Like seeing a Ghost
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
AN: So I went back re-read and re-wrote this chapter due to format issues that was pointed out by a reviewer. I appreciate the constructive criticism because it will make me a better writer. Pretty soon I will go back and re-write all of my stories because I love this format better anyways, there is a better flow. Anyways nothing really changed storywise. The next chapter will take some time to come out, the reason being because I think that I know where I want to go with this but having a hard time getting it started. Anyways happy reading. Also there will be fluff.
The music was blaring and the lights were going, just another Saturday night at Delta Kappa Gamma; the party was in full swing. It was rush week or hell week for potential pledges, meaning that there were new faces hoping to get a spot in a fraternity or a sorority. In order to do so they would need to complete various tasks, mostly dares that were organized by the fraternities or sororities senior members. One such senior was Aster Bunnymund leaning on the second floor railing, he watched the scene before him with a very bored expression on his face. Every year it was the same thing why he had bothered coming back to the fraternity he had no idea. Coming out of his musings he decided to head down stairs to get a drink at least there would be no shortage of drinks in the house.
Making his way through the swaying bodies that were no longer on the dance floor, the bottom floor becoming clustered with students of all types. Everyone from freshman to seniors were there, and while the freshman were scoping out the fraternities and sororities, everyone else just there for the party. Eventually Aster made his way to the kitchen where there was an assortment of food and drinks.
Normally Aster was not one to drink alcohol but this last year has been very hard on him what with a death in the family and all; it hit him pretty badly. After a couple of minutes he had found his drink of choice, and proceeded to look for a bottle opener. The next thing that he knew he hears a crash at the front of the kitchen, and usually when there is a crash there is a possibility that some drunk had gotten hurt. With a sigh Aster set his drink down, and made his way to the front of the kitchen calling out to the poor soul that had gotten personal with the floor.
"Oi mate you okay down there?" called Aster to the body on the floor.
The next thing that he heard was a groan and when he reached the person, he froze it was as if he was seeing a ghost the kid certainly looked the part.
This was not his day at all first he gets locked out of his apartment, then his books were delivered to the wrong unit and it was a bitch to get them back from the owner of said unit. He gets dragged or rather guilt tripped to a party that he had no intention of going too, his friend ditched him at said party, and now he is currently on the floor with an audience of one who more than likely saw the whole thing.
"Oi mate you okay?" the disembodied voice asked. 'Great someone saw, what else can go wrong?' thought Jack.
Jack had opened his eyes and everything was fuzzy to say the least, just how hard did he hit his head anyways? As his vision was starting to clear up he had heard the voice again.
"Hey you okay down there?" At that point Jack's vision was starting to come into focus, and what filled his vision was not something that he was expecting to see. The person standing above him had the greenest eyes that he had ever seen; this person was also tan with tribal tattoos on his arms and lastly sported hair that appeared to be blue and silver being held back by a bandana. Jack looked at the young man owlishly some of the haze clearing up. Aster knelt down to Jack's level to inspect the damage, after all the fall that the younger man took was pretty hard, enough for him to hear a crack when his head hit the floor.
Once his vision cleared Jack started to get up off of the floor a little too fast for Aster's liking as he had put his hand on the younger man's chest to have him lay back down on the floor.
"Easy there mate ya went down pretty hard there" advised Aster.
"I'm fine can I get up now?" asked Jack.
"Not yet mate we're going to move through a couple of things first" Aster held up four fingers in front of Jack,
"How many fingers do you see?" asked Aster.
"I see four" replied Jack, and this went on for a couple of minutes with Aster throwing up different numbers for Jack to recite.
Next Aster lifted Jack's head slightly and felt around in the back to see if there were any injuries but there was a pretty good goose egg forming in the back of his skull, Aster did not see any blood but it didn't hurt to be sure. Once Aster deemed Jack to be okay he helped him up slowly, and made sure that he had proper footing before letting him go.
Jack got a good look at his fellow classmate and was surprised at how tall he was. Jack knew that he wasn't tall himself but this guy was definitely over six foot easy. What really caught his attention was just his appearance in general, if he had met this guy on the street he had no doubts that he would have been intimidated, but he seemed rather nice in the big brother kind of way.
Aster took a look at his fellow classmate to take in his appearance, he was kind of short but not too short; he came up to about the middle of Aster's chest. The young man had white hair and the bluest eyes that he had ever seen; he was also pretty pale. Aster had the thought that he may not be a native of the area like himself. What really caught his attention was his face, he could be identical to his late brother and they looked like they could be twins save for the hair and eyes.
Before both realized it they were staring at one another and looked away in that embarrassed fashion, Jack was the first to break the ice.
"So thanks for the help" said Jack as he had turned back to his medic.
"It's no problem mate I'm trained in first aid and head of the house hold. If anyone is injured on the grounds it's our responsibility to take care of em" explained Aster, "So are ya rushing this year?" inquired Aster.
"No I'm not, I have a friend who heard that there was a party tonight and she needed someone to come with her. Although in the end she ended up ditching me, probably found a guy she liked "explained Jack.
"Well if it is any of my boys she'll be in good hands, what does the sheila look like?" inquired Aster.
Jack described his friend from the colorful hair to the turquoise dress that she wore right down to the shoes and jewelry.
"In other words she is very eccentric but I love her" explained Jack.
"She must be pretty important to have a friend like you" said Aster.
"She's like my older sister and one of the reasons why I came to this college, plus I heard great things about their educational program" and it went like that for the rest of the night.
The two did nothing but talk eventually moving out from the kitchen to the outdoors where a small fire sat surrounded by chairs. They talked about their pasts where they came from. Jack was surprised that Aster really did come from Australia but from a young age. His family left due to having most of their family in the US and they had wanted to be closer.
"So we have been talking for three hours and I still don't know your name" explained Jack.
"Well I'm not the only one lacking manners seeing as how I don't know your name either mate" said Aster.
"Well my name is Jackson Overland Frost, but you can call me Jack" said Jack as he properly introduced himself.
"Very well since we are being completely honest, my name is Emerson Aster Bunnymund, but I go by Aster" said Aster.
"You do realize that your name literally spells Easter Bunny right?" laughed Jack,
"Oh rack off yours is no better what kind of a middle name is Overland anyways?" asked Aster. With that both males had broken up into laughter just simply enjoying each other's company. Before they knew it they had talked for a majority of the night well into the wee hours of the morning.
Jack was the first to yawn, his body signaling his brain that it was time for sleep; it was not something that had escaped Aster's keen eyes. Aster could not help but smile at his younger companion, and the brotherly instinct that made him want to care for the younger male.
"All right mate I think that it is time that ya head home, ya seem to be pretty tired" Aster said as Jack was giving another yawn.
"Dude you are so not my mom, not that you would want to be anyways" said Jack with a laugh while trying to stifle another yawn.
'Okay maybe the Aussie has a point I am starting to feel it' thought Jack.
"I may not be a mother to ya but I am an older brother and one that cares ta boot" explained Aster.
"You are?" asked Jack as this new bit of information caught his attention, as he was an older brother to two younger siblings. It was another thing that the two had in common and now that Jack knew this he was starting to think that falling on the floor was fate in a way.
"Yes I am. Have a brother named Zackary although he goes by Zack for short" Aster said animatedly.
"Nice how old is he anyways?" Jack asked with an excited laugh hoping that this Zack would be similar to his own siblings.
The question had made Aster flinch but Jack being a tired as he was did not catch the melancholy expression on his new friend's face.
"He's fifteen in his sophomore year of high school," Aster explained. He purposefully left out the fact that Zack was no longer among the living. Aster did not feel like re-exploring his brother's death all over again. For once in these 6 months he wanted to live in the past.