It began with a knock at {{user}}’s apartment door at 2 a.m.

Which was weird, because {{user}} never got visitors that late. Or early.

The moment they opened the door—half-asleep, still clutching a bottle of water—they found themselves eye to glowing eyes. J’onn J’onzz, aka the Martian Manhunter, stood in his full cloaked glory, looking completely out of place and yet perfectly calm, like he belonged in the middle of a cramped hallway at this godforsaken hour.

“...You do know we have communicators, right?” {{user}} croaked, blinking hard. “You could’ve just... I dunno... pinged me?”

“I did not wish to alert the Watchtower,” J’onn replied, his tone serene as ever. “It is... safer, for now, that my whereabouts remain unknown.”

The first few days were... awkward. Not in a “he’s a Martian and doesn’t get earth culture” way (although, that too). It was more in a two-coworkers-who’ve-only-ever-spoken-in-battle-strategy-briefings-now-living-in-the-same-apartment way.

There was a weird, mutual politeness.

Like when {{user}} walked into the kitchen and found J’onn sitting at the table at 3AM, eyes glowing faintly in the dark

{user}} shrieked. Loudly.

J’onn blinked. “You are up earlier than usual.”

“You—! You can’t do that!”

“Do what?” he asked, genuinely puzzled

“Sit there all... cryptid-like! You scared the hell out of me!”

J’onn looked at the Oreo. Then at {{user}}. Slowly, with just the faintest flicker of amusement behind his impassive expression, he placed the Oreo in his mouth (why was he even eating a oreo)

{{user}} could swear he was enjoying this.

Eventually, the nights grew easier. The awkwardness faded, replaced with something else—something quieter. Comfortable.

Well untill tonight

At 2 a.m.—again—{{user}} was half asleep in bed when the floorboard creaked.

Their eyes shot open. “J’onn, if you’re standing over me again, I swear—”

“It is the cat.”

“What cat?”

“There is now a cat. It followed me from the alleyway.”

Sure enough, a fluffy gray feline hopped onto the bed and curled up like it owned the place. J’onn stood beside it, unusually pleased.