Curate, connect, and discover
Dash held the raised roof tightly as he looked down, legs ready to push off towards a free fall. He closed his eyes and took a few breaths before moving forward.
Just as he was about to let go, a voice called behind him, “You know, most suicide survivors say they regret trying the moment they let go.” This caused Dash to catch himself before he lost grip. The voice was familiar enough for him to turn around and face his unwanted observer.
A set of blue eyes stared back at him as Dash spoke a bit shakily, “W-what?”
“Mind if I join you?” The closer his observer got closer, the quicker Dash realized who he was talking to. He knows it is. He's a few inches taller than he was in there senior year at about 5'9”, a bit more toned, and white hair growing on the back of his head, but it was obvious.
Dash just huffed at Danny and turned away, to which he interpreted as a yes. There was a brief moment of silence between them when Danny swung his legs over, the silence only breaking when Dash sighed, “I injured my back and got cut from the team.”
“Bone or muscle injury?” Danny asked.
Dash glared at Danny, wondering why he cared, but all he was greeted with was caring blue eyes. Dash looked away as he continued, “It doesn’t matter. It’s not too serious at the moment, and it doesn’t bother me too much, but from what the doc was saying. If I continue playing, I-” Dash stopped and tightened the wall around his fingers.
Danny was patient however, moving a bit closer and waiting calmly and quietly for Dash to continue.
After a bit, Dash swallowed and continued, “If I continue playing, it may cause permanent and serious damage.”
“And so you were cut from the team?” Danny asked curiously, “You could have been a coach’s assistant or something.”
“Yes, well,” Dash huffed, “I thought of that too. Apparently, seniority overrules talent here. Who knew.”
Danny huffed and stifled a laugh. Dash huffed too. He didn’t mean to make it funny, but it did seem a bit ridiculous in retrospect. He is only in his second year, and most of his team, -former team-, were just as or more talented than he was.
After another brief moment of silence, this one a bit calmer than the last, Danny asked, “So… what now?”
“I…” Dash looked down the building wall to the concrete below. It seemed a lot further down now than it was when he first arrived on top of the building. “I don’t know. My scholarship is all but over, a-and I can’t play football again.” Dash held back a sob. His voice broke as he said, “You were right the last time we saw each other. I…I did peak in high school, I just didn’t realize it.” Dash closed his eyes, sighed, and turned to look at Danny. He began to apologize, “I’m sorry I bullied you in high school. I never realized how much you were going through, with your parents, with…everything. It must have…I’m sorry.”
Danny’s calm eyes turned to concern, then to regret. This time, he turned away. “We all say and do things we regret.” Dash watched as he rubbed the palm of his left hand and practically glared at it. With a sigh, Danny continued, “I know how you feel, though. Your purpose…going away and not seeing a reason for living.”
“The ghosts stopped attacking,” Dash stated the obvious. “Why…?” Dash looked at Danny in confusion, “why are you telling me this?”
“I don’t know,” Danny said honestly, “Maybe I needed a rant. Maybe it was because you’re sitting on a rooftop about ready to jump over being cut from the team. It’s all to say, you aren't alone, and there is more to you than just football.”
Dash shrugged nervously, “I mean, is life so much better?”
“Probably not,” Danny said with a shrug, “but where's the fun in being dead?”
Dash grumbled and rolled his eyes.
Zatana smiled softly at the sight before her. She was at the Watchtower, looking for an item she misplaced a day or two ago (and to check on John), when she stumbled on the most precious thing she had ever seen. On a bed in the medical wing layed John, fast asleep.
Zee couldn't help herself coo as she heard the softest purr from Danny. It didn't matter that he was technically an adult, it was adorable. And from the looks of it, he had his guard dropped almost completely. There was no stirring as she crept closer, no twitch or care of who entered or where he was. He was well and truly in a deep sleep. It hurt her heart a bit to think that this may be the best sleep he's had in a while. Something was definitely up.
Constantine began to stir a few minutes after Zee arrived. He blinked a few times and looked around in confusion, wondering who was on him. His face softened just a bit as he realized Danny hadn't moved. Then, he noticed Zatana, by then having taken a few photos of the two.
John grumbled a bit as Zee laughed quietly. After a few seconds of silently staring, he asked as quietly as he could, “How long have you been here?”
“Only a few minutes,” Zee replied softly as she looked through her photos and settled down next to the two, “What happened?”
John began moving the young man off him, who, despite still being asleep, immediately tried to fight to stay on him. John just gave up after a few tries, too tired to fight him. “Had a fight, some childhood trauma popped up while doing so,” Zatana could see how haunted John was, despite his best to stay as neutral as possible. She calmly and carefully moved closer to Danny. What got her a bit worried was what John said next. “He did something incredibly dangerous to himself to save my life.”
“Hm,” Zee hummed as she softly scratched Danny’s scalp. She brought her attention to John's wounds. “What happened to your attacker?”
“The bastard deserved what happened to him,” John said with a little hollow tone. He smiled just a bit. “In any case, it's over now. We won’t be seeing him anytime soon.” John’s eyes dropped. “But I found out why the kid was so secretive about his ‘other’ half. And you’re not gonna like it.”
“And that is?” Zee asked, carefully placing a silent spell.
He continued, clearly angry, “The US Government placed a law that says ghosts and liminals are non sentient or sapient and aren’t considered people. That law also put into place a branch specifically to hunt them down and study them. What makes it worse, his parents are the ones supplying and making the weapons to hunt them.”
“John,” Zee began.
John ignored her, beginning to vent, “I had some ideas of it, but that?!” His voice was beginning to raise. “Who in God's name would be so bold as to claim an entire species, older than the fibers of the universe -”
“John-” Zatana tried to interrupt calmly.
“-as non sentient or sapient! How do you prove something that is clearly wrong!”
“John-”
“Do you know what things they might be doing to the ghosts they had already caught? And the kid kept this to himself and didn’t tell us.”
“John Constantine!” Zatana yelled through gritted teeth. She was incredibly thankful for the privacy of a silent spell. As she yelled, Danny’s sleepful face twitched. He was mumbling something, clearly stirring, though still drifting in and out of sleep. “It’s okay darling,” Zee hummed sweetfully, scratching his scalp, “You’re safe.” Danny settled down again, drifting back into his slumber. She looked back at John. Constantine stopped and finally turned to the magician. She was giving him such a hard look.
After a brief stare off, Constantine’s eyes grew wide. “You knew.”
“Long before I even met Danny, in fact, but yes, I knew.” Zee said quietly, looking away. She sighed, “The law was placed when I was a girl, and I only knew about it because my father tried and failed to fight it. It was his mission to, if nothing else, protect the ghosts that can’t escape. And I do too.”
John held back a stutter. “Who else knows?”
“Dr. Fate came to me about a year ago about how much me and my father knew about it, and I’m pretty sure the Big Three know, but I’m pretty sure they’re keeping it on the down low until they figure out a way to repeal the law and organization,” Zee’s eyes looked at John softly. “I’m sorry I-”
“It’s fine. Really, I get it,” John sighed, clearly defeated. “I would have certainly made a fool of myself if you did tell me.” He looked at Danny sadly then back at her. “For now, I’ll try to keep my mouth shut about it. But if that fucking organization goes for you or the kid, I will raise hell and make them wish they were never born.”
“It’s only fair,” Zee said with a soft smile.