[Third Person POV]
As soon as Danny climbed into the back of the van, slamming the door shut behind him, Jack and Maddie immediately noticed something off. Their son looked irritated, arms crossed over his chest, brows furrowed, and—most importantly—his sister wasn't with him.
Jack glanced around as if Jazz might suddenly appear from thin air. "Where's Jazz? Is she staying after school for a project again?" he asked, tilting his head in confusion.
Maddie shook her head, her instincts kicking in. "She would have told us if that was the case. Jazz is responsible like that." Both parents turned in unison to look at Danny, waiting for his explanation.
Danny shifted in his seat with an exaggerated sigh, slouching deeper against the cushion. "She went off with some punk on a motorcycle," he muttered darkly, voice dripping with frustration. He didn't even try to soften it, practically tattling without hesitation.
Jack's eyes bulged. "And you didn't stop her?!" His booming voice filled the van, almost making the steering wheel rattle.
Danny threw up his hands defensively. "I tried! Okay? I even punched the guy right in the face! But to Jazz that just made me the bad guy. Next thing I know, she's hopping onto his bike and speeding off like some cliché movie scene! She's probably bringing him home right now." He groaned and rubbed his face. "You guys have to talk to her and set her straight. That guy is not good for her!"
For a moment, Jack and Maddie exchanged a knowing look, brows furrowed. Then, slowly, they both nodded. Maddie turned back first, smiling proudly. "Good work, Danny. Punching him was the right call. Leave the rest to us."
Jack pounded the steering wheel with determination, puffing out his chest. "Don't worry, Jazzie! Papa's coming to protect you from that hooligan!" He slammed his foot on the gas. The van lurched forward like a rocket, and angry honks followed as Jack swerved through traffic with his usual reckless abandon.
By the time they screeched into their driveway, Danny's seatbelt had saved him from being flung through the windshield at least twice. Jack hit the brakes hard, the van jolting so violently that Maddie had to grab the dashboard.
"That's his bike," Danny said, pointing toward the sleek motorcycle parked neatly in front of their house. His glare could have melted metal.
For a beat, silence filled the van before Maddie and Danny turned towards Jack and spoke in perfect sync: "Run it over."
Jack looked between them both, then grinned.
The two froze, turning to stare at each other in surprise before smirking as they exchanged a fist bump between them.
Jack chuckled low in his chest, gripped the wheel, and inched the van forward, right into the motorcycle. With a screech of metal, the bike toppled onto its side and skidded across the pavement, leaving a nasty trail of sparks before coming to a stop against the curb.
Jack finally parked by the front door, satisfied. "Accidents happen," he said with a smug grin.
---
Inside, Jazz had already guided Johnny to the couch, fussing over the scrapes on his face. She reappeared from the hallway carrying a first aid kit, her movements rushed but careful, her cheeks still pink from embarrassment.
"I'm so sorry about my brother," Jazz said quickly, dabbing antiseptic onto his cut. Her voice was full of guilt, though her hands didn't falter. "He's… gone through a lot, and he's ridiculously paranoid and overprotective. But that doesn't excuse him hitting you."
Johnny winced at the sting but waved it off, grinning through the pain. "Nah, it's cool. If I had a sister as pretty as you, I'd probably be the same way." He leaned in slightly, his tone playful, his grin bordering on charming.
"Stop it, you," Jazz muttered, blushing harder as she pushed his face away with her free hand.
He chuckled and leaned back against the couch. "Johnny," he said after a beat.
Jazz looked up, blinking. "What?"
"The name's Johnny. Johnny 13." He offered her a lopsided grin, the kind that carried a hint of mystery. "People say that I'm pretty unlucky. Hence why the name stuck."
"That's awful…" Jazz said softly, sympathy shining in her eyes. Then she suddenly panicked, waving her hands in front of her face. "N–Not your name! I meant—well, the whole thing about you being called unlucky!"
Johnny chuckled, clearly amused by her flustered attempt to clarify. "Relax, it's cool. Honestly? I don't really see myself as unlucky. Not anymore. I mean, look at me—I just met a beautiful, smart, and caring girl willing to patch up some nobody like me." His smirk turned into a softer grin as his gaze lingered on her. "If you ask me, I pretty much hit the jackpot."
Jazz's cheeks flushed, and for a moment she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. "Johnny…" she whispered, her expression melting into something endearing, tender even.
Johnny leaned back slightly, pretending to rummage in his jacket pocket, though the movement was deliberate. "Actually, I want to give you something." He pulled out a folded bundle of red fabric and held it out toward her. "A little thank-you gift. I think it'll look perfect."
Her eyes widened as she unfolded the garment—a striking crimson jacket, sleek and stylish, with a subtle shine in the light. "Oh, Johnny, it's beautiful," Jazz breathed. Without hesitation, she slipped it over her shoulders. The fabric clung to her almost unnaturally, the cursed thread weaving a quiet influence through her thoughts. Her smile faltered for a second, her pupils dilating faintly, but she blinked it away, looking dazed yet oddly euphoric.
"See?" Johnny said with a grin, admiring her. "Told you it suits you."
Jazz laughed nervously, brushing her hair aside. "I love it. Thank you, Johnny." Overcome with sudden warmth, she leaned in and hugged him in appreciation.
It was at that exact moment the front door slammed open so hard it rattled against the wall. Danny, Jack, and Maddie stormed in like an angry cavalry unit, eyes instantly locking onto the sight of Jazz and Johnny in an embrace.
"GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF HER!!" Jack and Danny roared at the same time, voices so loud they rattled the windows.
Both froze mid-yell, glancing at each other in surprise before turning back toward Johnny with renewed glares, perfectly synchronized.
Startled, Jazz and Johnny broke apart. Jazz's face burned red as she stammered, "Dad! Danny! Seriously?!"
Jack's fists shook in the air as his voice thundered. "Get out of my house, you punk! And don't you ever come near my daughter again!"
Johnny held his hands up in mock surrender, flashing a disarming grin. "Whoa, Pops, chill out. I didn't mean any harm, okay? Just hanging out."
"Don't call him Pops!!" Danny and Maddie barked together in perfect harmony.
"Would you guys STOP already?!" Jazz exclaimed, mortified. She covered her face with her hands, her voice muffled with frustration. "I am so sorry, Johnny. My family is just… ugh. They're really weird sometimes."
"Hey!" all three Fentons cried, visibly offended.
"And apparently a synchronized comedy act today," Jazz muttered under her breath, irritation etched across her features.
Johnny chuckled again, brushing off the tension. "Don't worry about it, babe. I wouldn't wanna intrude longer than necessary anyway. I'll catch you around." He winked as he moved for the door.
"Like hell you will," Danny snapped, arms crossed, his glare following Johnny like a hawk. Jack and Maddie immediately nodded in fierce agreement, forming a three-pronged wall of parental judgment behind him.
Johnny scoffed but didn't push it, swaggering out the front door. A moment later, his voice carried back inside, filled with anguish: "MY BIKE!!"
The Fenton trio's heads snapped up instantly, smug grins stretching across their faces.
Jazz froze, her face twitching in disbelief as she turned to see their expressions. "Unbelievable…" she groaned, throwing her arms in the air. "Really mature, you three. Honestly." With a disappointed sigh, she grabbed the first aid kit and marched off down the hall.
"We're doing this for your own good!!" the three shouted after her, once again in eerie unison.
Danny blinked and shivered, glancing at his parents. "Okay, that is officially starting to get creepy. Please stop."
"Agreed," Jack and Maddie said at the same time, nodding firmly before realizing what they'd just done.
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