Kit - Randy and Andrew aren't good at the whole, you know, long-term relationship marriage thing.
Kas - They're not good at the relationship thing, in general. There's just too many faults in their stars.
Kit - ...When I said I wanted to use that as a pun, I meant FOR THE CHAPTER TITLE. (chapter title made) You're forgiven.
"Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, it's nice to see you."
"Andrew, please, you've known us for years. You know you can call us Maddie and Jack," Maddie snorted, swatting Randy away from her fudge. "No, I've heard the horror stories of your baking." At Randy's look, Andrew was giving a nervous chuckle.
"So... We wanted to speak to you two about something." Maddie gave a curious hum, giving her attention to Andrew, Jack and Randy working together to steal some of the freshly-made fudge.
"Oh? What is it you two want to talk to us about?" There were two sharp slaps, Maddie smiling as she held a spatula while Jack and Randy slunk away to lick their wounds. And their very red hands. Andrew snickered at Randy, looking entirely too amused. And maybe also looking to him because wow no he could not words.
"We wanted to talk to you about Danny, actually," Randy nervously chuckled himself, maybe standing in front of Andrew to save him. "See...we kind of wanted to ask you two..." Alright, worst thing that could happen would be that they said no and then they would have to go behind their back and then their marriage wouldn't be approved and then Danny would always be estranged from his family and then- "If...we...ah..."
"Oh, honestly." Maddie rolled her eyes, looking far too amused. "Yes, yes, you have our blessing and all. You know, we're not that old-fashioned."
"...Maddie, you very much remind me of the woman who raised us. You two would have gotten along fabulously," Randy nodded, slumping against Andrew and, woo. Okay. That- That had happened, then. "I still feel panicked."
"That would be because you tried to steal her desserts," Andrew said with a laugh, hugging Randy tightly and okay. That was...far easier than he had expected.
"Of course, you know that if you ever hurt him, we'll be forced to tear you apart molecule-by-molecule," Jack spoke up with a wide grin, hugging the two tightly. "Also you'll have to tell Jazz."
"Ahah, we're pretty sure she already knows," the younger ghost grinned and he was remembering the 'present' from Jazz and okay his face was vaguely purple. That was fine.
"She usually knows everything before we do," Maddie huffed, cutting the fudge and making sure it was properly set. As well as cooled. "As soon as I get proof that Clockwork has been cheating and giving her hints..."
"That would explain why Danny seems to know so much." Andrew nodded and yes. It was official. Timekeepers were the worst.
"So, ah, do you two have any advice on how we should propose," Randy asked somewhat nervously, munching on a piece of fudge before handing a piece to Andrew.
Jack and Maddie glanced to each other before nodding. "Quietly."
"And as romantic as possible."
"He's a sap."
"He's had wedding magazines since he was sixteen."
"That one is Andy's fault," Randy pointed out. "I wasn't in the picture at that age, so all missed clues are completely and totally his fault. And, yeah, we planned on quiet and romantic. There's a star-gazing field in the Ghost Zone we think he'll like pretty well."
Andrew rose an eyebrow to Randy at that. "You do realize he had a crush on you since the moment he met you, yes? When he was sixteen?"
"Wha- Really?" Randy blinked at that, thinking it over and giving a slow nod. "I will admit, this would make some sense of those early interactions." Andrew only gave a dramatic sigh and a roll of his eyes. "But, yes, that's a thing we planned on doing...around Valentine's Day, or so."
"On Valentine's Day," Andrew corrected with a nod. Randy gave a nod of his own, Maddie chuckling.
"Well, that seems a perfect day to do it. You have everything all planned out?" Andrew glanced to Randy, giving a nod.
"The entire day."
"If it helps reassure you two, you're already part of the family, at this point," Maddie pointed out, smiling in amusement. "Pretty sure we couldn't get rid of you if we even wanted to."
At that, Andrew was giving a small smile of his own, leaning against Randy. "Thank you, Mrs. Fenton."
"You're never gonna stop calling me that, are you?"
"No, not really."
::
"So. I hear you two are finally going to propose."
"'Finally'," Randy huffed, crossing his arms and slumping down behind Andrew on the couch. Jasmine was vicious, truly. "It's not like we were gonna spring something this big on him right after he got out of high school." Well...that and the thought hadn't occurred to them, but still.
At that, Jazz was only rolling her eyes, because, really now. She knew her little brother. "So, what's your plan?"
"Valentine's Day with various things planned that we know he'll joy," Andrew hummed, looking a bit amused by Randy's reaction. "Planetarium, his favorite places, things like that. For the actual proposal, we'll be taking him to a star-gazing field in the Ghost Zone that Randy found a few years ago."
Jazz rose an eyebrow, sitting in the armchair and crossing her arms. "There are stars in the Ghost Zone?"
"Biomes, technically," Randy corrected. "Parts of the old Spirit World, like little areas of beaches, forests, fields, things like that. They're kind of...hard to find, but worth it once you do."
"What's the difference between the Ghost Zone and the Spirit World?" Jazz was frowning and looking curious because... Wasn't the Ghost Zone the Spirit World?
"They're...sort of the same," Andrew tilted his head, trying to explain it. "The Spirit World is it's proper name. Back in the reign of the first Spirit King, near the beginning of the world, it was more of a world. Like the Earth. With wars, however..." Andrew trailed off, Randy picking up with a small sigh.
"It was shattered. The ghosts you see now are crossed over from your world, lingering consciousnesses and souls. The original spirits like Clockwork and Frostbite, they're almost...non-existent. By the time you all found the world, it really was the Ghost Zone. Nothing but shattered remains."
Jazz shook her head, narrowing her eyes at them. "What's the difference between spirits and ghosts? Isn't Clockwork a ghost? And Frostbite?"
"I'm actually surprised Clockwork hasn't explained all of this already," Randy snorted, Andrew swatting at him.
"Ghosts are more...well, ghosts. What you've seen. Basics powers, souls that once had a life here. Like us, when we were human. Spirits are...far more powerful. They're ectoplasmic entities that were born from the Spirit World. Crafted out of it's energy. Clockwork is one of them, and so is Frostbite and the other Far Frozen people. There are a few others, but...not as many as there once were."
"Spirits are more powerful," Randy pointed out. "Look at Clockwork. He can control time. Frostbite and his people could raze half the damn Ghost Zone if they wanted to and weren't so peaceful. The Observants...well, they're dicks, but powerful ones. Spirits are far stronger, and far more adept with the powers they have, almost like-" Like...Danny... "Huh."
"What? What 'huh?'" Andrew was only looking to Randy and... He realized it too, didn't he? Maybe all this time, they'd been wrong in thinking Danny and Vlad were...half ghost. "Guys."
"We...might have been wrong, in assuming Vlad and Danny were half ghost," Andrew finally mumbled, sitting back and thinking things over. "It would explain why their powers are so different from we've seen in others..."
"Not half-ghost," Randy snorted, looking a touch amused. "Half-spirit." At Jazz's look, he quickly waved his hands. "No, no, no, it's nothing to worry about, we promise. He's just...stronger than even we ever thought."
"How...strong is he, exactly," she asked as she toyed with her sleeve. Andrew and Randy shared a look, giving vague little gestures and noises.
"Like...stronger than Plasmius and probably rivaling Dan?" Randy half-asked, chuckling a bit nervously. "Maybe Pariah?" Jazz gave a heavy sigh, shaking her head and running a hand through her hair.
"You're kidding me, right?" Andrew gave a small shrug as response.
"It's not like halfas are exactly well-known. And Danny was exposed to far more of the effects than Vlad. Plus the energy came from Clockwork, in some sense, who is one of the older spirits."
"It's fine, it's fine, it's totally fine. After all, he's been fine all this time, yeah? We're just slightly panicked because we realized it, is all."
"Then why is it he lost so much against Plasmius," Jazz asked, looking up at them with a frown. That wouldn't have made sense, if Danny was stronger than Plasmius.
"Younger spirits and ghosts are always weak at first," Andrew shrugged, shifting to settle against Randy's side. "Now that he's older, his powers have stabilized to some amount, and are still growing. Besides, raw power does nothing to help you against one with such experience."
"I suppose that makes sense." She glanced to them with a teasing grin. "So, do you two think you can handle that much power?" There was a long silence before Andrew was jerking Randy down and covering his mouth, the older making a pathetic whining noise.
"Yes, ha, ha, very funny." Distasteful comments would probably not be appreciated. "Back to the subject we were on, we have everything planned, yes."
"Valentine's Day is next weekend," Jazz pointed out.
"...We knew that."
"Definitely. We absolutely knew that." Fuck they didn't know that.
"Mhm. Good luck, then." A glance to her phone. "By the way, Danny's gonna walk through the door in five seconds."
"Someone kill meee."
