shaky handwriting. He wondered how much pain he was in.

He opened it with shaky hands.

Eraserhead,

I know you’ve been worrying your head off the past couple of months. I want you to know I’m safe now. I’m not in the greatest shape. I won’t bullshit you-I got pretty fucked up. So I’ll be staying in the Zone until I heal up. This isn’t a trick. It isn’t a game. Box Ghost is telling the truth.

The ghosts won’t be bugging you as much since I’ll be in the Zone. When I can, I’ll come and visit you. I might not be able to explain everything-not right away, anyway, but I will. I trust you.

See you eventually,
Phantom

P.S.-Get some rest. Eat some food. Take care of yourself. And tell Present Mic I said hi.

1 Month Ago

Since getting Phantom’s letter, life has been a little easier to manage. Eating comes easier, and he actually has an appetite again. And though it’s often interrupted by nightmares or soft bumps in the night, he is getting more sleep. The knowledge that his kid is finally safe makes it easier.

There are of course good days and bad days. Sometimes he wakes up in a cold sweat thinking it was all a dream, but then he’ll see the letter sitting on his nightstand. He won’t admit to Hizashi how much of a comfort that physical evidence of his safety gives him, but then again it’s Hizashi. He doesn’t think he really needs to tell him for him to know.

Still, not a day goes by where he doesn’t think about Phantom. Where he doesn’t hope to see him out on patrol, and is just a little disappointed every time when he doesn’t show. But when he does, Shouta will be there.

He will always be there for him.

Chapter Text

Present Day

Shouta wakes up slowly. 

He’s warm. Unbelievable so, but it’s all comfort. He feels like he’s floating on a cloud. It feels like lazy weekends where neither he or Hizashi have work, so they spend all day lazing around. Sometimes his husband will hum or softly sing while Shouta cooks or reads. It’s the feeling he gets when he and Phantom share bento boxes on tall rooftops, casually joking with each other over the cat shapes Hizashi makes for them. It’s the feeling he gets when he sees a past student make their debut or they make it into the papers for a massive takedown they did. 

It’s the feeling of contentment. Of rightness. 

But then it isn’t. 

There’s a vibration in his bones that he can feel. It almost matches up with his heartbeat, which is how he knows it’s not him. It’s a deep, thrumming sound, rhythmically calling towards him in his half asleep state. He almost drifts off again, until the cheers start up. 

That’s when Shouta finally opened up his eyes.

He’s lying on his stomach. For once, almost nothing hurts when he wakes up. Usually he’s accompanied by aches in his joints or old pains acting up, but hell, not even his head hurts. His head always hurts. It’s a wonderful relief. 

He’s no longer in his jumpsuit, however. It’s been replaced by a robe of sorts, with open sides that expose his bandaged chest, and an illegally soft pair of pants. There was a soft strip of silk tied around his waist to keep the robe from obnoxiously flying around everywhere. 

He sits up slowly, and is surprised to find that he’s actually well rested. For as beat up as he was, he was expecting to hurt more. Especially with that last hit he took from the pale ghost that had grown fifty feet right before their eyes. What had Phantom called him? Walker? Eh, close enough. 

He looks around, and finds that he’s in a…a cave? There was a hearth with a roaring flame, making the room nice and toasty. The light was casting harsh shadows to crawl along the walls, but it wasn’t eerie in any sense of the word. And considering the fact that they were still in the Zone, that was quite the feat. He looked around some more, noting the drawings pinned to the walls. Some were random doodles, some were detailed sketches, and others were blueprints. There was a single photo tacked to the wall. It was a picture of Sam, Tucker, and Phantom, who was pulling both of them in for a tight hug. They were all grinning so hard it looked like it hurt. There wasn’t a single worry on nay of their faces. No dark bags under his eyes to be seen. He looked like an actual kid. 

He didn’t linger on the photo for very long. This was obviously Phantom’s area, akin to a bedroom. It would be nothing short of invasive if he went snooping around more than he already had. So instead, he focuses on the thrumming of the drums. It was so loud it was impossible to ignore now. So instead of doing so, he went to the front of the cave, where there was a thick fur covering the entrance to keep the cold out. 

When he got there, he saw that there was a note in Phantom’s messy scrawl telling him to put on the things that were sitting in the chair next to the entrance. It was a pair of soft looking snow boots and a thick fur to wrap around himself. It clipped in the front at the neck and waist. He put them on quickly before ducking through the covers, wishing he had his capture weapon instead.

The drumming and cheering was ten times louder than before without the sound protection he had in the cave. Everything was covered in a soft layer of fresh snow, and Shouta was blinded by how bright it was. He let his senses adjust before heading towards the noise. 

Phantom hadn’t gone into detail about the Far Frozen, but Shouta could only assume that’s where they were. It was a big place, and it was cold. It more than lived up to the name. He could appreciate the simplicity when he saw it. 

It wasn’t hard to follow the noise. You could hear it throughout the entire town. Large, grey and white furred yetis were quickly traveling to the sound, completely ignoring Shouta. Honestly, he’d be surprised if they could even see him past all of the fur and muscle that all of them seemed to have. He quickly, almost effortlessly with his lean frame, slipped into the ever growing crowd, and headed towards the source of the drums.

Because he was so small compared to everybody else, it didn’t take much effort to make it to the front. In fact, when they saw him, they moved away from him, offering him space. Whether it was because he was small and they wanted him to see whatever was going on, or because he wasn’t an eight-foot tall yeti, he wasn’t sure, but he was thankful either way. And to say he was surprised when he reached the front was an understatement, because there were several larger yetis decked out in armor all locked in battle against a sole figure. 

A sole figure who just so happened to be Shouta’s vigilante. 

Phantom was wielding a sword made of what was obviously ice. He was shirtless, and moving with a grace he had never seen Phantom have before. It was like watching a partnered dance. They stepped around each other seamlessly, hacking and slashing artistically with their weapons of choice. Phantom was going up against three yetis all by himself, though he didn’t seem upset or stressed by it. However, unlike the Yetis, Phantom didn’t wear anything protective, other than the occasional shield he conjured himself. But he seemed to be giving the yetis a run from their money otherwise. 

Phantom took all of them down in a matter of minutes. And it was at this moment Shouta noticed his torso. Though there were cheers for Phantom and his victory, it felt like everything came to a suffocating halt. Because there, buried underneath bright blue war paint, was an autopsy scar. 

Is this what happened when he was gone all those months? Or did this happen after he died? Looking at it made his blood boil. He felt bile rising in his throat at the image of Phantom being strapped down to a table and cut open like a biology project. And he suddenly realized that, for the first time, he wanted to make whoever did this pay. With their blood or otherwise, he wanted to see them in pain, and he wanted to be the one to cause it. 

But then bright green eyes met him. And as realization dawned, he turned away. As the scar disappeared from his view, so did those thoughts. Shouta couldn’t bring himself to feel any kind of shame for having those thoughts, though. Not when it came to his kid. 

He watched as a large yeti-the biggest one so far, adorned with decorated horns and an ice arm, stepped down. He and Phantom had a quick conversation, presumably about him since he saw the yeti’s eyes flicker over to him. Shouta has never seen eyes so blue before. 

As Phantom turned away and headed towards the exit of the arena, Shouta made his way back through the crows to meet up with him. He only had to wait a few minutes. Phantom appeared at his side wearing a fur poncho, and no ice sword. He was looking around the crowd warily, thanking the townspeople when they clapped him on the shoulder with a “Good job, Great One! You’re improving incredibly fast, Great One!” Phantom had the decency to look a little sheepish as he looked towards Shouta, who was giving him a very smug smirk. 

“That was impressive,” he told him. Phantom smiled and rolled his eyes. 

“Come on, follow me. I know you have questions.”

—-------

Danny knew this conversation was bound to happen. It was only a matter of time. But he wasn’t sure how he was going to do it. Not quite yet anyway. He had been hiding behind his vigilante persona for so long, so to suddenly come out from behind it…Well, it was terrifying, really. But if he was going to do it with anybody, it was going to be Eraserhead. 

He told the pro he trusted him. He meant it. 

Words can’t really express how thankful Danny is to have someone like the pro hero. There hasn’t ever been an adult he’s been able to trust. The teachers all turned on him once he was diagnosed quirkless, and Sam and Tucker’s parents were always hateful towards him. He was the Bad Influence. The Troublemaker. The Useless Waste of Space that nobody wanted to be around unless they were crazy. So to have an adult that he could actually confide in and trust…It was all new territory for him. And as a vigilante it’s different because at least he still had his persona he could hide behind, but now that everything was going out into the open, it was different. It was more vulnerable. 

Thankfully Eraserhead stayed silent as Danny led them. He must have picked up on the nervous energy he knew he was giving off, but he couldn’t help it. It wasn’t everyday you talked about your secret identity or how the people who were supposed to take care of you and love you unconditionally d-

“Where are we going?” Eraserhead asked, stopping Danny’s spiraling thoughts. Danny was thankful for the line he was clearly being thrown. 

“Frostbite showed me these hot springs when I first got here. They have this way of calming your emotions, and making vulnerability just easier in general. I thought it would be better to have this kind of conversation there. Plus I’m still kind of sore from hauling your fat ass around the Zone.”

Eraserhead rolled his eyes and bumped shoulders with him, and Danny felt an easy, familiar grin spreading across his face. It’s been a while since he’s been able to smile so freely. Even with the threat of Plasmius looming ahead, and the road to recovery he was still on, knowing Eraserhead was on his side made it so much easier. 

They made it to the springs quickly enough. It was a medium-sized pool backed by an alcove where water was quietly coming from. There were some boulders and dead bushes blocking the view, giving them some semblance of privacy. They wasted no time in getting in. Danny forced his muscles to relax. He took a few deep, calming breaths before turning to Eraserhead. 

“Ask me anything,” he said. “I can’t promise I’ll answer everything, not yet. But I’ll give you as much as I can.”

Eraserhead looked at him with dark, calculating eyes. They were filled with concern and utter relief, as if it was a miracle Danny was in his presence. Who knows, though. Maybe Eraser really did feel that way. 

Danny shook the thought from his mind. They were friends, sure, but Eraserhead would never think of him like his kid. Danny shouldn’t put that paternal weight onto his shoulders, it wasn’t fair to the pro. He was already dealing with so much, he didn’t need Danny’s baggage on top of everything. 

After a few moments of silence, Eraserhead seemed to finally decide on what he wanted to ask Danny first. 

“Who are you?” Danny couldn’t recognize the tone in which he spoke. It was stuck somewhere between concern and curiosity. “Like, your name. Your real one. Who are you when you’re not Phantom?”

Danny sighed with relief. It was hard coming out from behind the cover of his secret identity, but out of all the questions to open with, that was definitely the easiest one to answer. 

He let the white rings wash over his body, turning white hair black, and green eyes a startling blue. Eraserhead looked thoroughly surprised. Then again, most quirks didn’t really have magical girl transformations, now did they? 

“My name is Danny. Danny Fenton. It’s nice to meet you, Eraserhead.”

“Shouta,” Eraserhead quickly said. “Shouta Aizawa. I hadn’t realized I never told you before.”

“Well, you had no reason to,” Danny shrugged. “Though you can call me by my first name, I don’t really care. In fact, I’d prefer it.” Being a part of the Fenton family had given him an identity crisis after everything happened. He didn’t want to be associated with them anymore. But he had nothing to replace it with. Plus, in the Zone last names didn’t really matter, not like titles did. In the Far Frozen he was Great One, and everywhere else he was just Phantom. 

“You can too, if you want,” Shouta told him. Danny smiled, and thanked him. And Shouta took it as an invitation to ask another question. 

“What…What happened, Danny?”

And man, wasn’t that a loaded question. 

His chest clenched with anxiety, though he was nowhere near an attack thanks to the calming magical properties of the water they sat in. He took a deep breath, and tried to collect his thoughts as best as he could before answering. 

“It’s…A lot happened, Shouta,” he said finally. And even though this is the best he’s felt in months, the exhaustion was still settled in his being. He wasn’t sure if it would ever go away. “My-my parents, they found out about me. About me being half ghost.”

There seemed to be some recognition coming from the pro. Danny was wondering when it would happen. After the Pariah incident, when his parents forced him to be on camera, he thought the hero would have put two and two together a lot sooner. Little victories, he guessed. 

“I don’t understand,” he said eventually. “Your friends said your parents were freaking out about your disappearance.”

“Yeah, that sounds like them,” Danny said. Growing up quirkless had been hard. He hadn’t felt any genuine love from his parents. Not since he was four. In front of everybody, they acted like perfect parents, but behind closed doors they really couldn’t care less. They didn’t care if he went missing for days at a time, or if he went to bed hungry because they never went grocery shopping, or if he got bullied. He was quirkless, and therefore invisible. He wasn’t like Jazz, who had value because of her quirk. 

And god, did he really miss Jazz. She had been the one to raise him, and had never treated him differently despite his diagnosis. And even though they fought sometimes like all siblings do, he really couldn’t thank her enough for her kindness. For the unconditional love she gave him because their parents refused. 

“They were faking,” he explained, ignoring the twinge of longing in his chest. “I was with them the whole time. I had gotten back from patrol with you, and when I got home, I went to my room and transformed. Then they came out, guns blazing, and the next thing I knew I was strapped down to a table in the basement. I won’t go into any nitty gritty detail, but you have eyes. You know what happened next.”

He watched as Shouta’s gaze flickered down to his chest, where he could clearly see the top half of his torso sticking out of the water. He looked like he was about to throw up. 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t find you,” he said eventually. He’s never seen Shouta cry, or show this much emotion in general, but there was nothing but apologetic regret coming from him. It was so fucking sincere it made Danny’s chest ache. He sounded so pained, just to admit it out loud. “I-I tried to. I just-it was dead end after dead end. I need you to know, though, that I never stopped. Not until the Box Ghost gave me the note telling me you were safe.”

Danny was kind of surprised by that. He didn’t think Shouta, or anybody for that matter, except maybe Jazz, would go through such lengths to find him. It was something a best friend would do. 

It was something a father would do. 

Danny quickly looked away from Shouta’s gaze, feeling the hot sting of tears coming up quickly. He wiped them away, sniffling, before turning back to Shouta, who’s eyes were equally wet with unshed tears. 

“I…Words can’t explain how much that means to me,” Danny told him. “After so much time had passed I had kind of given up on any chance of getting out of there. It’s nice to know that somebody still believed in me.”

“I’ll always be there for you,” Shouta told him. He spoke with a conviction that shook Danny to his core. He’s never heard anybody speak with such certainty before. And he knew Shouta wasn’t bullshitting him. 

“Thank you,” he said. 

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Shouta started, “How did you get out? And what about your sister? Is she okay?”

Danny wanted to cry. He’s never heard anybody other than Jazz talk to him with such care in their voice. “The ghosts helped me out. I think it might have been Cujo who alerted everybody. I remember seeing him one time, before he disappeared back through the portal. Though at the time I thought I had just been hallucinating. But then the next day there was Frostbite and Dora practically leading an army trying to get me out. I was in and out for about a week, but Frostbite is the best healer in the Zone. He got me as good as new. Physically, at least.”

“And mentally?” Shouta asked. Every line of his face was taught with concern. It was the complete opposite of the calm, almost indifferent façade that he has come to know thus far.

“It’s a work in progress,” Danny answered honestly, though vague. He was plagued with nightmares and barely silenced screams. The only time he’s ever sweat before is when he’s jerking awake from a nightmare where his mother is showing off one of his ribs. Danny took a deep, shaky breath, and released it, and the tension he held in his shoulders. He could deal with that later. “As for my sister, she was locked in her room the entire time. I think they even pulled her out of school. But when the ghost came and rescued me, they got her out, too. Kitty told me she’s staying with Sam for the time being. Or, at least she had been, until Plasmius came and fucked everything up.”

“What do you mean?” Shouta asked. 

“Plasmius kidnapped Jazz a few days ago. Kitty came around and told me immediately, and that’s when I finally left the Zone. I was going to go in alone, but then I thought about you, and I just-I didn’t think I could do it without your support. You’ve just-you’ve always been there when I needed you. But Plasmius got the better of us, and Jazz is still there. But the stopwatch owes me a favor. I’m gonna cash it in when we go and see him.”

“Wait-back up. A few days ago? How long was I out?”

Danny gave him a shit-eating grin. “Dude, it’s been like, three or four days since we got here. Don’t worry about it, though. You needed your strength, and I needed some advice. Frostbite is good like that, I guess.”

“What about you? How are your injuries?” 

“Right as rain,” Danny replied. “It’s a lot easier to heal up when you’re not running for your afterlife through the Ghost Zone.”

“Makes sense,” Shouta said. “So, do you have a plan?”

Chapter Text

Shouta was doing his very best. At least, he felt like he was. Because the only thing he wanted to do was tear the Fentons apart limb from limb, with prejudice. And the fact that he wasn’t stomping out of the hot springs to go and do just that really said something about the self control he had. Either that or Danny had been telling the truth about the magical ghost calming powers of the hot springs. 

It was a lot to process. Even though he’s seen the scar, among other smaller surgical incisions that should not be there, it was hard to come to terms with the fact that all of that actually happened. And to his kid, no less. And he was doing his best to not let the guilt eat him up inside, but man, was it hard. Because it wasn’t his fault Danny was in that situation. It was Danny’s parents who did that to him. 

Still, he felt incompetent as both a hero and father figure. Looking at the boy he had promised and not being able to follow through with said promise…Well, it left a bad feeling in his mouth. Like orange juice right after brushing his teeth, but so much worse on every level imaginable. 

But Danny, he seemed to be coping okay. Maybe just getting away from it all and staying in the Far Frozen did him some good. He was able to focus on healing and moving forward. And if Danny wanted him there, he would be by his side to help. Therapy for sure was on the list of things Shouta was going to help him with if the kid wanted to do it. He tries to focus on that as they get dressed and start heading back to the village. 

There was one time, shortly after the Pariah Incident, when the only thing Shouta and Danny had done for patrol was stargaze. Danny had taken him up high, where the air was thin, but Shouta had trusted him enough not to let him fall. And above the clouds, there were stars. Hundreds and hundreds of them. 

He had listened to Danny for hours about the different constellations, and how they were his favorite part about space. Because even though you couldn’t see the connection, it didn’t mean it wasn’t there. Permanently tied together in a harmony they would never understand. Maybe that’s what had kept them going while they were separated from each other. Shouta felt like it was certainly profound enough for it to be a possibility. 

And who knows. Maybe when Danny looked at the sky that’s what he thought about. Connections that were out of sight but not out of mind. Visible to those who knew how to see, angling their heads this way and that. A longing both had but they had no way to breach the gap, not until now. And he was glad, because the next time he looked up at the stars it would not be met with the ache of absence in his chest but the surety that Danny would not leave again. He would not let go. 

And neither would Shouta. 

This, he thinks, is what prompts him to ask the question that’s been burning in the back of his mind since they got thrown into this godforsaken realm. “What are your plans after we rescue your sister?”

And it was obvious Danny had not thought about it in great length. 

“I just…I don’t know. Jazz can’t stay here. And neither can I, not forever, anyway. And I still want to be a hero, but I don’t want to risk running into my parents again. No doubt they’ll be told about me when I apply, or if I participate in the sports festival. The last thing U.A. needs is a couple of crazy ghost hunters out for the blood of their son.”

“Well, what if you moved in with me?” Shouta asked him. Danny whipped his head around so fast Shouta was surprised he didn’t get whiplash. 

“What? No-I couldn’t. I don’t want to burden you like that.”

Burden? Shouta never thought of him like that. In fact, it’s something he’s been wanting to do for a while. If he had known his true identity sooner he would have tried already. Is that what Danny really thought though?

“Kid,” Shouta said, stopping. Danny turned back to face him, and he could see the tension slowly coming back into the boy’s shoulders. He tried to soften his look as much as he could. “You’re not a burden. And whoever made you believe that deserves to have my foot shoved so far up their ass they taste the leather.” Shouta is very pleased at the bark of laughter that comes from the boy. “Hizashi and I already have a room set up for you,” he said. “You and Jazz both would be more than welcome in our home.”

Danny was staring at him with wide, wet eyes. His bottom lip was trembling, and he was doing his very best not to cry. But then Shouta opened his arms. Danny looked from the motion, back to Shouta’s face. He nodded once, and Danny all but launched himself into his embrace. 

And there was something about it that just felt right. His kid was finally coming home with him. He was going to be safe and warm, he wouldn't have to worry about coming out with powers and he wouldn’t have the threat of being torn apart hanging over his head. And fuck, Hizashi’s been wanting to meet Danny since the beginning. In fact, he was the one who cleared out most of the room for him. Though with Jazz, too, they might have to move to a bigger place. But it was all going to be worth it if it made it easier for his kid to smile. 

“You really mean it?” Danny asked, his voice muffled by Shouta’s clothes. Shouta smiled down at him, petting his hair. 

“Kid, I’ve been wanting to since we met. And Hizashi has been practically begging to meet you since day one. He would love to have you and your sister.”

He’s not sure how long they stay there, in the middle of a frozen wasteland in a tight embrace, but Shouta knows the only thing that could make it better is if they were at home with their loved ones. Maybe piled onto the couch with blankets and cats, feet tucked under all of them as they watch a movie or listen to music. Maybe they’re gathered around the coffee table playing board games, or Hizashi is teaching one of them how to play the piano that’s tucked away in the corner. The image of his family being safe…Yeah, that’s really the only thing that could be better than this hug. 

Eventually Danny does peel himself away from Shouta. His face is red with tears, and there’s a generous amount of snot leaking from his nose, but it’s the happiest he’s seen the kid since they’ve reunited. Shouta would take a snot covered shirt any day of the week if it meant he could make Danny feel safe and secure. 

“You okay?” He asked, placing a hand on Danny’s shoulder. Danny gave him a small, watery smile and nodded. 

“Yeah, yeah, I just…I’m glad.” It sounded like there was a lot more than that, but Shouta knew when not to press. “Now,” Danny clapped his hands together. “Let’s go suit up.”

—--------

Despite the monumental task ahead of them, Danny felt like he was on Cloud 9. The person he’s been calling Dad in his head for the past eight months has been wanting to adopt him. The feeling of being genuinely wanted was foreign to Danny, and it filled him with an overwhelming sense of joy. And the fact that he was so ready to accept Jazz, too, without any ounce of hesitation…it was more than Danny could ever ask for. All of his favorite people under one roof. Maybe Jazz would have the chance to be a kid for once. 

But first they had to rescue her. 

Danny led Shouta to his personal cave, where Shouta had woken up earlier. Inside was Frostbite, waiting for them with two bundles sitting in front of him. 

“Welcome back, Great One,” he greeted. He clapped a heavy hand on Danny’s shoulder. If he hadn’t been expecting it, he would have been knocked to the ground. Frostbite was quick to introduce himself to Shouta, with the most sincere thanks any yeti has given. It was a mutual respect that Danny stood outside of. Shouta took it in stride. Hell, it shouldn’t surprise Danny. As an underground pro he’s probably seen weirder shit than a bunch of dead yetis walking around calling a half-dead teenager Great One. 

“I have the new uniforms, as requested, Great One,” Frostbite said once all the introductions were over. He handed them each their own bundle. He couldn’t help but smile at the sheer relief on Shouta’s face as he picked up one end of his capture scarf, safe and sound. 

“Permafrost and I will be waiting for you at the Edge,” Frostbite told them. Danny nodded his thanks, and the yeti made his exit. 

Danny quite liked the new outfit Frostbite had made him. It was soft on the inside, but still breathable. Still had the black and white color scheme, but there were some changes he took the liberty of making. The pants were baggier, and more comfortable than his jumpsuit. And it had a functional belt for him to latch his thermos to, along with a few securable pockets. His shirt was form fitting and long sleeved, though that part was almost unnecessary since his gloves went all the way up to his biceps. Around his shoulders was a short, white, asymmetrical cape tied around his neck with a green band. On top of everything, it had more armor and padding so if he got hit, he wouldn’t be nearly as injured. It felt absolutely perfect. 

He felt fucking badass. 

When he turned around, he found Shouta in his normal, black jumpsuit, and his newly cleaned capture scarf laying loosely around his shoulders. He gave Danny a soft smile. 

“I like it. You look good,” he said. 

“Yeah?” Danny asked, looking over the uniform. 

“Yeah,” Shouta agreed. “Confidence suits you.”

And, well, Danny couldn't exactly disagree with that. 

—--------

As promised, Frostbite and Permafrost were waiting by the Edge, which was a huge dropoff that gave the sled enough momentum to go forward without the use of Permafrost’s telekinesis. 

 “You will find that your scarf is useful against more than just humans now. Use that power wisely, Protector,” Frostbite told Shouta. Then he turned to Danny, a fond smile on his face. “Permafrost will take you to the Passage where you will find an old friend waiting for you. He will aid you in the rest of your journey.”

Danny looked up at Frostbite with a sigh. After today, he wasn’t going to be hanging out with him in the Zone as much. But he was ready to move on. He was ready to move forward. Thankfully, Frostbite seemed to understand the unspoken sentiment perfectly. He pulled Danny into a tight hug. 

“Visit us often, Great One,” he said. “We have many preparations to make.”

“I’ll do my best,” Danny told him. Frostbite beamed at him. It was nice that his best, here in the Far Frozen, was actually good enough for them. Just the fact that he was trying was enough. He felt welcomed. But it wasn’t home. Home was on Earth, being nagged by Jazz and calmed by Shouta. Home was sitting on a high rooftop with cat-themed bento boxes. Home was where he could see the constellations. 

With a light heart he clambered into the sled with Shouta quickly following. Permafrost nodded towards them, and Danny braced himself. 

The sled moved forward on its own, and Danny threw his hands up in the air and cheered as they rushed down. It felt like a rollercoaster. No, better. It felt like flying. Shouta, though, ever the worrywart, had an arm in front of him, in an effort to keep Danny in his seat. With the other, he was clutching the edge of the sled to tight his knuckles were white. 

At the speed they were going, it didn’t take long for them to make it to the cave that had the Passage. And just as Frostbite, an old friend was waiting for them. 

“Cujo!” Danny greeted, leaping from the sled before it had properly stopped. The dog jumped into his arms and licked his face with excitement. 

“He’ll be yer ticket to Clockwork,” Permafrost told them. “Just take the Passage to yer Keep and go on from there, Great One.”

Danny nodded his thanks, and walked over to the Passage. Shouta followed, and placed a hand on Danny’s shoulder. Danny took a deep breath, and with his free hand he gripped the top of the Passage. A bright, white light encased them, and in seconds they were gone. 

Chapter Text

When Shouta blinked, they were no longer in the cave with the weird lightning rod. Instead, they were at the top of a castle, in the tallest tower overlooking a vast section of the Zone. 

“Where are we?” He asked. Danny shrugged as he set Cujo down on the ground. 

“Well, this is my lair. It’s called Phantom’s Keep.”

“Your lair is a castle?”

“It used to be Pariah’s,” Danny said. “But since I ended him, according to ghost law, it’s mine now. That’s why the yetis all call me Great One. It’s because Pariah’s end by my hand was a prophecy fulfilled. And also according to ghost law, I’m supposed to be the next official king. Though Clockwork and Frostbite bought me some time in light of everything that’s happened.”

“But…You’re just a kid,” Shouta said. 

“An astute observation,” Danny joked. “Like I said, I have time. I still have to learn all the customs and laws and whatnot, so it’ll be a while. Especially now since I’m coming back to the land of the living.”

“Still, that seems like too much responsibility for someone so young.” He should focus on being a kid. Not on being a king. Though Danny didn’t seem to mind the situation. He wasn’t sure if he should be worried or relieved by that fact. 

“When I take the crown It’ll be when I’m ready. And with the help of the council that I plan on making, I’ll be able to efficiently split my time between ghost shit and hero work.”

“Well,” Shouta said, ruffling the kid’s hair. “Just don’t forget you have people who can help you now.”

Danny gave him a small smile. He jerked his head, an invitation for Shouta to follow. He led them into a different room, this one with a balcony. Danny said something in a sequence of static and clicks, and Cujo jumped off the balcony. How Danny was able to make those noises with his mouth, he would never understand. But then again, that wasn’t really anything new. When it came to ghost stuff, Shouta often fought to not understand anything beyond taking them down. Making the effort of doing so would just make his head hurt. 

After a couple moments, Cujo came flying back up, but instead of the small puppy he had been, he was absolutely massive, and drooling everywhere. Danny grinned and floated over, nestling himself behind Cujo’s massive collar. Shouta followed suit, and sat himself behind Danny, with a small, internal promise to drown himself with his cats later. 

After another order, Cujo was flying off, and Phantom’s Keep was soon just a speck on the horizon. 

He doesn’t know if it’s the giant dog or the fact that he’s just feeling better in general, but the trip through the Zone seems much easier than it has been before. It’s been roughly fifteen minutes, Shouta thinks, and the scariest thing out here is a blob ghost.

“It’s pretty empty from the Keep to Clockwork’s Tower,” Danny said, as if he was able to read Shouta’s mind. And who knew? With the way this kid sprouted new powers, it was definitely a possibility. “The only ghosts that usually come this way are me, Frostbite, Clockwork, and the occasional pack of Observers. But then sometimes you have stalkers that are bad at being stalkers.”

Danny threw a pointed look to a rock floating aimlessly. Shouta didn’t understand, not until something came out of the shadows. It floated towards them, flying around them in aimless circles. A few moments later, Johnny 13 came riding towards them. The rumbling of the engine cut through the peaceful silence of the Zone and put Shouta more on edge.

“Dude, they’re pissed and they’re coming,” he told them. He sounded out of breath despite the fact that he didn’t breathe. He sounded urgent, scared even. Danny’s spine straightened as he leaned forward. 

“Who?” He asked, eyes searching the Zone. 

“Me!” 

In the blink of an eye Walker was behind them. Danny was airborne immediately, staring down the fifty-foot ghost and his police army with a determined look on his face. Shouta had seen this kid stare down a ghost that was basically a god and win. He really shouldn’t be as surprised as he was. 

“Fuck off, Walker!” Danny shouted. “You’re out of your territory!”

“Ah, but according to the rules I’m allowed to cross those borders when I’m chasing after a criminal. And I see two right in front of me,” the ghost sneered. Danny growled, his hands lighting up a bright green. Now that he’s rested the power came easier, stronger. It cast weird shadows across Danny’s face, making him look even more threatening than already was. Shouta’s never seen Danny genuinely pissed off like he was right now, and he made a mental note to never be the one to cause Danny to make that face. His teeth were bared, his nose scrunched up, and he looked absolutely ready to fight god a second time.  

Shouta stood on the dog’s back, scarf swirling around his head, while Cujo growled. Johnny was looking around nervously, but stayed nonetheless. He and Shadow barred their teeth, and his engine revved occasionally. A clear threat, though nobody seemed phased by it. 

It was a classic standoff. Walker and his goons against Phantom and his patchwork last second team. He flew upwards so that he was eye level with Walker. 

“Go,” he said, his voice booming. “Before I make you.”

Walker leaned forward so that his giant face was just inches away from Danny. “Are you threatening an officer?”

“Only one who has threatened him first.” 

Danny could have cried with relief. Walker, although he was already white as snow, seemed to pale further as he looked past Danny. The hero turned around, and a grin split his face. 

“Stopwatch! You always have such good timing!”

“I wonder why that is, Daniel,” Clockwork responded dryly. He turned to Walker. 

“You can go home now, Walker,” he said with a wave of his hand, as if shooing them away. “And it would do you good to treat your future king with more respect, lest he is the one that imprisons you.”

Walker leaned back, a scowl on his face. But he got the message. He waved his hand, and he and his troops quickly dispersed. Clockwork looked towards Johnny, who waved his hands in surrender before taking Shadow and driving off into the green abyss. Shouta let his scarf fall back around his shoulders.

Danny lowered himself back down onto Cujo, who’s tail was now wagging excitedly. So much so that Shouta had to sit back down to avoid being thrown off from the dog’s pure happiness at the sight of Clockwork. 

“Shouta Aizawa,” he said, turning to the human. “We have much to discuss.”

—-----

The rest of the trip was quiet, but not peaceful. Not for Shouta, anyway. Sure, Danny was babbling on about this thing or that, something about rockets, he thinks, but he hadn’t been the one on the receiving end of a very ominous message. 

Plus, it’s not everyday you get to meet the Master of Time. 

And Danny was talking to him like an old friend. 

What the fuck was this kid’s life?

What the fuck was his life?

Clockwork waved Danny off to go inside with Cujo while Clockwork and Shouta stood outside of the large tower. There was a supernatural kind of quiet about them. Shouta couldn’t explain why it put him on edge, but it did. He sighed tiredly before turning back to the ghost with a clock for a torso. 

“So you’re Clockwork,” Shouta said, unsure of what he should really say. Clockwork seemed to understand, though, and took reins of the conversation. Maybe he was some omnipotent god like Nezu and knew he was a man of few words. 

“Master of Time, at the service of the young king. And you are the Protector, Shouta Aizawa, pro hero Eraserhead, married to Hizashi Yamada and soon to be father of two very rambunctious Fenton children.”

“How do you know all of that?” Shouta asked. He was defensive. How could he not be when this guy just brought up his husband. And yeah, he had been filling out adoption papers in his head this whole time for Danny and his sister, but how did Clockwork know that? Was he able to see the future, too? Did that mean they would all be okay after this? There were too many questions and not enough answers, but none of them were important right now. What mattered was getting home and making sure Danny and Jazz were safe. 

“Because it is my job to watch those who are important. Those who will have a large impact on the future. And this job ahead of you, it is the most important.” Clockwork let the heavy words hang in the air, letting them sink in for a few moments, before continuing. “I…” the old ghost sighed as he shifted from a baby to a young man. “I need to ask a favor of you.”

“You’re the master of time,” Shouta tells him, as if he did not already know that fact. “What could I possibly do for you?” The idea of him, and only him being able to carry out this specific favor, whatever it may be, confused Shouta. With the power of time at his hands, Clockwork could do pretty much anything he wanted to. How could Shouta, a normal, okay excuse of a pro, ever be able to do anything for him that he couldn’t do himself?

“Quite a bit, actually,” Clockwork replies. “And even though I’m sure you were planning on it anyway, since Daniel is returning to the human realm, I need you to guide him. Whether that be, on the road to recovery or the road to be a hero or whatever else it might entail. He will do great things, but only if he has people there to support him. And you, I believe, are the best person for the job.”

Shouta looks at Clockwork, calculating. Yeah, he was already going to do that. His plan was to look into adoption and set up a child abuse case against his parents because there was honestly no way in hell Shouta wasn’t going to do that. And the kid obviously wanted to be a hero. He would help him train and get in on his own merit. He had promised Danny already that he wasn’t going anywhere. He intended to keep it. 

“You’re right,” Shouta said eventually. Clockwork quirked an eyebrow up, a small smile on his face. He had already known Shouta’s answer before even asking. “I was already planning on doing that. Hizashi even has the guest bed ready for them.”

“Yes,” Clockwork smiled. “Speaking of which, I went ahead and took the liberty of sending him and one Nemuri Kayama a message to meet you outside of Plasmius’ property. I figured you or Daniel were going to ask me to ask for backup since you two were already far outnumbered. I believe he had said something about cashing in a favor, but consider this a-what does he call them? Free-bees?”

Shouta snorted, and had to hold back his small chuckle, ignoring the fact that Danny had said something about that when they had first arrived in the Ghost Zone. “Thank you,” he said instead. Clockwork was right. Part of the plan was to nag Clockwork into sending his friends and SOS to help Jazz. Their job was to infiltrate and rescue while Danny took care of Plasmius since he was really the only one capable enough to do so. 

After their one-on-one, Clockwork led Shouta to the very top of the Tower, where Danny was. He had his head tilted, looking up at one screen in particular. It showed a red-headed girl pacing circles around a heavily decorated-and guarded-room. He couldn’t tell where she was though, but judging from the tension in Danny’s shoulders, he had too much experience with it. 

Shouta stepped closer, and the more he did, the more he started to recognize Jazz. He had seen her in the halls a couple of times. Sometimes she stayed back with Hizashi to ask him questions or just talk to him excitedly about this thing or that. She was one of his husband’s favorite students. In fact, he’s pretty sure Jasmine was the one to drop out unexpectedly. 

“I didn’t realize that that was your sister,” he tells Danny as he walks up. There are a couple of obvious differences, like the hair and eye color, but they had the same face shape and button noses. Arched eyebrows and the way they furrowed them was exactly the same. A spitting image of each other. “She’s Hizashi’s favorite student.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” Danny said. His voice was light but the tension surrounding him was palpable. He was doing everything in his power to not flip his shit as he watched his older sister bang against the door and yell profanities at her captors. Shouta hid his smirk in his capture scarf. He can see now, who Danny got his attitude from. “Present Mic is her favorite hero, she was so excited to be in his class.”

“We were wondering what had happened to her. She was pulled out…Around the same time you went missing, now that I think about it. We thought she had just transferred, since your parents told us they were moving back to the States. We hadn’t realized…”

“It’s okay,” Danny said, catching the small tone of regret in Shouta’s voice despite how he was trying to hide it. “It’s not anybody’s fault but theirs.”

Shouta has never heard such venom from his little vigilante, but it didn’t surprise him one bit. Not after everything they had done to both siblings. But at this moment, Danny seemed more upset about their treatment of Jazz than what they did to him. Maybe that was something to watch out for. People who were as self-sacrificial as Danny only made it so far in life.

“So, how do we do this?” Shouta asked, getting right down to business. Danny focused better when he had a tangible goal in front of him. He could practically see the gears in his head turning already. “The whole getting back part, I mean.”

“That would be my job,” Clockwork said. He was an old man now, with a long beard. Shouta briefly wondered if he did it on purpose or if it was a side effect that came with being the Master of Time. “I can transport you to the edge of the property where help is already waiting. It will have been roughly a day or so since your last attempt to free Jasmine.”

“That’s more than I had been hoping for,” Danny admitted, shooting Clockwork with a relieved smile. “Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome,” Clockwork said. “Now, Daniel, there are some things we need to discuss. Not at the moment, there is no time for that now.” Shouta pointedly ignored the irony of that statement. “But we need to continue your training here in the Zone, with both your powers and the responsibility you will take on when you are ready. Running the realm of the dead is not an easy task.”

“I understand,” Danny said. “Just send Wulf for me when everything settles down, and maybe work out a schedule with Shouta.”

“Agreed,” the old ghost replied. He banged the end of his staff on the ground twice, and a glowing green portal opened up, lighting up the screen room around them. “Good luck, boys,” he said. “I’ll be seeing you soon.”

Danny smiled and nodded before turning to face Shouta. “It’s painless, I promise,” he said. Shouta didn’t know how to feel about that being the first thing Danny says about the portal. 

Danny goes first, disappearing through the swirling green. Shouta looks back at Clockwork one last time, who nods at him. Shouta sighs, and steps through. It’s a lot less fanfare than he had been expecting, but he’s kind of thankful for it. 

Danny had been correct. It doesn’t hurt, not even a little. But it does send a weird chill throughout his entire body that he hadn’t been expecting. But he emerges through the other side, unscathed and looking at a very bewildered Nemuri and Hizashi. He’s not even fully out of the portal yet before Hizashi tackles him into a hug. And after the past few days Shouta’s had in the Zone, well, nobody can really blame him for returning it tenfold. 

“Not to break up the reunion,” Nemuri says after a few moments. She looked more than a little confused. That makes sense, Shouta thinks, because to them it’s only been only a day since they’ve seen each other. Not an entire week. “But why are we here?”

“We’re here to rescue my sister,” Danny supplies. “I’m Phantom, by the way. It’s nice to meet you.”

Nemuri’s eyes go wide as she looks between Danny and Shouta.

“This is him?” She asks, wonder in her eyes. Shouta nods, keeping his face carefully neutral. Without warning, Nemuri tackles Danny into a hug, swinging him around and around. Danny looks like he'd rather be anywhere else. It makes Hizashi laugh. 

“You’re explaining the green vortex later,” he says as he looks between all of them. “But for now, do we have a plan?” Shouta could kiss his husband for how efficiently he went from Teacher Yamada-Sensei to Pro Hero Present Mic. 

Nemuri stops swinging Danny around at the question. He readjusts his new suit and looks all of them in the eye. It’s at that moment that he looks so much older than he actually is. Shouta can’t tell if it’s the newfound confidence in his stance or the way his face darkens with a seriousness Shouta had never known him to have before.

“I’ve got an idea,” he says. And that’s all he needs to capture the attention of the three pros in front of him. “So, what we’re going to do is…”

Chapter Text

Jazz thought she was a smart girl.

She had figured out her brother’s secret all by herself, and had helped him when he needed her to. She had found out about his late night escapades with one of the teachers from U.A. And though she had never had the teacher herself, she knew how much the risk would be. But then again, according to Danny, he had been helping. He trusted Eraserhead. And Jazz did have to admit that out of all the adults he could have latched onto, the tired 1-A homeroom teacher wasn’t a bad choice. Though he seemed gruff and hobo-like on the outside, she’s seen how fiercely he cares about his students and their safety. Even outside of his class, he took great care to watch over all of them. She could tell by the way he expelled them half the time.

Plus, Danny didn’t have any adults in his corner. Not as Fenton, anyway. Their parents didn’t care about his wellbeing. They never really have. Hell, Jazz has a quirk and they barely say hi to her when she walks through the door, always too engrossed in their work. 

But then Danny came home one night, a month after the Pariah Incident. She had already been locked in her room, unable to get out due to the security measures her parents had taken. Any form of communication she could have had was taken away, and there was no way she could get out. The only time she interacted with anybody was when one of her parents came up to bring her food through a slit in the door. A prisoner in her own home with only Bearbert to keep her company while she tried to drown out the sounds of her brother screaming in pain as they tore him apart molecule by molecule. 

She had no idea how her parents had found out. She hadn’t uttered a word. Hell, she barely spoke to Danny about it. And she knew for a fact that Sam and Tucker would have never said anything. Had they seen him transform, maybe? Or maybe they finally recognized him from the shoddy footage of the fight between Danny and Pariah that had been going around. Maybe they were finally able, for once in their life, to recognize their son.

Either way, Jazz was going insane. She had been taken out of school-her whole education put on hold. But that had to be weird enough, right? Maybe her teachers would notice. Maybe Present Mic would make a home visit. Maybe…

She stopped hoping after two months. Her brothers screams of pain, pleading to stop, begging them to recognize him as their son…They haunted her both awake and asleep. She had lost track of the amount of times she screamed herself raw, trying to get someone from the outside to hear her, but the soundproof windows permanently sealed shut would not allow her to be seen. They had even gone so far as to tint it, so nobody could see inside. She lost track of the bruises she gave herself, trying to break down the door anyway she could, all to no avail. 

Nobody was coming. 

She was alone, and the only bittersweet comfort she had was the fact that her baby brother was still alive. 

For now, anyway.

—--------

Jazz could have cried from excitement alone. 

She doesn’t know who warned the ghosts, but they were all coming to help. She recognized Kitty due to their unfortunate past, but she seemed more than willing to help in that moment. She got Jazz and some of her essentials out of there faster than she could ask about her brother. 

“You gotta friend you can stay with?” She had asked once they stopped inside a cafe with free internet. Jazz pulled out her phone, ignoring the odd stares they were receiving. She called a couple of friends from U.A. who were quick to take her in. Kitty had dropped her off at her friend’s house with a promise to keep checking up on her, as well as keeping her posted on Danny. Due to his condition he needed to stay in the Zone for a while to get better without any humans sticking their noses in ghost business. And though she understood, she was still heartbroken. 

So for two months she stayed with her friend. She hadn’t gone back to U.A. for the simple fact that she was afraid. Knowing them, that was probably the first place her parent’s would look for her once they were done licking their wounds. And she couldn’t go to the police because then she’d expose Danny, and as much as she wanted to see her parents behind bars for what they did to him, she couldn’t do that to him. She’s seen what happens when his secret gets spilled to the people who are supposed to care about him. She couldn’t imagine the reaction from strangers. 

So instead she got a job. She had a lot of money saved up already. She had been wanting to move out as soon as possible, and anything she got from odd jobs or from her parent’s measly allowance they gave her, she had carefully saved. So while her friend went to school, she went to work. Oftentimes she would stay longer, if only to keep the negative thoughts away. The methodical tasks of cleaning, taking orders, and the ache in her feet at the end of the day was enough to distract her from her swirling thoughts. 

That is, until one Vlad Masters came to her job and requested that she serve him. Unable to say no since he was such a high paying customer, she had. And she had gotten kidnapped for her troubles, though she’s sure that her boss just thought she walked out after whatever tip Vlad had supposedly given to her. 

And so, she found herself a prisoner once again. Though this was much more luxurious than her childhood bedroom, she knew a golden cage when she saw one. It didn’t take a genius to figure out, not when there were two-bit thugs guarding her every move, along with nearly every inch of the grounds. Where Vlad had hired them, she would never know. She’s not really sure she wants to know, if she’s being honest. But she secretly keeps a list of their appearances and their quirks for when she’s rescued. 

It’s something she’s allowed herself to have. She had given up hope of the possibility before. But now that Danny was on the mend, he wasn’t going to let anything bad happen to her. Not at the hands of these villains. Not at the hands of Plasmius and his silver tongue. Not at the hands of anybody. Danny was her hero, and he would get her out of here. 

—----

He had come. 

He had failed. 

Plasmius had cruelly sat her down, the gun from a villain at the back of her skull, and made her watch as Danny and one of her teachers try and fight their way through the hordes of villains he had hired. Well, that was one mystery solved, she supposed. But seeing the fear in Danny’s face as he was blasted back into the portal, trying his best to hold onto the scarf Eraserhead wore, trying so desperately to pull him back…

She had nightmares. 

She’s been having them for months, but ones where she could see her brother’s fear so clearly…It was haunting. She never wanted him to feel like that again. 

And the worst part was, she was useless to do anything. Her quirk wasn’t good enough to get herself out of here, not when everybody avoided her touch like the plague because they all knew that’s how it worked. And even then, she’s not sure her Calming Touch would soothe them enough to let her go free. On top of that, she didn’t have the fighting experience the rest of her family had, and she had barely any body strength. All of the small muscle she had gained from carrying around heavy textbooks all day had vanished after all those months locked in her room. 

She wasn’t religious, not by any means. She had been raised in a house of science, and some things just stick with you for the rest of your life. But, well, if she started praying for Danny and Eraserhead’s safety as they no doubt fought their way through the Zone, well, who could blame her?

—-----

If you had told Danny a year ago he'd be carting around three pro heroes with his ghost powers, he’d have laughed. Now, though, it was the most normal thing to happen to him in months. 

Danny knew he was predictable. He had always chided himself for it, but now he was grateful. He was so used to going in head on, full force, and just barreling his way through with his fists until he got the job done. But spending time with Frostbite and his expert strategizing exercises he had taken Danny through while he recovered, and Eraserhead for the general stealthiness he had when he wasn’t in the Zone, had really opened his eyes. 

So instead of going through, or going high like he knew Vlad expected of him, they went low. In fact, they went so low, they were under. 

All three of the pros were holding onto some part of him like their lives depended on it as he flew through the earth with his intangibility. It was funny, almost. He had barely been able to use his powers on Shouta a few days ago, and now it felt effortless. Funny was a little R and R could do. 

He occasionally peaked his head up to the surface, invisible, to see where he was at. Thugs littered the grounds of Master’s large property, something he hadn’t really been prepared for in his blind panic to get to his sister. But now he was rested, he was focused, and he had help. Him running in blind was not a mistake he was going to make again. He couldn’t afford to. Not when it was Jazz on the line. 

Every time he thought about her being hurt there was this ache in his chest. She had been the one to essentially raise him, and teach him right from wrong. Jazz had done so much for him, more than words could ever explain. She threw him birthday parties and took him school supply shopping and had found a brand of shoes that fit him in a way most couldn’t because of his extra toe joint. She took the time to help him with his homework and teach him how to cook, and she did all the things parents were supposed to do. Not annoying older sisters. She was the one person who consistently supported him throughout his entire life. 

He doesn’t know what he’d do if anything bad happened to her. 

A part of him felt guilty, of course. The older he got the more he pushed her away because he wanted her to go out and be a teenager. She had never gotten the chance to be a kid, and he would have never had that if it hadn’t been for her. So even if the nights at home were bad, he was happy all the same when she left to go to a movie or a library with her friends. And if she knew he lied to her, with a new bruise or his busted lip being opened up again, well, she never said anything. She just took him to the bathroom and helped patch him up, and the mix of relief and guilt from the siblings would be palpable but never spoken of. 

“How are we looking?” Mic asked as he peaked up through the ground for the third time. They were in the main part of the house now. No doubt Vlad knew he was here now. With all of his ghost security, he’s surprised he hasn’t made an entrance yet. 

“Just as creepy as the last time I was in here,” Phantom said. He slowly lifted them through the ground and onto the carpeted floor before dropping the powers he had been using. The pros took their hands off of him, and he looked around. 

The front room was just as it had always been. A Packers shrine on one wall, a double staircase on the other, with a picture of the Dairy King himself right in the middle. He had recognized the Wisconsin ghost immediately his first couple of times in the Zone. His parents were from the Midwest in the States, he had been told all of the stories. Vlad apparently was from there too, and had moved here shortly after Danny was born so he could try and do the whole kill Jack-marry Maddie-adopt or kill Danny schtick. 

He wondered if the Diary King was lurking around. Maybe he could help like the first time Danny had been caught by Vlad and held in the basement. 

“I’m going to go find Plasmius,” he told the pros, who all opened their mouths in some form of protest even though this had been the plan the whole time. He spoke before they could get a sound out. “I’m the only one out of all of us who can actually fight him. You guys find Jazz and take care of the villains. I’ll call if I need help, though with how much pent up rage I’ve got I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”

Phantom shot them a confident grin, though Eraserhead was the only one who relaxed. He knew what Phantom was capable of. This wasn’t the one who was desperately trying to keep them alive and intact when they went through the Zone. This was the one who was a confident young man who knew exactly what to do. And Eraserhead would follow him, his lead. Phantom couldn’t express how thankful he was for that. He’s sure that if Eraserhead had hesitated for even a second the other two wouldn’t be letting him go at all. 

“Stay safe, kid,” he said, ruffling Phantom’s hair. “Don’t be stupid.”

Phantom just grinned at him before giving him a two fingered salute and disappearing from sight. 

Even though the mansion was large, it didn’t take long for Phantom to find Vlad. He was always in one of three spots. His lab, his room, or his movie theater that played reruns of the Packer’s greatest plays. It was a little sad, if he was being honest, but at least it made Phantom’s job easier.

Phantom was lucky in one. 

Plasmius was in his lab, and from the lack of tension in his shoulders from seeing Phantom in his space, he had been expecting him. 

Maybe it was that quick realization, or just Phantom’s heightened sensitivity to the world around him, he wasn’t too sure, but whatever it was he was thankful for the way it made his body move, barely dodging a containment unit that slammed shut where he had just been floating. 

He could see Vlad frown all the way from where he was. He dodged another attack from the security system as Vlad transformed into his ghost persona. 

“Daniel,” he drawled. “I was wondering when you’d shown up again. Though I’m surprised it didn’t take very long.”

“It certainly helps when you’re friends with the master of time,” he shot back. 

“Oh, we got a little confidence boost while we were at it, did we?” Plasmius taunted. “A new suit does not make the man or the specter, Little Badger.”

“Oh?” Phantom asked as he floated forward, hands glowing a bright, unearthly green. “How about this, then?”

—------

Eraserhead knew his friends were going to lecture him later about letting Phantom go off on his own, but he didn’t quite care at that moment. They weren’t the ones who had befriended him. They weren’t the ones who talked him down from panic attacks and his intrusive thoughts. They weren’t the ones that fought the horrors of the Ghost Zone with him. 

They weren’t the ones who failed him. 

So yes, Eraserhead had full confidence in Phantom. Sure, he was a kid, but he had twice the experience a lot of other pros did, and he was only fourteen. And if Eraserhead had any say in it, he was going to be one of the best goddamn heroes there ever was. Maybe even better than All Might, if Phantom wanted to be. 

“Where do you think they’re keeping her?” Midnight asked as they ran through the halls. Present Mic, without warning, pulled them into a spare bedroom. A second later, several sets of footsteps passed them, practically sprinting down the hall. “Follow them?” She whispered. Eraserhead and Mic nodded as they slowly crept out once the hallway was empty again. 

They followed this process four more times before finally coming to a halt. There was an entire hallway full to the brim with villains, with a bolted down door at the very end. Midnight smirked as she raised her fists. The villains all prepared themselves, even as more joined on the other side of the pros. 

“Let’s go, boys.”

—-----------

Phantom grunted as he was slammed into a wall. They were no longer in the lab. Their battle had led them back to the front room they had appeared in. He briefly wondered how pissed Plasmius would be if Phantom got him to accidentally destroy his Packers memorabilia. 

Phantom ducked instead, avoiding a blast from one of Plasmius’ clones. He blasted it, and it melted away. Three more took its place, and Phantom sent a wave of ice towards them. 

“Ah, what a cute little power,” Plasmius said. From the tone of the echo, he could tell it was the real one. He whirled around to face the villain, only to get a face full of pink fire. Phantom went flying, crashing into the floor with a loud grunt. 

He wasted no time, though. Thanks to the training Frostbite (and occasionally Pandora) offered him, his skills were the sharpest they had ever been. He quickly rolled to the side and created a green shield, just as Plasmius went in for another attack. Plasmius was strong, sure, but Phantom has done nothing but train with a bunch of yetis three times his weight during his time in the Ghost Zone, so when he pushed against the shield, it didn’t take much for him to throw Plasmius off and hop to his feet.

“I’m surprised you’re so spry on your feet, considering what your dear parents did, boy,” Plasmous sneered as he fought to catch his breath. Phantom stopped short in his tracks. How the fuck did Plasmius of all people know about that? He’s not even sure Jazz fully knew, and she kenw fucking everything about him.

Unless…

“It was you, wasn’t it?” Phantom asked. He couldn’t help the hurt leaking into his voice. Out of all of the people in this world he thought would understand him, it did surely come as a surprise. “You’re the one who told them about me.” He knew Plasmius was the scum of the earth, but at least he was scum that had understood the pain of dying at the hands of the Fenton parents and half-living to tell the tale. 

“I realized you would never want to be my son,” Plasmius spat, as if Phantom owed that to him. “And the only way to get you out of the picture was killing you. I didn’t think Jack and Maddie would have gone as far as they did.”

Anger flared inside of Phantom. For as smart as Plasmius was, he knew that it wasn’t true. He bared his teeth at the older halfa, his hands burning with unused energy. “You didn’t know, Plasmius, or you didn’t care?” He snarled. 

Plasmius hadn’t been expecting the ferocity in which Phantom spoke, and the younger halfa took it as an opportunity. 

He tackled Plasmius to the ground, but instead of meeting a solid surface with Plasmius under him, they kept falling. They fell and fell and fell until eventually they were rising again. 

They shot up out of the ground with a flurry of blows. They were midair, outside now. Phantom was letting his anger take over, though not enough to prevent rational thought. It was something that Eraserhead had taught him. It’s okay to be angry, but in a fight you need to make it productive. 

Oh, Phantom was making it productive, all right. 

He slammed his fist into Plasmius’ face, and couldn’t help the feeling of satisfaction as he felt the crunch of his nose under his fist. However, before he could break it even further, something wrapped around his waist and dragged him down. 

He was slammed into the ground hard. Now that he was outside, there were several dozen villains swarming him. They all tried pushing forward, taking turns in holding him down and beating him. Several of them were wearing ghost equipment, so even if he could focus long enough to turn intangible, it wouldn’t do any good. 

Eventually he stopped fighting, and they dragged him up to his knees. They forced his hands behind his back and gripped his hair painfully, pulling his head back so that his throat was bared towards Plasmius, who looked more triumphant than he should. 

In the corner of his eye he could see a bright spot of yellow and red running for the trees. He knew with certainty that it was Jazz and Mic. That meant that Midnight and Eraserhead were either with them or they were still caught up with other villains. Either way, his sister was safe. That’s all he needed to let loose. 

“Daniel,” he cooed, making the hairs on Phantom’s neck stand up. He glared as Plasmius gripped his face. “You really are quite pathetic, you know? All of this could have been avoided if you had just joined me when we first met. Tell me, how did it feel, having hands inside of you, rooting around your insides? Did they touch your heart? Your core? How much did they take from you, Little Badger?”

Phantom inhaled sharply through his nose, filling his lungs with as much air as possible as Plasmius let go of his face. He waited until he was just a couple steps away before opening his mouth to let out a scream.

—-----

Eraserhead had made sure that Mic got away with Jazz safely. He instructed Midnight to go with them until they were off the property in case there were more villains. And as they approached the tree line, he had seen Phantom, throat bared as Plasmius towered over him. His stomach dropped. He said a quick goodbye, and started sprinting as fast as he could. 

His feet pounded against the grass, and he didn’t bother trying to make himself unheard like he usually would. His kid was about to experience death for the second time, and he just couldn’t let that happen. 

He had been expecting a lot of things. 

He expected to put his new and improved capture weapon to use, to see if it really did work against ghosts like Frostbite had told him. He would swoop in, take all of the villains out, and tie Plasmius up and send him off to Tartarus like a cute little homicidal Christmas present. 

What he hadn’t been expecting was a new power to come from Phantom. 

Eraserhead was thrown back from the sheer power of Phantom’s scream. He landed against a tree, and used that to ground him while he used both hands to cover his ears. Chills shot through his whole body as he watched the villains around him be thrown back twice as hard as he had been. Plasmius was gripping onto the grass uselessly before he turned his arms intangible and thrust them into the ground. 

Eraserhead had a hard time keeping his eyes open, but when they were, he could clearly see the bright green rings emanating from Phantom’s mouth, similar to Mic’s when he used his quirk. 

Phantom’s knees and feet had sunken into the ground from the force of his power. The ground in front of him was lifting up and peeling away, flying back towards the mansion. Even from how far away they were, he could see large cracks in the walls, and windows that glass had once occupied. 

He squeezes his eyes shut, and clamps his hands over his ears harder to try and drown out the noise. It doesn’t do much, but it’s better than nothing. The sound of Phantom’s scream…It was awful. It sounded like nothing but pain. An overwhelming searing sensation all throughout his body, like he was being electrocuted. He felt a heavy weight against his chest that wasn’t just from the invisible force still keeping him pinned to the tree. It was fear. It was anger, and grief. It was sorrow personified, but most of all…Most of all, it was determination. Determination to do right by the people he cared about. It overwhelmed all of the negative emotions that were forcing Shouta down. 

Soon after he came to this realization, everything stopped. 

Shouta fell from the tree. His ears were ringing, but even if they weren’t he knew he wouldn’t be able to hear anything in the deafening silence. There were no chirping of birds or pained grunts from foot soldiers. Only the heavy panting from him and Phantom. 

He clumsily made his way to his feet, his legs unused to the fighting the effort of being pinned like they had been. 

Phantom was on his knees. He was looking up at the sky, eyes closed, and panting hard. The harsh up-and-down of his chest told Eraserhead that his kid was still alive, still okay, even if he did look beat to hell. It was nothing like he had seen before. 

It took him longer than he’s willing to admit to get to Phantom, but when he does, he drops to his knees and pulls his kid in for a hug. 

Phantom doesn’t tense like he usually would. Instead, he takes in a deep, calming breath, and leans into the touch, allowing himself to be held. The ringing in Eraserhead’s ears is giving him a headache, but he would take a thousand of those if it meant that neither of them had to get up at that moment. 

Phantom, though, had other plans. 

Once he caught his breath, he detached from Eraserhead with a soft smile. His hands were shaky as he fumbled through JSL. He raised a questioning eyebrow, and Phantom gave him a weak smile. 

Mic, he signed first. It was quickly followed by thermos, before Phantom unclipped it from his belt. His hands were trembling as he held it out to Eraserhead, who understood immediately. He tried to focus on the task at hand and not on the fact that Phantom had started to teach himself JSL for his husband, who he’d never met before. Shouta had offhandedly mentioned Mic was hard of hearing from his quirk, and had to wear hearing aids one time but it seemed more than enough for Phantom to get a headstart on learning.

So with a great effort, the pro hero stood tall, and ruffled the kids' hair. He cautiously made his way over to Plasmius, who was barely conscious. He no longer had blue skin and a horrible white cape. Instead, he was in a  tailored suit with grey hair no longer in it’s ponytail. And without much fanfare, Eraserhead opened the thermos, and sucked the villain in. 

When he turned back around, he saw Jazz sprinting towards them. Mic and Midnight were both quick behind, trying to catch up to her, but with her small, lithe frame, she was more slippery than they had expected. 

She dropped down in front of Phantom, gripping him tight as tears came full force. Eraserhead briefly wondered how many months she’d been holding them in. How many months she’s gone without her brother. Because these were not the sobs of somebody who had been in the loop on his recovery. These were the sobs of someone who was relieved to see that her brother wasn’t dead under the boot of Vlad Plasmius. 

The rings came, but Jazz didn’t pull away. She only held him tighter as Phantom disappeared, leaving Fenton in his place. He slowly pulled his arms around her, hugging her loosely, as he didn’t have the strength to match her hug yet. 

“Hi, Jazz,” he croaked. His voice was rough and raspy from the voice attack, and no doubt hurt like a bitch, but he had a content smile on his face. Jazz seemed to sob harder, burying her face in his neck as she lectured him about keeping her informed better in the future about his progress, and about how stupid he had been to go against Plasmius by himself. 

Sometime during their reunion, Danny’s arms loosened even more as he slumped against Jazz. She pulled back, gripping his face with careful hands before rolling her eyes with a fond, wet smile. 

“He’s asleep,” she tells the pros who have surrounded them. “His Ghostly Wail always wears him out so much.”

“Well, it was one hell of an attack,” Mic said. He puts a hand on Jazz’s shoulder as Aizawa moves to pick Danny up. He looks almost peaceful as he snuggles into Aizawa’s chest. Mic helps Jazz to her feet and brings her in for a hug. No doubt he had missed her. For nights on end he had raved about how amazing Jazz was as a student and as a person. 

“What now?” Jazz asked as she pulled away from Mic. She knew they couldn’t go back to FentonWorks. Not like any of the heroes would let them. But her brows furrowed in that same way Danny’s did whenever he was trying to come up with a plan of sorts. 

“Well,” Aizawa said, looking between Hizashi, Jazz, and Danny. “Now we go home.”

Chapter Text

“Are you nervous?”

Danny looked from the tall gates of U.A. over to Shouta, who was giving him a small smile. One he only reserved for his kids, and for Hizashi. Danny gave him a smile of his own in return as he adjusted his messenger bag. 

“A little,” he admitted. “I think it’s just first day jitters, though.”

“Those will happen every year,” Shouta promises him. Danny groans, and follows his father to the teacher’s lounge, where he’s greeted with a chorus of excitement from the teachers. 

“Danny!” Thirteen greets him. “Excited for your first day?”

Danny gives them a shrug, and they laugh. It was a bright, cheerful sound and it eased some of his own nerves. 

“You sure got tall, Sharpshooter,” Snipe tells him, ruffling his hair. Danny swats his hand away half-heartedly. 

“Or you just got shorter,” he shot back. Snipe barked out a laugh and clapped him on the shoulder before making his leave. Shouta came back and handed him a newly brewed cup of coffee. 

He nearly spilled it when Hizashi tackled him from behind, giving him a tight hug as he bounced up and down. However, because Danny was built like a brick shithouse, he barely budged. 

“Your first day!” He cheered. Man, it was too early for this. Danny couldn’t help the grin, though. “How are you feeling? Are you excited? Nervous? Do you feel like you’re gonna throw up? Oh! If you are I can go get this tea from-”

“-Pops,” Danny said, cutting the older pro off with loving exasperation. “I’m fine. A little nervous, but nothing I can’t handle.”

“Oh, my boy is all grown up,” Hizashi said, clutching at his heart dramatically. He was getting misty eyed already. Danny groaned and rolled his eyes before giving Shouta twenty bucks. 

“We made a bet on whether or not you would cry before or after the first class,” Shouta explains, not bothering to hide the mirth in his voice. From behind them, Midnight cackles loudly. 

“Hey, kiddo! These two bugging you?”

“When do they not, Auntie?” He shot back, earning himself an indignant noise from Hizashi and a fond cuff on the back of his head from Shouta. Midnight shot him a grin and pulled him away. He waved behind him, bidding the rest of the teachers goodbye. 

“Oh!” Hizashi called after him. “Don’t forget to remind your sisters about dinner tonight!”

Danny waved him off and pulled out his phone, sending a quick text to the sibling group chat (appropriately named 1 Boy Allowed) as Nemuri led him to his classroom. Since it was only a couple minutes before the bell, there were already a bunch of students inside. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. Nemuri pulled him into a hug. He was so much taller than her now, he had to lean down just to meet her shoulder. 

“Break a leg, kid,” she said before ruffling his hair. 

“You know, maybe I wouldn’t worry so much if all of you stopped messing up my hair,” he griped as he fixed it. She did it again, just for his troubles, before bouncing off to her own classroom. 

He looked at the tall door to the classroom. It was hard to believe he was here already. So much had changed since he last walked these halls as a student. He became the Ghost King officially. He gained two more sisters, Elle and Eri, and he would be lying if he wasn’t happy about the way Eri resembled him when he was in his ghost form. And he became the number 13 pro hero, who tools special care with abused kids and made sure they all had the resources they needed. Plus he had a pretty sweet girlfriend, too. The number 7 hero, Valerie Grey, also known as the Red Huntress. He had been absolutely smitten with her since they were teenagers. 

He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He could do this. The stars had aligned and everything was going great. He had all of the support he could ever want or need. And it was that thought that had him opening the door. 

Twenty pairs of eyes watched as he came in and set his stuff down on his desk. He clapped his hands to gain the attention of the students who were still whispering to one another. The room fell silent, and he felt a confident smile shine through. 

“Good morning, everybody,” he said. “My name is Phantom, and I’ll be your astronomy teacher. Let’s get started.”