Let's Make A Statement

Annoying

The weekend passed quickly after Richard, Barbara, and Artemis left which Danny both liked and hated. He felt like he hadn't gotten anything done all weekend and he'd had to avoid the heroes as best he could when he went out. He didn't want to deal with them when he was still trying to find a murderer that they'd stopped him from catching before.

Now it was Monday and John and Mary had actually given him snacks for Toxin so they wouldn't be hungry all day. He wasn't sure how to feel about it, he didn't like that they were trying to make him think they cared. He could tell Toxin had freaked them out when they met, if they were freaked out then fine but hiding it just pissed him off.

He started putting stuff in his locker when a familiar voice spoke, "Something piss you off again?"

"Something like that."

Danny closed his locker and Richard was standing there looking concerned, "What happened?"

Danny started walking to their first class and Richard walked next to him, "John and Mary gave us food to eat while we're here."

"I don't get it, isn't that a good thing?"

"Not when they're clearly freaked out about my best friend and they keep giving me weird looks."

"It's going to take them some time to get used to him, I mean I saw him before so I had time to process."

"Processing is one thing but I don't like it when they try to make me think they give a shit."

Richard grabbed Danny's hand to stop him, "They do care, we all do, they just aren't sure how to act now that you're not the only one they're talking to."

"Then they can just say that, there's no point acting like this is normal or trying to act like everything is fine when it's not."

Danny let go of his hand and started walking again, Richard quickly caught up and held his hand again. "Look, I'm not going to pretend I have any idea what I'm doing when it comes to you, I just know I like you, a lot. But I don't think they know how to act either, I know you don't talk to people on your own but give them a little time and they'll talk to you."

"I don't care if they talk to me, I just care that they're acting like it's fine, if it's not then fine but don't act like it is."

Richard sighed, he did have point and he knew arguing wasn't going to help at all, he was just hoping he wouldn't get too angry about it. They got to their first class and they were silent for a minute, Richard finally broke it, "So did you two find anything last night?"

"Nope, I mean there was a body but I didn't even catch a glimpse of whoever's doing this."

"So what are you going to do?"

"With no evidence and no clear pattern all I can do is keep searching the city every night and hope I catch up to them, at least so I can find out who they are."

"If you ever want help you just have to call, I'm sure Artemis and Barbara would help too."

"Look I'm not one to ask for help, you want to look for them then fine but I don't do well with groups."

"So I've noticed, but the offer still stands, and if we get to spend more time together because of it I won't complain."

Danny hummed, "That wouldn't be the worst thing in the world."

They both smiled a little and a few other students walked in so they went silent, Danny talked to Toxin during their classes. When lunch came around Danny was sitting alone until the others sat around him and he felt like phasing through the floor. Isabella spoke first, "So, anything new happen lately?"

"If you mean with the mysterious murderer I've been chasing no, being chased by a bunch of fucking heroes does not help."

Lucas spoke, "Did something happen?"

"You mean aside from a few of them attacking us no, it was pretty easy to escape too but it's still annoying."

Artemis and Barbara looked at each other, Richard held his hand under the table and it calmed him down a little. Isabella spoke, "So what are you going to do?"

"Nothing, we've never attacked them they always attacked us and we're not going to start now. As annoying as it is we already agreed not to hurt them, worst case I have to use my powers to get past them if we find the murderer."

Artemis spoke, "What are you going to do if you find them?"

"Depends really, we don't know who or what this thing is so we'll have to figure that out once we know who it is."

They all looked at each other, they weren't sure what to say, Lucas and Isabella had never done things like this and the others had never been in this much danger. He was being hunted by their team, the League, the government, and most likely the police yet he was still doing this. They finished their lunches in silence, though Danny was the only one that ate more then just a few bites.

Danny and Richard went to their next class in silence and it was bothering Danny, before he would have killed for silence, now it annoyed him. During their next class Danny was talking to Toxin when a piece of paper landed on his desk and he was suspicious of it. He picked it up and read it, it said 'Want to go on a date?' with an R as the only semblance of a signature.

One glance at Richard told him everything he needed to know he wrote his answer and put it on Richard's desk when the teacher wasn't looking. Richard felt his heart pounding when Danny read the note and then glanced at him before writing his answer. When the paper was back on his desk he read the answer, 'Sure, when?'

Richard quickly wrote down his answer and put the note back on his desk, Danny read it, 'Friday at six, I'll pick you up.'

Danny smiled just a little and hid the note before the teacher could see it, at least he had something to look forward to.

*****

Hi guys, it's been a while.