Let's Make A Statement

Dealing With People

Danny was currently in his temporary room, after getting back to the foster home he changed his bandages. Lucas and Isabella told John and Mary what happened, then they got a call from the school. Danny wasn't at fault, he hadn't thrown the first punch nor did he really hurt the other kids.

John and Mary talked the principle out of giving him detention for getting involved in the fight so Danny wasn't in any trouble. Though it wouldn't have mattered anyway, after tonight he would be gone, though he might hang around the city for a few days just to keep an eye on the bullies. He waited until it got dark to go, the thing they were transporting should be getting there by midnight.

He got there at around eleven and waited, and waited, and waited, and when the truck didn't show up he got annoyed. He took a risk and snuck into the security office, it really wasn't hard since someone left the window open. He checked the logs for any incoming or outgoing shipments and found the one he was looking for.

Truck three-eight-seven, delayed due to weather and road conditions, rescheduled to arrive in one week. Danny was pissed, a week, a fucking week, he had to wait another week to find out what this thing was? He couldn't stay that long, but he had to if he wanted to figure out what this thing was, he had to risk it.

That would mean going to school, dealing with people, and trying to keep as much information from everyone around him as possible. He'd do a little more recon to gather information and when the shipment got there he'd find out what it was before leaving. Danny went back to the foster home, snuck in through the window, and went to sleep.

School came around the next morning and Danny was not in a good mood, though he was a little happier when he saw Richard but he wouldn't admit it. As they walked Richard started a conversation, "So how do you feel?"

"If you're talking about my injuries I'm fine, it's just annoying when they open up again."

Richard wanted to ask more questions but the look on Danny's face alone told him that wasn't a good idea. Richard mentally sighed, something was bothering Danny but he had no idea what it was, it could be a lot of things. Richard was about to speak but Danny cut him off, "So about the guys I beat up yesterday."

Richard felt his heart skip a beat, he had really been hoping they wouldn't talk about this, "What about them?"

Danny could obviously tell he didn't like the topic, "I'm not going to ask who they were or what history you have. But if they hurt you, threaten you, or so much as look at you the wrong way then tell me, and if I find out you didn't I will be pissed." Richard stared at Danny in shock for a minute before he laughed and Danny looked mad now, "What the hell is so funny?"

Richard took a second to stop laughing and catch his breath, "Sorry, I was just kind of surprised." Danny didn't seem to get it and Richard smiled, "You always seem so angry and act like you couldn't care less about other people. Then you see a school yard fight and jump in the middle of it, threaten someone, and the next day all but say you're going to, what, keep me safe?"

Richard's smile widened, "You act like you don't care but something tells me you do and I don't get why you try to act like you don't."

The two walked into an empty hallway as Richard spoke and at the last part Danny seemed to snap a little. He pushed Richard up against a wall and glared at him, "I don't care and it's not an act. Caring about people is a waste of time and will just cause you pain in the end, everyone betrays you and you end up alone, that's all there is to it."

Richard didn't look shocked, he didn't look scared, he didn't even look mad that Danny pushed him up against a wall. Richard just gave him a sad look, Danny was still mad and Richard spoke, "Who hurt you?"

Danny was actually surprised by the question, no one had ever asked him that, he never thought anyone would. He actually took a few steps away from Richard and the teen looked worried now, Danny hated it. He hated it when people worried about him or felt bad because he didn't need it, he didn't deserve it.

Danny turned and quickly walked away, he didn't want to answer that question, but more then that he didn't want to see that look in Richard's eyes. He walked into the nearest bathroom and tried to breathe but it was hard, his lungs felt like they were burning. He was getting angry, he hated the memories, he hated that look, and he hated how weak he was being.

Danny punched the mirror, it was the closest thing he could break and he didn't even think, he didn't need to. He felt the pain from the glass cutting his hand, he punched the shattered glass again and it cut deeper. He wasn't sure how many times he hit it but by the time he stopped there was blood dripping off of his hand and into the sink.

There was glass everywhere and Danny sighed, he used his powers to simply phase the glass out of his hand and clean up the glass. There wasn't a lot of blood on the counter so most of it was cleaned just by running the water in the sink. After bandaging his hand he left the bathroom, he had a little over a minute to get to class before he was late.

He quickly got to class and the bell rang seconds after he sat down, at least he could avoid any questions Richard might ask for now. Richard kept glancing at him every few minutes but Danny refused to even look anywhere in his direction. Danny did his best to avoid Richard but when lunch rolled around he was cornered and not just by Richard.

Richard, Isabella, Lucas, Artemis, and Barbara managed to stop him in the hall and make him go into an empty classroom. Danny looked pissed, "What the fuck?"

Isabella spoke, "Okay Danny, what is going on?"

Danny just crossed his arms and Lucas spoke, "Why do you seem angrier then usual today?"

Barbara then noticed Danny's bandaged hand and grabbed it, "What happened to your hand?"

Danny snatched his hand out of her grip, "Don't fucking touch me." The look of pure rage made them all take a step back, "None of you know a single goddamn thing about me. For all you know I'm usually this pissed off, why the fuck should I believe that you even care at all?"

"As for my hand shit fucking happens, just do yourselves a favor and stop caring, freaks like me will just get you killed."

Danny left the room looking dangerously calm, it was the kind of rage that you knew meant you shouldn't say a single word. They waited for a minute or two after Danny left before speaking and Artemis was the brave soul to break the silence. "What is going on with him?"

None of them had a good answer, the rest of the school day went by and none of them talked to Danny because they didn't know what to say. At the end of the day Richard was driving himself crazy trying to figure out what he should do. Danny had left their last class and Richard left seconds after him, he needed to do something, anything.

Danny had stopped at his locker, it was now or never, Richard walked up and breathing was becoming much harder to do. Richard took a deep breath and finally spoke, "Danny."

Danny looked at him and the anger in his eyes almost made him regret trying to talk to him, almost. Danny slammed his locker shut, "I really don't know how I can make this any clearer, leave me alone."

Danny was going to walk away but Richard blocked him, "I know you're mad, and I don't know why you are. I know you don't want to talk about it and I won't make you, you don't have to tell me anything." It was getting so much harder to breathe, "But I don't want to lose my friend before I can even get to know them."

Danny paused, hearing someone refer to him as a friend was shocking enough but hearing how distressed Richard was over this really hit hard. He wanted to stay angry, and he really tried to, but his anger was slowly leaving him and he didn't know why. It was frustrating, Danny sighed and leaned against his locker, "Why the fuck are you so different?"

He whispered that to himself and Richard only heard it because he was so close, he forced himself not to say anything. Danny was quiet for a minute before he finally spoke, "Fine, I give up."

Richard was shocked, he hadn't thought Danny would actually say yes, or near enough to it, but he smiled. He'd wait for Danny to tell him what was going on himself, he could be patient until he was ready to talk.