Chapter Text
“Have you ever thought about meeting someone ? Perhaps you can find a friend. I bet you would like to have mutual interests with another person,” Aure encouraged him gently.
“Meet someone ? Oh. No. No, not me.” Pirro shook his head with a laugh. “I think I am better as a solitary unit.”
Without the lamplight, the lounge was shrouded in darkness. Pirro stretched as he arose from his slumber. Flicking on the nearby lamp gave the room a faint amber glow. Shapes squiggled in his vision and he rubbed at his eyes fruitlessly.
Was there such a thing as too much sleep ? The wraith certainly thought so. As much as his companions pushed him to rest, he was beginning to think he was not built for this much.
He adjusted his mask with a sigh. Untangling the blanket from his limbs was a gargantuan effort, lingering fatigue making his body feel uncharacteristically heavy. He carefully set it on the couch’s arm. He sat there for a moment while his brain caught up with his awakened status. Mushi had begun to stir in his bed.
“There’s work to be done,” the scientist said to himself as he stretched his arms and legs. He folded the blanket before placing it on the back of the couch and heading downstairs. As he flipped the lights back off, the upper floor turned into a den of darkness. An amused chuckle floated from his lips at the thought of Mushi navigating through it, his favored ecosystem.
His attention shifted back to his aquatic subjects. Aure would have insisted he feed himself first, but he deemed the fish’s appetite of higher importance. They happily ate the pellets as he sprinkled them in. The eggs appeared to be growing with no issues. He jotted down his observations and then moved to the kitchen. Breakfast was put on hold in favor of caffeine.
Pirro enjoyed the methodology of coffee. It was a science, complete with particular equipment– siphon coffee yielded better taste, but he was far too lethargic to put that amount of effort in that morning. A pour-over would have to do. Setting up the coffee pot, placing the filter, grinding the beans, measuring the grounds, boiling the water, pouring it over in a circular motion- it was reminiscent of his lab work. Coffee fueled him as much as the nutrient paste. As the coffee slowly dripped, the lights overhead flickered: a sign of a yawning fear spirit.
Pirro’s work in the kitchen had created enough sound for Mushi to rise from his slumber. He plopped down on the chair in front of him, his mussed hair fanning out on the tabletop, face resting on the cool surface while his arms framed him with exaggerated drowsiness. His voice was muffled when he finally spoke. “Sleep well ?”
“Quite well, actually.” He brushed Mushi’s hair from his face and attempted to tame it. “Would you like a cup ? Looks like you could use one.”
“Yes, please.” He peeked up with a smile. “I just can’t manage to stay awake.”
The wraith yawned as he backed away and walked over to the cupboard. He remarked over his shoulder, grabbing two mugs from the shelf, “I don’t recommend falling asleep at the table.” Another chuckle left his lips as he set them on the counter. “Speaking from experience, the chairs are not comfortable.”
“I’ll try my best, heh.” He gave a small frown as he watched Pirro retrieve the cup of leftover soup and start to reheat it. “Are you already hungry ? I don’t think I can eat anything before next week…” His face twisted into a bargaining expression. “Hm, actually, I might eat some cake later. It was really good.”
“Mm, I process food quickly. I might not get the sensation of hunger, but I enjoy the taste.” He put the bowl on the table while he poured the coffee. His customary amount of sugar was added to it while it was still steaming hot. “I have to agree that the cake was delicious. It was kind of them to give us another one. I only wish I knew what it said.”
His companion opened his mouth to ask about cavity immunity, but closed it, a flush rising to his cheeks. Pirro lifted a brow as he set the mug down in front of him. He took out some creamer to go with it. He sat down to eat his soup then paused. “Ah, well. Perhaps I should have asked earlier, but do you have any idea what is written ? Hopefully nothing too foul.” He laughed dryly and took a sip of his coffee.
Mushi nearly knocked over his cup when he reached for it. “Uh, yeah… Nothing bad ! It means, hm. ‘Enjoy’. Yes, that.” He stared down into the dark liquid. “Yeah. Just a nice little note.”
“Mm.” Pirro put down the mug. “Mushi. If it’s something bad, I really wouldn’t mind it. I like to think we have established a sense of trust. I would like the truth. And if it says something awful, I would like to know…”
"No, no, it's nothing like that-" He waved his hands. "It just said, hm." He cleared his throat, markings starting to flare. "It said... 'for the cute couple'." He air quoted, his cheeks turning darker. Suddenly the table was incredibly interesting and he couldn’t pry his eyes away from it.
Pirro knitted his eyebrows together at Mushi’s apprehension. As he explained, they lifted and his eyes widened. "Oh." His face darkened. "While I am not versed in those matters, I am unsure how they came to that conclusion..."
"Yeah, who knows." He could think of a few reasons. Maybe he was acting too boldly with Pirro. But he was the one who fed him cake, and he didn't seem all that bothered, so perhaps they could stay the same. He returned his focus to his coffee.
Pirro stirred his soup, vegetables bobbing in the broth. He tried to recall the tiny scraps of information he read about relationships. Love was not an emotion he really thought about. Really, he tried not to think about emotions at all; he had ignored that facet of life most of the time. Neglected it like his own health.
He looked up at Mushi. "How do you even become a couple ? What…” A laugh tickled his throat. “What do couples do ?"
"I must admit I'm far from being an expert on that." He laughed back. "But, uh, people get together when they realize they have feelings for each other. And then they usually go on dates– kiss and all that." He shrugged.
"Hm. Alright..." He hummed in thought. It was incredibly vague. Maybe this would require further research. As he ate his soup, he pulled out his phone to message Aure.
I must apologize for bothering you, but I believe an apology is warranted. Mushi and I have acquired an exorbitant amount of leftovers. We greatly enjoyed your planned meals, however, I do not think we will be able to get through them with our current amount of food.
-Sent at 21:20
That said, you can probably parse that we enjoyed your recommendation of Your Third Place. If you are in the area, feel free to stop by and assist with consuming their dishes.
-Sent at 21:20
I could also use some assistance with some personal matters. I have questions regarding romance and relationships.
-Sent at 21:21
Mushi glanced over at Pirro as he tapped away on the buttons of his flip phone. It was kind of adorable, nostalgic even. He wondered if the scientist would have been interested in phone charms. The embroidery on his lab coat pockets were cute. Maybe he liked cute things. “Are you looking up stuff again ?”
"Mm, well, I would ask about it, but like you said, you aren't an expert. Maybe Aure can provide me some answers on where to start." He slurped his soup through his tongue and caressed the vegetables tenderly with the appendage.
"Huh ? Start on what ? Studying romance ?" He snickered.
"Yes ? It is nice to switch up on subjects from time to time. Sometimes you can get insight on things you did not think were related." He lifted the mug to his lips, stirring the sugar with his tongue before withdrawing it to sip. "Mm ! The Merry Goths were into death and the afterlife. They believed living a happy life would lead to being content with passing on and, therefore, have a successful afterlife. As such, romance was a big part of their lifestyle. This could be a good direction for me."
"Are you going to try dating sites then ?" He snorted, thinking about him using Kindling and Friction. "You know, you shouldn't try dating someone just for a happy afterlife. There's no point if you don't like them."
"I'm not- I'm not going to hop into dating just like that. I need to research first." His cheeks flushed with smoke. "I do not generally understand dating, so I do not think I could do something like that quite yet. I am much more interested in surveying and observing."
"Yeah, that sounds more reasonable..." He nodded, smiling. "But you know, if you want to date at some point, I'm sure you'd do just fine."
"Huh ? You think so ?" He smirked.
"You have more qualities than you seem to think." He answered quietly, sounding rather sincere.
Pirro puffed at the remark and drank loudly. His phone buzzed and he checked the notification, already knowing it would be Aure. He opened the message.
No apology necessary ! You don’t have to eat everything I leave for you. Even if I preferred you did since I know you’re eating well that way.
I'll stop by in the early afternoon! I love their entire menu, so I know it'll be a real treat. Glad you two like it, hehe <3
I'll try and answer any questions you have about romance as well <3
Why the curiosity all of the sudden? You've never been one to dwell on feelings. I am glad to see you finally interested to learn however!
-Sent by Aure’s Interfacing System at 21:32
He smiled at the response.
Someone piqued my interest in it. I have a lot to learn. Thank you. I will see you tomorrow.
-Sent at 21:34
Mushi looked up from his mug curiously. "Did Aure give you some answers ?"
"Mm, she will be stopping by tomorrow to help take some leftovers off our hands. I will ask when she comes by." He drained the rest of his coffee and got up to get another cup, grabbing his empty soup bowl on the way. "Mm, we should put those clothes away tonight."
"Good, I wouldn't want to waste any food." He hummed. "You're right, let's stay organized. Hey, maybe you could wear one of your new t-shirts and see what Aure thinks ?"
He carried the mug with him as he walked. "Oh. Yes, maybe. She'll be really surprised, ha ha. Which shirt should I wear ?"
"You could wear, hm, the mad scientist one ? I'm sure she'll find it funny."
“Possibly. I am more of a… sad scientist than anything.”
“You could change it.”
“Also true.” He hummed. “Well, while you aren’t living here quite yet, we should put your clothes away.”
“Yet ?” The cryptid muttered into his coffee cup as he drained it. “I guess I don’t really have a big enough bag to carry them. They’re probably better off here.”
“Precisely.” Mushi followed after the wraith once he rinsed his cup. Pirro set his mug on the side table in the hall so he could open up the smoke lounge. The clothes were still sitting on the couch and chair. "For now, I should have enough room in my bedroom to hold all these." He took his own clothes in hand before grabbing the suit pieces and the jacket. "We can put these in the closet and the rest can go in the drawers. I have a place to hang the belts and such. Mm, not sure about the smaller items such as the jewelry. I might have a box somewhere that we can put them in..."
"I can just leave the accessories in my bag if needed, don't worry about it."
Pirro set his clothing on the bed and slid the closet door open. It was mainly filled with lab coats, but it had some nicer jackets and suits in it. Dust gathered on them, making it obvious they had not seen the light of day in quite some time. He pushed the coats forward and hung up Mushi’s clothes. The leather jacket stuck out like a sore thumb amongst all the formal wear. He snorted as he shut it. "I will move my clothes to the bottom drawers so you can take the top two."
He looked at the clothes in his arms like a Tetris puzzle, thinking about how to make them all fit in a single drawer. "Are you sure ? I can probably fit it all in a corner if I try... It's still your room, you know."
"Fretting is not necessary. I assure you that I would not offer it if I did not want to." He was already shifting all of his shirts and slacks into the other drawers. "Mm, I might ask Aure if it's okay to convert the guest room. If you don't want to use my room so badly..."
"But I don't want to steal her room either, even if she doesn't stay here much-" He sighed. "And I don't have anything against your room, I just.. don't want to be too much of a burden."
His host stopped partway, tucking away a shirt before straightening up. He stepped over to Mushi and put a hand on his shoulder. "Mushi." He laughed and shook his head. "You are not a burden. I asked you to stay because I wanted you to. Why would I do," he asked, gesturing wide," any of this if I thought you were a burden ? Stop worrying about it. It is my fault for rushing this without properly setting up a place for you to stay."
“But I- I don’t live here yet !” Mushi took a deep breath and withdrew into himself. Pirro blinked. His friend gave a hesitant smile. "I guess I'll trust you on that. Sorry for worrying so much."
“Right.” The wraith patted his shoulder and walked back to finish up clearing out the drawers. Soon, all of the clothes were tucked away into their respective spots. Two large empty drawers were left for Mushi. "You can organize them however you want here." He picked up the tee shirt and pair of pants Mushi picked out for him, and grabbed some fresh socks and underwear from the bottom drawer. "I shall be back."
"Thanks a lot." As Pirro was about to leave, he stopped him, looking up from the clothes. "Wait- What should I wear ?"
"Huh ?" He waved his hand nonchalantly. "Wear whatever you want. Aure has seen you before. There isn’t an important announcement that we are making.”
"Alright..." He turned back to his clothes, deep in thought, leaving Pirro free to go. In the end, he decided on a red tee and some slim black pants for a change. There was some grumbling as he rearranged the clothing. He had never had so much before– he was drowning in a sea of cotton and acrylic. He closed the drawer with a satisfying clunk.
His companion had gone into the bathroom and changed as well. It was quick, much quicker than his usual style of dress. The sock garters had stayed on yet stayed hidden under the fitted pants. He stared at his frail form in the mirror. Without his long sleeves, he could see the state of his scrawny arms. His sternum sat– no, caved in at the shirt collar. Keeping it untucked at least kept the beholder from eyeing his slender hips, but the shape of his legs were no longer concealed as the stitching followed along their short length. His eyes traveled up as he drank in his ungainly anatomy like a tawny wine.
He placed his hands on the counter, looking closely at his own face, pipe hanging from his lips. Wisps of mustache hair tickled along his wrinkles and caused him to frown. The sight of him was too much. He sighed and left the room, discarding his previous outfit down the laundry chute. Mushi almost bumped into the other as he walked out of their shared room.
"Oh, sorry. I assume you finished up smoothly?" He laughed nervously.
Pirro was doing his best to not look like he went through grief while changing in the bathroom as he took a drag. "Ah, that is one of the new outfits ? Looks good. Red and black really is in your element, huh ?"
"Yep, no problem. And thank you, those really are my colors... They match my markings, too. Oh but I love the new outfits as well, don't worry !" Mushi squinted and reached towards Pirro’s face, but backed away at the last second. "You look upset, is there something wrong… ? I didn’t actually ruin you with all the clothes, did I ?"
"Uh ! I'm… I'm okay. I am not used to wearing stuff like this is all." He pulled at his shirt and exhaled. "I don't know. I feel like I look awkward."
He tried to laugh it off, but Mushi was fast when it came to voicing his disappointment. "Oh. Sorry, I thought you liked it. You look nice, but you don't have to wear it if you feel uncomfortable."
"It's not that– the clothes are great !" His hands went up, eyes widening and shoulders lifting. He deflated with a sigh. "The clothes aren't the problem..."
Mushi frowned in confusion, tugging on Pirro's sleeve. "What is it then ? Are you cold or something ?".
"Er, no." He heaved a breath and ran a hand through his bangs. "I- I don't,” his stutter filtered into a cracked laugh, “Look good ? I look terrible, Mushi."
He frowned further and held Pirro's face, looking him right in the eyes. "Nonsense, you look great ! Trust me. Both in formal and casual clothes."
The wraith’s entire body shuddered, smoke pouring out of cheeks and wafting across his entire face. His eyes darted around the room. "Ha, what ? I- I- you- you’re just saying that to make me feel better. Mmf !" He pulled his lips tightly together. His skin was scalding where Mushi was touching. He flapped his hands around, unsure where to put them. They shot up and covered a hand with his own before looking into Mushi's eyes. His eyes clouded over with what the fear spirit could gather to be his form of welling tears. "You- do you genuinely mean that ?"
His expression softened and he smiled gently. "I mean it. I wouldn't lie to you. So please don't speak so badly of yourself, okay ?" He brushed against his cheek as a comforting gesture, but to the wraith it was like a hot iron.
Pirro clutched it. His eyes misted up. "O-okay," he gasped out before pinching his lips together, trying not to let out a whine. Mushi decided to hold his hand, prying the skeletal fingers open and intertwining them with his warm flesh. The sensation was weak, but the intimacy made it burn and blister in his soul. His lids filled with fog. He opened his mouth, but all that came out was stuttering vocals. In his desperation, he croaked and wheezed. He tugged his hand away and he finally found words. "We should, um, move the eggs over to the tank soon-"
Mushi chuckled. "You're right, let's not forget about science." He smiled.
"Yes." His tension eased, but his face was still puffy. He clasped his hands together, tracing where Mushi had held them. "Mhm, right, so we need to be gentle when moving them over. The tank is all set, so there should not be any complications."
"I'll be as careful as possible, of course. I can't wait to see the little fish." He grinned, occasionally glancing over at the flustered fog of Pirro’s cheeks.
"I am eager as well. Oh ! I need to ask Aure if she knows anything about koi pond construction. She might know how to begin," he remembered as they walked downstairs. "She will at least know which plants are suitable."
"I trust her knowledge on anything related to decorating and garden stuff, ponds included."
Pirro opened the door to the lab. "Yes, she is skilled in that regard. I am surprised she has yet to break into my room to add throw pillows."
"Maybe you'd actually like your room if she redecorated...?"
“I am not sure about that.”
"If you really hate sleeping in a bed, maybe there's no point in decorating the room…"
The scientist walked over to his watery subjects. The koi fish circled in the tank, shimmering orange, white, and black light spilling onto the lab walls. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw a large portion of the spawn had been eaten. The remaining eggs were still cradled in the blue-gray pebbles. "Everything seems to be going well with the fish. Their appetite has died down some, however, they appear to still be eating. Too much of one or the other would be a cause of concern."
"Mhm, that's good. I wonder how many new fish we'll get." Mushi giggled. “Maybe we’ll have enough for an army. An army of fish children.”
A smack reberated through the room as Pirro tugged on long rubber gloves that went above his elbows. Mushi flinched at the sound before relaxing. Pirro slid the tank lid off and submerged his hands as he carefully collected the eggs and deposited them into bowls. "Mm, it will take a few more days for them to hatch. With this in mind, I can estimate there will be a sizable amount of fry."
His lab partner hummed, thoughtful, head tilting in a manner he would have called cute if he turned just a bit to see it. "Can I do anything to help with the fish ?"
"Mm." He failed to think of things that Mushi could do while he was scooping up the eggs and deposited them. The koi backed away from him as he did. "Keep an eye on the fish to see if they do anything strange. I am focused on not dropping these."
"Will do." He leaned towards the tank and opened his eyes wider than necessary. Pirro chuckled.
Once all of the fish eggs had been transferred, he closed the lids on the tanks and used extreme caution taking off the wet gloves, setting them in the sink basin. He walked over and hunched next to the watchful cryptid. "We are finished for now.”
He stood up straight and took a drag. Having a guest discouraged him from his usual late night task of pouring over texts until his eyes had to pried open with a crowbar . Metaphorically speaking, of course–although he would not put it past his angelic friend to try.
Mushi was muttering to himself about being hungry.
"Mm, is there anything you need to do ?"
"Well..." His hands went to his side, not finding the nearly empty jar resting in a bag on hip. He threaded his fingers together before pulling at the knuckles. "Yes. Sort of. But it can wait. Why ? Need me for something ?"
"No, we are done for tonight. I wanted to know if you needed anything, so I could help you." He smiled. "If you want my help, that is."
"Help me ? You're too nice." He smiled back fondly, hoping his friend could see his own qualities. "I was just thinking of getting some actual food, maybe some more bugs."
"If I'm nice, so are you then." His eyes crinkled with an equal fondness. Pirro frowned as he recalled his friend’s dietary requirements. "Mm, well I can acquire insects with no issues. However, I am not sure how much assistance I can provide on the fear front..."
Mushi looked away with a grin at the comment. "You don't need to spend more money on me for that– bug hunting is fun anyway ! And I was thinking.. Maybe I could try scaring someone ? For once."
The wraith did enjoy searching for insects with Mushi. His thoughts wandered to corpse collection from the body farms and the scavengers that often accompanied it. Perhaps they could provide more due to their unique diet. The idea of researching a line of study based on energy from such provisions wormed its way into his brain. Pirro shook his head at the idea– and consequently his thoughts– before he delved too deep. "Oh, could I come along ? I would love to see you in action. Or would I get in the way of your work ?"
“U-Uh, well, maybe." He shuffled, looking at his feet then around himself. "Sorry, the idea of being watched is making me a bit nervous..."
"Hey there. I will not pressure you into it. I am not going to make you do anything you do not wish to do." He put his hands on Mushi's shoulders and his expression softened into a reassuring smile. "Although, I have to say- it is a tad ironic for someone who is supposed to be a being of fear to be afraid of something. It is alright, all things considered. I can stay here, but I would like to help if there is any way I can."
He huffed loudly and put his hands on top of Pirro’s as he met his amiable gaze. "I know.. I'm just not good at this,” whined Mushi. He pouted and looked away. "Thank you, though, I appreciate the offer."
His friend let go of his shoulders with a chuckle and gave his cheek a couple of playful pats. "Well, I will not accompany you if that is what you want. I wish you luck. And my offer still stands, if you ever change your mind one day."
He flushed and crossed his arms. "Thanks... I'll be going, then. I might take a while, so don't worry if I'm not back right away– I'll be fine. I'm used to lurking at night."
"Right." The wraith shook away the shiver that rattled his bones. He nodded and walked over to his bookshelf. "I shall do some reading in the meantime. Stay safe."
He traded his pout for a small smile. "I will. Have fun reading."
The two men exchanged waves and went their separate ways. Mushi left to roam the dark and mostly empty streets, deciding to check his old building. He looked for visitors in the cold vacant lot: a couple of crunchy cockroaches, a small flock of wandering pigeons, and finally a pair of exploring teenagers. He was thankful that they appeared to already be anxious and it would not take much to have them running away in terror.
Pirro entered the smoke lounge after choosing a hefty anthology on corpse decomposition. Warm lighting blanketed him as he set up a hookah and placed his book onto the couch cushion while he searched his bar fridge for canned coffee. The necromancer scientist had found that he still had a few cans left of his precious caffeine and cracked one open as he sat down, mouthpiece in hand, ready to spend the evening absorbed in rot conditions and tissue decay patterns.
Mushi prowled through the doorway and dissipated into the shadows. While the teens pointed their flashlights through the doorway, he melded with the pools of black in the ceiling corners. The soft hiss of whispers and shifting debris disturbed the boys. They scampered to another room and cried out as the batteries on their only light source died. Moonlight seemed to fade and even the stars did not aid them. Perpetual darkness: a hunting ground for the figure swirling around their ankles. Bulbs of red blinked in their field of vision as his markings lit up, threatening the two currently clinging to each other. A set of glowing teeth emerged from the umbrage and opened to flash a warning before vanishing.
Screams could be so rewarding. While the cryptid did not relish in other’s despair, he did enjoy the feeling of fullness after his plans succeeded. There was no reason to feel guilty for scaring people. No one was injured and he now felt more energized than ever before. As he watched the two friends sprint into the night, he smirked as their flashlights unceremoniously flicked back on and waved as the globs of yellow shrunk in the distance. He whistled all the way back to the laboratory.
In the few hours that had passed, Pirro had already gone through three extensive essays, learning about how certain diets made the innards decompose quicker or slower. He managed to go through the two cans of coffee in the time spent. As he finished up his latest read and bookmarked it he lifted off the lounge to trek to the kitchen and put the cans in the recycling bin. The dishes were waiting to be washed and he sighed as he dumped the now cold coffee from the pot, filling it with arguably less tasty soap suds. It did not take long to clean and rinse the various receptacles, and the wraith was back in the hall. Mushi popped in through the front door as he walked by.
"I'm home-" HIs cheeks were warm from the admission.
"Oh, hello ! Welcome back." Pirro smiled and stepped over, immediately noticing Mushi's newfound vigor. The typical fatigue he seemed to carry was no longer present. He looked him up and down before locking eyes. "I assume everything was successful. You look good. Healthy."
"Two people at once ! I got lucky– they were exploring my building." He showed a toothy smile. "I suppose healthy is the word, yeah. Haven't felt like that in a while. Hey, maybe I could show you that trick you were wondering about last time. Disappearing in a puff of smoke and all."
"Oh, right. That is possible now, huh ?" Pirro's eyebrows raised and a grin spread out on his face. He went to roll up his sleeves like he typically did, but stopped when he realized he was wearing a tee, putting his hands out in a wide gesture to hide the mistake. "I would love to see it."
"Mhm, now that I have energy, might as well use it !" He glanced around to find a few spots of shadow. Staring into the middle distance, he surrounded himself in darkness, his body turning into a dark shroud and then dissipating into a black cloud. The fumes aired out and he was no more.
Pirro watched it all unfold with wide eyes. He tried to focus and find Mushi, but there was nothing that told him where he could have gone. The corners lacked glowing orbs and no speckles of red clued him in. He looked around for the other man with a delighted twinkle in his eye. If there was any vibration in the air that could have signaled his location, the wraith did not sense it.
The dark space under the shoe rack stretched and contorted, the shadows melding together to form a silhouette on the ground that peeled away and straightened. Light streamed in and Mushi emerged, stains of ink pouring down to his hands as they enveloped his digits. They coalesced to create umbral claws that he friskily sliced through the air.
A chuckle erupted from Pirro’s throat as he beamed. "That's… that's incredible."
“R-Really ?" said Mushi, flattered. He smiled brightly at the enthusiasm, his cheeks darkening. The claws faded and he wrung his hands together, his foot digging into the floorboard as he twisted one bashfully.
Pirro grinned as Mushi’s hands materialized. It was a strange sight, yes, but nonetheless impressive. Pirro took his hand and felt up his arm. His regard for personal space had left like the shadows that once clung to the taller man’s skin. "How does this work exactly- surely not teleportation ? That requires quite an output of magic.” He squeezed his wrist and turned his palm up to trace the pads. “What… are you made of that allows such a thing ?"
"Uh, since I was born from the fear of the dark, I suppose that's what I'm made of. I just become shadow. But it takes energy and doesn't work when there's too much light. I can't do much during the day, honestly." Dark vapor poured out of his mouth as he spoke, which Pirro watched intently.
“Fascinating.” He reached up and cupped Mushi's jaw, pulling it open gently to get a better view of the substance. He made a startled noise and his cheeks turned jet black. "Hm… being composed of light is one thing, but to be devoid of it is a whole other ordeal. If what you say has merit, I doubt you absorb light. It weakens you. You could be converting it into something else entirely on your own. Truly… fascinating."
The smoke did not appear to be actual smoke, as any light hitting it was nullified as soon as it entered the vapor’s radius. The darkness of said substance completely obscured the inside of Mushi’s mouth, making it impossible for Pirro to see where it was produced. A dark aura formed around the fear spirit as he squirmed under all the attention. He muttered, “Why do you like my mouth so much ?”
He paused. "Huh." He ran his hands over the aura, trying to see if he could sense a physicality to it. It was similar to his unique fog, merely hovering around, feeling like nothing but air. He put his hands back on Mushi's face after he gauged the phenomenon and caught Mushi's gaze. He smirked. "You are very interesting, Mushi."
“Y-yeah ?”
He looked back to his mouth, thumb tracing along his bottom lip as he peered inside. "Hm… do you mind if I put my fingers in your mouth once more ?"
His heart thundered. "N-No, I…” He looked to the side. “I'd rather if you didn't... sorry."
"That is perfectly fine." The scientist let go of his face and stepped back, unable to keep the smile off his face. "Thank you for showing me all this. It was, well, enlightening."
"You're welcome." He laughed, rubbing his face, the dark flush lingering.
"Ha, I do wish I could have seen how you used all this to scare those kids. I imagine it was quite the show."
"M-Maybe next time you can join." He dragged a hang over his neck and mumbled, “Just maybe.”
He smiled warmly. "I would love that."
“‘Course,” he said, bouncing on his heels.
Pirro puffed at his pipe, sliding his hands down to put them in his coat pockets before realizing it was gone. His arms fell to his side. "It is nice to see you so energetic. Mm… how long does a normal meal last you in terms of energy ?"
"Usually… almost three days ? But since I scared a couple of people pretty badly. I should be fine for a bit."
He nodded. "I see. That is a decent amount of time. I am certain eating insects and such helps prolong it."
"Hell yeah, bugs are the best ! It's like eating chips in between meals, except no one tells you not to do it."
He chuckled. "Perhaps ? I do not eat chips, so I could not tell you."
HIs friend let his jaw drop. "You don't ? Do you not like them ? What about sodas and all that delicious junk food- ?"
"Hm. I have never been too keen on soft drinks, chips or junk food. I don’t doubt you finding them delicious." He titled his head in thought. "I like… coffee, pastries, desserts, fruit, sandwiches, handmade candies- mm, things with a lot of different ingredients so you get variety ? I am keen on sweets."
"I noticed your love of sweets, heh. I like them too, but junk food is great. Sodas.. I couldn't live without them," he said with dead seriousness.
The wraith snorted. "I'll keep that in mind. We have a carbonator so you can make anything here carbonated if you like.”
“I thought you didn’t like soda ?”
“It is for scientific research. And Aure’s visits.”
“Ah.”
“I'll be sure to have sodas on the list next time we're out."
"You don't have to, I can find a small job and buy my own. Soda is best right out of the vending machine, anyway. But I might give the carbonator a try… Do you think it'd work on soup ?"
Pirro frowned. "You don't have to get a job. I have plenty of money." He flinched at the soup comment. "I don't think so ? I don't think that would taste very good either."
"But you keep buying for me..." He pouted. "Oh, I wasn't planning to try, it'd be gross. I was just curious. Your need to experiment is rubbing off on me, I suppose." He chuckled.
"Ah, good. Soup does not seem like it would go well with carbonation. Mm, although, I am slightly curious on how it would affect the taste…" He shook that thought away as quickly as it came. "Well, I have the funds to spare." Pirro sighed. "I am told that I am… kind of a billionaire ?"
"A- Wh- Billionaire ?" He stared at him for a few seconds like his brain had been disconnected. Then he stuttered something completely unintelligible and finally spoke. "I swear I'm not here for your money-"
"I never thought you were. And even if you were, I enjoy the company." He smiled. "It’s not as if you knew when we met. I do not exactly look the part. Most people don't even know who I am.”
His companion wheezed. “Maybe not now, but you are usually in a suit ! ”
“I like to be well dressed !”
“Most people have like one nice suit ! You are always in something fancy. Or at least nice. How did I not realize… ?”
“I don't… exactly advertise it. Science is funny in that way; you could discover something life-changing and you can still go out in the streets completely unnoticed." He scratched his beard. "The Skoll family has a long history when it comes to scientific achievement. My mother is an incredibly well-known academic and has won an innumerable amount of awards. Which is deserved, she invented several solutions to climate change and single-handedly ended global warming.
“That accreditation has allowed me to comfortably navigate my own field. I created a generic tissue model that has advanced other fields beyond my own studies. Thanks to that, I can safely say I am never going to have financial problems. And you won't either, if you are living with me."
Mushi carded a hand through his fluffy hair and sighed. "This is… kind of a shock. I get why you don't even look at the price when buying things now."
"Mm, yes. Nothing I buy will ever compare to how much the lab equipment I use costs. That was… expensive." He remembered how much the scaled down machine for compressing biological material cost and clicked his tongue. "I don't mind paying for things, really. Especially if it makes you happy."
"Yeah... That probably was. But it's necessary." He laughed. "Do you even know how sweet you are ?"
Pirro's cheeks puffed at the comment. "I'm- ha, I am sure I taste very smoky and chalky. Bitter more than anything."
"Very funny, you know what I meant. But don't tempt me to check that." He stuck his tongue out, threatening to lick him.
He laughed. "I would not mind if you did. But I doubt it tastes good." He stuck his index and middle finger in his mouth, thoroughly licking the digits. It was hard to gauge any flavor as he always tasted the smoke he was made of, but it did leave a chalky texture on his tongue. He pulled them from his mouth and wiped them clean on his pants. "Yes, I would not recommend it."
"Uh, yeah, I wasn't going to try anyway."
The scientist shrugged. "Well, if you ever did, all you need to do is to ask. Please warn me beforehand."
"Licking is your hobby, not mine, so I think I'll pass, really..."
"Not only licking, but asking. I find it is fair that you can ask me questions about my biology after all I've done to you. You can see what I can do with my wraith abilities, if that is of any interest,” he said with conviction. He smiled. "You are my assistant now, after all."
"Hm, if you don't mind then, I'll ask the next question that crosses my mind." He grinned. "But if you want to show me something I'll be happy to study you, heh."
He hummed in thought and took a few steps towards the lab. "I would need to do it somewhere more contained than the hallway. The bunker would be the safest place."
"Bunker ? You have a bunker ?" His eyes shone with worry and curiosity alike. "Are you going to do something dangerous- ?"
"No. It’s… I would like to demonstrate without tearing up the hall. Aure would get upset if I ruined her work. I could try something risky, if you like. Although, I must preface that I have not practiced these abilities for quite some time."
"Don't do anything too risky, okay ? Wouldn't want you to get hurt."
Pirro showed him to the lab where in front of the bookshelves was a thick rubber mat. A steel hatch sat underneath when he lifted it. He undid the latch and opened it, revealing a set of metal stairs leading down into the dark. He stepped down to flip a light switch on the wall. The space filled with a soft buzz as the fluorescents came to life.
“Woah…” He joined Pirro on the step and shot him a nervous look.
“There is nothing that will cause you harm, I assure you. Nothing any more dangerous than me.” It was hard for Mushi to ignore the smears of grey that accented the rough texture of concrete. He swallowed and glanced at Pirro who nodded below, a smile pulling his face taut. "Down here."
The two friends descended and each groan of the stairs made Mushi’s skin prickle. Goosebumps dotted his arms and he was not certain if it was the cold metal or the view he was met with once they reached the bottom.
The entire room was reinforced with stainless steel plates. Each screw was covered with a soft clear plastic. A large monitoring system was inlaid in the right wall, currently turned off, but the hundreds of screens, buttons, dials, and knobs would light up once powered on. The fear spirit poked a few buttons and ran his hands over the console before turning back around. In the center sat a large glass box with a titanium base. Tubes and wires hooked to the side, running through the floor and connecting to the machinery beside the main console. A vent system lined the top and stretched into the ceiling. A layer of dust coated every surface and it was taking a lot of power in the cryptid to not sneeze.
"I apologize for not keeping this place tidier. It has been a long while since I entered here,” the scientist said while walking over to the machine.
"What is all that for ? What do you study in here ?"
"Um, I never used this for any studies. But my mother did." He grew quiet for a moment. "But it will work for demonstration. It is… specifically built to contain me."
"To contain you… ?" Mushi recalled Pirro’s earlier statements about basements and cleared his throat. "So uh, anyway, what are you going to show me ?"
"Oh, I have a few ideas in mind." He opened a crate filled with nutrient blocks and placed them in the machine’s chamber. He flicked on the power to allow it to warm up. A series of clicks reverberated before shifting into a constant whirr. The cryptid was grateful for the ambience, the quiet had become hard to bear. It did not keep his thoughts from running. Was Pirro born here ? Why did not mention the laboratory being his birth place ? Was saying he was raised in a basement implying that ? He could have asked him all of this and more, but a deep part of him felt that maybe some things were better left in the dark.
The machine let out a wheezing cry. As it began to grind up the blocks to produce smoke, the shorter man started tugging off his shirt. Mushi’s eyes snapped over. "What are you doing ?"
"Hm ?" He squatted down, unzipping his boots. "Getting undressed. It would be a shame to ruin the clothes you picked for me..."
"Uh, alright ?" Mushi folded his hands into his chest as he watched Pirro remove his shoes and stand up. Then he started unbuttoning his pants. Mushi turned around. "What kind of demonstration could possibly require for you to undress ?"
"Well, you will have to wait and see. If you can, pull the lever attached to the machine when I step inside. I need it for what I'm about to do." He shucked his underwear and folded it, making a pile on a nearby chair. Unfastening his sock garters went quickly, too quickly, and he placed them on top. Fully undressed, he stepped into the box and closed the door behind him.
Mushi turned back toward the box when he heard the door close, and spotted the lever on the side. He mumbled, "Guess I pull that now."
The machine hummed as smoke streamed inside. Mushi tried to keep his eyes from his backside until a screen of smoke obscured Pirro’s form. Worry gnawed at him as he watched him stand, still as a stone.
It was colder than he remembered. His sharp bones connected to the metal floor and the instinct to rise above it emerged, bristling, restless, urging, scraping at his heels and pushing him to the wall. He clamped a hand to the glass and panted.
He waited for the sound of the locking mechanism but it never came.
He checked over his shoulder. Mushi’s furrowed brows met him instead of Elisia’s knitted ones. The tension in his shoulders left as his nerves settled. Smog lapped at his knees and merged as he allowed it to enter his current, supplying him with continuous nutrition.
He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. His body absorbed the smoke, rippling and stretching. Ash and dust circulated around him until he became a dark, swirling mass, a vague outline of corpses human body with the only real hint of it being corpses now glowing white eyes and long, sharp protruding teeth. The mass swelled into a cloud and corpses gelatinous bones melted away into vapor. Corpses organs suspended in the fumes as cor took shape. Cor funneled all the pollution to the left and in a flash of light it created a clawed hand. The process repeated and stretched corpses new appendages out of corpses veil towards Mushi.
"It's alive..." He whispered to himself, smirking at his own joke, and watched the transformation with fascination. He admired the black mass that was Pirro in detail, hypnotized by the swirling of the smoke. His eyes stopped on corpses face and the wraith grinned back.
Cor funneled smoke in the center of corpses palm; it whirled around with a blinding light before smoldering. Cor threw corpses hand out in front of corps and the super-heated debris slapped against the glass, leaving a cloud of ashen residue. Mushi took a step back, startled. He beamed while taking a closer look, hand hovering over the glass to feel the heat radiating from the spot.
Pirro created more swirling patterns in the air with the excess smoke, tugging and pulling them into shapes of stars and moons. Then cor would suck them inwards and toss corpses hands, ash and sparks shooting into the open air. Mushi stared in awe and the wraith’s heart squeezed. This was the safest thing cor could demonstrate. Cor could never bring corpself to show corpses friend the life draining aspects of this form. So instead, cor bellowed smoke from corpses teeth and shaped it into birds. They fluttered over the cryptid who giggled as they dissipated into love hearts.
Pirro drifted closer to the glass where Mushi was standing, pressing corpses hands against the glass. Corpses white stared through him, unblinking, but corpses long teeth shaped into a frightening yet adoring smile. Smoke plumes cascaded out of corpses mouth and around corps.
Mushi put his hands on the glass where the claws touched and his eyes darted to the floor. "So, uh, do you have to stay in there ? Or can I,” he said with a laugh,”Maybe examine you… ?"
The wraith tilted corpses head at the question. Needle teeth separated like an opened gate and a soft, raspy voice spilled out with the smoke that wafted along with it. "I have to stay in here, but…” Cor ran a claw down the glass. “You can come inside. If you want to."
Mushi entered the containment box and closed the door behind himself, smoke pouring out briefly as he did. "You're more... intimidating, like that." He stood in front of corps and rubbed at his knuckles. "Can I touch your claws ?"
Pirro floated there idly, soft swirls of smoke drifting around them both. The tendrils of ash lapping against Mushi were like tiny nerves, creating a sense of touch for the wraith. It blew through the cryptid’s hair, softly ruffling it. He smiled and opened his hand. Corps extended corpses talons towards him. His warm flesh ghosted over corpses claws, prodding at them before he took one between two fingers and stroked. It poked into his flesh and he withdrew before they drew blood. Carefully, he separated the digits and closed them– the movement was stiff but they smoothed as the rigidity loosened into pure miasma. His hand gradually moved up his arm and felt at the limb, amazed at the sinews formed by smog.
Each examination of the details of corpses shape made the wraith quiver. Any distance between them had vanished– sensations once vague were presented with certainty. The sections of his hands could be mapped and cor relished the opportunity to truly feel Mushi, slide corpses smoky façade against his terrain, cultivate a sentiment over his tissues. Threads of smoke wrapped around his forearm as he moved towards corpses face. The assortment of sharp teeth were his next target. His hand stilled where cheekbones would have been, a well of smoke pushing against it before pulling away. Mushi let out a sigh. “Can I… ?”
The wraith’s voice billowed out, “Yes.”
Pirro’s teeth bore a like-ness to Baleen whale plates- a series of compact, long needles acting like a filter, an apparatus that was more utilized in corpses human form. While he could chew, shredding food was easier and yielded better results. Cor had no use for such actions in corpses current form. The thoughts that surfaced dissolved as the smaller man continued to study the strange jaws attached to corps.
Corpses deticulations were thin yet solid. They had a bit of give as Mushi pressed a finger pad to it. Under a microscope, one could see they were hollow. It could have been a tool for injection, if they kept integrity after removal, but it was only useful in smoke absorption. The wider teeth had a grainy texture as he stroked them and the sensation was oddly soothing. It was hard to believe he was allowed so close to a scientific marvel. He could tell that Pirro was probably designed to cause harm, but the soft blanket that enveloped him made him feel so safe. A smile graced his features and he was rewarded with an ashen squeeze.
Once his curiosity was satiated, he gently traced the wraith’s face, looking at corpses glowing eyes. The ghastly form of corpses face wobbled and shuddered. Pockets of white drifted and pools of black migrated to take their place– Pirro was staring at the wall of dead monitors and praying for release.
Mushi blinked and his mouth fell open. He instantly regretted it as a puff of dust coated his tongue. “Sorry, sorry, I’ll stop embarrassing you-” he coughed out as he removed himself from the wraith. “Alright, I’m gonna step out now.”
Cor watched corpses friend leave the chamber and blew a small flock in his direction, deflating as the smoke exited the wraith. Pirro slowly condensed into his humanoid form, not quite fully shifting as he did so. The white had shrunk into his pupils and his teeth did not quite fit back in his mouth; but there he stood, tiny and scrawny, cheeks soft and puffy as he flustered from all the attention.
He quietly made his way out of the container, closing the door so smoke would not flood the room. He slipped his clothes back on and patted the fabric, exhaling loudly as he reached for his pipe. "You can turn it off now."
Mushi jumped in his spot next to the lever. "Hm ? Oh, okay." He pulled it down and the room’s volume lowered. Pirro turned the power off and when he turned around he was met with a finger to his teeth. The taller man smirked slightly. “He teerth too big for he goddamn mouth.”
The scientist frowned and tried to conceal them with his lips but only managed to get a bit of them covered. His companion studied his face and wound up lost in his eyes: solid black scleras with foggy white pupils, the eye of a storm. He stared back in confusion. "Is… is something wrong?"
"Wrong ? No, don't worry. You just look interesting. And look, we have matching eyes now," he joked, gesturing to his own.
"Huh ?" He turned to look at his reflection in the glass and turned back with a small laugh, his teeth shortening. "I suppose we do, hm ?"
"First new clothes, now the eyes ? My style is contagious." He flipped his hair and posed with a wide grin.
“Oh, yes,” The shorter man chuckled as his friend posed, his smile widened and he threw his back in laughter. It fizzled out as he spoke, “I have a hard time believing you are the same man I found huddled next to a vending machine. You’ve really blossomed, you know that ?”
He beamed. “I know.”
His friend shook his head as he puffed on his pipe. “Good.”
Mushi whispered, "Thanks for letting me study you, you're rather… fascinating." He smiled.
Pirro froze then nodded. “The feeling is… mutual.” He gripped the pipe and laughed. “We should get out of here. The basement is not very inviting and I imagine it is not great for your health.”
"You're right. It's nicer upstairs." A few giggles rose up as he headed to the metal stairs, happiness far more contagious than his style.
The scientist turned off the lights as they went and shut the hatch, covering it back up with the rubber mat. His eyes lingered on the unassuming rectangle before he stepped away and turned towards his taller friend. He was met with a radiant smile, so bright, so full of solace, so overwhelming. How could someone from the shadows contain so much brilliance ? His eyes burned. Something in his idle heart swelled and warmth welled in his chest, spreading across his body and causing a joyful tremor. A strand of smoke weaved through his fingers and he sucked in a breath when he took notice of it. He lifted a hand to his face and could feel the humidity leaking from the corners of his eyelids. The flood of emotion crashed through and he slapped a hand over his mouth as he started to gasp for air. His pipe clattered to the floor.
Mushi's beam folded into a frown. "Pirro ? What's wrong ?" He grabbed the smaller man's shoulders gently, rubbing them as they started to shake.
Although the wraith was crying, there was a smile painted on his face. Pirro opened his mouth to deliver an apology that never came. His eyes trailed up and he met his gaze. "I'm happy you're here. With me. Thank you."
His eyes widened before tearing up as well. "S-Stop it, you're making me emotional." His lips quivered and he tried to wipe his tears away to no avail. He laughed out,"I'm- I'm… really happy to be here, too." His tears fell like ink mixed with water.
"Oh, oh no. Don't you cry too-" A few chuckles escaped from his lips, more smoke pooling into the air as he did. He reached over to wipe the cryptid’s tears, but he knew his body could not handle fluids and would only further stain his skin. His cheeks puffed up with a wobbly smile, his arms hanging in the air. He wrapped them around himself and he rubbed away the shivers that blew through him. "Ha... I'm no good at this,” he panted and threw up his hands, “Matter of human temperament -"
"It's okay. You're great." He took a deep breath and wiped his eyes– the back of his hands now gray– and held Pirro's outstretched ones with a small smile. "Thank you."
His entire face gushed smoke and he jerked his head to the side so as not to blind Mushi with it. "I- I am not great or anything of the sort. Ah-" He turned back slowly as the flow lessened. He grasped his friend’s hands, cherishing their warmth. His eyes misted over. "You are… welcome ?"
"Yes. You are," he said, laughing softly and giving the smoky man's hands a gentle squeeze before letting go.
Pirro held his hands together, face flushing dark. He traced over his knuckles, along the false creases of skin where Mushi's fingers had been. With a hefty breath, he crossed his arms and walked over his desk. He grabbed his cigarette box and lit one, taking a drag to take his mind off of everything that had unfolded. His breathing now steadied, he turned to face Mushi and leaned against the desk top. The fear spirit watched his mouth flap before it closed around the cigarette– he worried it in his teeth. He hunched over the chair as he smoked, cheeks still clouded over in embarrassment.
Mushi shifted from one foot to the other. "So, uh... When did you say Aure was coming over already ?"