Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The silence was deafening, seven sets of eyes glancing back and forth between the two older men who sat at each end of the long table. The man with snow white hair looked off to the side, arms crossed and brow furrowed angrily as he refused to look at the man on the other end. That man, sporting a bright orange jumpsuit, was glaring daggers at him, hands fisted, teeth clenched, seemingly stewing over all the ways he wanted to break the other man’s head clean off his shoulders. 

Danny cleared his throat nervously, finally breaking the silence, “Alright, now that we are all here, I think it’s time I fill you guys in on the whole story. Everything that’s happened, how Vlad and I ended up in this situation, and why you guys were involved. From there, we can work on moving past some of the more uncomfortable information and try to reassess how to make this situation a little less–” 

“No point! That man is a disgusting degenerate! I can’t even believe he’s the same man I called a friend!” Jack suddenly bellowed, picking up a fork and chucking it through the air angrily. 

Vlad leaned to the side, the fork embedded in the back of the chair. Vlad glared at the glinting utensil before he reached up and yanked it free, “That is a three-thousand-dollar luxury dining chair from Venicasata, you Cretin. And I am NOT. A. DEGENERATE!” 

“No!? Hard to believe considering everything you’ve pulled! Showing up all buddy buddy at our house, inviting our son to some “summer internship”, you’ve been planning and sneaking all along!” Jack accused angrily.  

Vlad sparked electricity in his palm and was about to chuck the fork back at Jack when a hand came to steal his actions, and he looked over at Danny, who gave an earnest expression, motioning slowly for Vlad to put the fork down and take a breath. 

The older man signaled his annoyance with an eye roll, but indeed doused his powers and set the fork down, “You’re lucky your son is here, Jack.” Vlad murmured only for Jack to call from the other end of the table angrily, “What was that!?” 

“Nothing! He didn’t say anything!” Danny urged only to look at Vlad and say in a much softer voice, “Please, all I am asking is that you try. For me.” 

Vlad’s anger faded from his face before he let out a long breath and smoothed back his hair. “Honestly, Daniel, I don’t think it’s going to matter coming from me. You’re going to need to explain to your father that it’s your choice. Nothing I say will soothe his rage.” 

Danny glanced down the table at his father, who might as well have been boiling in his seat. A soft sigh escaped him, his mind rolling through all the things that had happened, everything that had led up to this point, and where they were now. It felt like yesterday that he was standing in front of Clockwork, asking if he and Vlad were going to survive this. 

Danny’s entire life had been turned upside down, everything had changed, and now he was staring down the barrel of a loaded gun. While he wasn’t scared his parents would turn their back on him now, he was worried about what a possible relationship with Vlad would entail if his father disapproved. 

Who am I kidding? Dad will never approve of this. Even if he hadn’t figured it out and we waited to tell them until I was forty and Vlad was ancient, he would disapprove. I don’t know what to do. I’m willing to be held accountable, I am willing to take whatever anger he wants to give me, but I can’t justify any of this, given that all of this started because of Eros’s little love spell. 

Danny cleared his throat and leaned forward, meeting his father’s eyes as he said with confidence, “Look, Dad, I realize how this must look. Your old college buddy and your eighteen-year-old son, but to be completely honest, this wasn’t Vlad’s fault. It wasn’t even my fault. It was Clockwork’s fault.” 

His dad frowned harder, “Clockwork? Who the heck is Clockwork? A ghost?” 

Danny’s brows raised, “Yeah…actually.” 

That seemed to get his Dad’s attention, so Danny continued before anything else could be asked, “Clockwork is an Ancient, a Ghost so old that he can move beyond time itself.” 

It was his mother’s turn to lean in, matching her husband's sudden curiosity, “He…is sort of like…my mentor. He’s taught me a lot about being a ghost and taking accountability for my actions. I didn’t mean for any of you to get pulled into this, and neither Vlad nor I thought this would happen. But Vlad and I needed to be held accountable for the problems we caused in the Ghost Zone. This whole thing is the consequence of our actions coming to life.” 

His father still looked angry, but at least he wasn’t shooting death glares at Vlad, “How the heck is this Clockwork fellow responsible for any of this?”

“What problems were you two causing in the Ghost Zone?” his mother asked, only for his father to add most unhelpfully, “I don’t like that you’re trying to push Vlad’s actions off on some strange Ancient ghost! He’s an adult and should be held accountable for being a perverted creep!” 

The older Halfa stood and leaned forward, palms sizzling on the table and burning into the wood, “Be careful, Jack. I’ll only put up with your disrespect for so long before I’ll cook your insides and make you eat them!” 

“Over my dead body!” Maddie suddenly said, standing, extending her bow staff, and glaring daggers at the man, “Mom! Stop! Just, will everyone chill out and let me fucking explain!” 

“Language!” Maddie and Jack yelled at the same time, both looking at him as Vlad made a pink ecto shield and glared right back 

“Just stop!” Danny yelled, and as if he had summoned some ancient power, the entire room faded to gray and everyone in it slowed to a stop. Danny knew what had happened and collapsed in his chair, face plopping into his hands as he groaned. 

“Why are you here?” he asked softly, “Come to laugh at me?” 

“I’d never laugh at you, Daniel. As it were, I’ve come to help.” Clockwork said as he floated down from the ceiling and came to rest beside Danny. The young man leaned back in his seat and let out a long breath, fingers coming to rub at his brow as his eyes fluttered closed, “I have no idea how to fix this. Mom and Dad know I’m half ghost, which turns out to be fine; they were upset I didn’t tell them, but they seem to be way more okay with it than I thought. But this… this whole thing with Vlad, I don’t even know. Even if I can convince Dad that the relationship was mutual and Vlad didn’t groom me or take advantage of me–god, I don’t even know where to begin. This situation is so messed up, even I know that, and I’m freaking part of it! How do you tell your parents that the reason you’re dating a man old enough to be your father is because an Ancient ghost, and his ghost god buddy, covered him in a Pheromone? Jesus, it sounds wild! Not to mention the entire Agatha situation. It’s just…man, you really know how to throw a wrench in my life.” 

Danny looked up at Clockwork, the entity changing forms between the three stages of life, his red eyes somehow appearing softer than usual. 

“It was not my intention to hurt you, or Vlad, or your family. However, sometimes, in the grand scheme of things, these moments of struggle are but a speck of your existence. And they can give rise to something beautiful. What is that saying? The family that plays together stays together?” 

Danny cocked a brow, “Yeah? What about it?” 

“Well, perhaps the same can be said here: The family that struggles together… also stays together.” 

Danny gave a soft huff before looking around the table, at all the people, his parents and sister, his two best friends (Tucker currently was frozen mid popcorn toss while Sam gave him an angry side-eye), and smirked. Jacob and Eros were next to them, holding hands and staring wide-eyed at the scene unfolding. He then looked at Vlad, still frozen and in the process of preparing to block Danny’s mother's attack. 

Those six people sat across from him, Danny directly to Vlad’s right, and his father at the other end of the table. He couldn’t imagine life without any of them, and he had a feeling Jacob and Eros would eventually fall under that same branch. Somehow, the two had edged their way into Danny’s circle of friends, Jacob through Vlad and Eros through Clockwork, and Danny found himself liking them, against his better judgment. 

“Why…did you really do this?” Danny asked, his voice soft as he finally looked away from his friends and family, only to find Clockwork had floated away and was waiting next to a portal. Danny stared for a long moment, only following when Clockwork held out his arm in a gesture to beckon Danny in. 

He’d turned down Clockwork’s invite once; he wasn’t about to do it again. He glanced back at the frozen scene, eyes lingering on Vlad, before entering through the portal and coming to stand with Clockwork in a black void. 

“As you know, I am responsible for all timelines that ever were, that currently are, and that will eventually be.”

“Yeah…and?” Danny asked curiously 

“Do you remember what I once told you, how the Observants view time as if watching a parade?” 

“Yeah, and you view the parade from above, all the twists and turns…” 

“Correct. That being said, you should know, just because I see things from above, every twist and turn, does not mean I can always tell what will happen.” 

Danny’s brow cocked at that as he asked in a rather curious tone, “I’m confused…I thought you see everything, twists, turns, and even outcomes…I mean…except when something Anomylous happens, right?” 

“For the most part, that is correct. But there is one other exception… One, I wish to share with you now.” 

“Alright. But why would you want to tell me? I mean, you’re supposed to be like some omnipotent being or something, right? Like, totally infallible?” 

“No, Daniel. Though I suppose it may seem that way to you, in truth, I am no more infallible than you are. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention that particular fact to the Observants if you happen upon them someday.” 

Danny smirked, “My lips are sealed. So…what did you want to show me?” 

“It will be hard for you to comprehend, and I do not say that as a means to insult your intelligence…but….it has to do with actions and reactions ... .Do you recall Newton's Laws? I do believe you learned about it in science class.” 

Danny made a face and itched at the back of his head, “Uh, I think so…maybe…something about every action has an equal or opposite reaction…right?” 

“Very good.” 

“Alright, well, what does Newton’s Laws have to do with keeping time?” 

Clockwork smiled, “You’d be surprised. Another question, do you remember one of the last things I said to you? About the choices you tend to make in different timelines regarding partners?” 

“Oh…uh…yeah?” Danny felt his cheeks blush at the memory, knowing that in some timelines, he would somehow end up with Clockwork, which made his mind reel.

“I wasn’t entirely forthright with you earlier when I told you that.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“It is true, in some timelines you choose Vlad to be your partner, but none of those timelines happened… before this one.” 

Danny’s face screwed up in confusion, thinking about what Clockwork just said, “I don’t…I don’t follow.” 

“For a very long time…there was a recurring theme in the timelines I watched that had you and Vlad as part of their world. Do you know what it was?” 

Danny shook his head, still glancing around the void before he looked back at Clockwork and waited, “In every single one, you and Vlad never ended up together.” 

Danny made a face, a brow rising as he asked, “What do you mean? You said before that I usually end up with Sam, Vlad, or…you.”  

“Yes, now, there are timelines where Vlad is one of the possibilities, but it wasn’t until your specific timeline reached this point that other timelines with the same outcome were created. Before this timeline, you don’t end up together at all. Friends, lovers, mentor, and protege… in every timeline, you two remain at odds and never come to any semblance of understanding or acceptance.” 

“None of them?” Danny asked in surprise, watching as portals began to appear in the void, featuring different versions of Vlad and Danny fighting, standing against each other, and in some cases, leading to all-out wars. 

“Holy shit–” Danny whispered, watching as one portal depicted a Vlad that was spliced with some kind of alien tech going up against a Danny that looked like he was straight out of an action movie. 

“I’ve gone back further than you would be able to comprehend, and forward to such a point I could not find an end. I checked every timeline, throughout all of existence…there was never a case of you two ever becoming more than enemies until this specific timeline took place.” 

“So… our timeline… is an anomaly. It’s different from all the others?” 

Clockwork nodded, only to turn away from the portals and move closer, looking down with an expression the young Halfa couldn’t quite read, a hand coming up to cup his chin, “I did this because you and Vlad were causing chaos in the Ghost Zone and as a keeper and protector of the Zone I had to do something to end the violence and destruction. That being said, should I be honest…this was inevitable. I saw an opportunity to ensure your happiness, and I took it. All I needed was for Eros to confirm you two were compatible. Once that was done, my view of time broadened, though I couldn’t see the far distance right away. I knew something was coming. That’s when it occurred to me… your timeline had the possibility of becoming the center of a huge crossroads. If I had not taken the actions I did…if I had chosen to turn the other ghosts away and had not summoned Eros… your timeline wouldn’t have splintered into others. Thus, allowing for even more possibilities.” 

Danny reached up, cupping the back of Clockwork's hand as he met the ghost’s eyes, “I feel like I should be mad, but… I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t grateful.” Danny managed, eyes softening as he accepted the Ancient’s gentle touch. 

Clockwork pulled his hand away, looking to the portals as he said, “When a timeline fractures, it can spread certain moments of great importance through the rest, like a seed sprouting and slowly growing and expanding until it is a beautiful tree. A specific event precedes the birth of all these new timelines. Care to guess what that event is?” 

Danny thought about it a moment before he said, “An Anomylous.” 

Clockwork nodded, “Correct again.” 

The silence between them was soft, a tender moment of friendship and understanding as the pair stood in the void, simply existing together. It was only after several long moments of silence that Danny felt something shift, and he panicked a little as Clockwork joined their cores. 

“Nygk–”  Danny’s eyes shut tight, experiencing something so different he couldn’t put it into words. This wasn’t anything like sharing his core with Vlad. It wasn’t just emotions, thoughts, and feelings. It was whole experiences, visions, and complex understandings that were beyond his view. Time, existence, and creation… images of the distant future, the ancient past, the present, and all the people who existed in it….fraying strands of light that wound their way through oblivion, one stretching on and infinite lines pouring off it like water from a watering can. 

“W-what….wait…it’s too much…C-Clock…w-work–” Danny began to fade, his core and his brain feeling like they might explode, yet his vision started to go dark and then– he was returned, Clockwork pulling back his core and waiting. 

Danny gasped for air, falling to his knees as a hand came over his chest and fisted at his shirt, “What… the hell…was….that?” he managed, still heaving in breaths as he tried to process what he had just experienced. 

“I wanted you to understand.” Clockwork offered as Danny stood on shaky legs, looking up at him and rubbing at his aching head, “Understand what? That I don’t understand anything? Holy hell.” 

“Me.” Clockwork said softly, and Danny calmed, looking back at the time spirit and waiting, “It is important that you understand… me. Time…as a whole…is not your enemy… even as you age and grow older and eventually pass away…time escorts you through your life, time is your friend…and time will continue long after you’ve gone. Even then, look–” Clockwork motioned back to the portals, the one in the middle showing Danny's current timeline, he and Vlad sitting under a tree and looking out over the countryside of France. 

From that portal, hundreds of others began to form, showing hundreds of other Vlads and Dannys, all of them together in some way, no longer fighting, no longer at war, but existing together through time. Friends, lovers, mentor and protege, smiling, crying, reaching for each other en masse, dwarfing the previous timelines and their violent anger in size and scope, as they seemed to keep expanding outwards, forever and into infinity. 

Danny was shocked, utterly stunned. “You mean…our timeline, this one that Vlad and I reside in…caused all of this?” 

Clockwork smiled softly, “All because Eros hit Vlad with his Pheromone…and not you.” Danny slowly turned to look at the time spirit, too perplexed to speak. “So tell me, Daniel, in the grand scheme of things, is a long-winded and stressful fight with your family over your own life choices so terrible compared to what you helped me to create?”

“I…helped you create this? All of these timelines, all of this…happiness?” Danny looked back at the portals, still expanding, still stemming off from his as if he were the root and they were the branches, leaves, and flowers of some massive tree.  

“That’s why you couldn’t see the outcome, that’s why this timeline was Anomylous, you knew it was a center point for other timelines to branch off of. You knew this would happen, you just didn’t know what would come after, not until it did….uhg, I’m so confused.” 

“You are correct, because your timeline had an Anomylous and was also a fracture point. I could not see the outcome or what timelines would result from it. But, in the end, if you think about it, all the choices you made in your timeline were good enough to create a fracture that allowed so many others to be happy as well.” 

Danny winced, his head pounding and his core sputtering and fluctuating. 

“Time is confusing. Especially when you try to look too closely, always watch it from above, see all the twists and turns it can take…and when you have that split second where you don’t know what’s coming…you have to guide it down the correct path.” 

At that moment, Danny realized something, “Why... are you teaching me all of this? I don’t understand. One minute it’s one way and I think I understand, the next it’s another way and not at all what you told me before…why are you trying to teach me how to understand all this?”

Danny waited, but the time spirit said nothing, continuing to look at all the portals being created and the strands of light that connected them all back to the original portal, with a soft smile on his face. 

“Clockwork?” Danny called softly, and the time spirit finally looked at him, “Come, Daniel, it’s time to return you to your timeline. You have many other timelines depending on you to continue your journey.” 

“I…wait, what? No, answer my question, don’t just brush me off. Hey, stop that…don’t send me back yet–” Danny was suddenly falling, turning to see Clockwork fading away in the dark before his back slammed onto the table in Vlad’s dining room, time restarting as everyone looked at him in shock, “What the hell?” Sam said, standing and trying to get a better look at him. 

“Whoa, dude, how’d you get there, weren’t you over–” Tucker started, only for Danny to give a terse and sharp, “Clockwork.” 

“OoooOhhhhh–” Sam and Tucker said, sitting back down calmly as they both took some popcorn and threw it into their mouths. 

“Danny! Oh, honey, are you okay?” his mother asked, pulling away from Vlad, who looked just as confused as his father, who also came to the side of the table and leaned over him. 

“Yeah, fine…just had my brain scrambled by the spirit of time.” 

“By who?” Jack asked with confusion as Eros stood, “Oh! Was Clocky here!? No way, did he actually freeze me! He promised not to do that anymore! I’m a Ghostly God, not some basic human!” and Eros pouted back in his chair only to see Jacob giving him an odd look to which he amended, “You’re not basic, just them, they are basic.” 

“Hey guys, I’m calling a timeout. How about we all go to bed, get some sleep, and reconvene tomorrow? I…I need to rest.” Danny said, raising a shaky hand to his face before his body suddenly turned intangible and slowly slid down through the table. 

“What the!? Oh crap!” and Danny nearly fell through the floor before he felt Vlad’s core swirl around his own and stabilize him. He crawled out from the table, and Vlad helped him to stand. 

Danny reached for Vlad, the older man moving closer to take his hand, “Holy crap, Vlad…Clockwork messed me up…I can’t…I can’t… My core is unstable. I need…you to…” Danny suddenly fell sideways, but Vlad scooped him up and looked at the group, “I agree. We will continue this discussion tomorrow. Eros, please inform Daniel’s parents about the effects of an exhausted core, as well as Clockwork’s infuriating ability to freeze time.” 

“Why can’t you tell us?” Jack barked, seemingly more concerned about Vlad leaving with his comatose son than what had just occurred. 

Vlad turned sharply, saying with venom, “I am the only other Halfa in existence; he needs me to stabilize his core. None of you can help him. I suggest you return to your rooms and get some sleep. We will meet in the morning for breakfast and a complete rundown of the events this past month.” 

He didn’t wait for Jack or Maddie to say anything else, simply taking off from the floor and phasing up through the ceiling, heading for their room so he could take care of his companion. 

“Stabilize his core? Is Danny in trouble?” his mother asked, looking at her daughter as well as Sam and Tucker. The darkly clad woman was the first to speak, “No, he’s fine. Technically, any ghost could help Danny stabilize his core, but since Danny and Vlad are bonded, Vlad will have the easiest time getting it to do whatever it needs to do.” 

“Bonded? What the heck does that mean?” Jack asked, rubbing at his head as he continued to stare at the ceiling where Vlad had disappeared. 

“Uh, it’s complicated.” Jazz offered only to look down the table at Eros, who gave a somewhat surprised look before saying, “Uh…when Ghosts bond their cores, they are bonded for life…well…afterlife…essentially, bonding a core is the Ghostly equivalent of marriage.” 

“Marriage!?” Maddie and Jack cried at the same time, only for the young adults to wince, Jacob looking at Eros regretfully as he said, “So…since I don’t have a core… we can’t…bond?” 

Eros gave him such a sweet smile as he took Jacob’s hand and said softly, “Don’t worry. We may not be able to partake in the Ghostly equivalence of marriage, but…we can do the human kind…oh wait…we already did!” The pair giggled softly, like schoolkids. Tucker rolled his eyes, “Get a room,” launching popcorn at the pair who batted it away playfully. 

“This is all happening so fast!” Maddie stressed, looking at her husband, whose angry eyes continued to stare at the ceiling, as none of the group remembered, even for a moment, the three individuals tied up in the corner of the room, wide awake and waiting patiently. 

Page Break 

Danny woke up in a groggy haze, feeling his body being placed on a bed as Vlad looked down over him with a worried expression. “V-vlad? What’s going on? Where is everyone? 

Though Danny remembered exactly what had happened, he couldn’t quite process it. Vlad pressed his hand to Danny’s chest, and their cores touched, making Danny wince at the sudden pain of it. He helped stabilize the energies and return Danny’s core closer to its usual hum, though it still wasn’t quite right. 

“Daniel? You’re core. It feels strange. What happened while we were all frozen?” Vlad questioned, and Danny could do nothing but let his head fall back as he sighed loudly. 

“I don’t even know. But I do know that you and I…are meant to be,” he murmured, unsure how to begin to explain what had just happened or what he had just experienced. It was a lot to process, and he wasn’t sure Vlad would appreciate Clockwork sharing his core with Danny. Then again, since the Pheromone was out of his system, at least he wouldn’t melt down into a full-blown jealous rage. It would be easier to manage now, though he was sure Vlad wouldn’t like it any more than he had when he was doped to high heaven. 

“Look, I uh…apparently there was a reason for all of this, beyond our actions in the ghost zone and beyond our own petty issues. We just created a massive tree filled with happy Vlads and Dannys, and Clockwork was pretty happy about it. So happy, in fact, he gave me a tour of his own core, and it completely scrambled my brain.” 

“Clockwork…the ancient….shared his core with you?” Vlad asked in a rather annoyed tone, and Danny managed to give a slow nod. 

“Uh-huh…and it was brutal…and confusing and way too much to take in or process. But god damn if it wasn’t one of the most incredible experiences. Honestly, it will probably take a few days for my head and my core to feel normal again, but I’m thinking it was worth it.” 

“How so?” Vlad asked Danny, hearing the slightly bitter tone in his voice, though it only made him smile, "Have you ever experienced an Ancient’s core?” Danny asked with a small laugh, and Vlad sucked air through his teeth. “Can’t say I have.” “

“Well, it’s pretty intense. Needless to say, I don’t think I'll ever understand it, but I do want to try to unpack all the crap I saw.” 

“Go ahead, I am all ears. In fact, go back, Daniel, explain…the tree thing?” Vlad questioned softly, still looking him over and giving a rather unpleased expression as he tried to see if Clockwork may have done anything remotely uncouth. 

“Will you relax, fruitloop? Nothing crazy happened. It was all above board, I mean, aside from experiencing an ancient core…he didn’t, like, make a pass at me or try to lure me away from you. He was trying to explain why this all happened, why he did what he did, and honestly, I can't say I blame him.”

Vlad scoffed, “Maybe you had better try to fill me in,” Vlad pressed, and so Danny, still resting on the bed with Vlad sitting beside him and all ears, began to explain everything Clockwork had shared with him. 

No matter how hard he tried, Danny couldn’t explain it fully; it was still too complex a situation for his own mind to grasp, but he understood the basics and came to the conclusion that, essentially, their timeline was a splintering point for other timelines. 

Once Vlad and Danny had reached a certain point and simply accepted what was going on and what might happen to them, it allowed the timeline to shatter, and from that shattering, other timelines were created, splintering off and creating worlds where Vlad and Danny were able to find happiness in each other.

“So…prior to us… None of the other timelines ever had you and me ending up together. We were always enemies. Our timeline served as a catalyst for creating additional timelines, similar to our own. The birth of an unlimited number of realities. It’s really cool but also kind of insane.” 

“So…you mean…there are other timelines where…we are happy together? Where we get to be together?” Vlad asked in that light tone of his, the one Danny had come to recognize as Vlad's natural voice, meaning he was calm and open. 

“Mhmm,” Danny said with a tired yawn as he closed his eyes and rolled onto his side, meeting Vlad’s soft gaze as the man was now lying down next to him, the pair staring at each other calmly. 

“It’s kind of a weird feeling, but…for some reason…I feel really fucking happy about it and… kind of proud. Like we somehow led by example, even though none of the other timelines know we exist. I can’t explain it.” 

“I think I understand. Like we paved the way to some better future for all of the other Vlads and Daniels.” Vlad offered, sounding only slightly proud of himself. 

“Yeah. Exactly. Because we were able to make it work, they have a chance to make it work too–” Danny sat up in excitement, his hands reaching wide for the ceiling as he continued “–And you should have seen how many good timelines there were versus the bad ones! It was crazy!” 

Vlad was silent for a moment as Danny plopped back down and smiled brightly, his eyes alight with hope and satisfaction, “Did we make it work?” Vlad asked softly, his voice filled with trepidation. 

“What do you mean?” Danny asked, turning his head to look at the older man and raising a brow.

“Well, considering how well our conversation with your parents just went….I’m not so sure you won’t buckle under the pressure. Not to say you won’t try. I know you will… but… if your father forbade it–”
 

“What? Hey, come on, they can’t forbid me from doing anything. I’m eighteen. Sure, some people will see us together and think this is a weird, unhealthy thing, but they only see us as human beings. They won’t know I could kick your ass. The power imbalance normal people might see isn’t real to us.” 

Vlad pondered that for only a moment before he offered softly, “It’s real to them. They will see a middle-aged man with an eighteen-year-old and assume I use my age and experience, and money to keep you dependent on me. No doubt, your parents might see it that way as well, no matter what we tell them.” 

“But we know that’s not true. I could break up with you at any point, and you could dump my sorry ass next week. We can each choose to stay or go, and neither of us could make the other–” 

“Are you so sure?” Vlad asked. 

Danny eyed him nervously, “What are you trying to get at, Fruitloop?” 

Vlad sat up, holding out a hand which Danny took, and Vlad pulled him up before asking in a somber tone, “What if your father decides he disapproves and he will not support this. If you had to choose between staying with me…or leaving me in order to maintain your relationship with your father…what would you choose?” 

Danny stared at him, pale blue eyes wide as he asked in a nervous voice, “Why…are you asking me this? That’s an impossible decision.” 

“One you might have to make,” Vlad said, and Danny’s worried face turned to one of amusement as he said, “Turnabout is fair play. If I had to make that choice and I chose my dad, would you let me go?” 

Danny expected Vlad to be conflicted; he expected the man to see Danny’s point. These what-ifs Vlad kept bringing up were impossible to choose until you were in the moment. Danny was trying to say “we-will-cross-that-bridge-when-we-get-there,” but to his shock, Vlad’s slender brow went up as his half-lidded eyes studied him with little concern, leaning closer as he said near instantly, “No.” 

“What?” Danny asked, and he felt Vlad’s hand gently grab him by the throat as he said with calm confidence, “No. I would not let you go.” 

Danny’s body instantly reacted to Vlad’s hand around his throat and the man’s stern tone, cheeks flushing, arousal swirling in his stomach as his length twitched. Vlad pressed him down to the mattress and took up his lips. 

The man kissed him deeply, passionately, and with little reserve for their conversation, Danny’s body igniting instantly as the hand on his throat tightened and his face grew warmer. Excitement swirled, and his core swelled as he slid much too easily into his role as Vlad’s submissive. Like the man had simply activated something inside of him he couldn’t control. 

He didn’t know how else to explain it, didn’t know why he accepted it either, but this was all too familiar, reminding Danny of their previous wicked nights together. His mind suddenly hoped Vlad had rope nearby and some easy-to-access toys.  

When Vlad pulled away, he shifted, coming to straddle Danny’s legs, still gripping tight at the younger man’s throat as he pressed fingers from his other hand into Danny’s mouth. They caressed his tongue, felt along his gums, and Danny’s saliva nearly doubled as he breathed around Vlad’s exploring fingers. 

Vlad hummed darkly, sapphire eyes looking down at the younger man with a sort of obsessive desire, “I must admit…you’ve adjusted to my desires and sexual proclivities well, look at how obedient you’re being for me–” Danny let off a soft moan, eyes watering from the fingers sliding deeper into his mouth. 

“Given you want to make some argument about needing to be in the moment to know what you would do…I wonder…would these feelings…be enough to make you stay?” 

Danny couldn’t respond, feeling Vlad slide two fingers further down in a slow and sinful manner, Danny instantly obeying the man’s whims and relaxing his throat. When Vlad withdrew his hand, he watched Danny gasp for air and lick his lips, pale blue eyes hazy as his body shot into arousal near instantly at Vlad’s aggressive touch. 

He pressed his hand up under Danny’s shirt, pinching a nipple painfully tight, which made Danny’s back arch as he whined and his hands fisted the bedding below him. 

“The conversation we were having long gone, your body ready for me at the slightest hint of possibility…and you dare tell me you don’t have an answer to the simplest of questions.” 

“Q-Question? What…question?” Danny asked, his voice sounding far away as he felt Vlad’s hand on his throat tighten again, making him moan. 

Vlad leaned down, his lips grazing Danny’s as he asked darkly, “Who would you choose, Little Badger? If you had to. Him…or me?” 

Danny’s length was hard, Vlad’s weight pressing down on it as he leaned close and waited. Danny was ashamed to admit it, but he was near gone. It had been a minute since he and Vlad had really played hard. And Vlad was not wrong to say Danny’s body was so accustomed to it that even the slightest hint of domination set him on fire. 

Vlad had introduced him to the lifestyle slowly, but it had taken root deeply within him, holding him tightly at bay. In that moment, as his body was on fire and he wanted Vlad to press into him, he also knew that his earlier talk about power imbalances had not been entirely accurate. 

Danny could, in fact, beat the shit out of Vlad, and Vlad could, at a moment’s notice, disappear and throw Danny over if he got bored or tired of their relationship. But the one thing he had not wanted to admit was that, in regard to sex, Vlad held more power, more knowledge, and vastly more control. 

While it was the Sub who gave control of their body to their Dom, and could take that control away at any time, Danny had to want to take back control, and at the moment, Danny had no desire to deny Vlad anything. 

Danny realized that Vlad was betting on the fact that he would not want to lose this dynamic, specifically. Vlad was betting on the fact that no one could replace him in this particular role, nor could Danny walk away from his role in this specific relationship. The Dominant position Vlad coveted over him, and the Submissive role Danny had so willingly and eagerly fallen into had become the power imbalance that could, at a moment's notice, create something toxic within their relationship if both of them weren’t exceedingly careful. Not because BDSM was inherently toxic, in the grand scheme of things, if done correctly, BDSM was all about trust, communication, and sharing mutual experiences and desires. But between them, as a pair, Danny Phantom and Vlad Plasmius, it could very easily become polluted, and both of them seemed to realize it at this moment. 

Vlad had been Danny’s first, as well as the one who had introduced him to the very version of sex Danny could not get enough of. Yet, even as Danny realized how suddenly helpless he’d become, his mind argued that though Vlad might try to sway him towards faithful obedience, Danny felt he could retain his control, so, as if to prove it to himself, he grabbed onto Vlad’s upper arm as he asked softly, in the sweetest voice he could muster, “Vlad, I need you inside of me–” 

Vlad’s sharp eyes softened a little, the quiet plea from his companion causing his own cheeks to grow red, as the hand on Danny’s throat lessened considerably—another shift in power, another possible outcome, and another potential change in the dynamic. 

“Is that... what you want?” Vlad asked gently, leaning in to kiss the younger man softly, Danny’s hand sliding up Vlad’s neck and making the man shiver as he pulled back and asked sweetly, “Please fuck me, I need you inside of me…” 

“You’re trying to distract me from my question–” Vlad argued, fingers tracing over Danny’s brow as his eyes softened even more. Vlad’s heated domination from moments ago faded the instant Danny had requested sex, the younger man gently taking control and guiding Vlad away from the darker water he’d been wading into. 

“Don’t you want me? I want you–” Danny whispered, his own fingers dancing across Vlad’s collarbone, and the older man shivered, seemingly unaware of the shift in power, of Danny’s ability to take back what Vlad was trying to steal. 

Vlad abandoned Danny’s throat and began removing his clothes, Danny yanking at his t-shirt and sitting up to wrap himself around Vlad’s torso, mouth latching onto one of Vlad’s nipples and licking gently. 

“Wicked–” Vlad hissed as he fisted Danny’s hair and yanked his head back, “No,” he warned, Danny smiling up at him mischievously, “I’ll do it if I want to,” Danny challenged, knowing full well that with one simple little comment, he’d opened the door to being punished brutally. 

Vlad shoved his head down onto the bed, shifting his body to turn Danny over before he yanked the young man’s pants down and lined up his length. 

Vlad may be back to his old self, but I don’t think he realizes how much he wants to let go of the past, or how willing he is to give me what I want. He’s betting everything he has on the fact that I won’t want to walk away from the sex… but he is underestimating himself, underestimating how hard it would be for me to walk away from him due to love… this– Vlad pressed into Danny’s body firmly and Danny groaned loudly– is just a bonus… he can’t control me through sex… but at the moment… he…AH! Doesn’t need to– AH! -know that. 

Danny bit his bottom lip, keeping his desire to shout loudly with each hard thrust under control. He didn’t want his parents to hear them, though Vlad was hardly going easy on him. Each slam of the man’s hips against his backside made Danny wince, his length hardening as precum dripped. 

“Harder, Vlad, please… harder,” Danny whispered, his hands digging into the bedding, his body filled with fire and lustful desire. His core burst forth, swirling around Vlad’s tightly, and the man’s core opened, their energies flowing back and forth, Danny’s eyes wide, pupils blown as he was overwhelmed. 

“Holy…fuuuu-” a hand came over his mouth as Vlad thrust harder, each sharp smack of Vlad’s hips making Danny jerk, the man’s free hand gripping his length at the base and stopping Danny’s rise. 

Vlad removed his hand from Danny’s mouth, whispering darkly, “Perhaps… I won’t let you cum, you insolent little brat.”  

“No…please… I need to… let me cum!” Danny begged, his arousal growing from Vlad’s threat of denial. 

“I love hearing you beg, Little Badger, it’s so sickly sweet.”

Danny could only muster a weak moan, face turning to press into the bed as he felt the man behind him dig deep and ride him hard. Each stroke shunting pleasure through his body, his rise having stalled as Vlad gripped the base of his length tightly. 

Yet, even if he didn’t cum, even if Vlad denied him, his desires didn’t waver; the satisfaction he’d feel at hearing Vlad cum, at feeling the man release inside him, would be enough to sate his wants. Danny felt that wicked nature rise in him, body jerking as he turned his head and whispered out a choked, “Use me.” 

The sound of a harsh shudder met his ears, and to his surprise, Vlad came, Danny’s face burning red as he realized that that one demand had sent Vlad over, turning what would usually be an hour or so of sex into a quickie. 

Danny’s eyes stared weakly at the wall, Vlad’s hands abandoning everything to grab his wrists and yank them behind his back. Vlad’s length twitched and pulsed hard inside of him, “Fill me.” Danny moaned, and those delicious hips smacked against his harder, the man’s length pushing much too deep as he released.  

I have more control over Vlad than he realizes… Danny thought, knowing truly that while Vlad had denied him release, Danny had pushed the man to cum by simply saying two words. 

Danny waited for Vlad to finish, his own arousal burning hot, yet he felt gratified and soothed by Vlad’s pleasure. His wrists were released, and Vlad’s shaky hands came to rest on Danny’s hips, rubbing gently, Vlad’s soft pants of breath meeting Danny’s ears. 

Danny leaned forward, feeling Vlad’s spent length slide out of him, and he turned, lying on his back and reaching arms out, Vlad’s tired eyes settling on him before he moved forward, laying down next to the younger man, and Danny wrapped around around him, fingers running through sweaty silver hair as Vlad’s cheek pressed to Danny’s chest. 

This was also not a first, though it was rare that Vlad was the “little spoon.” It had happened before, and despite Vlad’s desire to dominate, Danny confirmed that the man also had a desire to be cared for. Not that it was a new revelation, but it was something Danny could work with to ease the man away from those darker thoughts, possibly. 

It’s a long shot, but anything I have to keep Vlad grounded and away from the thoughts that might push him towards acting like an idiot, I need to use. 

Danny continued to stroke his hand through the man’s hair, “You use me so good,” he praised softly, curious to see how Vlad would respond. 

He saw Vlad shiver a little, the man’s hand sliding across his stomach, nails gently scratching at his skin. Danny smirked and said, “I can’t imagine anyone else fucking me like you do.” Danny’s sincerity wrapped around his words like a blanket, truth in every word, and Vlad finally glanced up at him, “And no one ever will.” 

“Yes, sir.” Danny said, not even hesitating, and Vlad’s expression floated down into something much too gentle, much too lovingly emotional, his body shifting up so he could kiss Danny sweetly, a hand gliding up Danny’s side as Vlad whispered against his lips, “Tell me you love me.” 

“I love you.” 

“Tell me you crave me…” Vlad’s eyes fluttering closed, hand coming up to cup Danny’s jaw as he nestled his face closer, “I do, I crave you, so much… your taste, touch, your smell… I need you.” Danny whispered, giving the man what he wanted, feeling the truth of his words resonate as Vlad whimpered, “You love it when I fuck you, don’t you?” 

“God yes–” Danny murmured, kissing Vlad's jaw and cheek, his hands exploring the man’s body softly, “And you’ll never leave me.” Vlad ordered, though it was such a soft thing it could almost carry itself as a request, and Danny smirked, “Never.” 

Vlad settled back down, the side of his face now resting on Danny’s shoulder, body pressed against the younger man as his arm pulled him closer, and Vlad let out a soft sigh. 

Danny returned to running his soothing fingers through the man’s hair, a soft smile on his face, as Vlad’s body gradually relaxed, and then he drifted off into sleep. 

He’s a fucking kitten– Danny mused, chuckling softly as his own body relaxed and eased itself down into sleep. The pair remained close, wrapped in each other's arms in a loving and protective embrace. 

What could have turned into an argument had been thoroughly squashed by Danny’s much too powerful ability to see through Vlad’s bullshit. As the night progressed, one of them eventually woke up long enough to pull a blanket over them, and someone else had turned off the lights, sleep only letting them go long enough to make things more comfortable. 

They nestled too close, like a mated pair unwilling to sleep apart, and sometime around three or four in the morning, the door to their room cracked open. 

No one entered, but soft light poured in from the hall, barely illuminating the pair wrapped in a soothing and comfortable cocoon, Jack’s blue eyes taking them in, as they curled around each other in a silent and restful sleep. The door closed again after a long moment of silence, and the Halfa’s remained unaware of the early morning visitor. 

Jack Fenton walked away from the bedroom, his mind so conflicted, his emotions so much more complicated than he was used to. Jack was a straightforward man; nothing had to be hard because if you allowed life to carry you along, you’d eventually reach the right destination. 

It was a philosophy he’d acquired from a young age: Life was like a big river, constantly flowing and carrying you to new places and new experiences. You didn’t fight the flow of life because going with the flow was much easier. This philosophy was only effective in certain situations, particularly for the day-to-day existence of people. For bigger life events and emergencies, sometimes you had to fight the flow of life’s current, but even in those moments of resistance, it was only for a short time, because no matter how hard you fought, life would eventually pull you forward. 

Jack stood outside the bedroom, staring at the door as he wrestled with the flow of life, finding himself at the event horizon of a significant moment in his family's life, revelations coming that had made Jack step into the sandy bottom of life’s flowing river. 

Now, standing there, in some metaphorical moment of frozen terror, he watched others flow by him, watching as things from his life gently moved beyond his view. Memories of his children, so young and innocent, Jasmine’s first book report, Danny’s first soccer game, Maddie presenting him with the plans for the Fenton RV… snapshots of his life, moments frozen in the gentle rippling waters of pride, love, and devotion. 

He had always hoped he’d be a good father if he ever got the chance, had hoped he could protect and care for a family if the river of life ever granted him one… he stood now in the river he’d willingly flowed down his whole life, inflatable tube popped, feet stuck in the soggy bottom, eyes wide as he watched things flow past him and out of sight. 

Plans he’d made, trips he still wanted to go on, experiences he’d thought they’d share… but something rested downriver, something waiting that was beginning to pull those items from the water, removing them from the flow; there was a net, catching things that he’d hoped to enjoy at his leisure while still floating downstream. 

Within him, for the first time in his life, he wanted to fight the flow, turn around and push against the currents, grab at items floating nearby and hold them to his chest, gather everything so as not to lose a single one of them. 

But Jack, despite what some people thought, was not stupid, and he knew he could not fight the current, knew he could not hold on to everything he wanted to save. He crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and visualized the river, with warm, red canyon walls rising on either side, the water crystal clear and gently urging him forward. It pressed against his lower back, threatening rapids if he didn’t move. 

Despite the conflict inside of him, he remained calm, his heart a steady beat, stomach swirling but not yet making him sick, adrenaline from earlier in the night finally settling, and he looked further down, trying to see what was coming, trying to see the net he knew was waiting, gathering up his ideas, expectations, and future dreams steadily. 

He knew, eventually, the river would part, him and Maddie floating down one arm, Jasmine and Danny floating down their own, but he hadn’t expected Danny to have someone with him, not this early, not this soon… and the person with him… 

Vlad, why… Did you do this? How could you do this? You… should have known better. 

Jack imagined himself walking down the river, slow and steady, no longer allowing life to carry him but actively moving forward, still not reaching for those things traveling past him but keeping an eye on them, waiting for the net he knew was there to appear. 

He rounded a bend, taking a deep, slow breath in through his nose, letting it out equally as slow, and in his mind’s eye, he saw Maddie floating off to the left, waving at him as her bright teal float effortlessly glided down the arm of the river they would travel together until they couldn’t anymore. 

His sharp blue eyes glanced to the middle arm, Jasmine waving goodbye as her lavender float carried her further away, but still in his sight, though she was surrounded by all the things she held important, including pictures of her family. 

Finally, though reluctantly so, his blue eyes flicked to the furthest right arm of the river, where he saw Danny standing in the depths, the water up to his chest, still and staring at him with a soft smile. 

Jack wanted to reach for him, hand fisting and body tense, but he waited, watching as a net slowly rose from the water, cutting off Danny’s arm of the river and stopping Jack from following, items getting stuck in the ropes, and Jack watched as a shadow fell over his son. Vlad stood on the rocks nearby, taking a knee to reach out a hand. Danny took it without a thought for the consequences, without considering his family, and without realizing what he was doing. 

Vlad carefully pulled him from the water, the pair smiling at each other before he placed a hand on Danny’s shoulder and guided him away from the river, around a large outcropping of rocks, and far from Jack’s sight. 

Slowly, Jack approached the net, a hand sliding fingers over the taught rope, giving an experimental tug, eyes flicking to every edge, mind churning on if he could lower the net without causing damage to the surrounding wilderness. 

Finally, his eyes fell to the spot where Danny had disappeared, willing his son back, but when he did not see any sign of Danny’s return, his hand dropped, anger starting to boil. A conversation he’d had earlier in the night with Maddie, once they had returned to their room, came to him. 

“We can’t force Danny away from Vlad, Jack. If you push, he could cut us out entirely. You know how stubborn he can be. It would be better to let this weird thing between them run its course.” 

Jack grunted, sitting on the bed in silence, mind violently churning, heart breaking a little as he tried not to think about what Vlad had done. 

“Jack, please, try to calm down before morning. Maybe it won’t be as bad when they explain– 

“Nothing to explain. Vlad violated our trust… and Danny will be the one who pays the price.” 

“You don’t know that.” 

Jack had glared at her, expression angry, “I do. And you do too.” he had stood and walked away, not in anger, but so that his wife could try to relax and get some sleep. 

Jack’s brow furrowed as he was pulled back to the net, eyes wide as Danny suddenly stood on the other side, fingers gripping at the cords of rope, “I… can lower the net if… You’ll let me.” 

“I didn’t put this thing up; you did. Son, lower the net.”

“I can’t… not until I know it’s safe.” 

“You’ve always been safe with me.” 

“I know… but now… am I now?” 

“Yes.” 

“Am I?” 

Jack’s eyes opened, returning to the ornate door that stood between him and his son like a sentinel guard, solid, quiet, but so very large and foreboding.

I… don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to handle this… I don’t know… I don’t know. 

He walked back over to the door, large hand resting on the cool wood, fighting with himself again, resisting the flow of the river, trying to come to terms with the possibility of letting his son live his life or trying to pull him back from a choice he had clearly and actively made. 

Jack recalled something his father said to him once, his mind taking another journey, back further than he’d gone in a long time, near the start of the river: It’s a curve ball, son. They’re hard to hit; sometimes you don’t even see them coming, you miss the dip, and then swing only to feel empty air. But… with enough practice, with a sharp enough eye, a clear mind and a steady heart… You can see the curve before it starts to take shape and hit it clear out of the park. Always be ready for the curve balls, because when you do connect, they fly the furthest. 

Jack let out a long, slow sigh, steadied his heart again, calming his mind, feeling the gentle flow of the river pushing him forward, and he finally made a decision. In the quiet early morning hours, everyone in the house asleep aside from him,  he made the choice. He grabbed the handle, opened the door, and walked inside. 

He steeled himself from the clear evidence of intimacy, clothes on the floor, the pair wrapped up, and his hand grabbed the pair of black slacks. He crossed to the bed, a large hand coming over Vlad’s mouth, and the man woke, dark blue eyes meeting his as Jack held a finger to his mouth before tossing the man’s pants at him and motioning for him to follow. 

He waited by the open door, arms crossed and gaze hard. Vlad sat in the bed, face just as hard, eyes just as sharp, pants gripped in his hand, and as he turned and got out of bed, his nudity was a purposeful slap to Jack’s existence. He slid into his pants and then grabbed up his white button-down, sliding it on but not bothering to button it. 

Vlad adjusted the blankets over Danny before giving a soft kiss to his head, and then turned, silently following Jack out, the bigger man quietly closing the door. 

Vlad went to speak, but Jack simply shook his head, walking away, and expecting Vlad to follow, and reluctantly, the shorter man did. Jack led Vlad through the house, managing to recall the balcony where he and his son had spoken earlier in the night, and took Vlad there. 

Once outside, Jack closed the door behind them, and Vlad smirked, “Wanting to throw me over the edge? Don’t forget, Jack, I can fly.” 

Jack said nothing, leaning against the railing, arms crossed, and expression exceptionally focused and hard. Vlad’s smirk faded, his own expression darkening before he said, “What do you want, Jack. I’d like to return to bed before the sun comes up. I’m sure your wife would appreciate it if you did the same.” 

Jack’s jaw tightened before he spoke softly, “Is that what this is about?” 

Vlad raised a brow, “Whatever do you mean?” 

“Drop the bullshit, Vladdie. You know what I am asking, and I won’t ask again.” Jack said, and Vlad realized at this moment he was talking to a Jack he had not seen in a really long time. There were a handful of times Vlad could recall, the most recent had revolved around the death of a mutual friend from their college days. This Jack did not make an appearance very often, but when he did, Vlad was on guard.

“I know it would make you feel better, but no, my relationship with Daniel has nothing to do with your relationship with Maddie.” 

“Hard to believe, given you’ve spent the last four years trying to take her from me,” Jack mused. Vlad didn’t let it catch him off guard, didn’t show his surprise from the man’s bold comment, instead cocking his head to the side, “You’ve known the whole time and did nothing to stop it or stand against me, yet when I move on and find a different partner–” 

“Who happens to be my son,” Jack bit much too calmly, “You went from pursuing my wife of twenty-plus years to my eighteen-year-old son. Forgive me if I smell intent in your actions. Is that what changed? You came over and spent time with us at the beginning of the month, drank with us, begged Maddie to forgive you, claimed you wanted to forget the past and be our friend again… was it so that you could have access to Danny? Is that when you set your sights on him?” 

Vlad’s eyes widened, his heart actually fluttering a little in panic as he realized Jack was actually thinking, focusing, putting effort into his words. Vlad needed to be careful now, as Jack was an annoying pest that was barely a threat most days, but much like his son, when Jack applied his intelligence purposefully, he was not someone to mess with. 

“An astute observation, Jack. But, like most things, you figured it incredibly wrong. All of this was just a matter of happenstance. I had no goal; a relationship with Daniel had not even been a blip on my radar. I never sexualized your son prior to our relationship, nor did I plan this. Think what you want, but I am not the monster you imply. Though I will admit, I do love watching you squirm.” 

“Then what are your intentions towards my son?” Jack questioned, not rising to the bait of Vlad’s goading. 

Vlad’s brow raised, studying the man’s stern face, eyes exhausted but steady, and arms still crossed as he waited, “What do you mean? My intentions? We’re dating if that’s what you’re asking.” 

Jack’s eyes narrowed, a frown in place as he said much too calmly, “I’ll beat it out of you, Vladdie. So stop being a jerk and tell me the truth.” 

Vlad felt a shiver run over his body. Jack’s expression, tone, and the threat were so reminiscent of Daniel that he nearly couldn’t handle it. 

He sighed, turning away from Jack and moving over to the railing. “What do you want from me, Jack? Some horrible, cruel admittance of some dastardly plan? I’m too old and tired now for such things.” 

Jack stood, arms dropping as his fists clenched, “You’re the god damn Wisconsin Ghost. Don’t talk to me about being tired. I’ve realized who and what you are; I’ve known about your attempts to break apart my family, and now you're coming after my son. Danny is old enough to make his own decisions, but I don’t believe in all the choices he could make; you would be one of them.” 

Vlad turned then, eyes filled with spite, “Oh? Why is that? Because I’m unlovable? Unwanted? Too cruel? Pure chaos? Why choose to believe the truth of your own eyes when it’s easier to live in denial? Is that it?” 

“Maybe.” Jack admitted, but he continued before Vlad could interject, “Or maybe I don’t believe my son would willingly choose someone as cruel and sadistic as you for a partner. I’ve tried to reestablish our friendship and give you space within my family. I’ve allowed you to get away with things I’d never allow others to even think about. Because… You were my friend. My best friend. You… have always been family. But to find out… that you would do what you’ve done… even with all the bad blood supposedly between us… that you’d do what you’ve done… to me and Maddie… to our son–” 

Vlad bristled, turning to look at the man as he hissed out, “And what have I done to your son? Hm? Tell me, what is it you think I’ve done? What great act of violence or wicked crime… he’s eighteen. He’s an adult, and he chose me!” 

“Did he? Or did you just manage to get him alone? After all, those abused tend to abuse back, right?” Jack asked, and Vlad’s eyes once again grew, hands dropping to his sides, fists easing as Vlad felt his fingers go numb, his stomach twisting hard as he realized what Jack was asking. 

“You… you really think I would… You think I… groomed him. You think… I’m a–” Vlad felt anger swirl wickedly within him, his rings appearing as he transformed in front of Jack, his fangs growing long as red eyes burned, “You would do well to catch yourself, Jack. Before you find yourself a permanent resident of the Ghost Zone.”

Vlad was taken by surprise, though he was loath to admit it, when Jack moved fast, large hand grabbing Vlad by the throat and squeezing firm, “Yeah? Well, you’d do well to remember I am his father, and I’d be no less angry if it were Jasmine you were dating. He’s my child, I can’t make him do anything, not now that he’s a legal adult, but if I catch even a hint that there is something else at play other than true, naturally built feelings… I will stand in the way. You know how good I am at getting in the way, Vladdie.” 

Jack was not, by nature, a cruel person; in fact, he could be considered a very kind, caring, and compassionate individual. He would never go out of his way to hurt anyone, even if they did him wrong. The last four years were proof of that, as Jack allowed Vlad to get away with far too much, particularly in regards to both his wife and how Vlad treated Jack. But it seemed even Jack had limits, and those limits sat firm and protective around his children. Vlad would expect nothing less, and though there was a slight twist of giddy pleasure at seeing the man so thoroughly twisted up over this, Vlad’s fears were slowly coming to fruition. Vlad had known this would happen, that Jack might very well try to make Daniel choose. 

Vlad was under no illusion that Daniel would choose him over his family; however, he also knew, even if by some miracle Daniel did choose him, the loss of his family would eat at him, and over time, Vlad had no doubt, the pull of Daniel’s family would win out over Daniel’s love for Vlad. 

“Jack, I promise you, on the grounds of whatever true friendship we had when we were younger, I swear on my life, my mother’s life, and on the god damned moon, I did not groom your son, I did not plan this, and everything between Daniel and I is consensual and he can leave at anytime, without my person standing in the way.” 

It was an incredibly odd feeling, saying something so placating to the man, as if Vlad was scared, as if his fear of losing Daniel was outweighing his desire to twist the knife deeper. He could see it, the metaphorical knife sticking out of Jack’s back, piercing through his thick body and right through his heart. Vlad had spent years dreaming of the day he could shove that very knife in and twist, but now that it was there, for some reason, he could not bring himself to twist it. 

He had the opportunity in this moment to hurt Jack as badly as Jack had hurt him, to destroy him, to make him weep, but instead, all he did was offer a truth he hadn’t even realized was real. He’d told Daniel earlier that he wouldn’t let him go if Daniel chose his family over Vlad, but now, looking into Jack’s eyes, seeing his resolve, pain twisting in his own heart that Jack thought Vlad had groomed his son into some weird, poisonous relationship, something inside of him shifted hard. 

Instead of longing to hurt the man before him, his thirst grew to prove the man wrong, to prove to him that his intentions were pure, to show him that Daniel was in good hands, protected, loved, and cared for. He wanted to prove he was not like his father, or his uncle, that Jack’s suspicion of the abused becoming the abuser was not right. 

Looking into Jack’s eyes, gaze so hard and expression so foreign Vlad felt the words leave his lips before he could stop them, “Jack… I would never hurt Daniel. And… I didn’t pursue this. Daniel… pursued me… sort of. It’s… complicated. But… if you ask it of me… I will–” his mouth went dry, hands shaking as his rings appeared and he transformed back into his human form, eyes suddenly watering, “If you… ask it of me–” his heart twisted, pain and anguish washing through him, yet the words continued, “I will… let him go. I’ll end this… but please… let Daniel explain what happened, how this came about… before you ask me to abandon him… please… let us explain.” 

Jack’s eyes studied him hard, jumping all over his face, Jack focusing so hard Vlad felt his insides wilt, “I’ll… try,” Jack released him and Vlad let out a long slow sigh, adjusting his unbuttoned shirt, rubbing a hand across his throat and Jack finally turned away, moving to the railing and looking up into the sky. Vlad stood there, unsure whether he should leave or stay, his ability to simply walk away, as he’d grown so accustomed to doing, currently gone; his feet were rooted to the spot. 

“You know, Vladdie, in another world, another universe, maybe… if things had gone down differently in college… if we hadn’t lost our friendship… maybe… I’d be okay with this. Or maybe in every universe, I’d still want to kill you for even looking at my son. We’ll never know, and there is no point in thinking about it. But… consider this my final word on the matter, you and I… that ship has sailed. No matter what happens, no matter what Danny chooses, our friendship… It’s done. You’ve accomplished your goal… I’m in pain… and you’re the cause… and this twisted, toxic thing between us… It’s over. Don’t come to the house, don’t call or write, don’t mention me or my family ever, you’ve been disowned.” 

Jack turned and walked away, entering back into the house and closing the door behind him, leaving Vlad to stand on the balcony, eyes wide, lips parted, his body going numb, and the satisfaction he’d waited years to feel was nowhere in sight. He felt nothing. 

Vlad didn’t bother going back to sleep, and he remained on the balcony for a long time, staring out into the dark farmlands, looking up into the starry sky, and watching as a storm in the distance slowly made its way closer. Hints of lightning, a barely audible rumble of thunder, the faint smell of rain, and when the sun finally started to rise, he’d made a decision. 

He’d thought about the last month, then he’d thought about the last twenty years, and then he’d thought about his entire life. Decisions he’d made, the things he’d been through, the push and pull of his anger versus his desire for something more. His heart and mind were in constant battle; his head wanted to burn everything to the ground, while his heart begged him to try and reconnect, to try and connect with others and salvage what little happiness might be left. 

He thought about Daniel, about the last month, everything they had done and everything they had been through, memories of his father, his uncle, his mother, who he had been and who he was now, how he had felt when the Pheromone had been coursing through his body, how he’d willingly lost himself in the ability to feel anything other than anger and rage. The promises he’d secretly made to himself, the promises he’d made to Daniel. Recalling how he’d begged himself not to fuck this up, not to lose the one person who actually wanted him, not to let his selfish desires ruin the one good thing he’d managed to get… 

Now, as Jack’s words rang in his mind, as that brutal conversation played like a loop in his brain, everything he’d told himself, the promises he’d made, the sheer unbridled determination to not let Daniel go… the fire inside of him began to die… and something else took its place… like someone had taken out his core, removed something and then slid it back into his chest. 

Something had shifted hard, his desire for revenge, his raw rage and anger, his cravings for power and control… vanished. In a singular moment, his obsession seemed to cave in on itself, and all he could feel, the only desire he had, was to do the right thing. 

Returning inside, he went room by room, waking Danny’s friends, waking Jacob and Eros, and waking up Jasmine, asking them to meet him in the kitchen as soon as they were able. He then went down and prepared a large pot of coffee, setting out cream and sugar, a glass pitcher of orange juice, and several plates worth of pastries and toast. He began to make multiple helpings of bacon. 

By the time it was all ready the group had started to file in, and Vlad, suddenly feeling much too tired to perform or act like he was in control of his life, simply took a seat with his cup of coffee, expression somber as he said softly, “I have no true long term friends of my own, and thus, I am asking all of you… begging… I need… your help.. And I need… your advice.” 

The five looked at him, surprise and concern etched across their faces, Jacob speaking first as he said, “I never thought I’d see the day when Vlad Masters asked for help. I’m honored. What’s the plan this time?” 

Vlad shook his head softly, looking down into his coffee, “No plan, no schemes… I just need advice, and by the time this conversation is over, I want to ensure that the choice I make is the best possible one available. Daniel deserves no less.” 

That comment left the room in a dead silence, Sam speaking next after a long pause, “Alright, we’re listening and we will give you the best advice we can. What’s going on… Fruitloop.” 

Vlad glanced up at her at the use of Daniel’s preferred nickname, and for the first time ever, he gave the darkly clad woman a genuine but soft smile, “Thank you, Samantha.” 

Page Break 

Danny woke up to an empty bed and rain gently hitting the windows, a soft rumble of thunder pulling his sleepy gaze towards the glass. 

“Vlad?” he called softly, getting out of bed and starting to dress. He checked the bathroom but saw no sign of the man, running a quick brush through his hair before phasing down through the floor and carefully moving through the house. The workers were supposed to be back this morning to finish cleaning up the ballroom, though as he poked his head in and saw them working swiftly to finish what they’d left the night before, Vlad was nowhere in sight. 

He quickly headed to the kitchen, finding Vlad sitting at the island, coffee resting before him, face in his hands, Sam, Tucker, Jazz, Eros, and Jacob sitting or standing around the island, each with some sort of drink and food item. 

Danny floated down and appeared, “Morning, guys. Where’s mom and dad?” 

“Haven’t come down yet, should be down soon though, I heard them shuffling around in the room,” Jazz said, taking a sip of her coffee and pushing some of her orange hair out of her face as she did. 

Danny approached Vlad, pressing a kiss to the man’s cheek before noticing the dark circles under his eyes, and Danny’s brow furrowed, “Hey, Fruitloop, you okay? You look exhausted. Did you have trouble sleeping?” 

Vlad continued to stare down at his coffee, Danny sensing more than seeing an extraordinary lack of fire or emotions. 

“I’m fine,” Vlad murmured softly, not looking at him or returning the kiss, and Danny reached out his core, only to find a powerful and thick wall resting around it. 

“Vlad… your core… why are you blocking it from me?” Danny noticed Eros glance up at that, eyes jumping between the two but saying nothing, and Danny realized the entire group was quiet. He also noticed how they all sat particularly close to Vlad, as if he’d been sharing something with them prior to Danny’s arrival. Jacob’s hand was a shade too close to Vlad’s, as if the man had been holding it, as if he’d been trying to offer comfort. 

Danny looked to his friends, their eyes slightly sad, but otherwise unassuming, and Danny asked softly, “What’s going on?” 

No one said anything, Danny’s eyes sliding to Vlad, who sighed softly, “Daniel, we need to talk–” 

Danny’s heart suddenly pulsed hard, dread and adrenaline shooting through him, body going numb as his core reached out towards Vlad’s again, pushing at the barrier hard, as he realized Vlad was suddenly, out of the blue, for seemingly no reason, about to initiate a conversation he’d heard too many times before. 

Sam’s voice went silent over the phone before saying softly, “Danny, I think we need to talk– 

Valerie’s eyes softened, “Danny, I think you and I need to talk– 

Paulina was finally free of Kitty; she was no longer being possessed. “Danny, I think you are great, and super cute, but dating you would be social suicide– 

“No.” Danny said suddenly, Vlad glancing at him, his tired eyes sad, though he didn’t say anything, “No, we do not. We absolutely do not. Stop blocking your core, let me feel it.” 

“Danny, don’t freak out, Vlad just wants to–” Sam started, but Danny shook his head, “I know what he wants to do. I’ve heard that god damn line before, and it’s not going to happen. What the hell about last night, huh? Our little conversation about us? Huh? What about that, Vlad?” 

“I know Little Badger, but circumstances have come to light… and I thought… perhaps… if we wait a few years, until you are older–” 

Danny nearly saw red, fear and anxiety meshing into confusion as his brain short-circuited a little, his core starting to beat at the barrier around Vlad’s, panic growing, “Unblock your core right now, Vlad.” Danny ordered, but when Vlad did not reply and simply glanced away, Danny continued, “You wanna wait until I’m older? W-What, you think this will be any easier when I’m twenty versus eighteen?”
 

Vlad glanced at him, “Actually, I was thinking… maybe… when you’re closer to thirty or–” 

“T-Thirty!? That’s.. Twelve… Vlad, that’s twelve years! You’d be fifty-five… I… what the hell is happening!?” 

“Little Badger, please… if you calm down, I can explain–” 

Danny shook his head, body feeling numb, mind reeling, the whiplash so incredibly strong, the determination Vlad had had for so long suddenly gone, the push for assurance from less than eight hours ago that Vlad had wanted was suddenly pointless, as if it had been ripped out of him overnight, as if someone had shown up while Danny slept and snuffed out the man’s will and desires. 

“Open your damn core right now and tell me what the hell happened while I was asleep!” Danny bit, looking between the group, no one saying anything as Vlad pressed a forearm to the top of the island, his other hand rubbing at his eyes, “Daniel, this has nothing to do with anything that happened, it just occurred to me that perhaps it would be better to let you spend a few years living your life and–” 

Danny’s fist came down on the island, ice shooting out, Sam, Tucker, and Jasmine picking up their glasses and plates knowingly, having seen it coming and not responding in any other way but expectantly. 

“Bullshit, the Vlad Masters I know doesn’t fucking backtrack! And anyway, our cores are bonded… we’re ghost married or whatever… You want me to go off and live some bullshit existence for twelve years, so that people are more comfortable with our relationship?” 

Vlad did not respond, and Danny continued, “That’s what this is all about, right? What did you say last night? About how people might see us? What they might think or how it would look for someone as young as me being with someone as old as you?” 

Vlad still said nothing, and Danny felt anger rise, “Look at me, god damn it!” 

“Good morning, everyone!” A voice from the doorway had everyone looking, except for Danny and Vlad, as Maddie tried her best to be cheerful. Jack simply stood there, his face empty of any emotion save for his eyes, which were filled with soft anger. 

“Guys, maybe we'd better give Vlad and Danny some privacy,” Jazz said, only for Danny to bark, “I said, look at me!” 

The older Halfa finally looked at him, Maddie’s forced smile fading as she asked, “What’s… going on?” 

Jazz walked over quickly and quietly to her parents, taking them by the hand and pulling them towards the island, whispering softly, “Vlad’s trying to take a twelve-year break with Danny, and Danny is pissed. Just stay quiet, this is gonna get messy.” 

“Look, if this is a problem with your self-image, we can just keep our relationship on the down low until I’m older. I’m fine with that, I can do that! The only people who need to know already know! Everyone I’ve ever cared about is in this room! We can spend the next however many years keeping this private if that’s what needs to happen, but this relationship is not ending. Now show me your freaking core!” Danny once again tried to reach for Vlad’s core, the older man’s barrier holding, though Danny pushed much harder than before and saw Vlad wince. 

“Daniel, I am begging you to sit down and have a rational conversation with me about this. It’s important we–” 

Danny ignored Vlad and turned, looking at his parents, “Which one of you did this!?” 

“Danny, don’t talk to mom and dad like that,” Jazz said sternly, holding an arm out in front of them defensively, “Vlad is just trying to–” 

“Bullshit! The Vlad Masters I know doesn’t give in! He doesn’t bend! He wouldn’t change his mind overnight. The only way he’d even consider pulling something like this is if someone got to him, and the only people in this god damn house who would even have a slim chance in hell of changing his mind are me or them! So, which one of you–” 

“Daniel, please, they had nothing to do with this,” Vlad urged, and Danny turned back to him, crossing his arms, and Vlad sighed, desperate to make Daniel understand, “Our cores may be bonded, but… in regards to human tradition, we are not connected as such. Twelve years is a long time, you might find someone more to your liking… and even if our cores are bonded, it wouldn’t interfere with a human relationship–” 

Danny’s eyes were wide, heart twisting violently, “Did you… Really just say that? I… Vlad… what the fuck… what the actual hell!?” Danny turned and walked away. “Where are you going?” Vlad called, “To OUR room!” 

Vlad stood, managing to reach him, a hand on his shoulder, and Danny spun, “Don’t touch me! I can’t believe you’re doing this! I can’t believe you’re even considering this! After everything we went through, after everything, the pain and suffering, the sheer insanity of dealing with the Pheromone! Our conversations, what we’ve done… You promised you’d never leave!” 

Vlad withdrew his hand, “Daniel, please, listen to me, I’m not leaving, I’ll still be here, you can always come to me, but given everything that’s happened, and… yes, given your age… it might be better to wait to continue this until you are a little older, have experienced more of life–” 

“Until I find someone else!? I don’t want someone else, I want you! We agreed–” Danny suddenly transformed into Phantom, floating up as he glared down at Vlad, “Daniel… please, just let me explain…” 

“No, you don’t get to explain, you don’t get to break up with me! We bonded our cores, we went through hell, we are the only two halfa’s in existence, I don’t want anyone else, and that is not a decision you alone get to make, asshole!” 

“Danny, please calm down. I’m sure we can talk this out like adults, right, honey? Maybe a little break wouldn’t be so bad–” His mother said, but Danny didn’t look at her, his ghostly aura swirling around him as the walls started to freeze, the air temperature dropped violently and a gusty wind appeared, “Daniel, there are civilians in the house, you need to control your emotions–” Vlad warned, a hand coming up to reach for the younger man but Danny jerked away, Vlad trying again, “Daniel, you’re core is still unstable… Please calm down. We can talk about this. I promise, we can work this out.” 

“There is nothing to work out!” Danny yelled, “You’re my mate! We’ve bonded our cores! You’re mine! Stop hiding your core from me and show me how you really feel about this!”  green eyes flashing pale blue and Vlad took a step back, only to feel someone behind him and Vlad turned to see Eros standing there, looking at Danny with a much too serious gaze. It was as if the Ghostly God was looking through Danny to his core and studying it intently. 

“Danny, honey, please, we can talk about this!” His mother urged, stepping closer, and Eros yelled at her, “Don’t touch him! He’ll freeze you! Vlad, you need to unblock your core–” 

“What? But you said–” 

“I know what I said, but his core is going nuts… his instincts are taking over… you’ve gotta bring him back down. This is his ghost half, not his human half; you’ve bonded cores… he won’t let you go without a fight. You may not be able to break the connection, but physical separation between ghosts needs to be mutual, if it’s not… he’ll try to press you into submission.” 

Vlad glared at him, “Why the hell didn’t you tell me that earlier!?”

“You’re both half human, I thought his human half would be more dominant and open to conversation, clearly I was wrong, now unblock your god damn core and bring him down! He’ll attack if you don’t!” 

Vlad transformed quickly before opening his core and wrapping it firmly around Danny’s, the younger halfa jerking a little, a hand coming to his chest as Danny seemed to come back to himself for a moment, eyes returning to a bright toxic green, angry face melting away as he asked in shock, “V-Vlad? What–” he shook his head, looking at Vlad with worried eyes, “Come on Little Badger, calm down, come to me–” Danny floated down, taking Vlad’s hand as they landed on the floor, both returning to their human form, Danny wobbling before his knees gave and he passed out. 

Vlad caught him, hoisting him up into his arms, “Damn, that was a lot of power–” Eros said, pressing a hand to Danny’s chest, “A lot of power in a small amount of time, what the hell have you been feeding his core? He’s spent.” 

Vlad rolled his eyes, “Eros, you better explain what the hell just happened–” moving to the island, everyone shifting food and drink out of the way, Danny’s parents joining the fray as Vlad placed him down on the marble countertop.  

“Look, when I told you to block off your core from him, it was so he couldn’t feel your emotions and try to use those feelings against you. You’re both half human and half ghost. I assumed his human half would be more dominant, so you’d both be able to have this conversation like two normal adults. But his core… It’s still young, and it just… took over. I didn’t know it would be so strong – I didn’t realize Phantom was that strong.” 

Vlad glared at him, “Daniel’s core is one of the strongest cores I’ve ever seen. He beat Pariah Dark! He’s beaten me to a near pulp repeatedly, what in God’s green earth made you think–” 

“Everyone shut up! Right now!” Maddie suddenly yelled, glaring at the pair before her, arms crossed and jaw tight, “You! Ghost God, guy, thing, I don’t care how long it takes, I don’t care if you have to pull out charts and graphs or even take me into the Ghost Zone, I want you to explain to me what the hell is going on with my son, and I want you to explain it to me right now! Or so help me, I’ll go get our guns and I’ll blast you into the void!” 

“Agreed!” Jack bit as he crossed his arms and stood in formidable solidarity with his wife. 

Eros looked at her, eyes wide, swallowing thickly before he said in a surprisingly nervous voice, “R-Right, sure thing, mama bear, just… uh… ahem… let me… just… be right back!” Eros suddenly popped out of sight, leaving the group of humans and halfa’s to their own devices. 

“Vladdie, what the hell happened?” Jack asked, and Vlad let out a soft sigh, eyes closing for a moment before he looked up, glare firmly in place, “After our little discussion last night, I decided it would be in Daniel’s best interest if we took a break. A long one. Twelve years, to be precise. He’d be thirty, have more life experience, and have the possibility of finding someone closer to his age. I was… trying to do the right thing for once in my miserable life. I was… trying to… do right by him. But… as soon as I tried to speak with him about it, Daniel panicked, his ghostly core went haywire. I don’t know if it has to do with what happened with Clockwork or, like Eros said, it’s some instinctual ghostly mating practice, but his core took over, sending him into a frenzy. I’ve… never ever seen Daniel react so forcefully before. Your son, despite his age, always practices restraint and never uses his powers for fear, control, or coercion… he’s not like me. You raised him well.” Vlad admitted, looking between the two, Maddie finally gave a small, proud smile as she pressed some hair away from her son’s face, and Jack digested that, remaining calm and silent but also seemingly proud. 

Eros suddenly popped back into the kitchen, dropping a pile of paper, pens, markers, and sticky notes onto the island next to Danny, “Alright, uhm, Vlad… sorry about your office, it’s kind of wrecked, but that lady scares me, so… let’s begin.” 

Vlad sighed, shaking his head softly, “Very well, you start, I’ll add in any information I deem pertinent. Maddie, Jack, have a seat. Everyone else, might as well finish your breakfast, this will take a while.” 

“Ghost studies 101? I’m game!” Tucker said, pulling up a stool and grabbing a croissant, “This stuff is always hella interesting.” 

Maddie and Jack glanced at each other before they both smiled and grabbed coffee mugs, something to eat, and took a seat at the island, Vlad moving to close the kitchen door and lock it. “This is going to be a long day.” 

Page Break 

The hours ticked by, Eros and Vlad starting from the beginning and explaining everything Maddie and Jack needed to know about a ghostly core. Explaining the differences between Hot and Cold cores, Ancient and Neutral ones, as well as those cores that rested firmly in the category of other, like Dark cores and Light cores. 

They explained how a core bond works, that it cannot be broken, but it does not require the pair of ghosts to remain physically close to each other. Vlad had asked Eros to theorize on why Danny may have reacted aggressively to Vlad’s attempted separation, and Eros did his best.

“A core bond is permanent, and while there is no physical pain or a direct strain on the core if the two bonded ghosts separate, if it’s not mutual, there have been instances of instinctual aggression or a sort of quasi forced protection.” 

Vlad scoffed, “Don’t tell me you mean to imply that that aggressive little display was a form of protection?”

Eros nodded, “Danny couldn’t feel your core, so his core went into a… let’s call it an aggressive protection mode. I made the mistake of assuming Danny would rely on his human half to have this conversation, but instead, he relied heavily on his core to try and sense the truth. Thus, his ghost half was the dominant party. When you didn’t share your core, I can only assume he mistook the situation as you being under duress and forced to do what you were doing. Danny assumed his parents might have tried to force this decision on you. I don’t blame him, given your history of being a little too driven to get what you want and never backing down–” Eros winced out and Vlad just rolled his eyes, chin resting in his palm as he said lazily, “Yes, yes, I’m a sociopath, we’ve established this. Do continue.” 

Neither of them noticed Danny’s parents' faces look at Vlad with concern, and so Eros continued, “His obsession is protection, right? So he went into full-on protection mode. He would have tried to force the truth out of you and possibly even force your core open. That’s why his core shunted so much raw energy into itself. It was preparing to try and enter your core by force, not an easy feat by any stretch of the imagination.”

“Whoa, hey, wait, I know I’m just a regular human, but I know Danny would never try to force his core or his person on anyone!” Sam had barked, crossing her arms and defending her friend fiercely. 

Eros gave her a rather sympathetic look, “I’m really sorry to have to tell you this, girly, but Danny is no less susceptible to his core’s desires than Vlad or I am. Vlad willingly bonded his core to Danny’s, and Danny returned that willingness. As long as they are in an agreed-upon relationship, he has the full right to access Vlad’s core, just as Vlad has the same right to Danny’s. Consider it a sort of Ghostly right of possession. They are bonded, and as of right now, together, Vlad’s core is his just as Danny’s core is Vlad’s. Ghosts can be just as civilized as humans, but at our core, no pun intended, we run more on instinct than logic. Now, if they mutually agree to split up, then you could maybe argue Danny’s use of force was barbaric or wrong, as it stands, with his mate, he had every right to access Vlad’s core.” 

“You’re talking as if a ghost's core has a mind of its own,” Tucker said anxiously. 

“In a way, but not really. It’s instinctual. Not based on thought or reason. In other words, Danny couldn’t help it. His core reacted appropriately to the situation, and Danny was pulled along behind it.” 

Maddie raised a hand, the pen she’d been using to write notes gripped between delicate fingers, “Wait, go back, you said Danny’s obsession… what did you mean by that?” 

“Ah, yes, well… ahem… You see, Maddie, dear, that’s also complicated–” Vlad began explaining what a ghost's obsession was and how it affected their overall appearance, mentality, and desires. He explained that Daniel’s obsession focused on protection and defending those who could not protect themselves. Vlad’s obsession, regrettably, had, for a long time, concentrated on power and control. 

Eros explained how a ghost's obsession could change, and ghosts, just like humans, were able to grow and evolve, both in power and abilities, as well as their view of the world around them. They could procreate, have families, and even disappear from existence if they went to the void, the ghostly equivalent of dying. 

It had then shifted to the different types of ghosts: full figures, half-forms, infant ectoplasm, and beyond that, the larger, much more dangerous ghosts, such as Nocturn, Pariah Dark, and Undergrowth. These ghosts were old enough and had cores strong enough to do severe damage if left unchecked. 

Eventually, the discussion turned to ghosts like Clockwork and Eros, the idea of a God becoming a ghost, leaving an uncomfortable silence in the room as humans were faced with the tangible existence of Gods, though no one wanted to delve deeper into the discussion surrounding that little tidbit of information. 

Eventually, as noon approached and Vlad stood in the far corner of the kitchen ordering pizzas for lunch Eros came to a realization, “So, most ghosts, just like humans, also have a form of puberty, we call it the Final Shift, when a ghost’s core goes from infancy to adulthood, but unlike humans whose puberty happens over multiple years the Shift happens near instantly and requires another ghost to help them transition into adulthood. It can be pretty messy and dangerous if the older ghost doesn’t successfully guide the younger ghost through it, but thankfully, by the time the Final Shift occurs in a young ghost, they’ve found an older ghost who can help them.”  

Maddie had been writing furiously, a massive pile of notes sitting off to her left, while Jack simply listened intently, allowing his wife to keep all the information they were learning on ghosts organized. He’d lean over her shoulder every once and a while, the angry glare in his eye mostly gone as he was focused, much like his wife, on gaining as much information on ghosts as possible. 

“Huh, even ghosts have puberty. So, does this mean Danny will have to go through it too?” Tucker asked, taking a swig of soda as Sam snorted, “I’d like to see that. Danny having to go through a second round of puberty would send him over the edge.” 

Jazz rolled her eyes, “Don’t even get me started, they say it’s worse for girls, but they clearly never met my brother.” 

As the three talked and joked, Eros’s eyes had gone wide, his face slowly turning to look at the young halfa, still out cold on the counter, “Uh… hey, Vlad?” Eros called, the man ending the call and tucking the phone into his pocket, “Yes, what is it?” he asked, approaching the island, and Eros met his eye, “Hey, uhm, has Phantom… do you know if – has he gone through the Final Shift yet?”

Vlad stopped walking, standing in the kitchen with wide eyes as he tried to think back, tried to recall if he’d ever noticed in his four years of watching Daniel that the youth had ever shown signs of going through the Final Shift. His serial recall was both a gift and a curse, and as he thought back, his mouth frowned even harder, “Oh my god–” 

Eros swore under his breath, Jacob gently touching the ghost god’s pale arm as he asked, “What’s wrong? Is it bad that the kid hasn’t done the shift thing or something?” 

“Yeah, what does that mean? If Danny’s core hasn’t done this weird Final Shift, is that bad?” Sam asked. 

Eros swallowed, glancing at Vlad, who looked down at Daniel, still lying on the island with a folded kitchen towel under the back of his head. 

“It means… he’s… going to get much more powerful, Samantha… incredibly powerful,” Vlad whispered as he eyed the younger halfa with concern, “You can’t leave him, Vlad. I don’t care how pissed off his parents are, I don’t care if you want to do the right thing and let him grow up a little more, if he’s this powerful now, before his core has shifted into adulthood, he will need you when the shift happens, you need to be there to train him, to help him control it–” 

“I… know.” Vlad whispered, still looking at Daniel, who slept on, “Wait, slow down, what are you saying? That even if Vlad wants to give Danny a chance to grow up and figure out what he really wants… Vlad suddenly can’t?” Maddie asked, Jack’s eyes narrowing, “It’s… complicated.” Eros winced out weakly, the woman’s angry eyes making him exceptionally nervous, “Vlad, could you maybe, try to put it into terms they’d understand?” 

Vlad sighed, “Very well. Maddie, Jack, listen carefully. A ghost’s core is the source of their power and the source of their existence. The stronger a core, the more power, energy, and strength a ghost has.” Vlad transformed into Plasmius and, within seconds, had summoned multiple duplicates and several shadows, each one individually summoning some sort of weapon or shield, and then Vlad summoned electricity into his palms and rose up into the air, easily controlling the duplicates and shadows and having them carefully fight each other in the small space. 

Jack and Maddie’s eyes widened before Vlad, with one motion, destroyed them all and returned to the ground, looking at them from across the island, “Your son’s core has always been incredibly strong, and the things he has been able to do, and the ghosts he has been able to beat, are beyond impressive. That being said, given your son’s core strength and what he has already accomplished in the four short years he has been a Halfa, it is concerning to think about what power he will have when his core finally shifts.” 

“Will he… be in danger?” Maddie asked, and Vlad sighed, returning to his human form and sitting down at the island, looking at her with a level expression, “Not necessarily. But if he hasn’t gone through his shift yet, and his core is still in its infancy, then when it does shift, the raw power he has now will triple, maybe even quadruple.” 

“Holy shit–” Sam, Jazz, and Tucker whispered, Maddie and Jack glancing at them as Tucker said, “Dude, imagine his Ghostly Wail if he had triple the power he has now! That thing can level a forest!” 

“His ice powers are already nuts, I can’t imagine what would happen if those get amped up,” Jazz groaned, “Don’t panic, we’ve dealt with this before, remember? When Danny first got his powers, we were able to help him train and learn how to control them. This will be no different.” Sam argued. 

Vlad cocked a brow, “Unless his Ghostly Wail can suddenly capsize an airship carrier and his ice powers can suddenly cause full-blown whiteouts across an entire state.” 

Maddie looked at Jack, the woman clearly distressed, and so Jack asked softly, “So, what do we do? How do we help him?” 

Vlad looked at the man, with an extremely regretful expression on his face, “I’m sorry, Jack. I was trying to do the right thing, but if he hasn’t gone through the Final Shift yet and he is this powerful now, I cannot in good conscience send him away. The shift could occur at any time, and when it does, he will need me there to guide his core through it. If we hadn’t bonded our cores, he could go to any ghost willing to help, but once a pair bonds, no other core can access his that intimately; it will have to be me.” 

There was a long silence, no one speaking for a moment, before Eros seemed to have an idea and asked, “Well, wait, Vlad, you’re also a Halfa, how long after you got your powers did your Shift happen?” 

Vlad thought back and considered, “Let’s see, I was… nineteen when the incident with the portal portal happened, seven years in the hospital… twenty-six when I got out… my powers started to show about three weeks after the accident–” 

“It took three weeks for your powers to start showing?” Sam asked with confusion, “Danny’s started, like, the next day.” 

Vlad smirked, “Yes, well, by the time Danny had his fateful run-in with the portal, all the impurities and bugs were removed or fixed. I was given a massive dose of ectoplasm that was impure, filled with all sorts of nasties. It took much longer for the ghostly DNA to rewrite my own, and it was incredibly painful. My DNA was slowly rewritten over several years, and I felt every second of it.” 

Sam and Tucker winced, “Ouch. Danny said it was one of the most painful experiences of his life. I can’t imagine years of it.” 

“Yes, well, I try not to think about it–” Vlad murmured, looking at his hand before glancing angrily at Jack, the man’s brows raising before he looked away, a scowl on his face. 

“To answer your question, Eros, it was about eight years in total for my body to be fully transformed, my powers to manifest, and my core to shift from infancy to adulthood. Which means, assuming we can discount wait time due to Daniel receiving a pure and clean form of ghostly DNA, he could go through the shift anytime between now and four years down the road.” 

“Damn it,” Eros sighed, “Unkg, my head–” Everyone turned towards Danny, who slowly sat up, a hand on his forehead, “What the hell happened? Ouch, God, my core feels like I went ten rounds with a Behemoth.” 

“Easy, Daniel, between Clockwork’s medaling and your reaction to my suggestion of a break, your core’s been through a lot. You’ve been out for nearly four hours.” 

“Four hours? What the hell.” Danny looked around, “Uh, why am I sitting on the counter?” 

Vlad sighed, placing a hand on Daniel’s shoulder as he asked, “Daniel, I have to ask you something, it’s very important.” 

“Hm? Oh, yeah, sure, but if it has anything to do with us taking a break or breaking up, you can forget about it. I’m not leaving, and you’re not running away.” he crossed his arms and glared at the man. 

“Right. Well, no, that’s not–” Vlad sighed, rubbing at his eyes as he sat on the stool next to Danny and finally looked at him, “Daniel, in the four years since you’ve gotten your powers, has your core gone through any severe power fluctuations? Aside from the ones that occurred when you first got your powers?” 

Danny looked at him, thinking back for a moment before he shook his head and met Vlad’s eye, “No, I don’t think so. Just the usual stuff, a random new power here or there, but nothing crazy. The last year, my core’s felt… kind of stuffy… or tight, but nothing odd. I figured it had to do with the whole core shift thing.” 

Vlad’s eyes widened as he asked, “Wait, you know about the Final Shift?” 

“Oh, yeah. Clockwork told me about it, said it was just a power-up and that I’d need to find another ghost who could guide me through it. Didn’t give any specifics, just that I’d have more juice after. I’ve been waiting, but so far, no shift.” 

Eros slapped a hand to his face as he ground out, “I’m going to kill that bastard.” 

“I’ll help.” Vlad murmured, Danny looking between them as he asked, “What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing. It’s… nothing. Just… your supposed mentor did not explain what the Final Shift actually is, nor did he give you a realistic expectation. But for now, it doesn’t matter. We can speak on it later–” 

A knock came to the kitchen door, and Vlad walked over, cracking it open before nodding and opening the door completely, taking six pizza boxes from a young woman who was clearly one of the staff meant to be picking up the ballroom. 

Danny jumped from the counter, jogging over and pulling Vlad’s wallet from his back pocket, “I got it, Fruitloop, here, payment plus tip for the delivery guy, thanks!” 

Danny shut and locked the kitchen door before running over to the counter and helping Vlad spread the pizza out, noticing all the notes and drawings, and papers spread out, “Ah, Vlad giving you two the Ghost Core 101? Yeah, even when we were fighting all the time, he’d still lecture me about that ghostly crap.” 

“I didn’t lecture, I was merely informing you about how stupid and dangerous you were being in the Ghost Zone.” Vlad mused, opening one of the boxes and pulling out a slice of pizza, which he handed to Danny, “Nah, you were lecturing. Don’t lie, crazy Fruitloop.” Danny took a bite of pizza and phased through the island, walking over to Sam, Tucker, and Jazz and starting to talk casually. 

“And just like that, pissed off Daniel is gone, and there is normal, happy Daniel to save the day,” Vlad mused. 

Jacob chuckled, “Well, at least his mood swings match yours.” 

Vlad rolled his eyes, “Hahah, so funny I forgot to laugh.” Vlad looked back at Danny’s parents; Maddie seemed to be adjusting to all the new information incredibly well, not panicking when her son had ghosted through the island, and focusing on her notes, writing quickly and diligently. 

Jack on the other hand, stared after his son, eyes incredibly sad, brow furrowing before he stood and took a whole box of pizza, Vlad nodded his agreement and Jack left the room, “I… need some air.” was all he murmured and Danny finally was pulled from his friends, watching his dad go, eyes linguring on the door before he reluctantly returned his gaze to his friends and continued to chat, his smile not quite as bright. 

In the back of the mansion, in the corner of the dining room, a trio of incredibly pissed off trouble makers sat. Agatha’s angry, hate-filled eyes were glaring at the two ghosts who were floating nearby. “How do we go from being told to wait in the lab, to collecting the humans, to guard duty?” the techno ghost asked. 

The other one grunted, “Don’t ask me, I just do what I’m told. Plasmius promised me some very dangerous weapons if I helped,” and the ghost smiled wickedly. 

“Does it include that nasty thing?” the other ghost asked, pointing to the thermos on the burly ghost's hip. 

“No. Though having my own thermos would make hunting prey in the Zone much easier.” 

“Can I see it?” 

“No, you cannot. The device is poorly designed, easily set off, and quite finicky. It might activate. I’ll return it to Plasmius or the whelp as soon as they return.” 

“Uuck, this is so boring. Why does Plasmius need both of us here? I mean, you got this. Can I go?” 

“I wouldn’t. Not until Plasmius gives you permission. He’s obnoxious that way. And you don’t want to piss him off, especially since you just won points. He helps protect the Zone; we can do him this favor.” 

“Uh-huh, sure, whatever, just… let me look at he thermos, maybe I can fix it so it isn’t so finicky, at least then I wouldn’t be bored.” 

“No… hey, I said… unhand that!”

“Oh crap–” 

There was a bright flash and Agatha saw the thermos roll across the ground in front of her, her eyes going wide as she glanced at the hunting ghost, whose expression was one of shock, “Oh crap–” he moved quickly but Agatha shucked off her heels, grabbed the thing with her feet and pointed, hitting the bottom against the floor and setting it off. 

The ghost was pulled into the thermos, and silence filled the space. Agatha, using a shoulder to pull the gag from her mouth, “Get to work, get us free, use your hands, teeth, anything, just do it!” she hissed, and the two men shifted, bringing their backs together so they could reach each other’s hands and try to untie the ripped-up curtain around their wrists. 

“What are our orders, ma’am?” one guard asked, and Agatha glared at the doors far across the room, “Get us free, and then… I need you to help me teach my son a lesson.” 

“What about Mr. Masters?” the other guard asked. “Oh yes, him too. Most definitely him too.”