absolutely boo-tiful [rogue]

Allison's text had come at 1:30 in the afternoon, after which Cal had decided that he was going to marathon Young Justice while texting someone or other. Fast forward to 5:30, and he had fallen asleep with his laptop still on, Dick Grayson angsting still playing on his computer screen.

It was 8:59 by the time Cal actually woke up.

"Fuck," he had muttered before darting out the door, not bothering to throw on anything decent. Okay, yeah, he was seeing Allison, but the last thing he wanted to admit was that he was late because he was getting ready. He wouldn't have minded if it was anyone else, but this was Allison he was talking about, and he didn't want her to think he was trying too hard. Besides, it was the effortless charm that wowed most people, so if he was actually going to have to run out of the house effortless... So be it. Girls valued authenticity, right?

Needless to say, Cal was not the most coherent at this hour. Which was why he showed up at the agreed spot two minutes late, holding two bags of Doritos with his hair in an utter mess, still wearing his glasses instead of contacts for once. For once he actually looked a little rumpled as he gave her a sheepish grin.

"Sorry I'm late," he said. Incoherent or not, he did take note that she had brought food. Of course she had brought food, she was Allison. The edibles were almost enough for him to marry her on the spot for. That, and she did look very cute in what she was wearing. Maybe the effortless thing hadn't been such a good idea, he thought as he realized that he was in just jeans, sneakers, and a baggy long-sleeved shirt, though it did show his collarbones which was a plus. "So shall we go get food-- I mean, go to my car before we go do some Ghostbusting?"

The loud growl from his stomach indicated that he had yet to eat dinner.

"Yes. Please." Was he almost pleading when Allison mentioned something to eat? Because at this stage, he had no more of his dignity left. Then again, it was arguable that he never had much in the first place, especially not when it came to food. He took the bottle of water from her with a brief "Thanks", wordlessly uncapping the bottle and taking a sip. A hungry Cal was a Cal almost incapable of functioning like an ordinary human being.

"I can wait." He tried to smile, but was betrayed by yet another growl from his stomach. Now all of China knew he was hungry. Okay, maybe he couldn't really wait, but he didn't quite want to hold Allison up. "I mean, we can like. I can eat a pack of Doritos whenever we go to wherever. Yeah!" Curse his biological functions.

There was no protest about squeezing into her Mini Cooper unlike the last time. He didn't even argue with her about the no-eating rules in her car as he opened the door to the passenger seat, practically squeezing into the space that it allowed, scrunching himself up like a piece of paper. For a moment he almost looked like his own pet pug as he glanced up at Allison with a look that could only be described as forlorn, before he managed to squeeze out a more genuine-looking grin.

"So shall we go to food?" He was trying, he swore. It was just difficult not to want to fall over and cry when he was bunched up into a tiny box like this. That, and he was hungry. No time for flirting when he was in dire need of nourishment and food. Funny how he could normally forget to eat, but the very sight of Allison brought back memories of all the nice places they'd gone together, and along with that, hungurr.

It was funny that she had seen him as far from normal up to this point, because in his experience, that was how most perceived him. Infallible, untouchable, someone with a perpetual smile and a laugh. It was common sense that he too would be sad, that he wasn't immune to emotions, but it was just a side of him that most people would never get to witness. Besides, it was definitely nice in its own way to have his chance to act like a sad puppy.

His hand shot over to adjust the toggle stick of the seat upon her instruction, and he nudged it up and down, sharp features contorting into a rather flustered expression as he struggled. It was then when Allison suggested that she was going to help. "No, it's okay," he started. "No big deal--"

But then she leaned over towards him, faces almost close enough to kiss.

Whoa. Whoa there. Easy. Cal found himself turning slightly pink as her fingers wrapped around the lever, mind filling with thoughts. Okay, okay. Calm down. What was even going on with this? He took a deep breath. Easy, Cal. Easy. But he said nothing as she pushed the lever back, only able to mutter an, "Okay," as she asked him whether he was comfortable.

"I mean, yeah. I'm currently okay." He hadn't even realized that he didn't need to scrunch himself up any more at this point. So Cal stretched his legs, shaking them slightly as he nodded. Whoa, what had just happened? He wasn't sure, but he had a feeling that he liked it.

"So. Haunted house. We could eat on the porch. Or something." Yeah.

Once you had put the idea that Cal needed food into his head, there were few things that could make him forget it. One of them was the prospect of excitement, though, and as soon as they arrived at the haunted house he was absolutely ecstatic. He practically bounded out of Allison's car when they arrived, grinning from ear to ear as he noticed the house ahead of him. "Oh hot damn," he muttered.

This was going to be good. Good company, good prospects of adventure. He couldn't do any better than this.

All thoughts of the awkward moment that transpired between the two of them had disappeared as Allison passed him the flashlight. Cal grinned. "You got it, first mate." Oh, he could show the world why there was a national holiday in his name, all right. Too bad it wasn't PG-13 enough, or it was the kind of thing that belonged on the Discovery Channel ahem ahem yeah right.

That kind of comment did not belong between him and Aly-cat just yet, though. No, they had a mystery to solve. "Have any idea of who or what died in here?" he asked as he pushed the door open, a chill running up his spine as he heard a loud creak. Oh boy, this was going to be great. Somewhat nervously, he took a tentative step, noting the squeaking wooden floorboards and the shattered wooden pillars.

"My friends and I sometimes explore abandoned buildings together. I didn't know you were into this." There was no invitation to join, though. Not yet, at least. It was one of those things he liked to keep between him, Julie and Bailey, and he wasn't about to invite her. Cal usually liked it when some of his friends mingled, but he wasn't ready to share Allison with Julie just yet. There was something different about the entire relationship that he shared with Aly-cat, and he had a feeling that Julie would see it as quickly as he had. She still hadn't gotten her revenge on him for teasing her about Colin, and it had been a few years. Julie was probably planning.

"Whoa there."

Cal could already feel his family jewels being threatened as Allison recounted the horrifying tale. His mind flashed back to the various people he'd slept with in the past. Did that make him a playboy? Sort of, kind of? Not really. He was quite sure that he hadn't cheated on anyone-- okay, maybe in high school, but he wasn't sure if that had actually been cheating. Did this ghost actually look through your romantic history? Naww. They would have no way of knowing.

Their ghostly powers didn't really extend that far. Or did they. Crap. Why did he even care?

"So do you actually believe that this is out there?" Cal asked, not turning back as he addressed Allison. The blonde was too busy marching forward, torchlight darting around as he scanned the vicinity. "I won't lie, I... I'm not entirely sure about how I feel about ghosts." The prospect that something would be out there, a chance to venture into the unknown. Was his brother at peace, or was he floating for eternity?

Yeah, thinking about that was ground that he wasn't sure if he wanted to tread.

"I dunno. I'd like to think that once you die you die. Bam. Nothing." Sort of. Kind of. Part of him couldn't reconcile with the idea that everything he'd once known about Allen was gone, his very essence vanishing into nothingness. But it was the only thing that really made sense, scientifically at least. Cal frowned as he heard a loud thump.

"Did you hear that?" he asked, whirling around to face her this time.

Shit. Okay. He'd heard the thump, she hadn't. This was not good. "Never mind," Cal said, deciding that it was probably best that he didn't talk much more about the ghostly sounds. No. Ghost didn't exist. They couldn't be explained by science. Then again, he'd once heard that if a great scientist said something was possible, they were probably right; but if a great scientist said that something was impossible, they were probably wrong. Not that he was a great scientist, but-- "Okay, shall we proceed?" he asked. No point dwelling on it too much.

"Anyway. Yeah. Ghosts. Uhh. I'm not sure. I guess part of me would kind of want something to be left behind. Then again, I feel like I'd be too dead to care. It doesn't matter what people remember me for when I'm dead, it's what I do when I'm alive that counts, right?" Cal asked, shooting Allison a sheepish grin. She was still there, at least. Nobody had died yet. Yet being the key word.

A loud scream pierced through the air, coming from right behind him. The blonde may have yelped a little as he spun around once more. "Allison?" he asked, looking about for her. "Allison!"

Where... Was Allison?

He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as he glanced around the vicinity, a chill traveling up his spine with the realization that she was gone. She had disappeared. "Allison?" he hollered into the distance, but nothing. Nada.

"Look, if this is a practical joke, this really isn't very funny." But was that doubt in his voice? A certain level of uncertainty? Okay, it had to be a joke. To be fair, if he was the one playing this joke on Bailey or something, it would have been absolutely hilarious. Yeah. It had to be a joke. Cal managed to force a small smile as he glanced around, flashing his torch around the vicinity. Empty chairs and empty tables. No Allison in sight.

"Allison?" Cal hollered once again.

He was still greeted by the sound of silence.

Shit. Shit shit shit. His pulse was beginning to race, and he could feel his heart crashing repeatedly into his ribcage as an uneasy sensation crept up into his stomach. Not butterflies, but snakes. Snakes, twisting and turning and hissing for him to turn back, go home, because ssssssomething was out there and it was out to get him. "I can't leave her alone in here," he muttered. If she was gone, she wouldn't hear him say that, so he was fine, right? The sound of the clicking heels in the distance didn't help, either. "Fuck," he mumbled underneath his breath.

"Allison, where are you?" he called into the distance.

Nothing.

The cold, clammy grip of a hand on his shoulder.

"Aaaaah!" Cal exclaimed as he whirled around once more, grabbing hold of the person's wrists. Oh. Okay. It was Allison. He pulled the girl in close, eyes meeting hers. "Dude, that scared the shit out of me," he muttered.

Was this supposed to be vaguely romantic, pulling her close to him after he thought he'd almost lost her? "Thank god you're okay," Cal muttered as grey eyes met browns. "I'm so glad you're fine. Oh my god," he said, his voice coming out in a hushed whisper. "Dude, I thought I'd lost you. After all that talk about ghosts that we'd been having earlier on, I would have thought that..."

It was then that Allison spoke, her gaze darkening as she muttered the words.

And that was when Cal let out The Most Piercing Shriek in the World.

It was like a banshee had fornicated with a hyena and then crossbred with a siren, and then yelled at the top of its lungs. It was probably karma for all the mutant creatures he'd created in his and Bailey's kitchen. The blonde howled once again at the girl's words, before turning away and running straight in the other direction. Nope, he was not dealing with this. Not today, not tomorrow, not the day after either. The sound of his footsteps clicking, thundering against the floorboards was almost definitely enough to raise the dead.

YOLO? Yeah. No. Okay, after this he was never going to diss the dead ever again. Ever. Again.

Oh god, that had been a terrifying ghost, he thought as he continued to speed off. One that had looked a hell lot like Allison. Unless Allison was actually a ghost? Shit, maybe that was why she'd been alone at the party. Had people been giving him weird looks when he was there? Then again, people always gave him weird looks. That wasn't anything new. It all made sense now. She wasn't real, he'd made her up, that was why she'd been everywhere. Even at his house. All that food she'd been feeding him was probably ghostly offerings from the other realm--

Wait a minute. That didn't make sense. The blonde froze in his tracks.

How would a ghost cook human food?

So... That had been Allison. She had been real. Grey eyes widened as it slowly dawned upon him that it had been nothing but a prank. She'd played a prank on him, and he'd been completely fooled. "Holy shit," he muttered under his breath as he whirled back around, eyes darting around the vicinity to search for Allison. He called out into the distance once again.

"Okay. Game's up. Game's up." She had been so warm when she'd pressed herself against him, come to think of it. His footsteps were slower, more labored now, and he felt a squirming feeling return to his stomach. Only it was a different squirm. Shit, she probably thought that he was some sort of idiot now, he thought. But he couldn't help but chuckle a little as he palmed his face.

"Allison, get out here. You had me totally fooled."