The Boy king and The Dark Knights

XXV

DUKE knew something was up with the Amity Park kids.

Well, something was always “up” with them.

They were weird as fuck.

But they were acting weirder than normal, which while hard to achieve, they had proved it possible.

Sam and Tucker had been whispering to each other non-stop since class has started, and since they were sitting at the same table as Duke he was absolutely bored out of his mind.

It was English and they were discussing To kill a mockingbird, which Duke already knew basically everything about due to Jason’s Book DebatesTM, which came up whenever there was a particularly slow night of patrol.

So Duke almost sighed in relief when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, pulling it out and seeing a text in the family chat.

It was from Damian, which was surprising enough as it was during school hours.

And then Duke felt a flash of concern when he realized it was Damian asking about Danny’s whereabouts, because apparently he hadn’t shown up for school.

Dicks response was almost instantaneous.

Don’t worry, Jason’s just keeping him home today to have the talk with him :)

Isn’t it a bit early for the sex talk?

Nono, it’s the “guess what your entire family is secretly comprised of a bunch of crime fighting furries” talk

Do birds count as furries? Wouldn’t they be like featheries?

DANNY KNOWS OUR SECRET IDENTITIES!?

Well it took him long enough

Does this mean Red Hoods getting a new sidekick?

Fuck no.

Jason! How’d he take it :D

He thought Roy was Red Hood.

????what?? ??Why not you?????

Because I’m obviously a prostitute, duh.

According to Danny at least.

Duke choked on air, quickly shoving his phone into his pocket as his teacher sent him a sharp glare.

It was only a few seconds after the teacher looked away that Tucker leaned forward across the table.

“What’s up?” Tucker whispered.

“My new nephew, Danny. I haven’t met him yet but he’s my new favorite family member.” Sam and Tucker blanched at the name, and Duke raised his eyebrow.

“Danny?” Sam asked tentatively.

“Yeah. I’m probably meeting him tomorrow. He’s in the middle school and it’s not too far from here. I could introduce you to him and some of my brothers.” Duke offered, and Sam and Tucker untensed.

“At the middle school? Sure, why not.” Sam grinned, something unidentifiable hidden behind her apathy.

“Great, we’ll head there tomorrow after school.” Duke smiled softly at his out-of-town friends.

—

Danny wasn’t woken up by any movement or light, instead he was woken by a noise, a noise he’d hoped never to hear again.

Falling salt

His eyes flashed open and he was there again.

He quickly tried to rise to his feet, but his weak and sleep addled body quickly fell to the floor as he tripped over his restraints.

Helpless eyes watched as his father as Jack completed the circle of glowing green salt, and then Danny’s eyes landed on his mom on Maddie, smiling that sickly sweet smile that made Danny’s very soul feel slimy.

“Don’t worry darling, all this will be over soon, and then both of you will be normal again! That’s all we want for you.” Her voice sounded wrong and scary and- both of them?

Danny’s head turned and

no

No

NO

“Dad?” Danny’s voice was hoarse and choked up as Danny rushed towards Jasons prone figure.

He shook his father once, twice, and Maddie kept droning on in his ear, meaningless noises that turned to chanting as the salt around them began glowing greener.

“Dad please-“ Danny’s voice choked off as a sharp pain struck his core.

This would kill Danny. He knew it.

Just like it did last time.

But Danny had come back.

And Jason wouldn’t.

Jason wasn’t a ghost. He couldn’t heal from a disconnect between his soul and his body.

Jason was going to die.

It’s

All

His

Fault

Tears streamed down the ghost boys face as he clutched his dad closer, an endless stream of pleas spilling from his mouth as the pain built in his chest.

Danny’s pleas finally stopped as the climax of his exorcism hit, ripping the air from his lungs-

And then he woke up.

Tears streaming down his face, he climbed out of his bed, quietly moving towards Jason’s room, pushing his door open with a small squeak.

“Danny?” Jason’s tired voice asked into the darkness, and Danny hummed a response.

He made his way to Jason’s bed, crawling up and fitting himself into his dads arms as Jason pulled him tight in his arms, surrounding Danny in warmth and safe and home.

“Hey dad?” Danny asked tentatively.

“Yeah?”

“You aren’t gonna die, right?” Danny’s voice was soft in the darkness.

“I’ll try my best not to.” Jason responded, a reassuring hand running through Danny’s hair.

“Promise?”

“I promise.”