Shades of Gray

Dan

Trying to get Henry up after a big fight was always difficult. Dan wondered how he managed to do it sometimes. Battle, after battle, after battle, after battle. Did he ever get tired of it all? He really didn't have to wonder about that anymore. With Captain Night locked away, Henry would finally be able to get enough sleep, without having to be tired. 
"Sweety, you have to get up. We have school today." Dan had always been a morning person, Henry was not. 
"But I put her in jail. I get the day off." Dan chuckled. 
"Not when it comes to school. Get up, or you don't get any breakfast." He sat up and jumped out of bed. Henry shifted and turned over. 
"Fine." He lurched up and slouched to the closet. Dan laughed under his breath. He loved his perpetually sleepy boyfriend.  He went to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He knew people were going to be all over them today, with Henry revealed, everyone and their mom would know that Exodus and Henry were the same person. The closet was open and Dan moved to grab clothes. Henry was pulling a shirt on over his bed head. Dan wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled Henry close. 
"Are you ready for today?" Henry glanced over his shoulder before sighing. 
"Not even a little bit. I know it probably won't be as bad as it is in my head, but it also may be worse. I've met some of the girls in my fan club. They are freaks." They both shivered at the memory. Laughing, Dan pulled his pajamas off and his school clothes on. 
"I know. But, we will get through it. We should also check up on...what was her name again? Sabrina's best friend?" Henry thought for a moment. 
"Margie? Or maybe it was Maddie? I don't know. We can ask her today." Dan nodded. He felt bad that he didn't know her name, but everyone knew who she was. Sabrina and her were inseparable. They did everything together. Be it bookclub or volleyball. They just clicked. Most thought they were dating until Sabrina came out as aromantic. A ton of the dudes on the soccer team and the basketball team had tried to ask her out after that with the whole "I can fix you" thing. Dan could admit, she was attractive, but she wasn't his type. He hated to admit it, but he would have gone for a cheerleader if he hadn't met Henry. 
"I wanna eat something before we have no time to. Do you want some toast?" Henry nodded and let Dan drag him out of the closet. 

"Oh my gosh! Girls, it's him!" The shrieks that followed would forever haunt Dan's mind. He had to break their bodies away from Henry to get to their first classes. The guys weren't much better. 
"Dude, that's how you always know where the ball is at any time." "I don't know man, I think that's cheating." "Dude, no way! It's not the other team's fault that Exodus goes here!" Henry was clearly uncomfortable throughout every interaction the entire day. It got to the point, Dan had made them eat lunch in the library. They burst through the doors and locked them behind. Henry sighed with relief and gave a small, breathy laugh. 
"It't as bad as I thought it'd be. That sucks. I thought people would be cooler with it since they know me. I guess not, though." Dan sighed and slumped to the floor. 
"I know. But, I am surprised we haven't seen Sabrina's friend." 
"I'm right here." A quiet voice chirped from the back of the library. Dan and Henry looked at each other before heading her way. 
"Sorry, we didn't know anyone was in here." Henry's voice was cheery and welcoming. It was almost his hero voice, but it was toned down for school. 
"Yeah, I get that a lot." Her blonde curls came into view as they rounded into the manga section. She smiled at them, though Dan could tell she had been crying recently. 
"We can leave if you want the space to yourself." Dan wanted to make her as comfortable as possible. 
"No, it's fine. I normally have a few people here with me at lunch anyway. But that was before I became 'Captain Night's best friend'." She sighed. "It's not like I knew." Dan could tell Henry's heart was aching for the girl. He threw his arms around her and she stiffened. He backed up sheepishly. 
"I'm sorry. I just have a bleeding heart." She laughed dryly and Henry's compassion. 
"It's fine." She looked between them. "My name's Maggi, by the way." They both tried not to show it, but they both sighed in relief when neither had to ask her name. 
"Thank you. We didn't want to be rude by asking." Henry blushed and ducked his head. 
"You, Henry, are a lot different from you, Exodus." She stated plainly. He nodded. 
"I try to act as if everything and nothing matters when I'm Exodus. But when I'm me," He smiled and shrugged. "I'm just Henry." She laughed. 
"Yeah sure, Just Henry," Dan said with laughter in his voice. Henry mock pouted and lightly punched him. Maggi watched on in disinterested awe. He wondered, did she have a partner? No one really knew anything about her, except Sabrina. She seemed like such an open book now, but how had no one gotten to know her? As the thought lingered in his mind, Maggi's face seemed to grow more serious. Her eyes flitted to the barely eaten sandwich in her hands before glazing over. Dan watched with curious eyes as her thoughts seemed to drift away from what was in front of her. Henry had no regards for this. He waved in front of her face and she blinked and came back. 
"Sorry, I spaced off." Dan shrugged. 
"It's cool. I do it all the time." She smiled. 
"Could we be friends? I realize that my only friend is now in prison." They both widened their eyes in astonishment at her brazenness. 
"Of course you can be our friend!" Henry cried out. "Are we going to eat here, or with our other friends?" She shrugged. 
"As long as I'm not alone, I'm fine." Henry brought her into another hug and grinned broadly. 
"We are a trio now!" She and Dan smiled together. 
"Yeah, we are."

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed!