Hope everyone is doing well, please enjoy. Though some angst is in store I'm afraid.

The Foundations We Build

Chapter 4: Rondeau of Familiar Conversations

It had been a long week.

One of those weeks that left you drained, mentally and physically. The kind that made you want to curl up in bed Saturday morning and stay there till Monday. The kind of week that made you want to forget you exist for a while.

But where was Danny Masters on his precious Saturday morning?

A soccer field. Or, what was once supposed to be one, anyway. He sat on the dirt ground surrounded by kids around his age, all staring at him with suspicious and invasive eyes.

He'd been there 10 minutes. All Vivian had to do was say his last name, and the entire group was onboard with whatever she had planned. Danny couldn't for the life of him understand the fascination, but he tried to be flattered by all the questions.

There were enough of them for three teams, Danny successfully dodging playing by being the odd number out. He was having a hard time keeping his strength and ability in check- he always did when his emotions were running wild- and it wouldn't be fair. The last thing he wanted was more attention, anyway.

He made up for it by catching stray balls and untangling players from the nets when they got a little rough by the goals. He got a laugh a couple of times when he managed to pass the ball back with a header, and that was enough of a win for Danny.

Every time the teams cycled out, though, he was forced to face the same questions over and over again. One team left with answers, another sat down needing them. Slowly but surely, Danny was getting sick of it.

"Does mayor Masters really have a castle in Wisconsin?" Asked a girl to his right, freckles too many to count.

"Uh, yes, he does." Intelligent, Masters, real intelligent. He wanted to disappear into the ground already.

"How many people does it take to clean your bedroom?" Came another question, from a curly haired boy in the back.

"I don't- nobody cleans my room, I do it myself," Danny replied, a tad defensive. Godfrey had reprimanded him enough times for him to feel proud of his space being clean.

"Do you have private tutors for every subject? Or just one for everything?" Asked another, this one speaking too quickly for Danny to meet eyes with the face of the voice. He wrapped his arms around himself, suddenly self-conscious.

"I go to Casper High," said Danny. "I don't like being homeschooled."

Not by private tutors, anyway. He hadn't minded Vlad's teaching methods after a while, but he missed his public school routine, his friends, and even his teachers. These kids didn't need such details, though.

Fortunately, his answer started a debate between the kids who preferred at-home schooling versus public school. Danny let them go at it, feeling anxious.

It was a feeling he was slowly getting used to. This past week, he'd more and more often found himself taking a second to just sit and breathe. To simply take himself out of the moment and wait for whatever he was feeling to pass.

Vlad and Vivian called every day at 5 o'clock. How did he know that? Because Vlad was always in his office at that time, and that was Danny's opportunity to get help with his homework.

He'd made the big mistake of walking in between the 'no, you hang up first' game. Bleh. He'd then promptly decided to tough it out and ask Tucker or Sam for help. He didn't want to be anywhere near the lovey-dovey couple.

Vivian was nice. He couldn't deny that. She didn't talk to him about Axiom or his halfa dad after the restaurant and kept their conversations centered around things he actually liked. Still, he avoided her when he could. Like now.

He had tried to find something wrong with her. For a while, he'd bickered with Vlad over her job making ghost tech. That didn't last long, however, given the Fentons made their money doing the same.

Then, he'd said she was too close to the Kline's, but that invited questioning from Vlad, and Danny wasn't willing to let him in on his rivalry with Sterling. Not yet anyway. Sterling was just a bully. He could handle those.

So Vivian stuck around, and he wasn't the least bit happy about it. He'd tried everything short of calling his sister on the matter to figure it out. Nothing he thought of could explain why he didn't want Vlad with Vivian.

He should be in favor of all this. He should. Vlad didn't want his mom anymore. Vivian wasn't some evil villain or crazy potential stepmother from a storybook. He should want this to work out.

His stomach started doing the gymnastics it had grown far too comfortable performing. It was like the notion of Vlad moving on made him nauseous. A vague idea of change now enough to tip the scales into fight or flight mode. Absolutely ridiculous.

As their time dwindled down and Danny helped Vivian and the staff clean up, he found himself exhausted. He hadn't even participated much, just talked to the other kids, and caught the stray soccer balls, but still, he felt drained.

And he must look it because Vivian eventually told him to wait in the car while they finished up, giving him a small squeeze to his shoulder that should have been comforting. Instead, he wanted to rub off the lingering feeling of her fingers like one of his mother's dramatic, lipstick-y kisses to his cheek.

As he walked away from the adults, he found himself caught by the elbow, just as he'd gotten out of sight. He whirled around, transformation at the ready, but halted suddenly. Danny locked eyes with the short, stubby boy barely to his shoulders in front of him and forced himself to calm down.

"Sorry! Sorry..." The boy said, waving his hands in front of him. "I didn't mean to scare ya."

"You didn't," said Danny. "Just wasn't paying attention."

The boy shifted on his feet, digging at the dirt with eyes darting around. Danny guessed him to be only a year younger than himself, but he looked quite small. And that was saying something, since Danny knew he was no football star, either.

"I don't bite, you know," Danny told the fidgeting boy.

The teen's head shot up. "Right, yeah."

"I just wanted to...apologize for the others." He said finally. "Anyone with eyes could tell you were uncomfortable, but they kept interrogating you anyway. They just can't get enough of the idea of getting taken in by someone like mayor Masters."

Danny's eyebrows knitted together. Had he messed this up, too? He'd thought his emotions were well-hidden. The last thing he'd meant to do was seem snobby or anything. Or, maybe boring?

"It's a lot sometimes," Danny admitted. "But I get people have questions. I'm not upset or anything, I had fun."

The boy nodded but got fidgety again before meeting Danny's eyes once more.

"I guess I also just wanted to ask," he said. "You know, if what you said was all true. That the mayor is nice, and it's not like the stories of those famous parents that have everything but time for their kids?"

Danny frowned. This was the part he hated. Telling people that Vlad wasn't some maniacal torturer that kept him locked up or a jealous father that made him the only maid in the house. He couldn't even truly say they were enemies anymore.

It ate at him, because to keep himself from losing the bits and pieces of his normal life that he clings to, he has to pretend.

Pretend that Vlad was still terrorizing him with schemes, out to get his family. Pretend everything the man said was a lie to manipulate and cajole him into being the perfect apprentice.

He forced himself to pretend he wasn't getting used to the quiet, peaceful mornings at the mansion. That he didn't notice how Vlad dropped everything immediately when Danny needed help with something. Pretend it wasn't getting harder to know when to say 'Vlad' or 'Dad'.

"Nothing like the stories," Danny said, watching the kid's shoulders relax and loosen. "He's great. I'm very lucky."

That seemed to be enough to satisfy his impromptu interviewer, and Danny couldn't be more grateful. Vivian quickly called after him to head out, and it took everything in him not to run.

"I know this probably wasn't your ideal Saturday morning activity," Vivian said as she drove them back to Vlad's for a late lunch. Her referee uniform had somehow managed to remain as pristine as when she'd picked him up this morning. "But I'm grateful you came. The kids can be a lot, yet you were a champ. And best of all, they actually engaged with you- more so than they ever would with us grown folk."

"I don't know that I really did that much," Danny replied. "But I'm not complaining that I spent my Saturday morning at a backyard soccer field with kids my age. It's the most normal thing I've done in a while."

"I'm sure," Vivian hummed. Her sopralto voice carried when she talked, in a way that reminded Danny of a professor. Not loud, but not easily ignored.

"I'm learning 'normal' isn't really a common theme for you and your father," she continued. "But I'm sure there must be things you two do together that everyday people do as well. You certainly aren't abnormal for not participating in street sports."

Danny and Vlad's evening routine consisted of dinner, combat training, and an awkward goodnight. It felt average enough, but he did want to relate to others of his peers every now and then.

With that in mind, when they arrived at the manor, Danny pulled Vlad aside immediately. Quickly and before the gross heart eyes could begin, he asked to be excused from lunch.

"Why? Are you feeling ill?" Vlad probed him. "It didn't go poorly this morning, did it?"

"No, it was- I had fun," Danny said.

Vlad crossed his arms. "Out with it then."

The hero rolled his eyes. And Vlad had the nerve to call Danny impatient.

"I'll eat later, I'm just not hungry right now." Danny said earnestly. "And I'm not exactly in the mood to watch you flirt, either."

"I don't flirt, I'm a gentleman. I woo."

"And I gag when I'm forced to witness it," Danny protested, countering the other's crossed arms with hands on hips. Vlad sighed.

"Alright, I won't force you to have lunch with us," he said. "But you know all this is a good thing, right? That Vivian is good for us?"

Ah, there was that twisting in his stomach again. He forced himself to ignore it. He could take all the deep breaths he needed to later.

"I guess so," Danny replied. It was meant to sound easy, maybe a little flippant, but his throat wasn't quite working how he wanted it to.

"You'll see, son," was all Vlad said before he turned to rejoin Vivian. Danny quickly put a hand on his his retreating back.

"Um, one more thing."

Vlad faced him, eyebrow raised. Danny bounced on the balls of his feet, looking anywhere but the man's face.

"Later, you know, if you're not...busy," Danny glanced at Vivian. "I wanted to- I thought maybe- like, we could do something normal? Anything, just not...ghost related?"

Danny felt firm fingers grab his chin, and he was forced to look up into darker yet equally blue eyes. Vlad's eyebrows were smushed together, and his wrinkles won with age were made prominent by his confused expression.

"Daniel, please, english," said Vlad. "What do you mean 'something normal'?"

"I don't know," Danny replied hopelessly. Vlad squeezed his eyes shut. Counting, probably.

Danny rubbed gently at his abdomen. Unfortunately, he couldn't say it was hunger that was churning his stomach. Feeling vulnerable, it was like his brain was convinced he was in danger somehow.

"I want to feel normal," Danny forced out. "Like when you showed me how to play that piece on the piano or challenged me to bowling. No ghosts, no life or death, just...normal."

"Normal," Vlad repeated tiredly, as if the word was draining simply to say. "Fine, if that's what you want. We'll be 'normal' this evening."

Danny let Vlad head back to lunch and felt just a little bit lighter. Maybe he was focusing too much on ghost matters lately. Maybe that's why his thoughts were constantly screaming at him that he needed to defend himself. Doing something human, something that made him and Vlad seem like everyday, average people would fix that, right?

The young halfa headed off to his bedroom, pulling out his phone as he went. He owed Tucker a re-do of their 'Doomed' session, but most of all, he needed to channel his fight or flight feeling into something productive.

Jumping into video games in ghost form to fend off digital enemies was normal, wasn't it?

When Vlad joined Vivian, his thoughts were on anything but lunch. Leave it to his teenage ward to find something to knock him completely off-kilter.

What was normal, anyway? Sending the boy volunteering this morning was normal enough. Why suddenly did he need that at home?

Vlad had worked tirelessly to get the boy comfortable with his ghost self here. He'd found Daniel in ghost form last week, and once he'd known it wasn't because his life was in danger, Vlad felt almost proud. He didn't want Daniel ashamed or wary of his other half anymore, and this sudden need for 'normalcy' felt like a step backward.

Someone had gotten in Daniel's head, and unfortunately, it wasn't him.

"The staff already texted me they want him back next week," Vivian said, smiling. "They're practically gushing about how sweet he was."

"I'm not surprised," said Vlad. He wanted to say things to stroke his own ego. That Daniel was a Masters, and everyone loves them, that the boy was special, and would always be seen as such, but the words stuck in his throat.

Sweet was the word Maddie always used. For her husband; for Jack. Daniel wasn't sweet by Vlad's doing, but because of the blasted Fentons and their poor parenting. Because they wanted him to be a silly people-pleaser instead of a strong leader.

"He's probably tuckered out now, poor thing," Vivian said. "Those kids can be ruthless."

"Regardless, I'm glad he went with you today," Vlad replied. "He doesn't have much interaction outside of Casper with children his age."

"Oh, but he has Sterling, doesn't he?" Vivian asked. Vlad stared at her, blankly. "T-They were talking at the expo. I assumed they were friends."

Vlad thought for a minute. "Ah, the Kline boy."

The mayor took a sip of his tea, stalling. He hated how little he knew about Daniel lately. His own fault for not being attentive the last couple of months, of course, but still frustrating nonetheless.

"Daniel's very shy. I'm not sure they are as close as we'd like to think." He said finally. Was that the right answer? Vague enough, he thought.

He wished they could talk about Daniel's ghost side. Vlad would be over the moon to brag about how clean Daniel could throw punches- or how precise his ectoblasts have gotten. He barely blinked while duplicating now. Not a single extra limb had been created in months.

But Daniel's human side? Another story. Maybe the boy was onto something with the whole normalcy business. He was anything but.

"Doesn't he ever come over?" Vivian asked. She was biting the inside of her cheek lightly, something Vlad had noticed when she asked that Daniel join them for their restaurant date. She did it when she was concerned and stubbornly so. "The goth girl from the restaurant was just here a couple of days ago, wasn't she?"

"I- yes, she was," Vlad's fingers fiddled with the watch on his wrist. "But she's from Casper. Affluent, certainly, but she's no Sterling Kline. Daniel has always been hesitant around his true equals."

"He's humble," Vivian said easily. "But I'd be worried about his future if he can't make friends with the people he'll be surrounded by when he grows up."

"When he's grown?"

"He's your heir, isn't he?" Vivian set down her tea. "I know it's not my place, but seeing Daniel- Danny, today, made me think society needs more 'affluent' people like him in it. Gentle and kind, you know?"

'Normal,' Vlad's mind supplied.

"You raise him well," Vivian continued. "It's part of the reason I agreed to these dates knowing you have a child. Danny's wonderful. But perhaps you're babying him a bit? Letting him stay hidden and shy because it's comfortable for him?"

Vlad had to remind himself that this is what he wanted. He had desired so desperately for someone to tell him where he was going wrong with Daniel that he'd picked Vivian out of the crowd and broken his vow to only love Maddie. He'd let someone else into their lives because he couldn't stand not knowing what to do when Daniel walled himself off and let his teenage hormones do all the decision-making.

But he'd be naive to pretend it wasn't a blow to his pride hearing it out loud.

Was he babying the boy? Vlad's thoughts raced. He hadn't stepped in when Sterling sought him out at the expo, though he'd very much wanted to. He had let Daniel be clingy afterwards, though, and stay beside him while guests departed. Was that not the right move?

"You...may have a point," he relented. "He has to get used to people of his status being around, I know. I suppose I haven't quite done my part in exposing him very well. Babying, as you say."

Vivian had the grace to smile and praise him for his self reflection, but Vlad barely heard it. When she changed the subject, he was thankful, and when he bid her good day with the promise of a goodnight phone call, even more so.

He liked her, and she liked them. Vlad and Daniel. What more could he want?

The afternoon passed slowly. He sat at his desk, laptop open, staring at a document he'd barely read a word of.

He wanted to punch something. Go down until the training room and blast bots into oblivion. Misplaced aggression, as Jasmine would say, perhaps, but he didn't care. He was feeling something strange, and he didn't like it.

Vlad sat there until dinner was just an hour away, and thought now would be a good time as any to go interrupt whatever brain-rotting activity Daniel was no doubt engaged in. He grabbed an unassuming wooden briefcase from the bookcase behind him and started for the boy's room.

To his surprise, he found Daniel stomach-down on the floor, surrounded by books and what looked like homework assignments. The boy was usually caught up before the weekend. Strange.

"Exams aren't coming up already, are they?" Vlad asked. Daniel jumped, glaring at him with glowing greens for a moment. His eyes settled blue again before he spoke.

"Knocking is appreciated, you know," he said in a huff. "And no, I'm just behind on my French Revolution project. And the creative writing paper for Lancer."

Vlad slid a textbook toward him with his shoe. "That's a science book."

"I may also need to make a study sheet for Monday's chemistry quiz. Ghost attacks interrupt my crucial class learning time, you know."

Vlad pinched the bridge of his nose and made to set down the case in his hand.

"Alright, let me-"

He caught himself and straightened. No, he was about to do it again. He could hear Vivian laughing at him already.

'Don't baby him,' Vlad scolded himself.

"These are hardly even started, Daniel," Vlad said, and the boy had the decency to rub at the back of his neck self-consciously. "You can't have been at this all afternoon."

"I was online with Tuck for a while before I remembered." Said Daniel. He held out his pencil expectantly. "Can you quite standing there and help me now?"

"Dinner is in an hour. This can wait till after," Vlad said, ignoring the adolescent tone that made his eye twitch. "You wanted to do something normal, so that's what we're doing now."

Daniel watched Vlad place his case onto the desk and begin to arrange his board.

It was one of the many chess sets he owned around the house, but one he personally liked, kept in his study. The pieces were marble, thick and heavy, with bright white and deep black coloring.

They sat opposite each other, Daniel looking on apprehensively.

"This isn't exactly the type of game I'm good at. I'm not gonna be much of an opponent." Daniel said. Vlad finished setting up before replying.

"I'm teaching you," he said. "Can't be much of an opponent if you don't know the rules. Now pay attention. White or black?"

Daniel glanced at the board, then Vlad, and back again.

"Black," said Daniel after a moment. Vlad's eyebrows raised curiously.

"May I ask why?"

"My hair, your hair," he said, pointing to each side, respectively. Vlad blinked, looking down at the shiny marble pieces.

"My hair is silver,imp." Vlad glared, turning the board accordingly anyway. "Phantom's is white, though, isn't it?"

"I said no ghost talk," Daniel reminded him with an innocent, beaming smile.

'Little brat.'

Chess and dinner went smoothly, against all possible odds. Daniel was a quick learner, and though he hadn't managed to best Vlad yet, he could put up a good defense.

The boy was a bit sour about his losses as they sat down at the dinner table, but he soon got over it at chattered about his morning, finally letting Vlad know how his outing went.

Unbeknownst to Daniel, he had reminded Vlad of something he needed to discuss with him. As they finished up, Vlad cleared his mind in preparation for the no-doubt painful whining he was about to have assault his ears.

"Anyways, I wouldn't mind going again next week," Daniel summerized, playing with his empty glass.

"I'm glad you had a good time," Vlad said. Daniel caught his change in tone and looked up at him. "I have a different idea for next weekend, though."

"I change my mind," said Daniel quickly, "If you come with, I'm not going. I'll die of embarrassment."

Vlad rolled his eyes but otherwise ignored him.

"Next week, Sterling Kline and his father will be joining us for the afternoon." He said. Daniel's eyes widened. "I have business with William to discuss, and I want you to be a gracious, friendly host and keep the lad busy during our meeting."

"What, like a rich kid playdate?" Danny scoffed. "Vlad, no."

"I don't remember giving you a choice," he replied. "Unless, of course, there's a reason I should reconsider?"

Give the boy an out. That was fair, right? All Daniel had to do was talk, tell him what was bothering him lately, and Vlad would let it go.

Daniel's lips pursed tightly together. Wishful thinking, apparently.

"You two would get along, given the chance," Vlad said. "You're not that different, you know."

"He's human," said the younger.

Vlad looked at him incredulously. "What happened to wanting normal? Human is normal, isn't it?"

There was something more to this, Vlad could sense it. But the fickle boy wasn't talking!

"Whatever, it's fine," Daniel said, setting his glass down. Vlad felt his body grow hot. Things were great just now. They'd been playing chess, spending time together, bonding for goodness sake. Vlad's hands clenched.

"Why on earth will you not just tell me what's going on with you?!" He snapped. Daniel jumped but stayed resolutely silent. Vlad shoved his chair back loudly as he stood.

"You wanted space, then you get all out of sorts at being left alone. You don't want me to act like your father, but I'm supposed to make you feel normal, oh, and also help you with your schooling. You refuse to tell me why you won't talk to your sister, but raise hell if I keep a secret from you about anything."

Vlad's heavy hand came down flat against the table, and Daniel's eyes followed, then stayed glued to it. "No more. Tell me right now what's the matter with you. Why do you get upset every time someone new comes around, every time something changes? Every time I change?"

"It's nothing," the boy said, voice tight. "Please believe me."

"I don't think you believe yourself," Vlad said. Daniel's hands wrapped around his middle.

"Vlad, come on-"

"And now it's Vlad," he stepped back in disbelief. "I'm only Dad when you get your way, right? When you need something?"

Daniel shook his head, lips trembling. The older halfa could feel the room temperature rising. It had been a while since he'd let his emotions get the better of his powers. Still, he didn't care. The teen could take more heat than this.

"Talk," he said, leaning his knuckles only the table and towering over Daniel. Let the boy be afraid. He deserved it.

"If I don't, are you gonna make me?"

Vlad's breath stuttered. Daniel didn't sound indignant, just apprehensive. His eyes narrowed down at his ward.

"Must I?" He asked. "Are you truly going to let whatever it is eat at you until you're over my knee? Really, Daniel?"

The boy gnawed on his bottom lip, staring at the table cloth. Neither moved or spoke. Vlad could feel his pressure dropping back down, and as his vision got less tunneled, he spotted his butler out the corner of his eye.

Godfrey gave him a pointed look, and he sighed. His breath came out hot, so he faced away from Daniel and took a couple more breaths. When he turned around, the teen was still sitting with his head down. As if staying frozen would make Vlad forget he was there. Tough.

"You're fine with that boy being here Saturday?" Vlad said, energy gone.

"Yes," said Daniel, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Very well then," Vlad replied as gently as he could force himself to. "Go finish your homework."

Daniel stood, raising his eyebrows at Vlad. "Finish?"

"Finish," Vlad said. "I want it all done tonight."

Daniel looked about to argue, but Godfrey had the good sense to grab him by the shoulders.

"Let's get started on that now, hm?" Said the old ghost, steering Daniel off. Godfrey looked back for just a moment, and at once, Vlad knew he was in for it later. Those eyes were near daggers.

The butler was almost more protective of Daniel than he was. And Vlad had just yelled at him about not trusting him with his feelings. He was in for a long conversation for sure.

Vlad sunk back down into his seat as they left, feeling exhausted. He hated feeling like the last one to put together the puzzle, but this was somehow worse. It was like everyone else knew what the picture was supposed to be except Vlad, and they were all watching him try to put it together and fail, over and over again.

Things were simpler when Daniel was focused on their ghost halves. Vlad was an expert there. Here? Where they weren't fighting for their lives? Weren't just trying not to waste each other before another enemy did? Actually trying to be family?

Vlad was hopeless. And it was hurting them both.

Let me know if you enjoyed. Sparkle on.