Danny PoV
Vlad's grandfather clock was ticking from somewhere within the house, the only sound between us all. Sam, Tucker, and Jazz were all seated at the kitchen table, their eyes avoiding me and Vlad at all costs, but their expressions one of blatant mistrust. Vlad was next to me, leaning against the counter top and picking at his nails in a bored fashion. I was sitting on the counter space next to him, feeling about ready explode if someone didn't say something soon. God, this day has been an absolute nightmare.
I felt miserable. Honestly, I just wanted to crawl upstairs to Vlad's bed and bury my head in the soft pillows for the rest of time. Sam's words were still echoing in my head, making me feel like dirt. I never knew she could be so cruel. She refused to look at me, instead glaring at the table with smoldering eyes. I twisted my hands together, hating this mixture feeling of nervousness and guilt.
"Can someone just say something?" I asked weakly, unable to take the silence.
I wished I hadn't said anything though, because Sam instantly turned her glare to me.
"I can think of tons of things to say, but your little boyfriend might rip my throat out." she snapped.
Vlad growled threatening, eyes alighting red.
I frowned at her, feeling as though she was being completely unfair. Could she blame Vlad for reacting like that? Jesus, she accused me of being his slutty boy toy for gods sake. I felt myself sink a little lower, recalling the hate in her voice.
"Sam." Tucker whispered quietly, putting a hand on her arm. I could tell she was on the verge of defiance, ready to scream more hurtful words, but then thought better of it. Jazz looked up at me, looking so confused.
"I don't understand." she said quietly, "I thought...the bite marks...and the scratches...I thought..."
Vlad turned his attention to her, slight humor coloring his face.
"Don't tell me. You didn't think I'd raped Danny, did you?"
I stared at Jazz with disbelief, the whole concept sounding ridiculous to me.
"Well...yeah." she mumbled.
"No my dear, I assure you it was all consensual." He grinned.
"Thanks Vlad." I grumbled, dragging a hand down my face.
"What? As Miss Manson so kindly screamed in her temper tantrum, they certainly know more than we ever expected."
"No kidding." I had to agree with that.
"How long?" Sam demanded suddenly, causing me and Vlad to look at her.
"How long what?" I asked hesitantly.
"How long have you two..." she made an odd flap with her hands and pulled up a disgusted expression, "You know."
"About a week after he kidnapped me." I rose an eye brow at her rather childish actions.
"A week? That's it?" Tucker looked scandalized.
"It...it's more complicated than that." I quickly cut in before Sam could express her displeasure as well.
"Is it?" she asked sarcastically.
"Yeah."
I could tell by Vlad's expression that he was quickly becoming irritated with Sam's unending anger, but I couldn't blame her. I kinda deserved it. It still hurt though.
"This is just...really unexpected. I mean, are you sure you're...you're okay with this?" Jazz asked nervously.
"Uh...yeah." I wasn't really sure what she was asking.
"I mean, are you sure this is your own choice? Vlad's not...not making you-"
Oh. That's what she means.
"For the last time, I'm not brainwashed." I interrupted her exasperatedly.
"I know you're not, but..." she shot a glance at Vlad, obviously wanting to say something about him. It wasn't that hard to figure out.
"No, Vlad hasn't manipulated, traumatized, or beaten me into submission. Can we please move past this?" I sighed. The sooner we got through to them that this was my own choice, the sooner we could figure out what the heck was going to happen next. However, my words seemed to set Sam off again, and her shout echoed around the kitchen.
"No Danny, we can't, because I can't believe that my best friend would suddenly ditch us to whore around with a 40 year old man!"
Vlad snapped, eyes blazing with fury. In one swift movement he had Sam around the neck and was pressing her against the wall, leaving her boots to kick at the empty air as she gasped for breath.
"How dare you?" he hissed, "As usual, you speak of nothing you understand!"
Tucker and Jazz lept from the table with a yell, aiming their guns at Vlad and demanding he let her go. I probably should have done something, but my cold body wouldn't move. Sam really hated me. She really hated me.
"Vlad, don't." I slid off the table, finally coming back to reality and putting a hand on the arm that was currently strangling Sam. His eyes glanced over to me, and he grudgingly let go.
"I can't believe these are your friends." he murmured.
"Well how do you expect us to react? This is...this is so bizarre." Tucker bristled.
"I know. That's why you weren't supposed to find out." I muttered.
"Danny," Jazz started out in a scared voice, glancing at Vlad with obvious fear. "Danny this isn't healthy. You're fifteen and he's-"
"Forty." Sam grunted.
"Twenty-five." I glared.
"What?" Jazz looked startled. Vlad smirked at her in amusement.
"I'm twenty five. I suppose Danny told you about his aging cycle? We both share the same condition and thus share the same growth rate."
"Oh, well," Jazz didn't look any reassured. "I guess that's a little better, but still. You're underage Danny. You shouldn't be dealing with something like this at such a tender state of mind."
"Tender state of mind?" I scrunched my face up.
"They're are so many variables to deal with in this kind of relationship and your not old enough to cope with something this." she continued.
"What are you-"
"It's bad enough you have ghost powers to deal with, you don't need the added stress of an illegal relationship with someone who is clearly not a good influence on-"
"Jazz, everything was just fine until you all butted in." I glared, not about to listen to her harp on and on about how horrible Vlad is and how delicate I am and crap. "Have I been hurt in the past month? Do you really think I've been under too much stress? The only thing causing me stress now is you guys. The ghosts aren't attacking, thanks to Vlad. I'm gaining better control of my powers, thanks to Vlad. And I've never been happier in my entire life, thanks to Vlad. How is any of this bad?"
"But you're only fifteen. You're going to regret this in the future."
"No, I'm pretty sure I won't. Not now and not a thousand years from now."
"This isn't real, Danny. You've convinced yourself that you have feelings for Vlad, but in reality you don't."
"Who the hell do you think you are? God?" This was ridiculous. I can't believe my own sister doesn't think I'm mature enough to know when I have feelings for someone.
"I may be fifteen, but I've dealt with more crap than most adults have, or have you forgotten the past year of ghost fighting? I think I'm self aware enough to know my own feelings." I glared.
"But for him?" Sam jumped up again, "Have you forgotten Danny? He's tried to kill your Dad, ruin your life, steal you're own mother, and often beat you within two inches of your life. How the hell can you even stand him?"
"He hasn't done a thing against my father in months-"
"Why does that matter? Should a couple months cover up an entire year of crime? He's a fucking criminal Danny! You're supposed to be the Hero!" she yelled.
"I'm not some damn storybook character, Sam! I'm not going to run my life according to you're fantasies!" I yelled back.
"Oh, so you're saying you're not a hero?"
"For the love of god! I'm fucking human! Enough with the damn titles!" I shouted. Maybe I've been spending too much time with Vlad, but I was starting to see things from his point of view. The world isn't black and white, made up of heroes and villains. It's made up of people and the choices they make.
She was glaring daggers at me, and I was glaring right back. I've fought with Sam in the past, sure, but never like this. Never when something so important as our friendship was on the line.
"You know, I can have a relationship with Vlad and still be a good person. " I continued. "I haven't changed, so I don't understand why you think I'm suddenly going to inexplicably turn evil."
"Because he's Vlad. What part of that don't you understand? He's a horrible person!"
"People change Sam! And Vlad's a person, just like you and me!"
She twisted away angrily, hair whipping around her face. I watched as she glared out the window with clenched fists, beyond words.
"Um...Sam has a point Danny." Jazz started back up, sounding unsure at first, "Vlad doesn't exactly have a clean record. Why are you so...attracted to him?" she had trouble saying the word 'attracted'.
"Because I have the body of a God." he muttered, an arrogant smirk on his face.
I had to force myself not to laugh, the expressions on everyones faces too hilarious. They all looked as though they had just swallowed a fish.
"Um...well I guess there's that." I struggled not to smirk and failed slightly, "But, like I've been trying to tell you all, he's not what you think." I could feel a blush starting up, a little shy about admitting all the reasons why I loved Vlad to both him and my friends and sister. I glanced at Vlad and he had a light smile on his face, looking at me as though no one else in the room existed. I felt my blush darken.
"He...he's really different, you know." I smiled to myself, twisting my fingers a bit. "All people see is a manipulative jerk, but he's more than that. I'm not gonna say he's really a kind hearted soul underneath all the fruitloopyness," I laughed, "Cause really, if you're not worth his time he won't hesitate to let you know. But, to me...he's more than I can describe. When it's just me and him, it's like no one else exists. With him, I can be safe in knowing that there's nothing to fear, not ghosts, not guns, not pain, nothing. Maybe it's because we're both half ghost, I don't know, but there's something there that ties me to him that, honestly, no one but us can understand. I need him." I whispered.
The silence in the room wasn't like the other ones, full of disgust or anger. It was just existing, empty and cold. Sam, Tucker, and Jazz looked as though they were hardly breathing, my words freezing them to their chairs. I sneaked another glance at Vlad. He was smiling softly at me, the tender look in his eyes making the blush spread from my face to neck.
"Uh, yeah," I coughed, hoping we could go back to shouting at each other. "So...so that's why I'm in love with Vlad Masters."
That sentence brought'em back. Tucker looked as though he'd swallowed two fish. Sam started choking, coughing loudly and beating her chest. Jazz looked as though I'd told a very bad joke.
"Danny," she half laughed, hoping I was kidding or over exaggerating or something, "Surely you don't mean that. After all, you don't even know what love is." she shook her head.
"And you do?"
"Of course not, but that's not what we're talking about here. I don't think you realize how bold of a statement that was."
"Yes I do. I know exactly how heavy that statement is. I don't expect you to understand, and there is no possible way I can explain it to you, but I love him, in every sense of the word." It was easier than I thought, saying that out loud to someone other than Vlad. It came so natural to me, like I'd been born for this. Sure, I may not know what love is exactly, but does anyone? I know I'd do anything for Vlad, and he'd do anything for me. We both can feel it, that undeniable connection. He's the only person in the world I can truly relate to. We depend on each other, we care about each other. Isn't that enough for love?
"Dude, come on. Look at from our point of view." Tucker spoke up weakly. "After a year of hearing you talk about how you hate him and watching him do all those horrible things to you and your family, this comes as a bit of a shock."
I understood the logic in Tucker's words. He had a point. From their point of view, this relationship was beyond comprehension. So how could I make them understand?
"I know." I sighed, falling into a kitchen chair. "I know it's crazy but...it just is."
Jazz looked ready to protest, so I quickly continued.
"And this isn't out of the blue, you know."
"What?" she looked confused. I glanced over at Vlad to see him listening too.
"I...I haven't always hated him." my voice was quiet, I couldn't look at them as I admitted one of the most personal things in my life.
"What do you mean? You always said-"
"Yeah, I know what I said, but I lied. Everything time I told you I hated him, I lied. I think I more hated myself for having feelings for him, cause Sam's right," I looked to Vlad with a frown, "You did put me and my family through a lot of crap."
Vlad looked guilty, but I don't think anyone but me could really see it.
"However, no matter what he did." I turned back to the table. "I still...always..."
My voice trailed off, leaving an empty silence.
"I actually looked forward to our fights, in some messed up way." a forced smile that resembled more of a grimace slid on my face. "I hated it and I hated those feelings I got whenever I was near him. I was always so confused."
I shook my head, removing myself from my musings.
"Then he randomly kidnapped me." I sighed in a stronger voice, "And I wasn't so much scared of the situation as I was nervous, cause I knew that if I spent too much time with him, I'd crack."
"So what happened?" Tucker asked in hushed voice when I stopped talking.
"We watched Dead Teacher VIII and ended up making out on the couch."
Tucker palm smacked his forehead.
"Thanks for the image, Danny."
I laughed a bit and leaned back in the chair, a light smile on my face. I never realized how bad I actually felt for hiding that part of me from my friends and sister. My chest felt as though a heavy blanket had been lifted from it, one that I hadn't even known was there. I looked back had Vlad to see his expression mirroring mine, but I had a few questions for him...
"That reminds me." I twisted around to look at him. "Half the crap you pulled was quite unnecessary. Like stealing our portal and putting a bounty on my head? You could have easily built another portal. Or infecting Sam and Tucker with ecto acne and claiming you needed my help? If you cured it once on your own you could have done it again. So why did you bother?"
"Ugh." Sam spoke up from the back. "Don't tell me it was some gushy crap about wanting to see Danny more." she gagged.
"Actually no." he glared at her coolly. "My hope was to have Daniel hate me so much that I'd hate him as well. Needless to say it didn't quite work out as planned."
"Figures you'd go the fruitloop way of denial." I snickered.
"Nonsense. It was a perfectly logical plan. Someone was just too crazy about me for his own good." he smirked and I rolled my eyes.
"Stop. Just stop." Sam shook her head furiously, holding her hands up. She looked at me, her amethyst eyes hard.
"I don't get it Danny, and frankly, I don't think I ever will. You can go on and say you've loved," she gaged on the word, "him since the day you met him, but I can't believe that. I still can't get over the fact that you're choosing him over your friends."
"I am not choosing him over you guys." I said furiously, feeling suddenly outraged by her words. "You're the one making a big deal about this. In case you haven't noticed, I've been careful to spend just as much time with him as I have with you guys."
"That's ridiculous! All those hours 'studying'? You could have been with your friends but instead you were with him."
"Yeah, I was! It's not my problem that your not used to me hanging around someone other than you for a change!"
Sam was about to retort with an irate response, but a low dark laugh permeated the feud between us and momentarily extinguished the fire. We all looked over to Vlad who was leaning against the counter, a cruel leer on his face directed at Sam.
"I think," his grin expanded, "That Samantha is jealous."
A blush immediately flamed across Sam's face, and for a moment her glare fell into something akin with embarrassment. She was too disarmed to even yell at him for calling her 'Samantha'. Jazz and Tucker were looked nervous for some reason, like Vlad had just trespassed onto a taboo subject. I had no idea what he was talking about.
"That's-that's ridiculous." she stuttered, her glare back, but weaker.
"What do I have to be jealous of? A disgusting relationship?" although her words were harsh, her voice was shakier than before. I looked at Vlad, waiting for him to try and attack Sam again. I was surprised to see his eyes glitter with malicious amusement though, like he'd just caught a new mouse.
"No, no, no, my dear." He laughed slowly, pushing away from the counter, "It's funny I didn't realize it sooner. After all the nice thing's I've heard Danny say about you, I was surprised to see you act so violently today."
Sam squirmed a bit, glancing at me but quickly glaring at Vlad again as he approached her at a lazy pace.
"And now I see the reason behind your tantamount fury." he laughed again. "You're not so much angry at Danny as you're jealous of me."
Sam froze, along with everyone else in the room. A dawning realization came over me and my jaw went slack. Well this was...awkward.
"You want to be in my position." he continued, circling her like a predator to prey. "You want to be the one kissing Daniel, you want to be the one he turns to. You're angry because of all the people to loose to, you lost to the last person you'd expect. Me."
"Shut up!" Sam screamed, finally snapping and twisting around to attack him with the first weapon she could find in her belt.
But Vlad simply side stepped the attack, still grinning in triumph.
"You're quite the sore looser, Miss Manson, saying all those cruel things to the one person you truly cared about all because of unrequited love. And here I thought you just had anger management issues."
"Shut up!"
I think I was a little shocked. Sam likes me? But...what? All this time? Am I really that clueless?
"It's not fair!" She yelled hysterically, rounding on me suddenly, her rather watery eyes upping the awkward level. "I've always been there for you! I've always watched out for you! And you go for him? All he ever does is hurt people! He steals and cheats and lies and doesn't care about anyone but himself! What do you see in him?"
All I could do was gape, totally at a loss for words.
"Sam...I-"
"Don't! Just don't!" she glared, fists clenched so tight her knuckles were turning white, "I can't even stand to look at you right now Danny. Just leave me alone."
Without further ado she stomped out of the room, leaving me feeling as though my brain had just melted. Jazz and Tucker ran after her, shooting me betrayed and disapproving looks, as though this was completely my fault.
Ten minutes ago we were shouting about how Vlad was a horrible person. Now Sam's just unloaded the fact that she's in love with me.
"What just happened?" I blinked, the silence of the room confusing me.
Vlad laughed, arms crossed and mirth in his eyes. He was gazing out the door that Sam had just fled from, looking proud. I frowned at him.
"That was really mean you know."
"Yes it was, but she was taking her anger out on you, which I see as being just as cruel if not more. Frankly, she deserved it."
I tried hard not to agree with him. Sam's hateful comments still stung.
I looked around the empty room, still marveling at how abruptly all the feuding had ended. It was wonderfully quiet now, no more accusing and hateful glares being thrown in my direction.
"So...so has she always liked me?" I asked, still trying to wrap my head around it.
Vlad snorted.
"I can't believe your that clueless. She's pretty much liked you since middle school, my dear boy."
"How do you know?"
"I made it a concern to know any and all competition once I finally got over my denial of you. Not that she was ever any competition." he rolled his eyes and laughed at the thought.
"But...why has she never said anything?"
"Because despite her ardent attempts to break away from conformity, she's still a female." he replied dryly.
I stared at the blank wall. Girls are so weird.
"This is going to make school very awkward." I winced.
"Indeed it is. I pity you." he smirked.
"I can tell." I replied sarcastically.
"Where did they even go?" I wondered, the thought suddenly hitting me.
"Probably back to however they got in. No doubt through the ghost zone which means they'll be stumbling through my lab right about now." he sighed, moving away from the window and approaching me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"I'm truly sorry about all of this Danny." he said in a quiet voice, his expression unguarded and sad. "I never meant for your friends to find out, and certainly not like this."
"It's not your fault." I rose an eye brow, "So why are you apologizing? It just...happened."
But Vlad gazed out the window, the melancholy shroud still present.
"Still..." he murmured.
I stood from my chair, a sudden urge coming over me. I wrapped my arms around him, hugging his body close and burying my face in his chest. It'd been such a long day. I didn't want to think about anything anymore, I was too tired.
"I love you." I muttered into his shirt, feeling his arms around me.
He pet my hair gently, quiet and thoughtful. The sweet silence was music to my ears, such a relief from all the shouting. Try as I might though, I couldn't completely quell my thoughts. What would happen now? What would my friends and sister do? Do they even consider me their friend anymore? Will they even talk to me at school? A depressed wave oozed through me, fear of the future filling my brain. Do they hate me?
"Come here." Vlad murmured, scooping me up in his arms.
For once, I didn't protest, and I let him carry me where ever he pleased. I didn't see any of the hallways or portraits we passed, my face still buried in the crook of his neck. Vlad's arms were as strong and protective as always, wrapping me in safe cocoon. He phased us through a door and one peak told me we were in his room again. He made his way toward the bed and laid back on the pillows, just holding me. His hand rubbed my back soothingly, a single light kiss was placed on my forehead.
"I love you too, Danny." he whispered quietly and a warm smile spread on my face.
Here, with Vlad holding me so tenderly, it was easy to think the future wasn't so scary, that no matter what happened, it would all be okay. I could only hope that I'd feel this strongly come Monday, when I didn't have Vlad next to me and I was on my own again.
Surprise love triangle! :D (kinda)