Chapter 12

Although the initial plan had been to speak over breakfast, Vlad found himself slightly worried about how to approach the topic so he kept the conversation light during breakfast.

Danny didn't seem to mind at all as he became more and more relaxed and Vlad came to the shocking realization that the young man seemed to be just as worried about the conversation as he was.

After breakfast, Vlad told Danny to contact his parents and sister to chat with them a little while he finished off the preparations for the surprise he'd made for Danny's birthday.

By the time Danny returned from the call with a large grin on his face, Vlad's preparations were complete, but he decided to tone the first bit down a little as they still needed to talk.

He led Danny into a medium-sized spherical room that was suspended in midair with thick cables, much to the young man's confusion, though he went with it easily enough.

As they entered the room through a bridge, he heard Danny gasp in surprise at the sight of a small table in the middle with a cake resting on top of it, accompanied by two human-sized mattresses and pillows.

The floor of the room was made up of clear glass, though it only took enough space for the table and mattresses to fit.

Vlad gave a sheepish smile as he lit the candles, "Happy Birthday, Little Badger. Make a wish?"

The younger man gave him an amused grin, "I would, but I think I have everything I need already."

Vlad couldn't deny that the words, paired with the expression on Danny's face, took his breath away, but he wanted things to be perfect, and that included talking so that there weren't any misunderstandings between them.

He motioned Danny to one of the mattresses while also moving his own closer until they were next to each other, after each taking a slice of cake, though he could see how happy Danny was at his proximity as he laid down on one mattress, while Danny laid down on the other.

He gave a sly smile as he flipped the switch he held in his pocket, causing the room to go dark.

For a moment, nothing happened, but then Danny let out a shocked gasp as he realized that Vlad had made a planetarium just for him once the stars started circling around them.

Vlad couldn't resist moving a little closer and he found that Danny had the same idea.

He heard the young man take a steadying breath before he asked, "So, what now…"

He knew Danny didn't mean that he was bored with the stars around them, but that he was actually enquiring about Vlad's plans and the older man smiled in amusement, "Now we finally have that talk. I have to warn you that, depending on your reaction, more surprises might be in store."

He could practically feel Danny roll his eyes at that before lightly nudging him in the ribs, "Yeah right. No matter how our discussion goes, you would still allow me to see whatever there is. It's clear you put a lot of work into it."

Vlad gave a playful grunt at that and Danny laughed before he calmed down once more, "Truly, thank you, this is amazing."

Vlad allowed his hand to reach down and their fingers intertwined, "You are welcome."

Cold blended with the heat in his body and he just barely resisted the need to let out a content sigh as his body temperature dropped down to a more normal degree.

They watched the stars for a bit as Danny constantly pointed out the ones he knew, but soon the air in the room became almost expectant, and Vlad breathed deeply while squeezing Danny's hand lightly.

Here goes nothing, "So, Little Badger, did I read or misunderstand your emotions?"

Vlad winced at his own words. He'd meant to ask Danny how he felt, but instead, he left himself open for more misunderstandings.

Danny surprised him though as he released Vlad's hand and shifted until he laid on Vlad's chest, contently listening to his heartbeat as he watched the stars, "What if you didn't? What if I wanted to stay here with you?"

Vlad gave him a playful look, "It's the stars, isn't it? Damn, I knew I should have used that one plot of mine!"

Danny gave him a dry look, "As much as you usually seemed to plan for everything, I pretty much doubt you had a plot that involved stars."

Vlad hugged him playfully, "You're right. You've always had a passion for them so involving them in a scheme didn't sit right with me at all. It did cause me to build this place though. Yet I never thought there would be a day that you would see it."

$$$$Danny Fenton & Vlad Masters$$$$

Danny felt his eyes widen at the implication, "When exactly did you build this?"

Vlad tried to shrug nonchalantly, but Danny could tell it was something important to him as the man spoke, "It started as a way to distract myself from the way you hated me at the time, about two years after we first met. It then became a place that I would come to whenever I tried to figure you out. I never actually thought that I would ever be able to show this to you."

Danny frowned, not liking the fact that Vlad had actually believed the callous words that his teenage self tended to use because he couldn't think of a good enough retort, "You know…as much as I tended to say those words, I didn't truly hate you."

Vlad's head snapped to the side, almost colliding with Danny's own, "You didn't? But how? Why?"

Danny shrugged, while looking sheepish, "At the time I still thought the word 'hate' meant an intense irritation whenever a person did something bad. You know, the way young people try to be dramatic whenever they think they can use new words, but then they don't truly understand the meaning."

Vlad seemed to struggle to let that sink in and Danny fully understood why, seeing as they seemed to leave a big enough impact on the man that he built something like the dome.

He pressed closer to Vlad while trying to distract him from the painful thoughts, "After the first year or so you became something of a constant for me and I think I instinctively realized that you weren't out to harm me."

His words seemed to backfire as Vlad winced, "Except for the cloning incident."

Danny nodded since he truly couldn't deny it.

Silence enveloped them for a bit as they each stared at the stars while their thoughts ran rampant through their minds.

Finally, Vlad pulled Danny slightly closer, "So? Will you give me a chance? I know the age difference between us would freak most people out, but they aren't anywhere near immortal so they wouldn't quite understand what it feels like."

Danny smiled and lightly nuzzled Vlad's jaw in answer before he felt brave enough to catch the corner of Vlad's mouth with a quick kiss, much to the older man's surprise before he turned his head and lightly grabbed the back of Danny's neck to give him a proper kiss.

Danny immediately responded as Vlad deepened the kiss, not wanting to let it end, but they still needed air in these forms so they were forced to separate in order to breathe, "Yes, I would like to, if thats–"

His words were cut off by another, deeper kiss from Vlad until the older man finally reluctantly pulled away again, "Is it something you truly want? I only require a yes or no. It's your choice and I don't want you to say yes just because you want to please me."

Danny grinned and nodded his understanding, "Yes."

Vlad gave a relieved sigh as he held Danny's body to his, "Good. At least it means that I don't have to go over to plan B and lock you up in some kind of tower that only I can access until you agree to be with me."

Danny laughed at that, "You're joking, right?"

Vlad didn't answer and although Danny felt a bit aroused at the idea, there was no way he was going to allow Vlad to do something like that!

He quickly glanced up at the elder man, only to notice the wicked grin on his face, causing Danny to laugh as he lightly pinched him on the arm in retaliation, "You almost had me thinking you were serious you jerk!"

Vlad chuckled, "It may or may not be true, but you already answered me so I guess you will never find out."

Danny huffed at that but settled down again to watch the shifting stars in wonder.

They lay there quietly for a bit, each thinking their own thoughts while drinking in the presence of the other. Danny almost dozed off before Vlad lightly shook him awake, "This day isn't over yet, Little Badger, you can't sleep yet."

Danny adamantly shook his head and held onto Vlad like a koala, but the man simply chuckled and held him as he stood, holding Danny in a princess carry that had Danny glaring at him, "What could be so important that you had to interrupt our cuddle session?"

The only answer he received was Vlad teleporting, but he completely forgot to even glare at the man as his eyes widened when he took in the sight around them even as busy personnel ran around the compound below them when they reemerged in an empty lookout tower.

The rocket docked to their right told him everything he needed to know.

'No way! Vlad brought me to a *cosmodrome?!"

*spaceport