Danny was staring at Sam again, she was acting weird recently. Not just ultra-recyclo-vegetarian-uber-goth-non-conformist weird, but…different weird. He felt something drop on the top of his head and looked up. Grey clouds, it was going to rain soon. Scratch that, it is raining. It was raining pretty hard. Sam and Tucker ran with him until they got to his house, slamming the door behind them. They were all dripping wet, their clothes soaked, books too. Tucker was checking all of his gadgets to make sure they survived, calling each one by its name and talking to it.
"ELIZA!" He seriously needed to stop that. He looked at Sam and they shared an 'our crazy friend' look. The water had caused Sam's all natural, environmentally friendly makeup to run, and the way the dark make-up ran from her eyes made Danny smile as he thought of his girlfriend. No one knew he had a girlfriend, not anyone, not even his sister.
He told everything to Jazz, and she told everything to him. They had had a good relationship ever since he found out that she knew his secret two years ago when he was a freshman. It had its bumpy spots and its rough patches, but after a while it was truly special. She eventually told him something she'd never told anyone before, something that Danny had realized and helped her to come to admit. Jazz had been embarrassed at first but Danny had helped her get over that and just make it a part of herself. He even helped encourage it and get her a few dates that would encourage it too. Ever since then they had been closer than ever before, and no one else knew why. He told her everything, just not that he had a girlfriend, not just yet. He would soon though. And once he got her support he'd tell Sam and Tuck. But for now…
*SNAP*
Danny looked up, Sam's hand was in front of his face and she was snapping.
"What?" she rolled her eyes
"Can I borrow some of your clothes?"
"Yeah, sure, Tuck you need any?"
"Nah, I'm good dude, I still have my Gym clothes. I got dibs on the bathroom though. Then I'm going to commandeer your TV and your three sixty." Danny shrugged
"Okay, c'mon Sam, let's go to my room and get you out of those clothes." She smiled and they began to ascend the stairs
"Hey you two, don't spend too much time up there, I don't want want to have to come in and separate you!" Sam rolled her eyes
"As if perv! C'mon Danny." Danny chuckled and followed Sam to his room and closed the door. When he turned around she had her boots, and skirt off, she was taking her shirt off too. "Hey Danny,"
"Yeah?"
"I uh, I h-have to tell you something." She was blushing "You mind if I take a few of your wife-beaters with me? Maybe some of your old jeans from when you were smaller?"
"Nah go ahead," I told her as I took off my shirt and pants "they should be in the back of my closet somewhere. What did you want to tell me?" She went into my closet and I went invisible, to switch my soaked boxers for some dry ones, and faded into sight again. After wearing wet clothing nothing feels better than soft dry cotton, I don't know why. She still hadn't answered me. I emptied my wet jeans' pockets and put some new ones on as Sam rummaged for some of my older clothes. "I'll wait. Find them yet?"
"Yeah, can I have some of your boxers Danny?"
"Sure Sam, blue okay?"
"Yeah, blue's fine." She held her hand out from inside of the closet and I exchanged her panties and bra for my boxers. I pulled on one of my 'bumming around' shirts. The old faded softer than anything, faded logo, type t-shirt. Then, almost too soft to hear I heard her say to herself "What's this?"
"I got a towel and a hairbrush out here with your name on them." She came out in some of my old jeans, which she filled out nicely and wearing a double layer of black over white wife-beaters. I tossed her a towel and she caught it, pulling her hair from its elastic and shaking like a dog before assaulting her head with the towel. The tops hugged her form just as the jeans hugged her hips, but the tops…they hugged all of her form.
"Thanks Danny."
"Damn Sam, you're hot." She paused her assault, smirking at me
"Smokin' and you know it." She continued her hair attack. "So, when do I get to meet her?" I looked at her confused for a second
"Excuse me?" she finished mussing her hair and tossed the towel on my bed
"Your girlfriend," I paled "when can I meet her?" There were footsteps in the hallway
"How do you kno-"
"Dannyyy!" Jazz, perfect. Not. "Could I ask you something?" she opened my door and saw Sam, form fitting clothes and nicely mussed hair. "Oh, um…" she blushed "Am I interrupting something?"
"No." I said as Sam said
"Yes." I glared at her "Danny was about to tell me when I could meet his girlfriend." Jazz gasped and whipped around to look at me
"WHAT?" ooooh, she was screeching. Not good.
"Thanks Sam." She smiled evilly at me. I looked back to Jazz.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she looked hurt.
"Once again, thanks Sam." *sigh* "I was going to tell you guys, really, I was. I just kinda needed to find the right time and…ease you guys into it. How did you even know?" She held up a small rectangular velvet box with a card that said 'One year. The best of my life because of you.' "Oh, uh, yeah." Jazz asked
"Who is she?"
"…" Sam sat on my bed and so did Jazz, both bumping shoulders, Sam blushed and sat a bit farther away
"Speak louder little brother. Who is she?" barely above a whisper I say
"Ember."
"I couldn't quite hear that Danny." Stupid freakin' Sam.
"Ember."
"Louder little brother." I screw up my courage and shout at them
"EMBER! I'm dating Ember okay!" they look at me with shocked faces then both started speaking at the same time.
"What! Danny you can't-"
"-not such a good idea-"
"-kill you! Are you crazy? And-"
"-really work out? I mean she-"
"-complete PSYCHO! Danny, I think-"
"-little brother you should-"
"HEY!" I finally shout silencing both of them "I know. I know." They look at me and begin to speak again but I hold up my hand to silence them and keep talking "I've thought of everything you could possibly say to try to talk me out of it. I spent a lot of time thinking about this before I even did anything, okay?" Then Sam said
"But Danny, she's Evil." I roll my eyes at her
"Not anymore she's not. When was the last time she even attacked? About a year ago?" Sam 'harumphed' and looked at the floor. Jazz asked
"But Danny, what about the whole…" she winced "…aging thing?"
"Not a problem," I tell them "Clockwork taught me how to regulate my ghost side. I can be any age I've already been, and when I die I can just choose an age to be."
"Danny-" Sam began, but Jazz cut her off
"Does she make you happy?" I smile softly thinking about her
"More than anything else." They look at me, Sam warring with herself and Jazz…contemplating
"Okay." She hugs me then leans back and whacks my head
"Ow! What was that for?"
"We need to have a talk about you keeping things from me little brother, first Phantom and now Ember? I don't like it." I rub my head and Jazz lets go while Sam's still looking at me.
"You're not mad are you?" she sighs
"No, it's just going to take a while to get used to. Is she gunna hang out with us now?" I shrug
"Maybe. Want me to ask?" she shakes her head, covering her face with her hands
"Not really, but I don't want you to hide her from us anymore, and maybe…we could even be friends or something." I smile and bring Sam in for a hug. When we separate there's a smile on her face, small, but there. "If you want to bring her along when we hang out…then I guess it's okay, but keep time for just the three of us, okay?" I smile at her, maybe everything was going to be okay
"Thanks Sam. Now what did you want to ask me Jazz?"
"Oh! Um…" She blushed and got fidgety all of a sudden. Maybe I spoke too soon. Sam stared at her, eyes kind of glazing over, weird. "C-could you set me up again?" I rolled my eyes
"Again? You know you have to get out there some time." She blushed even harder
"I know! I know! I know! I know!" she began to pace in small circles "I know I do, I know! I'm just still kind of…embarrassed to do it myself." Sam was looking at us confused
"What are we talking about?"
"Jazz wants me to set her up on another blind date."
"Dannyyy!" she stomped her foot "You promised not to tell!" Jazz buried her face in her hands to hide her blush
"Please, who's Sam going to tell? And really, if you ask her not to then she won't. She's great with secrets." Sam smiled more genuinely
"Thanks Danny, and really Jazz, it's not that big a deal, he does it for me too sometimes." Jazz un-covered her face
"He does?" Sam nodded
"Yup, and all the dates he matches me with are actually pretty good. They get better each time I tell him what went wrong."
"Really?" Jazz finally smiled "That's kinda how it goes with me too. Hit the perfect match that wanted to sacrifice you to a cult yet?"
"Actually, yes, but that was before Danny." The girls shared a moment of understanding smiles. Jazz looked at me and Sam still stared at Jazz
"So can you set me up?" she blushed again and I sighed
"Sure, but this is the last time okay?" She hugged me suddenly
"Thank you Danny." She let me go "Um, I'll just leave now, but Danny, you have to bring Ember over for lunch or dinner this Friday, or else. Bye little brother." She left, shutting the door.
"Well…that's going to be an interesting day." Sam laughed at me.
"Danny?"
"Yeah Sam?"
"Do you think you could set me up too?" I groan, what am I, the Love Doctor? I mean, yes, after a few simple observations I got a couple couples together, but seriously, all I did was look closely. After the first seven couples people started coming to me and I gave them advice, and hints, which eventually got them together with the people they'd wanted. It kinda became clearer to me once I had my own girlfriend and was less clueless. Still majorly clueless, but less so now. Once all I told a girl to do was wait and listen once her crush got his heart broken, then tell him how she felt. A month later they thanked me. The football team saw this and told me to find a date for Lancer so he wouldn't be so harsh. I told them not for a hundred bucks. I did it for two hundred. And really, he's not that harsh now.
"Yeah, sure, but I thought you didn't need me to do that anymore?"
"Yeah well, I've got this crush…" she blushes at me "and I keep on thinking about them…and I was hoping you could set me up with someone to get my mind off of them and, you know, have a good time. Think you can?" I thought for a second, there should be a few left.
"Yeah, sure. I swear, sometimes I feel like I should just carry around arrows and a bow and put on some wings, it would make life so much simpler. If you don't mind telling me Sam…how long have you had this crush?"
"Remember when you found out about me?"
"Yeah. Kinda hard to forget."
-FLASHBACK-
I was flying through the air, it was Sam's birthday and I had spent the whole day fighting ghosts, I hadn't had the chance to give her her present or spend five seconds with her. I sucked as a friend. I went up to her window, and the curtains were shut, she had some music blaring. Not the best sign. I knock on her window…nothing. I knock again and call out to her.
"Sam!" nadda. I shrug and phase through her window and come into the dark of her room, calling out to her. "Sam, I'm sorry I wasn't here today but I-" I was cut off by a shriek and a call of
"DANNY!"
"Oh. My. God." There, on top of perfect purple silken sheets, was Sam. Naked Sam. With a naked friend. A naked FEMALE friend. Sam was scrambling to cover both of them up while her friend smiled and all I could do was stare for a second before it kicked in that I really shouldn't look. Not only was this a private moment that I had invaded, but it was my BEST FRIEND'S private moment. And she was sharing it with a friend. A Girl friend. I turned away and apologized."I am soooooo sorry, I knocked and no one answered and so I just came in and…um…happy birthday?" just then the song 'Birthday Sex' began to play. I put down the paintings I'd made for her "I'll just leave now." And that's just what I did. I went intangible and flew off at two hundred and thirty two miles an hour. I couldn't go any faster.
I had skipped school the next day. The day after that I avoided Sam. I ran away or went invisible whenever I saw her or whenever she called out to me. This went on for about two weeks until she ambushed me in my room. I woke up tied to my bed with the Fenton Fisher. As soon as I saw her I panicked. She had duct-taped my mouth, which is what had woken me up.
"Danny, why are you avoiding me?" She was PISSED, but in the sad puppy-dog way that made you hate yourself "Is it that you can't accept my sexuality? Are you ashamed to be my friend now?" I said nothing. My mouth was covered after all. I said nothing for a long while. "SAY SOMETHING!"
"Hmm-hmm-hmmm-hmm-hmmm-hmmm-hmm."
"What?" she noticed the tape "Oh." She ripped it off of my face, fast. It hurt
"YEOWCH!"
"Sorry, now speak up, why have you been avoiding me?"
"Self preservation?" she seemed shocked, then her spirit fell, then she was back to being pissed, minus the puppy dog, plus the dragon.
"What? Oh god, you're not one of those stupid bible thumping people that thinks damned by association are you? I expected more of you. I thought you were my friend!"
"That's not it at all! I am your friend Sam!"
"Then why?" she demanded
"I didn't want you to beat me to a pulp!" she was silent for a while.
"What?" I looked at her incredulously
"Sam, I saw you naked. I saw your friend naked. I saw what you two were…doing." We both blushed as we remembered. "I thought you'd be mad and kill me or something."
"Oh. Ohhhhh. That's why. Well, actually, turns out she's a bit of an exhibitionist." She gazed off into the distance "You actually helped make it better." I blushed and so did she when she realized what she had said. She cleared her throat. "Anyways…still friends?" I smile
"Of course. So you're not going to kill me?"
"Now who said that?"
The next day I showed up covered in bruises and limping. But I was smiling and walking next to Sam.
-FIN FLASHBACK-
"Still can't believe you didn't tell Tuck."
"You and I both know that as soon as he heard he'd be spreading sordid love affairs made up from nothing aaaall over the place." I roll my eyes
"C'mon Sam, he's not that bad."
"The plastics incident of 2002?" my face pales
"Okay, he's worse." I shake my head a bit "But anyway, who is she again? You were talking about when I found out about you?"
"Oh, yeah, well, she kinda helped me through it and stuff, I didn't tell her what my problem was exactly, I just hinted at it, but she still helped none the less. She's actually the one who told me to ambush you." my eyes narrow. That line had cut into me.
"Uh-huh, I'd like to meet her, have a talk about that."
"To thank her or to prank her?"
"I'm not sure yet. I'll decide when I meet her. So who is she?" Sam blushed and looked away
"W-who's who?" she stuttered
"Your crush." I tell her. Is she…
"What about her?" avoiding the topic. Fun.
"Who is she?" I ask, my voice stern
"My crush?" she asks almost airily, like she's asking the time
"SAM." She cringes
"Promise not to hate me?" she's blushing again
"Why would I hate you?"
"Just promise me?"
"Sam-"
"Promise Danny…please." She's insistent. Almost…afraid? Is she actually afraid I'd hate her?
"I could never hate you, I promise Sam. Will you tell me? Please?" her face flushes
"…"
"Who?" she looks like a tomato
"…"
"I can't hear you Sam." I'm not even sure how to describe how red she is now, maybe fluorescent fire trucks on crack?
"Jazz. It's Jazz Danny, I have a crush on Jazz." I freeze. My brain is processing this. Processing. Processing. Processing. "Danny?" Processing. "Danny say something." Processing. "Please say something?"
"Processing."
"Processing?"
"Processing." I process for a few more seconds, then I smile.
"Danny, that's a reaaaaaally creepy smile." I chuckle. "Okay now you're seriouslystarting to creep me out." I begin to laugh "Oh god, I broke your brain." I laugh some more, almost manically.
"You didn't break my brain Sam." cue diabolical laughter
"Then why were you laughing like that?" Because I have an evil genius master plan.
"No reason. You know what Sam, Jazz is a great girl and its perfectly understandable as to why you'd like her. In fact there's no reason not to, she's a wonderful sister, a fantastic girlfriend and a nearly perfect person."
"I know, beautiful too." Sam's eyes glazed over for a moment before she asks me "Why were you laughing again?"
"Would you believe a polar bear joke?"
"No, but you're not going to tell me are you?" I shake my smiling head and she sighs "Ok, let's hear it."
"A polar bear walks into a bar. He says 'I'll have a gin...and tonic.' the bartender prepares the drink and says 'hey buddy, if you don't mind me asking, why the big pause?' the polar bear looks at him and says" at this point I hold up my hands "I was born with 'em." I chuckle to myself and Sam shakes her head
"Wow Danny, that's the best you could come up with? A pun? Pause-paws? I'm disappointed with you." I laugh some more because, no matter what she says, she's smiling and trying not to laugh, which is exactly what I wanted.
"Uh huh, I see your smile, goth girl, don't even try to deny it."
"HEY GUUUUUUYS!" we hear from down stairs. Sam rolls her eyes
"YEAH TUCK?"
"GET YOUR BUTS DOWN HERE! THIS GAME ISN'T GOING TO BEAT ITSELF!"
"Think that's our cue?" I asked her
"Might as well be." and we head downstairs
623623623
It was Friday, and that meant some special things were happening. Firstly, my girlfriend was coming to dinner, well lunch really. That might not have been that big a deal, but I kinda, sorta, hid her from my family and friends for a year. That and she's a ghost. And my parents are ghost hunters. And on more than one occasion my girlfriend has tried to kill me and take over the world. And my two best friends were going to be there and make things difficult for me, just because. Oh yeah, lunch was going to be fun, dodging awkward questions, trying to make a good impression, possibly fighting for my life against my mother's cooking as it tries to eat me, and that was just event one. The second event consisted of the two blind dates I had to set up for Jazz, my sister, and Sam, my best friend. oh yeah, today was going to be fuuuuuuun.
I heard a knock on the door of the ghost portal and went over to open it. I stepped to the side, just in case it wasn't her, it's happened before, curious ghosts trying to see who was on the other side. I pressed my thumb down on the Fenton Portal Genetic lock and heard the pneumatic hiss of the doors opening.
"Hey babypop." I turn around, a smile already on my face.
"Mia Fiamma." She smiled and rolled her eyes
"Shaddup dipstick." but she kissed me anyways. I know she secretly likes it.
"So, you ready for this?"
"Ready to walk up to two ghost hunters who think I'm nothing more than a 'malicious manifestation of post human consciousness'? Oh yeah, total cake walk." She rolled her eyes. She does that a lot, oh well, she's forever nineteen and I love her, so I can deal with it.
"C'mon, lets get our awkward on."
623623623
"Uh everyone, just some ground rules. You two," pointing to Sam and Tuck "I can hear your thoughts, so shut up!" they grinned harder. "Jazz, no psychobabble!" she rolled her eyes "Mom, Dad, no ghost babble!" they gave some indignant huffs before acquiescing. "Ember," she gave me the 'you think you can boss me?' look "Please? Please, please, please, please, please?" she gave me an inscrutable look, scrunched up her face, and said
"Maybe."
Two hours of awkward talking after dinner later and everyone was eating dessert in silence, pushing the last bits of food around. Ember swallowed a bite of sweet potato.
"So, nice grub Mrs.F."
"Why thank you dear. So, just how long have you been seeing our little Daniel?" Ember smirked, I blushed
"A year today, aw, little Danny-kins, are you blushing?"
"Shut up." I mutter
"Bitch."
"Ho." I shoot back without thinking, it's our way of saying 'I love you'
"Daniel!" Mom doesn't know that
"Pussy!" Ember calls back regardless. By now my dad is confused, my sister is analyzing, Sam is trying not to smirk, to hate Ember, and Tucker is just barely not laughing. Before I can help it I shoot back
"Slut."
"DANIEL!" Tucker busts out laughing and my sister is finally smiling, Sam is hiding her grin with a potato piece "WHAT HAS GOTTEN INTO YOU?"
"Chill missus eff. It's alright, we've been together for a year, these are just our pet names for each other." Maddie sputtered, not sure what to say, then
"Not around here they aren't!"
"Aww, c'mon Madds," boomed my father "it's young love, we'll never understand teens today!"
"And how exactly did this relationship start?"
"Well," Oh god, please lie "I swung my guitar at Baby-pop's head, and he'd just ducked, then he gut punched me," mom's eye's got wide, nope, she's not lying "and I was about to fall off of my stage when he caught me. I asked him why and he said he didn't want to hurt me, but it seemed the quickest way to stop me. Then he flew me over and let me stay over to get better for a week, you were out to some convention in Florida I think." she waves her hand like it's not important "Anyways, when I got better I decided to treat him for being nice. Rode him like a wild bronco and didn't stop for hours." Ember's monotone had turned sultry and her passive face evil "I liked it. I liked it a lot. He knew just how to make me scream." I double-face-palm. Oh god, I'm never going to live this down "I came back for more the next day and every day after for a week before I decided to ask him out." She says it casually like, 'oh yeah, I just remembered we need milk' My mother had long ago chocked on her food, and everyone was staring at Ember, wide eyed. My face. Was on FIRE. Is it possible for a super powered being to die of embarrassment?
"EMBER!"
"D-Danny?" that was my mother. Ember was going to catch hell for this. In the most calm and controlled voice I had, I told my mom
"Mom. She like to embarrass me beyond reason in the most spectacularly inappropriate ways, don't worry, that was just a lie." no it wasn't, but I'm not about to tell my mom that,
"Th-then how-"
"A little over a year ago I saw her playing in the park and asked her for lessons. She refused for a long time, but eventually she gave in. We bonded over lessons, which eventually became dinner, and then before we knew it we were dating. Now we rock out loud on our guitars."
"Since when do you have a guitar little brother?" thank you for picking up the conversation Jazz, I so owe you for this.
"Since today, it's our one year anniversary. She got me a Gibson and I got her a necklace that can be used as a pick."
"Seems like she got the short end of the deal." said Sam
"Hey!" I argued "It's a nice necklace! It's made of ectoplasmic ice that will never melt, and never chip, and it has a drop of concentrated ectoplasm from the EMOcean in the ghost zone trapped inside that shows her mood and resonates with harmonic frequencies!" Everyone but Ember and mom looked lost.
"Wow, now what does that mean?" asked Tuck, my mom answered
"It means, that when she has it on her the ectoplasm will color to match her emotions and when she speaks, sings or plays the guitar with the necklace's ectoplasm will show resonate sound waves on the air. With the added ectoplasm from the EMOcean acting as a medium the music played might even serve to broadcast the emotion of Ember's music to whoever hears it, right darling?" I knew my mom was a genius but...Wow.
"Uh, yeah." Wow. "I uh, was going to leave Ember some clues so she could figure some of that out but uh, yeah, you got it in one mom." I re-itterate...Wow.
"And how did you get something like that young man?" I shake my head clear, think of my story and shrug.
"Phantom owed me a favor, he forgot his thermos and I didn't want to get pulverized so I gave him mine."
"Little brother, isn't there a belief among guitarists that the material a pick is made of will affect how their musics sound, and some have special picks they set aside?"
"Uh, yeah, since when did everyone get to know so much about music?"
"Dipstick, that's not much, you just don't know a lot."
"There's more than one reason why we call him clueless." Sam said
"Hey!"
"This is just one of them."
"Guys!"
"So wait," Tucker interrupted "you gave her a one of a kind magic-y guitar pick that could pump her tunes up like never before and was, arguably, priceless?"
"Uh," well, when he put it like that "yes?" My mother beamed and my sister rolled her eyes
"That's so sweet honey!"
"Little brother, you're such a romantic."
"And a tiger in bed." Ember said dreamily I shot up and practically knocked my chair over
"OKAY! THAT'S ENOUGH OUT OF YOU EMBER! OH LOOK AT THE TIME, IT'S TIME FOR JAZZ AND SAM TO GET GOING ON THEIR DATE! DON'T WANT THEM TO BE LATE NOW DO WE?" I grab Jazz and pull her up, then I drag her over to Sam and pull her up as well, then held both of their arms and dragged them out. Once the door was shut I made us all invisible, morphed into Phantom and flew the girls away to a movie theater. I touched down and handed them their tickets. "Okay, so here's the deal, you two are double dating. You two will be watching The Dark Knight Rises, and the other two will be watching another movie. Get together afterwards and talk about it." my evil grin was back, and they had noticed, Sam backed up a bit
"Dannnyyyy, why do you look like that?" because I'm an EVIL fucking GENIUS
"Look like what Sammie-kins?" I was still grinning madly Jazz recognized my smile
"Uh, Sam, I know that smile, it's never good."
"Another polar bear?" Sam asked me
"Nope." I just can't wait to see your faces. "I just asked Ember to do something to Tuck is all and I wish I could see his face." Sam cocked an eyebrow at me
"And what was it exactly?"
"Tell you later, now go, shoo, be off on your date!" they left and went to their theater. I changed and took off at my top speed, dialing Ember's phone. She picked up on the first ring
"Thank God! SAVE ME! Your parents are psycho and Tucker won't shut up about some stupid, useless piece of technology!"
"They're in the theater." she became business minded at once
"Do they know?"
"Of course not."
"Can we watch?"
"Of course." I touch down "I'm outside, see you in a sec."
"Later baby-pop."
"Later KISS freak." I hang up and knock on the door. Hardly a second later she pulled the door open, ready to leave
"What took you so long? Let's go already!" I roll my eyes and call out
"Bye mom, bye dad, we're going to the movies, be back before midnight!" before they can say anything I slammed the door and we took off together, going into an alley and flying away as ghosts, headed to the movies.
623623623
SAM
Sam was walking with Jazz up to the concession stand, just past it were the entrances to the different theaters
"So, Jazz...snacks?" she thought for a moment, biting her lip. Che looked cute like that. Her lips, they looked pink and...soft. I wonder what they taste like?
"Do you think they have Twizzlers?" her lovely voice was calling to me "Sam." I loved they way she made my name sound "Sam." I couldn't think anymore, I- "SAM!"
"Huh, wha?" I looked around, startled from my reverie "Uh, what did you say?"
"I asked if you thought they had Twizzlers."
"Uh, yeah, probably."
"Are you okay Sam?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." except that I'm totally fantasizing about my best friend's sister when I'm supposed to be on a date with someone here. "Just something on my mind." like why the hell would he double us up in a totally date-y situation if he knew I had a crush on her?
"Anything you want to share?"
"Murdering your brother."
"What? Why? I thought you two had a good relationship. Did you get in a fight or something?"
"No," but I might yell at him later "I just told him something about myself and I expected him to handle it a little more...intelligently."
"Do you...want to talk about it?"
"No," yes "I'll just have to beat him up when we're done with this date thing." We bought the Twizzlers and one mega large coke, two straws.
"May I ask why?"
"You'll see."
"I will?"
"After the movie."
"Ok...Sam?"
"Yeah Jazz?" we were sitting down in our chairs
"You're...open minded, right?"
"Depends, what am I being open minded about?"
"Love."
"Very much so."
"Does it matter to you who loves who as long as it's real?"
"Not really. Does it matter to you?"
"No. Love should flow freely between whoever has it. Anyone, anywhere, should be able to love anyone else, as long as it's true. Don't you think so?" she looked at me with her beautiful teal eyes, sparking so full of hope. Hope for what? God she looks beautiful. I blush while looking at her.
"Yeah, of course." she gave me a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. I blushed so hard. I blushed even harder as I felt her chest on me. I'm such a perv.
"Thanks Sam."
"N-no problem." Oh god. She's so beautiful. I'm going to murder him for this.
"Y'know, you're cute when you blush Sam." Needless to say, I blushed even harder. My face felt like it was on fire from all the heat, and I was surprised that my hair didn't spontaneously burst into flames.
JAZZ
I leaned over to kiss Sam on the cheek and hugged her. I don't know why, I was just so relieved. I should have expected it of course, she's friends with inter-dimensional entities, why would she care? She's more accepting than that. I should never have been afraid.
"Thanks Sam."
"N-no problem." aw, she was blushing. She must really be nervous about her date. She looked so cute when she blushed, so innocent.
"Y'know, you're cute when you blush Sam." That made her blush even more. She really was so cute. Such a pretty girl, and nice, and smart. Whoever her Date is is a lucky guy. I hope Danny set her up with someone nice. Me too. When Sam finds out...nothing will happen. She won't even be surprised. She's never surprised. Well there was that one time...a couple actually. But it takes a lot to surprise her, a whole heck of a lot. This will just be an interesting side note to her. Yes. That's exactly what it will be. Am I Rambling? In an internal monologue? I wonder how long I've been going? I wonder if there has ever been a study where-NO. Date night. Enjoying it with Sam. Watching Batman. No internalized monologues...or externalized. Whatever. I hope Sam doesn't freak.
I look over at Sam and she's still blushing. Couldn't have been in my head too long. Let's get back to reality.
"Where are the straws Sam?"
"Huh? Straws? Oh, they're...right here." she held up one straw. "Where'd the other one go? I'll get another one." the lights dimmed
"No!" I whispered "The movie's about to begin! We can share a straw, no big deal! Now sit down! It's about to start!" Hmm, one straw, cross saliva contamination. Danny was immature, he'd probably make some joke about an indirect kiss with Sam. Then again, he's had a girlfriend for a year now. Tucker on the other hand. He'd be all over it. I wonder if-NO! Enjoy. The. Movie.
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"-and then that one part-"
"Where they worked together and-"
"Yeah, that was so cool!"
"I was kinda disappointed by the ending."
"No! It was so awesome!"
"Well, yeah, it's Batman, but it could have been more awesome."
"Wow Jazz, I'm surprised, I've never seen the nerdy part of you before, geeky yes, nerd, no." I blushed at her comment. Why did I care what she thought of me?
"Is it bad?"
"No! Of course not! I just didn't know you were such a bat-fan." I gave her my 'are you freaking serious?' look
"It's Batman. That alone is enough. Plus the psychological components in this story line and the back stories of each end every minor character, what they must be going through, and then of course there's the main characters. All of that aside though, the movies were just done very well." I look off into the sky as we sit on a bench outside of the theater, waiting for out dates. "I also think the message is inspiring."
"What message?"
"Anyone can be a hero. Even if they fall." Sam rolled her eyes and snorted
"With extensive training, near limitless funding, and advanced technology, you too can take down psychotic criminals who wouldn't hesitate to murder you, the masses or your loved ones." Sam tapped her chin "You're right, the message is inspiring."
"SaaAAaam."
"What! Super heroes are super because they're unique! Heroes are heroes because they do what super heroes do without any powers, or special equipment, they do it with their courage and what god gave them."
"That's not true in all situations. Firefighters use a hose and a special pressurizing system."
"Well yeah, but those people choose to be heroes for a living, they have training. I think the most heroic of heroes is the one on the bus that stops an armed gunman because they find the courage to do so, not because it's their job. It doesn't demean or diminish what fireman or policemen or any other employed hero does. It doesn't diminish it in the slightest, but I think it takes a special kind of person to save someone else when it's not their job, when they have no training, and when they never should have been in the situation in the first place."
"So a hero is more heroic to you when they're less prepared?"
"Not more heroic, it's just more impressive. It's also incredibly stupid, but heroic none the less."
"Stupid, heroic, ill-prepared, remind you of anyone?"
"A certain resemblance does lend itself to the half and soon to be full ghost."
"Seriously Sam, what did he do?"
"You'll see soon enough Jazz." two guys walk up to us, holding a picture, they look at the picture, then at us, then at the picture, then at us again "Excuse me, can we help you?"
"Sam and Jazz?" how did they know us?
"Yes?"
"Good, we're the other half of your double date." these guys were...these guys...these...I shoot up in disbelief
"Wait what?"
"You can't be!"
"That's impossible!"
"I'm going to kill him!"
"Why can't we be the other half?"
"Because one of you isn't a girl!" Sam shoots off
"What?" did she know? Sam turns to me.
"Jazz, that...thing, I was going to show you?"
"Yeaaah?"
"My date was supposed to be a girl." her date?
"Wait, your date?"
"Yeah, Jazz, I'm...a lesbian. And Danny was supposed to set me up on a date with a girl to get my mind off of you because I have a gigantic crush on you and now he..." her eyes went wide and her face red "...you didn't just hear that did you?"
"You...have a crush on me?" somewhere in the back of my brain I heard someone say
"He was right, this is entertaining."
"Uh, I uh...uh." she looked terrified
"Sam?" she sighs and crumples in on herself
"My date was supposed to help me forget about you." she mumbled "You're my best friend's sister, that's like, the forbidden zone." she blushed harder and said "I still can't believe he set me up on a date with a guy."
"He didn't." one of them says
"What?"
"My name is Kyle, and this is Joseph, my boyfriend. We are the second couple on the double date."
"Second? Then that means..."
SAM
"Second?" Jazz asks "Then that means..." her eyes go wide and she looks at me "Oh my god little brother! You, you, you...oh I'm going to kill him." I snuffle, looking at my crush who knows she's my crush
"Why are you going to kill him?"
"I just am. Sam?"
"Yeah?"
"All that talk about who loves who?"
"Yeeaah?"
"That was...so you could get ready for my date...who...is supposed to be a lesbian." What?
"Why would your date be a lesbian? If anything it would be my date because I'm one too, I mean it's not as if you-" I look at her face, which is blushing up a storm. "Wait a second..." my date would be a lesbian because I'm a lesbian. Why wold her date be...oh. OH. OH MY GOD. "DANNY I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
"Do you think she figured it out?" asked Kyle
"She must have, I mean red figured it out pretty quickly." said Joe
"I think it's kind of sweet what her brother's done." I look around, searching for the signs, distorted air, cold spot
"WHERE ARE YOU! I KNOW YOU'RE HERE! I KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING US!" I screamed
"Uh, is she all right?" asked Kyle, Jazz was looking pissed
"Yeah, but Danny won't be."
"Why?"
"Because I like Sam." My breath catches and I whip around to Jazz, all thoughts of Danny forgotten
"What?"
"I...Sam..." what is she saying "for a while now...when I went on my dates, I was always comparing them to you. I kept telling him, though, not directly, to make my dates more like...you." my brain stops working, my face freezes. She what? What? What?
"What?"
"You're strong, independent, you know how to get things done." She can't be talking about me
"But-"
"You're intelligent and attractive, and strong in your beliefs." I'm not any of those things
"Jazz-"
"Even when I can't stand how headstrong you are sometimes, you're just so kind and understanding." No, she's wrong
"Stop."
"You're thoughtful and an individual and-"
"Jazz stop!" I yelled at her...I shouldn't have done that "I-I'm sorry, but, you're wrong, I'm not any of that."
"Yes you are, I see it every day."
"No I'm not!" she sighs and crosses her arms, shaking her head with a disappointed look
"Very well then, you've forced me to play my trump card." she smiles at me "You're in denial."
"No I'm n...you're fucking evil." she smiles harder. "All Fentons are pure evil."
"Two out of four at least."
"Why are you so smug?"
"Because I won."
"Now I know why Danny was so irritated with you for the longest time."
"All's fair in love and war." Jazz stated smugly
"Is this one of those?"
"Yes, but we're certainly not fighting, so that leaves only one possibility."
"Cold war?"
"No."
"War of attrition?"
"No."
"War of the Roses?"
"No, Sam."
"War of the Worlds?"
"Sam, try love."
"..."
"Sam?"
JAZZ
"Sam?" she looked like she was about to hyperventilate. "Sam calm down, we can go as slow as you want. Ok?" She made eye contact. I think that that, in and of itself, was an accomplishment. Sam's breathing evened out. "Take it slow, ok?" she nodded. "Ok, now let's go eat some fajitas, talk about our movies and plot Danny's downfall. Sound good?" she smiled at me then.
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We had a good time at the restaurant. Kyle and Joseph was a good other couple for our date. They were fun, funny, and had intelligent views to present. Two more friends for us, and they don't want to sacrifice us to their cult. As Sam and I were coming home we see Danny and Ember waiting at the steps of our home, smirking...so smugly. Oh, revenge will come...REVENGE WILL COME! But not now, now, it's time to say goodnight. I turn to Sam.
"Uh, Sam?"
"Y-yeah?" she was blushing.
"Sam's pretty when she's blushing." Sam blinks a few times
"Uh, thanks?" What was she thanki-Wide eyes for me.
"I didn't say that out loud did I?"
"Uh, yeah."
"Huh, wow, now I know how Danny feels." and now I'm blushing. "A-anyway, um, this is goodnight so...um, maybe...I...could..." Oh god, I've never been more embarrassed in my life. I don't know how to ask for this, not from SAM. There's a hand on my shoulder. "Ember?" what..."What are you doing?"
"Shut it Jazz." I sputter, she can't talk to me like that! Sam said as much.
"You can't talk to her like that!"
"Sam," I try to speak up
"No," she shushed me "she can't!"
"And you can talk to me like that goth girl?"
"You can't talk to her like that either!" I...inform her.
"Awwwww, stickin' up for your girlfriend?" Ember jeers
"Yeah, I am!" I blush and turn to Sam "Uh, that is...if you want to...be my girlfriend. 'Cause I kinda really like you...Sam." I can't meet her eyes right now. Ugh, why am I so...so...blushy?"
SAM
"Awwwww, stickin' up for your girlfriend?" Ember jeers
"Yeah, I am!" I blush as Jazz turns to me then averts her eyes "Uh, that is...if you want to...be my girlfriend. 'Cause I kinda really like you...Sam." Oh god. Oh God. Oh God, oh God, oh God, oh God, oh Goooooooood! This can't be happening, it can't be...I...it can't be...oh Goooood!
"YES!" uh, loud "I-I-I mean...yes. Yes I would love to be your girlfriend." My cheeks are on fire. Oh god, this is so... This is too... Why can't I stop smiling? I don't care, this red headed Goddess just asked me to be her girlfriend! And I said YES!
JAZZ
"YES! I-I-I mean...yes. Yes I would love to be your girlfriend." I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. Why would...she...say...yes? Yes? YES? YES! SHE SAID YES!
"SHE SAID YES!" I look around, Sam is staring wide eyed at me, Ember looks amused, Danny looks smug or something. I bring my hands down from their ecstatic 'fists in the air scream it to the world' position "Uh, I mean...uhhhh."
"Yeah, yeah, we know what you mean. You're good?" I nod "You're good?" Sam nods "Good, now kiss." Wait what?
"Wait whmmmmm!" Ember had her hands on the back of our heads and had...pushed, and put our, lips...oh, screw internal monologue. I'm kissing Sam!
SAM
"Yeah, yeah, we know what you mean. You're good?" She nods "You're good?" I nod "Good, now kiss." Whozzi-nowzi-WAHuh?
"Wait whmmmmm!" Oh my god! I'm kissing Jazz! She doesn't seem to be enjoying it though, Ember probably rushed her and...is that her hand on my hip? Time to start kissing back!
DANNY
I'm sitting here, watching my girlfriend, as she forces my sister, and my best friend, to kiss, and they both seem to like it. A lot. A LOT. Sam's hand is creeping up my sister's back and down pulling them together and Jazz's hand is on Sam's hip, pressing them closer together if possible. I think I see a flash of tongue and...OH GROSS! I'm watching my sister make out with someone! Seriously make out! I don't care how hot Sam is, one half of that make out is Jazz. Ewww. I am NOT watching this.
"I am NOT watching this." Ember snorts and rolls her eyes. She walks over...no, she glides over, doing that sexy hip roll thing that girls do. God, how did they do that? I don't care, it's fucking hot. She gets up close and takes my eyes from her hip to her face with a finger under my chin.
"Make an appearance at your house, go to bed, then we'll go make our own private spectacle. 'Kay Babypop?"
"Okay." I'm hypnotized. I lean in for a kiss and she pulls back, flicking her finger from my chin, smiling evilly. I pout at her. "No goodnight kiss?"
"You'll get your kiss when you're done for the night, and our's is far from over." I have my evil genius grin on.
"I like the way you think."
"ERHRM!" huh? other people in existence?
"Little brother, I hope you're not planning on doing anything too... irresponsible." she intones. I roll my eyes
"Please Jazz, it's Friday. Tonight's our movie night, Ember finally found the last Godzilla movie and her set is complete. We're gunna have a sweatpants junk food movie marathon." I cock my head "Wanna join us? We could all hang out in your theater Sam, have a massive sleepover, you get to know Ember, spend more time together and have a good time, we could even spring Tuck."
"You know what Danny, that's a great idea." she smiles at me.
"Okay, let's get the movies, I'll talk to Tuck, and we'll meet you there." We parted ways and Ember says
"You're just going to pop in, tell them I changed my mind and get them to spend more time together aren't you?"
"Watch Sam tell her parents her new girlfriend is staying the night, with some new friends of course, and then watch as we tell them we can't make it? Wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Yes, but I also know you wouldn't give up what our Fridays are really for." I roll my eyes. Spending too much time with Ember? No such thing...but maybe I do need to tone down the whole eye rolling thing.
"I might like mischief but I'm not stupid. Ah, a simple Sam Slash Jazz Minus the Danny Plus Ember factor totally Equals me as a Side Character and an awesome Lesbian Slash Love-story."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"You're a moron. Now check in with your folks, so we can mess with Sam and celebrate our Anniversary."
"Sì la mia Fiamma." she groans, but I'm all smiles
"Bitch."
"Ho."
"Pussy."
"Slut." we're holding each other now. "I love you." She gasps, it's the first time I've said it to her. That either of us has said it.
"I...I love you too." She kisses me, smiling all the while. Forehead against mine she says "Still a bitch."
"Still a slut." she chuckles
"Yeah, but you're my bitch."
"And you're my love." I kiss her again and she presses our bodies together.
"Phantom."
"Fiamma."
"Amante."
"Amore." she smiles at me, her secret smile, just for me.
"I love you too, now let's go mess with Sam and Jazz for a bit, then I'll take you back to my place." I smirk and kiss her
"That's why I love you."
"Sam has Jazz, I have Ember and Tucker has Eliza. All is right in the world...for now."