Danny exhaled deeply as he let his back slide and he plopped on the ground. He stared in front of himself at the rows of lockers. He knew exactly what locker whose was. His classmates' or students' he had met during lunch or after school.
It's like Casper High all over again. No matter how much Danny pushed it down, it overpowered him. His obsession. The feeling to protect everyone.
He wasn't angry at his ghost half for making him immune of Hawkmoth's ways or putting such a big weight on his back. Not at all. He was extremely grateful for it. That weight would have been there either way. Now, thanks to his ghost powers he could do something about it.
But it was never enough. He had to find a way to be there for everyone. Maybe if he used duplicat-
Danny paused when he felt the oh so familiar feeling. He sighed. "I was wondering when you would turn up."
Hawkmoth's voice rang in his brain. "Of course. I almost gave up on you but I wouldn't pass a chance like this. Now what's got you so depressed, boy."
Danny leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes. "Do you ever just feel like nothing matters except protecting someone. Like you would do about anything for them no matter what."
There was a pause and Danny could feel Hawkmoth's hesitation. Before the other spoke he already knew he'd hit a nerve.
"Yes," the old man said with surprising sincerity. "I am."
That threw the boy offguard. What does he mean he is?! "Is it...family? Do you even have family?"
"Of course I have family," the fruitloop snapped.
Danny shrugged. "I just always pictured you like a lonely old man that spend day and night in his evil lair laughing maniacally and looking for depressed kids like a shrink with no job."
He heard Hawkmoth grumble something unintelligible but he wasn't done yet. "I mean. Twice you stayed up all night trying to get me sleepless enough to be akumatized. I didn't think you spent much time with your family."
There was an awkward silence and Danny narrowed his eyes. "Or do you?" Still nothing. "Oh no. No way. You sir, you're getting out of that lair right now. You told me you do everything for your family? It doesn't sound like it!"
"I AM." Hawkmoth shouted. "I am doing all in my power to help us. He doesn't understand now, but he will!!"
"If you're thinking you're helping him by completely ignoring him and hiding in that stupid room then you're wrong!" Danny had no idea who 'he' was but this guy needed to be taught a lesson. "Believe me, I know. My parents aren't the most attentive. They spend all their time in their work. Sure, it might help the society but it certainly ain't helping our family!! No matter how much they think it does!"
Hawkmoth seemed to be fuming. "As soon as I get this done we will be together again. I just need the miraculouses and we'll be a happy family!"
"Get your head out of the clouds, old man. How long do you want to keep this up. You're ruining so many people's lives just to make your own happy?! The only way to make it happy is to actually spend time with them. Whatever you're trying to do, it's not making anything better. Tell me, when was the last time you went outside and actually LOOKED around."
Silence.
"Well?!? When!! You know what!?" Danny had stood up in anger and was shouting at the lockers. "You go outside. You look around. Look at the people. They're afraid. They are fucking afraid every second of the day. Nobody in this place dares to be angry or sad or whatever shit. You have any idea how messed up that is?! It's pretty fucking messed up. So go out and look at their faces and think: this is my fault. This is what my obsessive stalking is getting me!! Also do yourself a favor and get a life. Spend time with your family because you're wasting precious time right now."
Danny ripped the shoulder strap from his backpack and stared at the white butterfly flying out of it.
He yelled, throwing the strap at the lockers. Who did that fruitloop think he is. Ruining everyone's lives for his petty wishes.
Suddenly Danny's head snapped to the entrance. "Who's there," he growled.
There was a pause and Nino stepped into sight. He scratched the back of his head nervously. "Hehe. Sorry man. I was just passing by and heard you screaming."
Danny relaxed when he saw who it was and waved him off as he plopped down again. "It's alright, man. You can go back to class."
However, all Nino did was sit next to him. Danny appreciated the comfort.
Finally Nino said something. "You really put him in his place."
Danny only hummed. "I sometimes really can't believe that man."
"Nobody can, dude. But thanks for what you said. I think he needs that." They sat in silence after a small 'yeah sure' from Danny.
Nino was trying to find a way to bring this into the conversation until he just gave up and blurted it out. "You know everyone's worried about you."
Danny gave him an expression of utter surprise and confusion. "Really?"
"Yes, really." Can this guy be any more oblivious? "I'm guessing you being so paranoic has to do with your talk with Hawkmoth."
"Oh." Danny pursed his lips and looked down. "You heard that part too?"
Nino took a deep breath. "Look man. I know this is something big. Maybe too big. I'm sure if someone can handle it, it's you. But right now, you're not handling it well."
Danny frowned. "What but-"
"No," Nino interrupted him. "Handling it well doesn't include yelling at the lockers and ripping your backpack apart."
Danny was silent. He grabbed the ripped apart shoulder strap and sighed. "I'm gonna be honest with you, Nino." The side of his mouth lifted in a small smile. "I've never related so much with a backpack strap before."
The boys laughed halfheartedly but quickly quieted.
Nino put a hand on Danny's shoulder. "But, Danny. You do know we've been dealing with this way before you came?"
Danny's eyes inspected the other for a moment before they were downcast again. "Not very long, though. Probably just a year."
Nino frowned and cocked his head. "Isn't that long enough for you? Besides how do you know that."
Danny snorted. "We'd never heard of Ladybug or Chat Noir back in Amity. Paris is still more famous for the Eiffel Tower than the superheroes. Besides that, the town isn't very adapted for the supervillains. I know it seems impossible to adapt to this but people always find a way."
"We have drills," Nino tried to defend his town but Danny just shrugged.
"That's the first step." The boy looked at Nino seriously. "I know how this goes, Nino. This is the second town I've seen that is starting to look like a warzone. The fear in everyone's eyes. That's how it always starts." Danny's eyes watered. "Fear. Then they become tough. They learn to defend themselves. They don't trust anything or anyone and they turn to different things to have a feeling of safety." Tears rolled down his eyes.
Nino stared at the crying boy wide eyed. He realized how, apart from the fight with Pet Keeper, this was the only time he'd seen Danny cry. Both times for the safety of others.
They become tough...
Danny's words rang in his mind.
"I can't do this. I can't let this happen again." Danny sunk his hands in his hair and slid his legs close to his chest, shoulders shaking. "Not again."
Nino felt tears form in his own eyes. Slowly he wrapped his arms around the other. "I'm sorry." He didn't know what he was apologizing for. "Sorry, Danny. This really sucks."
They cried with each other until Danny calmed down.
He wiped his eyes. "Thank you," he croaked.
"Thank you," Nino corrected and Danny gave him a wet and confused glance. Nino smiled. "Before you arrived, it was getting kinda chummy over here. Then you came like a fallen angel to sweep our fear away. You really helped man."
Danny's eyes lit up the way Nino had been missing. "Really?! That- that's awesome." He stared at the lockers, a smile playing on his lips. "You know, Nino. When I first got here and saw your depressive lot, I'd sworn to do everything in my power to not let it happen again. These people were not going to end up like mine."
Nino gaped. Had that really happened? Had Danny just taken the responsibility of people he didn't even know just like that?!
He smiled and swung an arm over the boy's shoulders. "You're a great dude, dude. You know what, count me in."
Danny's shocked face met his grinning one.
The black haired boy frowned. "What do you mean."
"I'll help you reach that goal. I care about these people and I frankly don't want Paris to turn into a warzone either. So you tell me what to do and I'll help out. Even better, if we talk to them, I'm sure the others will want to help you too. You've done so much for us, but you don't need to do it alone. It's as much our responsibility as it is yours."
Danny's eyes were wide. He breathed out a chuckle. "For real? I umm...I don't know what to say. But how. How are you going to help. I'm the only one that is immune to Hawkmoth's butterfly voodoo."
Nino shrugged. "Tell us how to adapt. Not out of fear, but out of courage. Tell us how to protect ourselves and others. You have experience with this, as much as it sucks. You can use it to tell us how to avoid what happened in your town to happen again."
Danny smiled. "I'll think of something. Thank you, Nino." He looked at the other gratefully. "I really needed that."
"No problem."
They stood up and Danny slowly picked up the two pieces of his backpack. He gave a sheepish smile. "You've fixed me. Now it's my backpack's turn."
Nino laughed. "You have a lot of friends, man. If you're broken, we will all fix you."
They walked out the locker's hallway as the bell rang and students started streaming out the classrooms.
"You should probably give that to Marinette though."