“If you are here, sit with me for a while,” Edward said so suddenly that William almost thought he could see him. But that wasn’t the case. “Do you know, I’m not even going to follow the rules this time. If there is ever a moment Iwantto be haunted, it is now.” Edward cleared his throat, giving himself the courage to finish. “So, Will, if you can hear me, please.”
Just please. No words after it. Please was enough.
The pain in Edward’s voice, the pleading and desperate need, all but wormed into William’s spirit and poisoned him.
William’s body trembled as he sat on the floor, crossed legs, opposite the man who occupied his thoughts day and night – for however long it had been. He didn’t even want to know how much time he’d lost either – it didn’t matter anymore.
Edward was back; that was the only thing of importance. And William would do anything to make sure he too never could leave him again.
“So, what do you say, Will?” Edward lowered fingers atop the planchet and began swirling it in a board circle. “Do you want to haunt me?”
William broke out in a half sob, half laugh. He knew he was crying because that was his natural reaction to all emotions. Happy tears, sad tears, ones of anger and regret, grief or desire. Although, it happened that he never really felt the tears on his face anymore. He wondered if that feeling went when his body was taken away from Hanbury, separating his one claim to something physical.
“I just wantyou,” William whispered, lowering his paled fingers atop Edward’s hand. “All I’ve wanted is you since they day they took you away from me.”
Edward’s skin was smooth to the touch, warm and welcoming. Upon impact, Edward gasped, and the sound shot right through William’s core. He looked up, searching, but his frown deepened as if what he’d felt was all in his mind.
He shook his head and focused back on the board.
“Ask me a question, Edward,” William encouraged.
Silence rained for a moment, and then Edward finally spoke. “Are you here, Will? Are you with me… please, show me you are still with me by moving the planchet.”
Maybe Edward’s desperation as it cracked his deep voice, or perhaps the tears that continued to flow down his handsome, familiar face, gave William the strength to answer.
William focused on his desire, sunk vicious teeth into it and refused to let go. With that need, he imagined the planchet moving, pictured it so clearly in his mind so that when it finally moved, it wasn’t a surprise.
Slowly, Edward withdrew his tender fingers, letting the planchet move by William’s will alone.
He directed to the answer that mattered.
Edward read it aloud. “Yes.”
William moved the planchet over the board, pausing briefly over the letters as Edward read them out from chest-wrecking sobs.
“I. Am. Here.”
When Edward drew his eyes from the board, this time he didn’t see right through William. Their gazes met. Hot as summer lightning, the feeling of existence speared through every inch of William. And in reflection of Edward’s tear-filled eyes, William found himself.
“You came back for me,” William said, testing his mouth, urging his voice to be loud and clear.
Edward sucked in a sharp breath, lifted his hand from the planchet and reached across the board as if going to touch William. William found his hand lifting too, wanting nothing more than to share in a moment of real connection – something he’d craved since watching his corpse be carried out of Hanbury Manor.
“I thought you had forgotten about me,” William tried again, in case the first time didn’t work. “But you came back.”
“I will always find my way back to you. Just as I promised you I would,” Edward replied, eyes fixed on the man who meant everything to him. “A promise is a promise after all.”
“You can…” William didn’t need to finish. Because as their hands met, Edward answered. “Hear me?”
“Yes, William Thorn.” Tears of sorrow, became tears of joy. “Iseeyou too.”
William dared move for fear he’d ruin the moment. He didn’t even want to blink, instead watching the most beautiful smile crease across Edward’s face.
“I’ve missed you,” William found himself saying. “So much.”
Edward sighed, palm pressed to William’s palm, before their fingers entangled, and they were bound once again. “And I missed you.”
There was a brief pause, soft as downy feathers.
