Darling (Danny Phantom exe Fanfic)

1

The sky was overcast, heavy with the promise of rain. "Oh, come on," I muttered, glaring up at the clouds. "I didn't even bring an umbrella." I stomped my foot like a frustrated child. After a minute of futilely kicking and punching the air, I took a deep breath and started walking. "Stupid weather. Stupid rain. Stupid life," I mumbled as I trudged down the sidewalk. The rain began to pour, turning the world into a downpour within moments. There wasn't a single place to take cover. With a resigned sigh, I let the rain soak through my clothes. "Damn it," I cursed under my breath. The cold raindrops sent shivers down my spine, and within seconds, the road became a muddy mess. Bits of mud clung to my jeans with every step, turning this day into a nightmare disguised as reality.

I will never understand how people enjoy the rain so much. Just then, the downpour ceased above me, but I still heard the sound of rain hitting the ground. Confused, I looked up to see a man standing in front of me, holding an umbrella over my head. "What the...?" I stared at him, utterly baffled.

"You know you could catch a cold, right?" he said, his tone gentle yet amused."Of course I know that. What do you take me for, an idiot?" The words slipped out before I could stop them. Well, me and my big mouth. I expected him to scoff and walk away, but instead, he smiled, making my frown deepen.

"Looks like someone's having a rough day," he chuckled. He wasn't wrong—I was in a terrible mood. A pervert customer at the café where I work had spent the entire time ogling me, and just as I was leaving his table, he had the nerve to grab my butt. It took everything in me not to slap him, but luckily, the manager stepped in and threw him out. And of course, I hadn't brought my umbrella because the morning had been so sunny it was practically shouting, "Good day ahead!"

But who is this guy? I narrowed my eyes at him. "Who are you? Why are you here? What do you want?" I fired off the questions like bullets.

"Whoa, calm down," he said, holding up a hand in surrender. "I'll answer your questions, but first, let's get out of this rain. It's getting heavier by the second."

He had a point, and I was already half-soaked. Only the top of my head was shielded by his umbrella, so I nodded and we started walking together. The umbrella wasn't big enough for both of us, which meant we were pressed close, but I didn't say anything. I'd already been rude enough.

We reached my house in silence. It's a small studio apartment, all I can afford on my own. When your parents get divorced because they think they're not right for each other, and your careless mother takes you along only to leave you when you're sixteen, you learn to get by. I've had to work two jobs to feed myself and keep up with school, all so that one day I can look my parents in the eye and walk away with my head held high.

"Well, this is me," I announced as we reached the staircase. I live on the second floor. "Nice place," he said, eyeing the staircase. I shivered at the thought that I'd just led a complete stranger to my home. What if he's dangerous? "I'm not," he said, startling me out of my thoughts. "Pardon?"

"Nothing," he replied with a slight smile. "You should get inside. You're soaked."He was right, but I felt like I owed him something for his help. Against my better judgment, I asked, "Do you want to come in for some coffee or tea?" "Sure," he replied instantly, smiling again. So much for hoping he'd say no.

I nodded and led him up the stairs. I opened the front door and turned on the lights. "You should probably change," I said, noting his wet clothes. "Yeah, I probably should," he agreed, glancing down at himself.

"Wait here. I'll get you something dry," I offered and rushed to my room. I grabbed a towel and began rubbing my hair dry with one hand while pulling out a fresh set of clothes with the other. Multitasking never goes as planned, and sure enough, my head got stuck in the t-shirt I was trying to pull over it. After a brief struggle, I finally managed to get my head through the shirt. I grabbed some of my older brother's clothes and hurried back out.

"Here," I handed him the clothes and pointed to the bathroom. "You can change in there.""Thanks," he said, disappearing into the bathroom. I retreated to my room, needing a moment to collect my thoughts. Sitting on the bed, I replayed the last hour in my mind. "Who is this guy?" I muttered to myself, still puzzled. After a moment, I headed back downstairs and found him studying a photo of my brother and me.

"Not to be rude, but who are you exactly?" I asked, crossing my arms."My name's Danny," he replied. "Okay, Danny. I'm Ashley. So, why did you help me back there?" He shrugged, his tone easygoing. "Just seemed like the right thing to do." I gave him a measured look. "Well, thanks for the help, but don't get any wrong ideas. I only invited you in because you were kind enough to share your umbrella."He chuckled softly. "Understood." I raised an eyebrow, slightly thrown by his calm demeanor. "Would you like some coffee or tea?" "Tea sounds good," he said with a polite smile. I nodded and headed to the kitchen, making two cups of tea before returning to the living room.

I placed the tea on the table and handed him a cup. "Here you go," I said, our fingers brushing briefly as he took the cup. A slight tingle ran through me, but I quickly sat down, pushing the sensation aside. We sipped our tea in silence, the quiet stretching between us. Every so often, I found myself glancing at him, trying to make sense of the stranger who had so suddenly entered my day.When we finished our tea, he stood up and gave me a small, courteous nod. "Well, I should get going." I nodded in return, feeling a mix of relief and something I couldn't quite place. "Thanks again for the umbrella." "Anytime," he replied with a faint smile.We exchanged a simple goodbye, and I closed the door behind him. Leaning against it, I let out a deep breath. "Wow, that was... a lot for one day." Exhaustion hit me like a wave, and I made my way to the bedroom, collapsing onto the bed. My mind was a jumble of thoughts, but sleep claimed me almost immediately.