Me, looking through my WIPS: Oh, yeah! These Imprints was a thing. (dusts off chapter 3) Oh, man wonder if I can finish this chapter after having zero progress for six months lmao

Me, an hour later, with the chapter edited and finished: ...holy shit I didn't actually it would happen

(Seriously though, four of five-ish pages have been done and edited for like four months. It was only the last page that I had trouble with and I knocked that out in thirty minutes, edited it, rewrote some parts, and just looked back and went... wait I actually updated this?)

Thanks for being patient with me! Hope you enjoy my dudes!

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. All rights go to Nickelodeon. Please support the official release.

[i][i][i]How These Feelings Culminate[i][i][i]

Gossip was like raindrops.

"What a loser."

At first, someone may not notice it entirely. Sure, there was this underlying feeling of oddness and a few obvious signs might rear its heads, but mostly, they could live their life without being impeded in any sort of way.

"Yeah, do you see what he's wearing?"

However, over time, the signs were harder to ignore.

Whispering gossip was just the same as relentless rain tapping against their skin, turning buzzing to rumbling, as tiny specks slowly turned to heavy glops. From here annoyance would start brimming. Not too much. After all, rain was only natural and while one would get a little wet, it wasn't like they couldn't easily get dry, and words?

Ha. Just plug your ears or talk louder to drown out the noise. Easy.

"Yeah… and just in general."

But then there was a point where gossip would stop simply being gossip and raindrops would combine, attacking the world in a furious storm.

A storm. A horrible, world breaking storm. A storm where, as one trudges through the relentless, comfortless plain the rain keep pounding into their skin, drenching them clear to the bone in a matter of seconds and even when they try to find cover they can't seem to find a way to convince themself to keep going long enough to become safe. Yet at the same time, safety is all they crave. Warmth, care and that feeling of relentless pressure to just ease for one moment and just let them breathe fresh air. As the buzzing of lightning crackles the air and electrifies their skin, they can't help but think, "this is it. I can't go any farther."

"...Let's spill something on it and see if it stains."

And the pressure increases, as the storm whirls around them, wind whistling mocking tunes, as the pounding rain shatters their spirit and floods their insides with the unmistakable feeling of helplessness against powers they can't even begin to understand.

This is the feeling of the world against you. This is the feeling of helplessness.

"Nah, dude, it's rubber. You can't put shit on rubber and expect it to anything."

This was what Danny was feeling, as he trudged through the day. Specifically, at the moment, as he couldn't help but listen to two jocks (who he didn't even know) chatter amongst themselves.

"Hey, are you okay?" Tucker asked, concern in his voice.

Danny blinked stupidly, his concentration scattering everywhere before settling to Tucker. Flushing in embarrassment, he stared pointedly down at a weird little mark on the corner of his lunch tray,

"Perfectly fine," he said with gritted teeth.

"Really?" Sam's incredulity was practically tangible.

Danny grit his teeth harder, "Yep."

His friends gave each other that look. It was that same look they had when Danny tried to tell them to stop fighting ghost with him for the first time, a strange mix of concern and exasperation with a tinge of what he could only consider telepathy. Now that he thought about it, Jazz had that look often.

As the three of them slid down the lunch line, trays in hand, Sam eyed him dangerous, "Well, Mr. Perfectly Fine," She commented dryly, "you might want to pretend that you're okay before you claim to be perfect."

Tucker snorted, "Yeah, what did that tray ever do to you?"

"What are you-...oh," Looking down, Danny could see that he had his tray in a death grip. He pushed away that rising coldness. He didn't want to deal with it, and instead focus on pretending everything was okay. Slowly he stretched his finger, pressing his lips when he felt the slight ache in the strained muscles.

It wasn't hard to see the imprints in the slight cheap plastic, nor was it hard to miss both Sam's and Tucker's widening eyes.

Danny was sure if it wasn't for the fact they were already at the front of the line, the two would have bombarded him with a volley of something resembling reassurances. Thankfully, there was time for Danny to collect himself between bringing out ruffled dollars and standing awkwardly, as one of the dispassionate cafeteria workers slowly took their lunch money and made them go their way.

As the trio rumbled to their seats, the jocks standing behind them snickered loudly,

"Ignore them, Danny," Sam commented ever so helpfully, Right. Like Danny wanted to hear them. Or anyone for that matter. All Danny wanted to do was hide in under a rock and pretend nothing was wrong.

Actually, no. All Danny wanted to do was go home, burn his jumpsuit, and then jump in his shower. Preferably a steaming one where he could barely feel his skin. If he used enough water, maybe he wouldn't have to feel cold ever again.

But hiding under a rock until the end of the day was a good, temporary solution, one he would totally take advantage of if it wasn't for his already dismal attendance.

Tucker and Sam tried to talk to him, or at least, they tried to reel him into their conversation in hopes of eventually opening up. He knew their tricks, and he didn't appreciate them at the moment. He grit his teeth and sped up in his steps, ignoring the way Sam huffed loudly at him. He didn't stop moving, couldn't, and he just needed one second to get his bearings together before the two finally grilled him.

He was so busy internalizing everything, he didn't recognize his external surroundings. Mainly, he didn't realize he dumped all of his lunch onto Dash's chest until the tray clattered to the floor, as the jock held him up with his fists.

"What's the big idea, Fenton? What you think you get special treatment today because you scared a couple nerds?" Dash scoffed. A dark smirk rose on his face, and he lifted Danny higher in the air, "I'm going to enjoy this one, Fenton."

It may have been the lack of air, or the eyes continuing to drill into his skull. Distantly, he heard Sam and Tucker shouting for him. Someone else too, maybe Valerie? He didn't know. His brain felt fuzzy, his chest tight, but he didn't feel the need to laugh. Something dark boiled in his stomach, and as he glared at Dash, he felt it rise to the surface.

"Fine," he spat, "hit me."

Dash paused in his punch. The idiot's face twisted in confusion. "What are you on, Fenton?"

"I said, hit me," Danny hissed, his grip tightened on Dash's hand, fingernails clawing at the jock's fist, "See if I care. You'll hurt me. You'll hurt someone else. You'll just keep doing it again and again, so I might as well get it over with."

Dash's eyes widened, and his eyes darted around the room. When they landed back on Danny, he looked at him oddly, and to his surprise, he felt himself being slowly lowered down. "Look, man, I don't-"

The dark feeling burned deeper in his stomach. "What? You're not going to do it!? What now that I'm calling you out, you're just going to take it?!" He heard his voice rising, even with the blood roaring in his ears. He nodded to Dash's jacket. "I hurt you. Now you hurt me. It's only fair, right? It's only normal, a fair trade." He huffed a laugh under his breath and finished with a mumble, "...Only fair."

Dash dropped him back to the floor. Even with his boots on, he could feel the cafeteria mush splattered on the ground. The jock was staring at him like he was an animal about to attack. He slowly backed away, eyed wide and face twisted in confusion. He swiftly grabbed his backpack off the floor, but his eyes never left Danny's.

"You really are a freak, F-f-fenturd," his voice trembled, afraid… of Danny.

The anger rose up in Danny's throat. "Come on! Really? That's it?" he took a step forward, eyes burning, throat burning, everything fiery, and he realized the heat was just as bad as the cold. Cold made him focus, but fire just made everything blurry and hard to think. Everything was too small for how big he felt, choking, burning on his own emotions.

"Danny!" He swerved around, abruptly, fists clenched, ready to fight-

Only to meet the concerned expressions of his friends. The two looked at him with wide eyes; Sam's mouth was agape, Tucker's shoulder's trembling.

Suddenly, he was aware of the stares again.

He twisted around the room, eyes wide and growing wider as the noticed the crowd just looking at him. They just kept looking and looking, whispering to themselves, some snickered like this was some joke, while others backed away like Dash. Their gazes felt like buzzing against his skin, and their whispers hissed in his mind. It was like a physical wall of feelings surrounded him, boxing him in and making it impossible to breath.

"Danny?"

He needed to get out. He couldn't stay here. Not like this. If he stayed, he didn't know what was going to happen, and he needed to get himself together before he actually hurt someone with whatever fucked up things were going on with his emotions.

So he turned away from the crowd and ran.

He wasn't aware if he was invisible. He didn't know if Sam and Tucker tried to call out to him. Everything just felt distant, a faint buzzing compared to the screaming in his head. He needed to breath, to get out and stop drowning in this sea of people.

If gossip was like raindrops, Danny was sure he was drowning in his own head.

Word Count: 1614 (not counting intro, outro, or title)

"But hiding under a rock until the end of the day was a good, temporary solution, one he would totally take advantage of if it wasn't for his already dismal attendance." Is the most Danny line I've ever written.

Anyway! Thanks for reading! Tell me what you liked. Tell me what you disliked. Tell me something weird. Hope you enjoyed, my dudes!

See you next time,

Lunagalemaster~