Archive of Our Own

Snapping his head up with a jerk, “Clo-!”, cutting himself off with a, definitely not subtle, cough, “uh, Horace, uh, what’s up”. Batting away the playful hand, “is my hair a dog to you?!”. Horace simply grins softly and gives three tiny nods; before stepping around Danny, to enter the living room. 

Danny huffs at them indignantly before going wide-eyed and gaping, realising that not only are his parents at home but that this lovable little shit knew that. Speaking sarcastically, “of course your timing is absolutely perfect, like always”. Groaning as Jazz, sticking her head over the hallway railing, snaps at him, “I would think you, of all people, wouldn’t be rude. Especially as it’s clear you know this unexpected guest”. 

Horace chuckles as they speak up for the first time, while Danny blushes furiously, “oh but of course, we’ve ghosted over enough time to have a level of intimacy”. 

Jazz squints at the blonde but doesn’t get to dwell on it as Maddie sticks her head out of the kitchen, “oh! Hello? Danny, who’s this?”. Eyeing her son curiously as she goes to shake the visitor's hand, “I don’t believe we’ve met before”. 

Danny groans again, mentally grumbling ‘well I guess like everything else in my life, I’m doing this without a damn plan. Greeeeaaaat’. Rubbing his neck and looking anywhere but his mom, “uh, mom, this is Horace. They’re, uh, my other”, rolling his hand exaggeratedly, “partner, lover, romantic interest, cuddle buddy...whatever you wanna call it”. Maddie raises an eyebrow and gives Horace a visual once over, placing her hands on her hips to make it clear she’s going to play protective mother hen. Horace, maintaining their soft smile, sticks their hand out and ruffles Danny’s hair further in response; utterly unfazed. Even maintaining their composure when Jack, summoned by the universal fatherly duty to know all of his children’s love interests, practically speed walks to be directly in front of the pair. Danny only blushes furiously after glancing at his parents, even if he’s mentally cheering, ‘well, there’s no Fenton Creep Stick in sight’. 

Horace chuckles at the large man’s antics, before flicking their, nearly closed, eyes to Danny, “oh I think mate is far more suiting, Daniel”, Horace speaks softly with a faint smile, “much more... timeless”. 

Maddie smirks slightly and pushes Jack back a bit, nodding at Horace faintly, “well, you seem well spoken”. Jack sighs and nods, “nothing like that Johnny rascal”, glancing at Jazz as she groans before continuing, “who will NOT be dating any Fenton”. 

Neither Danny nor Horace even bother to stifle their light chuckling, while Jazz looks to be heading towards the kitchen. Stopping short to spin back towards the pair, pointing her finger in a show of aggressive protectiveness, “you best treat my little brother like a dream come true. He may not look it, but he’s the best soul there is”. 

“Jaaaaaaazzz”, Danny tilts his head back, utterly embarrassed. While Horace nods their head at her, “if anyone recognises timeless purity and knows a star when they see one, it’s me, Jasmine”. 

Jazz clearly finds that statement weird but is overshadowed by Jack straight up beaming, “oh! Stars! You know Danny-boy loves those twinkling things! Always wanted to be a little astronaut!”. 

Danny is currently endlessly thankful for Horace’s insanely high level of patience. Watching them side-eyed, as they close their eyes; seemingly smiling with their eyes as well as their mouth. Though it’s a soft, subtle smile; easily missable if you don’t know it, and Danny knew it well. ‘How is their smile always so freaking cute. It feels like a blanket made of fuzzy glowing stars...and damnit, mom totally noticed me stargazing’, pulling out of his thoughts and pulling his eyes away, catching both Horace’s slight smirk and Maddie’s knowing smile. 

Jack, ever unobservant, yammers on about food, “Mads here made fudge Fiddle Diddles!...oh and spaghetti, but mostly fudge!”, tapping his chin, “or I guess things with fudge”. Shrugging before pointing over his shoulder into the kitchen. Maddie rolls her eyes and nods, watching him scurry off with a fond sigh. 

Turning back to the pair, “there really is spaghetti, and you certainly must stay”. Giving Danny a pointed look before looking at Horace sternly, “I won’t have my baby boy dating someone I know nothing of”. Horace chuckles lightly, “but of course, I wouldn’t want to be an  unknowable ghost; in that sense”, speaking quietly enough so only Danny could really hear them, “that’s precisely the reason I’m here, some secrets aren’t meant to be kept; and others just shouldn’t be”, while Danny just wonders how the heck they manage to talk without moving their lips ‘they’d make one hell of a ventriloquist’. But he does still look rather sheepish at their words, he’s probably a little too used to keeping secrets; especially keeping important things a secret. And this, this was definitely one of those important things. 

Maddie nods curtly, while she feels this Horace person is genuine and, so far, decent enough; she still watches to make sure both of them follow her into the kitchen. Though she can’t help but be curious as to what kind of hair care routine Horace has, to achieve such an almost ridiculously fluffy hairstyle. 

Danny catches Horace’s glance and knowing smirk, flicking his eyes over to the new device his dad’s working on. Groaning, ‘oh great, now what’s that going to do? Something tells me that’s the real reason they’re here, here today specifically’. Muttering at Horace as they sit down, Horace beside him, his dad on one end with Jazz on the other, his mom directly across from the pair. “You're a little shit, you know that?”, Horace doesn’t even glance at him, while Danny mutters into his hand before grabbing his fork, “an infuriatingly cute one”. 

Danny’s honestly impressed his dad actually stops fiddling to eat, though there’s something with fudge in it for desert; so it isn’t that surprising. Looking Horace over, having not really gotten the chance after his earlier mild panic and blatant embarrassment. Noting the plain brown cargo pants, purple pinstriped dress shirt, and black crushed velvet vest; accented by a bronze steampunk watch necklace.  “I’ve never seen you in something so, dare I say, basic?”, Jazz gives Danny an incredulous glare, but redirects that look to Horace as they speak. Sounding almost smug, “well, I will have you know, I am capable of some level of modesty”, at Danny’s snort they concede, “occasionally”, Danny only snorts louder, ‘modest hardly exists in their wardrobe and they know it'. Horace, sighing fondly, “rarely”. Danny chuckles with a smirk, “that’s more like it”. 

Jazz puts her fork down at this, raising her eyebrow questioningly at Horace, “you know, most people dress up, not down, for first impressions. And this-”, gesturing at Horace’s outfit, “-hardly qualifies as dressing down”. Maddie nods in agreement, while Jack simply shrugs, “so long as he’s-”

“They’re”, Horace doesn’t miss a beat in interrupting him, making Jazz giggle. While Jack just keeps talking, “wearing clothing I’m good. Hey! Maybe he-” 

“They”, Horace interrupts again. While Danny’s once again thanking how patient Horace is, Jazz and Maddie both wince a little; futilely hoping Jack gets the message. The fact that he doesn’t even seem to notice either correction as he keeps speaking doesn’t give them hope though, “-usually wears suits! Like Vladdie!”. 

Danny can’t help but smirk, catching Jazz’s shock over Horace chuckling; clearly not offended in the slightest, “never worn one, of all the things I’ve done; wearing a suit is not one of them”, smilingly fondly, “I prefer robes and cloaks, maybe dabble in the occasional frock coat or corset”. 

Danny points at them with a shit-eating grin, “but never capes”. Danny knows Horace’s shudder was fully intentional and done to amuse him. ‘At least my parents won’t be fazed by odd fashion, considering their daily “fashion” choices’

Jazz can’t help but chuckle, Danny clearly hearing her mutter, “I really shouldn’t be surprised Danny’s tastes have aimed for someone with some, unusual, qualities”. Danny coughs and glares at her, Jazz sighs, “strange as they may be, I’d say they’re good for you”. 

Danny only gets a second to blush as he stutters, “uh, t-thanks?”. While Jack grins wide, practically talking over Danny, “odd’s the way of every Fenton! Shows character!”, looking over Horace as they flawlessly twirl their fork full of noddles and glides it into their mouth without losing so much as a drop of sauce, “good character”. 

Maddie smiles at Jack and gives Danny a small nod, Danny’s flat out elated ‘holy shit, they’re usually really off-putting or confusing to other people. But I guess they haven’t exactly gone off on any tangents...yet’. 

Horace nods their head towards Jazz, “my idea of dressing up is often others idea of overwhelming or startling. That’s hardly my intent here, quite the opposite actually”, even Maddie can pick up on the mischievous twinkle in Horace’s eyes, “I’m sure they’ll be quite enough of that, in time”. 

‘Oh great, what game is that cheeky bastard playing?’, pushing them playfully, “mysterious as ever, Pocket Watch”. Horace leans over, whispering into Danny’s ear; resulting in two snickering girls and a widely grinning Jack. “Pet names already, little MoonFlower? As I always say, you should worry less; even if to protect is to worry. Though my protection only has eyes for my Raven Boy”, Danny rolls his eyes, failing to hide a blush. Muttering, “you watch over so much more”.

“Hmmm, protective protection and watchful protecting are not necessarily in the same vein”, Horace ruffles Danny’s hair before returning to their food. 

With a cough, Jazz returns the other onlookers attention to their own food; even Jack has the awareness to feel slightly invasive. Though he takes it as a good sign, that this Horace can make his son blush so easily; clearly he, they, knows Danny’s really well. 

“Anyways...”, Jazz breaks the unusual silence, unusual only because the Fenton household was rarely quiet. Though she has a suspicion Horace is quite comfortable with silence, but with how rarely Danny shuts up (when he was comfortable anyways), she wonders how that works out. Picking back up and leaning towards Horace, “so you know us Fenton’s are a crazy bunch, right? Not much startles us”. Maddie smiles softly, looking at Jack, “that’s true, Jack dear, you might not even notice if they came in wearing a clown suit”. Jack shrugs, accepting the lighthearted teasing. 

Horace and Danny glance at each other, both sharing feelings of mischief and trickery. Danny mentally laughing, ‘they still can’t find the ghost under the same roof’.

Horace places both theirs and Danny’s plates in the sink, talking with their back to everyone, “yes, well, you may find I am one of few who only grows stranger with time”. Smiling slightly as they turn back around, with eyes clearly only for Danny, “and one of even fewer who understands that strange and broken are not one and the same”. Jazz is certain Horace is laughing more to themselves than anyone else, as they walk back around, head tilted back and still speaking, “ocean eyes always seem to find themselves on the faces of the impossible and the odd, don’t they?”. With that she watches them sit down and blinks, realising Horace’s eyes are literally the same colour as Danny’s. Muttering to herself that Horace really does get more unusual, the more she notices about them. Maddie’s found herself thinking the same, while Jack is just wondering why Danny seemed almost sad for a second. 

Danny knows Horace means everything they say, pretty well always, especially towards him. But, ‘a freak is still a freak’, is a thought still nestled in the back of his head most days, however, ‘just the good kind...maybe’, is the thought often following it nowadays. 

Horace nods curtly at the family as they sit back down, “besides even broken is beautiful, glance at any glass mosaic and try to argue otherwise”. Leaning their back against Danny’s shoulder, folding their hands on their chest, while Danny unconsciously leans his head into Horace’s shoulder; blatantly unused to having onlookers, and it’s far too late by the time he has the awareness to feel embarrassed. 

Maddie covers up her snicker with a gloved hand before speaking, “those indeed are pretty, you’re quite the unbashful type; aren’t you? Well, maybe you can get Danny out of his shell some”, pushing Danny’s shoulder playfully, which he rolls his eyes at, before continuing, “Zone knows you could use it, you really are quite shy sweetie”. 

Danny has to suppress a chuckle at that ‘one of the last things people would describe me, well Phantom but still, as is shy. I’m secretive, not shy, that would actually be horrible if I really was shy...or anti-social, damn that would suck’. 

Horace closes their eyes softly as Jack gets back to fiddling with whatever, as Maddie’s putting away hers and his dishes. Horace, sighing, “I would say “shy” would be rather...incorrect. There are simply different ways one can be open to the world”. Maddie’s a bit startled as Horace looks at her with eyes that seem far too old and shadowed by something close to regret or pity, “if you are looking for someone to bring him into being an open book, I’m the last one you should be asking that of. Even the most far-reaching all-seeing eye could never read all my pages”, closing their eyes again, “only one has taken the time to try”. 

Jazz finds that incredibly sad, even Jack frowns a bit, but it’s clear Danny’s used to Horace’s occasional lonesomeness.

As Danny pokes at Horace lightly, “those eyeballs can stuff it, Time Pants”. 

“Hmpf, that one was weak, Moon Child”, everyone but Jazz chuckles as Danny mutters, “do I need to start calling you Ruby Fine Wine again”. Earning a smirk from Horace, only loud enough for Danny to hear, “sure thing, Snow White”. Danny snaps his head over, pulling himself over and in front of Horace; gaping all the while, conveying as much fake offence as he can. Horace snorts as they rest their arm on the chair backing for support, previously given by Danny’s back, “Snow Bunny”. Danny scrunches up his face, “Fun Sized”. 

“Oh how that could change, Frosty”, the other three occupants aren’t sure if they should leave or not, since the two are clearly off in their own world. Jazz is flat out tempted to smack Danny as he smirks, “and let me guess, Batman, I gotta find the bat cave for the answer to that skill”. 

Maddie officially thinks Horace has zero sense of shame, as even Jack coughs and blushes awkwardly from their response, “only after the timely return of my probe into your ice fortress, Iceman”. Jazz blinks and coughs, while Danny blushes furiously and rights himself back into his seat. 

Danny looks around awkwardly, not about to meet anyone’s eyes, nearly inaudibly muttering, “...Puppet”. Horace nods with a frown, muttering in return, “Soldier”. 

After some nearly crushingly unpleasant silence, their eyes meet again; and with a shit-eating grin, “Time Daddy”. Resulting in both girls choking slightly, while Jack’s too focused on finishing touches. Horace shrugs exaggeratedly, matching Danny’s grin, “well, time’s my bitch after all”. Jazz facepalms at this while Maddie gapes, “language!”, pointing at Danny, “and you! You knew they’d respond with that”. 

Danny jerks, having actually forgotten about their audience. Rubbing his neck as he responds, “heh, guilty as charged”. Horace leans back into their chair, “yup, caught you dead handed”. Danny can’t help but snort while Jazz groans, muttering, “oh god, they’re too similar”. 

Pointing at his sister and leaning towards her, “jokes, the universal road map out of any dead end”. Horace joins Danny in leaning towards Jazz, “and in a perfectly timely fashion, might I add. Any slower and it’d be Davey Jones’ locker for the pair of us”. 

Jazz groans exaggeratedly and mockingly covers up her ears, before placing her head on the table, but Danny’s more caught up in how Horace is blatantly eyeballing his dad’s invention; clearly annoyed. Not getting to dwell on all the “why”s, as the machine starts beeping...and then talking. 

“WARNING, GHOST DETECTED. ONE FOOT. WARNING, APOCALYPTIC ECTOPLASMIC THREAT WITHIN ONE HUNDRED FEET. IDENTITY UNKNOWN. POWERS UNKNOWN. POWER LEVEL TWENTY-EIGHT”. 

Danny pales at every word, mentally freaking out a bit, ‘oh, oh no. I mean, I guess, it’s-it’s not like either of them could actually hurt, injure or trap them. But-but they better not shoot. I- what would I even do?’, blinking and scooting closer to Horace protectively, ‘protect, always. Always protect. But, but I don’t want to have to! I shouldn’t have to!’. Feeling Horace sigh, ‘they knew this would happen...but then why?’. Danny easily hears Jazz suck in a breath, while Horace mutters into Danny’s ear, “I am not a secret for keeping, calm your snow storm mind, MoonFlower”. Jazz mutters into the table, “stuff detecting Danny, again?”. 

Maddie stands, glancing at the device before glaring at Horace and responding, with a strained voice, “no, Jazz. Danny’s excluded from our stuff now”. Shaking her head, but eyes staying locked with Horace’s blue ones, officially very suspicious of where they got the jagged scar over their eye. “No, it’s detecting them”. 

Jack doesn’t know what to do, surely his son would have known if his partner, or whatever, was overshadowed and he-they-clearly didn’t appear ghostly. 

Horace sighs, their eyes leaving Maddie to glance at Danny’s. Conflict clear as day in them, but eventually he straightens up; Horace watching him softly as he does. Both of them understanding that this is going to be rather...unpleasant, for everyone. 

Danny officially gets why his other showed up so early, good impressions. Warm his parents up to them, both Horace on their own and the idea of the two of them as a pair. For once Danny’s awful sense self-awareness was actually helpful, otherwise, he’d have never loosened up over dinner; at all. 

Smilingly fondly at Horace, eliciting another sigh from them; but this time it’s laced with contentment and, of all things, pride. 

Horace turns their head back to the two Fenton parents, both of them are now flicking between glaring at Horace accusingly and at Danny, who’s practically pressed into Horace, worriedly. “Indeed, I did tell you as much”, rolling their hand in the air, “albeit, rather covertly”. 

Jazz blinks at this and lifts up her head, squinting at them before groaning, “you literally said you were an unknown ghost”. Looking almost exhaustedly at Danny, speaking near silently, “how did you find someone as punny as you but somehow more reckless”. 

While Jack knocks his chair over as he stands, Maddie tightening her grip on the ectogun strapped to her belt. Flicking her eyes over to Danny, “Daniel, explain”. 

Horace smirks slightly, leaning back, “well, for hunters, this is a pretty preferable outcome. Not pleasant per se, expected though. But of course, you’ll ignore my words as you believe what you know to be something of a universal truth; when such things do not exist”. Ruffling Danny’s hair, which Danny gapes at him for ‘because how does this situation call for that? If they were anyone else they’d have to have a reckless deathwish’. Horace, continuing to speak as they fiddle with bits of Danny’s hair, “but, just like this celestial one, you have to learn everything the hard way”, closing their eyes with a soft smile, “but of course, my Raven Boy is all the better for it”. 

This finally gets one of the Fenton parents to respond to them, with Maddie practically growling, “he's not “your” anything, ghost”. Stepping closer to the table, ectogun actually drawn now, “how do you even look human? How dare you go after our son”. 

Jazz reaches over the table, placing her hands on the ectogun, “mom, at least let Danny actually explain”. While Danny sighs, “because they want to and, um, I’m more of the, uh, chaser”. Maddie blinks, caught a bit off guard by Danny’s comment before glaring at her daughter, but softens under her pleading face. Jack mutters, “but he’s probably being mind controlled or something”. Earning eyerolls from the couple, “dad, that’s not really something they can do”. Easily catching Jack muttering, “that’s what they want you to think, what they make you think”. 

Groaning slightly, Danny rubs his neck; he’d look around, avoid their eyes, if it wasn’t for the justified concern they’d assault his other. ‘Well isn’t this just damn peachy. I guess here’s hoping I don’t want to toss myself fully into the Zone after this’. 

Electing to throw his arm around Horace and smush their face into his, effectively making their human face look even less threatening; though Danny just wanted them closer for their protection, regardless of how unneeded that protection was. “I know they’re a ghost, I don’t care. I always knew, I never cared. Ghost aren’t evil, unfeeling things. They aren’t impressions of post-human consciousness, especially the ones that were never human, or alive, to begin with”, even Jazz is a little thrown by the last bit. Raising an eyebrow at Horace, earning a soft smile and nod in return, effectively answering that they indeed where a born, or in their case more correctly called a created, ghost. 

Jack mutters incredulously at Horace, “born a ghost? But ghosts? Nothing but ectoplasm and leftover human thoughts, so how could? How is that?”, Jack cuts himself off with a head shake. It’s clear he was talking to himself but Horace answers anyways, “born ghosts yes, created ghosts as well. We near never leave our Ghost Realm homes, no reason”. Smirking slightly, “my reason is currently treating my face like it’s made of play dough”. 

“Pfft, not sorry”, ‘besides, it sort of is. In a way. So’s mine, technically’, Danny does loosen his grip a bit though, before continuing, “besides that shouldn’t matter, what they are shouldn’t mat-”. Maddie cuts in, “ghost. A ghost. Ghosts are made of ectoplasm, sweetie. How it-”. This time Horace isn’t the only one doing the correcting, joined by both Danny and Jazz, “they”; Horace, patient and softly spoken as ever, Jazz sounding exhausted, and Danny practically growling. ‘They are not an it! Ghosts are not an it!”. Both Danny and Jazz are a bit surprised Maddie actually looks a bit apologetic, still continuing with what she was going to say though, “-came to exist. Still a ghost. Daniel, how could you? Could you be close with one like this? Even friends, haven’t we taught you how dangerous ghosts are?”. 

Danny can’t help but glare, “anything with power is dangerous and loving anyone is dangerous, powers or not. Doesn’t matter”. Danny shuffles a bit, “it doesn’t matter what they’re made of. What we’ve got, odd as it is, is real; is good. They’re good, especially to me”, locking his eyes with his mom determinedly, “that’s what should matter. That they’re good to me”. 

Horace nods, seeming as if this should be obvious, and frankly, it should be. Watching their mates raven black hair, highly tempted to ruffle it again, borderline purring, “and you do nothing but grace me with ocean blues and star fire”. 

Jack can’t help but flop back into his chair at the sight of Danny’s flustered blushing, not sparing a thought as to how the chair is somehow back upright. And Maddie, looking around the table and catching Jazz’s soft but encouraging smile, stiffly lowers herself back into her own seat; though still glaring daggers at the ghost, at Horace. 

No one does or says anything for a bit, until a squinting Jazz blurts out, “Horace?”.

“Hmmm?”.

“How old are you?”. Now Danny’s face is beet red again, and he groans, knowing full well the spiel Horace is about to go into, “that hardly applies to me, Jasmine. I’m a timeless being, ageless. But I’m certain that age isn’t really what you’re asking, but rather how long, in earthly years, I have been in existence”, at Jazz’s nod they continue, “that question hardly applies to me either, as the answer simply doesn’t exist. You could ask the first human to ever exist and they’d say they saw me yesterday. Ask the first Raptor to ever lay an egg and she’d say we had delightful tea and cakes tomorrow”. 

Horace’s slight smile doesn’t falter as Maddie interrupts them, “enough with the riddles, ghost”. Sighing almost pitifully at her, “now was the best time for them, I would know”. Tilting their head to Jazz, “the simplest answer there is, is always. I have always been here, I am as “old” as existence is. As the earth, as the Ghost Realm. But I am also younger than everything”. 

Jack mutters, “pretty sure that’s still a riddle...and makes no sense”. 

Danny can’t help but chuckle, even if it’s a bit strained. Leaning into Horace and whispering to them, “it cool if I just tell them who you really are? You’re pretty well incapable of not being confusing here”. Horace’s eyes twinkle mischievously, speaking near silently, “I’d say the time has certainly come. This falls into the space of shouldn’t be hidden, rather than can’t be. So it is truly your choice to make Daniel, but then again, so is everything”. 

“Hmpf”, Danny rolls his eyes before turning back to his family, ‘well they were exactly as helpful as expected, meaning not at all’. Clasping his hands together on the table before unclasping them to gesture at Horace, reclasping them together again as he talks, “Horace...is not their real name...just their chosen human one. To go with the human form”. Horace nods, amusement barely hidden on their face, “Horace is the English derivative of Horatius, it’s a Latin name”. 

While “Horace” has a blatantly shit-eating grin plastered on their face, Danny shuffles and clears his throat a bit, before talking again, “it means “hour in time” or-”, chuckling faintly, “-time keeper””. Gesturing again at “Horace”, while Jazz goes slack-jawed; knowing full well who this is now. Danny ignores her gaping, “their real name, is ClockWork. The Time Master, Guardian of the Time Stream, Protector Of the Timeline; there’s a lot of ways to say it”. Shrugging and rubbing his neck, “basically it’s their job to make sure time itself doesn’t get destroyed. Because of that time doesn’t really apply to them”. 

ClockWork nods, “I am simultaneously young, middle-aged, old, and ageless. And I see all of time, every action anyone or thing has, is, or will, ever take. I knew this conversation well before any of you were born. Before the human race even existed”. 

Uncomfortable silence settles again as the Fenton parents attempt to process that, the silence was broken by Jack muttering, eyes on his invention, “no wonder you’re a warning class. That kind of power...”. 

Jazz nods awkwardly, looking to lift the mood some, “while that is startling, mom, dad, that means they could have willing avoid this...but didn’t”. Flicking her eyes to Danny, “I’m pretty sure Danny didn’t know they were coming over today, so they clearly wanted you to know about them; know about this relationship”, squinting at the invention before continuing, practically whispering, “without hiding what they are...”. 

ClockWork smiles softly, nodding approvingly at her, “intelligent and observant as ever, Jasmine. But fret not, I alone, did not make this choice”. Nuzzling their nose into Danny’s cheek, which he leans into, “Daniel could have simply had me leave, there was time enough for that”, smirking, “but of course, I knew he wouldn’t”. 

Maddie watches the two, finding it a bit hard to glare with the pale soft looking blondes face, who hasn’t even seemed slightly threatening or even unpleasant the entire night, nestled into Danny’s neck. While Danny is clearly leaning into the affectionate display, only a slight blush showing his awareness of the presence of the rest of his family. 

Maddie fiddles with the ectogun in her lap, while she stares at the table. Flicking her eyes up at Danny, who’s now watching her cautiously, “they...this ghost...they have so much power. How? How does that not bother you? They could probably destroy you, this whole city, before you could blink”, shaking her head, “that kind of power, no one or thing should have that”. 

ClockWork chuckles, “oh but I was created for it. Without me, well, time would be quite...unstable”, frowning slightly, “me not existing would be far more destructive than any of my powers”. 

Danny can’t help but snicker slightly, ‘that’s right, they don’t really have any actually offensive powers’, patting ClockWork’s fluffy hair, “ClockWork doesn’t really have the powers other ghosts do. They’re powers start and end with time stuff”, snorting and muttering to himself, “add in those stupid eyeballs”. Clearing his throat, “plus they’re bound, they can’t harm or destroy anyone or thing except to protect time or the future”, shrugging, “you know, world ending kind of stuff”. Muttering to himself, “it’s shocking ClockWork’s even able to date”. 

ClockWork snorts into Danny’s neck, while Maddie shakes her head, “still, a ghost’s a ghost. They shouldn’t be here”, gesturing at the couple, “this shouldn’t be happening. A human...and a ghost”, shaking her head, and locking her eyes with Danny’s, “we’re Fenton’s, hunters...”. 

Jack nods awkwardly, “son, Danny-boy, how can this be ok?”. Danny’s groans and tilts his head back, rubbing his face before looking to his dad, “it’s not really for you to decide if it’s ok. I’ve already decided it is, so it is”, shrugging, “you just have to, um, accept it and, um, not hate it... not hate them”. 

Danny, glancing down in the direction he knows his mom’s ectogun is resting, “and ClockWork, they’re immortal. You can’t destroy them, mom, no matter what you tried. You’d have better luck blowing up the whole planet”. 

Maddie tosses the gun onto the table and puts her head in her hands, while ClockWork nods, seeming almost sad, “yes, I’m will always be here. Even when nothing else is”. Danny nods lightly, muttering, “time doesn’t go away just because no one’s there to count the seconds”. 

“And I am time given conscious form”, though ClockWork’s words were borderline silent, everyone clearly hears them.

Again, silence, until Jazz breaks it again, looking down at the table, “that’s...actually kind of...awful”. Danny smiles somewhat sadly at Jazz, as she flicks her eyes up at him. He nods slightly, “that’s why they’re so um, unbashful? No reason not to be and they don’t really get to do things purely for themselves...much anyway”. 

Maddie and Jack glance at each other, Jack smiling a bit forced, “love is kind of selfish, isn’t it...”. Shaking his head, “love... and ghosts, who would have thought”. 

This gets Maddie to blink and really study ClockWork, who’s full body leaning on Danny with their eyes closed; content and...in love. Something she never thought a ghost even capable of understanding. 

Danny nods, seeming rather embarrassed, “it’s not really that, um, uncommon”, rubbing at his neck, “ClockWork’s not really the, um, first ghost I’ve dated. Though me and Kitty didn’t exactly last long”. 

ClockWork snorts, “she’s hardly your type. Needy in all the wrong ways”. Danny nods, “oh yeah, big time”, shrugging, “besides, she and Johnny really are meant for each other”. Jazz groans, muttering at him, “did you have to bring him up?”. Making the couple snicker at her. 

Maddie nods, feeling a bit of guilt and shame, “and you, you didn’t tell us. Because you were worried, afraid, of how we’d react”. Danny nods stiffly, but ClockWork’s the one to speak, “and rightfully so. Things are different with me, I know all the ways you could react and the likelihood of each”, lifting up their head and pushing their forehead into the side of Danny’s head, “and this Space Boy knows that, so he really should stop worrying”. Danny rolls his eyes though blushing faintly. 

Jack nods strongly, looking at the two before pushing a plate of fudge Fiddle Diddles at them. Danny can’t help but smile, ‘dad’s...sharing his fudge...I just, wow. Okay, this actually worked out...somehow’. 

Maddie sighs as she watches Danny and ClockWork take turns biting into one Fiddle Diddle. “So ghosts eat now”, looking down at the table, “I guess...I guess there’s a lot we don’t actually know”. 

ClockWork nods, “and I know everything, you are better for not having all the information. To learn is to grow, those that can not learn can never grow nor change”. Danny grunts, “oh you learn plenty, just weirdly”, rolling his eyes, “stupid fluffy purple batman”. 

ClockWork leans closer to Danny’s ear, “I think you’ll find, I’m more fine silks and satins than fluff”, resulting in Danny covering up his blushing with his hands, as ClockWork leans back init their chair with a faint smirk. 

This time the silence is more comfortable as the plate gets passed around, everyone eating more or less comfortably. Though both Jack and Maddie still glance cautiously at the, uncomfortably human-looking, ghost. 

Jack can’t contain his curiosity anymore, “you, ClockWork or Horace?”, shrugging, “the human look, Danny-boy said you were doing it willingly”. Maddie blinks a bit, but leans over the table a slightly, staring at ClockWork, “what do you actually look like?”. Jazz blinks, unable to help being curious herself, having never actually seen what the enigmatic time ghost truly looked like. 

ClockWork cracks open one eye, “it’s Horace for those that do not know what, or who, I truly am. Same goes for the human form, I’ve been simply maintaining it to allow you time to adjust to me and the knowledge of me. Particularly, knowledge of me with your Raven Dove son”. 

Jazz nods, thoroughly impressed with ClockWork’s level of forethought and sympathy. Surely they could have simply made this very jarring, instead, they’ve been easing into every aspect with practiced grace. Smiling at them, “well, I think we could all do with you being fully honest now”, chuckling, “besides, dad’s curiosity is ravenous. He’ll never stop pestering you”. 

Even Danny can tell Jack has gone from cautious and confused, to uneasy acceptance, to giddy curiosity. Nudging ClockWork and smiling, eliciting another proud smile from the time ghost, “if you’re comfortable with it, Daniel, then I see no reason not to”, chuckling, “human forms are hardly comfortable to maintain”. 

“So you’ve been intentionally making yourself uncomfortable just so your boyfriends' parents would at least not hate you?”, Jazz groans as ClockWork starts nodding, looking at Danny and playfully muttering, “you’re dating yourself...punny, secretive, powerful, enigmatic, mysterious, self-sacrificial...”. Danny snorts and rolls his eyes, while Jazz squints at ClockWork, “your human form, looks nothing like you actually do...does it?”, groaning as ClockWork actually laughs, “looks a lot like Danny though”. 

Danny blushes as ClockWork shrugs, “what can I say, I like what I see. Who wouldn’t want to look like the living embodiment of sunlight and star fire”. ClockWork ruffles Danny’s hair as they drop the human disguise, fading away with dramatic sparks and sparkling, Danny can’t help but smirk, “drama queen”. Though rather impressed that ClockWork stays sitting in the chair, ‘sitting down with a ghostly tail isn’t exactly the easiest thing, but it’s not like they weren’t expecting to be sitting’.

All three regular humans gape, slack-jawed; at the blue-skinned, purple cloaked, and red-eyed ghost. Danny can’t help but snort as ClockWork shifts into their child form. “As I’ve said, I am every age and no age. My natural form constantly and unconsciously changes to reflect this fact”. Danny can’t help but snicker, “makes cuddling a trip, when your other is constantly changing height and size”. 

“So you...can’t control it”, Jazz isn’t sure what else to say right now, they’re literally a toddler right now. ClockWork shrugs before shifting into a teenage form, “I’m hardly aware of the changing, though I can slow it down or speed it up. All things normalised with time”. 

Maddie blinks and leans back, pulled out of her stupor by the pun, looking the teenage ghost over, “does this, age changing, affect your...behaviour? And how does your chest even work?”. ClockWork smirks, flicking open the clock case door-window on their chest, “it does not. My clock reflects the state of time around me. The pendulum swinging to the speed of time, or not at all if time is stopped”, flicking at the neck of the pendulum as it swings back and forth lazily, “the clock face itself is my core”. Closing the clock case window, while Danny sticks his hand under, the now adult, ClockWork’s hood; toying with the hidden blonde locks. Prompting ClockWork to ruffle Danny’s, before smushing Danny’s head into their chest; cloak draping over Danny’s shoulder in the process. 

Jazz can’t help but giggle, muttering into her hand, “okay, that’s adorable”. 

Danny blushes and huffs at her, while Maddie sighs, “I can’t say I like this, but I guess I can...accept it”, looking into ClockWork’s eyes, and getting startled by them becoming wrinkled and old. Shaking her head, “that’s incredibly disorienting”, sitting back up, “but know this, ghost, if you harm him. Then I don’t care how immortal you are, I will hunt you and I will destroy you”. 

Danny groans loudly, “could we not with the death threats?”. ClockWork pats his head, “nonsense, I would desire nothing different. The feeling is quite mutual after all”, smiling down at Danny, “only difference is, I understand intentionally seeking revenge on your behalf wouldn’t exactly please you”, shrugging, “but if say, someone’s future suddenly started taking all the wrong twists and turns...then who’s to say if it was really my meddling that caused them to get exiled to the void of space”. 

Danny squints up at ClockWork, “that is suspiciously specific...”, trailing off as ClockWork shifts to a toddler again, “...Fun Sized”. 

Jack, on the other hand, is flat-out impressed and likes that this ghost is clearly protective without being flat-out obsessive. Nodding strongly, “I don’t approve of this, but you’re clearly not looking to harm. So...I guess it’s fine”, looking down at Danny, who’s clearly beaming, “still beyond weird and not really okay, especially for a Fenton”. 

Jazz nods, “well look at it this way, Danny isn’t as uninterested in ghost stuff as you thought?”. Maddie glances at her, slightly unimpressed. While Danny snorts, pulling teenage ClockWork’s cloak around himself a bit more, “my interest is friendly and affectionate, not really the same Jazz”. Maddie frowns at Danny, but nods with a sigh, “and I’m guessing you’re pretty set on your feelings and-”, gesturing at ClockWork, “-on this, on them”. 

Danny nods almost aggressively, “yes, mom, ClockWork is my other, my mate”. Jack takes in Danny firm face and intense gaze, before nodding at him, “well that settles it then”. Turning to ClockWork and awkwardly holding out his hand for a handshake, “I guess, welcome to the Fenton family, ClockWork”. 

Maddie stares at her husband a bit as he shakes hands with a ghost, glaring at ClockWork, “I wouldn’t say you’re part of the family, ghost, but if Danny is as certain as he clearly is, then our home, our family, will allow you in”, muttering to herself, though easily heard by the two ghostly mates, “pretty sure you’d get in any way though”. 

Judging by the mischievous twinklings in the pairs eyes and the smirks, Maddie knows she’s right. She’s pretty well certain this ghost, ClockWork, has been over multiple times. 

Jazz, blinking a bit and staring at ClockWork’s hand and wrist, lazily resting on the backing of their chair, “what’s with all the watches? You’re practically covered in clock imagery”. Instantly regretting her question and showing it with a groan, as the pair smirk. 

“I’m the time master, everything is time with me. I also have a pocket watch wrapped around my belt. My cloak clasp is a clock gear, my name is a time pun, Jasmine. You should expect as much”. Danny sticks out his tongue at her, but answers his dad’s confused expression, “clocks count time, keep track of it. And time is ClockWork’s job, their work. So they’re a clock that works. ClockWork”. Jazz groans, “you’re awful, both of you”.

Jack shakes his head, amused, at the, clearly mischevious and jokester, ghost. Before gesturing over to the living room, “so movies? I’d say pull out Danny’s baby home videos....but with what I’ve learned of you, that’d be really pointless”. Maddie nods, following Jack to stand in the doorway, watching Danny untangle himself from ClockWork’s purple cloak, “they probably watched him grow up”. 

Maddie gets startled by ClockWork, clearly not expect them to actually comment on what she said, “indeed I did, I knew how important he’d be, especially to me. Of course, I paid more attention to his growing up than most”, ClockWork smiles fondly while Danny just blushes, blushing even more as a child ClockWork sits on his shoulder, ghostly tail lazily wiggling and occasionally tracing along his collar bone. 

Jazz mutters, “again, adorable. Weird, but adorable”. While Maddie shakes her head, “how is that not rather creepy”. Danny just shrugs at her, walking past her to the couch, he’s really got no way to explain why it’s not; it just isn’t. Letting ClockWork float off his shoulder, changing into their teenage form, before sitting on the couch; Danny cuddling into them. Jazz puts herself in between Danny and their parents, obviously playing the role of protective, and overbearing, sister. 

Jack eventually settles on some sci-fi movie, Maddie eyes ClockWork’s tail as Jack puts in the movie, “why the constant tail? Wouldn’t legs be more comfortable?”. ClockWork gives her a warm smile, “I always have a tail. As Daniel has said, I’m not like other ghosts. I don’t have things other ghosts do, legs are one of those things”. 

“Huh”, with that everyone settles in and watches the movie mostly silently.

Danny, chuckling after a while, “I’m going to guess that it’s a little early to drag everyone to ClockWork’s lair, ain’t it?”, Danny can’t help but tilt his head back and laugh as both his parents speak up at the same time. Mixtures of excitement, worry, and mistrust in their voices. 

“You’ve been to a ghost lair!?!”.

“You went into the ghost zone! Danny! You know how dangerous that is!?!”.

“What’s the air like?!? Does h-they have furniture?!? Is it all green?!?”.

“Were you safe? Please tell me you were at least together the whole time...”.

ClockWork raises their hand, “I might be able to control time and in general be quite content to indulge curiosities, but even I’ve got a limit to my tolerance. Patient as I may be”, frowning slightly before continuing, “this is far more socialising than I get in an entire year, I’m a solitary thing; with nothing but silence for company for most of my existence”. 

Jazz mutters, “once again, that’s kind of awful”. ClockWork shrugs, “it’s my existence, and it will never change. I’m made for it, meant for it; so push aside your pity, it is misplaced”. 

“Anyway...”, Danny chuckles, rolling his eyes at his long-winded other. Leaning forward and looking to his mom, “it’s perfectly safe, mom. Especially the clocktower citadel, there’s probably no better protected or harder to find places in the whole Zone”, chucking and shaking his head, “you can’t even find the place at all, unless ClockWork here wants you to. Same for getting inside, or finding ClockWork themselves. That’s not even mentioning that the place exists in a different state of time and gets visitors from other timelines”. 

Maddie mutters, “well I guess that’s secure enough”. Danny nods curtly before turning to his, practically bouncing and bursting with curiosity, dad, “yes they’ve got furniture, mostly purple or black though. Lots of gears and bits of clocks, viewing screens and portals to timelines, pasts, presents, and futures”. 

ClockWork chuckles, “at least you’ve learned not to jump through them, without at least asking, now”, ruffling Danny’s hair, “even if you did have to learn that the hard way, like usual”. Danny looks away and makes a show of pouting, “you can’t present someone with the option to time-travel and expect them to not take it, Gears”. ClockWork tilts their head down to look at Danny’s face, “yes well, most folks don’t mess up the past every single time. How you manage that is both endearing and ridiculous”. Tilting their head over to Jazz, “it took a whole year to fix it last time, and all he did was pick up a rock”, turning back to Danny, “out of all the rocks you decide to poke, of all the possibilities, you manage to grab the only one stopping a river from collapsing”. 

Danny just shrugs guiltily while Jack chuckles, “wow, sounds like you’ve dragged Danny-boy on some adventures”, chuckling again, “or more so, he’s dragged you on them”. While Jazz snickers, quietly speaking, “reckless as ever”.

ClockWork easily catches Maddie glaring at them, waving their elderly hand dismissively at her, “I’m aware of all of time, I was fully aware of where and when he was at all times. I also knew what and how he was going to mess things up well beforehand”, shrugging, “but he had lessons to learn, so I let time take its course. We met when he was fourteen, so there was plenty he had yet to learn. As I’ve said-”, patting Danny’s head, “-he likes to learn things the hard way, or weird way”. Danny grunts, “least I’m not boring”. 

Jack can’t help but chuckle, slapping his knee, “well that’s a Fenton for you!”. Maddie points at them, “you better not have been together when Danny was that young”. 

ClockWork puts up one hand to pacify her, “but of course not, it was by no means the time for this. I was simply a friend and occasional guiding hand”. Danny pokes their cheek, “you and your soft spot for me. Wouldn’t have done all that for anyone else”, smirking mischievously at the teenage ClockWork, “and imagine my surprise when I discovered that soft spot was heart-shaped”. Danny doesn’t even attempt to hide his wider smirk, hearing ClockWork’s steadily ticking clock core tick a bit louder. 

Alt Ending:

“WARNING, GHOSTS DETECTED. ONE FOOT. WARNING, APOCALYPTIC ECTOPLASMIC THREATS WITHIN ONE HUNDRED FEET. ONE IDENTITY KNOWN, DANNY PHANTOM. TYPICAL GHOST POWERS, ICE POWERS, GHOSTLY WAIL, ONE UNKNOWN POWER. POWER LEVEL TWENTY-FIVE. ONE IDENTITY UNKNOWN. POWERS UNKNOWN. POWER LEVEL TWENTY-EIGHT”. 

Danny pales at every word, mentally freaking out a bit, ‘oh, oh no. This is so not how they were supposed to find out. But-but would they shoot? Shoot me? My other? I- what do I even do?’, blinking and scooting closer to Horace protectively, ‘protect, always. Always protect. But, but I don’t want to have to! I shouldn’t have to! Heck! I might need the protection myself!’. Feeling Horace sigh, ‘they knew this would happen...but then why?’. Mentally pausing for only a few seconds, ‘of course, they, they’re looking to protect, protect me...oh god this isn’t going to go well, is it?’. 

Danny easily hears Jazz suck in a breath, while Horace mutters into Danny’s ear, “not every secret can be kept forever, you’ve had enough resets by now to know this. I’m sorry for this, my MoonFlower”. Jazz mutters into the table, “stuff detecting Danny, again?”. 

Maddie stands, glancing at the device before glaring at the pair and responding, with a strained voice, “no, Jazz. It only detects ghosts”. 

Jack doesn’t know what to do, surely he would have known if his son was overshadowed and he-both of them actually-clearly didn’t appear ghostly. So what was the truth, “Danny?Phantom?”. 

Horace sighs, their eyes leaving Maddie’s to glance at Danny’s. Conflict clear as day in them, feeling his grip tighten on their dress shirt sleeve; Horace watching him sadly as he does.

Maddie interrupts their slight intimacy, “ghosts, no games. Where’s my son, the real one”. 

Danny sighs, giving Horace a pained smile, eliciting sigh from them as well; but this time it’s laced with resignation and, of all things, determination. 

Horace turns their head back to the two Fenton parents, both of them are now flicking between glaring at Horace accusingly and at Danny, who’s practically pressed into Horace, hatefully. “Indeed, I did tell you as much”, Horace says through a frown as Danny phases the two of them through their chairs, but, due to their physical closeness, Maddie and Jack can’t tell who did it. Horace wraps their arm protectively around Danny’s shoulder, Danny does the same around Horace’s waist. 

Jack jerks out of his chair, sending it crashing to the ground; while Maddie goes to aim her gun. Jazz practically jumps out of her seat and slams her hand onto Maddie’s gun, “mom! Stop! Don’t, that’s Danny, the real Danny”, quickly sparing Danny a sympathetic glance, “he always has been”. 

Maddie ignores Jazz and practically growls, “that’s not “Danny” anything, Danny’s no ghost”. Stepping closer to the table, “how do you even look human? How dare you pretend to be our son, our Danny”. Glaring even harder, “and that other thing is almost just as bad”. 

‘Well isn’t this just damn peachy. I guess I always was going to have to fling my self into the Zone eventually. Here’s hoping I can do that with getting fully offed’. Clearing his throat, hoping to at least buy time or maybe, just maybe, get them to understand; to not hate him or his other, “I know we’re ghosts. Phantom, yes; but I’m still Danny. I always have been, I’ve never been pretending. Ghost aren’t evil, unfeeling things. I’m your son”, shuffling a bit, “only half ghost though, me. But that shouldn’t matter, none of this should mat-”, Danny gets cut off by Maddie firing her gun off at the floor. 

Jazz jerks back, startled, unsure if that was just cause of her mom’s extreme grip or if she did that intentionally. Jazz gets her answer as Maddie snaps, “that’s not even possible, ghosts are nothing but liars and evil. Ectoplasmic scum!”, Jack grabs and pulls Jazz to the side as Maddie storms towards the couple. 

‘Oh god, she’s-she’s really going to, going to shoot at me?!? What the hell?!?’, Danny can’t help but curl into Horace’s side like a kicked puppy; tears welling up in his eyes. 

Maddie snaps again, though not lifting her gun up, “how dare you tell me lies about my son! How dare you come into a hunter’s home and think you can trick us!”, sneering at them, “ectoplasmic filth always thinking so little of humans, but Fenton’s aren’t your usual and we won’t be trick by such filth”. 

Horace then does something Danny’s never seen them do, they snarl; teeth bared and eyes red, full-blown snarling at Maddie, “you’re already believing lies, but the one telling you those lies is yourself. Little Raven Dove deserves better than that”. 

Horace’s glaring doesn’t falter and their teeth stay bared, as Maddie sneers at them, “enough with the lies, ghost. Things like you have no place in this world, even if half ghosts were possible; a ghost is still a ghost. Half of one is just a bastardised monster”. 

Jazz gapes at Maddie while Horace sighs pitifully at Maddie, giving Jazz a soft apologetic smile before returning to snarling at Maddie, “you mortals always insist on learning things the hard way, but this is a lesson you don’t get to rewrite. Pick your actions carefully”, feeling the slight shaking in Danny’s tightly gripping hands and slight wetness on their shoulder, Horace stands defiant, holding one hand behind their back, and spits their words like venom, “though your ill-chosen words have already failed you”. 

Jazz tries to pull away from her dad, but his grips firm though he looks at her confused; not understanding why she appears to be crying. Jazz cries out, though her gut tells her words are pointless, “mom! Don’t! Please! Can’t you for once in your life realise your science isn’t perfect! That you could be wrong! Because you’re wrong!”, struggling more, “Danny is strange, yes! But that’s ok! That’s good! He does good! Leave my little brother alone!”. 

Maddie flinches from her daughters' words, but only looks at the two with more hate, hissing out, “you corrupted her. You messed with my baby girl”. 

Danny nearly whimpers, “no...”. But he can see there’s no arguing with her and Horace knows there’s not, they always knew such. Horace, pushing Danny behind them slightly, feeling Danny’s fingers brush against theirs behind their back; knowing that Danny knows what they intend to do.

Snapping at Maddie at the feel of Danny’s slight shaky nod, “the only one corrupting anything is you. You were blessed with a celestial child, a son of star fire. One blazing more pure and bright than any sun, yet you refuse, you reject. But I expected as much, I knew as much, I saw as much”. Shaking their head disappointedly, “in another time you may have earned the right to see me, to know me; but not in this one, not this time. You deserve nothing more than to crumble and fall with the sands of time, and you will, times told it so. Horace means time keeper for a reason, I keep times truth and times truth is thus”, frowning sadly at Maddie as she slowly, attempting subtlety, charges up her gun. Catching Jazz’s nearly inaudible whisper, “ClockWork...I...thank you...”. 

Attention squarely back on Maddie, “truth will forever be a mystery to you, you’ll grow old and die; without a son, without a daughter. You will join the Ghost Realm, bitter, lonely and endlessly resentful. You will be rejected there, you will reject yourself; though Snow White, far to fair, will forgive you. You’ll be too far gone and so you’ll join that foolish power-mad space nomad, exiled. But he’ll destroy you, fuelled by his own bitter, lonely, resentment”. 

Everything is silent for a second, an all too familiar calm before the storm; familiar especially to Danny, one far too used to living in storms and awaiting the next one. Mentally muttering, ‘oh look, another tornado to destroy my whole life’. 

Jazz tries her damnedest to pull away from her father as she watches her mother jerk the gun up, finger on the trigger. Seeing Horace, ClockWork, pulling out their staff seconds faster. Slamming away Maddie’s gun as they spin the staff, creating a portal. Jazz cries even harder and slams her fist on Jack’s chest after she can see Danny disappear safely with his other. An other she knows will protect him and help him heal from this, she doesn’t have to worry about him but she’ll be damned if her “parents” get away with hurting her little brother so. 

The last thing Danny sees of his family is Jazz slamming her second fist into Jack’s chest. Blinking and staggering away from ClockWork a bit, as he sees they’re on a grassy hill; countless stars above and Amity’s city lights in the distance. 

Whipping at his eyes before collapsing back into ClockWork’s satin cloak, “I’m sorry Daniel, my little stargazing Space Boy, but it’s all I could do”, cradling the young halfa they love into their chest, his tear-streaked face pushing harshly into their neck. 

“I know”, comes out quiet and broken; yet ClockWork feels the words echo like a gong and scream beyond any ghostly wail.

End.