Statis
Self-proofreading isn't reliable, and neither is my use of pronouns. Sorry 'bout that.
x.x
Sam growled to herself as she examined the little bits of banana and milk that stubbornly stuck to the insides of the blender. She picked up the sponge – again – and rubbed it against the little scraps of food, set the sponge down, and examined the glass. It was still there. With tiny cry of frustration she set the blender down and rubbed at her forehead.
Her mind went to wander, and with an audible growl she snapped it back on track. The blender. She should forget about everything else, and worry about the blender. There – she had calmed her mind, and felt the comforting blankness wash over her. Peace, she thought.
Or as close too, she added bitterly as she filled the blender with water from the sink and put it back on its base, switching it on and watching the water whiz around inside the glass. Trapped.
She didn't want to be thinking of Danny. She really didn't want to be thinking of Danny. And yet –
Something cold and solid wound around her waist like a snake, arms wrapped around her shoulders and a head nuzzled against her ear. "Surprise," Danny grinned, his voice hitching and breathy with giggles.
"Danny," Sam complained, unwrapping the ghost's powerful tail from around her waist. Danny looked up at her with hurt in his too-young eyes and the tail turned back into a pair of legs. He hovered in the kitchen, looking unsure of his welcome.
Sam tried again. "Yeah, Danny, it's nice to see you back," she said. "How was work?"
It was a cruel question, and she mentally kicked herself for it. Danny's face scrunched up as he tried to find an answer. Maybe he'd be able to say something, maybe he'd just blow it off. She watched a little flash of fear appear in Danny's eyes as he realised he couldn't quite remember what he had done that day while human.
Sam guiltily turned away. "Toast?" she asked the ghost.
"Peanut butter!" Danny called behind her.
Sam put four slices of bread in the monster toaster she'd overridden Danny's bewildered protests to buy. When she turned around, Danny was sitting at the table, apparently having decided to once again obey the law of gravity. He was slouched over the tablecloth, drawing patterns with a knife.
Sam felt irritated. "I'm not your mom, Danny, get the peanut butter yourself."
Danny sighed, but under her watchful eye flew over to the cupboared and pulled out the peanut butter without opening the door. He grinned cheekily at her as he sat back down again.
Sheesh, thought Sam, he was just like a little kid.
Danny unscrewed lid and peered inside, his face falling. "It's empty," he groused, and dropped the container onto the table. It rolled a few inches towards the table's edge and stopped.
Sam snorted. "Really? It wasn't yesterday. You've been making yourself midnight snacks, then."
"I have not," Danny muttered, and looked back at her. "Don't we have any more?"
Sam walked over the cupboard and opened it. "Well, we have apricot jam," she answered as she looked over the shelves. Danny looked unhappy, but he held his hand out to receive it. As he did, two rings like glowing hula-hoops appeared around his middle, and travelled over his body. When the lights disappeared, her Danny was back.
Human, twenty-one-year-old Danny was back, and Sam couldn't help herself. She reached over and hugged him. Danny gave her an amused grin, a sort of 'miss me?' look in his dazed eyes. He looked down at the apricot jam in his hand and the toast on the table.
"I… guess we're having an after-work snack," he said.
"Yeah," Sam breathed.
Danny looked at the peanut butter in confusion. "And… why peanut butter? I haven't liked that stuff since I was fourteen, and I know you—"
Sam shook her head and smiled. "Let's just eat."