Work Text:
Friday is coming closer and closer on the calendar, marking the arrival of Lewis’ and Vivi’s romantic date. It had been set last month when things were getting incredibly busy, with the holiday rush at Lewis’ family restaurant and Arthur’s school work piling up for the exam period. Vivi was thankful that her job at the book shop was still as boring and dull as ever, but it never did any harm slotting in time for the two of them. Still, it felt nice when she went to work that morning knowing that Lewis was picking her up and the two of them would have the night to themselves…
Still, something was a little off in her mind. Like the world had turned one degree to the right and she was struggling to maintain balance in it. It was so minor and insignificant that it shouldn’t have had the same impact it did. Vivi had accidentally stapled Siobhan’s sign in sheet to a receipt that morning, and her red headed friend had waved it off before Vivi knocked Whestley’s coffee over the front desk. Of course the blue haired woman scrambled as quickly as she could to tidy the mess but her string of small time accidents seemed to follow her throughout the day.
“Vivi, my god, I feel like you’re freaking out over something.” Siobhan chided after Vivi tore a receipt in half while trying to draw it from the machine. She was apologizing profusely to the customer, who for his wits seemed enamoured by being served by a woman in a comic store and bobbed his head before he floated out the front door.
“I’m not, I just don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Vivi sighs, folding onto the counter as the bell quieted and turned to look to her amazing coworker. Today Siobhan had beautiful amber diamonds stuck around her dark brows and spiralling down her temple and cheek. She looked like an African goddess and Vivi found it hard not to ogle the older girl. The orange of her eyebrows and hair made her look like she was on fire.
“Well spit it out. What’s on your mind?” Siobhan suggests, removing a plastic book cover from a pile of books and sitting on it like a bar stool. Vivi supported her cheek, disturbing her glasses to give Siobhan a disgruntled look.
“I have a date tonight that I’ve been waiting a month for, and I am incredibly ecstatic to have my man to myself.” Vivi huffs softly, twirling a manicured finger around the eye in the wood. She’d swear her constant twiddling was making a perfect dent in the counter.
“Well, he’s got some weird facial hair but I approve of ‘im. You should just have fun tonight.” Siobhan continues, drawing out her micro boy and turning on Pokemon Emerald. Normally Vivi would be on her ass about playing during working hours but with the store empty, she didn’t see a point. It’s then that it clicks in her mind and she leans up onto her hands, bracing the counter.
“Lewis doesn’t have facial hair.” Vivi states, quirking an eyebrow as Siobhan focused her emerald eyes on the screen. It takes a moment for her friend to gasp and laugh.
“I thought you were dating the Dorito kid!” She laughs, smacking a hand onto her leg and grinning at Vivi. “He’s really cute when you get passed the shyness he oozes. Seems kind of my type, I guess, but good for you.” Siobhan continues, leaning back into the stack of books like it was something comfortable to do. A flash of envy passes through Vivi, and it startles her completely. Siobhan was talking about Arthur, not Lewis, she chides to herself, sitting back onto the stool near the register and twirling her fingers through a thick lock of hair.
“No, dating the Mexican restaurant boy, the one next door. Remember?” Vivi says with a good natured tone, smiling as her co-worker proceeded to make small comments about her game.
“Yeah, the tall hunk. Love his burritos.” Siobhan answers distractedly, and Vivi leaves it to her to string along the conversation. They chat about vague things that are dropped when Siobhan’s game gets too intense for her to focus, and Vivi laughs at the thought of pokemon being this engrossing. Eventually Siobhan talks about the girl she went out with the other day as an example of a good date, in hopes of assuring Vivi somehow. She appreciates the gesture, despite the fact that she and Lewis had been dating for well over a year at this point in time. She very much doubted it was the date itself that was nagging at her like a burr.
Before she knew it, 5 o’clock was upon them and the familiar head of mulberry purple was working it’s way through the double doors. Vivi bolted upright, beaming bright as she leaned agains the counter again. Had she been alone and the counter, her hips might have been shifting side to side in excitement.
“Boo!” Vivi cooed softly, welcoming Lewis who just opened the door and he smiled his signature flash of teeth. Her heart fluttered painfully and it was bliss.
“Hey love, ready to go?” Lewis answers, walking confidently to the counter and leaning forward to plant a kiss on her mouth. She’s thankful the counter is on a ledge that makes her level to him, empowers her a lot more than anyone would imagine to think and she’s reluctant to pull away.
“Almost, have to sign out.” Vivi answers quickly, patting his cheek before leaning back and turning to her friend, “Give me a minute!” she shoots next, patting Siobhan on the shoulder before bolting up the stairs. Siobhan made to shout after her before noticing Lewis’ posture before her desk and hurriedly stashing her system away.
“Ah, hello.” Siobhan starts softly, standing up and coming to the counter. “You Arthur?” She utters then with a smirk, leaning onto her arms and bridging her chin. Lewis blinks a few times, like he’s too tired to understand what went wrong before it does click.
“Lewis, actually.” He corrects easily, tucking his hands into his pockets at the thought. Arthur was going to be alone tonight… He knows he promised Vivi a date but he felt twice as bad leaving their closest, dearest friend by himself during his exams.
“Ah, I see. You should bring me a burrito next time.” Siobhan teases with no real seriousness, leaning around the register to grab the leaflet book of daily tasks and opening the pages to her desired page.
“Pork or beef?” Lewis adds with a chuckle, smiling as he leans onto the counter to read over the words backwards. He certainly liked that another woman was working the shift with Vivi. He knew she prided herself on her workplace but Lewis always worried that the guys as her employees would resort to lowly tactics when she was working.
“Definitely both.” Siobhan answers, kicking back in the stool as Vivi tromped down the stairs, coat on one arm and ear muffs grasped in the other.
“I’m ready!” She cheers with aplomb, charging around the counter to grasp Siobhan in a hug that had the girl laughing and playfully shoving Vivi away. “See you sunday, Soy!”
“Go get’im tiger.” Siobhan laughs, waving a hand as Lewis received a full bodied hug with more grace than she had. He steadies Vivi by her shoulders and helps put on her ear protection while she slips on the rest of her coat.
“Have a good night.” Lewis calls behind him, and Siobhan’s already popping open a comic at her desk and vaguely waving in her direction. Vivi realizes that his attitude and behaviour had grown far more maturely and confidently since their encounter and first date almost a year ago, and her heart swells at the thought. Improving and growing with one another, a support group of three… And again the burr seems to persist, her balance a little off. She doesn’t let it show.
“So Love, are you ready?” He asks softly, already offering his arm to be taken and nostalgia hits Vivi like a wave.
“Born ready.” She chimes in response, curling into his side where she fit best and the two made perfect stride as they headed towards Lewis’ van. It’s old so he doesn’t have an electronic lock, but Vivi doesn’t mind as she strides around the side to hold onto the door. By then Lewis has the door on his side open and he’s turning on the engine, leaning over to unhook the lock on her door. He’s sliding back into his seat as she’s leaping into her own, putting on their seat belts in easy tandem. For a moment, she doubts that Lewis had put his on correctly and glances over to make sure. The belt is there, the alpaca slip cozy for his shoulder snug and in place, and Vivi feels baffled.
It’s then she remembers that the usual third click of Arthur’s belt was missing. Shaking herself, Vivi leans onto the door, like a dog eager to watch the sights pass them by as Lewis pulls them out of the lot. In his mind, he’d done the same, glancing at Vivi for her belt and coming to the same conclusion. They’d been so excited last month to finally be here, on this date but now it felt like something was off.
“So I made a reservation at a good uptown restaurant for tonight.” He starts casually, flicking on the radio belatedly as he realized Arthur wasn’t there to do it for them. Vivi hums to say that she’s heard, rolling down the window a little to feel the stir of the passing wind.
“It’s a surprise.” He adds purposely, keeping his eyes on the road and the turning green light ahead as Vivi’s head snaps around. He’s smirking now, pleased by catching her attention and already she’s leaning over the middle space to touch him.
“A secret? Lewis!” She groans in an exasperated tone, leaning her head against his arm and rolling it around. “You know I can’t stand not figuring things out…!” Vivi continues to whine, hoping her display will weaken his will and encourage him to spill the beans. Instead, he’s following the directions Arthur found for him earlier and that he memorized with the intent of hiding the papers from Vivi. He knew she’d sniff it out if he left evidence.
“Sorry love, no chance.” he smirks lightly, feeling her light hearted shove as she works a hand into the back seat for his messenger bag. He’s laughing, turning up his music as she pulls up the thing and tears it open, only to find a folded bouquet of flowers.
“What.” She says humourlessly, and Lewis waits. He knows she’s just changing gears, and he turns another intersection to see the coming highway. Vivi huffs, blowing her bangs from her face and draws the bouquet out into her hands. His bag is forgotten between the seats as she unties the bow, and revealed a dozen Delphiniums, Freesia, Gladiolous, Lilac and Jasmine. Her eyes watered a little as she struggled to remember what each meant, but felt flattered all the same. How did he remember that Gladiolous was her favourite?
“Oh Lewis…” She huffs with awe, partly saddened by the cut flowers but so flattered that he managed to get this prepared for her as well. He beams and uses a hand to rub her shoulder, squeezing it with assurance before turning back to the wheel. “They look lovely.” With a gentle hand she raises it up to sit between her legs, and it’s when she moves it that she realizes that the bottom of the bouquet is a round floral pot. The nerve of this man, doing these great things for her…
“Some were cut, I know you hate them trimmed but some of these flowers can’t grow together, so those who could are rooted.” Lewis promises her, seeing the lights and pulling into the parking lot with a practiced hand over hand gesture on the wheel. Vivi was about to assure him of his gesture, loving his thoughtfulness when the slowing of the vehicle distracted her just enough for her to forget it.
“Aya’s Sushi?!” She exclaims, eyes positively sparkling with delight, hands clasped tight together.
“Arthur found the nearest one and gave me directions, so we should thank him later.” Lewis supplies, finding a good parking spot but taking three tries to get the van in right. He was still used to the family Chavette before the death trap was retired, and Lewis would never complain about the van because of it.
“I cannot believe you guys helped plan this.” Vivi amazed openly, rotating herself to lean out and kiss Lewis on the cheek before moving the pot around to the floor to let herself slip out of the door. Lewis laughed, turning off the engine and leaning over to lock her door before sliding out from his and locking up the entire vehicle. Together with their elbows interlinked with one another, they walked up to the front of the restaurant.
“Well, we wanted it to be perfect.” Lewis admits with a gentle shrug, giving Vivi some space to hook her hand around the front door, keep it open for Lewis as the man politely accepts the role reversal and takes up towards the front desk. He’s discussing the reservation as Vivi takes in the quiet building and beams at the intricate art set up on the walls. In the back, they had the private booths with the sliding rice doors!
“I can’t believe it.” She laughs, stalking forwards with Lewis as they are shown their seat in that very luxurious back stalls, closed off to feel like the whole building outside didn’t exist save for them. He pulls her aside, planting a gentle kiss to her third eye, leaning further to kiss her nose before Vivi’s impatience unfurls in her chest and she’s rising her nose up to mesh their mouths together. Lewis is smiling into it, the curve of his lips against hers enough to make her smile in response, and with another gentle mouthing motion against one another they release and take their seats.
“Lewis, this is so extravagant, I can’t-“ Vivi starts with a light laugh, grabbing her chop sticks and bending the top bit to break the sticks through, putting them aside to fold her paper into a resting piece for her utensils.
“Arthur and I would never live down anything less.” Lewis assures her,and for a moment his head balks. Arthur? Why’d he bring him up so casually like that? Then he thinks of course he’d bring up Arthur. Arthur cares for them both and would do his utmost to take pride in those he cared for. Right. Okay.
“I know, but still. I feel so spoiled.” She replies easily, already preparing her soy cup and placing her plates on her left where she liked to have them. Arthur. Oh, it feels like he should be here. It really does. There’s an instant where it feels like the world shifted kilter to be straight again before missing it’s mark and falling back. Huh. It’s close, she feels like the source of this unbalance is approaching her consciousness and she’ll finally put an end to this feeling.
“Anything for you, Vivi.” Lewis beams, sliding himself forward on the bench to reach his hands out, holding the palms flat against the table and Vivi’s seen this same motion enough times to know what to do. Her hands immediately find his, curling around his wrists and clenching once in assurance. His wrapped lightly around her own wrists and his thumbs rubbed on the inside of her arm.
“Anything for you, Lew.” Vivi parrots softly, her eyes half-lidded and fluttering with warmth and affection. She loved him, oh she loved him and the very small turn on the right side of his lips into that all to heart meltingly warm smile he’s got just for her… The curve of his eyes are nothing like her almond ones but the brightness of the purple is phenomenal. Then her mind backtracks. Oh, dear. She should truly think on how to not go too far into her day dreams or she may miss something.
The waiter returns in short order, handing them both menus and all you can eat sheets, and dips out to fetch their first order of drinks. Lewis and Vivi spend time laughing and debating, Vivi wanting the all you can eat to stuff her gullet to the brim and Lewis begging for just the regular menu so he can feed her some desserts he meant to keep as a surprise later. In the end, Vivi finds a salmon platter that appeases her and she decides on three extra appetizers. The waiter comes in, sketches down their order onto his pad and wishes them patience for the kitchen. Once all said and done, Vivi’s hands find Lewis’ again and they stroke each other’s skin.
“I’ve felt like this was very well deserved.” Lewis murmurs first, glancing up to smile at Vivi with some shyness that felt so old that it caused her cheeks to dust a little. Oh, how cute and innocent he seemed, like from so long ago.
“Indeed, sir. Work has truly torn us apart far longer than I would have ever liked.” Vivi puffs up her chest, tilting her head to the side like she’s making a show and it takes Lewis a few moments to realize that indeed she’s trying to quote some english production or another that he never grew up with. Maybe. Seems like the most accurate thing for her to be trying to do.
“I’m so very glad that we get to finally spend a night together, no worries or concerns about tomorrow’s work shift, or groceries or a mission. None at all.” He murmurs with such sweetness, Vivi’s hands clasping a little more tightly to his own.
“Oh yes.” Is her delirious sigh, pleased down to the follicles of her hair for this moment. “Just you, and me.” Then it’s back, crawling up her spine like a forgotten shiver from some door left ajar. It chills her for just a moment before Lewis’ warm chuckle and the dip of his head catches her attention again.
“Just us.” He repeats, but there’s a stone in the bottom of his groin that feels like it’s lodged. He’s not sure what it means, but there’s some discomfort from what he said. Like, he should have added something else. Did he forget anything? Sweat builds on the back of his shoulders and he’s worried it may start to build on his forehead. Lewis decides then to do the only thing he could think of.
“I love you, Viviane.”
The discomfort in her chest settles then, unwinding until she can drown it out with the warm, fuzzy feeling of cotton in her chest and lungs. “Oh Lew, I love you too.” Vivi chimes in just as softly, leaning up from her bench for Lewis to meet her. He’s grinning again, arching his back and they meet for another tender, few moments long kiss. Once they are seated again, Vivi tilts her head, noticing that a small piece of her blue gloss is streaking the corner of his lip and refuses to tell him.
“More than the moon and the stars.” She promises, and again that blasted burr. There’s some silly ache that makes her swallow more harshly than she intended and Lewis notices.
“Something up, my love?” Lewis broaches carefully, his thumbs circling a little more insistently on her sweater. He wishes he could gather her into his arms, run his fingers over the delicate folds of her stomach and kiss each and every stretch mark that shamed her, because he’s known that such affection makes her feel wonderfully better. Vivi frowns, regarding him over her lenses before hunching forward and sighing. It blows up her hair in little strands, which settle funny against her brow.
“Not something, but. There’s this weird feeling I’ve been struggling with all day.” Vivi admits with soft tenderness, hurriedly letting go of Lewis’ arms to cradle over his face, still half leaned up against the table. “It’s not been you! Everything’s perfect and lovely and I feel rather silly dwelling on it-“ at this point she’s babbling a little so Lewis coos softly and shushes her with very patient, soft tones until she’s bitting her lip and staining the gloss on her teeth.
“I’m not upset Vivi, not everyone will have perfect days. I ask so that if I can I may help you.” Lewis adds softly, with kind words and a kinder, open smile and Vivi nods her head and sinks back into her chair.
“Okay, good.” She huffs softly, blowing her bangs to the side to fix them from poking into her face and looks back over at Lewis. “I think it might just be a funk. I feel like I’ve forgotten something today.” Then Lewis’ eyes widen and his teeth part over his mouth in a half chuckle that’s imparted his grin.
“Hey, I have felt the same for myself! Every moment I speak about something important I nervously kick around the anxiety that I’ve forgotten to tack something onto the end.” Lewis urges softly, using his index to point around in the air with his confession. How peculiar! “Ahh, so it wasn’t just me.” Vivi chitters softly, pleased that somehow, even her others are in the same groove. There’s an irk, and she mentally corrects to other. Where…?
“No, but it’s been a bothersome tick in the back of my heart that is not going away.” Lewis adds next, glancing up to see that the waiters were shifting behind the rice screens and food was coming in soon.
“I feel like it’s every time I think about us. Like there’s a gap that I can’t see.” She muses, already trying to sleuth out what the source of this mutual problem was, folding her elbows against the table and rubbing at her chin like some wise old man. “Like I should know what I’m talking about but I always miss it by an inch.”
There’s an interruption, the doors sliding open and the waiter had a waitress friend help him bring over their plates as they settle them around the table. Vivi’s salmon paradise, shrimp tempura, okomoniyaki and shrimp dumplings all settled before her and Lewis’ beef and shrimp fried rice were served and then they were left alone. They both lean over their food, inhaling strongly at the smell and savouring the sweetness of the seafood. In their minds, they both connect at once and think of one person they know who smells like this regularly, and it’s then that they part mouths, sigh and flutter eyes at one another.
“Damn, that shrimp smells so good…” Vivi purrs, grabbing her chop sticks and splitting them apart, running the wood together at a cross to remove any slivers. Lewis nods his head, tearing his paper apart and just gripping his sticks without much care.
“It always reminds me of the basement after Arthur’s ordered pizza.” Lewis murmurs, distracted as he eyes the one orange, stripped curl and grins at the thought of Arthur’s side burns. Just like that, both of them hit that one, singular moment in their minds where everything, absolutely everything falls away and there’s one, single thought in their mind. Lewis’s jaw goes slack, his sticks falling from his numb hands as he tilts his head up.
Vivi’s stuck, hand held up like a crane, sticks stabbed into her first dumpling when her lenses slip down to the tip of her nose. Her eyes are wide and blink, slowly, then once rapidly before dipping up to lock them with Lewis’. Their expressions are mutual, and it’s obvious to them, so much so that Vivi’s nearly crushing her sticks in her hands from it all. The quiver of their jaws, like they wish to speak and say something comes, and together they come to the same conclusion.
“That feeling…”
“That we’ve had all day…?”
“Do you think…?”
“Perhaps?” And just like that, they are composed. Lewis’ eyes get that dew like fervour that announces his passion and abundant emotion, and his hand snakes around all the plates for Vivi’s. Her cheeks pucker all the more from her broad, assured smile. Yes. Her hand reaches for his, and they clasp so tightly that the table wobbles from their mutual bump into the sides. “It’s Arthur.” They announce as one, bubbling laughter and leaning forward over their food as finally all of their anxiety, worry and weight is gone. The pebble lifts, the burr falls off and their hearts swell all the wider.
“He’s had his hand in everything!” Lewis chuckles, wiping at a tear that nearly escaped from his exuberant joy. Why had it taken them so long?
“From the start we’ve missed him like he belonged!” Vivi agrees with a loud barking laughter to punctuate her words, shoving her manicured hand over her face to stop the quite loud sounds she wanted to make. They are the silliest couple of all, surely. Others would have seen this far sooner than they did!
“That forgotten piece…!” Lewis chides, tapping his plate like he forgot it was there but it wasn’t overly important to his mind.
“The nagging misplacement.” Vivi concludes, sitting up from her seat and walking to the door. Lewis is blinking up at her, observant to see where her behaviour would take her before she peeked her head out and waved a hand. It was very quickly when their water showed up.
“Sorry to bother you, it looks like something came up. Could we get everything to go?” She smooths sweetly, and the waiter looks worried but eagerly nods his head and opens the doors, coming in to gather Lewis’ dish and Vivi’s largest one. Soon he was gone and Vivi returned to her seat, fixing her skirt.
"Aren’t we…?” Lewis breaks a little, needing to understand what was going to happen next, with what the two of them just realized among themselves. Arthur, Arthur was important enough to be so desired between the two of them, that he wanted…
“We’ll take dinner home and spend it with everyone who should be here.” Vivi asserts with a firm nod of her chin, eyes half-lidded and peering over her lenses in this indisputable look she’s always had as their boss for the mystery solving job, but Lewis knows that she’s also bartering their relationship with this. Yes, Lewis agrees whole heartedly. Spend it… with everyone.
“It’s perfect.” He assures her, leaning over to grab his wallet from his tight pocket and already pulling out the money for the bill. The waiter returned with their food and containers, and as Vivi set to packing it all away, Lewis got up and followed the man out to pay the bill. Though the two had only been in a relationship for a year now, it was easy enough to guess what one another could be thinking. So as they gathered their food, packed back into the van and began the drive home, they began to discuss what to say.
The two were very firm upon where they stood, assuring pure wondrous love for one another but understanding that their dynamic had relied on Arthur’s careful involvement all along. The way he helped Lewis process and understand what confused him had steered him from being brash and assumptive about Vivi’s actions. The patience he had with Vivi’s pig-headed direct path and that sometimes her solutions can cause more problems than she can keep up with and how to take a closer look elsewhere. They both traded stories and personal discoveries that included Arthur’s courageous, kind hand and they laughed for how ridiculous they felt.
Of course Arthur belonged. Where else would they be without him?
Pulling into the driveway, Lewis kills the engine and leans back, forgetting to remove his seatbelt for a moment. Vivi picked up the potted bouquet, and ran her fingers over the thick smooth petals of a few of the breeds. They had been so certain and composed up until this moment, and Lewis hands clenched with nerves.
“He will say yes.” Vivi stubbornly supports, leaning in to smell her flowers. “Would you be offended if I asked that we offer the flowers you got me? As an assurance, or something.” Her voice falters, worrying that perhaps she had offended Lewis when the man looked over to her and chuckles softly.
“I would not.” Lewis assures her in turn, leaning over to kiss her on the mouth, and it’s far more chaste than their exchanges yet. It’s all assurance and compassion instead of desire and need. It was wonderfully uplifting all the same.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Vivi grins, placing on that confidence she’s got and slipping from the van. Lewis locks it up behind her, following her step as they move behind the town house and into their private door. She’s holding the pot and so he takes up forward to unlock their door, and as it swings open they can already see Arthur’s head lounging against the back of their beat up copper couch, and on the screen he’s watching some flashy cartoon with a six armed giant woman. Thankfully he seemed to also be listening to music through his headphones and was plenty distracted by the commotion.
Vivi slipped off her soles, creeping into the apartment as Lewis puts his takeout bag down, removed his extra layer, put it up to hang before using his shoe horn to remove his glossy shoes. He knows that he’s stalling a little for time, watching Vivi’s skirt swish behind her as she saunters over towards the man. Fearing he may be left behind in Vivi’s eagerness Lewis hurriedly puts his shoes down, one knocking over as he grabs the bag back up before thumping towards the couch. The vibration seems to be enough that Arthur feels it and turns to look at both of them with a startled expression. He makes a strangled, half audible cry before tearing his phones down and sitting up a little to look alert.
“O-oh, you’re home!” He poses softly, looking between the two of them as Lewis smiled nervously, lifting a hand and twitching two fingers in a gentle wave. The gesture has Arthur’s heart seize nervously. Has something happened? An argument? A problem? His shoulders feel a cold sweat and his left hand cracks from being seized into a fist so quickly. Not tonight, on their date..!
“Yes, we’re home to see you!” Vivi chirps up right away, hefting up the pot to display the flowers and Arthur’s eyes gleam over it. Ahh, it’s beautiful. He recognizes maybe two of the flowers but the colours, he feels like the yellow flowers don’t really… belong with the purple and blue ones. Then it clicks and he’s flinching up a little higher.
“S-See me?” Is the stutter in response and Lewis places a hand on Vivi’s shoulder. She glances up at her boyfriend and smiles sheepishly, realizing that she may be charging in too quickly.
“Yes, our dinner felt like it wasn’t complete. So we came home.” Lewis then hefts the bag up, close to the couch and as Arthur leans in he barely needs to inhale before a shaky smile makes it over his face. “Shrimp..?” Quietly, his voice carries and Vivi leans forward to rest against the couch backing, nearly crushing her pot.
“Well, you see, something had been bugging me allll day.” She starts softly, rolling her eyes around like she was starting some epic tale when they glanced over Lewis. He cleared his throat softly, coming around closer to the couch and forcing Arthur to completely turn around to be able to look at them both. He was so innocent…
“Like a prickling thorn, nagging at the back of our head to tell us…” Lewis catches on, leaning over to fold his free arm over the pillow and Arthur blinks. Were they ever… this in sync? Dating was creepy…
“What was missing from this perfect, planned date.” Vivi scoots in closer to the couch, leaning in to Arthur’s personal bubble and waggles her brows. He swallows, confused beyond measure and the pot is the pushed into his chest. He’s too busy looking down on the glossy petals, having the colours blur a little before noticing that Lewis too had leaned in close to talk to him.
“We both figured, well, there’s one common theme, evident in every clue.” Is the soft continuation and Arthur glances up into the man’s eyes. There’s nervousness in the curl of his spine, his hands gripping too tightly to the pot in his chest but there’s fear in his parlour too. What… are they implying?
“What do you mean..?” Arthur presses, glancing at Vivi as she comes in and places her hand on his shoulder. Her lips catch his eye and he swallows nervously again, jumping to glance up at Lewis, who’s one sided smile comes into play and a flush builds. Vivi’s hand unbeknownst to him grabs onto Lewis’ free fingers and holds them tight, and they share a moment of confidence. Yes. Then it’s true… for him too.
“There’s one person who’s always been there for us.” Lewis then draws his hand up and places it on Arthur’s free shoulder, and his little eyes blink and widen some more. Oh, he was just so cute, and Lewis and Vivi crowded in closer.
“The oil in the gears that kept us going.”
“Made sure we were okay.”
“Always by our side.”
“G-Guys..!” Arthur stutters, bring a hand up to grab Lewis’ arm as he tries to pull away. “W-What are you saying??” His high pitch tone creaks from the effort and Vivi’s cheeks curl all the more from her enamoured smile.
“We’re saying-!” Vivi giggles, leaning up to kiss Arthur’s cheek and the man makes a soft exhaled squeak in response, the blush flushing bright. Lewis immediately follows suit.
“We want you to join us.” And he presses his own lips to Arthur’s free cheek. He can genuinely feel the heated skin beneath his own and that flush thrills him beyond words.
“Will you date us?” They murmur at once, softly, somewhat hesitant and Arthur’s arm clenches easily at his own vest. He’s leaning back, startled, blinking widely at the thought.Th-they want… him?? Arthur runs his tongue over his lips nervously, and Vivi and Lewis are grinning at him with full love, eyes wide and confident and their pupils are shuddering wide. It’s not… he can’t read any humour, or something negative from them at all.
“R-Really…?” His soft voice murmurs… And Vivi squeezes her hand on his shoulder just as Lewis does. Damn duality.
“Yes.” Lewis nods, leaning his head against Arthur’s forehead. “We’ve come to realize that without you, we’d barely be what our relationship is.”
Vivi wriggles in close hugging Arthur tightly and crushing the flowers without notice. “You kept us together and gave us everything, and now it’s our turn. What do you say?”
Arthur’s nearly breaking, a weak hiccup freeing itself from his mouth as he brings both of his arms around the other two. All he has to do is sit up on the couch a little to reach, and clasps them both tightly to his chest. The pot falls between his legs and somehow stays upright. He chuckles, all wet and sticky in his throat as his eyes build moisture, blur and leak over his cheeks.
“Yes… Yes..! I-I will..!” Arthur finally sobs, digging his head in to nuzzle beside Lewis’ before bending down to kiss the top of Vivi’s. It’s something… he’s never dreamt of ever having, not for himself, not ever. These two, are too perfect.
“Together, then.” Vivi confirms, grinning as her own eyes sparkled with tears. This felt right. The world, once off quilter by two degrees now sat in harmonious balance. Unity. This was what had been missing to complete her world.
“Together.” Arthur agrees before Lewis can finish, and the two share a grin. Well, Arthur did have some catch up to do.