The Phantom Robin

14: Shadowing Truths

Danny clapped his hands together softly, moving his palms up his arms. The hot tray felt nice. His body was always cold and grew colder near warm ghosts, which was fine in ghost form, makes him feel stronger. In human form, it can be a bit annoying, like his bones don't want to fit right in his skin, so the tray was honestly what he needed to get back to somewhat normal.

Vlad stood up from the floor, carefully patting his pants of whatever dirt/dust he thought there were. He then leaned to the side, looking at what was in the tray.

"You can cook?" He warily leaned closer. "Is it alive?"

Danny's face colored a bright red hue.

"That happened once." He hissed, his nose wrinkling.

"Little Badger," Vlad's grin became strained, "I'm still having to deal with those pests."

Danny huffed, his nose wrinkling more.

"Well, sorry, it's not like I was given proper teaching on how not to make my food living."

Vlad pinched the bridge of his nose, face tight. To the count of ten, he raised his head.

"Fair enough." He sighed heavily, moving back to the island, taking a seat. "Now, what have you created?"

A cheeky grin spread on the dark-haired halfa's face as he picked up a spatula and a plate.

"Choclate chipped cinnamon buns with strawberry frosting."

Vlad wrinkled his nose.

"Too much sugar." He bemoaned lowly.

Danny snickered, putting a plate in front of him before pausing to blink.

"Huh... When... When did I make the icing?" He looked at the sink full of the dirty dishes he used, and then to the metal bowl of the pink frosting.

"Likely went on autopilot like you do with cleaning your room."

The ice ghost hummed, slowly nodding. He had noticed that happening a few times when he's stressed and thinking too deeply.

"Okay, I'll take that for now."

The two were silent as they enjoyed the sugary concoction. With Jazz, the frosting would've been the normal plain vanilla, but he felt a bit adventurous, and honestly, he feels it paid off. Apparently, he had made the strawberry frosting a bit tart, which complimented the cinnamon and chocolate quite nicely.

"Hmm... Not bad. Still too much." The silk-wearing man hummed, wiping his face wiht a napkin.

Danny snorted, smirking a little.

"Oh, pride be your undoing." He teased, getting a playful roll of his eyes.

"Hush, as if you don't have your own vices."

The younger halfa clicked his tongue, tilting his head back in a haughty way. The two ate in silence once more. Once the food was consumed, Vlad stood, rolled up his sleeves, and then began doing the dirty dishes.

"I-"

"It's alright, Daniel. After this, you should get back to sleep. It is very late." The boy was given a pointed look, to which he avoided by looking at Alfred's china collection.

The two were silent after that, the silence making Danny antsy.

"Do you like being here?" The ghostly words that flowed effortlessly from the older halfa's lips made the unrest in Danny calm.

"They're nice, and... And Dickie seems to have grown up with love and compassion." Danny's face softened, a loving smile on it. "It's the most I could have ever asked for."

Vlad nodded, putting the clean dishes on the rack. Not needing to dry his hands, he placed a comforting one on the teen's shoulder.

"If you ever need a place." He was careful to not say home, and all that heard could tell.

Danny tilted his head up, his smile strangely sad.

"I know, I know. Besides, you couldn't get rid of me if you tried. I'd make you my haunt." He snickered, his amused look growing before he finally burst into laughter as the older man just shook his head.

"Always with the puns." He bemoaned, but his expression was just soft. "Now, go to bed. Everything will become fine. Just believe in the process."

Danny's laughter calmed, him briefly nodding before getting up and stretching with a long yawn. He was absolutely exhausted. Between the panic attack, talking with Vlad, and eating, he just wanted some shut eye before his body rejected the food entirely.

Upon leaving the kitchen, someone cleared their throat, making him flinch. His body prepared for a fight, only to relax when he saw that the person was only his brother, with Tim and Damian behind him.

"Hey, Robin." He gave a cheeky smile to his brother, who's expression softened by a fraction.

"Phantom," His tone was hard, "Who were you talking to?" To exaggerate his words, he leaned over to look in the empty and cleaned kitchen. "I could've sworn I heard two voices."

Tim nodded, moving forward as well.

"Definitely heard someone else's voice."

Damian was just glaring, his clear dislike seemingly only growing. Danny really didn't know what he did for the youngest to hate him, but honestly, he didn't care. Fighting ghosts on the daily for some petty reasons had kind of messed with his ability to gauge what normally should cause animosity. Sam and Tucker didn't help with that either.

"Well, I had an old friend on the phone." He was hesitant on calling Vlad a friend, but it seemed reasonable.

"You don't sound sure." Damian practically hissed, his green eyes narrowing even more. It honestly looked like he was just closing his eyes.

"Yeah... Me and him don't exactly get along. Kinda have a truce going on." Now that was the truth. "He was the one to help shelter me before I came here."

"Then why didn't he drive you here?" Damian opened his eyes, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you looked pretty dead." Tim's mouth twitched down, his body seemingly twitching about.

"Look?" Dick wrinkled his nose as he looked to his adopted brother. "He passed out!" His voice level rose, a slight panicked tone being detected.

"He offered." Danny raised his hands, trying to placate his twin. When he had the three pairs of eyes on him, he continued. "He offered, but I wasn't in the right mind space, so... I um..." Their eyes were really intense. "I just wanted to think..." His voice softened to a whisper.

Dick's expression tightened, his lips thinning. He clearly didn't like his explanation. Yet, he let it go with a soft smile.

"Well... What did you make? It smells good."

Danny grinned, glad that they finally dropped it.

"Cinnamon buns with chocolate chips and a strawberry frosting."

His taller twin grinned, a sparkle in his eyes.

"Oh, I have to try that."

"Hey! Save some for me." Tim playfully pushed the first Wayne adoptee, squirming past the two of them.

Dick gasped, dramatically stumbling away. He then rushed after Tim, saying something in Romanian that Danny sadly couldn't understand.

"Fools." Damian muttered, but followed the two in. It wasn't long before the three of them began arguing about the right thing to drink with the sugary delight.

The halfa's expression softened, a sense of distance forming between him and them. Dick looked so happy, even as he yelled and chokehold Tim from having more coffee. Would he have felt this if he was taken in with his brother? He wasn't sure, but there was an ache within his heart.

He pulled away from the feeling, and just continued to smile as he walked back into the kitchen. He would think about all that later. Later when he could possibly let loose.