/waves. this chapter's about 150 words shorter than the others. idk how i feel about it, there's some mood whiplash for sure. i tried to keep the two as IC as possible, but spence feels a bit out of it. Again, ectofeature is endgame. here you go friend.

Spencer had stopped crying. He sulked to the other side of the room, sniffling away any stray tears. He knew in his heart that Billy hadn't meant anything bad, that his intentions were probably good in whatever strange scale of morality Billy had. That didn't change the fact that Spencer did not exactly approve of his actions. If Billy thought that he was getting off the hook for this, that Spencer was just going to drop everything, crawl into his arms, and grant him his forgiveness then he had another thing coming.

Through gritted teeth he hissed at his friend "What were you thinking? Of all the selfish, impulsive things you had to go and," Spencer's arms flitted in the air, as if trying to grasp the words he was at a loss for, "and make me like this!"

Billy narrowed his eyes at his friend. Can't he see how much better it is this way? How much happier he'll be? "I made you like that" he gestured to Spencer much in the same way he had just gestured to himself, "because I care about you and I want you to be happy."

"Oh, real clever solution there," Spencer rolled his eyes, sarcasm dripping from his voice and arms crossed defensively. "Yeah, let's just ghostify him permanently while he's sleeping. Never mind his friends and family. Oh, and it's not like he has aspirations for a career or anything important like that."

Billy frowned. "Oh relax Spence, you think I didn't think about that?" He waved a hand dismissively. "Just give 'em some of your stuff, you'll be fine, cosbronaut ."

"Billy, that isn't the point-" Spencer started, only to be cut off by his friend.

"Spencer, tell me one thing, just one that you wanted to do that you can't do as a ghost"

"Uh, have kids," he deadpanned.

"Ok, two things."

"Become a famous director, you dolt!"

Billy waved a dismissive hand "Relax, lots of cool dudes become famous after they're dead. Like Vincent Van Bro, for example. "

Spencer sighed, "Let's say, for once, that your inane logic makes sense, and I do become famous because of my old short films. I'll never be able to produce anything new, you know."

"Sure you will, brosephous. Anything new you make can just be a 'recently discovered' Spencer Wright masterpiece!"

Billy's cheerful demeanor dissolved Spencer's anger slightly. He just couldn't stay mad at his idiot best friend.

"And," Billy continued, "You can always build up an image as a mysterious director working behind the scenes. Never seen, communicating only through cryptic e-mails and letters or texts. Think of what it'll do for your cred as a horror film director!"

Spencer had to admit, to his young and naïve brain, that idea did sound pretty appealing. He wasn't going to forgive Billy, not yet, it was too soon, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little bit more OK with the situation. He'd also be lying if he said he'd never wished for something like this to happen, but that was a long, long time ago, before he'd even met Billy.

Two days had passed. Spencer decided that while Billy was still on his own version of the "Cobra Enemy List" he wouldn't hold a grudge against him. Friends were friends, even when one friend makes a really wonk decision.

No one came up to Spencer's room, which he thought was a little odd, but both he and Billy were ok with that. Spencer didn't think he could handle seeing his family's sullen faces just yet, and it allowed Billy and Spencer to maintain a semi-normal routine of videogames and movies. He wondered if his family heard the TV from down stairs, if they liked to pretend that Spencer was still with them in a corporal form, just choosing not to interact. He told himself that that was what they were doing. Pretending he was still in a living body. Eventually he would have to let them know of his ghostly form, it was only fair, but right now was not the time.

Currently, Spencer was playing a rousing game of Grave Puncher IV and Billy was off meandering around somewhere, doing who knows what. He was about to pull of an amazing combo when his concentration was interrupted by Billy Joe Cobra himself phasing up through the floor in front of him.

Spencer paused his game and Billy greeted him with a lazy "Heeeey brofessor," followed by an oddly caring "How ya feeling?"

Spencer huffed and dropped his controller off to the side, crossing his translucent arms in front of him. Billy was glad his friend was even giving him the time of day, but at the same time he felt like it was worth it. His Spencer, his bro, looked so right. The ethereal glow and the way his feet never quite touched the ground, no matter how hard he tired just seemed so normal, so fitting, so natural to Billy. "Better, I guess," was his friend's reply. "You know," he whined, "if you wanted me to stay a ghost, you could've just asked." It was the lack of consent that rubbed Spencer the wrong way.

Billy laughed nervously and hovered over to Spencer's side, "Well, you know I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry bro. I just thought… it would be better this way."

"Once again I fail to understand your logic" Spencer rolled his eyes. "But, what's done is done." He sat up. The past two days he'd been slumped in that chair, fearful of what his new life would bring him. He turned to his friend. "Listen, Billy," he started, "I still don't approve of what you did, but I can't hole myself up in here forever, you know? And, I miss hanging out and getting into trouble with you and Rajeev." Billy grinned, liking the direction of this conversation. "So for now, tentatively, I'd say you're forgiven."

"Alright!" Billy wrapped Spencer in a full body hug before holding the boy at arm's length away from him. "That's great! And just in time for your funeral too!" Billy looked about ready to somersault with joy, but Spencer could feel his face falling.

All he could do was let out an astonished whisper "My what-?"