A/N: Wooooow, it's been a while since I actively used this site. (Gotta say... hasn't changed much since I started six years ago. Luckily I have). Usually you can find me on ao3 or my tumblr (both usernames are 'penguinsledding' with no spaces or hyphens or anything). If you follow me on Tumblr, you'll have seen the thousands-of-words-long headcanons post that I made a while ago with all of my feelings about the Danny Phantom characters in college. This story is essentially just going to be a bunch of oneshots and drabbles in that continuity. Don't expect much in the name of overarching plot- these are just fun little things for me.
This first one was inspired by Bekuki on Tumblr, though I didn't realize that until after I'd wrote it and was trying to think of where I came up with the concept. She wrote a fic called Trance Tulips on her Tumblr, and I highly recommend you check it out. She's one of my favorites. Anyway, please enjoy the fic! Sorry to talk so long.
FRESHMAN YEAR
It wasn't until the movers had already vacated the new home that Sam smelled it.
She thought at first that it was just an 'old house' smell- a distinctly disgusting mustiness to add to the 'character' of the building. At least, that's what she planned on telling Tucker when he complained. She also had a rant on the beauty of old houses in her back pocket in case of unexpected creaks or pests.
Still, Sam didn't expect any problems this early. The group was still filled with naive excitement about the move. It was the biggest house any of them but Sam had lived in, and it was all theirs. (And they had not yet found out that Sam was lying about how much the bills were. Her friends wanted to help, but she saw no need to bankrupt them).
It wasn't long before the smell began to grate on her, however. The longer it permeated the house the more she hated it. If she wasn't mistaken, it was actually growing more pungent as they unpacked.
"Does anyone know what that IS?" Tucker whined, rifling through their newly stocked cabinets for some air freshener. The group had spent all of the previous day grocery shopping. Sam, who had been prepared for this, ditched her plans. As much as she hated to admit it, she was just as ready to pitch a fit as Tucker.
"I don't know," she grumbled. "It didn't smell this way during the showing. Or yesterday when we put the groceries away."
"Maybe it's something on our stuff," Valerie suggested from where she stood in the living room, unloading a box of momentos for the coffee table. Among them were clippings of the Red Hunter and Danny Phantom, and a framed picture of the four of them.
"Ok, well if it is, we need to have a talk about bringing toxic substances into the house."
Sam and Valerie rolled their eyes simultaneously.
"I'll look upstairs," Sam decided. "We haven't done much unloading there. You two look down here and in the basement."
As she walked upstairs, she ran her fingers lightly over the white walls. She could hardly believe it was her home now. Hers, and Danny's, and Tucker's, and even Valerie's. Danny was on patrol now, but she could already picture the four of them on the couch, eating dinner at the table, throwing college parties...
God, the SMELL.
Sam grimaced and continued to breathe through her mouth. At least that way she could minimize the scent.
"It's definitely worse up here," she called down. The goth girl continued to follow the scent, frowning as it led her to her own room.
Danny had a room in the basement, but he had already claimed her room as his own- his boxes lay where the movers had left them, right next to Sam's. She reached for them first. She'd smelled Danny's gym clothes before; the source of the stench wasn't likely to be far.
However, much to her surprise, it wasn't until she opened her own boxes that she found the source.
A small bottle of perfume had shattered. It coated the fabric of her clothes and curled the edges of some of her favorite photos. Even the thick cardboard had large, wet patches in the side. Sam scowled.
"Found it!" She called down.
She knew she shouldn't have brought that perfume. Gregor had given it to her in their brief stint as boyfriend-girlfriend. They had broken up shortly after, and she'd never worn it.
"What is it?" Val asked as she rounded the corner in the hallway. Sam held up the shattered perfume in response.
"Ugh, people WANT to smell this way?"
"Not me," Sam scowled. "Gregor gave it to me. It wasn't worth the effort of bringing along. Now all of my clothes reek."
Valerie shrugged. "It'll come out with a wash or two."
The goth girl, determined to be upset, merely shrugged moodily. She'd only kept the stupid thing because it made Danny pleasantly jealous. Of all the things to happen on their first day in the new house...
XXX
Danny was halfway down the street when he smelled it.
The ghost boy, invisible to avoid attracting attention, did not move towards it so much as he was PULLED.
He drifted through the window, his feet hitting the ground solidly as Danny Fenton replaced his heroic counterpart. The boy trailed down the hallway. His head was held high, sniffing the air.
"Oh, hey Danny," Sam called from down the hall.
Danny's head shot to the side to look at her. He could practically see the scent wafting off of her. Her fingers, her thick purple robe... They were all coated in it.
"Saaaammm," he purred, sliding down the hallway towards her. He grabbed at her hand, holding it between his own and bringing it up to his face. He kissed her fingertips once, twice. "Mmm..."
Sam's eyebrows rose sky high. "What exactly are you doing?"
Danny rubbed his face against her hand, smiling dreamily. After a moment, he released it and pulled her to him. He gripped her hips; his face buried in her robe. He took a deep sniff.
"I love you," he mumbled into the fabric.
"That's nice," she smiled in spite of herself. "But why are you SMELLING me?"
"I love smelling you."
"That's... really weird, actually."
XXX
"Ok," Valerie said. She leaned down and pulled Danny's chin up so they were eye level. "Are you drunk?"
Danny shook his head slowly and settled back against Sam.
The ghost boy was curled up like a cat on the couch; his head and torso rested in her lap. He made contented noises as he nuzzled his cheek against her robe.
"Well," Tuck said, "I think we can rule that out. No way would Danny get wasted for the first time on a routine patrol."
"What about love spells?" Sam suggested. Her mind conjured up the image of a 14 year old Danny, sitting cross-legged on his bed, worshipping a group of pictures of her. Yes, this could definitely be the result of a love spell.
"Why would someone put him under a love spell?" Valerie protested. "You two are already in love. Nothing would happen."
"It's not the same!" Tucker and Sam said in unison. They turned to each other, mutually horrified at their memories.
"Ok, ok," Valerie replied, throwing her hands up. The young hunter had been a part of their group for so long now- nearly two years- that they almost forgot she hadn't been around for their earlier adventures. "So how do we know if it's a love spell?"
"Uh..." Sam shrugged, looking around. "Have you been fighting Ember, Danny?"
Her boyfriend didn't even bother to look up; he just shook his head.
"Lunch Lady," he hummed, nuzzling her thigh. "But I don't want to talk about her. Let's talk about Saammmm..."
Sam rolled her eyes- noting, for the first time, the leaf carvings on the ceiling fan- and ran an exasperated hand through her hair. The other was still being held captive by Danny.
"We don't know of any other ghosts who can cast love spells," she huffed. "Danny, what exactly happened today?"
He turned to look at her, still smiling with those puppy dog eyes.
"Fought ghosts. Flew home. And then it smelled nice. And Sammm..." he trailed off.
"The smelling!" Tucker perked up. "The perfume! He's been smelling you ever since he got back, and weren't your pajamas in the box with the broken bottle?"
Sam nodded, eyes wide with horror. She turned to Valerie.
"I told you it wouldn't come out with a wash."
Danny, oblivious, snuggled closer.
XXX
"That's the last of them," Sam said, shoving her clothes at Valerie. Danny stood behind her. His arms were wrapped around her waist; his head rested on her shoulder as he breathed in the scent of her hair.
Sam had been unhappy, to say the least, when she realized that she had to REpack all of the clothes she had just finished UNpacking in the vain hope that that would be enough to snap Danny back to his usual senses. (As little as he had). She was wearing a pair of Valerie's sweats, which were two sizes too big, and Danny's t-shirt. Unfortunately, not even that had stopped her boyfriend from clinging to her and sniffing anywhere that the scent remained. As it turned out, it was even harder to pack with a lovesick Danny draped over her.
Valerie picked up the box, shuffling down the hallway. For the first time, Danny looked concerned. One of his arms raised to point to the box.
"Is she coming back with that?"
"No, Danny," Sam sighed. She only hoped that him recognizing the scent was on the clothes meant that his infatuation would be gone soon. "It's going away."
Danny made a low, keening noise in his throat. He grabbed her hand and tugged her down the hall after Valerie.
Luckily, as soon as they caught up to her he forgot why he had been displeased in the first place. He took a long whiff of the box, beaming at the girl holding it, before returning to Sam.
"So," the goth asked, frowning as Danny looped his arm around her shoulder. He stood on one side of her so that his other hand could remain on the box. "Does Tucker have any idea what in the perfume is causing this yet?"
"He thinks it's some kind of ghost catnip," Val shrugged. "Something that attracts them, makes them happy and docile. He just hasn't isolated the ingredient or combination of ingredients yet."
"You know, if I didn't now know firsthand how annoying this is, I would say that that could be useful."
"It can't be that annoying," Valerie smirked. "I saw you two 'packing' earlier."
Sam flushed. It was true she'd let herself get a bit... distracted earlier. As frustrating as it could be, Danny's unadulterated affection was very flattering. When he had begun making those little whining noises and turning his head up to her, lips pursed and eyes closed, she'd been unable to resist. It wasn't as if they'd really done anything to be too embarrassed by. Danny was far too bashful and cuddly at the moment for anything more than breathy kisses.
"Does he know when it'll fade?"
"The best theory is still when we get rid of it all," Valerie shrugged. "Hopefully it'll wash off your skin eventually. If not, we can always get him some nose plugs."
"Somehow I don't think that'll go over well," Sam quipped as Danny, eyes wide, took a deep breath through the nose.
XXX
Sam awoke on her official second day in her new home in an extraordinarily confusing mood.
On one hand, she was laying in a bedroom that was officially not right next to her parents. Even better, they were several states away. Perhaps best of all, her boyfriend lay with her, his arms holding her tightly against him. Any other day, this would be the morning of her dreams.
Unfortunately, Sam could hear an unmistakably aggravating sound, almost enough to ruin it all.
He was still SNIFFING.
XXX
The goth slid the shower door shut, her pale feet slick against the tiles. The water was as hot as she could possibly make it. She wanted to be scalded; she wanted to FEEL the scent as it was burned from her. She hadn't dealt with such a nuisance in years (her best friends excluded).
She reached for her shampoo, humming softly. It was becoming increasingly difficult to be angry; showers had a way of relaxing her. The goth was in her own world before she knew it.
That is, until the shower door slid open.
"Danny!" Sam exclaimed, covering herself with her hands instinctively.
"I missed you!" he beamed, sliding the door behind him as he joined her. Sam blushed. It wasn't as if this was the first time she had seen him sans clothing, it was just...
Usually it was more secretive, hidden touches under the bleachers or captured moments in one of their empty houses. Not for the first time, Sam was filled with thoughts of what they could do now that they had no parents watching them.
They were not unpleasant thoughts.
Danny didn't seem to think so either; he wasted no time in moving over to her. He pulled her close in a hug. His mouth moved down to suck at her neck.
Sam let out a soft moan at the feeling. Pressed against each other like this, wet with nothing between them... It was almost too much. Her fingers dug into his back. Danny nibbled softly at her skin.
"Hey," he exclaimed, his head shooting up abruptly. "Someone's taking your smell!"
Looking more than anything like an agitated puppy, the teen looked around the shower suspiciously. Protective as always, he stepped in front of her. If Sam didn't know any better, she'd think she had just heard him GROWL.
Sam, who had all but forgotten about the catnip predicament, was torn between letting out a sob at the loss of contact and cheering that the smell was disappearing.
"No one's taking it, Danny," Sam sighed. "It just goes away with time."
She fought a sigh as her boyfriend's eyes filled with tears.
XXX
Danny clung to her desperately from the moment she left the shower, which she had kicked him out of. She shoved him away to get dressed, but he made low, morose noises from across the room. He looked for all the world like a wounded dog.
"Danny, put some CLOTHES on," she huffed, pulling the dress over her head. He whined again, deep in his throat.
XXX
"I'm going out," Sam announced to the living room. She looked miserable in Valerie's only semi-gothic outfit- a simple black dress. "New clothes shopping and all."
Danny, trailing behind her, was holding her hand close to his nose. He was absorbing as much of the smell as he could; even Sam could tell it was fading.
Valerie and Tucker looked up at the two from where they sat, arguing about what to watch. Sam answered their unspoken question.
"You're watching him."
The two groaned.
"Danny," Sam said, turning to the boy. "You're staying here with Val and Tuck. I'm going to go shopping."
He nodded, still holding her hand. She pulled it away and turned to walk outside.
Danny followed.
XXX
Tucker patted Danny's back sympathetically. The ghost boy lay sprawled across the couch, exhausted from the fit he threw when Sam managed to leave the house without him. (He never had mastered the concept of "following"). His two roommates had finally decided on a movie- some dumb teen thing playing on Primetime. To be completely honest, they had merely abandoned their search after Sam came downstairs.
Luckily, the TV seemed to have a calming effect on Danny. Within moments of whining and crying, he was half asleep. Every once in awhile he muttered a soft "Sam" or "smell," but he was largely quiet.
Silently, Tucker hoped this meant the effect was fading.
XXX
"Hey!"
Sam looked up from her perusing; she held a thick black corset in her hand. The thrift store, much like her beloved Skulk and Lurk, boasted a wide array of goth clothing and books. She'd done quite a bit of research on the local goth scene before making her final college decision.
"You dropped this," a girl told her. She held up a thick, leather bound book. The title, written in elaborate calligraphy, was 'Calling to the Beyond: The Foliage, Food, and Formulas Said To Best Attract Ghosts.'
Sam took her book gratefully, looking the girl up and down casually as she did so. She looked... well, GOTH, all the way from her combat boots to her long, dark sleeves in summer.
"Thanks," she said. Something about the girl was familiar, but she couldn't quite place it...
"Haddenfield College, right?" The girl offered. "I saw you at orientation."
"Yeah!" Sam nodded. She quickly scaled back, however, remembering the traditional gothic distaste for happiness or exclamations. She had been banned from goth events for so long (Kwan!), she had forgotten many of the things she used to take for granted. "I probably saw you there."
The girl nodded, the hint of a smile on her face, and the two goths lapsed easily into conversation. As they talked, a few of the girl's friends came over to join them. Their discussion turned to the paranormal, and Sam, as a child of Amity, found herself the star feature in the talk.
That is, until her very own paranormal being decided to cause trouble.
"Sammmm," a voice rang out through the near empty bookstore. It was light, pleased, but wistful. "Why'd you leave?"
Danny rounded the corner of the store, smiling as he saw his girlfriend. He wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her shoulder. Sam flushed. Just when she had been looking cool...
"This is my boyfriend," she announced. "Danny."
Danny looked up from her long enough to nod, nuzzling his cheap against her skin. "I love Sam."
The goths shot each other incredulous looks. Sam could sense the condescension there. She felt her skin crawl, insecurity eating at her stomach.
Don't be embarrassed of your boyfriend, Sam reminded herself. You don't have to impress them.
Still, she felt the need to explain away his behavior.
"He's not usually like this," Sam whispered, shoving Danny away a bit. She made the drinking hand gesture.
"It's midday," one of the background goths scowled. His noise piercing glinted in the light.
"He's drowning demons," she fumbled.
This excuse, sure to impress most goths, didn't seem to work as well when he was beaming and sniffing her wrist.
"No demons," Danny murmured. "Only ghosts."
Sam laughed nervously.
"He's from Amity too," she smiled, face tight.
"Mhm," Charlie, one of the background goths, hummed. His nose piercing glittered in the light. Danny licked her fingertip, beaming. She blushed redder.
"Don't you think you're a little-" one of them shot Danny a glare, hardly bothering to quiet their voice. "Out of his league?"
Sam, outnumbered and more nervous than she'd been since she first joined the goth scene, frowned. The first girl she'd talked to, Wendy, gave her a sympathetic look.
"C'mon guys," she said. Her voice was soft- a fellow freshman, they were both weary of alienating themselves. "He's right there."
Danny remained as oblivious as ever as the goths shifted awkwardly. Still, they didn't let up in their silent judgement. Sam waited for a moment and leaned on her other foot.
"Uh, I think it's time for me to pay and get going. C'mon Danny."
She didn't even need to gesture at him to follow her; he trailed after faithfully. Sam waved goodbye at the group and hung her head as she turned.
Behind her, she could hear the poorly hidden, derisive laughter.
XXX
"How did you get here?" Sam hissed as she handed the cashier her money. "Val and Tuck were supposed to be WATCHING you!"
"They are!" Danny beamed. "I stayed there too!"
The goth fought the urge to drop her head in her hands. Of COURSE it would be duplication.
Sometimes she really regretted sending that boy into the ghost portal.
XXX
Sam stormed into the living room, slamming the door behind her.
"He duplicated!" she growled. The girl stomped up the stairs towards her bedroom.
Behind her, two Dannys floated up the steps.
XXX
"Fenton cuffs," Valerie called, turning to Tucker.
"Check."
"Nose plugs?"
"Check."
"Ok," the ghost hunter called. "Let's do this."
The two moved down the hallway to Sam's room. Their arms were filled with their equipment; it glowed with the trademark Fenton glow.
Danny lay curled around Sam on their new bed. He was sleeping peacefully; she was staring at them, eyes tired.
"Hurry up," she whispered. "I don't know how much more of this I can take."
Danny shifted in his sleep, pulling her tighter against him. Their roommates nodded.
They began with the Fenton cuffs. Sam slid down Danny's body, her hands still wrapped around him to avoid complaint. Tucker pulled his arms together as best as he could without waking him. The ghost boy's eyes flickered, letting out a sleepy groan of protest. In one smooth movement, Valerie locked the cuffs around his wrist.
"Hey," Danny protested. He tried to beat her hands away but was held back. Sam let go of him, sliding off the bed. He whined. "Come back!"
"This is for your own good," she told him. Tucker climbed onto the bed, sitting on his chest.
"So is this," Tuck grinned, "But also just because it's fun."
He held out a hand for the nose plugs as Danny thrashed beneath him, whining and growling intermittently. He screwed his eyes shut, preparing for a transformation, but the cuffs hindered his powers. He shot his eyes back open.
"Sammm," he protested, turning to her. She shook her head at him.
"Just wait, Danny. You'll be happy about this."
Tucker leaned down and inserted the plugs.
XXX
"I did NOT do that," Danny protested.
Sam nodded, smirking.
It had taken a few more hours to remove the scent from Danny's system. He had lain, looking up at her with tortured eyes, for much of the night before it faded.
"Agh," he groaned, his face falling into his hands. "All over a stupid PLANT?"
"Not just a plant," Tucker interrupted. He was growing ever more proud of discovering the secret to ghost catnip, even if he had needed the book Sam bought to do it. "The unique combination of two plants, one of which usually decays ectoplasm. I guess the mixture just brings out a different effect. The Guys In White seem to have created it in an attempt to kill of ghosts en masse- at least, according to their 'secret' database."
"And how exactly did that end up in Sam's perfume?" Danny asked.
"Well, that's a funny story," Tucker grinned. He leaned back 'casually' on his chair, wheeling to catch his balance as he nearly fell. Humbled, he continued. "The Guys in White weren't smart enough to figure out the Ghost Nip effect. They sprayed it over a big area, saw no dead ghosts and lots of displeased civilians, and gave up. Still, they needed to show some return on the investments that the government had made in the program. They turned the thing into some discount perfume to sell at Army Surplus Stores. Based off of the smell, I'm guessing Gregor was the only one stupid enough to buy any."
Sam blushed. Much as she hated Gregor (or, more accurately, Elliot), she had still dated him. She couldn't help but feel that his idiocy reflected poorly on her.
"Good thing you never wore it back then," Tucker smirked, nudging Sam playfully. "Somehow I don't think Danny waltzing into your shower would've been as acceptable."
Both of the teens flushed; honestly, Sam had no idea how he had managed to wrangle THAT little piece of information from her. He was such a gossip!
Valerie took pity on them, yawning and looking at the clock on the oven. The four sat around their shared dinner table. Her legs were curled to her chest, and her feet clung to the edge of the chair.
"You guys, it's 3 am," she said, her voice ringing with disbelief. Sam felt the same; it was almost impossible to believe that this was their third day away from home. The first two had been so strange- with Danny finally in his right mind, it felt like they were just beginning.
And it had been a late beginning too. They'd plugged his nose at around 8; by 11, he was back to normal. They'd spent the rest of the night recounting stories of not just Danny under the influence of the Ghost Nip, but also all of the other times they had been affected by supernatural forces. From Danny first getting his powers to Sam the Plant Mother, the night had been chock full of nostalgia and playful teasing (mostly at Danny's expense).
"Jeez, really?" Danny blinked, rubbing his eyes. "I didn't even realize."
"C'mon, guys, how could you keep me up this late? I need my beauty sleep!"
Valerie laughed, shoving Tucker, and they both stood to go to bed. They stopped expectantly at the kitchen doorway, waiting for Sam and Danny to join them.
The two stood and followed, fingers laced together.
"Ok, but tell me the truth," Danny said, turning to his girlfriend. They walked several steps behind the others. "Did I do anything really embarrassing when I got out?"
Sam thought of the shop, of the goths, her potential friends who would never think of him the same. She thought of the derisive looks, the 'out of his leagues.' Most importantly, she remembered Wendy's sympathy.
"Nah," the goth decided. "Nothing that really mattered, anyway."