On the way back to Fenton Works, Danny laid in Vlad's arms, submissively quiet. His arms were crossed against his chest, hugging himself. His eyes were averted and downturned as he studied his unclipped and dirty fingernails shyly, thinking without cease how he should clip them and clean them though knowing he never would, the way one does when they feel awkward and need a sense of escape for their mind. His legs hung flaccidly and swayed as Vlad flew, subservient to the force of the wind. His whole body was static and tense as he laid there and shivered, for he was still unfathomably cold. Danny could not tell whether or not Vlad was shivering as well, but he looked frozen and pained, despite the fact that he had also elapsed into an uncomfortable silence and did not mention it. He was not looking at Danny, but rather kept his eyes focused on the channel of air ahead of them.
"Vlad?" Danny asked softly, timidly, without moving his gaze from his unruly hands.
"Yes, little badger?" Vlad said, but, like Danny, his eyes never moved.
"Are you sincerely cold?" he asked, his voice low, inquiring.
Vlad frowned slightly and his forehead creased mildly in confusion. "Yes, I sincerely am. Why?"
"Because it doesn't make sense. It's springtime."
"It wouldn't make sense, Daniel, if we were normal human beings, to be feeling this level of cold in the springtime. We would need to be rushed to the hospital if we were. But we aren't, are we?"
"No, we aren't."
"And why do you suddenly and unexpectedly feel cold and see your breath, Daniel?"
"When I sense a ghost. But it couldn't be that. You're cold too."
Vlad looked at him and smiled with condescending superiority. "You think you're the only one with a ghost sense, little badger?"
Danny's eyes widened. "No way. I thought that only I could sense other ghosts."
"Well, no, Daniel, you're not the only one. As I said, I am able to sense ghosts as well, but not as strongly as you are able to. When I sense ghosts, it is an inward reaction. I can't see my breath, and, usually, I'm not outwardly cold," Vlad said.
"So how do you know you've sensed one then?"
"As I said, it's an inward reaction. It's as if the cold is trapped inside me and is building."
"But you can't let it out, can you?"
"I suppose not, but I haven't neurotically tried, Daniel. It isn't an important power to me."
"Power?"
Vlad turned to stare at him oddly and bemusedly. "Of course it's a power, Daniel."
"You mean, like…like…"
"Like being able to control snow and ice and use it as you would a beam of energy, Daniel."
"And we have this power?"
"Yes, Daniel. You didn't know that before?"
"I thought it was just a ghost sense, nothing else."
"Well, yes, it is a ghost sense as well. I have been studying it for some time now in an attempt to find a connection between the actual powers and the ghost sense, but I haven't been very successful."
"Wow," Danny exclaimed breathlessly, winded, "I feel seriously stupid right now."
"You shouldn't feel stupid, my little badger. These powers are such a confusing, frightening thing, aren't they? Even I have yet to fully understand them, and, for the record, I happen to think you are coming along very well with them," Vlad purred and ruffled Danny's hair.
Danny flushed hotly and averted his eyes in embarrassment. And when he overcame this initial discomfort, he darkened. "I am not coming along well at all with them. I couldn't even…" he trailed off.
"Well, I think you are doing fantastically. I—"
"So, why do you think our ghost senses are going off right now?" Danny interjected quickly and easily.
"Well," Vlad said, frowning, his forehead again creasing in confusion, "I suppose it was because a ghost was near."
"You?"
"Well, no, Daniel, because I wouldn't have been sensing myself."
"God, I am such a fucking idiot," Danny said, shaking his head in disbelief at his own stupidity.
"Please, Danny, don't call yourself an idiot. This is a confusing time for you, and you are most certainly not an idiot," Vlad said softly, sounding pained.
"Okay."
Vlad studied him for a small moment and Danny kept his eyes safely averted. "And, Daniel, I hope you won't be offended if I ask you not to use that kind of language around me."
Danny turned to look at him and frowned. "Are you seriously telling me what I can and can't say?"
"No, I just—"
"Oh, fine. My parents would be pissed if they heard me talking like this anyway," Danny sighed.
"Danny, please, I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I'm asking you. You can say whatever you'd like, but please refrain from saying that word. I can't stand that word."
"Okay, I said I wouldn't."
"Thank you, little badger, I appreciate that more than you know," Vlad said and smiled softly.
"Sure, whatever."
"So, Danny, would you like me to make you something to eat for lunch or would you like me to order something?" Vlad asked extrovertly.
"I'm actually not hungry at all. Just sorta tired."
"Perhaps you can lie down and have a little nap? Maybe you'll be hungry when you wake up."
"Yeah, okay."
Soon, they arrived at Fenton Works. Vlad landed in front of the dismal brick building and started for the steps, still carrying Danny.
"Vlad?" Danny said. "Hey, Vlad? Vlad, you can set me down now. Hey, would you just set me down, please? Vlad? Vlad? Vlad? God dammit, Vlad, and God damn you! God damn you straight to hell!"
Vlad grinned and carried Danny inside and shut the door behind him.
A/N:
Conversation chapter! We needed one of these, didn't we? I just realized a few days ago that the majority of my chapters were about what the character felt and then nothing else was ever established, accomplished, or said, because by the time I had developed the character's emotions I was too lazy to develop anything else (or perhaps tired, because even I get tired). However, I want to let you know that every chapter from now on won't follow this format, I'm just trying this on for size to see how you like it. (Oh, Jesus Christ ;))
Also, I wanted to point out the fact that I have no idea if Vlad actually has a ghost sense or even a trace of Danny's ice powers, but I just wanted to write it in. I hope you won't kill me. I also hope that you guys get why Vlad really doesn't like the F word.
Anyway, I sincerely hope you enjoyed this chapter and will review it, as you know I appreciate reviews and say that almost every time I update.
Well, it's only two, so I think I have time to fit in a movie before I go to bed. How does "The Human Centipede, Full Sequence" sound?
~VC
P.S. GODDAMMIT NAPPA!
P.S.S. I do not own ANYTHING I have made a reference to, and I certainly do not own Danny Phantom. Just to be safe.