One entire year at this job did it no justice.

Lennon stared up at the lazy spin of the ceiling fans, wondering why it was up there in the first place at the useless speed it was going. He wished he could've taken the shift right before rush hour, but it was hunger games trying to secure a spot like that, and the poor boy was left to deal with the first drunks of the night.

"Hey!" yelled a familiar voice, "I'll have the usual."

Lennon blinked, looking forward to face one of his least favorite regulars. He smiled halfheartedly. "Greyhound?" he said, just to make sure.

Less than sober people love calling any drink their 'usual'.

"Less ice and salt on the rim. Have you already forgotten?"

Lennon had learnt not to question his behavior. "Salty dog it is, then." He took a glass and lined the rim with lime juice so the salt sticks.

Cal seemed properly desperate for the drink, grabbing it as soon as Lennon finished pouring the grapefruit juice. Sweat trickled down the side of his neck as he tilted his head back for a sip. Typical. Must have stumbled here from another bar, considering how disoriented he was even before his first drink.

He was alone today, no friends to take over a booth with just yet. Surprising.

Music started blaring from the speakers and the lights dimmed to accommodate the mood. Every night Lennon stood behind the bar soaking in those colored spotlights and envisioning the wild light leaks he could've captured with his camera. If only he was allowed to.

A thump sounded when Cal's glass hit the wooden surface. "Another," he demanded.

"Another salty dog?"

"Christ, you ask so many questions. Yes."

That statement stung more than Lennon was willing to admit, sealing his lips shut right afterwards.

The conflict between them was minimal, but consisted of a reoccurring pattern. Cal would speak. Lennon would speak. Cal would complain that he spoke. And Lennon will never open his mouth for the rest of the night.

It takes little to kill our comfort.

__________

The air was chilly when Lennon left, ears ringing from the commotion as he stepped out of the bar. He was lucky to have made it out before things got too crazy.

The chestnut boy breezed by the bus stop. Tiredness was setting into his body, but he enjoyed his long walks home, imprinting the structure of buildings and stores into his brain like a personal blueprint.

When he arrived at his apartment door, he could hear an torrent of meows, smiling as he fished out his keys.

Yes, today was going to be one of those nights where Lennon would spend cuddled up with his favorite creature in the wide whole world... right after he threw out whatever dead bird or rat his cat had taken home to him.

A token of appreciation perhaps.

"Socks," he called softly, unlocking the door with a click and peeking through the gap, "Socks?"

Lennon kicked off his loafers and flicked on the light switch just as he heard noises from his study room. A heavy racket that suggested whatever his cat was trying to kill hasn't died.

Hastily, he headed past the kitchen and down the small hallway, fingers clutching the thin door frame as he poked his head around—

"Get off me you hideous little— beast!"

Lennon's heart stumbled over its rhythm.

There on top of his workspace stood a boy with his arms flailing. Skin teetering off the edge of transparent. Pale-faced. Though you wouldn't be able to tell if it was due to his state of body or his fear of furry animals.

Socks was rigid, sleek body inclined towards its target and hind legs retracted.

A few pictures had been swept off the desk and onto the floor, implying a physical struggle had happened before Lennon got home. He lurched forward on instinct, picking up the photographs to make sure they weren't soiled.

"Oh, it's the owner. Thank god."

Lennon's head snapped up to stare at the stranger, and whoever it was tensed at his eye contact. He swore he had seen those eyes before. Somewhere in another life.

"Do I... know you?" he asked, running his hand along Socks' black coat. It growled.

The intruder didn't respond, frozen atop the desk.

"You're in my apartment," Lennon continued slowly, huddling his cat into the security of his arms.

Socks stopped growling, pressing its head against his arm instead. Lennon scratched under its chin.

The stranger's arm fell limp, jaw loosening. "You can see me?" he spluttered.

A few quiet seconds wedged between them.

"Am I... not supposed to?" The chestnut boy replied, glancing around the room for any further damage. He turned to coo at Socks. "How did we get to this point of you bringing back entire human beings?"

The intruder shook his head ever so slightly, hinting at something Lennon had yet to grasp.

"What?"

The stranger shook his head again, dazed as he leaped off the desk and left no shoe prints. Lennon reached out to stabilize him, only for his hand to disappear into his arm.

A short, sharp scream escaped him, his body jolting backwards in alarm.

"Oh my god?" Lennon's eyes widened at the boy who didn't even spare him a glance, striding out the room. "Wait!" He launched himself into his living room, just as the stranger's body warped through the front door.

It finally caught up to him. The translucency of his figure and the ability to walk through boarders.

The chestnut boy collapsed onto the hardwood floor in defeat and amazement. Socks trailed up behind him and nudged its petite head against Lennon's foot.

"Oh my god," he whispered again, "A ghost."

His words managed to grace Kieran's ears as he stood outside the apartment he had previously sneaked into, unable to comprehend the turn of events. He moved quickly, silently, through the everyday crowd. Unnoticed.

With a sudden surge of energy, his feet glided with every step he took.

The destination was the alleyway down on Main Street, where he met his sole companion after sundown.

If Kieran had a working heart, it would've been beating out of his chest. His mind and body have been accustomed to his invisibility. And the fact that today he locked eyes with someone other than Autumn made his world tilt on its axis.

A cloaked figure dropped down next to him, their impact leaving not even a silver of sound. Autumn lifted a hand and ran it through their pixie haircut, gold adorning their fingertips.

"No luck?" they asked Kieran.

The ravenhead's brows furrowed as he mulled over his answer. "I found some pictures in someone's apartment today, right before I got chased away by a feline beast."

Autumn snorted, crossing their arms. "You know, I never understood your deal with cats."

"When I was ten—"

"Yeah yeah I've heard the sob story," they dismissed, ever so playful, "You know, it really doesn't help that you remember this random incident you had with a cat a decade ago, but not your life before death."

Kieran took a deep breath, mirroring the disappointment in Autumn's words.

They softened, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Hey. We'll figure it out. It's not like the afterlife is going anywhere. It's still waiting for us."

The ravenhead lay his back against the cobblestone wall, feeling the rough surface dig into his shoulder blades. "What are you waiting for, Autumn?"

Autumn cocked their head to the side, perplexed. "You." They nudged him. "C'mon. We said we'd cross over together."

"You have your ticket. You can go."

"Remember what I said?"

"That you wanted to leave once everything's in place. I'm pretty sure nothing's in place considering the amount of things you've pickpocketed and stole," Kieran deadpanned, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips.

"Hey, this cape is amazing," Autumn protested, flicking their cape over their shoulder for emphasis, "You're dressed like you're attending a funeral."

"Yeah. My own."

That earned him an elbow to the guts and Kieran laughed, doubling over. Autumn scowled, but only out of good nature.

"So what happened with the pictures?"

"Well, um." He scratched his head. "About that... The guy who lives in the apartment saw me."

"So? You'd just be recorded as an everyday paranormal activity."

"No he saw me. He talked to me."

Autumn stilled, expression falling. "You sure he's... alive?"

"Very."

"Oh my god!" they cried, fisting Kieran's grey hoodie, "Go back. Talk to him!"

"Are you kidding? No." The ravenhead pried their hand off him. "That was beyond freaky and I don't want anything to do with humans." He spat the last word out like venom.

"You act like we weren't humans once."

"Please. That's the most regrettable part."

Autumn rolled their eyes. "That one human might have answers for you, Kieran. Isn't that all you need?"

The ravenhead didn't know how to respond, gnawing on his inner cheek and staring into the distance.

"Don't talk to me until you've talked to him."

Kieran knew it was an empty threat, but the decision was made for him just as he turned around and found that Autumn had disappeared into thin air. They were eons better at the whole ghost thing anyway.

It took him a good while to navigate back to the apartment complex, loitering under slanted shadows and spying into tinted windows. The cat had curled itself around the boy's leg, content with the tune its human was humming as he lathered dishes with soap and put them to dry.

A frown engraved onto Kieran's mouth. The low whistle of the wind urged him forward to disrupt their peace, but he persisted.

Suddenly he flinched back when the cat snarled in his direction, having sensed his presence, and Kieran threw himself down the stairs and out of sight.

He didn't have the courage today. He wasn't ready.

"What's wrong?" Lennon murmured, wiping his hands and wrenching open the window latch.

He was greeted with nothing.

__________

A/N: just in case it wasn't clear enough, Autumn uses they/them pronouns :)