The rest of the day passed without incident, though the Ghostwriter took the far seat from Vlad at dinnertime for reasons Danny was confused over, but Vlad felt pretty smug about. It was steak tonight, something else Danny was pretty fond of. Danny kept glancing between Vlad and the 'Writer, seeing that the ghost was now reading 'Firestarter', and once more, he kept staring at the book. Vlad noticed and sighed.
"Daniel, I have a library, if you wish to read books," he said, getting both Danny's and Andrew's attention. "And yes, I even have Stephen King."
The Ghostwriter was a little surprised when he saw Danny's eyes shine a little. "R. A. Salvatore, too?" he asked. The 'Writer slowly put his book down.
"Him too," Vlad replied. "And anything I DONT have, I can get." He smirked and went back to his meal. "Honestly, Daniel, as much as you read, I'm surprised your English grade is so low..."
"My English grade is so low because Mr. Lancer hates fantasy and horror novels," Danny muttered. "He says that their barely literature to begin with, but I'd like to see HIM read the Dark Elf trilogy and write a ten-page synopsis on it."
"How DID that synopsis go?" Vlad asked, trying to keep his smirk from broadening at how interested his lover was now into the conversation.
"I got a B- on it!" Danny spat. "He said that I got points taken off because it wasnt a book from the school library!"
"Was that one of the rules?" Vlad asked.
"Apparantly a new one, because I didnt hear him say anything about it," Danny grumbled, shoving a forkful of steak in his mouth to drown out his cursing. After he swallowed, he continued. "Lancer just hates me because I dont like HIS brand of literature. I like Stephen King. I like Salvatore. I like Tolkien. I like the occasional Poe. Excuse me for having an imagination!"
The 'Writer was gaping at Danny by this point, and Vlad was sure he'd cracked a few ribs from trying not to laugh. "Is there not another English class you can attend?" he asked. Danny snorted and poked at his baked potato with his fork.
"It's only for seniors," Danny mumbled. "I have to wait until next year. And I think I might like HIM. He's like, forty years old, and he STILL plays Dungeons and Dragons."
Andrew snorted from behind his hand, his head lowered like he was about to start laughing and crying at the same time. Danny gave the 'Writer a sidelong glance and shrugged before going back to his meal. He pulled a little at his hair to keep it from going into his mouth with his food.
"Daniel, why dont you pull back your hair?" Vlad suddenly asked. "You always keep it in your face." Danny looked up at him, then brushed his hair back a little.
"...My eyes keep changing color," he finally said. "I dont want anyone to notice that they go from blue to green."
"...They turn red, too, you know," Vlad commented. Danny groaned and leaned his head on his hand.
"Shit."
"...I'm not even going to walk into that one," Vlad muttered. "...But it may be another side-effect." He paused. "...My eyes were green too, when I first became a halfa, but not as bright as yours." Danny looked up, surprised. Vlad nodded. "Your eyes may permanently change to red, but it doesnt mean anything, right?" Danny shifted around a little.
"...Guess not," Danny replied. "Dorathea's eyes are red, and she's a sweetheart."
Ghostwriter snorted. "Yeah, she's a sweetheart alright...until you tick her off."
"Noted. Can I borrow that when you're done?" Danny asked, pointing to the book the 'Writer was holding. Andrew looked at it.
"...Alright..."
"Recreational reading AFTER homework, Daniel," Vlad said. "I'll bring your schoolwork home after I finish work tomorrow. Andrew will help you if you need it." He ignored the dirty took the 'Writer was giving him. Danny nodded and polished off his steak and downed his entire glass of milk. "Do you have any homework from your classes yesterday?" he asked.
Danny shook his head. "It was P.E. and study hall before lunch. I think Dash was pissed because I outran him on the track. He's lucky I didnt break both of his fucking legs..."
"...Please refrain from swearing at my dinner table," Vlad deadpanned, rubbing his soreing temples with his fingers.
"No promises," Danny replied. "What's for dessert?"
After the younger halfa got his dessert (the other two at the table contented themselves with sensible coffee), Danny went back to his room for the night, leaving Vlad and Andrew to some time for themselves in the study.
"He seems to be dealing better," Andrew commented off-handedly as he turned one of the last few pages of his book. Vlad made a noncommital sound.
"It's because he wasnt feeling threatened or enraged," Vlad replied. "Give it time; SOMEthing will happen to make him snap."
"...You really know how to kill a mood, Vlad," Andrew said. He skimmed over the last few lines of 'Firestarter', then sent the book back to the library wtih a snap of his fingers. He leaned back on the chair he was sitting in. "...You seriously want me to tutor the boy?"
"Of course I do, Andrew," Vlad said, looking up from whatever he was working on and rubbed his eyes. "Daniel needs some help and focus with his schoolwork. He's a bright child, I KNOW this for a fact, but he gets frustrated easily and stops trying too soon. Have some patience with him." He smirked at his lover. "The two of you can bond over books and coffee afterwords."
"Fuck you, Vlad," the Ghostwriter snapped, though he was unsuccessfully hiding a smile.
"Is that an invitation?" Vlad asked, arching a brow. The 'Writer slid over to Vlad's desk and leaned over it.
"Maaaaybe," he drew out. Vlad reached over and grabbed the ghost's scarf and pulled him closer for a kiss. Andrew returned it and reached around to take the elastic out of Vlad's hair. The 'Writer was close to crawling up on the desk when they both heard a soft 'ahem' near the door, and broke apart to see Danny standing in the doorway, blinking almost amusedly.
"...Just came to ask where the library was," he said, not bothering to hide his amusement. "I'll just keep looking. You go back to defiling the desk. Night." With that, he turned and left the room, and once he was a bit down the hall, both of the older males heard him laughing like a loon. Vlad pulled back and ran a hand through his hair, his cheeks a bit pink. Andrew sighed.
"I'll see you in the bedroom," he griped. "AFTER I put something foul in that boy's bed," he added under his breath.
"Do that, and you're not getting ANY tonight," Vlad called after him. The 'Writer growled and held off going to Vlad's bedroom to take a side-trip to the library, which the boy had found, and was making himself comfortable with J. R. R. Tolkien. The 'Writer remained invisible and at a safe distance, and saw Danny finally pull his hair away from his face and behind his ears to better see the book, and Andrew saw what Danny had been talking about at dinner; the boy's eyes were a constant swirl of blue and green.
The Ghostwriter also saw that Danny was wearing a simple white t-shirt with sleeping pants, and he had to admit, the boy had a NICE figure that almost rivaled Vlad's. And the way he was so focused on that book...it reminded the 'Writer of himself, actually. So, the boy liked books...now if only he could learn to focus on other subjects, they'd be in business...
Giving the boy another once-over -with astute appreciation, nonetheless- Andrew turned and went upstairs into Vlad's bedroom, not at all ashamed to admit to himself that he might like the boy, afterall.