A Dash Of Hope (Dash X Danny)

Chapter 4

Danny walked down the hall, feeling great. He aced his math test and made the football team, life was good.

Paulina and Star ran around the corner, screaming, "Danny! There's a ghost!"

He immediately transformed as they ran behind him, "Where?" They pointed to the girls' locker room. Danny smirked a little then turned to the girls, "Get somewhere safe, away from here," they nodded and ran down the hall.

Danny flew up to the door and laughed a little before phasing through and looking around. The box ghost sat on the floor in front of some pink boxes."Oh my lovelies, the box ghost will take you away now!" He said, rubbing the boxes.

Danny stared, completely disturbed, "Alright this is weird, even for you."

The box ghost turned around, "Who dares disturb the box ghost?!" Danny just raised his hand slightly.

The box ghost wailed and flew at him. Danny grabbed his fist easily and threw him to the ground. He pulled out his thermos, "No one can defeat the box-", he tried to say but was sucked up by the thermos.

Danny rolled his eyes and phased back into the hall. He flew to his locker and changed back, putting the thermos in his locker. "Great job Danny!" Paulina and Star said in stereo.

He smiled before a hand slammed on the locker next to him. He flinched and looked up. Dash smiled down at him, "Good job inviso-bil." Danny smiled and turned around, "Shut up Dash~," Danny said and pulled him down by his jacket. Their lips were inches away...

*

"Aaahhhh!!" Danny woke up screaming. He sat there, breathing heavily. 'Did I just dream that!?' He thought.

Jazz suddenly burst through the door, wielding the Fenton Anti-Creep Stick, "What's wrong?!" Danny jumped but shook his head, "just a.... nightmare", Danny mumbled, "Sorry."

Jazz walked in and sat on the bed beside him, "Wanna talk about it?" She smiled.

He shook his head, "It's no big deal Jazz, but ya know," he hugged her. She smiled and hugged back.

They let go and she walked to the door. She looked at him, "Whenever you wanna talk about it, I'll be here" she said. Danny nodded, "love you, little brother," she said and left. Danny smiled and fell back into a dreamless sleep.

*

Dash walked down the hall, contemplating last night's dream. 'This is getting out of control! He's even in my dreams!' He cringed, remembering the want to kiss Danny. 'Why do I feel like this? When did this start' His mind started working, trying to find the exact moment when his feelings started to change toward Danny. "Dash. What's wrong?" Danny's voice from the past came to his mind. Oh. It was that day, wasn't it? "Talk to me. I won't tell a soul" Danny's voice said again. Yes. that's when things started to change.

The sound of slamming lockers broke through his thoughts, "Come on Kwan! It was a fluke, I'm sorry!" Someone yelled. 'Is that Fenton?' Dash thought.

"No! How did you get that strong huh?! You on something? What is it?" Kwan yelled. Dash rounded the corner, eyes widening at the scene. Kwan had Danny by the collar up against the lockers with his fist raised to Danny's face, who had a huge bruise on his cheek and a bloody lip.

In a moment of pure adrenaline and instinct, Dash charged over and pushed Kwan away, Danny falling to the ground.

"What the-. Dash! What's your problem man?" Kwan yelled at him, who was standing in front of Danny protectively. Internally he recognised what he was doing and paused. 'What am I doing?' He looked back at Danny who was staring up at him with wide eyes. Vulnerable eyes. He closed his eyes and took a breath 'I like him. Time to give in. This is gonna be hard.'

"Leave Fenton alone," Dash growled.

Kwan looked just as confused as Danny "Why? Don't you hate Fenton?" Kwan yelled.

"No! In fact, he's earned some serious respect points for taking you down with one hand!" Dash yelled back.

Kwan huffed, "Seriously? What's going on with you lately? You're acting so... soft! Now you're going against me for stuff we do all the time! You always-!"

"I know!" Dash cut him off. "It's not right. He's kind and has a future. We won't if we keep treating people like this. I'm done. What about you?"

Kwan stared at him for a solid minute before shaking his head and storming down the hall. Dash sighed and turned to Danny, "You okay?" Danny looked up at him in surprise, "Did you really mean all of that?"

Dash nodded, "I'm not going to get anywhere acting like this. And you are someone I should have stopped bullying a long time ago," he put a hand out to help him up. Danny stared at him then his cheeks started flushing a pink color.

He took his hand and got up, rubbing the back of his neck, "Um.. thank you dash" he looked down, hiding his blush. 'Oh my god, he's adorable!' Dash thought, blushing as well. "No problem. Why don't we get you to the nurse," he smiled. Danny smiled back and nodded.

They walked down the hall in silence, both thinking of the dreams they had the night before but trying desperately not to show the rising heat on their faces. "Um Dash, could we - never mind," Danny mumbled.

Dash looked at him curiously, "No please, What is it?"

Danny looked at Dash shyly, "Could we start over? Maybe try to be.... friends?" He looked down, knowing Dash would never accept but hoping. He never thought he would ever hope something like that.

Dash smiled. This is going to change everything, "I would love to start over." Danny looked up at him, shocked but smiled.

They walked up to the nurse's door and knocked. "Come in," came a sweet female voice. Danny pushed the door open and walked in while Dash lingered behind.

"Ah, Danny. What happened today?" He heard the nurse ask Danny.

'The nurse knows him by name?' Guilt struck him, 'because of me' he thought.

He moved away from the door, not wanting to intrude. He let his mind wander a bit. Would he still have any of his friends after this? Probably not. Kwan gave his answer but maybe he'd come around.... Not likely. Dash knew him better than that. Paulina? No. Maybe Star? No, she followed Paulina everywhere she went. Jake? Brian? It was pretty unlikely that if he and Kwan were to part ways any of them would follow him in being nicer to 'nerds.'

Danny came out of the nurse's office and looked around until he saw Dash staring out the window, a thousand thoughts crossing his face. "Dash?" Danny touched his arm.

Dash jumped a little and smiled, "Sorry. You all good?"

Danny nodded, "I know you're putting a lot on the line. I just want you to know, that I appreciate everything you did, and no matter what choices your friends make, I'll still be your friend if that's something you still want."

Dash smiled so genuinely that Danny started blushing again and cursing himself for it. "That is something I want. Thank you. Let's get to class," he nodded them along. They walked in comfortable silence for a while but something kept eating away at him inside."Sorry," Dash suddenly said. Danny looked up at him curiously. "You probably have to go down there a lot because of me so.... sorry," Dash said softly.

Danny smiled at him "I forgive you."