Dash was watching Danny in the kitchen, the halfa was busy making food. Danny was making snacks for everyone meaning he was making normal food for the humans that were going to be there and ectoplasmic food for the ghosts, he was also making Allen's favorites such as the cookies they had last night. The doorbell rang and Dash jumped up to get it, it had to be Kwan, Danny chuckled as he watched his boyfriend rush to the door as he continued with his baking.
"Kwan! Hey man." Dash said cheerily as he opened the door to see his friend. Kwan laughed and hugged his friend before walking in, a duffle bag in one hand and a wrapped gift in the other.
"Hey Dash how have you been?" Kwan asked, Dash smiled as he led Kwan into the kitchen. When Kwan saw Danny in the kitchen Danny was whisking the cake batter for Allen's regular birthday cake, his ectomplasmic one would be made next, ectoplasm baked differently than other ingredients, it took a much shorter time as well. "Hey Fenton! Didn't know you could cook" Kwan commented, Danny smiled slightly as he poured the batter into the pan.
"Yeah, I have been able to for a while. My parents weren't very good cooks to begin with and whatever they did make was often contaminated, my—Jack had made hot dogs once but they came alive and started attacking us, the same for Thanksgiving one year except it was the turkey attacking with our cutlery, so I had learned young just so Jazz and I could eat normal food that wasn't contaminated in one way or another." Danny replied as he turned to put the cake in the oven. As that was cooking Danny began setting up platters, one with all the desserts for the humans and one for the ghosts. Kwan eyed the green glowing food warily, he wasn't sure what the stuff even was let alone if it was safe to even be in close proximity. Danny ignored him as he made a vegetable platter for Sam and anyone else who wanted it. Dash motioned for Kwan to sit down with him. Danny was humming as he began finishing up, all he had to do now was make the ghostly cake as he set things out and wrap them in saran wrap to keep it fresh. Danny had made sandwiches for both ghosts and humans, neither contained peanut butter though, Danny and Allen were allergic to nuts, he had made potato salad for Jazz and Vlad, a meat platter for Tucker, a cheese and cracker platter along with the vegetable one for Sam. For snacks he had chips laid out with salsa, homemade cookies for both humans and ghosts, brownies, and his two cakes that were in the process of being made. Danny walked over to the table to take a break and wait for the cake to be done and sat down next to Dash. "I hope this is enough stuff" Danny said. Dash grabbed Danny's hand and entwined their fingers as he leaned over to kiss his temple.
"I'm sure it'll be fine Danny" Dash said before he looked over a Kwan. "The ghosts should be getting here in about three hours or so. Right now Sam, Tucker and Jazz are outside with Allen playing so he doesn't try to open their presents yet, and to keep him occupied as Danny cooks and as you and I decorate in a few minutes, it shouldn't take long really, only an hour at most." Danny smiled as he leaned his head on Dash's shoulder as his free hand came up to his stomach to rest on the slight curve of his almost 5 month baby bump. Dash caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and smiled and turned his head to kiss Danny's forehead brining his own free hand to rest over his lovers. For almost five months Danny wasn't showing much, a small tight bump was there but wasn't seen easily unless exposed, it was the same when Danny had carried Allen. If things keep going the same I think this one will have ghost powers too. Danny thought with a smile on his face. Kwan watched the couple curiously, he didn't quite get why Danny was rubbing his stomach or why Dash had joined him. Danny looked up to see the Asian's curious glance, chuckling Danny leaned into Dash.
"You seem confused there Kwan." Danny teased, the black haired jock cocked his head to the side before looking over to Dash for help. Dash's eyes widened in realization, he hadn't told Kwan about the baby yet! The blonde looked over to his lover who was smiling fondly at his stomach. Dash smiled up at his friend.
"Sorry I forgot that I didn't tell you yet." Kwan chuckled at his friend, it was so Dash to forget to tell him something when something exciting or good happened, the blonde would get so caught up in the moment and would forget the world around him until someone said something or asked him what he was so happy about.
"Dude its fine, I know how you get. It's got to be some pretty good news for you to be looking all dopey eyed like that!" Kwan chuckled lightly. Dash laughed in response as Danny stifled a giggle.
"Yeah, it's pretty great." Dash looked back down lovingly at Danny making sure to give his stomach a quick rub. It seemed that this woke the baby for Zeth began to move around against the blonde's large hand. Danny laughed slightly as the fluttering in his stomach filled him with pride and warmth. Kwan just watched the scene, after a few moments it seemed like a light bulb went off in his head, the Asian's eyes widened in shock. Dash glanced back up at his friend, seeing his shocked look, the blonde figured his friend had a pretty good idea as to what his news was. Smiling Dash decided to clarify the situation. "Danny's pregnant, with my child." Smiling brightly Dash leaned it to give Danny a chaste kiss. Kwan's shocked look melted into a small smile at the news.
"That's wonderful Dash. How has Allen taken the news?" Dash looked back over to Kwan still smiling as Danny leaned his head onto Dash's shoulder, closing his eyes contently as he focused on Zeth's squirming around inside him.
"He's taken it great. He's ecstatic about having a baby brother" Kwan looked confused at the statement.
"Wait, what? Danny isn't even showing, how can you tell already?" the Asian jock asked confused with his friend's answer. Danny chuckled lightly at the teen's confusion.
"Kwan, Danny's almost five months along now." Dash responded. Kwan's eyes widened in shock as he looked over to Danny, his eyes gazing at his almost flat stomach, he couldn't tell at all that the small teen before him was carrying a child let alone that he was almost five months along.
"Wha- How?" Kwan stammered, Danny smiled up at the black haired jock reassuringly.
"It's how ghost pregnancies work Kwan." Danny assured, when the teen across him responded with a still confused glance Danny decided to elaborate. Sighing Danny continued. "When I was pregnant with Allen, I had the same issue. This makes me think this baby will have ghost powers too. My friend in the Ghost Zone explained to me why it happened. Apparently the beginning stages of a ghost's pregnancy the baby has a sort of stunted growth stage, its so the ectoplasm can solidify and create a form, but because I'm also human there is already a solid form and the ectoplasm, that may or may not become a part of them, creating a hybrid like myself and Allen, need the time for the ectoplasm to integrate into their DNA. It's done slowly so the baby won't be lost and the growth of the baby is slowed down to accommodate everything safely. After everything is in order the growth picks up again only slightly accelerated. I didn't start to really show with Allen until after five months, right now I have a small bump but you cant really see it when I'm wearing clothes." Danny explained. Dash, who had already been assured by Vlad a while ago had already heard a similar explanation. Kwan however looked like he was having trouble processing the new information.
"Wait, so the baby will be like you? Like have ghost powers and stuff?" Danny raised an eyebrow in response to Kwan's question, Dash however chuckled. Kwan's eyes widened for a moment, realizing he could have worded those questions better. "N-Not that It's a bad thing! I-Its just-" Danny giggled at his confusion, which only made the jock blush and stutter more.
"I know you didn't mean anything bad by it Kwan" Danny cut him off, effectively ending his stuttering. "And yes, all signs so far point to this baby having powers like me."
"How does that work?" Kwan asked hesitantly. "I mean Allen doesn't have complete control of his powers yet, how does that work if the new baby has no control what so ever?" Danny looked slightly surprised at the question, turning to Dash the small teen saw a worried look on his lover's face. Smiling reassuringly Danny rested his head on Dash's shoulder again.
"It won't be easy but Vlad and I have designed devices to help, like an anti-phasing device that can be attached to the baby's crib, Allen had one and still does just in case he has a nightmare. It keeps any ghost from phasing through the bed and in turn the floor beneath it. We also had one attached to the changing tables. Allen could only turn invisible, intangible and hover as a baby, all new ghosts con only do that at first. So I think this baby will be the same. For invisibility I have an incredibly sensitive awareness for other ghosts and my ghost sense never fails me, so I'll know where they are without having to see them if I have to. And hovering isn't bad at all, just holding Allen kept him from flying away, so that's easy enough." Danny smiled fondly as he remembered his first year taking care of Allen, sure it was hectic and stressful, but he wouldn't have it any other way. "Powers only become an issue when they use them on other things like toys or clothes, Allen often phased out of his clothes and would get cold, so I always had some stashed in every room here just so I could put more on him if they went through the floor." Dash was chuckling at this point, he was imagining Danny and Allen in each and every one of the situations he had named off. The blonde jock thought it was quite the adorable picture.
"Wow, and I thought a normal baby would be hard to take care of. I remember those flour sacks in health class freshman year, there was always something it needed. It was hard to take care of with school and football." Kwan replied, Dash nodded at the memory, Danny only smiled.
"I remember those things! Foley offered to watch them for us and they all got baked into his mom's cookies! We had to do it again after that." Dash commented, Danny chuckled, he and Valerie where the only ones who didn't get Tucker to 'babysit', and that was because of Skulker.
"A real baby is very different from those sacks of flour. Sure they are a lot of work but it's worth it I think." Danny said gently as he got up from his seat, leaning over Danny kissed Dash's cheek then stretched his arms above his head. That's when Kwan saw it, Danny's tiny baby bump, just there and barely notice able, the Asian teen looked over to his friend, the blond was sporting a huge grin and Kwan could tell there was nothing but love shining in his blue-violet eyes. Once done stretching Danny moved back over to the counter and began to get the ectoplasmic cake ready. Dash turned back to Kwan and jerked his thumb towards the hall.
"Let's go decorate the living room now, better to have it done early anyway." Kwan smiled and nodded. Getting up the two jocks made their way over to the living area leaving Danny alone in the kitchen.
Danny was alone in the kitchen mixing the batter for the ectoplasmic cake he for Allen's party. As he continued to add, sugar and some coco powder Danny hummed softly. The teen had never told anyone before but he loved to bake, it was calming for him. That and Allen often joined him when he did, they always created a mess, but it was all in good fun, plus his ghost powers made cleaning much easier even if Vlad did have and arsenal of maids to clean up after them. After he finished pouring the better into the pans he put the slightly glowing cake mix in a separate oven from his original cake to insure there was no contamination. Once finished Danny made his way back over to the table and sat down, everything was already set up except for the cake, once both were one he would cool them off then icing them before putting them on display. He had about 45 minutes before that happened, and over two hours until anyone came over. Clockwork would come over a half an hour before anyone else as usual, Danny was sure. As Danny relaxed in his chair he placed a hand over his stomach, Zeth had stopped squirming around but Danny could still fell the phantom movements if he focused hard enough. Smiling to himself Danny became lost in his thoughts. This baby, he's both mine and Dash's. Allen will be a big brother now too. It's amazing I never thought that I'd be able to carry again. I'm glad I can though. I know Dash see's Allen as his own son and that makes me extremely happy, but now he can have one that truly is his own as well. I've always wanted a big family, with Dash, Allen and this new baby, and any more that we might have, we can have one. I known Vlad's happy as well, he gets to be a grandfather, at the same time he's my father, though I could never call him that he knows that's how I feel. And to think none of this would have happened if I hadn't stepped into that portal that day years ago.
Danny was too lost in thought to realize that Vlad had walked into the kitchen, only once he cleared his throat did Danny turn to him.
"Hello, little Badger, how is everything going?" Danny smiled and looked over at the counter where everything was set up and wrapped.
"Almost done actually, all that's left is the cake. Kwan and Dash are decorating the living area right now." Danny replied as he watched his father figure walk over and take a seat next to him.
"Yes, I saw that. They seem to be having fun with the streamers, tossing it around like a football across the room." Danny chuckled at that, leave it to his lover to create a game out of decorating for a party, Vlad smiled. "How are you feeling dear boy, no more morning sickness right?' Danny smiled and nodded.
"Haven't had it in over a week now. So I think it's safe to say I won't have it for again." Vlad chuckled.
"It would seem so. I'm glad to see you so happy Daniel, Allen seems to be enjoying the company as well."
"Its great to have everyone here, thank for that Vlad." Danny said his eyes softening. Masters smiled back at him, his face portraying his own happiness.
"Dear boy you know that I think of you as my own son, and Allen as my grandson. It's nothing so long as I can see the two of you happy." Danny smiled brightly.
"I know, and you know I think of you as a father right?" Vlad's face broke out into a large grin at Danny's words.
"I know, and I'm happy you feel that way."