#aether exit/corners

[avopumpkin]

Exit/Corners really decided to remind me of the saddest part of my life... :(

[m0th-gh0st]

heartbreaking; i found old unfinished exit/corners art that im dissappointed i never finished

[cryslut]

Yandere 6reeze | Headcannons

「 Venti ~ Xiao ~ Scaramouche ~ Aether ~ Kazuha ~ Heizou 」

- in which you get lucky enough to be trapped in an abandoned building that you decided to explore alone, with no way out, why? you'll find out.

- gender neutral

- modern au, stalking, obsession, unhealthy dynamics, unhealthy relationships, manipulation, potentially ooc

- not proofread so probably grammatical errors 

↳ Venti

This guy is a sucker for you. When he first laid eyes on you, he couldn't help but follow you around. Using the wind to find your whereabouts. He knew the scent of your perfume like the back of his hand. He knew every detail about you so he used this to his advantage.

Especially when you, decided to go explore an abandoned worn down walmart in your city. No one knew why it's been shut down, you wanted to go find out. Venti following your every move, lurking behind every corner, you being completely oblivious to this as you tended to be all the time.

It was the only way he could get close to you in a public environment after all. Cause it's either this or he watches you sleep, right?

,

You walked aimlessly around the place, seeing the place completely trashed. The cash registers void of any change or bills. The place was dark, you turned the flash light on, the one you actually brought.

You kept hearing noises, but no one was in sight, it began to scare you. Making your way towards where you came in, it was completely blocked off, almost like someone boarded it up. There was no way, maybe you went the wrong way.

You being there for hours until you finally found a way out. That was a lesson from Venti to never go alone. He didn't have to tell you that though, you figured you wouldn't go exploring without a friend ever again. That's all he wanted, was for you to be safe.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

↳ Xiao

This man couldn't bear to ever admit his feelings for you. You two were close friends and almost did everything together. He decided to go exploring with you to an abandoned building.

At some point he completely wandered off and you didn't know where he went so you of course, became very afraid. Until eventually he came back. You didn't know where had gone. You wanted to leave the building after some time, as you two got close to the exit, it was boarded off, completely shutting you two off from getting out and from anyone getting in.

,

"What do we do now? It's completely boarded up?" panic began to settle in, breath hitching. A lump like feeling stuck your throat, "It's okay, I can call Hu Tao, she can come down and help us get out?"

"Are you sure you wanna get her in trouble?" He nods his head at you, he begins to tap on his phone, dialing the very familiar girls number.

Eventually waiting for Hu Tao's arrival for her to rescue you both. It gave Xiao the time to grow closer to you, little did you know that he intentionally did this just so you two would be together longer and alone.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

↳ Scaramouche

You had received word from a friend of a friend that there's an abandoned building with little activity around it so the chances of being caught would be quite low. What you didn't know is that Scaramouche, the man himself, paid off someone to get that knowledge to you just so you would go alone.

You walked through the giant broken down building that was boarded up, it was an old mall that had shut down due to unfortunate circumstances. Scaramouche was following you the whole night, without you even realizing.

,

Until he finally made himself known, playing it off like he wasn't stalking you the whole time, "Weird seeing you here," he says nonchalantly. Your relationship with this man was just somewhat friends, you met him through a close friend, Tartaglia.

You turn around to follow the voice, your gaze meeting a very familiar indigo haired man. You were shocked but somewhat relieved that he was here. The abandoned mall was quite eerie after all, "Oh, hi Scara," you say excitedly.

Scaramouche took note of your tone, inside he was smirking and grinning but he kept a composed expression and remained the same way, "You're all alone in a place like this? I didn't even know you explored abandoned buildings," his voice coming off bratty and stern.

"Yeah, I love exploring. It's one of the many things I do in my free time, not a lot of people know about it I guess now that I think about it," you smile gently at him.

For the remainder of the night. He got closer with you, that's what he wanted. To gain your trust and bond with you more, so that one day, just maybe he could have a chance. But if he didn't, then bad things may just happen to you, or someone else entirely.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

↳ Aether

You never knew that people were disappearing just because of some simple jealousy. Those same people you had spoken to days ago. Aether wanted to help you get your mind off the recent events so he decided to force you to tag along with him to go explore an abandoned building, it wasn't really obvious what it was as it was completely trashed.

When you decided to go on ahead and look at something out of pure excitement, Aether took the opportunity to completely shut you two in the building together. There was only one exit and he just wanted to be alone with you, no matter where you two were.

Keeping you locked up in there for hours with him, talking normally as if nothing were going on until you realize. You two were further from a lot of people so you the smart little cookie that you are, put two and two together, your intuition saying it's in fact, Aether himself doing this.

Once he had realized that his plans had been interrupted, he knocked you out cold. Waking up the next morning in the comfort of your bed, you only thought it was a mere nightmare, nothing more. Aether's cover no longer had been blown.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

↳ Kazuha

He's such a gentleman at heart, so sweet and the most romantic poet you'll ever meet. You were his biggest weakness, he had written so many poems about you, they weren't ordinary though. One day he did write something for you though, sending it your way.

It was an elaborate ruse to get you to go off exploring a place that hadn't been touched in years. He wanted one night with you, and he will have it whether you like it or not. So he sent a sort of letter, a riddle as well. Luring you into an abandoned broken down museum.

Following your every move the whole night. He craved being closer to you. So eventually he sealed off any exit pretty well, just so he could "coincidentally" bump into you and well spend the night with you until he "helped" you two escape the treacherous place.

Since you were so startled by the event itself, due to Kazuha convincing you that someone might've locked you two in there, you were on edge and so paranoid. So he put the idea into your head you should stay a couple days with him just in case anyone was going to try and harm you, and his plan worked so well.

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───

↳ Heizou

Heizou is a detective so he can easily get away with things, brushing everything off. He's quite the master in psychology so messing with you is no brainer for him. After all, when you're vulnerable in front of him, he gets glimpses of who you are. That being said, through one of these moments and fleeting glimpses, he knew you loved dark and mysterious things, this goes for exploring abandoned buildings.

He discreetly followed you throughout the night of an abandoned warehouse, one he actually recently had the pleasure of solving a mystery of a series of murders in. It was only natural he would follow you here, right? He had to make sure his beloved was safe after all. He didn't let you know once that he was present.

Sneaking and covering tracks was not a difficult task for this man. And you made it easy to trap you inside this building. Heizou is not one for psychological torture but sometimes when he's provoked, he will do something to mess with you, without you ever realizing it. Using the abandoned warehouse, by sealing off the exits to his advantage, it scared you into submission until you finally were able to run out of there, telling yourself you won't visit an abandoned place again, at least not alone.

This was just his simple, fun way of trying to get you to come to him for help. You two were close after all. It's only natural.

[arisewanekosuki]

What if Reader and Bennett went to an adventure together, and they find a chest inside a ruin but like always it was only a cabbage, then suddenly the ruin’s gate falls and trapped them inside and they were like,waiting? While a storm was coming and they sat together until someone came and helped them. I just had this idea and wanted to know what are you planning to do with it, thanks you and takes care of you!

-"(Y/n) I'm so sorry… it's my fault again…" the boy sighed, bringing his knees closer to his chest. The two of you were sitting by the chest filled with cabbages. -"Don't worry! It's not your fault!" you patted him on his back hoping to cheer him. -"But if I didn't touch that switch in the chest the gate wouldn't close on us..." -"This could happened to anyone, so don't blame yourself." Bennett didn't respond.

Razor and Fischl couldn't go with him today, when he was preparing to go alone, on his way out he met you. He was surprised Aether wasn't with you but it seems you wanted to go on small walk. After hearing about his plans you wanted to join him. Bennett was conflicted, on one side he wanted to go on adventure with you but on other he was afraid about his bad luck. But before he could came with some lie you already took his hand and told him to let's go.

And now you both are stuck in some ruin, the only exit closed and with chest filled with cabbages. And he can hear storm approaching so now even if he shout for help no one will hear you both. -"Aether will be so mad at me..." -"Hm? I think he will be mad at me for not telling him where I went." you said while scratching your head. You already mentally prepare for his scolding. "Don't worry Bennett, someone will come soon to rescue us! Also we can try again to find some exit!" You got up and started to check every corner of the room. Bennett followed and started to search too.

After awhile you both sat down again by the chest. -"Well…. at least if we get hungry we got those cabbages!" You said with smile, hoping this will improve his mood. Bennett have small smile at that. -"Yeah..." There was silence for moment. You looked over Bennett who looked like he already give up. You couldn't help but worry, no matter what even with his bad luck he always try to stay positive. Meanwhile, Bennett feels depressed. He always wanted to go with only you on adventure and have fun. There was a fear that because of him something bad will happen to you but he tried to push such thoughts away. But now he regret for doing so, he doesn't care what happen to him as long as you're save- -"(Y-Y/n)?!" he looked at you with shock. You put your arm around his shoulder, bringing him closer. -"It's kinda cold isn't it? Let's stay close!" you said with bright smile. Bennett blushed from this close contact but then give you big smile. You never get mad at him nor blame him and even in situations like this you still smile to him like this. -"So… how about you will tell me what did you do on your other adventures?" It's not like the two of you could do anything so he started to tell you some stories from the past and you listened, commenting on them from time to time, sometimes laughing, sometimes getting angry at people who were rude to him. Thanks to you all dark thoughts left Bennett mind and before you two know it the gate opened revealing Aether, Paimon, Razor and Fischl.

-"There you are! We were searching for you guys!! Paimon shocked flying towards you. -"Haha we got stuck like you see but… at least we can make some salad with those!" You showed the chest full of cabbages. Bennett watched you talk with others, Aether already scolding you. -"Bennett alright?" The boy turned his head toward concerned Razor. -"Yeah! I'm alright! We got a bit unlucky again haha!" he scratched his head and then looked where you stood, talking to Fischl. "Everything is alright." he murmured with smile.

When your group left the ruins the storm passed, the sun's rays broke through grey clouds. It seems this day wasn't that unlucky like Bennett thought at first.

[ruruumin]

05 - unwelcomed sight

“oh! (name)!” nilou waves to you from inside the cafe. her sweet, bright smile blinds you from the fact a certain silvered-haired man overheard her. although his thick headphones may have covered his ears, he knows the sound of your name from a mile away. the red-haired girl gestures for you to come inside. 

you suck in a deep breath as you pat down your clothes, tucking your phone into your pocket as you reach to open the door. it lets out a chime as your nose is filled with the scent of freshly baked bread and coffee. alhaitham sits at the corner of your eye. you resist the urge to turn your head as you walk up to the front counter, giving her an annoyed and forced smile.

“hello nilou, it’s great seeing you this morning isn’t it?” you say, gripping the tote bag hanging off your shoulders. “can i get a lavender iced coffee with two sugars and a cream?”

she giggles as she writes down your order, “the usual?”

“yeah, the usual,” you press your lips into a thin line. it would be usual if you hadn’t seen him. it doesn’t make a lick of sense why he would go out of his way to come here. this cafe is across campus. it was nowhere near the linguistics building. and it wasn’t in his route home either. so why was he here exactly?

anyone but him would have been fine. you would have been completely fine if it was childe. you might have also been fine if it was that annoying classmate of yours who clumsily dropped his water over your laptop. or the teacher’s assistant who had to bring his explosive little sister to lecture.

you narrow your eyes as nilou hands you back your change, turning her back onto you as she goes to make your drink. stepping off to the side, you pull out your phone to distract yourself.

nilou brings your drink to you as you put away your phone. she looks over your shoulder to see alhaitham peer up from his cappuccino. his eyes laser-focused onto the back of your head as you lean over the elevated counter space.

“the muffin is on me,” she ruffles your hair, pushing forth a small bag.

you smile at her before taking a sip of your coffee. she turns her head to the door, checking for any more customers before wiping her hand with a clean handkerchief. “based on your furious typing, i assume you talked to aether about it?” her voice is soft as to not be overheard.

“yeah. he said not to overthink it but i just can’t help it.”

you want answers that you know you will never get. you don’t understand why you feel a twisted knot at the pit of your stomach. none of your other exes made you feel this way, so why did it have to be him? 

shaking your head, you rid yourself of these thoughts. “it’s fine though, aether and i are gonna go out later.” 

“sounds fun, i assume you’re going to round 0?”

“how did you know?”

“haha, its the easiest place i can find you and aether. do you want to borrow my card? i have a few credits left if you wanna spend.” nilou pulls out her arcade game card from her wallet, “there might be a 100 credits on it. definitely enough for you to have some free fun.”

“you know you’re one of my favorite people in the world,” you smile, taking the card from her hands.

“i know, if you win a cute blue plushie you better give it to me though.”

“sure, thanks for everything nilou.” your eyes flicker to the left, seeing strands of his grey hair peeking through your vision as you hurriedly exit the cafe.

nilou tilts her head, noticing how his eyes trail after your figure.

₊˚ ♡ masterlist | previous + next.

synopsis; when your friend aether calls for help in his budding crush on his senior kaveh, you're forced to confront your ex-boyfriend by means of playing cupid.

⤷ notes; none!

⤷ taglist [pm to be added, 16/50]

@aixaingela @cherrybb-ily @lupicalbestwolf @arraxthatsonjah @state-of-grac3

@knighttimes @toastedfailure @tired-jaz @whipped-for-fictionals @noellesfactory

@alhaiko @sundays-prince @angel-of-requiem @jaguarthecat @vitanye

@tiramizuloz

[lilypadlys]

Mushy May 2025 Day Ten - Love Notes

Ship: Rain/Dewdrop

Notes: Requested by @delusionalandferal "Dew x newly summoned Rain. Like just shy rain leaving notes for dew and watching him around corners and everything."

Word Count: 838

Read on AO3 or below the cut

----------

Dew’s been through a lot lately, still recovering from his elemental transition and all. He’s well enough to move around the ghoul den and attend mass. He’s still happily avoiding chores as long as he can though. With lots of free time he finds himself in the practice rooms often, trying to get a hang of his new instrument. It’s not as bad of a switch as like strings to keys would be but still basses and guitars are different beasts. After finally nailing a solo that had been giving him trouble, albeit not at full tempo but a win is a win, he hears the door click. Glancing up he finds there’s no one there. With a shrug he returns to playing.

When he returns to his room for the night it's to a folded note on his desk.

Good job on your solos earlier, is all it says.

“Huh?” There's no name and the half cursive half scrawl could be practically anyone’s handwriting. He sets the note on his nightstand, intending to investigate more in the morning.

In the morning however, he’s even more confused. Now there's a little note at his favorite chair at the ghoul’s kitchen table. It’s standing, tented over a little pile of polished stones. They’re reddish with gold flecks that flicker in the light not unlike sparks. As Dew curiously turns them over in his hand, he reads the note.

These remind me of you. You’re prettier though.

As Dew tries and fails once more to determine the source of the note one of the new ghouls comes in.

“Mornin Swiss.”

“Hey Dew. Whatcha up to?”

“Someone left me a pile of rocks.”

“Oh, have you been bad this year? Santa gave you your coal early.”

“It’s not coal.” Dew huffs. “See?” He holds out the rocks.

Swiss whistles. “Those are actually quite nice.” He notices the note. “Hey what's that?” He reaches for it but Dew swipes it up quickly.

“Nothing!”

“Doesn’t sound like nothing.” Swiss grins. “Is it a love note from a secret admirer?”

Dew’s face goes bright pink.

“Wait, is it really?”

“Maybe?”

Something in the hallway clatters and they both look up. Swiss, closer to the door, pokes his head out to investigate but he only catches a flash of someone’s tail rounding the corner.

“What was it?”

“A ghoul for sure. Saw their tail. Just couldn’t tell who.”

“Want to help me figure out who?”

“Sure! Let’s-”

“SWISSTOPHER GHOUL!” Someone, probably Cirrus, another new summon, screeches from across the den. Swiss blanches.

“Oops, that’s my cue to go.” He scurries out not without one last look behind him. “Good luck with your little mystery.” He disappears and not a beat later, “Oh the lady of the hour! What can I do for you on this fine day Cirrus?”

“I’m going to END YOUR SORRY ASS!”

“Hold on can’t we talk this out-wait Cirrus-shit-ahhhh!”

Dew just closes the door to the hallway and waits for the carnage to be over.

Once it’s safe, Cirrus having gotten revenge and Swiss having gone to complain to Aether, Dew heads to the practice rooms once more. There he finds a third note stuck in the strings of his guitar.

Second closet, third cabinet.

Okay so now Dew is just straight up confused. Still he wanders over to the second storage closet and tracks down the third cabinet. It’s mostly full of random things like picks and extra guitar strings but one shelf towards the bottom is empty except for a pristine half of a clam shell. Even in the dim closet light it practically sparkles. And Dew finally knows who his admirer is.

The rocks should have been an instant tip off, he realizes. What’s more water ghoul than collecting shiny rocks for people you like. The collection Aether and Mountain have amassed from him should have reminded him.

It's no surprise when Dew exits the closet to find Rain, the new water ghoul and bassist, failing miserably at looking convincingly focused on annotating his sheet music.

“Hey Rain.”

“H-hey Dew.” Rain’s voice squeaks a bit and he coughs to cover it.

“Got your notes.”

Rain smiles then freezes and opens and shuts his mouth like he wants to say something but the words won’t come out.

Dew begins to stride past, leaning in at the last second. “For the record I think you’re pretty too.”

Rain makes a little choked noise. Dew’s almost out of reach but Rain darts a hand out, lacing his fingers with Dew’s.

“Do you…wanna hang out?”

Dew gives Rain a fond smile. “I’d love to. Also your sheet music is upside down.”

“Oh! I didn’t realize.” Rain’s nervous smile turns to an embarrassed frown.

“Hey it’s okay, let me help.” He turns the sheets upright. “Okay so how far have you gotten and where are you still figuring things out.”

“Um so I’ve got this section but this other one is kinda fast. And I forgot what that symbol means.”

“Okay let's see…”

[smplykiel]

"Til' death do us apart" (part II of ymmtiam)

fem! reader x albedo | part one.

warnings: angst, hurt/no comfort, crying, heartbreak, mentions of blood, mentions of major character death, albedo being clueless, albedo regretting shiz

Albedo / 3rd Person POV:

It was as if nothing had happened at all. Life had returned to what it used to be, from waking up early to going to his lab to do some experiments. Everything… was normal.

Yet, there was something unsettling. A feeling that something was missing.

Maybe it's the morning coffee he had forgotten to drink, or the forgotten researches lying on his lab's floor. He doesn't know, he'll never know what exactly it is.

His fingertips work silently as he writes his monthly report, remembering to fulfill his tasks in the Favonius. His house is peaceful, with only the sounds of a pen constantly writing on paper. He can't help but experience that sensation once more, his brows furrowing as his thoughts begin to stray.

His eyes are abruptly drawn to something, and he swiftly turns his focus to it. It was a small picture frame, with a picture, a picture of? Wait, it's… His lover, Y/n. That's right… Y/n, where has she been?

Albedo swiftly connects the dots. His recent feelings have led him to the conclusion that his adored beloved suddenly vanished, or at least that's what he believes.

Unconsciously, he extends his fingers toward the frame, his thumb touching the slightly dusted photograph. His face cracks a little smile, as though the memory-inspiring image alone had already relaxed him.

Albedo sets the frame down before getting to his feet and choosing to take a breather from his relentless work. His thoughts turn to you once more. Where have you been? Have you left him? Did you betray his affection and abandon him? He wasn't going to lie; he yearned deeply for your presence. Perhaps he should go look for you.

As he moves toward the door, he hastily puts on a cozy cardigan. He wants to get a quick snack to munch on. Albedo quickly put on his shoes, double-checked his belongings and keys, and officially exited as he twisted the knob of his home's door shut.

The alchemist approaches Good Hunter and attentively reads the menu. He turns to tell Sara what he ordered when he notices a familiar pair of travelers out of the corner of his eye.

The floating companion waves her tiny arms, greeting, "Hey, Albedo!" In response, the chief alchemist gestures and says, "Hello."

His eyes light up as he has an idea as he takes his freshly prepared meal. He should ask Aether regarding your whereabouts. He must know where you are, right?

Albedo begins, drawing the blonde boy's attention. "Hey, Aether. Quick question," Albedo asks, his stomach churning with expectation and hope, "Mhm, what is it?" He replies, "Have you… seen Y/n? I haven't really seen her around."

Rather, his was welcomed with utter stillness. The two exchanged anxious glances as they became suddenly quiet. Did he say something wrong?

He repeats, lifting an eyebrow in suspicion, "Um… Have you seen Y/n?" Albedo can tell that the two have seen you by the way they reacted.

When Paimon exclaims, "Y/n… She's dead," it almost sounds as though she's straining to get those agonizing words out of her throat.

Wait, what? There's no way, right? You? Y/n? His lover? Dead? That can't be…

"Look, this isn't the time for jokes, Paimon. I haven't seen her around, and… I'm starting to miss her presence far too much," Albedo adds firmly, not pleased with Paimon's statements.

Albedo notices Aether's sympathetic gaze on him. There is no way… No, no. This is impossible! How—

A memory rushes across Albedo's head, a hazy conversation between you and him, seemingly arguing in his lab, but he can't recall much of it, it's been days after all.

But how could you be dead? Without him even noticing?

The Traveler says with regret, "I'm sorry, if only I'd come on time, then maybe I could've saved her… But it was too late, her body had already frozen to death at that time. Wait- I thought you knew?"

"N...No, nobody dared to tell me at all. Where?" he asks bluntly. "Huh? Where? Well, I found her at the bottom of the broken bridge in Dragonspine, the bridge near your lab. I think she fell down because the snow underneath her was covered in blood-" The alchemist vanished as Aether was about to finish his answer.

Paimon yells at him, but he's already off in the distance. "Hey- where are you going?"

Running made his feet hurt, and he was exhausted. As he gasps for air, frigid oxygen brutally hits his lungs. His palms are firmly placed on his knees as he makes an attempt to calm down.

Albedo had arrived at the broken bridge, the same one where you had allegedly fallen. His eyes immediately notice the obvious bloodied snow underneath as he peeks down at the bottom.

He suddenly stops breathing, his eyes growing wide with terror and horror to the point of tears. A part of him yearns to leap out with you, to join you, to see you once again.

As Albedo goes back down the cold mountain, a familiar voice reaches out to him once more. Aether runs up to him and yells, "Albedo!" while waving his hand in the air.

He collapses just as Aether appears in front of him, but the traveler manages to catch him in time. He watches him with sympathy as he begins to break down in his arms and sob uncontrollably. Albedo thinks to himself,

Our promise "Til' death do us apart" seems like a cruel joke now.

A/N: FINALLY i got to finish part 2!!! sorry for the long wait, school is being a jerk right now 😞 i didn't expect the first part to blow up so much, let alone make a part 2, but since you guys wanted it, here it is!!

T/L: @zoemaelol @pears-pears @averageallogene @angelofdarkness2 @hyper-gam3r @really-sara @viaaasdiary @haisuu @zeikanspel @evonne-luv @fatbootymuncher @abbreviationo @rivalriotrenegade (sorry for the people i can't tag T^T)

@.kiyukumaa on twt for the albedo fanart used in the header

©smplykiel 2023 on tumblr | do not repost, copy, translate, or modify any of my works on any platform.

[forlorn-crows]

𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒔𝒆

pairing(s): aether/dewdrop words: 584 rating: explicit note: transmasc dew (cock/cunt/folds for his anatomy)

lil quickie. dew shaved. aether never gets tired of it. i simply could not ignore the mental image.

edit: now on AO3

Aether really shouldn't be staring. It's not anything he hasn't seen before.

But damn. Damn, is it mouthwatering.

Dewdrop lies spread across his bed, lounging after an afternoon swim. Aether had dressed him in a faded, oversized shirt, brushed out his lake-damp hair until he could run his fingers right through, and plopped him on the bed with a joint while he showered off his sweat.

The quintessence ghoul stands frozen in the doorway of the bathroom now, steam pooling around his ankles. Corner of his towel halfway into his ear canal.

He just. Can't help but look.

Dew is . . . bare. Well, obviously, he's only in a shirt, no underwear to be found. But he's bare, bare. Aether's gaze immediately zeroes in on the lack of hair between his legs, how the delicate skin of his sex prickles in the cool air of the room. The lack of hair puts the shaft of his cock on full display, the smooth hood nestled perfectly within his naked folds.

"Want something, big boy?" Aether's eyes snap up to Dew's face where he's smirking around the joint. A puff of sweet, herbal smoke plumes out a second later, dissipating as it drifts towards the ceiling. When the quint ghoul says nothing, Dew huffs a laugh. Quirks an eyebrow as he cocks up a leg. "You're fuckin' eating me out with your eyes."

"When---" Aether clears his throat. "---when did you, uh, shave?"

"Yesterday," the fire ghoul replies easily. "Wanted somethin' different. Like it?"

Aether swallows hard when he rocks his knee back and forth, bouncing between showing and hiding those thin, dark inner lips. A facade of nonchalance that does something silly to his insides.

"Uh huh," he answers. Dumb over a little glimpse of bare cunt, but he can't say he's ashamed of it. Aether flings the towel blindly back into the bathroom and stalks over to the little ghoul, crawling over his body and caging him in with his own. His forearms bracket his skinny hips, and Dew pokes at his hip with his foot. Staring at him with siren eyes as it teases somewhere else.

"You gonna do something about it?"

Aether licks his lips. He strokes over his smooth cunt with his fingertips, shuddering at the soft feel before slowly dipping one finger into his slit. Sliding into his warmth with a shaky breath.

Dew kicks up a crackly purr, diverting the foot near Aether's crotch to hook around his waist, giving him more access.

"Fuck." The quint's mouth drops open. "It's so soft."

"Take a drag, baby," Dew breathes, offering up the joint. Aether lets him place it between his teeth and sucks it in, as much as his lungs can hold. Only when smoke seeps out through his nose does the fire ghoul pull it away. But not far; when the buttery smoke is done exiting his lungs, Dew puts the joint back into his mouth, holding his stubbly chin with his free fingers.

"Uh uh. Keep it up. You're hot when you're sloppy."

Aether whines out half an inhale, cock throbbing in his boxer briefs. "Shi-i-it," he coughs. Even with only those two pulls, the summer heat comes back alive in his veins, adding a hazy weight to his limbs and tightening the coil in his belly.

"Come on," Dew coos. As he shifts to spread his legs further, the folds under Aether's fingertips grow wet with budding slick that he longs to taste. "Make this naked pussy feel good."

[gravehags]

waiting for you only

Pairing: Cumulus x f!Reader

Rating: Explicit

18+ ONLY MINORS DO NOT INTERACT

Tags: women being gay, strap ons, titty sucking, ghoul tenderness as always, cumulus being a soft dom, squirting

Words: 3,020

Summary: You hadn't been with a ghoulette yet. Cumulus is intent on setting a standard.

a/n: part 4 in the ghoul bicycle series, this might be my horniest one yet. not because i myself an extremely into cumulus in a very gay way or anything. not like i'm thinking about her all the time. not like i'd enjoy doing filthy and romantic things with her. definitely not that.

~~~

True to their word, after the night in the library with Dew the rest of the ghouls started coming around again.

Oh, did they start coming around. They were all over you - doting on you with little trinkets, or snacks, or words of praise. Swiss and Dewdrop both acted annoyingly smug every time you were all together, casting each other knowing glances and leering at you. The group began to invade your spaces, including the common room on your floor, effectively edging out your fellow siblings who had wanted to spend time in the room but didn’t want to deal with territorial ghouls. They respected the boundaries of your quarters - for now - but any public space in the abbey was free real estate to them, so long as you were in it.

Currently you are occupying one of the many kitchens, puttering around in the industrial size fridge for something good to eat. Swiss is sitting on the counter next to towering Mountain, who is nursing a cup of chamomile in his hands. Dew and Rain are arguing about something on the opposite side of the room, both of them animated. Sweet Aether is dutifully washing plates at the sink, smiling to himself about something. The two new ghouls - Phantom and Aurora, you think? - are nowhere to be found. Strange, but not surprising as they’re still finding their place in the group. The ghoulettes are gathered around a table in the corner, quietly chatting amongst themselves. You have your hand on a bag of shredded cheese - your last bleak attempt at finding something to snack on - when you feel a tell-tale tickling on the back of your neck that lets you know you’re being watched. Leaning back a little, you glance over your shoulder and your heart skips a beat. While Cirrus and Sunshine are deep in discussion on their side of the table, Cumulus is otherwise occupied.

With you.

Her eyes are piercing and when you turn to face her she is unsubtle about the way her gaze sweeps over you, lingering. Your cheeks flush and she continues to boldly and silently observe you, her finger tracing shapes on the table in front of her. When you meet her eyes, her lips curl into an odd half-smile, exposing the sharpness of her canines. You shiver and she gives you an emphatic wink that makes your knees buckle a little.

And then she goes back to their conversation as if nothing happened.

You’re so very warm as you make your hushed excuses and depart the kitchen, leaving behind a pack of confused ghouls. During your hasty exit, you don’t notice Cumulus’ eyes following you out.

–

A week passes after that incident and to your dismay, nothing has progressed. Cumulus is perfectly pleasant to you as if she never eye-fucked you in the kitchen at all. You are about to write it off as a figment of your overactive imagination when you open the door to your quarters and see a little note on the floor. It’s rectangular and pink, and when you pick it up you’re hit with the intoxicating smell of vanilla and amber.

Cumulus.

You turn the note over and are met with a short note in loopy cursive.

Come to me tonight, beloved. First door on the left.

Yours,

C

You exhale shakily before dropping your bag unceremoniously onto the floor. So you weren’t imagining things, thank Satanas. Rushing to the bathroom, you regard your reflection. Your hair is a mess after a long day, makeup smudged, eyes tired. Shit. Hastily, you wash your face and remove your crusty makeup before tending to your locks. With a deep breath you look at yourself in the mirror. Would she like the way you look? Should you put makeup back on? Should you do something with your hair? After chewing on your bottom lip for a moment you smack your fists against the edge of the sink.

“Fuck it,” you say definitively before shutting off the bathroom light and walking out.

Adjusting your habit, you clear your throat and take a deep breath. She didn’t say what time she wanted you there exactly but…you look at the clock next to your bed. 7:30. Hmm. Would you seem too eager? Well…you are eager but Cumulus doesn’t need to know how much. Throwing yourself down into a chair you bring your hand to your chin. Jiggling your foot you waited. And waited. You look over at the clock.

7:32

Letting out a noise of annoyance you fling yourself back out of the chair and head towards the door.

So what if you’re eager.

The walk to the ghoul den is quiet, and you see no one on your journey. When you reach Cumulus’ door you take a deep, shuddering breath before knocking.

“Come in,” her sweet voice says, muffled by the wood. So you do.

What you see when you enter makes your jaw drop.

Cumulus is there alright, nude and lounging on the soft white duvet on her bed. She’s reclined to face you, giving you a view of her full breasts and the divine curves of her body as her tail waves gently behind her. You’re staring but you can’t bring yourself to do anything but - you’ve never seen anything this beautiful in your whole damn life. Smiling, she curls a finger towards you to beckon and you stumble slightly in your haste to oblige her. You stand next to the bed, looking by all accounts like a fucking gaping idiot, and she props herself up.

“Hi,” you finally squeak out, to which she lets out a throaty laugh.

“Hey you,” she purrs, “join me?”

You slip your shoes off and delicately place yourself on the bed next to her, eyes fixed on the keyboard against the opposite wall. It somehow seems better than openly staring at her. When she places her hand on your arm to urge you to lay down, you practically jump out of your skin.

“So nervous,” Cumulus hums as you recline next to her, “am I making you nervous, sweetheart?”

You laugh. Nervously.

“Not you, I just…uh. You’re literally the prettiest thing I have ever seen.” The confession blurts out of you and you feel stupid, but you see her cheeks turn a pleasant pink as she strokes your arm.

“Funny,” she says, tracing patterns into your bicep, “I thought the same thing when I saw you.”

You get that tell-tale swooping sensation in your belly you’ve come to associate with delicious anticipation. When she reaches up to run her claws through your hair, you sigh and she nuzzles into your side, lips to your ear.

“Wanted you forever,” she murmurs, sliding her hand across your belly, “we all have but. There was always something about you.”

You turn your head to face her.

“Yeah?” you whisper, lips painfully close to hers. “I’ve never um. Never been wanted before. This is all kinda new to me.”

She hums thoughtfully as she begins to unbutton your habit with one hand. When she exposes your chest you sigh as she trails her fingers along the skin there.

“Their loss,” she says simply, sitting up. “Let’s get this out of the way, shall we?”

You’re maneuvering your arms and ass out of your habit as best you can when she throws her leg over you and straddles your hips. You’ve got the top half off and the rest sits bunched at your waist. Gesturing for you to sit up, you acquiesce, so that she can reach behind you with one hand and deftly unhook your bra. The offending garment gets tossed behind her onto the floor and suddenly you’re exposed to her gaze. When she begins to make little rotations with her hips against your core you gasp. She slides a hand along your cheek to cup it and you lean into her touch.

“Beautiful girl,” she murmurs, stroking a claw along your jawline before taking your chin in between pinched fingers. Something in her eyes shifts, darkens, and she leans in to brush her lips against yours.

“You’re mine now,” she breathes before running her tongue along your lower lip and plunging it into your open mouth. Her kisses are lush, generous, but not without a hint of possessiveness that makes your cunt clench. You’ve got your fingers buried in her blonde curls, cradling her head as she moves against you, bare breasts pressed to yours. You gasp into her mouth at the sensation of your nipples brushing against hers and she giggles before pulling back to nip at your jaw. Her lips trail wetly along your clavicle as she makes pleased little noises in the back of her throat that soaks your underwear. When her breath ghosts along your hardened nipple you arch your back and fist her hair.

“So needy,” she murmurs, lips barely brushing the peak which in turn makes you moan. When she latches her lips onto it and sucks, your hips buck against her. She lavishes you with attention, little nips and licks, all while toying with your other nipple in her clawed hand. You whine as she pulls away, making her grin toothily before she turns her attention to the other bud.

“So good, Cumulus,” you breathe, scratching at her scalp. “Fuck that feels so good.”

She makes a noise of affirmation while she sucks and laves at you, claws scratching down your sides. You slide the hand in her hair to the base of her horns and she nips you, causing you to cry out. When she looks up at you, her pupils are blown.

“Do it again,” she says hoarsely, the first show of weakness she has made so far.

Gently you rub your thumb along the base of her horn, watching as her tail violently flicks behind her. Taking advantage of her vulnerability, you flip her over onto the duvet with a grin which she mirrors.

“Somebody’s getting brave,” she coos up at you, the sing-songy nature of her voice sputtering out as you lean forward and lick an experimental stripe up her right horn. Her hands fly to your waist and claws bite into your skin as you do the same to the left horn. When you move to try it again she sharply brings a hand down on your ass, making you jolt forward and cry out. She smiles with all of her teeth and when you bring your lips down to hers she runs a soothing palm over the spot she had struck. Echoing her actions earlier, you kiss along her neck and down her sternum, all the way to her generous breasts. She purrs when you massage them in your hands, growls even, as you lick and suck at them. You know you look desperate as you put your full attention into the act and she yanks you back by the hair to tell you so. Gently, she urges you off of her much to your dismay, only to sigh with pleasure as she removes the remainder of your habit and your underwear. Now fully nude, your back against the duvet, you regard her as she stands up and moves to fetch something in a nearby drawer. What she pulls out has you gasping.

Dangling from her right hand are sturdy leather straps and nestled in the middle, the biggest dildo you had ever seen.

Granted, you hadn’t seen many but Satanas it’s huge. Bigger than Swiss, by far, and he was nothing to sneeze at. Your mouth is agape as she steps into the harness, securing it on the swell of her hips. She stands at the foot of the bed, dildo jutting proudly from her, and once again crooks her finger to beckon you. You move as if you’re hypnotized, crawling across the duvet til you’re eye level with it.

“You like my cock?” she asks sweetly, running a hand over the length of it.

“Y-yes,” you manage to stutter, sitting on your knees.

“Show me how much,” Cumulus commands, gripping the base.

You hesitate slightly before inching forward, softly pressing your lips to the tip. She’s looking down on you intently, lips curling in a grin.

“Go on, baby,” she murmurs, “put that pretty mouth on me.”

When you slide your lips over the head, you moan around it, the vibrations making her twitch. Slowly, you begin to work your mouth down the length of it, lips burning from the stretch. You’re about to gag when you pull back to the head. You chance a glance upwards and she’s looking down on you with such vicious adoration you repeat the motion. Again and again you move your lips and mouth over the cock until you’re drooling, sore, and your cunt is dripping. Finally she buries a hand in your hair and pulls you off. You’re red-faced and panting, knees aching and she’s smiling at you as if you had just recited the sweetest poetry to her.

“I’m going to fuck you now,” she says simply, urging you backwards onto the covers. “I’m going to fuck you until you see stars. Until you can’t even remember your name. Until the only thing you can remember is how fucking good my cock feels inside of you.”

All you can do is nod dumbly as you eagerly spread your legs to make room for her. You can feel the cock, weighty against your belly and slick with your spit, as she leans in and kisses you languidly. Leaning back on her knees she grabs the base once more and uses it to tease the tip against your clit. For a moment she’s content to watch you writhe against the white fabric, hair splayed and lips swollen.

“Cumulus, please,” you moan brokenly, causing her hips to jerk forward in a particularly brutal slide.

When she finally guides the cock inside of you your eyes roll back into your head. She only has the tip in and you’re already desperate but fuck it feels so good. Slowly, she slides the rest in, giving you time to adjust to the size. It stretches you far more than you have been stretched before but the sensation makes your clit throb. Once she bottoms out your cunt spasms and you moan her name. When she pulls the cock out entirely, you whine desperately, only to have her grab your ankles and shift them onto her shoulders.

“Good girl,” she preens, once again teasing the cockhead at your entrance. “Stay just like this for me.”

You nod, pathetically eager, as she slides forward again. When she bottoms out this time, she hits a spot inside of you you’ve never felt before. It makes your jaw fall slack and your chest heave, and with a knowing look in her eye she does it again. You’re moaning loud enough to wake the dead - surely loud enough to wake any other nearby ghouls - but you can’t help yourself. Her claws are wrapped around your calves as she pumps steadily in and out of you, panting with the effort. 

“Cumulus,” you cry, “so good, so, so good. Don’t stop.”

She slides a hand up to your ankle and leans to the side to place a sweet kiss there.

“I know, baby,” she coos, caressing your legs even as she starts to pound into you at a more aggressive pace. 

You’re arching and writhing on the covers, body jerking and legs clenching as she continues to fuck you. Watching you makes her make sweet sounds of her own, clearly enjoying your display. Over and over she hits that exquisite spot inside of you and your hands fly to the duvet to grip it in your fists. She was right - you can’t remember anything - the only thing on your mind is her name again and again. Wildly, your cunt begins to spasm around her cock and she smiles down at you.

“So close, huh? Gonna make that pretty little cunt cum?”

You nod frantically as she picks up the pace of her thrusts, fucking into you ruthlessly. 

“Cumulus,” you gasp, knuckles white. “I’m gonna…Cumulus, please,”

What washes over you is unlike any orgasm you’ve felt before - self-induced or otherwise. You feel as if your soul is hovering ten feet above your body and the corners of your vision begin to darken. When your spine tightens and you’re gasping, gasping for air you let out a drawn-out exaltant scream. There’s a ringing in your ears and you’ve lost all feeling in your limbs but from the din comes Cumulus’ voice, praising you. When you slowly, finally come back into your body you realize that you’re laying in a puddle of something wet. Cumulus is grinning like the sun, gently setting your legs down and easing the cock out of you.

“Made a mess, didn’t you?” she giggles, unfastening the harness. “Bet that’s never happened to you before.”

You silently shake your head side to side, chest red and heaving still. When she disposes of the strap, she curls up against you, arm draped over your belly. You’re finally coming back to a more conscious state when you hear her purring contentedly in your ear.

“Wow,” you finally breathe. “Unholy shit.”

“Yeah,” she murmurs, kissing your shoulder. “Told you you were beautiful.”

Body sore, you turn onto your side to face her and raise a hand to brush the curls out of her face. Capturing your hand in hers, she brings it up to her lips and gently kisses your knuckles. Your heart swells and thumps in your chest even as you register the fact that the covers are, in fact, completely fucking soaked.

“We should change these,” you laugh.

“No,” Cumulus says simply.

“But they’re wet. With my…stuff.”

“Exactly. We’re not changing them.”

Her tone indicates a finality that makes your lips twitch. As the two of you drift off to sleep on the damp duvet you’re once again filled with the beautiful sense of belonging the ghouls seem to impart on you. You feel wanted. Loved, even.

Your dreams are filled with tenderness.

[aislingsurrow]

The Night After Ravana’s Defeat…

“Never did I doubt you, Warrior of Light.”

Aisling turned over in her bedroll- Estinien’s earlier words still tickling at the back of her mind. Spoken after she returned from the hive.

“Never did I doubt you…”

Instead of that Someone whispering what the next day would bring, what pains would come and what the weather would be and who she’d meet, she could only hear him.

“Warrior of Light…”

She turned on her back and her eyes burst open to stare at a wide open sky, blistered with bright stars.

“Warrior…”

His lips had turned up when he said it. Just the corners of them, a slight little smile and from her low angle she could see up into his helmet. See that the smile, however small, reached his eyes.

“Fretting like a maid for her sweetheart, he was.”

And in that moment their eyes had met.

“Sweetheart…”

The way his lips formed the words was stuck in her skull. The look in his eyes. And when something passed between them, unspoken, she was glad Alphinaud was jostled enough to protest the teasing. It gave her a moment to steady her wildly beating heart. Of course, thinking about it again now only made her heart go so wild again she had to sit up- stand up- and wander from the dying embers of their fire and the two sleeping Elezen.

They were within the walls of Anyx Trine, tucked in a corner by the gate with a watchful company of dragons nearby- meant to keep an eye on Estinien. He was gone, though; in the few nights they’d enjoyed the hospitality of the dragons, Estinien had not slept within the walls. Still, he never went far- which is why Aisling slipped out of the gate, feet bare, cool wind tickling her shoulders in her nightgown.

She didn’t have to search far at all- there he was, just outside the main gate, leaned back against the stone in a devilishly cool way. As ever, he was in his armor- a mask she saw beneath in brief flashes.

“I had a feeling you’d be up,” he said as a greeting.

“Oh? Yer having visions now?”

“You’re predictable. You found me, somehow, after the boy’s trial. And then once more when you freed the Bull. I figured I’d make myself easy to find this time.” The twitch of his lips again- her heart rushed. “Make it easy on you.”

“Y’need never go easy on me, Estinien. I can handle it.” She lifted an arm and slapped her bicep- certainly not bulging with lean, lithe strength like him, but solid all the same.

“I see you can.” He pushed himself off the wall. “Shall we walk?”

“Aye!” Aisling beamed and hopped beside him, her feet buoyed just above the ground by a cushion of Air aether placed with each footfall.

They took a turn around the walls of Anyx Trine. Above them, dragons flew past- entering and exiting their home. Some landing on the wall and lingering. Some watching the two wander by, made curious by the continued presence of men.

“It is nice y’waited fer me, though,” she said a few minutes in.

She could feel him roll his eyes. See a hint beneath the helm from her angle. “Must you say it aloud?”

“Are yeh embarrassed?” Her lips split into a sly grin. “Will y’blush if I call ya kind? What of handsome?”

The sound that came from him was somewhere between a scoff, a gasp, and a bark of a laugh. “You make your opinion so readily known!”

She glanced sidelong at him, raised an eyebrow. “Someone’s got to. You won’t say what y’want.”

“Oh?” He shook his head. “You know what I want, eh? Have you Seen it?”

“Of a sort.”

She paced ahead of him with a quickness that surprised the Azure Dragoon. For once, he sped to catch up with her.

“Is this another vision to solve?”

She walked a bit faster again and he was answered by her back. Her hair was unbraided, casting her curls down behind her shoulders. The moon and starlight caught in the blonde- the soft pink- and seemed to glow.

This time, Estinien didn’t catch up to her and trailed behind.

“... Well?” he prompted, after a moment of her silence.

“Why do y’look at me the way you do?”

“And how do I look at you?” He was about to laugh, but her sudden stop and turn stole it from his lungs. He paused mid-step and her eyes caught under his helm. He didn’t have time to school his expression.

“Like tha’.”

His jaw clenched up. “... It’s no particular way,” he protested, rather ineffectively for him. Which is why her answer was only silence- a brow raised in question. And his jaw tightened again- fists joining in an angry curl.

“Such wants are distractions,” he snapped and brushed past her. “Should I falter from my task? Just for a want?”

She didn’t follow him, and when he realized a few yalms away he slowed to a stop, anger flattening slower than it came.

“... You said before you saw my death,” he said, his back to her.

“I seen yer agony,” Aisling replied. The memory of the vision summoned small motes of light to her eyes, Someone laughing in her ear. “Seen a monster wear your skin. Seen ya struck through. But I seen ya smilin’ too. Freer than ever I’ve seen a man.”

A laugh like a scoff. A sigh. “You think I can escape?”

Aisling couldn’t quite answer that. “... I seen us, hand in hand,” she said instead, and twisted her fingers in her nightgown.

“You think you can be my escape?” He finally faced her.

Her hands firmed into fists around the fabric. “Ain’t it what ya want?”

The quiet that settled between them vibrated. Aisling felt it rumble through her whole body- anxiety leaving her hands shaking in their nervous, white-knuckled grip. For all her Seeing, these moments were uncharted territory.

He moved first- raised his hands to his helm and- for the first time in her sights- removed it. His pale hair tumbled down over his shoulders and instead of having to peek and search for his eyes they were right there- his gaze heavy on her- heavier than Aisling had ever felt before.

Estinien closed the gap between them with slow steps.

“... If we do as I want,” he muttered, “I won’t be going easy on you.”

Her breath caught.

“Y’need never go easy on me,” she said in a whisper. All inside of her trembled with excitement. “I can handle it.”

“... I see you can.”

He dropped his helmet to the side and they came together like a dance. He lifted her in the next step and found something- a wall- to press her against as his lips found her neck, exposed and chilled from the night air.

Any dragons still lingering on the nearby parapets roused themselves and, for a blessing, gave the pair some privacy. And with Estinien’s heart so sweetly consumed, for a restful moment their only companions were the stars.

[skele-bunny]

Occupied. (No CW.) Aether/Dewdrop/Mountain

CW - NONE

Tags: Fluff, Mentions of Nudes, sexual talk, horror movie references

Characters: Aether, Dewdrop, Mountain

(Divider by @ wrathofrats ! Dew is going insane™ & has a thing for slashers.)

"Are you done yet?"

Dew kept his eyes to his phone screen, laying on his side in the empty bed. The sound of the fan running and the low volume of one of his favorite game show that quickly became something he didn't want being the only sound in the room, whining as he looked at his message still as 'delivered.'

He gasped with a smile when it went to 'read' and little bubbles under "Big Bitch" began to type.

"No, love. Still three hours left, just like what I said a few minutes ago. :("

The fire ghoul frowned again, whining and kicking his feet against the bed. "Just say you want a divorce already."

"Never!" Aether quickly responded, sending an array of broken heart emojis. "Is Mountain off yet?"

Dewdrop changed over the contact, rapidly typing against his keyboard to "Big Bitch#2" sticking his tongue out as he pressed send.

"Done yet?"

This time it took longer, Dew growing more impatient before bubbles appeared again.

"Unfortunately not, sweetheart. I still have the kitchen delivery to assist with, my rosemary. Our distance will be closed in another hour or two."

Out of all the time Mountain had a cute way of texting, Dew was currently hating it. He swapped back over to Aether, eyebrows furrowed.

"He's not! Teddy, I'm about to lose my fucking mind. I can only jerk off so many times and watch The Price Is Right reruns before my head explodes."

"And you didn't show me? The betrayal..."

"Do you want some? Will that make you come home quicker?"

Aether typed for a moment, then stopped. Dew was already in the process of clearing the bed when a new message appeared.

"I wish, but I can't be walking around the ICU with a stiffy because my cutie keeps sending me pics! Not very professional is it?"

"Fuck professionalism... I miss you. I miss treetop."

"Oh my poor baby, I know. Tell you what, why don't you get a movie night ready for us? Your choice tonight. <3"

"Can it be—" Before Dewdrop could even finish typing, Aether sent another quick message.

"And yes, it can be erotic horror. :⁠-⁠D"

"I'm going to suck your dick so hard tonight."

"There went my professionalism. I love you, I have to go now. Behave!"

Dewdrop sent his own array of heart emojis, flopping down in the bed and sighing. His tail flicked around before he rolled onto his stomach, groaning and kicking his feet once more like a kit. He hated being stuck in the den by himself. Sure, it was a rarity most would enjoy but Dewdrop personally despised the silence. He felt off, nothing to do, no one to keep in line, nothing needing fixing. He was restless.

He slowly sat up, adjusting Mountain's shirt on him as he shuffled around in his socks, completely nude beneath. Dew exited his room and made his way to the common room, flopping on the couch just for a change of scenery that didn't last long. He got up after a few minutes and began to pace around, ears pinned back in irritation.

Moving to the kitchen this time, he opened the fridge, grimacing as nothing looked interesting. He closed it, waited, then opened again.

"Fucking sardines again..." He mumbled, eyeing Rain's stack in the far back corner. "...And apple juice. Always... The apple juice."

The door shut again, Dew opening the pantry and pulling out the popcorn bowl, setting a few packets inside for later reminder. While he stood with the door open, his tail stood up in curiosity as he reached forwards and pulled out a small can that read as cranberry sauce. He's personally never had it, the look and smell deterring him from asking for a bite every time Cirrus and Cumulus dug into it.

Curiosity was a bitch when you're bored, however.

He brought the can to the countertop, placing it underneath the can opener and connecting the magnet down, watching as it twirled and carefully plucking it off when finished. Dewdrop leaned down and sniffed, instantly retracting with a gag, coughing into his arm. He was too invested to back out now! He pulled a spoon out, carefully digging into the jelly and pulling out a bit of the prune-looking food.

Hesitantly, Dew brought the food to his mouth and closed around it, chewing the strangely mushy texture but humming and tail wagging as the taste still settled nicely. He swallowed and grabbed another spoonful before gagging at the aftertaste, quickling going to the fridge to grab out one of the many apple juice boxes he despised seeing sometimes.

Only to gag again as the mixture being the worst thing to mankind.

Before he knew it, he was in a loop of torturing himself. Taking a bite, then a sip, making a cringed face as he did so—but he truly couldn't seem to stop, until eventually the mixture became tolerable. He walked around with his can and juice box back into the room, placing them on the bedstand as he went to the dresser that held a variety of movies. Dewdrop had to crouch to get to his section, carefully reading over each sleeve.

"My Bloody Valentine" simply called his name, pulling out the sleeve and purring loudly as he admired the back.

Dew skipped to his bed, grabbing the phone to send to a group chat with two of his older mates, purrs never seeming to cease as he sent a photo of the cover.

"Mounty, you still need to dress up as him for me one day."

It took a few minutes before only Mountain seen the message, adding a heart to both the photo and add-on.

"Eventually. Are we reenacting Irene's death?"

"You turn me on so easily. Fuck yeah we are! Get a pickaxe, I'm sure we have a random ass miners helmet somewhere in this fuck ass abbey."

A simple heart was added to the message again, Mountain sending a smiling face before going quiet once more. Dewdrop went back over to place the film on the TV stand next to the DVD player, opening his closet and to the back of the hangers where a small assortment of 'outfits' stayed in nice condition. He pushed past a maid outfit, a simple bikini, then a few larger outfits such as a 'mad doctor', 'Jason Voorhees', and even a full black outfit with a ski mask tucked in the pocket. He eyed the 'Michael Myers' all the way in the back before tugging at the jumpsuit, admiring the sides and pulling it out to be a part of Mountain's eventual costume.

He quickly became occupied as he picked up his cranberry can and juice to sit on the floor in front of their toy box, shuffling through different varieties of bdsm gear. Dewdrop trilled as he pulled out his black leather cuffs customized only for his wrists, tossing it in his pile for the future remake.

His phone chimed about thirty minutes in as Dewdrop came back from Mountain's room holding one of his compression turtle necks. He unlocked and smiled at Aether's message.

"Who's playing the bastard trucker? Not it."

Dew sent back a quick text, "No one. Maybe two killers tackling a little ole' me, yeah?"

"Scandalous!"

"Speaking of scandalous..."

Dewdrop brought his camera up again to show his little collection growing, Mountain and Aether seeing it at the same time.

"Damn! I knew I should've gotten my own jumpsuit!" Aether sent back, adding a smirking face.

Mountain, again, simply hearted the image.

The group chat went quiet and Dew went back to occupying himself, now with a newfound excitement. He took another bite of his terrible food and a sip of the equally terrible drink, scrunching his nose as he kept walking back and forth from Mountain's room with more items.

More than two hours passed before Dewdrop finally noticed the lack of the earth ghoul, walking back to see he missed a message of Mountain doing a few more tasks before retiring to the den. Dew shrugged and went to begin the assortment of snacks for the night, placing them all neatly on a tray with a few sodas and tea bags. He'd have to put the kettle on closer to movie time, getting the popcorn started while taking the tray in their shared room.

The sound of the door opening made Dew peek behind the corner, smiling wide and jumping with excitement as he looked at his two mates walking in—carrying a few suspiciously looking items. More importantly, two gas masks and another jumpsuit.

Aether smiled, holding up the goodies. "Look what was in the catacombs storage! Not exactly respirators, but close enough! Oh, oh! And I got some gloves from the infirmary!"

Dewdrop squealed, running over and noticing as Mountain lifted a bag out of reach but crouching down to join the hug. "Ugh! I missed you assholes!"

"Missed you too, rosemary." Mountain hummed, kissing Dew's cheek. "Look what I found in the shed."

He opened the bag to show two relatively new garden hoes. "Not exactly pickaxes, but close enough, yeah?"

"Mountain I'm about to jump on you." Dew's eyes lit up, his tail unable to stop wagging and smile wide.

"Hmm, can do that in a bit. That popcorn smells fucking good," Aether leaned for his own kiss, heading towards the room. "Gonna take my shower!"

"Me as well, I'm pretty sure I have cactus needles in my knee." The earth shrugged, giving one more kiss before he sauntered off.

The fire ghoul melted at the sight of his mates, let alone the fact they went into the effort to find little items to fulfill his fantasy. He shivered at the thought of them masked and standing above him, putting a pep back in Dewdrop's step as he went to finish the popcorn.

[itchywebreviews]

Exit/Corners - a game review

Are you looking for a game to scratch your Zero Escape itch?

Exit/Corners, by Canadian-based Moon Moth Games, is a free visual novel/puzzle game available on itch.io and playable in web browsers.

You play as Ink, a student who wakes up alongside four other strangers to find himself kidnapped and locked inside a mysterious abandoned hotel that's rigged to explode. They can escape, as long as these 'Contestants' solve a series of riddles and puzzles within a 24-hour time limit. Or, they can die.

Without spoilers, this game surprised and delighted me. It's 29 episodes, takes several hours to complete, and has detailed art and a custom soundtrack. I can strongly recommend it to anybody who enjoys character-focused mystery stories and simple but satisfying puzzles (and who doesn't have an issue with dark themes or depicted violence).

None of the puzzles felt 'unfair', as the game has a great hint system where you can ask the other Contestants for advice or their opinions, which gives you extra insight into their characters as well as providing hints. If you get really stuck, ask them enough times and they'll eventually spell out the answer for you.

The relationships that develop between the Contestants, positive and negative, form the emotional core that the plot needed to keep the reader invested. At first most of the characters are abrasive, stressed, and either insulting to or dismissive of each other. The only friendly face is Aether, the girl who woke up in the same room as you, but she has her own secrets she's keeping. As you can imagine from people picked to play a deadly game, all of them have hidden depths that they're unwilling to trust the other Contestants with—including Ink. Uncovering the pasts of each Contestants is as much part of the mystery as who brought them together, and why.

Generally I found each backstory reveal satisfying, placing each character's previous actions in new context. There was one particular reveal that worked so well on a meta-level that I felt genuinely called-out by the fact I hadn't realised what was happening. Actions that felt unrealistic or confusing could often be explained through later information, as well as the high-stakes situation revealing the best and worst sides of each Contestant.

The mystery plot was excellently foreshadowed. As new information is revealed, through Ink's internal monologue the reader is also gently reminded of relevant points they may have forgotten—allowing them a chance to put the clues together as Ink does without being excessively heavy-handed. Many of the biggest twists were hard to predict, with enough clues that I could guess some of the elements, whilst the actual unveiling left me staring at my screen in shock as my mind went over all the clues I'd overlooked or missed. The plot started slowly, picked up the pace as revelations started stacking on top of each other and revealing the shape of the plot, and in the last few chapters definitely sped up as the different mysteries converged together. The ending felt a little rushed, but each major plot thread and mystery was neatly resolved when the true purpose of Exit/Corners was explained.

This won't be a game for everybody, but for a completely free game that doesn't even require a download? If any of this interests you, give it a try. It might surprise you.

Spoiler-free warnings: This game includes depictions and discussions of graphic violence, depictions and discussions of mental illness and suicide, derogatory language, and internalised bigotry.

What's next for Moon Moth Games? Although they have a demo for an upcoming game called 'Séance: Spectral Noise' on their itchi.io page, there have been no official posts since March 2022. A twitter post from January 2023 stated the project ran into legal difficulties. There have been no subsequent updates.

[m0th-gh0st]

Hi! Who's your favorite Exit/Corners character(s)?

generic answer is I love all of them (except Sean 🖕🖕🖕)

but my first play through my favourite was actually sent! I have a lot of thoughts of his character especially when the last few chapters came out

now a days my favourite is probably Rae, he's also rlly interesting to me (that and im gay awooga)

[rainsbasspick]

Some heroes have fur & a tail

Chapter 8: After rain comes a blue sky

A/N: The start of the retirement of my now retired service dog Blue happened when posting this chapter on Ao3. cw: Negative self talk, huge meltdown, self harm in hitting and pulling form There’s gonna be a really bad & dark moment, but I promise from that moment on it will get better. words: 4629

After explosive meltdowns good things happen for the ghoul.

read below the cut or on Ao3

Since Copia talked to Phantom and Mountain in the greenhouse, he’d been busy making phone calls between his meetings to find the perfect Service Dog training school. 

After spending two days calling all the schools and interrogating them, he took a few days to think everything over before he called the school he thought was right for his ghoul.

After making an appointment to meet them and getting a form sent to fill in, he calls the ghouls to his office while Phantom is out for a walk.

Once everyone is seated, Copia clears his throat as he grabs his pen. 

“I found a service dog school that I think is right for Phantom. I’m seeing them next week, but I need to fill in this form first. It’s about what the service dog needs to do and the things Phantom struggles with. Thought it was best to do this together so I don’t miss anything.” 

It's quiet for a moment as everyone's mind suddenly goes blank.

“Can the dog stop him from hurting himself? The hitting and all that? I don’t like seeing him do that” Dewdrop says quietly from the corner he was standing in, surprising everyone by sharing the worry he’s been having about the quint out loud for the first time ever. 

Copia nods as he writes it down and he just keeps writing as everyone takes their turn speaking up.

"Interrupt the movements he does whenever he’s in his head,” Aether. 

“Stopping panic or anxiety attacks?” Cirrus.

“Alerting with certain things before it happens? Like overstimulation,” Rain.

“Leading him towards exits,” Cumulus.

“Breaking through emotions?” Aurora.

“Make space around him in crowds or whenever he’s not feeling well,” Cirrus again.

“Deep Pressure Therapy?” Swiss.

“Helping him get out of his thoughts, making contact with him,” Mountain.

They keep naming things the service dog needs to do for a while longer before they start writing down the things Phantom struggles with. This for the trainers to see if there are other things the dog can do to help and to match the right dog.

While Copia has been busy the last few days, Phantom has been trying to get himself to let Mountain or Copia know he’s ready to look for a place to work.

For some reason he doesn’t understand, he’s scared to walk up and let them know. Scared that it’s too late or that he’s bothering them with yet another thing. The thoughts annoy him, making him frustrated with himself which only makes it harder to reach out.

When Rain walks in from the meeting they just had with Copia for the service dog, he finds Phantom standing in the middle of the common room, one hand holding his mask and the other pressed tightly against his jaw in a fist. 

“Bug?” Rain frowns, “Everything okay?” He asks as he walks over.

When Rain doesn’t get an answer, he steps in front of him “Phantom? What's wrong?”

“P-Papa said when I’m ready to go find him”

“Are you ready now?” Rain looks down at the mask Phantom is still gripping tightly, he must have it for a reason.

Nodding, Phantom looks at Rain with tears in his eyes “But what if Papa does not want to help me anymore?”

“You don’t have to worry about that. Papa always wants to help us, no matter what time it is” Rain gently takes the mask from Phantom and places it on the coffee table before he softly rubs the quint’s arm for a short moment, not being able to stop himself from giving him some kind of comforting touch even though Phantom doesn’t like being touched by anyone if he doesn’t ask for it.

“He asked about you this morning, how you’re feeling. He’s excited to look for the perfect place with you.”

Phantom slowly lowers the hand he’s still pressing against his jaw, feeling just a little more calmer from Rain’s words even though his brain doesn’t fully believe it.

“Are…is…” Phantom huffs in frustration when he can’t find the right word to start the question “Walk with me?”

“Of course, how about I call Papa and see if he has time?”

Rain grabs his phone when Phantom nods and calls their Papa, putting it on speaker. 

“Rain, what can I do for you?” Copia says when he answers the phone after a few rings.

“I’m here with Phantom, we’re wondering when you have time for him?”

“Ah! Si, let me check… meeting in 30… Sister can wait another day” He talks quietly to himself as he looks through his schedule “An hour from now?”

“Y-yes” Phantom says softly.

“Amazing, We will find you the perfect spot my ghoul” Copia smiles before he ends the call.

An hour later, Copia finds Phantom in the kitchen, taking a tray of freshly baked raspberry cookies out of the oven. He chuckles when he sees the dog sitting behind him, watching closely.

“I came on the right time, I see?” Copia gently pets the dog's head.

Phantom jumps at the sudden loud voice, almost dropping the cookies. Quickly he places the tray on the counter before he turns to face Copia, “They’re for Fantom,” He says a bit snappy, without actually meaning to. 

He’s been so restless and nervous the last hour. The waiting not helping his thoughts stay quiet, that he already isn’t feeling good enough to head out. But since he feels like he’s bothering everyone enough already and needs to be stronger, he doesn’t say anything about it and just keeps going. 

“Ah, lucky dog,” Copia smiles, thinking the reaction was on him getting scared, “Are you ready to go?”

“Yes… I just gotta…” Phantom falls quiet as he looks around for… something. He doesn’t remember what he’s looking for and it upsets him even more. After a minute or two he gives up, grabs his mask and Fantom’s leash that he’d put on the kitchen table.

“Ready…” He says quietly as he leashes the dog and puts his mask on while he glamours himself. 

Before he leaves the den, he looks around for Rain, who promised to join. Not wanting to take even more time away from Copia and bother Rain, who’s probably busy, he ends up going alone with Copia.

Together they spend the afternoon walking through the Abbey, checking out every job he could do, Fantom close to the ghouls' side.

They check out the kitchen first, which was too bright, full and the noise of clattering dishes and people yelling at each other almost got Phantom into the meltdown that’s right there, waiting for the right time. When Copia notices just in time, he leads Phantom out right away. That’s definitely not the place. Copia later realizes that wouldn’t work anyway with a service dog because of hygienic reasons.

Next they check out the garden and greenhouse where they talk with Mountain about all the things they have to do. Phantom decides to try it out for a bit, feeling safe and calmer close to Mountain.

Once he’s ready to get to work, Phantom stands there, staring down at the plants with weed growing between them that he’s supposed to pull out. 

He doesn’t know where to start. All the plants and weeds growing together, having to figure out what exactly he has to pull out and what to keep in and it being a big area is too much for him to process. Not only that, the humming from Mountain close by, the tapping Copia does while he waits somewhere in the garden on a bench, Fantom rolling around in the grass and making weird noises from happiness and the sun shining down on him adds up as well, making it even harder.

He tries though, not wanting to upset anyone, but every time he gets a piece or two out, he freezes and stares, trying to figure out where to start again while the heavy feeling before a meltdown slowly starts taking over more and more.

“Everything okay?” Mountain asks as he walks over once he realises something is going on.

“Don’t know where to start.”

“Do you want me to divide it into parts?”

“yes,” Phantom looks up at the earth ghoul who gets to it right away. 

“Alright, why don’t you start with this part first?” The giant points to the small square he made in the corner, a big gap made from weeds free ground.  

Bending down, Phantom starts working but by now it’s already too much and the feel of the leafs from the weeds, the earth getting under his nails and all the bugs he sees and the sun shining right down on him…

“No, Thank you!” Phantom stands back up as he tries to clean his hands while also looking for shade “No… no…” He mumbles almost in panic when he starts feeling heavier and scared by the second. He wipes the earth on his clothes, tears in his eyes from anger at himself for not being able to find a place and handle things like others.

Copia hurries over when he hears the quint “What’s wrong, my ghoul?”

“I-I can’t do it!” he cries out as he keeps wiping his hands on his jacket, spiraling into a meltdown fast.

“That’s alright, let’s keep looking, si?”

“No, No, NO!” Phantom screams as he covers his ears when he runs off, leaving a very confusing Copia and Fantom and a worried Mountain. 

He runs, throwing off his mask harshly, accidentally breaking it as broken sobs leave his mouth. His glamour drops as a wave of anger and pain shoots off him. 

He doesn’t know where he’s going, all he wants is to run from the screaming in his head so that’s what he tries.

He doesn’t realize he’s being followed by his brother who had gotten a call from Mountain, trying his best to use his quintessence to calm his little brother down.

After what feels like forever for Aether, Phantom seems to slow down. It doesn’t make him happy at all when he realizes Phantom ran to the summoning room. 

“Phantom!” Aether calls worried as he walks to his little brother. He grabs Phantom’s arms a bit tighter than usual in his worry.

“Look at me!” He hears the footsteps of the others following in the room behind him but they quickly stop to give them space, worry falling off them in waves.

Gasping for air between sobs, Phantom pulls his hair hard “S-Send b-back.”

While everything seemed to be going better in the last few weeks, Aether was silently waiting for the bomb to explode. He’d been watching his little brother and could feel the struggles and thoughts getting bigger and harder to keep in. He’d check in a few times but knew he couldn’t force it out. 

Aether stands there, holding his little brother as he tries to keep himself together, but hearing how bad it is breaks him, makes him angry with himself for not being around Phantom more and trying to get him to talk sooner. 

‘I let him down again… just like I did years ago’ Aether thinks.

“Why do you want to be sent back?” He asks quietly, trying his best to keep the pain out of his voice.

“I ca- I-I- not like yo- Trouble” Phantom struggles with forming sentences between sobs, his mind being like the busiest crossroad in the world but then with feelings, thoughts and words all running over each other, overwhelming him even more.

“You’re not like me? You’re trouble?” Aether tries to make sense of what he’s saying.

Nodding, Phantom lets out another sob as he lets his hands fall to his side, no longer having the strength to hold himself up.

Aether pulls his little brother in his arms and holds him tight as he tries to use his quintessence again. This time it works and slowly, the sobs turn into cries and then sniffles, his breathing slowly calms down as well.

After a few minutes they move from standing to sitting on the floor, in the middle of the summoning circle. Phantom still tight in Aether’s arms. 

“Will you tell me what your thoughts have been telling you?” Aether whispers gently.

Phantom whimpers and takes a while to try and get his thoughts together. He can’t fight the need to walk around with his thoughts by himself anymore so after taking a deep breath, he sits up and looks at Aether.

“I-I… I’m not like you. I want to be like you and everyone else… not be like me,” he whispers.

“I want to… have my brain quiet and not get upset so much… I want to work like you b-but I c-can’t and I don’t want to let you down. I don’t want to always ask everyone and annoy them with my stupid brain. Y-you lied, I’m not good enough. Papa will see soon and regret summoning me..”

Swallowing hard, pushing away his tears and pain, Aether pulls Phantom even closer to him.

“Everyone is different, everyone has things they struggle with and that’s okay. I understand that you hate it and that it feels like it’s really bad, but I think you should be really proud with how you’re handling all these big and new changes. It’s normal to fall back like this but you’ve been having so many good moments.”

“Do you remember back in the pit when things got too much? You would get so many panic attacks, so many meltdowns like this one and shut down completely. You’ve not shut down like that since being top side and this is the first explosive meltdown.”

“You’re doing so well, better than you think and we’re all so proud of you… I’m really proud of you. That silly voice in your head, that makes you believe that you’re not good enough or that you annoy us or bother us, couldn’t be more wrong. So promise me that whenever that voice comes in again, you’ll look for us and that includes Papa. No matter what time it is or what we’re doing, we will always help you and won’t ever be annoyed” 

Phantom sniffles as he slowly lifts his head to look at Aether “But what if I’m always like this?” He whispers.

Cupping his cheeks lightly, Aether looks in his eyes “Then you will… and we will love you and help you. Up here, there are things we can try to help you if you feel like you need more help. We…” Aether looks behind him at the pack and Copia, who have been standing there silently, listening and watching with silent tears falling. 

“We love you the way you are, we will always be there for you, help you when you need it.”

“Phantom, my ghoul…” Copia sniffles as he walks over slowly, not being able to hide his emotions. “I’m so happy that we summoned you. I’m so proud to have you be a part of our band and to have you walk the grounds. We are all incredibly lucky to have you and I will do everything I can to help you.”

Copia lightly touches Phantom’s cheek “You’re one of a kind, a special ghoul. My brothers would’ve been so jealous of me for having such a talented and special ghoul.” 

Phantom closes his eyes as he leans back into his brother again, tears falling a little faster “too much” he whispers.

“Can I take you back to my room? The others will take care of Fantom so you can rest as long as you need” Aether whispers, knowing that the wanting to go back to the pit wasn’t really what Phantom wanted, it was said in a moment where his thoughts took over.

Helping him up, they slowly walk to the den. The hallways empty after Copia had ordered everyone to go to their room when he followed the rest of the pack, not wanting to make Phantom even more upset.

Once they get to Aether’s room, Phantom changes into one of Aether’s shirts before he walks to the bed and curls up.

“I’ll be right back” Aether says quietly “Swiss is here until I’m back.”

Looking at Swiss, Aether smiles sadly “Don’t talk to him right now… he needs quietness” He whispers before he walks out towards the kitchen.

When he sees Copia in the common room he stops “Papa? I need time off to be with Phantom… I-I should’ve made him talk but I just… I let work take me away.”

Copia nods, smiling sadly “I already let Omega know you’ll be out for as long as you need to be. I’m sorry I didn’t see it myself.”

Shaking his head “It’s nobody’s fault… These things happen” Aether smiles sadly and heads to the kitchen to make Phantom a plate with his safe foods.

“Cumulus is walking Fantom… Do you want us to bring him in the room when he’s back? Or is it too much?” Cirrus asks softly as she makes some tea for the brothers.

“I think it will help to have Fantom there… We will let him decide, thank you” Aether sighs softly.

putting everything on the tray, he heads back to his room where he finds Swiss laying on Phantom like a seastar.

“What the hell are yo-” He starts but gets cut off by Swiss “He needed pressure but wouldn’t let me get his weighted blanket, couldn’t think of anything else… but it seems to do the trick” Swiss says while Aether walks over, hearing a soft purring when he gets close enough.

Sighing softly, Aether places down the tray “Seems like he’s coming out of it faster…” 

After just a few days, Phantom is ready to go out again, walk Fantom himself instead of being in the safety of his room. He doesn’t talk a lot, his words being harder to be found after a meltdown like that.

Aether joins him and the first half of the walk is done in silence.

“I spoke to Papa yesterday… and he wants you to know that he’s taking everything away from you, every thing that puts pressure on you… so no more tasks, no job. He wanted to give you a break from the band too but I told him not to, that I’d talk to you about it first. All he wants is for you to feel better.”

“I don’t want a break from the band… I like playing and making music with everyone” Phantom says quietly “Makes my head quiet and happy.” 

“Then I will let Papa know you’d still like to come to that, but know that if you’re ever not up to going that’s fine too.”

Phantom nods slowly and takes his brother's hand instead of answering.

It’s a month later. 

A month of Phantom not having any pressure on him, doing only things that he wants to do and he has never been doing better. There have been a few meltdowns and panic attacks, but not as bad as they used to be in the beginning. He’s mostly being found in the band’s practice room, but sometimes he helps Mountain in the greenhouse or Cirrus with cooking dinner and he even came to talk to Omega with Aether about the possibility of medication to calm down his head.

Fantom had gone home two weeks ago after a few more ‘accidents’ and a great time.

One day, Fantom was laying in front of the coffee table while Phantom went to get something from his room, when Swiss walked out with his lunch. 

Just when he was about to sit down he realized he forgot his tea, so he placed his plate on the table “This isn’t for dogs” He told Fantom in warning before he walked to the kitchen. 

When he came back though, he found Fantom sitting proudly in the same spot, but the plate was no longer filled with the ghoul’s lunch. 

“Seriously? Chewing my shoe wasn’t enough that one time? You really had to go there too?”  

If that wasn’t enough for the poor ghoul, a few days later, during movie night, Phantom walked out with an almost empty plate.

“Where did all these cookies go?” He asked.

Swiss’ears turned a darker color as he kept his eyes glued on the tv.

“Here Fantom, have the last cookie before that one disappears as well” The quint said while he fed the dog the last cookie.

To that Swiss’ head snapped up “They’re dog cookies?!” making everyone howl with laughter.

Something that they’d bring up many many times. 

It’s Tuesday morning when Phantom is waiting outside before the sun is even up. 

The owner of Fantom, who Phantom recently learned was named Emma, had called Copia the night before with the question if Phantom would want to watch the dog and of course he wouldn’t say no to that. 

So there he stands, looking around to see if he can spot them. Soon enough he does and he hurries over “Goodmorning, Thank you for letting me watch him again” The ghoul grins.

“Of course! He seems to really love being with you, so why wouldn’t I ask you” She smiles as she hands over the leash.

“I will pick him up after dinner tonight” She smiles and turns to leave before she stops “Oh, before I forget… I was wondering if you’d like to join me for a walk tomorrow morning? There will be a friend of Fantom joining us.”

Biting his lip, he looks back towards the Abbey “I have to ask if someone can join me, but I’d love to. Can I let you know tonight?”

“Of course darling,” she smiles “You two have a great day alright.”

“Y-you too,” Phantom says softly before he heads to the forest to take the dog out for a long walk.

Once they get back, they both have breakfast before they head to the band’s practise room where Phantom spends the day while the dog sleeps by his side, wherever he is. 

He loses track of time, being so focused and peaceful, his brain quiet that he jumps when suddenly the door opens and the pack walks in, Copia following not far behind.

“Why are you here?” He asks confused as he places a tool down.

“It’s 4, time for band practice” Swiss smiles as he grabs his guitar and walks to his spot. 

“Seems like you lost track of time…” Rain chuckles “Used to happen to Dew all the time when he’s down here,” He says as he grabs his bass.

Soon everyone is in place and Copia starts with Con Clavi Con Dio this time, liking to mix things up. 

Everything is going well, Phantom thinks, until the song ends.

“Who touched my Bass?” Rain speaks up almost right away.

Phantom looks over at Rain, ears flat on his head as he struggles reading the ghoul’s expression, thinking he made the ghoul angry “I-I did” he whispers

“Did you do the set up?” 

“Yes… I-I’m sorry” 

“No, no it's fine. It plays amazing now, better than it ever has,” Rain smiles “You didn't have to do it…Thank you”

Phantom shrugs “I-I overheard you talking to Dew about it and I had to do mine so why not yours as well?” 

When Phantom sees how happy Rain is with it, he turns to Cirrus “T-Try your other keyboard…” 

Cirrus does as she's told and grins “You fixed this too? How?”

“It was pretty easy… I just had to replace the cable, b-but I also cleaned the entire thing just to be sure it worked perfectly, had to fix a few things.” 

The Ghoulette plays a bit on it “It's never played this well! Thank you Dazzle.”

Phantom rubs the back of his neck, not sure how to react to all this attention. He just fixed some things, it doesn't mean that much…  

Once band practice is over, everyone starts to leave. Phantom's about to walk out with Fantom, who slept through the entire afternoon right next to the ghoul, when he's called back by Copia.

“Phantom, can you wait a moment?” 

His ears move flat on his head, scared that he did something he wasn't allowed to do with all the fixing. 

“You really enjoy working down here, fixing instruments, don’t you?” 

The ghoul looks at Copia and nods slightly “I do…”

Copia nods slowly as he thinks for a moment on how to bring this without putting pressure on the ghoul.

“How would you feel about making sure all instruments work before band practice and tours? It doesn’t have to be a job, it can be for fun… when you feel good enough”

“Really?” His tail thumps lightly from excitement “Y-yes please!” 

“That’s great then!” Copia smiles happily when he sees the excitement in the quints eyes. 

“Thank you!” Phantom grins and moves to Dew’s guitar, having noticed some things needing work on.

Copia chuckles “My ghoul, how about we start tomorrow? We had a long practice.”

That reminds Phantom of something “Papa? Can I join Fantom on a walk tomorrow morning? Emma said his friend will join and I’d like to meet him.”

“Of course! Is it okay if I join? I’d love to see that forest you always walk in” Copia smiles.

“Y-yes! I will tell her when she comes to get Fantom” Phantom grins “I’ll see you tomorrow… “ He starts walking away but stops “T-Thank you Papa” He looks back at Copia “For everything you do” He whispers before he hurries back to the den with the dog.

The next morning, Copia and Phantom are at the point they’d meet up with Emma and the owner of Fantom’s friend before they’d walk to the forest.

Phantom bounces slightly on his spot, excited and nervous to meet someone new.

Soon he spots them walking towards them and he bites his lip when he sees the dog “It’s another Pitbull…”

The closer they get, the more excited Phantom gets, especially when he realizes the dog is the white and red markings he so loves on these dogs.

“Oh! It’s so pretty!” Phantom grins “Hi puppy!” He holds his hand out for the dog to sniff, who does so right away before moving closer to the ghoul.

“She seems to like you” The owner smiles.

“She looks really kind, What’s her name?” Phantom asks as he scratches her behind the ears.

“Her name is Sky.”

“Sky, that’s fits her,” Phantom smiles and starts walking towards the forest, everyone following behind him with a light chuckle at him suddenly taking off.

The owner of Sky watches the dog closely, noticing she only has eyes for Phantom “Would you like to walk her to the forest?” she speaks up.

Turning around to look at them, Phantom looks surprised “But I just met her…”

“I’m right here if something goes wrong,” She smiles and holds out the leash for Phantom to take. 

Looking over at Copia, to check if it’s okay, he takes the leash “Thank you” He smiles nervously.

He starts walking a bit closer to Sky’s owner for the first few minutes. Being more tense and nervous, he starts scratching and pinching his leg without realizing. 

The owner, Copia and Emma watch when Sky first lightly bumps her nose against Phantom’s knee to get his attention, but when that doesn’t work, she pushes her nose between his leg and hand to stop him from pinching himself.

Phantom looks down “Hi there,” He pets her head gently, forgetting about his nerves and slowly relaxing. 

The longer they walk, the more they see Phantom opening up, even more than with Fantom.

Sky has a lot of moments where she takes him out of his head and even while sniffing around, she comes back to check on him. 

While walking behind with Emma and the owner, Copia suddenly hears someone clear their throat.

“Everything okay?” He asks quietly.

She nods and laughs softly “We’ve never had this happen before…” She says softly “This wasn’t just to see how he is with dogs, we took her to see if our feeling is right, and it is.” 

“I’m sorry? I’m not sure I understand,” Copia says softly.

“Sky will be Tommy’s service dog. She’s done in two months.” 

[rosehippiefield]

Exit/Corners spoilers

It may be weird how Aether wakes up in same room with Ink and Sean explains one reason for it: Ink needed to think they had potential to be a couple. But I think there is one more possible explanation: Ink needed to be the one to "fill" the idea of Aether. That's the way it works, simulation provides an outline and your mind fills the rest. By meeting Ink first, image of Aether is influenced accordingly, he had the strongest impact and that is why she's so "his type". And because Aether is Ink's corner specifically, she needed to be "made" by him. If she had another room to wake up in, then all four real participants would influence her character, and chances are she would differ from Ink's ideal partner, which would lead to his corner being ineffective

[necro-man-sir]

A window closed, a door opened

You're killing yourself.

That's preposterous. She was too clever for that, no less than a genius. One of the more learned scholars one could find. If she didn't already know, she could find the answer. She was reliable. She was competent. She was able.

She was...

Lost.

Matoya was right. Aethersight was killing her. It had been weeks of near constant use - months, really - since a scare in her dreams.

Over the years, they had become a haze of aether as well. Her memories of her friends, of their faces - their physical faces - were fading. She couldn't rightly describe them anymore. In her waking hours she couldn't place their features. Did Thancred have a hooked nose? Which side did the twins hair part, again? How much taller than her was...

Her brows steeple in the dark of her inn room where she stood. She didn't know where she was. Citystate, yes, but the room was unfamiliar. She was exhausted, her body was withering around her and her aether was spent.

She couldn't see, now. It was just... Darkness, no flickering of the aether that made up what was around her.

She was too proud to exit the room and ask her friends for help in finding what she had dropped. It had clattered off ahead of her, but...

Her ears pin back, the end of her tail flicking in sharp, snapping movements, hands balled into tight fists. She bit down at the corners of her lips, jaw tense. And she weeps.

She lowers herself to the floor, gloved hands lifting to her face to hide the shame of her tears. Any sobs were left quiet, choked back and pitiful, her breath strained as she fights to get it together.

They had crossed the universe, she was capable of that, but unable to find a simple ink pen she dropped when she near tripped over a chair that was left in the middle of the room. It wasn't an important pen, why did it pain her so much to have lost it?

Her friends would be more than willing - happy, even - to help her. They wouldn't even blink at it, no side glances, no questioning, nothing. All she would receive was kindness and still she wept over the need to ask.

She had a cane at the door. What good was it, though, when she was too stubborn to practice?

Her breathing staggers inward, rubbing her hands into her cheeks, smearing make up that had run down from her eyes. Slumping there, she wills the tears to stop, failing at that, too.

"That was -- ing! You think -- did?" an enthusiastic voice sounded beyond her door, her ears snapping back to listen as she froze in place. She didn't breathe, fearing a sob would escape, her eyes wide. The conversation and footsteps continue, and then backtrack again, growing closer, quicker.

A knock at the door sounded out, rapping rapidly and startling her heart.

She takes in a short breath through her nose, pushes herself up from the floor, and quickly clears her face with her hands. She reaches into her bag to retrieve a small mirror, and on the first glance into it, her expression twists once more.

Right.

"Just a moment," she calls in the selfsame steady tone she wore, her hand extended out in front of her, unsteady, unsure steps, a scraping of wood as that "Damned-able chair!" dared to be in her way, again.

She hears a murmur beyond the door, and she stills, listening, setting the little mirror down on the chairs seat. At least the door was easy enough to find, the faintest light through the crack between the frame and wood. She makes her way over with a degree of care, her knuckles bumping into the frame, sliding down. Which side was the knob on, again?

It twists, and she pulls open the door, standing with her head high, her gaze forward, falling somewhere between the two who were there to greet her.

"Y'shtola, 'tis good to see--" the faintest hint of concern tinged her name, but, Urianger continues without missing a beat. "Pray, doest thou have a moment? I will not impose my company upon thee, but I had hoped that I might spend some time with thee, if thou art amicable."

She feels the slightest tinge of her hackles rising, and she makes a direct point to relax her ears and lower her shoulder. "I did not have plans for the evening. I had been going to bed," she had been, but she wasn't telling him no.

He doesn't let himself in, from there, standing patiently, and the time ticks by. "..."

She could hear him smile, his breath caught a certain way when his lips pulled. Her eyes narrow in the slightest.

There is a shifting of fabric, but there was no indication on what that movement was. More, still. Was he removing his jacket?

He really meant to stay, didn't he?

"Wouldst thou let me in, Y'shtola? There is a table to thy right that I cannot circumvent." His voice was so steady, so sure. She expecting him to be mocking, a chuckle at her being in the way. "... Apologies, come in," she says, turning her head to look at that table - or the best approximation she could manage, and she steps aside, holding the door open. He bids someone farewell, and she blinks. Who...?

Familiar, sure footsteps make their way off, their friend, leaving the both of them with what she was sure was nothing but their good graces and a light wave.

Surely they had some things to wrap up for the evening, it had been a long day.

Urianger makes his way in, speaking to her about somesuch as he hangs up his coat and sets something down on that little entrance table.

"I shall move this chair to the bed and seat myself. Dost thou require mine aid? Might I keep this light on, or wouldst thou prefer it dimmed?"

She stood there, stunned, her hand remaining on the doorknob, half closed but frozen. She hadn't even thought about the lights. "Go ahead." The chair lifts with a soft clunk, and then again after a few steps as it was set down in front of the nightstand. She hadn't realised her bed was all the way over there.

She couldn't ask -

"I brought with me a book, and I would read a passage to thee, if thou wouldst allow it. It moved me greatly in summers past, and I thought that thou might find the humor therein."

There was a smile, the slightest upturn of her lips. "Urianger. There is no need for that," she half refuses, stepping forward with a tad too much confidence, and she was fine for the first few steps, but, something rounded and long pressed into the ball of her foot, and she slides with the object scraping under her weight.

A yelp was let out, a clatter of the chair, and she hits the ground before he could catch her. She wasn't hurt, not physically, but she was horribly embarrassed.

... At least she knew where that damned pen had gone.

She pushes herself up without help, no awareness he had reached his hand out to her. He stands there with his hand aloft, his fingers curling, arm slowly falling as she straightens her clothing.

Y'shtola makes no comment on that fall, and she steps forward again, her shoulder knocking into Urianger's, and she simply sits down onto the bed as soon as her knee hits the edge of the mattress.

It's quiet for a moment as he picks up the chair and sits down again. She doesn't realise he's staring at her, not until that silence between them stretches on too long to be comfortable.

"...What is it?"

"A thought occurs to me… Pray don't take offense, as that is the last thing which I would wish to inflict upon thee, but hast thou considered a walking cane? Thy stubbornness is admirable, but perhaps thou couldst entertain it with more ease with its aid."

Her brows furrow.

"It would bring me naught but the greatest satisfaction to aid thee in thy practice."

She scoffs, crossing her arms over her chest, making a point to give him a look, but she was a little off. "That isn't necessary, Urianger," she first refuses, but, her curiosity does spike. She decides to ask, albeit somewhat skeptical. "This book of yours isn't to convince me, is it? I doubt you know how to use this walking cane first hand."

He didn't exactly need one, nor did she.

Urianger only smiles, that same, calm tone laced with a fair amount of quiet passion he usually spoke. "On the contrary, my friend. I had ample time with which to practice when I lived amongst the fae in Il Mheg. My hosts did, on occasion, 'trick' me by stealing away my sense of sight. They did so at my behest-- that is to say, I tricked them into stealing it, for I wished to glean more of how thou seest, or perhaps feelst, the world, that I might learn to aid you in navigating it with greater confidence."

He was being genuine.

Her shoulders do relax again, she couldn't believe, too, how patient he was.

She couldn't remember a time he lost that patience, and by all accounts, he would... be an excellent teacher, wouldn't he?

A quiet moment passes as she actually does consider that, paying no mind to the turning of pages while he searches the passage he wanted to share with her. Her hands fall to her lap, her gaze falling now somewhere onto the floor ahead of her.

"May I ask you a question?" She didn't need to specify that she wanted a genuine, true answer out of him. That was a given. At least in these cases.

"Thou mayst."

"Is it unnerving when I look at people?" Oh, that felt odd. She immediately wanted to retract the question, it felt a little too vulnerable. A little too late. Was it silly, now, to ask something so unimportant?

He doesn't let that beat skip at all, his answer spoken with confidence, and... She could tell he was teasing her.

"No, thy gaze is intimidating, as fierce in both its passion and its intelligence as it ever was. Even without sight its keenness can be felt as a knife, and any creature of mortal ken or beyond would be wise to cower under the weight of thine intense and palpable displeasure."

Had she been the type to roll her eyes, she probably would have, but she does look more pointedly at him, as if in demonstration of his assessment.

He smiles, a laugh tailing the expression.

"Very comforting," she scolds, but, it was. She was glad he could take humour in her and not make this feel so... Sad. He wasn't holding her like she was shattered glass in bare palms.

He doesn't comment on that further, the seed planted, and he simply starts to read from the book he had brought to her.

It was a story of a couple of friends with grand plans to see every corner of the star, he explained. This passage, he continues, was the moment they - both terrified - stood atop a large waterfall, looking downward over the edge into the deep water below.

Too scared to decide who would jump first, they take each others hands, and they count down from three, no, ten, no, three!

And they jump together, screaming the whole way down, plunging into the water, and as they resurface, they laugh and hug, proud of themselves for their show of bravery together.

She asks him to continue reading to her.

The next morning comes, Urianger waking in the chair, his legs stiff, back aching.

They get breakfast.

And then they go outside of the city where no one would see them, and he holds her elbow to let her lead him down the path, both of their free hands holding long hollow canes. He stops each time the ends hit a stone or some such, stating what it was, and he leads her around it.

They make it all the way to a little settlement, where they're met with congratulations of many familiar voices of the Scions.

She weeps; this time, with pride and ire both.