Sons Of Fright (Ghost X Toast) (VenturianTale)

Flashback

  A few awkward moments of silence passed before anyone said anything. The prospect of the company they had work for with each other since high school was definitely depressing, but eventually, Johnny Ghost realized it was about time for him to go to his own home.  He loved Toast and all, but it was laundry day for the three sweatshirts and one pair of jeans he own. Ghost sighed and said "I think I should leave. Go home."
  Johnny Toast looked up. "Hmm? Oh, ok, sir. If that's what you want."
  Ghost nodded and looked out the kitchen window. "I'll see you later.", He leaned and gave Toast a quick kiss, "I love you."
  "I love you, too, sir." Toast smiled as he watched Ghost walk away, but the happiness dissipated when he was alone again. Toast always hated it when he couldn't make sure Ghost wasn't about to go into one of his... episodes. He had made a promise to the doctor, as well as himself, to prevent Jimmy Casket's appearances as much as he could. He remembered the day when they went to the doctor's, and got more than they expected....
  ... The two Johnny's were waiting in the doctor's office waiting for Ghost's appointment to start. The nurse had said he would be in in only a few minutes, but it felt like ages since he had left Ghost and Toast in the cold, white room. It had been a normal, calm morning before Ghost suddenly didn't feel so good. He was twitching, and had an awful migraine. Sometimes, it felt like he wasn't even in control of his own hands anymore, as they would sometimes jerk towards his waist, trying to grab his gun. Ghost claimed to be fine, that it happened all the time, but Toast didn't believe that. It was him who forced Ghost to visit to the clinic.
  The doctor walked in and asked a few basic questions before actually checking Ghost, who didn't want to cooperate and kept mumbling his answers. Toast knew that Ghost could be rather difficult when it came to getting help, but it wasn't normal for him to directly ignore questions. He knew Ghost was a little messed up in the head at the time, but had he ever witnessed any unusual behavior like this before...
  ... Toast got up and stretched. He was still in his pajamas, he realized. Figuring that he must reek of sweat, he figured he should change, and take a shower. As he gathered up his day clothes, he remembered more about the visit to the clinic.
  ... It didn't take very long before the appointment was over. The doctor had checked for everything he could think of, but he couldn't find anything particularly wrong with Ghost. After he put all his equipment up, he handed Ghost a blue lolly pop, which he was absolutely ecstatic about. It made Toast smile a little. Seeing a 21 year old man get so excited over a piece of candy made him forget what was so troubling for a second.
  The doctor opened the door and ushered Ghost out, but he stopped Toast when he tried to follow. "I need to have a word with you, Mr. Toast."
  Toast's fear rushed back over him all at once as thoughts flooded through his mind. I thought he said Johnny was ok?! What's wrong?!, he panicked. Eventually, he was able to stutter "S - Sure, sir."...
  ... Toast yawned again as he turned on the shower and got undressed. He realized that the visit he was remembering was nine years ago. Even though it felt like yesterday, he was struggling to remember exactly what the doctor had said. Maybe that was his brain's way of coping with the terrible news, even so far into the future.
  ... The doctor looked outside of the room, to make sure Ghost was out of earshot before shutting the door. He sighed as he took off his glasses, sitting them on the counter top behind him. "I'm afraid I've got some bad news for you, Johnny."
  Toast took a deep breath to try and calm himself. What ever the news was, he had decided, he'd still be Ghost's friend. 20ish year long friendships don't just end over a little bad news. "I'm ready to hear it."
  The doctor cleared his throat. "You see, I'm not just a medical doctor. I also have a degree in psychology. And I've noticed some... distressing mental defects... in your friend Johnny."
  "Oh, I already knew he was a bit different -"
  The doctor shook his head. "You're not truly understanding me. He hasn't got something easy to understand like a sleep disorder, or ADHD. He's got something far worse - worse, and more rare than an average identity disorder.
  Toast was confused. He wasn't sure what sort of identity disorder Ghost could have. He was always the same, grumpy man with an attitude problem. He had been like that since they had first met in their youth. Seriously concerned, he asked "What do you mean?"
  The doctor frowned. Toast could see the sympathy and sadness in his eyes. "This is really hard for me to say... But Johnny Ghost...  he's a murderer."
  ... Of course, now Toast knew that the doctor meant he had another personality who was a murderer, Jimmy Casket, but he couldn't even remember the pain and shock he felt when he first heard that. He tried, though....
  ... "Johnny, a murderer! No, no, no! He's my partner, and a good person!!! We hunt ghosts, not make them!!!" Sure, Ghost could be a little trigger happy when he was flustered, but he had never actually killed anyone!
  "Well, let me be more specific. He was an alternate personality who is a murderer. Have you ever seen him act... Strange? Has he ever mentioned wanting to... kill anyone?" The doctor asked.
   "Not in the 20 plus years I've know him!"
  The doctor hmmed and put his finger on his cheek; he was thinking. "Well, as strange as that is it doesn't matter. Just know that it's getting worse. He's going to need pills to suppress it."
  Toast gulped. Ghost barely ate anything he didn't want to, how would he they get him to take pills? "What type?" He asked.
  "BIG ones, that he will absolutely have to take every day, or else he will kill someone. I'm going to tell him it's because he's got serotonin. I don't even think he knows what that is!" The doctor laughed.
  Toast chuckled awkwardly; he didn't know what serotonin was either. At least if he didn't know, Ghost probably wouldn't either.
  "Oh, and there's one more thing. You've got to promise me you'll do it. Do you swear?" The doctor said, completely serious. He stared at Toast through squinted, suspicious eyes.
 Toast gulped. "Whatever it is, I'll do it for my best friend."
  "You must never, EVER abandon him. You are one of the few things that keeps Johnny Ghost sane. I can tell by the way he looks at you, and how you two came here together, that you have a remarkablebly strong relationship. Do you promise?"
  Toast nodded. "What else are best friends for, sir?" He was relived that was all it was - he wasn't ever going to abandon Ghost, anyway!
  The doctor grinned. "Good. You know, if it wasn't for the fact that you're both men, I'd bet you'd be a rather cute couple."
  Toast laughed. "No, even of one of us were female, we'd still just be friends. But we are both male, anyway!"...
  ... Toast smiled at 25 year old him's ignorance as he dried himself off and changed into his normal vest and nice pants. Of course, they were a couple even though they were both men and it was highly frowned upon. But that didn't matter to Toast. The way he saw it, he was keeping his promise to the doctor and being with the man he loved! It was a win win situation, and perhaps a win win win when you threw in the fact that it seemed to make Ghost much happier, too. And that meant absolutely everything to Johnny Toast.