The Royal Consort Part 4
Danny smiles awkwardly as Mr. Paresh once again talks about his business. He is still determining why the man keeps repeating the annual profits or benefits for his investors as he carefully sips his sparkling cider.
He tones the man out after he starts again, gazing over the lavished banquet hall. Bruce Wayne really went all out for this gala. There were people in suits and dresses that cost more than his family car, strutting around and ignoring the large spread of deserts and drinks.
Danny has no idea how. He has already gotten a plate of fudge and sparkling cider from a world-renowned chef, never before tasting anything better. He would have gotten more, but he gets stopped whenever he tries to cross the room.
All everyone wants to talk about is his "husband," his "husband's" money, or their company and business. The night has blended into a weird mix of the three topics, and he will be hard-pressed to recite any of the information.
It's not that it isn't interesting, but Danny keeps getting the feeling that he's being talked down to. Or swindled.
But maybe that's just his insecurities talking. Danny isn't sure how he would ever come clean about his lies now. If he ever could.
The world believed that an inter-dimensional war would break out if he so much as had an argument with Phantom. Tucker had sent him the link to the political debates about it.
Imagine people finding out after all of that, that he lied and claimed he was married to himself? No.
That is not going to happen.
Danny would take this secret to his second grave.
"Your cooperation would be greatly beneficial to both parties. Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Phantom?" The man finishes, and Danny snaps his attention back to him. What did he call him? Oh no, did Mr. Paresh figure him out? And what was that about cooperation? Was he going to blackmail Danny?
Danny isn't sure what kind of expression he is making, but it must have looked bad for Tim Wayne to make his way over quickly. He's been hovering since the gala started.
In fact, all the Waynes have been hovering ever since they rescued him from the paparazzi. They took him back to the manor, where Alfred had been kind enough to make him some tea to help calm him down.
It was a bit awkward. Mostly because he had been somewhat shaky from the encounter, and they had been hyper-aware of future-him's threat to destroy the world if he was harmed.
Not that Danny would, but the Waynes didn't need to know that.
"Excuse me, Mr. Paresh, I need to speak to Mr. Fenton for a moment," Tim says with an easy smile and a smooth side-step that allows him to steer Danny away.
Mr. Paresh tries to protest, but Tim masterfully ignores him. With sure steps, an easy smile, and a hand on the small of Danny's back, Tim has him out of the crowd into the open air of a balcony, and Danny can feel himself breathing again.
"Thanks for the save," He tells Tim, leaning on the railing overlooking the garden.
The other teenager offers him a crooked smile. "Don't mention it. Mr. Paresh can be a bit pushy when it comes to investors."
"Is that what he wanted?" Danny asks surprised.
"Yes, even he wouldn't be dumb enough to hit on a Royal Consort," Tim tells him jokingly, but something about how he says it makes Danny feel like he is not joking. In fact, it's almost like Tim is trying to appease any foul mood the mislabeled "flirting" would cause.
Strange.
"Too bad. I don't have any money. It all belongs to Phantom." Danny sighs.
"Many spouses here are investors using their partner's funds. It's not a surprise you be approached for King Phantom's vaults." Tim explained with a helpless shrug that seemed far too regal for such a casual action.
Fighting the urge to roll his eyes, Danny sighs. "Phantom would never be interested in human business affairs"
Tim eyes gleam "why?"
"We don't live very long to a being like him. Our businesses would be like a snap of his fingers, and he wouldn't make up any profits that could match whatever he put into it"
The other teen makes a noise in the back of his neck but doesn't say anything after that. Danny slumps more onto the railing, allowing his chin to rest on his crossed arms.
The necklace that got him until this mess swings about accidentally hitting the metal. It's loud clack echoes as the silence between the two stretches.
After a moment, Danny speaks up, eyes trained on the tree line that has provided a screen of privacy.
"Are there still paparazzi at the gates?"
"Yes." Tim scoffs. Even without turning to look at him, Danny knows the other is frowning. "Bruce hired private bodyguards- Bowhunter Security- to keep them out, but they will hound you for the rest of your life likely. I'm sorry."
Danny shrugs even if a part of him shivers up into a ball at the thought of those camera flashes and pushy people hoping to capture something they can exploit. "I figured. They bothered Princess Diana like that too."
Neither speaks for a moment, allowing the gentle cold wind of the night air to brush over them. Danny, for a second, closes his eyes and lets himself sink into the welcoming silence.
He nearly falls asleep there, even going as far as to close his eyes and slow his breathing but just as he's about to drop off into his dreams, Tim lets out a startled gasp.
"King Phantom!"
What.
Ripping open his eyes, Danny can only stare in absolute shock as a green portal ripples before him, much like it had done a few days ago in Wayne's car. It's larger than before, the size of a large door, which makes it easier for Phantom to step out of.
He is dressed to the nines, his kingly attire screaming wealth even if it seems to be from a few centuries back. Its dark blues and whites highlighted his figure, and the black overthrown cape gave him a commanding presence.
White hair pushed back in a stylish tousle mess, it gave his flouting crown that much more alluring sight to behold. Danny's eyes were imminently drawn to another one of Clockwork's medallions resting comfortably around Phantom's neck.
No. Danny thinks faintly as Phantom- his future self, the asshole-winks at him. Please let this be a nightmare.
Alas, it is not, for Phantom takes his hand and brings it up to press a kiss against his knuckles. "Good evening, Darling. I have come to escort you to the gala."
"The hell you are" Danny hisses, yanking his hand away. Tim shifts uncomfortably at his side as Phantom tilts his chin to the nearby windows.
Risking a peak over his shoulder, Danny bites back a groan of frustration as multiple guests press themselves against the glass, gawking at the king of dead.
A few even have their phones out recording.
the portal's glow must have attracted guests' attention. Dammit it all
"Darling, I know I missed our anniversary because of my work, but please let me make it up to you." Phantom all but begs. He steps forward to drag Danny into a tight hug where he proceeds to whisper into his ear, using ghost delict.
"Alien invasion on the way. Batman and Superman die tonight trying to stop it. The world goes to Dan's level of bad. Clockwork wants us to handle it. Play. Along."
Of course, there is. Why not?
Danny wants to scream, wants to punch something very hard, but all he can do is whisper back. "What causes it?"
"Some idiot in this crowd cares for the key that portals the invading fleet. We will blow it up as the invading forces try to get through; we just have to find the person and not let them activate it beforehand." Phantom grips his hand harder, teeth turning just a bit sharper. "They killed Jazz first."
Oh, this is personal.
"Who is our first suspect?"
"Suspects," Phantom corrects, pressing him even closer, and to the onlookers, it seems sweet and devoted to his human. None of them know the chill in the air is due to Phantom's ire and not the cold winter. "The Waynes were conveniently gone when that thing opened."
Danny's eyes, against his will, almost flicker over to Tim, and he is startled by the calculative look in those blue eyes before it is swiftly hidden. Shit, and he liked the Waynes.
"I swear," Phantom says, stepping back now speaking in English and offering a boyish smile, that does nothing to hide the rage in his eyes,. "The Waynes are no threat to my family, Darling."
Everyone hears the words, but they all believe what King Phantom said has a different meaning.
The crowd thinks the Waynes had somehow implied an attack on the royal ghost house, maybe a faux pas for not knowing ghost culture while hosting Danny. Team Phantom thinks Danny is accusing the Waynes of ending the world.
But what do the Waynes hear?
"This is bad B. I think Danny Fenton is accusing the Waynes of trying to steal his husband." The teenager whisper-shouts into his phone, trying to hide from the embraced couple speaking in a strange language on the balcony.
"Tim, what did you do?!" Bruce yells back.
"I didn't do anything!"
"Tell Drake to stop being a homewrecker before the King declares war on us, Father!" Damian is heard over speakers, likely crowding around the phone like his siblings. Tim can see them now, hidden away in a closet, trying to listen to the call between Tim and Bruce the moment Bruce went for his phone.
"I am not a homewrecker!"
"That's right, Tim is not a homewrecker! Phantom has two hands. he can have two loves!" Dick passionately defends.
"He also has an undead army." Duke says, "Which we would like to avoid attacking us. Tim, come on, the man is married, back up."
"No, no, no, Dick is onto something there. I say seduce them both!" Steph shouts like she is commanding him to rush the frontlines of a battlefield.
"You should dance for them. Like birds." Cass adds.
"Yeah, Tim, shake some ass for the good of mankind," Jason snickers.
"None of this is helpful!"
"Tim, just please try to calm the King down." Bruce cuts in, sounding both severe and tired. "We really can't afford this war."
Tim risks glancing toward the royals and has to swallow a gulp at the twin-set stare that bores into his soul. It's unnerving how similar they are- but then again, Phantom changed his form to match Danny's in an odd Ghost tradition of love.
A love that he believed was being threatened with unfaithfulness due to Tim- or the other Waynes!
How was he ever going to calm someone like that down?
"I'll try."
He just hopes it's enough to get it through the evening.
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Nimona headcanons that I wrote in like 15 minutes don’t judge me
I feel like both Bal and Ambrosius are the kinds of people who try and act like they’re not sick
Bal has an amazing immune system he rarely if ever gets sick
But when he does get sick he’ll be in absolute denial about it
If someone confronts him all he’ll say is “No I’m fine I don't get sick” and then he’ll push himself until he’s literally sitting in a hospital still acting like he’s not sick
Ambrosius has the worst immune system you can possibly imagine
Someone sneezes on this boy and he’s sick for the next two weeks
But he’s also sick enough times that he’s convinced himself that he can work through anything
After a while he’s literally forced to relax and be taken care of and he complains the entire time that he should be working
I’ve kind of alluded to this headcanon but I don’t think Nimona can get sick
But if she could get sick she would be the most annoying person known to mankind
She would have a sore throat and make the biggest deal about it and force the boys to take care of her
And the boys will comply because this is one of the few times that Nimona lets them take care of her
I mentioned in this post tags that they all hand make every single present
The first thing that Bal ever made/gave Ambrosius was welded rose that he made out of scrap metal
He thought it was a stupid present but Ambrosius got super emotional and said it was the best present he had ever received
Bal highly doubted that cause Ambrosius literally got a car as a birthday present once
But then he saw it in a little vase that Ambrosius made and it became kind of a tradition after that
During every big event in their lives Bal welded Ambrosius a rose and he kept every single one
By the time the knighting ceremony rolled around he had close to 80
Ambrosius made more heavy-duty vases just to hold all of the flowers
It’s kind of sweet because you can see both of their hobbies improving as the years go on
The first gift Bal ever got from Ambrosius was a sweater he crochet himself
He made it cause he knows that Bal runs cold and he would make off-handed comments about it every once and a while
He was kind of nervous cause he never took on a project that big before
Bal wore it all the damn time
He treated that sweater like it was gold which is why he was crushed when it started unraveling
He went to Ambrosius sobbing with an arm full of yarn apologizing and saying he ruined it
Mind you he gave him that sweater like 5 years prior and had knitted and crocheted him a million things afterwards
It was a miracle that the sweater lasted as long as it did
He spent the entire night consoling him while asking for his input on the new one he was currently working on
The first gift Bal and Ambrosius gave Nimona made him tear up and cling to them as an actual koala for the rest of the night
Bal welded him a little dragon and Ambrosius crocheted him a little rhino
The first gift Nimona gave the boys was for both of them
It was a painting of the three of them the boys thought it was beautiful but also incredibly out of character
Until they gave them the second painting of the three of them fighting guards as the institute burned down behind them
The boys framed both and hung them in the living room
Whenever Ambrosius goes anywhere he’s swarmed by groups of people and sometimes those people will ask questions about his clothes and jewelry
And he gets this proud look in his eyes while he says “Oh my kid made this in the living room 15 minutes before I left the house”
When Bal proposed he actually made both the engagement and their wedding rings
He always got compliments on both rings and Ambrosius would let them get a better look while gushing about all the little details that were put into it
And this doesn’t stop when Bal and Nimona are around either
In fact he’ll drag them over and gush about them while they get progressively more embarrassed
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