Keep running~

"I know that this sounds crazy..."

Keep on fucking running.

Run little man run...

"Can it see me..?"

I want that shiny new arm of yours~!

"Darkness is it's signal..."

Won't you come and fine me then?

"Can it hear me?"

Every word, fag~!

"Why...are you doing this to me?"

Why? Do I really need a reason? Because it's fun to watch a pathetic human squirm~

I want to make you beg on your knees, only to bathe your body in your friend's blood, and then, watch you writhe beneath my fangs~. Do with you what I want, whenever I please, and when you are nothing but a boring lifeless and obedient husk, I'll eat your soul. Where you can suffer in my own version of hell!

"Leave me alone..! LEAVE ME ALONE! STOP IT! GET OUT! LEAVE MY HEAD!!!"

But I want to stay...and I'll make you have me. You can't force me out. You can't even fight against me for long.

Blood, pooled everywhere, nothing but blood and the carcasses of his uncle and friends, pets and even random people. Bloodied bits pooling at his feet. Arthur's feet.

"O-Oh god..."

God? No... There is no God alive that can possibly save you from my games, little human.

"Stop it...get away....!" Arthur stumbled backwards, tears overflowing his sight, made if blood. "OH GOD! STOP!!! AAAAAAAH!"

I can't wait to make you kill him again~

"STOOOP!" Arthur screamed, flinging himself about a tangle of arms.

He struggled a sudden grip until he kicked himself off his bed, and into the floor with a loud grunt, stumbling and kicking backwards until he hit a closet door. He saw a figure flash in front of him and yelled, using his only arm to hold his head, melting down into Hysteria, smelling blood.

His blood.

No...it....it was fire, fire and spice.

Lewis...

"Jesus. Arthur...it's okay. It was just a dream." Lewis spoke softly, gently pulling the male's face into view, using his thumbs to rub away his tears, pulling him into a hug immediately after, rocking him.

"I-It was ho-hoorrible!" Arthur clung to him desperately. "Fucking horribleuh! Uh! Don't.. EVER let me hurt you againnhh! Or h-her! No one! P-please prom-mise me!" Arthur shook the cloth he was yanking on.

"Shhhhhh, it's alright. You're okay. I promised you already. I won't let anything harm you guys. You won't hurt anyone. Even if...the worse scenario does occur, I'll make sure you are immobilized." Lewis spoke softly. "Do... You want to talk about it?"

Arthur shook his head no frantically, only wanting to cry out his fear. He was genuinely scared of sleeping now, like he used to be a while back after Lewis went "missing." Arthur was positive he wasn't sleeping tonight unless he was either drugged too or pushed to the point of passing out.

"WHAT'S WRONG!?" Vivi screamed, busting in with a bat in hand, Mystery growling at her feet, ready to cute someone to death.

Vivi and mystery both paused at the sight of the two boys in the floor. She slowly lowered her bat after realizing Arthur woke from another nightmare.

"Jeez Arthur... you need to stop having nightmares." Vivi mumbled.

"I CAN'T HELP IT!" Arthur suddenly snapped, his eye bleeding into a toxic green, veins suddenly puffing out of his forehead and neck.

Lewis grabbed him in shock after Arthur lurched at her, shocking Vivi as well, and making Mystery growl in warning. Lewis held Arthur's head against his chest, tight enough to keep him from moving but not enough to hurt him.

"Easy....easy! She was just worried... Deep breathes...in and out. Don't let it get into your head." Lewis spoke cautiously, feeling immense worry over the man.

Arthur covered his mouth and whimpered, looking at her with wide eyes, tearful and filled with guilt and fear. She shivered at the look of pure horror. She shuffled over and moved to her knees before hugging the both of them, rubbing their backs.

"We are going to get through this." Vivi hummed, kissing the both of their heads. "We will guys. Once we are able to deal with the issue, we can all be happy." She smiled reassuringly.

Vivi proceeded to start singing a lovely japanese lullaby, soothing both of the tense males into a relaxing state. Arthur felt his body relax, and his mind clear completely. He rubbed his head further into the large chest, feeling comfortable and protected. He nearly whispered something that would embarrass him, but he managed to reign his gay in a little.

"Sorry..." Arthur whispered.

"Don't apologise for something you can't help." Lewis sighed, closing his eyes.

"I'll get started on breakfast seeing as the two of you are awake now." Vivi smiled.

Lewis gave her a soft nod before floating him and Arthur back into the bed. Vivi stared at this in absolute awe, and giddiness, her eyes lighting up with fascination, but she left soon after to get started on food, and to leave the two alone.

Mystery however, stood where he was standing at the front door. His eyes were narrowed on Arthur, puzzling things in his head, trying to figure out what was happening with him, as it was irregular behavior for him to act out and lash so harshly. It normally took a LOT to trigger the thing inside him, but a mere comment was all it took. Only over a simple nightmare.

Perhaps it wasn't a nightmare all all, what if he...

"Arthur. Mind if I ask you something?" Mystery hummed softly, walking over and hopping into the bed with the two men.

Lewis looked over at Mystery with a curious gaze, and Arthur looked at him over Lewis'd massive shoulder, curious about what he had to say.

"Sure..." Arthur hummed, his hand gripping onto the other adult male.

"Have you been experiencing nightmares sense we left the parking lot?" Mystery asked.

"I...usually have them a lot after something like that happens. Yeah." Arthur nodded. "They should calm down though, its nothing to concern over."

"Oh, I think otherwise." Mystery narrowed his eyes in concern.

He pranced over to Arthur, setting a paw on his shoulder.

"Listen bud. I care about you. A lot. As I do everyone in this household. You do know, if anything... Weird, is happening, you can go to any one of us. Right?" Mystery tilted his head, frowning. "I don't bite off anything. Promise." Mystery joked.

Arthur hummed weakly and looked down. Lewis looked at Mystery and saw the suspicions laced in those glistening eyes. He looked back down at Arthur and then was when he noticed a look of slight panic.

Was... He hiding something?,

"I'm sure it's nothing. Arthur's just been paranoid about a lot of things recently. He does tend to freak out if the wind blows sideways, so I don't really mind him freaking out as much as he is now." Lewis hummed, looking to Mystery. "Sólo está nervioso. "

Mystery raised his eyes with curiosity, until he realized Arthur couldn't understand much of any other language outside of English and a bit of russian. Mystery understood every language however, as he has lived long enough to study them all.

"Creo que esconde algo. ¿Puedes vigilarlo?" Mystery asked softly, watching as Arthur looked up in confusion.

"Sí, lo haré." Lewis smiled and ruffled Arthur's hair.

"Gracias muy bien." Mystery hummed. "im voy a asegurarse de que Vivi no queme la cocina." Mystery chimed and hopped of the bed, walking out.

"What are you guys talking about?" Arthur frowned heavily.

Lewis looked down at him, and swore he felt his heart flutter a little at the absolutely adorable look he was giving. Lewis just smiled and hummed, standing up and stretching.

"Nothing in particular. Mystery being Mystery." Lewis hummed. "He was just asking me how you have been."

"..." Arthur nodded some.

When Lewis walked out Arthur covered his mouth and squeezed his shoulder. "Don't...ever...do that in front of someone again." Arthur seethed.

"No promises~"

********************

"Everything is ready. All our equipment is in the van, and your uncle is driving it here now. Lewis! You are gonna carry this heavy duffle bag in the van." Vivi instructed. "Gang mascot. Stay cute." Vivi giggled.

Mystery barked in a cute manner, and she hugged her dog happily, smiling with a giddy eagerness to get back at it, now with a forth undead member of the group. The mystery gang.

Arthur looked down at his phone, typing away before sending an email. He closed it and stretched his arms out, sighing tiredly, leaning against the doorway, expecting the two to start gushing to one another, but oddly enough, Lewis was standing almost protective like near him.

It was... Oddly comforting and...sweet.

Arthur fought his hardest to beat down a blush, and cleared his throat. He heard a telltale honk and jumped up, excited and scared at the same time, ready to get to driving and hunting haunted places with the entire gang for the first time in forever.

He made his way outside first, getting the gps from Vivi and setting the address of the graveyard into it, finding that the drive was surprisingly long, more than just a few hours, to the point he swore they may be gone for a day or two. The drive was definitely a grueling one.

His uncle walked out of the van, smiling. He shut the door and patted the hood a couple times.

"Good am I right? I. So underpaid." Lance frowned softly.

"I'll pay you back Uncle." Arthur smiled and hugged him. "Keys?"

"Here ya are." Lance gruffed and handed them over.

Arthur smirked. "Nice. One day I'm going to buy you a fancy truck. Trust me." He hummed. "Or I'll build you one."

"Sounds preferable to make it yourself considering you can built that." Lance motioned at the arm. "Is it going to handle the trip after getting banged up?"

"Fixed it already. It had some wires knocked loose. Nothing I can't fix." Arthur stretched before hopping into the driver's seat.

Arthur shut the door and started the van, smiling as he gripped the wheel, feeling the buzz beneath his hands. Lewis and Vivi loaded things into the back, smiling and humming as they did.

"I'll sit in the back with Mystery." Vivi volunteered, smiling as she hopes in the back, Mystery following.

"You positive?" Lewis questioned.

"Yeah, I'm comfortable in the back." Vivi sat down, letting Mystery nap in her lap.

Lewis nodded silently and shut the back doors to the van. He moved over to the passe her side, pausing at the handle, staring it down with a soft smile as he remembered each time he rode in the old van. The same handle. He gripped it, smiling before moving into the van, buckling himself in and getting settled down, turning to see Arthur staring at him thoughtfully.

The loaded stare was, heavy with emotion as well. Lewis grinned at him and looked down at his metal arm before reluctantly looking forwards. Arthur looked down at his hands, gripping the steering wheel, his head slowly diving into sadness mixed with relief. He missed their adventures with him. Lewis made the van feel full. He grinned up at Lance through the windshield as he put the van in reverse, backing it out of the driveway.

"Here we go. This is going to be a very long drive." Arthur hummed and turned the radio on before beginning their drive.

This is weird with the gang back together. One of us is dead and another is missing an arm. Strange. I'm almost tempted to deem Lewis as the mascot.

"So he is the freakshow mascot now? How cold."

More like a hot mascot drool worthy...Arthur thought to himself dreamily as he turned out of the neighborhood and into the highway, setting his cruise control to 65mph. He heard his inner voice scoff, but paid it no mind as he drove, jamming out in a peaceful silence.

The group traveled for around 4 hours before Arthur decided it was time for a pit stop for some lunch as Vivi and Mystery both began to complain about sitting down for too long. Lewis was fine with sitting of course, but he found their complaints humourous, something he never knew he'd miss.

"Arrhuuurrr!" Vivi whined.

"We, are almost at the exit. Quiet." Arthur choppily snapped. "Patience."

"What's that?" Vivi giggled in the back.

"Something you should learn." Arthur sighed and switched lanes, looking ahead to see the turn off for the exit with fast food and restrooms.

"Well while we are here we can work on our strategy for handling the issue of the graveyard. Discuss a little yeah?" Lewis offered.

"Indeeeed! AH! I'm so excited!!! I mean. ZOMBIEEES!!!" Vivi squealed.

Arthur choked on his air and nearly brake checked them halfway down the exit road, but continued driving, gripping the wheel tightly in nervousness. Vivi and Mystery both chuckled to one another.

"Zombies!?" Arthur yelped.

"Mmmhm!" Vivi chuckled.

Lewis looked slightly nervous, but did his best to swallow it down in favor of being the stronger one in the car. He was a dead powerhouse, and a man, he needed to act like one for their sake. He was the anchor last time he was with them on adventures, and he was gonna be one this time as well.

"I'm sure we can outrun them. Zombies are slow right?" Lewis offered.

"Yeah, but the smell! And the rotting! I don't want to see rotten bodies." Arthur shook his head as he turned into a Burger King, parking in an open space. "Honestly might puke."

"Come onnnn wimpy wimpy boo. I'll go order us food sense I am the least attention grabbing." Vivi hummed.

"Got your pepper spray?" Lewis quipped.

"How did you know I carry some?" Vivi questioned.

"I told him." Arthur smoothly added, covering for Lewis. "But you have it right?"

"I fought a tree lady, I can face a crazy asshole." Vivi purred before exiting the back of the van.

"Good point." Mystery hummed and went back to his napping.

"This is very nostalgic, huh?" Lewis asked softly.

Arthur tensed a little before smiling, scratching his goatee. He nodded slowly and sighed, smiling weakly.

"Yeah, it is. It feels completely whole again. Aside from a few changes in wardrobe." Arthur mused.

"Haha, indeed." Lewis chuckled softly. "It's nice being able to hunt down ghosts with the gang again. I seriously missed this. I didn't realize how lonely I was, but now I guess I can understand how you felt." Lewis smiled weakly.

Arthur tensed and looked at him, frowning and furrowing his eyebrows, looking at him with a grin expression. He didn't like that line at all, because no one, especially Lewis, should understand how Arthur felt when his presence was being neglected by his loved ones.

"Seeing all the adventures you and Vivi went on, made me feel left behind... a-and alone. Forgotten. But, now I'm able to almost get a new start. With a full, understanding of my entire friend group." Lewis smiled at Arthur knowingly.

Arthur looked away shyly, his eyes fluttering. He looked back however, and scratched at his metal arm, feeling a nagging sensation in his brain.

He wanted to tell him.

H-He-

"Will suffer because of you if you dare utter a single word of truth. You little bitch."

Arthur smiled faintly and nodded. "I'm sorry you went through that. It's never fun to experience such horrible feelings, but it's over now, we can start over... And pick the pieces back together after the green thing's killed. When she remembers..." Arthur trailed off.

"I'm sure it will work itself out Arthur." Lewis reassured.

"Heh...she's never. Going to forgive us." Arthur subconsciously looked down at his hands, holding them together.

"Us...?" Lewis tilted his head.

Arthur looked up at him weakly, displaying a tired look and covering half his face with his metal arm, waiting a brow.

"I'm technically two people right now. Wells one and a forth." Arthur fact checked a bit.

"We will find a solution. Good always wins." Lewis nodded.

But I'm not good...

"Exactly~.",

Arthur winced a little and sighed. He looked over at Lewis's hands, wondering to himself how he and him would become less akward again. Arthur felt akward and skittish around him, like he didn't know what to expect. Lewis knew he was gay after all, and he was surprised Lewis didn't mind and it also freaked him out just a little.

As far as he knew, Lewis was straighter than a stripper pole.

"I hope so." Arthur smiled softly.

Lewis watched the depressed bean think to himself with a display of many facial shifts as he spoke in his head. He watched with slight interest, more so worried about himself at the moment.

His soul...eagerly pulled towards Arthur, some primal need as the picture from his locket popped back into his head. The need for...Arthur?

Arthur Kingsman...his best friend...

His handsome, quickly, highly intelligent yet dumb friend. Good body, very good ass, amazing personality and-

"Y-y-you're staring." Arthur shakily piped up, breaking Lewis's train of thought.

It was then replaced by a very prominent blush, causing Lewis to cover his face and look away with his hand, confused and conflicted over his thoughts. He loved Vivi, but he also feared he was falling for his gay best friend. He couldn't really provide a family Vivi longs for...nor a future. But Arthur was gay, he didn't really want kids, and he... didn't know anyone he was interested in. Maybe Arthur would like him back...?

It....would actually explain some of the hurt glances he was given, like that moment in the hallway a couple days ago where Lewis was at Vivi's door.

A relationship would also hopefully give Arthur more confidence, and Lewis knew everything there was to know about Arthur up until he died two years back and lost touch, but that isn't a lot of time to catch up on.

Maybe this could work...but how will he subtly flirt with a gay guy? They are the kings of being subtle sometimes, and if that was true then Arthur truly was the KING of it.

How would he go about it?

Hmm...well, there are several ways~.

Be subtle, start small talk and ease him into relaxation and comfortable ness, not to much staring, maybe a sneaky eyebrow wiggle and light talk to start joking to sneak in flirtatious scented compliments but spaced out, but not suspiciously spacious.

"You should totally make me a robot jaw for my skeletal form! It would look badass! I'm sure with someone as talented in tech as yourself could make something like that easy peasy! I believe in you!"

Or, he could be direct like he was when he wanted to prove that Arthur was gay, pin him to the ground this time maybe, and get all up in his face.

"Hey there hot stuff~, you really know how to light my fire with a burning passion~"

No...too light maybe?

"Hey Artie~, I'm into you, I wanna take that succulent and plump ass of yours an-

NOPE! Too strong. He'd give the poor guy a heart attack.

"Ehehe, sorry I fell. You are super short when I hover, can see right over the pretty orange hair."

...

Maybe...

Lewis snapped out of his trance, blinking back into exsistence with an afterthought. He knew it was also probably very early on to start any relationships, but he also didn't want to wait to long to get some things going, as he knew what would happen if he and Vivi gravitated towards one another. Arthur would suffer because of it after clearly suffering through a lot.

The man can't even get a good night's sleep anymore.

The back doors to the van swung open, and Vivi popped back inside smiling with bags of steaming hot fast food. She looked up at the two in the front, to catch Lewis flustered and Arthur uncomfortable. She smirked at the two of them knowingly, proceeding to close the van doors behind her, settling down just behind the front seats.

"Alright, Lewis I got you a burger and some fries and a soda. Arthur, I got you some chicken fries and french fries, and a soda as well. Enjoy~!" Vivi chimed before giving Mystery a burger as well, taking out her own food afterwards and eating them.

Arthur looked down at the food he received with a grateful stare, but he didn't have an appetite after what just happened. He could somehow tell that Lewis didn't know what to do with the gay factor. He was seriously wondering what Lewis was pulling by acting super close. He likes it but at the same time, him and Vivi....

Never technically broke up.

But then again, Till death do us part, and they weren't married yet, or even engaged.

That, and the thought of zombies didn't really settle in his stomach to well, but he took a long drink from his soda and began to nibble at his chicken fries, slowly but not turtle slow. Just, slow like someone who wasn't all that hungry.

His world shifted as he tuned everything out, as if slowly sinking into the confines of his mind. The car vanished, Lewis, Vivi and Mystery vanished, the fries vanished and even himself vanished. He was just a presence, in a black void, hearing nothing but a ringing tune, feeling nothing but cold, clawed hands gently sliding up his chest, a chest he couldn't see...no body to make out in the void.

"How neat. You love your friend who still has a thing for his girlfriend in the back. You must feel like total shit.

"I do... actually. Thanks for pointing that out."

"No problem. Say, why don't you do something about them hm? I mean, haha, well, you killed Lewis already, Bht maybe separating them slowly is still an option. Now that he's dead you can take him for yourself like the selfish man I know you are."

"I wanted him to kill me. But either way...it would have hurt him eventually. He regretted his choice in hunting me down. If I died I would have just caused more pain. There is nothing I can do to not hurt him or Vivi. Is there...?"

"Nope."

"And I can't make you go away..."

"Not even if you die."

I'm so tired...