“I can see you,” Ever said, standing up straighter himself, “because I am an apprentice for Death.”

  “Death?" Captain Dunstan asked, raising an eyebrow. "The fellow with the scythe?”

  “That’s him.”

  “Is he…” Taylor looked at the empty spot in the serving area in front of Ever. “Is he…”

  “Yep, he's there,” he glanced at the captain’s midriff, “right in the middle of the nut flavors.”

  Taylor paled. She looked at the old veteran, who was nonplussed about the whole situation.

  “I… is there a flavor that you…” she tried to summon her practiced smile but it had deserted her. “Ever?” She squeaked.

  “Captain,” Ever said, looking the ghost in the eye. “Would you mind floating back into the serving area?”

  “Ever, was it?” The soul of the soldier asked. “I do mind actually. I don’t see how my being here,” he gestured towards himself waist deep in the ice cream, “might affect the flavors of the ice cream?” He gyrated his hips clockwise once for good measure.

  “Well, it doesn’t, but–”

  “Good, you may proceed.”

  Ever glanced across at Taylor and shrugged apologetically. “Sir,” Ever said, now speaking to the elderly veteran, “is there anything you would like to try?”

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  The older man shuffled forward, once again waving Taylor away. He peered through his glasses at the the flavors on offer, ultimately settling on the nuts section.

  “I would like a scoop of the hazelnut and the pistachio, in a cup please.” Ever tapped the scoop a couple times and cleared his throat.

  “Well?” Taylor hissed. “You heard him.”

  Captain Dunstan had aligned his loins so that one leg was in the pistachio and the other was in the hazelnut. He had also ever so slightly sagged his hips, placing his crotch right in line with the tubs.

  “Yes,” Ever said. “It’s just that–”

  “Please?" She whispered, only for the second time ever.

  Ever nodded. Just pretend he's not there. He moved the scoop slowly towards the pistachio, trying to ignore the captains loins intersecting with the ice cream. He rolled his wrist to get the perfect shape before plopping it into the cup. Captain Dunstan put his hands on his hips, thrusting forward slightly as Ever repeated the motion but for the hazelnut. The ghost grunted in satisfaction as Ever dropped the second scoop on top of the first.

  “I’ll eat that here,” the older veteran said, turning around slowly to make his way to one of the tables.

  Taylor snatched the cup of ice cream out of Ever’s hands and was in the customer seating area in a flash.

  “See, that wasn’t so bad now, was it?” Captain Dunstan said with a smirk.

  “No,” Ever said, clearing his throat. Catching the terse look from the ghost, he added, “...sir.” The two of them watched as Taylor made conversation with the elder veteran; he seemed to be really enjoying the ice cream.

  “If you are who you say you are,” Captain Dunstan said, leaning towards Ever, “perhaps you would like to join Albert and I at the Shrine of Remembrance in a few days time for the Dawn Service?”

  Death’s apprentice nodded. “Thank you, it would be an honor.”