"Danny," Vlad said softly.
Danny stepped away, his face twisted with anger. His eyes were cold and questioning as he glowered at Vlad.
"I asked you, why are you still here?" Danny said, his voice low and threatening.
"Why are you so angry at me?" Vlad said. "Daniel, I understand this isn't easy for you but you have no reason to take it out on me."
"It's your fault!" Danny cried suddenly before he could stop himself.
The expression on Vlad's face darkened significantly. Danny observed in that moment that Vlad looked oddly pale and as if he could become physically sick.
"Danny," Vlad said, making an effort to keep his voice steady, "do you really think that it was my fault your family was killed?"
Danny stared at him, his expression of hatred waning. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to tell Vlad the truth. He wanted to tell Vlad everything; he wanted to explain to him that his family had died because he had been too busy to study for an important test, and about Dan, how he had been unable to stop him and had let his family die. How his own selfishness and inability to cope and adjust to his new life without them had created Dan in the future. And about how it would happen again now. And he almost did tell Vlad, but suddenly he wondered why he wanted to. Vlad would never understand, perhaps think he had gone insane, and if he did understand, Danny knew he would be imposing a painful burden on him. If Vlad was anything like him in the least, he would become wracked with guilt and fear if he knew, and despite the fact that Vlad was his enemy, Danny could never willingly force something like that upon him.
So instead, he dropped his gaze and said with a sigh, "No, but please leave. You said you would."
Vlad approached him and put a hand on his shoulder. Seriously, he asked, "Danny, did you really think I would leave?"
"Yeah…" he said weakly, "well, I mean… I thought maybe…" He sighed without looking at Vlad "no."
"Why do you want me to leave?"
"Vlad, you wouldn't understand and I'm not going to try to explain it to you. But it would be better for everyone if you left. Seriously."
"You said you would give me a chance, Danny."
Danny sighed impatiently. "I only said that so you would leave me alone."
He did not expect to see the expression of hurt that was on Vlad's face when he looked up. It was especially present in his eyes which were shining with sadness. Danny had never thought Vlad would ever show such a telltale expression of his emotions and it disturbed him. He immediately felt guilty.
"Vlad, look, I'm sorry. I was tired last night. I said that so I could go to sleep," he said quickly.
"But that means you're not even going to give me a chance?" Vlad asked quietly.
"I shouldn't."
"Tell me why you shouldn't. Allow me that at least."
"I can't."
Again, he saw that expression of hurt and sadness, and he felt like such a jerk. He knew Vlad was trying, he could feel that. He couldn't believe it, but he knew with certainty that Vlad was being sincere. Vlad was treating him as if he were something other than an enemy, as if he were instead a son, and Danny knew that. And if Vlad was willing to put aside their differences like this, he was, too, but he knew what he would be risking if he did. He would be risking the possibility of the creation of Dan and the end of the future. He felt so torn then, and was unsure of what to say or do.
He wondered if it was possible to give Vlad the chance he wanted without succumbing to the temptation of separating his human and ghost halves. He was not sure, but he was aware that he would have to try. He knew that Vlad would continue to ask him to let him into his life if he continued to refuse, so what choice did he have? Vlad wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted, and though he seemed less selfish now, Danny was sure that he was just as persistent. But could he go to live with Vlad and avoid the temptation of separating his two halves?
Suddenly, that did not matter. As he stared at Vlad, with his unchanging expression of sadness, he knew he could not refuse. He did not want to see Vlad as he was now. He couldn't bear to see him as he was now. If Vlad was truly opening his heart up to him, then he could open his as well.
But it would take time.
And he would have to be careful.
"I-I'll give you a chance, Vlad," he said without looking at him. "I'm sorry I've been mean. I don't mean to be, I just…"
Vlad smiled, and the look of hurt melted away. "It's alright, my little badger."
Danny dropped his gaze again, and Vlad said, "Really, it's alright, Daniel."
"Okay," Danny said weakly. "And that stuff I said earlier, about it being better if I didn't go with you… I just meant that I didn't want to waste your time." He didn't feel bad saying it because it was partially the truth.
"Danny," Vlad said, "you're not wasting my time. Not at all."
"Okay," Danny said again, feeling slightly relieved, as if he had dodged some bullet.
"Okay," Vlad said, and smiled. He turned back to the stove, grabbed the spatula he had been using, and flipped the omelet that was cooking in the pan. "Why don't you sit down? Your breakfast is almost ready."
Danny sat slowly, feeling a twinge of sadness as he realized he would never eat another meal cooked by his mom or his sister, even if the food was mediocre at best.
"You cook?" Danny asked solemnly, but to Vlad it sounded more like a blatant statement. Danny had not even realized that Vlad could cook.
"Yes, little badger. Are you hungry?" Vlad asked.
"Sure," Danny said in the same somber tone. "I haven't eaten anything since before…" He stopped.
Vlad did not make him finish. "Well, you'll like this, I think, if you like omelets. I hope you do, at least, because that's what you're eating."
Danny chuckled humorlessly. "Sure," he said. His voice was mundane.
Vlad shifted uncomfortably as he slid the omelet out of the pan and onto a plate. He went to the cupboard and pulled out a glass. He opened the refrigerator and found a jug of orange juice, which he opened and poured into the glass. He brought the plate and the glass to the table and set them down in front of Daniel. Then, he took a seat across the table from him.
"Thanks," Danny said softly.
Vlad smiled. "You're welcome."
Danny picked up his fork and took a bite of the omelet.
He decided after the first bite that he was glad, at least, Vlad knew how to cook better than his mom and his sister had.