Chapter Text
“I really, really think we’re lost,” Alex said, dropping his body to sit on the big field they were in. The big, open, empty field they were in because Willie had insane ideas and for some reason Alex thought it was smart to go along with them.
“It’s part of the adventure,” Willie said. They quirked a smile that Alex couldn’t help but smile back at, even through the anxious beat of his heart in his throat. He hated it - being out of control, not knowing with certainty what was happening around him - and being lost definitely counted as not knowing what was going on.
Willie sat down beside Alex, spreading out the map he’d been holding and bending over it. “I’ll admit,” Willie said without looking up, “That Pennsylvania has changed since I’ve last been here.”
“When was the last time you were here, again?” Alex asked, trying to keep any bite out of his voice. He wasn’t upset that they were lost, really. Not at Willie, anyways. He was just anxious. Which was stupid because-
“We can poof back home, if you want,” Willie said, instead of answering Alex’s question. Willie didn’t always like questions about this age. Which was fair, really - Alex himself was constantly trying to forget that technically he was 42 years old.
Willie looked up from the map and gave Alex a reassuring look. It made Alex’s heart ache and was probably less reassuring than Willie meant it to be - because he was so patient and kind and Alex was ruining everything by being so worried all the time.
“Alex,” they said, and Alex realized he hadn’t responded to anything Willie said. Willie reached across the space between them to put a hand on his knee. “We can poof back home. I might have gotten...carried away with this idea.”
Alex shook his head. “I want to see the places that are important to you,” he said.
Willie folded up the map instead of answering. The sun was bright in the sky behind them, it made Willie’s hair shine when he moved and highlighted the angles of his face - the line of his jawbone, the height of his cheekbones, the crease in his forehead from their perpetual smile.
“Come on,” Willie said, breaking the silence. He stood up and held out his hand. Alex took it, letting them haul him to his feet. “I have a better idea.”
Willie squeezed his hand and just like that, Alex felt a tingle in his bones and found himself standing on a busy side-street in downtown LA. Willie had the uncanny ability to drag other ghosts with him when he poofed - none of the other boys could do it. They thought it was maybe some residual Caleb-magic, but no one knew for sure, and it wasn’t like there were any ghost experts around to ask.
“I hate when you do that,” he complained, but he wasn’t serious, really. He felt more himself now that he was back in familiar territory, the predictability of the bustling LA streets easing his mind. “Where did you want to take me, anyway?”
“We’re going to the first shop I found when I moved to LA,” Willie said. “It’s just as important to me, because it reminds me of the place that I wanted to take you to today.” He held out the hand that wasn’t holding Alex, and his skateboard popped into existence, their helmet appearing on their head. “Pull me,” he said, squeezing the hand he was holding Alex’s with. He dropped his board with a clatter and jumped on.
Alex rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t help but smile. “I don’t know where we’re going, idiot,” he said. “And I meant where did you want to take me before we got lost in a giant field in the middle of Pennsylvania.”
Willie just looked at Alex and gave him a sort of quiet chuckle. “Not telling,” they said. “I’m going to take you back. I just need to figure out where it is so we can poof there directly.”
“Instead of getting lost in a giant field,” Alex said. He started forward, keeping his grip on Willie so he could tug them on their skateboard beside him. “You’d better tell me where to go.”
“It’s just down the street,” Willie said. “I’m sorry I made you anxious, Hotdog.”
Alex gave Willie a confused look. “I’m sorry I ruined it,” he found himself saying. “I know my anxiety can be-” hard to deal with , he was going to say, but he stopped short at the look on Willie’s face.
“You didn’t ruin anything,” Willie said so gently it made tears prick at the corner of Alex’s eyes. “It doesn’t matter where I am or what we’re doing, as long as I’m with you. You’re allowed to be anxious, Alex. Also, stop.”
It took Alex a minute to process what Willie had said - so long that Willie had to jump off their board and tug Alex to a stop. Alex felt heat flood his cheeks, but Willie paid it no mind, tugging Alex in the direction of a flower shop instead.
The shop was small, the sort of hole-in-the-wall place you wouldn’t notice unless you already knew it existed. It’s door was open to the outside air, wreathed with some sort of vine - maybe ivy, but Alex really had no idea how to tell plants apart. There were stands outside, though, encroaching onto the sidewalk space and full of flowers. Pedestrians walked by, paying them no mind. A bent, weathered lady who looked as though she was at least one-hundred years old was standing outside, watering the plants. She didn’t look up as they approached - of course she didn’t, they were ghosts , but it still surprised Alex, even after months.
There were clusters of sunflowers on each side of the door, and those were what Willie made a beeline to, dragging Alex behind them by the hand. Before Alex could say anything, they pulled off two sunflowers from the stalk. Willie tucked one behind his ear and reached for Alex.
“I can’t believe you just stole sunflowers,” Alex said lightly. Willie tucked the other sunflower behind Alex’s ear, smoothing his hair down as he did. Alex let himself lean into the touch.
“Is it really theft if I’m not alive?” Willie asked with a wink. Alex’s free hand rose to rest on Willie’s hip, drawing him closer. And then Willie closed the distance, and placed a soft kiss on his lips and Alex’s heart soared because no matter how many times he did this, no matter how long he lived (or, you know, was dead for), he would never stop marveling at Willie and everything he was.