Work Text:
What Now?
Vlad looks at his finger. Light faintly glows from the string attached there. Wrapped around his pinky in a sweet bow that is almost shaped like a heart. Playing with it felt surreal. It’s a lot more silky than he had imagined it to feel. His eyes travel along the string. It passes through solid objects as if they don’t exist. Although, everyone knows that nothing solid could ever stop it. Could ever halt the path that it will lead you to. A fixed event in history- an anomaly that he never thought would happen to him.
There had been a time he’d seen it before. Every so often it would flicker in and out when he’d brushed hands with her. Maddie. It flickered every so often when they’d bump each other, hug, and sometimes when they would just stand close. He swore he could see it appear. It made his heart race and his chest ache when she seemingly had never seen the same thing as he did. Of course, not until he introduced her to his college roommate, Jack. They had both stopped so starstruck that he was but an after thought in their minds at the time. Now, he doesn’t blame them. Not one bit.
He’d seen ethereal realms. Been to the far reaches of the Ghost Zone and seen the tombs of kings now fallen. The graves of ancients that were littered with glittery remnants of the past. It’s all such a small comparison to the awe he now feels.
The red string of fate was something he’d made a fairytale in his mind. Other people claimed it, sure, but no matter what he’d seen in the past with his own eyes didn’t matter. They were just hallucinations of a man too desperate to accept that he’d be alone and bitter forever. That’s what he’d been telling himself for years now. That, and that his little accident had severed his chances at finding his soulmate. It’d killed him and cut the connection. Now he would wander the Earth as a lonely soul and never know. Never try with anyone because who would love someone who’s soul bled with open wounds that refused to heal?
Then he decided that he wanted to see them one last time. Try one last time to see if that damned connection was real. If what he’d faintly seen in the past would reveal itself again. Then he’d know if he was cursed to live with a broken string as some seem to.
Daniel Fenton. Sure he did his research on his old college pals. Had made sure to remember the names of their children to keep up with the appearance that he cared enough. That he wasn’t just using them.
The connection was so sudden, he’d hardly realized it had happened when he had ruffled young Daniel’s hair. Then he looked down, staring in surprise as it finally revealed itself. That soft, silky string that ran down his frame, suspended in the air attached to Danny’s own pinky. It seemed the boy didn’t notice either. Not until he’d raised his hand to say something to his sister. He just stared. They both did. Quiet. Unsaid.
He doesn’t know why Danny said nothing of the matter. Why he stood staring at him with those wide, blue eyes with intensity.
Vlad had convinced them to stay in his castle. It wasn’t a hard task, but getting alone with Danny was. They didn’t speak much. Vlad had shown them all to their rooms, had shown them different parts of the castle and the easiest way to remember how to get here and there. Then dinner came. Vlad couldn’t keep his eyes off of the string. He tried to keep his mind focused on entertaining the Fentons. Answering Jazz’s questions about how exactly they met and the like. Of course it was him who said that he knew Maddie from his high school days. And of course she admitted, putting salt on his wounded heart once again, not having remembered that time together.
Did that matter now though?
Finally, he’d said he was off to his office, that he would see them in the morning. Eyes lingering on the other end of his red string until he was out of view. It was no surprise that, a half hour later, Danny came knocking on his office door. Now he’s looking at the other end, enamored that this is actually happening and a little scared to lose it. Even if he was young now, the red string never lies.
“Thank you for not causing a scene about this, I think… we have an odd situation here. Your parents may have been reluctant to stay.” After all, he’s old enough to be his damned father. Saying out of nowhere that they’re soulmates would make anyone uncomfortable. And Vlad should be uncomfortable, regardless if he’s 14 or 20. But all Vlad can seem to feel is relief.
Danny is shifting in the seat in front of Vlad’s desk. Eyes seeming to linger everywhere but him or the string that links them. Like he’s struggling to accept this at all. Of course he is. He’s young and just been told he’s attached to someone who’s thrice his age. It’s not easy to cope with, he’s sure.
“I just don’t get it.” Danny finally says, staring at his finger with confusion. “No offense Mr. Masters, but I always thought… I mean mom and dad are the same generation and I have never been attracted to dudes I think…”
Vlad tilts his head and tries not to scoff. “You may call me Vlad, and don’t think homosexual attraction is something I am accustomed to.” Even though there are a plethora of rumors about his alleged sexuality as he hasn’t even tried dating. After all, not everyone is lucky to keep or even find their soulmate. He’d had options. With a heavy sigh, he pulls out two whisky glasses from his drawer along with a bottle of bourbon he keeps for the times the loneliness and the hallow halls of the castle are louder than his own thoughts. Danny raises an eye at him when he pours some in the second glass and scoots it towards him in invitation.
“Are you crazy?”
“I think it’s an appropriate time, coping has never been… an easy endeavor.” Yeah, his coping methods involved robbing, cheating, lying to others or himself, and homicidal ideation. Drinking was probably better than any of those.
“I’m fourteen.” His voice is harder now, shoulders raised in defense at him. Brows knitting together as anger begins to bubble beneath the surface of his innocent face.
Vlad chuckles, picking up his glass, “easy now, no one is forcing you, Daniel, I’m not one of your high school peers daring you to funnel cheap booze.” He takes a long, smooth sip. It goes down too well. Burns a little lighter than in the past. He blames the euphoria of learning his new destiny.
When he sets his glass down he leans back in his desk chair, watching him eye the drink on the desk with a pensive expression. It’s not one of a boy who’s never had a drop of liquor before. So, Vlad tilts his head and waits. Danny fidgets with his hand. They do have more to worry about, but he seems keen on fighting himself about the offered drink in front of him.
“Would you like to inform your parents of this?” Vlad asks, holding up his pinky with folly. Even if he’s not exactly thrilled to be attached to the boy, he’s enjoying the idea that there is someone attached to him. Someone who is his soulmate. And even if Danny decides to reject it, as some do, and wants to part ways, Vlad would not let that be it.
At the mention of telling Jack and Maddie, he catches something in his eyes. Something that a teen like Danny would have. Secrets. One’s big enough to keep from those two and evoke fear in his eyes at adding another layer on the mountain of deceit. Danny reaches forward and grabs the glass. He’s too forceful and it sloshes inside, some spilling over onto his fingers as he pauses once he’s fully sat again. Staring down into the glass like it would be giving him all the answers he sought.
Vlad sips at his glass a bit more, waiting for the inevitable. Danny is careful, slowly taking a sip from the edge before scrunching his nose. But he’s determined to drink. So he does. Slowly, holding down his reactions- at least that’s how Vlad perceives it.
Then he stops, swallowing what is left in his mouth and wiping his lips with back of his hand. Taking a bit of a breath before saying, “you made that look too easy, this stuff is nasty.”
“Well, I am well practiced, and it’s my taste.” Vlad chortles before tilting his head in observation, “but it’s clear it’s not your first experience with alcohol either.”
“My mom and dad don’t even have a lock on their lab, you think they hide their drinks?”
That gets a laugh from him. Lab safety or general safety had never been of concern to Jack and he’s sure that Maddie is far too trusting in his competency to do so. A part of him winces at the thought. Why would Jack be safe about his alcohol in his own home? He could barely make sure the area was clear when setting off his damned proto-portal.
“I have experience with your father’s lack of basic safety precautions.” He laughs, but Danny doesn’t. He just looks down. Eyes somewhere else. Expression saying that he’s struck another thought that the teen is having a hard time dealing with. He looks at the string again and sighs. “It’s not something we have to discuss now, perhaps in a few years when you’ve matured a bit, hm?”
“A few years?” Danny looks almost offended, opening and closing his mouth like a fish before sipping more of the drink to finish it. Vlad would be lying if he said he wasn’t impressed by his determination. “This is kind of a big deal isn’t it? Everyone is always talking about finding their soulmate and I just did so…” he looks at his finger again and sighs. “Like I don’t have enough to deal with already.” He mutters to himself.
“You don’t think managing several multi-billion dollar businesses keeps me over occupied?” Well, he sort of just makes sure that they are stable. Actually working is something he hires people to do, so he just oversees that they’re in line half the time while he pursues his other interests, such as robbing the ghost zone of ancient artifacts. “I’ve waited forty-two years to find mine, I am a patient man, you know.”
“Well I’m not.” Danny rests the glass back on the desk as he stands. “We should just… get it over with.”
Vlad tilts his head in wonder as Danny comes around to stand in front of him. It’s so interesting how the string takes different forms as their proximity closes. He watches it only a moment, far too interested in the determination in the younger’s eyes. Vlad knew what he meant. As Maddie and Jack had put it, the first kiss is like they’d discovered ghosts all over again. The first kiss from your soulmate shows you different parts of them. Their soul. A glimpse into the past as some say. Vlad had read tirelessly on the topic. Some describe it as terrifying. Some say it hurt, like opening old wounds on your body that you never had. Some say that it felt like nothing, while others describe it as an exhilarating experience. Everyone had a different experience. Sure, Vlad wanted that. He wanted a lot of things that were just out of reach. This one is far greater of a reach than he’s ever faced before.
Danny stands there, eyes glancing from side to side, having a hard time meeting Vlad’s own. Even though he’s initiating this, he’s still so hesitant.
“It’s hardly fair you know,” Vlad begins, turning the chair and his body towards him. Ankle propping up on his other knee. “I have a lifetime of things you could see, while you barely have any.”
Danny rolls his eyes and sighs in annoyance at him. “You know it’s not about that, and I’m the younger one here so I should get to decide if we’re actually compatible.” He defends, arms crossing as he finally meets his eyes with a glare.
Vlad just smirks and raises a brow at him. He thinks he has a choice huh? Although, it’s not as if they know one another. If Danny knew what he really was, he’d be disgusted. Any son of two ghost hunters would be. But Vlad figured he may as well get it out of the way. After all, if Danny doesn’t find them compatible he’d rather have him know what kind of monster he would be attached to forever anyways. What kind of monster that would try to force their supposed destiny anyways.
Uncrossing his legs, he sits up and lay his arms on the armrests, only glancing at the door momentarily to remind himself that it is shut and locked thanks to Daniel. Then his eyes land back to Danny, who is looking nervous as he has moved a little closer.
“I’m waiting.” He doesn’t even know if Danny can go through with it. Had he ever even kissed anyone before, he wonders. Watching as Danny shifts back and forth on his feet. Inching closer slowly. At least they’re relatively at the same height when Vlad is sat down. Otherwise he’d be straining on his tip-toes.
“Just shut up okay!” Danny snaps. “I thought you said you’re patient!”
“Temper,” he tuts in disapproval, “even my patience can wear thin.”
Danny is directly in front of him now. In truth, it is a little awkward. Even Vlad can feel his heart pacing a bit faster at the proximity. He lifts his fated hand, palm up for Danny to take. Their hands meet, palms sliding together. The rough texture is surprising. What was he up to that he had managed to have the same rough hands of a lumber jack? Maybe he works in the lab with his father. His palm is surprisingly cold too. He chalks it up to clammy nerves even if there is no sweat to be had. He looks up to Danny, who seems to be fixated on the contrasted feeling as well.
“You’re so warm.” He mumbles.
“I’m just hot natured.” Which is half true.
They stay like that for a few moments. Feeling each other’s hand and watching the string happily dancing between their pinkies Now he can feel the slight tremble in his demeanor. He hears the shakiness in his breath as they both keep their eyes on the string.
“Daniel,” his words seem to shock him as his body jolts in surprise. They lock eyes again and he can see his dilated pupils shaking too. “Let me help you.” Because he’s clearly not going to continue past this hand holding anytime soon. Even though he’s the one who wanted to get it over with. With his other hand he reaches out, pressing his palm to his face. It too, is cold. A shiver runs through his trembling form. Danny takes the guidance, though. Slowly coming close with his help. It was wrong. Incriminating, even. But getting the first kiss out of the way couldn’t hurt, he thinks. That’s what Danny wanted.
Danny closes his eyes first, face scrunched in anticipation for what would most definitely be his first kiss. Vlad’s eyelids lull but never close, heart racing. Pounding. Signaling to him that he’s just as nervous. Their lips barely brush, and he thinks he can see their string glimmer with light. He closes his eyes, leaning in. Cold as a cadaver, he thinks just before his body leaves no room for control with the shiver that runs up his spine.
Vlad thought there would be nothing much to see of Danny. Oh, how wrong he was.
With the violent shiver he sees the red light of the string cross his consciousness, gasping as the memories of the other come into clear focus.
”Why don’t you go inside? I’ll take a photo!”
”Danny! Danny! C-call Mrs Fenton-”
”Your son has been severely electrocuted, it’s a miracle he’s alive.”
Toxic green eyes glow back in the mirror, wide and unexpected. Fear and nausea run through his stomach while he runs a hand through ghostly white hair.
”I have to use my powers to help people, this is getting out of control.”
The vision couldn’t have lasted more than a second, but it felt slow. As if time had stopped to recapture the moment it happened. Through his violent shivering, he manages to reach out. Wrapping a protective arm around the boy to pull him close. Finally, his eyes open to witness a wisp of fog that comes out of his mouth with a gasp. It was like the ghost sense he had seen in the vision. All of it hits him like a ton of bricks as he pants. Holding his arms tight around Danny as if he’d disappear right there.
It can’t be. How could his parents have let this happen again? Why would you install a start button on the inside of a dangerous, world colliding machine? How could they not notice their boy changing right in front of them? It’s sickening. Vlad feels horrified. Yet, on some level, relief is flooding in his gut. Relief that he isn’t alone. Relief that someone else in this fucked up world understands.
He feels hands tighten in the back of his suit. When his eyes move, he’s surprised at himself, just having realized the tears that had been running down his face. He loosens his grip. After all, he doesn’t want to hurt him. He never deserved to be hurt. Not even by those ghosts he’d sent to test Jack Fenton’s abilities. Danny Phantom. It was obvious now that he knew. They hardly look different.
“Daniel,” his voice cracks, but he tries to be gentle.
Danny takes a heavy breath. As if he’s been holding it. He moves so they can face each other. Body at such an awkward angle, not that either of them can worry about it at the moment. His eyes are red. Cheeks lined with tears and agony and horror.
Vlad takes his handkerchief to wipe at his tears. Their new, silent understanding only makes one thing clear to Vlad now. The red string doesn’t make mistakes.
It seems that whatever Danny had seen was harder to come to terms with. Vlad thinks he just saw the important pieces of who he was. Of what happened to him and why he’s clearly good at keeping secrets.
“What did you see?” He asks softer, trying to get him to meet his eye.
Danny closes his mouth and swallows. Throat bobbing as he closes his eyes to try and regain control of himself. Vlad waits patiently. Hand cupping the others, squeezing firmly.
“Dad told me about the lab accident from college but I- I never thought…”
“That we’re simply birds of a feather?” Vlad asks, gaining his eyes attention to meet his. Of course Danny hadn’t thought about what Vlad saw. His eyes look scared. Then they close and drift downward again.
“How many years were you in the hospital?” He asks.
“Six, long enough for your parents to marry and have your sister by the time I was discharged.” The ecto-acne healed. But the scars it left on his soul never did. He turns over their palms. “You went so quick.”
“It was an accident,” is Danny’s knee-jerk response. “I shouldn’t have been messing around with their stuff, Jazz always told me how dangerous it was.”
“And you continue to put yourself in harms way.”
“I have to, who else will?” Danny half laughs, “my parents?”
Vlad can’t bear to hear it. He just shakes his head and rises. Danny looks up at him. He can see the exhaustion in his eyes. He’s too young for such a thing. “You can hardly control it.” He lets the feeling of the change wash over him. He’s never freely changed in front of another human being. Only a select few ghosts in the zone knew too. When he looks down, he can see the same wisp and shiver coming from Danny. His unique, ice core ghost sense.
Danny’s white rings form around him. Causing him to change in front of his eyes. Vlad had studied footage of his own transformation several times, but it’s incredible to see in person on a different form. Those bright green eyes glow at him in wonder. Heat runs through his veins. The red steam comes from his own nose to alert him another ghost is nearby.
Danny’s lips turn upward at the sight.
“Our ghost senses are different.”
Vlad glances down at the string. It’s still connecting them. In this form, though, it almost takes on a slightly transparent, ghostly view.
“Do you get it now, Daniel?” Vlad thinks he does himself. Destiny doesn’t do anything but serve itself. No matter the wait or the circumstance, it binds two individual souls together. Bound to meet. Bound to connect.
“Sort of…” Danny looks at his hand again, “we’re soulmates.” He murmurs, confirming that he thinks they are compatible.
“Indeed.” He takes his hand, raising it up to kiss his knuckle just above where his string is connected. Green fills the other hybrid’s cheeks. “I’m relieved that you decided to get it out of the way.”
There’s silence between them. The noises of the old castle click and rattle in the edges of the office. Vlad watches the uncertainty come back to Danny’s eyes.
“Now what?”
Vlad smiles and reaches out to ruffle his hair softly. It’s soft, and his heart that was once in his ears is calmed. Beating with the strength of a man who has finally gotten what he wanted for years.
“Now, we can truly learn about each other, little badger.”