Mystery Skulls Drabbles

New Mornings

The ghost held Arthur close, the man curled up against his chest on the bed. His shaking had subsided a little while ago, and quiet snores made their way through the rest of the room. His mind drifted in the quietness. This felt good, he thought. Much better than before.

~~~

He was awake.

Had been for a little while now, but his bed was too warm and he didn't want to get up. He doesn't remember the last time he was this comfortable.

Had his pillow really always been this big? It was nice. But if he didn't get up soon, Lewis wouldn't be happy, and the glares he was getting now were already bad enough.

Where was that smell coming from? It smelled nice. Reminded him of walking into the restaurant during the day to meet Lewis for lunch. Was Lewis cooking?

His pillow shifted.

Arthur creaked an eye open.

It sure was dark. Was it even morning yet? Why was-

Arthur bolted upright, slapping a hand over his mouth to muffle the screech that almost escaped.

Lights in sockets blinked to life.

"Morning, Arthur."

A soft, pink glow stared back at him, and he let himself blow out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He eyed the specter in his bed before taking a much more comfortable seat on the mattress.

"H... hi?"

"You getting up already? It's barely seven."

He opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came to mind. Lewis was... sleeping with him? Not in that kind of way, no, but- he had another breakdown. Lewis couldn't have seen him like that. Shouldn't have.

His right hand played with the folds of his tank top, eyes darting to the clock on his nightstand, reading just as Lewis said--a little before seven in the morning. If he had woken up this early by himself, he really must've been asleep. When was the last time he had gotten decent rest?

He didn't realize how much he missed it.

Lewis sat up against the headboard. He wore a simple black tee and gray sweatpants; which was, as Arthur noted, the first time he had actually worn anything different than that musty suit after he came back.

"You alright?"

A coherent response failed Arthur a second time.

"It's okay. I didn't mean to scare you, if I did."

"It's fine." he finally croaked out.

Those two words were all it took for everything to hit Arthur at once. The stress of his search, his life once so close to an end, the heated glares that had made the hairs on the back of his neck stand at attention, the whispered mocks of his friend turned vengeful victim, the nights where nothing would ever seem to leave him alone-

And now, seeing Lewis concerned for him, happy to see him, saying good morning again?

He realized he wasn't fine.

He was never fine. Not after all this.

His quickly brought his hand back up to his mouth to stifle a shaky gasp, tears quickly beginning to burn at the corners of his eyes as his body shook with a quiet sob.

"Artie?"

He felt a hand on his shoulder.

He flinched, it was a reflex at this point, but instead of being firmly held still like all the times before he was simply pulled into a gentle embrace.

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay."

"God, I missed this. I missed you so much, Lew."

"I know. I missed you too."

"I'm so sorry. I missed this. I made you miss this. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Artie."

"It's not."

"Right now, it is. I'm here again. It's okay."

A single, heavy sob escaped him. He clung to the front of Lewis, squeezed in between the specter's large arms and his torso. He shivered every now and then, small hiccups leaving him, but soon the room was near silent again. Lewis lulled him back to rest, rocking him in his lap and humming softly. He laid the both of them back down onto the bed and pulled up the covers. Arthur curled back into the specter's chest, leaving a small sigh before slowly drifting back to sleep.

Just like old times.