"Fifteen complaints, two incident reports and the day shift are getting a little testy," Shirley listed, a thoughtful frown as she handed the stack of paperwork to Ernie. "Seriously, this is the most eventful two weeks in years Ern."

Ernie sighed, rubbing his temples and mumbling under his breath. Eventually he looked up at his co-worker. "What do you think of this?"

"I mean - I like the ghost but…"

"Boxes," Ernie agreed. "Jim says the same thing. Box Ghost does decent work but he can get distracted and hyper-fixate on certain things." Ernie sighed again, looking at the setting sun before the next shift. "I swore I heard him apologize to a box when he cut it open and burst into tears."

Shirley gave him a chastising smile. "But that's part of his charm, no? He's quite a softie."

"This is going to get us in hot water if it continues," Ernie told her. "Is that really it? Just the box obsession?"

Shirley looked over her notes again, skimming them quickly while squinting. "Looks like it." Her eyes glanced up to her boss. "Ernie, you're not ending his probation are you?"

Ernie's brow furrowed. "Don't want to," he said, putting the top of the pile on his desk as he read on. "But maybe we can do something about this box schtick."

"How?"

Ernie saw a distant black and white blur across the city streaking through the sky and let out a low chuckle.

"He does have a killer reference."

:-=-:

"How old are you now?" Box Ghost asked.

Danny looked up from the paper from where he floated, frowning. "17 remember? You wrecked my birthday dinner a few months back."

The Box Ghost shook his head. "Not your human years," he said. He gestured to the boy in front of him. "This you. Phantom."

Danny's face scrunched his face. "Oh, um… I got my powers three years ago. So… three?" The Box Ghost nodded. "Are you saying in the eyes of the ghost zone I'm a toddler?"

"We measure growth based on ectoplasm," he replied with a shrug. "Also through obsessions. I was just wondering when yours kicked in."

Danny froze in confusion. "I don't have one," he said evenly. "At least, I don't think I have one." He shuddered under Box Ghost's gaze, unnerved. "What?"

The Box Ghost chuckled. "I forgot how it sneaks up on you," he said wistfully. "The freedom that gets taken away."

Danny's legs crossed as he sat in the air. "What do you mean?"

The Box Ghost frowned. "No one's told you?"

"Told me what?"

The Box Ghost sighed. "Obsessions are formed when you reach a certain ectoplasmic level. If you tend to do the same thing from time to time, your obsession over that thing will grow. The higher the ectoplasmic level, you may develop more than one, just like how you can develop more than one core."

Danny's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. Rubbing the back of his head nervously he asked, "And when does that happen usually?"

"It should have happened already."

The statement hit him like a punch to the gut. "Oh."

The Box Ghost held up his hands. "I meant, one should have happened already. Probably two -given your abilities, but who knows? You may escape it."

Danny nodded mutely, lost in thought at the ghost's words. The sat in silence, Box Ghost eating a sandwich that presumably the Lunch Lady made for him as the younger ghost brooded. "What was it like for you?" he asked quietly.

Box Ghost paused in the middle of a bite, red eyes glancing over at the boy. "I think it was something in my past," he replied. "Not sure why it's even boxes. The love for them fuels my core energy. It was slow at first… manifesting in my powers. Before long, it was all I could think about."

Danny swallowed hard. "There's no way to suppress it?"

The Box Ghost barked a laugh. "Kid, if I could do that, I wouldn't have asked for your help getting this job." He glanced at his watch. "Speaking of which, I should be heading back. Thanks for the company. Beware!" With a small set of jazz hands, the Box Ghost dived into the warehouse, leaving Danny alone with his thoughts.

He looked down at his hands with a steady frown, mulling over the ghost's words. The small nagging feeling appeared at the back of his mind again, pulling him toward something. "Do I have one?" he whispered worriedly, opening and closing his hands. The wind made his hair dance slightly in the air as he shook his head. I'll worry about it when the time comes.

He sighed, floating upwards as he made to leave.

"Hey Phantom!"

Danny twitched in the air, frowning at the urgency in Ernie's tone. He turned, looking down at the man from the window. "Oh, hey Ernie."

"Come down here, I want to chat."

Danny sighed, floating lower toward the ground with a reserved expression. Not a good sign.

He floated toward the dock apprehensively, waiting until Ernie made his appearance. When the foreman appeared, his face was agitated, worn and definitely fed up.

He only needed one guess to figure out the reason.

"What'd he do?" Danny asked sardonically.

Ernie was taken aback for a moment before looking away slightly. "It's… not something he did," he corrected. "More… something he will not do." Ernie eyed the boy cautiously before sighing. "He won't stop with the boxes."

Danny blinked twice. "You realize his name is the Box Ghost right?" he retorted sarcastically.

Ernie frowned at the tone. "Which would be fine if that didn't affect his work."

Danny became more defensive, landing on the ground and arms crossed. "Okay, so he's what? Levitating boxes? Screaming 'BEWARE' everywhere he goes? I need more context here."

Ernie sighed. "He's possessive about the boxes," the man told him. "He won't let us open the shipments right away because we're 'harming´ them, when he does a delivery we always get a complaint and he's driving Jim up the wall popping up from boxes."

Danny's frown deepened. "And you want me to…?"

"Get him to deal with his obsession with boxes."

Danny's form stiffened, eyes wide in anger. "What?" he breathed.

Ernie carried on, not realizing something had shifted. "You heard me. The box thing has been gone too far. He needs to –"

"Stop."

The word held such authority that Ernie finally paused, looking at the ghost for the first time.

Danny's eyes were a dark green, hands curled into fists as he spoke. "Do you realize what you're asking?" he asked quietly. "What that would do?"

Ernie watched apprehensively as he breathed deeply, suppressing his anger with a long breath. "I've put my foot in my mouth haven't I?"

"Just give me a sec," the boy said, letting out another deep breath. His hard glare found Ernie's confused eyes. "Obsessions aren't something you just 'deal with.' It's like…" Danny looked up, wracking his brain for an analogy. "You know how there are rules that say you can't fire someone who has a disability?" Ernie, unsure of the turn in conversation, nodded. "Like that. You can't just fire someone 'cause they act different or say weird things."

Ernie sighed. "Kid, I'm not firing the Box Ghost," he said gently. "We had a deal and he does good work when he's not… well…"

Danny's infamous eyebrow rose slightly. "Being ghostly?"

"Sure, let's go with that."

Danny sighed. "Okay so obsessions… they're kind of like a disability…" he said slowly, unsure of his words. His hands clenched in and out as he tried to find a way to describe what he meant. "Like… his brain is wired that way… there's no way he can change that, even if he tried." Green eyes found brown. "He can't help it. No ghost can. I'm actually afraid of when mine kicks in."

"Yours hasn't?"

Ernie regretted the question as Danny's aura flared. "No," he said with finality.

Ernie sighed. "Okay so… out of curiosity… what happens when they try to control their urges a little?" When Danny's eyes narrowed, Ernie's hands flew up. "Sorry, insensitive, got it."

Danny's hand went to the back of his head. "It's… fine," he said awkwardly. "I'm still trying to understand it myself. At least you're asking." The teen sighed. "I'm not sure… but in doing that you're basically asking Boxy to change everything about himself. How he thinks, how he acts, how he speaks just for him to fit in."

Ernie frowned at the unwanted feelings stirring in the back of his mind. "Don't want that."

Danny looked out on the pier to the water. "Yeah," he said softly. "I wouldn't either."

They stood in silence for a few minutes, listening as the tide started to rush inward.

"Have you gotten to know him?" Danny asked suddenly, making the man jump in surprise.

"A little," Ernie replied. "He's quiet, seems to be a little nervous with the others still."

Danny nodded, frowning slightly. "Nervous how?"

"He doesn't use his powers much, except during times with the boxes. I think it freaks the rest of them out." Ernie looked up in thought and chuckled. "Well, maybe not Carl. That boy seems fascinated with you ghosts."

"Ah."

Ernie looked over at the teen's concerned face and chuckled slightly. "You're acting like a concerned mom again."

The ghost's face lit up in red. "I am not!" he exclaimed hotly.

"You are."

"Am not."

Ernie grinned as Danny crossed his arms and pouted. "Look, it's good that you want to look out for him. He's lucky to have a friend like you Phantom."

Danny blinked, glancing at Ernie from the corner of his eye. "I guess," he muttered reluctantly. "You'll try and give Boxy a little more patience?"

Ernie gave him a genuine smile. "Now that I know, yeah. I'll let Shirley know too. That may help get everyone a little more used to him. Though I don't think Jim can take any more packing peanut surprises." At the boy's uneasy gesture Ernie gave him a thumbs up. "Leave it to me kid. He'll be fine."

:-=-:

"Oi! Boxy! Pay attention!"

The Box Ghost jerked up, finding Jim struggling with a large crate. The ghost flew over, grabbing it from the man before putting it down. The older man sighed in relief, grabbing the side of it and sagging.

"Thanks."

Boxy frowned, shifting awkwardly at the appreciation. "You're welcome."

Jim's eyes looked the ghost over with a thoughtful frown, watching as his red eyes rested on the crowbar.

He can't help it Ernie had told him, leaving no room for argument. Compromise - see if you can work with him a little more. Don't just be a grumpy asshole to him.

Jim sighed. "Do you have a better idea?" he asked gruffly.

Box Ghost jumped, startled at the question. "What?"

"A better idea," Jim gestured to the crate. "To open this thing?" His patience was thinning.

"You're… asking me?" Box Ghost asked.

"See anyone else around?"

The Box Ghost frowned, looking between his co-worker and the crate in thought. "I…. could make it intangible?"

Jim blinked into the awkward silence that followed. When the ghost didn't elaborate he followed up. "Intangibility? Like… going through stuff?"

The Box Ghost nodded. "I could make the side intangible and have the contents spill out?"

Jim snorted. "Fuck that, I don't want to clean up a spill. Isn't there a more organized way?"

"Like protect the package while taking away the box?" Jim nodded. Boxy frowned in thought, floating above the crate and tracing the edges of it. "I could maybe make the whole crate intangible? That way it'd stay together. What do you think?" Box Ghost looked at the crate, floating around the top of it as he considered its contents, waiting for Jim's response.

Jim sighed. "Let's give it a shot."

"Really?"

Jim rolled his eyes. "Yes really. I'm tired, sore and definitely do not want pry open this box if I can help it."

Box Ghost touched the crate hesitantly, expecting the man to tell him off any second. In one swift motion, the ghost lifted the crate revealing the entire palette of new books for Skulk and Lurk. Boxy put the crate next to Jim, coming to float next to him and hovered nervously.

"Not bad," Jim said, a small hint of awe in his voice. "Maybe we can use those powers of yours to help speed up our efficiency." He shot a small grin toward the Box Ghost. "And maybe we can stop destroying some of those boxes you love."

Boxy's eyes widened at the man's words. "We can save the Boxes?"

Jim snorted, scratching his face. "You can save the boxes - it'd get a little crowded if we don't get rid of them somehow. But this will help with dust run shifts and unpacking. Think you can go grab the next crate on your own while I start on this?"

"On it," Box Ghost replied a wide grin. He dashed out of the warehouse onto the dock, heading for the next shipping container. As he floated through the container, he hummed slightly to himself as he picked up the next crate.

"What are you doing?"

The Box Ghost jumped, turning at the new voice. Skulker floated before him, arms crossed and a look of utter confusion on his face.

"Oh, hi Skulker," Box Ghost said flippantly. He frowned at the ghost's appearance but continued through the container back toward the warehouse.

"Seriously," the hunter ghost continued, following him. "What are you doing?"

"I work here," Boxy replied simply, ignoring the eyes now following the pair as they continued through the warehouse back to Jim.

"You work here?" Skulker asked incredulously. "You. Working?!"

"Yes," Box Ghost replied. He placed the crate behind Jim, who had turned at the commotion and swore loudly.

"Working… for money?"

Jim frowned at the other ghost's tone, watching their interaction closely as Box Ghost made another crate intangible. "Friend of yours?" he asked. Boxy shrugged.

"Some days," he replied. "What do you want Skulker? I'm busy."

"Busy… working? For… money? From this warehouse?"

"Yes, is that so hard to believe?" Box Ghost paused, finally turning to face the ghost.

Skulker grinned. "Yes actually. You're literally the ghost that no one wants around. How did you manage to get a job anywhere?"

Box Ghost frowned at the dig. "I had a reference."

Skulker laughed heartedly, making the entire warehouse stop and stare. Ernie came out from the office, calculating the commotion with a small frown. "You had a reference? What human would give you a reference?

Before the Box Ghost could reply, a crow bar hit Skulker with a loud clang.

"Do you fucking mind?" Jim growled, stomping his way over the two ghosts. "All I want to do is get this shipment unpacked then eat my lunch. Stop harassing my co-worker and screw off somewhere."

Green eyes narrowed at the human. "You dare to speak to the ghost zone's greatest -"

Skulker was hit with an exactoknife this time. "You heard me. All you ghosts do is show up and wreck the place. Box Ghost is part of the team and you harassing him means we won't finish on time. Fuck. Right. Off."

Skulker bristled, eyes narrowing and lingered on the Box Ghost for a moment. "Fine," Skulker bit out. "But I'll be back." The hunter ghost flew out of the warehouse.

"Please don't be," Jim grumbled, crossing his arms as he looked up into the ceiling.

"Jim…" Boxy started.

"Don't," Jim said, putting up a hand. "Not yet."

Confused, Box Ghost stared at the man. Jim shakily brought himself down to the ground, breathing hard with wide eyes. "Jim?"

The man let out a bark of laughter, making the Box Ghost jump in the air. "Well," he said. "Never thought I'd do that."

"Do what?"

"Stand up to a ghost." Jim laughed again. "I threw… I threw a crowbar at him. It hit him."

"Jim?"

Jim looked up at the Box Ghost with a manic smile on his face. "Well - if he tries to murder me in my sleep you've got my back right friend?"

The Box Ghost didn't think he could smile so wide.