Hey guys. So, here's the deal: I'll try to update this once every 10 days (instead of every 5 or so) but I'll make the chapters longer than the first two from now on. Ok? Ok. That's settled then. Have fun, and tell me what you think.

They had quickly discussed their course of action and decided that first, with Clockwork's help they would head over to Vlad's estate, so the man could grab some important things, put the whole thing on lockdown or whatever, and handle his affairs.

Danny didn't exactly know nor care much for specifics, but Vlad kept shoving things in a bag while quietly talking on the phone to someone called Stephanie, who was apparently supposed to take care of his companies and home in his absence.
He was still short on words, which still struck Danny as odd. Usually, the guy just seemed to love the tone of his own voice, but today...

The only time today he'd said more than a few words to the boy was when they'd had an argument about whether or not Vlad could bring his cat (he couldn't), but even then he had given in much sooner than expected.

And finally, after he had been observing the older hybrid for a while, it began to dawn on Danny what was so weird about Vlad.
He realized it wasn't just the change in the man's appearance that made this situation so strange for himself.
No, even if Vlad tried to conceal it with his usual arrogance, the signs were all there: the silence, the glances over his shoulder every few seconds, the willingness to comply with somebody else's demands.
Vlad was terrified.

If Danny had felt uneasy before, this thought just made it even worse.
Sure, he'd reckoned the enemy had to be strong to change someone's body like this and force his own nemesis into hiding, but somehow actually knowing that Vlad wasn't just inconvenienced by this made the situation seem a lot more...real. And a lot more dangerous.
He was already regretting to have ever agreed to this and he really wanted to leave now.
If only the guy would hurry up.

As if he'd read his thoughts, Vlad chose this moment to thrust a kind of duffel bag in his arm, carrying another one himself.
„If you're done staring holes into space, we can leave"

Danny looked at him annoyed but chose not to comment as they stepped through Clockwork's portal, back into the spirit's lair.

The Master of Time began opening up another portal right away, which would lead them to Danny's home, before he turned to Vlad.
„Remember, as long as you remain in human form you should be safe from detection."
When Vlad nodded tensely, Clockwork stepped back to let them walk through.
„I've already done more than I should have. From now on, you're on your own."
With that, the two hybrids stepped through the portal.

.
.

„What the-" Danny blinked against the bright light, as he glanced at his surroundings.
That definitely wasn't his house. That was barely even his neighbourhood.
At least it was his town. Probably. It did look familiar.
Had Clockwork made a mistake? He doubted that, which would mean that he had stranded them here on purpose. But why?
He groaned. He didn't want them to talk, did he? Definitely not how Danny had wanted to spend his day. But whatever, might as well use this opportunity.
„Let's get walking. The sooner I can stop carrying your stuff around the better. And while we're at it, we're gonna talk about those rules I mentioned earlier."

He did not wait to see if Vlad followed him as he started to move, and just kept talking.
„Okay, so: No evil plotting in my home. No flirting with my mom. No being rude to my dad." He ignored Vlad's scoff.
„No being rude to my friends. Just don't be rude in general, as hard as that might be for you. Don't say weird stuff. Do not temper with my parents' inventions. Do not talk to anyone about my secret. Oh, and of coure, don't go Ghost." He turned around to face Vlad.
„Got this?"

Vlad sneered and crossed his arms.
„You might have to put that down in writing, otherwise I could forget something." But when he saw Danny's unamused expression, he sighed annoyedly and rolled his eyes.
„Alright, yes, I 'got this', as you say. No need to get worked up over nothing. There may be no love lost between the two of us, but I am not planning on being ungrateful, you know."
Danny eyed hm with suspicion.
„Yeah, I kinda doubt that. But whatever, just know that I will toss your ass out on the street if you pull any of your crap."

They continued walking down the street, but Danny could not really stand the silence for too long and he figured that if he had to live with Vlad for a while now, he might as well try to be...well, maybe not nice, but at least not hostile either.

„...So...Vlad...", he hesitated, but continued when the other threw him a glance from the side to signal that he was listening, „...I've been wondering. Are you actually a teenager now? Or do you just, like, look like one?"
He curiously looked at Vlad, who continued walking silently.

He had almost given up and started thinking about complaining for not getting an answer, when the older hybrid finally replied:
„I'm not actually a minor, no. I just happen to be currently stuck with the physiology of one. My mind is still the same. An adult brain stuck in a child's body."
He frowned unhappily, but Danny snorted.

„Yeah, figured as much. Not even your teenage self would have already had such a stick up his arse. Plus, explains why your hair isn't black again."
Vlad just glared at the pavement and didn't respond.

It was when only a few more streets separated them from their destination, that a shop window caught Danny's eye and gave him an idea.
„You know, Vlad, you might look younger now, but there is definitely still a resemblance. People our age definitely don't wear their hair like that, and my parents aren't stupid..."
He would have sworn that he could actually see Vlad fighting with himself in order to not make a comment on that. Hilarious. This might actually be fun.

Especially that next part.
„What are you trying to say, Daniel?"

„I'm saying...", he shoved Vlad toward the door of the shop he had had his eye on, „that you need a haircut. And I'll be choosing for you..."
The look on the other's face was priceless, Danny had difficulty keeping himself from laughing out loud.
Vlad had gone pale and seemed to internally debate whether it might be a better idea to just surrender himself to whatever entity was chasing him if that meant he could avoid this situation.
But in the end, he had to choose, and they both knew it wasn't actually much of a choice.
Well, then. A haircut it was. Oh boy.
.

.

.

Half an hour later, the door to the barber shop opened again and Danny looked up from his mobile. After showing the hairdresser the look he'd chosen for Vlad, he'd gone outside and taken the time to call his parents, to tell them they'd have a visitor over and ask them about renting out the room.
„So how'd it-" He stopped.

Vlad looked haunted, like he had witnessed a murder happening in front of his eyes. Or maybe something worse, since Danny wouldn't completely rule it out that the guy had killed someone before, possibly.
But that wasn't what had made him stop, but rather the fact, that, while he had kind of chosen this particular haircut (a sidecut) to make it hurt as much as possible for Vlad – and let's be real, he deserved it and it was only hair anyways – the plan gloriously backfired.
It suited Vlad. It suited him very well.
While even Danny had to admit that the man hadn't necessarily been unattractive before, exchanging his boring hairstyle for a more popular one definitely made him look a lot better.
The people at school would be all over him. Damn.

Vlad noticed him staring and winced a bit.
„Is it that bad?", he whispered, which made Danny lighten up again.
„Don't worry, you look cool. Nothing like Vlad Masters, in fact." He grinned at him.
„Now, let's go and meet my parents."

Stephanie is a nod to the Danny Phantom fanfic on this site by pearl84 called "Checkmate". She won't actually ever appear in my story but I ship it hard. Go read that story, it's great.

Haircut inspired by a comic by tumblr user fruitloopghost (image/149576406086).
it just looks so good i couldn't resist. Now imagine this, but on a young Vlad. (Oh no, he's hot)

Alright, that's it from me for now. Comments always appreciated.
Feel free to point out mistakes, since I don't have a beta-reader (and I don't proofread my stories before publishing them, tbh. Sorry...).
Taaa~