Seeing Double

Duet With Myself - Part 4

It looked like Fenton Works would be a ghost free household for the foreseeable future. When Mom was through with the lecture she did more than just turn the ghost alarm back on. She locked it up. There was no way Danny would be able to turn it off again.

Which was a shame because where else would he and Phantom hang out? They couldn't exactly wander around the mall without drawing attention. Even if he wasn't immediately recognized for his infamy people might think it was weird to see a glowing teenager casually window shop. It just wouldn't work.

Tucker said they could go to his place. "But, you know, if my parents come knocking on my door he needs to disappear, same as he did with yours. Cause I am not about to try and explain how and why I'm suddenly friends with a dead guy."

Despite his original shock and fascination Tucker took to Phantom easily. When the ghost had re-materialized beside them he barely even flinched. "So that's just going to be a thing now, huh? Okaaaaay."

He showed Phantom his favorite gadgets with his usual enthusiasm, pleased to be introducing them for what he thought was the first time.

"It's practically vintage," he was saying, proudly showcasing his projector. "And don't you just love the giant TV? My mom painted that for me."

One wall of his bedroom was dedicated to the painted TV. When Tucker fired up the projector the screen materialized within the confines of the design. He showed them the footage he'd taken of Phantom. "The quality isn't as great as, you know, an actual giant TV. But it's not about that..."

Was it the years he'd already spent with Tucker that made it so easy for Phantom to talk with him about his favorite things? They went from tech and special effects jargon to movie references that went over Danny's head. He tried to keep up, but before he knew it he was tuning out. They hardly seemed to notice.

He wished Sam had stuck around, but she had elected to go home instead of following them to Tucker's. Because she didn't like Phantom? That's what it had seemed like.

Though she'd accepted the Fenton Phones he'd given her for ghost emergencies.

"That's Danny's favorite part too!" Tucker was saying. Danny had no idea what movie they were even talking about. "Man, you guys have so much in common, it's freaky."

And just like that the room's temperature plummeted. Danny scrambled up to turn off the ceiling fan, chuckling nervously. "Whoa, did your mom blast the AC?"

"She must have," Tucker said. They both shivered. "Haha, weird..."

Phantom was flickering. He looked apologetic.

As casually as possible Danny tugged Phantom's leg, which was hovering just below eye level, and pulled him onto Tucker's bed. He settled against the ghost with an arm around his shoulder, ignoring the cold.

Did the room warm up? He couldn't be sure pressed up against Phantom like this.

"Gaaay," Tucker said, directing his iPad at them for a picture.

Danny flushed and removed his arm from around Phantom's shoulder, but the ghost snaked his arm around Danny's waist. He laughed and nuzzled his chin into Danny's neck. "Wha, you don't love me? Stop squirming away."

"Y-you... I just... hey! It's cold," Danny said. He put his hands against Phantom's face and shoved him away.

"Then why'd you cuddle up to me, hmm?"

"Yeah why'd you cuddle up to him?" Tucker echoed, snickering. They was having way too much fun with this.

Danny jumped off the bed and threw his hands up, "I don't know!"