Invisible (Invite Only)

Momo had decided that she was going to go down and look for her new friend in the economics section of the Ministry.
Having never been there before she had gotten more than a little lost on her way there, so she merely wandered around following different signs, until she arrived at the right place.
It was quiet, everybody had gone home.
It would have made it quite scary, given what had happened to her in the asylum...but Momo knew the only ghost down here was Crepens.

"Uhm, Crepens-sama? Are you here?" she asked politely, looking around a few of the desks before pouting and sitting down on one, wheeling herself around on the chair.

Crepens responded to the summons as he always did, having finished reading the table on the expenses of the ministry. Thankfully it seemed none of the employees were milking their expenses, for which he was glad. Floating through one of the walls, Crepens felt a ghost of a smile grace his face as he saw who had summoned him. The minister's secretary, Momo Aziwa, was a curious woman and Crepens had long been one for embracing curiousity. He glided over to Momo and bowed slightly,

"You called madam Aziwa?"

Momo smiled lightly when she saw Crepens-sama.
She was glad to see him given everything that she had gone through.
What she needed most right now was a friendly face, and his half smile made her feel so much better.
Feeling herself well up a little bit at the memory of what happened she smiled shakily at Crepens-sama and stepped forwards towards him.

"Hai, Crepens-sama, I was wondering if you would mind me coming to talk to you for a little while, I just..." she paused "Need to talk to someone, to see a friendly face."

With a hopeful look, Momo glanced up at the ghost and smiled a small rather sad smile.

Crepens floated over to where Momo was sat, raising an eyebrow silently. He had heard that something had happened through word of mouth around the ministry but surely it had gotten blown out of proportion. To hear some tales, Momo and the minister had faced some sort of monster in an old asylum. Simply silly,

"I am always willing to talk to someone such as you Miss Aziwa." he bowed respectfully before pausing, "I am pleasantly surprised you chose to seek me out. I'm quite sure the minister is still here... why do you not seek him if you wish to speak to a friendly face? Although I am flattered you think of me as such."

He moved to sit down in one of the chairs before he phased through it. Even after many years of being a ghost he always tried to sit down whenever the opportunity presented itself. But he couldn't. So instead he merely floated there with a small smile, trying to act as if it wasn't hurting that he couldn't touch anything.

Momo saw that Crepens-sama was bowing to her and she bowed in return to him.
She liked the way that he was respectful to her, it was comfortable and reminded her of the way that she had been raised to behave herself.
When he told her that he was surprised that she saught him out Momo blushed a little bit, feeling ashamed of what had happened with Leon-sama.

"Leon-sama is still here yes, but I had a falling out with him and I am not quite sure what to do about it, I thought that I would come and ask your advice so that I might know what best to do." she said with a small pout on her lips.

She was very glad that Crepens-sama seemed to be happy that she thought of him as a friend;
"I would consider you a lovely friend Crepens-sama, you're always so nice and polite to me, it makes me feel a lot more at ease."

With a happy little smile that concealed the tears of before, Momo looked at Crepens-sama as he attempted to sit down on the chair, it was a little sad that he couldn't manage it, but she didn't want to comment on it, lest he be upset even more by the idea.

"How are you, first, Crepens-sama?" she asked politely.

Crepens had to remind himself that Momo was from a different country to him. Why? Because he wasn't used to being treated with such a level of respect. Others only ever bowed to him when they were attempting to launder money through the ministry or something but Momo actually meant it as a sign of respect. Seeing her blush he raised an eyebrow slightly. To his knowledge she had nothing to be ashamed of,

"Ah so there is some tension between the two of you?" he paused a second before smiling slightly, "It means a lot that you would trust my judgement on such a thing as distance between two friends. What happened, may I ask, to cause the problems?"

The fact that she considered him her friend made Crepen literally glow more brightly, so happy was he with the praise. He couldn't speak for the embarrassment but he managed to convery his feelings, hopefully, in a much wider smile. He glanced down at the chair before replying,

"Never better Miss Aziwa." he replied, lying quite fluidly, "Death agrees with me. But... well not as much as it used to. But we're here to talk about your troubles my young lady."

Momo nodded her head when Crepens-sama asked if there was some tension between her and Leon-sama.
When she had come to work today there was so much tension in the air that she didn't know what to do and she had to excuse herself to go to the bathroom she was that upset because of it.
Since that day Ivan and her had just become good friends, but she still felt guilty because of the kiss.
It was unprofessional and she didn't mean to be so.

"Well...well I went to the Irrenhaus Verlassen because Ivan told me about it, then Leon-sama was there and he asked me if I wanted to go inside, I said I was scared but he told me it was safe."

Sniffling lightly Momo took a deep breath to try and stop the tears but they began to roll down her cheeks.
The memories were that terrifying to her, and she couldn't bare to relieve them, even if it was only to tell Crepens-sama what had happened.

"But it wasn't safe and there were wraiths there, and this horrible creature! He put me in danger and I almost got eaten by this thing! Leon-sama got stabbed and I helped him out of the asylum but we haven't talked since..." biting her lip Momo added "I also...perhaps kissed Ivan, who was there in the asylum playing a joke on me."

Raising an eyebrow Momo looked at Crepers-sama and smiled lightly;

"You knwo if you have a problem, you can always come to me."

Crepens had been hearing some parts of the story already, he was sure, but getting the story from Momo he was sure to get the whole story. She was the most trustworthy person he knew at the ministry after all. Which was really saying something considering he knew almost everyone at the ministry,

"That place? Why would you go the that place Momo?" he asked, genuinely concerned, "The place should be safe but it is a most evil place. And surely to be sad."

Crepen's ghostly eyes grew wider and wider as she began to cry he reached out towards her. He didn't want her to cry. He hated seeing her cry, it hurt him deep inside his chest. When his hand was almost brushing against her cheek he stopped himself. He couldn't touch her. Even with all of the will in the world he couldn't touch her, couldn't hold her close to comfort her. He had never hated being a ghost more than at that moment in time,

"But... the ministry was said to have cleared that place. The teams are sent in regularly to ensure that the place is safe." he paused as she finished. When it got to the part about Leon being stabbed his eyes widened but when she spoke of the kiss she'd given Ivan, Crepens felt both sadness for his friend Leon and a stab of jealousy, "He lured you in there as a joke and you kissed him? He almost got you hurt Momo..."

Crepens growled a little bit low in his throat. This 'Ivan' character had both endangered her with his 'joke' and caused a gnawing feeling of jealousy the likes of which he had never felt. He coughed a little bit,

"Are you still seeing this Ivan?"

Momo blinked a little bit, she thought that she could sense an almost dissapproving tone to Crepens-sama's voice when he asked he why she had gone to that place, she had not meant to go inside, she was just looking at it, because she was so intrigued by the stories of the ghosts that were left inside there, she couldn't stay away.

"W-well, I have always had a love for ghosts, and I wanted to just stand on the outside to see if I could see any, I saw one, but then Leon-sama prompted me to go inside, so I did. Something bad happened, there was some writing on the wall that Ivan put there, I wanted to to go but he wouldn't let me."

Biting her lip Momo looked up to see Crepens-sama reaching out to touch her and she wanted nothing more than to have a hug from the ghost at this time, she really did want to be able to be comforted by someone.
He seemed to be struggling with the fact he couldn't touch her, and Momo felt a stab of guilt, but stepped slightly closer to Crepens-sama.

"T-thats what L-leon-sama said, but I was so scared at the time that I just blamed him, and now I feel so bad and I don't know what I should do, Crepens-sama, I don't want to loose my job." she sniffled, some tears still falling down her cheeks as she thought about having to return home, disgraced.

Momo frowned a little bit and jumped to the defense of Ivan.
He was her fried after all.

"I know Ivan did some mean things to me, but he protected me afterwards, I didn't mean to kiss him, it was just the adrenaline Crepens-sama, I am sorry, I have been a disgrace to the Ministry." Momo weeped harder, knowing her words must be true "No, we are just friends now."

Crepens had been wanting to disapprove of her trip to the asylum but he just couldn't bring himself to be against anything that Momo found that she enjoyed. When she mentioned that she had always had a love for ghosts Crepens couldn't help but blush. Which on a ghost meant that his cheeks literally glowed even brighter than the rest of him,

"Well there's nothing wrong with ghost watching..." he blushed brightly before coughing to regain his composure, "Leon doesn't often try to force people to do things. Sounds rather out of character for him."

He could tell that Momo wanted him to touch her and he had a burning desire to touch her as well. The desire to cup her cheek in his hand was greater than any desire for human contact he'd ever had before. But if he touched her then she'd be chilled to the bone. She'd never want to touch him ever again and he couldn't face that prospect, the prospect of not being allowed close to her again,

"So you were scared and you blamed Leon? Well that sounds logical. Being afraid you would naturally lash out at some people around you." he shook his head a little, feeling a bit sorry for his friend, "Honestly you might have hurt Leon but he won't fire you over this or anything like that. It's not in him to do that."

Crepens couldn't help but feel jealous of the way that Momo jumped to the defence of the Ivan person. If only he were still alive, he would be able to be with her and he would be the one to comfort her and hold her. To... kiss her softly. He sighed a little bit and shook his head,

"Do not cry Momo, you have disgraced no one." he assured her gently, "It's just a little bit of a shock is all. I would have thought you would have gone to Leon for comfort is all. Or... I don't know... you could have called for me..."

Momo looked at Crepens-sama, it looked as if his cheeks were bright white.
Wondering what that meant, Momo stepped closer to the ghost still, she could feel the chill coming off of him but she did not mind.
It was just nice to be able to be close to him, after all she had not really been allowed close to anyone since she had gotten here, under her own ruling from her upbringing but also from her encounter with Ivan.

"I know, I think it's wonderful, I love ghosts so much I find them very interesting, I would love to be able to have a talk with you sometime in the future...about what it's like." she smiled lightly, pressing the points of her two index fingers together "If you wouldn't mind, I know it's terribly sensitive."

Physically wilting a little bit Momo burst out into a flurry of fresh tears and she sat down, curling herself up into a little ball on one of the desk chairs, she couldn't believe that she would have hurt Leon-sama.
She hated herself for what she had done.

"I...I didn't mean to hurt him I-I I just didn't know what I was doing Crepens-sama, w-what should I do?" she asked through her sobs.

Momo blinked through her tears and she looked up at Crepens-sama through blurry eyes;

"I have not disgraced anyone?" she asked, trying to stem her tears "You would have come to help me?" she asked again, a small hopeful smile gracing her lips "Why?"

Crepens was blushing fiercely now and hoping to god that Momo couldn't tell how a ghost blushed. The last thing he needed for his blush was for her to know exactly how he blushed and when he blushed. It would probably tip her off as to his rather quickly growing infatuation with her. He was ever so happy when she stepped closer to him, seemingly ignoring the cold around him,

"You think that ghosts are interesting?" he asked tentatively. His chests felt almost warm as his blush intensified as she gave him that cute little look, her index fingers poking each other in indecision, "Of course I wouldn't mind Momo! Anything for you..."

Crepens cursed himself for what he had said. It might have been true, Leon was in his office right now just laying on the bed the medics had insisted he needed in his office. Even for a ghost, staring up at the ceiling for four hours was just weird. He gently stroked her cheek, trying not to make her colder,

"I think that what you need to do is..." he paused as he thought about it for a second. If Leon wasn't near her then she could be his! But he pushed it down... he was Leon's friend after all. He smiled sadly, "I think that you should try talking to Leon. Try to find a way past this."

He shook his head, smiling as he did so,

"No you're not a disgrace Momo." he assured her with a smile before blushing, "I would always come for you Momo. Why? Because... well because I care about you a great deal."

Momo stepped a little closer and she closed her eyes when she felt Crepens-sama's hand touching her cheek, it was cool, but it was not unpleasant.
She was glad for the contact with someone, it made her feel better and she stopped crying as much as she had been, only a few sniffling tears escaping her eyes.

"Are you okay Crepens-sama?" she asked, tilting her head to one side, she wanted to tentatively reach her hand out to touch him but she remained at her distance, she did not want to make herself unwanted by Crepers-sama by touching him when it was not wanted.

When he told her that she needed to talk to Leon-sama, Momo bit her lip and she wound her hand in her long black hair.
She really was nervous about doing that.
Hopefully she would be able to make up with him.

"I...I think I will do that but I am so nervous Crepens-sama, is he mad with me? Have you spoken with him?" she asked, her eyes fluttering her eyelashes up at him as she stopped her tears.

Unable to stop a large smile on her face, Momo giggled happily.
She would have hugged Crepens-sama if she could, but she held the urge inside her.
It wasn't her place.

"OH Crepens-sama you are so sweet, but you barely know me." she smiled "I would very much like to fix that though, if you would like."

Crepens had to stiffle a small gasp. Momo had moved closer to him and even felt the effect of his ghostly aura but she didn't seem to care too much. Maybe he could touch her... maybe she could stand to be around him. He reached out to touch her cheek again but his hand went through her. Crepens closed his eyes and looked away,

"I'm fine..." he whispered, obviously lying about it but not wanting to burden her with the growing feelings that he was sure she would never return, "It's nothing, just something I have on my mind."

She was so cute when she was nervously raking her fingers through her hair, Crepens reflected before blushing a little bit more. He thought about when he'd last seen Leon, not two hours ago. His friend had lacked any motivation to move, or even talk. He shook his head slowly,

"He's not mad at you Momo." he told her gently before frowning, "He's not mad at anyone. Or happy about anything. I think he's too hurt to show his emotions right now. He just kind of lays there in the bed in his office..."

Crepens had to admit that her excitement was infectious and he almost went for a hug himself before they both awkwardly didn't hug each other. He blushed brightly,

"I would love the chance to get to know you better Momo." he told her honestly, "I enjoy spending time with you. A lot."

Momo didn't want to push Crepens-sama but she knew that there was something wrong with him.
However she knew that if she left him be for now she would eventually be told what it was that was troubling him.
Reaching her hand up she touched his cheek with a smile.

"Well I'm always here if you want to tell me about it, mkay?" she asked with a happy little tone to her voice, true it was very cold to touch him, but she didn't mind one bit.

Gasping a little bit in pain Momo quickly turned in her chair and hopped out of it, standing up, landing quite well on her high heels, which had begun to rub her.
Regardless of her nervousness she had to see if her employer, and her friend was well.

"Then I must talk to him! I cannot leave Leon-sama to be hurt like this, I must tend to him, because it must be the wounds effects that have made him so ill." Momo bit her lip "I do hope that he manages to get better, I hate to see him sad, it hurts that I might add to his unhappiness."

With a small smile, Momo stopped and smoothed out her short black skirt it reached just the top of her knees, and her blouse today was the same white, but it had ruffles around the neck.

"I am very glad Crepens-sama, maybe we could play a game of questions together?" she asked

Crepens could tell that Momo wanted to talk about the reason why he seemed so out of character all of a sudden but she was actually the worst person in the world to talk to him about it if he was honest. Seeing as it was about his growing feelings for her and not wanting to scare her about it,

"I'm glad that you feel comfortable enough around me to say that." he told her with another bright blush as he glanced away, "I'm sure I'll be able to tell you what's up with me soon, one way or the other."

Seeing Momo literally leaping out of her seat when he was finished telling her about Leon's current state, Crepens couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous. She cared so much about Leon, why couldn't she care that much about him as well? Or did she already? He just shook his head,

"It's not the effects of the poison..." he frowned a little bit, reminded of his own death, "The medics say that he's just losing the will to live. There's not much they can do for him, he's just starting to waste away."

Crepens watched her stand up and smiled lightly at her, quite sad that she was beginning to leave. He didn't want her to go. He nodded, smiling,

"I think I'd like that... I want to be closer to you, to know more about you."

Momo smiled happily.
She was very glad that Crepens-sama felt like he would be able to trust her, but in the back of her mind she was worrying so much about what he had said about Leon-sama.
Biting her lip, she played with her finger tips again, trying to distract herself.

"I am very glad that you will tell me, when you're ready that is, it makes me feel very proud to have gained your trust." Momo smiled lightly.

When Crepers-sama told her that Leon-sama was literally wasting away she couldn't believe that she would not have noticed this!
A small noise of unhappiness escaped her lips and she moved towards the exit of the financial department.

"If that's the case then I am sorry but I must leave you for the time being Crepens-sama, I promise I will be back sometime this week, we need to play that game of questions after all." Momo said, with a small smile, strained by the worry for her employer.

Rushing back over to Crepens-sama she gave him another kiss on the cheek just like she had when they had first met, and then she waved to the ghost and quickly left.

Crepens knew that Momo was worried about Leon and, truth be told, he was worried about his friend as well. He seemed to be deteriorating much the same way that he had done before he died. And he didn't really want to see his friend die the same terrible death he had,

"You are one of the only people ever to have gained my trust." he admitted with a smile, "And you're the one who gained it the fastest too. I'm sure that's some kind of record."

Crepens' chest tightened with the unmistakable feeling of jealousy again. As soon as it arose however he couldn't help but feel a little bit ashamed. He was being jealous of a guy who was literally dying slowly in his office,

"I understand Momo-chan..." he nodded, not noticing he'd added the suffix. He nodded with a small, sad, smile, "I'll be here... not like I have anywhere else to go."

When Momo kissed his cheek, Crepens couldn't help but blush rather madly. If only they could do that more often... perhaps someday.