Hello! Posting this here at the suggestion of a friend. I know this sort of story's controversial, but I hope that some people also enjoy it. OlderDanny/Vlad, part one of what'll be a three-part series.

Disclaimers: Characters are not mine, setting is not entirely mine, I could show this to my mother. Feedback adored, as long as it's not "I don't like this type of story," please. :D And if you do like this type of story, please enjoy.

Daniel was kissing him.

The machine was built out of Technus, much to the more careless ghost's dismay, using him as a channel through which Plasmius could control the computers of the world… any technology more advanced than a wheelbarrow, actually, Technus was remarkably flexible. Of course, for a creature so focused on machines, he was not terribly bright. He could not find his way out of the electronic finger trap Plasmius had created around him, and each effort he made to get free only trapped him further while his native ability was harnessed against his will.

In the years since Plasmius's last attempt at taking the Earth (by far more polite means; he'd asked) the world had become even more mechanized. No one would argue with the man who controlled the world's technology when they travelled to work via flying car or relaxed in virtual reality worlds. The length to which he was willing to go to enforce that new dominance he hadn't decided yet, but it would take only minor atrocities to control things, he liked to think. Perhaps not even that far—just threats. The machine, which he had not come up with a name for yet though he knew the name would start with Plasmius as much as Daniel's equipment always started with Fenton, was already working. Slowly, like a spider web, jumping from machine to machine and granting him control. Technus himself was blind and had no idea what was happening, apart from feeling stretched and trapped and very irritated, Vlad imagined. The world itself only knew because of the now tell-tale "V" insignia appearing across screens everywhere, his little calling card. And Daniel knew because he'd come here to stop him.

Daniel had to lean down, a bit. He'd grown into his father's height though fortunately not his father's weight over the years, taller than Vlad himself not counting hair. Daniel's own hair was the same as ever, perhaps a little floppier in the bangs, excepting the white ponytail that he'd grown and that came down almost to the center of his back. Vlad wasn't sure what to make of that—not a tribute to Masters' hairstyle, certainly, perhaps a reminder or a thought of something else that Vlad didn't know. Well, there'd be time for that after he'd hacked into FentonWorks' computer files and studied what he hadn't picked up, the holes in Daniel's life from Vlad's perspective during his own time in space, and the adventures Daniel had experienced which had nothing to do with Vlad…

And there'd be time for that later. After Daniel stopped stroking the small of his back with one hand, the other hand having not yet found a home. Vlad knew what was going to happen. What was the saying? Fool me once, shame on you, fool me four or five or six times, and I'm truly a fool. His attraction to Daniel had been unexpected when he returned to find the adult half-ghost waiting and still guarding this world, and at first he'd managed to hide it. At first. He was always terrible at these things, unfortunately, he had poor impulse control. Daniel had simply gawked at him when he'd first let a comment slip in the heart of battle, and since then, it had been like Daniel's childhood but with Daniel taking both the place of Jack and of Maddie, the target of insults and death threats and an obsessive desire to love. Daniel didn't mock him so much for it, he'd matured. Daniel felt sorry for him; that was adulthood, to see weakness and pity it. Daniel knew he would always have the upper hand over Plasmius now.

He leaned down, kissing tenderly, eyes closed, and Plasmius cooperated, opening his heart and arms as usual, weakened by hope when he knew how this would end. Daniel's other hand finally made its appearance on the scene, a piece of technology that Vlad's machine could not reach because of the ghostly barrier raised around it by Daniel's power, and as it jabbed into Plasmius's side he jerked and struggled only a few minutes before going limp, the black rings of energy passing over his eyes and not startling him. The Fenton Half-Ghost Zapper, it was named, even though it was the Plasmius Maximus with a green paint job and an 'F' on the side. Daniel looked at Vlad Masters almost sadly, or so Vlad liked to imagine, but then Vlad's imagination had been why he'd let Daniel in close while knowing the reality between them was not the kiss Daniel offered.

"Come on, Vlad." Yes, that was pity. Daniel held out the ectoplasmic handcuffs that would hold Vlad's hands even when the three hours were up and his powers returned. "Game's over."

"It's too bad." Vlad didn't fight, not trapped in human form like this, and out of reach of the Plasmius Technus-Axis (ah, that was a decent name.) He glanced over at his machine fondly. "You'll still need to fight Technus. I imagine he'll be in a terrible mood."

"Wouldn't you be?" Daniel sighed, tugging Vlad closer again. Vlad didn't fight, and didn't argue with Daniel's assessment. They both knew he frankly didn't care what Technus thought, and the feeling would doubtlessly be mutual if Technus were available to ask. By comparison, Daniel had learned to care about the circumstances, about poor (evil, world-conquering) Technus trapped in a horror machine, even about poor (evil, world-conquering) Vlad so easily defeated without Daniel raising a hand to him. Vlad had to admit he felt a little pity for the man in return. He'd been holding up that globe on every corner of the world for so many years now. Surely his arm was getting tired.

Vlad let himself be herded into the Specter Speeder, let his cuffs be attached to a nice storage area near the back of the ship and distant from any important buttons (though he thought, if he pulled his arms to their limit and then reached out with a foot he could probably hit a few controls; it would only be an annoyance and one that required a distinct lack of dignity to create, but he could if he wanted) while Daniel grabbed a Fenton Thermos and headed off to deal with Technus.

"Careful! If you free him incorrectly, he may simply take control of the machine and thus the world, you know," Vlad warned almost cheerfully. Daniel gave him a sour look before stepping out of the Speeder.

Left alone, Vlad licked his lips a bit, easier in human form without fangs in the way. He didn't reach for the Skeleton Key hidden up one sleeve of his familiar (and Daniel probably thought unchanged) black suit. He'd wait until he could transform again, then free himself. Possibly take Technus too, just for the sake of it.

Let Daniel chase him some more.

Ultimately, he knew reality would not match the hopes of his imagination, and let Daniel take advantage of his weakness anyway. It was, at heart, the only victory he could get. He knew what he really wanted out of life. Conquering the world would not have been enough.