This chapter contains Lewvithur. That said, it focuses more on Uncle Lance, because I love that dude.

Lance wasn't an idiot. He could be a little dense sometimes but he was by no means blind.

Ever since Arthur had lost his arm, Lance had trained himself to see the small changes in his nephew. It started out as noticing when Arthur wore long sleeves to hide his remaining arm, or the guilty look in his eye whenever someone talked about Lewis.

It never really hit him how deep this rut Arthur had gotten himself into was until Vivi dragged Arthur in one rainy night, telling the older man how she had to talk him off of a ledge. After that, Lance always made sure someone was keeping an eye on Arthur. If it wasn't him, it was someone in the shop, or Vivi, or even that damned dog of hers (although at first Arthur was extremely jumpy around Mystery).

Once Galahad became part of the family, things seemed to get better. His nephew had even crafted himself a robotic arm (with some help of course).

And then suddenly Lewis was back. Arthur had texted his uncle saying that he was finally coming home from an extremely long cross country tour of various haunted estates. What he wasn't expecting was the deceased fourth member of their group to be with them.

Arthur looked tired. Extremely tired. And spooked, but that was a given. The kid could never really handle all the ghosts and hauntings Vivi dragged him too.

Well, not dragged. Arthur loved his friends and always went with them willingly, even if he didn't particularly like what they did. They wanted him to come along and he wanted to be with them so Lance couldn't complain too much. He didn't believe in all this ghost and spirit mumbo-jumbo and preferred not to get mixed up in their antics, but the kids were having a good time and travelling around.

And everything turned out alright in the end. Most of the time.

But this…this...Lance didn't know what to think about this. It had been almost two years since Lewis' death and he looked exactly the same, save for the dead and hollowed out eyes.

The first time Lance saw them, it sent a shiver down his spine. This was the first time he had ever seen a ghost, and Lewis of all people. Suddenly he wished he had taken Vivi's babbles more seriously. Usually he tuned them out whenever she started going off.

"Lewis…?"

"H-hey…Mr. Kingsmen."

At first he thought this was some sort of trick. Some sort of hologram Arthur made at Vivi's request to get Lance to believe in the supernatural. But the way the figure carried himself, the way he spoke, the way he fucking refused to call him by his first name…

It was Lewis alright. Lance had no doubt in his mind. Arthur had been friends with Lewis since middle school and Lance had known him just as long. Those trained eyes landed on his nephew. Holding onto his metal arm like his life depended on it. Bags around his eyes. Looking guilty. Arthur was hiding something big, and not just the fact that they had found a ghostly Lewis.

He reached over and grabbed Arthur's prosthetic arm, starting to drag him away. "'Scuse us," he grumbled and pulled his nephew into a few rooms over, ignoring the panicked and confused looks Lewis and Vivi sent their way.

"Arthur. What the hell is going on?"

"Ah…w-well…it's a-a little hard to explain, Uncle Lance."

He plopped himself down in a chair, crossing his arms. "Try me."

Lance always knew when Arthur was hiding something. Always. The kid was already a terrible liar and had only managed to get away with lying to his uncle once.

In fact, now that he thought about it, Arthur never once told him what happened the night he lost his arm. Vivi had told him since Arthur absolutely refused to talk about it. But even then, Vivi was only recounting what Arthur had told her.

And judging from the guilty looks his nephew always had when talking about Lewis, there was something else going on here. Lance was determined to get it out of him. "And I mean it, Arthur. Tell me everything."

So he did. Lance watched as Arthur slowly broke down. Going to the cave, splitting up with Lewis one way, the left side of his body going numb. Being possessed.

Pushing Lewis.

It became increasingly clear just why Arthur never told anyone about this, even his own family. "N-nobody would believe me…if I said what happened… A-and Vivi didn't remember anything… I didn't know what to do…! I didn't mean to kill him! I didn't, I swear! P-please believe me, I didn't-!" Arthur stopped when he felt a hand over his only flesh one.

Lance didn't say a word for the longest time. He was horrible at talking about feelings and even worse at showing them. But he tried. He pulled Arthur into a hug and just held him there. Even when his nephew broke down again, he continued to comfort as best as he could. "I believe you, kiddo." After what he just witnessed, Lance was willing to give into his suspension of disbelief.

Arthur wouldn't hurt a fly if he could help it. It wasn't in the kid's nature. He continued, saying how they found Lewis in a mansion, how he was a skeleton ghost…and how Lewis had tried to kill him. Lance tensed when he heard that.

"He did what?"

From the look on Arthur's face, he hadn't meant to say that out loud. "Uncle Lance-"

"He tried to kill you?"

"I did kill him!"

"No you didn't! You just said something used your body to do it!"

"And he knows that now!" Lance fell silent as Arthur tried to catch his breath. "He…he knows… It took a really long time…a few weeks at least…" A few weeks? They've been travelling around with a ghost for a few weeks? "B-but…but everything's okay…or well…as okay as it can be for now…"

"He forgave you?"

"…" That silence only made Lance even more worried. "I don't know," Arthur answered honestly. "I don't think he'll ever really forgive me. But everything's better than they were when we first found him. I promise… S-so please, Uncle Lance. Don't be angry at him."

This was so messed up. Nobody was truly at fault here. Arthur hadn't meant to kill him. Lewis didn't have all of the information. Vivi didn't have her memories. Everything was just fucked up. Who the hell was he supposed to blame?

"Fine…" But the brightened look that appeared on his nephew's face with just that one word was perhaps worth it. He watched as Arthur ran from the room, back to his friends. He heard their concern (they probably overheard the whole thing, damn kids). With a sigh, Lance reached into his pocket and lit up a cigarette.

He was going to need at least a few of these.

His trained eyes had started to see the changes. Arthur worked with a vigor Lance hadn't seen in almost two years. His nephew had always been dedicated to his work but after Lewis died, the way he worked was almost robotic (and not just because of the arm). Like he had to do it in order to keep himself sane.

Now it looked like Arthur was worked because he genuinely enjoyed it. Lance had to admit, he missed that pleased look on Arthur's face when he finished a project. Even the other workers in the shop had taken notice of Arthur's change of tone.

When Lewis and Vivi came to visit, the three of them would talk and laugh and it was almost as if Lewis had never died. Lance almost forgot numerous times that Lewis was a ghost but one look at those eyes (when the sunglasses were off) was enough to push him back into reality, as screwed up as it was.

But then something started to change once again. It started when Arthur came home one evening with his face beet red. When asked what happened, Arthur's only reply was a curt "Nothing!" before he retreated to his room for the night. After that, Lance started to notice the interactions between the three of them were slightly different. Not the topics, but just the way they presented themselves.

The way Arthur looked at them. Lance had seen that look before. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going on. But he'd be lying if he said he wasn't worried.

Not about Vivi. The little blue girl was never anything to worry about (except when she was angry apparently. And behind the wheel). It was Lewis.

The day when Lance took Lewis aside in private was one of the weirdest days of his life. He hadn't spoken to Lewis much since his return, no doubt the ghost had noticed if that look he gave him was anything to go by, and Lance's gaze hardened when he had Lewis alone. It was the most serious Lewis had ever seen the man.

"I know what's going on."

Lewis remained silent.

"I've seen the way Arthur looks at you. I'm not blind."

He was silent for a moment longer before finally the ghost spoke up. "He…he hasn't…"

"Hasn't said a word."

Lewis' face fell.

"But I wanna tell you something. I don't give a damn if the three of you are together, alright?" Now the ghost just seemed confused. "He's been happy lately. The happiest I've seen him in years. If being with you and Vivi does that to him then I'm all for it. But not everyone will be. You understand that, right?"

A nod.

"I hope you do. My stupid nephew's already been through enough heartbreak in his life. I almost lost him twice when you weren't around. I don't know about you but I don't want to see him like that again. So I'm gonna make this perfectly clear.

"You do anything, and I mean anything, to hurt Arthur again, and I will personally send you to the deepest pits of hell. Or whatever equivalent the afterlife has to offer." He watched as Lewis' sunglasses fell slightly off his nose and somehow those hollowed eyes looking so scared gave Lance a small feeling of satisfaction.

"Not that I expect you to. You're a good kid, Lewis. Just keep that in mind."

Lewis fixed his glasses and nodded. "Y-yes sir."

"Good." Lance gave the purple-haired ghost a pat on the back. "Now get outta here and take him with you. He's been in here since last night and needs a break."

Blink. "Last night? He hasn't slept or anything?"

"Nope. Not that I know of."

That was all Lewis needed to hear before he was out the door and back over with his two best friends (and more). Lance smiled at the way Lewis fussed over Arthur, berating him for not sleeping again, and him and Vivi dragging his nephew out.

It would take some getting used to. But Lance had a feeling he didn't need to worry much about Arthur anymore.