He slumped back on the park bench, his hood falling off revealing the silver hair he kept neatly braided. He sighed, letting his sycthes dissipate into stardust. The amount of work for a reaper in a land considered the afterlife baffled him.

“Adrien! My man! What the hell ya doin here?!”

He opened his eyes to see the wide wolf skull grin of his ghostly companion, “Luz, and for a second I thought I’d have a moment of peace.”

He chuckled, floating around to join him on the bench, “And let you miss out on the fun? Nu uh.”

He chuckled, “Do we have to?”

Luz looked almost offended, and repeated his question in a mocking tone, “Yea we hafta dummie. What? Is Mr big shot bridge walker too good to see his friends?”

Adrien sighed, sitting up finally, he ran his hands over his face, feeling the exposed bone on his cheeks, “Alright alright fine. But first round is on you.”

“Hey you’re the money bags why’s it gotta be on me?”

They stepped into the tavern side by side, only to be greeted with an equally tired and energetic combo.

Luz took the brunt of the intro, embracing their friends, “Marie, Writer, what’s up?!”

Marie gave him a punch to, or rather through his shoulder, “Not much, you just missed the show though.”

Adrien looked up to the stage, “You were singing tonight?”

“Just the one.” She shrugged, “The ol boss just knows I rake in the cash.”

He looked to Writer and gave her a smile, she had even deeper eye bags than he did. Her eyes lit up instantly though, and he felt a sinking feeling form in his gut.

She grabbed one of his hands and pulled him away from everyone, “Adrien! I’ve been wanting you to try something all day come here.”

His head was instantly spinning, how could anyone possibly have this much energy? Before he knew it there was a drink in his hand and he was doing shots of purple liquid with probably the most unhinged person he’s ever had the pleasure of meeting. When he looked at her again her eyes were the same tint as the drink, and he wondered if his had changed to match. She just laughed and pulled him to the center of the tavern again, yanking him around in the drunken crowd and somehow making a dance out of it. Somewhere off to the side he could hear Marie and Luz hollering and cheering them on. Every spin or turn he would catch their smiling faces for a moment before they were gone again and replaced with Writer’s.

She pulled him close, speaking in a hushed yell sort of voice, “Luz told me you’ve been worked to the bone… er… figuratively speaking.”

He snickered, “Yeah, can’t say I’ve had it easy. You know how the boss is.”

“Yea and I know how _you_ are too.” She gave him an intense look, “I just thought it was bout time you loosened up a little.” She spun him around again, “Like that.”

He felt his face grow hotter, “Well I, guess I have been having a good time.”

She looked him up and down, her eyes narrowing, “Not good enough, you’re gonna have the best time when I’m through with you.”

He laughed as she began pulling at him again, “Wait Writer, it’s fine, where are we going?!”

Marie sat back in their usual booth watching as they disappeared into the crowd once more, “So when exactly was she gonna tell him all this?”

“Oh you know how she is.”

Marie sighed, “Stubborn? Yeah I’m familiar.”

Luz slugged back a shot, the liquid fading into his ghostly form, “Give ‘em time. She’ll tell em she loves em eventually.”

“I bet you a round he confesses to her first.”

Luz perks up, “Oh you’re on!”