Page 84 of Lovesick Titan

John came forward first, who Danny was so glad to see was okay. He wanted desperately to ask if everyone else was too, since no one new appeared, but he couldn’t help that his eyes strayed to Mal.

Captain Shan stood back inside the doorway, while Lynn turned the machines off to silence their squealing. John hugged Danny, and Danny sagged against him gratefully, though it also made him aware of how much he needed a shower.

And breakfast. Lots of breakfast.

“What’s going on?” Danny asked when no one said anything.

“You should be resting,” Mal said.

“I’m fine,” Danny repeated, wishing Mal would come forward to hug him too. Everyone looked skeptical as if he painted the saddest, sorriest picture in just socks and pants and his skinny frame, and maybe he did, but he’d had enough pity.

“I’mnotfine. But I will be. I’m awake. I’m here. Now, tell me what’s going on. Where’s Ludgate?”

Finally, Mal came forward, and Danny reached for him reflexively, fingers curling into the other man’s shirt. Hisshirt, not his bodysuit, not his Prometheus gear. He wore one of his long-sleeved shirts and jeans—casual, even in the den of his once-enemy.

“He escaped,” Mal said, like he feared Danny might barrel out the door in search of Ludgate. Danny wanted to, wanted to get his hands on the man so badly, but he knew better than to think that was a good idea without a plan.

“Everyone’s safe though, right?” Unless Danny had missed something terrible after he passed out.

A smile cracked Mal’s expression. “We’re safe, Danny. Moved into the morgue for a while in case Ludgate tries to target anyone. Including Carla and the kids,” he added with a hesitant shrug. “Joey’s giving ‘em a tour. Should have seen Michael’s excitement meeting Zeus’s younger brother.”

Danny chuckled at the image that conjured. “He’sbarely had a tour. What about the others?”

“Some still asleep. Pretty early yet,” Mal said, confirming it was indeed the next morning. “But everyone’s fine. Vaughn and Priestly are working on tweaks to the Miasma Maker.”

“The rest of the neighborhood too?” Danny joked, half-serious, because a few days ago he wouldn’t have believed any of these people could be in the same room together, let alone team up to save the city, to savehim.

“Can’t moveeveryonein,” Mal smirked. “Oz is keeping an eye on the streets. Most the others already knew your identity. Had to tell him and Dom though. And, well…” he raised an eyebrow at Shan.

“Sorry I had to give up your hideout, Grant,” Shan said. Danny hadn’t realized he knew that much, though he shouldn’t be surprised.

“It’s okay. You’re more than welcome here, sir. Sorry to involve you like this.”

“That’s my fault too,” Mal said. “I needed help—”

“I have free will, Cho,” Shan cut in. “It was my choice. Ludgate needs to be stopped.”

“Yes, he does,” Danny said, “which means we need a plan. That’s what Andre and Hephaestus are working on? What you were talking about?”

The silence that followed clanged like a gong.

“Mal?” Danny turned to him, anxious for an answer.

“We are working on a plan,” Mal said. “We know we need to act within the next few days or we’ll be at a disadvantage. We can’t give Ludgate time to work out a better plan against us. Between Vaughn and Priestly and the ideas you worked on with Joey, we think we have a chance. We also think…” his expression hardened as if broaching no argument, “you should sit this one out.”

“What?” Danny surged forward. “No way. I just need a good meal and some rest, and I’ll be fine. You can’t face him without me.”

“Danny—” John tried.

“I have to help. I have to,” Danny pushed on. “You need me. I’m the only one who can take the worst he might dish out and still walk away.”

“Hetorturedyou,” Mal’s near-shout startled Danny, leaning away from the visible fury in the mist emanating from Mal’s fists. “Ludgatehad already done enough, was cruelenough. Then he replaced you, got inside your head, made you think…” His voice cracked as he struggled to contain his emotions, something Danny had seen so rarely that he stood stunned.

Catching himself, Mal stuttered back and reined in his powers. “I don’t care how he tried to mess with me. He kidnapped you and was going to let you waste away to nothing for vengeance I still don’t understand. If you weren’tyou, the state you were in when you passed out last night…”

Going twenty-four hours without nourishment for Danny was like a normal person going three to fourdays. Without food, he was weak. Without water…

“If I didn’t have this metabolism, a single day wouldn’t have been a big deal,” Danny tried to lighten the load of how bad it had been, but Mal’s expression was too open as he returned Danny’s stare.

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