This one has no joke about Clockwork's gender being time. Instead it was periodically interrupted by my friend Kasena asking if it was done yet.

Truce

Danny didn't know why he'd thought going to the Christmas Truce Party was a good idea. Well, that was a lie; he'd wanted some food that wouldn't come alive and try to bite his tongue. That, and he wanted to see if he could find Dani. But was it really worth being surrounded by a bunch of ghosts giving him the side eye and 'accidentally' bumping into him?

Danny grabbed a cookie from the refreshment table, watching a punch bowl full of eggnog curiously. He couldn't shake the feeling that he'd see the ghost somewhere before. It was when they moved their head, and the white hair which had been covering one of their eyes moved to reveal a black scar.

Danny smiled, happy to see someone who probably didn't want to kill him. "I didn't think you were the type who liked parties, Clockwork."

"Oh, I don't," The Master of Time poured themself some eggnog and took a small sip. They looked odd without their typical clothing and what seemed to be just an ugly Christmas sweater and black jeans instead. They weren't even using their spectral tail. "I wasn't even considering it until the Observants told me not to. They were worried I might give away the secret of our existence. After that, I couldn't resist."

Danny rolled his eyes, "Wow. But aren't you worried that people might figure it out?"

"Not remotely," Clockwork said, motioning to a ghost who was passing them by. "Watch. Excuse me," The ghost looked over and adjusted his glasses, "What would you say if I told you I was the Master of Time?"

"I would say…" The ghost grabbed the eggnog from Clockwork's hands, "You might want to lay off on the refreshments." They left with the glass.

Danny took a bite from the cookie he'd grabbed off of the table. "He just stole your drink."

"It wasn't even alcoholic," Clockwork replied, "How unfortunate. I've never tried alcohol."

"You're not missing out on much," Danny supplied, "Apparently it's an acquired taste, but to me it tastes awful."

Clockwork raised an eyebrow, "You've been drinking? You're under the legal age."

"Uh…"

"Oh, Daniel!" Vlad called. Danny groaned, caught between being annoyed as the other halfa approached them and thankful for the distraction.

"What do you-" Danny cut off, realizing Vlad was right behind him. "Oh. Hi. What do you what?"

"What? Can't I greet my favourite nephew?" Vlad grinned, a fang poking out the corner of his mouth. "Come with me, Daniel. I have some friends I would like you to meet." He grabbed Danny's wrist.

"Dream on, Plasmius." Danny pulled his hand back, "I'm not going anywhere with you."

"Oh come now Daniel, it'll only take a moment. I'm sure your…" He trailed off and made a dismissive motion towards Clockwork. "…Friend will be here when you return."

"He told you no, Vladimir." Clockwork said, their voice taking on a dangerous tone. "Now please, leave."

"Oh, so you've heard of me. But I'm afraid I don't know you," He held out a hand, "Vlad Plasmius, and you?"

Clockwork looked down at Vlad's hand, then back at Vlad's face with one eyebrow raised. "I'm sorry, I'd rather not get scum on my gloves."

Danny choked on his cookie and tried very hard not to laugh. He moved to the side, not wanting to be caught between them if a fight broke out.

If Vlad was offended- which he probably was- he didn't show it. He simply pulled his hand back and turned to Danny. "Interesting friends you have, Daniel."

"I know right," Danny grinned, "Clockwork's great." Clockwork frowned, and it occurred to Danny that maybe saying the Master of Time's name was not brightest idea.

"Clockwork?" Vlad said, "I can't help but think I've heard that name before."

"Perhaps you've seen it on a wanted poster?" Clockwork offered, "I've disagreed with approximately everything Walker's done."

Vlad was silent for a moment before grabbing onto Danny's wrist again. His grip was too tight for Danny to break out of, and it was starting to hurt. "Well, we really must be going."

Clockwork raised an eyebrow, slowly pulling off one of their gloves. "You really should let go of him." When Vlad didn't, Clockwork placed their hand on top of Vlad's. Danny wasn't sure what happened, but he almost swore he heard some sort of hissing sound before Vlad pulled his hand away. Part of his glove seemed to have burned away, revealing the skin underneath.

"What was that?!" Vlad snapped.

"You see," Clockwork said, "If you had quit acting like the man parked beside a playground with a white van and a free candy sign, that wouldn't have been necessary. Think up a new approach and try again, Plasmius."

Danny choked on his cookie, a strangled laugh coming out between coughs.

A few more barbed words were exchanged before Vlad finally left, and Danny applauded the Time Master. "That was awesome! Pretty sure Vlad's going to kill you but that was still really awesome!"

"According to the Observants I have some authority problems," They replied, "Can't imagine how they decided that."

"I think it was because they told you not to come here and you did."

"No, it was before that."

Danny laughed, and their conversation drifted off on another course. Clockwork asked how school was going, and pressed when Danny just said 'school-like.' Apparently, though Danny had protested, it was Clockwork's business- after their first meeting, the Observants had decided that both Danny and his future self were Clockwork's responsibility. Their conversation ended up on the fact that Dash's mom currently lived in California before it was rudely interrupted.

"For the last time, the Master of Time is not real!"

Clockwork raised an eyebrow, turning towards where the loud argument was taking place. Danny and nearly every ghost there did as well, watching the heated argument between Skulker and Ghostwriter.

"Wow," Danny said, "Ghostwriter really doesn't like keeping the truce, does he?"

"You would have conflicting feelings about the holiday too if you'd been stabbed on Christmas eve."

Danny opened his mouth, than closed it. He didn't really want to know.

Clockwork started towards the fight, and Danny followed. He didn't miss how amused the Master of Time obviously was witnessing a debate over their existence.

"There is proof of the Master of Time stepping in to stop Pariah's Army," Ghostwriter was saying. Danny looked up at Clockwork with wide eyes as they flinched and started to rub their scar, but there were too many ghosts around to ask why. "And who would monitor our world if they didn't exist?!"

"No one!" Skulker replied, "There is no God-like being spying on our every move!"

"I don't watch your every move," Clockwork mumbled. "Only the interesting ones."

Danny snickered.

"Skulker is right," Vlad said, "If the Master of Time was real- which he is not- I would know." There were murmurs of agreement.

Danny couldn't resist, "What, would they be your new evil apprentice?"

"Daniel," Vlad said, "Why do you insist on believing I'm evil?"

"I don't know man, probably because you want to murder my dad, you cloned me, you keep hitting on my mom, and you just misgendered the Master of Time. Really, you make it too easy."

"Danny-" Clockwork said slowly.

"He has a point," Ghostwriter spoke up, "There's multiple theories of who the Master of Time could be, some more ridiculous than others, but nobody is certain on what their gender is. It should be common knowledge that we should use they and them pronouns so as-"

He was cut off as a ghost across the room shouted "Nerd!"

"Do I look like I care what I should call a being that doesn't even exist?" Vlad replied, "The Master of Time is a story, and a ridiculous one at that. He is not real."

"They," Clockwork said.

"What was that?"

"I don't care about your beliefs," Clockwork continued, "In fact, your stupidity is rather amusing. But if you refer to the Master of Time as male ever again I will ruin everything you have worked for."

Vlad scoffed, "Where do you find your friends, Daniel? I don't believe he-"

"Danny?" Clockwork cut Vlad off, something the elder Halfa obviously wasn't happy with.

"Yeah?"

"Hold this." They placed the eggnog in Danny's hands and mumbled two words under their breath. "Time out."

I like to think about that ghost from the first scene just standing there like "oh dear lord I stole the Master of Time's eggnog."

So, current prompt count; four in my tumblr inbox, one on here. Cue the screechy noises. But until then, thoughts?