Home Is Where The Heart Is

It had been a pretty boring night for Leo, laying comfortably on the couch. After a bit of aggression between Bitters and Luna, he had managed to get them both to relax and had both legs curled up comfortably on his lap. He was mindlessly watching television and, what he thought was a casual update turned to be panic from his boyfriend. He couldn't do anything, naturally, but he still got to his feet with reddened cheeks.

"What's going on? Are you okay? Why is there screaming?! Holy shit - fuck. Did you call the police?" He quickly babbled, his throat growing clogged in stress. "What happening?! Please tell me you're safe.."
 
"Of course I called the police-- I'm hidden, i-its... fine, it's fine," he insisted with a smile, hoping that if he forced the expression on his voice, it would be sounded through his voice. He was hidden in the dark, listening to the terror going on outside the closet whilst trying to remain as quiet as possible despite the bullet wound in his side. He was understandably terrified, but if he had to fake it to reassure his boyfriend, he would.

"I-I'll be fine, y'know? I'm tough as old boots," he chuckled beneath his breath, albeit shakily at the stomping of boots appeared to get closer to hid hiding place. "Shit, I-- I gotta go, Leo, I'll phone you soon; real soon. Just.. I'll be home a-as soon as I can."
 
"No, that isn't fair!" He squeaked. "I can't - what am I supposed to do? What if something happens to you and... you don't come back? Nyle, That... isn't... just... please text me?" He quickly whispered, wiping the tears from his face.

This was always the worst part of his situation. If Nyle wasn't in the house, he had no way of helping. He was essentially useless and that feeling was horrible. So while he was at home, comfortably snuggled up with two cute pets, his boyfriend was somehow in a horrible situation - one that he would tell himself he could have stopped.
 
"Leo, I can't-- I have to go, but I'll text you, babe. Promise--" He began urgently, only to abruptly stop his hushed whispers in replacement of frantic pleas for his life, the door to the closet having swung open during his phone call. With the call still connected (a fact he didn't have time to prevent), the desperate begs and the resulting gunshot would sound loud and clear, only ending when the man responsible for the carnage unknowingly crushed the phone beneath his foot on his way out.

It would take until morning for any news to arrive from the scene. Local news stations relayed the tale of a drunk student losing his temper and taking it out on unsuspecting party-goers. There were plenty of victims and very few survivors, though no names were mentioned; the only details they had was that the survivors had been taken immediately to hospital to receive emergency care.

It became clear that Nyle was one of the victims before the names and identities were released. His family, having been alerted of the news first as Nyle's emergency contacts, wasted little time in trying to call Leo to find out the details and, after some time, to organise things for the funeral. They may have disliked him, but that all seemed to fade away when tragedy struck - he was the only person Nyle had really declared love for, and they wanted him to attend. Obviously, that didn't happen when Leo physically couldn't leave the house, so the funeral went ahead as planned without him in Philadelphia.

It would be a long two months before anyone from that night came to Leo's door and, inevitably, that person was May. She had been hospitalised all that time, recovering from her own extensive injuries - she'd broken a leg jumping from her apartment balcony, figuring that she'd rather risk that than risk getting shot in the head by a madman. Not having any way to contact Leo, she had to bide her time until she was well enough to leave the hospital. Her first emotion was annoyance at the 'For Sale' sign outside the home, though she shrugged it off and quietly knocked at the door, trying her best to hold herself together. It was obviously emotional, especially when she could relate to losing someone - her own boyfriend hadn't made it and she had had to deal with missing his funeral too, being too injured to attend the service.

"Leo? C'mon, open up, I know you're there," she called through the letterbox, frowning to herself at the silence. "...It's May, remember? I... We should talk."
 
To find out Nyle had passed was... devastating. He had thought he was finally going to have a normal life, one he missed out on while alive. He had a boyfriend, a job and a loving home. His boyfriend was gone, burying in Philadelphia, and since he essentially didn't exist, all of his things were taken away under the guise of being owned by Nyle. He watched all of their shared things gone and, just like before, he was left alone with Bitters.

There was no one to talk to about everything, naturally. He would desperately try to call Nyle for a whole week, even knowing that the phone was broken, if only to hear Nyle's voicemail. When the battery went out, he was left alone completely.

He held his own little memorial, making a small little spot on the porch to a picture of Nyle with the cheesy, romantic gifts he had given the other. He distinctly remember buying a glass rose, gushing how 'their life was eternal'. He remember it was a cute joke, but apparently it didn't matter.

He spent the last two months just feeling worse. He didn't even give the new saleswoman hassle, instead spending the time simply... silent. The closest anyone heard of when it came to Leo would be sobbing, followed by Bitters purring.

To hear May's voice, Leo was simply laying on the couch left behind to stare up at the ceiling vacantly. He didn't need to move, his voice easily being heard through the door. He didn't have the energy to pretend he was human anymore.

"Please just leave," he begged, his voice cracking as he spoke. "Just... I want to be alone. Your friend got Luna, just... let me be alone."
 
"No, no-- no, this is important. I can't speak to you from out here, Leo. Your neighbour's looking at me weirdly," she hissed as gently as she could, turning to offer a wave at the man across the street in the hopes it would get him to mind his own business. When he proceeded to stare over, whispering to a woman beside him, she rolled her eyes at the rudeness and turned back to the door.

"It's about Nyle. He's-- He's not gone, Leo. I can hear him. When I went back to my apartment earlier, I... I swear, he was there," she began urgently, attempting to open the door herself, only to groan loudly in annoyance. "I promise you, I... I think he was there. And Oliver, and... and Greg. I heard them. I couldn't see them, but I... they're there, Leo."
 
The door swung open, though Leo remained where he was with Bitters quietly purring on his lap in complete obliviousness to Leo's plight. He only briefly glanced over, his cheeks stained with tears from the past two months of nonstop sobbing. It was only recently that it seemed that his ability to cry ran up, the well dried.

"Even if that's true, what does that mean to me? I'll never see him again or hear him again, I... I let him go to that party and this is what I deserve for that. He's dead a-and even if he is hypothetically still around, that means nothing to me because I can't leave here, May. It's just... this is why I want to be alone. There's nothing I can do, May."
 
"...I had plenty of time to research this in hospital, just in case... Oliver was still there. I can't stay in that apartment but if he was there, I couldn't leave him, so I... I did research about how I could... capture and release ghosts. I've got some methods," she began as she rushed to sit on the floor opposite him, setting her large file down and beginning to flick through the pages upon pages of notes. She could have sat and grieved her boyfriend's loss as much as she wanted but instead, she threw herself into her research, just in case there was a way to ensure she got her boyfriend back, albeit as a ghost.

"There's this method-- you get soil from a graveyard and place it in a clear box, right? You burn a candle in it to draw in spirits and keep an item of theirs in the box, and then... then that should be that, though I think it depends on if they want to be caught-- I don't know. Ghosts can possess stuff, right? I'm sure... well, I'm sure Nyle could... if I spoke to him and explained, I'm sure he'd be able to figure out how to get in the box-- I j-just have to try, Leo. With Oliver and with Nyle, if they are there. I can't rest until I try," she said sternly, wiping her stray tears away with a firm nod, smiling to hold herself together. "I know they're there, I sense them and-- and I can work out how to do this. I think you get one shot at it, but I... I can do this, you know? If you want me to try, I will."
 
"I'm not going to stop you, May," he whispered in response, a brow raised critically at the files. His frown only grew at her emotional state and he reluctantly moved from the couch before flopping down beside the other, picking through the files himself slowly, making most of them simply float to his hand expectantly.

"What are the consequences of it doesn't work?" He asked quietly, a frown only growing. "What happens if it doesn't work out? I mean... and what would happen if he were to hypothetically be reunited? W... What if he wouldn't want it?"
 
"...Why wouldn't he want it? That's... of course he'd want it, right? He loves you; you love him. I... I can't imagine he'd say no. It'll work, right? If he wants to be caught, then... then it'll work. I can only do it once, though once is enough, yeah? If it doesn't, I... I don't know what else to do, Leo. There'd be nothing else I can do," she whispered as she glanced outside, grimacing deeply again at the sign outside in the garden. If she were to reunite Leo and Nyle -which she was hopeful of doing-, then she wanted to be able to visit them and maintain the normality of a friendship. She couldn't do that if someone else bought the home and settled in.

"I have money from Oliver's passing," she began slowly, lifting her eyes from the pages in her hand. "I can buy this place, I... can't imagine it'd cost a lot. I still have my apartment, Leo, but I... I can stay there and own this place too. I want to visit you, you know? And Nyle too. I... I think it'd be good to buy this place to stop someone else coming in and making things awkward for you both-- what do you think? I have enough money. Oliver had... he was well off, he had plenty of money."
 
"May, you don't have to do that," he insisted, his own tired eyes drifting to take in the sign. "I can't... stop you, though. If you insisted on buying the house, I can assure you the realtor would give you nothing for it. It was cheap when I bought it and that was before anyone died in it. Now that there's been a dead person and the other owner died elsewhere, there's no way in hell they would make you pay more than absolutely necessary," he reassured, his fingers fiddling with one another nervously.

He knew it was selfish but he wanted to see Nyle again, if only for one more time to apologize. If he hadn't picked such an obvious and obnoxious costume, the other could have escaped like May but he had to be obnoxious and too funny and now Nyle was dead. He thought he was completely drained but he couldn't stop the tears from sprouting to his eyes, uncontrollably so.

"God, it was all my fault," he whispered , his tears landing on the folder he held only to immediately disappear. "If I hadn't... made him wear that stupid fucking outfit, h-he'd been able to escape and he'd be alive. I had to be a fucking idiot... I want to try it. What do I have to lose?"
 
May was well used to blaming herself for what happened. She was the one who invited Nyle to the party, so she felt responsible for his death. Similarly, she felt awful that she had just escaped when her boyfriend needed her. Admittedly, she knew there was nothing she could have done; he was shot well before she made her escape, but she proceeded to torment herself about it constantly, with her research at least being a way for her to distract herself.

And if the research findings were accurate, she would be rewarded for it by returning Nyle to his home. That in itself would be the highlight of her entire career, even if she was invested in this personally more than professionally.

"I'm not sure if it's gonna work, Leo, I won't lie to you and pretend it's a given. I've read that people tried it but it doesn't work, but... but I think the spirit has to willingly choose to be caught, you know? You can trick them, but... that's not easy, I think that's why people have failed, so... so hey, it should be fine! I'll have to steal the box, it's at a museum down in Texas, which is... it's a fucking long way, but I can't do this without that box, so... so it'll take a while but it's worth it," she decided with a faint smile, cracking her bones wearily. "I tried to text you, loads of times. I was in hospital-- I would have been here sooner if I could. I know you don't want me here, I'm not stupid, but you... need company, Leo. If this doesn't work, I... still want to be friends with you."
 
"They took everything," he explained quietly. "Without Nyle, the... the house isn't mine. They took away the electricity, the WiFi... they tossed out all of the things we had together except for this one part of the porch. Every incline that Nyle was even here is gone is gone and I... couldn't stop them. My phone died eventually and then I was just... left alone. The only time anyone called me was when Nyle's family called to invited me to the funeral. I looked like an asshole saying no so they just hate me more now," He babbled out, this being the first time he was able to vent to anyone since what happened. Naturally, it was triggering.

"I wish I could come with you," he insisted after a long pause of trying to get his bearings. "I'm... sorry. I'm sorry I'm getting emotional, it's just... I haven't had anyone to talk to about this. I've just been alone and... and.... I don't know," He babbled out, his form seemingly fading the more emotional he became. "I heard him get fucking shot, May. I heard him beg for his life a-and... I couldn't do anything."
 
"...If anyone gets it, I do. I... I was hiding when Oliver got shot; I saw him get killed through a crack in the door. I couldn't do anything or I'd get killed, it... it's the most horrible thing I-I've ever witnessed-- but I'm not going to get emotional about it because he's still here, right? He's at the apartment. I don't know why I can't see him, but... but he's there. I've used my EMF detector, and it confirmed what I already know. They're there, they're just... I don't know why they're not visible to me, b-but it'll be sorted out soon," she decided with a firm nod, forcing another smile as she busied herself with placing her folders and pages away in the large file.

"You guys can order new stuff, right? If I do buy this place, you can build a life together again and I'll just visit. I... I need to stay at my apartment where Oliver is. Like I said, I can only this thing once and... and I'd rather use it to bring Nyle to you, than to use it to take Oliver somewhere new. Hey, trust me, alright? I'm a professional at all this spirit stuff," she reminded with a quiet laugh, gently petting Bitters' fur down to give herself something to do. "Give me a month and... and I'll have this sorted out."
 
"What if something happens to you?" He questioned after a pause, clear anxiety hitting his face. "I won't be able to know and I'll just be left alone again. I...don't want that, May," he sternly decided, his face growing pink in frustration.

"If you're going to Texas, you.., need to make sure you'll be safe. I don't want to lose another person who matters to me, losing Nyle was enough," he whispered, watching Bitters eagerly hop onto the other's lap."when do you plan on leaving? What if someone else buys the house while you're gone?"
 
"Nobody's going to buy the house - and if people do get a tour, make things difficult for them. Slam doors, breathe down their necks - make them uncomfortable. It'd be awful if someone bought it, you know? And I can't focus on that yet, it'd take too much time and I'd rather just get Nyle back to you first," she admitted as she pushed herself to her feet, after gently easing the cat from her lap with another affectionate smooth. She hadn't had the chance to see Luna in two months, and while she was more of a dog-person, it was nice to do something normal, even if it was as small as petting a cat.

"I'll get a flight tomorrow, as soon as possible. Can't prolong this, yeah? Just-- I'll be fine, Leo. Trust me. I'll be back in a month."

And, to her credit, May arrived back at the house a month later to the day, clambering over the hedge to be able to enter via the back door. The neighbours constantly gossiping about her without bothering to look away was something she couldn't handle, so entering through the back door at least prevented her growing uncomfortable and paranoid that, somehow, they knew what was going on.

As soon as she entered, she eagerly flew through to the empty living room, breathing hard with her cheeks red in exhaustion, having run from where her taxi dropped her off all the way to the house in excitement. She had successfully got every item she needed and she hoped that she had successfully encouraged Nyle to willingly allow himself to be caught. As soon as she assumed that she had done it all right, she rushed straight to Leo's home, eagerly setting herself down and surrounding the box with the candles and salt her research had dictated.

"I told you I could do this," she beamed over to the ghost, lighting an incense stick or two, just for herself - it wasn't part of the process, but she always felt more relaxed when she had a few incense sticks lit around her. With a deep inhale of breath, she opened the lid to the box, only to pause when nothing really seemed to happen. In fact, after sitting silently for five minutes, the only noise that broke her quiet was the ticking of her watch.

"...Maybe it... takes some time," she whispered with a faint smile, sitting back against the wall with glossy eyes, inevitably fearing she had failed. "I... I mean... let's wait it out, right?"
 
This was the only thing Leo had to look forward to. He did his part, scaring off anyone interested to the best of his ability,m. Hell, he went all out to ensure that everything would be ready. He had convinced himself to have high hopes... but low expectations. It seemed to be the right thing to do as he stared at the box, his eyes beginning to well before quickly blinking them away.

"... I knew this would happen," he whispered, burying his head in his hands to hide his upset. "I knew this would happen, May. I told you, he probably doesn't want to see me. Why would he?" He whispered, trying his best to seem calm as he hid his face. "... I'm... glad you tried. Maybe it'll work on Oliver, though, right? God - I'm sorry," He babbled our quietly before tugging his knees to chest. "I just... need to stop being hopeful, right?"
 
"No! No, just be patient! Maybe it takes some time for him to... to materialise? I dunno," the girl shrugged, her eyes shutting as she tried to hold herself together. It didn't help that she had had one hour's worth of sleep over two whole days, such was her dedication to the cause. Inevitably, she ended up drifting to sleep against the wall as time ticked on by, remaining asleep for the next two hours... during which, as she continued to sleep, something did happen.

It was just as she had hoped to happen, but equally, Oliver's appearance wasn't something she had anticipated happening. However much research she had invested into everything, there would always be an element of the unknown. Apparently, she had both succeeded in bringing Nyle, but also ended up dragging her boyfriend along too and, once she woke up to realise it, she'd also know that there was no going back; once they had moved, they couldn't be disrupted again.

Not that Oliver seemed to mind, the boy seemingly arriving out of thin air opposite Leo on the floor, grinning wide once he realised the other could not just hear him, but see him too. "You can see me, yeah? Don't wake May up, let her sleep. Girl's fucking exhausted... How are 'ya, bud-- don't answer that, ignore me. I just-- Nyle and I have been fucking... nobody could see us for ages and it was a total hellhole-- He'll appear soon, he's probably fussing with his hair again--"

"I don't fuss with my hair, I just-- you know why I do it," grunted Nyle as he appeared stood up just seconds later. He had made a conscious effort to brush his hair forward to cover the bullet wound, just so Leo wouldn't be confronted by it. He didn't think he'd ever see him again, so when he did glance down at him, he did have to blink hard just to ensure his eyes weren't deceiving him. "...You are seeing me, right? Like... this is real, ain't it?"
 
Leo had spent the last two hours wrapped up in a blanket alongside May, that of whom he also wrapped up neatly. The house had a bad draft now that the power was out so he naturally wanted the human to be as comfortable as possible. He spent the last two hours tossing a piece of crumpled up paper and watched Bitters run and obediently return it. It kept his mind off the useless box that he was growing ready to kick across the room in frustration. When he saw Oliver emerge first, he quickly scrambled to his feet in s mix of horror and excitement. The bullet wound was a bit... jarring, not being used to seeing someone else with life ending injuries just talking casually. Growing physically antsy, shifting his weight and scrunching up the end of Nyle's old sweatshirt in his hands, he didn't need to wait for the other to speak before tackling Nyle in a tight hug, immediately beginning to cry.

"Jesus Christ, w-what took you so long?!" He quickly squeaked, burying his face in the other's chest with hard sniffles. "God, I... I'm so fucking sorry, Nyle. I shouldn't have let you gone and... a-and the whole thing was my fault and I'm just - I-I'm... I'm sorry," he quickly babbled, his grip onto Nyle only tightening.
 
"Hey, hey-- don't cry. It's nobody's fault but that guy's who thought it was perfectly reasonable to... do what he did. It's fine, Leo. Does it suck a bit? Sure. Am I sad my family think I'm dead? Definitely - but there's no point dwelling on it, yeah? I'm... dead, so I might as well stop whining about it. Can't exactly change anything now, huh? Not now my body's underground somewhere, becoming worm food," he snorted to himself, eagerly holding onto the hug. He was just as emotional as Leo was, having come to the conclusion that he would have to remain in the apartment without him for the rest of eternity. To be back with him now meant the world to him.

"...I don't blame you, don't be an idiot. It's... it is what it is, hm? It was quick, you know? Painless, mostly. Quick bullet to the head and bang, I was gone. It wasn't... I didn't suffer," he reassured quickly, frowning to himself at how emotional the other was, understandably so. "Hey, it's all good! I'm here, you're here, it's... sort of back to normal? I just have a bullet wound or two, nothing major. I'm still me, yeah? And you're you, and Bitters is still the same lazy ball of fur, so... it's all good, babe. I'm fine. Missed you like crazy, but I... I'm good."
 
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