Dark Prince

CHAPTER 13 - Damage Repair II

Danny was absolutely miserable.

Not like it came to any real surprise; he was being more or less forced to marry the homicidal King of Ghosts, die, and was expected to consumate the marriage despite having a severe rejection of physical touch. Oh yeah, his life was fucking peachy.

Dora had tried to get him to talk about what had happened, but Danny told her nothing. He didnt WANT to tell her anything. He didnt want to talk to anyone. All he had really done for the last week was stay in bed with his head under a pillow, wondering what god he had pissed off in another life to deserve this.

It was now eight days - so he figured - since the huge blow-up, and he still felt as sick and disturbed as ever. He doubted the feeling would ever go away. He'd been too put-out to eat much, and Dora had finally retired for the night, leaving non-perishables by his bed for him to nibble on if he changed his mind, but he still hadnt touched anything.

He'd always learned not to feel sorry for himself, but right now, it was damn hard. It really was.

He thought he felt something poke his side, but he ignored it, thinking it was just his mind attempting to distract him. After another moment, he felt another poke. "Lemme 'lone, Dora," he mumbled, swatting aimlessly at the air. Silence.

Then he yelped when he felt something smack across his backside.

He shot up, fully ready to beat the crap out of whoever had done that, only to freeze when he saw Clockwork hovering over the side of his bed, his Time Scepter over his shoulder, and looking highly amused.

"Clockwork?"

"None other than, Daniel." Clockwork smirked and sat down on the edge of the bed, vanishing the Scepter, as it was no longer really needed at the moment. Danny settled down and sat next to Clockwork, scowling.

"That wasnt funny," he said tersely, crossing his arms. Clockwork gave him a good-natured, yet naughty smile.

"When you're eternal, Daniel, you'll quickly learn to get your kicks where you can find them," he replied. "Mine just happens to be breaking my Scepter over your obstinate backside to get you out of your pity party." He handed a plate of nibblets Dora had left for Danny out to his young protege. "As I normally do."

Danny took the plate deftly, staring at Clockwork. "...When do you do THAT?" he asked, bewildered."I dont remember you ever doing that before!"

"Funny what one doesnt remember when time stops..." Clockwork replied smoothly, examining his glove-clad fingertips. Danny just stared.

"...I wonder why I'd get sore some days for no damn reason..." Danny griped to himself. Clockwork poked Danny in the side of the head.

"Not for 'no reason', Daniel," he replied. "I gave you those swats to snap you out of whatever problems you were stressing over. I'm actually wondering why I didnt so this days ago."

"Why dont you, then?" Danny replied, nibbling on what looked like a cracker. It had a hazelnutty taste to it.

Clockwork gave Danny a bland look. "What have we discussed about temporal matters?" he asked in a rhetorical tone. Danny rolled his eyes and recited back almost sarcastically,

"I'm not the Master of Time, so dont think about it." He snorted. "...I got that. What I DONT get is... well... you KNEW this was going to happen, right?"

"I know everything," Clockwork replied matter-of-factly, folding his hands on his lap. "I knew Pariah Dark would break from his Sarcophagus. I knew he would take an interest in you. I knew he would do something foolish, and I knew you would take it without salt, as you normally do."