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Howard was the first to wake up.
The first thing he noticed was that everything was dark around him, to be specific he was completely surrounded by dirt.
The second thing he noticed was that he couldn’t feel the dirt on his skin. He found out he can move the dirt around with complete ease, so he kept moving around the dirt trying to figure out where the hell he was.
That’s when he noticed the third thing, there was a body next to him, and despite being covered in dirt the only thing he could feel was the arm of the body that lay next to him.
Howard kept moving the dirt around him until he finally saw who was lying next to him, the guy from Jimmy and Kim’s apartment. It was then that he realized the fourth and final thing.
He was dead.
The thing is, Howard didn’t even realize that he had died, he was replaying that moment in his head, he went to confront Jimmy and Kim, the guy with the mustache showed up with a gun, and then he woke up. Yeah he was most certainly dead.
That means he had died instantly, probably a shot to the head.
His hand went up to feel around his skull.
A bullet hole on his right temple.
Yep, he was shot in the fucking head and his killer was lying next to him, also dead, which prompted the question:
how did mustache-macho-man die and why the fuck were they buried together.
Howard let his thoughts run wild, might as well use his newfound free time to do some reflecting on his life.
Everything was extremely quiet, which made him think about where he, well they, were buried.
“Ugh.” A grunt from his grave roommate jerked his thoughts away. And then, silence.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
“...puta madre.” finally rasped the body next to him.
Howard’s first thought was to stay quiet so as not to vex the man that had killed him, but then he remembered that he was in fact dead so…
Fuck it.
“Hey.” Howard said.
Silence again.
“What the fuck.” Returned the man next to him.
Ok, what now. Thought Howard to himself.
“We’re dead.” He decided to say.
Mustache Man hummed in response, and after a moment said “Okay. Who are you?”
“Are you kidd- Man. You killed me.” Howard was beyond baffled.
Silence. Again.
“I killed a lot of people, I'm gonna need you to be more specific.” Said the man.
Howard opened his mouth to speak, but when he couldn’t think of anything to say he closed it. He moved some of the dirt around so he could look at the man and turned his head to face him.
“What about now?” Asked Howard.
The man turned to face Howard, slightly furrowing his brows and squinting his eyes, trying to recognize him.
Howard stared back in slight disbelief. “Oh, don’t give me that look, you woke up just after me so that means you died soon after you shot me. You most definitely remember me, or at least remember killing me.”
“Oh! Yes! You- from Goodman’s place!” The man’s face was moving animatedly with exaggeration. “What was your name again?”
“Howard.” He replied with a blank stare not returning the energy.
“Howard.” Parroted the man, his lips turned up in a sort of smile.
“Well Howard, You can call me Lalo.” He added after a few seconds.
Silence.
“Well, I’m gonna try to get a look around.” Lalo concluded.
“How?” Asked Howard. “We’re buried. Dead.”
“I don’t know Howie, I saw you digging around the dirt so I say, we dig ourselves out of this hole, aye? I bet there’s plenty of dead-people-physics to be discovered.”
“I was able to see and dig the dirt but couldn't feel any of it. I can’t feel it under my back but I see it’s there. The only thing I could feel was you.”
Lalo hummed back in agreement and continued to dig around the dirt until it was enough for them to sit up.
Lalo was the first one to get out of their grave.
He offered a hand to Howard to help him get out. Howard rejected it.
The first thing they had learned about dead people physics was a confirmation of what Howard said. They can see and touch everything around them but can’t feel any of it. The only thing they could feel was other dead people, which at the moment was a very limited selection between the two of them.
The second thing they had learned about dead people physics was that they could beat each other up all they want, and barely feel the pain. They found that out soon after they got out of their grave and Howard punched Lalo in the face.
The third thing they had learned about dead people physics was that time seemed to move by faster for them.
The Fourth and final thing they had learned about dead people physics was that they could see living people but they couldn’t see them. Now that they can work with.
Lalo explained to Howard where they were and how he himself had died, but when Howard asked Lalo why he had killed him he didn’t explain and instead simply shrugged, and Howard will simply have to make peace with that.
Howard was the first to open up. Not by choice, but still.
Construction on the lab had resumed, they both stood and watched as concrete was poured all over the floor, covering their grave.
“So.” Lalo said.
“So.” Howard returned the sentiment.
“Tell me something, entertain me.” Lalo continued as he turned to Howard.
Howard stared at Lalo with a raised brow, saying nothing.
“C’mon! Tell me a story!” Lalo said, looking over at him, not blinking.
“A story?” Repeated Howard after him.
“Yes.” Urged Lalo, his eyes still fixed on him.
Howard gave a big sigh. “Well.” another sigh, he shook his head. “My law partner was allergic to electricity. I guess I could tell you about that.”
Lalo gave him a chuckle. “Yes! You go on tell me about that!”
So Howard did just that, one story led to another and pretty soon Lalo was sharing some anecdotes himself.
There was less silence between them.
As construction on the lab picked pace the pair noticed that Howard was partly wrong with his assumption about dead people physics. They obviously tried to be good ghosts and haunt the place and the construction workers but no matter how much stuff they moved around everything was back in place the second it was seen by someone.
Howard had come up with a theory and tried to explain it to Lalo by telling him about Schrödinger's cat. Lalo told Howard he hadn't laughed this hard in a while. Although Howard was serious about his theory, he found himself feeling content with the fact that he made Lalo laugh, even if he had no intention to do so.
One time, they found a cigarette that one of the construction workers must’ve left behind. They both looked at each other before rushing to it and proceeding to debate over who gets to keep it. Howard ended up slapping Lalo, and the latter tried to choke Howard, only after that they remembered they didn't have anything to light the cigarette with.
Sometimes Howard would come up to Lalo and punch him. Just ‘cause.
Other times they would massage each other’s backs, not like they needed it, god knows they can barely even feel it but then again, just ‘cause.
Lalo was the first one to try to masturbate.
The lab was now slowly being furnished.
Howard was laying down in one of the rooms corners humming to himself, Lalo looked over at him as he sat down on one of the new chairs, still covered in plastic from delivery.
Out of boredom he started fiddling with his belt, and then tried to palm himself through his underwear. He quickly found out that just like physical pain, pleasure can barely be felt, a very faint feeling but nevertheless, still a feeling. He assumed that if he kept going he could eventually reach an orgasm, but after a while he remembered that he doesn't have any body fluids, so, no orgasm.
He sighed, a little disappointed. He stood up and made his way to the spot in the corner where Howard was laying.
“We can’t cum.” He delivered the devastating news.
Howard looked up at Lalo from where he was laying, he opened his mouth but quickly closed it, confusion washed over his face. He sat up, now squinting at Lalo. “What?” He deadpanned.
“It kind of feels like when you give me a massage, but no orgasm.” Lalo explained.
Howard continued to stare at him. “So, what you’re saying is that we should give each other handjobs now?”
Lalo shrugged. “Maybe. Might be fun.”
Howard was the first one to hug the other. Kind of.
Even though they didn’t need to, they ended up sleeping more often than not.
“I used to have insomnia.” Confessed Howard, breaking the comfortable silence that settled between them.
Lalo stopped spinning on the lab chair he was sitting on “I never slept much either.” He didn't look at Howard though. “I got my best ideas at night.” He continued.
“Ideas to kill people?” There was amusement in Howard’s voice.
“Hah.” Lalo responded with a small breathy laugh. “Among others. Yes.”
Howard kept looking at Lalo as the silence between them returned.
Even though there was less silence, at times it was still there.
It no longer was hostile and sharp like it was at the beginning, instead it turned to be a calming entity. They grew to appreciate it.
“Wanna try to sleep?” Howard broke the silence again. Lalo was now looking at him.
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Might be fun.” Said Howard with a shrug.
Lalo’s lips pressed into a thin line. He stood up and walked over to the other man. “Okay.”
They laid next to each other, shoulders just barely touching.
They dozed off. In his sleep Howard flipped and landed partly over Lalo’s chest, hand stretched across him.
When Lalo woke up he didn't seem to mind.
Lalo was the first one to kiss the other.
Howard had suggested the genius idea of ‘stargazing’. Lalo called him a fool.
There they were, laying on the floor in the middle of the lab looking at the ceiling, pretending to be stargazing.
Howard’s hand was moving around pointing at the ceiling as if there were stars, he had even named constellations, explaining to Lalo where each ‘was’ and pointing at each of the stars that ‘made’ them. At some point Lalo turned his head slightly to face Howard, looking at him through raised eyebrows, The blond was still pointing around at the ceiling, talking.
After a bit Lalo turned his body to face Howard entirely, hand coming up to his face, cupping his cheek and chin, turning it to face him.
Howard’s words slowly died in his mouth.
Lalo’s hand started moving slowly around Howard’s jaw and ear, sort of caressing him.
His hand reached the bullet hole in Howard’s right temple and stopped there.
Howard’s eyes closed as he leaned into the touch.
Lalo leaned in and closed the small space between them.
He kissed Howard firmly, but not hard, it was almost romantic.
Sometimes, they would make out for what seemed like days in a row. It was fun.
Howard was the first to confess.
“In hindsight, do you regret killing me?” Asked Howard one day.
Lalo stayed quiet for a while, seemingly thinking over his answer.
He reached a conclusion. “No.” He continued. “We were never meant to meet under any other circumstances.” He breathed out. “And even if by some chance we would’ve, our lives were too different, it would’ve never worked. Maybe in another life.”
This is an upsetting answer, Howard knows this. However, it was a rhetorical question, he already knew the answer for a long time and has learned to accept it for what it is.
“Maybe this is the other life.” He finally said.
“Yeah. Maybe.” A faint smile tugged at Lalo's lips, it was so small, any other person wouldn’t even notice, but Howard had already memorized all of Lalo’s facial expressions.
“I think I’m in love with you” He stated nonchalantly.
“Me too.”