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Percy wished he had woken up screaming. Anything would have been preferable from this reality. He would have gladly faced Arcade a thousand times and died a thousand deaths. He would have watched Dorian choose Billy over him in the Contest of Champions until his eyes turned to ash. He would have returned to CAGE for the remainder of his days, never to feel the whispers of his powers again. He would have sworn himself to celibacy. Anything but this.

Anything but the gigantic, screaming, angry red zit on his forehead, almost perfectly centered above his nose.

He had a date with Dorian tomorrow - their first real, grownup, vacation date. And it was ruined before it had even begun.

Percy glared at his reflection in the mirror, still dressed in his silk pajamas. He had already tried styling his hair a hundred different ways. There was no hiding it, no concealing it. Even if he forced his bangs to cover it, its sheer size caused his hair to be noticeably raised. He had thought about squeezing it, but there would be no going back from that - and he was almost certain the large volume of pus produced would be followed by an equal amount of blood. He needed an expert.

He needed a miracle.

Maybe this was why his powers had grown. To save him from this fate. There was only one person in the world he could trust, one person in the world who could battle the blemish on his skin - only one last hope against the dying of the light.

Danni.

He squared his jaw. Clenched his hands. Closed his eyes. Concentrated. And disappeared.

A moment later, he was across the country, in Danni’s bedroom at the Kingston-Gray house. He didn’t stop to consider any magic or wards, or that Danni might need to collect supplies - instead, he grabbed onto Danni’s arm, and in a blink, whisked him away - all the way back to Percy’s room in California.

[color=ed1c24]“Danni, I need your help. It’s a matter of life or death.”[/color]

It was an easy morning for Danni. He'd slept until 8 when Amelié was ready for her breakfast. He'd gotten an excellent cup of coffee, Pops had picked up the extra large muffins on his run so Danni cup one in half, heated up the insides a little, hit it with some butter, and enjoyed his breakfast whole everyone else was doing… whatever they were doing! Pops and Pa were going to sit down with him later to talk about sponsorships and being a public figure and all that (he assumed Rillie and Dee were coming along), so Danni decided to get himself all done up in case they went to visit anyone or anything! He'd taken a short shower, hit his morning skin routine, and was now sitting in his favorite fuzzy pink bathrobe that matched his Papa's, hair up in a towel, and nothing but a pair of booty shorts underneath for decency. Apparently, Danni had accidently flashed family members before and he was firmly informed he had to wear something more than underwear underneath. Danni had conceded as long as they said HotShot across his ass.

So here he sat, a toe spreader firmly settled between his toes as he sang to a golden oldie: Confession of a Teenage Drama Queen. He was holding up Wavetide Coral or Sun Spark Peach next to his toes, debating how warm he wanted to feel next to his skin tone, when everything changed. For one, his music was gone even though he was still singing. For two, his glittery Christmas decorations - tinsel and garland and his mini-Christmas tree in the corner - vanished and were replaced with [i]book shelves[/i]. For three, Danni's comfy, plush chair he always did his toe nails in was replaced by carpeted flooring. And finally…

[color=E948FC] “Spicy?!?! What in t'e- where are we? Why are we ‘ere in t'is… depressin’ room? Where's t'e color? Where's t'e pizzaz?”[/color] Danni cried, gesturing wildly before honing in on Percy. [color=E948FC] “You need my ‘elp?! What's goin’ on? I am not a doctor, please remember, and… OMG. Spicy, I t'ink you ‘ave somet'in’ livin’ on your ‘ead!”[/color] Danni screamed, pointing at the pimple. It was huge and Danni's face morphed from confusion to horror to realization as the lightbulb flashed behind his eyes.

[color=E948FC]“Oh no, your date!”[/color] Danni whisper-screamed. [color=E948FC] “You can't go out lookin’ like t'at. You weren't lyin’, t'is could ruin your relationship. Okay, okay, okay, okay. I see why ya came ta me and cam I just say, t'is is exactly why we're friends. Ya just know t'e right person ta ‘elp. Okay, so let's go get your tweezers, gloves, a towel, and what cleanser do you ‘ave wit’ Salicylic acid? Actually, you probs don't if you're ‘avin’ a breakout like t'is so you probs just hydrate right? You got a moisturizer?”[/color] Danni hopped to his feet, plucked out the toe spreader, and burst out of Percy's door, searching for his bathroom.

Percy’s eyes widened, as Danni started rushing forward for the bathroom. He let the insult about his room slide - he had just moved into this house, things weren’t decorated yet. Most of his items were at his dorm room at Margaret Carter, too. A room he was praying would not be welcoming a new roommate. He had enjoyed having a double to himself so far.

No, the issue he had was twofold: 1) he didn’t have [i]any[/i] of the things Danni mentioned, with the exception of a towel, and 2) there were things in his bathroom that he definitely did not want Danni to find. Supplies he kept on hand for when he saw Dorian. Items that would send Danni on a spiral, when Percy’s dignity needed him to stay focused and on task. If Danni couldn’t help him, he was completely and utterly doomed. The acne was large enough Dorian would probably run away in disgust if he saw it.

So Percy flung himself forward and teleported into his bathroom, quickly grabbing his lube and condoms - and in a panic, he shoved them down his pants. Danni was right around the corner. He couldn’t let him see them.

[color=ed1c24]“Erm, yes, I have towels here and…”[/color] Percy tried to say nonchalantly, as his eyes swept the bathroom counter. There were hair styling products, a toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, a brush, and a comb. In the shower itself was a bottle of 5-in-1 and a loofa. [color=ed1c24]“We just moved,”[/color] he added, hoping that would temper some of Danni’s judgment. He had been trying to get into skincare at the start of the school year, but he’d evidently fallen off that horse.

Danni peered at Percy and then back at the bedroom and then back and Percy and then back at the bedroom and back at Percy again. [color=E948FC] “Idk what you're ‘idin’ young man, but Imma find out eventually.”[/color] Danni picked Percy up, turned, and dropped him out in the hallway before starting to dig through his stuff. [color=E948FC]“Hm, okay. Decent hair product, t'ough you should swap t'e brand. T'is is kinda a meh brand t'ese days. I'll send ya some recs. Okay, toothbrush, toothpaste, no dental floss or mout'wash certainly a choice, and t'en…”[/color] Danni threw open the medicine cabinet. Nothing. Danni pulled open his bottom cabinets. Nothing. Danni gave Percy a bombastic side eye. Percy wouldn't. He wouldn't do this to Danni, would he? He wouldn't make him suffer such horrors. Dee couldn't have that bad of taste. Danni stood from where he'd crouched, prepared to dig through bottle after bottle, and found himself facing the shower curtain with trepidation. Danni took a deep breath, tore open the, and screamed. He scrambled back, clutching the door frame as his legs trembled, and his worst nightmare rose from the depths of hell itself.

[I]5-in-1[/i]

An absolute monstrosity. A failure of mankind. A monument to the hubris of ingenuity. And Percy, boyfriend to his brother, had the audacity to call Danni for help while he used that garbage. Danni hit the ground, dragging himself out of the bathroom and clutching Percy's leg. [color=E948FC]“Spicy. Wha- What is t'at? ‘Ow… ‘ow could you betray me like t'is? Do you even [i]moisturize[/i]? Exfoliate? Condition? Give me t'e tiniest bit of ‘ope.”[/color]

Percy’s face was as red as a beet. He cared a lot about his appearance - but mostly when it came to maintaining his clothing. He polished his shoes, hung up his shirts neatly, and freshly ironed his slacks. His hair, while washed with 5-in-1, was neatly styled, now placed in loose waves rather than the combover he had previously. Skincare… was a bit of an afterthought. He washed his face with soap and water. And so far, that had seemed to be enough. He hadn’t learned about skin care routines as he hadn’t really needed them.

The embarrassment was so intense that his skin didn’t even crawl as Danni clung to his leg. He hadn’t protested either as Danni picked him up and set him aside. [color=ed1c24]“... There’s conditioner in the 5-in-1.”[/color]

Danni flinched like he'd been threatened. Danni wanted to cry and his eyes burned with the unshed tears. He tried, he [i]drsperately[/i] tried to hold it back, but Percy's life was horrid and Danni sobbed. He shakily picked himself up and dropped himself over Percy, sobbing into his shoulder. It was just too much. He couldn't believe how much Percy hated himself. Danni could not, would not, tolerate this abuse because this family didn't believe in self-harm. [color=E948FC] “You've been suffering so much and I'm so- so sorry. But you did t'e right t'in’ comin’ ta me.for ‘elp. We're gunna get you taken care of and t'en I'mma tear Dee apart for lettin’ ‘is boyfriend treat himself like t'is.”[/color] Danni choked out once he'd managed to get himself under control. The bottle of 5-in-1 caught fire wit'out Danni ever taking his eyes off Percy and Danni hugged Percy protectielvely. [color=E948FC] “Its okay now, shhhh. I'll keep you safe from t'e bad, bad chemicals. We're gunna get you all set up so even after I fix t'is parasite on your fore’ead, it won't come back. Now, show me where you're mom's bat'room is. She ‘as tasting ‘ave somet'in’.”[/color]

Percy flinched, freezing as Danni practically collapsed onto him. He could barely stand up under Danni’s weight, becoming acutely aware of how muscular his boyfriend’s brother was. His words were eerily familiar, echoing how people had talked to him when he was preparing to go to rehab - when he’d started to admit that he was an alcoholic. [color=ed1c24]“Don’t bring Dorian into this?”[/color] he asked, feeling a bit short of breath. The touch was… a lot. His skin was startling to crawl, and he swallowed as he saw Danni set his trusty 5-in-1 on fire. Maybe this hadn’t been his best idea after all. Maybe he should have told Dorian he couldn’t go on the date, as he had relapsed.

He tried to teleport out of Danni’s grip, to reappear in the hallway, but as he moved, Danni moved with him. [color=ed1c24]“... Danni, I need you to let go of me, or I am going to have a meltdown,”[/color] he murmured, trying not to snap. He needed Danni’s help. But if he didn’t get his personal space back, he would explode. [color=ed1c24]“My mother’s bathroom is - it’s down the hall, in the master.”[/color]

[color=E948FC]“Oh, perfect! Let's see what your Mom ‘as stashed away! ‘opefully, at least a pair of tweezers and a cleanser, get t'at oil and gunk out after.”[/color] Danni shouted, as he already bounced down the hall the second Percy gave him directions. The teleport had gone unnoticed and his previous tears were all dried up, his mood completely recovered at the thought that someone would have the tools of his trade readily available. Danni kicked up Percy's mom's door, scurried across the room to throw open the bathroom door, and he tore into every cabinet, nook, and cranny he could get his fingers into.

And he found almost exactly what Percy had in his. A hair dryer, a box of brown hair dye, gloves, a pair of tweezers, a wash cloth, and a box of tissues was all he found different from her son's bathroom and Danni decided it was genetic. He was too afraid to brave the shower. If he saw another 5-in-1 container, he would scream. [color=E948FC]“Spicy! I need ta know - you wanna clear t'is up first or you wanna do t'is right? You'll be seen out and ‘bout wit’ t'at if we do it right but since your fam is allergic ta lovin’ themselves, I can't clean your fave properly ta clear it up safely. Pick your poison, bb.”[/color]

Percy hesitated for a moment. He didn’t want to be seen like this. This was social suicide. And yet, if taking care of it now meant that it wouldn’t be done right, if his forehead would still be disgusting come tomorrow… He bit his lip. [color=ed1c24]“... If we pop it now, will I be ugly tomorrow?”[/color]

[color=E948FC]“Pls, ‘ave some fait’ in me ‘ere. We pop it now, we wash it wit’ some basic soap, cleans it out real nice but leaves it wit’ no protection so your skin is gunna dry out and you're gunna ‘ave some redness or irritation. But it'll look liat you dropped your phone corner on your face rat'er t'an a tumor.”[/color] Danni explained, a little hurt that Percy didn't think he'd get him through this spiritual journey. [color=E948FC] “Or two, we wait. People see you wit’ a second ‘ead but when I pop t'is, we get a cleanser t'at clears out t'e gunk, and t'en we moisturize so t'at you're skin stays ‘ydrated while ‘eating. No red or irritation. Your choice, baby boi. I'll get it all squared away once you're down. Eit'er way, we're goin’ out and pickin’ you up supplies after.”[/color]

Maybe it was greedy of him, or vanity. But if there was an option that didn’t leave him with an angry red mark on his forehead… he had to take that one. [color=ed1c24]“I’ll find a hat,”[/color] Percy decided, before hesitating slightly. It then occurred to him that maybe even the slight pressure of a beanie on it wouldn’t be good. He wanted to have Danni’s approval before he did anything - a first in his life for sure. [color=ed1c24]“… is that okay?”[/color]

[color=E948FC]“Mmmmmmm, lemme check.”[/color] Danni leaned forward, tapping the offending creature gently. [color=E948FC]"It's still a little firm, so should be fine. Not squishy enough ta pop at t'e littlest bit o’ pressure. And since we're out, we can get t'e proper stuff ta get t'at popped wit'out it bein’ a ‘hole mess. Gunna ‘urt a bit, but beauty is pain and all t'at. And since we're goin’ out, we're gunna need your Mom's magic card. Where is ‘er bag?”[/color]

[color=ed1c24]“Her… magic card?”[/color] Percy blinked, before realizing what Danni meant. His mother’s credit card. Ah. He then glanced back into the master bedroom, where his mother was still asleep. She was practically nocturnal. She hadn’t even stirred at Danni’s dramatics. [color=ed1c24]“Her wallet should be on the dresser - if not there, on the table by the entryway. Or in her clothing from the previous night. Or already in the laundry machine. It’s possible it’s in her bed.”[/color]

[color=E948FC]“Ooooh, is it in t'e pile o’ stuff on ‘er dresser? I'll grab it!”[/color] Danni skipped back into Percy's mom's room and hummed through the collection of stuff. Glasses, keys, notebooks, gum, lipstick… a wallet! Danni opened it and whistled. [color=E948FC]“Wow, she ‘as so many magic cards. Should I take a specific one? Should I take t'em… Yeah, let's take t'em all!”[/color] Danni took every card in there, not sure which one was the right one, and stuffed it into his robe. His robe? Danni looked out at his outfit and groaned. He was definitely not being seen on the streets of California looking like this. As great as he looked, it was not paparazzi wear.

[color=E948FC] “Spicy! We're pickin’ me up some clothes too! You kidnapped me ‘fore I could dress properly.”[/color] Danni said as he stepped out and shut the door behind him. Gotta let Momma Spicy sleep. [color=E948FC] “Like, don't het me wrong. I look ‘ot as ‘eck but now t'at we're famous, I gotta present perfectly out and about. What stores are close? Or are you poppin’ us ‘round?”[/color]

Percy blinked for a moment. He was so used to Danni being flamboyant and extra, it hadn’t occurred to him for a moment that he would need a change of clothes. A bright pink robe and a pair of booty shorts with HotShot across his ass seemed like something Danni would wear in public. He looked good, too. [color=ed1c24]“Where do you want to go?”[/color] he offered. [color=ed1c24]“I don’t think I can do a ton of cross country trips, there was a decent chance I was going to teleport into your wall instead of your room earlier. But is there somewhere in Los Angeles you’d like to go?”[/color] He then paused, considering whether Danni would be able to wear any of his clothes. His shirts would probably look like crop tops on him. His pants would have a similar problem.

[color=ed1c24]“You can borrow something of mine, if I have anything up to your standards,”[/color] he added, figuring a crop top might be better than nothing, as he headed back to his room in search of a hat.

[color=E948FC]“Yours? You're so smol t'ough. Oh actually, do you ‘ave any work out clothes? If I can get a shirt, I can make t'is look good. And a pair o’ shoes. T'e places were goin’ will all ‘ave t'ose silly No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service rules but I can make t'is look intentional wit’ t'e right top. Preferably mesh, if you ‘ave it.”[/color] Danni said, following Percy back to his room. [color=E948FC] “What size does your mom wear? Maybe I can borrow a nice pair of ‘ers.”[/color]

[color=ed1c24]“… Am I supposed to know what size my mom wears?”[/color] Percy asked, a bit bewildered. As they returned to his room, Percy pushed open the closet doors, and stepped back. He figured showing Danni clothes operated by the same principles as feeding a ravenous lion - distance was his first line of defense. His clothing tended to skew more towards semi-formal or causal, not really dipping down into workout… or at least, not until he had started training with Dorian. Dorian had gotten him a selection of things, some of which had seen activities a little more strenuous than teleporting. And of course, the free swag they had received after the contest was hung up neatly as well. The main feature of his closet was his shoe collection, at least twenty different pairs, all kept in near perfect condition.

Danni pursued the clothing with a critical eye. He ignored anything too stiff - that was Spicy's thing, not his. For someone who saw a decent amount of action - Danni waved that thought away and raised an eyebrow at his collection. It definitely sung to someone else's tastes and Danni picked up a few shirts, tighter athletic material with high necks, with a groan. Dee [i]definately[/i] got Spicy these. [color=E948FC] “Definately didn't need ta know somet'in's I'm puttin’ toget'er ‘ere, Spicy. I'mma smack Dee when I see ‘im.”[/color] Danni grumbled to himself. He would have really prefer something sleeveless but he couldn't imagine Percy would put up with that. The kid was always buttoned up as far as buttons would go - if he could get them in front of his face, Percy probably would. So Danni sighed, grabbed a black stretchy workout shirt, and headed back for the bathroom.

[color=E948FC]“Come wit’ me, t'is robe ain't ‘ittin’ t'e ground while I finish gettin’ ready so you're ‘oldin’ it. T'en, find out which stores around us carry Emma Frost and Luna Snow's beauty line crossover Diamonds in the Snow and we'll go t'ere. It was supposed ta be a limited time run but it got so popular, t'ey kept it around. Expensive AF but it's [i]good[/i].”[/color] Danni demanded, already shrugging off his robe and passing it to Percy. He struggled a little into Percy's shirt, feeling it stretch extra snug around his chest. Thank god he was all lean muscle and not a body builder like Leah. [color=E948FC] “I'm borrowin’ your ‘air product too since mine just finished dryin’ properly.”[/color] Danni didn't wait for a response, instead taking the time to pull off the towel on his head and carefully hanging it on the wall. He examined the products laid out before him and got to work styling his hair, carefully brushing, combing, and sculpting to give himself an artfully ruffled look. Since he was basically wearing a running outfit, plus his beautiful robe, Danni figured he may as well look like the wind was in his hair.

The shoe conundrum was another matter. To sell the look, he really needed black or pink running shoes. Or, he could get some nicer looking sandals but then they'd have to wait for his toe nails to dry since he got interrupted on that too. Danni wanted to be mad at the kidnapping, but he couldn't bring himself to be - Fred was a horror that constituted a beauty emergency. He'd have done the same if he ever had a pimple like that. [color=E948FC] Okay, hair check. Shirt check. Still need shoes and…”[/color] Danni stared at his stomach, framed by the shirt and his shorts. He certainly didn't have abs, he liked food and water too much for that, but it was flat and toned. It still seemed a little… [color=E948FC] “Spicy, fo you t'ink I'd look wit’ a piercin’ ‘ere? I feel like I look so borin’ right ‘ere.”[/color] Danni gestured to his midriff.

Percy’s face was bright red. Danni was already grumbling about the clothes in his closet. He was incredibly grateful he’d managed to hide the things in the bathroom. And as Danni threw the robe at him, he grabbed it and took advantage of Danni’s back being turned to grab the things out of his pants and quickly throw them underneath the bed. Danni wouldn’t have any need to look there. He hoped. [color=ed1c24]“How much is expensive AF?”[/color] Percy then asked, realizing a new danger.

His mother would kill him if they maxed out her cards.

Danni had no understanding of the value of money.

But it was important. If he showed up like this to his date tomorrow, Dorian would break up with him for sure. It would be on sight.

So he rushed after Danni into the bathroom, still carrying the giant pink fluff. He would have protested about Danni using his hair care products - those were nice and limited in supply - but he held his tongue. Danni was helping him. He could allow it… this time.

[color=ed1c24]“Do you have a hole for the piercing to go through?”[/color] he asked. He didn’t make a habit of staring at his boyfriend’s brother’s midriff. But he would not have been surprised if Danni’s routine to get ready would suddenly involve a stop at a body piercer.

Danni looked at him and looked back at his stomach. [color=E948FC]“Ugh, no t'at's what t'ey do, silly. T'ey make a ‘ole! I t'ink I'd look good wit’ one.”[/color] Danni considered a little longer before he snatched up his robe and shrugged it back on, fiddling and fussing with it to make everything lay exactly how he wanted. The robe made him feel like he needed one every more, something red or pink and a little glittery to draw the eye to the middle and then up. [color=E948FC]“Peerfect. I'll bounce it off Dee and Rillie and t'en I'll talk ta t'e ‘rents. Papa will definitely be down, but Pops and Appa might be a little grumpy ‘bout it. T'ey're always super cautious ‘bout big changes, ya know? But I'm t'inkin’ I'm goin’ back ta school wit’ a my first piercin’!”[/color] The more he thought about it, the more excited he got. But, he had to remember that he was on a mission and that mission included shoes. He pulled out his phone since Spicy couldn't be bothered apparently and searched what stores were around. They didn't need to go to a high brand skin care store for the lower end of product, but they definitely weren't…

[color=E948FC]“Oh! I didn't know L'Occitane ‘ad a store in L.A.! Perfect, I get one of my favorite face creams from t'e one in Paris. T'ey actually might ‘ave somet'in’ better t'an t'e collab stuff. And t'ere's a small boutique next door. We can stop by and pick up shoes for me, get your skin care stuff, and t'en we'll find you somet'in’ fun and flirty for your date. Everyt'in’ in your closet screams sickly Vikgorian child, which works great at school but if you're goin’ somewhere fun, t'en we need ta change it up. Do you know what you're doin’? We can t'eme t'e outfit t'en. Anyways, chop chop, daylight is awastin’ and we gotta deal wit’ Fred sooner rat'er t'an later. Every minute is gunna make it worse!”[/color]

Percy let out a small sigh of relief at the revelation that they would not, in fact, be rushing off to a body piercer. However, at the same time… he couldn’t help but be somewhat intrigued by the concept. When he was little, he had decided that he hated piercings - but he had also decided then that the only acceptable hairstyle was a tight combover. The notion of going with Danni to check out a body piercer was somewhat exciting. And maybe… hmm, there was an appeal he couldn’t deny about the idea of getting something pierced himself.

[color=ed1c24]“Can you show me the address and surrounding buildings - using the Stark earth view?”[/color] Percy requested, putting the impulsive idea aside for the moment. His jumps were easier if he had a clear idea of where they were going. [color=ed1c24]“Also… Fred? Did you name my pimple Fred? Erm, but yes, I believe we are going to a ski lodge. If you have advice on outfits… that would be really helpful.”[/color]

Danni clicked a few buttons, pulling up the location and viewing it at street level. [color=E948FC]“Well, yeah. It's large enough ta be sentient sooo gotta give it its respect, ya know?”[/color] Danni shrugged and held up the phone. [color=E948FC] “Btw, Is t'is good enough or ya need me ta like, do a panomatic? If it's a ski lodge, we need ta get you two outfits: one for when ya ski and one when ya are just chillin’. We'll do shoes, skin care stuff, give Fred ‘er funeral, and t'en we'll go cloth shoppin’ for ya for t'e cold. Know which ski lodge?”[/color]

Percy was studying the photo, reaching out for Danni’s phone. He repositioned the view, clicked on nearby buildings, identified any landmarks that were helpful. He didn’t actually know if he needed to have been somewhere before or not for a larger jump. But there was only one way to find out. [color=ed1c24]“Mm, I’m not sure. This is very new for me,”[/color] he admitted with a shrug. [color=ed1c24]“… Don’t I need more than two outfits? For the first and second day?”[/color] He grimaced a bit at the reminder of the zit’s supposed sentience. [color=ed1c24]“Dorian said it was a surprise.”[/color]

He then grabbed onto Danni’s arm, and teleported them… reappearing in the middle of oncoming traffic in the correct street.

[color=E948FC] “Well, I figured t'at you'd fight and- OH MY GOD SPICY WHAT DID YA DO?!”[/color] Danni snatched Percy by the waist and hit it as hard as he could, barely clearing the oncoming minivan as it blared it's horn at them. He hit the sidewalk hard, stumbling and dropping Percy on his butt. Danni breathed hard, his heart racing and one hand clutching his chest and the only supporting him on his knee, and looked around to make sure no cars had crashed as a result of two kids suddenly appearing in the street. Traffic was still going, no one was screaming, but he realized something terrible.

He'd flown them to the wrong side of the road.

[color=E948FC] “Uuugh, t'e shop is over t'ere. Now we gotta cross again. So uncool.”[/color] Danni whined with a little stomp of his foot. He looked down at Percy sheepishly and held out his hand to help him up. [color=E948FC] “Sorry ‘bout t'e rough ride. I panicked.”[/color]

Percy hadn’t known he was a reactive screamer. But as Danni started screaming, so did he. He shut his eyes instinctively, his heart pounding - and then suddenly, something grabbed him, practically flinging him out of the way as he was picked up and thrown onto the sidewalk, landing on his ass. He opened his eyes slowly. He took a deep breath. He tried to act like he hadn’t also been terrified for a moment there.

[color=ed1c24]“It’s fine, I think Fred survived the landing,”[/color] he said briskly. He stared for a moment at Danni’s hand. And then he sighed, reached out and took it, and teleported them across the street. The minute they reappeared, he let go and got up to his feet. [color=ed1c24]“There.”[/color]

Danni blinked as his surroundings changed. He did not anticipate another teleport after the first catastrophe, but he appreciated it nonetheless. [color=E948FC] “Aw, look at you Spicy! You do like me! And ‘ere I t'ough I was just a beauty school booty call.”[/color] Danni laughed. Although they were in front of L'Occitane, he grabbed Percy's hand and dragged him next door to the pretty white, gold, and blue boutique with dresses and shoes on display. Inside, with a beachy theme and pictures of men and women strolling and laughing along the Califorina shore, Danni beamed.

[color=E948FC] “This is perfect! I'mma get a cute pair of sandals and t'en we'll pop over ta t'e ot'er store. I'll make t'is one quick ‘cause we're def spendin’ a tooooooon of time in t'e next one and t'en a tooooon more time on your date clothes. And now t'at you've said we can buy more outfits, we're gunna spend aaaaaaaall day long in and outta shops.”[/color] Danni cackled maniacally as he bolted for the shoe wall.

Percy’s arm practically felt like it was being ripped out of its socket, as he tried to resist Danni’s mad dash. The pain of being dragged flared up above his discomfort with being touched. He would have teleported out of the grip, but that hadn’t worked earlier either. His breath was quickening too, and the creeping sensation was beginning to spread all over his body. [color=ed1c24]“Let go of me!”[/color] Percy snapped slightly, his voice more desperate rather than angry.

[color=E948FC]“Hm? On you need ta use t'e bat'room? T'ey probs ‘ave one over t'ere.”[/color] Danni gave Percy his hand back and stared intently at the shoes. None of the sandals on display were quite what he was looking for. He wants some of those that laced half way up the calf, but all they had were chunky velcro ones. He like two pairs and he certainly picked them up and then put them down again. He was here to help Percy, not pick out stuff for himself. Well, he supposed it went hand in hand, right? He grabbed two pairs and had them held at the little counter/kiosk thing in the corner that new age stores liked to set up and checked for something a little more stylish. He found a thinner sandal, light colored and with only a few straps that kept it secured around the ankle. That would have to do.

[color=E948FC]“Okay, we'll take t'ese t'ree and t'en a bag please!”[/color] Danni said cheerfully, offering up one of the cards with numbers on it.

Percy just stared at Danni as he shopped. He took a few deep breaths, trying to quell the urge to lash out, to scream. For a mutant with the gift to speak any language, he didn’t know how to use one to get through to Danni on this. He didn’t know how to explain that every touch was somehow both blistering and suffocating - that he would rather lose a limb than be forced to prolong physical contact with almost anyone. He didn’t even think Dorian understood it. Not really.

Would people even believe him if he tried - or would they see how he liked affection from his boyfriend and decide he was just being an ass, that it was all a lie? It would have been easier if he’d been like Leah or Rogue - if his powers made touching his skin harmful to others, instead of the reality where it was just harmful to himself.

More importantly, though, he realized Danni was trying to pay with his mother’s Disneyland Annual Pass. [color=ed1c24]“Can I see the cards?”[/color] he asked, forcing a smile - one that almost came off as psychotic. [color=ed1c24]“That one is for Disneyland.”[/color]

[color=E948FC]“Oooooh, Disneyland. Okay, okay.”[/color] Danni handed the handful of cards to Percy. [color=E948FC]“Also, t'ey're sayin’ t'is is $890. Isn't t'at like a steal? So cheap! T'at's not even my full allowance from t'e Contest!”[/color]

[color=ed1c24]“WHAT?”[/color]

[color=E948FC] “Right? T'e deal is insane. Like, ‘ow are t'ey e en operatin’ and t'e nice lady said t'ey were givin’ me 10% off t'e last pair since we're buyin’ three pairs! Idk why t'at's a t'in’ but it is!”[/color] Danni laughed.

Percy was shaking violently. He knew Danni was weird with money, but did he have no concept of it? Did he not know how much anything cost? If someone offered him a banana for $100, would he also brag about what a good deal that was? He had been trying so so hard to be nice to him, to give him the benefit of the doubt. And he’d been doing a good job of it - he even let Danni wear his clothes!

But something in him snapped here.

[color=ed1c24]“We cannot buy those. My mother will kill me. She won’t even kill me, she’ll kill me [i]permanently,[/i]”[/color] he stressed. [color=ed1c24]“She would make sure both of us had - had [i]Freds[/i] covering our faces for the rest of our lives. And then she would kill us, so your corpse would be acne ridden too. You can get one pair. Not three. They’re scamming you. And we - we can put it on my card. I’ll use my contest money for it. It’ll be fine. It’ll all be fine.”[/color] His eye twitched. He was going to spend all $100,000 today because of Danni, wasn’t he?

Danni took a step back, eyes wide. He didn't get why Percy was being so mean all of a sudden. Why would they scam him? And why would Percy's mom put acne on them? [color=E948FC] “Uh, um, okay. I guess we'll just get those?”[/color] Danni said very hesitantly about the last pair. He could feel a lump form in his throat and he just stared at the ground, waiting for Percy to finish up. He thought they were having fun, he thought they were bonding, but Danni guessed he was wrong. Danni wasn't even sure what he did wrong and he…

He sniffled as his vision got blurry.

Percy reached into his own wallet and produced his card, handing it over to the employee. His tactic seemed to have worked! He was a little bit relieved. All he had to do to get through to Danni was connect things to his own interests, and he understood! He could replicate this. This was workable. [color=ed1c24]“Where to now?”[/color]

Danni took the sandals silently and slowly put them on his feet. He'd been snatched out of his room without finishing his morning routine, he'd had to look everything up and make all the plans, and he was even nice enough to try and find a store near where Spicy needed to go even if the clothing store wasn't something he'd normally go to all so Spicy didn't have to teleport too much. Danni could feel his breathing getting faster and he really tried cause he was probably gunna get yelled at again but…

The damn broke, the tears rolled down his face, and he [i]wailed[/i] in the store. [color=E948FC]“I already told you where we're going next! Right! Next! Door! Why else would I be in this ugly shop, in this stupid city, instead of finishing my pedicure and my morning routine and cooking lunch and playing with Amélie! And all I'm doing is [i]helping you[/i] and then you yell at me for no reason!”[/color] Danni choked out between sobs. [color=E948FC]“Go talk to them by yourself if you wanna be mean to me, [i]Percy[/i].”[/color]

Percy fell silent. He didn’t know how to fix this. He didn’t know what to do. And Danni was right. He hadn’t even asked if Danni would help him - he’d just grabbed him, expecting him to do all the work to pull off a miracle. He’d tried so hard to be nice to him - but his best hadn’t been enough. He’d still upset him so much he was crying. And Percy could feel everyone in the shop looking at them, as a famous teen celebrity had a public crash out.

[color=ed1c24]“… I’m… I’m sorry. I’ll take you home now.”[/color]

Danni just rode out the feelings, letting himself cry it out until he was just down to sniffles. [color=E948FC]“And who's gunna ‘elp you wit’ Fred? You're gunna take me ‘ome and t'en you're gunna try ta cancel t'e date, aren't you, and t'en Imma feel bad ‘cause Dee would be upsetti and it would just be bad everywhere.”[/color] Danni took a shaky breath. [color=E948FC]“Okay, okay. I'mma listen ta Mavie. Percy, I need ya to explain what ‘appened t'ere ‘cause I'm really ‘urt and I wanna ‘elp you but ya gotta give me more t'an dumpin’ me on t'e side of t'e road. ‘Cause Imma be ‘onest ‘ere, Percy. You t'row me away right now and it's gunna take a lot ta get me back.”[/color]

The guilt and self-disgust and shame had thickened into a nasty, viscous soup. He hadn’t thought that far ahead about what would happen after he took Danni home. All he knew was that he felt he didn’t deserve his help, and that Danni would be happier back in New Orleans, far away from him. Maybe having Fred appear on his forehead was a manifestation of his true character. He didn’t find heroism natural. It was something that had been made abundantly clear with Dorian - and now with his brother, too.

He opened his mouth, and tried to speak… but the sound died in his throat. He didn’t know where to begin. Or what to say to make this better. He hadn’t wanted to hurt Danni. Maybe it was time to be honest.

He slowly reached out, putting a hand on Danni’s shoulder, and the two of them reappeared in the changing room. [color=ed1c24]“This is hard for me to say,”[/color] he bit his lip. He decided looking right at Danni was too hard - the wall of the changing room, a little easier. [color=ed1c24]“I am sorry I yelled. Every time someone touches me, it feels like my skin is being peeled off. It hurts. I was overwhelmed and lost my temper. You don’t have to help me, I will take you home right now if you want, and what happens with me and Dorian is my problem, not yours.”[/color]

Danni peered at Percy like he was a particularly challenging puzzle to solve. He heard the words that came.out of Percy's mouth, but they didn't really make any sense. [color=E948FC]“Touchin’ you makes you unhappy? T'at's kinda wierd ‘cause Dee touches you all t'e time and you're def more t'an chill wit’ it. I mean ‘eck, [i]I[/i] touch you all t'e-”[/color] Light started to flixker behind Danni's eyes. [color=E948FC]“Omg I touch ya all t'e time. Omg, I make ya un'appy like literally all t'e time. Do I make you un'appy all t'e time? Omg, is t'is like when Monica or Javier wanted ta do t'e stuff you do wit’ Dee and I said no and t'ey tried ta do it anyway? [I]I[/i] make ya feel like t'at?”[/color] Horror and dread dawned on his face and Danni lunched forward and then stopped and looked like a confused, sad puppy because he had no idea what to do.

Honesty had been helpful. Percy didn’t know if saying [i]yes[/i] to Danni’s question here would be helpful. Not that Danni made him unhappy all the time… yes, he was incredibly touchy, but to a certain extent Percy had coping strategies - and he wasn’t the only person in his life who made contact with him. Unhappy all the time felt extreme. Unhappy sometimes felt more truthful.

[color=ed1c24]“I… I don’t know why it doesn’t hurt when Dorian touches me,”[/color] Percy said, and his face flushed. [color=ed1c24]“When I first met you both, and he possessed me, it felt like I was being suffocated. It doesn’t anymore. I… actually really like the feeling, now. I feel a little empty without him. Erm. Sorry. You don’t need to hear that. But… hmm.”[/color]

Was there a compromise here?

He took the beanie off of his head, revealing Fred in all of his glory, and he put the beanie on his hand like a glove. [color=ed1c24]“… We can try this, if you can hold on very lightly, and I’ll tell you if it’s okay,”[/color] he offered.

[color=E948FC] “Oh, don't stress ‘bout t'at, I get it. Dee possessin’ ya just let's ya float and not stress and just vibe. Its like a little break!”[/color] Danni agreed readily, perking right up as Percy offered a solution. Was it really as simple as just putting a barrier around his skin before Danni touched him? Danni reached out and very gently grabbed his beanie clad hand. [color=E948FC]“Okay, okay - ‘ow you feelin’, Spicy?”[/color]

[color=ed1c24]“… This is fine,”[/color] Percy decided. It likely also was motivated by the fact that he had been the one to initiate the contact, rather than having it sprung on him. But it felt more like Danni was holding onto the beanie instead of his hand, and the familiar sensation of bugs crawling underneath his skin hadn’t happened.

He surprised himself, though, with the way he was tempted to continue to talk to Danni about the feeling of being possessed. He hadn’t talked to anyone about it since the start of the year, when the series of unfortunate accidents had happened, and he’d reacted with extreme hostility. [color=ed1c24]“You said the next location is right next door, yes?”[/color] Percy confirmed, as he moved to head towards the exit.

Danni grinned, all his energy back once again and he practically bounced his way out of the changing rooms. [color=E948FC]“T'anks again for t'e shoes!”[/color] Danni waved at the lady behind the counter, who gave Percy and Danni a strange look, and Danni was out the door and scurrying through the next. Across the street, a camera snapped a shot of them.

L'Occitane. The building wasn't grand by any means, white, pressure washed walls accented with gold trim and a gold awning over its display window. Models posed with a variety of products, everything in white and gold containers. Potted flowers bloomed outside and a small bell chimed as the door swung open. Saffron, jasmine, and teak spilled out and Danni took a death breath. All his stress and frustration melted away. Danni beamed and made a sweeping bow.

[color=E948FC]“Welcome ta t'e solution ta all your problems! T'is is where t'e magic ‘happens.”[/color] Danni all but sprinted inside and immediately began scanning the store. [color=E948FC]“Oooookie, so you ‘ad not'in’ at ‘ome so let's get ya all figured out. We need stuff ta extract, ta cleanse and ta lock in t’ose juicy, juicy nutrients. So lets see…”[/color] Danni snagged a basket at the entryway and hummed as he considered a few different comedone extractors. He pointed at another display.

[color=E948FC]“T'ose are all t'e cleansers wit’ t'e lower solution for your skin. Find a scent in a cream - you ‘ave dry skin so we don't wanna get a foam. We'll start wit’ t'is stuff and t'en if its treatin’ ya right bit not quite gettin’ results in t'e future,we can bump it up. Just look for saliclyc acid content ‘round 1% and lower.”[/color] Danni instructed. [color=E948FC]“Pick out at least 4, t'en we'll see if t'e attendant ‘as any samples so we can make sure you're skin isn't gunna get irritated real quick.”[/color]

Percy raised an eyebrow at Danni’s spiel. He did have dry skin - he’d surmised as much when he briefly tried to get into skin care at the very start of the school year, subconsciously trying to catch the eye of a certain someone. But he had never gone beyond the basic stores found at the mall, like Lush and Bath and Body Works. L’Occitane was on a completely different level. At any rate, he was a little surprised that Danni had figured that out about him so quickly. [color=ed1c24]“Do you know everyone’s skin type?”[/color] he asked, a little impressed. Was that what Danni focused on when he touched people?

He nodded a bit at the instructions. Low salicylic acid content, four different ones to make sure it didn’t irritate his skin. It was straightforward enough. He pulled his hand out of the beanie barrier and started looking through the options, before picking out four that he hoped wouldn’t smell obnoxious. The scents were supposed to be pretty subtle, as Percy didn’t want to smell like a fruitcake when the other products were used in tandem, each with their own scents. [color=ed1c24]“Are these okay?”[/color] he then asked Danni, offering him the bottles.

Danni settled on the third one he'd picked up and tossed it in the basket. As Percy was browsing, Danni took a look at some of the wash cloths they had. He hadn't remembered seeing anything specifically for washing his face and they had the same ones he used, just in more boring colors so he added a three pack of those to the basket as well. Danni turned to evaluate Percy's choices, turning each of them to inspect the ingredients. [color=E948FC]“Peeerf, great job Spicy! So we'll check ta see if t'ey ‘ave samples of t'ese, do a quick dab on t'e skin ta see if it'll bother you, and t'en check if t'ey ‘ave a matchin’ ‘ydratin’ cream. I figure we'll start easy and not worry ‘bout layerin’ scents ‘til we get you a daily and weekly routine. T'en we can start t'inkin’ ‘bout bi-weekly stuff if you reaaaaally get into it.”[/color] Danni pulled him over to the attendant, only to be pleasantly surprised when they'd already put out one for each.

[color=E948FC] “And t'is why you go to ‘igh end shops! T'ey already are workin’ on what you need!”[/color] Danni exclaimed after thanking the attendant and asking them to check for matching items. [color=E948FC] “Okay, so we're gunna test t'em just ta make sure t'ere's no burnin’ or not'in’. Open t'e up, scoop out a little dollip, and t'en rub it in a small circle. We'll let it ait for a minute and t'en wipe off. If you feel any burnin’ or we see any redness, we'll toss it.”[/color]

Percy nodded, a little bit of tension leaving him as he realized Danni was giving him instructions so he could do it himself. It was one of the kindest things he’d ever done for him. He couldn’t help but sniffle slightly, as he tested out the four different types, separating them to make sure there weren't any overlaps, and that it was clearly defined where they were. Two of them almost immediately started to burn and Percy cursed under his breath, looking for something to wipe it off his face with. They had little makeup removing wipes so he quickly took one of those and removed the offending ones, and set those two bottles off to the side. [color=ed1c24]“Are one of these two better than the other?”[/color] he asked Danni, gesturing to the ones he hadn’t reacted to.

Danni watched Percy carefully, ready to step in if things went south, but Percy got through it just fine. Now that he had less options, Danni reviewed the backs of both. They were similar, both fine, but one had some extra stuff that would probably be good for Perxy's skin; however, he really didn't want to overload Percy's skin. He could practically hear his pores crying for water and if Danni ruined Percy's experience now, it would haunt him forever. Danni put down the one that was technically better and put the other in the basket. Pomegranate was an odd smell, but it wasn't overwhelming - understated and calm. [color=E948FC]“Ooh, and a gold ombre. It'll go great wit’ t'e towels you're buyin’. Need dedicated materials for your face - can't share it, yeah know!”[/color] Danni skipped over to the attendant, Lydia, and grabbed the matching hydration cream.

[color=E948FC]“And t'is matches everyt'in’...”[/color] Danni muttered as he reviewed the backs. He dropped it into the basket and took a look around the store. [color=E948FC] “Do you ‘ave a decent sunscreen? Or should we pick t'at up too? Most people t'ink t'ey don't need ta wear sunscreen in t'e mountains ‘cause its cold but the sun will getcha double in t'e snow.”[/color]

[color=ed1c24]“I got some nice sunscreen at the start of the school year, it’s almost out, but I think I have enough?”[/color] He didn’t dare mention to Danni that he still had some because he had stopped using it. Yes, they lived in California, but they spent so much of their time indoors, studying or training, and on a cloudy day it felt excessive to use it and carry it around. Or at least, he thought it was a nice brand of sunscreen. He mentioned the name of it to register Danni’s reaction. [color=ed1c24]“That’s what I have… if that’s acceptable?”[/color]

He really hoped this wasn’t another $900 bill, too.

Danni tilted his head back and forth, considering if it would work for his tastes. Not Perxy's tastes because Percy clearly had none in this area so… [color=E948FC]“Eh, it'll do I suppose. Right now, we're aimin’ for tomorrow and we'll getcha all squared away wit’ all new stuff in a few months anyways once you've gotten everyt'in’ inta a routine.”[/color] Danni nodded decisively and marched across to Lydia. [color=E948FC]“Okay! Just t'is! I know we should get a second cleanser and a twice a week exfoliating serum, but ‘e's new ta t'e process and I don't wanna overwhelm him.”[/color] 

“Good idea. It keeps them interested longer.” Lydia laughed as she presented the check in a leather presenter and took the items to arrange them in a pleasant little box rather than a bag. It was white with their gold logo and she tied it with a thin orange ribbon. “Its always sweet when someone is introducing someone important to skin care. If you don't start now, then you'll regret it later.”

[color=E948FC]“See Spicy? You ‘ave ta listen ta t'e experts. Wit” ‘ow much you frown, you'll get wrinkles by t’e time you're t'irty unless ya listen ta me!”[/color]

The check, which listed out every item, also presented a single discount line.

[i]The Sweetheart Package - ($70.20)[/i].

Percy handed over Dominika’s credit card this time - it was a specialty Pride branded one from a local Californian bank. Well, it was [i]one[/i] of her credit cards. He then glanced at the cheek… and a series of emotions rolled over him. It wasn’t as expensive as the three pairs of shoes, at least. But almost four hundred dollars, after the discount… and then the color in his face returned, replaced with a crimson red hue, as he read the discount description. He then replayed what Lydia had said to them - that it was sweet to introduce someone important to you to skin care. Did she think…

Percy looked at Danni, his eyes widening.

[color=ed1c24]“We’re not - he’s not - I’m not - we aren’t a couple!”[/color] Percy protested. [color=ed1c24]“I’m dating his brother, that would be - we would then be - no!”[/color]

Danni looked between the pair. Percy was getting really, really red and Lydia was giving them a weird look. [color=E948FC]“Datin’? I'm super confused. I'm just ‘ere ta ‘elp get rid of Fred for ‘is date tomorrow.”[/color] Danni pointed to the bulging pimple on Percy's forehead. [color=E948FC]“It's pretty brutal so Spicy ‘ere snatched me outta bed, whisked me ‘cross t'e country, and begged me on ‘ands and knees for a miracle. And who am I ta deny a poor, unfortunate soul in need and pain?”[/color] Danni sighed wistfully. [color=E948FC]“I'm just ta nicest person in t'e world. And now t'e nicest person in t'e world is gunna carve t'e gross stuff outta your ‘ead!”[/color] Danni giggled, eyes a little wild and manic energy radiating from him.

Lydia stammered out her apologies, passing back the card and the final receipt. “Oh, you two just looked so close, I assumed… I shouldn't have, I suppose, but good luck with Fred and your date!”

[color=E948FC]“Okay, take us away, Spicy! It's time ta read Fred ‘is late rites.”[/color]

Percy couldn’t wait to get out of there. He did, however, check the receipt. As much as he wasn’t thrilled to have been accused of dating Danni… he was very glad that they’d kept the discount. Maybe he needed to see if there were discounts he and Dorian should be taking advantage of. Not that his boyfriend super understood how money worked to begin with, but…

He slid his hand back into the beanie, allowing him to touch Danni without skin to skin contact, and he teleported them back to his bedroom - a graceful landing this time, too.

[color=E948FC]“‘ey, look at t'at! So smoot’, all ya needed was a little Danni support!”[/color] Danni cheered, letting go of Percy's hand and looking thoughtfully at him. [color=E948FC]“Okay, so t'is could be a little messy. T'ere may be some blood, t'ere may be some puss, t'ere may be tear and snot so we are def doin’ t'is in t'e bat'room but we gotta talk ‘bout t'is touchin’ t'in’ cause I'm ‘bout ta touch ya a lot. Normally, I'd get a chair, sit in your lap, and operate, but I don't t'ink t'ats wise so let's brin’ a chair ta t'e bat'room and we'll figure t'at out!”[/color] Danni grabbed Percy's desk chair and hauled it to the bathroom, pulling out the kit, the face towels, and grabbing one of Percy's towels.

[color=E948FC] “Oh, also no shirt. Come on, take it off! We don't wanna get blood, puss, or water on t'em!”[/color] Danni said as he shrugged off hia robe, peeled off Percy's shirt, hung them both, popped open the tools he'd just bought, and started gloving up. 

Percy froze again - not at the thought of all the physical contact that was about to happen, but about removing his shirt… in front of Danni. He was barely comfortable having the first few buttons of his shirt open, even when it was just him and Dorian. He swallowed a bit. Communicating directly with Danni seemed to have worked well so far. He could do it. His entire power was about language. He could say what he needed to say. [color=ed1c24]“I need you to promise you won’t laugh,”[/color] he said quietly. He was underweight and more than a little bit self conscious about his chest. He didn’t like the way he could see his ribs slightly.

Danni snapped the second glove in place, looked over at Percy with a confused look. [color=E948FC]“Spicy, I ‘ave seen you wit’ Fred and I ‘ave seen you after one of Poisson-Pas's near deat’ experiences. I can promise you, t'ere is not'in’ you're gunna show me t'at I will judge nor will I make fun of anyt'in’ I see. I'm vain, not a jerk silly boy.”[/color]

He hesitated for a moment, before nodding - and slowly, he took off his shirt and tossed it aside. Almost immediately, he started to shiver a bit, and he crossed his arms over his chest, trying to preserve some small bit of modesty, of privacy. He then bit his lip, thinking. [color=ed1c24]“... If you put a towel between us, and if you’re fast, I can handle it.”[/color] He wanted Fred gone and he wanted it done right. Danni operating on Fred required a certain amount of touch. He could handle it. It wouldn’t be pleasant, but it would be fine.

[color=E948FC]“And I ‘ave gloves so no touchy t'ere!”[/color] Danni said proudly. He did lay a towel around Percy's neck and unraveled one of t'e wash cloths. [color=E948FC] “Okay, lemme talk ya through it. I'mm wipe down Fred wit’ some nice, hot water and soft t'at suckered up a little. T'en, I'mma take t'is sharp one and t'ese tweezers and t'en were gunna wriggle out t'e blockage. If Fred is still all Freddy, t'en we'll do some gentle massagin’ and t'en I can either A) Wash your face for ya or B) I can walk ya t'rough t'e process of washin’ your face wit’ everyt'in’. I'm ‘ssumin’ option B is your best bet so lemme know when I'm dealin’ wit’ Fred ‘ere.”[/color] Danni made sure Percy was nice and comfy and settled into his lap, hovering right in front of his face with intense concentration.

As he said, it was simple really. Slip the sharp end between the blockage and the skin. Check. Wiggle it loose slowly. Check. [color=E948FC] “Oh, actually. Question for ya.”[/color] Pinch with tweezers. Check. [color=E948FC] “‘ey, t'is might get a little more uncomfy. Slight pinch!”[/color] Danni gently and slowly pulled the blockage out, waiting when there was resistance, until it was finally clear. A little puss and blood dipped from the opening. [color=E948FC] “Who is Chase? Just kinda popped up outta no where.”[/color] Danni gently massaged Fred, dabbing with the towel to make sure that nothing dripped onto Percy's face or chest.

Even with the towel between them, Percy could feel Danni’s weight on him, his warmth. His heart beat a little faster, his breaths were a little shorter, but through sheer force of will he stayed still. It almost helped to focus on the pinch and the pain, of the odd sensation of having Fred’s innards extracted. He had shut his eyes as well, as the thing he hated almost as much as touch was direct eye contact, and Danni’s face was looming over his.

He winced at the question, though. That pain was even easier to focus on. He hadn’t talked about Chase in a while. He found it incredibly difficult to talk about. Even the thought of discussing it with Dorian made his skin crawl. But… Danni had helped him today. And he’d been an ass. He took a deep breath, picturing the words in his mind, settling on telling just a portion of it, and not the entire story. Communication so far had been good. He could try a little harder, try a little more. [color=ed1c24]“He beat me up each week in middle school and shoved me into lockers, trash cans… any place I would fit.”[/color] His face then started to tremble, and he scrunched up his eyes to try to keep himself and his emotions under control. [color=ed1c24]“I… I am not good at talking about it. Please don’t tell anyone.”[/color]

[color=E948FC]“Oh, ‘e's a villian, gotcha. Whelp, you know what ‘eros do t'at villians so guess ‘e's goin’ ta jail.”[/color] Danni said decisively. He leaned back, considered what was once Fred, and nodded. He climbed off Percy and tossed the gloves in the trash, washing his hands thoroughly. [color=E948FC]“Oooookay, looks like we're all set! Now it's time for t'e round two of not so fun ‘cause its gunna sting. Like, [i]a lot[/i]. But t'is way it actually chills and doesn't just form right back up.”[/color] Danni grabbed the two products, the cleanser short and squat and the hydration cream taller. He tapped on them as he spoke.

[color=E948FC] “Now, you're a smarty pants so I probs don't gotta tell ya, but its cleanser and then moisturizer. Why you ask? ‘cause t’e moisturizer makes a nice little protective layer t’at'll draw t'at water up and keep it for your skin. If you do t'e cleansers [i]after[/i] you make t'at nice little barrier, you just wasted all t'at stuff and considerin’ ‘ow you felt ‘bout t'ose shoes, I'm assumin’ you don't wanna waste not'in’.”[/color] Danni explained. [color=E948FC]“So what you shall do is wash face wit’ t'e warm water. Apply cleanser and use hands ta scrub. T'en, use wash clot’ wit’ warm water and gently remove and rinse face. T'en, you will repeat t'e process wit’ your moisturizer wit'out t'e last face wash. T'en, sunscreen! Do you feel confident wit’ cleanin’ technique or do you want to do to it at t'e same time as me?”[/color]

[color=ed1c24]“... Can I put my shirt back on for this part?”[/color]

Danni considered it. [color=E948FC] “I mean, technically yes. But there's a lotta water and chemicals flyin’ around. If ya wanna potentially stain your clothes, t'ey're your clothes.”[/color] He shrugged.

Percy hated the idea of staining his clothes.

So he sighed, and nodded, as he recalled Danni’s instructions. Warm water, cleanser, scrub, wash cloth, rinse. Repeat with moisturizer, skipping the last wash. Apply sunscreen. He could do that. It was simple. He muttered the order under his breath a few times, before nodding once more, and he set to work. Each time he did something, he glanced out of the corner of his eye at Danni, judging his reaction. He didn’t [i]think[/i] he’d messed up on any of the instructions, but he figured he could gauge his facial expressions - or try his very best to do so, he found that challenging sometimes - and make corrections if needed. When he was done, he washed his hands and dried them off… stared at Danni again… and then slowly put his shirt on.

[color=ed1c24]“Thank you… This was very nice of you.”[/color]

[Color=E948FC]“I know, I'm just t'e best.”[/color] Danni blew Percy a kiss and winked. [color=E948FC] “But next time, make sure you keep the pressure on t'e upstroke, not t'e down stroke when you're scrubbin’ ‘cause stretchin’ your skin down is gunna make you get wrinkles easier!”[/color] Danni slipped Percy's shirt back on and his robe, taking a moment to touch up his hair.

[color=E948FC]“Okay, t'en when you go to sleep tonight, get a cold compress ta ‘elp get any lingerin’ swellin’.”[/color] Danni reached out, froze, and rocked back and forth on his feet. [color=E948FC]“Pleaaaaase lemme touch. A little ‘ug, a little ‘air ruffled, [i]anyt'innnnnnnnnnnnn'[/i].”[/color]  Danni's whine bordered on desperate.

Percy bit his lip.

He could still feel the lingering discomfort from having been straddled by Danni during the facial surgery. It wasn’t enough to push him into meltdown territory - he didn’t need a repeat of what had happened in New Orleans. But Percy didn’t want a hug, he didn’t want his hair ruffled. Danni’s whine, however, complicated things. He couldn’t help but feel a little bit guilty… at least he was asking for permission now, instead of doing it. [color=ed1c24]“...Not right now. But ask me again in an hour, okay? I still - I still feel like spiders are running up and down my skin from the straddling.”[/color]

Danni nodded along, still bouncing on his feel. He could feel the little bubbles of affection under his skin building and stretching and…. Oh. [color=E948FC]“Okay, okay, gotcha. No problem.”[/color] Danni said cheerfully, stripping off his robe. [color=E948FC] “You mind steppin’ out for like, idk a few minutes t'en? Otherwise, you're probs gunna be real uncomfy!.”[/color] Danni hooked his fingers into his waistband with one hand and turned the shower on with his other.

[color=ed1c24]“Danni… what are you about to do?”[/color] Percy didn’t want to know the answer to that question. He really did not want to know. But at the same time, he had to know that Danni wasn’t about to do what he thought he was, seconds after being told he couldn’t touch Percy.

Danni glanced over his shoulder and shrugged. If Percy was comfortable watching, then Danni didn't really care. He stripped off his shorts and stepped into the shower half a second before the bubbles on him popped. [color=E948FC] “Burnin’!”[/color] Danni shouted over the roar of flames as they burst out of him. The giddiness rushed out and he laughed along with it, impressed with how much his self control had grown from burning down his own house til now. And then he looked up.

The water rushing out of the shower was evaporating before it could hit him. The fire was growing ever so slightly and Danni felt the dread creep in. [color=E948FC] “Spicy! Run!”[/color] Danni screamed as the fire grew and for a moment, Danni couldn't see through the fire.

Percy was absolutely [i]not[/i] comfortable watching. He had already started to turn his back to leave the bathroom as quickly as he possibly could when he heard the roar of flame come out of Danni, accompanied with his somewhat psychotic, giddy glee. For a brief moment, it reminded him of the day Danni had almost burned the school down, swollen with emotions about Dorian and Percy having sex while everyone else attended Coulson’s meeting. In many ways, the two of them were opposites. Danni exploded if he couldn’t touch. Percy exploded if someone did touch.

And then, just as he was about to leave the room, he heard Danni scream for him to run, as the joy turned to terror. Instinctively, he spun around to see the birth of a small inferno in his bathroom, in the house his mother and her friend had [i]just[/i] obtained. If he had been worried about how Dominika would react to spending $900 on shoes, he was terrified about how she’d handle the house burning down.

So Percy did run.

At Danni.

He tackled him, and teleported them both into the nearest body of water he could think of - the San Pedro Channel.

Danni didn't know what was happening until he was five feet under water and his screams were suddenly cut short. Water his lungs and he thrashed fighting his way towards the light filtering down. He broke the surface and tried to take in air, but coughed up water instead. His throat felt raw as water seemed to keep coming and his vision got blurry at the edges until finally, he took a heaving breath. [color=E948FC] “Spicy? Spicy? Where are ya?”[/color] Danni shouted.

Percy was a Californian native, born and bred. He should have been swimming from a young age, taking to water like a duck. He ought to have spent birthday parties at the beach or the pool, gone out on a boat with his moms and friends, snorkeled in shallower waters to find seashells and critters. In an infinite multiverse of possibilities, that should have been the one constant, one fact so immutable that it would be laughable for any other option to be true.

But somehow, this particular timeline was the exception that proved the rule. Instead of going to swimming lessons, his mothers had taken him to piano lessons. Instead of going to parties at the beach, he had gone to the library. Instead of spending a hot summer day out on the water, he preferred to be almost anywhere else. Beaches in Los Angeles were crowded and loud, filled with obnoxious tourists and equally obnoxious residents.

How hard could it be to swim, though? Dogs did it! So as he decided to teleport them to the water, Percy had more or less assumed he would figure it out in the moment.

He did not, in fact, figure it out in the moment. 

He could see the surface up above him, and he thrashed, trying to reach it - but it was no use, every kick he made somehow made things worse, every time he threw his arms through the water, he couldn’t get himself propelled upwards. Water was already in his lungs, as his tiny, tiny limbs did their very best to try to keep him from going further downwards - from drowning.

Even as he turned about, he couldn't see Percy break water. Did Percy just teleport him? Could Percy do that? [color=E948FC] “Everytime ‘e teleports someone, ‘e's always wit’ t'em t'ough. He's gotta be ‘ere. PERCY?! PERCY!”[/color] Danni screamed, hoping he'd get some sort of response. [color=E948FC] “Okay, maybe ‘e unlocked a new part of ‘is power? Mutants do t'at right? Your ‘ouse burnin’ down wit’ yoir sleepin’ mom in t'ere is def stressful enough, right?”[/color] Danni's teeth chattered and he shivered violently in the water.

[color=E948FC]“Dee's gunna kill me if I don't check.”[/color] Danni muttered and he dove under the water. It was dark and burned his eyes and everything in him protested that he'd [i]just[/i] been here and suffering. His eyes took a moment to adjust and it took him several moments of peering through the water to finally find his drowning friend. Danni almost sighed with relief that he found him until he realized the most important part of that: [i]drowning[/i].

Danni cut through the water, trying to get a hold of Percy, but his flailing made it difficult. Danni grabbed an ankle, a wrist, and rolled Percy so they could see each other. Danni gestured toward the surface and grabbed Percy's waist as he used his other arm to help drag them to the surface. Danni gasped in another breath of air, his lungs burning, and he immediately turned to Perxy. [color=E948FC] “Spicy, cough out t'e water. If ‘ave ta get out of t'e water ta save ya, I'm gettin’ arrested so pleaaaase don't need CPR.”[/color]

Fortunately for both of them, once Percy’s head was above water, he [i]immediately[/i] started hacking. Water came up out of his lungs, and he took desperate breaths of air, not even caring that his boyfriend’s nude brother was holding him right now. There were some burns on his arms from having tackled Danni, but they were both alive, and they hadn’t (to his knowledge) burned down his mother’s house. Fred had been vanquished. And he felt more than ready to collapse. But they needed to get out of the water - and Percy had pushed his luck with his mom enough that day. So with what little energy remained to him, he blinked them out of space-time for a brief moment - and sent them crashing onto the living room floor in the Kingston-Gray house.

[color=ed1c24]“I think I need…”[/color] Percy mumbled, dizzy and seeing stars, as he struggled to keep his eyes open, [color=ed1c24]“coffee.”[/color]

And then he fainted.

Danni just starfished on the floor, sore and tired from a crazy day, and ready to curl up and pass out. His eyes shut, his chest heaved, and he just starfished in the living room, uncaring of the seawater staining the living room floor. He giggled at the absolute absurdity of it all and it slowly evolved into uncontrollable laughter and he rolled over to see Percy out cold, even breathing, and he curled in on himself, cackling.

[color=E948FC] “Spicy!”[/color] Danni choked out between laughter. He snapped in Percy's ear. [color=E948FC]“Spicy, ya gotta get up! Come on, wake up!”[/color]

Percy woke up almost immediately, and for a brief moment, he just let himself stare up at the ceiling. So much had happened in such a short period of time, he could barely process it. At Danni snapping in his ear, he reached out and shoved him away slightly. [color=ed1c24]“You’re far too happy,”[/color] he murmured.

And then, sitting behind them on the couch, mocktail in hand, Casper Kingston paused the telenovela he had playing on the TV. His nails were drying, the little foam spacers still between each toe, and he was about five minutes into his facemask, and his pores were absolutely [i]loving[/i] it. [color=DBA1DE]“Awww, but we [i]just[/i] got that rug,”[/color] Casper pouted. [color=DBA1DE]“It feels so nice on my back, too.”[/color] He wasn’t too phased by his son suddenly appearing on the living room floor, nude, with his other son’s boyfriend. That was just a Tuesday in this household. But as he took a closer look and saw the injuries, Casper shook his head. [color=DBA1DE]“C’mon, get downstairs, I’ll go get your Pops.”[/color]

He then got off of the couch, took another look at his son, and shrugged off his identical pink fluffy robe and tossed it to Danni. He now was clad in just shibari rope and a pair of booty shorts, with [i]James[/i] written across the ass. [color=DBA1DE]“And don’t worry, I won’t tell our little ghoul you’re here,”[/color] he added to Percy with a wink, as he headed upstairs to go grab his husband.

[color=E948FC]“T'anks, Papa!”[/color] Danni called, sitting up and wiggling into Casper's robe. He looked back down at Percy with a sheepishly grin. [color=E948FC]“Well, yeah! I gotta ‘ave lots of fun adventures with a best friend! Why wouldn't I be ‘happy! It's been a crazy day, not sayin’ t'at it ‘asn't been, but its been all over t'e place in t'e best way, yeah? ‘ow could I be anyt'in’ but ‘appy?”[/color] Danni hopped to his feet, dusted himself off, and tied the robe neatly shut. He held out his hand to help Percy up.

[color=E948FC]“I know you wanted ta get coffee, but you gotta wait til Pops fixes ya all up. ‘e'll get grumpy if ya take somet'in’ wit'out ‘im checkin’ ya over in full. T'en, coffee and t'en date clothes!”[/color] Danni beamed, nearly vibrating with excitement at the prospect of shopping more.

Percy had been doing his very best not to look at Danni as he jumped to his feet, and only relaxed his avoidance once the robe was tied shut. He’d see more of him today than he needed for a lifetime. He took Danni’s hand - he would have protested or avoided it, but he was beyond exhausted. His clothes were somewhat tattered from the ordeal as well, allowing the sleeve of his shirt to slide, revealing a now somewhat melted bracelet with his name on it - and next to it, a pristine matching one that said Dorian. [color=ed1c24]“… Coffee and beignets?”[/color]

Danni helped Percy up and before he could put thoughts to words, he paused. A distinctly out of place beaded bracelet sat on Percy's wrist and even though it was a little worse for wear, Danni would recognize the friendship bracelet he'd made for him without even caring in Percy wanted it. Danni yanked Percy's wrist to eye level and stared at it long and hard. [color=E948FC] “You still ‘ave t'is? I t'ought you were gunna t'row it away, ta be ‘onest.”[/color] Danni's voice was suspiciously watery when he pointed it out. Danni, simple though he may be, knew Perxy didn't really care for him in the beginning, but it seemed like their friendship was exactly what her thought it was: best friends. Who else would leave a little plastic doodad on their wrist like this?

Percy looked down at the floor, his cheeks reddening a bit. [color=ed1c24]“I thought I was going to, too, but… I’d never had a friend give me something before,”[/color] he admitted quietly. [color=ed1c24]“Or had a friend, really. There were people I thought were my friends, but… it wasn’t real.”[/color]

Danni's eyes watered violently and he took a deep, stuttery breath. Danni left Percy's hand drop, went to rest his hands on Perxy's shoulders, stopped, looked at his hands and Percy and then his hands again and very slowly put them in the robes pockets. He crouched down a little to be on Percy's eye level. [color=E948FC]“Spicy, I need ta tell ya two t'in's. One, t'is is very real. I've considered us friends since t'e beginnin’ and I don't lie because lyin’ takes a lot more effort t'an I wanna put inta it. Two, you are a smol. And I need you ta recognize t'at you are a smol. T'is means, t'ere is a violent urge ta ‘ug you when you say sad and cute t'in's like t'is ta comfort you. Now, I know you are feelin’ a creepy, crawly right now so I am not gunna ‘ug ya, but I need ya ta know every instinct in me is tellin’ me ta bundle ya up in a blanket, stick ya in bed, give ya a little pot of coffee and a book, and keep you locked away from t'e world forever ‘cause you are a precious.”[/color] Danni stood up and calmly walked across the room, moving a few books and pulling a lever in the wall.

[color=E948FC] “Now, I am gunna ‘old t'is ‘ugin’ insticnt in until Papa and Pops get down ‘ere and I will spare ya t'e touchin’, but you'll ‘ave ta know its for you.”[/color] The bookcase swung open and a set of stairs descended into darkness below. [color=E948FC]“Ya ready?”[/color]

Percy shook his head slightly. He was still looking at the ground, he hadn’t moved from his spot. And he hated crying, but everything Danni said made him want to cry. He’d gone into his first day of Margaret Carter assuming that everyone was out to get him, that they were ready to be cruel and heartless, that he had to be guarded - and that it was better to attack them first, to make them feel small, before they could hurt him. He’d become a monster trying to protect himself from shadows.

He didn’t know why he wanted to tell Danni this, but he did. Maybe it was one of the first times he’d felt safe in a while. He swallowed. [color=ed1c24]“I didn’t used to be like this,”[/color] Percy said quietly. He clenched his hands into fists, his knuckles white. [color=ed1c24]“It didn’t hurt all the time - only when I was upset, and things were too much…”[/color]

He took a steadying breath, and sat down on the couch. [color=ed1c24]“There was this boy I really liked. He was cute. So I… I decided to write him a poem, for Valentine’s Day… He didn’t feel the same way about me. He… he hated me, actually. He got physical, he got violent. He made sure I knew how - how [i]disgusting[/i] and unlovable I am. I couldn’t wear short sleeve shirts anymore. They didn’t hide the bruises he left.”[/color]

[color=ed1c24]“And that is why I cannot touch people. That’s why… that’s why I was such an ass to you this year, because I was afraid - afraid that you would all be like Chase, and it would happen again.”[/color]

He then fell silent, and he hugged his knees to his chest. [color=ed1c24]“That’s why I’m broken.”[/color]

Danni was quiet through all of it, although it was a struggle to keep the waterworks quiet. It was clear that Percy had been holding onto this for a while. He creeped over, a little concerned if he moved too quickly this strange bit of vulnerability would vanish forever, and settled in across from Percy. He was close, but he kept a bit of distance so Percy didn't feel overwhelmed. [color=E948FC] “You're not broken, Spicy. You just ‘ad ta deal wit’ villians for so long all by yourself ya forgot ‘ow ta let t'e ‘eroes ‘elp, t'ats all. Clearly, not unlovable if my dope o’ a brot'er is anyt'in’ ta go by. You got ‘im wrapped ‘round your finger, ya do. Boi is whipped AF. And t'ere ain't not'in’ disgustin’ ‘bout ya just since ya like boys. Look at our little group.”[/color] Danni giggled through the tears, sniffling loudly. [color=E948FC] “But maybe ya don't get used ta it again and t'ats okay! What's t'e saying? Different strokes for different folks? Idk why people are talkin’ about swimmin’ but it kinds fits ‘ere right? But yeah, you're our friend now Spicy! And I'm ‘ard ta shake, ya know. Gunna ‘ave ta pry my friendness off like one of t'ose water t'in'ies… a barbnicle!”[/color]

Percy took in a shuddering breath, as the tears continued to almost silently fall. He couldn’t help but smile a little bit though, at Danni’s reassurances. He was always afraid that one day, Dorian would wake up and see him as some wicked, vile thing - that he would see Percy as he truly was. He wasn’t as good at doing good as the rest of the group - he hadn’t even come to Margaret Carter to learn to help people, he had done it for his own selfish interests, to seek adventure and glory. And he’d been so cruel to Danni in particular, refusing to use the name he wanted to be called by, treating him like he was just another idiotic bully. Percy didn’t feel that he deserved this friendship at all, this compassion. Even the way that Danni maintained a distance between them for his comfort meant the world to him.

[color=ed1c24]“Thank you,”[/color] he said, his voice somewhat hoarse. [color=ed1c24]“I think you mean barnacle,”[/color] he then added. Percy then rubbed his eyes, trying to dry away the tears. He was already starting to look red and puffy. He took another breath that sent his entire body trembling. [color=ed1c24]“Mm. Maybe - maybe instead of touch, this is how you can express those feelings to me? This - this doesn’t hurt.”[/color]

[color=E948FC] “Yeah, t'at's what I said! T'ey stick on like little suckers and t'e pirates always gotta peel t'em off wit’ t'e scrapper and its always a punishment ‘cause no one likes ta do it!”[/color] Danninagreed wholeheartedly, wipping tears off on the arm of Casper's robe. [color=E948FC] “Like what? I'm literally not doin’ anyt'in’ but sittin’ ‘ear? Like if me sittin’ hurt you, we were gunna ‘ave ta look at a whole new lista issues ‘cause I could try, but I don't t'ink I can fly forever.”[/color]

Percy shook his head slightly. [color=ed1c24]“Just telling me how you feel. I… I also struggle a lot with that. Reading facial expressions, body language, subtle cues… it’s ironic, but it’s the one thing my powers won’t translate for me.”[/color]

[color=E948FC] “Oh! Well, t'ank god me talkin’ doesn't ‘urt ya ‘cause you'd be dead in like, a minute.”[/color] Danni giggled. [color=E948FC] “Well, dontcha worry ‘bout t'at. I say whatever pops inta my ‘ead all t'e time so it'll ‘appen, no worries! And for t'e touchy stuff, I've been wantin’ ta add some of t'ose eeal nice embroidered ‘ankerchefs ta my outfits so t'is is t'e perfect reason ta finally get ‘round ta it, so t'at you don't always ‘ave ta wear a beanie!”[/color] Danni jumped to his feet and stretched and wiggled out the joints in his arms and legs.