In The Midst Of The Void, Daniel Knows That He Is Going Through Another Loop As His Soul Goes In The

Part 2

When a man's pride is wounded the outcome is usually unfortunate for the other party.

Perhaps he had been too brazen that morning, or his nonchalance had affected Zack more than he realized because the boy came into the convenience store seething. When his eyes landed on the small figure behind the counter his face twisted into a smirk that would have sent past Daniel probably running for the hills.

Currently, however, Danny had grown to have more faith in his smaller body, even if all the work he had put into losing weight had been reversed, his mind still had all the moves he had learned over the years and under Gun's mentorship deeply ingrained. It was only a matter of his body getting used to the motions all over again, a task which he would have found quite daunting if not for both of his bodies' inhumane ability to perform moves by copying them down to their finest details and unleashing them at his behest.

All that said, it didn't change the flaring temper of the boxer currently leaning over the counter and staring down at him. The cashier looked up at him unimpressed and once again requested identification. This seemed to spark something because the next thing he knew Zack's face turned stormy and a fist came heading for his bulging belly. Daniel managed to keep his expression flat as he caught the incoming blow, though deep inside he snorted at Zack's gobsmacked expression.

"What the heck!"

"That pig actually caught his punch!"

"Zack must be getting sloppy!"

The last comment seemed to irk him indescribably and he turned his ire on his goons, dragging the mercilessly out of the store. Daniel waited until the banging and strangled yelps quieted down until he allowed himself a muffled giggle. In a good mood, he called his mom.

"Oh, who is this? My son~"

His smile grew larger and more genuine at the sound of his mother's voice, though he cringed when he recalled that around this time she would probably be busy picking boxes to make money for him.

"Hey mom, how are you?" His voice came out warmly, and one could easily guess that he was smiling.

"I'm well, how about you? Are you eating enough? How's your new place? Did you make any new friends?"

The boy resolved to try and repair all those years he had been unfilial to his mother and, in a light tone, began chatting with her about his new school and friends, concealing the truth about his other body. His mother was happy and her worries were put at ease so for now, they wished each other good night and hung up.

After the conversation, the pudgy boy returned to the store. As he was making his way behind the counter he caught sight of the lottery tickets near checkout and a thought struck him. Gaining money would be so much easier now that he knew the future (at least, to some extent).

If being around figures like Gun and Goo for so long had thought him anything outside of combat was that money made the world spin. With enough cash, you could get out of some really tough situations and cover up almost anything. Money could also be sent to his mother to ease her burdens, and it could become a factor that would greatly influence his actions in the future.

With his mind made up, Daniel pulled out his phone and went on numerous sites holding lotteries and such other games. He was only familiar with those whose prizes would appear on television during his night shift, but the amount was not negligible. Soon, he told himself, sneaking another glance at the lottery tickets and stifling an uncharacteristically sharp smirk. Soon, this would all be worth it.

He didn't get any more customers that night, so he used most of it to exercise, sorely missing the inches he had gained after losing weight and under the black-eyed maniac's tutelage. While this body worked well for him last time the boy refused to leave it all up to the - frankly ridiculous - luck that had saved him all those times in his past life. He would need agility to fight the stalker and the psycho obsessed with Zoe and other such unsavory characters he had had the misfortune of being met with last time. And that agility, and not to mention speed, would only come with a lighter body that could move properly without all the fat in the way.

The idea was practical, though he still wondered, even when he woke up the next morning in his tall slender body, how this decision would affect his interactions in the future. He looked forward to meeting Vasco, though it would probably be a shock to see his back to his naive self and so quick to judge someone based on appearance. It was already proving to be difficult not to equate these versions of his friend to those he knew they would become and sometimes he despaired at their current attitudes.

This huge relapse sometimes left him dazed. More so than his pride, it wounded his soft, bleeding heart to see all of their progress lost to the wind with them none the wiser.

Danny: I prevented a murder today. Robin: Really? How’d you do that? Danny: self-control.

Here a fun loop Danny basically got into the Yaoi & Yuri world were people are homosexual and being is straight is an odd ball in that world.

You can say Jay is expressive as he doesn't need to hide his feelings for Daniel.

[I don't think societal norms affect their relationship as it is anyways, but if you're giving me a free opportunity to write about my favorite gay bitches who am I to decline?]

Danny should've been focusing on his surroundings more, he really should have, but there was something just so darn enchanting about his beloved's crimson lips that he couldn't help himself from staring.

Jay was looking even more exquisitely than he usually did, the two open buttons of his shirt revealing his delicate cleavage in a way that made Daniel conflicted between covering it up and sinking his teeth into the appetizing skin and leaving behind undeniable marks of his love. The mere thought of how that would draw such sweet little sounds from the mouth of his darling nearly sent him over the edge. He daydreamed of having the boy breathless and flushed beneath him, bent over the very desk he sat at in a vulgar display.

He resisted these urges, not because they were in public, but because he and Jay hadn't yet crossed that bridge in this loop and he intended on making their first time memorable, regardless of the fact he had already done so in each and every cycle. It was his way of cherishing the blonde, despite him not being aware of it.

This world was more open to same-sex relationships, those being the norm unlike most of the ones he passed through (not that it had ever stopped him from openly simping for Jay). The dynamic between his classmates and friends was, as such, a bit different, with many new couples. His favorite was between Zoe and Crystal at the current date, although it relieved him to see that Zack had remained utterly besotted with Mira despite the change. Some things never change! Danny shook his head fondly.

His gaze darted back to the desk near the window and he froze. While he had been stuck in his thoughts Jay had gotten up and leaned over his desk in a way that displayed even more of his sculpted chest. The black-haired boy looked up and gulped, his eyes glued to the supple curve of his classmate's neck. He once more restrained the urge to press his sweetheart to the wooden desk.

People are watching! The time-looper reminded himself. Jay had never been one for crowds, he knew that, but this clearly wasn't the case this time. Danny watched with a mix of surprise and fascination as the blonde reached for his chin, forcing him to look up. Their noses were almost touching and he felt as though waiting another moment would be enough for him to lose control.

Not at that stage yet-!

His thoughts were cut off by a pair of warm lips pressing onto his, first gently then more and more fiercely as he didn't reject them. Muscle memory took over and he placed a hand on the blonde's cheek while the other rested on his waist, gently maneuvering the boy on his lap. The make-out session began getting more intense as Jay moved his other hand into Danny's hair and tugged, getting a low groan from the taller male. Their lips molded perfectly against each other and their tongues curled and twisted together, not in a battle for dominance, but in a dance of passion. A small gasp escaped through the blonde's lips and was quickly swallowed by the other.

Once again the eons-old love reignited in Danny's chest like a flare. He yearned to pull other sounds from his mouth, not just those of carnal pleasure, but the addicting sound of his laughter or the small scoffs he gave when he was angry. He would happily abandon fighting and the 'greater good' if only to hold him in his embrace a moment longer. If he wanted the stars he would tear them from the heavens and bring them to him. One word, unspoken as it may be, and the boy would tear his own heart out and give it to him. One look and he would be on his knees in worship. One touch and he could die a thousand deaths in flames happily.

There were no words to explain his adoration for the boy, but one matter was certain beyond a shadow of a doubt in his mind, there was no greater joy than loving someone so deeply and for as long as he did.

"Ahem!"

The teacher's cough interrupted their kiss, and the two lovebirds were forced to separate, with Jay going back to his desk and leaving Daniel behind to sulk. Oh well, the bell is just about to ring anyway~

[Am I the only one feeling like the dynamic between the two twinks is a bit too one-sided? Look forward to me adjusting that next time! <3 ]

Daniel: If Vasco and I were drowning, who would you save? Zack: You two can’t swim? Daniel: It’s a hypothetical question, Zack! who would you save? Zack: my time and effort. Vasco: 😢

Random person in J-High: Hey, Daniel? Can I get some dating advice? Danny: Just because I’m with Jay doesn’t mean I know how I did it.

Should I make a sort of timeline for the loops?

Like, a pinned post with all of them in chronological order.

Thoughts?

#21

It began as you would expect, Daniel did something stupid. It wasn't meant to be stupid, but as most of the time-loopers endeavors, it ended up that way. Was it the will of the universe or was it just pure danielness? We'll never know.

"What is that?" Hudson shrieked when he entered the room, although he would deny this fact till the end of his days.

"I'm not a good Sia." Was the reply he got back.

Daniel stared owlishly at him from atop the crashed crystal chandelier whose remains were scattered all over the floor. An abomination of a neon-green mustache hung only barely from between his eyebrows and he was sporting a pair of squiggly antennas complete with foam eyes and taped on a sparkly pink headband that had seen better days. The smell of cheese puffs clung to him like a bad perfume, sending the blonde into a coughing fit the moment he opened the door.

"What the hell happened?" He finally managed to ask after regaining his bearings and using the fur coat to cover his nose and mouth (it smelled a bit like smoke and snake intestines but he wasn't complaining).

"He didn't kill anyone," Vasco assured unhelpfully from the side while poking at his own DIY eyes headband. "And these do look rather stylish on us!"

"And that's why the oaf didn't get into the fashion department, not that I think he had any business designing buildings and shit." Zack drawled from his seat, looking rather disgruntled with his own bright orange headband (which looked like it had been taped to his head with scotch).

Hudson gulped and took a step back, ramming straight into a blonde boy whose hair covered his eyes and who had appeared out of nowhere. He gulped again. Sure enough, he was adoring the same abomination of a headband, looking quite complacent with the crime against humanity that was his new accessory.

"Uh-" The Sun of Ansan began ever-so-eloquently. "We-we can talk about this guys-"

Before he had the chance to finish his sentence he was tackled from behind by what he could only describe as the second coming of the antichrist. His high-pitched screams echoed through the empty streets of Seoul and into the cold starless night.

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Somewhere a black-eyed man unexplainably shivered. He paused and took a drag of his cigarette before turning to the large window overlooking the city.

"Something just happened."

if only he knew...what a menace to society his new masterpiece would become...

#9 The Petty Revenge Arc

Danny: Someone hurt my beloved Jay. Zack: And what did you do about it? Danny: I ruined their business, then went back in time and terrorized them with spiders and baby crocodiles with lightsabers. Zack: Baby what with what? Danny: Then I set an army of angry middle-aged housewives on him. Zack: ... Zack: You know what, never mind, I don't even want to know.

Yakuza FemDanny Loop

Danny: Valentine’s day is just a consumerist holiday that holds no real value other than drive people insane buying heart-shaped chocolates for their significant others and pos- Jay: I wrote you a poem. Danny, already crying: You did?

FemSammy & BabyDanny Loop

Sammy: Daniel… Danny: Oh no, 'Daniel' in b-flat. Danny: You're disappointed.