GHOST CABIN ☆ EARTHMIX AU

Part thirteen: nightmare

"Reality is never as bad as a nightmare, as the mental tortures we inflict on ourselves."

- Sammy Davis, Jr.

Mix pushed again. He can't be already that weak from flu or whatever got to him. But the blanket wouldn't budge.

And that's when he felt it; the pressure of cold hands pushing him further to the sofa to lay down.

Earth was touching him.

The soothing coldness of Earth's touch was spreading all over Mix's burning body, making him feel so much better than that warm blanket, which was only adding to how warm Mix already felt.

The cold relief was so sudden and welcomed that it took Mix a moment to actually comprehend what was happening.

"You are touching me," Mix breathed out, "how...?"

"Took you a moment to realize, huh?" Earth teased, but his voice was serious. "I told you I can't touch you and your things, but this blanket belonged to Praewa."

Mix coughed again, his throat was getting worse and worse with each second. He let himself be pushed to lay down, the blanket wrapped all over his body. He could still feel Earth's touch on him. "Huh, what does that mean?"

"I obviously can touch Praewa's belongings. Which means that I can touch this blanket. And if the blanket is on you..."

"You can touch me through it," Mix finished.

"Yeah, in a way." Earth made sure Mix was wrapped thoroughly in the blanket, his hands still lingered on Mix's arm.

"I can feel it. It's nice." Mix bit lower lip, "can you...would you mind touching me for a litter bit longer?"

"Ohhh, Mix, we don't know each other that long. Don't you think this is a little bit soon?" Even though Earth understood what Mix meant but come on, Earth couldn't pass such a golden opportunity to tease.

Mix almost choked as he wanted to quickly clarify his asking. Opening his mouth, instead of words, the first thing that came out of his mouth was another cough. Mix was getting tired of it already. After he caught his breath again, Mix tried to clarify what he had meant, "I didn't mean it that way. You know I didn't."

"Oh, do I?" Earth's hand was still on Mix, gently squeezing his arm.

"Stop it!" Mix pouted, "I mean it in a way that I'm feeling really hot, and you're cold so...it makes me feel better."

"I know, I know. It's okay, but you need to be warm now, to sweat the flu away." Earth was worried, maybe more than he should be but he was caught off guard by how fast the flu got to Mix. Mix was alright only a few hours ago. "Mix, do you always come down with flu so easily?"

"Yeah, since I was a child."

"I really shouldn't let you bathe in that lake. I'm sorry," Earth said, now he really felt bad about his prank.

"It was a once in the lifetime experience," Mix laughed and then frowned, his head was throbbing in pain.

Earth said nothing. His hand was slowly gliding up and down Mix's arm, eyes fixed on Mix's pale face. He wished he could feel the warmth that was coming out of Mix. He wished he could take at least a little bit of that warmth away from Mix. And it wasn't because Earth wanted to feel the warmth again, but because it would bring relief to Mix's scorching body. Instead, the only thing he could do was touch Mix through a piece of fabric, providing him with his ghostly coldness. At least, for one thing, was his constant coldness useful. "Take some sleep, it will make you feel better."

Mix only nodded, his eyes already closed, "your touch feels nice," he mumbled.

Earth chuckled, "you already said that."

"I did?"

"Um, now sleep. I'll be here." Earth watched Mix slowly falling into a blissful dreamland. Mix's features softened, his forehead wasn't furrowed from the headache, the breathing got slower, calmer. Mix looked so vulnerable at that moment.

Earth's hand glided down on Mix's thigh, rubbing it in circles. "I hope you'll have beautiful dreams, my hope," he whispered.

.....

"No...no...no!" Mix is shaking, his hands are wrapped around Earth. But Earth is slipping away. Every moment, every second Mix can feel Earth less and less. Earth is disappearing from his arms.

Mix feels like someone is tearing the heart from his chest. It hurts so much. He wants to scream, but his scream is inaudible. There is no sound coming out of his lungs. "No, please, stay...stay..." he says, at least in his mind.

Earth just smiles and nods, "thank you for giving us a chance Mix...that was more than I could ask for."

Mix's hands are trembling, his teras blurring his vision...

Earth is gone.

.....

"Earth, Earth...no, please...I'm here...no..."

Earth's eyes shot up towards Mix's face, worried. "a nightmare? Why about me?" With furrowed eyebrows, he shook Mix's shoulder — cowered in a blanket — a little bit stronger to wake him up. "Mix, Mix...wake up. Mix...I'm here...It's just a dream, Mix..." Earth's voice was loud, fighting with the nightmare over Mix's attention.

Mix's eyes snapped open, they were wide and terrified. Mix was even paler than he was before. "Earth. Earth," Mix was still repeating Earth's name, frantically looking around himself.

"I'm here, Mix." Earth squeezed Mix's shoulder, "It was just a bad dream. It's okay."

Hearing Earth's voice beside him, and still feeling his touch, Mix's breath calmed down. He closed his eyes again, "bad dream. Only a bad dream."

"What was it about? You looked frightened. You kept repeating my name, did I hurt you in that dream?"

"No!" Mix immediately answered. "It's nothing to worry about. Just a crazy dream because of my fever." Mix opened his eyes again, it was dark outside and in the cabin. Only the fireplace was once again illuminating the room. "How long was I sleeping?"

"It's night already." Earth threw a glance at the clock in the shape of an owl, hanging about the front door, "you slept for twelve hours. How do you feel? Is it better?"

Mix shook his head, "not really."

 "I'm going to make some tea for you and then you will sleep for a bit more, okay?" Earth let go of Mix's arm, ready to go to the kitchen area.

"Don't be gone for long," Mix said, shifting on the sofa so he was laying on his side.

Earth frowned, what have you dreamed about, Mix, really. 

When Mix heard Earth's steps going away, he wandered to his thoughts. What was that? Why did he dream about...about what?  Losing Earth? But why? They weren't even that close, yet. And most importantly, why did it hurt so much? The emotions were so intense, Mix felt like he was being torn apart. He could still feel the pain in his chest...and it wasn't because of his flu.

He kept shifting, opening and closing his eyes, waiting for Earth to come back to sit next to him.

It was like that dream triggered something in Mix. Since he woke up, it was like...Mix needed Earth around himself, just to be sure that Earth was alright. Mix didn't want to feel that pain he felt when Earth disappeared from his embrace ever again.

Grandma, what is happening to me? Were you right all along? Can I...can I bring Earth back to life?

To be continued...

P.S. Cupid's last wish in 10 days...just saying 😊