After an uneventful day, Jack was back in his apartment and sorting through his belongings as he waited for Kieran to show up. He sat on his bed and stared helplessly at what many would consider to be trash scattered across his floor. It may have been purposeful, but it still looked like crap, and he was looking at the only time that he'd be able to clean up and not worry about his makeshift security system.

His phone pinged with a text from Kieran. His stomach flipped at how Kieran notified him before there was a soft knock at the door. It was a thoughtfulness he rarely experienced.

Taking a deep breath, he got up and let Kieran in. "Hey. I'm almost done, I think. I actually don't know what all I need. This seems more…" He shrugged as he trailed off, the feelings of indecisiveness and uselessness overwhelming him. "I dunno. Just more than what I'd be doing for staying with Sam or Tara."

"Bring anything that will help you feel comfortable," Kieran replied as he moved further into the apartment, carefully sidestepping a small pile of boxes that once contained CPU fans. "We can always come back if you've forgotten something. You're not being banned from your home."

"Yeah. How long is this gonna be?" Jack eyed a pair of computer towers he'd been meaning to upgrade. Even if his situation was temporary, he wanted something to do. The possibility of giving Kieran a few hints of what commitment with Jack would look like had also crossed his mind.

"I imagine we'll know when it happens," Kieran replied. He sighed heavily and shook his head.

"Great. That makes me feel great." Jack went to his fridge and opened it to stare at his meager supply of groceries. Would it even be worth it to bring them? Half a bag of carrots, a couple apples, and whatever was left of the milk were the only things that could go bad within the time he was gone. He glanced at the condiments tucked in the door shelves. He should just toss everything and start over. He should definitely leave the booze behind. The seasonal wine coolers and beer would serve as a special treat for when he got back or visited.

"I'm sorry," Kieran said, his quiet voice causing Jack to jump.

Jack shook his head and let the fridge door fall shut and moved his attention to the kitchen cabinets and drawers. "It's not your fault."

"In a way, it is."

"Yeah… I guess so. But it's not like it's on purpose? I hope." He couldn't even fathom how or why Kieran would be able to fuck himself over just to get Jack in the line of fire. He felt incredibly stupid after implying it. "Whatever. I'm bringing my computer crap. So that's gonna be kinda a lot. Sorry."

Kieran nodded as he eyed a pyramid of bottle caps sitting on the kitchenette counter with bemusement. "Will I have art installations such as this to look forward to?"

"No. I'll just ask your ghost if anyone's waiting to jump me. Besides her." Jack thought of the laugh he'd heard in the store. "How… How common are ghosts? In your experience."

"Common enough. Most don't make their presence known, or they simply move on." Kieran shrugged and looked away, taking in a dusty motherboard leaning against the side table that held a hotplate. He frowned for a moment before quickly hiding it with a smile. "Some are mischievous and pretend to be multiple ghosts."

It made Jack feel a little better. If Kieran was so nonchalant about the prospect of ghosts running around everywhere, then it couldn't be that bad. "So what's Lindsey's story?"

"I never asked."

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Jack ceased his rummaging of the kitchen cabinets to give Kieran an incredulous stare. "What? Why not?! I think I'd wanna know more about some spooky roommate I didn't sign up for."

"She didn't come with the building," Kieran replied, laughing and shaking his head. "I've known Lindsey for about five years now. I found her locket on eBay for a low price. She made her presence known after I brought home a date."

"A date," Jack repeated. He'd been that date on multiple occasions, and it hadn't gone over well.

"A snack," Kieran admitted with a grin. "Much like take out, feeding in the comfort of your own home is sometimes desirable."

Being part of the population that was considered food was still an odd concept, and it would forever have Jack questioning his relationship with Kieran. "So she saw a real life vampire and decided 'fuck it'?"

"She eased her way in, manifesting as a shadow and turning on the TV to watch her shows. She has a schedule for when she's permitted to watch certain shows." Kieran sighed and elaborated at Jack's curious stare. "I'm not particularly fond of the propaganda they refer to as police procedurals. Streaming and DVR has been a godsend for my sanity."

"What do you have against cops?" Jack couldn't hide his exasperation, so he leaned into it. "And don't tell me to read a history book."

"In my experience, it is a position that attracts a certain sort, so the list of what I don't have against them would be shorter. There is a usefulness to the concept, but people have a hard time putting aside their personal prejudices to make it effective," Kieran replied.

Jack wanted to argue, but the memories of his first, and thankfully only, arrest weren't exactly pleasant. The moment one of the officers had caught sight of his arm was marked with disgust and rougher handling. "Yeah, fair. Sam's nice?"

Kieran raised a brow.

"To me? He was the nicest one when… Yeah, stuff. He actually asked if I was okay." Jack shifted uncomfortably under Kieran's gaze, not wanting to go too much into his experience. "Is you not liking Sam because he gave you a hard time?"

"He did stir up some rather unpleasant memories."

"Right. Okay. So was that why you were super charming when you dropped off Dinsdale. Oh, yeah! My mask!"

Kieran watched in confusion as Jack scrambled atop the bed and grabbed the African mask from where it hung on the wall. "You named it?"

"Shut up."

Kieran shook his head and smiled fondly as he watched Jack carefully pack up the mask. "To answer your question, yes and no. I can hardly be blamed for Detective Fairchild not appreciating simple politeness being shown to the hardworking men and women at the reception desk."

"Polite asshole. Wow. Candy does the opposite. She has a couple ACAB shirts she's started wearing to casual events and the station. And she just got a big sticker to put on her car to celebrate her latest speeding ticket."

Kieran laughed. "I'm finding Candace rather likable."

"Even though she told you to tell Augie to take a hike?" It might have been a low blow, but Jack wholeheartedly agreed with the advice.

Kieran stooped to grab the backpack sitting next to the door, ignoring the callout.

"Yeah, I feel the same way," Jack continued. "She was dropping off Sam's lunch at the station while I was being booked and then switched gears and said it was meant for me. Are you sure she's a witchy thing? 'Cuz that puts too many things into a perspective I really don't like."

"I wouldn't say there's a scent," Kieran said as he looked around the apartment for another obvious bag to take, "but there is a certain level of awareness that witches begin to affect."

"They make you itchy?"

Kieran's face screwed up in a confused frown. "I suppose on a spiritual level?"

"Can she mask it?"

"I wouldn't know how. I've met my fair share, and they tend to want those of us who are no longer human to know what they are," Kieran said, shrugging. He propped the backpack on his shoulder and grabbed a duffel bag at the foot of the bed. "For those who know what they are, they prefer to advertise rather than hide."

"Must be nice," Jack said, his bitterness creeping along his chest and throat.

"I imagine it is. Although, there was one witch trial I was witness to that held an eager audience."

"Uh…"

"Be grateful Candace is a kind woman."

image [https://i.imgur.com/eZY0YUq.png]