"Teleporting is cheating!" Danny yelled after Randy - the cheater - before falling back to latch onto Andrew, who was flying at a much more reasonable pace. "Tell him he's not allowed to win."

"And why, mon cher, is he not allowed to win today?" Andrew hadn't even paused at his addition of a half ghost on his back, only eying the distance between them and Randy. Danny knew he was calculating the exact speed he would need to go to catch up and surpass him. "Because he seems to be winning."

"And I'm sure you'll fix that soon," Danny laughed, wiggling up to kiss at Andrew's cheek, grinning at the startled laugh Andrew gave. "It's my birthday. I'm the only one allowed to win flying races on my birthday."

"Yet you've lost every race since you started them." Pouting over at Novan, Danny huffed when the man only raised an eyebrow. "You two are far too competitive."

"Which two," Danny shot back, yelping when Andrew phased out of his grip before shooting off with a burst of speed that quickly overtook a startled Randy. Danny pouted as he slipped over to curl around Novan's shoulders, whining pitifully. "Novan, they're being mean to me."

"It's been years since you joined us. What part of them being mean surprises you?" Huffing and grumbling, Danny tried not to show how happy he was when Novan drew him around and pulled him into a deep kiss to 'make him feel better-' "I know you're faking."

"'S still working, though." Danny arched up for another kiss, licking his lips when they parted and watching as Novan's eyes went dark. "You know, you're supposed to be leading the way."

"I'm certain they'll find their way. Randy found my clan once before, after all." Novan drew him back in, Danny all too happy to sink into the kiss. Danny wasn't sure if it was all ghosts that moved at a glacial pace or just these three idiots, but it wasn't until a few months ago that Danny had finally convinced them that eighteen was plenty old enough to be in a relationship with them. They still made him wait another month or two until it was as close to his birthday as possible, so he was 'properly an adult' or whatever- Ah, teeth, that was teeth. "Get out of your head."

"Easier said than done." Danny hummed at the sweet little kiss pressed against his jaw before he felt very sharp teeth and sucking- "Ah- Aha, okay! I get it! Not thinking!"

"Good." Novan, the bastard, was far too proud of himself as he sweetly kissed Danny's cheek and- "Keep up." With that, Novan was smirking and flying off quick as a shot, Danny left floating in the air and wait, what?

"They all just abandoned me." Danny blinked in the direction his mates had gone for a moment more before laughing and giving chase and oh, yes. This was the best birthday. Especially when he managed to speed past them and stop just as they got to the clearing where Novan's clan was staying in and ha! He won!

"Quick, someone tell me embarrassing stories about Novan!" Most of the ghosts looked startled and confused, but one girl who looked somewhere around his age suddenly shot up with a beaming grin.

"I know stories that will embarrass him!" Perfect. Danny had just found his new best friend. "We were traveling in the desert and-" A hulking mass of fur and muscle tackled the girl to the ground, Danny startling before seeing two distinct colors of fur scrapping and fighting and okay, wolf fight. Didn't see many of those unless they were training, really.

Randy and Andrew were touching down beside him just as Novan, in his shifted form, pinned a small, upset looking wolf to the ground. Danny just pouted and complained, "You never let me have any fun."

"You were trying to find out embarrassing stories about him, weren't you? Don't answer that. I already know the answer." Andrew sighed, shaking his head. "And Novan, must you fight with your clan the moment we arrive? That sends a very poor message."

"You literally tried to skin Randy with a knife a week ago when Johnny and Kitty came to visit," Danny pointed out, flying over to Novan and latching onto him as he shifted back, the girl doing so as well. "Hi, I'm Danny, I'm these guys' mate."

"Ooh, another one! Hi, I'm Lizzie," Lizzie chirped, looking quite fine that she was still being pinned to the ground. "Novan, why didn't you tell me you had three mates!"

"It was a recent development." Novan floated into the air, looking around at the other ghosts that had started to gather before helping Lizzie up. "This is Danny, Andrew, and Randy." Novan looked to the other ghosts once again, smile soft and warm. "My mates."

"Oh, that reminds me! I never got to 'talk' to Randy really when he was here last time." Lizzie was flying over to Randy and leading him away at once, looking to be saying something very serious. Randy only looked confused before he was looking delighted.

"Should we worry about that?" Danny was a little concerned about how happy Randy was as he nodded along to what was probably death threats. Lizzie seemed the type to make death threats. "I feel like we should worry about that."

"Randy can shift," Novan shrugged, as if that was Danny's worry. "She'll go easy on him." Jesus. Novan's clan was something- Aw, ghostlings! They were so cute! "I see your attention is elsewhere, though."

"I need to hug at least one of them. Birthday demand." Danny flew over to the gaggle of ghostlings, clearing his throat. "Hi. I'm Danny Phantom, Novan's mate-" Okay, he was being hug tackled by a bunch of small baby ghosts. Definitely his best birthday yet.

"Hey, Novan! I think Lizzie wants to threaten you now!" Hearing Randy yelling for Novan, Danny tried to look over at them before quickly being distracted by his new charges. Randy himself was delighted and almost bubbling with laughter. He found it cute that Lizzie thought she could threaten him into taking care of Novan, but it was even cuter that she then wanted to threaten Novan into taking care of him.

"Leave each other be," Novan sighed, Randy feeling the pulse of warmth and fondness as he flew over. "The last thing I need is you two bonding."

"I'll be sure to visit her every few months from now on," Randy grinned, happily letting Lizzie latch onto Novan and drag him away. It seemed the moment Novan had seen the clan his emotions had lightened, and he was as happy and pleased as could be. They should make it habit to start visiting them every so often. Novan may have made a point about saying that clans didn't notice the passing of time, but he must have still missed them.

Perhaps- Ah, Andrew was excited. Why was- Oh, dear. Not even ten minutes there and Andrew was already writing down notes and ideas in a little notebook as he talked and chatted with various clan members, all of them looking and feeling equally curious.

Randy was content to stay on the edges and watch, gaze sliding to where Danny was laughing and chatting with a bunch of ghostlings, his affection as warm and light as his laughs. Randy could definitely see them joining the clan in a few decades or so - it was very easy to picture, after all.

Once Danny joined their world for good and didn't hold any ties to the human world, then it would be relatively easy. He was always one for moving around and exploring. Although… Andrew might have a bit harder of a time if he couldn't get to that new laptop of his so easily.

Really, they never should have let Danny get Andrew a laptop for Christmas. The man took the damn thing to bed half the time and it was an effort to distract him from it and oh, dear, Andrew was drawing a crowd and getting far too excited. Randy should probably do something about that before Andrew offended someone.

"Andy, are you bothering Novan's clan?" Randy had to hold in laughter when Andrew turned to him with a pout and an aggressive wave of his notebook.

"I am not bothering them. I'm recording inspiration to use at a later date!" The man was so cute when he got so riled up. Randy was also absolutely certain that Andrew wouldn't even remember that notebook was in his pocket until months later. "Honestly, Randy, you-"

"Ah! Wait!" Both of them startled and looked over to Lizzie, the girl pointing at Randy and looking righteously offended. "I remember you!"

"I mean, yes?" Randy looked to Andrew, giving a little shrug to show he was just as confused. "Should I be worried-"

"No, before I joined the clan!" Lizzie was looking angrier and Andrew watched as Randy paled. "I remember you because you stole a bracelet of mine!"

"Now, now, I'm certain-" Randy was flying away before he could say anything else, Andrew choking on a laugh as Lizzie darted after him and oh, goodness. He would just let Randy deal with that one, then. Mm, perhaps he should check on Danny.

A quick look around the clearing showed very quickly that Danny was surrounded by the children of the clan and acting out some of his more dramatic ghost fights. Andrew found all of his attention soon focused on Danny as he watched him fondly and, really… Danny was so good with children.

Whether it be these ghostlings, other younger ghosts, or even just his 'cousin,' Danny was always good at getting children to laugh and soothing them down from when they were upset. Maybe one day… Ah, but those were worries for another time.

RIght now, Andrew was perfectly content to be- To be tackled. Alright, then. Tackling it was, for the moment. "Enjoying your birthday, mon cher?"

"It's perfect." Danny was wrapped around his front and nuzzling and kissing whatever part of him he could reach, Andrew choking on laughter at some of the squirming Danny did to get closer. "But I need to go ask Novan about something, so can you distract the kids with some stories? Pretty please?"

"I'm not really…" Andrew wavered at Danny's expectant and hopeful look and, well. A few stories wouldn't hurt, right? "I suppose one or two wouldn't do any harm."

"That's the spirit!" Danny beamed, Andrew opening his mouth, pausing, and then looking torn between laughing and sighing. "It was great and you know it."

"Oh, go find Novan," Andrew laughed, pushing Danny off of him and walking back over towards the ghostlings. Danny watched him for a moment before smiling and flying higher up to try and spot Novan - which he quickly did, but he couldn't help but pause when he saw all three of his mates.

All of them looked happy in some way and were looking to have the time of their lives. Novan was talking with other ghosts from the clan and looking relaxed and peaceful. Randy was being chased around by Lizzie and laughing and dodging and looking like he was playing with a younger child - which Danny supposed he was. And then Andrew was entertaining the kids and looking to be having fun with it.

His mates looked so happy and Danny couldn't help but trace out words that were mirrored all between each other and stretched out across their skin for all to see. Danny… He really had come a long way from that teen who hid under his coat and was too scared to even see what was being offered to him.

It had been a hell of a long road to get where they were now, and Danny knew there would be more problems to come in the future, but right now? Right now, they were happy, and enjoying themselves, and it was a good day, and that… That was all they needed- That was all he needed.

It wasn't just their souls that were bonded, but their hearts. God, no one would ever let him live it down if they heard his thoughts, but it was true. They had bonded hearts and that was something Danny would never want to break. It was something he was going to work at keeping safe, which, really. He was pretty good at that.

Looking at all of his mates one last time, Danny closed his eyes for a few moments and let himself just relax and oh, yeah.

It was going to be a good forever.