The Bridal Act

A Mansion for Meeting

"Well, it has been so long that I have met someone my dear," Elias began to explain, stopping our walk yet again by holding my hands. Valice dug her claws into my padded hoodie, glaring at the ghost once again. "I just thought: since you have come inside the Gallagher mansion's walls, that must mean you have ventured inside to come and meet me! Possibly even marry me at best."

He smiled so sweetly through his words, eyes full of hope that it was quite sad honestly. This poor man must've been so alone for far too long if he was thinking of solutions like that. I stopped my walk to turn around, facing his hopeful eyes that stared warmly back at me. Elias floated closer towards me, letting one of his hands caress my cheek. I froze in place, not knowing what to do from such a sudden action. I raised my hand to touch his own; so cold and transparent to the touch. Caressing his own hand, I noticed Elias blush at my action. Now was his turn to freeze up.

"Oh my," He gasped out, his blush not fading away. Neither was his hand being removed from my face. "I was never to expect such a delicate reaction from you my dear."

"I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you to do that either," I apologised, removing my hand from his own. Only for him to hold both my hands together between our bodies. A smile on his lips with an emotion I couldn't tell.

"Do not apologise, please," He assured me, smiling the entire time. Blush still not fading. "I actually enjoyed it, to be all honest with you my dear."

Silence comfortably surrounded us, Elias' smile calming me down from everything that had just happened. I needed it.

"So... could we learn more about Elias?" Valice spoked up, my head whipping 'round to look down at the raven. Her small talons clawing into the wooden flooring of the balcony. My eyes gazed over to the stairs, both of them now being cleaned of the mass amount of crap covering them up, stopping me from getting up either when I first came inside.

"Good idea Valice," I answered, looking back over at her. Noticing the spectral man was watching with interest out of the corner of my eye. "Seems like the police did the hard work for us though; glad neither of us have to do that now."

"What has your little friend said?" The man in question asked, still not letting go of my hands. Despite him being a cold ghost, he was warm? I don't know how, but it's somehow possible. "I hope it was nothing bad."

"No, it wasn't," I assured him, not really having the guts to let go of the emotional ghost's hands. I would do without a heartbeat, but I have a heart for people like him. Or- ghosts? This is the only one I've met. "We should learn more about each other. That's a good idea, right?"

"What a marvellous idea my dear!" Elias exclaimed, holding my hands closer to his chest. Pulling me forward and knocking me slightly off balance. "What would you like to know about me first?"

"Hm, how about your death; is that on the table?" I asked, hoping that my question didn't frighten him too much. Elias tensed up, his eyes widening at the topic. "Or was that too much to ask? I'm sorry."

"Please do not apologise my dear," Elias quickly spoke, keeping my hands close to his suited chest. His eyes stayed locked on mine as he kept his worried expression; his frown slightly agape. "I understand that you are quite interested on how I am a ghost."

"Yeah! Now stop being so lovey dovey after just meeting my friend, and tell us!!" Valice squawked out, flapping her wings aggressively towards the startled Elias. He let go of my hands, hiding behind me. An almost quiet whimper slipped past his lips, gently gripping onto my padded shoulders.

"Wha-?"

"Valice wants to know about you," I explained, smiling a little to make sure he was okay. Elias slowly looked over my shoulder, staring down at the annoyed raven with a terrified expression on his face. "She's not into that lovey dovey sort of thing. Neither am I at the moment honestly."

"How so?" He asked, perking up at the little news I had told him. I didn't really want to tell him, given the fact that he was dead himself - it would be hard to explain. Even if he was dead. "If it is perfect for you to speak of, that is."

"I'll tell you," I smirked, lightly booping his nose. Chuckling as he reacted with shock and, perhaps, confusion as well. His interest was peaked, despite my playful action. "When you tell me some things about yourself first."

"Huh?!" Elias floated there in an agasped state, his eyes wandering over to continue looking at me. All I did in return was walk backwards, winking at him as I spun around with a laugh of accomplishment. Valice flew behind me, landing on my shoulder not long after. "H-Hey! Come back here!"

"Then come tell me!" I yelled back with a smile, waving him off as my walking turned to a playful jog. I could hear him calling after me, possibly floating after me in a puffed up panic. My laughter continued as I turned back around, his spiritual body nearly phasing through my physical one. "Whoa! Calm down Elias."

"I am so sorry my dear," He apologised, bowing a little as he blushed in embarrassment. I crossed my arms, chuckling at his little action. "I did not mean to nearly phase through your body. That would have been so rude of me."

"It's okay," I shrugged my shoulders, feeling Valice gently land on my padded shoulder. "May I know more about you though?"

"Of course dear," Elias smiled at me, holding my hand yet again as he floated off with me in tow. I kept pace with the excited ghost, noticing the tip of the fading phantom tail had begun to gently wrap around my waist. "There is a lovely living room downstairs. It may be a tad dusty, perhaps messy too, though you will still adore it. Especially someone like you, my darling bride."

I continued to follow him, Valice keeping her talons clawed into my shoulder. I couldn't feel it - thank fuck. That would've been insanely painful. It didn't take long for the three of us to get to the living room, Elias was correct entirely. Despite the room being abandoned, dusted up with cobwebs and all, it was quite beautiful to see. The moonlight shining down from the window made the blue-ish tint really stand out. Elias floated over to the table, chuckling nervously as he tried his best to dust off the table. Though the thick layer of dust wasn't going away any time soon.

"Sorry about that," He continued to apologise, his body spinning around to face me. He clapped his hands together, removing the mass amount of dust on his semi-transparent hands that remained. "I was expecting the dust to be, at least, a tiny bit thin on its layers."

"Seems not," I shrugged, walking over to Elias. I sat down on one of the living room's grand sofas, fit for the mansion it was residing in, and dusted off my lap as I noticed specks of the layer had surrounded my legs when I'd sat. "Now, may we actually learn something about you? Or are you just going to delay the inevitable instead?"

"Don't worry," Elias assured us both, watching as Valice landed on top of the coffee table he had failed to clean up. She knew she was going to be a little messy afterwards, but for the time being she decided to ignore it. Caring more about the ghostly man's past instead. "I shall tell you everything you need to know about me, my dear. And your little friend here too, of course."

"Her name is Valice," I informed him, smiling softly to the slightly surprised man.

"Thank you," Elias nodded his head, smiling back at me. A faint tint of blush appeared on his cheeks as we locked eyes for a second, only for it to break away when he whipped his head to the right out of, possibly, embarrassment. "Okay, let me think."