Mates are very protective.
Warnings for : using knives as weapons, Spectra and emotional manipulation
Chapter Twenty Six - Easily Forgotten
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Hearing loud banging from the front doors, Andrew looked up curiously from his book. The only one who visited him regularly was Danny, and Vidya didn't even bother telling him when he was there anymore. So who… Getting an image of a familiar ghost, Andrew frowned. What was Kitty doing there?
"Ghostwriter! Open the damn door!" Rolling his eyes, and giving Vidya the go ahead, the doors opened, Andrew flying over to greet her.
"Yes, threaten the ghost that- Hey! What are you doing?!"
"No time to explain!" Kitty dragged the ghost out of his lair, ignoring his struggles as she kept talking. "Listen, Ember was throwing that 'hey summer is almost here' party, right? Well, we invited Danny, because he needs to get out more, so we dragged him along, but then some of the idiots decided to play a prank on him- For some reason he went crazy, and now- Just come help your mate, goddammit!"
"Wait- What do you mean? What's wrong with him- Is he alright?!" Not getting a response, Andrew felt a spike of panic, tapping into his teleportation power and appearing at Ember's in a flash, Kitty looking dizzy next to him.
"How- How did you teleport both of us this far?!" She didn't get an answer, as the doors were blasted open, Andrew striding in with his aura flaring, which, really, that wouldn't end well. Walking back in, her hands went to her mouth at seeing half the room was iced over, Danny in the center of it all, hands clutching his head and eyes wide, looking scared and horrified in equal amounts, as well as in his human form, instead of ghost.
"What. Happened." At the harsh tone, the other ghosts shared looks and floated back, eyes all traveling to where Skulker and Vortex were, covered in ice and looking worse for wear. Immediately, faster than any of them could see, multiple knives went soaring towards the two, Skulker just barely dodging, as Vortex sent a blast of wind to knock them off course.
"Hey! Watch it-"
"Now, now, no need to make things worse for yourself." At the familiar cooing voice, Andrew turned red eyes to Spectra, who was hovering near Danny. "Skulker and Vortex just played a little prank on our cute halfa here...just a small...shock." Oh...oh, no… "Of course, I might have suggested what prank to use, but really, semantics!"
"Do you really understand what it is you're dealing with here?" Andrew asked quietly, most ghosts fleeing the scene, and those that stayed huddled together on the opposite side of the room. They knew not to mess with a ghost who's mate had been hurt or threatened, but this was...something else. "You seemed to know of my old name, so tell me, Spectra...do you really know?"
"Oh, I think I have a good idea," Spectra purred, shadowed form lazily drifting closer to the shivering halfa. "So much death and destruction in your life… Should we tell our friends here about your past? Well, what do you think, Ghostwriter?"
"I think you would be better off learning when to stop," Andrew snarled, Spectra wincing at the knife that moved too fast for her too dodge, sinking into the place where her heart had once been. "The next one goes in your core."
"My, my...don't you know all good relationships require a little honesty?" Spectra sighed, jerking the knife out and letting it clatter to the floor, soaked in ectoplasm. "You don't even feel bad for everything you've done, do you? Don't bother answering, I can sense what you're feeling, remember? So many dark emotions...and yet not one ounce of regret."
"I'm certainly regretting letting you slither off after our last meeting," Andrew muttered, the two ghosts now circling each other, another knife in Andrew's hand as he stopped to stand protectively in front of Danny, who was watching them in terror.
"Now, now. No need to be rude," Spectra scolded, hand moving to prop up her chin, as if she was listening to a complaining friend. "You know, dear, you could do with having someone to tell your problems to. All the things you keep bottled up, why, it can't be good for you! You haven't even told your mate your past, have you? What's the matter, don't trust him to not run off?" As soon as the question was out, Spectra realized she had gone too far, gasping as she was shoved against the wall, knife pressed to her neck and keeping her pinned.
"Slicing your head off may not destroy you, but it'll certainly sting, don't you agree?" Seeing the ghost struggle, Andrew pressed the knife closer, grinning as Spectra stilled, as if sensing just how much danger she was in. "You may know bits of my past, but I wonder...do you know the whole story. You're right, you see, I don't feel regret… Not for anything that happened in that life.
"I made a vow, when I came here, Spectra… A vow I think you can guess...but I'm certainly willing to break it now…" The knife pressed closer, the shadowed ghost hissing at the sharp stinging sensation.
"Uh, Ghostwriter, dude? Don't you think you're going a bit far?" Johnny hesitantly asked, nervously standing in front of Kitty, Shadow shifting underneath him, as if sensing the danger. "I mean, the lil cuz isn't hurt, and no one's the worse for wear, so, uh, it's all good, right?" Considering the ghost hadn't even acknowledged him, and still had burning red eyes, he figured his words had been ignored.
"Are you really going to kill me?" Spectra asked, a twisted look of glee on her face. "I mean, what would be the point? Killing me won't bury the past you're so desperate to hide. The past that you try so hard to keep from him. Kill me, Ghostwriter, and what's accomplished? Another few years of your secret being hidden? Is going back on your vow worth it?"
"To keep him safe...I would gladly become that demon once more," Andrew growled, spinning his knife in his hand to where the blade was tilted down, right over Spectra's core. The whole room seemed to be holding it's breath, waiting for the blow that was about to come...but didn't.
"Mon ange." Small, tired, and completely human Danny Fenton was tugging on the ghost's sleeve, not one ounce of fear to be seen. "I want to go home."
Spectra fell to the floor and winced as she was suddenly let go, looking up in shock to see the Ghostwriter slipping his knives into his pocket, eyes back to their usual green as he looked to Danny with a happy smile. "Of course, mon cher! I rather believe this party was over, anyways."
"Gee, I wonder who's fault that was," Danny rolled his eyes, not fighting back as Andrew scooped him into his arms and began flying to the door.
"So says the one who iced over the room." Danny stuck his tongue out at the ghost, pausing to send a wave back to the others, who were still frozen in shock.
"Bye, guys! Don't forget to come to the store on Monday, Ember, we're getting new records in!" Settling down in his mate's arms, he looked to Andrew in amusement. "So, am I being kidnapped? Because that was a pretty dramatic rescue there."
"I suppose I learned how to be dramatic from you," the ghost shrugged, smiling at Danny's pout. "I truly am kidnapping you, however."
"Perfectly okay with that," Danny grinned, letting his eyes close as he snuggled up to the other. No matter what had happened...he was safe with Andrew. Of that he was absolutely certain. "Where are you gonna lock me away? Highest room in the tallest tower?" He wasn't sure which was the more amusing daydream, Andrew as his knight in shining armor, or Andrew as his ferocious dragon guard. He at least had the wicked sharp teeth for the dragon.
"As amusing as that sounds...I was more inclined to to keep you locked away in the Alexandria Archives." That...that was evil. "Vidya managed to find them, as well as the section on Astronomy." Now the ghost was just being cruel.
"I mean, if you're trying to earn my unending and eternal love and devotion, you already did, but I mean, this certainly doesn't hurt."
"Mhm. Of course, first you have to finish your homework, as well as your studying for finals." Hearing the dramatic and pained sigh, Andrew rolled his eyes in amusement.
"Now, see, that's just you being cruel." He found he couldn't really stay angry at the gentle and warm kiss he was given, something that had become familiar faster than he had realized. "Okay, so, not completely cruel."
Flying in silence, Danny finally asked the question that was on his mind, gaze on his scarf, "So, um, just curious, but...where did you learn to use knives like that? And follow up question...what was all that with Spectra back there? I mean...kind of intense."
"That…" The ghost fell silent for a few moments, Danny glancing up to see Andrew giving him a small, broken smile. "That is something I will be hiding for a while longer, mon cher."
"...Okay. I know you'll tell me if it's something I need to know," Danny shrugged, snuggling back into Andrew's chest. "I trust you."
"...Merci, mon cher."
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"Studying is awful- Did you know it's a contraction of student and dying. I mean, that's how bad it is. Can't we just...can't we just bury these books? Like, shovel, and midnight, and bury them behind the school. No one will ever be the wiser!"
"Please stop trying to destroy your textbooks." Andrew was laying across the couch and working on his laptop, with Danny sitting in the floor, low coffee table pulled up to him as his desk. "They cost money to replace, and the school will bill you."
"Worth it," Danny grumbled, twitching his nose to push his glasses further up his face without having to touch them. He probably looked ridiculous, since he heard a muffled snort from his mate. "Aaannndddrrrreeewww. This is booorrriiinnngg!"
"Something I am unable to fix." Danny groaned again, finally stopping as he felt the gentle tugs to his hair. "Try switching to another subject."
"But I'm on Math, and, like, that's the only thing I'm good at." At the raised eyebrow he was given, Danny rolled his eyes. "Only thing I'm good at without applying myself in large quantities."
"Drink more coffee and power through it."
"Says the dead college student." That earned him a flick to the back of his head, Danny sighing as he went back to staring at the textbook he was meant to be studying. It wasn't just where the content was boring, very boring, but it was that it was so peaceful.
He was happily content in his human form, Andrew behind him and working, a steady rhythm of typing filling the air, as well as the scent of the multiple candles that burned throughout the lair. His mate was a hair's breadth away, coat off for once and on the back of the couch, and Vidya was playing constant lullabies in his head. It was peaceful and relaxing, and about as close to perfect as he was ever going to get in his lifetime.
"You know, Vidya, the song thing- It's...it's not helping in me concentrating. More like making me want to pass out and never again awake to the world." Andrew flicked him in his head again as Vidya trilled out tumbling notes, like laughter made to be played on a violin. "See, Vidya gets my humor."
"Dark, depressing, and self-depreciating. Makes sense." A slow, mournful tune of a sad violin met their ears, Andrew giving out a sigh as Danny choked back a laugh. "Vidya, stop encouraging him, Danny, stop encouraging her."
"To be fair, she started it," Danny put in, wincing at the screeching notes that met his ears. "Ow! Jeez, when did you get so chatty, anyways?" At once, the opening notes to 'Girl on Fire' began to play, both ghost and human freezing in shock. Danny was the first to crack, letting out an ungodly snort of laughter, hands flying to cover his mouth.
"Oh, please tell me you're joking." The song switched to 'Ring of Fire', Danny laughing even harder as he clutched his stomach in pain, Andrew resisting the urge to throw something. "You couldn't keep singing lullabies. No, you had to go and break him. Any other clever and sarcastic remarks you would like to let out?" 'In the Arms of an Angel' began playing, Andrew groaning as Danny laughed even harder, trying to work on calming himself down. "Are you both quite done?"
"I'm- I'm good. Yeah. Totally. I'm so good." 'Kiss the Girl' started playing, Danny once again letting out a snort as Andrew gave up hope of any work getting done for the rest of the day. He couldn't find it in himself to be upset, however, since Danny was once again acting like the cheerful and bubbly teen he was.
"Hopeless." Even as he said it, he knew he wasn't talking about Danny, either.
Vidya always knows how to cheer her boys up.