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#which.. also reminded me of the variety of DP fanfic where danny's parents cannot - for the life of them -
wastefulreverie · 2 years
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A couple days after his parents learned he was Phantom, Danny realized he didn't explain the nature of his condition as well as he could have.
"Can... can I talk to Phantom?"
His Mom seemed to regret speaking as soon as she'd asked.
"Uh, what do you mean?"
She bit her lip. "I mean, if you're not busy or anything. We only talked to him that first night after you, uh, switched."
"Mom," he said slowly, "you know I am Phantom, right? Like, we established this—"
"I know. I know you’re the same. It’s just that I wanted to talk to him for a second about ghost stuff.” She paused. “If that’s alright with you.”
His parents still weren’t comfortable with the ghost stuff. It probably took a lot of courage to ask him to change. He was grateful that she was willing to let him share this part of himself with her so soon.
“Yeah, sure.” He pulled on his core and made the change. White light washed over him and replaced his day-clothes with his HAZMAT suit. “So, what ghost stuff?”
She stared. “You heard that?”
“Uh, heard what?”
“About me wanting to talk about ghost stuff. I mean, I didn’t really want to go to into it earlier, but just how conscious are you and Danny of each other when you switch? Are you always listening under the surface, or like—”
“Mom, hold up.” He raised a hand. “Do you think that like, Danny and Phantom are two different, I don’t know, personalities? Or something?”
Her face went red. “Are—are you not?”
“Uh, no. I don’t think so? I’m me. Just—” he waved to himself “—me with white hair and cool outfit?”
“No.” She shook her head. “But you act so different?”
“Because I have a secret identity? Not like, whatever you’re thinking. Same Danny, I swear.”
“So, when you say that you’re Phantom... you mean that you don’t just share a body. You really are...”
“Yeah...” He tried not to waver under her shocked gaze. “Is that alright?”
“Of course! I just—I’m just surprised, is all.” She sat down on his bed. “So when Phantom told Vlad Masters to kiss his ass, that was all you. Danny.”
“Uh, I mean, Vlad is kind of complicated—”
“And the time Phantom phased some GIW into the ground by the wrists, pantsed them, and goaded a group of Casper High kids into using them as paintball targets.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say I goaded them.” He shrugged. “They were eager to do it.”
“Or the time Phantom was found loose in the car wash, high on ghost nip and trying to fight the brushes.”
“Hey!” With a rush of ectoplasm, his cheeks suddenly felt cold. “That’s—that’s uncalled for.”
“Ghost nip! Really, Danny?”
“You left it in the kitchen! I didn’t know what it was! That’s your fault, if anything!”
His Mom shook her head. “Great. I thought at least, ‘Hey! Phantom’s the wild one! Danny’s the sensible one. No need to worry about him.’ You’re going to make me go gray at forty-two, Daniel James.”
He didn’t regret most of his escapades as Phantom, but he realized now that his parents were privy to all his antics he wouldn’t have the same freedom as he once had.
“I’m sorry.”
She pressed her hand into his. They were both wearing gloves, but it was still nice to feel her warmth. “You don’t need to be. I told you before, didn’t I? That I accept you no matter what you’ve done as Phantom.”
“You thought Phantom was some other person in my head, not me.”
“That doesn’t change anything, though. Ghost or not, you’re still my son. You will always be my son.”
Despite the initial miscommunication, they were bridging a clearer understanding of what life after the reveal meant.
It didn’t seem all that bad.
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