Arthur woke up with a sharp gasp, about thirty minutes after passing out. Panic sparked through him and he looked around before pushing himself up with his singular arm. He stared every inch of that room down, and swallowed harshly. A loud knock erupted from his door, causing him to shriek loudly and dive to the other side of his bed, shaking and tearing up, genuinely terrified.
"Arthur, it's just me." Vivi spoke from the other side of the door, before opening it and walking in, though, when she saw his terrified expression she froze mid-step. "Arthur?"
Arthur stared her down, panting heavily, trembling and crying from the shock of that crazy experience that gave him literal PTSD from the caves. He took a moment to catch his breathe before calming down a little, looking more exhausted than anything.
"I-I just knocked, are, are you okay? Was I'd because we were staring?" Vivi shrunk a little, guilt and concern lacing her features.
Arthur blinked away the last of his tears and scooted away from the corner before standing, shaking his head.
"N-No, no it wasn't. I-I uh... just got lost i-in...my head." Arthur whispered weakly. "Now isn't a g-good time. Please, leave me alone." Arthur mumbled, staring at her tiredly.
"Arthur I'm concerned! You've never gotten that worked up over a knock once in your life sense I've known you! Tell me what's wrong now." Vivi folded her arms in a motherly fashion.
Arthur tensed, feeling cornered as he backed up more, feeling the nightstand behind him. He went to speak, but his mouth only closed. He felt waves of self hate and selfishness eat him up.
"Good job. You made her worry~."
I'm so selfish...B-But i-
"Life will be hell, if you utter a peep."
They deserve to know...
"They deserve better than you.",
"It's nothing..." Arthur sighed and walked over, and gently grabbed her shoulders, walking her backwards until she left the room by his guidance. "I said please." He paused, stressing his last word.
Vivi frowned and nodded, sheepishly rubbing her arms and backing up some, watching as he shut the door. Vivi frowned further and placed a hand on his door, closing her eyes before sighing.
Vivi turned around and walked out into the living room, to spot Lewis looking at her with curiosity, his head tilted, and Mystery watched her walk in with the same interest, but she only smiled weakly and sat down in her seat, brushing her pajama pants some before sighing.
"Arthur's feeling tired. He went back to sleep." Vivi hummed, fiddling with her nails under the table.
"It wasn't because of me staring was it?" Lewis frowned heavily, looking regretful, wincing.
"He normally hates it when people stare. But, I... Think he was just tired, and shy considering you helped fill me in on everything. You and him being friends and an accident happening." Vivi hummed. "I'm sure you will work it out though, tings just... Take time." Vivi smiled weakly.
"Yeah, things do." Lewis sighed, his shoulders sagging.
"So, about you and him..." Vivi hummed, folding her arms onto the table. "You two were close?" Vivi asked.
"Yeah." Lewis smiled softly. "Me and him met a long while ago. He used to come over, and my siblings would mess with him. They'd poor hot sauce in his drinks and pull his hair." Lewis chuckled to himself. "Me and him gamed, cooked, talked about a lot. You know, girls, body image, life." Lewis sighed and looked down at his locket, feeling warmer thinking back. "Despite me being dead, it still makes me smile, messing him was funny."
Vivi smiled softly to herself and shifted to get more comfortable. She looked to Mystery, to see him watching quietly and respectfully. She then looked back to Lewis, humming in interest.
"Girls ey?" Vivi raises a curious brow.
"Yup. Arthur always talked to me about relationships. I was just comfortable with him, and trusting him with each relationship issue or details I'd have and needed to vent about. He always listened. I also asked him when he was gonna land himself a sweet confident strong girl." Lewis hummed, his locket thumping back to color. "He said he wasn't that comfortable around the idea of relationships, which is understandable I guess, I did the majority of the talking. He never really told me his preferences. No matter how hard I pushed him too." Lewis hummed.
"Wait you mean he-" Vivi tensed, instantly feeling her gut clench.
"He what?" Lewis looked at her in confusion.
"Ehehe, nevermind me. Still trying to wake up. So you dig chicks hm?" Vivi chimed. "I Myself don't really mind swaying both ways, but I prefer men. The thought of being with a woman isn't gross to me though, I wouldn't mind trying it if I ever get the chance." Vivi shrugged.
"I'm actually up for swinging both ways." Lewis added, shrugging. "Only live once, though my mom, phew, she'd kill me haha. She wants grandkids." Lewis chimed. "Not... That it matters anyway. I can't provide any woman with children... Now that I'm dead and all." Lewis seemed a little down.
"Well, men don't need children with other men." Vivi sneakily added, trying to win Arthur some brownie points. "If you can't date a woman because you want her to be able tohl have kids, try a guy, I'm sure there are plenty of men nearby who would be more than willing." Vivi suggested.
Lewis visibly tensed and looked at her oddly. He looked slightly pained but he wrung his hands before nodding. "No one, would want me. I don't want to be wanted...I'm dead, Vivi. I can't live with someone, nor be with them publicly incase I get mad and erupt everything in fire...and no one wants to date someone who can't age." Lewis frowned.
"That's not true." Vivi smirked deviously at him. "Some people would find dating a ghostly male such as yourself kinda hot." She chimed.
Lewis picked at the table before shaking his head. "Vivi, just-" Lewis began, but paused and sighed heavily. "It isn't a good time for conversations like this." Lewis hummed, standing and pushing in his chair. "I'll be in the spare bedroom."
Lewis waved Vivi goodbye, before zipping across the room without once touching the ground, flying through the wall and into his old bedroom, which looked completely vaceint aside from. A lama poster hanging up over the bed. Lewis hummed and moved to his closet, and spotted some old clothes, feeling them and rummaging through things until he found a video camera.
This video camera had a sac next to it, with tones if hard drives of past adventures and videos he made with his friends and family. He grinned weakly and hovered over to the bed, sitting himself down as he plugged the camera into a charger, that was already plugged into an outlet by his night stand. He set the camera down and looked around the room. He then walked over to the closet again, this time, turning the light on, and dropping to his knees to rummage through the contents.
He pulled out a couple boxes, before sitting himself down, getting cozy. He then opened the first box, randomly selecting them due to the fact they weren't marked. He peered inside the first box, and blushed before grinning widely.
It was pictures of him and his family, and him with the gang.
Lewis pulled the picture frames out, and deadbeats shot from him in glee, giggling with joy as they pulled some more out, looking and murmuring to themselves about them. Lewis smiled and stood, going to the nightstand and opening the drawer to find a box of nails.
"Easy enough." Lewis chimed.
He looked up from the wooden stand, and looked along the walls, spotting holes where nails used to be, and walked to one, before holding the nail up and pushing it into the hole with his thumb. He then hung the first picture, which was of his family members, onto the wall, and watched over each of them.
He missed them, and his heart began to best in longing to see them again, and perhaps soon he could, he just hoped he didn't freak them out. Maybe sunglasses will help cover uo the fact he was dead, but if he stayed away he would only hurt them. He knows they probably already got through the mourning process of a missing child. He didn't want them to hurt and worry and stress over him.
Lewis began to hang up other picture frames. Of the gang on adventures, of them being silly for the camera and of individual selfies each one of them took. Vivi in her comic shop grinning with carrots for fangs in her mouth sticking out silly like. Arthur was in his shop with his uncle, Arthur was flustered and grinning stupidly with his uncle flexing in the back. Lewis chuckled and leaned against the wall.
His heart began to swell the longer his eyes lingered over the blonde, who was currently in the room on the other side of their shared wall. Lewis sighed happily, and looked down at his locket. He pressed it to open the contents expecting a picture of him and Vivi together, only to feel his entire world freeze. His eyes widened in shock and an overwhelming emotion he couldn't really place a name on.
For you see, in that very locket wasn't a picture of him and Vivi hugging. Instead, it was a picture of just Lewis and Arthur. They were both smiling happily at one another, Arthur looking goody, and Lewis looking playful. Lewis's breathing shivered as he fell to his knees, fingers sliding over the photo.
His heart pounded against his chest quicker the longer he stared at the two of them. His irises slowly looked to his door, mind swimming.
Why would it change?
Why now?
Why right then and there?
...
...
"try a guy, I'm sure there are plenty of men nearby who would be more than willing~"
Was that Vivi's way of...
Hold on.
Hold on!
HOLD ON!
Was...
"I-Is H-He-!?" Lewis felt a seriously sharp edge of regret and guilt stab through him violently.
That would mean, if it were true, that Lewis was making Arthur suffer by watching the male he loved date his best friend, and neglect the fact he was even there.
That would make much more sense. So much sense. His refusal to talk about the kind of women he'd like, not wanting to really date, but wanted to at the same time. His uncomfortableness around him, even before he died. When they were alone he got...flustered...
"Oh shit." Lewis gasped weakly sweating. "Is he gay for me?"
Lewis looked back at his locket, and blinked a few times before snapping it shut. He coughed into his hand and beat his chest, trying to process things neatly in his mind to no avail. He was mentally screaming at the fact this whole time his friend had a crush on him, but at this point it was just a theory, a strong one, but just that.
He needed concrete evidence! Open an investigation!
"Detective Lewis!" Lewis stood, acting all tough and big and bad. "Sir we got a call about a supposed person's preferences. If proven correct, you sir, are a complete fucking idiot!
Right boss! A confirmed dick, if this is true! A blind one at that!" Lewis made rediculous voices as he spoke to himself.
Lewis continued to set his room back to how it used to be, which took him an hour due to the amount of lama merch he needed to set back, and spice related items, making his room look completely red and pink. He sighed and looked back at the camera and grinned before unplugging it, and storing it back into his closet.
"Later..." He mumbled to it before shutting the door.
Lewis looked to the door leading into the hallway. He walked to it and left his room, shutting the door before leaning against it. His eyes flickered to Arthur's room door, emotion swallowing his heart. His locket pulled in the direction of that room, he wanted to go in there, be in there, speak with the man within.
He couldn't be forward about it in the slightest. He needed to get in subtle hints that could spark something to prove his theory. He needed to do it completely unnoticed by him however. Lewis sighed shakily before moving over to the wooden obstacle blocking his way. He lifted his hand to knock.
Just like that, before his knuckles hit the wood, the door opened, and on the other side was a very exhausted looking blonde. Arthur was quick to yelp me stumble back with a sheepish grin, grabbing his chest and heaving a sigh.
"Jesus Christmas shooe!? Shoe...?" Arthur paused to question himself but was quick to shake it off. "You scared the living hell out of me. What do you want?"
"Nothing in particular. Just to chat and stuff. Redecorated my room~!" Lewis grinned, genuinely pleased with himself.
"Cool." Arthur chuckled. "I'm going into the backyard. Follow me." Arthur motioned.
Lewis made room for Arthur to take the lead, and followed closely behind him. He curiously followed as the male walked to the back sliding door, unlocking it and opening it and walking out. Lewis followed him if course, and shut the door behind them, letting Mystery out to run about as well.
Arthur reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, much to Lewis's surprise, and the dead male watched on with shock as Arthur pulled out a lighter and lit it, taking a few puffs of it before sticking it between his lips, his eyes tiredly shifting to their yard.
"You smoke?" Lewis asked. "You know that's terrible for you right?"
"I know, it relieves stress. I only smoke every now and then though. I started smoking after I lost my arm... And sipping an occasional beer to take the edge off the pain. I still do from time to time whenever the weather changes, and considering everything's turning yellow and red, you're gonna see me with alcohol more often. I don't like getting drunk though, hangovers suck ass." Arthur hummed, inhaling before exhaling a cloud of smoke.
Lewis hummed in interest. "You're literally turning into your uncle. Listening to heavy metal?" Lewis piped with a grin.
"Hell no! That stuff gives me anxiety! Just shouting angrily into a microphone with spastic guitar, it's intimidating." Arthur waves his hands. "I like other songs. Ones with a chill vibe but a nice bop." Arthur bopped his head a couple times before smiling weakly.
"Hehe, at least that hasn't changed much." Lewis ruffled his hair some before looking forwards to watch Mystery dig around. "About this morning. I seriously feel bad about staring. It was just... Sad, to see you missing an arm. With the metal arm it at least, distracts me from the fact you only have one arm." Lewis scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"It's cool. I've gotten used to people staring at me. Happens each time I go out in public." Arthur finished his cigarette, pinching it with his metal arm and flicking it into a bucket.
"It was still insensitive. So I apologised." Lewis shrugged.
"I said it's fine." Arthur smiled more, but it was false and Lewis knew it, shoving his mind into thinking time.
Shit, he won't budge. I reaaaally don't want to do this, but I'm very tempted too. Every cell is tempting me to mess with him my ghostly nature Is calling~!
Lewis thought to himself, staring Arthur down for a sec before closing his eyes.
Fuck it. Forgive me for this.
Just as Arthur was turning to walk back inside, Lewis slammed his hand flat against the house very roughly, causing Arthur to yell in surprise. Lewis then leaned in super close with a very serious and intense expression, eyes burning into Arthur's very soul. Their faces we're so close to one another that Lewis could feel Arthur's breathing before it stopped, watching the mall under him tense, and blush like mad.
"Something's bugging you. Tell me. It's just us, so let's talk man to man hm?" Lewis smiled softly and tilted his head, risking it and moving s fraction of am inch closer, their noses four fingers apart from one another.
Arthur shrank a little, his breathing quickening along with his heartbeat. When he saw Lewis get closer he instinctively held his hands up and pressed them against his chest, to keep him from coming any closer. His eyes were as wide as humanly possible, and his face and ears, even next were burning, because he was quite literally almost pinned to the wall of their home, by a severely hot man.
Mystery was sitting down in the background wishing he had popcorn, finding it entertaining to watch, so he became the onlooker, a silent stalker, if you will. Eavesdropping in on their conversation.
"L-Lewis-"Arthur stammered, shuddering. "Y-Y-You're kinda c-close there bud."
"And I won't move an inch until you tell me what's nagging at you. You said you were fine, but that was a fat lie." Lewis narrowed his eyes, pushing against Arthur's hands some, his stare still soft, but serious and intense.
Oh yeah... Arthur's reaction pretty much just confirmed his suspicions, and thanks to that confirmation, he felt like am idiotic dick, and slightly hopeful for some reason. He also felt weird because his girlfriend was inside and had probably just heard the loud bang he created with his palm.
"You can trust me." Lewis hummed, his eyes going half lidded.
Arthur shuddered again with hot breathe washed over his face, smelling of smoke and spice. Arthur hummed accidentally in response to the heat, his eyes fluttering before he looked down, his gayness going overload mode as he couldn't escape the severely provocative position they were standing in.
"I-I'm, j-just worried-ied." Arthur mumbled. "If my...intruder, c-comes and f-finds us, i-i don't w-want to hurt anyone if it...g-gets me." Arthur shivered, keeping his gaze down towards his arms, his eye staring his metal arm down. "I don't...I just... I'm...paranoid."Arthur winced at his own pathetic tone.
He felt a soft and warm hand under his chin, and it guided his sight to lock in with Lewis's burning stare.
"I won't let it hurt you." Lewis spoke with solid seriousness, his face determined. "I swear."
"Promise me." Arthur gripped his shirt tightly, hands shaking.
"I promise, I won't let it hurt you, or Vivi, or Mystery." Lewis nodded.
Arthur relaxed a little, and felt equal parts relieved and sad when Lewis stood up and backed up some. He smiled weakly and ruffled Arthur's air, making him blush even more, before leaving him alone, walking back inside.
Arthur gripped his chest and slid down until he was completely sitting, and exhaled loudly. He damned his face, shivering as he looked at his shoes.
"Holy fuck." Arthur muttered.
Waiting inside, sitting on the couch with a sly smirk was Vivi, and Lewis tensed when he was met with her lewd face. She shot him a toothy grin and wiggled her eyebrows. Lewis puffed his cheeks and blushed a little out of Embarrassment.
"Don't judge me. I was confirming something." Lewis folded his arms.
"Did you find what you were looking for~?" Vivi giggled out.
"Yeah...I'm going to my room to uh...think." Lewis mumbled, gripping his arms tightly as he walked off.
"You do that." Vivi smiled, completely satisfied.
Lewis walked to his room and shut the door louder than originally intended, and slid down the wood until his butt hit the ground. He gripped his hair, staring at the floor, mentally wailing in idiocy, and stress, and worry, and sadness, but above all...and odd sense of hope.
And odd sense if, what felt like, longing.