Starry Night

Ches currently lived in his van, mostly by choice. When Fynn had heard of Ches' situation they had offered their home, but Ches had resolutely refused them. He said it was easier to work out the back of his van anyways. Fynn had secretly been relieved when Ches refused. They loved their friend and all, but they could see it becoming uncomfortable. They rubbed their arm at the thought of someone else being inside their home at all points. Fynn looked around the back of the van. The inside was a dark cloth, and it was quite cozy in here now that Fynn was thinking about it. The living space didn't hold much aside from some essentials, with boxes packed and labeled neatly. In addition, there were various boxes full of ghost-hunting equipment.

Fynn had never considered getting a car. 'Not that I'd need it anyways,' they mocked themself inwardly as they remembered their months spent inside. They pursed their lips before looking up at Ches got into the driver's seat. Fynn took their seat in the passenger seat, buckling up. Ches followed their movements while Fynn joked, "Every time, I almost forget how old-fashioned you are." They grinned as they rolled down the window, Ches started the car before answering.

"Shall I remind you that when your favorite bookstore was almost shut down you called me while crying?" Ches smiled as he pulled out of the parking spot. Fynn groaned while hiding their face in their hands.

"That was a really low point for me, okay?!" Their face was red as they glowered at Ches, who broke out laughing. Fynn turned away, looking out the window and closing their eyes. They could see the lights they passed through their eyelids. "Most publishers don't even put out physical books anymore." Their head being partially out the window made speaking difficult as Ches picked up speed after reaching the roads. Ches didn't seem to hear them, or maybe he did and remained silent in acknowledgment. Either way, Fynn was fine with letting the conversation drop, instead focusing on enjoying the clear feeling of cool air against their skin and the droning noises of the city.

After a minute of enjoying the atmosphere of the night, they opened their eyes to observe the buildings as they passed. They slumped against the window frame of the car with a sigh. They didn't know when everything had started feeling like they were living the same day over and over, on repeat. They didn't know when everything had started blending, or when they stopped feeling like they were living their own life. When they started to feel like they were just watching someone else's life pass them by.

They glanced at Ches, who focused on driving despite the car being intelligent enough to drive itself. They watched him for a second, before looking outside again, taking in the vastness of the outside. Sometimes, they wished they could go back to the days when they were most concerned about where they'd explore tomorrow. They wondered whether Ches felt the same. They took a deep breath, before letting it out.

They thought about Rani. He had always seemed confident. As if he knew exactly what to do. He had always seemed unbothered, aloof, one might say. Fynn would argue he had been easygoing when he needed to be, but able to stand up for what he believed in. They frowned, looking at a shop as they passed. "Can we get some flowers?" Fynn broke the silence that had settled in the car. Ches looked over,

"What?" Ches asked, before seeming to process, "Oh– yeah, of course. We should get an extra Ouija board as well to sacrifice." Ches half-heartedly chuckled, but neither spoke up to acknowledge the half-serious suggestion as a joke. They knew Rani would've gotten a kick out of it. A communication device for ghosts, demons, and devils being burned above his grave.

"How is tarot going for you?" Fynn asked after a second, continuing to stare out the window.

"Meh. Not really my thing." Ches admitted as he also continued to focus on the road.

"Flowers weren't really Rani's thing either," Fynn pointed out casually.

"You're the one who suggested getting them!" Ches said, looking over at Fynn.

"Keep your eyes on the road, idiot. I know, but maybe he picked up a new hobby in the afterlife." Fynn said as they ran their finger along the edge of the window.

"You and I both know I could take a nap and we'd be fine." Ches responded, "It would be quite ironic if Rani picked up gardening in the afterlife." Ches pulled into a parking lot and began looking for a parking spot. Fynn hummed in acknowledgment as they looked around. After Ches pulled into a parking spot he turned off the car and unbuckled, standing and grabbing one of the boxes of packaged meals. "Aegis, open the back doors," Ches said casually as he approached the back doors, stepping out as soon as they were open. Fynn rolled up the window and unbuckled, quickly standing and grabbing a box to help Ches. There were only two boxes, so helping would make it quicker and less suffering for them.

"Thanks. Aegis close the back doors and lock up," Ches said without looking back. Fynn sighed as they followed, ignoring the sound of the doors closing behind them, as well as the sound of them locking down.

"We're going shopping after this, right? Do I have to get out of the car? I don't wanna." Fynn said to Ches as they sped up to walk next to him. As Ches approached the doors of the donation center they opened automatically.

"You gotta get out of the car to tell me what you want for groceries. However, I'll be there to protect you from all the scary people~" Ches teased with a small laugh as he entered the donation center. It was understated, with a few chairs, and a reception desk, and it was mostly decorated in neutral tones. The receptionist looked up, before smiling.

"You're back?" They said, their tone holding a lilt to it. Fynn squeezed the box they were holding against their chest, looking to the side as Ches spoke to the receptionist.

"Yeah, ya know, this person right here has a habit of managing to bury themselves in unhealthy food the second I look away," Ches said, laughing as usual. Fynn sighed feeling nostalgic as they always were on Rani's anniversary day. When Ches laughed they could almost see a snapshot of them all when they were younger. They couldn't think of many times when Ches wouldn't laugh, or try to get a laugh out of someone. They watched Ches' natural interaction, pursing their lips as they gripped their box.

"I'm sure we should get you a loyalty card." The receptionist teased, and Ches laughed as he deposited the boxes near the desk and went to the front, getting a clipboard with papers to fill out. Fynn quickly followed suit in putting down the box, stacking it on Ches' and standing next to Ches while messing with the sleeves of their shirt.

Ches sat down and Fynn took a seat next to him, looking around. The eerie silence in the donation center reflected the abandoned parking lot outside. The sun had already gone down, and while it made the scenery outside beautiful it often caused an awkward silence in business areas. Fynn wanted to yell. Anything to break the silence.

Fynn bounced their leg as they stared into the distance, outside the glass doors of the donation center. They didn't react when Ches stood, walking back to the counter and having a hushed conversation with the receptionist, soon returning and sitting next to Fynn silently. After a few minutes, Ches spoke up, "Fynn, you okay?" He looked at Fynn, who blinked, before looking back at him.

"O-oh. Yea, fine." Fynn said after a second, rubbing the back of their neck. "Sorry," Fynn stood quickly, and Ches frowned as Fynn speed walked out the door. Ches stood and followed, looking back and waving at the receptionist.

"Fynn, there's nothing to be sorry about," Ches said and Fynn nodded but didn't speak. Instead, they were looking around and trying to take deep breaths. Ches sighed as he looked away, frowning. Ches huffed as he approached his van. Ches unlocked the van, and Fynn hesitated outside as Ches got in. Fynn looked at the buildings around them. It wasn't nearly as brightly lit here, instead the multicolored lights of advertisements took a backseat and the parking lot felt empty. Fynn imagined they could hear crickets. The buildings around them were simple and by the book, old style because they couldn't afford to upgrade. There were a few different hover cars and Ches' van stood out as an old-style vehicle. Fynn had to look around to see it, as it blended in with the darkness of the night with its dark color, a dark shade of green to match Ches' hair.

Fynn looked at Ches, who had clambered into the driver's seat and had the back doors wide open for Fynn. Fynn climbed in, "Sorry about earlier, again." Ches sighed and looked over at Fynn as they got into the passenger seat again.

"I already said that there's nothing to be sorry for. You got distracted, or were overwhelmed at worst." Ches said as he watched Fynn buckle up. "Are you sure you wanna go to the grocery store?" Fynn nodded, looking at Ches. Ches sighed, shaking his head. "Alright, no regrets. I'll drag you in even if you're kicking and biting." Fynn rolled their eyes and glared at Ches.

"I won't bite." Fynn declared, turning up their nose with a barely held-back chuckle, "It is below me." Ches laughed,

"Oh thank you for basic decency, oh merciful Fynn." Ches joked and they both devolved into laughing as Fynn leaned against the window, rolling it down again.

"I am your benevolent ruler." Fynn offered to keep the joke going, and Ches rolled his eyes.

"Alright, oh benevolent one," Ches started the car and pulled out of their parking spot. Fynn leaned on the edge of the window, looking at the sidewalks and observing the people they passed. They couldn't see any of them well, and Fynn could almost imagine all of them melding into one. Maybe they were all just one person, and maybe none of it mattered. 'Everyone had their little problems, and while their problems felt huge, if they dealt with them one by one they could figure it out.' Fynn rolled their eyes at their thoughts.

Easier said than done. They sighed as they stared into the distance. "What has you sighing, benevolent one?" Ches asked casually,

"Life," Fynn glanced over at Ches to see his reaction, and Ches nodded.

"Ah, yes. The reason for existence." Ches said in a mockingly sage tone. Fynn rolled their eyes, looking at one of the billboards they were approaching, one of the grocery stores in Fynn's area, specifically advertised as a 'health' store. Fynn had always scoffed at that. Fynn rubbed their hand against the side of the car.

Ches pulled into the parking lot and Fynn looked around. There were a lot more parked cars around, and their car stood out a little less as there were one or two other older cars. Not enough for them to blend in, but at least they weren't the only ones with an older-style car. Ches pulled into a parking spot as Fynn looked at the multicolored lights which lined the names of the stores around them. Fynn sighed and rolled up the window, getting out of the car and leaning against it as they looked at the sky. It was dark, not a single star to be seen, and the moon hung alone, white against black.

"Do you ever wonder what the stars looked like?" Fynn asked as Ches walked over to them and took out an e-cigarette, taking a breath from it and blowing it out slowly as he looked up at the sky. Ches offered it to Fynn who took a deep breath from it, blowing it out after a second and ignoring the way it made their throat close up.

"Of course I do," Ches responded as he took the cigarette. They both fell into silence for a moment before Ches spoke again, "If you ever really want to see them we can take a long drive out of the city, run away for a little while. It'll be like we're children again." Ches looked over at Fynn, who continued to stare at the sky as Ches continued smoking his e-cig.

"Maybe..." Fynn allowed their answer to trail off as they stopped staring into the sky and instead looked towards the store. The sentence was completed in their head, '...but it wouldn't be the same'. Ches noticed their look and took another breath from his cigarette before storing it away and blowing the smoke into the night air as he began to walk towards the store.