Dark Prince

CHAPTER 14 - Visit

Though Clockwork's words had done much to help them along, Danny and Pariah Dark remained distant from each other, still trying to figure out what to say, exactly, let alone what to DO. That's not to say they didnt make attempts; at mealtimes, they tolerated the awkwardness between them, but really couldnt find the words to dissipate said awkwardness.

In short, they kept chickening out. That, and they both had too much pride to be the first to apologize again. Again.

So the silence ensued for the next few weeks, until Danny decided to break it with a statement.

"I'll take the week before Christmas to visit my family."

It was during dinner that he said that, and Pariah Dark looked up from his meal in near shock at the sound of Danny's voice saying something besides 'hello'. He put his eating utensils down (Danny had awhile ago begged for proper forks and knives) and gave his fiance his undivided attention.

"I see," he replied. "Will you return on Christmas Day, or the day before?"

Danny took a deliberately long sip from his goblet before answering. "The day before," he said. "That way we can make plans for the official announcement."

Pariah Dark nodded, but frowned to himself at Danny's detached tone. It was a tone often used for addressing people at formal events, or for business. Ye gods, he actually preferred the boy's cautious stuttering to this stiff tone. He nodded, mostly to himself, and took the same tone up.

"Very well," he replied. "When will you depart?"

"Tomorrow," Danny replied. "I'll return in seven days."

"Very well."

Silence ensued after that. Just outside the dining room doors, Fright resisted the urge to bash his head repeatedly into the stone wall. Dora, who was waiting next to him for Danny to finish up so they could pack, could empathize entirely.

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Later that night, Pariah Dark sat fuming in his quarters, already half-drunk from a ghost-made wine and in the process of breaking a fourth glass from gripping it too hard in anger. Not at Phantom, but at himself. He had a perfect opportunity to strike up conversation to get to know the boy, and his pride had blown it. Now the boy was leaving tomorrow for a week before the engagement, after Clockwork had suggested he start sharing life stories BEFORE the official engagement.

Great. Just perfect.

He shattered his fourth glass in his hand with a mere twitch, then growled and tossed the shards away. No, he said to himself. Getting drunk was NOT going to help. It never did in his life days, and it certainly wouldnt in his death days. He took a few minutes to calm himself down, then sat in contemplative silence.

He honestly didnt want him and Phantom to part on such cold terms with each other, no matter how short the departure would be. He at least wanted a comfortable familiarity between them.

He stood up and walked over to a large wardrobe and opened it, taking a simple black wooden box from the top shelf, and looked at it for a few moments before heading to Phantom's rooms.

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Danny finally finished packing things that would at very least be halfway decent to weat back in the human world, and flopped down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

He hadnt really meant to be that cold to Pariah Dark, but at least that kind of tone was safe; it wasnt too personal, or anything. It was something the Ghost King could identify with, and it had worked. He stated what he wanted, Pariah Dark conceded, the end.