Disclaimer: I still don't own Danny Phantom or the Teen Titans. Danny Phantom is the the property of Butch Hartman, Nickelodeon and Viacom International and the Teen Titans are the property of DC. I am just a loyal fan and nothing more.
Bound Together
Chapter 1: The Wager
Takes Place In Between A Thursday Night
A/N: In order to understand this story, ou must first read "A Starstruck, Phantasmic Romance" by NeoMark. This story is based on it. Also, be sure to check out my story "Do Over" ,"A Timeless Romance" and "The Switch" which is also part of that cannon.
It was a typical night in the city known as Amity Park. Many people have just gone to bed after a long night of school, work or anything else that they could have done on this fine day.
Many of these citizens, young, old and in between were now in their beds, safe, sane and in need of shut eye.
Including a couple of superhero teens who were currently sharing a bed together.
Not for reasons that are best left to married couples, but mostly due to wanting to be close to each other and they are finally comfortable around each other to do so.
This is NOT where we are going to focus right now.
No, right now, we want to focus on ANOTHER being, who is currently not even in the Human World, but the Ghost Zone.
Yes, the Ghost Zone, a dimension that is homes to billions of ghosts, ghouls and spirits of many size, shapes, colors and species.
One of these Ghosts, is called Clockwork.
Clockwork, the mysterious, ever vigilant but benevolent ghostly Master of Time.
Everyone in the Ghost Zone knew who Clockwork was and most avoided him, due to knowing the kind of power that he possesses. Although Clockwork is mostly neutral to what happens in either world, no ghost is foolish enough to risk getting on his bad side...
Except one group of ghosts.
The Observants.
While Clockwork was doing his job of looking over the timeline, not just for his world, but multiple ones, including the world of a certain bubbly alien that he has become rather fond of, he could predict to unwelcome beings entering his domain without asking to.
Again.
The ghost master of time sighed, not even bothering to turn around.
"Clockwork..."One of the Observants said and Clockwork rolled his eyes.
'I have been expecting you two..."The time ghost said.
"Then you know why we are here..."The second Observant said.
"Don't worry, I assure you they won't go that far, even if they end up sharing a bed..." Clockwork said, smirking when he saw his employers look annoyed and flustered.
"NOT THAT!..." One of the Observants went.
"Actually... I was going to ask about that..." The other said, a little embarrassed.
His accomplice groaned and shook his large eye for a head before going back to why he's here.
"Clockwork, you know that alien princess does not belong in this world and it's due to your meddling that she is even here..."The first observant warned.
'I know, but then again, I know all..."The time master said with a smirk.
"We are serious!..."The second one said.
"And so am I! She is due to return to her own dimension soon..."The time master said.
"That is not good enough! The council believes that Danny never should have even gone to her world in the first place!..."The second observant said.
"The council believe that MANY things shouldn't have happened in the first place, yet they happened because, in the long run, the other option would have been worse..."Clockwork said.
"Clockwork, this is not like that at all. That girl's presence has no direct benefit to the timeline, if anything, she has caused trouble..."He said.
"Strange. I distinctly recall her assisting Danny many times..."Clockwork said smugly.
"You know what we mean..."They both said.
"Say it, anyway..."Clockwork challenged, loving that this aggravated them.
"She and Danny Phantom should not be together at all!..."The first said.
"Really? Why?..." Clockwork questioned.
"Because she's caused both her sister and an alien race from her world to come after Danny?..."The second one said.
"Not to mention all of those ridiculous romantic gags!..."The first one said.
"Well...I will admit that they are rather funny..."The second Observant admitted, while his partner sent him an annoyed look...or as annoyed as one could get when your face is just one big eye.
"Not the point!..." The first went. This makes his partner look away in shame.
"Then what IS the point?..." Clockwork asked.
"Danny Phantom's suppose affection of her was largely circumstantial. He had spent most of the time trying to avoid that girl..."The first one said.
"Even if he was afraid of her when they met, Danny never hated her and sooner or later, would have returned her affections as soon as he got to know her..."Clockwork said.
"Oh please, had things gone differently and he had no choice to spend time with her, he'd still be a petrified of her...even now, he abhors the thought of marrying her..."The first observant said.
"He's 14..."Clockwork reminded.
"Well, even so...his and Starfire's so called bond is not meant to last and is only around due to circumstances..."The second observant said.
"There was an attraction from the start..." Clockwork stated. "It's not as if it just came from nowhere…"
"And you think if things were different, they'd be together still?..."The first questioned.
"I have proven myself right in the past before, and I will prove myself right again..."Clockwork said.
"And what exactly does that mean?..."The first observant asked.
"How about we make...a little wager?..."The ghost master suggested, getting the attention of the other two.
"A wager?..."They said in surprise.
Meanwhile
Danny and Starfire had just returned home after having to deal with yet another visit from the Box Ghost.
And by visit, they mean the annoying blue ghost had interrupted their sleep.
That wouldn't have been SO bad..except that the young couple had been sleeping together in the same bed and well...it was rather embarrassing to be seen like that by someone, even by the likes of him.
And they made their feelings VERY clear in the only way one could deal with the Box Ghost.
"Normally, I do not like using my powers onto those whom do not have lots of strength...but this ghost of boxes is most tiresome..."Starfire muttered.
"You don't know the half of it..."Danny said to his girlfriend.
Suddenly there was a knock on his door and both yelped.
"Danny?...'The voice of Maddie Fenton could be heard.
"My mom...hide..."Danny said and Starfire quickly hid inside his closet, just in time for the Fenton Matriarch to come on, clothed in her yellow and purple pajamas.
"What are you doing still up? It's after 10:30..."Maddie chided.
"Sorry mom, I...just got up to go use the bathroom..I'm getting back to bed now..."Danny said, while his mom sent him a stern look.
"Be sure that you do, remember, you need your rest, you have school tomorrow..."Maddie said.
"Yes, ma'am...'Danny said as his mom left.
Once she did, Starfire got out of her hiding place and yawned.
"Perhaps it is the time that we both get some rest..."Starfire said with a blush.
"Yeah, I guess we should..."Danny said.
The two young heroes/lovers once again laid in Danny's bed and Starfire's arms were gently wrapped around her beloved.
"Goodnight, Starbolts..."Danny said gently.
"Good night, Darling..."Starfire said in a loving tone.
The two shared a quick kiss tonight before Starfire closed her eyes and soon drifted off into a peaceful slumber.
Danny smiled as he watched her gentle, sleeping expression.
"She looks so peaceful..."Danny thought, feeling his heart beating in a special kind of way.
He still sometimes can't believe that he has a girlfriend like her...and one who he gets to kiss goodnight and even kiss good morning sometimes...and now, willingly sharing a bed with her, just to sleep.
Way more than he expected for his age...though, he experienced a lot of stuff that was more to expect since she came along.
Both good and bad, but mostly good.
"Wow..." He said to himself in fondness.
"Who would think that we'd come this far? We're practically married..." He realized his mistake in saying that. "N-Not that I'm in a hurry! I mean... if it were her I wouldn't mind but... I mean... we-we're just dating! Right?!..."
Right?!
"DANNY! GO TO BED!.."His mother yelled across the hall, startling him until he realized that he forgot to turn his lamp off.
"Alright..."Danny shouted as he, being careful as to not disturb Starfire, turned his lamp off.
Once it was dark, Danny managed to fall asleep again, with the last thing he saw was his beautiful girlfriend's smiling, sleeping face.
He hopes that for once, he could have a peaceful, uninterrupted night of sleep.
However, unknown to him, is that even though he will get his sleep...who's to say that it will be peaceful?
Back at Clockwork's Tower
"A wager? What are you talking about?..."The two Observants asked.
"Simple. You both seem to be convinced that Danny and Starfire's bond is circumstantial...and if they HAD to have spend more time together without a choice, they wouldn't be where they are now...well, let's see which of us is right..."Clockwork said.
"Why should we make a bet with you? You always cheat!..."The second one said.
"You are STILL sore about that poker match from 2,000 years ago..."Clockwork sighed.
"It was my first week on the job and you knew it!..."The observant yelled.
"ENOUGH!..."The first one yelled.
'Continue Clockwork..."He said.
"We will put the two in a different location, in a scenario that would make things difficult, and see if the two still develop a mutual interest in each other..." Clockwork said. "If in the end, either they call it quits or I lose hope, you win. If they still become close, I win and return the two to where and when they were and the timeline continues as I plan it to, without your meddling... "The spirit of time said.
"Why should we care?..."The first Observant said.
"I want to prove to you that regardless of circumstances, Danny and Starfire's bond is a pure one, regardless of outside forces..."Clockwork said.
"And to make it in your favor, I will let you pick a moment in time before Danny admitted his feelings to her, pick the kind of circumstances, for how long and we shall see the end result..."Clockwork said.
"Let's say that we go along with this little experiment of yours, what is at stake here?..."The first one asked.
"Simple. If I am right, you both will leave Danny and Starfire be and stop arriving to my realm unannounced, but if by some chance, I am proven wrong, I will do whatever changes you suggest, without argument..."Clockwork said and the other Observants looked surprised.
"Any changes?..."The second observant said.
"As long as they don't result in serious harm to either world, I will do them, even if I don't like it..."He said.
This got the two Observants attention.
"Excuse us…" The first said.
Both Observants went a few feet away, whispering to each other.
"What do you think?" The second asked.
"On one hand, I don't like this at all… on the other hand, there are some changes I wish to make…" The First said.
Both Observants debated a little more, before they returned to Clockwork.
"Alright, Clockwork...you got yourself a bet..."The first Observant said.
"Now, to pick which moment in time?..."The second one said.
"Well, we could always pick from the time they had been in that snowy village..."Clockwork said as he showed a time window showing a clip.
Specifically, the infamous "igloo incident".
During the Igloo Incident
Danny was currently shirtless and lying on his back as Starfire continued to assault him with passionate kisses. It's only due to his ice powers that he isn't freeing but even if he didn't, he doubt he could feel anything but Starfire right now.
All the blood rushed to his face as she kept kissing him and touching his chest and now she is kissing his neck. The fact that she called him hot a few moments ago wasn't helping matters either.
"S-Starfire..."He gasped as she bit him a little before kissing him on that spot and then the rest of his face.
"Oh, darling...hold me..."Starfire whispered and Danny...
Danny immediately complied.
"Wonderful!"
"What the heck am I doing?! Sure, she's beautiful but I'm not... like... actually that into her... am I?
He didn't know why, maybe it was accepting the fact that she wasn't going to let him go, maybe if was his own hormones and feelings acting up but Danny used his strength, pinned Starfire down and surprised her with a kiss himself. She embraced it and kissed him back.
Once Danny pulled away, he looked at Starfire's face.
She's happy and maybe it was the hormones talking, but he smiled at her. He kissed her again, which she eagerly returned.
"This just... feels nice. I mean... I never hated how this felt... I never hated her... He thought.
Of course, he's letting emotions speaking for him as they part lips and smile at each other.
"Oh, why fight it? She's never gonna stop...might as well try and enjoy myself..."He reasoned to himself before kissing her again.
They remained like this for about ten minutes of tonsil hockey. Their hormones and feelings were totally taking control now.
"Oh...oh darling..."Starfire breathed out once they separate and Danny panted a bit, still blinded by his hormones.
"S-Starfire..." He managed to say in a gentle tone.
He saw her beaming with joy.
They said nothing else before resuming their making out session.
However, before either could do or say anything else, someone, the guy who actually MADE the igloo, came in and saw them.
"HEY! What is this, a movie theater?!..."He exclaimed and Danny and Starfire flinched over being caught.
And Danny flinched...once he realized what he allowed himself to do.
"Oh my... I am so very much the sorry sir. My darling and I did not know that..that this belonged to anyone.."An embarrassed Starfire said, while Danny came to his senses.
Once he did, he snuck out of the igloo, but not before taking the top of his suit, while Starfire continued to apologize to the irritated looking man.
Once he was out of her sight, he caught his breath, his mind was processing what happened a few moments ago and he was having trouble accepting it as reality.
"What the heck came over me?!..."Danny said as he shakily touched his lips, as memories came back of the situation.
He couldn't believe that he had willingly made out with Starfire like that.
"Oh great. She's never going to leave me alone after THAT!..."Danny bemoaned.
"I mean... I don't hate it but... UGH! CAN'T THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THAT!..."He shouted in frustration.
"Oh, darling!...:Starfire's voice called, making Danny feel hot and cold again, for obvious reasons.
"I...I need to think..."He said as he tried to find another hiding spot before she caught him and he ended up having another lapse of judgement.
Danny did his best to find a place to hide, regardless of the bright red his face was.
Seeing this on one of Clockwork's monitors, both Observants shared a confused look.
Only the first spoke up.
"Why that moment?..."The Observant asked.
"You will see that even if Danny has admittedly gotten fond of her, he still held some fear of her..."Clockwork said.
"No, not good enough for us. We shall pick the moment in time for them..."The first observant said.
"Any moment BESIDES the first night they met, it's adamantly crucial that it stays that way..."Clockwork said.
"Very well, we shall select any night after that..."The second observant said.
"Fine..."Clockwork said, since to him, the result would be the same.
He extended his right hand and the first Observant extended his. Both spirits shook their hands, a green glow emitting from their hands.
"It's a bet..."They both said in union.
-To be continued-
Next time on Bound Together
Details and Arrangements
A/N: Be sure to check out "A Starstruck, Phantasmic Romance", "A Timeless Romance", "The Switch" and "Do Over" in order to get the plot that this story is based on. I also would like to thank NeoMark for letting me make this little side story and for co-writing this chapter. You rock, my friend.
:) Till next time beautiful people, remember to read and review :)