Danny PoV
It's day six of operation Escape the Fruitloop and so far I'm totally failing.
I've been stuck in my room for almost a week now, watching the sun rise and set over and over again. Some decrypt old ghost delivers me three square meals a day, but I don't eat any of it. It's probably all poisoned. Currently, all the food is shoved against the door. Hopefully Vlad will step in it if he ever comes in here again.
I sat on the marginally repaired bed and stared out the window. I was eternally thankful that I had the view of the outside world. I was sure to go stir crazy if I didn't have the small happiness the window provided for me. Granted, all I could see was a never ending forest and what looked like a water tower waaaaay off in the distance. But at least I had the sky. I imagined I was flying again, the wind in my face, blowing all my worries away.
I missed my family so much. They were probably worried sick. I missed Sam and Tucker too. I even missed Lancer. I sighed sadly, thinking about how scared my parents probably were. I know how crazy they get about their kids being in danger. My dad kicked the crap outta Plasmius when he thought Vlad was going to hurt his family. That was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.
Although I'd been all for it at first, I now had mixed feelings about Jazz, Sam, and Tucker coming to bust me out. I've had absolutely no success for almost a week and I don't want them to put their lives at risk just to get me out of here. I'd rather live with Vlad than be the reason one of my friends died or got hurt. And that was the only reason I'd want to live with Vlad. My friends safety. Yeah.
Hunger was gnawing at my insides like a furious bear. I knew I couldn't last much longer without food. I felt weak and heavy, but I wouldn't give in. Of course, it sure as hell didn't help that every single one of those damn meals was five-star-restaurant worthy and even as mold had started growing, the succulent smell of roasted pork and steamed vegetables and soft mashed potatoes with thick gravy and-Okay, time to stop thinking about food!
I quickly stood and ambled into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me and downing several gallons of water to sedate my dying stomach temporarily. The smell was much easier to ignore in here. I shuffled to the darkest and most hidden corner of the large bathroom and curled up, putting my head on my knees.
I shouldn't be doing this. The sudden thought ran across my mind, searing my brain with fear. Vlad will come eventually, and he'll be so mad. I glared at the spotless floor. No. It doesn't matter what Vlad does to me, I'll never be his little pet. He can hurt me all he wants, I won't bend to his will.
But still, I feared him sometimes. I'm not masochistic, I don't enjoy pain, and the thought of Vlad's future punishments sends me into a quaking mess. But I'll deal with it when it comes. No matter how bad it gets, I'll always take comfort in the fact that I am my own person. I don't belong to anyone, especially not Vlad.
But God I'm still hungry.
What on earth is he doing anyways? I thought he would at least check up on me every now and then to see if I'm actually listening to him and cleaning my room, but I haven't seen a single square inch of him. I don't care that he's gone, but his continuous absence had left me with that annoying calm-before-the-storm feeling. I'm so anxious about him discovering my ever defiant behavior that it's driving me up a wall. Literally. No, I'm dead serious. I've actually transformed into my ghost form and paced up, down, and sideways on the walls and ceiling. Call me crazy, but it kinda helps me think. I'm just so much more comfortable in my ghost form.
Maybe if I eat just a little tiny bite-no! No, Danny, stop. It's all probably poisoned with some crazed up weird stuff that will turn me into a vegetable or something. Do not touch.
I groaned and leaned my head against the cracked tile of the bathroom. Maybe I could clean my room more to distract me? I half heartedly looked up, surveying my work thus far. Everything single thing was shoved against the walls now, even the shards of glass. At least the floor was clear. I thought for a moment and decided the room was clean enough. I'm too tired to move.
...I really wish I could turn my stomach off.
The sudden sound of someone knocking on the door made my thoughts freeze.
"Daniel?" Vlad's voice came through the bedroom door and my hyper active ghost ears easily picked up on it. "Daniel, are you awake?"
Uh oh.
The door opened and I froze, my heart pumping madly against my rib cage. Ah! Why was I so nervous!
Silence reigned in the front room. I silently stood up, my body tense and ready for a fight, but it was quiet.
"Maybe he left..." I murmured to myself.
"And maybe not." said a dark, furious voice from behind me.
I gasped and spun around to find Plasmius' face not two inches from my own. He twisted me around and pinned my arms behind my back before I could blink. I could feel my bones reaching their limit as he applied pressure, but I willed my self to stay silent. He wasn't going to get any screams out of me.
"What on earth goes on in that foolish brain of yours, boy?" he sounded very very angry. I checked his shoes. Damn, he didn't even step in the old food. What a waste.
I didn't answer him and he growled angrily. He pushed me to the floor and then started dragging me out of the bathroom by my hair.
Like hell was I going to let him drag me around like a dog! I transformed quickly and went intangible, just managing to dodge his hand and an ecto blast. I flew to the ceiling against the wall farthest away from him. He glared at me.
"Daniel, get down here!" he shouted.
I had many witty and sarcastic replies to that, but I was so tired I couldn't spare the energy to say them. As it was, I was having a difficult time staying afloat.
"Alright then, since it seems you enjoy doing things the hard way."
He came at me and I wasn't fast enough to dodge. Gripping my forearms, he threw me to the ground and I slid to a halt in front of the moldy food. God, that stuff reeked up close. I felt his boot dig into my back, pinning me to the floor.
"I've left you alone for a week, Daniel! A week! How foolish of me to think you could handle taking care of yourself!" he roared.
I forced myself not to puke. I think something blue and fuzzy moved in the rank pile.
"What, so I'll be in top condition for you to use?" I hissed.
His boot was gone and suddenly I was flying through the air again. I smashed into the wall and fell to the floor, too tired and weak to get up. My body felt remarkably heavy for the lack of food.
"This is ridiculous, Daniel! Not eating food isn't rebellion, it's just suicide! Do you know how much those meals cost?"
"Why bother spending your well earned money on me? Think you can buy me over?" I glared at him. I really hated having to look up to talk to him, so I struggled to get to my feet. But I couldn't do it. It was like going ghost had just zapped all my energy and now I didn't even have the strength to stand. Again, I hoped Vlad couldn't tell.
Oh, but nothing gets by this sneaky little snake.
"Daniel, how long have you gone without food?" his anger was so quickly quelled and filled with such concern, that it stunted me. I was so thrown off guard I forgot to make my reply sound snappy and rude.
"About five days." I mumbled.
"Daniel!"
"Whaaat? For all I know that food could have been poisoned!" I sounded way too defensive in my own ears, but too late now.
"Why would I go through the trouble of kidnapping you, giving you an expensive room, and serving you five star meals if I was just going to poison you!" he said exasperatedly.
"How the heck should I know! Maybe you thought the irony of giving me a bunch of nice stuff before my death would be amusing? I'm not the fruitloop here." I glared at him stubbornly.
Vlad growled in irritation and pinched his brow.
"Take off your shirt." he said in a flat voice.
"Excuse me?"
"Your shirt, Daniel. I'd prefer if you didn't die of starvation."
"How is me taking off my shirt going to prevent starvation?"
He sighed, rubbing his temples.
"I'd just like to see how much you've been damaging yourself. It wouldn't do to have you die of starvation before I could get you to eat."
"Yeah whatever fruitloop. I bet you just wanna see me take off my shirt." I grumbled crossing my arms.
I have no idea where that comment came from.
Almost instinctively, Vlad and I glanced at each other, a very odd feeling passing between us. It was the strangest glance I'd ever experienced.
As I looked away a red blush rolled over my face and I glared at the wall, shoving down an oddly nervous feeling in my stomach. Vlad rolled his eyes and grumbled something about me being ridiculous, quickly phasing the shirt through me and gasping at my thin form.
"From now on, you'll be eating with me, so I can make sure you don't try to kill yourself." he said in a hard voice.
"I don't need a food Nazi." I mumbled, feeling oddly comfortable without my shirt on around him and wishing I didn't.
"Well apparently you do." I thought I heard the smallest hint of amusement in his voice. "You will eat Daniel, if I have to force it down your throat."
Oooh, that was an unpleasant image.
"Whatever." I muttered, thinking 'Ugh, more fun time with Uncle Vlad'.
I was lifted to my feet but I stumbled into him. He caught me before I could fall on my face. I didn't even bother trying to push him away. I was too tired. Besides, he was kinda comfy.
"Can I sleep?"
"No, you need to eat. Now."
I was silent, to weak to fight back. I saw Vlad smile and burned with anger.
He clamped something black on my wrist and I could actually feel my ghost powers being repressed. Damn.
Without warning he scooped me up into his arms bridle style, saying something about it being quicker this way. Hell no.
"Put me down!" I argued, kicking around and trying to push myself out of his arms.
They were like marble, hugging me close to his chest securely. Vlad smirked and didn't answer. I got the feeling that he was enjoying a private joke and I didn't like it.
Unfortunately, there wasn't much I could do but continue trying to squirm out of his grasp, like that was ever gonna happen. Ah well, at least I could be confident that he wouldn't drop me.
He carried me through he house and we came to a kitchen. I scowled. Vlad sighed as he set me down in a chair, finally. Honestly, I think he held on to me a little more than necessary, but whatever.
Before my brain could expand on that last thought, I was provided with a bit of a distraction. He cuffed heavy metal clamps over my arms and legs before I had a chance to kick him, pinning me to the chair. I almost didn't bother struggling, but it felt too out of character.
"Daniel, stop your squirming. You can't honestly think your going to escape." Vlad snapped as he rang a little bell.
Another decrypt old ghost came through the wall with a tray of hot food. She gave the boy strapped to the chair an uninterested look and floated away. It's obvious she was the star of customer service when she was alive. I eyed the food evilly and Vlad gave an exasperated sigh, changing back to his human form.
"It's not poisoned." he growled.
"Then you try some!" I snapped back.
"Your going to trust me weather you like it or not, so I'm not going to do anything."
"Oh! So it is poisoned!"
"Why don't you just eat the food? I know your hungry enough." Vlad smiled at me tantalizingly as he waved a mouthwatering, crispy seasoned chicken leg under my nose.
Oh god, that was really distracting.
"No thanks, I'd rather stay alive." I replied with less enthusiasm. Man that chicken smelled good.
"Says the half dead boy." He smirked as he cut a small piece of chicken off and stabbed it with a gleaming fork.
I didn't trust my mouth enough to open with a retort. There was a very high probability it would actually take the food like some pet.
"We can do this the hard way or the easy way." Vlad said, his voice suddenly hard as a rock.
And that was my cue, the mouth stays closed. Vlad glared in irritation. Without warning he grabbed my thigh and sent a very powerful shock right through my system. I yelped instinctively, and as soon as my mouth opened he shoved the stupid fork in.
Now I tried. I honest to god really tried to spit the food out, but as soon as that warm crunchy chicken hit my tongue it was all over. When I swallowed it I was suddenly five times hungrier than I was two seconds ago. I've come to the conclusion that my stomach is a traitor.
"There." Vlad said sarcastically, "Was that so bad?"
Damn bastard already had another piece on his fork. I glared at him, not wanting to be spoon fed like a five year old but really really really not wanting refuse the next bite. My traitorous stomach won out.
"No." I muttered grudgingly.
"Would you like some more?" Vlad was having the time of his life.
Yes! Yes! Yes! I'll do anything you say! Please give me food! I beg you!
I harshly told my stomach to shut the hell up and focused on answering Vlad and retaining the shred of dignity I had left.
"Yes." I muttered.
"Then open wide." he purred and I cringed.
Congratulations Fenton, your officially no longer a man.
I felt sick to my empty stomach as I let Vlad feed me. I glared at him murderously and I wanted to smack that triumphant little smirk off his face. I was probably blushing with embarrassment and that just made it worse. I tried to focus on my steadily filling up stomach and look at the positives of not starving to death, but the whole 'Vlad Plasmius is spoon feeding you like a baby' kept smacking me in the face. And I was still shirtless.
I really hated him.