#vlanny

Danny bumped a shoulder against Vlad in retaliation, initiating a little game between them. They snickered and laughed a little as they battled. Shoulders and arms aimed at each other in a fluid motion, to onlookers they were a Newtons Cradle.

Only when some group of annoying customers whom spoke with shrill, excited tones as they ordered the loudly ground blended smoothies, did the companions rush themselves out of the coffee shop.

“Well if that isn't disheartening,” Vlad massaged one temple with his free hand and pressed his coffee to the other temple with his obviously occupied digits.

Danny sighed and took the last good swig of his own drink before clearing his throat, “Yeah, I was having a pretty good time until they showed up! Geez, I mean c'mon!” He chuckled only to mask the embarrassment he felt rush through his cheeks and threw his empty coffee cup away. To Danny, his own words sounded way too eager and gawky, and he hoped on behalf of all of the Ghost-Zone that Vlad wouldn't make note of or call him on it.

Funny thing was, Vlad had, indeed, taken notice of the awkwardness of the teen. It caused the pleasant smile that formed on the older man's face once enough fresh air had finally circulated through his system. The teen's fumbled sentence made Vlad realize that for once they felt no aggressive tension in each others presence. Vlad's stiff shoulders slumped down to a comfortable, lounging slouch, having no need to keep up his pristine and superior behavior. Danny found that his hands felt no need to clench into fight-ready weapons. Granted, some of this new casualness was because of the lurking exhaustion, but a sort of mutual treaty was formed from it.

With curious blue spheres, the teen halfa looked over Vlad. His mind had formed a flawless question, but all he could spurt was, “So... when do you plan on leaving? You know, b-because you're a rich guy and all and you... don't HAVE to go, but I was just wondering and things.” The young man mentally slapped himself stupider, and waited in his own silent agony for a response.

Vlad's deep oceans met the sky in Danny's for a few paces before he scanned the hidden hope-filled features. Danny tore away from the gazing eyes and shoved his hands in his pockets. Vlad took out his phone casually and began to text as quick as his one thumb would allow. The young man beside him took notice, and so he hastily sent the message.

Shoving his device back into his pocket, the silver-haired billionaire gave a warm smile to the side walk ahead, “I don't need to leave anytime soon, or at least until you decide you're sick of my company.”

The Fenton boy's house could be seen only a few feet away, across the street to be precise. Both of the men looked alleviated and hurried to the building's welcoming steps. Danny unlocked the front door quicker than his mind could really process, and he threw the door open. The boy rubbed his hands together excitedly and looked about the entryway before turning to watch the elder man close the door behind his broad build. Both stood there looking expectant.

“Would it be a terrible bother to ask to shower...?” Vlad looked almost ashamed to ask, but the look vanished when Danny shrug-nodded.

Danny sat on the back of his couch, “I can do your laundry too, I guess. Well, it's uh... because I need some done anyway. You don't dry clean that, right?” His face contorted to a look of increasing embarrassment, so he quickly turned away and headed out of the area, “I should show you to the bathroom... so uh, follow me?”

The fruitloop looked more and more elated as the time in the presence of the other halfa ticked along. “I don't dry clean this, no... but if I were to give you my clothes, what would I wear?” his voice pitched a little as he tried to make a jest out of the situation. A little friendliness to ease the tension Danny seemed to be feeling towards him. Danny scoffed a laugh, and Vlad could tell he had rolled his eyes by the head movement.

After a very short time of walking, Danny opened the door to the upstairs bathroom, “Here we are, uh... I'll be right back, so yeah... Towels are there,” he nodded his hand off to a cabinet, “and the shower's just a typical shower. Nothing you can't ask me about, but you probably don't need my help.”

They nodded the exchanges of “thank you”s and “your welcome”s before going their separate ways. Danny began to raid his dad's clothing and tried to gauge the clothing size with the other man's frame. He took a moment to contemplate his rival's body structure. Broad shoulders acting as the jumping off point to strong arms and the broad torso he knew just had to be built well. He'd fought the man enough times to know of the strength altered muscles. Vlad's legs, too were strong, but they were build much more nimble. The man could complete a triathlon and win first place – even lacking his supernatural powers.

Unconsciously lowering a pair of pajama pants into his lap, the younger man couldn't stop but wonder how the man became so.... attractive. There was no other word for it. Mr. Vladimir Masters was an attractive man, even for being in his forties. A strong jaw with lightly chiseled features, his facial assets always in check – the only time he hasn't appeared so cleanly was that very day when the man's stubble was showing ever so slightly. Not to mention how the man's metallic locks made him look sophisticated, not elderly. His thick, dark lashes struck the boy almost as much as his eyes as they bordered the knowing deep blues.

Those eyes... Danny shivered and changed his own subject, once more digging through the clothes.

All the boy could find were pajama lounge pants and a t-shirt that had shrunk – one his dad still insisted on keeping – that would have a very good chance of fitting his company. Looking almost relieved he'd compiled a temporary replacement for the businessman's last-night party clothes, the teen gathered the basket of his own clothes that had been piling up since who knows when. Figuring he'd given Vlad enough time to wash up, Danny walked to the bathroom down his hall.

He knocked, “Hey, ah, I'm coming in to do laundry swap! Hope you found a towel in time!”

As he was opening the bathroom door, the young hero could feel anxiety rise in him. He seemed to be the bane of his own existence with as many embarrassing moments he was putting himself into. By the time Danny was about to let go of the door so it would open slowly of its own momentum, he saw the silver-haired halfa standing in front of the sink, brushing through his hair with his finger tips.

The man was in a towel, but seeing the man's body up front and uncovered intimidated the raven. A frown grazed his lips and he aimed a displeased frown at the vain man.

“You know we do have hairbrushes, and no one's had lice since I was five. But my dad shaved his head to get rid of the problem, so,” chided the small, younger male.

Vlad looked dismayed by the harsh tone, “I... I couldn't find it without the feeling that I was invading your privacy, Daniel.”

Only rolling his eyes, the boy pointed to the clothing on the floor, “Empty your pockets and hand 'em over.”

Vlad's shoulders rose again to their stern place as he ruggedly sauntered to the shower and lifted his crumpled clothes from the floor. He rummaged the pockets last minute, though nothing had been left inside, and dumped the clothes into Danny's care.

The teen picked the wine-coloured shirt's sleeve off of his arm and offered the sleepwear to the rough hands that were held out, ready to receive the tender package. When he strode his way away from Vlad's sight, he couldn't help but to feel a bit shaken. The man tensed up again, and Danny could easily tell when the soft shoulders perked into their stern placement, and the boy felt a pang of guilt. As soon as he had the clothes in the washer and set the machine to begin it's work, he made his way back to the upstairs facility.

He wrung the handle and opened the door, and saw Vlad dressed and staring at himself. The man was leaning closely to the reflective surface, his eyes piercing themselves. They peeled away slowly as the door creaked open, and he had a puzzled look in his features.

“Sorry I didn't remember to knock, but uh... are you okay?” the boy stepped up to the man and stood next to him, “You know these infernal contraptions are called mirrors, I don't know what kind of rock you lived under, but they've been around!” Danny teased the man and rummaged through the drawer in attempt to find one of Jazz's good brushes.

Vlad snickered and watched Danny's searching hands, “Ah yes, I always forget their existence as I have none. I wake up and am instantly the most handsome man alive.”

A fit of laughter caught Danny and he shyly looked up at the taller male, a wild grin on his face. He stood up normally once more, even more proudly and handed the paddle brush for the man's silver locks. He lifted his brows and tilted his nose up in order to look as snooty as the billionaire, “Ah, yes, well, not everyone can have your super power, Mr. Masters!!”

With a silent smile, the raven watched the reflection of the veteran half-ghost, whom brushed through his hair with the utmost care. The blue eyes were narrowed and staring to the side, the man's head tilted to get the best leverage to grasp his hair. Laying his jaw into the palm of his hand, the boy could only look utterly captivated at the shimmering wavy locks. Danny's luminous eyes flashed up to the reflection of Vlad's just as the man's alluring sphere's opened wide enough to stare at Danny's mirror image.

Danny stood up from his bent-over position and leaned his side over the counter to look at Vlad's physical face, “So why don't you cut your hair?”

“I rather like it this way.”

“Does it make you feel pretty?”

“What?”

“And witty?”

“Daniel, n-”

“And gaaaaaay~!!”

Vlad shook his head in mock-disappointment, pulled his hair into a loose ponytail in mere seconds. A light blow from a bony hand hit him in the side, and a moment later he heard the rapidly leaving steps of his assailant. Chasing the boy down, Vlad could see the teen rushing down the hall to the stairs, and grappled Danny before he could reach the first step. Now the boy was laughing obnoxiously loud, and the only thing Vlad could think of was giving the teen a good noogie. The knuckles against Danny's head seemed to be meaningless as the laughter only got louder.

Danny easily pulled backward and phased through the floor to escape and have his giggle fit elsewhere. Vlad, not wanting to lose this battle, phased to join him in the game of run around. After a while, Vlad's laughter joined the teen's as they flopped onto the floor of the living room. Vlad tried to catch his breath, but it became a little hard to achieve when Danny dragged himself across Vlad's chest.

All that was left of their rowdy behavior was really a few giggles here and huffs of air there before the two men started to wind down. The older man could feel Danny's ribs expand and contract with every heave of air the young ghost took in and exhaled, and it made him smile. His younger rival fidgeted and writhed so he could fit himself better along the mountains and ravines of Vlad's body. Though Vlad himself only found it necessary to place his hand behind his head for support, besides that, laying there with the boy's weight against him was oddly comforting. Danny hissed out a pleased little sigh, Vlad ruffled the young hero's hair and gave him a calm smile.

Both males had become aware of an unusual, warm thrum in their chests, but neither spoke a word of it. It intensified the closer their chests got and it began to expand throughout their bodies once the teen had laid down comfortably on the defined upper body. The warmth ebbed away Vlad's little remaining level of energy, acting as a catalyst for a deep yawn. Danny chuckled, but could feel his own eyes drooping. The coffee, sadly, had not been enough to keep either of them awake, and all either of them could hope for was that a little nap wouldn't mess up their sleeping cycles. * ~*~ *

Luckily, they'd only slept for an hour before the teen began to stir himself awake, and sharply inhaled as a startling reality woke him completely. Heavy arms and a warm chest had boxed the hero in during the short rest. Danny's arms sat out of the embrace, but when he focused his eyes on the sleeping man whom had become his mattress, he couldn't bring himself to slip out to freedom.

All the raven could bring himself to do was to cross his arms under his chin and observe the placid face as Vlad slept. The man looked so peaceful that if no one knew better, they'd think him dead. His deep blue eyes that bored jealousy and fear into most men had been set behind lash-heavy lids that twitched as dreams danced under the hoods. A few silvery wisps haloed Vlad's head on the floor, a few strands even laid upon his face. Danny stifled an airy chortle when he noticed one thin lock had made it between Vlad's lips. They offered notice to how, with his relaxed sleep, the man's pale lips no longer sat with their deep grimace. Danny mused the thought that the pompous jerk had a natural smile when he had no expression on his face.

Taking his pinkie, the little badger removed the strand of hair from the smooth lips. The single lock was as silky as kitten fur, and fascinated Danny to no end. He found himself indulging in combing slow, sentimental fingers through the flayed locks. He scooped them up and watched a few bright threads slip between the cracks between his digits and overflow out of his palm.

More and more this old sack of crazy began to drag the curiosity, kicking and screaming, out of the teen. Danny yearned to examine Vlad's body inch by inch, but that would be weird for... reasons. Danny shook his head and let the last of the inviting tantalizing silvery strands slip away from him. He sighed in boredom and shifted himself to kick the sleep out of his system once more.

The very moment Danny turned his face from Vlad's pony tail, the man stirred and caused the teen above him to startle with a sharp groan.

“Geez Fruitloop!”

“Geeze yourself, Daniel,” he took a broad hand off of Danny's back to cover a yawn. Once the yawn was completed, the newly freed hand raked the also newly freed threads of hair back in place – though as temporary as that was.

Danny pressed himself away from Vlad's powerful torso to double-check the placement of his knees. Once assured that when he climbed off of the other halfa, he wasn't going to cripple him, the young hero used his own hands to walk his slim body backwards into a sitting position. Half way into the motion, his vision caught the trail of beautifully grayed hairs running down Vlad's navel and a few distinct indentations in the visible bar of skin that whispered the existence of a worked build.

Unable to help but to stare, the halfa-hero froze completely at the sight. His face was blank of all explanation and impression as his head tried to sort out what exactly he was staring at and why.

Vlad had sat himself upon his elbows and stared in a questioning, though almost embarrassed, manner as he searched Danny's face for a possible explanation, “Something the matter?”

He shook his head, “Uhm, no, not at all. Well, uh... my eyes did that thing when if you move to fast your vision goes black.”

“You should get some water then, you're most likely still dehydrated,” Vlad's eyes cast down, “water doesn't sound too bad at all, actually. I'll get you a glass, yes?

Using a small push, Danny made it onto his knees, which then he slid off and to the side of his legs. He offered a short shrug, following a smile, “Never hurts, but I think I'm in the mood for some soda from the fridge.”

Standing up with a short huff, the billionaire stood himself upright, “That's bad for your health, I hope you don't partake in drinking sodas as often as your father did in collage.”

“Hah, yeah, whatever V-man,” he jeered and followed his older companion to the kitchen. Watching Vlad blunder about the room stiffly in his endeavor for something to quench his parched throat was really quite amusing. With every wrong cabinet, he could hear the man's lips utter a “butter balls”, “sugar-honey-ice-tea”, “oh bread sticks”, or other various phrases.

Feeling almost bad about the disorganization of his kitchen, the young man walked across the kitchen and grasped a glass from the cabinet. When he scanned over his shoulder to wave it at the silvery haired gentleman, he saw a flicker of frustration from the gentleman aimed at another cabinet. After clearing his throat, Vlad seemed to catch the picture and walked over to Danny.

His hand reached to grab the glass, “Ah, thank you-” the glass was yanked out of his reach, “Daniel...” The thin, shapely lips pursed as his brows tucked down, contorting his face to displeasure and confusion.

Danny watched the man's head tilt a little, and smiled faintly, “I'll get you water... Our sink's been on the fritz for the last few weeks.” He began to strut to the kitchen sink and leaned onto the rim of the basin, “Dad refuses to get it looked at... He says he can fix it, but work's had him tied down like a hog.”

Softly, a sigh slipped the older rival as he watched the boy leave with the glass in his hand and Danny could feel the mysterious eyes follow him about the room.

“I can have someone come over perhaps?” The man folded his arms together and settled them down over his chest, and his hip began to lean against the kitchen counter. “Your father won't be able to intervene, and... I can always pay for any damage dealt with.”

Danny watched the water go from clear to a murky brown and then back to pristine water once more. He began to fill the glass despite the sheer look of utter fright reflecting from Vlad's face to the tile just beyond the sink. Danny smirked, the general reaction from people concerning tap water was humorous, but the Fruitloop's was by far the best.

He held his arm out to offer the drink to his company, but the blue eyes were fixated in disbelief at the young man. With a frown, the boy took a sip, “See? Harmless. C'mon, it's not gunna kill you... again.”

Vlad sighed and took the glass, displeasure as clear as purified mountain spring water in a bottle. He took a cautious sip and didn't appear to have anymore qualms about it. Without much words, the billionaire laid his phone on the counter, and began to flick the index along the bright screen.

Though he paused to look at Vlad's actions, the younger hybrid made his way to the fridge. Text-messages had been the first thing to occupy the device's face, though the words were to small and far away for the passing young man to examine thoroughly. Cracking the tab to his drink, Danny settled his elbows on the counter next to Vlad and watched the man from face to finger.

The rugged finger led the phone to a review website, and then more fingers joined to assist in typing “plumbers” into their search engine. Within seconds several reviews popped up.

By this point, Danny Stopped watching, because looking for plumbers was boring. Instead, the teen ghost tugged and twirled his soda's tab until it popped off. His face lightened in the small accomplishment before tilting up at the elder man in his company.

Vlad scratched the stubble at his jaw and took a dainty sip of his drink. He set his inactive hand on the counter in front of Danny, who stared at it. The teens eyes climbed all the way up Vlad's arm and back down. He could see, barely, a few lines of scarring. Danny frowned, knowing he himself had such lines hidden along his body.

“So... I know... that we heal really quick, but have you ever noticed that sometimes... we don't completely?”

Vlad's eyes peered into Danny's, “Ah, I have, actually. I... have a theory of sorts for it.”

“Oh? What is it?” the bright eyes glimmered in curiosity.

The elder's shoulders shrugged as he shook his head, “I believe it has to do with how badly the wounds were inflicted, and strangely enough, emotional states. You wouldn't believe it... but my scars had been much worse.” Vlad turned his torso slightly to show the faintest of scars, one that ran from his shoulder to his inner elbow.

Tilting his head in skepticism, Danny hadn't needed to ask a question before the silver-haired man responded to the look and elaborated.

“I got this – and many other minor scarring – when I was first learning to fly. I lost control and returned to my human state mid-air and, as it happened, ended up falling headfirst into a very very gnarled tree. For such a long time, I'd tried to hide this with long shirts,” Vlad rubbed his arm as if to wipe off a ghost of a memory, “I found that it dissipated when I began to take better care of myself, and shows back up when... I hit much darker times.”

The teen's brow perked up, “So... when you get really down in the dumps... your scars show up. I've never seen any kinda scars in my ghost form, though.”

Vlad chuckled, “Because spirits can not be harmed exactly and mortal things can.”

Then, it hit Danny – harder than he'd originally expected. He was half dead. Yes, it was pretty obvious, but this time there was more concrete evidence. When fighting other ghosts, the boy's body would be put through rigorous beatings, but he'd hardly feel a thing until he returned to life. His ghost form has been taking the harm as much as possible, but all of his most trying battles, the more the pain and exhaustion he had sustained crossed over to his human form.

While Danny was in his little trance of soul-searching, Vlad rung up the plumbing service that was highly recommended. The elder gentleman had scheduled the visit a few days ahead. Danny – once back in the real world – saw the great unease in Vlad's expression.

“So, uh, what happened? What's with that face?”

Groaning, Vlad drummed his fingertips against the cool counter, glaring daggers at his helpless cellular device, “The plumbing man I promised you won't be here for a few days. He and his friends were 'booked' for appointments and wouldn't take bribery.” He ended his short rant with a snappy tisk.

"So? You can just hang out here right? Or come back later," Danny shrugged off the idea, "whatever, you know?"

Vlad's brow raised, and an almost pleasant smirk spread along his face, “You actually want my company now?” He watched Danny's body go from a nonchalant lean against the counter, to a more defensive pose. And then the most unexpected thing happened, Danny presented the back of his hand to the broader male. The elder gentleman leaned against a hip and tilted his head closer to Danny as if straining to hear the boy's explanation.

Vlad received a simple, vulgar gesture. Danny replied to the smug remark by flipping him. The young man looked devilishly satisfied with a crooked grin that made him look catty.

All the elder man could do was stare, his head reared back in surprise. His look softened and he couldn't help the grin that worked its way into his appearance... he mouthed a playful, “fuck you too” to the kid and leaned against the counter next to him.

Danny snorted, covered his mouth, and looked up at the towering figure with a lightened face. Without loosing the joyous glow in his face, the young hero nodded to Vlad's phone.

“What, Daniel?”

“You gunna call somebody? To um, I don't know, tell them you'll be gone?” the bright eyes rolled.

“Oh, yes... I'll need my things, won't I?” he pulled his phone to a visible position, paused and put it away, “I think I've abused my cell enough today, I'll call someone in the morning.”

There was a long pause, but Vlad spoke up once more, “You play videogames, yes?”

The young halfa's body perked, “Uh.... yeah! Why?”

“Would you like to teach an old dog a new-”

Vlad had no need to complete his request, as the young ghost had already taken him by the arm and began to tear him from the room. He sat the elder man in front of the computer in his room and excitedly tried to cram information into the silver head. Much of the data went well above Vlad's head, but Danny wasn't going to let that stop him. A smile was permanently plastered onto the young man's face as the older hybrid's technique went from button-mashing, to accurate movements within no more than... maybe a few hours into the late evening.

~~Another chapter down, Y-E-S!!!! Just as a wee bit o' warning: next chapter we're gunna see the point of view switched! That's right, now we'll see the next events through Vlad's eyes!!

Chapter 1 Chapter 2

He shook his head in disbelief, and in doing so brought him back to the realization that there was the scent of food in the air. His entire face drained as shock overcame him, a few possibilities flooded his mind at once: his parents came home early, his sister came for a visit, his friends snuck in. In any of those cases, what terrified him the most was: did they come in before he did or after?

With eyes darting around the room, wincing at the small sample of morning light, he searched for his cellphone. Finding it neatly plugged in on his desk, Danny tore the cord out of the small device and checked his calls and messages, trying to make sure that he hadn't contacted anyone in his intoxicated stupor.

Danny still felt shaken, his mind racing to figure out who was in his house at such an “early” hour. He grabbed his baseball bat – a modification of the “Fenton Anti-Creep Stick” his parents usually had hidden in their own, and Jazz's, room – and headed down the stares slowly.

Dodging the places on the floor and stairs that creaked due to the abuse of his father's size when the man traveled among the house, the boy was virtually silent until he reached the kitchen, where a gasp left his lips. Unintentionally dropping his the wooden bat at the sight of Vlad in his house, Danny struggled for words.

Vlad jumped at the sound of the bat hitting the floor, clutched his chest in one hand and the counter in the other. The violently-blue eyes darted their aghast gaze at the intrusion, mouth open a little as if to grab quick breaths due to the intrusion.

“Daniel! You- oh butter-balls, you terrified me a moment there!” he looked as shaken as the young man in the doorway of the sweetly-smelling kitchen.

“YOU? I terrified you? You're in MY kitchen!”

Vlad caught himself with a few breaths and dropped his hands down to rest on the floured counter-top, “I helped you home after your excursion Daniel, don't you recall crashing the club opening on Downy Way?”

Danny ignored the inquisition and looked Vlad over. The man was wearing the clothes of last night, though now they were much more crinkled and covered in not only the confetti-sparkles, but now flour and batter. His pants had various smeared-on hand-prints. Vlad walked barefoot on the cold tile and his ponytail was loosened.

“And I'm guessing you spent the night... to make me pancakes?”

Vlad flashed him a look, “That wasn't the plan exactly. I was going to drop you off and leave... but as soon as we pulled up, you passed out. I had to carry you to your room, and in doing so... I just believed it would've been smarter of me to ensure you were well off before taking off. I hadn't realized I myself fell asleep on your couch.”

“What happened to your driver?”

“Oh, he came in only a few minutes after I had fallen asleep, and I asked him to just leave me here,” Vlad paused a moment and poured batter onto his frying pan, “Also, I'm making crepes. Not pancakes... there's a subtle difference.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. So you spent the night and...” Danny crossed his arms as he came into the room, eyes narrowed a bit at the lights.

“And? And I intend to enjoy breakfast before thinking of leaving... How's the hangover, Little Badger?”

Danny watched as the man very skillfully flipped the paper-thin pastry over, “My head hurts a little... I'm pretty thirsty, and ugh... why am I telling you?” The boy rolled his eyes and slipped passed Vlad's mess to obtain for himself a glass for water. As he filled up the glass, his eyes centered over the scene.

His arch rival, Vlad Masters, was in the Fenton house, cooking really, really thin pancakes. He sipped his water and just watched. After several more crepes cooked and made their way from the flat pan – one Danny never really truly saw his mom ever use as an honest crepe pan – Vlad turned the stove off and began preparing the nearby strawberries.

Danny placed down his empty glass by the sink and washed his hands before scrounging around his drawers for a simple cutting knife. He took a moment to watch Vlad cut a single berry into very neat heart-shaped slices and grabbed one in order to attempt to do the same. Vlad stopped to watch the younger halfa butcher the fruit, and placed the knife on the cutting board.

“Daniel,” he placed a large hand around the raven's, stopping him from forcing the blade down the center of the fruit, “may I assist in that?”

Without looking at the man, Danny gave a huff and a small nod. He didn't understand how his strawberries were being so much more difficult than Vlade made it seem. He didn't even really want to help cut the stupid fruit, but he was trying anyway.

Once short chuckle interrupted Danny's second of internal irritation, “You're using the wrong knife...”

The handle of Vlad's knife replaced the one Danny had picked out, and the rough hand began to guide down the blade through the strawberry with experience. Though it was a bit less smooth as Danny momentarily tensed his hand when he felt the ghost-veteran take charge.

“Now, go from side to side... we're not going for chunks, but slices,” Vlad mused, and took hold of another knife from the kitchen drawer.

They cut the fruit in silence until there was just one left, and they both had their minds set on grasping it. As Vlad's hand laid on Danny's, they met eyes for an instant, and Vlad took his hand away.

“You should do the honor, the skill may come in handy later,” silver hair bowed down a little in a shallow nod to the younger boy.

Danny's eyes still fixed onto Vlad's form, even as the man began to take some of his utensils to the sink. Taking the last strawberry onto the cutting board, something finally clicked in Danny's mind.

“Where'd all the stems go?”

“I cored them before I started cooking.”

“With what?”

“A knife.”

“Oh,” Danny gathered up all of the sliced fruits and sighed, “So uh... what are you making with all the strawberries?”

Vlad had walked over to the pantry without the boy noticing and was obviously looking conflicted. The young hero could only assume it was because of all the snack food his father purchased and stashed away. Though the fruitloop seemed to have everything under control as he phased his arm to locate a jar of unopened hazelnut spread. His entire form seemed to sink a little, something troubled him.

As soon as Danny opened his mouth to ask, Vlad already had an answer, “I see your mother never opened the gifts I sent her for her birthday.”

“You mean that card-less gift basket? Yeah, who'd ever open the things in something so suspicious?” Danny said crossly, leaning on his elbows that sat behind him on the counter.

“I suppose either way she wouldn't have opened it,” shrugging off the insult to his person, the cheesehead opened the spread and began to mix the oil back into the chocolate-like substance. Once pleased, he began to delicately disperse the concoction onto the thin pastry's and place slices of strawberry about it. He folded each one over and set them on two plates until there was a total of three on each.

Vlad handed one over to Danny and stood as if the situation was awkward until Danny wandered off with his plate, sliding a pair of forks out of one of the drawers and halted. He looked back at Vlad and motioned for him to follow. Danny didn't even know why he was being so civil with the elder man, but he figured as long as Vlad didn't lace the crepes with something, then he was fine.

Besides, the crazy old fruitloop usually only showed his face to convert Danny over to “the dark side”, but seeing as how Vlad seemed just as caught of guard as himself, the young man could only assume Vlad had no plan of action.

The two made their way to the living room, where Danny simultaneously handed Vlad his spare fork and reached for the remote. Vlad nodded his thanks and watched the TV screen come to life. They both sat there, enjoying the hum of the television, and eating their meal.

Danny looked over at Vlad, two strawberries between his upper lip and his gums. He tried not to grin too much so that he could enunciate, “Guesh who ai am?”

Vlad turned his head from the TV before looking with his eyes at the boy, and upon doing so, his eyebrows furrowed down. The man also had a small smear of chocolate under his lip.

Before Vlad was able to utter a sound, Danny busted a, “I'm you!! See? Kuz... I got the fangs?” He looked very enthusiastic when he first began the punchline, but in explaining it, Danny lost a little of the shine.

Vlad's gaze lightened with an amused chuckle, “I'd never have guessed.”

Vlad seemed to settle along the couch a little more, no longer looking as tense, though Danny did the opposite. He sat up a little more, embarrassment almost showing on his face, but leaned his head to Vlad, “You... have stuff on your face.”

“It's called facial hair, Daniel, maybe you, too, will grow your own,” Vlad looked over, a smirk on his face.

“No! I'm saying it's the chocolate stuff, right... there!” Danny used his finger to wipe the man's lip, causing them both to lock eyes.

“Thank... you, I suppose,” the man nodded slightly, but held the gaze.

Danny froze a moment, but as soon as they both looked back at the TV, he mumbled, “No problem, I guess.” Sitting there in the silence, Danny instinctively licked the chocolate off of his finger, and kept eating with a brazen streak across his face.

Vlad had seen the act in the corner of his eye, but chose to change subject,“What will your plans be for today, seeing as how you have enough free time start club-hopping? Are you to invite your friends over?”

The elder man felt the burning glaze from his couch-mate and heard a huffy sigh. Danny's mind hadn't even crossed that river yet, but he didn't exactly want to delve into the thought. The pompous billionaire beside him was enough company for the moment, and as boring as the game was, he was content listening to TV chatter.

“Nothing? Yeah, that sounds pretty good,” Danny pried his eyes from the TV to eyeball the gooey mess he was navigating to his lips. Enjoying the over-sized bite with such satisfaction, he heard the clamour of applause from the game in front of him. Vlad seemed very calm, but Danny could have sworn that Vlad was some sort of football nut.

“So,” he said swallowing his food, the bright blue eyes glanced to the silver-haired gentlemen, “how does football work anyway? What are those penalties they keep mentioning?”

Vlad's face turned abruptly to the younger man, “Pardon? Are you saying your father never explained the game?”

“Uh... <b>no</b>. No he didn't, he tried... but not without a LOT of-”

“Interruptions, yes. That sounds like Jack.” The man pointed to the screen, “Okay, so the goal of the game is to get the ball past the white lines at each end of the field. Following?”

Danny nodded, “Not stupid... er... not too stupid anyway.”

“You're correct... you're very intelligent,” the deep blue eyes wandered back to Danny's. He scooted himself closer to the other halfa and leaned a bit closer as if telling the boy a dirty secret, “In order to get the ball to the goal, the offense team needs to get past defense. I won't go into more than simple terms: linebacker is the man whom initiates the passes... known by the phrase-”

“HIKE!” Danny grinned as he saw the other jump.

Rubbing the bridge of his nose for just a moment, he nodded, “Yes, Daniel. There are those whom run the ball, defenders whom protect and block the other team for the running man. The running man may drop the ball or be tackled at any of these lines,” he paused to reference the yard-lines, “but by gaining ground – being able to run to the opposite side of the field before being halted – they are able to gain easier access to the goals.”

“And... penalties?” Danny leaned closer even though he could hear the man's voice perfectly well.

Vlad reached to put his empty plate onto the table in front of them. A pleasant sigh came from the stubbled lips as the man sat back and laid an arm on the back of the couch. His foot came to rest on the top of his other knee, and he waved his hand, “Just as they sound. If there is a sign of fowl play, they throw the flag. Sometimes during the penalty will also be a time for coaches to call aside their team to discuss 'battle' plans.”

Taking the last bite of breakfast – a banana drenched in chocolate – the boy looked at the screen, the post-game show seemed to be playing. “Did I make you miss the last of the game?” he frowned a little, knowing his dad would be more easily irritable during the last few minutes.

“Oh? Oh.. it seems to have ended, I hadn't – HAaahhHH – noticed,” a yawn disrupted the villain's comment, “it wasn't any team I was rooting for anyway.”

Danny frowned when the other started leaning closer to him, “You that tired?”

Taking a sudden, deep intake of air, the other man shook his head in an effort to wake up. “I usually have coffee this time around, especially after such an eventful night,” he cupped his hands around his nose and mouth and rubbed a little.

“We're uh... fresh out, but maybe we can go get some...? I'd have to put on pants and all, and … maybe you should wash your face, you look like Edward Cullen,” the teen quipped, looking pretty amused by the glittery frame.

Vlad ignored the comment for the time being, “A walk does sound nice, as long as you're up to it as well.”

With a shrugging nod, Danny stood, took the plates and headed for the kitchen. He heard his pompous rival shuffle into the bathroom, and headed up to his room. After refreshing himself in the other bathroom, he was able to get dressed in clean clothes. They were a bit discordant as the Fenton boy needed badly to do laundry. He pulled his hoody on to hide the gaps of skin from the tank top he was uncomfortably opted to wear. Without having clean socks, the boy rummaged through his closet and threw on old sandals he wore to the beach, they still had a little sand on them, but they'd do.

Without much more delay, the two companions met each other by the door. The bags under Vlad's eyes seemed more predominate, which was probably because of the lack of sleep. When they stepped out of the house one by one, they groaned and grumbled at the painful introduction to the world around. Danny heard Vlad actually hiss as he sucked up air and threw his hands in front of his eyes.

“C'mon Fruitloop... let's get this over with,” the boy murmured disdainfully and began down the street, Vlad at his side.

It was awkward for the both of them, to be walking down the street in that manor, but neither said much of it. From time to time, the raven would look at the other, examining the top-heavy frame. The man looked uneasy in his still glittery attire, though most of it had come off.

“You made that joke because I take on a more vamipiric ghost appearance, didn't you?”

“Hey, I had an opportunity, so I took it. 'Sides, I heard you hiss, you live in a castle... and you sparkled. I know what you are,” the young man turned his head with an expression relating to a dead fish, “I know what you are... a vampire.”

Vlad laughed a little, snagging Danny's attention like a bug-zapper. The laugh was husky, breathy, but for once had no hint of malicious intent. It had taken the young man by such pleasant surprise that a tickle formed in his core and along his cheeks.

Without recognizing it, they'd made it to the cafe's corner, and Vlad had even whisked him into the aromatic building. Danny took a moment to acknowledge the change in scenery with a few excessive blinks. A gentle tap to his forehead woke him up from his stasis, dark blue eyes level with his as the taller man had bent over to be more even with the teen's height. Danny bored his eyes into the circular seas and twitched his mouth as if trying to excuse himself.

Vlad's calm voice pierced the awkward stare down, “You want something or what?”

“Ah, huh?” Danny glanced a moment at the billboard with such fancy words. Words that meant nothing but coffee, “fru fru coffee”, and "even more expensive coffee".

Seeing the lost look grow into the teen's features, the veteran halfa stood up completely and ordered for him. Danny grimaced at that, but if Vlad was paying – which it was apparent he was – he wasn't about to look the gift-horse in the mouth.

Seeing a small group of people walk in, the silver-haired billionaire felt the need to move his smaller companion out of the “stampede's” way, but hesitated placing a hand on him. Looking conflicted, Vlad's hand finally decided to pat the young man's back and pointing direction of a counter that sat out of the sun's grasp. Danny looked confused by the nature of said gesture, but joined the seat next to him without a word.

~~I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it!! Chapter 1