#but then I couldnt have Val freaking out on Phantom appearing older haha

[redrobin-detective]

turn and face the strange

“Hey Val,” a deep voice whispered into her ear and Valerie nearly jumped off of her hoverboard. She whirled around and pointed her weapon at the stupid ghost that had dared to sneak up on Amity’s greatest hunter... only to find Phantom with a cheeky grin and his hands held up playfully. “Oh man, back to shooting on sight? That is so three years ago.”

“Phantom?” She questioned, lowering her gun but only a fraction. It wasn’t unheard for ghosts to take advantage of Phantom’s fame and face. Amorpho could have blown back into town to cause problems again. The ghost’s face settled into one of polite confusion as he lowered his hands.

“Yeah? I know we haven’t seen each other in almost a month but I didn’t think I was that forgettable.” He quipped easily but his deep green eyes searched her for signs that something was wrong. Valerie finally lowered her weapon completely, no ghost could fake Phantom’s level of concern.

“Sorry,” she grumbled, the word still giving her a bitter aftertaste even after being partners and sort of friends with the ghost going on two years. “But what happened to you? Since when are you all...” she gestured vaguely to all of him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about Val; I think you studied too much during the break. You’re looking at an Ivy league school, yeah? I know someone who can get you some practice guides and-”

“No, but your voice!” Val interrupted. “It wasn’t like that before, it’s all deep and weird and since when were you taller than me and have muscle!”

“Are you checking me out, Valerie Grey?” the ghost teased lightly, “because I believe I have mentioned I am very happily in a relationship and-”

“No,” she interrupted again, “when did you grow up?” She asked, unable to think of another word to describe the near adult before her.

“Probably around the same time you did,” Phantom shrugged. Valerie almost disputed it but then paused. She thought of the weeks and months before the Christmas Truce that had halted almost all ghost attacks. 

It had all happened very gradually, just like her widening hips and broader shoulders. She’d gotten used to seeing him every day, often more than she wanted, that it hadn’t registered. The ghost boy had become a man right before her eyes and she hadn’t even noticed. 

“But how? You’re a ghost.”

“Meh,” Phantom added unhelpfully, flipping over to float lazily on his back as if his existence wasn’t breaking her brain right now.

“Don’t Meh me,” she hissed. “You were what? 12 when you uh became a ghost?”

“Excuse you, I was 14,” Phantom said casually as if dying so tragically young wasn’t something to worry about. “And now I’m 17.”

“No, that’s not how it works,” Val countered. Had she known that they were the exact same age? It had never really come up before since she made an effort not to get too close to the annoying ghost. Would he have been her classmate, her friend, if he hadn’t died? “You’re still 14, ghosts don’t age.”

“I do,” Phantom stated. “I’ve had three birthdays and three death days since I got my powers. As you just pointed out a few minutes ago, I’m not the shrimpy, squeaky voiced little brat that I was. I even know how to drive now, not that I do it all that much since I can fly and don’t really have a car...”

“That’s not how death works,” Valerie explained but even she was losing steam.

“You’re going to lecture me on how death works?” Phantom asked shooting her with the driest look he could manage with his undead eyes. “I get that its a little weird but what is life but a series of weird coincidences? Ghosts aren’t as static as you think, we can feel and change and grow.” He stuck out his tongue out at her, “some of us even grow taller than you.”

“Jerk,” Valerie said but she couldn’t help but smile at little bit. Phantom was annoying, he was annoying and arrogant and stupidly protective and kind. It had always bothered her a bit how he could be so otherworldly and so human at the same time but maybe ghosts weren’t that different after all. Maybe it was time to finally accept that Phantom wasn’t just an echo, a leftover consciousness but a person in his own right. “So Mr. Adult Phantom, if I’m going to an Ivy League school to study law what are you doing with your afterlife?”

“Oh you know, fight some ghosts, scare some tourists, be forcibly crowned Ghost King once I turn 18 and make some effort to repair human and ghostly relations.” 

“Be forcibly what?” Val shrieked.

“Yeah,” Phantom sighed mournfully. “Word to the wise, do NOT seal away strange Ghost Kings in sarcophaguses or a bunch of eyeballs will try and make you his replacement. I got them to wait until I was 18 so I guess that’s something.” His eyes widened with realization. “Hey when you’re done your law degree you want to replace Walker as the warden of the Zone? You can fight people with your fists and paperwork!”

“What the hell!” Valerie asked, getting in Phantom’s face. “They’re going to make you King? The ghosts hate you!”

“I know, it’s gonna be a ride. Well, thanks for reminding me of my dwindling freedom. I’m going to try and break the sound barrier. Want to join me?” He teased. 

“You’re gonna have to break the sound barrier if you want to get away from me, I need answers, you stupid ghost!” She reached out to grab him but he floated away. His eyes were light, playful as he sped off. He turned over his shoulder, to see if she would chase him not as a predator after a prey but one kid chasing another. 

They both had big changes and big responsibilities coming up when they’d both have to grow up properly. But for now, they could streak across the skies of the city they both swore to protect and enjoy the last dregs of their youth, living and dead.