Seeing Double

Duet With Myself - Part 7

Sam lived in a castle. Not like Vlad's though, where his had been topped by evil looking spikes and decorated in gargoyles (at least Danny's memory had convinced him there must have been gargoyles) the Manson's had a tasteful flat and squareness to their castle.

Their mansion.

She lived in a mansion.

"You sure you don't have the wrong place?" Danny said.

Phantom was flickering in and out of view. "I'm sure."

"Wh-when did she," Danny sputtered. "When did you. A-and her...?"

Phantom was transparent, but his outline was visible. Danny grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. "Phantom! I introduced you two. Didn't I? Am I an idiot? Wasn't it yesterday?"

Phantom's face was gone. Just gone, no eyes or mouth. His nose was faintly visible, sort of.

Maybe Danny should have been freaked out over that. A few hours ago he would have been. But now he had more pressing concerns. "She lives in a castle," he said.

oOo

Just when Phantom thought he'd finally fixed things, he went and screwed them back up. He'd gotten back on Sam's good side! He was even able to make her laugh in class, despite herself. Sure at Tucker's expense, but it was a hypnotized Tucker anyway. And he'd always been a good sport about pranks.

He'd forgotten that Fenton didn't know. That he had never even seen Sam's place before. She was going to be so pissed! He kept straining his ears, waiting for her reaction over the Fenton phones, but her end was silent. Had she turned them off? Did she even know they were here? Maybe they could just leave...

Fenton was pacing. He tripped over an ottoman between the couch and the coffee table.

He groaned and kicked it. "What even is that thing?! Just a random square? To trip me up? Am I going crazy?!"

"It's uh, for putting your feet up. If you're on the couch," Phantom said. He'd been baffled by it too, once upon a time.

"He speaks!" Fenton clapped, slow and sarcastic. "Great job, you grew your mouth back."

"M-my mouth?" Phantom pressed a hand against his lips. "It was never... gone?"

"Dude, it was," Fenton said. "But whatever. Doesn't matter."

He abruptly sat on the floor and put his head in his hands. "Doesn't matter," he repeated.

Phantom hovered over him nervously. He was surprised he hadn't frozen the room over and as he tentatively place a hand on Fenton's head, he expected something... well, explosive.

Fenton didn't react.

"I'm sorry," Phantom said. "I didn't mean to lie to you."

Fenton still didn't react.

But there was static from the Fenton phones and then Sam's weary sigh. "You're both in my room aren't you?"

"Y-yeah," Phantom said.

"It didn't occur to you that I might need a magical flight out of school too?" Sam said.

Phantom straightened and accidentally floated up into the ceiling, banging his head. "D-did you get harassed too? I'm so sorry, I'll fly back-"

"Too late," she said. "And I didn't go picking a fight like someone over there."

Fenton growled. "Speaking of fights! I want to have a fight, Sam. Get over here and let's have one."