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Jason Todd loved books. This was not news to anyone. Or it shouldn't be. Jason had not been born into wealth but had been adopted by Gotham's own billionaire philanthropist Brucie Wayne. Not only did everyone in Gotham know Brucie Wayne, the entire planet knew him. The man was a celebrity. Which meant paparazzi followed him and his children everywhere they went. Hence why his second son enjoying books should come as a surprise to no one. In fact, libraries were one of the few public spaces it was nigh impossible for the paps to get into. The fact that Jason enjoyed being in them was just icing on the cake honestly.
Jason's autumn started off about as well as could be expected. And then it got, well, a tiny bit weird. Nearly an unnoticeable weird when compared to the usual insanity in his life. Still, it was definitely something odd.
It started in the library.
Danny hadn't expected to find a ghost in the library. He should have. He really should have. This was Gotham. There were ghosts all over Gotham. Why should the library be any different?
The weird thing was this ghost didn't look very dead. Except for the eyes he could still be human. The ecto-shine in those blue eyes put that idea to rest. The ghost had human red undertones to their lightly browned skin —this was Gotham so it almost definitely wasn't a tan— and messy black hair. Danny didn't say anything about how human he looked. It wasn't his business what another ghost looked like. Besides, Danny's ghost form looked way too alive, too. He knew how much it creeped out other ghosts and he wouldn't make someone feel like a freak if he could help it.
However, it was his business that he'd shown up in this guy's haunt without any kind of offering. Danny was already here, leaving wouldn't fix things. Might even make them worse. So up he strolled to the other ghost as casually and non-threateningly as he could. The ghost frowned and his body tensed but he didn't look up from his book. Danny wasn't here to cause problems but Library Ghost obviously didn't know that.
"I'm real sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. I just didn't expect anyone else here. Is it cool if I'm here too?" Danny gestured at himself to convey 'another ghost' without having to actually say that where the living might overhear. No need for that mess.
The ghost blinked up at him, looking confused and playing it calm. Library Ghost wasn't really calm but he didn't look about to attack. That was nice. Danny did not want to get banned from the library. They had textbooks and places to study and wouldn't kick him out for not buying something.
Danny waited as patiently as he could manage. He really really hoped Library Ghost was chill with him visiting. He didn't want to use PDFs for study. Danny just couldn't focus long enough to stay on track. He always managed to get distracted. Even when he tried really really hard to not.
The Library Ghost looked around like maybe Danny was talking to someone else, then back at Danny. Did he have trouble showing himself to the fully living? Danny hadn't thought he would, he was pretty dang solid for a ghost. That usually meant easy for the living to see. But Danny never claimed to be an expert on that stuff. Maybe he should come back with a book, two books for two trips. Or maybe three, an extra for an apology. A Library Ghost would love a new book, right? Or, well, maybe not a new book. But a book for sure.
"... Yes?" His voice was extremely nice. He did sound confused though.
Danny smiled, relieved and grateful. "Thanks, dude."
"Yeah. No problem." He looked uncomfortable. Maybe he really did have problems with not being seen by the living. And Danny was human right now, not ghost, so obviously that'd be weird.
"What's your favorite kind of books? Mine's astronomy." Danny said, then realized he hadn't actually introduced himself. He blushed in embarrassed shame and ducked his head. "Sorry, I'm Phantom. But you can call me Danny, it's cool."
"Right." Library Ghost said.
"Right." Danny agreed. He tried not to fidget under Library Ghost's intense stare.
Danny failed, tugging his backpack's straps after only a dozen or so seconds. Danny was starting to wonder if he should maybe just leave right now and come back with some books in apology. Finally, Library Ghost finally said something, "I like fiction. Historical stuff. Classics."
"Awesome, thanks!" Danny said, relieved. And a bit confused. There was no eager sharing of obsession fueled facts or anything. But Danny did at least have something to help him pick out offerings. He wondered how to help Library Ghost satisfy his obsession. Maybe he haunted a library to see people learning things?
Library Ghost turned back to his book and pretended to ignore Danny. Danny didn't want to draw bad attention to either of them so instead of bowing all formally he tilted his head and leaned just a bit of his shoulders forward.
"Seriously, thanks dude," Danny said before making himself scarce.
Was Library Ghost's obsession latched onto something more esoteric than books? Or were 'books' just too many different possibilities? Library Ghost had specified classics as his favorite kind of book.
Danny found his class textbook easily and copied the homework problems over into his notebook. He didn't have anywhere to be for a while and no one had noticed him so he went ahead and solved them. Once that was done —and he still hadn't been kicked out by Library Ghost— he skimmed next week's chapters.
Danny was in the astronomy program, thankful beyond words for the scholarship. An advanced undergrad course but it still hasn't been particularly challenging. There was absolutely no reason to spend perfectly good money on his own copy. He already knows he'll never look at it again after this class is over.
When Danny finished he returned the book to the shelf. Then worried he maybe should have put it on the book return. To leave it to a librarian to sort and put away. What if that was why Library Ghost didn't have a favorite kind of book? What if organizing books was his favorite book? Or well. Whatever. Danny knew what he meant.
Library Ghost still didn't introduce himself or even get all that excited over Danny's gift —two historical fiction what if collections— he still let him use his Library. He was so nice, not getting offended and punting Danny into the ceiling over Danny's boring gifts.
Next time Danny offered a used copy of King Leer, the oldest he could find in very good condition. He picked Shakespeare because he knew anything Shakespeare was a classic. He picked King Lear because Sam hated Romeo and Juliet. Also King Leer had been the first Shakespeare book that felt right. Library Ghost accepted it but again wasn't very enthusiastic over it. It was really weird he didn't tell Danny what he liked, but maybe he was trying to make Danny use the Library. Was that Library Ghost's obsession? Making sure books were read?
The third time really was the charm because Library Ghost finally went off on an eager obsession fueled ramble. Danny was ridiculously relieved. The book wasn't super old —it was published within the last half a century— but this author was apparently the right stuff.
Danny listened to him talk about the author (Jane Austen, Danny would remember that now) and about her books in general, and this book (Emma) in specific. Danny was ecstatic. He'd finally found something to give this nice Library Ghost that would feed his obsession and make him happy.
Library Ghost's happy sharing was interrupted by the loud buzz of something electronic. He pulled out a pager. Oh, those haven't been used in a while. If it was something he'd had since forming then he couldn't be much older than Danny. Though it was tricky getting modern tech to cooperate with ectoplasm when you didn't have an electric core or handy tech obsessed reincarnation of a pharaoh to bother. It might not really mean anything.
"Oh, sorry. I've gotta take care of this." Library Ghost frowned down at his pager in concern.
"That's alright. Feel free to come haunt me if I'm still here when you're done taking care of that." Danny waved it off.
They established a bit of a routine after that. Danny gifting Jason small things about Jane Austen and listening happily to another ghost share their thing when Jason has the time. Danny was pretty sure Jason had never been to the realms yet, because he still socialized more like the living than the dead. But that wasn't unusual. In fact, most ghosts outside of Amity Park had never been to the realms. After all, if they could have gotten there they would almost definitely have stayed to find their lair instead of staying here in the lonely, unwelcoming realms of the living.
Danny wondered if he should offer Jason some ectoplasm or ask him to come with to the realms. He had no idea if Jason could even leave his haunt though. Danny knew not very much about ghosts that'd never been to the realms.
By the time the semester was almost over Danny has worked up the courage (and the cash) to give Jason something (hopefully) incredible. He even wrapped it himself, despite not being very good at wrapping. For ghosts it really was the thought that counted.
He did not use Fenton wrap because no one wants his dad's face all over their gifts. Instead he used fabric. He looked up how to wrap with it and followed a tutorial and everything.
Now came the hardest part, actually giving it to Jason.
Jason had no idea what to make of Danny. He knew what he wanted from him, at least now that they'd been acquainted for seven weeks Jason had got comfortable around him. He wanted Danny to be flirting. Because he was very awkward but also very very earnest and always brought him something. It was a little bit longer getting courting gifts and Jason kind of really really loved it. And Danny acted genuinely interested in Jason's rambling on about a centuries dead author and literary analysis of her centuries old books. Jason was damn good at reading people, so Danny must actually be interested in what he was saying.
Remembering that first rant he'd given Danny over 'Emma' had him feeling all warm and gooey. He'd been quietly mortified as soon as Danny left. He had gone off for over a whole fucking hour. It was embarrassing. But Danny didn't do anything more than listen attentively and ask him questions that showed he'd even been listening. Their next meeting Jason tried to see what Danny's limit was with Jason's rambling. Danny had brought him a copy of 'Sense and Sensibility' with a green leather cover. It was gorgeous. Not a first edition of course, those were expensive and hard to find, and Danny was clearly a college student. But it hadn't been all that cheap, either. It was expertly hand bound with a lot of care given to it between then and now. Jason realized then that Danny apparently had no limit to listening to Jason's bullshit, because Jason was the one to cut and run.
After getting over the embarrassment of being the only one talking for over two hours it had felt good. Really good, being listened to and quietly encouraged to keep going. Not that he wasn't listened to by other people! His family listened, and his teammates listened, and if he was feeling really desperate he could schedule an interview and the whole damn world would listen. Well, the world that cared about the lives of the rich and famous. Anyway, Jason's point was he wasn't actually desperate for attention! He just really liked getting attention from Danny. He looked forward to it, even. Danny was different. He didn't care about Jason being a Wayne and he liked listening to him talk about nothing important.
When Danny first introduced himself Jason had been worried he was one of those fans of the rich and famous with no or terrible boundaries. It wouldn't be the first time some weirdo had harassed him about some creepy parasocial relationship they made up whole cloth in their head. But that wasn't what happened. Danny didn't even act like he recognized him. Jason Todd, the prodigal son returned from death and heir to Wayne Enterprises (as if that was anything like how companies were run and wasn't something the media made up to sell stories), was unfortunately extremely well known. After all, it isn't every damn day or even decade someone famous finds his dead son alive again. Even if the cover story they used was that he'd been trafficked and lost, not killed and revived.
The fall semester was almost over, grey slush covered the sidewalks and icy puddles filled the potholes. Jason didn't know if Danny would be graduating and leaving Gotham or just leaving for the break. He was clearly taking advanced courses in engineering and astronomy. At least based on what he was reading and doing worksheets on. Also based on running a background check. And some light hacking. Only because he knew his insane family would do so much more and Jason wanted to be prepared for unexpected surprises.
Today, Danny was nervous. Almost more nervous than he'd been at their first meeting. It set Jason on edge. But Danny was just a very awkward kind of guy, it was cute, so Jason tried to look unaffected.
"So, Danny, how are you liking Gotham?" Jason asked, hoping the answer was something close to 'i don't hate it'.
"Oh it's great! I haven't got this much rest since Before y'know." Danny said. The way he'd said before was both significant and like Jason knew exactly what Danny meant. Jason had not a single damn clue. Even after almost an entire semester spent talking with him. Jason was not as insane as the rest of his family and was perfectly content to let Danny share at his own pace. Once Jason vetted he wasn't like, someone he needed to kill. Which he'd done back on that first day.
"You get more rest in Gotham." Jason said disbelievingly. Jason loved Gotham but even he could recognize it wasn't exactly the most restful place to live.
"Absolutely. All the jerks causing property damage aren't my problem. I can actually do something besides fight all the time. It's great!" Danny answered, nodding his head rapidly and grinning.
"That is super worrying, actually." Jason informed him. Because it really was. Why had Danny been fighting so much he couldn't sleep? And why had he been fighting people doing property damage anyways? He was small and wiry and Jason was willing to grant he could probably defend himself well enough. He knew Robins. He'd been Robin. Jason damn well knew build wasn't everything in a fight. But fighting rogues? Sure, Danny could always be a meta. But most metas hiding it were always a bit tense in public places regardless of how well they were passing. Danny wasn't the least bit tense around Jason and the Public Library was definitely a public place.
"Eh. Not like changing the past is a good idea so I just gotta keep going, y'know." Danny responded with a casual shrug. With that phrasing... it sounded like Danny wasn't quite as civilian as Jason thought.
"That is also super worrying." Jason said again. Because it again super was.
"Oh, nah, it's okay. Everything went like it was supposed to. No messed up timelines 'cause of me! Well, just the one but I fixed it!" Danny said. It was totally unhinged and most people would think him delusional. And yeah sure Danny could still be seeing things but Jason doubted it. Jason had seen too many insane and impossible things to outright dismiss something so supposedly impossible. Hell, Jason himself was insane and impossible.
"Danny. Have you considered that your life experiences are deeply concerning to people that care about you?" Jason said, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"My sister is always saying" -then Danny blushed and stuttered- "Wait, you care about me?!"
Jason felt himself blush despite this not being something to blush over. They'd been talking at least once a week for eight weeks! Obviously he cared! "I mean, yeah? You've grown on me, Danny. You're weird but in, like, an adorable way, not in a rogue way."
"You think I'm adorable?" Danny continued to blush and stumble over his words and look adorably flustered. Jason decided why the fuck not and went for it.
"You're absolutley adorable. You free sometime? I know a place that has really good tea, coffee, whatever. If y'know, you're interested." Jason said. He'd never seen Danny drink from the thermos he carried so didn't know if it held coffee or soup or tea or just filtered water or was empty by this time of day. But tea wasn't the point, the point was the company. Also they had vegan pastries, just in case that was something Danny cared about.
"Um, yeah! Yes! Definitely!" Danny flushed even brighter.
"Great! Here-" Jason grabbed a notepad and pencil from his jacket pocket and wrote down his phone number and name "-just in case something comes up. It's a cell phone but I'm kind of crap at remembering to charge it so don't freak if I don't pick up."
"Oh! Yeah, totally! Can it get texts? I can text if it's easier." Danny offered. Oh this was one of those things Jason still wasn't used to. When he'd died text messages had been charged per message both sent and received so calling had been more convenient for anyone not in the Wayne's tax bracket.
"Yeah sure." Jason answered. Because Danny might actually be trying to say he's more comfortable texting without actually saying it.
Danny flustered wordlessly, then seemed to make a decision. He opened up his bag and brought out a gift. It was wrapped in green paisely fabric. The wrapping job was definitely not professional, but just a clearly Danny had given it his best effort. He shoved it at Jason and said, nervous, "Here! For you!"
Jason accepted it graciously. Up close there was a very faint glow to the fabric, the texture was both soft and flannel and something he could honestly say he'd never felt before.
"You, you don't have to open it now!" Danny said, blushing and looking down at his bag.
"Do you want me to open it now?" Jason asked. Danny fidgeted. He did. But that's not what he said.
"You don't have to. No pressure. It's yours no matter what." Danny insisted.
"When have you ever pressured me into anything?" Jason said with a reassuring smile.
Danny smiled shyly and answered, "I uh, I guess never, huh?"
"Right. Never." Jason agreed. He settled the carefully wrapped package on his lap. It was a book. It was book shaped and weighted and Danny always gave him books. But clearly, this book was important. Danny started talking as Jason began to unwrap it.
"So, um, I dunno if you know, 'cause you've never been to The Realms I think? But, uh, I know Ghost Writer. He writes books, not really reads them. But he's friends with all the actual ghost writers, uh, authors I mean, and I finally managed to convince him that I wasn't going to embarrass him and he introduced me to Regency Ghost and she helped me track this down and Regency Ghost says this is legit so, um. Yeah."
There was a whole lot about that to unpack. But Jason was inclined to believe Danny had a life at least as ridiculous as Jason's own so for now he finished unwrapping the gift. It was not a bound book. And it was stored in a paper-board box with a floral pattern. Danny watched him, holding his breath. Jason opened the box. Hand made paper folios were inside with fine, elegant handwritten script. Jason stared. Danny could not possibly be serious.
"This cannot possibly be legit." Jason said, shocked. He carefully paged through the folios. The script matched the surviving copies of Jane Austen's handwriting. Jason had contemplated acquiring some, he had enough money even without the Wayne name and all that nonsense. But something so old and important being destroyed in stupid vigilante bullshit was intolerable. Keeping his things at the Wayne Manor even worse.
"It is! Regency Ghost said and Ghost Writer said Regency Ghost is the Realms expert on all the stuff written then!" Danny insisted.
"Danny..." Jason said. Danny watched him, eyes wide and nearly vibrating with anxiety. Danny believed this was real. Jason wanted this to be real. And even if it was a forgery, which was the only logical conclusion, it was a very carefully made one with great attention to detail. So Jason did not tell Danny that he had almost definitely been scammed because there was no way there existed a complete original copy of Jane Austen's drafting of Emma. It was lost to time. But Danny had clearly gone to a great deal of effort to find Jason not just a nice gift, not just an expensive gift, but a gift that was deeply significant to the both of them. Emma had been the book Danny gave him that got Jason talking. That had let this awkward, precious thing between them begin.
"It really is!" Danny said, clearly misinterpreting Jason's silence.
"Okay." Jason said, he carefully closed the box and settled it inside his shoulder bag. "Thank you. So much."
Danny looked close to passing out from relief. Jason had already given him his number. He reached out and cupped Danny's face in his hands. Danny flushed and stared at him wide eyed.
"Danny, I'm going to kiss you now." Jason told him. Danny squeaked but didn't otherwise react so Jason kissed him. Something cold sparked between them and Danny melted into the kiss. Jason broke the kiss much sooner than he wanted. But the library was public and the last thing Danny needed was some asshat snapping pictures of their kiss and posting on social media.
Danny stared at him in awe. It was incredibly precious and Jason had to fight back his cute aggression because he was just so fucking cute.
"... so, does this mean you like it?" Danny asked. Jason laughed. Danny was just too much. Too much awkwardness and too much cuteness and much much too much gullibility. Jason had never had the urge to protect someone feel so damn intimate before Danny. It was just what Jason did. But Danny was different.
"Why don't we go back to my place? I'll make tea, and you can tell me all about whatever makes you happiest."
And they did.