Danny's cluelessness is like holding water. Sometimes he's got, and then he doesn't.

Danny PoV

Maybe this was wrong, maybe I shouldn't be doing this, but honestly, I just didn't care anymore. I always ignored that feeling, that longing in my chest whenever Vlad and I would fight, always blaming in on the rush of battle. I always repressed it, never admitted to it, not even to Sam and Tucker. I was tired of the denial.

As I leaned against his strong form, his arm wrapped around me, I started to feel that longing lift its head and sniff the air tentatively, like a bear coming out of hibernation. This time, I let it wake instead of forcing it away, determined to get to the bottom of this mystery no matter what.

I had no idea how I was going to do that, but so far I've sorta gone with what I wanted or felt and it landed me practicality in Vlad's lap. It didn't feel wrong to me, in fact, it felt perfect, like I'd found the missing piece to a puzzle.

I'd been worried, no, terrified that I was crushing on Vlad, of all people, but isn't a crush when you fawn over someone and become blind to all their bad qualities? Well I sure as hell wasn't blind to Vlad's wrong deeds and I definitely didn't fawn over him, so it had to me something else, right? Or was it something more? Did it have to do with the bond we undoubtedly shared, the fact that we were the only two of our kind, the only two able to understand each other? Or was it something else entirely? Something that I wasn't alone in. A sort of attraction that Vlad shared as well.

Unfortunately, I seriously doubted Vlad felt anything like that for me, but it would certainly explain a lot. The random kidnapping for instance. They say people do crazy things for love. Or the fact that Vlad hasn't tried to kill me once this week. Actually, he hasn't tried to kill me for months. The biggest sign is probably the growing indifference to my mom. As weird as that sounds, he hasn't said a word about my mom once this week, and the last time he was at our place he barely looked at her. In fact, now that I think about it, he was looking more at me.

But I'm a scrawny fifteen year old with a C average. How could I possibly compare to the media-proclaimed richest, smartest, and sexiest man on earth? The idea was laughable.

Still...the feeling I got whenever I was around him was persistent. It was times like these, wrapped in his arms and in our own little world, that I could let my more dangerous emotions loose and lose myself in him, pretending I wasn't being stupid to imagine a relationship between us that went farther than fellow halfas. Pretending that what I wanted deep down was at my fingertips, and all I had to do was reach out an grab it.

I really wish I knew what the hell this was.

We sat together till the fire sunk lower and lower, finally going on nothing but fading embers. The darkness of the room made itself apparent, but I hardly noticed, too wrapped up in my own little world. What time was it?

"Daniel?"

"Hmm?"

"It's starting to get late, do you want to go have dinner?" he asked gently, looking down at me.

"It's already that late? Jeez how long have we been up here?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know, but I'm sure most days will go by fast for someone who sleeps in till noon everyday."

I shrugged, smiling lazily.

"I don't get to sleep much at home." I explained, still thinking about the sinfully soft beds he owned.

"Clearly."

There was long pause as we fell to our thoughts again, till Vlad seemed to remember his previous question.

"So it's safe to assume your not hungry?"

"Not really."

"Then how about a quiet movie?"

I looked up at him with slight confusion. He wanted to watch a movie with me? Swimming was one thing, and, well actually a movie wouldn't be that different from just sitting here doing nothing right? Still, Its been fused in my brain that whenever someone asks to watch a movie with you they want to either be a close friend or something more. I was probably seeing waaay too much into it though. It was just a simple question.

"Depends," I answered slowly, "What kind of movies do you have? Casablanca? Any chance you have a movie or two thats not in black and white?" I quipped, a cheeky smirk on my face.

He gave me a smug look.

"Actually, I'm more of a horror/slasher movie kind of person. For example, Dead Teacher VIII."

No freak'in way.

I gapped at him like a fish out of water. That movie wasn't even in theaters yet! And thats really besides the point. Vlad likes slashers? And not just any slasher flicks, but the dumb ones that are pretty much full of senseless killing. Either this guy was way more morbid than I ever imagined, or...nope, actually theres nothing positive about Vlad liking slashers. If fact, in a very morbid way, it totally fits.

"I can't believe you, of all people, like slashers. There full of nothing but stupid people getting eaten, crushed, or disemboweled in some horrific and ridiculous death." I shook my head disbelievingly. "On second though, never mind. It totally fits."

"Exactly. Whats not to like?" he grinned.

I stared at him.

"Your such a fruit loop."

Vlad flicked me in the head, and abruptly stood, causing me to fall flat on the couch.

"Hey..." I pouted, missing his warm shoulder.

Vlad laughed, the same true laugh that made the butterflies start, and I suddenly wanted to laugh with him.

Still smiling, he pulled me up and I stood on two feet, brushing invisible dust from my comfortable clothes. I took my time, stretching and yawning, looking around the room with a lazy smile and trying Vlad's patience.

"Are you quite finished?"

"Almost." stretching once more and throwing him a playful smirk.

Vlad rolled his eyes and then grinned, 'payback' written clearly on his forehead.

"Oh for the love of-put me down!" I yelled, thrashing a bit when he lifted me up bridal style.

"It's your fault for taking so long."

I scowled, but said nothing more, crossing my arms and glaring at the wall as he transformed into Plasmius, the black rings crossing over me comfortably. He paused to look at my sulking self and chuckled.

"You and your temper." he shook his head, a fond smile on his face.

I raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment as we fell straight through the floor. I'm sure that would have surprised anyone else, suddenly sinking through the floor and basically free falling down many levels, but I was so used to it I hardly noticed.

In no time at all we melted through the ceiling of an in-home theater, but not like the one I saw at the reunion a year or so ago. This one was more personal, looking comfortable for two, maybe three people at most. After all, the only place to sit in the whole room was a plushy love-seat.

Overall, it was smaller and much cozier than any theater I've been in. The TV screen was practicality just as big though. The dark purple carpet and dark red walls practically disappeared in the shadows. Little triangular lights along the walls gave off a soft glow. A popcorn stand, complete with candy and drinks, was set behind the couch. The couch itself was a deep red, matching the walls. It was in the center of the room, with a little table in front of it. Soft fleece blankets were thrown over the back, and two big fluffy pillows rested against the armrests.

Vlad set me down and went to go put the movie in, leaving me to meander over to the love-seat and plop down in it, sinking like an ocean liner.

"Vlad, your couch is eating me." I announced. He looked back at me and laughed in amusement, shaking his head.

The screen lit up the room, banishing all the shadows. I blinked my eyes for a moment before it switched to commercials, returning the room to its comforting darkness. Soon the title screen flash in front of us, showing a zombie-ified teacher running after several stereotypical teens. Vlad picked up a remote from the small table and pressed play, finally sitting back into the couch next to me. Very close next to me. His arm was even thrown casually over the back of the couch like it had been upstairs. I wasn't sure if he was doing this on purpose or not, but it made him look very comfortable to lay on.

"Oh, wait!" I twisted around and grabbed one of the large fleece blankets throwing it over my curled knees and inadvertently over Vlad's lap.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"No, but I always gotta have a blanket when I'm watching movies cause it just feels weird if I don't." I half-winced sheepishly.

He stared at me.

"And you call me a fruit loop." he muttered, turning his attention back to the screen.

I let the comment pass and scooted closer to him, resting up against his strong chest just as I did upstairs, loving that feeling as it came back, stronger than usual. Vlad casually placed his arm around me again, looking down to smile at me once before the movie started.

The first ten minuets were dull and we mostly spent the time picking out which characters would die first. The basic plot of the movie was simple. A party was being held in the old abandoned school and once the sun set the zombie teacher would come out and kill them all. Then school would randomly turn into one of those horror houses you see at carnivals except there's only one exit and it's in something stupid like the ductwork.

"Glad I didn't pay money to see this. Its just like the last one." I frowned in disappointment. Even some of the ways the victims died were either the same or very similar.

"Mmhmm." Vlad nodded in understanding, looking disappointed as well.

But it was funny watching all the victims do stupid things that would only lead to a more horrific death, so of course we watched it. However, after ten gory and ridiculous deaths, it started getting a little boring. I felt my attention wanning, which was never a good thing.

I could almost hear Vlad's heartbeat.

It was an odd thought, but more interesting than the movie. It beat at a steady pace, each dull thump strong and purposeful. I wonder if my heartbeat sounded like that?

The darkness in this small theater was definitely more enclosing than in his room. There were no windows to signal the coming of night, but it didn't make the room feel like a prison at all. If anything is was better. I got the feeling that I could do anything I wanted down here and there wouldn't be any consequences. This was a dangerous thing for me to feel, but I hey, I didn't care. It was liberating.

Then Vlad started rubbing my shoulder. It was was simple action that my dad had done many a time, or my mom and even Sam. However, I don't know what it was, but it was significantly different as his gentle fingers seemed to reach through the thin blanket and stroke my flesh. And now that I think about it, that might actually be what he was doing.

I waited for uncomfortable goosebumps to come, but they never did. That feeling flared sharply and I followed it dutifully, whimsically pressing my face into Vlad's chest. He smelt really good, like pine trees during autumn. I thought I heard Vlad's heartbeat speed up a bit, but I was to busy trying to calm my own pumping heart to really notice.

His fingers trailed up, brushing my neck and caressing my hair, finally bringing on the goosebumps. Unfortunately, (or...was it Not unfortunately?) the goosebumps were definitely out of pleasure, not alarm. The feeling told me to scoot even closer to Vlad and I did, my curled legs resting slightly on his crossed ones and hands, almost instinctively, clutching his shirt.

The more he stroked my hair and played with my neck, the more my logic slipped away, the feeling taking over and a content smile swimming on my face. Should I be worried about where this was going? Hell, where was it going? I didn't really know, but I kinda wanted it to come faster.

I could barely hear the screams from the movie anymore. They weren't very important. We sat in silence for a while, comfortable and close. My fingers played with the hem of his un-tucked shirt subconsciously. Damn, he movie was already halfway over. I sighed quietly.

I must of accidentally caught Vlad's attention, because he looked down at me with a question of concern on his face. I smiled up at him, showing him I was fine and he smiled back, returning his attention to the movie.

"You know this movie really is horrible." he commented. I suddenly noticed how deep and attractive his voice was.

"Yup." I agreed, that feeling starting to make me spin with desire. God, I wanted to...or was it him to?...I don't know! Something!

His hand on my neck moved. He pulled me in a different position inconspicuously, leaning more against him than the couch. His hand moved down my skin, tracing the indents of my spine and resting on my hip casually from under the blankets. I practicality laid on his relaxed chest, the warmth of his body stronger than I'd felt from any other person. Then again, I usually didn't lay on people like this.

"We might as well turn it off and go to bed." He shrugged, cutting into my brain.

Aw, but I didn't wanna.

"No thanks I'd rather finish it." I said too quickly.

He looked back down at me with that knowing gleam in his eye.

"But I thought you just agreed that the movie was horrible?" he asked.

"Well, yeah, but, I mean, that doesn't mean we have to just turn it off, right?" I replied, failing miserably at trying to sound light and convincing.

"Uh huh. Do you usually watch movies you don't like?" he raised an eye brow.

I stayed silent, not wanting him to know how much I was enjoying the feeling of his hand draw lazy circles in my skin. I think he said something though, so I tried to come back to earth.

"Huh?" I wasn't really listening as I pressed myself against Vlad, starting to succumb to the feeling that was spreading through me.

"I said we might as well go off to our separate rooms and go to sleep." he pushed, I got the distinct feeling he had something planned up his sleeve. That feeling intensified rather quickly when his warm hand moved from my hip and up under my shirt, fingers stroking the soft skin of my back. I felt my heart rate climb drastically, but in a really good way, like I was about to get something I didn't even know I wanted.

"But I don't...want...to..." I trailed off, finally getting his previous words to process in my fuzzy brain, moving against him automatically as his fingers danced.

The hand moved tantalizingly lower, regretfully leaving and trailing back up to my neck out from under my shirt. He gently brought my face up with a single finger, I looked into his resolved eyes, eyes that were so very close to mine. The butterflies increased dramatically, my heart was thumping madly against my ribcage. Almost imperceptibly, he lowered his face closer to mine. I could feel his warm breathe tickle my lips and my limbs felt like lead with anticipation.

"That's good," he said, his voice low and captivating, his breathe drawing me toward him, "Because I don't want to go to bed either."

My heart exploded and eyes widened as his lips pressed against mine, that feeling, that desire consuming me in a matter of seconds. I melted against him, unable to hold back a soft moan when his lips moved like velvet, molding and possessing me.

A hand tangled in my hair, and another clutched my back. Need radiated from his persona and I wrapped my arms around his strong neck, holding him closer to me. Vlad moved fluidly as he leaned me back into the couch, resting on top of me and kissing gently, a hand now caressing my face.

My hands clutched the shirt above me, roaming over his shoulders and to his hair, feather soft and glossy. I pulled the hair tie out, not really registering what I was doing but wanting to feel the soft strands between my fingers.

Another one of Vlad's hand trailed down my chest, slipping under the thin cloth and making my back arch slightly as he teased the skin.

He deepened the kiss, running his tongue along my teeth. His lips still moved like silk against mine. A little nervously, my own tongue tentatively met his and he clutched me tighter as though begging for more. Less hesitantly, I pushed against him smoothly and soon invaded his own mouth. He groaned heavily, craving more and intensifying the kiss.

My breathe hitched when he started dragging my shirt up higher and higher, obviously with the intention of removing it. I think, in the back of my mind, logic tried to make it's way through, but my desire promptly pushed it away, totally at ease with controlling my thoughts. Thoughts that were most certainly not of hero quality.

Vlad pulled the shirt through me quickly, possessing my form with both hands, lips finally moving away from mine only to travel down my jaw and nip at my neck, sucking and biting the skin erotically. My back arched, pushing against his chest. I wanted his shirt off. Now.

Cursing the fact that I couldn't phase it through him, I settled to opening it the normal way. My shaking fingers weren't cooperating very well though, and I blessed Vlad's insight when he gave me the sexiest cat-like grin and phased his own shirt through him, not wasting two seconds before he pressed our bare skin against each other.

I moaned in pleasure. God, I wanted more! My nails dug into the skin of his back and Vlad groaned, returning to kiss my lips hungrily. My hands tangled in his hair, I didn't want to stop. Ever. It was like every thing was ten times more sensitive, every touch, every kiss. It was addicting. But when Vlad started grinding our very prominent arousals together, my brain exploded into a chaotic frenzy, my logical side suddenly gaining a very loud voice. A very loud obnoxious voice.

Not so fast stupid! Slow down!

My desire told the voice to shut up. Actually, I told the voice to shut up.

You'll regret it! You have no clue what your getting into! Take. It. Slow.

I didn't want to listen, I mean, I reeeally didn't want to listen, but the nagging in the back of my head made unfortunate sense. I didn't exactly know what I was getting into, and I didn't want to ruin it. Besides, it's not like my conscious was saying no. It was just saying take it slow. I could do that, right?

"V-Vlad stop..." I breathed, wanting to kick myself.

Thankfully, he ignored me. Oh, wait...not thankfully. Oops.

I hissed in pleasure when he bit the skin of my neck again, his groin grinding against mine in the most electrifying way, setting me on fire with pleasure. But then his hands started going lower. And lower and lower and-okay, okay, I gotta stop him.

"Vlad stop." I said again, more forcefully.

He sighed.

"Do we have to?" he murmured in a husky and very appealing voice, his lips brushing against mine.

"N-yeah." It was insanely hard to concentrate.

Vlad brought his hands away from the hem of my pants and cupped my neck, falling beside me gently. I turned with him, still kissing passionately as we laid together, so very close.

"Alright." he relented, sounded totally bummed but understanding. I was surprised. I thought it was gonna take a lot more than asking to get him to stop, much less understand.

It was weird. We laid in each others arms calmly, waiting as our madly beating hearts slowed. The air between us was still, waiting for some kind of reaction from the other. But we just stared. Laid there and stared, neither of us wanting to move. I shivered from the cold air brushing against my bare back and Vlad reached up and covered us both in a large fleece blanket, finally breaking our locked gaze.

It was so warm. So much better, a million times better, than all the beds in the mansion. Vlad's chest was flush against mine, his arms wrapped around me protectively. I buried my head in his soft skin, whimsically kissing his neck once. He held me tighter, kissing the crown of my head, another hand stroking my hair. I smiled into his chest, feeling(as clichéd as it sounds)complete. Feeling as though I was finally whole for the first time, as long as Vlad was there.

Vlad. The Vlad. The one who got rich by stealing his fortune. The one who manipulates his way to the top of the game. The one who's tried to kill my own dad. The one whose known nothing but bitter loneliness for the past twenty years. The one who had to deal with his powers all alone. The one who loved me so much he tried to frigg'in clone me. The only other hybrid, the only person, who could ever truly understand me.

Yeah. That Vlad. I grinned, finally figuring out what the feeling was.

I think I was in love.

So the last paragraph is cheesy. Shut-up!