The morning came quietly, wrapped in a haze of soft light and the faint hum of the city below.
Ava sat at the edge of her bed, staring blankly at the cup of coffee in her hands. The steam curled upward, fading into nothing, like a dream dissolving with the dawn.
Her dream.
The forest.
The voice.
Those eyes gold and burning, like Noir's.
She shook her head, pressing her palms against her temples.
It had to be stress. That's all it was. A mix of exhaustion, caffeine, and one too many late-night conversations with a talking cat.
But the words still echoed in her skull like a bell that refused to stop ringing.
"You found me again."
"Again," she whispered. "What the hell does that even mean?"
From the corner of the room, a sleepy voice replied, "It means exactly what it sounds like."
Ava jumped, almost spilling her coffee.
Noir was sitting upright on her dresser, his fur illuminated by a shaft of sunlight. His eyes were narrow, unreadable.
"Do you ever knock?" she snapped.
He tilted his head. "It's my apartment too, remember?"
"It's not never mind." She sighed. "You said… it's starting again. What did you mean by that last night?"
He stretched lazily, avoiding her gaze. "You should eat something first."
"Don't change the subject."
Noir looked at her then, expression softening. "Some things are easier to face on a full stomach."
"Some things?" she repeated, glaring. "You make it sound like we're about to fight a ghost."
"Not yet," he murmured.
Ava set down her coffee with a frustrated sigh. "Fine. Keep your weird cryptic act. I have work anyway."
She stood and grabbed her coat, but Noir suddenly leapt down, landing gracefully in front of the door.
"You're going to work like this?"
"Like what?"
He studied her eyes sharp, searching. "You look pale. Distracted. If humans can smell fear, you'd be a walking perfume bottle."
"Wow, thank you for that confidence boost," she said dryly.
"I'm serious," Noir said. "Dreams like that don't come for no reason."
"Yeah, well, neither does rent," she muttered, stepping past him. "I'll be fine."
Noir's tail twitched, but he didn't stop her this time. He only said, almost too quietly to hear, "Don't trust reflections today."
Ava froze mid-step.
"What?"
But when she looked down, Noir was already curling up on the couch again, pretending to nap.
She frowned. "You're impossible."
The office buzzed with the usual chaos when Ava arrived.
Phones ringing, keyboards clacking, the smell of burnt coffee drifting from the break room.
For the first time in days, it almost felt normal.
"Good morning, zombie!"
Ava turned to see Mina waving dramatically from her desk, a lollipop between her lips. Her bright pink hair glowed under the fluorescent lights.
Ava couldn't help but smile. "Morning, Mina."
"Morning? Girl, it's almost noon. Did you forget how clocks work again?"
"Did you forget how to whisper in an office again?"
Mina laughed, tossing her hair. "Maybe. Anyway" she leaned closer, lowering her voice "someone's been asking about you."
Ava blinked. "What? Who?"
"Guess."
"Oh no."
Mina grinned. "Yes. Mr. Han himself. He wanted to know if you finished the quarterly report."
Ava groaned. "Of course he did."
"Relax," Mina said. "I told him you were working on it. Then he asked if you were okay. Said you looked… 'distant.'"
Ava frowned. "He said that?"
"Yeah. And I gotta say, he's not wrong. You good?"
"I'm fine," Ava lied quickly.
"Hmm." Mina leaned back. "You've been saying that a lot lately."
Before Ava could answer, Daniel appeared beside them tall, easygoing, holding a mug that said #1 Procrastinator.
"Ladies," he greeted, sipping his coffee. "Ava, did you ever finish the presentation slides? Han's been in dragon mode all morning."
"I'm working on it," she said, turning to her computer.
"Good. Because rumor has it, he's breathing actual fire now."
Mina snorted. "At least he's consistent."
Ava smiled faintly at their banter, but as she clicked open her laptop, something flickered across the screen a reflection.
Her own face.
But the eyes staring back weren't hers. They were golden.
She blinked. It was gone.
Her heart thudded in her chest. "Did you guys see that?"
"See what?" Mina asked, chewing her lollipop.
"The....nothing." She shook her head. "I need more coffee."
"Girl, you always need more coffee," Mina said, laughing.
Ava stood and headed for the break room, trying to ignore the chill creeping down her spine.
The break room was quiet, almost too quiet.
The hum of the vending machine filled the air, low and steady.
Ava poured herself a cup of coffee, staring at the black surface of the liquid.
Her reflection rippled in the cup tired eyes, messy hair, pale skin. Normal.
She sighed in relief and took a sip.
"Found you again."
The voice that voice whispered behind her.
Ava spun around. The room was empty.
The cup slipped from her hands, shattering against the floor.
Hot coffee splashed across her shoes, but she barely felt it.
Her breathing quickened. "It's just stress," she muttered. "It's just"
Then the lights flickered. Once. Twice.
And for a split second, she saw it a figure standing in the reflection of the microwave door.
Tall. Cloaked.
Golden eyes staring straight at her.
She screamed.
"AVA!" Mina's voice cut through the air as she burst into the room. "What happened? Are you okay?!"
Ava's hands trembled. The figure was gone. The reflection was just her own again.
"I… I dropped my cup," she said weakly.
Mina frowned. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Maybe I have."
"What?"
"Nothing," Ava said quickly. "Just clumsy."
Mina helped her clean the mess, muttering about caffeine addiction, but Ava barely heard her.
Her pulse was still racing.
As she threw the broken pieces away, she noticed something glinting near the trash can.
A small, black feather thin and perfectly shaped.
It hadn't been there before.
That night, Ava sat on her couch, staring at the feather on the coffee table. Noir watched her silently from the armrest.
"Tell me the truth," she said quietly. "Is this… because of you?"
Noir didn't answer right away. His gaze flickered toward the feather, then back to her.
"It's not because of me," he said softly. "It's because of us."
Ava had spent the rest of the workday trying to convince herself she wasn't losing her mind.
That feather? Probably from someone's coat.
The voice? Just stress.
The golden eyes? …Okay, maybe she shouldn't think too hard about that part.
By the time the clock hit six, she was done mentally, emotionally, existentially done.
As she packed her things, Mina appeared at her desk with that mischievous smile that usually meant trouble.
"Alright, Ms. Moody McMoodyface," Mina began, tapping her desk. "You're coming with us tonight."
Ava blinked. "What?"
"Dinner. Karaoke. Possibly alcohol poisoning," Mina said, counting on her fingers. "You've been walking around like a ghost for days. We're doing an exorcism social edition."
Daniel popped up behind Mina, grinning. "You're legally obligated to come. I checked."
"I'm not" Ava began, but Mina crossed her arms.
"Listen, you either come with us, or I'll tell Mr. Han you called him 'a robotic scarecrow in a suit.'"
Ava froze. "I never"
Mina raised an eyebrow. "You did, Ava. You totally did. Don't make me quote you."
Ava groaned. "Fine. One drink. Then I go home."
"Ha! That's what they all say!" Mina declared triumphantly, dragging her toward the elevator.
Daniel followed, whispering conspiratorially, "For the record, I totally have a playlist ready called 'Songs to Cure Existential Dread.'"
"Oh, perfect," Ava muttered. "Just what I needed."
They ended up in a cozy Korean fusion restaurant a few blocks from the office dim lights, warm food smells, and a steady buzz of laughter from other tables.
Mina ordered half the menu before Ava could even protest. "You look like someone who hasn't had real food in a week," she said. "And no, instant ramen doesn't count."
Daniel nodded sagely. "As your friend and part-time therapist, I concur."
"I didn't ask for a therapy session," Ava muttered, sipping her drink.
"You didn't have to," Daniel said. "Your face screamed 'someone please fix my life.'"
Mina snorted, nearly choking on her drink. "He's not wrong!"
Ava rolled her eyes. "You guys are the worst."
"And yet you love us," Mina said, grinning.
The banter flowed easily after that talk about office gossip, Mina's latest failed dating app adventure, Daniel's obsession with conspiracy podcasts ("I swear, pigeons are drones!"), and the upcoming company party.
For a moment, Ava almost forgot about the golden eyes, the dreams, the whispers.
Almost.
Then Daniel mentioned something that made her freeze mid-laugh.
"Oh! Speaking of weird," he said, leaning forward. "You know that stray black cat that always hangs around near your apartment building? I swear it winked at me yesterday."
Ava's smile faltered. "What?"
"Yeah," he said. "I was passing by your street and it was just sitting there. I said, 'hey, little guy,' and I swear it blinked slow like it understood me."
Mina laughed. "Maybe it's your soulmate in cat form."
Ava forced a laugh too, though her stomach twisted.
"Yeah, funny."
Daniel shrugged. "I'm just saying, there's something oddly human about that cat."
Ava changed the subject fast. "So, karaoke after this?"
"Absolutely!" Mina said, already grabbing her phone. "I'm queuing up songs."
Daniel groaned. "If she picks BTS again, I'm leaving."
"Then you can walk home," Mina shot back.
Ava smiled despite herself. They bickered all the way to the karaoke bar like siblings in an endless argument and for a few precious hours, the world didn't feel so strange.
Mina sang her heart out to pop songs, Daniel did a dramatic (and painfully off-key) rendition of "My Heart Will Go On", and Ava even joined in once, laughing harder than she had in weeks.
When they finally left, the night air was cool and full of city sounds.
Daniel stretched, yawning. "Alright, I'm calling it. My dignity's dead."
"It was never alive," Mina said, elbowing him.
Ava smiled. "Thanks, guys. I… really needed this."
"Of course," Mina said, slinging an arm around her. "We're not letting you drown in adult sadness without a fight."
Daniel nodded. "Exactly. You're stuck with us."
They hugged goodbye at the subway entrance, Mina waving dramatically as she disappeared down the stairs. Daniel headed the opposite way, muttering about missing the last train.
Ava walked the last few blocks home alone, her laughter slowly fading into silence.
The apartment was dark when she stepped inside.
She kicked off her shoes and called softly, "Noir?"
No answer.
She flipped on the light and there he was, sitting perfectly still on the table, staring at something invisible.
"You're late," he said finally.
Ava sighed. "I was out with friends. You know, normal human things."
Noir's gaze flicked toward her, unreadable. "Humans have strange ways of pretending nothing's wrong."
She frowned. "It's called coping."
"Ah." He tilted his head. "And did it work?"
For a second, she didn't answer. Then she smiled faintly. "Maybe. For a while."
Noir jumped down from the table, landing silently. "Good. You'll need that strength soon."
Ava rolled her eyes. "You're always so dramatic. Can't you just say, 'welcome home,' like a normal cat?"
"I'm not a normal cat."
"I'm aware," she muttered.
Noir's tail flicked, amused. "Then stop expecting normal."
He walked past her and leapt onto the couch, curling into a perfect black circle. "By the way," he added casually, "your friend saw me yesterday."
Ava froze. "What?"
"The tall one. The loud one. The one who thinks pigeons are spies."
"Daniel?" she whispered.
"He has a good heart," Noir said, eyes closing. "But tell him to stop waving at me."
Ava's jaw dropped. "You saw him?"
"I see many things, Ava," Noir murmured. "The question is.....will you?"
She sighed, dropping onto the couch. "You're impossible."
Noir smiled faintly, not opening his eyes. "And yet, you keep talking to me."
Later that night, as Ava brushed her teeth, she glanced at the bathroom mirror and froze.
In the foggy glass, her reflection blinked half a second too late.
Her heart stopped.
When she wiped the mirror, her reflection was normal again.
But deep down, she knew.
It wasn't just stress anymore.
The clock struck midnight.
Ava sat in the living room, unable to sleep.
The city outside was quiet now too quiet for a Friday night. The kind of quiet that made your own heartbeat sound louder than it should.
She kept glancing at the mirror in the hallway.
Every time, she expected her reflection to move wrong again.
Every time, it didn't.
Almost like it was waiting.
Noir was awake too, sitting by the window with his tail wrapped neatly around his paws. The moonlight turned his fur almost silver.
"You're staring again," he said without looking at her.
"I can't help it," Ava replied softly. "You said I shouldn't trust reflections."
"I did."
"Why?"
He didn't answer.
Ava sighed, leaning back against the couch. "You know, if you're going to keep being cryptic, at least do it with snacks."
Noir turned his head slightly, amused. "You humans think food fixes everything."
"It usually does."
He let out a quiet hum, eyes glinting. "Maybe that's why you survive."
She chuckled softly. "You say that like you're not part of the same world."
"I'm not," he said, tone suddenly flat.
That stopped her.
For a moment, neither spoke. The hum of the refrigerator and the soft city wind were the only sounds in the room.
Ava hesitated. "You said that before that you're not a normal cat. So what are you, really?
Noir's ears flicked, but he didn't turn to face her. "Do you really want to know?"
"I wouldn't ask if I didn't."
He looked out the window again, voice quiet. "Sometimes the truth doesn't free you, Ava. Sometimes it ties you tighter."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one you'll get tonight."
Ava exhaled sharply, standing up. "You know what? I'm done with your riddles. I saw something someone in that dream. He had your eyes, Noir. The same golden color. The same look."
He finally turned, and for the first time, something raw flickered in his expression.
Fear.
"You shouldn't have seen him," he whispered.
"Then why did I?"
He didn't move, but his claws flexed against the floor, silent. "Because you're not supposed to be part of this. Not again."
"Again?" she repeated. "Why do you keep saying that?"
Noir looked at her then really looked at her. His voice trembled slightly when he spoke.
"Because this isn't the first time our lives have crossed."
Ava's stomach twisted. "What are you talking about?"
He closed his eyes, as if pained. "The curse isn't just mine, Ava."
Her voice dropped to a whisper. "What do you mean 'curse'?"
Noir hesitated, then jumped down from the window ledge. He padded across the floor, stopping a few feet away from her. His golden eyes caught the moonlight, shimmering like liquid metal.
"There was a time," he began slowly, "long before this world looked the way it does now. A time when I wasn't… like this. I had a name, a voice, a life."
"You were human," Ava said quietly.
"Yes."
Her breath caught.
"But I was arrogant," he continued, gaze distant. "I wanted power I didn't deserve. And I found someone willing to give it to me a witch whose beauty was only matched by her cruelty."
Ava's heartbeat quickened. "She cursed you."
"Yes. To live endless lives, but never the same form twice. To wander, to remember fragments and lose others. Every thousand years, I sleep. Every time I wake, the world has changed and so have I."
Ava swallowed hard. "And now you're… a cat."
"Apparently." He smirked faintly, but it didn't reach his eyes.
She hesitated. "Then… why am I seeing him? Why am I dreaming about your past?"
His expression softened. "Because you were there."
Her mind blanked. "What?"
He stepped closer. "You were part of it. Long ago. You don't remember, but your soul does."
Ava shook her head. "That's that's impossible."
"Maybe," Noir said gently. "Or maybe not. You've felt it, haven't you? The pull when we met. The familiarity. Like a song you almost remember."
Ava's lips parted, but no sound came out.
"It's why the world is bending around you now," he went on. "The curse recognizes you. It's waking up."
She backed away slowly. "You're saying I'm cursed too?"
"I'm saying you're connected to it," Noir said. "To me. Whether you want to be or not."
The silence stretched again. The city hummed in the distance.
Then Ava laughed not out of humor, but disbelief.
"This is insane," she said, running a hand through her hair. "I'm talking to a cat about ancient curses and past lives"
"And yet," Noir interrupted softly, "you're not running."
That stopped her.
He was right. She should have run. She should've called someone, screamed, done anything but instead, she stood there, heart racing, staring at him like she'd known him all her life.
Noir's gaze softened further. "You asked earlier what I am. Maybe that's not the right question."
"Then what is?" she whispered.
He took another step forward, until he was close enough that she could see the reflection of her face in his eyes. "Maybe you should ask who you are."
The room felt suddenly colder.
Outside, a gust of wind rattled the windows.
Ava looked at him, voice trembling. "Noir… what's happening to me?"
Before he could answer, the lights flickered once twice then went out completely.
The apartment plunged into darkness.
Ava gasped. "Noir?"
But his voice came from somewhere else now lower, distant, and not quite the same.
"He's coming."
A chill ran down her spine. "Who?"
No answer.
Then, faintly, from the mirror in the hallway
A golden shimmer.
A shape moving just beyond the glass.
And for the briefest heartbeat, Ava saw him again.
The man from her dream.
Tall, cloaked, eyes like fire.
He looked straight at her reflection not at her and whispered something that made her blood run cold.
"You never learn."
The mirror cracked.
When the lights finally flickered back to life, the apartment was empty except for Ava, trembling, clutching the edge of the couch.
Noir was gone.
Only the faint smell of ash lingered where he'd stood.