Chapter 3
A few weeks passed and...life on the Watchtower was fine.
He got to meet a bunch of the League members. They were constantly coming and going so he didn't ever get a chance to know them but...Batman was around the most often, not counting John, Hal, Guy, and Kyle.
Speaking of...the four lanterns were pretty good teachers.
Their first week Danny's lessons consisted of the more theoretical as opposed to practical aspect of being a Green Lantern.
They began with teaching him the rules of the Green Lantern Corp. They then taught him of their history, of the Guardians of the Universe, which again sounded familiar to Danny, they taught him of the other Lantern Corps and what their colors meant. Danny figured he should've been a Black Lantern if anything but John had promised they didn't exist anymore. Danny was surprised to learn he enjoyed learning what they had to teach.
Danny's second week on the Watchtower they got into the practical application of being a Green Lantern.
Danny could already expertly manipulate ectoplasm so pretending like his ring did it was plenty easy enough.
He also had been given hand to hand training which the immortal time traveller was already an expert in. Once they discovered his superstrength, though, combined with his expert fighting Danny was only allowed to spar with Superman but...after he'd beaten the hero into submission Danny had forgone sparring at all.
★・・・★・・・★
Hal and Kyle and Guy and John were...well they were incredible.
They made Danny feel loved and supported and cared for and...he didn't care that one day they'd tire of him and he'd move on until then...he was adamant to enjoy his time with them.
Which led to now.
"Um...Hal?" Danny called out to his mentor?
"What's up, kiddo?" Hal turned in his seat...and let out a strangled sob.
Danny stood before him, anxiously wringing his hands.
He wore a one piece suit that disappeared into murky forest green boots. The bottom of the skin tight suit was black that transitioned into white. On his chest was a green crest, the crest of his reign. His top went down his arms, slipping snugly under black gloves. On his face was a green mask and he had a green cloak hanging from his shoulders.
Hal was silent and still for more than a few moments before he was flying forward rapidly, tackling Danny in a hug.
Danny was tense for several moments before he snaked his arms around Hal, hugging him closer. Danny revelled in the grounding feeling of being held by someone who loved him. When had he last been held like this? By someone who was not one of his people, by someone unmarred by tricks or betrayal or pain? Too long, Danny sighed in content, it had been too long.
"I love you, kiddo," Hal whispered into Danny's hair.
"...What?" Danny hated how small his voice was, he was a king for Ancients sake, he should be much more regal than this.
"I love you," Hal pulled apart, holding Danny's face in his hands, "From the moment I saw you floating in space somehow I knew...you'd be mine. My kid."
"..." Danny looked on in silence.
"You, Danny Phantom, are so strong, so creative, so clever, so perfect...and I love you, my sweet boy."
Here come the waterworks. Tears welled in Danny's eyes and he surged forward, hugging Hal more fiercely, careful not to hurt him though.
He couldn't say the words himself, he was too much of a coward for that but...he could not deny the way his core crooned, mine, mine, mine, love, love, love.
★・・・★・・・★
They stayed like that for more than a while just holding each other. They held each other long after Danny's tears had dried, Hal continuing to whisper promises of keeping Danny safe and of always loving him and always being there for him.
Danny knew he'd break that promise but for now...he didn't care.
"What's going on here?" A familiar voice belonging to John reached their ears.
Hal released Danny and held the boys shoulders, turning and showing him off to the rest of the lanterns. They all let out strangled sobs, surging forward and enveloping the boy in hugs of their own.
And for the first time in a while...a genuine laugh bubbled out of Danny.
★・・・★・・・★
"Do you have an identity outside..." Batman asked one day, vaguely gesturing to Danny.
The boy had thought long and hard about that prior to this moment and knew what he wanted.
Danny had not been human for centuries and...he did not feel the need to become human anytime soon. The heroes knew him only with white hair, with pointed ears and pale skin, with impossibly green eyes and abnormally sharp canines, with perfect unmarred skin. They knew him only as Phantom and...Danny was perfectly fine with that.
"No," He spoke, "Not anymore."
"I see," Batman nodded, "Do you have intentions to create an identity outside heroing?"
"...No I don't think I do," Danny admitted.
"Okay," Batman said.
"Is it, really?" Danny pressed nervously.
"Yes, Danny, it's okay. But...have you thought of a hero name? Four Green Lanterns is already trouble enough," There was a teasing tone in his usually cold voice.
Danny straightened in his seat, sitting tall and proud, head held high.
"Phantom."