Ghosts

//TobyTicciRogers eyyoooooo here ya go bab uwu //
The woman walked along the golden halls, light eyes scanning the wooden chest that she held in her grip. It was engraved with designs and patterns, a delicate design imprinted. Etched hearts nestled themselves into the wood, patterns up and down.
She held her breath once she reached the end. Bitting her lower lip, her pupils drew themselves on the door that towered her skinny frame. And with that and a loud creak she opened the door.
A young man twisted his neck so she was in her eyesight. His fluffy hair bounced and his orange eyes beamed.
"Hello?" He asked with confusion, standing up, lenaing his hands on the desk for support. He came forward, giving a small causal bow as always and a tip of his famous red-black embedded top hat.
"Sir Phenoix, it's me. Iris."
Pheniox stopped in his tracks. He barely recognized her, the used to be small girl with a tooth gap and pigtails was now grown, long blonde hair cut short.
"Iris Forna..? It can't be! Oh, how you've grown darling! I remember when you were a tiny thing! What brings you here on such a splendid afternoon?"
Pheniox was chock filled with excitment, hands clutched together and lips grinning from ear to ear.
He then noticed the box that was tucked neatly in between her slender fingers.
"Whats that hun?"
"Why I came. I was looking around the old house and I found this." Iris said, shaking the box, "It's something of Ivan's."
Pheniox froze. Ivan.
"What's.. in it?" He said, demeanor changing as a whole.
"Not sure, thought you would like it though."
--------------------
Later on that evening, after the night was winding down, Pheniox was in the library, eyes drawn to the brown box laid in front of him. Sighing he took it in his grasp.
Lifting up the lid up he saw folded little papers danityly stacked pile high.
He took one of the many neatly folded pieces of paper and unravled it gently. His gloved hands glided across the creased paper.
"Dear Pheniox,
How am I suppose to word this? In a manner where you won't hate me? Where you won't break my heart in return?"
Then after that was pure scribbles. Pheniox cocked an eyebrow, confused. He then picked up another one of the folded papers.
"Dear Pheniox,
Please, please be mine..? You're my world and my life.."
The letter was yet again cut off short.
Pheniox, hands trembling picked up another one of the folded papers.
"Pheniox, do you love me? Oh please, please love me so! You're all that I care for, what I love and what I need! Oh please be mine!"
It was cut off once more.
His heart pounded. Through every letter it was him showing his love, his heart was spilled onto the pages.
His lower lip shook and the breathes he drew in became more shallow. Eyes, quickly pouring tears by the second and sobs choked out of his throat. Every word he read made his chest tighten more and more, his heart banging on his ribs like a steel drum.
Every paper he tore through brought back Ivan. His dazzling bright eyes, soft and warm skin, his pair of pale pink lips..the touch of his built chest lingering onto his fingertips..
It was all so vivid, the anxiety wrapping itself along the strains of his heart. It pulled and tightened itself along, his tears falling more and more as Phe kicked himself away from the desk.
Soon a knock was at his door.
"Mango? Can you come out for a sec? I need your help?"
Phe stopped what he was doing, fidgeting his hands still and shaking. He didn't want to get up. He didn't want to face Krys at this time.
Hestitatly he got up, and walked over, top hat on so it could mask his eyes.
He opened the door, and Krys immidentally saw the distress in him.
"You alright honey?" She said looking up.
"I-I'm fine.." He spat, teeth gritted.
"No, you're not Phe."
The male slammed the door in her face and leaned back onto the wall, sobbing once more. His face was damp and cold and he soon saw the Godness once more.
She sat next to him and pecked his cheek, in which Phe scooted away.
Krys came closer, eyes starting to water themselves, lump in her throat.
Her words rang in his head. You're not okay
You're not okay
You're not okay.
He sobbed out more, hands clutching his face. Krys kissed his head genlty, face glowing with compassion and melancholy, bringing him into a hug. He rested his head on her chest, her fingers running through his thick head of hair.
Pheniox looked into her eyes, now streaming with tears of their own.
"What's wrong Phe? What's going on?" She said, face with worry.
He shook his head and mummblred one word.
"Ivan."

"Honey, it wasn't your fault. It was your father wh-"

"I-I was there! He died right in front of my eyes!"

"Did you hold the sword? Did you willingly take off his head? Did you..?"

The Godness spoke softly, eyes soft and tears streaming from them. Pheniox looked into them, tears falling freely as he breathed deeply through his nostrils.

He shook his head, face collapsing into his palms. He bit his lower lip, trying to stop his baby actions in front of Krys, to prove his pride and dignity, to walk away from this mess.

But he didn't--in fact it got worse. Krys held him closer and kissed his head, hugging his boney frame, rocking him back and fourth.

Krys was now crying herself, tears rushing down silently as she rubbed his back. The blustering wind blew with force and hit the windows, knocking and hustling and banging loudly. The rain hit the glass in a hypnotic ryhthem, and with every crack of thunder Krys held Pheniox tighter and tighter.

Pheniox slipped from her grasp. He wasn't going to handle being held as he cried like a sad child, a weak one that is. He was the lead Guardain, the one who ran the show and the the one who was supposed to take care of everyone. The one who had the shoulder to cry on, not the one to be crying on one's shoulder.

Krys tugged his wrist, having him come back down next to her, his head falling in her lap. He pouted slightly, eyes now dried somewhat, and she looked at him with a forced smile.

"There's not a reason to be ashamed, Phe. Let it out. Its perfectly fine."

"It is not fine, I am being a fool, this is complete no sense. Just..leave me alone."

His voice turned hushed as he tried to sit back up, only to be pulled back by Krys once more into her lap. She ruffled his hair and kissed his head.

"You're not. He was your first love."

"I love you now, Krys. I saw you in the mirror when it came to what my heart desired. You're what I wanted and what I needed all this time."

Krys rubbed his nose onto hers, a real smile creeping along her cheeks. Pheniox sighed softly and looked up at her.

"I love you, you fucking loser."

"I love you too Krys."

Pheniox looked off into the distance, Ivan ringing in his mind. He never truly had the comforting feeling the blonde boy loved him back when he was around, if his heart was really one for Pheniox to keep. But now he was for sure, after all those sweet words and awkward sentences, he knew that it was true. He knew that Ivan loved him, and hopefully he still did in the afterlife. As a ghost.

I keep going to the river to pray
Cuz I need
Something that can wash off the pain
And I know
I'm sleeping all these demons away
But you're ghost
The ghost of you keeps me awake