^Have you thought anymore about my offer?^ Mimi asked the question through a mouthful of dry food.

  “What offer?” Ever said.

  The dachshund stopped eating, sat on her hind legs and cocked her head. As cute as it looked, Ever could sense some irritation from her.

  ^Moving in here with me.^

  The apprentice reaper felt a channel open up in his mind.

  Ever, if a girl invites you to move in with her, she shouldn’t have to ask you twice.

  *She’s a dog, Mentor.*

  So? No one’s ever asked me to move in with them, male, female, animal or human.

  Ever chewed the inside of his mouth gently, thinking. He crossed the distance from the kitchen to the living room, hesitating for a moment before sitting on Mary’s couch. Taking it as a cue, Mimi scrambled from the kitchen, nails tapping on the tiles. She leaped as high and far as she could, Ever catching her and pulling her up so that she wouldn’t crash nose first into the couch. Mimi walked circles on Ever’s uneven lap, gradually settling and sighing deeply.

  “What would I get if I moved in here with you?” He asked. He absent-mindedly scratched the back of Mimi’s ears.

  ^Me, of course! What else would you need?^ This came as a half-whine, half-groan from the dog.

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  If you insist on still sleeping in human form like a dumb head, then you’re also going to need to stay warm. Unless you intentionally want to freeze to death and come back down here, I suggest you consider your dog’s proposal, Death said.

  “OK, OK,” Ever said. “I guess I’ll move in.”

  ^Yaaaay!^ Mimi stood up, slipped on Ever’s thigh, put her paws on his chest and licked his face.

  “Still sounds like you’re getting more out of it than I am.”

  ^I’ll be the best roommate, just you wait!^

  —--

  Ever alternated between power-walking and light jogging. He’d taken up more time than anticipated - again - and was trying to make up the difference to get to Pagoto’s on time. He deliberated whether to change to reaper form and save minutes instead of shaving seconds, but he also hadn’t been to the gym in weeks. Travelling by foot seemed to help with the stiffness in his joints.

  His phone had been buzzing since he was at Mimi’s house. He pulled his phone out, tapping open the first unread message.

  “Hey I don’t have any appts this morning, will come by. U there?”

  Ever slowed down slightly, typing his response: “Yes”. It had been a few days since Ever went on a reaping spree at Vets R Us. Surely, she would have noticed that there were much fewer ghost animals in her clinic than before.

  He tapped open the second message, this one from Logan.

  “Hey, somebody’s here to see you.”

  Zoe must already be there! Ever had passed the busiest intersection and now only had a couple smaller streets to pass by. He closed the distance to Pagoto’s, straightening out his shirt.

  He opened the door; the waiting area was empty. He looked to the serving area - and saw who was here to see him.

  It was Taylor.