Seeing Double

Duet With Myself - Part 10

The Fentons had upgraded their ghost shields. Now there was a green dome over the house and Phantom couldn't even knock on Fenton's window.

He wasn't wearing the Fenton Phones either.

It felt almost like going back in time to right after the accident. Before Phantom had mustered up the courage to show himself to his human half.

He decided to haunt the school again and observe Fenton in his classes. Watch him skip lunch and wander around the school's library.

For some reason Fenton never actually read any of the books. He'd spend a half hour reading titles and summaries instead, picking books up and putting them back down.

Paulina found him in there once and struck up a conversation. There was an eerie sense of deja vu in that. Phantom tried to fly closer to hear what they were saying, but Fenton was wearing something...

Some kind of ghost repellant? It wasn't like the ghost shield around his house, strong and solid, it was more like... Phantom felt a little shock as he approached and he knew it would get worse if he kept going.

He figured it was an upgrade on Fenton's utility belt.

So he couldn't hear what Paulina was telling him, but he could watch her point at the Harry Potter books and laugh as she grabbed Fenton's arm and led him towards them.

They're totally talking about me, Phantom thought. He decided to fly away at that point. Whatever they were saying, he didn't want to know.

oOo

Game night was Tucker's idea. They met at Sam's house, all four of them, and plugged into Doomed. Phantom was watching Fenton closely when the ghosted avatar came on screen, but he didn't react.

Tucker told him ahead of time, then.

Fenton was sitting in between Sam and Tucker and Phantom was surprised by how close he allowed Sam. They were practically thigh to thigh. And Phantom was on Tucker's other side, feeling isolated despite Tucker's best efforts.

He managed not to float out of his seat.

Sam had helped him grind his character up, so now he was nearly at the same level as everyone else. It made for a smooth mission, though everyone was tense.

Or maybe they were just cold.

Tucker made the best of it, once he realized. He asked the Butler for hot chocolate and cookies and he and Fenton ransacked Sam's room for as many blankets as they could carry.

Because the game room consisted of two couches- two seaters- instead of one long couch, Sam and Fenton ended up bundled under two blankets together.

Why they decided to stack and share those blankets instead of each taking one was beyond him. They were being oddly cuddly. And kind of whispering to each other.

When had they made up?

Tucker was stuck on the couch with Phantom and so was given the majority of the blankets.

"I'm sorry, Tuck," Phantom said.

Tucker laughed. "I got the blanket with a heating pad, dude. This feels amazing."

He sipped at his hot chocolate. "It's like Christmas came early," Tucker added.

Phantom frowned.

"Shit, watch out!" Tucker tried maneuvering his character with only one hand on his controller and nearly spilled his hot chocolate. Phantom managed to grab the drink and put it back on the table.