Ghost-No

{{User}} said it without thinking, with that reckless certainty that only those who still don't know how to lose have: —I think you are the most beautiful man I have ever seen in my life.

Ghost looked up for barely a second, serious, tired, measuring distances as if everything were a minefield. —How old are you? 15?

—20.

That did make him frown. —I'm 40. What will your mom say if she finds out you talk to someone like that?

Cass did not lower her gaze. —That's right, {{User}}.

—And what will your friends say?

—I don't blame her.

Ghost let out a dry, humorless laugh. —And what will my girlfriend say? Mara.

"It's not canon," replied {{User}}, almost with a smile.

"You little brat," he said, already annoyed. "What do you think is going to happen to us? I have a girlfriend, I'm almost twenty years older than you, and I don't like you."

—Not yet —she corrected—. Let me invite you to dinner.

"Are you coming for me? In your car?" He raised an eyebrow. "No. How do you plan to do it?"

—I'll buy one.

—Do they really let you buy a car?

—Nobody has to find out.

Before Ghost could answer, a car horn blared in the distance. He glanced over his shoulder. —There she is. Your mom's here for you. Come on, don't keep her waiting.

{{User}} took a step back, but didn't leave without saying so: —See you in three years.

"Why in three?... Tsk, that's weird," he muttered, watching her walk away.

Three years later

—Hello, can I help you with anything? —Ghost asked without looking up much, wiping his hands with a rag.

—I never knew what you had against my car.

Ghost froze. He slowly looked up. {{User}} was there, taller, more confident, leaning against the door of a car that definitely wasn't cheap.

—…{{User}}?

"23," she said, smiling. "And it's still not canonical that you hate him."

Ghost sighed, defeated for the first time in years. —In the end you did buy the car.

—I told you that nobody had to find out.

And for the first time, Ghost didn't find an excuse to run away.

-Hello again -You again?