Work Text:
Bernard ‘Bulldog’ Browns or Beebs as his friends would call him was a man cursed with hardship, born missing his right arm above the shoulder he had to work twice as hard to get by. It didn’t help that his living space was cumbersome to him, a one bedroom studio apartment that he had to squeeze in and out of.
So when he had inherited a manor from a distant relative he thought it was a sign of change for the better. It wasn’t until he saw the manor’s disheveled condition that he was mistaken. But by hook or by crook he’ll make it work, he begins to do some work on it while hiring some contractors. From the wiring getting fixed to the flooring getting changed he could see the manor change to a humble lil place of his own. As he sat down to read his book, he heard the water running in the kitchen.
“Did I forget to turn off the water?” He thought, getting up to check. Peeking his head he saw that the sink was about to overflow, he turned off the water pulling the plug to let it drain. Once he left he came back to notice that his book was gone.
He groans as he looks for it, crouching down he thought that he’d dropped it. Getting back up it was on the coffee table, he took it before seeing that the page he bookmarked was moved making him re-trace his place.
This was the usual going ons at the browns manor, Beebs would be working on fixing the house when suddenly the back of his neck hair tingled as though he was being secretly observed by. No matter where he went in the house he would feel uneasy and look behind his shoulder.
“It’s probably just nerves.” He thought to himself as he went to bed
As he tried to sleep he would hear noises. Bumps in the night, hollow moans drifting through the hall, the sound of things being moved around. He got up to find the source of the ruckus, as he walked through the hallway he spotted a translucent black mass emerge from the wall, cross the floor, and disappear into the living room.
Running after it he turned on the lights to reveal it to be an empty parlor, He shined his phone light everywhere but to no avail.
“It’s just my imagination… that’s all.” He said to himself.
The next morning after he installed wi-fi Beebs began to research history about the house he got, he sees an article about it being used as a hangout spot once. He heard the doorbell ring and got up, once he returned he saw that the computer was playing episodes of some old cartoon called el bandito.
Closing the page he went back to his research, reading more of the house's story made his eyes widen. How it was once a place where young adults of color would hang out before the police busted it, Many have escaped but few have been attacked.
Just as he was getting to the answers he needed, the computer froze before shutting off. He clenched his fist trying not to lose his cool.
“Fine, you wanna be like that?” He said to himself “We’ll be that way.” He leaves the computer as it goes back to playing cartoons.
As the evening rolled in the doorbell rang as he opened the door, Tanya and Ricky were at the door. Beebs noticed a box underneath Ricky’s arm letting the two in.
“This better be good browns,” She said “I was about to beat the third boss.”
“Thanks for coming you two, there’s been some weird stuff happening and…”
“Say no more!” Rick said interrupting Beebs before holding up the ouija board “I knew this would come in handy someday.” he smiles.
Beebs looked at Tanya with confusion before she rolled her eyes. “It was his idea.”
As the three of them placed their fingers on the planchette Ricky began to ask the spirit questions. It spelled out S-H-R-I-K-E, Tanya and Beebs were confused as Ricky kept the session going. He felt the hair on his neck stand on end again noticing the faintest outline of a hand moving the planchette to give out answers.
Suddenly the lights went out leaving them in the dark.
“If we angered you we apologized!”
“I’m not Sorry!”
“Guys it’s just the storm, There’s no such things as–”
Beebs was cut off by a loud bang as Tanya grabbed her friend leaving him all alone. Rising up from the floor was the black mass, he has never really been afraid of ghosts, but to be honest, this one kind of freaks him out.
The mass got closer to him; it stretched itself thin before shifting into a light tan young man with red eyes wearing a red zoot suit. His light brown hair combed back as he gave Beebs a smile.
“Tardaron en irse, hey there big guy.” The ghost said to him, floating nonchalantly.
Beebs was to say the least confused, he extended his hand to touch him.
“Are… Are you Shrike?”
“Yep, Santiago Sanchez… or Shrike if you like.” He winks “So why are you in my home?”
Beebs explained that he inherited the house and how he was fixing it up, as he was talking he noticed how Shrike was just listening to him as if he was the most interesting person in the world. The way he nodded to his every word, asking a few questions about his prosthetic, even complementing his eyes which made him blush a little.
Once he finished his explanation he felt more at ease with the ghost, less afraid and more interested.
“How about we make a compromise?” Beebs said “I fix up the manor so it can be comfortable and you can do whatever you want so long as you’re not hurting anyone.”
Shrike thought for a moment seeing the handy work that beebs did to the house, the parlor was given better furniture while the replaced windows brought more light in, not to mention that he can watch his favorite cartoons whenever he wanted.
He smiles, shaking his prosthetic hand, “You got yourself un compañero fantasma amigo!”
Beebs placed his hand over his ghostly roommate’s making it official.
“Speaking of, can I use your laptop thingie? I want to finish my cartoons.”
“Sure, do you mind if I watch it with you?”
“Heh Not at all.”