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The diner is a true greasy spoon, emphasis on the grease. Just walking through the doorway is enough to lower one's life expectancy by a good 5 years. So thick is the scent of salt, grease, and sugar that it coats the walls just like the cholesterol plaque lining the arteries of those who eat there.
The food is, of course, madly delicious.
It's here Nevy's invited Cal for a celebratory out-of-the-hospital burger. Nevy looks concerned while they wait, tapping the end of a pen in their sketchbook aimlessly.
Calamity makes their careful way into the place, nudging the door open with their left shoulder and blinking around at the interior of the diner a little blearily. They look...well, like maybe they got shot or something - their right shoulder is bulky under their sweatshirt and their arm is in a sling - and they're pale and a little sickly looking as they shuffle through the diner, giving Nevy a tired smile and a wave with their good hand. Honestly, as broken as they look, they're doing better than a lot of people might be.
"Hey," Calamity greets them as they get close - and something makes a chill shudder down Nevy's spine.
Nevy waves when Calamity walks in, then shivers. Their eyes narrow, then widen, and they glance around for a moment before they look back at Cal. "Hey," They say. "How're you feeling?" First things first.
"I mean. Been better." Calamity cracks a kinda bitter smile and sinks down into the booth across from Nevy with a sigh of relief. At the same time, there's a cough and a sputter, and some ragged, labored breaths from the youth's general direction. But they aren't hacking and coughing, just perusing the menu with a frown of conentration.
Nevy tries not to react at that. "That...makes sense. I'm glad you're recovering, though."
"Yeah. Swear to god I was gonna riot 'f they tried to keep me there for another night..." As if Calamity's in any sort of shape for rioting. They don't seem to notice the breathing, or the coughing at all, and they order a hot chocolate with whipped cream and extra marshmallows when the server comes over.
And then they frown slightly at Nevy. "...You good?"
Nevy pauses for a moment while they ponder how best to address the situation. "I think we have... uh... Company."
"...Oh. Uh..." Calamity grimaces and kinda looks around, not that they can see or hear or sense anything. "Some...shit went down. 'S followin' me, d'you think?"
"They came in when you did. I could ask, if you want, but I can't be sure they'll be able - or willing - to answer."
Calamity dips their head. "Don't think they can. It - he - uh. Manifested? 'S that the word? At the hospital, but...yeah. 'S not gonna be able to talk."
Nevy considers that information, and Calamity's expression for a moment. "So... if you'd rather not talk about it, we can just enjoy the burgers for a bit. But if you want to talk..." They shrug one shoulder. "I can also ask him to write out some things through me. It's one of my, uh... talents."
"'S prob'ly not the place to really talk about it, yeah?" Calamity glances around. "But I mostly wanna know how t'make him - it go away. Hasn't been like...violent're anything, but..." They trail off, like they don't seem confident the ghost won't become violent eventually.
Nevy nods. "You know where I work, right? Come by sometime, and we can see what we can do about it. THere are... a couple techniques we can try, once I know a bit more."
"Okay. Phaedra said she could maybe help too, but it takes her longer to like...set shit up. I dunno what shit she can do. My sister can punch 'em, but I don't wanna start anything. Already gone far enough." Calamity closes in on themself a little, and sips their hot chocolate.
Nevy nods. "I prefer to address things nonviolently, myself, when I can. We can deal with this."
Calamity winces. "Yeah. Can't always, though." They sound a little worried that Nevy might judge them somehow, for what they're saying.
Nevy considers that. "No," They say quietly. "We can't always. But we still try, right?"
"Heh. Sure." Calamity's voice is quiet, bitter. Agreeing, but not really believing what they're saying.
Nevy reaches over to take Cal's hand, but slowly enough that Cal can withdraw if wanted.
Calamity frowns in confusion at the hand, but they don't pull away. Until they want to take a sip of their hot chocolate, because that's just kinda how it be when you've only got one usable arm.
"How...'s your life going?"
Nevy shrugs. "Pretty quiet lately. I've been trying to think of a good project to dedicate some real effort to - something to shake the foundations of Philadelphia with the trumpet's call that is Nevermore Usher, y'know?"
"Mmh." Calamity huffs in amusement. "Well you can dedicate some real effort to..." they trail off, and gesture around their head with their good arm. "Whatever the fuck this is, if you wanna."
Nevy nods. "Of course! This kind of situation... I suspect it'll be best for all concerned to... clear up matters."
"Yeah. It uh...you're prob'ly gonna learn about some nasty shit. The kinda stuff..." Calamity gives Nevy a quick, appraising look, "you've prob'ly never had to deal with. Just...so you know." They don't sound judgmental the differences between Nevermore's life and whatever life this ghost had, just matter-of-fact.
Nevy raises an eyebrow and lowers their voice. "I've been talking to ghosts since I was a literal child, Cal. I've learned plenty of nasty shit in my life. Back in Chicago, I spent a couple evenings talking with an old bootlegger who enjoyed boasting about how many police he'd killed."
"Fuckin' good for him," Calamity huffs, and flashes Nevy a lopsided grin before sobering again. "Pieces of shit. But uh this is uh...'s gang shit, an' 'f you're gonna judge, or try an' give me lectures, or any'a that..."
Nevy shakes their head. "This isn't the time for that. I... admit I don't always understand why people get involved in that life, but I promise. No moralizing while you're dealing with your unexpected guest."
"Well for me, the simple answer's 'cause I'd be dead, 'f I didn't." Calamity levels their gaze at Nevy as they bluntly state the facts. "But I dunno shit 'bout him, so. "
Nevy nods. "I don't have the whole story. I'm... not always great about dealing with that kind of revelation, when I'm not expecting it, but... like I said. I'll try to keep an open mind. And... if I say something insensitive, please correct me."
"Yeah I mean he was a sadistic fuck who picked on people half his size," Calamity says with a huff. "Least - 's what I saw of him." They sure are talking about this ghost pretty personally. Like they knew him, or something...
Nevy nods slowly. "What was his name?" They say quietly.
They scoff, and shrug. "Fuck if I know."
Nevy nods. "I'll... need you to find out," They say. "It could be important."
"Why's it matter?" Calamity crosses their arms as well as they can, with one of them in a sling.
"Because learning about him might help me find out what he needs to move on, and if worse comes to worst, having his name will help if we wind up needing to try a banishment or exorcism. And..." They hesitate. "Well. It matters." They give Cal a little smile. "Trust me. I know this stuff."
"...'Kay. See what I can find." It comes out in a little bit of a mutter, like they're really not happy about it. "Anything else you gotta know? What his favorite color is, or some shit?"
"Calamity," Nevy says, quietly. "I can use my talents to learn some things that will help us help him to move on, but the more information we can gather, the less guesswork will be involved. And... he was a human being. Maybe he wasn't a good person, but he was a person. We can't undo what happened to him, but we can give him the respect of proper remembrance."
They grimace and look away. "Sorry. I promised not to moralize, didn't I?"
"Yeah, he fuckin' shot me," Calamity hisses, gesturing to their shoulder as they glare around the diner, as if daring anyone to listen in. Luckily there's not really anyone around. "Real great guy, 'm sure."
Nevy nods. "He shot you. And he died."
"Yeah." Calamity lets out a breath, and stares at the table. "Yeah, he did. You uh...hear what happened, on the news?"
"The explosion, you mean?"
"Mhm." They nod. "He was...I think he was possessed, he..." Another glance around. "Was sayin' shit that I said, last time they came after me, in a different voice."
Nevy frowns, nodding. "He was a victim too, it sounds like. Whatever else he also was."
"I mean -" Calamity swallows whatever they were going to say with a wince, and nods. "Doesn't make him any less of a fuckin' bully."
Nevy nods. "I know. But he's... kind of paid for that already, hasn't he?"
They shrug. "At any rate, finding out more about him is going to be important, for several reasons. Can you do that?"
"...Do my best, yeah. I'll let you know what I dig uh." They sigh, then wince. "I...think I gotta head back and take my meds. 'S a lotta walking I did, I think it was prob'ly too much."
Nevy nods. "Do you want a ride? My car's right outside."
"...Yeah. Sure that'd be...thanks." Calamity slides out of the booth slowly, and puts a hand on the table to steady themself as they stand. "An' that hot chocolate was fuckin' perfect. 'S nothing like diner hot chocolate, y'know?"
Nevy snorts. "Want a burger to go? My treat. I figure it's the least I can do for assigning homework."
"Eeeh...think I like the idea of greasy diner food more'n I actually want it. Haven't really been hungry."
"You've got to keep your strength up. Help you heal, right?" They give a lopsided smile. "I mean, if it sounds better we can see if these guys have any salads?"
"Nah that sounds like a lotta chewing that I don't wanna do." Calamity grins at them. "I got shit at home, 'f I get hungry. 'S all good."
Nevy nods. "All right. C'mon, I'll get you home." They drop some money on the table and lead the way to the doorway, not walking as quickly as usual.
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