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"Ugh! What do I do!" Dash complained with a phone on his hand and beside his head on his bead and it was also on loud speaker. "I can't believe he beat you! Dang! He must have been through some big deals for the past two years!" Kwan laughed as he heard him crunch some chips. "That's what I'm worried about!" Dash yelled through the other line as he sat up from his bed. "Worried, huh?" Kwan asked, rhetorically, "well, you didn't seemed to worry when you continuously beat the crap out of him and stuff him in the locker until his friends let him out. I'm surprised he doesn't have claustrophobia yet."

Dash groaned, thinking of all the times he did so. This is making him feel worse than before. "Don't remind me..." Dash groaned as he stuffed his head in his pillow, muffling curses while he did so. He turned his head and glared at the phone, hearing the crunching of chips from the other line, "you're supposed to make me feel better!" he complained. "Well, sorry if I ain't a psychiatrist!" Kwan yelled back as he made a deep sigh.

"But really dude," Kwan said over the line, "maybe you should try and make another kind of approach. Maybe greet him in the hallways a day or two. Striking a normal conversation with him. And maybe try and compliment him some time to time." Dash rolled his eyes as Kwan highlighted the word "normal."

"Oh, I got to go," Kwan said as he hung up. Dash sighed and dug his face deeper into the pillow. It had been a few days since the fight. But Dash still can't get rid of the fact that Danny almost beat him to a pulp. He knows he deserves it. He knows Danny wanted to do more. Dash has been bullying him since... He doesn't know when it started actually.

He thought he Fenton was weak, a coward, too stupid to even think to fight back. But now, it seems like it was all just a façade. Why did he endured it all? He actually could've fought back. Why now? Now that he found him after he was missing for two freaking years?!

Dash got up and put on his jacket. He exited his house and went to the old abandoned playground. This was his quiet place to think whenever he needed some alone time. He met up with Danny Phantom here once. Then he blacked out. Honestly, he doesn't even know if it was just a dream or if it was real. Because he was in his bed when he woke up. Probably a dream.

He sat o one of the swings and mumbled to himself. As he did, his hand ran through his hair. "Why him? Of all people?" Dash muttered to himself. He stood up from his swing and shouted at what he thought was nothingness, "WHY HIM?!!"

"Who's him?" he heard a voice ask. He looked up and saw Phantom lying on his back on top of the swing. "Ph-phantom?!" Dash exclaimed as he examined the boy. Phantom glanced at him and smiled. He sat up and jumped down from the swing set. "Nice to see you again, Dash," he smiled as he crossed his arms.

"Y-you're h-he-here?" Dash stuttered. "Of course!" Phantom smiled as he sat on one of the swings. He patted the swing beside him and smiled, "why not I be your counselor for tonight?"

Dash gulped and nervously sat beside Phantom. "So," Phantom slightly pushed his swing back and forth while talking to Dash, "who's this guy? Why so pissed at him?"

Dash recalled the feeling of utter rejection and defeat from a few days ago. He groaned and replied, "I'm such an idiot!"

Phantom looked at Dash, confused as to why. "It's just-" Dash continued trying to find the words to his stress, "Stars! He hates me!"

"Why did I hurt him?! I'm such an idiot! Stupid idiot!" Dash said as he childly kicked the ground. Phantom chuckled and looked at him. "Can 'ya start with the beginning?" he asked. Dash looked at Phantom and slightly blushed for he's a bit embarrassed that his hero, not to mention, long lost hero of Amity Park, is letting him express himself. Why not open up a little? It's not like he'll tell anyone.

"I..." Dash started, "back in Amity, I liked to bully this kid, because I thought he was a wimp, weak, and stupid. Then Kwan asked me why I like bullying this kid. To be honest, I never knew. But then it hit me like a truck. I like him! His eyes, his hair, his skin! Most probably everything about him! But then... He disappeared from Amity. His parents don't care. His friends don't know. And his sister won't tell. Like what the heck!"

Phantom lightly snickered as he watched Dash try to explain it with words and his gestures. Dash slightly blushed at Phantom. "Sorry," Phantom said as he smiled at the jock, "please continue."

Dash sighed as he rubbed his hair, "my mom's a travelling nurse and I agreed to move around with her, just so I could find that guy."

"Wow. Must really be important."

"Heh. Yeah. Well to me, anyway. When I actually found him here after 2 years, I thought that things would go back to normal. But I didn't want that. I want to show him I changed. But I don't know how. So instead, I fought him. But he beat me. Twice. I honestly didn't thought the kid had it in him! He was so weak back at Amity! But here, he's like stronger than me! He's even acing his quizzes here!"

Dash sighed as he ran his hand through his hair again. Must be a habit of his. "Now I really feel dumb. Underestimating him and beating him..." Dash lowered his head, "I really am messed up... I won't even wonder if Danny would like someone else. I don't even think he likes guys."

Phantom blushed and stuttered, "D-danny? As in, D-Danny F-fenton?"

Dash realized that he said his thoughts aloud once again. Now, he's paying the consequences by being a blushing mess in front of his hero.

Dash looked away and it was the same as Phantom. Honestly. Phantom thought that Dash really didn't like Danny in the first place, and just liked Phantom. But seeing him confess to Fenton indirectly made him question all those years of bully.

"You know..." Phantom said to break the awkward silence between the boys, "... I could help you out with Danny Fenton."

Dash's eyes lit up and stared at Phantom, his eyes pleading him. He looked like a puppy that's begging for treats. "I can go talk to him, if you like," Phantom continued, "but that doesn't mean you can continue to approach him like that. Maybe, saying hi in the hallways once in a while."

Dash nodded. He felt like his answers will be solved. Yeah, he's taking his friend's and hero's advices, but something actually felt off. Like he was already confessing to Danny. Well, Phantom will do that for him, he hopes.