"Haffner..." Jupiter whined, her voice echoing through the phone. "Haffner, pleaaaseee..."
Haffner gripped at the pocket of his work uniform, smile twisted oddly as he tried to hide his laughter, though anyone looking into the break room would be able tell from his facial expression and the way his shoulders were trembling. "Did, did you--" he couldn't help but wheeze, "--did you forget your keys again...?"
She made a pitiful attempt at a growl before pleading again, "Haffnerrr... c'mon man I can't stay out here forever, AGAIN..."
Haffner cackled and switched his phone to his other hand. "Well, I can't leave work AGAIN to go and hand you my keys. And doubly unfortunate for you, I'm not working at a cafe that you can hang around at till my shift ends." He sighs, but laughs again when Jupiter whines again.
"Aww... fine, goddamnit. I'll come and borrow your keys and then go home again. Sigh..."
"You're such a dork, sighing verbally."
"Yeah, yeah, fuck you too. I'll see you in twenty."
"See ya."
Elliot's partner was his whole world, but after Allan's death, his ghost haunts Elliot's dreams. Everyone tells Elliot to move on, but he isn't sure he can.
*****
It's been a year since the love of Elliot's life, Allan, passed away. Everyone thinks he should have recovered after that much time, but Allan still haunts Elliot every night. He struggles to maintain relationships with his family, and despite a coworkers interest he can't summon up the courage to date. Elliot is living for the past, because to live for the present means he'll have to live with a hole in his heart. But the question Elliot has to face chases him through his monotonous days: is mourning Allan with everything he has truly living?
[[word count: 40,000-50,000 words]]