Bruce felt the increase in pressure and he himself got teary eyed. He had never been more afraid than he was when Danny was in that net looking so helpless. Relief flooded him when Danny had forgiven him for breaking his promise.
The two parted and Danny swiped his nose with his good arm, leaving a blood stained trail on his sleeve. The halfa returned to a respectable distance with his eyes lowered, but one he saw the unconscious form of the agents in white he sidestepped nearer to Bruce.
"How about we get you some new clothes, and a proper room where you will be even safer." Bruce said with a smile.
Danny just nodded along and sniffed again, his wide, toxic green, eyes locked onto the agents prone from like he could still hurt him. The halfas legs shook and he wobbled when he walked so he reached up tentatively and grabbed onto Bruce's sleeve as they set off to the elevator.
Bruce eyed the two Guys In White and felt Danny stiffen up as they passed. The question returned to him as the immediate danger was now over. How did they get into the Bat-cave? He had state of the art security and then modified it to be even better. How in the world did they get in? Bruce would solve this mystery but first he had to take care of Danny.
Bruce looked warmly down on the little boy, "Hey Danny?" The halfa in question flinched. "When I'm not in my suit you can call me Bruce. There is a man upstairs you might remember as agent A, his name is Alfred. He won't hurt you at all, if anything he will protect you too." Danny's breathing quickened but he remained by Bruce, if anything he tightened his grip on the man's sleeve.
Danny stole quick glances at Bruce's core just to make sure he wasn't lying. He may have saved his life twice now but that doesn't mean he has a free pass. Danny was just cautious,
They stepped into the elevator and Danny yelped and held onto Bruce tighter as the elevator jerked upwards. Danny was starting to appreciate Bruce's sleeve, it was a nice thing to hold onto. It didn't register that his hands had slipped from the sleeve and were now gripping the man's hand. The door opened and they stepped out into a library-like room with a desk in the middle, a piano in a corner and a large clock they had just exited.
Danny shuffled closer to Bruce as he was led around his new surroundings. Bruce's core regained its inky black color as they walked around the large house, Bruce glancing at passing pictures. The house was missive and beautiful, it was rather dark but it was somewhat comforting. There were so many hallways and passages that Danny was completely lost by the time they entered the kitchen. It was a colossal sized room with a shiny, clean, and long table in the middle, the chairs were all high backed and cushioned. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, three actually, all with ornate and intricate glass designs on them that Danny didn't pay much attention to. Danny shuddered at a resurfacing memory caused by the insanely clean wood top of the table. There was a table... and the lights were so bright... he was getting closer... like...
"Alfred?" Bruce called out. The old man from earlier stepped into the room, his core the same calmness and his posture remaining poised.
On instinct, Danny hid behind Bruce, slightly shaking as his head swirled with uncertainty and renewed fear. Was this really a good idea? But too late, Bruce and Alfred were already talking.
"Yes master Bruce? Ah, you have brought young master Daniel along." Danny squeaked and held onto Bruce's hand tighter while slamming his eyes shut. "Still a bit skittish I see." he said with a soft smile.
Bruce sent a concerned frown at the small boy, this was going to be harder than he thought. "Yes, well, I went down stairs and found we had a few guests that were trying to make off with him." Bruce said, Alfred's eyebrows went up.
"Really?" Alfred had never heard of such a thing before, the Bat-cave was just too fortified to be infiltrated without warning or inside knowledge. "I suppose it is a good thing you left your phone down stairs today master Bruce."
Bruce tilted his head to the side, thinking. "Yeah I guess it was. Anyway, Danny here got a bit scuffed up so I would like to get him some proper clothes and let him use our guest bedroom." Bruce nudged Danny out from behind him, Danny complied but shook visibly with his head lowered and breaths coming in short, silent gasps.
"Excellent idea master Bruce. Might I suggest he eat some food?" Alfred said, not forgetting seeing Danny's bony form. Bruce nodded and looked down to Danny who had opened his eyes but only to look at the floor.
"Do you want something to eat Danny? Alfred can cook basically anything." Danny frowned (more so than he already was), he had never eaten much, but if he were to eat again he was sure he would explode. Danny shook his head.
Bruce let a small sad sigh slip. "Alright then. Thanks anyways Alfred." He then looked thoughtfully to the cuts along Danny's face. "But I do think we need some band-aids."
Danny cocked his head to the side, confused at what a band-aid was. Alfred nodded and left the room, quickly coming back with a small box. He set the box on the table and opened it, Alfred's quick movements were concerning the child, he was beginning to be more panicked by the moment. Danny eyed the box apprehensively, waiting for the tools that hurt him to come out, nothing good ever came from boxes. Instead he got out a roll of bandages and a few thin paper like things.
Danny took a step backwards as his face drained of all color, hiding behind Bruce again.
"It's ok Danny, we're trying to help." Bruce was quick to console him. Seeing that Bruce was telling the truth, Danny stepped forward hesitantly. Bruce sat down at one of the chairs and grabbed the roll of bandages, he motioned Danny forward and the white haired halfa took another few steps.
Bruce didn't bother with removing Danny's shirt, he figured Danny would want to keep his scars to himself. Also the cloth around the wounds had been burned away, leaving the discolored skin exposed to the open air. He wound the cloth around Danny's left shoulder, Danny jerked away with a hiss at the first contact but otherwise stayed still and quiet.
Then Bruce went to the halfas injured right foot and leg, Bruce went over the bandage already there. Then he put a rather large band-aid over the burn marks on Danny's face. There were other burns and cuts scattered over Danny's body but Bruce only put band-aids on them, they were too scattered and small for full bandages, band-aids would do. Danny felt so weird with all the extra layers of fabric, also weird because someone was taking care of him, usually he'd do this himself.
Once satisfied, Bruce put away all the bandages. Alfred put the chair back into place when Bruce left, getting too close to Danny. The white haired halfa jumped back, heart thumping, hands up, ready to block any incoming blows.
"No need for that master Daniel, I certainly won't be doing you any harm." The butler said, a little perplexed and concerned.
Danny let his stance melt away but watched the old man from the corner of his eye. Bruce entered the room again and only paused when Alfred talked to him again.
"I do believe your phone is still in the basement master Bruce." Alfred informed, Bruce nodded and then steered Danny towards the stairs, the halfa returning his hand to the billionaires.
"We don't have an elevator here. I could carry you, do you want me to carry you?" Bruce asked the small child still clinging to his arm. Danny looked at the large grand staircase and his frown deepened. He did not want to go up those stairs with his bad leg, but he didn't want to be carried either. Danny decided he might as well let Bruce carry him.
Danny stretched out his arms and made grabby motions with his fingers. Bruce smiled as he bent down to pick him up, holding him like a baby on his hip. Danny grimaced as his bad leg brushed uncomfortably against Bruce's side. The billionaire noticed and shifted Danny so that he was holding him bridal style. The position reminded him of when he was first rescued, his head close to Bruce's dark core. They headed up the stairs.
"Hows your leg?" Bruce asked as they ascended upwards on deep red carpets. Danny scrunched up his face as a response. His leg and left shoulder down to his fingertips throbbed and burned but it was much duller than it had before his rescue. But now he had new burns and cuts all over from the ecto-net, his face hurting the worst, so the mask of pain wasn't all faked.
They made it to the top of the stairs and Danny panicked for a second when Bruce didn't put him down. He kept walking to a room on the far right, across from another door.
"This is going to be your room." He set Danny down gently and opened the door, turning on the lights. Danny was left speechless.
It was HUGE, the ceiling was so high up Danny couldn't see it, large windows covered one side of the room giving it a very open feeling. A large bed with neat bunches of pillows and blankets was to the right and a few dressers to the left. Danny stepped tentatively in, afraid it would all go away if he so much as blinked. He looked in Bruce's general direction as if to say 'are you serious?' Bruce nodded and smiled.
"Yup it's all yours, oh and remember Robin who I talked about the other day?" Danny listened but limped forwards towards the window. "He's my adopted son, his real name is Richard. But he prefers Dick, I bet you'll like him, and I know he'll like you. But he is at school right now, you can meet him when your ready." Bruce finished, but Danny was only half paying attention.
The halfa pressed his hand against the glass, his eyes as big as saucers. Trees, grass, birds, clouds... things Danny hadn't seen in years. His breath fogged up the glass and his picture was ruined. He frowned and walked away, no doubt he would be locked in here. Plenty of time to stare out the window later.
He walked over to the bed, bewildered by how large it was and how soft it looked. Bruce watched with hopeful worry, why did he look so sad after looking out the window?
"I'll go get you some clothes, I'll be right back. Will you be ok if I leave?" Bruce asked. Danny would have to get used to Bruce not being there 24/7 as he still had a job, adding to his nightly activities. Danny turned to him and held his aching left arm, nodding with his eyes cast downwards.
"Alright," Bruce wasn't totally sure Danny would be ok, but he turned around and left the door open. Just in case...
Danny saw the door left ajar, astounded. He left the door open? Danny limped to the crack, holding the edge of the door the halfa looked out warily. Danny stood there watching the hallways for a few seconds more before leaping backwards as Bruce turned the corner, holding clothes in his hands.
"Here we go, these should fit you." Bruce said, gesturing to the clothes he was carrying.
Danny watched with widening eyes as Bruce walked over to him, a little too fast for Danny's liking. He took a step backwards, running into the bed. Dannys vision twisted until the room was white, and Bruce was no longer wearing a black suit but a white one. Dannys breathing hitched and Bruce, looking like a GIW agent, had sinister smile plastered on his face. His black core turned yellow and red, a fist raised to beat him down.
"Danny are you ok?"
Bruce, not a GIW agent, frowning with concern, had a hand out to steady the halfa. Danny recoiled and shook his head, trying to clear his terror torn mind. Bruce was NOT a GIW agent.
Right?
"It's ok Danny, I'm not going to hurt you. Do you want to dress yourself?" Bruce asked, seeing the child needed consolation, and hopefully a change of clothes.
Danny felt weak as his stomach flipped, he sat down on the ground at the edge of the bed. He nodded and held his head with his right hand. Bruce sent him a worrying look, but decided not to press him. He set the clothes down next to Danny then walked away, giving the child a small smile before exiting the room.
Danny heard the door click shut, he released a breath and wiped his forehead. He never experienced that before. He hoped it wouldn't happen again, because despite what Danny told himself he was becoming quite attached to the black core'd man. Danny was tired, he was ready to sleep right there, but he couldn't yet.
Danny grabbed the clothes next to him, deciding he should at least get the new clothes on. He pulled himself up on unstable legs, using the bed for stability. He took off his shirt and pants, having to also take off the bandages that went over his clothes, though most of his injuries were covered by band-aids and the wrappings he got the first time he woke up. Ignoring the scars that littered his torso, legs, and he couldn't see his back but he knew there were scars there too.
He put on the red shirt and black sweat pants, the pants being a little too large so they bunched at his feet. Finished, Danny looked around, wondering what to do next. Should he go find Bruce? Should he just go to sleep? Danny looked at the bed nervously, it looked so innocent and soft, so normal. Was it really his?
Danny debated the issue a second more before waddling to the door, having to reach up a little to grab the handle.
He hesitated.
Doors were usually locked, especially doors to rooms he stayed in.
The little white haired halfa took a breath of courage and pushed down on the handle. To his surprize the handle went down without resistance and the heavy deep maroon door creaked open. The child peaked his head outside, the hallway seemed empty, Danny didn't want to have to leave to find Bruce, that was a disaster waiting to happen.
The small halfa looked around the corner and squeaked as his gaze met Bruce's. Bruce chuckled, a soft chuckle that at first scared Danny but he relaxed after he realized it was Bruce.
"Sorry I scared you Danny, are you done?" Danny nodded, eyes averted from Bruce's.
Bruce wanted to wince, the boy kept trying to not look at him, those twisted GIW agents have traumatized the child. Hopefully not permanently.
"You know it's ok to look people in the eye, they won't hurt you because of it." Bruce said seriously, a worried spark of purple in his core. Danny, still unsure, just nodded again.
Bruce wasn't satisfied, he knelt down in front of Danny, putting a hand on his shoulder. His hand looked abnormally large on his bony body. He wanted to make sure Danny knew he should not be afraid to do simple, everyday, things. "Danny I want you to look at me, look at me in the eyes."
Danny stiffened, sucking in air as his chest tightened with fear. He squeezed his eyes shut, then let out the breath and slowly opened his eyes. His gaze flickered up until his dull radioactive green eyes met Bruce's cool blue ones.
Danny's eyes lowered for a second, looking down at his feet, then back up at Bruce.
Danny saw only confidence and determination in the man, his core telling of inky darkness and a hint of worry.
Bruce, at first, saw nothing, an abyss of emptiness. But when Danny looked back up at him Bruce saw a spark of hope, and an astounding amount of intelligence.
Bruce nodded, "See? that wasn't so hard. You don't have to be afraid of everything, it take to much energy in my opinion." Bruce stood back up, smiling and gently ruffling Danny's hair.
Danny froze, confused by the action. When Bruce moved past him, Danny ignored the warm feeling rising in his chest. Danny's core turned a warm yellow, a color long over due like a drop of water in a desert. Scarce and cherished.
Danny followed behind the vigilante, cautiously bewildered. Bruce moved to the side of the bed, Danny suffled next to him, wondering what the plan was now. Danny's core turned back to its original purple.
"Are you tired?" Bruce looked down at Danny, Danny looked up at him, their eyes met for a second before breaking. Bruce internally sighed but admitted that it was an improvement from when the boy first made eye contact with him.
Danny nodded his answer, a yawn escaping his mouth. Bruce smiled again, he was just so tiny and cute, maybe even cuter than Dick.
"Alright then, get in bed, do you need help?" Danny scowled in thought, then put his arms on the bed, attempting to climb on.
Bruce chuckled again, then grabbed his armpits and hoisted him up onto the bed, Danny squeaked and fell flat on the cushiony blanket. Danny scrambled to his hands and feet, almost hissing in pain when his leg twisted the wrong way.
Bruce lifted the thick blankets and Danny crawled under them, becoming a lump in the sheets when the blanket succumbed to gravity. Holding in another laugh, Bruce lifted the edge, seeing Danny curled up in the middle of the bed.
"Hey Danny, you're going to need some air. Put your head on the pillow, the rest of you can be under the covers." Bruce whispered to the sleepy halfa.
Danny's head popped up and he crawled to the edge of the blanket, staring oddly at the pillows. He lightly pressed a hand against one of the pillows, then fell face first into them. The halfas white head of hair was swallowed up by the mass of pillows. Danny turned quickly, realizing he could not breath if his face was buried in the pillows
Stifling another laugh, Bruce rearranged the blankets so it was up to Danny's chin. Danny felt weird under the covers, the softness was almost uncomfortable, the blankets constricting. In fact Danny had half the mind to climb out of the bed and sleep on the floor, but he didn't want to make Bruce angry. So he stayed in the bed.
"Good night Danny." The man said kindly in a soft whisper. "Even though it's actually morning, I guess." Bruce said as more of an after thought.
Danny didn't really care what the time was, with the GIW he never knew when it was day or night. He didn't think it really mattered. The cowl-less Batman waved goodbye and shut the door after turning off the lights.
Danny pulled his legs up into the familiar ball position, then winced as pain reminded him of his leg. He also wanted to lay on his side but realized quickly that his shoulder and arm were in no condition to be slept upon.
Danny shifted under the covers again, the cushions under his neck oddly nice as it brushed against the indented part of his neck where the collar used to take residence. Somehow after having the collar for so long it felt a part of him, being without it was... odd, it felt nice to find something familiar in this weird new place. Danny kept a grip on his leg while he let his bad arm and leg rest in more comfortable positions, the halfa deep in thought about Bruce.
The man did care about him, a lot apparently. Danny wondered what the morning would bring, or whenever he woke up. Would he meet Dick? Even though Bruce said he would like him, Danny had his doubts.
A thought suddenly struck Danny.
Bruce probably doesn't know he was half ghost.
Danny whimpered quietly and curled his head inwards. If Bruce found out he was a halfa surely the experiments would start and the pain would resume and he would be subject to a half life of full insanity until he was finally granted the mercy of death.
That's why Bruce was so nice! It was because he didn't know what he was! Danny paled, why didn't he think of this before?! Or... said another part of Danny... he knows and is just acting nice. But that didn't make sense in Danny's mind, Bruce's core would have hinted that he was acting.
Danny shifted uncomfortably. Things were much simpler with the GIW, he knew exactly what to expect, when things would happen, what meant what. This seemed to be a whole different language. Danny trusted Bruce, but would Bruce trust Danny? Ghosts weren't trustworthy, the GIW told him that, and 'told' was more of a 'torture-until-it's-ingrained' with the GIW.
Danny felt so conflicted, should he tell Bruce and deal with the results? Or should he keep it a secret?
His thoughts died down as his brain told him he needed to sleep. Danny yawned and moved again, finally finding a comfortable position. His eyes fluttered closed and his breathing finally regulated, he was too tired to worry right now, he could worry later...
The halfa didn't notice that his nightly breath of condensation did not appear before he fell asleep.
So naturally... A nightmare ensued.