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For once, Danny's attention was less on Andrew's lesson, and more on the assignment he had been given back. The grade wasn't what was making him stare so much as the intricately sketched scenes on the back of each page. A captured image of him, Andrew, and Randy relaxing in Vidya. One of Andrew and Danny curled up on the couch asleep. Another of Danny and Randy relaxing in one of the Ghost Zone biomes. So many of them all together, in some way, happy and peaceful.
Andrew had written small encouragements next to each one. Words that conveyed the messages that they understood. That it was alright. That nothing was going to change. The words and images washed over him, soothed him down from any panic or anxiety he could feel about the matter.
He had gotten so lucky to have these two in his life… He'd need to make sure to repay the favor. "Oh, please tell me you're not thinking of doing what I know you're thinking of doing."
"No idea what you mean, Sammy." The class had been 'dismissed' at this point, but most were lingering in the room and talking to friends, or waiting for the school bell to actually ring. It was the perfect chance. Standing up, Danny walked up to Andrew's desk, hoping the smile on his face was as shy as he was trying to aim for.
"Mr. Fenton. Something I can help you with?" Andrew didn't look fooled for one second, and his expression was equal parts challenging and affectionate. It was a look Danny loved to see on him more than anything.
"Well, I, um… I was having some problems with my English homework, but I didn't want to bother Mr. Lancer with it. I was hoping maybe I could stay after school with you for a little while? Have you walk me through it?"
"Wouldn't it be better to ask the teacher who assigned you the work for help? Mr. Lancer keeps office hours to help his students, last I was aware." Andrew was doing an amazing job of keeping himself in check. Danny wanted to see that calm exterior shattered. There was nothing better than seeing the cool and emotionless Andrew crack and make way for a flustered, sassy Andy.
"He does, but… I've already taken enough of his time up with everything else, and I thought since you were an English major and taught us, you'd be able to help just as much." Alright, he couldn't rush. He had to take it slow and be careful.
"If you really need the help, Danny, I won't turn you away. I know you're a remarkable student when you put your mind to it." Danny couldn't stop his grin or the flush that crawled up his neck and cheeks, and this time there was nothing fake about the way he was looking at Andrew. He may have only been a teacher at Casper High for a few weeks, but he had been Danny's teacher for so much longer.
"You'd be one of the few who think that, sir." Taking a breath, Danny let his head tilt downwards, gaze flicking up to meet Andrew's. "It's why I love spending time with you. You make me feel worth something."
"I- I see." The facade was breaking, and Danny couldn't tell if Andrew was as caught up in their game as he was, or if the man really was startled by how sincere Danny's words were. It wasn't like Danny was lying, though… Those words had been the absolute truth. Every one of them. "What is it you needed help with in English?"
"Well, we just started on the Great Gatsby, and I'm having trouble understanding the part where Gatsby seems to idealize Daisy and build her up to be something she isn't. I don't understand it and I keep getting lost because why didn't he want to find out who Daisy really is?" As he spoke, Danny slipped forward to brace his hands against Andrew's desk, far closer to him than he really should have been. "Why didn't he want to keep pushing and pushing until he found the truth. Until he discovered if they could really be something."
Andrew, the lucky bastard, was saved from answering by the bell ringing and cutting through the conversations in the class. Students were gathering their things and leaving at once, many of them shooting Danny odd looks or whispering a fair few rumors that would be all over by tomorrow morning. Managing to keep it together until the last student closed the door, Danny finally broke into a wide smile as he turned back to Andrew.
"Far as I can recall, I did nothing to earn this punishment." Andrew was blushing to the tips of his ears, Danny unable to resist cooing and moving forward to rub at the tip of one. The quiet, barely-heard purr made his grin all the wider.
"I know you showed Randy my paper. I needed to get back at you somehow." And show how much Danny cared about him, in a way. "Besides, this only helps the whole 'Fenton definitely can't be Phantom' case."
"As long as they never see Phantom interact with me, then I suppose yes, it helps your case." Andrew lightly batted Danny's hand away, powers starting to stack all his books and papers and gather things from around the room. "Are you really having trouble understanding the Great Gatsby?"
"A little bit, but not on the part I was tormenting you about. Go over it with me?" It was always so interesting to see Andrew's telekinesis powers. Most ghosts could levitate and pick up small objects that related to their obsession - the Box Ghost being a prime example - but Andrew was the only ghost who had as much control and finesse over things that didn't deal with his own obsession.
"After we eat whatever concoction Randy's come up with this time," Andrew finished making sure everything was put away before holding his hand out to Danny. "Shall we?"
"We could, or…" Danny let his transformation swirl and move around him, powers sparking and reacting to this thoughts as he drifted off into the air. Smirking, he let his body become intangible. "Race ya."
Danny was off in a shot, speeding through the roof and taking off into the skies before another word could even reach to him. Energy coursing through him and moving him along, pushing him to go faster and faster, push his limits more and more. And this- This was why he could never regret what he had become.
Human and ghost and something in between but this… Racing through the air and free in a way no one else down there was. His entire body tense and ready, his mind blissfully clear, and his heart-core-soul pounding and beating and setting his entire being's rhythm.
"Is that the best you can do!" Vision sharp and clearer than it ever was when human, Danny's eyes shot down to where Andrew was standing on top of a roof, coat swirling around him and grin wide and sharp. Andrew Riter? Not quite. Priest? Not anymore. Ghostwriter? Not entirely. Andy, though… "I thought this was supposed to be a race!"
And for as natural as Danny was in the air, Andrew was more so when jumping and running across rooftops. Not one bit of ghostly power was in those moves, not even a dash of supernatural strength. The only thing moving Andrew was muscle memory and years of training and skill, instinct of where it was safe to jump and run and roll.
"You weren't kidding about running across rooftops, were you!" Danny dived to where he was level with Andrew, swerving around obstacles and under building walkways and fire escapes. Sitting at home and curled up with a book was nice, but this. This was a feeling that couldn't be beat.
"Having fun?" Andrew called before he pulled off a combination move that would make even elite gymnasts jealous, looking like he was having the time of his life.
"I'm with you, of course I am." Putting on a burst of speed, Danny laughed as he tackled Andrew to the ground, the two rolling and tangling together for a moment. Danny found himself pinned on his back, wrists held down to the ground and Andrew leaning over him, panting and unable to stop his laughter.
"Cheating so soon?" Bending down, Andrew rested his forehead against Danny's, the two's breaths swirling and mingling as they gasped in the sunny fall day. "You really are perfect for me."
"Perfect? Where's the fun in that?" Danny grinned and phased out of Andrew's grip, launching up to wrap around him and tug him into a kiss- Well. It was less of a kiss and more lips brushing against lips, the two laughing and panting too much for anything else. "This is so much more fun than perfect could ever be."
And it wasn't. It wasn't perfect. There was too much darkness that dogged their footsteps, too much doubt that swirled around their minds and kept them chained. It was messy, and there were times they fought like cats and dogs, and small misunderstandings that left bitter wounds even quick as they were. Their lives, their relationship, everything they were… It was the furthest thing from perfect it could ever be.
It made things so much better.