"I never knew before...." Y/n trailed off, absentmindedly running her hand through the snow-covered leaves and flowers, it fascinated her how plants could even grow in the environment that seemed to never stop snowing. The backyard garden was covered in white, ice crystals and such, and that's what made it so breathtakingly unique and beautiful. She never thought she could find such pure beauty from the creation of something so cold.
"Knew what?" Thomas asked in a velvety voice. He was standing behind her, so close his lips slightly touched her skin when he spoke. To y/n's surprise, she didn't flinch away. Instead, almost had the urge to lean in closer to the man whom she just met. God, there was this something about him, something so... enchanting.
"That Allerdale Hall had a caretaker... and that it had a secret garden."
Thomas chuckled. "Believe me, the manor is full of surprises."
"How long have you been taking care of this place?" Y/n asked, curiosity in her voice.
Since forever, literally, Thomas wanted to say. "As long as I could remember. My mother.... ughhh..." She owned the place until my sister killed her, "My mother was ughhh.... a housekeeper. I just picked up where she had left. It kind of run in the family now,"
"So you must have...." She trailed off, suddenly her face was a mask of.... terror. Thomas said nothing as he waited for her to contiue, "The incident here, Sir Thomas and Lady Lucille Sharpe, you... were your... mother or your, I don't know, grandmother?-"
"It happened long long ago, y/n. Not even my mother spoke to me about it. Whatever happened here... before I was born... I know as much as the world know." He lied. It was better than telling the truth: yes, I am him: Thomas Sharpe. Yes, Lucille is my sister and I married dozen of women so she could kill them.
"I think it's pretty clear why your mother wouldn't talk to you about 'em." She shrugged. Thomas didn't quite follow.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I mean they were mess murderers, Thomas and his sister. I figure she - your mother - wouldn't want her son to dwell on it. Considering it seems to me you grew up here. Your family pretty much grew up here, right? I wouldn't even want to think about living in the same house where some psychopaths lived and murdered people... I didn't have a choice." She sounded sadder at the last sentence. Thomas knew he should be offended, but what she said was true, and what did she mean she didn't have a choice? Then it occurred to him: why would she buy this place, if she had any other choice. Why would any decent people want to live here after all these horrific incidents. God, he didn't even want to be here himself. But just like her: he didn't have any choice. Thomas couldn't leave. It occurred to him again that she looked so sad. Since the first time he saw her she looked just as depressed as all the ghosts trapping here.
"Y/n, if this isn't your ideal house, may I ask you what persuade you into buying it?" He carefully asked and couldn't help but notice the sadness in her eyes. Mistake. Thomas thought. He shouldn't have stuck his nose in other people's business. He just... wanted to help. "You don't have to answer that. Please, forgive me for-"
"No, no, it's alright." Y/n cut him off. Even though talking about it hurt, she figured she'd want to get it out. She had always been on her own, keeping it all inside till it was driving her insane. To actually have someone to listen to would do her good. "I ran away," She shrugged with a smile that didn't meet her now-teary-again eyes. "Escaped..."
Thomas didn't say anything. He knew better than to interrupt. The ghost just stood there, listened with a slight nod.
"My ex was a dick. An abusive control freak..." Y/n bit her lip so she wouldn't start sobbing in front of him. So that explained the bruises on her face. Thomas thought, beginning to put the pieces together, and he got the urge to just wrap his arms around her and tell her he'd protect her. "I felt like I had to get away, to start over. I needed somewhere to hind. Fast and far from him. So here I am. He won't find me here.... right?" At the last word she looked at him as though she was begging for him to reassure her she was safe, as though all she asked was for just one sentence, from a man whom she had just met, that things were okay, and she was gonna believe it.
Thomas unconsciously bit the inside of his cheek. He never saw someone so desperate and god, he felt sorry for her. He really did. She didn't deserve this. "No," The ghost said, "He won't."
And to that, she smiled. She smiled at him even though it was a sad smile, it was still a smile. "Thank you." Y/n replied with a slight nod. She was quiet for a moment as if she had something on her mind, something she wanted to say and Thomas didn't push her. Whatever it was, she'd say it if she felt comfortable enough, and whatever that'd be, he was here to listen. "You might think I'm crazy, but.... I think sir Thomas and I share a lot in common."
Thomas raised his brows. Okay, that definitely wasn't something he'd expect to hear. "He was a monster, y/n. You are a beautiful, young lady, excuse me for not believing you share anything in common with him."
"A monster? Was he, though?" Y/n asked and it caught him off guard. Her eyes locked with his, and for a moment, Thomas almost thought she knew he was that Thomas. "I found... ughh... his diary. I read it. I probably shouldn't, but I did, and you know what I don't think he was a monster everyone said he was. Okay, he killed those women, but it was his sister who manipulated him! And that's the part I feel for him: just like me, we were... abused."
Thomas was... speechless. No one ever talked to him like this. Everybody saw him as a monster. A heartless monster and to hear such understanding words from someone so pure and beautiful made it felt as though his heart had begun beating again.
"Thomas? You okay?" He must have gone quiet for longer than he should because it took y/n waving her hand in front of his face to snap him out of his trance.
"I... yes. Excuse me, I was just... lost in thought. It seems to me you see good in people whom only be seen as bad. That takes a lot of... heart. You truly are a beautiful lady with a heart of gold, aren't you?"
She chuckled a little. "I'm not that good of a person, I just... believe there was good in him, if only he was... treated right."
They stayed like that for a while, looking at each other in the eyes without saying a word, and it almost looked like they were going to kiss. Until their trance got broken by two blue butterflies flying past them. One landed on his shoulder while the other on her finger.
"Thomas?..." Y/n's smile widened. This time, her smile was less sad and she looked surprised to see the fellow animals. It surprised Thomas, too. He didn't remember when was the last time he saw a sight of living creatures he almost forgot how it felt like: to be around living things.
"They're beautiful." She said with, for the first time, a genuine smile.
"I guess they wanted to give you a proper welcome." He smiled.
And for the first time in forever, y/n started to believe things were going to get better here, in Allerdale Hall, with Thomas as her first and only friend.
