July 9th, 1992

Alfred always had his head in the clouds. His imagination always ran free, there was no filter to what the blonde's mind could come up with. As a child he always had a new imaginary friend to tag along with him while they went on adventures. Their adventures were never all that big or exciting, at least that was how most people saw them. But to Alfred they were. A mere sandbox, if you used your imagination, could be a huge beach, or a deserted remote island. Perspective could be a tricky thing to grasp. Alfred's ingenuity had never faded even as he grew up. He still read every comic book he could get his hands on, and he still needed to sleep with a night light. Plus he pretty much loved hearing stories of anything fictional, fantasy like and paranormal (even if it scared him to wits end). Every day was almost like a dream turned into a reality. And, three days ago, one of his worst nightmares turned into a reality.

Okay, so, Alfred was afraid of ghosts.

Always had been, and most likely always will.

From his understanding they were creepy, unpredictable, and if you made them mad, they were sure to have your head.

At least that was what the movies told him.

Alfred always was comforted in the fact that there was no serious evidence of such a phenomenon- yet he did believe they existed, whether he liked it or not. Nonetheless he still always found himself shaking during ghost stories told in the early hours in the morning, and the slightest bump in the night drove him senseless. The very idea of an invisible person that could be watching you sleep, and could actually be living, or rather, be dead in your house scared the blonde to no end.

And now… he actually saw one with his own eyes. He talked to one, too! And it helped him find his wallet! But it also called him an idiot too, now that he recalled the frightening event. If the blue eyed American were to ever imagine his first encounter with a ghost, it certainly wouldn't have gone the way that it did. It go would go something like Alfred seeing a ghost in like a spooky haunted house and then screaming bloody murder before running in the other direction. Not meeting a ghost at an old antique shop and having it actually help him. Whenever anyone pictured what a ghost would look like, they would picture with one of those generic floating blank white sheets, with two gaping black holes for eyes and a squiggly line for a mouth. But the ghost he met didn't look like that at all. It- he had an actual face, a being, two legs and two arms. And he never went, "Boo." He had a name. Arthur Kirkland. Alfred thought about that name ever since. Arthur didn't seem to be anything like the terrifying ghosts in those horror films he would freak himself out by watching either. Well maybe they did have a bit of similarities, the blonde wasn't going to lie, he was scared out of his mind when he saw the other stand over him with that vexed look. But truthfully Arthur had not tried to harm him in any way, right? Maybe that indicated that he was actually a good spirit, and not a bad one. Was there even such thing as a good or bad spirit anyway? Plus it seemed that when they first had met, Arthur looked as afraid of him as he was afraid of Arthur. That almost gave the spectacle wearing teen a bit of comfort in the situation. Though it wasn't nearly as much as he needed.

Alfred lay now on his bed, starry blue eyes trained on his ceiling as he lounged about, legs spilling over the ends and arms draped above his head. Posters were plastered along the walls relating to all different bands- such as the Beastie Boys, or the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and even Britney Spears. Comic books were strewn about, along with all different baseball bats and footballs, washed out cowboy themed curtains he got when he was eight still hung by the windows. Arthur, Arthur, Arthur. The teen turned his head to the side and gazed at a gray alien plushie left on his bed sheets. It had wide red orb like eyes and a body with two arms and two legs. It was his most favorite toy he had growing up, his alien plushie named Tony. Everyone in Alfred's family knew how special the item was to the energetic boy, Tony was always with him wherever he went, and he slept with it every night. Not that Alfred was willing to admit it, but he still did. Tony always made him feel better whenever he had something bothering him, no matter what it was. The starry blue eyed young man smiled on impact and took the plushie in his hands, lifting it up before him as he laid down on his bed. "Hi Tony." The alien plushie stared down at him unblinkingly, but Alfred only took that as word to continue. "Remember how I would always tell everyone how ghosts were real? Guess what- I actually met one. I talked to one. Aren't I brave?" He paused and wiggled the alien's little hand, as if it was waving off his news in disbelief. "I'm not kiddin'! It was a young guy- he kinda looked around my age, maybe a bit older? His name is Arthur- or was anyway," the teen laughed uneasily with a pause before hugging the plushie to his chest as he wistfully peered up to the painted ceiling of his bedroom.

It had been five days since his birthday. 4th of July. The incident. And in fact, he had not encountered the green eyed ghost since then. He had gone to Retrograde three times for his shift since that day, and he had no luck seeing or hearing anything of Arthur. There were absolutely no signs of him either. There were no stolen butterscotches, the record player hadn't oddly started playing itself at all, and his wallet was always exactly where he had left it. Even so Alfred couldn't help but be hyper aware of anything that occurred in the shop. Even if it was something small like Toris dropping a pen off the counter, the small noise would make Alfred jump out of his skin. And if he just happened to feel something just lightly touch him without fair warning, he would double back at lightning speed. Just being in the shop gave him goosebumps. And he still felt like there was something watching him every time he opened the rickety door to the antique shop. It was unsettling for sure. Though a very small part of him wanted to meet this sharp tongued ghost again. Why? He did not know.

So far, his summer was off on a scary start.

July 10th, 1992

The American teen stood on a rusted ladder, a paint bucket seated at the very top step, the early morning sunshine flickering through the the large buildings that surrounded them. His messy Timberland boots were wet with dew, and in his hand was a paintbrush. He and Toris had set out to spruce up the withering damaged sign that read 'Retrograde' if you squinted enough, perhaps with the new fresh paint it would attract more customers. At least they aimed so, they rarely sold anything in the old antique shop. Alfred cupped his chin with his hand in an observing position as he viewed his artwork, the drippy white paint that he had just slathered the 'R' in. "Yo Tory, does this look good to you? Or have I missed a spot…?" The starry eyed teen pivoted his hips in the direction of the other, wondering where the other had went. The blonde was never one to think about his actions before he performed them, so ignorantly he didn't realize that as he moved so sharply to find his coworker, that the paint that his paintbrush was newly dipped in, had splattered all over the ground below from being flinged off the paintbrush.

Ill fatedly for Toris, he was standing just below the latter, a rag in hand to give the younger, though before he could his face was dosed with a string of white paint that dripped mockingly down his nose. Alfred straightaway burst out laughing at the sight, belly radiating with chuckles as the other made a frustrated noise and looked around fumingly at the mess the American had made. "Alfred! Look what you did!" The brunette groused in a whine, taking a thumb to his cheek to try and swipe away the paint, smearing it while doing so. Said teen only cackled some more before wheezing out, "My bad, my bad!" Toris sighed as he dabbed the rag to one of the paint blots that had landed on his face- looking crestfallen at the streams of white paint that covered the sidewalk before rounding up his shoulders. "I knew you wouldn't be capable of doing this- as simple as it could be." He murmured in repressed anger, though before he could get a reaction Alfred had somehow stumbled in his state of euphoria, shaking the ladder legs doing so. "GAH-!" Toris rushed to his aid, compelled to stop the unsound ladder from toppling over, hands shooting to grip the sides of the ladder.

Tensley he looked up to see Alfred gripping the ladder like it was a lifeline, eyes clamped shut as if he were still bracing for impact, paintbrush still in hand. His eyelids then whipped open and he looked around confusedly. "Score! I actually didn't fall!" That was before he spotted the Lithuanian at the bottom steps of the ladder. "Oh- thanks Tor! I could've handled it myself though." Alfred shrugged arrogantly, and calmly made his way down the clinking metal steps. Once again he was sticking to his heroic image. Toris just aimed a passive glance to the other, glad that the blonde didn't end up on the hard concrete below.

"I say we get you cleaned up and have a small water break!" The bomber jacketed young man then announced, leaving his paintbrush on the rusting ladder before leading the shorter male into the store. "I agree, I don't want another incident at the moment. Honestly, I had to fight you on what color the sign should be painted, I knew you were going to treat this as some art project." The Lithuanian said as he was provoked by the excitable blue eyed teen into "Retrograde." "Lay off won't cha? White is such a boring color by itself- why not paint it bunch of fun colors? Maybe a greenish color, I think it would suit the store well." Alfred babbled as usual. "Green? I was expecting something like red and blue from you, as those are your favorite colors." The blonde just yanked his shoulders upwards in reply as a sort of hesitant shrug. "Plus- of course it's an art project! Painting is a form of the arts, right?" He continued quite matter-of-factly. But before Toris could protest as he was wheeled to the backroom of the shop, the cowlick haired boy had produced his water bottle that had been sitting on the checkout counter previously. He snatched the rag that had been in the flustered teen's hand and squirted a good amount of water onto the cloth to wetten it before holding it up to Toris' face. "Close your eyes!" Alfred chimed and Toris obliged silently to let the other dab at the paint that he had acquired from their paint fiasco. After he had diligently and gently removed the substance he called out a, "Done!"

Just as Toris was going to open his eyes and thank him dearly, he heard the other exclaim, "Wait, I missed a spot!" Then a rag had proceeded to be scrubbed all over his face, leaving it a wet mess. "Agh, Alfred!" He complained and swatted him on the shoulder, chuckling as the other backed away and responded with a word of truce. "Sorry, sorry, I just had to!" The American guffawed and clapped the other on the shoulder as he grabbed their water bottles, heading towards the door so they could enjoy their beverages on the curb before getting back to work. Toris was forced to follow along- still laughing, and under Alfred's clumsy lead he found himself knocking into one of the displays, dropping a few antique dolls to the floor. When that happened the sky blue eyed boy's effortless carefree look spilled from his face as if had been false the whole time. And instead a look of immense fear crossed him, eyes darting around accusingly for a nanosecond before zeroing in on Toris.

He looked like he was going to leap into his arms just like Scooby did to Shaggy.

"W-what was that?" Was all the American could stutter. "Um, I just knocked over a few items for sale is all Alfred." The brunette replied hastily and ducked to pick up the two dolls that had been strayed from their original post. "See?" The ivy eyed young man waved one of the unthreatening dolls in front of the others face before placing them both back, confusedly staring in his companion's direction as if he had gone insane. What had he been so scared of all the sudden? Hearing such a small noise shouldn't have set him off in such a way. Toris knew now in the small span of time he had known Alfred that the other was over imaginative and always jumped to conclusions too fast, but this just seemed a bit off to him. A small span of silence wedged between them before Alfred laughed choppily, looking quite relieved at the news. "Oh, welp… let's head out then!" Then he wheeled himself not-so-casually back around and headed rather desperately toward the front door. Toris followed without another word, brows furrowing as he tried to process the situation.

When they both made it back outside the Lithuanian waited for the American to hunker down and take a seat on the curb sitting just outside Retrograde before proceeding to do so himself. For a moment he just cracked open the cap of his water and sipped thoughtfully while Alfred guzzled his. The sun sat just above the small town- making the concrete sparkle, warming the summery air. Toris looked ahead to the sky, and then turned to the blonde next to him.

"Say Al… is everything okay? You've been acting a bit odd recently…," the teen pressed his lips together firmly as he paused and tried to read the other's expression for any help.

Though Alfred, usually bubbly, addicted to attention, only looked away from him with a wiped-clean expression. Typically it was so easy to figure out how the other was feeling, thinking, or anything. This was mainly because the blue eyed teen would announce his thoughts and feelings all the time (whether someone wanted to hear them or not), and his face was always full of emotion. Toris couldn't guess why he was being so secretive all the sudden. What was there to hide? The darker haired young man decided to venture on on the topic anyways, finding it important.

"Like… when I gave you your present on Monday while we were here, I remember how you kept looking behind yourself and seemed to cling to my side the entire time…," he looked to Alfred's wrist now, blinking with a small content look.

For the American's nineteenth birthday he had gotten him a friendship bracelet. It had red, white, and blue string that formed a zigzag pattern with a small formed star in the center. Toris had always invested in a matching one for himself, though with yellow, dark green, and red as his color choices. And also, as he knew the blonde would appreciate, he had picked him up his favorite hershey candy bar. Alfred had teased him for being so sentimental with his gift choice but Toris could tell he valued it, as he was wearing it at this very moment. "Plus you haven't been so willing to work single shifts on your own now- and I know how much you love this shop…" Toris sighed after he got no response. "What happened?" The blonde glanced to him now with a lighthearted expression, one so different than his heavy gaze before- water bottle balanced on his thigh, arms locked behind him as he gazed almost apologetically to the other.

"Oh, it's nothing! I've just been watching a few too many horror movies lately, it's getting me paranoid everywhere I go." Alfred chuckled airily before taking a lazy sip at his Poland Spring bottle. "Horror movies? I thought you hated those! I always knew that you were a movie nut- due to how much you don't shut up about them, but I thought scary movies were something you avoided." Toris shuffled his feet with a quick laugh, glad that the cause for the other's odd behavior was not anything serious. He should have known so. "Well yes I'm terrified of them, but it gives me a rush like no other dude!" Alfred seemed to be more eased with his understanding, arms flying upwards as if he were on a rollercoaster and belting out a whoop that startled a few grackles whom sat on a powerline further down the street. Toris laughed quietly some more and 'shhed' the other calmly. "Well if that's the case then I am thankful. I was worried there for a while." Alfred just waved him off with a, "You worry too much!"

Toris smiled warmly, until it faded away with and replaced with a more concerned look. Toris set his water bottle on the ground next to him and clasped his hands in his lap tightly. His glazed eyes stared at them with a serious gaze. He could feel the other's eyes on him.

"Just remember that if anything happens… you could always tell me. We're friends right? Friends always tell each other anything, and I wish to be that kind of friend to you Alfred."

The brunette shyly muttered. As he looked up he saw a more sincere, bright look on Alfred's face. "Of course we're friends Tory, we even have bracelets! And I will remember that always, and I will be that same friend to you." His hand suited with it's previously mentioned red, white, and blue clad bracelet was lifted in a fist, as if offering a fist bump to the other. Toris met him halfway with his own yellow, green, and red braceleted hand, nodding reservedly. They were both quiet for a moment as they settled back in their former seatings, watching the clouds scroll throughout the blue skies. After a while Alfred piped up with a barely spoken sentence.

"Can I ask you something?"

Toris snapped out of his daze and looked to the other, who for once in his life seemed a bit stalled to say something. This wasn't like Alfred, he had no filter between his mind and his mouth. He said whatever he wanted, and never thought about anything before doing so.

"Alfred we just went through this."

"You said I could tell you anything. Not ask you anything."

"Just forget it, what is the matter?"

The Lithuanian looked to the other with a troubled air. Alfred only drawled out an exhale, looking left and then right as if he was deciding on whether or not he should ask him anything after all. But then Alfred looked ahead courageously, listening to the small chirping of birds before he spoke his desirable question.

"Do you believe in ghosts?"

Toris blanked at the strange question, wondering what kinds of quirky horror movies the other had been watching to make him ask such things at a time like this.

"Ghosts?"

Alfred only nodded childishly, averting his ocean blue eyes. "Hm… well I guess I do, but I'm really not so sure." Toris then replied and gulped down another swallow of water. "Have you ever seen one?" The leafy green eyed young man looked to the bomber jacketed one next to him whom looked on imploringly, almost timidly to him. "That's exactly the problem. I'm not really sure I believe in ghosts, or spirits, or anything of the like because I have no proof they exist. So no I haven't." The brunette questioned to himself as to why this question had even occurred to the innocent blonde. And why his answer seemed so important to the other. "Are you sure? Like really, really sure? Like… have you ever heard anything odd, or seen something unexplainable? You've never experienced anything of the paranormal?" Toris nodded his head for each question thrown his way, and Alfred only stared at the ground through the space between his legs as he sat. "Why are you asking me about this?" "O-oh… it's really nothing. Just curious." Alfred's eyes swam with a certain deepness, an untouchable kind of deepness and mystery that Toris had never seen before.

Now the sign was painted a fresh coat of white and green, just like Alfred had wanted, and twilight had reached it's peak. A burgundy red was smeared across the horizon- dauntingly. Alfred peered upwards at the sign with Toris not too far behind appreciatively at their work. The white letters contrasted against the inevitable darkness approaching, and some of the letters interchanged a gorgeous dark green, framed with a black background. "I think it looks great." The Lithuanian hummed, digging his hands into the navy blue sweatshirt he wore. "Hell yeah it does!" Alfred commented with a caw of a laugh.

"Hey Al, can you close up for tonight? I've gotta get back home, my parents expect me for dinner." The bomber jacketed blonde froze at the question. He'd have to be alone. In "Retrograde". All by himself. 'It's no big deal, you've gone in before since what happened and nothing ever occurred. It'll only be a short while too, nothing to be afraid of.' Alfred chanted in his mind and swallowed his fear. He then looked to Toris with a grin and shining eyes. "'Kay. But you'll owe me for next time!" Alfred really wished he could tell someone about what he had saw. What he had experienced. He wanted some kind of support- it wasn't everyday that something like this happens, so there weren't many people he could turn to. But he knew he had to suck it up and play it off like nothing happened for everyone's sake. Alfred knew Toris was willing to help him with anything- but the blonde wasn't sure he would ever believe him, or understand. From the information he had collected today, he learned that Toris must have never seen or heard any signs from Arthur at all. Why did the ghost only appear to him? Had the ghost communicated with anyone else in the past? Alfred never felt so alone. He couldn't tell his cousin- Matthew- even though they were basically treated as brothers since birth, he wouldn't take him so seriously. And his parents wouldn't too. Who could he go to? The only option he had was Arthur. Arthur Kirkland.

The name still wouldn't unstick itself from his mind.

Toris had moved to retrieve his bike, in which had been propped up against the side of the store. The frame was a muted blue. The dark haired brunette scratched a hand along the side of his head, looking to the other caringly. "Do you think you'll be alright?" Alfred's starry gave never faded as he replied. "Yup! Don't worry- I've got things covered here!" With that the green eyed teen carefully slung his leg over the seat of his bike and flicked his thumb towards his bike bell, producing a ding, ding sound as he began to pedal. "Alright then, I'm gone! See you over the weekend Alfred!" The blonde waved broadly and shouted a goodbye. "C'ya later Tor Tor!" The other's bike tread hit the concrete flatly after rolling over the curb, and down the street until he turned around the corner of Littlegate street. Alfred's enthusiasm went out like a snuffled candle as he looked towards the front door of the antique store, collecting the cans of paint loosely, knuckles white as he gripped the flimsy handles.

This reminded him all too well of the night he had first stumbled on this run down shop. Fretfully he halted at the front door, looking at the chipped pieces carved into it, and dinges that had collected along it over time. He braced himself as he gripped the handle, expecting it to turn all by itself or do some other creepy thing- but it didn't. Alfred left one eye cracked open and the other shut tightly- as if he were expecting something to jump out at him like a jack in the box as he swung open the door. Nothing did. Nope, everything was where it needed to be. Before he stepped in the American took a once over the area, and even double checked before strolling, quite apprehensively into the shop. He unevenly whistled a short ditty to try and coax his jumbled nerves away. So far everything was going smoothly. Alfred swiftly moved to the back of the shop, settling the paint buckets by the counter before picking up the keys Toris had left conveniently on the checkout counter. He made a quick bolt towards the door to lock up shop, heart jabbing in his ribcage as if telling him 'it's almost over- just get to the door and you'll make it into the clear!'

Though in his distracted state the blonde did not notice a fairly obvious object set in the middle of the aisle he was speeding down. To his dismay he found himself stepping on this object, causing him to slip backwards as it slid across the floor along with his foot. His out of tune whistle cut short, as this turn of events made him lose balance and fall straight on his back with an 'oof!' of utter surprise. The heroic teen just laid there in a daze, a radiating pain forming at the back of his head.

And again he felt the air temperature around him drop in degrees, as the fear he had kept hidden away broke free and crept into his face in a grimace.

He knew something felt off- there was something there with him.

An unfamiliar crackling laugh sounded ridiculously close to his face and Alfred knew what was coming.

He knew he had to get back up. He had to open his eyes and get back into the fight. All heroes did. The cowlick haired teen never opened his eyes so fast in his life. And just as he predicted, a pair of malicious clover green eyes stared down at him expectantly. Arthur's expression went from amused to cruel the moment the American opened his eyes. "You aren't going to lay there all night are you? Get up git." Alfred's mouth gaped open as random vowels spilled out in a panicked high pitched tone as he gazed up in awe at the ghost. He felt like he had been hit with a derailed train. But he didn't need to be reminded. The blonde seemed to almost crab walk backwards before shakily finding his feet, stumbling a few times in the process.

"You're speaking barmy, put a sock in it would you?" Arthur appeared exactly the same way he had the night he had first saw him, black bowtie tied around his neck and with his old olive green jacket. His British accent was also exactly the same as well, Alfred remembered well. That night was forever burned into the blue eyed young man's mind, and he was sure this one would be too. "B-barmy? What's that?" Those words were the only ones he could form. Arthur was already glaring at him with a sharp gaze- knife sharp- arms folded across his chest, looking at him with an annoyed expression, though at his blatant comment an even deeper from tugged at his mouth. His thick eyebrows seemed to permanently dip downwards in a frustrated way whenever he glanced at him. "Bloody daft idiot." The green eyed ghost pronounced in a growl under his breath and shook his head disapprovingly.

Alfred didn't hear the other's repressed insult, and looked to the object that had caused his downfall, as it lay right by the blonde ghost's feet. A small metallic toy wind-up robot. Alfred knew this was all Arthur's doing. The toys were kept on the other side of the shop. And it certainly wasn't there before. The blonde rubbed the back of head with a low groan and looked to the latter. "Why'd you make me fall like that man? That hurt!" The loud bomber jacketed man whined, puffing out his cheeks angrily as he waited for the pain to ebb away. "I know it did, and I just felt like it." Arthur admitted slyly in a quiet tone as he picked up the wind up robot and examined it, making the arm move with his attentive fingers. The starry eyed American faltered in distress, his fall and pure shock hindering his processment of the situation. Instead he opted to just observe the ghost for a moment. He had seen this ghost for the second time. He couldn't believe he wasn't dreaming, or having a very vivid nightmare. The world seemed to slow as he gazed to this slightly white aglow stranger.

"Why do you appear to me alone?"

The blonde asked with a clueless pout, rubbing the forearms of his brown bomber jacket as more goosebumps crawled down his skin.

That feeling was coming to him again as it always seemed to when Arthur appeared, a breathtaking, adrenaline triggering, rush.

"I mean… Toris, my friend who also works here, told me that he wasn't even sure he believed in ghosts. That means he's never seen or heard of you. You haven't shown yourself to him- or anyone else that I know of. So why me?" Alfred looked to the other when he didn't receive a reply and cocked his head. "Arthur?" It sounded strangely fitting the way he said it, like he was meant to. The ghost's bright green eyes glistened as they looked to the nineteen year old, hands unfolding themselves from his chest as he looked to the other with a hard expression. "I don't know." He answered. "That's really what I've been wondering. That night all I remember is standing next to that bookshelf over there and you, terrifiedly, looking right in my direction before screaming your damn head off." The brit murmured slowly, blinking up to Alfred as if he wasn't sure he was listening, before letting his inscrutable eyes shift to the floor. His ivy green eyes appeared detached. "I have tried many, many times in the past to try and breach this wall between life and death. The living- and the dead. I've never had any results, not once. Your friend- he cannot notice me- not anyone." Arthur exhaled a nonexistent breath and then proceeded to match Alfred's wonder-filled gaze with his own steely, worn eyes. "You are the first human I've been able to make contact with. In the seventy years I've been here like this- just a memory, a phantom of a person, you are the first, Jones." The blue eyed teen blinked his naive round eyes. He was the first human that had ever seen Arthur. The thought alone made him feel peculiarly special.

"You haven't been able to talk to anyone for seventy years? That's like a whole lifetime!" The cowlick haired young man announced with a baffled glance to the bow tied man in front of him. "What did I just say? No- no I haven't." Alfred watched as the other's face fell as he said the words, irritated frown carved into his face like a frightening jackolantern. He felt sympathy blossom in his heart, he could feel the lonesomeness of the other, the sadness. To try and cheer the short tempered brit, Alfred let a small smile grace his tanned features as he stepped forwards.

"Well- I guess this means you're gonna be my new bestest friend! My ghost best friend! Wouldn't that be so, so, so cool?" The blonde enthused happily, spectacle framed eyes illuminating at his own idea. He unthinkingly moved to grab the other's hand in his excitement, in the process wondering if he could actually feel the brit's physical presence, as if he were human too. A small connection formed in his mind about how in cartoons when someone were to touch a ghost- their hand would go right through them. Would that apply to Arthur too? But the snappy green eyed brit just swiped his arm away coldly before he could test his hypothesis.

"Don't touch me, prick!"

"Okay, okay, I was just curious!" Arthur glared heatedly at him to emphasize his displeasure with his pasture green eyes after his hostile retort before finishing.

"And no, it doesn't. I don't want to be friends with a stupid idiot American like you. I'm fine the way I am, in solitude, I've accepted it, I have for a long time." Alfred's stoked expression plummeted at the other's words- though his stubborn determination regarding his new goal never delayed.

"Aww, why not Arthur!"

"I have a whole list of reasons, and I'd rather not discuss your ridiculous flaws with you at the moment, as it is getting quite late."

"Whatever! I'm gonna be your best friend forever anyway!" Alfred chimed in with his obnoxiously deafening speech, and then proceeded to stumble around clumsily as he searched for his lost key. He tried to ask Arthur to help him find them (since it was his fault in the first place the blonde would argue) but that didn't get anywhere much. The green eyed ghost just grumbled a rather nasty curse in response to his inconsiderate outburst and watched him with judging, all knowing eyes. Eventually Alfred had found them, and smiled sunnily as he lead them both to the old door to the antique shop.

"And for your information- I wasn't terrified that night we first met. You startled me is all." Alfred said then to justify his embarrassing reaction Arthur had commented on earlier, that of that night they had first met.

"Keep telling that to yourself Jones."

"I'm serious!"

"You're never serious."

The American let a laugh bubble from his lips, twirling the key ring around his index finger as they walked alongside each other, bright smile awakening as he glanced back to the tweed suited young man.

"You surprisingly already know me well, Mr. Kirkland."

As they made it to the door the American's eyes met the serious faced spirit's eyes, starry blue eyes shining merrily as they both stood on the dingy "Welcome" mat that was missing a few letters. "See you Arthur, hold up shop till I get back?" The ghost nodded shortly, frowning softly. "Goodbye, Alfred." He said plainly as he looked away with disinterest, although Alfred could tell there was wistful look about his eyes. But still of course as the bomber jacketed young man turned around the shorter blonde bore daggers into the back of his head. Alfred's fingers wrapped around the door handle as they said their goodbyes, mind a flurry and a bit fuzzy at what had just all occurred. A nightly breeze tempted his skin as the door opened, sending even more chills down his spine. He waved as he shut the battered door, watching Arthur scowl at him through the crack until the door had shut completely, darkness falling into the shop once again. The blonde jabbed the key into the lock and turned with a splitting grin, making sure it was secure before removing the key and heading down Littlegate Street once again.

A waning moon glared in the sky, prickling stars around it. For some reason now he seemed to feel a bit less afraid of Arthur than he had been before. Alfred was starting to think he was a good ghost after all. Even though he did look like he wanted to murder him half the time, the optimistic teen was sure he could somewhat trust the other, even a little bit. He had no business of fearing the other, as Arthur never meant to hurt him or cause mishap for him in any way. Well- perhaps he did, because he made him trip over a toy robot and bang his head, and he also loved to make him wet his pants in the worst of ways, but that was beside the point. The blonde gazed to the night sky longingly, hands digging into the pockets of his bomber jacket as the sweet crescent moon above entranced him. He knew he would have to learn more about this puzzling ghost. He had so many questions. What did he mean by seventy years, had Arthur died seventy years ago? Alfred frowned deeply at the question. And there were many others, some he wasn't even sure he should ever ask the grumpy individual. He wanted to know it all.

He wanted to know Arthur's story- and everything in between.

The American boy was sure they were going to make great friends, he and Arthur.

Finally I got a chapter up, school and testing has been horrible ;owo;. Only a few more full school days to go until summer!

But then I have regents and finals ;-w-;.

It is super duper late right now so I apologize if this seems choppy or rushed XD.