Work Text:
“Daniel James Fenton, get your butt down here this instant!” Maddie shout echoes up the stairs.
“Ooh, you just got middle named~” Tucker elbows Danny.
“Full named with the middle name? What did you do?” Sam asks.
“Not a clue,” Danny frowns, standing up. “Better go find out before she comes up herself.”
Sam and Tucker exchange a glance and follow him out the door, hovering out of sight as he heads down the stairs.
“What’s up?” he asks.
“Care to explain this to me?” Maddie asks, holding up a newspaper.
On it is a photo of Phantom sitting on the top of the statue of himself that was erected last month. More of an art installation placed a year to the date of his high school graduation and accidental reveal. Phantom sits with an ice cone and looking off camera to the sky. Above is captioned ‘Phantom Evading Patrol or Enjoying the Peace?’
“I- you know I went and got ice cream yesterday? I video called you from that very spot?” Danny pouts more confused.
“That doesn’t explain this!” she jabs her hand at the photo, specifically the hand holding the cone. “What’s with the ring? You don’t wear jewelry and this is your wedding finger!”
Danny blinks. “That’s a thing?”
Above them, Tucker starts giggling. Sam shushes him loudly.
“Sam, Tucker, come down here,” Maddie sighs, crossing her arms.
“Yes, Mrs. Fenton,” they say in monotone as they join them.
“Lets see your hands then,” she says. The three look at each other before holding out their right hands. “Left hand.”
Switching hands, Danny looks more confused.
“Hm,” Maddie frowns as she studies their ring fingers.
“Uh, Mrs. F,” Tucker starts, shifting his weight. “Did you, like, think we got married to each other?”
Maddie sighs, looking a little put out. She puts her hand to her cheek, “I would be happy if Danny proposed to either of you-”
“Wha- MOM! ” Danny squawks.
“I was more upset that he did it without telling us. Danny, you know we love and support you no matter who you love.”
Danny looks skyward, red creeping across his cheeks, “I can’t believe this is happening right now.”
Sam pokes him in the ribs, making him jump, batting her hand away, “Girl up, embrace the happy.”
“Shut up,” he snaps without heat. Sam begins to teasingly poke him in the side, starting a small fight between them.
“Where is the ring?” Maddie asks.
“Huh?” Danny looks over and gets a full jab to the stomach, “Ow, Sam!”
“That did not hurt and you know it,” she snarks back.
“Kids,” Maddie says with her full mom voice.
“Sorry, what?” Danny asks, pulling Sam into a hug, effectively pinning her hands down.
“The ring, that’s in the photo, where is it?” Maddie asks.
“Oh, it only comes out in my Ghost form,” Danny answers.
“...”
“...”
“Did you get Ghost Married?!” Maddie asks, somewhat appalled.
Tucker starts cackling.
Danny drops Sam to cover his face, “Oh Ancients, no! I can’t- Mom- no that’s not- ewwwwwwwwwwww-”
“Okay, okay, enough with the dramatics,” Maddie says, waving her hand. “Not that I would have anything against you falling in love…with an ectoplasmic-”
“Don’t hurt yourself there, Mrs. F,” Tucker cackles, “That’s not at all what the ring is for.”
“It’s not?”
“It’s his Coronation Ring,” Sam answers.
“His…coro… Daniel James Fenton, ” she hisses. Danny shrinks onto himself. “You had a coronation and you didn’t invite the family?”
Sam chokes on a laugh as Danny flails in dismay.
“That’s what you’re hung up about?!?” he doesn’t squeak so much as his voice pitches higher. “Not coming?”
“What else would I be upset over?” Maddie asks, crossing her arms.
“Uh? I dunno? Me becoming High King of All of the Infinite Realms, Ruler of the Dead and Guardian of the Living?”
“Oh, sweetie, you have no idea how much trouble you just admitted to,” she smiles.
“Oh is that the time!” Tucker exclaims, “Sorry, I have to go- uh- help my parents with a thing that I need to be home for.”
“Sorry, I just remembered I also have a thing with my mom and need to go-” Sam juts her thumb over her shoulder to the front door.
“Not so fast you two, you’re not getting away that easily.” Maddie says, the front doorbell rings.
“I got it!” Jack calls. He saunters past to open the door to both of their parents.
“Uh, hi, Mom, Dad,” Tucker says, frowning. “What are you, uh, doing here?”
“Mom? Dad?” Sam blinks in surprise.
“Well, you must understand that we are just as concerned about Danny here wearing a ring on his wedding finger,” Angela says. “Especially with how close you three have gotten over the last year.”
“Oh Ancients,” Danny starts swearing in Coptic under his breath.
“Now then, can someone please explain what my Sammikins has done?” Pamela says primly.
“We didn’t get married!” the trio shout in unison.
“No?” Maurice questions. He looks over the three of them carefully. “Then can someone explain what is going on?”
“Danny got crowned as Ghost King, so now he has a fancy ring,” Tucker says.
“And then we got knighted as his aides and have been helping with Ghost Politics,” Sam continues.
“And we can’t stop unless Danny is no longer king,” Tucker finishes.
“And when will that be?” Pamela asks.
“Uh, if I die in a Duel for the throne or pull a Leviathan and disappear into the void?” Danny hedges.
The parents stare at him.
“Fun fact,” Jazz says, wandering past the group to the stairs, “The four of us are effectively immortal.”
“I hate you,” Danny glares at her.
“Love you too, little brother,” she hums.
“I think I need a drink,” Maurice says.
“Make that two,” Jeremy says.
“This is worse than them getting married,” Pamela says, horrified.
“Jasmine Rose Fenton, get back here,” Maddie calls up the stairs.
“Sorry, I have several papers to get through for the Court of Ancients tonight,” Jazz calls back.
“Oh fuck-”
“Language!” half the parents say.
“That’s tonight?!” Danny balks.
“I can’t believe you forgot,” Sam says.
“I can,” Tucker says. “I have a reminder set to-”
His PDA starts to chime.
“Remind me to remind you so you can get ready.”
“Well no time like the present!” Danny says with false cheer.
“Daniel, don’t you dare think-” Maddie starts.
“Sorry, gotta go, let's talk about this never? Yeah? Cool, good talk!” Danny claps his hands. A swirling green and blue vortex opens below his feet.
Grabbing Tucker and Sam’s hands, they jump down with the portal closing with a snap.
There’s a beat of silence as the remaining stare dumbfounded at the empty space.
“So, about those drinks,” Jack says.