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Ghosts weren't alive. They didn't have cells. They didn't breathe. Some of them formed from the aether, with no parents to speak of, or were born of things that were not ghosts. That didn't mean they didn't participate in an ecosystem of sorts, didn't mean they weren't subject to their own, internal logic, didn't mean that the graces of society and community were lost on them.
As with more material beings, symbiosis was the rule, rather than the exception.
Danny was a protector, and he had the tendency to drive off predators, one way or another. The community of smaller, weaker spirits thrived under his aegis.
Symbiosis. Mutualism. Both sides benefit.
Danny trudged up the stairs, covered in thick, sticky ectoplasm. He'd been on the receiving end of an invention explosion downstairs, and he had more than a few cuts and bruises underneath the rapidly hardening ooze.
Would this even come out in a shower?
He opened the bathroom door and was immediately accosted by a dozen-odd blob ghosts. He quickly bundled them into his arms and pushed them back into the bathroom. This was difficult, because although the smallest of them was about the size of a cat, the largest were the size of toddlers. Wiggly toddlers.
Door shut, and immediate risk of exposure reduced, Danny let go of the ghosts, who nuzzled him, mumbling, whispering, and purring, all the sounds just shy of having meaning. The amoeba-like ghosts didn't really have mouths or tongues, but nevertheless it certainly felt like they were licking him. He flinched away when one of the smaller ghosts explored the area behind his ear.
At least they were getting something out of this.
The blob ghosts had just shown up one day, and Danny hadn't the will to drive them off. Plus, not having to clean up all the ectoplasm he got all over himself, his clothing, and his room on a regular basis was nice. Also, they, and some of the other small ghosts that regularly hung out around him, gave his ghost half warm fuzzies. Or cold fuzzies. Whichever.
Of course, even if the blob ghosts did take off all the ectoplasm (and the blood) Danny was still going to take a shower. No matter how comfortable he was with the blob ghosts otherwise, he was not about to take a shower with them. When his skin and hair felt reasonably ectoplasm free, he built up a shield on his skin and used it to gently push away the blob ghosts. The ghosts got the hint, and retreated, mostly invisible, to Danny's bedroom.
Good. Alright.
Shower, first, then collapse.
(Today had been exhausting.)
About half an hour later, Danny wandered into his room, the blob ghosts waiting for him. He had to shove them around a bit to make room for himself on his bed.
He snuggled underneath his blankets, and the blob ghosts snuggled up next to him, their ruby eyes closed to pleased slits. Their not-weight and coolness were comforting against Danny's skin.
Too tired to stop it, Danny's core began to purr. The ghosts' whispering and muttering took on an edge of giggling, and Danny glared at them playfully. They did not stop.
"Hmmnh, are there more of you?" asked Danny as a middle-sized one claimed a spot near the back of his neck.
He had a theory (unconfirmed) that the blob ghosts and others that lived in his territory were somehow attuned to his emotional state. There always seemed to be more of them around when he was stressed or worn out.
Not getting an answer, he hummed, almost at the same pitch as the blob ghosts, and managed to maneuver the largest so that he could hold it like a teddy bear.
This was good.
He went to sleep.
.
"I'm going to go check on Danny," said Maddie.
"He's probably asleep by now," said Jack.
"I know. We just pushed him really hard today, and then that explosion at the end..." She sighed. "Not the best way to convince the kids to join the family business."
"Mhm," said Jack. "Danny's tough, though."
"I know," said Maddie. She sighed. "He was worn out from all the way in the morning, though. I hope he's not staying up late playing video games again."
"No way! He's learned that lesson. I hope."
"Yeah, we hope." She patted Jack's knee and pushed off the couch. "I'm still going to go check on him."
She climbed the stairs, smiling at the soft music playing from Jazz's ajar door. Sometimes she wished Jazz relaxed more, but it was also nice to see her studying.
Danny's door was firmly closed, but none of the bedroom doors had locks, so Maddie just turned the handle and pushed open the door.
She froze immediately.
The scene in front of her was something akin to finding her child asleep in a pit of snakes, only worse. Much worse. Snakes could kill you. Ghosts could do more.
One of the many, many evilly glowing ghosts slithered up over Danny's neck, making him shift slightly in his sleep. None of them had noticed her, yet.
She couldn't wake Danny. He'd panic, and then who knew what the ghosts would do? She couldn't attack outright. Too many of them. She'd never get them all with the tiny hand blaster she kept on her person at all times. Even if she had something larger, she'd risk hitting Danny, and he sometimes had odd reactions to ectoplasmic discharge- some kind of allergy. Not to mention, the bigger guns were dangerous to humans in their own right, no matter that they tried to make their weapons nonlethal.
No good options.
What would the ghosts do when they saw her?
She backed away, keeping her footsteps light. She went to Jazz's room.
"Jazz, sweetie?"
"Hm?" said Jazz, looking up from her desk.
"Go get your father. Tell him to come quietly. And bring the phasing net."
"Um, okay? What's going on?"
Just hurry," said Maddie, "quietly."
"Alright," said Jazz, still dubious, but getting up nonetheless. "Is something wrong? Yes. Remember, quietly- No, leave your music on."
"Okay," said Jazz again.
Maddie heaved a sigh of relief as she saw Jazz make her way down the stairs.
Alright.
She had... something of a plan. Almost.
She wouldn't let those filthy ghosts hurt her son.
.
Of all the ways to wake up, getting a net thrown on him was one of the worst. The blob ghosts were still on him, and, of course, their collective instinct was to phase away from the offending object, straight through his bed and floor, into the kitchen. They hit the table, still wrapped in the net.
The blobs keened, and Danny tensed, holding off his transformation as he heard feet on the staircase. Jack and Maddie soon arrived.
"Uh," said Danny, squiggling so that he could wave at them through the net. "Hi?"
"You," said Maddie, "you phased with the net."
"Oops?"