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Jack had been hiding in the brush, fully intending to get a good shot at Phantom, but when he saw the look on Phantom’s face as the spook watched the Red Huntress fly off into the sunset... well that was an expression Jack knew darn well. Heck! It's one he wore a lot himself back in college! The look of totally having a thing for someone, a full-blown crush, but thinking there’s no way it’ll ever happen because they are so totally out of your league... or species in Phantom’s case. Jack is fairly certain the Red Huntress is a human after all. If she’s not then that’s news to him. And well, one hopeless lovesick man -boy? Who knows with ghosts. He should make a scanner that can tell! An age-o-meter! But needs a better name first- to a previously hopeless but still lovesick man was basically a brother-in-arms.
And the Red Huntress was absolutely out of Phantom’s league. Rocking spandex, good with a gun, ghost hunter, spunky take-no-shit personality; real package deal just like his Mads! And Phantom was kinda like Jack in a way too! Rocking the spandex, stronger than he really should be, technically a ghost hunter in a way, and often did really stupid and/or easily avoidable shit. Jack knows he himself had earned that ‘bumbling idiot’ term Vlad liked to affectionately call him. And Phantom... well... he faceplanted into walls sometimes and even entering FentonWorks was dumb and asking for it for a Spook! So considering how often Phantom did that... Either he had a huge ego, which Jack didn’t buy these days. Or he was stupid, possible theory. Or he was just reckless, most likely. Having a thing for a hunter was absolutely reckless... and stupid. But Jack has never been the type to discourage stupidity! Except for with Danny-boy, kid tried to swallow a knife as a party trick once!
So Jack does the -probably not smart himself- thing and jumps out of the brush, shouting at Phantom even if the spooks hearing should be good enough that Jack doesn’t actually need to, “you’re totally smitten with her aren’t you!?!”. Causing the spook to jerk in the air before snapping to spin around and look down at Jack with a truly confused and embarrassed look on his face. Which yes, Jack absolutely grins stupidly and smugly at.
Phantom quirks an eyebrow and floats lower to the ground slowly, “um, what?”, shakes his head, “actually why aren’t you shooting at me?”, eyeing the obvious weapon Jack still has strapped to his back, “it’s not like you’re unarmed. Second, I thought you guys decided ghosts can’t feel things like love or whatever”, and looks around awkwardly. Not keeping an eye on the hunter right in front of him, again the spook was either stupid or reckless... or both!
Jack chuckles heartily, “well I know the look of crushing hard and you got it, spook or not”, Phantom darn well blushes at that, so clearly there’s got to be something to the ‘ghosts probably have emotions too, you know’ thing his kids were always going on about. Laughing again, but more specifically at the spooks whole blushing thing, “she is so out of your league too! And if anyone knows anything about dating out of their league it’s Jack Fenton!”.
Jack absolutely catches the spook mutter, “so he’s actually aware of that, huh”, which Jack isn’t going to deny. Phantom blinks and responds properly, sounding slightly shocked, “wait, are you offering me dating advice???”, and looks even more confused. Which Jack absolutely laughs at, “well, I help you with your girl problem and you help me figure out how romance and attraction even works and is possible for a spook like yourself. Simple as that!”.
“You are a strange funny big man, Jack”.
Jack just grins stupidly.
Phantom rubs his neck after a bit, floating down closer some more, “well I, uh, guess? If it’ll help you guys realise ghosts aren’t emotionless uncaring husks of life”, then muttering, “Ancients this is awkward”, off to the side. Which really just leaves Jack wondering if ghosts really had some kind of understanding of awkwardness and could understand social queues and norms to some degree???
Jack grins anyway and blots over to one of the benches around, patting on the seat beside himself eagerly, research was research! Even in the form of a chit-chat! Phantom looks at him, mumbles, “Yeah this is mortifying”, which Jack barely manages to not laugh at as the spook floats over; stays floating a bit above the bench though. For a safer faster escape in case Jack went on the offence perhaps? Sure Jack could put down his weapon but he’s not going to, because he may be stupid and reckless but he tried not to be both at the same time. “So tell this old man what you like so much about her, what makes her gosh darn cute?”.
Phantom mutters, “oh Ancients”, before responding properly while rubbing his neck, “well, ah, we actually used to date-”. Jack absolutely has to butt in, “I never knew the Red Huntress even dated!”, imagine that! A hunter with a thing for a ghost! Phantom clears up that misunderstand though, waving his hands around, “no! No! I mean as a human”.
That... that was not what Jack was expecting. They dated when they both were alive! And the interest must have just carried over! “So what? You’re just too chicken to tell her?”. Imagine that. Apparently ghosts can indeed get nervous just like humans! Maybe keeping a love interest was humanising for the spookies! Love! The cure to all evil!
Phantom sputters, “what! No! That’s not! Okay maybe that is pretty much it”, and rubs his neck. Jack absolutely laughs at Phantom over that; which the ghost gives a huff over.
But maybe there’s more to it than just that! Maybe Phantom had been a hunter! Or a hunter-in-training perhaps?!? He did look young after all! And everyone was pretty sure the Red Huntress was young herself... maybe they trained together and love bloomed! Darn Jack’s making himself feel sappy. But... maybe Phantom really was just being a hunter? No side motives or evil plots? ‘Cause if Jack became some darn spook he’d hunt them too, hunt the spookies on their own turf. And maybe that was why Phantom was always in town? Because what hunter would want to ‘live’ with a bunch of spooks? None! That’s who. So there. Phantom’s behaviour possibly explained. And that makes Phantom a true hunter! And who’s Jack to refuse to help out his fellow hunters?
Jack chuckles, “I remember being all nervous when I first met Mads, about being a ghost hunter and all that”, chuckling again, “here was this beautiful orange-haired fox and there’s me with a really big gun and absolutely looking stupid”, pointing at the spook who’s mumbling about how he ‘so didn’t need to hear that’, Jack adding, “and of course Vladdie had a real leg up on me in the looks department”, tilting his head, “still don’t know how that guy doesn’t have a wife”.
Phantom mutters, “oh there’s reasons”, before looking Jack up and down, “you know... there was a timeline where Maddie ended up with Vlad”, cringing, “it didn’t go well”. Jack blinks at that, huh, “you’ve sure got some stories dontcha!”, shaking his head, “yeah I don’t really think Vladdie’s Mads type. Certainly someone else’s though!”. Phantom doesn’t look like he believes that. Oh well! “Now this ain’t supposed to be about Vladdie! Sooooo?”.
The spook starts blushing again, apparently ghosts could at least get embarrassed to the degree any human could, before wasn’t just a one-off occurrence. “Well the girl’s just, I don’t know, really cute and shit? And responsible and manages to look good even kicking ass and she’s smart enough to service her own gear and she’s kicked Plasmius in the face and maybegettingshotatforsayingstupidshitisfun?”. Jack chuckles heartily at that little bit of word vomit, “I can certainly understand liking a woman who can kick butt!”. From the sounds of it the Red Huntress was a real winner! but the real question is... “now what do you think she’d like about you? Or did anyway”, and chuckles.
“I have no idea”.
Jack laughs very loudly at that, he knew that feeling! “I had no idea what Mads saw in me either!”, and laughs some more. Phantom chuckles a little awkwardly, “I mean I was kinda small and loner-ish before”, tilting his head, “did chase off a creep trying to force her to date him though so that might have made her notice me”, and shrugs. So Phantom’s possible protective streak wasn’t a new thing! Reminds Jack of him and Maddie again! Jack grinning, “I really got Mads interest by saving her too! More literal though!”, and chuckles.
Phantom blinks, “huh”, shakes his head and shrugs, “... and Maddie probably finds you funny like V-Red does- did me”, and Jack absolutely hears Phantom mutter, “I don’t know what to do with that information”. Jack chooses to laugh, “I’d say take that as a good sign! Me and Mads were totally meant to be! So if you two are the same then that’s good!”, smirking, “now you just got to woo her”. Phantom cringes and grumbles sarcastically, “yeah a ghost ‘wooing’ a ghost hunter. That’s gonna work”, cringing again, “and if you say ‘woo’ again, I swear”.
Jack hums and taps his chin, because the spook had a point, and Jack’s just going to assume that telling the girl who Phantom was was out of the question. But! The Red Huntress and Phantom worked together all the time now! So it wasn’t like he was crushing on someone who hated him and his entire ectoplasmic kind! So Jack chuckles, “she works with you so I don’t think that’s an issue, Phantom. She’s spook friendly!”, tilting his head, “or at least Phantom friendly”, grinning, “and that’s the first step to love!”. Phantom cringes yet again. “The second is to make her laugh!”.
Phantom snorts, “I’ve got that one down. Though sometimes my pain is the butt of the joke”. Jack’s not sure if that’s good or bad. Regardless, “well you definitely have a hobby and career in common!”, chuckling, “but does she laugh like she’s mocking you or while putting a hand over her mouth and crinkling her eyes?”, tilting his head, “aw man you probably can’t tell through the helmet”.
Phantom rubs his neck, “well she lifts it up sometimes just to make sure I can see her disapproving looks and scowls when I make a real good pun”, and smirks before adding, “and I guess she does put her hand over her mouth sometimes...”, looking around, “and it’s not like I’m an unattractive guy...”. Jack is supremely curious about that, “what even qualifies as attractive for ghosts? Wait wait! Ghosts have beauty standards!”, who knew! Jack points at Phantom, “and looks don’t count for much! Look at me after all! I know I ain’t a real looker”.
Phantom snorts, “I’m not going to comment on that”, and shrugs, “and sure we do. Strength, dominion, and battle skill count for a lot but showy clothes and powers is a definite plus. Good hair matters a weird amount”, and ruffles up his mess of a bedhead, snorting, “still don’t know how Plasmius thinks that hair horn mess is going to win him any points. Skulker’s Mohawk basically got him his girlfriend”. Jack is just taking in the fact that dating isn’t even uncommon for ghosts apparently.
Jack does manage to comment on all that though, “well ghost-wise you are certainly a powerful one and that wail of yours is super showy! And terrifying! Not gonna help you with a human”, tilting his head, “though a hunter would definitely like skill in combat”. Phantom hums, “well I guess she has complimented me getting in a good hit more than once”. Jack grins, “just a ‘good job’ or a genuine compliment? There is a difference, you know”; Jack may be oblivious but he’s got a feeling...
Phantom shrugs and hums some, “well I did wink at her once and she did call my punch sexy, but I think she was mocking me”. Jack grins stupidly, oh his feeling is definitely right on the money, “but mocking you with a grin and laugh or a scowl?”, giving the teen spook a Look, “Because I’d say she either just likes you or likes you and knows it’s you but is waiting for you to stop being a chicken”. Phantom goes a little wide-eyed, “you don’t think...”. Jack chuckles, “I’m known to do that sometimes”. That gets a chuckle out of a distracted-looking Phantom. The spook would be so easy to capture right now, but this was so much more useful! He was learning things! Maybe he could make a ecto-mancer for something, he’s got a name so he’s got to use it!
Phantom gestures with his hands, “but even if she does, you know, like me, now-still? What would I even do about that? I mean she asked me out originally...”. Jack laughs, wasn’t that every boy’s biggest worry? “Ah a strong girl who knows what she wants, I like it! And you could use someone to keep you in line!”, and chuckles. Phantom gives him a weird look at that, “I’m not sure how to take that”. Which really just makes Jack laugh more as he continues, “real advice? If you only ever see each other during hunting and fighting then meet some other time and ask then! I asked Mads out at a little coffee shop! And we definitely weren’t wearing lab coats or spandex at that time!”.
Phantom chuckles awkwardly, “yeah I guess only seeing each other at ‘work’ isn’t exactly the best idea...”. Jack snorts at him because that should be obvious. Jack chuckling, “then there’s a plan! Do the asking, like a man! Off the clock and in chill cool guy clothes”. Phantom cringes, “oh Ancients, don’t say ‘chill cool guy’, ugh”, crossing his arms and legs, still floating too, “besides ghosts don’t really change clothing like that”.
Jack hums and taps his chin because the spooks got a point, it was rare to see ghosts ever in different clothing, he doesn’t think he’s ever seen Phantom change clothing. “Well it’s a human thing so throw some human clothing over your suit, love the spandex by the way, and so what do ghosts do to ask each other out?”. Phantom suddenly looks awkward again, “uh well Ember smashed Skulker over the head with a guitar, threw concert tickets at him, and told him to be there or she’ll toss his suit in a metal compactor. I don’t think that’s a good idea”. Jack can’t help laughing, because yeah! That would go horribly! “Figures you spookies are violent about it!”.
“Hey”. Phantom scowls, “anyway. I also doubt a sword duel or snowball match would exactly go over well”. That honestly just makes Jack laugh more while nodding.
Jack shaking his head after a bit and catching his breath, “anything combative is stupid with a girl with a serious trigger finger! You shouldn’t need a big guy like me to tell you that!”. Phantom actually pouts at him. Jack chuckles a little bit more, “maybe just bring her flowers and a good cd on her downtime”.
Phantom scoffs and rolls his eyes, “yeah when the girl is out of her identity concealing suit and probably in public since breaking into her house would be asking to get shot. Not that I mind her shooting me but that’s not the point or a good mood setter”. Jack chuckles at that even if Phantom did have a point, Phantom wasn’t exactly a subtle creature who could blend into the background and the Red Huntress was secretive for whatever reason; Phantom obviously knew who she was though. Spook had that going for him! Nodding to himself, “then bring her a coffee in laidback clothes after a fight that doesn’t count as a fight!”.
Phantom and Jack share a Look, both smirking and saying, “the Box Ghost”, in unison. Even the spookies knew that one was a joke! Even the old grannies couldn’t be bothered to care about him! Phantom chuckles, “and that’s probably the only one she wouldn’t get on my ass for being lazy about”.
Jack grins and nods, giving a little thumbs-up, before making shooing motions at Phantom, the spook could just handle himself from here right? And Jack could watch from the shadows and see what happens. Seeing how a ghost does romance could be priceless information. Mads was going to lose her mind!
Phantom screws up his face but does float up some, “I’m not sure you’ve actually helped. But fuck it, that’s probably better than punning so much she tries catching me and then being, like, date? Yes? No?”. Jack stares at the spook a little before laughing, “was that seriously your plan?!? She’d say no just to make a point!”.
Phantom crosses his arms and floats up a bit further, “well it was that or hide ominously in a bush and chuck my phone number at her from inside it”. Jack absolutely laughs at that, “that’s worse!”, pausing, “wait, you have a phone? Can I have your number?”. Jack and Phantom blink at each other before both burst out laughing realising how that questions sounded and could come across! Phantom moving to float off after a bit, “well thanks for lifting the mood a little at least”; Jack just waves and grins.
And when Jack spots the Box Ghosts ecto-signature pop up on a scanner a few days later he grins stupidly and rushes off, will Phantom do it or not? Jack has to know! And then he’ll tell Mads, you know, after he’s got his results... and maybe a photo or two. Honestly, he might actually feel bad for the spook if the Red Huntress rejected him. Especially if Phantom wasn’t yanking his chain about being her ex that didn’t want to be an ex. Normally ex’s were ex’s for a reason but death’s a pretty shit one.
Jack has never been more certain that Phantom was a teenager than now though, when he does manage to sneak his way over. The Box Ghost was obviously already dealt with and Phantom has already made his entrance... in joggers, sneakers, and a really oversized hoddie; hands in his pockets. Did... did the boy think that looked good? Oh who was Jack to know what teens thought looked cool these days. He doesn’t think his son ever wears things that actually fit him properly. So maybe Phantom was on to something.
The cheeky smirk wasn’t doing the ghost any favours though and the Red Huntress doesn’t look impressed; or maybe she was smirking under that helmet of hers, crossed arms wasn’t exactly good? At least that’s what Jack thinks. At least the spook remembered to get her coffee, or whatever the pink and purple foamy abomination was; there was a straw in it so it was, in fact, a drink. But Jack is seriously wondering if he looked that awkward when he offered Mads something to drink, because even Jack has to cringe over this display. And on top of that, the Red Huntress leaves him hanging for a while, before taking the drink -yes!- and smacking Phantom over the head -no!- but at least she doesn’t shoot him! Jack pulling out the ecto-echo-amplifier to be able to easily listen in; if he finds out something secret then he’ll be a man and keep it to himself. He’s not about to be the one who exposes a fellow hunter! Nope! Not him!
“Hey! ow!”.
The Red Huntress shakes her head, arms now on her hips, “seriously, Phantom? You dumbass”.
Well that’s not exactly promising.
She sighs, or that’s what it sounds like anyway, “I mean really. You’d think I didn’t already know you might just like me. You called my butt a cutie, on accident I’m pretty sure, last week. You are as subtle as a sack of bricks to the face”.
Jack has a hard time keeping his snickering to himself, did Phantom really do that?!?
Phantom rubs his neck and shrugs loosely, “to be fair, I am indeed a dumbass”.
“Yeah no shit”.
“So.....”, Phantom rolls his hand around in the air.
The Red Huntress shakes her head -but Jack’s pretty sure she’s not saying no- and crosses her arms again, hovering her board over and giving his hair a ruffle; which Phantom grins stupidly over. Huh, guess hair was some kind of important thing to spookies with romancing the ladies. The Red Huntress speaking up as she returns her arms to her hips, “I've already said ‘yes’ to you once, even if you didn’t do the asking. So what do you think”.
Jack nearly chokes, apparently his guess was absolutely on the money; the Huntress already figured Phantom out! Ha ha! Score one for the Jack-Man! Though he’s not sure if it’s good or bad that he can’t quite make out her face -she is dark-skinned though- when she opens up her mask to actually sip the ‘drink’.
Phantom blinks making the Red Huntress laugh and pull the straw away from her mouth, even Jack can hear the smirk in her voice, “yes you are that stupid. But fine, it’s a lovable kind of stupid”. Phantom actually fist pumps -seriously?- and cheers, “awesome”. Phantom holds up a finger, “I will probably continue to be a complete dumbass though”, smirking, “dying kinda knocks out a few brain cells, dontcha know”.
“I don’t believe that for a second, you idiot. Also-”, again Jack can hear the smirk in her voice, “-this drink is disgusting; so here you go”, and proceeds to dump it on Phantom’s head, Phantom just grins like that was the plan before both start laughing.
Jack would have never thought intentionally feeding someone something nasty would be a good thing but apparently the Red Huntress also had a slightly twisted sense of humour since she lets him sit on her board, his ghost legs turning into a ghostly tail, her following suit and sitting down too.
Jack decides he should probably leave at this point, he doesn’t doubt the girl will shoot at him if she finds him spying on them. That girl was scary. Though Jack is absolutely going to keep an eye on this spook with hunter thing, mostly because it was neat! But also! How would this even work?!? Could it work?!? What if she wanted to have kids?!? Oh he’s getting ahead of himself there. The thought of how would that even work or be possible is what carries him home though.
Jack barging in through the FentonWorks front door, “Mads! You’ll never guess what!...”.
End.