only 1 ghost boi for me

But even though it doesn't surprise them to know that despite his small appearance, they can feel the power oozing off of him. He unintentionally exudes it. When he's angry his eyes flash green, and when he's scared or on edge the temperature around them drops dangerously in a couple short seconds.

He arms wrestles with Thor because he thinks it's fun, and almost every time he wins. It's not some show of power, or bending of will, or any kind of intimidation tactic. It's like he's actually a kid who just wants to give the god of thunder a run for his money.

He doesn't flaunt his power by any means, but it still puts most of them on edge. Even Wanda is intimidated. The first time he walked into the common room she just got up and left, looking pale and clammy.

And, well, they have an idea of how actually powerful he is. He is a King after all. He didn't get that title from batting his eyes and asking nicely. Every villain they've faced, ghost or otherwise, has been defeated within minutes. Phantom is brutally efficient, only taking the minimum amount of time necessary to get the job done. When he's in the compound, it's all fun and games, but as soon as they get to the briefing room, his whole demeanor changes. The only thing that consistently stays is his smart mouth. It's in these moments that he looks older than he actually is. They're so used to his young, boyish face that when he becomes serious, he almost looks like a completely different person.

But the whole effect is kind of ruined when they've seen the kid stick his head in a freezer because the summer is too hot. Or when he got his hand stuck in a pringles can and forgot he could just phase through it. Or when he was excited and sometimes forgot to knock in his excitement, instead just phasing through the door or the wall.

He also consistently namedrops the Father of Time like he's talking about his dad, of whom he pointedly does not speak about. Natasha asked about his parents only once, but when the temperature dropped so fast Steve had a panic attack they decided not to bring it up again.

And it's funny-hilarious, even-that this all powerful being, stronger than any god they've ever met, is still so incredibly childish. It becomes easier and easier to forget that when they die, there's a chance Phantom will have rein over their souls. In fact, they don't even think about it as the very real possibility it is.

And seeing this side of him, seeing the childish, joyful, playful antics that he often got up to, was like a breath of fresh air. Sure, he was the King of Ghost, literal all powerful god that even Thor had shied away from at first, but he was still just a kid.

So it's really funny when said kid is trying to be serious outside of the battlefield.

Much to Phantom's growing frustration.

"You know, I could take you all down with a flick of my wrist," Danny told them all seriously. Clint snorted into the glass of water he was drinking from, causing him to choke on it a little. Bruce patted his back, but was giving Phantom a mirthful smile from his spot across the table.

"Awe, did the wittle ghost king miss nap time?" Tony teased. Phantom's eye twitched in annoyance. Next to him, Steve was chuckling.

"Are you gonna call your dad on us?" Natasha asked, ruffling Phantom's hair. Phantom just rolled his eyes and slapped her hands away.

"No way. I can handle my own problems. You guys, in the grand scheme of things, aren't all that powerful." At their laughter, Phantom pressed further. "I'm serious! I'm just saying, if it was me against all of you combined, I would win. It's a logical argument."

"You really think you can go up against Thor and the Hulk and come out winning?" Clint asked, finally getting over his coughing fit.

"I don't think I can," Phantom told him. "I know I can."

Because, in another, darker timeline, he's done it before. But he wasn't going to sour the mood with his own nightmares.

"Oh, pretty cocky for someone so small," Natasha teased.

"I'll have you know I'm quite the average size," Phantom retorted, crossing his arms and sticking his nose in the air.

"It's okay, kid, we all have performance issues," Tony said, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Phantom sputtered, turning bright green as he blushed at the implications. Steve smacked Tony on the back of the head, ignoring the pained cry that came afterwards as he turned to Phantom.

"We're very sure you can take any of us down in a fight," Steve said placatingly. Almost as if he was talking to a child, bartering desert privileges. "But could you take out Kang the Conqueror by yourself?"

"Yes," Phantom answered immediately. Because, again, he already has. Having Clockwork as a father figure came with its responsibilities as well as its perks.

"Dr. Doom?" Clint asked. Phantom just nodded.

"The entire Fantastic Four, all at once?" Bruce pondered. Phantom again just nodded.

"I'm a ghost, guys. There's nobody I can't take down if I really wanted to."

"What about that giant sentient planet Starlord was talking about last time he visited?" Natasha asked.

"I mean, yeah probably. It would take some work but I could do it."

"Oh, and the Hulk is just small fry?" Clint asked, clearly not believing a word Phantom said. Phantom just shrugged and offered a small nod.

"Yeah, in the grand scheme of things."

Everybody stared at him for an uncomfortable amount of time before simultaneously bursting into laughter once more. Phantom, seemingly getting nowhere with this, just huffed and slumped in his seat.

"He is so cute when he tries to be serious," Wanda said through her reserved chuckles. She was idly stirring the spoon in her tea with her powers.

"I'm not cute," Phantom groaned. "I'm dangerous, and you all need to take me seriously."

The words just caused another chain of laughter.

Phantom could do nothing but throw his hands in the air, exasperated.

He's been that way since the beginning though. Even though he's a hero and claims that the only thing he wants to do is help people, he seems more than a little reluctant.

However, nobody brings this up. Not at first, anyway. Their first mission with Phantom had shown them how truly powerful the teenager was. None of them were really looking to be properly on his bad side. Hell, even Tony was making an effort at keeping the jokes to a minimum.

Because every mission they went on with Phantom always ended in mere minutes. Six at the longest, by Steve's count. He was a jack of all trades. He was stealthy, strong, durable, and so wickedly smart and witty. He was like the entire team rolled up into one scrawny teenager.

So they don't ask. Not until six months have passed by in a blur and he walks in practically foaming at the mouth.

"Really, Fury? Today? Couldn't even fucking give me that?" He barks. Fury just levels him with an unconcerned gaze as Phantom takes his seat.

That's another thing about Phantom. At every turn, he always makes a point to tell Fury how much he hates him. Not Shield. Not the Avengers. Just Fury. And while everybody else has their own tamed animosity towards the one eye man, they can usually look past it and get right down to business. It's a little concerning how much they're getting used to it at this point.

And it's this that prompts Clint to finally ask. It's after the meeting, when they've all piled into the quinjet, and they have nothing but themselves for entertainment. Clint's been worrying his lip the entire time, his leg bouncing in time with the music Tony's put on from his spot in the driver's seat.

"What did you mean earlier?" He asks, eyes flicking from his arrow to Danny, who's slumped against the opposite wall with his arms folded over his chest. "About what you said to Fury."

Phantom looks at him for a long time before letting out a long, tired sigh. For a teenager, he looks so much older than he actually is. There's a permanent line of tension in his shoulders, even as he slumps forward, clearly exhausted. He closes his eyes for a moment, collecting his thoughts, before answering Clint's question.

"Today's my birthday," he says. Despite his hushed tone, everybody hears him clearly. "I was supposed to hang out with my sister. Who I haven't seen in almost six months because she's away at college in another state. And this is her only weekend available to hang out. And now I'm stuck here."

"And you couldn't just say no?" Tony asks him. "Sure, fate of the world or whatever, but one day off wouldn't hurt."

"I'm kind of here on blackmail," Danny explains, leaning back into the wall. "First time he ever came up to me was to ask if I wanted to join you guys. Which, yeah sure, you're all super cool. But I've got shit I gotta do. People to protect, homework to do, you know? So I told him no."

"What happened next?" Bruce asks, sympathy in every syllable. He of all people could understand, considering his spot on the Avengers had originally been offered under more than dicey circumstances, and only because of those circumstances.

"Vaguely threatened my friends and family without actually saying the words 'I'm threatening your friends and family.' And like, it's not that I don't like hanging out with you guys. You're awesome. I just wish that I wasn't forced to do so. I've got other responsibilities to my hometown and the Ghost Zone. With these extra missions I haven't had a day to myself in months. I'm fucking exhausted."

"Running a kingdom is a burden I would not wish upon someone so young," Thor says from his spot next to Steve. "I'm sorry that you've been burdened with such a responsibility. It certainly isn't fair."

"Yeah, well," Danny shrugs, like there's nothing he can really do about it. But he does offer the god of thunder a small, thankful smile. "Thanks, though. I appreciate the sentiment."

"You run a kingdom?" Natasha asks.

"Yeah. There was this guy named Pariah Dark who was a total dick. He was also, like, a super tyrant hell bent on destroying the Zone and Earth."

"What happened?" Steve asks, vaguely remembering Thor mentioning this on their first mission with Phantom.

"I ended him," Danny says. And god, he sounds so tired when he says those three little words. Like the weight of the world is being held in that sentence. "I destroyed his core, and he faded."

"How old were you?" Bruce asks. His voice is quiet, and mildly horrified at the thought of a teenager committing ghost murder for the sake of two worlds.

"Fourteen," Danny shrugs. "'S fine, though. Once I graduate high school I'll have a little more free time to actually get some sleep. Maybe get a Nasa internship or something."

There are hums of agreement, but overall, the others stay quiet. When they get closer, they discuss strategy, and like every other time they've had Phantom with them, they win in just a few short minutes.

But that doesn't mean they aren't simmering with a righteous anger themselves.

And they know exactly who to take it to.

-------------

"Fury!" Steve calls as he marches onto the deck after bidding Phantom goodbye and good luck. Fury turns slowly, almost bored in a way. He doesn't look surprised in the slightest to see a simmering Steve with the rest of his team flanking him.

"Can I help you?" He asks.

"Where the fuck do you get off blackmailing a teenager to do your dirty work?" Tony barks. "Just let him be a fucking kid! He's got enough on his plate already!"

"It's none of your concern," Fury says, tone clipped and short. "Let it go, Stark. You already have Parker, there's no need to semi-adopt another kid."

Bruce quickly puts a hand on Tony's shoulder to keep him from lunging at Fury, though he has half a mind to let him anyway.

"It's not enough," Thor says, stepping forward. "Explain to us why you feel the need to do this."

Fury looks them over, long and slow. His gaze is piercing but none of them so much as flinch. They're angry on behalf of their friend, and they won't leave until they get some sort of answer. After a few minutes, Fury sighs.

"It's because he's the most dangerous person on the planet," he states it like it's a fact. The sky is blue. The grass is green. Phantom has the power to take over the world with just his pinky toe and a little determination. Simple and to the point. Still, Fury elaborates. "At fourteen he took down an ancient, unbeatable god from another universe and became a king. At fifteen he defeated a circus freak who very nearly took over the whole world. At sixteen, he stopped a meteorite from hitting Earth with nothing but his bare hands. This was the easiest way to keep an eye on him and make sure he stays on our side."

"By threatening his family?" Bruce asked. His tone was level and even, his breahting calm and collected, but everybody saw how the sickening shade of green that was starting to peak out from under his shirt.

"I needed him to cooperate," Fury simply said.

"Drop the threats," Steve demanded. "Drop whatever balckmail you've got on him. He's a fucking teenager, and he's got other things to worry about than cleaning up after your messes."

"He's a threat."

"He's a child."

"A child who could take over if he had one bad day."

"Every time he's forced to come here he has a bad day," Natasha points out. "Doesn't seem like the world ending type to me. Besides, if he wanted to do that, he probably would have done it by now."

"Then what would you have me do?" Fury asks. By his tone, it's rhetorical, but the Avengers came prepared. After all, the look after their own.

"Offer him missions. If he denies them, let him go. If he doesn't, let him come. Simple as that. Instead of treating him like a tool, you treat him like a member of the team. You trust him. Just like we do. It's not that fucking hard, Fury," Steve says. And judging by the casual cursing, he's dead serious. And when he's dead serious, he's willing to do anything.

They're not going to let this go, that much is obvious. It's a bad idea, but Fury can't afford the headaches or, gods forbid, mutiny that the Avengers are most certainly going to participate in if they don't get their way.

"If he steps one toe out of line," Fury tells them, "then I won't hesitate. He's your responsibility now. Understand?"

None of them smile, but he can tension in the air isn't as thick as it had been a second ago. They all of course agree to this without any hesitation, and Fury briefly wonders why. How. What did this powerful, otherworldly entity do to gain their trust? What did he do to have them so devoted to him and his wellbeing? He could crush worlds with barely a thought, and here they were, treating him like a baby to be coddled.

Fury didn't quite understand it.

And perhaps he never would. It's probably a good thing, then, that the Avengers stepped in.

"who are you?" Gamora asks. He turns, and she places her blade at the base of his throat, but he seems woefully unbothered by it. Instead, he thrusts his hand forward.

"My name's Phantom! I accidentally flew through a natural portal. Sorry for crash landing in your ship."

Starlord calmly walks over and nudges Gamora's blade to the side while he takes Phantom's hand and shakes it. "Where are you from?" He asks.

"Oh, I'm from Earth," Phantom replies. He's not looking at Starlord, though. No, he's looking every which way and that, bending over backwards to get a better view of everything. "Is this your space ship? Oh my god am I on a space ship?"

"Yeah," Starlord answers, an amused tone to his voice. "You said you're from Earth? We're not too far, we could take you back if you need us too."

"Quill-" a racoon starts, but Starlord shoots him a desperate look. he doesn't want the kid on his ship. Especially one that doesn't even really know about space travel. Plus, what if he was dangerous? he wasn't about to let the kid take down his ship and his friends. Earth could deal with that problem.

It was a three day trip, which was a three day delay in their plans. Thankfully there was a port close to Earth that they could use to refill. According to Phantom all they had to do was drop him off near the atmosphere and he'd be fine on his own.

The kid talked a lot. In fact, the only time he's not rattling their ears off with facts about space and stars and stories behind constellations is when he's wolfing down a Drax-sized serving of food.

They answered his questions to the best of their abilities, and while Rocket hadn't been too excited to interact wit him, when he found out the kid had a knack for unconventional technology he had all but taken him under his wing. He traded battle stories with Drax, who would pull him into a headlock and he would show Starlord all sorts of new music on his cell phone. He talked to Gamora about Earth literature and he had a very heated rock-paper-scissors battle with Groot that lasted nearly three hours.

All in all the kid was an absolute riot to be around. Phantom and Rocket figured out a way to get the music from Phantom's phone downloaded into the ship's system, which Starlord was eternally grateful for. There were thousands of new songs for him to go through.

Ghosts were something Starlord couldn't quite wrap his head around, but with Phantom pulling off more and more ghostly shit, it was starting to become almost normal. Though eh could do without the kid walking through him. That had been a weird, terrifying experience for him, and Rocket still hasn't let either of them live it down.

Just as promised, they stop near the Earth's atmosphere. And though he had been nothing but a ball of excitement over the past few days, Phantom seems pretty reluctant to go home now.

"You okay, kid? Don't you wanna see your family or something?"

"Or something," Phantom grimaced.

"Well...If you need us, just call us, alright?" Rocket held out his hands, and a small communicator was placed into Phantom's. The teen gave them a watery smile as he held out his hand for them to shake. Starlord couldn't help it. He rolled his eyes and grabbed the front of the kid's suit. He tugged him into a tight hug, lifting the laughing teen off of his feet. Gamora had gripped his forearm warrior style that Phantom returned with the utmost respect. Drax had also pulled him into a hug, and this time Phantom's vertebra popped all the way down until Phantom was fully relaxed against Drax's chest.

"That felt good," he says.

"Of course it did," Drax replied, setting Phantom down. "I am the best."

Danny snorts and gives him a two fingered salute. Groot gives him a soft hug and a flower from his shoulder, and Phantom holds it like it's the most precious thing in the world. He fist bumps Rocket, and with one last goodbye, he's phasing through the ship's hull and flying towards Earth.

It doesn't take them long to get back to their seats. Phantom's music is queued up as Starlord settles in. He meets Rocket's gaze, which looks...Almost sad.

"You think we'll ever see the runt again?" He asks. Starlord just smiles at him.

"I don't see why we wouldn't," he tells Rocket. "Besides, if the kid needs help he'll call us. We live in space, it's not like he'll let us get far without begging for a joyride or something."

"He's very intelligent," Gamora comments. "If he knows what's good for him he'll find us when he's ready."

"I am Groot."

"Will it wear off?" He asks. The boys look at each other and shrug before looking back at Tony. Yeah, definitely rehearsed.

"I suggest you two start training then," Steve pipes up, walking into the lab with a steaming mug of coffee. "Villains aren't going to give you a day off just because you got hit with this power. It's best to start understanding how they work now before the world starts ending again."

"God, please," Tony looks absolutely exhausted now as he stares down at the both of them. "Go on a journey of self discovery in the training room."

Peter and Danny give Tony their own two-fingered salute before racing off.

While running through the halls, Peter falls through the floor. Danny feels a ringing in the back of his head, and he lets instincts take over. He leaps and latches onto the wall, just as Peter comes flying back through. he crashes into the ceiling and falls to the ground with a groan. Danny, momentarily distracted, slips off the wall and falls next to him.

"This isn't going to be easy, is it?" Peter asks, dejected.

"When is anything easy ever?"

-----------

It's been three days and they still have each other's powers. On the bright side, they can control them pretty well, but only when they're focusing really hard. The amount of times Danny has had to pull Peter out of the floor is too many to count. Likewise, Danny has a nasty habit of getting stuck to literally anything.

Day one was fun and new. Day two was frustrating, and and Day three wanted to make them rip their hair out. Day four, they finally get called out into the field, and it goes about as well as either of them expect it too.

"This is going to be a fucking disaster," Phantom groans as he slips Spidey's web shooters onto his wrists. His aim with them still isn't that great, but he'll have to make do.

The villain himself isn't a super dangerous one, but with how weird their powers are right now, he's a lot harder to fight than he normally is.

"How do you keep getting out?" Phantom groans as he gestures wildly towards Doctor Octopus. "Whoever is supposed to be in charge of your prison should be fired."

"No simple prison is enough to hold my genius," Doc Oc says, lunging at them with his arms. Danny feels that familiar-ish tingle in the back of his head and jumps to the side. Spider-Man instinctively jumps over the offending limbs and settles back down into one of his usual poses.

"I don't think he knows," Phantom says after a moment.

"Plan C?" Spidey asks.

Danny gives him a wolfish grin. "Plan C."

There are three plans that the two have made in their short time being superhero friends. Plan A is Abstract. It's just go with the flow, follow your gut, and pray that it works. Plan B is Basic. It's just a run-of-the-mill plan. It's efficient. It's effective. It's horribly predictable.

But Plan C? C is Chaos, where they cause the most chaos and confusion as humanly possible.

And with their powers switched?

Doc Oc won't know what his him.

Spidey distracts him with his quips while Danny subtly passes him one of the web shooters and takes over distracting Oc so Spidey can put it on. The arms lunge for him again, but he's got Spidey's agility and spider-sense backing him up. They don't even come close to hitting him.

Spidey is holding his own pretty well, too. He's gotten pretty good at using his intangibility, and he's using that to avoid getting hit. He's dodging pretty well too, and Oc's attention is split between the two of them, so he doesn't notice that his arms are sometimes going through Spidey.

Well, not at first anyway. But by then, it's too late.

"Ready?" Phantom asks.

"Let's do it!" Spidey calls back.

They've been dodging and subtly tangling Oc's limbs up. And now that they both have a web shooter, they thwip onto Oc and launch themselves around him. Within seconds, Oc is tied head to toe with webs. His tangled limbs can't break free of themselves let alone the web. Plan C always comes to the rescue.

"What is the meaning of this?" Oc asks. "Why can you do that now?"

"Do what?" Spider-Man asks, sauntering over. Danny quickly follows suit. "Kick your ass?"

As Oc sputters, his face turning beat red with anger, Danny can feel a familiar coldness in his chest. His core hums, and he lifts a hand up to his and Spidey's face. It flickers green for a couple moments before finally glowing strong.

"Would you like to do the honors?" Spidey asks. Danny grins at Oc, letting the light bounce off of his fangs eerily.

"Why, Spidey, I would love to."

-------------

"So you're back to normal now?" Tony asks as they sit in the lab. Doc Oc was suffering from a massive ego blow and a broken nose in a new and improved cell as of an hour ago. Danny and Peter just look at each other and shrug. And then, with matching shit-eating grins, they turn back to Tony and speak in unison.

"As close as we can get."

Tony closes his eyes, and without saying a word, he leaves the lab.

"It's really good," she says. "You said Nat suggested this place?"

Danny nods and shovels more food into his mouth. He had been freaking out a week ago about where to take Sam, and Nat had gotten fed up with his worrying. She had all but shoved their menu down his throat in an attempt to get him to shut up. Needless to say, it worked.

"She has good taste," Sam said, smiling. She looked absolutely stunning. Her makeup was dark and soft, and her hair was pulled back into an intricate hairstyle that Natasha did that Danny for the life of him can't remember the name of. It's adorned with purple decorations that almost match her eyes perfectly. She's not wearing anything fancy, but he's always found her comfort more attractive than whatever dress she could wear. And she looks really comfortable right now. She's wearing a lavender sweater and a pair of tight, black high wasted pants, and a comfortable pair of heels. Her hands are covered in rings and bracelets, and her sleeves are sliding up ever so slightly so Danny can see her tattoos peaking out. In the soft lighting around them, she looks perfectly at ease. Danny can't tear his eyes away.

It's no surprise that Sam catches him staring with a fond smile.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer," she jokes.

"A picture could never do you justice," he says. "They always fail to capture just how beautiful you are."

He can see a blush creeping up Sam's cheeks, and he can't help his own smile.

Until his phone goes off.

He frowns and takes it out. Sam raises an eyebrow at him, and he declines Tony's call. Not even two seconds later, it's ringing again. He declines it again and puts it on silent.

"Danny, you know it's okay if-"

"-Sam, I promised you a hero-free weekend," Danny says. "We haven't been able to finish a date in months. With all the world saving I do I think I'm allowed one evening with my fiancé."

The smile he gets from Sam is well worth hanging up on Tony for a third time.

Besides, there's no ghosts. No explosions in the distance. No rumbling buildings and cracking infrastructure. Here in their little Italian restaurant with a bottle of wine between them, they're at peace.

It only lasts for maybe another ten minutes. Danny and Sam are in the middle of laughing, until Sam abruptly cuts herself off. Danny's about to ask her what's wrong when he feels a strong, metal hand on his shoulder.

"Look, I'm sorry to break this up,. I know you've been looking forward to it. But we need to go. Now."

Danny looks up at Tony, and he looks absolutely desperate. He looks to Sam, who looks equally so, but for a whole different reason. Still, she understands the gravity of the situation. She gives them both a small smile as her shoulders sag.

"Just as long as you pay, Stark," she says. Tony's lips quirk up into an apologetic smile.

"Already did, Sam."

Danny gets up and kisses Sam goodbye before heading out with Tony.

His chest aches.

-------------

The battle is long and hard, and they don't get back until dawn. Danny is still bitter. Sure, they needed him, but he hasn't been able to sit down and have a proper dinner with Sam in years. And the one time he's finally able to, he gets physically pulled away.

And for what? For the fucking kraken that was terrorizing southern Japan? He's battered and bruised and exhausted and pissy. Nobody speaks to him on the way back, but Natasha sits next to him and offers a quiet comfort. She knows just how much he had been looking forward to his personal time with Sam.

Tony keeps apologizing every few minutes, but Danny is tired, and he doesn't have any patience left, so to avoid blowing up at his friend, he stays quiet.

When they get back, Danny forgoes the infirmary and instead takes a quick shower and flops face first into his mattress.

The only thing that makes his mood a little better are the arms that wrap around his middle, and the fact that he's out in seconds.

-------------

When he wakes up it's early evening. His body is still sore, but it's nothing to really worry about. Sam, of course, is gone.

He changes quickly, and when he opens the door he's surprised to find a trail of purple rose petals leading down the hall. He follows.

It leads him to the elevator, and down to the ground floor where Happy is waiting for him. He drives him to a fancier place that serves Thai food that Danny's been thinking about trying. He turns to Happy, who just gives him a smile and wink.

The purple rose petals lead through the front door and to a table where Sam is sitting. She gets up when he walks in, and all but throws herself into his arms. He laughs and catches her, twirling her around momentarily before setting her down on her feet.

"What is all this?" He asks, looking around. There are purple and red decorations everywhere, and besides them, there's not a soul in sight.

"Tony felt really bad about yesterday," she tells him. "So he rented out the restaurant for the night. He promised us a hero-free date night."

"Remind me to apologize for the cold shoulder I was giving him," he tells Sam. She chuckles and leads him to the table that she's picked out. It's adorned with a couple candles in the center, and glasses of wine.

And as promised, nobody blows up his phone. Nobody interrupts them. There are no villains and explosions and rumbling.