Jongin is really cute.

Like, he's super duper cute. Chanyeol just cannot get enough of him. Those misguided people who make disparaging remarks about black cats have no idea what they're missing and obviously don't love themselves.

Maybe to the casual observer, Jongin looks like a panther. Lithe, graceful, and quiet. Effortlessly y. Kinda scary, until one realizes that his squinting and scowling is because he's tired and/or just woke up from a catnap. Give him some time to wake up and work up the energy, and he runs around like a puppy and giggles like a bubbling spring.

And still stupidly cute with how his eyes curve with his smile and how he tries to hide his laziness with long pants over the ruined backs of his shoes he never unties.

It takes some pining, moping, second-guessing, and whining before Chanyeol works up the courage to ask Jongin out, yet he doesn't get the chance, because the cat shyly brushes their tails together one afternoon and suggests they see a movie.

Pickings are slim; they see a horror movie with a recycled plot and former stars trying to cling to their society status. Jongin does not like scary things; he jumps at every predictable moment, hides his face, worries his tail, and tucks himself as much as he can behind Chanyeol's shoulder when people are being dismembered on-screen.

It's adorable. Chanyeol enjoys feeling like a protector and reassures Jongin that it's all fake, suggests he imagine how the scenes were shot rather than thinking of the story as a real event. Somewhat surprisingly, Jongin stops reacting near the of the film. He's asleep when the lights come on again, and Chanyeol has the honor of waking him and seeing his slow, sleepy stretch and hearing the high whine and drawn-out sigh as he relaxes and pushes himself upright.

Jongin later admits his lack of love for horror and apologizes. "But it was fun with you." Shyly, he adds, "You're comfy."

Chanyeol vows to make his shoulder available any time Jongin needs it.

Since his initial plan was foiled, his next idea for a date is a Halloween party their friends are hosting.

"It is a costume party—no theme—but costumes are required." Not to toot his own horn, but he's always been amazing when it came to costumes. This year, he doesn't feel like putting too much effort into his look, agreeing on a group costume with his friends. "Don't worry about getting elaborate or anything; there will come a point where everyone's too drunk or running on sugar highs to care."

They plan to meet Halloween night outside Jongin's apartment to walk to the party together. Chanyeol claims he's being chivalrous, but he has a plot to take a shortcut through a graveyard. It's both practical and cunning in that should Jongin get scared, Chanyeol can protect him and try not to coo at how precious the scaredy cat is.

Tucking his hands between his thighs as he waits on the low retaining wall running along the sidewalk, he jumps at the cat's sudden appearance. "Aren't you a bit overdressed?" Chanyeol's not complaining; he's just observing and trying not to simultaneously drool and feel sorry for himself when faced with Jongin in a full suit.

Somewhat self-consciously, Jongin looks down at himself, tail curling around his knee. Shyly picking at his white gloves, he says, "I'm a tuxedo cat."

Chanyeol's heart stutters in his chest. Cute! Dressed in brown and black with a teal collar and homemade tag, he proudly plants his hands on his hips. "I'm Scooby Doo!"

Jongin smiles. "I like it. Well," he looks out at the nearly bare trees, "let's go, Scoob."

They walk side-by-side in comfortable silence. Chanyeol watches Jongin as Jongin watches the full moon. Halloween usually is cold and often rainy; this year, it's definitely not warm, but it's dry and mild. Perfect trick-or-treating weather, if that was a thing locally.

"We'll take a shortcut, okay?" Jongin shrugs and follows Chanyeol, slowly drawing his shoulders up as he recognizes the cemetery ahead.

Chanyeol has no idea the danger he's leading them to, too trusting for his own good. He probably just wants to scare Jongin, oblivious to the very real danger he's brought them to.

The smell of souls permeates the air, diluted and carried by fog that rolls across the brown grass. Jongin steps closer to Chanyeol. Their tails bump, and Chanyeol thinks it's an accident until Jongin's soft, plumed tail snakes around his.

Being an excitable boy with a big fat crush, Chanyeol tries his best to not wag his tail—

—but he fails. Jongin doesn't seem to mind his thighs being whipped.

"What's that smell?" Chanyeol asks, slowing and nearly tripping over his feet as he tries to find the source.

Jongin presses into his side, ears flat in his hair. "Hyung, we should go..."

Chanyeol's scared, now. He's not sure what he's smelling, but he doesn't like it. It's something sickeningly sweet and not at all pleasant. Rubbing his nose doesn't help any, and he shudders at a cold breeze.

"Yeah... Sorry, this shortcut ," he laughs, trying to hide his lie and shaking hands.

"It's fine. I just—" Jongin spins around, pushing Chanyeol behind him with his arm. His normally silky tail bristles, lashing back and forth. Chanyeol hears him mutter, This is bad...

The graveyard is poorly lit; no one visits at night for there to be a need for lamps. Fog clusters closer and rises, sliding passed their legs.

Hands reach from the ground, pulling skeletal bodies to slouch over their tombstones. Jongin strips off his suit, for a moment before shrinking and shifting to a four-legged black cat. Standing sideways, he arches his back and hisses. The fog slips away, afraid.

It'd be pretty cute, if Chanyeol was less terrified and confused.

Jongin walks sideways like an enraged crab, spitting at the corpses trying to get close. They seem confused and falter, trying to figure out how to get around the angry cat and his sharp claws. Pouncing on the exposed ribcage of one bolder skeleton, Jongin knocks it to the ground, where it collapses.

Chanyeol gathers Jongin's suit, balling it up in his arms, and Jongin runs at him, leaping to perch on his shoulder and back.

He runs back the way they'd come, although he could out pace the shuffling bones at a brisk walk.

Jongin shifts back behind some bushes that still have foliage.

Chanyeol faces the moon, dutifully giving Jongin privacy and resisting the temptation to peek. "So..." he drawls, stuffing his hands in his pockets and standing on his toes to spot any approaching bodies, "that was something." He may have peed himself a little bit.

"Some corpses return on nights like tonight; they believe fresh human blood will keep them 'alive,' so they can return another year."

"Oh. Is that...normal?"

"Not usually," Jongin steps into his shoes, "but my family's been dealing with spirits for a long time." He sighs and shrugs. "I'm used to it."

Chanyeol had no idea. "And you were an actual cat?"

"Yeah..." He doesn't elaborate. It's not important. Picking some dry leaves from his suit, Jongin asks if Chanyeol just wants to go home.

"I actually feel like being someplace with a lot of people," Chanyeol admits. A return to and cementation of normalcy, where the dead stay dead and buried and handsome men don't become literal cats. He points down the nearly deserted street, where there is no fog and all the street lights are lit. "Let's take the long way, though."

When their friends greet them and slyly ask what kind of detour they'd taken to wrinkle Jongin's clothes so much, Chanyeol very seriously says, "Do not ask," and goes to the kitchen for some questionably colored drinks.

a/n: Just about now the ghosts are due/Beware—I see one after you

Something I started writing right in AO3 that was supposed to be super short but fleshed itself out a wee bit. Still a short story.