#threads: azalea & danny

[strangeperfectionss]

@babyitsmagic continued from here

“i’m not judging you for going grey. i’m not a total asshole. but your eyes are weird. like that’s not at all how they normally look. honestly, i don’t think that they’re how anyone’s eyes normally look?” she was trying not to come off as rude, but a blunt approach seems to be her best option. she’s noticed that things are usually a little…off with danny, but this takes the cake. after all, whose eyes glow like that?

[strangeperfectionss]

she nods. "oh, the other ghosts, right." logically, if something like a half ghost exists, it makes sense that ghosts exist, but she's not exactly feeling very logical. "so you're half ghost, half dead, and you just...switch between these two? whenever you want? or does it, like, sometimes just do it itself?" she thinks better of asking so many questions after a moment. "sorry i'm being pretty invasive."

"half-dead. half-ghost. the other ghosts call people like me halfas." he runs a hand through his hair and gives her a shaky smile. "no, no, you're totally good. i mean i don't think there's really a normal way to react to this? especially since it totally shouldn't even be possible to begin with. like this is some liminal bullshit that even i don't totally understand. but yeah."

[strangeperfectionss]

“huh, i think i’m gonna take my chances so i can keep my aesthetic, but i’ll keep that in mind in case a rich victorian specter shows up and tries to start anything with me.”

“i was actually trying to cultivate a vibe, not attract ghosts, but it sounds like you’ve got experience with them. are they too mopey?”

[strangeperfectionss]

azalea wishes she could take back her question when she sees danny's eyes go wide, but it's too late now. and she's kind of just been spewing whatever she thinks of at him. "yeah, i don't know that you could explain that to anyone that doesn't already know...maybe you could like, sub out being a ghost for something else? but i think they'd probably call the cops on your parents for hunting people down. that's...fuck, that's a lot." it's a lot of a lot. it's sort of bonkers that danny seems as normal as he does when this is what's been going on with him. "then, you know, double fuck that guy. he's a real piece of shit and deserves only bad things."

his eyes go a little wide as she asks about the hunting thing, because she's not wrong about it being traumatizing, but it's also just become so normal for him that he's a little numb to it these days. and he's not used to people pointing it out. it feels a little like she's said the quiet part out loud. but he sort of dove in on this, so he's gonna be honest. "so, uh, yeah. that's what's a lot. i mean, they didn't know it was me, and they retired when they found out it was me, which... i was a little worried it wouldn't go that way, so glad it did. but, y'know, we probably need a mountain of therapy from someone who's not my sister, but i don't even know how we'd explain it to a therapist so." he nods enthusiastically as she agrees with him. "fucking thank you. like. my dude. my guy. we already have enough shit to deal with without you making my life harder, too. fucking dick, frankly. anyway, he's the one who wrecked my shit today, so it's his fault you're getting information overload."

[strangeperfectionss]

“okay, wait, hold on, you’re, like, half ghost and your parents used to hunt ghosts? did they know? did your parents, like, hunt you or something else traumatizing as all fuck? like what quantifies a lot in this situation? and yeah totally fuck whoever plasmius is because that seems like a really fucked up thing to do? i mean, maybe? just seems screwed up to hurt someone else like you? especially if there’s people who, like, their whole thing is hunting you down.” is she even making sense? she’s sort of just saying everthing that pops into her head out loud.

"...i think my answer's gonna be 'both' to a lot of your questions. like there are chill ghosts and there are ones that i still have some nightmares about? there are ones i'm friends with or friendly with and ones i never, ever, ever want to meet again. and then like... sam thing with the other question. ghost hunters are totally a thing and my parents are sort of retired ghosts hunters on top of the science thing? which was... a lot. and then yeah, some ghosts love fucking with other ghosts. like plasmius. fuck plasmius."

[strangeperfectionss]

"that...actually makes a lot of sense because you were very chill about this whole ghost thing and the experiments. but that had to be a lot growing up. and probably fucking scary? or are ghosts more casper than nightmare fuel?" she's definitely not processing things right now and she'll probably freak out later, but right now, she's got this. "that's...wow, okay, that's...so are ghost hunters real? or is it, like, other ghosts fucking with each other?"

"ah. yeah, that makes sense. i'm... my hometown is basically the most haunted town in america? so i'm kinda used to the starting point being like. people who know ghosts are real." it's still a lot when that's the case but it's like... a little less. "both? mostly the second, though. a lot of what's on the market is just... nonsense? but there's some legit stuff out there too."

[strangeperfectionss]

“it’s definitely a lot. i didn’t even think ghosts were real and now they are, but there’s also half ghosts, and all sorts of other stuff.” she watches him switch back and it’s still so bizarre. because how the hell is any of this real? it feels like it’s all a very vivid dream. that would make the most sense. “is it, like, a weird incidental side effect? or is stuff that’s made on purpose to mess with it?” the questions she’s asking don’t even really register, she’s on autopilot at this point because it’s a lot.

"i'm, um, dumping a lot of info on you at once, aren't i?" he kind of wants to ask jazz to help him figure out how to ease people into this sort of thing, but he also hates the idea of asking his sister for help with, well, anything. "i can switch between mostly whenever i want." he switches back to his human self, just to prove the point, really, though he's sure his eyes are still glowing. "you're good. it's a lot. i haven't really had control issues since i was in high school but there's, uh, like... tech? out there that sometimes fucks with it and i was on the wrong side of some this morning. i almost couldn't get my hair to switch back at all."

[strangeperfectionss]

she's doing her best to focus on what danny's saying to her because she can tell this is tough for him. she tries her best to keep her face as neutral as possible, which is difficult, because this is just. fuck, this is a lot. and then danny's floating and any control she has is gone and she jumps because whatever she was expecting him to show her, it wasn't this. "so you're dead? but also not, obviously. but, like, you're a ghost? i think? is what you're saying?" does she even know what she's saying anymore. "sorry, i feel like i am not doing a good job being a good friend right now, but this is not what i was expecting."

"i know. it's just like... i trust you, y'know? i just still don't know how to tell people, even after all this time. it feels a lot like coming out, actually." which means he has no idea how to do it or if someone will take it well. he thinks az will... well, he thinks it's gonna weird her out, but he thinks she'll also be supportive. he takes a deep breath. "it's kind of a long story, but like... my parents are scientists. they study ghosts. have been doing it for years. everyone thought it was, y'know, nuts. and then they built this stupid portal that was meant to make contact with ghosts and of course it didn't work. and then, like an idiot, i messed with it. and i got it working... by uh, sort of just, dying inside of it? bad time." one of those moments he just Does Not Think About. "but the dying didn't stick and now i can just... do this." and that's all the warning he gives before he pulls at his ghost half and switches form, hovering in front of her with white hair, glowing eyes, and skin that's taken on a slightly blue tint. he waits to see how she handles that before saying anything else.

[strangeperfectionss]

az is about to reply but then she notices his shift in behavior. “i mean, yeah? it is sort of a huge red flag, but you don’t owe me an explanation, you know? like, that’s your business and you only have to tell me what you want me to know. if that’s all you want to share right now, that’s cool. i get it. but if you want to tell me the context, i’m more than willing to listen.” was that the right thing to say? she hopes so. she just doesn’t want danny feeling like he has to tell her something he’d rather not divulge.

"no. no, it would not." he worries his bottom lip between his teeth, more than a little nervous. after all this time, he should be better at this. he should've just said it was some cool new tech that tucker is working on. he doesn't think they make contacts that glow like this. (actually, mentally note: tucker could be doing something like that. tell him about it later.) "i... think i owe you a better explanation, huh? like basically everything i've said is one giant red flag without any context, right?" which is maybe even worse than one more person knowing his secret.

[strangeperfectionss]

“yeah, i can’t imagine it’d go over well at the student health office if you showed up and dropped that little tidbit of info on them.” it’s a lot. and she’s not even sure how much she believes. it’s not like danny’s given her a reason to doubt him, but the story seems very odd. “right. everyone’s got skeletons in the closet or stories they like to keep to themselves,” she agrees, if only because she doesn’t know that else to do. this whole day has taken such a turn and she’s not sure she knows what way is up anymore.

“i don’t think it even covered a fourth of them, but it sounds, oh my god how do i say this without it coming across bad? uh, it seems like your childhood was maybe a little traumatic? or maybe just fucked up? so you don’t owe me any explanations about your shit or what you’re going through as long as you’re sure you’ll be good and we don’t have to take you to get checked out.” there was almost definitely a better way to say all of that, but it’s too late now. she can’t take back what she’s said anymore than she can make herself stop staring at his eyes.

[strangeperfectionss]

“i don’t think it even covered a fourth of them, but it sounds, oh my god how do i say this without it coming across bad? uh, it seems like your childhood was maybe a little traumatic? or maybe just fucked up? so you don’t owe me any explanations about your shit or what you’re going through as long as you’re sure you’ll be good and we don’t have to take you to get checked out.” there was almost definitely a better way to say all of that, but it’s too late now. she can’t take back what she’s said anymore than she can make herself stop staring at his eyes.

“you know that’s, like, an absolutely insane thing to say, right?” she asks before she can even think to stop herself. “your eyes are glowing like they’re radioactive and you’re saying it’s a side effect of whatever science your parents were doing?” realistically, that could be the answer, it’s not like she really knows. she was hoping he’d say something like it was contacts or some other sort of special effects thing, but this? takes the cake for weird and wild and not at all what she was anticipating coming out of his mouth.

[strangeperfectionss]

“you know that’s, like, an absolutely insane thing to say, right?” she asks before she can even think to stop herself. “your eyes are glowing like they’re radioactive and you’re saying it’s a side effect of whatever science your parents were doing?” realistically, that could be the answer, it’s not like she really knows. she was hoping he’d say something like it was contacts or some other sort of special effects thing, but this? takes the cake for weird and wild and not at all what she was anticipating coming out of his mouth.

@babyitsmagic continued from here

“i’m not judging you for going grey. i’m not a total asshole. but your eyes are weird. like that’s not at all how they normally look. honestly, i don’t think that they’re how anyone’s eyes normally look?” she was trying not to come off as rude, but a blunt approach seems to be her best option. she’s noticed that things are usually a little…off with danny, but this takes the cake. after all, whose eyes glow like that?

[strangeperfectionss]

“i was actually trying to cultivate a vibe, not attract ghosts, but it sounds like you’ve got experience with them. are they too mopey?”

@heartfullofxfright liked for a ghost kiddo

"stop trying to get some random victorian ghost to haunt you, they’re not as fun-dramatic as you’d like them to be."