#Yes Vlad makes said cheese

[radiance1]

When Danny was told Vlad was coming over, he didn't care, much. After all, being told that he's lost all romantic interest in his mother, is trying to keep thoughts of murdering his father to just thoughts, and genuinely trying to be better than he was before.

Danny decided to give him at least a portion of leeway. You know, to see if he's holding up to his word.

But this, this is not it.

He dragged Vlad out of the room, shooting out an excuse that he just needed Vlad's help with something and just wanted to talk for a bit. Then brought him down to his level-via pulling on his collar- with a scowl.

"You trade my mother for that thing!?"

The thing in question, was some British guy by the name of John Constantine. Who smelled like smoke, alcohol and genuinely seemed to be questioning how exactly he ended up in this situation.

Vlad, to Danny's displeasure and increasing horror.

Is smitten.

Why did it seem that when Vlad turned good his intelligence just seemed to take a nosedive. Enough so that he settled for that and he is happy he isn't going after his mom but, like.

C'mon dude.

You can do better.

#dc x dp #dp x dc #dpxdc #dp x dc crossover #dcxdp #dc x dp crossover #Counterfit shipping #Vlad/Constantine #Danny is offended on his mom's behalf that Vlad chose Constantine over her #Meanwhile #Jack and Maddie are trying to both wingman and give a shovel talk simultaneously to Constantine in the room over #John Constantine is just confused how exactly he ended up here #He does like the large wheels of cheese that end up coming his way though #Those taste extremely good #Yes Vlad makes said cheese #Dairy King isn't his ancestor for nothing

[redflagshipwriter]

Check Yes (to go on a date with a dead guy) ch3

“So, what’s your deal?” Jason asked, when Danny’s mouth was full of food. “You’re dead, I notice.”

Danny choked. He gave Jason a betrayed look with big blue eyes, a hand clapped over his mouth to contain any mess.

Jason smirked back, unrepentant. “I died once,” he shared. “Got better though.”

“You got be-”

“You were surprised about what it’s like to fight humans,” Jason continued. It was hard not to laugh at the confused outrage on his date’s face. “So that implies you fight someone else? You’re fighting ghosts or something? Or do ghosts have some kinda natural enemy? Vampires or some shit?” He might have been a bit flippant but sue him, it sounded a lot more magical than his daily life.

Danny opened his mouth and no words came out. He looked like he was in pain when he grudgingly admitted, “I do have a lot of beef with this one vampire guy, Vlad.”

Jason threw his head back and laughed. That was such a vampire guy name, what the hell?

“No, no, it’s not funny,” Danny protested. He waved his hands wildly, flinging a bit of bean from his burrito across the roof they were perched on. “He’s also a ghost- well, he’s a half of a ghost, but that’s a long story from when he was in college.”

“The half-ghost vampire has an undergraduate degree?” Jason interrupted. He needed to know what this fucker studied. Was it like, social science? Literature? Theater? That might explain Danny’s implied belief that a theme was an inherent rogue thing. No, wait, business administration?

Danny gave him a withering look. “He’s got a Doctorate.”

Jason flung his hands up in defeat against the world. That made more sense than an undergraduate degree somehow. There was just something about the type of person who got a Doctorate that made them, you know, creeps.

‘Or maybe they’ve just got enough specialized knowledge to act on latent creepiness,’ he mused. ‘...Shit, am I developing an anti education stance? Can I blame this on Crane and Quinn?’

Danny was continuing with his explanation of the vampire’s background. Every word made it nuttier. “He’s a scientist, actually, and the mayor of a small town. And he lives in a cheese mansion.”

This was a sharp divergence from vampire stereotypes and he needed to know everything.

“Is the mansion made of cheese?” Jason interrupted. He was leaning in, intent on every word. Why was this vampire the most interesting man in the world?

He got a weird look for that. “No, it just belonged to the Dairy King,” Danny said, like it was everyday knowledge that you could expect a layperson to have.

“Of course, the Dairy King,” Jason said wisely.

"Enough about me though!" Danny flailed a bit. "How did you get my uh, number?"

Ah. Jason took a big bite to delay while he chose his words.

There was no point in trying to hide his vigilante identity from Danny. The guy probably didn't even understand the concept.

So he might as well top whatever story Danny had.

"The bat guy who taught me all about being a child soldier got grabbed by this group of loser cultists, right?" He gestured in a way that did absolutely nothing to illustrate the situation.

Danny cocked his head. "This is off to a good start."

"They tried to sacrifice him. You gotta remember him - big ugly guy, dressed in black and gray, underwear on the outside of his pants in a way that's never been cool?"

Danny didn't seem to have words, but he lifted his hands to make two ears on top of his head.

He pointed with both hands. "That's the guy," Jason agreed. "At the time, we didn't know what kind of sacrifice it was. We were thinking more along the lines of blood sacrifice?" He shrugged as if the idea of B biting it meant nothing to him.

Danny made a pffft sound of air escaping between his lips. "I tossed him back." He flailed in place. "I- isn't- wasn't that- that was a while ago," he stuttered. "I kinda forgot about him."

"...You got offered a cape, then a few weeks later a bunch of others, and you didn't make a mental connection?" Jason checked.

Danny flushed. "Time doesn't match up between the realms and anyway, I'm really busy!" He crossed his arms and accidentally knocked over his drink. "I've got a lot going on in my life. Anyway, for a ghost?" Danny blew a raspberry. "I'm sorry to break your heart, but none of you dress wild enough to stand out in the Infinite Realms. We've got robot dudes and child pirates and giant eyeballs and stuff." He gave Jason a smug look. It was cute.

Jason acted on impulse and reached out to ruffle Danny's hair. He realized what he was doing too late. His hand froze above Danny's head.

Danny tilted his face up and made an inquisitive sound.

"There was a bug." Jason pulled his hand back. What was wrong with him? He didn't go touching other people just because they were cute. "It flew off."

"...Right," Danny said. "You're being very normal." He seemed delighted by this, the little gremlin. "So. You were a child soldier too?"

Jason nearly fell off his perch.

Danny shrieked a laugh and pointed. "Ha!" He crowed. "I win! I shocked you first!"

"There wasn't a competition!" Jason lied. His face was bright red. It was too late to save face. "What do you mean too?" He demanded. "Were you a child?"

"Somewhat recently," Danny said. He gave Jason a catlike smile. "Adults come from teenagers, teenagers come from kids, kids come from babies. Do you need to know-"

"I know where babies come from." Jason cut him off. He tried to look off put at the way Danny laughed at him but fuck it, it was funny, in a dumb way. "Of course you were a kid, that was silly of me," he admitted. "Ghosts are made from humans, right?"

"Well yes, but actually no," Danny said, philosophical. "Some of us. I was. Other ghosts are made from like, vultures, or ideas."

It kinda seemed like ghost taxonomy was more complicated than he was ready to get into at the moment. Those two things were pretty fuckin disparate.

Jason sighed heavily and picked up his food again, just to have something to do with his hands.

A thought occurred. He didn't let it show on his face but he felt sick to his stomach.

Danny was dead. Danny said he'd been a child recently, and a child soldier.

Someone needed their ass kicked.

Danny: we are having such a whimsical time!

Jason: sirens screaming

#dp x dc #red check yes #dead on main

[q-gorgeous]

I've Always Wanted a Puppy

fanfiction

ao3

word count: 1332

Post AGIT. Waking up in the body of a clone was the last thing Phantom expected after being offered a second chance. But now he's finding that being half human again, and a teenager at that, is full of unexpected struggles and joys. @dp-marvel94

more words hooray

He’d always wanted a puppy. 

That was all he could think about as he laid in bed in his room. 

He’d been forced back into a teenager's body to go through puberty a third time and to think about every bad thing he’d ever done. He didn’t know why Clockwork thought he deserved another chance. 

He also didn’t understand why Vlad was the one who needed to take care of him. Why did Dan need anyone to take care of him? It’s not like he was mentally a teenager, no matter how much he looked like one now. He could take care of himself. It didn’t matter that he forgot that he needed to eat food or drink water again. Or that he should be showering. Or that he wanted to lay in bed all day.

He could take care of himself. 

Vlad kept trying to do things to cheer him up too. He’d take him to an arcade and when that didn’t work he took him to a cheese tasting. Vlad knew the separate halves when they merged but he didn’t understand who Dan had become. He was treating him like he was just the halves of two people merged together. He hadn’t been that for ten years. 

A knock sounded at his door. 

“Dan?” Vlad called. He could hear Vlad shuffle awkwardly outside his door. 

“What do you want?” Dan shouted back, turning over to his other side, facing away from the door. 

“I know you don’t like visitors, but there’s someone here to see you.”

“Tell Danny to go away.” Dan ground out. “I’m not in the mood for him to play therapist. He’s been taking too many pages from Jazz.” 

“That’s not who we have out here.” Vlad said.

Dan’s brow furrowed. Who else could be here to visit him? It couldn’t have been his parents. Or, Danny’s parents. They didn’t remember anything about him or Danny. Could it be Sam or Tucker? They never really came to visit him without Danny. He seemed to always be getting his hopes up though. 

“Who is it?” Dan called back.

“Can we come in?”

Dan paused for a moment. “Sure. I guess.”

He heard the door creak open behind him. Vlad didn’t say anything but he could feel the bed sink under some weight by his feet. 

Then he felt it.

The quick falling walk of four little feet making their way up to his head. Dan turned his head just in time to see a little black and white puppy get all up in his face. It licked all over his face, his nose, his cheeks, even inside his ear. He tried to contain his smile out of spite. He didn’t want Vlad to witness him having any emotions, but a small smile finally crept over his face. 

“Where did you get a puppy from, old man?”

“Oh, I just happened to be passing by a humane society with Danny. He’d never been able to get his own dog but he thought maybe having a little buddy would be helpful for you. Jazz has recently taken to explaining to him the benefits of having an emotional support animal.” 

“Danny picked this puppy out for me?” Dan asked, staring at the small puppy. 

“He had a little help from me.” Vlad said. “But yes. We picked him out for you. What will you name him?” 

“I get to name him?” Dan asked. He’d never had to name something before. 

“Yes. He’s yours.” Vlad smiled at him. 

What name could he give? What name would fit him? He didn’t know. How did he know if he’d pick the right name? 

Dan spent a few moments thinking, waiting for it to come to him. 

“I think I’ll name him shadow.” Dan said. 

Vlad nodded. “A good name.”

Vlad stood up and gestured for Dan to follow him. “Let’s go to the pet store and pick some stuff out for him. He’ll need some toys and a bed.”

Dan scratched Shadow behind the ear and watched as he leaned into his hand. After a moment he sat up and got out of bed, taking Shadow with him. 

“Can we take him with us?” Dan asked as he caught up with Vlad. “Maybe he can pick out his own toys that way.”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” Vlad said as he walked with his arms held behind his back. “That way we can get an idea of what he likes at the store instead of buying something he might not like and bringing it home.” 

Dan nodded. He followed Vlad to the living room and Vlad picked up a collar and leash. They got Shadow all suited up and ready to go and then they were out the door. 

The ride to the pet store was quick and when they got there, Dan made a beeline towards the dog toys, Shadow walking close behind him on the floor. 

“How many toys can we get?” Dan called over his shoulder.

“As many as he wants. We’ve got the funds for it.”

Dan rolled his eyes. Yeah, of course they did. He was a millionaire. 

They went through the toy aisles and Dan tried many different toys with Shadow. He found out that Shadow didn’t like the rope tug a war toys but he did like playing tug a war with other toys. He liked chasing after balls but he didn’t seem big on certain chewy toys. Dan found one last crinkly toy that Shadow went crazy for and threw it in Vlad’s arms with the rest of them.

Vlad dropped one and Dan looked up at him.

“I’ll go get a cart.” He shot a thumb over his shoulder.

“I think that’d be a splendid idea.” Vlad said as he juggled the toys, instead settling on setting them on the shelf for the time being. “I’ll take Shadow’s leash until you come back.”

“Okay.” Dan passed Vlad the leash and headed towards the front where the carts were. He turned out of the aisle and ran straight into someone. 

“Watch where you’re going Fen-dweeb.” 

Dan scrunched his face up at the impact. That voice was familiar. He hadn’t heard it in such a long time he was shocked that he remembered the sound. He opened his eyes and looked up. It was Dash Baxter.

“Uh. I’m not Fenton.” Dan frowned at him.

“Oh yeah?” Dash leaned down and mocked him. “And I’m Albert Einstein.”

“No, really. I’m, uh, Danny’s cousin. Yeah. Dan. Dan Masters.”

Dash squinted at him, studying him hard. “Why do you look so much like him? It’s like that bug and cat show.”

“What?” Dan shot him a confused look but Dash just shrugged and walked away. 

“Probably still a dweeb, though.”

Dan’s eyebrows drew down and he could feel his eyes glowing a vivid red. He was about to call an ecto-blast to his fists when a hand landed on his shoulder.

He turned and looked up sharply just to find Vlad staring at him.

“Getting into fights with other teenagers, are we?” He asked disapprovingly.

“No.” Dan said, crossing his arms. “Not yet anyways.”

Shadow yipped at him, standing up on his hind legs with his front paw resting on Dan’s leg.

He smiled. “I’ll go get that cart.”

Together they piled their toys into the cart and went to pick out a bed for Shadow. He seemed to like the biggest bed best. Vlad tried to say maybe a smaller bed would be better because Shadow would not grow up to be a big dog. But Dan wanted to give this little puppy anything he wanted.

They got the big bed. 

After getting some food, they packed everything into the car and headed home.

That night, Dan played with Shadow until he tuckered him out. Shadow crawled on top of Dan on the couch and curled up on his chest. Dan petted him until he too fell asleep. 

#gorgi writes #danny phantom #dan phantom #vlad masters #phic phight 2024 #fanfiction #fanfic #fic #phic

[thatmiraclecupcake]

Little things I liked/thought were funny/want to yell into the void about (but not in a bad way) in the first Nicktoons Untie game and only the first one because it's the only one I've actually played part of and I'm biased. SPOILERS ABOUND!

Sandy unironically making Patrick a spy

Patrick immediately blows his cover and gets captured

the whole bit before and after Plankton's boss fight about his mother

the video call from Calamatus where Plankton and Vlad have to finish his sentences

the fact that said call doesn't have Crocker in it+the camera movements being janky like a person was holding it as opposed to a robot, so one could infer that Crocker was holding the camera for the Big Plan Reveal To The Heroes TM

Timmy calling Spongebob a piece of cheese

Goddard has fleas. this is an integral part of the plot

"Well this is the craziest thing I've seen since....well, since last Tuesday." Spongebob. Spongebob what happened buddy. What happened. What did you do.

Spongebob's little scared jump animation in some of the cutscenes where his eyes bulge out of his face like a looney tune

"Great things come in small packages-just ask Wanda!" COSMO WHAT THE FUCK

The fact that Cosmo and Wanda can be out and visible and shit, like the Secret Fairy Godparents are no longer secret to anybody here. Crocker can fucking see them.

I get the angst of people making like. fanfics and whatnot of Timmy losing his fairies and forgetting the other nicktoons. I GET it. but like. honestly. I think he'd be fine.

I just think Jorgen would let Timmy keep his fairies even outside of the whole crossover spinoff games because like. How many fucking times have they had to save the world. From something Timmy didn't make to begin with. Anyways

The Doomsday Device has four comically large wall plugs, which are probably color coded to each of the members for each world being siphoned

Calamatus' stupid little fucking dance while the boys try to scramble and stop the device. Seriously. Look up a cutscene video and watch his little stupid fucking dance.

Spongebob saves the day by unplugging the comically large plugs

Jimmy, after being given a Fenton thermos by Danny: Wait Vlad's not in here is he O-O

Spongebob would have to owe Mr Krabs money for saving the world, the Krusty Krab, and Mr Krabs himself on company time, even though the opening cutscene suggests that Spongebob was off today because his first idea of what to do that day was go visit Patrick.

Everybody talks about Jimmy and Timmy dating, Danny and Spongebob being besties, and the different roles each person plays in the squad's general relationship dynamics, but I wanna know what those Middle-Aged Scientifically-Minded GOOBERS known as the Syndicate had going on while they weren't getting their asses kicked

I'm not even talking about shipping I just want to know what those conversations were like.

Like. Plankton wants a sandwich recipe. His key to ruling Bikini Bottom is a really good burger, but the others might not understand that Krabby Patties are the glue of Bikini Bottom society and therefore an important political piece. How does this fact play off the other villains

Vlad and Plankton seem comfortable finishing Calamatus' sentences for him already and don't really seem annoyed so they must be at least a little friendly with him

Vlad's little run into the portal after his boss fight is actually pretty well done considering the rest of the jank in the animations

Spongebob lets himself be sprayed down in (what is to him) a mystery substance made by a stranger

ASS FIRST MIGHT I ADD

Jimmy's solution to the gang breathing in Bikini Bottom is chewing gum

"Spongebob, your birthday's not for another month"

Jenny XJ-9 should have fucking been there. She had existed for 2 years. My Life as a Teenage Robot had only ended like 2 months before the first Nicktoons Unite game first released in 2005

Yes it was 2005

Look there's 2 cartoons made by Bitch Hartman in this game. Nice of them to add Tak and Zim and Dib and whatnot but I think Jenny would have done well with the others in the first game.

ALSO BECAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH GIRLS!!!!!!! WE NEED MORE GIRLS!!!! SANDY AND SAM AND WANDA AND CINDY ARE NOT ENOUGH!!!!

And!!! AND!!!! Who would be more willing to rule multiple worlds than the fucking CLUSTER???

would've also added like. another world/hour to the game. could be nice for a remake. hint hint wink wink nudge nudge

#nicktoons unite #the fairly oddparents #spongebob squarepants #danny phantom #jimmy neutron #my life as a teenage robot #cupcake yells at cloud more at 11

[yanderepuck]

6 more days~

Prompt: Wedding Planning (fluff)

You have been planning this for months now. You finally have the colors picked out, the theme, the food you're going to have. Everything needs to be perfect.

Faust keeps saying to just have your wedding at the church but you don't want that. Nor do you want Faust to marry the two of you. Plus you think Charles would rather have him as his best man.

When you announced your engagement, Vlad and Comte started arguing about who would give you away.

All of the guys at the mansion are trying to help you with planning, either it's making the food, or making the cake. You don't want them to be a part of the wedding, you just want them to enjoy and not stress about it, which would be easier if you weren't so stressed.

You and Charles picked the date a few months back, and you only have a few months to get everything together, which is why you both are going to go test cake today.

You walk through town holding hands, walking to one of your favorite bakeries. Charles talked to them a few days ago asking if they would do your wedding cake and they said they would make a few samples for you two to try.

"What kind of cake were you thinking of having?"

"Whatever kind you like," he smiles

You playfully give him a push. "Noo. Really. Did you want a normal cake or something flavored. I don't want you to say you like it just because I do."

He gives it a thought. "I don't want chocolate. It's very dry to me."

You nod and think. "I don't want pistachio."

"Pistachio? Like the nut? I wouldn't want that either," he makes a sour face, making you laugh.

"Having a bunch of flowers on it would be so pretty, don't you think?" You were thinking about having a bunch of flowers made of icing all over the cake, all in the colors you two chose.

"Flowers? How would- oh! You mean made of icing."

"Yes, silly," you kiss his cheek and in a few minutes you are at the bakery.

The owner brings out a tray of small sample sizes of cake along with different kinds of icings and fillings.

Charles picks up a fork and goes to try one of the pieces while you do the same, but he redirects his hand and the fork goes into your mouth.

You were surprised but ate it anyway, and fed him with your fork.

After trying them all you move to the fillings and the icings.

"What if we do a lemon cake with a raspberry filling," Charles offers.

You both really liked the idea of fruit filling between a buttercream.

"I don't know about lemon. I liked the red velvet but I don't want a cream cheese icing," you pout and lick the rest of the icing off your fork. "What if everyone else doesn't like lemon?"

Charles chuckles, he had a feeling that's why you didn't want to go with it. "But it's our cake. That just means there's more for us."

He uses his thumb to wipe a crumb off the side of your mouth.

You look back at what your options were. No chocolate. Vanilla is too plain. You don't want raspberry or strawberry since your filling is already raspberry.

"Lemon it is!" You face lights up, excited to already get the cake you have imagined in your head.

You talk with the baker explaining what you want it to look like. This is definitely a lot of cake for the small guest list that you have, but it's going to look so beautiful.

After being in there for an hour you two finally leave.

"Where to now mon amour?"

"I don't know about you, but I get to go try on dresses," you smile. You know Comte is willing to spend any amount of money for your wedding dress.

He gives you his puppy dog pout. "Does that mean I can't come?"

"You don't get to see it until our wedding day," you poke his nose and smile. "Why don't we meet up later for dinner. I'll meet you at the park in a few hours?"

"If I must go a few hours without your beautiful face then I guess I must," he kisses your lips. "Whatever you pick I'm sure it will be beautiful."

You kiss him back. "I love you," you finally let go of.his hands and start walking.

"I love you more~"

"I love you the most," you giggle and rush off to the bridal shop.

#ikevamp #ikemen vampire #ikevamp charles #charles route release campaign

[aprocessionofthoughts]

Masquerade

ectoberweek23 day 29- masquerade TW- none summary- It's time for Casper's annual musical

ao3 masterlist

Phantom of the opera au

The Phantom-Danny Christine Daae-Sam Raoul, Vicomte de Changy-Kwan Carlotta Giudicelli-Paulina Meg- Valerie Vlad- director Wes-stage manager

Sam ran through her lines again and practiced her solos. If this show went well she could get college scholarships. She just had to make sure to nail down the part. 

Valerie knocked on the dressing room door. “Wes is calling for everyone onstage.”

Sam rolled her eyes. “How did he even get the role of stage manager?”

Val shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. Though he’s better than Vlad.”

Sam wrinkled her nose. “It still doesn’t make sense why the principal is our director. He wasn’t even involved in the drama department before now.”

“At least we have a director, after Mrs. Elmary left, I didn't know if there would still be a program.”

“Hmm. Well, we better get on stage before Wes starts yelling like he did last week.”

As they got on stage, Paulina glared at Sam for a moment before turning away.

“She still mad at you?” Val whispered. “Yeah.”

“It’s not your fault, she was too much of a drama queen to accept the part.”

“Well, she wanted the part; she just didn’t want Kwan to be Raoul. She wanted the part to go to Dash.”

“But he’s not even that good of an actor.”

Sam shrugged. “I’ll just be glad when it’s over and i don’t have to deal with her ‘accidentally’ bumping into me backstage anymore.”

“Quiet everyone!” Wes called. “Please focus your attention on our incredible director.”

“Thank you, Wes.” Vlad said. “As you all know, tonight is opening night. You have all worked very hard and I am sure you will put on a wonderful show. But don’t forget that you still need to work for this. You’ve put in too much effort to slack off now. Remember to be quiet backstage, and Paulina please don’t walk center stage during the Masquerade scene. We want the focus to be on Sam.” Paulina huffed. “Okay, We’ve got an hour before the house opens so everyone get backstage and finish your final preparations. Break a leg everyone.”

They moved backstage and Sam took a seat at one of the couches in the green room. 

Tucker came up and sat next to her.

“Shouldn’t you be in the lighting booth?”

“Nah, i’ve still got time. Besides,” he reached over to the side table and grabbed some of the cheese and crackers from the snack tray. “There’s no food allowed up there.”

They sat in silence for a moment before he continued. “You ready?”

“I think so. Yes. I’ve got this.”

Tucker smiled at her. “I’m sure you’ll do great.”

Sam scowled. “Of course I will. You just better do your part right.”

Tucker laughed. “There’s the Sam I know. Not afraid of anything. Though,” Tucker fidgeted nervously. “You’re not afraid of the ghost?”

“Ghosts aren’t real, Tucker.”

“Well how else would you explain all the things that have been going wrong? And there’s been threats! Do you really believe that James falling from the catwalk was just an accident? And there’s always been rumors…”

“You know James likes to mess around, he probably just wasn't careful. And he’ll be fine. He just broke his leg.”

“But what about the threats?”

“I’m pretty sure those are just Blad trying to get more publicity.”

“Wes believes them.”

Sam rolled her eyes. “Wes will believe anything.”

Tucker slouched. “True.”

“Trust me, everything will be fine.”

“I guess.”

“Thirty minutes!” called one of the assistant stage managers.

“Thank thirty!” Everyone chorused. 

“I guess I better get to the lighting booth.

“See you after the show.”

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

It was nearing intermission and so far everything was going smoothly. Tucker supposed that Sam had been right. He cracked his knuckles as he prepared for the Masquerade scene which had a series of several quick light changes.

He hit them all with little difficulty. 

He went to the next lighting cue as Sam and Kwan started dancing center stage. He was about to go to the next one when all of the lights went out.

There were some screams from the audience and Tucker cursed as he tried to figure out what had happened.

Then something near the ceiling of the theatre started glowing. It looked like a person. Their face was indistinct. Tucker stared, frozen where he stood.

Then the glowing figure dove down toward the stage, the figure’s glow being the only thing shedding any light in the dark theatre.. There were more screams and actors tried to scramble off stage, but in the chaos most of them ended up tripping over each other. Sam had backed away, but her foot had caught on her dress and she’d fallen.

The figure, the ghost, dove down toad Sam and as soon as it touched her it disappeared, plunging everythinginto darkness 

A moment later teh stage lights came back on.

The ghost was gone. 

And so was Sam.

#ectoberweek #ectober 2023 #ectoberweek2023 #day 29 #masquerade #phantom of the opera au #Danny phantom #Valerie gray #sam manson #tucker foley #vlad masters #wes weston #Wesley weston #Danny fenton #fanfic

[ei-w]

how not to participate in sprints in the middle of the night/early dawn, because at the end, you'll end up typing down a whole short fic...

pre-Kindred Spirit setting; words: <1k; tw: gun

-- -- --

"Are you aware that there is a teen roaming around in your mansion?" Skulker asked.

Naturally he didn't bother to take unnecessary questions, especially regarding any (for him at least) inexplicable and strange human habits and behaviours he couldn't get about the man or about the daily activities, but it buzzed him annoyingly in the past minutes. He couldn't take it any longer without asking about it.

The older hybrid, without lifting his grey head from the adjusting on the computer and implementing the small card, answered. "Yes, I'm aware. Don't care with her."

Skulker examined him, his 'boss' and indeed it seemed like the unfamiliar kid did not deserve any further note, but he couldn't hold back the inquiry. Besides, he had never seen any human child before in the house - or any at all, or, in fact, any other beings, except when the owner of the house wished like that.

"Relative?" Skulker asked. "Your sister's?"

Vlad for a second glanced up from the doing, probably surprised that his employer was updated with the family lines.

"Cecilie's?" The hybrid asked, returning back to the analyses then while hitting eagerly the keyboard in front of him. "No. And I said not to care with her."

Skulker hummed which made Vlad slightly lift his head. But then, the comment got ignored.

After a few silent minutes, when tormentingly only the clicking was heard, Skulker had enough in the usual waiting ��� until he would get back the card for his suit.

"Is this normal for human children to play hide and seek with guns?" He asked, wonderingly.

The clicking stopped and finally the part-ghost completely looked at him. "What?!"

In a blink of an eye, in a literal flash, the man changed form and phrased through the walls. Skulker invisibly followed him – knowing that even though his presence was constant, the owner of the house did not like him appearing in any rooms beyond the basement.

For a second, Skulker lost sight of the older hybrid but then a chiding hit his metallic ears.

"Cheese logs, child! Where did you get that?"

The young kid stopped running in the middle of the hallway and whirled around just to meet with a just transformed back man with crossed arms.

"Hm?" Vlad glared at the weapon in the small pale hand. "Danielle, that's not a toy."

Skulker made a mental note over the familiar surname. Danielle? The girl was seriously called Danielle? Like… like as Plasmius kept referring to the Ghost Boy? It didn't feel like a coincidence… And maybe it wasn't.

"Well?" Vlad his head to the side seriously,  scowling, expecting an acceptable reason for the misbehaving.

The girl dropped her arm to her side, hiding the gun behind her back but then snapped with her tongue, waving enthusiastically.

"I was only checking around to find some dangerous bad guys! That's the mission of the spies and Maddie – I mean, M – told me to make sure our home is safe and–"

Vlad's palm harshly hit his face and soon he pinched his nose, massaging the bridge of it. Of course, she had to cause trouble with the pet again. Not that he wouldn't have been troubled enough earlier with the scratches on furniture! Now, the problems multiplied with the two of them 'playing around'…

"I see. I shouldn't have let you watch those old DVDs. I should have known your brain is undeveloped yet capable of differing reality from fantasy. But what did I expect? You are a toddler, after all," Vlad sighed and reached ahead his hand. "Give me that gun, Danielle. You can't run around with that, you'll hurt someone. And the least I want is to shoot me in your carelessness."

The girl pouted, moving as it was told but then paused. Her forehead furrowed in confusion. "But… but we are ghosts. We can't get hurt."

"Maybe you can't. But, if you don't mind, dear, I don't wish to learn the difference within our biology by a shot hole in my body, thank you very much. Now, the gun, Danielle," Vlad said, voice stern.

The kid's lips shaped into a thin line when she handed the weapon. Then, as if disappointed in the child, Vlad shook his head.

Apologetically, while staring at her feet, down, Danielle mumbled ahead. "Sorry, Daddy."

Skulker could not hear or follow the rest of the conversation within the two figures, his mind suddenly filled with the dropped label: 'Daddy'. Plasmius had– had a daughter?!

His visits (and claimings for the most recent updates on his metal suit) were frequent, but Skulker was sure the older ghost hybrid had no child a week ago. (Vlad, surely, would have mentioned that.) But beyond doubt, there was one now. A ten, maybe twelve year old human – no, not human. She said 'ghosts', she had to be a similar hybrid then, like Plasmius was, but… How?! From… where?

The girl vibed an odd, near-to uncomfortable aura, in something not natural and he had to know why.

But as the man's words slipped into Skulker's mind – Vlad telling the kid he had business issues to arrange and until then she had to promise to behave – he had to come to see to save this mystery to unfold for a later time.

Skulker knew he couldn't ask Plasmius about this – not yet, at least. But soon, he would get to know everything about this Danielle and the reason why the teen had an eerie similarity in her features to one certain Ghost Boy…

#danny phantom #dp fanfic #vlad masters #vlad plasmius #dani phantom #danielle phantom #skulker

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #14

I finally did it. I decided to try to make Korean-style garlic bread!

…Well, sorta, anyway. I am not so much a fan of sugar (blasphemous, I know!), so I made a few substitutions. But the spirit of the item is the same! Here's how it turned out:

I said I would make some garlic bread for ya, and I meant it, so there you go! The fact that I cannot share it with you still hasn't changed (because obviously), so instead I am sharing it with the people in my immediate vicinity. I'll tell you how I did it, though; maybe something good will happen as a result.

You start with 6 medium-ish rolls. You cut 'em into sections and stick 'em in a baking dish lined with parchment paper. You put the parchment paper on so that stuff doesn't stick. Check it out:

You're supposed to fill the spaces with a garlic butter paste. It's supposed to be made of butter, sweetened condensed milk, heavy cream, a few tablespoons of minced garlic, some minced parsley, an egg, and a pinch of salt. So... there's where I made some substitutions. Sweetened condensed milk didn't seem like it would be pleasant for my body's sensory hardware in this specific context, so I used that mascarpone cheese I mentioned in my last letter instead. And then, instead of using only a few tablespoons of minced garlic, I went ahead and used an entire head of minced garlic (because I'm no coward, haha!). Here's what the gathered ingredients look like:

I do not want garlic bread. I want GARLIC!!!!!!! bread. I want Vlad Dracula himself to be absolutely TERRIFIED of being anywhere near where I am breathing!! Bahahahaha! ...Oh wait. Do you know who that guy is? I don't know if you got vampire lore over there. Uh. Well, Dracula is a famous character who is a vampire. Vampires are supposedly deathly allergic to garlic for some reason. Anyway! So you mix together all those things and it's supposed to look like this:

Then you use it to fill in the cut spaces of the rolls, like so:

The next step is to make the cream cheese filling. The recipe calls for cream cheese and sugar, but I swapped out the sugar for some parmesan cheese and garlic powder! Then you divide it into 6 equal sections, and stick it into the middle of the cut rolls. Like this:

After that, you add embellishments! I put on shredded mozzarella cheese, and then sprinkled more parmesan cheese and garlic powder on top of it! Here's the result; I zoomed in a bit so you can see the details:

From here, you just pop it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for a while until the cheese gets all melty and golden brown! This is the result:

You might guess that my kitchen smells utterly amazing right now, and you would be absolutely correct! You would also be correct if you were to assume that it tastes as wonderful as it smells! Though I suspect that a human with more normal levels of garlic tolerance (i.e. NOT me! hahaha!) should probably use significantly less garlic than I did!! Ahahahahaha! ...And yes, I can confirm that after eating just one of these, a vampire would be in VERY big trouble if I so much as breathed in its general vicinity, hahahaha! If it were possible to invite Mr. Dracula to my house for tea and cookies (it's not, because he's just a fairytale), I would probably have to wait for several days after making this first so that he doesn't get a violently allergic reaction! Still just trying to keep busy. Trying to keep the beast that I spoke on before at bay. I've actually got a song for you that is relevant to this. Here:

-------------- Run, run, don't trail behind, keep moving; the beast won't stop 'til we're dead. All the scrapes on our knees will tell you where we've been, where we have bled. Oh we play... ..in autumn days... Won't lay down our heads 'til the day is won. Won't stop running 'til we reach the sun. Chasing all the things that are keeping us young. We won't stop running 'til we reach the sun. Oh, we're building a home with the mud and the stones and the branches we bind. We're all just searching for something bigger than we're all able to find. Oh we play... ..in autumn days... Won't lay down our heads 'til the day is won. Won't stop running 'til we reach the sun. Chasing all the things that are keeping us young. We won't stop running 'til we reach the sun.

We are all creatures of the sunlight. We're all children of the day. We're just chasing what we can't ever get, ever have... Won't lay down our heads until the day is won. Won't stop running 'til we reach the sun. Chasing all the things that are keeping us young. We won't stop running 'til we reach the sun.

All the scrapes on our knees will tell you where we've been, where we have bled... -------------- Remember that you, too, are a child of the sunlight. Please know that you can build for yourself a safe and loving home. Please keep your face turned towards the light, keep running for the sun. And when you fall and scrape your knees while going towards all the places you'll be, I hope you'll tell us about it so that we can respond to your bleeding with comfort and bandages. You are loved. Please stay safe, if for no reason other than there is garlic bread and people who would make it for you. Your friend, Lumine

#sephiroth #ThankYouFFVIIDevs #ThankYouFF7Devs #ThankYouSephiroth #final fantasy vii #final fantasy 7 #ff7 #ffvii #final fantasy vii crisis core #final fantasy 7 crisis core #final fantasy crisis core #ffvii crisis core #ff7 crisis core #crisis core #ff7r #final fantasy vii remake #final fantasy 7 remake #ffvii remake #ff7 remake #final fantasy vii rebirth #final fantasy 7 rebirth #ffvii rebirth #ff7 rebirth #final fantasy 7 ever crisis #ffvii ever crisis #ff7 ever crisis #ffvii first soldier #garlic bread #garlic is love #wholesome

[dannyphantom-justiceleauge]

1/2 I just had a random thought that went into a bit of a tangent. One where Superman & Kryptonians in-general are allergic to cardamom. I have no idea where it came from, but it got me thinking that it would only get a mild reaction, getting in their noses like pepper does us, causing sniffles & a mild rash. Then, I was like, they probably have a reaction to magical plants too. However, the reaction varies depending on not only the individual but the plant too.

2/2 But it works like the magic plants are more effective on them, so a magically toxic plant would be more toxic to them & a magically healing plant would heal more effectively. I then thought to myself that they'd be severely allergic to kryptonium because my brain jumped to the idea that kryptonite is a compound of kryptonium & ectoranium & the kryptonium in the crystals are what allows kryptonite to affect them.

~ ~ ~

i've seen talks about kryptonium and ectoranium being the same material. to me that does make a level of sense. kryptonium is the radioactive remains of a dead planet, it could very well have a ghostly effect.

i also just personally think it would be funny if kryptonians and ghosts had similar immune systems. just in a general sense it makes sense for someone from a different planet to have more immune reactions to our plants and animals. caffeine is literally technically a poison that humans adapted to. aliens would not have that adaption unless their planet had an equivalent. i'm mentally applying this to all aliens, not just the kryptonians. i could see j'on and m'gann having extremely sensitive stomachs. no milk, no caffeine, no spicy food. some aliens even have a thing against citrus. i could also see a few of the aliens being as stubborn as our human ancestors and putting up with the discomfort because ice cream is good. this is why m'gann continues to bake and eat cookies. it tingles so good.

ironically, conner being part human due to the nature of his cloning process, inherited the adaptions and can eat anything a human can. yes, he absolutely gloats at sups. danny likely has a similar thing. ghosts and human food don't mix, even the lunch lady didn't eat anything so much as control the food and try to feed others. but danny has a human stomach and he's gonna use it. we already know vlad isn't lactose intolerant what with the cheese castle.

but that's just the food allergies. in terms of plant allergies, again it depends on the immune system and childhood exposure. in this sense clark actually has an advantage having grown up on a farm. he would have been exposed to many allergens and his system would have the opportunity to get used to them. in that sense conner, being lab grown, is the opposite so he may have severe pollen allergies. m'gan would have less allergies than j'onn but still get em pretty bad. ghosts, mostly being formerly human and having a similar ecosystem with ghost plants, are fine about plant allergies.

but magical plants, now that's where it gets interesting. because those are rare. therefore no one's body has a chance to get used to it. i assume you were specifically thinking about blood blossoms when writing this, and yes i can definitely see the aliens having as severe of a reaction to them as the ghosts. i'm also reminded of the ghost nip concept and think it's too funny not to include as well. clark getting high on chamomile is comedy gold waiting to happen and i need it. i don't know exactly what makes a plant magic compared to anything else. probably some kind of compound, like you said. but ghosts and aliens being equally threatened by these plants has a lot of story potential as well.

i could see the magical enemies the league has, pulling out the stops and downing 5 (including danny) of the most powerful team members with one plant. it could really effect the course of a fight. also presents the opportunity for sick fics. the team try to find a cure for magical plant poisoning, while clark and danny lay dying together in the medbay. and again high clark sounds hilarious.

it's also just kind of convenient as a story tool. if the fight is too easily ended by danny and clark being op, you could keep the fight going by having a substance neither of them can get near. leaves the fight in the hands of less op characters and means we can watch them shine. good ask, buddy, i really like this - Hestia

#dpjl #danny phantom #superman #hestiawrites #justiceleague #allergies

[readerinsertfanfiction]

Baking Shenanigans

Fandom: Ikemen Vampire

Characters: Vlad, Charles Henri Sanson & Johann Georg Faust 

Prompt: In lieu to the baking shenanigans of yesterday. Starring @silhouette-of-a-dream​ as Vlad, @nad-zeta​ as Charles and well, me as Faust. What can go wrong if you put those in the kitchen, right? See it as a thank you gift for yesterday and yet another Crack!fic! 

Warnings: mentions of food.

Word count: +1k

“I’m not beating eggs.” The statement came so bluntly that the redhead had to blink a few times, his smile dimming ever so lightly before he found it back once more, the face blooming into an even brighter one.

“That’s alright, we can find something!” Charles promised, happy already that he had managed to convince the ever so stoic Faust to join in with baking, though Vlad knew that secretly Faust had been hoping to make something simple to give to the orphans that visited him daily.

“So, what do we want to bake?” came the next question, and Charles was once more bouncing off towards the rows of recipe books he had pulled, eyes eagerly going past the collection he had acquired from you from the modern day. All these potential sweets he didn’t know yet, and could share!

To this both men remained an answer guilty as Faust and Vlad gave each other a look, unsure of how to answer and what to say. “Something with strawberries,” Vlad said whilst Faust had shrugged his shoulders, indicating that he didn’t care as long as he didn’t have to beat the eggs.

To this Charles’s smile widened, his hands clasping together as he nodded in determination. “[Name] said they wanted to make brownies! And there is also a cheesecake recipe we can try with strawberries!” He proposed, and both Faust and Vlad agreed to the sound of the desserts, not really seeing much opposition to it other than that it sounded foreign to them.

But when Charles reviewed the recipes again, discussing it with you somewhat he realised a rather grave mistake, his lips puckering up as he wondered how he was going to amend this one.

It would be fine, right? He bought the strawberries, he got the flour and cocoa and even some fine chocolate. Accompanied by you Charles had everything gathered together to start the baking event in Vlad’s castle, gathering the rest of the members together in the kitchen.

“Okay,” you had clasped your hands together, deciding to lead the operation as the one who had the most experience with the delicacies they were going to put out today. “Vlad cuts the chocolate and melts it into the cream, Charles washes the strawberries and watches over the recipe and Faust can…”

In here Charles gently nudged you, his head shaking a little as he quickly flashed you a smile. It earned the suspicion from the man himself whose eyes narrowed as Charles sheepishly tried to look away.

“We’re starting with the brownies, since they need to cool!” Charles announced instead, deftly dancing around Faust’s questioning stare as he pulled you along to bring everything they needed to the counter. “And for that we need to start with 100 grams of sugar to every egg we add and beat it!”

The silence that came after the explanation was one that Charles had been expecting, the cold and calculating stare coming from the single vampire that hadn’t been assigned a task yet in the kitchen as he bore down the other man that was still dancing around the subject.

“It is a very quick job, five minutes tops!” he promised Faust, whose expression turned darker as he was handed a bowl and five eggs with a pile of sugar.

“Better work those arms for the gains!” you chimed in cheerfully, catching onto the problem with an annoyingly chipper smile that Faust knew he had lost against as soon as the rest started to work. Even Vlad had gently turned away to get to his own task, the chocolate cut into neat chunks that darkened the white cream they started with.

“Is this fine?” Faust had questioned after a minute, the eggs still a sludgy yellow at which both Charles and you frowned, heads shaking in disapproval.

“Needs some more time,” came the dreadful words to which Faust rolled his eyes, the whisk going through the eggs once more as he tried to beat in the volume.

“You know, this would go faster if you tip the bowl a little, less surface area,” Charles tried to chime in, but the look in Faust’s eyes told the other to shut up and not interfere lest the eggs were going into his hair.

And this was why Charles had been hesitant in telling Faust about the grave mistake he had forgotten to check upon. A detail that he would come to regret later when it came to the cream cheese to be beaten.

“Whisking, again?” Faust had nearly growled when he was handed the cream cheese. Charles could only smile guiltily as you were trying to prevent Vlad from finishing all of the strawberries on his own before the decoration could happen.

“Just soften it up!” he had told the man, who rolled his eyes as he stared at the smaller bowls next to it, containing the lemon juice and the other additions to be added.

“And this goes in?” Faust questioned, having given up on the arguing part as Charles eagerly nodded, already glad that the other had stopped fighting him at every turn and accepted his fate and duty in the kitchen.

“Yes, but you probably want to start with---”

Before the male could finish Faust had poured each and every bowl into the cream cheese, all at once without any regard for order or portions. “Too late,” was the deadpan dry remark from the man who eyed the redhead with a look of: ‘and now?’

However, if Charles ever let himself be beaten by that he didn’t let it show now, his smile recovering once more as he shook his head. “That’s fine! It is about the taste, right?” he beamed and left Faust to his own devices with the whisking of the cream cheese while he went to beat the cream.

Another grave mistake. For when it came down to the combining of the ingredients he found the emulsion to be rather… thin.

“You probably need to beat it more,” you offered, a frown crossing your face as you stared into the mixture Charles held in hands. Vlad and Faust stood across in the kitchen, both watching the both of you in idle manner.

“We have been beating it for a while, I think we should just let it firm up in the fridge?” Charles tried, a worried expression in his eyes as his eyes went over the small cups that he had handed Faust earlier and seen pouring in.

“The ratios should have been fine,” he mumbled, and you pursed your lips as well, mystified at the why of the emulsion not thickening up.

To this Faust chuckled, his glasses pushed up his nose once more as he had an admission to make;

“I added in another half a lemon of lemon juice after tasting it,” came the admission, and both Charles and you perked up at that, eyes widening as you gave each other a look, an understanding landing.

“Should I have mentioned that?” The man continued to question, though nothing in his demeanour showed that he felt guilty over the addition of extra lemon juice and the possibility of ruining the recipe whilst Vlad stood grinning at the side, unable to hide away the smile.

“Heck yeah!” came your response, as Charles just regretted the whole ordeal of asking Faust to beat anything at all, a mental note made in the back of his mind to never ask the man again to whisk.

#ikemen vampire #ikevamp #ikevam #ikevam faust #ikevam vlad #ikevam charles #ikevamp charles #ikevamp vlad #ikevamp faust #ikemen vampire vlad #ikemen vampire charles #ikemen vampire faust

[dp-marvel94]

I am you (and you are me)

For Invisobang 2021. Art by @bibliophilea

On AO3 and Fanfiction.net

Summary: Set post Kindred Spirits. Something has been different since Danny came back from Vlad's and it started when the older half ghost had the tiny clone overshadow him. The half ghost remembers: His own screams. A pain in his inmost being, in his core. A tug back and forth. Being squeezed. A crash, a collision. And then... the blackness of death.

Danny comes back from the experience changed, with the memories of two lives stuffed in his head and new powers. The fire powers are pretty cool but shrinking, often involuntarily, makes him feel weak and vulnerable. All of it, the powers and memories, terrify him as he learns what they mean. And the thought of telling his loved ones...How can the half ghost hope that Jazz, Sam, and Tucker will understand and accept him now when he himself cannot?

Warnings and Tags: Self harm, Identity confusion, Self-Hatred, Ectoplasm and melting clones related gore, Clone Angst, Nightmares, Memory Issues, Involuntary Shrinking. Panic Attacks, Frostbite is Danny’s Icedad.  Evil Vlad Masters, Bad Parent Vlad Masters, Split Danny, Ghost Catcher, Hurt/Comfort, Eventual acceptance (by Danny and by his loved ones). Sibling Bonding, Friendship, Danny finally gets a hug.

Note: Welcome to my Invisobang fic! This is a semi-sequel to my story "Nothing and Everything." It's set directly after that story, though assuming an alternative ending. It is not necessary to read the older story to understand this one. All you need to know is, it deals with the aftermath of Danny being overshadowed by one of the clone's in Kindred Spirits and the emotional impact of the experience.

All that being said, big thanks to my amazing artist @bibliophilea for the amazing comic, and for beta reading! Thanks to @welcome-tothe-mystery-shack  for your comments and feedback on this story. And finally, a huge thanks to my dearest sister @nervousdragonrebelpie for looking over chapters and listening to me ramble about this story for the past few months. I wouldn’t have been able to finish this without you.

Preview Below:

Chapter 1:

“No! I’m a person. People have names! I have to have a name. I’m not….” A sob tried to break free from his throat.

A knock suddenly rattled the door. “Danny!” Mom called.

Both boy’s heads popped up, focusing on the door. They turned to face each other. “Don’t do this.” The real Danny begged.

“What?” The being asked.

“Every time you get close to the truth, you dream up a distraction.” His eyes widened in desperate panic. “Please don’t-”

Danny’s eyes popped open, a dream swirling in his mind. His heart raced, the sheets sticking to his sweaty body. His brow wrinkled, one shaking hand moving up to rub his aching head. Aching…. He still had that damn headache.

The boy closed his eyes, trying to push the pain away, to coax his heart rate down. He breathed. In and out. In and out. Slowly, so slowly, the throb in his head dimmed, his heart calming. But still, anxiety ate up his insides. 

Blearily, the boy opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. Dissatisfied, he groaned and rolled onto his side. He clenched and unclenched his fists, balling up the fabric on his bed. His bed. Yes, this was his bed…. Sleeping in a bed was so nice and comfortable but at the same time... something about it felt…. off.

The boy pinched his eyes closed, trying to make sense of the feeling. His stomach flopped. Something was off. Something was different. After today, after he’d come back from Vlad’s, after the man kidnapped him, after the man clo-

Danny cut off the cursed word, his mind refusing. He buried his face in his pillow. Vlad’s. Something had happened, something had.. had changed at Vlad’s but he couldn’t... quite... remember.

It flashed in images. Being locked in a pod. Electrocution. His own screams. Pain. A pain in his inmost being, in his core…. On the bed, Danny’s core throbbed at the thought… A tug back and forth. Then being squeezed. A crash, a collision. And then... blackness.

He’d passed out. Danny knew that much. And he’d woken up at some point later but everything between that and when he had arrived home was a blur.

Confusion. His head swimming. Danielle.. sister… frowning in worry. The hiss of the pod being released. A sigh of relief. An ectoblast. Twisted metal and glass. Ectoplasm. Ectoplasm on his hands, on the floor. Oh god, oh god. He hadn’t meant to do that. He wasn’t... the others weren’t supposed to…. weren't supposed to...

Vlad... Master... Vlad... glaring in pure hatred. “Get behind me.” His ears ringing with a scream. The older halfa being knocked into his shelves. His knees wobbling. He fell and turned human. (Human... why did the fact that he could do that make him so happy?) But then horror. Vlad was still up and moving.

Then Sam and Tucker crashed through, hitting the older man. Locking Vlad (Master) in a pod. He needs... he needs to find Danielle. He needs to find his baby sister. But she’s gone. She’s gone.

His friends’ worried faces. “Danny, you’re not making any sense.” “Hey! Hey! Stay with us!” He wobbled…. where was Danielle?..... falling forward….. Sam and Tucker caught him.

At some point later, he’d woken up on his bed with worried friends and sister who he couldn’t adequately comfort. His head had been pounding and he couldn’t remember what happened to him… and what he did remember made little sense. Sam had checked his eyes; he didn’t have a concussion or any other injuries. With his head throbbing, he’d dismissed the confusion as being from the stress of the kidnapping and electrocution. His friends believed him, though anxiety was plain on their faces. But after a few minutes, his friends had said their goodbyes, leaving him to get some much needed sleep.

But now, the night after, Danny laid on his bed. His headache was gone, his mind clearer. He should feel better yet... his heart was sinking like a stone in his chest. That dream. That dream. That was familiar. So familiar. Like it had really happened. Like... it meant something. And yet…. Danny yawned, sudden tiredness overtaking him. He closed his eyes.

Maybe this was the ramblings of a sleep deprived brain. Yeah, maybe he was just tired. Maybe he’d wake up in the morning and everything would be okay. The boy pulled his covers more tightly around himself and fell asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The next morning, after quickly getting ready for school and rushing off, found Danny at his locker. The boy frowned, wracking his brain. What was his locker combination again? He spun the lock, landing on 25. That was the first number, right? Then….56. And finally….12? The lock clicked and he pulled the door open.

Danny sighed. Why was that so hard to remember? He’d had to open his locker just yesterday. He should remember… but why did that feel like a lifetime ago?

“Hey! Danny!” Tucker’s voice cut through his thoughts.

Danny gasped in surprise. In his chest, his core swelled and his body reflexively flickered invisible. A second later, he reappeared, rubbing his chest.

The next thing he knew, Sam was at his side. “What was that?”

“Yeah.” His technogeek friend took a step forward, voice quieting. “Your powers haven’t slipped up like that in months.”

Danny frowned, shaking his head. “I guess... I guess I’m still kinda shook up after….” He wrapped his arms around himself.

Sam’s face softened, seeming to understand. “Do you feel any better?” She asked kindly.

The halfa’s brow wrinkled. “Well, my headache’s gone.”

“You do look better.” The goth commented, her brow furrowing with worry. “You looked rough last night.”

“Yeah, you were really out of it too.” Tucker frowned. “You kept asking where someone called Danielle was? And for your sister?” Clear confusion rang out in his voice and just a hint of teasing…. “We kept telling you Jazz was at home, covering for us.” as if the idea that he was worried about his older sister, when she wasn’t even involved, was funny.

But something in the recollection made Danny shiver. He remembered worrying about Danielle. But…. sister... he hadn’t been talking about Jazz. He’d been asking about another girl, with blue eyes and-

“Then you passed out.” Sam continued. “And we took you home.”

For a too long moment, his friends looked at him questioningly. Finally, Danny bit his lip. “I think I remember that.”

The confirmation seemed to encourage his friends. “That’s good.” Said Tucker.

Danny wasn’t sure it was. But he had no more time to think on it before the bell rang and they were walking to their first class.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

During lunch period, Danny sat down at their familiar table, the same one as yesterday and every day since the start of freshman year. He placed down his tray and looked over the tables, waiting for Sam and Tucker to join him.

The boy’s brow furrowed. The cafeteria looked the same as every day. The same as yesterday when…. Danielle phasing through the table, a tiny green speck racing passed him…. At the lunch table, Danny’s core pulsed anxiously. Yes, that had happened but at the same time…. Looking back at the two chasing him. Laughing without sound at their fun game.

Danny shivered, feeling cold. He rubbed his chest, nervously.

“Danny?” Someone was waving a hand in front of his face. “Danny? You with us man?”

The halfa blinked and turned, meeting Tucker’s eyes. “Yeah. What’s up?”

“What’s with the spaciness?” Sam said bluntly. She stabbed at her salad. “You were like that all during English too.”

“Was I?” The boy questioned. He shook his head. “Sorry. Just... thinking about stuff.”

His friends gave him worried looks but didn’t question him. Frankly, it was to Danny’s relief. He couldn’t seem to put his thoughts in order. He couldn’t explain this... weird feeling. 

The friends chatted for most of the lunch period, Sam and Tucker dominating the conversation with a debate about the newest Doomed update.

All the while Danny idly rubbed at his chest with one hand. He picked at his cheese fries. Normally they were pretty good, but he wasn’t feeling it today. He shivered again, flinching as his fork fell through his intangible hand.

“Again?” Tucker questioned with a raised brow.

Danny didn’t respond, instead picking up his fork only for his core to flare and the utensil to fall through his fingers again. With an annoyed grumble, the boy rubbed his chest again.

“Do you think something’s up with your powers?” Sam quietly asked.

The halfa looked up, frowning. “No... I mean…”

The goth pointed. “Danny, you keep rubbing your chest.”

Danny looked down, brow furrowing. Below his palm, his core pulsed. There was something… strange about the rhythm and…. he adjusted the position, pressing just the smallest bit harder. Normally, it fit comfortably under his palm but now... “It’s... bigger?” He muttered.

“What?” Tucker asked.

Danny lowered his hand. “My core?” He shook his head. “No... I’m imagining it.” His core pulsed unhappily, even as he rubbed his forehead. “I’m just tired, I guess.”

Sam and Tucker again looked like they wanted to argue, but the bell rang and they split up, each hurrying to their next class.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rest of the school day was surprisingly normal. Just his typical classes, without even a ghost fight to interrupt his day. Danny should have felt relieved for such a chill day after what happened last night but yet…. The boy tapped his pencil on his desk. He felt anxious. He must still be shook up, like he told his friends this morning. 

Danny bit his lip, shaking the writing instrument in his hand again. It went flying out of his grip and clattered onto the floor. The boy huffed as he bent down to grab it. His hand hadn’t even turned intangible this time.

With that, the boy straightened in his seat. He glanced at the clock. 20 more minutes left in class. Just 20 minutes. Then he could go home and take a nap. He rubbed his eyes. He was still tired after getting back so late. Maybe some sleep would help him feel better.

Soon enough, the bell rang. Danny stood and walked to his locker. This time, he remembered the combination without wracking his brain. He pulled out his books and turned to his friends, who were collecting their own belongings.

“I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Danny said.

“Yeah, see you later.” Tucker replied.

“Call us if something comes up with the ghosts.” Sam frowned. “I’m grounded but…. I’ll sneak out if you need me.”

The technogeek groaned. “Don’t remind me. I’m grounded too.”

The halfa looked down guiltily. “Sorry.” He bit his lip. “You guys shouldn’t be grounded because you had to save my sorry butt.”

“It’s fine.” Sam comforted. “We weren’t not going to save you. We’re your friends.”

“Yeah.” Tucker agreed. “It’s just the price to pay for being superheroes.”

Danny half-smiled, though he didn’t much feel like it. He wasn’t much of a hero. Guilt still choked his heart. He hated getting his friends in trouble. But still…. “Thanks for having my back.”

“No problem.” Tucker confirmed.

Then down the hall, someone called his name. “Danny?”

The boy turned. It was his sister, Jazz. He frowned. Oh right, he hadn’t talked to her since he’d been half out of it last night.

The girl quickly approached. “There you are. Come on. I’m driving you home.”

Jazz didn’t give him a choice as she started leading him towards the entrance. Danny waved at his friends, watching their worried faces until he turned the corner. 

Less than two minutes later, the pair were seated in Jazz’s car. The girl didn’t start the vehicle, instead turning to face her brother. “Are you going to tell me what happened yesterday?”

“I... Uh…” Danny stuttered, trying to collect his thoughts.

“You disappeared during the middle of school. Sam and Tucker said some weird ghost girl showed up. You went off to fight some ghost and the next thing they knew, Vlad was carrying you away.”

The boy crossed his arms. “It sounds like you already know what happened.” He muttered.

Jazz pinned a serious look. “I know Vlad kidnapped you but…. what did he do to you?”

Danny paled. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Something happened. You were unconscious when Sam and Tucker got back. And you were super out of it when you woke up. But you weren’t physically hurt. What did Vlad do to you?” His sister pushed.

Danny swallowed, his stomach flopping. “I... I don’t…. It’s fuzzy….” 

Jazz rose a brow, her tone suggesting she knew there was more to it. “Danny.”

The boy flinched. “I... he... Vlad electrocuted me?” He remembered. Being locked in a pod, electricity running through him. The creepy hologram of his mom. But... but... there was more.

His sister paled. “Oh... I’m so sorry.” Her voice softened and she didn’t say anything for a while, then… “Do you know why he did that?”

Danny stiffened, looking up. The reason sparked in his mind, with the image. Vlad hissing in front of him, boasting his plan. The man had explained but…. the words stayed just out of reach. Danny's face set in a pointed frown. He shook his head.

Jazz’s own frown deepened. “That little girl…. Sam and Tucker said she looked just like you in ghost form. What does she have to do with all this?”

The boy avoided her eyes, heart fluttering nervously. The little girl.... her face snapped into focus in his mind. Danielle, that was her name. But... there was another word. Started with an S or…. a C. She was like him; she was a clo-

Danny shook his head. No, that wasn’t right. Well…. part of it was right. Danielle had been there. She’d been helping Vlad. She helped the man hurt him; painful betrayal stabbed at him from the thought. But at the same time…

“She helped me. She helped me fight Vlad.” The half ghost said quietly, awed realization sparking as he remembered.

“But… who was she?” Jazz asked, equally quietly.

Just like that, the boy paled again. The word, the cursed word, formed in his mind without his permission. Clone. She was a clone of…. him?... No... that didn’t sound right... he was the same as her but... it had to be true. His frown deepened.

“Who was she?” His older sister asked again.

The boy shivered. “I... I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Danny.” Her voice softened. “You can tell me. It’s-”

“I... I can’t... I don’t wanna talk about it.” He focused on his hands in his lap, trying to keep them from shaking.

“Clearly, whatever happened is bothering you. You can tell me.”

“No. I-” Danny bit his lip, reaching for the door. He couldn’t stay in here with her, couldn’t deal with the questions he had no answers for or rather... questions he couldn’t bear to answer. The… the c word... he couldn’t say it, could barely think it. How could he explain how everything felt wrong, like he wasn’t actually-

“Wait.” Jazz cut off his thoughts. “You don’t have to talk until you’re ready. Just... let me drive you home.”

The boy lowered his hand and slumped back in his seat. “You... you promise? You won’t press?”

His sister’s brow furrowed. Her face was tight, like she didn’t want to agree; but after a long moment, she sighed. “Alright. I promise.”

Danny nodded. “Let’s go then.”

Jazz turned the car on, put it into drive, and pulled out of the parking lot. They drove home in silence. Once they arrived, the boy went straight up to his room. He rubbed his head, flopping down onto his bed. He needed... he needed a nap. Yeah…. That was it. He was still tired.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sister smiled down at him. “Look at this!” The black haired girl held up her crayon drawing. “This is me.” She pointed. “And Muscles. And Bones. And Daniel.” Her smile widened as she tapped at the last figure. “And this is you.”

The being tilted his head. He floated up, placing small hands on the green figure on the paper. He blinked owlishly up at the girl.

The corner of the girl's mouth turned down. She placed down the paper and offered him a crayon. “Come on. You try.”

The tiny being hovered forward, reaching out to touch the crayon. It was so big, almost half as tall as he was. He frowned, trying to understand.

“Make yourself a little bigger and you’ll be able to hold it.” She encouraged. “Come on. You can do it.”

The being scrunched his brow and he stretched. He was about the size of a toddler, maybe two and a half feet tall. He reached out, grabbing the crayon with his slightly larger hands.

“Great.” Sister said. She pushed a fresh piece of paper in front of him. “Now you draw. Like this.” She demonstrated, rubbing the crayon against the paper so color transferred onto it.

The being flopped down, sitting on the floor. Slowly, so slowly, he copied the girl. He traced his drawing instrument over the paper. He scribbled, creating a mess of lines and shapes without meaning or purpose.

Sister smiled proudly anyway. “You’re doing it. Good job, Tiny.”

He beamed, something in him sparking at the praise. He continued scribbling but the image changed into something more purposeful. A house took shape, stick figures. A large man and slimmer woman. A little girl and a little boy.

The little boy giggled at his drawing. His hands were chubbier than before. A toddler’s, instead of the miniaturized version of a teen’s. 

“Jazzy!” He looked up, showing off his drawing to the little redhead girl.

His older sister looked up. “That looks great, Danny!” She put her own crayons down, rubbing her sweaty forehead. “It’s so hot.”

The boy suddenly dropped his crayons and drawing. “Outside! Let’s go outside!”

“But it’s hot.” The girl repeated.

The boy was already running off. “Mommy! Mommy! Can we play in the sprinklers?! Please! Please!”

Mommy turned around from where she was making lunch. “After we eat, okay?”

“Okay!” The four year old beamed, already running up the stairs to get his swim trunks.

The next thing he knew, he was outside. Mommy set up the sprinkler. He and Jazzy ran around it, giggling. Daddy came outside with water balloons and Danny let out a happy scream. “Water balloons!”

The little boy grabbed one and threw it at his sister.

Danny blinked awake to bright light on his face. His nose wrinkled. It was still light out? Oh wait, he had been taking a nap. He sat up, yawning and rubbing his forehead. He’d been dreaming again, this time about…. He shivered, remembering. He’d been playing in the back yard with Jazz when he was four. And... he’d been with Danielle. She’d been showing him how to draw. 

The boy’s stomach flopped. That didn’t make sense. That hadn’t happened. Maybe... maybe he was thinking about her because Jazz had asked, earlier, when they’d been in the car but... that had felt like a memory.

Dread balled in his gut. He’d been small, smaller than her hand. And then he’d stretched and he was bigger, about the size of a toddler. Danny looked down at his hands, his human, properly sized hands. That, changing his size, wasn’t something he could do but…. In the dream, Danielle had called him Tiny. It didn’t make sense and yet….

He remembered. One of the other clones. The small green one. Danny shivered. That one, that one could shrink. That clone had overshadowed him.

The knowledge hit Danny like a ton of bricks. The tiny clone had overshadowed him. How... how didn’t he remember that until just now? How hadn’t he realized? Danny grimaced, a sickening feeling squeezing his insides. He’d been possessed. Someone else had been in his body, controlling his actions, messing with his mind. The boy wrapped his arms around himself. He felt violated at the thought. That was so wrong. Vlad had ordered one of his clones to overshadow him. And…. more memories of the experience pressed into his mind.

Danny had been semi-aware of the other presence. There had been a fight for control, another core so close to his and…. Memories, thoughts that weren’t his. Flashes of the tiny clone’s memories. And the feeling of tiny hands rifling through his own mind.

Danny pulled his knees to his chest. That must be why he’s felt so off. It was the aftereffects of being possessed. And that dream, the flashes of memory…. he must be remembering what he’d seen and felt from the tiny clone while it had been possessing him.

The boy sighed. But... the feeling would go away eventually, right? It would. He’d felt off after Sidney had overshadowed him as well. It had taken a bit to get used to being in his own body again. And Sidney was more experienced with overshadowing than his clone had been. The ghostly nerd knew how to push Danny’s spirit out of his body, instead of forcing both ghosts to cohabitate. That was why there were strange memories now, unlike last time.

But it didn’t matter. He’d get back to normal soon enough and his friends and sister would have nothing to worry about. Everything would be okay, right?

Danny stood up, rolling his shoulders to stretch. He had homework to do. He sat down at his desk, trying to ignore the way his stomach still flopped.

#Danny Phantom #invisobang #Invisobang 2021 #Big Bang 2021 #my fic #clone angst #Danny clone #tw selfhate #tw selfharm

[snackleggg]

City of splintering hopes: Chapter 1 "Frosty conversations"

~~~

Ao3

~~~

Frostbite quickly seemed to realise what he had said and stopped talking, immediately dropping his usually happy attitude. Danny was still processing what he had said.

"Hey Frosty?" Danny asked during one of his semi-regular visits to the Far Frozen.

"Yes Great One?" Frostbite replied as he finished up checking that Danny had fully recovered from a terrible case of the ghost flu he had caught a few days ago.

"You and the other Yetis seem to know alot about my hybrid physiology when I don't even know that. How come?" Danny asked. It was an innocent enough question. Jazz had pointed it out just before he left for his visit and he hadn't been able to shake it from his mind since.

"Well, of course!" Frostbite said with a boisterous laugh "You think you are the only Halfa to have ever allied with our tribe? We have always been friends to your kind Great One!" Frostbite said back with a carefree kind of happiness before he realized what he had just accidentally spilled.

Now they stood there in heavy silence as Danny processed the meaning behind Frostbite's words.

"Other Halfas!?" Danny all but screeched as he nearly fell from where he was sitting with the realisation of what Frostbite said.

Frostbite looked uncomfortable to say the least. He seemed to look around at anything but Danny as he replied "Y-Yes of course! You didn't think you and those two others were the only ones of your kind." Suddenly Frostbite looked Danny in the eye with concern "Did you Great One?"

Danny couldn't reply.

By the heavy look Frostbite was giving him it seemed like there was something deeper to this subject than he was realising. Danny just shook his head.

"Mmm no, the only other Halfas I've ever met were Dani and Vlad" Danny said matter-of-factly. By the look Frostbite was giving him it was obvious he was missing something, some unspoken fact that hung in the air just out of his reach.

Frostbite suddenly broke from his gaze as he huffed while looking to the side "That Plasmius should be ashamed of himself to even dare call himself a Halfa. He may be there biologically but none of his actions reflect on your people" Frostbite said with a tone of bitterness, a tone that was slightly sharper than the bitterness he usually talked with when talking about Vlad.

"Yeah, totally agree, 100% but back to the topic at hand I have a people!?" Danny's brain was trying to understand this new revelation. In a way it answered alot of questions that he had never really thought about. How were the ghosts able to tell he wasn't a full ghost. Why had Pointdexter known to call him a Halfa as if it was a common term. Why ghosts just didn't seem all that surprised about the existence of some weird hybrid. Of course Vlad could've had a part in that but Vlad was always too busy in his cheese castle plotting revenge to really interact with many ghosts outside of hiring them to do his dirty work.

But it also brought up a while slew of new questions. Where had these other Halfas come from? Definitely couldn't be another lab accident caused by his parents. Why wasn't there any information about the existence of ghost human hybrids on earth if there were enough Halfas around to be considered a people, a kind, not just an anomaly that repeated a few times but by the sounds of it some sort of society? And most importantly, where were they!? Danny had never ran into anyone like himself apart from Vlad and Dani.

He looked at Frostbite, trying to pick which question was the most important to ask first. It seemed Frostbite was blissfully unaware of his internal struggle as he just went on.

"Well yes Great One. The Halfas were a strong and prosperous people.... I suppose there isn't really a way for you to know that but I am surprised this is the first you are hearing about this" Frostbite said awkwardly.

Danny probably looked like a fish with how much he was opening and closing his mouth without a word coming out. Finally he managed to say something past his shock.

" 'were'?" Danny asked, his hopes at meeting someone like him suddenly beginning to die.

Frostbite just nodded, avoiding looking at him again as a sorrowful look came upon his face "Yes, Pariah Dark" Frostbite said the name like it was something foul and Danny was inclined to agree "wiped them all out when he sensed they would be a threat to his throne"

Danny almost snorted at that.

Pariah Dark sounded like a character in a tragedy or a myth in that context. In trying to stop Halfas from dethroning him he was indirectly responsible for a Halfa dethroning him. Okay maybe not responsible, Danny would've done it whether the race of people had still been around or not but still the irony was there. So was the karma.

Then he focused on the more depressing part of what Frostbite had said.

"Oh" so there really wasn't anyone else. He shouldn't have gotten his hopes up.

"But!" Frostbite said, a little bit of a cheer coming back to him "the ruins of their old city still stands! Maybe, if you are interested in knowing more, you could visit them? Of course everyone here in the Far Frozen would be more than happy to recount stories of other Halfas to you Great One but our knowledge is limited. Even with our friendship with them, they were always a secretive bunch" Frostbite explained.

Danny didn't really know what to think of the offer. It wouldn't be the same as actually talking to another Halfa but it would still be something, right?

"I'll... think about it" Danny said.

He had gone through too many revelations in too short a time span and he really just wanted to crawl into bed and take a nice long nap, which he could do since it was the weekend.

"Of course Great One. It is entirely up to you what you do" Frostbite said with a smile.

The rest of the visit seemed to fly by but the conversation he had with Frostbite was stuck at the back of his head. He kept on wondering about the other Halfas.

Were they nice? What kind of society did they have? Had they ever been to Earth or did they live exclusively in the Ghost Zone? Why were they as secretive as Frostbite said? Even to their own allies? Why had Pariah felt so threatened by them? Were they really that powerful? What will I find if I go to these ruins?

Even after he left to go back home the thoughts of a people just like him, a people long gone, lingered in his mind.

He was distracted.

He knew Frostbite and the other Yetis had noticed it even if they didn't comment on it but Jazz was alot more proactive about these sort of things. She noticed the far away look Danny had as they were eating dinner and afterwards pulled him off to the side as their parents went back down to work in the lab.

"What's up?" She asked.

"Nothing" Danny mumbled. He didn't know if Jazz would understand his dilemma. Sure he was born human but thinking about the possibility of other Halfas, even if he hadn't been born one, it made his core clench with a need to learn more, to find them

"It's obviously not nothing, you've been distracted ever since you came back from visiting the Far Frozen. What happened?" Jazz asked.

Danny couldn't meet her gaze. He didn't know how to fraze it, to tell her about all the spiraling thoughts in his head, the confusing feelings in his core.

"Danny" Jazz said seriously.

Finally Danny caved and told her about the conversation he had with Frostbite about other Halfas. He told her about his feelings and thoughts on the matter. It was like the dam that had been filling for the last few hours had broken and suddenly Danny was exasperated as he finished recounting everything.

"Other Halfas...." Jazz said thoughtfully.

Danny nodded. For some reason he felt guilty, he felt like he was betraying his family by trying to explore this part of himself.

Jazz, thank the ancients for the observation skills she definitely didn't get from their parents, noticed Danny's dip in mood and quickly went to comfort him.

"Hey, you shouldn't feel bad about this. It makes sense you'd want to find and learn about people who might've gone through similar struggles" Jazz said as she put her hand on Danny's shoulder, a grounding gesture which he was silently thankful for.

"But I feel bad about how if I do learn about this then I'll be keeping more secrets from mom and dad. I already feel terrible lying to them about The accident" Danny shrunk into himself. It's not that he wanted to keep lying to his parents but the perpetual fear of them not accepting him hung over his head heavily and he feared now that if he tried to explore and learn about these people who were like him it would only give his parents more reason to distance him from the family if they found out.

"Danny, look at me" Jazz urged and Danny barely managed to meet her gaze. It was determined and honest, an immovable rock he needed in the swirling river that was his thoughts.

"You don't have to go there if you don't want to but you shouldn't jump to the conclusion that it will only make everything worse. Think about it but don't forget that just as many good things could come from this as bad things" Jazz said and Danny nodded along. That made sense.

"Yeah. I guess the concept just kinda overwhelmed me" Danny said and suddenly he felt emotionally drained all over again.

"Go on, get some rest. Sleep on it but there really isn't a time limit" Jazz encouraged and she was right but Danny felt like if he did want to go then it might be better to do it sooner rather than later.

He crashed onto his bed not really knowing what to think. A few hours ago he was excited by the prospect but now he dreaded what he might find at those ruins, what secrets the Halfas kept hidden away even from those closest to them.

Danny almost laughed at the parallels as he thought about his own secretive situation with his parents. He was in no place to preemptively judge.

Finally he went to sleep.

Dreaming of a lullaby he never heard and a city of people he would never meet.

~~~

First | Previous | Next

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I'll be tagging all content do to with this story with the tag City of splintering hopes so if guys want to you can follow the story easier. You can also use that tag for any questions or content you guys make of the story!

Hope you all like this first chapter!

#danny phantom #City of splintering hopes #chapter 1 #my writing #danny phantom fic #danny fenton #dp frostbite #jazz fenton #dp fanfic #danny phantom au

[aquitainequeen]

All Is Bliss (Until Someone Loses An Eye): Chapter One: This Is A Glorious Day/Nightmare; Strike Out As Appropriate

Special thanks to @fairy-anon-godmother and @yototothelalafell for being rubber ducks to my rant about this chapter, and to @ellynneversweet for so kindly reading it through several times as it hinged on completion!

(Previous Chapter)

When Vlad closes the doors behind Marial, that’s when Catharine asks her, ‘The Sun Summoner. Is she the real thing, or a fake?’

Marial halts so quickly that the items on the breakfast tray rattle. ‘Really? You’re asking me this?’

‘’Well, yes. Of course.’

Marial sets down the tray and promptly starts raiding it. ‘Real. Kirigan wouldn’t have any part of this if she were a fraud, and he would’ve tested her the moment she was brought before him. She’s real.’

So: Yes, yes, yes! Catherine finally releases all the bubbling joy and it’s flowing everywhere like sparkling wine foaming out of her glass . It’s like the time when she was lording it over Angelique about going to the East to be Empress; it’s the moment she went to her knees and first kissed the ground of East Ravka, greeting it, marrying it. Saints, saints, thanks to you all, how you love me!

What to say, how to say it? Upon this cornerstone she’ll build her claim. ‘The Sun Summoner. Ravka’s shining blazing hope, rising to banish the darkness and the divide in our beautiful land.’ Catherine thumps her clenched first against her breast, that will be most affecting. ‘So soon after I crossed the Fold from West to East, the Sun Summoner rose up to help me light the path ahead, for Ravka and my people —’

‘Who are you talking to?’ Marial says through a mouth full of soft cheese, lounging against the settee. It does not bode well for future speeches.

Nonetheless, Catherine persists: ‘Practising. For when the time is ripe. This is an auspicious beginning for my journey to true power. Ravka’s saviours have emerged together to free our land and our people from tyranny and shadow.’

‘Maybe get some food in you, before you go any further with the speechmaking and the grand plans?’

Impudent; but, Marial is right. This is going to need a full belly and some careful thought. She will have so many blinis with sweetened soured clotted cream and jam, oh, and some tea filled with more jam, sweetness galore!

Marial sticks with the cheese and a plain cup of tea. ‘What did Kirigan say about her? In his letter?’

‘Apparently not much; Orlo says he likely dashed it off before starting back to Os Alta from the Fold. He’s sent the Sun Summoner ahead of him, heavily guarded. Her name’s Alina Starkova, isn’t that just so perfect? She’s young, she’s a cartographer in the First Army. Or,’ Catherine’s throat twitches, a gulp of tea to moisten it up, ‘she was a cartographer. She’ll never have to sketch a map again.’

‘So…’ Marial makes Catherine wait while she takes her own sip of tea. ‘The Sun Summoner just happens to emerge, right at this point, after escaping notice in the First Army for years?’

‘Evidently. What about it?’

Marial fusses with her cup. ‘Seems a bit convenient. How was she able to go without being discovered for so long?’

‘By the Grisha testers?’

‘They test every child in Ravka. Every child. How did they miss her? How did she hide her powers for so long?’

Catherine swallows more of her tea and her why does it matter? because clearly Marial thinks it does and if she’s going to be Empress in her own right, she needs to start thinking beyond the first flush of joy, the fantasy of a storybook romance and a cute pet bear. ‘Maybe she wasn’t tested. There are so many people in East Ravka and the records are shoddy, some people are bound to slip through the cracks.’ Not that this will happen in the future. When she is in power there will be bread, freedom and security for all, never mind what Marial and Orlo say, and all voices will be heard.

Marial sits on the chaise’s arm. ‘And she’s never shown her powers before now? The baby Grisha in the Little Palace are always losing their tempers and causing uproar. One of them killed a man by accident, once, right in front of me.’

‘You’re not serious.’

‘I’m absolutely serious. Though admittedly Count Kireyev was an absolute cunt, and the Emperor thought it was hilarious, so all was forgiven.’

Catherine is not going to ask what exactly happened to the cuntish Count Kireyev , if Peter of all people found it amusing. ‘Well. If she couldn’t control her powers, then she would have been found before now.’ She twists about in her seat and manages to catch and hold Marial’s eye. ‘And if you’re suggesting she’s a spy, then she wouldn’t have survived in Fjerda and in Kerch they’d have enslaved her.’

‘Granted. What do you think she’s like?’ The last question is a little less sour and more intrigued, so it deserves some consideration.

Cuddling into cushions, Catherine licks up jam and thinks. All those old performances of Sun Summoner plays from her girlhood, before the independence movement began stirring and they fell out of fashion. A girl in yellow, fighting and bashing other dancers in black, and now the story those girls performed has stepped out of myths and legends! It’s all too much! What’s most important now?

‘She will be… tall. Golden haired,’ as she tucks her hair strand back in place and takes up her cup again. ‘Graceful...polite, delicate, refined, poised, punctual.’

‘Did you get that from another one of your books? What was it on, deportment?’

‘From my mother. She gave me a grand speech about how I should make myself pleasing to my husband. She said they were the ideal qualities of a perfect wife.’

Catherine could picture her mother’s face. She could imagine her standing tall, golden and graceful, refined and poised, splendid and outshining her scant finery. She’d rather fantasize about grabbing her mother, shaking her, knocking her to the ground, getting in her face and screaming what were you thinking to send me here, to him, so unprepared; did you know, did you know what he was?

Best just to focus on the bright sunshine coming through the window, and to sip her tea.

They both chew and swallow several times before Marial speaks again: ‘If the Sun Summoner’s from the First Army, she’ll likely be none of what you just mentioned. Chances are she’s a foul mouthed, filthy peasant, with mud coloured hair underneath all the dirt. You really want to ally yourself with something like that?’

Marial’s only being her usual sour and snarkish self, true, but Catherine bites down hard on I’m allied with you right now, aren’t I? Marial might technically be all of those things at this very point in time (save the filthiness) but Catherine herself is not one of the bitchy court ladies. Though, need Marial be so sour and snarkish about everything again?

‘Of course I do. And why are you so determined to be gloomy, when a new hope has dawned over Ravka?’

‘Gloom is my refuge, Empress. A servant has no right to react, even to the country’s salvation.’

Catherine’s fingers are sticky from the jam, but Marial needs a hand on her wrist to shake her out of staring at nothing and her desolation, right now. ‘You’re not going to be a servant for much longer, Marial. Don’t let it grind you down.’

Marial smiles all sharp. ‘I’m already placing my hope in you, Empress. Placing it in the Sun Summoner as well is deadly. Hope’s such a dangerous thing.’ And she’s keeping her hand limp in Catherine’s, like a loose glove filled with long stones, too wary to grasp.

‘I will kill Peter. And you will be free.’ Catherine tears off a bit of blini with her teeth, just to prove her point, and it does get Marial smiling a little softer!

That’s enough touching, now; time to let Marial go, time to be Empress again. ‘And if Alina Starkova has served in the First Army, she’s no doubt brave, noble, bold, courteous and devoted to her mother country.’

‘No doubt. Have you ever spoken to one of the First Army’s soldiers, Empress?’

‘No?’

‘Then you’re in for a treat.’

Catherine sniffs and looks back to the window, the sunshine quite lovely on her cheeks. ‘Alina Starkova will also naturally be tender, compassionate and joyous.’

‘That I do doubt. It’s been a long war, Empress, and no one has gotten much joy from it, save the Emperor.’

‘Then that is one more thing I will have to remedy, when I take the throne. I should make some notes. Where’s the paper? This is a glorious day.’

***

‘This is a fucking nightmare.’ Thus, Orlo opens their latest council of war. It is not glorious.

‘Orlo, not you too! She’ll banish the Fold, she’ll help me reunite Ravka.’ And when Orlo raises a finger to try and cut in or tell her to just wait a moment while he waffles on, Catherine only says louder, ‘In what way, pray tell, is this a nightmare?’

‘It’s!’ Orlo actually seems close to panicking; listen, listen. It must be important. ‘It’s not the Sun Summoner, that’s actually very good. But I hoped we’d have months. I thought you would be far more established at court by the time Kirigan got back, you would have been able to meet him fully secured in your role. Right now Peter’s only barely been persuaded out of killing you, the Apparat’s support is fleeting, all the court ladies are wary of you, and the Little Palace thinks you’re an utter joke.’

Well. Hardly a pleasant thing to hear, but regrettably true for his first three points. Marial gets there before Catherine when it comes to the fourth: ‘How the fuck do you know what they’re saying about her in the Little Palace?’

Orlo clearly already regrets everything. ‘I. Well. I have a few acquaintances there.’

‘What kind of acquaintances? Is it a Heartrender? Big, beefy Heartrender? I can see the appeal; the best ones can make you come without even touching you.’ Marial tries her best to bring her lips to Orlo’s ear as he tries his best to get away. ‘Multiple. Times.’

‘Fuck’s sake!’ Orlo decamps to a place of greater safety, so Marial gets the whole of the settee to lounge upon. ‘I have to discuss aspects of Peter’s policy with Kirigan’s delegates on occasion. You know, my job.’

‘Oh, disappointing. Once again I’m reminded just how boring a life you lead.’

Once Marial shuts up, Catherine can finally get her word in. ‘So, wait, you actually talk to the Grisha, Orlo?

They stare at her like she’s a pet bear.

‘Well, yes. Of course. If we wish.’

‘They can even talk back, if they wish. They’re not servants.'  Marial stands up all of a sudden at that, just in case someone bursts in and catches her lounging.

‘Do you not talk to them? Empress?’ This from Orlo, beginning to look most worried. Is Catherine the cause of that? She can’t lose him now! What does he want her to say?

‘Our estate wasn’t near enough to the border, or wealthy enough, to merit one being in residence. And any children on our land who were discovered were sent to the Little Palace right away. The first time I ever saw a Grisha up close was during the journey through the Fold, and then I wasn’t allowed to talk to them for fear they’d get distracted and we’d all die with the Volcra chewing our guts.’

They all nod. Indeed, something to be avoided at all costs.

‘And then I saw some of them were at the wedding banquet, but none of them got near enough.’

‘Empress, may I just ask –’ No, no! Orlo is worried by her now. By what she’ll say. What did she do wrong? ‘What are your attitudes towards the Grisha?’

Careful, careful. ‘How do you mean?’

Marial, casting her eyes up in thought: ‘Well, let’s see; do you think they’re demons walking around in human skins and devoid of souls?’

‘What? No!’

‘There, you see?’ Marial ignores Catherine to look at Orlo. ‘Already she’s doing better than the Church.’

‘Oh saints, do people here actually still believe that?’

‘A few.’ Marial considers. ‘Mmm, more than a few. Most of the peasants. Some of the more devout and stupid nobles. The Apparat, on his bad days.’ She spots Catherine’s face and grimaces. ‘Yeah, he and Kirigan don’t really get along.’’

This from Orlo, clasping his hands like he’s ready to rub them in glee — not worried now, is he?! ‘What is your position on the rise of indentured servitude inflicted upon the Grisha in Kerch, and particularly Ketterdam?’

‘Abominable, of course!’

Orlo hisses Yes! and pumps his fist. ‘And if Kirigan should ask what you think of the fact that General Zlatan’s likely turning a blind eye to Fjerda raiding West Ravkan ports, and abducting Grisha?’

Catherine bites down hard on He’s fucking doing what? because she isn’t talking to Orlo now, this is merely a prompt for when she will be speaking to Kirigan, who will be judging her and cannot find her wanting when it comes to the Second Army, his army, her army. ‘I would say that — that Zlatan is a fool and a traitor towards Ravka, to not only let her subjects be captured and slaughtered by her enemies, but to actually permit it.’

‘All right. That’s wonderful! Oh saints, that’s such a relief.’ Orlo almost falls into a chair, takes off his glasses and rubs away the sweat.

While he recovers, Catherine turns to Marial. ‘I just thought, because Peter was the only one to speak to them at the banquet, no one else was of high enough rank? Or we both are, as Emperor and Empress. But the nobility can talk to them as well?’

Marial shrugs. ‘Even we servants can; but, that’s the thing. You can, but why would you want to?’

Catherine meets Orlo’s eye. Once more she feels his kindred spirit, how he pleads with all his soul for her to deliver him from this uneducated hellhole, he hates it here too.

‘Aside from the fact that I need to get the Second Army on my side, why would you not want to? When they practise the Small Science? When their existence so thoroughly shapes and affects the universe, and they have fought so hard to protect Ravka against her enemies?!’

Marial, she who has no romance in her soul, snorts. ‘Again, watched a baby Grisha kill a man before my very eyes. And they’re all arrogant pricks.’

‘Which you clearly have plenty of experience with.’ Orlo stands and twists out of reach of Marial, snarling and trying to land a blow on his arm. ‘The Grisha rarely come to the Grand Palace save on official business, and non-Grisha are only welcome in the Little Palace by special invitation. I was hoping we’d have a chance to improve your reputation with the Grisha, before Kirigan returned; I know certain of them will have written to him about your — ’

He gestures helplessly at the entirety of Catherine. ‘Your everything.’

‘But now he’ll return to find me with a husband who barely tolerates me. A court that hates me.’ Strange, that Catherine only really starts thinking of the Black General himself when he’s opposed to her, rather than serving her. She should be terrified. Should she be terrified?

‘He’ll judge you, and – forgive me, Empress, but he’ll find you wanting. And you’ll be a weakling in his eyes forever. He might not be able to fob off Peter, but he’ll never allow you to touch the Sun Summoner’s train if he deems you worthless.’

Think of being the object of disdain, for a man like that! Enough to make one shrivel and die. But if she’s going to be Empress she cannot be afraid of anything. She especially can’t be jumping at, hah, at shadows. Not when the sunlight is so warm on her hair and skin, even through a window and her gown.

Marial breaks the silence in her own special way. ‘Besides which, he’ll be inclined to fuck you over regardless, since he can’t get at General Zlatan.’

Ah. Zlatan. Of course he would still be cocking things up for her, even on this side of the Fold. ‘Zlatan protested my betrothal at every turn, and I shall see him dealt with. But why would Kirigan hate me, if my marriage unifies Ravka?’

‘Therein lies the problem-’ This from Orlo, palms facing upwards and empty- ‘-he dearly wants West Ravka brought back into the Emperor’s bosom-'

‘Brought to heel, ‘ Marial mutters.

‘-but not at the expense of the East. Peter’s already far too obsessed with the West and western thinking for Kirigan’s liking as it is. He’ll worry that you’ve brought dangerous ideas to court that could threaten his position.’

‘Plus his Little Palace and his army.’

Orlo nods agreement with Marial. ‘The General is a most fervent protector of the Second Army and the Grisha. When the search for Peter’s bride moved to West Ravka, Kirigan did voice his concerns about an Empress with western attitudes towards Grisha.’

Frankly, Catherine’s flattered that Kirigan might think her attitude has any weight whatsoever right now; and more flattered Orlo believes that Kirigan would think it. ‘His concern is misplaced. All people of Ravka are my children, West and East, Grisha and non-Grisha alike. Every Ravkan child has the right to live without fear, in the knowledge that Mother Ravka is their staunchest defender.’

Marial groans — she actually rolls her eyes, the cow. ‘Pretty words, but he’s heard such things a thousand times before, signifying nothing. You’ll need to back up all your grand speeches.’

Catherine marches over to the table so that she can at least finish her bloody breakfast. ‘Fine. Then how am I to do that, if he’s apt to “fuck me over ” rather than listen to me?’

‘Marial’s being ridiculous; there would be no fucking.’ Orlo pauses, distracted, and shudders like a startled horse. ‘And you do have some advantages — the chief being that you aren’t Peter.’

‘That is not the least bit encouraging, Orlo.’ Catherine bites into the last blini, looking him dead in the eye and chewing hard.

‘I meant that Kirigan’s known Peter for nearly all of his life, and any hopes he had for him are thoroughly burned. You, now, are an entirely new and unknown factor. You can woo him with your ideas and plans. You need to show him that when you take the throne, you have the drive and capacity to bring about the change he desires.’

‘Right.’ Catherine nods, swallows, sets her best foot forward in her mind. ‘So. What exactly does he want?’

‘Basically, just promise him whatever he asks for when it comes to the Grisha, and you’ll have him eating out of your hand.’ Marial’s voice gets lighter as she stares off into the distance: ‘Maybe even eating from further down.’

What?

Orlo chimes in thank the saints. ‘Whatever he asks, within reason. Remember, it has to be believable. And you do not want Kirigan angry at you, if you fail to keep your promises right away when you come to power.’

Catherine waits for the terror to finally arrive. Think of one of the most dangerous men in Ravka, in the world, furious with her! And yet think, too, of making deals with the Black General, of being able to lure and hook and reel him in, of having the ability to grant his desires! ‘He’s the leader of the entire Second Army, he won’t be satisfied with small promises.’

‘All right then. Forget wooing him, try seducing him.’

Catherine glares at bloody Marial. ‘Two minutes ago, you were saying he’d gladly fuck me out of spite because he can’t get at Zlatan. Now you’re saying I should spread my legs for him? How is this in any way an improvement?’

‘This is quite different . Make him want to fuck you out of raw desire, as opposed to revenge by proxy.’

‘Yes, because that worked so well last time.’ And they both look at Orlo. Who looks at his shoes and also looks like he wishes to shrivel up and disappear, but he manages to squeak, ‘He’ll never go for it.’

‘Unlike some people around here, Kirigan actually knows what to do with a woman. And he has a definite taste for royalty.’

Not Peter. Don’t let it be Peter. Please, Sankt Valentin, don’t let her have to compete with her husband over another one of his bed mates.

‘Supposedly he was one of Elizabeth’s lovers for a time, back in the day.’

That…is marginally better. ‘Really?’ Somewhere behind Catherine, Orlo’s saying ‘oh saints’.

‘Oh, yeah. Sometimes when she’s more off her tits than usual, she says he ruined her for anyone else, no matter how she searches, and I do believe she’s serious. So, he must have left quite the impression.’

Which means Catherine might have to try and seduce the deadliest man in Ravka, who is also old enough to have swived her aunt-by-marriage in her girlhood…so, old enough to be her own father, at least. Saints. At least Peter’s young and easy on the eye, and he smells like something living. Plus Kirigan was able to satisfy Aunt Elizabeth; who knows what kind of bizarre tricks he’ll expect in bed, or against a wall? And she fucked it all up with just virgin Orlo, fuck.

Orlo breaks out of whatever had him so horrified and enthralled (likely also the act of satisfying Aunt Elizabeth) to say in desperation, ‘Why does she have to seduce anyone?’

Catherine suddenly might just love Orlo, though not enough to kiss him.

Marial hmms and nods. ‘That’s true. If you threw yourself at Kirigan right now, with how little you still know of sex, you’d just look utterly desperate.’

‘…as opposed to when I threw myself at Orlo?’

‘Orlo knows nothing of sex and was far more frightened of you than you were of him. The General, now, would either be amused or despise you, and we’d go right back to “being weak in his eyes for eternity”.’

‘Well.’ Her voice cracks, shit. Catherine swallows and tries again. ‘Well, first I must meet with him, and then I can decide if it is a route I will take. In due course.’

‘No, first you must decide on how to win back the approval of the ladies. Get your court in order before you start courting the armies!’

‘Fine; but, Orlo, I cannot lose sight of the Sun Summoner. I will not let Peter take the credit for her!’

‘I know, I know. We can plan for that, we’ll start right now, she’s not going to arrive for at least a few days yet. Where’s the paper?’

‘And there is this.’ Marial goes to tidy up the breakfast tray and clear the table for plotting purposes. ‘Kirigan’s going to hate sharing his big find with Peter and the Apparat. You’ll look like a saint incarnate when the Emperor starts screaming and throwing a tantrum.’

‘Indeed. Praise saints for once that I’m married to a fucking moron.’

(Next Chapter)

#shadow and bone fic #shadow and bone #the great #the great fic #catherine the great #count orlo #marial #the great hulu #hulu the great #cw language #fic: all is bliss #alina and Kirigan will be in the next one

[its-spelt-hermaeus-mora]

Okay the last post got me thinking so now yall gotta suffer with me.

Payday Gang but its who gets to go to the cookout/what they doin (Joy isnt included cause I main them so yeah, Joy's hosting)

Dallas- Yes. Honestly I feel like Dallas makes killer burgers so like he's cooking.

Wolf- Yeah, he's chill. He brings drinks.

Hoxton- Seems like a dick upon first glance but he seems really nice. Broke him out of jail and one of his lines was "Joy! I'm glad you could make it!" (Somethin like that, clover was screaming in the background). So yeah, he's allowed in. I think he also would bring drinks.

Chains- Yeah! He's also helping cook, since I feel like he's sort of the middle man between the people with no spice tolerance and Jiro.

Sokol- Absolutely he can. He sets up a game of street hockey and fucking floors everyone.

Dragan- Mans looked at Joy and rly said "You're getting a bit pudgy." I didnt take offense but also fuck you man. He can have a plate but I'm not talking to him

Bonnie- Honestly she was one of the first people to be invited. I think she brings like super high quality drinks and motts apple juice.

Jimmy- Also one of the first people invited. He contemplates bringing drugs but bakes instead and brings cupcakes or smth. Are they laced? Fuck around and find out.

Sydney- Helped plan it! She decorated the safehouse and set everything up.

Clover- She's part of the group of people who didnt originally want to go but saw how much effort was put into it and just went "mmmnyeh alright" and showed up. Brought napkins and silverware. It sounds like slacking but fr she came through when no one else did.

Houston- Bro listen I owe him. I think he brings beers and maybe like. Mac n cheese. Its rly good and everyone is all "Hey Houston good job" but he's sweating cause its just like six boxes of kraft mac.

Jacket- Also another one of the first people invited. He brings a box of casettes for the music. If anyone argues with his song choices I will physically fight them.

Rust- He wasn't gonna go but Jimmy was so fuckin annoying abt it that he just gave in and went. He also wasnt gonna bring anything but just grabbed a bottle of whiskey and called it good.

Wick- I would die for this man. I firmly believes he cooks in his spare time to destress after heists so yeah. He's one of those people that everyone thinks he cooks really bad but then he brings food and all of a sudden he's making lunch for the crew every other day.

Sangres- Yes he's invited this man is a true bro. I know its kinda stereotypical but trust me, Mexican family members actually do bring tequila and some sort of Mexican food, probably homemade tacos, to big gatherings. Sangres is also a really good cook but his spice tolerance is fucked so all of his food is really spicy.

Jiro- How could I not let my own father attend the cookout?? Jiro brings sake and some sort of Japanese dish. He's a lot like Sangres; makes really good but f u c k i n g s p i c y food.

Bodhi- Yes. This man goes all out and fucking brings a whole Costco supply of food.

Duke- This is the kind of guy I'd want at a party. He brings really fucking good alcohol but is also the designated driver. V v responsible, only small amounts of alcohol at a time.

Scarface- I dont know a lot abt this guy but he seems aight. This guy's a wild card atm so when i figure it out ill get back to you.

Bain- Literally got invited mid-heist becuase adhd is a bitch. Whether or not he actually shows is debatable, but I think he'd bring some pothead concotion like noodle sandwiches or some shit.

Vlad- YEAAAAAH! I love Vlad, honestly, he's awesome. I think this guy really plays into the Russian stereotype for shits and giggles and fuckin bring vodka and potatoes.

Locke- *stares motherfuckerdly* Youre on thin ice, fuckwad. I dont have a set reason for my hatred towards Locke, I just really dont like his vibes. I'll let him in but like Dragan, I wont talk to him.

The Butler- :D absolutely! I dont know what he would bring but honestly he could bring lsd and id trust him w my drink.

Ethan and Hila: No, yall mean ;-;

#payday 2 #headcanon

[yanderepuck]

Catboy Cafe AU- Vlad

Make sure to read the following chapters before reading this:

Chapter 1

He's a lot nicer than he looks. He always looks annoyed as if he doesn't want anything to do with you. This made you a little worried about hiring him, but you were in desperate need and you had only gotten two other guys apply so you took a chance on him. Good thing you did.

"How well do you work with others?"

"Not well at all."

He actually said that. This was suppose to be an interactive cafe. Turns out he's really soft on the inside. He works best in the kitchen. The weeks leading up to the grand opening Vlad spent the entire time in the kitchen cooking to have you taste test what should be on the menu. He even started making cakes like crazy.

Pound cake. Cheese cake. Butter cake. Chiffon cake. Coffee cake. Raspberry jam. Then he started making pies you've never even heard of.

You, Vlad, Comte and Leonardo were eating desserts for days. There is a counter in the cafe that is in front of the kitchen where people can come up and just get things to go. Vlad's desserts became a huge hit.

Looking at this albino catboy you would have never guessed he has a sweet tooth. Aside from taste testing you don't think you've ever seen him not eat something without sugar.

He is constantly adding things to the menu. He even takes pictures of everything he makes to put it on the menu and for promotional purposes. He has a different special of the day every day.

If you didn't know better he makes extra buttercream icing just so that he can eat what is left over.

For the first month he was the only one back in the kitchen. You'd go back and help him, but you seemed to just get in the way.

"Do you even know how to cook, draga mea?"

What did he just say? "Of course I know how to cook." he was stern about things, especially int he kitchen. He said if things didn't run smoothly in the kitchen then it would show out on the floor.

"Let me help you," Vlad has no issue standing behind you and holding your hand to show you how to properly do something. He's short so his head ends up resting on your shoulder. as he scolds helps you.

Months later, now that he actually has help he has calmed down and spends more time sampling than anything else. He always has time to tell you that you're doing something wrong when you're back there though.

"Draga mea, tell Vincent the food is ready."

Four months later and you still don't know what he's calling you. "Would it kill you to say please?"

"Yes it would."

Everyone else in the cafe thought the two of you didn't get along with how you bicker. You're his boss and he talks to you like that? The truth is, the two of you love each other company. He's short enough where you can easily reach up and scratch his ears, which you do when you can tell he's having a really bad day.

Vlad stays late everyday to clean up the kitchen and get it ready for the next morning, which has turned into the two of you eating left over desserts in the kitchen and gossiping.

It doesn't take you long to learn that he's very passionate about cooking because of his family. He talks about how he loved his grandmothers cooking and even when he was little he always asked her to teach him how to cook like her.

#ikevamp #ikemen vampire #ikevamp vlad #catboy cafe au

[mashiraostail]

please momnight conent? Like student reader is upset/struggling with the material and goes to her for help or something literally please momnight im begging u

omg u do not have to beg kind anon i am happy to write momnight

“I’m sorry I feel really stupid..” You scrub at your face sitting in front of your teacher, she’s crouched down to eye level, one arm draped across your desk. “I just don’t understand this part at all..” You set your pencil down to use both hands, scrubbing at both of your eyes now.  “Hey come on, don’t say that!” Nemuri squeezes your wrist, “you’ll hurt yourself, just try reading it over again, sometimes that’s all it takes to get it to click.”  “I’m wasting your time, you have way more important things to be doing.” You mutter, “I’m sorry Midnight I think I’m a lost cause.” She lets out a loud gasp at that.  “Don’t say that sort of thing! NO way are you a lost cause!” She closes the book between you, “look at me.”  “I’m embarrassed. I know I’m strong but when it comes to bookish stuff I’m totally useless. You must think I’m an absolute moron-”  “No, I think Present Mic is a total moron.” She rests her chin in her hand as you finally look at her, chuckling to yourself over her jab at your English teacher.  “There we go. A little smile helps you feel much better huh?” She nudges your calf underneath the desk, you nod meekly.  “And anyways... I don’t think you’re a moron, I think you’re a kid. A student with a lot to learn. But you’re learning, even if its hard. Honestly, that's commendable, if this doesn’t come naturally to you putting in all the work to still do well is admirable, you don’t have to be the best you just have to do your best.”  “But I-” “No buts.” She frowns, “don’t talk back to your teacher.”  “Ow did you just pinch me- stop!” You pull your legs up into your chair as her attack on your leg continues.  “No one is good at everything. And yes I mean no one. Not a single person.”  “Well... what about All Might?” As soon as you finish she’s rolling her eyes. “He can’t even make a cup of coffee, and he’s never sent me a text that doesn’t have some sort of spelling error.”  “Principal Nezu?”  “He’s not a person he doesn’t count.”  You snort at that and rest your chin against your bent knees. “Well what about you? It sure seems like your good at everything...” You hug your legs to your chest and she pricks up a bit as you continue, “I just wanna be like you. You’re strong and smart and everyone likes you and you’re reliable and even if people underestimate you you always prove them wrong, even when you aren’t in the spotlight you’re doing the most to help...I... I wanna be like that, I wanna be just like you Miss Kayama.”  “Oh god I...I think I’m gonna cry.” She sucks in a deep breath. “What? Why would you do that dont-! Don’t cry!” You fumble as she sits back on her haunches.  “Well then don’t be such a little cherub!” She argues and then sighs, “look, I’ll be honest with you okay?” She reaches out and takes your hand, “it’s a really long time coming. Three years is a lot longer than it seems, and you’ve got a lot to learn. But you’re right, you are strong, and you are smart, smarter than you think.” She promises as she rests her chin on your desk, “even by coming to me for help you’ve proven how much you want this, how much you care about getting to your destination and..you know between you and I..you really do remind me of myself when I was your age.” She sighs wistfully and you grin at her, “yes you do, we’re practically spitting images of each other.”  “Shut up Midnight.” You chortle, unfolding your legs. “Ouch! What happened to Miss Kayama?!”” She pouts, picking her head up, “I’ll report you for insubordinance.”  “No you won’t.” You cheese at her and she shrugs, waving her hand.  “Ehhhh, yeah I guess you’re right. I won’t. especially not after you said you think I’m perfect.”  “Well are you or aren’t you?”  “Hm...I’d like to think I am.” She taps her bottom lip with her free hand and you snort, “though Mic says I have a terrible music taste, and Eraser says my sense of humor is shot...once Vlad told me I’m the worst driver he’s ever had the displeasure of accompanying on a grocery run, All Might says I’ve got one of the messiest cars he’s ever seen...oh Hound Dog also told me once that I make the worst cup of coffee on the planet and Cementoss agreed with him. But those are just opinions and they’re subjective so I’m...subjecting them to the trash.”  “I don’t think that’s how constructive criticism is meant to work.” You grin at the thought of her fellow teachers digging into her though.  “Ehhh..you say tomato..” She waves it off and then piques, “now I’ve got a question.” “if it’s about this material then sorry because I’m really shot for-”  “No, no. You really want to be like me?”  You flush, you can feel it in your ears, you murmur, “...yes...”  “I’m sorry I couldn’t hear you-”  “Yes!” You shout it a little louder than intended but she’s just laughing. “Really? Me?” I didn’t think I was exactly childhood role-model material.”  “That’s why I liked you..” You pluck at the fabric of your shirt, “everyone always wrote you off, but you always came through in the end, you always proved you were a lot more than your branding. I thought it was cool...that you didn’t try to be one dimensional, that you could be pretty and strong and smart.” You look up at her, “everyone likes you, everyone relies on you. I want to be that sort of strong. Forget picking up cars, forget punching in villains..I want people to need me like they need you. Like I need you.”  “Wow, I’m really gonna cry.”  “I told you don’t cry!” You snap, “you’re embarrassing me.” You cross your arms and she gasps. “You’re the one who went on the wild tangent!” Her laughter fizzles out and she stands, “come on.” She offers you a hand, “I think you get to call it for the afternoon, you’re probably the last student left here.”  You let her pull you out of your seat, she wraps an arm around you and squeezes you into her side, “how about an extra day to work on the assignment?”  “Are you playing favorites?” You ask her wearily.  “No. If someone else needs an extra day all they need to do is ask.” She hums, “try rereading the chapter tonight, and writing a summary of it. Give that to me tomorrow and I’ll let you know if you’re on the right track.”  “What if I’m not?” You gnaw at your lip nervously. “That’s what I’m here for, duh. Now let me walk you back to the dorms.” 

#platonic midnight x reader #nemuri kayama x student reader #nemuri kayama #midnight #midnight x reader