Arthur liked this dream. He thought he’d be having nightmares after seeing Lewis’ ghost chase after him, but here he was curled up on a bed that felt like a cloud with his head on Lewis’ lap as the other man’s hand brushed through his hair. He didn’t want to wake up; he didn’t want to go back to the world where one of the people he loved with all his heart and soul was dead and hated him. He couldn’t help the sad whimper escape him at the thought.
“Hey what’s wrong?” A voice above him asked and Arthur’s eyes flew open.
This wasn’t a dream. Lewis was really here, in his bed. No this wasn’t his bed, his bed wasn’t purple. Oh god he was in the mansion, Lewis had kidnapped him. Arthur started shaking. No no no. He was going to die, Lewis wanted revenge and he’d kidnapped Arthur to get it.
He then felt the hand that had been in his hair come down on his shoulder as if to make him hold still. Oh no, here it came. Then something inside him seemed to snap and he started to thrash and struggle under the ghost’s grip. He didn’t want to die. He knew he deserved it but oh god he was a stupid cowered and he didn’t want to die.
He wasn’t quite sure how he did it with just one arm but he somehow managed to get out of Lewis’ grasp and scooted away only for his back to hit the back board of the bed. He looked to his right to see only a wall. Great he’d just cornered himself. He lunged for the left side of the bed only for his arm to be grabbed and he was forced against Lewis again.
He tried struggling again but his legs were quickly pinned by Lewis’ own and his hand was still firmly trapped. Despite knowing it was useless he started screaming, begging to be let go which only received Lewis’ other hand clamping over his mouth. Tears began to flow down his cheeks as he uselessly tried to pull himself away from Lewis’ grip.
“Arthur calm down,” Lewis ordered but Arthur only shook his head ‘no.’
This only made Lewis’ hold tighten and Arthur let out a strangled whimper. However, eventually Arthur wore himself out and he had no choice but to relent. He stopped struggling but still cried. The hand over Arthur’s mouth was lifted and Arthur found he couldn’t hold back the apology he’d been wanting to say for so long now.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry Lewis. I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted any of this. There was something in that cave. It took control of my arm… I couldn’t stop it… I… I’m so sorry. I know I deserve to die but pleas I don’t want to leave Vivi alone.”
The hand was placed over his mouth again and Arthur’s whole body tensed. This was it. He was going to die here. He closed his eyes as he wondered where the pain was going to start, but it never came. Instead he felt a chin resting on his head.
“I’m not going to kill you Arthur,” Lewis said in a calm tone.
Arthur’s eyes shot open in surprise. What? This had to be some kind of trick. Some kind of sick irony to get him to trust Lewis right before he killed him just as Lewis had trusted Arthur.
“I’m sorry for scaring you like that and having to kidnap you like this but it was the only way I could get you to listen to me. Look I never wanted to hurt you. All I wanted to do was talk but I ended up scaring you instead by accident. I guess I should have thought of how easily you get scared before I came out of my coffin as a skeleton.”
Lewis let go of Arthur’s mouth and hand and instead locked him in a warm hug.
“I know you would never hurt me Arthur. You’re my best friend and maybe even something a bit more than that. All I wanted was to see you and Vivi again and I was so scared that I lost my chance when you dragged her away I just kind of exploded.”
Arthur was trying to process all of this. Lewis wasn’t mad? He’d only kidnapped him to get him to listen? Arthur was beginning to believe that this really was a dream.
“You’re not going to kill me?” he asked hesitantly.
“No,” Lewis assured him.
“And you don’t hate me?” Arthur questioned.
“No, I never hated you. In fact there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you. Before the cave Vivi and I were talking about maybe asking you to join us,” Lewis told him a little bashfully.
Arthur’s heart nearly stopped at that. “J…join you mean like… like…” the words seemed to get stuck in his throat as his face began to turn red.
“Yes like dating us,” Lewis confirmed and Arthur felt him burry his face in his hair, “It’s ok if you don’t feel the same way I just wanted to let you know how I really felt and not have you think I hated you.”
Arthur wasn’t quite sure what made him turn around but for the first time since he’d woken up he looked straight up at Lewis. What he saw wasn’t what he’d expected. It was Lewis, the real Lewis, not a skeleton in a good suit, but what he looked like in life. If it wasn’t for the dark dead eyes it would have been impossible to tell the difference. Whatever Arthur was going to say the words died in his mouth at seeing Lewis like this.
Unfortunately, his stunned silence must have been taken as a rejection and Lewis’ hopeful face fell. “I guess I shouldn’t have expected you to say yes now. Who would want a skeleton ghost for a boyfriend? It’s probably best I leave you and Vivi alone, isn’t it?”
The arms around Arthur let him go and his legs were unpinned. Lewis looked away as small magenta tears well up in his eyes. “You can go now. I’m sorry for scaring you.” The ghost pulled away, returning to his skeletal form and leaving Arthur in the bed.
That seemed to snap Arthur out of it and he quickly reached out for Lewis. “Lewis wait no… I didn’t…” he tried.
Arthur was cut off when a little pink blob like ghost came into the room chirping madly. Lewis seemed to understand and he winced. Well he winced as well as a guy with just the top part of a skull for a head could. Just then there was a loud crash outside, followed by angry shouting and barking.
“Wait was that Vivi and Mystery?” Arthur asked.
Lewis gave a nod. “Think they might have found out you were missing, oops,” he gulped.
“Think I should go and tell them that you’re not trying to kill me,” Arthur started only for the door to fly open.
Vivi came into the room with a bat raised above her head and her eyes immediately locked onto Lewis. She ran over to him and was about to bring down her weapon when Arthur got out of the bed and shouted for her to stop. Well more liked got tangled in the sheets, fell out of the bed and made a scared shriek for her to stop.
Vivi dropped her bat and quickly ran over to him. “Oh my goodness Arthur are you alright? The ghost didn’t hurt you did it? …wait why are you in its bedroom?”
“Um…” Arthur’s face went extremely red at the last question. If it was possible Lewis would probably be blushing at that as well. Trying to think of a way to answer her questions Arthur said the only thing he could get out at the moment. “The ghost is Lewis.”
“What?” Vivi looked to Arthur stunned then to Lewis then back to Arthur. “Alright explanations now.”
After a long explanation starting with what really happened in the cave and ending with Vivi finding them, Vivi seemed to understand the full story. Lewis looked to her, as nervous and guilty a ghost could be as he played with his ascot.
“Are you mad at me?” he asked.
“Of course I’m mad,” Vivi snapped and Lewis ducked his head, “Really you told Arthur how we feel about him without letting me be there too?”
Both boys were suddenly stunned into silence at that. Wait what?
Lewis seemed to regain his voice first, “Sorry, but it doesn’t matter now. I already know Arthur doesn’t want me. You probably don’t want me anymore either Vivi, after all what can a dead guy give you?”
Arthur’s head snapped up at that. “Wait hold up there I never said I didn’t want you,” he said grabbing Lewis’ arm.
“And what makes you think I don’t want to be with you anymore?” Vivi cut in.
Lewis looked between the two most important people he’d ever known, not seeming to understand. “But I’m… I thought…” he stammered.
“Just because you’re a ghost doesn’t mean we don’t love you Lewis,” Arthur told him. He then seemed to realize what he’d said and his face flushed red once more.
“Wait you…” Lewis looked to Arthur looking as if he had a jaw it would have dropped.
Arthur just nodded.
Vivi on the other hand was grinning like it was her birthday, Christmas and Mega Monster Movie Marathon all at once. “OMG Arthur does that mean what I think it means?”
Arthur nodded again, this time hiding his head in his hands. Vivi squealed and grabbed him in a bone crushing hug. She then turned to Lewis and pulled him into the hug as well. The two males were then subject to multiple kisses from the woman, not that they minded.
From the corner Mystery watched the three with a knowing smile on his face. Things were finally as they should be.