“You are welcome to use my laundry room,” Ollie said before wrinkling his freckled nose and hesitantly adding, “I can’t help but feel bad for monopolizing your time.”
“Don’t. I’m your boyfriend, I enjoy spending time with you. Though I do hope you getting attacked doesn’t become a common occurrence.”
“Yeah, we can only hope,” the little witch said with a huff.
Maybe…he should try to convince Ollie to ‘hire’ him as a bodyguard? It would solve the issue of Ollie wondering why he never had work, and would also give him even more of an excuse to stick to the witch’s side, while making sure the man stayed safe. Noble could even try to teach Ollie some self-protection… Maybe train him a bit. Depending on how well the man learned, it could highlight his Baby’s need for a bodyguard, and thus, support hiring him.
Noble glanced back, looking around the retro diner, with its checkered floors, beige walls, red booths, and chrome tables, when Ollie’s gaze drifted off behind him. But the man’s eyes were definitely following something he couldn’t see.
“Is the waitress ghost back?” Noble asked, once he was facing forward again.
“Yes…” Ollie trailed off, continuing to stare, a frown forming on his face.
“What’s wrong?”
“You know, I think I’ve seen her before, but I can’t remember where.”
“Ah…I’d like to help, but as I can’t see her…” He gave an apologetic shrug.
Ollie blinked and smiled widely. “I could fix that? Maybe…” He giggled.
Noble rose a brow in question.
“Okay, so like, I possibly was upset that Jahla couldn’t see Annabel when she started talking to me, and I was already freaking out about glowing books and talking cats, and somehow I made it so she could see her.”
Noble brow rose higher at that. “Did you?”
He couldn’t help but wonder how Red didn’t find that odd? He was beginning to see a pattern of major red flags that the familiar should have picked up on, but seemed to have been completely glossed over when they happened.
“Yes? Somehow? And I, um, could try again? I'm not exactly sure how I did it, or how it works, but—I suppose I should ask first if you’d even want to see ghosts. I know Jahla would prefer not to. Though, so far, the only ghost I think she’s seen is Annabel.” Ollie started to wring his hands together on the table, as was his habit when nervous. “I’m not entirely sure I’d want to keep seeing ghosts if I didn’t have too. So I’d understand if you don’t. Not that I’m sure I can even do it, but?—”
“Go ahead and try,” Noble said with a soft chuckle.
Though he supposed he should be more wary of it, considering how many he had killed. Probably the only reason there were no ghosts around him was because of the slight resistance witch hunters had to magic and supernatural shit. Though, as far as he knew, it was rare for witches to stay behind.
“Okay, I’ll try.” Ollie beamed.
A frownquickly replaced Ollie’s smile when he came up blank. Try what exactly? He wasn’t even sure what he’d done the first time.
Thinking back, he really had just wanted it to happen, and then…it had, which was simple enough.
Okay, well then…I want Noble to be able to see ghosts, he thought.
Ollie waited a moment, and…nothing happened. At least, he didn’t think anything had, but it wasn’t like he’d noticed anything happening when Jahla suddenly could see either. But maybe he should try for longer before having Noble look around?
His face scrunched up as he tried to think all the thoughts as hard as he could.I want Noble to be able to see ghosts, please? Pretty please? It would highly benefit me, and everyone else, if Noble could see ghosts. So, whatever arcane is listening, please make that happen. Noble NEEDS to—no, I DEMAND that he sees ghosts!
There was a brief feeling of cold flowing through his veins, moving from his center outward, but he barely got a chance to acknowledge it when Ollie found himself jumping with a frightened squeak as the bulb in the light above them burst, sparks and glass raining down onto the table.
Sammy Harper rushed over, gasping, “Oh, God, are you two alright?! Did anything hit you?!”
They shook their heads in response.
The older woman hesitated for a moment before saying, “Sit tight. I’ll go grab a dust pan and clean up the glass.”
When she left, with a nervous laugh, Ollie asked, “Hah…was that me?”
“I don’t know.” Noble smiled almost hesitantly. “What exactly did you do to try to make it happen?”
