Egon glanced at his watch, frowning at the time and glanced at the door. It was 5:45. Almost three hours since (Y/N) was supposed to meet Egon in his lab.
It had become a daily occurrence for (Y/N) to accompany Egon in the lab at 3:00 precisely. Some days he had them helping with the experiments and some days he just enjoyed their company.
It was unusual for them to not show up with saying anything.
The door to lab opened and Egon nearly jumped out of his chair. Upon seeing Venkman, he couldn't hide the disappointment on his face.
"Yeah, yeah. Sorry I'm not (Y/N). Who you should probably check on by the way. They haven't left their room since they went to bed last night." Peter said, hopping up on his table.
Choosing to ignore Peter's disrespect for his lab, Egon focused on his words instead. "What do you mean they haven't left their room?"
"Exactly that. They went to bed last night and never came out. They even yelled at Ray and I when we went to check on them."
"And you didn't think to tell me earlier?" Egon pushed himself out of his chair and left the lab, not bothering to wait for a response.
Egon made his way through the firehouse and stopped in front of (Y/N)'s door. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door.
"Go away, Peter!" (Y/N) called back.
"It's Egon. May I come in?"
It was silent for a moment before he heard a soft "Yeah."
He entered (Y/N)'s room and immediately noticed the light was turned off. Despite that, he could clearly see (Y/N) laying under the covers with a washcloth on their head.
"Leave the light off, will you please?" (Y/N)'s voice was softer and Egon could hear the pain in it now that he was closer.
"Are you alright?" He asked, walking to their bed.
"Just a migraine. Been trying to sleep it off but it hasn't been working." (Y/N) grabbed the washcloth and flipped it over.
Egon opened his mouth to offer a solution but before he could (Y/N) cut him off.
"And don't tell me to drink water. I've been doing that already." They pointed to their nightstand.
Egon followed their finger and saw numerous glasses, some empty and some half filled with water.
"Well is there anything I can do to help? I was quite worried when you didn't come down like you always do."
(Y/N) bit their tongue, thinking. They didn't think he'd noticed if they missed one day. "Will.. Will you hold me?"
Egon smiled. "Of course." He slipped off his lab coat, tie, shoes and belt and climbed under the covers with (Y/N). He pulled them onto his chest, one hand on their back, the other gently rubbing the back off their head.
Bustin’ Makes Me Feel Good (Egon Spengler x Reader) [18+]
A/N: Hello all! This is my first time posting a fanfic on here so forgive me if it looks janky. I usually only write and keep it private, but everyone seemed hungry for more Egon Spengler fics! So, here is the start of my hard work. If you guys could, please leave suggestions for future "experiments" for Y/N and Egon! And perhaps provide notes or helpful tips if you feel so inclined.
warnings: smut, minors dni, unprotected sex (pls use protection I do not condone unprotected sex!!), sex experiments, Possessive!Egon, Gentle!Egon, tiny bit of cunnilingus, dic suck, p in v sex, leaving marks
word count: 3,816
Chapter 1: The Start of the Experiment
It was late, and after Janine was done doing her half of the paperwork for the business, she bid you goodnight. You were lagging behind, not sure if it was because you’d only had one cup of coffee or that it was Thursday. You were so close, yet so far from the weekend. But then again, the work at Ghostbusters HQ was never over. Constant calls in the dead of night, explaining why everyone in the office seemed to be in a prolonged state of fatigue. You sighed, filling out forms and organizing them in the filing cabinets at your side. You got up, having a dozen pages left, to go make some coffee and wake yourself up. Once you arrived in the kitchen area, you noticed Egon sipping on his own mug of the dark caffeinated beverage. He had already made a pot. You should’ve expected that of the sleepless scientist, constantly snacking and drinking coffee to continue his research. You grabbed a spare mug from the cabinet, one that was your favorite color, and filled it with hot coffee. You added some creamer and sugar before sitting across the table from the lanky doctor.
“Still running tests?” you asked, taking a sip of your drink quietly, savoring the taste.
“Of course. Our work is never done and there is always more to know,” he said contently, his fingers gently tapping the handle of his mug.
You hypnotically watched his hands, your mind wandering off into the night and leaving your body sitting completely still, your hands around your mug. Once Egon had realized you were dissociating, he moved his mug aside and sat forward, his hand reaching to yours. He knew the risk would be that he would scare you, but he figured the likelihood of that was low considering how sleepy you seemed. Once his hand touched yours, your eyes blinked rapidly, scanning your surroundings until you landed on Egon in front of you.
“You seemed lost,” he stated.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to space out on you.”
“No need to apologize. Dissociation can happen when one is fatigued.”
He retracted his hand slowly as you gripped the handle of your mug and readied yourself for another sip. You closed your eyes and held the mug up to your nose to smell the coffee, then took another swig. You refocused on him and put your mug down.
“Do you do that too or are you just kept awake by science?” you asked jokingly.
“I tend to eat a lot of snacks. Also, I lose track of time. Aren’t you almost done with your work though?” he asked. “I’d cover for you if you want to leave and get a proper eight hours.”
You thought for a moment but wanted to impress him. “No, no. I really should get the paperwork done so it doesn’t pile up on top of the workload in the morning.”
“Well if you’d like, you can come into my lab to finish your coffee before returning to your work.”
It was odd that he made the offer, but you certainly weren’t going to turn it down. You were curious about what all was in his lab and what he was gathering data on. “I’d love to.”
You stood with him, your mug in your hands as he finished his coffee and placed his mug in the sink before sticking his hands in his lab coat pockets and leading the way to his lab down the hall. You carefully followed him, keeping his pace and holding your mug tightly, so as not to drop it. You went up the stairs to his lab, and right as you met the threshold of the doorway, the smell of earth, dirt, and metal hit you in the face. It was somehow comforting and warm, though that was probably because of the heat lamps he had over his growing fungi on the shelves. He walked over to his collection on the shelves and gave a small smile to the growing organisms. You could tell he was proud of his collection and indeed enjoyed watching these things grow. You thought to an extent it was adorable, even if you didn’t understand it fully. You scanned the bookshelves, seeing many books on anatomy, botany, and other fields of study. Some more recent reads were stacked and opened on his desk, one catching your eye, called Human Sexual Response.
“It’s very comfortable in here,” you commented, looking from his face to the gadgets and wires and hunks of metals he was using to make machines in the room. “I’m honestly surprised you wouldn’t fall asleep in here.”
“Well, it’s warm enough to keep my collection thriving. Though I usually run cold, so it’s warm enough to keep my body heat within a normal range,” he explained, walking toward an island table that held what looked like an upgraded version of the PKE reader that Egon had used for many ghost hunting trips.
“Well, Dr. Spengler, I do adore your lab. I wish my desk was as nice,” you said longingly, setting your mug down on the surface.
“Then perhaps you could rethink your choice of a job. You could become a lab assistant, if you’re interested. I admit I may need help in here soon with the amount of work we’ve been picking up.”
You approached him carefully, getting closer than you usually would. “Well, Dr. Spengler, your lab isn’t the only thing I’d love about a job like this.”
He scanned you with keen and clever eyes, a small smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. He had been reading the research of Dr. Bill Masters and Virginia Johnson, which had made him wonder if sex was as formulaic as they had written. Maybe this was his chance to test the findings of Dr. Masters with his own experience. Your hand touched his shaven cheek, snapping him out of his thoughts. His eyes met the heat of your gaze, as your other hand rested on his sweater vest-covered chest. You felt the beat of his heart increase, and the breaths he took were more shallow.
“Y/N. Are you sure you…want me? If this is going to happen, I have some conditions,” he said, his hands now caressing your forearms.
“I want you, Dr. Spengler. What do you need from me?”
“You need to be my lab assistant. You’re obviously too curious to be behind a desk. Peter will find more help for Miss Melnitz, I’m sure.”
“Yes sir. But what do I need to do for you to have me now?” you asked, the hand on his chest gliding down his pec and to his side.
“I think tonight we’ll start with heart rate before and after coitus,” he managed, a shake in his voice as if your touch made him tremble. He too was human, and even if he tried to act like he wasn’t, he still had desires like his friends.
He reached his right hand to your neck, two fingers resting on your pulse point as his eyes trained on his watch to check your beats per minute. He stayed still, breathing quietly through his nose as you stood frozen for him. You could feel yourself getting excited. He was going to fuck you. In his lab.
“58 BPM,” he said, turning away from you to a notepad on his desk as he scrawled the information down, making sure to label it properly so it wouldn’t be another number written on the sheet. He stayed turned away from you as he took his own heart rate. You drank in the sight of his fluffy dark hair atop his head, his collared shirt covered with a sweater vest that smelled earthy, and his grey slacks that showed his shapely backside.
After he had written his down messily, he turned around to face you. “We need a flat surface, unless you’d like to perform this in an unusual way. Though, I’m not sure how much that would affect my results,” he said, his eyes wandering from yours to the steel table behind you. He was getting caught up in his thoughts here, while you were excited from anticipation.
“Dr. Spengler—” you started before he corrected you softly.
“Please, call me Egon, since we’re alone.”
“Egon,” you corrected yourself. “If we’re doing this for research, surely you’d like to include variables other than visual and audible stimuli. The position can be factored in as well. I’m perfectly comfortable as long as you’re here.”
He had looked from the floor to your face again once you started speaking his language. Science. Stimuli and scientific method speak. His gaze was curious and hungry.
“You have a point,” he muttered.
He took two steps toward you, closing the gap of space between your bodies. His hands cautiously rested on your waist, his fingers not sure what to do other than brush your shirt up for skin-to-skin contact. A shiver ran down your back at the coolness of his thin fingers. Your arms snaked up his chest and around his neck, your fingers brushing his fluffy hair at his nape. You leaned in, stopping just shy of his lips and grinning. His eyes were half-open, looking at your lips before he closed the space that was left. The kiss was soft at first, warm and inviting. But as you got heated, the kiss increased in intensity as you began to move your tongue along his lip. He complied and opened his mouth, clashing tongues with you. You were so close, that you could feel the heat emanating off of his groin and the thump of his heart against his ribs. Once you broke the kiss, you started to peel off his sweater vest, your fingers gliding down to mess with the hem as you pulled it up. He followed your movements and smoothly took it off, setting it on the desk behind him as he studied you. His hands went for your shirt, pushing it up and off your torso, revealing your lack of a bra.
“Oh,” he chirped, his cheeks turning pink. He obviously wasn’t expecting that to be missing. He awkwardly looked away.
“Egon, you can look at them. Hell, you can touch them. I guess I should've warned you.”
“Is this something you do often? Omit this article of clothing?” he asked, his eyes slowly crawling back up to gaze at your chest.
“When I can, yes. Some bras are very uncomfortable.” He nodded in response, understanding. You imagined he probably took a mental note.
Your hands gently grabbed his wrists and guided his hands up to cup your breasts. His fingers weren’t as cold as they had been, but they were still cool enough to make your nipples go hard. You softly gasped as he delicately brushed the tender skin of your chest. As you reveled in his touch, your hands had found the tie around his neck, working the knot out of it and pulling him close with it before you removed it from his shirt. Your fingers next found the top button of his collared shirt, undoing each of them, showing more and more flesh. His hands had begun to massage and toy with your nipples, drawing purrs from your lips. Once his shirt was unbuttoned, he leaned toward you to kiss you again before he lined your neck with kisses, occasionally suckling hard to leave a mark. He grazed your breasts with his lips and nose before arriving at a nipple and letting his tongue circle it. You trembled, feeling yourself become wetter for this nerdy scientist who was appearing to be a great lover as well.
“Egon,” you breathed, your hands clutching the back of his head, his soft curls intertwining with your delicate fingers. He released your nipple from his mouth and gazed up at your euphoric face.
“Something the matter?” he asked, raising his eyebrows.
You shook your head, loving the pace this was going, but at the same time longing for him to fuck you into next week. “I want to see you. I know you’re modest, but you’ve only got your tie off while I’m already topless.”
His face turned a little pink and pulled his sleeves off to remove his shirt from his body, revealing a toned but not too toned body shape. He obviously got enough exercise doing ghostbusting, but he did make up for it by eating Cheez-Its and Twinkies. “I apologize. Is this arousing for you? To see me without a shirt?”
You mentally facepalmed. He had to be joking. You nodded, biting your lip at the sight of his smooth skin, his light patch of chest hair as fluffy as the hair on his head.
Another mental note taken, he set his shirt on his desk, holding your gaze until you broke it to see where your hands would touch. His chest was soft but solid underneath the layer of skin and little fat. You felt his sides, each rib felt on your way down to his hips as he shuddered beneath you. You snuck a glance downwards and could tell his erection had to be getting painful. He noticed your glance and took the opportunity to surprise you by lifting you up and sitting you on the edge of the cool table behind you. It was solid wood, slightly colder than the room surrounding it. You squeaked when he lifted you, your hands grasping his shoulders as his hands firmly grasped your waist. Then, those magic fingers of his began to pull on your dress pants, and you shifted to help him get them off. Once they had fallen to your ankles, he roughly folded them and put them where his shirt was on the desk. The dampness between your legs was visible on your mid-colored underwear, the waistband lacey and soft. Your panties had soaked through, getting your thighs damp now, which sent a tingle down your spine at the chill in the air without your pants. This was happening.
Egon kissed you again, grunts from his chest being heard between each one, your hands holding his freshly-shaven face. One of his hands had found your heat, the pressure from his hand on your mound making you shift up into it. He rubbed and felt your folds through the underwear, a grin crossing his face as he broke the kisses and moved his head to kiss your navel, stopping just short of the lace. He played with the hem, hesitating.
“May I?” he asked. As per usual, always the gentleman.
“Yes,” you breathed, “please.”
He took them off gently, as if unwrapping a neat and pristine present. Once he got a look at your core, his face definitely ran hot. He squatted, his hands each taking a leg under your thigh and placing them on his shoulders. His hands reached around the tops of your thighs and caressed them, kissing them up and down before focusing on your quivering pussy. His tongue laid flat over your clit, nearly causing you to buck into his face before his tongue began tracing your labia. You squirmed beneath him, giving Egon the sense that what he was doing was desirable to you. Your fist clenched beside you while your other hand held your breast.
“Ah, oh, Eg-gon,” you stuttered, the pleasure removing cohesive thought from your mind. Your heart was leaping, and just before you could grasp a climax, he stopped. “Egon?”
You looked to where he was, and you saw him looking at your face hungrily. “You make interesting faces when I do this. I had to see them in action…and wanted to see what would happen if I stopped.”
He sounded logical, but still lustfully charged. “May I pleasure you in return?”
He raised his eyebrows. He was so hard, he thought his slacks would tear. He nervously nodded as you sat up, laying on your belly to reach his belt and undo it, pulling his briefs and pants down. His cock sprung free, twitching and begging for attention. It was so red, you couldn’t believe there was still blood spare to go to his face and make it blush. His size was impressive in terms of length. He was girthy around the top and obviously hadn’t shown this part of himself to anyone in a long time. He covered his mouth as he watched you take his penis in your soft hands and guide it to your mouth, the taste of precum coating your tongue. His length throbbed in your mouth, and you knew too much would make him cum before he even had a chance to enter you. He let out a shaking moan, his hands stroking your hair and your shoulders, as if to praise you. You hollowed out your cheeks and let your tongue run along the underside, drawing out a grunt from Egon, followed by a small gasp. You stopped and pulled him out of your mouth, looking up at his euphoric face. You sat up and got back into place, your hips resting on the edge of the table, your hands drifting to find the small of his back to pull him towards you.
“Please, Egon,” you whined, making a face at him as he was caught in his head on the stages of human sexual arousal. His gaze raked you, taking in the sight of your form as if he’d never see it again. But a sly grin crept onto his face as he remembered the arrangement you two had agreed on. You would become his lab assistant and accompany him on this journey of experiments.
“Are you at full arousal?” he asked.
You nodded, your hair trembling on your head. “Are you?”
He grunted in satisfaction, grabbing his cock with his hand and lining up with your heat. He pushed in slowly, his girth spreading and filling you like nothing you’d felt before. You never imagined this would happen, and yet here you were, with Dr. Egon Spengler inside of you. Once he’d buried himself to the hilt, he hummed a moan as you contracted around his length, adjusting to his size. His hands gripped your hips, knowing it would leave a mark on you. He showed signs of possessiveness over you. The question you asked yourself next was, was it because he was aroused or because he actually liked you?
“Please fuck me, Egon,” you pleaded.
He complied, beginning a rhythm of thrusts, his girth hitting just the right spot while the room crowded with the sound of skin-to-skin contact. Your hands covered his on your hips as he gasped for air, each thrust drawing out squeaks and moans in a symphony of pleasure from your mouth. He threw his head back, humming louder until his lips could no longer hold in his sounds of euphoria. Hearing him make these noises because of you drove you wild, your hands reaching for his shoulders to pull him towards you as you sat up. He slowed the pace, panting as you grounded him with your gaze before making him tilt his head again to give you access to his neck. Your lips brushed along his tendons before settling on a spot and suckling on it, leaving a hickey that surely would last a week. He tried to control his breathing, his hips shaking as he desperately wanted to come. You laid down again and he resumed his rhythm, hissing through his teeth as he watched your breasts move to his beat.
“I’m gonna— Egon, right there, there,” you whined, your arms moving above your head, clenching your fists around the air.
“You’re close to orgasm, Y/N,” he huffed. “I’m right behind you.”
“Cum for me,” you begged, a moan ripping through your chest as your orgasm rocked you. Your walls clenched around Egon’s length, as he let himself go, his cum spilling into you. You didn’t think there would be so much, it felt like he had filled your stomach. It was satisfying.
As he came down from his high and refocused on you, he saw your hands cupping your breasts as your chest rose and fell. His rationale returned to him and he quickly took two of his fingers and pressed them to your pulse point on your neck, his eyes (while seeing stars) trained on his watch as he counted in his head. He slowly removed his cock from you before turning around to write down the number he had recorded, then taking his own heart rate. Your eyes were scanning his back when he was turned to you. You could see the hardened muscles that he used to carry his proton pack along his shoulder blades, the line down his spine finally stopped before his round ass cheeks tautly sat below it.
“You have a beautiful ass, Dr. Spengler,” you chuckled, the feeling of his seed spilling out of you giving you a shudder. It was still warm.
“Thank you,” he responded, turning back around so you could take in the sight of his face, chest, and now resting penis. “I think.”
“It is a compliment, Egon. Your behind is very shapely. Most women like a guy with a tight ass like yours.”
“Well, I’ll keep that in mind.”
He gave a small smile, clearly indicating that the dopamine from the sex had not yet cleared his system. “So, when is our next experiment?”
He thought for a moment, thinking about what he would need to gather and read on before the next one. “How does next week sound? It will give me time to gather my materials for further experimentation and for you to get to know your way around the lab.”
“That sounds perfect,” you said, sitting up and sliding your fingers to your slit, getting a drop of cum on your fingers, and sucking it off as he watched intently. The salty taste coated your tongue as your eyes met his. He seemed confused, intrigued, even, but not disgusted.
“I’m not judging you, if that’s what you’re thinking. I was just curious why you did that. Is it sexually arousing or pleasing?”
He could be so linear. “It’s satisfying to taste you. Think of it as…a gesture of pleasure. I enjoyed you.”
“Ah, about that. I forgot to ask if you’re on birth control.”
“I am. No worries.”
“So,” you said, hopping down from the wood table and approaching him as he stood and observed you. “Same time next week?”
He nodded, moving out of your way so you could grab your clothes from the table. This was going to be very informative for him. Not only would he compare his findings against those of Dr. Masters, but perhaps he could learn some other things about human intimacy that couldn’t be measured in numbers or statistics.
A/N: Boy, I’m terrified to post any OC content, so take it easy on me, please. I’m excited to introduce you all to my character, though! I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing this🧪💚
“Hello, may I help you?”
A flat, nasally voice spoke from behind a magazine, not bothering to look beyond the pages at the person standing before her. Janine Melnitz heard the footsteps shuffle toward the front desk, but found the article before her to be much more intriguing than whatever frantic sob story the next customer was likely to have. After a while, the descriptions of the ghosts, ghouls and things that went bump in the night stopped fazing the woman, and her level-headedness told the customers that it really wasn’t as big of a deal as they thought. Anticipating another freak-out from the person before her, Janine held her breath.
“Hello. I’m looking to apply for a job. If you’re hiring- that is,” another female voice spoke, maintaining a subtle and professional composure until the end. The second sentence faltered a bit, as though the person realized the boldness of their initial statement and had to curtail themselves. Janine paused, eyes narrowing behind her glasses and peering over the top of the magazine. A woman… come to apply for a job?
The woman in question was standing stock still, with dark brown eyes focused directly back at Janine. She was thin, and looked even thinner in the large clothing she wore: a belted pair of jeans and a black turtleneck, swallowed by a draping grey cardigan that hung over her hands, just barely showing her fingers that fidgeted restlessly in front of her. Her skin was rather pale, and her cropped brown hair fell in layers. At first glance, Janine would’ve said it was disheveled, but the assorted bobby pins across the woman’s bangs gave her the impression that at least the woman tried.
“Do you believe in UFOs, astral projections, mental telepathy, ESP, clairvoyance, spirit photography, telekinetic movement, full trance mediums, the Loch Ness monster and the theory of Atlantis?” Janine slowly placed her magazine down, one eyebrow quirking at the rather unextraordinary woman. Her voice was monotone, as though this were a spiel she gave more than once a day.
“Oh, actually-”
“In addition,” Janine cut the young woman off, “Can you lift loads upwards of 20 pounds?”
The woman, whose lips had parted to finish her halted statement, gazed downward, before drawing in a deep breath. Janine waited, watching the young woman prepare her self-defense.
“Actually, I’m looking for a position in your laboratories,” she said half-apologetically.
“I am willing, however, to accept all of those notions with proper evidence.”
Janine paused again, hung on the woman’s request. A job in the laboratories? She almost scoffed at the idea, thinking of the man who ran them. An independent and aloof man, who would sooner blow up a city street than take in a lab assistant (a concept based in true fact, considering there were no lab assistants but one such avenue still repairing damages).
“Oh,” Janine began, leaning forward to look up at the woman through her pink-rimmed glasses.
“Our laboratories aren’t generally hiring, but I can place the call up to the Doctor for an interview.”
The woman seemed to perk up at that, the corners of her lips twitching upward. An interview was more than she’d gotten at three other laboratories, and those were not nearly as fascinating as the Ghostbusters’ supernatural and etherically-focused research.
“I’d greatly appreciate that, Miss…” the woman glanced down at the tag on the desk, her smile growing slightly bigger. “Miss Melnitz.”
Janine picked up the phone and placed it to her ear, hovering a finger over the rotary.
“It’s no problem, but I’ll warn ya. Don’t take it personal if you’re not hired, hun. He’s really choosy with people in the lab; even the other Ghostbusters aren’t allowed in half the time.”
She watched as the young woman’s smile fell slightly, the nerves going straight to her fingers as she continued to fidget with the sleeves of her cardigan, bracing for the worst.
“There’s someone here for an interview… A lab interview… Well, I’ll ask her…Yes, her.”
Janine sighed and looked at the woman, pursing her glossed lips in a puckered frown.
“What’s your name?”
— — —
This was it. This was when real first impressions were made. The way one says their name, their credentials, and their intentions makes all the difference. The sting of rejections from the past research laboratories had dimmed her spark, but this was further than she’d gotten before, and this was Arielle Maitland’s chance to secure the most fascinating job in the city.
“Arielle Maitland,” she said firmly to the woman at the desk, her smile returning slightly.
There were seemingly hundreds of thoughts speeding through Arielle’s mind at that moment, fighting for her attention and anxiety.
Don’t look nervous, even though you are.
Tell them about your research.
Focus on your accolades.
Ms. Melnitz is judging so harshly, that I can feel her eyes slicing through me.
You should’ve brought a resume.
Don’t tell them about the ghost in your closet that you befriended.
“What school did you graduate from?”
Arielle felt her thoughts pause with a mental record scratch, drawing her attention back to the woman at the desk.
“New York University. Class of 1982.”
As Ms. Melnitz repeated her words into the telephone, an almost puzzled look crossed her face.
“Well, yes, I suppose it’s her. Shall I send her up?”
Arielle hadn’t the faintest idea what that interaction could’ve meant, but Ms. Melnitz seemed surprised and offered to send her to the laboratory, so she could only hope it meant something positive. The twist of anticipation in her stomach seemed to grow as she bit her lips inward, glancing hopefully at the staircase and then back to the secretary.
“Mhm. She’ll be right up,” Ms. Melnitz confirmed before hanging the phone back on its hook. She drew in another deep breath before gesturing to the staircase.
“Dr. Spengler will see you. Up the stairs, to the right and all the way down. His name is on the door, you can’t miss it. I wish you luck, Ms. Maitland.”
“Thank you, Miss Melnitz,” Arielle replied, almost breathless as she hurried to the staircase and took her first steps up.
“But remember-” Janine spoke up, swiveling her chair to look at her. “Don’t take it all personal.”
Arielle felt the punch of nerves hit her again as she nodded solemnly to the woman and proceeded up the rest of the stairs. It was quieter than she’d anticipated the Ghostbusters headquarters to be, though she could only assume that to mean that they were out on business. Was their laboratory researcher not a Ghostbuster, then? Ms. Melnitz had said he didn’t let ‘the other Ghostbusters’ inside, which implied that he himself was a Ghostbuster. Dr. Spengler… Arielle fought to remember which of the men had that nametag on their uniform. She had an inkling, but couldn’t be sure in thought alone.
She rapped lightly on the closed laboratory door, shifting nervously on the balls of her feet. Behind the obscured glass doors, she could hear the shuffle of papers, and then of a desk chair. The open and close of a file cabinet, and then the sound of a man clearing his throat before speaking.
“Come in.”
This was it, for the second time. The real first impression, the real selling point. If she could prove her scientific and professional prowess to Dr. Spengler, she may just secure a paying job that wasn’t tutoring failing middle school students.
Focus on your accolades and research.
Don’t talk about the ghost you befriended.
Arielle Maitland gingerly opened the door and stepped into the lab, taking a moment to glance around. It wasn’t a very large laboratory, but it was well organized and well-lit, with assorted scientific diagrams on the walls and a bookshelf of journals, textbooks and guides lined neatly in one corner. And, sitting at the main desk was a thin man with a long, slender nose and rounded glasses perched on the bridge. His hair seemed to defy laws of physics, standing atop his head in light waves that seemed untouched by products. Arielle had to wonder if some kind of electric shock produced a style like that. He wore a white lab coat and drummed his fingers mindlessly against the edge of the table.
“Arielle Maitland?”
His voice was deep and bore no hint of emotion. As Arielle looked down at him, she could gather no hint of intrigue, dismissal, or otherwise identifiable emotion. She proceeded with caution, measuring each word carefully as she spoke.
“Yes. Hello, Dr. Spengler. Miss Melnitz sent me.”
Dr. Spengler let out a low hum, reaching for a journal at the corner of his desk and rifling through the pages. Ari drew in a silent breath before pressing forward.
“As she said, I’m interested in applying for a position here in the- your laboratory. I hold a degree in chemical engineering and cosmology from NYU, with a minor in psychology. I’ve worked-”
“Researching spectroscopy of historical landmarks and denoting psychological shifts of visitors, in comparison with newly built architecture,” Dr. Spengler finished, reading from the page he’d just found in his book.
“An interesting concept, it almost lends itself to studies of parapsychology. Though your samples didn’t go before the 18th century and avoided religious locations.”
Arielle Maitland was floored. Her senior research was being read back to her, scrutinized and even half-complimented, by a Ghostbuster. She wasn’t even sure if her own parents had made it through the published research, let alone anyone else. And yet, Dr. Spengler was drumming his fingers along the page, humming lowly as he read over her published work with narrowed, dark eyes.
“Well- pre-revolutionary sites are harder to come by in the New York as visitor locations, and I wanted to keep my research in line with non-rural areas. In addition, the research of historical religious sites may have influenced the variable psychology and verity of the interview subjects, regardless of spectroscopy. And, while I admit there are hints to parapsychology in theory, I’m afraid NYU would’ve never recognized that as a viable area of study.”
Dr. Spengler turned from his chair and stood up, slowly approaching Arielle. His looming shadow over her brought her attention to his height, and how significantly taller he was than her. His brows were furrowed as he looked down at her, studying her facial expression (which she knew, at that moment, must have been a thinly veiled look of pure anxiousness) and body language. Her back arched as she looked up, taking a cautious step back.
You blew it. You talked back and you blew it. Take the criticism and accept your failure, Ari. Don’t. Talk. Back.
“Convincing institutions is like pleading with a brick wall,” he muttered. “In the realm of parapsychology and ethereal-plane chemistry, religious sites are home to some of the most potent readings and samples in the field.”
Arielle blinked silently at him, lowering her head so as to not crane her neck toward his face. In a flash, he turned around, swiping the book off of his desk and speaking again.
“But I commend you, the NYU Scientific Journal is a competitive research publication, and mixed psychological-chemistry research is rare. From a student, no less.”
“Th-thank you, Dr. Spengler. I appreciate that you’ve read my research.” Arielle half-whispered her response, airing on the side of caution. His tone still bore no indication of where his thought process was, and whether or not she rested on the precipice of a job offer or another miserable rejection.
“I read the research that’s worth reading,” he replied, closing the journal and filing it back on the shelf. For the first time, Ari could sense a shift in his voice. Though she could no longer see his face, she could almost feel the hint of a smile in his words. She knew not to be so bold as to take it as a sign, but it did make her wonder… If he thought her research was worth reading, would she be worth hiring?
“Having a broad perspective and proper research is important, especially in this industry.”
Arielle rocked on her heels a couple of times, growing slightly more confident in the path Dr. Spengler was taking with his words. Perhaps, a slightly bolder and self-assured approach was warranted. Her tone brightened as she half-smiled at the doctor’s back.
“Well, I believe I have both; an open mind, but scientifically driven toward empirical evidence.”
“Your research speaks as evidence, Ms. Maitland.” Dr. Spengler took a pause before turning back to face her. Then, she could see the corners of his lips upturned, in a slightly anticipatory smile.
“I’ll look forward to seeing the research in this laboratory.”
Arielle let out a breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, in a surprised half-laugh. He was offering her a job at the Ghostbusters lab, even anticipating working with her. Her eyebrows raised in pleasant shock, and her freckled face broke into a wider grin than she’d had in a very long time.
“Thank you, Dr. Spengler. Thanks. I- I thoroughly look forward to it as well. There’s a lot to be discovered, and I can’t wait to-”
For a moment, she stumbled, fighting for a professional phrase but coming up empty. With an apologetic laugh and an embarrassingly red flush to her face, she pressed on. “To discover it.”
She held out a hand for Dr. Spengler to shake, only to find it hanging awkwardly in the air, half-covered by her cardigan. For a brief moment, she locked eyes with him, her face growing even deeper in color as she slowly went to lower her hand. As her fingers recoiled with another guilty glance to the ground, she felt the man’s thin fingers grasp around her hand, firmly shaking it. Her head jerked up with surprise, meeting his dark eyes once more.
Dr. Egon Spengler had a smile, a full smile, painted across his face now as he looked at his new lab assistant and research partner, Arielle Maitland.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Arielle.”
Ari grinned widely back at the man and nodded as she shook his hand. She stepped back toward the door, placing one foot out before turning back and offering one last tip to her new boss.
A red string tied around your pinkies connects you to your soulmate
I followed Janine down the street to the firehouse where she and her friends made their business.
"Oh honey, you are gonna love my friends." She paused. "Most of them. Ray and Egon are real sweethearts even if Egon is more in the reserved side. Peter is a big flirt and Winston can be too but he has more restraint."
I smiled. "I'm really excited to meet them. They sound like great people."
We rounded the corner and walked into the building. I felt something tug at my pinky. Looking down I saw the red string start to faintly appear.
"Janine!" I called, reaching out to grab her hand.
She followed my eyes and gasped. The red string extended from finger, leading towards one of the doors before disappearing.
"One of the guys has got to be your soulmate! I'll call them over!" Janine skipped over to her desk where she called for her friends.
We waited about five minutes before three men entered the lobby from different directions.
"Who's this Janine?" A young man with fluffy brown hair asked, smiling.
"Guys, this is my sister (Y/N). (Y/N) this is Ray," She pointed at the man who spoke. "Peter and Winston." The guys waved hello as Janine looked around.
"Where's Egon?"
"He's down in his lab. Said he had 'important work to attend too'." Peter said, rolling his eyes.
Janine sighed. "Of course. Well, you can meet him later. How bout a tour?"
"That sounds great!" I clapped my hands in excitement.
The guys and Janine lead me deeper into the firehouse, explaining what they did and how it worked. As we entered into the main room, I could feel the red string tugging ever so slightly. Looking down, I saw it had grown clearer and brighter, leading to a staircase.
I glanced over at the group, watching as they walked off without me. I decided to follow the string and head down the stairs.
"Oh, (Y/N)! Wait!" Ray called out.
Janine looked over and saw I was heading downstairs. "Ray, leave her be. She's following her string!"
I heard Janine start to jump up and down but I ignored them.
I followed the string down the hallway before coming to a stop in front of a steel door.
It had "Do Not Disturb" and "Go Away" signs plastered all over. The red string was fully visible and glowing as I stood outside the door.
"What are you waiting for?"
I jumped and looked back. Janine, Peter, Ray and Winston had followed me down.
I pointed at the signs. "I don't want to disturb him."
Peter walked in front of me. "Well, I do. He's got to meet his soulmate." With that, Peter opened the door and walked in.
Egon, as I had come to learn, was hunched over a microscope, writing down notes in the journal next to him. At the sound of the door opening, he looked up, glaring at the intruders.
"Didn't I tell you I have important business to attend to? And that I'm not to be disturbed?"
"Well, yeah but Janine brought over her sister for us to meet." Ray said, pointing at me.
Egon didn't bother to glance at me. I, however, couldn't stop staring. He was handsome with his thin, round glasses that sat upon his nose and his lab coat.
"I told you I would come meet her when I was finished. I am not finished and now that you've interrupted me, I will be taking longer. So kindly leave." Egon pointed to the door and turned back to his microscope.
I tried not to let his attitude affect me as Janine had told me he acted this way towards everyone, but it did sting a little.
"Well, I think she takes top priority. Take a look at your hand." Peter said as he pushed me towards him.
I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as Egon lifted his eyes from the microscope. He glanced at me before glancing at his hand. His eyes widened as he noticed the red string connecting our hands. Egon stood from his chair and walked over to me.
"I-I'm sorry. I'm Egon." His eyes met mine and he held his hand out for me to shake.
I smiled at him and shook his hand. "I'm (Y/N). It's a pleasure to meet you."
Egon smiled back, seeming to relax. "Likewise. Would you be interested in going on a date with me? I'd love to get to know you more."
I nodded. "I'd love to!"
"Great." He looked back at his work then back at me. "I should be done within an hour or two if you'd like to get dinner tonight?"
"That would be perfect. I'll be hanging around here with Janine so feel free to come find me when your done."
Egon nodded, a smile gracing his face.
Feeling brave, I stood on my tip toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
"I'll see you later!" I waved goodbye as I left his lab. I could hear Janine laughing as she followed after me.
