Hey everyone!
So I've been working on this for awhile, but only just got the little leap of inspiration I needed to finish it today! So yay! XD
As always, I find inspiration from other stories I read, especially other Danny Phantom stories with Danny and Vlad friendship/father-son stuff! If you want to read stories that inspire me for Danny Phantom fics like this, then go read Pearl 84's stories and DeadlyDaisy8o8's stories! Because their stuff is awesome!
Anyway, this is another oneshot! You can see it either as a stand alone, or as a continuation to my previous two DP oneshots! Choice is yours! In this oneshot though, as in my others, Phantom Planet never happened and Danny's sixteen or so! Keep that in mind as you read!
Disclaimer's on my prof.!
Enjoy and please review!
Danny had learned much about fighting in the past two years he'd been a halfa. The quickest lesson he'd learned was how to dodge, but even after so much practice, he still had battles where he'd receive a good hit that would send pain shooting through him and leave him battered and bruised the next day.
Today was one such day- well, one such night, to be exact. It was roughly ten-thirty at night when Skulker had decided to cause some chaos. The battle had dragged Danny all the way from Amity Park and into the borders of the state of Wisconsin, only ending once Danny finally managed to get the hunter into the thermos. With a gaping wound in his side and exhaustion nearly dragging him to the ground, Danny knew he wouldn't be able to make it home without taking care of his injury first unless he wanted to pass out from blood loss.
After some internal debate that Danny finally gave in to reason and grudgingly started for Vlad's place.
It was a few months ago that Danny and Vlad had managed to forge a (somewhat shaky) truce, the arrangement being that they would leave each other alone, and Vlad wouldn't go after Danny's family if Danny didn't go after Vlad's business ventures. The only times the two interacted now were when one of them needed a favor from the other or Danny's family visited Vlad's mansion or vice-versa.
Danny figured that borrowing some first aid supplies so that he didn't bleed out counted as a favor.
Danny was drawn from his musings when he reached the grand estate that belonged to Vlad Masters. Drifting down, Danny knocked his knuckles against the door. While he waited, Danny decided to change into human form, just in case of the off chance that Vlad had company over. Danny could feel his bones all but vibrate as his body returned to normal. The strain of the transformation prompted a fresh gush of blood to begin leaking from the open wound in the teen's side, and Danny was quick to cover it with a hand. He hoped Vlad didn't mind if he got a few little blood stains on the front steps...
There was the sound of footsteps beyond the door, then the knob was turned and the heavy door opened.
Vlad was silhouetted by the light from inside the mansion. At ten P.M, his hair was out of its usual tie and instead hung about his shoulders, and he was in a simple dress shirt and slacks. He didn't appear too happy.
"I swear, if you're another one of those women selling Fudgey-Sprinkle or Sparkly Unicorn Bottom cookies for their daughter's girl scout troop just so they can win a bicycle-"
Vlad paused mid-sentence, blinking owlishly down at Danny in surprise.
"Daniel?"
By now, Danny was grinning mischievously. He raised a brow at Vlad.
"'Sparkly Unicorn Bottom cookies'?"
Vlad, clearly embarrassed, cleared his throat.
"Ah, yes, well. You would be surprised what girl scouts sell now a days. Or rather, the mothers of girl scouts."
"A cliche situation if I've ever heard one." Danny replied, chuckling. He winced as the sound rattled his sore ribs. "Agh, ow..."
Ice blue eyes immediately turned to the gaping wound in Danny's side, and Vlad's expression became serious.
"Daniel, what on earth happened?!"
"Fight with Skulker." Danny explained shortly. "Got any bandaids?"
Vlad stepped aside.
"You better come inside."
Offering a grateful expression, the teen entered the large foyer, favoring his side. Vlad led the teen into the main sitting room, and the boy dropped into a seat.
"Sorry if I get blood on anything." He grunted, deciding it'd be best to get apologies for any mess he'd make out of the way now. Vlad scoffed as he knelt down.
"And you think I care? Move your hand."
Danny did as told, removing his hand from the wound on his side and letting Vlad get a better look at it. The man frowned as he examined the injury, fingers brushing just under it. Danny winced at the action, and Vlad offered an apologetic expression before returning to his examination.
"Wait here."
Danny only hummed, slumping back into the couch cushions, wincing as his side protested.
Trying to hide his worry, Vlad hurried to his lab. He grabbed everything he could think of that he needed to patch up Danny's wounds. He paused when he came across a bottle of an ectoplasmic ointment. It was capable of healing a ghost- or in this case, halfa's, wounds within an hour, sometimes even less. Yet Vlad knew that Danny was hesitant when it came to using items that were created by and for ghosts. The boy was still trying to desperately cling to the idea that he was relatively normal- a foolish idea, but Vlad knew he had once been like that.
After a moment more of mental debate, Vlad grabbed the bottle. He could at least offer to use it on the boy's wounds. If Danny refused, then that was his choice.
Returning to the sitting room, Vlad found Danny where he'd left him. Blood was sluggishly dripping through his fingers, coating them in red. The couch, with deep green cushions, had suffered a couple of drop sized stains. Danny's eyes were dim with thought.
As Vlad approached, Danny looked up. His deep sapphire eyes regarded the items in Vlad's arms warily.
"That's a lotta stuff..."
"Yes, well, your injuries are extensive." Moving over, Vlad set the medical supplies he held on a coffee table. "Shirt off."
"Oh that doesn't sound creepy." Danny muttered as he did what he was told, pulling off his ripped and stained shirt. When the boy looked around, trying to figure out where he could put the bloody article of clothing, Vlad gestured to the coffee table.
"Just set it down there."
Danny looked confused.
"But my shirt, its covered in-"
"I have maids for a reason, Daniel. Its fine."
Danny still seemed a bit hesitant, but tossed the ruined article of clothing on the table anyway. The movement stretched at the wound in his side, making fresh blood dribble down his side. The teen went to cover his side, but Vlad lightly smacked his hand away. A hiss left Danny's mouth as the older halfa pressed a cloth soaked with antispetic against his side.
"Ah fu-"
"Language." Vlad interjected, sending the boy a look. Danny didn't reply, simply gritting his teeth against the pain, blood-covered fingers clutching the edge of the couch in a white-knuckled grip. Vlad didn't take the time to mourn the ruined cushions, instead focusing on the task at hand.
Silence fell, but it wasn't all too uncomfortable. Occasionally a slight groan of pain would leave Danny when Vlad began stitching the injury that stretched over his side, but he didn't try to move away. The boy was too used to this by now to feel the need to try and move away, even as the needle dove in and out of his flesh.
When he finished with the stitches, Vlad paused, glancing at the ectoplasmic ointment on the table.
"I have an ointment that is capable of speeding your healing process, if you'd like."
Danny looked suspiciously at the man.
"What's the catch?"
"Its not really a catch." Vlad replied. "Its just that I know you prefer to not use objects created in the ghost zone, and this ointment-"
"I'll pass." Danny cut him off. "I'll be fine without it."
Vlad sighed wearily.
"Daniel..."
Danny shook his head.
"No." He stated firmly. "I don't want it."
Vlad inspected Danny's face. The boy's expression determined, with that ever present stubborn look in his eyes. Sighing a second time, Vlad reached for one of the gauze rolls on the coffee table.
"Very well." He started to wrap up Danny's middle. "You're too stubborn for your own good sometimes, I swear."
Danny only grunted, shifting a bit to give the man better access so he could wrap the gauze around his middle easier.
Once finished with the gauze, Vlad went about cleaning up and patching the rest of the boy's wounds. A few gashes on Danny's arms were deep and required stitches, while others only needed a bandage. The work was tedious, and soon a couple hours passed, with little conversation. Conversation usually turned into arguments when it came to them, and the last thing either halfa needed at this time of night was to get into a fight about how Danny knew better than to go after Skulker without checking to see what weapons the hunter had on him.
Finally, at two or so in the morning, Vlad finished.
"There." The older male stated, pushing himself up to his feet. "That's all I can do for now, I'm afraid." Vlad sent the boy a tired look. "You really need to be more careful, Daniel."
Danny pretended to not hear the last bit, busying himself with looking over his injuries. Seeming satisfied, the boy offered Vlad a small smile.
"Thanks, fruitloop."
Vlad frowned at the nickname, but didn't object, instead gathering the medical supplies from the table. He paused when Danny picked up the ripped and bloodied shirt from the table, the teen looking at it with dismay.
"Aw man..."
Regarding the destroyed article of clothing, Vlad made a decision.
"As soon as you have some free time, bring a couple changes of clothing here." At the confused and somewhat creeped out expression he received, Vlad clarified, "Knowing you, something like this will happen again. Next time it'd be best if there was something not covered in blood for you to change into."
Understanding flickered through sapphire eyes, and Danny looked hesitant.
"Are...Uh, are you sure?"
Vlad scoffed.
"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't."
Danny slowly nodded.
"Okay." He agreed. He then smiled shyly, an expression Vlad wasn't used to seeing on Danny's face. "Thanks. Y'know, for patching me up and stuff."
Vlad nodded, waving the boy off with a hand.
"Yes, yes. Very good, glad to have been of service, now go home, Daniel. You need to rest."
Danny grinned, laughing as he changed into his ghost form. His hazmat suit hid his bandages and stitched wounds, and a good amount of his bruises.
"Alright, I get it, you want me out. I'm going."
Vlad watched as the boy headed for the nearest wall, the boy no doubt planning to phase through.
"Daniel?"
The teen paused, looking back.
"Yeah?"
Vlad pursed his lips, eyes turning to the ground. Then,
"Be more careful from now on. If not for me, then for your friends and family."
Danny blinked, taken aback, then his expression softened. A warm smile graced his features, and it was surprising, Vlad mused, how such a kind expression made the boy's already youthful face younger.
"I'll try."
And then the boy was gone, vanishing beyond the wall.
Vlad heaved a sigh, gathering the remaining supplies. He couldn't help but smile to himself.
Even when he wanted to be mad at the boy, Vlad found that he couldn't be angry for long. Danny just had that effect on people.
Especially Vlad.