Chapter Text
Brett always knew he wasn't a normal kid, for one, he can see some things that no other ordinary person can see. And at first, he couldn't be bothered. The entities he had been seeing since he was a little kid hadn't really bothered him at all. They'd never attacked him. They were just there, walking absentmindedly around.
So, naturally, he got used to it. You'll get used to something you see everyday, if not, almost, every second. If you ask him what these entities looked like, he would say they looked faded, just like our normal idea of a ghost. They weren't scary or anything like that, they were like normal human beings except faded. They looked exactly as the day they had died.
Ghosts were the only entities that he could see when he was a child. But as he was growing up, his abilities strengthened. His visions no longer limited to ghosts only.
Well, said entities hadn't bothered him until he arrived...
A certain Eddy Chen, to Brett walked around the school like he was carrying the sunlight with his bare hands. Remember when Brett can see things no ordinary people can't see? That not only applies to ghosts and other beings, but it also applies to a certain person's aura.
This ability helped Brett a lot of times as he could immediately see the real intentions of a person through their aura alone. He had encountered a handful of people who had dark, deep aura, and it had saved him countless of times from danger.
But Eddy Chen? He had never seen someone with that much powerful aura. A certain Eddy Chen who befriended him and after that, they became inseparable. They'd gone through all their phases of highschool cringe together and he cherished his friend the most. He could not imagine a life without his best friend.
However, Brett really never thought it was a good idea to bring up that he was practically a clairvoyant to his best friend. So, with that, he never knew. He wasn't sure if clairvoyant was the right term but he didn't want to be called a medium, as it sounds more serious.
Eddy's mystical aura also never bothered him but it scared him a couple of times. When Eddy suddenly appeared in front of him, the light he emitted flashed in Brett's eyes and he stumbled back pretty harshly that time. So, Eddy learned to never appear on Brett's side without making himself known first.
An aura that is powerful and attractive as his, would of course attract a lot of people. He would admit, Eddy is kind and he would go through a lot just to help someone. That's what he has been doing for the most part that sometimes, Brett just might stop him from helping people so they wouldn't abuse his kindness.
"But, I wanted to help him get on the train," Eddy protested while Brett dragged him away from the man.
"He doesn't need your help, Eddy, he was a bad person," Brett answered, seemingly unbothered by his protests.
Eddy tugged his shirt back from Brett's grasp, still with that frown on his face. "How did you know he was a bad person?"
"Instincts."
"Your instincts aren't always right! You definitely trust your instincts too much."
Brett will never reveal to him why it was always right. It would freak him out. But he was always there to protect his best friend from those kind of people. He believed that was his duty as a clairvoyant friend to his energy-attracting friend.
Back to the ghost-seeing ability of Brett, ever since he had been friends with Eddy, he was seeing the ghosts more clearly. They didn't look faded at all, in fact, sometimes, he couldn't tell them apart from real living people. That scared him the most. The last thing he wanted was to make a grave mistake and acknowledge a spirit.
Brett could not understand why he was given this ability. No one in his family could see supernatural entities and auras like him. He would assume it was hereditary, but they didn't have any history of clairvoyance or mediums, that's for sure.
Even so, he kept his unbothered nature whenever he encountered a ghost. But this time, it was getting harder and harder for him.
"Breeeeeeeeett!"
"It's too early for you to be screaming directly into my ears," Brett rubbed his eyes and winced at the sunlight coming from his windows. "Why are you this excited, anyway?"
"Well, sorry! But, I was going to send you a link! It looks like you just woke up so I'll just catch you later..."
"No, you can tell me now while I get ready," Brett said, yawning and heading straight into his bathroom.
He could hear the other line go silent for a while but then there were utensils clinking, "Oops.. got hungry, but anyway, I was going to tell you about that restaurant that just opened yesterday. It has conveyer sushi, we should try it out after school. Only if you don't have club activities, of course."
"Thankfully, no. Coach said out team had enough practice and let us get some rest, we can go."
"Yeyy! We should, we should."
"Even if I said no, you still wouldn't pass on sushi, I bet you'd be ready to drag me there from my basketball practice," Brett teased.
"Hey! You know, I always respect and listen to your decisions!"
Brett rinsed his mouth after brushing, "What about you? Don't you have club activities, too?" He opened the cabinet and shut it.
Brett gasped quietly and took a step back. There was someone standing behind him, a lady dressed in white. He shouldn't react and must stay calm. Eddy was still talking in the other line.
"Oh, I finished all my work early just so we could try out this comveyer sushi restaurant. That's a good job for me."
There was a long pause so Eddy talked again, "Breeeett? You there?! Are you in the shower?! I don't hear anything, though."
Brett was still frozen but he came to his senses and grabbed his phone, run out of the bathroom and closed it behind him.
"Yeah, still here. Listen, I gotta go, I'll see you at school," Brett panted, hovering his finger at the end call button. He didn't want Eddy to hear him panicking about a ghost so early in the morning.
Eddy moved around and finally answered back, "Oh, okay! See you at school! Don't be late!"
He didn't know if he had the guts to use that bathroom again until the lady in white would leave. He quickly got ready and ate his breakfast.
"Brett? Are you in a hurry?" His mother suddenly asked, noticing Brett rushing to eat his food.
He finally had the courage to look around, the lady in white had moved behind his brother.
"Y-yeah, o-oh, no, I am not. I just like the food you made, mom, it's appetizing," Brett tried his best not to stare at the lady. It noticed him and rushed to his side. Brett exhaled, it was so close to his own face.
This had never happened before, it only started when he became close with Eddy. The spirits started noticing his presence and checking if he could see them. Brett got up in a hurry and put on his bag.
"I promised Eddy to meet early so, u-uh I am actually going!"
His brother looked at him, puzzled, "I just heard you two talking earlier..."
"Well! Bye! I am going!" He ignored him and closed the door. He sighed in relief when he was finally out of the lady's sight. He thought his family would be all right since they couldn't see the lady. The ghosts that shows up to him normally don't torment anyone else, they just observe intently.
But his visions did not stop there, on his way to school, a kid almost run him over with his bike. The kid apologized continuously even though Brett had assured him it was all right. He took a glance at the wheel of the boy's bicycle.
He could see little people that looked like elves on the wheels, twisting and turning it, basically toying with it. So that was why the boy lost his balance.
He stopped the boy, "You should pray, in a nearby church, to avoid accidents like this from happening, bring your bike."
The boy looked confused, "Okay... I'll do that. I am sorry again."
Before he could see another monstrosity, he spotted Eddy right around the corner, waving at him. Already too happy and energetic early in the morning.
"Look at this snack I bought on the way here! It's smokey!" Eddy brought the snack close to Brett's face to show him.
"That looks real good," Brett commented.
"You're pretty early today," The other said, taking a huge bite on his snack. "I normally would've had two snacks already by the time I see you but now I have only bought the first one."
Brett shrugged, "Well, I guess I am excited to see you today then."
Eddy's eyes widened, "You really mean that?"
"I do."
"I knew you love me, you were just denying it!"
The boy frowned, "When have I ever denied it?"
Eddy paused for a second, "Actually, never. Because I never brought it up before."
Brett hummed in response. They both continued walking and surprisingly, one snack already satiated Eddy's morning hunger.
They finally reached school and waited inside the room until their teacher shows up for the first class.
"Turn your textbooks to page seven... I'll read the paragraph and you'll join me afterwards."
Brett looked to his side, he noticed Eddy was laying down on his book, not doing anything. He nudged him awake and whispered, "Eddy! Now's not the time to be sleeping during class!"
Eddy grunted softly and turned to his side, "Breeett.... I don't feel so good..."
Brett observed him, he could no longer see his aura, which was honestly concerning as Eddy's usual aura was powerful enough to flash him blindly. He stared at Eddy in concern as Eddy held his head.
"My head hurts, and my body, too," He whispered back.
When Brett turned to his side towards the window, he almost threw up. There was a giant black mist with one eye, looking at him. He gulped and pretended he was looking at something else outside. The black mist wouldn't go and Brett couldn't sit there any longer.
Eddy was still groaning in pain and he couldn't just leave him like that.
"Mr. Yang? Is there any business in there that you have that you would wanna share the class?" The teacher noticed he was no longer listening to the lecture.
Brett took this chance and slammed the table, standing up. Everyone in class was staring at him, in surprise.
"I will take Eddy to the nurse's office, he feels sick."
The teacher blinked twice, "Okay, you may go and take him. But do not forget the excuse letters."
Brett held Eddy's arm and escorted him out of the class to the nurse's office. It wasn't that far but Eddy was writhing in pain and nobody seemed to care in that class. Brett was also glad that he was away from the black mist staring at him, he thanked Eddy for that.
When Eddy was seated inside the nurse's office, the school doctor checked him but saw no signs of anything. The doctor signed their excuse letters for the class and let Eddy rest inside the clinic.
"Maybe you were just hungry? Would you like me to get something for you to eat?" Brett asked.
"No, I don't feel like eating right now, it's as if I just lost all my energy, it's weird..." Eddy muttered.
"Hm, it did seem like that..." Brett thought for a moment, then it clicked, Eddy's aura disappearing. With an aura that powerful and attractive, it could only mean he has been attracting all sorts of malevolent spirits towards him. It's possible they had been feeding off of his energy.
Brett got his wallet and told Eddy to stay there. He bought all different kinds of drinks and food he thinks Eddy would like. As soon as Eddy started eating, he immediately felt better. That only confirmed Brett's suspicions. Those spirits were feeding off of his best friend's aura. That was also probably why he kept seeing them clearly lately as well. Since they were attracted to Eddy's energy and had been going stronger because of him.
He need to put an end to this, if he won't be able to do something to get the spirits off of Eddy, he would stay sick, or worse, he didn't know what would happen.
If these were spirits taunting his friend like the one he saw at the window earlier, it means they would have to go through religious protective measures to stop them from latching onto Eddy.
While Eddy was enjoying his snacks, he made a quick research on where and how he could get Eddy to do a purification.
"Eddy... I was wondering if you're free this weekend," Brett asked, suddenly.
"Yeah, I am always free, why?" Eddy tilted his head, questioning.
"Great, I'd like to invite you somewhere."
"Where?"
Brett showed him the picture of the place. It was a church, maybe he could ask help from the priests and spiritual advisors there.
Eddy frowned, "I am not sure if these are one of your bizarre interests or you're asking me to marry you?"
"A bizarre interest."
"Aw, you know I'd always support you on your interests, Bretty! No matter how strange it may be. This one doesn't seem too strange, though. A church time sounds fun! I'd learn a lot there," Eddy agreed.
Brett sighed in relief and smiled back at Eddy.
On their way home, he was glad that he could see some of Eddy's aura back from the meal they had back at the conveyer sushi restaurant. He should tell Eddy to eat more later to bring his energy back.
Brett waited near the pedestrian lane for the signal to walk. He could feel a presence of another person walk beside him.
"Hey, kid, is this the pedestrian lane?" The voice asked, it sounded raspy and old. Maybe, it was an old man, Brett had thought. He was about to answer the man but then it hit him, there was a putrid smell from somewhere. He covered his nose and used his peripheral vision to observe the man more clearly.
He cursed at himself, it was ghost! It was trying to trick him to acknowledge it! The signal finally turned red and Brett rushed to the other side. He could still feel the ghost trailing right behind him, but when it noticed it couldn't get something out of Brett, it changed directions.
He leaned back against the wall and gasped for air.
'That was terrifying! Why do I have to see ghosts? Why me? It's affecting me!' His thoughts ran wild inside his mind. The ghost sightings never seemed to stop, they were scattered everywhere.
He flinched hard when his phone rang in his pocket.
"Breeeeeett! I am home! Are you home, already?"
Brett leaned back, "Not yet, I am catching the train, though."
"Oh! I see! Are you okay? You sound shaken up? Something wrong? Breathe twice if you're getting kidnapped or threatened," Eddy asked, worriedly.
"No, I am fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"If you're absolutely sure then good by–"
Brett started walking towards the train station, "Actually, can you stay in the phone with me till I get home? I need a distraction from the noises." It was half-true, he really needed a distraction but not from the noises.
Eddy's whole demeanor lit up and he started telling a bunch of stories while Brett went on the train.
He chose a seat near the entrance so it would be easier to exit the train. He closed his eyes, he could feel them, every single one of them. But he didn't want to look. He gathered himself and focused on Eddy's stories, trying his best to reply to him. Crowded places like these were not really Brett's strongest suit and Eddy knew that. But he didn't know the truth on why Brett hated public spaces.
It was mainly because in crowded places, ghosts tend to blend much easier and he didn't want to make a mistake by acknowledging them accidentally. So, what he does is that he just ignore everything around him. It had never bothered him before but now that they were clearer and more intrusive to his space, he had to do something.
"Brett? Are you sure you're okay? Don't need me to pick you up or something?"
He sighed, "I am sure, thanks for doing this all the time."
"Of course. I can't just leave you struggling by yourself alone!"
He chuckled, "You just have a habit of helping people in need. You sure do attract a lot of people in need."
"Did you just admit you're attracted to me? Am I being confessed on right now? Finally?"
Brett rolled his eyes, "Whatever."
"Oop- Bretty, my mom's calling me to help in the backyard, I'll call you back, I promise!"
"It's okay, go help. I'll be fine, my stop is close," After some consoling, he hung up the phone and sighed to himself. At the right time, the train doors opened and he exited.
He went on the bridge, as he was too tired to cross the traffic below.
As he was going down the stairs, he noticed an old woman sitting by it. He figured it was a homeless person and decided not to bother her. When he reached where the woman was sitting, she grabbed his leg, almost making him trip.
He swallowed hard, it was a ghost. The hand touching him was incredibly chilly.
'If you were an ordinary person passing by, you wouldn't even see she grabbed your foot, so keep going and don't mind it,' He said internally.
His house was really close and he didn't want to panic now.
As soon as he got home, he showered and changed his clothes. The lady in white was nowhere to be found in the house which he was grateful for. He hopped on his bed and texted Eddy.
<EDDY CHEN>
<BRETT: Hey, I am home. Still alive, unfortunately.>
<EDDY: Fortunately! Glad you're safe.>
<BRETT: You still up for going to the church?>
<EDDY: Of course! I am already looking forward to it. Maybe, I'll choose an outfit later. What color do you think would be most respectful when going to the church?>
<BRETT: I don't know. Maybe white?>
<EDDY: It's your interest, Bretty. How do you not know? Well if you say so, I am going with white!>
<BRETT: You can wear any color except red, that's just it.>
<EDDY: Ooh I see, because of the devil and stuff. Ok! Can't wait!>
<EDDY: [Sent a sticker]>
<BRETT: Don't forget to eat more...>
<EDDY: You already said that to me five times this day. I am eating more! I am feeling better, anyway, so no worries.>
<BRETT: Good. You should keep doing it until you feel like 100% yourself again.>
<EDDY: You worry about me more than my mom do, it's funny.>
<BRETT: It's for your own good.>
<EDDY: You stole that line from my mom, again.>
He almost dropped his phone when somebody knocked on his door. Brett stayed still for a moment, he didn't want to get tricked by a ghost again by acknowledging that he could hear it knocking. At the same time, he couldn't believe how paranoid he had gotten over this ability.
"Brother? You there?" The person behind the door finally spoke.
That's when Brett stood up and opened the door, "Why?"
"I saw this, probably fell from your bag," His brother handed him a bracelet. It was broken.
Brett held it, he felt something bad from it. "This is Eddy's." The longer he held it, the more it burnt his skin until he flinched from it and dropped it on the ground. His brother looked at him funny before leaving him alone.
He really needed to take his best friend to the church.