A/N: Hey thanks for the reviews guys! Freegirl333 and oneshotgoddess and Guest, I appreciate the support! I hope you are enjoying the story so far, my other readers too! These chapters are all written but I have been going back over them to check for inconsistencies and to update the A/N. I didn't leave one at the end of my previous chapter because I posted it while I was at work. It was a late-night shift and I was too tired to write something. Anyway, R&R if you feel like it, and I always welcome constructive criticism. Peace and love!
Warnings: MXM in this chapter, lemon.
Entry V
As I look back on it now I cannot begin to explain how much it makes me laugh that I received the ghostly version of the "sex talk" from Clockwork. Nor how hilarious it was that I was the one to give it to Vlad Masters. That being said, Vlad was not very happy with me when I returned. He had been worried, unjustly mind you, but worried nonetheless.
He ranted on and on about how he thought I had run away or went looking for some other ghost to try swapping energy and emotions with or gone to end myself because I was unable to handle the pressure of it all. Needless to say, I allowed him his rant, allowed him to drag me upstairs to his office and treat me like a child who got caught doing something naughty. I waited until he had worn himself down and sat in his desk chair with his face in his hands.
I saw how he shook, noticed that he was visibly pale and consumed with both relief and fading worry. At that moment he was vulnerable and while I didn't want to dump all the facts on him we had a decision to make and the sooner we made it the better.
We couldn't keep going back and forth, either we had to commit to each other or we had to separate. I had spent the entire time I was with Vlad worried about developing feelings for him so that when College was over, I could leave here without any consequences. I didn't want to fall in love, I didn't want to be bound to one place and never travel or make my own way.
But I had met someone incredible, and when that happens, plans always change. The question was for me, did I want to spend the rest of my life connected to Vlad? Or was all of this, just some temporary bandage I had made because I missed my friends and my family. I knew I couldn't put it off, I needed to talk to my friends, I needed to tell them everything and I needed to tell Vlad what I had learned.
Only from coming clean to both my friends and to Vlad would I be able to make my decision. The wonderful but short time I had spent with Vlad had burned itself into my heart and mind much the same as our first night together had with Vlad. He hadn't wanted to forget or let go, and deep down I knew no matter what I told myself I hadn't either. I went to UW because I wanted to, but I also went because that's where Vlad was. It wasn't until I had gotten "the talk" from Clockwork that I realized I had wanted to experience more of this new Vlad ever since that terrible night in the farmlands of Wisconsin.
Clockwork was right, I was mature now, ready and my entire body and mind told me so. I was no longer scared of loving Vlad or being so intimate with him. Honestly, the only fear I had remaining was that if I decided to break our connection and leave, would Vlad actually let me…
Chapter Five
The Talk
Danny had waited for Vlad to end his tirade, having not stopped since Danny reentered his lab from the Ghost Zone. The man had forcibly taken him upstairs to his office and had spent nearly ten minutes railing him for going into the zone without telling him. The note Danny had left was vague and could have meant anything and Vlad had been worried out of his mind.
It went on and on until Vlad had finally plopped down into his chair and put his face in his hands, heaving a massive sigh and murmuring to himself. Danny allowed the silence to sit, not wanting to give the man reason to explode again.
The silence stretched on until Vlad finally pulled himself up and leaned back in his chair, looking far older than his years and extremely exhausted.
"Are you alright?" Danny asked.
"No-" the man started, his eyes closed, "I am extremely angry and I am trying not to do to you all the horrible things going through my mind. The least brutal being chaining you to that chair. Calm, find your calm, center yourself, just breath-"
"Wow, you really got your temper under control." Danny said, highly impressed, "Would have loved you to be this chill when I was younger. It would have been a lot easier to fight you."
Vlad's eyes opened and flashed red as he glared before saying, "Well, are you going to tell me why you went in there? Did you find whatever it was you were looking for?"
Danny licked his lips and rubbed at his forehead, suddenly feeling just as tired as Vlad looked.
"I did. And I want to tell you, but Vlad, you aren't going to like it. What I found, it...well, it changes everything."
"What do you mean? What happened?" Vlad asked, leaning forward in his chair and his brow worrying in distress.
Danny looked at him a moment, hands now fisted together before his mouth and he weighed how he was going to do this. After a moment he stood, walking slowly around the man's desk and saying softly, "Come on." Danny took the man's hand and guided him over to the couch in front of the crackling fire.
It was now dark outside and the lamps were extremely dim, so only the fire gave any real light. Apparently, Vlad hadn't been joking when he said bright lights hurt his eyes, his private rooms were never fully lit.
"I went through the portal to find answers because I knew a ghost that could give them. He explained to me what has been going on, why allowing our core's energies to touch is causing such strange side-effects."
"Really? Well, spit it out, Daniel! The sooner you tell me the sooner we can fix it!"
"Yeah, about that-" and Danny spent the next two hours explaining everything. From the first time it happened over a year ago until now. He told Vlad the truth, every ounce of it. About his own reluctance to grow closer to him, his fear of what might happen if he allowed himself to indulge in their newfound friendship and how much he had grown attached to and cared for the man even if the core problem hadn't been an issue. He explained about the mating habits of ghosts, how they reproduced and that both of them had a very serious and long term choice to make.
Vlad had mostly said nothing, only asking two questions in total as Danny talked and when the young man finished Vlad was staring with a rather unreadable face into the fire. The silence stretched on and Danny sat there waiting.
After awhile Danny could no longer take the man's lack of response and asked softly, "Vlad?"
"Hm?" was all he got, a pensive and quiet thing, his dark blue eyes not even sparing Danny a glance.
"So, what do you think? What do you want to do, I mean, what happens now?" Danny asked.
Vlad's eyes closed, a soft sigh escaping him as he tapped a fist to his mouth, "Well, what is there to do? There is no choice. We need to separate. It's the only way for us to exist in the world without our cores trying over and over to compel us into ...mating. I assume you have no desire to let that happen?" and Vlad finally looked at him, his face still unreadable but his brow cocked.
Danny looked away, eyes sad as he spoke, "I don't know. Is that what you want? To separate? Or to ...mate?"
Vlad near growled as he stood, "You've been very mature about this Daniel. You've been truthful with me about everything, including your feelings so I will do you the same kindness. No, I do not want to separate. I still...I still love you and if the choice was solely mine to make, we would be finishing these rites of mating right now. But the choice isn't mine alone. And I am no longer the type of man who could force it upon you. So, I leave it up to you. My answer now and always is yes, I would fuse my core with yours and happily do so. That being said, what is your answer?"
Danny stared at him, eyes wide and lips parted before he shook his head, "I don't...I don't know." was all he could say.
"Then that's that. You don't know because you aren't ready for that kind of commitment. If you loved me as I love you... if you truly felt the same you know as well as I that there would be no hesitation, no uncertainty. So, therein, our best option is to separate."
Vlad had looked into the fire as he spoke, a hand resting behind his back as another arm rested above on the mantle. Daniel couldn't see his expression and it bothered him to no end. He stood and crossed to the man, placing a hand on Vlad's shoulder before gently turning him. A lone tear had traveled from his left eye down to his chin where it then dropped to the floor.
Danny had never seen the man cry, not like this anyway. His drunken sobs from that terrible night had been hidden by the rain. Only the sound of his voice had given away that he had been crying. Vlade's rage often replaced any sadness he might feel. But Vlad was a different person now, his emotions worked differently and at this moment Danny realized how much the man loved him. Seeing that lone tear spoke more about his current emotional state than his sobbing ever could have.
"You'd let me go, just so I could be happy? Possibly even find happiness and love with someone else?" Danny asked carefully, not wanting to set the man off and start a fight.
"It's taken me a very long time to realize it, Daniel, but that is truly what love is. Putting someone else's happiness before your own and striving to make sure they never have to suffer needlessly. I know how you feel about me, I have felt it when you reach out to me. You have always been conflicted, but now, it's even more so. I can't ask you to do something with me that would eventually bring you so much dissatisfaction. I won't."
Danny didn't know what to say, though he felt a warmth swell in his chest at Vlad's words and carefully brought his lips to Vlad's, giving him a real kiss, pressing his tongue gently against Vlad's and the man let out a soft yet longing moan.
Bringing their foreheads together Danny whispered, "I am not as opposed to it as you may think, Fruitloop. I just...I need time. Will you give me time to think about it? To consider if I am really capable enough to make you as happy as you have made me? To make sure it's not only what I want but that I am ready?"
Vlad's face was a mix of suppressed hope and true gratitude, "I suppose. But Daniel, you understand that I've been in this situation before? I waited years for the person I loved to feel the same for me, I went through hell and lived in an angry, bitter, denial and I don't want to be put through that again. It hurt too much, I can't take the pain anymore. I will give you your time, but please, don't take too long."
Danny nodded, knowing exactly who Vlad was talking about and understanding the damage it could do to him if Danny didn't make a choice soon.
"And one other thing, please?" Vlad asked and Danny smiled softly, "Yeah?"
"Will you...kiss me like that again? Perhaps for longer than a few seconds. I want something to remember you by, in case ...well, just in case."
Danny gave a soft smirk, "Sure." he said with a small laugh. Vlad handed him the bracelet from earlier, the miniaturized modified version of the Specter Deflector, "It will help so that I… we...can just enjoy the moment."
And Vlad pressed up his sleeve to show he was still wearing his, obviously, the man had hoped it would suppress their ghostly powers enough that they could exist in the same room once Danny returned from the Zone.
Danny took it and slowly put it on, "It won't auto-lock, you can remove it whenever you like, but not before I get my farewell." and Vlad grabbed Danny's wrist, taking him quickly to the couch and pulling the young man onto his lap.
They stared at each other for a moment and Danny felt a blush spread across his cheeks before he looked away, but Vlad's hand came to cup his face and gently turn his face back towards him, "I know we haven't really….not since that night….it feels so long ago-" Vlad started before his cheeks also took on the faintest shade of pink and Danny's eyes grew wider as he stared at it, "But I've wanted to do this...with you… ever since. It's just… in light of this new information...and the fact that I may never see you again...I just want-"
"I know." Danny said, "And I get it. I don't want to admit it, Vlad, I really don't, but...I've kind of...I mean...I understand because I kind of wanted to….with you….too. So let's just...let's just-"
Vlad leaned forward, catching Danny's lips and silencing both their awkward attempts to ease into this moment.
Danny spent the next half-hour in Vlad's lap, their lips meeting, tongues together and hands roaming. The young man wanted to say he was doing it for Vlad so that if he chose to not fuse their cores together Vlad would have some form of closure. But Danny would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't aroused and he would be lying if he said his choice hadn't become just a little easier to make.
The next week found Danny taking the bus to work, the young man not wanting to try and move his Jeep and all the parts that still needed to be put back in across town. The pair had also just started working on removing all the rust and rotted metal as well as buffing and polishing the grille, bumper, and fender. The vehicle couldn't be left to the elements in its current state. Danny had no place to keep the parts and no way to protect the exposed body now that they had ground the old layers of paint away. He honestly also had no good place to work on it himself nor did he dare try and do the extensive repairs to the body without Vlad's help. He had promised Vlad that when he came back to work on his Jeep Vlad would have his answer. They agreed to come back together at the start of February.
It was eight days into January when Danny decided that he needed to tell his friends the truth. Things had gone well when he told Vlad and Danny hoped things would go well when he told his friends. As the days had gone by and Danny had spent time focusing on his school work as well as going back and forth on what he wanted to do in regards to this new situation with Vlad, thoughts of their short moment in Vlad's study came back to him.
Vlad had been most adamant about kissing, rarely giving Danny a chance to breathe, the man's hands sliding up under his shirt and exploring his skin, lips moving to his neck and jaw before finding his lips again.
It had crept into his mind over and over, causing the young man to shutter and feel light-headed, butterflies erupting in his stomach as his body would react to the memories. Danny was fully aware now of how he enjoyed the man's touch. But about a half-hour into their kissing the mini Spector Deflector was no longer able to dull their ghostly cores. Energy seemed to somehow sneak through, seeking out the other core that was so close. As soon as their emotions started to share between them Danny had pulled away, standing and moving to clear his head.
The bracelets worked for the most part, but it seemed they were not a long term solution. That would explain why the night they had had sex they had still been able to join cores. The mini deflectors were nothing more than a deterrent, only able to subdue small amounts of energy, but once their cores started to put out excess energy the bracelets were near useless.
Danny had decided on Wednesday that no matter what he was going to tell his friends by the weekend. Preferably Friday night as that seemed to be the day he was always free. As soon as he made the decision dread filled his stomach as Thursday flew by and he felt like time was working against him.
Friday night came, the night he had chosen, his homework was done, he'd just gotten out of the dorm's showers and had dropped his roommate fifty bucks to go out for the night so he could have some privacy. While his roommate had misunderstood the bribe for Danny wanting privacy with a girl, Danny was glad he would have the dorm to himself. He had a feeling this conversation would be a very long and brutal one.
When the screens came up Tucker and Sam greeted him happily, both reporting they had exciting news to share.
"Yeah, well...I have news at least. Don't know if it's exciting. But you two go first, I want to hear what's going on with you." Danny said and so Tucker went first.
"I got into the tech club at school! I get to shadow a technician at one of the leading tech development companies in the country!"
"That's awesome Tucker!" Danny congratulated as Sam said, "Excellent!"
"Also….I HAVE A GIRLFRIEND! And she is really amazing!" and Tucker sighed in utter happiness as he leaned on his hand and stared off dreamily.
"You sly dog, didn't I tell you you'd be a chick magnet at that school? You're like a nerd girl's dream guy!" Sam offered.
"Guess you're right. Ever since I got here the ladies have been all over me! I had no idea there were so many female nerds in the world."
"Well of course. What's her name?" Sam asked.
"Angela and she is both beautiful and brainy. The perfect combination of woman!"
Danny and Sam laughed as Tucker's eyes moved to Sam's screen, "So what's up with you, find a dreamy goth guy to go with? Start your own creepy goth cafe?" Tucker asked.
Sam blushed and her eyes looked from Tucker's screen to Danny's, "Actually...yeah. I, uh, I have a boyfriend. Isn't that cool?" and both Danny and Tucker could tell she had been extremely nervous in saying so, her eyes continually flicking back to Danny's screen as her nerves continued to grow.
Danny only smiled and said with much affection, "I'm really happy for you, Sam." and he truly was.
Danny and Sam had dated all through high school, and just after they both had turned seventeen they had spent the night together. It was true, Vlad had not been Danny's first, but Sam had been the only girl Danny had been with. After that night they continued to go steady until they graduated at which time Sam, having always been the most mature of the three, sat Danny down and had a very serious talk with him.
She loved him, cared for him, but she really didn't want to do long distance. She wanted to be able to experience college without the worry of jealousy, drama or missing her boyfriend. Sam wanted to be practical about it and had planned to continue to date him if Danny decided to go to her college but was harshly adamant that he shouldn't choose that school just for her. Since he had chosen UW she felt it would be good for both of them to go to college stress-free from temptations and misunderstandings. She didn't want to feel the jealousy she knew she would if Danny were spending time with other girls, even if they were just friends, and she didn't want Danny going through the same issue if Sam (who preferred male friends to female ones) did the same.
After talking about it through most of the night, Danny realized her points and honestly, as much as it hurt him, he agreed with her. College was stressful enough without having to worry about your significant other across the country. They would stay friends, and if things worked out, after college or even perhaps later on while they were still in college they could start seeing each other again.
It took a while for the hurt to fade, but in the end, Danny was still glad they had made this decision and glad for Sam's intuitive and practical outlook on life. He asked her all kinds of questions about the young man she was seeing and made Sam no promises he wouldn't beat the snot out of the kid if he hurt her. Tucker agreed with a laugh but stated Sam would probably be able to do more damage than them if the young man went astray.
They talked some more, about both Tucker and Sam's new significant others and about the goings-on at their schools before it was finally Danny's turn. He instantly went into how college was for him, his job and how awesome it was and how Vlad had been kind enough to give it to him.
Gaging their reaction to that and noticing neither responded too negatively to the news though they told him to be extra careful, Danny continued to share more about Vlad. He explained how the man was helping him fix up his Jeep and about how it was technically a vintage vehicle even though it wasn't worth all that much even in mint condition.
They still didn't say much and so after a while he kind of got lost in sharing, not noticing how silent Sam and Tucker had been. He felt good finally telling them the truth and sharing how awesome Vlad was being and how relaxing it was to hang out with him. When he finally realized they were no longer talking and responding his words slowed to a complete stop.
His friends stared at him through the computer screen before Tucker asked, "Uh, dude, what's going on? I mean, I know Vlad's been in silent mode for three years but...well...you're getting pretty chummy with the guy who has tried to waste you like a billion times."
"Yeah, are you sure it's such a good idea to get so close to him like this? He might be trying to trick you or something-" Sam offered.
And that was when Danny knew he couldn't lie anymore, "Yeah. Uh, guys, I have something to tell you. I need you to just listen and try to understand because I really need your advice, I need your help. Please? Can you do that?"
Sam and Tucker glanced at each other's screen before they moved closer to their computer's cameras and said in unison, "Yeah."
"Okay, well, in truth it starts with a story. Do you remember the summer before last? How we all went on that trip to visit the colleges we wanted to go to? Well, something happened, something I never told you about…" and Danny Fenton spilled his guts.
Danny told them everything but had kept it as PG as possible, not wanting to give them too much information as one, Danny had no clue how either of his friends really felt about two guys being together, two didn't want to gross them out and three didn't feel the need to share all the intimate details. He did, however, try to explain how sharing energies between cores felt and how he knew for certain Vlad was no longer evil because he had felt his goodness first hand. Danny felt how much the man was capable of love and kindness and being thoughtful. He told Sam and Tucker how Vlad was prepared to let Danny go so that he could be happy and find love with someone he truly cared about even though Vlad was in love with him. He shared about how Vlad helped him study for school and how they had worked on what they had thought was a new power together.
His mouth kept going, rambling it all out as quickly but clearly as he could. He took the time to explain the pain of the faux withdrawal that felt so real and how he genuinely enjoyed spending time with Vlad even when they weren't sharing their energy.
The apologies came about being so distant over the holidays. He explained how he had been going through those same fake withdrawal symptoms but he hadn't been truly aware of how debilitating it was.
Eventually, he got to more ghost-related information. Danny told Sam and Tucker about how ghosts could also reproduce and how they went about it. All in all, it wasn't until the mention of Clockwork being the one to explain this all to Danny that ended up bringing the pair around. The spirit of time wasn't worried about the situation at all. He didn't tell Danny to not get involved but that the young man simply had to make up his mind. There was no danger in Vlad and Danny's core fuzing in the ghostly equivalent of marriage, Dark Phantom was not going to come back as the situation that had created him in the first place was vastly different than what was going on now.
Danny shared any and everything he could think of in hopes of making them understand how important it was that they see Vlad as a person and not an evil entity. He wanted their opinions and advice but knew he couldn't take them for what they were worth if they were jaded by their hatred.
When he was finished he waited and Sam and Tucker seemed both over-whelmed and stunned by the development their friend's life had taken while the three had been separated.
"Come on guys, please, say something, anything...I've been really freaked out about telling you and it's killed me every day that I didn't. What do you think?"
"I think that I wish you had told us about what happened that summer sooner." Sam finally said, looking angry and crossing her arms over her chest.
"Yeah, dude, if you had told us we could have been there for you. The entire thing may not have happened the way it did." Tucker offered.
Danny looked down, ashamed but also annoyed, "I know I should have told you, but I didn't, so this is where I am now. What are your opinions?"
Sam sighed and Tucker glanced to her screen, waiting for the wisest of the three to speak before he gave his two cents, "Alright, Danny, I am going to be a grown rational adult and suspend reality long enough to forget that Vlad was literally your greatest enemy for most of your half-ghost life in order to try and give an unbiased opinion."
Danny nodded quickly, "Right, suspended reality, got it, what do you think?"
Sam rubbed at her eyes before she looked directly at him without blinking and asked, "Do you care for him, at all, in the slightest?"
"Well, yeah, I mean I know I do," Danny said with a nod. He knew and could admit he was attracted to the man, and he enjoyed spending time with Vlad. He might not admit it so readily out loud, but he knew truthfully that he did like Vlad, liked him enough to make-out with him, anyway.
"But is it love? Or is it just friendship?" Sam asked.
"I don't know, that's the problem! I mean, how do you feel about your boyfriend? Is it love or just friendship?"
Sam seemed surprised by this but gave it some honest thought, "No, it's not love, yet, but it could be. I feel it, I know that with time and if nothing goes wrong, I could fall in love with him. Eventually."
"What about you, Danny? Do you think you could fall in love with...Vlad...over time?" and Tucker tried to hide his cringe as he said the man's name and Danny sighed in sadness as he looked down and pulled in on himself.
"Tucker-" Sam shamed adamantly.
"Right, sorry Danny, I'm just not used to the idea of...well...any of it. But it doesn't change my feelings. You're my best friend. If you want to be with Vlad, I will support it, I trust you to know the difference between Vlad acting and his sincerity, but you gotta let us know how things go. He turns all crazy psycho again you need to get out of there. Look for the red flags and just say no."
"I'm with Tucker, you want to be with him...I mean...I understand. If he really has changed it makes perfect sense actually." Sam agreed.
"Perfect sense, how?" Danny asked.
"Well, I don't know how you feel about the fact that Vlad is a man, I mean, you and I, we...were together, I never even thought you might...anyway…" and Sam blushed far too hard and Tucker rolled his eyes, totally aware the pair had gone all the way as both had talked to him about it separately before and after.
"My point is, you and Vlad are both halfas. No one will ever understand you or your powers and experiences as well as he could. If there was ever a perfect mate for you, it would be Vlad, I mean, as long as him being a guy doesn't...bother you...I mean obviously, it doesn't because of what you told us-"
"Sam, relax. That fact is the least of my worries. It doesn't bother me, never has." Danny said simply, "Hope that doesn't weird you out, Tuck." Danny said, glancing at his friend's screen, "Naw, I'm cool with it, it's just the fact it's, you know, Vlad. Two guys together doesn't do anything for me, but it doesn't bother me either."
"Good, now that that's settled-" Sam started and Tucker smiled sheepishly, "All I want is for you to be happy if it's with Vlad fine, but you need to be absolutely sure it's not a trick, and that you have a way out if things get bad. And I want regular updates and you have to swear to me that you will tell us if things go south. Got it?"
Danny smiled softly, "Yeah. I got it. But, well, it's not like I am asking if I should date him, I am asking if I should spend the rest of eternity with him."
"Well, would it really be eternity?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, I mean, your half-ghost but you are also half-human. You might not live forever, dude."
"Or you might," Sam said in a tight voice as the three of them realized that they had never stopped to consider how long Danny might live since half of him was now a ghost.
Danny leaned back in his chair and brought a hand to his forehead, "Oh crap, I never even thought about that! What if I live forever, or live longer than you guys or my family. I could outlive everyone I know!"
"Except Vlad." Tucker chirped.
"What?" Danny asked as he glanced at Tucker's screen, "Well, he's half-ghost too. Even if you guys don't live forever, the possibility of having a longer life expectancy is a very distinct possibility which means he faces that issue as well." Tucker said.
Danny hadn't even thought of that, and the more he did the more he realized perhaps a long life with Vlad, as he was now, was much better than spending a possibly extended life alone.
"Do you think he knows? And that's why he's made this sudden change? I mean, the dude's always been alone, but finding out something like that, it could change a person. Maybe this is a trap, but not for the reason we might think."
"What do you mean, Tucker?" Sam asked.
"Well, let's say Vlad found out at some point that he is going to live a few hundred years longer than everyone else. Longer than anyone he knows, longer than your mother and father. He supposedly loved your mom, right? I mean, watching the woman you loved for so many years grow old and die...knowing he is going to be alone...I mean, maybe that's when he started focusing more on you, realized you might be the only one who could outlive him. You are younger than him after all."
Danny thought about this and sighed, rubbing at his eyes which burned, "Man, this stinks! I have no idea what I'm going to do!" and Danny once again ran his hand across his forehead and through his hair, his friends sitting in silence as they watched his inner struggle.
"Hey, Danny, what's that on your wrist?" Sam suddenly asked and Danny looked to his wrist to see the miniature Specter Deflector, "Oh, I guess I forgot to take that off. Vlad had me each wore one so we could...actually never mind. It's like a mini Spector Deflector Vlad made accept instead of shocking me when I'm in my ghost form it just helps to suppress my ghost half. The one I told you about from last summer, the thing he used to stall my powers when he-"
"Whoa, yeah, TMI, got it." Tucker said before glancing at his watch and making a face, "Hey guys, I got to go. I'm getting up early for the tech club. Have a good night, and let me know what you decide to do, Danny. I'm behind you either way."
"Thanks, Tuck, will do." He and Sam continued to hash over the problem for another half hour before Danny called it quits for the night.
"I just wish I knew for sure I had these feelings for him and not because our cores have been trying to fuse," Danny said as he prepared to say good night. He couldn't begin how much better he felt now that his friends knew the truth. It was a massive weight off his back and he had the greatest love for his friends and their willingness to accept him and what was going on with him.
"Yeah, but for that to happen, both of your powers would have to be completely gone. That way when you guys spent time together or did...uh...ya know...stuff...you could feel your human emotions and not your ghost ones-" Sam said and Danny's hands dropped and his eyes went wide, "My human emotions, Oh my god, Sam you're a genius! I got to go, I'll talk to you later!" and Danny left the chat before Sam could even say good night.
Danny arrived at Vlad's doorstep around midnight, not even getting a chance to knock as Vlad opened the door with a rather frustrated glare, "Daniel, what is this about? You sent me a text with no explanation and it's rather late. You should be sleeping, don't you have class tomorrow?"
"It's Friday," Danny said with a rather bemused tone.
"Ah, right, well...perhaps you could come back-" and Danny realized Vlad was trying to dissuade Danny from being here. He peeked around Vlad's body and tried to spy the large entryway.
"Is someone here?" Danny asked.
"Wha, well, no I just don't think it wise for you to be here considering our proximity can have rather damning effects on our-"
"I know, I know, but I really need to talk to you. Do you still have the Plasmius Maximus?" And Vlad's brows shot up to near his hairline as he stared at the boy, "I suppose so, somewhere, why?"
"Awesome. I want you to zap me with it. And zap yourself too." The young man said as he walked passed Vlad and into the mansion.
"What? Why on Earth would you want me to zap you with that? It neutralizes our ghost powers and-"
Danny gently touched the man's arm, a soft hum of energy flowing between them, Vlad's eyes fell to that hand, a look of longing etching across his face as their cores started to hum awake and try to pull them together.
"Over the past week, I've been thinking about the choice I need to make. And honestly, I've been having a hard time doing it. But I think I know a way to help me find an answer. I want to...stay here with you tonight, see what it's like to be with you and how I feel about it without our ghost powers getting in the way."
This time the look on Vlad's face was priceless, somewhere between disbelief, excitement and utter horror. He took Danny's hand in between his own and looked at the boy incredulously, "Daniel, are you absolutely positive this is the course of action you wish to take?"
"I am. I've been so worried that my feelings for you were based only on what I felt when we shared our core energy. All those feelings and emotions, the memories and...I just want to know if the way I feel for you is real or not before I make such a huge decision."
"You mean, you do feel something for me? Right now?" and Danny blushed, looking away and trying to get up the nerve to explain when he suddenly felt fingers gently touch his cheek, he turned back towards the man, the hand moving to cup his cheek before running up and into his hair, "I do. I care about you, and I like you a lot. I won't lie to you and say that I...that I love you but I know it's something I could feel for you, given enough time. If you could be patient."
"I could." Vlad said quickly, "Very patient." he assured and Danny laughed, reaching up and taking the man's hand, "So, can I stay?"
Vlad looked at him, worry on his face before he nodded once and Danny moved forward and hugged him, their cores humming slightly louder and both winced at the sudden pull, "As much as I want to do this, I'm not looking forward to the painful zap of the Maximus."
Vlad sighed, "Yes, well I am sure I can do something about that. After all, when I originally designed the thing it didn't actually hurt to use it. I may or may not have added the electrical shock to simply annoy you."
Danny looked up at him with annoyance, "You're such an ass hole."
"Was, I was an asshole," the man corrected before he took Danny's hand and the pair headed deeper into the house.
They were back in Vlad's study, having gone into the lab to locate the Maximus and once found, returned upstairs to work on it. Vlad spent about ten minutes digging through the small handheld machine's inside rewiring it to no longer deliver the painful shock. Once that was done he replaced the covering on the backside before looking at his younger counterpart and saying clearly, "Alright. I rewired the Maximus, you have no fear of a painful shock, I also reset the duration meter, instead of four hours we will have seven. As there hasn't been and won't be any ghostly activity you need to worry about I think giving us more time will ease the pressure."
Danny nodded, starting to feel said pressure right now. It had been a great idea in his head, but at the same time what was to come after this would be the real thing. The mini Spector Deflector simply protected the wearer from ghostly attacks and when put on essentially muted Danny's powers so they weren't as strong and couldn't be relied on for defense or attack.
But the Maximus was a different beast entirely. It removed all ghost powers, sending a ghost's core into a sort of hibernation. Powers went inactive, which meant they would both essentially be human. Their cores wouldn't interact and so everything Danny felt after this would be a direct result of his own feelings and not a call from his core to mate and fuse with Vlad's own core. To say he was a little nervous to see how the night would progress and how he and Vlad would end up was a little daunting.
Still, this would be the perfect way for Danny to honestly know how he felt about the man. The way Clockwork had described it reminded Danny of a video he had watched in his high school biology class. Everything that had been happening between them with their cores was sort of like an animal's instinctual need to find a mate and reproduce. Clockwork said that this issue Danny and Vlad were facing was why ghosts were so solitary. They didn't want to get caught up in the pull of their instincts and end up fusing with another ghost who they did not want. To control the overpowering instinct to fuse they remained singular and kept their distance from other ghosts unless absolutely necessary and for then for only short periods of time.
Because Danny nor Vlad knew much about the mating habits of ghosts, neither had seen what was happening as natural, but instead, a side effect of some new power. In reality, they had simply been experiencing their ghostly halves natural instinct to mate and the push that came with that. The more they experimented the more they had to fight it and the more they fought it the more dangerous and painful it became.
It was finally time to see how Danny Fenton felt about Vlad Masters as apparently Danny Phantom and Vlad Plasmius had already made up their minds. So, when Vlad powered on the device Danny walked up to him, took the man's hand and brought the Maximus to his chest.
"Here goes nothing." The giant shock didn't come and instead, Danny felt a strange shift inside his body and he jerked a little as he could actually feel his core grow dormant since the massive electrical shock wasn't there.
"Whoa, that felt really weird. I almost prefer the painful agonizing shock to actually feeling my core disappear."
"Your core hasn't disappeared, it's simply been negated, put to sleep if you will. In seven hours it will return to full power and you will feel right as rain." and then Vlad turned the machine on himself and pressed it to his chest.
The man shivered and winced before he looked down at himself, "I see what you mean." he murmured, also finding the feeling of his core shutting down rather unsettling.
Danny laughed lightly before he took the man's hand and dragged him towards the hall, "Come on, let's go watch a movie in your room."
"My room?" the man asked before he was yanked out of the study and towards the stairs.
Danny put in the first movie he saw, a rather satisfied smirk on his face as he did. He just needed something to help keep his nerves under control and something that would be on for a while. Vlad sat next to him on the bed leaning back against the headboard, suit jacket gone, white sleeves rolled up and shoes off while Danny had simply kicked off his shoes and sat cross-legged next to him.
Vlad had a massive tv on the wall across from his bed and just about every form of entertainment hooked up to it. It had taken Danny a minute to figure out which one of the items was actually the DVD player but now that the movie was up and running Danny focused on that and little else.
Vlad had made popcorn and grabbed a soda for himself and Danny while the young man had gotten everything ready. They sat quietly while the movie started. The menu screen came up and Vlad made a face, "Daniel, Lord of the Rings? This movie is over three hours long-"
"Yup." said the young man with an evil smirk as he glanced over his shoulder at Vlad, whose eyebrow cocked in confusion, "But it's nearly one in the morning, Little Badger-"
"I don't have class tomorrow. There is plenty of time." And Danny gently leaned back to rest against Vlad, his head on the man's chest and an arm wrapped over Vlad's stomach. He waited to see what Vlad would do and felt the man slowly relax, a hand coming to rest on Danny's back.
It's a start, Danny mused as he honed his eyes in on the screen before him. Now that their cores weren't an issue Danny could take in Vlad's human warmth, much more soft and soothing than the burning heat he released from his core. He could smell Vlad's cologne and felt his body, lean and firm. He felt the rise and fall of Vlad's chest under his head and he gave a very soft laugh when Vlad flexed the toes on his left foot and his big toe popped.
About forty minutes into the movie a hand came to his hair and started to gently feather through, nails occasionally scratching faintly at Danny's scalp before once again pressing through and playing with his hair. Danny gave a soft sigh and his own body relaxed even more.
It was going well, just existing next to the man as they enjoyed the movie. Occasionally Danny would reach his arm out to take a small handful of popcorn from the bowl and bring it to his mouth before once again resting his arm across Vlad's stomach. He felt comfortable, content and relaxed.
After awhile Vlad placed his free hand on Danny's, pulling it up to rest on his chest by Danny's face. It was a small but tender gesture and Danny raised his head, looking up into the face of the man above.
Eyes met, both pleasant and soft before Danny leaned in and their lips met. This is what Danny had been hoping for. He wanted this to happen, so he could know, but he hadn't wanted to force it. He only hoped Vlad felt the same.
The movie played on, the music swelling and changing which each scene, both tender and intense and characters played their parts, Orcs growled and Elves spoke wistfully but neither Vlad nor Danny were paying attention.
The older man having rolled slowly, pressing Danny onto his back while a hand slide upon soft skin and lips met. Danny jerked when Vlad's thumb moved over his nipple, and he shivered when the man kissed at his neck, "Your shirt?" Vlad asked softly.
"Yours too." Danny panted and his fingers came to the man's dress shirt, slowly working on the buttons as his body shook, "Are you scared?" Vlad asked, placing a kiss to Danny's temple.
"Not of you," Danny whispered softly, the truth was he didn't know why he was shaking, excitement, nerves or fear, perhaps of what was coming but not because of Vlad, "Then what?" Vlad asked, giving another kiss to Danny's jaw.
"It's going to hurt this time. No ghost core voodoo to distract me from the pain. Just not sure how well I can...manage." and when the final button opened Danny pressed his hands to Vlad's chest, running across his warm skin and around to his back.
"We will go slow. If you want to stop we stop. Sex isn't the end all be all of a relationship, anyway. I'd much rather have your company than make you feel obligated to share my bed." and Vlad took Danny's shirt and began to pull it up.
"It really wouldn't bother you if we didn't do this stuff?" Danny asked between pants of breath, shifting so Vlad could take his shirt off.
"It might seem odd, but I long for your companionship, Daniel. I love you, therefore it seems only fair to me to listen to what you want. If this...isn't what you want from me, then we can focus elsewhere."
Danny thought about it, their skin pressing together as hands explored and lips continued to meet and teeth nipped.
"Let's just do it once, and after, after we can decide what..what should happen next."
"Very well." Vlad offered and as his hand skimmed down Danny's side the younger sighed, pressing closer. They continued to explore and move slowly through the motions. Pants found their way to the floor, followed by socks and eventually boxers. Danny couldn't help the blush, though he hated to admit he couldn't help it. The same thing had happened when he and Sam had…
Really not the best time to think about your ex-girlfriend, Fenton… and Danny brought hands up to Vlad's head, gently pulling out his hair and running fingers through. Vlad reached across him, pulling open a bedside drawer and taking out a small bottle.
"What's that?" Danny asked as he kissed at Vlad's throat, chest and collar bone, "Do you really need to ask?" Vlad chuckled and the young man sighed, "Oh."
"As you said, no core voodoo, I want to make this as easy on your body as possible," Vlad said softly. Though instead of opening the bottle he put it down on the side of the bed and brought his hand back to Danny's side. Gently pulling the young man closer their hips met and Danny's felt their bodies finally flush against each other.
His head rested just below Vlad's chin, one arm wrapped around while the other was pressed between them.
"Look at me," Vlad ordered softly and as Danny looked up and their lips met Vlad's hand strayed down before carefully taking hold of Danny's length. Breath hitching in his throat and body stiffening he felt the man's hand give an experimental squeeze before Danny groaned, "Damn it, Vlad. Easy. I'm-"
"More than ready." the man cooed softly and Vlad spent the next few minutes gently touching and squeezing, occasionally giving a few gentle strokes while his free hand came up to cup the back of Danny's head and kiss him deeply.
When Danny finally pulled back he whispered, "Do it now."
"Yes. Yes, that's...now...yes." Vlad managed as his hand left Danny's length, reaching for the lube and sitting up. He pressed Danny onto his back, spread his legs and got to work. Danny watched through lidded eyes as Vlad coated his own length, before applying some to his fingers and bringing a hand to Danny's entrance.
The younger man hissed and squirmed a little at the foreign feeling but tried to remain calm, he wanted to do this. He wanted to experience this without the added feelings of their cores joining, without actually sharing in how Vlad felt in the moment.
Vlad pressed in a finger and Danny hissed and felt his body tense, "I know it hurts, but try to stay relaxed." Vlad offered.
"Right. Relaxed. I can...I can do that-"
And then another finger entered him and Danny tried to think of something else. His body just couldn't calm down, he was still aroused and his length was all the evidence he needed to prove he was still good to keep going. But the discomfort of being breached by two fingers was obvious, and all he could think about was what came next.
"Daniel," came Vlad's soft voice, "Mm?" the younger man hummed in stress, "Look at me, Daniel."
Slowly his eyes opened, connecting with Vlad's instantly, "It is going to hurt, but only for a while. Think of something better than the moment, and when it's over I promise the pain will be too." his tone was reassuring, his eyes so tender and gentle and Danny nodded, forcing relaxation to come, as those fingers rested inside of him.
I loved it in the woods, but I couldn't actually feel the pain. Is this how it would be all the time? Or only when our cores are shut off? If we fuse would there be more pain or less?
His thoughts were silenced when lips found his and Vlad's spare hand gently took up his length and started to slide up and down, more lube coating his own shaft and suddenly the pain eased considerably. His mind fell into a hazy mess of want and his heart started to thump faster in his chest as the heat came to his face and pleasure sparked softly in his gut.
He groaned, hands fisting the bedding as the pleasure grew. The feelings building inside of him were his own and things became much easier. The fingers left him slowly and then the head of Vlad's length was there, slowly starting to press in.
Vlad groaned and the sound of it sent Danny deeper into his desire, hearing his lover make such sound was enticing and he focused on that as Vlad shifted in deeper, still slow and steady but no longer stopping to allow Danny's body time to adjust.
The hand on his length continued to gently move but after a moment Danny's hand came to stop the movement as he felt close to falling over.
"It will make the pain less intense," Vlad panted out, "Yeah, but it will also make me go too soon. I want to make this last. I'll deal with the pain, just don't touch it anymore." Danny said and Vlad nodded, giving another grunt then groan as he slid in deeper, reaching his end and coming to rest inside his younger counterpart.
"The worst of it is over. I'm...I'm in and you're... god, you're a tight little thing." Vlad breathed and Danny loved the sound of Vlad's voice, so constricted and desperate as he lay rooted inside.
"Are you ready?" Danny panted, memorizing the feeling of every last detail at this moment. Now that Vlad was in Danny knew he wouldn't make it very far and said, "I'm not going to last, so if you want to just...I swear I won't make fun-"
"Hush, Daniel. Let's just see what happens. I'm not sure I am any better off. You're awfully tight and it's been nearly a year since...well...don't hold out much hope for a long night."
"That's good, sounds good. Let's just…" and before Danny could finish Vlad started to move. Pulling out and pushing in at an agonizingly slow pace. He brought arms around Danny's head and shoulders. His face burrowing into Danny's hair and the young man wrapping his arms around.
Their bodies aligned and after a time, the rhythm was set. Gasps and grunts filled the air, skin moving against skin as sweat formed on their bodies and the heat grew between them. The smell of sex filled the air and Danny's body finally reached the point of melting into the man on top of him as the pain faded and pleasure spilled out between them.
"Faster-" Danny whispered as his nails gently dug into Vlad's back. Vlad hummed as he picked up the pace and Danny gasped and stuttered at the pressure that was building.
He started to whisper the man's name, over and over as his stomach grew tight and pleasure burned through his body like fire. Vlad brought his mouth to the scar on Danny's shoulder, "Say my name, Daniel, god keep saying it-" Vlad hissed before he bit hard onto the spot he had marked over a year ago.
Danny let out a guttural sound, his body squirming but Vlad held him tight and started to move faster, he sucked and bit on the tenderized flesh, Danny calling out his name, begging for him to slow his movements or he would surely fall over.
This seemed to spur Vlad on and he dug in deeper, bringing sharp quick thrusts that made Danny's body tremble and jerk in delight. Emotions swelled, but pleasure overrode them, Danny's heart hammering madly as his entire body seemed to tense, and then he jumped into glorious oblivion. Yelling Vlad's name, nails breaking skin as he held onto him tightly and rode out the earth-shattering pleasure.
Vlad followed him shortly after, swearing and grunting against Danny's neck as he crumbled against him and finished with several deep rocks of his hips. Vlad lay on top of him, breathing heavy before kissing Danny gently, pulling out and moving to lay beside him.
"Are you alright?" Vlad asked, his voice soft and laced with fatigue.
"Mm." was all Danny could manage.
"If you need anything, you'll let me know?" Vlad asked tentatively.
"Isn't there some sort of obligatory post-sex cuddle thing that is supposed to happen?" Danny murmured lazily, the feeling of a calm, content and relaxed mood settling across his body.
"I suppose, do you wish to-"
"Come here, Fruitloop. Geez, I gotta spell it out for you?" Danny teased softly as he pulled the man close and cuddled down into the bed.
"We are a tad messy-" Vlad started and Danny groaned, "You're a billionaire, can't you just have it dry cleaned tomorrow?"
"Yes, actually. But I wasn't referring to the bedding. A shower would be nice, or how about a nice soak in my tub?"
"Eeeeh, Vlad, come on let's just take a few minutes and-"
"It's a jacuuuuzziiiii…" Vlad sang out softly.
Danny was silent a moment before he murmured, "Can we both fit?"
"Yes, we can." Vlad offered with excitement.
"Okay. You start it, I'll just lay here limp and ruined."
"Very good, Little Badger, be back in a jiff."
Danny sighed, "Even when Vlad's my lover he's a damn nuisance."
But even as Danny snoozed lightly, hearing the sounds of Vlad in the bathroom, turning on the water and muttering to himself about oils versus bubble bath Danny was content. He felt so comfortable and calm. He was okay ...happy ...and he felt like this had been the right course of action to take. He knew now, without a shadow of a doubt that Vlad and he, were indeed compatible, with or without the pull of their ghostly cores. Now, all he had to do was make the biggest decision of his life.
No pressure, Fenton.
The thing was, it wouldn't just be Danny who was affected by this choice. Vlad would be affected as well. If Danny chose to stay, well, Vlad would finally have someone with him, on his side, in his corner...however you want to look at it or say it, Danny would become Vlad's significant other. And while the man was a perfect upstanding member of society now, there was always the possibility that he could revert.
Danny had felt it when the pull to join had been something he couldn't resist. When he had forced his way into Vlad's core. He had found it, buried under this new outlook on life, was Vlad's twisted old self. The man had perhaps suppressed it, tried to change and learned to ignore his old habits but he hadn't completely gotten rid of that drive and lust for power.
They'd had the sex, but now Danny knew they needed to talk. He rolled onto his back and brought the heels of his hands to his eyes, pressing in and rubbing soft circles before he took a deep inhale of breath and let it out.
His body was still relaxed, his mind still calm, but the stuff he wanted to talk to Vlad about, well it wouldn't be easy but it would answer some questions that were rather important. Danny also needed to ask Clockwork if any mated ghosts ever unfused their cores, if it was possible.
It had occurred to him when Sam and Tucker had brought up the idea of eternity, or an elongated life. He wanted to ask Vlad if the man had ever considered such a thing, as well as if Clockwork knew of any ghosts that might have broken their bond and what happened if and when they did.
So many questions and he felt like he had no time to answer them. But Vlad had given Danny plenty of time. He still had nearly a whole month and if Danny asked nicely and explained he needed just a little more time Vlad would probably acquiesce. But it would be a good idea to try and get this sorted sooner rather than later. If the problem that was happening with their cores wasn't a thing, it would be so much easier to simply try and date the man and see where it went. I mean, after all, Vlad really just wanted company and affection when you get right down to it.
Maybe we could just keep zapping our cores for a few months, spend time together as humans and really dig into getting to know each other. I wonder if long term exposure to the Maximus would mess with our cores-
"Daniel, the bath is...my dear boy, are you alright?" and Danny peaked out from behind his hands and gave a soft smile, "Yeah. I'm fine. What'd you choose, oil or bubbles?"
Vlad just smiled.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed this. Finally got a decent lemon. More MxM to come. Next chapter will have a lot of talking and thought but also a lot more sexy time. Thanks for reading!