AN: Hi! So I finished the Auction a while ago (I just posted it slowly but shhh) and started this little project below. I haven't used a beta for it, so all mistakes are mine. I don't have much of a warning right now other than the fact that Danny is a minor. Nothing serious is happening, but I realize that can be disgruntling for a lot of people.

This is pompous pep, as is all of my fics. Except the snarry ones. But I do like guyxguy relationships so that's all my writing/fics focus on.

Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, but I hope you enjoy my fictional version of it!

The sickening sound of his back cracking against the building should have alerted him to stop fighting, but it didn't. It only made him more determined to continue because admitting defeat would be worse. It shouldn't feel so bad in his ghost form, but for some reason, it did. As he slowly slid down onto the ground, he barely registered the sound of Technus' laughter. One would think after two years of being used to fighting the ghost, one would know to avoid cable wires. Danny took a deep, shaky breath as he slowly made his way to stand on his two feet.

His body was shaking from the rush of pain. His bones ached and his back felt like it had been split in half. Glancing to his right, he saw the group of people who he had rescued from Technus' attacked. IT was what got him into this whole mess in the first place. He noted spitefully that they were just taking pictures of his fight or probably just recording it with their smart phones. One was even cheering Technus on. The teen could feel blood trailing from his skull, down his face, and dripping slowly onto the ground. His suit was torn in several spots, revealing green cuts scattered across his chest and legs.

The worst part of it all was that he was just completely off his game today. Technus was always a headache but today, the young halfa was really struggling to defeat him. Hell, he didn't even know where his thermos was anymore. He had taken it out to suck the ghost into it but it somehow got smacked aside and landed god knows where. If he thought his luck couldn't get any worse, he was dead wrong. He felt a very powerful ghost signature to his left; getting closer and closer.

Apparently Vlad Plasmius decided to swing by. The vampire looking ghost was zooming towards them with an evil grin on his face. For a moment, Danny contemplated resorting to crying. How was he supposed to finish off Technus now and focus on stopping Vlad from whatever he was on his way to do? He didn't have much time to decide on it. Another wire was headed his way to attack him. It wouldn't be a problem if the width of the wire wasn't bigger than his head and about to strike him.

There was no way he could just block it or even summon enough of his energy to make himself intangible; not unless he wanted to revert back to his human self. Deciding to just bite the bullet, he crossed his arms in front of him in a defensive stance and clenched his eyes closed as he waited for impact. At the sound of something hard smacking against flesh, he tensed, but didn't feel the pain he knew he should have. Immediately, the teen opened his eyes and placed his arms down to witness the sight of Plasmius standing in front of him, protecting him.

The wire was caught against Vlad's powerful fist. The older halfa then opened his palm and shot his own electricity through it to shock Technus. The ghost hadn't expected Plasmius' power. He cried out from the pain. The ghost was too distracted to notice the older half ghost taking out the thermos Danny didn't remember him finding, and quickly sucked the ghost into it. The man had made it seem effortless.

After that was done, Vlad turned to face the younger hybrid. Danny's body screamed at him to cower, but he stood his ground. As the blue skinned half ghost approached him, the teen was surprised when he suddenly felt gentle arms lift him to be carried bridal style and pulled towards a warm chest before flying into the sky.

The wind blowing on his bloodied face somehow felt soothing as he was carried off to a safe distance away before being teleported to a lab. He only had to take a short glance around to notice they were in the older man's lab located in the mansion. With a sigh, he let himself be placed on the table in the middle of the room where mechanical arms shot out from underneath and began to fix his wounds.

Switching back to his human self, Vlad stood beside the table with his hands behind his back, observing the damage for himself. "You really got yourself injured today, Daniel." He commented in a seemingly casual tone, looking at a large gash in the teen's inner thigh among the many other wounds. Inwardly, however, he was worried. The boy was left in really bad shape.

Danny winced at the feel of himself being treated. It hurt, but he learned to clench his teeth and take a deep breath to not shout. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how you looked at it, this was not the first time he had been treated this way and saved by Vlad. It didn't bring much of a sense of comfort. It was strange. "I know. I'm having an off day." He paused and then added, "Thanks for this." He hadn't expected the help this time.

"You're welcome. Although I am annoyed." His expression suddenly changed to a serious one. "I was just on my way to release a ghost trapped in a certain sewer to attack the city. Lucky for you that I was distracted."

Rolling his eyes, the teen shot the older man a glare. "Bastard. Do you know how tired I am?" How tired he always felt lately?

Vlad raised a brow at that. "No one tells you to rescue that pathetic excuse of a city. In fact, saving the people in Amity Park is what gets you so injured in the first place." Danny was flipped onto his stomach. The older man winced sympathetically when the teen finally cried out as the machine began to work on his back. The damage was much worse there than on his front. "There, there. It'll be over soon."

A hand soothingly patted his white hair in comfort. With a sigh, Danny basked in the touch. It was getting harder to accept that the man was his enemy, especially when he did nice things for him like this. There was some sort of connection they shared since the year before, back when he turned fifteen. They still fought, of course, but the billionaire had stopped trying to hurt his family and steal his mother away. In fact, Vlad didn't even mention the teen's mother anymore. The young halfa figured that was when his crush for the man began. However, it was impossible to even befriend the pompous jerk. Vlad wanted nothing more than to take over the world and harm others. Danny couldn't allow that.

"Vlad?" The teen whimpered as his back was repaired. Tears threatened to spill but he kept his eyes shut tightly to stop them from flowing.

Frowning lightly, Vlad responded, "Yes, Daniel?"

"It hurts."

The man's heart clenched at hearing that and for a moment, he cursed himself for not making Technus suffer. Placing his hand on the teen's cheek, he rubbed his thumb soothingly across the lightly tanned skin. Danny was breathing heavily; trying to just bite through the pain and let the machine do what it was supposed to for him. "I know, my dear boy. Hang in there. You'll feel better after, I promise."

Sniffling, the teen nuzzled against the palm of the warm hand. It gave him something to do and distracted him from the pain spreading throughout his body. Finally, after what felt like hours, his back was done and the machine was focusing on his lower body. That didn't hurt so much. Letting out a grateful sigh, he hoped Vlad wouldn't remove the hand just yet. It soothed him beyond relief.

The billionaire watched the back of the teen's thighs heal and the cuts on the calves disappear before he helped the young halfa sit up. Danny had a few scratches left on him, but overall he looked much better. Going over to the cabinet he had a few feet away from the table, he opened it and pulled out a red pill. Giving it to the teen, Danny already knowing what it was, he was happy to see him pop the pill into his mouth, chew, and then swallow it. Immediately, the haze of pain disappeared from the green eyes and a smile appeared.

"Thanks, Fruitloop." The pain was completely gone now. He felt significantly better. Smiling at the older man, his heart skipping a beat at the sight of the gesture returned, he added with a small laugh, "Why do you have to be so crazy and evil?"

Chuckling, Vlad shot back, "Why do you have to be a goody-too shoes hero? Really Daniel, you risk your life for these fools and for what? You get nothing in return. Not even appreciation." His humor had left him at the end, which was noticed.

Surprised by the comment, Danny frowned and looked away from those cobalt blue eyes gazing questioningly at him. Staring at the floor, he thought back on the people he rescued earlier who cheered Technus on and recorded their battle. "It's just the right thing to do." That was why he did it. What other answer could he possibly have? Yet, he sounded so … unsure of himself.

Humming in response, Vlad studied the teen before him. Danny really had wonderful morals; but it hurt him in the end. It frustrated the older hybrid. If he had his way, he would never allow Danny to get hurt like this for those people. They didn't deserve the young hybrid's kindness. They were ungrateful and in turn, made the young halfa's life a living hell. They sent ghost hunters after him in retaliation to him rescuing them. It angered the man. It was why he felt no sympathy and was able to attack them without a second thought. People were cruel, especially to his Little Badger...

"Perhaps one day, you'll see things my way." Vlad said as he walked over to Danny and petted the soft hair.

Throwing the man a glare, but not stopping him, Danny scowled. "No way. I'll never change." He really wished he could say that as fiercely as he used to only a year ago. The only reasonable excuse he could make was the exhaustion he felt.

"Shame." Running his hand once more through the locks, he reluctantly placed it back on his side. "You're all fixed up. Run along now, Daniel, and go home. You should rest. Use my ghost portal so it'll be faster to get home."

It was more denying himself than denying the teen their time together. If Vlad was honest with himself, it was only a year ago that they couldn't tolerate to be standing within a ten mile radius near each other. It was blatantly obvious, too, that they couldn't. However, the more Danny found himself in Vlad's lab, the harder it became to find each others company disagreeable. Even the young halfa found himself disappointed that he was being dismissed. He didn't want to go home yet.

With a sniff, Danny suggested airily, "You could teach me how to teleport you know." It would allow him more time to be with Vlad...

"Not on your life, hero-boy." Vlad smirked at the teen's pout. Then he suggested heavily,"Unless you want to join me..."

"Whatever." He shot the man a 'not on your life' look, the same one he always gave to him when the question was asked. "See ya Fruitloop." Danny hopped off the table and faced the older man. He was still shorter than him, so he had to look to really see the hybrid's face.

"Goodbye, Daniel." Vlad hesitated before just doing what he wanted to. He leaned down and kissed the top of the teen's head. Danny's cheeks immediately high lighted with a fierce blush. Smirking at the reaction, he urged the young halfa out.

Heart racing in his chest, the teen looked to Vlad one more time before reluctantly leaving the lab and flying through the ghost portal to go home. Only one thing was on his mind as he flew towards the Fenton portal; his speed at a rate much lower than average so he could have his thoughts to himself for a while …

If only things could be different.

AN: Want more? Hope you enjoyed!