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The leaves swayed slowly in the gentle breeze, the Chase went quiet, almost too quiet.
Simon and Hiram had gone out to the garden, doing their usual routine of taking care of the property. Hiram was cutting the stems of overgrown flowers, sowed new plants, raked the golden autumn leaves falling down from centuries old trees and Simon—well, he just observed. He didn't do much, but Hiram doesn't mind.
This garden felt like home. It was the only place they could be together in peace. No judgmental looks from anyone nor anything. Contrary to the fact that since he moved into this mansion, to Hiram this place always felt hauntingly eerie. As if it holded so much more than the beautiful facade on the outside. Something so terrying his mind doesn't strive to get to know about it or ask at all.
Hiram stops working at the flowers, throwing his shears away. He looks over to Simon. The spirit stands with his back to him, hands clasped behind. Hiram smiles to himself at the sight, walking up to the man.
He stands beside him, observing him silently. Simon stares absently into the sunset, his face fairly stoic. Hiram can't help but to smile more. They stand like this for a couple of minutes, the spirit slowly coming back to his senses.
"You don't mind?" he nudges him gently, and Simon looks at him shyly. He smiles back, awkwardly embracing Hiram. Hiram just hums, leaning into him. "Well, I don't think I do"
"Can I ask you something?" Hiram murmurs into his shoulder. Simon leans back rapidly, gasping quietly under his breath. "Oh no," he stares wide-eyed at the man. "Not this again" he laughs out, covering his mouth.
Hiram furrows his brows, crossing his arms. Simon chuckles quietly, leaning on his leg. "What?"
"Nothing" he grumps out, turning his head sideways. "Absolutely nothing..."
Simon laughs a little more, leaning down to the man. He turns his head to the side, pressing a gentle kiss into his cheek. "Of course you can, Hiram, you know that"
The smaller man nods hesitantly. "You know, I've always been wondering..." he murmurs, tapping his collar anxiously, "how old are you actually? I don't think I ever asked you that, did I?"
Simon looks at him smugly, a devious grin on his lips. "Well, I count three centuries"
Hiram gasped out, covering his mouth right away. "Are you joking with me?"
"Absolutely not" he says certainly, "I do look a bit run over, don't I?"
Hiram slaps the larger man's arm playfully, scoffing at him. "Don't say that, you're not"
"I actually think I do," he says, peeking at Hiram from the side, smirking lightly. "Although, you look nothing past twenty"
Hiram blinks in confusion, huffing quietly under his breath, stirred. "Simon, that's a really low reach right now"
Simon turns his head to him, his face softening. The smaller man looks up, a hint of disappointment painted on his face. His brows knit in defeat, his gaze escaping Simon's insistent one.
"I don't think so," he murmurs, looking around. He leans in closely, closing the gap between them. He reaches out and turns Hiram's chin upwards gently, revealing the vulnerability stirring in his soul behind his eyes. "You underestimate yourself greatly, Hiram"
Those words hit like a thousand knives in his gut, but he nods reluctantly.
The spirit takes a deep breath. "You're a great inventor. You revolutionized the whole world, don't you realize that?" he chants affectionately, his eyes searching out for his gaze. Hiram musters out ever-so faint smile on his face.
Simon touches his cheek with his eternally cold hands, stroking it carefully. The smaller man desperately leans into his healing touch, closing his eyes shut. "I also really do find you beautiful, just so you know" he laughs, grinning broadly, more to himself than him. "I love you for so much things you don't even know or realize"
Hiram just hums quietly in agreement. His hands travel downward, reaching for spirits arm, pulling him close in a hug. Simon gasps out in surprise, but he returns the embrace quickly, wrapping his hands tightly around the inventors body.
"...Simon" the man whispers out, even if the spirit is right against him.
"Yes?" the ghost murmurs into his shoulder, stroking his back gently.
Hiram stays quiet for a while, slightly tightening his grip around the spirits frame. "I just hurt so much... all the time" he muffles out against his jacket, breaths coming fast. "Thinking about how I don't want to die if I never get see you again"
"...Oh" Simon breathes out, his body suddently turning frozen. He blinks rapidly, breathing heavily as if all the air out of him was sucked out.
Hiram knows it. He knows it too. Simon is just too much of a fool to face it. But what can he possibly do?
Hiram falls apart in his hands, weeping loudly in his embrace. His hand clings onto ghosts shirt, not budging an inch. Simon can feel how wet his jacket feels, and he feel himself trembling. But he holds him tightly, as strong as he can, even if he feels himself disintegrating too.
Hiram's body shakes violently, his chest rising and falling quickly. Simon gulps, feeling conflicted about how to comfort him correctly. Being isolated for three hundred years doesn't help that much in delicate moments like this, but he tries his best. He always does.
Simon holds his breath, thinking of a appropriate way to articulate what he's about to say to get his point across.
He knows that it's something more of a momentary reasurrance. And he will be more than ready to face it, sooner or later. He will.
"Hiram," he calls out, the smaller man suddenly pulling his head away from Simon's jacket."If there is a way to bring us both to the same place after everything is done, I will let you know. I'll do whatever it possibly takes, anything"
There isn't much to ponder or think about it in reality. He can't even get himself alone free out from this place for almost three centuries long. As much he desires the to get the answer to that question, there simply isn't any. Or so he thinks for now.
Simon's heart breaks into two as he sees him so vulnerable, probably for the first time ever. His eyes are puffed up, red and tired. The tears are still running down his face, though at a lot slower pace than before.
"I will never leave you alone in this" he whispered, their gaze locked. The inventors sapphire eyes shine in the rays of sun, observing him attentively.
If he had to betray everyone for this sight everyday, he would do it, be damned, even if thousand times.
He pulls out a strand of hair out of Hiram's face, the man laughing faintly at the gesture. "—or anything. I want you to know that. That is the promise I hold to you from now on to forever. Do you understand that, Hiram?"
Hiram nods sharply. He fixes his misplaced glasses, wiping the dry tears on his face away. "As much as my mind tries to betray me, I place my faith in you. In everything I possibly can, Simon"
Simon lets out a breath of relief. "That's a great responsibility I am willing to take" he swears to him, clutching his chest. Hiram pulls him into last air-sucking hug before leaning away.
The inventor sighs loudly, touching his forehead with his palm. Simon notices it and he reaches out and touches it, his hand feeling slightly warmer than before. "Your head hurts, doesn't it?"
Hiram chuckles quietly, humming in response. "Oh sure it does. You sense a lot of things"
The sun is already set, the very few rays illuminating their faces and gold-woven leaves of Canterville's trees.
"Then we need to aid that by giving you some hot tea by the fireplace" he thinks out loud, as they make their way out of the garden. "Don't you think the same?"
"I drink it so much since moving here that I think I'm becoming one big tea leaf" he jokes, as they enter the mansion again. He snuggles up to the ghost shoulder, clinging to it tightly. "But sure, I do"
At the entrance they are greeted by Virginia, who is sitting at the wooden pouf by the window, smiling affectionately at them. "Didn't you both slacked off too much there? It's almost midnight!" she jokes lightheartedly, Hiram's eyes widening a little too much at her remark.
"Just joking. You both need some resting" she says certainly as she follows them to the main hall. "I mean—one of you, at least" she adds, forgeting about Simon's inability to sleep.
They pass around her room, standing there for a minute. "What about mom?" Hiram ask, and Virginia pouts, looking around in thought. Simon quietly floats away from them crossing his arms, darting his gaze far away but listening closely.
"I think she's already asleep. Kent and Louis are too. If I'll be sleeping, then help yourself out" she murmurs as one of her hands already shuffles the doorknob open.
Hiram huffs out in relief. "Will do" he says, shooing her gently back to her room. He tells her goodnight and close the doors as swift as possible. Hiram swears he heard ever-so faint giggle coming behind the door.
The inventor turns to Simon, his face beaming with pride. "You're a great dad"
Hiram looks away sheepishly, corners of his mouth turning into a shy smile. "I try to, at least" Simon hums, clapping the smaller man's back playfully. "But you're still up for that cup of tea?"
The small man gasp out, bending over in mocked pain. "Ow! Oh—the tea? Only if you bring it to me, I will consider that"
Simon huffs in amusement. "That's a deal, you old man"
"And who says that?"