???? ??????? || D. Grayson

a/n: wrote this with Helena and The Ghost of You by MCR in mind. no, i will not elaborate as to why ;)

"Someone ordered two Lanterns?"

"Why is my daughter glowing with the power of the cosmos?"

"Wow, not even a hello or anything," Kyle muttered as I hid behind him. "Hal, before you freak out and possibly have a stroke... It's a lot less complicated than it seems."

"Zaria Eloise Jordan-Ferris, front and center," Hal ordered, crossing his arms. "Now."

"Hal, give her a break! She's-"

"You're next, Rayner," he interrupted and narrowed his eyes at me. "Front and center, Zaria. Now."

I stepped forward, trying to keep my hands at my sides, but the soft pulsing of the nine Rings made me feel like I was radiating every emotion in the universe all at once.

Hal's gaze didn't waver. It was sharp, intense, a mixture of curiosity, exasperation, and something else I couldn't quite place.

"I... I didn't ask for this, Dad," I admitted, voice trembling slightly. "It just... happened."

"Explain and save me the theatrics."

"I had a panic attack and I spiraled... Dick managed to calm me down, but then the Purple Ring showed up," I hesitated and looked down. "Which means I completed the Spectrum... And now I'm the First White Lantern."

Hal's jaw tightened, and the emerald glow of his ring flickered faintly in the dim light.

"You... what? You're telling me this just happened?" His voice was sharp, the edge of anger cutting through every word. "You, my daughter, just spontaneously absorbed the entire Emotional Spectrum!?"

"I didn't exactly plan it," I said softly, keeping my hands open, trying to show I wasn't a threat. "It's not like I went around collecting Rings or—"

"Do you have any idea what kind of danger you're playing with right now!?" Hal interrupted again, stepping closer, his Ring flashing brighter green than normal.

"I... I didn't mean to, Dad," I whispered, stepping back slightly. "It was—"

"Not meant to? Zaria, this isn't about intent!" Hal's voice cracked with frustration, echoing through the room. "Do you even understand what this means? One wrong move, one miscalculation, and you could destabilize the entire Universe!"

"Hal, just hear her out," Kyle begged. "It's not as bad as it looks like!"

Hal's jaw tightened, fists clenching at his sides, the green light of his Ring flickering like it couldn't decide whether to burn with rage or... something else.

"Zaria," he said, voice lower now, almost strangled. "Do you... have any idea what you're doing? Any idea at all?"

"I... I'm trying to figure it out," I admitted, my throat tight. "I didn't ask for this! I didn't want it!"