Chapter Text
It all started at Uyu’s cafe. Things start there often, Rio has come to find out.
(Wellbreally it started outside the doors this time, but who's counting?)
Anyway, it's about 5 minutes before Uyu normally opens the cafe. Strangely, instead of the sound of faint oven timers going off and coffee grinders already crushing beans for the morning rush, all Rio can hear are Uyu's barely held back grumbles as he… tries to pick the lock with a bobby pin?
“Uyu..?” Is all Rio can really say, confusion thick in the single word he spoke. He'd spoken softly, as he almost always does, yet it still seems to make Uyu want to jump out if his skin. He whirls around quickly, hair whipping around and eyes wide before letting out a held breath seeing the ghost in front of him.
“Ah, Rio, it's just you.” The thief shakes his head from side to side to clear his mind, hand pinching the bridge if his nose. “I didn't hear you coming, you're so silent that we might need to put a bell on you like you do with Luca.”
“Noooooo, but then how am I gonna spook the others? Uyu's so mean to me…”
Uyu chucked warmly at Rio's whining and fake tears. “You're right, how could I rob our little ghost of one of the most essential ghostly things… Oh wait!” Uyu's eyes widened as he thought of a solution to his previous problem.
“When you showed up I was trying to pick the lock to open the cafe. I forgot my keys inside last night you see, I didn't want to break this lock though so it was a little tough to pick… Now thwt you're hear though I don't need to pick it at all!”
It was a little concerning to Rio how casually Uyu was speaking about breaking and entering into his own business. What concerned Rio more was the somewhat sinister grin Uyu wore on his face.
“Uh.” Rio started, unsure. “I know less about lock picking than you do, so I'm not sure that's a good idea…”
Uyu waved him off “Oh it's nothing like that, don't worry! It's just, you're a ghost! So you could just walk through the door and unlock from the inside, right? Being a ghost must be so useful, moving silently, going through walls…”
As Uyu trailed off all Rio could hear was that one word. “Useful.” Being a ghost was… useful..? Not scary, not sad or unfortunate but… useful? Has anyone ever said something good about him being a ghost before? Has he ever thought positively about it?
“Rio? Did you hear me? C’mon pleeeease? Don’t make me beg… I’ll make you a coffee if you do! Any add-ins you want, on the house!” Rio’s focus snapped back to the present. He slipped back into the conversation with a pout.
“You let me do that anyways tho… This isn’t much of a reward!! I’ll still help though.”
Uyu’s face brightened considerably. “Nice! It should be simple to unlock from the inside, you’re a lifesaver!”
Rio let Uyu’s praise wash over him as he made himself intangible and slipped through the doorway unimpeded as if the door was wide open. He quickly became tangible again and unlocked the door, handle cold on his also cold skin.
“Irrashai!” Uyu immediately giggled at being welcomed to his own store before quickly slipping into the kitchens and getting things set up. Rio claimed his seat at the bar-style counter and watched Uyu go from machine to freezer and back again.
“Being a ghost is useful huh..? Maybe I should give that some more thought…”