Sibling Psychic Detectives

"Sil, what the hell's going on?" Faith demanded. "Seriously."

Silas shrugged helplessly. "What does it look like?"

"I know what it looks like. I want to know what it actually is."

"Apparently Enid was right, her husband is, in fact, haunting her."

"Oh for fuck's sake."

"Well he is."

As if to underscore her brother's point, a cupboard opened all by itself and a row of glasses leapt to their gravitationally-inevitable demise.

Faith glared at the cupboard for a moment, like somehow she'd see the strings and everything would make sense. She even zoomed in for a detailed inspection, but from all appearances they were totally normal dish-containing spaces.

"So there's really a ghost doing that?" she finally said.

"Yeah. I mean, he shouldn't be able to. I guess he's just, like, super pissed about being dead, though. As far as we can tell, that's making physical interaction possible for him. It doesn't make much sense, and is probably wildly incorrect, but it's what we're going with for now."

"'We?' You mean you and him?"

"Nah. So, like, I can kind of see a ghost-"

"I know. That's what we're talking about."

"No, I mean one specific one. Ever. And she's playing middle-man here, because I can't see the dead husband at all. 'Cept he keeps throwing things, so at least I have an idea."

More plates shattered on the tile floor. Faith was torn between calling bullshit, and just giving in and accepting that some supernatural tomfoolery was afoot.

"So you've had a ghost friend this whole time?" Faith tried cautiously.

"Kinda not the time for explaining everything right now," Silas said.

"And she can see the ghost plate-breaker," Faith continued obliviously.

"Yes, but-"

"And you can only see her. And I can only see you..." Faith held her head for a moment. "This is so dumb."

****

Silas gave up trying to explain things to Faith. She had the general idea now, at least. And there was no way she could just dismiss him as being crazy. Not with violent evidence being tossed about every few seconds.

"Alright, Aggie," he said. "Is this guy listening to you yet?"

"Not even a little," Aggie replied. "He just keeps ranting about how no one's arrested his murderous wife."

"Right. I got that. And he's sure she killed him?"

"Sounds like it. He's not exactly presenting calm evidence for us to evaluate, though."

"Well keep trying." Silas flinched as a cup whizzed by a little too close for comfort. "I'm going to talk to his wife. See what she has to say about it."

Enid was still pleading with the room at large. It took Silas a few tries to get her attention.

"Hey, so, your husband... ex-husband... whatever," Silas said. "He says you murdered him. Is that at all accurate?"

Enid clasped her hands to her mouth. "Of course not. I would never do something like that."

"Didn't think so. Do you have any idea why he thinks you did?"

"Something about poisoning him," Aggie supplied. "He's mentioning poison now."

"Right, sure," said Silas. "Poison, perhaps?"

"Oh that's foolishness," said Enid. "His doctor said he had to take those pills. I kept telling him, but he wouldn't unless I snuck them in his food. I had to do it. I wanted him to be healthy."

"Doesn't seem to have helped much," Aggie observed helpfully.

"Yeah, not so much, huh," Silas agreed. "Aggie, can you explain to this guy that-"

"Oh he's even more pissed now, Sil," said Aggie. "He has some very nasty things to say about doctors."

"That's fine, but-"

"Like crazy pissed. He'd be foaming at the mouth if he still had one."

"Ok, but-"

"And he'd really like you to shut up. Me too, for that matter. Keeps taking swings at me. Doesn't seem to grasp that both of us being intangible makes it, like, doubly impossible for him to hit me."

"Are you finished? Because-"

Silas stopped mid-sentence. This time there was no interruption, he just found that he couldn't speak. His whole chest and neck area felt super weird.

"Oh fuck," said Aggie. "He went for you. I thought it'd be fine, but he's doing something, isn't he? Oh shit. Fuck."

Silas staggered against the counter as his body continued to betray him. It was an acutely terrifying experience. He didn't know what was happening, or how long it would last. It was probably the most helpless he'd ever felt.

"Sil! Siiilll!" Aggie shouted, to no effect. "Come on... just... I don't know. Do something!"

Her panic might have been funny any other time. Now, however, it only added to Silas's. He could have used some calm reassurance, and all he was getting was a room full of people just as upset as he was.

"I think I see him," Faith said.

Silas couldn't answer, but he was able to turn his head enough to find his sister. She was squinting intently at an area just in front of him. He couldn't imagine what she possibly thought she saw.

"Don't move," Faith said as she stepped closer.

Right. Don't move. Silas was all over that.

"What's she doing?" Aggie asked, as if Silas had an answer for her.

As if in slow motion, Faith wound up and threw her robot arm toward her brother in a furious, mechanically aided punch. Silas watched with detached interest as her fist sailed whisker-close to his chin. Then, abruptly, the air in front of him exploded in a flash of blinding light.

****

Faith picked herself carefully off the floor. Her robot arm hung limp and unresponsive at her side.

By all rights that shouldn't have worked, but as far as she could tell it actually had. There had been no way to physically grab her brother's assailant. The only thing she'd been able to think of in the short window she had was a large electrical surge. She'd been lucky.

"You alright?" Faith asked.

Silas lay dazed but conscious on the floor. "I think so. I'm not dead, right?"

"Not unless I am too." Faith extended her good hand and helped Silas to his feet. "Seems like we're just bruised though."

"Yeah." Silas blinked rapidly and looked around. "Still seeing spots," he said. "What exactly did you do?"

Faith offered a shy, crooked smile. "Saved the day, I think."

Silas nodded slowly. "Aggie says mister mean ghost is gone. Probably permanently."

"Only probably?"

"Well... it's not an exact science."

"Fair enough." Faith looked around at the destroyed kitchen, the old lady in shock in the corner, and her own useless arm. "So can we go now or what?"

****

After a little clean up duty, Silas took Faith back to their parents' house. He covered for her so that her non-functioning arm wasn't noticed until they were able to slip away upstairs.

"Do you need help with anything?" Silas asked.

"I've kinda been dealing with this shit for years, Sil."

"No, I know. Just asking. That's all."

Faith gave him a weak smile. "Thanks, I guess. You could, like, turn around while I do this."

"I've seen it before."

"I know. Just... please?"

"Alright." Silas turned his back while Faith removed her arm and set it up to charge. "You remember when I used to think it was the funniest thing in the world that you could be literally disarmed?"

Faith sighed loudly. "Unfortunately, yes. I hated you making that joke so badly. You don't even know."

"I kinda know. That's part of what made it funny."

Silas turned back around. Faith stood at an angle to him such that he almost wouldn't even notice her severe lack of symmetry. She had practice with achieving such visual effects.

"Mom's gonna want you to stay for supper," Faith said.

"Yeah, she always does when I'm over."

"Are you gonna?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"You should."

"I should?"

"Yeah. I think I need someone else taking their focus a little. I'm not up to doing it solo tonight."

Silas nodded. "Ok. I'll hang out a while. See how things go."

"Thanks." Faith bit her lip. "Of course, now that I've asked you to stay, I kinda want to hit the shower..."

"That's fine. I'll wait." Silas sat down on Faith's bed. "You need any help or anything?"

Faith arched an eyebrow. "Help with my shower? You goddamn perv."

"That's not... oh fuck off. Brat. You know what I meant."

Faith giggled. "Yeah, I do. And no, I don't need any help."

Faith flounced out of the room. Silas lay back across her bed and closed his eyes for a moment. The peaceful silence lasted only long enough for him to just begin relaxing.

"That's too bad she didn't wanna shower with you," Aggie said.

"I was wondering where you were," Silas said. "Lurking and spying, I see."

"That's what I do," Aggie confirmed. "Your sister'd probably still let you get in with her if you asked nicely."

Silas opened his eyes and regarded his ghost friend with a weary expression. "I am so not in the mood for this shit."

"Oh whatever. You're alive. That's more than some of us can say."

"But very nearly not, as you may recall."

Aggie shrugged. "Probably he wouldn't have been able to do any real damage. I mean, I honestly don't know how he was able to affect you to begin with. Must have just been super, super pissed. For all I know that gives us super powers."

"What, you've never been that pissed?"

"Nah. He was all mad and scared about being dead. Looking for something to blame other than his lack of care for his own body. I kinda just accepted it when I woke up dead one morning."

"I don't believe that."

"Believe what you want. It's true. Death's just... I dunno. It just is. No point getting worked up over it."

"Alright then."

Silas rolled to face away from Aggie. She casually floated into a 'sitting' position in front of him again.

"You really like Faith, don't you?" she said.

"She's my sister, Aggie."

"And you think she's attractive?"

"I guess."

There was a pause. "I know brothers and sisters don't hook up," Aggie said. "They're not supposed to or whatever. But, like, it doesn't feel like a big deal to me."

"Oh god."

"Some things don't make sense to me, you know? Like... worrying about embarrassing yourself in public. I remember it being bad, and how I used to care. Now, though, it just doesn't make any sense."

"Right. Good. You don't understand stage fright or incest. Good talk."

Aggie tilted her head. "You're being dismissive, Silly."

"I sure am. I'm hoping you'll take the hint and stop talking. Or at least change the subject."

"You're not comfortable talking about it?"

"Of course I'm not. She's my sister."

Aggie nodded and rocked back and forth pensively for a moment. "I think it's my hormones," she said. "My lack of them. My lack of a sex drive. Everything's about sex with people. All the stuff they like and dislike, and all the stuff they are or aren't comfortable with."

"That's an exaggeration."

"Not that much of one."

Silas sat up, finally curious. "You aren't interested in sex at all? Not even spying on naked people or anything?"

Aggie shrugged. "What's the point. I can't masturbate. Can't get fucked. I still have something of a detached curiousity about stuff, and sometimes I still spy just because it makes me feel like a person."

"And how exactly does trying to hook me up with my sister fit into that?"

Aggie smiled shyly. "Oh that's pure self-interest. Obviously I like it better when you have no social life-"

"Obviously?"

"Well, it means you have more time for me."

"Right. Of course."

"But if you're going to be actually hanging out with other people, I'd like to just keep it at one. Someone who now knows about me is somewhat ideal. Means you can talk to me even when they're around."

"Dude..."

"I know. Isn't that the most selfish thing you've ever heard?" Aggie floated a couple feet off the bed while maintaining a perfect cross-legged position. "And yet, I don't really feel bad about it. I'm pretty sure I should, but I don't." She gestured with one hand. "Hormones. I'm telling ya."

Silas shook his head in exasperation. "You must know I'm not gonna, like, bang my sister just to satisfy your weird obsession with me."

"No, I know. I'm just hoping to nudge you toward it since you're kinda leaning that way already."

"Oh I am not!"

Aggie gave him a lop-sided smile. "Sure you aren't." She threw her hands up. "Try and hide secrets from the world's greatest spy. See how far that gets you."

"You little shit."

Silas threw a pillow at Aggie. It passed harmlessly through her. She glanced down at her non-corporeal tummy.

"You're clearly in a bit of a mood," she said. "I'm gonna leave you alone for a while."

"Yeah. You do that."

Aggie waved her fingers daintily. "Have fun."

"Have fun with what?" Silas asked, though it was already too late.

It was so dumb trying to talk to her sometimes.

****

Faith stayed in the shower longer than she meant to. The soft waterfall cascading over her was soothing after a pretty damn hectic day.

So ghosts were real. That was a thing. And her brother... she wasn't sure if he'd almost died, or if he'd actually just been in some minor, temporary peril. The implications bothered her either way. It was just so freaky.

Drying off one-handed had become more or less normal for Faith, even though it didn't happen nearly so often since she got her new arm. It still took longer and the hard to reach areas were a pain, but she barely gave it any thought as she went through the motions.

After that came the finicky process of wrapping her towel around herself. That was even more of a pain, but again was something she had far too much practice with.

Silas was still in her room when she returned. It almost looked like he was asleep at first, but then his eyes opened.

"Damn," he mumbled. "Why do the cute towel-clad girls walking in on me always have to be my sister?"

"You have that problem a lot, do you?"

"No. Possibly just the once, actually."

"You goof." Faith padded to her dresser. "I'm gonna need to get changed."

"Yeah. I figured."

Faith stalled a bit by rummaging through her clothing. Silas still didn't move.

"That was a hint to get out of my room for a minute," she said.

"But I'm so comfy here."

"Yes, well that- fuck."

Faith had turned a little too quickly, and her clumsily secured towel had simply given up. It fell to the floor and left Faith totally naked.

There was a long silence as Silas stared at Faith. She stared back, daring him to say anything.

"Why do cute girls dropping their towels always gotta be my sister?" he finally said.

Faith rolled her eyes and picked her towel back up. "Yeah, poor you." She held her towel awkwardly in front of her. There was absolutely no way for her to wrap it back around herself without looking totally stupid in front of her brother, not to mention giving him even more of a show.

Despite her outward calm, Faith trembled slightly from sheer nerves. She didn't know what to do now. Acting like she wasn't embarrassed at all was the only defense she had against the weird situation she found herself in.

"I should probably leave, huh?" Silas said eventually.

"Probably," Faith agreed. "You could also, like, stop staring at me."

"I could."

Silas didn't stop staring. Faith clutched her towel even more tightly with her one good hand.

"Seriously. Stop."

Instead of stopping, Silas stood and approached Faith. Her pulse quickened yet further with each step he took toward her. He reached out and took the towel from her unresisting hand.

"What are you doing?" Faith asked in a small, distant voice.

"Helping," Silas said while somehow maintaining eye contact.

Faith's mouth opened, but she didn't have any relevant words. She pressed her lips closed and waited.

After a pause of a few long seconds, Silas spread the towel open and wrapped it around Faith. He secured it snugly, then stepped back.

"I didn't need your help," Faith said defensively.

"I know."

"And you're still staring."

"I am."

"Well cut it out."

Silas finally looked away. "I don't think I've ever seen you naked before."

"That's just as well. You're not supposed to."

"It's kinda messing with my head."

"Shouldn't've looked then."

Silas shrugged. "When there's a naked girl in front of me, I can't not look."

"I'm your sister."

"Yes, I'm aware."

Faith fidgeted with the hem of her towel, then snapped her hand away. She didn't want it falling off again.

"And I'm kinda of a freak," she said quietly.

"I don't think so."

"So you like to tell me. But I know I look weird. The missing arm is kind of a dealbreaker."

"Honestly, that didn't even occur to me while you were naked. I kinda just saw boobs."

"Did you now?" Faith risked a small smile. "Mesmerizing, were they?"

"Well, you know. Something like that."

Faith bit her lip. "That's kinda pervy of you."

"I guess." Silas shrugged. "You've got a nicer body than you'd ever admit. If you'd just stop focusing on the one thing you think ruins everything..." He shrugged again. "Anyway, what do I know. I should let you get dressed."

Faith nodded and waited until her brother left the room. She counted a few extra seconds to make sure he wasn't going to come back, then undid her towel. She let it drop to the floor, then turned firmly away from the door.

Her reflection in the mirror confirmed some of what Silas said. Faith recognized that various parts of her body probably were attractive when taken as separate from the whole. Maybe Silas had actually been too focused on her tits to view the entirety of her. Or maybe, just because it was him, he really was sufficiently used to the way she looked.

Could he actually ignore her missing arm though? He'd known her long enough to basically accept her as she was. It was just so hard to believe that it didn't affect the way he saw her at all.

Then again, what exactly did he see? Silas wasn't meant to be seeing her naked, nor looking at her in pervy sorts of ways.

Faith flushed slightly as she realized where her thoughts were headed. Wondering what her brother actually thought of her naked body. That was pretty fucked. Even worse was somehow, somewhere in the darker places of her mind, she kind of liked the thought that he had legitimately checked her out.

Probably any reasonably attractive guy looking at her that way would have elicited that reaction. It had nothing to do with Silas specifically. Faith was so starved for sexual attention that even her brother counted. That was all.

Goddamn she needed to sort her romantic life out one of these days. Faith had no idea how that was going to happen, but she really needed to figure it out. Already she was toying with the notion of arranging another towel-accident for Silas. Embarrassing herself in front of her brother was about all the action she ever got. That was just too sad.

****

Silas ate supper with Faith and their parents. Faith's arm was still charging, but she ate one-handed as casually as anything in her life. Silas liked that about her.

The only reason he gave the subject any thought at all was that he hated how Faith let it ruin her romantic life. Physically she coped amazingly. Emotionally, not so much.

Partly Silas kept pondering his sister's problems so he wouldn't have to go over and over certain other things in his head. Like her tits. Or, indeed, the pretty little pussy he'd glimpsed between her thighs.

If she could only see inside his mind she'd surely have to give up some of her self-doubts. If even her brother got thinking about her the way Silas was, imagine what she could do to non-related guys.

Silas planned on taking off after dinner, but somehow that didn't happen. He stayed and had a drink at his mother's insistence. That became another drink after that. Soon he'd had too much to drive himself home. He'd got himself stuck.

He wanted to be stuck, in a bizarre way. It was Faith. Whether he wanted to stick around and provide emotional support, or whether he just wanted another peek at her tits he wasn't quite sure. The former, probably. Hopefully.