Chapter Sixty-Two: Valentine's Day
Danny would possibly have his form back in a year, which was a relief to Sam when she was told over webcam about it. Still, a year was a long time away and they had a lot of training and work to do. Now that they were both sixteen, Vlad was taking the time out of his schedule to teach them to drive - deliberately getting a car he wouldn't mind seeing destroyed in case they crashed it into a tree. He was also teaching them about economics and as many languages as he knew, talking about taking them on trips with him.
"Daniel, please stop making origami with your paper." Vlad sighed. "You don't do this in Ghostwriter's class, do you?"
"Ghostwriter isn't trying to get me to help him with his world-takeover scheme." Danny replied, folding it into a paper airplane and sending it flying across the table. Dan caught it and set it on fire by forming an ecto-blast in his hand. "Aww!"
"Focus, Danny." Dan said, never looking up from what he was writing.
"What are you writing over there?" Danny got up and went to look over his shoulder. "Wha—you're not even doing schoolwork! This is a love letter!"
"Don't look!" Dan pushed him away, covering his letter with a red face.
"I think it's time for a break." Vlad sighed. "Perhaps it's too soon for this, still."
"Yeah, fruit-loop. Like we'll ever actually help you with this." Danny said, trying to read the letter. "Wow, where did you get all this cheese? And why write a letter? Why not call her?"
"Because girls like getting love letters and it's almost Valentine's Day?" Dan raised an eyebrow. "I'm also going to buy her a present."
"Ohh, is it shiny?" Danny asked.
"Stop being bratty and go give Sam a call." Dan replied.
"Actually, I'm gonna go to the kitchen." Danny said, quickly leaving the room.
"The kitchen?" Vlad raised an eyebrow. "He's been going there a lot this past week."
"Wanna go see why?" Dan looked up at him, grinning.
Vlad sighed. "Well, since we're obviously not studying." He left the study, Dan folding his letter to continue later before following him out.
They found Danny in the kitchen, messing with the pots and pans, pulling out ingredients. "Uhm…eggless truffles…" He was muttering, looking at Dan's laptop that he'd set up in the kitchen. The chat wasn't on, and he had some webpage open. "Chocolate…sugar…coffee powder…butter…cocoa powder, walnuts…" He breathed a sigh of relief. "Nothing with a face on it. I hope we have all of these…"
"You know, you could just ask for me to buy some." Vlad said, raising an eyebrow.
Danny gasped, looking over. "You two—what—you followed—don't laugh!" He blushed.
"Oh yeah, this isn't cheesy at all." Dan grinned.
It was adorable seeing the boys struggle with romance, but he did feel jealous whenever they weren't by his side. Dan especially, though he would love to have both in his bed. Still, that was a project for once he had his own form, for sure. Right now he wasn't sure if was stroking his hair or his eyeball unless he wore the cloak, and the cloak would come off during moments of passion.
"Well, I guess I'll just ask you to get them." Danny mumbled, writing up a list of what he would need before he walked over and handed it to him. "I don't want any help cooking, though!"
Vlad smiled. "Very well, but I would like to be your taste-tester."
"Fine." Danny huffed, looking to the side.
It was so much easier to get Dan to come to him, Vlad decided. While Danny was quite the prize, if he was so set on not being with him he would have to make-do with Danny as a son. "Then, shall we go out now?" Vlad offered. "There's a city a few dozen miles from here, you know. Just a drive away."
"Can I—" Dan was cut off by Vlad shaking his head.
"No, I will drive." He said, heading out of the kitchen. Danny went to close the laptop and take it up to the bedroom.
They all got in the car, Dan taking the front seat, and drove off down the road. Dan opened his window and ran his hands through his red hair, enjoying the wind. Danny sat in the backseat, playing his handheld game. Vlad smiled as he glanced at Dan, enjoying the sight of the teen's well-toned body. It pleased him that Dan came to him so often, even if he was leaving his brother alone in the bed for the rest of the night. Then Dan pulled out his letter and starting to silently read it and Vlad felt a bit of jealousy.
"Are you going to mail it?" Vlad asked.
"Yeah. I'd like to give it in person, but it is on a weekday." Dan nodded. "Can't just fly over and then fly back. Not without ghost powers, at least."
"Which you can't use to give it to her." Vlad nodded. "How would you explain getting there so fast?"
"Well, maybe if I had something like what you gave her…" Dan glanced at him.
"No, Phantom. I'm not giving you an air-board." Vlad said, using his "and that's final" tone. Dan pouted and looked out the window again.
They arrived in the city and drove to the market, where Vlad showed Danny where to find what he would need. He let him pick things out, smiling at his look of achievement. Now, if only the boy would do more than kiss him on the cheek…
Their next stop was a jewelry shop. Dan wanted to look for something nice for Valerie, and was using his saved-up allowance from Vlad to buy it. "Do you think you have enough?" Vlad asked as Dan looked over the displays.
"I don't know yet. I haven't found something she would like." Dan said, looking thoughtful. "Hm…nothing TOO girly…but she does like pretty things…hm…" He found a silver necklace in the shape of a rose and checked the price. "Just enough." He murmured. "Excuse me, could I buy this?"
"Of course!" The clerk smiled.
It was bought and put in a box, which Dan put in his bag before turning to the other two. "Alright, that's it."
Vlad nodded. "Well, I'm going to get something now." He looked at the jewelry, the two boys stepping out to the car to wait for him.
"'Ey, is this your car?" They heard a gruff voice say. Dan glanced over his shoulder and saw a few tough-looking guys grinning down at them.
"Yeah, this is ours." Dan put the bags in the car and shut it, turning to them. "Your point?"
"Heh, not for much longer! Step away, kid, or you'll be hurt!"
'They're not even as big as Jack the Ripper the 58th.' Danny thought as he moved forward. 'We can take them easily.'
'We don't want to cause a scene.' Dan thought.
"Look at 'em, scared into silence!" One of them laughed.
"I said 'move it', kid!" The leader reached for Danny. Danny's eyes flashed and grabbed the man's wrist, throwing him to the ground.
"Eh? Let's take 'em!" The others yelled, lunging at them.
'So much for not making a scene!' Dan thought as he started to fight the other guys, the first guy getting up and attacking Danny again.
By the time Vlad came out, there was a cheering crowd and three unconscious men, Danny and Dan both in offensive positions. "Boys? What…"
"They attacked us." Dan replied. "We fought them and won."
Vlad smiled and nodded, walking past the unconscious men. "Well, let's go in the car. We've caused enough of a scene."
"Wait!" A woman called, carrying a notepad. "Please, I'd like an inter—" She gasped. "Mr. Masters! Are these your children?"
"They are my wards, yes." Vlad said calmly. "And, no, they aren't doing interviews."
"But that fight…such skills! They're an inspiration to young folks everywhere!" She cried.
"And I'm proud of them for doing so well, but I'm not having them in the news." He opened the car doors and ushered the teens in. "Excuse me." He closed the door and went to the driver's side, giving her a hard look. "If you DO write a story on this, I don't want to see my name in the article – or else I will make sure you suffer for going against my wishes." He got in and shut the door, starting the car and driving off after buckling in.
"Are you really proud of us?" Danny asked as they drove out of the city.
"Yes, actually. You defended yourselves and our property, and managed to do it without seriously harming the men." He glanced at Danny in the rearview mirror. "You still seem a bit worked up, Daniel."
"I just…I had flashbacks of the arena." Danny admitted.
Vlad nodded, pursing his lips. "We'll do something more enjoyable when we reach home." He promised. "Something that doesn't take so much stress."
"So, not cooking." Dan grinned at Danny. "You always get stressed out when you try to do that."
Danny blushed and kicked the back of Dan's seat. "That's true, but you don't need to rub it in!"
"Phantom, stop picking on Daniel." Vlad said, glancing at him.
Dan shrugged. "What? It's the same kind of thing I do to the other ghosts."
"That's exactly why we got into trouble all the time." Danny replied.
They drove back home, arriving just in time for dinner. After dinner, he called the two to the den to talk with him.
"What do you need?" Dan asked.
"Come closer, both of you." Vlad motioned to them, pulling out two boxes.
They came closer and he opened the boxes. Inside were matching bracelets, one green and one blue. He put the green one on Dan and the blue one on Danny, smiling. "You two are the most important things to me, the only ones that I love now. Never forget that, and if you ever need anything just ask. I won't hesitate to at least listen, even if I don't always say 'yes'." He gave Dan an amused smiled and then hugged them both. "And I will care for you better than any father ever would, for as long as I live and after."
"Thanks, fruit-loop." Danny smiled, returning the hug.
"Yeah, thanks for everything." Dan kissed his cheek, hugging him tightly.
"Happy Valentine's day, my dear boys." Vlad said softly.