savetheearth | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Who: Danny and Walter
When: July 10th
Where: some local library or some shit
What: Danny is getting incredibly frustrated with this "summer studying" crap.
Warnings: TEEN DRAMA

For a library, Danny isn't being particularly quiet. He's trying, bless his heart, but he's surrounded on all sides by stacks of thick SAT prep books, scratching a pencil against paper in the middle of July when he could be--hanging out with friends, or just chilling out in the park, or talking to people on the network, or playing video games...literally anything other than more work.

It doesn't help that he keeps getting the answers wrong. As he flips to the back of the SAT book to check his answers, he groans loudly and smacks his face against the table. He does not even care that the librarian is shushing him aggressively.

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Walter is in the middle of browsing the nonfiction section when he spots Danny. Well, the back of his head, anyway -- but he's pretty sure it's him. And he's also pretty sure those are SAT books! And... Danny is smacking his head on the table. Not the best sign. The obvious academic distress is enough to draw Walter over and he pulls up a chair.

"Hey, Danny." He gestures to the books and cracks a sympathetic smile. "Are you having a little trouble?"

Danny does not respond. He only glares.

"Oh, come on. I've taken this thing already, so I know it's not that bad."

Walter is not deterred, though his smile has shrunk a little. He goes for the scratch paper Danny's been working on.

"Easy for you to say," he mumbles. He doesn't intend for Walter to hear it, not really, but it's not like Walter's far away, and the library is quiet enough for it to carry.

Still, he lifts his hands so that Walter can grab at his scratchwork. Just because he's grumpy doesn't mean he's glad for the break in his own utter stupidity.

He does catch it and feels a slight pinprick of irritation, but ultimately shakes it off. Walter focuses on the scratch paper instead, trying to see what's gone wrong in this study session.

Turns out the answer is quite a lot. He looks like he wants to cringe and (badly) tries to disguise that with another smile.

"Okay, let's just... try a few more problems to start. I'll help."

He raises a single skeptical eyebrow.

I hope you like wilting under the pure gaze of hatred from a grumpy teenager who's been pushed past every polite boundary he has.

A year ago, a look like that would've made him wilt. But now, it's just adding to the irritation. After it's clear he's getting nowhere fast, the polite veneer starts to crack.

"...so. Are you going to try, or are you just going to keep giving me that look?"

"I dunno, that depends on what you try." He gestures with one hand to the scratch paper in Walter's possession.

"I mean, it's not like I can do anything right now anyway."

Well, he was hoping for some kind of confirmation or acknowledgement, even just a nod or something, but he (grudgingly) supposes that's fair enough.

He slides the paper back over, picks up one of the SAT books, and goes straight for a set of practice problems. He digs a pencil out of his messenger bag and scoots a little closer. For now, he's just planning on observing and jumping in if there's any obvious distress. Hope Danny likes being hovered over!

Spoiler: he doesn't.

Danny takes the pencil and stares at the problem, leaning his head on his hand as he glares at the words. He doesn't do anything for a while, instead only feeling the pressure of Walter's gaze. His forehead wrinkles as he starts trying to do the work, but immediately feeling so conscious of what he's written that he erases it, in the fear that it's wrong.

Walter doesn't realize what kind of effect he's having. He also doesn't know how to keep his reactions to himself -- he's fidgeting in his seat a bit and is half-tempted to snatch the pencil and do it for him. That won't teach Danny anything, though, and it's also incredibly rude, so he refrains.

But when the eraser comes out and obliterates all of his work, he can't stay quiet. "Don't give up!" After an irritated shushing and a warning look from library staff, he lowers his voice. "You were doing... um. Just keep at it, okay?"

Danny makes an irritated grunting noise at Walter's encouragement. He's not sure if he appreciates the guiding help, or finds it frustrating that he can't even have a moment of doubt without getting corrected and told that, yes, he was indeed on the right track. Why couldn't he just figure that part out for himself eventually?

Still, he brushes it off the first time. He starts back up and rewrites his train of thought, same as it was before, and...actually manages to get the answer, after a pause to mentally think things through!

The next problem isn't so lucky though. He hesitates, but only a little, which is unfortunate because his scratch work shows he's headed in completely the wrong direction.

Walter actually looks proud. He knew Danny could do it!

Now feeling a bit more relaxed, he tries busying himself with a book, intending to let Danny finish the set on his own. But one sideways glance at the impending train wreck and it's over.

"N-"

He does cut himself off, but the damage is probably already done. Walter buries his face in the book and tries to pretend that didn't happen.

That's it.

Danny tosses his pencil across the table and slams his hands down, making a mighty slamming thud! He covers his face with his hands before he drops them to the table again, turning to face Walter head-on.

"What?" He says, only a few notches below shouting. People are staring and the librarian is shushing him, but he doesn't even notice. He's too busy staring right at Walter. "What am I getting wrong this time, huh? In fact--if you know so well, why don't you do it instead?"

He shoves the book and loose papers over at Walter, the scratch paper fluttering around as they slide across the table.

For a second he seems shocked and on the verge of shrinking back, but something in him snaps right after Danny does. Walter meets the stare, almost glaring over the top of his glasses. His face is getting a little flushed but his voice is steady.

"Stop. Making. A scene."

He shoves the book back over (because somehow that'll make less of a scene! yeah!!!) but underestimates his frustration and echo-induced strength. It goes flying right off the table, drawing even more attention to the bickering duo.

Danny watches the books clatter to the ground as the papers float slowly off the edge of the table. He's aware of people staring, but can't bring himself to care.

"Yeah, you seem to be doing a pretty good job of making one yourself!"

"You're going to put this on me? When all I wanted to do was help you out??"

The stares are just making Walter more flustered. Logic is taking a backseat to raw emotion now.

"You've been a huge jerk this whole time, Danny! What is your problem??"

He rises from his seat, one hand tense on the tabletop.

"My problem is everyone keeps telling me what I have to do, and then treating me like I'm too stupid to do anything on my own!"

Danny punctuates his words with accusatory jabs pointed right at Walter's chest. It's a good thing he hasn't yet echoed back access to his powers in his human form, or else right now his eyes would be glowing a furious acid green.

And now Walter is getting up, unwilling to look small or defeated for once in his life.

"So you're frustrated, and you're taking it out on the people who want to see you succeed. Well done, Danny! Keep it up! That attitude'll get you so far in life!"

The jabbing and pointing is pushing him further over the edge. He intercepts Danny's hand and shoves it back at him, which. Might knock him off balance if it catches him off guard. Oops?

The shove is unexpected, which sends him stumbling back several stops from both the unexpectedness as well as the strength of it. But as soon as he regains his balance, he advances on Walter again. However, he doesn't retaliate. His fists only tighten at his sides.

"At least I'll know how far I get in life making my own decisions, instead of everyone else making them for me!"

There's an immediate glimmer of regret in his eyes. Despite the anger he immediately realizes how douchey that shove was, even if he was just responding to finger jabs. Not cool, Walter.

Too bad Danny just keeps at it. It's enough to halt the reflexive apology.

"So that's what this boils down to?" The anger in his voice does seem to be fading, but Danny is touching on something a little personal now. "You know, most people manage to deal with that sort of thing without having a meltdown over a couple of SAT problems."

Danny's anger doesn't seem to have dissipated at all, but at least his volume lowers to match Walter's. Not like it helps them much--everyone is still staring, and the librarian is starting to approach them.

"Most people don't have everyone breathing down their necks waiting for them to--to screw up."

And that's all Danny can take of this. He takes a few steps back to go around the table and nearly trips over the SAT book on the ground before walking around it. He keeps his eyes locked on Walter as he steps over it, fully intending for him to clean up the mess, even though the book is Danny's (or, well, technically his sister's, with the name "Jazz Fenton" written on the inside cover).

And he storms out of the library.

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